It’s been an exciting year preparing for the release of Dark Mode and making progress on my next psychological thriller.
Soon I’m going to be sharing all about how the book came together, and more of the fascinating things I learned while researching it.
Meanwhile, leading up to holiday mania, I wanted to share my favourite books from 2022.
These titles are a perfect reflection of my reading preferences – heavy on crime thrillers, with memoir, creative nonfiction and a sprinkling of literary fiction mixed in.
Crime novels: I’m a huge fan of JP Pomare – I’ve read all his books and always will. I also love Petronella McGovern for her clever, family-centred plots. This year I discovered Pip Drysdale, and read a few of her books. The Next Girl is her latest, out in December! James McKenzie Watson and Hayley Scrivenor both debuted this year with distinct voices and indelible characters. And The Photographer absolutely blew me away with its tension and brilliant character study. Mary Dixie Carter does an amazing job reading the audiobook.
Lit fic: Song of the Sun God by Shankari Chandran is a multigenerational family story stretching from 1930s Sri Lanka to present-day Australia. Auē, from debut New Zealand author Becky Manawatu, is a heart-wrenching story of a Māori family torn apart by bad choices and ill fortune.
Memoir & creative nonfiction: A Kind of Magic by Anna Spargo-Ryan is a captivating memoir of learning to live with mental illness. Her voice is a kind of magic itself, propelling you through her story. Rattled likewise has a distinctive, lyrical and powerful voice. Written by Ellis Gunn, it’s a memoir of being stalked as well as a rallying cry to confront everyday misogyny.
The Writer Laid Bare by Lee Kofman blends memoir with writing advice, and everyone’s been talking about how wonderful it is. The latest from Darryl Jones, Curlews on Vulture Street, blends memoir and popular science to explore his fascinating career researching everything you ever wondered about birds in cities.
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Ashley Kalagian Blunt 