Writers are Readers
My advice to upcoming writers has always been, “Writers write, and writers read.” I tallied up my reading list for 2025 and found that I finished seventy books. The books ranged from mysteries to popular thrillers to literary fiction. The list also includes non-fiction and memoir. Some of my reads were the kind that I was sorry when the book ended. Others, I was relieved when the book ended. Since I read a lot, I also forget a lot of what I’ve read. For twenty years now, I’ve kept a list of what I’ve read that includes a little synopsis and a rating of ½ to five stars. A five-star rating has only happened a few times in the last twenty years. A four-star rating is also rare. I thought I’d share with you the books from 2025 that got my four-star or better ratings. You’ll note that they come in a variety of genres, although I admit I generally don’t read sci-fi or romance without nudging from people I respect.
Here are my top ten reads from 2025 in no particular order (I'd love to know what your top reads were):
Tana French, “The Searcher.” Mystery
Daniel Mason, “Northwoods.” Literary Fiction
Rhy Bowen, “The Venice Sketchbook.” Historical Mystery
Geraldine Brooks, “Memorial Days.” Memoir
Ariel Lawhorn, “The Frozen River.” Historical Fiction
Javier Zamora, “Solito.” Memoir
Gabriel Valjan, “Eyes to Deceit,” Historical Thriller
David Simon, “Homicide: A Year on the Streets of Baltimore.” Non-fiction
Kristin Hannah, “The Women.” Historical Fiction
Lori Robbins, “Murder in the Fifth Position.” Mystery
The first two books in my 2026 list are P.D. James, “Death in Holy Orders,” a mystery, and Ethan Rutherford’s “North Sun: Or the Voyage of the Whaleship Esther,” a National Book Award finalist. I’ll let you know next year if they made the top ten list.
Coming Soon
I will have three (!) books published in 2026.
What the Fields Saw: A Sheriff Red Mystery will be out from Severn River Publishing on March 24th. Decades of secrets surface when a high school reunion spirals into a deadly reckoning. Available for pre-order now. On Amazon
The Secret of Ravens Valley, a Liza and Mrs. Wilkens Mystery from Level Best Books on April 21st. Who killed the Ravens Valley librarian? Liza and Mrs. Wilkens want answers about the death of their friend, but when they investigate, they find this small rural community cloaked in fear.
(Cover reveal coming soon!)
Only The River Knows
A Sheriff Red Mystery from Severn River Publishing, September 22nd. Available for pre-order now!
The curtain rises on Lykkins Lake’s community theater production of The Music Man—but the show turns deadly before the first line is spoken. During auditions, director Amanda Brodie spots someone on stage and bolts in fear. The next morning, her body surfaces in the dark waters beneath an abandoned railroad bridge.
On Amazon
Literary Endeavors
I’m excited to announce that my short story “When Pop Went on Vacation” was the third-place winner in the Tucson Festival of Books Literary Competition. Laila Halaby, the competition judge, said of the story, “When Pop Went on Vacation’ is a seamless unfolding of flawed characters doing their best to navigate unexpected turns and tragedy while still daring to dream of marvelous times.”
I will be participating in the literary master class in March!
Book clubs and Reviews
If you are part of a book club and would like me to participate, please reply to this email. I love talking with readers, hearing your thoughts, and discussing the writing process.
As always, reviews are appreciated!
Have a wonderful New Year!
Best,
Linda