Whine and Cheese

Looking back at the eighty-some book reviews I've posted on this blog, I realize that I have a slight tendency...ok, it's not slight, it's substantial ... nonetheless, I have a tendency to whine about  bloodshed, gore, and/or carnage in the books I'm reading - yet I continue to read them.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

That quote has been attributed to both Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein, but whoever said it, I think they were talking about me.

But here's the thing - I like thrillers and they tend to be graphic.  I used to be addicted to cozy mysteries, but the slower pace just doesn't seem to hold my attention any more.  Perhaps it's my advancing age (awareness of finite amount of reading time in life) or my job at the library (more exposure to the vast number of books left to read in that limited time).  Whatever the reason, I find myself picking books with a more brisk pace.  

Which brings me to the point where I ask for your help.  When I'm feeling the need for speed without the threat of losing my lunch, where do I turn?  Can anyone recommend some authors who will grip my attention without twisting my stomach? 

And to those who have read all my whiny thriller reviews, I can only quote F. Scott Fitzgerald:  It takes a genious to whine appealingly.  I hope the reviews have held some appeal.