Reviewing World Best Crime Fiction of 2012

What were the best crime fiction books in 2012? On my blog I did a post highlighting four books as my Best of 2012 Fiction. All happened to be mysteries. Blogger Kerrie Smith at Mysteries in Paradise has gone far beyond her own list. She has compiled lists from 28 different bloggers around the world. In recent posts she advised that there were 366 books chosen by the bloggers. I encourage readers of this post to go see the posts Kerrie has done on the Best of 2012 crime fiction. I appreciate the time she has spent putting the information together.

Bloggers define their own criteria for best of or favourites. I include books published before 2012. A book is eligible for me if I read it in 2012. I am glad that Kerrie lets each blogger set their own rules for eligibility.

What is striking is the diversity in books. Out of the 366 no books were chosen by 4 or more bloggers. Only 12 were nominated 3 times. An additional 36 were nominated by 2 bloggers. Thus there were 258 books that received single nominations!

The top 12 are:

 

1.) Another Time, Another Life by Leif G.W. Persson;

2.) Broken Harbor by Tana French;

3.) Dare Me by Megan Abbott;

4.) Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn;

5.) Lake Country by Sean Dolittle;

6.) Last Will by Lisa Marklund;

7.) Phantom by Jo Nesbo;

8.) The Caller by Karin Fossum;

9.) The Cold, Cold Ground by Adrian McKinty;

10.) The Gods of Gotham by Lindsay Faye;

11.) The Nameless Dead by Brian McGilloway; and,

12.) What It Was by George Pelecanos

 

I did not read any of these 12 books. In 2011 I had read several of the top choices.

 

It is a significant change from the 2011 lists when 7 books were nominated by at least 5 bloggers with the top choices of Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin and The Keeper of Lost Causes (also published as Mercy) by Jussi Adler-Olsen on 7 lists.

 

Out of the authors there was slightly more consensus though it came from multiple books. Two authors had 5 nominations:

1.)   Deon Meyer for Blood Safari, 7 Days and Trackers

2.)   Jo Nesbo for The Bat and The Phantom

I certainly concur on Meyer. I have read all 3 of books nominated and included Trackers in my list. I think he has become one of the world’s best mystery / thriller writers.

My top choice for 2012 was The Suspect by L.R. Wright which was actually written in 1985. It was also nominated by another blogger. Going into the year I would never have expected a book written 27 years ago would turn out to my best of 20112.

On why there was little accord between bloggers in 2012 I am going to do some reflecting. With over 65 cm of snow around and on the house and more coming and the temperature at -15C it is a good evening to stay inside and think about books.