My top 5 reads of 2023 (+ more)

I read so many great books last year, but today I’ve pulled out:

5 of my favourites from 2023
6 series by author friends with new instalments / books I read in 2023
1 more for luck…

5 stand-out books of 2023

Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle meet Knives Out and The Thursday Murder Club in this fiendishly clever blend of classic and modern murder mystery.

It’s just so much fun and so cleverly structured – I really enjoyed it!

In Memoriam by Alice Winn

A gripping, heart-shattering love story between two soldiers in the First World War.

I wouldn’t normally pick up a book like this, but I was gifted my copy and thought I’d give it a go. I should never have doubted! I was immediately so invested in this story, couldn’t put it down.

A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher

Fourteen-year-old Mona isn’t like the wizards charged with defending the city. She can’t control lightning or speak to water. Her familiar is a sourdough starter and her magic only works on bread. She has a comfortable life in her aunt’s bakery making gingerbread men dance.

But Mona’s life is turned upside down when she finds a dead body on the bakery floor. An assassin is stalking the streets of Mona’s city, preying on magic folk, and it appears that Mona is his next target. And in an embattled city suddenly bereft of wizards, the assassin may be the least of Mona’s worries…

I was gifted a paperback copy for Christmas as part of a bookish Secret Santa. Such a delightful and delicious read!

The Last Devil to Die (Thursday Murder Club #4) by Richard Osman

You’d think you would be allowed to relax over Christmas, but not in the world of the Thursday Murder Club.

On Boxing Day, a dangerous package is smuggled across the English coast. When it goes missing, chaos is unleashed. The body count starts to rise – including someone close to the Thursday Murder Club – as our gang face an impossible search and their most deadly opponents yet.

With the clock ticking down and a killer heading to Cooper’s Chase, has their luck finally run out? And who will be ‘The Last Devil To Die’?

Another fantastic instalment in this fun series. Also, I’d recommend listening to the audiobooks – Fiona Shaw is the perfect voice for these characters!

Nimona by N.D. Stevenson

Nimona is an impulsive young shapeshifter with a knack for villainy. Lord Ballister Blackheart is a villain with a vendetta. As sidekick and supervillain, Nimona and Lord Blackheart are about to wreak some serious havoc. Their mission: prove to the kingdom that Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin and his buddies at the Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics aren’t the heroes everyone thinks they are.

But as small acts of mischief escalate into a vicious battle, Lord Blackheart realizes that Nimona’s powers are as murky and mysterious as her past. And her unpredictable wild side might be more dangerous than he is willing to admit.

I was so delighted by the Netflix movie that I had to pick up the graphic novel, and it was just as much fun! The fact that the “villain” and the “hero” were/are/will-be-again boyfriends, well, that’s the icing on the cake.

6 book series by author friends

These books are written by friends, so I’m obviously biased, but I couldn’t not include them in my annual recap, could I? And so, here we are, with five special mentions. These books are all part of series that I either read in 2023, had a new book released in 2023, or both!

The Woodhead & Becker Mysteries by Paul Austin Ardoin

Dr. Kep Woodhead is a brilliant, irascible forensic toxicologist with a dark past. Bernadette Becker is a disgraced federal investigator with one last chance. Together, they solve the nation’s most puzzling poisoning murders.

I had the privilege of reading Paul Austin Ardoin’s latest Woodhead & Becker Mystery, The Trailer Park Murder, ahead of publication, and I really enjoyed it.

Paul even included my feedback – “Fraught, authentic, and fun, The Trailer Park Murder is a clever, compelling novel.” – as a blurb on the back of the paperback! I blogged about it here.

The Rowan McFarlane Detective Mysteries by Angela C Nurse

Who do you trust when everyone has a secret?

When single mother Rowan joins her Uncle Jack’s detective agency she doesn’t expect his murder to be her first case. To find out who is responsible for his death she will need to solve another mystery, the disappearance of Jack’s best friend 30 years earlier.

Someone doesn’t want her digging up the past and they’re prepared to go to any lengths to keep their secrets hidden. Can she stand up to the danger, protect her daughter and bring a murderer to justice?

These are clever mysteries with plenty of surprises and real emotional heft.

I connected with Rowan right from the start and was there for every twist and turn of her investigations. I love these characters, and I’m looking forward to reading more in the future!

I blogged about the first in the series here, and had a fantastic time chatting with the author about having a protagonist who’s not the police, our supporting cast of characters, setting our stories in fictional towns, indie publishing, beta reading, writing in general, and whatever else took our fancy in this recording here.

The Stariel Series by AJ Lancaster

A magical estate, a sprawling family tree, and fae shenanigans.

This is a gaslamp fantasy series set in a world where fairies are only stories…until now. If you like your fantasy mixed with strong dollops of family drama and romance, served with a side of mystery, and garnished with statistically improbable quantities of attractive people, you’ve come to the right place!

I smashed this entire series in 2023! I’ve also seen it described as “Downton Abbey meets Howl’s Moving Castle” and I think that gives you a pretty great idea of what you’re in for. The arc of the first four books in the series focus primarily on an MF pairing, and the fifth book – A Rake of His Own – can be read as a standalone, primarily focusing on an MM pairing who were first introduced in the earlier books. Here’s the tagline of Rake to whet your appetite:

Marius Valstar doesn’t know which is worse: the dead body in his greenhouse or the naked fae prince on his desk.

The Witches of Woodville Series by Mark Stay

As Spitfires roar overhead and a dark figure stalks the village of Woodville, a young woman will discover her destiny . . .

Faye Bright always felt a little bit different. And today she’s found out why. She’s just stumbled across her late mother’s diary which includes not only a spiffing recipe for jam roly-poly, but spells, incantations, runes and recitations . . . a witch’s notebook.

And Faye has inherited her mother’s abilities.

I adore the Witches of Woodville series. Funny, spooky, witchy, and absolutely charming – these books are a delight, captivating from start to finish. And if you’re really looking to treat yourself, may I suggest the audiobooks – Candida Gubbins’ narration is fantastic.

I have previously blogged about the first three books in the series: The Crow Folk, Babes in the Wood, and The Ghost of Ivy Barn.

The Monster Girlfriend Series by Marie Cardno

Life is tough when you’re an eldritch abomination.

Trillin isn’t technically a person. She’s a tiny breakaway piece of consciousness from the all-devouring Endless, doomed to eventually rejoin it. But when a human witch stumbles into her world, Trillin suddenly has a new reason to figure out individuality–one shape-shifting tentacle at a time.

These sapphic fantasy romcom novellas are so clever and fun and adorable, I loved them! Sian and Trillin are out of their depths exploring strange new worlds and unexpected attraction, with equal parts trepidation and fearlessness. Such a fantastic combination of magic, academic field work, and flirtation.

The Soul Court Ascension Trilogy by Mel Harding-Shaw

Necromancy. Sexy Wings. Secrets.

The Soul Court Ascension trilogy is a steamy M/F enemies to lovers, fake relationship Paranormal Romance with a side of Urban Fantasy set in a Melded Earth of technology and magic.

You can’t help but root for Hel and Bast. Both stubborn in their own way, with tensions and tempers often running hot, this pair are regularly doing their best to sabotage the situation despite their obvious mutual attraction. It’s great to see the impact of their fake dating and forced proximity from both perspectives, and wondering how they could possibly go from enemies to lovers.

I got to celebrate the completion of the Soul Court Ascension trilogy with the author – more on that here.

1 more for luck…

The Milverton Mysteries by G B Ralph

This is my list, so of course I’m going to include my own books! Here’s a brief series blurb:

A delightful cosy mystery series set in an enchanting small town nestled amongst stunning New Zealand scenery.

Investigate The Milverton Mysteries for a chaotic cast of local busybodies, delicious baked treats, a demanding and disdainful ginger cat, a very slow-burn romance with a rather appealing policeman, and of course… murder!

In 2023, I released the second in the series – Poison at Penshaw Hall – and put the third – Death in Douglas Glade – up for pre-order. Though, if you want to start from the start with Addison’s first misadventure in Milverton, check out Murder on Milverton Square.