I can hardly believe we’ve come to the end of 2022—and what a year it’s been! I’m pretty sure I say this every year, but 2022 has truly been another outstanding year for crime fiction readers. As I reflected on my year in books while writing this blog post, it felt nearly impossible to narrow down my picks. I genuinely think we might be in the golden age of crime writing; the books crime writers had in store for us this year were nothing short of superb. From the return of fan-favorite authors to thrilling new voices being published for the first time, the crime fiction genre was in top form in 2022—making it all the more challenging to pick just 10 books from the year to highlight here! But tough choices had to be made, and made they were. Without further ado, I’m so excited to share with you my personal picks for the Top 10 Crime Books of 2022 in today’s blog post! More than any other criteria, the key thing these books have in common is simple: they are all books I’ve continued to think about since I finished reading them. These are stories that entertained me, challenged me, thrilled me, and kept me on the edge of my seat; in this list you’ll find Gothic horror, Nordic Noir, psychological suspense, and much more; a wide array of crime fiction subgenres, but all excellent books that stood out from the pack for me in 2022.
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CBTB'S MUST-READ SUMMER 2022 CRIME BOOKS
I have a confession to make: this blog post was originally supposed to be my “Most-Anticipated” summer books list…but then life got really busy! Before I knew it, I looked up and it was July, and not only had a bunch of the books on the list already been published, but I realized that I had actually already read all of the books I wanted to include in this list anyway. So instead of making this a “most-anticipated” list, I’ve culled my initial list a little bit and converted it into a “must-read” list, highlighting my picks for the best new crime fiction that Summer 2022 has to offer. In a way, I hope that this new format might actually be even more helpful for you; these aren’t just books I’m anticipating, they’re all books I’ve read and loved and highly recommend! From returning favorites to new-to-me voices, from twisty psychological thrillers to “book within a book”-style stories and more, Summer 2022 has some absolutely incredible new crime fiction releases in store for us. Whether your idea of a perfect “beach read” is a page-turning domestic suspense novel or a dark, visceral horror story, I’m betting (and hoping!) you’ll be able to find it on this list. Without further ado, let’s dive on in to my picks for Summer 2022’s Must-Read Crime Books!
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Book Review: ROCK PAPER SCISSORS by Alice Feeney
If you love domestic suspense and aren’t reading Alice Feeney yet, you’re missing out. The author of deliciously twisty and dark thrillers including His & Hers and Sometimes I Lie returns this week with her newest suspense novel ROCK PAPER SCISSORS, a winning blend of chilling atmosphere, cinematic setting, and unpredictable characters. In ROCK PAPER SCISSORS, a couple’s anniversary getaway takes a dark and dangerous turn… and their happily ever after might be ending sooner than they thought. True to form for Feeney, ROCK PAPER SCISSORS is a domestic suspense novel that stands out thanks to a masterful twist (or two, or maybe more…) and vividly-drawn characters who leap off the page. While ROCK PAPER SCISSORS may not be my personal favorite of Feeney’s thrillers—that title still belongs to Feeney’s 2020 release His & Hers, which has one of my favorite final reveals of any thriller I’ve ever read—it is nevertheless a standout in the domestic suspense space, a must-read for anyone who loves stories that delve into the darkest corners of interpersonal relationships.
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September 2021 Most-Anticipated Crime Books
September is here, and what an incredible month it is for us crime fiction readers! This month is bringing with it an almost too-good-to-be-true lineup of new crime, mystery, and thriller books for readers to devour—and in today’s blog post, I’m rounding up the (many!) books releasing this month that are on my personal most-anticipated list. This month sees the return of fan-favorite authors including Lisa Jewell, Rachel Howzell Hall, and Alice Feeney, and it also includes a number of my most-anticipated debut crime novels of the entire year (of particular note: debuts by authors Amanda Jayatissa and Catherine Dang, among many more!). It’s got chilling Nordic crime novels, stories involving serial killers, psychological suspense that will make you suspicious of everyone, dark revenge stories, and lots more—in short, this September is a crime fiction reader’s dream. Many of the books on today’s list I’ve already been fortunate enough to read, and others are still on my TBR list for the fall season, but all of them look exceptional. Dig into today’s blog post and clear your calendar—we’ve got some amazing books in store for us this month!
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Cover Reveal + Q&A: ROCK PAPER SCISSORS by Alice Feeney
When I’m in the mood for a dark and twisty read, I know I can always turn to bestselling thriller writer Alice Feeney to serve up exactly what I’m looking for. Feeney, author of bestselling thrillers Sometimes I Lie, I Know Who You Are, and His & Hers is back this fall with her newest twisty domestic suspense novel ROCK PAPER SCISSORS—available in the US on September 7. Thanks to Alice’s US publisher, I’m absolutely thrilled to be able to exclusively reveal the US cover of ROCK PAPER SCISSORS here on CBTB today! In today’s blog post, you can check out the gorgeous cover of ROCK PAPER SCISSORS, and read an exclusive Q&A with Alice that will give you a spoiler-free sneak peek into her newest book!
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