2024 in Books

Time for the annual round-up of the books I loved this (last) year. In 2024 I got through 66 books - reading 39 and listening to 27 (plus a lot of podcasts!). 12 of the 66 were non-fiction, a couple of the other 54 were short story collections, but it was mostly novels.

A full 24 of the books, I gave 9 or 10 out of 10 for enjoyment. Either I pick well or am just not that discerning. A bit of both I think! I tend to enjoy most things. This score is always based on just how much I enjoyed reading or listening, and not at all based on how “good” I think a book is.

Conveniently there are 10 books that scored 10/10, so I will stick to them! Here they are in the order I read them…

Amy and Lan - Sadie Jones

The Secret Place (audio) - Tana French

Prize Women - Caroline Lea

A Single Thread (audio) - Tracey Chevalier

Anxious People - Frederick Backman

Four Days Wonder - A A Milne

The Kellerby Code (audio) - Jonny Sweet

Wellness (audio) - Nathan Hill

Good For a Girl (audio) - Lauren Fleshman

Tom Lake - Ann Patchett

I'm so aware of all the brilliant 9/10s I’m not mentioning here, but I will be disciplined and leave the list there! A few secondary awards…

Most anticipated: Red Side Story - Jasper Fforde (9/10). I’ve waited 15 years for the sequel to Shades of Grey. Worth the wait!

Biggest surprise: The Man Who Died Twice - Richard Osman (9/10). I read the first Thursday Murder Club book when it came out and thought it was… ok. Competent, but clearly trying hard to be oh-so-charming. So it took me a while to bother with the sequel. This was SO much better. Will be reading the rest now!

Revelation of the year: adult novels by AA Milne! I thought he was all about Winne the Pooh, but it turns out he has written several adult novels which are sharp and clever and very, very silly. Similar in tone to PG Wodehouse. I loved both Four Days Wonder and Two People (9/10).

Not sure I can pick a BOOK OF THE YEAR, but it may be a toss up between Prize Women and A Single Thread.

Happy New Year!