Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and now hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. For the rules see her blog.

The topic this week is Favourite Books of 2023. The links are to Goodreads or to my review if I wrote one. I’ve recently posted a list of Ten Five Star Books of 2023, so for this post I’m listing ten different five star books I read in 2023.

Virginia Woolf: A Biography vol 1 1882 – 1912 by Quentin Bell, her nephew. It tells of Virginia Stephen’s childhood and that of her sister Vanessa up to her decision to marry Leonard Woolf. The front cover shows the painting of Virginia Woolf by Roger Fry, a painter and designer and a member of the Bloomsbury Group.

Death is Now My Neighbour by Colin Dexter, the penultimate book in the Inspector Morse series Morse is nearing retirement and he is not a well man and his drinking is causing him problems, enough to make him go to the doctor, who diagnoses diabetes. But does Morse follow his doctor’s advice?

The Locked Room by Elly Griffiths, the 14th Ruth Galloway mystery novel. Forensic archaeologist Dr Ruth Galloway and DCI Harry Nelson are on the hunt for a murderer when Covid rears its ugly head. But can they find the killer despite lockdown?

Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones, a novel that has received both good and bad reviews. I loved it. Set on the island of Bougainville, part of Papua New Guinea in the 1990s during the Bougainville civil war, it’s narrated by Matilda (aged nearly 14). Guided by their teacher Mr Watt, a white man, the children have been reading the story of Pip in Great Expectations, which provides an escape for Matilda from the fear and violence of the horrific events that engulfed the island during the civil war.

The Hairy Bikers Blood, Sweat & Tyres: The Autobiography by Si King and Dave Myers – a fascinating book written in alternate chapters by Si and Dave. It’s funny, informative, sad and happy, revealing the tough times they went through, their health issues, family losses, how they came to work on TV and above all their friendship.

Just Another Missing Person by Gillian McAllister, the fifth book by her that I’ve read and one of the best books I read in 2023. It’s tense, tightly plotted and completely compelling reading, as DCI Julia Day investigates the disappearance of 22 year old Olivia.

A Winter Grave by Peter May. This is cli-fi, about the effects of climate change on human society, set in an independent Scotland in 2051. Addie, a young meteorologist checking a mountain top weather station, discovers the body of a man entombed in ice.

The Vanishing Tide by Hilary Tailor, her debut novel, beautifully written. When Isla inherits the cliffside cottage where she spent her childhood, she must face dark shadows of her past—the mother who rejected her in favour of her art, the aunt whose death haunted them both, and the silence that permeated every room. Digging through the belongings of someone she realises she never really knew, Isla finally has the chance to find answers to the secrets her mother spent a lifetime hiding.

Ultra-Processed People by Chris Van Tulleken, subtitled ‘Why Do We All Eat Stuff That Isn’t Food … And Why Can’t We Stop?’ I kept hearing about ultra processed food, but had little idea what exactly it is, so when I saw this book I thought it would be ideal – and it’s by Chris van Tulleken, who has impressed me on numerous TV programmes on nutrition. It is absolutely fascinating and a real eye opener!

The Sixth Lie by Sarah Ward, the 2nd Mallory Dawson crime thriller. Six lies killed Huw Jones.On New Year’s Eve 2011, Huw Jones disappeared from his bedroom while his father and five friends were downstairs. His body was later discovered on the nearby cliffs at St Non’s. That night, all six friends lied in their statements to the police. Over a decade later, Huw’s mother, Heledd is found dead. Mallory Dawson, a former police police detective, must uncover the lies lurking in the tight-knit community of St Davids. But someone has kept their secrets for years, and they would kill to protect them.