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The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

We've asked 1,624 authors and super readers for their 3 favorite reads of the year.

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

My favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Happiness Falls

Adam Mitzner Why did I love this book?

Sometimes, I read to be entertained, sometimes to enjoy the author’s use of language, and sometimes to make myself think about my own life. Rarely does a book do all three. This one did.

Not only is it a great mystery, with sparkling prose, but it made me think about my own family in a way that is going to stay with me for a long time.

By Angie Kim,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Happiness Falls as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK • When a father goes missing, his family’s desperate search leads them to question everything they know about him and one another in this thrilling page-turner, a deeply moving portrait of a family in crisis from the award-winning author of Miracle Creek.

Belletrist Book Club Pick • Finalist for the New American Voices Award • “This is a story with so many twists and turns I was riveted through the last page.”—Jodi Picoult

One of the Most Anticipated Books of the Season: The New York Times • Los Angeles…


My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Beware the Woman

Adam Mitzner Why did I love this book?

I am a huge Megan Abbott fan. I often tell people that Abbott’s writing reminds me of the feeling you have in a dream, but this one is more of a nightmare, which is even better.

What is remarkable about Beware the Woman is the way Abbott combines a very creepy mystery with truly compelling social commentary.

By Megan Abbott,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Beware the Woman as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

By the "master of thinly veiled secrets often kept by women who rage underneath their delicate exteriors" (Kirkus Reviews), Beware the Woman is Megan Abbott at the height of her game.

Honey, I just want you to have everything you ever wanted. That’s what Jacy’s mom always told her. And Jacy felt like she finally did. Newly married and with a baby on the way, Jacy and her new husband, Jed, embark on their first road trip together to visit his father, Dr. Ash, in Michigan’s far-flung Upper Peninsula. The moment they arrive at the cottage snug within the lush…


My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Writing Retreat

Adam Mitzner Why did I love this book?

If you’re a writer, or creative in other ways, or just a fan of the creative process, The Writing Retreat will not just speak to you but sing you an entire opera.

The mystery is great, but what puts it on my list is the way Bartz’s take on what every writer feels but never discusses at parties: the crippling anxiety of not having an idea, the excitement of that "eureka!" moment, the need to write and write and write while the iron is hot, and then the overwhelming fear when the work is finally released into the world.

By Julia Bartz,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

“Sex, suspense, and the supernatural fuel this propulsive debut.” —People

A young author is invited to an exclusive writer’s retreat that soon descends into a pulse-pounding nightmare—in the vein of The Plot and Please Join Us.

Alex has all but given up on her dreams of becoming a published author when she receives a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: attend an exclusive, month-long writing retreat at the estate of feminist horror writer Roza Vallo. Even the knowledge that Wren, her former best friend and current rival, is attending doesn’t dampen her excitement.

But when the attendees arrive, Roza…


Plus, check out my book…

Love Betrayal Murder

By Adam Mitzner,

Book cover of Love Betrayal Murder

What is my book about?

Matthew Brooks and Vanessa Lyons are a perfect love match, both attorneys at a powerful New York City law firm. But there's a hitch: Matt just made partner, and Vanessa is coming up for partner next year. And Vanessa's husband has his suspicions.

Vanessa is assigned to the firm's biggest case; unfortunately, Matt has been working the case for years, leaving him no choice but to supervise his lover in violation of firm policy. When Vanessa is denied her partnership, she can only assume that her affair with Matt was the reason.

Then, on a crowded Manhattan street corner, a knife flashes in the midday sun, leaving behind a scene of horror. But with so many having been betrayed, will the murderer be brought to justice?