Top Ten Reads of 2018

It’s that time of the year again. I can’t believe that we’re about to say goodbye to 2018, where does the time go? It has been a phenomenal year once again for books, and I have read some real corkers, which is what has made it so hard to choose a top ten this year. So far I have read 145 books, according to Goodreads.

There are a few books that I am already excited to read, which are being published in 2019. But there have been many other brilliant books that I’ve also read this year that do deserve a mention. Roz Watkins The Devil’s Dice, I really liked the humour in this debut novel, and particularly DI Meg Dalton, who I’m looking forward to finding out more about. Also, Vicky Newham’s Turn A Blind Eye, DI Maya Rahman is such an intriguing character who had me captivated. Sharon Bolton’s The Craftsman was another belter as well as Mark Hill’s second novel It Was Her and Angela Marson’s Dying Truth, book number eight in the DI Kim Stone series. And of course I haven’t forgotten the brilliant Sarah Hilary who’s latest book in the DI Marnie Rome series was Come And Find Me. If you’re a fan of Sarah’s books and haven’t managed to get to her most recent one yet, be prepared, you’ll be in for a shocking read.

The books I have chosen for my top ten this year are the ones I felt really stood out, and some of them offered something different to anything I’ve read before, which I’m always on the lookout for.

So without any further ado, here are my top ten for the year.

10.

The Old You is a real page turner; the characterisation is absolutely stunning and there are some really ingenious and original twists in this book. This is the first book I have read by Louise Voss and I’m really excited to see what she writes next. You can read my full review by clicking HERE and you can purchase The Old You by clicking HERE.

9.

The Cliff House by Amanda Jennings, is a wonderful, evocative novel that I read over the scorching Bank Holiday weekend earlier in the year. Just looking at the cover alone puts you in mind of summer. You can read my full review by clicking HERE and you can purchase the book by clicking HERE.

8.

I do love a good ghost story and The Lingering by SJI Holliday is one of my favourites. I think that this should come with a warning however, not to read this book in the bath, definitely NOT in the bath. You can read my review of The Lingering by clicking HERE and you can purchase the book by clicking HERE.

7.

I read All the Hidden Truths very early in the year and it is one of the books that has stayed with me. It is a very powerful crime novel that will keep you thinking about the characters. You can read my review of All the Hidden Truths by clicking HERE and you can purchase the book by clicking HERE.

6.

Brothers In Blood by Amer Anwar. I actually read this when it was previously titled Western Fringes, but since then this book has had a remarkable publishing journey as it has been re-published this year by Dialogue Books, an imprint of Little Brown. It thoroughly deserves a place in my top ten this year. You can read my review of Brothers In Blood by clicking HERE and you can purchase the book by clicking HERE.

5.

I really liked DS Alexandra Cupidi in The Birdwatcher, William’s previous stand-alone novel, so I was thrilled to learn that she was getting her own series. This is a brilliant new novel by William Shaw set in an atmospheric seaside town in Kent. You can read my review of Salt Lane by clicking HERE and you can purchase the book by clicking HERE.

4.

I suspect that The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, will feature in many bloggers top ten this year. It is such a mind-blowing book that is so cleverly plotted. You can read my review of Seven Deaths by clicking HERE and you can purchase the book by clicking HERE.

3.

This Is How It Ends by Eva Dolan is a very clever novel that leaves plenty of room for thought. I was pulled into the book by its intriguing characters and plot. You can read my review of This Is How It Ends by clicking HERE and you can purchase the book by clicking HERE.

2.

This is a dark, dark, crime novel, told over a series of podcasts. This is a novel that really did chill me as I was reading it and I haven’t forgotten about those black-eyed children. Spine-chilling stuff. You can read my review of Hydra by clicking HERE and you can purchase the book by clicking HERE.

And finally, my top read of the year. Can I have a drum roll please . . .

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Good Samaritans by Will Carver. I thought this book showcased such a unique style of storytelling. I flew through this book. Original and captivating, this is one of the best crime novels I’ve read. You can read my review by clicking HERE and you can purchase Good Samaritans by clicking HERE.

 

So that is it for another year. I hope you’ve managed to find some books in this list that you may enjoy reading, or that you may consider buying someone for Christmas. Let me know in the comments if you’ve read any of them and what you thought. This is my final blog post for the year but I will be back in January 2019 with more book reviews and blog tours. Have a great Christmas and a very happy New Year.