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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 Fall Guy: A Joe Gunther Novel

Trish Esden Why did I love this book?

I’ve been a fan of the Joe Gunther police procedural mystery series since the beginning—this is book #33 (the novels can be read as standalones).

They’re fast-paced books that portray the rural Vermont setting and law enforcement acutely, and also have emotional depth because of the characters. Fall Guy goes on my list of favorite installments. I recommend the series to fans of Tana French.

By Archer Mayor,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

In Archer Mayor's Fall Guy, a body found in the trunk of a stolen car leads Joe Gunther and his team to crucial evidence in an infamous unsolved case from years past.

A high-end stolen car is discovered in Vermont. A car filled with stolen items from a far-flung two state burglary spree. But it's what is in the trunk that brings Joe Gunther and his team from the Vermont Bureau of Investigation. In the trunk is the body of burglar in question - one Don Kalfus. Complicating matters, while the body was found in Vermont, it appears he was…


My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of We Have Always Lived in the Castle

Trish Esden Why did I love this book?

I read this as part of a Spooky October read, but it is way more than a quick, haunting read. It is a well-deserved classic. I much prefer it over Jackson’s more famous story, The Lottery.

It is gothic at its finest. A slow, burn creepy novel set in small-town Vermont that will keep you turning pages to find out how everything comes together in the end. Prepare to have your heartstrings tugged and goosebumps raised. 

By Shirley Jackson,

Why should I read it?

15 authors picked We Have Always Lived in the Castle as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Living in the Blackwood family home with only her sister, Constance, and her Uncle Julian for company, Merricat just wants to preserve their delicate way of life. But ever since Constance was acquitted of murdering the rest of the family, the world isn't leaving the Blackwoods alone. And when Cousin Charles arrives, armed with overtures of friendship and a desperate need to get into the safe, Merricat must do everything in her power to protect the remaining family.


My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of Fortune and Glory

Trish Esden Why did I love this book?

Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum books are fast-paced, light reads that can pull me out of the deepest reading slump. I think of them as reading chocolate because of the level of enjoyment and satisfaction they give me.

I’ll admit, I’ve read the series out of order. Fortune and Glory was one of the best. There’s lots of action, all my favorite characters pitched in, and there was a mystery that was twisty but resolved in a way that was entertaining and satisfying. 

By Janet Evanovich,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

From “the most popular mystery writer alive” (The New York Times), the twenty-seventh thrilling entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series isn’t just the biggest case of Stephanie Plum’s career. It’s the adventure of a lifetime.

When Stephanie’s beloved Grandma Mazur’s new husband died on their wedding night, the only thing he left her was a beat-up old easy chair…and the keys to a life-changing fortune.

But as Stephanie and Grandma Mazur search for Jimmy Rosolli’s treasure, they discover that they’re not the only ones on the hunt. Two dangerous enemies from the past stand in their way—along…


Plus, check out my book…

A Wealth Of Deception

By Trish Esden,

Book cover of A Wealth Of Deception

What is my book about?

In the world of art connoisseurs and high-stake schemes, a Vermont art and antiques dealer races to untangle the mystery behind an unsettling piece of outsider art.