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October 18, 2013

Bookreporter.com Newsletter October 18, 2013
Taking a Break from Coughing…to Turn a Page

Last weekend, I had half of a great weekend. On Saturday night, we enjoyed three kinds of homemade pizza, including a killer lemon arugula prosciutto (replicated after eating it at The Secret Stash in Crested Butte, CO last March), four cheese and plain cheese. It was a really fun evening with our friend Cathy --- and Cory and his friends. After dinner, we made a bonfire outside in the fire pit using a Light n’ Go Bonfire Log. Yes, we have firewood, but somehow this log and the way it burned with the log falling into six pieces made the fire all the more special. We tossed a few extra logs on at the end, as we loved being outside on a cool night in October, to try to extend the experience.

Cathy loves reading on her Kindle, and she told me she had read the entire Jack Reacher series over the summer. I love hearing how my friends explore books; I always am asking what people are reading. Before my friends Beverley and Starr headed to Europe earlier this month, they both called for book recommendations. I found myself paging through my Bets On selections trying to come up with books they would enjoy for long plane rides across the pond. Friends tease that I am their personal book concierge!

On Sunday morning, I awoke and realized that I had caught THE cold that has been going around, and bam, I was forced to give into it and just lie on a chaise lounge outside and read. I started off with CHRISTMAS BLISS by Mary Kay Andrews, and I found myself thinking all kinds of “Ho Ho Ho” thoughts. I also learned that those little wire trees that I remember from growing up are called “bottle brush” trees. WHO knew? But when you look at them, that makes total sense. Once again, MKA had me thinking about redecorating my house and plotting some holiday cheer.

BeBe Loudermilk and Weezie Foley, the beloved characters from her Savannah series, are back. As an antiques dealer, Weezie always finds the holidays stressful with work, but this year she has a lot more on her mind than shoppers. Her wedding is quickly approaching, for starters, and her best friend, expecting a baby, has her own relationship issues. Can Weezie make it through Christmas and all of the craziness without losing her mind? Our reviewer Amie Taylor agrees with me, saying, “CHRISTMAS BLISS is a fun, frolicking novel… It’s also filled with lots of narrative tension, leaving readers to wonder whether or not the two lifelong friends will be able to sort out their love lives and various problems in time for a merry Christmas and a couple of happily-ever-afters.”

Next up on my "reading cold recovery plan" was IDENTICAL, Scott Turow’s latest thriller, and it is page-turning fabulous. Pass a tissue; turn a page. Aspiring mayor Paul Giannis is haunted by ties to his identical twin brother, Cass, who is released after 25 years of jail time for the murder of his girlfriend. Things get worse when an ex-FBI agent close to the family and a private investigator renew interest in the case, revealing that the murder was only part of the twisted web that ties Paul and Cass together. Kate Ayers has our review and says, “Scott Turow has not only a superb legal thriller in IDENTICAL, but a sort of behind-the-scenes peek into the mysterious distinctions that set identical twins apart. This is truly a fascinating read and a killer-good story.”

Another holiday-themed title that released this week is Craig Johnson’s lighthearted mystery, SPIRIT OF STEAMBOAT, starring Walt Longmire. Here, the good sheriff finds himself visited by a mysterious young woman on Christmas Eve, who is intent on asking questions about his predecessor and another Christmas years ago. Reviewer Joe Hartlaub says, “Though a somewhat quicker read than Craig Johnson’s typical work in the Longmire canon, it is a substantial one nonetheless…. SPIRIT OF STEAMBOAT is shot through with irony both sweet and bitter, which will be obvious to anyone with even a nodding familiarity with the Longmire mythos.”

Jo Nesbø’s Oslo-based Harry Hole series is back with the latest installment, POLICE. Harry has been the top investigator in the city for years now, always using his skills and intelligence to save lives. Now, however, the lives on the line aren’t strangers, but Harry himself, along with his loved ones. Joe Hartlaub praises the book in his review: “POLICE does what all good books do: grabs readers by the lapels and pulls them into the very binding of the book. Frightening, darkly funny and horrifying, this is one of those novels that should not be at the top of your ‘must read’ pile; it should be in your hands, and your face should be in the book now.”

For World War II buffs, HITLER'S FURIES: German Women in the Nazi Killing Fields by Wendy Lower is this month’s must-read, providing a new perspective on the Holocaust. Lower gives a shocking account of the role German women played during the War, not only exposing this largely ignored aspect of history, but also exploring the moral landscape that allowed such atrocities to occur and drew young females to participate. Rebecca Kilberg has our review and says, “Lower brings into ringing clarity a subsection of society that had not previously received the same sort of scrutiny as others who had committed crimes during the Holocaust.” HITLER’S FURIES, one of the buzz titles at this year’s BookExpo America, is now a finalist in the Nonfiction category for this year’s National Book Award. Click here to see all the nominees; the winners will be announced on November 20th.

And in more awards news, a special congratulations are in order to New Zealander Eleanor Catton, who won the Man Booker Prize this week for her novel, THE LUMINARIES. This 28-year-old Kiwi is the youngest fiction writer to win the prize (she penned the book at age 27), and her novel is the longest one in history to receive this great honor. We will post our review of THE LUMINARIES later this month; it takes a while to read 848(!) pages.

Our newest featured Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight writer is Kristina Riggle, whose latest novel is THE WHOLE GOLDEN WORLD, which releases on November 5th. A picture-perfect family is suddenly upended when it’s revealed that their 17-year-old daughter has been having an affair with her 30-year-old married teacher. Things get even more complicated when she sides with him in the trial, disputing her family’s claims of manipulation and arguing that she is truly in love. It’s on my weekend galley pile. We have 25 copies 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, October 31st at noon ET.

This month, we’ve been featuring Emma Chapman’s HOW TO BE A GOOD WIFE in our Debut Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight. The book is now in stores, and we have our review to share with you. Good wife Marta has been married for so long that she can hardly remember a past without Hector. But now strange visions flit at the corner of her eye, including that of a blonde girl no one else can see. Is she losing her mind, or is she starting to remember something important? Reviewer Terry Miller Shannon calls the book “a lightning-fast, irresistible read --- mostly because once a reader has fallen into Marta's life, she can't quite force herself to close the book until she has read another chapter, followed by another.” Terry also had the opportunity to ask Emma some questions about her debut as a novelist. Click here to read the interview.

The three contests that kicked off last week continue for one more week. We’re giving you an opportunity to jump in early and preview THE DEEPEST SECRET by Carla Buckley --- and comment on it --- in our Sneak Peek: An Early Look at an Upcoming Book feature. Eve Lattimore would do anything to protect her son, Tyler, who has a rare disease that makes him fatally sensitive to any UV light. When a terrible accident occurs, Eve discovers just how far she will go to save him --- and that she’s not the only one on the block with something to hide. I literally could not put this book down when I read an early galley on my staycation, so I cannot wait to see what you have to say about it! The book doesn’t release until February 4th, but we have 25 advance copies to give away to readers who are able to preview it and share their comments on it by December 5th. You must be able to commit to reading the book by December 5th to enter; this is a project where we take due dates seriously. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, October 24th at noon ET.

We’re currently featuring THE TULIP EATERS by Antoinette van Heugten in our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight. Following the murder of her mother and the apparent kidnapping of her infant daughter, Nora de Jong learns that the killer may not have been a stranger and that the reasons for her daughter’s disappearance have deeper roots than she ever could have imagined. We’re giving 25 readers the opportunity to read the book, which releases on October 29th, and comment on it. To enter for your chance to win, please fill out this form by Thursday, October 24th at noon ET.

Returning to our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight is John Lutz, whose new bone-chilling thriller, TWIST, is the latest entry in his Frank Quinn series. The retired cop recognizes that a killer on the loose is stalking his niece. But will the trap Quinn plans to set prove too dangerous for even a veteran like him to control? We have 25 copies of the book, which is now in stores, for those who would like to read and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, October 24th at noon ET.

On Tuesday, we launched our first-ever Fall Showcase contest, which gives you a chance to win copies of multiple books coming out this fall. Our first set of prize books were HELP FOR THE HAUNTED by John Searles, THE HOUSE GIRL by Tara Conklin, SOMEONE ELSE'S LOVE STORY by Joshilyn Jackson, THE TILTED WORLD by Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly, and the aforementioned THE WHOLE GOLDEN WORLD. Beginning on Tuesday, October 22nd, we’ll be awarding copies of these books to five winners: THE ALL-GIRL FILLING STATION’S LAST REUNION by Fannie Flagg, THE AVIATOR'S WIFE by Melanie Benjamin, CARTWHEEL by Jennifer duBois, A NANTUCKET CHRISTMAS by Nancy Thayer, and NIGHT FILM by Marisha Pessl. Click here to see all our featured Fall Showcase titles.

On the right-hand side of the Bookreporter.com homepage, we’re linking to a contest for THAT NIGHT by Chevy Stevens, whose previous books have all been featured and reviewed on the site. In this psychological thriller, which I am betting is going to be THE talked-about book of summer 2014, Toni Murphy is finally leaving prison after 15 years. Jailed for a crime she didn't commit --- the murder of her sister --- she just wants to get on with her life. But her ex-boyfriend Ryan, who was also set up for the murder, is determined to clear their name and get revenge on those who wronged them. The book doesn’t release until June, but we’re giving 100 lucky readers the opportunity to win an advance copy and share their comments with the publisher. To enter, please fill out this form by Tuesday, October 29th at noon ET.

While we all know John F. Kennedy as the 35th President of the United States, we may tend to forget or not even realize that he served for nearly eight years as the junior senator from Massachusetts. John T. Shaw, a senior correspondent and vice president for Market News International and a contributing writer for the Washington Diplomat, has written JFK IN THE SENATE: Pathway to the Presidency, the first book to focus exclusively on Kennedy's tenure as a senator, and how he used the upper chamber as a springboard for the presidency. In honor of the book’s release, and as a way of commemorating the 50th anniversary of the JFK assassination, John has written an essay in which he recommends 10 books that he feels should be read by anyone trying to understand Senator John. F. Kennedy. Many thanks to John for his suggestions and for taking the time to write such a thoughtful piece for us.

LEAVING HAVEN by Kathleen McCleary is my latest Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. We first featured the book in a Sneak Peek contest over the summer, and resumed our coverage last week with our review. Click here to see why I’m betting you’ll love this book just as much as I did.

Our latest poll question clearly shows that we’re getting into the Halloween spirit. We’d like to know if you read scary books or avoid them at all costs. Click here to let us know. I like them, but I do look over my shoulder as I read!

In our previous poll, we asked how many books you typically read in a month. 20% of you said more than 10 (this is the camp I fall into!), while 16% read 4. In total, 59% of you read more than 5 books a month, while 39% read fewer than 5. Click here for all the results.

We’ve posted a new Word of Mouth contest. Let us know what you’re reading by Friday, November 1st at noon ET for your chance to win three books, all of which will be releasing next week: OUTLAW: A Robin Monarch Novel by Mark Sullivan, SYCAMORE ROW by John Grisham, and WE ARE WATER by Wally Lamb.

This Wednesday, October 23rd from 6:30-8:00pm EST will be the announcement of the 30 World Book Night picks for 2014. You can tune in online for the live announcement on Shindig, led by Carl Lennertz, the Executive Director of World Book Night. Carl will be presenting from the AAP offices in New York City, with a number of special guests, including booksellers, librarians, givers from last year --- including a New York City school teacher --- and surprise guests. And, ahem, I will be one of those special guests. Click here for more info about World Book Night, and click here to RSVP for the event and get a reminder email the day of the event.

Quiet weekend on tap as Tom is playing golf at Pinehurst for three days, including the famous #2 course, and both of the boys have plans. I am vowing to take it easy to knock this cold out of me once and for all.

With two publisher previews this week --- as well as a fabulous lunch for one of the National Book Foundation’s “5 Under 35” authors, Molly Antopol, whose short story collection, THE UNAMERICANS, will be in stores on February 3rd AND a visit from Justin Kramon, the author of THE PRESERVATIONIST (see a photo of him with me and staffer Nicole Sherman above) --- my head is spinning with book joy, and I have an even higher stack of books to enjoy! Feet up, knitting and books in hand are just what the doctor ordered! But...I also would like to see Gravity in IMAX, and I am hearing raves about 12 Years a Slave, based on the memoir of the same name. Hmmm....

Read on…..

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

Now in Stores: IDENTICAL by Scott Turow

IDENTICAL by Scott Turow (Mystery)
State Senator Paul Giannis is a candidate for Mayor of Kindle County. His identical twin brother Cass is newly released from prison, 25 years after pleading guilty to the murder of his girlfriend, Dita Kronon. When Evon Miller, an ex-FBI agent who is the head of security for the Kronon family business, and private investigator Tim Brodie begin a re-investigation of Dita's death, a complex web of murder, sex and betrayal dramatically unfolds. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.

-Click here to read more about the book.

Click here to read a review.
Now in Stores: CHRISTMAS BLISS by Mary Kay Andrews

CHRISTMAS BLISS by Mary Kay Andrews (Fiction)
Christmas is coming, but Savannah antiques dealer Weezie Foley is doubly distracted: by her upcoming wedding to her longtime love, chef Daniel Stipanek, and also by the fact that her best friend and maid-of-honor, BeBe Loudermilk, is due to give birth any day --- and is still adamantly refusing to marry her live-in-love Harry. Reviewed by Amie Taylor.

-Click here to read more about the book.
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Click here to read an excerpt.
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Click here to visit Mary Kay Andrews’s official website.

Click here to read a review.
Now in Stores: THE CIRCLE by Dave Eggers

THE CIRCLE by Dave Eggers (Dystopian/Technothriller)
When Mae Holland is hired to work for the Circle, the world’s most powerful Internet company, she feels she’s been given the opportunity of a lifetime --- even as life beyond work grows distant, even as a strange encounter with a colleague leaves her shaken. What begins as the captivating story of one woman’s ambition and idealism soon becomes a heart-racing novel of suspense, raising questions about memory, history, privacy, democracy, and the limits of human knowledge. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.

-Click here to read more about the book.

Click here to read a review.
New Women's Fiction Author Spotlight & Contest: THE WHOLE GOLDEN WORLD by Kristina Riggle

We have 25 copies of THE WHOLE GOLDEN WORLD by Kristina Riggle, which releases on November 5th, 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, October 31st at noon ET.

THE WHOLE GOLDEN WORLD by Kristina Riggle (Fiction)
Seventeen-year-old Morgan Monetti shocks her parents and her community with one simple act: She chooses to stand by the man everyone else believes has exploited her --- popular high school teacher TJ Hill. Quietly walking across a crowded courtroom to sit behind TJ, and not beside her parents, she announces herself as the adult she believes herself to be.

But her mother, Dinah, wants justice. Dinah is a fighter, and she believes with all her heart and soul that TJ is a man who took advantage of her daughter. He is a criminal who should be brought to justice, no matter what the cost to his family.

 

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read Kristina Riggle’s bio.

Click here to read more in our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight and enter the contest.
Bookreporter.com Talks to Emma Chapman, Author of HOW TO BE A GOOD WIFE

HOW TO BE A GOOD WIFE, Emma Chapman’s debut novel, is a psychological thriller about good wife Marta, who has been married for so long that she can hardly remember a past without her husband. But when strange visions flit at the corner of her eye --- including that of a blonde girl no one else can see --- she begins to wonder whether she is losing her mind…or starting to remember something important. In this interview with Bookreporter.com’s Terry Miller Shannon, Chapman talks about why she chose to write Marta’s complicated story in first person, as well as the creative freedoms and limitations that come along with writing from the point of view of an unreliable narrator. She also discusses why she became interested in exploring what it means to be “a good wife,” why she has a hard time writing about a place while she is living there, and, of course, what she is working on next.

HOW TO BE A GOOD WIFE by Emma Chapman (Psychological Thriller)
In this dark, twisty, eerie, cannot-put-it-down psychological thriller, Marta can't quite remember how she met her husband. But now that she has quit taking her pills, she is being visited by a young blonde female who may or may not be familiar. Is the woman a vision, a dream, a memory…or something else? Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.

-Click here to read more about the book.
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Click here to read a review.
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Click here to read an excerpt.
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Click here to visit the book’s Facebook page.
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Click here to read Emma Chapman’s bio.
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Click here to connect with Emma Chapman on Twitter.
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Click here to see the 35 winners selected to read and comment on the book.
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Click here to read more in our Debut Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight.

Click here to read our interview.
Now in Stores: THE WOLVES OF MIDWINTER by Anne Rice

THE WOLVES OF MIDWINTER: The Wolf Gift Chronicles by Anne Rice (Paranormal Thriller/Urban Fantasy)
In THE WOLF GIFT, the first of her strange and mythic imaginings of the world of wolfen powers, Anne Rice conjured up a daring new world set against the wild and beckoning California coast. Now in her new novel, Rice takes us once again to the rugged coastline of Northern California, to the grand mansion at Nideck Point, and further explores the unearthly education of her transformed Man Wolf. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

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

Click here to read a review.
Now in Stores: POLICE by Jo Nesbø

POLICE: A Harry Hole Novel by Jo Nesbø (Thriller)
For years, detective Harry Hole has been at the center of every major criminal investigation in Oslo. His dedication to his job and his brilliant insights have saved the lives of countless people. But now, with those he loves most facing terrible danger, Harry is not in a position to protect anyone. Least of all himself... Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

-Click here to read more about the book.
 

Click here to read a review.
Sneak Peek: An Early Look at an Upcoming Book --- Our Latest Featured Title: THE DEEPEST SECRET by Carla Buckley

At Bookreporter.com, we have the opportunity to read many great books well in advance of their release dates. With our Sneak Peek Feature and Contest, we offer our readers the chance to preview select early picks --- and share feedback on them. We know that readers champion books that they love, and we want you to be part of the excitement of upcoming releases as early as possible.

Our latest Sneak Peek Feature spotlights THE DEEPEST SECRET by Carla Buckley, an intimate family drama and a gripping page-turner that explores the profound power of the truths we’re scared to face. The book doesn’t release until February 4th, but we have 25 advance copies to give away to readers who can commit to preview it and share their comments on it by December 5th. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, October 24th at noon ET.

For our Sneak Peek program, your commitment to participate is critical, so please only enter this contest if you truly will have time to read THE DEEPEST SECRET and give us your feedback before our December 5th deadline. We take these project deadlines seriously. If not, don’t worry; we will have more opportunities like this in the future.

THE DEEPEST SECRET by Carla Buckley (Psychological Suspense)
Eve Lattimore’s family is like every other on their suburban street, with one exception. Her son Tyler has a rare medical condition that makes him fatally sensitive to light, which means heavy curtains and deadlocked doors protect him during the day and he can never leave the house except at night. For Eve, only constant vigilance stands between an increasingly restless teenage son and the dangers of the outside world.

Until the night the unthinkable happens. When tragedy strikes, it becomes clear that this family is not the only one on the quiet cul-de-sac that is more complicated than it appears. And as Eve is forced to shield her family from harm, there are some crises she cannot control --- and some secrets that not even love can conceal.

Deeply moving and stunningly suspenseful, THE DEEPEST SECRET is a novel of rare power --- a story about hope and forgiveness, about the terrifying ways our lives can spin out of control and the unexpected sacrifices that may save us.

-Click here to read Carla Buckley's bio.
-Click here to visit Carla Buckley's official website.
-Connect with Carla Buckley on Facebook and Twitter.

Click here to read more in our Sneak Peek Feature and enter the contest.
Women's Fiction Author Spotlight & Contest: THE TULIP EATERS by Antoinette van Heugten

We have 25 copies of THE TULIP EATERS by Antoinette van Heugten, which releases on October 29th, 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, October 24th at noon ET.

THE TULIP EATERS by Antoinette van Heugten (Fiction)
It's the stuff of nightmares: Nora de Jong returns home from work one ordinary day to find her mother has been murdered. Her infant daughter is missing. And the only clue is the body of an unknown man on the living-room floor, clutching a Luger in his cold, dead hand.

Frantic to find Rose, Nora puts aside her grief and frustration to start her own search. But the contents of a locked metal box she finds in her parents' attic leave her with as many questions as answers --- and suggest the killer was not a stranger. Saving her daughter means delving deeper into her family's darkest history, leading Nora half a world away to Amsterdam, where her own unsettled past and memories of painful heartbreak rush back to haunt her.

As Nora feverishly pieces together the truth from an old family diary, she's drawn back to a city under Nazi occupation, where her mother's alliances may have long ago sealed her own --- and Rose's --- fate.

-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Antoinette van Heugten's bio.
-Click here to visit Antoinette van Heugten's official website.
-Connect with Antoinette van Heugten on Facebook and Twitter.

Click here to read more in our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight and enter the contest.
Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight & Contest: TWIST by John Lutz
We have 25 copies of TWIST: A Frank Quinn Novel by John Lutz, which is now in stores, 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, October 24th at noon ET.

TWIST: A Frank Quinn Novel by John Lutz (Thriller)
New York Times bestselling author John Lutz --- recently hailed as a living legend --- brings back his popular homicide detective Frank Quinn in a gritty, fast-paced serial killer thriller.

Frank Quinn is a decorated ex-cop and a former homicide detective specializing in tracking serial killers. Now his niece, Carlie Hobbs, needs help. Someone is stalking her, and the NYPD can't stop him. A blonde, blue-eyed beauty, Carlie fits the victim type of the killer who's been terrorizing women --- leaving them bound, gagged, and tortured with surgical precision. To win against the most personal adversary of his career, he’ll have to set the perfect trap...with the perfect bait.

-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read John Lutz's bio.
-Click here to visit John Lutz's official website.

-Connect with John Lutz on Facebook and Twitter.
 
Click here to read more in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight and enter the contest.
Special Feature: The Search for Senator John F. Kennedy: Author John T. Shaw Recommends 10 Books about JFK’s Forgotten Years in the Senate
While we all know John F. Kennedy as the 35th President of the United States, we may tend to forget or not even realize that he served for nearly eight years as the junior senator from Massachusetts.

John T. Shaw, a senior correspondent and vice president for Market News International and a contributing writer for the Washington Diplomat, has written JFK IN THE SENATE: Pathway to the Presidency, the first book to focus exclusively on Kennedy's tenure as a senator, and how he used the upper chamber as a springboard for the presidency.

In honor of the book’s release, and as a way of commemorating the 50th anniversary of the JFK assassination, Shaw has written for us an essay in which he recommends 10 books that he feels should be read by anyone trying to understand Senator John. F. Kennedy.

 
Click here to read John T. Shaw's feature about Senator John F. Kennedy.
Bookreporter.com’s Fall Showcase Contests and Feature

Fall is typically a time when some of the biggest books of the year are published, in anticipation of holiday gift giving. In Bookreporter.com's new Fall Showcase feature, we are happy to bring you some of the titles that people will be talking about in the weeks to come.

On select days in October, we’ll be offering contests where you can win copies of these books. Some days there will be up to five different books given away. As always, when we do special contests like this, we’ll be sending a special newsletter showcasing the featured titles. For this, we will use the same list of subscribers who are signed up for our Fall Preview newsletters, so sign up here to know when these contests go live. With so many great books coming out this fall, this is an opportunity you don’t want to miss!

Our next contest will begin on Tuesday, October 22nd at noon ET. Our prize books will be THE ALL-GIRL FILLING STATION’S LAST REUNION by Fannie Flagg, THE AVIATOR'S WIFE by Melanie Benjamin, CARTWHEEL by Jennifer duBois, A NANTUCKET CHRISTMAS by Nancy Thayer and NIGHT FILM by Marisha Pessl.

Click here to read all the contest details and see our featured titles.
Historical Fiction Author Spotlight: FALLEN WOMEN by Sandra Dallas

FALLEN WOMEN by Sandra Dallas (Historical Fiction)
It is the spring of 1885 and wealthy New York socialite Beret Osmundsen has been estranged from her younger sister, Lillie, for a year when she gets word from her aunt and uncle that Lillie has died suddenly in Denver. What they do not tell her is that Lillie had become a prostitute and was brutally murdered in the brothel where she had been living. When Beret discovers the sordid truth of Lillie’s death, she makes her way to Denver, determined to find her sister’s murderer. Detective Mick McCauley may not want her involved in the case, but Beret is determined, and the investigation soon takes her from the dangerous, seedy underworld of Denver’s tenderloin to the highest levels of Denver society. Along the way, Beret not only learns the depths of Lillie’s depravity, but also exposes the sinister side of Gilded Age ambition in the process.

FALLEN WOMEN releases on Tuesday, October 22nd.

-Click here
to read more about the book.
-Click here
to read an excerpt.
-Click here
to read Sandra Dallas's bio.
-Click here
to visit Sandra Dallas's official website.
-Click here
to connect with Sandra Dallas on Facebook.

Click here to read more in our Historical Fiction Author Spotlight.
More Reviews This Week

THE LAST DARK: The Climax of the Entire Thomas Covenant Chronicles by Stephen R. Donaldson (Fantasy)
Thomas Covenant and Linden Avery have fought for what they love in the magical reality known only as "the Land." Now they face their final crisis. Reunited after their separate struggles, they discover in each other their true power --- and yet they cannot imagine how to stop the Worm of the World’s End from unmaking Time. Nevertheless, they must resist the ruin of all things, giving their last strength in the service of the world's continuance. Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard.

SPIRIT OF STEAMBOAT: A Walt Longmire Story by Craig Johnson (Mystery)
Sheriff Walt Longmire is reading A CHRISTMAS CAROL in his office on December 24th when he’s interrupted by a mysterious young woman with more than a few questions about his predecessor, Lucian Connally. Lucian swears he’s never laid eyes on the woman before. Disappointed, she whispers “Steamboat” and begins a story that takes them all back to Christmas Eve 1988, when three people died in a terrible crash and a young girl had the slimmest chance of survival. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

-Click here to read an excerpt.

HITLER'S FURIES: German Women in the Nazi Killing Fields by Wendy Lower (History)
Wendy Lower’s stunning account of the role of German women on the World War II Nazi eastern front powerfully revises history, proving that we have ignored the reality of women’s participation in the Holocaust, including as brutal killers. HITLER'S FURIES builds a fascinating picture of a morally “lost generation” of young women, born into a defeated, tumultuous post --- a twisted political awakening that turned to genocide. Reviewed by Rebecca Kilberg.

SPIDER WOMAN'S DAUGHTER: A Leaphorn & Chee Novel by Anne Hillerman (Mystery)
Navajo Nation Police Officer Bernadette Manualito witnesses the cold-blooded shooting of someone very close to her. She wants in on the investigation, despite regulations forbidding eyewitness involvement. But that doesn't mean she's going to sit idly by, especially when her husband, Sergeant Jim Chee, is in charge of finding the shooter. Bernie and Chee discover that a cold case involving his former boss and partner, retired Inspector Joe Leaphorn, may hold the key. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

THE FAMILY: Three Journeys into the Heart of the Twentieth Century by David Laskin (History)
David Laskin researched his own family roots and has created a historical, fact-filled book that spans 150 years and traces the three distinctly different paths his descendants took. One path led to America and financial success. Another led to Zionism and pioneering the Land that became the state of Israel. The final one led to the horrors of the Holocaust. Reviewed by Carole Turner.

THE HEAVENS RISE by Christopher Rice (Supernatural Thriller/Horror)
Deep in the swamps outside of New Orleans, Niquette Delongpre and her family uncover a well on their property that brings ancient things to the surface --- things that should have stayed buried. When Niquette is exposed to a small parasite, it triggers in her mysterious and dangerous powers. As she tries to come to grips with these new abilities and what they might mean for her future, she realizes that she is not alone. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.

 

BLOWBACK: A Vanessa Pierson Novel by Valerie Plame and Sarah Lovett (Thriller)

Undercover CIA agent Vanessa Pierson tries to pinpoint just who is building a nuclear weapon in Iran --- and how this shadowy figure has discovered the identities of several of her sources and had them assassinated. She’s getting closer, putting her cover and her career --- not to mention her life --- at risk. BLOWBACK by former CIA ops officer Valerie Plame and thriller writer Sarah Lovett marks the explosive beginning of the hunt for a villain whom Pierson devotes her life to capturing. Reviewed by Roz Shea.
 

BEHIND THE SHATTERED GLASS: A Lady Emily Mystery by Tasha Alexander (Historical Mystery)
Anglemore Park is the ancestral home of Lady Emily Hargreave's husband, Colin. But the stately calm of country life is destroyed when their neighbor, the Marquess of Montagu, bursts through the French doors from the garden and falls down dead in front of the shocked gathering. Who has a motive for murdering the young aristocrat? Reviewed by Amie Taylor.

-Click here to read a blog post about Lady Emily and her creator from Tasha Alexander's husband, author Andrew Grant.

NORMAN MAILER: A DOUBLE LIFE by J. Michael Lennon (Biography)
J. Michael Lennon knew Norman Mailer for 35 years. In this biography --- written with the cooperation of Mailer’s late widow, Norris Church, his ex-wives, and all of his children, as well as his sister, Barbara --- Lennon captures Mailer in all his sharp complexities and shows us how he self-consciously invented and reinvented himself throughout his lifetime. Reviewed by Shelby Wardlaw.

NIGHTMARE RANGE: The Collected Sueno and Bascom Short Stories by Martin Limón (Mystery/Short Stories)
Soho Crime has released a collection of Martin Limón's award-winning short stories featuring Sergeants George Sueño and Ernie Bascom. The stories within have been published over the last 20 years in a variety of magazines, mostly in Alfred Hitchcock, but have never before been available in book form. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.


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