We all have those authors! The ones that we will just automatically purchase or pre-order when you find out they have a new book coming out. We call those auto-buy authors. I have a few, so let’s get into it.

See also: Perfect Vacation Reads, Books with Irresistible Plot Twists, and Books for Beginner Readers.

Auto-Buy Authors

• Lucinda Berry – Lucinda Berry can do no wrong. If you’ve been here a while, she has probably been my longest standing auto-buy author. Her audio-first books are great, and her other books keep you on the edge of your seat.
• Steve Cavanagh – Fantastic law procedural author. The characters are likable and the plot keeps you guessing until the very end. I’ve read multiple books by Mr. Cavanagh, and would recommend ALL of them.
• Lisa Jewell – Another fantastic thriller author. Some of her recent books haven’t delivered the way I’d like, so she may be falling off the list. However, I think she has one or two more chances at this point.
• Blake Crouch – Hands down, the best science fiction writer I’ve encountered. Whether it’s a series or a standalone, the books are all top-notch. I even converted my dad to a sci-fi reader with Blake Crouch’s books, and that is quite the feat.
• Richard Osman – I don’t believe he’s written much beyond The Thursday Murder Club series (I can recall one book off the top of my head), but the series is just that good! I would read anything he writes.
• Anthony Horowitz – A bit of a sleeper here, but he does fun mysteries. Some of his books are books within books, and it’s always an adventure. They’re low stake books, but always worth the time.

Authors on the Rise

“Caroline, what are ‘authors on the rise’?”

Oh, reader, I am so glad you asked! For me, these are authors that I have read and definitely enjoyed, but I’m not yet ready to commit them to being auto-buy authors. You could also call these “auto-hold authors” or “immediate NetGalley request authors”.

• Kate Alice Marshall – She’s only on this list because I have listened to more books of hers than I’ve read physically. I think some of my feelings about books can be a bit skewed when I listen on audio. I have a couple of hers on my TBR, so she’ll probably be moving soon.
• Sarah Pekkanen – Yes, she writes her own books! Personally, I like her books better.
• Catherine Steadman – I have thoroughly enjoyed everything of hers that I’ve read (Look in the Mirror, The Family Game, etc.). I have only LOVED Look in the Mirror though. It’s her most recent, so I’m hoping she’s just getting in her stride!
• John McMahon – I read Head Cases and loved it (felt like a middle ground between the feel of Thursday Murder Club and Steve Cavanagh), and it’s a series. Thus, when I read more, hopefully he will move up!
• Liv Constantine – You likely know Liv Constantine from the Mrs. Parrish books, but she solidified her spot on my “on the rise” list with Don’t Open Your Eyes.
• Stacy Willingham – Stacy is a semi-local author to me, and I love her southern thrillers. Her latest one even had cult-like vibes, which is always a plus for me.
• Heather Gudenkauf – I have read ONE book by this author (actually, I listened to it), but it was so good that I now want to read all of hers.
• Ashley Flowers – See above.
• Lucy Foley – Lucy wasn’t a standout author until I read The Midnight Feast and thoroughly enjoyed it. Now, I want to see what her next book has in store…whenever that comes along.

Wow, I read a lot of female authors. For the record, that’s completely unintentional. I just go for the books that I enjoy. So, if you have auto-buy authors that happen to be male, let me know. Seems like I may need to round out my TBR.

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