thriller is a broad genre of literature, film and television that includes numerous and often overlapping sub genres. thrillers are characterized by fast pacing, frequent action and resourceful heroes who thwart the plans of more powerful and better equiped villians.

Devices such as suspense, red herrings and cliffhangers are used extensively. a thriller is a villian driven plot, whereby he presents obstacles the hero must overcome. the genre is flexible and can engage the audience through a dramatic rendering. Hitchcocks' said, thrillers allow the audience, '' To put their toe in cold water of fear to see what its like.''

thrillers often take place in exotic setting such as foreign cities. Heroes are frequently hard men. Heroes are usually men but now women heroes are becoming more popular in films.

thrillers may be dfined by the primary mood that creates fearful excitement. In short, if it 'thrills', then it is a thriller. As the introduction to a major anthology explains.