Book Depository is a British bookselling site that has come up with an eclectic Best of 2022 list — a very long list. Some of the titles I don’t even recognize. But the list does include some of the best books that will surely appear on other best lists. With British lists, there is always the problem of one or two British books being published in 2022, but the same books being published in the U.S. in a different year. For instance, HARLEM SHUFFLE by Colson Whitehead was published in the U.S. in 2021 and appeared on a large number of “best” lists in 2021. It was subsequently published in the U.K. in 2022.
Since this list is so long, I’ve indicated by an asterisk (*) which ones I think are most likely to appear on other “best” lists. We’ll see in a few weeks whether my guesses are correct or not.
Book Depository Best Crime
and Thriller Books 2022
*THE INK BLACK HEART, Robert Galbraith
*THE BULLET THAT MISSED, Richard Osman
*A HEART FULL OF HEADSTONES, Ian Rankin
*THE TWIST OF A KNIFE, Anthony Horowitz
*ONE STEP TOO FAR, Lisa Gardner
*BLEEDING HEART YARD, Elly Griffiths
*GIRL, FORGOTTEN, Karin Slaughter
*THE DARK, Sharon Bolton
*BETTER THE BLOOD, Michael Bennett (2023 book in U.S.)
*THE PARIS APARTMENT, Lucy Foley
*1989, Val McDermid
*THIS IS THE NIGHT THEY COME FOR YOU, Robert Goddard
*HEAT 2, Michael Mann & Meg Gardiner
*TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY, Linwood Barclay
*A FLICKER IN THE DARK, Stacy Willingham
*WOLF PACK, Will Dean
*PICTURE YOU DEAD, Peter James
*HARLEM SHUFFLE, Colson Whitehead (2021 book in U.S.)
THE MITFORD VANISHING, Jessica Fellowes
PAYDAY, Celia Walden
WHEN EVIL WAKES, Mark Griffin
DESPERATION IN DEATH, J. D. Robb
THE GIRLS WHO DISAPPEARED, Claire Douglas
HOPE TO DIE, Cara Hunter
CHRISTMAS IS MURDER, Val McDermid
SUNDIAL, Catriona Ward
THE RAILWAY DETECTIVE’S CHRISTMAS CASE, Edward Marston
WANT YOU DEAD, Steve Frech
THE YOUNGER WIFE, Sally Hepworth
DARK MUSIC, David Lagercrantz
MY DARLING DAUGHTER, J P Delaney
HANDS DOWN, Felix Francis
MURDER IN THE FALLING SNOW, Cecily Gayford
THE ENGAGEMENT, Nasheema Lennon
CITY OF THE DEAD, Jonathan Kellerman
22 SECONDS, James Patterson & Maxine Paetro
DESPERATE UNDERTAKING, Lindsey Davis
TRIPLE CROSS, James Patterson
NEXT IN LINE, Jeffrey Archer
A HELPING HAND, Celia Dale
A SONG OF COMFORTABLE CHAIRS, Alexander McCall
THE WINNERS, Fredrik Backman
MURDER ON THE CELTIC, Edward Marston
FOUL LADY FORTUNE, Chloe Gong
THE SIX WHO CAME TO DINNER, Anne Youngson