The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

Join 1,707 readers and share your 3 favorite reads of the year.

My favorite read in 2023

Book cover of All the Sinners Bleed

Marcy McCreary Why did I love this book?

Titus Crown is the moral center of this brilliant, gritty, thought-provoking crime novel.

Titus (the first Black sheriff in a town rife with past and present racism) is a complex protagonist who grapples with his own past trauma as he investigates a horrific school shooting in which a white teacher is shot, and the Black boy who shoots him is gunned down by the police.

But nothing is black and white in this drama; there is something way more complicated and sinister at play here. The action is nonstop as Titus hunts down a serial killer who has been operating in the area for years.

This novel deftly conveys themes of racism, religion/faith, and social injustice through a layered, unflinching, authentic, compelling narrative.

By S. A. Cosby,

Why should I read it?

7 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…


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My 2nd favorite read in 2023

Book cover of The Bullet That Missed

Marcy McCreary Why did I love this book?

I adore the ensemble cast of The Thursday Murder Club series.

Four septuagenarians are at the heart of the series—an ex-spy, a union boss, an ex-nurse, and an ex-psychiatrist—each cleverly contributing their unique skills and life experiences to solve cold cases (and in doing so, find themselves in a whole heap of danger).

Like the first two books in the series, this is another five-star read—witty, action-packed, poignant, heartwarming (and sometimes heartbreaking), fun, and super clever.

Richard Osman’s insanely lovable characters are incredibly well-developed and meticulously drawn. The prose crackles with witty banter. And the ingenious twist culminates in a climax that leaves the door open for more mayhem to come.

By Richard Osman,

Why should I read it?

10 authors picked The Bullet That Missed as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Brought to you by Penguin.

A new mystery is afoot in the third book in the Thursday Murder Club series from record-breaking, bestselling author Richard Osman.

It is an ordinary Thursday and things should finally be returning to normal.

Except trouble is never far away where the Thursday Murder Club are concerned. A decade-old cold case leads them to a local news legend and a murder with no body and no answers.

Then a new foe pays Elizabeth a visit. Her mission? Kill. . . or be killed.

As the cold case turns white hot, Elizabeth wrestles with her conscience…


My 3rd favorite read in 2023

Book cover of The Change

Marcy McCreary Why did I love this book?

There’s a lot to be said about a brisk-paced novel that has you laughing one minute and absorbed in sinister dread the next. Throw in three badass women, a revenge plot, acerbic humor, and a touch of magic, and you’ve got all the ingredients of an unputdownable book.

It’s a wild ride as Harriet, Jo, and Nessa find themselves in each other’s orbits, band together and use their post-menopausal powers (yup!) to solve a string of murders.

Sharp satire that hits on all the feminist themes—glass ceiling, gender stereotypes, misogyny, sexism, toxic masculinity, ageism—makes this book a delicious read for any woman who has ever felt invisible, undervalued, or underestimated.    

By Kirsten Miller,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

'A perfect contradiction, existing in the shades of grey that real life is so often painted in . . . A story that's as furious as it is tender' Emily Henry

'A roar of rage, a pacy page-turner, I loved it with all my broken heart. Read it. You'll love it' Marian Keyes

'A propulsive plot and characters that roar off the page, this is a novel that's unafraid to take on societal misogyny while being satirical and even funny at the same time' Guardian

'An addictive, fast-paced crime novel like nothing you've ever read before' Red magazine

* *…


Don‘t forget about my book 😀

The Disappearance of Trudy Solomon

By Marcy McCreary,

Book cover of The Disappearance of Trudy Solomon

What is my book about?

In the waning days of the Catskills hotel era, Stanley and Rachel Roth, the owners of the Cuttman Hotel, were practically a dynasty―third-generation proprietors of a sprawling resort with a grand reputation. 

The glamorous and gregarious matriarch, Rachel. The cunning and successful businessman, Stan. Four beautiful children. A perfect family is deserving of respect and loyalty.

Fast forward forty years. The Roths have lost their clout. When skeletal remains are found on the side of the road, a 1978 missing persons case—involving a coffee shop waitress who worked at the Cuttman—is reopened. Each member of the Roth family holds a clue to the case, but getting them to admit what they know will force Detective Susan Ford to face a family she'd hoped never to see again.