Originally published in the Canberra Weekly on 17 October 2024.
A copy of this column also appeared on the Canberra Daily website.
Make sure to check out my extended reviews of High Wire, We Solve Murders and An Eye for an Eye.
Tag: We Solve Murders
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman
Publisher: Penguin Audio (Audiobook – 17 September 2024)
Series: Standalone/Book One
Length: 10 hours and 33 minutes
My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
One of my favourite authors of crime fiction, hilarious British television personality Richard Osman, continues his run of exceptional books with the 2024 novel, We Solve Murders.
Few authors have made as big an impact on the crime fiction world in recent years than Richard Osman. Debuting in 2020 with his incredible novel, The Thursday Murder Club, Osman deeply impressed with his first book that cleverly blended a great mystery with likeable characters and a brilliant sense of humour. A fun novel about four retirees who solve murders from the activity room of their retirement village, The Thursday Murder Club was quite exceptional, and it ended up being one of my favourite books, debuts and audiobooks of 2020. Osman has done an outstanding job of continuing this series, with the next three books 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), all being incredible. After the powerful conclusion to The Last Devil to Die, Osman decided to take a break from the Thursday Murder Club books and instead dove into a cool standalone read, We Solve Murders. A fun thriller with some entertaining twists to it, We Solve Murders was an interesting new read from Osman, that I had an exceptional time with last year. Unfortunately, I’ve been a bit slack at getting a review out for this awesome book, but I’m trying to make an effort to get through it now before we hit the halfway mark of 2025.
Plot Synopsis:
A brand new series. An iconic new detective duo. And a puzzling new murder to solve…
Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life. He does the odd bit of investigation work, but he prefers his familiar habits and routines: the pub quiz, his favorite bench, his cat waiting for him when he comes home. His days of adventure are over: adrenaline is daughter-in-law Amy’s business now.
Amy Wheeler thinks adrenaline is good for the soul. As a private security officer, she doesn’t stay still long enough for habits or routines. She’s currently on a remote island keeping world-famous author Rosie D’Antonio alive. Which was meant to be an easy job…
Then a dead body, a bag of money, and a killer with their sights on Amy have her sending an SOS to the only person she trusts. A breakneck race around the world begins, but can Amy and Steve stay one step ahead of a lethal enemy?
This was another exceptional book from Osman who really showcased his impressive ability to tell an engaging story with unique protagonist in this brilliant novel. Sharp, captivating and relentlessly entertaining, We Solve Murders had me hooked the entire way through, and there were times I couldn’t stop listening to it. A very easy five-star book for me, We Solve Murders was one of my top books and audiobooks of 2024 for a very good reason.
I must admit that before reading We Solve Murders, I wasn’t too certain that Osman was going to have the same success he’d had with the Thursday Murder Club books, especially as he was moving onto new ground and characters. However, I really shouldn’t have been worried, as Osman crafted together an incredible, captivating and highly personal story that was so damn fun. Focusing on the interesting father/daughter-in-law combination of Steve and Amy Wheeler, the story starts quickly with Amy getting framed for the death of several clients from her private security company. With killers after her and unable to trust anyone at her company, Amy has no choice but to go on the run and attempt to solve the case herself, accompanied by her eccentric client, famed author Rosie D’Antonio. Needing help and faced with a series of strange clues, a massive conspiracy and the ire of a legendary money launderer, Amy seeks the unlikely help of her semi-retired investigator father-in-law, Steve Wheeler, dragging him out of his comfortable life in small-town England and taking him on an international tour of murder and criminality.
The resulting narrative is a highly entertaining series of events, as the protagonists flit around various locations, attempting to uncover the truth behind the killings, while also trying to avoid a dangerous hitman hunting them. At the same time, an array of excellent supporting characters nip around the edge of the investigation themselves, as they attempt to figure out how Amy is involved and who the master criminal of the case is. I loved the various outrageous and fun moments that follow on from this, as the protagonists get into all manner of trouble, with Steve and Rosie D’Antonio becoming unlikely heroes at times. Osman loads up an array of excellent twists throughout the novel, and you are constantly left guessing at who the overall villain of the book, as well as their mole in Amy’s agency, is, and how they are plotting against the protagonists. It all leads up to a fantastic final sequence in Dubia, where the protagonists come face to face with the villain in a brilliant end to the mystery. I felt that this entire story wrapped up pretty perfectly, with all the relevant threads Osman introduced coming together into a clever conclusion. I also really liked the surprising reveal about who the villain of the story is, and it works extremely well in the context of the hidden clues and hints that Osman had expertly featured throughout the rest of the book. An overall outstanding story that I honestly could not get enough of.
While the story focus of We Solve Murders is different from his previous novels, Osman still deploys the outstanding writing style that made the Thursday Murder Club novels such a hit. Working well as a standalone novel outside of his main series (although there was a good minor cameo), Osman once again quickly sets up a complex story with many intriguing characters and lets them loose with an amazing blend of mystery, humour and character development. Adapting to the international thriller genre extremely well and featuring an extended range of cool settings, Osman’s plot in We Solve Murders is very fast paced, while also taking the time to ensure readers are having fun and getting absorbed in both the clever main mystery and the unique story threads surrounding the characters. I loved all the very subtle and clever setup that Osman features in the early parts of the book, especially as there are some impressive clues to the identity of the various bad guys, and I really need to go back now I know the solution to see these clues in a new light.
While the compelling mystery, surprising twists and dive into international criminality was a great base to We Solve Murders, the element that tied it all together was Osman’s comedic charm. Featuring the fantastic British-centric humour that Osman is so well known for, We Solve Murders was constantly entertaining, and there are so many fun jokes and references loaded into every page. While much of this humour is quite restrained and subtle, which allows for a general light-hearted tone amongst the discussions of murder and crime, there are also some more direct comedic moments brought about by outrageous characters, unlikely interactions and the constant subverting of expectations. Some of my favourite jokes include a high-stakes pub quiz night, the surprising motivations of a hitman, and the main villain’s constant use of ChatGPT to re-write his communications in the style of an English gentleman. All this ensures that the reader is constantly laughing, allowing them to stay hooked to this captivating and well-written story.
Another major highlight of We Solve Murders was the extremely likeable and compelling characters through whose eyes we see the story unfold. Osman excels at writing fun and memorable characters, and the ones in We Solve Murders are particularly entertaining. The two main anchor characters of this book are the fantastic duo of retired investigator Steve Wheeler and his globetrotting elite bodyguard daughter-in-law Amy Wheeler. A fun and very likeable combination thanks to their close relationship, Steve and Amy start the books as complete opposites, with Steve a unadventurous figure whose only desire is to remain in his small town, while Amy is constantly thrust into action while also managing to keep a successful long-distance relationship with her husband. I loved how Osman wrote both characters, and it was fascinating to see their alternative takes on how to live life. Some of the best parts of We Solve Murders’ plot involves Amy trying to pull Steve out his shell by taking him on her adventure, and readers get to see some genuinely nice character development around Steve as a result. There is also a good focus on Amy learning to rely on those closest to her for help, especially when she finds herself in trouble.
While Amy and Steve are the heart of the book, there are a range of other outrageous and entertaining characters loaded throughout We Solve Murders, each of whom add to the impact and enjoyability of the novel in various ways. These include multiple residents of Steve’s village, who joyfully aid him in his investigation, a local talent agent with an unusual connection to an international crime ring, the feuding owners of two rival private security companies whose mistrust for each other leads to a lot of intrigue, a diva actor oblivious to the crazy events going on around him, various international criminals who find themselves outmatched by the unlikely team of protagonists, a relentless hitman with his own motivations, and the big bad of the story, who casts a big shadow while staying hidden. Out of all these characters, my favourite was easily glorious author Rosie D’Antonio, who tags along with the Wheelers on their adventure and becomes a valuable part of their team. Over-the-top, internationally beloved, and constantly providing juicy titbits about her many adventures, Rosie D’Antonio effortlessly steals every scene she is in with her big personality and unpredictable actions. I don’t think any character made me laugh as much as Rosie did, and I guarantee We Solve Murders would not have been as good without her. I really appreciate how well the author utilises all these great characters, splitting the story perfectly between them, and you will come away from this novel completely in love with Osman’s memorable protagonists and their brilliant personalities.
I have mentioned multiple times how much I have enjoyed the Thursday Murder Club novels on audiobook, so I naturally had to check out We Solve Murders in this format as well. Unsurprisingly, the We Solve Murders audiobook was just as awesome as I had hoped, as the format perfectly showcased Osman’s complex storytelling and outrageous characters. Part of the reason why the We Solve Murders audiobook worked so well was that they once again got an extremely talented English actress to narrate the book, this case Nicola Walker, who blew it out of the park. Walker, who is well known for her roles in various UK crime shows, did a remarkable job of narrating Osman’s story, perfectly capturing the crazy thriller tone as well as the author’s fantastic subtle humour, and ensuring that the reader is constantly engaged with the plot of the book. I really enjoyed how well Walker inhabited all the figures Osman imagined for this brilliant read, no matter how outrageous they were, and she made sure to cleverly showcase their unique personalities and intriguing outlooks on life. This great voice acting really enhanced the overall epic experience I had with the We Solve Murders audiobook, and this is easily the best way to enjoy this exceptional read. I honestly cannot recommend this audiobook enough and you will just power through its 10-and-a-half-hour-long runtime.
Richard Osman continues to dominate the crime fiction scene with the outstanding standalone novel, We Solve Murders. Combining a complex mystery with likeable characters and subtle British humour, We Solve Murders was a fun new direction for Osman, who had his own brilliant take on an international thriller. A clever and highly entertaining novel, We Solve Murders once again showed off how good Osman is as a writer, and you will be unable to put this book down. I cannot wait to get my next hit of Osman, and with both a The Thursday Murder Club film adaptation and the fifth Thursday Murder Club novel, The Impossible Fortune, coming out later this year, fans of the author are in for a real treat.
Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Books of 2024
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 2024, 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-2024 novels, as well as my favourite audiobooks, sequels, and new-to-me authors of 2024. 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 2024 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 outstanding new series start but we had some exceptional debuts, and some big continuations of established works. 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 five years, I’m a very soft touch). These 20 books are my absolute favourites from 2024, 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 2024. 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 2024 list and my Top Ten Favourite Books from the First Half of 2024 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 Dragon in Winter by Jonathan Maberry
Let’s start this list off with the exceptional fantasy novel, The Dragon in Winter by Jonathan Maberry. The third and final book in the Kagen the Damned trilogy, The Dragon in Winter follows on from the exciting and impressive reads, Kagen the Damned (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2022) and Son of the Poison Rose (one of my favourite books and audiobooks of 2023). Featuring an outstanding and action-packed dark fantasy storyline that saw the damned and damaged series protagonist attempt to finally get his vengeance during the final battles of a brutal war. Intense, powerful and loaded with some dramatic character moments, The Dragon in Winter was an awesome end to one of my favourite fantasy trilogies and I was enthralled the entire way through this great book.
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman
Richard Osman has really become a notable fixture on these end of year lists thanks to his brilliant and hilarious Thursday Murder Club books (The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice, The Bullet That Missed and The Last Devil to Die). This year he presented readers with a new treat in the standalone thriller, We Solve Murders. Featuring the exceptional humour and fantastic writing that made the Thursday Murder Club books so much fun, We Solve Murders is a clever and addictive international thriller focused on a great new group of protagonists. Witty, charming and extraordinarily compelling, We Solve Murders was another incredible novel from Osman that I cannot recommend enough.
Warhammer 40,000: Above and Beyond by Denny Flowers
2024 proved to be an outstanding year for Warhammer 40,000 fiction, and I had the pleasure of reading multiple fantastic novels from this franchise. One of the best was the captivating and cynical novel, Above and Beyond. The sequel to one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels, Outgunned, Above and Beyond reunites Flower’s damaged protagonists, a broken propaganda expert and a crass heroic pilot, for another outrageous adventure. Cleverly examining the role propaganda plays in the wars of the grim future, Above and Beyond ended up being a very exciting and powerful thriller that I could not get enough off. An incredible novel from one of the fastest rising Warhammer authors (make sure to also check Flower’s novella in Da Red Gobbo Collection).
The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett
Earlier this year I had the great pleasure of reading The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. An intriguing combination of fantasy and crime fiction, The Tainted Cup focussed on an unusual investigative duo in a monster besieged fantasy kingdom as they attempt to uncover the truth behind a series of brutal magical killings. The Tainted Cup proved to be an exceptional and intelligent novel I could not put down as Jackson effortlessly combined complex fantasy elements with his brilliant murder mystery narrative. One of the most inventive books of 2024, The Tainted Cup was something truly special, and I cannot wait to dive into the sequel, A Drop of Corruption, in the new year.
The Chaos Agent by Mark Greaney
I had a brilliant time in 2024 continuing Mark Greaney’s awesome Gray Man spy thriller series with The Chaos Agent. Setting his iconic spy protagonist against a dangerous and terrifying new enemy, The Chaos Agent had a fantastic story behind it that proceeded to get very crazy once some memorable weapons are unleashed. An amazing entry in one of the best thriller series out there, The Chaos Agent was epic from start to finish and leaves readers on a major cliffhanger that I am looking forward to seeing resolved in 2025 with Midnight Black.
One of the more unique novels of 2024 had to be The Gathering by C. J. Tudor. A powerful and clever murder mystery set in a world where vampires exist, The Gathering follows a government vampire expert who travels to an isolated town to determine whether a recent murder was as vampire kill and whether the local colony should be exterminated. Blending a great small-town murder narrative with an inventive world history featuring vampires, The Gathering was such a compelling and dark book, and I loved every single second I spent reading it.
Play of Shadows by Sebastien De Castell
While I have previously enjoyed some of Sebastien De Castell’s great fantasy fiction before with The Malevolent Seven, this year I dove into his Greatcoat’s universe with the relentlessly entertaining novel, Play of Shadows. The first book in his new Court of Shadows series, Play of Shadows followed a fugitive actor who gains the ability to manifest the spirt of a notorious historical villain whenever he appears on stage. Suddenly caught in a massive city-wide conspiracy, the protagonist needs to survive to tell the spirit’s true story and soon finds out just how deadly the theatre can be. A truly fantastic and fun novel that I couldn’t stop reading, Play of Shadows had such a unique and powerful story behind it that perfectly fit into the author’s existing universe. A highly recommended novel, especially when read in concert with the outstanding prequel, Crucible of Chaos, that was released just in advance of Play of Shadows.
The Mercy Chair by M. W. Craven
Awesome crime fiction author M. W. Craven had a great 2024, as he released two books including the outrageous thriller Nobody’s Hero. However, my favourite novel of his was the sixth book in the Washington Poe series, The Mercy Chair. Following the author’s cynical protagonist and his unusual team as they investigate the brutal murder of a controversial religious leader, The Mercy Chair contained an exceptionally intense narrative as the protagonists uncover a raft of shocking secrets that will shake you to your very core. A dark and twisty British murder mystery, The Mercy Chair was a truly remarkable read that had me hooked from start to finish thanks to its barrage of clever reveals. One of the best pure murder mysteries of 2024.
In addition to The Dragon in Winter, Jonathan Maberry also released the dark and compelling science fiction novel, NecroTek. A cool dive into pure science fiction, Maberry utilised his usual style to effectively tell a massive tale of survival in strange space as the protagonists encounter Lovecraftian horrors and must fight them using necromancy-infused alien technology. Intense, compelling, and loaded with some powerful human moments, NecroTek was another impressive novel from Maberry in 2025 that I had to feature here as well.
The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne
John Gwynne brought his epic Bloodsworn Saga to an end in a big way with The Fury of the Gods. The final book in the trilogy that has previously featured the amazing reads The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods, The Fury of the Gods was a very awesome read that saw all the various character arcs finally come together as everyone picked a side in massive war between gods and mortals. Making full use of the series’ Viking aesthetic, The Fury of the Gods was an exceptional fantasy epic from start to finish, and I deeply enjoyed how Gwynne brought everything together.
Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky
This was a bumper year for Adrian Tchaikovsky as he released several amazing books across the science fiction and fantasy genres. Of the ones I have so far read my favourite was Service Model. An intriguing and captivating novel that follows a robot exploring a post-apocalyptic wasteland, this book was filled with great humour and cynical take on the future of humanity. Service Model ended up being a very highly entertaining novel that I cannot recommend enough, especially to readers looking for something particularly clever and funny.
Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 39: Ice and Snow by Stan Sakai
A surely unsurprising inclusion on this list is the latest Usagi Yojimbo comic, Ice and Snow by Stan Sakai. One of my favourite comic series, I always make sure to grab the new Usagi Yojimbo volume each year and they always prove to be quite exceptional. Ice and Snow was a particularly epic entry in the series, as the protagonists face off against a raft of supernatural foes, including Usagi’s dark nemesis Jei. Beautifully drawn and incredibly fun to read, Ice and Snow was another brilliant and beautiful comic that I powered through the second I got my hands on it.
Warhammer 40,000: Renegades: Lord of Excess by Rich McCormick
The other Warhammer 40,000 novel I wanted to include on this list was the twisted Renegades: Lord of Excess. The debut novel of Rich McCormick, Lord of Excess followed a warband of the hedonistic Emperor’s Children traitor Space Marines as they take over an isolated planet. McCormick perfectly captures the obsessive nature of his colourful characters, and I loved seeing the villain’s perspective in this deliciously dark novel. I had an incredible time with this warped and complex character driven novel, and McCormick is an impressive new talent to keep an eye on.
The Last Shield by Cameron Johnston
After wowing me with amazing books like The Traitor God, God of Broken Things and The Maleficent Seven, Cameron Johnston continues to get even better as an author with his 2024 release, The Last Shield. Essentially a gender-bent, fantasy fiction Die Hard, The Last Shield sees a group of bandits and traitors take over a royal palace to rob its vault filled with powerful magical artifacts. The only hope the inhabitants have is the wounded commander of the palace guard, who fights back from the many hidden passages to save those she loves. Clever, compelling and loaded with so much incredible action, The Last Shield was a highly addictive read that I really couldn’t put down and Johnston is swiftly becoming one of my favourite dark fantasy authors.
Ian Ross brought his incredible de Norton historical fiction series to a gripping end with King’s Enemy. Following on from Battle Song and the other 2024 release War Cry, King’s Enemy saw the recently knighted protagonist, Adam de Norton, declared a traitor and king’s enemy for the role he played in Simon de Montford’s rebellion. Determined to fight back after losing everything, de Norton journeys towards the last bastion of resistance against the crown and finds himself engulfed in one of the most famous sieges in English history. A fantastic and captivating novel loaded with adventure, action and some fascinating historical detail; King’s Enemy was an outstanding book that is really worth checking out.
A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan
Acclaimed fantasy author Anthony Ryan followed up his Covenant of Steel series (The Pariah, The Martyr and The Traitor) in a big way with the new book, A Tide of Black Steel. Featuring an exciting and intriguing new narrative that expands Ryan’s existing setting, A Tide of Black Steel was an epic fantasy novel that I had so much fun with, especially on audiobook.
Another awesome novel that is particularly cool on audiobook is Darkside by Michael Mammay. The fourth book in the author’s excellent Planetside series (Planetside, Spaceside and Colonyside), Darkside follows a maverick former military officer when he investigates a missing persons case at a mining operation on an isolated moon. Featuring intrigue, mystery and warring corporations, Darkside was another exceptional read from Mammay and one I really got hooked on.
You Like it Darker by Stephen King
I just had to highlight the exceptional short story collection You Like It Darker by the legendary Stephen King on this list. Featuring 12 short stories from King, You Like it Darker was a horror-themed thrill ride from start to finish as the author wowed me with his versatility and unique narratives. This volume contains some noteworthy short stories, including a sequel to Cujo and an outstanding story about the downsides of psychic visions, all of which grabbed my imagination and refused to let go. I loved every second I spent with You Like It Darker, and I cannot wait to experience more Stephen King awesomeness in 2025, especially with the epic upcoming book Never Flinch.
Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang
One of the most inventive and powerful fantasy novels I read this year was Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang, which, while technically released as an independent novel last year, I’m counting it as a 2024 release as that’s when it officially came out here in Australia. I have so much love for Blood Over Bright Haven, as Wang centres a complex and emotionally charged narrative around an intriguing and unique magical system. The result is an intense and memorable book that hits the reader with some amazing twists. I honestly have still not recovered from all the big reveals of this book, and it was all I needed to read to become a major fan of this awesome author.
Deep Black by Miles Cameron
The last book I want to highlight on this list is the massive and captivating science fiction epic Deep Black by Miles Cameron. The sequel to the exceptional Artifact Space, Deep Black continues to follow a gigantic human trading space vessel as it attempts to survive a complex conspiracy to destroy it. Featuring some impressive science fiction detail, powerful action sequences, and an elaborate plot, Deep Black was an outstanding read and a worthy final entry for this best-of-2024 post.
Well, those are my 20 favourite books of 2024. 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. 2025 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 2024 were in the comments below, and make sure you all have a happy and safe New Years.
Top Ten Tuesday – My Favourite Audiobooks of 2024
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme that currently reside at The Artsy Reader Girl and features bloggers sharing lists on various book topics. The official topic for this list involved listing the ten top books you hope that Santa would bring you this year. While this is a fun sounding topic, I am instead going to continue my annual end of year wrap up of the best books I read in 2024. In previous weeks I have highlighted some of the best pre-2024 novels, best new-to-me-authors and best 2024 sequels I read in the last year. However, this week I am going to look at something near and dear to my hear, the best audiobooks of 2024.
Readers of this blog only need to check out my extensive audiobook category to the right to know that I have a lot of love for the audiobook format. In my opinion, the audiobook is often the best way to experience a good book and in many cases this format makes a novel far more enjoyable. As a result, I listened to quite a few audiobooks this year, and while a good chunk of them were books released before 2024 and featured in my Throwback Thursday posts, most were released this year. There were some truly outstanding and impressive audiobooks released in 2024 and I knew going in that I was going to have an extremely hard time coming up with a final version of this list.
For this list I have only included audiobooks released in 2024 that I have listened to, which left me with a long list of extremely impressive audiobooks which I wanted to include in this post. To help cut this down, I considered a range of factors, including the quality of the original novel, the skill of the narrator, production value, pacing and other features. Looking at all this I was eventually able to cut the list down to the absolute best 10 audiobooks, with my typical generous honourable mentions section. I had to make some very hard decisions here, and I ended up excluding several extremely good audiobooks from the main list. Still, I think it really represents the best audiobooks I enjoyed this year and there are some amazing productions below.
Honourable Mentions:
The Chaos Agent, written by Mark Greaney and narrated by Jay Snyder
An excellent continuation of the Gray Man series once again read out by Jay Snyder.
A fun fantasy novel that was perfectly brought to life by a brilliant team of narrators.
Goodbye Girl, written by James Grippando and narrated by Jonathan Davis
One of my favourite Star Wars narrators, Jonathan Davis, made this excellent legal thriller particularly awesome to listen to.
Warhammer 40,000: Da Red Gobbo Collection, written by Mike Brooks, Denny Flowers and Rhuairidh James, narrated by Harry Myers
Three fantastic authors present an array of outstanding Warhammer 40,000 stories around a legendary figure, Da Red Gobbo, all of which is narrated by the highly talented Harry Myers.
Top Ten List:
NecroTek/The Dragon in Winter, written by Jonathan Maberry and narrated by Ray Porter
First up on this list we have a double entry, as we were lucky enough to get two books from one of my favourite authors, Jonathan Maberry. Made up of the dark science fiction adventure, NecroTek, and the brilliant fantasy epic, The Dragon in Winter, both of which were particularly awesome. I chose to combine these two audiobooks into a single entry here, due to the fact they both shared the same narrator in the legendary Ray Porter. Porter, who is one of my favourite audiobook narrators, is synonymous with Maberry at this point, having lent his voice to most of the author’s books while always providing an exceptional performance. I love how well Porter’s narration enhances Maberry’s exceptional novels, and it makes these audiobooks extremely special. As such, I had to include them here, and both NecroTek and The Dragon in Winter come highly recommended as some of the best audiobooks of the year.
We Solve Murders, written by Richard Osman and narrated by Nicola Walker
After wowing us with the first four Thursday Murder Club books (The Thursday Murder Club, The Man Who Died Twice, The Bullet That Missed and The Last Devil to Die), Osman went on a different path this year with the clever and fast-paced thriller, We Solve Murders. A particularly fun book that combines Osman’s classic humour with a brilliant and intense story, We Solve Murders was another exceptional read that I couldn’t get enough of, especially in its audiobook format. Thanks to the impressive narration of actress Nicola Walker, We Solve Murders was an extremely awesome listen that made the elaborate narrative became even more fantastic. A truly great audiobook production that you won’t be able to stop listening to it.
Warhammer 40,000: Above and Beyond, written by Denny Flowers and narrated by Phillip Sacramento
I have a few Warhammer 40,000 audiobooks on this list, but one of the most unique and compelling was Above and Beyond by Denny Flowers. The sequel to one of my favourite Warhammer 40,000 novels, Outgunned, Above and Beyond brought together a damaged propaganda expert and a broken hero into a cynical and entertaining adventure that really dives into the dark side of the Warhammer universe. Funny, powerful and featuring an outstanding story, Above and Beyond was so damn good, and it was even better when listened to on audiobook. Phillip Sacramento perfectly captures the grim themes of Flowers’ writing with his narration, and you soon become enthralled in following the book’s damaged characters on their new adventure. An exceptional and amazing listen, you will not be dissatisfied with this Warhammer 40,000 audiobook.
The Fury of the Gods, written by John Gwynne and narrated by Colin Mace
John Gwynne brings his epic Bloodsworn Saga fantasy series to a powerful end with the brutal and impressive The Fury of the Gods. Finalising a series of great character arcs and pushing his protagonists into one particularly deadly war, The Fury of the Gods was everything I could have hoped for, and I loved how it wrapped up the storylines previously raised in The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods. I had a fantastic time with this novel, and I particularly enjoyed the cool audiobook version that was narrated by Colin Mace. Mace brings so much energy to this narrative, and his excellent take on the characters turns this into an outstanding listen.
Darkside, written by Michael Mammay and narrated by R. C. Bray
One of the most awesome and fun science fiction audiobooks of 2024 had to be Darkside by Michael Mammay. Mammay, who previously impressed me with his previous books, Planetside, Spaceside and Colonyside, produced an intriguing fourth entry to his Planetside series with Darkside, as his maverick protagonist investigates a new conspiracy driven by corrupt corporations. This fourth entry was such a great listen on audiobook, especially as it featured the return of the always incredible R. C. Bray as narrator. Bray, who has such a distinctive voice and style, helps to make this audiobook even more special, and I had so much fun with Darkside as result.
Warhammer 40,000: Lord of Excess, written by Rich McCormick and narrated by Richard Reed
Another particularly cool Warhammer 40,000 audiobook in 2024 was Renegades: Lord of Excess. The debut novel of Rich McCormick, Lord of Excess followed a band of hedonistic Chaos Space Marines as they conquer an isolated planet, only to have everything come crashing down around them. A fascinating and captivating addition to the Warhammer 40,000 canon, Lord of Excess was an amazing read from McCormick, and like most Warhammer 40,000 books is deeply benefited from its audiobook format. Not only does the outrageous story really come to life when read out, but narrator Richard Reed ensures all the larger-than-life characters are perfectly showcased. A truly outstanding Warhammer audiobook that I had such a great time with.
Point Nemo, written by Jeremy Robinson and narrated by R. C. Bray
Few audiobooks were as epic this year as Point Nemo by Jeremey Robinson, which was also narrated by R. C. Bray. A fast-paced and highly awesome science fiction thriller, Point Nemo had an outstanding plot behind it that followed a band of adventurers as they attempted to uncover the secrets of an island created from alien spores. The story and action of Point Nemo are very amazing on their own, but I felt that the narration of Bray added even more to it, and I was very impressed by all of Bray’s amazing performances this year. An exceptional listen that I cannot recommend enough.
A Tide of Black Steel, written by Anthony Ryan and narrated by Steven Brand
Acclaimed fantasy author Anthony Ryan followed up his Covenant of Steel series (The Pariah, The Martyr and The Traitor) in a big way with the new book, A Tide of Black Steel. Featuring an exciting and intriguing new narrative that expands Ryan’s existing setting, A Tide of Black Steel was an epic fantasy novel that I had so much fun with, especially on audiobook. It helped that the narrator of the Covenant of Steel audiobooks, Steven Brand, once again lent his voice to proceedings, and the resulting production was a powerful and amazing production that I couldn’t stop listening to.
Warhammer 40,000: Da Big Dakka, written by Mike Brooks and narrated by Harry Myers
The final Warhammer audiobook I need to feature on this list is the outstanding and hilarious Da Big Dakka by Mike Brooks. The sequel to Brooks’ previous novels, Brutal Kunnin and Warboss, Da Big Dakka follows a rowdy group of orks who raid the most dangerous city in the Warhammer 40,000 universe. A clever read that I laughed the entire way through, especially with the fantastic narration of Harry Myers, who always perfectly captures the rowdy orks and their eccentric enemies. This was a really impress audiobook and I had a wonderful time listening to it.
Crucible of Chaos, written by Sebastien de Castell and narrated by Joe Jameson
I am slightly cheating with this final entry as Crucible of Chaos came out in 2023. However, due to its late December 2023 release, as well as it’s connection to the early 2024 novel, Play of Shadows, I have decided to include it as part of this list. Crucible of Chaos was an exceptional book from talented fantasy author Sebastien de Castell, that saw an unlikely investigator and his noble steed attempt to uncover the cause of insanity and chaos in a famous monastery. A clever and funny read, Crucible of Chaos was an impressive audiobook, and I had a lot of fun with how Joe Jameson, another favourite narrator of mine, brought it too life.
Well that is the end of this latest Top Ten list, and as you can see, I have been lucky enough to listen to some awesome audiobooks this year (although I clearly focused a little too much on Warhammer fiction). All the above audiobooks are extremely good and I would highly recommend each of them in their audiobook format. Let me know what your favourite audiobooks of 2024 were in the comments below, and make sure to check back next week to see what my overall favourite novels of the year were.
WWW Wednesday – 25 September 2024
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:
Capture or Kill by Don Bentley (ebook)
I just started reading the latest Mitch Rapp novel, Capture or Kill. The first book in this long-running series written by new author Don Bentley, Capture or Kill is so far proving to be a great addition to the series that sets the protagonist against a dangerous new enemy. The first 50 pages of this book have proven to be very interesting, and I am curious to see how the rest of Capture or Kill unfolds.
What did you recently finish reading?
Terra Incognita by Simon Turney (ebook)
A fantastic novel that follows a squad of Roman soldiers looking to find the source of the Nile, Terra Incognita was a fun and engrossing read I couldn’t get enough of.
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman (Audiobook)
I just finished the audiobook version of the new Richard Osman novel, We Solve Murders. An intriguing murder mystery set outside of Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series, We Solve Murders was an incredible read, that is easily one of the best things I have read in 2024 so far.
An Eye for an Eye by Jeffrey Archer (ebook)
An outstanding, fast-paced and compelling new novel from Jeffrey Archer that sets his long-running protagonists against several criminal enterprises, including the machinations of their deadly rival.
What do you think you’ll read next?
Death on the Tiber by Lindsey Davis
While I have a few potential books to read next, I am hoping to finally dive into the new Lindsey Davis novel, Death on the Tiber. The latest book in Davis’ long-running Flavia Albia historical murder mystery series, Death on the Tiber will see the series’ protagonist investigate another complex murder in ancient Rome, this time while dealing with demons from her past. I really love this amazing series, and I have no doubt I will have a wonderful time reading Death on the Tiber.
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 – 23 September 2024
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.
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman
The first book I need to highlight in this post is the new Richard Osman novel, We Solve Murders. A gripping standalone thriller novel, written in the same vein as Osman’s Thursday Murder Club books, We Solve Murders is an excellent and addictive read that follows an elite bodyguard and her retired father-in-law as they attempt to unravel an international conspiracy. I am actually in the middle of We Solve Murders at the moment and it is proving to be a particularly funny, entertaining and sweet novel that I cannot get enough of.
Endgame by Sarah Barrie
The next awesome book I recently received was the extremely awesome Australian thriller Endgame by Sarah Barrie. The final book in Barrie’s dark and deeply compelling Lexi Winter series (Unforgiven, Retribution and Vendetta), Endgame will see the series protagonist enter into a final confrontation with the monster who destroyed her as a child. Set to be one of the most intense Australian thrillers of 2024, Endgame is going to be so damn good, and I cannot wait to check it out.
Capture or Kill by Don Bentley
I was very lucky to receive a copy of the latest book in the long-running Mitch Rapp series, Capture or Kill. The first book in the series written by Don Bentley, Capture or Kill takes the protagonists back to his counter-terrorist roots as the series revisits familiar territory under a new author. This should be a pretty awesome and action-packed thriller, and I’m hoping to start reading it in the next couple of days.
Gunnawah by Ronni Salt
I also recently received an early copy of the upcoming Australian crime fiction debut, Gunnawah. The first book from new author Ronni Salt, Gunnawah has a lot of potential, and I look forward to diving into this intriguing book soon, especially as it is set to be one of the top debuts of 2025.
Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik
One of the more interesting books I recently received was the short story collection by Naomi Novik, Buried Deep and Other Stories. Featuring multiple stories from the author set in her various unique worlds, Buried Deep should be a very awesome read, and I am particularly keen to check out the story that gives readers their first glimpse at Novik’s next big fantasy setting.
Shadow City by Natalie Conyer
A gritty and compelling Australian crime fiction read, written by a talented rising star.
The Heart of the World by Amie Kaufman
The final book I recently received that I want to highlight on this post is the young adult fantasy novel, The Heart of the World by Amie Kaufman. The sequel to Kaufman’s previous novel, The Isles of the Gods, The Heart of the World looks set to be another exciting and captivating read that sees two teenage heroes attempt to save their world from war and vengeful gods.
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.
WWW Wednesday – 18 September 2024
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:
Terra Incognita by Simon Turney (ebook)
I have started reading the intriguing historical read, Terra Incognita by Simon Turney this week. A fantastic novel that follows a squad of Roman soldiers looking to find the source of the Nile, Terra Incognita is Turney’s second book of 2024 (he also released the fantastic novel Agricola: Invader), and it is proving to be an excellent and addictive read.
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman (Audiobook)
I have also started listening to the audiobook version of the new Richard Osman novel, We Solve Murders. An intriguing murder mystery set outside of Osman’s Thursday Murder Club series, We Solve Murders has a very compelling plot, and I cannot wait to see how it unfolds. I only just started We Solve Murders relatively recently, but I am already very invested in it.
What did you recently finish reading?
The Wrong Hands by Mark Billingham (Trade Paperback)
A unique English crime fiction read with a distinctive protagonist.
Warhammer 40,000: Daemonbreaker by Jude Reid (Audiobook)
An excellent and powerful Warhammer 40,000 novel that takes the franchises’ nuns with guns on a desperate adventure.
What do you think you’ll read next?
An Eye for an Eye by Jeffrey Archer
While I have several books I want to read next, I think I’ll start by diving into the new Jeffrey Archer book, An Eye for an Eye. The latest book in his William Warwick series, An Eye for an Eye will see the series protagonists investigate a complex murder case, while also battling the malign influence of a sinister art thief with a grudge against them. The William Warwick books always prove to be a ton of fun and I have no doubt that this latest entry is going to keep me very entertained.
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.
Top Ten Tuesday – Books on my Spring 2024 To-Be-Read (TBR) List
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 requires participants to highlight the posts that best showcase their personality. While this is an interesting topic, and one that I may come back to in the future, I am instead going to look at some upcoming books. That is because today is the last Tuesday before Spring 2024, and I thought this would be a good opportunity to do my quarterly post about the best upcoming books to read in Spring (Autumn 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 2024 and 30 November 2024 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 my most anticipated books for the second half of 2024 lists (fantasy and science fiction and other genres), 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 2024.
Honourable Mentions:
High Wire by Candice Fox – 24 September 2024
Another exciting read from one of Australia’s top crime fiction authors. High Wire is Candice Fox’s third book of 2024 (following The Murder Inn and Devil’s Kitchen) and looks set to be a high-octane read in the middle of the Australian outback.
Nobody’s Hero by M. W. Craven – 8 October 2024
An intriguing follow-up to Craven’s 2023 novel, Fearless, Nobody’s Hero sounds like a ton of fun, and I am particularly keen to check it out after deeply loving Craven’s other 2024 novel, The Mercy Chair.
Star Wars: The Glass Abyss by Steven Barnes – 15 October 2024
A cool and intriguing new Star Wars novel that looks set to highlight the legendary Mace Windu.
Endgame by Sarah Barrie – 30 October 2024
Another awesome Australian thriller from impressive author Sarah Barrie. Endgame will end the outstanding and dark Lexi Winter’s series, which has previously featured Unforgiven, Retribution and Vendetta.
Top Ten List:
King’s Enemy by Ian Ross – 10 September 2024
The first book on this list is the awesome historical fiction release, King’s Enemy. The third and final book in the de Norton trilogy, which has previously featured the exceptional reads Battle Song and War Cry. King’s Enemy will see the protagonist, knight Adam de Norton, forced to turn against his king after losing a deadly civil war, resulting in one of England’s most infamous sieges. I love the sound of this book so much, and I have a feeling it is going to be one of the top historical fiction books of 2024.
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman – 17 September 2024
Over the last four years, Richard Osman has consistently impressed me with his incredible and exceptional crime fiction reads. His Thursday Murder Club series, made up of 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), are so damn good, and I am always eager for more Osman. As such, Osman’s new book, We Solve Murders, is one of my most anticipated books of 2024. Featuring a new group of protagonists, We Solve Murders has another outstanding story behind it, and I cannot wait to check it out.
A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan – 24 September 2024
Probably the fantasy novel I am most looking forward to in 2024 is A Tide of Black Steel by Anthony Ryan. The start of new series from Ryan that follows on from his Covenant of Steel trilogy (The Pariah, The Martyr and The Traitor), A Tide of Black Steel looks set to be a powerful and compelling adventure read, following a new group of protagonists. I love the cool sounding plot of A Tide of Black Steel, and I am eager to see how it will continue some of the open storylines from the Covenant of Steel books.
Darkside by Michael Mammay – 24 September 2024
I was very excited to see that outstanding author Michael Mammay was returning to his Planetside series later this year. Following a veteran, maverick solider in the future who finds himself involved in a series of genocidal plots, the Planetside books are so damn good and have been deeply impressing me since Mammay’s writing debut. Made up of Planetside, Spaceside and Colonyside, the Planetside books are extremely awesome, and I cannot wait to check out the fourth book in the series, Darkside. Following the protagonist as he investigates a sinister missing person’s case on the dark side of an isolated moon, Darkside should be an incredible read, especially when the protagonist goes up against multiple mega-corporations he’s annoyed in the past.
Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 39: Ice and Snow by Stan Sakai – 8 October 2024
Readers of this blog will know that I need my Usagi Yojimbo fix each year, as it is easily my favourite comic series out there. Luckily, I don’t need to wait too much longer for the new Usagi Yojimbo comic, as the 39th volume in this incredible series, Ice and Snow, comes out in October. This latest entry in the series sounds very awesome, as Usagi and his cousin are forced to face off against his most deadly enemy, the deadly supernatural killer Jei. I am so excited to get my hands on this comic, and it is going to be so much fun to read.
The Waiting by Michael Connelly – 15 October 2024
Time and time again, Michael Connelly continuously shows why he is the very best crime fiction author in the world today. So many of his recent books have deeply impressed me, including The Night Fire, Fair Warning and Resurrection Walk, just to name a few. As such I am always keen to grab the new Connelly book, and I am very, very happy that the new entry, The Waiting, is out very soon. Once again focusing on his main police protagonists, Renee Ballard and Harry Bosch, The Waiting looks set to be an excellent entry in the series, as Connelly has stacked it with multiple compelling cases, as well as bringing in another Bosch for fans to enjoy. I have no doubt that I am going to absolutely love The Waiting, and it will probably end up being one of my top books of 2024.
Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson – 22 October 2024
Another top crime fiction book coming out in Spring that I am particularly excited for is Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Australian author Benjamin Stevenson. Following on from Stevenson’s previous hilarious and clever books, Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone and Everyone on this Train is a Suspect, Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret, will be a Christmas themed murder mystery romp, with the protagonist forced to figure out who amongst a group of professional Christmas performers is a killer. This will be one of the funniest books of 2024, and I look forward to seeing how this latest book in one of my favourite Australian series turns out.
The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne – 22 October 2024
Probably the book with the best cover on this list is The Fury of the Gods by John Gwynne. The third and final book in Gwynne’s The Bloodsworn Saga, The Fury of the Gods will follow on from the amazing and inventive fantasy releases, The Shadow of the Gods and The Hunger of the Gods. I have had an outstanding time with this incredible, Viking-inspired fantasy series, and I have no doubt this final battle between gods and mortals is going to be something truly special.
Revenge of Rome by Simon Scarrow – 12 November 2024
I can’t talk about November releases without highlighting the upcoming Simon Scarrow book, Revenge of Rome. The 23rd Eagles of the Empire novel, Revenge of Rome follows on from several recent Scarrow books set in Britannia, The Honour of Rome, Death to the Emperor and Rebellion. Revenge of Rome will be set in the bloody aftermath of Boudica’s revolt and follows the damaged protagonists as they attempt to hunt down the fleeing Boudica. This will no doubt be a particularly intense entry in the series, and I cannot wait to see how Scarrow will continue this epic series. Another amazing entry in one of my absolute favourite series.
The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso – 19 November 2024
The final book I want to highlight on this list is the cool and unique upcoming fantasy read, The Last Hour Between Worlds by Melissa Caruso. Caruso, who previously deeply impressed me with her debut Sword and Fire trilogy (The Tethered Mage, The Defiant Heir and The Unbound Empire), is set to deliver an intriguing fantasy crime fiction book. Following an odd-couple pair of investigators as they attempt to examine a mysterious set of murders driven by unusual time magic The Last Hour Between Worlds sounds extremely cool and distinctive, and I cannot wait explore this new amazing fantasy tale from Caruso.
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. Each of the above should be extremely epic, 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 few books to get through soon and they should all be awesome.
Top Ten Tuesday – Most Anticipated Books Releasing During the Second Half of 2024 (Mystery, Thriller and Historical Fiction)
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 2024. 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:
Confessions of the Dead by James Patterson and J. D. Barker – 2 July 2024
An intriguing thriller from a team who previously produced the incredible novel, Death of the Black Widow.
Capture or Kill by Don Bentley – 3 September 2024
The iconic and action-packed Mitch Rapp series returns with a new author at the helm, as Don Bentley provides a compelling new adventure.
Nobody’s Hero by M. W. Craven – 8 October 2024
An intriguing sounding follow up to Craven’s 2023 novel, Fearless, Nobody’s Hero sounds like a lot of fun. I am looking forward to reading this book, especially as I am currently having an outstanding time reading Craven’s other 2024 book, The Mercy Chair.
Endgame by Sarah Barrie – 30 October 2024
The fourth book in one of my favourite Australian series, Endgame will follow on from Barrie’s previous amazing reads, Unforgiven, Retribution and Vendetta.
Top Ten List:
The Wrong Man by Tim Ayliffe – 3 July 2024
The first book I want to highlight in this list is the excellent Australian thriller, The Wrong Man by Tim Ayliffe. Following on from the author’s previous John Bailey books, The Greater Good, State of Fear, The Enemy Within and Killer Traitor Spy, The Wrong Man has a great mystery behind it that sounds extremely intriguing. I already have a copy of this book, and I am very curious to see how it unfolds.
Witness 8 by Steve Cavanagh – 13 August 2024
One of my favourite legal thriller authors, Steve Cavanagh, returns with another twisty and entertaining courtroom drama, Witness 8. The eighth book in Cavanagh’s Eddie Flynn series, Witness 8 will see the conman turned defence attorney protagonist try to save an innocent man implicated by a witness with her own sinister agenda. I have had an outstanding time with Cavanagh’s last several books, including The Devil’s Advocate, The Accomplice and Kill For Me Kill For You, and Witness 8 looks set to be another incredible read.
Precipice by Robert Harris – 27 August 2024
Acclaimed author Robert Harris brings another infamous historical scandal to life with Precipice. Set during World War I, Precipice will craft a spy thriller around the intriguing affair between Venetia Stanley and Prime Minister H. H. Asquith. I am very curious to see what spin Harris puts on these events and it should be a very gripping book.
Usagi Yojimbo: Volume 39: Ice and Snow by Stan Sakai – 10 September 2024
A key highlight of my reading year is always the new Usagi Yojimbo comic by Stan Sakai, which is one of my favourite comic series. Luckily for me the new volume is nearly here with the 39th volume Ice and Snow coming out in September. This new entry sounds particularly epic as it will pit the protagonist against his most deadly enemy, this time in the freezing snow. I am very excited for this cool new comic, and I already know I am going to love it to death.
King’s Enemy by Ian Ross – 12 September 2024
There is no way that I am missing out on the fantastic upcoming novel, King’s Enemy by historical fiction author Ian Ross. The gripping final book in the de Norton trilogy, which has previously featured the amazing books Battle Song and War Cry, King’s Enemy will follow the now fugitive protagonist as he faces the consequences of supporting a rebellion against the crown. This book looks to end the trilogy in an interesting way, and I cannot wait to see how this compelling adventure, set amid one of England’s more intriguing civil wars, concludes.
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman – 17 September 2024
Easily one of my most anticipated books for the second half of 2024 is the new Richard Osman book, We Solve Murders. Osman has proven to be an exceptional author over the last few years with his Thursday Murder Club series, which includes 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). All these books have been incredible, and I know that Osman’s new release, We Solve Murders is going to be just as good. Focussing on a father/daughter investigative team, We Solve Murders has so much damn potential and I cannot wait to check it out.
High Wire by Candice Fox – 24 September 2024
A gripping and high-stakes Australian thriller from the always impressive Candice Fox, High Wire will follow two explosive-rigged strangers in the Australian outback forced to complete a series of dangerous tasks. Fox has been on a real roll this year, releasing the intense Devil’s Kitchen and the fun thriller The Murder Inn (with James Patterson), and I have no doubt that High Wire is also going to be very impressive.
Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson – 22 October 2024
After blowing me away with his last two novels, Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone and Everyone on this Train is a Suspect, Australian author Benjamin Stevenson is producing another awesome read in 2024 with Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret. A Christmas themed murder mystery treat that will once again showcase Stevenson’s wit and love for the mystery genre, Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret is going to be an outstanding read and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.
The Waiting by Michael Connelly – 5 November 2024
It wouldn’t be the second half of a year without a new crime fiction read from Michael Connelly. In this case we have The Waiting, which will once again bring together two of Connelly’s best detectives as part of the Ballard and Bosch series. This latest book will see the protagonists investigate several murders throughout L. A., including a compelling cold case. However, readers are also in for a treat with double the Bosch, as Connelly brings Bosch’s daughter in as a main character for the first time. I cannot wait to see how The Waiting unfolds, and it is probably going to be one of my favourite crime fiction reads of 2024.
Revenge of Rome by Simon Scarrow – 7 November 2024
The final book I want to highlight in this list is the epic upcoming historical fiction novel, Revenge of Rome by Simon Scarrow. The 23rd book in one of my all-time favourite series, Revenge of Rome will follow on from the chaotic events of Scarrow’s last two books, Death to the Emperor and Rebellion, which saw the destruction levelled by Boudica’s rebellion. This new novel will force the protagonists to hunt down the defeated Queen Boudica, which will no doubt result in another harrowing and compelling adventure, especially as one protagonist has a dark connection to the fugitive queen. I have no doubt this is going to be an outstanding book, and I cannot wait to read it.
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 2024. 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.
Waiting on Wednesday – We Solve Murders by Richard Osman
Welcome to my weekly segment, Waiting on Wednesday, where I look at upcoming books that I am planning to order and review in the next few months and which I think I will really enjoy. I run this segment in conjunction with the Can’t-Wait Wednesday meme that is currently running at Wishful Endings. Stay tuned to see reviews of these books when I get a copy of them. In this latest Waiting on Wednesday, I look at one of my most anticipated reads for the second half of 2024, with the outstanding murder mystery novel, We Solve Murders by Richard Osman.
Since his debut in 2020, comedian and British television personality Richard Osman has been on an incredible roll with his crime fiction career, producing four exceptional murder mystery novels as part of his Thursday Murder Club series. Following four complex pensioners who solve murders out of their retirement village, the Thursday Murder Club books are something very special, as they combine clever mysteries with great characters, amazing humour, and unique situations. I have so much love for the Thursday Murder Club series and each of the books, including 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), have gotten full five-star ratings from me.
Due to how exceptional Osman’s first four books are, I have been keeping a close eye out for his next novel, and it looks like we have another interesting release on the horizon. Osman appears to be putting the Thursday Murder Club series on hold for the moment as his next novel will focus on two new characters, with We Solve Murders. Set for release in September 2024, We Solve Murders will introduce a father/daughter crime solving duo as they take on an intense and compelling new case.
Plot Synopsis:
A brand new series. An iconic new detective duo. And a puzzling new murder to solve…
Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life. He does the odd bit of investigation work, but he prefers his familiar habits and routines: the pub quiz, his favorite bench, his cat waiting for him when he comes home. His days of adventure are over: adrenaline is daughter-in-law Amy’s business now.
Amy Wheeler thinks adrenaline is good for the soul. As a private security officer, she doesn’t stay still long enough for habits or routines. She’s currently on a remote island keeping world-famous author Rosie D’Antonio alive. Which was meant to be an easy job…
Then a dead body, a bag of money, and a killer with their sights on Amy have her sending an SOS to the only person she trusts. A breakneck race around the world begins, but can Amy and Steve stay one step ahead of a lethal enemy?
There is a lot here that I am very excited for when it comes to this upcoming book. I love that we are getting a new novel from Osman later this year and while I would have really enjoyed another Thursday Murder Club novel, it is probably good to let that series breath for a little while, especially after the emotionally charged fourth book. As such, I am looking forward to seeing how Osman goes with a new series, and We Solve Murders certainly has a lot of potential. Not only does it have a cool story behind it, but the two main characters also sound very intriguing. I can’t wait to see Osman’s take on a father/daughter relationship, especially when both are detectives. At the same time, the author maintains the generational divides and retiree protagonist that made the Thursday Murder Club books such a joy to read. Throw in Osman’s subtle humour and ability to craft together likeable protagonists and intricate mysteries and We Solve Murders has a lot of potential.
Look, at this point I am automatically going to read anything that Osman writes, especially after how exceptional his first four novels have been. However, I am quite intrigued about his new upcoming book, We Solve Murders, and this is easily one of the books I most looking forward to later this year. I cannot wait to see how this new series unfolds and I have very high hopes that We Solve Murders will be just as good as the amazing Thursday Murder Club series.
The Unseen Library 