503 ratings | 53 reviews | avg rating:4.08

Brian’s Year In Books

Brian’s 2025 Year in Books

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Brian Thornton’s Followers (15)

Brian’s Bookshelves

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currently-reading (129)
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Brian’s Friends (461)

A.B. Patterson

768 books | 265 friends

Nancy Silverman

207 books | 1,986 friends

Carolyn Rose

1,968 books | 90 friends

Deborah Ledford

593 books | 2,371 friends

Julia Buckley

912 books | 448 friends

John Purcell

413 books | 139 friends

Dietrich Kalteis

1,540 books | 1,566 friends

Beau Johnson

242 books | 573 friends

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Brian Thornton

Goodreads Author

Website

https://www.brianthorntonwriter.com/

Twitter

bthorntonwriter

Genre

Historical Fiction, Crime, History

Member Since

June 2010

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Brian Thornton is the author of twelve books and a whole bunch of short stories. He does all of his own stunts, loves the color blue as well as singing in the car with his wife and son, and lives with his family in Seattle, where he recently completed his third term as Northwest Chapter president for the Mystery Writers of America.

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Brian Thornton’s books

Average rating: 3.55 · 294 ratings · 68 reviews · 15 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Book of Ancient Bastards: 101 of the Worst Miscreants and Misdeeds from Ancient Sumer to the Enlightenment 2.83 avg rating — 81 ratings — published 2011 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Book of Bastards: 101 Worst Scoundrels and Scandals from the World of Politics and Power 3.48 avg rating — 60 ratings — published 2010 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Die Behind the Wheel: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Steely Dan 3.85 avg rating — 20 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Everything Kids' States Book: Wind Your Way Across Our Great Nation (Everything® Kids Series) 4.11 avg rating — 18 ratings — published 2007 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Teacher Miracles: Inspirational True Stories from the Classroom 3.58 avg rating — 19 ratings — published 2007 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Everything Kids' Presidents Book: Puzzles, Games and Trivia - for Hours of Presidential Fun (Everything® Kids Series) 4.17 avg rating — 12 ratings — published 2007 — 10 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Suicide Blonde: Three Novellas it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 10 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Honest Abe: 101 Little-Known Truths about Abraham Lincoln 3.58 avg rating — 12 ratings — published 2011 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Beast Without a Name: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Steely Dan by Brian Thornton (Goodreads Author), Steve Brewer (Goodreads Author), Reed Farrel Coleman (Goodreads Author) 4.14 avg rating — 7 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	101 Things You Didn't Know About Lincoln: Loves And Losses! Political Power Plays! White House Hauntings! (101 Things Series) by Brian Thornton (Goodreads Author), Richard W. Donley it was ok 2.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Brian Thornton…

Brian is Currently Reading

Brian Thornton is currently reading

Seeds of Empire: Cotton, Slavery, and the Transformation of the Texas Borderlands, 1800-1850 (The David J. Weber Series in the New Borderlands History)

by Andrew J. Torget

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Oct 17, 2025 09:42PM

Brian Thornton is currently reading

Spice: The History of a Temptation

by Jack Turner

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Oct 07, 2025 02:49PM

Brian Thornton is currently reading

The First Populist: The Defiant Life of Andrew Jackson

by David S. Brown

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Oct 07, 2025 02:38PM

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Brian’s Recent Updates

Brian Thornton rated a book it was amazing Nightshade: A Novel (Catalina Book 1) by Michael Connelly (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 09, 2026 11:28AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Nightshade by Michael Connelly. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Nightshade by Michael Connelly <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Brian Thornton is currently reading Seeds of Empire: Cotton, Slavery, and the Transformation of the Texas Borderlands, 1800-1850 (The David J. Weber Series in the New Borderlands History) by Andrew J. Torget	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 17, 2025 09:42PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Seeds of Empire by Andrew J. Torget. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Seeds of Empire by Andrew J. Torget <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Brian Thornton is currently reading Spice: The History of a Temptation by Jack Turner	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 07, 2025 02:49PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Spice by Jack Turner. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Spice by Jack Turner <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Brian Thornton is currently reading The First Populist: The Defiant Life of Andrew Jackson by David S. Brown	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 07, 2025 02:38PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The First Populist by David S. Brown. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The First Populist by David S. Brown <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Brian Thornton is currently reading Scurvy: How a Surgeon, a Mariner, and a Gentlemen Solved the Greatest Medical Mystery of the Age of Sail by Stephen R. Bown (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 07, 2025 02:35PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Scurvy by Stephen R. Bown. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Scurvy by Stephen R. Bown <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Brian Thornton is currently reading The Blitz Detective (The Blitz Detective #1) by Mike Hollow	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 07, 2025 02:15PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Blitz Detective by Mike Hollow. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Blitz Detective by Mike Hollow <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Brian Thornton is currently reading Oathbreakers: The War of Brothers That Shattered an Empire and Made Medieval Europe – How Charlemagne's Dynasty Fell and Why It Matters for Understanding Political Collapse by Matthew Gabriele (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 07, 2025 11:42AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Oathbreakers by Matthew Gabriele. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Oathbreakers by Matthew Gabriele <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Brian Thornton is currently reading When The Fox Dies Even The Rabbit Weeps by Edgar Bailitis	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 27, 2025 06:26PM · like
Brian Thornton is currently reading A Brutal Reckoning: Andrew Jackson, the Creek Indians, and the Epic War for the American South by Peter Cozzens (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 25, 2025 04:53PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of A Brutal Reckoning by Peter Cozzens. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — A Brutal Reckoning by Peter Cozzens <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Brian Thornton rated a book it was amazing Ovid (Marcus Corvinus #1) by David Wishart	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Aug 16, 2025 08:06PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Ovid by David Wishart. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Ovid by David Wishart <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

More of Brian's books…

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
What's the Name o...: Historical Nonfiction book about "worst people in the world" or "worst men in the world" "people who ruined the world" Possibly includes chapters on Kellogg and Taft	24	1156	Aug 26, 2023 09:28PM

Brian’s Quotes

“In his youth, [he] had believed everything was possible. Then in grief, he believed everything was impossible. And now. . . he felt that when you had lived enough of your life, there was no difference between the two.”
― Glen David Gold

6 likes

“He felt people were never intentionally beastly or malicious, but they were pompous and foolish; awful decisions were made by men divorced from their own humanity.”
― Glen David Gold, Sunnyside

5 likes

“There were never moments in your life when you actually saw something end, for whether you knew it or not something else was always flowering. Never a disappearance, always a transformation.”
― Glen David Gold, Carter Beats the Devil

13 likes

“Prince looked ready to slug me. I almost wished he would. Like most Americans, I was a counter-puncher.”
― Ross Macdonald, The Instant Enemy

1 likes

“There is a kind of economy in life. You don’t spend more than you have, or say more than you know, or throw your weight around more than necessary.”
― Ross Macdonald, The Instant Enemy

0 likes

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Brian’s Friend Comments

Comments (showing 1-2) post a comment »

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message 2: by Kris

Dec 22, 2011 05:18AM

Thanks for adding this mystery & paranormal author. I'm looking forward to reading your reviews.

Happy holidays!

Kris

Kris Neri
Magical Alienation: A Samantha Brennan and Annabelle Haggerty Magical Mystery

reply | flag

message 1: by Beth

Jun 25, 2010 03:43PM

Hi Brian,
Thanks for befriending me here as well as elsewhere!

reply | flag

Brian’s Year In Books

Brian Thornton’s Followers (15)

Brian’s Bookshelves

Brian’s Friends (461)

Brian Thornton

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Brian’s Quotes

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Brian’s Groups

Brian’s Friend Comments

Brian Thornton’s Followers (15)

Brian Thornton

Goodreads Author

Popular Answered Questions

rssBrian’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — Nightshade by Michael Connelly

See a Problem?

Preview — Seeds of Empire by Andrew J. Torget

See a Problem?

Preview — Spice by Jack Turner

See a Problem?

Preview — The First Populist by David S. Brown

See a Problem?

Preview — Scurvy by Stephen R. Bown

See a Problem?

Preview — The Blitz Detective by Mike Hollow

See a Problem?

Preview — Oathbreakers by Matthew Gabriele

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Preview — A Brutal Reckoning by Peter Cozzens

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Preview — Ovid by David Wishart

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