Here we have the 1st Best of 2026 list (many more will be posted as they come out). This one turns out to be pretty good and it contains many of the most lauded titles of the year. Sadly I’ve only read five of the selected titles, but there are several others that I have meant to read. I’d better get hustling! MAD MABEL by Sally Hepworth is our next Reviewed to Death title (many DP reviewers read and review the same title). Twelve of the titles appear on the Deadly Pleasures Best of 2026 (so far) list.

ALL THE SECRETS, May Cobb
BAD COMPANY, Sara Paretsky
BIG LITTLE TRUTHS, Liane Moriarty
THE ENDING WRITES ITSELF, Evelyn Clarke
THE FINAL PROBLEM, Arturo Perez-Reverte
THE FINAL SCORE (novellas), Don Winslow
FIVE, Ilona Bannister
THE FRENCH ILLUSION, John Grisham
GOD’S COUNTRY, William Kent Krueger
HEART OF GLASS, Jennifer Hillier
HEATHER, Caitlin Mullen
HELPLESS, Jessica Knoll
HOW TO CHEAT YOUR OWN DEATH, Kristen Perrin
IT COULD HAVE BEEN HER, Lisa Jewell
THE KEEPER, Tana French
LONDON STATION, David McCloskey
LOOK WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED IN, Jason Rekulak
MAD MABEL, Sally Hepworth
MISS WOLCOTT’S GHOST, Louise Penny
MURDER AT THE GRAND ALPINE HOTEL, Lucy Foley
THE MURDER AT WORLD’S END, Ross Montgomery
MY HUSBAND’S WIFE, Alice Feeney
REVENGE PLOT, Stephanie Wrobel
THE SECRET DINNER, Raphael Montes
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING, Lisa Scottoline
THE UNKNOWN, Riley Sager
VALLEY OF THE MOMS, Hannah Selinger
A VIOLENT MASTERPIECE, Jordan Harper
WE CHASE SHADOWS, Richard Osman
WOLF POINT, Lisa Howells
YOU’LL BE SORRY, Lisa Gardner
LONDON FALLING (non-fiction), Patrick Radden Keefe