Some Really Good Books I Read in 2019

Question: Books make wonderful gifts. What are your recommendations this year?

From Jim

I made a list like this one last year, so I suppose this will become an annual post from me. I don’t like to make a “best of” list because, for one thing, who the hell am I? And, for another, I haven’t read enough (all) books to make any such pronouncements. I have, however, enjoyed quite a few books this year.

In August, I posted here a list of books I’d read in the first half of 2019.  http://7criminalminds.blogspot.com/2019/08/read-any-good-books-lately.html
Now here’s a complete list for the entire year.

I’ve divided the books into the following (arbitrary) categories: MY FELLOW NOMINEES; HISTORICALS; HYSTERICALS; COPS AND BOBBIES; THRILLERS, CHILLERS, REPORTERS, AND JURIES; and I WISH I’D DISCOVERED A LONG TIME AGO. Nota bene, I have repeated some titles in different categories in order to give an idea of what kind of books they are.

MY FELLOW NOMINEES

My sixth Ellie Stone mystery, A Stone’s Throw, was a finalist for the 2019 Lefty for Best Mystery. These excellent books were nominated alongside mine, and I can’t recommend them strongly enough.

November Road, Lou Berney (Winner)

Wrong Light, Matt Coyle

Kingdom of the Blind, Louise Penny

Under a Dark Sky, Lori Rader-Day

A Reckoning in the Back Country, Terry Shames

A Stone’s Throw was also up for the Anthony Best Paperback Original Award in 2019. These were the other nominees. I really loved all these books. You can’t go wrong with any of them.

Under a Dark Sky, Lori Rader-Day (Winner)

Hollywood Ending, Kellye Garrett

If I Die Tonight, Alison Gaylin

Hiroshima Boy, Naomi Hirahara 

HISTORICALS

The Prisoner in the Castle, Susan Elia MacNeil

The King’s Justice, Susan Elia MacNeil

When Hell Struck Twelve, James R. Benn

The Enemy We Don’t Know, Mary Sutton

The Widows of Malabar Hill, Sujata Massey

Murder at the Mena House, Erica Ruth Neubauer

The Pearl Dagger, L. A. Chandlar

Judge Thee Not, Edith Maxwell

HYSTERICALS 

Finding Zelda, Sue Ann Jaffarian

Hollywood Ending, Kellye Garrett

Murder at the Mena House, Erica Ruth Neubauer

The Pearl Dagger, L. A. Chandlar

COPS AND BOBBIES

Charlie-316, Colin Conway & Frank Zafiro

Valley of Shadows, Steven Cooper 

A Voice in the Night, Andrea Camilleri

A Bitter Feast, Deborah Crombie

Kingdom of the Blind, Louise Penny

A Reckoning in the Back Country, Terry Shames

THRILLERS, CHILLERS, REPORTERS, AND JURIES 

Careful What You Wish For, Hallie Ephron
Dread of Winter, Susan Bickford

Below the Fold, R. G. Belsky

We, the Jury, Robert Rotstein

If I Die Tonight, Alison Gaylin

I WISH I’D DISCOVERED A LONG TIME AGO

Blanche on the Lam, Barbara Neely

This is by no means a “best of” list. Many of these books weren’t even released in 2019. But it’s a list of really good books you should consider buying or borrowing. Don’t steal them.