Best of 2009: Fiction Favorites

I was thrilled to see this gem of a book finally come out in paperback! Andrew Davidson’s debut novel is an oddball of a love story, featuring a badly burned ex-porn star and a mysterious sculptress who is convinced he was her lover in a past life. A vivid and enrapturing book that is guaranteed to thrill fans of Chuck Palahniuk or Katherine Dunn. -Kat

I’m not usually one for mysteries, but the hype surrounding the posthumous publication of Larsson’s first book was too much to resist. I’m grateful it was, because Dragon Tattoo is a richly written tale of corporate greed, murder, and family secrets. This novel is something you’ll devour in a few lengthy sittings. -Zack

For readers who are new to Morrison or who love her madly, this book will captivate. The prose is dreamlike as it considers the most unfortunate parts of our history, in this case the United States' relationship to slavery in the 1600s. I always turn to Toni Morrison's work when I want writing that will leave me breathless, and remind me of those events none of us should forget; A Mercy does just that. -Kate

I love ghost stories almost as much as I love Audrey Niffenegger, so I was thrilled to pick up her sophomore novel, a spooky tale of twins and ghosts set at the infamous Highgate cemetery in London. It is the story of Valentina and Julia Poole, twenty-year-old American twins who inherit a creepy flat in London under one condition: they must move in alone. -Kat

Zafon is a master of poetic writing, and in The Angel’s Game, he turns out a stunning tale of one man’s descent into madness. This is a tale of writing, books, and love, and the dangerous obsession that is the dark side of any passion. The best part is that the book provides further insight into what I consider Zafon’s greatest creation, the Cemetary of Forgotton Books. -Flannery

McKinty still remains at the top of my list of writers new to me for this past year. Fifty Grand, as a stand alone, is the perfect book by which to become acquainted with him. A Cuban cop heads north on a quest for vengeance, giving McKinty a chance to show off his many gifts—terse writing that occasionally bursts into lyricism, dry wit and dead on sociological observation. -Seana

Await Your Reply is a book about three people struggling to find answers, connections, and their own identities. From the first page, the book captures your attention and doesn’t let go. Just when you think you’ve got a grip on what’s happening, the story takes on an entirely different meaning. This is a gripping, skillfully written story that will linger in your mind for some time. -Flannery

This is one of my favorite top three books EVER! You don’t have to be a dog person to enjoy it, but you may be one by the end. It was hard to put down, but as I grew closer to the end, I had to read slower and slower. I didn’t want it to ever end. Beautifully written, with a page-turning plot, this is a mesmerizing read: one you will remember for a long time. -Clytia

My reasons for loving this novel are simple: it’s fast, funny and insightful. While I sometimes bite into a big chunk of serious fiction, there is nothing better than a lighthearted book with substance and wit. Juliet, Naked is full of both, making it not only one of my favorite novels of the year, but of Hornby’s career as well. -Zack

In ten or twenty years, you can be sure that 2666 will have taken its rightful place as a modern masterpiece alongside novels like Middlesex and 100 Years of Solitude. This work is actually five books, telling the sprawling, dark story of a fictionalized Juarez, Mexico. Bolano’s death was a great loss to the literary world, and 2666 is a testament to his legacy and talent. -Zack