Between 2020 and 2024, the thriller and detective fiction genres saw several authors rise to the top of bestseller lists. These authors, including James Patterson, Tana French, David Baldacci, Michael Connelly, Kathy Reichs, and Dennis Lehane, distinguished themselves through their masterful storytelling and consistent ability to captivate and entertain their readers. The other day, I was curious about these authors and what they might have in common, as well as what we could learn by analyzing their work. So, I turned to my good friend, ChatGTP, and conducted a kind of interview. A transcript of this “talk” is listed below. I thought some of you might find this interesting, especially as I went deeper and asked for more information and explanations. Enjoy!