Best books/authors you've read recently (this year)?

[Pete Hogwallop]

In case anyone cares, here are the books I've read so far in 2025. Most of them were really pretty good.

Interpreter of Maladies
Lahiri, Jhumpa

Heartwood
Gaige, Amity *

Let Me Be Frank With You
Ford, Richard

Magpie Murders (Susan Ryeland, #1)
Horowitz, Anthony *

The Wright Brothers
McCullough, David

A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon
Fedarko, Kevin *

The Snow Child
Ivey, Eowyn *

Wild Dark Shore
McConaghy, Charlotte *

Truman
McCullough, David

Defending Jacob
William Landay *

The Sinister Pig (Leaphorn & Chee, #16)
Hillerman, Tony

Big Little Lies
Moriarty, Liane *

You Like It Darker
King, Stephen *

The Catch (Slough House, #6.5)
Herron, Mick

Rose Gold (Easy Rawlins #13)
Mosley, Walter

The Wailing Wind (Leaphorn & Chee, #15)
Hillerman, Tony

The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11
Graff, Garrett M. *

Skin Tight (Mick Stranahan, #1)
Hiaasen, Carl *

The God of the Woods
Moore, Liz *

Red Square (Arkady Renko, #3)
Smith, Martin Cruz

Slough House (Slough House, #7)
Herron, Mick

The House Is on Fire
Beanland, Rachel *

Dolphin Junction : Stories
Herron, Mick

The Last King of California
Harper, Jordan *

Bel Canto
Patchett, Ann

Polar Star (Arkady Renko, #2)
Smith, Martin Cruz

Joe Country (Slough House, #6)
Herron, Mick

Gorky Park (Arkady Renko, #1)
Smith, Martin Cruz

These Silent Woods
Grant, Kimi Cunningham *

Tom Lake
Patchett, Ann

The World Played Chess
Dugoni, Robert

When the Sea Came Alive: An Oral History of D-Day
Graff, Garrett M. *

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Twain, Mark

Suicide Run (Harry Bosch, #14.5; Harry Bosch Universe, #23.4)
Connelly, Michael *

Hunting Badger (Leaphorn & Chee, #14)
Hillerman, Tony

Like Lions (Bull Mountain, #2)
Panowich, Brian *

Daughters of Shandong
Chung, Eve J. *

Sunset Limited (Dave Robicheaux, #10)
Burke, James Lee

Never Lie
McFadden, Freida *

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Skloot, Rebecca *

Go as a River
Read, Shelley *

Framed: Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions
Grisham, John *

The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook
Sides, Hampton

A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II
Purnell, Sonia

Bull Mountain (Bull Mountain, #1)
Panowich, Brian *

The Goldfinch
Tartt, Donna

Listen for the Lie
Tintera, Amy *

James
Everett, Percival

Code Name: Lise: The True Story of the Woman Who Became WWII's Most Highly Decorated Spy
Loftis, Larry *

Conclave
Harris, Robert *
4.11

King: A Life
Eig, Jonathan *

London Rules (Slough House, #5)
Herron, Mick

Red Eye: Patrick Kenzie vs. Harry Bosch: An Original Short Story
Lehane, Dennis *

The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter
McCullers, Carson

All the Colors of the Dark
Whitaker, Chris *

The Devil All the Time
Pollock, Donald Ray
4.14

[Joneslab]

Great list.

Defending Jacob is a masterpiece of its genre, imo.

And Gorky Park...wow, that's a blast from the past. That book was a phenomenon when it was first published.

[KCKUKFan]

Defending Jacob was really good, and the miniseries actually did it (relative) justice.

I mentioned it in another thread, but the new King book ("Never Flinch") is a piece of shit. He needs to retire the Holly character quickly. Liked some of the shorts in "You Like It Darker," thought some were really bad. Sort of the through-line on later-day King.

Really liked The Devil All the Time, Conclave and These Silent Woods.

[Pete Hogwallop]

Defending Jacob was really good, and the miniseries actually did it (relative) justice.

I mentioned it in another thread, but the new King book ("Never Flinch") is a piece of shit. He needs to retire the Holly character quickly. Liked some of the shorts in "You Like It Darker," thought some were really bad. Sort of the through-line on later-day King.

Really liked The Devil All the Time, Conclave and These Silent Woods.

That's disappointing about the Never Flinch book. I had plans to read it soon. I've been a fan of all the other Holly Gibney books.

Conclave was great. Read it before I saw the movie. Actually just started Imperium which is another of his books.

I need to check out the Defending Jacob series although I just looked and it's on Apple TV. We don't have that and probably won't get it.

[George]

In case anyone cares, here are the books I've read so far in 2025. Most of them were really pretty good.

Interpreter of Maladies
Lahiri, Jhumpa

Heartwood
Gaige, Amity *

Let Me Be Frank With You
Ford, Richard

Magpie Murders (Susan Ryeland, #1)
Horowitz, Anthony *

The Wright Brothers
McCullough, David

A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon
Fedarko, Kevin *

The Snow Child
Ivey, Eowyn *

Wild Dark Shore
McConaghy, Charlotte *

Truman
McCullough, David

Defending Jacob
William Landay *

The Sinister Pig (Leaphorn & Chee, #16)
Hillerman, Tony

Big Little Lies
Moriarty, Liane *

You Like It Darker
King, Stephen *

The Catch (Slough House, #6.5)
Herron, Mick

Rose Gold (Easy Rawlins #13)
Mosley, Walter

The Wailing Wind (Leaphorn & Chee, #15)
Hillerman, Tony

The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11
Graff, Garrett M. *

Skin Tight (Mick Stranahan, #1)
Hiaasen, Carl *

The God of the Woods
Moore, Liz *

Red Square (Arkady Renko, #3)
Smith, Martin Cruz

Slough House (Slough House, #7)
Herron, Mick

The House Is on Fire
Beanland, Rachel *

Dolphin Junction : Stories
Herron, Mick

The Last King of California
Harper, Jordan *

Bel Canto
Patchett, Ann

Polar Star (Arkady Renko, #2)
Smith, Martin Cruz

Joe Country (Slough House, #6)
Herron, Mick

Gorky Park (Arkady Renko, #1)
Smith, Martin Cruz

These Silent Woods
Grant, Kimi Cunningham *

Tom Lake
Patchett, Ann

The World Played Chess
Dugoni, Robert

When the Sea Came Alive: An Oral History of D-Day
Graff, Garrett M. *

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Twain, Mark

Suicide Run (Harry Bosch, #14.5; Harry Bosch Universe, #23.4)
Connelly, Michael *

Hunting Badger (Leaphorn & Chee, #14)
Hillerman, Tony

Like Lions (Bull Mountain, #2)
Panowich, Brian *

Daughters of Shandong
Chung, Eve J. *

Sunset Limited (Dave Robicheaux, #10)
Burke, James Lee

Never Lie
McFadden, Freida *

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Skloot, Rebecca *

Go as a River
Read, Shelley *

Framed: Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions
Grisham, John *

The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook
Sides, Hampton

A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II
Purnell, Sonia

Bull Mountain (Bull Mountain, #1)
Panowich, Brian *

The Goldfinch
Tartt, Donna

Listen for the Lie
Tintera, Amy *

James
Everett, Percival

Code Name: Lise: The True Story of the Woman Who Became WWII's Most Highly Decorated Spy
Loftis, Larry *

Conclave
Harris, Robert *
4.11

King: A Life
Eig, Jonathan *

London Rules (Slough House, #5)
Herron, Mick

Red Eye: Patrick Kenzie vs. Harry Bosch: An Original Short Story
Lehane, Dennis *

The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter
McCullers, Carson

All the Colors of the Dark
Whitaker, Chris *

The Devil All the Time
Pollock, Donald Ray
4.14

[Joneslab]

Conclave was great. Read it before I saw the movie. Actually just started Imperium which is another of his books.

Harris has a book called The Ghostswriter that's one of my favorite thrillers. (Roman Polanski of all people did the movie, and it was just okay.)

I LOVED that book. Loved.

He also has one called Fatherland that I read all the way back in high school that's like an alternate history about Nazis winning WWII.

[Pete Hogwallop]

In full disclosure, that's the most books I've read in 6 months. It seems like every year I read more and more. I also listen to a bunch of them as audiobooks. If I'm in the car alone, mowing or doing yard work, or out running, I'm almost always listening to a book.

[Pete Hogwallop]

Harris has a book called The Ghostswriter that's one of my favorite thrillers. (Roman Polanski of all people did the movie, and it was just okay.)

I LOVED that book. Loved.

He also has one called Fatherland that I read all the way back in high school that's like an alternate history about Nazis winning WWII.

Was the Harris book actually called "The Ghost"?

[Joneslab]

Was the Harris book actually called "The Ghost"?

Yes, that's it. I think they changed the title for the movie.

Very simple book, sort of closed-in like Conclave, but he really knows how to kind of toy with the reader's expectations. I used to think about that book all the time.

Another one kind of like that: Val McDermid's APlace of Execution. Best pure mystery novel I've ever read.

The British know how to twist up the reader's assumptions and then shred them.

[Joneslab]

I just picked up this blast from the past. I remember YEARS ago when this came out, the old Salon.com proclaimed it the best novel of the modern era. My dad bought it for me...but it was so long, so daunting, I just never cracked into it. Flash forward 25 years and my friend here at work started raving about it a month or so ago. He had a copy he let me borrow...so now, after all this time, I'm gonna dig in.

[Catsrock]

OK, maybe not the BEST book I’ve read. But pretty interesting an entertaining when you know most of the guys 🤣

[Jaxcat]

In case anyone cares, here are the books I've read so far in 2025. Most of them were really pretty good.

Interpreter of Maladies
Lahiri, Jhumpa

Heartwood
Gaige, Amity *

Let Me Be Frank With You
Ford, Richard

Magpie Murders (Susan Ryeland, #1)
Horowitz, Anthony *

The Wright Brothers
McCullough, David

A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon
Fedarko, Kevin *

The Snow Child
Ivey, Eowyn *

Wild Dark Shore
McConaghy, Charlotte *

Truman
McCullough, David

Defending Jacob
William Landay *

The Sinister Pig (Leaphorn & Chee, #16)
Hillerman, Tony

Big Little Lies
Moriarty, Liane *

You Like It Darker
King, Stephen *

The Catch (Slough House, #6.5)
Herron, Mick

Rose Gold (Easy Rawlins #13)
Mosley, Walter

The Wailing Wind (Leaphorn & Chee, #15)
Hillerman, Tony

The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11
Graff, Garrett M. *

Skin Tight (Mick Stranahan, #1)
Hiaasen, Carl *

The God of the Woods
Moore, Liz *

Red Square (Arkady Renko, #3)
Smith, Martin Cruz

Slough House (Slough House, #7)
Herron, Mick

The House Is on Fire
Beanland, Rachel *

Dolphin Junction : Stories
Herron, Mick

The Last King of California
Harper, Jordan *

Bel Canto
Patchett, Ann

Polar Star (Arkady Renko, #2)
Smith, Martin Cruz

Joe Country (Slough House, #6)
Herron, Mick

Gorky Park (Arkady Renko, #1)
Smith, Martin Cruz

These Silent Woods
Grant, Kimi Cunningham *

Tom Lake
Patchett, Ann

The World Played Chess
Dugoni, Robert

When the Sea Came Alive: An Oral History of D-Day
Graff, Garrett M. *

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Twain, Mark

Suicide Run (Harry Bosch, #14.5; Harry Bosch Universe, #23.4)
Connelly, Michael *

Hunting Badger (Leaphorn & Chee, #14)
Hillerman, Tony

Like Lions (Bull Mountain, #2)
Panowich, Brian *

Daughters of Shandong
Chung, Eve J. *

Sunset Limited (Dave Robicheaux, #10)
Burke, James Lee

Never Lie
McFadden, Freida *

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Skloot, Rebecca *

Go as a River
Read, Shelley *

Framed: Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions
Grisham, John *

The Wide Wide Sea: Imperial Ambition, First Contact and the Fateful Final Voyage of Captain James Cook
Sides, Hampton

A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II
Purnell, Sonia

Bull Mountain (Bull Mountain, #1)
Panowich, Brian *

The Goldfinch
Tartt, Donna

Listen for the Lie
Tintera, Amy *

James
Everett, Percival

Code Name: Lise: The True Story of the Woman Who Became WWII's Most Highly Decorated Spy
Loftis, Larry *

Conclave
Harris, Robert *
4.11

King: A Life
Eig, Jonathan *

London Rules (Slough House, #5)
Herron, Mick

Red Eye: Patrick Kenzie vs. Harry Bosch: An Original Short Story
Lehane, Dennis *

The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter
McCullers, Carson

All the Colors of the Dark
Whitaker, Chris *

The Devil All the Time
Pollock, Donald Ray
4.14

Was the Freida McFadden book good? Seems like I see her name mentioned in a lot of 'Best Books of...' and 'Best Book Club Books of ...' but I don't believe I've ever read one of hers. If I have, it's been a few years and I've just forgotten.

[Pete Hogwallop]

Was the Freida McFadden book good? Seems like I see her name mentioned in a lot of 'Best Books of...' and 'Best Book Club Books of ...' but I don't believe I've ever read one of hers. If I have, it's been a few years and I've just forgotten.

Nope. It was one of the worst books on that list that I've read this year. Not sure why it has so much hype. Don't waste your time.

[Sean]

Nope. It was one of the worst books on that list that I've read this year. Not sure why it has so much hype. Don't waste your time.

I think she had one almost good book, had 20000 just sitting on her computer, and published 57 in 12 months and no one remembers why they liked her in the first place!

I just finished Dead Man's Walk and I really enjoyed it. Reading that whole series this summer.

[Ash Williams]

By David Weber (series):
Out of the Dark
Into the Light
To Challenge Heaven

John Ringo:
Beyond the Ranges

Brandon Sanderson (series)
The Way of Kings
Words of Radiance
Edgedancer
Oathbringer

John Varley (series)
Red Thunder
Red Lightning
Rolling Thunder
Black Lightning