Noted British crime fiction critic Barry Forshaw heads up a lively debate on what are the best crime fiction novels of 2021 — called The Crime Time Christmas Debate. Click on the link to listen to 1 and 1/2 hours of experts talking about our favorite subject. (You can always pause it and come back later if that is too much to listen to in one sitting. I loved it.

Also present are Jake Kerridge, respected critic for The Daily Telegraph, Ayo Onatade, crime fiction reviewer for SHOTS Ezine, author and crime reviewer Laura Wilson, author and crime fiction reviewer Victoria Selman, and last but not least, author and crime fiction reviewer Maxim Jakubowski (also current head of CWA). The podmaster, Paul Burke, also added his ten favorites. These “guys” really know their stuff and it is a pleasure to listen to them talk about the books that most impressed them this year.

I’ve listened to this twice so I could come up with a fairly accurate list of the participant’s favorites of the year. I updated the list from the one originally posted.

Maxim Jakubowski
Crime Fiction Reviewer
Crime Time
WINTER COUNTS, David Heska Wanbli Weiden
ONE NIGHT, NEW YORK, Lara Thompson
RAZORBLADE TEARS, S. A. Cosby
THE GARDEN OF ANGELS, David Hewson
CASE STUDY, Graeme Macrae Burnet
THE HOUSE UPTOWN, Melissa Ginsburg
THE KILLING HILLS, Chris Offutt
SAINT X, Alexis Schaitkin (2020 title in U.S.)
HOW TO KIDNAP THE RICH, Rahul Raina
OXYGEN, Sasha Mafini

Ayo Onatade Favorite Reads 2021
Shots Magazine
RAZORBACK TEARS, S. A. Cosby
SUNSET SWING, Ray Celestin
THE LAST THING TO BURN, Will Dean
BULLET TRAIN, Kotaro Isaka
TRUE CRIME STORY, Joseph Knox
DREAM GIRL, Laura Lippman
EDGE OF THE GRAVE, Robbie Morrison
BLACK DROP, Leonora Nattrass
TURF WARS, Olivier Norek
WINTER COUNTS, David Heska Wanbli Weiden
Worthy Mentions
THE NAMELESS ONES, John Connolly
DAUGHTER OF NIGHT, Laura Shepherd-Robinson
THE OXFORD BROTHERHOOD, Guillermo Martinez
THE RABBIT FACTOR, Antii Tuomainen
THE DARK HOURS, Michael Connelly
THE ROYAL SECRET, Andrew Taylor
DOLPHIN JUNCTION, Mick Herron
RIZZIO, Denise Mina
HARLEM SHUFFLE, Colson Whitehead

Laura Wilson
Crime Fiction Reviewer
The Guardian
SILVERVIEW, John le Carre’
GIRL A, Abigail Dean
THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING, Nancy Tucker
RICCARDINO, Andrea Camilleri
WINTER COUNTS, David Heska Wanbli Weiden – 2020 title in U.S.
Also Notable
RAZORBLADE TEARS, S. A. Cosby
TRUE CRIME STORY, Joseph Knox
DAUGHTER OF NIGHT, Laura Shepherd-Robinson
HOW TO KIDNAP THE RICH, Rahul Raina
BULLET TRAIN, Kotaro Isaka

Barry Forshaw
Financial Times
Best Crime Fiction of 2021
SUNSET SWING, Ray Celestin
RAZORBLADE TEARS, S. A. Cosby
WINTER COUNTS, David Heska Wanbli Weiden – 2020 title in U.S.
GIRL A, Abigail Dean
THE SURVIVORS, Jane Harper
Also Notable
WHERE GOD DOES NOT WALK, Luke McCallin
TRUE CRIME STORY, Joseph Knox
THE DARK REMAINS, William McIlvanney & Ian Rankin
DAUGHTER OF NIGHT, Laura Shepherd-Robinson
THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA, Stuart Turton

Jake Kerridge
Crime Fiction Reviewer
The Daily Telegraph
THE TURNOUT, Megan Abbott
DEAD DEAD GIRLS, Nekesa Afia
CASE STUDY, Graeme Macrae Burnet
THE DARK REMAINS, William McIlvanney & Ian Rankin
DOLPHIN JUNCTION, Mick Herron
THE RABBIT FACTOR, Antti Tuomainen
FOLLOW HER HOME, Steph Cha (2013 title in U.S.)
THE OXFORD BROTHERHOOD, Guillermo Martinez
RAZORBLADE TEARS, S. A. Cosby
TALL BONES, Anna Bailey

Victoria Selman
Crime Fiction Reviewer
The Independent and Crime Time FM
VINE STREET, Dominic Nolan
THE ART OF DEATH, David Fennell
THE NIGHT HAWKS, Elly Griffiths
THE BERESFORD, Will Carver
FOR YOUR OWN GOOD, Samantha Downing
FIVE MINDS, Guy Morpuss
RAZORBLADE TEARS, S. A. Cosby
56 DAYS, Catherine Ryan Howard
PEOPLE LIKE HER, Ellery Lloyd

Paul Burke
Crime Time
RAZORBLADE TEARS, S. A. Cosby
THE KILLING HILLS, Chris Offutt
TRUE CRIME STORY, Joseph Knox
VINE STREET, Dominic Nolan
DREAM GIRL, Laura Lippman
TALL BONES, Anna Bailey
BRAZILIAN PSYCHO, Joe Thomas
THE KHAN, Saima Mir
HOTEL CARTAGENA, Simone Buchholz
A FINE MADNESS, Alan Judd