Mystery/Thriller Reading Friends discussion
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Monthly "Reads"
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Post Your "Top Reads of 2020" Here!!!
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Top Mystery/Thriller Books (list up to 10)-Head Wounds (McGarrity)
-Dirty South (Connolly)
-Law of Innocence (Connelly)
-From the Grave (Housewright)
-The Silent Wife (Slaughter)
-The Deep Deep Snow (Freeman)
-The Paradise Gig (Shames)
-One Minute Out (Greaney)
Top M/T Authors (list up to 5)
-Connelly
-Connolly
-Sandford
-Box
-Spencer-Fleming
Top Books any genre (list up to 5)
Peace Talks (Butcher)
The Hooligans (Deuterman)
Top Series (list up to 5)
-Davenport
-Flowers
-Joe Pickett
-Bosch
-Elvis and Joe
Best "New to Me" Author (list one)
-Delia Owens (Crawdads)
Bottom of the Barrel Books (list up to 5)
-Sins of the Past )Derek)
Ann's Top books of 2020Top Mystery/Thriller Books (list up to 10)
Nothing More Dangerous Eskens, Allen
Gone by Midnight Fox, Candice
Troubled Blood Galbraith, Robert
Shadowplay O'Connor, Joseph
The Silent Wife Slaughter, Karin
This Bitter Earth McFadden, Bernice L.
A Time for Mercy Grisham, John
The Law of Innocence Connelly, Michael
All the Devils Are Here Penny, Louise
Your House Will Pay Cha, Steph
Top M/T Authors (list up to 5)
Michael Connelly, Karin Slaughter, Robert Galbraith, Louise Penny, Candice Fox
Top Books any genre (list up to 5)
The Space Between Worlds Johnson, Micaiah
The Man Who Saw Everything Levy, Deborah
Broken Places & Outer Spaces: Finding Creativity in the Unexpected Okorafor, Nnedi
American Dirt Cummins, Jeanine
Empire of Wild Dimaline, Cherie
Top Series (list up to 5)
Harry Bosch Universe: Connelly, Michael
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series: Penny, Louise
Crimson Lake series: Fox, Candice
Will Trent series: Slaughter, Karin
Cormoran Strike series: Galbraith, Robert
Best "New to Me" Author (list one)
This sci-fi debut novel was a compulsive and thought provoking read. Micaiah Johnson is an author to follow; her fascinating other world is inhabited by characters I will not forget.
The Space Between Worlds Micaiah Johnson
Top Mystery/Thriller Books (list up to 10)1. Every Vow You Break peter swanson
2.The Law of Innocence- Connelly
3.The Good Sister- sally hepworth
4.The Family Upstairs- lisa jewell
5.The Silent Wife- karin slaughter
6.Confessions on the 7:45- lisa unger
7.Invisible Girl- lisa jewell
8. Don't Look for Me- wendy walker
9. You Are Not Alone- greer Hendricks
10. The Guest List- lucy foley
Top M/T Authors (list up to 5)
1. Connelly
2. Crais
3. Coben
4. SJ Rozan
5. Lisa Jewell
Top Books any genre (list up to 5)
1.28 Summers- elin hilderbrand
2.Summer Longing- jamie brenner
3.On Ocean Boulevard- mary alice Monroe
4.Side Trip- kerry lonsdale
5.Blush- jamie brenner
Top Series (list up to 5)
1. Davenport
2. Flowers
3. Bill and Lydia
4. Joe Pickett
5. Bosch
Best "New to Me" Author (list one)
JT Ellison
Bottom of the Barrel Books (list up to 5)
i stopped keeping track of these.
Top Mystery/Thriller Books (list up to 10)Long Bright River (Liz Moore)
Cold Mourning (Brenda Chapman)
White Nights (Ann Cleeves)
Agatha Raisin and the Murderous Marriage (MC Beaton)
Lethal White (Robert Galbraith)
Troubled Blood (Robert Galbraith)
The Things That Keep Us Here (Carla Buckley)
Talking to the Dead (Harry Bingham)
Opium and Absinthe (Lydia Kang)
Bats and Bones (Karen Musser Nortman
Top M/T Authors (list up to 5)
Ann Cleeves
MC Beaton
Robert Galbraith
Louise Penney
Top Books any genre (list up to 5)
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine (Gail Honeyman)
Year of Wonders (Geraldine Brooks)
Desperate Measures (Alice Sabo)
The World That we Knew (Alice Hoffman)
Long Bright River (Liz Moore)
Top Series (list up to 5)
Cormorant Strike (Galbraith)
A Changed World (Sabo)
Agatha Raisin (Beaton)
Inspector Armand Gamache (Penney)
Best "New to Me" Author (list one)
Harry Bingham
Bottom of the Barrel Books (list up to 5)
Normal People
Things you save in a Fire
The Starless Sea
The Overdue Life of Amy Byler
The Fountain of Silence
Bonnie: Long Bright River almost made my top list. I loved Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine too. it is interesting that you have listed two 'bottom of the barrel' books I have on my tbr piles.
Of course liking one book by an author does not guarantee the same for another book. ;)
I have heard mixed reviews for The Starless Sea and hope to get to it in 2021. I enjoyed The Night Circus also byErin Morgenstern.
The Fountains of Silence is on my tbr list too. I've enjoyed other books by Ruta Sepetys like Between Shades of Gray. She lives in Nashville and I've attended several book events for her books. I miss doing that!
Bonnie wrote: "Bottom of the Barrel Books (list up to 5)
The Starless Sea, The Fountain of Silence"
Top Mystery/Thriller Books (list up to 10)Troubled Blood. Robert Galbraith.
Trouble is What I Do. Walter Mosley. Narrated by Dion Graham.
NOS4A2. Joe Hill. Read by Kate Mulgrew.
8 Perfect Murders. Peter Swanson.
Kingdom of the Blind . Louise Penny. Read by Robert Bathurst.
Raven Black. Ann Cleves. Read by Gordon Griffin.
Long Bright River. Liz Moore. Read by Allyson Ryan.
The Take. Christopher Reich. Read by Paul Michael.
Gone by Midnight (Candace Fox). Read by Euon Morton.
The Crossing. Michael Connelly. Mickey Haller/Harry Bosch. Read by Titus Welliver
Top M/T Authors (list up to 5)
John Sandford
Walter Mosley
Michael Connelly
Robert Galbraith
Louise Penny
Top Books any genre (list up to 5)
White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism. Robin DiAngelo.
The World as it Is. Ben Rhodes. Read by Ben Rhodes and Mark Deakins
Deacon King Kong: a novel. James McBride. Read by Dominic Hoffman.
Becoming. Michelle Obama.
Killers of the Flower Moon. David Grann. Read by Will Patton, Anne Marie Lee, Danny Campbell.
Top Series (list up to 5)
Lucas Davenport by John Sandford
Virgil Flowers by John Sandford
Three Pines (Chief Armand Gamache) by Louise Penny
Cormoran Strike by Robert Galbraith
Leonid McGill by Walter Mosely
Best "New to Me" Author (list one)
Ann Cleves
Bottom of the Barrel Books (list up to 5)
The closest I came to this was Ruth Ware's One by One which I rated at 3.5. Not really bottom of the barrel so I won't list it in our final tally.
Honorable mention: I completed my re-read of my two favorite series, both by John Sandford: Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers. Most of these I rated 5 or 4, but I couldn't decide which to put on my top ten so I left them off.
Ann wrote: "Bonnie: Long Bright River almost made my top list. I loved Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine too. it is interesting that you have listed two 'bottom of the barrel..."
I also have LOVED other books by the same authors. Maybe my hopes were set too high for these.
Bonnie wrote: "Ann wrote: "Bonnie: Long Bright River almost made my top list. I loved Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine too. it is interesting that you have listed two 'bottom o..."
I should also add my bottom of the barrel were still 2 stars (OK) since I don't finish books anymore I really hate (except skim reading an occasional book club choice.)
Bonnie: I understand completely. Stellar first / earlier books will do that ( raise expectations) that is probably partly why I've put off reading The Starless Sea. Soon. I so loved The Night Circus. I rarely have a bottom of the barrel book either. I will just put them aside. ;) too many books...
Bonnie wrote: "I also have LOVED other books by the same authors. Maybe my hopes were set too high...
I should also add my bottom of the barrel were still 2 stars (OK) since I don't finish books anymore I really hate (except skim reading an occasional book club choice.)
Ann wrote: "it is interesting that you have listed two 'bottom of the barrel books .."
Carol: I can see that would have been a hard choice! A Virgil Flowers book is likely to make my determination list for unfinished series this year. I need to go see which one I am up to... Mad River. Carol/Bonadie wrote: "Honorable mention: I completed my re-read of my two favorite series, both by John Sandford: Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers. Most of these I rated 5 or 4, but I couldn't decide which to put on my top ten so I left them off.
.."
Top M/Ts1)Songs from the Deep by Kelly Powell (YA paranormal mystery)
2)Cheater's Game by Paul Levine (legal thriller)
Top Any Genre
1. Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez
2.Rachel Maddow: A Biography by Lisa Rogak
3.The Time Collector by Gwendolyn Womack (paranormal romance)
4. A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow (YA alternate universe fantasy)
5.Side Chick Nation by Aya de Leon (contemporary fiction)
Top Mystery/Thriller BooksI Hear Sirens in the Street - Adrian McKinty (read by Gerard Doyle)
The Secret Pilgrim - John le Carre (read by Michael Jayston)
Cosi Fan Tutti - Michael Dibdin
The Beautiful Dead - Belinda Bauer
The Broken Shore - Peter Temple (read by Peter Hosking)
The Killer Next Door - Alex Marwood (read by Imogen Church)
Top M/T Authors
Adrian McKinty
Belinda Bauer
Peter Temple
John Sandford
Top Books any genre
Three-Ring Circus: Kobe, Shaq, Phil, and the Crazy Years of the Lakers Dynasty - Jeff Pearlman
Correspondents - Tim Murphy (read by Necar Zadegan and Assaf Cohen)
Where You Once Belonged - Kent Haruf
Top Series
SPQR - John Maddox Roberts
Lucas Davenport - John Sandford
Rumpole - John Mortimer
Harry Bosch - Michael Connelly
Dan’s ListBest MT
1. The Cleaner, ark Dawson
2. Looking Glass, Andrew Mayne
3. Hid From Our Eyes, Julia Spencer-Fleming
4. The Summer that. Elated Everything, Tiffany McDaniel
5. Burning Down Boise, Franklin Horton
6. Thirteen Hours, Deon Meyer
Best Any Genre
1. A Photographer in the Slaughterhouse
2. Power of the Dog, Don Winslow
3. The River, Peter Heller
4. The Summer that Melted Everything, Tiffany MsDaniel
Best Author
1. James Lee Burke
2. Peter Heller
3. Don Winslow
Best Series
1. Shetland Island’s Series, Ann Cleeves
2. Cork O’Connor, William Kent Krueger
3. Dave Robicheux, James Lee Burke
Best NTM Author
Peter Heller
Bottom of the Barrel
Rain Will Come, Thomas Holgate
Good job everyone, and thanks for posting your Top Reads! I'll wait a few more days and start to compile them after the 15th.
Top Mystery/ThrillerFlowers Over the Inferno, Ilaria Tuti
The Butterfly Garden, Dot Hutchison
Taken To The Grave, M.M. Chouinard
The Body Keeper, Anne Frasier
Top Author
Alison Weir, Anna of Kleve
Carol/Bonadie wrote: "Good job everyone, and thanks for posting your Top Reads! I'll wait a few more days and start to compile them after the 15th."Oh, good! I'll get mine in tonight!
Gladys: More for my wish lists, thanks! all of these are new to me except one and I have had the first book in the Ann Frasier series on my tbr list for a while, good to know book three is a top book. Gladys wrote: "Top Mystery/Thriller
Flowers Over the Inferno, Ilaria Tuti, The Butterfly Garden, Dot Hutchison, Taken To The Grave, M.M. Chouinard, The Body Keeper, Anne Frasier
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Ann wrote: "Gladys: More for my wish lists, thanks! all of these are new to me except one and I have had the first book in the Ann Frasier series on my tbr list for a while, good to know book three is a top bo..."Dear Ann, Enjoy them all especially Tuti's Flowers Over the Inferno. I just sent this book to my daughter who is also on Goodreads and she was really excited to also read it. Have fun!
Can't remember the last time I had such a bad reading year! 25 books! I read at least double or triple that most years but, of course, 2020 wasn't "most" years!Best M/T
Hid from Our Eyes by Julia Spencer-Fleming
The Last Curtain Call by Juliet Blackwell
A Longer Fall by Charlaine Harris
Bark of Night by David Rosenfelt
The Diva Spices It Up by Krista Davis
Pumpkin Spice Peril by Jenn McKinlay
The Unquiet Dead by Ausma Zehanat Khan
The Finders by Jeffery B. BurtonTop M/T Authors (based only on what I read in 2020)
Julia Spencer Fleming
David Rosenfelt
Jenn McKinlay
Krista Davis
Juliet Blackwell
Charlaine Harris
Top Books Any Genre
Will You Love Me?: The Rescue Dog That Rescued Me by Barby Keel
Storm Cursed by Patricia Briggs
Lethal Seasons by Alice Sabo
Hallmark Channel Countdown to Christmas: Have a Very Merry Movie Holiday by Rachel Hardage Barrett
Peace Talks by Jim ButcherTop Series (based only on what I read in 2020)
Andy Carpenter
Russ & Clare
Cupcake Bakery
Harry Dresden
Haunted Home Renovation
Best New-To-Me
Ausma Zehanat Khan
Bottom of The Barrel
Twisted Twenty-Six by Janet Evanovich
Am compiling this weekend; should have something up by Monday!
Wait, I have 7 more names to make submissions under!
Barry wrote: "Wait, I have 7 more names to make submissions under!"Yeah, right.
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Mystery/Thriller Reading Friends
Books mentioned in this topic
A Longer Fall (other topics)The Last Curtain Call (other topics)
Bark of Night (other topics)
The Diva Spices It Up (other topics)
Twisted Twenty-Six (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Ilaria Tuti (other topics)Erin Morgenstern (other topics)
Ruta Sepetys (other topics)
Micaiah Johnson (other topics)
The Categories.
Top Mystery/Thriller Books (list up to 10)
Top M/T Authors (list up to 5)
Top Books any genre (list up to 5)
Top Series (list up to 5)
Best "New to Me" Author (list one)
Bottom of the Barrel Books (list up to 5)
Instructions
Please put all your picks in one post, and please put them in this topic so I don't miss them. If you forget something you can edit your original post, just put EDITED before your addition so I know to go back and add it.
Please list the full book title and author's name. Likewise the full character name if it's a series.This will save me time having to google full names of books/authors with which I'm not familiar in order to match up everyone’s picks.
e.g. Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith, or
Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith, featuring Cormoran Strike.
You don't have to list in all categories, and you don't have to post the maximum in each categories. Just please don't go over the max. Otherwise I will leave off the ones listed over the max indicated.
Final Thoughts
After Jan. 15 (or so) I will begin compiling everyone's lists and will aim to post the top picks in each category by the end of the month.
If you want inspiration, you can see our Best of 2019 results (best bet is to do a search for the topic, or maybe someone more talented than I am will post a link).
I can't wait to see what everyone selects! Questions? You can post them here, and either Ann or I (or another longtime poster) will answer.
Let the posting begin!