The Best of "Best Book" Lists

The Best of "Best Book" Lists Collection gathers together a selection of popular bestsellers and fan favorites that frequently appear on "Best of" lists. This diverse Collection includes picks to suit a range of age groups and genre preferences, from otherworldly fantasy to gripping crime thrillers.

Murder at the Vicarage

by Agatha Christie

Publication year 1930

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Classic Fiction, British Literature

Published in 1930, Murder at the Vicarage is Agatha Christie’s first novel featuring the elderly detective Miss Marple. The character first appears in a 1927 short story entitled “The Tuesday Murder Club.” In Murder at the Vicarage, unpopular bully Colonel Protheroe dies from a gunshot wound in the study of St. Mary Mead’s Vicarage. All suspects have an alibi, including the victim’s wife and her lover, who each admits guilt to divert suspicion from the... Read Murder at the Vicarage Summary

Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide

by Rupert Holmes

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Life/Time: Mortality & Death

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Historical Fiction, Humor

... Read Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide Summary

My Best Friend's Exorcism

by Grady Hendrix

Publication year 2016

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Society: Class, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Family, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Humor, Religion / Spirituality

... Read My Best Friend's Exorcism Summary

My Broken Language

by Quiara Alegría Hudes

Publication year 2021

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Identity: Language, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Immigration

Tags Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Race / Racism, Biography

... Read My Broken Language Summary

My Dark Vanessa

by Kate Elizabeth Russell

Publication year 2020

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Literature

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Mental Illness, Trauma / Abuse / Violence

... Read My Dark Vanessa Summary

my dream about being white

by Lucille Clifton

Publication year 1987

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Society: Class, Identity: Race, Identity: Femininity

Tags Lyric Poem, Race / Racism

... Read my dream about being white Summary

My Father's Love Letters

by Yusef Komunyakaa

Publication year 2001

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers

Tags Lyric Poem, African American Literature

... Read My Father's Love Letters Summary

My Friends

by Hisham Matar

Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Society: Nation

Tags History: World

... Read My Friends Summary

My Husband

by Maud Ventura

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Marriage, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Romance, French Literature

... Read My Husband Summary

My Life in Full

by Indra Nooyi

Publication year 2021

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Gender, Society: Economics, Values/Ideas: Equality, Society: Immigration

Tags Inspirational, Business / Economics, Leadership/Organization/Management, Biography

... Read My Life in Full Summary

My Lovely Wife

by Samantha Downing

Publication year 2019

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Family

Tags Modern Classic Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction

... Read My Lovely Wife Summary

My Roommate Is a Vampire

by Jenna Levine

Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Values/Ideas: Art

Tags Romance, Fantasy

... Read My Roommate Is a Vampire Summary

Naked Lunch

by William S. Burroughs

Publication year 1959

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Community, Society: Politics & Government

Tags The Beat Generation, Classic Fiction, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Addiction / Substance Abuse, American Literature, Satire, Politics / Government, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World

Naked Lunch is a 1959 novel by American author William. S. Burroughs. In it, Lee, a heroin user, looks to escape New York to avoid arrest by the police. He thus embarks on a journey through Philadelphia and Mexico before arriving in the fictional state of Freeland, where all life is well-ordered and hygienic. Following a riot in a Freeland psychological reconditioning center, however, Lee flees to the strange and fantastical city of Interzone. There... Read Naked Lunch Summary

Neon Gods

by Katee Robert

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Emotions/Behavior: Love

Tags Romance, Fantasy, Mythology, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read Neon Gods Summary

Nettle & Bone

by T. Kingfisher

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Self Discovery

Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, Religion / Spirituality

... Read Nettle & Bone Summary

Neuromancer

by William Gibson

Publication year 1984

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Place

Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Classic Fiction

William Gibson’s Neuromancer, published in 1984, was his breakthrough novel and one of the founding books of the cyberpunk genre of science fiction. It became the first paperback-only release to win the genre’s trinity of prizes: the Hugo, Nebula, and Philip K. Dick awards. Gibson’s lyrical prose played an important role in that recognition, while his gritty vision of a future that coupled improved technology with minimal social progress gave it immediate relevance for readers... Read Neuromancer Summary

Never Caught, the Story of Ona Judge

by Erica Armstrong Dunbar

Publication year 2019

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Nation, Identity: Race

Tags History: U.S., Race / Racism, African American Literature, American Revolution, Children's Literature, History: World, Biography

... Read Never Caught, the Story of Ona Judge Summary

Nightbitch

by Rachel Yoder

Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Society: Community

Tags Magical Realism, Satire, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Gender / Feminism, Relationships, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction

... Read Nightbitch Summary

Nightcrawling

by Leila Mottley

Publication year 2022

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Siblings, Relationships: Family, Identity: Race, Society: Class, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Race / Racism, Poverty, LGBTQ, Black Lives Matter, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction

... Read Nightcrawling Summary