Techno-thrillers combine the suspense and pacing of thriller fiction with detailed exploration of cutting-edge technology. These novels typically feature protagonists who must navigate complex technological threats, often involving cybersecurity, military technology, bioengineering, or emerging scientific developments. Authors like Michael Crichton, Tom Clancy, and Dan Brown made the genre popular by weaving real scientific possibilities into gripping narratives of international intrigue and danger. Techno-thrillers serve as both entertainment and warning, exploring the potential consequences of technological advancement while delivering the fast-paced action readers expect from thriller fiction.

Techno-thrillers emerged in the 1970s with authors like Michael Crichton, who combined his medical background with thriller writing. The genre exploded in the 1980s during the Cold War with Tom Clancy's military tech thrillers. The rise of the internet and digital technology in the 1990s and 2000s brought new subgenres focusing on cybersecurity and information warfare. Today, techno-thrillers continue to evolve with emerging technologies like AI, biotechnology, and quantum computing.