1. The Force by Don WinslowDenny as a character is flawed and exceptionally well written; author Don Winslow goes to great lengths to give Denny a story that's deep and tragic - from his formative police years through to his failed marriage, to the unmistakable bond he shares with his fellow officers - there's a richness to his story which makes The Force all the more better.
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2. October is the Coldest Month by Christoffer CarlssonOctober is the Coldest Month is a quick read that will resonate with the reader long after the last page is turned. Vega is a character I just want to read more of, along with backstory snippets of past conflict over land and the illegal making of moonshine, these's a whole lot more to this book that begs for a second volume.
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3. Lola by Melissa Scrivner LoveNot for the faint of heart, this gang-centric novel is brimming with violence at every turn. Starting with a deal to embed themselves in the drag trade, the Crenshaw Six are immediately immersed in a world of murder and kidnapping with their leader, the fearless and ambitious Lola front and center. Ending with further bloodshed, Lola maintains a murderous pace throughout bringing with it a fully fleshed plot with realistic and intriguing characters with the promise for more.
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4. The Late Show by Michael ConnellyIn The Late Show, Michael Connelly introduces a new character, Renee Ballard, a detective who works the night shift (also know as the late show). Ballard is a nice change of pace from Bosch - quick to temper, dedicated to the badge, and brings a female perspective to the fictional LAPD set in the same 'world' as Bosch.
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5. Quarry's Climax by Max Allan CollinsQuarry's Climax is another great addition to the expanding catalog of Quarry novels that will sit well with both new readers (those only familiar with the character from the TV series) and longtime readers alike.
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6. The Girl Who Was Taken by Charlie DonleaThe Girl Who Was Taken is one hell of book. It's fast paced, full of suspense and has a twist that hit this reader like a freight-train, wow, I'm usually pretty good at picking 'who done it' when it comes to mysteries but I was completely taken aback by how this book panned out. The writing is slick and the characters well defined and easily readable. Livia Cutty is character I could easily more of, think of her as a younger version of Kay Scarpetta; a hit series waiting to happen in my opinion.
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7. Little Deaths by Emma FlintSet in 1965, Little Deaths takes the reader on a gut wrenching and disturbing ride of crime as a young, over enthusiastic (and obsessive, boarding on creepy) reporter becomes enthralled in a kidnap case which evolves into the murder of two young children; their mother, the attractive and flirtatious Ruth Malone the key suspect.
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8. Castle Danger Woman on Ice by Anthony Neil SmithCastle Danger - Woman on Ice is a book that grows on you. It went from a 3, to 4, to 5 star read by the time I finished it. This is not at all what I was expecting; characters straight from James Ellroy, topics hot in modern day society, and (what I did expect) damn fine story telling from an author whose catalog continues to diversify (I strongly recommend checking out All The Young Warriors and the Billy Lafitte series).
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9. The Secrets She Keeps by Michael RobothamThe Secrets She Keeps is a great read that that me hooked all the way through. By the end of the book I really felt like I knew these characters and felt for their respective situations. Michael Robotham also does a fantastic job at writing from the female perspective - that mother-child bond is omnipresent throughout the novel and highlighted by some terrific writing.
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10. Ten Dead Comedians by Fred Van LenteThe heady mixture of murder and comedy makes for an addictive read from opening stanza to punch line. In this murder mystery, author Fred Van Lente employs a number of classical genre tropes but keeps the story fresh with a healthy dose of humor. As the title suggests the plot revolves around a group of comedians brought to an island under false pretenses, thinking they're going to collaborate with a comedy heavyweight only to be picked off one by one by a mysterious murderer. I couldn't put it down.
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11. Crimson Lake by Candice FoxCrimson Lake is a fast moving book with well developed and likable characters but its strength lies in the detail; the meretricious weaving of plot threads to form a single coherent narrative results in a truly enveloping tale that races towards an edge-of-your-seat finale.
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12. Becoming Bonnie by Jenni L. WalshBecoming Bonnie is not the crime novel you might think, rather, author Jenni L Walsh cleverly blends fact and fiction to depict the rise of this deadly duo in the early 1920’s with both characters finding their feet in the world of crime as well as each other.
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