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Bookreporter.com Newsletter |
March 18, 2011 |
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Spring's About to Be Sprung!
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Spring arrives Sunday, and I cannot wait; we are having a tease of it today, and everyone seems a lot more upbeat than usual as a result. I peeked ahead at next week’s weather forecast and saw S _ _ W (I cannot bear to write the word) showers predicted for next Thursday. I think this is only happening because we bought new patio furniture last weekend that I am dying to set up. Right now it’s neatly stacked in the garage as I have been advised by other powers at our house that it WILL snow again. Of course, we all know the best work of fiction one can read is the weather report, so I remain optimistic for robins and crocuses.
Speaking of birds, I read last week that there are 100,000,000 downloads of "Angry Birds," a game app that pits birds against pigs using slingshots. I am sure I am missing some deeper truth about this as I am not much into gaming, but I decided I needed to check out what all the hubbub is about. Fooling around with it, I can see how it would become addicting. As I tried to get my trajectory right to swoop the bird towards the tower of bricks sheltering the pigs on level four, all I could think was: If this is what Americans are spending time on for entertainment, I seriously question where we are headed. One author friend told me that after he played it for hours on end, his wife ordered him to delete it!
Somehow reading seems like a much better way to spend my time, especially as I have been on a fabulous reading roll. Last weekend I finished Lisa Gardner’s LOVE YOU MORE, and it’s hands down her best book. When you read it, force yourself to pause and study the way she spares no words on the page. Each one matters to the plot and action. Then also absorb the research that clearly infuses her writing. It’s impressive. As I mentioned last week, we’re hosting a contest on Bookreporter.com with 15 copies of LOVE YOU MORE up for grabs. Click here to enter by Tuesday, March 22nd at noon ET. You also can watch Lisa talk about LOVE YOU MORE, its Boston setting and the changes she made with D.D. here in this video interview. If you’re a suspense/thriller fan, you'll want to read this one!
Next, here’s one you'll want to plan to read as soon as it comes out on July 5th: TURN OF MIND by Alice LaPlante. In it, Dr. Jennifer White has Alzheimer’s. Her neighbor, her best friend, the godmother of her daughter has been found dead in her home. Jennifer was a surgeon before she became too incapacitated to work, and she cannot remember if she killed her friend or not. It’s brilliantly done as you weave in and out of Jennifer’s world as it unravels. Since I finished it, whenever I misplaced something, or forgot a word or phrase, I found myself reflecting on the panic and frustration that surrounded Jennifer’s life. What if I never remembered? What must that be like? This will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection this summer.
Chevy Stevens is an author I’ve been watching for almost two years, ever since the manuscript for her debut novel, STILL MISSING, came across my desk. That was a gritty, gripping read that was passed around our office, and it was easy to see that Chevy had a bright future. We had STILL MISSING as our first ever "Sneak Peek: An Early Look at an Upcoming Book" feature and got some wonderful feedback. It debuted at No. 19 on the New York Times bestseller list last summer. Well, on July 5th, get ready for her second book, NEVER KNOWING, which I feel is even better than STILL MISSING.
Once again, Chevy uses sessions with a psychiatrist that allow for her first-person narrative, resulting in a blunt in-your-face voice that will grab you quickly. I raced through this one like a knife through butter, and for the first time in a very long time, I actually was so terrified while reading that if my cell phone had rung, I think I would have screamed. I kept telling myself: You are not alone in the house. The plot goes like this: Sara has been adopted and wants to find her birth parents. She finds her birth mother, who clearly did not want to be found. And then she learns who her father is --- and she knows why her mother was so afraid that she had tracked her down. I stayed up until 1AM Monday night to finish it. I credit Chevy for my caffeine intake on Tuesday!
Our latest Sneak Peek title is THE KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES by Jussi Adler-Olsen, which takes readers deep into Denmark’s police force as a down-on-his-luck detective reopens a cold case with startling results. THE KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES was a smash in Jussi’s native Denmark, topping the bestseller list there and winning the prestigious Glass Key Award issued by the Crime Writers of Scandanavia. Past winners include Henning Mankell, Peter Høeg and, you guessed it, Stieg Larsson. THE KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES is Jussi’s U.S. debut and the first book in his Department Q series. I think it says a lot that his books sold more than 1 million copies in Denmark, a nation of 5.5 million people, in 2010.
We have 50 copies of THE KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES, which won’t be in stores until August, for readers who answer some questions about their reading habits here by Friday, April 1st at noon ET. Please only enter if you will be able to answer some specific questions about the book by Friday, April 29th. We expect the 50 selected readers to respond, and failure to do so may affect your inclusion in future contests. I loved it and was racing to see how the story wrapped. I look forward to hearing what you have to say about it! This too will be a Bets On pick.
This week we’re also featuring THE POSTMISTRESS by Sarah Blake in our Paperback Spotlight. This was one of my Bets On picks from 2010, and since it released in paperback in February, readers have been flocking to it! It was one of our Top 25 Most Discussed Book Group Titles of 2010 and is a wonderful, engaging story about three women --- a London-based war reporter, a postmistress and a doctor’s wife --- during World War II as America gets closer to entering the conflict. The prose really brings the time and place to life. You can read our review of it here as well as my thoughts on it here. As a special treat, we have 20 paperback copies to give away to readers who enter here by Friday, March 25th at noon ET.
As promised, this week we bring you Charles Cumming’s THE TRINITY SIX. I got to read this one in the fall, and I found myself getting an education about the “Cambridge Five,” a group of actual traitors with ties to MI6 and MI5 who ultimately defected to Russia during and after the war, and the fates that befall them over the years. Here Cumming fantasizes that there was a sixth member of the group who got away. Warning: each time you think you have a handle on where the story is going, Charles changes directions. Kathy Weissman has our review, but is cautious not to spill too much, saying “To betray too many of the secrets that pile up in this book would be to spoil the plot.” THE TRINITY SIX is in stores now, and you can watch a dramatic reading by actor Dominic West (“The Wire” and 300) here.
TIGER HILLS by Sarita Mandanna was one of our most recent One to Watch Author Spotlights, and I’m proud to share our review with you this week. There was so much about this book I loved ---the southern India setting, the love triangle involving two childhood friends, the way the story unfolded across decades, the rich writing. Reviewer Usha Rao shared a lot of the same feelings, saying, “Mandanna’s ability to create a sense of place and time with her well-chosen words makes TIGER HILLS read like a nostalgic love letter to a land and its people.” Usha also interviewed Sarita and brings us a wonderful interview, which you can read here.
One final review to note this week is Patrick Rothfuss’s THE WISE MAN’S FEAR, which hit the New York Times bestseller list at No. 1. It’s the sequel to his 2007 bestseller, THE NAME OF THE WIND, and the second book in the Kingkiller Chronicle series, as the magician Kvothe continues telling his fantastical life story. Reviewer Steve Hubbard says, “THE WISE MAN'S FEAR is an exemplary work, full of action, depth and humor. It seems bigger than the pages and is a world that should not be missed.” For more background about the books and Patrick, visit www.PatrickRothfuss.com.
This week we also have an interview with Stewart O’Nan about his latest novel, EMILY, ALONE. I got to hear Stewart speak about his work while I was in San Diego for the American Library Association Midwinter Meeting in January. I really enjoyed his talk about place in fiction and getting all the details just right to make a scene and bring the reader into the setting. EMILY, ALONE is the follow-up to WISH YOU WERE HERE, and you can read our review here.
Out on Tuesday is NIGHT ROAD by Kristin Hannah, one of my longtime favorite authors. This novel wraps itself around the last year before Jude Farraday's twins go off to college. It raises a lot of questions and emotions, and is especially poignant for any mom who has been through this special year. It hits some controversial ground that takes place as the twins move to pull away towards independence, which Kristin handles so well, and you find yourself looking at every angle of the story. NIGHT ROAD was also a Sneak Peek book, and our readers’ reactions were quite personal and emotional. If you, like me, are a fan of Kristin’s, you’ll love NIGHT ROAD; if you’ve never read her before, this is a great place to start. After I finished reading it, Kristin and I were chatting one day, and she said something I so agree with. If you have a group of mothers in a room, women you may know ever since your children were little, if you toss out the subject of teen drinking, you most likely will have as many differing opinions as you do moms in the room. It's like the issues of sharing in the sandbox were nothing compared to what we are looking at now, and ah if we only knew then! We’ll have our review for next week’s newsletter.
Our latest poll asks whether you read dedications and acknowledgements in books. Vote here! Our previous poll asked, “Do you check out eBooks from your local library?” About 55 percent of you said you either weren’t interested or had not done this yet. There’s a big debate in the industry about this, so it’s very interesting to see feedback from readers!
The voting is now underway for the Children's Choice Book Awards. Click here to see all the nominees, and please share this with the younger readers in your household. There are some great choices!
Not sure if those of you across the country saw the fun news this week that Mary Higgins Clark was the Grand Marshall of the 250th St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City. She was selected by unanimous vote! I love that an author led the parade! I was trying to find a photo of her in her parade sash, but I could not track it down.
In my non-bookish adventures of the week, I watched Inside Job, the Oscar-winning documentary about the financial meltdown on Wall Street. It shows the evolution of the crisis and how it impacted not only the U.S., but the rest of the world. Rather brilliant! Also, diehard Simon and Garfunkel fan that I am, I bought the 40th Anniversary edition of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" --- not for the music, but rather for the bonus DVD that had "Songs of America," their controversial CBS special that first aired in November 1969 (I remember the night well; we got our first color TV that weekend!) that was filmed in avant garde cinema verite style (this is when I learned the definition of cinema verite) and a second documentary about the recording of the BOTW album that was excellent called "The Harmony Game." After watching this piece, I never will listen to that CD the same way again.
Juggling two books this week --- THE SNOWMAN by Jo Nesbø, which will be in stores on May 10th, and Francisco Goldman’s SAY HER NAME, which is the No. 1 IndieBound selection for April and will be in stores on April 5th. Good reading on the agenda. I'm also hoping to get out to see The Lincoln Lawyer, which opens today. It's adapted from Michael Connelly's bestseller. I'm a longtime fan of his work, and the movie looks great! That and three more sections for the 27-panel tweed shawl that I am working on. Of course, I am almost done just as spring arrives! Here’s to a smooth ride into the season of the crocus. Read on for much, much more.
Carol Fitzgerald (a href="mailto:Carol@bookreporter.com" target="_blank">Carol@bookreporter.com)
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Now in Stores: THE WISE MAN’S FEAR by Patrick Rothfuss |
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THE WISE MAN’S FEAR: The Kingkiller Chronicle: Day Two by Patrick Rothfuss (Fantasy)
In THE WISE MAN’S FEAR, Kvothe searches for answers, attempting to uncover the truth about the mysterious Amyr, the Chandrian, and the death of his parents. Along the way, Kvothe is put on trial by the legendary Adem mercenaries, forced to reclaim the honor of his family, and travels into the Fae realm. There he meets Felurian, the faerie woman no man can resist, and who no man has ever survived...until Kvothe. Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard.
-Visit Patrick Rothfuss’s official website, www.PatrickRothfuss.com.
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Click here to read a review of THE WISE MAN’S FEAR.
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Now in Stores: MINDING FRANKIE by Maeve Binchy |
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MINDING FRANKIE by Maeve Binchy (Fiction)
Life turns upside down for an alcoholic Irishman who has discovered that he recently fathered a child and will be granted full custody. The arrival of baby Frankie --- who only recently has lost her mother --- brings peace and enrichment to the many cheery and hard-bitten folks of a rural Irish community. Reviewed by Melanie Smith.
-Click here to read an excerpt from MINDING FRANKIE.
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Click here to read a review of MINDING FRANKIE.
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Now in Stores: THE TRINITY SIX by Charles Cumming |
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THE TRINITY SIX by Charles Cumming (Thriller)
At the height of the Cold War, the spy story to end all spy stories was the revelation that five upper-crust Cambridge University graduates were longtime Soviet agents. This clever novel posits a sixth man, and follows a mild-mannered professor of Russian history who becomes embroiled in the risky pursuit of long-buried truths. Reviewed by Kathy Weissman.
-Click here to read an excerpt from THE TRINITY SIX.
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Click here to read a review of THE TRINITY SIX.
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Bookreporter.com Talks to Sarita Mandanna, Author of TIGER HILLS |
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A former investment banker and a first-time novelist, Sarita Mandanna is the author of TIGER HILLS, a tale of two childhood friends who grow up together in southern India, until their lives are interrupted by an unexpected romance --- and an unforeseen tragedy --- that will affect their families for years to come. In this interview with Bookreporter.com’s Jamie Layton, Mandanna talks about what inspired her debut, elaborating on her own childhood experiences in Coorg and how a series of short stories eventually evolved into a nearly 500-page novel. She also discusses the role of clan identities in southern Indian history, muses on some of her book’s central themes, and reveals how she found the time to write Devi and Devanna’s incredible story while working at one of New York City’s most prestigious private equity firms.
TIGER HILLS by Sarita Mandanna (Fiction)
Told in rich, lyrical prose and set against the background of a changing society, TIGER HILLS is a sweeping saga about one woman's determination to live life on her own terms --- and a riveting novel about the choices we make in the name of family, nation and love. Reviewed by Usha Rao.
-Click here to read a review of TIGER HILLS.
-Click here to read an excerpt from TIGER HILLS.
-Click here to read critical praise for TIGER HILLS.
-Click here to read Sarita Mandanna’s bio.
-Click here to see the winners of TIGER HILLS.
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Click here to read our interview with Sarita Mandanna.
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Paperback Spotlight and Contest: THE POSTMISTRESS by Sarah Blake |
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Sarah Blake's THE POSTMISTRESS was one of the breakout hits of 2010, telling the story of three women separated by an ocean yet linked by the events leading to America's involvement in World War II. Now this bestseller is available in paperback!
To celebrate the paperback release of THE POSTMISTRESS, we are giving 20 readers the chance to win a copy of the book. All you have to do is fill out this form by Friday, March 25th at noon ET.
-Click here to read a review of THE POSTMISTRESS.
-Click here to read an excerpt from THE POSTMISTRESS.
-Click here to read critical praise for THE POSTMISTRESS.
-Click here to see the reading group guide for THE POSTMISTRESS.
-Click here to read our interview with Sarah Blake.
-Click here to read Sarah Blake’s bio.
More about THE POSTMISTRESS:
In 1940, Iris James is the postmistress in coastal Franklin, Massachusetts. Iris knows more about the townspeople than she will ever say, and believes her job is to deliver secrets. Yet one day she does the unthinkable: slips a letter into her pocket, reads it, and doesn't deliver it.
Meanwhile, Frankie Bard broadcasts from overseas with Edward R. Murrow. Her dispatches beg listeners to pay heed as the Nazis bomb London nightly. Most of the townspeople of Franklin think the war can't touch them. But both Iris and Frankie know better...
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Click here to read more about THE POSTMISTRESS and enter the contest.
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Bookreporter.com's Sneak Peek Feature: An Early Look at an Upcoming Book --- Our Latest Featured Title: THE KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES by Jussi Adler-Olsen |
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At Bookreporter.com, we have the opportunity to read many great books well in advance of their release dates. Now, with our Sneak Peek Feature/Contest, we are offering our readers the chance to preview select early picks --- and share feedback on them. We know that readers champion books that they love, and we want you to be part of the excitement of upcoming releases as early as possible.
Our latest Sneak Peek Feature spotlights THE KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES by Jussi Adler-Olsen --- the suspenseful tale of a down-on-his luck detective trying to heat-up a cold case from one of Denmark’s leading authors --- which releases in October. We have 50 specially formatted early reader editions to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and share their comments about it. Enter here by Friday, April 1st at noon ET.
We really want to hear what you have to say about THE KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES, so if you will have time to read it and answer some questions by Friday, April 29th, please enter this contest. If not, we plan to have more opportunities like this in the future.
More about THE KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES:
THE KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES, the first installment of Jussi Adler-Olsen’s international bestselling Department Q series, features the deeply flawed detective Carl Mørck. Carl used to be a good homicide detective --- one of Copenhagen’s best. Then a bullet almost took his life. Two of his colleagues weren’t so lucky, and Carl, who didn’t draw his weapon, blames himself.
So a promotion is the last thing Carl expects. But it all becomes clear when he sees his new office in the basement. Carl has been selected to run department Q, a new special investigations division that turns out to be a department of one.
-Click here to read an excerpt from THE KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES.
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Click here to read all the details of our Sneak Peek Feature/Contest for THE KEEPER OF LOST CAUSES.
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An Interview with Stewart O’Nan, Author of EMILY, ALONE |
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Award-winning author Stewart O’Nan’s latest book, EMILY, ALONE, picks up where WISH YOU WERE HERE left off --- with the story of Emily Maxwell, an elderly widow who is met with an unforeseen epiphany when her sister-in-law faints at a breakfast buffet. In this interview, O’Nan reveals how he was able to get inside the head of his 70-something protagonist, elaborating on how the extensive research he conducted for THE CIRCUS FIRE factored into the novel. He also reflects on the risks --- and the benefits --- of writing character-driven fiction, speculates on the comparisons that have been made between himself and one of America’s greatest literary legends, and philosophizes on the nature of novelistic truth.
EMILY, ALONE by Stewart O'Nan (Fiction)
Emily Maxwell is a widow whose grown children have long moved away. She dreams of visits by her grandchildren while mourning the turnover of her neighborhood. But when her sole companion faints at a breakfast buffet, Emily's days change. As she grapples with independence, she discovers a hidden strength and realizes that life always offers new possibilities. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
-Click here to read a review of EMILY, ALONE.
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Click here to read an interview with Stewart O’Nan.
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Featured One to Watch Author: Rae Meadows, Author of MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS |
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Author Rae Meadows follows three generations of women in one family in MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS, a richly textured novel of birth, death, love, loss, secrets, strength, and the unbreakable ties between mothers and daughters.
-Click here to read a second excerpt from MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS.
-Click here to read critical praise for MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS.
-Click here to read Rae Meadows’s bio.
-Click here to see Rae Meadows’s backlist.
-Visit Rae Meadows’s official website, www.RaeMeadows.com.
-Click here to see the winners of MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS.
More about MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS:
Samantha is lost in the joys of new motherhood --- the softness of her eight-month-old daughter's skin, the lovely weight of her child in her arms --- but in trading her artistic dreams to care for her child, Sam worries she's lost something of herself. And she is still mourning another loss: her mother, Iris, died just one year ago. When a box of Iris's belongings arrives on Sam's doorstep, she discovers links to pieces of her family history but is puzzled by much of the information the box contains. She learns that her grandmother Violet left New York City as an 11-year-old girl, traveling by herself to the Midwest in search of a better life. But what was Violet's real reason for leaving? And how could she have made that trip alone at such a tender age?
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Click here to read more about Rae Meadows and MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS.
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Featured Suspense/Thriller Author: Gregg Olsen, Author of CLOSER THAN BLOOD |
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Bestselling author Gregg Olsen returns with CLOSER THAN BLOOD, a truly terrifying tale of murder and revenge as a crime long forgotten is revisited with chilling, modern consequences.
-Click here to read a second excerpt from CLOSER THAN BLOOD.
-Click here to read critical praise for CLOSER THAN BLOOD.
-Click here to read Gregg Olsen’s bio.
-Click here to see Gregg Olsen’s backlist.
-Visit Gregg Olsen’s official website, www.GreggOlsen.com.
-Click here to see the winners of CLOSER THAN BLOOD.
More about CLOSER THAN BLOOD:
The first time was easy. No one ever suspected the victim had been murdered. The crime long buried, the dark passions guiding the killer's hand are still alive. But the need for revenge cannot be denied. Only one person can stop the killing. Only one person can identify the killer. Only one person knows the face of death --- is as close as the face in the mirror…
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Click here to read more about Gregg Olsen and CLOSER THAN BLOOD.
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Featured Southern Writers Author: Anna Jean Mayhew, Author of THE DRY GRASS OF AUGUST |
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Anna Jean Mayhew's debut novel, THE DRY GRASS OF AUGUST, explores the meaning of race through the eyes of a teenager as her family vacations through the segregated South in the mid-1950s, with their trip taking a shocking, tragic turn.
-Click here to read a second excerpt from THE DRY GRASS OF AUGUST.
-Click here to read critical praise for THE DRY GRASS OF AUGUST.
-Click here to read Anna Jean Mayhew’s bio.
-Click here to see the winners of THE DRY GRASS OF AUGUST.
More about THE DRY GRASS OF AUGUST:
On a scorching day in August 1954, 13-year-old Jubie Watts leaves Charlotte, North Carolina, with her family for a Florida vacation. Crammed into the Packard along with Jubie are her three siblings, her mother, and the family’s black maid, Mary Luther. For as long as Jubie can remember, Mary has been there --- cooking, cleaning, compensating for her father’s rages and her mother’s benign neglect, and loving Jubie unconditionally. Bright and curious, Jubie takes note of the anti-integration signs they pass, and of the racial tension that builds as they journey further south. But she could never have predicted the shocking turn their trip will take. Now, in the wake of tragedy, Jubie must confront her parents’ failings and limitations, decide where her own convictions lie, and make the tumultuous leap to independence…
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Click here to read more about Anna Jean Mayhew and THE DRY GRASS OF AUGUST.
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Featured Women’s Fiction Author: Sarah Addison Allen, Author of THE PEACH KEEPER /font> |
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Sarah Addison Allen, the New York Times bestselling author of THE GIRL WHO CHASED THE MOON, welcomes readers of THE PEACH KEEPER to her newest locale: Walls of Water, North Carolina, where the secrets are thicker than the fog from the town’s famous waterfalls, and the stuff of superstition is just as real as you want it to be.
-Click here to read a third excerpt from THE PEACH KEEPER.
-Click here to read critical praise for THE PEACH KEEPER.
-Click here to read Sarah Addison Allen’s bio.
-Click here to see Sarah Addison Allen’s backlist.
-Visit Sarah Addison Allen’s official website, www.SarahAddisonAllen.com.
-Click here to see the winners of THE PEACH KEEPER.
More about THE PEACH KEEPER:
It’s the dubious distinction of 30-year-old Willa Jackson to hail from a fine old Southern family of means that met with financial ruin generations ago. The Blue Ridge Madam --- built by Willa’s great-great-grandfather during Walls of Water’s heyday, and once the town’s grandest home --- has stood for years as a lonely monument to misfortune and scandal. And Willa herself has long strived to build a life beyond the brooding Jackson family shadow. No easy task in a town shaped by years of tradition and the well-marked boundaries of the haves and have-nots.
But Willa has lately learned that an old classmate --- socialite do-gooder Paxton Osgood --- of the very prominent Osgood family, has restored the Blue Ridge Madam to her former glory, with plans to open a top-flight inn. Maybe, at last, the troubled past can be laid to rest while something new and wonderful rises from its ashes. But what rises instead is a skeleton, found buried beneath the property’s lone peach tree, and certain to drag up dire consequences along with it.
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Click here to read more about Sarah Addison Allen and THE PEACH KEEPER.
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March’s New in Paperback Roundup |
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March's roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes INDULGENCE IN DEATH by J.D. Robb, which finds Lieutenant Eve Dallas pitted against a killer who's preying on those catering to New York City's elite; THE SHADOW OF YOUR SMILE, Mary Higgins Clark's thriller about an 82-year-old woman who must divulge a long-held family secret or take it with her to the grave; HELL GATE by Linda Fairstein, in which ADA Alexandra Cooper unearths the most disturbing --- and deadly --- revelation of her career; WHITER THAN SNOW, a historical novel from Sandra Dallas about an unforeseen tragedy that threatens to shatter a small town in Colorado; LAST SNOW, Eric Van Lustbader's sequel to FIRST DAUGHTER, which follows former ATF agent Jack McClure as he tries to track down those responsible for the death of an American senator; and HEART OF THE MATTER by Emily Giffin, a moving tale of two strangers connected by a terrible accident.
Among our nonfiction highlights are HAVE A LITTLE FAITH, in which Mitch Albom reflects on his Jewish roots after receiving an unexpected and incredibly touching request from his childhood rabbi; A TICKET TO THE CIRCUS by Norris Church Mailer, a revealing account of the author's 33-year marriage to one of America's most famous 20th-century novelists; and TO TIMBUKTU, Casey Scieszka and Steven Weinberg's illustrated memoir about their travels through Morocco and Southeast Asia --- and the story of how they fell in love.
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Click here to see our New in Paperback feature for March.
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This Week’s Reviews
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TOYS by James Patterson and Neil McMahon (Futuristic Thriller)
Hays Baker and his wife, Lizbeth, have it all. Hays is the Agency of Change’s top operative, and as Elites, they’ve been endowed with the best of everything --- including superhuman strength. But then Hays receives a shock that overturns everything he believed. Now a hunted fugitive, he is thrown into the impossible: the fight to save humans from extinction. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-Click here to read an excerpt from TOYS.
THE JUNGLE: A Novel of the Oregon Files by Clive Cussler with Jack Du Brul (Thriller/Action & Adventure)
A devastating weapon unleashed in 13th-century China. A daring rescue in the mountains along the Afghanistan/Pakistan border. A woman who disappeared in the jungles of northern Thailand and Myanmar. For Juan Cabrillo and his crew of the Oregon, all these things will come together, leading to the greatest threat the U.S. has ever known. Reviewed Judy Gigstad.
DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE MURDER: A Hannah Swensen Mystery with Recipes by Joanne Fluke (Mystery)
When visiting minister Reverend Matthew Walters is gunned down in the office of Holy Redeemer Lutheran Church, it's up to cookie expert Hannah Swensen, her family and her friends from The Cookie Jar, to solve the mystery. But that won't be easy to do since the only witness is Jacob, a talking mynah bird. Reviewed by Amie Taylor.
THE COMPLAINTS by Ian Rankin (Police Procedural)
Nobody likes The Complaints --- they’re the cops who investigate other cops, and Malcolm Fox is one of them. He’s a serious man with frustrating problems, which he can’t seem to overcome. Then Fox is given a new case. There’s a dirty cop named Jamie Breck, only no one is able to prove it. And as it turns out, there’s more to him than anyone thinks. Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.
DEVIL RED: A Hap & Leonard Novel by Joe R. Lansdale (Thriller)
When their friend Marvin asks Hap and Leonard to look into a cold-case double homicide, they’re happy to investigate. The more closely they look at the crime-scene photos, the more they see --- including a strange image that turns up in a slew of equally fiendish murders. Could this be the case that sends Hap over the edge? Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE EVOLUTION OF BRUNO LITTLEMORE by Benjamin Hale (Fiction)
Bruno Littlemore is unlike any other chimpanzee. Precocious and preternaturally gifted, he’s cared for by primatologist Lydia Littlemore. But for all his gifts, Bruno struggles to cage his primal urges. And when he ultimately costs Lydia her job, the pair is sent on the road in what proves to be one of the most unforgettable journeys --- and affecting love stories --- in recent literature. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
THE KING OF DIAMONDS by Simon Tolkien (Historical Thriller)
It’s 1960, and David Swain is serving time for the murder of his ex-girlfriend’s lover, Katya Osman. But David escapes, and Katya is found dead in her uncle’s home on the same night. Inspector Trave heads the manhunt, but his suspicions --- and personal motives --- lead him to Katya’s uncle. And once David is captured, Trave will risk everything for his obsessive belief in Osman’s guilt. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
SO CLOSE THE HAND OF DEATH by J.T. Ellison (Thriller)
Across the country, murders are being committed with all the hallmarks of America’s most infamous killers. Nashville homicide lieutenant Taylor Jackson knows The Pretender is back…and now he has helpers. As his disciples perpetrate their sick homages, the brilliant psychopath who adores her and hates her draws close. Close enough to touch. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
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Click here to read this week's reviews.
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Poll, Question and Word of Mouth |
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Poll:
Do you read the dedications in books?
All of the time
Some of the time
Never
Do you read the acknowledgements in books?
All of the time
Some of the time
Never
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Question:
If you wrote a book, to whom would you dedicate it?
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Word of Mouth:
Tell us what books YOU are reading and loving --- or even those you don't.
This week we have three great prizes: FIVE readers each will win a copy of ELIZABETH I by Margaret George, THE LAND OF PAINTED CAVES by Jean M. Auel, and ONCE UPON A TIME, THERE WAS YOU by Elizabeth Berg. Tell us what you are reading here and rate the titles 1-5 by noon ET on Friday, April 1st to ensure that you are in the running to win these books.
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