Top 5 Books of 2013 by Basingstone Book

As a new reviewer at the beginning of this year I have found it difficult to select my top 5 books of 2013. My list is simple, it is the books I have read, and the top 5 are the best, as they offer what I want in a book. They must have entertainment in abundance, they must keep you involved and most of all it cannot be a chore to read. All of my top 5 meet this criteria easily and in my reviews they have been awarded either 4 stars or the rare 5 stars.

I have great admiration for the authors, as I find it difficult to write an interesting page, they write hundreds and most of the time it all makes sense. So here is my personal top 5 of 2013 in reverse order.





5. Deep Deception by James North

This is an excellent thriller by James North, in my headline on retail site review I used " Climate change extreme measures". With all the Greenpeace protests in the Russian polar regions it is a very topical subject and highlight real world problems that need to be addressed. Read my full review

I must mention however the book pushed to number 6 by Deep Deception. The German Suitcase by Greg Dinallo was very good and only just missed out on the top 5. Review



4. Target Churchill by Warren Adler

Transported back to a post war era this book so well written you would think it was a historical novel. The title hides nothing, this is about an attempt to assassinate Winston Churchill. The author also explores relationships in politics and tough times. Read my full review




3. Critical Reaction by Todd M Johnson

Todd M Johnson has produced an outstanding story of the nuclear clean up of a old plutonium factory a relic of the cold war or is it? A worker starts litigation against a corporate giant for over exposure to radiation, calling on an old college friend to help. The author has done a great job in keeping technicalities easy to understand allowing concentration on the story that unfolds. This is a superb thriller. Read my full review.



2. Vanishing Trail by Stephen Kosa

When I wrote my review for this book I said it was one of my fastest reads ever and this is still the case. The writing is excellent everything is connected and not a piece of flab in sight. I was hooked from the very beginning and was entertained throughout with believable characters, sound plot and twists and turns to the end. Read my full review.




1. Excessive Entanglement by Nick d'Arbeloff

Star Trek and The West Wing what could be better? This book combines two my favourite TV shows with a storyline of colonisation of a distant world.  Nick d'Arbeloff  has obviously researched his material well, as all the future events fit well with the Sci-fi we all love. The politics highlights the many problems of mixing religion with anything requiring collaboration across communities and borders, very relevant today and in the future. Read my full review.


Congratulations to Nick d'Arbeloff for getting my number one choice, it is thoroughly deserved. I hope next year will produce at least the standard as this year which I have enjoyed enormously. Thanks to the authors, publishers and Netgalley for supporting me in this first year as a reviewer.