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Bookreporter.com Newsletter |
May 6, 2016 |
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Happy Mother's Day!
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It’s way colder than I would like in the month of May, but it’s good for getting work done, without the distractions of the pool and the garden. Ever the optimist, I know. Last Sunday, I sat on the couch and wrote nine sets of author interview questions, dropping into a zone where I took time to reflect on the books and the authors.
I am flying to Chicago on Wednesday morning for BookExpo America, the annual book trade convention. I have a VERY full schedule there, including a panel about audiobooks (looking forward to sharing what we have learned from our audiobook readers); interviews with the six authors whose books have been selected as BEA Buzz titles (more on those books next week); an interview with Chris Cleave, whose EVERYONE BRAVE IS FORGIVEN we review this week; and Fredrik Backman, who's best known for his mega-hit A MAN CALLED OVE and whose BRITT-MARIE WAS HERE is just out this week, not to mention our Book Group Speed Dating session featuring 21 publishers. It’s going to be a very, very crazy couple of days, so please note that next week’s newsletter may be a tad less chatty than usual. Trust that I will be gathering tons of news to share with you in the next few weeks.
One of the Buzz authors who I will be interviewing is Gary Younge, author of ANOTHER DAY IN THE DEATH OF AMERICA: A Chronicle of Ten Short Lives, which is publishing on October 4th. Sadly the book felt all too personal this week. My son, Cory, texted me Monday morning to tell me that he was okay, but there was a shooting at the frat house next door to his early that morning and one of the boys had been killed. This text literally stopped me in my tracks, and it led to lots of calls back and forth all day. It appears to have been a burglary gone awry in the wee hours of the morning, with a young man dead in its wake. Cory did not know him, but this is the second time in eight days that he has dealt with a death on campus; last week, it was his frat brother who had a stroke and died. We just got news that the suspects have been identified, and one is in custody.
Cory is coming home tomorrow as we are going to dinner to celebrate my mom’s birthday (it was yesterday) and Mother’s Day. I cannot wait to give him a big hug. He’s studying and taking finals, and I cannot imagine how tough it is to concentrate right now.
On a much brighter note, our Mother’s Day Author Blogs are back for a seventh year! We’re sharing pieces from authors who talk about how their moms influenced them to become readers and writers, along with their own experiences as mothers and their views on motherhood. Thus far, we’ve heard from Viola Shipman, Elizabeth J. Church, Helen Simonson, Martha Hall Kelly and Mary Volmer. We wrap up this year's series with Ruth Wariner and Beatriz Williams over the weekend. I have read these pieces, and one is better and more inspiring than the next!
And while we’re on the subject of moms, time is running out in our 11th Annual Mother's Day Contest. We’re awarding five readers a Bookreporter.com Mother's Day prize package, which includes all nine of our featured Mother’s Day titles and some goodies we know Mom will love. Be sure to enter here by Monday, May 9th at noon ET.
Our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight of THE VERSIONS OF US wraps up with our review and interview. In her debut novel, Laura Barnett explores a number of “what ifs.” The only certainty is that two individuals, Eva and Jim, met on a Cambridge street and felt an instant connection. In a novel that spans decades, Barnett explores the possible outcomes of that first meeting, demonstrating that even the smallest actions can alter the course of our lives.
Norah Piehl has this to say in her review: “THE VERSIONS OF US is the kind of novel that’s simply written to be discussed, either more formally in a book group setting or less so between friends.... The book provides countless avenues for contemplation and discussion.” I met Laura when she was in the States a few months ago and interviewed her for us; you can read this interview here. And don’t miss the discussion guide for the book, which we posted just this week on our ReadingGroupGuides.com site.
THE CURIOUS CHARMS OF ARTHUR PEPPER by Phaedra Patrick is the latest title to be featured in our New Release Spotlight. This much-buzzed-about debut novel introduces readers to Arthur Pepper, a loveable widower who embarks on a life-changing adventure. On the one-year anniversary of his wife Miriam’s death, 69-year-old Arthur finds an exquisite gold charm bracelet he’s never seen before while sorting through Miriam’s possessions. What follows is a surprising and unforgettable odyssey that takes Arthur from London to Paris, and as far as India, in an epic quest to find out the truth about his wife’s secret life before they met. We will be featuring our review in next week’s newsletter, but in the meantime, please take a look at the terrific feedback we received from the winners of our Sneak Peek contest, who read an advance copy of the book and shared their comments with us.
We’re awarding the audio versions of THE CURIOUS CHARMS OF ARTHUR PEPPER (performed by James Langton) and Mary Kubica’s DON’T YOU CRY (performed by Kate Rudd and Kirby Heyborne) to the winners of May’s Sounding Off on Audio contest. All you have to do is let us know by Wednesday, June 1st at noon ET what audiobooks you’ve finished listening to, and you’ll be in the running to win both prizes.
Chris Cleave, the author of LITTLE BEE and GOLD, has written his first historical novel, the aforementioned EVERYONE BRAVE IS FORGIVEN. It’s 1939, and Mary, a young socialite, becomes a teacher for children who have been rejected by the countryside because they are infirm, mentally disabled or have colored skin. Tom, an education administrator, is distraught that his best friend, Alastair, has decided to enlist. Alastair, an art restorer, has always seemed far removed from the violent life to which he has now condemned himself. When Mary meets Alastair, the three are drawn into a tragic love triangle while war escalates and bombs begin falling around them.
Carole Turner has our review and says, “War is hell. This book does nothing to sugarcoat that fact.... Loosely based on the wartime experiences of the author’s grandparents, EVERYONE BRAVE IS FORGIVEN is a well-researched novel that gives readers plenty to think about.” We’re also happy to share this interview with Chris, where he talks about, among other things, the added pressure he felt while writing the book given the success of his earlier works and the extensive research he conducted in order to get certain scenes right. I will have much more on the book next week, as it will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On title.
Five years after the release of his last book, IRON HOUSE, John Hart is back with REDEMPTION ROAD, a thriller that features his first-ever female protagonist: police officer Elizabeth Black, who is under scrutiny for the fatal shooting of two perpetrators. Through Elizabeth, Hart introduces us to a full cast of characters, all with tragic pasts, including Adrian Wall, another cop wrongfully convicted of murder, a small boy seeking revenge for the death of his mother, and a retired lawyer who steps up to the challenge of representing Wall.
Joe Hartlaub has our rave review, and here’s a sampling: “As the book progresses, Hart toys with what readers know and don’t know, gently but constantly shifting the walls of his ingeniously constructed creation while providing enough mystery and darkly fascinating characters to fill three books… The result is a bleak and evil wonder, beautifully and wondrously told, and all the more horrifying for it.”
EVERYONE BRAVE IS FORGIVEN and REDEMPTION ROAD are the two prizes we’re offering to the winners of our Word of Mouth contest. Let us know by Friday, May 13th at noon ET what books you’ve finished reading, and you’ll have a chance to win both novels.
Laura Lippman challenges our notions of memory, loyalty, responsibility and justice in her new psychological thriller, WILDE LAKE. In 1980, Luisa “Lu” Brant’s older brother, AJ, was acquitted of killing another man to save his friend’s life. Today, Lu is working her first case as a state attorney, trying a mentally disturbed drifter accused of beating a woman to death in her home. As she prepares, the case dredges up painful memories, reminding her of the fateful night her brother took another man’s life. Lu begins to wonder if what she knows about what happened in 1980 is the truth. Propelled into the past, she discovers that the legal system, the bedrock of her entire life, does not have all the answers.
According to reviewer Sarah Rachel Egelman, “Ideas about family, honesty, justice, ambition and more make the novel richer than an average crime story. There are plenty of exciting revelations as it unfolds and lots of blurred lines, made all the more fuzzy by the unreliable memories, perceptions and agendas of the characters.” Sarah also had the opportunity to speak with Laura about her new novel, and you can read the interview here. A discussion guide is available on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
Debut author Clare Mackintosh, who is a retiree from the UK police force, has written I LET YOU GO, a shocking thriller that has already garnered praise from fellow crime fiction writers. The novel follows Jenna Gray as she escapes to the remote Welsh countryside after losing her child in a hit-and-run accident. As Jenna tries to heal, a pair of Bristol investigators are determined to get at the truth of what happened when her son was killed. As they chase down one hopeless lead after another, they find themselves as drawn to each other as they are to the frustrating, twist-filled case before them.
Joe Hartlaub has our review and calls the book “[a] well-written, terrifying tale dipped in shades of gray.” He goes on to say, “There are enough wonderful characters here to populate two separate series, if Mackintosh were to be so inclined…. I LET YOU GO is simply too good a book with too many surprises to reveal any of them here.” Find out why I’m selecting it as a Bets On pick in next week’s newsletter. Everyone who I have shared this book with has LOVED it.
THE PROGENY by Tosca Lee, which releases on May 24th, is our new Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight title. Emily Porter, the descendant of a serial killer, is on a quest that will take her to the secret underground of Europe and the inner circles of three ancient orders --- one determined to kill her, one devoted to keeping her alive and one she must ultimately save. THE PROGENY is the present-day saga of a 400-year-old war between the uncanny descendants of “Blood Countess” Elizabeth Bathory, the most prolific female serial killer of all time, and a secret society dedicated to erasing every one of her descendants. If you’d like to be one of the 25 readers who will receive a copy of the book and share their comments on it, then please fill out this form by Thursday, May 19th at noon ET.
Thursday, May 12th at noon ET marks the end of our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight contest for THE WEEKENDERS by Mary Kay Andrews and our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight contest for the aforementioned DON’T YOU CRY by Mary Kubica. We have 25 copies of each book to give away to readers who would like to read and comment on them. Click here to enter our giveaway for the latest from MKA (as we like to refer to her in the office) and here for Kubica’s third psychological thriller.
Our New in Paperback roundups have been updated for May. Unquestionably this month’s biggest paperback release is Harper Lee’s GO SET A WATCHMAN. Other notable titles include CIRCLING THE SUN by Paula McLain and DID YOU EVER HAVE A FAMILY by Bill Clegg, both of which were Bets On selections when they released in hardcover; BEACH TOWN by the aforementioned Mary Kay Andrews (which is the current prize book in our “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” contest on ReadingGroupGuides.com); and A LUCKY LIFE INTERRUPTED, in which Tom Brokaw chronicles the year he spent battling cancer and reflects on his long, happy and lucky life.
I keep my politics private, but I will share this: If I never see another election poll before November, I would be really happy. However, polls on this site I heartily endorse. So please answer our current poll: Do you typically read more during the week or over the weekend? And if you are in a book group, on ReadingGroupGuides.com, we are asking where you got the most recent book that you read with your book group. Tell us here.
News and Pop Culture:
Reader Mail: Reeves wrote after meeting up at the Random House Open House, “So wonderful to see you today! Marvelous event! Sarah and I are so thrilled we feel like we went to Paris or something for a day vacation!!!”
Julie wrote, "You mentioned in last week's newsletter that you get kind of lost as to what is going on in 'Game of Thrones.' Here's a tip that helped me. Instead of DVRing it, watch it on demand. After every episode, the writers and director explain the key moments in the show and what happened and why. I think this will really give you more insight into the ongoing storylines. Longtime reader and lover of the Bookreporter (10 years).” Great idea, Julie!
Billboard for Book Lovers: Driving into the Lincoln Tunnel this week, I saw the billboard above for ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE, and Greg quickly caught a shot of it. Loved seeing it.
Report on the Random House Open House: Our staffer Rebecca Munro takes you behind the scenes of the Random House Open House that was held last Friday with her usual stellar reporting. Read all about it here.
"The Good Wife": Finale on Sunday night; was it timed for Mother’s Day? Found two articles to share. First is about the fashion on the show, which is interesting as I loved Diane’s jacket last week. Also, here’s Julianna Margulies talking about the show. By the way, Julianna has a new picture book, THREE MAGIC BALLOONS, based on the story of her sisters. To keep it in the family, it was illustrated by Grant Shaffer, who is Alan Cumming's husband (you know Cumming as Eli from "The Good Wife"). Whew. You can read about it here.
And one more: I listened to an advance listening copy of ALL IS NOT FORGOTTEN by Wendy Walker, which is coming out on July 12th. It is narrated brilliantly by Dylan Baker, who plays William on “The Americans” and also Colin Sweeney on “The Good Wife.”
Are you keeping up with me here? I mean, seriously folks, these are a lot of tie-ins that I pulled together for you!
Oprah to star in Henrietta Lacks' film for HBO: This will be great to watch and for book groups to discuss. See more here.
Nice Piece on Paul Simon in The New Yorker: Well, well done. He is on a hot streak. Read it here.
An Update on INTO THE WILD: Saw this piece from Jon Krakauer. Worth a look.
Mint Juleps All Around: Bring on the Kentucky Derby on Saturday!
"Grace and Frankie": Season Two kicks off on Netflix tonight. I enjoyed season one!
I finished reading Imbolo Mbue’s debut novel, BEHOLD THE DREAMERS (August 23rd), and absolutely loved it. It will be a Bets On selection. I also finished the audiobook of THE THIRD WAVE by Steve Case and have been quoting from it all week. Lots to mull about government, business and where we are headed in the future. I recommend it; I loved that it is not political, but is full of great ideas that can be hashed out. Consider it a conversation starter.
I have two books lined up for the weekend, both of which I have been dying to get to: THE ATOMIC WEIGHT OF LOVE by the aforementioned Elizabeth J. Church (out this week) and DARK MATTER by Blake Crouch (July 26th). I've been hearing raves about both.
Happy Mother’s Day to all of you moms out there. Here’s to being feted in style! And to all of you who are celebrating a first Mother’s Day without your mom, or for the moms like the one above who lost a child this year, I am sending you an extra hug.
Read on, and have a great week.
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
P.S. For those of you who are doing online shopping, if you use the store links below, Bookreporter.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases. We would appreciate your considering this!
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound |
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Bookreporter.com Talks to Laura Barnett, Author of THE VERSIONS OF US --- A Women's Fiction Author Spotlight Title
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Laura Barnett is a writer, journalist and theater critic, whose first novel, THE VERSIONS OF US, is now available in the US. It’s a story of how lives intersect, of possibilities and consequences that ring across the shifting decades, of how even the smallest choices can define the course of our lives. In this interview with Carol Fitzgerald, the president and co-founder of Bookreporter.com, Barnett discusses the challenges and delights of writing three versions of the same story and which story she likes best. She also opens up about her own feelings regarding fate and why she may not be as much of a romantic as she’d thought.
THE VERSIONS OF US by Laura Barnett (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Clare Corbett and Daniel Weyman
The one thing that’s certain is they met on a Cambridge street by chance and felt a connection that would last a lifetime. But as for what happened next... They fell wildly in love, or went their separate ways. They kissed, or they thought better of it. They married soon after, or were together for a few weeks before splitting up. They grew distracted and disappointed with their daily lives together, or found solace together only after hard years spent apart. THE VERSIONS OF US is a tale of possibilities and consequences that rings across the shifting decades, showing how even the smallest choices can define the course of our lives. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for the discussion guide.
-Click here to read Laura Barnett's bio.
-Click here to visit Laura Barnett's official website.
-Click here to connect with Laura Barnett on Twitter.
-Click here to see the 25 winners selected to read and comment on the book.
-Click here to read more in our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight.
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Click here to read our interview. |
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New Release Spotlight: THE CURIOUS CHARMS OF ARTHUR PEPPER by Phaedra Patrick
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THE CURIOUS CHARMS OF ARTHUR PEPPER by Phaedra Patrick (Fiction)
Audiobook available, performed by James Langton
Sixty-nine-year-old Arthur Pepper lives a simple life. He gets out of bed at precisely 7:30 a.m., just as he did when his wife, Miriam, was alive. He dresses in the same gray slacks and mustard sweater vest, waters his fern, Frederica, and heads out to his garden.
But on the one-year anniversary of Miriam’s death, something changes. Sorting through Miriam’s possessions, Arthur finds an exquisite gold charm bracelet he’s never seen before. What follows is a surprising and unforgettable odyssey that takes Arthur from London to Paris and as far as India in an epic quest to find out the truth about his wife’s secret life before they met --- a journey that leads him to find hope, healing and self-discovery in the most unexpected places.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for advance readers’ comments.
-Click here to read Phaedra Patrick’s bio.
-Click here to visit Phaedra Patrick’s official website.
-Connect with Phaedra Patrick on Facebook and Twitter.
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Click here to read more in our New Release Spotlight. |
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An Interview with Chris Cleave, Author of EVERYONE BRAVE IS FORGIVEN
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EVERYONE BRAVE IS FORGIVEN, #1 New York Times bestselling author Chris Cleave’s latest book, is a spellbinding novel about three unforgettable individuals thrown together by war, love and their search for belonging in the ever-changing landscape of WWII London. In this interview, Cleave reveals why he could not have written this book without the illuminating conversations he had with people who lived through the war, the one and only way a love letter can bridge the distance between two people, and why prestigious prizes should be awarded to all the books that remain unpublished.
EVERYONE BRAVE IS FORGIVEN by Chris Cleave (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Luke Thompson
It’s 1939, and Mary, a young socialite, is determined to shock her blueblood political family by volunteering for the war effort. She is assigned as a teacher to children who were evacuated from London and have been rejected by the countryside because they are infirm, mentally disabled, or --- like Mary’s favorite student, Zachary --- have colored skin. Tom, an education administrator, is distraught when his best friend, Alastair, enlists. Alastair, an art restorer, has always seemed far removed from the violent life to which he has now condemned himself. Reviewed by Carole Turner.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
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Click here to read the interview. |
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Featured Review: REDEMPTION ROAD by John Hart
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REDEMPTION ROAD by John Hart (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Scott Shepherd
After a five-year absence, John Hart, the first and only author to win back-to-back Edgars for Best Novel, makes his triumphant return with REDEMPTION ROAD. A boy with a gun waits for the man who killed his mother. A troubled detective confronts her past in the aftermath of a brutal shooting. After 13 years in prison, a good cop walks free as deep in the forest, on the altar of an abandoned church, a body cools in pale linen. This is a town on the brink. This is Redemption Road. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
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Click here to read the review. |
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Bookreporter.com Talks to Laura Lippman, Author of WILDE LAKE
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Since her debut, Laura Lippman has won multiple awards and critical acclaim for her excellent crime novels, set in her hometown of Baltimore. Her latest book, WILDE LAKE, is as provocative and timely as ever; the New York Times bestselling author challenges our notions of memory, loyalty, responsibility and justice in this psychologically complex story about a long-ago death that still haunts a family. In this interview, Lippman talks to Bookreporter.com's Sarah Rachel Egelman about why she prefers to write about strong women (“write what you know”), what she learned about rape culture while thinking about and researching this novel, and how WILDE LAKE parallels the Harper Lee classic TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD --- while diverging in one key way.
WILDE LAKE by Laura Lippman (Psychological Suspense)
Audiobook available, performed by Kathleen McInerney and Nicole Poole
Luisa “Lu” Brant is the newly elected --- and first female --- state’s attorney of Howard County, Maryland. She sees an opportunity to make her name by trying a mentally disturbed drifter accused of beating a woman to death. The case dredges up painful memories, reminding her family of the night when her brother, AJ, saved his best friend at the cost of another man’s life. Lu now wonders if the events of 1980 happened as she remembers them. What details might have been withheld when she was a child? The more she learns about the case, the more questions arise. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for the discussion guide.
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Click here to read the interview. |
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Featured Review: I LET YOU GO by Clare Mackintosh
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I LET YOU GO by Clare Mackintosh (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Nicola Barber and Steven Crossley
I LET YOU GO follows Jenna Gray as she moves to a ramshackle cottage on the remote Welsh coast, trying to escape the memory of the car accident that plays again and again in her mind and desperate to heal from the loss of her child and the rest of her painful past. At the same time, the novel tracks the pair of Bristol police investigators trying to get to the bottom of this hit-and-run. As they chase down one hopeless lead after another, they find themselves as drawn to each other as they are to the frustrating, twist-filled case before them. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
-Click here to read more about the book.
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Click here to read the review. |
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New Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight & Contest: THE PROGENY by Tosca Lee --- Enter to Win a Copy and Share Your Feedback on It
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We have 25 copies of THE PROGENY by Tosca Lee --- a supernatural thriller that brings a modern twist to an ancient mystery surrounding the most notorious female serial killer of all time --- to give away to readers who would like to read the book, which releases on May 24th, and share their comments on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, May 19th at noon ET.
THE PROGENY by Tosca Lee (Supernatural Thriller)
Emily Porter is the descendant of a serial killer. Now, she’s become the hunted.
She’s on a quest that will take her to the secret underground of Europe and the inner circles of three ancient orders --- one determined to kill her, one devoted to keeping her alive, and one she ultimately must save.
Filled with adrenaline, romance and reversals, THE PROGENY is the present-day saga of a 400-year-old war between the uncanny descendants of “Blood Countess” Elizabeth Bathory, the most prolific female serial killer of all time, and a secret society dedicated to erasing every one of her descendants. It is the story about the search for self amidst centuries-old intrigues and Europe’s underground scene…and one woman’s mission to survive.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Tosca Lee's bio.
-Click here to visit Tosca Lee's official website.
-Connect with Tosca Lee on Facebook and Twitter.
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Click here to read more in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight and enter the contest. |
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Women's Fiction Author Spotlight & Contest: THE WEEKENDERS by Mary Kay Andrews --- Enter to Win a Copy and Share Your Feedback on It
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We have 25 copies of THE WEEKENDERS --- a perfect summer escape that showcases Mary Kay Andrews' trademark blend of humor and warmth --- to give away to readers who would like to read the book, which releases on May 17th, and share their comments on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, May 12th at noon ET.
THE WEEKENDERS by Mary Kay Andrews (Fiction)
Some people stay all summer long on the idyllic island of Belle Isle, North Carolina. Others come only for the weekends --- and the mix between the regulars and “the weekenders” can sometimes make the sparks fly. Riley Griggs has a season of good times with friends and family ahead of her on Belle Isle when things take an unexpected turn. While waiting for her husband to arrive on the ferry one Friday afternoon, Riley is confronted by a process server who thrusts papers into her hand. And her husband is nowhere to be found.
So she turns to her island friends for help and support, but it turns out that each of them has their own secrets, and the clock is ticking as the mystery deepens...in a murderous way. Cocktail parties aside, Riley must find a way to investigate the secrets of Belle Island, the husband she might not really know, and the summer that could change everything.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Mary Kay Andrews' bio.
-Visit Mary Kay Andrews' official website and Pinterest.
-Connect with Mary Kay Andrews on Facebook and Twitter.
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Click here to read more in our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight and enter the contest. |
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Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight & Contest: DON’T YOU CRY by Mary Kubica --- Enter to Win a Copy and Share Your Feedback on It
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We have 25 copies of DON'T YOU CRY by Mary Kubica --- an electrifying and addictive tale of deceit and obsession --- to give away to readers who would like to read the book, which releases on May 17th, and share their comments on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, May 12th at noon ET.
DON'T YOU CRY by Mary Kubica (Psychological Thriller)
In downtown Chicago, a young woman named Esther Vaughan disappears from her apartment without a trace. A haunting letter addressed to My Dearest is found among her possessions, leaving her friend and roommate, Quinn Collins, to wonder where Esther is and whether or not she’s the person Quinn thought she knew.
Meanwhile, in a small Michigan harbor town an hour outside Chicago, a mysterious woman appears in the quiet coffee shop where 18-year-old Alex Gallo works as a dishwasher. He is immediately drawn to her charm and beauty, but what starts as an innocent crush quickly spirals into something far more dark and sinister than he ever expected.
As Quinn searches for answers about Esther, and Alex is drawn further under the stranger's spell, master of suspense Mary Kubica takes readers on a taut and twisted thrill ride that builds to a stunning conclusion and shows that no matter how fast and far we run, the past always catches up with us in the end.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read Mary Kubica's bio.
-Click here to visit Mary Kubica's official website.
-Connect with Mary Kubica on Facebook and Twitter.
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Click here to read more in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight and enter the contest. |
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Bookreporter.com's Mother's Day Contest and Author Blogs
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2016 Mother's Day Author Blogs
Our mothers inspire us in all kinds of ways; for some of us, one of the most important things we learned from our moms was how to love books. This is especially true for this group of brilliant authors, who were kind enough to contribute their stories to our 2016 Mother's Day Author Blog series. To date, we’ve heard from Viola Shipman, Elizabeth J. Church, Helen Simonson, Martha Hall Kelly and Mary Volmer. This weekend, we look forward to pieces from Ruth Wariner and Beatriz Williams, who wrap up this year's blog series. Many thanks to all the authors who took time out of their busy schedules to participate and share some lovely memories with us!
-Click here to see all the posts in our 2016 Mother's Day Blog series.
Bookreporter.com's 11th Annual Mother's Day Contest and Feature
Mother’s Day is a time to recognize the woman who raised and nurtured us. To celebrate, we're giving you the opportunity to win books and goodies for you or the special lady in your life in our 11th annual "Books Mom Will Love" contest. From now through Monday, May 9th at noon ET, readers can enter to win one of our five prize packages, which includes all nine of our featured titles, which you can see here, and some delightful Mom-themed treats.
-Click here to read about the prize books and enter the contest. |
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May's New in Paperback Roundups
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May's roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes Harper Lee's second novel, GO SET A WATCHMAN, which is set two decades after her beloved Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD; CIRCLING THE SUN by Paula McLain, which brings to life Beryl Markham, a record-setting aviator caught up in a passionate love triangle with safari hunter Denys Finch Hatton and Karen Blixen, who as Isak Dinesen wrote the classic memoir OUT OF AFRICA; and DID YOU EVER HAVE A FAMILY, a magnificently powerful story from Bill Clegg about a circle of people who find solace in the least likely of places as they cope with a horrific tragedy.
Among this month’s nonfiction offerings are A LUCKY LIFE INTERRUPTED, Tom Brokaw's informative and deeply human memoir of a year of dramatic change --- a year spent battling cancer and reflecting on a long, happy and lucky life; THE WRIGHT BROTHERS by David McCullough, the dramatic story-behind-the-story about the courageous brothers who taught the world how to fly; and Bernard Cornwell's first work of nonfiction, WATERLOO, the definitive, illustrated history of one of the greatest battles ever fought --- a riveting chronicle published to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Napoleon’s last stand.
-Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of May 2nd, May 9th, May 16th, May 23rd and May 30th.
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More Reviews This Week
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15th AFFAIR by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by January LaVoy
Lindsay Boxer thinks she has found domestic bliss. But when an alluring blonde woman with links to the CIA disappears from the scene of a brutal murder at a luxury hotel, Lindsay's life begins to unravel. Before she can track down the woman for questioning, a plane crash plunges San Francisco into chaos and Lindsay's husband Joe vanishes. The deeper she digs, the more Lindsay suspects that Joe shares a secret past with the mystery blonde. Thrown into a tailspin and questioning everything she thought she knew, Lindsay turns to the Women's Murder Club for help as she tries to uncover the truth. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
ROBERT B. PARKER’S SLOW BURN: A Spenser Novel by Ace Atkins (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Joe Mantegna
The fire at a boarded-up Catholic church killed three firefighters who were trapped in the inferno. A year later, there are still no answers about how the deadly fire started. Boston firefighter Jack McGee, who lost his best friend in the blaze, suspects arson. McGee is convinced that department investigators aren’t sufficiently connected to the city’s lowlifes to get a handle on who's behind the blaze, so he takes the case to Spenser. Spenser quickly learns that the fire might be linked to a rash of new arsons spreading through the city, burning faster and hotter every night. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
WAR HAWK: A Tucker Wayne Novel by James Rollins and Grant Blackwood (Thriller/Adventure)
Audiobook available, performed by Scott Aiello
Tucker Wayne’s past and his present collide when a former army colleague comes to him for help. She’s on the run from brutal assassins hunting her and her son. To keep them safe, Tucker must discover who killed a brilliant young idealist --- a crime that leads back to the most powerful figures in the U.S. government. From the haunted ruins of a plantation in the deep South to the beachheads of a savage civil war in Trinidad, Tucker and Kane must discover the truth behind a mystery that leads back to World War II, to a true event that is even now changing the world…and will redefine what it means to be human. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
HER AGAIN: Becoming Meryl Streep by Michael Schulman (Biography)
Audiobook available, read by Eliza Foss
In HER AGAIN, an intimate look at the artistic coming-of-age of the greatest actress of her generation, New Yorker contributor Michael Schulman brings into focus Meryl Streep’s heady rise to stardom on the New York stage; her passionate, tragically short-lived love affair with fellow actor John Cazale; her marriage to sculptor Don Gummer; and her evolution as a young woman of the 1970s wrestling with changing ideas of feminism, marriage, love and sacrifice. Reviewed by Christine M. Irvin.
THE MIDNIGHT ASSASSIN: Panic, Scandal, and the Hunt for America's First Serial Killer by Skip Hollandsworth (True Crime/History)
Audiobook available, read by Clint Jordan
Beginning in December 1884, Austin, Texas was terrorized by someone equally as vicious and, in some ways, far more diabolical than London's infamous Jack the Ripper. For almost exactly one year, the Midnight Assassin crisscrossed the entire city, using axes, knives and long steel rods to rip apart women. Before it was all over, at least a dozen men would be arrested in connection with the murders. When Jack the Ripper began his attacks in 1888, London police investigators did wonder if the killer from Austin had crossed the ocean to terrorize their own city. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
SWEET LAMB OF HEAVEN by Lydia Millet (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Lydia Millet
SWEET LAMB OF HEAVEN is the first-person account of a young mother, Anna, escaping her cold and unfaithful husband, a businessman who has just launched his first campaign for political office. When Ned chases Anna and their six-year-old daughter from Alaska to Maine, the two go into hiding in a run-down motel on the coast. But the longer they stay, the less the guests in the dingy motel look like typical tourists --- and the less Ned resembles a typical candidate. As his pursuit of Anna and their child moves from threatening to criminal, Ned begins to alter his wife’s world in ways she never could have imagined. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
TUESDAY NIGHTS IN 1980 by Molly Prentiss (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by George Newbern
Welcome to SoHo at the onset of the ’80s: a gritty, not-yet-gentrified playground for artists and writers looking to make it in the big city. Among them are James Bennett, a synesthetic art critic for the New York Times whose unlikely condition enables him to describe art in profound, magical ways, and Raul Engales, an exiled Argentinian painter running from his past and the Dirty War that has enveloped his country. As the two men ascend in the downtown arts scene, dual tragedies strike, and each is faced with a loss that acutely affects his relationship to life and to art. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
CITY OF SECRETS by Stewart O'Nan (Historical Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Edoardo Ballerini
In 1945, with no homes to return to, Jewish refugees by the tens of thousands set out for Palestine. Those who made it were hunted as illegals by the British mandatory authorities there and relied on the underground to shelter them. Taking fake names, they blended with the population, joining the wildly different factions fighting for the independence of Israel. CITY OF SECRETS follows one survivor, Brand, as he tries to regain himself after losing everyone he's ever loved. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
THE YOGA OF MAX'S DISCONTENT by Karan Bajaj (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Neil Shah
The child of Greek immigrants who grew up in a dangerous New York housing project, Max Pzoras triumphed over his upbringing and became a successful Wall Street analyst. Yet on the night he’s involved in a violent street scuffle, Max begins to confront questions about suffering and mortality that have dogged him since his mother’s death. In an ultimate bid for answers, he embarks on a dangerous solitary meditation in a freezing Himalayan cave, where his physical and spiritual endurance is put to its most extreme test. Reviewed by Maya Gittelman.
BETTER DEAD: A Nathan Heller Thriller by Max Allan Collins (Historical Thriller)
It's the early 1950s, and Joe McCarthy is campaigning to rid America of the Red Menace. Nate Heller is doing legwork for the senator, though the Chicago detective is disheartened by McCarthy's witch-hunting tactics. He's made friends with a young staffer, Bobby Kennedy, while trading barbs with a potential enemy, the attorney Roy Cohn, who rubs Heller the wrong way. Not the least of which for successfully prosecuting the so-called Atomic Bomb spies, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. When Dashiell Hammett comes to Heller representing a group of showbiz and literary leftists who are engaged in a last-minute attempt to save the Rosenbergs, Heller decides to take on the case. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
DAREDEVILS by Shawn Vestal (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Rick Holmes
Fifteen-year-old Loretta slips out of her bedroom every evening to meet her so-called gentile boyfriend. Her strict Mormon parents catch her returning one night, and promptly marry her off to Dean Harder, a devout yet materialistic fundamentalist who already has a wife and a brood of kids. The Harders relocate to his native Idaho, where Dean’s teenage nephew Jason falls hard for Loretta. A Zeppelin and Tolkien fan, Jason worships Evel Knievel and longs to leave his close-minded community. When he and Loretta finally make a break for it, someone Loretta left behind is on their trail. Reviewed by Alex Bowditch.
DAUGHTER OF ALBION: A Novel of Ancient Britain by Ilka Tampke (Historical Fantasy)
A baby girl is abandoned on the doorstep of the Tribequeen’s kitchen. Cookmother takes her in and names her Ailia. Despite being an outsider in her village, Ailia grows up an intelligent and brave young woman, serving the Tribequeen of her township until the day when an encounter with an enigmatic man named Taliesin leads Ailia to the Mothers, the tribal ancestors, who have chosen her for another path. Ailia’s growing awareness of her future role as the tribal protector and her relationships with the two very different men she loves will be utterly tested by the imminent threat of Emperor Claudius preparing to take the island. Reviewed by Carly Silver. |
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Next Week's Notables: Noteworthy Books Releasing on May 10th
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Below are some notable titles releasing on May 10th that we would like to make you aware of. We will have more on many of these books in the weeks to come. For a list of additional hardcovers and paperbacks releasing the week of May 9th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
CHILDREN OF EARTH AND SKY by Guy Gavriel Kay (Fantasy)
A woman with dreams of vengeance, a wealthy merchant’s son, a young artist, a spy posing as a doctor’s wife, and a boy seeking to rise in the ranks of the army find their lives entwined within the tumultuous drama of Renaissance Europe.
LaROSE by Louise Erdrich (Fiction)
Following an ancient means of retribution, a couple gives their son, LaRose, to the grieving parents of a boy LaRose’s father accidentally killed. But when a vengeful man with a long-standing grudge raises trouble, he threatens the tenuous peace that has kept these two fragile families whole.
THE NOISE OF TIME by Julian Barnes (Historical Fiction)
A stroke of luck prevents opera-composer Shostakovich from becoming yet another casualty of the Great Terror. For decades to come, he will be held fast under the thumb of despotism, compelled to weigh appeasing those in power against the integrity of his music.
PAPER: Paging Through History by Mark Kurlansky (History)
By tracing paper’s evolution from antiquity to the present, with an emphasis on the contributions made in Asia and the Middle East, Mark Kurlansky challenges common assumptions about technology’s influence, affirming that paper is here to stay.
THE PIER FALLS: And Other Stories by Mark Haddon (Fiction/Short Stories)
The tales in Mark Haddon’s new collection take many forms: Victorian adventure story, science fiction, morality tale, contemporary realism. They are, however, connected by a central theme: the essential aloneness of the human condition and the connections that link people together.
PRAYERS THE DEVIL ANSWERS by Sharyn McCrumb (Historical Fiction)
Following the tragic death of her husband, Ellie Robbins is appointed to serve out his term as sheriff of their rural Tennessee mountain town. Soon enough, dark secrets come to light, and Ellie must grapple with small town superstitions and the tenuous ties she shares with a condemned killer.
TROUBLEMAKER by Linda Howard (Romantic Suspense)
Paramilitary operative Morgan Yancy is sent to a remote location where Isabeau “Bo” Maran is part-time police chief. The harder they fight the intense heat between them, the closer Morgan and Bo become, even though she knows he’s hiding from something.
VALIANT AMBITION: George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and the Fate of the American Revolution by Nathaniel Philbrick (History)
After four years of war, George Washington has vanquished his demons, and Benedict Arnold has fled to the enemy after a foiled attempt to surrender the American fortress at West Point to the British. Suddenly, America is forced to realize that the real threat to its liberties might not come from without but from within.
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Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter. |
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Our Latest Poll and Word of Mouth/Sounding Off on Audio Contests
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Poll:
Do you tend to read more during the week or over the weekend?
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During the week
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Over the weekend
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I read equally as much during the week as I do over the weekend.
-Click here to vote in the poll.
Word of Mouth:
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 April 29th to May 13th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of EVERYONE BRAVE IS FORGIVEN by Chris Cleave and REDEMPTION ROAD by John Hart.
-Click here to enter the contest.
-To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.
Sounding Off on Audio:
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 May 2nd to June 1st at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Phaedra Patrick's THE CURIOUS CHARMS OF ARTHUR PEPPER, performed by James Langton, and Mary Kubica’s DON'T YOU CRY, performed by Kate Rudd and Kirby Heyborne.
-Click here to enter the contest.
-To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.
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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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