June 17, 2011

It’s been one really hectic --- but fun --- week. We have a staff that loves to experiment with different cuisines, and they always are exploring new spots for lunch. Yesterday a few of us hit a mobile lunch truck in the city called Gorilla Cheese for gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches. This particular truck is only in our neighborhood on Thursdays, so when my business lunch cancelled, I secretly cheered and was game to walk a few blocks from the office to try this out. Had a terrific cheddar and ham sandwich, and it was nice to kick back for a few and enjoy the nice weather.

On Tuesday night, Jesse Kornbluth, who founded Bookreporter.com with me and now is the guru behind HeadButler.com, threw a wonderful book party for Josh Ritter, who some of you may know as a musician. Check out some info here. Now Josh has written a novel, BRIGHT’S PASSAGE (pre-order from IndieBound or Amazon), which will be out on June 28th, giving us reason to gather and celebrate. Jesse’s wife Karen is a wonderful cook, and she served Americana food, including fried olives, corndogs and caramelized onion dip in honor of Josh’s Idaho roots at a rockingly fun party.

Greg and I then zipped from the Upper East Side downtown to the Soho Mondrian’s Imperial No. Nine restaurant, where a group had gathered with Jeffery Deaver to celebrate CARTE BLANCHE, his first James Bond novel. Looking dapper as always in a white jacket, we got a few moments to chat with him where all I could think as he walked away was “Deaver, Jeffery Deaver.” Joe Hartlaub has our review of CARTE BLANCHE and says, “From beginning to end, Deaver makes what is old and familiar new again. Bond remains an expert in weaponry, hand-to-hand combat, food and drink, and the erotic. The settings --- from the familiarity of London to the exotica of Dubai to the poverty of Capetown, South Africa --- ring with authenticity. While Deaver is one of the most American of authors, he writes of Bond with an authority and voice that seem as if it was to the (British) manner born.”

I went to a lunch on Wednesday for a young adult author, Adele Griffin, whose book TIGHTER (order from IndieBound or Amazon) we will have more about for you next week. In her remarks she talked about the influence of Henry James’s THE TURN OF THE SCREW on this book, hence her title. I read TIGHTER last weekend --- it’s a tight psychological thriller --- and now find myself wanting to read James to see the parallels. For those of you with who are looking for a way to pair a classic with a current title, I suggest this one.

One of the most talked about books of the week is GO THE F--K TO SLEEP by Adam Mansbach and Ricardo Cortès (order from IndieBound or Amazon). It’s a picture book about the trials and tribulations of getting small children to sleep. Before my copy arrived, I got a note from my friend Rachel that said, “For anyone who wanted a child to sleep BEST BOOK EVER...and the illustrations are great too!! Haven't we all felt this way at some point in our child-rearing lives?” Now, I am well aware that those of you who are adverse to profanity should steer clear of this book, but I share it as I read it in my office and found myself laughing the entire time. And last night my husband stopped by, and as he paged through it, he too could not contain himself. My particularly favorite pages show the child wandering back out of his room after the parents think he has gone to sleep. Truly, truly well done!

Last week we shared our review of SUMMER RENTAL by Mary Kay Andrews, and this week it was such fun to hear that she was signing on the Outer Banks where the book is set, a place I know well! Getting there was a case of true author perseverance as her flight to Norfolk from DC was cancelled, and thus she took a taxi to another airport, hopped a different flight and then was picked up by Bill, the owner of The Island Bookstore, to get to her event, albeit two hours late. While she was there, she got the really fabulous news that the book hit the New York Times list at No. 5, which was really fitting given the book’s setting. It had all of us who have been Mary Kay fans since her first book cheering away.

This week we’re featuring three new Author Spotlight titles. Our first Suspense/Thriller book is NEVER KNOWING, the second novel from Chevy Stevens, who had one of the breakout hits of last summer with STILL MISSING. Fans of STILL MISSING won’t be disappointed! Stevens again tells the story through therapy sessions between a patient and psychiatrist, and gives readers those some eerie, unsettling feelings that keep building as the book unfolds. The story begins with a woman seeking her birth mother in hopes of understanding why she was put up for adoption as a baby. What she discovers is that her biological mother is the only victim to escape the clutches of a serial killer who remains at large. It’s so good and so chilling. There was a moment reading it where I was so into the story that if my cell phone had rung, I would have jumped through the roof! I kept looking up saying to myself, You are in the house, you are not home alone, and you are not Sara. It’s that good. NEVER KNOWING will be in stores on July 5th, but we have 20 copies to give away to readers who enter here by Friday, June 24th at noon ET.

Our second featured Suspense/Thriller title is YOU’RE NEXT by Gregg Hurwitz, whose books I always look forward to for a jolt of excitement. His suburban thrillers keep me on edge until the final pages, and YOU’RE NEXT stays true to the form. Mike Wingate is a husband and father whose construction company is on the verge of big things until something from his past begins terrorizing his family from all angles. The police are of little help, and Mike is forced to turn to his shadowy friend for help and protection, no matter the cost. Gregg is known for writing great action; this time the characters are as vividly drawn as the plot. YOU’RE NEXT will be in stores on July 5th, but we have 20 copies for readers who enter here by Friday, June 24th at noon ET.

This week we unveil our latest One to Watch Author Spotlight, and it’s a book I have been waiting for a while to share with you. It’s TURN OF MIND, a debut novel from Alice LaPlante, and I cannot stop talking about. It’s about a retired surgeon who is suffering from dementia and finds herself the central suspect in the murder of her best friend and neighbor. There is one clue that clearly points to her as the probable suspect, but her mind is too hazy for her to recall whether or not she is the killer. TURN OF MIND already is a number one Indie Pick --- and it will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. It will be in stores on July 5th, but you can win one of our 20 copies by entering here by Friday, June 24th at noon ET.

Another title we’re featuring this week that I’m crazy about is THE AMERICAN HEIRESS by Daisy Goodwin (order from IndieBound or Amazon), which will be in stores on Tuesday, June 21st. I read it in manuscript form last summer and was wowed by it. It’s a debut novel about a wealthy heiress living in a Newport mansion who is dispatched to England in search of a marriage with a title, only to find that the social climbing is fraught with betrayals and backstabbing. It’s a huge sweeping story --- and I just loved it. Those who were enamored with all the Royal Wedding details will appreciate this very British story. It too will be a Bets On pick, so check back next week for our review; it’s also scheduled as one of our Summer Reading daily contests. I've been getting some nice mail about the titles in our Summer Reading feature, which is lovely to see!

A couple weeks ago I got a nice note from a reader named Tom from Trenton, NJ, who is embarking on a trip to France soon. He was asking for some titles about the country and its culture to get him in the right mindset. I suggested FRENCH LESSONS by Ellen Sussman, which releases July 5th. It's a title we featured in our Sneak Peek program and one that really brought Paris to life for me. Do you have any suggestions for Tom? If so, drop Stephen@bookreporter.com a line with the title and author and we'll pass it along. Hopefully we can pass on some great ideas to Tom!

One thriller that came out this week is AGAINST ALL ENEMIES by Tom Clancy and Peter Telep. Clancy takes a break from his popular Jack Ryan character to introduce ex-Navy SEAL Max Moore, the lone survivor of a terrorist attack behind enemy lines in Pakistan. Joe says “He [Clancy] is back (was there any doubt?), and his creation of a major new character would seem to indicate that he has much more to say in the years ahead.” I have this one wrapped up for my husband for Father's Day.

In ONE SUMMER, David Baldacci takes a break from his Camel Club series and the legal thriller genre with a story about a family relocating to the South Carolina shore and coping in the face of multiple hardships and tragedies. Reviewer Melanie Smith says, “Here you will find both creative genius and a story that will touch your heart as it makes you feel more acutely than most books do. This is a novel that induces you to tears after the first chapter. By the second, you’ll be hooked. And by the end, you’ll feel as if you’ve come a long, long way and lived through what this family has endured.”

South Carolina continues as a theme this week with FOLLY BEACH by Dorothea Benton Frank, who resumes her Lowcountry series with the story of a widow who looks for direction by returning to her hometown along the picturesque South Carolina beach. Dottie knows this country well, and thus I loved what our reviewer Maggie Harding said in her review: “Dorothea Benton Frank has written 11 previous novels set in South Carolina's captivating coastal islands and is probably responsible for the recent surge in tourism there. Ever since I finished THE LAND OF MANGO SUNSETS, I never stopped nagging my husband until he agreed to take me there for a long getaway weekend. Now I want to go back. Reading her books is like cleansing the palate: a great story, genuinely nice people, and a setting you will long to experience for yourself.”

These past couple of weeks have seen some great suspense/thriller titles on Bookreporter.com, and fans of the genre will also want to check out the recently-announced 2011 Thriller Award nominations. Winners will be announced at ThrillerFest VI in New York City on July 9th. Love this event! I’m also tuning in to AMC’s “The Killing” for the season finale on Sunday night to learn who killed Rosie Larsen. I think I know who did it, but my lips are sealed. John Hogan shared this week that the series was renewed for next year.

Our Father’s Day contest ended earlier this week, and you can click here to see the lucky winners of our book-stuffed backpacks. If you’re looking for a good book pick for dad, then check out our featured titles here. Some great books are there! Our Father’s Day Blog Series will continue right through the weekend, capping off with original essays from New York Times bestselling authors Gregg Hurwitz, Karin Slaughter and Steve Berry. Click here to catch up on the series. I wish all of you a wonderful weekend of celebrating Father’s Day, especially all the dads! I am looking forward to seeing my father on Sunday.

At the top of this newsletter you'll notice an ad for Susan Elizabeth Phillips, which you can click on to learn how you could win a $500 shopping spree or copies of Susan's books. Perfect for summer! Click here to learn more.

We always wonder what “real life” has to do with your “reading life,” thus this week’s poll looks at the effects of the spring’s higher gas prices on your budgets. Weigh in here. Our question is "Name up to five authors whose books you always buy regardless of your economic situation." Answer here. You can also weigh-in on some of your recent reads in our Word of Mouth feature. Your entry could win you a copy of ESCAPE by Barbara Delinsky, THE SILENT GIRL: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel by Tess Gerritsen and SMOKIN' SEVENTEEN: A Stephanie Plum Novel by Janet Evanovich. We’ll select five winners.

I have been a fan of John Hart’s for years. I now am reading --- and loving --- his upcoming book, IRON HOUSE (pre-order from IndieBound or Amazon), which will be in stores on July 12th. Make a note of it.

Last night I had a fabulous reunion with my old pals from Mademoiselle magazine, where we had a great time reliving a very special time in all of our lives. Really great memories were shared, and it was a nice break from a really hectic week. The redesign of Bookreporter.com is coming along nicely. Throughout the day, Erin feeds me designs that I sign off on, and each time I do that I am getting more excited about the new Bookreporter.com, which is about a month away. There are endless details involved with a launch like this!

On Thursday I fly to New Orleans for the American Library Association Conference, my first trip to NOLA. I am planning to see a huge lineup of authors there and am really excited about the $20,000+ Great Graphic Novel Library Giveaway that we are co-sponsoring there! Also, for any of you in the New York area, make note that the Romance Writers of America Annual Convention will have a Literacy Signing where hundreds of authors will sign books for charity on Tuesday, June 28th from 5:30-7:30pm. You can read more details and see who is signing here. I will be flying back from NOLA in time to attend this!

Read on….lots more ahead…

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
 

AGAINST ALL ENEMIES by Tom Clancy with Peter Telep (Thriller)
A terrorist bombing in Pakistan wipes out ex-Navy SEAL Max Moore’s entire CIA team. As the only survivor, he plunges deeper into the treacherous tribal lands to find the terrorist cell. But what he discovers there leads him to a much darker conspiracy in an unexpected part of the globe --- the US/Mexico border, where a drug war rages. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

-Click here to read an excerpt from AGAINST ALL ENEMIES.
 

CARTE BLANCHE: The New James Bond Novel by Jeffery Deaver (Thriller)
James Bond, in his early 30s and already a veteran of the Afghan war, has been recruited to a new organization. Conceived in the post-9/11 world, its aim is to protect the Realm by any means necessary. Headquarters has decrypted an electronic whisper about a scheduled attack. And Agent 007 has been given carte blanche to do whatever it takes to fulfill his mission. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

-Click here to read an excerpt from CARTE BLANCHE.
 

ONE SUMMER by David Baldacci (Fiction)
The tables are turned when a man with a terminal illness loses his healthy wife just days before entering hospice himself. On death’s doorstep, Jack says his goodbyes, but then something happens to bring him back. He sees a spark of life and spirit in his defiant teenage daughter, a girl who has just lost everything but lets down her guard long enough to let her dad really see her and to show that she still needs him --- and always will. Reviewed by Melanie Smith.
 

THE AMERICAN HEIRESS by Daisy Goodwin (Historical Fiction)
Be careful what you wish for. Traveling abroad with her mother at the turn of the 20th century to seek a titled husband, beautiful, vivacious Cora Cash, whose family mansion in Newport dwarfs the Vanderbilts', suddenly finds herself Duchess of Wareham, married to Ivo, the most eligible bachelor in England. Nothing is quite as it seems, however: Ivo is withdrawn and secretive, and the English social scene is full of traps and betrayals. Money, Cora soon learns, cannot buy everything, as she must decide what is truly worth the price in her life and her marriage.

Witty, moving and brilliantly entertaining, Cora's story marks the debut of a glorious storyteller who brings a fresh new spirit to the world of Edith Wharton and Henry James.

-Visit Daisy Goodwin's official website, www.DaisyGoodwin.co.uk.
 

In Alice LaPlante's masterful, haunting debut novel, TURN OF MIND, a former surgeon suffering from dementia becomes the primary suspect in the murder of her best friend and neighbor.

We have 20 copies of TURN OF MIND, which will be in stores July 5th, 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, June 24th at noon ET.

-Click here to read an excerpt from TURN OF MIND.
-Click here to read critical praise for TURN OF MIND.
-Click here to read Alice LaPlante’s bio.

More about TURN OF MIND:
A stunning first novel, both literary and thriller, about a retired orthopedic surgeon with dementia, TURN OF MIND has already received worldwide attention. With unmatched patience and a pulsating intensity, Alice LaPlante brings us deep into a brilliant woman’s deteriorating mind, where the impossibility of recognizing reality can be both a blessing and a curse.

As the book opens, Dr. Jennifer White’s best friend, Amanda, who lived down the block, has been killed, and four fingers surgically removed from her hand. Dr. White is the prime suspect, and she herself doesn’t know whether she did it. Told in White’s own voice, fractured and eloquent, a picture emerges of the surprisingly intimate, complex alliance between these life-long friends --- two proud, forceful women who were at times each other’s most formidable adversaries.

As the investigation into the murder deepens and White’s relationships with her live-in caretaker and two grown children intensify, a chilling question lingers: Is White’s shattered memory preventing her from revealing the truth or helping her to hide it?
 

STILL MISSING announced Chevy Stevens as a suspense/thriller author to watch. Her second novel, NEVER KNOWING, ups the ante with its portrayal of a woman whose biological mother survived the wrath of a gruesome killer.

We have 20 copies of NEVER KNOWING, which will be in stores July 5th, 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, June 24th at noon ET.

-Click here to read an excerpt from NEVER KNOWING.
-Click here to read critical praise for NEVER KNOWING.
-Click here to read Chevy Stevens’s bio.
-Click here to see Chevy Stevens’s backlist.
-Visit Chevy Stevens’s official website, www.ChevyStevens.com.

More about NEVER KNOWING:
From the acclaimed author of STILL MISSING comes a psychological thriller about one woman’s search into her past and the deadly truth she uncovers. All her life, Sara Gallagher has wondered about her birth parents. As an adopted child with two sisters who were born naturally to her parents, Sara did not have an ideal home life. The question of why she was given up for adoption has always haunted her. Finally, she is ready to take steps and find closure. But some questions are better left unanswered.
 

Mike Wingate seems to have it all in Gregg Hurwitz's latest nail-biter, YOU'RE NEXT--- a devoted wife, a beautiful daughter, a growing company --- until shadowy figures from his past begin emerging and force to him to protect his family at any cost.br />
We have 20 copies of YOU'RE NEXT, which will be in stores July 5th, 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, June 24th at noon ET.

-Click here to read an excerpt from YOU’RE NEXT.
-Click here to read critical praise for YOU’RE NEXT.
-Click here to read Gregg Hurwitz’s bio.
-Click here to see Gregg Hurwitz’s backlist.
-Visit Gregg Hurwitz’s official website, www.GreggHurwitz.net.

More about YOU'RE NEXT:
Mike Wingate, abandoned by his father at four and raised in foster care, is finally living the life he always dreamed of --- he’s happily married with a precocious eight-year-old daughter, and his construction company is about to finish a “green” housing development that will secure a solid future for them all.

But then something from his own past, a past he doesn’t even remember, comes back to visit terror upon him and his family. Shady characters begin threatening Mike, and when he reports them, the police seem more interested in Mike’s murky past than in protecting him.

Now, with Mike, his wife Annabel and daughter Kat suddenly under attack from all sides, Mike turns to Shep, a dangerous man --- and Mike’s only true friend --- from his childhood days in foster care. Together they will do whatever it takes to protect Mike’s family against the hidden men behind the terrifying warning, “You’re Next.”
 

Summer is upon us! At Bookreporter.com, this means it's time for us to share some great summer book picks with our Summer Reading Contests and Features. We will be spotlighting a different title or two on select days from Tuesday, May 31st through Wednesday, July 27th, so you will have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book(s) and enter. Some days may even feature special bonus prizes, including beach items, a beach tote stocked with goodies, and additional books. We also will be sending a special daily newsletter to announce the day's title(s), which you can sign up for here.

Our next prize book will be announced on Monday, June 20th at noon ET.

-Click here to see this year's featured titles.
-Click here to receive our special newsletter announcing each day’s prize book.
 

In Joseph Finder's much-anticipated new novel, BURIED SECRETS, "private spy" Nick Heller returns to track down the missing daughter of a wealthy financier whose business dealings have made him a lot of enemies.

-Click here to read a third excerpt from BURIED SECRETS.
-Click here to read critical praise for BURIED SECRETS.
-Click here to read Joseph Finder's bio.
-Click here to see Joseph Finder's backlist.
-Visit Joseph Finder's official website, www.JosephFinder.com.
-Click span style="color: #0000ff;">here to see the 20 winners selected to read and comment on BURIED SECRETS.

More about BURIED SECRETS:
Nick Heller, "private spy," has returned to his old home town of Boston to set up his own shop. There he’s urgently summoned by an old family friend. Hedge fund titan Marshall Marcus desperately needs Nick’s help. His teenaged daughter, Alexa, has just been kidnapped. Her abduction was clearly a sophisticated professional job, done with extraordinary precision. Alexa, whom Nick has known since she was young, is now buried alive, held prisoner in an underground crypt, a camera trained on her, her suffering streaming live over the Internet. She’s been left with a limited supply of food and water, and if her father doesn’t meet the demands of her shadowy kidnappers, she’ll die. And as Nick begins to probe, he discovers that all is not quite right with Marshall Marcus’s business. He’s being investigated by the FBI, he has a lot of shady investors, his fund is in danger, and now he has a lot of powerful enemies who may have the motivation to go after Marcus’s daughter. But to find out who’s holding Alexa Marcus hostage, Nick has to find out why.
 

Margaret Leroy's debut historical novel, THE SOLDIER'S WIFE, traces the relationship of a housewife and a Nazi soldier during the final days of World War II on the British island of Guernsey.

-Click here to read an excerpt from THE SOLDIER'S WIFE.
-Click here to read critical praise for THE SOLDIER'S WIFE.
-Click here to read Margaret Leroy's bio.
-Click here to see Margaret Leroy's backlist.
-Visit Margaret Leroy's official website, www.MargaretLeroy.com.
-Click here to see the 20 winners selected to read and comment on THE SOLDIER’S WIFE.

More about THE SOLDIER'S WIFE:
As World War II draws closer and closer to Guernsey, Vivienne de la Mare knows that there will be sacrifices to be made. Not just for herself, but for her two young daughters and for her mother-in-law, for whom she cares while her husband is away fighting. What she does not expect is that she will fall in love with one of the enigmatic German soldiers who take up residence in the house next door to her home. As their relationship intensifies, so do the pressures on Vivienne. Food and resources grow scant, and the restrictions placed upon the residents of the island grow with each passing week. Though Vivienne knows the perils of her love affair with Gunther, she believes that she can keep their relationship --- and her family --- safe. But when she becomes aware of the full brutality of the Occupation, she must decide if she is willing to risk her personal happiness for the life of a stranger.
 

A group of women form an unlikely friendship as they search for love and happiness along the Florida coast in Emilie Richards's latest novel, SUNSET BRIDGE.

-Click here to read a second excerpt from SUNSET BRIDGE.
-Click here to read critical praise for SUNSET BRIDGE.
-Click here to read Emilie Richards’s bio.
-Visit Emilie Richards’s official website, www.EmilieRichards.com.
-Click here to see the 20 winners selected to read and comment on SUNSET BRIDGE.

More about SUNSET BRIDGE:
Former socialite Tracy Deloche has nothing to her name but five ramshackle beach cottages and the unlikely friendships she's formed with her tenants. Wanda, wise waitress turned popular pie-shop owner. Janya, the young Indian wife whose arranged marriage surprises her every day. Alice, a widow raising her complex tween-age granddaughter. And Maggie, Wanda's daughter, a former Miami cop with a love life as complicated as Tracy's own.

The new man in Tracy's life hasn't mentioned love or commitment --- and Tracy has just discovered she's pregnant. Janya longs to be a mother --- and suddenly has two young siblings in her care. Maggie helps out at Wanda's Wonderful Pies…but is the kitchen big enough for both Gray women? And Alice may lose her beloved granddaughter to someone no one expected.

As a tropical storm brews, the wind carries surprises and secrets over the bridge to Happiness Key. Now, more than ever, five friends will discover just how much they need one another.
 

THE GREATER JOURNEY: Americans in Paris by David McCullough (History)
As David McCullough writes, “Not all pioneers went west.” Those who instead traveled to Paris included Elizabeth Blackwell, the first female doctor in America; Charles Sumner, who would become the most powerful voice for abolition in the U.S. Senate; Samuel F. B. Morse; and writers Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Mark Twain and Henry James. Nearly all of these Americans, whatever their troubles, spent many of their happiest days and nights in the City of Lights. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.

SISTERHOOD EVERLASTING by Ann Brashares (Fiction)
Ten years after THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS, Tibby, Lena, Carmen and Bridget have started separate lives on their own. Despite having jobs and men they love, each knows something is missing: the closeness that once sustained them. Tibby reaches out to arrange a reunion. Indeed, it will change their lives forever --- but in ways none of them could have ever expected. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

FOLLY BEACH: A Lowcountry Tale by Dorothea Benton Frank (Fiction)
With its sandy beaches and bohemian charms, surfers and suits alike consider Folly Beach one of South Carolina's most historic and romantic spots. It’s also the land of Cate Cooper's childhood, the place where all the ghosts of her past roam. Yet Folly Beach holds more than just memories. For Cate, Folly also holds the promise of unexpected fulfillment when she is forced to look at her life. Reviewed by Maggie Harding.

BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP by S. J. Watson (Psychological Thriller)
Memories define us. So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep? Your name, your identity, your past, even the people you love --- all forgotten overnight. And the one person you trust may be telling you only half the story. Welcome to Christine Lucas's terrifying life. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

TRADER OF SECRETS: A Paul Madriani Novel by Steve Martini (Legal Thriller)
Defense attorney Paul Madriani is embroiled in a case as perilous as any he has ever faced: one that involves an angry killer who will stop at nothing short of vengeance, and two missing NASA scientists who are holding secrets that a hostile government desperately wants to purchase --- in blood if they must. Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.

MISERY BAY: An Alex McKnight Novel by Steve Hamilton (Mystery)
Alex McKnight knows all about evil, having faced down a madman who killed his partner and left a bullet next to his heart. But nothing could have prepared him for the darkness he’s about to face, when a simple quest to find a few answers about a suicide turn into a nightmare of sudden violence, bloody revenge, and a race against time to catch a ruthless killer. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

CHILDREN AND FIRE by Ursula Hegi (Historical Fiction)
So much has changed for teacher Thekla Jansen and the people of Burgdorf, Germany in the year since the parliament building burned. Thekla’s lover, Emil Hesping, is sure the Nazis did it to frame the communists. But Thekla believes that the communists set the fire, and she encourages her 10-year-old students to join the “Hitler-Jugend” with its hikes, songs and bonfires. Reviewed by Judy Gigstad.

NOW YOU SEE ME by S. J. Bolton (Mystery)
One night, Lacey Flint, a young detective constable, stumbles onto a woman brutally stabbed in a building’s darkened parking lot. Within 24 hours, a reporter receives an anonymous letter that points out alarming similarities between the murder and Jack the Ripper’s first murder. If the connection is real, history shows they have just five days until the next attempt. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

EAST ON SUNSET: A Crime Novel by Ken Mercer (Mystery)
Will Magowan, the ex-narcotics detective introduced to readers in SLOW FIRE, has decided to retire from law enforcement and start a new life. Things are looking up, until a figure from the past appears and makes a mysterious demand. Will must risk everything as he uncovers long-buried secrets and discovers that almost nothing in his life is what it seems. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.