The Da Vinci Code's lesson

I just finished reading the Da Vinci code a few days ago and I learned the secret to suspense writing, to keep the reader glued to the page and to keep reading. The trick is to take a few characters, make them sympathetic (in other words, make the reader root for them), and then constantly THROW THEM INTO TROUBLE ALL THE TIME. That's why I felt the book The Da Vinci Code was suspenseful and a page-turner. The two main characters were thrown into danger over and over again. It seems as if the moment they catch a break and have a chance to breathe, something incredible and threatening happens. The second trick is to figure out clever ways to get them out of trouble. That's what Dan Brown did with this book and it really kept me trying to deduce how they did it. Brilliant stuff, that is. Brilliant.