The literary thriller is a genre built on tension, anticipation, and uncertainty. Its essence lies not only in the fast pace of the plot but in the constant sense that something unknown—and often dangerous—lurks just beyond the visible. In this way, the thriller draws the reader into a story by playing with expectations and fears, creating suspense between what the characters know and what is yet to be revealed.

The thriller in the novel Maya and Gugl is not limited to external threats; it also unfolds within the very structure of the narrative, where readers gradually discover that the boundaries between fiction and reality are fragile and shifting.

In this way, Maya and Gugl demonstrate how the contemporary literary thriller can move beyond simple suspense to become a space for deeper questions: about identity, the power of art, and the meaning of existence in a world that is both real and imagined.