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September 5, 2008


Bookreporter.com Newsletter

September 5, 2008

This Week on Bookreporter.com

We’re Baaaaack!

Now in Stores: AMERICAN WIFE by Curtis Sittenfeld

Author Talk: Brad Meltzer, Author of THE BOOK OF LIES

Bookreporter.com Talks to Louis Bayard, Author of THE BLACK TOWER
Now in Stores: SWEETHEART by Chelsea Cain

New Featured Romantic Suspense Author: Beverly Barton, Author of COLD HEARTED

New Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Alex Kava, Author of EXPOSED

Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Tess Gerritsen, Author of THE KEEPSAKE

Now in Stores: RED KNIFE by William Kent Krueger

Special Contest: Win the BELLE WEATHER Gift Basket
Books into Movies for September
What's New This Month on ReadingGroupGuides.com

This Week's Reviews

Poll and Question of the Week: Library Card Sign-up Month

Word of Mouth: Tell Us What You're Reading --- TWO Prizes


Quick Links to Features On The Book Report Network
 
Bookreporter.com
Past Reviews
Can't See the Graphics? Read This Newsletter Online
Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight Promotion
Debut Suspense/Thriller One to Watch Promotion
Mystery Mayhem Promotion

Historical Fiction Promotion

One to Watch Promotion
Books Into Movies
Bestseller Lists
Coming Soon
New in Paperback
ReadingGroupGuides.com

We’re Baaaaack!

Happy Labor Day Week! This week means we all get to work harder because five days of work were crammed into four, since we had Monday off to celebrate Labor Day. If you think about it, it’s pretty amusing.

As if to mark the passing of time as I write this, a few leaves are falling from the trees harkening that summer IS winding down. I am fighting a temptation to grab them and glue them back on the branches. When I was in the pool this morning there were leaves floating around. I was grabbing them and throwing them on the coping. Gee, I wonder if I should suggest that to Michael Phelps as a way to increase his workouts. But wait, grabbing leaves does not happen in indoor pools. No wonder he goes so fast!

The week at the beach was nice, but it was not the best trip. There was underlying anxiety about Greg leaving for school on all of our parts. I am definitely emotional, so running through my head were things like, “This is our last dinner as a family before he goes to school.” At some point during the week, I read a book that was sad and I started crying as I read it. You know those cries where you start getting all emotional about one thing and then you just layer it all on from there? Well, I had one of those cries. By the time I was done, Greg was moving away with his wife and three children to the west coast and we were seeing each other for Christmas once a year. Later, when I realized he only was going to college, I felt a lot better. I do recommend cries like this when reading books since you then get a lot of emotion out of the way. Maybe I should develop a list of books that help get the tears flowing. This morning I blogged about the beach and the week there; I have been told it’s funny, so take a look.

Well, we got back from the beach, and a scant 11 hours later we were back in the car hastening into the city to take Greg to school. We did change cars, so we did not drive up in the car with the sand splashed on the side from driving on the beach. I wanted to extend a first appearance that we had been home plugging away getting that bedding all together and testing out the laptop just in case they started grading as soon as we drove up. Parting went smoother than I planned. Of course the pomegranate margarita I tossed back at Rosa Mexicano during the free hour we had on the orientation agenda MIGHT have helped. Fordham did this really smart thing. There was an army of upperclassmen (like 75 of them) there to unload the cars and help with moving in. I kid you not. I have stayed at hotels where the service was not this amazing. One guy even carried out an EMPTY box for me. It eliminated a lot of stress walking into unfamiliar turf. If other schools do not do this, they should consider it.

We got back home and my younger son became “the only child.” Separately and unbeknownst to the other, both my husband and I found our way up to his room to say hi to him at one point. He looked up and said, “Okay, we need to talk. This is WAY WAY too much attention.” It was pretty funny. The next morning he FLED to a friend’s house, and since school started yesterday he has had friends over for dinner both nights. He’s a smart one.

I kicked the sand from between my toes and headed back to the office on Tuesday a little more suntanned and a lot more well read. For some reason on this trip I read a number of books that are not coming out until 2009. They included HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET, a debut title by Jamie Ford (I am crazy about this one), TRUE COLORS by Kristin Hannah (definitely her best!), TRUST NO ONE by Gregg Hurwitz (very strong plot line), KISS by Ted Dekker and Erin Healy (still reading but enjoying this one), ROOFTOPS OF TEHRAN by Mahbod Seraji (another wonderful debut that had me feeling like I was IN Tehran), as well as THE SHAPE OF MERCY by Susan Meissner (a lovely story that takes place now and in Salem during the witch trials), which will be in stores in September. It was a GREAT week of reading. There was not a dud in the bunch, which was really nice to see.

Tuesday night I went to see Brad Meltzer at the Barnes & Noble store on Union Square with John Hogan, our Contributing Editor. What a terrific event. Brad is a class act, and he truly made each and every reader feel welcome. Lots of family and friends were there, many with small children in tow. Afterwards he did this really smart thing. He quickly signed 50 copies of his new book, THE BOOK OF LIES, with just his name, so those who needed to leave quickly could do so with a signed book. Sure it was not personalized, but it was signed. I loved that we were in the crowd that stayed behind to say hi. One plot line in the new book centers on a fictitious story about the origins of Superman. In the course of his research, Brad discovered that the house where Superman was written is in shambles. He is enlisting readers to join together to restore the house. You can read more about this project at a website he has developed called OrdinaryPeopleChangeTheWorld.com. He takes you on a video tour of the house, which will show you why the cause is so important and he shares ways you can contribute.

There are two other big books to have on your radar this week. The first is AMERICAN WIFE by Curtis Sittenfeld. Read it and you will look at those in the public eye a new way. Avideh Bashirrad blogged about it earlier this week on ReadingGroupGuides.com, which you can read here. Readers will be interested to read her post to see why you might skip it --- and why you would not want to miss it, as well as why it works for book clubs. As Harvey Freedenberg, our reviewer, said, “What she (Sittenfeld) has done, and what elevates this book to the realm of true art, is to create a nuanced portrait of how it feels to be the wife of a major political figure, or indeed any celebrity. Fulfilling Hemingway’s definition of a good story, AMERICAN WIFE feels ‘more true than what really happened.’ That’s the highest compliment one can pay to this thoroughly absorbing novel.”

Last year, one of my favorite thrillers was HEARTSICK by Chelsea Cain. Well, her second book, SWEETHEART, is just out, and it is amazing. As Joe Hartlaub, our reviewer, said, “For all of its incredible plotting and pitch-perfect narrative, however, the heart of the book (SWEETHEART) is its characterization. You walk away not only understanding Sheridan’s obsession with Lowell, but also feeling just a bit of that obsession yourself.” You can view a trailer for this book here.

We’re launching two new author features this week, both of whom will be recognizable names to our readers. The first is for Beverly Barton, whose new romantic suspense, COLD HEARTED, is now in stores. In this story, a private investigator must unravel the mystery behind a string of cold-blooded murders. We have 10 copies of COLD HEARTED to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, September 12th. We also are launching a feature for the international bestselling author Alex Kava, whose new suspense/thriller novel, EXPOSED, brings the much-anticipated return of FBI Agent Maggie O’Dell. We have 10 copies of EXPOSED to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, September 12th.

Full disclosure. Usually on Friday afternoons I would call Greg over to my office at the house (I work home Fridays) to read the newsletter opener to make sure it works. Missed that this week. Another first. Time marches on. Here’s to hurricanes blowing themselves out to sea and lots of great reading. We’ll see you next week...read on....

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

 

Click here to read Carol's latest blog entry.

 

Now in Stores: AMERICAN WIFE by Curtis Sittenfeld

AMERICAN WIFE by Curtis Sittenfeld (Fiction)
In this roman à clef, Curtis Sittenfeld --- the bestselling author of THE MAN OF MY DREAMS and PREP --- creates an intimate and revealing portrait of the marriage of George and Laura Bush through their fictional alter egos. More than that, AMERICAN WIFE is a thoughtful and moving meditation on the realities of modern political life and the price of fame. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.

-Click here to read an excerpt from AMERICAN WIFE.
-Click here to read a Q&A with Curtis Sittenfeld.

 
Click here to read a review of AMERICAN WIFE.

 

Author Talk: Brad Meltzer, Author of THE BOOK OF LIES

Brad Meltzer's latest thriller, THE BOOK OF LIES, intertwines two vastly disparate crimes: the Biblical account of mankind's "first murder" and the real-life tragedy that inspired the creation of a legendary comic book superhero. In this interview, Meltzer discusses the link between these two events and sheds light on the little-known details surrounding the death of Mitchell Siegel --- father of Superman creator Jerry Siegel. He also explains how his own difficult relationships with each of his parents surface in his work, elaborates on the challenges of writing for different genres and media, and shares details about his newly launched campaign to save Superman's house.

THE BOOK OF LIES by Brad Meltzer (Thriller)
In Chapter Four of the Bible, Cain kills Abel. But the Bible is silent about one key detail: the weapon Cain used. In 1932, Mitchell Siegel was killed by three gunshots to his chest. While mourning, his son dreamed of a bulletproof man and created the world's greatest hero: Superman. And like Cain's murder weapon, the gun used in this unsolved murder has never been found. Until now. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

-Click here to read a review of THE BOOK OF LIES.
-Click here to read an excerpt from THE BOOK OF LIES.
-Visit www.OrdinaryPeopleChangeTheWorld.com to help save the house where Jerry Siegel created Superman.

 

Click here to read an interview with Brad Meltzer.


 
Bookreporter.com Talks to Louis Bayard, Author of THE BLACK TOWER

Bestselling author Louis Bayard's most recent work of historical fiction, THE BLACK TOWER, poses a hypothetical "what if" surrounding members of the Royal Family in the tumultuous years following the French Revolution. In this interview with Bookreporter.com's Kate Ayers, Bayard explains what sparked his interest in Eugène François Vidocq --- possibly the first modern private eye, who plays a central role in the book --- and discusses how he was able to accurately recreate Paris, circa 1818. He also weighs the benefits of writing historically-based novels over straightforward nonfiction, shares the most challenging aspect of his writing process and reveals what subject he plans to tackle in his next novel.

THE BLACK TOWER by Louis Bayard (Historical Thriller)
Is it possible that the child of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette survived? What’s discovered on a body found dead on the streets of Paris leads the world’s first detective to delve into that very question. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.

-Click here to read a review of THE BLACK TOWER.
-Click here to read an excerpt from THE BLACK TOWER.

 

Click here to read our interview with Louis Bayard.

 
Now in Stores: SWEETHEART by Chelsea Cain
SWEETHEART by Chelsea Cain (Thriller)
When the body of a young woman is discovered in Portland’s Forest Park, Detective Archie Sheridan is reminded of the last time they found a body there, more than a decade ago: it turned out to be the Beauty Killer’s first victim, and Archie’s first case. After help from reporter Susan Ward uncovers the dead woman's identity, it turns into another big case. But Archie can't focus on the new investigation because the Beauty Killer case has exploded: serial killer Gretchen Lowell has escaped from prison. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

-Click here to read an excerpt from SWEETHEART.
-Click here to view a trailer for SWEETHEART.

Click here to read a review of SWEETHEART.

 

New Featured Romantic Suspense Author: Beverly Barton, Author of COLD HEARTED

New York Times bestselling author Beverly Barton has written over 50 contemporary romance novels. In COLD HEARTED, her new romantic suspense title now available in stores, private investigator Rick Carson must uncover the truth behind an elegant widow with a disturbing --- and deadly --- track record.

We have 10 copies of COLD HEARTED to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, September 12th.

-Click here to read Beverly Barton’s bio.
-Visit the author’s official website, www.BeverlyBarton.com.

More about COLD HEARTED:
Hired by the Powell Agency to investigate Senator Dan Price’s death, Rick Carson can see at once why people would believe Jordan Price incapable of cold-blooded murder. But the deeper he delves into the sting of deaths from which Jordan has profited handsomely, the more convinced Rich becomes that he is dealing with a callous, cunning, unstoppable killer.

 

Click here to read more about Beverly Barton and COLD HEARTED.


 
New Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Alex Kava, Author of EXPOSED
Alex Kava, the New York Times bestselling author of A PERFECT EVIL and WHITEWASH, has been published in over 20 countries and is celebrated worldwide for her craft. In EXPOSED, her new thriller releasing on September 30th, Kava reintroduces FBI Agent Maggie O’Dell as she tracks down a killer with a deadly weapon.

We have 10 copies of EXPOSED to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, September 12th.

-Click here to read Alex Kava’s bio.
-Visit the author’s official website, www.AlexKava.com.

More about EXPOSED:
Agent Maggie O'Dell and Assistant Director Cunningham believe they're responding to a threat made at Quantico. Instead they walk into a trap. Before they realize it, they’ve both been exposed to a killer who can strike at anyone, anytime and no one can predict who might be next…until it’s too late. His weapon is a deadly virus, virtually invisible and totally unexpected. His victims appear to be random, but in fact, they are chosen with a revengeful precision. The vaccine is limited and untested.

 

Click here to read more about Alex Kava and EXPOSED.


 

Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Tess Gerritsen, Author of THE KEEPSAKE

Tess Gerritsen, the New York Times bestselling author of such novels as HARVEST and THE BONE GARDEN, knows how to expertly dissect a brilliantly suspenseful story, all the while keeping fascinated readers riveted to her side. In THE KEEPSAKE, her new thriller releasing on September 9th, a homicide detective and a medical examiner must hunt down a twisted killer who is familiar with post-mortem rituals.

-Click here to read a second excerpt from THE KEEPSAKE.
-Click here to read Tess Gerritsen’s bio.
-Click here to see Tess Gerritsen's backlist.
-Click here to read critical praise for Tess Gerritsen.
-Visit the author’s official website, www.TessGerritsen.com.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.


More about THE KEEPSAKE:
For untold years, the perfectly preserved mummy had lain forgotten in the dusty basement of Boston’s Crispin Museum. Now its sudden rediscovery by museum staff is both a major coup and an attention-grabbing mystery. Dubbed “Madam X,” the mummy --- to all appearances, an ancient Egyptian artifact --- seems a ghoulish godsend for the financially struggling institution. But medical examiner Maura Isles soon discovers a macabre message hidden within the corpse --- horrifying proof that this “centuries-old” relic is instead a modern-day murder victim.

 

Click here to read more about Tess Gerritsen and THE KEEPSAKE.

 

Now in Stores: RED KNIFE by William Kent Krueger

RED KNIFE: A Cork O'Connor Mystery by William Kent Krueger (Mystery)
Caught in a battle between a gang of Ojibwe youths called the Red Boyz, and angry whites led by a man bent on revenge, Cork O’Connor fights desperately to restore peace to his beloved Tamarack County. But drawn into committing the darkest of deeds himself, Cork is forced to confront an awful truth: In every human heart, a beast lies waiting.

“Outstanding…Simply and elegantly told.”
   - Publishers Weekly, starred review.

-Click here to read Publishers Weekly's starred review of RED KNIFE.

 
Click here to read more about RED KNIFE.

 
Special Contest: Win the BELLE WEATHER Gift Basket
We’re celebrating the release of BELLE WEATHER: Mostly Sunny with a Chance of Scattered Hissy Fits --- Celia Rivenbark’s hilarious new book --- with a special contest. Readers who answer a question correctly by listening to an excerpt read aloud by the author will be automatically entered to win. You may listen to the excerpt on this page. In a wicker basket, one lucky Grand Prize winner will receive a finished copy of BELLE WEATHER, a copy of the BELLE WEATHER audiobook read by Celia Rivenbark and white sunglasses, as well as the trade paperback editions of Celia Rivenbark’s entire backlist, which include STOP DRESSING YOUR SIX-YEAR-OLD LIKE A SKANK, WE’RE JUST LIKE YOU, ONLY PRETTIER and BLESS YOUR HEART, TRAMP. Twenty other lucky readers each will win a finished copy of BELLE WEATHER. Enter between now and Wednesday, September 17th by filling out the form found here.

More about BELLE WEATHER:
Hang on to your hats! We’re in for some fiercely funny weather and crackling-sharp observations from Celia Rivenbark, of whom USA Today has said, “Think Dave Barry with a female point of view.” Whether she’s doing her taxes or extolling the virtues of Madonna’s mothering skills, Celia Rivenbark will keep you laughing until the very last page.

-Click here to read more about BELLE WEATHER.
-Click here to read an excerpt from
BELLE WEATHER.
 
Click here for more details about the contest and how to enter.

 
Books into Movies for September

With the likes of Iron Man, Sex and the City, The Dark Knight and Tropic Thunder pulling in record-breaking crowds, the box office’s fall lineup may seem a bit thin following this past summer’s blockbuster season. But September’s Books into Movies feature will certainly cater to those of us who sorely missed the provocative dramas and intriguing independent films lacking amidst the action-packed, big-budget hits of the last three months.

From Spike Lee’s WWII epic Miracle at St. Anna and the French coming-of-age saga A Secret, to the poignant exploration on bridging language and generational gaps in A Thousand Years of Good Prayers and the historical biopic of “the original It-Girl” The Duchess, these literary-inspired films offer a bit of culture and history, some offbeat humor, a healthy dose of family dynamics and self-exploration, and enough food for thought to last you long after you leave the theater.

Moviegoers in search of something a bit out of the ordinary need look no further than the films Choke --- an irreverent dark comedy based on Chuck Palahniuk’s novel that follows a young man juggling sex addiction, the financial burdens of a mentally unstable mother and the search for his rather mysterious lineage --- and the Freudian coming-of-age dramedy Mister Foe, about a young voyeur who takes to the rooftops of Glasgow in search of love. For the romantic in all of us is Nicholas Sparks’s Nights in Rodanthe, which --- following in the footsteps of Message in a Bottle, A Walk to Remember and The Notebook --- is a guaranteed tearjerker about finding love and second chances.

Those in the mood for something a bit darker with a little edge will enjoy Blindness, Nobel Prize-winning author Jose Saramago’s thrilling exploration of human nature and the limits of love, as members of a community are suddenly stricken with an epidemic that robs them of their sight.

 

Click here to read our Books into Movies feature.

 
What's New This Month on ReadingGroupGuides.com

With more than 2,300 discussion guides available, ReadingGroupGuides.com continues to be the leading place for book clubs to find all the resources they need on the web.

Our
ReadingGroupGuides.com Blog continues to be a big hit among our readers. Throughout the month we are sharing postings from regular contributors --- including authors, librarians, book club facilitators, booksellers and experts in the publishing industry --- as well as special guests. The latest blog can be found here, and here are quick links to some recent posts:

-Joyce Hinnefeld: Garnering Book Club Insight
-American Wife
-Misjudging a Book Club Selection
-Invite an Author, Reap the Rewards
-Books You've Read in a Day
-What's So Great About a Book Club?
-Joshua Henkin: Shouting Matches and More
-Garth Stein: The Art of Visiting a Reading Group
-Lisa See's Thank You to Book Clubs
-Rules or No Rules?
-Book Clubs and Romance


The following guides are now available on ReadingGroupGuides.com:

AMERICAN WIFE by Curtis Sittenfeld
BESIDE A BURNING SEA by John Shors
THE BLACK TOWER/A> by Louis Bayard
BLOODLETTING & MIRACULOUS CURES: Stories by Vincent Lam
BROTHER, I'M DYING by Edwidge Danticat
THE CAREFUL USE OF COMPLIMENTS by Alexander McCall Smith
CLOUD NINE by Luanne Rice
DREAM COUNTRY by Luanne Rice
HERE AT THE END OF THE WORLD WE LEARN TO DANCE by Lloyd Jones
THE HERETIC'S DAUGHTER by Kathleen Kent
HOME by Marilynne Robinson
HOT, FLAT, AND CROWDED: Why We Need a Green Revolution -- and How It Can Renew America by Thomas L. Friedman
INTERRED WITH THEIR BONES by Jennifer Lee Carrell
THE ISRAEL LOBBY AND U.S. FOREIGN POLICY by John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt
LAND OF A HUNDRED WONDERS by Lesley Kagen
SCOT ON THE ROCKS by Brenda Janowitz
THE SEAMSTRESS by Frances de Pontes Peebles
THE SECRET'S IN THE SAUCE: The Potluck Catering Club, Book 1 by Linda Evans Shepherd and Eva Marie Everson
SWIM TO ME by Betsy Carter
TRAIN TO TRIESTE by Domnica Radulescu
THE VARIOUS FLAVORS OF COFFEE by Anthony Capella
WHEN THE SOUL MENDS: Sisters of the Quilt, Book 3 by Cindy Woodsmall

Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:


THE ALMOST MOON by Alice Sebold
THE HOUSE OF LANYON by Valerie Anand
MATRIMONY by Joshua Henkin
THE RABBI'S DAUGHTER by Reva Mann


We have the following new guides for Christian book groups:

HE LOVES ME!: Learning to Live in the Father's Affection by Wayne Jacobsen
HOMETOWN FAVORITE by Bill Barton and Henry O. Arnold
LOOKIN’ BACK, TEXAS by Leanna Ellis
MESSY FAITH: Daring to Live by Grace by A. J. Gregory
A PASSION REDEEMED: The Daughters of Boston, Book 2 by Julie Lessman
THE PURSE-UIT OF HOLINESS: Learning to Imitate the Master Designer by Rhonda Rhea
THE QUEEN OF SLEEPY EYE by Patti Hill
SARAH'S PROMISE: Country Road Chronicles, Book 4 by Leisha Kelly
SHADOW OF COLOSSUS: Seven Wonders Series, Book 1 by T. L. Higley
WOUNDED: A Love Story by Claudia Mair Burney

 

Click here to visit ReadingGroupGuides.com.

 

This Week's Reviews

THE MERCEDES COFFIN: A Decker and Lazarus Novel by Faye Kellerman (Thriller)
Drug dealing and the underbelly of the music industry set the stage for Faye Kellerman's latest thriller, THE MERCEDES COFFIN. Detective Peter Decker finds himself not only in the middle of a case of murder but working simultaneously on a cold case. He also must deal with an eccentric benefactor, the suicide of a retired cop and a dangerous hostage situation. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.

-Click here to read an excerpt from THE MERCEDES COFFIN.


FACES OF FEAR by John Saul (Thriller)
Fifteen-year-old Alison Shaw moves with her mother into the home of her new stepfather, Dr. Conrad Dunn. Simultaneously, the Los Angeles area is being terrorized by the Frankenstein Killer --- a madman who is murdering women and taking different body parts from each of them. John Saul’s 35th novel shows that there is a fine line between perfection and madness. Reviewed by Ray Palen.


THE DECEIVED by Brett Battles (Political Thriller)
A freelance operative and professional “cleaner,” Jonathan Quinn knows better than to get emotionally involved in any of his jobs. But in this follow-up to THE CLEANER, Quinn’s latest job is different. A friend and old colleague has been murdered. A woman has gone missing. And for Quinn, this time it’s personal. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.


EPILOGUE: A Memoir by Anne Roiphe (Memoir)
In this moving memoir, Anne Roiphe chronicles her struggle to recover from the sudden death of her husband. Rich with insight, emotion and even humor, EPILOGUE is a frank story of one woman’s battle against grief. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.


THE LEGAL LIMIT by Martin Clark (Legal Thriller)
The lives of two brothers are forever bound together by their actions one night in rural Virginia in 1984. In his third novel, Virginia circuit court judge Martin Clark portrays the lives of Mason and Gates Hunt and the divergent paths they take after the events that change both men. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.


WELL ENOUGH ALONE: A Cultural History of My Hypochondria by Jennifer Traig (Memoir)
While hypochondriacs exist only as the butt of bad jokes for most of us, Jennifer Traig's latest memoir, WELL ENOUGH ALONE, explores the disorder in a personal and compelling way. Traig is often the butt of her own jokes, but this book makes it clear that hypochondria is no laughing matter. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.


THE DIRTY SECRETS CLUB by Meg Gardiner (Thriller)
In her U.S. debut (and the launch of her second crime series), Meg Gardiner introduces a tough but vulnerable heroine, and a glimpse at the talent our lucky friends across the pond have been privy to for years. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.


SO LONG AT THE FAIR by Christina Schwarz (Fiction)
The setting is intimate --- a small town in the Midwest --- and so is the subject: how marriage sustains and betrays us. In her new novel, the author of DROWNING RUTH (an Oprah’s Book Club pick) gives us a day in the life of a couple on the edge of dissolution. Reviewed by Kathy Weissman.


THE FIFTH FLOOR by Michael Harvey (Thriller)
Chicago’s political landscape heats up when Michael Kelly, former police officer turned private eye, is hired by an ex-girlfriend to trail her abusive husband. In the course of his investigation, Kelly unearths a plot that reaches from the mayor’s office on the fifth floor of Chicago’s City Hall to the historic Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt.


STALKING SUSAN by Julie Kramer (Thriller)
An ex-cop friend reels Riley Spartz, a television reporter with a broken heart, into an investigation of two murders. Both homicide victims were named Susan and died on the same date one year apart. Little does Riley know that these cold cases will turn her life inside out. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.

 
Read this week's reviews here.

 

Poll and Question of the Week: Library Card Sign-up Month

Poll:

September is Library Card Sign-up Month. Do you have a library card?
Yes
No
No, but I'd like to get one

How often do you use your library card?
About once a week
About once a month
Several times a week
Less than once a month
I don't have a library card.
 
During a typical visit to the library, how many books do you check out?

1-3
4-6
7-10
More than 10
I don't have a library card.


-Click here to answer our poll.


Question:

What is your favorite thing about your local library?

-Click here to answer our question.


 

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 two great prizes: FIVE readers each will win a copy of THE OTHER QUEEN by Philippa Gregory and RED KNIFE: A Cork O’Connor Mystery by William Kent Krueger. Tell us what you are reading and rate the titles 1-5 by noon on September 19th to ensure that you are in the running to win these books.

Please note that our next Word of Mouth update will be on September 19th.
 
Need more details about Word of Mouth? Click here.

 

As always, here are a few housekeeping notes. If you are seeing this newsletter in a text version, and would prefer to see the graphics, you can either read it online or change your preferences below.

Those of you who wish to send mail to Bookreporter.com, please see the form on the
Write to Us page.  If you would like to reach me, please write Carol@bookreporter.com. Writing any of the respond buttons below will not get to us.

Those who are subscribed to the Bookreporter.com newsletter by September 30, 2008 automatically are entered in our Monthly Newsletter Contest. This month one winner will be selected to win the following five books: AMERICAN WIFE by Curtis Sittenfeld, THE BOOK OF LIES by Brad Meltzer, FIRST DAUGHTER by Eric Van Lustbader, THE GIVEN DAY by Dennis Lehane and THE LUCKY ONE by Nicholas Sparks. Holly from Lawrenceville, GA
was last month's newsletter winner. She won ALFRED & EMILY by Doris Lessing, DEVIL BONES by Kathy Reichs, ROBERT LUDLUM'S THE BOURNE SANCTION by Eric Van Lustbader, SMOKE SCREEN by Sandra Brown and THE TURNAROUND by George Pelecanos.

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.

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