Welcome to the running list of my "Best Books of 2024". I'll slot each book I finish into the list, and while it may diminish the drama at the end of the year, it will be a handy way to track how each book stacks up to others finished throughout the year.
#1 - Lost Man's Lane
by Scott Carson ★★★★★
Set in 1999, a coming-of-age story about a high schooler who finds himself embroiled in a supernatural missing persons investigation.
#2 - James
by Percival Everett ★★★★★
More than a retelling of "Huck Finn" from the point of view of Jim, this is a brilliant treatise on race and slavery in 1860s America.
#3 - All the Colors of the Dark
by Chris Whitaker ★★★★★
Whitaker delivers another masterpiece of character development while tackling several tough topics -- a challenging but uplifting read.
#4 - The Mayor of Maxwell Street
by Avery Cunningham ★★★★★
Skillful dialogue and prose adorn this debut that combines a love story with the search for a mysterious gangster in 1920s Chicago.
#5 - The Will of the Many
by James Islington ★★★★★
A truly excellent start to a trilogy about an orphan who infiltrates an Academy for societal elites in order to uncover a conspiracy.
#6 - Open
by Andre Agassi ★★★★★
Among the best autobiographies I have ever read, Andre Agassi shares an honest account in vivid detail of his life in tennis (and beyond).
#7 - Iron Flame
by Rebecca Yarros ★★★★★
Yarros gives us a rarity -- a sequel to a force-of-nature debut that's just as good as the original, and in some ways possibly better.
#8 - The Year of the Locust
by Terry Hayes ★★★★★
Another great spy thriller from Hayes after 10 long years. Despite some questionable supernatural plot choices, it's still a winner.
#9 - The God of the Woods
by Liz Moore ★★★★★
Set in 1975, the search for a missing child acts as the foundation for Moore's tactful exploration of societal themes of the time.
#10 - 60 Songs That Explain the '90s
by Rob Harvilla ★★★★★
A nostalgia-inducing romp through the most impactful songs of the '90s, focusing on their meaning to the decade and to music overall.
#11 - Pony Confidential
by Rob Harvilla ★★★★★
Part mystery, part odyssey, the story follows a sardonic pony as he seeks to reunite with his human, on trial for a 25-year-old murder.
#12 - First Lie Wins
by Ashley Elston ★★★★★
A twisty plot-driven novel about a woman who manufactures a relationship, only to find she might be the one being played.
#13 - The Storyteller
by Dave Grohl ★★★★★
Dave Grohl -- former drummer for Nirvana, and founding member of the Foo Fighters -- shares stories of his life in rock in this memoir.
#14 - The Relentless Legion
by J. S. Dewes ★★★★★
A satisfying conclusion to one of the better sci-fi trilogies I have read, the Sentinels once again try to defy odds to save humanity.
#15 - The Boys of Riverside
by Thomas Fuller ★★★★☆
The account of the California School for the Deaf, Riverside, and their football team's pursuit of a championship across two seasons.
#16 - The Frozen River
by Ariel Lawhon ★★★★☆
Inspired by historical events, a midwife in 1789 finds herself in the middle of both a murder and a rape investigation in her small town.
#17 - Devil's Kitchen
by Candice Fox ★★★★☆
Reminiscent of "The Shield", it's a split between a missing persons mystery and a dirty firefighting crew committing thefts in NYC.
#18 - Assassins Anonymous
by Rob Hart ★★★★☆
A fresh take on the assassin genre, balancing globetrotting action with a main character truly trying to change via a 12-step program.
#19 - The Return of Ellie Black
by Emiko Jean ★★★★☆
A borderlined-5-star thriller that unveils what happened to Ellie Black, who went missing for more than two years but has now returned.
#20 - The Hunter
by Tana French ★★★★☆
French's sequel to The Searcher again slowly builds up the plot -- and the tension -- until a murder mystery dominates the second half.
#21 - The True Love Experiment
by Christina Lauren ★★★★☆
A funny and heartwarming romance novel in the style of Emily Henry about a woman who is cast as the lead on a reality dating show.
#22 - The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell
by Robert Dugoni ★★★★☆
A book club darling of a novel about a boy born with ocular albinism (red eyes), whose life I found less extraordinary than expected.
#23 - Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder
by Kerryn Mayne ★★★★☆
Lenny Marks lives a carefully crafted and ordered life for herself until her stepfather's parole sparks memories of childhood trauma.
#24 - Funny Story
by Emily Henry ★★★★☆
Desperate for a place to stay after her fiancé cheats on her, Daphne moves in with the ex of the woman who broke up her engagement.
#25 - The River We Remember
by William Kent Krueger ★★★★☆
While a murder mystery is at the heart of this novel, a cast of flawed characters enable the exploration of several weighty topics.
#26 - The Boys in the Boat
by Daniel James Brown ★★★★☆
A thoroughly-researched and compelling account of the University of Washington rowing team's quest to win gold at the 1936 Olympics.
#27 - The Formula
by Joshua Robinson and Jonathan Clegg ★★★★☆
Focused not just on the recent rise of F1 but its entire 75-year history, this is an entertaining look at the evolution of the sport.
#28 - When Among Crows
by Veronica Roth ★★★★☆
A memorable novella, inspired by Polish folklore, that follows a guilt-ridden hero's journey through the magical underbelly of Chicago.
#29 - The Guncle
by Steven Rowley ★★★★☆
Equal parts funny, heartwarming, and sad, the story of a gay uncle pressed into temporary custody of his niece and nephew for a summer.
#30 - When the World Tips Over
by Jandy Nelson ★★★★☆
A story of love, growth, and second chances, the novel follows a set of siblings as they discover their family's complex history.
#31 - Be Ready When the Luck Happens
by Ina Garten ★★★★☆
A glimpse into one of the more spontaneous people on the planet, who balances that spontaneity with a fierce determination and will.
#32 - The Fifth Season
by N.K. Jemisin ★★★★☆
A uniquely creative fantasy novel, it's ultimately a struggle between those in power and those powerful enough to overthrow them.
#33 - Margo's Got Money Troubles
by Rufi Thorpe ★★★★☆
When a 19-year-old finds herself desperate for cash after having a child with her professor, she turns to OnlyFans to make ends meet.
#34 - Assassin Eighteen
by Gareth Brown ★★★★☆
In this action-packed and entertaining sequel, the world's greatest assassin must emerge from self-exile to stop a global terrorist.
#35 - The Book of Doors
by Gareth Brown ★★★★☆
An inventive concept suffers a bit when the inevitable potential plot holes that come with time travel emerge. Entertaining but flawed.
#36 - The Six Pack
by Brad Balukjian ★★★★☆
An in-depth look at six of the wrestlers (and the rise of wrestling in the '80s) centered around the Iron Sheik becoming champion in 1983.
#37 - The Night We Lost Him
by Laura Dave ★★★★☆
When a man falls from the cliffs adjacent to his seaside home, his son and daughter collaborate to uncover the truth behind his death.
#38 - Heir
by Sabaa Tahir ★★★★☆
A mostly average offering from an author I normally enjoy, which follows the next generation of her "An Ember in the Ashes" heroes.
#39 - Bright Young Women
by Jessica Knoll ★★★★☆
A reimagining of the events leading up to and surrounding the crimes of Ted Bundy, with a focus on the victims rather than the killer.
#40 - Just for the Summer
by Abby Jimenez ★★★★☆
When online banter turns to real-life dating, Emma and Justin must overcome significant obstacles to make their relationship last.
#41 - I Cheerfully Refuse
by Leif Enger ★★★★☆
Richly rendered characters living in a deteriorating society, Enger's novel merges bits of beauty into an overwhelmingly sad world.
#42 - The Eyes and the Impossible
by Dave Eggers ★★★★☆
The 2024 Newberry Medal winner is the story of Johannes, a free dog who monitors the activities of a large woodland park as "The Eyes".
#43 - Legends & Lattes
by Travis Baldree ★★★★☆
A sweet little story about friendship and starting over, focused on an orc who tries to leave violence behind and open a coffee shop.
#44 - Don't Let the Devil Ride
by Ace Atkins ★★★★☆
A slightly-better-than-average southern noir thriller about a wife's search for her missing husband, who might not be who she thought.
#45 - Tidal Creatures
by Seanan McGuire ★★★★☆
McGuire's unparalleled creativity is again on display as she explores Lunar deities working to solve a murder of one of their own.
#46 - The Last One at the Wedding
by Jason Rekulak ★★★☆☆
An unfortunately average mystery about a father and his growing concerns that his daughter's fiancé could have a dark and sordid past.
#47 - Somewhere Beyond the Sea
by TJ Klune ★★★☆☆
A continuation of the "Cerulean Chronicles", but lacking the sweetness, joy and novelty that made the first book delightful & special.
#48 - The Familiar
by Leigh Bardugo ★★★☆☆
A rare ho-hum effort from an author I enjoy, Bardugo's novel of 16th century Spain struggles to blend history, fantasy, and romance.
#49 - Faebound
by Saara El-Arifi ★★★☆☆
A new set of characters and worlds from El-Arifi, but a book that is far more in the "romantasy" category than her previous novels.
#50 - City in Ruins
by Don Winslow ★★★☆☆
The Danny Ryan trilogy coasts to a conclusion, wrapping up open plot points but mostly just checking the box in this mailed-in effort.
#51 - North Woods
by Daniel Mason ★★★☆☆
A series of loosely-related vignettes spanning 400 years show off Mason's literary prowess but fail to coalesce into something special.
#52 - Hunted
by Abir Mukherjee ★★☆☆☆
A frustrating thriller, packed with unlikable characters and plot holes I could drive a truck through. Significantly disappointing.
#53 - The Ministry of Time
by Kaliane Bradley ★★☆☆☆
An alternative take on Stranger in a Strange Land; social commentary abounds as an 1847 explorer tries to acclimate to modern society.
#54 - The Fury
by Alex Michaelides ★★☆☆☆
A whodunit about a murder on a private Greek island, recounted by a conversational narrator who had me wishing for a second murder.
#55 - Womb City
by Tlotlo Tsamaase ★★☆☆☆
An unfocused debut that combines elements of Minority Report with a grisly ghost story, an all-powerful being, and more. It's a mess.
#56 - Fifty Beasts To Break Your Heart
by GennaRose Nethercott ★☆☆☆☆
By the author of the excellent Thistlefoot, a collection of short stories written six years ago that should have remained unpublished.
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