The Thriller Beats
The Seven Thriller Beats That Add Sizzle to Romantic Suspense
We've all enjoyed the pure, heart-fluttering escapism of romance novels. Let's face it, romance is the leading genre for a reason—nothing captivates readers quite like the electric tension between soulmates. But have you ever considered ramping up that rollercoaster of emotions with a dash of suspense? If the idea of infusing your romance with a pulse-pounding thriller element appeals to you, you're in for a treat with the Thriller Beats!
Romance beats are integral in laying down the foundation of any great love story. However, each subgenre and trope also comes with its own set of "beats" or obligatory scenes that audiences expect. And yes, this includes the romantic suspense subgenre, where passion meets peril. These are the 7 Thriller Beats that can help elevate your romantic suspense to heart-pounding heights.
1. The Crime or Threat
This is where the drama kicks off. Whether it's a dead body or signs of theft, the crime scene sets the stage for the rest of the narrative. The crime poses an essential story question—Who did it? How did they do it? Or even, why are they doing it? This question will carry your readers through the twists and turns, keeping them glued to your pages.
2. Adhesion to the Case
This beat introduces the hero or heroine because they're the ones who'll be answering that burning story question. Whether they're a detective, a cop, or a private investigator, their commitment to the case serves as the glue that holds the story together.
3. The Initial Theory
The hero or heroine steps into the peculiar world of the crime. They establish what's at stake—what calamities might occur if the threat isn't neutralized. A theory, often incorrect, emerges as a possible answer to the story question. This theory sets the hero on a course of action, adding another layer of intrigue.
4. Three Bangs and an Explosion
Think of this as the thriller's take on "three dates and a disaster." It's not about romantic arcs or emotional intimacy, but the escalating stakes tied to the looming threat. Each "bang" ups the ante, focusing on what the hero or heroine stands to lose—be it their freedom, their life, or someone else's life—if they fail.
5. Reminder of Danger
Our hero finds themselves in a perilous situation that reminds them—and us—that the stakes are real. Wrong conclusions might have been drawn, dangerous paths taken, but there's no turning back. The only way is forward, right into the teeth of danger.
6. Speech in Praise of the Villain (Why/How Dunnit)
Just when it seems the hero is backed into an unwinnable corner, the villain takes center stage. A monologue from the bad guy not only amps up the tension but also answers the lingering story question. It's the perfect setup for the final confrontation.
7. Resolution
The climax arrives. Our hero digs deep, outsmarts the villain, and saves the day. However, the resolution might not be so clear-cut. There could still be losses in terms of what was initially at stake, adding a final twist to your thrilling narrative.
Some of my favorite Romantic Suspense and Thrillers where I'm shipping the characters are White Collar, Thomas Crown Affair and Shonda Rhimes' The Catch.
Notice they all have art thieves…
Let's dive deep into the mechanics of two TV shows that tried to master the art of genre blending — Romantic Suspense and Thriller. Both Shonda Rhimes' The Catch and Julia Cohen's The Company You Keep promised the e pulse-pounding dynamics of cat and mouse games, stakes so high you can feel the tension in your living room, and of course, romance so steamy it practically fogs up your screen. One succeeded, the other… yeah.
In The Catch we meet our heroine Alice Vaughn. This high-end PI, with vibes reminiscent of Olivia Pope, finds herself tangled in a web spun by the enigmatic Mr. X. Think of it as a twisted courtship where each party is both predator and prey.
THE CRIME
In the opening scene we are brought into an art gallery. We follow a man who is clearly a thief by the way the camera shows him clocking his surroundings and marking who he believes is the woman in charge. He singles out this beautiful and gets her to show him an exclusive painting alone. As he's seducing her with his smooth, cultured moves, he snags her badge to return to steal a priceless painting.
When you watch this opening scene, notice the discussion of the painting how he mentions the guy in the romantic painting of a couple doesn't show the man's eyes. Only the woman's. The man insists the woman in the painting is in love and that's sad because it never lasts. But just because it doesn't last doesn't mean it isn't love.
This is THEME STATED in Save the Cat. The whole theme of this show is about authenticity, what is real, was it love. And what a great way to showcase this notion.
Okay, back to the Crime. The mysterious man has stolen her badge. We watch him snag the painting and see his skill in art thievery. He's almost out, but she takes him down and cuffs him. Not only did she make him, she was in control the whole time and then she takes him down like a boss. He asks if she's a cop and she says she's no, she's a private investigator.
Credits roll showing us that that was the Teaser. Remember the three jobs of the teaser; immediate, quick and grab attention
This is our heroine, Alice Vaughn is a PI, but like a high end PI with rich and powerful clients who she fixes problems for. Total Olivia Pope vibes.
ADHESION TO THE CASE
Before the adhesion, we get another novice to guide us into this world just like in our breakdown of Scandal. Sophie is the new kid on the block and she gives us background as to what they do at Anderson and Vaughn.
Now that we're in Alice's world, we see her big case; the one that keeps evading her. There's a big bad guy toying with them.
The bad guy has been dubbed Mr. X. He's an expert thief who has stolen 5 million dollars from her clients.
A a cat and mouse game plays out, where Alice and her associates think they know who Mr. X's next target will be. They start a sting on this suspect, certain Mr. X will make a clandestine briefcase exchange with this guy.
Mr. X enters the scene and we as the audience see exactly who he is. He's handsome and suave. And we watch as he stays one step ahead of Alice and her team the whole time she thinks she's got him on his heels and he slips through her fingers to a banging Pit Bull soundtrack.
Mr. X literally breezes by Alice and our hearts are pounding! He recognizes her and sees her and gives her a smouldering once over. And you can just smell the Fated Mates of it all!!!!!
Alice is an expert and she's clearly met her match.
She drives home defeated to her fiance in the shower. The steam from the shower clears and it's… Mr. X!!!!!!!
The audience knows it, but she doesn't know it.
THREAT AND STAKES
Before we get to the threats and stakes there's a brief montage that illustrates how deeply entrenched in each other's lives they are. She goes to his company building which bares his name. His workers know her and vice versa. Mr. X, who's real name is Ben, has been with her for a year and they're getting married. In fact, Alice is at his office to hand him a check for her life savings as a downpayment on the house they're buying together. Alice being the independent woman that she is insists on going in half on their house. She says they're going toe be real partners in this marriage.
Once Alice leaves, Ben's real boss, whose name is Margo, comes in. Margo is his partner in crime. Margo tells Ben that Alice has outlived her usefulness and he needs to break off the fake engagement with her now. We watch as Ben tries to find a way to stall, but he can't rouse Margo's suspicions that he might have actual feelings for her, because if she believes that she'll definitely have Alice killed… and then will probably turn around and kill Ben.
That's a Threat and Stakes.
The Stakes for Alice is that her reputation and company will be destroyed.
The romance subplot takes over for a minute when Alice tries on her wedding dress and Ben catches her. He's clearly floored. They make love, leaving the audience to wonder if it's real for him. In the morning, we watch as he tries to get her to run away with him. But she demures. She's so focused on capturing Mr. X and promises the minute she catches him, they can runaway together.
It's clearly real for him, but it's not meant to be. So he gives her a forehead kiss and leaves…
INITIAL THEORY
Back and Anderson and Vaughn, they're making a profile of the villainous Mr. X. This is where we learn the rules of the game Mr. X is playing with them.
In the middle of their theorizing, Alice recounts Ben asking her to elope. Her colleagues tell her to drop it and go. She decides to do it.
She calls Ben, but he doesn't answer.
She goes home… and it's like he was never there.
She goes to his office, but it's empty.
He's gone.
THREE BANGS
1. The first bang was that check she signed over with her life savings. He's completely gone from her life, including photos. He never looks at the camera. You never see his eyes… just like in the painting. Was it even real?PERSONAL DEATH with financial bang.
2. The second bang is when Alice realizes he was after her client list when the company has been hacked. That's when she realizes Ben is Mr. X. They also realize that if they tell their clients they've been hacked, they'll lose everything. PROFESSIONAL DEATH with a loss of power and an exposed secret bang.
3. In the next bang, the FBI shows up looking for Ben. They want to work together, but Alice declines because she's embarrassed that she let this happen to her. But more importantly she wants revenge.
She asks her partner Val to give her until the end of the day to find something on Ben.
As she's investigating and retracing her steps with Ben, the FBI catches her in the act of breaking into his old office. PROFESSIONAL DEATH that threatens her freedom because she could be arrested.
REMINDER OF DANGER
We're reminded of the danger when we see that Ben's goal was to access her client list for one particular client. The client he's after has an invention worth billions.
Alice figures this out and goes to the event. She's right. Ben is there in the process of conning this particular client. The client has all the information Ben needs on a hard drive, which Ben swipes with his quick fingers.
Ben's on his way out when he sees Alice. After a pregnant pause where they gaze at each other, her with vengeance clear on her face, him filled with longing, he slips through her fingers yet again.
Ben is reminded that if Margo finds out his feelings are real, she'll kill both of them.
HERO/HEROINE IN PERIL
Alice gets the last laugh for once, because Alice planted a bug in what Ben stole from their client and now they steal everything from Ben and Margo leaving them broke.
Alice has now put Ben in danger with the powerful people who own him and Margo because if he doesn't pay, he'll be in danger. But he can't help but smile at Alice's game play.
Because this is a romantic suspense and not just a thriller, there's a Grand Gesture. Before the credits roll on this pilot episode, we see Ben steal the romantic painting of the couple with the woman smiling and the man looking away from the beginning of the show. He leaves it for her in her bedroom.
Each time Mr. X came at Alice he sent a note saying "Let's play." Now it's Alice's turn to voice those words before the we fade to back.
No Speech in Praise of the Villain in the pilot, but the Speech does come later in the season.
No Resolution because it's a TV show so there's an Open Door. That open door was the grand gesture of the painting.
I will warn you that this show was canceled at the end of Season Two and the door to the end of the season is left wide open. ARGH. But it's still a delightful romp all the way through. ABC idiots.
They tried to launch another romantic thriller.
In the Winter/Spring 2023 television season, ABC introduced a new CIA Agent and con man drama called The Company You Keep.
I lined up because I'd watched I love this kind of cat and mouse drama.
Unfortunately, for me, the show missed a few beats. It' missed a lot of beats.
It starts off with a really cool CRIME where the hero is in the midst of a deal that looks like it's going south. Sirens sound and the others get away, but our hero is captured… or is it he? It's revealed that the authorities are his family members and fiancee posing to scare of the villains and take the spoils.
But then his fiancee disappears with all their money.
The heroine gets introduced. It's clear she's great at her job as people are turning to her for answers. She's got the whole overworked thing going, but she's married to the job and about to crack a big case. She rushes out of the office to what looks like she's gotten a clue, but it turns out she was using her tech skills to see that her boyfriend was cheating on her.
Excellent setup.
The ADHESION is pretty cool. Because they meet in a bar. Both heartbroken and ready to drown their sorrows. Instead they find each other. And have a magical couple of days holed up in a hotel. Total fun and games montage where we see how compatible they are on a soul deep level.
And then… honestly, I got lost.
It left the thriller beats and started to focusing on their families.
They don't get back to the Threat or Stakes until close to the end of the pilot episode.
When you're mixing genres, it can be hard. It began to weigh heavily on the Romance and not on the Thriller.
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