Of all our Staff Picks 2018 lists, the one for Best Adult Fiction is the longest! With recommendations that include mysteries, thrillers, literary fiction, sci-fi/fantasy, and more, this list has suggestions that will have you reading long into the next year.
See 2018 Staff Picks for Children’s Books, Young Adult Literature, and Adult Nonfiction.
Fiction
- Circe by Madeline Miller: A phenomenal reinterpretation of Greek mythology with captivating story telling! — Adrienne R., Doylestown District Library Center
- Clock Dance by Anne Tyler: “Pulitzer winner Tyler takes a bittersweet, hope-filled look at two quirky families that have broken apart and are trying to find their way back to one another … It’s a stellar addition to Tyler’s prodigious catalogue” (from Publishers Weekly Review). — Steve L., Levittown Branch
- First Person by Richard Flanagan: “From the Man Booker Prize-winning author of The Narrow Road to the Deep North, the hypnotic tale of a ghost writer writing the memoir of a notorious con man, and the chilling events that unfold as their lives become increasingly intertwined” (from the publisher). — Steve L., Levittown Branch
- The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah: Unputdownable with a satisfying ending, the newest title from Kristin Hannah will make you want to (re)read everything in her collection. — Jessica R., Langhorne Branch
- The Home for Unwanted Girls by Joanna Goodman: The heart-wrenching, gripping story of a mother-daughter bond that could not be broken — inspired by true events in this suspenseful, provocative novel filled with love, secrets, and deceit — the story of a young unwed mother who is forcibly separated from her daughter at birth and the lengths to which they go to find each other. — Terri R., Riegelsville Public Library
- John Woman by Walter Mosley: “A convention-defying novel by bestselling writer Walter Mosley, John Woman recounts the transformation of an unassuming boy named Cornelius Jones into John Woman, an unconventional history professor–while the legacy of a hideous crime lurks in the shadows: (from the publisher). — Steve L., Levittown Branch
- Mars Room by Rachel Kushner: “Two-time National Book Award finalist Kushner (The Flamethrowers) delivers a heartbreaking and unforgettable novel set in a California women’s prison. Single mother Romy Leslie Hall is serving two consecutive life sentences at the Stanville Women’s Correctional Facility after murdering a stalker. From prison, she narrates her drug-addled, hard-bitten past in San Francisco, where she worked as a stripper at the legendary Mars Room, as well as her present, where she serves her sentence” (from the publisher). — Steve L., Levittown Branch
- My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh:
- Laugh out loud funny at times, shocking at others. Beautifully written story set in the early 2000s about a young woman who spends a year self-medicating. A drama packaged and executed like a literary fiction comedy. — Marie D., Margaret R. Grundy Memorial Library
- The premise, that a privileged woman would choose to over-medicate herself and drop out of society for a year sounded depressing. It’s actually very funny and quick reading. — Tracey R., Warminster Township Free Library
- The Noel Diary by Richard Paul Evans: “In this new holiday-themed novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Mistletoe Promise and The Walk, a man receives the best Christmas present he could ask for: the chance to re-write the past” (from the publisher). — Michelle M., Quakertown Branch
- The Promise of Pierson Orchard by Kate Brandes: Bucks County author Kate Brandes delivers honest, shades-of-gray storytelling in The Promise of Pierson Orchard. This is a nuanced tale about the rise of poison in one fractured family, and how high-pressure situations can clarify what’s most important to us. — Terri R., Riegelsville Public Library
- Ohio by Stephen Markley: “The debut of a major talent; a lyrical and emotional novel set in an archetypal small town in northeastern Ohio–a region ravaged by the Great Recession, an opioid crisis, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan — depicting one feverish, fateful summer night in 2013 when four former classmates converge on their hometown, each with a mission, all haunted by the ghosts of their shared histories” (from the publisher). — Steve L., Levittown Branch
- The Pisces by Melissa Broder: Bizarre, funny, relatable, and unexpectedly moving. — Travis M., Levittown Branch
- Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik: It twisted the story of Rumplestiltskin, and featured three strong female characters who outwit and outmaneuver the evil in their world. — Kate T., Doylestown District Library Center
- Stray City by Chelsey Johnson: I’ll admit, that if this book hadn’t been a book club selection, I probably never would have picked it up – but I’m so glad I did. This books is charming and funny, with interesting characters that you root for. This is a coming of age story, set in the lesbian community of Portland in the late 90’s. Like any good coming of age story, it deals with the struggle to make your way in the world: socially, economically and politically. The unique setting, characters, and writing made this a quick and absorbing read for me. — Pat H., Yardley-Makefield Branch
- Summer Hours at the Robbers Library by Sue Halpern: Of course it was the setting in a public library that attracted me to this book. Librarian Kit and 15 year old Sunny’s lives become intertwined when Sunny is sentenced to community service at the library. We also meet other library patrons, including the mysterious, unemployed Rusty. Over the course of the book, we learn about Kit, Sunny, and Rusty’s past and the circumstances that brought them to the Riverton Public Library. A character driven novel about how these three characters help each other get their lives back on track. — Pat H., Yardley-Makefield Branch
- Us Against You by Frederik Backman: “Backman (A Man Called Ove) returns to the hockey-obsessed village of his previous novel Beartown to chronicle the passion, violence, resilience, and humanity of the people who live there in this engrossing tale of small-town Swedish life” (Publishers Weekly Review). — Steve L., Levittown Branch
Graphic Novel
- Manfried the Man by Caitlin Major: This graphic novel is set in an alternate world where cats are in charge and keep little men as pets. Steve Catson’s love for his man, Manfried, is the only good thing in his slacker life. When Manfried gets loose Steve has to travel all across Catlanta to track him down, showing the readers how a world run by cats would look. A must for cat lovers. — Ceil H., Doylestown District Library Center
Horror
- Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage: I really enjoyed the back and forth point of view between the mother and daughter. More of a horror novel than a psychological thriller. — Adrienne R., Doylestown District Library Center
- The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Tremblay: “An inventive twist to the home invasion horror story in a heart-palpitating novel of psychological suspense. Seven-year-old Wen and her parents, Eric and Andrew, are vacationing at a remote cabin on a quiet New Hampshire lake. Their closest neighbors are more than two miles in either direction along a rutted dirt road. One afternoon, as Wen catches grasshoppers in the front yard, four strangers unexpectedly appear in the driveway. As Wen sprints inside to warn her parents, one of the strangers calls out: Your dads won’t want to let us in, Wen. But they have to. We need your help to save the world” (from the publisher). — Shaun P., Doylestown District Library Center
Mystery/Thriller
- 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton: Agatha Christie meets Quantum Leap in this head scratching brain twister. A man finds himself with no memories running lost in the woods calling out the name, “Anna”. He learns he has been given the challenge of solving the murder that happens at the end of the evening (spoiler alert?). If he doesn’t, he is sent into another host for another chance. He gets eight chances before his memory is wiped and it all repeats again. Clever and unique, this is a mystery for lovers of escape rooms. — Brian W., Quakertown Branch
- Force of Nature by Jane Harper: For readers who like mysteries with a strong sense of place. Australian Jane Harper’s 2017 debut, The Dry, good as it was, made me want to avoid the Australian outback. (It made me thirsty, too.) Force of Nature showcases a more attractive, although just as lethal, version of the Australian wilderness and is even better. Her new mystery, The Lost Man, comes out in February. — Alison M., Bensalem Branch
- Gathering of Secrets by Linda Castillo: The tenth in the Kate Burkholder mystery series. The series features Kate Burkholder, formerly Amish, as Chief of Police in a town with Amish and English residents. The writing is fast-paced and suspenseful with characters and relationships that develop with each new book in the series. — Beth A., Quakertown Branch
- I’ll Keep You Safe by Peter May: It is a thriller that starts with a car bomb in Paris and ends after many plot twists on the islands of the Scottish Outer Hebrides. It features characters who are well defined by the unique culture of the islands. As the story progresses, the reader develops a new appreciation of Harris Tweed and the isolated, windswept island where it is handmade to this day. — Mike B., Doylestown District Library Center
- Need to Know by Karen Cleveland: Vivian Miller is a CIA analyst who works to expose Russian sleeper cells in the U.S. She discovers a file of Russian agents operating in the U.S. Her job, husband, and children are in danger and she is no longer sure who to trust. Vivian’s no-win options will validate her loyalty and allegiance to her country and love for her family. This tense thriller will keep you turning pages well into the night as you are captivated by the author’s ability to keep you on the edge of your seat. — Cheryl G., Yardley-Makefield Branch
- The Other Woman by Sandie Jones (Audiobook): “Emily chose Adam, but she didn’t choose his mother, Pammie. There’s nothing a mother wouldn’t do for her son, and now Emily is about to find out just how far Pammie will go to get what she wants. . . Emily gone forever. Perfect for fans of psychological suspense thrillers with unpredictable endings” (from the publisher). — Kathleen L., Doylestown District Library Center
- The Perfect Nanny by Leïla Slimani: An intense thriller that had me hooked from the first page. Gripping and engaging. — Adrienne R., Doylestown District Library Center
- Star of the North by B.D. John: Star of the North opens in 1998, when a Korean American teenager is kidnapped from a South Korean beach by North Korean operatives. Twelve years later, her brilliant twin sister, Jenna, is still searching for her, and ends up on the radar of the CIA. —Terri R., Riegelsville Public Library
- Then She Was Gone by Lisa Jewell: Years after her teenage daughter went missing, Laurel begins a new relationship only to discover she can’t truly move on until she answers the questions that haunt her past to discover the truth about her daughter’s disappearance. Perfect for fans of psychological thrillers with plot twists and turns like Gone Girl, The Girl on the Train and Luckiest Girl Alive. — Kathleen L., Doylestown District Library Center
- The Widows of Malabar Hill (Perveen Mistry) by Sujata Massey: a brand new series that is off to great start. It’s the 1920s in India, and Perveen Mistry is one of the first female lawyers in Bombay. Interesting characters and locale and best of all, the next in the series will be out in February! — Holly A., Doylestown District Library Center
- The Witch Elm by Tana French: Tana French is a tried and true favorite for me. If you haven’t read her yet, this is a good place to start, since it is not part of the Dublin Murder Squad series — it is a standalone novel. I love Tana French for her beautiful, descriptive language and her beautiful, broken, flawed, and very human characters. As in all of French’s novels, there is suspense and twist and turns, but also an exploration of identity and family. And if you haven’t yet, read In the Woods, the first of the Dublin Murder Squad series, and still one of my favorites! — Pat H., Yardley-Makefield Branch
- The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn:
- Anna Fox lives alone and is a recluse unable to venture outside. Then the Russells move into the house across the way. But when Anna, gazing out her window one night, sees something she shouldn’t, her world begins to crumble. What is real? What is imagined? Who is in danger? In this diabolically gripping thriller, no one and nothing is what it seems. Perfect for Hitchcock fans. Soon to be a Major Motion Picture from Fox. — Kathleen L., Doylestown District Library Center
- A really fun, fast-paced, and entertaining mystery. — Travis M., Levittown Branch; also recommended by Michelle M., Quakertown Branch
Poetry
- The Witch Doesn’t Burn In This One by Amanda Lovelace: A poetry book about abuse and self-care, the book is very empowering and enlightening. — Sarah C., Bensalem Branch
Sci-Fi/Fantasy
- Artificial Condition and Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells: These are books two and three of The Murderbot Diaries (so make sure to start at the beginning with All Systems Red). Murderbot is just your average Security System robot gone rogue. Not since Marvin, the Paranoid Android, have we had such idiosyncratic artificial intelligence. — Brian W., Quakertown Branch
- Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells: Our friend Murderbot, or Ren, the self-aware robot pretending to be human, still hates talking about feelings, but can’t seem to stop rescuing humans. Ren still thinks watching media is preferable to interacting with people. — Ceil H., Doylestown District Library Center
- Vengeful by V. E. Schwab: This sequel has it all — pseudo-science, superpowers, time jumps, rivalry, multiple points-of-view, revenge, and the pressing age-old question (and destruction) of what makes a hero/villain or monster/man. — Olivia W., Levittown Branch
Short Stories
- Florida by Lauren Groff: Short story collection that understands the anxieties many of us face in the current state of the world. — Travis M., Levittown Branch
- The Largesse of the Sea Maiden by Denis Johnson: Johnson’s last collection of short stories was published posthumously, and you can feel the sense of foreboding over the work. Like in David Bowie’s Blackstar, there is the constant specter of death and imminent departure: “It’s plain to you that at the time I write this, I’m not dead. But maybe by the time you read it.” — Brian W., Quakertown Branch
Urban Fantasy
- Lake Silence by Anne Bishop: Bishop returns to her “World of the Others” universe with a whole new cast of characters. Just as compelling as her earlier books, with humans, shapeshifters, vampires, and unseen monsters mixed up with murder and good old human greed. Can be read as a standalone, but I would recommend starting with 2013’s Written in Red. — Ceil H., Doylestown District Library Center
- Magic Triumphs by Ilona Andrews: The final installment of the Kate Daniels’ series finds her facing off with her father, to try to protect her son. She will have to bring together all of her allies from the past, plus some enemies, to save Atlanta and the world. — Ceil H., Doylestown District Library Center
