Not sure if I'd say they hit hard, but for readability it's hard to beat Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe books. Some of the best murder mysteries I've ever read, so much fun.
this post was submitted on 24 Sep 2024
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I would recommend The Wheel of time, but be aware that its a very long book(series?). It contains 14 Books and totals at about 11k Sites. It absolutely takes quite a lot of time to fully read it, but its absolutely worth it. Its by far the best book ive read so far.
Mandatory heads up: The writing gets better over time.
The first time I tried to read it, the writing style of the first book really turned me off.
The Heart Shaped Box
NOS4A2
Between Two Fires
The Troop
The Princess Bride
Edit: Just realized you're looking for something to finish in a day, my bad. Have your read any Sherlock Holmes? They're entertaining and you can get through quite a few stories in a day.
I'm waist deep in The Dresden Files right now (just started Turn Coat, book 11 of like 20 and counting) and it very quickly became one of my favorite series I've ever read. Jim Butcher has woven a web of a story where every little detail is a foreshadow that often won't pay off until two books later, it's incredible.
Prior to this I read The Expanse and that one also comes highly recommended. It's one of the most believable space operas I've ever read. I also hear the TV show is good, no idea, never watched it.
The Expanse TV show is superb. I'm halfway through the books now, and in some ways the TV show is much better, in other ways the books are better.
There's enough subtlety and complexity that I've watched the entire series twice, and I wouldn't be averse to watching it again.
The books will likely please you for one reason alone. The Laconia story line that the show didn’t make it to.
Also anybody that loves The Expanse should check out the Bobiverse.
When I was young, I read Diane Duane's The Young Wizards series, and I remember I loved it. Also Artemis Fowl, Sherlock Holmes, and The Inheritance series (C. Paolini). As an adult, I've read the LotR series which I highly recommend. Also, The Expanse series, 1984, Chronicles of Narnia.
Short enough to finish in a day...hmm that's tough. Maybe Screwtape Letters by C S Lewis? The Martian. Lots of short stories out there by Isaac Asimov!
Raymond Chandler's novels, esp The Lady in the Lake
The Pirx the Pilot stories, 8 in 2 volumes
Dashiell Hammett's The Maltese Falcon and The Glass Key
2nd the Hitchhiker's Guide and they're easy to rejoin
A A Fair's novels are short and have odd western us lore in them, one has a great way to bet in Vegas, others name spots in Mexico, they were Gardner's fun books that he liked to write more than other series.
I was entranced by the Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O'Brien. Sailing ships, adventure, and a little romance.
The Hornblower stories are also excellent. They might hit a bit simpler -- the characters are a bit more heroic, a bit less complicated. IMO both are worth reading, but they hit a bit different even though they sail through similar waters (I was going to say 'covers the same ground', ha!)
I read a lot of thriller/mystery books. Almost anything by Frieda McFadden is a great read and are quick weekend reads.
A book that stuck with me for a long time was The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. It was a fairly quick read too, I'm a slow reader so definitely longer than a day but I think I read it over a short vacation.
Lots of great recommendations here. I'd also add Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold. Her Penric novels are quite fun, too.