The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

We've asked 1,641 authors and super readers for their 3 favorite reads of the year.

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

My favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Bullet That Missed

Elizabeth Spann Craig Why did I love this book?

Reading this book is like visiting a group of old friends. I’d had a pretty busy couple of weeks and loved jumping back into this story world.

Each of the main characters has a specialty, almost a superpower, that helps them solve the mystery. At its base, this book is a friendship story with a mystery as icing on the cake.

By Richard Osman,

Why should I read it?

9 authors picked The Bullet That Missed as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Brought to you by Penguin.

A new mystery is afoot in the third book in the Thursday Murder Club series from record-breaking, bestselling author Richard Osman.

It is an ordinary Thursday and things should finally be returning to normal.

Except trouble is never far away where the Thursday Murder Club are concerned. A decade-old cold case leads them to a local news legend and a murder with no body and no answers.

Then a new foe pays Elizabeth a visit. Her mission? Kill. . . or be killed.

As the cold case turns white hot, Elizabeth wrestles with her conscience…


My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot

Elizabeth Spann Craig Why did I love this book?

I love reading and writing books about friendships. The one featured in this book is unique: between a pair of terminally-ill patients, one a teen, one an octogenarian.

Full of humor and excellent character development, it’s a thoughtful, beautiful story about making your own family, handling life changes with grace, and the knowledge that it's never too late for true love.

By Marianne Cronin,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

**LONGLISTED FOR THE AUTHOR'S CLUB FIRST NOVEL AWARD**

'Emotional, involving, witty and sad. Everyone is going to love Lenni and Margot'
JILL MANSELL

'Lenni and Margot are two of the most wonderful, warm, witty and wise heroines I've ever met. Beautiful and glorious' CLARE POOLEY, author of The Authenticity Project

Fiercely alive, disarmingly funny and brimming with tenderness, THE ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF LENNI AND MARGOT unwraps the extraordinary gift of life, and revels in our infinite capacity for friendship and love when we need them most.
_______________________________________

Life is short.

No-one knows that better than seventeen-year-old Lenni. But as…


My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Twist of a Knife

Elizabeth Spann Craig Why did I love this book?

Horowitz knows how to write a mystery. The fun twist he includes in these books is that he’s the sidekick in each mystery.

This is a fast-paced read with interesting characters and lots of Agatha Christie vibes. The author himself is the lead suspect in the murder. Always an engaging read from Horowitz.

By Anthony Horowitz,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked The Twist of a Knife as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

By global bestselling Anthony Horowitz, a brilliantly entertaining new locked-room mystery with a key that only Hawthorne can find.

'EASILY THE GREATEST OF OUR CRIME WRITERS' SUNDAY TIMES

'Funny, addictive and clever, and the crime fighting duo of Hawthorne and Horowitz are as entertaining as ever. Brilliant. I can't wait for more.' ADAM HANDY

''There's a lovely Hitchcockian feel to TWIST. The clock is ticking. It's a lot of fun.' IAN RANKIN

'The Twist of a Knife is a beautifully turned locked-room whodunit' THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

'A total joy. Anthony is a master entertainer, the genius twists and turns of…


Plus, check out my book…

Book cover of Checked Out

What is my book about?

There are no renewals when you’re permanently checked out.

When librarian Ann Beckett finally reluctantly agrees to being set-up on a blind date by one of her over-eager patrons, she figures the worst that could happen would be the two of them wouldn’t hit it off.

Little did she know that she’d be stood up...because her date was murdered. With help from her patrons, Ann tries to find out who might be responsible in the small town of Whitby before more residents are permanently checked out.