The 37 best books of 2022

Our critics choose their favourite books, from daring fiction and page-turning history to celebrity memoir and much more

The Times

Welcome to The Times and The Sunday Times guide to the best books of the year. Our critics have spent the past 11 months wading through piles of new titles and now they have selected the crème de la crème. Below is the strongest title in each genre, from fiction to history, biography to crime, thrillers to children’s books, food and more. Follow the links to read the complete lists.

Christmas shopping calling? You can buy every book on the list at shop.the-tls.co.uk/times-books-2022

Plus — visit mytimesplus.co.uk for a chance to win 37 books, our top picks from each category, in our Times+ competition. There are 20 sets up for grabs.

This is the story of the fading artist and magnificent, monstrous alpha male Ray