540 ratings | 437 reviews | avg rating:3.93

Richard’s Year In Books

Richard’s 2025 Year in Books

Take a look at Richard’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

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Richard R. Becker’s Followers (66)

Richard’s Bookshelves

to-read (473)
currently-reading (5)
read (541)
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Richard’s Friends (192)

Nick

1,944 books | 590 friends

Dan Thornton

289 books | 116 friends

Te-ge Bramhall

3,869 books | 497 friends

Constantine

2,745 books | 989 friends

Peter Topside

2,116 books | 2,785 friends

Wayne

5,049 books | 2,822 friends

Dr. Jasmine

208 books | 160 friends

Zachary Nagy

298 books | 6 friends

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Richard R. Becker

Goodreads Author

Born

in Milwaukee, The United States

Website

http://www.richardrbecker.com

Twitter

RichBecker

Genre

Fiction, Thriller, Suspense

Influences

Ernest Hemingway, John Updike, Russel Banks

Member Since

August 2014

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/richardrbecker

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Richard R. Becker is an award-winning American author whose gripping stories blend resilience and moral complexity. His upcoming novel, Born on Monday (2025), promises a thrilling tale of small-town sins that will leave readers breathless.

His debut novel, Third Wheel (August 2023), soared into Amazon’s top 100 thriller and suspense literary fiction novels, earned a Kirkus Reviews feature, and won seven awards, including Literary Thriller of the Year by the Artisan International Book Excellence Awards. His debut collection, 50 States (2021), born from a challenge to write one story a week for 50 weeks, topped Amazon’s literary short story charts for three months and secured multiple honors, including first place in the Spring 2022 BookFest A ...more

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What books are on your summer reading list this year?

Richard R. Becker I love this question, and don't have a traditional answer that includes 5 or 10 or even 20 books that will feel dated in a few months. What I have ins…moreI love this question, and don't have a traditional answer that includes 5 or 10 or even 20 books that will feel dated in a few months. What I have instead is a list of 195+ diverse titles and a method to read a fair amount of them every year. Feel free to check out my shelf. They are all here on Goodreads.

Generally, I'm reading four books at any given time. One with my daughter, one on my phone, one in print (often nonfiction), and one as an audiobook (yes, I think audiobooks count as long as they aren't abridged). To pick them: My daughter and I alternative between young adult and classic literature; my nonfiction picks generally alternate between enrichment and history; my other two picks alternate wildly different genres and authors mainly based on what I just read. I tend to look for something that contrasts preceding title.

For example, in 2021 on my phone, Normal People by Sally Rooney was preceded by Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clark, preceded by Eden Mine by S.M. Hulse, preceded by Go Tell It To The Mountain by James Baldwin, preceded by Rabbit is Rich by John Updike, preceded by Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank, preceded by Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky, preceded by Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby, and so on. The same eclectic meandering happens with audiobooks (though narrators can play a factor in my picks).

How I chose books changed after joining Goodreads. This site gave me a tool to add dozens of "to read" (or read again) books. I look over all of them anytime I'm close to the end of a book, generally picking the next title because there is some contrast to what I just read or am reading — from contemporary to classic or horror fiction to literary fiction or science fiction to historical fiction — because I'm a great believer in diversity, especially for anyone who wants to be a writer. Diversity keeps it all interesting, which is why my own body of work spills over into everything.(less)

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Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?

Richard R. Becker Two years ago, I committed to writing short short stories and sharing them on my Facebook author page. It was the first time in my life I treated writ…moreTwo years ago, I committed to writing short short stories and sharing them on my Facebook author page. It was the first time in my life I treated writing short stories like an assignment, with equal weight to any advertising/marketing deadlines I might have.

My immersion in the process of writing fiction opened up an entirely new world. After sharing the first few stories, I fell into a creative rhythm, and an overarching idea began to crystalize.

I was inspired to write about life-defining moments (or coping with life-defining moments) as experienced by different people in different places (50 States) — stories that could stand on their own but were also left open to be continued in unexpected ways or intersect with one another.

Individually, the spark for each story was unique. Some ideas seem to find me — something I happened to see while driving my daughter to practice. Other ideas had to be hunted down, especially as fewer states remained. In those situations, I made it a practice to follow the research until it led me somewhere or something else would find me along the way.(less)

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Richard R. Becker’s books

Average rating: 4.25 · 236 ratings · 129 reviews · 4 distinct works • Similar authors

	50 States: A collection of short short stories 4.01 avg rating — 99 ratings — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Third Wheel 4.53 avg rating — 70 ratings — published 2023 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Born on Monday 4.50 avg rating — 36 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Ten Threads 4.10 avg rating — 31 ratings — published 2022 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

37 posts
Richard R. Becker's Blog

Book Review - Third Wheel

Plenty has happened in the last few weeks for 'Born on Monday' as it hit the Top 100 in psychological literary fiction on Amazon and gained a few more amazing editorial reviews. But what I really wanted to share is this surprise review of Third Wheel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QTXv...

What made this review so special is that I caught it after I had just woken up in the middle of the night to Read more of this blog post »

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Published on January 16, 2026 09:31 • Tags: book-reviews

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Richard is Currently Reading

Richard Becker is currently reading

A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1)

by George R.R. Martin

bookshelves: currently-reading

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23 hours, 27 min ago

Richard Becker is currently reading

U.S. Marshals: The Greatest Cases of America's Most Effective Law Enforcement Agency – An Insider Memoir by a Legendary Lawman's Descendant

by Mike Earp

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Mar 06, 2026 06:07PM

Richard Becker is currently reading

The Lost Man

by Jane Harper (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Feb 22, 2026 05:28PM

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Richard Becker is currently reading A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1) by George R.R. Martin	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23 hours, 27 min ago · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Richard Becker rated a book really liked it All of Grace by Charles Haddon Spurgeon	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Charles Haddon Spurgeon wrote penned “All of Grace” in 1886 as an earnest evangelistic tract rather than a formal theological treatise. At roughly 100–140 pages, he manages to distill the heart of the gospel for the seeking soul. While not always as ...more
Mar 22, 2026 11:08AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of All of Grace by Charles Haddon Spurgeon. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — All of Grace by Charles Haddon Spurgeon <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Richard Becker started reading Anxious People by Fredrik Backman (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Mar 16, 2026 05:26PM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Anxious People by Fredrik Backman. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Anxious People by Fredrik Backman <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Richard Becker entered a giveaway Vigil by George Saunders 30 copies available, ends on April 14, 2026 Enter to win »
Mar 15, 2026 11:00AM · like · see giveaway · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Vigil by George Saunders. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Vigil by George Saunders <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Richard Becker liked Brenda Grimmett's review of Born on Monday: "Born on Monday by Richard R. Becker is a gripping literary thriller that explores the darker side of small town life, where buried secrets and personal struggles collide during a devastating storm. Set in Augusta, Maine, the story begins as a powerful" Read more of this review »
Mar 09, 2026 02:45PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Born on Monday by Richard R. Becker. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Born on Monday by Richard R. Becker <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Richard Becker rated a book it was amazing The Weight of Glory by C.S. Lewis	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
C.S. Lewis, best known for “The Chronicles of Narnia” series, was also one of the 20th century's most profound Christian thinkers and apologists. His ability to distill complex theological and philosophical ideas into clear, accessible, and often poe ...more
Mar 07, 2026 03:18PM · 2 likes · like · see review
Richard Becker started reading U.S. Marshals: The Greatest Cases of America's Most Effective Law Enforcement Agency – An Insider Memoir by a Legendary Lawman's Descendant by Mike Earp	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Mar 06, 2026 06:07PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of U.S. Marshals by Mike Earp. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — U.S. Marshals by Mike Earp <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Richard Becker started reading Light in August by William Faulkner	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Mar 06, 2026 06:05PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Light in August by William Faulkner. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Light in August by William Faulkner <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Richard Becker liked Shawn Rossi's review of Flesh: "I'm not really sure about much after reading, but the dialogue was mesmerizing. Characters sharing so little never meant so much."
Mar 06, 2026 05:43PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Flesh by David Szalay. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Flesh by David Szalay <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Richard Becker and 28 other people liked Peter Topside's review of Dead End: "3.5 stars. This was a really enjoyable read from Matt Shaw. More of a slow burn approach, up until the plot twist, which made it all the more interesting. Not much action or copious amounts of sex or gore, but it was just a mixture of flashbacks duri" Read more of this review »
Mar 06, 2026 05:43PM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Dead End by Matt Shaw. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Dead End by Matt Shaw <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

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Richard’s Quotes

“I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow; but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing.”
― Agatha Christie

tags: inspirational

6094 likes

“Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumb nail.”
― Henry David Thoreau, Walden

160 likes

“I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.”
― Henry David Thoreau, Walden or, Life in the Woods

289 likes

“I can write anywhere… Or not, as the case may be, which is not the case.”
― Hank Moody writer on Showtime's "Californication"

tags: not-writing, writing

3 likes

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Richard’s Year In Books

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Book Review - Third Wheel

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