Do Thrillers Need Likeable Heroes? Not Always

A man lies to his wife, steals evidence, ignores every sensible warning and still, somehow, keeps you reading at 1.30am. So, do thrillers need likeable heroes? Absolutely not. They need heroes - or at least central characters - compelling enough that we need to know what happens when their choices finally catch up with them.

That distinction matters. Likeable is pleasant company. Compelling is a live wire. In thrillers, where the plot runs on danger, paranoia, pressure and terrible decisions made with 30 seconds left on the clock, pleasant company can be a surprisingly low priority.

The best thriller protagonists often sit in that deliciously awkward space between “I understand you” and “please do not touch another thing”. Think of Leonard in Memento, Joe Goldberg in You, or the increasingly frantic people of The Truman Show trying to make sense of a reality that has been built around them. We may not approve of every move. We are still glued to the page or screen.