Our critic’s picks: Best mystery fiction of 2023

Compiling the annual favorite mysteries of the year is a labor of love, and a true labor that begins with the first novel of the year. Annually, it becomes harder to narrow down the list from the 120 or so mysteries I read during the year. And 2023 was another banner year. Major trends in the genre continue to be diversity, regional stories, veterans and domestic suspense.

Happy reading.

Ivy Pochoda’s decidedly noir novels excavate a part of Los Angeles most people would prefer to ignore ...