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Last night, I spent a terrific evening with Greg at Madison Square Garden seeing Paul Simon in the third to last concert on his Homeward Bound tour. The first time I saw him in concert was with Art Garfunkel in 1970. I have been to dozens of shows in between. People keep asking me how I feel about his retiring from touring, and I have to say that I am fine with it and understand. Touring takes its toll (authors say the same thing!), and there comes a time when you just want to enjoy life in the cities and towns where you want to be, not the ones you are booked into for a night. He has made it clear that he will continue to create music and do occasional shows, but the days of touring are over.
I am glad I got to experience all the shows that I did at so many venues along the way. Greg and I can be seen above in our most vintage tour shirts. Mine is from 1987; his is from 2011. Last night as I was watching, there were so many memories bubbling up --- of the first time I had heard each song, where I was when I heard it, and then new memories with the many songs that were reinterpreted, including a beautifully reimagined "Bridge Over Troubled Water." And yes, I will admit that I teared up more than once.
He released a CD recently where he re-tuned and refined many songs that he felt should have been bigger hits --- ones he is passionate about. It’s called In the Blue Light, and it's terrific. It takes a real talent to rework what’s already been done and give it a totally new sound that works! The words have not changed, but the rhythms have.
We also are headed to his final concert tomorrow night at Flushing Meadows Corona Park. For that show there is no seating, but rather it's a festival kind of atmosphere. A couple of years ago, we bought a promotional package to one of his events, and as part of it, we got four picnic blankets with the title "Paul Simon Live in Concert" embroidered on them (see above); those will be brought tomorrow night. I know, talk about having the right show accessory! The weather looks like it is going to be great, which is helpful.
I am reading NINE PERFECT STRANGERS by Liane Moriarty, which will be published on November 6th. I am about one-third of the way into it and am still meeting some of the characters. In it, nine people are at a health resort that is way off the beaten track. The resort provides an opportunity for all kinds of self-improvement with a customized schedule. There are many, many rules, including no cell phones or contact with the outside world, which sets up the delicious plot twists that occur when outside access is denied. I am enjoying it and, of course, trying to figure out where the story is headed.
I am listening to HEARTLAND: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth by Sarah Smarsh, which is just out; she also narrates it. Sarah had a rough childhood in Kansas in the ‘80s and ‘90s. She grew up in a family where everyone worked, but everyone also was poor. Through her personal experience, she shares a perspective of life in this world through the eyes of the family for which she has deep feelings. Her writing is frank and leaves readers with lots to ponder. I still am early in my reading, but I love the voice and tone of her work, as well as her narration. We have our review this week, and HEARTLAND is longlisted for the National Book Award.
Our Debut Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight of THE 7½ DEATHS OF EVELYN HARDCASTLE wraps up this week with our review of the book and interview with the author, Stuart Turton. Here’s the unique premise: Evelyn Hardcastle will die. Every day until Aiden Bishop can identify her killer and break the cycle. But every time the day begins again, Aiden wakes up in the body of a different guest. And some of his hosts are more helpful than others.
Our very own Rebecca Munro has our review and says, "Turton has crafted a perfectly plotted mystery, and his characters' motivations are believable, morally gray and compulsively readable. The tension grabs you from the very first page and does not let go for one second. There are twists and turns on nearly every page, yet Turton manages to keep this riveting book understandable and easy to navigate." Rebecca had the opportunity to ask Stuart some questions about his debut novel; click here for their conversation. We also have added a discussion guide for the book on ReadingGroupGuides.com, which you can see here.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include BUTTON MAN, Andrew Gross’ latest historical thriller, which brings to life the drama of the birth of organized crime in 1930s New York City from the tale of one family; Gilly Macmillan’s I KNOW YOU KNOW, a chilling and twisty mystery about two shocking murder cases 20 years apart and the threads that bind them; and THE GUILTY DEAD, the ninth installment in P. J. Tracy’s Monkeewrench mystery series. For those who may not know, P. J. Tracy was the pseudonym of the mother-daughter writing team of P. J. and Traci Lambrecht. Sadly, P. J. passed away in 2016, so THE GUILTY DEAD is Traci’s first solo novel since her mother’s passing. Despite these very difficult circumstances, Traci hasn’t missed a beat, according to our reviewer.
My three latest Bookreporter.com Bets On picks are THE DINNER LIST by Rebecca Serle, THE REAL LOLITA: The Kidnapping of Sally Horner and the Novel That Scandalized the World by Sarah Weinman, and the audio edition of THE MARS ROOM written and read by Rachel Kushner. Click on each of the titles to see why I’m betting you’ll love these books.
In this week’s Fall Preview contests, we gave away THE BOY AT THE KEYHOLE by Stephen Giles and A SPARK OF LIGHT by Jodi Picoult, the latter of which releases on October 2nd. This also happens to be the day of our next Fall Preview contest (starting at noon ET); note that there are no contests next week. If you’d like to receive a special newsletter that spotlights each of these 24-hour contests, all you have to do is sign up here.
If you didn’t win a copy of A SPARK OF LIGHT in our Fall Preview contest, you’ll have another chance, as it’s our current Word of Mouth prize book, along with TRANSCRIPTION by Kate Atkinson. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win both these novels. Please do so by Friday, October 5th at noon ET.
There’s still time to enter this month’s Sounding Of on Audio contest, where the prize books are the audio versions of LAKE SUCCESS, read by Arthur Morey and Soneela Nankani, and Christina Dalcher's VOX, read by Julia Whelan. Let us know by Monday, October 1st at noon ET what audiobooks you’ve listened to, and you’ll have a chance to win both these audio titles.
So many authors, publishers and agents gauge the success of a book by whether or not it hits the New York Times bestseller list. We’re curious: Do you follow these lists? That’s our latest poll question; click here to let us know.
Our previous poll asked which of 20 fiction titles releasing this month you are planning to read. Here are your top five picks: DARK TIDE RISING: A William Monk Novel, by Anne Perry (33%), THE GLASS OCEAN by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig and Karen White (29%), THE DINNER LIST by Rebecca Serle (22%), TRANSCRIPTION by Kate Atkinson (21%), and THE 7½ DEATHS OF EVELYN HARDCASTLE by Stuart Turton (20%). Click here for all the results.
The shortlist for this year’s Man Booker Prize for Fiction was announced yesterday. The six titles are MILKMAN by Anna Burns, WASHINGTON BLACK by Esi Edugyan, EVERYTHING UNDER by Daisy Johnson, the aforementioned THE MARS ROOM by Rachel Kushner, THE OVERSTORY by Richard Powers, and THE LONG TAKE by Robin Robertson. The winner will be announced on October 16th. I am so happy to see THE MARS ROOM there; I just loved it.
Over on Teenreads.com, we are looking for 50 teens between the ages of 13 and 18 years old to be a part of our January 2019 - December 2019 Teen Board. Teen Board members write reviews, compose blog posts, participate in special features and provide us with much-needed feedback. This year, we would especially like to hear from teens who are active on social media, especially through Bookstagram, BookTube or their own personal book blogs. If you know a teen who may be interested in applying, please send them this link, where they can learn more about the Teen Board and fill out our form. Applications are due by 9am ET on Friday, October 12th.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Darlene wrote, “I wanted to share with you how much I loved DESOLATION MOUNTAIN by William Kent Krueger, which I won in your summer books giveaway. I read several books in the Cork O'Connor series over the years but had forgotten how much I enjoyed reading about this character, his family and the Ojibwe tribe. This book was a thrilling reminder of how much I enjoyed this series, and I am definitely going to return to the backlist and read the books I missed. I posted a comment about this book on the Word of Mouth contest thread, and I hope it will arouse some curiosity in other readers about the book and this series. Thanks again for sending this book to me.” I love seeing that this prize got Darlene back to the Cork series.
Virginia wrote this note to Kathy, one of our readers, about the books that were shared with her in the process of rebuilding her bookshelves after last year's fire: "The box of books you packed so perfectly arrived today, Kathy! What a treat for me to come home from work and find your beautifully packaged gift. I love the assortment, too. I’m open to reading most anything as long as it has a compelling story. The big assortment you sent had my spirit soaring. Some authors will be new for my reading, though not new to my awareness, all because of Bookreporter’s newsletters, reviews and Carol’s Bets On selections. I love Bookreporter and I know you do, too. I’m sending you love and thanks. I cannot wait to dive in for some glorious happy reading. I truly appreciate you sending these, and I thank you with all my heart.” Note that I learned Kathy is a very special reader; I am going to try to snag an interview with her in these next few weeks to tell you why.
The Emmys: I confess that I felt they were a snore. I was happy to see that Tom Rob Smith, who readers recognize as the author of CHILD 44, was a winner for "The Assassination of Gianni Versace" in the Outstanding Limited Series category, as he was the Executive Producer.
The Hate U Give: Opens in theaters on October 5th. Catch the trailer here. Lots to discuss with this movie, and we have added a discussion guide for the book here.
For "Downton Abbey" Fans: The Downton Abbey film has been scheduled for a September 20, 2019 theatrical release, with Universal Pictures International rolling the movie out abroad a week earlier on September 13th. You can say you heard it here first!
We are celebrating my dad’s birthday tonight; the “really really day,” as we call it in our house, is actually tomorrow. He joked and said he was not getting between me and Paul Simon’s last show...and no, he did not want to go to the concert. To be honest, even when he took me in 1970, I am not sure he wanted to be there. I baked him a batch of macaroon cookies. Here is the recipe, and I am debating a couple of books as presents. I already bought a card, which is a miracle; I am known for doing this on the way to dinner.
I still am enjoying yoga classes and finally have mastered the pigeon pose. And somehow I also know my left from my right about 95% of the time.The other day, I left my yoga mat at the studio. When I called for them to track it down, I almost said Namaste instead of goodbye.
Fall rolls in on Saturday; I am not ready for it. The pool here is still open, though I could use some sunny weather to enjoy it. There will be a full Harvest Moon on September 25th. I love the full moon. I often have thought about writing a novel where the various moons separate the chapters; I love their names.
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 Stuart Turton,
Author of THE 7½ DEATHS OF EVELYN HARDCASTLE
Our Latest Debut Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight Title
THE 7½ DEATHS OF EVELYN HARDCASTLE, freelance journalist Stuart Turton’s debut novel, reads like a retelling of Groundhog Day as told by Agatha Christie --- with a hint of science fiction. In this interview conducted by Bookreporter.com’s Rebecca Munro, Turton discusses how the premise of this unique thriller came about and took shape, why he chose a rotting manor for the story’s setting, the characters he enjoyed writing the most (and the least), and the reason for the title change in the US (the book released in the UK as THE 7 DEATHS OF EVELYN HARDCASTLE).
THE 7½ DEATHS OF EVELYN HARDCASTLE by Stuart Turton (Historical Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by James Cameron Stewart
At a gala party thrown by her parents, Evelyn Hardcastle will be killed. Again. She’s been murdered hundreds of times, and each day, Aiden Bishop is too late to save her. Doomed to repeat the same day over and over, Aiden’s only escape is to solve Evelyn Hardcastle’s murder and conquer the shadows of an enemy he struggles to even comprehend. But nothing and no one are quite what they seem. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Stuart Turton’s bio.
- Click here to connect with Stuart Turton on Twitter.
- Click here to see the 50 winners selected to read and comment on the book.
- Click here to read more in our Debut Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight.
Click here to read the interview.
Featured Review: HEARTLAND by Sarah Smarsh
HEARTLAND: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth by Sarah Smarsh (Memoir/Sociology)
Audiobook available, read by Sarah Smarsh
During Sarah Smarsh’s turbulent childhood in Kansas in the 1980s and ’90s, the forces of cyclical poverty and the country’s changing economic policies solidified her family’s place among the working poor. By telling the story of her life and the lives of the people she loves, Smarsh challenges us to look more closely at the class divide in our country and examine the myths about people thought to be less because they earn less. Her personal history affirms the corrosive impact intergenerational poverty can have on individuals, families and communities, and she explores this idea as lived experience, metaphor and level of consciousness. Reviewed by Jane Krebs.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: BUTTON MAN by Andrew Gross
BUTTON MAN by Andrew Gross (Historical Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Edoardo Ballerini
Morris, Sol and Harry Rabishevsky grew up poor in a tiny flat on the Lower East Side. The death of their father thrust them into having to fend for themselves and support their large family. Morris dropped out of school at 12 years old and apprenticed himself to a garment cutter in a clothing factory, while Sol headed to accounting school. But Harry fell in with a gang of thugs as a teenager and can't be lured away from the glamour, power and money that come from his association with Louis Buchalter, with whom Morris has battled since his youth and who has risen to become the most ruthless mobster in New York. And when Buchalter sets his sights on the unions that staff the garment makers' factories, a fatal showdown is inevitable, pitting brother against brother. 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: I KNOW YOU KNOW by Gilly Macmillan
I KNOW YOU KNOW by Gilly Macmillan (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by David Thorpe
Twenty years ago, 11-year-olds Charlie Paige and Scott Ashby were murdered in the city of Bristol. A man was convicted of the brutal crime, but questions still linger decades later. Filmmaker Cody Swift has been haunted by the deaths of his childhood best friends. Hoping to uncover new evidence, and to encourage those who may be keeping long-buried secrets to speak up, Cody starts a podcast to record his findings. When a long-dead body is found in the same location the boys were left decades before, the disturbing discovery launches another murder investigation. Now Detective John Fletcher, the investigator on the original case, must reopen his dusty files and decide if the two murders are linked. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: THE GUILTY DEAD by P. J. Tracy
THE GUILTY DEAD: A Monkeewrench Novel by P. J. Tracy (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Sarah Borges
Gregory Norwood is Minnesota’s most beloved philanthropist, and the story of his son’s overdose was splashed across the front page of all the papers. When a photojournalist sets out to get a candid shot of the highly successful businessman on the one-year anniversary of his son’s death, he’s shocked to find Norwood dead with a smoking gun in his hand. Minneapolis detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth are called in to handle the delicate case. With no suspects and an increasing tangle of digital evidence, Magozzi calls on Grace MacBride, Monkeewrench Software’s founder and chief computer genius. She and her motley crew of partners begin to unravel connections between Norwood’s death and an even larger plot. Reviewed by Roz Shea.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
THE DINNER LIST, THE REAL LOLITA
and THE MARS ROOM Audiobook
THE DINNER LIST by Rebecca Serle (Fiction)
One of the oft-asked questions is “What five people would you invite to a dinner party?”
For Sabrina, in THE DINNER LIST by Rebecca Serle, she arrives at dinner on her 30th birthday to find her best friend, her estranged father, her college professor, her former boyfriend of nearly a decade, and Audrey Hepburn. Why those five guests? Each has something to share with Sabrina that will bring insight to her life on this milestone birthday. They are gathered together for one dinner --- and one dinner only, which will end at midnight --- so in these few hours, many stories will be told, truths will be uncovered, coincidences will be rewound, and Sabrina will make sense of so many things that she never quite understood.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read more of Carol’s commentary on THE DINNER LIST.
THE REAL LOLITA: The Kidnapping of Sally Horner and the Novel That Scandalized the World by Sarah Weinman (True Crime)
I confess that I do not remember reading LOLITA by Vladimir Nabokov, though I know I did at some point. That took nothing away from my reading Sarah Weinman’s THE REAL LOLITA. I have long respected Sarah as a journalist, and I know her reporting and interviews are always thought-provoking and in-depth. So when I read this book to interview her for the Author Buzz panel at BookExpo, I knew I was in for both strong storytelling and a no-holds-barred investigation in this true-crime work.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
Click here to read more of Carol’s commentary on THE REAL LOLITA.
THE MARS ROOM Audiobook written and read by Rachel Kushner (Fiction)
I listened to THE MARS ROOM by Rachel Kushner, which is also narrated by her. The print copy had been on my shelf for a while, so I was happy to have an opportunity to listen to it on audio, a medium that has allowed me to augment my reading time. In fact, I think the book was even more powerful to me for having listened to it.
THE MARS ROOM is set in 2003 in a women’s prison in central California, where Romy Hall is serving two consecutive life sentences, which means that even if she comes up for parole, she will just begin her next sentence. It opens as Romy is on a bus heading to prison; she is narrating what this ride is like and describing everyone on the bus. You get the feeling that this woman has a perspective on being a prisoner that shows she is more aware than the other prisoners, smarter, and better able to see the big picture of what is going on. From her observations, she became a trusted narrator to me.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review of the hardcover.
Click here to read more of Carol’s commentary on THE MARS ROOM.
Bookreporter.com's Fall Preview Contests and Feature
Fall is known as the biggest season of the year for books. The titles that release during this latter part of the year often become holiday gifts, and many are blockbusters. To celebrate the arrival of fall, we are spotlighting a number of outstanding books that we know people will be talking about in the days and months to come.
We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days in September and October, so you will have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here.
Our next prize book will be announced on Tuesday, October 2nd at noon ET.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
An Interview with Warren C. Easley,
Author of MOVING TARGETS
When a young woman walks into Caffeine Central, Cal Claxton's law office in downtown Portland, he has no idea that agreeing to help her will turn his life upside down. That’s the intriguing premise of MOVING TARGETS, the sixth installment in Warren C. Easley’s mystery series starring the former Los Angeles prosecutor turned small-town lawyer. In this interview, Easley talks about his approach to using topical themes in his fiction, his decision to make Oregon an essential element in the series (a main character, if you will), the most important thing he’s learned about writing crime novels, and his reaction to his fifth book, BLOOD FOR WINE, being nominated for the prestigious Nero Award.
MOVING TARGETS: A Cal Claxton Oregon Mystery by Warren C. Easley (Mystery)
Cal Claxton’s new client is the adopted daughter of a Portland power couple famed for their real estate development firm and charitable work. Sculptor Angela Wingate and her recently widowed mother, Margaret, had grown close after years of estrangement. A grieving Angela is hesitant but nonetheless determined to learn if Margaret's recent death was a hit-and-run or something more --- like murder. As the ever-curious Cal begins to poke the principal players at Wingate Properties and to question Margaret's will, links surface between a lucrative riverfront project and a ruthless Russian ring. With a possible deadly foreign assassin in play, the threat level rises and the body count starts to grow.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the interview.
What’s New This Month on ReadingGroupGuides.com
We currently have two contests running on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
"What's Your Book Group Reading This Month?" Contest: Enter to Win 12 Copies of IN THE MIDST OF WINTER by Isabel Allende for Your Group
Each month in our "What's Your Book Group Reading This Month" contest, we ask book groups to share the titles they are reading that month and rate them. From all entries, three winners will be selected, and each will win 12 copies of that month’s prize book for their group.
This month's prize book is the paperback edition of IN THE MIDST OF WINTER by Isabel Allende, a sweeping novel about three very different people who are brought together in a mesmerizing story that journeys from present-day Brooklyn to Guatemala in the recent past to 1970s Chile and Brazil. Enter here by Wednesday, October 10th at noon ET.
Win 12 Copies of IN HIS FATHER'S FOOTSTEPS by Danielle Steel for Your Group
Danielle Steel's latest novel, IN HIS FATHER'S FOOTSTEPS, tells the story of two World War II concentration camp survivors, the life they build together, and the son who faces struggles of his own as a first-generation American determined to be his own person and achieve success. We are celebrating its recent release with a special contest that will giving three groups the chance to win 12 copies of the book. Enter here by Wednesday, October 10th at noon ET.
Here are our latest featured guides:
Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:
Click here to visit ReadingGroupGuides.com.
A FORGOTTEN PLACE: A Bess Crawford Mystery by Charles Todd (Historical Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Rosalyn Landor
The Great War has ended, and battlefield nurse Bess Crawford has been assigned to a clinic for amputees. She does her best to help them, but it’s clear that they have nothing to go home to. Their officer, Captain Williams, writes to describe their despair, and his own at trying to save his men. Bess feels compelled to look into their situation, so she travels to Wales but is told Williams has left the valley. Fearing that he intends to kill himself, Bess follows Williams to an isolated, storm-battered peninsula. Deserted by her frightened driver, Bess is stranded among strangers suspicious of outsiders. She quickly discovers these villagers are hiding something, and she’s learned too much to be allowed to leave. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE ANCIENT NINE by Ian K. Smith (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Brad Sanders
Spenser Collins, an unlikely Harvard prospect, and Dalton Winthrop, a white-shoe legacy at Harvard, find enough common ground to become friends, cementing their bond when Spenser is "punched" to join the Delphic Club, one of the most exclusive of Harvard's all-male final clubs. Dalton’s great-uncle is one of their oldest living members, and Dalton grew up on stories of the club's rituals. But why is his uncle so cryptic about the Ancient Nine, a shadowy group of alums that protects the Delphic's darkest and oldest secrets --- including what happened to a student who sneaked into the club's stately brick mansion in 1927 and was never seen again. The more Spenser and Dalton investigate, the more questions they unearth, until they realize their own lives are in danger. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
THE INFINITE BLACKTOP by Sara Gran (Noir Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Madeleine Maby
As a young girl growing up in Brooklyn, Claire DeWitt (now a private investigator) and her two best friends, Tracy and Kelly, solved many cases together --- until the day Tracy vanished without a trace. Later, in her 20s, Claire is trying to get her PI license by taking on a cold case that has stumped the LAPD. Today, Claire is on her way to Las Vegas from San Francisco when she’s almost killed by a homicidal driver. In a haze of drugs and injuries, she struggles off the scene, determined to find her would-be killer’s identity --- but the list of people who would be happy to see her dead is not a short one. As these three narratives converge, some mysteries are solved and others continue to haunt. Reviewed by Megan Elliott.
LIES by T. M. Logan (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Leighton Pugh
Six days ago, Joe Lynch was a happily married man, a devoted father, and a respected teacher living in a well-to-do London suburb. But that was before he spotted his wife’s car entering a hotel parking garage. Before he saw her in a heated argument with her best friend’s husband. Before Joe confronted the other man in an altercation where he left him for dead. Now, Joe’s life is unraveling. His wife has lied to him. Her deception has put their entire family in jeopardy. The man she met at the hotel has vanished. And as the police investigate his disappearance, suspicion falls on Joe. All he knows is that her actions have brought someone dangerous into their lives --- someone obsessed with her and determined to tear Joe’s world apart. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
PARADOX by Catherine Coulter (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by MacLeod Andrews
Chief Ty Christie of Willicott, Maryland, witnesses a murder at dawn from the deck of her cottage on Lake Massey. When dragging the lake, not only do the divers find the murder victim, they also discover dozens of bones. Even more shocking is the identification of a unique belt buckle found among the bones. Working together with Chief Christie, Savich and Sherlock soon discover a frightening connection between the bones and the escaped psychopath. Reviewed by Judy Gigstad.
THE DARK INTERVAL: Letters on Loss, Grief, and Transformation written by Rainer Maria Rilke, translated and edited by Ulrich Baer (Literary Collection/Personal Growth)
Gleaned from Rainer Maria Rilke’s voluminous, never-before-translated letters to bereaved friends and acquaintances, THE DARK INTERVAL is a profound vision of the mourning process and a meditation on death’s place in our lives. Following the format of LETTERS TO A YOUNG POET, this book arranges Rilke’s letters into an uninterrupted sequence, showcasing the full range of the great author’s thoughts on death and dying, as well as his sensitive and moving expressions of consolation and condolence. Reviewed by Jesse Kornbluth for Headbutler.com.
IN HER BONES by Kate Moretti (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Madeleine Maby
Fifteen years ago, Lilith Wade was arrested for the brutal murder of six women. After a death row conviction, media frenzy and the release of an unauthorized biography, her 30-year-old daughter Edie Beckett is just trying to survive out of the spotlight. She’s a recovering alcoholic with a dead-end city job and an unhealthy codependent relationship with her brother. Edie also has a disturbing secret: a growing obsession with the families of Lilith’s victims. She’s desperate to see how they’ve managed --- or failed --- to move on. While her escalating fixation is a problem, she’s careful to keep her distance. That is, until she crosses a line and a man is found murdered. Reviewed by Dunja Bonacci Skenderović.
THE PARTING GIFT by Evan Fallenberg (Fiction)
An unnamed narrator writes a letter to an old college friend, Adam, with whom he has been staying since his abrupt return to the States from Israel. Now that the narrator is moving on to a new location, he finally reveals the events that led him to Adam’s door, set in motion by a chance encounter with Uzi, a spice merchant whose wares had developed a cult following. From his first meeting with Uzi, the narrator is overwhelmed by an animal attraction that will lead him to derail his life, withdraw from friends and extend his stay in a small town north of Tel Aviv. As he becomes increasingly entangled in Uzi’s life --- and, by extension, the lives of Uzi’s ex-wife and children --- his passion turns sinister, ultimately threatening all around him. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
THE FORBIDDEN PLACE by Susanne Jansson (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Stephanie Willis
In the remote Swedish wetlands lies Mossmarken, the village on the edge of the mire where, once upon a time, people came to leave offerings to the gods. Biologist Nathalie came in order to study the peat bogs. But she has a secret: Mossmarken was once her home, a place where terrible things happened. She has returned at last, determined to confront her childhood trauma and find out the truth. Soon after her arrival, she finds an unconscious man out on the marsh, his pockets filled with gold --- just like the ancient human sacrifices. A grave is dug in the mire, which vanishes a day after. Then the bodies start to surface. Is the mire calling out for sacrifices? Or is it an all-too-human evil? Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
WHITE RIVER BURNING: A Dave Gurney Novel by John Verdon (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Christopher Lane
Tensions have been running high in White River as it approaches the anniversary of a fatal shooting of a black motorist by a local police officer. In the midst of the turmoil, a White River police officer is shot dead by an unknown sniper, and local authorities approach Dave Gurney to conduct an independent investigation of the shooting. More killings occur in what appears to be an escalating sequence of retaliations. But when Gurney questions the true nature of all this bloodshed, his involvement is suddenly terminated. Despite intense opposition from the police, as well as from dangerous fanatics lurking in the shadows, he begins to uncover an astonishing structure of deception. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
HUSK by Dave Zeltserman (Horror)
Charlie is a Husker on the prowl in the New Hampshire wilderness when he falls in love with one of them: a girl named Jill. Loving Jill means leaving the Husk clan, with its gruesome cannibalistic rituals, and that will be far more difficult --- and dangerous --- than Charlie could have foreseen. It’s only in New York City that the secret to ending his terrible cravings may reveal itself --- if it doesn’t kill him and everything he has grown to love first. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
Next Week's Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on September 25th
Below are some notable titles releasing on September 25th that we would like to make you aware of. We will have more on many of these books in the weeks to come. For a list of additional hardcovers and paperbacks releasing the week of September 24th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
AN ABSOLUTELY REMARKABLE THING by Hank Green (Science Fiction/Humor)
In his much-anticipated debut novel, Hank Green --- co-creator of Crash Course, Vlogbrothers and SciShow --- spins a sweeping, cinematic tale about a young woman who becomes an overnight celebrity before realizing she's part of something bigger, and stranger, than anyone could have possibly imagined.
BELICHICK: The Making of the Greatest Football Coach of All Time by Ian O'Connor (Sports/Biography)
In Ian O’Connor’s revelatory biography, readers will come to understand and see Bill Belichick’s full life in football --- from watching college games as a kid with his father, a Naval Academy scout, to orchestrating two Super Bowl–winning game plans as defensive coordinator for the Giants, to his dramatic leap to New England, where he has made history.
CHRISTMAS CAKE MURDER: A Hannah Swensen Holiday Mystery with Recipes! by Joanne Fluke (Mystery)
Hannah Swensen agrees to help recreate a spectacular Christmas Ball from the past in honor of Essie Granger, an elderly local in hospice care. She instantly becomes enthralled by Essie’s old notebooks and the tale of a woman escaping danger on the streets of New York. Hannah is surprised by Essie’s secret talent for penning crime fiction. She’s even more surprised when the story turns real.
HIPPIE by Paulo Coelho (Fiction)
Drawing on the rich experience of his own life, Paulo Coelho takes us back in time to relive the dreams of a generation that longed for peace and dared to challenge the established social order. In HIPPIE, he tells the story of a young Brazilian man, Paulo, and Karla, a Dutch woman in her 20s, who share a journey of self-discovery aboard the Magic Bus, as it travels from Amsterdam to Kathmandu in 1970.
RED WAR: A Mitch Rapp Novel by Vince Flynn and Kyle Mills (Political Thriller)
When Russian president Maxim Krupin discovers that he has inoperable brain cancer, he’s determined to cling to power. His first task is to kill or imprison any of his countrymen who can threaten him. Soon, though, his illness becomes serious enough to require a more dramatic diversion --- war with the West. The only way to avoid a confrontation that could leave millions dead is to send Mitch Rapp to Russia under impossibly dangerous orders.
TRANSCRIPTION by Kate Atkinson (Historical Fiction)
In 1940, 18-year-old Juliet Armstrong is reluctantly recruited into the world of espionage. Ten years later, now a radio producer at the BBC, Juliet is unexpectedly confronted by figures from her past and finds herself once more under threat. A bill of reckoning is due, and she finally begins to realize that there is no action without consequence.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
Our Latest Poll: Do You Pay Attention to the
New York Times Bestseller Lists?
Do you look at the New York Times bestseller lists?
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Yes, all of the time
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Yes, some of the time
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No
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No, but I plan to pay more attention to them.
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, October 5th at noon ET.
Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What
You're Reading --- and You Can Win Two Books!
Tell us about the books you’ve finished reading with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from September 21st to October 5th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of A SPARK OF LIGHT by Jodi Picoult and TRANSCRIPTION by Kate Atkinson.
To make sure other readers will be able to find the books you write about, please include the full title and correct author names (your entry must include these to be eligible to win). For rules and guidelines, click here.
- To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.
Sounding Off on Audio Contest: Tell Us What
You're Listening to --- and You Can Win Two Audiobooks!
Tell us about the audiobooks you’ve finished listening to with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars for both the performance and the content. During the contest period from September 4th to October 1st at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Gary Shteyngart's LAKE SUCCESS, read by Arthur Morey and Soneela Nankani, and Christina Dalcher's VOX, read by Julia Whelan.
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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