Now that I think about it, this "suspenses" problem is also one thing that's messing me up with the swordfighting ms right now: not understanding what needs to be revealed to whom (including the reader), about whom, and when. That can all be used as an engine to keep pages turning. It's also very much tied to how each character feels in every scene. It requires knowing the story from everyone's POV, in order to find potential "reveals" and to know what pushes everyone's buttons so that I don't miss more "reveals" that would be triggered by their reactions. It requires a very light hand on the reins, writing-wise, but full and mindful attention in all areas of the ms.

It probably is one place where plot and character meet for me. Could be that, in the swordfighting ms, I need to use it to structure the entire story.