So it’s that time of year again, when I spend half an hour trying to remember the password to this blog so I can log in to list what books I enjoyed in 2025. In fact, most of the year I forget this blog exists, which is sad, because I used to blog all the time.
Anyway, before I get to the main event, I should note a few things that happened this past year.
First, I released a new novel, The Chateau, written under my pen name Avery Bishop and published by Audible as an Audible Original, which spent four weeks on AP’s Top Audiobooks List, hitting #3. Which is kinda wild, seeing as the book is essentially a free download for Audible Plus members, but who am I to quibble?
And yes, there will be an ebook and paperback released later in 2026, for those who are not audiobook fans.
I had nothing new released under my own name this year, but back in March I had the great honor of being one of the guests of honor at AuthorCon V.
As is usually the case at these types of events, I hardly took any pictures, so I don’t have much photographic evidence of the convention.
I did have a blast hanging out with a bunch of writer friends, but the highlight of the weekend, hands down, was shortly after arriving late Thursday night I received an email from my entertainment lawyer that read, “Look out for DocuSign in next 30 min or so, thanks,” and then, thirty or so minutes later, I received said DocuSign, so I rushed up to my room to grab my laptop and, well, I took a selfie because I figured why not.
Anyway, I can’t really say much, but I will say a very well-respected TV network optioned The Killing Room. In fact, the offer came in on May 29th of LAST YEAR. Blake Crouch had told me the process would take forever, and he wasn’t kidding, as after all the back-and-forth between my reps and the network, nearly ten months passed before I actually signed a contract.
And while I’m absolutely thrilled at the prospect of the series being turned into a TV show, I’m also keeping my expectations very low, as the truth is 99.9% of stuff that gets optioned never gets made — and even some of the stuff that does get made, like into a pilot, is never seen by the world.
Still, fingers crossed.
Speaking of The Killing Room, I still get asked if there will be a third book, and the honest answer is … hopefully someday, but it won’t be happening any time soon.
As I noted last year, the longevity of a book series all comes down to sales, and the truth is the sales for the series have been atrocious. In fact, I’d be shocked if I ever manage to sell a book to a publisher again, as a writer’s sales record follows them like a nasty fart.
Which is a shame, really, because I absolutely love The Killing Room and am very proud of the book. But, well, when it came out, it was pretty much DOA — zero trade reviews and no bookstore distribution, so right out of the gate the writing was on the wall. That made the fact the book ended up winning the ITW Thriller Award and being optioned for film/TV all the more sweeter — not to mention validating — because at least it proved it wasn’t just all in my head.
Finally, I signed a contract with Bookouture for two new Avery Bishop titles, so you have that to look forward to in 2026.
There are a few other things in the works that I can’t talk about right now, but as is always the case, when I can, I will … though probably not on this blog until the end of next year, so be sure to follow me on social media.
Now, without any further ado …
This past year I read 76 books, between novels, graphic novels, and audiobooks (yes, audiobooks count as reading!), and these are the ones that I really enjoyed and think others might enjoy too (in no particular order other than when they were read):
NOVELS
THE BIG EMPTY by Robert Crais
BROWN GIRL DREAMING by Jacqueline Woodson
JAMES by Percival Everett
LONG BRIGHT RIVER by Liz Moore
CAPE FEAR by John D. MacDonald
THE NIGHT OF THE BABA YAGA by Akira Otani, translated by Sam Bett
FEVER DREAM by Samanta Schweblin, translated by Megan McDowell
THE LAST TO VANISH by Megan Miranda
THE LAST ONE AT THE WEDDING by Jason Rekulak
ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK by Chris Whitaker
LINE OF VISION by David Ellis
LOOK CLOSER by David Ellis
CHINA LAKE by Meg Gardiner
I BECOME HER by Joe Hart
ONE OF US by Dan Chaon
THE GRAVE ARTIST by Jeffery Deaver and Isabella Maldonado
CROOKS by Lou Berney
QUEEN MACBETH by Val McDermid
PICKET LINE by Elmore Leonard
AUDIOBOOKS
THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah, read by Julia Whelan
THE ANGEL OF ROME by Jess Walter and Edoardo Ballerini, read by Edoardo Ballerini
PERSUADER by Lee Child, read by Dick Hill
WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING by Alyssa Cole, read by Susan Dalian and Jay Aaseng
WILLIAM by Mason Coile, read by Honey St. Dennis
THE AMATEUR by Robert Littell, read by Scott Brick
THE LYING GAME by Ruth Ware, read by Imogen Church
HEROINE by Mindy McGinnis, read by Brittany Pressley
THE PARIS WIDOW by Kimberly Belle, read by Marni Penning and Patrick Zeller
INFLUENCER by Adam Cesare, read by Isabela Merced, Christopher Briney, and Brittany Pressley
LISTEN FOR THE LIE by Amy Tintera, read by January LaVoy and Will Damron
THE BITTER PAST by Bruce Borgos, read by James Babson
SHADES OF MERCY by Bruce Borgos, read by James Babson
A FLICKER IN THE DARK by Stacy Willingham, read by Karissa Vacker
FATAL INTRUSION by Jeffery Deaver and Isabella Maldonado, read by Aida Reluzco and Andre Santana
THE FAVORITES by Layne Fargo, read by Christine Lakin, Louisa Zhu, Amy Landon, Elena Rey, Valerie Rose Lohman, Suzanne Toren, Graham Halstead, Julia Emelin, Layne Fargo, Eric Yang, and Johnny Weir
ATMOSPHERE by Taylor Jenkins Reid, read by Kristen DiMercurio and Julia Whelan
THE ROOM NEXT DOOR by Wendy Walker, read by Julia Whelan, Elizabeth Evans, Bebe Wood, and full cast
COLLECTIONS
THE AWKWARD BLACK MAN by Walter Mosley
13 WAYS OF LOOKING AT A FAT GIRL by Mona Awad
AMONG THE MISSING by Dan Chaon
STORIES
THE HUMAN BULLET by Benjamin Percy
JACKRABBIT SKIN by Ivy Pochoda
BYSTANDERS by Benjamin Percy
THE CODE by Gregg Hurwitz
GRAPHIC NOVELS
DEVIL’S HIGHWAY, Vol 1 by Benjamin Percy, Brent Schoonover, and Nick Filardi
And there you have it. Now, what about you? Any books you read (or listened to) this past year you really enjoyed?