Reading the Detectives discussion

As 2018 draws towards an end, what were your favourite books over the past year - whether group reads or otherwise? And what are you looking forward to reading in 2019?

My favourite mysteries/crime books that I read this year included - First-time reads, Dirty Snow by Georges Simenon, and also Death in a White Tie by Ngaio Marsh from our challenge. Reread - Sweet Danger by Margery Allingham.
I've also enjoyed reading several books by Rex Stout and finishing off reading the sadly all-too few mysteries by Josephine Tey.

My favourite non-crime titles included - First-time reads, Human Voices by Penelope Fitzgerald, The Collected Novellas of Stefan Zweig , Something New by P.G. Wodehouse (aka Something Fresh and I've now discovered the two versions have some different content!).
Rereads - Cider With Rosie by Laurie Lee, The End of the Affair by Graham Greene.

Looking ahead to 2019, I'm keen to read more in the various series I've started, and especially look forward to carrying on with our Ngaio Marsh challenge (I've just really enjoyed Died in the Wool but won't mark it as read until after January 1 when the 2019 challenge starts!) Also looking forward to more Margery Allingham rereads.

My favourite mysteries have been the Campion series Margery Allingham and the Mick Herron series. I've also enjoyed Rex Stout books.
A new author I read this year wasJane Harper and read both her Aaron Falk books.
An author I had not read for a long time was Catherine Aird so am looking forward to reading more of her books

In 2019 I hope to carry on with Allingham and trying to get through some of the series I have on the go, but mainly to work through all the paper books I have here to free up some space

One of the best for me was a true crime - Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. Enjoying Marsh, also.

In terms of crime books, I loved The Long Drop and definitely want to read more by Denise Mina. Also, talking of Tartan Noir, want to continue the series by Stuart MacBride.

Favourite reads this year included the new Slough House and I am loving re-reading the Jackson Lamb books with the group. Mick Herron is another favourite, as is Phil Rickman and I started his Merrily Watkins series (at last!) this year.

Saddened that we lost Philip Kerr this year and that the last Bernie Gunther novel comes out, posthumously next year.

Looking forward to reading , the new Shardlake, but want to re-read the series first. Also, looking forward to by one of my favourite authors, William Shaw

In terms of non mystery books, I absolutely adored Ma’am Darling: 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret which was a total surprise to me!

I read most of Ann Cleeves's Shetland series this year and loved it. Definitely the highlight of the year.

The Dry was another excellent read and I enjoyed Crossing the Line. My translated crime author challenge introduced me to a whole bunch of new, interesting authors. https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Towards the end of last year, I started reading Afrikaans novels again (for the first time in nearly 30 years) and I discovered a whole bunch of good, modern crime authors in the process. Karin Brynard is translated In English and excellent. My favourite series of the bunch, Gys Niemand, by Chanette Paul is unfortunately not translated.

The best book I read this year was "Red Square" by Martin Cruz Smith. Also enjoyed "The Dain Curse" by Dashiell Hammett, a pair of George Bellairs books in one kindle selection: "The Dead Shall be Raised" and "The Murder of a Quack." The Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula K. LeGuin. Also re-reading Ross MacDonald/Lew Archer books including "The Goodbye Look" and "Sleeping Beauty."

I wasn’t able to participate in this group as much as I would have wished in 2018, but of the books I read with you, Lament for a Maker was my favorite, because Michael Innes is always my favorite! I think my favorite book overall for this year is one I’m reading right now, The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish. Mystery lovers who like historical fiction would probably like it because it unfolds a bit like a mystery—each character takes time to reveal him- or herself.