Jessica Harper Uncanceled

Blake Lively in the movie adaptation of It Ends With Us.

This year, I decided to step outside my literary comfort zone and embrace books I wouldn’t normally pick up. From spy thrillers to introspective novels, and even a touch of poetry, I wanted to try some new flavours. Here’s my (belated) round-up of everything I read in 2024 — warts and all!

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42) Titanium Noir (Nick Harkaway)
Style over substance. A convoluted sci-fi noir that dazzles with words but lacks the depth or cohesion to make the journey worthwhile.

41) Mrs McGinty’s Dead (Agatha Christie)
One of Christie’s lesser mysteries, lacking her usual charm and ingenuity. Poirot meanders through a plot that feels more filler than classic. The book has 24 characters. Yeah, good luck following it.

40) The Goliath Bone (Mickey Spillane)
A clunky, outdated attempt to revive Mike Hammer. The dialogue is wooden, the plot uninspired, and it lacks the punch of Spillane’s earlier work.

39) Karla’s Choice (Nick Harkaway)
A massively over-complicated plot mars this return to the world of the late John Le Carré’s classic spy character George Smiley, penned by his son. Brilliant prose but far too convoluted.

38) The Lincoln Highway (Amor Towles)
Towles’ sprawling road trip novel takes a strange and meanderinggeographical route, losing much of its momentum along the way. Don’t believe the cover, it’s not a road trip.

37) We Solve Murders (Richard Osman)
A twee and overly contrived debut that struggles to balance charm with mystery. The charms of the retirement community in his Thursday Murder Club novels kept the stories grounded. Here the baseline starts high and gets higher and higher as the plot becomes more outlandish. Nah.

36) Cagney and Lacey (Serita Deborah Stevens)
A nostalgic dive into a beloved TV series, packed with drama and heart. Perfect for fans of the beloved duo and their gritty but endearing world.

35) An Artist of the Floating World (Kazuo Ishiguro)
A beautifully written meditation on memory, regret, and cultural change. Ishiguro’s subtle prose lingers long after the final page.

34) The Equalizer: Blood and Wine (David Deutsch)
Thrilling, with sharp dialogue and tension that captures the gritty essence of its protagonist. A fast-paced read for action fans.

33) Grave Descend (John Lange)
A taut, pulpy thriller that delivers a quick, suspenseful punch. Classic escapism from Michael Crichton’s pseudonymous pen.

32) Complete Poems (Philip Larkin)
Wry, melancholic, and deeply insightful. Larkin’s mastery of language and ability to evoke life’s bittersweet moments make this a must-read collection.

31) The Man From The Sea (Michael Innes)
A clever and atmospheric mystery. Innes combines intellectual intrigue with a flair for the dramatic in this engaging tale.

30) Silverview (John Le Carré)
A poignant final novel from a master storyteller, blending espionage and moral complexity with characteristic elegance.

29) The Scarlet Papers (Matthew Richardson)
Spy novel sings in parts but ultimately collapses under its own weight. Three different plot strands are too many. Two would have been about right.

28) The Maid (Nita Prose)
Charming and cleverly constructed, with a unique protagonist whose perspective elevates this cozy yet compelling mystery.

27) Rat Race (Dick Francis)
Fast-paced and gripping, Francis delivers another thrilling ride into the world of horse racing and suspense.

26) Slough House (Mick Herron)
Herron’s sharp wit and brilliant plotting shine in this darkly comic exploration of espionage’s underbelly. The Slough House gang at their best.

25) Joe Country (Mick Herron)
A haunting and superbly crafted addition to the Slough House series. Herron deftly balances humor, tension, and heartbreak.

24) Normal People (Sally Rooney)
A raw and intimate portrayal of love, identity, and miscommunication. Rooney’s prose is minimalist yet profoundly emotional.

23) A Creative Kind of Killer (Sandra Scoppettone)
A stylish, witty mystery with a distinct voice. Scoppettone’s sharp characters and clever twists keep you hooked.

22) The Bazaar of Bad Dreams (Stephen King)
A treasure trove of chilling, thought-provoking short stories. King showcases his range with tales that linger in your mind.

21) Double Agent (Tom Bradby)
An intense, gripping spy thriller that blends high-stakes tension with nuanced characters and political intrigue.

20) The Perfect Father (John Glatt)
A chilling true-crime account of the Chris Watts case, meticulously detailed and utterly haunting. Glatt lays bare the shocking story with empathy and precision.

19) One By One (Freida McFadden)
A psychological thriller that hooks you with its twists and turns. McFadden’s tight pacing keeps you guessing until the final reveal.

18) The Romantic (William Boyd)
A richly textured exploration of love and ambition across decades. Boyd’s elegant storytelling captivates with depth and scope.

17) The Housemaid’s Secret (Freida McFadden)
An addictive thriller with a web of secrets. McFadden’s knack for cliffhangers and twists makes for a compulsive read.

16) The Housemaid is Watching (Freida McFadden)
Taut and unsettling, with psychological depth and twists that don’t disappoint. McFadden keeps her readers on edge once again.

15) High Five (Janet Evanovich)
Evanovich’s trademark humor and quirky characters deliver laughs, though the plot feels thin at times. Still a fun, breezy read.

14) Two For The Dough (Janet Evanovich)
A witty and fast-paced caper, though the mystery takes a backseat to the antics. Evanovich keeps it entertaining.

13) Four to Score (Janet Evanovich)
Packed with humor and outrageous situations, though the plot occasionally stretches believability. A light, enjoyable escape.

12) Three To Get Deadly (Janet Evanovich)
The humor and hijinks continue, though the formula starts to show. Fun but not groundbreaking.

11) A Year in Provence (Peter Mayle)
Delightful and immersive, Mayle’s anecdotes about life in France transport readers with charm and humor.

10) Hot Six (Janet Evanovich)
A lively addition to the series, though the humor sometimes overshadows the mystery. Fans will enjoy the familiar chaos.

9) Verity (Colleen Hoover)
Twisty and unsettling, Hoover delivers a dark psychological thriller that keeps you hooked despite its implausible moments.

8) One for the Money (Janet Evanovich)
A hilarious and offbeat introduction to Stephanie Plum. Evanovich’s humor and quirky characters shine, though the mystery feels secondary.

7) The Locked Door (Freida McFadden)
Suspenseful and compelling, with twists that keep you guessing. McFadden’s knack for psychological tension is on full display.

6) The Housemaid (Freida McFadden)
An addictive thriller with a compelling premise. McFadden’s sharp pacing and unexpected twists make it hard to put down.

5) Dark Matter (Blake Crouch)
A mind-bending, emotionally charged thriller. Crouch’s exploration of parallel lives is as gripping as it is thought-provoking.

4) The Couple Next Door (Shari Lapena)
A fast-paced domestic thriller with plenty of twists, though the characters sometimes feel thinly developed.

3) It Starts With Us (Colleen Hoover)
A heartfelt sequel that delves deeper into love and healing, though it lacks the emotional impact of its predecessor.

2) Where The Crawdads Sing (Delia Owens)
A beautifully written tale of resilience and nature, though its pacing and melodrama may not appeal to everyone.

1. BOOK OF THE YEAR
   It Ends With Us (Colleen Hoover)
   A deeply emotional story about love and difficult choices. Hoover handles tough topics with sensitivity and raw honesty. You can’t put it down. And the characters are brilliantly drawn, especially the narrator.