Ask the Critic: "Best of" List for 2008?

C. T. Henry asks:

Are you going to post a BEST OF list for 2008?

A couple weeks ago I went over my reading list for the year to narrow it down to a list of the ten best...And the truth is, I couldn't really come up with a list. I read a lot of books in the past year that were good, but very few that were great. So the selections feel like they'd be even more arbitrary than usual.

Overall, it seems like 2008 was an okay, but not great year for crime fiction. I think it was an especially weak year for debut novels. (On that short list I put together, there was only one debut novel.)

I enjoyed a lot of books by the usual suspects -- Connelly, Pelecanos, Lippman, Block, Ferrigno, Crais, etc. -- but putting together a list of books with familiar names like that just doesn't seem very useful. You already know those people's books and know that they're good.

However, I think I can probably come up with three books that knocked my socks off, so maybe I'll do another "3 Favorites" poll instead.

Comments

[Guyot]

'08 was weak, despite all the whining you'll hear from midlisters and wannabes, who seem incapable of ever saying anything negative about the business.

Best book I read this year was published in 1985. One of my top three reads was published in 1995.

Yes, there were some good ones this year as always - Price, Chabon, Stein - but compared to years past, '08 was unimpressive. Most of the "usual suspects" produced decent but not standout products this year.

[I.J.Parker]

Good for you!

[Corey Wilde]

Yep, on December 31 I will hand out my first ever awards for crime fiction.

I thought 2008 was a strong year for crime fiction and of your 'usual suspects' Crais was the only one I've read so far. Add in books by Sean Chercover, Craig McDonald, Arnaldur Indridason, Declan Burke, Ken Bruen, Don Winslow, Adrian Hyland, Tana French, et al, what's not to like?

[The King of Ding]

I always loved the 3 favorites list.

[JC]

Mr. Guyot, Out of curiosity, what 1985 book are you referencing?

[Karen Terry]

I really enjoyed Heartsick by Chelsea Cain and Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn. These are debut novels that I liked this year.

[Roddy Reta]

I'm honestly amazed by the number of people who like Heartsick. Even Stephen King called it one of 2008's best in his annual top 10 list.

My favorite debut was Child 44, a really great thriller.

[Nick Stone]

The Vienna Woods Killer by John Leake and The Havana Mob by TE English were great reads. Both true crime - the latter more a history of the mob in Havana. My favourite novel was Slumberland by Paul Beatty, but it's not crime fiction. I also happily discovered the works of Michael Connelly and a Brazilian author called Rubem Fonseca. Both are masterblasters.

That's not remotely helpful, is it David? Sorry.

N

[Patricia Abbott]

Dawn Patrol, Don Winslow
Songs of the Missing, Stewart O'Nan
Go With Me, Castle Freeman

[Harry]

I thought 2008 was a strong year for crime fiction ( http://www.hotfileseek.com ) and of your 'usual suspects' Crais was the only one I've read so far. Add in books by Sean Chercover, Craig McDonald, Arnaldur Indridason, Declan Burke, Ken Bruen, Don Winslow, Adrian Hyland, Tana French, et al, what's not to like?

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