The Rap Sheet’s team of experts (two of whom we share) have come up with their best of 2025 lists. You may go to the site for more commentary on the individual titles. Good stuff!

J. Kingston Pierce, Webmaster/Blogmaster
THE NAMING OF THE BIRDS, Paraic O’Donnell
VICTORIAN PSYCHO, Virginia Feito
MURDER AT GULL’S NEST, Jess Kidd
MARBLE HALL MURDERS, Anthony Horowitz
HOTEL UKRAINE, Martin Cruz Smith
THE ART OF THE LIE, Laura Shepherd-Robinson
THE GIRL IN THE GREEN DRESS, Mariah Fredericks
THE RUSH, Beth Lewis
THE DENTIST, Tim Sullivan
GUILT BY DEFINITION, Susie Dent
SMOKE IN BERLIN, Oriana Ramunno

Peter Handel
THE WASP TRAP, Mark Edwards
PRO BONO, Thomas Perry
PARIAH, Dan Fesperman
VENETIAN VESPERS, John Banville
KILL YOUR DARLINGS, Peter Swanson
FAIR PLAY, Louise Hegarty
KILLER POTENTIAL, Hannah Deitch
THE MAILMAN, Andrew Welsh-Huggins

Steven Nester
EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD, Ace Atkins
CROOKS, Lou Berney
KARMA DOLL, Jonathan Ames
THE GET OFF, Christa Faust
PRO BONO, Thomas Perry

Kevin Burton Smith
UNTOUCHABLE, Mike Lawson
NEVER FLINCH, Stephen King
MURDER TAKES A VACATION, Laura Lippman
NIGHTSHADE, Michael Connelly
HATCHET GIRLS, Joe R. Lansdale
GALWAY’S EDGE, Ken Bruen
BOYSTOWN, John Shannon
NORTH COUNTRY, Matt Bondurant
OUT OF ALCATRAZ, Christopher Cantwell & Tyler Crook

Jim Thomsen
CROOKS, Lou Berney
EL DORADO DRIVE, Megan Abbott
WHAT ABOUT THE BODIES, Ken Jaworowski
SILENT CREEK, Tony Wirt
FRIENDS HELPING FRIENDS, Patrick Hoffman
YOU WILL NEVER SEE ME, Jake Hinkson
HEARTWOOD, Amity Gaige
THE LENGTH OF DAYS, Lynn Kostoff
MURDERAPOLIS, Anthony Neil Smith

Ali Karim
ORDINARY BEAR, Chris B Bernard – 2024 title in the U.S.
HERO, Thomas Perry – 2024 title in the U.S.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD by Ace Atkins
13 HILLCREST DRIVE, Gerald Pietevich
KILL YOUR DARLINGS, Peter Swanson
THE WHYTE PYTHON WORLD TOUR, Travis Kennedy
BROKEN, Jón Atli Jónasson
NEVER FLINCH, Stephen King
THE SAVAGE, NOBLE DEATH OF BABS DIONNE, Ron Currie
THE OLIGARCH’S DAUGHTER, Joe Finder