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Miles and Miles of Books, Oh My!
While the weather was not the stellar start of summer that I may have wanted last weekend, it was perfect for planting flowers (all 20 containers), weeding and getting the work of getting ready for summer done. I wintered over pots and pots of plants in the house, which meant less nursery shopping. I bought eucalyptus and rhubarb, both of which I have not grown before. (I think there will be enough rhubarb for a pie in 2018...and yes, I have noted that the leaves are poisonous!) The peonies popped and looked stellar, and I cut many for bouquets around the house. The petals are shedding less quickly, perhaps because the weather has been so cool.
No swimming yet, but I stayed in a summer frame of mine with Nelson DeMille’s THE CUBAN AFFAIR, which I have been enjoying both for his snappy repartee and the vivid writing about Cuba; there’s a lot of history and Hemingway wrapped up down there. Reading it calls for a mojito; I love it when a book calls up a smart cocktail. Nelson’s new character, Mac, went to the John Corey school of humor, thus the way he looks at life, and women, is classic Nelson. Looking forward to having the time to finish it!
By the time you receive this, the staff of Bookreporter.com and I will have spent three days at BookExpo, the annual trade show convention. We each will have logged miles of walking in the Javits Center, which is a convention center that I truly loathe. There is something about the place that is just uninspiring architecturally, and it is poorly designed for crowds and traffic. That said, the books and authors that were “in the house” all week livened up the place and made us ever more excited about the world of reading.
I have been giving a lot of thought to reading these last few weeks. There was a terrific piece this week in Publishers Weekly by a trend writer, who is forecasting that publishing has a bright future. I do agree. Also, I am forecasting people pulling back from the endless drama of social media, which has become so exhausting. There is nothing more relaxing than escaping with a great book, and that is what we hope you do when you finish this newsletter.
At BookExpo, I loved introducing the six Buzz authors to the publishing community as I interviewed them on Thursday morning. You can see a picture of their books above, and clicking on that art will take you to a blog from me with commentary on each of the six selected books. In the photo above, you can see me with the six authors. From left to right are Ayobami Adebayo (STAY WITH ME), Chloe Benjamin (THE IMMORTALISTS), Brendan Mathews (THE WORLD OF TOMORROW), A. J. Finn (THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW), Liz Nugent (UNRAVELING OLIVER), and (standing next to me) Gabriel Tallent (MY ABSOLUTE DARLING).
As we are pressed for time this week (we all literally were just in the office on Tuesday!), expect to hear much more about the show in next week’s newsletter, along with more photos!
Now to this week’s update...
Our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight of Nora Roberts and her new novel, COME SUNDOWN, which is now in stores, kicks off this week. The Bodine ranch and resort in western Montana is a family business that is kept running by Bodine Longbow with the help of a large staff, including new hire Callen Skinner. There was another member of the family once: Bodine’s aunt, Alice, who ran off before Bodine was born. She never returned, and the Longbows don’t talk about her much. The younger ones, who never met her, quietly presume she’s dead. So when Alice suddenly reappears, the Longbows are shocked. The twisted story she has to tell about the past --- and the threat that follows in her wake --- will test the bonds of this strong family, and thrust Bodine into a darkness she never could have imagined.
Jennifer McCord has our review and has this to say: “[T]he ruggedness of Western Montana provides an intriguing and captivating backdrop for this story about family and its ties to the land…. Nora Roberts writes about families: their tragedies, strengths and resilience. Readers are welcomed into their stories of love, trust and caring, just as if you were part of the family that Roberts is writing about. This sense of belonging is why so many of her fans (including this reviewer) look forward to her books.” Reading COME SUNDOWN, Nora made me want to visit Montana. Also, as I have said before, this is a bestselling author who does NOT rest on her laurels. Her writing (she loves to write and does it for two hours every day) gets better and better!
Our second Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight title is THE LIGHT IN SUMMER, Mary McNear’s latest Butternut Lake novel. At a time when her teenage son has gone from precious to precocious almost overnight, and her friends are wrapped up in their own lives, Billy Harper savors the time she spends with a good book in hand, especially the ones with perfect endings. But Billy is about to learn that anything is possible when you spend your summer days in Butternut Lake. Coming to terms with her past will force Billy to have a little bit of faith in herself and others --- and realize that happiness doesn’t always mean perfection. We have 25 copies of THE LIGHT IN SUMMER to give away to readers who would like to read the book, which releases on June 20th, and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, June 15th at noon ET.
A shocking discovery and chilling secrets converge in Heather Gudenkauf’s new thriller, NOT A SOUND. A tragic accident cost Amelia Winn her hearing, which sent her into a deep depression that caused her to lose her job, her husband and her stepdaughter. Two years later, she is finally getting her life back on track, thanks in large part to her hearing dog, Stitch. But when she discovers the body of a fellow nurse near her cabin, she becomes embroiled in a baffling mystery that could destroy everything she worked so hard to fix. How much is she willing to risk in order to uncover the truth and bring a killer to justice?
Reviewer Bronwyn Miller calls the book “a compelling, page-turner of a thriller” and goes on to say, “Heather Gudenkauf surprises her readers with each turn, and with each new possible scenario. But in addition to being transfixed by the action, you also really care about the characters.” NOT A SOUND will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On title; you can read my commentary in next week’s newsletter.
Back in January, I told you about Douglas Brunt’s novel, TROPHY SON, which looks at the tennis world through the eyes of a prodigy who is coached by his tennis-obsessed father. The book released this week, coinciding perfectly with the start of the French Open, the sport’s second Grand Slam of the year. (Tom Donadio, our Editorial Director, is our resident tennis fan; I wonder how early he got up this week to watch the action.) Anton Stratis is groomed by his dad to be the #1 tennis player in the world, at the expense of his education and social life. Anton does indeed become one of the top-ranked players in the world, but as he struggles to achieve that elusive balance between stardom and family, he begins to make certain compromises that will threaten to destroy everything he has worked for.
Austin Manchester has our review and says, “Tennis fans who want to explore the demands of the sport --- not just the physical demands, but the mental, emotional and social ones as well --- will find much to love in TROPHY SON.” This, too, will be a Bets On pick; find out next week why I’m betting you’ll love it.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include SAINTS FOR ALL OCCASIONS, J. Courtney Sullivan’s novel about the hope, sacrifice and love between two sisters and the secret that drives them apart; Jeff Shaara’s THE FROZEN HOURS, which tells the dramatic story of the Americans and the Chinese who squared off in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, a decisive battle in the Korean War; and DEMOCRACY, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s sweeping look at the global struggle for democracy and why America must continue to support the cause of human freedom.
We’ve updated our Books on Screen feature this month. June’s theatrical releases include Captain Underpants and Wonder Woman. On the small screen, we have the series premiere of “The Mist” on Spike TV (based on the novella by Stephen King); the season two premiere of “Queen Sugar” on OWN; the finale to the miniseries “The White Princess”; and the season finales of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “American Gods” and “The Son.” People are telling me I HAVE to check out “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
In this week’s Summer Reading contests, we gave away SECRETS OF THE TULIP SISTERS by Susan Mallery, along with the aforementioned COME SUNDOWN and TROPHY SON. Next week’s prizes will be ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE by Anthony Doer (a Bets On title that is now available in paperback), DAUGHTERS OF THE BRIDE by Susan Mallery (another paperback reprint), EDGE OF TRUTH by Brynn Kelly, and LOVE STORY: The Baxter Family, Book 1 by Karen Kingsbury. The first contest of the week will go live on Monday, June 5th at noon ET.
Please remember to enter our Father’s Day contest, where five readers each will win all 12 of our featured titles. The deadline for your entries is Monday, June 19th at noon ET. One of the prize books is BEFORE THE FALL by Noah Hawley, which will be available in paperback on Tuesday and was a Bets On selection when it released in hardcover last year.
We have a new Sounding Off on Audio contest to tell you about. This month’s prize books are the audio versions of Fiona Barton’s THE CHILD (a future Bets On pick), read by Mandy Williams and Rosalyn Landor with a full cast, and THE SUNSHINE SISTERS written and read by Jane Green. Let us know by Wednesday, July 5th at noon ET what audiobooks you’ve listened to, and you’ll be in the running to win both audio titles.
We continue to offer the hardcover edition of the aforementioned THE SUNSHINE SISTERS, along with MAGPIE MURDERS by Anthony Horowitz, as the prizes in our Word of Mouth contest. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read by Friday, June 9th at noon ET for your chance to win both these highly anticipated titles.
When you go on vacation, what do you do when it comes to books? Do you bring them with you, purchase them along the way, or do you not read books on vacation? That’s the subject of our latest poll question; click here to cast your vote.
We were saddened to hear about the loss of author Denis Johnson, who passed away from liver cancer last week at the age of 67. Johnson was best known for his short story collection JESUS’ SON and his novel TREE OF SMOKE, which won the National Book Award for Fiction.
News & Pop Culture:
Reader Mail:
Susan wrote, “I was a lucky winner of the Mother's Day contest. Thank you. What a great selection of books. It arrived two days before my book group meeting. What fun we had sharing our windfall. We don't meet during summer, so everyone took several books to read and report on in the fall. Thanks again.” I love Susan’s sharing spirit and hope her book group finds something to read.
Cindy wrote, “I was one of the winners in the Mother's Day giveaway. I received my box of books today plus bonus candy! I'm so happy and excited! A big thank you to all those at Bookreporter, and a special thank you to all the authors and publishers who contributed to my Christmas in May. I will be reading and reviewing all these wonderful books and will pass on to my friends for review. Thank you so much!” I love that she, too, enjoys sharing. Oh, and the candy was sea salt caramel, which is one of my weaknesses. The others are spearmint leaves and dark chocolate M&Ms.
"The Keepers": Watched this on Netflix; completely addicting. Had read about it, and Reeves, one of our readers, gave it a rave. She said, “You might have heard of 'The Keepers,' which just came out last Friday. It concerns two former grads of a girl's Catholic high school who have been investigating the unsolved 1969 murder of a beloved nun who was their English teacher. Like an onion, many layers of sex abuse and other instances of obstruction of justice by the Baltimore Archdiocese turn up. It is truly a horror what went on. It makes the movie Spotlight look like a Disney film." I binged on this all last weekend.
Delia Ephron: She wrote this terrific piece for the New York Times about re-finding love and how her sister, Nora, introduced her to him; it sounds like a Nora Ephron story/movie.
Gregg Allman: Sad to read that he passed away. His song “Queen of Hearts” was my favorite, as well as his. Glad I got to meet him after his memoir, MY CROSS TO BEAR, was published. Here, his longtime manager recalls his final days and their career together.
Frank DeFord: Sad to hear that he, too, passed away this week. Back in 1983 I read a book about a young girl with cystic fibrosis called ALEX: The Life of a Child. DeFord wrote it about his young daughter. Many love his sports writing, but for me, I always will remember the beautiful way he wrote about the life of Alex and his love for her.
"House of Cards": Ready to watch this weekend. Frank and Claire...let’s see what they are up to now! I did not start watching when it came online on Tuesday because I knew I would get nothing done for the rest of the week.
The weekend will be about relaxing, finishing up planting some flowers, and SLEEP. Tom has a golf tournament and will hear no protests from me. I am sure I will still be sleeping when he gets back to the house!
More to come about BookExpo next Friday. 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!
New Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight:
COME SUNDOWN by Nora Roberts
COME SUNDOWN by Nora Roberts (Romantic Suspense)
Audiobook available, read by Elisabeth Rodgers
The Bodine ranch and resort in western Montana is a family business, an idyllic spot for vacationers. A little over 30,000 acres and home to four generations, it’s kept running by Bodine Longbow with the help of a large staff, including new hire Callen Skinner. There was another member of the family once: Bodine’s aunt, Alice, who ran off before Bodine was born. She never returned, and the Longbows don’t talk about her much. The younger ones, who never met her, quietly presume she’s dead. But she isn’t. She is not far away, part of a new family, one she never chose --- and her mind has been shattered.
When a bartender leaves the resort late one night, and Bo and Cal discover her battered body in the snow, it’s the first sign that danger lurks in the mountains that surround them. The police suspect Cal, but Bo finds herself trusting him --- and turning to him as another woman is murdered and the Longbows are stunned by Alice’s sudden reappearance. The twisted story she has to tell about the past --- and the threat that follows in her wake --- will test the bonds of this strong family, and thrust Bodine into a darkness she never could have imagined.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Nora Roberts’ bio.
- Visit Nora Roberts’ website and blog.
- Click here to connect with Nora Roberts on Facebook.
Click here to read more in our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight.
New Women's Fiction Author Spotlight & Contest:
THE LIGHT IN SUMMER by Mary McNear
We have 25 copies of THE LIGHT IN SUMMER: A Butternut Lake Novel by Mary McNear --- a heartwarming story about a woman coming to terms with her past as she learns to have faith in herself and that happiness doesn’t always mean perfection --- to give away to readers who would like to read the book, which releases on June 20th, and share their comments on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, June 15th at noon ET.
THE LIGHT IN SUMMER: A Butternut Lake Novel by Mary McNear (Fiction)
It’s summertime on Butternut Lake, where the heat of noon is soothed by the cool breezes of the evening, where the pace grows slower, and sometimes, just sometimes, the summer light makes everything clearer...
For the lovely Billy Harper, Butternut Lake is the place she feels most at home, even though lately she feels the only one listening to her is Murphy, her faithful Labrador Retriever. Her teenage son, Luke, has gone from precious to precocious practically overnight. Her friends are wrapped up in their own lives, and Luke’s father, Wesley, disappeared before his son was even born. No wonder she prefers to spend time with a good book, especially ones where everything ends in perfection.
But Billy is about to learn that anything is possible during the heady days of summer. Coming to terms with her past --- the death of her father, the arrival of Cal Cooper, a complicated man with a definite interest in Billy, even the return of Wesley ---will force her to have a little bit of faith in herself and others...and realize that happiness doesn’t always mean perfection.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Mary McNear's bio.
- Connect with Mary McNear on Facebook and Twitter.
Click here to read more in our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight
and enter the contest.
Featured Review: SAINTS FOR ALL OCCASIONS
by J. Courtney Sullivan
SAINTS FOR ALL OCCASIONS by J. Courtney Sullivan (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Susan Denaker
Nora and Theresa Flynn are 21 and 17 when they leave their small village in Ireland and journey to America. But when Theresa ends up pregnant, Nora is forced to come up with a plan --- a decision with repercussions they are both far too young to understand. Fifty years later, Nora is the matriarch of a big Catholic family with four grown children. Estranged from her sister, Theresa is a cloistered nun, living in an abbey in rural Vermont. Until, after decades of silence, a sudden death forces Nora and Theresa to confront the choices they made so long ago. Reviewed by Lorraine W. Shanley.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: THE FROZEN HOURS by Jeff Shaara
THE FROZEN HOURS: A Novel of the Korean War by Jeff Shaara (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Paul Michael
The North Korean army invades South Korea in June 1950, intent on uniting the country under Communist rule. In response, the United States mobilizes a force to defend the overmatched South Korean troops, and together they drive the North Koreans back to their border with China. But several hundred thousand Chinese troops have entered Korea, laying massive traps for the Allies. In November 1950, the Chinese spring those traps. Allied forces, already battling stunningly cold weather, find themselves caught completely off guard as the Chinese advance around the Chosin Reservoir in North Korea. A force that once stood on the precipice of victory now finds itself on the brink of annihilation. Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: NOT A SOUND by Heather Gudenkauf
A Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
NOT A SOUND by Heather Gudenkauf (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, performed by Julia Whalen
When a tragic accident leaves nurse Amelia Winn deaf, she spirals into a depression that ultimately causes her to lose everything that matters. Now, two years later and with the help of her hearing dog, she is finally getting back on her feet. But when she discovers the body of a fellow nurse in the dense bush by the river, deep in the woods near her cabin, she is plunged into a disturbing mystery that could shatter the carefully reconstructed pieces of her life all over again. As clues begin to surface, Amelia finds herself swept into an investigation that hits all too close to home. But how much is she willing to risk in order to uncover the truth and bring a killer to justice? Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.
NOT A SOUND will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. You can read Carol's commentary in next week's newsletter.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: TROPHY SON by Douglas Brunt
A Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
TROPHY SON by Douglas Brunt (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Dan Bittner
Anton Stratis is groomed to be one thing only: the #1 tennis player in the world. Trained relentlessly by his obsessive father, a former athlete who plans every minute of his son’s life, Anton both aspires to greatness and resents its all-consuming demands. Lonely and isolated, Anton explodes from nowhere onto the professional scene and soon becomes one of the top-ranked players in the world. But as Anton struggles to find a balance between stardom and family, he begins to make compromises --- first with himself, then with his health, and finally with the rules of tennis, a mix that will threaten to destroy everything he has worked for. Reviewed by Austin Manchester.
TROPHY SON will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. You can read Carol’s commentary in next week’s newsletter.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read the review.
Bookreporter.com's 12th Annual
Father's Day Contest: Best Books for Dad
Father’s Day is a time to celebrate the men in our lives who have raised and loved us. Why not show him your appreciation by inspiring him with a great book? In our 12th annual "Best Books for Dad" contest, we have a selection of books that are perfect gift-giving suggestions for Dad, keeping him busy through the rest of the year. Five readers will be awarded a copy of each of our featured titles. To enter, please fill out this form by Monday, June 19th at noon ET.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to enter the contest.
Bookreporter.com's Summer Reading
Contests and Feature
Summer will be here before you know it! At Bookreporter.com, this means it's time for us to share some great summer book picks with our Summer Reading Contests and Feature. We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through August 24th, so you will have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here.
Our next prize book will be announced on Monday, June 5th at noon ET.
This year's featured titles include:
Click here to read all the contest details
and see the prize books being awarded in May, June, July and August.
June’s Books on Screen Feature
DEMOCRACY: Stories from the Long Road to Freedom by Condoleezza Rice (Political Science)
Audiobook available, read by Condoleezza Rice with Grace Angela Henry
From the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union to the ongoing struggle for human rights in the Middle East, Condoleezza Rice has served on the front lines of history. As a child, she was an eyewitness to a third awakening of freedom, when her hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, became the epicenter of the civil rights movement for black Americans. In this book, Rice explains what these epochal events teach us about democracy. At a time when people around the world are wondering whether democracy is in decline, Rice shares insights from her experiences as a policymaker, scholar and citizen, in order to put democracy's challenges into perspective. Reviewed by Roz Shea.
EXIT STRATEGY: A Nick Mason Novel by Steve Hamilton (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Ray Porter
Nick Mason has been given a true mission impossible: infiltrate WITSEC, the top-secret federal witness-protection program that has never been compromised, locate the three men who put his boss Darius Cole behind bars for life, and kill them. But first he has to find them --- they’re ghost prisoners locked down around the clock in classified “deep black” locations by a battalion of heavily armed U.S. marshals charged with protecting them --- and the clock is ticking. As he risks everything to complete his mission, Mason finds himself being hunted by the very man he replaced, the ruthless assassin who once served, then betrayed, Darius Cole. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
SHADOW MAN by Alan Drew (Psychological Suspense)
Audiobook available, read by Will Damron
Detective Ben Wade has returned to his hometown of Rancho Santa Elena in search of a quieter life and to try to save his marriage. Suddenly the community, with its peaceful streets and excellent public schools, finds itself at the mercy of a serial killer who slips through windows and screen doors at night. As Ben and forensic specialist Natasha Betencourt struggle to stay one step ahead of the killer --- and deal with painful episodes in the past --- Ben’s own world is rocked again by violence. He must decide how far he is willing to go, and Natasha how much she is willing to risk, to protect their friendship and themselves to rescue the town from a psychotic murderer and a long-buried secret. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
TOUCH by Courtney Maum (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Kristen Sieh
Sloane Jacobsen is one of the world's most powerful trend forecasters. Her recent forecasts on the family are unwavering: the world is over-populated, and having children is an extravagant indulgence. So it’s no surprise when the tech giant Mammoth hires Sloane to lead their groundbreaking annual conference, celebrating the voluntarily childless. But not far into her contract, Sloane begins to sense the undeniable signs of a movement against electronics that will see people embracing compassion, empathy and “in-personism” again. Despite the risks to her professional reputation, Sloane is nevertheless convinced that her instincts are the right ones, and goes on a quest to defend real-life human interaction. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
THE ONLY CHILD by Andrew Pyper (Gothic Horror/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Christina Delaine
Dr. Lily Dominick has evaluated the mental states of some of the country’s most dangerous psychotics. But the strangely compelling client she interviewed today struck her as somehow different from the others, despite the two impossible claims he made. First, that he is more than 200 years old and personally inspired Mary Shelley, Robert Louis Stevenson and Bram Stoker in creating the three novels of the 19th century that define the monstrous in the modern imagination. Second, that he’s Lily’s father. To discover the truth --- behind her client, her mother’s death and herself --- Dr. Dominick must embark on a journey that will threaten her career, her sanity and ultimately her life. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
CHANGE AGENT by Daniel Suarez (Science Fiction/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Jeff Gurner
In 2045, Kenneth Durand leads Interpol’s most effective team against genetic crime, hunting down black market labs that perform "vanity edits" on human embryos for a price. These illegal procedures augment embryos in ways that are rapidly accelerating human evolution. Durand and his fellow Interpol agents discover that one figure looms behind it all: Marcus Demang Wyckes, leader of a powerful and sophisticated cartel known as the Huli jing. After being forcibly dosed with a radical new change agent, Durand wakes from a coma weeks later to find he’s been genetically transformed into someone else --- Wyckes. Now a fugitive, Durand is determined to restore his original DNA by locating the source of the mysterious change agent. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
ENEMY OF THE GOOD by Matthew Palmer (Thriller)
Katarina “Kate” Hollister is a second-generation Foreign Service officer, recently assigned to Kyrgyzstan. U.S. authorities have been negotiating with the Kyrgyz president on the lease of a massive airbase that would significantly expand the American footprint in Central Asia. The negotiations are controversial in the U.S. because of the Kyrgyz regime’s abysmal human-rights record. Amid these events, Kate’s uncle assigns her to infiltrate an underground democracy movement that has been sabotaging Kyrgyz security services and regime supporters. But it soon becomes clear that nothing about Kate’s mission is as it seems --- and that she might need to lay her life on the line for what she knows is right. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on June 6th
Below are some notable titles releasing on June 6th 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 June 5th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
THE BRIGHT HOUR: A Memoir of Living and Dying by Nina Riggs (Memoir)
Nina Riggs was just 37 years old when initially diagnosed with breast cancer. Within a year, the mother of two sons received the devastating news that her cancer was terminal. What makes a meaningful life when one has limited time?
CAMINO ISLAND by John Grisham (Thriller)
Bruce Cable, owner of a popular bookstore, occasionally dabbles in the black market of stolen books and manuscripts. A generous offer of money convinces young novelist Mercer Mann to go undercover and infiltrate Cable’s circle of literary friends, ideally getting close enough to him to learn his secrets. But eventually Mercer learns far too much.
DIS MEM BER and Other Stories of Mystery and Suspense by Joyce Carol Oates (Mystery/Short Stories)
At the heart of this new collection from Joyce Carol Oates, which contains seven feverishly unsettling works, are girls and women confronting the danger around them, and the danger hidden inside their turbulent selves.
EVERYBODY'S SON by Thrity Umrigar (Fiction)
Thrity Umrigar explores issues of race, class, privilege and power, and asks us to consider uncomfortable moral questions in this emotionally wrenching novel of two families --- one black, one white.
GRIEF COTTAGE by Gail Godwin (Fiction)
Eleven-year-old Marcus visits a ruined cottage known as "Grief Cottage," because a boy and his parents disappeared from it during a hurricane 50 years before. When the ghost of the boy who died seems to reveal himself, Marcus courts him, never certain whether the ghost is friendly or follows some sinister agenda.
INDECENT EXPOSURE: A Stone Barrington Novel by Stuart Woods (Thriller/Adventure)
As an eligible bachelor, man-about-town, and mover in the highest social echelons, Stone Barrington has always been the subject of interest and gossip. But when he’s unwittingly thrust into the limelight, he finds himself scrambling to take cover.
LOVE STORY: The Baxter Family, Book 1 by Karen Kingsbury (Romance)
John and Elizabeth's whirlwind romance started when they were young college students and lasted nearly 30 years --- until Elizabeth died of cancer. When John is asked to relive his long-ago love story with Elizabeth for his grandson Cole’s heritage project, he reluctantly agrees and allows his heart and soul to go places they haven’t gone in decades.
MAGPIE MURDERS by Anthony Horowitz (Mystery/Thriller)
When editor Susan Ryeland is given the manuscript of Alan Conway’s latest mystery novel, she has no reason to think it will be much different from any of his others. But the more Susan reads, the more she’s convinced that there is another story hidden in its pages: one of real-life jealousy, greed, ruthless ambition and murder.
MURDER IN SAINT-GERMAIN: An Aimée Leduc Investigation by Cara Black (Mystery)
Private investigator Aimée Leduc is accosted by Suzanne Lesage, a Brigade Criminelle agent on an elite counterterrorism squad who’s convinced she’s being stalked by a Serbian warlord her team took down. She begs Aimée to investigate; is it possible Mirko Vladić could be alive and in Paris with a blood vendetta?
SHIVER HITCH: A Jane Bunker Mystery by Linda Greenlaw (Mystery)
When Jane Bunker is called to the remote Acadia Island to assess the damages from a house fire, she also finds a badly burned body in the charred rubble. As Jane investigates further, she becomes embroiled in a plot that involves convicted felons, a real estate scam, and the deep conflicts between the locals and the summer folks.
THE SUNSHINE SISTERS by Jane Green (Fiction)
Ronni Sunshine left London for Hollywood to become a beautiful, charismatic star of the silver screen. But at home, she was a narcissistic, disinterested mother who alienated her three daughters. Still, when Ronni discovers she has a serious illness, she calls her now-adult girls home to fulfill her final wishes.
WOLF ON A STRING by Benjamin Black (Historical Mystery)
Christian Stern, an ambitious young scholar and alchemist newly arrived in Prague, stumbles upon the body of a woman whose throat has been slashed. The Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II sets Christian the task of solving the murder. But as he gets ever nearer to the truth of what happened that night, he sees that his own life is in grave danger.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
Our Latest Poll: Taking Books on Vacation
When you go on vacation, which of the following do you do? Please check all that apply.
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I bring physical books (hardcovers or paperbacks).
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I download books to an eReader.
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I bring physical audiobooks.
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I download audiobooks.
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I borrow books from the library.
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I buy books while on vacation.
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I do not read books when I go on vacation.
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, June 9th at noon ET.
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 May 26th to June 9th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of MAGPIE MURDERS by Anthony Horowitz and THE SUNSHINE SISTERS by Jane Green.
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 June 1st to July 5th at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Fiona Barton's THE CHILD, read by Mandy Williams and Rosalyn Landor with a full cast, and THE SUNSHINE SISTERS written and read by Jane Green.
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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