The Best of Whatever—Jon & Ruth Jordan

Ruth’s (Mrs. Crimespree) favorite books & comics

The best of pretty much begins and ends with the reading this year. What moments I had. Michael Koryta's SO COLD THE RIVER, Laura Lippman's I'D KNOW YOU ANYWHERE, Don Winslow's SAVAGES, Reed Farrel Coleman's INNOCENT MONSTER. There were new writers, too, Hilary Davidson, Angela Choi & Stephen Jay Schwartz just to name a few.

We had two books from Lee Child and Michael Connelly brought us two protagonist to the same book. John Connolly made me cry and Gregg Hurwitz had me looking for fiber optics in my home. I owe a special tip of the hat to Duane Swiercynski and Charlie Huston. EXPIRATION DATE & SLEEPLESS are two wonderful books that are making me re-think my whole Sci-Fi position.

The most wonderfully strange moment was cracking open Dennis Lehane's MIDNIGHT MILE. I haven't quite decided if it was more de ja vous or going back in time, but what a nice visit with Patrick and Angie.

Like everyone I'm excited about Mulholland Books but I'm also thrilled with the Tyrus Books/ Busted Flush merger and I thank God that Hard Case Crime has a new home.

I continue to enjoy my Comic Books. Denise Mina's A SICKNESS IN THE FAMILY was brilliantly horrifying while FABLES 100 was a true treat for those of us along for the ride. I adored Victor Gischler's DeadPool run and am liking the X-Men. The Evan Dorkin/Jill Thompson Beasts of Burden is also a comics must read.

Comics to screen? Kick Ass and The Walking Dead. I'll refrain from talking about movies because, damn it, Winter's Bone didn't make it here. For must watch TV, I'll keep it short. Craig Ferguson does great interview. Laura Lippman's Naughty Librarian and Dennis Lehane's Zombie conversation captivated me. Intelligent, funny, and relevant I'm glad I saw him in person this year. I continue to adore True Blood and giggle at Charlaine Harris' success.

It's the up close and personal moments that make a year though so I thank all of my friends for sharing their lives with me in 2010 and here's to next year.

Jon's (CrimespreeJon) favorites

Favorite comics of 2010

Fables from Vertigo Comics - the series gets better and better and Bill Willingham even added a prose novel to the mix this year. Great stuff.

The vertigo Crime books have all been really good, loved the Jason Starr book THE CHILL and AREA 10 by Christos Gage as well as the creepy Denise Mina A SICKNESS IN THE FAMILY

Gregg Hurwitz's work on Moon Knight has been fun.

Victor Gischler on DEADPOOL has been REALLY fun.

GREEK STREET by Peter Milligan has great crime fiction mixed with Greek tragedy and is some cool reading from Vertigo.

Brian Bendis and Michael Oeming have brought POWERS back to a more regular schedule. Not as awesome as when the series started but still damn good reading.

VICTORIAN UNDEAD from Vertigo is a nice take on zombies, being hunted by Sherlock Holmes no less.

THE BOYS by Garth Ennis gets better and better.

I also really like CHEW. A weird book involving food crimes and a guy who eats things to get insight into them, like bodies....

The ASTRO CITY books by Kurt Busiek are some of the best reading of done recently.

BEASTS OF BURDEN by Even Dorkin and Jill Thompson is a must own, out in a collected hardcover. Dogs and 1 cat solving supernatural mysteries. And not really for kids....

And if you are anywhere near Chicago, check out Challengers comics, a great store. My local is Collector's Edge and they are amazing.

Jon’s favorite books

Benn, James R., RAG AND BONE
Bolton, S.J., BLOOD HARVEST
Box, C.J., NOWHERE TO RUN
Connolly, John, THE WHISPERERS
Cotterill, Colin, LOVE SONGS FROM A SHALLOW GRAVE
Crais, Robert, THE FIRST RULE
Dorsey, Tim, GATOR A-GO-GO
Dunlap, Susan, POWER SLIDE
Estleman, Loren D., LEFT-HANDED DOLLAR
Freveletti, Jamie, RUNNING DARK
Grant, Andrew, DIE TWICE
Grant, Helen, THE VANISHING OF KATHERINA LINDEN
Hamilton, Steve, THE LOCK ARTIST
Hurwitz, Gregg, THEY'RE WATCHING
Huston, Charlie, SLEEPLESS
Lippman, Laura, I'D KNOW YOU ANYWHERE
Robinson, Peter, BAD BOY
Todd, Charles, AN IMPARTIAL WITNESS
Wiprud, Brian, BUY BACK

ABOUT THE AUTHORS: Jon and Ruth Jordan are the publishers of Crimespree Magazine and some would say they're the heart and soul of the crime fiction community. The Crimefactory crew thinks they’re the bee’s knees