October 11, 2022

October 11, 2022

In this newsletter, you will find books releasing the weeks of October 10th and October 17th that we think will be of interest to Bookreporter.com readers, along with Bonus News, where we call out a contest, feature or review that we want to let you know about so you have it on your radar.

This week, we are calling attention to the discussion guide for Leigh Seippel's debut novel, RUIN: A Novel of Flyfishing in Bankruptcy, which we currently are featuring on ReadingGroupGuides.com. This vivid story opens with every couple’s nightmare --- the disappearance of their comfortable known world. RUIN’s adventure explores the unpredictable progression of character and chance for Francy and Frank Campbell, newly destitute in their early 30s, along with their lovers and foes. And a murder investigator.

Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events

As many book and author events are still happening online these days, we are highlighting a number of them that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links below for more info and to register.

Wednesday, October 12th at 2pm ET: "Bookaccino Live: A Lively Talk About Books": Carol Fitzgerald will present titles releasing between October 11th and November 1st, along with a few from December, that she would like to get on your radar.

Wednesday, October 12th at 4pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: David Baldacci will discuss LONG SHADOWS, his latest Memory Man thriller featuring FBI agent Amos Decker, who returns to investigate the mysterious and brutal murder of a federal judge and her bodyguard at her home in an exclusive, gated community in Florida.

Wednesday, October 12th at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors --- Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey and Patti Callahan Henry --- will talk to Veronica Roth about her new novel for adults, POSTER GIRL.

Thursday, October 13th at 7pm ET: Simon & Schuster's Fall 2022 AuthorFest: Simon & Schuster partners with the book festival community each season to bring exclusive author programming to readers across the US. Their Fall 2022 AuthorFest event will feature New York Times bestselling authors John Irving and Jason Reynolds in conversation with Simon & Schuster's CEO, Jonathan Karp.

Monday, October 17th at 8pm ET: Random House Studio Sessions: Random House Studio Sessions is Random House's new event series featuring live conversations with the biggest names on your bookshelf, filmed in their studio and broadcast virtually to wherever you are. Join George Saunders as he discusses his new short story collection, LIBERATION DAY, with Tina Fey, who is one of the narrators of the audio version of the book.

This Week's Bonus News:
ReadingGroupGuides.com's Featured Guide for
RUIN by Leigh Seippel

On Sale the Week of October 10th in Hardcover

October 11th

1989: An Allie Burns Novel by Val McDermid (Thriller)
Allie Burns is now running the northern news operation of the Sunday Globe, chafing at losing her role in investigative journalism and at the descent into the gutter of the UK tabloid media. But there’s plenty to keep her occupied. The year begins with the memorial service for the victims of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, but Allie has barely filed her copy when she stumbles over a story about HIV/AIDS that will shock her into a major change of direction. The world of newspapers is undergoing a revolution, there’s skullduggery in the medical research labs, and there are seismic rumblings behind the Iron Curtain. When murder is added to this potent mix, Allie is forced to question all her old certainties.
Atlantic Monthly Press | 9780802160102

AN AMERICAN MARTYR IN PERSIA: The Epic Life and Tragic Death of Howard Baskerville by Reza Aslan (Biography)
Little known in America but venerated as a martyr in Iran, Howard Baskerville was a 22-year-old Christian missionary from South Dakota who traveled to Persia (modern-day Iran) in 1907 for a two-year stint teaching English and preaching the gospel. He arrived in the midst of a democratic revolution led by a group of brilliant young firebrands committed to transforming their country into a fully self-determining, constitutional monarchy, one with free elections and an independent parliament. The Persian students Baskerville educated in English in turn educated him about their struggle for democracy, ultimately inspiring him to leave his teaching post and join them in their fight against a tyrannical shah and his British and Russian backers.
W. W. Norton & Company | 9781324004479

BEASTS OF THE EARTH by James Wade (Fiction)
Harlen LeBlanc is a dependable, if quiet, employee of the Carter Hills High School's grounds department, whose carefully maintained routine is overthrown by an act of violence. As the town searches for answers, LeBlanc strikes out on his own to exonerate a friend, while drawing the eyes of the law to himself and fending off unwelcome voices that call for a sterner form of justice. Twenty years earlier, young Michael Fischer dreads the return of his father from prison. He spends his days stealing from trap lines in the Louisiana bayou to feed his fanatically religious mother and his cherished younger sister, Doreen. When his father eventually returns, an evil arrives in Michael's life that sends him running from everything he has ever known.
Blackstone Publishing | 9781665024082

CRADLES OF THE REICH by Jennifer Coburn (Historical Fiction)
At Heim Hochland, a Nazi breeding home in Bavaria, three women's fates are irrevocably intertwined. Gundi is a pregnant university student from Berlin. An Aryan beauty, she's secretly a member of a resistance group. Hilde, only 18, is a true believer in the cause and is thrilled to carry a Nazi official's child. And Irma, a 44-year-old nurse, is desperate to build a new life for herself after personal devastation. All three have everything to lose. Based on untold historical events, CRADLES OF THE REICH brings us intimately inside the Lebensborn Society maternity homes that actually existed in several countries during World War II, where thousands of "racially fit" babies were bred and taken from their mothers to be raised as part of the new Germany.
Sourcebooks Landmark | 9781728250748

DAUGHTERS OF THE NEW YEAR by E.M. Tran (Fiction)
In present-day New Orleans, Xuan Trung, former beauty queen turned refugee after the Fall of Saigon, is obsessed with divining her daughters' fates through their Vietnamese zodiac signs. But Trac, Nhi and Trieu diverge completely from their immigrant parents' expectations. Successful lawyer Trac hides her sexuality from her family; Nhi competes as the only woman of color on a “Bachelor”-esque reality TV show; and Trieu, a budding writer, is determined to learn more about her familial and cultural past. As the three sisters begin to encounter strange glimpses of long-buried secrets from the ancestors they never knew, the story of the Trung women unfurls to reveal the dramatic events that brought them to America.
Hanover Square Press | 9781335429230

DEAD MAN'S HAND: The Unorthodox Chronicles, Book 1 by James J. Butcher (Urban Fantasy)
On the streets of Boston, the world is divided into the ordinary Usuals and the paranormal Unorthodox. And in the Department of Unorthodox Affairs, the Auditors are the magical elite, government-sanctioned witches with spells at their command. Grimshaw Griswald Grimsby is not one of those witches. After flunking out of the Auditor training program and being dismissed as “not Department material,” Grimsby tried to resign himself to life as a mediocre witch. But he can’t help hoping he’ll somehow get another chance to prove his skill. That opportunity comes with a price when his former mentor, aka the most dangerous witch alive, is murdered down the street from where he works, and Grimsby is the Auditors’ number one suspect.
Ace | 9780593440414

DINOSAURS by Lydia Millet (Fiction)
DINOSAURS is the story of a man named Gil who walks from New York to Arizona to recover from a failed love. After he arrives, new neighbors move into the glass-walled house next door, and his life begins to mesh with theirs. In this warmly textured, dryly funny and philosophical account of Gil’s unexpected devotion to the family, Lydia Millet explores the uncanny territory where the self ends and community begins --- what one person can do in a world beset by emergencies.
W. W. Norton & Company | 9781324021469

DISTANT THUNDER: A Stone Barrington Novel by Stuart Woods (Thriller/Adventure)
During an intense storm in Dark Harbor, Maine, a perplexing murder lands a dead man on Stone Barrington's doorstep. As secrets swirl around this mystery man's identity, Stone quickly sets out to unravel a web of cunning misdirections and lies. Soon enough, he is embroiled in an elaborate game of cat and mouse between the CIA and nefarious foreign forces, including a bewitching new companion who comes under his protection. But when Stone's actions draw the attention of an old enemy, one who will stop at nothing to prevent the truth from getting out, Stone realizes he may have finally met his match.
G.P. Putnam's Sons | 9780593540039

DOWN AND OUT IN PARADISE: The Life of Anthony Bourdain by Charles Leerhsen (Biography)
Anthony Bourdain’s death by suicide in June 2018 shocked people around the world. Bourdain seemed to have it all: an irresistible personality, a dream job, a beautiful family and international fame. The reality, though, was more complicated than it seemed. Bourdain became a celebrity with his bestselling book, KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL. He parlayed it into a series of hit television shows, including Food Network’s “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations” and CNN’s “Parts Unknown.” But his charisma belied a troubled spirit. DOWN AND OUT IN PARADISE is the first book to tell the true and full Bourdain story, relating the highs and lows of an extraordinary life.
Simon & Schuster | 9781982140441

THE FURIES by John Connolly (Supernatural Thriller)
John Connolly pits private investigator Charlie Parker against two separate --- but vitally connected --- investigations, which prove to be among the most complicated of his entire career. In “The Sisters Strange,” criminal Raum Buker arrives in Portland, only for a shocking act of theft to threaten not only his own existence but those of his former lovers --- the enigmatic sisters Strange. And in the title novel, “The Furies,” Parker must protect two women under threat as Portland shuts down in the face of a global pandemic. Unbeknownst to him, however, these clients are more capable of taking care of themselves than anyone could have imagined.
Atria/Emily Bestler Books | 9781982177003

THE GRANDEST STAGE: A History of the World Series by Tyler Kepner (Sports/History)
The World Series is the most enduring showcase in American team sports. It’s the place where legends are made, where celebration and devastation can hinge on a fly ball off a foul pole or a grounder beneath a first baseman’s glove. In THE GRANDEST STAGE, New York Times national baseball columnist Tyler Kepner delivers an indelible portrait of baseball’s signature event. He digs deep for essential tales dating back to the beginning in 1903, adding insights from Hall of Famers like Reggie Jackson, Mike Schmidt, Jim Palmer, Dennis Eckersley and many others who have thrived --- and failed --- when it mattered most.
Doubleday | 9780385546256

THE HIGH NOTES by Danielle Steel (Fiction)
Iris Cooper has been singing ever since she can remember. When she is 12, her father convinces the owner of a bar in Lake City, Texas, to let her perform, and she stuns the audience. In the ensuing years, father and daughter move from one dusty town to the next. But it is not an easy life for Iris with her father in charge and using her income to pay for gambling, women and booze. When she starts to tour at age 18, she takes on a real manager. Yet he exploits her too, and the singers and musicians she tours with are really the only family she has. It is they who give Iris the courage to finally fly free, leave the tour and follow her dreams. Iris’ big chance comes as her talent soars. But at the top at last, she still has to fight every step of the way.
Delacorte Press | 9781984821744

THE HOLLOW KIND by Andy Davidson (Gothic Horror/Thriller)
Nellie Gardner is looking for a way out of an abusive marriage when she learns that her long-lost grandfather, August Redfern, has willed her his turpentine estate. It turns out that the "estate" is a decrepit farmhouse on a thousand acres of old pine forest, but Nellie is so thrilled about the chance for a fresh start for her and her son that she doesn't notice there's something wrong with Redfern Hill. Something lurks beneath the soil, ancient and hungry, with the power to corrupt hearts and destroy souls.
MCD | 9780374538569

ILLUMINATIONS: Stories by Alan Moore (Metaphysical Fiction/Short Stories)
In his first-ever short story collection, Alan Moore presents a series of wildly different characters who discover --- and in some cases even make and unmake --- the various uncharted parts of existence. In "A Hypothetical Lizard," two concubines in a brothel of fantastical specialists fall in love with tragic ramifications. In "Not Even Legend," a paranormal study group is infiltrated by one of the otherworldly beings they seek to investigate. In "Illuminations," a nostalgic older man decides to visit a seaside resort from his youth and finds the past all too close at hand. And in the novella "What We Can Know About Thunderman," Moore charts the surreal and Kafkaesque history of the comics industry's major players over the last 75 years.
Bloomsbury Publishing | 9781635578805

LITTLE EVE by Catriona Ward (Gothic Horror/Mystery)
On the wind-battered isle of Altnaharra, off the wildest coast of Scotland, a clan prepares to bring about the end of the world and its imminent rebirth. The Adder is coming, and one of their number will inherit its powers. They all want the honor, but young Eve is willing to do anything for the distinction. A reckoning beyond Eve’s imagination begins when Chief Inspector Black arrives to investigate a brutal murder, and their sacred ceremony goes terribly wrong. And soon all the secrets of Altnaharra will be uncovered.
Tor Nightfire | 9781250812650

LONG SHADOWS: A Memory Man Thriller by David Baldacci (Thriller)
When Amos Decker is called to South Florida to investigate a double homicide, the case appears straightforward: A federal judge and her bodyguard have been found dead, the judge’s face sporting a blindfold with two eye holes crudely cut out. What at first seems cut and dry is anything but: Not only did the judge have more enemies than Decker can count, the bodyguard presents additional conundrums that muddy the waters even further. Who was the real target in this vicious attack? Meanwhile, Decker must contend with a series of unsettling changes, including a new partner --- Special Agent Frederica “Freddie” White --- and a devastating event that brings Decker’s own tragic past back to the present and forces him to reckon with his future.
Grand Central Publishing | 9781538719824

THE MAZE: A John Corey Novel by Nelson DeMille (Thriller)
In PLUM ISLAND, Nelson DeMille introduced readers to NYPD homicide detective John Corey, who we first meet sitting on the back porch of his uncle’s waterfront estate on Long Island, convalescing from wounds incurred in the line of duty. A visit from the local Chief of Police results in the legendary Detective Corey becoming involved in the investigation of the murders of a married couple who were scientists at the top-secret biological research facility on Plum Island. THE MAZE opens with Corey on the same porch, but now in forced retirement from his last job as a Federal Agent with the Diplomatic Surveillance Group. When his former lover, Detective Beth Penrose, appears with a job offer, Corey once again has to make some decisions about his career --- and about reuniting with Beth Penrose.
Scribner | 9781501101786

THE ORACLE OF MARACOOR by Gregory Maguire (Fantasy)
THE ORACLE OF MARACOOR continues the story of Elphaba’s green-skinned granddaughter, Rain. That strange land, Maracoor --- across the ocean from Oz --- is beset by an invading army. In the mayhem, Rain and Cossy, a child felon, break out of prison. Helped by a few flying monkeys, they struggle to escape the city before it falls under siege. Their arresting officer, Lucikles, also retreats with his family to a highland redoubt. But safety eludes them all. Chaos thunders upon them in the form of warriors, refugees and brigands. The very fabric of reality loosens, liberating creatures of myth and legend. Cued in by secrets known only to the most highly placed members of the royal court, Rain and her companions hunt the fabled Oracle of Maracoor for guidance and soothsaying.
William Morrow | 9780063094017

THE OTHER SIDE OF NIGHT by Adam Hamdy (Psychological Thriller)
THE OTHER SIDE OF NIGHT begins with a man named David Asha writing about his biggest regret: his sudden separation from his son, Elliot. In his grief, David tells a story. Next, we step into the life of Harriet Kealty, a police officer trying to clear her name after a lapse of judgment. She discovers a curious inscription in a secondhand book: Help me, he’s trying to kill me. Who wrote this note? Who is “he”? This note leads Harri to David Asha, who was last seen stepping off a cliff. Police suspect he couldn’t cope after his wife’s sudden death. Still, why would this man jump and leave behind his young son? Quickly, Harri’s attention zeroes in on a person she knows all too well: Ben Elmys, who was once the love of her life and may also be a murderer.
Atria Books | 9781982196189

THE RIVER OF SILVER: Tales from the Daevabad Trilogy by S. A. Chakraborty (Historical Fantasy)
Bestselling author S. A. Chakraborty’s acclaimed Daevabad Trilogy gets expanded with this new compilation of stories from before, during and after the events of THE CITY OF BRASS, THE KINGDOM OF COPPER and THE EMPIRE OF GOLD, all from the perspective of characters both beloved and hated, and even those without a voice in the novels. THE RIVER OF SILVER gathers material both seen and new --- including a special coda fans will need to read --- making this the perfect complement to those incredible novels.
Harper Voyager | 9780063093737

SANTA'S LITTLE YELPERS: An Andy Carpenter Mystery by David Rosenfelt (Mystery)
Lawyer Andy Carpenter and his golden retriever, Tara, are surrounded by holiday cheer. It’s even spread to the Tara Foundation. The dog rescue organization, not used to having puppies, has their hands full with a recent litter. Eight puppies are a lot to handle, and Andy is relieved when his co-worker, Chris Myers, agrees to foster them. Myers, a newer employee at the Tara Foundation, did time for a crime he swears he didn’t commit. When Myers discovers a key witness against him lied on the stand, he goes to Andy to ask for representation in getting the conviction overturned. Myers thinks they can have this wrapped up by Christmas. But when the witness is murdered, and Myers is arrested for the crime, things go from bad to worse.
Minotaur Books | 9781250828811

SOMEWHERE SISTERS: A Story of Adoption, Identity, and the Meaning of Family by Erika Hayasaki (Biography)
Identical twins Isabella and Hà were born in Nha Trang, Vietnam, in 1998, where their mother struggled to care for them. Hà was taken in by their biological aunt and grew up in a rural village. Hà’s twin sister, Loan, spent time in an orphanage before a wealthy, white American family adopted her and renamed her Isabella. Isabella grew up in the suburbs of Chicago with a nonbiological sister, Olivia, also adopted from Vietnam. But when Isabella’s adoptive mother learned of Isabella’s biological twin back in Vietnam, all of their lives changed forever. Award-winning journalist Erika Hayasaki spent years and hundreds of hours interviewing each of the birth and adoptive family members and tells the girls’ incredible story from their perspectives.
Algonquin Books | 9781616209124

On Sale the Week of October 10th in Paperback

October 11th

1979: An Allie Burns Novel by Val McDermid (Thriller)
For journalist Allie Burns, someone else's bad news is the unmistakable sound of opportunity knocking, an opportunity to get away from the "women's stories" her editors at the Scottish daily The Clarion keep assigning her. Striking up an alliance with budding investigative journalist Danny Sullivan, Allie begins covering international tax fraud, then a group of Scottish ultranationalists aiming to cause mayhem ahead of a referendum on breaking away from the United Kingdom. Their stories quickly get attention and create enemies for the two young up-and-comers. As they get closer to the bleeding edge of breaking news, Allie and Danny may find their lives on the line.
Grove Press | 9780802160348

BEFORE I DO by Sophie Cousens (Romantic Comedy)
Paperback Original
Head-in-the-stars Audrey is about to marry down-to-earth Josh. Though they are polar opposites, they have a healthy, stable relationship. But romance should be unpredictable and full of fireworks, and as the big day approaches, Audrey has found herself wondering if Josh really is "The One." So when Josh’s sister shows up to the rehearsal dinner with Fred, Audrey’s "What If? guy" --- the man she met six years ago and had one amazing day with --- Audrey finds herself torn. When everything that could go wrong with the wedding starts to go wrong, Audrey has to ask herself: Is fate trying to stop her from making a huge mistake? Or does destiny just have a really twisty sense of humor?
G.P. Putnam's Sons | 9780593539873

BEST IN SNOW: An Andy Carpenter Mystery by David Rosenfelt (Mystery)
Christmas has come early to the town of Paterson, New Jersey, in the form of a snowstorm that dumps two feet of snow on the ground. Lawyer Andy Carpenter likes snow, but it can cause problems for the walks he takes his dogs on every day. When Andy’s golden retriever, Tara, goes to play in the snow and instead discovers a body, Andy ends up on the phone with the local newspaper editor. The murder victim is Mayor Alex Oliva, who had an infamous relationship with the newspaper. Last year a young reporter published an exposé, and Oliva had him fired for libel. Now, the young reporter --- and prime suspect --- is in need of a lawyer. Andy agrees to take the case, though it’s not looking good this holiday season.
Minotaur Books | 9781250847201

A BLIZZARD OF POLAR BEARS by Alice Henderson (Thriller)
Fresh off her wolverine study in Montana, wildlife biologist Alex Carter lands a job studying a threatened population of polar bears in the Canadian Arctic. Embedded with a small team of Arctic researchers, she tracks the majestic bears by air, following them over vast, snowy terrain, spending days leaning precariously out of a helicopter with a tranquilizer gun, until she can get down on the ice to examine them up close. But as her study progresses, and she gathers data on the health of individual bears, things start to go awry. Her helicopter pilot quits unexpectedly, equipment goes missing, and a late-night intruder breaks into her lab and steals the samples she’s collected. Someone doesn’t want her to complete her study, but Alex is not easily deterred.
William Morrow Paperbacks | 9780062982117

THE CHANCELLOR: The Remarkable Odyssey of Angela Merkel by Kati Marton (Biography)
Angela Merkel has always been an outsider. A pastor’s daughter raised in Soviet-controlled East Germany, she spent her 20s working as a research chemist, entering politics only after the fall of the Berlin Wall. And yet, within 15 years, she had become chancellor of Germany and, before long, the unofficial leader of the West. In THE CHANCELLOR, acclaimed biographer Kati Marton sets out to pierce the mystery of Merkel’s unlikely ascent. With unparalleled access to the chancellor’s inner circle and a trove of records only recently come to light, she teases out the unique political genius that had been the secret to Merkel’s success.
Simon & Schuster | 9781501192630

CIRCUS OF WONDERS by Elizabeth Macneal (Historical Fiction)
In 1860s England, circus mania is sweeping the nation. When Jasper Jupiter’s Circus of Wonders pitches its tent in a poor coastal town, the life of one young girl changes forever. Sold to the ringmaster as a “leopard girl” because of the birthmarks that cover her body, Nell is utterly devastated. But as she grows close to the other performers, she finds herself enchanted by the glittering freedom of the circus, and by her own role as the Queen of the Moon and Stars. Before long, Nell’s fame spreads across the world --- and with it, a chance for Jasper Jupiter to grow his own name and fortune. But what happens when her fame begins to eclipse his own, when even Jasper’s loyal brother, Toby, becomes captivated by Nell?
Atria/Emily Bestler Books | 9781982106805

CONFESSIONS OF THE OTHER SISTER by Beth Harbison (Fiction)
Paperback Original
Frances Turner has a confession to make: her sister, Crosby, drives her crazy. The woman wakes up in the morning with perfect hair. Men flock to her. And she somehow managed to jump out of the frying pan and into fame, writing a blockbuster novel --- and making a zillion bucks --- without even trying. And Frances, who has followed every rule, is stuck in pause. Crosby Turner has a confession as well: Frances locks herself in a miserable little box, and Crosby can’t understand it. With her fear of the unknown and her “Franic Attacks,” her sister is a small-time actress with big-time dreams --- and talent --- but playing by the rules gets her nowhere. Why can’t she break loose and climb out of her rut? Then fate intervenes, throwing these incompatible siblings together.
William Morrow Paperbacks | 9780062958662

CURSE OF SALEM: A Bishop/Special Crimes Unit Novel by Kay Hooper (Supernatural Thriller)
The small town of Salem has been quiet for months --- or so Bishop and his elite Special Crimes Unit believe. But then Hollis Templeton and Diana Hayes receive a warning in Diana's eerie "gray time" between the world of the living and the realm of the dead that a twisted killer is stalking Salem, bent on destroying in the most bloody and horrifying way possible the five families that founded the town. The stakes are high, especially for new friends Nellie Cavendish and Finn Deverell, both members of the Five. This time Bishop and his wife, Miranda, will lead the team to hunt down a vicious killer and uncover a dark and ancient curse haunting Salem.
Berkley | 9781984802934

DAUGHTER OF THE MOON GODDESS by Sue Lynn Tan (Fantasy)
Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the powerful Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when Xingyin’s magic flares and her existence is discovered, she is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind. Alone, untrained and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an opportunity to learn alongside the Crown Prince, mastering archery and magic, even as passion flames between her and the emperor’s son. To save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies across the earth and skies.
Harper Voyager | 9780063031319

A DOG’S PERFECT CHRISTMAS by W. Bruce Cameron (Fiction)
The problems fracturing the Goss family as Christmas approaches are hardly unique, though perhaps they are handling them a little differently than most people might. But then a true emergency arises, one with the potential to ruin not only Christmas, but everything holding the family together. Is the arrival of a lost puppy yet another in the string of calamities facing them, or could the little canine be just what they all need?
Forge Books | 9781250799616

DOLPHIN JUNCTION: Stories by Mick Herron (Crime Fiction/Short Stories)
Mick Herron, author of the Slough House novels, is on his way to becoming one of the most critically acclaimed and culturally important crime fiction writers of the 21st century. He has been awarded both the Gold and Steel Daggers by the Crime Writers’ Association and has been called “the John le Carré of the future” (BBC). Now, for the first time, his short fiction has been collected into one volume. Five stand-alone nerve-rackingly thrilling crime fiction stories are complemented by four mystery stories featuring the Oxford wife-and-husband detective team of shrewd Zoë Boehm and hapless Joe Silvermann. The collection also includes a peek into the past of Jackson Lamb, the irascible top agent at Slough House.
Soho Crime | 9781641294034

THE FAMILY by Naomi Krupitsky (Historical Fiction)
Sofia Colicchio is a free spirit, loud and untamed. Antonia Russo is thoughtful, ever observing the world around her. Best friends since birth, they live in the shadow of their fathers’ unspoken community: the Family. But the disappearance of Antonia’s father drives a whisper-thin wedge between the girls as they grow into women, wives, mothers and leaders. Their hearts expand in tandem with Red Hook and Brooklyn around them, as they push against the boundaries of society’s expectations and fight to preserve their complex but life-sustaining friendship. One fateful night their loyalty to each other and the Family will be tested. Only one of them can pull the trigger before it’s too late.
G.P. Putnam’s Sons | 9780525542001

FAN FICTION: A Mem-Noir: Inspired by True Events by Brent Spiner (Thriller/Humor)
Set in 1991, just as "Star Trek: The Next Generation" has rocketed the cast to global fame, the young and impressionable actor Brent Spiner receives a mysterious package and a series of disturbing letters that take him on a terrifying and bizarre journey that enlists Paramount Security, the LAPD and even the FBI in putting a stop to the danger that has his life and career hanging in the balance. Featuring a cast of characters from Patrick Stewart to Levar Burton to "Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry, to some completely imagined, this is the fictional autobiography that takes readers into the life of Brent Spiner, and tells an amazing tale about the trappings of celebrity and the fear he has carried with him his entire life.
St. Martin’s Griffin | 9781250846730

GOD REST YE, ROYAL GENTLEMEN: A Royal Spyness Mystery by Rhys Bowen (Historical Mystery)
Darcy’s aunt Ermintrude has moved to a house on the edge of the Sandringham estate, near the royal family, and wants to invite her nephew and his new bride, Georgie, for Christmas. Georgie soon learns that the notorious Mrs. Simpson, mistress to the Prince of Wales, also will be in attendance. It is now crystal clear to Georgie that the Queen expects her to do a bit of spying. There have been a couple of strange accidents at the estate recently. Two gentlemen of the royal household have died under mysterious circumstances, and another has been shot by mistake during a hunt. Georgie begins to suspect that a member of the royal family is the real target, but her investigation will put her new husband and love of her life in the crosshairs of a killer.
Berkley | 9780440000099

MISTAKES WERE MADE by Meryl Wilsner (Romantic Comedy)
Paperback Original
When Cassie Klein goes to an off-campus bar to escape her school’s Family Weekend, she isn’t looking for a hookup --- it just happens. Buying a drink for a stranger turns into what should be an uncomplicated, amazing one-night stand. But then the next morning rolls around, and her friend drags her along to meet her mom --- the hot, older woman Cassie slept with. Erin Bennett came to Family Weekend to get closer to her daughter, not have a one-night stand with a college senior. In her defense, she hadn’t known Cassie was a student when they'd met. What should've been a one-time fling quickly proves impossible to ignore, and soon Cassie and Erin are sneaking around. Worst of all, they start to realize they have something real. But is being honest about the love between them worth the cost?
St. Martin's Griffin | 9781250841001

MURDER UNDER HER SKIN: A Pentecost and Parker Mystery by Stephen Spotswood (Historical Mystery)
Someone has put a blade in the back of the Amazing Tattooed Woman, and Willowjean “Will” Parker’s former knife-throwing mentor has been stitched up for the crime. To uncover the truth, Will and her boss, world-famous detective Lillian Pentecost, travel to the circus, where they find a snake pit of old grudges, small-town crime and secrets worth killing for. Will called Hart & Halloway’s Traveling Circus and Sideshow home for five years, and Ruby Donner, the circus’s tattooed ingenue, was her friend. To make matters worse, the prime suspect is Valentin Kalishenko, the man who taught Will everything she knows about putting a knife where it needs to go. To uncover the real killer and keep Kalishenko from a date with the electric chair, Will and Ms. Pentecost join the circus in sleepy Stoppard, Virginia.
Vintage Crime/Black Lizard | 9780593312803

MY MONTICELLO: Fiction by Jocelyn Nicole Johnson (Fiction/Short Stories)
Set in the near future, the book's eponymous novella, “My Monticello,” tells of a diverse group of Charlottesville neighbors fleeing violent white supremacists. Led by Da’Naisha, a young Black descendant of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, they seek refuge in Jefferson’s historic plantation home in a desperate attempt to outlive the long-foretold racial and environmental unravelling within the nation. Jocelyn Nicole Johnson’s characters all seek out home as a place and an internal state, whether in the form of a Nigerian widower who immigrates to a meager existence in the city of Alexandria, finding himself adrift; a young mixed-race woman who adopts a new tongue and name to escape the landscapes of rural Virginia and her family; or a single mother who seeks salvation through “Buying a House Ahead of the Apocalypse.”
Holt Paperbacks | 9781250848536

THE POSTMISTRESS OF PARIS by Meg Waite Clayton (Historical Fiction)
Wealthy, beautiful Naneé was born with a spirit of adventure. For her, learning to fly is freedom. When German tanks roll across the border and into Paris, this woman with an adorable dog and a generous heart joins the resistance. Known as the Postmistress because she delivers information to those in hiding, Naneé uses her charms and skill to house the hunted and deliver them to safety. Photographer Edouard Moss has escaped Germany with his young daughter only to be interned in a French labor camp. His life collides with Nanée’s in this sweeping tale of romance and danger set in a world aflame with personal and political passion.
Harper Paperbacks | 9780062946997

THE SANTA SUIT by Mary Kay Andrews (Fiction)
When newly divorced Ivy Perkins buys an old farmhouse sight unseen, she is definitely looking for a change in her life. The Four Roses, as the farmhouse is called, is a labor of love, but Ivy didn't bargain on just how much labor. The previous family left so much furniture and so much junk that it's a full-time job sorting through all of it. At the top of a closet, Ivy finds an old Santa suit --- beautifully made and decades old. In the pocket of a suit she finds a note written in a childish hand: it's from a little girl who has one Christmas wish, and that is for her father to return home from the war. This discovery sets Ivy off on a mission. Who wrote the note? Did the man ever come home? What mysteries did the Rose family hold?
St. Martin’s Griffin | 9781250858450

SECRET LIVES by Mark de Castrique (Mystery)
Paperback Original
Former FBI agent-turned-boardinghouse landlady Ethel Fiona Crestwater can outthink and outshoot most men --- and women --- half her age. When someone murders one of her boarders, Ethel springs into action --- much to the surprise of her double-first-cousin-twice-removed, Jesse, who has recently come to stay with her while he attends university. As he watches her photograph the crime scene, conceal evidence and speed-dial the Secret Service director, Jesse realizes that there's much more to Ethel than appearances suggest. When Jesse is assaulted and the gym bag full of cash Ethel had hidden is stolen from the basement, the pair decides it's time to launch their own unofficial investigation.
Poisoned Pen Press | 9781728258300

WHEN TWO FEATHERS FELL FROM THE SKY by Margaret Verble (Historical Fiction)
Two Feathers, a young Cherokee horse-diver on loan to Glendale Park Zoo from a Wild West show, is determined to find her own way in the world. Two’s closest friend at Glendale is Hank Crawford, who loves horses almost as much as she does. He is part of a high-achieving, land-owning Black family. Neither Two nor Hank fit easily into the highly segregated society of 1920s Nashville. When disaster strikes during one of Two’s shows, strange things start to happen at the park. Vestiges of the ancient past begin to surface, apparitions appear, and then the hippo falls mysteriously ill. At the same time, Two dodges her unsettling, lurking admirer and bonds with Clive, Glendale’s zookeeper and a World War I veteran, who is haunted --- literally --- by horrific memories of war.
Mariner Books | 9780063269101

On Sale the Week of October 17th in Hardcover

October 18th

THE ABYSS: Nuclear Crisis Cuba 1962 by Max Hastings (History)
In THE ABYSS, Max Hastings turns his focus to one of the most terrifying events of the mid-20th century --- the 13 days in October 1962 when the world stood on the brink of nuclear war. Hastings looks at the conflict with fresh eyes, focusing on the people at the heart of the crisis --- American President John F. Kennedy, Soviet First Secretary Nikita Khrushchev, Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro, and a host of their advisors. As the action moves back and forth from Moscow to Washington, DC, to Havana, Hastings seeks to explain, as much as to describe, the attitudes and conduct of the Soviets, Cubans and Americans, and to recreate the tension and heightened fears of countless innocent bystanders whose lives hung in the balance.
Harper | 9780062980137

AND THERE WAS LIGHT: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle by Jon Meacham (Biography)
Hated and hailed, excoriated and revered, Abraham Lincoln was at the pinnacle of American power when implacable secessionists gave no quarter in a clash of visions bound up with money, race, identity and faith. In him we can see the possibilities of the presidency as well as its limitations. At once familiar and elusive, Lincoln tends to be seen as the greatest of American presidents --- a remote icon --- or as a politician driven more by calculation than by conviction. This illuminating new portrait gives us a very human Lincoln --- an imperfect man whose moral antislavery commitment began as he grew up in an antislavery Baptist community; who insisted that slavery was a moral evil; and who sought, as he put it, to do right as God gave him to see the right.
Random House | 9780553393965

THE BOYS FROM BILOXI by John Grisham (Legal Thriller)
For most of the last hundred years, Biloxi was known for its beaches, resorts and seafood industry. But it had a darker side. It was also notorious for corruption and vice, everything from gambling, prostitution, bootleg liquor and drugs to contract killings. The vice was controlled by a small cabal of mobsters, many of them rumored to be members of the Dixie Mafia. Keith Rudy and Hugh Malco grew up in Biloxi in the ’60s and were childhood friends, as well as Little League all-stars. But as teenagers, their lives took them in different directions. Keith’s father became a legendary prosecutor, determined to “clean up the Coast.” Hugh’s father became the “Boss” of Biloxi’s criminal underground. The two families were headed for a showdown, one that would happen in a courtroom.
Doubleday | 9780385548922

THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT by Debbie Macomber (Romance)
Peter Armstrong and Hank Colfax are best friends, but their lives couldn’t be more different. Peter is the local pastor who is dedicated to his community --- spending time visiting the flock, attending meetings, and, with the holiday season approaching, preparing for the Christmas service and live nativity. As a bartender, Hank serves a much different customer base at his family-owned tavern, including a handful of lonely regulars and the local biker gang. When Peter scoffs that Hank has it easy compared to him, the two decide to switch jobs until Christmas Eve. To their surprise, the responsibilities of a bartender and a pastor are similar, but taking on the other’s work is more difficult than either Peter or Hank expected.
Ballantine Books | 9780593500101

COMFORT BAKING: Feel-Good Food to Savor and Share by Stephanie Wise (Cooking)
Baking has become more than a hobby or a means to a delicious end. Now more than ever, it also has become a source of solace, relief and relaxation. COMFORT BAKING focuses on easy-to-follow recipes that make people feel good from the inside out. For anyone who is looking for a moment in the kitchen as a time to create, worship, relax or prepare a recipe for a friend in need, this is your guidebook. In addition to over 100 recipes that exude comfort from beginning to end, baker Stephanie Wise includes plenty of helpful tips along the way to make the process as simple and enjoyable as possible. Whether you're preparing a quiche or whipping up a late-night batch of cookies, the recipes in this book are guaranteed to bring you and the people you share your creations with comfort.
Herald Press | 9781513810294

DEMON COPPERHEAD by Barbara Kingsolver (Fiction)
DEMON COPPERHEAD is set in the mountains of southern Appalachia. It’s the story of a boy born to a teenaged single mother in a single-wide trailer, with no assets beyond his dead father’s good looks and copper-colored hair, a caustic wit and a fierce talent for survival. In a plot that never pauses for breath, relayed in his own unsparing voice, he braves the modern perils of foster care, child labor, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, disastrous loves and crushing losses. Through all of it, he reckons with his own invisibility in a popular culture where even the superheroes have abandoned rural people in favor of cities.
Harper | 9780063251922

DUPLICITY: A Brick Kavanagh Mystery by Shawn Wilson (Mystery)
After the trauma of his last case, and after three months spent recovering in Ireland, life is looking up for newly retired homicide detective Brian (Brick) Kavanagh. Back home in Washington, D.C., a new job shows promise when he’s asked to train criminology students in cold case techniques. Then he’s off to a whirlwind weekend in Chicago with Nora, an Aer Lingus flight attendant he’d met in Ireland. There he receives shocking news that his former partner’s wife and twin infants have been kidnapped. Brick rushes to D.C. to support Ron, the man who’s always had his back. But as days pass, Brick questions how well he really knows this man.
Oceanview Publishing | 9781608095100

THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF AN ORDINARY MAN: A Memoir written by Paul Newman, edited by David Rosenthal (Memoir)
In 1986, Paul Newman and his closest friend, screenwriter Stewart Stern, began an extraordinary project. Stuart was to compile an oral history, to have Newman’s family and friends and those who worked closely with him, talk about the actor’s life. And then Newman would work with Stewart and give his side of the story. The only stipulation was that anyone who spoke on the record had to be completely honest. That same stipulation applied to Newman himself. The project lasted five years. The result is an extraordinary memoir, culled from thousands of pages of transcripts. Newman’s voice is powerful, sometimes funny, sometimes painful, always meeting that high standard of searing honesty.
Knopf | 9780593534502

THE FAMILY GAME by Catherine Steadman (Psychological Thriller)
Harriet Reed, a novelist on the brink of literary stardom, is newly engaged to Edward Holbeck, the heir of an extremely powerful family. And even though Edward has long tried to sever ties with them, news of the couple’s marital bliss has the Holbecks inching back into their lives. As Harriet is drawn into their lavish world, the family seems perfectly welcoming. So when Edward’s father, Robert, hands Harriet a tape of a book he’s been working on, she is desperate to listen. But as she presses play, it’s clear that this isn’t just a novel. It’s a confession. A confession to a grisly crime. A murder. And, suddenly, the game is in motion. Feeling isolated and confused, Harriet must work out if this is part of a plan to test her loyalty. Or something far darker.
Ballantine Books | 9780593158067

A HEART FULL OF HEADSTONES: An Inspector Rebus Novel by Ian Rankin (Mystery)
John Rebus stands accused: on trial for a crime that could put him behind bars for the rest of his life. It’s not the first time the legendary detective has taken the law into his own hands, though it might be the last. But what drove a good man to cross the line? Detective Inspector Siobhan Clarke may well find out. Clarke is tasked with the city’s most explosive case in years: an infamous cop, at the center of decades of misconduct, has gone missing. Finding him will expose not only her superiors, but her mentor John Rebus. And Rebus himself may not have her own interests at heart, as the repayment of a past debt places him in the crosshairs of both crime lords and his police brethren.
Little, Brown and Company | 9780316473637

THE LAST CHAIRLIFT by John Irving (Fiction)
In Aspen, Colorado, in 1941, Rachel Brewster is a slalom skier at the National Downhill and Slalom Championships. Little Ray, as she is called, finishes nowhere near the podium, but she manages to get pregnant. Back home, in New England, Little Ray becomes a ski instructor. Her son, Adam, grows up in a family that defies conventions and evades questions concerning the eventful past. Years later, looking for answers, Adam will go to Aspen. In the Hotel Jerome, where he was conceived, Adam will meet some ghosts. In THE LAST CHAIRLIFT, they aren’t the first or the last ghosts he sees.
Simon & Schuster | 9781501189272

LAVENDER HOUSE by Lev AC Rosen (Historical Mystery)
Lavender House, 1952: the family seat of recently deceased matriarch Irene Lamontaine, head of the famous Lamontaine soap empire. Irene’s recipes for her signature scents are a well-guarded secret, but it's not the only one behind these gates. This estate offers a unique freedom, where none of the residents or staff hide who they are. But to keep their secret, they've needed to keep others out. And now they're worried they're keeping a murderer in. Irene’s widow hires Evander Mills to uncover the truth behind her mysterious death. Andy, recently fired from the San Francisco police after being caught in a raid on a gay bar, is happy to accept. However, he quickly finds himself a pawn in a family game of old money, subterfuge and jealousy --- and Irene’s death is only the beginning.
Forge Books | 9781250834225

LIBERATION DAY: Stories by George Saunders (Fiction/Short Stories)
In his first collection of short stories since TENTH OF DECEMBER, George Saunders explores ideas of power, ethics and justice and cuts to the very heart of what it means to live in community with our fellow humans. “Love Letter” is a tender missive from grandfather to grandson in the midst of a dystopian political situation in the (not-too-distant, all-too-believable) future. “Ghoul” is set in a Hell-themed section of an underground amusement park and follows the exploits of a lonely, morally complex character who comes to question everything he takes for granted about his reality. And “My House” --- in a mere seven pages --- comes to terms with the haunting nature of unfulfilled dreams and the inevitability of decay.
Random House | 9780525509592

NEWSROOM CONFIDENTIAL: Lessons (and Worries) from an Ink-Stained Life by Margaret Sullivan (Memoir)
In NEWSROOM CONFIDENTIAL, Margaret Sullivan chronicles her years in the trenches battling sexism and throwing elbows in a highly competitive newsroom. In 2012, Sullivan was appointed the public editor of the New York Times, the first woman to hold that important role. She was in the unique position of acting on behalf of readers to weigh the actions and reporting of the paper's staff, parsing potential lapses in judgment, unethical practices and thorny journalistic issues. Sullivan recounts how she navigated the paper’s controversies, from Hillary Clinton's emails to the need for greater diversity in the newsroom. In 2016, Sullivan left for the Washington Post, where she had a front-row seat to the rise of Donald Trump in American media and politics.
St. Martin's Press | 9781250281906

POSTER GIRL by Veronica Roth (Dystopian Mystery)
What’s right is right. Sonya Kantor knows this slogan --- she lived by it for most of her life. For decades, everyone in the Seattle-Portland megalopolis lived under it, as well as constant surveillance in the form of the Insight, an ocular implant that tracked every word and every action, rewarding or punishing by a rigid moral code set forth by the Delegation. Then there was a revolution. The Delegation fell. Its most valuable members were locked in the Aperture, a prison on the outskirts of the city. And everyone else went on with their lives. Sonya, former poster girl for the Delegation, has been imprisoned for 10 years when an old enemy comes to her with a deal: find a missing girl who was stolen from her parents by the old regime and earn her freedom.
William Morrow | 9780358164098

ROBERT LUDLUM'S THE BLACKBRIAR GENESIS by Simon Gervais (Thriller/Adventure)
A car explodes along a quiet Prague side street. Among the dead is an undercover Treadstone agent. It's not unusual for such men to meet their fates on an operation, but in this case there's one catch. None of his superiors know what he was doing there. Two Blackbriar operatives, Helen Jouvert and Donovan Wade, are sent to investigate. Their search for answers will take them deeper into the world of conspiracy and fake news than they ever expected. Treadstone and Blackbriar may be two sides of the same coin, intelligence and counterintelligence, but they have one thing in common: answers can be the deadliest commodity of all.
G.P. Putnam's Sons | 9780593419977

SEVEN EMPTY HOUSES written by Samanta Schweblin, translated by Megan McDowell (Fiction/Short Stories)
The seven houses in these seven stories are strange. A person is missing, or a truth, or memory; some rooms are enticing, some unmoored, others empty. But in Samanta Schweblin's tense, visionary tales, something always creeps back inside: a ghost, a fight, trespassers, a list of things to do before you die, a child's first encounter with darkness or the fallibility of parents. In each story, twists and turns will unnerve and surprise. Schweblin never takes the expected path and instead digs under the skin, revealing surreal truths about our sense of home, of belonging, and of the fragility of our connections with others.
Riverhead Books | 9780525541394

SIGNAL FIRES by Dani Shapiro (Fiction)
On a summer night in 1985, three teenagers have been drinking. One of them gets behind the wheel of a car, and, in an instant, everything on Division Street changes. Each of their lives, and that of Ben Wilf, a young doctor who arrives on the scene, is shattered. For the Wilf family, the circumstances of that fatal accident will become the deepest kind of secret, one so dangerous it can never be spoken. On Division Street, time has moved on. When the Shenkmans arrive --- a young couple expecting a baby boy --- it is as if the accident never happened. But when Waldo, the Shenkmans’ brilliant, lonely son who marvels at the beauty of the world and has a native ability to find connections in everything, befriends Dr. Wilf, past events come hurtling back in ways no one ever could have foreseen.
Knopf | 9780593534724

SINGER DISTANCE by Ethan Chatagnier (Literary Science Fiction/Mystery)
In December 1960, Crystal Singer, her boyfriend Rick and three other MIT grad students take a cross-country road trip from Boston to Arizona to paint a message in the desert. Mars has been silent for 30 years, since the last time Earth solved one of the mathematical proofs the Martian civilization carved onto its surface. The latest proof, which seems to assert contradictory truths about distance, has resisted human understanding for decades. Crystal thinks she’s solved it, and Rick is intent on putting her answer to the test --- if he can keep her from cracking under the pressure on the way. But Crystal’s disappearance after the experiment will set him on a different path than he expected, forever changing the distance between them.
Tin House Books | 9781953534439

WHEN WE HAD WINGS by Ariel Lawhon, Kristina McMorris and Susan Meissner (Historical Fiction)
The Philippines, 1941. When U.S. Navy nurse Eleanor Lindstrom, U.S. Army nurse Penny Franklin and Filipina nurse Lita Capel forge a friendship at the Army Navy Club in Manila, they believe they’re living a paradise assignment. All three are seeking a way to escape their pasts, but soon the beauty and promise of their surroundings give way to the heavy mantle of war. Caught in the crosshairs of a fight between the U.S. military and the Imperial Japanese Army for control of the Philippine Islands, the nurses are forced to serve under combat conditions and, ultimately, endure captivity as the first female prisoners of the Second World War. As their resiliency is tested, they strive to keep their hope --- and their fellow inmates --- alive, though not without great cost.
Harper Muse | 9780785253341

On Sale the Week of October 17th in Paperback

October 18th

AMERICAN COMICS: A History by Jeremy Dauber (Popular Culture/History)
From our multiplexes, where Marvel and DC movies reign supreme, to our television screens, where comics-based shows like "The Walking Dead" have become among the most popular in cable history, to convention halls and bestseller lists, comics shape American culture, in ways high and low, superficial and deeply profound. In AMERICAN COMICS, Columbia professor Jeremy Dauber takes readers through their incredible but little-known history. His story shows not only how comics have changed over the decades but how American politics and culture have changed them. Throughout, he describes the origins of beloved comics, champions neglected masterpieces, and argues that we can understand how America sees itself through whose stories comics tell.
W. W. Norton & Company | 9781324036098

THE ANSWER IS…: Reflections on My Life by Alex Trebek (Autobiography)
When he debuted as the host of "Jeopardy!" in 1984, Alex Trebek became something like a family member to millions of television viewers, bringing entertainment and education into their homes five nights a week. In 2019, he made the stunning announcement that he had been diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer. What followed was an incredible outpouring of love and kindness. For more than three decades, Trebek had resisted countless appeals to write a book about his life. Yet he was moved so much by all the goodwill, he felt compelled to finally share his story. THE ANSWER IS... combines illuminating personal anecdotes with Trebek’s thoughts on a range of topics, including marriage, parenthood, education, success, spirituality and philanthropy.
Simon & Schuster | 9781982158002

BAGGAGE: Tales from a Fully Packed Life by Alan Cumming (Memoir)
Much of BAGGAGE chronicles my life in Hollywood and how, since I recovered from a nervous breakdown at 28, work has repeatedly whisked me away from personal calamities to sets and stages around the world. It is also about marriage(s): starting with the break-up of my first (to a woman) and ending with the ascension to my second (to a man) with many kissed toads in between! But in everything, each failed relationship or encounter with a legend (Liza! X-Men! Gore Vidal! Kubrick! Spice Girls!), in every bad decision or moment of sensual joy I have endeavored to show what I have learned and how I’ve become who I am today: a happy, flawed, vulnerable, fearless middle-aged man, with a lot of baggage.
Dey Street Books | 9780062435798

THE BOOK OF MAGIC by Alice Hoffman (Fiction/Magical Realism)
For over 300 years, a curse has kept the Owens family from love --- but all of that is about to change. The novel begins in a library, the best place for a story to be conjured, when beloved aunt Jet Owens hears the deathwatch beetle and knows she has only seven days to live. Jet is not the only one in danger --- the curse is already at work. A frantic attempt to save a young man’s life spurs three generations of the Owens women, and one long-lost brother, to use their unusual gifts to break the curse as they travel from Paris to London to the English countryside where their ancestor Maria Owens first practiced the Unnamed Art. The younger generation discovers secrets that have been hidden from them in matters of both magic and love by Sally, their fiercely protective mother.
Scribner/Marysue Rucci Books | 9781982151492

BUILT TO LAST by Erin Hahn (Romantic Comedy)
Paperback Original
Shelby Springfield has spent the last 10 years trying to overcome her past, sanding it away like the rough spots on the vintage furniture she makes over. But as a former child star, it’s hard to forget a widely documented meltdown and huge public breakup with her former co-star, Lyle Jessup. It’s also hard to forget her other co-star and childhood sweetheart, Cameron Riggs, the one who got away. Anytime Shelby has called, Cameron has come running. Then he runs right off again to chase stories around the world by making documentaries, too scared to admit what he really wants. But when Lyle stirs the pot, getting the two back in the spotlight with a home renovation show, Cameron can't help but get on board. There's something in it for everyone --- almost.
St. Martin's Griffin | 9781250827098

EMPIRE OF PAIN: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe (True Crime/Biography)
The Sackler name has adorned the walls of many storied institutions --- Harvard, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Oxford, the Louvre. They are one of the richest families in the world, but the source of the family fortune was vague --- until it emerged that the Sacklers were responsible for making and marketing a blockbuster painkiller that was the catalyst for the opioid crisis. EMPIRE OF PAIN is the saga of three generations of a single family and the mark they would leave on the world. It chronicles the multiple investigations of the Sacklers and their company, and the scorched-earth legal tactics that the family has used to evade accountability.
Anchor | 9781984899019

EYES TURNED SKYWARD by Alena Dillon (Historical Fiction)
Paperback Original
Kathy Begley is an empty nester, the primary caretaker of her ailing mother, and the emotional support for her laid-off husband. She’s also returning to the office after two decades to work under a borderline inappropriate boss. Then a Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony invitation arrives, and she uncovers an unfathomable family secret: her mother, Peggy Mayfield, was a Women Airforce Service Pilot. Peggy jumped at the opportunity to become a WASP, the first American female to fly military aircraft. Once a spunky flyer, Peggy is now filled with regret as she confronts the end of her life, but Kathy is determined to make her last months count by securing Peggy long-overdue recognition and forgiving her before it’s too late.
William Morrow Paperbacks | 9780063144767

THE FAVOR by Nicci French (Psychological Thriller)
Paperback Original
Jude hasn’t seen Liam in years, but when he shows up at her work asking for a favor, she finds she can’t refuse. All Jude has to do is pick Liam up at a country train station --- without telling anyone. So what if she has to lie to her fiancé? Jude is still committed to him and their imminent wedding, even if she and Liam were in love once. She owes him. After the car crash that changed everything years ago, bright, ambitious Jude went to medical school, back on the path she had planned before meeting moody, artistic Liam. Meanwhile, he never fully recovered from the dark stain the accident left on his record. Now he’s gone. When the police show up at the station instead of Liam, Jude realizes that she knows nothing about the man he’s become.
William Morrow Paperbacks | 9780063243620

HONOR by Thrity Umrigar (Fiction)
Indian American journalist Smita has returned to India to cover a story, but reluctantly. Long ago, she and her family left the country with no intention of ever coming back. As she follows the case of Meena --- a Hindu woman attacked by members of her own village and her own family for marrying a Muslim man --- Smita comes face to face with a society where tradition carries more weight than one’s own heart, and a story that threatens to unearth the painful secrets of Smita’s own past. While Meena’s fate hangs in the balance, Smita tries in every way she can to right the scales. She also finds herself increasingly drawn to Mohan, an Indian man she meets while on assignment.
Algonquin Books | 9781643753300

IT’S A WONDERFUL WOOF: A Chet & Bernie Mystery by Spencer Quinn (Mystery)
Bernie is in the holiday spirit and refers a potential client to Victor Klovsky, a fellow private eye. But when Victor doesn’t show up at his mom’s to light the Hanukkah candles, she hires Chet and Bernie to find him. They soon discover that Victor’s client has also vanished. The trail leads to the ruins of a mission called Nuestra Señora de los Saguaros, dating back to the earliest Spanish explorers. Some very dangerous people are interested in the old mission. Does some dusty archive hold the secret of a previously unknown art treasure, possibly buried for centuries? What does the Flight into Egypt --- when Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus fled Herod --- have to do with saguaros, the Sonoran desert cactus?
Forge Books | 9781250770363

KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY by John Marrs (Psychological Thriller)
Paperback Original
Mia and Finn are busy turning a derelict house into their dream home when Mia unexpectedly falls pregnant. But just when they think the house is ready, Mia discovers a chilling message scored into a skirting board: I WILL SAVE THEM FROM THE ATTIC. Following the clue up into the eaves, the couple make a gruesome discovery: their dream home was once a house of horrors. Mia can’t shake her fixation with the monstrous crimes that happened right above them. Haunted by the terrible things she saw and desperate to find answers, her obsession pulls her ever further from her husband. Secrecy shrouds the mystery of the attic, but when shards of a dark truth start to emerge, Mia realizes the danger is terrifyingly present.
Thomas & Mercer | 9781542017275

A KILLER BY DESIGN: Murderers, Mindhunters, and My Quest to Decipher the Criminal Mind by Ann Wolbert Burgess and Steven Matthew Constantine (True Crime/Memoir)
Lurking beneath the progressive activism and sex positivity in the 1970-80s, a dark undercurrent of violence rippled across the American landscape. This led the FBI to create a specialized team --- the “Mindhunters,” better known as the Behavioral Science Unit --- that would track down the country's most dangerous criminals. And yet narrowing down a seemingly infinite list of potential suspects seemed daunting at best and impossible at worst --- until Dr. Ann Wolbert Burgess stepped on the scene. In A KILLER BY DESIGN, Burgess reveals how her pioneering research on sexual assault and trauma caught the attention of the FBI, and steered her right into the middle of a chilling serial murder investigation in Nebraska.
Hachette Books | 9780306924873

A LINE TO KILL by Anthony Horowitz (Mystery)
Ex-Detective Inspector Daniel Hawthorne and his sidekick, author Anthony Horowitz, are invited to an exclusive literary festival on Alderney, an idyllic island off the south coast of England. Upon arrival, they meet the festival’s other guests --- an eccentric gathering that includes a bestselling children’s author, a French poet, a TV chef turned cookbook author, a blind psychic and a war historian --- along with a group of ornery locals embroiled in an escalating feud over a disruptive power line. When a local grandee is found dead under mysterious circumstances, Hawthorne and Horowitz become embroiled in the case. The island is locked down, no one is allowed on or off, and it soon becomes horribly clear that a murderer lurks in their midst. But who?
Harper Perennial | 9780062938152

A MARVELLOUS LIGHT by Freya Marske (Historical Fantasy)
Robin Blyth is the harried baronet of a seat gutted by his late parents’ excesses. When an administrative mistake sees him named the civil service liaison to a hidden magical society, he discovers what’s been operating beneath the unextraordinary reality he’s always known. Now Robin must contend with the beauty and danger of magic, an excruciating deadly curse, and the alarming visions of the future that come with it --- not to mention Edwin Courcey, his cold and prickly counterpart in the magical bureaucracy. Thrown together and facing unexpected dangers, Robin and Edwin discover a plot that threatens every magician in the British Isles --- and a secret that more than one person has already died to keep.
Tordotcom | 9781250831798

THE NOISE by James Patterson and J. D. Barker (Psychological Thriller)
In the shadow of Mount Hood, 16-year-old Tennant is checking rabbit traps with her eight-year-old sister, Sophie, when the girls are suddenly overcome by a strange vibration rising out of the forest, building in intensity until it sounds like a deafening crescendo of screams. From out of nowhere, their father sweeps them up and drops them through a trapdoor into a storm cellar. But the sound only gets worse.
Grand Central Publishing | 9781538753057

ORWELL’S ROSES by Rebecca Solnit (Literary Criticism)
Rebecca Solnit’s new book is a reflection on George Orwell’s passionate gardening and the way that his involvement with plants, particularly flowers, and the natural world illuminates his other commitments as a writer and antifascist, and the intertwined politics of nature and power. Sparked by her unexpected encounter with the surviving roses he planted in 1936, Solnit’s account of this understudied aspect of Orwell’s life explores his writing and his actions --- from going deep into the coal mines of England, fighting in the Spanish Civil War, critiquing Stalin when much of the international left still supported him (and then critiquing that left), to his analysis of the relationship between lies and authoritarianism.
Penguin Books | 9780593083376

THE PRESIDENT AND THE FROG by Carolina De Robertis (Fiction)
The former president of an unnamed Latin American country receives a journalist in his famed gardens to discuss his legacy and the dire circumstances that threaten democracy around the globe. Once known as the Poorest President in the World, his reputation is the stuff of myth: a former guerilla who was jailed for inciting revolution before becoming the face of justice, human rights and selflessness for his nation. Now, as he talks to the journalist, he wonders if he should reveal the strange secret of his imprisonment: while held in brutal solitary confinement, he survived, in part, by discussing revolution, the quest for dignity, and what it means to love a country, with the only creature who ever spoke back --- a loud-mouth frog.
Vintage | 9780593312100

REPRIEVE by James Han Mattson (Fiction)
On April 27, 1997, four contestants make it to the final cell of the Quigley House, a full-contact haunted escape room in Lincoln, Nebraska, made famous for its monstrosities, booby-traps and ghoulishly costumed actors. If the group can endure these horrors without shouting the safe word, “reprieve,” they’ll win a substantial cash prize. But before they can complete the challenge, a man breaks into the cell and kills one of the contestants. Those who were present on that fateful night lend their points of view. As each character’s journey unfurls and overlaps, deceit and misunderstandings fueled by obsession and prejudice are revealed, forcing all to reckon with the ways in which their beliefs and actions contributed to a horrifying catastrophe.
William Morrow Paperbacks | 9780063079922

WAR WOMEN: A Sueño and Bascom Investigation Set in South Korea by Martin Limón (Mystery)
South Korea, 1970s: Sergeant First Class Cecil B. Harvey has long been a friend (willing or unwilling) to Sergeants George Sueño and Ernie Bascom. So when he goes missing with a top-secret document that even a glance at could get an officer court-martialed, Sueño and Bascom take it upon themselves to find him. Meanwhile, Overseas Observer reporter Katie Byrd Worthington is back to make life difficult for top Army brass. When she lands in a Korean jail cell, Sueño and Bascom are sent to get her out --- and negotiate against the publication of an incriminating story about the mistreatment of women in the military that could land important officials in hot water. But what they learn will make it hard for them to stay silent.
Soho Crime | 9781641294041

THE YEAR’S BEST DARK FANTASY & HORROR: Volume 3 edited by Paula Guran (Dark Fantasy/Horror Anthology)
Paperback Original
The supernatural, the surreal and the all-too real. Such tales of the dark and the unknown have always fascinated us, and modern authors carry on the disquieting traditions of the past while inventing imaginative new ways to unsettle us. Chosen from a wide variety of venues, these stories are as eclectic and varied as shadows. The latest volume of The Year's Best Dark Fantasy and Horror edited by fantasy aficionado Paula Guran offers more than 400 pages of tales from some of today’s finest writers of the fantastique, including Alix E. Harrow, Zen Cho and Elizabeth Hand. Indulge if you dare, because these 23 tales of terror are sure to delight as well as disturb!
Pyr | 9781645060345

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