My Favorite Books of 2023

Here are the five books I enjoyed most this year.

In alphabetical order, by author:

The Spy Coast by Tess Gerritsen

In this debut of "The Martini Club" series, Gerritsen delivers with a great puzzle and a wide cast of characters to explore in future books.

Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley

A cozy story of friendship, romance, and family.

Small Mercies by Dennis Lehane

Lehane again sets the bar so high in crime fiction, that most other writers pale in comparison.

You Can't Stay Here Forever by Katherine Lin

In her first novel, Lin gives the reader much to ponder about our place in the world and the choices we make.

How Can I Help You by Laura Sims

A cat and mouse story full of foreboding and suspense.

No Country for Girls by Emma Styles

When Charlie accidentally kills her sister's boyfriend Daryl, she has to go on the run to avoid capture. Charlie had taken a gold bar from Daryl's stolen stash, but now finds herself in possession of many more. Joining Charlie on her journey on the Great Northern Highway is a young woman named Nao, whose reason for coming to Charlie's house also involved the gold. Taking place over a week, No Country for Girls is a suspenseful ride through remote Australia as Charlie and Nao fight for their lives.

Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame by Olivia Ford

Jenny Quinn lives with her husband of sixty years, Bernard, in the English village of Kittlesham. She has been baking all of her life and when Jenny sees a commercial inviting people to audition for the newest season of Britain Bakes, she is intrigued. Jenny has never really done anything for herself, content staying home and being a good wife to Bernard. Jenny is thrilled when she's chosen to be one of the contestants, although she has secret that she's kept from Bernard all these years. Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame recounts Jenny's journey on Britain Bakes (including all of the mouthwatering recipes) and explores Jenny's past before she met Bernard. A great read-alike for Jennifer Ryan and Freya Sampson. It will be published next month.

Broken Bay by Margaret Hickey

Detective Sergeant Mark Ariti is in Broken Bay on a fishing trip when Mya Rennik goes missing while diving in a sinkhole. As authorities are bringing her body to the surface, they discover that the remains are not those of Mya, but of Eloise Sinclair, who went missing twenty years ago. Mark is asked to stay in town and start on the investigation concerning Eloise until the special investigations team arrives. The Sinclairs are well known in the town-- Eloise's mother Juliette committed suicide when Eloise was a baby. Could Eloise's death be connected to Juliette's suicide?  Mark also delves into the personal relationships between Eloise, her best friend Gerri, and the others in their group: Gerri's twin brother James, and Eloise's brothers (Mat, Nic, and Phil) who all still live in Broken Bay. Will Mark be able to bring Eloise's killer to justice? Broken Bay is the third book in the Mark Ariti series.

The Drowning Sea by Sarah Stewart Taylor

After leaving the police force on Long Island, Maggie D'arcy is contemplating a move with her teenage daughter Lily to Dublin to live with her boyfriend Colin and his son Adrien. The four are spending the summer in West Cork in a remote cottage when human remains wash up on the beach. The body is identified as Lukas Adamik, a Polish construction worker who disappeared months ago. Soon, Maggie finds herself immersed in the investigation-- interviewing local residents, and pondering if Lukas' murder is connected to drug smuggling in the area or even mysterious goings-on at Rosscliffe House many decades ago. Will Maggie's questions put herself and those close to her in danger?

Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson

The eight residents of Shelley House are private and keep to themselves. There's Dorothy, who's lived in the building for over 30 years. In her seventies, Dorothy spends her days cataloging the movements of all who live there. Her across-the-hall neighbor, Joseph, has been at Shelley House as long as Dorothy, yet he and Dorothy had a falling out years ago and don't speak now. When Kat, a young women who spent time in the town of Chalcot as a child, moves in as Joseph's lodger, cracks begins to form in the iciness between the inhabitants, especially after Joseph is attacked and ends up in the hospital. Could the violence against Joseph involve his protesting against the eviction notices all the residents have received? In Nosy Neighbors, author Sampson treats the reader to a tale of friendship and forgiveness. It will be published in April.