Time for my top ten reads of 2024. It was pretty hard to choose as I’ve enjoyed all the books I’ve read this year. I have cheated slightly as one of the books I read came out in 2023 but I only got around to reading it at the the beginning of this year. So, here are the first seven books in no particular order.

 

The Dead Friend Project by Joanna Wallace

 

 

Everyone needs a hobby…

Things haven’t been going well for Beth. Her husband has left her for one of her friends. Her fellow school mums judge her for swearing too much and not shifting the baby weight. And now she’s stuck in A&E after her son fell off the climbing wall on the first day of school.

In fact, things haven’t been going well for Beth since Charlotte died – her best friend, a favourite at the school pick-ups and the only person to ever run an interesting PTA meeting. But after being hit by a car while on an ill-timed evening jog, Charlotte is no longer there to help Beth pick up the pieces of her increasingly difficult life.

That is, until Beth discovers that Charlotte left her toddler alone in the house during that fatal run. The Charlotte she knew would never do something so irresponsible, and suddenly Beth is questioning whether Charlotte’s death was really an accident. With a newfound purpose and a glass of wine in hand, it’s time for Beth to uncover what really happened to her best friend. And what better place to start than the circle of chatty school mums, who can’t be as perfect as they pretend. But which of them is hiding something? Beth’s determined to find out. Once she’s put the kids to bed, of course…

You can buy The Dead Friend Project here.

 

The Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-Robinson

 

This is your story, Red. You must tell it well . . .

A girl known only as Red, the daughter of a Cornish fortune-teller, travels with her father making a living predicting fortunes using the ancient method: the Square of Sevens. When her father suddenly dies, Red becomes the ward of a gentleman scholar.

Now raised as a lady amidst the Georgian splendour of Bath, her fortune-telling is a delight to high society. But she cannot ignore the questions that gnaw at her soul: who was her mother? How did she die? And who are the mysterious enemies her father was always terrified would find him?

The pursuit of these mysteries takes her from Cornwall and Bath to London and Devon, from the rough ribaldry of the Bartholomew Fair to the grand houses of two of the most powerful families in England. And while Red’s quest brings her the possibility of great reward, it also leads her into grave danger . . .

You can buy Square of Sevens here.

 

The Wild Swimmers by William Shaw

 

If only Alexandra Cupidi had turned south instead of north, she would have found the dead woman.

Instead it is her vulnerable daughter Zoë who stumbles across Mimi Greene’s lifeless body on the shoreline. A regular wild swimmer with a group of close friends, it’s out of character for Mimi to have been swimming alone, especially in bad weather. DS Cupidi starts to suspect this is more than just an accidental drowning.

Meanwhile, her friend and colleague Jill Ferriter receives a mysterious letter from a man who claims to be her father. Stephen Dowles has been in prison for the last twenty years, convicted of two brutal and senseless murders.

With Cupidi obsessed by the death of Mimi Greene, Ferriter must lean on Bill South to uncover the facts around Dowles’ conviction, revisiting old colleagues and criminals.

You can buy The Wild Swimmers here.

 

Unburied by Heather Critchlow

Cal Lovett has spent half his life telling other people’s stories on his true crime podcast. But the police are close to solving the mystery of his sister’s disappearance – now he might finally get to tell Margot’s story.

A desperate relative begs for his help.

Cal seeks respite on a holiday in the Scottish Highlands, but is dragged into a new cold case: an unsolved murder that shattered a family fourteen years ago.

An isolated community wary of outsiders.

Eyes follow Cal everywhere. And someone makes it very clear that they don’t want him snooping around…

How far will he go to find justice? And how far is far enough?

You can buy Unburied here.

 

Ice Town by Will Dean

 

ONE WAY IN. NO WAY OUT.

‘Deaf teenager goes missing in Esseberg. Mountain rescue are launching a search party but conditions hinder their efforts. The tunnel is being kept open all night as an exception.’

When journalist Tuva Moodyson reads this news alert she knows she must join the search. If this teenager is found, she will be able to communicate with him in a way no one else can.

Esseberg lies on the other side of a mountain tunnel: there is only one way in and one way out. When the tunnel closes at night, the residents are left to fend for themselves. And as more people go missing, it becomes clear that there is a killer among them…

You can buy Ice Town here.

 

The Dream Home by TM Logan

 

IF YOU HAD NEVER OPENED THE DOOR, YOUR FAMILY WOULD BE SAFE . . .

THE UNMISSABLE NEW THRILLER FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING MASTER OF THE UP-ALL-NIGHT THRILLER

Adam and Jess, along with their three children, move into a beautiful new home: a rambling Victorian house in a nice neighbourhood, right at the top of their price range. Then Adam discovers a door hidden behind a fitted wardrobe, concealing a secret room . . .

But like the house, Adam has his secrets too. And soon he will find himself setting in motion a series of events that will place his family in terrible danger . . .

You can buy The Dream Home here.

 

My Favourite Debut of 2024 – The Switch by Lily Samson

 

 

TWO COUPLES

Elena and Adam are housesitting in Wimbledon and are instantly seduced by their new upscale surroundings.

Sophia and Finn are their beautiful, enigmatic neighbours who invite them into their world.

ONE TWISTED GAME

When Sophia proposes a wicked game to Elena whereby they will swap partners in secret, it’s not long before Elena starts to experience a sexual awakening that blossoms into an illicit love affair.

But Sophia’s plans are far more complex and dangerous than Elena could ever have imagined…

You can buy The Switch here.

 

And now my top three reads of 2024…

 

Coming in third…

 

The Examiner by Janice Hallett

 

 

Six Students. One Murder. Your Time Starts Now…

The mature students of Royal Hastings University’s new art course have been trouble from day one. From acclaimed artist Alyson who seems oddly overqualified, to hapless Patrick who can barely operate design software, and city boy Cameron who blusters his way through assignments. Not to mention Jem, who’s a gifted young sculptor… but cross her at your peril.

The year-long course is blighted by students setting fire to one another’s artwork, a rumoured extra-marital affair and a disastrous road trip. But finally they are given their last assignment: to build an art installation for a local manufacturer. With six students who have nothing in common except their clashing personal agendas, what could possibly go wrong?

The answer is: murder. When the external examiner arrives to assess the students’ coursework, he becomes convinced that a student was killed on the course and that the others covered it up. But is he right? Only a close examination of the evidence will reveal the truth. Your time starts now…

You can buy The Examiner here.

 

And in second place…

 

Estella’s Revenge by Barbara Havelocke

 

You know Miss Havisham.

The world’s most famous jilted bride.

This is her daughter’s story.

Raised in the darkness of Satis House where the clocks never tick, the beautiful Estella is bred to hate men and to keep her heart cold as the grave.

She knows she doesn’t feel things quite like other people do but is this just the result of her strange upbringing?

As she watches the brutal treatment of women around her, hatred hardens into a core of vengeance and when she finds herself married to the abusive Drummle, she is forced to make a deadly choice:

Should she embrace the darkness within her and exact her revenge?

You can buy Estella’s Revenge here.

 

And in first place, my favourite read of 2024 is no surprise!

 

All The Colours Of The Dark by Chris Whitaker

Late one summer, the town of Monta Clare is shattered by the abduction of teenager Joseph ‘Patch’ Macauley. Nobody more so than Saint Brown, who will risk everything to find her best friend.

But when she does: it will break her heart.

Patch lies alone in a pitch-black room – until he feels a hand in his. Her name is Grace and, though they cannot see each other, she lights their world with her words.

But when he escapes: there is no sign she ever even existed.

Left with only her voice and her name, he paints her from broken memories – and charts an epic search to find her.

As years turn to decades, and hope becomes obsession, Saint will shadow his journey – on a darker path to hunt down the man who took them – and set free the only boy she ever loved.

Even if finding the truth means losing each other forever…

You can buy All The Colours Of The Dark here.

 

So, that’s my top ten. I’ve not been great at reviewing over the last year due to writing commitments. I’ll try to be better in 2025. One book to look out for next year is Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall. I’ve just finished reading it and it’s wonderful. Check it out here.

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! See you in 2025!