The 12 Best Fiction Books of 2022
Reading recommendations for the lover of stories in you.
When our minds need to escape reality or relax, fiction novels take us to a different world.
There’s joy in finding that the character you suspected had dubious motives was the one running the whole charade. There’s power in seeing yourself reflected in a fictional character and drawing life lessons from a story.
In this post, I’ve curated some of the best fiction novels that came out in 2022. Look no further if you’re looking for a book to curl up with on a cold December evening.
Whether you are in the mood for a suspense thriller, science fiction, literary fiction, or a lighthearted romance novel, you can find these in the list I have mentioned below. Happy reading!
(Note: The links mentioned in this article are affiliate links. If you choose to purchase these books through these links, it will help me earn a small amount — at no extra cost to you. Thanks!)
1. The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis
Genre: Historical fiction | Family drama.
Fiona Davis is a New York Times bestselling author, ready to leave readers awestruck with her latest historical fiction novel, The Magnolia Palace.
The story revolves around the mysterious murder, conspiracy, secrets, and twisted family drama in the Frick mansion.
The Magnolia Palace is a great fiction book if you want a combination of a mystery thriller, exciting characters, and truth behind the walls of high society mansions.
Written in dual timelines of the 1920s and 1970s, the main characters Lillian Carter and Veronica Weber will win your hearts.
My Favorite Quotes From The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis
“The rich think they’re protected, that they have magical powers, when in fact they’re only mortals, like the rest of us. Bodies break down, betray you. People you love die. Children die.”
“An avalanche of tears threatened, but she swallowed hard. There was no time to mourn her lost dream.”
2. The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb
Genre: Thriller.
This is the surprisingly twisted story of a black classical musician Ray McMillian, whose life turns completely after he discovers the secret of his great-great-grandfather’s violin.
The protagonist is a young man who aspires to become a great musician, although his mother wants him to get a real job. He accidentally discovers that his great-great-grandfather’s beat-up old fiddle is actually a priceless Stradivarius, and all his dreams suddenly seem to be within reach.
But as Ray starts to take the world by storm, the violin is stolen, and a ransom note for five million dollars is left in its place
Will Ray ever find his favorite violin? Read on to find out.
This story revolving around art, racism, and hardships a musician faces will touch your heart.
My Favorite Quotes From The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb
“Don’t you ever apologize for being who you are or let someone make you feel bad for being Black.”
“Music is about communication — a way of touching your fellow man beyond and above and below language;”
3. Like a Sister by Kellye Garrett
Genre: Crime thriller.
Like a Sister is an outstanding crime thriller that revolves around a reality TV star Desiree Pierce, who was found dead after her 25th birthday.
The case is soon closed as the Police deem it an accident due to an overdose.
But several loose ends remain. Desiree’s half-sister Lena can’t digest the fact that her sister’s death was not investigated thoroughly enough.
Although there were some past differences between the sisters, will Lena be able to find the truth behind Pierce’s death, even if it means digging out her family’s darkest secrets?
My Favorite Quotes From Like a Sister by Kellye Garrett
“I guffawed. Like literally. Before I’d done it myself, I didn’t even know what guffawed meant.”
4. The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
Genre: Suspense thriller.
Marissa and Mathew Bishop are a posh couple who seem to have a perfect life with their 8-year-old son.
But the secrets behind this golden couple’s life and their hollow relationship start unfolding when an unlicensed therapist, Avery, enters their lives.
The twisted story of lies, marriage, and struggles for status makes for an addictive read for a weekend.
My Favorite Quotes From The Golden Couple by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
“Grief isn’t linear. It isn’t logical. There’s no structure or civility to it; it grabs you when you least expect it and digs in its nails until you succumb.”
“Time is a chameleon. It’s ever changing, cannily adapting to circumstances. It stretches out some tiny moments for an eternity. Then it shifts course and swallows up whole days, years even, as if they never existed. It’s as slippery and elusive as water running through the cracks in a tightly cupped hand.”
5. What Happened to the Bennetts by Lisa Scottoline
Genre: Suspense thriller.
The Bennett family’s life changes completely one night after a carjacking incident confines them as witnesses of drug trafficking.
Jason Bennett, the head of the family, decides to take the matter into his hands after he finds a shocking truth. The unexpected series of events that unfolds leaves the family at a crossroads- to choose between law and justice, and the basic human instinct to protect our own.
What Happened to the Bennetts is a spine-chilling suspense novel that will leave your heart pounding to know what happens next.
My Favorite Quotes From What Happened to the Bennetts by Lisa Scottoline
“I knew my life would forever be divided into Before and After.”
“Then you forgive her. That’s what love is. Forgiveness. Judgment belongs to God Almighty. Not you.”
6. This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub
Genre: Science fiction.
If you are a science fiction lover, then This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub will take you on the delightful Alice Stern’s life journey.
Alice isn’t quite ready to celebrate her 40th birthday. She’s satisfied with life but concerned about her ill father.
Due to an unexpected turn of events, she wakes up the next day to find the world turned upside down.
She finds herself back in high school, during her “sweet 16” years. Reuniting with her teenage crush and the 40-year-old version of her father gives her a new perspective on life.
What do you think she would change by reliving her past?
My Favorite Quotes From This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub
“Any story could be a comedy or a tragedy, depending on where you ended it. That was the magic. How the same story could be told an infinite number of ways.”
“Happy endings were too much for some people, false and cheap, but hope — hope was honest. Hope was good.”
7. The Lies I Tell by Julie Clark
Genre: Thriller.
The Lies I Tell is the story of the intertwined destiny of two women, one a sharp-minded journalist and another a con woman, and the motives that bring them together.
Melody Wilde, Meg Williams, and Maggie Littleton are the same person with different names. She is a con artist who swiftly changes her roles as a college student, real estate agent, or anything to get what she wants.
Kat Roberts is a journalist, who wants to catch the con woman and meet the woman who overturned her life.
How will these women get justice for the past, and how many lies will they tell to get what they want?
My Favorite Quotes From The Lies I Tell by Julie Clark
“Good fortune and second chances. Everyone wants to believe those are real.”
“It’s the girl code. We have to look out for each other because no one else will.”
8. The Floating Girls by Lo Patrick
Genre: Suspense thriller | Coming-of-age.
If you are into humorous yet heartwrenching suspense thrillers, the plot of The Floating Girls by Lo Patrick will keep you hooked till the end.
You get to see the perspective of a 12-year-old Kay, who loses her sister, experiences a blooming friendship with a boy, and learns of the life-altering secrets buried in their family’s past.
It is a coming-of-age book that deals with poverty, children, kidnapping, murder, and a twisted family that holds its secrets close.
My Favorite Quotes From The Floating Girls by Lo Patrick
“It’s in those small moments, the ones that pass very quickly and don’t give a person any time to think, that true character is revealed.”
“Sometimes, when I saw a turtle, I thought about my mother. She wasn’t born with a shell though, so she had to find places to hide.”
9. The Other Guest by Helen Cooper
Genre: Psychological thriller.
The Other Guest is a mysterious and captivating tale of two unconnected women who get caught up in unraveling the truth behind the events happening in a luxurious Italian resort.
Leah wants to find the truth about her 21-year-old niece Amy’s death, who drowned in a lake near her family-owned resort.
Meanwhile, Joanna, grieving over her breakup, falls for a handsome bartender. She later gets suspicious that meeting him was not a coincidence.
Read this book to discover how these women discover the conspiracy and lies tying their lives together.
My Favorite Quotes From The Other Guest by Helen Cooper
“Like the wildest punk anthem I’ve ever heard, like a band trashing their own instruments, swept up in the anarchy of the moment. I’ve even shouted at storms the way a fan might scream during a gig — the closest I can get to that kind of freedom.”
“But meditation and mindfulness now seemed much less appealing than going to a pub and getting drunk among strangers.”
10. The Housekeeper by Joy Fielding
Genre: Psychological thriller.
Joy Fielding’s domestic thriller novel is a perfect read for those who love suspense.
Jodi Bishop is a successful real estate agent struggling to balance her career and family.
She starts searching for a housekeeper to care for her bedridden mother, Audrey, and her father, Vic. She finalizes Elyse, a widow in her sixties to take care of her aging parents.
Suspicious things start happening in the house once the housekeeper is hired. Elyse starts wearing her mother’s belongings, and her father is acting strangely.
Who is this woman, and what is her ulterior motive? Read on to find out.
My Favorite Quotes From The Housekeeper by Joy Fielding
“In the end, I have only myself to blame. I’m the one who let her in.”
11. Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Genre: Sports fiction.
For sports lovers, Carrie Soto Is Back is a must-read novel filled with an athlete's struggles, a journey full of sacrifices, self-doubt, and a sweet romance.
The world’s favorite tennis player Carrie Soto makes a comeback from her early retirement to make a place in the world of sports in her late 30s.
Will she be able to win the epic final season, or does she have to leave with shattered dreams?
Read this book to find out.
My Favorite Quotes From Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
“We live in a world where exceptional women have to sit around waiting for mediocre men.”
“I am afraid of losing. I am afraid of how it will look to the world. I’m afraid of this match being the last match my father ever sees me play. I am afraid of ending this all on a loss. I am afraid of so much.”
12. The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
Genre: Romance.
If you are into lighthearted romance novels, Katherine Center’s The Bodyguard is one such book that often makes your heart flutter.
Hannah Brooks, a cute face with a killer's abilities, is a bodyguard hired to protect superstar Jack Stapleton from his stalker.
Take a sip of coffee and read this romance novel to discover how they grow affectionate for each other and what events bring them closer.
My Favorite Quotes From The Bodyguard, by Katherine Center
“I think just because you can’t keep something doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth it. Nothing lasts forever. What matters is what we take with us.”
“I wondered if having faith in yourself was just deciding you could do it — whatever it was and then making yourself follow through.”
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