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WHY Do Things the Easy Way?
It snowed again today while yesterday’s temperature got up to 60 degrees; the weather is all over the place this winter. And if the weather was not confusing you enough, don’t forget to turn your clocks ahead one hour on Sunday. I will feel like I have jet lag next week without even leaving town, and yes, I am whining about this. I know, I hear your argument that it will be light out for an extra hour each evening, but this time of year 6pm in New York is just bright enough for me! For me, every hour in every day is accounted for; I do not need less of them, even one day of the year.
I spent part of this afternoon at the Ed Sullivan Theater for a dress rehearsal for the Simon & Schuster Book Club Matinee being held there tomorrow. There is something very cool about being on a television set and seeing things from behind the scenes, like hanging out in the green room. I am looking forward to this program and will have more to share about it with you next week!
Last weekend, I read ALL THE MISSING GIRLS by Megan Miranda, as she will be part of tomorrow’s lineup. She was the only author appearing who I have not read before. I loved the book; it is edgy, smart and was written plot backwards, from Day 15 to Day 1, which is so very tough to do, but she completely pulls it off. I am looking forward to Miranda’s next book, THE PERFECT STRANGER, which will be in stores on April 11th.
Last weekend, we were having dinner company, and when Tom left Saturday morning for a meeting, we had decided to make crab cakes, which are one of my signature dishes. They do not require a lot of work. And raspberry soufflé for dessert. Again, it’s not a lot of work. And then I spied NOPI: The Cookbook on the coffee table in our family room. I know, who keeps a cookbook on a coffee table? But it’s stunning and looks great stacked with other coffee table-sized books there.
I have had a hankering to make their Three Citrus Salad for a while now. Now I know full well that this cookbook has some complicated recipes, but this one looked pretty simple --- that was until I realized that “stem ginger” was not the stem of the ginger root chopped up. Rather there was a multi-step recipe for making a syrup that ended “pour into a sterilized jar, cover with a lid, and let sit for 24 hours before using.” Well, I had exactly six hours, so that was not going to work.
I found another recipe that would work in my time frame, though it, too, had a number of steps. And once that was done, I needed to make the Almond Salsa, which was the salad dressing and used the stem ginger. And then cut three kinds of citrus that I had been to two stores to procure. Whew! It was a huge success with an amazing combination of flavors, including coriander seed (another trip to the store as we were low on that;), fennel seed, poppy seeds, jalapeno and more. I have been eating salads for lunch all week with the leftover dressing. I also made cornbread in the adorable cactus-shaped cast iron pans above that I have had for years --- and also have not used in years. Which meant those needed a super cleaning/dry in the oven even before I baked. Yes, I never seem to find the easy way to do anything, but along the way I do have fun!
Now to this week’s update:
This week, we kick off our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight for QUICKSAND by Malin Persson Giolito with our review and interview. A mass shooting has taken place at a prep school in Stockholm’s wealthiest suburb. Maja Norberg is 18 years old and on trial for her involvement in the massacre where her boyfriend and best friend were killed. When the novel opens, Maja has spent nine excruciating months in jail awaiting trial. Now the time has come for her to enter the courtroom. But how did Maja, the good girl next door who was popular and excelled at school, become the most hated teenager in the country? What did she do? Or is it what she failed to do that brought her here?
Reviewer Norah Piehl calls QUICKSAND “simultaneously a gripping courtroom novel…and an intimate portrayal of a young woman in crisis… Her voice --- raw, vulnerable and possibly unreliable --- is captured elegantly by Rachel Willson-Broyles’ fluid translation from the Swedish.” I had the opportunity to ask Malin some questions about the book, her first to be published in the US; you can read her wonderful replies here. QUICKSAND will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection; you can read my commentary in next week’s newsletter.
Joan Didion has always kept notebooks: of overheard dialogue, observations, interviews, drafts of essays and articles --- and now she has compiled one such draft into SOUTH AND WEST: From a Notebook. The book traces a road trip she took with her husband, John Gregory Dunne, in June 1970, through Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. She interviews prominent local figures, describes motels, diners, a deserted reptile farm, a visit with Walker Percy, a ladies’ brunch at the Mississippi Broadcasters’ Convention. She writes about the heat, the achingly slow pace of life, and the preoccupation with race, class and heritage she discovers in small towns. Within these pages, readers can glimpse the beginning of her thinking about the West, its landscape, the western women who were heroic for her, and her own lineage.
According to reviewer Harvey Freedenberg, “[T]he pleasure of reading Joan Didion lies as much in style as it does in substance. Her vision is so acute and her word portraits so vivid that it's almost possible to see the encircling kudzu and feel the humidity dripping from the Spanish moss…”
Margaret George has been a rock star on the historical fiction scene with her bestselling novels HELEN OF TROY and ELIZABETH I. In her new book, she delves into THE CONFESSIONS OF YOUNG NERO, revealing the infamous emperor to be one of the most notorious and misunderstood figures in history. In the Roman Empire no one is safe from the possibility of betrayal: man, woman or child. As a boy, Nero’s royal heritage becomes a threat to his very life. Faced with shocking acts of treachery, young Nero must learn a harsh lesson: it is better to be cruel than dead. This message will shape his future.
Amy Gwiazdowski has our review and says, “There’s something wonderful about George’s Nero, and I’m looking forward to her continued treatment of him in her planned follow-up to THE CONFESSIONS OF YOUNG NERO, which I’m already eagerly anticipating.” We also have a discussion guide for the book on ReadingGroupGuides.com, which you can check out here. Margaret had some videos her website shot as she was doing research in Rome. Watching them, you will see why we love her and why reading her books are such adventures.
THE CONFESSIONS OF YOUNG NERO is also one of our current Word of Mouth prize titles; the other is IN THIS GRAVE HOUR: A Maisie Dobbs Novel by Jacqueline Winspear. Let us know by Friday, March 17th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win both these novels.
THE HOLLYWOOD DAUGHTER by Kate Alcott is our latest New Release Spotlight title. In 1950, Ingrid Bergman has a baby with her Italian lover, director Roberto Rossellini. Previously held up as an icon of purity, Bergman’s fall shocked her fans. Growing up in Hollywood, Jessica Malloy watches as her PR executive father helps make Ingrid a star. Over years of fleeting interactions with the actress, Jesse comes to idolize Ingrid, who she considered not only the epitome of elegance and integrity, but also the picture-perfect mother. In a heated era of McCarthyism and extreme censorship, Ingrid’s affair sets off an international scandal that robs teenage Jesse of her childhood hero.
Reviewer Roz Shea calls THE HOLLYWOOD DAUGHTER "an illuminating story about a time in America when religion and government intermingled in ways never intended by our Founding Fathers."
Other books we’re reviewing this week include MADAME PRESIDENT, Helene Cooper’s biography of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf --- leader of the Liberian women’s movement, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, and the first democratically elected female president in African history; THE PRICE OF ILLUSION, a memoir from Joan Juliet Buck, former editor-in-chief of Paris Vogue (the review originated on HeadButler.com; many thanks to its founder, Jesse Kornbluth, for allowing us to post it here); and THE WHOLE ART OF DETECTION, a collection of Sherlock Holmes tales from Lyndsay Faye that spans his entire career.
Lyndsay Faye’s previous novel, the Edgar Award-nominated JANE STEELE, is now available in paperback. Additional highlights from March’s New in Paperback roundups include EVERYONE BRAVE IS FORGIVEN by Chris Cleave (a Bets On selection when it released in hardcover); ALL SUMMER LONG by Dorothea Benton Frank; and series titles from such thriller heavyweights as Stephen King (END OF WATCH), David Baldacci (NO MAN’S LAND) and C.J. Box (OFF THE GRID).
As I mentioned last week, this year’s Spring Preview contests will be starting this Tuesday the 14th at noon ET. As we’ve done for the past five years, we’ll be spotlighting a number of new and upcoming releases that we believe people will be talking about this spring --- and beyond. We’ll be hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these books on select days this month and next. You can sign up here for alerts so you’ll be notified as soon as these contests go live. Our first three prize titles will be CLOSE ENOUGH TO TOUCH by Colleen Oakley, THE EXCELLENT LOMBARDS by Jane Hamilton, and NEVER LET YOU GO by Chevy Stevens, the latter of which will be a Bets On title. Oh, and we will send you a preview newsletter on Monday with all our featured prize titles, so be sure to sign up by then to get that.
Our poll continues to ask how you shelve the books you’ve read. Click here to let us know what you do!
In this month’s Sounding Off on Audio contest, we’re giving away the audio versions of Lisa See's THE TEA GIRL OF HUMMINGBIRD LANE (an upcoming Bets On selection), read by Ruthie Ann Miles and Kimiko Glenn, and J.A. Jance's MAN OVERBOARD: An Ali Reynolds Novel, read by Karen Ziemba. Let us know by Monday, April 3rd at noon ET what audiobooks you’ve listened to, and you’ll have a chance to win both these audio titles.
Are you an aspiring writer? We got news this week of a wonderful contest for aspiring writers to pen a novella and win a fabulous prize. The Miami Book Fair/de Groot Literary Prize will provide a generous prize package to aspiring writers who have not previously published a novella. “The winner of the Miami Book Fair/de Groot Prize will receive a $6,000 cash award, publication by Melville House, a critically acclaimed independent press, an expense-paid (hotel, travel, per diem) trip to the Miami Book Fair after publication, and a chance to read/participate in programs at the fair. The two runners-up will each receive $2,000, an expense-paid (hotel, travel, per diem) trip to the 2018 Miami Book Fair, and a chance to read/participate in programs at the Fair. The three winners' work will be publicized in print and online media. Submissions will be received beginning May 1, 2017. All submissions must be received online and paid for by midnight EST on June 15, 2017.” Here are more details.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail
Marie wrote this about THE SWANS OF FIFTH AVENUE: “Thank you for the opportunity to read this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and will be giving a review on both Goodreads and Bookreporter.com. Bookreporter book wins have introduced me to some very good books that I have recommended to my friends and others.”
HarperCollins Publishers Turns 200: HarperCollins announced a campaign in honor of its 200th anniversary. They’ve created a special website to commemorate the event. The company started as J. & J. Harper, Printers in 1817. The site has five sections that include a timeline, a curated list of titles, notes from their archives, "Why I Read" pieces from HarperCollins authors, and much more.
Robert James Waller: Remember him? He was the author of THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, a swoon-worthy mega bestseller that came out in 1992 and stayed on the New York Times bestseller list for three years. It later was made into a film starring Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep. Learned that he passed away today at the age of 77.
Deepwater Horizon: Watched it Wednesday night, and it was well done. My husband has flown out to a rig from the same chopper hanger that was depicted at the beginning of the film, which made the movie even more chilling.
Solitary: Excellent documentary on HBO about life inside a maximum security prison.
"Prison Break": Loved this show and see it’s headed back on April 4th with a reboot. Michael Scofield, played by Wentworth Miller, is alive again; he died at the end of the original series, and as I have a secret crush on Wentworth that I now have shared with our readers, I am glad he is back! There is an amazing marketing campaign behind this reboot.
"Billions" and "Homeland": Both are having good seasons. "Homeland" clearly thought the November election would go another way from their plotting. "Billions" is over the top…again.
"The Americans": I clearly need to watch the opening episode of this season again since it went over my head. I do email (a lot of email) while watching television, and let’s just say that sometimes I am answering a lot more emails than I am following a plot! Then again, maybe it just was not stellar --- and I think it is the latter. Growl, as I like this show.
"When We Rise": Very interesting miniseries that covered a lot of historical ground. A bit soap-opera-ish at times, but it also made me think a lot about friends and colleagues who were lost to AIDS and gave a good perspective of the women’s and LGBTQ movements.
I am looking forward to tomorrow’s event; my parents will be there. as well as some friends and many of our readers. On Sunday, nothing is scheduled beyond a massage, because wearing heels instead of flats on Saturday will mean that I need one! Cory is in Miami visiting Son 2A for spring break; it took them four years to have the same vacation week. I am happy he is off to do that and hoping he has amazing weather. I miss spring break! I bought a paper shredder, and Greg is itching to borrow it. It’s been in the box for weeks. I need to break out the instructions and get shredding.
I am reading Fiona Barton’s THE CHILD, which will be in stores on June 27th. I loved THE WIDOW, and in the opening pages this one appears to be just as strong. The story opens as Kate, a news reporter, is intrigued by a story in the paper about a skeleton of a baby being found in the debris of a home that is being demolished. She wants to know more. And so do I!
Read faster this weekend as you lose that hour…and now….
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
Bookreporter.com Talks to Malin Persson Giolito,
Author of QUICKSAND --- a Suspense/Thriller
Author Spotlight Title
Malin Persson Giolito has worked as a lawyer for the biggest law firm in the Nordic region and as an official for the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium. She is now a full-time writer and has written four novels. In QUICKSAND, her English debut, she tackles themes of class, money and violence. When a mass shooting takes place at a Stockholm prep school, 18-year-old Maja Norberg is put on trial for her role in the massacre. In this interview conducted by Carol Fitzgerald, Persson Giolito discusses the challenges of writing QUICKSAND --- including developing the character of Maja and piecing the story together --- her decision to set the novel in an affluent place, and why she personally doesn't classify her work as "thrillers" per se.
QUICKSAND written by Malin Persson Giolito, translated by Rachel Willson-Broyles (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Saskia Maarleveld
A mass shooting has taken place at a prep school in Stockholm’s wealthiest suburb. Maja Norberg is 18 years old and on trial for her involvement in the massacre where her boyfriend and best friend were killed. When the novel opens, Maja has spent nine excruciating months in jail awaiting trial. Now the time has come for her to enter the courtroom. But how did Maja, the good girl next door who was popular and excelled at school, become the most hated teenager in the country? What did Maja do? Or is it what she didn’t do that brought her here? Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
QUICKSAND will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. Read Carol's commentary in the March 17th newsletter.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Malin Persson Giolito’s bio.
- Click here to connect with Malin Persson Giolito on Facebook.
- Click here to visit Malin Persson Giolito’s Instagram.
- Click here to read more in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight.
Click here to read the interview.
Featured Review: SOUTH AND WEST by Joan Didion
SOUTH AND WEST : From a Notebook by Joan Didion (Memoir/Essays)
Audiobook available, read by Kimberly Farr
Joan Didion has always kept notebooks: of overheard dialogue, observations, interviews, drafts of essays and articles --- and here is one such draft that traces a road trip she took with her husband, John Gregory Dunne, through Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. And from a different notebook: the "California Notes" that began as an assignment from Rolling Stone on the Patty Hearst trial. Though Didion never wrote the piece, watching the trial and being in San Francisco triggered thoughts about the city, its social hierarchy, the Hearsts, and her own upbringing in Sacramento. Here, too, is the beginning of her thinking about the West, its landscape, the western women who were heroic for her, and her own lineage. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: THE CONFESSIONS OF YOUNG NERO by Margaret George
THE CONFESSIONS OF YOUNG NERO by Margaret George (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available; read by Steve West, Susan Denaker and Katharine McEwan
Julius Caesar’s imperial dynasty is only as strong as the next person who seeks to control it. In the Roman Empire no one is safe from the sting of betrayal: man, woman or child. As a boy, Nero’s royal heritage becomes a threat to his very life, first when the mad emperor Caligula tries to drown him, then when his great aunt attempts to secure her own son’s inheritance. Faced with shocking acts of treachery, young Nero is dealt a harsh lesson: it is better to be cruel than dead. While Nero idealizes the artistic and athletic principles of Greece, his very survival rests on his ability to navigate the sea of vipers that is Rome. The most lethal of all is his own mother, a cold-blooded woman whose singular goal is to control the empire. Reviewed by Amy Gwiazdowski.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to visit Margaret George’s website.
- Click here to watch Margaret George talk about the book.
- Click here to watch videos from Margaret George's research for the book.
Click here to read the review.
New Release Spotlight: THE HOLLYWOOD DAUGHTER
by Kate Alcott
THE HOLLYWOOD DAUGHTER by Kate Alcott (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Erin Spencer
In 1950, Ingrid Bergman --- already a major star after movies like Casablanca and Joan of Arc --- has a baby out of wedlock with her Italian lover, film director Roberto Rossellini. Previously held up as an icon of purity, Bergman’s fall shocked her legions of American fans.
Growing up in Hollywood, Jessica Malloy watches as her PR executive father helps make Ingrid a star at Selznick Studio. Over years of fleeting interactions with the actress, Jesse comes to idolize Ingrid, who she considered not only the epitome of elegance and integrity, but also the picture-perfect mother, an area where her own difficult mom falls short.
In a heated era of McCarthyism and extreme censorship, Ingrid’s affair sets off an international scandal that robs 17-year-old Jesse of her childhood hero. When the stress placed on Jesse’s father begins to reveal hidden truths about the Malloy family, Jesse’s eyes are opened to the complex realities of life --- and love.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Kate Alcott’s bio.
- Click here to visit Kate Alcott’s website.
- Click here to connect with Kate Alcott on Facebook.
Click here to read more in our New Release Spotlight.
Featured Review: MADAME PRESIDENT by Helene Cooper
MADAME PRESIDENT : The Extraordinary Journey of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf by Helene Cooper (Biography)
Audiobook available, read by Marlene Cooper Vasilic
When Ellen Johnson Sirleaf won the 2005 Liberian presidential election, she demolished a barrier few thought possible, obliterating centuries of patriarchal rule to become the first female elected head of state in Africa’s history. MADAME PRESIDENT is the inspiring, often heartbreaking story of Sirleaf’s evolution from an ordinary Liberian mother of four boys to international banking executive, from a victim of domestic violence to a political icon, from a post-war president to a Nobel Peace Prize winner. Reviewed by Allison Sharp.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: THE WHOLE ART OF DETECTION
by Lyndsay Faye
THE WHOLE ART OF DETECTION: Lost Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes by Lyndsay Faye (Historical Mystery/Short Stories)
Audiobook available, read by Simon Vance
Lyndsay Faye was introduced to the Sherlock Holmes mysteries when she was 10 years old and her dad suggested she read Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s short story “The Adventure of the Speckled Band.” She immediately became enamored with tales of Holmes and his esteemed biographer, Dr. John Watson. Later, she began spinning these quintessential characters into her own works of fiction. Faye’s best Holmes tales, including two new works, are brought together in THE WHOLE ART OF DETECTION, which spans Holmes’ career --- from self-taught young upstart to publicly lauded detective --- both before and after his faked death over a Swiss waterfall in 1894. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Announcing Bookreporter.com's Sixth Annual
Spring Preview Contests and Feature
Spring is in the air (or will be very soon)! We’ve already caught the fever --- and it’s being fueled by some wonderful new and upcoming releases. Our sixth annual Spring Preview Contests and Feature spotlights many of these picks, which we know people will be talking about over the next few months. We will be hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through April 20th. You will need to check the site to see the featured book and enter to win. We also will be sending a special newsletter to announce each title, which you can sign up for here.
Our first prize book will be announced on Tuesday, March 14th at noon ET.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details.
Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight:
NEVER LET YOU GO by Chevy Stevens
A Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
NEVER LET YOU GO by Chevy Stevens (Psychological Thriller)
Eleven years ago, Lindsey Nash escaped into the night with her young daughter and left an abusive relationship. Her ex-husband, Andrew, was sent to jail, and Lindsey started over with a new life.
Now, Lindsey is older and wiser, with her own business and a teenage daughter who needs her more than ever. When Andrew is finally released from prison, Lindsey believes she has cut all ties and left the past behind her. But she gets the sense that someone is watching her, tracking her every move. Her new boyfriend is threatened. Her home is invaded, and her daughter is shadowed. Lindsey is convinced it’s her ex-husband, even though he claims he’s a different person. But has he really changed? Is the one who wants her dead closer to home than she thought?
With NEVER LET YOU GO, Chevy Stevens delivers a chilling, twisting thriller that crackles with suspense as it explores the darkest heart of love and obsession.
NEVER LET YOU GO will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. Read Carol's commentary in the March 24th newsletter.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Chevy Stevens’ bio.
- Click here to visit Chevy Stevens’ website.
- Connect with Chevy Stevens on Facebook and Twitter.
- Click here to see the 25 winners selected to read and comment on the book.
Click here to read more in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight.
March's New in Paperback Roundups
March’s roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes END OF WATCH, the spectacular finale to Stephen King's trilogy that began with MR. MERCEDES (winner of the Edgar Award) and FINDERS KEEPERS; NO MAN'S LAND by David Baldacci, which marks the return of Special Agent John Puller, a combat veteran and the army's most tenacious investigator; and EVERYONE BRAVE IS FORGIVEN by Chris Cleave, in which three unforgettable individuals are thrown together by war, love and their search for belonging in the ever-changing landscape of World War II London.
Among this month’s nonfiction offerings are the hilariously frank memoir LUST & WONDER, Augusten Burroughs' intimate look at the driving forces in his life; RIGHTFUL HERITAGE, historian Douglas Brinkley's chronicle of Franklin Delano Roosevelt's essential yet under-sung legacy as the founder of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and premier protector of America’s public lands; and SPAIN IN OUR HEARTS by Adam Hochschild, a sweeping history of the Spanish Civil War, told through a dozen characters, including Ernest Hemingway and George Orwell.
Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of
March 6th, March 13th, March 20th and March 27th.
ILL WILL by Dan Chaon (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available; narrated by Ari Fliakos, Edoardo Ballerini, Michael Crouch and a full cast
A psychologist in suburban Cleveland, Dustin is drifting through his 40s when he hears the news: his adopted brother, Rusty, is being released from prison. Thirty years ago, Rusty received a life sentence for the massacre of Dustin’s parents, aunt and uncle. Despite the lack of physical evidence, the jury believed the outlandish accusations Dustin and his cousin made against Rusty. Now, after DNA analysis has overturned the conviction, Dustin braces for a reckoning. Meanwhile, one of Dustin’s patients has been plying him with stories of the drowning deaths of a string of drunk college boys. At first Dustin dismisses his patient's suggestions that a serial killer is at work as paranoid thinking, but eventually he starts to believe that there’s more to the deaths than coincidence. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE PRICE OF ILLUSION: A Memoir by Joan Juliet Buck (Memoir)
When Joan Juliet Buck became the first and only American woman ever to fill Paris Vogue's coveted position of Editor in Chief, she had the means to recreate for her aging father --- now a widower --- the life he’d enjoyed during his high-flying years, a splendid illusion of glamorous excess that could not be sustained indefinitely. Joan’s memoir tells the story of a life lived in the best places at the most interesting times: London and New York in the swinging 1960s, Rome and Milan in the dangerous 1970s, Paris in the heady 1980s and 1990s. But when her fantasy life at Vogue came to an end, she had to find out who she was after all those years of make-believe. Reviewed by Jesse Kornbluth for HeadButler.com.
THE IMPOSSIBLE FORTRESS by Jason Rekulak (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Griffin Newman
Until May 1987, 14-year-old Billy Marvin of Wetbridge, New Jersey, is a nerd, but a decidedly happy nerd. Afternoons are spent with his buddies, watching copious amounts of television, gorging on Pop-Tarts, debating who would win in a brawl (Rocky Balboa or Freddy Krueger? Bruce Springsteen or Billy Joel? Magnum P.I. or T.J. Hooker?), and programming video games on his Commodore 64 late into the night. Then Playboy magazine publishes photos of “Wheel of Fortune” hostess Vanna White, Billy meets expert programmer Mary Zelinsky, and everything changes. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
DOWN CITY: A Daughter's Story of Love, Memory, and Murder by Leah Carroll (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Leah Carroll
Leah Carroll's mother, a gifted amateur photographer, was murdered by two drug dealers with Mafia connections when Leah was four years old. Her father, a charming alcoholic who hurtled between depression and mania, was dead by the time she was 18. Why did her mother have to die? Why did the man who killed her receive such a light sentence? What darkness did Leah inherit from her parents? Leah was left to put together her own future. Now, in her memoir, she explores the mystery of her parents' lives, through interviews, photos and police records. Reviewed by Bianca Ambrosio.
THE WEIGHT OF THIS WORLD by David Joy (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by MacLeod Andrews
A combat veteran returned from war, Thad Broom can’t leave the hardened world of Afghanistan behind, nor can he forgive himself for what he saw there. His mother, April, is haunted by her own demons, a secret trauma she has carried for years. Between them is Aiden McCall, loyal to both but unable to hold them together. Connected by bonds of circumstance and duty, friendship and love, these three lives are blown apart when Aiden and Thad witness the accidental death of their drug dealer and a riot of dope and cash drops in their laps. On a meth-fueled journey to nowhere, they will either find the grit to overcome the darkness or be consumed by it. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE VIOLATED by Bill Pronzini (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by various narrators
In Echo Park, in the small town of Santa Rita, California, the mutilated body of Martin Torrey is found by two passersby. A registered sex offender, Torrey has been a suspect in a string of recent rapes, and instant suspicion for his murder falls on the relatives and friends of the women attacked. Police chief Griffin Kells and detective Robert Ortiz are under increasing pressure from the public and from a mayor demanding results in a case that has no easy solution. Bill Pronzini unfolds the case through alternating perspectives until a surprising break leads to a completely unexpected conclusion. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
THE TROPHY CHILD by Paula Daly (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Emma Fenney
Karen Bloom believes that tough discipline is the true art of parenting and that achievement leads to ultimate happiness. But in an unending quest for excellence, her seemingly flawless family starts to rebel against her. Her husband, Noel, is a handsome doctor with a proclivity for alcohol and women. Their prodigy daughter, Bronte, is excelling at school, music lessons and dance classes, yet she longs to run away. Verity, Noel’s teenage daughter from his first marriage, is starting to display aggressive behavior. And Karen’s son from a previous relationship falls deeper into drug use. When tragedy strikes the Blooms, Karen’s carefully constructed facade begins to fall apart --- and once the deadly cracks appear, they are impossible to stop. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
IMPERIAL VALLEY: A Jimmy Veeder Fiasco by Johnny Shaw (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Scott Merriman
Jimmy Veeder has finally settled down, completing his dramatic transformation from hell-raiser to family man. But the night after his wedding, childhood friend Tomás Morales, the current crime lord of Mexicali, turns up on his doorstep offering information about the whereabouts of his son’s grandfather, for whom Jimmy has been searching for years. Jimmy and Angie head to Mexico accompanied by old pals Bobby Maves and Griselda. The trip immediately careens into chaos when they find themselves shadowed by thugs, shot at by cartel soldiers, and forced into a confrontation with a violent, volatile drug lord. The fight spreads from Sinaloa back to Jimmy’s doorstep, putting everything Jimmy cares about directly in the crosshairs. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME: A Portrait of Eleanor Roosevelt and the Tortured Father Who Shaped Her Life by Eric Burns (Biography)
Eleanor Roosevelt is viewed as one of the most pioneering women in American history. But she was also one of the most enigmatic and lonely. Her loveless marriage with FDR was no secret, and she had a cold relationship with most of her family --- from her distant mother to her public rivalry with her cousin, Alice. Yet she was a warm person, beloved by friends, and her humanitarian work still influences the world today. But who shaped Eleanor? It was the most unlikely of figures: her father Elliott, a lost spirit with a bittersweet story. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
LAST DAY ON EARTH: Stories by Eric Puchner (Fiction/Short Stories)
A boy on the edge of adolescence fears his mother might be a robot; a psychotically depressed woman is entrusted with taking her niece and nephew trick-or-treating; a reluctant dad brings his baby to a coke-fueled party; a teenage boy tries to prevent his mother from putting his estranged father’s dogs to sleep. Ranging from a youth arts camp to an aging punk band’s reunion tour, from a dystopian future where parents no longer exist to a ferociously independent bookstore, LAST DAY ON EARTH revolves around the endlessly complex, frequently surreal system that is family. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on March 14th
Below are some notable titles releasing on March 14th 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 March 13th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
THE CUTTHROAT : An Isaac Bell Adventure by Clive Cussler and Justin Scott (Historical Thriller/Adventure)
Hired to find a young woman named Anna Pape who ran away from home to become an actress, Chief Investigator Isaac Bell gets a shock when her murdered body turns up instead. He begins a manhunt that leads him into increasingly more alarming territory. Petite young blond women like Anna are being murdered in cities across America, and the pattern goes beyond their physical resemblance.
THE DEVIL’S TRIANGLE: A Brit in the FBI Thriller by Catherine Coulter and J.T. Ellison (Thriller)
FBI Special Agents Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine lead a handpicked team of agents to tackle international crimes. But their fledgling team is threatened when the enigmatic criminal known as the Fox asks for help. She has stolen an artifact from an Istanbul museum, and the client wants her dead. Also, she has overheard that a devastating Gobi desert sandstorm that has killed thousands isn’t a natural phenomenon, but rather is man-made.
IN THIS GRAVE HOUR: A Maisie Dobbs Novel by Jacqueline Winspear (Historical Mystery)
At the moment Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain broadcasts Britain’s declaration of war with Germany, a senior Secret Service agent breaks into Maisie Dobbs' flat, asking her to find the killer of a man who escaped occupied Belgium as a boy some 23 years earlier. Within days, another former Belgian refugee is found murdered. Britain is approaching its gravest hour --- and Maisie could be nearing a crossroads of her own.
MIKE HAMMER: THE WILL TO KILL by Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins (Hard-boiled Mystery)
Taking a midnight stroll along the Hudson River, Mike Hammer gets more than he bargained for: a partial corpse on an ice floe. The body is that of a butler who worked for a millionaire --- also now deceased --- and his notoriously privileged children. Were both master and servant murdered? To prove it, Hammer must investigate the dead man’s family, all of whom have a motive for murder --- and one of whom has a taste for it.
NEVER LET YOU GO by Chevy Stevens (Psychological Thriller)
Eleven years ago, Lindsey Nash took her young daughter and fled an abusive relationship. When her ex-husband, Andrew, is finally released from prison, Lindsey believes she has left the past behind her. However, she gets the sense that someone is watching her. Andrew claims he’s a different person, but is the one who wants her dead closer to home than she thought?
NEW YORK 2140 by Kim Stanley Robinson (Science Fiction)
As the sea levels rose, every street became a canal and every skyscraper an island. For the residents of one apartment building, however, New York in the year 2140 is far from a drowned city. There is, among others, the market trader, the detective, the internet star, the coders and the building's manager. There also are two boys who don't live there, but have no other home --- and who are more important to its future than anyone might imagine.
THE RULES DO NOT APPLY: A Memoir by Ariel Levy (Memoir)
When Ariel Levy left for a reporting trip to Mongolia in 2012, she was pregnant, married, financially secure and successful on her own terms. A month later, none of that was true. Here, she chronicles the adventure and heartbreak of being “a woman who is free to do whatever she chooses.” Her story becomes an unforgettable portrait of what in our culture has changed --- and of what is eternal.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
Our Latest Poll: Shelving Your Books
How do you shelve the books you have read?
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Alphabetically by title
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Alphabetically by author
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Separated as fiction and nonfiction, and then alphabetically by title
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Separated as fiction and nonfiction, and then alphabetically by author
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By genre
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By publication date
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By jacket cover color
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By size
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I have no system for shelving books.
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I do not keep the books I have read.
Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What You're
Reading --- and You Can Win Two Books!
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 March 3rd to March 17th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE CONFESSIONS OF YOUNG NERO by Margaret George and IN THIS GRAVE HOUR: A Maisie Dobbs Novel by Jacqueline Winspear.
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.
Sounding Off on Audio Contest: Tell Us What You're Listening to --- and You Can Win Two Audiobooks!
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 March 1st to April 3rd at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Lisa See's THE TEA GIRL OF HUMMINGBIRD LANE, read by Ruthie Ann Miles and Kimiko Glenn, and J.A. Jance's MAN OVERBOARD: An Ali Reynolds Novel, read by Karen Ziemba.
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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