Hello everyone,
It is all very autumnal now here in the UK and miraculously we find ourselves in November in the blink of an eye! As far as reading goes, my chances of reaching my Goodreads goal of 55 books is in the balance, so I need to fit a lot in over the next two months.
For this post I have decided to take a look at which authors I have read from the most. This mainly covers the authors I have read from since I began book blogging in 2018, rather than the ones I read a lot in my childhood.
The list includes all the authors I have read at least three books by – let’s go!
Lisa Jewell – 10 books
I have read more from Lisa Jewell than any other author in the past few years. Here mysteries and thrillers are not only addictive but fast paced and easy to read, with the ideal mix of plot and character development.
It began with Then She Was Gone, and then I went back and read some of her earlier books. Since then, each new Lisa Jewell release has gone straight to the top of my list. Most recently it was None Of This Is True, which I finished just last week!
Clare Mackintosh, Gillian McAllister, and Richard Osman – 7 books
Clare Mackintosh and Gillian McAllister are two of the best UK thriller authors around, and what they have in common for me is that after reading their debut novels and being totally blown away by them, I decided that I would read anything they would write in the future.
Although there was a departure with the powerful After The End, Mackintosh’s books have been characterised by stunning twists and intense plotlines. She established this right from the beginning with I Let You Go, which made her one of the foremost domestic thriller writers overnight. She is now writing a series of novels featuring DC Ffion Morgan, a wayward police officer from rural North Wales.
As for McAllister, she has written a number of domestic and legal thrillers with innovative, high stakes concepts. I have read her books intently since the beginning, but her career has taken a leap with Wrong Place Wrong Time, an ingenious book which has captured everyone’s imagination.
Both Mackintosh and McAllister have new books recently published, so it will not be long until seven becomes eight.
Then we have Richard Osman, television presenter turned author of the Thursday Murder Club series. I am currently reading the fourth one, The Last Devil To Die, and absolutely loving it. The gentle humour, the characters, and the mystery all combine to make each book cosy and delightful.
Those are not the only books I have read by Osman however. He has also authored three non-fiction books – two inspired by the quiz show Pointless, and also The World Cup Of Everything, where he ranks everyday things like food and drinks just for fun.
Leigh Bardugo, Louise Beech, Cara Hunter, Shari Lapena, Karen M. McManus, C.L. Taylor, Matt Wesolowski – 6 books
I was notoriously slow to the party with some of these authors, but I have at least made up for lost time! In 2020 I finally picked up Shadow And Bone by Leigh Bardugo and read that trilogy over the course of that summer before turning to the Six Of Crows duology in 2021. This year I dived back into the Grishaverse with the brilliant King Of Scars, and I hope to read Rule Of Wolves soon.
It was also not until 2020 that I read One Of Us Is Lying, and from there Karen M. McManus has become one of my favourite young adult thriller authors, with her fast-paced plots and final page twists. I soon read all six of her books until the end of the Bayview trilogy, One Of Us Is Back – when it comes out in paperback I will read that too.
Speaking of fast paced plots, I was slow to start reading C. L. Taylor’s books too. The interesting thing here is that I have not loved all her books – there are actually a couple I really disliked, but when she gets it right she can be a very good author and they are all easy reads.
Something similar applies to Shari Lapena, whose domestic thrillers are always excellent at building suspicion although some are executed better than others. The most recent one I read was Not A Happy Family, and I thought that was her best one so far.
There is definitely a theme emerging here, as in the six books I have read by Louise Beech there are two absolute standouts while the rest are good but could have been even better. However, Beech is a truly unique author, bringing original concepts and always top drawer writing. Her publisher does not call her an outstanding literary talent for nothing.
Also in this group we have the authors of two of my favourite crime series. Matt Wesolowski has shown amazing skill to bring a fictional true crime podcast to life by conjuring atmosphere and gritty realism, while Cara Hunter’s police procedural series became an instant favourite as soon as I read Close To Home in 2018.
Holly Jackson and Sue Wallman – 5 books
When I read A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder in the summer of 2020, I was totally enthralled. It was one of the best mysteries I have ever read, and immediately made Holly Jackson a favourite author. I have since read all four books in that series including the word-perfect prequel Kill Joy, and this year her ridiculously intense standalone novel Five Survive.
Sue Wallman’s young adult thrillers have not achieved the same level of popularity, but they are very good reads and I have enjoyed all of them. They each have a unique setting and a sinister twist, just to make them more interesting.
Elizabeth Acevedo, Tracy Buchanan, Jessie Burton, Sanjida Kay, Laura Purcell, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Kristin Ward – 4 books
Remember what I said about being late to the party? That was definitely the case with Taylor Jenkins Reid, but I have now read all of her last four releases including The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones And The Six. It is clearly her ability to write amazing characters that sets her apart. I might have to check out her earlier releases too.
Jessie Burton became a favourite as soon as I read The Miniaturist, but not only that, she made me fall in love with historical fiction. Meanwhile, Laura Purcell is the queen of spooky books, none more so than the frightfully Gothic The Silent Companions.
I absolutely adored Elizabeth Acevedo’s young adult books, of which two were written in powerful poetic verse. However, I recently read her first adult novel Family Lore and truly despised it, so that was sad. Kristin Ward has also written for different audiences, with her books carrying a strong environmental message alongside inspirations from folklore.
Tracy Buchanan is an underrated domestic thriller author who has shocked me with some amazing twists – Her Last Breath was a particular highlight. And Sanjida Kay’s books gripped me back in 2018, with powerful plotlines interspersed with family dramas.
Claire Allan, Katherine Arden, Lucy Atkins, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Emily Barr, Roshani Chokshi, Chloe Gong, Stacey Halls, Maureen Johnson, Ruth Ware, Camilla Way – 3 books
I would say that Chloe Gong is my favourite author, after reading the These Violent Delights duology and Foul Lady Fortune. And the good news is, she keeps publishing books at a remarkable rate, so there are two on my unread pile and another still to get. I could write an essay on why I love her writing, but this post is already quite long so that will have to wait!
Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Roshani Chokshi, and Katherine Arden are authors of trilogies I have really enjoyed and I would love to read more from all three of them. I am slowly making my way through the Truly Devious books, while I also expect to read more by thriller authors Claire Allan, Ruth Ware and Camilla Way in future.
Whenever Stacey Halls publishes her next novel, I will be here for it. Her writing is absolutely sumptuous and I adore it; so perfect as it is for historical fiction. One author whose latest book is on my unread pile is Lucy Atkins, who always imbues her mysteries with a fascinating premise.
Finally, Emily Barr is a very prolific author but I have only read her young adult novels. They are slightly hit and miss, but never boring to read and they contain some great settings.
Let’s Chat
Which authors have you read from the most? Which authors do you keep coming back to whenever they have a new release? Let me know in the comments!
Happy reading :)
Stephen Reads Books 