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Pondering a Podcast: Need Your Thoughts on This
It’s warmed up considerably in the New York area; you can thank me. The day I ordered a new electric blanket, the temperatures started to rise. I know, I know; I should have done it sooner! The snow has been melting so fast that I am wearing shoes again instead of snow boots. What a difference a week makes.
This week, I spent some late nights and early mornings reading HELLBENT by Gregg Hurwitz, which is my favorite of his three Evan Smoak books. It has the soul that I loved in the first book, as well as a lot of scenes set in his amazing apartment. It also has some incredible action scenes, as well as some tech action that will make your head spin. Just bravo.
I may have told you that I am plotting out a plan for a Bookreporter podcast. I am noodling the format and listening to dozens of them for ideas on how I want to do this. I would welcome your ideas on what you would want to hear from a Bookreporter podcast. Send them to me in email here. I only want to do this if I feel I can nail it to be something special.
If you knew the date of your death, how would you live your life? That’s the intriguing tagline to THE IMMORTALISTS, the highly anticipated second novel from Chloe Benjamin, who was one of the Buzz authors at last year’s BookExpo. The excitement over this book has only intensified leading up to its release: it’s a #1 Indie Next pick, a #1 LibraryReads Pick, and is on countless “must-read” lists from such publications as Entertainment Weekly, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar and TimeOut. It also will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Norah Piehl has this to say in her review: “I don’t want to give away too much, but suffice it to say that Benjamin uses her intriguing premise as a way to both develop and explore her characters, considering how each individual would respond and make choices based on the (supposed) knowledge of their final day.” I had the opportunity to interview Chloe at BookExpo, and during the Q&A I asked the audience if they would want to know the date of their death. Two hands were raised. I asked it again at the Miami Book Fair. Two hands again. I told Chloe that she should ask while she is on the road and keep a tally! Would you want to know? Don’t miss my Bets On commentary in next week’s newsletter.
Oh, and for those who knit, Chloe is a knitter as well. She has teamed up with one of her favorite yarn companies, Quince Yarn, for a really fun promotion. Knitters were given six beautifully colored skeins of wool that match colors on the cover of the book. Their challenge: to create something with this yarn. See what they have come up with here, and here is a piece where Chloe talks about knitting and this project.
THE IMMORTALISTS is one of the books we’re awarding to the winners of our Word of Mouth contest, along with CARNEGIE’S MAID by Marie Benedict, which also will be a Bets On selection. Let us know by Friday, January 19th at noon ET what books you’ve finished reading, and you’ll have a chance to win both novels.
Another book that has been generating a great deal of buzz leading up to its publication is THE WIFE BETWEEN US by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen, which also is an Indie Next pick, a LibraryReads pick and a Bets On selection. It’s a psychological thriller that author Anita Shreve calls “fiendishly clever” and “in the vein of GONE GIRL and THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN.” The publisher’s summary of the book starts off with the line “When you read this book, you will make many assumptions” and ends with two simple yet powerful words: “Assume nothing.”
Kate Ayers has our review and says, “Twists, twists and more twists. THE WIFE BETWEEN US will keep readers off balance through the whole story. It may seem obvious what’s going on here. But keep in mind: nothing in this book is obvious.” See why I’m betting you’ll love this book as much as Kate and I did in next week’s newsletter. Last Sunday, I went to the Clinton Book Shop to see Greer and Sarah discuss the book; they were fabulous. You can see a photo of the two of us above; they were calling it “The Bookreporter Between Us.” Here’s a link to a fun interview with the two of them!
The audio version of THE WIFE BETWEEN US, read by Julia Whelan, is one of the prizes in this month’s Sounding Off on Audio contest; the other is Lauren Willig’s THE ENGLISH WIFE, read by Nicola Barber. Submit your comments about the audiobooks you’ve listened to, and you’ll be in the running to win both these audio titles. Be sure to enter by Thursday, February 1st at noon ET.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include WINTER, the second novel in Ali Smith’s Seasonal cycle and the much-anticipated follow-up to AUTUMN; THE MUSIC SHOP, a love story and a journey through music from Rachel Joyce, the bestselling author of THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY and THE LOVE SONG OF MISS QUEENIE HENNESSY; and FOOLS AND MORTALS by Bernard Cornwell, a stand-alone novel that tells the story of the first production of “A Midsummer Night's Dream” from the perspective of William Shakespeare’s estranged younger brother.
THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW by A. J. Finn, a BookExpo Buzz title that we reviewed last week, is my latest Bets On pick. Click here to see why this has been one of the most anticipated novels of the year. Also, it debuted at #1 on both the New York Times print bestseller list and the e-book/print list. I read a note that this is the first time that a debut author has hit #1 the first week of publication since 2005. I believe the book that year was THE HISTORIAN by Elizabeth Kostova.
We know you’ll fall in love with our latest giveaway! We’ve brought back our Valentine’s Day contest for a 13th year. Five readers will win seven love-themed books, along with some delicious chocolates. All you have to do is enter by Valentine’s Day --- Wednesday, February 14th at noon ET --- for your chance to win this super sweet prize package.
Continuing this week is our Sneak Peek contest for THE DEVIL’S REWARD. In Emmanuelle de Villepin’s upcoming novel (releasing May 1st), three generations of women untangle a complex family story that encompasses the First and Second World Wars, revealing unexpected lessons about marriage and fidelity. We’re giving 35 readers the chance to win an advance copy of the book and share their feedback on it by Wednesday, March 14th. All you have to do is fill out this form by Thursday, January 18th at noon ET. But please only enter if you’re absolutely sure you’ll be able to submit your comments about the book to us by the March 14th deadline.
In next Friday’s newsletter, we will announce the titles in this year’s Winter Reading feature. On select days from January 23rd through February 23rd at noon ET, we will be hosting a series of 24-hour contests spotlighting a book releasing this winter and giving five readers the chance to win it. We also will be sending a special newsletter to announce each day's title, which you can sign up for here.
Congratulations to Janet from North Little Rock, AR, who is the Grand Prize Winner in our End-of-the-Year Contest! She has won all 40 of my Bets On titles from 2017, so it's time to clear off a couple of bookshelves. Eight other winners are receiving a selection of five of these books; click here to see if you are one of them!
Will you be keeping track of the books you read this year? That’s our latest poll question; be sure to let us know what you plan to do by Friday, January 19th at noon ET.
Here's some news that we are excited about. The Book Report Network’s own Jesse Kornbluth, who co-founded the company with me, has written a play called “The Color of Light,” which opened in San Diego last night. It’s playing on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00 and Sunday at 4:00, until February 3rd. For tickets, click here. For the back story, click here. And there’s a 15-minute radio interview that, as Jesse says, “is not altogether dull” here. I listened earlier today, and it's immensely fun!
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Sherrie wrote, “Just wanted to say I love the hat in this week’s newsletter. I so enjoy the newsletter. I look forward to reading every Friday night, like having an old friend in your inbox. Thanks!”
Update from Virginia from Ventura: I reached out to her this week for an update on their relocating after the fire. “Carol and beloved reader community at Bookreporter.com, despite being an English major, I’m not sure I have the words to convey how much your thoughtfulness and genuine good-hearted instincts mean to me. Truly, the supportive comments and notes are weighty yet ephemeral. We only have a post office box because we are shifting amongst friends. There was a rental house that was expensive but might have worked, except the home next door burned to the ground. I just couldn’t make us stay there, so we will keep on looking. I’m thinking in bits and bytes while the Bookreporter Family is definitely macro with their generous book offers. Hopefully, we will have a rental by the middle to end of February. I’ll keep you updated. One of our losses was a floor-to-ceiling bookcase made by an elderly friend of my mother. He was a reader and lover of books as well as woodworking. It held my collections of books by Martha Grimes, Sue Grafton, Karin Slaughter, Carol O’Connell, Deborah Crombie, Donna Leon, and other beloved mysteries by women authors. We are taking it one day at a time and one step at a time. And I’m so grateful to you and our reader community for the support, the encouragement, and the love. Thank you, thank you all.”
The Alphabet Ends with Y: I love this line of t-shirts, etc. that celebrates Sue Grafton’s alphabet series ending in Y. For her fans, "Z is for Zero" has taken on a whole new meaning.
"Victoria" - Season Two: Kicks off Sunday night. I will be watching! St. Martin’s has a new companion book for you to check out, VICTORIA & ALBERT: A Royal Love Affair.
"The Chi": I previewed four episodes of this new Showtime series last weekend. It’s a very interesting look at gun violence in Chicago, which works best in the scenes where it veers from being stereotypical to something more unexpected.
The Beguiled: If you watch this and Phantom Thread, there is a common plot line. Seriously. That said, this film was not brilliant, and it felt to me like Nicole Kidman overacted.
The Florida Project: Watched this film and my heart ached, as I know that the story depicted here is all too familiar to many in America today. In it, a young girl and her mom are living in a motel in Orlando, near the site of Disney World (the happiest place on earth). Six-year-old Moonee is gutsy and way too wise for her years. Her mom loves her, but clearly is in over her head on the role of being a responsible parent. The way it is shot and the story it tells will haunt you.
Last Flag Flying: While the concept of this film sounded great, it just did not work for me.
I am hoping to see Lady Bird this weekend and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, though the latter is not playing many places near here.
Last weekend, when my mother-in-law was at the house, she was talking about her local bookshop, which is the aforementioned Clinton Book Shop. She said that while she could have bought Christmas presents somewhere else and gotten a discount, she paid full price as she believes in shopping local and supporting the merchants. I loved hearing this!
I have some great reading lined up, including THE PERFECT NANNY by Leïla Slimani, which I was drawn to in the office by its title and cover; then I heard about it on two podcasts that I was listening to and smiled as I already had it in hand. Last night, after a late night of working, I starting reading it. When I looked up, I was halfway through and it was 3am! I have had it on my desk all day and am itching to finish it. Also, I have a couple of books I want to read before heading to the American Booksellers Association’s Winter Institute in Memphis on January 22nd. Fire in the fireplace, candles burning and a great book --- a terrific combo. Maybe layer in some knitting, too.
Cory is heading back to school at some point over the weekend as classes start on Tuesday. I have loved having him home, and not just because he has been rewiring all the electronics in the house to be more efficient. It’s been fun having his friends around, too; the other night, I thought he was playing Minecraft online when I heard chatting on the lower level. But alas, this time Son 2B was here playing a card game with him. Very amusing.
Greg is going to be working on something for his car this weekend that he tells me I will not understand. For me, I just want to get my car washed; it has so much salt on it!
Christmas decorations are still up at our house; I am amusing myself that this is now winter finery, though in reality it feels like Santa is glaring at me from the hearth where he sits with the countdown of 0 0 days until Christmas. It should have three blocks for me to turn, and this could be a year-round thing. My excuse: the walkout attic where we keep the decorations is off Cory’s bedroom, and if I open the door there, his room could be cold. That sounds good, right? After Monday, no excuses!
Spend some time Monday reflecting on the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Read on, and have a great week.
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
P.S. For those of you who are doing online shopping, if you use the store links below, Bookreporter.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases. We would appreciate your considering this!
Featured Review: THE IMMORTALISTS by Chloe Benjamin
A Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
THE IMMORTALISTS by Chloe Benjamin (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Maggie Hoffman
It's 1969 in New York City's Lower East Side, and word has spread of the arrival of a mystical woman, a traveling psychic who claims to be able to tell anyone the day they will die. The Gold children --- four adolescents on the cusp of self-awareness --- sneak out to hear their fortunes. Their prophecies inform their next five decades. Golden-boy Simon escapes to the West Coast, searching for love in '80s San Francisco; dreamy Klara becomes a Las Vegas magician, obsessed with blurring reality and fantasy; eldest son Daniel seeks security as an army doctor post-9/11, hoping to control fate; and bookish Varya throws herself into longevity research, where she tests the boundary between science and immortality. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
THE IMMORTALISTS will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. You can read Carol’s commentary in next week’s newsletter.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: THE WIFE BETWEEN US
by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen
A Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
THE WIFE BETWEEN US by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Julia Whelan
When you read this book, you will make many assumptions. You will assume you are reading about a jealous ex-wife. You will assume she is obsessed with her replacement --- a beautiful, younger woman who is about to marry the man they both love. You will assume you know the anatomy of this tangled love triangle. Assume nothing. THE WIFE BETWEEN US exposes the secret complexities of an enviable marriage --- and the dangerous truths we ignore in the name of love. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
THE WIFE BETWEEN US will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. You can read Carol’s commentary in next week’s newsletter.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read the review.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW by A. J. Finn
THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW by A. J. Finn (Psychological Thriller)
My first Bookreporter.com Bets On selection of 2018 is THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW, a thriller that I have been talking about since BookExpo last May when I interviewed its author, A. J. Finn, about it, as it was one of the show’s Buzz books. It’s tough to talk about a thriller without giving anything away, so here is what I can tell you.
Anna Fox lives alone; she is a recluse in her New York City home, suffering from agoraphobia. She spends her day drinking wine (Merlot by the caseload is delivered to her house) and watching old movies, preferably those in black and white. She reminisces about happier times in her life, bringing up many memories that weave their way into the story. For recreation, she spies on her neighbors. She charts what happens to these folks, chronicling their comings and goings, noting irregularities as well as routines.
The Russells move into the house across the way, and to Anna they are the perfect family. But when she is gazing out her window one night, she sees something she shouldn’t, and from there her world begins to crumble. What did she see, and what does it mean? This is a well-plotted thriller, with one twist I saw and one that I missed. I was thinking about Alfred Hitchcock films a lot as I read it.
THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW is a terrific look into the head of someone suffering from agoraphobia and how paralyzing that is. Oh, and there are times when a cover for a book is perfect; this is one of them.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here for more books we're betting you'll love.
Announcing Bookreporter.com's 13th Annual
Valentine's Day Contest: Enter to Win Books
and Sweet Treats for Yourself or Your Valentine!
Valentine's Day is only a few heartbeats away. We can't think of a better way to celebrate this special day than to cuddle up with your loved one...and a good book, of course!
We're giving readers the chance to win one of our five Bookreporter.com Valentine's Day prize packages, which includes one copy of each of our featured titles and some delicious chocolates. Enter between now and Wednesday, February 14th at noon ET for your opportunity to be a lucky (and beloved!) winner.
If you're feeling frisky, share with us your all-time book character crush. Don't be shy, we all got 'em! We'll post the top 10 literary loves and lusts --- along with the five winners --- right after Valentine's Day.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to enter the contest.
Sneak Peek Contest: Enter to Win an Advance Copy of THE DEVIL’S REWARD by Emmanuelle de Villepin
and Share Your Comments on It
Our latest Sneak Peek Feature spotlights THE DEVIL'S REWARD by Emmanuelle de Villepin, in which three generations of women untangle a complex family story that encompasses the First and Second World Wars, revealing unexpected lessons about marriage and fidelity. The book doesn’t release until May 1st, but we have 35 advance copies to give away to readers who can commit to previewing it and sharing their comments on it by Wednesday, March 14th. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, January 18th 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 DEVIL'S REWARD and give us your feedback by the March 14th deadline.
THE DEVIL'S REWARD written by Emmanuelle de Villepin, translated by C. Jon Delogu (Fiction)
Christiane, 86 years old with a vibrant sense of humor, lives alone in a large apartment in the heart of Paris. Her daughter, Catherine, is her total opposite: sullen and uptight, filled with resentment toward her unfaithful Milanese husband. After discovering yet another affair, Catherine takes refuge in Paris at her mother’s home, accompanied by her own daughter, Luna. Christiane --- who, in spite of occasional dalliances on both sides, lived a beautiful love story with her late husband --- uses all of her freethinking charm in an effort to change Catherine’s rigid, self-pitying attitude.
As the women air their opposing views, Luna discovers by chance that her great-grandfather had met the philosopher Rudolf Steiner, the subject of the thesis she is in the middle of writing. Seeing Luna’s avid curiosity, Christiane takes the opportunity to tell the story of her family, which spans the 20th century. Memories resurface, and past events are reconstructed, shedding a new light on the present.
With a keen, lighthearted wit, THE DEVIL'S REWARD shows that life is complicated and often painful, but when conventional morals are imperative, it becomes unbearable.
- Click here to read Emmanuelle de Villepin’s bio.
Click here to enter the contest.
Featured Review: WINTER by Ali Smith
WINTER by Ali Smith (Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Melody Grove
Winter. Bleak. Frosty wind, earth as iron, water as stone, so the old song goes. And now Art’s mother is seeing things. Come to think of it, Art is seeing things himself. When four people, strangers and family, converge on a 15-bedroom house in Cornwall for Christmas, will there be enough room for everyone? Winter. It makes things visible. Ali Smith’s shapeshifting WINTER casts a warm, wise, merry and uncompromising eye over a post-truth era in a story rooted in history and memory and with a taproot deep in the evergreens, art and love. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: THE MUSIC SHOP by Rachel Joyce
THE MUSIC SHOP by Rachel Joyce (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Steven Hartley
On a dead-end street in a run-down suburb, there is a music shop that is jam-packed with records of every kind. Like a beacon, the shop attracts the lonely, the sleepless and the adrift; Frank, the shop’s owner, has a way of connecting his customers with just the piece of music they need. Then, one day, into his shop comes a beautiful young woman, Ilse Brauchmann, who asks Frank to teach her about music. Terrified of real closeness, Frank feels compelled to turn and run, yet he is drawn to this strangely still, mysterious woman with eyes as black as vinyl. But Ilse is not what she seems, and Frank has old wounds that threaten to reopen, as well as a past it seems he will never leave behind. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: FOOLS AND MORTALS
by Bernard Cornwell
FOOLS AND MORTALS by Bernard Cornwell (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, performed by Thomas Judd
In the heart of Elizabethan England, Richard Shakespeare dreams of a glittering career in one of the London playhouses, a world dominated by his older brother, William. But he is a penniless actor, making ends meet through a combination of a beautiful face, petty theft and a silver tongue. As William’s star rises, Richard’s onetime gratitude is souring and he is sorely tempted to abandon family loyalty. So when a priceless manuscript goes missing, suspicion falls upon Richard, forcing him onto a perilous path through a bawdy and frequently brutal London. Entangled in a high-stakes game of duplicity and betrayal, Richard has to call on all he has now learned from the brightest stages and the darkest alleyways of the city. To avoid the gallows, he must play the part of a lifetime. Reviewed by Curtis Edmonds.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Bookreporter.com's Latest Blog Post:
“Thoughts on Today's Refugee Crisis in Greece”
by Jeffrey Siger, Author of AN AEGEAN APRIL
Jeffrey Siger is the author of the internationally bestselling and award-nominated Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis series, the ninth installment of which, AN AEGEAN APRIL, is now available. In an essay written exclusively for Bookreporter.com, Jeffrey offers some background on the Greek island of Lesvos, which is where his latest book takes place, and “the still extant refugee crisis that spurred me to write a book putting a human face to the moneymakers, human smugglers, fearful families, NGO activists, local islanders, politicians, press and cops caught up in this epic catastrophe.”
AN AEGEAN APRIL: A Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis Mystery by Jeffrey Siger (Mystery)
When a government policy accelerates the surge of refugees onto his island, Mihalis Volandes rises to prominence in relief efforts he sees as growing increasingly ineffectual. One evening, after working to stir up support for his breakthrough plan to strike at the heart of the lucrative refugee trafficking trade, he returns to his mansion and falls victim in his own garden to a swishing sword. A refugee-turned-local-aid-worker named Ali Serra is found at the scene and is swiftly arrested. Volandes was a prominent citizen and the crime particularly gruesome. Could it be terrorism or something else? But whether Ali is guilty or framed, Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis can't ignore a powerful motive for the murder.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read Jeffrey Siger’s blog post.
OATHBRINGER: Book Three of the Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson (Fantasy/Adventure)
Audiobook available, read by Kate Reading and Michael Kramer
Dalinar Kholin’s Alethi armies won a fleeting victory at a terrible cost: The enemy Parshendi summoned the violent Everstorm, which now sweeps the world with destruction, and in its passing awakens the once peaceful and subservient parshmen to the horror of their millennia-long enslavement by humans. Nestled in the mountains high above the storms, in the tower city of Urithiru, Shallan Davar investigates the wonders of the ancient stronghold of the Knights Radiant and unearths dark secrets lurking in its depths. Unless all the nations of Roshar can put aside Dalinar’s blood-soaked past and stand together --- and unless Dalinar himself can confront that past --- even the restoration of the Knights Radiant will not prevent the end of civilization. Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard.
GRIST MILL ROAD by Christopher J. Yates (Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Dan Bittner, Will Damron, Graham Halstead and Saskia Maarleveld
The year is 1982. The setting: an Edenic hamlet some 90 miles north of New York City. There, among the craggy rock cliffs and glacial ponds of timeworn mountains, three friends --- Patrick, Matthew and Hannah --- are bound together by a terrible and seemingly senseless crime. Twenty-six years later, in New York City, living lives their younger selves never could have predicted, the three meet again --- with even more devastating results. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN IN AMERICA: Timothy Leary, Richard Nixon and the Hunt for the Fugitive King of LSD by Bill Minutaglio and Steven L. Davis (History)
Audiobook available, read by Peter Ganim
On September 12, 1970, an ex-Harvard professor with a genius I.Q. studies a 12-foot high fence topped with barbed wire. A few months earlier, Dr. Timothy Leary, the High Priest of LSD, had been running a gleeful campaign for California governor against Ronald Reagan. Now, Leary is six months into a 10-year prison sentence for the crime of possessing two marijuana cigarettes. Aided by the radical Weather Underground, Leary's escape from prison is the counterculture's union of "dope and dynamite," aimed at sparking a revolution and overthrowing the government. Inside the Oval Office, President Richard Nixon drinks his way through sleepless nights as he expands the war in Vietnam and plots to unleash the United States government against his ever-expanding list of domestic enemies. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
HEART SPRING MOUNTAIN by Robin MacArthur (Fiction)
Audiobook available, performed by Suzanne Elise Freeman
It’s August 2011, and Tropical Storm Irene has just wreaked havoc on Vermont, flooding rivers and destroying homes. One thousand miles away, Vale receives a call and is told that her mother, Bonnie, has disappeared. Despite a years-long estrangement from Bonnie, Vale drops everything and returns home to look for her. As she begins her search, the narrative opens up and pitches back and forth in time to follow three generations of women --- a farming widow, a back-to-the-land dreamer and an owl-loving hermit --- as they seek love, bear children and absorb losses. All the while, Vale’s search has her unwittingly careening toward a family origin secret more stunning than she ever imagined. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
A STATE OF FREEDOM by Neel Mukherjee (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Sartaj Gerewal
Five characters, in very different circumstances --- from a domestic cook in Mumbai, to a vagrant and his dancing bear, to a girl who escapes terror in her home village for a new life in the city --- find out the meanings of dislocation and the desire for more. Set in contemporary India and moving between the reality of this world and the shadow of another, this novel of multiple narratives delivers a devastating and haunting exploration of the unquenchable human urge to strive for a different life. Reviewed by Jane Krebs.
SUNDAY SILENCE by Nicci French (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, performed by Beth Chalmers
Lover of London, gifted psychologist, frequent police consultant --- Frieda Klein is many things. And now she's a person of interest in a murder case. A body has been discovered in the most unlikely and horrifying of places: beneath the floorboards of Frieda's house. The corpse is only months old, but the chief suspect appears to have died more than seven years ago. Except as Frieda knows all too well, he's alive and well and living in secret. And it seems he's inspired a copycat. As the days pass and the body count rises, Frieda finds herself caught in a fatal tug-of-war between two killers: one who won't let her go, and another who can't let her live. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE WOLVES OF WINTER by Tyrell Johnson (Post-Apocalyptic Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Jayme Mattler
Forget the old days. Forget summer. Forget warmth. Forget anything that doesn’t help you survive in the endless white wilderness beyond the edges of a fallen world. Lynn McBride has learned much since society collapsed in the face of nuclear war and the relentless spread of disease. As the memories of her old life continue to haunt, she’s forced to forge ahead in the snow-drifted Canadian Yukon, learning how to hunt and trap and slaughter. Shadows of the world before have found her tiny community --- most prominently in the enigmatic figure of Jax, who brings with him dark secrets of the past and sets in motion a chain of events that will call Lynn to a role she never imagined. Reviewed by Sarah Jackman.
THE STOLEN ANGEL by Sara Blaedel (Thriller)
Audiobook available, performed by Christine Lakin
When the granddaughter of the wealthy Sachs-Smith family is kidnapped, Louise Rick's skills as a trained negotiator are put to work. She is tasked with helping the desperate mother negotiate what soon turns into a life-or-death situation. The kidnappers will only exchange the deathly ill little girl for an infamous stained glass panel --- known as the Angel of Death --- that has been in the family for generations. But the Angel was recently stolen from the family home. Racing against the clock as she matches wits with a criminal mastermind, Louise will be taken to the depths of human depravity. Will she be able to find the little girl before her time runs out? Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
MAD HATTERS AND MARCH HARES: All-New Stories from the World of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland edited by Ellen Datlow (Fantasy/Short Stories)
Audiobook available, read by C.S.E. Cooney and Eric Michael Summerer
Between the hallucinogenic, weird, imaginative wordplay and the brilliant mathematical puzzles and social satire, ALICE IN WONDERLAND has been read, enjoyed and savored by every generation since its publication. Ellen Datlow asked 17 acclaimed writers to dream up stories inspired by all the strange events and surreal characters found in Wonderland. MAD HATTERS AND MARCH HARES features stories and poems from Seanan McGuire, Jane Yolen, Catherynne M. Valente, Delia Sherman, Genevieve Valentine, Priya Sharma, Stephen Graham Jones, Richard Bowes, Jeffrey Ford, Angela Slatter, Andy Duncan, C.S.E. Cooney, Matthew Kressel, Kris Dikeman, Kaaron Warren, Ysbeau Wilce and Katherine Vaz. Reviewed by Maya Gittelman.
THE LAST MAN IN TEHRAN by Mark Henshaw (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by George Newbern
An attack on an Israeli port throws the Middle East into chaos. The Mossad, Israel’s feared intelligence service, responds with a campaign of covert sabotage and assassination, determined to protect the homeland. But evidence quickly turns up suggesting that a group of moles inside Langley are helping Mossad wage its covert war. Convinced that Mossad has heavily penetrated the CIA’s leadership, the FBI launches a counterintelligence investigation. New Red Cell Chief Kyra Stryker turns to her former mentors --- now-retired Red Cell Chief Jonathan Burke and his wife, former CIA Director Kathryn Cooke --- to help uncover who is trying to tear the CIA apart from the inside out. Reviewed by Christine M. Irvin.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on January 16th
Below are some notable titles releasing on January 16th that we would like to make you aware of. We will have more on many of these books in the weeks to come. For a list of additional hardcovers and paperbacks releasing the week of January 15th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
CARNEGIE'S MAID by Marie Benedict (Historical Fiction)
Clara Kelley is not the experienced Irish maid who was hired to work in one of Pittsburgh's grandest households. She's a poor farmer's daughter with nowhere to go and nothing in her pockets. But the other woman with the same name has vanished, and pretending to be her just might get Clara some money to send back home.
CITY OF ENDLESS NIGHT: A Pendergast Novel by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Thriller)
It begins as a manhunt for Grace Ozmian, the missing daughter of a wealthy tech billionaire. At first, the NYPD assumes that Grace has simply sped off on another wild adventure. But the case becomes something altogether different when the young woman's body is discovered, the head nowhere to be found.
THE GIRLS IN THE PICTURE by Melanie Benjamin (Historical Fiction)
It is 1914, and 25-year-old Frances Marion has left her (second) husband and her Northern California home for the lure of Los Angeles. She makes the acquaintance of actress Mary Pickford, and they hit it off instantly. But their ambitions are challenged by both the men around them and the limitations imposed on their gender.
THE LARGESSE OF THE SEA MAIDEN: Stories by Denis Johnson (Fiction/Short Stories)
Written in the luminous prose that made him one of the most beloved and important writers of his generation, THE LARGESSE OF THE SEA MAIDEN finds Denis Johnson in new territory, contemplating the ghosts of the past and the elusive and unexpected ways the mysteries of the universe assert themselves.
MUNICH by Robert Harris (Historical Thriller)
Hugh Legat is a rising star of the British diplomatic service, serving as a private secretary to the Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain. Rikard von Holz is on the staff of the German Foreign Office --- and secretly a member of the anti-Hitler resistance. When Hugh flies with Chamberlain from London to Munich, and Rikard travels on Hitler's train overnight from Berlin, their paths are set on a disastrous collision course.
THE TAKE by Christopher Reich (Thriller)
Simon Riske is a freelance industrial spy who has maintained his quiet life by avoiding big, messy jobs --- until now. A gangster by the name of Tino Coluzzi has orchestrated the greatest street heist in the history of Paris: a visiting Saudi prince had his pockets lightened of millions in cash, and something else. Hidden within a stolen briefcase is a secret letter that could upend the balance of power in the Western world.
A TREACHEROUS CURSE: A Veronica Speedwell Mystery by Deanna Raybourn (Historical Mystery)
Victorian adventuress Veronica Speedwell can’t resist the allure of an exotic mystery --- particularly one involving her enigmatic colleague, Stoker. His former expedition partner has vanished from an archaeological dig with a priceless diadem unearthed from the newly discovered tomb of an Egyptian princess. This disappearance is just the latest in a string of unfortunate events that have plagued the controversial expedition.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
Our Latest Poll: Keeping Track of Your Reading in 2018
Are you planning to keep track of the books you read this year?
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Yes, I will keep track on paper.
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Yes, I will keep track via Goodreads.
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Yes, I will keep track online another way.
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Yes, but I am not sure yet how I will keep track of them.
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No
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No, but this is a good idea.
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, January 19th at noon ET.
Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What
You're Reading --- and You Can Win Two Books!
Tell us about the books you’ve finished reading with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from January 5th to January 19th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of CARNEGIE'S MAID by Marie Benedict and THE IMMORTALISTS by Chloe Benjamin.
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 rules and guidelines, click here.
- To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.
Sounding Off on Audio Contest: Tell Us What
You're Listening to --- and You Can Win Two Audiobooks!
Tell us about the audiobooks you’ve finished listening to with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars for both the performance and the content. During the contest period from January 2nd to February 1st at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Lauren Willig's THE ENGLISH WIFE, read by Nicola Barber, and Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen's THE WIFE BETWEEN US, read by Julia Whelan.
To make sure other readers will be able to find the audiobook, 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.
- To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.
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