So we trundle gently into 2014 and the fourth year of the blog and, as ever, it’s time to set myself a target for the year. It’s inspired by my recent post of authors that I’ve managed to ignore for various reasons, so I’m setting myself a checklist of authors for 2014. Authors that I really need to read more of – so, with an eye on my particular personality, making a list may well be the best way to do this.

But how many… I need to make this both a challenge and achievable, so I think thirty authors – two-and-a-half per month should do it. So who are these thirty authors?

First of all, I’m not including the authors that I’ll automatically be reading – so Paul Doherty, Kate Ellis, Michael Jecks, etc aren’t included on the list – but there’ll be plenty from them. Also not including Ellery Queen on this list as that’s a separate challenge. So who’s on the list? A collection of authors, old and new, read and unread, all of whom that I feel that I’ve overlooked in one way or another. Maybe it’s an author who I read and enjoyed pre-blog but I haven’t read in the last three years. Maybe it’s an author who I’ve read once or twice, enjoyed, but for whatever reason, I’ve never returned to them. There’s even one or two who I’ve read a few books of, but the jury’s still out on. Anyway, here’s the list.

I’ll post an update, with links, every few months or so.

Bonus List

There are some other authors for whom I reviewed their first novel, or at least the first novel in a series. As far as I’m aware, there isn’t a book two yet, but if one appears, then I’ll certainly review it because the first (or second) was a great read, I’ll definitely be looking out for it (in paperback or ebook at least). They are:

• Eric Brown
• Susanna Calkins
• D L Johnstone
• Eric Keith
• David Mark (OK, he’s written two books to date)
• Peter Reynard
• M G Scarsbrook
• Marsali Taylor
• Sam Thomas
• Ben H Winters (two from him, too)

Any publisher who wants to send me a review copy, either of these authors or any other books where a mystery is an important element to the plot, then the email address and the review policy are in the “About The Author” page.

So lots to look forward to, for me at least, in the New Year. So a happy and healthy New Year to all my readers and I hope you all enjoy whatever you read.