At the end of every year, the people on the 4 Mystery Addicts listserv submit their top 10 and bottom 10 reading lists. What’s fascinating to me is the number of books that make both lists. What one reader loved, someone else found disappointing or couldn’t finish. Reading is such a subjective experience! Beat the Reaper, which I loved, was an even split.

Here’s the combined list for 2010. The first number in parenthesis is how many readers listed the book in their top 10, and the second number is how times it was listed in the bottom. I feel like I need to read them all and decide for myself.

Hamilton, Steve: THE LOCK ARTIST (9, 2)
Verdon, John: THINK OF A NUMB3R (6, 1)
Nunn, Malla: A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO DIE (5, 1)
Walter, Jess: THE FINANCIAL LIVES OF THE POETS (4, 1)
Bazell, Josh: BEAT THE REAPER (3, 3)
Hall, Tarquin: THE CASE OF THE MISSING SERVANT (3, 1)
Krueger, William Kent: HEAVEN’S KEEP (3, 1)
Mankell, Henning: THE MAN FROM BEIJING (3, 5)
Robotham, Michael: BLEED FOR ME (3, 1)
West, C.J.: THE END OF MARKING TIME (3, 1)
Bruen, Ken: THE DEVIL (2, 2)
Coben, Harlan: CAUGHT (2, 1)
French, Tana: THE LIKENESS ( 2, 1)
Kerr, Philip: IF THE DEAD RISE NOT (2, 1)
Nesbo, Jo: THE SNOWMAN (2, 1)
Sandford, John: STORM PREY (2, 1)
Barr, Nevada: BURN (1, 1)
Bolton, S.J. : AWAKENING (1, 1)
Boyd, William: ORDINARY THUNDERSTORMS (1, 1)
Delany, Vicki: GOLD FEVER (1, 1)
Eastland, Sam: EYE OF THE RED TSAR (1, 1)
Eisler, Barry: INSIDE OUT (1, 1)
Ellory, R.J. : THE ANNIVERSARY MAN (1, 1)
Franklin, Ariana: MISTRESS OF THE ART OF DEATH (1, 1)
Koryta, Michael: SO COLD THE RIVER (1, 1)
Lehane, Dennis: MOONLIGHT MILE (1, 1)
Martin, P.D.: KISS OF DEATH (1, 1)
McDermid, Val: A DARKER DOMAIN (1, 2)
Nadelson, Reggie : BLOOD COUNT (1, 1)
Sigurdardottir, Yrsa: LAST RITUALS (1, 1)
Tracy, P.J.: SHOOT TO THRILL (1, 3)