As usual, I have taken this task of selecting my Top Reads List very seriously and really struggled to make sure the list commemorates my favorite books of the year. Simply put, sometimes this means splitting hairs and having to leave off books that I truly loved but which just didn’t quite have the lasting impact of others. This does not mean I didn’t enjoy those other books – I did! – but anytime you are making a list, some things make the cut and others do not. Rest assured, if I talked about your book here on BOLO Books, I am proud to have read your work and will continue to suggest it to folks for years to come. These are just the books I feel had the most resonance with me this year. I should also say there are still 2025 reviews coming later this month, but all those books have been read and factored into this end-of-year list.
I will remind readers that this is my Top Reads list – not necessarily a Best Of list. Certainly these books are worthy of any Best Of list, but since I did not read everything published this year, I always hesitate to call it such and I question any venue that purports to highlight the best as I am fairly sure no one has read all the crime fiction books published in 2025. So remember, this is just my completely subjective list of the Top Reads of those that I experienced this year, in a year when I have read less than normal due to my own writing career flourishing and taking up more and more of my available time.
My final list is presented in alphabetical order based on the novel’s title – except for the first choice, which represents my overall favorite novel of the year. Along with the cover image for each selected book, I have included a short extract from the original review. Please follow the link following each extract to re-visit the full spoiler-free review and to find purchase links.
I can already hear you saying, enough with the babble, let’s see this list!
Quantum of Menace by Vaseem Khan
“With the launch of his new series linked to Ian Fleming’s James Bond books, Vaseem Khan takes a different route, elevating a secondary character—Q—to leading player status, and instantly creates a classic in the process…It is the “bond” between Vaseem Khan’s writing style and the existing 007 universe that allows for true magic to occur…What’s most unexpected is the dry humor on display throughout the novel. Q: Quantum of Menace never takes itself too seriously—despite a plot that eventually portends a Global crisis—making it the perfect read for our stressful times…Q: Quantum of Menace is the type of book readers can’t stop reading, even as they deliberately try to slow down to prolong the experience as long as possible.” (FULL REVIEW)
The Black Wolf by Louise Penny (Minotaur Books)
“The core elements in The Black Wolf’s plot read like the daily news briefs out of Washington, despite the fact that Louise Penny finished writing the novel well before Trump took office. This is largely because she is a writer who knows and understands her native country’s impact on World politics and isn’t afraid to journey into some complex waters to tell a gripping story…No one working in the crime fiction genre elucidates human nature like Louise Penny, and that remains true in both the intimate moments, and the larger brush stroke set pieces found throughout this novel.” (FULL REVIEW)
The Burning Grounds by Abir Mukherjee (Pegasus Crime)
“Both of his main characters have continued to develop not just between novels, but even within each novel itself…To make matters worse, their once tight bond has been shattered, leaving the good friends barely able to share the same space without the uncomfortable specter of the past…What follows—in alternating POV chapters—is an examination of how these two very different men navigate their investigations as they learn to reconnect with each other—not as they were historically, but where they are now, in the present. The dual investigation has them covering the same ground from different angles.” (FULL REVIEW)
Crooks by Lou Berney (William Morrow)
“Lou Berney is among that rare breed of crime fiction authors whose work can’t be pinned down into clear and concise marketing silos. He allows the story at hand to dictate subgenre, structure, tone, and goal…Crooks is a crime novel—but one that forges its path more as a portrait of a family rather than the more traditional linear plot structure…Epic in scope, Crooks covers decades in the life of this one family—documenting as each decision made by individual members has ramifications for others down the line…Lou Berney has essentially written a series of short stories/novellas that are linked by their focus on members of the Mercurio Family.” (FULL REVIEW)
The Girl in Cell A by Vaseem Kahn (Hachette Morbius)
“With The Girl in Cell A—his first standalone crime novel and his first book set in the United States—Vaseem Khan leaves a mark on psychological suspense that even veterans of the subgenre can only dream of. By carefully controlling the narrative, and in particular, the points of view used, Khan lures the reader in, only to rip the rug out from under them not just once, but several different times throughout the epic novel… Vaseem Khan manipulates the reader—in the best sense of that word—exposing what needs to be known only at the moment when it will have the most massive impact on the plot.” (FULL REVIEW)
The Girl in the Green Dress by Mariah Fredericks (Minotaur Books)
“The Girl in the Green Dress transports readers to New York City at the dawn of the Jazz Age—1920, to be exact. All the glitz and glamour one would expect seeps off the pages of this novel, while just under the surface the seedy underbelly of corruption keeps a steady rhythm…This style lends itself to this type of storytelling where ambiance is everything and character reigns supreme…Mariah Fredericks’s audacious inclusion of Zelda Fitzgerald elevates The Girl in the Green Dress to must-read status for both fans of the period and those interested in the glamourous Fitzgerald couple.” (FULL REVIEW)
Head Cases by John McMahon (Minotaur Books)
“Head Cases features a squad of FBI agents assigned to a task force known as PAR. The Patterns and Recognition unit employs those folks whose minds work at a higher level than the majority of the population. Commonly referred to as neurodivergent, their unique skills manifest in a variety of different ways that allow them to approach investigations without regard for what is typically considered the “normal” manner…Even with the perfectly executed plot, it’s the characters that really hold the most interest here. In particular, Gardner Camden is sure to become a fan favorite. His unusual outlook on the world is refreshing and as readers learn more about how his mind works, he only becomes more appealing.” (FULL REVIEW)
Home Before Dark by Eva Björg Ægisdóttir (Orenda Books)
“Ægisdóttir’s ability to position authentically relatable characters within twisted tales that misdirect readers at almost every turn makes her a must read for her growing legion of fans…In true Ægisdóttir style, the author controls what information the reader knows and more importantly, when they discover it…it will be the rare crime fiction reader who ferrets out all the secrets contained within Home Before Dark…Once all is revealed, it is impossible not to sit back and marvel at how this author so skillfully obfuscates things…” (FULL REVIEW)
The Pastor’s Wife by LynDee Walker (Bookouture)
“with her innate understanding of motive and human psychology, domestic suspense may very well be where LynDee Walker has her greatest success so far…In the end, The Pastor’s Wife is a complete success. The breakneck speed and the sheer volume of twists makes the cliched “rollercoaster read” the ideal descriptor…Domestic suspense fans are always looking for something that breaks the mold and takes the subgenre in new directions and The Pastor’s Wife certainly does that and more. Something that is simultaneously both entirely believable and deliciously over-the-top.” (FULL REVIEW)
Under the Same Stars by Libba Bray (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
“With the world in crisis and fascism once again on the rise, Under the Same Stars stakes its claim as an instant classic—a story that those in need can turn to now for comfort, but one that will also still be referenced for years to come, most certainly crossing across all age ranges and media styles…the true beauty of the novel rests in how the plots dovetail together, teaching us that resistance is an echo that reverberates for generations…Under the Same Stars reminds us that even when things seem the darkest, humanity has been there before and somehow managed to survive.” (FULL REVIEW)
THE TOP DEBUTS OF 2025 ACCORDING TO BOLO BOOKS
The Betrayal of Thomas True by A. J. West (Orenda Books)
“The Betrayal of Thomas True reads like a Dickensian strut upon the mainstage of RuPaul’s Drag Race…Even with the central romance plot, The Betrayal of Thomas True is very much a mystery novel…The descriptions of the debauchery and cattiness of the molly-house scene will resonate with modern readers who are steeped in queer culture. The reads, back-biting, and jealousy all feel authentic, but when push comes to shove, this is a community that supports each other at all costs, even using “Always Together” as a code phrase of solidarity in a time when their very existence is illegal.” (FULL REVIEW)
Death on the Island by Eliza Reid (Poisoned Pen Press)
“For a nation with very little violent crime of its own, Iceland continues to produce some of crime fiction’s rising superstars…Eliza Reid’s debut novel—Death on the Island—weaves together an Agatha Christie-esque closed circle crime with political subplots and a deep understanding of setting, in this case an isolated island off the coast of Iceland. Reid is a gifted storyteller who clearly understands the importance of grabbing the reader early and never letting go…Eliza Reid fills the canvas with relatable characters and enough red herrings to mislead even the most ardent crime fiction readers.” (FULL REVIEW)
Whiskey Business by Adrian Andover (Chestnut Avenue Press)
“It will be only the cold-hearted reader who doesn’t find themselves wishing Subplot were a real place—a gathering spot for erudite conversation, relaxed contemplation, and delicious drinks with a shared community…The bread and butter of a good cozy series is the ensemble cast of characters and here is another place that Adrian Andover shines…Technically, Whiskey Business fits into the new, burgeoning subcategory known as the quozy—the Queer Cozy. But Adrian Andover’s unique take on the concept guarantees the series will have plenty of lifeblood moving forward.” (FULL REVIEW)
