Amazon’s Best lists are always among the best of the “best lists” that come out at the end of each year. I can tell that a lot of thought and reading goes into coming up with these two lists (one for standalones and one for series entries). I’ve read thirteen of the forty titles. Some others I started and didn’t finish. There are two more on my nightstand right now that I’m reading. Five of the titles are on my personal best of 2023 list.

The Best Mystery, Thriller, Suspense Standalone of 2023

SMALL MERCIES, Dennis Lehane

BRIGHT YOUNG WOMEN, Jessica Knoll

ALL THE SINNERS BLEED, S.A. Cosby

HAPPINESS FALLS, Angie Kim

SYMPHONY OF SECRETS, Brendan Slocumb

MURDER YOUR EMPLOYER, Rupert Holmes

MOTHER-DAUGHTER MURDER NIGHT, Nina Simon

AGE OF VICE, Deepti Kapoor

THE GOLDEN GATE, Amy Chua

DROWNING, T.J. Newman

STRANGE SALLY DIAMOND, Liz Nugent

PET, Catherine Chidgey

THOSE EMPTY EYES, Charlie Donlea

THE ONLY ONE LEFT, Riley Sager

GOING ZERO, Anthony McCarten

THE QUIET TENANT, Clémence Michallon

A HOUSE WITH GOOD BONES, T. Kingfisher

ALL THAT IS MINE I CARRY WITH ME, William Landay

KILL SHOW, Daniel Sweren-Becker

THE WHITE LADY, Jacqueline Winspear

The Best Mystery, Thriller, Suspense Series of 2023

THE MYSTERY GUEST, Nita Prose

THE LAST DEVIL TO DIE, Richard Osman

RESURRECTION WALK, Michael Connelly

CITY OF DREAMS, Don Winslow

THE SPY COAST, Tess Gerritsen

BLOOD SISTERS, Vanessa Lillie

GLORY BE, Danielle Arceneaux

ACT LIKE A LADY, THINK LIKE A LORD, Celeste Connally

EXILES, Jane Harper

RED QUEEN, Juan Gómez-Jurado

LYING BESIDE YOU, Michael Robotham

THE BENEVOLENT SOCIETY OF ILL-MANNERED LADIES, Alison Goodman

THE BELL IN THE FOG, Lev AC Rosen

MY FATHER’S HOUSE, Joseph O’Connor

COLD-BLOODED LIAR, Karen Rose

DEATH COMES TO MARLOW, Robert Thorogood

GANGSTERS DON’T DIE, Tod Goldberg

DARK ANGEL, John Sandford

VERA WONG’S UNSOLICITED ADVICE FOR MURDERERS, Jesse Q. Sutanto

AFTER THAT NIGHT, Karin Slaughter