2024 Book List
Looking back on my 2024 book list, I can only think that it was an amazing year of reading great books. This list includes lots of true crime, horror, history, memoirs, biographies, and some really solid fiction. Please reach out if you want to discuss any of these books. I’d love to hear from you!
“The Grim Sleeper” by Christine Pelisek - Kindle - Outstanding true crime book about a serial killer in South Central Los Angeles. Very well written with lots of compassion for the victims and their families.
“The Shining” by Stephen King - What needs to be said here? This book is an absolute classic. I read this one about fifteen years ago and have seen the movie several times, and I still massively enjoyed the experience of reading it again. Bonus for finishing this on a snowy Saturday at home.
“Doctor Sleep” by Stephen King - One of the reasons I reread “The Shining” was so I would have it fresh in my mind when reading this sequel for the first time. This was a really solid King tale with some old and new characters. It was interesting to see where Dan Torrance ended up about 40 years later and learn more about his family tree. Recommend for King fans.
“This is How They Tell Me the World Ends” by Nicole Perlroth - Kindle - This was an outstanding and accessible book about cybersecurity and information warfare. The only downside is that it ends towards the end of 2020, so the reader is left hanging about what updates have occurred in the last few years. Highly recommend for anyone interested in this field.
“Where the Red Fern Grows” by Wilson Rawls - Simply one of the best books ever written. I’m not crying, you’re crying.
“The Old Man and the Gun” by David Grann - This was a great book featuring three short stories of true crime. My only complaint is that I wanted this to be about 200 pages longer. See also by Grann, “Killers of the Flower Moon” and “The Wager.”
“Hell in the Heartland: Murder, Meth, and the Case of Two Missing Girls” by Jax Miller - Kindle - Outstanding true crime book about a really heart-wrenching mystery. If you like this genre, you’ll dig this book.
“Texas Ranger” by John Boessenecker” - Excellent book about the life and times of Frank Hammer. Fascinating history of Texas, the United States, and Mexico. Highly recommend.
“Master and Commander” by Patrick O’Brian - Kindle - This was an excellent book, but it was not an easy read due to lots of long sentences, elaborate language, and descriptions of late-1700s ship rigging. Still enjoyed it though and may continue the series.
“A History of the World in Six Glasses” by Tom Standage - This book was exactly what I hoped it would be…a fun and easy read with some very interesting world history and geography. Highly recommend.
“The Killer Angels” by Michael Shaara - This is an amazing historical novel about Gettysburg, perhaps the most famous battle of the Civil War. Truly one of the best books I have ever read. I have read, or tried to read, a number of Civil War books that totally lose me in details of what regiment went where in a certain battle. This book is totally different and filled with heart and emotion. Highly recommend.
“The Mysterious Case of Rudolf Diesel: Genius, Power, and Deception on the Eve of World War I” by Douglas Brunt - Kindle - Phenomenal book about the man who invented the diesel engine and all the world history that stemmed from this breakthrough. If you’re a fan of early 20th century history, you’ll love this book. Highly recommend.
“Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer” by James L. Swanson - Kindle - A non-fiction 19th century history book. What’s not to love? Highly recommend.
“Gods and Generals” by Jeff Shaara - This is a historical fiction prequel to “The Killer Angels” (#11 on this list) that was a very enjoyable read. It really gives a human perspective on those who fought in the Civil War. Highly recommend.
“Rickey: The Life and Legend of an American Original” by Howard Bryant - I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish. When I was a kid in the ‘90s, Rickey Henderson was the freaking man. This book was way more than just hilarious stories about a baseball legend. Bryant added tons of American and Black history that was super relevant to the story. Highly recommend for baseball fans.
“O.J. is Innocent and I Can Prove It” by William C. Dear - Kindle - Phenomenal book on an alternative theory about who murdered Nicole Simpson and Ron Goldman. The author is a very accomplished and legit investigator, so this isn’t some crazy tinfoil hat idea. I was only ten years old when those murders happened, but I vividly remember so many parts of that trial. Highly recommend.
“Murder Machine: A True Story of Murder, Madness, and the Mafia” by Jerry Capeci and Gene Mustain - Kindle - One of the best true crime and mob books I’ve ever read. If you’re at all interested in those topics, you’ll love it. Highly recommend.
“The Story of Edgar Sawtelle” by David Wroblewski - This book is about a family that raises dogs in rural northern Wisconsin. What’s not to love? A friend loaned this to me, but it was a totally unexpected delight. There is some darkness to this book though.
“Prey” by Michael Crichton - Fun and suspenseful read. I’m going to spend some time with Crichton’s works. The guy never disappoints.
“Congo” by Michael Crichton - Easy and entertaining read, but super far-fetched in some ways. I don’t regret reading it.
“The Andromeda Strain” by Michael Crichton - Solid science-y fictional tale that kept me interested. Super easy read.
“Next” by Michael Crichton - Interesting pseudo-fictional book that raises some interesting questions about gene manipulation and the science behind it. Super easy read.
“Different Seasons” by Stephen King - Great collection of four novellas that all kind of loosely connect. You’ll recognize some of these that were made into very popular movies. Even though this is a King book, these are not horror stories in any way. Highly recommend.
“Ty Cobb: A Terrible Beauty” by Charles Leerhsen - Kindle - Great book about a complicated character and one of the greatest baseball players of all time. The author made a point to dispel stories and myths that frequently surround Cobb. Very interesting perspective. Highly recommend for baseball fans.
“Local Woman Missing” by Mary Kubica - This book was fine and an easy read. Definitely kind of hokey though. If you want an easy mystery novel, you’ll be entertained.
“The Stranger Beside Me” by Ann Rule - Kindle - I was already pretty familiar with the story of Ted Bundy before I started reading this book, so I wasn’t sure if I would be bored or get much out of it. Now that I’m done with it, I’m so glad I read it and would rank it near the top of my true crime reading list. This book was so interesting, creepy, and readable. Highly recommend for true crime fans.
“Something Wicked This Way Comes” by Ray Bradbury - Kindle - Great horror book about a couple small town boys and a traveling carnival. Just kind of a fun read.
“Casino” by Nicholas Pileggi - Kindle - Absolutely great book that was the inspiration for the movie of the same title. I’ve seen that movie about 300 times, but still found all kinds of new things in this book. Highly recommend for fans of the mafia genre.
“Night Shift” by Stephen King - Great collection of twenty short stories. There are some classics in here that reappear in the rest of the King universe. King and horror fans will love this book.
“The Good Rat” by Jimmy Breslin - Kindle - Great mob book with a very interesting style of presentation. The author used court transcripts and firsthand experiences to put this story together. Interesting and easy read.
“Dracula” by Bram Stoker - An absolute horror classic. I thought the prose might be tough given this was written in the late 19th century, but it was outstanding.
“The Auctioneer” by Joan Samson - Kindle - Really good slow burn horror book. Because she died of cancer at only 38, this was Samson’s only book. Really enjoyed reading this one.
“The Same Dead Songs: A Memoir of Working-Class Addictions” by Dave Newman - I LOVED this gritty memoir written by a guy who grew up near Pittsburgh. Many themes in this book hit close to home for me. I’m going to check out some other books by this author.
“The Omen” by David Seltzer - Kindle - Classic horror book that inspired the movie by the same name. Easy read and perfect for my Halloween horror kick.
“East Pittsburgh Downlow” by Dave Newman - I really enjoyed this book about a community college professor and working class folks living in western Pennsylvania. This really gave me some things to think about in terms of reading and writing. Great characters throughout.
“Psycho” by Robert Bloch - Kindle - This book was fantastic. Just a classic horror story that I burned through in about two days. So fun.
“Roald Dahl’s Book of Ghost Stories” by Various Authors - Just a fun book of haunting ghost stories. Not much else to say really.
“The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich” by William L. Shirer - Kindle - This was an incredibly dense but very powerful and engaging book. Shirer was a journalist living in Europe during the rise of Hitler, and I enjoyed his firsthand accounts of various parts of history. Not much more needs to be said about this one. It’s a classic that has held up for over fifty years.
“Cujo” by Stephen King - A King classic that includes a terrifying and plausible real-life scenario. You can’t go wrong with this one.
“Gerald’s Game” by Stephen King - Out of all the King books I’ve read, this one would probably be ranked in the bottom ten percent. It’s not a bad book, and I’m not upset that I spent the time reading it, but it dragged on for too long and was lacking compared to many of his other works.
“The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon” by David Grann - Kindle - Like the other Grann books I have read (“Killers of the Flower Moon” and “The Wager”), this was a fascinating narrative work of nonfiction that was a pleasure to read. Great information about the Amazon, the mystery of an ancient lost city, and those who have dared to explore that region of the world. If you like this one, you’ll also enjoy “River of Doubt” by Candice Millard.
“Red Dragon” by Thomas Harris - Kindle - I’ve been meaning to read Harris’s Hannibal Lecter series for some time now. This first book did not disappoint.