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Bookreporter.com Newsletter |
December 4, 2015 |
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After the Turkey…
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I hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving weekend. I compressed a lot into those days, including reimagining turkey in a few new ways, cleaning up the garden, planting amaryllis plants (trying to grow three in water this year), redecorating the wreath for the front porch, and kicking it back a notch.
And I found time to read two books. First up was SILENT CITY by Carrie Smith. I met Carrie at the Crooked Lane Books launch party a few weeks ago and was eager to read the book after our conversation. In it, Claire Codella is an NYPD detective who is just back from leave for cancer treatment. She immediately is called onto a case where Hector Sanchez, a maverick public school principal, has been found in his home, murdered. In looking for the killer, she uncovers some secrets that those in education would like to keep under wraps. It’s set against a short block of time, which I love, and Claire is a smart protagonist. It’s tight, well-written and tracked beautifully. I think that readers of Linda Fairstein will enjoy Carrie’s work. She, like Linda, does a great job of describing the city.
Next up was THE WIDOW by Fiona Barton, which will be in stores on February 16th. It’s a GREAT psychological thriller; to me, the most comparable book to it is THE SILENT WIFE, which I loved and selected as a Bookreporter.com Bets On title. THE WIDOW is a complete page-turner, and the setup is like this: A couple of years ago, a young child named Bella went missing out of the front yard of her home. Glen Taylor is the prime suspect. His wife, Jean, hasn’t said much about the accusations. She has bucked up and carried on as the perfect wife. But now Glen is dead, and Jean can talk. She can unwrap their marriage and share what she knows. Everyone wants the truth. As the media haunts her, what will she say? It’s one addicting read, and you'll want it on your radar. It, too, will be a Bets On pick.
I am finishing up listening to BOYS IN THE TREES by Carly Simon. For those who grew up on the music of Carly and James Taylor, it’s a real look behind the curtain and more revealing than I would have thought from someone who appears to be so guarded. I recommend it. It's dishy and interesting. Next up will be Mary-Louise Parker’s DEAR MR. YOU. Yes, I am in a memoir mode these past few months. DEAR MR. YOU is one of our “Sounding Off on Audio” prizes this month (more on that below).
Next week, we plan to share with you a new audio bookshelf of 20 selections. Each has either an ensemble or a multicast instead of a single narrator. I have previewed a number of these, and the emphasis here is on performance. Audiobooks are best when the performer is top-notch.
Now on to this week’s update:
James Lee Burke revisits his Holland family saga with HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN, the story of a father and son separated by war and violence. Beginning in revolutionary Mexico and journeying through the southwest during the reign of the Hole in the Wall Gang, the novel follows Texas Ranger Hackberry Holland as he struggles to reunite with his son Ishmael, an army captain. After a violent attack that leaves several Mexican soldiers dead, Hackberry escapes with a stolen artifact believed to be the legendary cup of Christ. His actions attract the attention of a vicious arms dealer, who then constructs a plot to retrieve his prize --- with Ishmael in the crosshairs. As Hackberry fights to protect his son, three extraordinary women will further his cause in their efforts to return the Holy Grail to its rightful place.
According to reviewer Joe Hartlaub, “HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN contains what may be the best opening and closing paragraphs I’ve ever read in a work of fiction. As for what is found between these two worthy sections, the prose takes on a life of its own…. It’s a superlative way to end the year, strongly recommended to all who love and appreciate the acts of reading and writing. It doesn’t get any better than this.”
We’re awarding the audio versions of HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN and the aforementioned DEAR MR. YOU in this month’s Sounding Off on Audio contest. All you have to do is submit your comments about the audiobooks you’ve finished listening to, and you’ll be in the running to win both prizes. Let us know by Monday, January 4th at noon ET. You can enter here.
With the holidays just around the corner, Debbie Macomber returns with another heartfelt Christmas novel, DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW. California graduate student Ashley Davison desperately wants to spend the holidays with her family in Seattle. Former army intelligence officer Dashiell Sutherland is in a similar situation as he has a job interview in Seattle and must arrive by December 23rd. With every flight out of San Francisco full and only one rental car available, the two reluctantly decide to share the car. At first they are quiet, but with a long road ahead, Ashley and Dash begin to open up and sparks start to fly --- but the trip is full of obstacles, and love may not be the only surprise.
Susan Miura has our review and says, “Lovable characters, fun dialogue, romance and a touch of Christmas festivity make this the perfect book to read during the Christmas season or to give to a mom, sister or friend.”
Debbie Macomber fans will be thrilled to know that Hallmark Channel will air the movie version of DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW; it’s set to premiere on Sunday, December 13th at 9pm ET/PT. But first up on Hallmark is “The Bridge,” based on Karen Kingsbury’s Christmas novel of the same name, which will air this Sunday, December 6th at 8pm ET/PT. Looking for more Books on Screen? Then be sure to take a look at our updated feature for December here.
If you have not yet entered our Linwood Barclay contest, you have just a few days to enter to win a copy of BROKEN PROMISE for a friend or family member this holiday season. As a nod to the mysterious number that keeps popping up in Barclay’s Promise Falls trilogy, we’re giving away 23 personalized signed copies to readers to gift to their friends or relatives. To enter, simply tell us which of your loved ones you’d like to nominate to win by Monday, December 7th at noon ET. If selected, they’ll receive a copy of BROKEN PROMISE inscribed with a message of your choosing. Please remember this is meant to be a gift-giving opportunity and not a “to me/from me” moment. Click here for your chance to win.
We’re so excited to bring back our Holiday Author Blogs for the EIGHTH year in a row. From now until December 24th, we will be featuring new blog posts from authors throughout the week talking about the books that they have given and received. So far we have heard from Elisabeth Egan, Stefanie Pintoff (appropriately timed for the night of the Rockefeller Center tree lighting as her book is set against a 24-hour backdrop surrounding this event), C. W. Gortner and Ruth Ware. Still to come are pieces from Melanie Benjamin, Chris Bohjalian, Sloane Crosley, Heather Gudenkauf, Paula McLain and more. Many thanks to all who have taken the time to share these wonderful holiday memories with us!
In this week’s Holiday Cheer contests, we gave away AMISH CHRISTMAS AT NORTH STAR: Four Stories of Love and Family by Cindy Woodsmall, Mindy Starns Clark, Emily Clark, Amanda Flower and Katie Ganshert, CHRISTMAS ON CANDY CANE LANE: Life in Icicle Falls by Sheila Roberts, DOG CRAZY: A Novel of Love Lost and Found by Meg Donohue, and TENACITY by J.S. Law. Next week’s prizes will be ASHLEY BELL by Dean Koontz, LOST OCEAN: An Inky Adventure & Coloring Book by Johanna Basford, A QUILT FOR CHRISTMAS by Sandra Dallas, and TAILS FROM THE BOOTH by Lynn Terry. Watch for the first contest of the week on Monday, December 7th at noon ET.
We’re also giving away ASHLEY BELL in our latest Word of Mouth contest, along with THE BONE LABYRINTH: A Sigma Force Novel by James Rollins. Let us know by Friday, December 18th at noon ET what books you’ve finished reading for your chance to win both novels.
We’ve updated our New in Paperback feature for December. Notable titles include THE PATRIOT THREAT by Steve Berry, THE PRESIDENT’S SHADOW by Brad Meltzer, THE POCKET WIFE by Susan Crawford, THE PRECIOUS ONE by Marisa de los Santos, and I’LL BE BACK RIGHT AFTER THIS by Pat O’Brien.
When it comes to gifts this holiday season, are you buying more, less, or about the same than you did last year? Click here to let us know in our latest poll. In our previous poll, we were curious about which types of books, if any, you were planning to give as holiday gifts. Your top three choices are fiction, children’s/teen books and nonfiction, followed by coloring books and cookbooks. Check out all the results here.
News and Pop Culture:
Reader Mail: Bernadette wrote, ”I'm thankful for many things, but I wanted to thank you for all the work you and your staff do all year to give us reading fanatics so many great reviews and selections. I have found some really delightful books that may have passed under my radar had it not been for one of your suggestions. So, thanks again, and please have a blessed, safe and healthy holiday.” Marilyn wrote, “I know you are a knitting person as I am. Check out Purl Soho's Big Little Dandelion Garter Blanket. I knit with size 50 needle and Loopy Mango yarn. Made a blanket in two hours. Happy Thanksgiving. Love your newsletter!” I have to look into making this!
Signed Copies of GO SET A WATCHMAN: HarperCollins announced the release of 500 signed, special-edition copies of Harper Lee's GO SET A WATCHMAN, selling for $1,500.
THE POLAR EXPRESS: A special 30th anniversary edition of Chris Van Allsburg’s children’s classic has been issued, with a new jacket and “expanded interior layout.” I love this book, and it’s a perfect gift!
Carly Simon sings "Mockingbird" with Stephen Colbert: Amusing moment; watch it here.
Songs from the Trees by Carly Simon: The double-disc musical companion to the legendary singer-songwriter's long-awaited memoir includes 31 songs and features two unreleased tracks. Once you read or listen to the book, you will want to hear the music. You can buy it here.
"60 Minutes": Eiger Segment. This is one of the most breathtaking few moments of extreme adventuring that I have watched. Seriously!
The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel: Watched this last weekend, and it was terrific.
Last night, I spent a fabulous evening at the Garden City Public Library talking books with book groups and avid book lovers. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening, which was wonderfully coordinated by Laura and Ann there. I shared my presentation and then answered questions. This is Nelson DeMille’s local library, but he had an obligation in the city that night, so he could not be there. He surprised me by having flowers waiting for me with a message to “Break a Leg!” What a lovely gesture that made me smile.
My birthday is on Monday. Yes, I will be turning 27 again. I picked a year and stuck with it. I'll be heading to our friend Cathy’s tomorrow for a dinner to celebrate both of our big days; hers was right before Thanksgiving. A neighbor is organizing a luminary event with everyone scheduled to light candles next Saturday night, which should be lovely. They have invited everyone to a kickoff party at their home on Sunday, which is so kind of them.
I want to get some decorating around the house done, and there are some 2016 books that are calling my name. Greg is headed to the World Ship Society holiday party tomorrow, and Sunday is the Sea Girt Lighthouse holiday party. I love that his interests are organized enough to have soirees planned. I imagine Cory will swing by at some point, unless the idea of having been here for 4.5 whole days last week was enough. I think he still appreciates a weekly meal here and catching up in person! He loathes the phone and occasionally texts.
Wishing those of you who celebrate Hanukkah a fabulous holiday when it kicks off on Sunday!
Read on, and have a great week.
Oh, and a reminder. If you do online holiday shopping, please use the links below if you are so inclined. We see a small affiliate fee from your purchases.
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com) |
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Now in Stores: HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN by James Lee Burke
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HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN by James Lee Burke (Historical Thriller)
Audiobook available, narrated by Will Patton
After a violent encounter that leaves four Mexican soldiers dead, Texas Ranger Hackberry Holland escapes the country in possession of a stolen artifact, earning the ire of a bloodthirsty Austrian arms dealer who then places his son, Ishmael, squarely in the crosshairs of a plot to recapture his prize, believed to be the mythic cup of Christ. Along the way, we meet three extraordinary women, each of whom will aid Hackberry in his quest to reconcile with Ishmael, vanquish their enemies, and return the Grail to its rightful place. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-Click here to read more about the book.
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Click here to read a review. |
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Bookreporter.com's Latest Bookshelf: Happy 100th, Ol' Blue Eyes! --- 20 Books, CDs and DVDs Celebrating the Legacy of Frank Sinatra
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December 12th marks what would have been the 100th birthday of the iconic Frank Sinatra. Although best known for his timeless music and distinctive voice, Sinatra was much more than a popular vocal artist. In addition to his 11 Grammy Awards, he was an Academy Award-winning actor, with a film career spanning five decades. Aptly nicknamed “Chairman of the Board” and “The Entertainer of the Century” (not to mention “Ol’ Blue Eyes”), Sinatra is still at the forefront of popular culture to this day.
Fitting for such an accomplished man, we have gathered works celebrating Sinatra’s legacy in various forms of media: DVDs of his best movies, CDs of his most memorable songs, and books exploring all aspects of his life and career. James Kaplan investigates the effects of Sinatra’s signature sounds in both FRANK: THE VOICE and SINATRA: THE CHAIRMAN (the latter picks up on his career from the day after he won his Academy Award for From Here to Eternity in 1954), and David Wills offers details of Sinatra the actor in THE CINEMATIC LEGACY OF FRANK SINATRA (which will be published on January 5th), to name just a few of the items on this bookshelf commemorating a legendary pop culture icon.
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Click here to see our Frank Sinatra bookshelf. |
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Ring in the Holiday Season with Debbie Macomber's DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW and Anne Perry's A CHRISTMAS ESCAPE
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DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW: A Christmas Novel by Debbie Macomber (Romance)
Audiobook available, narrated by Allyson Ryan
Ashley Davison, a graduate student in California, desperately wants to spend the holidays with her family in Seattle. Dashiell Sutherland, a former army intelligence officer, has a job interview in Seattle and must arrive by December 23. Ashley and Dash reluctantly decide to share the car, but neither anticipates the wild ride ahead. Though Ashley and Dash may never reach Seattle in time for Christmas, the season is still full of surprises --- and their greatest wishes may yet come true. Reviewed by Susan Miura.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for info about Hallmark Channel's movie version of the book.
A CHRISTMAS ESCAPE by Anne Perry (Historical Mystery)
Audiobook available, narrated by Steven Crossley
Lonely Charles Latterly arrives at his small hotel hoping that the island’s blue skies and gentle breezes will brighten his spirits. Unfortunately, there’s no holiday cheer to be found among his fellow guests, who include a pompous novelist, a stuffy colonel, a dangerously ill-matched married couple, and an ailing old man. The one charming exception is orphaned teenager Candace Finbar, who takes Charles under her wing and introduces him to the island’s beauty. But when a body is found, Charles quickly realizes that the killer must be among the group of guests. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt. |
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Bookreporter.com's Holiday Author Blogs: Authors Write About Their Favorite Holiday Memories of Giving or Receiving Books
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This week marks the return of our Holiday Author Blogs, which we’ve brought back for an EIGHTH consecutive year. From now until Christmas Eve, we will be featuring new blog posts from authors each and every weekday!
Thus far we have heard from Elisabeth Egan, Stefanie Pintoff, C. W. Gortner and Ruth Ware. In the days ahead, you can look forward to contributions from Linwood Barclay, Charles Belfoure, Melanie Benjamin, Chris Bohjalian, Sloane Crosley, Paula McLain and many more.
As always, we so appreciate all the authors who have taken the time to share these wonderful holiday memories with us.
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Click here to read Bookreporter.com's Holiday Author Blogs. |
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Bookreporter.com's Holiday Cheer Contests and Feature
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At Bookreporter.com, we kick off the holiday season in style with our Holiday Cheer Contests and Feature. This year’s Holiday Cheer titles include books that you want to give and get, as well as a “hot” 2016 title or two. The contests start at noon ET on select days in November and December, and run for just 24 hours, so you will have to check the site to see what is being featured. As always, we’ll be sending our special Holiday Cheer newsletter on the days when there are contests. Click here to sign up for these email alerts.
Our next prize book will be announced on Monday, December 7th at noon ET.
This year's featured titles are:
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Click here to read all the contest details and see our featured titles. |
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Now in Stores: THE COMEDIANS by Kliph Nesteroff
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THE COMEDIANS: Drunks, Thieves, Scoundrels, and the History of American Comedy by Kliph Nesteroff (History/Entertainment)
In THE COMEDIANS, comedy historian Kliph Nesteroff brings to life a century of American comedy with real-life characters, forgotten stars, mainstream heroes and counterculture iconoclasts. Based on over 200 original interviews and extensive archival research, Nesteroff’s groundbreaking work is a narrative exploration of the way comedians have reflected, shaped and changed American culture over the past 100 years. Reviewed by Ron Kaplan.
-Click here to read more about the book.
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Click here to read a review. |
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Now in Stores: SPLINTER THE SILENCE by Val McDermid
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SPLINTER THE SILENCE: A Tony Hill and Carol Jordan Novel by Val McDermid (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available, narrated by Gerard Doyle
Is it violence if it’s virtual? The outspoken women targeted by the increasingly cruel internet trolls and bullies would probably say so. For some of them, the torrents of bile and vicious threats prove too much. They begin to silence themselves in a series of high-profile suicides. Or do they? Tony Hill isn’t convinced. But he’s the only one. Former cop Carol Jordan is too busy messing up her life to care. Until she gets an unexpected second chance. Now it’s game on, and the stakes have never been higher. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-Click here to read more about the book.
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Click here to read a review. |
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Now in Stores: HIS RIGHT HAND by Mette Ivie Harrison
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HIS RIGHT HAND: A Linda Wallheim Mystery Set in Mormon Utah by Mette Ivie Harrison (Mystery)
Audiobook available, narrated by Kirsten Potter
In Draper, Utah, a tight-knit Mormon community is thrown into upheaval when their ward’s second counselor --- one of the bishop’s right-hand men --- is found dead in an elaborately staged murder on church property. Carl Ashby was known as a devout Mormon, a pillar of the community, and a loving husband and father. Who would want him dead? Linda Wallheim, the wife of the ward’s bishop, can’t rest as long as the ward is suffering. But the entire case is turned upside down by the autopsy report, which reveals Carl was a biological female. Reviewed by Amie Taylor.
-Click here to read more about the book.
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Click here to read a review. |
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December's New in Paperback Roundups
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December’s roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes THE PATRIOT THREAT by Steve Berry, in which an individual has unearthed a secret that calls into question the 16th Amendment to the Constitution, and it's up to Cotton Malone to learn the truth; THE POCKET WIFE, a psychological thriller from Susan Crawford in which a woman suffering from bipolar disorder cannot remember if she murdered her friend; and MADEMOISELLE CHANEL, C. W. Gortner's novel that imagines the life of iconic fashion designer Coco Chanel --- the ambitious, gifted laundrywoman’s daughter who revolutionized fashion, built an international empire, and become one of the most influential and controversial figures of the 20th century.
Among this month’s nonfiction offerings are I'LL BE BACK RIGHT AFTER THIS, a memoir by Pat O'Brien, who reveals the highs and lows of the life of a radio and TV broadcaster, spent sharing the mic with the world's rich and famous while battling an infamous public scandal and demons that nearly killed him; THE GIRL FROM HUMAN STREET, in which award-winning New York Times columnist Roger Cohen tracks his family’s story of repeated upheaval, four generations of wandering from pre-Shoah Lithuania to apartheid-era South Africa, and then to England, the United States and Israel; and HER BRILLIANT CAREER by Rachel Cooke, an exuberant group biography that follows 10 women in 1950s Britain whose pioneering lives paved the way for feminism and laid the foundation of modern women's success.
-Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of November 30th, December 7th, December 14th, December 21st and December 28th. |
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December's Books on Screen Feature
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Season’s greetings, Books on Screen lovers! If you’re at all worried about appearances when Santa comes to town, it might be best to avoid the dim and dismal movies that are releasing in December. The entertainment itself is brilliant, but I bet there will be plenty of crying and pouting in theaters nationwide.
The latest cinematic adaptation of "Macbeth," arguably Shakespeare’s grimmest work, is now in theaters. Later this month, you can look forward to the Adam McKay-helmed The Big Short, which features a cast full of Hollywood heavy hitters, including Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling and Brad Pitt. McKay has a pretty impressive comedy pedigree, so if anyone can turn the 2008 financial crisis into a rollicking heist movie, it would be him. If you don’t think moral hazards and systemic risk sound like the stuff of holiday movie magic, and paranoid, murderous Scotsmen don’t seem uplifting enough this season, you may want to check out Ron Howard’s In the Heart of the Sea, about the real-life maritime catastrophe that inspired Herman Melville’s colossus MOBY-DICK.
On TV this month, SyFy is getting into the prestige drama game with two ambitious new shows. One is “The Expanse,” based on James S. A. Corey’s acclaimed sci-fi series, which effectively combines elements of science fiction and hardboiled noir into a fascinating universe-spanning political epic. The second is “Childhood’s End,” adapted from the classic Arthur C. Clarke story about the aftermath of a benevolent alien takeover of Earth, and the cost to human identity and culture when they establish what seems like a utopia.
No matter how you celebrate this season, there’s a darkly intense drama out there for you. But if you’re craving heartwarming fare (and who can blame you?), look no further than Debbie Macomber's Dashing Through the Snow and Karen Kingsbury's The Bridge, both airing on Hallmark Channel.
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Click here to see all the movies, TV shows and DVDs featured in December’s Books on Screen. |
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More Reviews This Week
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BUT ENOUGH ABOUT ME: A Memoir by Burt Reynolds and Jon Winokur (Memoir)
Audiobook available, narrated by Burt Reynolds
Beginning with his adolescence as a notable football player and the devastating car accident that ended his sports career, BUT ENOUGH ABOUT ME takes readers from the Broadway stages where Burt Reynolds got his start to his subsequent rise to fame. From Oscar nominations, to the spread in Cosmopolitan magazine that remains a notorious pop-cultural touchstone to this day, to the financial decisions that took him from rich to poor and back again, Reynolds shares the wisdom that has come from his many highs and lows. He is also ready, now more than ever, to dish. Reviewed by Christine M. Irvin.
THE GIVENNESS OF THINGS: Essays by Marilynne Robinson (Essays)
Audiobook available, narrated by Coleen Marlo
The spirit of our times can appear to be one of joyless urgency. As a culture, we have become less interested in the exploration of the glorious mind and more interested in creating and mastering technologies that will yield material well-being. But while cultural pessimism is always fashionable, there is still much to give us hope. In THE GIVENNESS OF THINGS, Marilynne Robinson delivers an impassioned critique of our contemporary society while arguing that reverence must be given to who we are and what we are: creatures of singular interest and value, despite our errors and depredations. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
LIKE FAMILY written by Paolo Giordano, translated by Anne Milano Appel (Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Chris Ciulla
When Signora A first enters the narrator’s home, his wife, Nora, is experiencing a difficult pregnancy. First as their maid and nanny, then their confidante, this older woman begins to help her employers negotiate married life, quickly becoming the glue in their small household. She is the steady, maternal influence for both husband and wife, and their son, Emanuele, whom she protects from his parents’ expectations and disappointments. But the family’s delicate fabric comes undone when Signora A is diagnosed with cancer. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
BLOOD, SALT, WATER: An Alex Morrow Novel by Denise Mina (Mystery)
Audiobook available, narrated by Cathleen McCarron
A wealthy businesswoman disappears from her Glasgow home without a trace, leaving her husband and children panicked but strangely resistant to questioning. Tracing the woman's cell phone, police detective Alex Morrow discovers a call made from an unlikely location. A sleepy seaside community, Helensburgh is the last place you'd go looking for violence. But Morrow's investigation uncovers disturbing clues and a dead body in a nearby lake. When a connection to someone close to her surfaces, the case gets more personal than she could have imagined. Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.
A DICTIONARY OF MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING by Jackie Copleton (Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Nancy Wu
When Amaterasu Takahashi opens the door of her Philadelphia home to a badly scarred man claiming to be her grandson, she doesn’t believe him. Her grandson and her daughter, Yuko, perished nearly 40 years ago during the bombing of Nagasaki. But the man carries with him a collection of sealed private letters that open a Pandora’s Box of family secrets Ama had sworn to leave behind when she fled Japan. Will she allow herself to believe in a miracle? Reviewed by Jane Krebs.
THE RED STORM by Grant Bywaters (Historical Mystery)
Audiobook available, narrated by Kevin Kenerly
Newly minted private investigator William Fletcher is having trouble finding clientele. His past as a former heavyweight contender with a few shady connections --- not to mention the color of his skin in race-obsessed New Orleans --- isn't helping lure clients to his door. Stuck without any viable alternative, he takes a case from an old criminal acquaintance, Storm. His only client assures him that the job is simple: locate his missing estranged daughter, Zella. But when Fletcher starts knocking on doors, he sets off a catastrophic chain of events that turn the city into a bloody battleground between two rival syndicates. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
THE SILENT BOY by Andrew Taylor (Historical Thriller)
Edward Savill, working in London as an agent for a wealthy American, receives word that his estranged wife, Augusta, has been killed in France. She leaves behind 10-year-old Charles, who is brought to England to Charnwood Court, a house in the country leased by a group of émigré refugees. Savill is sent to retrieve the boy, though it proves easier to reach Charnwood than to leave. And only when Savill arrives there does he discover that Charles is mute. The boy has witnessed horrors beyond his years, but what terrible secret haunts him so deeply that he is unable to utter a word? Reviewed by Ray Palen. |
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Our Latest Poll: Holiday Purchases
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When it comes to gifts this holiday season, are you buying more, less, or about the same compared to last year?
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About the same
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I haven’t started my holiday shopping.
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Click here to vote in the poll. |
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Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What You're Reading --- and You Can Win Two Books!
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Tell us about the books you've finished reading with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from December 4th to December 18th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of ASHLEY BELL by Dean Koontz and THE BONE LABYRINTH: A Sigma Force Novel by James Rollins.
To make sure other readers will be able to find the books you write about, please include the full title and correct author names (your entry must include these to be eligible to win). For rules and guidelines, click here.
-To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.
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Click here to enter the contest. |
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Sounding Off on Audio Contest: Tell Us What You're Listening to --- and You Can Win Two Audiobooks!
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Tell us about the audiobooks you’ve finished listening to with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars for both the performance and the content. During the contest period from December 1st to January 4th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of both DEAR MR. YOU, written and read by Mary-Louise Parker, and James Lee Burke's HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN, read by Will Patton.
To make sure other readers will be able to find the audiobook, please include the full title and correct author names (your entry must include these to be eligible to win). For complete rules and guidelines, click here.
-To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.
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Click here to enter the contest. |
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As always, here are a few housekeeping notes. If you are seeing this newsletter in a text version, and would prefer to see the graphics, you can either read it online or change your preferences below.
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