My Favorite Books of 2019

Four books set in the past and one contemporary novel make up the list of the books I most enjoyed reading this year.

In alphabetical order, by author:

The Lost Man by Jane Harper

With a vivid description of life in the Australian outback and an engrossing mystery, this was my favorite page turner this year.

Learning to See: a Novel of Dorothea Lange, the Woman Who Revealed the Real America by Elise Hooper

I love novels that explore artists' lives, and Hooper's insight into Dorothea Lange was fascinating.

The Right Sort of Man by Allison Montclair

This debut of a new historical mystery series set after World War II was a hoot.

The Spies of Shilling Lane by Jennifer Ryan

A fun, lighthearted book set in wartime London--a welcome diversion from all those "serious" World War II novels.

Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall

Wall's portrait of faith, friendship, and marriage over several decades was memorable and moving.

The Holdout by Graham Moore

Ten years ago, Maya Seale was instrumental in convincing her fellow jurors of Bobby Nock's innocence. The press and the public had a field day with the verdict and all of the jurors lives were changed because of their decision. Now, Maya is a successful lawyer and has reluctantly agreed to be part of a television series that is revisiting the case. On the first day of shooting, Rick Leonard, another juror that Maya was close to, is found murdered in Maya's hotel room. Maya then finds herself accused of the crime and immersed in revisiting the murder of Jessica Silver, the teen that Bobby Nock was accused of killing. The Holdout takes the reader on Maya's journey to uncover the truth about two murders and find if she was right all those years ago about Bobby's guiltlessness. It will be published in February.

The Inaugural Meeting of the Fairvale Ladies Book Club by Sophie Green

It's 1978 and Sybil, who lives at Fairvale Station in Australia's Northern Territory with her husband Joe, has the idea to start a book club. Joining the group will be her English daughter-in-law Kate, best friend Rita (a nurse for the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Alice Springs), Sallyanne (a mother of three who lives in Katherine), and Della (a Texan, who works as a stockwoman at Ghost River Station). The novel unfolds over four years, letting the reader into the everyday lives of the woman and  providing a great sense of place for outback Australia. An enjoyable read for those who enjoy novels about women's friendships.

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle

What if you woke up five years in the future and your life was completely different? This is what happens to lawyer Dannie Kohan after acing the interview for her dream job. She spends one hour in the future where she has a different boyfriend and apartment. Soon, Dannie is continually questioning her life and relationship with her fiance, David, especially as time inches closer to that five-year mark. In Five Years is a page turner reminiscent of Jojo Moyes with a touch of Sophie Kinsella. It will be published in March.

A Good Neighborhood by Therese Anne Fowler

When the Whitman family moves into a newly built home that abuts the backyard of Valerie Alston-Holt and her teenage son, Xavier, no one expects a death several months later. Brad Whitman, who owns Whitman HVAC, lives with his wife, Julia, stepdaughter Juniper, and young daughter, Lily in a house where no expense was spared. African-American college professor, Valerie, a widow, lives with her biracial son in a small ranch house with a beautiful yard and a hundred-year-old oak in the backyard. When Valerie realizes that the oak tree is slowly dying--probably because of the fence that the Whitmans put at the back of their yard (and that Brad probably cut corners to get built)--it sets in motion a lawsuit that will reverberate far beyond the halls of justice. The tensions between the families are further exacerbated by the burgeoning secret relationship between Xavier and Juniper. A Good Neighborhood is a timely novel, perfect for book groups and fans of Liane Moriarty. It will be published in March.