Top Twelve Books I Read in 2022
These are the top 12 books I read in 2022.
This is a book whose title will grab your attention, whose cover will scare your pants off, and whose story will delight you as you burn through the pages!
Kettle Springs is a quiet town that has fallen on hard times. The factory shut down, the kids do stupid stuff mostly out of boredom, and the adults think the kids have no respect or work ethic. Tensions are rising between the generations, fueled by the tragic death of a young girl the year before. Into this bubbling cauldron enters a clown in a porkpie hat and a red nose. Now the real danger begins and bodies start dropping like flies.
This book falls somewhere in the R. L. Stine to Stephen King range. Compelling characters, tense action, and a propulsive pace that will have you both racing to learn the secrets and dreading them. This book is pure fun!
11. Into the Broken Lands by Tanya Huff.
Tanya Huff is such a great writer and equally adept at writing compelling fantasy and science fiction.
The mages have all died but the remnants of their war remain in the Broken Lands and in one of their created weapons who survived, Nonee. A trip into the Broken Lands is periodically required to replenish the fuel that the Heirs of Marsan use as a symbol of their power. If any of them are to survive the trip, it will require Nonee's guidance.
The story is told from several viewpoints and in two different timelines. The land is wild, unpredictable, and dangerous. Huff's lush storytelling paints a complicated picture of her wonderful characters as well as fills you in on the history of this land. Your opinion of all of these things will change multiple times throughout the story. Nonee is an amazing character and one you won't soon forget. She reminds me of Zathros from Babylon 5 in terms of her likeability as well as the pathos she inspires. Amazing read.
It's such a pleasant surprise to find a long-running series you've never read before and it turns out to be this good!
Rushmore McKenzie is a retired police officer and unofficial private investigator. A friend of his wife, Nina, invites them to her family's castle in northern Minnesota which operates as a hotel/resort. Jenness Crawford runs the facility but the relatives are feuding over whether to keep or sell the property after Jenness's grandmother has died. Jenness believes her grandmother may have been murdered, even though her door was locked from the inside when she died. This is the real reason Nina has talked Rushmore into this vacation.
A locked room mystery, suspects and motives galore, and protagonists so nice you wish you could go on vacation with them. The setting is so wonderfully described you can picture the amazing sunsets and feel the warmth on your face. What a treat to discover a new series to catch up on and keep pace with. A fantastic read!
Young Cyrus is a prince of Thanet when his kingdom is invaded and he is forced to watch his parents and his gods slain in front of his eyes. Years later he is rescued by a benefactor who wants to train him to impersonate a feared assassin, Vagrant. It is his benefactors' hope to use him as a symbol to inspire the nation to revolt against their oppressors.
This is a richly described world packed to the brim with history, politics, and mysticism. The invading Everlorn Empire seems massive, implacable, and inevitable. Dalglish creates a wide variety of characters with wide-ranging personalities, motives, and morals. The complexity here is impressive. The ending is a true jaw-dropper that forces a new perspective on everything that has come before it and leaves you dying to see the direction it will take in the next book!
Paris Peralta sits in the back of a squad car covered in her wealthy celebrity husband's blood after she was found with a straight razor in her hands. This is not what Paris is worried about. What she is worried about is that the notoriety will bring some secrets from her past to light.
Paris has mostly avoided the limelight despite being married to a celebrity. Paris is contacted by Ruby Reyes, aka the Ice Queen, who was convicted of a similar crime 25 years ago and is about to be released from prison. Ruby threatens to reveal Paris's secrets.
This story is so twisty and such a delight! The story alternates between the present and the 1990s. A podcaster named Drew Malcolm is doing a podcast about Ruby and digging further into those events. Hillier drops breadcrumbs all throughout and each reveal she unveils takes you in a new and exciting direction! The characters are interesting and pull you in whether or not you sympathize with them. Hillier keeps the suspense up all the way through and you're liable to bruise your jaw from all the times she makes you drop it. Such a fun read!
You know what's even better than a great series debut? When the second book in the series comes out and everything is even better!
Cold Fear follows former Navy Seal Finn to Iceland as he pursues three former team members to Reykjavik. Finn is still looking for answers about a massacre in Yemen. Finn is blamed for the massacre but his memory of the night is blank. While he is searching for information, he is also being hunted by another Seal who is tasked with killing him.
Finn's arrival in Reykjavik coincides with the death of a young woman who has run barefoot through the city and died in a frozen pond with a cryptic message written on her body. As desperate as Finn is for answers about what happened in Yemen, he can't help but be drawn into the mystery of the drowned girl.
Finn assists police detective Krista Kristjansdottir in the investigation. She can't decide if he is an ally or an adversary but she doesn't turn down his help. Webb and Mann brilliantly intertwine these two plots in an intense, atmospheric novel with tremendous action. They make the city come to life and give you not one but two main characters to root for. Krista Kristjansdottir deserves her own series, but until then, I am anxious to see where Finn's story takes him next. This series is outstanding!
If you're a fan of detective stories then you should be reading Keigo Higashino. I've read and loved his work before, but this was my first reading a story with detective Kaga. Kaga reads like a Japanese version of Inspector Columbo. Easy to underestimate but an imaginative thinker whose mind is constantly juggling all the puzzle pieces until they fall into place.
5. In the Shadow of Lightning by Brian McClellan
4. The Gatekeeper by James Byrne
3. The Night Shift by Alex Finlay
2. The Martyr by Anthony Ryan
1. The Justice of Kings by Richard Swan
The crime itself is puzzling and the suspect, while seeming obvious, is in a coma and can't answer questions. Kaga investigates both the victim and the alleged perpetrator. Each clue points to the next clue in the chain which he follows doggedly. What really makes these books so rewarding is the sympathetic characterization, not only of the victim and his family, but of the suspect and his loved ones.
What actually happened and why is only part of the fun in this mystery. The secrets that are uncovered along the way and the deeply emotional revelations elevate this story. I can't wait for more of his works to be translated into English.
As a fan of McClellan's Gunpowder Mage books, I was really looking forward to his new series and he does not disappoint! A disgraced general returns from his self-imposed exile upon the murder of his mother. Demir Grappo must take her place as head of the family guild while he tries to learn who killed her and what secrets they were trying to protect.
Demir is not only a general, he is a powerful glassdancer. Godglass powers the empire and those who wield it are both respected and feared. But Demir learns that godglass is running out, and with it the entire political system is in danger. As war breaks out, it is up to Demir to lead.
McClellan has created an imaginative magical system. The magic serves to highlight the equally creative political and economic climate in this fascinating world. The military action and battles are thrilling and the characters are so well-constructed and entertaining as you move through multiple viewpoints and storylines that all wind up skillfully tied together. Battle, politics, treachery and magic. This book is highly entertaining and introduces a world that has so much left to explore. I can't wait for the next installment!
Desmond Aloysius Limerick is hands down my favorite character of the year. Dez has a mysterious past that involved military work of some sort. Now, he just wants to play bass guitar and enjoy life.
When a team of trained mercenaries tries to kidnap the daughter of the head of Triton Expeditors, a multinational corporation that bankrolls militaries around the world, they had the misfortune of running into Dez. Now Dez gets pulled into an investigation that leads to a whopper of a conspiracy involving media manipulation, armed miltias and a threat to the United States itself. Dez's unique set of skills have thrown a giant monkey wrench into the plans.
Dez is a Repairman Jack with a better sense of humor and anvils for fists. His breezy charm will have you smiling all the way. His attitude gets him into as much trouble as his fists get him out of. He is an old fashioned hero and following his exploits is a blast. Top notch action sequences and an intriguing plot add to the fun.
The audiobook is narrated by John Keating whose vocal characterizations, especially of Dez, take this book to another level. Award-worthy narration. I hope there are a lot more Dez stories to come because I'm here for all of them!
This story bursts out of the gates and doesn't let up until the very end. New Year's Eve 1999, four teenage girls are attacked at a Blockbuster video store. Only one survives. The suspect flees never to be seen again. Fifteen years later, four girls are attacked at an ice cream shop in the same town. Again, only one survives. The survivor of the first attack, now a counselor, is called in to talk to the latest survivor.
The narrative shifts between the two survivors, the brother of the original suspect, and an FBI agent called in to assist the local police. The police are desperate to prove they are two separate crimes, even as agent Sarah Keller is suspicious that they may be connected. The two surviving girls are working through their trauma, both fresh and freshly reopened. The brother is convinced he can prove his brother's innocence if only he could find him. These storylines twist around each other and are always moving forward. The characters are rich and complex. Finlay keeps the story moving forward with revelation upon revelation until a thrilling climax. You can't do better than this!
Ryan began the Covenant of Steel series with one of the best books of 2021 with The Pariah. He continues this outstanding series in The Martyr which continues to follow Alwyn Scribe as he serves the risen Martyr, Lady Evadine. Evadine is skilled in battle and is true to her faith and the visions she receives. Alwyn is her sworn protector and chief strategist. He is a bit more practical when it comes to faith, saying, "I have often observed that a surfeit of faith will walk hand in hand with a dearth of common sense."
Alwyn has a lot of common sense and very few scruples. Evadine is assigned a task by the King designed to see her fail and possibly killed. Hopefully both in the King's eye. Alwyn's task is to help her navigate this.
Ryan does an amazing job in creating this world that feels real and lived in. His characters are nothing short of fantastic. The action is first-class, the politics are complicated and intriguing and the stakes keep getting higher.
Alwyn is one of the finest characters ever created and he operates in a world filled with excitement and foreboding. This series is headed for all-time classic status!
There is no feeling like an author coming out of nowhere and absolutely blowing you away with their debut. The Justice of Kings is both an epic fantasy and a satisfying mystery filled with danger, politics, and action.
Sir Konrad Vonvalt is one of the most respected and feared Justices in the empire. Justices act as investigators, judges, and if need be, executioners. As the Empire of the Wolf expands, there remain rebels, heretics, and petty ambitions. Vonvalt travels with his assistants, Dubine Bressinger and Helena Sedanka administering justice and settling disputes. The murder of a small-town Lord's wife kicks off an investigation that turns complicated and unearths a far-reaching conspiracy.
Everything about this story is brilliant. The story is told from the future but through the eyes of a young Helena. As she struggles with her own doubts, you learn along with her about Sir Konrad, the empire and all the people who inhabit it. The characters are remarkably well-drawn and grow and change throughout the story.
An engrossing mystery, great characters and superb action make this the best fantasy debut of the year. This is a book and a series to cherish.
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