As usual, compiling my favourite reads of the year has been tough! There are many great stories out there, but in no particular order, these made it to the top of my list for 2022.
The third book in The Thursday Murder Club series did not disappoint, and along with a great story, Osman once again imbued his characters with warmth and humour. Rumour has it that Steven Spielberg has optioned the rights to make a movie – can’t wait!
Alix St Pierre hopes that a post-war job for fashion designer Christian Dior in Paris will finally allow her to leave the horrors of World War II behind her. But when her dangerous past catches up with her, she must outwit a master chameleon—another brilliant historical fiction novel from Natasha Lester.
This beautifully written novel gives a rich and vivid portrait of life in 16th Century England, but at its heart, it is a story of motherhood, loss and grief. The accolades heaped upon this book are well-deserved; O’Farrell’s lyrical prose deals with both devastation and love in a moving and powerful way.
I loved this crime thriller set on Auckland’s West Coast. When the bones of Nina Rai are discovered deep in the forest near her luxury home ten years after she disappeared, along with a quarter of a million dollars, her disappearance becomes a murder investigation. Her now-adult son must delve deep into the past to construct an accurate picture of events that fateful night.
Bright young thing and infamous Mitford sister Nancy takes a job at Heywood Hill bookshop during World War II as she struggles not only with a family including two Nazi-sympathiser sisters, an unfaithful and always broke husband, but also her own writing career. Here she discovers a new life in war-torn London – one not without its dangers. This dual-timeline historical fiction novel sees modern-day book curator Lucy St. Clair trying to uncover the link between their families through a personal inscription in a first edition of Nancy’s work. A fascinating portrait set around a legendary bookshop.
The latest instalment of the Cormoran Strike crime series sees Cormoran and Robin delving deep into a cult online game in search of a killer known only by their online alias. Atmospheric and rich with detail, this one will keep you guessing.
I highly recommend this showcase of Australian and New Zealand crime writing featuring Vanda Symon, RWR McDonald, Stephen Ross, Alan Carter and others.