The Year's Best Crime Novels

Mystery lovers are often voracious readers and always on the lookout for a great mystery. Booklist – the American Library Association’s magazine of books and reviews – has just recently published its list of the year’s best crime novels, and I thought I would share those titles with you.


Some of the top ten are, in no special order

The Dawn Patrol by Don Winslow – San Diego private eye, Boone Daniels, is off in search of a missing stripper. It’s the locale that is special here – the light and dark sides of San Diego with a special nod to surfing and oceanside cultures.

Exit Music by Ian Rankin – Another elder statesman of crime, Inspector John Rebus of Edinburgh, investigates one last crime.

Gone Tomorrow by Lee Child – Jack Reacher spots what he thinks is a suicide bomber on the New York subway’s Number 9 train – and his knowledge (and the bombers failed attempt) finds Reacher targeted by the federal government and Al Qaeda for a secret he might know.

Liars Anonymous by Louise Ure – A masterfully constructed psychological thriller that compares favorably to Ruth Rendell and Minette Walters.

The rest of the top 10 are
Cold in Hand by John Harvey

Mine All Mine by Adam Davies
A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny
Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith
Spade and Archer by Joe Gores
When Will There Be Good News by Kate Atkinson. Meg