Loved The Hot Zone! Nonfiction that reads like a thriller.

Same here. I have so many books in there and all my bookshelves set up in the particular nitpicky way that I like them that moving all that over to another service is a daunting idea.

This book also didn’t scare me in a traditional way but is definitely one of the most unsettling things I’ve read.

My go-to author when I want something quick, easy to read, that’s not going to be too taxing is Stephen King. He’s so prolific that I think I’ll always have something new of his to read, and I like revisiting some of his works. Not sure how “pulpy” he is though.

I also enjoy Michael Crichton (like you mentioned), Blake Crouch, and Andy Weir for that same kind of thing.

I never read this one as a kid, but finally read it last year. Pretty enjoyable- it felt plausible enough that you could believe he was surviving out there.

For nonfiction, a good source is checking the bibliography or works cited section of the book.

I read the His Dark Materials trilogy for the first time when I was an adult and really enjoyed it. Lots of interesting ideas and the characters have stuck with me! Pullman has also released two out of the three books of a sequel-ish trilogy and when that series is complete I plan to read that one as well!

Charlie the Unicorn? Now that’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time.