August 17, 2012

Another 90-degree day…but I have this nifty little forecaster on my desk that shows the temps dropping to the 80s tomorrow. I think we have had the windows open for about half a day since the end of June, which is quite annoying. But the long days of sunlight this time of year do wonders for my mood and energy level. I think I need to switch hemispheres twice a year.

This week, I feel like I am a virtual talk show host. A number of great pieces including some audios and videos came across my computer screen this week, all of which are worthy of sharing. For the record, there are others that were not worth passing along. I am going for only “the good stuff” here.

If you’re a big fan of thriller writer Gregg Hurwitz, then we have a fun piece for you. Here we have Lee Child reading the opening of Hurwitz's new book, THE SURVIVOR, which comes out August 21st. (I found this on the USA Today website).

In THE SURVIVOR, a divorced former sailor named Nate Overbay suffers from PTSD and the debilitating effects of ALS, when he decides to take his life. However, he witnesses a bank robbery and, with nothing to lose, takes out all the robbers. Except one of the robbers gives him a warning, and it will have Nate rushing to save his ex-wife and daughter. Child does a great job on this recording, and his voice powers up both the tension and sense of danger that drive the plot.

I also found a video of Ken Follett reading from his upcoming book, WINTER OF THE WORLD, which is coming out September 18th. It's about 11-year-old Carla, who struggles to understand the disturbance in her family caused by Hitler’s growing grip on Germany. She meets Lloyd, the son of her mother’s friend, whose life is also affected by the brutal reality of the Nazis. Soon both their lives will be drastically affected by the cruelest war the world has ever seen. Check out this video since it’s fun to see an author like Follett read his own work as he does it so well, especially in advance of publication like this.

This morning on Nora Rawlinson’s EarlyWord website --- which is a great resource for librarians working on collection development --- I found this video that New York magazine has been running with a preview of the upcoming season of "Downton Abbey." I hear it’s tinny as it was recorded by someone in the UK off their TV. But here you go.

As you may know, this is the 150th anniversary of the birthday of Edith Wharton (the actual birthday was January 24th). I spent 17 years of my career at Condé Nast, and thus I really was happy to see that Vogue magazine got into the spirit of all things Edith Wharton in their September issue with a 16-page photo shoot shot by the legendary Annie Leibovitz, styled by Vogue Creative Director Grace Coddington at The Mount, which was Wharton’s home. Supermodel Natalia Vodianova and a multitude of actors and writers recreated scenes inspired by actual photographs of Edith Wharton and her friends. Vogue-inspired casting of Wharton's close circle includes Vodianova as Edith Wharton; Jeffrey Eugenides as Henry James; Junot Diaz as Walter Berry; Jonathan Safran Foer as architect Ogden Codman, Jr., as well as many other actors and artists. This is the kind of shoot that is pure Coddington. I always say she is not shooting pictures of clothes, but rather fashion as art.

You can see a “Behind the Scenes” look here while the entire shoot is in Vogue’s September issue. The original photographs that the styling for this shoot is based on are available for view online at the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.

I remember reading about this house in NOVEL DESTINATIONS; there is a blog from Shannon McKenna, one of the authors of the book, here. Back in 2008, it was in danger of being closed due to financial difficulties, but I am happy to share the house is still open for tours. I want to try to get there before it closes for the season on October 31st.

Speaking of magazines, legendary Cosmopolitan editor Helen Gurley Brown passed away this week. A lot has been written about her over the last few days, and I wanted to share a couple of personal pieces that I really enjoyed. The first is by John Searles, the Deputy Editor of Cosmo, who many of you know as the author of BOY STILL MISSING and STRANGE BUT TRUE. In this piece that ran on Daily Beast, he gives everyone a personal look at her character and her accomplishments. Also, Jamie Brickhouse was HGB’s publicist on her book, I’M WILD AGAIN: Snippets From My Life and a Few Brazen Thoughts, and he shares another warm and wonderful piece about her here from the New York Times.

Both John and Jamie talk about Brown’s penchant for handwritten notes, thus I loved reading this last night on Margaret George’s Facebook page on her meeting with Brown: “She believed in writing notes to people, and she wrote an 11-page 'fan letter' to me about HENRY VIII. I met her many years later in her Cosmo office. She asked me what I planned to do in New York, and I mentioned that Manolo Blahniks' store was near my hotel but I was a little afraid to go into it. She looked at me and said, 'Pussycat, that's what New York is all about.' With her encouragement, I marched in! I did get a pair of Manolos! They are my HGB keepsake." The funny thing was that Margaret was headed there after a meeting in my office back in 2006, something she reminded me of last night.

For the record, I have terrible handwriting, and if anyone ever got a note from me, it would be illegible. I even type sympathy notes and place them inside nice cards!

Onward to our reviews and features lineup for the week.

We have a review of AND WHEN SHE WAS GOOD by Laura Lippman, which introduces us to an interesting protagonist: a mother/secret suburban madam. Heloise lives half her life in secret. On the one hand, she is a devoted soccer mom and redheaded lobbyist --- but at night, in discreet hotel rooms, she’s a madam. However, her secret life is put in jeopardy when a madam in a nearby county is murdered, and Heloise worries she might be next. If that wasn’t complicated enough, the father of Heloise’s son has just been released from prison, and he doesn’t know he has a son! Reviewer Norah Piehl says, “In addition to being a genuinely suspenseful novel, Lippman's latest is a compelling portrait of a woman most readers never would have even considered before.”

THE INN AT ROSE HARBOR by Debbie Macomber is the first in her new series and is a pleasant addition to all the other great books in her collection. Her latest introduces readers to Jo Marie Rose, who purchases a local bed-and-breakfast in Cedar Cove in hopes of finding peace after the devastating loss of her husband. The people she meets might just be in need of a bit of healing themselves, and behind the doors of the Rose Harbor Inn, they may find love, forgiveness and renewal. Reviewer Melanie Smith says, "Debbie Macomber has written a charming, cathartic romance full of tasteful passion and good sense... A quick, light read, THE INN AT ROSE HARBOR is a wonderful novel that will keep the reader’s undivided attention."

Stephen White adds to his Alan Gregory saga with the penultimate novel, LINE OF FIRE. Reviewer Joe Hartlaub says, "White brings his own unique 'A' game to LINE OF FIRE.... This is a tale that requires but ultimately more than rewards patience. I dare you to stop reading the book once you reach the final third of it." Here, Alan is faced with a difficult predicament when his latest patient becomes the catalyst that can cause everything he treasures to fall apart. This is a perfect set-up for the final installment with an ending that sets the stage for a very unexpected outcome. As if the release of LINE OF FIRE wasn’t exciting enough, we have a Q&A with the author, where he talks about the friendship between his characters and the choices he made for the ending of the series.

We have a review of a terrific debut novel by Ariel S. Winter. THE TWENTY-YEAR DEATH brings together three separate crime novels, each set in different decades with one protagonist in common. Each of the stories will keep you gripping the edge of your seat and wishing for more. A body found in a gutter, a brutally murdered Hollywood starlet, and a desperate-seeking redemption are some of the things you can expect from these thrilling stories. Reviewer Tom Callahan says, "Sometimes a first novel appears that is so bold, so innovative, so brilliant that you just have to tip your hat and say ‘Bravo.’ Such is the case with THE TWENTY-YEAR DEATH... Winter pulls no punches. Together, his three books add up to one transcendent breathtaking story you will not soon forget."

As you know, we are featuring Beverly Barton in our Romantic Suspense Author Spotlight with DON’T SAY A WORD. Homicide detective Julia Cass is tasked with investigating the most brutal murder she’s ever seen. A judge is dead, and she's forced to partner with FBI agent Will Brannock to solve a case that unearths more mutilated bodies left as a souvenir by the angry killer. Reviewer Amie Taylor says, "DON'T SAY A WORD is a fast-paced novel of romantic suspense with engaging characters and endless twists and turns."

Our Mystery Mayhem Feature and Contest with William Kent Krueger and TRICKSTER’S POINT continues this week. Cork O’ Connor sits in the shadow of Trickster’s Point with the first Native American governor-elect, who is slowly dying of an arrow to the heart. The only problem is that the arrow in the man’s chest is Cork’s and Cork has to deal with being the prime suspect in the murder. Twenty-five readers will win a copy of this book. If you enter by Thursday, August 23rd at noon ET, you very well might be one of them.

The second contest is for our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight featuring Linwood Barclay’s TRUST YOUR EYES. Here, Thomas Kilbride is a map-obsessed recluse who spends his days locked in his bedroom perusing the streets of the world through his computer. Suddenly, he stumbles on an image of what looks to be a woman being murdered. Can he get over his schizophrenia in order to help? Enter by Thursday, August 23rd at noon ET for a chance to win this book.

Our Fall Preview Contests and Feature continues with our next contest being announced this Monday, August 20th at noon ET. Next week, we’ll be giving away LOVE ANTHONY by Lisa Genova, IN SUNLIGHT AND IN SHADOW by Mark Helprin and THE ART FORGER by B.A. Shapiro. We love this chance to share upcoming fall titles with you. You can see the list of what we have planned to date here, though we know there will be more titles to come. Also, if you are not signed up for this newsletter, you can do so here.

Many of you have asked to get a list of books being made into movies in advance, so you can read ahead. Your wish is our command as our own Maureen Linehan has pulled together a bookshelf with 20 books that will be seeing the big screen this fall. You can view it here.

In our poll, we ask what is the most you would typically spend on a hardcover book by a favorite author of yours, and we pose the same question about eBooks. We are asking about your FAVORITE author. We’re curious as to what you spend --- and say --- so please weigh in to be counted. And this week, we’re offering these books as prizes in our Word of Mouth contest: ONE LAST THING BEFORE I GO by Jonathan Tropper, THE ROOTS OF THE OLIVE TREE by Courtney Miller Santo, and THE SURVIVOR by Gregg Hurwitz.

Calling all book groups….participation and feedback needed for two things.

For those of you in the New York Tri-State area, ReadingGroupGuides.com will be partnering with the Hachette Book Group to host their first Book Group Day in New York on Saturday, September 29th from 10:30-3:30 at the New York Public Library. Participating authors include Megan Abbott, author of DARE ME; Jami Attenberg, author of THE MIDDLESTEINS; Stacy Schiff, author of CLEOPATRA; and Jill Shalvis, author of AT LAST. There will be a fee of $50, which will include morning refreshments, lunch and, of course, advance reading copies and books! Signup is required; details can be found here.

Are you in a book group in South Florida? If so, please send me a note at Carol@bookreporter.com. I have an idea that I would love some feedback about.

Greg is headed to the Finger Lakes for the weekend for a wedding and wine-tasting trip. We have some friends coming over tomorrow night, and I am hoping the rain passes by then. I am reading a book I have wanted to get to for a while --- A KILLING IN THE HILLS by debut author Julia Keller. I also have a couple of manuscripts lined up on my iPad that I am dying to get to. I'm longing for a cool non-humid evening of sitting outside late into the night reading. My Olympic marathon watching seriously cut into my evening reading time. And I wish we had a TV outside for outdoor viewing. It would have been nice!

Oh, and for those wondering. Cory has been able to shift well this week on the new car….motoring along sans stalling. A VERY good thing. He still takes “the long way home” to avoid a hill that’s fairly paralyzing to think about, but this still shall be mastered.

Here’s to a great week of reading. We have a big week ahead planned before we head out for our hiatus the week before Labor Day. Lots more to come!

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

AND WHEN SHE WAS GOOD by Laura Lippman (Mystery)
Heloise is a suburban madam who lives the life of “every mom” with soccer games and homework in between the hours where she runs her business and has her own customers, who spend time with her for a price. Life seems safe for her until another suburban madam is found dead, and suddenly the life she has built starts to feel a lot less secure. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

-Click here to read more about the book.

THE INN AT ROSE HARBOR by Debbie Macomber (Fiction)
Jo Marie Rose arrives in the Pacific Northwest town of Cedar Cove seeking peace and a fresh start after the death of her husband. She purchases a local bed-and-breakfast, yet the inn holds more surprises than Jo Marie can imagine. Joshua Weaver, who has come to care for his ailing stepfather, and Abby Kincaid, who is back in town for her brother's wedding, are among the cast of characters who find love, forgiveness and renewal behind the doors of the Rose Harbor Inn. Reviewed by Melanie Smith.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.

Bestselling author Stephen White has written the penultimate novel of his tremendously captivating Alan Gregory saga, LINE OF FIRE. The esteemed psychologist has begun to settle into his new life in Boulder, leaving his personal drama behind him --- until a new and troubling patient shows up at his practice, who may serve as a catalyst to send his life spinning out of control. In this interview, White talks about the privilege and importance of wrapping up a long-running series on his own terms; his inspiration for a new patient of Alan's, whose story is both fascinating and highly unusual; and his plans once he closes the book on this chapter of his writing life.

LINE OF FIRE by Stephen White (Thriller)
In this next-to-last installment of Stephen White’s series, Alan Gregory begins to fear that a mesmerizing new patient of his may be the catalyst that can cause everything he treasures --- his marriage, family, friendship and future --- to implode. As the authorities close in, the story hurtles toward a conclusion that will set the stage for the most unexpected of outcomes: the final act of the Alan Gregory saga. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.

THE TWENTY-YEAR DEATH by Ariel S. Winter (Hard-boiled Mystery)
This much-anticipated debut consists of three full novels with separate stories covering a 20-year period, each written in the style of a great noir author. Two characters appear in all three as Ariel S. Winter tracks the rise and fall of a famous American author and his beautiful movie star wife. Reviewed by Tom Callahan.

-Click here to read more about the book.

DON'T SAY A WORD by Beverly Barton (Romantic Suspense)
Homicide detective Julia Cass has witnessed plenty of crime scenes. But the murder of a Chattanooga judge is shocking in its brutality. Teamed with FBI agent Will Brannock, Julia delves into an investigation that soon unearths more bodies --- all mutilated in the same way, all left with a gruesome souvenir of a killer’s ruthless rage.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Beverly Barton’s bio.
-Click here to see the 25 winners selected to read and comment on the book.
-Click here to read more in our Romantic Suspense Author Spotlight.

We have 25 copies of TRUST YOUR EYES by Linwood Barclay, which will be in stores September 4th, to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, August 23rd at noon ET.

TRUST YOUR EYES by Linwood Barclay (Thriller)
Thomas Kilbride is a map-obsessed schizophrenic so affected that he rarely leaves the self-imposed bastion of his bedroom. But with a computer program called Whirl360.com, he travels the world while never so much as stepping out the door. He pores over and memorizes the streets of the world. He examines every address, as well as the people who are frozen in time on his computer screen.

Then he sees something that anyone else might have stumbled upon --- but has not --- in a street view of downtown New York City: an image in a window. An image that looks like a woman being murdered.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read critical praise.
-Click here to watch the book trailer.
-Click here to read Linwood Barclay’s bio.
-Connect with Linwood Barclay on Facebook and Twitter.

We have 25 copies of TRICKSTER'S POINT by William Kent Krueger, which will be in stores August 21st, to give away to readers who would like to read the book and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, August 23rd at noon ET.

TRICKSTER'S POINT by William Kent Krueger (Mystery)
The next novel in William Kent Krueger’s New York Times bestselling series finds Cork O’Connor sitting in the shadow of a towering monolith known as Trickster’s Point, deep in the Minnesota wilderness. With him is Jubal Little, who is favored to become the first Native American elected governor of Minnesota, and who is slowly dying with an arrow through his heart. Although the men have been bowhunting, a long-standing tradition among these two friends, this is no hunting accident. The arrow turns out to be one of Cork’s, and he becomes the primary suspect in the murder.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.

-Click here to read William Kent Krueger’s bio.

August’s New in Paperback roundups include the following highlights:

THE BEST OF ME by Nicholas Sparks (Fiction)
High school students Amanda and Dawson were deeply in love. But after unforeseen events tore them apart, the two followed radically divergent paths and became estranged. Now, 25 years later, the funeral of their beloved mentor, Tuck, brings them both back to Oriental, North Carolina. Following instructions Tuck has left for them, Amanda and Dawson are finally forced to confront their painful past.

AN INVISIBLE THREAD: The True Story of an 11-Year-Old Panhandler, a Busy Sales Executive, and an Unlikely Meeting with Destiny by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski (Memoir)
When Laura Schroff first met Maurice on a New York City street corner, she had no idea that she was standing on the brink of an incredible and unlikely friendship that would change both their lives. As one lunch at McDonald’s with Maurice turns into two, then into a weekly occurrence that is fast growing into an inexplicable connection, Laura learns heart-wrenching details about Maurice’s horrific childhood.

THE SHOEMAKER'S WIFE by Adriana Trigiani (Historical Fiction)
Divine Providence intervenes in the lives of Ciro Lazzari and Enza Ravanelli. The two Italian peasants meet under sad circumstances in their native land. Years later, their paths cross again after Ciro becomes a shoemaker in New York City’s Little Italy, while Enza finds work as a seamstress in New Jersey.

TIGER HILLS by Sarita Mandanna (Historical 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.

UNMEASURED STRENGTH by Lauren Manning (Memoir)
She had a big job on Wall Street, a loving husband and an infant son, and a confidence born of intelligence and beauty. But on 9/11, good fortune was no match for catastrophe. When a wall of flame at the World Trade Center burned more than 80 percent of her body, Lauren Manning began a 10-year journey of survival and rebirth that tested her almost beyond human endurance.

-Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of August 6th, August 13th, August 20th and August 27th.

Fall is not just a big season for books, it's also one of the busiest seasons for movies, as the race for the Oscars heats up. With some highly anticipated releases over the next few months, we compiled a list of 20 upcoming book to screen adaptations that we think you should have on your radar.

From crime thrillers like Gangster Squad to the long-awaited adaptation of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and the conclusion to the Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn - Part II, movie-goers of all ages will get their fill.
 

Fall is almost upon us, which is known as the biggest season of the year for books! The titles that come out in fall often become holiday gifts, and many are blockbusters. Here are some publisher picks that we know people will be talking about. On select days we will spotlight a different title and offer a contest to win one of five copies of the book. You will need to check the site each day to see the featured book and enter to win. We also will be sending a special daily newsletter to announce each day's title, which you can sign up for here.

Our next prize book will be announced on Monday, August 20th at noon ET. Our featured titles will be THE ART FORGER by B. A. Shapiro, IN SUNLIGHT AND IN SHADOW by Mark Helprin and LOVE ANTHONY by Lisa Genova.

ReadingGroupGuides.com

“What Are You Reading?” Monthly Contest Feature
We’re thrilled to announce our NEW “What Are You Reading?” Monthly Contest Feature. To enter, all you have to do is let us know what your group is reading THIS MONTH (August), and you’ll be entered in a giveaway to win multiple copies of a book for your group! We’re kicking off this brand-new feature with ONE MOUNTAIN AWAY, Emilie Richards’ novel about a tough, do-anything-to-succeed real-estate developer who, after facing her own mortality one terrifying day, realizes that her ambition has almost destroyed her chance at happiness. We have 12 copies of the book, which is now in stores, to give away to five groups. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, September 4th at noon ET.

THE PIGEON PIE MYSTERY by Julia Stuart
We are celebrating the release of THE PIGEON PIE MYSTERY by Julia Stuart --- a clever murder mystery set in Victorian England --- with a special contest. 25 readers will have the opportunity to each win a copy of the book, which is now in stores, for their group. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, September 4th at noon ET.

GOODBYE FOR NOW by Laurie Frankel
We are celebrating the release of GOODBYE FOR NOW by Laurie Frankel --- an entertaining and warmhearted novel that explores the nature of love, loss and life (both real and computer-simulated) --- with a special contest. Five readers will have the opportunity to each win a copy of the book, which is now in stores, for their group. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, September 4th at noon ET.

ReadingGroupGuides.com Newsletter Contest
Win copies of CITY OF WOMEN by David R. Gillham for your group! To be a group to win 20 copies of this book, all you have to do is sign up for the ReadingGroupGuides.com newsletter by September 1st.

Registered Book Group Contest
For August, we have a very special opportunity for Registered Book Groups. Three groups will be able to chat with Neil Abramson and receive 12 copies of his book, UNSAID, which is now available in paperback. Groups that have registered with us by Wednesday, August 15th will have the chance to win. If your group is not registered, click here to register.

FaithfulReader.com

WESTWARD HEARTS: Homeward on the Oregon Trail, Book 1 by Melody Carlson
We are celebrating the release of WESTWARD HEARTS with a special contest that will give 75 readers the opportunity to win a copy of this first installment in Melody Carlson's Homeward on the Oregon Trail series. The deadline for entries is Thursday, September 13th at noon ET.

DIGITAL WINTER by Mark Hitchcock and Alton Gansky
We are celebrating the release of DIGITAL WINTER by Mark Hitchcock and Alton Gansky with a special contest that will give 75 readers the opportunity to win a copy of this suspenseful and fast-moving story of life after a massive cyber attack. The deadline for entries is Thursday, September 13th at noon ET.

OVER THE EDGE: The Kincaid Brides, Book 3 by Mary Connealy
We are celebrating the release of OVER THE EDGE with a special contest that will give 50 readers the opportunity to win a copy of this third installment in Mary Connealy's The Kincaid Brides series. The deadline for entries is Thursday, September 13th at noon ET.

ABDUCTED: Pacific Coast Justice Series, Book 2 by Janice Cantore
We are celebrating the release of ABDUCTED with a special contest that will give 10 readers the opportunity to win a copy of this second installment in Janice Cantore's Pacific Coast Justice series. The deadline for entries is Thursday, September 13th at noon ET.

FaithfulReader.com’s Monthly Contest
In our latest monthly contest, five readers each will be awarded a copy of THE REUNION by Dan Walsh, in which a Vietnam vet who came home from the war and lost everything is about to be found. The deadline for entries is Thursday, September 13th at noon ET.

DEEP DOWN: A Jack Reacher Story by Lee Child (Thriller)
An eBook Short Story Exclusive
When vital details regarding a new, state-of-the-art sniper rifle for U.S. forces begin leaking from the Capitol into potentially the hands of unidentified foreign arms dealers, Military Intelligence summons Jack Reacher to Washington, D.C. Reacher must go undercover to infiltrate four high-powered female Army officers who are the target suspects. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

THE ST. ZITA SOCIETY by Ruth Rendell (Mystery)
Life for the residents and servants of Hexam Place appears placid and orderly on the outside: drivers take their employers to and from work, dogs are walked, flowers are planted in gardens, and Christmas candles lit uniformly in windows. But beneath this tranquil veneer, the upstairs-downstairs relationships are set to combust. Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.

VENGEANCE by Benjamin Black (Mystery)
Victor Delahaye, one of Ireland's most successful businessmen, kills himself while sailing with his partner's son. Detective Inspector Hackett calls upon the services of his sometime partner Quirke, consultant pathologist at the Hospital of the Holy Family. But when a second death occurs, this one even more shocking than the first, it quickly becomes apparent that a terrible secret threatens to destroy the lives and reputations of several members of Dublin's elite. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

THY NEIGHBOR by Norah Vincent (Suspense)
Obsessed with understanding the circumstances surrounding his parents’ deaths and deranged by his relentless sorrow, Nick Walsh begins a campaign of spying on his neighbors via hidden cameras and microphones he has covertly installed in their houses. As he observes all the things that his neighbors do to themselves and to one another, and as he learns that he himself is being stalked, he begins to slowly unravel the shocking truth about how and why his parents died. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

MONSTER: A Novel of Frankenstein by Dave Zeltserman (Supernatural Thriller/Horror)
In 19th-century Germany, one young man counts down the days until he can marry his beloved...until she is found brutally murdered, and the young man is accused of the crime. Broken on the wheel and left for dead, he awakens on a lab table, transformed into an abomination. Friedrich must go far to take his revenge --- only to find his tormentor, Victor Frankenstein, in league with the Marquis de Sade, creating something much more sinister deep in the mountains. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

KILL DECISION by Daniel Suarez (Techno-Thriller)
Linda McKinney, a myrmecologist, and Odin, a secretive Special Ops soldier, team up to slow the advance of drones programmed to seek, identify and execute targets without human intervention. As forces even McKinney and Odin don’t understand begin to gather, and death rains down from above, it may already be too late to save humankind from destruction at the hands of our own technology. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

A PLACE IN THE COUNTRY by Elizabeth Adler (Romance Suspense)
Fifteen-year-old Issy and her newly-single mother, Caroline, are struggling to find their way alone, as well as together. Issy still adores her father and secretly blames her mother for their change in life. When Caroline’s dream of restoring an old barn into a restaurant finally begins to come true, her chance at happiness hangs in the balance as whispers of murder and vengeance find their way to her. Reviewed by Amie Taylor.

THE FEAR ARTIST: A Poke Rafferty Thriller by Timothy Hallinan (Thriller)
An accidental collision on a Bangkok sidewalk goes very wrong when the man who ran into Poke Rafferty dies in his arms, but not before saying three words: Helen Eckersley. Cheyenne. Little does Rafferty know that he's about to be caught on the margins of the war on terror, and that his opponent is a virtuoso artist whose medium is fear. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

WHIPLASH RIVER by Lou Berney (Thriller)
Former getaway driver Charles “Shake” Bouchon has finally realized his dream of owning a restaurant in Belize. Unfortunately, to do so, he has to go deep in debt to a murderous local drug lord named Baby Jesus. Things go from bad to worse quickly when Shake’s restaurant goes up in flames and suddenly he finds himself on the run from Baby Jesus, two freelance assassins, and a beautiful but ferocious FBI agent. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

Poll:

What is the most you would spend on a current release of a hardcover book by a favorite author of yours?

What is the most you would spend on a current release of an eBook by a favorite author of yours?

-Click here to answer the poll.