It’s the end of another year of good reading, with anticipation of a treasure trove of new books and authors in 2025. My final selections for 2024 were:

Family Pictures by Jane Green

While the central premise of this novel is a man’s betrayal of family, it is about so much more. It covers themes of women’s friendships and which ones are true. It’s about mothers and daughters. Extreme anorexia plays a role. Mostly, it’s a compelling story of finding one’s true self and the families we form along the way. I’ll look for more of her books.

Rip in Heaven by Jeanine Cummins

I haven’t yet read Cummins’ acclaimed novel American Dirt yet, but I grabbed this relatively short memoir when I saw it. Glad I did! This is a powerful and sad story of family crisis and recovery, following an horrific murder. It’s the voice of advocacy for victims who are often forgotten in such cases.

A Home at the End of the World by Michael Cunningham

This writer was a recent discovery for me, so I grabbed this 1990 novel when I saw it. Cunningham’s prose is beautiful, setting the emotion in every chapter. The story revolves around a triangle of friends and lovers: Jonathan, Clare, and Bobby. Theirs is a bohemian relationship that works, most of the time, as they deal with loss, sex, choices, and the meaning of life.

Twice a Daughter by Julie Ryan McGue

Touching memoir of this adult adoptee’s search for her medical history and biological family, after being diagnosed with health issues. Julie also happens to be an identical twin, whose sister supported her throughout the 5-year search. It’s a vulnerable look at the obstacles in such a search and gives perspectives non-adoptees may not consider. A good read.

Her Deadly Game by Robert Dugoni

Yes, another Dugoni book, but he has yet to disappoint. This novel starts a new series for me, featuring attorney Keera Duggan in her first case as a defense attorney. It’s a legal procedural story with a twist, woven into a chess game, as well as covering some deep family dynamics and addiction issues. I look forward to the next one.

Saints for All Occasions by J. Courtney Sullivan

Who doesn’t love a good multi-generational family drama? I wasn’t familiar with this author, but this was a solid read, dealing with some timely – and timeless – themes. It starts with two young sisters, who leave their family behind to follow the older sister’s boyfriend to America. A significant event brings about a secret that will haunt the sisters and influence the family for years to come.

Resilience in the Storm: My Journey with Mental Illness by Risdon N. Slate, PhD

This one was difficult for two reasons: the author and his wife are friends of mine, and my own family’s history with mental illness. However, it’s a powerful first-person account of Slate’s childhood and his adult battle with bipolar, or manic, depression. His experiences drive home weaknesses in our health care and judicial systems, and he has become a true advocate for the mentally ill.

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

I have to say, this is not your everyday thriller. In many ways, it is more a book about family and relationships: parents and children, how we define family, and the value of trusted friends. Sure, we don’t know why Owen disappears, where he’s gone, or why he doesn’t call. And why do a U.S. Marshall and then FBI agents show up at Hannah’s studio? The mystery is there, but the novel carries a deeper story. I wasn’t familiar with this author but will look up her other titles.

We are Not Ourselves by Matthew Thomas

This novel spans a generation of an Irish Catholic family, from the protagonist Eileen’s childhood through marriage and raising an only child. It takes a deep dive into differing dreams, the challenges of early-onset Alzheimer’s, and how each family member copes. I was turned off by Eileen’s superficial aspirations, but mostly, by her racism. The father-son relationship is poignant. I finished it, but it’s not a favorite.

One Moment, One Morning by Sarah Rayner

A tragic incident intersects the lives of three women (two were already close friends). Each is struggling with something in their lives, and their friendship lends new perspective and support. It’s an emotional novel about the importance and strength of women’s friendships. I liked it.

Sleepwalking by Meg Wolitzer

This was Wolitzer’s first novel, released shortly after college and re-released after her more recent success. It’s a college tale about three girls obsessed with somewhat dark poets. The focus is on Claire and her “death girls” friendships, boyfriend, family, and the lengths to which her obsession takes her. Interesting read within its context, though I prefer Wolitzer’s later novels.

A Remarkable Kindness by Diana Bletter

An awesome find in the used bookstore. It’s a story of four women friends, transplants from the U.S. in Israel, near the border and war zone. All are Jewish, in different stages of life, and all participate in the traditional burial circle, preparing the dead for burial. Through their experiences, the novel deals with marriages, PTSD, personal identity, life and death.

The Children Act by Ian McEwan

A deep and introspective British novel about a childless female judge overseeing family court issues, some with life and death consequences, and how they affect her and her marriage. It’s a relatively short novel but it’s quite thought-provoking.

The Wonder Test by Michelle Richmond

A most unusual novel that starts with a woman and her teenage son relocating to northern California from New York, after the deaths of her husband and father. The school system is completely focused on a unique standardized test. The protagonist is an FBI profiler, on leave due to recent losses. When she learns about students who have disappeared, then returned in odd ways, her background and friendship with a local cop kick in. There are many characters to keep track of, but it’s a compelling mystery, combined with mother-son interaction and growth after loss.

Trust by Hernan Diaz

Where to begin? Yes, this book is dense, and the financial world that is a key component was over my head. Also, the structure is unique and not clear until the third section. It was worth sticking with it and learning the full picture the novel paints. And painting with words is Diaz’s gift; his prose is remarkably beautiful throughout. The conclusion was a bit surprising and sad, but I loved the hidden strength of the female characters in a time that did not value women.