The best books of 2025

2025 felt a bit uneven as far as literary fiction went, with a number of big-name writers and novels failing to live up to their billing. But as the year drew to a close, there are still plenty of books that I am grateful to have read. Here are the ones whose memory will carry most vividly into 2026.

I See You’ve Called In Dead – John Kenney

When a blind date goes wrong, middle-aged obituary writer Bud loses it. So, naturally, he goes home, gets drunk and writes his own obituary ...