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The best books of 2023

This list is part of the best books of 2023.

We've asked 1,639 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 Indigo Field

Rebecca Hodge Why did I love this book?

In present-day North Carolina, Indigo Field mesmerized me with its complex, well-drawn characters, breathtaking writing, and a strong sense of place. Interweaving the present with the past and the real with the imaginary, Marjorie Hudson creates a tapestry of multiple cultures that draw the reader in.

This book is perfect for fans of Pat Conroy and those who love Southern literature. I didn’t want to leave this story when it was done. 

By Marjorie Hudson,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Indigo Field as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Indigo Field brims with multigenerational drama, earthy spirituality, and deeply imagined characters you are unlikely to forget." -Sue Monk Kidd, author of The Invention of Wings, The Book of Longings, and The Secret Life of Bees

In the rural South, a retired colonel in an upscale retirement community grieves the sudden death of his wife on the tennis court. On the other side of the highway, an elderly Black woman grieves the murder of her niece by a white man. Between them lies an abandoned field where three centuries of crimes are hidden, and only she knows the explosive secrets…


My 2nd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone

Rebecca Hodge Why did I love this book?

Take two lonely people on opposite sides of the country plus a magical miniature house. Mix well, and you end up with a delightful, heartwarming story that will keep you turning pages late into the night.

The Miniscule Mansion of Myra Malone is told in dual timelines that seamlessly weave the mysterious past with the other-worldly present to create a satisfying tale of enchantment and hope.

I loved this book! I’ve already marked my calendar for Audrey Burges’s next release. 

By Audrey Burges,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Audrey Burges The Minuscule Mansion of Myra Malone is a charming and magical debut novel, with a love story at its heart, woven across multiple periods and perspectives, about a mystical dolls' house.

Once upon a time there was a house . . .

From her attic in the Arizona mountains, thirty-four-year-old recluse Myra Malone blogs about a miniature mansion - a dolls' house - which captivates thousands of readers worldwide. Myra herself is tethered to the Mansion by a strange magic she can't understand - there are rooms that appear and disappear overnight, music that plays in its corridors.…


My 3rd favorite read in 2023…

Book cover of The Thursday Murder Club

Rebecca Hodge Why did I love this book?

I kept hearing good things about The Thursday Murder Club, but it was only this year that I got around to reading it. What a treat!

Four delightful residents of a lush retirement village, each with unique talents, meet weekly to discuss cold cases. But when a real murder hits close to home, they switch from the theoretical to the actual with unexpected results.

This is a fun, clever mystery full of endearing characters. Dive in and enjoy. 

By Richard Osman,

Why should I read it?

21 authors picked The Thursday Murder Club as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A New York Times bestseller | Soon to be a major motion picture from Steven Spielberg at Amblin Entertainment

"Witty, endearing and greatly entertaining." -Wall Street Journal

"Don't trust anyone, including the four septuagenarian sleuths in Osman's own laugh-out-loud whodunit." -Parade

Four septuagenarians with a few tricks up their sleeves
A female cop with her first big case
A brutal murder
Welcome to...
THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB

In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet weekly in the Jigsaw Room to discuss unsolved crimes; together they call themselves the Thursday Murder Club.

When a local developer is found dead…


Plus, check out my book…

Book cover of Wildland

What is my book about?

When Kat Jamison retreats to the Blue Ridge Mountains, she's counting on solitude to help her make a difficult decision: face yet another round of chemotherapy or surrender gracefully to her cancer.

But when lightning ignites a deadly wildfire, Kat's cabin is cut off, separating two children from their parents. Kat, the children, and a pair of dogs must flee on foot through the drought-stricken forest, away from the ravenous flames. As a frantic rescue mission is launched below the fire line, Kat drives the party deeper into the mountains, determined to save four innocent lives.

But when the moment comes to save her own, Kat will have to decide just how hard she's willing to fight to survive--and what's worth living for.