People ask me how I read so many books through the year, and the answer is three-fold. I read voraciously, I have a long daily bus commute, and I have insomnia. If you don't sleep, it's amazing how many books you can read! I know there are people who are convinced that I review every book I read, and I want to be sure you know that's not true! There are even times when (shhh) I don't read mysteries! Those definitely don't get mentioned.
Still I do read a lot, and so narrowing down my top ten for 2008 proved to be futile, but for those of you who saw my list last year, that won't be a surprise. This year is pretty similar. I've broken it down into hardbacks and paperbacks, both trade and mass-market. I couldn't choose one over another, so they're listed alphabetically by author. All but one of these is available now. Here goes. Top Ten Hardbacks (and those of you who are counting, will realize "Ten" is just a suggestion here)
- Brunonia Barry, The Lace Reader, (Harper, $24.95). It's not just that Barry's story about Towner Whitney, who tells you in the first paragraph that she lies, is about the perception of modern-day witches in Salem, MA, or the complex and sometimes destructive relationships between Towner and her family, or even the mystery surrounding Towner's missing aunt that make this book one of my favorites. It's the way Berry deftly changes point of view to give you a complete picture, and Towner's vulnerability and determination that captured my imagination. Well, that and feral yellow labs! (And though her tour to Seattle was canceled, her publisher did provide signed bookplates!)
- Larry Beinhart, Salvation Boulevard, (Perseus, $24.95). "Look, I'm a Christian working for a Jewish lawyer who's working for an Islamic kid to find out who really killed the atheist. It's America, right?" So says Carl Vanderveer, the investigator hired to help clear Ahmad Nazami of killing his professor, Nathan McLeod. Beinhart's keen perception of the dynamics between people of profound faith and what they'll do in the name of belief made this a must-read for me. And while there are people who wished for a more concrete ending, I thought it was brilliantly handled! (Some signed copies remain!)
- Tom Cain, The Accident Man, (Viking, $24.95, trade paperback $14, out in January 09). I'll learn that when Janine says I should read something, I should listen. I thought the premise -- Samuel Carver is a man who arranges "accidents" for the right price, only to discover that his last "accident" was a set-up, taking out one of the most beloved Princesses on the planet -- was a little iffy. A crime novel about Princess Diana? Ha. Boy, was I wrong! This tightly written and compelling novel is touching and heartbreaking. But make no mistake: there are explosions and motorcycle chases and betrayal every time you turn around. I can't wait for the sequel!
- John Connolly, The Reapers, (Atria, $26, mass market paperback $9.99 out in February 09). It's no secret I'm a Connolly fan, and I was beyond excited that there was to be a novel told with the pair of assassins, Angel and Louis, as the protagonists. But, for all their darkness, in the Charlie "Bird" Parker novels, Angel and Louis are also the comic relief, so I wasn't sure how it would all play out. Silly me. Of course the story of Louis being haunted and literally hunted by his past would be fabulous!
- Robert Ferrigno, Sins of the Assassin, (Scribner, $24.95, mass market $7.99 out in January 09). I was interested to see how Ferrigno would handle this sequel, since it was set mostly in the Bible Belt in the futuristic world he's created, where most of the country is Islamic and our hero is a Fedayeen assassin. Rakim Epps is sent to infiltrate the Belt because a zealot is trying to uncover a weapon from before the Destruction that will shatter the uneasy peace between the Islamic and Christian nations. Once again, Ferrigno's characters are driven, compelling, and the conflicts were dynamic and, at times, quietly powerful. I can't wait for the third one! (Signed copies still available, for now!)
- Tana French, The Likeness, (Viking, $25.95, signed copies!) I just adored French's debut, and it deserved the Edgar, but this one completely knocked my socks off! I had no trouble suspending my disbelief enough to accept the idea that the dead girl looked enough like Cassie so that Cassie could infiltrate "Alexandra Madison's" clique, and the tension as she tries to maintain her cover juxtaposed with her burgeoning longing to continue to live in Alex's shoes kept me riveted to the very end.
- Elizabeth George, Careless in Red, (Harper, $27.95). Inspector Lynley's back, as is Havers, and really, that's all I needed to know. But I flew through this 623-page book in no time, because I had to see, as did the rest of the Havers/Lynley fan base, how damaged Lynley was (certainly we, her readers, were!) and if it was even possible for Lynley to return. I was especially tickled with Havers' speech taking Lynley to task on page 329. It was a hoot! Signed Copies!
- Lisa Lutz, Curse of the Spellmans, (Simon & Schuster, $25, trade paperback $14 due out in February 09). Did you know Izzy Spellman's birthday is April 1st? It's fitting, somehow, especially since so much of what she does always goes wrong. For example, Izzy’s obsessive surveillance of her neighbor has Izzy's number of arrests reaching alarming numbers. And then there's her sister's obsession with Henry, who maintains that Rae is trying to kill him. This second in the Spellman saga is just as hysterical and wickedly, sharply brilliant as the first one! Signed Copies!
- Thomas Perry, Runner, (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $26, due out January 09). Jane Whitefield is back! For fans of this series, that says it all. Jane used to help people disappear, but she's been out of that line of work for a while. Still, when a pregnant girl begs her for help, how can Jane refuse? It was great to have a new Whitefield novel, and it was wonderful how Perry handled the intervening years and the effect they've had on Jane. The ending is guaranteed to leave fans gasping, too!
- Kat Richardson, Underground, (Roc, $21.95). Harper Blaine is once again caught up in events that are slipping through her fingers and into the Grey, when parts of the bodies of homeless people start being found. What I really enjoy about Kat's writing, though, is that it is so intelligent. She doesn't compromise her story line to dumb things down; you either keep up or you don't. Harper's injuries from previous books don't magically disappear with the new one, and her relationships are just as complicated and messy as anyone's. If there was ever such a thing as slice-of-life urban fantasy, this series would be it! (A few signed-in-purple-ink copies remain which denotes these were signed before the premiere signing!)
- James Rollins, The Last Oracle, (William Morrow, $26.95). At the end of the last novel, I was convinced that Monk was still alive, and I was pleased to know that Sigma Force powerhouse, Gray Pierce, felt the same way. This novel explores the possibilities and dangers of bioengineering people, and the ramifications of what that could mean on a global political scale. And, as usual, when you read what's fact or what’s fiction in the addendum in the back of the book, the truly scary parts are the real ones. Some signed copies left!
- Kelli Stanley, Nox Dormienda, (Five Star, $25.95, signed, and maybe we can find a pin to go with it!) Kelli has been credited with creating the sub-genre "Roman Noir", and it's easy to see why. Written in the style of the old noir writers, she's created a strong, capable protagonist in Arcturus, whose more than able to investigate the murder in an underground temple, but the ensuing political ramifications may be bigger than any one man could handle. Kelli's debut is complex and dark, and she handles the Latin names and terms so deftly that the story flows around you until you can taste the grape leaves and hear the leather creaking.
- Pari Noskin Taichert, The Socorro Blast, (UNM Press, $24.95, a few signed copies left). Sasha Solomon is a public relations consultant who helps small New Mexico towns improve their image. In her trip to Socorro, though, things go very badly when her niece is injured by a pipe bomb explosion. Being from New Mexico, I love the fact that Pari's novels are mini love letters to each community, but more importantly, her grasp of human interaction, especially in the face of racial and religious prejudice, is both compelling and illuminating. The next one, I understand, is set in the town where I lived longest, so I'm very excited!
- Louise Ure, The Fault Tree, (St. Martin's, $24.95, trade paperback $13.95 due out March 09). If I'd never heard of Louise before, the opening chapter of this book, which is half a page long, would have sold me right then and there. Blinded by a car accident, Cadance Moran hasn't let it slow her down, which is why she's still a car mechanic. But in the twilight one evening, she becomes the sole witness to a murder, and the fact that she's blind won't stop her. Or them. The words "compelling" and "powerful" and "gripping" may have become cliche' to some, but when Louise writes, they take on all their original meaning! Signed copies of this one and her first one are still available!
- Douglas Preston, The Monster of Florence, (Hachette, $25.99). This one's out of alphabetical sequence because it's true crime, which I normally don't read. But Doug Preston's recounting of the history of the man who butchered couples across the Italian countryside and how he, Preston, became involved in the case, ultimately landing in jail, was as dramatic and disturbing as any of his novels. The fact that this now has some ties to the Amanda Knox case only makes it more timely and compelling.
