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I Love It When My Worlds Collide
A while back, I heard from one of my favorite yoga teachers, Reena, who was hoping to schedule a book club meeting with Marjan Kamali about THE LION WOMEN OF TEHRAN. I helped to connect them. Two book groups that Reena belongs to had read the book and enjoyed it. She organized a meeting at her home with both groups (there were more than 25 women there), and she asked me to join them, surprising Marjan. What followed was a wonderful discussion. They were organized, and one member after another asked smart questions.
All of the women were of Indian descent, and after the conversation with Marjan, we moved on to a lovely buffet of potluck Indian cuisine. I wanted all of the recipes. They teased about my being the token white woman in the room; I loved getting to meet them all. Marjan is on deadline and has limited time for book club events, so this was very special. And I am happy to share that THE LION WOMEN OF TEHRAN is back on the USA Today bestseller list this week!
Well, I did it. I finished reading THE CALAMITY CLUB before I interviewed Kathryn Stockett on Tuesday. I clocked 300 pages of reading on Saturday and another 200 on Sunday, listened to an advance copy of the audio for about two hours on Monday night, and wrapped with the final pages on Tuesday morning.
The book will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. The writing is brisk and well done (it never feels long), and once again Kathryn has crafted terrific female characters who, forced with a challenge, band together for a solution.
It has been 17 years since THE HELP came out. Kathryn has not lost the strong character voices that made that book a success. I think you will see why I loved it in our interview, which will run next month. I am going to see Kathryn at an event in Montclair, NJ on May 5th, the day that THE CALAMITY CLUB releases (if you are there, please say hi), and she will be making an appearance in Brooklyn the night before. Her full event schedule is here.
Lisa Ridzén joined us from Sweden yesterday afternoon for a “Bookaccino Live” Book Group event about her internationally bestselling debut novel, WHEN THE CRANES FLY SOUTH, which also was the Swedish Book of the Year and a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. This was a very special program with perceptive questions from our readers.
Lisa was completely engaged and brilliantly shared her inspiration for writing the book. She also talked about having a work in translation as it originally was written in Swedish and is now published in 45 countries. The enthusiasm from our attendees was clear, and there was lots of agreement on why it is a great book group selection, as well as one where the message will stay with you.
Click here to watch the event or here to listen to the podcast. In next week’s newsletter, we will share the wonderful feedback we received from those who won a copy of the book in a contest we ran on the site last month.
Join Us on Wednesday Evening for Our
Book Group Event with Laura Dave!
This is your last Weekly Update newsletter reminder to sign up for our second “Bookaccino Live” Book Group event of the month, which will take place on Wednesday, April 29th at 8pm ET.
Laura Dave will join us to discuss her instant New York Times bestseller, THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM, which was my first Bets On pick of 2026. We also will talk about the Apple TV series “The Last Thing He Told Me”, the second season of which just wrapped up and was inspired by Laura’s latest novel, which is a sequel to 2021’s THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME.
I will interview Laura, and then we will turn to readers who would like to share a question for her on screen (we have special sign-in directions for these attendees, and they will get to chat with Laura in our “backstage green room” before the program starts), followed by audience questions. Sign up for the event by clicking here.
If you would like to ask Laura a question, please fill out this form by Wednesday, April 29th at noon ET. Be sure to include your name, city, state, email address and phone number, as well as your question. And indicate if you would like to be on camera or off.
My latest “Bookreporter Talks To” interview is with Jane Harper. Her sixth novel, LAST ONE OUT, is set in Carralon Ridge, a dying rural Australian mining town that has become a shadow of its former self due to an industrial mining operation. It follows Ro Crowley as she returns annually to investigate her son Sam's disappearance on the eve of his 21st birthday five years earlier.
This is Jane's first book with a female main character after five previous novels featuring male protagonists. She explains why Ro was the perfect character to tell this story. She also talks about the three houses near where Sam disappeared, which are almost characters themselves.
Jane took a three-year break between books to avoid burnout and spend time with her young children. She returned refreshed to write this novel.
Click here to watch the interview or here to listen to the podcast. If you missed our review of LAST ONE OUT in last week’s newsletter, you can check it out here.
THE MOTHER-DAUGHTER BOOK CLUB by Susan Patterson and James Patterson is the latest book we’re featuring in our Fiction Author Spotlight. This follow-up to the New York Times bestseller and book club favorite THINGS I WISH I TOLD MY MOTHER revolves around the emotional reunion of the Mother-Daughter Book Club --- four longtime college friends and their five daughters --- which leads to surprising revelations.
We have our review of the book this week from Norah Piehl, who has this to say: “If readers aren’t in THE MOTHER-DAUGHTER BOOK CLUB for the literature recommendations, they’ll likely be drawn in by the women’s personal and collective journeys of self-discovery over the course of these few transformative days. It’s a testament to the lifeblood of long friendships, the kind that can weather time and distance.”
I had a lovely conversation with Sue about the book. We will share my “Bookreporter Talks To” interview with her in next week’s newsletter. For humor, at the end, I have a request for Sue about the next book that she and her husband write together!
The Pattersons have launched a contest to win a Zoom book club meeting with them. Here are the details: James and Sue Patterson want to meet you and your book club! Post a photo or video on Instagram or Facebook of your book club with your copies of THE MOTHER-DAUGHTER BOOK CLUB. Tag @jamespattersonbooks and @suesoliepatterson on Instagram or @jamespatterson on Facebook and use the hashtag #TheMotherDaughterBookClub to enter. The contest will run until Friday, May 8th, and five lucky book clubs will be picked.
There are two kinds of people no one ever expects to be murderers: little girls and old ladies. Meet Mad Mabel. That’s the intriguing premise of Sally Hepworth’s new novel, MAD MABEL, a twisty tale of justice, redemption, and one irrepressible woman who’s not done breaking the rules just yet.
According to Pamela Kramer in her review, “MAD MABEL is a magnificent novel. Usually, after reading a story that is engrossing, has unexpected twists, and really packs a punch at the end, writing the review is easy. I like to say about a great novel, ‘The review practically writes itself.’ So while I think this is a brilliant book and would be a fabulous book club read, the review is not writing itself. There are so many layers to Mabel's story that delicacy is required so as not to spoil the novel for those who haven't read it.”
I am reading the book now and look forward to seeing Sally next weekend at her event in Princeton, NJ. If any of you are going to be there, let me know!
Word of Mouth Contest Reminder
MAD MABEL is one of our current Word of Mouth prizes, along with GO GENTLE by Maria Semple, Oprah’s Book Club pick for this month, which we reviewed last week. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win both these titles. Please enter by Friday, May 1st at noon ET.
In THE MOUNTAINS WE CALL HOME, a stand-alone and companion novel to the Book Woman of Troublesome Creek series, legendary book woman Cussy Lovett returns home. Here, Kim Michele Richardson explores the effects of criminalization and incarceration on the poor and powerless, while tracing the societal consequences of fractured family bonds.
In her review, Megan Elliott calls the book “a carefully researched exploration of mid-century Appalachian life” and goes on to say, “Throughout the book, Richardson shines a light on marginalized communities fighting for dignity in a world that often wants to strip them of it. THE MOUNTAINS WE CALL HOME is a tribute to the hold that some places have over us, even when they don’t always love us back.”
Books Mom Will Love…and Can Win!
THE MOUNTAINS WE CALL HOME and the aforementioned THE MOTHER-DAUGHTER BOOK CLUB are just two of the books you can win in our 21st annual Mother’s Day contest. The others are the aforementioned THE CALAMITY CLUB by Kathryn Stockett, HARBOR POINTE by Irene Hannon, and LITTLE WONDER by Sophie Chen Keller. Five readers will win all five of these novels. The deadline for your entries is Monday, May 11th at noon ET.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
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PARADOX: One of the holiest relics in Christendom, inexplicably defaced. A paranoid old prospector, ritualistically murdered. A controversial exobiologist, tortured and dismembered. Douglas Preston joins forces with his daughter, Aletheia Preston, in this follow-up to EXTINCTION.
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LIDIE: In Jane Smiley’s long-awaited sequel to her 1998 novel, THE ALL-TRUE TRAVELS AND ADVENTURES OF LIDIE NEWTON, two young women flee a divided America: one running toward a dazzling future and the other running from a troubled past.
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LAST NIGHT IN BROOKLYN: Xochitl Gonzalez, author of OLGA DIES DREAMING and ANITA DE MONTE LAUGHS LAST, is back with the captivating story of a young woman whose life becomes ensnared in her glamorous neighbor’s secret past.
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CHERRY BABY: Rainbow Rowell returns with a breathtakingly honest novel about a woman who lost everything --- and isn't sure she wants it back --- in this instant New York Times bestseller.
Batter Up!
Ron Kaplan, our resident baseball aficionado, is back with another Baseball Books roundup. This time, Ron reviews four titles that focus on New York baseball, including Mike Vaccaro’s instant New York Times bestseller, THE BOSSES OF THE BRONX, the crazy but true story of how owner George Steinbrenner, followed by his son Hal, have controlled the most famous team in American sports. Other books focus on the friendship between Yankees legends Mickey Mantle and Billy Martin, a new perspective on postwar New York City baseball, and the electric and calamitous history of the New York Mets.
Remember to Vote in Our Poll
Our poll continues to ask which of 35 titles releasing in paperback this month you have read or are planning to read. Click here to let us know by Friday, May 1st at noon ET.
The 46th annual Los Angeles Times Book Prizes were awarded last Friday night at the University of Southern California’s Bovard Auditorium.
The winners include THE CORRESPONDENT by Virginia Evans, read by various narrators (Achievement in Audiobook Production), PLAYWORLD by Adam Ross (The Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose), THERE IS NO PLACE FOR US: Working and Homeless in America, by Brian Goldstone (Current Interest), PALAVER by Bryan Washington (Fiction), EL DORADO DRIVE by Megan Abbott (Mystery/Thriller), and LUMINOUS by Silvia Park (Science Fiction, Fantasy & Speculative Fiction). Click here for all the winners.
Please keep in mind that tomorrow, Saturday, April 25th is Independent Bookstore Day, a nationwide celebration of independent bookstores and books. Their official press release notes that “[o]ver 40 bookstore crawls are being hosted in more than half the states, many extending beyond a single day and rewarding readers the more bookstores they visit. The Indie Bookstore Day Map serves as the ultimate guide to it all, spotlighting hundreds of events and experiences happening in communities nationwide.”
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Denise wrote, “Bookreporter and 'Bookacccino Live' have made me fall in love with reading again! I am looking forward to Lisa Ridzén's WHEN THE CRANES FLY SOUTH. I wanted to be one of the advance readers, but maybe next time. I see your note that the advance readers loved the book. I am excited to watch the video and read her book. I'm listening to the recording with Patrick Ryan.”
Elaine wrote, “I really enjoyed Lisa Ridzén's discussion of WHEN THE CRANES FLY SOUTH. I loved that book. Since I am 80 and have three dogs, I pictured very deeply how hard it would be to have to give them up. It hit a personal note and was very well written. Thanks for presenting it and for all the work you do to keep us informed.”
Deanna wrote, “I wanted to take a moment to thank you for inviting me to ask Lisa Ridzén a question yesterday. It was truly a treat to be part of such a thoughtful interview and conversation. I really appreciate all that you do, and I’m enjoying being part of this group.”
Shelley wrote, “Thank you for the opportunity to have my questions answered regarding the dog's name and Lisa Ridzén's intention of which elder would pass first. I could have listened to her for another hour. Your book club provides meaning and substance because the author is available to clarify and provide additional food for thought. I look forward to other literate, prize-winning authors.”
Paul Simon: For the first time in his long, storied career, Paul Simon has been named one of Time Magazine’s “Top 100 Most Influential People of 2025.” I loved seeing this. For his photo, Paul is wearing a three-piece suit, which feels so out of character. Tayari Jones is honored for her literary contributions, as well as Yiyun Li and Freida McFadden.
Author Talk: WHAT THE DEEP WATER KNOWS with Miranda Cowley Heller at the Los Angeles Public Library: I thoroughly enjoyed watching Miranda Cowley Heller talk about her poetry work. I am not a huge lover of poetry, but hearing her talk about her pieces, I definitely want to grab my copy of WHAT THE DEEP WATER KNOWS from the shelf here and read some. She also talked about how some of these works inspired parts of her bestselling novel, THE PAPER PALACE, and others came as she wrote the book.
“Your Friends & Neighbors” on Apple TV: The new season has been out for a few weeks, so we have some catching up to do!
I already have tickets to see The Devil Wears Prada 2 with girlfriends next Thursday night. I am soooo ready for an evening of catching up with this cast! I want to see Michael this weekend, though I am not sure I can convince Husband Tom to see it. I am really impressed by Michael Jackson’s nephew, who is playing him, as well as the child playing the younger version of Michael. Beyond that, I have no big weekend plans, which is nice since I can see that May is going to be super busy!
Requests for our bookmarks are in the works. We have had a huge response to this, and we need to order more. We so appreciate having you out there spreading the word about what we do!
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!
New Fiction Author Spotlight & Featured Review:
THE MOTHER-DAUGHTER BOOK CLUB
by Susan Patterson and James Patterson
THE MOTHER-DAUGHTER BOOK CLUB by Susan Patterson and James Patterson (Fiction)
Audiobook available; read by Ellen Archer, Elisabeth Rodgers, Barrie Kreinik, Stephanie Németh-Parker, Brittany Pressley, Lauren Fortgang, Jennifer Pickens and Chloe Cannon
Between their busy lives and their far-flung residences, the Mother-Daughter Book Club --- four longtime college friends and their five daughters --- more often discuss the books on their nightstands via 2am texts than in-person meetings. And maybe it’s just as well, after what happened at their last get-together.
So it’s an emotional reunion when they finally gather again, this time on the spectacular shores of Italy’s Lake Como. Sightseeing excursions, reminiscing fueled by “Como-politans,” and a hint of vacation romance all build toward the book club’s trademark “Night of Secrets.”
These friends, and sometime rivals, are close readers --- of novels, memoirs, and each other. But as the years and the distance cast shadows and doubt, confidences and sympathies turn into surprising revelations.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
- Click here to read bios of Susan Patterson and James Patterson.
- Visit James Patterson's website and YouTube channel.
- Connect with James Patterson on Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok and Threads.
- Click here to connect with Susan Patterson on Instagram.
Click here to read our review.
Click here to read more in our Fiction Author Spotlight.
Don't miss Carol's “Bookreporter Talks To” interview
with Susan Patterson in next week's newsletter.
Featured Review: MAD MABEL by Sally Hepworth
MAD MABEL by Sally Hepworth (Domestic Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Hannah Fredericksen and Jenny Seedsman
Meet Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick: 81 years old, gloriously grumpy, fiercely independent, and never without a hot cup of tea --- or a cutting remark. She minds her own business in her quiet Melbourne suburb, until a neighbor turns up dead and the whispers start flying. Because Elsie hasn’t always been Elsie. Once upon a headline, she was Mad Mabel Waller --- Australia’s youngest convicted murderer. But was she really mad, or just misunderstood? Either way, she’s kept her secret buried for decades. Enter seven-year-old Persephone, a relentless little chatterbox who has just moved in across the road; Joan, who appears to have it in for Elsie; and a healthy dose of public interest. So Mabel does what she’s always done best --- she takes matters into her own hands. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: THE MOUNTAINS WE CALL HOME
by Kim Michele Richardson
THE MOUNTAINS WE CALL HOME: The Book Woman's Legacy by Kim Michele Richardson (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Katie Schorr
In this stand-alone and companion novel to the Book Woman of Troublesome Creek series, our heroine for the ages, legendary book woman Cussy Lovett, returns home. A powerful testament of strength, survival and the magic of the printed word, THE MOUNTAINS WE CALL HOME is wrapped into a vivid portrait of Kentucky life: examining incarceration and criminalization, exploring the effects on the poor and powerless, and tracing the societal consequences of fractured family bonds, along with nostalgic glimpses of a bustling, multifaceted Louisville, and heartwarming portraits of reading efforts in every facet of life. Reviewed by Megan Elliott.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com’s 21st 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 Bookreporter.com's 21st annual “Books Mom Will Love” contest.
From now through Monday, May 11th at noon ET, readers can enter to win one of our five prize packages, which includes five great titles that we think moms will love.
This year's prize books are:
Click here to enter the contest.
Featured Review: PARADOX
by Douglas Preston and Aletheia Preston
PARADOX by Douglas Preston and Aletheia Preston (Technothriller)
Audiobook available, read by Stephanie Németh-Parker
When a reclusive man is found dead under grisly circumstances in the Colorado wilderness, CBI Agent Frankie Cash and Eagle County Sheriff Jim Colcord, whom we met in EXTINCTION, team up again on their most enigmatic and dangerous case yet. Their investigation uncovers a trail of bizarre killings, baffling money transfers, and a fanatical secret society. And all the while, the resurrected Neanderthals, who vanished into the Colorado mountains, seem to be biding their time for something…spectacular. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: LIDIE by Jane Smiley
LIDIE: The Further Travels and Adventures of Lidie Newton by Jane Smiley (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Zara Hannaford
Christmas, 1857. America's future is precarious; civil war looms on the horizon. After her abolitionist husband is murdered in the lawless Kansas Territory, Lidie Newton returns, in mourning, to her hometown of Quincy, Illinois. But her sisters have little comfort to offer, and Lidie is haunted by the memories of her failures --- until she takes an interest in her niece, Annie. Annie becomes an actress at the local theater, and when she is offered the opportunity to perform abroad, she decides to run away. But travel is dangerous for a young unmarried woman, so Lidie, armed with her pistol and her wit, goes with her. The two women embark on a perilous journey across the Atlantic. Once they arrive in Liverpool, they vanish into new roles in the household of Annie's benefactor, Mr. Mallory Cunningham. But will either of them be content with her new lot in life? Reviewed by Eileen Zimmerman Nicol.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review:
LAST NIGHT IN BROOKLYN by Xochitl Gonzalez
LAST NIGHT IN BROOKLYN by Xochitl Gonzalez (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Elizabeth Rodriguez
Spring, 2007. Alicia Canales Forten is in a long-distance relationship, living at home with her mother’s beliefs, and saving up for her wedding to a future doctor. But after Alicia ventures out one night in the neighborhood of Fort Greene, Brooklyn, she finds herself lured by the siren song of youth and possibility that the striving crowd of creatives holds, and she moves in. No one embodies this milieu more than La Garza, a larger-than-life, up-and-coming fashion designer whose epic house parties fuel neighborhood lore. La Garza’s life, observed by Alicia from her apartment across the street, seems to hold the allure and fearlessness that Alicia has never dared to imagine for herself. But when Alicia’s wealthy banker cousin moves to the neighborhood, she finds herself increasingly drawn into both his and La Garza’s precarious lives. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: CHERRY BABY by Rainbow Rowell
CHERRY BABY by Rainbow Rowell (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Rebecca Lowman
Everybody knows that Cherry's husband, Tom, is in Hollywood making a movie. Almost nobody knows that he isn't coming home. Tom is the creator of Thursday, a semi-autobiographical webcomic that's become an international phenomenon. There's a character in this movie based on Cherry: “Baby.” Wide-hipped, heavy-chested, double-chinned Baby. Cherry never wanted this. No fat girl wants to see herself caricatured on the page --- let alone on the big screen. But there's no getting away from it. While her soon-to-be ex-husband is in Los Angeles, Cherry is stuck in Omaha wondering who she's supposed to be without him. One night, Cherry decides to leave all her problems at home. She ventures out to see her favorite band play her favorite album…and someone recognizes her from across the room. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com’s 2026 Spring
Baseball Books Roundup:
A New York (Baseball) State of Mind
In THE BASEBALL UNCLYCLOPEDIA: A Highly Opinionated, Myth-Busting Guide to the Great American Game, Michael Kun and Howard Bloom note that the state of baseball literature consists primarily of books about the Yankees. Nothing has changed much in the 20 years since their book was published. (The Mets are pretty high up there as well, but given that the Bronx Bombers have been around 50+ years longer, their literary superiority is not surprising.)
This year’s crop includes the almost-requisite homage to New York baseball. In our Spring Baseball Books roundup, Ron Kaplan takes a look at four of these titles: THE BOSSES OF THE BRONX: The Endless Drama of the Yankees Under the House of Steinbrenner by Mike Vaccaro, MICKEY & BILLY: The Glory and Tragedy of a Yankee Friendship by Tony Castro, THE HEYDAY OF WILLIE, DUKE, AND MICKEY: New York City Baseball's Golden Age Amid Integration by Robert C. Cottrell, and METROPOLITANS: New York Baseball, Class Struggle, and the People's Team by A.M. Gittlitz.
Click here for Ron Kaplan’s 2026 Spring Baseball Books roundup.
NO WAY HOME by T.C. Boyle (Fiction)
Audiobook available; read by Jonathan Todd Ross, Samara Naeymi and Eddie Lopez
Terrence Tully is at work when he receives news that his mother has died. A third-year medical resident in a gritty community hospital in downtown Los Angeles, he sees death daily, but the news that his mother has passed away jolts him like no other. Turn the page, and he’s heading north on I-15 through a lifeless desert to the small Nevada town where his mother had retired. Overwhelmed with grief and the burden of having to sort out the remnants of his mother’s life, he stops at a café and has a chance encounter with a pretty young local girl in a turquoise minidress. What seems to him a chance meeting like so many we all experience daily will come to upend his life and morph into a fatal obsession. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
DEATH TIMES SEVEN: A Daniel Pitt Novel by Anne Perry and Victoria Zackheim (Historical Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Samuel Roukin
1913: Junior attorney Daniel Pitt must step in for his friend, fellow attorney Toby Kitteridge, whose parents have been brutally attacked. Toby's mother is dead, and his father is barely alive. With Toby returning to the family home in rural Ipswich, Daniel remains in London to substitute for Toby and defend Peter Ward, who is on trial for the sexual assault and murder of a young woman. Daniel is convinced that Ward is innocent, yet the evidence seems to prove otherwise. Eager to assist, his pathologist wife, Miriam fford Croft, offers her forensics expertise. But despite Miriam’s involvement, Daniel finds himself distracted by his desire to help Toby. And when the evidence points to Toby’s father as the killer of Toby’s mother, Daniel faces two of the greatest challenges of his young career: proving the innocence of both Peter Ward and Reverend Kitteridge. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
DEAR MONICA LEWINSKY by Julia Langbein (Fiction/Humor)
Audiobook available; read by Alex Sarrigeorgiou, Louisa Zhu and Patti Murin
Jean Dornan cannot escape the summer of 1998, when, as a college student studying abroad in France, she embarked on an inappropriate relationship with her professor. Now, decades later, when that professor contacts her out of the blue with an invitation to his retirement ceremony, Jean’s long-standing malaise becomes an emotional crisis. Desperate to understand why this relationship derailed her life so completely, she begins rereading her old diaries and is shocked to realize that her own disastrous affair occurred during the summer of the Lewinsky scandal. In a frenzy of guilt and regret, Jean finds herself praying to Monica Lewinsky for forgiveness as if she were a secular saint. To Jean’s shock, Saint Monica appears and guides Jean like the Ghost of Christmas Past back to the summer of 1998. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
INVASIVE SPECIES by Ellery Adams (Supernatural Thriller/Horror)
Audiobook available, read by Courtney Patterson
While the town of Cold Harbor has seen its fair share of monsters in cheating husbands and leering bosses, none are as hungry as Mrs. Smith. The mysterious resident has finally emerged from her crumbling mansion on the hill, mesmerizing the townspeople with her beauty. Her secret? Nine human sacrifices to feed her immortality. Natalie Scott is more worried about Mrs. Smith blocking her first real estate sale. She's eager to prove herself in a world where the social mores of 1980s suburbia reign. Her two best friends are facing their own demons, and Mrs. Smith and her deep, dark woods are an easy scapegoat for everyone's problems. But Natalie's 12-year-old daughter, Jill, and her Icelandic housekeeper, Una, can sense something deeper at play. Armed with library books and a whole lot of grit, Jill and Una team up to save the town once and for all. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
A ROOM IN BOMBAY: A Memoir by Manil Suri (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Neil Shah
Manil Suri grew up in a large crumbling apartment in Bombay (now Mumbai), which his parents, who were Hindu, shared with three Muslim families. At age 20, Suri broke free from their single room and came to the US, where he finally found the freedom to embrace his sexuality and find a life partner. But the room kept wrenching him back to Bombay. By now, real estate prices had risen so much that neighbors had begun conspiring to take over the room. Eventually it was only his mother, Prem, left, who had staked all her happiness on her son but was unable to escape the room’s hold on her. When a rash of mysterious incidents seemed to beset the room, Suri realized how little time he had left to convince Prem that a happier life might await beyond the four walls that both enthralled and imprisoned her. Reviewed by Jane T. Krebs.
SHORT CIRCUIT written by Wolf Haas, translated by Jamie Bulloch (Literary Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Peter Noble
Franz Escher is waiting for the electrician. His power outlet has a loose connection. To pass the time, he buries himself in a book about a Mafioso-turned-informant, Elio Russo. Elio is in jail, awaiting his imminent release into witness protection. He has betrayed so many people that he fears for his life. Unable to sleep, he lies awake at night reading a book about a man named Franz Escher, who's waiting for the electrician. His power outlet has a loose connection. So begins SHORT CIRCUIT, an inventive new take on the detective novel. Styled after one of M.C. Escher’s impossible drawings, its two stories gradually intertwine only to solve each other, culminating in one final short circuit. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
THESE FAMILIAR WALLS by C. J. Dotson (Supernatural Thriller/Horror)
Audiobook available, read by Megan Tusing
In 1998, desperate loneliness pushes preteen Amber to ignore the misgivings of her family, particularly her younger sister, when she befriends the troubled new kid in the neighborhood --- a boy with dead eyes, a fascination with fire, and no remorse. Their turbulent relationship is brief but creates lasting consequences. Twenty-two years later, in 2020, he resurfaces to kill Amber’s parents, and is in turn betrayed by his accomplice and killed in Amber's childhood home. After the deaths, Amber inherits the house and, in an effort to save money, moves in with her husband and two children, hoping to reclaim some sense of stability in the grief and chaos surrounding her. Instead, she finds that the familiar walls are haunted by more than just bitter memories and lockdown stress. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on April 28th
Below are some notable titles releasing on April 28th 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 27th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
BERTIE’S THEORY OF ICE CREAM: A 44 Scotland Street Novel by Alexander McCall Smith (Fiction/Humor)
This latest installment in the lively and deliciously charming 44 Scotland Street series finds all our favorite residents of Scotland’s most celebrated address navigating their enchanting and eventful lives.
CERTAINTY by John Twelve Hawks (Dystopian Science Fiction)
A wise, orphaned 10-year-old girl goes on the run with only her trusty “Interactive Toy” to guide her toward New York City, where a dark landscape, and perhaps a hidden hero, await her.
CHASING THE CLOUDS AWAY by Debbie Macomber (Romance)
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber comes an uplifting story of an unforgettable chance encounter between a successful yet jaded businessman and a woman who sees --- but also expects --- the best in everyone.
CLAWED AND DANGEROUS: A Mrs. Murphy Mystery by Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown (Mystery)
When a series of suspiciously similar deaths begin to pop up across Crozet, Mary Minor “Harry” Haristeen must connect the dots with the help of her beloved cats and dogs.
A DEADLY EPISODE by Anthony Horowitz (Mystery)
They’re making a major feature film of the first Hawthorne/Horowitz mystery novel. But they’re behind schedule, they’ve run out of money...and the star has just been murdered.
GHOST TOWN by Tom Perrotta (Fiction)
This gripping and darkly nostalgic tale is about a tumultuous summer in 1970s suburban New Jersey from the perspective of a middle-aged writer looking back on a series of events that changed his life --- and the story he finally has the courage to tell.
HOW TO CHEAT YOUR OWN DEATH by Kristen Perrin (Mystery)
From the gritty streets of 1960s Soho to the lofty galleries of present-day West London, two interlocking mysteries decades apart unfold in this latest installment in the award-winning Castle Knoll Murder Mystery series.
IN THE SPIRIT OF FRENCH MURDER: An American in Paris Mystery by Colleen Cambridge (Historical Mystery)
After moving to France, Tabitha Knight has a new friend in fellow expat and Cordon Bleu student Julia Child, whose culinary tips can come in quite handy. But something’s cooking in postwar Paris, and it isn’t just cheese soufflé.
THE LITTLE BOOKSHOP BY THE HARBOR by Jean Stone (Fiction)
A new life filled with the celebrated seaside charm and small-town heart of Martha’s Vineyard, a newfound family, romance --- and an exciting venture. What more could Maddie Clarke ask for? And why would anyone want to stop her?
MRS. BENEDICT ARNOLD by Emma Parry (Historical Fiction)
Emma Parry's debut novel is a riveting reimagining of the young woman who almost ended the American Revolution.
THE ORIGINAL by Priya Parmar (Historical Fiction)
This stunning novel plunges into the tumultuous life of screen icon Katharine Hepburn, a star whose fierce independence, passionate spirit and fluid sexuality shattered Hollywood’s rules and redefined what it meant to be a woman in film.
THE SAPPHIRE SEA by Davis Bunn (Romance)
The life of a brilliant boy yearning to belong changes forever when he’s sent to North Carolina’s Outer Banks amid the mysteries, loss and confusion of childhood.
Click here to see the latest “On Sale This Week” newsletter.
From left to right: Marie Benedict, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Laura Dave
Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events
Here are four upcoming virtual book and author events that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links for more info and to register.
Sunday, April 26th at 2pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Marie Benedict will talk about her latest novel, DAUGHTER OF EGYPT, a sweeping tale of a young woman who unearths the truth about a forgotten pharaoh --- rewriting both of their legacies forever.
Tuesday, April 28th at 9pm ET: Killer Author Club: Kimberly Belle, Heather Gudenkauf and Kaira Rouda will talk to Allison Winn Scotch about her latest novel, THE INSOMNIACS. The lives of four sleepless strangers intersect late at night as they attempt to solve not just their own anxieties but also the mysterious disappearance of one of their own.
Wednesday, April 29th at 7pm ET: “Friends & Fiction”: Join “Friends & Fiction” for a conversation with F&F's own Kristy Woodson Harvey about her latest novel, SUMMER STATE OF MIND. A burnt-out NICU nurse, an injured baseball star, and an eccentric southern aunt find themselves unlikely allies when an abandoned baby thrusts them into each other’s lives and forces them to face the scars of their pasts.
Wednesday, April 29th at 8pm ET: “Bookaccino Live” Book Group: Carol Fitzgerald will talk to Laura Dave about her latest novel, THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM, an instant New York Times bestseller and a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. Laura also will answer questions from guests who will be “on stage,” as well as from other members of the audience.
"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 recently include:
Upcoming interviews include:
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Rachel Beanland (THE HALF LIFE)
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Lori Foster (THE LAKE HOUSE: A Firefly Summer Novel)
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Susan Patterson (THE MOTHER-DAUGHTER BOOK CLUB)
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Ruta Sepetys (A FORTUNE OF SAND)
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Kathryn Stockett (THE CALAMITY CLUB)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll: April Paperback Releases to Anticipate
Which of the following titles releasing in paperback in April have you read or do you plan to read? Please check all that apply.
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THE 10: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road, by E.A. Hanks
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THE ACADEMY by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham
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ALL THAT LIFE CAN AFFORD by Emily Everett
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AUDITION by Katie Kitamura
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BE READY WHEN THE LUCK HAPPENS: A Memoir, by Ina Garten
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BEACH HOUSE RULES by Kristy Woodson Harvey
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THE BEWITCHING by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
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BIG CHIEF by Jon Hickey
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BOAT BABY: A Memoir, by Vicky Nguyen
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THE BOOKSHOP: A History of the American Bookstore, by Evan Friss
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THE BRIGHT YEARS by Sarah Damoff
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COUNT MY LIES by Sophie Stava
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THE DARK MAESTRO by Brendan Slocumb
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DEATH AT A HIGHLAND WEDDING: A Rip Through Time Novel, by Kelley Armstrong
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THE DOORMAN by Chris Pavone
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A FAMILY MATTER by Claire Lynch
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THE FLOAT TEST by Lynn Steger Strong
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THE GHOSTWRITER by Julie Clark
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HOLMES IS MISSING: A Holmes, Margaret & Poe Mystery, by James Patterson and Brian Sitts
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THE HOMEMADE GOD by Rachel Joyce
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HOW TO SEAL YOUR OWN FATE by Kristen Perrin
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JAMES by Percival Everett
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MATRIARCH: A Memoir, by Tina Knowles
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MEMORIAL DAYS: A Memoir, by Geraldine Brooks
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THE MISSING HALF by Ashley Flowers, with Alex Kiester
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THE NAMES by Florence Knapp
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NIGHTSHADE: A Catalina Novel, by Michael Connelly
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THE PERFECT DIVORCE by Jeneva Rose
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SALTWATER by Katy Hays
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SIX DAYS IN BOMBAY by Alka Joshi
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SOUTH OF NOWHERE: A Colter Shaw Novel, by Jeffery Deaver
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STUART WOODS' BLOWN AWAY: A Teddy Fay Novel Featuring Stone Barrington, by Brett Battles
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SUMMER LIGHT ON NANTUCKET by Nancy Thayer
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THREE DAYS IN JUNE by Anne Tyler
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UNDER THE STARS by Beatriz Williams
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None of the above
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, May 1st 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 17th to May 1st at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of GO GENTLE by Maria Semple and MAD MABEL by Sally Hepworth.
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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