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It’s confession time. Though my last name is Fitzgerald, I am not one bit Irish. And my husband Tom, well, he is something like 1/4 Irish and the rest German. That said, we are cooking corned beef and cabbage (which I know from our readers of true Irish heritage is not an authentic Irish meal, but then again we are imposters, so I can see why we are making an imposter meal). We agree with Mary Kay Andrews that boiled potatoes are rather boring with corned beef. Thus, after seeing her Facebook Live event the other night, I am making the Scalloped Potatoes from her BEACH HOUSE COOKBOOK that will be in stores on May 2nd. Here’s the recipe, and you can watch MKA whip up this recipe here.
When we left off last week, I was prepping for the Simon & Schuster Book Club Matinee. What a fun day of listening to authors and catching up with our readers --- and meeting new ones! There was something very cool about a literary event in the historic Ed Sullivan Theater, which is just blocks from our 57th Street office. Lisa See did a brilliant job of sharing background on the inspiration and research for her much-anticipated new novel, THE TEA GIRL OF HUMMINGBIRD LANE, which will be in stores on Tuesday. Lisa Genova talked about her three bestselling titles, and gave us a glimpse into her next book, which looks at ALS. I truly enjoyed interviewing Isabel Allende (pictured with me above), who I had not met in person until that day. But once we started chatting on stage, the conversation rolled from topic to topic, as she shared background on her personal life, as well as her writing. Her upcoming book, IN THE MIDST OF WINTER, had been announced on Friday; it’s coming in November.
Ruth Ware and Megan Miranda shared background on their thrillers; it was such fun to catch up with Ruth, who I had first met when I interviewed her before IN A DARK, DARK WOOD was published, as it was a Buzz Book at Book Expo two years ago. And in the green room (I know, how cool does that sound?), I gave kudos to Megan about her writing ALL THE MISSING GIRLS backwards from Day 15 to Day 1! Anthony Doerr wrapped up the day with a presentation that gave some insight into his brilliant mind, and showed us where the connections we all saw in ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE had their roots. It’s very much about connecting people together. Our own Rebecca Munro was there, and she talks more about the day in a blog piece that shares a lot more details.
I have to say that the non-blizzard, but big snowstorm, that blasted into town on Tuesday was wonderfully timed for those of us who had the DST jet lag. I had a 9:00 conference call, but was able to sleep until 8:00, which was some form of bliss. The rest of the week could have used a delayed opening each day as well!
I finished THE CHILD by Fiona Barton and am very pleased to share that Fiona delivered a wonderful second novel. She has great writing chops, and the story line here did have a surprise for me; I had guessed the story line was going another way. I love being surprised. You may remember her debut novel from last year, THE WIDOW. This one, too, will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection.
This weekend I am staying in a thriller frame of mind. I have EMMA IN THE NIGHT by Wendy Walker (coming August 8th) and THE BREAKDOWN by B. A. Paris (coming June 20th) both queued up.
Now to this week’s update:
Our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight of NEVER LET YOU GO enters its final week with our review of the book and an interview with its author, Chevy Stevens. Eleven years ago, Lindsey Nash escaped an abusive relationship, taking her young daughter with her in the night. Her ex-husband, Andrew, was sent to jail, and Lindsey started over with a new life. 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. 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?
Rebecca Munro has our review and says, "In a novel about the dangers of abuse masquerading as charm, it can be easy to turn any minor character into a suspect, and Stevens carefully balances each of these characters --- particularly the men --- with a deft hand.... Once again, Stevens has given us a chilling, eerie novel that will make even the most fearless reader feel like they are being watched." Rebecca also had the chance to ask Chevy some questions about the book, including the challenges of writing the story from the alternating perspectives of mother and daughter, and how she made Andrew an original creation, far from a clichéd character. Click here to read the interview. NEVER LET YOU GO will be a Bets On selection; you can see my commentary in next week’s newsletter.
Mohsin Hamid, who many of you know as the author of THE RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST, is back with a new novel, EXIT WEST. Two young people, Nadia and Saeed, meet and fall in love while their country teeters on the brink of civil war. Soon they begin hearing whispers about doors --- doors that can whisk people far away, though there’s a price to pay for this daring escape. As the violence escalates, Nadia and Saeed make the difficult decision to leave their homeland and their old lives behind; they find a door and step through.
There had been plenty of buzz surrounding last week’s release of EXIT WEST, and for very good reason, according to our reviewer, Maya Gittelman. Here’s a preview of her rave review: “This novel simply operates on another plane. Mohsin Hamid’s urgent, elegant EXIT WEST manages to be both timely and timeless: a fierce indictment and a subtle literary masterpiece.” She goes on to call it “an authentic story of identity, placelessness, love and loss, and is undoubtedly a timeless must read.”
Other books we’re reviewing this week include IN THIS GRAVE HOUR, the newest Maisie Dobbs mystery from Jacqueline Winspear; THE STRANGER IN THE WOODS by Michael Finkel, the true story of a man who lived alone in the woods of Maine for 27 years, simply because he preferred to live on his own; and HAVANA, in which Mark Kurlansky presents an insider's view of the city he has come to know over more than 30 years.
Last week, we featured our review of QUICKSAND and an interview with its author, Malin Persson Giolito. This week, as promised, is my Bets On commentary; click here to see why I’m betting you’ll love this book, which was named Best Swedish Crime Novel of the Year.
We kicked off this year’s Spring Preview contests by giving away CLOSE ENOUGH TO TOUCH by Colleen Oakley, THE EXCELLENT LOMBARDS by Jane Hamilton, and the aforementioned NEVER LET YOU GO by Chevy Stevens. Next week’s prizes will be FOLLOW ME DOWN by Sherri Smith, THE HOPE CHEST by Viola Shipman, IF NOT FOR YOU by Debbie Macomber, and THE SECRETS YOU KEEP by Kate White. The first contest will go live on Monday, March 20th at noon ET.
How do you organize the books you have not yet read? That’s our latest poll question; let us know what you do here!
Our previous poll asked how you shelve the books you’ve already read. Click here for the results. It’s interesting to note that 30% of you have no system for shelving books, while 20% don’t even keep the books you’ve read; we assume the latter are either generous book sharers, or you use the library.
We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about. Let us know by Friday, March 31st at noon ET what books you’ve finished reading, and you’ll have a chance to win the aforementioned IF NOT FOR YOU by Debbie Macomber and MISSISSIPPI BLOOD by Greg Iles, both of which we’ll be reviewing over the next couple of weeks.
The prizes in March’s Sounding Off on Audio contest are the audio versions of Lisa See's THE TEA GIRL OF HUMMINGBIRD LANE (an upcoming Bets On selection that we’ll be reviewing next week), read by Ruthie Ann Miles and Kimiko Glenn, and J.A. Jance's MAN OVERBOARD: An Ali Reynolds Novel, read by Karen Ziemba. If you’d like to win these audio titles, simply send us your comments about the audiobooks you’ve listened to by filling out the form on this page; the deadline for your entries is Monday, April 3rd at noon ET.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
One of our readers, Susan Robinson, attended the Tucson Book Festival last weekend and shared this report. “It was a whirlwind of authors and books this weekend in Tucson. This was my third year traveling from Missouri to attend the festival with my parents and my sister. It never disappoints! Highlights from this trip included a panel discussion with Joyce Maynard, Caroline Leavitt and Amy Engel discussing the literary thriller as a genre. I'm in the middle of UNDER THE INFLUENCE by Maynard, and it was exciting to hear that it has been optioned for a movie and that Maynard will be writing the screenplay. Each of the three shared compelling personal experiences that are reflected in their novels.
"Ron Fournier's presentation discussing his book, LOVE THAT BOY, was endearing and entertaining. He gave fabulous advice to those of us on the parenting path. Don't worry about your children being normal, focus instead on what gives them happiness. He meant not the "things" but the experiences and opportunities. It was inspiring to hear that someone with a career spent in the company of presidents needed help understanding how to connect with his son. His book is about parenting a son with Asperger’s, but carries great meaning for any parent.
"As a fan of both the Longmire series and books, it was quite a thrill to hear the author Craig Johnson speaking along with A. Martinez, who plays Jacob Nighthorse in the series now on Netflix.The festival continues an outstanding tradition of promoting literacy. The huge numbers in attendance provided a great reassurance that the written word continues to be relevant to many.”
I received many notes about the Simon & Schuster event, including one from Roe saying, “Great job with Isabel Allende. Enjoyed it immensely.”
And from Marsha: “I thought it was a wonderful day. I felt that the speakers were very open and generous in speaking about their motivations, processes and inspirational influences. Each one of them brought great insights to the table. I have to say that I think that Isabel Allende was my favorite. Your interview with her was great! What a delightful woman. She's been through a lot in her life, and yet she has a great sense of humor and a very uplifting view of life. The two of you looked like you were having way too much fun.” We did have a great time!
A new reader after the event, Susan, wrote, “What an amazing event! You did an excellent job with your interview. Afterwards, everyone was so busy chatting with you that we did not have the chance to meet. I wanted to let you know that Lisa and I loved the entire session. Please add me to your distribution list and know that I am happy to read and provide reviews for any books you may be releasing in the future.” She is all signed up.
My comments on "The Americans" last week got some feedback from our readers; I love when you are as confused as I am.
Nancy wrote, "Thanks for your comment about 'The Americans.' We have watched it religiously from the beginning, but found ourselves clueless with this week's episode. Either our minds went blank during the winter break, or we are dumber than we think." I assured her she was neither; it was confusing! She went on to ask, "Have you read HILLBILLY ELEGY by J.D. Vance? It's a wonderful memoir, although I disagree with some of his points about culture in general --- i.e. white vs. black poverty. I read the book and then re-read THE GLASS CASTLE by Jeannette Walls. It's another growing-up-poor memoir, and it's really interesting to compare the two. I lent THE SECRET WISDOM OF THE EARTH by Christopher Scotton to the person who lent me HILLBILLY ELEGY and am waiting for her reflections on the similarities of the two. I haven't done this for a long time --- read two books about the same subject, with different perspectives --- but these three are a good fit if any book clubs want to follow suit and discuss a general topic, as well as a specific book." I have not read HILLBILLY ELEGY, but want to. And I love the way Nancy has written out these as comps. I welcome ideas like this from our readers.
Reeves also wrote about "The Americans": "Thank you. I too was so confused during this first episode. And the near end incident was so bloody dark I could not tell what was going on. It was not until this week's episode that I figured out whose body they dumped on top of William's. Then, this episode was to run til 11:09, but the darn DVR cut off at an hour.” I am with Reeves; I had no idea who was killed until this week. My DVR did not cut off, but I loathe when that happens!
National Book Critics Circle Awards: The winners were announced this week. LAROSE by Louise Erdrich won the fiction prize, while EVICTED: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond won the narrative nonfiction prize. Click here for a complete list of winners.
"Big Little Lies" --- The Houses: Watching this show on HBO, I am obsessed with the houses. So I loved seeing this piece on Vulture that gives background on the actual houses shown on the series.
New York’s First "One Book, One New York" Selection: The New York City Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment has selected AMERICANAH by Chimanada Ngozi Adichie as the winner of its inaugural "One Book, One New York" program. As part of the program, New Yorkers will be encouraged to read the book and participate in a slate of free open-to-the-public events over the next few months. Penguin Random House will donate an additional 500 copies to the city's public libraries, on top of the 1,000 donated at the contest's launch, to help provide access to the winning book. Additionally, a free audiobook version is available through Scribd through June 2017. You can read our review of the book here, and the discussion guide can be found here on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
Shakespeare Theatre Book Club: Washington, DC's Shakespeare Theatre has launched a book club that all fans of the Bard will appreciate. Denise Neary, our longtime and intrepid reporter, recently attended one of their meetings, where they discussed GAME OF CROWNS by Christopher Andersen. You can read all about it in Denise's blog post here.
"Come From Away: The Musical": I am not big on Broadway shows, but I loved the story of the people of Gander, Newfoundland greeting foreign visitors warmly on 9/11. Thus this play sounds like something that I would enjoy. It reminds me of one of my favorite books, THE DAY THE WORLD CAME TO TOWN.
Cory is headed back from Florida, though he managed to snag a couple of extra beach days as his flight back on Wednesday was canceled due to the snow. The staff and I worked from home on Tuesday, happy to avoid the wind and those big fat flakes of snow; they were not the fluffy, fun kind. This is going to be a reading and organizing kind of weekend with some basketball games playing in the background; I have not done a bracket this year.
The weather here looks bleak on Saturday and Sunday. But hey, spring arrives on Monday, March 20th at 6:29am ET. That is something worth waking up early for! We have high hopes for spring getting sprung.
I am off to pass the Irish Soda Bread and watch Tom enjoy a Guinness (the latter is not my thing!)
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 Chevy Stevens,
Author of NEVER LET YOU GO
A Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight Title and a
Bookreporter.com Bets On Selection
Chevy Stevens’ debut, STILL MISSING, won the International Thriller Writers Award for Best First Novel in 2011. She has followed up that enormous success with one gripping psychological thriller after another, including ALWAYS WATCHING and THOSE GIRLS. Stevens' latest, NEVER LET YOU GO, introduces readers to Lindsey Nash, who leaves an abusive relationship and tries to start a new life with her young daughter, Sophie --- but will learn years later that it is almost impossible to escape one’s past. In this interview, conducted by Bookreporter.com’s Rebecca Munro, Stevens reveals why this book got such a late start; describes the challenges she faced in alternating the story’s points of view between Lindsey and Sophie; explains how she ensured that Andrew, the abusive ex-husband, wouldn’t be a cliché; and offers a few tantalizing details about her next novel, her first to be set outside of Canada.
NEVER LET YOU GO by Chevy Stevens (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Rachel Fulginiti and Caitlin Davies
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? Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
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 a review.
- 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.
Click here to read our interview.
Featured Review: EXIT WEST by Mohsin Hamid
EXIT WEST by Mohsin Hamid (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Mohsin Hamid
In a country teetering on the brink of civil war, two young people meet --- sensual, fiercely independent Nadia and gentle, restrained Saeed. They embark on a furtive love affair, and are soon cloistered in a premature intimacy by the unrest roiling their city. When it explodes, turning familiar streets into a patchwork of checkpoints and bomb blasts, they begin to hear whispers about doors --- doors that can whisk people far away, if perilously and for a price. As the violence escalates, Nadia and Saeed decide that they no longer have a choice. Leaving their homeland and their old lives behind, they find a door and step through. Reviewed by Maya Gittelman.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: IN THIS GRAVE HOUR
by Jacqueline Winspear
IN THIS GRAVE HOUR: A Maisie Dobbs Novel by Jacqueline Winspear (Historical Mystery)
Audiobook available, performed by Orlagh Cassidy
At the moment Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain broadcasts to the nation Britain’s declaration of war with Germany, a senior Secret Service agent breaks into Maisie Dobbs' flat to await her return. Dr. Francesca Thomas has an urgent assignment for Maisie: to find the killer of a man who escaped occupied Belgium as a boy, some 23 years earlier during the Great War. In a London shadowed by barrage balloons, bomb shelters and the threat of invasion, within days another former Belgian refugee is found murdered. As Maisie’s search for the killer escalates, the country braces for what is to come. Britain is approaching its gravest hour --- and Maisie could be nearing a crossroads of her own. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
QUICKSAND by Malin Persson Giolito
A Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight Title
QUICKSAND written by Malin Persson Giolito, translated by Rachel Willson-Broyles (Thriller)
I had heard about QUICKSAND by Malin Persson Giolito at a publisher preview and could not wait to get my hands on it. The opening pages drew me in quickly and laid the facts out succinctly. A mass school shooting has happened at a prep school in a wealthy Stockholm suburb. Maja Norberg is on trial for her role in the attack, which killed her boyfriend, as well as her best friend. What happened is pretty clear, until it is not.
The book is narrated by Maja. She was in the room during the shooting, but should we trust her point of view? What did she do in that room, what did she see, what is she telling the truth about and what is she hiding? She is one unreliable narrator, but she is the one we have!
Readers are inside Maja’s cell with her, feeling her isolation. We are voyeurs at the table when she meets with her lawyers to plot the strategy for her defense. Her story knocks us around as we hear bits and pieces, and try to formulate what happened from in that room and in the days and months leading up to it. There are times that she exhibits bravado, but it’s only veneer-thick. Other times, especially when relating to her boyfriend Sebastian, we see a confused teen who clearly is in over her head.
The pacing is not brisk, but it reflects the often torturous slowness of the legal system and its many delays. Here we see this from the point of view of someone on trial, including how weekends loom when court is not in session and one is sequestered to a cell to ruminate. There are tons of very tiny details, parsed out in nuggets, that all need to add up. And here, while the story seems black and white, there are a few murky details that blur what we thought were obvious lines.
Persson Giolito has practiced law, and thus her walking readers through the legal process has us seeing the snail’s pace with which justice is meted out, as well as the tediousness of it as we are in Maja’s head.
For book groups, this is a good thriller to discuss, including how the story is constructed and paced, the life challenges of teens today, the ever-present fear of violence in a school setting, and the way so many tiny things impact a major event.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read our interview with Malin Persson Giolito.
- 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.
Featured Review: WITHOUT WARNING
by Joel C. Rosenberg
WITHOUT WARNING: A J. B. Collins Novel by Joel C. Rosenberg (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by David de Vries
As he prepares to deliver the State of the Union address, the President of the United States is convinced that the Islamic State is on the run, about to be crushed by American forces once and for all. But New York Times foreign correspondent J. B. Collins tells the President he’s dead wrong. With the Middle East on fire, the Israeli prime minister dead, and Amman in ruins, Collins fears a catastrophic attack inside the American homeland is imminent. He argues that only an all-out manhunt to capture or kill Abu Kahlif --- the leader of ISIS --- can stop the attack and save American lives. But will the President listen and take decisive action before it’s too late? Reviewed by Melanie Reynolds.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: THE STRANGER IN THE WOODS
by Michael Finkel
THE STRANGER IN THE WOODS: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit by Michael Finkel (Biography)
Audiobook available, read by Mark Bramhall
In 1986, a shy and intelligent 20-year-old named Christopher Knight left his home in Massachusetts, drove to Maine, and disappeared into the forest. He would not have a conversation with another human being until nearly three decades later, when he was arrested for stealing food. Living in a tent even through brutal winters, he had survived by his wits and courage, developing ingenious ways to store edibles and water, and to avoid freezing to death. Based on extensive interviews with Knight himself, this is a vividly detailed account of his secluded life, as well as the challenges he has faced since returning to the world. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: HAVANA by Mark Kurlansky
HAVANA: A Subtropical Delirium by Mark Kurlansky (Cultural History/Travel)
Audiobook available, read by Fleet Cooper
Award-winning author Mark Kurlansky presents an insider's view of Havana: the elegant, tattered city he has come to know over more than 30 years. Part cultural history, part travelogue, with recipes, historic engravings, photographs, and Kurlansky's own pen-and-ink drawings throughout, HAVANA celebrates the city's singular music, literature, baseball and food; its five centuries of outstanding, neglected architecture; and its extraordinary blend of cultures. Reviewed by John Bentlyewski.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
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 are 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 are sending a special newsletter to announce each title, which you can sign up for here.
Our next prize book will be announced on Monday, March 20th at noon ET.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details.
Interviews with Mary Anna Evans, Author of BURIALS,
and Charlotte Hinger, Author of FRACTURED FAMILIES
Mary Anna Evans, Author of BURIALS: A Faye Longchamp Mystery
Mary Anna Evans is the author of the award-winning Faye Longchamp archaeological mysteries. Her most recent addition to the series, BURIALS, follows Faye and her husband, Joe, to Sylacauga where she will investigate the death of Dr. Sophia Townsend, also an archaeologist. In this interview, Evans discusses the archaeological and historical background of the series, her decision to set this latest installment in Oklahoma on the tribal lands of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, and Faye’s morality.
BURIALS: A Faye Longchamp Mystery by Mary Anna Evans (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Cassandra Campbell
Faye Longchamp-Mantooth, who runs a small archaeological consulting firm with her husband, Joe, has come to Sylacauga so she and Joe can join his father in dispersing his mother's ashes. Faye has partially financed the trip by hiring on to consult on the reopening of a site closed down 29 years ago when archaeologist Dr. Sophia Townsend disappeared. What no one expects is the lonely red bones that emerge as the backhoe completes its work. Inevitably they prove to be those of Sophia Townsend. Chief Roy Cloud of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation's Lighthorse Tribal Police hires Faye, who clearly can't be a suspect, to consult. But the investigation comes uncomfortably close to home when she learns that her father-in-law knows more about the dead woman than he is willing to admit.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the interview.
Charlotte Hinger, Author of FRACTURED FAMILIES: A Lottie Albright Mystery
Charlotte Hinger is an award-winning novelist and Kansas historian. In FRACTURED FAMILIES, the fourth installment in her mystery series starring Lottie Albright, the undersheriff of Carlton County, Kansas, investigates a series of murders in which the victims are found in the arms of statues in a sculpture park. In this interview, Hinger talks about her decision to set these novels in Western Kansas (although later she reveals a change of scenery for book five), the emotional challenges of writing FRACTURED FAMILIES, and the mystery writers who were the most influential in her creation of Lottie.
FRACTURED FAMILIES: A Lottie Albright Mystery by Charlotte Hinger (Mystery)
The discovery of the body of a young man inside the mausoleum of the Civil War veteran who commissioned this bizarre sculpture park makes the blood of Undersheriff Lottie Albright and her husband’s Aunt Dorothy run cold. With snow coming on, Lottie and Dorothy act quickly to preserve the crime scene while awaiting the arrival of Sheriff Sam Adams. Frustration mounts and urgency grows as more statues of women cradling victims are found, the vicious winter weather aiding the psychopath’s work. In a break from the stress, Lottie begins to read a Commonplace Book deposited at the Historical Society. As she follows the heartbreaking words penned by a desperate, shunned child of stunning inner beauty and strength, his observations provide the key --- at a terrible cost.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the interview.
ALL GROWN UP by Jami Attenberg (Fiction)
Audiobook available, narrated by Mia Barron
Who is Andrea Bern? When her therapist asks the question, Andrea knows the right things to say: she’s a designer, a friend, a daughter, a sister. But it’s what she leaves unsaid --- she’s alone, a drinker, a former artist, a shrieker in bed, captain of the sinking ship that is her flesh --- that feels the most true. Everyone around her seems to have an entirely different idea of what it means to be an adult: her best friend, Indigo, is getting married; her brother and sister-in-law are having a hoped-for baby; and her friend Matthew continues to wholly devote himself to making dark paintings at the cost of being flat broke. But when Andrea’s niece finally arrives, born with a heartbreaking ailment, the Bern family is forced to reexamine what really matters. Reviewed by Dunja Bonacci.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
THE HEARTS OF MEN by Nickolas Butler (Fiction)
Audiobook available, performed by Adam Verner
Camp Chippewa, 1962. Thirteen-year-old Nelson Doughty, a social outcast and an overachiever, is the Bugler, sounding the reveille proudly each morning. Yet this particular summer marks the beginning of an uncertain and tenuous friendship with a popular boy named Jonathan. Over the years, Nelson, irrevocably scarred from the Vietnam War, becomes Scoutmaster of Camp Chippewa, while Jonathan marries, divorces and turns his father’s business into a highly profitable company. And when something unthinkable happens at a camp get-together with Nelson as Scoutmaster and Jonathan’s teenage grandson and daughter-in-law as campers, the aftermath demonstrates the depths --- and the limits --- of Nelson’s selflessness and bravery. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
WHITE TEARS by Hari Kunzru (Fiction)
Audiobook available; read by Lincoln Hoppe, Danny Campbell and Dominic Hoffman
Seth is awkward and shy. Carter is the glamorous heir to one of America's great fortunes. They have one thing in common: an obsession with music. Seth is desperate to reach for the future. Carter is slipping back into the past. When Seth accidentally records an unknown singer in a park, Carter sends it out over the internet, claiming it's a long-lost 1920s blues recording by a musician called Charlie Shaw. When an old collector contacts them to say that their fake record and their fake bluesman are actually real, the two young white men, accompanied by Carter's troubled sister Leonie, spiral down into the heart of the nation's darkness, encountering a suppressed history of greed, envy, revenge and exploitation. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
STOLEN BEAUTY by Laurie Lico Albanese (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available; read by Madeleine Maby and Gabra Zackman, with Gibson Frazier
In the dazzling glitter of 1900 Vienna, Adele Bloch-Bauer meets painter Gustav Klimt. Though they enjoy a life where sex and art are just beginning to break through the façade of conventional society, the city is also exhibiting a disturbing increase in anti-Semitism, as political hatred foments in the shadows of Adele’s coffee house afternoons and cultural salons. Nearly 40 years later, Adele’s niece Maria Altmann is a newlywed when the Nazis invade Austria. When her husband is arrested and her family is forced out of their home, Maria must summon the courage and resilience that is her aunt’s legacy if she is to survive and keep her family --- and their history --- alive. Reviewed by Roz Shea.
CELINE by Peter Heller (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Kimberly Farr
Working out of her jewel box of an apartment at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge, Celine has made a career of tracking down missing persons, and she has a better record at it than the FBI. But when a young woman, Gabriela, asks for her help, a world of mystery and sorrow opens up. Gabriela's father was a photographer who went missing on the border of Montana and Wyoming. He was assumed to have died from a grizzly mauling, but his body was never found. Now, as Celine and her partner head to Yellowstone National Park, investigating a trail gone cold, it becomes clear that they are being followed --- that this is a case someone desperately wants to keep closed. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
OATH OF HONOR by Matthew Betley (Thriller/Adventure)
Audiobook available, read by George Newbern
Logan West and John Quick, members of an FBI special task force, are sent to Dutch Harbor, Alaska, to investigate the possible presence of a Russian black ops team on a mission to steal United States next-generation technology. The resulting violent confrontation triggers a global search for the stolen technology and threatens to pit the US against China in a looming shadow war and technology race. As Logan and John --- joined by the chief of the CIA’s Special Operations Group, Cole Matthews --- battle their way through Spain, the Mediterranean and ultimately across Sudan, an imminent threat arises at home that FBI Deputy Director Mike Benson must face and determine if it is part of the deadly global conspiracy. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE ONE-EYED MAN by Ron Currie (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Kevin Pariseau
K. is possessed of a hyper-articulate exasperation with the world, a doomed truth teller whom everyone misunderstands. After his wife Sarah dies, K. loses his metaphorical capacity, becoming so wedded to the notion of clarity that he infuriates everyone, friends and strangers alike. When he intervenes in an armed robbery, K. finds himself both an inadvertent hero and the star of a new reality television program. Together with Claire, a grocery store clerk with a sharp tongue and a yen for celebrity, he travels the country, ruffling feathers and gaining fame at the intersection of American politics and entertainment. But soon he discovers that the world will fight viciously to preserve its delusions about itself. Reviewed by Lorraine W. Shanley.
THE FORGOTTEN GIRLS by Owen Laukkanen (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, narrated by Edoardo Ballerini
She was a forgotten girl, a runaway found murdered on the High Line train through the northern Rocky Mountains and, with little local interest, put into a dead file. But she was not alone. When Kirk Stevens and Carla Windermere of the joint FBI-BCA violent crime force stumble upon the case, they discover a horror far greater than anyone expected --- a string of murders on the High Line, all of them young female drifters whom no one would notice. But someone has noticed now. Through the bleak midwinter and a frontier land of forbidding geography, Stevens and Windermere follow a frustratingly light trail of clues --- and where it ends, even they will be shocked. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE LUCKY ONES by Julianne Pachico (Magical Realism)
Audiobook available, read by Marisol Ramirez and Ramón de Ocampo
While her parents are away, a teenager finds herself home alone, with the household staff mysteriously gone, no phone connection, and news of an insurgency on the radio --- and then she hears a knock at the door. Her teacher, who has been kidnapped by guerrillas, recites Shakespeare in the jungle to a class of sticks, leaves and stones while his captors watch his every move. Another classmate, who has fled Colombia for the clubs of New York, is unable to forget the life she left behind without the help of the little bags of powder she carries with her. Taking place over two decades, THE LUCKY ONES presents us with a world in which perpetrators are indistinguishable from saviors, the truth is elusive, and loved ones can disappear without a trace. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
WAR, SPIES AND BOBBY SOX: Stories about World War II at Home by Libby Fischer Hellmann (Historical Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Diane Piron-Gelman and Derek Shetterly
As World War II rages across Europe and the Pacific, its impact ripples through communities in the heartland of America. A farm girl is locked in a dangerous love triangle with two German soldiers held in an Illinois POW camp. Another German, a war refugee, is forced to risk her life spying on the developing Manhattan Project in Chicago. And espionage surrounds the disappearance of an actress from the thriving Jewish community of Chicago’s Lawndale. In this trio of tales, acclaimed thriller author Libby Fischer Hellmann depicts the tumultuous effect of war on the home front and illustrates how the action, terror and tragedy of World War II was not confined to the front lines. Reviewed by Judy Gigstad.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on March 21st
Below are some notable titles releasing on March 21st 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 20th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
A COLONY AND A NATION by Chris Hayes (Current Affairs/Social Science)
Emmy Award–winning news anchor Chris Hayes contends our country has fractured in two: the Colony and the Nation. In the Nation, we venerate the law. In the Colony, we obsess over order, fear trumps civil rights, and aggressive policing resembles occupation.
THE DEVIL AND WEBSTER by Jean Hanff Korelitz (Fiction)
From the New York Times bestselling author of YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN and ADMISSION comes a twisty new novel about a college president, a baffling student protest, and some of the most hot-button issues on today's college campuses.
THE GARGOYLE HUNTERS by John Freeman Gill (Fiction)
THE GARGOYLE HUNTERS solves the mystery of a brazen and seemingly impossible architectural heist --- the theft of an entire historic Manhattan building --- that stunned the city and made the front page of The New York Times in 1974.
THE HOPE CHEST by Viola Shipman (Fiction)
In Viola Shipman’s latest novel, the discovery of one woman’s heirloom hope chest unveils precious memories and helps three people who have each lost a part of themselves find joy once again.
IF NOT FOR YOU by Debbie Macomber (Romance)
When shocking secrets from Sam Carney’s past are revealed, Beth Prudhomme struggles to reconcile her feelings. But when Beth goes a step too far, she risks losing the man and the life she’s come to love.
MAN OVERBOARD: An Ali Reynolds Novel by J.A. Jance (Mystery/Thriller)
In this latest installment of J.A. Jance’s thriller series featuring journalist turned amateur sleuth Ali Reynolds, two tech geniuses face off --- one intent on saving lives, the other on ending them.
MANGROVE LIGHTNING: A Doc Ford Novel by Randy Wayne White (Thriller/Adventure)
A legendary charter captain and guide named Tootsie Barlow has come to Doc Ford, muttering about a curse. The members of his extended family have suffered a bizarre series of attacks, and Barlow is convinced it has something to do with a multiple murder in 1925, in which his family had a shameful part.
MISSISSIPPI BLOOD by Greg Iles (Thriller)
The endgame is at hand for Penn Cage, his family, and the enemies bent on destroying them in this concluding volume of the Natchez Burning trilogy --- Greg Iles’ epic tale of love and honor, hatred and revenge that explores how the sins of the past continue to haunt the present.
MURDER ON THE SERPENTINE: A Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Novel by Anne Perry (Historical Mystery)
In the history of Anne Perry’s bestselling Victorian mystery series, the stakes have never been greater than now --- as a mission for queen and country places the future of the British Empire squarely in Thomas Pitt’s hands.
THE SECRETS YOU KEEP by Kate White (Psychological Thriller)
What would you do if you realized that your new husband, a man you adore, is keeping secrets from you --- secrets with terrifying consequences? That’s the question at the heart of this harrowing psychological thriller about a successful self-help author who suddenly finds her life spiraling dangerously out of control.
THE TEA GIRL OF HUMMINGBIRD LANE by Lisa See (Fiction)
In THE TEA GIRL OF HUMMINGBIRD LANE, Lisa See --- author of such bestsellers as SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN, SHANGHAI GIRLS and CHINA DOLLS --- explores the lives of a Chinese mother and her daughter who has been adopted by an American couple
VICIOUS CIRCLE: A Joe Pickett Novel by C. J. Box (Mystery/Thriller)
The Cates family had always been a bad lot. Game warden Joe Pickett had been able to strike a fierce blow against them when the life of his daughter April had been endangered, but he’d always wondered if there’d be a day of reckoning. He’s not wondering any longer. Joe knows they’re coming after him and his family now.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
Our Latest Poll: Organizing Your To-Be-Read Books
How do you organize the books you have not yet read?
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By publication date
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Alphabetically by author
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Alphabetically by title
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By genre
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It depends on how much I am anticipating reading each of the books.
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Who has time to organize what I have not yet read? I just read them!
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 17th to March 31st at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of IF NOT FOR YOU by Debbie Macomber and MISSISSIPPI BLOOD by Greg Iles.
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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