Round about this time of year for the past few years I've begun to look back over the books I've read in the past twelve months with a view to picking out my favourites. This year I thought I'd take a slightly different approach, possibly because it's a slightly different kind of year from previous ones. This time next year there will be no Dead Guy blog to share my favourites with. That makes me a little bit sad, as I'm sure any avid reader will understand; if there's a pleasure which matches reading a great book, it's recommending that book to fellow avid readers and seeing them enjoy it too.
And so to the different approach. Over the year, if my reading log is complete, I appear to have read seventy-four books. Not a bad tally, though possibly by my usual standards not as many as usual. It's been a tough year, well laced with domestic crises; there have been far too many entire days spent visiting one sick family member and half days spent in hospital clinics with another, and neither allows for much quality reading time. But seventy-four is still a not inconsiderable haul. So I plan to pick out my top twelve. It was going to be ten, but I couldn't pare down the list any further, and there's still a tiny cheat which I hope you'll forgive. Even then, there are a few which came hairsbreadth close but didn't quite make it over the line.
I expect some of the authors' names, and possibly their work, will be familiar to Dead Guy's faithful devotees from previous lists; I have my favourites and I make no apology for it. A few of the titles may also have popped up in previous posts. No apologies there, either; if a book's worth mentioning, it's worth mentioning more than once. But looking down that final shortlist, I think there may also be a new name or two.
In time-honoured manner, I'll announce the results in reverse order, four this week and six next. At this precise moment I have no idea who my top pick will be. Exciting, isn't it?
Before I start the countdown, let me say this: the final order is based on infinitesmal differences; every single one of these books is a winner. All opinions expressed are those of me and me alone; other opinions are available, and if you prefer theirs to mine, well, you have an opinion too. Likewise if you prefer other books. Fine by me; I'm always on the hunt for good books, so feel free to recommend.
Here goes with Lynne's top twelve picks of 2017, number twelve through to nine.
Coming in at number twelve is Inspector Specter by our very own E J Copperman. Please note what I said above, about infinitesmal differences and every book is a winner. E J's books, unaccountably, don't have a UK publisher, and I have strong ethical objections to A*+^*n, so this is the most recent of his books currently in my possession, though that may soon change since the festive season approaches. I took it on holiday; it passed round the entire party, raised plenty of smiles and generally brought sunshine into our lives – and the kind that didn't shrivel the skin from your body if you stepped outdoors.
Number eleven was The Trouble with Goats and Sheep by Joanna Cannon. Also a holiday read, also raised smiles. It was one of the UK's unexpected word-of-mouth successes this year: only kind-of crime fiction, but one hundred per cent great fiction.
An old favourite came in at number ten: Mark Billingham, with a standalone, Die of Shame. Mark's books are always a reliable Good Read, but every now and then the reliably good becomes way out of the ordinary. This is. There's even a brief guest appearance by our old friend Tom Thorne.
And finally, for this week at least: at number nine is The Abduction by Mark Gimenez. Ever since I discovered this author I've been on a mission to read his backlist. This is my favourite so far. He does so many things so well: kids, vulnerability, twisty plots, ambience, and above all great characters.
Next week: number eight right through to the top three. Watch this space!
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