Books of 2012

A brief run-down of my year in reading.

I finished 41* books last year, down from 55 in 2011.

Most of the books on my reading list were mysteries/crime fiction (no surprise there!) and included new releases by some of my favorite authors and new-to-me authors who are certain to become favorites.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn was probably my favorite of all the books I read in 2012. The way she twisted the story and cast doubt on everyone and everything just fascinated me.

The Other Woman by Hank Phillippi Ryan is a terrific, suspense-filled book by a delightful writer (and new president of Sisters in Crime).

Troubled Bones and Blood Lance, the latest two books in the Crispin Guest Medieval Noir series by Jeri Westerson, made my reading year. Crispin is one of my all-time favorite characters. Every time I reach the end of one of these books, I regret that I don’t get to spend more time with Crispin.

Beautiful writing that pulls me in and immerses me in a novel’s time and place is a common quality of my 2012 favorites, including Winter’s Bone by Daniel Woodrell, A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny, and Trickster’s Point by William Kent Krueger.

Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton deserves special mention for strengthening the literary bond between me and my teenage son. We both read, and enjoyed, Blood Magic and then—bonus!—attended a library event together to hear Gratton and two other young adult authors talk about their work and their stories.

It’s always a pleasure to get my hands on new releases from my friends in the Border Crimes chapter of Sisters in Crime. This year’s picks included Every Last Secret by Linda Rodriguez, A Fatal Fleece by Sally Goldenbaum, and Kansas City Noir, a collection edited by Steve Paul that includes stories by Nancy Pickard and Linda Rodriguez.

My full list of 2012 reads is up on Goodreads.

On to 2013!

*The number may be a little higher. I keep finding books on my shelf that I failed to record when I finished them.