We’re counting down to Christmas with Team B’s books of the year. Each member of the Mr B’s team has narrowed down their choices to just their top 12 (or close enough!) Each week we will bring you different members of the team so you can compile a brilliant selection of new favourites to add to your Christmas list.
Ed’s Fave: Hard Rain Falling by Don Carpenter
If you’ve ever been to Mr B’s, chances are you’ve had our Ed recommending you Westerns, no matter what you read (Lonesome Dove – anyone?) Ed is known for his love of all things American West, rediscovering gritty American classics, or anything with a sheriff, whilst also dipping his toes into the odd fantasy novel too. Here’s what he has to say about Hard Rain Falling by Don Carpenter:
“Jack Levitt navigates gritty pool halls and brutal prisons, repeatedly coming into the orbit of the enigmatic Billy Lancing. When they become cellmates, it becomes apparent this relationship could offer a different kind of life for Jack. Taking in the sweep of one man’s life from his pregnant mother’s wild arrival in town, through his criminally spiralling youth to finally finding a kind of peace, this is an intense and deeply affecting hardboiled story.”
Lucinda’s Fave: Red Water by Jurica Pavičic
Lucinda tends to be somewhat of an armchair traveller, as she delves deep into exploring other cultures and parts of the world. This year is no exception as her favourite books took her from the Dalmatian coast and Bengaluru, to Albania and Beijing. Here is what she has to say about Red Water by Jurica Pavičic:
“On the Dalmatian coast, 17-year-old Silva fails to return home after a beach party. It’s September 1989, though, and the police enquiry is derailed by political upheaval. Silva’s twin brother Mate turns investigator. I love crime novels that go beyond the police procedural and this one takes in the fall of communism and the outbreak of the Bosnian war. Despite the epic big picture backdrop, it delivers great characters and a satisfyingly complex plot.”
Juliette’s Fave: Slanting Towards the Sea by Lidija Hilje
Juliette tends to always be drawn to dark and gritty family dramas, particularly with truly unforgettable characters. This year her favourites list veers from unputdownable mysteries, to translated gems and a few ambitiously woven historical novels with unique voices. Here’s what Juliette has to say about Slanting Towards the Sea by Lidija Hilje:
“What Ivona and Vlaho shared was a love so utterly fulfilling that their separation was unfathomable. Even more baffling is her post-divorce friendship with Vlaho, his new wife and kids. But as Ivona faces further upheavals, secrets resurface, threatening to expose old wounds. With intimate intensity, Hilje explores complex moral questions, aching loss, connection and betrayal – all amidst the sun-baked olive groves of her native Croatia.”
Nic’s Fave: Dusk by Robbie Arnott
Nic’s reading is usually littered with dangerous motels, empty diners and one-street towns surrounded by isolated farms. This year his faves took him from the Tasmanian highlands, to rural Malaysia and the Welsh Valleys. Here’s what Nic has to say about Dusk by Robbie Arnott:
“A wild puma roams a distorted version of the Tasmanian highlands. Twins Iris and Floyd are on its trail – lured by the bounty on its head and hindered by the reckless greed of other trackers. Let’s begin at the end. Dusk’s last scenes are all you could want from a finale. Before then Arnott weaves a stunning tale of loyalty, betrayal, desperation, the thin line between man and beast, and the ties that bind.”
And that’s a wrap on the Mr B’s Books of the Year for 2025! If you’ve missed any, you can browse our booksellers’ lists right here.