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Something I Love: Writers Who Challenge Themselves
Tom, Rebecca and I spent much of our Friday the 13th at ThrillerFest, which I think is very fitting! Among the many mystery/thriller authors we saw on panels today were Gregg Hurwitz, Joseph Finder, Robert Dugoni and Karin Slaughter. Lee Child interviewed Megan Abbott, which was such fun. Their chemistry was amazing!
But the highlight of the day was a wonderful, lively interview with George R.R. Martin, who is this year's ThrillerMaster (which is ThrillerFest's lifetime achievement honor). Amusingly, just as he was introduced by his editor, the entire room went dark, as the lights went out for no apparent reason. Someone in the audience said, "Winter is coming," and everyone started laughing. Tom and Rebecca were thrilled to have a picture taken with him, which you can see above, at a book signing that occurred right after the interview. Meanwhile, I had my annual tea date with Keith Raffel, where he shared a very interesting book idea with me. We will have much more on the panels we attended and the authors we heard speak in next week's newsletter.
Last weekend was a fabulous weekend for reading. Right as we were getting ready to hit send on the newsletter, our mail arrived at the house and I found a copy of DEATH ON BULL PATH by Carrie Doyle there. Now, I am going to confess something that may surprise long-time readers: I rarely read on Friday nights. Once the newsletter is sent, I usually am wiped out and turn on a show on DVR or Netflix, and binge to unwind. I often stay up way too late knitting and watching.
Last Friday was an exception. I was looking forward to enjoying Carrie’s latest book, and it did not disappoint. Once again, I was back in the Hamptons with Antonia where she was running the Windmill Inn. There was, of course, a murder. Actually more than one murder. The suspense was there, as was the setting, and it was a really well-done escape read. I like how much of the history of the Hamptons is layered into each of her books. She keeps the story fresh in the series, which is not easy to do.
Just as I was ready to skip Emily Giffin’s new book, ALL WE EVER WANTED, someone I trust told me it is her best book. And it is. For years, I saw Emily as firmly locked in the lighter women’s fiction category, where she captured women’s lives with a tone that was poignant but not edgy. In this book, she confronts issues dead-on with the kind of writing chops I have become used to from Jodi Picoult. She looks at the crime of sexting at an elite high school, where the victim is a scholarship student and the perpetrator is a wealthy young man who has come up through the school. He is privileged and attempts to leverage his pedigree to keep himself from being tied to the event that he has been called out on. The trickiness of social media, the competitiveness of getting into college, and the layers of society all are laid out here. It would make for a great book group discussion, as well as a great family discussion. There is a lot to dissect in these pages. I found this interview with Emily on "Today" to share with you.
Then I started Hank Phillippi Ryan’s TRUST ME, which releases on August 28th, and I am loving it. It’s her first stand-alone, which challenges an author as she steps away from writing her series character. I am not going to give away too much here, and will use the promo line from the book jacket, which really is holding up as I read: “There are three sides to every story. Yours. Mine. And the truth.” The protagonist is a journalist who is grieving the loss of her husband and child. She is asked to write a quickie book about a trial. A mother is on trial for killing her child. But what is really going on? Who can be trusted? I am trying to peel back the story as I read, but I do not see where this is going yet. It's nice to feel that way.
But I had to cheat on Hank a bit and put her book aside for a few days as Megan Abbott’s GIVE ME YOUR HAND came in, and I wanted to give some of that a read before her ThrillerFest interview today. Megan is having a real moment as she is writing for television as well as books. In GIVE ME YOUR HAND, which is on sale Tuesday, two friends from high school are both vying to be on the team for the same elite research project. We already know that there is a secret held between them. I am looking forward to seeing how Megan powers through this story; her books have not disappointed --- and I love the way she has met challenges beyond the book world. I must point out that during today's interview, Megan admitted to juggling two or three books at a time, so I am not feeling quite as guilty for reading Hank's book and hers simultaneously.
Our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight of THE SUMMER WIVES by Beatriz Williams, which we talked about in last week’s newsletter, wraps up this week with our review and interview. Here, Beatriz follows up her Schuyler Sisters trilogy (THE SECRET LIFE OF VIOLET GRANT, TINY LITTLE THING and ALONG THE INFINITE SEA) by exploring a new branch of the Schuyler family tree. The publisher calls the novel “an electrifying postwar fable of love, class, power and redemption set among the inhabitants of an island off the New England coast.”
Our reviewer, Bronwyn Miller, agrees with the publisher’s assessment and adds that THE SUMMER WIVES is “a perfect beach read for those long summer days that will transport the reader to the capricious and stunning Winthrop Island…off the coast of Connecticut, where it will take more than the local lighthouse to avoid its rocky shores. The intertwined stories of Miranda; Isobel; Isobel’s sometime paramour, Clay; Joseph Vargas; and Miranda’s half-brother, Hugh Jr., provide a sort of post-war BIG LITTLE LIES.” We also have an interview with Beatriz about the novel, her writing process and her upcoming projects, which you can take a look at here. THE SUMMER WIVES will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick; you can read my commentary in next week’s newsletter.
In Anne Tyler’s latest novel, CLOCK DANCE, Willa Drake receives a startling phone call from a stranger. Without fully understanding why, she flies across the country to Baltimore to look after a young woman she's never met, her nine-year-old daughter, and their dog, Airplane. This impulsive decision will lead Willa into uncharted territory. Surrounded by eccentric neighbors who treat each other like family, she finds solace and fulfillment in unexpected places.
Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum has our review and calls CLOCK DANCE “a riveting and wholesome story of family, relationships, humanity and self-discovery. As always, Anne Tyler’s prose is pristine with not one word too many in any given scene. She is at the top of her writing game in this outstanding novel.” Here’s a terrific New York Times interview with Anne, who rarely grants interviews.
CLOCK DANCE is one of the books we’re giving away in our Word of Mouth contest; the other is the aforementioned GIVE ME YOUR HAND, which we'll review next week. Let us know by Friday, July 20th at noon ET what books you’ve finished reading for your chance to win both novels.
We also are reviewing Jonathan Santlofer’s honest and brilliantly emotional memoir, THE WIDOWER’S NOTEBOOK, which I talked about in a previous newsletter and will be a Bets On selection next week. Here, Jonathan talks about his first two years as a widower following the sudden passing of his wife, Joy. Consumed by grief, Jonathan desperately tries to carry on with his life but finds it nearly impossible to admit his deep feelings of loss to anyone, not even to his daughter, Doria, or to himself.
According to reviewer Norah Piehl, "THE WIDOWER’S NOTEBOOK is vital reading, a beautiful testament to Joy’s life, and a much-needed window into how one man grapples with the most acute kind of loss."
Other books we’re reviewing this week include I SEE LIFE THROUGH ROSÉ-COLORED GLASSES, another hilarious and heartfelt collection of essays from the mother-daughter team of Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella (there's a terrific USA Today interview with them here); FROM THE CORNER OF THE OVAL, Beck Dorey-Stein’s memoir of her time in the White House as one of Barack Obama’s stenographers; THE ROMANOV EMPRESS, C.W. Gortner’s fictionalized account of the beloved Empress Maria, the Danish girl who became the mother of the last Russian tsar; and THE LIDO, Libby Page’s charming, feel-good debut novel, which I talked about in a previous newsletter and will be a Bets On pick next week.
THE ROMANOV EMPRESS and THE LIDO were two of this week’s Summer Reading prize books, in addition to SURPRISE ME by Sophie Kinsella and WHEN WE FOUND HOME by Susan Mallery. Next week, we are giving away THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF AARON BROOM by A.E. Hotchner (which we also review this week), COTTAGE BY THE SEA by Debbie Macomber, and THE FAMILY TABOR by Cherise Wolas. The first contest of the week will go live on Tuesday, July 17th at noon ET.
The audio versions of COTTAGE BY THE SEA (read by Karissa Vacker) and JP Delaney's BELIEVE ME (read by Sally Scott and others) are this month’s Sounding Off on Audio prize books. Let us know by Wednesday, August 1st at noon ET what audiobooks you’ve listened to, and you’ll be in the running to win both these audio titles.
In anticipation of next week’s Open Championship (aka the British Open), our golf aficionado Stuart Shiffman takes a look at three books that you may want to consider adding to your summer reading list: TIGER WOODS by Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian, ARNOLD PALMER: Homespun Stories of The King by Chris Rodell, and BAD LIES: A Story of Libel, Slander, & Professional Golf by Tony Jacklin and Shelby Yastrow, the latter of which is a golf-themed legal thriller. Click here for Stuart’s roundup.
Our poll continues to ask which social media platforms you use on a regular basis, and if you use social media to talk about or note the books you’re reading. Click here to let us know your preferences!
On Wednesday night, The Strand Magazine held a terrific party to celebrate their annual awards; it’s an event that brings many from the mystery/thriller community together on the night before ThrillerFest events open. It was such fun to catch up with colleagues there. WONDER VALLEY by Ivy Pochoda won Best Novel, and THE LOST ONES by Sheena Kamal won Best First Novel. J.A. Jance and Lovejoy creator Jonathan Gash were given the Strand Lifetime Achievement Awards. The first-ever Publisher of the Year Award was given to Tom Doherty, the founding publisher of Tor/Forge.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Barb from PA wrote about my comments about 4th of July being on a Wednesday: “So this year, the rest of the working world got a taste of what many of us experience every year. Our local public library closes on July 4th, but ONLY on July 4th, no matter what day of the week it falls on, and I know of many other businesses that have the same policy. This is especially true for small businesses that can't afford to take more than one day off. And then there are those who work in retail, who are lucky to get Independence Day off at all. In my experience, long holiday weekends are more the exception than the rule --- mostly banks, government offices and professionals who are lucky to get extra time off for any kind of holiday. Sorry for the rant, I know it's not your fault, but I've heard far too many complaints about not getting a long holiday weekend this week, and it seems inconsiderate to those who never get those crave-worthy long weekends.” I appreciate hearing different perspectives from our readers; one of the nice things is that you are all far-flung across the country.
Lori wrote, “I am engrossed with the World Cup this summer, and it is competing with my reading time. Even though both my teams are out (Peru and Japan), the level of play, excitement and camaraderie of sharing this event with my community is so enthralling. Will be sad when we have to wait another four years for the next one.” Well, now that it is down to two teams, I can follow it. Since Greg is such a huge Liverpool fan, for a while I was pulling for England. Now, it can go to either France or Croatia; I do not have a dog in the hunt.
THE ENGLISH PATIENT: Michael Ondaatje's 1992 novel was awarded the one-off Golden Man Booker Prize, given in honor of the Prize's 50th anniversary.
B&N: A new event for those with kids and grandkids worth looking into on July 28th at 2pm, a Kids' Book Hangout, to be held in all Barnes & Noble stores. Details here.
“Sharp Objects”: I watched the first episode the other night; I need to give it another week before I weigh in on it. Did any of you watch, and if so, what did you think?
New Paul Simon Album: In The Blue Light is coming September 7th. Paul reimagines some of his songs that he believes should have gotten more attention --- ones that he thinks could have been slightly tweaked to make them more special. This link has a bit of a preview and some words from Paul about it.
Tab Hunter: Late last week, I watched a documentary about him on Netflix called Tab Hunter Confidential. It was so well done; it aired after he wrote a book of the same name. Thus I was sad to see he passed away last Sunday.
"The Dick Van Dyke Show": The other night I was trolling Facebook and found "The Dick Van Dyke Show." I watched the first half-dozen or so episodes. Little Richie cracks me up (season one, episode six was so humorous). And somehow the lines still are funny.
I am known for wearing turquoise, so I was really happy to find reading glasses in that color. So WHY, you ask, do I have two pairs of the SAME glasses? I lost one pair two weeks ago and looked everywhere for them...and I mean EVERYWHERE; I had not left the house, so where could they be? So I gave up and decided to buy another pair last Saturday night. On Sunday I grabbed my favorite apron out of the closet, and what flew out of the pocket? You guessed it. Now I have the pair and a spare, as you can see above.
My sister and her kids are in town from Atlanta, and we all are headed to the beach to see them tomorrow night. It will be a quick but fun catchup. I am making a strawberry rhubarb crisp since there will be 10 of us and a pie feeds eight. I am using the crumble topping recipe from Mary Kay Andrews' THE BEACH HOUSE COOKBOOK that she uses for her Boomerang Boy's Apple Crisp.
The rest of the weekend will be about floating, reading and gardening. No, I have not yet figured out a way to knit in the pool.
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!
Bookreporter.com Talks to Beatriz Williams,
Author of THE SUMMER WIVES
Our Latest Women's Fiction Author Spotlight Title
Beatriz Williams explores a new branch of the Schuyler family tree in her latest novel, THE SUMMER WIVES, which follows the triumphs and misfortunes of the inhabitants of a small island off the coast of New England --- including an actress returning after several years with her own secrets in tow, her ebullient stepsister and a local fisherman loved by both. In this interview, conducted by Bookreporter.com’s Bronwyn Miller, Williams talks about her inspiration for choosing a fictionalized version of Fishers Island as the book’s setting, how her collaborations with fellow bestselling authors Lauren Willig and Karen White came about (their next joint effort, THE GLASS OCEAN, releases on September 4th), and why she enjoys book tours so much.
THE SUMMER WIVES by Beatriz Williams (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Kristin Kalbli
In the summer of 1951, Miranda Schuyler arrives on elite, secretive Winthrop Island, still reeling from the loss of her father in the Second World War. When her beautiful mother marries Hugh Fisher, Miranda is catapulted into a heady new world of pedigrees and cocktails, status and swimming pools. Isobel Fisher, Miranda’s new stepsister, is eager to draw Miranda into the arcane customs of Winthrop society. Uneasy among Isobel’s privileged friends, she finds herself drawn to Joseph Vargas, who has enjoyed an intense, complex friendship with Isobel. As the summer winds to its end, Miranda is caught in a catastrophe that will shatter Winthrop’s hard-won tranquility and banish her from the island for nearly two decades. 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 Beatriz Williams’ bio.
- Click here to visit Beatriz Williams’ website.
- Connect with Beatriz Williams on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
- Click here to read more in our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight.
Click here to read the interview.
THE SUMMER WIVES will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don’t miss Carol’s commentary in next week’s newsletter.
Featured Review: CLOCK DANCE by Anne Tyler
CLOCK DANCE by Anne Tyler (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Kimberly Farr
Willa Drake can count on one hand the defining moments of her life. In 1967, she is a schoolgirl coping with her mother's sudden disappearance. In 1977, she is a college coed considering a marriage proposal. In 1997, she is a young widow trying to piece her life back together. And in 2017, she yearns to be a grandmother but isn't sure she ever will be. Then, one day, Willa receives a startling phone call from a stranger. Without fully understanding why, she flies across the country to Baltimore to look after a young woman she's never met, her nine-year-old daughter, and their dog, Airplane. This impulsive decision will lead Willa into uncharted territory. Surrounded by eccentric neighbors who treat each other like family, she finds solace and fulfillment in unexpected places. Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review:
I SEE LIFE THROUGH ROSÉ-COLORED GLASSES
by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella
I SEE LIFE THROUGH ROSÉ-COLORED GLASSES: True Stories and Confessions by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella (Humor/Essays)
Audiobook available, read by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella
The New York Times bestselling mother-daughter duo are back with more hilarious, witty and true tales from their lives. Whether they are attempting to hike the Grand Canyon, setting up phone calls with their dogs, or learning what “adulting” means, Lisa and Francesca are guaranteed to make you laugh, cry and appreciate the funniest moments in life. Like the perfect glass of rosé, they’re always here to help you escape from your own busy, modern life and instead get lost in theirs. Reviewed by Carole Turner.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: FROM THE CORNER OF THE OVAL
by Beck Dorey-Stein
FROM THE CORNER OF THE OVAL: A Memoir by Beck Dorey-Stein (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Beck Dorey-Stein
In 2012, Beck Dorey-Stein was just scraping by in DC when a posting on Craigslist landed her, improbably, in the Oval Office as one of Barack Obama's stenographers. The ultimate DC outsider, she joined the elite team who accompanied the president wherever he went, recorder and mic in hand. On whirlwind trips across time zones, Beck forged friendships with a tight group of fellow travelers --- young men and women who, like her, left their real lives behind to hop aboard Air Force One in service of the president. But as she learned the ropes of protocol, Beck became romantically entangled with a consummate DC insider, and suddenly, the political became all too personal. 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 ROMANOV EMPRESS
by C.W. Gortner
THE ROMANOV EMPRESS: A Novel of Tsarina Maria Feodorovna by C.W. Gortner (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Katharine McEwan
Barely 19, Minnie knows that her station in life as a Danish princess is to leave her family and enter into a royal marriage. The winds of fortune bring her to Russia, where she marries the Romanov heir, Alexander, and becomes empress. When resistance to his reign strikes at the heart of her family and the tsar sets out to crush all who oppose him, Minnie --- now called Maria --- must tread a perilous path of compromise in a country she has come to love. Her husband’s death leaves their son Nicholas as the inexperienced ruler of a deeply divided and crumbling empire. As the unstoppable wave of revolution rises anew to engulf Russia, Maria will face her most dangerous challenge and her greatest heartache. Reviewed by Carly Silver.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: THE WIDOWER'S NOTEBOOK
by Jonathan Santlofer
A Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
THE WIDOWER'S NOTEBOOK: A Memoir by Jonathan Santlofer (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Jonathan Santlofer
On a summer day in New York, Jonathan Santlofer discovers his wife, Joy, gasping for breath on their living room couch. After a frenzied 911 call, an ambulance race across Manhattan, and hours pacing in a hospital waiting room, a doctor finally delivers the fateful news. Consumed by grief, Jonathan desperately tries to pursue life as he always had --- writing, social engagements, and working on his art --- but finds it nearly impossible to admit his deep feelings of loss to anyone, not even to his beloved daughter, Doria, or to himself. As Jonathan grieves and heals, he tries to unravel what happened to Joy, a journey that will take him nearly two years. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
THE WIDOWER'S NOTEBOOK will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don’t miss Carol’s commentary in next week’s newsletter.
Bookreporter.com's Summer Reading
Contests and Feature
Summer is here! At Bookreporter.com, this means it's time for us to share some great summer book picks with our Summer Reading Contests and Feature. We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through August 24th. You will need to check the site to see the featured prize book(s) 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 Tuesday, July 17th at noon ET.
This year’s prize books include:
- Click here to see the winners of our Summer Reading Contests.
Click here to read all the contest details
and see the prize books being awarded in May, June, July and August.
Summer Golf Reading for 2018
In anticipation of the Open Championship, which tees off on Thursday, July 19th, Bookreporter.com's Stuart Shiffman talks about three golf-themed books --- a novel and two biographies --- that you may want to consider adding to your summer reading list: BAD LIES by Tony Jacklin and Shelby Yastrow, a legal thriller that finds a popular golfer suing a national golf magazine for libel after a story is published that destroys his reputation; ARNOLD PALMER: Homespun Stories of The King, in which journalist Chris Rodell draws upon over 100 interviews with the golf great conducted over 20 years to provide an intimate, charming and at times irreverent glimpse at the icon outside the spotlight; and Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian’s bestseller, TIGER WOODS, which is based on years of reporting and interviews with more than 250 people from every corner of Tiger Woods’ life --- many of whom have never spoken about him on the record before.
Click here for Stuart Shiffman's roundup of summer golf titles.
An Interview with Graham Reed,
Author of THE CHAIRMAN'S TOYS
Graham Reed’s debut novel, THE CHAIRMAN’S TOYS, introduces readers to Jake Constable, an ex-drug dealer who is determined to turn his life around --- but the discovery of a dead body may put those plans on hold. In this interview, Reed talks about the authors to whom he turned for inspiration as he prepared to write his first mystery and the “research” he conducted for it; his fascination with crime fiction, which started at an early age (before he learned to drive); and the important lesson he learned about the writing process that he is applying to the second book in the series, which is currently in the works.
THE CHAIRMAN’S TOYS by Graham Reed (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Chris Andrew Ciulla
After Jake Constable quits the drug business, his realtor/ex-wife, Nina, gets him a job as a housesitter for her wealthy clients. Jake celebrates by throwing a party in the mansion he was hired to look after. Unfortunately, the guest list gets out of hand, leaving Jake to contend with a hallucinogenic vitamin-dispensing yogi, a dead guy in the bathroom, and The Norwegian --- a criminal force of nature with a grudge against Jake. The situation threatens to become an international incident when Nina's powerbroker uncle and two secret agents from China show up to turn the screws on Jake. Soon after that, his friends start disappearing. Reviewed by Roz Shea.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read the review.
Click here to read the interview.
A GATHERING OF SECRETS by Linda Castillo (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Kathleen Mclnerney
When a historic barn burns to the ground in the middle of the night, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder is called in to investigate. At first, it looks like an accident, but when the body of 18-year-old Daniel Gingerich is found inside --- burned alive --- Kate suspects murder. Who would want a well-liked, hardworking young Amish man dead? Kate delves into the investigation only to find herself stonewalled by the community to which she once belonged. Is their silence a result of the Amish tenet of separation? Or is this peaceful and deeply religious community conspiring to hide a truth no one wants to talk about? Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
SPINNING SILVER by Naomi Novik (Fantasy)
Audiobook available, read by Lisa Flanagan
Miryem’s father’s inability to collect his debts has left his family on the edge of poverty. Hardening her heart, Miryem sets out to claim what is owed and soon gains a reputation for being able to turn silver into gold. When an ill-advised boast draws the attention of the king of the Staryk --- grim fey creatures who seem more ice than flesh --- Miryem’s fate, and that of two kingdoms, will be forever altered. Set an impossible challenge by the nameless king, Miryem unwittingly spins a web that draws in a peasant girl, Wanda, and the unhappy daughter of a local lord who plots to wed his child to the dashing young tsar. But Tsar Mirnatius is not what he seems. And the secret he hides threatens to consume the lands of humans and Staryk alike. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
A TERRIBLE COUNTRY by Keith Gessen (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Ari Fliakos
Andrei Kaplan leaves New York to care for his ailing grandmother in Moscow. He learns to navigate Putin’s Moscow, still the city of his birth, but with more expensive coffee. Over the course of the year, his grandmother’s health declines, and his feelings of dislocation from both Russia and America deepen. Andrei knows he must reckon with his future and make choices that will determine his life and fate. When he becomes entangled with a group of leftists, Andrei’s politics and his allegiances are tested, and he is forced to come to terms with the Russian society he was born into and the American one he has enjoyed since he was a kid. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
THE LIDO by Libby Page (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Clare Corbett
Rosemary Peterson has lived in Brixton, London, all her life, but everything is changing. The library where she used to work has closed. The family grocery store has become a trendy bar. And now the lido, an outdoor pool where she has swum daily since its opening, is threatened with closure by a local housing developer. Twentysomething Kate Matthews has moved to Brixton and feels desperately alone. A once promising writer, she now covers forgettable stories for her local paper. That is, until she is assigned to write about the lido’s closing. As Rosemary slowly opens up to Kate, both women are nourished and transformed in ways they never thought possible. Reviewed by Amie Taylor.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
THE LIDO will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. Don’t miss Carol’s commentary in next week’s newsletter.
SUICIDE CLUB: A Novel About Living by Rachel Heng (Dystopian Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Gwendoline Yeo
Lea Kirino is a “Lifer,” which means that a roll of the genetic dice has given her the potential to live forever --- if she does everything right. But her perfect life is turned upside down when she spots her estranged father on a crowded sidewalk. His return marks the beginning of her downfall as she is drawn into his mysterious world of the Suicide Club, a network of powerful individuals and rebels who reject society’s pursuit of immortality, and instead choose to live --- and die --- on their own terms. In this future world, death is not only taboo; it’s also highly illegal. Soon Lea is forced to choose between a sanitized immortal existence and a short, bittersweet time with a man she has never really known, but who is the only family she has left in the world. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
THE CON ARTIST by Fred Van Lente (Mystery)
Comic book artist Mike Mason arrives at San Diego Comic-Con, seeking sanctuary with other fans and creators --- and maybe to reunite with his ex. But when his rival is found murdered, he becomes the prime suspect. To clear his name, Mike will have to navigate every corner of the con, from zombie obstacle courses and cosplay flash mobs to intrusive fans and obsessive collectors, in the process unraveling a dark secret behind one of the industry’s most legendary creators. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
HALF MOON BAY by Alice LaPlante (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Gabra Zackman
Jane loses everything when her teenage daughter is killed in a senseless accident. Sometime later, she makes one tiny stab at a new life: she moves from San Francisco to the seaside town of Half Moon Bay. She is inconsolable, yet is able to cobble together some version of a job, of friends, of the possibility of peace. And then, children begin to disappear. And soon, Jane sees her own pain reflected in all the parents in the town. She wonders if she will be able to live through the aching loss, the fear all around her. But as the disappearances continue, she begins to see that what her neighbors are wondering is if it is Jane herself who has unleashed the horror of loss. Reviewed by Megan Elliott.
THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF AARON BROOM by A. E. Hotchner (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Michael Crouch
Street-savvy, almost-13-year-old Aaron Broom witnesses a robbery gone wrong in a jewelry store. To Aaron's shock, his father, a traveling watch salesman in the wrong place at the wrong time, is fingered as the prime suspect in the murder. Despite seeing the real killer flee the scene, Aaron can't do much to help in the moment. Undaunted, he enlists an unlikely band of friends and helpful adults to clear his father's name, including a world-weary paperboy, an aspiring teen journalist, a kindly lawyer, and a neighborhood friend with a penchant for baking. And as they dig into the details of the case, these unconventional detectives reveal a cover-up that goes much deeper than a jewelry-store heist gone sour. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on July 17th
Below are some notable titles releasing on July 17th that we would like to make you aware of. We will have more on many of these books in the weeks to come. For a list of additional hardcovers and paperbacks releasing the week of July 16th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
COTTAGE BY THE SEA by Debbie Macomber (Romance)
Rocked by tragedy, Annie Marlow heads to the one place that makes her happy: Oceanside in the Pacific Northwest, the destination of many family vacations when she was a teenager. Once there, Annie begins to restore her broken spirit, thanks in part to the folks she meets. But then events threaten to undo the idyll Annie has come to enjoy.
DOUBLE BLIND by Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen (Mystery/Thriller)
Kendra Michaels is reluctant to help the FBI with the most recent case they’ve brought to her. But then she hears the details: the body was found just blocks away from Kendra’s condo. The young woman was carrying an envelope with Kendra’s name on it, and inside was an SD card with what appears to be an innocuous video of a wedding reception.
FOUR DOMINIONS: A Testament Novel by Eric Van Lustbader (Supernatural Thriller)
The End of Days has been predicted for the last 2,000 years, but now it is upon us. Emma and Bravo Shaw have rescued the Testament of Lucifer from nefarious hands. But despite their efforts, Lucifer's Fallen have already woken, including the four thrones of legend, and their corruption reaches to the highest ranks.
GIVE ME YOUR HAND by Megan Abbott (Psychological Thriller)
Kit Owens and Diane Fleming developed an unlikely friendship in high school. But then Diane shared a secret that changed everything between them. More than a decade later, the past comes roaring back when Kit discovers that Diane is her competition for a position both women covet, taking part in groundbreaking new research led by their idol.
THE OTHER WOMAN by Daniel Silva (Thriller/Adventure)
In an isolated village in the mountains of Andalusia, a mysterious Frenchwoman who is the keeper of the Kremlin’s most closely guarded secret begins work on a dangerous memoir. Long ago, the KGB inserted a mole into the heart of the West --- a mole who stands on the doorstep of ultimate power. Only one man can unravel the conspiracy: Gabriel Allon.
RESCUED: An Andy Carpenter Mystery by David Rosenfelt (Mystery)
Defense lawyer Andy Carpenter is reluctant to take on any more cases. He’d much rather spend his time working for his dog rescue organization, the Tara Foundation, than find himself back in a courtroom. However, when a truck carrying over 70 dogs from the South to the rescue-friendly northeast turns up with a murdered driver, Andy can’t help but get involved.
THE SINNERS: A Quinn Colson Novel by Ace Atkins (Thriller)
The Pritchards were an evil, greedy family who made their living dealing drugs and committing mayhem. Years ago, Quinn Colson's late uncle had put the clan's patriarch in prison, but now he's getting out. With his longtime deputy Lillie Virgil now working up in Memphis, Colson finds himself having to fall back on some brand-new deputies to help him out.
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Our Latest Poll: Your Social Media Habits
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Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, July 20th at noon ET.
Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What
You're Reading --- and You Can Win Two Books!
Tell us about the books you’ve finished reading with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from July 6th to July 20th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of CLOCK DANCE by Anne Tyler and GIVE ME YOUR HAND by Megan Abbott.
To make sure other readers will be able to find the books you write about, please include the full title and correct author names (your entry must include these to be eligible to win). For rules and guidelines, click here.
- To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.
Sounding Off on Audio Contest: Tell Us What
You're Listening to --- and You Can Win Two Audiobooks!
Tell us about the audiobooks you’ve finished listening to with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars for both the performance and the content. During the contest period from July 2nd to August 1st at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of JP Delaney's BELIEVE ME, read by Sally Scott and others, and Debbie Macomber's COTTAGE BY THE SEA, read by Karissa Vacker.
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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