Deadly Pleasures Contributor list #11

I’m still reading 2024 titles so I may add a title or two before the final lists are published in Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine in February, 2025. I have selectively read 155 crime, mystery and thriller novels published in 2024.

Best Mystery/Crime Novels
ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK, Chris Whitaker — favorite of the year
KILL FOR ME KILL FOR YOU, Steve Cavanagh
BLACK WOLF, Juan Gomez-Jurado
THE WRONG HANDS, Mark Billingham
CLOSE TO DEATH, Anthony Horowitz
CALIFORNIA BEAR, Duane Swierczynski
THE WAITING, Michael Connelly
MIDNIGHT AND BLUE, Ian Rankin
THE DETECTIVE GONE GRAY, Jake Needham
THE GOD OF THE WOODS, Liz Moore
LOCKED IN, Jussi Adler-Olsen

Best Debut
ORDINARY BEAR, C. B. Bernard
PAPER CAGE, Tom Baragwanath
IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE, Jo Callaghan
WORDHUNTER, Stella Sands
FIRST LIE WINS, Ashley Elston

Best Thrillers
ASSASSIN EIGHTEEN, John Brownlow
FIRST STRIKE, Stephen Leather
THE SCARLET PAPERS, Matthew Richardson

Best U.K. (not published yet in U.S.)
LOST AND NEVER FOUND, Simon Mason
THE WILD SWIMMERS, William Shaw
THE MERCY CHAIR, M. W. Craven
THE FINDER MYSTERIES, Simon Mason
WITNESS 8, Steve Cavanagh (in US, March, 2025)
LEO, Deon Meyer (in US, February, 2025)

Best Australian/New Zealand Crime Fiction
SHADOW CITY by Natalie Conyer
TIPPING POINT, Dinuka McKenzie
THE CALL, Gavin Strawhan (In US, February, 2025)