Most of my reading in last few years were limited to magazine and articles. The pandemic has changed quiet of lot of things, and one good thing that happened was, to catch up on an old habit. So far i am stuck with one genre. I have skipped quiet a lot of classics purely because i have watched the movies adaptations. So that rendered the post-read ineffective most of the time.
Here are my first set of 10 favorites (picked from 24 reads so far) which are mostly utterly, butterly and delicious page turners. The kind of satisfaction you get towards the end is an experience on its own. No wonder people say books are known to be the best friend of a person and the reason is quiet obvious. My books shelf is already full and i have another 10 more read in the pipeline.
1. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie
My favourite one is from none other than best-selling author of all time. She ruled The Golden Age of Detective Fiction era. This one is a tightly plotted, cleverly written and a true game changer cult classic. She undoubtedly had a brilliant brain unmatched so far in terms of consistent flicks.
2. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
This is an unbelievable thriller from start to finish from the queen of crime. Her ability to present clues buried in the main stories or sometimes in plain sight is one of the key tricks that separates her from the rest. The integration is so tightly coupled. This book set a golden standard in crime fiction which is hard to beat.
3. The Puppet Show by MW Craven
This one is a terrific serial killer narration with a top notch thrilling effect. A breathtaking story combined with a terrific lead pairs of investigators. This is a perfect candidate for a movie or series as every alternative chapter ends in a cliff hanger.
4. Moonflower Murders by Anthony Horowitz’s
The author is known for coming with a concept of book within a book. Its a lengthy read and the clue to the first murder is present in a book written by a deceased author. Definitely an over plotted whodunits written by the author so far. I found quiet a lot of chapters unnecessary and shorter version would have created more impact. Sometimes too much of fiction is an overkill. But he has terrific talent and one of best in industry now.
5. The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino
The definition of spoilers is changed in all of his novels. The killers identify is reveled upfront, but how they did the crime and conceal it forms the crux. The concept is inspired in the film Dhrishyam.
6. Salvation of a Saint by Keigo Higashino
Once again, rather than the who part, the how part makes it a compelling read. A beautifully plotted crime novel filled with twists. I wonder how he made it so interesting even after the initial reveal.
7. The Silent Patient - by Alex Michaelides
A psychological thriller with an unexpected and shocking ending. I wont rate it so high nevertheless worth a try if you have patience. It was bit slow for my taste. Another one in the making for a movie. Felt it was much better than The woman in the window.
8. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
An enjoyable and a fun read were a bunch of oldies form a group to solve a murder. The characters and multi layered story is an entertaining read from start to finish. Don't expect a startling revelation but hook factor is maintained well. The dialogue were super hilarious.
9. The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
This is by far the most complicated read i ever had. Turton's debut is a compelling and hard to follow at times. Its an one of a kind original idea and its coined by many critics as AC meets Groundhog Day.
10. The Sentence is death by Anthony Horowitz
A fast-paced, with a perfect blend of modern day fiction and reality. An engaging writing skills. The detective pair will reminded me of Sherlock and Watson.