I’m not sure if 2024 had a novel, like 2022’s “Babel” or 2023’s “Fourth Wing,” that took the world by storm and reshaped the map of speculative fiction. But this year did have a wealth of unforgettable books, making it tough to narrow things down to the year’s best. These are the 11 I couldn’t stop thinking about.

In this Rivers of London fantasy novella set in Jazz Age New York City, Augustus Berrycloth-Young reconnects with old pal Thomas Nightingale, who’s “pursuing a rather mysterious affair concerning an old saxophone.” (November 1)