Mystery/Thriller Reading Friends discussion
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Best of Year Reads
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Top Reads 2013
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127 Books for 2013Top M/T Books
1. Tin Roof Blowdown, James Lee Burke
2. Death of the Mantis, Michael Stanley
3. While Drowning in the Desert, Don Winslow
4. The Black Dahlia, James Elroy
5. Ghost Dance, Mark Sullivan
6. Let It Burn, Steve Hamilton
7. A Serpent's Tooth, Craig Johnson
8. The English Girl, Daniel Silva
9. Transfer of Power, Vince Flynn
10. The Faithful Spy, Alex Berenson
Top M/T Series
1. Detective Kubu, Michael Stanley
2. Elvis and Joe, Robert Crais
3. Reacher, Lee Child
4. Patrick and Angie, Dennis Lehane
5. Lucas Davenport, John Sandford
Top M/T Authors
1. Robert Crais
2. Dennis Lehane
3. Lee Child
4. John Sandford
5. Michael Connelly
Bottom of the Barrel
1. Strong Enough to Die, John Land (worst
entire book I've read in a while)
2. Killing Time, Caleb Carr (good author, BAD book)
Miscellaneous
1. Monsters, '85 Chicago Bears, Rich Cohen Non-fiction
2. The Winemaker, Noah Gordon Fiction
3. Ann Hillerman New Author for Leaphorn/Chee series
4. Mark T. Sullivan Best NTM Author
5. Carol and Ann, Saga of Queenly Moderators
Total books for 2013: 75Top M/T Books read:
1. Through the Evil Days by Julia Spencer-Fleming
2. Unseen by Karin Slaughter
3. Thankless in Death by JD Robb
4. Six Year by Harlan Coben
5. The Fifth Witness by Michael Connelly
6. Low Country Bombshell by Susan Boyer
Top M/T series:
1. Russ and Claire
2. Will Trent
3. Eve and Roarke
4. Patrick and Angie
Top M/T authors:
1. Karin Slaughter
2. Julia Spencer-Fleming
3. Michael Connelly
4. Harlen Coben
5. JD Robb
Bottom of the Barrel:
Black Water Rising by Atticus Locke
Top Books I wished I read in 2013:
1. Dr. Sleep by Stephen King
2. 11/22/63 by Stepehn King
3. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Miscellaneous Top Reads of 2013
1. Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
2. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
3. The Dead Don't Dance; and Maggie by Charles Martin
4. The Bronze Horseman by Paulinna Simons
5. The Sugar Queen by Sarah Addison Allen
Daniel wrote: "127 Books for 20135. Carol and Ann, Saga of Queenly Moderators ..."
Wait a second..... what?????
ha ha ha, Carol, I saw that too, but forgot to respond! Would LOVE that book, LOL!!
Liz, you really need to get 11/22/63 read! VERY good!
Thanks Mel, I have it on my Kindle, just can't get to it...gonna try for this month.
What a trip down memory lane building the list was! And a good use for a snowy night.Top M/T books: (no order)
John Connelly: Wrath of Gods
PJ Parrish: Heart of Ice
CJ Box: Breaking Point
David Baldacci:The Hit
Jack Kerley: The Killing Game & Her Last Scream
Michael Connolly: Gods of Guilt
Jack Sanford: Storm Front
Top non-M/T
Charles McCarry: Lucky Bastard
Marcus Sakey: Brilliance
Justin Cronin: The 12 & The Passage
Michael McGarrity: Hard Country
Steven King: Dr Sleep
Joe Hill: NOS4AT2
NEW:
Daniel Friedman: Don’t Ever Get Old
Authors
Michael Connolly
Jack Sanford
Jack Kerley
Michael McGarrity
CJ Box
David Baldacci
PJ Parrish
John Connelly
Steven King
And for general stats:I read 146 books at 54890 pages. My goal was 42,000 pages, stretch goal 50,400 pages, so goals met.
52 were new books
42 were borrowed
5 came from the library
47 were used books
average page count per book was 373.4 pages
136 Books Total ReadGoodreads kept on tossing me off, so I wrote this on Word without links.
M/T Top Reads
1) Hard Row by Margaret Maron (NTMA)
2)Shadow of the Alchemist by Jeri Westerson (medieval mystery)
3)December’s Thorn by Phillip Depoy (Appalachian thriller)
2014 M/T TBR
Library Pile at Home
1)Death in the Ashes by Albert Bell (Ancient Roman mystery)
2)Unnatural Habits by Kerry Greenwood (1920’s mystery)
On Request at Libraries
1)The Samaritan’s Secret by Matt Rees
2)Rituals by Mary Anna Evans
On Kindle (The only one I can guarantee to read.)
The Aquatic Labyrinth by Alistair Fontana
Miscellaneous
Non-M/T Fiction Top Reads
1)City of Lost Dreams by Magnus Flyte (fantasy)
2)The Forestwife by Theresa Tomlinson (YA medieval fiction about Robin Hood’s Marion)
3)The Company of Shadows by Zoe Brooks (fantasy)
4)Beltane by Christine Malec (historical romance but very unconventional)
5)Stormwitch by Susan Vaught (YA historical fantasy)
6)In Darkness by Nick Lake (YA Contemporary/Historical possibly magical realism)
7)Rav Hisda’s Daughter by Maggie Anton (Jewish historical fiction)
8)The Julius Romero Extravaganza Part I by Hayley Lawson Smith (Victorian Australia circus novel)
9)The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo by J. G. Haghenbeck (historical magical realism)
10)Angel on the Ropes by Jill Shultz (science fiction circus novel)
top m/t reads:1.Before I Go To Sleep- sj watson
2. Suspect- crais
3.The Gods of Guilt- connelly
4.Stormfront- sandford
5. The Panther- demille
6. The Pardon- grippando
7.Unseen- slaughter
8.Never Go Back- child
9.Touch & Go- lisa gardner
top non- m/t
1.The Obituary Writer: A Novel- ann hood
2.Dreams of Joy- lisa see
3.The Language of Flowers- vanessa diffenbaugh
4. The Apple Orchard-susan wiggs
5.The Fault in Our Stars- john green
6.The Girl You Left Behind- jojo moyes
7.Where'd You Go, Bernadette- maria semple
8.A Hundred Summers- beatriz williams
9. To Kill a Mockingbird- harper lee (i read this every year with my studends and every year, it makes my list)
top authors:
michael connelly
john sandford
lee child
robert crais
sj rozan
julia spencer fleming
top series-
elvis and joe- crais
clare and russ-spencer fleming
harry bosch and mickey haller- connelly
reacher- lee child
lucas and virgil- sandford
I did read a few non-cozy :)Top M/T
The Black Box, Michael Connelly
Widow's Tears, Susan Wittig Albert
The Good, the Bad, and the Witchy, Heather Blake
Poisoned Prose, Ellery Adams
Las to Die, Tess Gerritsen
Aunt Dimity and the Lost Princy, Nancy Atherton
12th of Never, James Patterson
The Sound and the Furry, Spencer Quinn
A Potion to Die For, Heather Blake
Popped Off, Jeffrey Allen
Top M/T Series
Harry Bosch - Michael Connelly
Aunt Dimity - Nancy Atherton
Wishcraft - Heather Blake
Elvis & Joe - Robert Crais
Joanna Brady - J.A. Jance
Other
Killing Kennedy - The End of Camelot, Bill O'Reilly
Mrs. Kennedy and Me - Clint Hill
Top M/TSuspect - Robert Crais
Silken Prey - John Sandford
Never Go Back - Lee Child
Dr. Sleep - Stephen King
Blood Oath - Christopher Farnsworth
The President's Vampire - Christopher Farnsworth
Non M/T
NOS4AZ - Joe Hill
Joyland - Stephen King
Series
Elvis and Joe - Crais
Reacher - Child
Eve and Roarke - Robb
Harry Bosch - Connelly
Authors
Michael Connelly
Robert Crais
JD Robb
Lee Child
Bottom of the barrel
Kitty in the Underworld - Carrie Vaughn
Dexter's Final Cut - Jeff Lindsay
I ended up reading 60 books and listening to 47 audios for the year with 19,826 pages read and 489.75 hours listened.Top M/T (listed in order read)
The Bloomsday Dead-Adrian McKinty (audio read by Gerard Doyle)
Painting The Darkness-Robert Goddard
The Likeness-Tana French (audio read by Heather O'Neill
Morgue Drawer Four-Jutta Profijt (audio read by MacLeod Andrews)
The Hanging Tree-Bryan Gruley
The Chatham School Affair-Thomas H. Cook
Down Cemetery Road-Mick Herron
Dove Season-Johnny Shaw
Norwegian by Night-Derek B. Miller (audio read by Sean Mangan)
Prince of Thieves-Chuck Hogan
Top non-M/T
Drive Like Hell: A Novel-Dallas Hudgens
Running the Table: The Legend of Kid Delicious, the Last Great American Pool Hustler-L. Jon Wertheim (audio read by Butch Engle)
This Love Is Not For Cowards: Salvation and Soccer in Ciudad Juárez-Robert Andrew Powell
Top M/T books:Deeply Odd by Dean Koontz
Doctor Sleep by Stephen King
N0S4A2 by Joe Hill
W is for Wasted by Sue Grafton
The Intercept by Dick Wolf
Top Authors:
King, Koontz, Joe Hill, Mike Connelly, Sue Grafton
Top Books any Genre:
Deeply Odd by Dean Koontz
All Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion by Fannie Flagg
Rose, My Life in Service to Lady Astor
Summer of '68, The Season that Changed Baseball by Tim Wendal
Top Series:
Jack Reacher (Lee Child)
Kinsey Millhone (Sue Grafton)
I read mostly stand-alones this year.
Bottom of the Barrel:
Agent 6 by Tom Rob Smith (467 pages, slow moving plot and the ending was a disappointment)
Annie Londonderry's Extraordinary Ride Around the World On Two Wheels by Peter Zheutlin
(She Faked many of her rides. Such an interesting premise, but what a let-down)
Good stuff!! Keep 'em coming, gang! I probably won't get to post mine until the weekend and will close the polls on the 15th.
top m/t:Black Box - Michael Connelly
When Will There Be Good News - Kate Atkinson
Suspect - Robert Crais
The Beautiful Mystery - Louise Penney
Through the Evil Days - Julia Spencer-Fleming
The English Girl - Daniel Silva
Never Go Back - Lee Child
top non m/t:
A Game of Thrones (books 1-3) - George R R Martin
Act of War - Jack Cheevers
Life After Life - Kate Atkinson
top m/t series:
Reacher - Lee Child
Russ and Claire - Julia Spencer Fleming
Bosch - Michael Connelly
top m/t authors:
Robert Crais
Michael Connelly
Lee Child
Daniel Silva
bottom of the barrel:
The Broken Teaglass - Emily Arsenault
Djibouti - Elmore Leonard
Sorry I haven't been a regular as of late, but I have to say that this group is the best. I especially love this annual review of favorites. Thank you Carol and Ann for all that you do here.
I read Djibouti, but I can't remember a thing about it.
Daniel wrote: "I read Djibouti, but I can't remember a thing about it."Many people loved it, but I thought it read like a bad Hollywood script. Disappointing because I really enjoyed a lot of the other books Elmore Leonard wrote.
Marcy wrote: "top non m/t:A Game of Thrones (books 1-3) - George R R Martin"
Marcy,
Good to see you posting. I loved the first three Game of Thrones books too. Read all three in July of 2001. Can't wait for Season Four of the TV series.
Sandi,I'm listening to Book 4 now and loving it. I am also anxiously awaiting the new tv season.
Marcy: It is a great group, and it is a treat to see your top books list! I loved Life after Life too, and plan to someday read/ listen to the Game of Thrones books, I am envious that you are "up" with the tv series! So you like the audio books, I take it? I got the first one from audible a while back to start someday. We are always glad to see your posts, and understand that life sometimes precludes posting as often. Marcy wrote: "Sorry I haven't been a regular as of late, but I have to say that this group is the best. I especially love this annual review of favorites. Thank you Carol and Ann for all that you do here."
I am enjoying the audios, Ann. Although they are 30+ hours long, they have kept my interest with the many characters and plot twists. I love the books for the creative storytelling and the narration is very good. I get to savor the author's use of language. I think you might get hooked on them :-)
TOP M/T1. Suspect - Robert Crais
2. Widow's Tears - Susan Wittig Albert
3. Joyland - Stephen King
4. Let it Burn - Steve Hamilton
5. Fonduing Fathers - Julie Hyzy
6. Critical Mass - Sara Paretsky
7. Through the Evil Days - Julia Spencer-Fleming
TOP NON-M/T
1. The Road to Cardinal Valley - Earlene Fowler
2. Prodigy - Marie Lu
3. Frost Burned - Patricia Briggs
4. The Testing - Joelle Charbonneau
5. Fall of Night - Rachel Caine
6. Daylighters - Rachel Caine
7. Champion - Marie Lu
8. Allegiant - Veronica Roth
TOP SERIES (M/T & NON which I read books from in 2013)
1. Clare & Russ
2. Spenser (Atkins does a pretty fair job!)
3. Alex McKnight
4. China Bayles
5. V.I. Warshawski
6. Morganville Vampires
TOP M/T AUTHORS (that I read in 2013)
1. Robert Crais
2. Steve Hamilton
3. Julia Spencer-Fleming
4. Susan Wittig Albert
5. Sara Paretsky
BOTTOM OF THE BARREL
1. Red Velvet Cupcake Murder - Joanne Fluke
2. Crazy Rich Asians - Kevin Kwan
Finally! Still no hard drive, but I am piecing the year together anyway, I read 70 books in 2013!Thirty five were audio books, twenty-four were on Kindle (some of those were on both)
Top Ten M/T Books:
Unseen (Will Trent, #7) Karin Slaughter
NOS4A2 Joe Hill
Doctor Sleep (The Shining, #2) Stephen King
It Happens in the Dark (Kathleen Mallory, #11) Carol O'Connell
The Famous and the Dead T. Jefferson Parker
Leaving Everything Most Loved (Maisie Dobbs #10 Jacqueline Winspear
Broken Harbor Tana French
Bad Blood (Kate Shugak #20) Dana Stabenow
Faithful Place (Dublin Murder Squad, #3) Tana French
Dark Places Gillian Flynn
Top non M/T Books
The Ocean at the End of the Lane Neil Gaiman
The Scorpio Races Maggie Stiefvater
The Raven Boys (The Raven Cycle, #1) Maggie Stiefvater
The Dream Thieves (The Raven Cycle, #2)Maggie Stiefvater
Saturn's Return to New York Sara Gran
The Language of Flowers Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Champion (Legend, #3) Marie Lu
Life After Life Kate Atkinson
After Her Joyce Maynard
The Fault in Our Stars John Green
Top M/T Series read in 2013
four Phillip Depoy novels Fever Devilin
three Steve Hamilton Alex McKnight
two Karen Slaughter Grant County
two Michael Connelly Harry Bosch/Mickey Haller
two Tana French Dublin Murder Squad
Miscellaneous
Favorite authors
YA Books Maggie Stiefvater and Marie Lu
I was entranced by books in both author's series and one Maggie stand alone.
Sara Gran who writes some seriously quirky books (Claire DeWitt, stand alones)
A book I wish I had read
Joyland Stephen King
And Happy Birthday dear Carol! I am later than I intended to be posting you well wishes on your birthday!
Melody - Good to see that you included Allegiant. I'm debating whether or not to start the Divergent series because the plot sounds so weird, but then again, so did that of The Hunger Games, which I loved. Are you a big fan of the series in general?Ann - I'm off to pick up Dark Places from the library today. I've heard wonderful things about it.
Marcy wrote: "Melody - Good to see that you included Allegiant. I'm debating whether or not to start the Divergent series because the plot sounds so weird, but then again, so did that of The Hunger Games, which..."I really wasn't that crazy about DIVERGENT, but was given a copy of INSURGENT as a gift so went ahead and read it. It was actually pretty good, and I really liked ALLEGIANT. The ending surprised me. I wasn't expecting it.
Marcy: Dark Places is quite a book, it is starkly horrific, and unforgettable.I started Divergent and am finding it hard to put down! I am glad to see the trilogy is good, too.
Marcy wrote: "Melody - Good to see that you included Allegiant. I'm debating whether or not to start the Divergent series because the plot sounds so weird, but then again, so did that of The Hunger Games.....
Ann - I'm off to pick up Dark Places from the library today. I've heard wonderful things about it."
Top M/T's 2013Unseen-Karin Slaughter
Suspect-Robert Crais
Northwest Angle-William Kent Krueger
The Beautiful Mystery
How The Light Gets In-both by Louise Penny
The Famous and the Dead-T.Jeff Parker
Last to Die-Tess Gerritsen
Through the Evil Days-Julia Spencer Fleming
Into the Darkest Corner-Elizabeth Haynes
Let Me Go-Chelsea Cain
Top Non-M/T's 2013:
The Light Between Oceans-M.L. Stedman
The Fiery Cross
A Breath of Snow and Ashes-both by Diana Gabaldon
The Prince of Eden
The Eden Passion-both by Marilyn Harris
The Time Between Before and After-Karen White
And Then I Found You-Patti Callahan Henry
The Shortest Way Home-Juliette Fay
Top M/T series read 2013:
Will Trent/Sara Linton-Karin Slaughter
Reacher-Lee Child
Armand Gamache-Louise Penny
Claire/Russ-Julia Spencer-Fleming
Charlie Hood-T. Jeff Parker
Favorite NTMA:
Elizabeth Haynes
109 Books read for 2013 down from 121 last year but 8 of them were BFB's. :)
59 books read. most audio.TOP M/T BOOKS:
A Place of Execution - Val McDermid. Narrated by Paddy Glynn.
In the Woods - Tana French. Narrated by Stephen Crossley.
Defending Jacob - William Landay. Narrated by Grover Gardner.
The Twelve - Justin Cronin. Narrated by Scott Brick.
Vanishing Act - Thomas Perry. Read by Joyce Bean.
A Discovery of Witches - Deborah Harkness. Narrated by Jennifer Ikeda.
Throttle - Joe Hill and Stephen King.
The Likeness - Tana French. Read by Heather O’Neill.
How the Light Gets In - Louise Penny. Read by Ralph Cosham.
A Conspiracy of Faith - Jussi Adler-Olsen. Read by Graeme Malcom.
TOP NON FICTION:
When the Game Was Ours. Jackie MacMullan.
TOP M/T SERIES:
Lousie Penny -- Three Pines
Jussi Adler-Olsen -- Department Q
The Murder Squad -- Tana French
Jane Whitefield - Thomas Perry
Lucas Davenport - John Sandford
TOP M/T AUTHORS:
Michael Connelly
John Sandford
Louise Penny
Tana French
Elizabeth George
Best New-to-Me Series -- Murder Squad/Tana French
Best New-to-Me author -- Tana French
THROW-ACROSS-THE-ROOM-ABLE:
Plum Island. Nelson DeMille. Read by Scott Brick. DNF.
The Yiddish Policeman’s Union. Michael Chabon. Narrated by Peter Riegert. DNF
Books I Wished I’d Read:
Dr. Sleep -- Stephen King
Sycamore Row -- John Grisham
Through the Evil Days -- Julia Spencer-Fleming
Dark Places -- GIllian Flynn
NOS4A2 -- Joe Hill
I will start compiling tomorrow and try to have posted by the weekend sometime.
Have fun with the tabulating,Carol! We appreciate it!I almost listed The Twelve too!
Carol/Bonadie wrote: "I will start compiling tomorrow and try to have posted by the weekend sometime."
Carol wrote:THROW-ACROSS-THE-ROOM-ABLE:Plum Island. Nelson DeMille. Read by Scott Brick. DNF.
The Yiddish Policeman’s Union. Michael Chabon. Narrated by Peter Riegert. DNF
I enjoyed Plum Island, but like you, I just couldn't finish The Yiddish Policeman's Union by Chabon. When this book came out, it was really talked about as one to read.
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Mystery/Thriller Reading Friends
Books mentioned in this topic
The Twelve (other topics)Dark Places (other topics)
Divergent (other topics)
Widow's Tears (other topics)
Let it Burn (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Adrian McKinty (other topics)Robert Goddard (other topics)
Tana French (other topics)
Jutta Profijt (other topics)
Bryan Gruley (other topics)
More...
Here we go! Post here through Jan. 15 -- I'll tally the results.
Top M/T Books (1-10)
Top M/T Series (1-5)
Top M/T Authors (1-5)
Bottom of the Barrel Books (up to 5)
Top Books We Wish We'd Read/TBR for 2014 (1-5)
Miscellaneous CatchAll: Best Whatever Didn't Fit into the Above
(e.g. Best Books, any genre, Best New-to-Me Series, New-to-Me Author, TSTL Character, etc.)