2013: Reads of the Year – Karyn Dougan

Juliet Conlin The Fractured Man (Cargo, 2013)

Brilliant plotting meets magnificent writing – The Fractured Man by Juliet Conlin is one of the most dazzling debuts of 2013. Written with elegant exuberance and completely absorbing, Conlin’s beautifully dark psycho-thriller is a beguiling read: a Gothic ghost story with all the excitement of a best-selling crime novel.

Rodge Glass LoveSexTravelMusik (Freight, 2013)

Rodge Glass’ LoveSexTravelMusik is a beautiful breath of fresh air in the short story genre. Exploring life, love and loss as his different characters travel the globe, this collection showcases some of the best examples of Glass’ razor-sharp writing. Perceptive, bold and irresistibly compelling, LoveSexTravelMusik is a thoughtful and unique examination of the human condition.

Nicola White In the Rosary Garden (Cargo, 2013)

Nicola White’s In the Rosary Garden (winner of the Dundee International Book Prize) is another fabulous debut released this year. Breaking away from the typical expectations of a crime novel, White has created a unique hybrid of thriller meets literary fiction. With beautifully subtle prose that patiently intensifies as the novel reaches its shattering conclusion, In the Rosary Garden is an excellent example of that book we all wish we had written.