Here's how this works:
* Physical Isolation: The setting could be a remote cabin in the woods, a deserted island, or a locked room. This isolates the characters from help and creates a sense of vulnerability. The reader wonders how the characters will escape or if they will be rescued at all.
* Psychological Isolation: The setting could be a crowded city, but the characters are trapped in a specific location, like an elevator or a subway tunnel. This creates a sense of claustrophobia and helplessness. The reader wonders what danger might be lurking nearby or if the characters will ever escape.
Example: In Stephen King's "The Shining," the Overlook Hotel, isolated in the winter mountains, becomes a character itself, contributing to the mounting tension and isolating the characters. The reader feels the characters' growing sense of dread and vulnerability in the vast, empty hotel.
By creating an atmosphere of isolation or confinement, authors can make the reader feel trapped along with the characters, enhancing the suspense and keeping them on the edge of their seats.