page-turner

American  

[peyj-tur-ner] / ˈpeɪdʒˌtɜr nər /

noun

1. a book so exciting or gripping that one is compelled to read it very rapidly.

---

page-turner British  

noun

1. an exciting novel, such as a thriller, with a fast-moving story

---

Etymology

Origin of page-turner

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

This account has no great literary merit, but it’s an undeniable page-turner with utility to anyone contemplating the lifestyle.

From Los Angeles Times

But I think a lot of times when we talk about page-turner, we don’t really talk about the craft behind that, so I was wondering if you could share a little bit behind the process behind how you decided to structure the novel in this particular way.

From Salon

The judges said: "A novel about class ascension and a man who is remarkably detached from his desires, and a disquisition on the art of being alive. It is also an absolute page-turner."

From BBC

The creeping horror at the center of Ishiguro’s science fiction is surrounded by the tensions of growing up in this literary page-turner.

From Los Angeles Times

However, both he and Fiennes are thrown by the reaction some audiences have had to the movie, celebrating “Conclave” as an addictive, eminently meme-able page-turner.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• anxiety
• apprehension
• confusion
• doubt
• insecurity
• tension
• thriller
• uncertainty