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Chilly Nights: Bring Back Summer!
From our new office a few mornings this week, I heard someone playing the saxophone. I am not sure if it is someone in the building, or someone on the street. I was enjoying the music; next time I hear it, I will investigate!
I have been working on catching up on my reading; amusingly, a while back I read four books that are publishing in January 2018 while I am way behind on those coming out now and in the next few weeks. Thus I juggled three books last weekend. SEEING RED by Sandra Brown (coming this Tuesday) is my “float in the pool read.” I started it last weekend, and it is quintessential Sandra. Kerra Bailey is a TV journalist with personal interest in the story she is tracking down. Twenty-five years ago, Major Franklin Trapper was made a hero when he shepherded people to safety after the bombing of a hotel in Dallas. He never gave interviews about it. Kerra wants this interview. To help get it, she tracked down his estranged son, a former ATF agent. And away we go. Who to trust? Who not to? I am planning on floating more this weekend to finish it. August has been exceptionally chilly, so floating in the pool where I can get minimally wet sure beats being in the water!
ALL THE LITTLE CHILDREN, a debut novel by Jo Furniss (coming officially September 1st), is currently a Kindle First title, one of six preview titles selected each month that Amazon Prime readers can download and read for free or buy for $1.99. I typically am not into anything apocalyptic, but this thriller lured me in from page one. In it, Marlene and her sister-in-law, Joni, have taken their children on a weekend camping trip. While it’s a chance for Marlene, who is an over-work-scheduled executive, to grab some quality time with her kids, it’s also set up to give her husband time to move out as the marriage is moving on. While they are camping, they get hints that something is going on in the outside world. First the kids see smoke in the distance; then all service to the outside world becomes cut off. At first it seems this is just taking place at their campground, but then it’s clear the threat is far bigger. They think they are alone, but then a young boy finds his way to their camp, and that is just the start of children seeking protection from Marlene. The pace is brisk, and as Marlene and Joni strive to protect the children, one roadblock after another is placed in their way. The ending screams for a follow-up. Jo clearly is someone to keep an eye on.
Celeste Ng is someone who I have wanted to read for a while. Her debut novel, EVERYTHING I NEVER TOLD YOU, has been on my shelf, and I am kicking myself that I did not read it when it first was published. Thus when I heard her publisher talking about LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE (coming September 12th) at our Speed Dating session at BookExpo, I vowed to move it up my stack. It’s set in the planned community of Shaker Heights, Ohio, a place Celeste knows well, as she grew up there. Mia Warren, an artist who is a single mother, moves to this town with her teenage daughter, Pearl. Mia lives day to day focusing more on her art than living a secure life. Pearl becomes transfixed by the Richardson family, from whom Mia and Pearl are renting a house. Their wealth and seemingly perfect lives are ones that Pearl wants for their security. Something clearly is getting set up to happen to all of these women, as when the book opens, the Richardson home is on fire. Celeste’s writing is so good that I want to get back to it! I have been clocking some early mornings to read.
Now to this week’s update...
Debbie Macomber is back with a new stand-alone novel, ANY DREAM WILL DO. Shay Benson adored her younger brother, Caden, which ultimately led to a temporary loss of her freedom. Pastor Drew Douglas adored his wife, but when he lost her, his focus shifted from his congregation to his two children. Shay and Drew meet in church one day and strike up a friendship that eventually turns into something much deeper. But just as Shay’s life starts to turn around and she learns to trust again, Caden returns to town with a potentially disastrous secret.
Susan Miura has our review and says, “As always, highly acclaimed author Debbie Macomber creates a sweet romance, a compelling plot and likable characters. Hope, healing and second chances weave their magic beautifully through ANY DREAM WILL DO, which is a wonderful book to read and share.”
Wendy Walker follows up her bestselling debut novel, ALL IS NOT FORGOTTEN (a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection), with her second psychological thriller, EMMA IN THE NIGHT. One night, 15-year-old Cass and her 17-year-old sister, Emma, disappeared. Three years have passed, and Cass makes a shocking return --- alone. According to Cass, she and Emma were held captive on a mysterious island, but Dr. Abby Winter, a forensic psychiatrist, is skeptical. As she takes a closer look at this dysfunctional family, Dr. Winter comes to the realization that Cass’ return might just be the beginning of the crime.
According to reviewer Norah Piehl, “Walker does spell out the truth near the end of the book, but not in a way that insults her readers' intelligence. Rather, the revelations that unfurl in the conclusion continue to both surprise and satisfy." EMMA IN THE NIGHT will be a Bets On pick; you can see my comments in next week’s newsletter.
We gave away ANY DREAM WILL DO and EMMA IN THE NIGHT in this week’s Summer Reading contests, along with MAP OF THE HEART by Susan Wiggs and OF MESS AND MOXIE: Wrangling Delight Out of This Wild and Glorious Life by Jen Hatmaker. Next week’s prizes will be EXPOSED by Lisa Scottoline, GONE TO DUST by Matt Goldman, THE NEXT by Stephanie Gangi, and WILD RIDE COWBOY: A Copper Ridge Novel by Maisey Yates. The first contest of the week will go live on Monday, August 14th at noon ET.
The audio versions of EMMA IN THE NIGHT, read by Therese Plummer and Julia Whelan, and Louise Penny's GLASS HOUSES, read by Robert Bathurst, are this month’s Sounding Off on Audio prize books. Share your feedback about the audiobooks you’ve listened to, and you’ll have a chance to win both these audio titles. The deadline for your entries is Wednesday, September 6th at noon ET.
In Karin Slaughter’s new psychological thriller, THE GOOD DAUGHTER, we learn that Charlotte and Samantha Quinn's happy small-town family life was torn apart by a terrifying attack on their home. Their mother was killed, and their father, Pikeville's notorious defense attorney, was devastated. Twenty-eight years later, Charlie has followed in her father's footsteps to become a lawyer herself. But when a shocking tragedy leaves Pikeville traumatized, Charlie is plunged into a nightmare --- and the shocking truth about the crime that destroyed her family all those years ago is about to be exposed.
Reviewer Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum calls THE GOOD DAUGHTER “an enthralling read for anyone who likes thrillers with a twist. It is gritty and profound, and will go beyond your expectations.”
We’re awarding THE GOOD DAUGHTER to the winners of our Word of Mouth contest, along with A STRANGER IN THE HOUSE by Shari Lapena (which we’ll review next week). Let us know by Friday, August 18th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win both thrillers.
One of my Bets On titles from last week was THE ADDRESS, Fiona Davis’ follow-up to THE DOLLHOUSE (another Bets On pick). This week we’re pleased to share with you our review. One hundred years apart, in 1884 and 1985, Sara Smythe and Bailey Camden are both tempted by and struggle against the excess of their respective ages, and take refuge and solace in The Dakota, the iconic luxury apartment building in New York City. But what Bailey discovers in its basement could turn everything she thought she knew about her grandfather, famed architect Theodore Camden --- and the woman who killed him --- on its head.
Leah DeCesare has this to say in her review: “Full of questions and angst, forbidden love and self-discovery, history and mystery, THE ADDRESS is a great read that is expertly crafted. Readers know they are in the hands of a confident storyteller.” We also have a Q&A with Fiona that you can read here. Over on ReadingGroupGuides.com, we’re giving three book groups the chance to win 12 copies of THE ADDRESS in our “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” contest. Click here for all the contest details and here for a discussion guide.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include THE LOCALS by Jonathan Dee, in which a rural working-class New England town elects as its mayor a New York hedge fund millionaire; WATCH ME DISAPPEAR by Janelle Brown, in which the disappearance of a beautiful, charismatic mother leaves her family to piece together her secrets (you can see the discussion guide here); and MORNINGSTAR: Growing Up with Books, Ann Hood’s memoir about the magic and inspiration of books.
SOMETHING LIKE HAPPY by Eva Woods is our newest Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight title. Deep down, Annie Hebden is still mourning the terrible loss that shattered her perfect life and chooses to hide away rather than remember how it used to be. But then she meets the eccentric Polly Leonard, who is determined to finally get Annie out of her funk permanently. How does Polly plan to pull this off? By embarking on a mission: One hundred days. One hundred new ways to be happy. Annie will slowly begin to realize that there's still joy to be found in the world, but then it becomes clear that Polly is about to need her new friend more than ever. The book doesn’t release until September 5th, but we have 35 copies to give away to readers who would like to read and comment on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, August 24th at noon ET. Trust that it will have you thinking of how you would spend your 100 days.
We also wanted to call your attention to a special contest we’re holding for attorney Todd M. Johnson’s new legal thriller, FATAL TRUST. Ian Wells is an ambitious Minneapolis attorney struggling to build up a law practice while caring for his mother, who has Alzheimer's. He is nearing the breaking point when everything changes with a single new case, and the money is too good to give up. Ian accepts the job, but is quickly dragged deep into a mystery linking the trust money to an illegal enterprise dating back to Prohibition and the greatest unsolved crime in Minnesota history. We’re giving 10 readers the chance to win a copy of the book and share their feedback on it. All you have to do is fill out this form by Thursday, August 17th at noon ET.
We’re happy to share an essay written by Triss Stein, who is the author of a series of mysteries set in Brooklyn, New York, and featuring Erica Donato, an amateur sleuth who is currently writing her PhD dissertation about changes in city neighborhoods. Conducting research for these books is always fun for Stein, as she has spent most of her adult life living and working in New York City. This was especially true for the fourth and latest installment in the series, BROOKLYN WARS, and in this blog piece she explains why.
Our poll continues to ask which of the 22 fiction titles releasing in August that we’ve listed you are planning to read. Click here to let us know! We love seeing what you want to read.
This week, Sisters in Crime announced that Jessica Ellis Laine, whose novel-in-progress won the 2016 Mystery Writers of America-Midwest Hugh Holton Award, is the winner of this year’s Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award. The award honors the memory of pioneering African-American crime fiction author Eleanor Taylor Bland with a $1,500 grant to an emerging writer of color who has not yet published a full-length work. Click here for more info about the award and this year’s winner.
Saturday night is the East Hampton Authors Night, which features 100 authors who are on hand to sign their books, which are sold to benefit the East Hampton Public Library. I have been to this event twice, and it’s just a smashingly wonderful one. Among the authors featured are some whose books we have recently mentioned and/or reviewed: Laura Dave (HELLO, SUNSHINE), Kathy McKeon (JACKIE’S GIRL), Holly Peterson (IT HAPPENS IN THE HAMPTONS), Jill Santopolo (THE LIGHT WE LOST), Viola Shipman (THE HOPE CHEST), and Beatriz Williams (COCOA BEACH), plus a whole host of celebrity authors, including Alan Alda (IF I UNDERSTOOD YOU, WOULD I HAVE THIS LOOK ON MY FACE?). You can read more about it here.
AND this year, the following morning there will be a coffee and conversation hour from 10:00-11:00 at the BookHampton bookstore in East Hampton, where the authors will be on hand to meet and mingle with readers; this event is sponsored by Dunemere Books (publisher of the Hamptons Murder Mystery series that I selected as Bets On titles a few weeks ago; Carrie Doyle, the author, will be there), as well as Beach magazine. If you are going to either event, I would love a report on the evening. Sorry to be missing this great lineup this year!
News & Pop Culture:
Reader Mail: Nicolette wrote, “After years of reading your newsletter, I’m reaching out to you for the first time. First of all, THANK YOU for everything you and your crew do! I look forward to sitting down with my coffee and your newsletter each week to get caught up on all the latest, and maybe some oldies I missed out on. I not only enjoy reading it, I use it as a reliable resource of where to go for my next fix. I finally decided to reach out to you today after looking at the Authors Night event you mentioned (and perusing the ThrillerFest website not long ago). It seems there are so many great events in your area…and I’m stuck over here in Oregon with no chance on just casually ‘going to Authors Night.’ This got me thinking… If you were to pick one event to splurge on, which one would it be? It has to be worth not only the price of admission but also a plane ticket from the left coast! I know plenty of people who fly off for a weekend to do their gamer thing; who says I can’t fly off for a weekend to do my book thing?!”
I wrote and suggested both the Miami Book Fair International (November) and the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books (April) events, as they are multi-day programs. That said, a great list of book festivals across the country can be found here.
Donalene wrote, “I looked up the hydrangeas that you mentioned --- oh my gosh, they are quite lovely. I love the blue-purple. I have not seen any of those. The limelights are beautiful as almost white ones. Good luck with them. Our hibiscus surprised us --- we had one on a Thursday, and by Tuesday we had seven! That's from three plants. Their leaves almost match the leaves of our redbud tree. My husband is so glad to have some color; he had not liked the burning bushes since they had no color until fall. I enjoy reading about your garden as well as what you write about all the books.” At our house, I think the hot pepper spray has worked its magic on the squirrels, and we have some brilliant yellow flowers blooming on our hibiscus.
Betsy had a great suggestion for early spring flowers for me to plant: “Do you have hellebores for early spring flowering? A friend of mine has a 'Japanese garden' hillside with lovely patches, and some amazing colors. Fun to discover in the last days of winter/early spring.” I am going to look for these.
Lory wrote last weekend, “I just finished reading BENEATH A SCARLET SKY by Mark Sullivan and highly recommend it. It was a great historical fiction title about WWII in Italy and how it affected the life of one young man, and of those around him. I will be participating in an online book discussion with the author on Sunday (Goodreads/The Life of a Book Addict) and am looking forward to it. Definitely thought to share with you, considering you are always sharing good reads with us!” So happy that Lory enjoyed this book; it is one of my favorite books of the year! I have not stopped talking about it since I read it…and I love seeing reader reactions like Lory’s to it. It was my joy to make it a Bets On title.
Dulcy wrote, “I just wanted to thank you for these newsletters. I really enjoy them!” Thank you; we love hearing this!
Terrific piece from the New York Times about Claire Messud: Her new book, THE BURNING GIRL, releases on August 29th
Nice Profile Piece about Jeannette Walls: The film adaptation of THE GLASS CASTLE is in theaters today.
On Sunday, August 13th at 6 and 10pm ET on C-SPAN3, author Steve Berry and curator Richard Stamm give a behind-the-scenes tour of the Smithsonian Castle in Washington, DC. You can see a preview here.
I read this terrific piece about Aziz Ansari on “What Happened to His Brain After He Deleted the Internet From His Phone.” One side effect: he’s reading more books! I love this!
"The Crown": Season Two: Netflix has officially confirmed that the second season of "The Crown" will premiere globally on Friday, December 8th. You can see a preview here.
Calling all knitters: The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) needs 5,000 purple baby hats by October. Health officials are teaming up with the the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome to prevent serious brain injury that can result from forcefully shaking an infant or young child. Their campaign's name, Click for Babies, refers to the clicking sound that knitters make with their needles.
Audible for Dogs!: From Publishers Lunch, we learned that “Audible has paired with bestselling author Cesar Millan on Audible for Dogs, ‘an audio content destination designed to foster calm, relaxed behavior in dogs.’ They say it was ‘inspired by a 2015 independent academic study showing that listening to audiobooks outperformed music in reducing stress in canines. 76% of dog owners who played audiobooks for their dogs reported an increase in calm, relaxed behavior in their pets over a four-week period. Dogs responded best to narrators of the same gender as their primary owner, played at average volume on an in-home listening device.’" Ruff Ruff for audio…may your dog calm to your selections.
Cory and Greg have busy weekends, as in they both have told me multiple times the multiple things that they are doing and none of them have registered with me, except they sound like fun and they will not be home for dinner any nights (the latter being something important to know). Next weekend, I know they have separate road trips planned to see the total eclipse. Neither is flying a Learjet or going to Nova Scotia; we are humming that Carly Simon line around the house…a lot.
I am wickedly behind on my reading, so that is high on my agenda. Dinner with our neighbor, Diana, and her sister, who is up from Coral Gables, is on tap for Saturday night. Oh, and lots of filing and throwing away. The more I look at the files that I brought home from the office, the more I am thinking bonfire. If I have not looked at them in 20 years, do I need to now? Going forward, everything is going to be scanned and filed digitally. The last thing from the move is getting the new copier/scanner set up. This cannot happen soon enough!
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!
Featured Review: ANY DREAM WILL DO
by Debbie Macomber
ANY DREAM WILL DO by Debbie Macomber (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Mark Deakins and Laurel Rankin
Shay Benson adored her younger brother, Caden, and that got her into trouble. Pastor Drew Douglas adored his wife. But when he lost her, it was all he could do to focus on his two beautiful kids, and his flock came in a distant third. Shay and Drew meet in church one day and strike up a friendship that, over time, turns into something deeper and possibly romantic. Shay learns to trust again as she, in turn, proves herself trustworthy to her adopted community. But Caden’s return to town and a disastrous secret threaten to undo the life Shay has tried so hard to rebuild. It will take the utmost courage and faith if she and Drew hope to find healing and open their hearts to a brighter future. Reviewed by Susan Miura.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to visit Debbie Macomber’s website.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: THE GOOD DAUGHTER
by Karin Slaughter
THE GOOD DAUGHTER by Karin Slaughter (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Kathleen Early
Twenty-eight years ago, Charlotte and Samantha Quinn's happy small-town family life was torn apart by a terrifying attack on their family home. It left their mother dead and their father, Pikeville's notorious defense attorney, devastated. And it left the family fractured beyond repair, consumed by secrets from that terrible night. Twenty-eight years later, Charlie has followed in her father's footsteps to become a lawyer herself. But when violence comes to Pikeville again --- and a shocking tragedy leaves the whole town traumatized --- Charlie is plunged into a nightmare. The shocking truth about the crime that destroyed her family nearly 30 years ago won't stay buried forever. Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: EMMA IN THE NIGHT by Wendy Walker
A Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
EMMA IN THE NIGHT by Wendy Walker (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Therese Plummer and Julia Whelan
One night three years ago, the Tanner sisters disappeared: 15-year-old Cass and 17-year-old Emma. Three years later, Cass returns, without her sister Emma. Her story is one of kidnapping and betrayal, of a mysterious island where the two were held. But to forensic psychiatrist Dr. Abby Winter, something doesn't add up. Looking deep within this dysfunctional family, Dr. Winter uncovers a life where boundaries were violated and a narcissistic parent held sway. And where one sister's return might just be the beginning of the crime. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
EMMA IN THE NIGHT 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 visit Wendy Walker’s website.
Click here to read the review.
An Interview with Fiona Davis, Author of THE ADDRESS
A Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
In her debut novel, THE DOLLHOUSE, Fiona Davis pulled readers into the lush world of New York City's glamorous Barbizon Hotel for Women. For her follow-up, THE ADDRESS, the setting shifts to another iconic New York building, The Dakota, one of the first apartment houses to be built on the Upper West Side. In this interview, Davis talks about her inspiration for her second novel, how she chose the story’s two timelines (the 1880s and the 1980s), the research she conducted, and the ways in which she seamlessly blended fact and fiction.
THE ADDRESS by Fiona Davis (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Saskia Maarleveld and Brittany Pressley
One hundred years apart, Sara Smythe and Bailey Camden are both tempted by and struggle against the golden excess of their respective ages --- for Sara, the opulence of a world ruled by the Astors and Vanderbilts; for Bailey, the free-flowing drinks and cocaine in the nightclubs of New York City --- and take refuge and solace in the Upper West Side’s gilded fortress. But a building with a history as rich --- and often tragic --- as The Dakota’s can’t hold its secrets forever, and what Bailey discovers in its basement could turn everything she thought she knew about her grandfather, famed architect Theodore Camden --- and the woman who killed him --- on its head. Reviewed by Leah DeCesare.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here for Carol’s Bookreporter.com Bets On commentary.
Click here to read the interview.
New Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight & Contest: SOMETHING LIKE HAPPY by Eva Woods
We have 35 copies of SOMETHING LIKE HAPPY by Eva Woods --- an unforgettable tale of celebrating triumphs great and small, seizing the day, and always remembering to live in the moment --- to give away to readers who would like to read the book, which releases on September 5th, and share their comments on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, August 24th at noon ET.
SOMETHING LIKE HAPPY by Eva Woods (Fiction)
Annie Hebden is stuck. Stuck in her boring job, with her irritating roommate, in a life no 35-year-old would want. But deep down, Annie is still mourning the terrible loss that tore a hole through the perfect existence she'd once taken for granted --- and hiding away is safer than remembering what used to be. Until she meets the eccentric Polly Leonard.
Bright, bubbly, intrusive Polly is everything Annie doesn't want in a friend. But Polly is determined to finally wake Annie up to life. Because if recent events have taught Polly anything, it's that your time is too short to waste a single day --- which is why she wants Annie to join her on a mission.
One hundred days. One hundred new ways to be happy. Annie is convinced it's impossible, but so is saying no to Polly. And on an unforgettable journey that will force her to open herself to new experiences --- and perhaps even new love with the unlikeliest of men --- Annie will slowly begin to realize that maybe, just maybe, there's still joy to be found in the world. But then it becomes clear that Polly is about to need her new friend more than ever…and Annie will have to decide once and for all whether letting others in is a risk worth taking.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Eva Woods’ bio.
- Visit Eva Woods’ website and Instagram.
- Connect with Eva Woods on Facebook and Twitter.
Click here to read more in our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight
and enter the contest.
New Special Contest: Win a Copy of FATAL TRUST
by Todd M. Johnson and Share Your Comments on It
We have 10 copies of FATAL TRUST, a riveting legal thriller from attorney Todd M. Johnson, to give away to readers who would like to read the book, which is now available, and share their comments on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, August 17th at noon ET.
FATAL TRUST by Todd M. Johnson (Legal Thriller)
Ian Wells is a young, ambitious Minneapolis attorney struggling to build up a law practice while caring for a mother with Alzheimer's. As the stress and bills mount, Ian is nearing the breaking point when everything changes with a single new case. All Ian must do, the client demands, is judge whether three men qualify for nine million dollars of trust funds soon to be paid out by determining whether they've been involved in any criminal activity for the past 20 years. Ian's fee for a week's work: the unfathomable sum of $200,000.
The job seems too good to be true, and Ian wants to turn the offer down, but his needs weigh more heavily. He warily accepts the job --- but is quickly dragged deep into a mystery linking the trust money to an illegal enterprise dating back to Prohibition and the greatest unsolved crime in Minnesota history. Ian soon finds himself the target of a swiftly tightening criminal investigation --- realizing too late that this so-called simple job has spun out of control and now threatens his career, his future and his life.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Todd M. Johnson’s bio.
- Click here to visit Todd M. Johnson’s website.
- Connect with Todd M. Johnson on Facebook and Twitter.
Click here to enter the contest.
Featured Review: THE LOCALS by Jonathan Dee
THE LOCALS by Jonathan Dee (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by George Newbern and Ray Porter
Mark Firth is a contractor and home restorer in Howland, Massachusetts, who feels opportunity passing his family by. After being swindled by a financial advisor, what future can Mark promise his wife and their young daughter? He finds himself envying the wealthy weekenders in his community whose houses sit empty all winter. Philip Hadi used to be one of these people. But in the nervous days after 9/11, he flees New York and hires Mark to turn his Howland home into a year-round “secure location” from which he can manage billions of dollars of other people’s money. The collision of these two men’s very different worlds --- rural vs. urban, middle class vs. wealthy --- is the engine of Jonathan Dee’s new novel. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: WATCH ME DISAPPEAR
by Janelle Brown
WATCH ME DISAPPEAR by Janelle Brown (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Tavia Gilbert with Kaleo Griffith
It’s been a year since Billie Flanagan went on a solo hike in Desolation Wilderness and vanished from the trail. Her husband and teenage daughter have been coping with Billie’s death the best they can: Jonathan drinks as he works on a loving memoir about his marriage; Olive grows remote, from both her father and her friends at the all-girls school she attends. But then Olive starts having strange visions of her mother, still alive. Jonathan worries about Olive’s emotional stability, until he starts unearthing secrets from Billie’s past that bring into question everything he thought he understood about his wife. Together, Olive and Jonathan embark on a quest for the truth. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
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, August 14th at noon ET.
This year's featured titles include:
See the prize books that were awarded in May, June and July
and that will be awarded in August.
Click here to read all the contest details.
LOOK BEHIND YOU by Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen (Thriller)
Audiobook available, narrated by Elizabeth Rodgers
A serial killer is on the loose in San Diego with a most unusual M.O. With each kill, the perpetrator leaves behind mystifying random objects. In this confusing array of unrelated evidence, the one thing that is clear is that the murders all have one characteristic in common: they all require the specific skills of Kendra Michaels, hired gun for both the CIA and FBI. Kendra, who was blind for the first 20 years of her life, gained her sight through a revolutionary surgical procedure and now uses her acute powers of observation to assist in cases all over the United States. FBI investigators soon make a startling discovery: the left-behind objects are actually souvenirs of other unsolved serial murder cases from around the country. Reviewed by Judy Gigstad.
MORNINGSTAR: Growing Up With Books by Ann Hood (Memoir/Essays)
Audiobook available, read by Donna Postel
Growing up in a mill town in Rhode Island, in a household that didn’t foster a love of literature, Ann Hood discovered nonetheless the transformative power of books. She learned to channel her imagination, ambitions and curiosity by devouring ever-growing stacks. In MORNINGSTAR, Hood recollects how THE BELL JAR, MARJORIE MORNINGSTAR, THE HARRAD EXPERIMENT and THE OUTSIDERS influenced her teen psyche and introduced her to topics that could not be discussed at home. Later, JOHNNY GOT HIS GUN and THE GRAPES OF WRATH dramatically influenced her political thinking, while the Vietnam War and the Kent State shootings became headline news. Reviewed by Carole Turner.
DARK LIGHT: DAWN by Jon Land (Supernatural Thriller)
Since the dawn of time, good and evil have challenged the free will of man. Now the time has come for one man to choose for all human kind. With an uncanny ability to survive any combat situation, Max Younger has built a heroic life for himself as a Navy SEAL. That is, until a rogue rescue operation plunges him back into a past he thought he’d escaped forever. Waiting for him back home in New York are terrible, long-hidden truths rooted in the tragic death of his father. But the origin of those truths lie even further back than that, and Max finds himself ensnared in a sinister plot involving nothing less than the biblical apocalypse. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
BIBLIOMYSTERIES: Stories of Crime in the World of Books and Bookstores edited by Otto Penzler (Mystery/Short Stories)
If you open your dictionary, you will discover that there is no such word as “bibliomystery.” However, most mystery readers know that the word refers to a mystery story that involves the world of books: a bookshop, a rare volume, a library, a collector or a bookseller. The stories in this unique collection were commissioned by the Mysterious Bookshop and were written by some of the mystery genre’s most distinguished authors --- tough guys like Ken Bruen, Reed Farrel Coleman, Loren D. Estleman, and Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins; bestsellers like Nelson DeMille, Anne Perry and Jeffery Deaver; and Edgar winners such as C. J. Box, Thomas H. Cook and Laura Lippman. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE MISFORTUNE OF MARION PALM by Emily Culliton (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Saskia Maarleveld
Marion Palm prefers not to think of herself as a thief but rather "a woman who embezzles." Over the years she has managed to steal $180,000 from her daughters' private school, money that has paid for European vacations, a Sub-Zero refrigerator, and perpetually unused state-of-the-art exercise equipment. But now, when the school faces an audit, Marion pulls piles of rubber-banded cash from their basement hiding places and flees, leaving her family to grapple with the baffled detectives, the irate school board, and the mother-shaped hole in their house. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
THE QUIET CHILD by John Burley (Historical/Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, performed by MacLeod Andrews
It's the summer of 1954, and the residents of Cottonwood, California are dying. At the center of it all is six-year-old Danny McCray, a strange and silent child who appears to bring ruin to those around him. Even his own mother is plagued by an illness that is slowly consuming her. Sheriff Jim Kent has watched the people of his town suffer, increasingly aware of the whispers and rumors surrounding the boy --- and he worries someone might take drastic action to protect their loved ones. Then a stranger arrives, and Danny and his 10-year-old brother Sean go missing. In the search that follows, everyone is a suspect, and the consequences of finding the two brothers may be worse than not finding them at all. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
LITTLE BOY LOST by J. D. Trafford (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by JD Jackson
When eight-year-old Tanisha Walker offers attorney Justin Glass a jar full of change to find her missing brother, he doesn’t have the heart to turn her away. Justin had hoped to find the boy alive and well. But all that was found of Devon Walker was his brutally murdered body --- and the bodies of 12 other African American teenagers, all discarded like trash in a mass grave. Each had been reported missing. And none had been investigated. As simmering racial tensions explode into violence, Justin finds himself caught in the tide. And as he gives voice to the discontent plaguing the city’s forgotten and ignored, he vows to search for the killer who preys upon them. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
THE DRIVER by Hart Hanson (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Ari Fliakos
Michael Skellig is a limo driver waiting for his client in the alley behind an upscale hotel. Suddenly the wind begins to speak to Skellig in the guttural accent of the Chechen torturer he shot through the eye in Yemen a decade ago: Troubletroubletrouble. Skellig has heard these warnings before --- he’s an Army Special Forces sergeant whose limo company is staffed by a ragtag band of wounded veterans. He runs inside just in time to save Avila from two gunmen but too late for one of Avila’s bodyguards --- and wakes up hours later in the hospital, the only person of interest in custody for the murder. Avila is willing to help clear Skellig’s name under one peculiar condition: that Skellig become Avila’s personal chauffeur. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE TALENTED RIBKINS by Ladee Hubbard (Fiction)
Johnny Ribkins has just one week to come up with the money he stole from his mobster boss or it’s curtains. What may or may not be useful to him as he flees is that he comes from an African-American family that has been gifted with very odd superpowers. In the old days, the Ribkins family tried to apply their gifts to the civil rights effort, calling themselves The Justice Committee. But when their superpowers proved insufficient, the group fell apart. Out of frustration, Johnny and his brother used their talents to stage a series of burglaries. Now Johnny is on a race against the clock to dig up loot he's stashed all over Florida, and he has an unexpected sidekick: his brother's daughter, Eloise, who has a special superpower of her own. Reviewed by Maya Gittelman.
RED LIGHT RUN: Linked Stories by Baird Harper (Fiction/Short Stories)
Audiobook available, read by Charles Carroll
When two cars collide at an intersection in a leafy Chicago suburb, Hartley Nolan is not the person police expect to find behind the wheel. After all, he barely drinks; everyone knows it’s his wife who’s the alcoholic. But the bigger question on people’s minds is what brought Sonia Senn, dead at the scene, back to her hometown in such a hurry that night? In 11 tightly linked stories, RED LIGHT RUN pulls us into the inner lives of Hartley, Sonia and a host of other characters to untangle the mounting forces that carry them to their fates. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on August 14th and 15th
Below are some notable titles releasing on August 14th and 15th 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 August 14th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
August 14th
THE STORE by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo (Thriller)
Jacob and Megan Brandeis have gotten jobs with the mega-successful, ultra-secretive Store. They're writing a book that will expose the Store --- and if the Store finds out, there's only one thing Jacob, Megan and their kids can do: run for their bloody lives. Which is probably impossible, because the Store is always watching.
August 15th
THE DOLL FUNERAL by Kate Hamer (Psychological Thriller)
On her 13th birthday, Ruby learns that her real mother and father are out there somewhere. Determined to find them, she ventures into the forest and meets a group of siblings who take her in and treat her like family. However, it’s not always clear what’s real and what’s not --- or who’s trying to help her and who might be a threat.
EXPOSED by Lisa Scottoline (Legal Thriller)
Mary DiNunzio wants to represent her old friend Simon Pensiera, a sales rep who was wrongly fired by his company, but her partner Bennie Rosato represents the parent company. An epic battle of wills and legal strategy between the two ensues --- ripping the law firm apart, forcing everyone to take sides and turning friend against friend.
I KNOW A SECRET: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel by Tess Gerritsen (Thriller)
As Boston PD detective Jane Rizzoli struggles to save her mother from a crumbling marriage, medical examiner Maura Isles grapples with the imminent death of her own mother --- infamous serial killer Amalthea Lank --- and must endure one final battle of wills with the woman whose shadow has haunted her all her life.
SEEING RED by Sandra Brown (Thriller)
Twenty-five years ago, Major Franklin Trapper became a national icon when he was photographed leading a handful of survivors to safety after the bombing of a Dallas hotel. Although he has since dropped out of the public eye, TV journalist Kerra Bailey is willing to use any means necessary to get an exclusive with the Major.
SLEEPING IN THE GROUND: An Inspector Banks Novel by Peter Robinson (Mystery/Thriller)
At the doors of a charming country church, an unspeakable act destroys a wedding party. Although the culprit has been captured, Alan Banks still thinks there's something wrong about this case. Reteaming with profiler Jenny Fuller, he unearths long-buried secrets that reshape everything he thought he knew about the events outside that chapel.
A STRANGER IN THE HOUSE by Shari Lapena (Psychological Thriller)
You’re home making dinner for your husband. The phone rings --- it’s the call you hoped you’d never get. You jump in your car and race to a neighborhood you thought you’d never visit. You peer into the dark, deserted building. And then, you remember nothing else. The police suspect you were up to no good. But your husband refuses to believe it. Your best friend is not so sure. And even you don’t know what to believe.
WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOR by Robert K. Tanenbaum (Legal Thriller)
When a cop shoots down the son of a respected inner-city Baptist preacher, the community rises up in anger and demands to have the officer prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. But there’s something more than a call for justice at work here: a plot to bring down the city’s police force through a conspiracy so vast and malicious that only Butch Karp and his band of truth-seekers can untangle it.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
Our Latest Poll: August Fiction Releases
You’re Anticipating
Which fiction titles releasing in August are you planning to read? Please check all that apply.
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THE ADDRESS by Fiona Davis
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ANY DREAM WILL DO by Debbie Macomber
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THE BURNING GIRL by Claire Messud
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THE COLOR OF FEAR: A Sharon McCone Mystery, by Marcia Muller
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CRIME SCENE by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman
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EMMA IN THE NIGHT by Wendy Walker
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EXPOSED by Lisa Scottoline
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GLASS HOUSES by Louise Penny
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THE GOOD DAUGHTER by Karin Slaughter
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I KNOW A SECRET: A Rizzoli & Isles Novel, by Tess Gerritsen
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THE LAST TUDOR by Philippa Gregory
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MRS. FLETCHER by Tom Perrotta
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MY ABSOLUTE DARLING by Gabriel Tallent
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NOTHING STAYS BURIED: A Monkeewrench Novel, by PJ Tracy
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THE SABOTEUR by Andrew Gross
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SEEING RED by Sandra Brown
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STAY WITH ME by Ayobami Adebayo
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THE STORE by James Patterson and Richard DiLallo
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A STRANGER IN THE HOUSE by Shari Lapena
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SULFUR SPRINGS by William Kent Krueger
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UNRAVELING OLIVER by Liz Nugent
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Y IS FOR YESTERDAY by Sue Grafton
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None of the above
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, August 18th 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 August 4th to August 18th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE GOOD DAUGHTER by Karin Slaughter and A STRANGER IN THE HOUSE by Shari Lapena.
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 August 1st to September 6th at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Wendy Walker's EMMA IN THE NIGHT, read by Therese Plummer, and Louise Penny's GLASS HOUSES, read by Robert Bathurst.
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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