Sally Woods at Murder By The Book since 2011
I read a bit of everything, so I've tried to include both old and new favorites. That said, my favorite genre is dystopian. Though,sometimes I think I read too much of it as I can get obsessed. Two of my favs are in this stack. ( I had to stop watching The Walking Dead when I started becoming too aware of my surroundings and looking for escape routes.)
Other favorite authors are Kevin Brockmeier, whose writing makes me happy, and Marianne Wiggins whose Evidence of Things Unseen is possibly my favorite book of all time.
Mystery wise, Tana French has a wonderful Irish series. I always look forward to anything by Laura Lippman and Megan Abbott. I'm trying to catch up on women crime writers from the 40's and 50's, the collection here is incredible. David Joy. His writing will stop you in your tracks with its beauty.
Sally's 2019 Top "10":
1. The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
2. Lady in the Lake by Laura Lippman
3. The Butterfly Girl by Rene Denfeld
4. We Were Killers Once by Becky Masterman
5. The River by Peter Heller
6. Curious Toys by Elizabeth Hand
7. The Institute by Stephen King
8. Theme Music by T. Marie Vandelly
9. Tear it Down by Nick Petrie
10. A Cosmology of Monsters by Shaun Hamill
11. Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger
Favorite Short Story Collections:
Full Throttle by Joe Hill
Growing Things by Paul Tremblay
Favorite Re-Reads
A Grave Talent by Laurie R. King
Salem's Lot by Stephen King
An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good by Helene Turnsten
Check out Sally's Recommendations Playlist on the MBTB YouTube channel.
David Joy does it again with this beautifully told story about three men, from both sides of the law, trying desperately to rid their part of the Appalachians from the opioid epidemic that has overtaken their part of the world.
David is one of my favorites and this just may be my number one book of the year. - Sally
A wonderful, sometimes spooky, story about three young women in the early 1900's trying to start new lives. Afterc oming into wealth after the 1906 earthquake, the story really takes off. Violet marries Harry Carlyle and none of their lives are quite the same. I throughly enjoyed The Two Mrs Carlyles.
Definitely for fans of Rebecca. - Sally
An excellent locked location mystery, One By One is filled with a sense of dread and anticipation of who or what is next.
An honest-to-God page turner with a nod to the queen, Agatha Christie.
Highly recommended! - Sally
This book has the origin stories of all your favorite scary movies, including Psycho, The Exorcist, The Amityville Horror, The Silence of the Lambs and Scream. Just to name a few. A great book to have on your bedside table. - Sally
Newly out in paperback, The Testaments is the sequel to The Handmaid's Tale. Set 15 years after The Handmaid's Tale, one of the narrators is Aunt Lydia.
I found The Testaments a fascinating story, we learn about the inner workings of Gilead and the benefits of playing a very long game. Ultimately, against all odds, I found The Testaments to be a story of hope. - Sally