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Bookreporter.com Newsletter |
June 25, 2010 |
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Big Ol' Jetliner |
Another day, another airplane. As I write this it’s Thursday morning, and I am hopping on a plane to Washington, DC for the American Library Association Convention in a few hours. Yes, I could drive. Yes, I could take the train. But I love flying, and I can get more done on a plane since I drop into a zone and really break away from the day-to-day. Here’s something I miss: I used to play music when the plane took off. I would line up the perfect song, so racing down the runway and taking off was choreographed. I know, I am easily amused, but there was something about cranking up “Jet Airliner” by Steve Miller or something a lot more esoteric that made flying a lot more fun. I actually would plot this out in advance, and there was a trick to getting the song synched to work just as the plane started hurling down the tarmac.
These days we are so unplugged on takeoff that it’s maddening. The last few flights they specifically have been commanding eReaders be turned off as well, making me happy I always have a book in hand…and a knitting project…and another book in case I finish the first one. After all, the flight is 1 hour and 17 minutes. I plug in my iPod once we land and walk through the airport with my own personal soundtrack playing, which makes the whole race to baggage claim in a crowded airport experience a lot more interesting. The whole scene unfolds quite differently with a soundtrack. Try it sometime.
Earlier this week I was tearing through the house trying to find a copy of GIRLS LIKE US by Sheila Weller. I want to re-read the section on Carole King after seeing her in concert with James Taylor and picking up a CD/DVD set of the two of them this week. Two people besides me remember seeing it on a shelf here. Can I find it? No. Of course, there are at least eight rooms in this house with books shelved double deep. Watch it be in my NY office. I need a better cataloguing system. I keep thinking I have this under control, and then I am quickly reminded that I am mistaken when moments like this happen. To give you an idea of how carefully I have worked on my system, I have gone so far as to have the wine books artfully arranged in the dining room. Maybe I can talk my younger son into taking this task on this summer, though that may take him away from his summer goal of watching the Top 100 Netflix films. Nice to see him excited about films like Rear Window.
I love seeing musicians reinterpreting their music as much as I enjoy re-reading my favorite authors. One casualty of my business is that I always need to plunge ahead reading, and I have less and less time to re-read the books that I have enjoyed or get to the "oldie but goodie" titles that I missed. Do you find yourself doing the same thing? I will reach for something I would love to take another look at, and suddenly I look at a pile of upcoming releases or books “everyone” is talking about and I gravitate towards them instead to be sure I am on top of my game. Sure, it’s still a great reading adventure, but there are times that I wish I could hit replay a bit more like I am going back to playing vintage vinyl on my turntable.
Last Friday I had a cool knitting adventure. Debbie Bliss, a really gifted designer of knitted garments and yarns, was at one of my favorite local knit shops, Down Cellar, giving a talk about how she designs. She has written more than 50 books and was a fabulous speaker. I needed to duck out to get back home to write, and I was disappointed to not catch the entire talk. As I was mingling before the event, I was speaking with her daughter who was just a delight; she was having such a wonderful time visiting the area from the U.K. When she heard that I worked with books, she told me her mom is an avid reader who reads five books a week when she is not working. Pretty cool. I wish I had had more time to talk to her about what she enjoys reading.
In DC I have a really hectic agenda as this library conference has a fabulous programming lineup. I have a robust schedule of events, including a dinner with Dennis Lehane and Laura Lippman, a lunch with Cornelia Funke (have you seen the wonderful video she did on Kidsreads.com? Watch it here.) and tea with Katherine Paterson, and speakers including Junot Dìaz. But know that beyond the plans, there will be those amazing kismet moments that find their way into the mix where I meet someone special or hear about a book that I cannot wait to share with you. In keeping with my plan to meet more of our reviewers as I travel, I am having dinner tonight with Amy Gwiazdowski, who most recently reviewed SHAKESPEARE UNDEAD by Lori Handeland. Nice opportunity.
One event I am really looking forward to is the National Library Advocacy Day Rally, which is a chance for all of us to demonstrate support for libraries on the grounds of the Capitol on Tuesday, June 29th from 11AM-12PM. All are invited to attend. For those of you who cannot make it, it’s time to check in with your local library to see where the fiscal winds are blowing and learn where support is needed. This is a cause I’m very passionate about and hope those in the area will be able to join me. Please shoot me a note if you’ll be there. I have written a piece for the Huffington Post on this current nationwide crisis, which you can read here. I hope you will share this with your family, friends, librarians, teachers and local officials to shed even more light on this issue. Also, you can click here to read a letter I sent to a number of authors last week asking for their support of libraries. It certainly will appeal to anyone is vocal and passionate about the cause.
This week we have two reviews of books I really loved and am excited to share with you all. CRASHERS by Dana Haynes, one of our recent Debut Suspense/Thriller author spotlights, is out this week. I met Dana in Portland earlier this year and learned so much about the National Transportation Safety Board, the subject of CRASHERS, from him and all the research that he put into the book. Reviewer Joe Hartlaub says, “CRASHERS is a big book that moves like a rocket from the start. Think of it as a gallon of ice water waiting for you at the end of a hot and humid summer day: you won’t be able to take it in quickly enough.” I think of Dana whenever the big ol’ jet airliner takes off.
Also out this week is Karin Slaughter’s latest Grant County novel, BROKEN. Karin is an author I’m always rooting for, not just because she spins an excellent mystery, but because she’s smart and nice and clever. Her newsletters always amuse me. Joe reviewed this one as well and says, “One of Slaughter’s trademark literary elements involves hitting the reader in new and unexpected ways, and she does so in major-league style in BROKEN.” Joe is vowing to re-read the entire Grant County series after reading this one! For those who may have missed it, Howard Slaughter, Karin’s father, was kind enough to give us some background on Karin’s development as a reader and writer as part of our Father’s Day blog series. True to form, Dad knew her destiny all along! You can read the blog post here.
Wondering who Joe Hartlaub is? Well, look no further than the above photo taken by his lovely wife, Lisa, where he is pictured with Linda Castillo at her event for PRAY FOR SILENCE, one of our current Suspense/Thriller feature titles.
This week also marks the close of our second Beach Bag of Books contest. You can see if you were one of our five lucky grand prize winners or five runners-up here. If you don’t see your name, fear not as you have another chance with our third Beach Bag of Books contest. For the next two weeks, we’ll be featuring a collection of books that includes THE BREAKING OF EGGS by Jim Powell, LIGHT BOXES by Shane Jones, SIMA’S UNDERGARMENTS FOR WOMEN by Ilana Stanger-Ross, and THE SLAP by Christos Tsiolkas. In addition to the books, five winners will receive a bright polka dot beach towel, Crystal Light lemonade, a polka dot water bottle, Banana Boat sunblock, flip-flops, a badminton game, and, for setting the perfect picnic table, two striped placemats with matching napkins and a decorative woven basket for storing silverware and napkins. Five runners-up will win copies of the books. Enter here by Friday, July 9th at noon ET for your chance to win.
Also on the site this week, we have some terrific reader feedback on Emily Giffin's latest bestseller, HEART OF THE MATTER, which you can read here. This was one I read earlier this year and absolutely loved, and hearing Emily at her New York City event was an early highlight of the summer for me.
As always, you can vote in our poll, which asks: “How many books are on your nightstand right now?” That’s one I don’t dare answer as I often wonder if I will be crushed by the books on my nightstand should they topple onto me. But you’re welcome to answer here. Our companion question asks: “What are you currently reading? And what’s up next?” You can answer here. Tell us what you are reading in our Word of Mouth feature, and you could be one of five lucky winners who will receive copies of BROKEN by Karin Slaughter, ICE COLD: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel by Tess Gerritsen and SIZZLING SIXTEEN: A Stephanie Plum Novel by Janet Evanovich. And for those of you who haven't joined us on Facebook yet, you can do so here and keep up with our daily postings here.
Have a terrific last week of June; where DID this month go? I’ll be back next week with tales from library land.
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
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Bookreporter.com Talks to Dana Haynes, Author of CRASHERS |
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Bookreporter.com’s Joe Hartlaub recently spoke with author Dana Haynes, whose debut thriller, CRASHERS, features a team of experts from the National Transportation Safety Board who investigates aerial disasters. In this interview, they discuss Haynes’s original source of inspiration for the novel and what prompted him to try his hand at a new genre after penning several mysteries. He also shares his thoughts on the current state of air safety, offers some tips for aspiring authors on tackling writer’s block, and hints at what readers can expect from the next installment in the series.
CRASHERS by Dana Haynes (Thriller)
Whenever a plane goes down in the U.S., a "Go Team" made up of experts is assembled by the National Transportation Safety Board to investigate. Those people --- each of them a leading expert in a specific area --- are known informally as "Crashers." CRASHERS is a fresh and utterly compelling thriller, an original mix of action, investigation and a brilliant cast of characters that grabs the reader in a way few novels can and fewer do. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-Click here to read a review of CRASHERS.
-Click here to read an excerpt from CRASHERS.
-Click here to read Dana Haynes's bio.
-Click here to read critical praise for CRASHERS.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
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Click here to read our interview with Dana Haynes.
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Bookreporter.com Talks to Linda Castillo, Author of PRAY FOR SILENCE
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Linda Castillo’s latest novel, PRAY FOR SILENCE, is the second installment in a series featuring Kate Burkholder --- a former member of an Amish community who returns to her hometown as head of their local police force. In this interview with Bookreporter.com’s Joe Hartlaub, Castillo explains how she first became interested in the Amish lifestyle and what she finds most appealing about her protagonist’s flawed personality. She also discusses what prompted her to start a crime thriller series after penning 20 romantic suspense novels, reveals where she finds inspiration for the dark and disturbing acts of violence featured in her work, and mentions some recent memorable reads to recommend to others.
PRAY FOR SILENCE by Linda Castillo (Thriller)
New York Times bestselling author Linda Castillo delivers an electrifying thriller in which Police Chief Kate Burkholder must confront a dark evil to solve the mysterious murders of an entire Amish family. Topping 2009’s SWORN TO SILENCE, Castillo once again immerses us in the world of the Amish with a chilling story that is both a fast-paced thriller and an intriguing psychological puzzle. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-Click here to read a review of PRAY FOR SILENCE.
-Click here to read an excerpt from PRAY FOR SILENCE.
-Click here to read Linda Castillo's bio.
-Click here to see Linda Castillo's backlist.
-Click here to read critical praise for PRAY FOR SILENCE.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
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Click here to read our interview with Linda Castillo.
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Now in Stores: THE DEVIL AMONGST THE LAWYERS by Sharyn McCrumb
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THE DEVIL AMONGST THE LAWYERS: A Ballad Novel by Sharyn McCrumb (Historical Fiction)
In 1935, when Erma Morton, a beautiful young woman with a teaching degree, is charged with the murder of her father in a remote Virginia mountain community, the case becomes a cause célèbre for the national press. A stunning return to the lands, ballads and characters upon which she made her name, THE DEVIL AMONGST THE LAWYERS is a testament to Sharyn McCrumb’s lyrical and evocative writing. Reviewed by Roz Shea.
-Click here to read an excerpt from THE DEVIL AMONGST THE LAWYERS.
-Click here to see the reading group guide for THE DEVIL AMONGST THE LAWYERS.
-Click here to read an essay by Sharyn McCrumb, "Fact v. Fiction in THE DEVIL AMONGST THE LAWYERS."
-Click here to read Sharyn McCrumb's bio.
-Click here to see Sharyn McCrumb's backlist.
-Click here to listen to Sharyn McCrumb introduce THE DEVIL AMONGST THE LAWYERS.
-Click here to read critical praise for THE DEVIL AMONGST THE LAWYERS.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
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Click here to read a review of THE DEVIL AMONGST THE LAWYERS.
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Bookreporter.com's Sixth Annual Summer Beach Bag Contest: Currently Featuring THE BREAKING OF EGGS, LIGHT BOXES, SIMA'S UNDERGARMENTS FOR WOMEN, and THE SLAP
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Whether your "beach" is on sand, your backyard deck, or a grassy meadow in the country, the summer months mean it's time for "beach reading." Bookreporter.com is celebrating the lazy days of summer reading with our Sixth Annual Bookreporter.com Beach Bag of Books feature and contests.
During select weeks from May 28th through September 3rd, we will highlight a different book or collection of books from these featured titles with a contest prize --- a beach bag stocked with the featured book(s) and summertime essentials. Five FABULOUS beach bags will be given away each week, as well as five copies of the featured book(s) to additional winners.
Our current featured Beach Bag titles are:
-THE BREAKING OF EGGS by Jim Powell
-LIGHT BOXES by Shane Jones
-SIMA'S UNDERGARMENTS FOR WOMEN by Ilana Stanger-Ross
-THE SLAP by Christos Tsiolkas
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Click here to read all the contest details.
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ReadingGroupGuides.com's 10th Anniversary Contest --- $10,000 in Prizes!
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ReadingGroupGuides.com is celebrating its 10th anniversary!
We appreciate all of you who have been loyal readers and contributors to the site. One of the best parts about watching ReadingGroupGuides.com flourish over the last decade has been the opportunity to be a part of book clubs in far-flung places. Imagine if we could celebrate with all of you in person --- what an event that would be! Since that’s not possible, we’ve come up with a way to celebrate with you: a special contest with $10,000 in prizes.
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Click here to read all the contest details.
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Featured Debut Suspense/Thriller Author: Chevy Stevens, Author of STILL MISSING
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Chevy Stevens's debut novel, STILL MISSING, is one of the summer's most anticipated titles, garnering critical acclaim from several bestselling suspense/thriller authors. Stevens masterfully tells the story of a kidnapped woman, her escape, and the struggle to restart her life. STILL MISSING releases on July 6th.
-Click here to read a second excerpt from STILL MISSING.
-Click here to read Chevy Stevens’s bio.
-Click here to read critical praise for STILL MISSING.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
More about STILL MISSING:
On the day she was abducted, Annie O’Sullivan, a 32-year-old realtor, had three goals --- sell a house, forget about a recent argument with her mother, and be on time for dinner with her boyfriend. The open house is slow, but when her last visitor pulls up in a van as she's about to leave, Annie thinks it just might be her lucky day after all. Interwoven with the story of the year Annie spent as the captive of a psychopath in a remote mountain cabin, which unfolds through sessions with her psychiatrist, is a second narrative recounting events following her escape.
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Click here to read more about Chevy Stevens and STILL MISSING.
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Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Gregg Hurwitz, Author of THEY'RE WATCHING
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A mysterious DVD triggers a string of bizarre occurrences in the lives of a Hollywood couple in Gregg Hurwitz's latest thriller, THEY'RE WATCHING. Seeking answers and help, the couple unknowingly accepts both from someone who may in fact be the culprit. THEY'RE WATCHING releases on July 6th.
-Click here to read a second excerpt from THEY'RE WATCHING.
-Click here to read Gregg Hurwitz’s bio.
-Click here to see Gregg Hurwitz’s backlist.
-Click here to read critical praise for THEY'RE WATCHING.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
More about THEY'RE WATCHING:
Patrick Davis is a man with troubles. First his Hollywood dreams crumble and then his storybook marriage hits a snag. Now, DVDs start being delivered to his house --- DVDs that show someone is watching him and his wife, that the two of them are being stalked and recorded by cameras hidden in their house. Then the e-mails start, and someone offers to fix everything, to take the mess his life has become and make it all right. Patrick figures it’s the offer of a lifetime, but he couldn't be more wrong.
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Click here to read more about Gregg Hurwitz and THEY'RE WATCHING.
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Featured Romantic Suspense Author: Nancy Bush, Author of BLIND SPOT
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A psychologist and a former detective put aside their personal and procedural differences to hunt a sadistic killer in Nancy Bush's forthcoming novel, BLIND SPOT. The duo tracks the killer, whose surviving victim is comatose, only to find the case leading them in a terrifying direction. BLIND SPOT releases on June 29th.
-Click here to read a second excerpt from BLIND SPOT.
-Click here to read Nancy Bush’s bio.
-Click here to see Nancy Bush’s backlist.
-Click here to read critical praise for BLIND SPOT.
-Visit Nancy Bush’s official website, www.NancyBush.net.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
More about BLIND SPOT:
The crime scene at an Oregon rest stop is brutal beyond belief --- a young man’s lifeless body cut to ribbons, and his pregnant girlfriend left alive but comatose. Psychologist Claire Norris is assigned to treat the survivor at a private mental hospital. But there are no clues to the identity of the catatonic “Jane Doe.” A difficult job only becomes more complicated with the arrival of ex-homicide detective Langdon Stone, who questions Claire’s every move. Reluctantly working together, Claire and Lang begin to unravel the chilling truth about a twisted case --- one with ties to a killer who is right in their midst, eager to see a mission of evil through to its terrifying end.
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Click here to read more about Nancy Bush and BLIND SPOT.
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Featured Romantic Suspense Author: Carla Neggers, Author of THE WHISPER
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Bestselling romantic suspense author Carla Neggers is back with THE WHISPER, a spellbinding tale of suspense, romance and murder that plays out across two continents. An archaeologist and a police officer find themselves entangled in a bizarre hunt for a killer leaving ancient Celtic clues behind. THE WHISPER releases on June 29th.
-Click here to read a third excerpt from THE WHISPER.
-Click here to read Carla Neggers's bio.
-Click here to see Carla Neggers's backlist.
-Click here to read critical praise for THE WHISPER.
-Visit Carla Neggers's official website, www.CarlaNeggers.com.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
More about THE WHISPER:
Boston detective Cyrus “Scoop” Wisdom is after a bomber until archaeologist Sophie Malone unknowingly leads him to a retired officer’s body and symbols of ritual sacrifice, possibly linked to priceless artifacts she uncovered in Ireland a year ago. Tough and stubborn, Scoop is the best on the force at detecting lies…except maybe those of Sophie Malone. Together Sophie and Scoop face the greatest challenge of their lives: Someone is using ancient rituals to commit modern-day murder --- and the killing has only just begun.
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Click here to read more about Carla Neggers and THE WHISPER.
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Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Andrew Britton, Author of THE EXILE
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Andrew Britton's fourth politically-charged spy thriller, THE EXILE, takes ex-CIA agent Ryan Kealey to West Darfur to investigate the death of a relief worker. Britton's combination of action and intrigue propels readers deep into the heart of a terrifying conspiracy rooted in one of the world’s most unstable regions. THE EXILE releases on June 29th.
-Click here to read a third excerpt from THE EXILE.
-Click here to read Andrew Britton's bio.
-Click here to see Andrew Britton's backlist.
-Visit Andrew Britton's official website, www.AndrewBrittonBooks.com.
-Click here to see our finished copy winners.
More about THE EXILE:
For the President of the United States, the horror of life in West Darfur just hit too close to home. His niece Lily, a nurse caring for Sudanese refugees, has been murdered by a corps of fearsome government-backed militia. Any response will destabilize the region and threaten the security of the world. America is out of options. Except one: Ryan Kealey.
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Click here to read more about Andrew Britton and THE EXILE.
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Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Kevin O'Brien, Author of VICIOUS
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Kevin O'Brien is back with VICIOUS, his latest thriller starring the "Mama's Boy" killer. The Seattle-area serial killer who held the city in his grip and eluded police at every turn has not been heard from in years --- until he makes his unexpected, chilling return.
-Click here to read a review of VICIOUS.
-Click here to read an excerpt from VICIOUS.
-Click here to read our interview with Kevin O'Brien.
-Click here to read Kevin O'Brien's bio.
-Click here to see Kevin O'Brien's backlist.
-Click here to read critical praise for VICIOUS.
-Visit Kevin O'Brien's official website, www.KevinOBrienBooks.com.
-Click here to read Kevin O'Brien's Bookreporter.com blog post about his mother, Adele.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
More about VICIOUS:
For more than two years, he held Seattle in a terror grip. A cold-blooded killer who abducted young mothers right in front of their sons and murdered them execution style. Then, as suddenly as the killings began, they seemed to stop. Susan Blanchette is looking forward to a relaxing weekend getaway with her fiancé, Allen, and young son Matthew. But something about the remote lake house doesn’t feel right. A woman vanished from the area a year ago, and now Susan thinks she’s spotted someone lurking around the property. And when Allen disappears, her fear grows…
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Click here to read more about Kevin O'Brien and VICIOUS.
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Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: John Gilstrap, Author of HOSTAGE ZERO |
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Hostage negotiator Jonathan Grave returns in John Gilstrap's latest political thriller, HOSTAGE ZERO. When a hostage situation takes a fatal turn, Grave finds himself entangled in the web of a global conspiracy that stretches from a remote corner of the world to the political elite. HOSTAGE ZERO releases on July 6th.
-Click here to read a second excerpt from HOSTAGE ZERO.
-Click here to read John Gilstrap’s bio.
-Click here to see John Gilstrap’s backlist.
-Click here to read critical praise for HOSTAGE ZERO.
-Visit John Gilstrap’s official website, www.JohnGilstrap.com.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
More about HOSTAGE ZERO:font>
Hostage rescue expert Jonathan Grave is used to working alone, and this time he’ll have to go where even the government won’t. An innocent man has been shot and two young people are missing. But tracking them down is just the beginning. To keep them and his covert team alive, Jonathan must plunge into the heart of an ugly secret whose insidious path reaches from one of the world’s most remote places into the highest corridors of power --- and he must defeat enemies who are willing to kill again and again to keep the truth from being revealed.
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Click here to read more about John Gilstrap and HOSTAGE ZERO.
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Featured Women's Fiction Author: JoAnn Ross, Author of THE HOMECOMING |
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Hailed as a war hero upon his return from Afghanistan, Sax Douchett feels just the opposite in JoAnn Ross's tender new novel, THE HOMECOMING. Conflicted about his role in the war and returning to the woman he's secretly loved for years, Douchett faces serous decisions about his past, present and future. THE HOMECOMING releases on July 6th.
-Click here to read a second excerpt from THE HOMECOMING.
-Click here to read JoAnn Ross’s bio.
-Click here to see JoAnn Ross’s backlist.
-Click here to read critical praise for THE HOMECOMING.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.
More about THE HOMECOMING:
Former Navy SEAL Sax Douchett has returned home to the small coastal town of Shelter Bay, Oregon, determined to put war behind him and get on with his life --- which is easier said than done when everyone is hailing the former bad boy as a local hero. Adjusting to a new beginning becomes even more difficult when he unearths a long-buried secret that reunites him with a cherished part of his past that he’s never forgotten.
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Click here to read more about JoAnn Ross and THE HOMECOMING.
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This Week's Reviews |
BROKEN by Karin Slaughter (Thriller)
Karin Slaughter’s internationally bestselling novels are as notable for their vivid portraits of lives shadowed by loss and heartbreak as they are for their dramatic criminal investigations. Her latest offering features the return of her most compelling characters and introduces memorable new ones in a tale of corruption, murder and confrontation that will leave more than one life… Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-Click here to read a Bookreporter.com blog post from Karin Slaughter's father, Howard.
BLOCKADE BILLY by Stephen King (Suspense)
Every effort was made to erase any evidence that William Blakely played professional baseball, and with good reason. Blockade Billy had a secret darker than any pill or injection that might cause a scandal in sports today. His secret was much, much worse... and only Stephen King can reveal the truth to the world, once and for all. Reviewed by Ron Kaplan.
THE SPY: An Isaac Bell Adventure by Clive Cussler and Justin Scott (Historical Thriller)
It is 1908, and international tensions are mounting as the world plunges toward war. When a brilliant American battleship gun designer dies in a sensational apparent suicide, the man's grief-stricken daughter turns to the legendary Van Dorn Detective Agency to clear her father's name. Van Dorn puts his chief investigator on the case, and Isaac Bell soon realizes that the clues point not to suicide but to murder. Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.
THE LIAR’S LULLABY by Meg Gardiner (Thriller)
In her third novel featuring forensic psychologist Jo Beckett, Edgar Award winner Meg Gardiner proves that she has what it takes to draw in psychological suspense fans and mystery lovers alike. Her plot shifts will have readers flipping backward --- and relentlessly reading onward --- to figure out what they might have missed and propel themselves forward to find out what happens next. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
STRONG JUSTICE: A Caitlin Strong Novel by Jon Land (Thriller)
Caitlin Strong, a fifth-generation Texas Ranger, is back in action and stronger than ever. Not one to back down from a fight, Caitlin takes her battle to Mexican drug lords and white slave traders who spread violence, chaos and fear on both sides of the U.S.-Mexican border. Reviewed by Donna Volkenannt.
EIGHT DAYS TO LIVE: An Eve Duncan Forensics Thriller by Iris Johansen (Thriller)
Eve Duncan and her adopted daughter, Jane Macguire, are pitted against the members of a secretive cult who have targeted Jane and have decided that she will be their ultimate sacrifice. In eight days they will come for her. In eight days, what Jane fears the most will become a reality. In eight days, she will die. Reviewed by Judy Gigstad.
THE DEAD LIE DOWN by Sophie Hannah (Mystery)
This brainy British mystery --- Sophie Hannah’s fourth featuring smart-mouthed, authority-averse detectives Charlie Zailer and Simon Waterhouse--- is given an extra frisson by the frame it’s set in: the sophisticated, often snide, always colorful world of the modern-art market. Reviewed by Kathy Weissman.
The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno span>by Ellen Bryson (Fiction)
It’s 1865, New York City, and P. T. Barnum’s American Museum is in full swing. Inside those walls, Bartholomew Fortuno, the world’s thinnest man, is falling in love, but he is also learning the reason behind his exceptionally low weight. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
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Click here to read this week's reviews.
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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 June 30, 2010 automatically are entered in our Monthly Newsletter Contest. This month, one winner will be selected to win the following five books: BROKEN by Karin Slaughter, ICE COLD: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel by Tess Gerritsen, THE LION by Nelson DeMille, ROBERT LUDLUM'S THE BOURNE OBJECTIVE by Eric Van Lustbader and SIZZLING SIXTEEN: A Stephanie Plum Novel by Janet Evanovich. Jackie from Atlanta, TX was last month's winner. She won 61 HOURS by Lee Child, FEVER DREAM by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET'S NEST by Stieg Larsson, INNOCENT by Scott Turow and PRIVATE LIFE by Jane Smiley.
Happy reading! Don't forget to forward this newsletter to a friend or to visit our other websites from TheBookReportNetwork.com: ReadingGroupGuides.com, GraphicNovelReporter.com, FaithfulReader.com, Teenreads.com, Kidsreads.com, AuthorsOnTheWeb.com and AuthorYellowPages.com.
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