Award category archive

Library Journal Best Books – Crime Fiction Winners

Browse Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction winners and nominees by year. This archive follows one award category across the full Library Journal Best Books history.

Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction Cross-year archive

2024

Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction results for the 2024 award year.

View full 2024 awards

The Briar Club

Quinn, Kate

Standalone · Thriller

Jul-2024 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

The Last Murder at the End of the World

Turton, Stuart

Standalone · Thriller

May-2024 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

The Murder of Mr. Ma

Rozan, S.J.

Standalone · Historical Mystery

Apr-2024 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Murder Road

St. James, Simone

Standalone · Thriller

Mar-2024 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

The Murderess

Notaro, Laurie

Standalone · General Fiction

Oct-2024 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Pony Confidential

Lynch, Christina

Standalone · Cozy Mystery

Nov-2024 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

The Puzzle Box

Trussoni, Danielle

Standalone · Thriller

Oct-2024 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

The Secret War of Julia Child

Chambers, Diana

Standalone · Historical

Oct-2024 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

The Wharton Plot

Fredericks, Mariah

Standalone · Historical

Aug-2024 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Where They Last Saw Her

Rendon, Marcie R.

Standalone · Police Procedural

Sep-2024 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

2023

Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction results for the 2023 award year.

View full 2023 awards

Age of Vice

Kapoor, Deepti

Standalone · Thriller

Jan-2023 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

All the Sinners Bleed

Cosby, S.A.

Standalone · Thriller

Jun-2023 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

City Under One Roof

Yamashita, Iris

Standalone · Thriller

Jan-2023 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

A Disappearance in Fiji

Rao, Nilima

Standalone · Mystery

Jun-2023 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Fall

Clark, Tracy

Detective Harriet Foster Series · Book 2 · Police Procedural

Dec-2023 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

The Golden Gate

Chua, Amy

Standalone · Historical Mystery

Sep-2023 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Guilt Strikes at Granger's Store

Shames, Terry

A Samuel Craddock Mystery Series · Book 10 · Police Procedural

Oct-2023 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Mother-Daughter Murder Night

Simon, Nina

Standalone · Cozy Mystery

Sep-2023 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

The Secret Hours

Herron, Mick

Standalone · Thriller

Sep-2023 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Small Mercies

Lehane, Dennis

Standalone · Thriller

May-2023 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

2022

Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction results for the 2022 award year.

View full 2022 awards

Alias Emma

Glass, Ava

Alias Emma Series · Book 1 · Thriller

Aug-2022 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Anywhere You Run

Morris, Wanda M.

Standalone · Thriller

Nov-2022 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Geiger

Skoerdeman, Gustaf

Standalone · Espionage

May-2021 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Killers of a Certain Age

Raybourn, Deanna

Killers of a Certain Age Series · Book 1 · Thriller

Sep-2022 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Last Call at the Nightingale

Schellman, Katharine

A Nightingale Mystery Series · Book 1 · Historical Mystery

Jun-2022 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Lavender House

Rosen, Lev A.C.

Detective Evander "Andy" Mills Series · Book 1 · Historical Mystery

Oct-2022 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Shutter

Emerson, Ramona

Rita Todacheene Series · Book 1 · Thriller

Aug-2022 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

The Woman in the Library

Gentill, Sulari

Standalone · Thriller

Jun-2022 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

A World of Curiosities

Penny, Louise

Chief Inspector Gamache Series · Book 18 · Police Procedural

Dec-2022 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

2021

Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction results for the 2021 award year.

View full 2021 awards

Clark and Division

Hirahara, Naomi

A Japantown Mystery Series · Book 1 · Police Procedural

Aug-2021 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Dream Girl

Lippman, Laura

Standalone · Thriller

Jun-2021 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Harlem Shuffle

Whitehead, Colson

Ray Carney Series · Book 1 · Literary

Sep-2021 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

The Killing Hills

Offutt, Chris

Standalone · Literary

Jun-2021 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Lightning Strike

Krueger, William Kent

A Cork O'Connor Mystery Series · Book 18 · Law Enforcement

Aug-2021 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Mango, Mambo, and Murder

Reyes, Raquel V.

A Caribbean Kitchen Mystery Series · Book 1 · Mystery

Oct-2021 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Razorblade Tears

Cosby, S.A.

Standalone · Thriller

Jul-2021 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Tricky

Stallings, Josh

Standalone · Police Procedural

Jan-2021 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

The Turnout

Abbott, Megan

Standalone · Thriller

Aug-2021 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Velvet Was the Night

Moreno-Garcia, Silvia

Standalone · Thriller

Aug-2021 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

2020

Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction results for the 2020 award year.

View full 2020 awards

All the Devils Are Here

Penny, Louise

Chief Inspector Gamache Series · Book 16 · Police Procedural

Sep-2020 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Blacktop Wasteland

Cosby, S.A.

Standalone · Thriller

Jul-2020 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line

Anappara, Deepa

Standalone · Mystery

Feb-2020 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Hide Away

Pinter, Jason

Rachel Marin Series · Book 1 · Mystery

Mar-2020 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

The Mountains Wild

Taylor, Sarah Stewart

Maggie D'arcy Book Series · Book 1 · Mystery

Jun-2020 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

The Searcher

French, Tana

Cal Hooper Series · Book 1 · Thriller

Oct-2020 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

The Thursday Murder Club

Osman, Richard

A Thursday Murder Club Mystery Series · Book 1 · Cozy Mystery

Sep-2020 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Unspeakable Things

Lourey, Jess

Standalone · Thriller

Jan-2020 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Winter Counts

Heska, David; Weiden, Wanbli

Standalone · Thriller

Aug-2020 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

2019

Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction results for the 2019 award year.

View full 2019 awards

An Aegean April

Siger, Jeffrey

A Chief Inspector Kaldis Novel Series · Book 9 · Police Procedural

Jan-2018 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

The Chestnut Man

Sveistrup, Soren

Standalone · Mystery

Sep-2019 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

A Deadly Divide

Khan, Ausma Zehanat

Rachel Getty and Esa Khattak Series · Book 5 · Police Procedural

Feb-2019 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Elevator Pitch

Barclay, Linwood

Standalone · Thriller

Sep-2019 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Girls Like Us

Alger, Cristina

Standalone · Thriller

Jul-2019 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

The Long Call

Cleeves, Ann

A Detective Matthew Venn Novel Series · Book 1 · Police Procedural

Sep-2019 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

The Lost Man

Harper, Jane

Standalone · Thriller

Feb-2019 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Nothing More Dangerous

Eskens, Allen

Joe Talbert Series · Book 0.5 · Mystery

Jan-2019 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Nothing More Dangerous

Eskens, Allen

Max Rupert Series · Book 5 · Mystery

Jan-2019 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Sarah Jane

Sallis, James

Standalone · Mystery

Oct-2019 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

The Wolf Wants In

McHugh, Laura

Standalone · Thriller

Aug-2019 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Your House Will Pay

Cha, Steph

Standalone · Thriller

Oct-2019 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

2018

Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction results for the 2018 award year.

View full 2018 awards

Broken Places

Clark, Tracy

A Chicago Mystery Series · Book 1 · Law Enforcement

Apr-2018 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Cult X

Nakamura, Fuminori

Standalone · Suspense

May-2018 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Death of a Rainmaker

Loewenstein, Laurie

Standalone · Police Procedural

Sep-2018 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

A Death of No Importance

Fredericks, Mariah

A Jane Prescott Mystery Series · Book 1 · Historical Mystery

Apr-2018 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

A Necessary Evil

Mukherjee, Abir

Wyndham and Banerjee Series · Book 2 · Police Procedural

Apr-2018 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

The Night Visitor

Atkins, Lucy

Standalone · Thriller

Sep-2018 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

November Road

Berney, Lou

Standalone · Thriller

Oct-2018 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

Sunburn

Lippman, Laura

Standalone · Thriller

Feb-2018 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

The Witch Elm

French, Tana

Standalone · Law Enforcement

Oct-2018 Library Journal Best Books Crime Fiction *

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