You have to read the whole thing in detail to have some understanding of what's expected. She wants a thriller with an emporered female lead that isn't threathened as defined in a very narrow domain - no violence (sexual or otherwise), no abuse, no stalking. Lawless gives examples of thrillers.
So… Dark, psychological, philosophical, crime, mystery, political, historical, religious, even comedy, whatever type of thriller – if it fits our criteria, we want to read it.
I'm not sure about a 'comedy thriller' or a 'philosophical thriller' (if you have titles in mind, please post them). So the threat of physical death, which is usually the apex of all threats as we know it, must be redefined in other ways.
As writers we have other, less obvious options:
Threat of emotional death - losing love or respect from a close relative (ex: Leslie Lehr - What A Mother Knows)
Threat of economic death - losing a fortune, the family company (ex: Largo Winch)
Threat of social death - losing status, a career, being framed. (ex: Michael Crichton - A Case Of Need)
Threat of psychological death - losing one's mind, fall into eternal sorrow, revenge. (ex: Josin McQueln - Premeditated)
If you can mix two or more, you are golden.
-cb
