Welcome to Best Evidence's fourth annual Year in Review, in which we celebrate the best true crime properties, complain about the worst, and spin hopeful dreams about the future of the genre. Keep checking back all this week and next for other responses including great podcast recommendations, hidden gems to seek out, and infuriating flops to avoid.

Today our crack team of experts is weighing in on the true crime books they loved this year. Was Wright Thompson’s The Barn the book of the year? Perhaps! Let us know what you think in the comments, and please do share your own favorites there, too.