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This Compassionate, Life-Affirming Novel Transforms the Small Irish Town of Faha

TIME OF THE CHILD is set over the course of one December in the same village as Niall Williams' beloved novel, THIS IS HAPPINESS.

Mike Lupica Has Penned His Second Mystery in the Iconic Spenser Series

In ROBERT B. PARKER'S HOT PROPERTY, Spenser investigates a case that hits dangerously close to home.

Sharon Virts Pens a Gripping Tale of Murder and Deceit in Reconstruction-Era Baltimore

THE GRAYS OF TRUTH is the story of one woman’s quest for answers in her fight for redemption --- and to save the man she loves.

THE SERVICEBERRY is Indigenous Scientist Robin Wall Kimmerer's Latest Book

This bold and inspiring vision for how to orient our lives around gratitude, reciprocity and community is based on the lessons of the natural world.

Phillip Margolin Returns with a Stand-Alone Legal Thriller in the Tradition of John Grisham

Our reviewer Kate Ayers says, "AN INSIGNIFICANT CASE is peppered with a cast of excellent characters.... I loved everything about this book."

We Have Four "Reader Perfect" Suggestions You Will Want to Give or Get for the Holidays

Included are new books by Paula Hawkins, Benjamin Stevenson, Brian Baumgartner & Ben Silverman, and Carolyn McBride.

Latest Features and Contests


Bookreporter.com's "What to Give, What to Get" Guide

We at Bookreporter.com know that readers crave ideas for gift-giving --- and getting --- at the holidays. With this in mind, we are offering a "What to Give, What to Get" Guide with four "Reader Perfect" suggestions: THE BLUE HOUR by Paula Hawkins, EVERYONE THIS CHRISTMAS HAS A SECRET by Benjamin Stevenson, THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS AT DUNDER MIFFLIN by Brian Baumgartner and Ben Silverman, and SANTA OVERBOARD: A Potomac Shores Holiday by Carolyn McBride.

» Click here to see our "What to Give, What to Get" Guide.

RENTAL HOUSE is a sharp-witted, insightful novel about a marriage as seen through the lens of two family vacations. In TO DIE FOR, the 6:20 Man is sent to the Pacific Northwest to aid in a complicated FBI case --- and he’s about to come face to face with his nemesis, the girl on the train.

» Click here to enter the contest.


Bookreporter.com Bets On: THE GRAYS OF TRUTH by Sharon Virts

THE GRAYS OF TRUTH is the third book by Sharon Virts that I have made a Bets On pick (MASQUE OF HONOR and VEIL OF DOUBT were the first two). She has a way of writing a historical mystery that plants me right in the time period, which this time is Reconstruction-era Baltimore.

Jane Gray Wharton is in a loveless marriage to Ned, a growling man who feels that life has done him wrong. He is visiting his brother Hank’s home in Baltimore on family business when he dies of mysterious causes. Jane is suspicious of what happened as she was a nurse in the Civil War. Her skills tell her that Ned was healthy, and passing away like this definitely sparks questions. Jane is not fond of Hank’s wife, Ellen, and in fact distrusts her immensely. However, Jane’s views are suspect as she has a history of mental health issues, which has led people not to believe her.

» Click here to read more of Carol's Bets On commentary.
» Click here to read our review.
» Click here to watch our "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Sharon Virts.
» Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.


Bookreporter.com's Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What You've Read --- and You Can Win Two Books!


Let us know by Friday, December 13th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll have a chance to win RENTAL HOUSE by Weike Wang and TO DIE FOR: A 6:20 Man Thriller by David Baldacci in our Word of Mouth contest.

RENTAL HOUSE is a sharp-witted, insightful novel about a marriage as seen through the lens of two family vacations. In TO DIE FOR, the 6:20 Man is sent to the Pacific Northwest to aid in a complicated FBI case --- and he’s about to come face to face with his nemesis, the girl on the train.

» Click here to enter the contest.


An Interview with J.D. Barker, Author of HEAVY ARE THE STONES, written with Christine Daigle


Facing the truth can be deadlier than facing the killer in J.D. Barker and Christine Daigle’s newly released thriller, HEAVY ARE THE STONES. In this interview conducted by Bookreporter reviewer Ray Palen, Barker talks about the importance of covering serial killers and how they operate, the major contribution that his co-author made to the novel, the religious motifs in the story and what they are meant to symbolize, the significance of the book’s title, and the exciting project that he and Daigle are currently working on.

» Click here to read the interview.
» Click here to read our review.

Bookreporter Talks To...

As part of our mission to expand The Book Report Network, we have been shooting video interviews with authors and posting them on our YouTube channel. We also have been making them available as podcasts. Carol loves interviewing authors, so this feels like a natural.

Sharon Virts' new historical mystery, THE GRAYS OF TRUTH, was inspired by true events involving one of Baltimore’s most powerful families and will be a Bets On pick. Sharon discusses why the Reconstruction era is such a poignant time in American history. She also explains the challenges of creating Jane, her protagonist, and the Edgar Allan Poe quotes that lead off sections of the book. In addition to giving us hints about what is next for her, Sharon talks about the work of the Virts Miller Foundation, as well as the large online book club that she hosts. Watch the video or listen to the podcast.

THE BLUE HOUR, Paula Hawkins' new novel, is this month's "Good Morning America" Book Club pick and a Bets On selection. According to the publisher, the book “recalls the sophisticated suspense of Shirley Jackson and Patricia Highsmith.” Paula discusses her inspiration for the novel’s setting, which came to her when she was on vacation, as well as her love of art. The characters and the way they move in and out of each other’s lives is key to the storylines, and she explains how their roles changed as the book went on. Paula also shares where the title came from and what she loves about the cover. Watch the video or listen to the podcast.

Carol had the pleasure of talking to Susan Rieger about her new novel, LIKE MOTHER, LIKE MOTHER, which is this month's Barnes & Noble Book Club pick and a Bets On title. In it, three generations of strong-willed women are unknowingly shaped by the secrets buried in their family’s past. Susan explains what drove her to write the book and why it is structured as a mystery, with the feel of literary Russian nesting dolls. She also reveals which was her favorite character to write and discusses the use of genealogy, as well as DNA. And Susan talks about what it was like to start writing fiction late in life. Watch the video or listen to the podcast.

» Click here for a complete list of our "Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts, along with upcoming interviews.

Latest Reviews

For more than two decades, Sy Montgomery has kept a flock of chickens in her backyard. Each chicken has an individual personality and connects with Sy in her own way. In WHAT THE CHICKEN KNOWS, Sy takes us inside the flock and reveals all the things that make chickens such remarkable creatures. Only hours after leaving the egg, they are able to walk, run and peck; relationships are important to them, and the average chicken can recognize more than a hundred other chickens; they remember the past and anticipate the future; and they communicate specific information through at least 24 distinct calls. Visitors to her home are astonished by all of this, but for Sy what’s more astonishing is how little most people know about chickens, especially considering there are about 20 percent more chickens on earth than people.

Columnist Anna Appleby has left her love life behind after a painful divorce. Who needs a man when she has two kids, a cat and uncontested control of the TV remote? Besides, she’d rather be single than subject herself to the hell of online dating. But her office rival is vying for her column, and no column means no stable source of income. In a desperate attempt to keep her job, Anna finds herself pitching a unique angle: seven dates, all found offline, chosen by her children. From awkward encounters to unexpected connections, Anna gamely begins to put herself out there, asking out waiters, the mailman and even her celebrity crush. But when a romantic connection appears where she least expected it, will she be brave enough to take another chance on love?

Benjamin Franklin was one of the preeminent scientists of his time. Driven by curiosity, he conducted cutting-edge research on electricity, heat, ocean currents, weather patterns, chemical bonds and plants. But today, Franklin is remembered more for his political prowess and diplomatic achievements than his scientific creativity. In INGENIOUS, Richard Munson recovers this vital part of Franklin’s story, reveals his modern relevance, and offers a compelling portrait of a shrewd experimenter, clever innovator and visionary physicist whose fame opened doors to negotiate French support and funding for American independence. Munson’s riveting narrative explores how science underpins Franklin’s entire story and argues that his political life cannot be understood without giving proper credit to his scientific accomplishments.

Munichs by David Peace - Historical Fiction

In 1958, Manchester United was flying high. The best-known soccer team in the world and reigning English champions, the team was led by a bright young group of star players nicknamed the “Busby Babes” after their charismatic manager Matt Busby. But on a snowy afternoon that February, a plane carrying the team back from a European Cup match crashed on takeoff in Munich, killing 23 people --- including eight Manchester United players and three team officials. The accident destroyed the team, traumatized fans all over the world, and devastated the tight-knit community in Manchester. In MUNICHS, renowned novelist David Peace reimagines the crash and its aftermath, dramatizing the deep scars it left on British society.

The first lyricist to win the Pulitzer Prize, Ira Gershwin (1896–1983) has been hailed as one of the masters of the Great American Songbook, a period that covers songs written largely for Broadway and Hollywood from the 1920s to the 1950s. Now, in this first full-length biography devoted to his life, Michael Owen brings Ira out at last from the long shadow cast by his younger and more famous brother, George. Drawing on extensive archival sources and often using Ira’s own words, Owen has crafted a rich portrait of the modest man who penned the words to many of America’s best-loved songs, like “Fascinating Rhythm,” “Embraceable You” and “They Can’t Take That Away from Me.”

In the blazing hot summer of 1994, there’s nothing for Cora Mowat to do but hang around in empty parking lots. Stuck in her mother's small house and tired of her own restless mind, she’s desperate to break free of the limits of Fife but unsure of what the future holds --- if it holds anything at all for a girl like her trying to find her way in the world. After her mother invites a new man to live with them, tensions quickly rise in the cramped house. Gunner is kind but also strange --- a one-eyed shoplifter with more than a few hidden secrets. But when tragedy strikes shortly after, Cora rebels against her small-town existence in search of love, acceptance and a path to something good. If only she can learn to navigate her grief and everything she thinks she knows about who she is and what she might be capable of, she finally may find the way forward.

The Incubations by Ramsey Campbell - Supernatural Thriller/Horror

Leo Parker's stay in Alphafen seems idyllic, but after he leaves, the nightmares begin. An airport turns into a labyrinth. His own words become treacherous, if not lethal. And what are those creatures in the photographs he took? Even the therapy Leo undertakes becomes a source of menace. Perhaps Leo has roused an ancient Alpine legend. Even once he understands what he brought back, his attempts to overcome its influence may lead into greater nightmares still.