The Top Ten Books I Read in 2019

#10: "The Given Day" By Dennis Lehane - From Tulsa, OK to Boston, MA; The Boston Police Strike and striking the future president. Lehane's straight forward story telling serves this story well. The historical detail is exquisite and the characters are all engrossing.

#9: "Us Against You" By Fredrik Backman - The sequel to Backman's Beartown is as upsetting, heartbreaking, moving and hopeful as it's predecessor. Backman's ability to suck the reader into the world of these people and their lives is exceptional!

#8: The Bog Book of Female Detectives Ed: Otto Penzler
This mammoth tome was so enjoyable and educational. Detective fiction form the 1800s to now. Great introductory bios on the authors, historical context for each story and then over 1100 glories pages of smart, insightful, witty, tough and brilliant women! Really-what more could one want?!

#7: Murder in an English Village By: Jessica Ellicott (Jessie Crockett)
We all know I LOVES me some British mysteries, and I fell in Love with this mystery (and the series). As I was reading this smart, witty, droll mystery I kept envisioning my favorite female detective pairings. It's very reminiscent of Miss Fisher's Mysteries or Rosemary & Thyme. Lovely small English village in the 20's, a pair of female sleuths-one, English and proper, the other, American and not so proper. Besides it being extremely well plotted and populated with well drawn characters, it's just a delightful read.

#6 The Murder List By: Hank Phillippi Ryan
I Love all of Hank's work, but I have to say, this particular story is my favorite! A thriller that sucks you in from the first word and wends it's way into your every nerve ending until the conclusion which will have your jaw on the floor.

#5 The Unkind Hours By: Dwayne Alexander Smith
What would you do if your child were kidnapped and the police could do nothing to find her? What would you do if a stranger offered you the opportunity for revenge? Welcome to The Unkind Hours! Horrific circumstances, horrific choices, real emotions, superbly drawn characters and writing that will have your heart racing. A superb book!

#4.5 Honorable Mentions:
Sealed Off By Barbara Ross
This is book #8 in the Clambake Mystery Series, due out on 12/31/19. This series is delicious and this book brings back one of my favorite characters from an earlier offering in this series. Pick it Up when it's released!

Tilling the Truth & Pruning the Dead By: Julia Henry (Julie Hennrikus
The first two books in the new Gardening Squad Series, have a widely diverse set of characters that are just so wonderfully compatible, you can't help but smile while listening to their discussions, with tightly plotted mysteries, wonderful gardening tips, a fantastic locale and a little history thrown in. This series has everything for everyone!

#4 The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus By: L. Frank Baum
I describe this a pagan look at the origins of Santa Claus, that is so gorgeously written and surprisingly moving. If you want to know the true spirit of the season give this gem a try!

#3 An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good By: Helen Tursten Translation By: Marlaine Delargy
I took perverse pleasure in reading these short stories all starring an elderly woman, who deals with the annoyances in her life, by killing them. That's literally what each story is about. It's an absolute delight, and beware, you may see way too much of yourself in our heroine, Maud.

#2 Defending Jacob By: William Landay
This was a harrowing read that did not go where I thought it was going, and by the time I figured it out it was too late...I was in for the whole ride! This devastating family tale is not for the faint of heart, but it is totally worth it!

#1 The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper By: Phaedra Patrick
An absolutely lovely, charming, and heartfelt ode to love and devotion, told using one of the most creative plot devices ever. A widower finds a charm bracelet in his late wife belongings...and he didn't give it to her. By investigating each charm, Arthur is sent on a journey of self discovery and re-discovery of his wife. Quirky characters, quirky situations, gorgeous writing: a TRUE feel-good read!

Rules for Others to Live By By: Richard Greenberg

 

I thought I like Richard Greenberg after reading his play, Take Me Out...I know I Love Richard Greenberg after reading Rules for Others to Live By!  This collection of essays, thoughts, and musings is wryly hysterical, thought provoking, and in some instances a little too close to home!  A must read for anyone who has lived!

Dragons vs. Drones By: Wesley King

What a fascinating combination of fantasy and sci-fi.  Marcus, a bookish computer nerd, on the hunt for his missing Dad finds himself in a strange world where he meets Dree, a tough as nails, expert welder and forge artist, and Dree's young dragon.  Some unexpected drones followed Marcus on his journey and are now reeking havoc in the city of Dracone. Filled with wonderfully detailed descriptions of the history of the different dragon clans, plot twists, wry wit and completely engaging characters this was an unexpected delight, and a great story to kick off this series!

A Christmas Gathering By: Anne Perry

 

The Christmas novels by Anne Perry are such a huge part of my holiday season-I look forward to receiving the latest installment in my stocking every year.  This year especially, since the star of this particular story is one of my favorite characters: Lady Vespasia!  She and her husband are attending a Christmas party , but her husband is also there for another reason.  Will Victor succeed in his mission this time? Will memories of a previous similar mission gone wrong, interfere? Is Vespasia safe?  This is vintage Perry plotting and it's fantastic!

The Lost Girls of Paris By: Pam Jenoff

A stunning read that spans the stories of 3 women over a few years in several countries during and following World War II.  A car accident outside of Grand Central Station in 1946, forces Grace to go through Grand Central Station in order to get to work.  A lost suitcase, a dozen photos and her curious nature set her on a quest to find out who the girls in the pictures are.  This extraordinary novel follows Grace as she uncovers the history of the woman in the car crash and the women in the pictures.  Bouncing between 1946, 1944 and 1945, the reader is introduced to some extraordinary women who sacrificed most if not all of themselves, and, like Grace, get to help find the Lost Girls of Paris.

Dire Wolf of the Quapaw By: Phil Truman

 

I thought this was the full length novel, but apparently it was only the first 2 chapters.  Disappointing in that one aspect.  What was there for me to read was well written.

The Hunt By: Frost Kay

I thoroughly enjoyed this fantasy short.  It's a unique take on the  origin of the "huntsman" from Snow White...with a twist.  I really love someone who can take a well known tale and take a different approach to it and turn it on it's ear.  This is what Frost Kay has accomplished.  This whole series should be absolutely fascinating.

Executive Truth By: Karl William Fleet

 

What a fascinating anti-hero!  Justin Truth is not a nice person, and yet you can't turn away from any of his shenanigans in this fascinating story.  My only wish is that this had been a full length novel.  Fleet has created an intriguing character who deserves a tome of a story line. 

Wall of Secrets By: D.F. Hart

WOW!  What a rush!  Wall of Secrets is an amazing thriller that will have you from the intro and shake you around until the last pulse pounding minute.  GREAT plotting and deftly drawn characters bring you into the the story.  You'll be surprisingly moved at parts, and very tense during others.  A GREAT read!

Crystalline Kingdom By: Austin Baillio

This one could have been a little longer, but it does pack a punch, as we learn the origin story of the two factions in this fantasy origin story.  

Singular By: Larry Buenafe

I'm not a huge fan of sci-fi, and I am far from a young adult. but Damn! if I didn't get sucked into this excellent story!  Set in a dystopian (although not to far off from where we are now) world, a young child is horribly disfigured in a car accident.  He is saved by his scientist father and some of his colleagues.  We learn through out the telling of this tale that our protagonist is on the spectrum, and has new abilities with his newly created nanobot body and AI implant.  I tell ya, this is a hell of a story and brilliantly told, and this series is one to watch!

Mind of a Killer By: Dan Padavona

This short, is too short.  It's two chapters of what looks like a promising series.

The Tainted By: Frost Kay

I knew this was a short, but this was way too short, and is only the first 8 chapters of the book.  If you read this be forewarned that the way it ends will piss you off!  With that said, it is a fascinating start to what I'm sure will be a good book.

Elk Lake Cabins By: P.J. Shanahan

OMG!!  This story was so upsetting and stomach clenchingly creepy and fabulous!!  It takes a lot to creep me out, but this story was so tautly written and truly nerve wracking that I found myself feeling very anxious while reading it.  This is really good story telling!!!!

Missing & Gone By: Shawn McGuire

A really great introduction to this series.  This is a perfect example of a "prequel".  It precisely sets up the main character, what the central conceit of the series will be, and perfectly teases the series.  This is all accomplished within a tightly plotted mystery.  Great!

Hallowmas By: Chad Schimke

This one was okay-a short story set at Halloween, well written, but kind of predictable.

Behind the Walls By: Chad Schimke

As I read this creepy short, I visualized it in my mind.  It would have been perfect for Rod Serling to turn into a Twilight Zone episode.

Looks That Deceive By: Braxton DeGarmo

A psychological thriller that will keep you riveted until the very end. A fresh take on the serial killer/computer genius/grizzled cop/strong female protagonist genre.  This really was a fantastic read!

Moonlight City Drive By: Brian Paone

A cross between a Twilight Zone episode and a Peter Straub ghost story Moolight City Drive is a hell of a ride. A serial killer or a vigilante for the greater good? A strange cabal of spectres adds of touch of the macabre and an interesting nuance to this story.  This read is not what you expect it to be when you first start, and the shivers never stop, not even when you finish!

Kerry Manor By: J.R. Erickson

This horror short story comes with a bonus short story, and both are fantastic!  The two ghost stories in this book are exceptionally well plotted, the characters are expertly drawn and the stories are intriguing and will leave you a little shaken. If these two stories are any indication the Northern Michigan Asylum Story series is one to watch!

Midwinter By: Chad Schimke

I've read two previous short stories by Mr. Schimke, and this one was not my fav.  While, as well written as the others, and full of interesting characters, this one lacked the impact of the other two.  For a short story this seemed too drawn out with not much happening-and yet I still found it interesting.

The Merchandiser By: Chad Schimke

A cross between The Twilight Zone and Stephen King, The Merchandiser will creep you out and make you a little sad all at the same time.

The Evergreen Motel By: Marc Layton

A good, and I mean good, psychological thriller is hard to come by.  This is one such story.  While on the run from a deranged boyfriend, "Rebecca" (Aly) finds herself at the Evergreen Motel.  Things just get weird from there.  I would have given this 5 stars, but the story ends, without ending which always annoys me.

The Devil By: Erik Henry Vick

It's been a good long time since I've read a good old fashioned horror story!  This is a great short story about the Devil-but told with a twist from your typical devil stories.  If you like a little psychology with your horror, this short is for you!

The Man Behind the Flames By: Lauren Lee

You know you're in for a good time when your narrator is a budding serial killer!  This prequel is a great intro to Lee's other books in this series.

Vivified By: Chad Schmike

An intriguing short story, that takes an interesting look at the old question of, which is more important career or family.  This gripping read puts into startling focus the issues faced when you put career before family, without beating you over the head.

Dead Aware: Zombie Mom By: Eleanor Merry

Okay-this short was not what I expected.  I went into it thinking I'd get some funky, amusing, gory zombie story, and what I got was a tightly written and surprisingly moving story of a family.  Sometimes big things do come in small packages!

Old Bastards By: Tony Bertauski

Now this is how you write a short story!  Taught drama, just enough information leaked out to keep you curious, and ending without really ending.  A great little read, and teaser to a fuller sized novel!

Hollywood Babylon By: Kenneth Anger

The last two books I read were very difficult to get through-the first one because it was so upsetting and anger inducing and the second because it was very dry.  I needed a palette cleanser, so I went with pure trash.  Anger's classic shocking, lascivious look at the history of Hollywood, as told through it's scandals, was just what I needed!  Pure salacious gossip from back in the day...very refreshing!

Film Stardom, Myth and Classicism By: Michael Williams

This was a tough one to read, only because it read like a scholarly paper instead of a book.  While the topic was interesting, it was hard to get past the style of writing in which it was couched.

Eleni By: Nicholas Gage

A fascinating read on one man's journey to learn about his mother, his homeland and who was responsible for her murder.  Set in the midst of the Greek Civil War, the author uses his investigative know how to piece together what really happened to his mother, and to find some sort of closure to the upheaval it all caused in his and his family's life.  At times infuriating, horrifying and deeply moving this is ultimately a tale of the power of a mother's love and a son's love for his mother.

Lost Daughters By: J. M. Redmann

I love the way that Redmann can write a whole handful of characters and kept them individual and easily identifiable and memorable.  I pick dup this book and within two pages I was brought back two years to when I was given another book in this series.  All the characters came flooding back to me and it was like I read the other book yesterday-that is serious writing!  In Lost Daughters here are 4 main mysteries and they all are intertwined and are all brilliantly laid out and satisfyingly resolved.  This series is spectacular!!

Rise & Shine Benedict Stone By: Phaedra Patrick

After reading this author's first book, I was so excited to dive into this one.  Unfortunately, it was a disappointment for me.  I didn't find the any of the characters likable or sympathetic and I didn't buy a lot of the premises for how each of the characters were acting and reacting to each other.  The major conceit of the book could have been fantastic, but instead of focusing on the gem stones and that plot line, way too much time was spent on the family situation which, as stated earlier, I didn't buy into, so I was left feeling rich by the whole experience.

More than Friends: Books 1-3 By Aria Grace

I was pleasantly surprised at how well written this 3 book set was.  Not much happens in the first 2 books-your typical romance, no big surprises. The 3rd book however, has a great story and real nail biting tension involving a local gangster.  A lot of fun to read this set!

Sal Mineo By: Michael Gregg Michaud

I've always been fascinated with Sal Mineo, but haven't read a great many books about him.  This bio read like I was chatting with his friends.  There was an ease to it that forced the reader to get to know the subject in a way that a number of bios don't.  I always love learning new information about someone I thought I knew-good bad or indifferent.  Sal would have been 80 this year and his indelible mark on the entertainment and pop culture landscape is still evident.  A great read!

Serial Killers: 130 Facts & Trivia By: Brian Barry

A compilation of facts and figures relating to some famous, and no so famous serial killers across the years.  A quick read, but for fans of true crime, no new information about cases that are well know.

Escaped Killer By: RJ Parker

I guess when you get a freebie on Amazon, you have to expect your going to get what you pay for.  In this case, a short on a serial killer in Canada.  This is just a bare bones description of the crimes.  Not all that well written-reads more like an extended wikipedia entry than a short story. Although I will say that I'd never heard of this particular criminal, and found the ineptitude that led to his escape, staggering!

Destination Unknown By: Agatha Christie

Another Christie that I'd never heard of, and that isn't a traditional mystery.  Espionage is the watchword for this taut book where the reader is kept in the dark, as much as the protagonist is.  Really fascinating plot and interesting characters.

A Pocketful of Rye By: Agatha Christie

Only Agatha Christie can get away with having her detective not show up until half way through the book!  I don't recall Miss Marple ever being so righteously angry before and it was delicious to witness.  When her former maid is murdered at the home of the most deplorable family I've ever come across, Miss Marple arrives to find out why-in this tale of revenge, family and greed.

And the there were Crumbs By: Eve Calder

Kate arrives in a beautiful town on a small island.  All she wants is a job and a new life; what she gets is a broken down car, a minimum wage counter job, a dog, and a mystery to solve.  All is not lost, she also gets a community of diverse, talented, charming neighbors and friends to help her along the way.  This is a delightful, well written and well plotted cozy, in what I hope is a long series.  Be forewarned, you'll need tissues handy for the last couple of chapters!

Sealed Off By: Barbara Ross To Be Published: 12/31/19

This soon to be released, 8th installment of the Maine Clambake Mystery series contains all of the wonderful scenery, characters and intrigue that you've come to expect from his fantastic series, but it contains so much more.  Marguerite and Tallulah are back for a visit! (Fans of this series, will  be thrilled by this news.) Between the clambake and renovating the old family home, Julia and the her family get embroiled in a mystery on their island and a mystery in their past.  The development of both story lines and the continued development of the Snowden family history is a delicate balancing act, and it comes together beautifully in Sealed Off!

Hidden From History: Reclaiming the Gay & Lesbian Past Edited by: Martin Duberman, Martha Vicinus & George Chauncey, Jr.

An absolutely fascinating collection of essays/papers covering a variety of locations, times, and aspects of gay history.  Not shying away from controversial views, this collection attempts to answer the questions of is there a gay history, if so, when does it start, and how do we uncover it, when there are differing views on what it is and the difficulty of looking at our past with modern sensibility and the past was VASTLY different.  I'm telling you, this is one great collection and will make you think and re-think!  I was enthralled!

After the Funeral By: Agatha Christie

OOOO-a family more messed up than my own!  This family makes mine look positively sane and rational!  What a finely tuned set of clues and misdirections!  One of the best Poirot mysteries!

They Do It With Mirrors By: Agatha Christie

Twists and turns abound in this deliciously nutty mystery.  Set in an overly large manse on the grounds of an experimental facility for juvenile delinquents, Ms. Marple arrives to see if anything is "wrong" and if her childhood friend is in danger.  After a few days she's in the middle of what's wrong and now must hunt down a killer before any more "wrong" occurs.  Christie's ability to develop full characters with a minimum of description is nothing short of amazing, in this particular book, it's extraordinary!

News of the World By: Paulette Jiles

WOW!  I hate westerns, but I LOVED this book.  Captain Kidd and Johanna are the most engaging protagonists, and their journey, literal and figurative is haunting and moving and gorgeously told.  A stunning read!

Augustus: The Life of Rome's First Emperor By: Anthony Everitt

I was surprised at how easily this bio read!  A great read for a history buff, and an in depth and fascinating look at Augustus.

From Norvelt to Nowhere By: Jack Gantos

I have no idea what I just read, but it was funny as hell and quite a ride!

Mrs. McGinty's Dead By: Agatha Christie

Follow along with Poirot as he reinvestigates the death of Mrs. McGinty and ends up out of his comfort zone in a tiny village full of nice people.  If that isn't frightening, I don't know what is!  Have to say, this is one of my favs!

They Came to Baghdad By: Agatha Christie

I knew this was a one off, but I was expected a murder mystery.  What I got was an espionage mystery, and I was a little taken a back, but once I got into the meat of it, I was enthralled.  Dame Agatha can even make the the desert of Iraq feel claustrophobic in this taught game of international cat and mouse!

Southern Discomfort By: Caroline Fardig

A pleasant romp through Savannah with Quinn, her sister D, or and the murder of a cantankerous restaurant owner.  Throw in a surly widow, a ghostly relative and an old school chum and you've a lot of discomfort down south!

Words of Radiance By: Brandon Sanderson

WOW-this is only the second book in the series and it is juicy as hell!  Picking up where the 1st one left off and not stopping in pace, the reader is given satisfying answers to a lot of book 1 questions, while raising more questions.  The amazing thing about this book is that by the end, the reader has questioned who is good and who is evil several times and happily won't come to an answer.  Can't wait to tuck into the 3rd book!