The Rap Sheet Contributors’ Favorites of 2023

We share two contributors with The Rap Sheet (Ali Karim and Kevin Burton Smith). Go to the site to read their commentary on the books listed.

Ali Karim
THE TURNGLASS by Gareth Rubin
RESURRECTION WALK, Michael Connelly
SMALL MERCIES, Dennis Lehane
EVERYBODY KNOWS, Jordan Harper
KILL FOR ME KILL FOR YOU, Steve Cavanagh
LYING BESIDE YOU, Michael Robotham
HOLLY, Stephen King
Non-Fiction
WORD MONKEY by Christopher Fowler
Best Thrillers
THE SCARLET PAPERS, Matthew Richardson
THE SECRET by Lee and Andrew Child

Jim Thomsen
SMALL TOWN SINS, Ken Jaworowski
SMALL MERCIES, Dennis Lehane
AN HONEST MAN, Michael Koryta
THE GUEST, Emma Cline
LAY YOUR BODY DOWN, Amy Suiter
THE END OF THE ROAD, Andrew Welsh-Huggins
DARK RIDE, Lou Berney

Fraser Massey
THE LAST DANCE, Mark Billingham
OZARK DOGS, Eli Cranor
PAST LYING, Val McDermid
RED QUEEN, Juan Gomez-Jurado
DEAD OF NIGHT, Simon Scarrow
SMALL MERCIES, Dennis Lehane
ALL THE SINNERS BLEED, S. A. Cosby
THE SECRET HOURS, Mick Herron
SCORCHED GRACE, Margot Douaihy
CITY OF DREAMS, Don Winslow

Kevin Burton Smith
HOLLY, by Stephen King
THE SECOND MURDERER, Denise Mina
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MATTHEW SCUDDER, Lawrence Block
THE RUNNING GRAVE, Robert Galbraith
LAST SEEN IN LAPAZ, Kwei Quartey
A DEATH IN DENMARK, Amulya Maladi
DEATH OF A DANCING QUEEN, by Kimberly G. Garrantano
BAD INFLUENCE; by Alison Gaylin
ODYSSEY’S END, by Matt Coyle
TOO MANY BULLETS; by Max Allan Collins
Graphic Novel and Comic
HOMICIDE: THE GRAPHIC NOVEL, PARTS 1 & 2; by David Simon and Philippe Squarzoni (First Second).
GOTHAM CITY: YEAR ONE, Tom King & Philip Hester (DC Comics)

Steven Nester
TOO MANY BULLETS, Max Allan Collins
DARK RIDE, Lou Berney
BLOODY MARTINI, William Kotzwinkle
THE LOST AMERICANS, Christopher Bollen
HARD COUNTRY, Reavis Z. Wortham
BLOOD SISTERS, Vanessa Lillie
DEVICE FREE WEEKEND, Sean Doolittle

J. Kingston Pierce
THE GOLDEN GATE, Amy Chua
UNNATURAL ENDS, Christopher Huang
ASHES IN THE SNOW, Oriana Ramunno
THE BROKEN AFTERNOON, Simon Mason
THE SECOND MURDERER, Denise Mina
DEAD OF NIGHT, Simon Scarrow
THE SQUARE OF SEVENS, Laura Shepherd-Robinson
THE NIGHTINGALE AFFAIR, Tim Mason
SING HER DOWN, Ivy Pochoda
TOO MANY BULLETS, Max Allan Collins
EVERGREEN, Naomi Hirahara