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Inspiring People and a Weekend of Whispering
Around our house this weekend, everything will revolve around Tom watching The Masters. One must whisper when you say those two words --- The Masters --- with proper golf reverence. Tom watches nonstop. I peek in, watch the end and make Pimento Cheese Sandwiches. This year, I am making the recipe in Mary Kay Andrews’ THE BEACH HOUSE COOKBOOK, which is coming on May 2nd. Her recipe was tested with Duke’s mayo, but we NYC metro area folks will have to make do with good old Hellmann’s. I fell in love with pimento cheese on one of our Outer Banks trips --- to me, the best part of The Masters. I know, irreverent.
I am lucky in my life to meet people who have inspiring stories told through books. In the past two weeks, I had two such encounters. This week I met Rebekah Gregory, whose book TAKING MY LIFE BACK: My Story of Faith, Determination, and Surviving the Boston Marathon Bombing was just published. She and her husband, Chris, were in town from Texas for a whirlwind media tour that included this interview on "Today."
The first bomb went off right behind Rebekah, and the force of the blast, which was laced with shrapnel and nails, was brutal. After months of trying to save it, she lost her leg and went through 17 surgeries, as well as extensive rehab. Also, after being told that she most likely would not be able to bear another child (her son, Noah, was with her in Boston, but he was in front of her and thus was shielded and only had minor injuries), their daughter Ryleigh was born prematurely last April, but they told me she’s now on track to be a normal toddler, with all the craziness that that brings.
Though this was a very hectic week, I read this book late into the night and in early mornings. Rebekah has amazing attitude and energy, and is inspiring. We sat and talked about her prosthetic; she wears it as a badge of honor (and always paints the toenails to match her outfits). She has grown from this experience, and in looking at it, she also reflects on what’s transpired in her life that gave her the power to conquer what happened to her --- and to move on --- as well as what the bombing taught her about herself.
Last week ,Tara Storch was also in from Texas and came by the office to update me on the organ donation foundation, Taylor's Gift, that she and her husband, Todd, started after their oldest daughter, Taylor, died following a skiing accident at one of my favorite ski areas, Beaver Creek. We had met four years ago when she was in town to talk about TAYLOR’S GIFT: A Courageous Story of Giving Life and Renewing Hope. I have been so impressed with how they have grown their foundation, and I am honored that on this trip she asked me to be on their advisory board.
Taylor’s eyes were a beautiful shade of turquoise, and there is a realtor in Texas who is painting the front doors of her listings blue and sharing Taylor’s story that way; I am trying to find the right color as I think our red front door would look great painted this color. As this is National Donate Life Month, I wanted to remind our readers that you can “outlive yourself” by noting that you want to be an organ donor. You can register here.
Meeting Rebekah and seeing Tara again took me out of my day-to-day world and brought me into theirs, and in reading their stories, I feel more understanding and compassion, as well as admiration.
On Tuesday night, Greg and I went to The Corner Bookstore on New York’s Upper East Side (we love any reason to ride the new Second Avenue subway) for a reading that our website client, Eden Collinsworth, was doing for her book, BEHAVING BADLY: The New Morality in Politics, Sex, and Business. For the book she interviewed a prime minister, the editor of London’s Financial Times, a Holocaust survivor, a convicted felon, the founder of AshleyMadison.com, and Candace Bushnell, the author of SEX AND THE CITY. Usually writers read a few pages from their book before taking questions. Eden read a couple of chapters, and the standing room-only audience was riveted. You can read more about Eden and BEHAVING BADLY here.
Earlier in the day, our Editorial Director Tom Donadio attended a luncheon in honor of Diksha Basu's forthcoming debut novel, THE WINDFALL. It's about a middle-aged couple who comes into quite a bit of money and moves from their modest apartment in East Delhi to a mansion in the wealthy neighborhood of Gurgaon. Not surprisingly, they feel like fish out of water, and soon their move sets off a chain of events that rocks their son Rupak, who is earning his MBA in the United States and questioning how his parents’ new world will affect his own life choices. The book started as a collection of short stories during Diksha's MFA at Columbia University but gradually became a novel in the year and a half after she graduated. She credits author Gary Shteyngart, who read (and loved) one of her first stories, for giving her the encouragement and the confidence she needed to keep exploring these characters and writing through humor. We'll have much more on the book when it releases on June 27th.
Now to this week’s update...
Former Justice Department agent Cotton Malone is back in Steve Berry’s latest thriller, THE LOST ORDER, this week’s New Release Spotlight title. The novel revolves around the Knights of the Golden Circle, the largest and most dangerous clandestine organization in American history. It amassed billions in stolen gold and silver, and now its two remaining factions are desperate to get their hands on this lost treasure: one to spend it for their own ends, the other to preserve it. Cotton Malone has a connection to the knights far deeper than he ever imagined, and at the center of it all is the Smithsonian Institution --- linked to the knights, its treasure and Malone himself through an ancestor, a Confederate spy named Angus “Cotton” Adams, whose story holds the key to everything.
According to reviewer Ray Palen, “In the hands of Steve Berry, this series is infused on every single page with white-knuckle, cliff-hanging thrills… If you happen to learn something new along the way, that is just a nice by-product and personal treasure that makes you wish your childhood history class was even half as exciting as these stories.”
We’re awarding the audio version of THE LOST ORDER, read by Scott Brick, along with Lisa Scottoline's ONE PERFECT LIE, read by George Newbern, in this month’s Sounding Off on Audio contest. Tell us about the audiobooks you’ve finished listening to, and you’ll have the chance to win both these audio titles; the deadline is Monday, May 1st at noon ET.
We’re pleased to announce that Susan Mallery’s upcoming novel, SECRETS OF THE TULIP SISTERS, is the current prize book in our Sneak Peek contest. Kelly Murphy's life as a tulip farmer is pretty routine, but everything changes one summer with two dramatic homecomings: Griffith Burnett --- Tulpen Crossing's prodigal son, who has set his sights on Kelly --- and Olivia, her beautiful, wayward and unwelcome sister. But Olivia's return isn't as triumphant as she pretends, and she feels cut off from her past. She's determined to reclaim her man and her place in the family…whether her sister likes it or not. While Kelly and Olivia butt heads, their secrets tumble out in a big hot mess, revealing some truths that will change everything they thought they knew.
Although SECRETS OF THE TULIP SISTERS won’t be published until July 11th, we’re giving 15 lucky readers the opportunity to win an advance copy and give us their feedback on it by Wednesday, May 31st. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, April 20th at noon ET.
One of spring’s most anticipated releases is NO ONE IS COMING TO SAVE US, a debut novel from Stephanie Powell Watts, an associate professor of English at Lehigh University and a PEN/Hemingway finalist for her short-story collection, WE ARE TAKING ONLY WHAT WE NEED. Billed by the publisher as “THE GREAT GATSBY brilliantly recast in the contemporary South,” the book introduces readers to JJ Ferguson, who has come back home to Pinewood, North Carolina, to build his dream house and pursue his high school sweetheart. But as he reenters his former world, where factories are in decline and the legacy of Jim Crow is still felt, he’s surprised to find that the people he once knew and loved have changed just as much as he has.
Bianca Ambrosio has our review and says, “If NO ONE IS COMING TO SAVE US proves anything, it’s that outside appearances should be taken with a grain of salt…. A small town may be boring, desolate even, but it contains a family and its web of people who can love each other without really being in love with one another, and that is a unique thing.” NO ONE IS COMING TO SAVE US is a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Pick.
We also have a review of THE DEVIL AND WEBSTER by Jean Hanff Korelitz, which was a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick last week. Students at Webster College kick off the fall semester protesting a popular professor’s denial of tenure. Naomi Roth, Webster’s first female president and a former student radical herself, admires their passion, particularly that of her daughter, Hannah, who joins the protests. But then Omar Khayal, a charismatic Palestinian student, emerges as the group's leader. It is at this point that the demonstration begins to take over Naomi's life, and she must take increasingly desperate measures to protect her friends, colleagues and family from an unknowable adversary.
Jana Siciliano has this to say in her review: “There is so much in this novel, a thoughtful and beautiful work…. In this day and age when people have difficulty dealing with so much of the trauma thrown at them during every 24-hour news broadcast, it is comforting to deal with some of these issues in a wonderfully written and riveting book like THE DEVIL AND WEBSTER.” As I said in last week’s Bets On commentary, there’s lots to talk about if you’re in a book group. That’s why on ReadingGroupGuides.com we’re running a contest where three book groups will have a chance to win 12 copies of the book to read and discuss. To enter, please fill out this form by Tuesday, May 9th at noon ET.
Speaking of Bets On, THE WOMEN IN THE CASTLE by Jessica Shattuck is my latest pick; we featured our review in last week’s newsletter. Click here to see why I’m betting you’ll love this book.
And still more Bets On-related news: This month’s New in Paperback roundups include six books that were Bets On titles when they released in hardcover: THE NIGHTINGALE by Kristin Hannah, ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE by Anthony Doerr, THE WOMAN IN CABIN 10 by Ruth Ware, YOU WILL KNOW ME by Megan Abbott, THE NEST by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, and THE SOUND OF GRAVEL by Ruth Wariner. On ReadingGroupGuides.com, we’re giving three book groups the chance to win 12 copies of THE NIGHTINGALE, which releases in paperback for the first time on April 25th after enjoying immense success in hardcover since its initial publication two years ago. Click here for more details and to enter the contest.
We’ve updated our Books on Screen feature for April. Highlights include the theatrical releases of The Circle and The Lost City of Z; the HBO film The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks starring Oprah Winfrey; the series premieres of "American Gods," "The White Princess" and "The Handmaid's Tale"; and the DVD release of Hidden Figures.
In this week’s Spring Preview contests, we gave away DIMESTORE: A Writer's Life by Lee Smith, FIRST COMES LOVE by Emily Giffin, THE HALF WIVES by Stacia Pelletier, and MY LAST LAMENT by James William Brown. Next week’s prizes will be GONE WITHOUT A TRACE by Mary Torjussen, THE HORSE DANCER by Jojo Moyes, THE ONE-IN-A-MILLION BOY by Monica Wood, and THE STORY OF ARTHUR TRULUV by Elizabeth Berg. The first contest of the week will go live on Monday, April 10th at noon ET.
Our poll continues to ask which of 20 fiction titles releasing this month you are planning to read. Click here to cast your vote!
ALL BY MYSELF, ALONE by Mary Higgins Clark and THE PERFECT STRANGER by Megan Miranda are two of those titles, and they’re also our current Word of Mouth prizes. Mary, as you all know, is the Queen of Suspense. I had the pleasure of meeting Megan at the Simon & Schuster Book Club Matinee, and I'm looking forward to reading THE PERFECT STRANGER as her last book, ALL THE MISSING GIRLS, was fabulous. Let us know by Friday, April 14th at noon ET what books you’ve finished reading, and you’ll be in the running to win both these anticipated thrillers.
The American Booksellers Association has announced the finalists for the 2017 Indies Choice Awards and the E.B. White Read-Aloud Awards. Click here for all the nominees. The winners will be announced on May 3rd.
In the March 10th newsletter, I told you about the Miami Book Fair/de Groot Literary Prize, which gives aspiring writers the opportunity to pen a novella and receive a generous prize package. You can read all the details of this wonderful contest here. I also would like to talk about another initiative of the Miami Book Fair: the Miami Writers Institute. This is an annual creative writing conference that takes place over four days every May. According to their website, “The conference features intensive writing workshops with bestselling authors, craft talks, publishing seminars, manuscript consultations with a literary agent and happy hour events. Writing workshops are all limited to 15 students each, to allow for individualized attention.” Click here for all the details, including instructions on how to register.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail: Some readers wrote to say that they did not receive last week’s newsletter. We are looking into this, but know you can always read the current newsletter online here, as well as past issues.
By the way, while I was sorry that she did not get the newsletter, I loved this note from Alice: "As I get older, I find that I’m ridding myself of things I no longer find necessary in my life. One of these things is NOT the weekly newsletter I so look forward to. When the occasional glitch occurs, I find myself going nuts. Did not receive this week’s issue and it makes me sad. If you can forward a copy, I’d greatly appreciate it. Thanks, as always.” I forwarded my copy to her.
Mary wrote to share, “Your comment about not ripping the book in half reminded me of a time when my husband and I did just that. I can still remember the book --- Scott Turow's PRESUMED INNOCENT, the first legal thriller we ever read. My husband started it after I did, and we both wanted to read it as it was so riveting. We ripped it in two, but later taped it together and lent it to another reader. Oddly enough, this is one of the last books I remember my husband reading. Like your husband, when we married (in 1964!), he read books, but somewhere along the line, he lost his love of books and only reads magazines and articles online now. Thanks for all the novel suggestions over the years!”
Betty shared this about husbands and books, along with some photos that for space reasons I am not sharing here: "I had to LOL when you wrote about your husband being a reader. My husband wasn't a reader when we met. It took a while for my reading habits to rub off on him, but I think I created a monster. Below are pics of his bookshelf, two of my kitchen cabinets and his nightstand. I couldn't take a photo of the trunk of his car because he's out for the day, but he has three milk crates full of books there too. He visits our local library and shares and donates, but the collection continues to grow. After 47 years together, I've gotten used to this. If he's going to be addicted to something, books and reading are a good thing! I really enjoy the newsletters, contests and reading group guides for my book club. Keep up the good work.”
Sherrie wrote this about my anniversary story: "Thank you for sharing your sweet story and meeting your husband. It does seem as if you are made for each other! My husband, Bob, and I just celebrated our 35th anniversary, although not meeting quite like you and Tom, we instantly had so many shared interests we were destined to be together! Best wishes and happy anniversary.”
Pauline wrote, “Your column continues to be a book review delight every week for me. By all means, please read THE WOMAN UPSTAIRS by Claire Messud. I read it some time ago, and it continues to resonate with me...timely, well written and a bit unusual.”
"Big Little Lies": Who was as sad as I was to see "Big Little Lies" end on HBO last Sunday? The finale was so well done. Two tidbits to keep the conversation rolling: First up an interview with the director. And then an interview with Liane Moriarty with her thoughts on the series. I love her last line.
A Thought About Soap for Those Who Travel a Lot: Here's what happens to some of the soap left behind,
"Prison Break": I liked the opening episode. Made me realize how much I liked the show and its plot. Realistic, no. Fun to watch, yes.
"Homeland": Finale on Sunday and the producers are very tight-lipped about it!
For those without kids in school in the NYC area, next week is a big Spring Break week. I say this since for years my spring revolved around this and then, BOOM, they grow up and you never HAVE to take Spring Break again and you also have NO idea when it is. And you miss it!
Besides The Masters and pimento cheese, there's nothing on the agenda this weekend except the usual reading, knitting and shredding files. Mercury goes retrograde this Sunday the 9th until May 3rd. I am bracing myself for that. The weather this weekend and next week look to be amazing. I am ready for it!
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
New Release Spotlight: THE LOST ORDER by Steve Berry
THE LOST ORDER by Steve Berry (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Scott Brick
The Knights of the Golden Circle was the largest and most dangerous clandestine organization in American history. It amassed billions in stolen gold and silver, all buried in hidden caches across the United States. Since 1865 treasure hunters have searched, but little of that immense wealth has ever been found.
Now, 160 years later, two factions of what remains of the Knights of the Golden Circle want that lost treasure --- one to spend it for their own ends, the other to preserve it.
Thrust into this battle is former Justice Department agent Cotton Malone, whose connection to the knights is far deeper than he ever imagined. At the center is the Smithsonian Institution --- linked to the knights, its treasure and Malone himself through an ancestor, a Confederate spy named Angus “Cotton” Adams, whose story holds the key to everything. Complicating matters are the political ambitions of a reckless Speaker of the House and the bitter widow of a United States Senator, who together are planning radical changes to the country. And while Malone and Cassiopeia Vitt face the past, ex-president Danny Daniels and Stephanie Nelle confront a new and unexpected challenge, a threat that may cost one of them their life.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Steve Berry’s bio.
- Click here to visit Steve Berry’s website.
- Connect with Steve Berry on Facebook and Twitter.
Click here to read more in our New Release Spotlight.
New Sneak Peek Contest: Enter to Win an Advance Copy of SECRETS OF THE TULIP SISTERS by Susan Mallery
and Share Your Comments on It
Our latest Sneak Peek Feature spotlights SECRETS OF THE TULIP SISTERS by Susan Mallery, a charming tale about the problem with secrets, the power of love and the unbreakable bond between sisters. The book doesn’t release until July 11th, but we have 15 advance copies to give away to readers who can commit to previewing it and sharing their comments on it by Wednesday, May 31st. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, April 20th at noon ET.
For our Sneak Peek program, your commitment to participate is critical, so please only enter this contest if you truly will have time to read SECRETS OF THE TULIP SISTERS and give us your feedback by the May 31st deadline.
SECRETS OF THE TULIP SISTERS by Susan Mallery (Fiction)
Kelly Murphy's life as a tulip farmer is pretty routine --- up at dawn, off to work, lather, rinse, repeat. But everything changes one sun-washed summer with two dramatic homecomings: Griffith Burnett --- Tulpen Crossing's prodigal son, who has set his sights on Kelly --- and Olivia, her beautiful, wayward and, as far as Kelly is concerned, unwelcome sister. Tempted by Griffith, annoyed by Olivia, Kelly is overwhelmed by the secrets that were so easy to keep when she was alone.
But Olivia's return isn't as triumphant as she pretends. Her job has no future, and ever since her dad sent her away from the bad boy she loved, she has felt cut off from her past. She's determined to reclaim her man and her place in the family…whether her sister likes it or not. For 10 years, she and Kelly have been strangers. Olivia will get by without her approval now.
While Kelly and Olivia butt heads, their secrets tumble out in a big hot mess, revealing some truths that will change everything they thought they knew. Can they forgive each other --- and themselves --- and redefine what it means to be sisters?
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to visit the book’s website.
- Click here to read Susan Mallery’s bio.
- Visit Susan Mallery’s website, Instagram and Pinterest.
- Connect with Susan Mallery on Facebook and Twitter.
Click here to enter the contest.
Bookreporter.com Bets On: THE WOMEN IN THE CASTLE
by Jessica Shattuck
THE WOMEN IN THE CASTLE by Jessica Shattuck (Historical Fiction)
I have often wondered what life was like in Germany after World War II. We know of the Nazis and those who joined the resistance, but what happened when those descriptive words no longer defined the day-to-day lives of people? In THE WOMEN IN THE CASTLE, Jessica Shattuck tells the stories of three of these women, as they picked up their lives after the war.
The book opens in an ancient castle in Germany where Marianne von Lingenfels, the widow of Albrecht von Lingenfels, is living. He was a resistor who was executed for his role in the plot to assassinate Hitler. When the call to war was building, Marianne pledged that she would look after the women and children of those who were part of the resistance should anything untoward happen to the men.
She takes this role seriously following leads to track down displaced families on her list to take them under her care. Readers are taken on her journey as she searches and finds both Benita Fledermann and her son Martin, and Ania Grabarek and her two sons. As Germany reels from the destruction the war has wrought, the women live together in the castle, rebuilding their lives, united by a common tragedy.
But each of these women harbors secrets of what happened before and during the war, and these secrets have the power to undo the bond between them. Shattuck peels back their stories and gets us well beneath the façade that has been created, and in doing so gives readers a solid view of the complexities that came when the war ended. While the fighting stopped, there were deep scars inflicted on even those who never picked up a weapon in battle. Decisions made in the moment had far-reaching consequences, as did old loyalties.
While these women shared something in common, they experienced the war in very different ways. THE WOMEN IN THE CASTLE is a page-turning read as the characters and settings are so well drawn and descriptive. Once I finished reading it, I longed to discuss it with others. It would be a brilliant book for a book group discussion.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
Click here for more books we're betting you'll love.
Featured Review: EARTHLY REMAINS by Donna Leon
EARTHLY REMAINS: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery by Donna Leon (Mystery)
Audiobook available, narrated by David Colacci
During an interrogation of an entitled, arrogant man suspected of giving drugs to a young girl who then died, Commissario Guido Brunetti acts rashly, doing something he will quickly come to regret. In the fallout, he realizes that he needs to get away from the stifling problems of his work. When Brunetti is granted leave from the Questura, his wife, Paola, suggests he stay at the villa of a relative on Sant’Erasmo. The recuperative stay goes according to plan until Davide Casati, the caretaker of the house on Sant’Erasmo, goes missing following a sudden storm. Now, Brunetti feels compelled to investigate and understand what happened to the man who had become his friend. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: NO ONE IS COMING TO SAVE US
by Stephanie Powell Watts
NO ONE IS COMING TO SAVE US by Stephanie Powell Watts (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Janina Edwards
JJ Ferguson has returned home to Pinewood, North Carolina, to build his dream house and to pursue his high school sweetheart, Ava. But as he reenters his former world, where factories are in decline and the legacy of Jim Crow is still felt, he’s startled to find that the people he once knew and loved have changed just as much as he has. JJ’s return --- and his plans to build a huge mansion overlooking Pinewood and woo Ava --- not only unsettles their family, but stirs up the entire town. The ostentatious wealth that JJ has attained forces everyone to consider the cards they’ve been dealt, what more they want and deserve, and how they might go about getting it. Reviewed by Bianca Ambrosio.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
An Interview with Jean Hanff Korelitz,
Author of THE DEVIL AND WEBSTER
A Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
Jean Hanff Korelitz is the bestselling author of such novels as YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN and ADMISSION, and is the creator of BOOKTHEWRITER, a New York City-based service that sends authors to book groups. Her highly anticipated new work of fiction, THE DEVIL AND WEBSTER, is about a college president who must reevaluate her values and identity, a tangled student protest, and some of the most controversial issues on today’s college campuses. In this interview, Korelitz discusses her inspirations and what she hopes readers will take away from the book, as well as how notions of voice, gender and truth play a role in her storytelling.
THE DEVIL AND WEBSTER by Jean Hanff Korelitz (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Kate Burton
Students at Webster College begin the fall semester with an outdoor encampment around "The Stump" --- a traditional campus gathering place for generations of student activists --- to protest a popular professor's denial of tenure. A former student radical herself, Naomi Roth, the college’s first female president, admires the protestors' passion, especially when her own daughter, Hannah, joins their ranks. Then Omar Khayal, a charismatic Palestinian student with a devastating personal history, emerges as the group's leader, and the demonstration begins to consume Naomi's life. As the crisis slips beyond her control, Naomi must take increasingly desperate measures to protect her friends, colleagues and family from an unknowable adversary. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here for Carol’s Bookreporter.com Bets On commentary.
Click here to read the interview.
April’s New in Paperback Roundups
April’s roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE, Anthony Doerr's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II; THE NIGHTINGALE by Kristin Hannah, which tells the stories of two sisters --- separated by years and experience, by ideals, passion and circumstance --- each embarking on her own dangerous path toward survival, love and freedom in German-occupied, war-torn France; Ruth Ware's THE WOMAN IN CABIN 10, a haunting novel about a journalist on a luxury cruise who witnesses a woman being thrown overboard --- but all passengers remain accounted for; and THE NEST, Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney's debut novel about four adult siblings and the fate of the shared inheritance that has shaped their choices and their lives.
Among this month’s nonfiction offerings are Jeffrey Toobin's AMERICAN HEIRESS, the definitive account of the kidnapping and trial that defined an insane era in American history; BUT WHAT IF WE'RE WRONG?, in which cultural critic Chuck Klosterman explores the possibility that our currently held beliefs and assumptions about the world will eventually be proven wrong; THE SOUND OF GRAVEL, the remarkable memoir of Ruth Wariner's coming-of-age in a polygamist family; KICK KENNEDY, an unforgettable portrait of the Kennedy family's favorite daughter from Barbara Leaming, who has written a mesmerizing story of love, loss and war; and Howard Blum's THE LAST GOODNIGHT, a riveting biography of Betty Pack, the dazzling American debutante who became an Allied spy during World War II and was hailed by OSS chief General “Wild Bill" Donovan as “the greatest unsung heroine of the war.”
Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of
April 3rd, April 10th, April 17th and April 24th.
April’s Books on Screen Feature
Bookreporter.com's Sixth Annual
Spring Preview Contests and Feature
Spring is in the air! We’ve 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, April 10th at noon ET.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
PRINCE CHARLES: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life by Sally Bedell Smith (Biography)
Audiobook available, read by Rosalyn Landor
Sally Bedell Smith returns once again to the British royal family to give us a new look at Prince Charles, the oldest heir to the throne in more than 300 years. This biography --- the product of four years of research and hundreds of interviews with palace officials, former girlfriends, spiritual gurus and more, some speaking on the record for the first time --- is the first authoritative treatment of Charles’ life that sheds light on the death of Diana, his marriage to Camilla, and his preparations to take the throne one day. PRINCE CHARLES brings to life the real man, with all of his ambitions, insecurities and convictions. Reviewed by Carole Turner.
NEW YORK 2140 by Kim Stanley Robinson (Science Fiction)
Audiobook available; read by Jay Snyder, Robin Miles, Peter Ganim, Suzanne Toren, Ryan Vincent Anderson, Christopher Ryan Grant, Caitlin Kelly, Michael Crouch and Robert Blumenfeld
As the sea levels rose, every street became a canal and every skyscraper an island. For the residents of one apartment building in Madison Square, however, New York in the year 2140 is far from a drowned city. There is the market trader, the detective, the beloved internet star 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. Lastly there are the coders, temporary residents on the roof, whose disappearance triggers a sequence of events that threatens the existence of all --- and even the long-hidden foundations on which the city rests. Reviewed by Pauline Finch.
THE FORBIDDEN GARDEN by Ellen Herrick (Fiction)
Audiobook available, performed by Fiona Hardingham
At the nursery she runs with her sisters on the New England coast, Sorrel Sparrow has honed her rare gift for nurturing plants and flowers. Now that reputation, and a stroke of good timing, lands Sorrel an unexpected opportunity: reviving a long-dormant Shakespearean garden on an English country estate. Arriving at Kirkwood Hall, ancestral home of Sir Graham Kirkwood and his wife, Stella, Sorrel is shocked by the desolate state of the walled garden. Intrigued by the house’s history and increasingly drawn to Stella’s enigmatic brother, Sorrel sets to work. And though she knows her true home is across the sea with her sisters, instinct tells her that the English garden’s destiny is entwined with her own, if only she can unravel its secrets. Reviewed by Jane Krebs.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
RAGDOLL by Daniel Cole (Thriller)
Audiobook available, performed by Alex Wyndham
William Fawkes, a controversial detective known as The Wolf, has just been reinstated to his post after he was suspended for assaulting a vindicated suspect. Still under psychological evaluation, Fawkes returns to the force eager for a big case. When his former partner and friend, Detective Emily Baxter, calls him to a crime scene, he’s sure this is it: the body is made of the dismembered parts of six victims, sewn together like a puppet --- a corpse that becomes known as “The Ragdoll.” Fawkes is tasked with identifying the six victims, but that gets dicey when his reporter ex-wife anonymously receives photographs from the crime scene, along with a list of six names, and the dates on which the Ragdoll Killer plans to murder them. The final name on the list is Fawkes. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub and L. Dean Murphy.
CITY OF LIGHT, CITY OF POISON: Murder, Magic, and the First Police Chief of Paris by Holly Tucker (True Crime/History)
Audiobook available, read by Kate Reading
Appointed to conquer the “crime capital of the world,” the first police chief of Paris faces an epidemic of murder in the late 1600s. Assigned by Louis XIV, Nicolas de La Reynie begins by clearing the streets of filth and installing lanterns throughout Paris, turning it into the City of Light. The fearless La Reynie pursues criminals through the labyrinthine neighborhoods of the city. He unearths a tightly knit cabal of poisoners, witches and renegade priests. As La Reynie continues his investigations, he is haunted by a single question: Could Louis’ mistresses be involved in such nefarious plots? The pragmatic and principled La Reynie must decide just how far he will go to protect his king. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
THE DROWNING KING: A Fall of Egypt Novel by Emily Holleman (Historical Fiction)
It's the dawn of a new era for Egypt as Cleopatra and her brother, Ptolemy, are welcomed to the throne after their father's death. Long overlooked by his father in favor of the beguiling Cleopatra, Ptolemy is determined to prove his ability as both man and king --- but, at 11, he is no match for his elder sister, who's quick to assert her primacy throughout the land. Their sister Arsinoe is torn between her siblings in one of history's greatest power struggles. When Cleopatra is forced to flee a rebel uprising, Arsinoe decides she has no choice but to follow her sister into exile. Yet while Cleopatra gathers an army to retake the crown, Arsinoe begins to doubt whether her sister is the champion Egypt needs. Reviewed by Carly Silver.
A SIMPLE FAVOR by Darcey Bell (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available; performed by Andi Arndt, Xe Sands and Matthew Waterson
When Emily asks Stephanie to pick up her son, Nicky, after school, she happily says yes. Nicky and Stephanie’s son, Miles, are classmates and best friends, and the five-year-olds love being together --- just like she and Emily. But Emily doesn’t come back. She doesn’t answer calls or return texts. Stephanie knows something is terribly wrong; Emily would never leave Nicky. Terrified, she reaches out to Emily’s husband, Sean, offering emotional support. Then, she and Sean receive shocking news. Emily is dead. The nightmare of her disappearance is over. Or is it? Because soon, Stephanie will begin to see that nothing --- not friendship, love, or even an ordinary favor --- is as simple as it seems. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
TELL ME HOW THIS ENDS WELL by David Samuel Levinson (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Michael Goldstrom
In 2022, American Jews face an increasingly unsafe and anti-Semitic landscape at home. Against this backdrop, the Jacobson family gathers for Passover in Los Angeles. But their immediate problems are more personal than political, with the three adult children in various states of crisis, the result, each claims, of a lifetime of mistreatment by their father, Julian. The siblings have begun to suspect that Julian is hastening their mother Roz's demise, and years of resentment boil over as they debate whether to go through with the real reason for their reunion: an ill-considered plot to end their father’s iron rule for good. That is, if they can put their bickering, grudges, festering relationships and distrust of one another aside long enough to act. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
FOXLOWE by Eleanor Wasserberg (Gothic Suspense)
Audiobook available, read by Charlie Sanderson
Foxlowe is a crumbling old house in the moors --- a wild, secluded and magical place. For Green, it is not just home, but everything she knows. Outside, people live in little square houses, with unhappy families and tedious jobs. At Foxlowe, Green runs free through the hallways and orchards, in the fields and among the Standing Stones. Outside, people are corrupted by money. At Foxlowe, the Family shares everything. Outside, the Bad is everywhere. At Foxlowe, everyone in the Family is safe --- as long as they follow Freya’s rules and perform her rituals. But as Green’s little sister, Blue, grows up, she shows more and more interest in the Outside. Before long she starts to talk about becoming a Leaver. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
GUMSHOE FOR TWO by Rob Leininger (Mystery)
Ex-IRS agent turned gumshoe-in-training Mortimer Angel is approached by a beautiful hooker, Holiday, in a casino bar in Reno. Mort first met Holiday two months ago, but now learns that she’s not really a hooker. She’s a college engineering student, searching for her younger sister, Allie, who disappeared three months ago. While in the bar with Mort, Holiday gets an unexpected phone call from Allie, who says she’s in Gerlach, a small town in Nevada. The phone call is cut off. Holiday hires Mort on the spot, dragging him off to Gerlach. When Mort finds a connection between Allie and US Senator Harry Reinhart, a presidential candidate who vanished without a trace three days ago, things quickly turn deadly --- very deadly. Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on April 10th and 11th
Below are some notable titles releasing on April 10th and 11th 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 April 10th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
April 10th
TWO FROM THE HEART by James Patterson with Frank Costantini, Emily Raymond and Brian Sitts (Fiction)
From the #1 bestselling author of SUZANNE’S DIARY FOR NICHOLAS and SUNDAYS AT TIFFANY’S comes two heartwarming tales about the power of a good story to open our eyes to life's possibilities.
April 11th
THE BURIAL HOUR: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel by Jeffery Deaver (Thriller)
Forensic detective Lincoln Rhyme is back with his most harrowing case yet in this newest installment of Jeffrey Deaver's New York Times bestselling series.
THE HORSE DANCER by Jojo Moyes (Fiction)
THE HORSE DANCER is a quintessential Jojo Moyes novel about a lost girl and her horse, the enduring strength of friendship, and how even the smallest choices can change everything.
LETTERMAN: The Last Giant of Late Night by Jason Zinoman (Biography/Entertainment)
New York Times comedy critic Jason Zinoman delivers the definitive story of the life and artistic legacy of “the last giant of late night,” David Letterman.
LONG BLACK VEIL by Jennifer Finney Boylan (Thriller)
For fans of Donna Tartt and Megan Abbott comes a novel about a woman whose family and identity are threatened by the secrets of her past.
MUSIC OF THE GHOSTS by Vaddey Ratner (Fiction)
A love story for things lost and things restored, a lyrical hymn to the power of forgiveness, MUSIC OF THE GHOSTS is an unforgettable journey through the embattled geography of the heart and its hidden chambers where love can be reborn.
MY CUBS: A Love Story by Scott Simon (Sports/Memoir)
MY CUBS is NPR's Scott Simon's personal, heartfelt reflections on his beloved Chicago Cubs, replete with club lore, memorable anecdotes, frenetic fandom, and wise and adoring intimacy that have made the world champion Cubbies baseball's most tortured --- and now triumphant --- franchise.
ONE PERFECT LIE by Lisa Scottoline (Thriller)
Enthralling and suspenseful, ONE PERFECT LIE is an emotional thriller and a suburban crime story that will have readers riveted up to the shocking end, with killer twists and characters you won’t soon forget.
THE PERFECT STRANGER by Megan Miranda (Psychological Thriller)
In Megan Miranda’s follow-up to the New York Times bestseller ALL THE MISSING GIRLS, a journalist sets out to find a missing friend --- a friend who may never have existed at all.
THE ROAD TO JONESTOWN: Jim Jones and Peoples Temple by Jeff Guinn (True Crime)
Jeff Guinn, the bestselling author of MANSON, has written the comprehensive, authoritative and tragic story of preacher Jim Jones, who was responsible for the Jonestown Massacre --- the largest murder-suicide in American history.
SONG OF THE LION: A Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito Novel by Anne Hillerman (Mystery)
A deadly bombing takes Navajo Tribal cops Bernadette Manuelito, Jim Chee and their mentor, the legendary Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn, back into the past to find a vengeful killer in this riveting Southwestern mystery.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
Our Latest Poll: April Fiction Releases to Anticipate
Which fiction titles releasing in April are you planning to read? Please check all that apply.
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ALL BY MYSELF, ALONE by Mary Higgins Clark
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ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE by Elizabeth Strout
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BEARTOWN by Fredrik Backman
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THE BURIAL HOUR: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel, by Jeffery Deaver
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EARTHLY REMAINS: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery, by Donna Leon
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FALLOUT: A V.I. Warshawski Novel, by Sara Paretsky
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FAST AND LOOSE: A Stone Barrington Novel, by Stuart Woods
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THE FIX by David Baldacci
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GOLDEN PREY by John Sandford
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THE HORSE DANCER by Jojo Moyes
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I FOUND YOU by Lisa Jewell
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THE LOST ORDER by Steve Berry
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MY ITALIAN BULLDOZER by Alexander McCall Smith
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NO EASY TARGET by Iris Johansen
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ONE PERFECT LIE by Lisa Scottoline
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THE PERFECT STRANGER by Megan Miranda
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THE RED HUNTER by Lisa Unger
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THE STARS ARE FIRE by Anita Shreve
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TWO FROM THE HEART by James Patterson and Frank Costantini
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WALKAWAY by Cory Doctorow
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None of the above
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 31st to April 14th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of ALL BY MYSELF, ALONE by Mary Higgins Clark and THE PERFECT STRANGER by Megan Miranda.
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 April 3rd to May 1st at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Steve Berry's THE LOST ORDER, read by Scott Brick, and Lisa Scottoline's ONE PERFECT LIE, read by George Newbern.
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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