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When we left off last week, I was reading THE MAID’S SECRET by Nita Prose and THE DOORMAN by Chris Pavone. I enjoyed these books for very different reasons, and both are Bookreporter.com Bets On selections.
You can read my thoughts on THE MAID'S SECRET here. We will share my “Bookreporter Talks To” interview with Nita and our review of the book over the next couple of weeks. I will have my Bets On commentary about THE DOORMAN (which releases on May 20th) next month, along with our review and an interview with Chris.
I am now reading SPEAK TO ME OF HOME by Jeanine Cummins (you remember her as the #1 bestselling author of AMERICAN DIRT), which is coming on May 13th. It’s a multi-generational story set in Puerto Rico and St. Louis. The book opens dramatically with a hurricane in Puerto Rico, which sets the stage for how members of the family need to come together.
My other current print read is THE GHOSTWRITER by Julie Clark, which releases on June 3rd and has an interesting setup. Olivia Dumont is a ghostwriter, and she is hired to ghostwrite her father’s last book. He is a well-known horror writer, but he wants Olivia to help with his memoir. He finally is ready to talk about what happened when he was a child back in 1975. Will that clear the air surrounding his name, or will it be just his version of the truth that no one believes?
I have enjoyed the historical fiction that Victoria Christopher Murray has written with Marie Benedict, so I looked forward to HARLEM RHAPSODY, which I am listening to on audio. I am in the early chapters, and the story has grabbed me. Her protagonist is Jessie Redmon Fauset, and the setting is Harlem during the years of the Harlem Renaissance. Jessie's relationship with W. E. B. Du Bois throws a lot in her life into question. I was reminded that I wanted to read this book when I saw our review a couple of weeks ago. Robin Miles is a terrific narrator!
I have read all five of these authors in the past --- and I enjoy seeing how they have stretched in new directions with their latest works.
On Monday night, I went to The Doylestown Bookshop in Doylestown, PA to see Wade Rouse in conversation with Jamie Brenner about THE PAGE TURNER, his latest Viola Shipman book. They both were fabulous, and it was clear that the audience was filled with fans. One man stopped me and Wade's agent, Wendy Sherman, and asked us which book we would recommend for him. We pointed him to the memoirs that Wade wrote under his own name, which also were excellent. The store was terrific; it was large and had a wonderful selection of titles. I love it when a store is merchandised well.
Above you can see Wade and Jamie talking about THE PAGE TURNER, and Wade signing books. Pictured in the middle photo are (from left to right) Wade's husband, Gary Edwards; Wendy; Wade; me; Heather Connor from Harlequin Trade Publishing; and Jamie.
Speaking of trying something new, that is what we are seeing with David Baldacci’s latest novel, STRANGERS IN TIME, which is set in 1944 London. It’s about a bereaved bookshop owner and two teenagers scarred by the Second World War, and the healing and hope they find in one another.
Ray Palen has our review and says, “The story that drives STRANGERS IN TIME is so authentic you will believe that David Baldacci was born in the UK. This incredible, heartfelt read is destined to be a classic and is further proof that Baldacci is more than just a prolific author. He is an abundantly gifted writer who continues to crank out high-quality fiction that is unmatched.”
Word of Mouth Contest Reminder
STRANGERS IN TIME is one of our current Word of Mouth prizes, along with SIX DAYS IN BOMBAY by Alka Joshi. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win both these titles. Please do so by Friday, April 25th at noon ET.
Casey Sherman, whose recent books include HELLTOWN and A MURDER IN HOLLYWOOD, is back with another fascinating true-crime work. BLOOD IN THE WATER follows the story of Nathan Carman and the mysterious disappearance of his wealthy mother, Linda Carman, after a boating accident in 2016 off the coast of Rhode Island.
According to Sarah Rachel Egelman in her review, “Sherman does a good job considering the ways in which Nathan’s autism made many people prejudiced against him but also how other possible diagnoses may explain acts of violence and antisocial behavior.... [E]ven without a neat set of answers, the book is well worth the read for its balanced and well-researched approach to a complicated family and three tragic deaths.”
I had the pleasure of meeting Casey a couple of years ago at Hamptons Whodunit. I loved hearing about the in-depth research that he does for his books.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
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THE FLOAT TEST: Lynn Steger Strong, the critically acclaimed author of FLIGHT, has written a sophisticated and layered novel about sisters, betrayal, love and climate change, which the publisher says is perfect for readers of THE DUTCH HOUSE and THE MOST FUN WE EVER HAD.
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HAPPY LAND: A woman learns the incredible story of a real-life American Kingdom --- and her family’s ties to it --- in this enthralling new novel from Dolen Perkins-Valdez, the New York Times bestselling and NAACP Image Award-winning author of TAKE MY HAND.
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THE DEATH OF US: It’s the night we never talk about. It’s the story the world wants to hear. But this isn’t the story of that night. This is the story of us. Abigail Dean’s portrait of a marriage and its implosion digs into the stories we tell ourselves about love --- and everything love can bear.
A BIG Contest for Moms!
Our Mother's Day contest is back for a 20th year! Once again, we’re featuring a number of titles that we think moms will love. Readers will have the opportunity to win one of our five prize packages, which includes all 10 books to treat yourself or your mom.
Among them are A CONSTANT LOVE: The Hope of Cheyenne, Book 1 by Tracie Peterson, THE DAYS I LOVED YOU MOST by Amy Neff (a Bets On pick), and A FASHIONABLY FRENCH MURDER: An American in Paris Mystery by Colleen Cambridge. Click here to enter the contest and see all of this year’s prize books. The deadline for your entries is Monday, May 12th at noon ET.
A terrorist attack. A kidnapping. The ultimate vacation gone wrong. That’s the intriguing premise of Joanne Leedom-Ackerman’s novel, THE FAR SIDE OF THE DESERT, which is newly released in paperback and is the latest book we’re featuring in our Paperback Spotlight.
International television correspondent Samantha Waters and her sister, Monte, a U.S. foreign service officer, are vacationing together in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, enjoying a festival and planning to meet with their brother, Cal. But when terrorists’ attacks rock the city around them, Samantha and Monte are separated, and one of the sisters is whisked away in the frenzy. The family uses all their contacts to try to find her, but the search is futile. Can she be found? And even if she returns, will the damage to her and those around her be irreparable?
Read more about the book and the author in our Paperback Spotlight. And click here to read our review from Dean Murphy, who advises readers, “Get your passport. The globetrotting Waters trio takes readers to Cairo, Morocco, Spain and Gibraltar in an amazing human interest and political thriller.”
Revisiting My “Bookreporter Talks To” Interview with Beatriz Williams
Also out in paperback this week is Beatriz Williams’ HUSBANDS & LOVERS, in which two women --- separated by decades and continents, and united by an exotic family heirloom --- reclaim secrets and lost loves. I talked to Beatriz about the book when it released in hardcover last summer. So if you missed the discussion or would like to check it out again, you can watch it here or listen to the podcast here.
Wrapping Up Spring Reading --- and Looking Ahead to Summer Reading
Our Spring Reading contests came to a close this week with our final giveaway, SHOW, DON’T TELL: A Writer, Her Teacher, and the Power of Sharing Our Stories by Kristine Gasbarre. Congratulations to the winners of our seven contests, and many thanks to all who entered!
Our next series of 24-hour giveaways will be our Summer Reading contests. The feature will go live on Friday, May 2nd, and our first giveaway will kick off on Tuesday, May 6th. If you would like to receive a newsletter announcing each day’s Summer Reading title, click here to sign up for these contest alerts.
Remember to Vote in Our Poll
Our poll continues to ask how often you discuss books with your friends outside of a book group (if you belong to one). Click here to let us know by Friday, April 25th at noon ET.
Peruvian novelist, journalist, essayist and politician Mario Vargas Llosa passed away this week at the age of 89. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature “for his cartography of structures of power and his trenchant images of the individual’s resistance, revolt, and defeat.” He also won the Miguel de Cervantes Prize, the Spanish-speaking world’s most distinguished literary honor. His many works of fiction and nonfiction include THE TIME OF THE HERO, CONVERSATION IN THE CATHEDRAL, WELLSPRINGS and NOTES ON THE DEATH OF CULTURE.
We also mourn the loss of Peter Lovesey, who passed away last week at the age of 88 after battling pancreatic cancer. In a writing career that spanned six decades, Lovesey penned 43 novels, including 22 in his Peter Diamond police procedural series. He was awarded the MWA Grandmaster Award for Lifetime Achievement, the CWA Gold and Silver Daggers, the Diamond Dagger for Lifetime Achievement, and multiple Macavity, Barry and Anthony awards. His final novel, AGAINST THE GRAIN, was published last December and was written after his cancer diagnosis.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Jean from Michigan wrote, “I was one of the fortunate participants in the inaugural Fiona Davis Book Tour sponsored by Corinne Levine and her company, Novel Travels. It was fabulous and exceeded all my expectations. Fiona joined us for dinner every evening and could not have been more delightful. She is such a warm, welcoming person who is genuinely interested in others and what they think. What a privilege to have shared this experience with seven other Fiona Davis fans; our tour guide, Corinne; and our exceptional guide, Kevin. I look forward to another such opportunity.”
Allison wrote, “Hopefully this is the correct place to send a thank you for the book I won, THE WOMEN ON PLATFORM TWO! I am so looking forward to reading it. I’m a reading specialist at an elementary school, so it may be my first book of the summer. Thank you for the opportunity to win a new book!”
Hold the Date: Independent Bookstore Day will celebrate its 12th anniversary next Saturday, April 26th, with over 1,600 participating independent bookstores from every state.
Independent Bookstore Day is an annual event that celebrates the spirit and value of independent bookstores. The event is produced by the American Booksellers Association (ABA), the national trade association for indie bookstores. This year’s celebration is the largest to date, with bookstores from all 50 states and territories participating with many stores offering exclusive merchandise and hosting special events.
Indie Bookstore Day ignites a vibrant array of celebrations — from bookstore crawls to street fairs — each as unique and diverse as the independent bookstores themselves. Half of the states are celebrating with bookstore crawls, many lasting more than one day long, rewarding readers the more stops they make! The Indie Bookstore Day Map serves as the comprehensive guide, showcasing the myriad happenings in communities across the country on April 26th. Whether seeking exclusive finds or immersing in the thriving world of independent bookstores, this map is an essential guide for Independent Bookstore Day.
Speaking of Indie Bookstores and How People Come Together: I loved this story that I saw on “NBC Nightly News” where Serendipity Books in Michigan moved 9,100 books to their new store.
“Bad Influence: The Dark Side of Kidfluencing” on Netflix: I wish I could say that it's shocking to see how kids are rallying to become influencers, but it's not. Becoming an influencer has become a goal for so many kids. When a parent starts to use their children for financial gain with their influencer status, things get even crazier.
“The Resident”: I am watching this series on Netflix. It's good, but it's not as good as “The Pitt” on Max.
Peach Time: I know I talk about Georgia and Colorado peaches come June. If you are interested in getting them delivered to your home, or to pick up some on their road trips up north, check out the Georgia Peach Truck and The Peach Truck. I already have signed up for eight weeks of home delivery starting in June from The Peach Truck.
We have a fun Easter weekend on tap here with family and friends. For Saturday, I bought some really cool vase puzzles for us to make. There is a base for the vase, and the puzzle surrounds it. Since we had fun with the puzzle that we made at Christmas (I was not a huge participant as we have some great puzzle builders in this family), I thought these would be fun to have here. I also am working on menu items. I have an idea of building a charcuterie platter with an Easter theme. And yes, it’s time to pull out the bunny plates!
It’s been gray here all week, but I think it’s finally turning into spring. I am ready for it. I want to see what is poking up in the garden. I know better than to plant anything until Mother’s Day weekend, but I can dust off my summer planting ideas. The poinsettias from Christmas are still alive, and I think we have an Easter cactus.
For those who are celebrating Easter, here’s wishing you a brilliant celebration.
Read on, and have a great week.
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
P.S. For those of you who shop online, if you use the store links that appear on our site for shopping, Bookreporter.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and IndieBound. As you read our reviews and features, we would appreciate your considering this as you buy!
Featured Review: STRANGERS IN TIME by David Baldacci
STRANGERS IN TIME by David Baldacci (Historical Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Stewart Crank, Alexandra Boulton, John Lee, Nicola F. Delgado, Matthew Lloyd Davies and Joe Pitts
Fourteen-year-old Charlie Matters steals what he needs, living day-to-day until he’s old enough to enlist to fight the Germans. After barely surviving the Blitz, Charlie knows there’s no telling when a falling bomb might end his life. Fifteen-year-old Molly Wakefield has just returned to a nearly unrecognizable London. One of millions of children to have been evacuated to the countryside, Molly has been away from her home for nearly five years. But now she’s confronted by a devastating reality: neither of her parents are there. Charlie and Molly find an unexpected ally and protector in Ignatius Oliver, and solace at his book shop, The Book Keep. But Charlie’s escapades in the city have not gone unnoticed, and someone has been following Molly since she returned to London. And Ignatius is harboring his own secrets, which could have terrible consequences for all of them. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review:
BLOOD IN THE WATER by Casey Sherman
BLOOD IN THE WATER: The Untold Story of a Family Tragedy by Casey Sherman (True Crime)
Audiobook available, read by Casey Sherman
When Nathan Carman, a young man with a complicated past, is miraculously rescued from a lifeboat bobbing in the unforgiving North Atlantic, questions swirl about the fate of his mother, who is presumed to have drowned when their fishing boat sank. Nathan is in remarkably good shape for being lost at sea for a week, and his account of what exactly happened out there on the waves raises questions from family members and law enforcement. Nathan's story of a fishing trip gone awry doesn't quite add up, and suspicion mounts. The mysterious murder of Nathan's multi-millionaire grandfather a few years before had made Nathan's mother an extremely wealthy woman. With a seven-million-dollar fortune at stake, did Nathan commit the ultimate betrayal? Or is there more to this tragic tale than meets the eye? Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
THE MAID’S SECRET by Nita Prose
THE MAID'S SECRET: A Maid Novel by Nita Prose (Mystery)
There are moments when you finish reading a series that you love, and you exhale and smile. You know that the characters have been through a lot, but they have ended up in a better place.
We met Molly the Maid back in 2022 in Nita Prose’s first book, THE MAID, which went on to win the Anthony Award, Barry Award, Goodreads Choice Award, Macavity Award, and Ned Kelly Award. There was something about this quirky young woman that captivated readers. We went on to learn more about her in the second novel, THE MYSTERY GUEST, in 2023, and the holiday novella, THE MISTLETOE MYSTERY, last year. We knew that Molly loved her grandmother. But now, in THE MAID’S SECRET, we finally get to hear from Gran and learn about her history.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
Click here to read more of Carol's Bets On commentary.
Don't miss our "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Nita Prose
and our review of THE MAID'S SECRET over the next couple of weeks.
Announcing Bookreporter.com’s 20th Annual
Mother’s Day Contest: Books Mom Will Love
Mother’s Day is a time to recognize the woman who raised and nurtured us. To celebrate, we're giving you the opportunity to win books for yourself or the special lady in your life in our 20th annual "Books Mom Will Love" contest. From now through Monday, May 12th at noon ET, readers can enter to win one of our five prize packages, which includes 10 great titles that we think moms will love.
This year's prize books are:
Click here to enter the contest.
New Paperback Spotlight:
THE FAR SIDE OF THE DESERT
by Joanne Leedom-Ackerman
THE FAR SIDE OF THE DESERT by Joanne Leedom-Ackerman
(Political Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Robin McAlpine
Sisters Samantha and Monte Waters are vacationing together in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, enjoying a festival and planning to meet with their brother, Cal. But the idyllic plans are short-lived. When terrorists’ attacks rock the city around them, Monte, a U.S. foreign service officer, and Samantha, an international television correspondent, are separated, and one of them is whisked away in the frenzy.
The family mobilizes, using all their contacts to try to find their missing sister, but to no avail. She has vanished. As time presses on, the outlook darkens. Can she be found, or is she a lost cause? And even if she returns, will the damage to her and those around her be irreparable?
Moving from Spain to Washington to Morocco to Gibraltar to the Sahara Desert, THE FAR SIDE OF THE DESERT is a family drama and political thriller that explores links of terrorism, crime and financial manipulation, revealing the grace that ultimately foils destruction.
- Click here to read our review.
- Click here to read Joanne Leedom-Ackerman's bio.
- Click here to visit Joanne Leedom-Ackerman's website.
- Connect with Joanne Leedom-Ackerman on Facebook, X, Instagram, Bluesky and Threads.
Click here to read more in our Paperback Spotlight.
Featured Review: THE FLOAT TEST by Lynn Steger Strong
THE FLOAT TEST by Lynn Steger Strong (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Andi Arndt
The Kenner siblings are at odds. Jenn is a harried mom struggling under the weight of family obligations. Fred is a novelist who can’t write, maybe because she’s lost faith in storytelling itself. Jude is a recovering corporate lawyer with her own story to tell, and a grudge against her former favorite sister, Fred. George, the baby, is estranged from his wife and harboring both a secret about his former employer and an ill-advised crush on one of his sisters’ friends. Gathered after a major loss, each sibling needs the others more than ever --- if only they could trust each other. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: HAPPY LAND by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
HAPPY LAND by Dolen Perkins-Valdez (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Bahni Turpin and Ashley J. Hobbs
Nikki hasn’t seen her grandmother in years. So when the elder calls out of the blue with an urgent request for Nikki to visit her in the hills of western North Carolina, Nikki hesitates only for a moment. After years of silence in her family, due to a mysterious estrangement between her mother and grandmother, she’s determined to learn the truth while she still can. But instead of answers about the recent past, Mother Rita tells Nikki an incredible story of a kingdom on this very mountain, and of her great-great-great grandmother, Luella, who would become its queen. The more Nikki learns about the Kingdom of the Happy Land, and the lives of those who dwelled in the ruins she discovers in the woods, the more she realizes how much of her identity and her family’s secrets are wrapped up in these hills. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: THE DEATH OF US by Abigail Dean
THE DEATH OF US by Abigail Dean (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Claire Skinner and John Hopkins
Together, Edward and Isabel move to London. They are young and in love, occupied by friends, work and fun. But late on a spring evening when they are 30 years old, their home is invaded by a serial killer. In the wake of this violation, each tries to come to terms with a night that changed everything --- and their marriage begins to crumble. Twenty-five years later, their tormentor is caught, and Edward and Isabel reunite for his sentencing. Isabel has waited years for the man who nearly ended her life to be brought to justice. Edward has tried to think about anything else. As they prepare to deliver impact statements in the public eye, it is time to revisit their love story. Will they finally be able to confront the secrets, longings and lies that tore them apart? Or will the horror of that night be the death of them? Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
MURDER AT GULLS NEST by Jess Kidd (Historical Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Siobhan McSweeney
1954: When her former novice’s dependable letters stop, Nora Breen asks to be released from her vows. Haunted by a line in Frieda’s letter, Nora arrives at Gulls Nest, a charming hotel in Gore-on-Sea in Kent. A seaside town, a place of fresh air and relaxed constraints, is the perfect place for a new start. Nora hides her identity and pries into the lives of her fellow guests. But when a series of bizarre murders rattles the occupants of Gulls Nest, it’s time to ask if a dark past can ever really be left behind. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY by Jennifer E. Smith (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Lauren Graham
The four Endicott siblings were once inseparable, a bond created by the absence of their dazzling, mercurial mother, who would return for a few weeks each summer to whisk them off on sprawling road trips around the country. Decades later, the unthinkable has happened: the Endicotts haven’t spoken in years…until an out-of-the-blue text arrives from Jude, now a famous actress, summoning them to a small town in North Dakota. Each sibling is at a crossroads, though Jude is the only Endicott who seems to have it all together. But appearances can be deceiving. As the weekend unfolds, and the siblings wrestle with their shared past and uncertain futures, they’ll discover that Jude has been keeping three secrets…each of which could change everything. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
FRIENDS OF THE MUSEUM by Heather McGowan (Fiction/Dark Humor)
Audiobook available, read by Cassandra Campbell
When Diane Schwebe, the director of a major New York museum, is awakened in the early morning by a text message from the museum’s lawyer, it is the start of a 24-hour roller-coaster ride. Diane has sacrificed many things in her life to help the fading institution stave off irrelevance and financial ruin. In this battle, she’s surrounded by her stalwart supporters. Orbiting her is a motley assortment of museum employees, each on the precipice of collapse or revelation --- among them a line cook staring down a huge opportunity he’s not sure he wants; a costume curator stuck in an inescapable rut; and the ambivalent curator of the museum’s film program, whose first day on the job might very well be his last. On this day of the museum’s annual gala, every plate that Diane has kept spinning will fall --- and by daybreak, someone will be dead. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE MURDER SHOW by Matt Goldman (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Dan Bittner
Showrunner Ethan Harris had a hit with “The Murder Show,” a television crime drama that features a private detective who solves cases the police can’t. But after his pitch for the fourth season is rejected by the network, he returns home to Minnesota looking for inspiration. His former classmate, Ro Greeman, is now a local police officer, and she's uncovered new information about the devastating hit-and-run that killed their mutual friend, Ricky, the summer after high school. She asks Ethan to help her investigate and thinks that if he portrays the killing on “The Murder Show,” the publicity may bring Ricky's killer to justice. It doesn't take long for them to realize that they've dug up more than they bargained for. Someone is dead set on stopping Ethan and Ro from looking too closely into Ricky’s death --- even if keeping them quiet means killing again. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
HARD TOWN by Adam Plantinga (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Charles Halford
After surviving a deadly prison break, ex-Detroit cop Kurt Argento is ready for some quiet. Still working through his grief over the passing of his wife, Argento finds himself house-sitting for a friend with his loyal companion, Hudson, a Chow Chow-Shepard mix. Then Kristin Reed shows up, begging him to find her missing husband and son. Argento starts to notice that Fenton, Arizona, is more than meets the eye. First there's the large, overly equipped public safety team complete with specialized tactics and sophisticated weaponry. Then there's the unusual financial boosting of failing small businesses by the U.S. government. Finally, there's a man with no name with unprecedented control over the town. Argento finds himself unraveling not just the truth behind the disappearance of a family, but a conspiracy that's taken a whole town to cover up. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
THE WILDELINGS by Lisa Harding (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Jessica Regan
Jessica and Linda have been best friends since the first day of school. Now 18, they have come to Wilde --- an elite university in the heart of Dublin, far away from their troubled childhoods. Jessica thrives immediately; with the faithful Linda at her side, she finds herself at the heart of a new circle of friends. But then Mark enters the picture. A philosophy student a few years older than them, he has strange and compelling ideas about self-discovery. When Linda and Mark start dating, Jessica is disturbed by the change in her friend --- and how quickly she seems to have fallen under the charismatic man’s control. It turns out that Mark’s influence is not limited to Linda alone, and Jessica soon finds out that her whole group of friends are keeping secrets for him. It will culminate in ways that will change their lives forever. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
HOMESTAND: Small Town Baseball and the Fight for the Soul of America by Will Bardenwerper (Sports/Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Dan Bittner
Batavia, New York --- between Rochester and Buffalo --- hosted its first professional baseball game in 1897. Despite decades of deindustrialization and evaporating middle-class jobs, the Batavia Muckdogs endured. When Major League Baseball cravenly shut them down in 2020 --- along with 41 other minor league teams --- the town fought back, reviving the Muckdogs as a summer league team comprised of college players. As MLB considers further cuts and private equity buys up what remains, the mom-and-pop operations once prevalent in baseball are endangered. But for now, the sights and sounds of local baseball live on in Batavia. Will Bardenwerper's HOMESTAND exposes the beating heart of small town America, friends and neighbors coming together as the crack of the bat echoes in the summer twilight. Reviewed by Ron Kaplan (www.RonKaplansBaseballBookshelf.com).
THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK: A Sequel to The Three Musketeers written by Alexandre Dumas, translated by Lawrence Ellsworth (Historical Fiction/Adventure)
D’Artagnan, Athos, Porthos and Aramis: you know their names, the four loyal comrades whose saga began in Alexandre Dumas’ celebrated novel, THE THREE MUSKETEERS, and concludes here in THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK. The musketeers are drawn back to the glittering court of Louis XIV, the Sun King, where intrigues, political rivalries and royal jealousy pose deadly threats to the heroes and their loved ones. And once more, the four swashbucklers are enmeshed in a conspiracy that threatens the Crown of France itself. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
Next Week's Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on April 22nd
Below are some notable titles releasing on April 22nd 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 April 21st, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
2 SISTERS MURDER INVESTIGATIONS by James Patterson and Candice Fox (Thriller)
Rhonda and Barbara “Baby” Bird are half-sisters --- and full partners in their Los Angeles detective agency. But when they take a controversial case of a loner whose popular wife has gone missing, they’re accused of being PIs who can’t tell a client from a killer.
ATAVISTS: Stories by Lydia Millet (Fiction/Short Stories)
This inventive collection from Lydia Millet offers overlapping tales of urges ranging from rage to jealousy to yearning --- a fluent triumph of storytelling, rich in ideas and emotions both petty and grand.
THE BOOK OF ALCHEMY: A Creative Practice for an Inspired Life by Suleika Jaouad (Self-Help/Personal Growth)
THE BOOK OF ALCHEMY is a guide to the art of journaling --- and a meditation on the central questions of life --- featuring contributions from Hanif Abdurraqib, Jon Batiste, Salman Rushdie, Gloria Steinem, George Saunders, and many more.
GABRIËLE written by Anne Berest and Claire Berest, translated by Tina Kover (Historical Fiction)
This atmospheric, exuberant novel from the bestselling author of THE POSTCARD, Anne Berest, and her sister, Claire Berest, is about love and sex, art and revolution, experimentation and creativity, and three young people who changed the world.
GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL LIFE by Emily Henry (Romantic Comedy)
Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a woman with more than a couple of plot twists up her sleeve in this dazzling and sweeping new novel from Emily Henry.
HIDDEN IN SMOKE by Lee Goldberg (Thriller)
When the crimes of a serial arsonist lead to murder, arson investigators Walter Sharpe and Andrew Walker need detective Eve Ronin to join the hunt in a blistering thriller by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Goldberg.
INTO THE GRAY ZONE: A Pike Logan Novel by Brad Taylor (Thriller/Adventure)
Pike Logan uncovers a geopolitical scheme that has spiraled out of control in India in this latest pulse-pounding thriller from New York Times bestselling author and former special forces officer Brad Taylor.
NOTES TO JOHN by Joan Didion (Diary)
Joan Didion’s journal was crafted with the singular intelligence, precision and elegance that characterize all of her writing. It is an unprecedentedly intimate account that reveals sides of her that were unknown, but the voice is unmistakably hers.
SEALED WITH A HISS: A Mrs. Murphy Mystery by Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown (Mystery)
When a decades-forgotten car bobs to the surface of a local creek, with a body still in the driver’s seat, it’s up to Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeen and her beloved cats and dogs to save the day.
SHADOW OF THE SOLSTICE: A Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito Novel by Anne Hillerman (Mystery)
In this gripping chapter in New York Times bestselling author Anne Hillerman’s Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito series, the detectives must sort out a save-the-planet meditation group connected to a mysterious death and a nefarious scheme targeting vulnerable indigenous people living with addiction.
SUMMER LIGHT ON NANTUCKET by Nancy Thayer (Fiction)
From the New York Times bestselling author and beloved Nantucket storyteller Nancy Thayer comes a touching novel about parenthood, first love, family bonds and rekindled relationships.
Click here to see the latest “On Sale This Week” newsletter.
From left to right: Jasmine Guillory, Heather Graham, Marshall Karp
Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events
Here are three upcoming virtual book and author events that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links for more info and to register.
Tuesday, April 22nd at 8pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Marshall Karp will talk about his new thriller, DON'T TELL ME HOW TO DIE. Rich with his deft array of three-dimensional characters and his signature biting humor, the book has so many twists and turns, you’d swear he wrote it with a corkscrew.
Tuesday, April 22nd at 9pm ET: Killer Author Club: Join the Killer Author Club --- Kimberly Belle, Heather Gudenkauf and Kaira Rouda --- as they welcome New York Times bestselling author Heather Graham and her terrifying new technothriller, THE MURDER MACHINE.
Wednesday, April 23rd at 7pm ET: “Friends & Fiction”: Join “Friends & Fiction” for a conversation with Jasmine Guillory about her new novel, FLIRTING LESSONS, an unputdownable queer romance that gives voice to strong Black characters and celebrates Black love.
"Bookreporter Talks To" Videos & Podcasts
“Bookreporter Talks To” is a video and podcast series that delivers long-form, in-depth author interviews. For years, Carol has moderated book festivals and author events around the country. But we know that readers often do not live where they can attend an author event. Our goal is to bring these author interviews to readers, wherever they may be. Watch on video, or listen as a podcast. (The podcasts include audio excerpts.)
Here is our latest interview:
Other authors we've interviewed include:
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Marie Benedict (THE QUEENS OF CRIME) Video | Podcast
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Joseph Finder (THE OLIGARCH'S DAUGHTER) Video | Podcast
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Lisa Genova (MORE OR LESS MADDY) Video | Podcast
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Clare Leslie Hall (BROKEN COUNTRY) Video | Podcast
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Jeff Hobbs (SEEKING SHELTER: A Working Mother, Her Children, and a Story of Homelessness in America) Video | Podcast
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Michelle Horton (DEAR SISTER: A Memoir of Secrets, Survival, and Unbreakable Bonds) Video | Podcast
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Georgia Hunter (ONE GOOD THING) Video | Podcast
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Tracey Lange (WHAT HAPPENED TO THE McCRAYS?) Video | Podcast
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Scott Turow (PRESUMED GUILTY) Video | Podcast
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Charmaine Wilkerson (GOOD DIRT) Video | Podcast
Upcoming interviews include:
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Brenda Coffee (MAYA BLUE: A Memoir of Survival)
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Chris Pavone (THE DOORMAN)
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Nita Prose (THE MAID'S SECRET: A Maid Novel)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll: Talking Books with Friends
Outside of a book group (if you belong to one), how often do you discuss books with your friends?
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All of the time
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Some of the time
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Never
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I would love to do this, but I do not.
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, April 25th at noon ET.
Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What
You've Read --- and You Can Win Two Books!
Tell us about the books you’ve read with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from April 11th to April 25th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of SIX DAYS IN BOMBAY by Alka Joshi and STRANGERS IN TIME by David Baldacci.
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.
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