Reader Mailbag: New Authors Discovered in 2022

In the December 2022 newsletter I asked our readers what authors they discovered that year.

Here are the responses:

Chris: I ‘discovered’ Joy Fielding through her newest book, The Housekeeper, which kept me up reading more than a few nights. I’d look at the clock and it would be almost 10 pm and then I’d look and it would be after midnight! That’s the life of a booklover, I suppose. Now, I get to peruse all the many other books she’s written. I hope they’re as fast-paced and interesting as The Housekeeper.

Bill: My new author was Sally Hepworth. A family story. Two sisters and a widowed father marrying a woman younger than the sisters/his daughters. Interesting yarn about family secrets and the body turns up at the end of the story.
I will certainly read another of her novels.

Mark: New Authors are always fun to discover, here are 3 of my favorites from this year:

1) Deon Meyer (rec. from friend) – Afrikaans writer who writes police investigations bringing in many elements of life in South Africa. If you read his Bennie Griessel series in order(I am working on that), you see the changes in the country reflected in the stories. I started with a standalone Fever which reminded me a lot of King’s The Stand – great story, lots of action and suspense in a post sickness world.

2) Peter Robinson Allan Banks series – Terrific detective series by a Canadian who was born in the north of England. Intriguing stories with excellent character development. You can follow Bank’s life if you start with Gallows View reading them in order. Sadly the author passed away this year so his 28th Standing in the Shadows coming next year will conclude the series. Well worth your time.

3) Sarah Penner – I really enjoyed her debut The Lost Apothecary exploring ancient secrets of a special potion shop for women and the story behind it. It all started with exploring on the banks of the Thames and finding an interesting bottle. She is coming out with her second novel next year, The London Seance Society. One of my favorite book jackets of the year also.

Ann Marie: I found two new authors LT Vargus Tim McCain write together and the other author is Jeff Carson. I enjoyed both first books in their series. Sometime you need a change of scene from what you are reading. Now that winter is on it’s way you need to have a pile of books to choose from. Thanks for the great news letter,

Elizabeth: New author discovered
I started reading Robert Dugoni’s Charles Jenkins series this year. I might have to explore some of his other works as well.

Ginny: Authors I discovered this year: Laurie Frankel – her writing is so delightful (especially when she is writing conversations), that I had to read all of her published books, and will be watching for more. And Richard Powers – serious themes, but he doesn’t just stick to the theme; he lays it all out, life, in all its messiness. He is one to be read intermittently, and savored, as opposed to rushing through all his books.

Barbara: Did you discover any great new authors this year?

I discovered Freida McFadden. She is a doctor in real life and she brings that knowledge to her writing. Her forte is psychological thrillers. Her books are all very different from each other, not just many variations on the same theme. I stumbled across her on Amazon when I was browsing for new authors and I’m glad I did.

Another author I discovered this year is Daniel Hurst. He is an Englishman who doesn’t confuse me with too many English terms that I don’t understand. One reason I don’t like to read British, Irish and Scottish authors, is that they have different terms for things and I get confused sometimes if I come across a new term that I haven’t seen before. One example is jumper. In the US we call them sweaters and a jumper to us is a dress with narrow straps or no back that is usually worn over a separate blouse. It’s sometimes annoying trying to figure out the different words.
Anyway, Mr. Hurst is a very prolific writer of psychological thrillers. I have been reading several books of his also. He is self publishing so he hasn’t got an advertising campaign behind him.

Stacie: The new author I discovered this year, as Charles Martin. The Water Keeper, Send down the Rain., Wrapped in Rain. I recommend him to any reader I know.

sven: Stuart Kaminsky and the Inspector Porfiry Rostnikov Series is my new author for this year!

Vicki: There are many new authors on this year’s list. These stood out:

Amor Towles – My book club read A Gentleman In Moscow early in the year. That meant I had to read The Lincoln Highway as well. Loved the first, enjoyed the second although it’s unsettling and I still think about the ending.

Martha Wells – Her science fiction series Murderbot are a wonderful sf romp featuring a cyborg who calls itself Murderbot. The first four are novellas. Start with All Systems Red. I listened to them, and the author does a great job bring Murderbot to life.

Emily Henry – She writes snappy humorous romance novels (along the lines of Sophie Kinsella). I read her newest, Book Lovers, then had to go buy a previous one, People We Meet on Vacation. I’m sure I’ll look for the rest of her backlist.

Mia P. Manansala – She has a new cozy mystery featuring a Phillipino young woman who returns home to her small family restaurant in a small Illinois city. The first one, Arsenic and Adobo, has her ex-boyfriend dying in the restaurant. I’ve read the second, but haven’t gotten to her newest one yet.

Louise: I discovered Camille Aubray this year. I read “The Godmothers” and could not put the book down. I tend to read the same authors, and this is fine, but I was pleasantly surprised to read this book about four women who enter the world of the Italian mafia and how they each handle themselves in different ways. The only other book I found by Ms. Aubray is “Cooking for Picasso” which I have on order and am so looking forward to reading it

Linda: Now as to author I discovered. It is Tom Wood and the Assassin series. It was a recommendation from this site I am pretty sure. Very complex writing and descriptive, but love them . I have two more to finish. I have to take a break from them as they are so intense and time consuming. So then I go to some cozy mysteries that are light and fluffy-lol. I love all mysteries, even the ones like “Murder She Wrote”. They are very light and just good reading. Sometimes the intense ones keep me up at night, so I need a little break. Thanks once again for the recommendations. All are appreciated.

Ramesh: I am reading “thief” by Mark sullivan. The first 70 pages were so engrossing, that I immediately downloaded all his other books.His style of writing ,the amount of research he puts into his writing, and the easy felicity of words,reminds you of Tom Clancy,30 years ago.
I try to read 700 to 800 books a year.As the year draws to a close,there a few books that stand out amidst the deluge…..let me not be listless,and instead list them.
1.undermoney-Jay Newman
2.never-Ken Follet
3.hunting ⌚ Jeffery Deaver

Renee: I discovered the Verlaque & Bonnet Provencal mysteries by M.L. Longworth this year. I began with A Noel Killing that I happened to pick up secondhand at a steep discount and enjoyed it so much that I’m now reading the series in order. What I particularly enjoy about this mystery series is that several stories develop throughout the series along with the murder mystery that is the focus of each particular novel. I’ve enjoyed the character development of Verlaque and Bonnet as separate individuals as well as their relationships with other reappearing characters in the series. But, my favorite part of the series is the wonderful evocation of Aix-en-Provence and the Provencal region of France. Reading each novel is very much like traveling to the region as the architecture, food, wine, geography, and lifestyles of the region are so wonderfully described.

Christine: Either early this year or late last year I discovered Jaqueline Winspear’s Maisie Dobbs books. It was a recommendation my sister got from her co-worker. The books were fantastic – I actually listened to them on audio. I never wanted them to end, but now I have to wait for the next one. So definitely will blindly get all future writings.

Linda: Rich Curtin. I have read all the Manny Rivera series and recommend them. a very likeable main character and the author show how much he reveres the Moab, Utah area.

Keith: As far as a new author I discovered this year, I just started reading the Cork O’Connor series by William Kent Krueger. Great series and very well written. This was recommended by someone on the Girlfriend Book Club Facebook page. I love that group for recommending new authors and I love your emails for the same reason. I don’t delete them; I put them in folder to refer back to when I am looking for new reading material.

Brian: I started reading William Kent Krueger this year and have been enjoying it. I had caught up on C.J. Box’s Joe Pickett series and this was recommended.

Christine: New authors of this year: I won’t “blindly buy,” at least till I can get a less expensive apartment, but I will “blindly borrow” the following:
Cate Price, Deadly Notions Mysteries
Auralee Wallace, Evenfall Witches Mysteries
Amanda Flower, Magical Bookshop Mysteries
Django Wexler, who wrote the Forbidden Library YA tetralogy. Sinister wizards, brave kids trying to stop them, great magic and a nice twist at the end.

And from last year:
Victoria Hamilton, Merry Muffin Mysteries
Angela M. Sanders, Witch Way Librarian Mysteries
Melissa Bourbon, Magical Dressmaking Mysteries
Esme Addison, Enchanted Bay Mysteries (recently read the second one)
Eva Gates, Lighthouse Library Mysteries (started this series in ’21 but read Vols. 2-3 this year)
Deanna Raybourn, Veronica Speedwell
Laurie R. King, ed., Stories Inspired by the Sherlock Holmes Canon
Jennifer Chiaverini, Mrs. Lincoln’s Sisters

I’d also recommend Ben Aaronovitch’s Rivers of London series and ANYTHING by Patricia Briggs (both fantasy)