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We had a lovely anniversary/Easter weekend. Recently a Whole Foods market opened near us. While many love shopping there for their organic produce, I love their floral selection. The pink roses above were from there, along with the greens, and I loved pairing them together. I also bought bunches of deep purple hyacinths and three shades of pink and purple tulips. I loved the riot of spring colors around the house that made the place feel a bit more festive. On Saturday, it was warm enough to wear shorts when I was outside doing yard work; on Monday, we had seven inches of snow. This truly has been a winter/spring where weather twists one way and the other.
Last year, I loved JP Delaney’s THE GIRL BEFORE, so I was looking forward to reading his new one, BELIEVE ME, which will be in stores on July 24th. The protagonist is a young woman from the UK named Claire, who is a struggling actor, living in New York without a green card. She freelances as a decoy for a group of lawyers; her role is to try to seduce husbands whose wives think they are cheating. Tables twist when one of the women who hired her is found dead, and it’s one brutal crime. Claire is enlisted to help find the murderer, but as she assumes this role, what is going on here? Who is really the suspect? It’s one very gripping story that has me snagging late-night reading and early mornings. I have less than 100 pages to go, and hmmm…I think I am feeling another Bets On coming up.
I am listening to ALTERNATE SIDE by Anna Quindlen; the narrator is Ellen Archer, and I have been enjoying her performance! In it, Nora and her husband, Charlie, live on the Upper West Side of New York in a neighborhood set on a dead end. One of the charms of this sheltered neighborhood is a parking lot where residents are invited to park and the invites are limited. As not everyone can get a spot there, tensions run high about this privilege. Early in the book, a space is made available for Charlie, which means he feels “he has arrived.” Nora is less charmed by this turn of events. A woman named Charity (we learn that her sisters’ names are Faith and Hope) is Nora and Charlie’s longtime housekeeper; Ricky is the neighborhood handyman, moving from one home to the next doing repairs. One day, a terrible incident takes place that brings class divide to the forefront of conversation, and suddenly the fractures in Nora and Charlie’s worlds become more evident. I am halfway through and am looking forward to seeing where this one goes.
Who loves "This Is Us"? I see many “mice” moving and scrolling fingers answering that one. I clearly see why Chrissy Metz’s THIS IS ME: Loving the Person You Are Today rocked right to the top of the print/e-book New York Times bestseller list. I love listening to memoirs narrated by authors, so I listened to a few tracks of the audiobook while sitting at my desk the other day, and I immediately wanted to listen more. I see a long walk in my future this weekend, if the weather allows us to feel like it’s spring, and this will be the perfect companion.
Meg Wolitzer is back with her latest novel for adults, THE FEMALE PERSUASION, which is the first selection of the new Barnes & Noble Book Club. Greer Kadetsky is a shy college freshman when she meets Faith Frank, who has been a central figure in the women's movement for decades and inspires others to influence the world. After hearing Faith speak for the first time, Greer --- who has a loving boyfriend but still longs for a greater purpose in life --- feels her inner world light up. Faith ends up leading Greer down the most exciting path of her life as it winds toward and away from her meant-to-be love story with Cory and the future she had always imagined.
Norah Piehl has our review and says, “THE FEMALE PERSUASION has much to offer to readers --- especially those who will have seen this evolution in the feminist movement play out in real time, in their own lives. The personal is political, as they say --- and in the case of Wolitzer’s latest, she adeptly illustrates how the two overlap, sometimes messily.” Reminder: THE FEMALE PERSUASION is the first Barnes & Noble Book Club selection for 2018. Across the country on May 2nd, there will be book group discussions at B&N locations at 6pm. If you are planning to go to your local B&N for this, please let me know!
Our Fiction Author Spotlight of WE OWN THE SKY by Luke Allnutt wraps up this week with our review and interview. This heartrending yet life-affirming debut novel is about a husband and father who must navigate the treacherous waters of childhood illness after his young son is diagnosed with a brain tumor. Bronwyn Miller has this to say in her review: “Luke Allnutt’s gut-wrenching debut will bring you to tears while also challenging you to think about the lengths you would go to save a child. The idea for the book came to Allnutt when he was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2013. This moving novel is a natural for book groups, as you’ll never want for in-depth and enlightening discussions about how far you would go to save a loved one, and dealing with the repercussions thereof.” Luke was kind enough to answer some questions Bronwyn had about the book and his own bout with cancer that led him to write it. Click here to read the interview.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include THE HOUSE OF BROKEN ANGELS, Pulitzer Prize finalist Luis Alberto Urrea’s portrait of one Mexican American family and the American dream; THE ITALIAN TEACHER, Tom Rachman’s novel about the son of a great painter who strives to create his own legacy; and LAWN BOY by Jonathan Evison, a coming-of-age novel that Kristin Hannah calls “a painfully honest portrait of one young man's struggle to overcome the hand he's been dealt in life and reach for his dreams. It's a journey you won't want to miss, with an ending you won't forget.”
Our Paperback Spotlight now shines on MUSIC OF THE GHOSTS by Vaddey Ratner, whose debut novel, IN THE SHADOW OF THE BANYAN, was a Bets On selection back in 2012. Teera leaves the safety of America to return to Cambodia for the first time since her harrowing escape as a child refugee. She carries a letter from a man who refers to himself as “the Old Musician” and claims to have known her father in the Khmer Rouge prison where he disappeared 25 years ago. In Phnom Penh, Teera finds a society still in turmoil, where perpetrators and survivors of unthinkable violence live side by side. There, she meets a young doctor who begins to open her heart, immerses herself in long-buried memories and prepares to learn her father’s fate. We reviewed the book when it released in hardcover last April; click here to read the review. I am a real fan of Vaddey and her work.
MUSIC OF THE GHOSTS is just one of many titles we’re featuring in this month’s New in Paperback roundups. Others include paperback reprints from such bestselling authors as James Patterson, Lee Child, Tess Gerritsen, Lisa See and Dorothea Benton Frank; memoirs by Dani Shapiro, Claire Dederer and Chipper Jones; and paperback originals like THE NEW NEIGHBORS by Simon Lelic, DEAD GIRL RUNNING by Christina Dodd, and MY OXFORD YEAR by Julia Whelan.
In this week’s Spring Preview contests, we gave away AMERICAN BY DAY by Derek B. Miller, BEFORE I LET YOU GO by Kelly Rimmer, CAN’T HELP MYSELF: Lessons & Confessions from a Modern Advice Columnist by Meredith Goldstein, and OTHER PEOPLE’S HOUSES by Abbi Waxman. Next week’s prizes will be AFTER ANNA by Lisa Scottoline and THE CUTTING EDGE: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel by Jeffery Deaver, both of which we’re reviewing next week. The first contest of the week will go live on Monday, April 9th at noon ET.
On ReadingGroupGuides.com, we have a BIG contest where we’re giving 10 book groups the chance to win six digital copies of the audiobook edition of AFTER ANNA (which is narrated by Mozhan Marno and Jeremy Bobb) and share their comments on it. We also are awarding 40 listeners a physical copy of the audiobook. Click here for all the details; the deadline for your entries is Wednesday, May 2nd at noon ET. I am looking forward to listening to this one!
THE CUTTING EDGE is also one of our current Word of Mouth prize books; the other is I’VE GOT MY EYES ON YOU by Mary Higgins Clark. Let us know by Friday, April 13th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll have a chance to win both these titles.
The audio version of Sally Hepworth’s THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR, read by Barrie Kreinik, is my latest Bets On pick. Click here to read my commentary. It also is one of the prizes in this month’s Sounding Off on Audio contest, along with Alice Feeney's SOMETIMES I LIE, read by Stephanie Racine, which I raved about a few weeks ago. Submit your comments about the audiobooks you’ve listened to, and you’ll be in the running to win both these outstanding audio titles. The deadline for your submissions is Tuesday, May 1st at noon ET.
Our Books on Screen feature has been updated for April. Feature films include Avengers: Infinity War, Lean on Pete and Disobedience; on the small screen will be the series premieres of "Howards End" on Starz and "Killing Eve" on BBC America; and among this month’s DVD releases are Maze Runner: The Death Cure, My Friend Dahmer and Paddington 2.
Our poll continues to ask which of 20 books releasing in April you are planning to read. Click here to let us know.
This week, Joan Silber was the recipient of the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction for her novel, IMPROVEMENT, which won the National Book Critics Circle fiction prize last month. Also, Min Jin Lee, Rachel Cusk, Lauren Groff and Roxane Gay were among the Guggenheim Fellows who were announced this week. Congratulations to all of them!
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail: Muriel wrote, “Carol, wishing you and your husband Tom a very happy anniversary and many more years of reading and sharing adventures together. My husband Bill and I will celebrate our 40th anniversary on Sunday, April 1. (My husband chose the date and never forgets our anniversary!)” Congratulations to you, Muriel; you are no fools!
Steve Berry and MLK: Steve Berry's historical thriller, THE BISHOP'S PAWN (which we reviewed a couple of weeks ago), is based on the events surrounding Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination 50 years ago. Click here to watch Steve talk about the assassination and his questions about it. There is lots to think about here.
"Collateral": This four-episode series on Netflix is so well-done. I breezed through it last weekend. A pizza delivery guy is gunned down after delivering an order. Why? From there, a whole web of intrigue unfolds. I loved when I finally figured out what the pizza toppings were.
"Bosch": "Bosch" comes back next Friday with an all-new season on Prime Video. Who will be watching besides me?
Spindrift: I am crazy about their seltzers. Their latest beverage is going to be interesting. It’s a 50/50 mix of lemon and tea --- their own version of an Arnold Palmer.
Last weekend, I bought a cast-iron pan for baking baguettes, so my new mission this weekend will be mastering baguettes. These need less rise time than the other breads that I have been making. It also will be time for my annual making of Pimento Cheese to celebrate The Masters. All weekend, there will be whispers coming from the television as golf is on. And yes, Tiger Woods is back. I did not realize that he has not won a major since 2008; he won 14(!) before that. A new biography about him has been making waves, with lots of controversy about what's in it. It’s called TIGER WOODS, and is written by Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian. I need to pick that up for Tom.
I am hoping Cory makes an appearance at the house this weekend; last weekend, he made an amazing carrot/ginger soup! Greg is working on his Land Rover as he prepares for a cross-country trip he will be heading out on in two weeks. I feel like I should chart this trip to see how many readers he could see along the way.
I have an idea for a knitting project, knitting a dress that I am going to be scheming on with a local yarn shop owner this weekend at The Yarn Attic. Sometimes the scheming is just as much fun as the knitting.
On Monday night, I am going to attend the first meeting of the Working Mothers of Young Kids Book Club that many of you shared ideas for. Their first book is SMALL GREAT THINGS by Jodi Picoult. I am looking forward to this and to seeing what they pick next. Also, my list of upcoming events is here. First up, I will be at the Fairfield County Library in Fairfield, CT on April 26th at 7pm to discuss book club titles. I hope to see some of you there!
Rain and snow are in the forecast. Hand me a book, stoke the fire in the fireplace, and we can all keep channeling spring. Maybe then it will arrive! Shhhh, someone is approaching the green; I better turn pages quietly.
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 FEMALE PERSUASION
by Meg Wolitzer
THE FEMALE PERSUASION by Meg Wolitzer (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Rebecca Lowman
Greer Kadetsky is a shy college freshman when she meets the woman she hopes will change her life. Faith Frank, dazzlingly persuasive and elegant at 63, has been a central pillar of the women's movement for decades, a figure who inspires others to influence the world. Upon hearing Faith speak for the first time, Greer --- madly in love with her boyfriend, Cory, but still full of longing for an ambition that she can't quite place --- feels her inner world light up. And then, astonishingly, Faith invites Greer to make something out of that sense of purpose, leading Greer down the most exciting path of her life as it winds toward and away from her meant-to-be love story with Cory and the future she'd always imagined. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: LAWN BOY by Jonathan Evison
LAWN BOY by Jonathan Evison (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by P.J. Ochlan
For Mike Muñoz, a young Chicano living in Washington State, life has been a whole lot of waiting for something to happen. Not too many years out of high school and still doing menial work --- and just fired from his latest gig as a lawn boy on a landscaping crew --- he knows that he has to be the one to shake things up if he’s ever going to change his life. But how? In LAWN BOY, bestselling author Jonathan Evison takes the reader into the heart and mind of a young man on a journey to discover himself, a search to find the secret to achieving the American dream of happiness and prosperity. Reviewed by Eileen Zimmerman Nicol.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Bookreporter.com Talks to Luke Allnutt,
Author of WE OWN THE SKY
Our First Fiction Author Spotlight Title
Luke Allnutt’s debut novel, WE OWN THE SKY, is about a husband and father who must navigate the treacherous waters of childhood illness after his young son is diagnosed with a brain tumor. In this interview, conducted by Bookreporter.com’s Bronwyn Miller, Allnutt explains how his own battle with colon cancer inspired him to write this heartrending yet ultimately life-affirming book. He also talks very lovingly about his father, who passed away from a glioblastoma just three months after being diagnosed, and shares a few details about his second novel, which is about a comedian who goes blind.
WE OWN THE SKY by Luke Allnutt (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Will M. Watt
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. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
- 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 see the 30 winners selected to read and comment on the book.
- Click here to read more in our Fiction Author Spotlight.
Click here to read our interview.
New Paperback Spotlight:
MUSIC OF THE GHOSTS by Vaddey Ratner
MUSIC OF THE GHOSTS by Vaddey Ratner (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Jennifer Ikeda
This “novel of extraordinary humanity” (Madeleine Thien, author of DO NOT SAY WE HAVE NOTHING) from New York Times bestselling author Vaddey Ratner reveals “the endless ways that families can be forged and broken hearts held” (Chicago Tribune) as a young woman begins an odyssey to discover the truth about her missing father.
Leaving the safety of America, Teera returns to Cambodia for the first time since her harrowing escape as a child refugee. She carries a letter from a man who mysteriously signs himself as “the Old Musician” and claims to have known her father in the Khmer Rouge prison where he disappeared 25 years ago.
In Phnom Penh, Teera finds a society still in turmoil, where perpetrators and survivors of unfathomable violence live side by side, striving to mend their still-beloved country. She meets a young doctor who begins to open her heart, confronts her long-buried memories, and prepares to learn her father’s fate.
Meanwhile, the Old Musician, who earns his modest keep playing ceremonial music at a temple, awaits Teera’s visit. He will have to confess the bonds he shared with her parents, the passion with which they all embraced the Khmer Rouge’s illusory promise of a democratic society, and the truth about her father’s end.
A love story for things lost and restored, a lyrical hymn to the power of forgiveness, MUSIC OF THE GHOSTS is a “sensitive portrait of the inheritance of survival” (USA TODAY) and a journey through the embattled geography of the heart where love can be reborn.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to read Vaddey Ratner’s bio.
- Click here to visit Vaddey Ratner’s website.
- Connect with Vaddey Ratner on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click here to read more in our Paperback Spotlight.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR Audiobook
written by Sally Hepworth, read by Barrie Kreinik
THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR Audiobook written by Sally Hepworth, read by Barrie Kreinik (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
I so enjoyed listening to Sally Hepworth’s latest novel, THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR, which is narrated by Barrie Kreinik. I am a huge fan of Sally’s writing and was lamenting that I had not read this book when our review came out a few weeks ago. Remember Wisteria Lane, the street featured on “Desperate Housewives,” where there always was some drama going on? Sally has a version of that town for you here.
Essie has two beautiful children, one of whom is a young baby. Her mom spoils her children and is a big part of their lives. Essie, at least on the outside, is completely living a dream life. However, there are still whispers behind her back about the time she had a bit of a breakdown and walked away from the park, leaving her daughter behind.
The couples in this neighborhood each have their issues, and Sally takes us behind the scenes with attitude to voyeur our way through their days. What is unraveling in the neighborhood, and what is the impact on all these secrets? And then there is a new neighbor, a single woman, and tongues are wagging with questions about her backstory and why she is there. And what she knows will rattle their safe harbor.
Sally writes about families with a warmth --- and an edge --- that I love. She pushes her characters into crises and helps them navigate their ways back out. She is an author who I would love to meet. Home for her is Australia, where this book is set. Oh, and THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR would make for a great book group discussion.
- Click here to read more about the audiobook.
- Click here to read a review of the hardcover.
Click here for more books we're betting you'll love.
Special Contest on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
Enter to Win the Audiobook Edition of Lisa Scottoline’s AFTER ANNA and Share Your Comments on It
ReadingGroupGuides.com is proud to host a very special audiobook contest for Lisa Scottoline's latest novel, AFTER ANNA. Ten book groups will win six digital copies of the audiobook, which is read by Mozhan Marno and Jeremy Bobb. Additionally, we'll be giving 40 listeners a physical copy of the audiobook. To enter, please fill out this form by Wednesday, May 2nd at noon ET.
In order to qualify as a winning group, your group must be able to commit to listening to and discussing AFTER ANNA, and sharing your group's feedback with us, by Friday, July 13th. We strongly encourage all winners to share their experiences on social media, including reviews on Amazon, Goodreads and Bookreporter.com’s “Sounding Off on Audio” feature.
AFTER ANNA Audiobook written by Lisa Scottoline, read by Mozhan Marno and Jeremy Bobb (Thriller)
Dr. Noah Alderman has remarried a wonderful woman, Maggie Ippolitti. Despite her longing for the daughter she hasn’t seen since she was a baby, Maggie is happy too, and she’s even more overjoyed when she unexpectedly gets another chance to be a mother to the child she thought she'd lost forever: her only daughter, Anna. But events take a heartbreaking turn when Anna is murdered, and Noah is accused and tried for the heinous crime. Maggie must face not only the devastation of losing her daughter, but the realization that Anna's murder may have been at the hands of a husband she loves. In the wake of this tragedy, new information drives Maggie to search for the truth, leading her to discover something darker than she ever could have imagined.
Riveting and disquieting, AFTER ANNA is a groundbreaking domestic thriller, as well as an audiobook of emotional justice and legal intrigue. And New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline will keep listeners hooked until the final shocking seconds.
- Click here to listen to a clip from the audiobook.
Click here to enter the contest.
Bookreporter.com's Seventh Annual
Spring Preview Contests and Feature
Spring is in the air! We’ve 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 are 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 are sending a special newsletter to announce each title, which you can sign up for here.
Our next prize book will be announced on Monday, April 9th at noon ET.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
April’s New in Paperback Roundups
April’s roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes THE TEA GIRL OF HUMMINGBIRD LANE by Lisa See, a moving novel about tradition, tea farming, and the bonds between mothers and daughters; THE MIDNIGHT LINE, the 22nd installment in Lee Child's series starring Jack Reacher, who this time embarks on a harrowing journey to find the rightful owner of a class ring he spotted in a pawn shop window and return it to her; SAME BEACH, NEXT YEAR, which marks a return to Dorothea Benton Frank's magical Lowcountry of South Carolina, where two couples begin a friendship that will last more than 20 years and transform their lives; and Michelle Richmond's THE MARRIAGE PACT, a relentlessly paced novel of psychological suspense that asks: How far is too far when it comes to protecting your marriage?
Among our nonfiction highlights are David Grann's KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, a twisting, haunting, true-life murder mystery about one of the most monstrous crimes in American history; THE ROAD TO JONESTOWN by Jeff Guinn, the definitive story of preacher Jim Jones, who was responsible for the Jonestown Massacre, the largest murder-suicide in American history; THE RULES DO NOT APPLY, a powerful memoir from Ariel Levy about the choices she makes in her search for adventure, meaning and love; and IN THE GREAT GREEN ROOM, Amy Gary's fascinating biography of Margaret Wise Brown, author of the beloved children’s classics GOODNIGHT MOON and THE RUNAWAY BUNNY.
Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of
April 2nd, April 9th, April 16th and April 23rd.
April’s Books on Screen Feature
THE HOUSE OF BROKEN ANGELS by Luis Alberto Urrea (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Luis Alberto Urrea
In his final days, beloved and ailing patriarch Miguel Angel de La Cruz, affectionately called Big Angel, has summoned his entire clan for one last legendary birthday party. But as the party approaches, his mother, nearly 100, passes away, leading to a farewell doubleheader in a single weekend. Among the guests is Big Angel's half brother, known as Little Angel, who must reckon with the truth that although he shares a father with his siblings, he has not, as a half gringo, shared a life. Across two bittersweet days, the revelers mingle among the palm trees and cacti, celebrating the lives of Big Angel and his mother, and recounting the many inspiring tales that have passed into family lore. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
THE KREMLIN CONSPIRACY by Joel C. Rosenberg (Political Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Adam Grupper
With an American president distracted by growing tensions in North Korea and Iran, an ominous new threat is emerging in Moscow. A czar is rising in the Kremlin, a Russian president feverishly consolidating power, silencing his opposition, and plotting a brazen and lightning-fast military strike that could rupture the NATO alliance and bring Washington and Moscow to the brink of nuclear war. But in his blind spot is the former U.S. Secret Service agent, Marcus Ryker, trained to protect but ready to kill to save his country. Reviewed by Melanie Reynolds.
CAVE OF BONES: A Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito Novel by Anne Hillerman (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Christina Delaine
When Tribal Police Officer Bernadette Manuelito arrives to speak at a character-building program for at-risk teens, she discovers chaos. Annie, a young participant on a solo experience, stumbled upon a human skeleton. While everyone is relieved that Annie is back, they’re concerned about a beloved instructor who went out into the wilds to find the missing girl. The instructor’s disappearance mirrors a long-ago search that may be connected to a case in which the legendary Joe Leaphorn played a crucial role. While Bernie searches for answers in her case, her husband, Sergeant Jim Chee, juggles trouble closer to home. A vengeful man he sent to prison for domestic violence is back --- and involved with Bernie’s sister, Darleen. Reviewed by Roz Shea.
THE ITALIAN TEACHER by Tom Rachman (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Sam Alexander
Conceived while his father, Bear, cavorted around Rome in the 1950s, 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, disillusioned, into a job as an Italian teacher in London. But when Bear dies, Pinch hatches a scheme to secure his father's legacy --- and make his own mark on the world. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
ALL THE BEAUTIFUL LIES by Peter Swanson (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Sarah Mollo-Christensen
Days before Harry Ackerson’s college graduation, his stepmother Alice calls with shocking news: his father is dead, and the police think it’s suicide. A devastated Harry returns to his father’s home in Maine, and shortly after his arrival meets a mysterious young woman named Grace McGowan. Though she claims to be new to the area, Harry begins to suspect that Grace may not be a complete stranger to his family. But she isn’t the only attractive woman taking an interest in Harry. The sensual Alice is also growing closer, coming on to him in an enticing, clearly sexual way. Harry becomes disoriented by a growing fear that both women are hiding dangerous --- even deadly --- secrets…and that neither one is telling the truth. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
HOW TO BE SAFE by Tom McAllister (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Amy Landon
Recently suspended for a so-called outburst, high school English teacher Anna Crawford is stewing over the injustice at home when she is shocked to see herself named on television as a suspect in a shooting at the school where she works. Though she is quickly exonerated, and the actual teenage murderer identified, her life is nevertheless held up for relentless scrutiny and judgment as this quiet town descends into media mania. Gun sales skyrocket, victims are transformed into martyrs, and the rules of public mourning are ruthlessly enforced. Anna decides to wholeheartedly reject the culpability she’s somehow been assigned, and the rampant sexism that comes with it, both in person and online. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
THE GONE WORLD by Tom Sweterlitsch (Science Fiction/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Brittany Pressley
Shannon Moss is part of a clandestine division within the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. In 1997, she is assigned to solve the murder of a Navy SEAL’s family --- and to locate his vanished teenage daughter. Though she can’t share the information with conventional law enforcement, Moss discovers that the missing SEAL was an astronaut aboard the spaceship U.S.S. Libra --- a ship assumed lost to the currents of Deep Time. Moss knows first-hand the mental trauma of time-travel and believes the SEAL’s experience with the future has triggered this violence. Determined to find the missing girl and driven by a troubling connection from her own past, Moss travels ahead in time to explore possible versions of the future, seeking evidence to crack the present-day case. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
TOO CLOSE TO BREATHE by Olivia Kiernan (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Brona C. Titley
In a quiet Dublin suburb, within her pristine home, Eleanor Costello is found hanging from a rope. Detective Chief Superintendent Frankie Sheehan would be more than happy to declare it a suicide. Four months ago, Frankie's pursuit of a killer almost ended her life and she isn't keen on investigating another homicide. But the autopsy reveals poorly healed bones and old stab wounds, absent from medical records. A new cut is carefully, deliberately covered in paint. Eleanor's husband, Peter, is missing. With the suspect pool growing and mysterious calls to Frankie's phone implying that the killer is closer than anyone would like, all Frankie knows is that Eleanor guarded her secrets as closely in life as she does in death. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
BLUFF by Michael Kardos (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Julia Whelan
At 27, magician Natalie Webb is already a has-been. A card-trick prodigy, she took first place at the World of Magic competition at 18 and has never again reached such heights. Shunned by the magic world after a disastrous liaison with an older magician, she now lives alone in a New Jersey apartment. In a desperate ploy for extra cash, she follows up on an old offer to write for a glossy magazine and pitches the editor a seductive topic: the art of cheating at cards. But when Natalie meets the perfect subject for her piece --- a poker cheat who dazzles at sleight of hand --- what begins as a journalistic gamble soon becomes a test of everything she thinks she knows about her talent, and herself. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
JANE AND DOROTHY: A True Tale of Sense and Sensibility: The Lives of Jane Austen and Dorothy Wordsworth by Marian Veevers (Biography)
Jane Austen and Dorothy Wordsworth were born just four years apart, in a world torn between heady revolutionary ideas and fierce conservatism, but their lives have never been examined together before. They both lived in Georgian England, navigated strict social conventions and new ideals, and they were both influenced by Dorothy’s brother, the Romantic poet William Wordsworth and his coterie. They were both supremely talented writers yet often lacked the necessary peace of mind in their search for self-expression. Neither ever married. JANE AND DOROTHY uses each life to illuminate the other. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
THE AFFLICTION by Beth Gutcheon (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Hillary Huber
Chairing a team to evaluate the faltering Rye Manor School for girls, Maggie Detweiler will determine if the school has a future at all. At a reception for the faculty and trustees to "welcome" Maggie’s team, no one seems more keen for all to go well than Florence Meagher. But when Maggie arrives to observe her teaching, Florence is missing. Florence’s husband, Ray, seems more annoyed than alarmed at her disappearance. But Florence’s sister is distraught. There have been tensions in the marriage, and at their last visit, Florence had warned, "If anything happens to me, don’t assume it’s an accident." Two days later, Florence’s body is found in the campus swimming pool. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
CITY OF SHARKS: A Miranda Corbie Mystery by Kelli Stanley (Historical Mystery)
Miranda Corbie isn’t sure of anything at first except that Louise Crowley, the blonde who works as an assistant to Niles Alexander, is in trouble. Despite her own preparations for an imminent voyage to a blitzkrieged Britain and a painful farewell to the city she loves, Miranda decides to help Louise and takes on her last case as a private detective in San Francisco --- investigating her client, surveying the publishing world of 1940, and stumbling into murder with a trail that leads straight to Alcatraz…an island city of sharks. Along the way, Miranda explores her beloved San Francisco once more and discovers personal truths she has long denied. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
GUMSHOE ON THE LOOSE by Rob Leininger (Mystery)
IRS agent-turned-PI Mortimer Angel is relaxing in a hole-in-the-wall bar in a Reno casino when an attractive young girl hires him to find out who left her a cryptic message demanding a million dollars. At the girl’s house, Mort finds the body of missing rapper Jonnie Xenon --- Jo-X to his legions of fans --- hanging from the rafters with two bullet holes in him. Mort is shocked when he learns the identity of the girl’s father --- and even more shocked when the father hires him to investigate the murder. Mort, being Mort, accumulates a few felonies as he follows the clues to Las Vegas. And along the way, he picks up an alluring young assistant who changes his life --- in every conceivable way. Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on April 10th
Below are some notable titles releasing on April 10th 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 April 9th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
AFTER ANNA by Lisa Scottoline (Thriller)
Dr. Noah Alderman has remarried a wonderful woman, Maggie Ippolitti. Despite her longing for the daughter she hasn’t seen since she was a baby, Maggie is happy too, and she’s even more overjoyed when she unexpectedly gets another chance to be a mother to the child she thought she'd lost forever: her only daughter, Anna. But events take a heartbreaking turn when Anna is murdered, and Noah is accused and tried for the heinous crime.
CIRCE by Madeline Miller (Mythological Fantasy)
Circe is a strange child who possesses the power of witchcraft. Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology. But Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians.
THE CUTTING EDGE: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel by Jeffery Deaver (Thriller)
In the early hours of a quiet, weekend morning in Manhattan's Diamond District, a brutal triple murder shocks the city. Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs quickly take the case. As more crimes follow, it becomes clear that the killer's target is not gems, but engaged couples themselves. Soon the Promisor makes a dangerous mistake: leaving behind an innocent witness who can help Rhyme and Sachs blow the lid off the case.
THE GOOD PILOT PETER WOODHOUSE by Alexander McCall Smith (Historical Fiction/Humor)
Val Eliot, a young woman working on an English farm during World War II, meets Mike, a U.S. Air Force pilot stationed nearby. When Val rescues a Border Collie named Peter Woodhouse, she realizes the dog would be safer with Mike. But then a disaster jeopardizes the future of them all, and Peter Woodhouse brings a German corporal into their orbit, sparking a friendship that comes with great risk but carries with it the richest of rewards.
MACBETH by Jo Nesbø (Historical Thriller)
Set in the 1970s in a run-down, rainy industrial town, Jo Nesbo's MACBETH centers on a police force struggling to shed an incessant drug problem. Duncan, chief of police, is idealistic and visionary, a dream to the townspeople but a nightmare for criminals. The drug trade is ruled by two drug lords, one of whom --- a master of manipulation named Hecate --- has connections with the highest in power, and plans to use them to get his way.
SHARP: The Women Who Made an Art of Having an Opinion by Michelle Dean (Literary Criticism/Cultural History)
The 10 brilliant women who are the focus of SHARP came from different backgrounds and had vastly divergent political and artistic opinions. But they all made a significant contribution to the cultural and intellectual history of America and ultimately changed the course of the 20th century, in spite of the men who often undervalued or dismissed their work.
SHOOT FIRST: A Stone Barrington Novel by Stuart Woods (Thriller/Adventure)
Stone Barrington is enjoying a round of golf in Key West when the game is violently interrupted --- and it seems as if the target of the disturbance may have been one of his playing companions, the brilliant businesswoman behind a software startup on the cutting edge of technology. It soon becomes clear that this incident is only the first thrust in a deadly scheme to push the young woman out of the way and put her company's valuable secrets up for grabs.
THE SIXTH DAY: A Brit in the FBI Thriller by Catherine Coulter and J.T. Ellison (Thriller)
After a series of high-profile deaths that are actually well-constructed assassinations, special agents Nicholas Drummond and Michaela Caine home in on Roman Ardelean, a wealthy cybersecurity genius and a descendant of 15th-century Romanian Vlad the Impaler. Ardelean believes the Voynich Manuscript will unlock the secret to curing his severely ill twin brother’s blood disorder and is willing to murder anyone who gets in his way, including Nicholas and Michaela.
TWENTY-ONE DAYS: A Daniel Pitt Novel by Anne Perry (Historical Mystery)
1910: Twenty-five-year-old Daniel Pitt is a junior barrister in London and eager to prove himself, independent of his renowned parents’ influence. And the new case before him will be the test. When his client, arrogant biographer Russell Graves, is found guilty of murdering his wife, Daniel is dispatched to find the real killer before Graves faces the hangman’s noose --- in only 21 days.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
Our Latest Poll: April Releases to Anticipate
Which of the following books releasing in April are you planning to read? Please check all that apply.
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THE 17th SUSPECT by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
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AFTER ANNA by Lisa Scottoline
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THE CUTTING EDGE: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel, by Jeffery Deaver
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THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF SAM HELL by Robert Dugoni
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THE FALLEN by David Baldacci
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THE FEMALE PERSUASION by Meg Wolitzer
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THE GOOD PILOT PETER WOODHOUSE by Alexander McCall Smith
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A HIGHER LOYALTY: Truth, Lies, and Leadership, by James Comey
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I'VE GOT MY EYES ON YOU by Mary Higgins Clark
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THE KNOWLEDGE: A Richard Jury Mystery, by Martha Grimes
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LOOK ALIVE OUT THERE: Essays, by Sloane Crosley
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MACBETH by Jo Nesbø
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PROPERTY: Stories Between Two Novellas, by Lionel Shriver
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SHATTERED MIRROR: An Eve Duncan Novel, by Iris Johansen
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SHOOT FIRST: A Stone Barrington Novel, by Stuart Woods
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THE SIXTH DAY: A Brit in the FBI Thriller, by Catherine Coulter and J.T. Ellison
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THEN SHE WAS GONE by Lisa Jewell
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TWENTY-ONE DAYS: A Daniel Pitt Novel, by Anne Perry
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TWISTED PREY: A Lucas Davenport Novel, by John Sandford
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YOU THINK IT, I'LL SAY IT: Stories, by Curtis Sittenfeld
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None of these
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, April 13th 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 March 30th to April 13th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE CUTTING EDGE: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel by Jeffery Deaver and I'VE GOT MY EYES ON YOU by Mary Higgins Clark.
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 April 2nd to May 1st at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Sally Hepworth's THE FAMILY NEXT DOOR, read by Barrie Kreinik, and Alice Feeney's SOMETIMES I LIE, read by Stephanie Racine.
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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