Tag: Richard Osman

Book Haul – 10 August 2026

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I’ve had an excellent couple of weeks for books, as I was lucky enough to receive some incredible and amazing new novels from 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.

We Chase Shadows by Richard Osman

Let’s start this Book Haul post off strong with the new Richard Osman novel, We Chase Shadows. The sequel to Osman’s exceptional novel, We Solve Murders, We Chase Shadows will see some of Osman’s more entertaining protagonists embark on another international investigation to catch a deadly killer. I absolutely loved We Solve Murders and I have no doubt this amazing sounding sequel is going to be one of the best novels of 2026.

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Choppy Water by Jack Heath

I also was very happy to receive an early copy of the new Jack Heath novel, Choppy Water.  One of the more anticipated Australian releases of 2026, Choppy Water will feature a compelling locked-room mystery as a fugitive attempts to uncover a killer aboard a quarantined cruise ship.  I love the sound of Choppy Water, and I cannot wait to sink my teeth into Heath’s latest crazy crime fiction read.

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The Mortons by Justine Larbalestier and Scott Westerfeld

One of the more unique novels I recently received was the fantastic crime fiction novel, The Mortons. Written by the team of Justine Larbalestier and Scott Westerfeld, The Mortons follows a talented scion of a family of professional killers and manipulators, who find themselves dragged into a dark conspiracy surrounding their family. I’ve actually already finished The Mortons, and it turned out to be a deeply compelling and memorable novel I couldn’t get enough off.  Highly recommended, I’m hoping to review The Mortons soon.

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He Who Fights With Monsters by Travis Deverell (Shirtaloon)

I’ve recently received the cool LitRPG novel He Who Fights With Monsters by Australian author Travis Deverell, better known as Shirtaloon. A paperback reprinting of the author’s online LitRPG sensation, He Who Fights With Monsters sounds pretty amazing, and I’m hoping to dive into the massive novel soon.

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Templar Assassin by Angus Donald

Angus Donald continues to explore the Mongol horde from a unique perspective with his next book Templar Assassin. The sequel to his fantastic historical fiction novel Templar Traitor, Templar Assassin will continue to explore the life of an apparently rogue Templar Knight, who journeyed into Asia and joined the army of the legendary Genghis Khan. I look forward to reading this book, which should provide some excellent historical adventure and intrigue.

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The Reckoning by Vikki Petraitis

Vikki Petraitis continues to write timely and thought-provoking Australian fiction in 2026 with her latest novel The Reckoning. Following on from her previous novels The Unbelieved and The Stolen, The Reckoning once again returns to small town Australia divided to gender violence, when a poisoning targeted at two freed rapists threatens to kill multiple people. I am very curious to see where Petraitis takes her latest story, and The Reckoning will likely end up being one of the more intense and powerful Australian reads of 2026.

 

The Cruise by Naïma Brown

An intriguing new thriller that sees a woman and her squad of best friends attempt to get revenge on a man who wronged her many years ago. The Cruise sounds like a great book, and I look forward to diving into it.

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Full Circle by Chris Hammer

An exciting and intriguing standalone thriller from one of Australia’s best-known authors, Chris Hammer, Full Circle sounds like a great novel, and I’m hoping to finally read something from Hammer after all these years.

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Shadow of Dragons by Jacob Peppers

An intriguing epic fantasy novel with an awesome sounding plot. I am really hoping to get a chance to read Shadow of Dragons this year, and I’m sure I will love it.

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Five Voices by Tamara Moss

The final book I recently received is the young adult thriller Five Voices by Tamara Moss. An excellent sounding novel about murder and mystery surrounding a group of young podcasters, Five Voices sounds like a fantastic read and I’m very excited to check it out.

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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 – Most Anticipated Books Releasing During the Second Half of 2026 (Mystery, Thriller and Historical Fiction)

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Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics.  In this list, I continue to examine my most anticipated releases for the second half of 2026.  While my other list of the night looked at the best upcoming fantasy and science fiction novels, this list will look at the crime fiction, thrillers, and historical fiction novels that I am most excited for in the next six months.

Just like with my previous article about upcoming fantasy and science fiction books, this was a bit of a difficult list to pull together.  Even after I excluded fantasy and science fiction novels from it, there were still a ton of great books I could feature, and I had a hard time deciding what to cut.  I was eventually able to whittle it down to a top ten list (with an honourable mentions section), and I am pretty happy with how it turned out.  Just like with my fantasy and science fiction list, the following list does a great job of highlighting what books I am most excited for in the second half of the year, so let us see what makes the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

The Unknown by Riley Sager – 4 August 2026

An intriguing and spooky thriller from the always impressive Riley Sager.

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King’s Ransom by Matthew Reilly – 29 September 2026

A new book from one of Australia’s best-known authors, Matthew Reilly, King’s Ransom sounds like a fantastic novel with a layered detective plot behind it.  I’m very keen to read this book, although I’m leaving it as an honourable mention for now as I still need to read the initial book in this series, The Detective.

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The French Illusion by John Grisham – 29 September 2026

Another intriguing and intense legal thriller from the legendary John Grisham, this time involving a kidnapping in Paris and the lawyer sent in to help.

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Choppy Water by Jack Heath – 3 November 2026

A fun upcoming novel from one of my favourite Australian authors, Jack Heath. Choppy Water (no cover yet) has a very entertaining plot about a murder on a cruise ship, that I know I’m going to love.

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Top Ten Tuesday:

One of Us is Guilty by Steve Cavanagh – 28 July 2026

The legal shenanigans of Steve Cavanagh’s Eddie Flynn series look set to continue with the awesome sounding new book, One of Us Is Guilty.  In this latest book, conman turned lawyer Eddie Flynn needs to figure out which member of a rich and supposedly perfect couple committed a brutal murder and which one is innocent.  I love the sound of this cool new plot from Cavanagh, and I can’t wait to see the author’s next batch of crazy legal antics unfold.

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Duel of Beasts by Boyd and Beth Morrison – 30 July 2026

The amazing author duo of Boyd and Beth Morrison look set to continue their exciting historical adventures with the upcoming fourth Tales of the Lawless Land novel, Duel of Beasts.  Bringing back wandering knight Gerard Fox and his wife Willa as they journey across Europe, Duel of Beasts sees the two protagonists venture through medieval Spain to protect a recently widowed noblewoman from a vengeful relative.  However, their latest adventure pits them against a menagerie of deadly beasts that are unleashed to hunt them throughout the countryside.  This new book sounds just as fun and over-the-top as the previous Tales of the Lawless Land entries, and I have a feeling this one is going to be particularly entertaining.

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Bad Neighbours by Joanna Jenkins – 4 August 2026

The next book I am excited to check out is Bad Neighbours by Australian author Joanna Jenkins.  The author’s third book, Bad Neighbours will follow on from the excellent How to Kill a Client and The Bluff and sees Jenkin’s lawyer protagonist investigate the murder of a vagrant at her seemingly perfect new apartment building.  Based on how impressive Jenkin’s last two novels have been, I strongly believe that Bad Neighbours will be one of the stronger Australian crime fiction novels of 2026, and I cannot wait to dive into it.

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The Killer’s Mark by M. W. Craven – 11 August 2026

Highly entertaining escapes are sure to occur in the upcoming thriller novel, The Killer’s Mark by M. W. Craven.  The next entry in the over-the-top Washington Poe series, The Killer’s Mark will see Craven’s extremely amusing protagonists start their own private detective agency and get drawn into a sinister case filled with dark secrets and conspiracies.  I have had such an incredible time reading Craven’s last two books (especially his ultra-twisty novel The Mercy Chair), and I cannot wait to see what intriguing and unusual investigation the author has cooked up for The Killer’s Mark.

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We Chase Shadows by Richard Osman – 15 September 2026

Richard Osman continues his crime fiction domination in 2026 with his next novel, We Chase Shadows.  The sequel to his outstanding novel, We Solve Murders (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2024), We Chase Shadows brings back the incredible cast of his previous novel and sets them on another globe-trotting investigation.  Set to feature another hilarious and deeply clever mystery with some fantastic characters, We Chase Shadows is going to be amazing and will probably be one of my favourite books of the year.

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Serenity Falls by C. J. Tudor – 15 September 2026

One of the more unusual and potentially scary novels I am looking forward to in the second half of 2026, is the upcoming horror thriller from C. J. Tudor, Serenity Falls.  Following a father and daughter who move to the idyllic town of Serenity Falls, this novel looks set to quickly go off the rails, with mysterious deaths and other dark secrets haunting the new inhabitants.  Tudor has produced some incredible reads in the past, including her 2024 novel The Gathering, and I’m so excited to see what her next shocking book is going to contain.  I did wonder if I should include Serenity Falls on my fantasy and science fiction list, but I have a feeling readers won’t truly know the cause of the dark events in this novel until the very end.  As such, I’m leaving Serenity Falls as an entry on this list, and I know I’m going to love it no matter what.

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Adam & Eve by Jeffrey Archer – 6 October 2026

After years of producing heartwarming and entertaining reads, the iconic Jeffrey Archer will finish off his literary career with his final novel, Adam & Eve.  A historical epic, Adam & Eve will follow an unlikely couple and their journey towards World War II, with their forbidden relationship impacting the course of the war.  Likely filled with compelling historical detail and fantastic character-driven drama, Adam & Eve should be an outstanding final outing from Archer, and I look forward to seeing the entire story unfold.

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Shot by Shelley Burr – 27 October 2026

After finishing off her debut PI Lane Holland series (featuring Wake, Ripper and Vanish), Australian author Shelley Burr has another outstanding upcoming mystery that I’m very excited for, Shot.  Set to follow a damaged true-crime vlogger as she attempts to solve a particularly infamous double murder, Shot sounds like an incredible read, and I’m already quite curious about its mystery.

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The Hollow by Michael Connelly – 3 November 2026

Easily one of the books that I am most excited to check out in the second half of 2026 is the new Michael Connelly, The Hollow.  Once again focussing on Connelly’s most iconic protagonist, Harry Bosch, The Hollow will see an older Bosch attempt to investigate a historic murder that has haunted him since he was a child.  Thanks to its deeply personal and intense plot, The Hollow has a ton of potential, especially considering Connelly’s recent track record, and I have no doubt this is going to be one of the top books of the year.

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The Sword of Rome by Simon Scarrow – 5 November 2026

The final book I want to highlight on this list is the upcoming 25th entry in the epic Eagles of the Empire series by Simon Scarrow, The Sword of Rome.  Following on from the political upheaval of Tyrant of Rome, The Sword of Rome will see the protagonists engage in another deadly mission as they travel to the edges of the Roman Empire to fight back an invading army.  However, this mission could have grave consequences from the protagonists, as they must content with dangerous Roman politics and gamble with the lives of their families held hostage back in Rome.  The Sword of Rome sounds like it is going to be a particularly awesome entry in one of my favourite series, and I cannot wait to see how it comes together.

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Well, that’s the end of my second list.  As you can see, there are some outstanding mysteries, thrillers and historical fiction novels coming out in the next six months which should prove to be amazing reads.  Combine that with the fantasy and science fiction releases from my previous list and I know that I am going to have an incredible time in the second half of 2026.  While I am waiting to get my hands on these books, why not let me know if any of the above interest you and let me know what your most anticipated releases for the next six months are in the comments below.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Books by my Favourite Authors

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Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly task that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers creating and sharing lists on various book topics.  For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants are tasked with identifying their top ten favourite authors and then listing out which one of their books is the blogger’s favourite.  This was a very interesting idea, and while I’ve previously highlighted some favourite books in a specific series, I’ve never tried to list my overall favourite authors and their top books.

This proved to be quite a difficult list to pull together, mainly because I had to spend a lot of time thinking about who my favourite authors are.  While several writers were instant choices that I didn’t need to think too much about, the rest of my current favourites was a little harder to pin down.  I was eventually able to whittle it down to my absolute favourite authors now (with a generous honourable mentions section), although it took some difficulty.  It was quite interesting to consider how my favourites have changed over the last few years, and it wouldn’t surprise me if this changes dramatically the next time I try to list it out.

After working out my favourite authors, identifying my favourite book from them was an easier process, although I did have to do some deep thinking at times.  It didn’t help that all these authors tend to have multiple epic novels to their name, all of which I’ve had an incredible time with.  Stil, I gave it a try, and I think the final list is a pretty good representation of both my favourite authors and my favourite books from them.  So let us see who made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Richard Osman – The Last Devil to Die

A brilliant and particularly heartbreaking entry in Richard Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series.

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Michael Connelly – Fair Warning

I have the pleasure of reading several of Michael Connelly’s more recent books, and my favourite is the chilling Fair Warning, which combines a great mystery with warnings about companies owning a person’s DNA.

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Mark Greaney – The Gray Man

There are so many exceptional spy thrillers from Mark Greaney out there, but my favourite remains his original release, the over-the-top and addictive The Gray Man.

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Adrian Tchaikovksy – Days of Shattered Faith

The consistently impressive and inventive Adrian Tchaikovsky had a range of awesome reads I could have featured here, but I had to go with his compelling and elaborate 2025 release, Days of Shattered Faith as my current favourite.

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Top Ten List:

Terry Pratchett – Guards! Guards!

With a blog named after a location in his Discworld series, I doubt anyone is surprised that Terry Pratchett is one of my favourite authors.  A master of humour, complex characters and elaborate worlds, Pratchett’s book are so damn good, and even after all these years I still get so much joy out of them.  As such, Pratchett was an easy author for this list, although I had a lot of trouble deciding which of his books to feature here (I’ve previously done a whole list about my favourites).  While books like Jingo, Small Gods and Witches Abroad were all strong contenders, in the end I had to go with the hilarious and clever Guards! Guards!.  Not only was it a complex novel, perfectly combining a clever crime fiction narrative with amazing fantasy elements and some outstanding humour, but Guards! Guards! also serves as the first entry in Pratchett’s City Watch sub-series, and I have so much love for how he set up some other amazing reads here.  An incredible book from my very favourite author, and a worthy start to this list.

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Stan Sakai – Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 11: Seasons

For as long as I have been reviewing, I have been singing the praises of Stan Sakai, who remains one of my favourite comic book authors thanks to his Usagi Yojimbo series.  I have had an incredible time reading the entire Usagi Yojimbo series multiple times over the years, but if I had to pick a favourite it would probably be the 11th volume Seasons.  Not only does this volume feature one of the stories that first drew me to the Usagi Yojimbo series, but it also features several other captivating stories that showcase both Sakai’s great artwork, and his long-term writing and character creation.  I particularly enjoy how he introduces various interesting figures and sets up multiple ongoing arcs in a series of fascinating shorter stories, and it was a real joy to see these play out in the next several volumes.  As such, Seasons has a very special place in my heart, and it’s an excellent comic to feature here.

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Jonathan Maberry – Code Zero

Few authors have kept me enthralled in recent years than the master of dark fiction, Jonathan Maberry.  An author primarily focusing on horror and science fiction themed thrillers, Maberry has produced some outstanding novels over the years, and has branched out into several different genres, including fantasy (with Kagen the Damned), and pure science fiction (NecroTek).  However, my favourite series is the amazing Joe Ledger books, which follows a highly damaged agent as he attempts to keep the word safe from all manner of advanced technology and weaponry.  There are some amazing entries in the Joe Ledger series, however, my favourite is probably the sixth novel, Code Zero.  Revisiting some of the worst weapons the protagonist has ever defeated and working against an enemy who knows all their secrets, Code Zero was an excellent read with some awesome intensity behind it.

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Jim Butcher – Changes

After spending years getting through his iconic and impressive Dresden Files series, Jim Butcher now reigns as one of my all-time favourite fantasy authors, and I have so much love for his main body of work.  Currently made up of 18 books, the Dresden Files follows Chicago’s only wizard as he tries to protect his city from various arcane threats.  There are multiple incredible novels within this series, although if I had to pick a favourite, it would be Changes (only just beating out Skin Game).  Changes is a standout entry in the series, especially as it completely alters much of the Dresden Files’ established status quo and pushes the protagonist to his very limits.  If you’ve read this series, you know why this book is so significant, and the raw emotion, carnage and multiple dark twists, ensure that Changes remains Butcher’s very best book.

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Matt Dinniman – The Butcher’s Masquerade

One of the more recent additions to my list of favourite authors is the very popular Matt Dinniman.  An author who primarily specialises in LitRPG fiction, I became a mega-fan of Dinniman last year when I decided to try his acclaimed book Dungeon Crawler Carl, which then led to me reading the rest of the series.  I honestly cannot remember becoming as obsessed with something as easily as I did with the Dungeon Crawler Carl books, as I absorbed all of them in record time.  I’ve only just finished the recently released eighth book in the series, A Parade of Horribles, and this has reinforced Dinniman’s inclusion on this list.  I did struggle to decide which of the Dungeon Crawler Carl novels to feature here, with the brutal sixth book The Eye of the Bedlam Bride, being a strong contender.  However, in the end I decided that the epic fifth book, The Butcher’s Masquerade, was the entry I had to include as my favourite.  Featuring some of the best combination of humour, tragedy and utter insanity that I have ever read in fiction, The Butcher’s Masquerade was an exceptional novel, that hits hard and refuses to let go.  A truly epic novel that earns its spot on this list with very little trouble.

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John Marsden – The Third Day the Frost

Going back to some childhood favourites, I’ve added the late Australian author John Marsden to this list, mainly because of his iconic Tomorrow series.  One of the best pieces of Australian fiction ever written, the Tomorrow series is a powerful young adult series that follows several teenagers caught up in a sudden invasion of Australia.  I have so much love for this series, and I’ve had the great pleasure of reading multiple times since I was a young teenager.  All seven books in this series are good, but my favourite is The Third Day the Frost, which serves as the dramatic third entry.  A powerful novel that sees the protagonists experience the horrors of war and learn to regret decision to fight like never before, The Third Day the Frost was Marsden’s most traumatic book, and it is a harrowing highlight amid the other exceptional entries.

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R. A. Salvatore – Homeland

I’ve had the pleasure of reading books from many fantasy authors over the years, but one of the original authors who I became a fan of was the iconic R. A. Salvatore.  One of the key contributors to the Forgotten Realms fantasy universe of Dungeons and Dragons, Salvatore has written so many books in this setting, as well as several outstanding series set in his own fantasy universe.  I have had so much fun over the years reading his various novels, with the extremely long-running Legend of Drizzt books and his Cleric Quintet being a major favourite.  Of these, the book I must highlight as my favourite is the 1990 release, Homeland.  A compelling read that serves as a prequel to Salvatore’s original Icewind Dale trilogy, Homeland follows the origins of Salvatore’s most iconic character, Drizzt Do’Urden, and his earlier years surviving amongst his brutal kind.  A complex novel that provides some chilling insights into the subterranean dark elves know as drow, Homeland is an outstanding read that provides an extreme version of nature vs nurture.  A very easy choice to include on this list.

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Simon Scarrow – Under the Eagle

I’ve always been a fan of historical fiction, and my favourite author of the genre is Simon Scarrow.  I have been a fan of Scarrow since I started reading historical fiction, with his long-running Eagles of the Empire series being a major factor in this.  Following two Roman soldiers as they try to survive the various battlefields and politics of the empire’s peak, the Eagles of the Empire books have always been must-reads for me, and I am still a fan to this day (check out my review for the latest entry, Tyrant of Rome).  There are way too many books in this series to have a definitive favourite, but I think I’m going to go with Scarrow’s very first book, Under the Eagle.  Serving as an excellent introduction to the main characters as they prepare to invade Britannia, Under the Eagle sets up the rest of the series perfectly and was an excellent initial entry.  A very impressive first novel that the series keeps coming back to, Under the Eagle was an amazing read that has had me hooked for so very long.

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Joe Abercrombie – The Trouble With Peace

I had to include Joe Abercrombie on this list, as the master of grimdark fantasy fiction has consistently impressed with his powerful plots and delightfully flawed characters.  His books, from the First Law series, all the way to last year’s entertaining gore-fest, The Devils, have all been quite incredible and addictive.  However, if I had to choose a favourite, I’d have to go with The Trouble With Peace.  The second book in Abercrombie’s Age of Madness trilogy, The Trouble With Peace narrowly edges out the trauma of excellent third novel, The Wisdom of Crowds, thanks to its concise story and powerful battle sequences.  I also love how it turns the previous novel’s seemingly foppish protagonist into an extremely likeable leading man, while the supposedly heroic young star of the preceding A Little Hatred, is effortlessly morphed into a selfish heel.  An incredible read from one of dark fantasy’s absolute best authors and a fantastic inclusion for this list.

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Dan Abnett – Warhammer 40,000: Double Eagle

The final person I want to feature on this list is Dan Abnett, who was an automatic inclusion here for being my favourite author of Warhammer fiction.  An intense author who always tries to showcase the average human perspective of the over-the-top Warhammer universe, Abnett has written some truly amazing novels over the years, many of which are among my favourite Warhammer 40,000 entries.  However, my favourite is probably his classic novel, Double Eagle, which follows a group of fighter pilots battling for survival above a bloody warzone.  Featuring some of the very best aerial combat sequences you are ever going to read, Double Eagle was an ultra-addictive masterpiece, that I couldn’t stop listening to.  A highly recommended and action-packed read that perfectly wraps up this list.

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Whew, well that was a far more extensive Top Ten list than I intended, although I’m happy with the result.  The above really are some of my very favourite books from some of my favourite authors, and I love every single one of them.  All the above come very highly recommended, and there is a good chance you will start a new obsession the moment you start to explore them, so good luck. Make sure to also let me know your absolute favourite books and authors in the comments below.

Top Ten Tuesday – Book Titles Featuring Ordinal Numbers

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Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly task that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers creating and sharing lists on various book topics.  For this week’s Top Ten Tuesday, participants need to list their favourite books that feature ordinal numbers in the title.  As defined by The Artsy Reader Girl topic page, ordinal numbers are numbers that define an item’s place in a series, for example whether it’s the first, second, third, etc, book in the series.

This was a very interesting topic, which I was curious to try out.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a lot of books I’ve read that specifically used a number in the title to correspond where it sat in the series.  As such, I’ve been a little creative with this subject and included some more unusual examples, as well as books where the number in the title corresponds to where the novel sits in the series.  I’ve also wasn’t too attached to putting the actual numbers in and have relied on a few number-based words (for example first instead of one, twice instead of two and so on).  This produced an interesting list from a bunch of different authors, and I ended up liking the final result.  So, let’s see what made the cut.

Honourable Mentions:

Fool Me Twice by Jeff Lindsay

The fun second book in Jeff Lindsay’s Riley Wolfe series.  A special shoutout also needs to go the third and fourth entries in the series, Three-Edged Sword and The Fourth Rule.

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The Two-Faced Queen by Nick Martell

The ultra-impressive second entry in Nick Martell’s The Legacy of the Mercenary Kings.  I’ve left this as an honourable mention as the name really is a coincidence tied to a character’s title.

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Top Ten List:

First Watch by Dale Lucas

My first choice for this list (pun intended), was the cool fantasy crime novel, First Watch by Dale Lucas.  An interesting read with an excellent mystery premise behind it, First Watch was the great first book in a series and a fun inclusion here.

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First and Only by Dan Abnett

Another ‘first’ book in a series that identified itself as such in the title was the cool Warhammer 40,000 novel, First and Only by Dan Abnett.  Book one in the iconic Gaunt’s Ghosts series, First and Only was a great opening entry that perfectly introduced the series’ scenario and solider characters.  An outstanding first book in one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 series.

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Fool Me Once Harlan Coben

Another cool novel that proclaims’ where it sits in a series is the outstanding read, Fool Me Once from the always impressive Harlan Coben.  Previously a standalone novel, Fool Me Once just became the first book in a series after Coben released a sequel in 2025 with Nobody’s Fool, allowing for its inclusion on this list.

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Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry

I’m being slightly cheeky by including Patient Zero in this list, as it was technically book one in Jonathan Maberry’s Joe Ledger series.  However, I think it’s appropriate because the premise of this novel is a team of elite operators attempting to hunt down and killing the first patient in a man-made zombie plague (i.e. the titular patient zero). In some ways, Patient Zero followed a similar trend as it was the first book in a series that quickly and relentlessly spread out into a massive, long-running franchise.  As such, I’m going to include Patient Zero on this list, and it comes very highly recommended for those who like an extreme, science fiction thriller.

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The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman

Moving onto the twos/twice, we have The Man Who Died Twice.  The second book in Richard Osman’s exceptional Thursday Murder Club series, The Man Who Died Twice was an excellent novel and a wonderful sequel.  A fun and hilarious inclusion for this list.

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The Third Day, The Frost by James Marsden

I just had to include The Third Day, The Frost here, as it is one of my favourite Australian novels.  While James Marsden took the name from a Shakespeare line, the title does also correspond with The Third Day, The Frost being the third book in the author’s iconic Tomorrow series.  I have a lot of love for this novel, especially as this third entry is easily the best entry in this outstanding young adult war series.  A highly recommended read and a very worthy novel to highlight in this post.

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Four Ruined Realms by Mai Corland

The next entry on this list is a little different, as the Four Ruined Realms is the second book in its series.  However, as the four decreases from the five in the first book, Five Broken Blades, I think that it counts as an ordinal number as it does indicate to readers where Four Ruined Realms lies in the Broken Blades series.  It helps that the third book in the series, Three Shattered Souls (which I still need to read), also negatively changed number to reflect its position in the series, relative to the five in the first book.  As such, I think this is an acceptable inclusion for this list, and an interesting loophole I’m happy to exploit.

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The Fifth Elephant by Terry Pratchett

Due to the name of this blog, I generally try to include one of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels on my lists, and for this Top Ten Tuesday I’m going to use The Fifth Elephant.  A fun and highly entertaining fantasy crime fiction novel set out in an entertaining Transylvania parody setting, The Fifth Elephant is a good inclusion for this list as it is the fifth book in the City Watch sub-series.  An excellent book that really expands the setting in some interesting directions for the rest of the Discworld series, The Fifth Elephant fits into this post perfectly, and I’m glad I could highlight Terry Pratchett’s legendary words again.

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The Malevolent Eight by Sebastien de Castell

This next entry is another slightly different inclusion, as The Malevolent Eight is really the second book in a series, rather than the eighth.  However, I’m including it here because The Malevolent Eight is the sequel to Sebastien de Castell’s fun, parody-titled dark fantasy novel, The Malevolent Seven, which as you can imagine brought together seven malevolent adventurers for a job.  The subsequent title of The Malevolent Eight helps to showcase this book as a sequel to The Malevolent Seven, and as such I think it counts as an ordinal number and a perfect inclusion for this list.  A highly recommended read as well, The Malevolent Eight is a ton of fun and I deeply enjoyed getting through it last year.

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Witness 8 by Steve Cavanagh

The final book that I want to include on this list is the highly entertaining legal thriller, Witness 8.  A great read on its own, the eight in this title serves to refer to a malevolent witness who is manipulating the events of a trial for her own ends.  However, Witness 8 also serves as the eighth book in Steve Cavanagh’s outstanding Eddie Flynn series, so it also works as an ordinal number inclusion.  A very cool read whose title works on several levels, Witness 8 is an excellent novel for fans of crazy legal thrillers and the perfect book to end this post on.

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As you can see, I’ve had the pleasure of reading a few cool books with ordinal numbers in their titles over the years.  While I didn’t always follow the expected rules for this list, I quite like how it turned out, and I think it nicely shows off some of the unique novels that I have fun reading.  I had a great time pulling this latest list together, especially as I needed to think hard about the books I wanted to feature here, and I think the results speak for themselves.  Let me know what cool books you’ve enjoyed that had ordinal numbers in the title and make sure to check out some of the above awesome books when you get a chance.

Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Books of 2025

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Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently resides at The Artsy Reader Girl and feature bloggers sharing lists on various book topics.  As we roll into the new year I am going to list my absolute favourite books of 2025, which is something I look forward to every year.  This is a continuation of several lists I have done in recent weeks that highlighted the authors and books that have most impressed me this year.  Previous lists looked at topics like my favourite pre-2025 novels, as well as my favourite audiobooks, sequels, and new-to-me authors of 2025. However, this list is the big one as it covers my absolute favourite releases of the year, of which there are quite a few.

I think we can all agree that 2025 has been another rollercoaster year for the world, but thankfully readers got a little bit of solace as this was an amazing year for books, with a huge range of incredible releases coming out across the genres.  Not only did several new series start but we had some exceptional debuts, and some big continuations of established series.  I have had an amazing time reading or listening to some outstanding books this year and quite a few releases have become instant favourites.  I must admit that I somewhat struggled to pull this list together, as there were so many books that deserved to be mentioned.  Therefore, because I am a very soft touch, and because the quality of the books I read this year was so impressive, I have decided to expand this list out to 20 entries (just like I have the last several years, I’m a very soft touch).  These 20 books are my absolute favourites from 2025, and I would strongly recommend every one of them to anyone interested in a great read.

To make it onto this list a book only needed to be released here in Australia during 2025.  I have naturally excluded anything I have not read yet, even though there were quite a few awesome-sounding books I sadly didn’t squeeze into my reading schedule.  I decided to leave off my usual Honourable Mentions section as the extra 10 entries make it unnecessary.  There will be a bit of crossover between the below entries and some of my previous lists.  For example, several of these novels appeared on my Top Ten Favourite Audiobooks of 2025 list and my Top Ten Favourite Books from the First Half of 2025 list, which I ran back into July.  Overall, I am very happy with how this Top 20 list turned out, and I think it contains a pretty good range of novels that showcase the different types of books that I chose to read this year.  So, without further ado, here is the list.

Top Twenty List:

The Devils by Joe Abercrombie

The first book I want to highlight on this list was one of my favourite fantasy novels of 2025 with The Devils by Joe Abercrombie.  An exceptional and comedic dark fantasy from the master of grimdark fiction, The Devils is set in an alternate medieval Europe and follows several loveable monsters in the employ of the church as they attempt to enthrone a street thief as Empress of Troy.  A gloriously over-the-top novel, The Devils was Abercrombie at his best, and I had an exceptional time getting through it.

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Cold War by Jonathan Maberry

Diabolical dark fiction master Jonathan Maberry is an author who has appeared consistently on these end-of-year lists since I started them, and 2025 is no exception.  Maberry had two books out in 2025, including the twisted thriller Burn to Shine.  However, my favourite book of Maberry’s this year is the outstanding science fiction novel Cold War.  The sequel to his 2024 release, NecroTek, Cold War was a gripping read that sees groups of stranded humanity facing off against Lovecraftian horrors in the future.  Featuring an intriguing narrative split, awesome action and some classic Maberry horror, Cold War was another excellent novel, especially on audiobook.

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Usagi Yojimbo: The Crow and Ten Thousand Plums by Stan Sakai

It’s kind of inevitable the new volumes of the Usagi Yojimbo comic series are going to appear on this end of year list.  One of my favourite comic series, the Usagi Yojimbo comics follow a rabbit ronin as he traverses an alternate version of feudal Japan.  I have so much love for this series, and creator Stan Sakai released two exceptional volumes this year with The Crow and Ten Thousand Plums.  Both were amazing and intricate reads, and I loved every second I spent reading them.  Due to how impressive there were, I am combining these two volumes together into one entry, and as both comics are very worthy inclusions to this list.

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Days of Shattered Faith by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Easily one of the more impressive and complex fantasy novels on this list is the incredible Days of Shattered Faith by the highly inventive Adrian Tchaikovsky.  The third book in the author’s Tyrant Philosopher’s series, Days of Shattered Faith follows on from City of Last Chances and House of Open Wounds and focuses on a new fantasy city beset by internal strife and dangerous diplomats.  A unique read, Days of Shattered Faith was one of the best books of the year, and I loved every second I spent in Tchaikovsky’s latest complex cityscape.

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Nemesis by Gregg Hurwitz

Acclaimed thriller author Gregg Hurwitz ensured readers were hooked this year with one of his best Orphan X novels, Nemesis.  The 10th book in the Orphan X series, Nemesis sees the relentless protagonist forced to go to war with his only friend in an emotionally charged and complex read.  Filled with exceptional character moments, Nemesis was an especially compelling novel that keeps you hooked all the way to its powerful and heartbreaking end.  I really loved Nemesis, although I way never forgive Hurwitz for what he put me through with this book.

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Warhammer 40,000: Interceptor City by Dan Abnett

I had so much fun returning to the skies this year with the incredible Warhammer 40,000 novel, Interceptor City.  The sequel to Dan Abnett’s iconic book Double Eagle, Interceptor City saw the first novel’s protagonist return for another harrowing tour of duty, this time flying fighter aircraft in the ruins of a gigantic city.  Featuring some of the best aerial combat sequences you are ever going to read, Interceptor City was a true highlight of 2025 and a must-read for all Warhammer 40,000 fans.

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A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett

The new master of fantasy crime fiction, Robert Jackson Bennett had another exceptional year, thanks to his new novel A Drop of Corruption.  The sequel to his exceptional novel The Tainted Cup (one of my favourite books of 2024), A Drop of Corruption sees an enhanced investigator and her loyal assistant, attempt to solve an impossible disappearance in an empire constantly under attack by giant monsters.  Featuring a particularly elaborate and impressive murder mystery that makes full of it’s fantasy setting, A Drop of Corruption was unbelievably good, and I cannot get over how awesome and complex the story turned out.  I love this series from Bennet so damn much and I cannot wait to read the third book in 2026.

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Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

The iconic Hunger Games franchise got a major boost in 2025, thanks to the outstanding prequel novel Sunrise on the Reaping.  Set at the 50th Hunger Games, Sunrise on the Reaping follows a fan favourite as he tries to survive the deadliest games of all time.  Suzanne Collins honestly outdid herself with this latest Hunger Games books, especially as she subverted all expectations and showcased a story with so many clever twists and manipulated surprises, all wrapped up with earthshaking tragedy.  The Hunger Games series will never be the same again, and I am still not over just how far Collins went with this exceptional read.

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Midnight Black by Mark Greaney

Mark Greaney continues to showcase why he is one of the very best authors of spy fiction with the amazing 2025 release, Midnight Black.  A particularly exciting and intense entry in Greaney’s Gray Man series, Midnight Black sees an exhausted version of Greaney’s long-running protagonist attempt the impossible, as he takes on the entire Russian state to free the women he loves.  An extremely exciting and moving novel, Midnight Black was Greaney at his very best, and I powered through this book so damn quickly.

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The Malevolent Eight by Sebastian De Castell

This year, author Sebastian De Castell followed up his amazing fantasy novel, The Malevolent Seven, with an even more outrageous and frankly bonkers sequel, The Malevolent Eight.  Following a group eight crazy individuals as they attempt to stop the warring armies of heaven and hell, The Malevolent Eight was utter chaos from start to finish, and I loved every second of it, vampiric kangaroo included.  One of the funnier books of 2025, The Malevolent Eight comes highly recommended, especially for those who like their fantasy novels as cleverly weird as possible.

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The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson

Another excellent fantasy novel released in 2025 was the very impressive and elaborate book, The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson.  The author’s first foray into fantasy fiction, The Raven Scholar featured a fantastic tournament plot, with several champions competing to become the ruler of a divided realm.  However, nothing is as it seems, and the contenders, including a damaged scholar dragged into the proceedings, are forced to contend with murder, intrigue and betrayal at every turn.  A wonderful piece of fantasy fiction from a very talented new voice in the genre.

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Never Flinch by Stephen King

The legendary Stephen King continues his domination of all thing’s fiction with the brilliant and deeply addictive Never Flinch.  A sequel to the outstanding novel Holly, Never Flinch sees unlikely investigator, Holly Gibney, attempt to stop two deadly predators attempting to kill in her town, including a guilt-riddled serial killer and a troubled stalker.  An excellent character-driven read, Never Flinch had me hooked very early on, and I still cannot get over how intense the last third of the book turned out.

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Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan

I had to include the awesome new fantasy novel from Anthony Ryan, Born of an Iron Storm, on this list.  The second book in the author’s Viking-inspired Age of Wrath series, Born of an Iron Storm perfectly followed on from last years A Tide of Black Steel (as well as Ryan’s previous Covenant of Steel trilogy), and treated readers to a powerful narrative shown through the eyes of four different heroes.  Loaded with cool world-building, great characters, and an adventure-laden plot, Born of an Iron Storm was an amazing read, and one I couldn’t get enough of.

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The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman

Richard Osman returned to his Thursday Murder Club series this year, with the latest book The Impossible Fortune.  Following the retiree protagonists as they try to uncover the secret behind a mysterious vault and its missing owner, The Impossible Fortune was a wonderful novel, that really dove into its amazing character’s lives after the great tragedy of the previous Thursday Murder Club book.  Osman perfectly reconnected with all his great characters again, and this ended up being a very clever and heartwarming read.

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King Sorrow by Joe Hill

For the first time ever, I have two separate family members appear on this list, thanks to the amazing Joe Hill trying to outshine his father.  Hill’s new book is the massive, but deeply captivating King Sorrow, an elaborate fantasy horror novel with an exceptional plot behind it.  Following a group of damaged friends who inadvertently forge a Faustian bargain with an interdimensional dragon, King Sorrow follows these figures over multiple years, as each member of the group is forced to designate several victims for the dragon to hunt down and kill.  A complex and very powerful novel with some amazing characters, King Sorrow proved to be an outstanding book to fall in love with, and I still cannot get over some of the outstanding twists and turns Hill imagined.

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The Strength of the Few by James Islington

The much-anticipated fantasy novel, The Strength of the Few, lived up to all the hype surrounding it, and ended up being one of the top books from the end of 2025.  The sequel to Islington’s exceptional The Will of the Many (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023), The Strength of the Few was an extremely ambitious read that followed three separate versions of the same protagonist as he lives through simultaneous adventures of three parallel worlds.  A particularly intricate and intelligent fantasy novel, The Strength of the Few was a true highlight of the year, and I cannot recommend this impressive fantasy series enough.

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Artifact by Jeremy Robinson

The always impressive Jeremy Robinson produced another captivating, standalone science fiction horror read this year with the fantastic novel Artifact.  Following a small group of likeable and isolated Alaskans who attempt to discover what went wrong at the secretive scientific research laboratory hidden at the outskirts of town, Artifact was an ultra-exciting read that went to some dark places.  An outstanding novel that is really worth checking out on audiobook.

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The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly

While I was spoiled for choice with Michael Connelly books in 2025 (including the great murder mystery Nightshade), my favourite was The Proving Ground.  The latest Lincoln Lawyer novel, The Proving Ground saw the titular character attempt to take down an artificial intelligence company who he believes is partially responsible for a young girl’s murder.  Clever, insightful and very addictive, The Proving Ground was a brilliant legal thriller and one I can’t stop thinking about.

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Star Wars: Sanctuary by Lamar Giles

There were several amazing Star Wars books this year, including The Mask of Fear and Master of Evil, however, I had to focus on the amazing and highly entertaining novel, Sanctuary by Lamar Giles.  A tie-in to the Bad Batch animated series, Sanctuary was an extremely entertaining and captivating read that saw the unruly clone protagonists attempt to pull off several easy-money gigs.  Unsurprisingly, all their clever plans fall apart, and the protagonists and their trouble-causing cargo soon find themselves being chased by a brilliant ISB agent and a psychotic, uber-wealthy crime lord.  Relentlessly entertaining and compelling, but with some real heart, Sanctuary was an exceptional Star Wars novel, and one I cannot recommend enough.

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Whisper in the Wind by Luke Arnold

The final book I want to highlight on this list is the captivating urban fantasy novel, Whisper in the Wind.  The fourth book in Australian author Luke Arnold’s Fetch Phillips series, Whisper in the Wind sees the very damaged protagonist once again dragged into a dangerous attempt to bring magic back to his devastated city.  However, forced to contend with the city’s new elites, and their dark plans, Fetch finds himself pushed to his limit as his attempts at living a quiet life are blown to hell.  A complex and wonderfully written novel, Whisper in the Wind is an impressive entry in one of the more compelling ongoing fantasy series, and Luke Arnold honestly gets better with every book he writes.  A highly recommended read and a very worthy final inclusion on this list.

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Well, those are my 20 favourite books of 2025. It turned out to be quite a good list in the end, and I am very glad that I was able to highlight so many fantastic books.  2026 is set to be another excellent year for amazing reads, and I will be examining some of my most anticipated books next week.  In the meantime, let me know what your favourite books of 2025 were in the comments below, and make sure you all have a happy and safe New Years.

WWW Wednesday – 8 October 2025

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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:

The Widow by John Grisham (Trade Paperback)

I recently started reading the new John Grisham novel, The Widow.  An enticing legal thriller from the always reliable Grisham, The Widow follows a small-town lawyer who finds himself in big trouble when he attempts to defraud a rich, elderly widow.  I’ve made a bit of progress on The Widow so far, and I’m enjoying its intriguing narrative so far, especially as Grisham is setting up a slow-burn scenario to trap his protagonist.  I’m hoping to knock this novel off in the next few days and I cannot wait to see how The Widow unfolds. 

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Warhammer 40,000: Final Deployment by R. S. Wilt (Audiobook)

I also started to listen to the cool Warhammer 40,000 audiobook Final Deployment this week.  The debut novel of author R. S. Wilt, Final Deployment follows a small squad of elite human soldiers as they attempt to destroy the dark heart of a brutal civil war. I’ve so far gotten through a couple of hours of Final Deployment, and it is proving to be an excellent and exciting read, that will no doubt take its damaged protagonists on an intense and bloody ride. 

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What did you recently finish reading?

The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman (Audiobook)

I managed to finish off the new Richard Osman novel, The Impossible Fortune this week. The fifth Thursday Murder Club novel, The Impossible Fortune was another excellent entry in this amazing series, that blends a complex mystery with classic British charm.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

The Pilgrim’s Revenge by Scott Mariani

The next book that I’m hoping to read is the intriguing historical thriller, The Pilgrim’s Revenge. An awesome 2025 release from thriller author Scott Mariani, The Pilgrim’s Revenge sounds particularly epic, and I’ve been hoping to read it for a while, especially as Mariani has a sequel coming out very soon.

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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.

WWW Wednesday – 1 October 2025

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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:

The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman (Audiobook)

I started listening to the new Richard Osman novel, The Impossible Fortune this week. The fifth Thursday Murder Club novel, The Impossible Fortune is another excellent entry in this amazing series, that blends a complex mystery with classic British charm.  I have made a fair bit of progress with The Impossible Fortune this week, and this amazing novel is really quite enjoyable, especially on audiobook.

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What did you recently finish reading?

The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown (Hardcover)

I finally finished off the new Dan Brown novel, The Secret of Secrets this week. Bringing back Brown’s iconic protagonist on another history-laden mystery, The Secret of Secrets was a very compelling read with an interesting story behind it. 

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Artifact by Jeremy Robinson (Audiobook)

I also powered through the new audiobook from Jeremy Robinson, Artifact. A standalone science fiction novel with a notable horror vibe, Artifact was a very entertaining listen, especially with the always awesome R. C. Bray narrating. Review to follow soon.

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Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson (Trade Paperback)

I had a lot of fun quickly getting through the amazing Australian murder mystery, Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson this week.  A hilarious and extremely clever read from one of Australia’s best authors, this was such an epic read, and I really enjoyed how its complex mystery came together.

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What do you think you’ll read next?

The Widow by John Grisham

The next book I am hoping to read is the new John Grisham novel, The Widow.  An enticing legal thriller from the always reliable Grisham, The Widow will see a small-town lawyer find himself in some big trouble when he attempts to defraud a rich, elderly widow.  I love the sound of this amazing book, and I know I’m going to have an outstanding time getting through The Widow this week. 

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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.

WWW Wednesday – 24 September 2025

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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:

The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown (Hardcover)

I’m still getting through the intriguing new Dan Brown novel, The Secret of Secrets at the moment.  Bringing back Brown’s iconic protagonist on another history-laden mystery, The Secret of Secrets is a very compelling read and one I know I’m going to enjoy.  I haven’t had as much time to read this week as I would have liked, so I’ve only made a little progress on The Secret of Secrets since my last post.  However, I’m hoping to really dive into this book in the next few days, and I look forward to seeing how this novel comes together.

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Artifact by Jeremy Robinson (Audiobook)

I have had a little more time for audiobook listening this week, so I started the fantastic new novel from Jeremy Robinson, Artifact. A standalone science fiction novel with a notable horror vibe, Artifact sees an Alaskan sheriff and his unlikely posse investigate a remote science lab filled with unusual genetic monstrosities. A very entertaining listen, especially with the always awesome R. C. Bray narrating, I’ve already made a bit of progress on Artifact’s audiobook version in the last couple of days, and I’m hoping to finish it this week.

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What did you recently finish reading?

Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan (Audiobook)

I managed to finish off the excellent fantasy novel Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan this week, and it ended up being quite an exceptional listen.  The sequel to last year’s A Tide of Black Steel, Born of an Iron Storm continued the great story from the first book, as several compelling characters attempt to survive an oncoming invasion from a previously hidden nation. I really enjoyed the elaborate and intense narrative of this book and Born of an Iron Storm is easily one of the best fantasy books of 2025. 

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What do you think you’ll read next?

Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson

After failing to get to it this week, I am still hoping to check out is the fun Australian murder mystery, Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson next.  The next book in the outstanding Ernest Cunningham series, Everyone in this Bank is a Thief looks set to be another hilarious and clever read, and I’m looking forward to checking it out.

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The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman

If I finish off Artifact this week I am planning to listen to the new Richard Osman novel, The Impossible Fortune next. The fifth Thursday Murder Club novel, The Impossible Fortune is shaping up to be an exceptional book with a complex crime fiction narrative behind it. I have no doubt this will be one of the best books of 2025, and I’m excited to listen to this outstanding audiobook.

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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 – 17 September 2025

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I’ve had an excellent couple of weeks for books, as I was lucky enough to receive a huge number of 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 Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman

Let’s start this Book Haul post off strong with the new Thursday Murder Club novel, The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman. Following on from all the previous exceptional Thursday Murder Club books (The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice, The Bullet That Missed and The Last Devil to Die), The Impossible Fortune will bring back the series’ amazing pensioner protagonists and see them attempt to solve another complex crime in their typical, funny fashion.  I have been so eager to see how this series continues, especially after the heartbreaking events of The Last Devil to Die, and I already know that this is going to be one of the top books of 2025.

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Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan

Next on this haul we have the outstanding fantasy novel, Born of an Iron Storm by Anthony Ryan. The sequel to Ryan’s previous novel, A Tide of Black Steel (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2024), Born of an Iron Storm continues the epic story from the first book, as several compelling protagonists try to fight back against a mysterious, invading force. I am currently listening to Born of an Iron Storm on audiobook, and it is proving to be quite an exceptional listen that I am deeply enjoying.

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Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson

The laughs are sure to come with the new Australian crime fiction novel from Benjamin Stevenson, Everyone in this Bank is a Thief.  The fourth book in one of the funniest Australian series currently running, Everyone in this Bank is a Thief has a great plot that see’s inadvertent detective Ernest Cunningham attempt to solve a new murder, this time in the middle of a violent bank heist. I cannot wait to see how this clever book unfolds, and I already know I’m going to love it.

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Circle of Days by Ken Follett

The latest book I’ve managed to get my hands on is Circle of Days by the always impressive Ken Follett.  Another massive and deeply compelling historical fiction novel Circle of Days will chronicle the lives of several characters as they witness the creation of Stonehenge. This looks set to be an epic new read from the author and I am very excited to see Follett explore a new period of history.

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Crossroads of Ravens by Andrzel Sapkowski

I was particularly happy to receive a copy of the new Witcher novel from Andrzej Sapkowski, Crossroads of Ravens, which is probably one of the bigger fantasy releases of 2025. A prequel book set before the other The Witcher novels, Crossroads of Ravens will follow a younger Geralt on his earliest adventures as he attempts to survive a world that hates and fears him. I am hoping to read Crossroads of Ravens really soon, and I cannot wait to see how it turns out.

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The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown

Dan Brown returns with an excellent new thriller with The Secret of Secrets. Bringing back his iconic protagonist for another thrilling examination of historical conspiracies, The Secret of Secrets is going to be one of the more awesome releases of 2025 and I am hoping to start reading it today.

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The Pilgrim’s Revenge by Scott Mariani

Probably one of the more exciting novels I’ve received is the epic historical thriller, The Pilgrim’s Revenge by Scott Mariani. An excellent revenge novel that sees a man join the crusades to get revenge on a group of soldiers who killed his family.  I am hoping to get to The Pilgrim’s Revenge really soon and I have no doubt it’s going to be a particularly impressive read.

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How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps by Andrew Rowe

I was very happy to receive the entertaining fantasy novel, How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps by Andrew Rowe.  A fun sounding book with some interesting LitRPG elements to it, this new release of How to Defeat a Demon King in Ten Easy Steps is going to be awesome, and I cannot wait to check it out.

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Murder On North Terrace by Lainie Anderson

The next book I want to highlight in this Book Haul post is Murder on North Terrace.  The sequel to Lainie Anderson’s 2024 novel, The Death of Dora Black, Murder on North Terrace is going to be a compelling Australian murder mystery set in Adelaide during World War I. I had an excellent time with The Death of Dora Black last year and I am looking forward to reading the sequel

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Star Trek: Lower Decks, Volume 1: Second Contact by Ryan North

I had to feature Second Contact in this haul, which is going to be so damn good. A very fun Star Trek comic that focuses on the characters of the Lower Decks animated series, this first volume of this series, Second Contact, has a fantastic sounding plot that will place your favourite Star Trek characters into all manner of whacky situations.  I have a lot of love for Lower Decks, which is such a funny Star Trek show, and I cannot wait to see its characters and unique humour comes across in comic book form.

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The Devil’s Knight by P. W. Finch

The final book I want to highlight on this post is the intriguing historical fiction novel, The Devil’s Knight by P. W. Finch. Set during the Third Crusade, The Devil’s Knight sees a deadly knight attempt to escort a potential saint back to England while every other major force involved in the war tries to stop him. I really love the sound of this book, and it is an excellent recently received novel to end this post on.

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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 – Books on my Spring 2025 To Be Read (TBR) List

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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 Top Ten Tuesday topic for this week featured books with occupations in the title, which I actually completed last week, so instead I’m instead going to use this post to look at some upcoming books. This is because today is the first Tuesday of Spring 2025 and I thought this would be a good opportunity to do my quarterly post about the best upcoming books I am looking forward to reading in Spring (Autumn/Fall for folks in the Northern Hemisphere). This is a regular post I do at the start of each season, and I always love to highlight some of the most impressive sounding novels coming out in the next three months.

For this list, I have come up with ten books coming out between 1 September 2025 and 30 November 2025 that I am most excited for. There are quite a few amazing novels set for release in the next few months, so it took me a while to finalise my final top ten list, including my usual honourable mentions section. I have primarily used the Australian publication dates to reflect when I will be able to get these awesome novels, and these might be somewhat different to the rest of the world. I have previously discussed a number of these books before in prior Waiting on Wednesday articles, and I think all of them will turn out to be incredible reads. I am extremely excited for these next three months and I feel that quite a few of these upcoming reads have the potential to be some of my favourite books of 2025.

Honourable Mentions:

The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown by 9 September 2025

A deeply exciting thriller from the legendary Dan Brown that will once again present a compelling mystery from history.

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The Widow by John Grisham – 21 October 2025

An intriguing new legal thriller from the always impressive John Grisham.

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King Sorrow by Joe Hill – 21 October 2025

The highly inventive Joe Hill will present a compelling new horror thriller with King Sorrow, an epic novel that sees a group of friends experience the downside of summoning a vengeful dragon.

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Kill Your Boss by Jack Heath – 4 November 2025

One of top Australian releases of 2025, Kill Your Boss will follow Jack Heath’s previous outstanding novels, Kill Your Brother and Kill Your Husbands.

Top Ten List:

Circle of Days by Ken Follett – 23 September 2025

The first book I want to highlight on this list is the upcoming historical fiction novel from Ken Follett, Circle of Days.  A historical epic set around the construction of Stonehenge, Circle of Days will follow several complex characters as they live their lives in the shadow of an iconic construction.  I have no doubt that Circle of Days will be one of the top historical fiction releases of 2025 and this is an excellent novel to start this list on.

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The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman – 25 September 2025

Few Spring releases have me as excited as The Impossible Fortune by Richard Osman.  The fifth book in the incredible Thursday Murder Club series by Osman, The Impossible Fortune will follow on from outstanding novels like The Thursday Murder Club (one of my favourite books, debuts and audiobooks of 2020), The Man Who Died Twice (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2021), The Bullet That Missed (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022) and The Last Devil to Die (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023).  Featuring a cool new case, The Impossible Fortune sounds like another entertaining entry in the series, and I cannot wait to see how the characters are going after the deep tragedy of The Last Devil to Die.  This will likely top all my end of 2025 best-of lists, and I cannot wait to check it out.

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Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson – 30 September 2025

One of the more entertaining novels coming out in the second half of 2025 is going to be the brilliant Australian thriller Everyone in this Bank is a Thief by Benjamin Stevenson. The fourth book in the Ernest Cunningham series (Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect, and Everyone this Christmas has a Secret), Everyone in this Bank is a Thief will once again place Stevenson’s insightful and unlucky protagonist at the site of another crime as he is forced to investigate a murder while trapped as a hostage in a bank robbery. Blending classic murder mystery elements with a fun heist narrative, Everyone in this Bank is a Thief is going to be a hilarious read, and I cannot wait to check it out.

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Cold War by Jonathan Maberry – 14 October 2025

After already impressing with Burn to Shine, Maberry still has his second novel of 2025 coming out with Cold War.  A follow-up to his 2024 dark science fiction novel, NecroTek, Cold War will see a group of human scientists, soldiers and pilots trapped on the other side of the universe using death-powered alien mechs to fight against ancient cosmic horrors.  Sure to be another complex and chilling novel, Cold War has a ton of potential and will likely be a top book of the year.

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The Proving Ground by Michael Connelly – 21 October 2025

The always reliable master of crime fiction, Michael Connelly, has another awesome book coming out in 2025 with The Proving Ground. The next book in the author’s incredible Lincoln Lawyer series (which has previously featured books like The Law of Innocence and Resurrection Walk), The Proving Ground will team Mickey Haller with another Connelly protagonist, Jack McEvoy (the protagonist of books like Fair Warning), as he takes on a sinister AI company. Likely to combine great legal elements with a complex thriller narrative, I have a feeling this is going to be one of Connelly’s more captivating books, and I am very excited to get my hands on it.

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Tyrant of Rome by Simon Scarrow – 6 November 2025

For some additional historical fiction awesomeness in 2025, we still have the new Eagles of the Empire novel from Simon Scarrow, Tyrant of Rome. Scarrow’s second book in 2025 after A Death in Berlin, Tyrant of Rome will follow on from the previous Eagles of the Empire novel, Revenge of Rome, as the protagonists return to Rome after ending Boudica’s rebellion. This time series protagonists Cato and Macro are dragged back into the excesses of Nero when they are chosen to take control of law and order throughout the city to keep the depraved emperor in power. I love this interesting change of direction away from the brutal war stories of the last few books and it is going to be fun to dive into over-the-top Roman politics.

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The Blackfire Blade by James Logan – 11 November 2025

Last year I had the very great pleasure of reading the outstanding fantasy debut, The Silverblood Promise by James Logan. An elaborate and compelling fantasy adventure that saw a young man travel to an unfamiliar city to uncover his father’s killer, The Silverblood Promise was an amazing read that blended inventive worldbuilding with a great conspiracy storyline. I had a ton of fun with this first book from Logan, and I have been eager to get my hands on the sequel for a while now. Luckily, I only have to wait a few more months as Logan’s second book, The Blackfire Blade, is one of the big fantasy releases of the second half of the year. Continuing to follow the protagonist’s quest to find clues related to his father’s murder, The Blackfire Blade takes the reader to another elaborate fantasy city and forces the characters to uncover the new setting’s dark secrets. I have no doubt this is going to be an impressive book, and I cannot wait to see how Logan continues his amazing series.

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The Strength of the Few by James Islington – 11 November 2025

Probably the most anticipated book for fantasy fans coming out in the second half of 2025 is the elaborate and intriguing novel, The Strength of the Few by James Islington. The sequel to Islington’s highly acclaimed The Will of the Many, The Strength of the Few, will continue to follow Islington’s compelling protagonist as he attempts to undermine the empire that destroyed his family, while uncovering the hidden secrets from the past. However, this book looks set to be even more complex as different versions of the protagonist are split across three separate realities, each of whom must face its own troubles and adventures. I am extremely intrigued to see how this split narrative is going to work out but based on how damn exceptional The Will of the Many was, I have very little doubt this is going to be a particularly epic novel.

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Our Lady of Blades by Sebastien de Castell – 11 November 2025

One of the more impressive fantasy novels coming out later this year is the very cool novel, Our Lady of Blades. The next book in Sebastien de Castell’s The Court of Shadows series, Our Lady of Blades will be another standalone novel in the author’s Greatcoat universe, that will build on the previous, loosely-connected novels Crucible of Chaos and Play of Shadows. Our Lady of Blades will explore a new location in this universe and will feature a The Count of Monte Cristo inspired plot, as a mysterious masked duellist returns to a corrupt city to get justice and restore her family through any means necessary, all while the big conspiracy of the series continues to unfold. Based on how exceptional the last two books in this series have been, I feel that Our Lady of Blades is going to be a top book of 2025, and it is one I am especially keen for, especially after having a blast with de Castells other release for the year, The Malevolent Eight.

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Star Wars: Master of Evil by Adam Christopher – 11 November 2025

The final book that I want to highlight on this list is the impressive and character-focussed Star Wars tie-in novel, Master of Evil by Adam Christopher. Set to follow Darth Vader during his early days as a Sith Lord, Master of Evil will provide some complex insights into this iconic villain’s mind as he attempts to uncover the true dark side of the Force. With a very intriguing and lore-heavy plot idea, and an even more awesome cover, Master of Evil has certainly caught my attention, and I cannot wait to see Adam Christopher’s take on this legendary Star Wars character.

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Well, that is the end of my Top Ten list. I think it turned out pretty well and it does a good job of capturing all my most anticipated books for the next three months. There are some really impressive books coming out in this part of 2025, and I cannot wait to read each of them soon. Let me know which of the above you are most excited for and stay tuned for reviews of them in the next few months. In the meantime, it looks like I have quite a bit of reading to do in the near future.