Author World traveler One who enjoys having a fine cigar with friends…or alone 5 o’clock martini drinker
The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

We've asked 1,641 authors and super readers for their 3 favorite reads of the year.

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My favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Collector

Bill Thompson Why did I love this book?

Silva’s protagonist Gabriel Allon is an art restorer and master spy.

His adventures are thrilling and keep you turning pages late to see what’s next. I try to go slowly to savor the experience of each new book, but I find myself furiously reading and loving every minute of the thrill ride. Start with number 1 and you’ll have a wonderful time getting to this one, number 23 in the Allon series.

By Daniel Silva,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Collector as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

#1 New York Times bestselling author Daniel Silva is back with an electrifying new thriller.

Legendary art restorer and spy Gabriel Allon joins forces with a brilliant and beautiful master-thief to track down the world's most valuable missing painting but soon finds himself in a desperate race to prevent an unthinkable conflict between Russia and the West.


My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Libyan Diversion

Bill Thompson Why did I love this book?

There’s no better person to spin international political thrillers than Joel Rosenberg, an American who now lives in Jerusalem.

The conflict, the struggles, and the adventures of Marcus Ryker keep the reader eager to learn how he gets out of one problem after another. These books are as current as the morning news and allow you to feel like you’re on the scene in the Middle East.

By Joel C. Rosenberg,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Libyan Diversion as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author Joel C. Rosenberg comes the fifth military and international political thriller in the Marcus Ryker series.

The world’s most wanted terrorist is dead. Marcus Ryker recommended the drone strike himself. The intelligence was rock-solid. But what if it was wrong?

Abu Nakba―the man responsible for lethal attacks in Washington, D.C., London, and Jerusalem―is finally dead. Marcus Ryker has been tasked with hunting down and destroying what’s left of the terror group Kairos.

But before Ryker can mobilize his team of CIA operatives with their new assignment, a disturbing report…


My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon

Bill Thompson Why did I love this book?

This is the story of Sam Bankman-Fried and FTX, the cryptocurrency sensation that fell as quickly as it rose.

It was a good read, although the author is sympathetic to SBF and overlooks a lot of his flaws. Given that SBF was just convicted of crimes, it’s an interesting background that will show you how crazy the crypto world really is, and how people with no idea how to run a company can be entrusted with billions…and lose it all.

By Michael Lewis,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked Going Infinite as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

When Michael Lewis first met him, Sam Bankman-Fried was the world's youngest billionaire and crypto's Gatsby. CEOs, celebrities, and leaders of small countries all vied for his time and cash after he catapulted, practically overnight, onto the Forbes billionaire list. Who was this rumpled guy in cargo shorts and limp white socks, whose eyes twitched across Zoom meetings as he played video games on the side?

In Going Infinite Lewis sets out to answer this question, taking readers into the mind of Bankman-Fried, whose rise and fall offers an education in high-frequency trading, cryptocurrencies, philanthropy, bankruptcy, and the justice system.…


Plus, check out my book…

Serpent

By Bill Thompson,

Book cover of Serpent

What is my book about?

Famous paranormal investigator Landry Drake and his team are at work preparing a series called Mysterious America for his new cable channel The Paranormal Network. A cryptic call to the network’s hotline takes the crew to Savannah, Georgia, one of America’s most haunted cities. A girl who inherited her aunt’s old house finds a mysterious amulet bearing a jeweled snake that leads Landry to the Order of the Red Serpent. A spirit beckons her, but are its intentions good…or maliciously evil?

Landry learns about bizarre rituals and initiations held late at night, and as a mystery unfolds within one of Savannah’s oldest mansions, the living must call upon the dead for answers. Secrets hidden in the city’s oldest graveyard lead Landry on a quest to learn why the mysterious Order exists.