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On Wednesday morning, I read the very sad news that Sophie Kinsella had died from glioblastoma, which she was diagnosed with three years ago. She was an author who brought me so much joy when I read her books. She wrote funny but also very smart women’s fiction with her lead character, Becky Bloomwood, in her Shopaholic books. The first installment in the series, CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC, was published in the US in 2001. That was five years after Bookreporter launched and three years after “Sex and the City” premiered with Carrie Bradshaw embracing her own sense of style. I still remember reading an early copy of that book and wanting to talk about it with everyone.

THE NAVIGATOR'S LETTER brings to light one of the best untold and dangerous stories of World War II. Releasing on February 10th, Jan Cress Dondi’s book chronicles a moving and heroic story of patriotic duty, familial bonds, brotherhood and love. In her holiday blog post, Jan talks about one of her most cherished gifts, which has touched multiple generations of her family and has become a treasured holiday keepsake.

We kick off this year’s Holiday Author Blog series with Thrity Umrigar, the bestselling author of such novels as HONOR, which was a Reese's Book Club pick, as well as three picture books and a memoir. Her upcoming novel, MISSING SAM, which releases on January 27th, is the tense and twisty story of a woman who goes missing on a morning run and her wife's determination to both find her and clear her own name. Thrity recalls a book that her friend gave her one snowy Christmas in Ohio. Reading it that night brought up a flood of holiday memories and made her think about all the other special gifts she has received.

Last week was the first week back from Bouchercon in New Orleans. It also was Joe Hartlaub’s birthday. All three of those things --- Bouchercon, the World Mystery Convention; New Orleans, the Crescent City of Jazz and Mardi Gras; and birthdays in general --- were beloved by my late and much-lamented friend. Joe was a reviewer for Bookreporter.com, and he was one of the best. He loved crime fiction. And as an entertainment lawyer who was part of the music scene for decades, he knew a lot about where the actual bodies were buried. With his porkpie hat, twinkle and cherubically “wise guy” smile, he could have stepped out of the pages of Damon Runyon or “The Sopranos” with equal verve.

We wrap up this year’s Mother’s Day Author Blog series with Sharon Kurtzman, whose debut novel, THE LOST BAKER OF VIENNA, releases on August 19th and is inspired by the experiences of her own family after the Holocaust. Starting at the age of eight, when she moved to a new town, Sharon has such fond memories of going to the library with her parents and older brother. She is forever grateful to her mother for introducing her to the joys of reading and reminding her that, no matter where you are, the library always will be your home away from home.

The newly released A FASHIONABLY FRENCH MURDER is the third installment in Colleen Cambridge’s An American in Paris Mystery series. American expat Tabitha Knight has found a new life in postwar Paris, along with a delightful friend in aspiring chef Julia Child. Yet there are perils in peacetime too, as a killer infiltrates one of the city’s most famous fashion houses. Colleen was a voracious reader at a very young age, and that’s because her mother instilled in her the same love of books that she had. This helped pave the way for Colleen to develop a special bookish bond with her own children.

Internationally bestselling author Anna Snoekstra is back with her latest novel, THE ONES WE LOVE, which is now available. This gripping domestic thriller follows the newly transplanted Jansen family, who moved from Australia to Los Angeles for a fresh start. When their reality soon turns into a living nightmare, they each must ask themselves how far they will go to protect the ones they love. Anna’s mother certainly knows a thing or two about protecting her daughter. Read on as Anna explains how a trip to the library when she was seven years old became one of the most important days of her life.

We welcome back Mary Dixie Carter to our Mother’s Day Author Blog series. This time, she turns her attention to roses and why her mother was so fond of them. As a tribute to her mother, the titular character in Mary Dixie’s upcoming novel, MARGUERITE BY THE LAKE (which releases on May 20th), has a deep love of roses. The book is about the death of a glamorous garden designer, a widower trying to keep his secrets buried, and the beautiful young gardener who finds herself entangled in their lives.

We are kicking off this year’s Mother’s Day Author Blog series with Nita Prose, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Molly the Maid mysteries. Her latest novel, THE MAID’S SECRET, wraps up the series and reveals long-buried secrets as a daring art heist takes place at the Regency Grand Hotel, threatening Molly’s life. Nita’s mother, Jackie, was known for telling stories that stretched the imagination, though she never admitted to making them up. It wasn’t until Jackie passed away a few years ago that Nita gained more insight into these supposedly tall tales and realized the gift that her mother gave her as a writer.

Last year, Florida-based travel advisor and book lover Corinne Levine reached out to me with a proposition. She had recently developed a book-centered travel company, called Novel Travels, and asked if I’d be her inaugural author. Intrigued, we met in person when she came into town and immediately hit it off. I’m thrilled to report that the first-ever “Fiona Davis Books On Tour” launched on a warm weekend this past March and was a huge success, even more so than I’d ever imagined.