Looking Forward To . . . Books

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In an effort to get 2024 off to a great start, this month we’re going to talk about what we’re looking forward to this year. According to the Cambridge dictionary, looking forward means “to feel pleased and excited about something that is going to happen.”

Wickeds, we have so many talented friends, and are also fans. What books are you looking forward to this year?

Edith/Maddie: I can’t wait to read Edwin Hill’s newest, Who to Believe, which will be out in three weeks (and catch him here on the blog on January 18). Keep Your Family Close, Annette Dashofy’s second Detective Honeywell mystery is out in ebook, with paperback coming along soon. I love Rhys Bowen’s historical Molly Murphy series, and In Sunshine or Shadow drops in March. Leslie Karst debuts a new series in April with Molten Death, and Ellen Byron does the same with A Very Woodsy Murder in July. But today I am having cataract surgery, so my reading for the next couple of weeks will be via audiobook, starting with Victoria Thompson’s latest Counterfeit Lady historical, City of Betrayal.

Sherry: Of course I’m looking forward to all of the books by the Wickeds coming out this year. I’m really excited to read Missing White Woman by Kellye Garrett. I’ve loved her other books and have been hearing about this one since she had the original idea. I’m also looking forward to Everyone On This Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson. It’s the follow up to Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone. The first one was very quirky so I’m interested to see what happens on the train. And it’s about murder mystery writers.

Liz: All of the above! There’s a new Tana French book coming out in 2024, which I’m super excited about – The Hunter. I am a huge fan of hers and it’s been a while since she’s had a new one. There’s also a new Finlay Donovan book coming out – Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice. I love this series!

Julie: All of the above as well. My list is getting longer and longer. Delia Pitts has a new series debut this July, Trouble in Queenstown. She’ll be on the blog later this month to give away an ARC. I’m looking forward to the sequel to Kimberly Giarratano’s Death of a Dancing Queen, Devil in Profile, coming out in September. Amina Ahktar’s Almost Surely Dead comes out February 1, and is a Kindle first read this month. I became a rabid Mary Russell fan this past fall, having listened to all of the books. I can’t wait for Laurie R. King’s next installment, The Lantern’s Dance, due out mid-February. And Deanna Raybourn is giving us another Veronica Speedwell this March, A Grave Robbery.

Barb: In 2024 I want to read more and read more out of my genres. I’m feeling pretty good about that goal, because I started doing it in the latter part of 2023, so I come into the year with some momentum. Part of reading more widely has meant following up on recommendations from friends and family. Right now I’m reading a book for a blurb, but I’m looking forward to Brother of the More Famous Jack, recommended by my sister-in-law and Hello Beautiful, recommended by my daughter. Like Liz, I have the new Tana French book on preorder. That’s a good example of following up on recommendations from friends. Liz raved about her books for years, and I always thought, “Those sound good. I’ll read them someday.” Then I did, and they were fantastic!

Jessie: I loved reading your lists, ladies! I am looking forward to a novel that released at the end of November that I just haven’t read yet. I loved The Maid by Nita Prose and I am itching to get to her latest, The Mystery Guest. The protagonist is simply delightful, and I am eager to catch up on all her news!

Readers, what books are you looking forward to this year? Writers, let us know about your 2024 releases in the comments.

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Published by J.A. Hennrikus

One woman, three names, many books. As Julia Henry I wrote the Garden Squad series for Kensington. As J.A. Hennrikus I wrote the Theater Cop series, and as Julianne Holmes I wrote the Clock Shop series. I've been an arts administrator for my entire career, mostly in the performing arts. Currently I'm the ED of Sisters in Crime, a wonderful organization that promotes and supports crime writers. www.sistersincrime.org Connect with me on Facebook and Instagram! @JHAuthors

29 Thoughts

  1. Everyone On This Train is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson, Molten Death by Leslie Karst, A Very Woodsy Murder by Ellen Byron, Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice by Elle Cosimano, and of course Random In Death by J.D. Robb

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  2. So far this year I’m looking forward to these books (copied from a reply I did over at JRW:

    There’s the 10-years-in-the-waiting Terry Hayes thriller THE YEAR OF LOCUST. Thankfully I have an ARC but that’s definitely highly anticipated.

    Other books included Vicki Delany’s THE SIGN OF FOUR SPIRITS, THE GLASS BOX by J. Michael Straczynski, GOODBYE GIRL by James Grippando, DREAM TOWN by Lee Goldberg, PAPER CAGE by Tom Baragwanath, THE LAST WORD by Gerri Lewis, THE RUMOR GAME by Thomas Mullen, A LONESOME PLACE FOR DYING by Nolan Chase.

    And I can’t forget THREE-INCH TEETH by C.J. Box, ONE WRONG WORD by Hank Phillippi Ryan and of course anything Edith/Maddie writes. But I can’t forget the A.J. Landau book LEAVE NO TRACE because that’s a Jon Land co-write and I’m a big fan of his. Oh, and MURDER IN AN IRISH CHIPPER by Carlene O’Connor and PAY DIRT by Sara Paretsky.

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      1. Julie,

        J. Michael Straczynski or JMS as he’s known to the genre fans is pretty damn awesome. I mean he’s worked in and been successful at TV, movies, books and comic books. I got to meet him in 2005 and he was great!

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    2. JMS has another book coming out? Must investigate? (I’ll admit I didn’t read his last novel since it didn’t look like something I’d enjoy. But I need to at least read up on what this book is about.)

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  3. Some books on my TBR wish list (take come immediately to my mind this morning):
    MURDER AT THE RUSTY ANCHOR by Maddie Day
    TRAPPED IN YOSEMITE by by Dana Mentink
    DOUBLE TAKE by Lynette Eason
    LETTERS OF WISDOM by Wanda E. Brunstetter
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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  5. Thanks for including me, Julie! I dying to read Delia Pitts’s Queenstown. NJ private eye? Sign me up yesterday.

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  6. I’m still catching up on my TBR list from last year. I’m still reading cozy mysteries because those are my happy place but I’m venturing into suspense as well.
    Currently reading The Spy Coast, by Tess Gerritsen – I’m really enjoying it.
    I’m looking forward to reading new releases by the Wicked Authors, catching up on Rhys Bowen’s Her Royal Spyness series, and looking for new authors.
    Happy reading all.

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  7. Edith, wishing you well on your cataract surgery. Mine changed my life in 2005…for reading and for driving. Am asking an intrusive question, but curiosity has trounced manners. Had one eye done on Monday and the other on Friday. I was back reading with just the one eye done Monday that evening with help of half a pair of cheaters for the not done eye. And with both eyes by Friday evening without glasses at all. So why must you go to audiobooks? Both eyes same day? Or just the convenience? May you enjoy the clear eyed sharp vision to come.

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  8. Anything by Edith/Maddie, anything by Korina Moss. Other than that, I always keep an eye out on Facebook, Goodreads, etc to discover new authors. aprilbluetx at yahoo dot com

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  10. Best wishes for a rapid recovery, Edith. My husband has cataract surgery scheduled for later this month, so fingers crossed for success all around. I love these excellent suggestions for my 2024 reading stack and will be getting so many of them. And thank you, Julie, for including my new book, Trouble in Queenstown!

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  11. THE SECRETS WE KEEP, Homefront Mysteries #5, will be out on February 6.
    SAVING THE GUILTY, Laurel Highlands #7, will be out on August 6.

    I’m also hoping to finally hear I’ve entered the editing phase with my new Niagara Falls series. I don’t have any dates for that one yet.

    On the reading front, I’m looking forward to going back to read Deb Crombie’s series from the beginning. This is the year!

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  12. I’ve seen several books I’m looking forward to mentioned already. One I haven’t seen mentioned is ONCE UPON A MURDER, the second Lady Librarian Mystery from Samantha Larsen. I was surprised by just how much I loved the first in the series (one of my favorites from 2023), so I’m looking forward to the sequel.

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  13. HAPPY AND PROLIFIC 2024, dear Wickeds! I plan on reading all your new books, and so looking forward to enjoying them. I am currently reading Maddie’s DEEP FRIED DEATH, which is fascinating…an outhouse race with a dead body!!! I will review right after I finish. I also have several books that I must read and review on Net Galley. I just finished the superb and gripping, brilliantly written STAR STRUCK by my dear friend Marjorie McCown. I also reviewed it. It comes out on May 07, 24. I was so “star struck’ myself , that I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend it, and will sing praises for it all year long. I shall also do so for all your book babies!!! Thanks for all the joy you provide me. Yipee! Luis at ole dot travel

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  15. All the best with the cataract surgery, Edith. I was thrilled with my outcome. All the color I’d been missing! I’m looking forward to finally reading the latest Craig Johnson and catching up with the Richard Osman series. I plan to re-read Elizabeth George. I haven’t caught up with Inspector Lynley in a while.

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  16. Some great titles here, and congratulations to all of the Wicked authors with books coming out in 2024. I am also looking forward to the next book in C.S. Harris’s Sebastian St. Cyr series, What Cannot Be Said. And I am working my way through Margaret Mizushima’s police procedural series.

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