Best Indie Books of 2023 As selected by the Independent fiction alliance
The titles in this list have been selected by the Independent Fiction Alliance as the best independent books published in 2023. This list contains 25 books in no particular order—readers who hunger for independent writing will find these books—from mystery and horror to fantasy and poetry—great additions to their personal libraries. Enjoy.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE LIST
Time Will Break the World by Aaron Jacobs | "...an electric polyvocal novel, expertly told..." -Sara Lippmann, author of LECH and Jerks
The Great Gimmelmans by Lee Matthew Goldberg | Mixes Michael Chabon and the Coen Brothers with equal parts humor and pathos.
Sunset and Jericho by Sam Wiebe | The fourth thrilling installment of the Wakeland detective series, exploring the depths of Vancouver's criminal underworld.
Ending in Ashes by Rebecca Jones Howe |"...a tome of modern horrors waiting to be uncovered, each tale functioning as a warning that some tropes truly stand the test of time."
Any Man’s Girl by Basil Heatter (reprint) | "The cream of the newly discovered noir crop.” - Don Crinklaw, Booklist
Attention Deficit by Van Wright | A comedic look at online culture, filmmaking, and the issues faced by the millennial generation.
Rope & Canvas by DDC Morgan | A high-speed, high-octane thriller...a post-war world of female wrestlers, wall-of-death riders, Berlin gangsters and shadowy spy-masters.
Nobody's Coming Home by Alec Cizak | "...a valentine to the Raymonds: Chandler and Carver. Minimalist, unsentimental, unflinching, character rich, this book is a must for anyone who loves crime stories..." - Chelsea Cain, NY Times Bestseller
The Last Cop & Other Stories by Frank Zafiro | "A gritty, witty, and gut-wrenching compilation of short stories that will render you speechless." - Reader Review
Scratching the Flint by Vern Smith | "...a deadly serious dive into a dark and mesmerizing world...Good luck putting it down once you start." - Bryan Gruley, author of the Starvation Lake trilogy
Sanctuary Motel by Alan Orloff | "A fast paced, well-plotted and poignant story." - Reader Review
Shadows Slow Dancing in Derelict Rooms by Stephen J. Golds | "...hits all the right steps and delivers a devastatingly beautiful love story." - Grant Wamack, author of Black Gypsies
Alice by Sheldon Lee Compton | An imaginative exploration that blurs the lines between myth and fact, what is imagined and what is true, and the artistic lie of fiction in getting to a deeper truth.
Blur by Dan Crawley | "....lolls in the muddy magnificence of our relationships with other people..." - Michelle Ross, author of They Kept Running
Weren't Another Other Way to Be: Outlaw Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Waylon Jennings edited by Alec Cizak | Stories that aren't contorted to conform to commercial, or political, agendas—outlaw fiction.
Roads by Daren Dean | A powerful story of revenge, justice, salvation, retribution.
Stories Wrestling Can Tell by Michael Chin | Forays into the absurd, the speculative, and the lines between four generations of men from the author's family.
Travelin' Thru Townes: grit lit inspired by the life and music of Townes Van Zandt edited by Adam Van Winkle | An anthological soundtrack that can go next to your Van Zandt records, on your music books shelf or slot nicely into your grit lit collection.
The Mighty Sons of Hercules, Vol 1, by Various Authors | "A rich history and storytelling tradition revealed..." - Reader Review
Big F@!king Deal: A Jimmy Cooper Mystery by Lawrence Allan | Jimmy Cooper, a former child star and recovering addict, has gotten his second chance at fame as L.A.'s most popular private detective, but his latest case threatens to take it all away.
Roots Down to Hell by Matthew Louis | A dark, wryly humorous, controversial updating of the classic noir thriller.
A Good Rush of Blood by Matt Phillips | "Noir virtuoso Matt Phillips' A Good Rush Of Blood is as hot as a Palm Springs sunburn..." - Jo Perry, author of Pure
Cabrones Perros by Manny Torres | A rum-soaked crime-comedy in the style of Elmore Leonard's Swag and Stick.
God’s Speedboat by Max Sheridan | "A blistering ride through the absurdities of existence." - Cody Sexton, editor and publisher at Anxiety Press
Tales of the Mongoose and Meerkat, Vol 3: The Redemption of Alness, by Jim Breyfogle | "If you enjoy dungeons and dragons this book will be right up your alley." - Reader Review