Suspense Magazine just came out with their Best of 2021 in a number of categories (not all listed here). These were voted on by their subscribers. I was struck by how different these choices are if you were to compare the titles to the ones chosen by Deadly Pleasures contributors. Just shows how different opinions can be as to what is the “best.”

Suspense Magazine Best of 2021
(suspensemagazine.com)

Crimson Scribe Best Suspense Novel of 2021
THE NINJA BETRAYED, Tori Eldridge

Cozy
ARSENIC AND ADOBO, Mia P. Manansala
LITTLE BLACK BOOK, Kate Carlisle
MURDER AT KEYHAVEN CASTLE, Clara McKenna
STYLED FOR MURDER, Nancy J. Cohen

Debut
BLACKOUT, Marco Carocari
FINDING TESSA, Jaime Lynn Hendricks
SAVING GRACE, Debbie Babitt
THE GUILTY HUSBAND, Stephanie DeCarolis

Romantic Suspense
A GOOD DAY FOR CHARDONNAY, Darynda Jones
SAY GOODBYE, Karen Rose
THE ARRANGEMENT, Kiersten Modglin
THE UNFORGIVEN, Heather Graham

Historical
ABIGAIL OF VENICE, Leigh Russell
THE LOST APOTHECARY, Sarah Penner
THE VENICE SKETCHBOOK, Rhys Bowen
THE WORLD PLAYED CHESS, Robert Dugoni

Horror
COME WITH ME, Ronald Malfi
SURVIVE THE NIGHT, Riley Sager
THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET, Catriona Ward
CHASING THE BOOGEYMAN, Richard Chismar

Suspense Thriller
FINLAY DONOVAN IS KILLING IT, Elle Cosimano
HER PERFECT LIFE, Hank Phillippi Ryan
RAZORBLADE TEARS, S. A. Cosby
THE DEVIL’S HAND, Jack Carr
THE FAMILY TREE, Steph Mullin & Nicole Mabry
THE LEFT-HANDED TWIN, Thomas Perry
THE NEXT WIFE, Kaira Rouda
THE STRANGER IN THE MIRROR, Liv Constantine
BONE RATTLE, Marc Cameron