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The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

We've asked 1,633 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 All the Sinners Bleed

Iris Bolling Why did I love this book?

The story grabs you from the beginning. The pacing is great, and the plot was intriguing. It kept me turning the pages to discover who was involved in this small-town mystery.

I enjoyed the window dressing of his personal life, then watching as he maneuvered through the different red herrings to finally catch the guilty party. I was tempted to fast forward to the last chapter, but the buildup to the revealing the villain was too good to pass up. I was sad when it ended, I truly enjoyed all the characters.

By S. A. Cosby,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked All the Sinners Bleed as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

*** THE TIMES - THRILLER OF THE MONTH***
*** MAIL ON SUNDAY - BEST NEW FICTION***
*** FINANCIAL TIMES - BEST NEW CRIME BOOKS***

'A crackling good police procedural....fresh and exhilarating' STEPHEN KING

'S. A. Cosby's novels always hit the grand slam of crime fiction; unstoppable momentum, gripping intrigue and deep character with a hard and telling look at culture and society' MICHAEL CONNELLY

'Titus Crown is one of the most compelling characters I've read in a long time.' STEVE CAVANAGH

A BLACK SHERIFF. A SERIAL KILLER.
AND A SMALL TOWN READY TO COMBUST.

Titus Crown is the first Black…


My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Guilty

Iris Bolling Why did I love this book?

The Will Robie series by David Baldacci is outstanding. The details of the journey Robie takes as an assassin for the United States is intriguing. 

The way Baldacci describes the surroundings gives you the feeling that you are there in the midst of the action right along with Robie. The manner in which Robie carries out his missions will keep you on the edge of your seats wondering if he will make it out alive.

What is so amazing about The Guilty is the realization of you rooting for the assassin to come out on top in this personal battle of confronting his past. It is clear what Robie does for a living—he murders people. Yet we care so much about him, the man, we want him to find a happy place with this family. 

By David Baldacci,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

After failing a critical assignment overseas, Will Robie must investigate a murder accusation against his father--but to save him, he'll have to face a violent and deadly fallout in this New York Times bestselling thriller.

Will Robie escaped his small Gulf Coast hometown of Cantrell, Mississippi after high school, severing all personal ties, and never looked back. Not until the unimaginable occurs. His father, Dan Robie, has been arrested and charged with murder.

Father and son haven't spoken or seen each other since the day Robie left town. In that time, Dan Robie--a local attorney and pillar of the community--has…


My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Love in Catalina Cove

Iris Bolling Why did I love this book?

While I love thrillers, I’m a sucker for a good romance. No one—no one does romance like Brenda Jackson.

Of her over 100 book catalogue it is hard to pick just one to fall in love with, however, her Catalina Cove series is simply a great read. The first book, Love in Catalina Cove, is filled with the perfect amount of romantic tension between the potential couple. Then, Jackson adds in a small town with a few unsettled past deeds that spill into the future for some of its residence.

There is an element of suspense, and a whirlwind of ‘feel good’ throughout this story. The family connections will have your heart filled with laughter, the relationships with different friends within the Cove will touch your heart, and the outcome of the skeleton in the closet that is revealed will make you scream!

Yes, it is a romance in a small town, but it is packed with so much intrigue you will not want to put this one down until the very last page.  

By Brenda Jackson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Love in Catalina Cove as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In Catalina Cove, even the biggest heartbreaks can be healed...

Vashti was certain she would never return to Catalina Cove - the place of her younger-self's heartbreak. But when she inherits a B&B she must face both her past, and her future in the town once again.

Soon repairing the dilapidated B&B helps the hurt begin to fade as she makes new memories with the town-and its handsome sheriff Sawyer. But some pasts are too big to escape, and when a bombshell of a secret changes everything Vashti thought she knew, she learns that family isn't always a matter of…


Plus, check out my book…

The Aftermath: A Nate Reigns Novel

By Iris Bolling,

Book cover of The Aftermath: A Nate Reigns Novel

What is my book about?

The investigation into the death of Prosecuting Attorney Alex Burnett leads to the discovery of other crimes which garner huge headlines for the Richmond Police Department. For the brass, the number of closed cases is a triumph; however, for Detective Nathan ‘Nate’ Reigns, it does not solve the murder of his friend and mentor.

As a one-time top criminal defense attorney, Nate uses his insight from his previous occupation to solve his cases. No case leaves his desk marked solved until he has filled every hole that a defense attorney could use to free their client. Nate vows justice for his friend. That path leads to an organization with plans that will have far-reaching impacts on justice departments across the country.