So, while I read fewer books than usual in 2025, the ones I did read really delivered. This year’s reading recap leans heavily toward crime fiction and long-running series, with familiar authors, a few strong series starters, and one heavy nonfiction outlier. Less volume, same thrills.

2025 Reading Recap – Books Listed by Number and Date Read

First Read 2025	Last Read 2025

2025 Reading Recap – Leaves, Branches, Leaves Hierarchy

I tend to think of my reading life the same way I think about music — in terms of roots, branches, and leaves. Roots are the authors and series that shaped my reading early on and still draw me back. Branches are long-running favorites I’ve followed for years, evolving alongside my own tastes. Leaves are newer discoveries — recent voices, new series, or authors I’ve come to more recently. This recap follows that loose hierarchy rather than strict genre or publication date.

Reading Recap: Visiting Old Friends Via Roots Authors

Outwitting Trolls Brady Coyne #28) – William G. Tapply

A familiar, comforting return to Coyne’s thoughtful brand of justice, where New England atmosphere, quiet intelligence, and moral clarity matter more than pyrotechnics.

William G. Tapply’s Boston lawyer Brady Coyne is one of the reasons I read series books — great stories, and exactly the kind of lawyer you’d want on your side.

Savages (Nameless Detective # 31) – Bill Pronzini

Lean, sharp, and morally unsettling, Pronzini reminds us why the Nameless Detective endures — stripped-down prose, human darkness, and no easy answers.

Reading Recap: Branches Authors Whose Series Keep Rolling Along

The Black Loch Lewis Trilogy (#4) – Peter May

A dark, atmospheric return to the Hebrides, blending past crimes with present consequences. May continues to use place as character, with cold landscapes mirroring moral ambiguity.

When I read The Black House, the first book in the Lewis Trilogy, I was blown away. May’s sense of place was so strong I felt like I was in the Outer Hebrides. I’ve since read the entire trilogy and most, if not all, of his standalones. One of my favorites was Coffin Road – Check it out Here

This is Why We Lied (Will Trent #12) Karin Slaughter

A locked-room style mystery layered with long-running character arcs. Brutal, emotional, and deeply tied to the series’ history — not a starting point, but very rewarding for longtime readers.

This was the first of two Karin Slaughter books I read in 2025. For much of the book I wasn’t sure it worked for me — then came the ending, and once again I was amazed by her talent.

Angel of Vengeance (Pendergast #22) – Preston & Child

Big, bold, and unapologetically pulpy. The Pendergast universe keeps expanding, with gothic excess and high-stakes drama fully intact.

Grave Danger (Jack Swyteck #19) – James Grippando

Legal thriller meets personal jeopardy. Grippando keeps the series fresh by raising the emotional cost, not just the body count.

Battle Mountain( Joe Pickett #25) – C. J Box

Still going strong. Box continues to blend Western landscapes with modern crime, keeping Pickett relevant and grounded.

I once read that Lawrence Block described two kinds of series characters: those who never age, and those who age along with the books. Joe Pickett is very much the latter — and I’m glad he is. Watching him change over time is part of what keeps the series honest and grounded.

The same is true for Brady Coyne and Nameless Detective — both characters age along with their series, carrying the weight of experience, losses, and hard-earned perspective. That sense of time passing is a big part of why they still feel real to me.

Reading Recap: Series Books From Leaves Authors

Chain Reaction (Dez Limerick # 3) – James Byrne

Lean, fast, and brutal in all the right ways. Byrne’s series continues to impress with action that never sacrifices character.

Dez Limerick is my new favorite character — I can’t wait for the next adventure.

The Vanishing Kind (Alex Carter # 4) – Alice Henderson

Nature, survival, and danger intersect in Henderson’s strongest installment yet. The wilderness setting once again proves essential, not decorative.

Like Dez Limerick, Alex Carter has become a character I’ll follow anywhere — and the wilderness settings are a big part of why.

The Black Highway (Laughton Rees #4) – Simon Toyne

The Thames as a dark artery running through history and crime. Toyne leans into mood and menace, with forensic detail used effectively.

Series Starters Reads – from Authors Old and New

The Spy Coast (The Martini Club #1) – Tess Gerritsen

Retired spies, coastal Maine, and secrets that refuse to stay buried. A fun, smart series opener that balances humor with genuine suspense.

The Collaborators (The Comorant #1) – Michael Idove

A modern espionage debut that feels timely and sharp. Global intrigue, fractured loyalties, and a strong sense of unease set the tone for what promises to be a smart series.

The Loose End (Teigen Craft # 1) – A. J. Cross

A strong procedural opener with psychological depth. Well-drawn characters and a solid mystery make this a promising start.

We Are All Guilty Here (North Falls #1) – Karin Slaughter

A brutal, emotionally charged series opener. New setting, new cast, same fearless intensity — Slaughter resets the board effectively.

This is the second Karin Slaughter book I read in 2025. Like Peter May I’ve read most of Slaughter’s series books and the standalones. This a dark book and it’s impact extends far beyond the crimes in the book to touch deeply on a personal level! Easily one of the top three books I read this year and I look forward to more in future books in the series!

The Shattering Peace – John Scalzi

Part of John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War universe, returning to its familiar mix of military SF, politics, and sharp dialogue.

First Books in a Series new to Me (Not Book No 1)

The Nightmare (Joona Linna #2) m- Lars Kepler

Relentless pacing and disturbing psychological tension. Even jumping in at #2, the series hooks quickly with its procedural intensity and chilling antagonist.

Standalone Books From Branches and Leaves Authors

Guess Again – Charlie Donlea

A twist-heavy standalone that plays with memory, misdirection, and obsession, delivering Donlea’s trademark pace without leaning on a series framework.

My first encounter with Charlie Donlea was his debut novel Summit Lake in 2016, and I haven’t missed a book since. Before Christmas, my wife asked me to look over our son Andrew’s book list. The first title was Guess Again — I told her not to go any further and just buy that one.ok Christmas list. The first book was Guess Again. I said i’m not looking further get this one!

Death at the Sanatorium – Ragnar Jonasson

Claustrophobic and icy in tone, Jónasson uses isolation and buried secrets to build dread slowly and effectively.

Don’t Turn Around – Harry Dolan

A sharp, compact crime novel built on moral ambiguity and tight plotting, proving Dolan doesn’t need excess to unsettle.

Where They Last Saw Her Marcie R Rendon

Quietly powerful and socially grounded, Rendon blends mystery with lived experience, letting character and place carry the weight.

I came to Marcie R. Rendon through her Cash Blackbear series, having read books two and three, with the first waiting on my Nook. This standalone opened my eyes to the crisis of missing Indigenous women — and reminded me I somehow missed Broken Fields, released in March 2025. Onward to the library.

Non- Fiction – History/Politics

Rebellion: How Anti-Liberalism Is Tearing the Country Apart Again! — Robert Kagan

A sharp, unsettling look at how democratic norms erode from within. Kagan connects current political fractures to historical patterns, making this feel less like theory and more like warning. The lone nonfiction read this year — and a heavy one,

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