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The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

We've asked 1,608 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 The Secret She Keeps

Katie Mettner Why did I love this book?

The Secrets She Keeps was a phenomenal intrigue because author Lena Diaz put me right there next to the characters as they made bad decisions while trying to do the right thing.

The entire book is full of twists and turns I wasn’t expecting, but that ending really took me by surprise! I loved it, but it took me completely off guard, so kudos to Ms. Diaz for pulling off something that could have upset me but instead made me stop and think.

I love cold cases, serial killers, and family drama, and Ms. Diaz delivered all of them, plus a beautiful blossoming romance, in The Secrets She Keeps!

By Lena Diaz,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Searching for the truth
Could be a deadly mission

Raine Quintero is so desperate she’s willing to kidnap PI Callum Wright, the one person who can help stay her brother’s execution. Raine raises the stakes by offering a lead on a killer Callum’s pursuing—without revealing the secret she’s actually keeping. Racing against time, they must find the answers before one man dies—and another kills again.

From Harlequin Intrigue: Seek thrills. Solve crimes. Justice served.

Discover more action-packed stories in the A Tennessee Cold Case Story series. All books are stand-alone with uplifting endings but were published in the following order:…


My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Resolute Aim

Katie Mettner Why did I love this book?

I loved this book because the pacing was perfect, and I was never left bored as they moved through the case. Something was always going on that kept me interested, even during Noah and Bree's downtime. I won't reveal Bree's secret, as I think it's important for the reader to learn it at the same time Noah does, but his soft touch with her after he finds out is very sweet.

Resolute Aim is the second book in the Protectors of Boone County series by Leslie Marshman. It checks the boxes for a gripping story line, characters I can relate to and laugh with, and a soft and easy romance that carried me right along on the couple's romantic journey. Resolute Aim opens with a bang, quite literally, and kept me gripped until the final page.

By Leslie Marshman,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Resolute Aim
By Leslie Marshman

Her secret puts them both at risk

Traumatised after killing in self-defence, Bree Delgado left the big city to join a smalltown police force. Her distractingly gorgeous new partner, Noah Reed, assures her that small towns have serious crime too-and Bree has a dangerous vulnerability. She may have to trust Noah with the truth, but that doesn't mean she has to give in to the attraction simmering between them...

Operation Witness Protection
By Justine Davis

He saved her once, and he'd do it again

Case McMillan isn't an officer anymore, but instinct sends him running…


My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Catching the Carling Lake Killer

Katie Mettner Why did I love this book?

Catching the Carling Lake Killer sucked me in from page one!

Simone is a strong heroine who is trying to do the right thing and get redemption for something that happened to her as a child. She doesn’t expect to deal with her on-again-off-again lover, Lance, in an official capacity, but when she finds the body of a woman and next to her is a calling card, it leaves her no choice.

I love a good serial killer with a calling card plot because there are so many twists and turns to keep me guessing until the reveal at the end. I loved that Simone remained strong and focused on her reasons throughout the entire book, even when it caused problems with Lance. I was dying to know if there would be a happy ending, and Ms. Richards didn’t let me down!

By K.D. Richards,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Catching the Carling Lake Killer as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Catching the Carling Lake Killer
By K.D. Richards

A killer knows her secret...

Journalist Simone Jarrett and Sherriff Lance Webb have hidden their casual affair to avoid gossip. But as his feelings for Simone deepen, Lance is troubled by the knowledge that she's hiding something. Then, after twenty years, the Card Killer strikes again. Simone's secret puts her in the killer's sights. Now the two must team up to find the murderer...and save Simone's life.

Colton's Body of Proof
By Karen Whiddon

Will uncovering the past kill them both?

Within minutes of reconnecting with her teenage boyfriend, CSI Ellie Mathers…


Plus, check out my book…

Going Rogue in Red Rye County

By Katie Mettner,

Book cover of Going Rogue in Red Rye County

What is my book about?

This is an on-the-run romantic suspense. FBI agent Mina August was undercover when everything fell apart. Injured and alone, she’s been on the run for a year from the FBI with her partner, Roman Jacobs. She needs help, but she doesn’t know who to trust, so she trusts no one.

When Roman finds her injured and scared, he vows to do anything to prove to her that he didn’t abandon her or tip off The Madame that she was an agent. With the help of Roman’s foster brother, they find a way to take down The Madame, but not without heart stopping action, unexpected revelations, and a second-chance at love.