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March 19, 2004

Bookreporter.com Newsletter March 19, 2004
This Week on Bookreporter.com
Comfort Books and Recent Reads
THE BURGLAR ON THE PROWL by Lawrence Block
Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight: We Announce our April Author, Rick Riordan; Read An Excerpt from Clinton McKinzie's CROSSING THE LINE
ONE TO WATCH: Jonathan Tropper, Author of THE BOOK OF JOE
Our Mystery Mayhem Author, Rita Mae Brown, Author of WHISKER OF EVIL
SCARECROW by Matthew Reilly
This Week's Book Reviews and Features
Poll: Video Author Interviews on the Web
Question of the Week: Name three authors you would like to see interviewed on the web.
Word of Mouth: Tell Us What You're Reading -- TWO Prizes!
On The Book Report Network
 
Bookreporter.com
Past Reviews
Can't See the Graphics? Read This Newsletter Online
Past Poll: Which of the following books are you most looking forward to reading?
Past Question of the Week: What is your favorite book that was made into a movie?
Read more about Marlo Thomas and THE RIGHT WORDS AT THE RIGHT TIME here. Read more about Pages here. Read more about the Virginia Festival of the Book here.
Comfort Books and Recent Reads
 
After managing to get through the entire winter without being sick, last weekend I got nailed by a cold that just knocked the stuffing out of me. I spent hours on the couch reading and sneezing. When the sneezing was at its worst I went right for a "comfort book" and read an advance copy of the new Kate White mystery, TIL DEATH DO US PART, which will be out in June. I like her character Bailey and for a while I felt like an old friend was visiting with me on the couch. I love when a book does that.

Looking for something a bit grittier, I picked up SOUTHTOWN by Rick Riordan. We are announcing Riordan as our next featured Suspense/Thriller author this week and I was looking forward to reading him. The story is set in Southtown, a rather "rough" area in San Antonio, Texas. The book opens with a jailbreak and a con on the loose tracking his convictors. The first pages are fast-paced and very visual --- and the action does not slow down from there. See more about this book below. And if you want to be one of our 20 advance readers of SOUTHTOWN send your name and mailing address to SuspenseThriller@bookreporter.com by Friday, April 2nd.

As you may know, I am heading down to Virginia for the Virginia Festival of the Book in Charlottesville next weekend. I love that event and have been attending it for the last 3 years. One of the panelists on a panel I am moderating is Lawrence Block. We bring you a review of his latest, THE BURGLAR ON THE PROWL this week. It's terrific. Curious about this event? Go to www.vabook.org.

Here's some news you might enjoy. THE RIGHT WORDS AT THE RIGHT TIME by Marlo Thomas was a bestselling success when it came out last year. Readers are now being asked to share a story of their own which will then be compiled into a second volume of stories to be released in 2005. As Marlo Thomas writes in her letter to readers included in the trade paperback, "You don't have to be a prizefighter, or a world-renowned architect, or a concert violinist to have been affected by the power of words, and to have experienced firsthand how those words can change a life in an eye blink." The entries can be submitted until midnight EDT on April 16, 2004. See more details by clicking on the cover above.

I also want to be sure Pages magazine is on your radar screen. This terrific bi-monthly can be bought by subscription or on newsstands at bookstores. The cover story this month is about Alice Walker, and there is another well-done piece on George Pelecanos. This magazine is a wonderful resource for readers and we will be sharing more about it in the weeks to come.

Have a great weekend....here's hoping spring comes to the weather forecast here in New York, as well as the calendar! I am a tad bored with SNOW!

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

 
THE BURGLAR ON THE PROWL by Lawrence Block
 
Acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Lawrence Block returns with one of his most inspired and popular characters: the extraordinary Bernie Rhodenbarr. This time, Bernie is caught in the center of a deadly mystery; if he can't catch the killer, he'll lose not only his freedom but also his life.

Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub (Mystery)
Read our review of THE BURGLAR ON THE PROWL and an excerpt here.
 
Read more about SOUTHTOWN here. Read more about Rick Riordan here.
Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight: We Announce our April Author, Rick Riordan; Read An Excerpt from Clinton McKinzie's CROSSING THE LINE
 
This week we introduce our new Suspense/Thriller Spotlight author --- Rick Riordan, whose novel SOUTHTOWN will be on-sale 4/27.

New This Week:
-Read about SOUTHTOWN
-Read Riordan's Bibliography
-Read About the Author
-Read Critical Praise
-Enter our giveaway to win an advance copy of SOUTHTOWN. We have 20 advanced reading copies of SOUTHTOWN by Rick Riordan to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please send your name and mailing address to SuspenseThriller@bookreporter.com by Friday, April 2nd.

SOUTHTOWN
Will Stirman stages a bloody escape from prison and sets out for Southtown, an area in San Antonio, to exact revenge on those who put him behind bars. Tres Navarre's boss, Erainya Manos knows why Stirman may be looking for her, but she's not talking. Sam Barerra, the other person with clues to the danger is fighting a losing battle with dementia. SOUTHTOWN is a story filled with greed, vigilanitism --- and deception.

Clinton McKinze, author of CROSSING THE LINE.

CROSSING THE LINE is on-sale 4/27.

New this week:
-Read an excerpt from CROSSING THE LINE

In Case You Missed Previous Weeks:
-Read Fact Facts
-Read Praise about McKinzie

In CROSSING THE LINE, FBI agent Mary Chang is hot on the trail of Hidalgo, a murderous drug lord who recently relocated to a Wyoming canyon. Determined to bring Hidalgo to custody, Chang enlists Special Agent Antonio Burns and his renegade brother, Roberto. Despite Mary's and Anthony's efforts, their plans soon descend into a world of loss, betrayal and terror.
Read our Suspense/Thriller feature here.
 
Read more about CROSSING THE LINE. Read more about Clinton McKinzie Read more about TRIAL BY FIRE AND ICE.
ONE TO WATCH: Jonathan Tropper, Author of THE BOOK OF JOE
 
Jonathan Tropper is an author we are watching. Here's the plot of his latest: Right after high school, Joe Goffman left sleepy Bush Falls, Connecticut, and never looked back. Fifteen years later, he wrote a novel that savaged everyone in his hometown --- then became a national best seller and huge hit movie. Lucky for Joe, he never planned on going home --- until now...

Read a third excerpt from THE BOOK OF JOE.
Read more about Jonathan Tropper and THE BOOK OF JOE.
 
Read more about WHISKER OF EVIL here. Read more about Rita Mae Brown here. Read more about THE TAIL OF THE TIP-OFF here.
Our Mystery Mayhem Author, Rita Mae Brown, Author of WHISKER OF EVIL
 
Rita Mae Brown is the author of the Sneaky Pie mystery series. Her latest WHISKER OF EVIL will be in stores on March 30th along with the paperback of the THE TAIL OF THE TIPOFF.

Here's the plot of WHISKER OF EVIL: A mysterious death in a Virginia farm town has the locals scratching their heads --- while frisky feline Mrs. Murphy and her friends, fat-cat Pewter and a corgi named Tee Tucker, uncover clues as they curl their way around a cold-blooded killer.

Read more about this book and Rita Mae Brown by clicking on the links below.
Read our Mystery Mayhem feature here.
 
SCARECROW by Matthew Reilly
 
SCARECROW is the third book in the Shane Schofield series. With new exotic locations and weaponry, plus a returning cast of old friends from the battlefield, this latest thriller from Matthew Reilly will leave readers on the edge of their seats and gasping for air.

Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub (Thriller)
Click here to read our review of SCARECROW and an excerpt.
 
This Week's Book Reviews and Features
 
NAKED IN DEATH by Nora Roberts, writing as J.D. Robb (Romantic Suspense)
Reviewed by Kate Ayers
A series of murders in 2058 New York has Lt. Eve Dallas investigating one of the world's richest men, but she believes he is innocent --- and that she is falling in love with him.

ALL IN GOOD TIME by Jonathan Schwartz (Memoir)
Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott
Jonathan Schwartz grew up with advantages many of us would envy, including a famous father, a beautiful mother and celebrities like Judy Garland to sing him to sleep. But would we be so envious if we knew the price he had to pay for it?

SUNSET AND SAWDUST by Joe R. Lansdale (Fiction)
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
Prolific author Joe R. Landsdale provides readers with a fast moving, electrifying new novel. The Depression-era East Texas towns of Camp Rapture and Holiday are the settings for this dark morality tale with Biblical overtones.

DANCE WITH ME by Luanne Rice (Fiction)
Reviewed by Bethanne Kelly Patrick
Fans of Luanne Rice's deceptively simple tales of family interaction won't be disappointed by her latest, in which love lost is contrasted with love found --- and then held up to the mirror of the love that is right under your nose all along.

DESERT PLACES by Blake Crouch (Thriller)
Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum
This debut novel from Blake Crouch is a stunning psychological thriller shot through with gruesome horror stories. A mystery writer is framed for several murders and is manipulated into charnel acts by the master fiend.

BROTHERS IN ARMS by Marcus Wynne (Thriller)
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
Marcus Wynne unites the heroes from his previous two novels --- ex-military special operator Dale Miller (NO OTHER OPTION) and former CIA operator Charley Payne (WARRIOR IN THE SHADOWS) --- in a global battle to face down a threat to the United States.

THE ISLAND AT THE CENTER OF THE WORLD by Russell Shorto (History)
Reviewed by Robert Finn
This is a richly detailed, deeply researched and engagingly written narrative history of New Netherland --- the now largely forgotten Dutch colony that brought Manhattan Island onto the world stage for the first time.

MADRAS ON RAINY DAYS by Samina Ali (Fiction)
Reviewed by Norah Piehl
In her debut novel, Indian-American author Samina Ali tells the story of Layla, who feels trapped between two identities --- dutiful Muslim daughter and free, independent American woman.

WHY SHE WENT HOME by Lucinda Rosenfeld (Fiction)
Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon
In this charming sequel to Lucinda Rosenfeld's 2000 debut novel WHAT SHE SAW, Phoebe Fine leaves New York City to return to her parents' Depression-era bungalow across the river in New Jersey.

ANTONIO'S WIFE by Jacqueline DeJohn (Historical Fiction)
Reviewed by Marie Hashima Lofton
A wonderfully rich tale, Jacqueline DeJohn's debut novel encompasses the world of late 19th century Italy and early 20th century America, taking the reader on a journey from the vineyards of Italy to the world of the Italian immigrant in New York.

LINCOLN & WHITMAN: Parallel Lives in Civil War Washington by David Mark Epstein (History)
Reviewed by Jonathan Shipley
Poet and biographer Daniel Mark Epstein tracks the parallel lives of Abraham Lincoln and Walt Whitman --- from the day that Lincoln first read LEAVES OF GRASS to the elegy Whitman composed after Lincoln's assassination in 1865.
Read the reviews and features here.
 
Read Author Bibliographies here. Search Bookreporter.com here Read about the Light Wedge reading light here.
Poll: Video Author Interviews on the Web
 
There are very few places where readers can see authors interviewed, either on television or in person. If you could view author interviews on the web on demand, instead of at a set time, would you?

Yes
No
Not sure

Which authors would you like to see interviewed? (Check as many as apply.)

I would want to see interviews with bestselling authors.
I would like to see interviews with established authors.
I would want to see interviews with new authors.
I would not be interested in seeing authors interviewed on the web.

If there was programming that interviewed authors on the web, who should do the interviews? (Check as many as apply.)

A noted author.
A TV personality.
A book reviewer.
A panel of professionals and "civilian" readers.
The editors of Bookreporter.com.
Answer the Poll here.
 
Read about books that have won awards here. Read our Books Into Movies feature here.
Question of the Week: Name three authors you would like to see interviewed on the web.
 
Name three authors you would like to see interviewed on the web.

Our next question update will be on April 2nd.
Answer the Question of the Week.
 
Read more about THE GAME here. Read more about HARD REVOLUTION here.
Word of Mouth: Tell Us What You're Reading -- TWO Prizes!
 
Tell us what books YOU are reading and loving --- or even those you don't.

This week we have some great prizes: FIVE readers each will win a copy of THE GAME by Laurie R. King and HARD REVOLUTION by George Pelecanos. Please note that our next Word of Mouth update will be on April 2nd.
Need more details about Word of Mouth? Click here.
 

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Happy reading! Don't forget to forward this newsletter to a friend or to visit our other websites from TheBookReportNetwork.com: ReadingGroupGuides.com, AuthorsOnTheWeb.com, FaithfulReader.com, AuthorYellowPages.com, Teenreads.com, and Kidsreads.com.

--- Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

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