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The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

We've asked 1,698 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 Guardian

Patrick Weill Why did I love this book?

This book plunged me into the world of special operations! Since the author has major military and law enforcement experience, in addition to a highly respectable list of books he’s penned, he was able to craft an action thriller with believable characters and realistic battle scenes. The stakes were high, and I really cared about what was going to happen to the hero. 

By Joshua Hood,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

From the USA Today bestselling author of Robert Ludlum’s Treadstone series, The Guardian is an action-packed adventure with a hint of romance that’s perfect for fans of Extraction and Romancing the Stone.

When a retired Air Force PJ with nothing to lose is hired to rescue a kidnapped American from the depths of the Congo Basin, what was supposed to be a simple mission quickly turns into a fight for survival …

As a member of the elite Air Force Pararescue, Travis Lane abides by the motto “These things we do, that others may live.” After an injury forces him…


My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of One Good Deed

Patrick Weill Why did I love this book?

David Baldacci is not a worldwide bestseller for nothing! His prose is second to none, and his strong and likable personality comes across through his heroes. This book, set after World War II, has plenty of action. Archer, our hero, is just home from the war, meaning he’s ready to take on a whole host of bad guys and save a beautiful woman in the process. 

By David Baldacci,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked One Good Deed as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Murder and family secrets, a touch of romance and deeply-felt revenge - with the twist of all twists - make up the perfect page-turning thriller, One Good Deed, from one of the world's bestselling thriller writers, David Baldacci.

'One of his finest books. Great character, great story, great portrait of an era' - Bill Clinton

Freedom never tasted so sweet

Poca City 1949. Fresh from serving time for a crime he didn't commit, Aloysius Archer is ready to put the past behind him and start again.

Who can you trust?

Accepting a job as a debt collector for the local…


My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Six Bullets to a Man

Patrick Weill Why did I love this book?

This book begins with a clever hook and doesn’t relent until after the climax. It reminded me of Lee Child’s Reacher novels, but it takes place in Mississippi in the early 1970s, and the protagonist is an African American man, a bold choice for a white writer, but Wegener definitely did his homework in that respect, and in others, as he includes believable dialogue/dialect and historical details such as typewriters, indoor smoking, and hod-rod cars from that era.

There’s a well-crafted mystery, with nail-biting tension, realistic military-style action, and sensory details that made me feel like I was really there. Wegener is a writer to watch!

By Jethro Wegener,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Six Bullets to a Man as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Six Bullets to a Man packs a mean punch with brutally sharp action sequences that spark authenticity and an adrenaline rush second to none!" - Kashif Hussain, Best Thriller Books

A terrified town seething with secrets. A deadly conspiracy. And one action-packed, blood-soaked adrenaline rush of a thriller.

1971. Mississippi. An accidental death is about to ignite a powder keg. And Vietnam vet Duke Gibbs finds himself in the middle of the explosion of violence, embroiled in a dangerous conspiracy that only he can untangle.

Powerful people are pulling the strings to protect a shocking secret that could destroy an…


Plus, check out my book…

The Mazatlan Showdown

By Patrick Weill,

Book cover of The Mazatlan Showdown

What is my book about?

Jeff Walker is a champion surfer haunted by the mystery of his father’s murder and his mother’s broken heart. After finding a job as a lifeguard, a rescue mission at sea plunges him into a far-reaching criminal conspiracy.

Walker and his closest friends aid the police in their investigation, through which it is revealed that the leader of the crooks is his father’s killer! The tension builds from that point on until he finally faces his nemesis in a confrontation that will leave only one man standing.

This first episode of The Park and Walker Action Thriller Series will whisk you away in a fleet of high-performance cars, bikes, and boats. Chock-full of action with a dash of drama, The Mazatlan Showdown has it all!

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