Books I Enjoyed In 2023

As 2023 comes to a close, I figured it was time to reveal what books I enjoyed this past year.

Before that, though, I should recap what I did in 2023, at least writing-wise.

I released only one book, The Killing Room, published by Blackstone Publishing in August. Those who have read it seem to have really dug it — it’s one of my best reader-reviewed books so far, hands down — but as there was pretty much no bookstore distribution and zero trade reviews, the book pretty much flew under the radar.

Anyway, I spent this past year working on two projects — a new Avery Bishop novel, which Audible will publish sometime next year, and the follow-up to The Killing Room, which Blackstone will release in August.

I also wrote a short story, which I haven’t done in a long time, and between working on edits for both of the projects mentioned above, I also started working on a new Avery Bishop novel (about a third of the way through so far; I hope to finish it in the next few months, then write a new standalone thriller under my own name, and then, if I find the time, write a new Holly Lin thriller).

So yeah, I’ve been staying busy (though obviously I haven’t been updating this blog because I’m pretty sure nobody reads it anymore), and I’ve been reading and listening to audiobooks whenever possible. I’ve read and listened to a lot of books, and I’ve enjoyed most of them, but only a few did I really enjoy. And so, without further ado (and in no particular order except which they were read), here are the books I enjoyed very much in 2023, which I think others might enjoy too. But as is the case with everything, your mileage may vary.

Novels

  • THE CABIN AT THE END OF THE WORLD by Paul Tremblay

  • LUTHER: THE CALLING by Neil Cross

  • THE HOUSEMAID by Freida McFadden

  • BLACK-EYED SUSANS by Julia Heaberlin

  • AMERICAN CRIMINAL by Benjamin Percy

  • COUNTDOWN by James Patterson and Brendan DuBois

  • FOSTER by Claire Keegan

  • EVERYBODY KNOWS by Jordan Harper

  • CHILD OF GOD by Cormac McCarthy

  • THE THIEF by Fuminori Nakamura, translated by Satoko Izumo and Stephen Coates

  • 48 CLUES INTO THE DISAPPEARANCE OF MY SISTER by Joyce Carol Oates

  • THE QUIET TENANT by Clémence Michallon

  • NONE OF THIS IS TRUE by Lisa Jewell

  • LION & LAMB by James Patterson and Duane Swierczynski

Audiobooks

  • THE OVERNIGHT GUEST by Heather Gudenkauf, read by Brittany Pressley

  • THE LAST ORPHAN by Gregg Hurwitz, read by Scott Brick

  • TRUE BELIEVER by Jack Carr, read by Ray Porter

  • HELLO, MOLLY! by Molly Shannon and Sean Wilsey, read by Molly Shannon

  • NAMELESS: SEASON TWO by Dean Koontz, read by Edoardo Ballerini

  • MY DARKEST PRAYER by S.A. Cosby, read by Adam Lazarre-White

  • WHALEFALL by Daniel Kraus, read by Kirby Heyborne

  • HOW CAN I HELP YOU by Laura Sims, read by Carlotta Brentan and Maggi-Meg Reed

  • COME CLOSER by Sara Gran, read by Julie McKay

  • HOUR OF THE ASSASSIN by Matthew Quirk, read by Will Damron

  • THE SPY COAST by Tess Gerritsen, read by Hillary Huber and Brittany Pressley

  • ALL THE SINNERS BLEED by S. A. Cosby, read by Adam Lazarre-White

  • CONFESSIONS ON THE 7:45 by Lisa Unger, read by Vivienne Leheny

Stories

  • FEN by Daisy Johnson

  • LOT by Bryan Washington

  • NIGHT OF THE LIVING REZ by Morgan Talty

  • LUSH AND OTHER TALES OF BOOZY MAYHEM by Duane Swierczynski

  • THE SECRET LIVES OF CHURCH LADIES by Deesha Philyaw

  • LOVE AND OTHER STORIES by Jordan Harper

  • WALK THE BLUE FIELDS by Claire Keegan

Now, what about you? Any books you read (or listened to) this past year you really enjoyed?