Nightshade by Michael Connelly

Detective Sergeant Stilwell is now in charge of the small police department on Catalina Island after clashing with a fellow homicide officer in Los Angeles. He is trying to put his past behind him and make Catalina home. When a woman with ties to the mainland is found dead in the harbor, Stilwell finds it hard not to get involved. In addition to that case, the beheading of a protected buffalo on the island has put Stilwell in the crosshairs of some locals. In this series opener, Connelly writes a story that will be pleasing to his fans.

My Favorite Books of 2025

Here are the five books I enjoyed most this year.

In alphabetical order, by author:

Love Forms by Claire Adam

The unusual setting and sympathetic main character make this novel a standout.

The Killer Question by Janice Hallett

A fantastic puzzle that keep you guessing until the end.

Don't Let Him In by Lisa Jewell

A novel of psychological suspense that's hard to put down.

I'll Come to You by Rebecca Kauffman

Kauffman shines in this novel of family relationships.

The Witch's Orchard by Archer Sullivan

An outstanding debut mystery.

The Tree of Light and Flowers by Thomas Perry

In this final book of the long-running Jane Whitefield series, Jane and her husband, Carey, have recently become parents, but there are still people out there who want Jane dead because of all the individuals she has helped disappear safely over the years. Russian Magda Kaprovna, who featured in The Left-Handed Twin is back, ready to kill Jane if she can find her. Will Jane be able to keep Carey and her baby, May safe? A fitting end to the series, yet sad knowing that this is Perry's last book. It will be published in March.

Delphine Jones Takes a Chance by Beth Morrey

Delphine Jones lives with her father and her eleven-year-old daughter Emily. Money is a constant worry, as there never seems to be enough for everything the family needs. Delphine's dream of a college education was put on hold when she got pregnant in high school. Lately, however, there are signs of hope. A new job and friends for Delphine are giving her the confidence to consider taking the A level exams. She also begins spending time with a widow named Letty so she can practice the French that her mother spoke to her while growing up. There is even a possible love interest in Dylan, who is part of the band Delphine joins. Yet her past disappointments and mistakes at times threaten her confidence. Will Delphine put herself out there to try and change her life for the better? A great read-alike for the novels of Jojo Moyes.

Some Bright Nowhere by Ann Packer

Claire and Eliot have been married for almost forty years. Claire was diagnosed with breast cancer about eight years ago. Through chemo, radiation, and everything else that goes along with her illness, Eliot has been at her side. He is stunned when Claire, who has recently begun hospice care, tells him that she wants her final days to be spent with her two best friends, Holly and Michelle--not him. The novel explores Eliot's feelings about the news, looks back and Eliot's and Claire's marriage and parenting their two now-grown children, Abby and Josh, in addition to detailing Claire's last months. A perfect choice for book clubs.

Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino

Margo and her husband, Ian, have been looking for the perfect home in the Washington D.C. area for over a year and a half and have been outbid eleven times. Margo then sees Jack's and Curt's home, which is soon to come on the market, and deems it perfect for herself and Ian and the baby they soon hope to have. Can Margo convince Jack and Curt to sell the house to them before it's listed? If they say no, is there anything Margo won't do to make the home her own? A suspenseful tale of obsession similar to The Last Mrs. Parrish, Stone Cold Fox, and The Perfect Girlfriend.

The Reservation by Rebecca Kauffman

It's a Tuesday at Aunt Orsa's, the one fine dining restaurant in a small midwestern college town. Usually Tuesday evening is one of the slower nights, but best selling author John Grisham is dining at the restaurant after doing an event in the town. When Danny, the Operations Assistant, arrives at Orsa's in the morning he discovers that someone has stolen twenty-two rib eye steaks. He informs Orsa when she arrives of the theft and she wonders which of the employees could have taken them. The Reservation recounts the day and evening at the restaurant through the eyes of all the employees. Readalikes include Help Wanted by Adelle Waldman and Last Night at the Lobster by Stewart O'Nan. It will be published in February.

59 Minutes by Holly Seddon

It's pandemonium in London and its environs when an alert says a nuclear missile will hit the area in 59 minutes. Carrie is on her way home from work and is desperate to be with her partner Emma and young daughter Clementine. Meanwhile, Frankie, newly pregnant, is on holiday with her boyfriend Otis. Mrs. Dabb, on the other hand, is frantically trying to find her teenage daughter Bunny, who did not take the school bus home and is missing. The reader follows these three women as they deal with their current situations the best way they can. Readalikes include 24 Hours by Greg Iles, Siege by Simon Kernick, and No Exit by Taylor Adams.