The Rap Sheet Contributor Lists
Best Crime Fiction 2021

J. Kingston Pierce, Editor of The Rap Sheet

WE BEGIN AT THE END, Chris Whitaker
BLACKOUT, Simon Scarrow
DAUGHTERS OF NIGHT, Laura Shepherd-Robinson
THE DARK REMAINS, William McIlvanney & Ian Rankin
THE GOOD TURN, Dervla McTiernan
THE CASE OF THE MURDEROUS DR. CREAM: THE HUNT FOR A VICTORIAN ERA SERIAL KILLER, Dean Jacob
Other Favorites
SILVERVIEW, John le Carre’
THE HOUSE ON VESPER SANDS, Paraic O’Donnell
WIDOWLAND, C. J. Carey
RAZORBLADE TEARS, S. A. Cosby
HOW TO FIND YOU WAY IN THE DARK, Derek B. Miller
THE SHADOWS OF MEN, Abir Mukherjee

Fraser Massey (The Rap Sheet)

BILLY SUMMERS, Stephen King
LIGHTSEEKERS, Femi Kayode
ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD, Quentin Tarantino
SLOUGH HOUSE, Mick Herron
UNDER COLOR OF LAW, Aaron Philip Clark
Other Favorites
NORTHERN SPY, Flynn Berry
FIVE DECEMBERS, James Kestrel
1979, Val McDermid
TRUE CRIME STORY, Joseph Knox
NEVER SAW ME COMING, Vera Kurian

Kevin Burton Smith (The Rap Sheet)

A MAN NAMED DOLL, Jonathan Ames
AN ELDERLY LADY MUST NOT BE CROSSED, Helene Tursten
FRIEND OF THE DEVIL, Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips
BILLY SUMMERS, Stephen King
EVERY CITY IS EVERY OTHER CITY, John McFetridge
Other Favorites
BLOOD GROVE, Walter Mosley
CLARK AND DIVISION, Naomi Hirahara
HELL AND GONE, Sam Wiebe
DOLPHIN JUNCTION, Mick Herron (2022 title)
SO FAR AND GOOD, John Staley
SLEEP WELL, MY LADY, Kwei Quartey

Jim Napier (The Rap Sheet)

FIND YOU FIRST, Linwood Barclay
FIVE DECEMBERS, James Kestrel
DIAMOND AND THE EYE, Peter Lovesey
SLOUGH HOUSE, Mick Herron
SEVEN DOWN, David Whitton

Jim Thomsen (The Rap Sheet)

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD, Quentin Tarantino
HOW TO FIND YOUR WAY IN THE DARK, Derek B. Miller
THE NIGHT ALWAYS COMES, Willy Vlautin
GETAWAY, Zoje Stage
LOSER BABY, Jason Bovberg
Other Favorites
VELVET WAS THE NIGHT, Silvia Moreno-Garcia
HARLEM SHUFFLE, Colson Whitehead
FIVE DECEMBERS, James Kestrel
UNDONE VALLEY, William R. Soldan
THE LOW DESERT, Tod Goldberg

Steven Nester (The Rap Sheet)

SMOKE, Joe Ide
RAZORBLADE TEARS, S. A. Cosby
FELONIOUS MONK, William Kotzwinkle
DOUBLE SOLITAIRE, Craig Nova
Other Favorites
PICKARD COUNTY ATLAS, Chris Harding Thornton
A BLIZZARD OF POLAR BEARS, Alice Henderson
BLOOD GROVE, Walter Mosley
CITY ON THE EDGE, David Swinson
RELENTLESS, Mark Greaney

(note: Ali Karim’s list was posted under DP Contributors list)