May 31, 2013

Peonies are my favorite flowers. We have four really lush plants at the house, which have multiple buds on each stalk. I have watched these plants thrive since we moved to our house 23 years ago. Last weekend they started to bloom, and as happens every year, I am off to BookExpo America (BEA) in the city this week, thus I will not be home to see them in their prime. And we had rain earlier this week, so I am sure there will be many petals on the ground by Saturday night when I get back to the house. I also bought a lovely tall hibiscus plant as well as two medium-sized ones and two small ones. I love the tropical feel of them, and three of them are in the most amazing shade of apricot, while the other two are yellow. Photos to come in the weeks ahead. I was not up for dashing between the raindrops as I write this.

This is my 18th BEA, which stuns me when I think about it. Where did the time go? My first BEA was in Chicago, where I eagerly piled catalogs into boxes and shipped them to our brand-spanking new offices as we planned our launch of Bookreporter.com for later that summer. I knew no one in the industry and remember wandering the aisles feeling quite overwhelmed. The Internet was a novelty at that point, most publishers were not online, and people wondered WHY I had left a successful magazine career for this crazy concept. Part of the company lore is that during my first BEA, I left the show floor and headed to the movies --- to see Mission: Impossible. Then, it was exactly what this venture felt like!

This week has been a completely different story. I know lots of people --- so many that my staff has teased me that the only way we have a prayer of exiting the Javits Center where BEA is held with any speed is to walk down a Remainders aisle. Every other row at the show means lots of conversations and lots of “Hmmmm….how can we share that book with readers?” moments. We’re like squirrels at this show, storing up the best books and author stories to share with you as they are published, bringing our enthusiasm your way.

This week is about meeting lots of authors. At a dinner Wednesday night, Erica Jong was one of the featured speakers. The 40th Anniversary Edition of FEAR OF FLYING was being celebrated. In a moment of humor, I confessed to her that years ago I eagerly babysat two young boys who were hellions. One of the appeals was that their mom had a copy of FEAR OF FLYING that I would read after they went to bed as there was not a copy around our house. She was amused!

Last weekend, I did some reading in between gardening, the parade and pie baking. First up, I finished PASTORS’ WIVES, which was our Summer Reading Contest book on Tuesday. The three women who are at the heart of this story set at a megachurch end up to be women much like many of us, trying to hold hearth and home together. Their troubles are earthly, and there were a lot more humorous moments in this book than I thought I would encounter --- some of which were laugh-out-loud. My favorite character was Candace; I can picture her looks of ice as she maneuvers her way to make Greenleaf thrive. Lisa Takeuchi Cullen’s gift as a storyteller is a terrific balancing act between being respectful and also entertaining.

Next up was THE WIDOW WALTZ by Sally Koslow (June 13th). Sally and I have known each other since my days at Mademoiselle, and after years of her snappy copy, it’s really fun to read her novels; this is her fourth. Georgia Waltz has a charmed life: a fabulous Manhattan apartment overlooking Central Park, a beach house in the Hamptons, a host of jewels bought to commemorate BIG moments in her life, two daughters, and a husband who she is crazy about! But when Ben dies in a marathon race in the park, Georgia learns that there is a lot she did not know about him, such as why he has left her mired in debt in a world that was built on lies. Georgia is having a whopper of a midlife crisis! And how she and her girls rally in the year that follows Ben’s death --- and all its surprises --- makes for some great reading.

I started LETTERS FROM SKYE by Jessica Brockmole (July 9th) a few weeks ago and have been savoring it. Remember when letter writing was an art? I am not talking about emails that bounce around often with one-word answers, but rather the kinds of letters where just seeing the writing on an envelope found at the mailbox by the curb could mean a nice extended read, a thoughtful reply, and then weeks for another part of the conversation to unfold. LETTERS FROM SKYE takes us back to a time like that as it spans two continents and takes place over the course of two world wars, capturing the way that love builds and the way words can make a heart beat faster. I enjoy sagas, and the way this one plays out in the characters’ own words makes it so charming! I looked forward to spending time with these characters after BEA events this week when I headed back to my hotel for some peace and quiet. And we will have more for you about it in the weeks to come as Jessica will be featured in a Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight later this month.

This week, we’re featuring our review of THE SON, the much-talked-about new novel from Philipp Meyer, the acclaimed author of AMERICAN RUST. Here, Meyer maps the legacy of violence in the American West through the lives of the McCulloughs, an ambitious family as resilient and dangerous as the land they claim. Reviewer Harvey Freedenberg has much praise for the book. Here’s just a sample: “The novel has antecedents (think of Thomas Berger’s LITTLE BIG MAN and Larry McMurtry’s LONESOME DOVE, to name two), but few equals in contemporary literature of this genre. Whether your tastes in entertainment run to Cormac McCarthy or 'Dallas,' it’s a fair bet you will find this a sumptuous feast.”

Jussi Adler-Olsen is back with the latest installment in his Department Q mystery series. In A CONSPIRACY OF FAITH, Detective Carl Mørck holds in his hands a bottle that contains an old and decayed message, written in blood. It’s a cry for help from two young brothers, tied and bound in a boathouse by the sea. Who are these boys, and why weren’t they reported missing? Carl’s investigation will force him to cross paths with a woman stuck in a desperate marriage, and he and his colleagues must use all of their resources to uncover the horrifying truth. Reviewer Joe Hartlaub hails A CONSPIRACY OF FAITH as “great reading, exhausting in all the best ways, double-barrel loaded with a puzzling mystery on one side and an edge-of-your-seat, ticking-clock threat on the other…”

We have THREE new spotlight features to tell you about. First up in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight is HER LAST BREATH, the fifth installment in Linda Castillo’s series featuring Police Chief Kate Burkholder. Evidence emerges that there was nothing accidental about a supposed car accident that killed an Amish deacon and two of his children. Kate begins to suspect that she is on the trail of a cold-blooded killer. It is a search that takes her on a chilling journey into the darkest reaches of the human heart and makes her question everything she has ever believed about the Amish culture into which she was born. When I read HER LAST BREATH, there was one surprise after the other. We have 25 copies of the book, which releases on June 18th, to give away to readers who would like to read and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, June 13th at noon ET.

Next up is CRIME OF PRIVILEGE by trial lawyer Walter Walker, which we’re also featuring in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight. A murder on Cape Cod. A rape in Palm Beach. All they have in common is the presence of one of America’s most beloved and influential families. But nobody is asking questions. George Becket, a young lawyer, wasn’t born to privilege, but he understands how it works and has benefitted from it in ways he doesn’t like to admit. Now, an investigation brings him deep inside the world of the truly wealthy --- and shows him what a perilous place it is. When I read this, I found myself thinking about a very similar real-life story, and thus it was really chilling. How far do the tentacles of power go? We have 25 copies of the book, which releases on June 18th, to give away to readers who would like to read and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, June 13th at noon ET.

The third new feature of the week shines our New Release Spotlight on FLAT WATER TUESDAY, a debut novel by Ron Irwin, a writer who also lectures in the Centre for Film and Media at the University of Cape Town. As a member of Fenton School’s rowing team, Rob Carrey spends months preparing for the Tuesday afternoon race against their rival, Warwick. But no one can prevent the horrible tragedy that occurs shortly before the all-important event. Fifteen years later, when a phone call compels him to attend a reunion at Fenton, no part of Rob’s past remains sequestered for long and nothing about his future is certain. FLAT WATER TUESDAY doesn’t release until June 4th, but we wanted to make sure that this gripping first novel, which I read late last year, was on your radar. This will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. By the way, if you enjoyed THE STARBOARD SEA last year, add this to your “to be read” list.

Meanwhile, we continue our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight of LOST, the third installment of S. J. Bolton’s series featuring Detective Constable Lacey Flint. We have 25 copies of the book, which releases on June 4th, to give away to readers who would like to read and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, June 6th at noon ET. Joe Hartlaub is a HUGE fan of S.J.’s, and I so see why!

A few weeks ago, we gave away copies of I’LL BE SEEING YOU by Suzanne Hayes and Loretta Nyhan. This week, we launch a Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight of the book, which is now in stores. Glory Whitehall and Rita Vincenzo have nothing in common except one powerful bond: the men they love are soldiers fighting in World War II. Brought together by an unlikely twist of fate, they begin a remarkable correspondence as their letters allow them to survive the loneliness and uncertainty of waiting on the home front. Those who read THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY will appreciate the epistolary format of this book. Reviewer Sarah Rachel Egelman says, “I’LL BE SEEING YOU is a charming story of an original and unusual friendship well worth reading from two authors whose collaboration proves successful.” Sarah also interviewed Suzanne and Loretta, who explain how they came to work together…and how they were able to write the novel without ever meeting in person!

Beth Hoffman, author of the bestseller SAVING CEECEE HONEYCUTT (a Bets On pick when it released in 2010), has written a new book, LOOKING FOR ME, which is now in stores. Nothing can alleviate the haunting uncertainty that Teddi Overman has felt in the years since her brother’s mysterious disappearance. When signs emerge that Josh might still be alive, Teddi is drawn home to Kentucky. It’s a journey that could help her come to terms with her shattered family, but first she must decide what to let go of and what to keep. According to reviewer Jane Krebs, “If you want a charming look at Charleston, a do-it-yourself book on the intricacies and value of furniture restoration, or some evocative reminiscence about good Kentucky home cooking, then LOOKING FOR ME is the book for you.” Find out more about the book and author in this interview with Beth.

We also have a review of THE OTHER TYPIST, a debut novel from Suzanne Rindell, who I met back in March at the Algonquin Hotel, where she talked about her book. Set in New York in 1923, the protagonist Rose is a prim and proper police department typist who lives by the rules. Her typing skills get her a seat front and center at the crimes of the day, some of which police brass apologize for as being too rough for the typist’s fragile womanly nature. Enter Odalie, who lives life by a different code. She brashly bobs her hair and has an edge that is scandalous in Rose’s eyes. But Odalie brings out a new side of Rose, and suddenly life changes dramatically. Norah Piehl says this in her review: “Rindell's accomplished debut novel shows a real facility with plotting and with developing suspense…. And, of course, Rindell's novel is also suffused with the atmosphere of the 1920s, making it the perfect book to pick up right now while The Great Gatsby is making a splash in theaters.” This, too, will be a Bets On selection!

Once again, we’re celebrating dads with our Eighth Annual Father’s Day Contest and Feature. From now through June 10th, readers can win a collection of books that are perfect gift-giving suggestions for dad, keeping him busy through the rest of the year. Five winners will receive all the books we’re featuring, along with a cooler that is touted to keep contents cold for two days, a flashlight, and an iTunes gift card. Click here to see all our featured titles and enter for a chance to make your dad one happy camper.

We’re giving away a different book on select days through July 31st in our Summer Reading Contests. This week, we posted giveaways for the aforementioned PASTORS' WIVES by Lisa Takeuchi Cullen and THE EXPATS by Chris Pavone, winner of the Edgar Award for Best First Novel. Next week, we’ll be giving away SUTTON by J. R. Moehringer (here’s a great video of J.R. talking about the story behind this book) and THOSE WE LOVE MOST by Lee Woodruff, which was a Bets On selection. Are you signed up for our Summer Reading newsletter so you get word as soon as our contests go live? If not, click here to get signed up!

Our current Word of Mouth contest is up for one more week. Let us know the books you’ve read, and you’ll have the opportunity to win a copy of BIG BROTHER by Lionel Shriver, THE KILL ROOM by Jeffery Deaver, and REVENGE WEARS PRADA: The Devil Returns by Lauren Weisberger (the long-awaited sequel to THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA). To enter, please fill out the form on the Word of Mouth page by Friday, June 7th at noon ET.

I failed to share last week that “Longmire,” the show based on Craig Johnson’s character, is back for a second season on A&E. It premiered May 27th, but you can catch up! (We will be posting our review of the latest Longmire mystery, A SERPENT’S TOOTH, next week.) “The Killing” is back this week. They stretched the storyline out one season too long with the last case. I am hoping they learned to step things up since then. I got to the point when it ended that I could not care WHO killed Rosie.

The pool painting project continues at the house. Power washing is done. We are now up to acid wash and two coats of paint. Right now it looks like we have a skate park in the yard; maybe instead of swim fins, I want a long board.

Back to the show floor for me…and tomorrow I am looking forward to meeting those of you who will be enjoying the Power Reader Day at BEA.

Read on…we have a LOT to share this week. Hats off to our staff who pulled together this update in two days instead of the usual five!

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

THE SON by Philipp Meyer (Fiction)
Philipp Meyer, the acclaimed author of AMERICAN RUST, returns with THE SON. This utterly transporting novel is an epic of the American West and a multigenerational saga of power, blood, land and oil that follows the rise of one unforgettable Texas family --- from the Comanche raids of the 1800s to the oil booms of the 20th century. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.

-Click here to read more about the book.
 

DEEPLY ODD: An Odd Thomas Novel by Dean Koontz (Horror/Supernatural Thriller)
Odd Thomas has the ability to commune with restless spirits and help them find justice and peace. But this time, it’s the living who desperately need Odd on their side. Three innocents will be brutally executed unless Odd can intervene in time. The potential victims are a mystery, but Odd will do what he must to save them --- confronting a sinister foe and the limits of his very own mortality. Reviewed by Christine M. Irvin.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.

I'LL BE SEEING YOU is a deeply moving novel about two women who have nothing in common except one powerful bond: the men they love are at war. Bookreporter.com's Sarah Rachel Egelman talks to authors Suzanne Hayes and Loretta Nyhan, who reveal that, despite having collaborated so successfully, they have not yet met in person! Like their protagonists, Loretta and Suzanne clearly have an easy rapport, and together they discuss the process of writing a book with someone else (and the thrill of correspondence), how they both got to know their characters so intimately, and what we can expect from them next, together and individually.

I'LL BE SEEING YOU by Suzanne Hayes and Loretta Nyhan (Historical Fiction)
It is January 1943, and Glory Whitehall and Rita Vincenzo have nothing in common except one powerful bond: the men they love are fighting in a war a world away from home. Brought together by an unlikely twist of fate, Glory and Rita begin a remarkable correspondence as their letters allow them to survive the loneliness and uncertainty of waiting on the home front. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read critical praise.
-Click here to read bios of Suzanne Hayes and Loretta Nyhan.
-Click here to visit the authors’ official website.
-Connect with the authors on Facebook and Twitter.
-Click here to visit the authors’ Pinterest page.
-Discover THIS HEART OF MINE, the prequel eBook novella to I'LL BE SEEING YOU.
-Click here to read more in our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight.

We have 25 copies of HER LAST BREATH by Linda Castillo, which releases on June 18th, to give away to readers who would like to read the book and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, June 13th at noon ET.

HER LAST BREATH by Linda Castillo (Thriller/Mystery)
What at first seems like a tragic, but routine car accident suddenly takes on a more sinister cast as evidence emerges that nothing about the crash is accidental. But who would want to kill an Amish deacon and two of his children? He leaves behind a grieving widow and a young boy who clings to life in the intensive care wing of a hospital, unable to communicate. He may be the only one who knows what happened that night.

Desperate to find out who killed her best friend’s husband and why, Kate begins to suspect she is not looking for a reckless drunk, but instead is on the trail of a cold blooded killer in amid the residents of Painter’s Mill. It is a search that takes her on a chilling journey into the darkest reaches of the human heart and makes her question everything she has ever believed about the Amish culture into which she was born.

-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Linda Castillo's bio.
-Click here to visit Linda Castillo's website.
-Click here to connect with Linda Castillo on Facebook.

Beth Hoffman follows the tremendous success of her debut novel, SAVING CEECEE HONEYCUTT, with LOOKING FOR ME, in which a woman must return home to confront her past --- and decide what to let go of and what to keep. In this interview, Hoffman explains why this is a story that "demanded to be told," as she recalls sleepless nights and an auspicious red-tailed hawk. She also discusses the universal complexity of mother-daughter relationships, how her writing process has changed since becoming a bestselling author, and the importance of embracing life and feeling connected to family, work and nature.

LOOKING FOR ME by Beth Hoffman (Fiction)
Teddi Overman has learned to turn other people’s castoffs into beautifully restored antiques, and eventually finds a way to open her own shop in Charleston. But nothing can alleviate the haunting uncertainty she has felt in the years since her brother Josh’s mysterious disappearance. When signs emerge that Josh might still be alive, Teddi is drawn home to Kentucky. It’s a journey that could help her come to terms with her shattered family, but first she must decide what to let go of and what to keep. Reviewed by Jane Krebs.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.

Father’s Day is a time to celebrate the men in our lives who have raised and loved us. Why not show him your appreciation by inspiring him with a great book? From now through June 10th, readers will have the chance to win a collection of books that are perfect gift-giving suggestions for dad, keeping him busy through the rest of the year. Five winners will receive all the books we’re featuring, along with a cooler that is touted to keep contents cold for two days, a flashlight, and an iTunes gift card.

This year's featured titles are:

• ARCHIPELAGO by Monique Roffey
• BUTCH CASSIDY: The Lost Years by William W. Johnstone with J.A. Johnstone
• CRASHED: A Junior Bender Mystery by Timothy Hallihnan
• DAD IS FAT by Jim Gaffigan
• THE DIFFERENCE YOU MAKE: Changing Your World through the Impact of Your Influence by Pat Williams with Jim Denney
• FATHERHOOD: And Other Stories by Thomas H. Cook
• ONE LAST THING BEFORE I GO by Jonathan Tropper
• SOMEONE COULD GET HURT: A Memoir of Twenty-First-Century Parenthood by Drew Magary
• WALKING WITH JACK: A Father's Journey to Become His Son's Caddie by Don J. Snyder

We have 25 copies of LOST by S. J. Bolton, which releases on June 4th, to give away to readers who would like to read the book and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, June 6th at noon ET.

LOST by S. J. Bolton (Thriller)
Like everyone reading the newspapers these days, 10-year-old Barney Roberts knows the killer will strike again soon. The victim will be another boy, just like him. The body will be drained of blood, and left somewhere on a Thames beach. There will be no clues for London detectives Dana Tulloch and Mark Joesbury to find. There will be no warning about who will be next. There will be no real reason for Barney’s friend and neighbor, Lacey Flint, on leave from her job as a London police detective, to become involved…and no chance that she can stay away. With the clock ticking, the violence escalating, and young lives at stake, Lacey and Barney both know they can’t afford a single wrong step if they hope to make it through alive.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read critical praise.
-Click here to watch the book trailer.
-Click here to read S. J. Bolton’s bio.
-Click here to visit S. J. Bolton’s official website.
-Connect with S. J. Bolton on Facebook and Twitter.

LADIES' NIGHT by Mary Kay Andrews (Fiction)
Grace Stanton’s life as a rising media star and beloved lifestyle blogger takes a surprising turn when she catches her husband cheating and torpedoes his pricey sports car straight into the family swimming pool. Grace suddenly finds herself locked out of her palatial home, checking account, and even the blog she has worked so hard to develop in her signature style. Moving in with her widowed mother, who owns and lives above a rundown beach bar called The Sandbox, is less than ideal. So is attending court-mandated weekly "divorce recovery" therapy sessions with three other women and one man for whom betrayal seems to be the only commonality.

When their “divorce coach” starts to act suspiciously, they decide to start having their own Wednesday "Ladies' Night" sessions at The Sandbox, and the unanticipated bonds that develop lead the members of the group to try and find closure in ways they never imagined. Can Grace figure out a new way home and discover how strong she needs to be to get there?

LADIES' NIGHT releases on June 4th.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Mary Kay Andrews’s bio.
-Click here to visit Mary Kay Andrews’s official website.
-Connect with Mary Kay Andrews on Facebook and Twitter.
-Click here to see the 25 readers who were selected to read and comment on the book.

Summer is just around the corner! At Bookreporter.com, this means it's time for us to share some great summer book picks with our Summer Reading Contests and Feature. We will be spotlighting a different title on select days from now through July 31st, so you will have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter. We also will be sending a special daily newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here.

This year's featured titles include:

• APPROACHING THE SPEED OF LIGHT by Victoria Lustbader
• THE ESKIMO HUNTS IN MIAMI by Stefan Kanfer
• THE EXPATS by Chris Pavone
• GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn
• THE INNOCENTS by Francesca Segal
• IS THIS TOMORROW by Caroline Leavitt
• MEMOIRS OF AN IMAGINARY FRIEND by Matthew Dicks
• THE PANTHER by Nelson DeMille
• PASTORS' WIVES by Lisa Takeuchi Cullen
• READY TO DIE: A Selena Alvarez/Regan Pescoli Novel by Lisa Jackson
• THE RED BOOK by Deborah Copaken Kogan
• SEA CHANGE by S.M. Wheeler
• SISTERLAND by Curtis Sittenfeld
• SOMETHING WICKED by Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush
• SUTTON by J.R. Moehringer
• TELL ME by Lisa Jackson
• THOSE WE LOVE MOST by Lee Woodruff
• WHISTLING PAST THE GRAVEYARD by Susan Crandall
• WISP OF A THING by Alex Bledsoe

Our next prize book will be announced on Tuesday, June 4th at noon ET.

A CONSPIRACY OF FAITH: A Department Q Novel by Jussi Adler-Olsen (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Detective Carl Mørck holds in his hands a bottle that contains an old and decayed message, written in blood. It is a cry for help from two young brothers, tied and bound in a boathouse by the sea. Who are these boys, and why weren’t they reported missing? Carl’s investigation will force him to cross paths with a woman stuck in a desperate marriage. He and his colleagues must use all of their resources to uncover the horrifying truth. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

-Click here to read an excerpt.

THE BROKEN PLACES: A Quinn Colson Novel by Ace Atkins (Thriller)
Convicted murderer Jamey Dixon comes back to Jericho preaching redemption, but for the victim’s family, the only thought is revenge. The men in prison from Dixon’s last job, an armored car robbery, also don’t believe him; they break out and head straight to Jericho. Quinn Colson and his deputy, Lillie, know they have their work cut out for them, but they don’t count on a tornado that causes havoc just as events come to a head. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

-Click here to read an excerpt.

WE ARE ALL COMPLETELY BESIDE OURSELVES by Karen Joy Fowler (Fiction)
Rosemary Cooke was not yet six when her sister, Fern, was removed. Over the years, she has managed to block a lot of memories. With some guile, she guides us through the darkness, penetrating secrets and unearthing memories, leading us deeper into the mystery she has dangled before us from the start. Stripping off the protective masks that have hidden truths too painful to acknowledge, in the end, “Rosemary” truly is for remembrance. Reviewed by Eileen Zimmerman Nicol.

-Click here to read an excerpt.

THE OTHER TYPIST by Suzanne Rindell (Historical Fiction)
Rose Baker is a typist in a New York City Police Department precinct. It is 1923, and while she may hear every detail about shootings, knifings and murders, as soon as she leaves the interrogation room, she is once again the weaker sex. When glamorous Odalie joins the typing pool, Rose is drawn fully into Odalie’s high-stakes world. And soon her fascination with Odalie turns into an obsession from which she may never recover. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

-Click here to read an excerpt.

THE BARBED CROWN: An Ethan Gage Adventure by William Dietrich (Historical Thriller/Adventure)
In William Dietrich’s THE BARBED CROWN, the sixth tale of rogue and adventurer Ethan Gage, our hero returns to Paris and London. Against a background of imperial pomp and the gathering clouds of war, Gage plots revenge on Napoleon Bonaparte for the kidnapping of his son. Reviewed by Roz Shea.

COMPLEX 90 by Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins (Historical Hard-boiled Mystery)
Mike Hammer accompanies a conservative politician to Moscow on a fact-finding mission. Arrested and imprisoned by the KGB on a bogus charge, he quickly escapes, creating an international incident by getting into a fire fight with Russian agents. On his stateside return, the government is none too happy with Hammer. Russia is insisting upon his return to stand charges, and various government agencies are following him. A question dogs our hero: why him? Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

SOUTHERN LEAGUE: A True Story of Baseball, Civil Rights, and the Deep South's Most Compelling Pennant Race by Larry Colton (Sports History)
Talented pitcher Johnny "Blue Moon" Odom and outfielder Tommie Reynolds --- both young black ballplayers with dreams of playing someday in the big leagues --- along with Bert Campaneris, a dark-skinned shortstop from Cuba, all found themselves playing for Heywood Sullivan, a white former major leaguer. Larry Colton traces their entire season, capturing the essence of Birmingham and its citizens during the tumultuous year of 1964. Reviewed by Ron Kaplan.

GOOD KINGS BAD KINGS by Susan Nussbaum (Fiction)
Inside the halls of ILLC, an institution for juveniles with disabilities, we discover a place that is deeply different from and yet remarkably the same as the world outside. In this isolated place on Chicago’s South Side, friendships are forged, trust is built, and love affairs begin. It’s in these alliances that the residents of this neglected community ultimately find the strength to bond together, resist their mistreatment, and finally fight back. And in the process, each is transformed. Reviewed by Maggie Harding.

UNSPEAKABLE by Kevin O'Brien (Thriller)
A family of four murdered in their hotel room. A single mother and her boyfriend both stabbed to death. A sordid history of violent crimes, repeated over and over --- but decades apart. Olivia Barker is a therapist with no connection to the murders. But she has heard things. Stories that keep her up at night. Details that only a killer would know. A killer who could be one of her patients… Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

SIGHT READING by Daphne Kalotay (Fiction)
Hazel and Remy spot each other for the first time in years. Remy, a gifted violinist, is married to the Scottish composer Nicholas Elk --- once the love of Hazel's life, now struggling with a masterwork he cannot realize. In the 20 years since Hazel's world was tipped on its axis, these three artists have faced unexpected joys, mysterious afflictions and other puzzles of life, their fates irrevocably interlaced. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

We have a number of contests currently running on our other sites in TheBookReportNetwork.com. Please take a look at them below, and enter for your chance to win some fabulous books!

ReadingGroupGuides.com

THE INQUISITOR’S WIFE by Jeanne Kalogridis
We are celebrating the release of THE INQUISITOR’S WIFE by Jeanne Kalogridis --- a tale of love, loss and treachery set during the perilous days of the Spanish Inquisition --- with a special contest. Five readers will have the opportunity to each win a copy of the book, which is now in stores, for their group. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, June 4th at noon ET.
 

THE ONE-WAY BRIDGE by Cathie Pelletier
We are celebrating the release of THE ONE-WAY BRIDGE by Cathie Pelletier --- an unforgettable portrait of loneliness, family, community, and the kinds of changes we make for love --- with a special contest. Three readers will have the opportunity to each win 12 copies of the book, which is now in stores, for their group. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, June 4th at noon ET.
 

THE FATE OF MERCY ALBAN by Wendy Webb
We are celebrating the release of THE FATE OF MERCY ALBAN by Wendy Webb --- a modern take on a gothic ghost story with long-buried family secrets bubbling to the surface --- with a special contest. Three book groups will win a chat with Wendy (by phone, via Skype, or in person) and 12 copies of THE FATE OF MERCY ALBAN, while 25 other groups will win one copy of the book. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, June 4th at noon ET.
 

“What Are You Reading?” Monthly Contest Feature
Let us know what your group is reading in May, and you will be entered in a giveaway to win multiple copies of a book for your group! Our latest prize book is BEAUTIFUL RUINS by Jess Walter, a story of flawed yet fascinating people navigating the rocky shores of their lives while clinging to their improbable dreams. We have 12 copies of the book, which is now available in paperback, to give away to three groups. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, June 4th at noon ET.
 

Teenreads.com

The Grisha Trilogy
In anticipation of the June 4th release of SIEGE AND STORM --- the second installment in Leigh Bardugo's Grisha trilogy, which follows Alina back into the country she abandoned to fight the forces against Ravka --- we have a special contest that will give five readers the opportunity to win a copy of both SIEGE AND STORM and the first book in the series, SHADOW AND BONE. The deadline for entries is Monday, July 8th at noon ET.

Kidsreads.com

THE 39 CLUES: THE CAHILL VAULT, Book Two: SPYMASTERS by Clifford Riley
To celebrate the release of Clifford Riley's SPYMASTERS, the second volume in The 39 Clues: The Cahill Files series --- which features three stories previously published exclusively as eBook shorts --- we're running a special contest that will give 25 readers the opportunity to win a copy of these adventures through time. The deadline for entries is Monday, July 1st at noon ET.

FaithfulReader.com

JENNIFER: An O’Malley Love Story by Dee Henderson
We are celebrating the release of JENNIFER: An O'Malley Love Story with a special contest that will give 25 readers the opportunity to win a copy of Dee Henderson's uplifting story about Jennifer O'Malley --- a woman whose faith is about to be tested, and in a way she never expected. The deadline for entries is Thursday, June 13th at noon ET.

FaithfulReader.com's Monthly Contest
In our latest monthly contest, five readers will receive a copy of I'M NO ANGEL: From Victoria's Secret Model to Role Model. In December 2011, 21-year-old Victoria's Secret model Kylie Bisutti stunned the fashion industry when she chose faith over fame and fortune and made the switch from supermodel to role model. In I'M NO ANGEL, Kylie shares her story. The deadline for entries is Thursday, June 13th at noon ET.

Tell us your current reading recommendations with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from May 24th through June 7th, FIVE lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of BIG BROTHER by Lionel Shriver, THE KILL ROOM by Jeffery Deaver, and REVENGE WEARS PRADA: The Devil Returns by Lauren Weisberger.

To make sure other readers will be able to find the books you write about, please include the full title and correct author names (your entry must include these to be eligible to win). For complete rules and guidelines, click here.

Please note: You must enter your full address, using correct capitalization and filling in all fields if you would like to be eligible to win a prize.

One more important note: We realize that many times, your opinion of a book will change as you get further along into the story. Thus, to ensure that your comments and ratings accurately reflect your entire reading experience, we ask that you finish reading the book before you submit your comments about it.

-To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.