March 16, 2018

March 16, 2018

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The Lights Are Back…and a Surprise Author Meetup

Our “powerless weekend” at the house continued until Sunday afternoon around 4:30. The power had gone out around 5:30 the Wednesday before, which made the clock change for daylight saving time pretty easy. We were lucky to be able to continue to stay with our friend, Cathy, for the weekend. On Sunday morning, I sat in her hot tub and finished reading TANGERINE by Christine Mangan, transported to Tangiers via a psychological thriller. The sun was shining, and for an hour or so it was pretty blissful. Cathy is like family to us, and we are very lucky she lives just two miles away.

On Saturday, I suddenly remembered that my Sourdough Starter was back at the house. I had started this about two weeks ago, in anticipation of making sourdough bread, and I panicked that the drop in temperature was going to ruin it. I know...complete newbie about this. I drove back to the house and packed it up and proceeded to feed it (this means I added flour and water to it). It looks very good and smells sour, and this weekend I am going to attempt my first San Francisco-style sourdough bread. Let’s see how this goes. I watched a YouTube video where someone mentioned how he had his starter for 20 years, so I guess my powerless weekend was not going to be something to worry about. Now my next goal is to buy a cast iron baguette pan. Anyone with advice on this, I am all ears! You can see a picture of the starter above.

Last week, I got an invite for “an exclusive media party for a MAJOR not-yet-announced fall book publication for the industry, one that has been 12 years in the making, and which will be both an upper YA and adult audience favorite. It will be published this October and announced next week. Details will be revealed the night before the party, and I can say wholeheartedly and with absolute certainty that this is an author you are not going to want to miss seeing. Our author will be present at the event, and we will be giving only attendees to this event a copy of the manuscript at this time. This is the FIRST opportunity that anyone will have to read this extraordinary novel, which is already highly anticipated in the literary world.” For me, this was something along the order of a literary surprise party or scavenger hunt. I was so busy after the invite arrived that I did not have time to try to guess the author.

The announcement of who it was came on Tuesday. Markus Zusak, who many of you know as the author of the brilliant novel THE BOOK THIEF, will have his new book, BRIDGE OF CLAY, released on October 9th, and the party was in his honor. On Wednesday, I spent a lovely, casual evening chatting with him and industry friends, hearing him talk for the first time about the book. Over the past few years, he has felt a lot of stress to complete the manuscript, and his face bore a sense of complete relief. He is such fun to talk to; we were comparing stories about children, and I think his house could host a sitcom much like mine. He had me laughing about their antics. I shared with him how much we loved sharing the 20th anniversary edition of THE BOOK THIEF with our book group readers with a special promotion. In his formal comments, he had a wonderful line that stayed with me, saying, “I’m not really good at making friends, but I’m good at making family.” He looked around the room and noted that the people in the room, which included his publishing team and his very early readers, were his family. It was a lovely evening that culminated in his drawing the lovely design above. You also can see a photo of the two of us laughing together when he was signing the book.

In BRIDGE OF CLAY, Clay Dunbar is one of five brothers. Their mom has died, and their father has left them. At the beginning of the book, the father returns and asks his sons to help him build a bridge on his property. Alas, only Clay agrees to do this, and as he builds, he will learn the secret behind his father’s disappearance and the impact it will have on him. I am so looking forward to reading it.

As many of you know, I love to cook all the time, and to bake when it’s the right recipe. I have been having fun reading Viola Shipman’s THE RECIPE BOX, where recipes are wrapped around the story line. There are pages and pages of baked treats that are each part of the story. Viola (which is the pen name for Wade Rouse) has a wonderful style, and this book has me longing to visit Lake Michigan. While there are beach reads set in the south and on beaches I know, this one has me longing to visit the resorts of Michigan, which sound just wonderful. Recommended reading!

THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT is Chris Bohjalian’s 20th novel, and it’s sure to soar to the top of many bestseller lists. Cassandra Bowden is a flight attendant who wakes up one morning in a Dubai hotel room. She is hungover and doing her best to remember what happened the previous night. But when she notices the bloody, lifeless body of the man she spent the night with, her confusion turns to panic. Afraid to call the police, Cassie begins to lie. She lies so much and to so many people, including the FBI agents in New York who meet her at the gate, that it soon becomes too late to come clean --- or face the truth about what really happened back in Dubai. Could she have killed him? If not, who did?

Kate Ayers has our review and says, “Chris Bohjalian is a master of suspense and pacing.... [Cassie] is a sympathetic character who is hard to like, yet you want to root for her.... Brace yourself for a blockbuster ending!” We have a discussion guide for the book available on ReadingGroupGuides.com, which you can see here. I was reading this book on a plane, and every time the flight attendant asked if I would like a drink, I wanted to ask, “Did you find a dead body in your room this morning?” Luckily I refrained, or I might have been the latest airline news story.

Our Spring Preview contests kicked off this week with THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT, followed by ALL THE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS by Elizabeth J. Church (which is my latest Bookreporter.com Bets On selection) and THE COINCIDENCE MAKERS by Yoav Blum. Next week’s prizes will be IF I DIE TONIGHT by Alison Gaylin, along with three books that we’re reviewing this week: BARBED WIRE HEART by Tess Sharpe, THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR by Sally Hepworth, and SOMETIMES I LIE by Alice Feeney, the latter of which is a buzzworthy psychological thriller that I listened to and enjoyed on audio a few months ago. The first contest of the week will be up on Monday, March 19th at noon ET.

Other books we’re reviewing this week include LET ME LIE, a new psychological thriller from Clare Mackintosh, whose first two novels, I LET YOU GO and I SEE YOU, were Bets On picks; WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?, a new essay collection from Marilynne Robinson that focuses on theological, political and contemporary themes; and AS YOU WISH, Jude Deveraux’s third Summerhouse novel, in which three very different women find themselves together in Summer Hill, Virginia, where they learn they have much more in common than they realized.

We’re happy to announce the debut of a brand-new Author Spotlight --- our Fiction Author Spotlight, which features new and upcoming fiction titles that don't fall into a specific genre category, like many of our other Author Spotlights do. You may or may not be familiar with some of these authors, but all have written stories that we hope will entertain you, inspire you and make you think.

Our inaugural Fiction Author Spotlight title is WE OWN THE SKY by debut author Luke Allnutt. Rob Coates has it all --- his incredible wife, Anna; their London town house; and, their precious son, Jack. But when a devastating illness befalls his family, Rob’s world comes crashing down. Suddenly all alone, he seeks solace in photographing the skyscrapers and clifftops he and Jack used to visit. Just when it seems like all hope is lost, Rob embarks on the most unforgettable of journeys to find his way back to life --- and forgiveness. The book doesn’t release until April 3rd, but we’re giving 30 readers the chance to win an advance copy and give us their feedback on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, March 29th at noon ET.

NEVER LET YOU GO by Chevy Stevens is our latest Paperback Spotlight title. Eleven years ago, Lindsey Nash escaped an abusive relationship, taking her young daughter with her in the night. Her ex-husband, Andrew, was sent to jail, and Lindsey started over with a new life. When Andrew is finally released from prison, Lindsey believes she has cut all ties and left the past behind her. But she gets the sense that someone is watching her. Her new boyfriend is threatened. Her home is invaded, and her daughter is shadowed. Lindsey is convinced it’s her ex-husband, even though he claims he’s a different person. But has he really changed? We reviewed NEVER LET YOU GO and interviewed Chevy last year when the book came out in hardcover. Click here for the review and here for the interview.

Since we’re in a paperback frame of mind, now's a good time to tell you about our new poll question. We listed 20 paperback reprints releasing this month (yes, NEVER LET YOU GO is one of them!), and we’re curious to know which you’ve already read or are planning to read. Click here to cast your votes.

In the same vein, our previous poll asked which of 20 fiction titles releasing in March you are planning to read. The top pick is the aforementioned THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT by Chris Bohjalian with 56% of the vote. Rounding out the top five are EVERY NOTE PLAYED by Lisa Genova (32%), ALTERNATE SIDE by Anna Quindlen (30%), and the aforementioned THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR by Sally Hepworth (27%) and SOMETIMES I LIE by Alice Feeney (25%). Click here for all the results.

ALTERNATE SIDE is one of the books we’re giving away in our new Word of Mouth contest; the other is THE BISHOP’S PAWN by Steve Berry. Let us know by Friday, March 30th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win both novels.

The audio version of EVERY NOTE PLAYED (read by Dennis Boutsikaris and Dagmara Dominczyk) is a Sounding Off on Audio prize for March, along with J.A. Jance's DUEL TO THE DEATH: An Ali Reynolds Mystery, read by Karen Ziemba. Submit your comments about the audiobooks you’ve listened to, and you could be awarded both these audio titles. Be sure to enter by Monday, April 2nd at noon ET.

I'm excited to share the details of our 7th Annual Book Group Speed Dating Event, which will take place on Friday, June 1st from 2pm to 3:50pm at BookExpo in New York. Representatives from more than 20(!) publishers will be in attendance to share selections and book group news from their publishing houses in a speed-dating format designed to give booksellers, librarians and book group leaders an inside look at what book groups will want to know for fall and winter. Galley giveaways and ideas for enhancing book group discussions will be part of this event. Advance signup is required by Monday, May 21st at noon ET. Be sure to fill out this form to sign up. Please note that you have to be registered for BookExpo to attend. Read on for more details later in this newsletter.

As promised, here’s a link to a list of books that our readers recommended for the young mother’s book group that my friend is starting. MANY thanks to all who took the time to share their recommendations with us. I am hoping that my schedule stays clear to attend their first discussion on April 9th; their first discussion title will be SMALL GREAT THINGS by Jodi Picoult.

For the first time, Bookreporter.com reader Muriel Logan and her husband attended the Tucson Festival of Books last weekend. Muriel had such a wonderful time that she wrote to share some of her experiences at the festival with us, along with a couple of photos from two of the panels she attended. Click here for her blog post. I love that Muriel shared details of what sounds like a really fun weekend. This is a festival that I always have wanted to attend; it gets such high marks from readers. 

The winners of the National Book Critics Circle Awards were announced yesterday. They include IMPROVEMENT by Joan Silber (Fiction), THE EVANGELICALS: The Struggle to Shape America, by Frances Fitzgerald (Nonfiction), and PRAIRIE FIRES: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser (Biography). Click here for the complete list of winners.

Sarah Jessica Parker has selected ANATOMY OF A MIRACLE by Jonathan Miles as her latest ALA Book Club Central Pick. According to Parker, "Jonathan Miles is a great American storyteller, a writer to celebrate with a new novel easily devoured. His tender, life-affirming ANATOMY OF A MIRACLE follows paraplegic veteran Cameron Harris and his sister Tanya after Cameron suddenly regains the ability to walk. The story in these pages is astoundingly joyous and deeply humane, and I can’t wait to share it with you all as the new selection for Book Club Central." We have a discussion guide for the book on ReadingGroupGuides.com, which you can check out here.

I planning to attend a session about Book Club Central at the Public Library Association (PLA) conference next week in Philadelphia. I am going to be at the conference on Wednesday with a jam-packed schedule. PLA is one of my favorite conferences, and the idea that there is a book group-themed program there makes me happy!

Our longtime reviewer Ray Palen was honored to meet Brad Meltzer at the Vero Beach Book Center, where he talked about his new thriller, THE ESCAPE ARTIST (which Ray reviewed for us last week), and signed copies of the book. You can see a photo of Ray and Brad above.

Readers may have noted my love of EDUCATED by Tara Westover, which I selected as a Bets On and was happy to see was an instant New York Times bestseller. Tara is going to be the author guest at a "Big Ideas Night" at Random House on Tuesday, March 27th. I am going to be there and would love to see some of you there as well. Here’s a link for ticketing information.

News & Pop Culture

Reader Mail:

Virginia, our reader who lost her home in the Thomas Fire in Ventura, wrote with an update: “We’ve been living out of two suitcases and four canvas grocery bags, staying with friends and intermittently at local hotels. We are still transitory for now, but here’s the scoop: we will be moving into a house in Ventura starting June 1st. It’s mostly furnished because it belongs to the daughter of one of our neighbors. While the landscaping around her house burned, her house was spared. Our neighbor’s daughter Kristin and her young son Zach will be moving in with our neighbor, so we will rent Kristin’s house long term starting June 1st. We have to buy a bed, a TV and a big bookshelf, but otherwise everything will be there. And we’ll be starting to rebuild our home. This is all very good.

"In the meantime, my favorite singer/songwriter Paul Simon will be performing at the Hollywood Bowl May 23rd. We purchased eight tickets to thank Amy and Lori and Sam and Muffie (who all hosted us as house guests these past three months) and our children. I assigned the new Robert Hilburn book, PAUL SIMON: The Life, as homework to everyone, sending them your column and your About the Book link. Because my first-ever concert was Simon & Garfunkel at Constitution Hall in 1967, and then I was fortunate enough to enjoy Mr. Simon and his Graceland tour concert in Las Vegas in the late 1980s, the songs are a big part of the soundtrack of my life.

"It’ll be wonderful to have a closet where I can hang up clothes and to have this home base while we rebuild our house. It’s been a little over three months since the fire consumed everything, but we are on the way to recovery. For the most part, we no longer wander zombified through the days. We still have moments of bewilderment and disorientation, but after all, this is our first (and, God willing, our only) fire. Who could know what to expect?”

Once Virginia is settled, I will ask her for a wish list of books to replace on her bookshelves and let you know where to send them. And yes, I think we can share some handwritten recipe cards as well.

HBO and Elena Ferrante: Filming is underway, and the first pictures from Elena Ferrante's MY BRILLIANT FRIEND adaptation have been shared.

Celeste Ng: I was crazy about her book, LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE. So are Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington, who are adapting the book for Hulu as a limited series.

Basketball: There will be lots of it on in the background at our house over the next couple of weeks. March Madness is reigning here! No faves or picks yet, but stay tuned!
 
Cory has been on Spring Break this week. His time off has been a nice combo of job interviews, sending resumes and hanging out with friends. He is coming to dinner tonight, perhaps with a friend. Greg is working on his Land Rover to get ready for a two-week road trip to California in late April/early May. It’s nice to know we have readers across the country; fair warning that I will consider you all to be emergency contacts along the way! Tom is happy that Tiger is back in the game of golf. Amusing story: Last weekend, he realized that Cathy did not have the Golf Channel. (I was silently cheering about this.) I mentioned this to her late Sunday afternoon, and she said, “I have Apple TV; you can get to anything there.” So that was what the second remote was for. Fore!

Quiet weekend ahead with lots of electricity to catch up on reading and getting the house in order. I cannot wait. Happy St. Patrick’s Day! For the record, I am not one smidgen Irish, except my name and my husband is about 1/8 Irish. But tomorrow, we’ll embrace these small parts and celebrate the wearing of the green. Okay, in my case, maybe teal green! I think we will have corned beef sandwiches.

Off to find a sourdough recipe. 

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 FLIGHT ATTENDANT
by Chris Bohjalian

THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT by Chris Bohjalian (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Erin Spencer and Grace Experience,‎ with Mark Deakins
Cassandra Bowden, a flight attendant, is no stranger to hungover mornings. When she awakes in a Dubai hotel room, she tries to piece the previous night back together. She quietly slides out of bed and looks at the man she spent the night with. What she sees is blood, a slick, still wet pool on the crisp white sheets. Afraid to call the police, Cassie begins to lie. She lies as she joins the other flight attendants and pilots in the van. She lies on the way to Paris as she works the first class cabin. She lies to the FBI agents in New York who meet her at the gate. Soon it's too late to come clean --- or face the truth about what really happened back in Dubai. Could she have killed him? If not, who did? Reviewed by Kate Ayers.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.

Click here to read the review.

Featured Review: SOMETIMES I LIE by Alice Feeney

SOMETIMES I LIE by Alice Feeney (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Stephanie Racine
Amber Reynolds wakes up in a hospital. She can’t move. She can’t speak. She can’t open her eyes. She can hear everyone around her, but they have no idea. Amber doesn’t remember what happened, but she has a suspicion her husband had something to do with it. Alternating between her paralyzed present, the week before her accident, and a series of childhood diaries from 20 years ago, Alice Feeney's debut psychological thriller asks: Is something really a lie if you believe it's the truth? Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.

Click here to read the review.

New Fiction Author Spotlight & Contest:
WE OWN THE SKY by Luke Allnutt

Our brand-new Fiction Author Spotlight features new and upcoming fiction titles that don't fall into a specific genre category, like many of our other Author Spotlights do. You may or may not be familiar with some of these authors, but all have written stories that we hope will entertain you, inspire you and make you think. There’s fiction here for all kinds of tastes, so leave it up to us to lead the way!

Our first Fiction Author Spotlight title is WE OWN THE SKY by Luke Allnutt, a tender and heartrending, but ultimately life-affirming, debut novel that will resonate deeply with anyone who has suffered loss or experienced great love. We have 30 advance copies to give away to readers who would like to read the book, which releases on April 3rd, and share their comments on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, March 29th at noon ET.

WE OWN THE SKY by Luke Allnutt (Fiction)
Rob Coates feels like he’s won the lottery of life. There is Anna, his incredible wife, their London town house and, most precious of all, Jack, their son, who makes every day an extraordinary adventure. But when a devastating illness befalls his family, Rob’s world begins to unravel. Suddenly finding himself alone, Rob seeks solace in photographing the skyscrapers and clifftops he and Jack used to visit. And just when it seems that all hope is lost, Rob embarks on the most unforgettable of journeys to find his way back to life, and forgiveness.

WE OWN THE SKY is a tender, heartrending, but ultimately life-affirming novel that will resonate deeply with anyone who has suffered loss or experienced great love. With stunning eloquence and acumen, Luke Allnutt has penned a soaring debut and a true testament to the power of love, showing how even the most thoroughly broken heart can learn to beat again.

- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Luke Allnutt’s bio.
- Click here to visit Luke Allnutt’s website.
- Click here to connect with Luke Allnutt on Twitter.

Click here to read more in our Fiction Author Spotlight and enter the contest.

New Paperback Spotlight:
NEVER LET YOU GO by Chevy Stevens

NEVER LET YOU GO by Chevy Stevens (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Rachel Fulginiti and Caitlin Davies
Eleven years ago, Lindsey Nash escaped into the night with her young daughter and left an abusive relationship. Her ex-husband, Andrew, was sent to jail, and Lindsey started over with a new life.

Now, Lindsey is older and wiser, with her own business and a teenage daughter who needs her more than ever. When Andrew is finally released from prison, Lindsey believes she has cut all ties and left the past behind her. But she gets the sense that someone is watching her, tracking her every move. Her new boyfriend is threatened. Her home is invaded, and her daughter is shadowed. Lindsey is convinced it’s her ex-husband, even though he claims he’s a different person. But has he really changed? Is the one who wants her dead closer to home than she thought?

With NEVER LET YOU GO, Chevy Stevens delivers a chilling, twisting thriller that crackles with suspense as it explores the darkest heart of love and obsession.

- Click here to read a review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Chevy Stevens’ bio.
- Click here to visit Chevy Stevens’ website.
- Connect with Chevy Stevens on Facebook and Twitter.

Click here to read more in our Paperback Spotlight.

Featured Review: LET ME LIE by Clare Mackintosh

LET ME LIE by Clare Mackintosh (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Gemma Whelan, with a note read by the author
Last year, Tom and Caroline Johnson chose to end their lives, one seemingly unable to live without the other. Their daughter, Anna, is struggling to come to terms with her parents' deaths, unwilling to accept the verdict of suicide. Now with a baby herself, Anna feels her mother's absence keenly and is determined to find out what really happened to her parents. But as she digs up the past, someone is trying to stop her. Sometimes it's safer to let things lie. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.

Click here to read the review.

Featured Review: AS YOU WISH by Jude Deveraux

AS YOU WISH by Jude Deveraux (Romance)
Audiobook available, narrated by Susan Bennett
Sixty-year-old Olivia’s first marriage was long and unhappy, but now she is thrilled to be starting her life with the man she’s always truly loved. Kathy is in her 40s and married to a handsome, successful businessman…who happens to be passionately in love with someone else. Twentysomething Elise is also in a troubled marriage, stuck with the man her wealthy parents chose for her. Though each of them wound up at the summerhouse for separate reasons, it’s not long before they begin to open up about their regrets, their wishes and their dreams. And when they’re presented with the opportunity of a lifetime, all three discover what can happen when dreams really do come true. Reviewed by Susan Miura.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to visit Jude Deveraux’s website.

Click here to read the review.

Bookreporter.com Bets On:
ALL THE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS by Elizabeth J. Church

ALL THE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS by Elizabeth J. Church (Historical Fiction)
ALL THE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS by Elizabeth J. Church is set in 1960s Las Vegas and features a troupe dancer named Ruby Wilde, who gives readers a fabulously well-written look into life behind the scenes on the Strip. Ruby grew up as Lily Decker in Salina, Kansas. Her parents and sister are killed in a traffic accident, and she is sent to live with her aunt and uncle. Her uncle sexually abuses her, and she is pretty lost and alone.

Lily’s protector comes from an unexpected place --- it’s the man who is responsible for the deaths of her parents and sister, a military pilot stationed nearby. He is referred to as “the Aviator,” and he fuels her passion for dance. When her dance teacher suggests that Lily go professional, she guides her to Las Vegas instead of to New York or L.A. Lily becomes a showgirl, and from there we learn all about the life of these performers on the Strip.

Readers are taken behind the curtain, where the risqué costumes and the crazy nightlife are part of the world of showgirls. There is big money in this business; there is also a lot of risk. Church details it all well.

The Aviator continues to be part of Ruby’s life, always there when she needs his help. He’s harboring a secret as well. There’s a lot of social commentary woven in here. While Vegas is wild and fun, the rest of the country is seething in unrest.

I loved Church’s first book, THE ATOMIC WEIGHT OF LOVE, and selected it as a Bets On. She has a real talent for giving a powerful voice to everyday women who may have been ignored otherwise as they were not seminal figures.

- 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 more books we're betting you'll love.

Bookreporter.com's Seventh Annual
Spring Preview Contests and Feature

Spring is in the air (or will be very soon)! We’ve already caught the fever --- and it’s being fueled by some wonderful new and upcoming releases. Our seventh annual Spring Preview Contests and Feature spotlights many of these picks, which we know people will be talking about over the next few months. We will be hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through April 20th. You will need to check the site to see the featured book and enter to win. We also will be sending a special newsletter to announce each title, which you can sign up for here.

Our next prize book will be announced on Monday, March 19th at noon ET.

This year's featured titles are:

• AFTER ANNA by Lisa Scottoline
• ALL THE BEAUTIFUL GIRLS by Elizabeth J. Church
• AMERICAN BY DAY by Derek B. Miller
• BARBED WIRE HEART by Tess Sharpe
• BEFORE I LET YOU GO by Kelly Rimmer
• THE BRIGHTEST SUN by Adrienne Benson
• CAN’T HELP MYSELF: Lessons & Confessions from a Modern Advice Columnist by Meredith Goldstein
• THE COINCIDENCE MAKERS by Yoav Blum
• THE CUTTING EDGE: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel by Jeffery Deaver
• DEAD GIRL RUNNING by Christina Dodd
• THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR by Sally Hepworth
• THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT by Chris Bohjalian
• IF I DIE TONIGHT by Alison Gaylin
• THE LITTLE FRENCH BISTRO by Nina George
• OTHER PEOPLE’S HOUSES by Abbi Waxman
• PROVIDENCE by Caroline Kepnes
• SOMETIMES I LIE by Alice Feeney
• WELL, THAT ESCALATED QUICKLY: Memoirs and Mistakes of an Accidental Activist by Franchesca Ramsey

Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.

Announcing ReadingGroupGuides.com's
7th Annual BookExpo Speed Dating Event:
"Great Book Group Titles for Fall/Winter 2018"

On Friday, June 1st from 2:00pm to 3:50pm at BookExpo in New York, ReadingGroupGuides.com will host its 7th Annual Book Group Speed Dating Event.

Representatives from more than 20(!) publishers will be in attendance to share selections and book group news from their publishing houses in a speed-dating format designed to give booksellers, librarians and book group leaders an inside look at what book groups will want to know for fall and winter. Galley giveaways and ideas for enhancing book group discussions will be part of this event.

Advance signup is required by Monday, May 21st at noon ET. Seating will be assigned. Fill out this form to sign up. Once you do so, you will see a note that you have registered. We will not send more information until Friday, May 25th.

Please note: To attend this event, you must be registered to attend BookExpo on June 1st and have a badge. If you are not, click here to register.

More Reviews This Week

WHAT ARE WE DOING HERE?: Essays by Marilynne Robinson (Essays)
Audiobook available, read by Carrington MacDuffie
Marilynne Robinson has plumbed the human spirit in her renowned novels, including LILA, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, and GILEAD, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award. In this new essay collection, she trains her incisive mind on our modern political climate and the mysteries of faith. Whether she is investigating how the work of great thinkers about America like Emerson and Tocqueville inform our political consciousness, or discussing the way that beauty informs and disciplines daily life, Robinson’s peerless prose and boundless humanity are on full display. Reviewed by Pauline Finch.

GIRLS BURN BRIGHTER by Shobha Rao (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Soneela Nankani
Poornima and Savitha have three strikes against them: they are poor, they are ambitious, and they are girls. After her mother’s death, Poornima has very little kindness in her life. She is left to care for her siblings until her father can find her a suitable match. So when Savitha enters their household, Poornima is intrigued by the joyful, independent-minded girl. Suddenly their Indian village doesn't feel quite so claustrophobic, and Poornima begins to imagine a life beyond arranged marriage. But when a devastating act of cruelty drives Savitha away, Poornima leaves behind everything she has ever known to find her friend. Reviewed by Melanie Reynolds.

THE BAD DAUGHTER by Joy Fielding (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Brittany Pressley
A voice mail from her estranged sister, Melanie, sends Robin’s heart racing and her mind spiraling in a full-blown panic attack. Melanie’s message is dire: Their father, his second wife and his 12-year-old stepdaughter have been shot --- likely in a home invasion --- and lie in the hospital in critical condition. It’s been more than five years since Robin turned her back on her father when he married her best friend. Now she must return to the family she left behind. As she attempts to mend fences while her father clings to life, Robin begins to wonder if there is more to the tragedy than a botched burglary attempt. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.

THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR by Sally Hepworth (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Barrie Kreinik
From the outside, Essie’s life looks idyllic: a loving husband, a beautiful house in a good neighborhood, and a nearby mother who dotes on her grandchildren. But few of Essie’s friends know her secret shame: that in a moment of maternal despair, she once walked away from her newborn, asleep in her carriage in a park. When a new woman named Isabelle moves in next door to Essie, she is an immediate object of curiosity in the neighborhood. As the two women grow closer and Essie’s friends voice their disapproval, it starts to become clear that Isabelle’s choice of neighborhood was no accident. And that her presence threatens to bring shocking secrets to light. Reviewed by Leah DeCesare (www.leahdecesare.com).

- Click here to read an excerpt.

SPEAK NO EVIL by Uzodinma Iweala (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Prentice Onayemi and Julia Whelan
Raised by two attentive parents, Niru is a top student and a track star at his prestigious private high school. Bound for Harvard in the fall, his prospects are bright. But Niru has a painful secret: he is queer --- an abominable sin to his conservative Nigerian parents. No one knows except Meredith, his best friend and the one person who seems not to judge him. When his father accidentally discovers Niru is gay, the fallout is brutal and swift. As Niru and Meredith struggle to reconcile their desires against the expectations and institutions that seek to define them, they find themselves speeding toward a future more violent and senseless than they can imagine. Reviewed by Maya Gittelman.

BARBED WIRE HEART by Tess Sharpe (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Tess Sharpe
Duke McKenna has run more guns, cooked more meth and killed more men than anyone around. His daughter, Harley, has been working for him since she was 16 --- collecting debts, sweet-talking her way out of trouble, and dreading the day he'd deem her ready to rule the rural drug empire he's built. The Springfields, her family's biggest rivals, are moving in. Years ago, they were responsible for her mother's death, and now they're coming for her. Harley is forced to confront the truth: that her father's violent world will destroy her. If she wants to survive and protect the people she loves, she must take out Duke's operation and the Springfields. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

- Click here to read an excerpt.

THE DAY SHE DISAPPEARED by Christobel Kent (Psychological Thriller)
When Beth disappears, everyone says she’s run off with another man. But Natalie, her best friend, doesn’t believe it. She’s sure something more sinister is going on. Meanwhile, Victor, one of Beth’s and Nat’s favorite bar patrons, has fallen and ended up in the hospital. When he hears that Beth is gone, he doesn’t buy it either. And slowly, a hazy memory comes back to him. As Nat tries to piece together the events --- and people --- in Beth’s life, it becomes more difficult to discern who can and can’t be trusted. The little town in the English countryside takes on an ominous air, with a threat behind every corner, outside every window. And someone is always watching. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

THE STAKES by Ben Sanders (Thriller)
Rip-offs are a dangerous game, but heist man Miles Keller thinks he has found a good strategy: rob rich New York criminals and then retire early, before word is out about his true identity. The NYPD is investigating him for the shooting of a hitman named Jack Deen, who was targeting Lucy Gates, a former police informant and Miles’ ex-lover. He’s ready to go to ground, but then Nina Stone reappears in his life. Nina is a fellow heist professional and the estranged wife of LA crime boss Charles Stone. Her husband wants her back, and he’s dispatched his go-to gun thug to play repo man. Complicating matters is the fact that the gun thug in question is Bobby Deen, cousin of the dead Jack Deen --- and Bobby wants vengeance. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

THE VOICE INSIDE by Brian Freeman (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Joe Barrett
Four years after serial killer Rudy Cutter was sent away for life, San Francisco homicide inspector Frost Easton uncovers a terrible lie: his closest friend planted false evidence to put Cutter behind bars. When he’s forced to reveal the truth, his sister’s killer is back on the streets. Desperate to take Cutter down again, the detective finds a new ally in Eden Shay, who wrote a book about Cutter and knows more about him than anyone. For four years, Cutter has been nursing revenge day after stolen day. Staying ahead of the game of a killer who’s determined to strike again is not going to be easy. Not when Frost is battling his own demons. Not when the game is becoming so personal. And not when the killer’s next move is unlike anything Frost expected. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

I BRING SORROW: And Other Stories of Transgression by Patricia Abbott (Mystery/Short Stories)
I BRING SORROW is a collection of stories from Edgar and Anthony Award nominee Patricia Abbott that explores the dark side of human behavior. A daughter finds a way to save a mother who no longer knows her name. A father eases his grief through an act of kindness that few will judge kindly. A savvy realtor closes her deal in an unexpected way. A society of women fares little better than their forbearers. An uxorious husband finds the limits of his love. These and more stories will bring you into the deepest, darkest corridors of the heart. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.

A PERFECT UNIVERSE: Ten Stories by Scott O'Connor (Fiction/Short Stories)
Audiobook available, read by Bronson Pinchot and Thérèse Plummer
Welcome to the often-overlooked corners of sun-bleached Los Angeles, where a teenaged bicycle thief searches for a kidnapped boy, a young musician emerges as the lone survivor of a building collapse, and an aging actor faces the erasure of his past. There, far from the Hollywood spotlight, we also meet two sisters locked in a destructive cycle of memory and illness, coffee-shop regulars whose lives are torn apart by a stunning moment of violence, and the desperate, fraudulent writer whose fictions connect these characters in subtle and surprising ways. Reviewed by Stephen Febick.

- Click here to read an excerpt.

Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on March 20th

Below are some notable titles releasing on March 20th 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 March 19th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.

ACCIDENTAL HEROES by Danielle Steel (Romantic Suspense)
Two planes have just departed for San Francisco --- one a 757, another a smaller Airbus A321. At a security checkpoint, TSA agent Bernice Adams finds a postcard of the Golden Gate Bridge bearing an ambiguous --- perhaps ominous --- message. Senior Homeland Security agent Ben Waterman becomes convinced that someone on the A321 is planning something terrible. And he’s right.

ALTERNATE SIDE by Anna Quindlen (Fiction)
Some days, Nora Nolan thinks that she and her husband, Charlie, lead a charmed life. And why not? New York City was once Nora’s dream destination, and her clannish dead-end block has become a safe harbor, a tranquil village amid the urban craziness. Then one morning, Nora returns from her run to discover that a terrible incident has shaken the neighborhood, and the enviable dead-end block turns into a potent symbol of a divided city.

THE BISHOP’S PAWN by Steve Berry (Thriller)
History notes that the ugly feud between J. Edgar Hoover and Martin Luther King, Jr., marked by years of illegal surveillance and the accumulation of secret files, ended on April 4, 1968 when King was assassinated by James Earl Ray. But that may not have been the case. Now, 50 years later, former Justice Department agent Cotton Malone must reckon with the truth of what really happened that fateful day in Memphis.

DUEL TO THE DEATH: An Ali Reynolds Mystery by J.A. Jance (Mystery/Thriller)
After taking down the man responsible for his best friend’s death, Stuart Ramey thinks the case is finally closed. That is, until Stu finds himself left with a multimillion dollar fortune in Bitcoin in a desperate bid by Frigg, a rogue A.I. program created by the killer, to keep itself from being fully deactivated. To sort out his situation and take Frigg down for good, Stu enlists the help of Ali Reynolds and the rest of his cyber security colleagues.

EVERY NOTE PLAYED by Lisa Genova (Fiction)
An accomplished concert pianist, Richard now has ALS, and his entire right arm is paralyzed. Three years ago, Karina removed their framed wedding picture from the living room wall, but she still hasn’t moved on. When Richard becomes increasingly paralyzed and is no longer able to live on his own, Karina becomes his reluctant caretaker --- and both try to reconcile their past before it’s too late.

THE ITALIAN TEACHER by Tom Rachman (Fiction)
Conceived while his father, Bear, cavorted around Rome, Pinch learns quickly that Bear's genius trumps all. After Bear abandons his family, Pinch strives to make himself worthy of his father's attention --- first trying to be a painter himself; then resolving to write his father's biography; eventually settling into a job as an Italian teacher. But when Bear dies, Pinch hatches a scheme to secure his father's legacy --- and make his own mark on the world.

THE LAST STAND by Mickey Spillane (Hard-boiled Mystery)
When Mickey Spillane died in 2006, he left behind the manuscript of one last novel he'd just completed: THE LAST STAND. He asked his friend and colleague Max Allan Collins to take responsibility for finding the right time and place to publish it. Now, on the 100th anniversary of Spillane's birth, his millions of fans will at last get to read it, together with a second never-before-published work, this one from early in Spillane's career.

THE PUNISHMENT SHE DESERVES: A Lynley Novel by Elizabeth George (Mystery)
The cozy, bucolic town of Ludlow is stunned when one of its most revered and respected citizens --- Ian Druitt, the local deacon --- is accused of a serious crime. Then, while in police custody, Ian is found dead. When Barbara Havers is sent to Ludlow to investigate the chain of events that led to Ian's death, all the evidence points to suicide. But Barbara can't shake the feeling that she's missing something.

THE RECIPE BOX by Viola Shipman (Fiction)
Samantha Mullins felt trapped on her family’s orchard and pie shop, so she left with dreams of making her own mark in the world. But life as an overworked, undervalued sous chef at a reality star’s New York bakery is not what Sam dreamed. When the chef embarrasses Sam, she quits and returns home. Unemployed, single and defeated, she spends a summer working on her family’s orchard cooking and baking alongside the women in her life.

THE TEMPTATION OF FORGIVENESS: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery by Donna Leon (Mystery)
Commissario Guido Brunetti is surprised by the appearance of a friend of his wife’s, fearful that her son is using drugs and hopeful Brunetti can somehow intervene. When Tullio Gasparini, the woman’s husband, is found unconscious and with a serious brain injury at the foot of a bridge in Venice after midnight, Brunetti is drawn to pursue a possible connection to the boy’s behavior. But the truth is not straightforward.

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