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Carol read THE DEARLY BELOVED and enjoyed meeting the author, Cara Wall,
at a publisher event this week. It releases on August 13th and will be a Bets On pick.
Carol also read SO YOU WANT TO START A PODCAST by Kristen Meinzer (on sale August 6th),
as we are interested in doing a series of podcasts, starting with ones
based on our "Bookreporter Talks To" interviews.
Most of Carol's hydrangeas didn't bloom, but the ones above certainly did.
Carol made blueberry corn muffins last week. Scroll further down the newsletter for the recipe!
Sultry Weather for the Weekend = Indoor Reading
The weather in the New York area has been sultry. Sultry sounds like it’s a lazy day in the South, and one is settled with a cool drink under a magnolia tree. The reality is that haze and humidity in New York feel something like damp blankets tossed over you while you walk around in business attire dripping moisture. As I moseyed around to various ThrillerFest events last week and meetings in the city this week, I was trying to adapt my expectations of how I looked with a “dewy glow” and hair that was getting bigger by the moment. It was not pleasant.
The weekend forecast has meteorologists amping up their temp and humidity coverage. It rained about 4” in an hour last night, and thus the basil plants in our planters were floating and now look like they are growing hydroponically. This has been a tough year for plants. Most of our hydrangeas did not bloom! The ones above did and are rather glorious!
I have been interviewing a number of authors for our “Bookreporter Talks To” feature. This week, we had two Bookreporter.com Bets On authors in for interviews --- Fiona Davis, the author of THE CHELSEA GIRLS, which will be in stores on July 30th, and Marjan Kamali, whose book THE STATIONERY SHOP is one that I have been talking about for a while now. I loved talking to them both! We have six interviews in various stages of post-production, and I am working on ways to convert the audio from these into podcasts. I am loving this project, which is part of our expansion. I thoroughly enjoy interviewing authors with an eye on giving you a more in-depth look at their work and writing styles. Many of these are long-form interviews, which defy the norm of what is being done these days. Everything is bits and bytes. I am striving to share much deeper pieces here.
Also, I organized our YouTube channel into playlists last night, so it is easy to see the “Bookreporter Talks To” author interviews, as opposed to the promotion videos that we are doing as commercials of a sort for what’s running on Friday updates and on Summer Reading, as well as some pieces about audio and book groups. You can see The Book Report Network channel here organized by various playlists. And you can click to subscribe so you never miss when a new piece goes up.
I also read SO YOU WANT TO START A PODCAST by Kristen Meinzer, which is coming out on August 6th. Kristen is the co-host of the popular “By the Book” podcast, where she and her co-host each read a self-help book, follow its instructions and then talk about it. There were some good tech tips in the book, but it also made me realize that starting with these author talks is a good entry for us. Many people are trying to think of what to talk about on a podcast; that is something I know! I also read this piece in the New York Times called “Have We Hit Peak Podcast?,” which was interesting. I know there are a zillion podcasts out there, but I feel the in-depth interviews that we want to share are what I want to start with. There is a whole lot of thinking and overthinking going on in my brain these days about videos and podcasts! Those who listen to podcasts, feel free to chime in!
Last weekend, I started reading THE GOLDEN HOUR by Beatriz Williams, which will be a Bets On selection. The title references my favorite time of day. "[W]hen everything looks the most beautiful, just before the sun sets. This luminous air turns everything to gold.... And then it's gone, just like that." A perfect way to describe it on page 96.
I also read THE DEARLY BELOVED by Cara Wall as I was meeting Cara at a publisher event. It’s a really lovely book about two young ministers who become co-ministers at a Presbyterian church in New York City. It’s light on their faith and more a look at their lives as couples from the moment they started dating until they age. I found it to be so well done, and it will be a Bets On pick when it releases on August 13th. If you enjoyed ASK AGAIN, YES, I recommend this one!
Speaking of the aforementioned ThrillerFest, their events wrapped up on Saturday night with the Thriller Awards Banquet, where John Sandford received this year’s ThrillerMaster Award in recognition of his legendary career and outstanding contributions to the thriller genre; Harlan Coben was the recipient of the Silver Bullet Award for his philanthropic endeavors; and editor extraordinaire Margaret Marbury of Harlequin was the Thriller Legend.
Here are the winners in the six main categories: JAR OF HEARTS by Jennifer Hillier (Best Hardcover Novel), THE CHALK MAN by C. J. Tudor (Best First Novel), THE LOST MAN by Jane Harper (Best Paperback Original Novel), “Nana” by Helen Smith in KILLER WOMEN: Crime Club Anthology #2 (Best Short Story), PRAY FOR THE INNOCENT by Alan Orloff (Best E-Book Original Novel), and GIRL AT THE GRAVE by Teri Bailey Black (Best Young Adult Novel).
Speaking of voting for books, be sure to vote for the "Tonight Show Summer Reads" by Wednesday, July 24th at noon. The author of the winning book, which will be announced on the 25th, will appear on "The Tonight Show" in August. Your choices are the aforementioned ASK AGAIN, YES, THE CHAIN, THE SILENT PATIENT, FLEISHMAN IS IN TROUBLE and THE GONE DEAD. We have reviewed four of the five. I voted, and you can vote here.
Tuesday night was the Barnes & Noble Book Club discussion of their June pick, MRS. EVERYTHING by Jennifer Weiner, a Bets On selection. Melanie, who edits our Word of Mouth and Sounding Off on Audio features, attended the discussion in Boynton Beach, Florida, where there were about 16 people in attendance. She shared, “We had a good discussion about the themes of being true to yourself, dreams coming true, how it was easier to be gay/a single mother at the end of the book than at the beginning. It was pleasant and a good group discussion.”
This month’s selection is THE NICKEL BOYS, Colson Whitehead’s follow-up to his Pulitzer Prize- and National Book Award-winning THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD, which recounts the story of two boys sentenced to a hellish reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida. Barnes & Noble will be selling a special Exclusive Book Club Edition of the novel, along with hosting a free Book Club Night to discuss it, in stores across the country on Tuesday, August 13th at 7pm local time. Click here to sign up for the event.
Norah Piehl has our review and says, “THE NICKEL BOYS is, of course, about the particular degradations of the Jim Crow era of segregation in the U.S. South. But it’s also, more or less obliquely, about how the inequities of that time are still with all of us today, about how it shapes our understanding of ourselves as individuals and as a country, and about how far we have to go to realize the promise of Dr. King’s hopeful words.” And here are two interviews with Colson --- this one on "CBS Sunday Morning" and this one on "CBS This Morning." He was on the cover of Time magazine on July 8th with the headline "America’s Storyteller."
THE NICKEL BOYS is one of our current Word of Mouth prize titles, along with the aforementioned THE CHAIN by Adrian McKinty, which we reviewed last week. Let us know by Friday, July 26th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll have the chance to win both these much-buzzed-about novels.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include THE NEW GIRL by Daniel Silva, a stunning thriller of deception, betrayal and vengeance featuring Gabriel Allon, the legendary chief of Israeli intelligence (you can see an interview with Daniel on "Today" here and listen to him share how current events had him scrap two months of his writing last October); UNDER CURRENTS, a novel of romantic suspense from Nora Roberts, who brings together two strangers wanting to build a new life --- but will the past set them free or pull them under?; KNIFE by Jo Nesbø, a new Harry Hole thriller that finds the rogue police officer once again hunting the murderer who has haunted his entire career (we have TWO reviews as both reviewers are huge fans of the series); and SHAMED, the latest installment in Linda Castillo’s Kate Burkholder series, in which a devastating murder exposes an Amish family’s tortured past.
Our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight & Contest for NEVER HAVE I EVER, an upcoming Bets On pick releasing on July 30th, continues for another week. In Joshilyn Jackson’s twisting novel of domestic suspense, a group of women play a harmless drinking game that escalates into a war of dark pasts. To enter to win one of 25 copies and give us your feedback on it, please fill out this form by Thursday, July 25th at noon ET.
I have FOUR Bets On picks to share with you this week: the audiobook of WHISPER NETWORK by Chandler Baker (this month’s Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club pick; we reviewed the hardcover in last week’s newsletter), THE LAST BOOK PARTY by Karen Dukess (which we also reviewed last week), GIRLS LIKE US by Cristina Alger (we’ll have our review next week), and THE NEAREST EXIT MAY BE BEHIND YOU by Amulya Malladi. Click on each of the titles for my Bets On commentary.
In this week’s Summer Reading contests, we gave away BODY LEAPING BACKWARD: Memoir of a Delinquent Girlhood by Maureen Stanton, THE FAVORITE DAUGHTER by Patti Callahan Henry, IN THE FULL LIGHT OF THE SUN by Clare Clark, and WINDOW ON THE BAY by Debbie Macomber. Next week’s prizes will be the aforementioned THE GOLDEN HOUR by Beatriz Williams, OUR KIND OF CRUELTY by Araminta Hall, SEARCHING FOR SYLVIE LEE by Jean Kwok (a Bets On pick), and YOU’VE BEEN VOLUNTEERED: A Class Mom Novel by Laurie Gelman. The first contest of the week will go live on Monday, July 22nd at noon ET. You can see me sharing these books in a video here.
The audio version of WINDOW ON THE BAY (read by Tavia Gilbert, Erin Bennett and Karissa Vacker) is one of this month’s Sounding Off on Audio prizes, in addition to Riley Sager’s LOCK EVERY DOOR (read by Dylan Moore). Submit your comments about the audiobooks you’ve listened to by Thursday, August 1st at noon ET, and you’ll be in the running to win both these audio titles.
Our poll continues to ask which of 20 titles releasing in July you are planning to read. Click here to cast your votes. I have been peeking at the results all week, and many of your top selections have not changed their order!
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Susan wrote, "I won a copy of THE BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK from Bookreporter. What a wonderful story! I really knew nothing about the subject and had to look up information. Wow! I had no idea. I loved the story and learning the true facts about the blue people of Kentucky and the book women and men. I have recommended it to many people. No one I have talked to knew anything about this. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn something new." So glad you enjoyed it.
Random House Open House Event: I was not able to attend this program on Thursday, but my friend Beverley, who is a seasoned Open House attendee, was there and shared this terrific report:
“It was a great event; I really liked all segments, which doesn’t always happen at one of these programs. There was a full house as usual, and I did see some familiar faces, but also noticed more of a younger audience than usual. I sat with two young women in their late 20s or early 30s; one is a lawyer, and one is in news media.
"The day opened with Carla Lalli Music, the author of WHERE COOKING BEGINS, who had great --- and useful --- info about food shopping, prep and storing, and the audience seemed to like it a lot. The second panel was called "Thrills & Chills," and I liked all of the authors (Cambria Brockman, Laura McHugh and Chris Pavone). There was great response to this session, and people around me were especially talking about THE PARIS DIVERSION by Chris Pavone. I wasn’t sure about the author of SIGNS, Laura Lynne Jackson, but really found her presentation interesting about recognizing signs from the other side. The audience really liked her as I could see they had a long line for the book signing. All the fiction authors were terrific (Bethany Chase, Linda Holmes, Domenica Ruta and Lauren Gershell), and they were interviewed by Leigh Haber --- more books to add to my list.
"Ruth Reichl was excellent --- you know I loved the book, but her explanation about learning how to be a boss/leader and balance home life was relatable. There were lots of Gourmet fans in the audience. The true-crime panel had another intriguing pair of authors: Karen Abbott and Maureen Callahan. I will put the books on my list as well, noting that I originally didn’t expect to like them so much. And finally, there was Michael Symon, a crowd favorite. I am looking forward to his new cookbook, FIX IT WITH FOOD, which will include food guides to avoid inflammation.”
Huge thanks to Beverley for this report, and I am glad she enjoyed the day so much!
Finale of "Big Little Lies": It’s airing Sunday. This season started out to be interesting for me, but the multiple storylines that I barely care about and the 45-minute shows with tons of flashbacks have my interest waning. I do think that Celeste is going to ask some pointed questions of Mary Louise about her other son who supposedly died. Will see if I am right, and I do not need to hear there will be a season three! And I just saw today that there is a rumor flying that Corey is Perry's brother. Whoa, what will that do to Jane if it is true?
Top Gun: Maverick Trailer: This is just pure fun ---Tom Cruise and Ed Harris, and the iconic bike and sunglasses: Trivia fact: When I was in high school, I knew Whip Hubley, who played Hollywood in the original Top Gun.
Shoes with Children’s Books on Them: These are way cool.
Last Saturday night, our office was in the part of New York City that was hit by a blackout. I am endlessly happy that this did not happen on a work day. Also, I am super impressed that our tech team at RCS Professional had us so well set up that we never lost anything in the power down and power up. I do love automatic battery backup systems. For those of you with small companies in the NYC tri-state area, I highly recommend these folks!
It has rained so much that weeding should be easy this weekend...but wait, it’s supposed to be over 100 degrees, so the weeds may live to see another week. It will be a weekend for indoor projects! Greg is following the Liverpool soccer team this weekend, going to games at Notre Dame (Friday night) and Fenway (Sunday night) before heading back to New York for a final game at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night. Cory has all sorts of plans, including tubing. Quentin is still hanging here at the house, so Cory and Sam will stop by to visit. Quentin has a little wheel that he works out on. He’s rather nocturnal, so the nights when I am working late, I can hear him getting his four-footed steps in.
I did make blueberry corn muffins last week. Here’s my recipe: One package of Flako Corn Muffin mix, 1 egg, about a cup of corn kernels, about 2/3 of a cup of blueberries and enough milk (about a half cup or a tad more to hold it all together). I really make this up on the fly. Then I bake them in a 400-degree oven for about 15-20 minutes, and it makes about 6-8. I never make them the same way, but they always turn out well. So good luck experimenting with the recipe!
Now back to overthinking videos and podcasts. Stay cool. 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 NEW GIRL by Daniel Silva
THE NEW GIRL by Daniel Silva (Thriller/Adventure)
Audiobook available, read by George Guidall
Gabriel Allon, the legendary chief of Israeli intelligence, has spent most of his life fighting terrorists, including the murderous jihadists financed by Saudi Arabia. Prince Khalid --- or KBM, as he is known --- has pledged to finally break the bond between the Kingdom and radical Islam. For that reason alone, Gabriel regards him as a valuable if flawed partner. Together they will become unlikely allies in a deadly secret war for control of the Middle East. The life of a child, and the throne of Saudi Arabia, hang in the balance. Both men have made their share of enemies. And both have everything to lose. Reviewed by Roz Shea.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review:
THE NICKEL BOYS by Colson Whitehead
July’s Barnes & Noble Book Club Selection
THE NICKEL BOYS by Colson Whitehead (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by JD Jackson
Abandoned by his parents, but kept on the straight and narrow by his grandmother, Elwood Curtis is about to enroll in Tallahassee’s local black college. But for a black boy in the Jim Crow South of the early 1960s, one innocent mistake is enough to destroy the future. Elwood is sentenced to a juvenile reformatory called the Nickel Academy. In reality, it is a grotesque chamber of horrors where the sadistic staff beats and sexually abuses the students, corrupt officials and locals steal food and supplies, and any boy who resists is likely to disappear "out back." The tension between Elwood's ideals and his friend Turner's skepticism leads to a decision whose repercussions will echo down the decades. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Visit the Barnes & Noble Book Club page and sign up for their free Book Club Night to discuss THE NICKEL BOYS.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: UNDER CURRENTS by Nora Roberts
UNDER CURRENTS by Nora Roberts (Romantic Suspense)
Audiobook available, read by January LaVoy
Zane Bigelow grew up in a beautiful, perfectly kept house in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Strangers and even Zane’s own aunt across the lake see his parents as a successful surgeon and his stylish wife. Only Zane and his sister know the truth, until one brutal night finally reveals cracks in the facade, and Zane escapes for college without a thought of looking back. Years later, Zane returns to his hometown determined to reconnect with the place and people that mean so much to him. As he resumes life in the colorful town, he meets a gifted landscape artist named Darby, who is on the run from ghosts of her own. Together they will have to teach each other what it means to face the past, and stand up for the ones they love. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read the review.
Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight & Contest:
NEVER HAVE I EVER by Joshilyn Jackson
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
We have 25 copies of NEVER HAVE I EVER by Joshilyn Jackson --- a diabolically entertaining tale of betrayal, deception, temptation and love filled with dark twists --- to give away to those who would like to read the book, which releases on July 30th, and share their comments on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, July 25th at noon ET.
NEVER HAVE I EVER by Joshilyn Jackson (Thriller)
Amy Whey is proud of her ordinary life and the simple pleasures that come with it --- teaching diving lessons, baking cookies for new neighbors, helping her best friend, Charlotte, run their local book club. Her greatest joy is her family: her devoted professor husband, her spirited 15-year-old stepdaughter, her adorable infant son. And, of course, the steadfast and supportive Charlotte. But Amy’s sweet, uncomplicated life begins to unravel when the mysterious and alluring Angelica Roux arrives on her doorstep one book club night.
Sultry and magnetic, Roux beguiles the group with her feral charm. She keeps the wine flowing and lures them into a game of spilling secrets. Everyone thinks it’s naughty, harmless fun. Only Amy knows better. Something wicked has come her way --- a she-devil in a pricey red sports car who seems to know the terrible truth about who she is and what she once did.
When they’re alone, Roux tells her that if she doesn’t give her what she asks for, what she deserves, she’s going to make Amy pay for her sins. One way or another.
To protect herself and her family, and save the life she’s built, Amy must beat the devil at her own clever game, matching wits with Roux in an escalating war of hidden pasts and unearthed secrets. Amy knows the consequences if she can’t beat Roux. What terrifies her is everything she could lose if she wins.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Joshilyn Jackson's bio.
- Click here to visit Joshilyn Jackson's website.
- Connect with Joshilyn Jackson on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click here to read more in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight
and enter the contest.
Featured Reviews: KNIFE by Jo Nesbø
KNIFE: A Harry Hole Novel by Jo Nesbø (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by John Lee
Harry Hole is not in a good place. Rakel --- the only woman he's ever loved --- has ended it with him, permanently. He's been given a chance for a new start with the Oslo Police, but it's in the cold case office. What he really wants is to be investigating cases he suspects have ties to Svein Finne, the serial rapist and murderer who Harry helped put behind bars. And now, Finne is free after a decade-plus in prison --- free and, Harry is certain, unreformed and ready to take up where he left off. But things will get worse. When Harry wakes up the morning after a blackout, drunken night with blood that's clearly not his own on his hands, it's only the very beginning of what will be a waking nightmare the likes of which even he never could have imagined. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub and Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Read reviews by Joe Hartlaub and Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.
Featured Review: SHAMED by Linda Castillo
SHAMED by Linda Castillo (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Kathleen McInerney
The peaceful town of Painters Mill is shattered when an Amish grandmother is brutally murdered on an abandoned farm. When Chief of Police Kate Burkholder arrives on the scene, she learns that the woman’s seven-year-old granddaughter is gone, abducted in plain sight. The girl’s family is a pillar of the Amish community, well-respected by all. But Kate soon realizes they’re keeping secrets --- and the sins of their past may be coming back to haunt them. What are they hiding and why? Kate’s investigation brings her to an isolated Old Order Amish settlement along the river, a community where family is everything and tradition is upheld with an iron fist. But the killer is close behind, drawing more victims into a twisted game of revenge. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Bookreporter.com Bets On: WHISPER NETWORK,
THE LAST BOOK PARTY, GIRLS LIKE US
and THE NEAREST EXIT MAY BE BEHIND YOU
WHISPER NETWORK (Audiobook) by Chandler Baker (Mystery/Thriller)
I had seen lots of buzz about WHISPER NETWORK by Chandler Baker. So I quickly grabbed the audiobook, which is narrated by Almarie Guerra, and found it to be one really well-done listen. The book is set at a sportswear company called Truviv, where three women --- Sloane, Ardie and Grace --- have worked for years. The man in line to become the company’s new CEO following the sudden death of his predecessor is Ames Garrett, who women in the company had identified as “trouble.” No, it’s not about his business dealings, but rather about his “women dealings.”
- Click here to read more about the audiobook.
- Click here to read a review of the hardcover.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
Click here to read more of Carol’s commentary on WHISPER NETWORK.
THE LAST BOOK PARTY by Karen Dukess (Fiction)
Set on Cape Cod in 1987, THE LAST BOOK PARTY by Karen Dukess is a brisk, smart summer read and a coming-of-age story. And if that’s not enough to entice you, it’s set in the world of publishing, giving readers a fun insider look at what unfolds behind the scenes in the book world.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
Click here to read more of Carol’s commentary on THE LAST BOOK PARTY.
GIRLS LIKE US by Cristina Alger (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Last summer, I read THE BANKER’S WIFE by Cristina Alger and quickly picked it as a Bets On, noting that she was an author I needed to keep an eye on. So I was quick to snag a copy of GIRLS LIKE US when it came into the office. The book is set in Suffolk County, New York, but the places we know and think of in the Hamptons are not the ones depicted here. Instead, we are on the other side of the tracks where life is a lot grittier than glittery.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read more of Carol’s commentary on GIRLS LIKE US.
THE NEAREST EXIT MAY BE BEHIND YOU by Amulya Malladi (Fiction)
THE NEAREST EXIT MAY BE BEHIND YOU by Amulya Malladi is a fun, funny, brisk and smart novel that brings readers a sharp storyline, as well as a deep dive into the culture of global corporate politics. Many years ago, I read a few books by Amulya that I had enjoyed. So when this one got on my radar, I quickly requested a copy.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read more of Carol’s commentary on
THE NEAREST EXIT MAY BE BEHIND YOU.
Bookreporter.com's Summer Reading
Contests and Feature
Summer is here! 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 are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through August 23rd, so you will have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here.
Our next prize book will be announced on Monday, July 22nd at noon ET.
This year’s prize books include:
Click here to read all the contest details.
See the prize books that were awarded in May and June,
and that will be awarded in July and August.
What’s New This Month on ReadingGroupGuides.com
THE MOMENT OF LIFT: How Empowering Women Changes the World by Melinda Gates (Social Science/Women's Studies)
Audiobook available, read by Melinda Gates
For the last 20 years, Melinda Gates has been on a mission to find solutions for people with the most urgent needs, wherever they live. Throughout this journey, one thing has become increasingly clear to her: If you want to lift a society up, you need to stop keeping women down. In THE MOMENT OF LIFT, Melinda shares lessons she’s learned from the inspiring people she’s met during her work and travels around the world. As she writes in the introduction, “That is why I had to write this book --- to share the stories of people who have given focus and urgency to my life. I want all of us to see ways we can lift women up where we live.” Reviewed by Pauline Finch.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
BARK OF NIGHT: An Andy Carpenter Mystery by David Rosenfelt (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Grover Gardner
Truman, a healthy French bulldog, was dropped off at the veterinarian’s office days ago with instructions to be euthanized by a man everyone thought was his owner. But now the owner is nowhere to be found. Defense lawyer Andy Carpenter is furious. Who would want to euthanize a perfectly healthy dog with no explanation? He is willing to whisk Truman away to the Tara Foundation, the dog-rescue organization that is Andy’s true passion. They will find a home for Truman. But thanks to Truman’s chip, it’s discovered that the man wasn’t Truman’s owner at all. Truman's real owner has been murdered. It’s now up to Andy --- with help from his loyal sidekick Tara, Truman and the rest of the gang --- to solve this case. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
HEART OF BARKNESS: A Chet and Bernie Mystery by Spencer Quinn (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Jim Frangione
Chet the dog and P.I. Bernie are both music lovers. So when Lotty Pilgrim, a country singer from long ago, turns up at a local bar, they drive out to catch her act. Bernie is surprised to see someone who was once so big performing in such a dive, and drops a C-note the Little Detective Agency can’t afford to part with into the tip jar. The C-note is stolen right from under their noses, and before the night is over, it’s stolen again. Soon they’re working the most puzzling case of their career, a case that takes them back in time in search of old border-town secrets, and into present-day danger where powerful people want those secrets to stay hidden. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
COSTALEGRE by Courtney Maum (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Frankie Corzo
It is 1937, and Europe is on the brink of war. In the haute-bohemian circles of Austria, Germany and Paris, Hitler is circulating a most-wanted list of “cultural degenerates” --- artists, writers and thinkers whose work is deemed antithetical to the new regime. To prevent the destruction of her favorite art (and artists), the impetuous American heiress and modern art collector, Leonora Calaway, begins chartering boats and planes for an elite group of surrealists to Costalegre, a mysterious resort in the Mexican jungle, where she has a home. The story of what happens to these artists when they reach their destination is told from the point of view of Lara, Leonora’s neglected 15-year-old daughter, who has been pulled out of school to follow her mother to Mexico. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
THE SUBSTITUTION ORDER by Martin Clark (Legal Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by David Aaron Baker
Kevin Moore, once a high-flying Virginia attorney, hits rock bottom after an inexplicably tumultuous summer leaves him disbarred and separated from his wife. Short on cash and looking for work, he lands in the middle of nowhere with a job at SUBstitution, the world's saddest sandwich shop. His closest confidants are a rambunctious rescue puppy and the 20-year-old computer whiz manning the restaurant counter beside him. He's determined to set his life right again, but the troubles keep coming. And when a bizarre, mysterious stranger wanders into the shop armed with a threatening "invitation" to join a multimillion-dollar scam, Kevin will need every bit of his legal savvy just to stay out of prison. Reviewed by Lorraine W. Shanley.
THE GHOST CLAUSE by Howard Norman (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Jim Meskimen
It’s been several months since Simon Inescort keeled over the rail of a Nova Scotia–bound ferry, a massive heart attack to blame. Simon's widow, Lorca Pell, has sold their farmhouse to newlyweds Zachary and Muriel --- after revealing that the deed contains a “ghost clause,” an actual legal clause allowing for reimbursement if a recently purchased home turns out to be haunted. In fact, Simon finds himself still at home. He spends time replaying his marriage in his own mind, as if in poignant reel-to-reel, while also engaging in occasionally intimate observation of the new homeowners. But soon the crisis of a missing child threatens the tenuous domestic equilibrium, as the weight of the case falls to a rookie private detective. Reviewed by Amy Gwiazdowski.
ROUGHHOUSE FRIDAY: A Memoir by Jaed Coffin (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Jaed Coffin
While lifting weights in the Seldon Jackson College gymnasium on a rainy autumn night, Jaed Coffin hears the distinctive whacking sound of sparring boxers down the hall. A year out of college, he has been biding his time as a tutor at a local high school in Sitka, Alaska, without any particular life plan. That evening, Coffin joins a ragtag boxing club; despite feeling initially terrified, he learns to fight. His coach, Victor “the Savage,” invites him to participate in the monthly Roughhouse Friday competition, where men contend for the title of best boxer in southeast Alaska. With every successive match, Coffin realizes that he isn’t just fighting for the championship belt; he is also learning to confront the anger he feels about a past he never knew how to make sense of. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
A HOUSE DIVIDED: A Lincoln and Speed Mystery by Jonathan F. Putnam (Historical Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Lloyd James
In the winter of 1839, a sensational disappearance rocks Springfield, Illinois, as headlines announce a local man has accused his two brothers of murder. Not one to pass up an opportunity, Abraham Lincoln takes up the case of the accused with the assistance of his best friend, Joshua Speed, to search for evidence of innocence. But just as soon as they begin, Lincoln and Speed find their friendship at grave risk of rupture as they vie for the hand of a beautiful new arrival in town: an ambitious, outspoken young woman named Mary Todd. As the trial arrives, can Lincoln and Speed put aside their differences to work together for justice once more? An innocent man’s life may be in the balance --- and nothing is as it seems. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on July 23rd
Below are some notable titles releasing on July 23rd 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 available the week of July 22nd, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
DEAD SILENCE: A Foundlings Novel by Wendy Corsi Staub (Psychological Thriller)
New York Times bestselling author Wendy Corsi Staub is the master of psychological suspense. Here, she delves into the twisted mind of The Angler, who lures his human prey the way he catches fish. Sometimes, he gets one worth keeping...for a little while...
THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR: The Heartbreaking Imprisonment of the Thirteen Turpin Siblings and Their Extraordinary Rescue by John Glatt (True Crime)
From New York Times bestselling true crime author John Glatt comes the devastating story of the Turpins: a seemingly normal family whose dark secrets would shock and captivate the world.
LADY IN THE LAKE by Laura Lippman (Historical Mystery/Thriller)
The revered New York Times bestselling author returns with a novel set in 1960s Baltimore that combines modern psychological insights with elements of classic noir, about a middle-aged housewife turned aspiring reporter who pursues the murder of a forgotten young woman.
THE LAGER QUEEN OF MINNESOTA by J. Ryan Stradal (Fiction)
From the bestselling author of KITCHENS OF THE GREAT MIDWEST comes a novel of family, Midwestern values, hard work, fate and the secrets of making a world-class beer.
ONE GOOD DEED by David Baldacci (Historical Thriller)
#1 New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci introduces an unforgettable new character: Archer, a straight-talking former World War II soldier fresh out of prison for a crime he didn't commit.
A STRANGER ON THE BEACH by Michele Campbell (Psychological Thriller)
From bestselling author Michele Campbell comes A STRANGER ON THE BEACH, an edge-of-your seat story of passion and intrigue that will keep you guessing until the very end.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
Our Latest Poll: July Releases to Anticipate
Which of the following titles releasing in July are you planning to read? Please check all that apply.
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THE CHAIN by Adrian McKinty
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CHANCES ARE... by Richard Russo
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THE CHELSEA GIRLS by Fiona Davis
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CHIMES OF A LOST CATHEDRAL by Janet Fitch
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THE GOLDEN HOUR by Beatriz Williams
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KNIFE: A Harry Hole Novel, by Jo Nesbø
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LADY IN THE LAKE by Laura Lippman
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THE LAST BOOK PARTY by Karen Dukess
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LOCK EVERY DOOR by Riley Sager
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NEVER HAVE I EVER by Joshilyn Jackson
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THE NEW GIRL by Daniel Silva
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THE NICKEL BOYS by Colson Whitehead
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ONE GOOD DEED by David Baldacci
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THE SECOND-WORST RESTAURANT IN FRANCE by Alexander McCall Smith
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SMOKESCREEN by Iris Johansen
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SOMEONE WE KNOW by Shari Lapena
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THREE WOMEN by Lisa Taddeo
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UNDER CURRENTS by Nora Roberts
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WHISPER NETWORK by Chandler Baker
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WINDOW ON THE BAY by Debbie Macomber
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None of the above
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, July 26th 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 July 11th to July 26th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE CHAIN by Adrian McKinty and THE NICKEL BOYS by Colson Whitehead.
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 July 1st to August 1st at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Riley Sager's LOCK EVERY DOOR, read by Dylan Moore, and Debbie Macomber's WINDOW ON THE BAY, read by Tavia Gilbert, Erin Bennett and Karissa Vacker.
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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