Hello Fall Signals Happy Birthday to My Dad!
Fall arrived today. I have noted that here in the northeast, the arrival of fall has heralded warmer weather than we saw at the start of summer. Seriously. While I wore my wetsuit one day last week, it’s been back on its hanger this week. And this weekend looks like it will be warmer than Labor Day weekend. When I see leaves falling, I want to glue them back on, so this warm respite is making me smile.
Indulge me for a moment as I wish my dad a Happy Birthday today. For five summers while I was in high school and college, I worked with my dad at a newspaper where he was the Advertising Manager. Through those commutes and watching him in the workplace, I learned a lot as I saw how he approached problems and ran a team. The time we spent together those days is something I still treasure. For the record, we did not agree about radio stations on this commute (he was a fan of WNEW’s Make Believe Ballroom, which made me want to nap), but beyond that, we talked a lot about life and work.
Many nights when I am driving home from the city now, I call him to check in and tell him about my day and hear about his. I know I am lucky to still have him in my life and the chance to celebrate him today. Each year, we tell him that next year we all are going to hit the beach and bodysurf for his birthday; yes, he still does this. Next year his birthday is on a Saturday, and we are going to make this happen. I will be the one in the wetsuit; I rarely get more than my feet wet in the ocean, but for dad I’ll grab a wave.
Last Sunday night’s Emmys was a good night for books, with "Big Little Lies" and "The Handmaid’s Tale" tying for wins. Authors, yes authors, were thanked from the stage. At a time when there is more and more streaming content hitting the market, author intellectual properties are sought after. This week, I have been watching "The Five" on Netflix, which was conceptualized by Harlan Coben. "The Deuce" on HBO has George Pelecanos as its co-creator, with David Simon, and Megan Abbott, Lisa Lutz and Richard Price all writing episodes. It's nice to see the talent we all enjoy getting notice on a bigger stage.
On Tuesday night, Greg and I went to a really fun party for Nelson DeMille’s THE CUBAN AFFAIR and Linda Stasi’s BOOK OF JUDAS at The Yale Club, which was an apt setting. In THE CUBAN AFFAIR, Nelson’s new character, Daniel Graham “Mac” MacCormick, travels with a Yale tourism group, just as Nelson did for his research. Lots of authors were on hand, including Lee Child and Linda Fairstein. You can see photos of Nelson with Linda Stasi and Lee above, courtesy of John Ellis Kordes. Nelson’s parties bring together so many old friends and always are a good time. By the way, Linda Stasi has written a terrific piece about her challenges in trying to sell a book with a 42-year-old protagonist.
What else this week? We kicked off our celebration of the 20th anniversary of Teenreads.com! All the details are here, including a piece from me on how the site got started --- and what's changed along the way. Thanks to Sean Doorly, our first employee, we even have a look at what the site looked like when it was in its early days. And we have comments from 15 YA authors who share what Teenreads meant to them and their work. It was such fun working on this.
After a hiatus of audiobook listening this summer (the office move meant that on the commute I needed the escape of singing loudly --- and off key --- with the radio to deal with the stress of the day), I am back listening. I have decided that memoirs, especially those read by their authors, and nonfiction probably are my favorite genres.
I could not resist listening to Art Garfunkel’s WHAT IS IT ALL BUT LUMINOUS: Notes from An Underground Man. This is not your typical memoir. Instead it is a collection of musings and short pieces that were diaried by him over the last couple of decades. Some of it is just a line; others are longer passages. Years ago, I heard Art telling some of these anecdotes (namely one about his son Beau and a blowup globe), and they were so descriptive that I saw them as tiny vignettes. It’s very different from anything I have listened to. He talks music, marriage, kids and, yes, that guy named Paul Simon. Think ramblings that define a man; this is a peek into his diary. Art is extremely well read, and throughout the book he chronicles books that he has read and notes those he has loved. Think lots of classics and literary fiction. He often gets lost in his head in this book, and it is quirky and different, but it's fun being there with him. I felt like I was reading over his shoulder. It’s in stores on Tuesday, and Greg and I are going to see him at the 92nd Street Y on Thursday night. Next week, I will tell you something cool about the print book.
My husband just finished reading THE TEMPLARS: The Rise and Spectacular Fall of God's Holy Warriors by award-winning author Dan Jones. He calls this “An un-romanticized account of the Templar history. How and why they were formed, the warrior life, and their rise and fall at the whims of Papal politics.” He is a big fan of Jones, having read two of his previous novels: THE PLANTAGENETS and THE WARS OF THE ROSES.
Now to this week’s update...
As I talked about earlier, Nelson DeMille’s new novel, THE CUBAN AFFAIR, introduces readers to U.S. Army combat veteran Daniel Graham “Mac” MacCormick, who is now a charter boat captain. Mac is approached by a hotshot lawyer named Carlos, who is heavily involved with anti-Castro groups and wants to hire Mac for a 10-day fishing tournament to Cuba. After meeting Carlos’ clients --- a beautiful Cuban-American woman named Sara Ortega, and a mysterious older Cuban exile, Eduardo Valazquez --- Mac learns there is 60 million American dollars hidden in Cuba by Sara’s grandfather when he fled Castro’s revolution. Carlos, Eduardo and Sara know it’s only a matter of time before someone finds the stash --- by accident or on purpose. And Mac knows if he accepts this job, he’ll walk away rich…or not at all.
According to reviewer Kate Ayers, “You simply can’t beat Nelson DeMille for an entertaining read. His wry humor by itself is enough to keep me turning the pages, but THE CUBAN AFFAIR, like all of his thrillers, starts with intrigue and ratchets up the pace with every chapter…. THE CUBAN AFFAIR is another winner for this top-notch author.” As I said last week, after Hurricane Irma, Key West and Cuba will be changed, thus reading this will share a snapshot of what it was like at a moment in time.
We’re awarding the audio version of THE CUBAN AFFAIR, read by Scott Brick, in this month’s Sounding Off on Audio contest, along with Stephen King and Owen King's SLEEPING BEAUTIES, read by Marin Ireland. Let us know by Monday, October 2nd at noon ET what audiobooks you’ve listened to, and you’ll be in the running to win both audio titles.
Our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight of Kaira Rouda and her psychological thriller, BEST DAY EVER, continues with our review and interview. Paul Strom has the perfect life: a career as an advertising executive, a beautiful wife, two healthy boys and a big house in a wealthy suburb. And he’s the perfect husband, which is why he’s planned a romantic weekend for his wife, Mia, at their lake house. And he's promised today will be the best day ever. But as Paul and Mia drive out of the city and toward the countryside, a spike of tension begins to wedge itself between them and doubts start to arise. How much do they trust each other? And how perfect is their marriage, or any marriage, really?
Leah DeCesare has our review and says, “Rich with jealousy and rage, deception and betrayal, BEST DAY EVER is a fast-paced page-turner that will keep you on the edge of your seat as you drive with Paul and Mia mile by mile away from their home toward its gripping conclusion.” I had the pleasure of interviewing Kaira about her first work of psychological fiction; you can see the Q&A here. I loved reading what she had to say. I have told you how much I loved this book, right? My Bookreporter.com Bets On copy will run next week!
THE VENGEANCE OF MOTHERS: The Journals of Margaret Kelly & Molly McGill is the long-awaited sequel to Jim Fergus’ award-winning 1998 novel, ONE THOUSAND WHITE WOMEN. In 1873, Margaret Kelly participated in the U.S. government's "Brides for Indians" program, in which One Thousand White Women were to be given as brides in exchange for 300 horses. The goal was to achieve peace between the United States and the Cheyenne Nation. These "brides" were mostly women in prison, prostitutes, the occasional adventurer, and those incarcerated in asylums. No one expected this initiative to work, and the brides themselves thought of it simply as a chance at freedom. But many of them fell in love with their Cheyenne spouses and had children with them...and became Cheyenne themselves.
Reviewer Jane Krebs says, “Readers are left to decide if they see Molly’s thundering rescue by Pretty Nose and Phemie sweeping her away from the high cliffs, or if Molly at last floats free high above the Power River and joins her husband, Hawk. This final moment captures some of the mysticism and strength of this affecting novel.” When I presented this title at libraries and to book groups this summer, 80% of the audience had read ONE THOUSAND WHITE WOMEN and looked forward to this. I love that enthusiasm. Talk about a long-awaited book!
Other books we’re reviewing this week include A LEGACY OF SPIES, John le Carré’s first book in more than 25 years to feature George Smiley of the British Secret Service (see more about that in the News & Pop Culture section below); THE SCARRED WOMAN, the seventh novel in Jussi Adler-Olsen’s Department Q series starring Detective Carl Mørck; THE WORLD OF TOMORROW by Brendan Mathews, a BookExpo Buzz book that revolves around one whirlwind week of love, blackmail and betrayal in teeming prewar New York; and THE COUNTESS OF PRAGUE, the first installment of a 10-book historical mystery series from Stephen Weeks, who has written a blog piece for us about the fascinating origins of his debut novel.
My three latest Bets On picks are LOVE AND OTHER CONSOLATION PRIZES by Jamie Ford, LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE by Celeste Ng, and GENUINE FRAUD by E. Lockhart. Click on the titles to see why I’m betting you’ll love these books.
In this week’s Fall Preview contests, we gave away the aforementioned THE CUBAN AFFAIR by Nelson DeMille, THE EXACT NATURE OF OUR WRONGS by Janet Peery, GOOD ME BAD ME by Ali Land, and THE RIVER OF KINGS by Taylor Brown. Next week’s prize books will be HANNA WHO FELL FROM THE SKY by Christopher Meades, THE TRUST by Ronald H. Balson, VICTORIA by Daisy Goodwin (which releases in paperback on Tuesday), and THE VISITORS by Catherine Burns.
We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about. Our current prize books are DON’T LET GO by Harlan Coben and MANHATTAN BEACH by Jennifer Egan. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read, and you’ll have a chance to win both novels. The deadline for your entries is Friday, October 6th at noon ET.
A few weeks ago, I wrote about leaving my phone aside to grab some reading time. That concept spurred our latest poll: Does reading news and articles online and being active on social media take time away from your book reading? Click here to let us know.
Our previous poll asked which social media platforms you use on a regular basis. The results? Facebook (56%), Pinterest (24%), Instagram (15%), Twitter (14%), while 35% of you use none of these.
Kirkus Reviews has announced the finalists for the fourth annual Kirkus Prize in Fiction, Nonfiction and Young Readers’ Literature. The winners in each of these categories will be announced at a special ceremony in Austin, Texas, on November 2nd.
News and Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Margaret wrote to share, “This is just a short note to let you know how much I love Bookreporter. I look forward to your weekly newsletter. I won a copy of THE NEXT by Stephanie Gangi in the Summer Reading Contest, just finished it, and left favorable reviews on Goodreads, LibraryThing, Amazon, and here on Word of Mouth. Just want to say thank you and keep up the great work. You truly are appreciated.” And we appreciate you, Margaret, for those kind words.
Marion wrote, “For the reader who just takes her time reading a library book and is happy to pay the fine, I hope she's not reading a new release because I'm sure there are many others waiting for the book to be returned. I read a lot of new bestsellers and hate it when the book is not returned within the two-week period our library requires.” When one reader is happy; another is not. This sums up the saga of library patrons, who love new releases!
John le Carré on "60 Minutes": Last Sunday, Steve Kroft did a brilliant interview with John le Carré. We were impressed with the questions as much as the answers. Bravo!
Rebel in the Rye: Enjoyed this film last weekend, which looks at the rebellious life of J.D. Salinger (I confess that I never knew his real name was Jerry). I really enjoyed it and recommend it to booklovers. At the start we see Salinger challenging his professor and that same professor later shepherding his career. His father thinks the idea of his becoming an author is absurd. Salinger is called to war and is scared by what he sees on D-Day. This movie will make you want to re-read THE CATCHER IN THE RYE and his other works. At a time in our world when becoming a celebrity is a career, it’s interesting to see a well-published author who walked away and said he would not publish any more. Yes, I know there is a lot of controversy about Salinger and young women, and that is not explored here, but it’s full of great insight. Stars Nicholas Hoult and Kevin Spacey are brilliant as the professor and editor.
"This is Us": It’s back Tuesday night. It’s interesting as they have been garnering huge PR laying ideas for how Jack died. But the show is about so much more than that.
Morristown Festival of Books: The schedule for Saturday, October 14th is posted. I am moderating two panels. Hope to see many of you there! And their keynote on Friday, October 13th is sold out; it will be featuring Ron Chernow, who wrote ALEXANDER HAMILTON (the one that inspired the hit musical) and whose new book is GRANT.
Miami Book Fair: I am planning to be there the weekend of November 18th-19th. I will be doing a book group event; time to be determined. They are a tad behind with their scheduling after Irma turned out the lights for many of these folks for a week --- or more. Will post that as soon as I have it! One of our readers from Portland is contemplating attending. If any of you are planning on going as well, please let me know!
Tyrus and Lisa See: Years ago, Lisa See released a book called ON GOLD MOUNTAIN, where she wrote about the history of her family, including her father’s best friend, Tyrus Wong, who was a brilliant artist and kite designer. Tyrus died last year at the age of 106. A documentary about him is airing on PBS and is streaming on the PBS website this month. Lisa commentates part of it; she also did one of the eulogies for Tyrus at his funeral last year. Tom and I loved it. Well worth watching!
"Vietnam": We have DVRed the entire Ken Burns/Lynn Novick series to watch as this was a busy week. Here is an interview with Burns, co-author of THE VIETNAM WAR: An Intimate History, on "Fresh Air."
The traffic in the city was crazy all week with the UN in General Session. As it took me 40 minutes to go two blocks to my parking garage, I confess that I truly wish that the UN could meet via Skype!
Last week’s author luncheon was lovely. I got to meet Karen Cleveland, the author of NEED TO KNOW (releasing January 23rd). All of us who had read it at our table agreed --- once we started reading it, we could not put it down. Karen wrote it in six months while she was on maternity leave from the CIA! And yes, she is working on another book. Another speaker, Daniel Coyle, has written THE CULTURE CODE: The Secret of Highly Successful Groups. He currently is advising the Cleveland Indians, which, given their record this season, is high praise. In this book, he looks at successful companies like Pixar, the San Antonio Spurs, and the U.S. Navy’s SEAL Team Six --- and reveals what makes them tick. Another person he interviewed? Danny Meyer, the famous restaurateur. For years our staff was encouraged to read Danny’s SETTING THE TABLE: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business, which set the tone I wanted at the office. I am looking forward to reading THE CULTURE CODE. I also met Tara Westover, the author of EDUCATED; I did not get as much time to talk to her as I would have liked, but after hearing her remarks and from our brief conversation, I continue to be in awe of her.
And once again, I got a menu idea from this luncheon at Locanda Verde and made the Blue Crab crostinis above, which were amazing.
We have a birthday dinner with my dad and mom tonight. Greg is headed to Massachusetts for some camping and off-roading and then to a New England Lighthouse Lovers board meeting in Connecticut. I am not sure if Cory’s appearance at dinner will be it for the weekend. I want to mulch; I need to decide what kind of mulch to use. I know, how exciting is my life? Oh, and as promised, above is a photo of the hibiscus that were totally eaten by the squirrels; I was not kidding!
Beyond this, I have no plans on tap. I have three books to finish for my Morristown Festival of Books interviews so I can work on interview questions.
My thoughts are with our readers across the country and in the islands and Mexico whose lives have seen upheaval by the various acts of nature these past weeks. It’s been so sad to watch what has been going on in places that I have visited and loved.
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: THE CUBAN AFFAIR by Nelson DeMille
THE CUBAN AFFAIR by Nelson DeMille (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Scott Brick
Daniel Graham MacCormick is living in Key West, the proud owner of a 42-foot charter fishing boat, The Maine. But truth be told, his finances are more than a little shaky. Carlos, a hotshot Miami lawyer heavily involved with anti-Castro groups, wants to hire Mac and The Maine for a 10-day fishing tournament to Cuba. After meeting Carlos’ clients --- a beautiful Cuban-American woman named Sara Ortega, and a mysterious older Cuban exile, Eduardo Valazquez --- Mac learns there is 60 million American dollars hidden in Cuba by Sara’s grandfather when he fled Castro’s revolution. With the “Cuban Thaw” underway between Havana and Washington, Carlos, Eduardo and Sara know it’s only a matter of time before someone finds the stash --- by accident or on purpose. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to visit Nelson DeMille’s website.
Click here to read the review.
Bookreporter.com Talks to Kaira Rouda,
Author of BEST DAY EVER
A Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight Title
Kaira Rouda is a USA TODAY bestselling, multiple-award-winning author of contemporary fiction. Her latest novel, BEST DAY EVER, is a psychological thriller about a married couple whose planned romantic weekend at their lake house is far from being the “best day ever” that Paul Strom had promised his wife, Mia. In this interview conducted by Carol Fitzgerald, the president and co-founder of The Book Report Network, Rouda talks about what inspired her to write her first work of psychological suspense, why the dinner scene is one of her favorite parts of the book, how social media has contributed toward the feeling of what is “perfect,” and her personal connection to Ohio, where the novel takes place.
BEST DAY EVER by Kaira Rouda (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Graham Halstead and Amy McFadden
Paul Strom has the perfect life: a glittering career as an advertising executive, a beautiful wife, two healthy boys and a big house in a wealthy suburb. And he’s the perfect husband: breadwinner, protector, provider. That’s why he’s planned a romantic weekend for his wife, Mia, at their lake house, just the two of them. And he's promised today will be the best day ever. But as Paul and Mia drive out of the city and toward the countryside, a spike of tension begins to wedge itself between them and doubts start to arise. How much do they trust each other? And how perfect is their marriage, or any marriage, really? Reviewed by Leah DeCesare (www.leahdecesare.com).
BEST DAY EVER 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 a review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Kaira Rouda's bio.
- Visit Kaira Rouda's website, Pinterest and Instagram.
- Connect with Kaira Rouda on Facebook and Twitter.
- Click here to see the 50 winners selected to read and comment on the book.
- Click here to read more in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight.
Click here to read our interview.
Featured Review: A LEGACY OF SPIES by John le Carré
A LEGACY OF SPIES by John le Carré (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Tom Hollander
Peter Guillam, a staunch colleague and disciple of George Smiley of the British Secret Service, otherwise known as the Circus, is living out his old age on the family farmstead on the south coast of Brittany when a letter from his old Service summons him to London. The reason? His Cold War past has come back to claim him. Intelligence operations that were once the toast of secret London, and involved such characters as Alec Leamas, Jim Prideaux, George Smiley and Peter Guillam himself, are to be scrutinized by a generation with no memory of the Cold War and no patience with its justifications. Reviewed by Roz Shea.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: THE SCARRED WOMAN
by Jussi Adler-Olsen
THE SCARRED WOMAN: A Department Q Novel by Jussi Adler-Olsen (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Graeme Malcolm
In a Copenhagen park, the body of an elderly woman is discovered. The case bears a striking resemblance to another unsolved homicide investigation from over a decade ago, but the connection between the two victims confounds the police. Across town, a group of young women are being hunted. The attacks seem random, but could these brutal acts of violence be related? Detective Carl Mørck of Department Q is charged with solving the mystery. Meanwhile, after an earlier breakdown, their colleague Rose is still struggling to deal with the reemergence of her past --- a past in which a terrible crime may have been committed. It is up to Carl, Assad and Gordon to uncover the dark and violent truth at the heart of Rose’s childhood before it is too late. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: THE VENGEANCE OF MOTHERS
by Jim Fergus
THE VENGEANCE OF MOTHERS: The Journals of Margaret Kelly & Molly McGill by Jim Fergus (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Laura Hicks and Erik Steele
In 1873, Margaret Kelly participated in the U.S. government's "Brides for Indians" program, the conceit of which was that the way to peace between the United States and the Cheyenne Nation was for One Thousand White Women to be given as brides in exchange for 300 horses. These "brides" were mostly fallen women --- women in prison, prostitutes, the occasional adventurer, or those incarcerated in asylums. No one expected this program to work. And the brides themselves thought of it simply as a chance at freedom. But many of them fell in love with their Cheyenne spouses and had children with them...and became Cheyenne themselves. Reviewed by Jane Krebs.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: THE WORLD OF TOMORROW
by Brendan Mathews
THE WORLD OF TOMORROW by Brendan Mathews (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Graham Halstead
June 1939. Francis Dempsey and his shell-shocked brother Michael are on an ocean liner from Ireland bound for their brother Martin's home in New York City, having stolen a small fortune from the IRA. During the week that follows, the lives of these three brothers collide spectacularly with big-band jazz musicians, a talented but fragile heiress, a Jewish street photographer facing a return to Nazi-occupied Prague, a vengeful mob boss, and the ghosts of their own family's revolutionary past. When Tom Cronin, an erstwhile assassin forced into one last job, tracks the brothers down, their lives begin to fracture. Reviewed by Amy Gwiazdowski.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
LOVE AND OTHER CONSOLATION PRIZES,
LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE and GENUINE FRAUD
LOVE AND OTHER CONSOLATION PRIZES by Jamie Ford (Historical Fiction)
Those who loved HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET by Jamie Ford (a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection) are going to be happy to read his new book, LOVE AND OTHER CONSOLATION PRIZES. It’s a beautifully told story, framed against the backdrop of two Seattle World’s Fairs --- the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition of 1909 and the Century 21 Exposition in 1962. In the course of Jamie’s research for a new story to tell, he learned that there was a child named Ernest who was raffled off by the Washington Children’s Home Society in 1909. From there, he knew that a fictionalized story of Ernest was the one he wanted to write.
- Click here to read more of Carol's commentary.
- 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 to read our interview with Jamie Ford.
- Click here to read more in our New Release Spotlight.
LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE by Celeste Ng (Fiction)
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 since it was published, and I am kicking myself that I did not read it sooner; colleagues and readers love her. Thus, when LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE came across my desk, I was eager not to let this one pass me by. It’s set in the planned community of Shaker Heights, Ohio, a place Celeste knows well, as she grew up there.
- Click here to read more of Carol's commentary.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
GENUINE FRAUD by E. Lockhart (Psychological Thriller)
Our readers may remember E. Lockhart from her last book, WE WERE LIARS, which was a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. She’s now back with GENUINE FRAUD, a brisk, sharp thriller written backwards, so you are peeling back the layers of the story as you read. Again and again, it’s not what you thought at the start. Imogen is an heiress who reinvents herself as the story unfolds. Jule has her own ways of adapting to circumstances; she’s an orphan who “plays the game” to survive. What is real, and what is imagined?
- Click here to read more of Carol's commentary.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
Click here for more books we're betting you'll love.
Bookreporter.com's Fall Preview Contests and Feature
Fall is known as the biggest season of the year for books. The titles that release during this latter part of the year often become holiday gifts, and many are blockbusters. To celebrate the arrival of fall, we are spotlighting a number of outstanding books that we know people will be talking about in the days and months to come.
We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days in September and October, 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, September 25th at noon ET.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
What’s New This Month on ReadingGroupGuides.com
We currently have one contest running on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
"What's Your Book Group Reading This Month?": Win 12 Copies of THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US by Charles Martin for Your Group
Each month in our "What's Your Book Group Reading This Month" contest, we ask book groups to share the titles they are reading that month and rate them. From all entries, three winners will be selected, and each will win 12 copies of that month’s prize book for their group. Our current prize book is THE MOUNTAIN BETWEEN US, an atmospheric, suspenseful and gripping story of two people finding love while fighting to survive. First published in 2010, this bestselling novel by Charles Martin has been made into a major motion picture starring Kate Winslet and Idris Elba, and is set to release on October 6th. Enter here by Tuesday, October 10th at noon ET.
The following guides are now available:
Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:
Click here to visit ReadingGroupGuides.com
HAUNTED: A Detective Michael Bennett Thriller by James Patterson and James O. Born (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Danny Mastrogiorgio
An idyllic country town in the Maine woods is haunted by an epidemic emptying its streets and preying on its youth. When local cops uncover a grisly crime scene buried deep in the woods, they consult the vacationing Detective Michael Bennett, who jumps at the chance to atone for his own sins. A young, hardscrabble and forgotten girl is haunted by a traumatic history. Homeless and destitute, she represents the closest thing Bennett has to a partner in his frantic hunt for the ghostlike perpetrator behind the violence. Will Bennett and his unlikely ally unmask the culprit before anyone else winds up haunted? Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
CAROLINE: Little House, Revisited by Sarah Miller (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, performed by Elizabeth Marvel
In the frigid days of February 1870, Caroline Ingalls and her family leave the familiar comforts of the Big Woods of Wisconsin for a new life in Kansas Indian Territory. Packing what they can carry in their wagon, Caroline, her husband Charles, and their little girls, Mary and Laura, head west to settle in a beautiful, unpredictable land full of promise and peril. The pioneer life is a hard one, especially for a pregnant woman with no friends or kin to turn to for comfort or help. But Caroline's new world is also full of tender joys. In adapting to this strange new place and transforming a rough log house built by Charles' hands into a home, Caroline must draw on untapped wells of strength she does not know she possesses. Reviewed by Amy Haddock.
ENIGMA: An FBI Thriller by Catherine Coulter (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Renee Raudman and MacLeod Andrews
When Agent Dillon Savich saves Kara Moody from a seemingly crazy man, he doesn’t realize he will soon be facing a scientist who wants to live forever and is using “John Doe” to help him. But when the scientist, Lister Maddox, loses him, he ups the stakes and targets another to take his experiments to the next level. It’s a race against time literally as Savich and Sherlock rush to stop him and save both present and future victims of his experiments. In the meantime, Cam Wittier and Jack Cabot must track a violent criminal through the Daniel Boone National Forest. When he escapes through a daring rescue, the agents have to find out who set his escape in motion and how it all ties into the murder of Mia Prevost, the girlfriend of the president’s Chief of Staff’s only son, Saxton Hainny. Reviewed by Christine M. Irvin.
CLOSE TO HOME by Robert Dugoni (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Emily Sutton-Smith
While investigating the hit-and-run death of a young boy, Seattle homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite makes a startling discovery: the suspect is an active-duty serviceman at a local naval base. After a key piece of case evidence goes missing, he is cleared of charges in a military court. But Tracy knows she can’t turn her back on this kind of injustice. When she uncovers the driver’s ties to a rash of recent heroin overdoses in the city, she realizes that this isn’t just a case of the military protecting its own. It runs much deeper than that, and the accused wasn’t acting alone. As Tracy moves closer to uncovering the truth behind this insidious conspiracy, she’s putting herself in harm’s way. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
THE BOOK OF SEPARATION: A Memoir by Tova Mirvis (Memoir)
Born and raised in a tight-knit Orthodox Jewish family, Tova Mirvis committed herself to observing the rules and rituals prescribed by this way of life. She married a man from within the fold and quickly began a family. But over the years, her doubts became noisier than her faith, and at age 40 she could no longer breathe in what had become a suffocating existence. Even though it would mean the loss of her friends, her community and possibly even her family, Tova decides to leave her husband and her faith. This will mean forging a new way of life not just for herself, but for her children, who are struggling with what the divorce and her new status as “not Orthodox” mean for them. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
LIES SHE TOLD by Cate Holahan (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Amy McFadden and Lisa Larsen
Liza Cole has one month to write the thriller that could land her back on the bestseller list, while her husband is distracted by the disappearance of his best friend, Nick. Liza’s latest heroine, Beth, suspects that her husband is cheating on her while she’s home caring for their newborn. Before she realizes what she’s doing, she’s tossing the body of her husband’s mistress into the East River. Then, the lines between Liza’s fiction and her reality eerily blur. Nick’s body is dragged from the East River, and Liza’s husband is arrested for his murder. Before her deadline is up, Liza will have to face up to the truths about the people around her, including her own. If she doesn’t, the end of her heroine’s story could be the end of her own. Reviewed by Dunja Bonacci Skenderović.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
KEEP HER SAFE by Sophie Hannah (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available; performed by Fiona Hardingham, Caitlin Kelly and Nicole Poole
Pushed to the breaking point, Cara Burrows flees her home and family and escapes to a five-star spa resort she can't afford. Late at night, exhausted and desperate, she lets herself into her hotel room and is shocked to find it already occupied --- by a man and a teenage girl. Soon Cara realizes that the girl she saw alive and well in the hotel room is someone she can't possibly have seen: the most famous murder victim in the country, Melody Chapa, whose parents are serving natural life sentences for her murder. Did she really see Melody? And is she prepared to ask herself that question and answer it honestly if it means risking her own life? Reviewed by Ray Palen.
MISS KOPP'S MIDNIGHT CONFESSIONS: A Kopp Sisters Novel by Amy Stewart (Historical Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Christina Moore
Deputy sheriff Constance Kopp is outraged to see young women brought into the Hackensack jail over dubious charges of waywardness, incorrigibility and moral depravity. The strong-willed, patriotic Edna Heustis, who left home to work in a munitions factory, certainly doesn’t belong behind bars. And 16-year-old runaway Minnie Davis, with few prospects and fewer friends, shouldn’t be publicly shamed and packed off to a state-run reformatory. Constance uses her authority as deputy sheriff, and occasionally exceeds it, to investigate and defend these women when no one else will. But it's her sister Fleurette who puts Constance's beliefs to the test and forces her to reckon with her own ideas of how a young woman should and shouldn't behave. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
THE COUNTESS OF PRAGUE: Book One by Stephen Weeks (Historical Mystery)
THE COUNTESS OF PRAGUE is the exciting introduction to Beatrice von Falklenburg, known to her intimates as Trixie, who will lead us from Prague through Europe and occasionally beyond on a 10-book set of investigations that begins in 1904 and finishes in 1914. The assassination of the Archduke in Sarajevo that summer effectively ended the Old Europe into which she was born to a noble Czech father and an English mother. Through the lens of Trixie, whose own journey from pampered aristocrat (albeit in a polite and impoverished marriage) to a degree of emancipation has an exciting yet humorous and sympathetic dynamic, we witness stirring events and societal shifts. Reviewed by Mark Pendergrast (www.markpendergrast.com).
- Click here to read a blog piece from Stephen Weeks about his inspiration for the book.
MURDER UNDER THE FIG TREE: A Palestine Mystery by Kate Jessica Raphael (Mystery)
Hamas has taken power in Palestine, and the Israeli government is rounding up threats. When Palestinian policewoman Rania Bakara finds herself thrown in prison, though she has never been part of Hamas, her friend Chloe flies in from San Francisco to get her out. Chloe begs an Israeli policeman named Benny for help --- and Benny offers Rania a way out: investigate the death of a young man in a village near her own. The young man’s neighbors believe the Israeli army killed him; Benny believes his death might not have been so honorable. Chloe's investigation draws her into a Palestinian gay scene she never knew existed, forcing her to question her beliefs about love, justice and cultural identity. Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on September 26th
Below are some notable titles releasing on September 26th 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 September 25th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
A CASUALTY OF WAR: A Bess Crawford Mystery by Charles Todd (Historical Mystery)
While waiting for transport back to her post, Bess Crawford meets Captain Alan Travis from the island of Barbados. Later, when he’s brought into her forward aid station disoriented from a head wound, Bess is alarmed that he believes his distant English cousin, Lieutenant James Travis, shot him. When it appears that James couldn’t have shot him, the Captain’s sanity is questioned.
DON'T LET GO by Harlan Coben (Thriller)
Suburban New Jersey Detective Napoleon “Nap” Dumas hasn't been the same since senior year of high school, when his twin brother Leo and Leo’s girlfriend Diana were found dead on the railroad tracks --- and Maura, the girl Nap considered the love of his life, broke up with him and disappeared without explanation. For 15 years, Nap has been searching, both for Maura and for the real reason behind his brother's death. And now, it looks as though he may finally find what he's been looking for.
QUEENS OF THE CONQUEST: England's Medieval Queens, Book One by Alison Weir (History)
The lives of England’s medieval queens were packed with incident, but their stories have been largely obscured by centuries of myth and omission. Now Alison Weir restores these women to their rightful place in history. Spanning the years from the Norman conquest in 1066 to the dawn of a new era in 1154, when Henry II succeeded to the throne and Eleanor of Aquitaine, the first Plantagenet queen, was crowned, QUEENS OF THE CONQUEST brings to vivid life five women.
SLEEPING BEAUTIES by Stephen King and Owen King (Supernatural Thriller/Horror)
In a future so real and near it might be now, something happens when women go to sleep: they become shrouded in a cocoon-like gauze. If they are awakened, if the gauze wrapping their bodies is disturbed or violated, the women become feral and spectacularly violent. One woman, the mysterious “Eve Black,” is immune to the blessing or curse of the sleeping disease. Is Eve a medical anomaly to be studied? Or is she a demon who must be slain?
WHAT IS IT ALL BUT LUMINOUS: Notes from an Underground Man by Art Garfunkel (Memoir)
Art Garfunkel writes about his life before, during and after Simon & Garfunkel --- about their folk-rock music in the roiling age that embraced and was defined by their pathbreaking sound. He writes about growing up in the 1940s and '50s (the son of a traveling salesman); meeting Paul Simon in school; their becoming Simon & Garfunkel, taking the world by storm; his slow unfolding split with Paul and its aftermath; and so much more.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
Our Latest Poll: Book Reading Distractions
Does reading news and articles online and being active on social media take time away from your book reading? Please check all that apply.
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Reading news online often takes time away from my book reading.
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Reading news online sometimes takes time away from my book reading.
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Reading news online never takes time away from my book reading.
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Reading articles online often takes time away from my book reading.
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Reading articles online sometimes takes time away from my book reading.
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Reading articles online never takes time away from my book reading.
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Social media often takes time away from my book reading.
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Social media sometimes takes time away from my book reading.
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Social media never takes time away from my book reading.
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I rarely read news online.
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I rarely read articles online.
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I am not on any social media platforms.
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, October 6th 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 September 22nd to October 6th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of DON'T LET GO by Harlan Coben and MANHATTAN BEACH by Jennifer Egan.
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 September 6th to October 2nd at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Nelson DeMille's THE CUBAN AFFAIR, read by Scott Brick, and Stephen King and Owen King's SLEEPING BEAUTIES, read by Marin Ireland.
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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