The 2012 List
Adrenaline
Before I Go To Sleep, by S. J. Watson, Harper Collins, (9780062060556)
Each morning, Christine wakes with no memory. From the clues she left herself, she tries to piece together her identity and sort lies from the truth. The unrelenting pace thrusts the reader into the
confusion of a waking nightmare in which revelations of her past lead to a frantic crescendo.
Read-Alikes
The Likeness, by Tana French
Shutter Island, by Dennis Lehane
Memento (Summit Entertainment, 2000)
Short List
Now You See Me, by S. J. Bolton, St. Martin’s (9780312600525)
Spiral, by Paul McEuen, Dial Press, (9780385342117)
The Woodcutter, by Reginald Hill, Harper Collins, (9780062060747)
You’re Next, by Gregg Hurwitz, St. Martin’s, (9780312534912)
Fantasy
The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern, Doubleday, (9780385534635)
Le Cirque des Rêves is utterly unique, disappearing at dawn in one town only to mysteriously reappear in another. At the heart of the circus are two young magicians, involved in a competition neither completely understands. The dreamlike atmosphere and vivid imagery make this fantasy unforgettable.
Read-Alikes
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, by Susanna Clarke
Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Prestige (Touchstone Pictures, 2006)
Short List
Daughter of Smoke and Bone, by Laini Taylor, Little, Brown, (9780316134026)
The Magician King, by Lev Grossman, Viking, (9780670022311)
The Wise Man’s Fear, by Patrick Rothfuss, DAW, (9780756404734)
Zoo City, by Lauren Beukes, Angry Robot, (9780857660558)
Historical Fiction
Doc, by Mary Doria Russell, Random House, (9781400068043)
In the early days of Dodge City, a genteel, tubercular Southern dentist forges a friendship with the infamous Earp brothers. Combining historical details and lyrical language, this gritty psychological portrait of gunslinger Doc Holliday reveals how the man became the legend.
Read-Alikes
Deadwood, by Pete Dexter
Etta, by Gerald Kolpan
Gunman’s Rhapsody, by Robert B. Parker
Short List
Bright and Distant Shores, by Dominic Smith, Pocket Books, (9781439198865)
Lionheart, by Sharon Kay Penman, Putnam, (9780399157851)
Rules of Civility, by Amor Towles, Viking, (9780670022694)
The Sea Captain’s Wife, by Beth Powning, Penguin, (9780452296954)
Horror
The Ridge, by Michael Koryta, Little, Brown, (9780316053662)
The unexplained death of an eccentric lighthouse keeper in the isolated Kentucky woods, followed by a mysterious threat to a nearby large cat sanctuary prompt an investigation by a journalist and the local sheriff. Palpable evil and a sense of dread drive this chilling tale.
Read-Alikes
The Dead Path by Stephen Irwin
Those Across the River, by Christopher Buehlman
Harbor, by John Ajvide Lindqvist
Short List
The Last Werewolf, by Glen Duncan, Knopf, (9780307595089)
The Night Strangers, by Chris Bohjalian, Crown, (9780307394996)
Raising Stony Mayhall, by Daryl Gregory, Del Rey, (9780345522375)
The White Devil, by Justin Evans, Harper Collins, (9780061728273)
Mystery
The Devotion of Suspect X, by Keigo Higashino, Minotaur, (9780312375065)
An introverted mathematician matches wits with a brilliant former colleague to protect the neighbor he secretly adores from a murder charge. Although the reader knows the murderer’s identity from the beginning, this unconventional Japanese mystery remains a taut psychological puzzle.
Read-Alikes
Out, by Natsuo Kirino
Think of a Number, by John Verdon
Sherlock (BBC, 2010-2012)
Short List
Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead, by Sara Gran, Houghton, Mifflin, (9780547428499)
Killed at the Whim of a Hat, by Colin Cotterill, Minotaur, (9780312564537)
The Snowman, by Jo Nesbo, Knopf, (9780307595867)
A Trick of the Light, by Louise Penny, Minotaur, (9780312655457)
Romance
Silk is for Seduction, by Loretta Chase, Avon, (9780061632686)
Ambitious dressmaker Marcelline Noirot will do almost anything to secure the patronage of the Duke of Clevendon’s intended bride. Neither her calculated business plan nor his campaign of seduction can withstand the force of their mutual attraction. Witty banter and strong-willed characters make this a memorable tale.
Read-Alikes
Dangerous in Diamonds, by Madeline Hunter
The Raven Prince, by Elizabeth Hoyt
Untie My Heart, by Judith Ivory
Short List
Dragon Bound, by Thea Harrison, Berkley, (9780425241509)
A Lady’s Lesson in Scandal, by Meredith Duran, Pocket, (9781451606935)
My One And Only, by Kristin Higgins, Harlequin, (9780373775576)
When Beauty Tamed the Beast, by Eloisa James, Avon, (9780062021274)
Science Fiction
Leviathan Wakes, by James S.A. Corey, Orbit, (9780316129084)
The missions of a jaded cop and a dedicated ice hauler officer collide as the fate of humanity hangs in the balance. A mystery adds a noir touch to this space opera featuring deeply flawed yet heroic characters, non-stop action, and Earth versus Mars politics.
Read-Alikes
Up Against It, by M. J. Locke
Pandora’s Star, by Peter Hamilton
The Quiet War, by Paul J. McAuley
Short List
Embassytown, by China Miéville, Del Rey, (9780345524492)
The Quantum Thief, by Hannu Rajaniemi, Tor, (9780765329493)
Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline, Crown, (9780307887436)
When She Woke, by Hillary Jordan, Algonquin, (9781565126299)
Women’s Fiction
The Language of Flowers, by Vanessa Diffenbaugh Ballantine, (9780345525543)
A former foster child struggles to overcome a past filled with abuse, neglect and anger. Communicating through the Victorian language of flowers allows her to discover hope, redemption and a capacity for love. Damaged, authentic characters create an emotional tension in this profoundly moving story.
Read-Alikes
Like Family, by Paula McLain (NF)
The Lost Garden, by Helen Humphreys
White Oleander, by Janet Fitch
Short List
Deep Down True, by Juliette Fay, Penguin, (9780143118510)
Joy for Beginners, by Erica Bauermeister, Putnam, (9780399157127)
The Weird Sisters, by Eleanor Brown, Putnam, (9780399157226)
What Alice Forgot, by Liane Moriarty, Penguin, (9780141043760)
