Tag: James Patterson

Top Ten Tuesday – Books with Occupations in the Title

On By The Unseen LibraryIn List5 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics.  For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants get a freebie option, allowing them to post whatever they want.  I’m going to use this freebie to jump ahead and do next week’s topic, mainly because I’m hoping to highlight upcoming books for Spring 2025 next Tuesday.  As such, this week I will be listing my favourite books that have occupations in the title.

This was an interesting list topic, and I always enjoy Top Ten Tuesday tasks where I can dive into the titles of the various unique books I have had the pleasure of reading over the years.  Listing occupations featured in titles was a cool choice, and there are a surprising number of books out there that feature job titles or professions in their names.  I ended up with a substantial list of potential inclusions for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, so I made sure to restrict entries to one book from each author.  I also tried to show the most varied list of occupations I could, as I didn’t want my list to get bogged down in the various uses of solider or miliary ranks.  I think my resulting list had a great combination of various occupations used in book titles, and it liked the intriguing combination of novels that emerged.

Honourable Mentions:

The Recruiter by Gregg Podolksi

Amazon

 

The No.1 Lawyer by James Patterson and Nancy Allen

Amazon

 

The Interpreter by Brooke Robinson

Amazon

 

The Maid by Nita Prose

Amazon

Top Ten Tuesday:

Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 30: Thieves and Spies by Stan Sakai

A classic entry from one of my favourite comic series.  While early volumes The Ronin and Samurai would have also been excellent choices for this list, I’m instead going with the 30th volume, Thieves and Spies, which features two separate occupations in the title.

Amazon

 

The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson

An excellent recent fantasy novel that follows a scholar character as she tries to uncover a dark conspiracy amongst a complex and deadly tournament.  Scholar was a great occupation to have in the title, and I deeply enjoyed this epic fantasy read.

Amazon

 

Mr Einstein’s Secretary by Matthew Reilly

A deeply captivating historical fiction novel that follows a talented secretary who finds herself involved in multiple world events in the lead up to World War II.

Amazon

 

The Judge’s List by John Grisham

A judge is an excellent occupation to feature on this list, especially as this judge has some very dark secrets.

Amazon

 

Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett

A classic novel from the legendary Terry Pratchett that follows the humble city guard in a fantasy city as they come face to face with a magical murder.  This is an incredible novel and a great choice for this list.  Other books from Pratchett such as Men at Arms or Reaper Man might have fit in here nicely as well, but Guards! Guards! was my first choice for this list, and I’m glad I get to highlight it again.  

Amazon

 

The Chaos Agent by Mark Greaney

I suppose that it was inevitable that a book in one of my favourite, long-running spy thriller series would feature “agent” in one of its titles, which is a great way to describe the occupation of the protagonist.  This particular novel from Greaney was a great addition to the Gray Man series, and readers are in for a wild time with its cool plot and compelling action.

Amazon

 

Priest of Bones by Peter McLean

An impressive and awesome fantasy novel that follows returning soldiers determined to take over their home city’s underworld.  While the “priest” in this title is a little more criminal you would usually associate with the occupation, it still works to make this book a worthy entry to this list.

Amazon

 

The Devil’s Advocate by Steve Cavanagh

A title taken from a classic saying, advocate works as an occupation for the sake of this list, and I was pleased to feature a fun legal thriller from Steve Cavanagh.

Amazon

 

The Queen’s Captain by Peter Watt

I had a few novels with the occupation of “captain” in the title, but I decided to go with The Queen’s Captain by Australian author Peter Watt.  While captain here refers to a military rank, the word also works to describe a general occupation, so I think it works well for this list.

Amazon

 

Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb

The final novel I want to feature on this list is Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb.  There were several amazing books I could have used here that featured the nefarious occupation of “assassin” in the title, but I decided to go with this beloved fantasy novel, which I deeply enjoyed reading years ago.  Following a young bastard prince who finds a new, secret occupation as a court assassin, Assassin’s Apprentice is true classic and it rounds out this list perfectly.

Amazon

 

Well, that’s the end of this list.  I had fun listing my top books with occupations in the titles, and I’m happy with how the above list turned out, especially as there is an interesting collection of books there.  All the above come highly recommended, and I hope everyone else enjoys this topic when they look over it next week.

2 Sisters Murder Investigations by James Patterson and Candice Fox

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, Murder Mystery, Thriller1 Comment

Publisher: Century (Trade Paperback – 18 March 2025)

Series: 2 Sisters Detective Agency – Book Two

Length: 352 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

The team of iconic crime fiction author James Patterson and one of Australia’s best thriller authors, Candice Fox, once again come together for the outstanding 2025 sequel, 2 Sisters Murder Investigations.

James Patterson and Candice Fox are both very talented authors whose work I have been really enjoying since I started reading more crime fiction.  Patterson, the iconic writer who is known for his various long-running series, has been primarily producing collaborative work with other authors in recent years, including Death of the Black Widow with J. D. Barker, The No. 1 Lawyer with Nancy Allen and The Perfect Assassin by Brian Sitts.  Fox on the other hand, has been on a real roll with her great recent standalone novels, including Devil’s Kitchen, Fire with Fire, High Wire and The Chase.  On top of those previous novels, Patterson and Fox have found time to collaborate on several great books, including the fun 2024 novel, The Murder Inn, and their outstanding previous novel, 2 Sisters Detective Agency, the latter of which, has generated a sequel I now want to talk about with 2 Sisters Murder Investigations.  Following two mismatched sisters who find themselves investigating crimes in L. A. after re-opening their father’s old detective agency, this interesting series was very fun, I was very happy to receive a copy of the second 2 Sisters Detective Agency novel earlier this year.

Plot Synopsis:

Rhonda and Barbara “Baby” Bird are half-sisters—and full partners in their Los Angeles detective agency. They agree on nothing.

Rhonda, a former attorney, takes a by-the-book approach to solving crimes, while teenage Baby relies on her street smarts.

But when they take a controversial case of a loner whose popular wife has gone missing, they’re accused of being PIs who can’t tell a client from a killer.

The Bird sisters share a late father, but not much else…except their willingness to fight.

Fight the system. Fight for the underdog. Fight for the truth. If they can stop fighting each other long enough to work together.

Patterson and Fox produce another outstanding and highly entertaining crime fiction read with 2 Sisters Murder Investigations, which quickly grabs your attention and keeps pushing you forward.  Slick, easy-to-read, and full of excitement, 2 Sisters Murder Investigations was another great thriller from two masters of the genre.

2 Sisters Murder Investigations had an excellent story behind it that sees the dysfunctional Bird sisters, older sister Rhonda and rampart teenager Baby, working together at their family detective agency after the events of the first book.  After an entertaining start that shows that the sisters still aren’t on the same page, 2 Sisters Murder Investigations thrusts them into a compelling new case when the main suspect in a current murder case requests their help to prove his innocence.  Deciding to take on the case against their better judgment, Rhonda and Baby try to help their new client, Troy Hansen, who is accused of murdering his missing wife, and whose unusual demeanour about the case has convinced the entire city he is guilty.

Patterson and Fox’s narrative for 2 Sisters Murder Investigations splits early, as Rhonda’s perspective chapters primarily focus on the Hansen case, which goes in some interesting directions.  Under pressure from both the public and the police to stop helping Troy, Rhonda tries to prove his innocence, but she is quickly stymied by a series of problems, including lethal intruders trying, her client’s unusual behaviour, and a box full of concerning evidence hidden at the crime scene.  At the same time, Baby attempts to help an older man who is being targeted as part of a sinister scheme to force him to sell his house to a corrupt company.  The resulting storylines both go in interesting directions, especially the one around Rhonda and her attempts to help Troy, as the evidence continues to point to her client being a dangerous killer.  The eventual result for this plot thread was very captivating, and there were some great twists here, including an unlikely alternate suspect who suddenly shows up.  While the reveal about the actual killer wasn’t all that surprising, the way that Patterson and Fox set it up was extremely good, and the fast-paced conclusion to that arc, as well as the surprising tragedy, allowed for some captivating and intense moments.  While I liked this main plotline, the secondary storyline with Baby attempting to take on her own case ended up being a little rushed, especially at the end, although I did enjoy seeing how Baby comes into her own and acquires an excellent canine friend.  While this weak ending to the second storyline does rob 2 Sisters Murder Investigations of some of its overall impact, I did feel that this narrative for the sequel was very strong, and all thriller fans, even those unfamiliar with the series or the authors, will have a lot of fun with it.

I really enjoyed how entertaining and exciting the authors made 2 Sisters Murder Investigations, and Patterson and Fox ensure that this was a highly compelling and fun novel to read.  Utilising the multiple short, sharp paragraphs that Patterson fans will be familiar with, 2 Sisters Murder Investigations was a very easy novel to power through as you jump from one compelling scene to the next.  These quick chapters really encourage you to keep going, as the next twists could be only pages away, and I found myself speeding through the story.  It helped that Patterson and Fox did a good job splitting the novel’s focus between the two sister protagonists, which allows for a layered narrative, especially as both characters have different focuses and priorities, resulting in a well-balanced and complex overarching story.  These separate storylines have a certain distinctness given to them, especially as the authors switched up the perspective style depending on whose chapter it is.  For example, Rhonda is shown as more of main protagonist due to her chapters being told in the first person, while Baby’s chapters are told in the third person, which helps to reflect her more junior role in the team.  While Patterson and Fox could have perhaps done a better job at the front of each chapter showing which character is the focal point of the book at that point, for the most part this split is pretty seamless, and I liked the alternating and fast-paced nature of the novel that the author’s writing style allows for.

On top of the great story and exciting writing style, I quite enjoyed how Patterson and Fox revisited the main characters of the series, sisters Rhonda and Baby Bird.  Still in conflict despite the initial successful nature of their relationship, Rhonda and Baby play off each other extremely well as dysfunctional sisters, which allows for a lot of fun interactions amongst the darker nature of the plot.  While you could argue there is a slight loss of character growth between Rhonda and Baby in 2 Sisters Murder Investigations, as they lose some of the cohesion they built up in the first novel, I think their continued bickering and disagreement worked well in the context of the story, as Baby tried to stretch her wings, while Rhonda continues to adjust to being a responsible guardian to a new sister.  Throw in some excellent supporting characters, including Rhonda’s complicated love interest, an obsessed cop investigating the murder, a lonely old man who finds purpose thanks to Baby, and one suspicious client who helped to showcase the unlikely choices those under pressure make, and this was a fun cast that turned 2 Sisters Murder Investigations into a really awesome read.

Overall, 2 Sisters Murder Investigations was a great sequel to James Patterson and Candice Fox’s 2 Sisters Detective Agency, and it was very cool to see the Bird sisters back in action again.  Featuring a fascinating and gripping narrative that you can easily speed through and still have an awesome time, 2 Sisters Murder Investigations was an outstanding novel that is worth reading, especially if you have enjoyed the previous collaborations between Patterson and Fox.

Amazon

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Australian Books from the First Half of 2025

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Australian, List3 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics.  The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday was to lists books with a beachy theme to them. While this is an interesting concept, it’s not one I think I can contribute to in the dead of Australia’s Winter and I’m instead going to do something different and will provide two separate lists here that continue my theme of recapping the first half of 2025.

I have had a lot of fun recapping some of the best recent books and audiobooks released in the first half of 2025 in previous weeks, but I also need to spend this time highlighting other specific releases from the first half of the year.  While last year I examined new authors and pre-2024 fiction in my mid-year lists, as I had an abundance of these in my reading list, 2025 is shaping up to be very different, as I instead seem to have read an awful lot of novels from Australian authors.  While I generally tend to read a great deal of Australian fiction each year due to my location, I have found that 2025 has been a particularly impressive year for Australian fiction, with some truly outstanding novels from very talented local authors.

As such, I thought I would take this opportunity to highlight some of the very best Australian talents who have so far released books in 2025.  To make it onto this list, the book had to be released by an Australia author this year.  I tend to take a bit of a different approach to Australian fiction than some other bloggers, as I highlight all books written by Australian authors rather than novels purely set in Australia or featuring Australian characters.  The eventual list I pulled together was pretty long, but I was eventually able to whittle it down into the absolute best Australian books of the year so far, which included some amazing reads from across the genres.

Honourable Mentions:

Landfall by James Bradley

A gritty crime fiction read set in a deteriorating future Sydney.

Amazon

 

Barren Cape by Michelle Prak

A compelling contemporary read that touches on some very pressing Australian issues.

Amazon

 

Of Flame and Fury by Mikayla Bridge

A great young adult fantasy debut from a talented new author.

Amazon

Top Ten List:

Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold

First of this list we have the exceptional urban fantasy novel, Whisper in the Wind by rising Australian author Luke Arnold.  The fourth book in his Fetch Phillips series, Whisper in the Wind was a powerful novel that saw the author’s damaged protagonist once again dragged into the chaotic events engulfing the formerly magical city he doomed.  A very clever novel that perfectly built on the amazing narrative threads of the previous entries in the series, this was one of Arnold’s most impressive books yet and I cannot recommend it enough.

Amazon

 

Broke Road by Matthew Spencer

Next, we have one of the best pieces of Australian crime fiction in 2025, with Broke Road by Matthew Spencer.  The sequel to Spencer’s excellent debut, Black River, Broke Road brought back the author’s compelling protagonists as they investigated a brutal killing in small town Australia.  Featuring a particularly impressive and gripping case, Broke Road had me hooked the entire way through and I deeply enjoyed this complex and powerful read.

Amazon

 

Gunnawah by Ronni Salt

New author Ronni Salt greatly impresses with her debut novel, Gunnawah.  A captivating crime fiction read set back in 1970s rural Australia, Gunnawah provides an interesting examination of the period while hooking you with a cool mystery.  A great piece of Australian fiction from a memorable debuting author.

Amazon

 

Sins of the Fathers by John Byrnes

John Byrnes once again dives back into the early 20th century with his historical epic Sins of the Fathers.  Following several battling young characters as they attempt to survive the harrowing 1910s, Sins of the Fathers was another strong outing from Byrnes who has really found his writing niche.

Amazon

 

The Bluff by Joanna Jenkins

After having a lot of fun with her cool 2023 debut, How to Kill a Client, Joanna Jenkins returns with the outstanding sequel, The Bluff.  Moving Jenkin’s big city lawyer protagonist from her first book to small town Australia, The Bluff sees the protagonist attempt to unwind a series of events that lead to the death of the town’s local hero, and the disappearance of a young outcast girl.  A masterful read that cleverly recaps events from the past, The Bluff was a brilliant sequel from Jenkins, who continues to showcase her massive potential as an author.

Amazon

 

Pacific Heights by S. R. White

The next book on this list is the intricate murder mystery, Pacific Heights, by the distinctive S. R. White.  A spinoff from his main series, Pacific Heights follows two detectives as they attempt to solve a murder that took place in easy view of multiple apartments.  However, the case becomes complicated when each of the witnesses has a different story, and no series of events truly matches up.  A powerful read that combines an excellent mystery with a fun cautionary tale about perception.

Amazon

 

The Whisperer’s War by Jackie French

A complex World War II drama from one of Australia’s best authors, this was an outstanding book and one I got really caught up in.

Amazon

 

The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers

Another outstanding Australian fiction debut in 2025 was The Reunion by Bronwyn Rivers.  Following a group of former friends who return to the scene of a great tragedy from their shared past many years later, The Reunion brought out old secrets and lies as a deranged mother tries to discover how her son truly died.  A clever and intense novel that you won’t be able to turn away from, The Reunion was very impressive, and I look forward to seeing what cool books Rivers will produce in the future.

Amazon

 

2 Sisters Murder Investigations by James Patterson and Candice Fox

Acclaimed Australian author Candice Fox once again teams with the legendary James Patterson for the exciting read, 2 Sisters Murder Investigation.  A sequel to 2 Sisters Detective Agency, 2 Sisters Murder Investigation was a thrilling novel that followed the turbulent sister protagonists on another wild ride.  Exciting, fast-paced and very fun, this was another great read from this impressive team.

Amazon

 

Vanish by Shelley Burr

The final book was the distinctive crime fiction novel Vanish.  The final book in the author’s Lane Holland trilogy (which previously featured Wake and Ripper), Vanish sees the protagonist embark on an unusual investigation to try and find the fate of a missing girl.  An outstanding novel from one of Australia’s best rising authors, Vanish was a great conclusion to the protagonist’s ongoing storylines and a very worthy entry to this list.

Amazon

 

As you can see from the above, I have managed to check out a bunch of epic Australian novels in the first half of this year.  Each of the above were exceptional and fun reads and I would strongly recommend to everyone.  I look forward to reading more awesome Australian books in the second half of 2025, and I feel that books like The Strength of the Few by James Islington, Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson and Once a Villain by Vanessa Len are likely to make the end-of-year version of this list.  Make sure to check out my other recent lists about the first half of 2025, especially my other Top Ten Tuesday post tonight, and let me know what cool Australian books you have already checked out this year.

WWW Wednesday – 9 April 2025

On By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW WednesdayLeave a comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly post hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

Landfall by James Bradley (ebook)

I’ve just started reading the intriguing Australia crime fiction novel Landfall by James Bradley.  Set in a dystopian, flooded Sydney, Landfall follows a dark missing person’s case with major complications.  I’ve made a bit of progress with Landfall so far and I am very intrigued to see how it turns out.

Amazon

 

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (Audiobook)

I didn’t get as much audiobook listening time as I would have hoped this year, but I have still made a bit of progress with the new Hunger Games novel, Sunrise on the Reaping.  Set before the original trilogy, Sunrise on the Reaping follows a fan favourite character from the books and films as he goes through his own deadly Hunger Games.  I am really enjoying this new addition to the Hunger Games universe, especially as Collins is taking the story in some very interesting directions.  I’m just about to start the games section of the book, and I have no doubt I am going to love every second of this dark and compelling young adult read.

Amazon

What did you recently finish reading?

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett (ebook)

I managed to finish off the exceptional fantasy murder mystery, A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett this week and boy was it awesome.  The sequel to Bennett’s 2024 novel, The Tainted Cup (one of my favourite books of 2024), A Drop of Corruption was an outstanding and compelling read that perfectly combined a complex mystery with Bennett’s inventive fantasy elements.  One of the best fantasy novels of 2025 so far and a very highly recommended read.

Amazon

 

Pacific Heights by S. R. White (Trade Paperback)

I had a lot of fun reading the captivating Pacific Heights by S. R. White this week.  An intriguing Australian murder mystery, Pacific Heights contained a twisty and clever mystery, complicated by conflicting witnesses.  A great piece of Australian fiction, I am hoping to get a review for it up soon.

Amazon

 

2 Sisters Murder Investigations by James Patterson and Candice Fox (Trade Paperback)

I also managed to power through the very entertaining novel, 2 Sisters Murder Investigations by the outstanding team of James Patterson and Candice Fox.  A sequel to their previous novel, 2 Sisters Detective Agency, this was an amazing book with a very strong story behind it.

Amazon

What do you think you’ll read next?

Midnight Black by Mark Greaney

If I finish off Sunrise on the Reaping this week, I will probably start listening to the excellent spy thriller, Midnight Black.  The latest Gray Man novel by Mark Greaney, Midnight Black will see the author’s elite assassin protagonist attempt to save the woman he loves from a remote Russian prison.  This thriller has so much potential, and I cannot wait to see how explosive Greaney makes his latest book.

Amazon

 

That’s it for this week; check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.

Book Haul – 7 April 2025

On By The Unseen LibraryIn Book HaulLeave a comment

I’ve had an excellent couple of weeks for books, as I was lucky enough to receive several incredible and amazing new novels from local publishers and Netgalley.  These novels include some truly awesome new releases, including books that have the potential to be some of my top reads of the year.  I cannot wait to dive into them, and I so excited to see how they all turn out.

The Malevolent Eight by Sebastien de Castell

First up we have one of the potentially most funny and over-the-top fantasy novels of 2025 with The Malevolent Eight.  The sequel to the author’s previous novel, The Malevolent Seven, this new book will see a group of unlikely magical heroes as they attempt to save their world from the invading armies of heaven and hell.  I had a lot of fun with The Malevolent Seven and I cannot wait to see how de Castell continues this entertaining story.

Amazon

 

No Body No Crime by Tess Sharpe

After having a ton of fun with Tess Sharpe’s previous novels, The Girls I’ve Been and The Girl in Question, I am excited for the author’s upcoming book, No Body No Crime.  Another awesome thriller that will see two women try to survive a powerful crime family coming for them, No Body No Crime sounds really cool and I look forward to reading it.

Amazon

 

2 Sisters Murder Investigations by James Patterson and Candice Fox

The superstar team of James Patterson and Candice Fox return for the new fast-paced thriller, 2 Sisters Murder Investigations.  The sequel to 2 Sisters Detective Agency, 2 Sisters Murder Investigations will see the dysfunctional sister protagonists dragged into a new murder investigation with potential lethal consequences.  I had a lot of fun with the first novel in this series and I am excited to see how it continues.

Amazon

 

Retreat by Krysten Ritter with Lindsay Jamieson

An intense and compelling thriller from acclaimed actor Kristen Ritter.

Amazon

 

Gifted & Talented by Olivie Blake

An intriguing novel that is essentially Succession with magic, Gifted & Talented sounds like a very fantastic read, and I have heard some good things about author Olivie Blake’s previous books.

Amazon

 

When She Was Gone by Sara Foster

An intense and complex crime fiction read from a great Australian author.

Amazon

 

Vanguard Strike by Jarom Strong

The final book I want to highlight in this blog post is the awesome science fiction novel, Vanguard Strike by Jarom Strong.  Featuring a very cool sounding plot about a team of thieves trying to strip a valuable military ship in space, only to contend with its monstrous contents, Vanguard Strike’s plot really appealed to me, and I cannot wait to see how crazy this book gets.

Amazon

 

Well, that’s the end of this latest Book Haul post.  As you can see I have quite a bit of reading to do at the moment thanks to all these awesome books that have come in.  Let me know which of the above you are most interested in and make sure to check back in a few weeks to see my reviews of them.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Sequels of 2024

On By The Unseen LibraryIn List8 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics.  The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday required participants to list their most anticipated books for Summer (Winter for the Northern Hemisphere).  However, as I have already done this list a few weeks ago, I decided to continue with my annual end-of-year lists that I have been working on the last few weeks.  I have already covered my favourite new-to-me authors I read in 2024, as well as the best pre-2024 novels I read this year, but in this week’s list I am going to highlight the best sequels I read in 2024.  This is a relatively new topic that I only started exploring in 2023, however I had fun doing it last year so decided to replicate it again now.

Everyone loves a good sequel, and nearly every novelist and author has written some form of sequel in their career.  I’m sure we can all name some awesome books that requires some form of continuation and each year the talented authors we follow produce interesting sequel novels that cleverly expand from outstanding first novels.  I read a ton of sequels every year and I felt that it was about time that I highlighted the very best sequels of the year in a specific post.

To complete this list, I pulled together the best sequels released in 2024 that I had the pleasure of reading.  I primarily focused on second novels in a series that were released this year, especially those that I felt were outstanding follow ups to an impressive first novel and which followed the same characters or storylines.  For my top ten list, I prioritised those books I considered to be the best sequel, so while I might have enjoyed a specific novel more overall, if a book was a better sequel, it made the cut instead.  I think the resulting top ten list turned out pretty well as a result, and definitely highlights my favourite sequels released in 2024.

Honourable Mentions:

The Murder Inn by James Patterson and Candice Fox

The superstar team of James Patterson and Australian author Candice Fox had a great time returning to the unusual group of protagonists living at The Inn by the Sea, with their entertaining thriller, The Murder Inn.  The sequel to their previous novel, The Inn, The Murder Inn is a highly entertaining read and a great novel for fans of both these authors.

Amazon

 

The Heart of the World by Amie Kaufman

A fast-paced and emotionally charged young adult fantasy novel from Australian author Amie Kaufman that finishes the story started in The Isles of the Gods.

Amazon

 

The Wrong Hands by Mark Billingham

The highly entertaining novel, The Wrong Hands, was a very fun book that followed on from Billingham’s first DS Declan Miller book, The Last Dance.

Amazon

Top Ten Tuesday:

Warhammer 40,000: Above and Beyond by Denny Flowers

The first book on this list is one of my favourite sequels of 2024, Above and Beyond by Denny Flowers.  The follow-up to Flowers’ previous awesome Warhammer 40,000 novel, Outgunned, Above and Beyond reunites two of Flower’s complex and traumatised protagonists, a newly cynical propaganda expert and a broken war hero, and throws them into hell.  Taking them into another adventure laden with intrigue, lies and manipulation, Above and Beyond was Flowers’ best novel yet, and I loved how effectively it continued the epic story from Outgunned.

Amazon

 

Nobody’s Hero by M. W. Craven

M. W. Craven had a brilliant year in 2024, as not only did he release the exceptional and dark murder mystery, The Mercy Chair, but he also presented the fantastic novel, Nobody’s Hero. A sequel to his 2023 novel, Fearless, Nobody’s Hero is a beautifully over-the-top thriller loaded with brutal action and so much fun. Providing a very interesting continuation to several storylines started in Fearless while also standing on its on with its excessive plot, Nobody’s Hero is a great book and a wonderful sequel.

Amazon

 

War Cry by Ian Ross

Ian Ross continued his exciting historical adventures this year with War Cry, the fantastic follow-up to his captivating read, Battle Song.  Battle Song, one of my favourite books of 2023, introduced readers to a young squire who participated into one of England’s more intriguing historical civil wars, and featured an exceptionally addictive story.  Ross continued the series in a big way with his sequel, War Cry, that dragged his protagonist, now a knight, into the next stage of war, and all the tragedy that contains.  I had a great time with this sequel, and it really moved the overarching story along in a big way.  Special mention also needs to go to the third book in the series King’s Enemy, that also came out this year, and which ended the series in an excellent manner.

Amazon

 

The Girl in Question by Tess Sharpe

Back in 2021 I had the very great pleasure of reading the particularly intense and clever young adult thriller, The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe, that followed a teenage former con artist caught up in a bank robbery.  I really loved The Girls I’ve Been, and I was very happy that Sharpe released a sequel this year in The Girl in Question.  Another captivating and exciting read that I really got hooked on, especially with its distinctive style and damaged teenage protagonists, The Girl in Question was an outstanding sequel that comes highly recommended.

Amazon

 

Deep Black by Miles Cameron

The most recent sequel I have picked up was Deep Black by Miles Cameron, which contains a massive and complex science fiction adventure.  The sequel to his previous novel, Artifact Space, Deep Black continues the great narrative of exploration and interstellar mystery, as the crew of a massive human trading vessel attempts to learn more about a series attacks trying to destroy it.  Cameron’s inventiveness and great character work is on full display in Deep Black, and I loved how he continued the outstanding story started in Artifact Space.

Amazon

 

Play of Shadows by Sebastien de Castell

I’m slightly cheating with the next entry on this list, Play of Shadows, as it is technically the first book in de Castell’s new Court of Shadows series.  However, at the same time Play of Shadows is also a loosely connected sequel to de Castell’s previous novel, Crucible of Chaos, which was released in advance of Play of Shadows as a prequel.  As such, I am counting Play of Shadows as a sequel, and frankly the book was so good I want to highlight it as many times as I can in the coming weeks.  An entertaining, compelling and unique fantasy novel, Play of Shadows saw a young actor unravel an ancient conspiracy infecting his city when he gains the ability to manifest the spirt of a notorious historical villain while on the stage.  A brilliant, witty and highly addictive read, Play of Shadows really impressed me, and I am so very eager to see how this series continues in the future.

Amazon

 

Dark Arena by Jack Beaumont

Another outstanding sequel I was happy to read this year was the intricate spy thriller Dark Arena by Jack Beaumont.  A particularly authentic spy novel set in Paris, Dark Arena serves as a sequel the Beaumont’s debut, The Frenchman (one of my favourite debut novels of 2021), and follows members of France’s intelligence community as they attempt to unravel a deadly plot impacting all of Europe.  A gripping read that served as a great continuation to The Frenchman, Dark Arena is an amazing sequel that is worth checking out.

Amazon

 

Warhammer 40,000: Da Big Dakka by Mike Brooks

I had a lot of fun with Warhammer fiction in 2024, and that includes the outstanding Da Big Dakka by Mike Brooks.  The direct sequel to Brooks’ hilarious Warhammer 40,000 novel, Brutal Kunnin, Da Big Dakka showcases the continued adventure of Brooks’ ork protagonist as he brings war, fighting and brutal fun to all corners of the galaxy.  This second book pits the orks against a tricky new foe in the most dangerous city in the universe, and the result is as hectic and bloody as you would expect.  Pure chaotic fun that any fan of Warhammer 40,000 fiction can enjoy.

Amazon

 

The Book That Broke the World by Mark Lawrence

Another highly complex and powerful fantasy novel from the always impressive Mark Lawrence, The Book That Broke the World is a great follow-up to the 2023 novel, The Book That Wouldn’t Burn.  Continuing the elaborate narrative from the first book, while also expanding out the twists, turns and intricate details, The Book That Broke the World was a very smart novel that serves as a very satisfying sequel to The Book That Wouldn’t Burn and is very much worth checking out.

Amazon

 

Sentinel by Mark Greaney

The final sequel I want to highlight on this list is the action-packed novel, Sentinel.  The follow-up to the action-thriller, Armored, Sentinel throws the protagonist of the first book into an elaborate coup in Africa, with his family’s safety also at risk.  A highly exciting and compelling novel, loaded with impressive action and an elaborate narrative, Sentinel was an awesome sequel and I look forward to seeing how Greaney will continue this series in the future.

Amazon

 

 

Well, that’s it for this list.  As you can see, I have read several outstanding sequels this year and had a wonderful time doing so.  Every entry above was an epic novel, and I loved how they each successfully continued impressive story threads started in the previous novel.  All these books come highly recommended, and I cannot wait to see how these talented authors add to their already awesome series in the future.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite New-to-Me Authors I Read in 2024

On By The Unseen LibraryIn List14 Comments

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics.  The official topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday was books to read during a storm, which while interesting, is something I am putting aside for the moment as I want to continue with my end of year best-of lists, which I started last week when I looked at pre-2024 novels I read this year.  instead, this week I will be looking at new-to-me authors I discovered in 2024.  This is a list I have covered for the last couple of years (make sure to check out my 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 versions), and it is one that I always have a lot of fun doing.

Each year I am lucky enough to read a great number of awesome novels and this often includes books written by authors whose work I was previously unfamiliar with.  2024 was a particularly good example of this as I powered through an incredible collection of amazing novels written by authors who were completely new to me.  Many of these new-to-me authors produced some truly exceptional novels, including one or two which I consider to be some of the best books released in 2024 (more on that later), and I really feel the need to highlight them here.

To appear on this list, the author had to be someone whose work I checked out for the first time in 2024.  All new-to-me authors were eligible to appear here, although I did exclude debut authors as I am going to cover them in another list.  Even with debuting authors excluded, I still had a ton of potential inclusions, as I apparently got through 24 new authors in 2024.  After some hard work, I was able to whittle this down to a manageable top ten list, with my usual generous honourable mentions section.  I am really surprised at some of the impressive and enjoyable authors I had to exclude, and I was honestly tempted to increase this to a top twenty list.  I managed to resist and I think the below entry really highlights the absolute best new-to-me authors I enjoyed in 2024.

Honourable Mentions:

Don Bentley – Capture or Kill

Thanks to him taking over the Mitch Rapp series this year with the exciting read Capture or Kill, I got my first taste of thriller writer Don Bentley, who impressed me with his fantastic first entry in the series.

Amazon

 

Mark Billingham – The Wrong Hands

I had fun with my first Mark Billingham novel, The Wrong Hands, which showed the authors quirky side in this entertaining crime fiction read.

Amazon

 

Lainie Anderson – The Death of Dora Black

Australian author Laine Anderson impressed with this excellent Australian historical crime fiction read, based around Australia’s first female police officer.

Amazon

 

James Patterson and Nancy Allen – The No.1 Lawyer

While I have read many things from James Patterson before, 2024 is the first time I enjoyed anything he wrote with co-author Nancy Allen.  Allen, whose legal thriller fiction I haven’t read before, worked well with Patterson to create an exciting and captivating novel with The No.1 Lawyer.

Amazon

Top Ten List:

Steven B. Fischer – Warhammer 40,000: Witchbringer and Broken Crusade

The first new-to-me author that I want to feature on this list is Warhammer 40,000 writer Steven B. Fischer.  I was lucky enough to read two books from Fischer this year, including his debut from a couple of years ago, Witchbringer, as well as his 2024 release, Broken Crusade.  Both books were particularly good examples of Warhammer 40,000 fiction, and I love the author’s intense style and ability to dive into two different, unique factions.  Fischer is a Warhammer author to watch in the future and I look forward to seeing what cool stories he comes up with next.

Amazon

 

M. L. Wang – Blood Over Bright Haven

I am particularly happy that I decided to read something from M. L. Wang this year, as she has been on my radar for a while now.  An intriguing author, Wang has so far written two acclaimed adult fantasy novels with amazing plots behind them.  I read one of them this year with Blood Over Bright Haven, and boy was it something special.  Set around a particularly inventive magical system, Blood Over Bright Haven follows two very different protagonists as they uncover a dark secret at the heart of a magical city.  I was really blown away with this book, especially as Wang loads it up with shocking twists, and this ended up being one of the top fantasy books of 2024.

Amazon

 

C. J. Box – Three-Inch Teeth

I had a lot of fun getting to know well-established thriller author C. J. Box this year when I was grabbed a copy of the latest book in his Joe Pickett series, Three-Inch Teeth.  Following his game warden protagonist as he investigates a series of bear attacks, the book quickly turns into something special when an old nemesis returns, disguising a series of revenge-fuelled murders using an unlikely contraption.  I had an outstanding time with Three-Inch Teeth, and I fully plan to grab the next Joe Pickett novel when it comes out in 2025.

Amazon

 

Douglas Preston – Extinction

One of the wildest novels I had the pleasure of reading in 2024 was my first Douglas Preston book, Extinction.  Preston goes all out with this amazing science fiction thriller, that sees a series of grizzly murders take place within a nature park filled with living mammoths and other cloned pre-historic creatures.  I powered through this outstanding read, especially as Preston really amps up the craziness and intensity shortly into Extinction, and I honestly loved every second I spent with this book.

Amazon

 

Gary Kloster – Warhammer 40,000: Lazarus: Enmity’s Edge

Another fantastic new-to-me author from the vast Warhammer 40,000 franchise I discovered this year was Gary Kloster who wrote the epic read, Lazarus: Enmity’s Edge.  Focussing on the iconic Dark Angels chapter of Space Marines, Enmity’s Edge was a particularly clever and addictive Warhammer read that drew readers in with its elaborate conspiracy and fantastic characters.  This proved to be an extremely cool addition to the canon, and I am very, very glad that I decided to read it.

Amazon

 

Django Wexler – How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying

Easily the funniest new author I checked out in 2024 was Django Wexler, who blew me away with his hilarious comedic fantasy novel, How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying.  Featuring an outstanding plot about a human trapped in a time loop within a fantasy realm who, after hundreds of painful attempts at being the hero, decides to win by becoming the evil dark lord instead.  Thanks to his cracked protagonist, outrageous scenario, and entertaining use of the time-loop concept, Wexler had me in stiches the entire way through How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying, and I have so much love for this book as a result.  The sequel, Everybody Wants to Rule the World Except Me, is out in May next year, and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

Amazon

 

J. D. Barker – Behind a Closed Door

Now this next entry is slightly cheating, as J. D. Barker is someone who I have technically read before.  However, as all the Barker books I have previously read were co-written with other authors, such as James Patterson (Confessions of the Dead and Death of the Black Widow), I felt that it was appropriate to include him on this list after reading one of his solo novels for the first time with Behind a Closed Door.  A gripping, distinctive and highly adult thriller, Behind a Closed Door was an intense novel that I felt really showcased Barker’s own unique writing style.  This was a very fun book, and I look forward to seeing what other devious narratives he comes up with in the future.

Amazon

 

C. J. Tudor – The Gathering

I had been meaning to read something from awesome author C. J. Tudor for years, especially I have heard nothing but good things about her impressive thrillers and horror novels.  I finally got a chance in 2024 with The Gathering, which ended up being one of the best books from the first half of the year.  Set in an alternate version of America where vampires are second-class citizens, The Gathering follows an investigation into an apparent vampire attack in an isolated town, which could result in the extermination of the entire local vampire settlement.  A particularly epic and clever horror thriller that made full use of its inventive concept, The Gathering was such a great read, and I plan to grab every new Tudor book that comes out from now on.

Amazon

 

James Grippando – Goodbye Girl

It looks like I have a new awesome legal thriller author to become obsessed with after checking out my first book from James Grippando, Goodbye Girl.  The latest book in Grippando’s long-running Jack Swyteck series, Goodbye Girl was a captivating and memorable legal thriller that dived into the world of online piracy in a surprisingly nautical way.  Featuring some entertaining court sequences and a fantastic crime fiction plot, Goodbye Girl was a lot of fun to get through and comes very highly recommended.  Grippando is another new-to-me author I am planning to add to my must-read list each year, and I am already excited for his next Jack Swyteck book, Grave Danger, which is out very soon.

Amazon

 

Robbie MacNiven – Warhammer 40,000: Oaths of Damnation

The final new-to-me author I want to highlight on this list is Robbie MacNiven, who impressed me with his 2024 Warhammer 40,000 release.  MacNiven, who has written a couple of series I am very interested in exploring, had fun diving into a unique Chapter of Space Marines with the compelling novel Oaths of Damnation.  A fantastic novel loaded with epic Space Marine action; Oaths of Damnation was an outstanding read that made MacNiven a very easy choice for this list.

Amazon

 

 

Well, that’s the end of this latest Top Ten list.  I think it turned out rather well and it encapsulates some of the best new authors I checked out in 2024.  I look forward to reading more books from these authors in the future and I have no doubt they will produce more epic and incredible reads.  Make sure to let me know which new authors you enjoyed in 2024 in the comments below and make sure to check back next week for another exciting end of 2024 list.

WWW Wednesday – 4 December 2024

On By The Unseen LibraryIn WWW Wednesday1 Comment

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Taking on a World of Words, where bloggers share the books that they’ve recently finished, what they are currently reading and what books they are planning to read next. Essentially you have to answer three questions (the Three Ws):

What are you currently reading?
What did you recently finish reading?
What do you think you’ll read next?

So, let’s get to it.

What are you currently reading:

Endgame by Sarah Barrie (Trade Paperback)

I’m still going with the dark Australian thriller Endgame by Sarah Barrie. The final book in Barrie’s Lexi Winters series, Endgame sets an unconventional cop against a deadly killer in a revenge filled game of cat-and-mouse. I haven’t made as much progress on Endgame as I would have liked, but I am still really enjoying this book, and I cannot wait to see how this series comes to an end.

Amazon

 

Warhammer 40,000: Da Red Gobbo Collection by Mike Brooks, Denny Flowers and Rhuairidh James (Audiobook)

I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to listen to the awesome Warhammer 40,000 audiobook, Da Red Gobbo Collection.  A collection of several Warhammer 40,000 novellas and short stories from three talented authors, Da Red Gobbo Collection showcases various tales of the Red Gobbo, a revolutionary grot leading the uprising against their orc leaders.  A particularly fun collection of entertaining Warhammer stories, Da Red Gobbo Collection is proving to be really funny, and I am loving the audiobook version of it.

Amazon

What did you recently finish reading?

Warhammer 40,000: Broken Crusade by Steven B. Fischer (Audiobook)

I managed to knock off the Warhammer 40,000 audiobook, Broken Crusade by Steven B. Fischer this week.  A particularly gothic Warhammer 40,000 novel, this was an intense and gripping book that I deeply enjoyed.

Amazon

 

Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 39: Ice and Snow by Stan Sakai (Trade Paperback)

As promised, I read the new Usagi Yojimbo comic the second I got my hands on it, and it was so damn awesome.  Review to hopefully follow soon.

Amazon

 

10 Rules for the Perfect Murder by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts (Audiobook)

An excellent and entertaining full cast audiobook that I recently powered through on a short road trip.

Amazon

What do you think you’ll read next?

Deep Black by Miles Cameron

I’m hoping to start up the impressive science fiction novel, Deep Black next.  The sequel to Cameron’s previous novel, Artifact Space, Deep Black has a ton of potential, and I look forward to seeing how it turns out.

Amazon

 

That’s it for this week, check back in next Wednesday to see what progress I’ve made on my reading and what books I’ll be looking at next.