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All Our Books Are Packed; We’re Ready to Go!
When we left off last weekend, Tom Donadio and I were ThrillerFest-bound. We both had a great time catching up with author pals and meeting new ones. Through the years, so many of these writers have become friends, and getting together means we were catching up on life (including what our kids are up to) as much as we were talking books.
I started my day with Karin Slaughter’s interview with Lisa Gardner, who was the recipient of this year's Silver Bullet Award for her charitable work. The two of them did lively banter about writing, touring and hanging with their characters. Lisa told an anecdote about touring in Germany when she spoke no German and the audience spoke no English. She also gave huge kudos to Tess Gerritsen for her advice to her early in her career. Simon Toyne moderated a panel with Steve Berry, Lee Child and Kathy Reichs about pacing a book. The questions were as good as the answers! Many of the Friday panels featured authors who had been paired together in MATCHUP, and the day culminated with a cocktail party where the authors were on hand to sign copies of the book.
One of my favorite panels had a lineup of ThrillerMasters, those writers who have been honored by the organization as tops in the field. This year’s inductee was Lee Child. The panel had him, Sandra Brown, Nelson DeMille, R.L. Stine, Heather Graham and David Morrell all on it and was brilliantly moderated by Jeff Ayers. They all bantered so well with each other and told great stories. Nelson also did a panel with Lisa Scottoline, J.A. Jance and Eric Van Lustbader where they talked about voice and characters. As many of the ThrillerFest attendees are those who would like to be published, Lisa shared how welcoming the thriller community is. She recalled going to a conference many years ago with her first book and handing it to Eric, whose work she admired. He read it and offered to blurb it for her, which is something that made her feel like she was a real author.
There were also some surreptitious meetups. I got to chat with three Bookreporter.com Bets On authors. First up, I saw Wendy Walker at the opening cocktail party and chatted about the buzz for her upcoming novel, EMMA IN THE NIGHT, and ALL IS NOT FORGOTTEN, which is just out in paperback. On Friday I happened on Fiona Barton, who was walking with her editor, Danielle Perez, and had a catch up with her on both THE CHILD and THE WIDOW, each of which were published since I met her 1 1/2 years ago at Winter Institute, where she was appearing pre-pub! I did a quick wave and a hi to Shari Lapena and am sorry I did not have time to talk to her about her upcoming book, A STRANGER IN THE HOUSE, as well as the success of THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR. Keith Raffel and I did our annual cup of tea (this time with a bagel); I am looking forward to his next book, which he promises is almost done.
Tom attended ThrillerFest on Saturday, and he, too, had a wonderful time. Among the highlights for him was a very entertaining interview that Janet Maslin of the New York Times conducted with Lee Child; a discussion about protagonists, villains and anti-heroes, cleverly titled “Bond, Lector or Dexter?” that featured such prolific authors as Walter Mosley and C.J. Box; a panel focusing on writing killer plot twists that included John Lescroart, Joseph Finder and Shari Lapena (I know how well-qualified Shari is to talk about this topic, considering how twisty her novels are); and a conversation with bestselling authors --- including Kathy Reichs, T. Jefferson Parker and Lisa Gardner --- who changed publishers at some point in their careers, their motivations for doing so, and the challenges they faced as a result.
On Saturday night, ThrillerFest ended with a bang (as it always does) with the Thriller Awards banquet. Although I couldn’t attend this year, I was able to watch the entire ceremony online --- and I’m so glad I did! Lee Child, whose Jack Reacher series of thrillers is still going strong after 20(!) years, was honored. Heather Graham, last year’s ThrillerMaster, sang “Nobody Writes it Better,” a takeoff of Carly Simon’s “Nobody Does it Better,” in honor of her successor. This was followed by Daniel Palmer and Brad Parks, who serenaded Lee with the melody of a few Beatles songs (Lee is a huge fan), including “Tiny Jack Reacher” (which poked fun at Tom Cruise being cast as Reacher in the film adaptations), sung to the tune of “Paperback Writer.” And Lisa Gardner, author of the Detective D.D. Warren series (among many other mysteries and thrillers), received her aforementioned Silver Bullet Award.
Here are the winners in the six main categories: BEFORE THE FALL by Noah Hawley (Best Hardcover Novel), THE DRIFTER by Nick Petrie (Best First Novel), THE BODY READER by Anne Frasier (Best Paperback Original Novel), “Big Momma” by Joyce Carol Oates from Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine (Best Short Story), STEEPLEJACK by A.J. Hartley (Best Young Adult Novel), and ROMEO’S WAY by James Scott Bell (Best eBook Original Novel).
And it was revealed that next year’s ThrillerMaster will be none other than Mr. George R.R. Martin. I shared the big news with my husband, Tom, and he’s thinking he may want to be there for next year’s awards ceremony knowing that the "Game of Thrones" creator will be in attendance! Speaking of "Game of Thrones," my husband is not much of a TV watcher, but he loves "GOT." He had a business trip on Monday that he purposely timed so he could stay home to watch the first episode of the season. Given that he barely ever watches TV, this caught me completely off guard. When we watch "GOT," I have no idea what is going on for that hour, except for the scenes with Daenerys Targaryen. I am not a big fantasy reader. There is something about this show that goes right over my head. I cannot keep anyone straight, most of it is shot really dark, and I can barely figure out who is who in the light. But, oh yeah, winter is coming!
My comments in last week's newsletter about cutting roses out of my life got me some great feedback --- and encouragement. I share some of these in the Reader Comments section below. Early Saturday morning I took the pruning shears to the roses and never looked back. They had grown so large that other perennials that had spread were hidden under them! I am taking a moment to organize what happens next in that spot! On Sunday, I sat outside finishing THE LYING GAME by Ruth Ware (it is so good!) and was not worrying about the Japanese beetles feasting on roses. Bliss!
Now to this week’s update...
THE LATE SHOW is Michael Connelly’s 30th novel and, in a departure from his Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller series, introduces readers to a new protagonist: a young detective named Renée Ballard, who is fighting to prove herself on the LAPD’s toughest beat. She works the night shift in Hollywood, which serves as her punishment for filing a sexual harassment complaint against a supervisor. This means she begins many investigations but finishes none of them, as each morning the day shift takes over. But there are two assignments she doesn’t want to give up on: the brutal beating of a prostitute left for dead and the killing of a young woman in a nightclub shooting. Against orders and her partner's wishes, she works both cases by day while maintaining her shift by night. As the investigations entwine, they pull her closer to her own demons and the reason she won't give up her job.
Joe Hartlaub has our review and says he wouldn’t turn down a sequel to THE LATE SHOW. As far as he’s concerned, “More Connelly is good Connelly.” We also have a Q&A with the author, in which he talks about why he is starting a new series at this point in his career and the possibility of a crossover of characters from the Bosch series.
One of the most anticipated thrillers of the year is THE BREAKDOWN, the second novel from B.A. Paris, whose debut, BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, was an instant New York Times bestseller and a Bets On pick. Cass is having a very hard time dealing with the fact that a young woman she saw on the side of a dangerous road and decided not to help was murdered. She’s been trying to put the crime out of her mind and reassuring herself that there was nothing she really could’ve done to prevent what happened. But since then, she’s been forgetting every little thing --- where she left the car, if she took her pills, the alarm code, why she ordered a pram when she doesn’t have a baby. What she can’t forget, though, is the woman she might’ve saved, or the silent calls she’s been receiving, or the feeling that someone is watching her.
Reviewer Ray Palen calls THE BREAKDOWN “a psychological thriller that hits on every level and is so compulsively readable that you will lose time while you are drawn deeper and deeper into this labyrinthine tale of madness, trust and complex relationships." This, too, will be a Bets On pick; you can read my commentary in next week’s newsletter.
We gave away THE BREAKDOWN in this week’s Summer Reading contests, along with BEHOLD THE DREAMERS by Imbolo Mbue (Oprah's Book Club Pick for 2017), IT HAPPENS IN THE HAMPTONS by Holly Peterson, and THE NIGHTINGALE by Kristin Hannah (which is now available in paperback for the first time since its 2015 hardcover release). Next week’s prizes will be ANOTHER BROOKLYN by Jacqueline Woodson, FATAL THREAT: A Fatal Series Novel by Marie Force, and ORDINARY GRACE by William Kent Krueger (which is one of my all-time favorite books). The first contest of the week will go live on Monday, July 24th at noon ET.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include THE FALLEN, the seventh book in Ace Atkins’ series starring Tibbehah County Sheriff Quinn Colson; THE BLACK ELFSTONE, the beginning of a four-part conclusion to Terry Brooks’ Shannara series; and GOLDEN HILL, the debut novel of acclaimed nonfiction author Francis Spufford, which follows the adventures of a mysterious young man in mid-18th-century Manhattan, 30 years before the American Revolution.
J.T. Ellison’s upcoming novel, LIE TO ME, is a fast-paced psychological thriller that has been generating lots of buzz leading up to its September 5th release. So we’re happy to announce a special contest that will give 25 readers the chance to win an advance copy of the book weeks before its release date and share their feedback on it. Sutton and Ethan Montclair's idyllic life is not as it appears. As the tension between them mounts, Sutton disappears and leaves behind a note saying not to look for her. Ethan finds himself the target of vicious gossip as friends, family and the media speculate on what really happened to Sutton. As the police investigate, the lies the couple have been spinning for years quickly unravel. Is Ethan a killer? Is he being set up? Did Sutton hate him enough to kill the child she never wanted and then herself? To enter the contest, please fill out this form by Thursday, August 3rd at noon ET.
For our new poll, we’re curious to know which television shows you watch; we’ve listed 20 for you to choose from. Click here to cast your vote(s)!
Our previous poll asked if your feelings about the characters in a book influence whether or not you like the book. Click here for the results.
We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win the aforementioned THE LYING GAME by Ruth Ware and MRS. FLETCHER by Tom Perrotta (Mrs. Fletcher makes one think of Mrs. Robinson). Please enter by Friday, August 4th at noon ET.
And don’t forget to enter our Sounding Off on Audio contest, where you’ll have the chance to win the audio versions of Daniel Silva's HOUSE OF SPIES, performed by George Guidall, and Adriana Trigiani's KISS CARLO, performed by Edoardo Ballerini. All you have to do is let us know the audiobooks you’ve finished listening to; the deadline for your entries is Tuesday, August 1st at noon ET.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Sherrie wrote, “I agree about roses. It's so darn hard to keep them hardy! I have a friend who two years ago suggested Bayer Rose Food, and it works! I buy the liquid type and mix with water and douse the plants. Sadly, it won't totally save them this year, but would next. On the other hand, I have Limelight Hydrangeas Trees in my garden and they're beautiful. Happy gardening!” Good advice, but I have tried dousing. Then it rains!
Janie wrote, “Carol, as payback for the wonderful reading you have led me to, I’ll give you a hint: squirrels seem to have an aversion to human hair. Next time you get a haircut, ask for the floor sweepings and sprinkle them in your garden. If this doesn’t work, there is always squirrel stew! Good luck.” I am going to try this!
Jamye wrote, “I read in your newsletter that you are ready to chuck your roses because of Japanese beetles. Before you do this, have you tried using nematodes? They are a microscopic worm that attacks the beetle when it is still a grub. Put them down in the late summer when the soil is warm, and you will have less beetles the following year (they also eat fleas). I buy mine from Gardens Alive. Good luck.” I may invest in these to be on the safe side. Worms are in my future.
Roe wrote, “After reading the first part of the newsletter this week, I thought your garden holds the makings of a good book about the garden battling insects and critters. Maybe a children's story? All you really need is a good illustrator. Only kidding. Best part of Friday night is reading your newsletter; I look forward to it every week.” I am thinking about this!
Linda wrote,”I look forward to your weekly newsletters and appreciate your observations about life, literature and book recommendations. I am an avid gardener and have been plagued, too, with Japanese beetles but on my hibiscus. My raised vegetable beds are hand weeded, and berries and vegetables are organically grown. I avoid herbicides, making spring through fall an endless round of weeding. I generally avoid pesticides but finally drew the line on these beetles that munched their way through three plants, leaving them fragile, lacy fragments. Sevin is the trademarked product that is supposed to be gentle for other species but keeps the beetles away. We have an abundance of butterflies, moths and bees, both bumble and honey, and I use Sevin sparingly. I have three of the Limelight. The oldest was purchased end of season about eight or nine years ago for $5. It was mislabeled as a 'petite limelight' and now covers one side of our modest home and has a trunk the size of a many-year-old mature tree. It's glorious. Good luck finding one or more. They take a couple of years to get comfortably settled before taking off.” Very good to know about the size of the limelight!
Claire wrote, “I’ve never written to you before. However, I realized today that you have been writing to me for over 10 years! I have a collection of emails from ReadingGroupGuides and Bookreporter that go back to February 2007! I am as avid a reader now as I was back then, though admittedly I don’t read as much as you do! Thank you so much for all the wonderful recommendations over the years. I am truly grateful for the service you provide. My fave book so far this year: NEWS OF THE WORLD. I loved it and have recommended it to friends over and over. My current reads: THE STEEL SHARK by Rebecca Cantrell (I love the Joe Tesla series) and BEFORE WE VISIT THE GODDESS by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. I usually read two books at a time. One is a read-along with a friend at a slow pace, then one is my read at my pace. I’m awaiting the Random House Open House announcement for December. I went to my first Open House and first visit to NYC in December last year, and it was an incredible experience. I loved the authors and the city. It felt like food for the soul, and I hope I can attend again. I would love to meet up and have a face for the name after all these years, if we will both be there in December this year. Hope the thriller convention was, uh, thrilling.” Claire, would love to meet you if we are both there, or have you come by the office.
How long to give a book before you stop reading: The word from Nancy Pearl --- The Rule of 50
Humor: As I go through files as we prepare to move, I found an article from the New York Times from April 16, 2001. The headline: "Sales Growth in Books Online is Leveling Off." This one was only bested by the one called "Amazon at Year 5: Will They Survive?"
Sherman Alexie: We reviewed his memoir, YOU DON’T HAVE TO SAY YOU LOVE ME. Last week, he wrote that he was abandoning his book tour. Here’s why. Other author friends who have written memoirs shared that it is tough to relive a story at every appearance and every reading.
Linda Fairstein: As promised, here is a link to her appearance on "CBS Sunday Morning." Be sure to check out her dinner partners as well.
Spindrift Seltzer: I love this brand of seltzer. One reason is that it has the right hint of flavor and is not sweet. You can read more about the method behind it here.
To the Bone: Watched To the Bone on Netflix...about a young woman with anorexia. I found it to be a good look at a very tough subject.
"Ray Donovan": Coming back August 6th on Showtime. Here’s a preview, and I think it looks to be back on track! Last season was not as brilliant as I would have liked.
I am reading THE BEST KIND OF PEOPLE by Zoe Whittall. In it, a man who works at a high school is charged with sexual assault on some of the students while on a ski trip. I am only about 50 pages in, but I already am caught up in the story.
We are headed back to the beach to see my sister and my niece this weekend (my nephew is back in California); this time Cory will be with us. Greg is going to a baseball game. This is called musical cousins.
Our office move is Monday night. Twenty-one years is a long time to work in one location (my desk has been in three different rooms in our present office). The photo above is of one of the sets of bookshelves in my office. All the bookshelves have been emptied, and the books have been carried over to the new space (my health app should have recorded all of those steps!) Onward with great excitement. I do love new beginnings. And it will be great to get back to reading books instead of moving them. And to wrap on dealing with things like certificates of insurance and copier leases. Oh, and I have a plan for organizing those books once we move in. You know, a grand plan that will be organized for at least a week or so. Above is a picture from my office window now when the sun was setting. Next week, I will share the view from the new one!
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!
An Interview with Michael Connelly,
Author of THE LATE SHOW
In a departure from his Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller thrillers, Michael Connelly introduces readers to a brand new protagonist for his 30th novel, THE LATE SHOW. Renée Ballard is a fierce young detective who is fighting to prove herself on the LAPD’s toughest beat. In this interview, Connelly explains why he is starting a new series and what made him decide to create a female lead character again --- his first since Cassie Black in 2000’s VOID MOON. He also discusses why it was so much fun to write about the LAPD Hollywood Station late shift and the possibility of seeing a crossover of characters from his Bosch series.
THE LATE SHOW by Michael Connelly (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Katherine Moennig
Renée Ballard works the night shift in Hollywood, beginning many investigations but finishing none, as each morning she turns everything over to the day shift. A once up-and-coming detective, she's been given this beat as punishment after filing a sexual harassment complaint against a supervisor. But one night she catches two assignments she doesn't want to part with: the brutal beating of a prostitute left for dead in a parking lot and the killing of a young woman in a nightclub shooting. Against orders and her partner's wishes, she works both cases by day while maintaining her shift by night. As the investigations entwine, they pull her closer to her own demons and the reason she won't give up her job. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read the interview.
Featured Review: THE BREAKDOWN by B.A. Paris
A Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
THE BREAKDOWN by B.A. Paris (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Georgia Maguire
Cass is having a hard time since the night she saw the car in the woods, on the winding rural road, in the middle of a downpour, with the woman sitting inside --- the woman who was killed. She’s been trying to put the crime out of her mind; what could she have done, really? It’s a dangerous road to be on in the middle of a storm. Her husband would be furious if he knew she’d broken her promise not to take that shortcut home. And she probably would only have been hurt herself if she’d stopped. She just can’t forget that woman, the woman she might have saved, and the terrible nagging guilt. Or the silent calls she’s receiving, or the feeling that someone’s watching her. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE BREAKDOWN will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. 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.
New Special Contest: Enter to Win a Copy of LIE TO ME
by J.T. Ellison and Share Your Comments on It
We have 25 advance copies of LIE TO ME by J.T. Ellison --- a fast-paced psychological thriller about the disintegration of a marriage as grief, jealousy, betrayal and murder destroy the façade of the perfect literary couple --- to give away to readers who would like to preview the book, which releases on September 5th, and share their comments on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, August 3rd at noon ET.
LIE TO ME by J.T. Ellison (Psychological Thriller)
Sutton and Ethan Montclair's idyllic life is not as it appears. They seem made for each other, but the truth is ugly. Consumed by professional and personal betrayals and financial woes, the two both love and hate each other. As tensions mount, Sutton disappears, leaving behind a note saying not to look for her.
Ethan finds himself the target of vicious gossip as friends, family and the media speculate on what really happened to Sutton Montclair. As the police investigate, the lies the couple have been spinning for years quickly unravel. Is Ethan a killer? Is he being set up? Did Sutton hate him enough to kill the child she never wanted and then herself? The path to the answers is full of twists that will leave the reader breathless.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Visit J.T. Ellison's website, blog, Instagram, Pinterest and Flickr.
- Connect with J.T. Ellison on Facebook and Twitter.
Click here to enter the contest.
Featured Review: THE FALLEN by Ace Atkins
THE FALLEN: A Quinn Colson Novel by Ace Atkins (Thriller)
Audiobook available, narrated by MacLeod Andrews
Mississippi sheriff Quinn Colson had to admit he admired the bank robbers. A new bank was hit almost every week, and the robbers rushed in and out with such skill and precision it reminded him of raids he’d led back in Afghanistan and Iraq when he was an army ranger. In fact, it reminded him so much of the techniques in the Ranger Handbook that he couldn’t help wondering if the outlaws were former Rangers themselves. If he stood any chance of catching them, he was going to need the help of old allies, new enemies and a lot of luck. The enemies he had plenty of. It was the allies and the luck that were going to be in woefully short supply. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: THE BLACK ELFSTONE by Terry Brooks
THE BLACK ELFSTONE: The Fall of Shannara by Terry Brooks (Fantasy)
Audiobook available, read by Simon Vance
The Four Lands has been at peace for generations, but now a mysterious army of invaders is cutting a bloody swathe across a remote region of the land. No one knows who they are, where they come from, or what they are after --- and most seem content to ignore these disturbing events. The only people who sense a greater, growing threat and wish to uncover the truth are society’s outcasts: an exiled high Druid, a conflicted warrior, a teenage girl struggling to master a prodigious magic…and a scrappy young orphan, improbably named Shea Ohmsford. Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: GOLDEN HILL by Francis Spufford
GOLDEN HILL: A Novel of Old New York by Francis Spufford (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Sarah Borges
New York, a small town on the tip of Manhattan island, 1746. One rainy evening in November, a handsome young stranger fresh off the boat arrives at a countinghouse door on Golden Hill Street. Mr. Smith is amiable and charming, yet strangely determined to keep suspicion shimmering. In his pocket, he has what seems to be an order for a thousand pounds, a huge sum, and he won’t explain why, where he comes from, or what he is planning to do in the colonies that requires so much money. Should the New York merchants trust him? Should they risk their credit and refuse to pay? Should they befriend him, seduce him, arrest him --- maybe even kill him? Reviewed by Judy Gigstad.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Bookreporter.com's Summer Reading
Contests and Feature
Summer is here! 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, July 24th at noon ET.
This year's featured titles include:
See the prize books that were awarded in May and June
and that will be awarded in July and August.
Click here to read all the contest details.
Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight:
THE MARRIAGE PACT by Michelle Richmond
THE MARRIAGE PACT by Michelle Richmond (Psychological Thriller)
Newlyweds Alice and Jake are a picture-perfect couple. Alice, once a singer in a well-known rock band, is now a successful lawyer. Jake is a partner in an up-and-coming psychology practice. Their life together holds endless possibilities. After receiving an enticing wedding gift from one of Alice’s prominent clients, they decide to join an exclusive and mysterious group known only as The Pact.
The goal of The Pact seems simple: to keep marriages happy and intact. And most of its rules make sense. Always answer the phone when your spouse calls. Exchange thoughtful gifts monthly. Plan a trip together once per quarter...
Never mention The Pact to anyone.
Alice and Jake are initially seduced by the glamorous parties, the sense of community, their widening social circle of like-minded couples.
And then one of them breaks the rules.
The young lovers are about to discover that for adherents to The Pact, membership, like marriage, is for life. And The Pact will go to any lengths to enforce that rule.
For Jake and Alice, the marriage of their dreams is about to become their worst nightmare.
THE MARRIAGE PACT releases on July 25th.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Michelle Richmond’s bio.
- Visit Michelle Richmond’s website and Instagram.
- Connect with Michelle Richmond 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.
What's New This Month on ReadingGroupGuides.com
COLLARED: An Andy Carpenter Mystery by David Rosenfelt (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Grover Gardner
Lawyer Andy Carpenter’s true passion is the Tara Foundation, the dog rescue organization he runs with his friend, Willie Miller. All kinds of dogs make their way to the foundation, and it isn’t that surprising to find a dog abandoned at the shelter one morning, though it was accompanied by a mysterious anonymous note. But they are quite surprised when they scan the dog’s embedded chip and discover that he is the “DNA dog,” which helps renew the search for a missing child. Goaded by his wife’s desire to help a friend and fellow mother, and Andy’s desire to make sure the real kidnapper is in jail, Andy and his team enter the case. But what they start to uncover is far more complicated and dangerous than they ever expected. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
THE SECRETS SHE KEEPS by Michael Robotham (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Lucy Price-Lewis
Agatha is pregnant and works part-time stocking shelves at a grocery store in a ritzy London suburb. As the hours of her shifts creep by in increasing discomfort, the one thing she looks forward to at work is catching a glimpse of Meghan, the effortlessly chic customer whose elegant lifestyle dazzles her. When Agatha learns from Meghan’s popular parenting blog that Meghan is pregnant again, and that their due dates fall within the same month, she finally musters up the courage to speak to her. Little does Meghan know that the mundane exchange she has with a grocery store employee during a hurried afternoon shopping trip is about to change the course of her not-so-perfect life forever. Reviewed by Lorraine W. Shanley.
GOODBYE, VITAMIN by Rachel Khong (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Therese Plummer
Freshly disengaged from her fiancé and feeling that life has not turned out quite the way she planned, 30-year-old Ruth quits her job, leaves town and arrives at her parents’ home to find that situation more complicated than she'd realized. Her father, a prominent history professor, is losing his memory and is only erratically lucid. Ruth’s mother, meanwhile, is lucidly erratic. But as Ruth's father’s condition intensifies, the comedy in her situation takes hold, gently transforming all her grief. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
LESS by Andrew Sean Greer (Romantic Comedy)
Audiobook available, read by Robert Petkoff
You are a failed novelist about to turn 50. A wedding invitation arrives in the mail: your boyfriend of the past nine years is engaged to someone else. You can't say yes --- it would be too awkward. And you can't say no --- it would look like defeat. On your desk are a series of invitations to half-baked literary events around the world. How do you arrange to skip town? You accept them all. Arthur Less will almost fall in love in Paris, almost fall to his death in Berlin, barely escape to a Moroccan ski chalet from a Saharan sandstorm, accidentally book himself as the (only) writer-in-residence at a Christian Retreat Center in Southern India, and encounter, on a desert island in the Arabian Sea, the last person on Earth he wants to face. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
WHEN THE ENGLISH FALL by David Williams (Post-Apocalyptic Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Eric Michael Summerer
When a catastrophic solar storm brings about the collapse of modern civilization, an Amish community in Pennsylvania is caught up in the devastating aftermath. Once-bright skies are now dark. Planes have plummeted to the ground. The systems of modern life have crumbled. With their stocked larders and stores of supplies, the Amish are unaffected at first. But as the English (the Amish name for all non-Amish people) become more and more desperate, they begin to invade Amish farms, taking whatever they want and unleashing unthinkable violence on the peaceable community. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
THE SMACK by Richard Lange (Thriller)
Rowan Petty is a conman down on his luck. He's flat broke, living out of cheap hotels, and wondering how it all went wrong. His car quits on him in Reno, and he takes a job there on the bottom rung of a lousy phone scam. When he's not swindling lonely widows, he tries to turn nickels into dimes at the poker table. One snowy night, he crosses paths with a sweet-talking hooker who's tired of the streets, and sparks fly. When an old friend of his turns up spreading a rumor about two million dollars in army money smuggled out of Afghanistan and stashed in an apartment in Los Angeles, it seems like a chance at the score of a lifetime. So Petty and the hooker head south, and straight into trouble. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE STREAK: Lou Gehrig, Cal Ripken Jr., and Baseball's Most Historic Record by John Eisenberg (Sports/History)
Audiobook available, read by Kyle McCarley
When Cal Ripken Jr. began his career with the Baltimore Orioles at age 21, he had no idea he’d beat the historic record of playing 2,130 games in a row set by Lou Gehrig, the fabled “Iron Horse” of the New York Yankees. Was his streak or Gehrig’s the more difficult achievement? When did someone first think it was a good idea to play in so many games without taking a day off? THE STREAK delves into this impressive but controversial milestone, unraveling Gehrig’s at times unwitting pursuit of that goal and Ripken’s fierce determination to play the game his way. Along the way, John Eisenberg dives deep into the history of the record and offers a portrait of the pastime in different eras. Reviewed by Ron Kaplan.
THE ROGUE AGENT by Daniel Judson (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Pete Simonelli
When a long-hidden specter from his troubled past emerges, former covert ops agent Tom Sexton is shaken out of his safe, furtive life. With no choice but to lock and load, Tom falls back into a world where valor and violence collide. Summoned into the ranks of top-secret intelligence, Tom is tasked with protecting a teenage girl targeted by agents of an infamous mercenary. It’s a high-risk mission that will pit all his combat and espionage skills against ruthless paramilitary hit squads. Leading them is a legendary and mysterious killer for hire who’s making Tom doubt everything, and everyone, he has come to believe in. Even himself. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
REFUGE by Dina Nayeri (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Mozhan Marno and Youssif Kamal
An Iranian girl escapes to America as a child, but her father stays behind. Over 20 years, as she transforms from confused immigrant to overachieving Westerner to sophisticated European transplant, daughter and father know each other only from their visits. The longer they are apart, the more their lives diverge, but also the more each comes to need the other's wisdom and, ultimately, rescue. Meanwhile, refugees of all nationalities are flowing into Europe under troubling conditions. Wanting to help, but also looking for a lost sense of home, our grown-up transplant finds herself quickly entranced by a world that is at once everything she has missed and nothing that she has ever known. Reviewed by Allison Sharp.
IN THE DAYS OF RAIN: A Daughter, a Father, a Cult by Rebecca Stott (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Rebecca Stott
Rebecca Stott both adored and feared her father, Roger Stott, a high-ranking minister in the Brighton, England, branch of the Exclusive Brethren, a separatist fundamentalist Christian sect. Years later, when the Stotts broke with the Brethren after a scandal involving the cult’s leader, Roger became an actor and a compulsive gambler who left the family penniless and ended up in jail. IN THE DAYS OF RAIN is Rebecca Stott’s attempt to make sense of her childhood in the Exclusive Brethren, to understand her father’s role in the cult and in the breaking apart of her family, and to come to be at peace with her relationship with a larger-than-life figure whose faults were matched by a passion for life, a thirst for knowledge, and a love of literature and beauty. Reviewed by John Bentlyewski.
AFTER ANATEVKA: A Novel Inspired by "Fiddler on the Roof" by Alexandra Silber (Historical Fiction)
The world knows well the tale of Tevye, the beloved Jewish dairyman from the shtetl Anatevka of Tsarist Russia. Tevye, his wife Golde and their five daughters dealt with the outside influences that were encroaching upon their humble lives. But what happened to those remarkable characters after the curtain fell? In AFTER ANATEVKA, Alexandra Silber picks up where “Fiddler on the Roof” left off. Second-eldest daughter Hodel takes center stage as she attempts to join her Socialist-leaning fiancé Perchik to the outer reaches of a Siberian work camp. But before Hodel and Perchik can finally be together, they both face extraordinary hurdles and adversaries attempting to keep them apart at all costs. Reviewed by Gabriella Mayer.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on July 25th
Below are some notable titles releasing on July 25th 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 July 24th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
AMANDA WAKES UP by Alisyn Camerota (Fiction)
Amanda Gallo lands her dream job at FAIR News, but soon finds her journalistic ideals shredded as she struggles to keep up with the issues in a ratings-crazed madhouse. Walking a knife’s edge between ambition and survival, Amanda must decide what she’s willing to give up to get ahead --- and what she needs to hold on to in order to save herself.
DEADFALL by Linda Fairstein (Mystery/Thriller)
In the aftermath of the shocking assassination of an iconic public figure --- someone Assistant DA Alexandra Cooper has worked with for years --- Alex and NYPD detectives Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace must unravel the motive behind the shooting to discover who is the bigger snake: the killer or the victim.
THE LYING GAME by Ruth Ware (Psychological Thriller)
Three women receive a text from Kate, the fourth in their formerly inseparable clique, that says, “I need you.” The four girls were notorious for playing the Lying Game at their boarding school, telling lies at every turn. But they were all expelled under mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of the school’s eccentric art teacher, who also happens to be Kate’s father.
THE MARRIAGE PACT by Michelle Richmond (Psychological Thriller)
After receiving an enticing wedding gift, newlyweds Alice and Jake decide to join an exclusive and mysterious group known only as The Pact. The goal of The Pact seems simple: to keep marriages happy and intact. But the young lovers will soon discover that for adherents to The Pact, membership, like marriage, is for life.
THE PAINTED QUEEN: An Amelia Peabody Novel of Suspense by Elizabeth Peters and Joan Hess (Mystery)
Arriving in Cairo for another thrilling excavation season, Amelia Peabody is relaxing in her hotel suite when a man with a knife protruding from his back staggers into the bath chamber and utters a single word --- "Murder" --- before collapsing on the floor. It quickly becomes apparent that someone saved Amelia from a would-be assassin --- someone who is keeping a careful eye on the intrepid Englishwoman.
PARADISE VALLEY by C. J. Box (Mystery/Thriller)
For three years, Investigator Cassie Dewell has been on the hunt for a serial killer known as the Lizard King. At the same time, Kyle Westergaard, a troubled kid whom Cassie has taken under her wing, has disappeared after telling people that he’s going off on a long-planned adventure. Kyle's grandmother begs Cassie to find him, and Cassie agrees --- all the while hunting the truck driver.
SONS AND SOLDIERS: The Untold Story of the Jews Who Escaped the Nazis and Returned with the U.S. Army to Fight Hitler by Bruce Henderson (History)
In 1942, the U.S. Army unleashed one of its greatest secret weapons in the battle to defeat Adolf Hitler: training nearly 2,000 German-born Jews in special interrogation techniques and making use of their mastery of the German language, history and customs. Bruce Henderson draws on personal interviews with many surviving veterans and extensive archival research to bring this never-before-told chapter of the Second World War to light.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
Our Latest Poll: What TV Shows Are You Watching?
Which of the following television shows do you watch? Please check all that apply.
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“American Gods”
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“Billions”
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“Black-ish”
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“The Crown”
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“The Daily Show with Trevor Noah”
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“Dancing with the Stars”
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“Game of Thrones”
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“The Handmaid’s Tale”
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“House of Cards”
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“Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
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“The Late Late Show with James Corden”
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“Late Night with Seth Meyers”
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“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”
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“Modern Family”
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“Outlander”
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“Saturday Night Live”
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“Stranger Things”
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“This Is Us”
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“The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”
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“The Voice”
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None of the above
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, August 4th 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 July 21st to August 4th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE LYING GAME by Ruth Ware and MRS. FLETCHER by Tom Perrotta.
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 July 5th to August 1st at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Daniel Silva's HOUSE OF SPIES, performed by George Guidall, and Adriana Trigiani's KISS CARLO, performed by Edoardo Ballerini.
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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