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The ReadDown

The Best Fiction Books of 2018

We’ve got just the thing for the fiction book lover in your life, whether they devour thrillers, crave a swoony love story, or appreciate literary gems. You’ll find a book for mom, a book for the person who has everything, and maybe even a new book for yourself! Browse below to see 2018’s best fiction books by authors like Jodi Picoult, John Grisham, Anne Tyler, and more.

Find more thoughtful gift ideas on our holiday gift guide!

  1. 1
    Killing Commendatore Book Cover Picture
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    Killing Commendatore

    by Haruki Murakami

    A tour de force of love and loneliness, war and art, as well as a loving homage to The Great Gatsby, Killing Commendatore is a stunning work of imagination from best-selling author Haruki Murakami.
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    Paperback
    $19.00

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  2. 2
    A Spark of Light Book Cover Picture
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    A Spark of Light

    by Jodi Picoult

    The author of Small Great Things returns with a powerful and provocative new novel about ordinary lives that intersect during a heart-stopping crisis.
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    Paperback
    $18.00

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  3. 3
    Holy Ghost Book Cover Picture
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    Holy Ghost

    by John Sandford

    A small town in Minnesota has turned into religious shrine, attracting thousand of pilgrims. In this entertaining new thriller, Virgil Flowers investigates a surprising murder amid the chaos.
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    Mass Market Paperback
    $10.99

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  4. 4
    The Reckoning Book Cover Picture
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    The Reckoning

    by John Grisham

    John Grisham takes us on an incredible journey, from the Jim Crow South to the Philippines during World War II; from an insane asylum to the Clanton courtroom where Pete’s defense attorney tries to save him for being charged for the murder of his friend.
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    $18.00

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  5. 5
    Fire & Blood (HBO Tie-in Edition) Book Cover Picture
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    Fire & Blood (HBO Tie-in Edition)

    by George R. R. Martin

    Fire & Blood is the the first volume of the definitive two-part history of the Targaryens, giving readers a whole new appreciation for the dynamic, often bloody, and fascinating history of Westeros, centuries before the events of A Game of Thrones.
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    Paperback
    $22.00

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  6. 6
    Lake Success Book Cover Picture
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    Lake Success

    by Gary Shteyngart

    Hedge-fund manager Barry Cohen flees New York in search of a simpler, more romantic life. Meanwhile, his wife Seema has her own demons to face. This poignant tale of familial longing is a biting, brilliant, emotionally resonant novel very much of our times.
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    Paperback
    $18.00

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  7. 7
    There There Book Cover Picture
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    There There

    by Tommy Orange

    There There is the story of twelve unforgettable characters living in Oakland, California. As we learn the reasons that each person is attending the Big Oakland Powwow, momentum builds toward a shocking yet inevitable conclusion that changes everything.
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    Paperback
    $18.00

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  8. 8
    Blood Communion Book Cover Picture
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    Blood Communion

    by Anne Rice

    Prince Lestat tells of his coming to rule the vampire world and the eternal struggle to find belonging, a place in the universe for the undead, and how he must battle the menacing force determined to thwart his vision and destroy the entire vampire netherworld.
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    Paperback
    $16.00

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  9. 9
    A Ladder to the Sky Book Cover Picture
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    A Ladder to the Sky

    by John Boyne

    Sweeping across the late twentieth century, A Ladder to the Sky is a fascinating portrait of a relentlessly immoral, cunning, and ruthless man who will stop at nothing in his pursuit of success.
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    $18.00

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  10. 10
    Before We Were Yours Book Cover Picture
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    Before We Were Yours

    by Lisa Wingate

    Based on one of America’s most notorious real-life scandals, in which an adoption organization kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country, Lisa Wingate’s riveting and ultimately uplifting tale reminds us how the heart never forgets where we belong.
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    Paperback
    $19.00

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  11. 11
    Washington Black Book Cover Picture
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    Washington Black

    by Esi Edugyan

    From the cane fields of the Caribbean to the frozen Far North, from the earliest aquariums of London to the eerie deserts of Morocco, Washington Black tells the story of a boy who rises from the ashes of slavery to become a free man of the world.
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    Paperback
    $18.00

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  12. 12
    Tom Clancy Oath of Office Book Cover Picture
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    Tom Clancy Oath of Office

    by Marc Cameron

    Marine officer, CIA analyst, and president, Jack Ryan has devoted his life to protecting the United States. When stolen missiles are out of reach, President Ryan’s toughest challenge emerges, to meet an unknown enemy head on.
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    Mass Market Paperback
    $10.99

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  13. 13
    Clock Dance Book Cover Picture
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    Clock Dance

    by Anne Tyler

    Without fully understanding why, Willa Drake flies across the country to Baltimore to look after a young woman she’s never met, her nine-year-old daughter and their dog. This impulsive decision will lead Willa into uncharted territory.
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    Paperback
    $16.95

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  14. 14
    An Absolutely Remarkable Thing Book Cover Picture
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    An Absolutely Remarkable Thing

    by Hank Green

    Hank Green, cocreator of Crash Course, Vlogbrothers, and SciShow, spins a cinematic tale about a young woman who becomes an overnight celebrity before realizing she’s part of something bigger and stranger than anyone could have possibly imagined.
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    Paperback
    $18.00

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  15. 15
    Where the Crawdads Sing: Reese's Book Club Book Cover Picture
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    Where the Crawdads Sing: Reese’s Book Club

    by Delia Owens

    Perfect for fans of Barbara Kingsolver and Karen Russell, Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder.
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    Paperback
    $18.00

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  16. 16
    Night of Miracles Book Cover Picture
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    Night of Miracles

    by Elizabeth Berg

    When a new family moves in next door and tragedy strikes, Lucille begins to look out for their son. This delightful novel shares the importance of friendship, community, and acts of kindness.
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    Paperback
    $18.00

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  17. 17
    Star of the North Book Cover Picture
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    Star of the North

    by D. B. John

    This propulsive thriller follows a woman trying to rescue her twin sister from captivity in North Korea, and the North Korean citizens with whom she forms an unlikely alliance. Two narrative strands converge and connect building to an unforgettable climax.
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    Paperback
    $23.00

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  18. 18
    Sharp Objects Book Cover Picture
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    Sharp Objects

    by Gillian Flynn

    Reporter Camille Preaker returns to her tiny hometown to cover the murders of two preteen girls. Camille must unravel the psychological puzzle of her own past in order to understand what happened.
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    Paperback
    $18.00

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  19. 19
    A Place for Us Book Cover Picture
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    A Place for Us

    by Fatima Farheen Mirza

    As an Indian wedding gathers a family back together, the parents must reckon with the choices their children have made. A Place for Us is a tender-hearted novel of identity and belonging and a portrait of what it means to be an American family today.
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    $18.00

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  20. 20
    Macbeth Book Cover Picture
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    Macbeth

    by Jo Nesbo

    Set in the 1970s in a run-down, industrial town, Macbeth centers around a police force struggling to shed an incessant drug problem. This story of love and guilt explores the darkest corners of human nature and the aspirations of the criminal mind.
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    $17.00

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  21. 21
    Hippie Book Cover Picture
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    Hippie

    by Paulo Coelho

    Best-selling author Paulo Coelho takes us back in time to when Paulo and Karla meet. As they travel across the world together, they explore their own relationship: a life-defining love story that leads to choices and decisions that will set the course for their lives.
    Hippie Book Cover Picture
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    $19.00

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  22. 22
    All We Ever Wanted Book Cover Picture
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    All We Ever Wanted

    by Emily Giffin

    In the riveting new novel from the bestselling author of Something Borrowed, three very different people must choose between their families and their values. They must question their closest relationships and search for the courage to live a meaningful life.
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    $17.00

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