Too much gore?

 I have just discovered Val McDermid. 

I know she's been writing for years, but I haven't been into thrillers at all until recently. And I especially like psychological thrillers. I always veered toward historical/historical romances and ignored the rest. OK, I read Ian Rankin for his Rebus stories. And then I discovered Peter May and his Lewis and Enzo stories. But slowly over the last couple of years - partly because I couldn't find a decent historical I hadn't read, because thrillers they are so easy to get on Kindle and there are so many of them  - I started looking at thriller titles.

I'm still picky. I tried and abandoned some of the younger thriller writers who have shot to the top of the Kindle sales charts. Characters I don't like, settings I find depressing, poor language and some that are very readable but instantly forgotten - I worked my way through them and have finally found a writer I like. Chilling, perhaps, but that is to be expected in murder stories so I can't really complain about that. But too much gore I will avoid. I have a good imagination, and don't need blood and guts splashed across every page. A threat, a darkened room, a stealthy sound.... my muscles tense and I glance over my shoulder.