Monday, January 2, 2023

Top Ten Tuesday: My Favorite Books of 2022


Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl.

This week's Top Ten Tuesday topic is Favorite Books of 2022. Note that the key word here is favorite, and these are the books I enjoyed reading the most in 2022. The list is in no particular order, and I included 12 books because I couldn't cut any of them from the list.

And here's my list:


Convenience Store Woman (2016) by Sayaka Murata

My husband recommended this book to me. Keiko is a 36-year-old woman who has been a part-time convenience store worker in Tokyo for 18 years. She finds fulfillment and meaning in this job. Yet her family, friends, even coworkers expect her to do more with her life and be more normal. The novel is short, about 160 pages, and very strange, but I loved it. 


The Assault (1982) by Harry Mulisch

This novel is set in the Netherlands; it starts with a horrendous event during World War II. Near the end of the war, when many countries in Europe had been liberated, the Netherlands was still occupied. A policeman in the city of Haarlem, who was collaborating with the Germans, is shot down in a small neighborhood. Reprisals are taken and many people are killed, including children. This novel takes that one event and shows how it affected the people who were involved.  It continues up to 1980. The Assault was a great read, brief and straightforward, and very effective. Suggested to me by Patti Abbott at Pattinase.


Rebecca (1938) by Daphne du Maurier

I read Rebecca in April for my Classics Club list; it is a novel that most readers are familiar with. The heroine is very young, inexperienced, and naïve. As the novel begins she is in Monte Carlo working as a paid companion to Mrs. Van Hopper, an overbearing American woman. She soon meets Maxim de Winter, a rich widower, who invites her to go with him driving around the countryside, and she gradually falls in love with him. After their honeymoon in Italy, they go to Maxim's home, Manderley. It is a beautiful but sad coming of age story. We never know the narrator's name except as the second Mrs. de Winter. I wasn't sure how to classify this book as to genre. It could be called a mystery, or romance, or romantic suspense, or gothic mystery. I enjoyed reading it and plan to read more by du Maurier.


Because of Sam (1954) by Molly Clavering 

This book is part of the Furrowed Middlebrow collection from Dean Street Press, books by women writers of the early to mid-twentieth century. I was motivated to read this book after I read Cath's review at Read-Warbler. I loved it, although it took me half the book to figure out where it was going, and even then I was only partly right. It is a lovely postwar story set in a village in Scotland.


Smoke Without Fire (1990) by E.X. Ferrars 

This book is set at Christmas and I read it in December (because I loved the festive cover), but the Christmas setting serves mostly as a basis for the setting, at gathering of friends at a place in the country. Andrew Basnett is a retired botanist, widowed, in his mid-seventies. He is visiting friends for the Christmas holidays and a death occurs while he is there. The family and Andrew have been invited to Sir Lucas Deardon's home for Christmas dinner. Unfortunately Sir Lucas returns to Berkshire from London a day early, and is blown up by a bomb in the lane by his home. I enjoy Ferrars' writing and this mystery was no exception. The author was very prolific, but based on the books I have read so far,  her books are more about the people than the crimes, and focus more on psychology and relationships among the characters. 


The Long Goodbye (1953) by Raymond Chandler

This is another book I read for my Classics Club list, and I still have not written a review for it. It is a challenging story to describe. This is the fourth book in Chandler's Philip Marlowe series that I have read, and one of the best in my opinion. I liked it nearly as well as The Big Sleep. It is the sixth book in the series and it seemed more aimless than the other three I have read. Marlowe is more cynical and there is more social commentary. All of which I enjoyed. And the writing is beautiful.


The Man Who Died Twice (2021) by Richard Osman

This book is the second in the Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Osman. In that series, the sleuths are four men and women in their late seventies who live at an upscale retirement complex. I have now read all three books in the series and I loved them all. I think this was my favorite because Elizabeth, the leader, is an ex-MI5 operative and the story connects to Elizabeth's former job and borders on being an espionage story.  There are also brushes with drug dealers, mob bosses, etc. A very fun series.


A Most Contagious Game (1967) by Catherine Aird

This was Aird's only standalone novel. Thomas Harding and his wife Dora have moved from London to a manor house in Easterbrook. Harding retired early because his health was bad, and he doesn't like the quiet life he is leading... until he finds a skeleton in a hidden room in his house (which turns out to be a priest hole that had been plastered over). This mystery was not a police procedural like Aird's Inspector Sloane series, but there is a death in the village about the same time. The story of Harding's research into the skeleton's origins and his settling into the small town with his wife was excellent. 


Safe Houses (2018) by Dan Fesperman

I love espionage fiction and this was my favorite that I read this year. The story is told in two time lines, one set in Berlin, 1979, and other in 2014, in Maryland, USA. I especially enjoyed the parts set in 1979; in that year I was about the same age as the female protagonist in this book. It is the first of a trilogy about Claire Saylor, who doesn't even show up until later in the book. I loved it and I have purchased the 2nd book in the trilogy, The Cover Wife.


The Tenderness of Wolves (2006) by Stef Penney 

This book is set in 1867, primarily in a small settlement in the Northern Territory of Canada. There are treks into even more remote areas to search for a murderer. This is a historical mystery, but the crime and the investigation are not primary to the story.  The focus is even more on the setting, the prominence of the Hudson Bay Company, and the treatment of Native American trappers. It is a very dense book; there are a lot of characters to keep up with. I loved it and the ending worked well for me.


O Caledonia (1991) by Elspeth Barker

This book is short, about 190 pages long, and the only novel that Barker published. It is set in Scotland in the 1950s.  The story is about a young girl, part of a large family, who is willful and stubborn, and won't be molded into what others want her to be, even from a very early age. It is a sad story but a wonderful read, written so beautifully that it makes me sad that the author did not write any other novels. The author died this year at the age of 81.


Death in the Off Season (1994) by Francine Mathews

This was the first novel that Mathews wrote, part of the Merry Folger Nantucket Mystery series. Four novels were published between 1994 and 1998. Later Soho Press asked her to write a fifth book in the series; Mathews returned to the first four books and edited them so that the fifth book could pick up where the last one ended (without a twenty year gap). In Death in the Off-Season, Merry is a new detective in the Nantucket police, working under her father. The death of Rusty Mason, whose family was prominent in Nantucket years before, is her first murder case. This was a very complex story with a lot of interesting characters and the writing kept me interested and involved until the very end. Judith at Reader in the Wilderness motivated me to read this book. I am sorry I waited so long.



There are my twelve favorites. It was a good year. Have you read any of these?


43 comments:

NancyElin said...

Well, if I'm looking for mastery in 2023 I
refer to this list! Any book YOU cannot forget after reading
so many CF...must be good.
SO glad you enjoyed The Assault.
He is one of our
greatest authors.

Cath said...

I plan to reread Rebecca this year and a biography of Daphne Du Maurier. Constance (Staircase Wit) and I loved visiting the area where she lived 'so' much. I'd forgotten how much I love Fowey - Peter and I want to have a holiday down there soon.

So glad you enjoyed Because of Sam, I really liked Dear Hugo by Molly Clavering too. It fits the bill when you want a nice gentle read. Also pleased you liked The Tenderness of Wolves, I liked how different that was.

I'm intrigued by The Assault and might look that up. Also Death in the Off-Season as I'm a sucker for anything set in that north eastern corner of the US. I'm just reading The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern and that's set in Vermont and NY city so suits me nicely. Odd book though.

Enjoyable post, Tracy!

Lisa @ The Plain-Spoken Pen said...

Wow! You've got some books I've never heard of on your list, and they all sound compelling. O Caledonia has now become a must-read for me. Thank you for sharing!

My Top Ten

Lex @ Lexlingua said...

I'm drawn to Because of Sam and O Caledonia, because Scotland! But A Most Contagious Game seems to be an excellent mystery, and I think I'll try that out in 2023 for the Cloak & Dagger reading challenge.

Lydia said...

Because of Sam sounds interesting!

My post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-favorite-books-of-2022/

Kay said...

Happy New Year, Tracy! Hope your 2023 is a good one with lots of fun reading! I like your list though REBECCA is the only one I've read. It's a favorite of mine. I have several of the others either on my TBR or actually on my Kindle. Unread, of course. Ha! I might have a print copy of THE MAN WHO DIED TWICE (need to get that one read for sure). Ah, choices. Love them and I'm so glad that my reading life has improved.

pattinase (abbott) said...

What a great list this is. The ones I've read I liked and the ones I haven't I hope to.

Susan said...

Looks like you read some great books last year! The only one I've read is REBECCA, which I sadly didn't care for much. I'm glad you enjoyed it and all these others.

Happy TTT!

Deanna @ A Novel Glimpse said...

I've always meant to read Rebecca. It's awesome it made your list today.

TheMoonPhoenix said...

Rebecca is one of my favorites classics evers, is my favorite by the author too, this year i want to read a biography about her, her life was so interesting too

Book of Secrets said...

Rebecca is one of my favorite novels. I love everything about it! Looks like you've got a nice mix of books on your list. Happy 2023! — Diana @ Book of Secrets

Elena @ ElenaSquareEyes said...

Not read any of thse but a lot of them sound interesting :) Hope you read lots of great books in 2023!
My favourite books of 2022

TracyK said...

Nancy, I was very glad that I read The Assault. Not only did it fit a time setting that I like to read about, but it was different and I liked the structure and the writing. And of course, now I want to find more books by Mulisch.

TracyK said...

Cath, A biography of Daphne du Maurier sounds good. And I envy you and Constance visiting the area she lived in. I think that is one reason I read so many books set in the UK, because the settings are always so appealing and lovely.

I am glad that I read Because of Sam as it encourages me to try more by Clavering and more general fiction by other women authors writing at that time. And the books are easily available on Kindle in most cases. I just have to read more books ebooks.

I looked up the description of The Starless Sea on Goodreads and it does sound like an odd book. I will wait and see what your reaction is after you finish it.

Lark said...

These look like some very good reads. I've only read Rebecca, but I did like that book very much. I've got Convenience Store Woman on my TBR list, so hopefully I'll get to it this year.

Pam said...

It looks like you had a great reading year! And may it continue through 2023.

Pam @ Read! Bake! Create!
https://readbakecreate.com/my-ten-favorite-books-of-2022/

TracyK said...

Lisa, I do hope you read O Caledonia and find it enjoyable. Thanks so much for commenting.

Kathy's Corner said...

Hi Tracy, Thanks for sharing this list with us. The Convenience Woman sounds interesting. I read Rebecca. Didn't like it as much as I thought I would but one thing I know it's wonderfully written. The problem is I didn't bond with the second Mrs DeWinter. Definitely want to try Richard Osman. But will check the library since this is my year of refraining from book buying.

TracyK said...

Lex, I love books set in Scotland also. I also like detective shows set in Scotland, but sometimes I cannot understand what the actors are saying. We are watching the Karen Pirie TV series now and also Season 6 of Shetland.

TracyK said...

Lydia, Because of Sam is very good and I am looking forward to more books by that author. Thanks for stopping by.

iloveheartlandX said...

I've not read any of these, but glad to see you enjoyed them!
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2023/01/03/top-ten-tuesday-401/

TracyK said...

Kay, I am glad to hear that your reading has improved. I can imagine how much it would bother me if I wasn't enjoying reading. I was having a spot where sad or depressing stories were bothering me, but I think I am past that now. There is a place for books of all moods.

Happy New Year to you too. I am looking forward to a New Year of good reading. I have a lot of unread books on my Kindle and hope to make that a goal that I can follow up on -- reading more on the Kindle.

TracyK said...

Thanks, Patti. I haven't done a list of my favorite books of the year for about 5 years now, it was always too hard to narrow it down. But I enjoyed it this time; it was fun to look back on the books I read in the year.

TracyK said...

Thanks, Susan. There are a good number of readers who don't like Rebecca. My biggest problem with it was that the narrator did not have a name, and that she had no confidence in herself. But overall I liked it a lot. I am interested in trying other books by the author.

TracyK said...

Deanna, thanks for commenting. I may have read Rebecca when I was younger; it seemed familiar as I read it. But I did not remember the end at all.

CLM said...

I wish you'd been with Cath and me when we tried to see Manderley! I think she needs to rent the caretaker's cottage on her next trip to Cornwall in order to properly infiltrate the scene. Then we'll see if reading all these mysteries has paid off!

I am glad A Most Contagious Game made your top ten. It certainly made me an Aird fan for life - the blend of serious history, appealing characters, and humor is delightful. I think I told you one of my nephews is named after Nicholas Owen (he is a good kid but far from saintly, alas).

Bill Selnes said...

Interesting list. I regret I have read none of them. I certainly know some of the books. I am going to try to read an Osman book and The Tenderness of Wolves this year. A modest New Year's resolution so I have a chance of making it! Happy New Year!

TracyK said...

Deanna, I checked out your Top Ten post and I see you focused on romances. If you like romance, then you should definitely give Rebecca a try.

TracyK said...

MoonPhoenix, I do hope to read more books by du Maurier this year. I bought Jamaica Inn and a short story book, although the short stories are kind of tense or scary. I am also interested in The Scapegoat. And a biography would be very interesting.

TracyK said...

Book of Secrets, thanks for checking out my list. Reading Rebecca has inspired me to try more books by that author.

TracyK said...

Elena, I am looking forward to more wonderful books in 2023.

TracyK said...

Lark, I really enjoyed Convenience Store Woman and it is a fairly short book. I like reading about people who don't fit in. And that one spurred me on to finding more books like that.

TracyK said...

Pam, It was a good reading year for me, and I was more open to different types of books and genres. I am optimistic that 2023 will be just as good. And I wish the same for you.

TracyK said...

Kathy, opinion is divided on Rebecca, which of course often happens. I was pretty naive and innocent when I was young, but I don't think I would have been as overwhelmed as the second Mrs. DeWinter. (I am reading Anna Karenina right now, and it is hard going for me, but lots of readers rate it very highly. I wonder if I will change my mind by the end.)

I do hope you find the Osmand books at the library, they are well worth trying, at least the first one.

TracyK said...

iloveheartland, Thanks for your comment. I did enjoy all of these books and overall had a great year reading. I will be by to check out your Top Ten list soon.

Neeru said...

Some lovely and intriguing books there, Tracy. I have read only Rebecca and The Long Goodbye (Classic! Glad you liked it too). Most of these have gone on my wishlist. A Happy and Healthy 2023 to you and your family.

TracyK said...

Constance, I also wish I had been there with you and Cath. I am going to check out Cath's Cornish fiction lists so I can read more about that area, since I cannot visit there.

One mark of a good book is if it stays in your mind, and I have thought about A Most Contagious Game ever since I read it.

TracyK said...

Bill, I am sure you will like The Tenderness of Wolves. And the books by Richard Osman are fun and good mysteries. I have a goal to read Greenwood by Michael Christie in 2023, preferably in the first few months. That is a book that you introduced me to.

Happy New Year to you too. I look forward to your reviews of books.

TracyK said...

Neeru, both Rebecca and The Long Goodbye were excellent books. I was lucky with most of my reads this year and it was a good reading year.

Thanks for the good wishes and I hope you and your family also have a wonderful 2023.

Todd Mason said...

As with Neeru, I have read only the Du Maurier and Chandler so far (I think DDM was always trying to encourage young (and other) women to be less self-doubting, despite almost everything they face)...and you present a persuasive list!

Indeed, a better year ahead for us all, if possible.

TracyK said...

Todd, it was the first time I put together a list of favorite books in years. I was glad that there was some variety there.

I need to come by and check out all the links to posts you have listed at the latest Forgotten Friday book reviews (for September 2021). There is a lot to look at there.

Aj @ Read All The Things! said...

Convenience Store Woman made my list too. I was surprised at how much I loved it and how much it has stayed with me.

TracyK said...

Aj, I just checked out your list on your blog. Very good list. More variety in genres than I had. I agree, Convenience Store Woman was excellent.