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Marie Benedict, author of THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE ROOM, and Carol
Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen and Yotam Ottolenghi
Christina Tosi of Milk Bar and Ina Garten
Chicken Marbella, Seriously.
I had another jam-packed week of really lovely events --- and at two of them, Chicken Marbella, of all things, was talked about.
Back when Tom and I were first married, THE SILVER PALATE COOKBOOK, which is the cookbook that taught me how to blend flavors and cook, had a recipe for Chicken Marbella. I think I made it once; my friend Cathy makes it for lots of dinner parties. It’s a great go-to meal. On Tuesday night, I was at Ina Garten’s event at Barnes & Noble where she was interviewed brilliantly by Christina Tosi of Milk Bar, and she talked about how both her latest cookbook, COOK LIKE A PRO, and Yotam Ottolenghi’s new one, SIMPLE, have an updated version of Chicken Marbella; on a quick review, they both have less sugar.
The following night, I was at Ottolenghi’s event at the 92nd Street Y, and index cards were handed out where the audience could write questions. I scrawled (literally, as I have the worst handwriting, and you should be glad this newsletter is not handwritten), “Ina Garten mentioned that you each have a recipe for Chicken Marbella in your new cookbooks. Her inspiration was THE SILVER PALATE COOKBOOK. What was yours?" Not even 15 minutes later, Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen asks him, “What recipe would you suggest that people make first in this book?” His answer. “Chicken Marbella, which I was inspired to recreate from THE SILVER PALATE COOKBOOK." Here’s the original recipe, here’s Ina’s and here's Ottolenghi’s. I hope I inspired you to try one of the three ways to make it, or more!
Since I know that many of you will not get to see Ina on tour, here’s a link to a terrific interview with her. Here she is on "Today" talking about the five essential tools that you need to cook, and here she tells people how to slice, chop and peel. Also, check out this video of Ottolenghi making a Chile Fish. You can catch him on "CBS This Morning" tomorrow; we will share that link next week.
And while we’re on the subject, our current poll question asks if you use cookbooks when you’re preparing meals. Let us know what you do by clicking here.
On Wednesday afternoon, I went to a luncheon where Marie Benedict was one of the featured guests. I am a fan of her previous books, THE OTHER EINSTEIN and CARNEGIE’S MAID, both of which were Bookreporter.com Bets On selections. I am about two-thirds through her upcoming book, THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE ROOM, which we recently featured as a Sneak Peek title (it's on sale January 15th). The protagonist here is Hedy Lamarr, who actually held the first patent for Wi-Fi. I am not kidding. You have to read it; I am loving it, and it also will be a Bets On pick. What a treat to be able to discuss Marie's research for this book with her over lunch. You can see a photo of us above.
On Tuesday afternoon, I went to a luncheon where Mary Norris was one of the featured guests. You may remember her book BETWEEN YOU & ME: Confessions of a Comma Queen. Her upcoming title, GREEK TO ME: Adventures of the Comma Queen, will be in stores on April 2nd. It explores her love of all things Greek, including the Greek language, and her time in Greece. She is such fun. She wanted the title to be GREEK, TO ME, but the Comma Queen lost her comma to the editor. I asked her what her favorite Greek restaurant is in New York City, and she said Molyvos, which is across the street from our office.
PBS aired the finale of “The Great American Read” on Tuesday night. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD was voted by viewers as America’s best-loved novel. According to the program’s official website, it led the voting “from the first week, and kept the lead for the entire five months of voting, despite strong competition from the rest of our five finalists. It also topped the list of votes in every state except North Carolina (who went for Outlander) and Wyoming (who preferred The Lord of the Rings).”
I guessed this right from the start. When anyone asked me what book would win, I never wavered! Rounding out the top five were the Outlander series (the fourth season of the show will premiere next Sunday, November 4th on STARZ and will be based on book four in the series, DRUMS OF AUTUMN); the Harry Potter series, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE and The Lord of the Rings series. Click here for the full results to see how viewers ranked the remaining 100 most-loved books in America. Then figure out how many you have read.
If you watched the finale, you know that TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is coming to Broadway. Host Meredith Vieira was joined by playwright Aaron Sorkin and cast members Jeff Daniels (who will star as Atticus Finch), LaTanya Richardson Jackson and Gbenga Akinnagbe to talk about the novel’s lasting impact. Previews begin next Thursday, November 1st, leading up to its official opening on December 13th at the Shubert Theatre. Click here for more info on this highly anticipated stage adaptation and to purchase your tickets.
On Monday night, I attended a ceremony for the Willie Morris Award for Southern Fiction. Bren McClain was named the recipient of its 2017 literary award for her novel, ONE GOOD MAMA BONE, and Ann Kidd Taylor received Special Recognition for her novel, THE SHARK CLUB. A major highlight of the night was a panel honoring the life and writings of Pat Conroy, which included Conroy’s widow, author Cassandra King, and was moderated by Jonathan Haupt, executive director of the Pat Conroy Literary Center. Haupt, along with author Nicole Seitz, served as the editors for the recently released OUR PRINCE OF SCRIBES, a collection of essays from 67 writers who were inspired, emboldened and championed by Conroy (with a foreword from Barbra Streisand and an afterword from Cassandra).
I loved the opportunity to hear stories about Pat, and I look forward to reading these essays. I never got a chance to express my condolences to Cassandra when Pat passed away, so I was happy to have a moment to do that. Sue Monk Kidd was in town to cheer on her daughter, Ann. I had not seen either in a while.
Last Saturday, our own Rebecca Munro had the pleasure of attending Hachette’s seventh annual Book Club Brunch, which was held at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, not too far from our office in midtown Manhattan. She had a wonderful time, as this year’s event featured a panel that included Monica Hesse (author of THE WAR OUTSIDE, one of this month’s Young Adult Books You Want to Read titles); a spotlight on Luis Alberto Urrea, most recently the author of THE HOUSE OF BROKEN ANGELS, who, according to Rebecca, was “laugh-out-loud hilarious”; and a discussion with Stephanie Land, whose memoir, MAID: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive, will release in January and was a Book Expo buzz book. You can read all about Rebecca’s experiences that day in her very thorough blog here.
Melanie, who compiles and edits the entries in our Word of Mouth and Sounding Off on Audio features, attended Wednesday night’s Barnes & Noble Book Club event to discuss Hank Green’s AN ABSOLUTELY REMARKABLE THING, which debuted on the New York Times bestseller list at #1. She reports to us about her experience at the Boynton Beach, FL store:
"There were 11 people, a smaller group than last time. I was surprised --- given the topic of the book and Green’s popularity with young people --- that there were no younger people in the audience. The group was split about 50/50 on their reaction to the book. There was a good discussion. The relevance of the story to today's world, political climate and social media served as discussion threads. Many felt there were things left unanswered and unexplained in the story, and that bothered them. At the end of the discussion, a YouTube video from Hank Green was shared, which mentions details of a sequel. There was no new book picked for the next book club event, most likely due to the upcoming holidays. The next book group will probably be in January sometime.”
Many thanks to Melanie for this coverage. If anyone else would like to share what happened at their local B&N, please send me a note.
In a departure from his legal thrillers, John Grisham has turned to historical fiction in his latest novel, THE RECKONING. Pete Banning was a returning war hero, the patriarch of a prominent family, and a faithful member of the Methodist church. Then, one morning, he walked into the church, and calmly shot and killed his pastor and friend, the Reverend Dexter Bell. As if the murder wasn’t shocking enough, Pete's only statement about it was: "I have nothing to say." He was not afraid of death and was willing to take his motive to the grave.
Stuart Shiffman has our review and says, “Grisham’s novels, regardless of subject, have a consistent ability to raise meaningful issues for his readers. THE RECKONING is no exception and is yet another other substantial addition to the Grisham library.”
We’re awarding THE RECKONING, along with Stephen King’s ELEVATION, to the winners of our Word of Mouth contest. To enter, all you have to do is let us know by Friday, November 2nd at noon ET what books you’ve finished reading.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include HOLY GHOST by John Sandford, in which Virgil Flowers investigates a miracle --- and a murder; GONE SO LONG, Andre Dubus III’s first novel in a decade; MARILLA OF GREEN GABLES, Sarah McCoy’s prequel to the Anne of Green Gables series that imagines the young life of spinster Marilla Cuthbert, the woman who raised Anne (you can see Sarah talking about Marilla in a television interview during the Canadian portion of her tour here); and A CLOUD IN THE SHAPE OF A GIRL by Jean Thompson, an upcoming Bets On title about three generations of women who struggle to find freedom and happiness in their small Midwestern college town (we have a Q&A with the author here, and don’t miss my Bets On commentary in next week’s newsletter). We also have reviews of two books that were recent New Release Spotlights: THE CLOCKMAKER’S DAUGHTER by Kate Morton and THE COLLECTOR’S APPRENTICE by B. A. Shapiro.
The audiobook of Therese Anne Fowler’s A WELL-BEHAVED WOMAN: A Novel of the Vanderbilts, narrated by Barrie Kreinik, is my latest Bets On pick. Click here to see why I’m betting you’ll love it, and be sure to check out our review of the hardcover here.
As I alluded to earlier, we’ve updated our Young Adult Books You Want to Read feature, books we've recently reviewed on Teenreads.com that we think will appeal to an adult audience. This month’s titles are DEAR EVAN HANSEN by Val Emmich (with Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul), DRY by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman (the audiobook was very well done), ANNE FRANK’S DIARY: The Graphic Adaptation by Ari Folman, and the aforementioned THE WAR OUTSIDE by Monica Hesse.
This is your last newsletter reminder to enter this month’s Sounding Off on Audio contest, where the prize books are the audio editions of THE NEXT PERSON YOU MEET IN HEAVEN by Mitch Albom and UNSHELTERED by Barbara Kingsolver; both are read by the authors themselves. Submit your comments about the audiobooks you’ve listened to by Thursday, November 1st at noon ET, and you’ll be in the running to win both these audio titles.
The 2019 shortlist for the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction has been announced. The fiction finalists are WASHINGTON BLACK by Esi Edugyan, THE GREAT BELIEVERS by Rebecca Makkai, and THERE THERE by Tommy Orange. The nonfiction finalists are THE LINE BECOMES A RIVER: Dispatches from the Border by Francisco Cantú, HEAVY: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon (which we review this week), and DOPESICK: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company That Addicted America by Beth Macy. The two medal winners will be announced on January 27th at the American Library Association Midwinter Meeting in Seattle.
Also announced this week were the three winners of the Kirkus Prize: SEVERANCE by Ling Ma (Fiction), CALL THEM BY THEIR TRUE NAMES: American Crises (and Essays) by Rebecca Solnit (Nonfiction), and CROWN: An Ode to the Fresh Cut, written by Derrick Barnes and illustrated by James C. Gordon (Young Readers’ Literature).
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Bernadette wrote, “Just wanted to let you know how much I love your newsletter. It's excellent in reviewing books and giving me great ideas about to what to read next --- and all of them have been spot-on! The only thing that is bad is that my TBR list is growing by leaps and bounds (is that really bad??), with me wanting to be able to read about, oh, 18 hours a day or so. I truly look forward to each and every email, and thank you so much for keeping us up to date on what's coming for our shelves. Now all I need are several more shelves!” Maybe we should link people to really nice bookshelves!
Mary Lou wrote about seeing Anne Lamott, who “was spectacular." She went on to say, “I follow her on Twitter and Facebook and Instagram, so I am quite familiar with her speaking and writing style. She does not disappoint. She is exactly the same person on all three platforms, and in person. Her message is so real and down to earth...and FUNNY. Oh my gosh, she had us in stitches. Her humility, intelligence, grace and compassion were very apparent in her talk. It ended after about 90 minutes. The crowd gave her a standing O. I just loved this event. Even though I am a voracious reader, I have never been to a book signing. It gave me a new appreciation of how hard authors have to work well beyond the hard work of writing. After standing and talking to us for 90 minutes, she surely stayed for at least another hour or two signing books and talking to folks, judging by the number of fans who were lining up with their books to be signed. And then to bed and up in the morning to fly out to the next city.” She certainly summed up what a tour is like for authors.
Jill wrote this about our current poll: “I was wishing you'd added an area for more details on how people use cookbooks or other things for cooking, other than the obvious. I use specific recipes rather than cookbooks.” For this poll, we really wanted to see what our readers think about cookbooks instead of specific recipes, but we may ask that in the future.
Since many of our best ideas through the years have come from readers, Jill also gave me a really good one, by asking if captions could appear closer to the photos that we share. Duh, why did we not think of that? You can see that we did this with the photos above!
Laura wrote about receiving a copy of KICK-ASS KINDA GIRL in our recent Fall Preview contest: “Thanks so much! I look forward to reading this.”
Founder of the Little Free Library: It was so sad to read about the death of Todd Bol, the founder of the Little Free Library, just weeks after he learned that he had pancreatic cancer. You can read more about him here.
"This Is Us": The writing on it continues to amaze me. I love the way the threads of the stories come together. To me, it is the television show that is most like a book.
THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN, the Movie: It’s coming in 2019. Here’s a link to read more about it!
Video of Stephen Carter Talking about INVISIBLE and His Grandmother: A couple of weeks ago, we reviewed Stephen Carter’s nonfiction work, INVISIBLE, which takes readers inside the world of his grandmother, who took down Lucky Luciano. She was a brilliant African American prosecutor who was brilliant in the courtroom. See him talking about her here from a piece on CBS News last Saturday.
I had such fun at the Sheep & Wool Festival in Rhinebeck last Saturday. I bought the yarn from Into the Whirled that I wanted to make another skirt, and they loved seeing photos of the one that I already had done. I bought the scarf that you see me wearing in the photo with Marie Benedict above; it was handwoven in Guatemala.
Tom is away playing golf with friends for the weekend. Somehow the fact that lots of rain is headed this way is doing nothing to change their plans. Greg is down on the Bayou lighthousing with friends. Cory and Sam are here now, with Quentin, the hedgehog, who is quite adorable. My plan is to go to yoga, sleep, read, knit, watch movies and shows, and, if no one is around, eat my go-to meal when home alone: pizza on English muffins. Yes, I, who love to cook and experiment with various cuisines, will happily enjoy this and Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup with Minute Rice in it when home alone. Last weekend, when we were grocery shopping, I told Tom that I needed to think ahead to what to buy for this weekend, and he reminded me of my typical limited palate when on my own. Very amusing.
Here’s to a great Halloween! I miss making costumes. I need to pick up some candy that we all will eat since few children will come here, though I always tout that I have full-sized bars. I am told that houses are too far apart. Kids calculate steps to reward at young ages!
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 RECKONING by John Grisham
THE RECKONING by John Grisham (Historical Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Michael Beck
Pete Banning was Clanton, Mississippi’s favorite son --- a decorated World War II hero, the patriarch of a prominent family, a farmer, father, neighbor and faithful member of the Methodist church. Then, one cool October morning, he rose early, drove into town, walked into the church, and calmly shot and killed his pastor and friend, the Reverend Dexter Bell. As if the murder wasn’t shocking enough, it was even more baffling that Pete's only statement about it --- to the sheriff, to his lawyers, to the judge, to the jury and to his family --- was: "I have nothing to say." He was not afraid of death and was willing to take his motive to the grave. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: HOLY GHOST by John Sandford
HOLY GHOST: A Virgil Flowers Novel by John Sandford (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Eric Conger
Pinion, Minnesota: a metropolis of all of 700 souls, for which the word "moribund" might have been invented. Nothing ever happened there and nothing ever would --- until the mayor of sorts (campaign slogan: "I'll Do What I Can") and a buddy come up with a scheme to put Pinion on the map. They'd heard of a place where a floating image of the Virgin Mary had turned the whole town into a shrine, attracting thousands of pilgrims. And all those pilgrims needed food, shelter, all kinds of crazy things, right? They'd all get rich! What could go wrong? When the dead body shows up, they find out, and that's only the beginning of their troubles --- and Virgil Flowers' --- as they are all about to discover all too soon. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: GONE SO LONG by Andre Dubus III
GONE SO LONG by Andre Dubus III (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Andre Dubus III
Daniel Ahearn lives a quiet, solitary existence in a seaside New England town. Forty years ago, following a shocking act of impulsive violence on his part, his daughter, Susan, was ripped from his arms by police. Now in her 40s, Susan still suffers from the trauma of a night she doesn’t remember, as she struggles to feel settled, to love a man and create something that lasts. Lois, her maternal grandmother who raised her, tries to find peace in her antique shop in a quaint Florida town but cannot escape her own anger, bitterness and fear. Reviewed by Leah DeCesare (www.leahdecesare.com).
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: HEAVY by Kiese Laymon
HEAVY: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Kiese Laymon
In HEAVY, Kiese Laymon writes about growing up a hard-headed black son to a complicated and brilliant black mother in Jackson, Mississippi. From his early experiences of sexual violence, to his suspension from college, to his trek to New York as a young college professor, Laymon charts his complex relationship with his mother, grandmother, anorexia, obesity, sex, writing and ultimately gambling. By attempting to name secrets and lies he and his mother spent a lifetime avoiding, Laymon asks himself, his mother, his nation and us to confront the terrifying possibility that few in this country actually know how to responsibly love, and even fewer want to live under the weight of actually becoming free. Reviewed by Maya Gittelman.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: MARILLA OF GREEN GABLES
by Sarah McCoy
MARILLA OF GREEN GABLES by Sarah McCoy (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Cassandra Campbell
Marilla Cuthbert is 13 years old when her beloved mother dies in childbirth, and she suddenly must bear the responsibilities of a farm wife. Her one connection to the wider world is Aunt Elizabeth "Izzy" Johnson, her mother’s sister, who managed to escape to the bustling city of St. Catharines. Aunt Izzy’s talent as a seamstress has allowed her to build a thriving business and make her own way in the world. Emboldened by her aunt, Marilla dares to venture beyond the safety of Green Gables and discovers new friends and new opportunities. However, she soon finds herself caught up in the dangerous work of politics, and abolition --- jeopardizing all she cherishes, including her bond with her dearest John Blythe. Reviewed by Carole Turner.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to visit Sarah McCoy's website.
Click here to read the review.
An Interview with Jean Thompson,
Author of A CLOUD IN THE SHAPE OF A GIRL
A Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
Jean Thompson’s latest novel, A CLOUD IN THE SHAPE OF A GIRL, is a moving family saga about three generations of women who struggle to find freedom and happiness in their small Midwestern college town. In this interview, Thompson explains why she named the three sections of her book “Lilacs,” “Sacrifice” and “The Girl of My Dreams”; talks about her decision to set the novel in a university town, and the role that the university played in the characters’ development and relationships with the town; reveals which of her three female protagonists she feels she knows best; and attempts to answer what she calls “[a] question for the ages.”
A CLOUD IN THE SHAPE OF A GIRL by Jean Thompson (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Cassandra Campbell
Evelyn set aside her career to marry, late, and motherhood never became her. Her daughter Laura felt this acutely and wants desperately to marry, but she soon discovers her husband Gabe to be a man who expects too much of everyone in his life, especially his musician son. Grace has moved out from Laura and Gabe’s house, but can’t seem to live up to her potential --- whatever that might be. In A CLOUD IN THE SHAPE OF A GIRL, we see these women and their trials, small and large: social slights and heartbreaks, marital disappointments and infidelities, familial dysfunction, mortality. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
Click here to read the interview.
A CLOUD IN THE SHAPE OF A GIRL will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. Don’t miss Carol’s commentary in next week’s newsletter.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
A WELL-BEHAVED WOMAN Audiobook
written by Therese Anne Fowler, read by Barrie Kreinik
A WELL-BEHAVED WOMAN: A Novel of the Vanderbilts (Audiobook) written by Therese Anne Fowler, read by Barrie Kreinik (Historical Fiction)
I enjoyed listening to A WELL-BEHAVED WOMAN by Therese Anne Fowler, which is narrated by Barrie Kreinik. This work of historical fiction tells the story of Alva Vanderbilt and her illustrious family. When it begins, Alva Smith is positioning herself to find a husband who will secure her financially and pull her family out of the tight financial straits in which they find themselves. With a marriage to William Vanderbilt firmly in hand, she pursues her next quest: to have the Vanderbilts, who are known as “new money,” accepted by the Astors and those with “old money.”
The book presents a wonderful picture of society at that time with all of its splendor and trappings. Alva has a love of and an eye for architecture, and I loved reading about her plans for her home “uptown” in the 50s in the city, when most had not gone above streets in the 40s. Everything was done to attract eyes and position. She throws a ball to show the house, and the “right set” is there.
She also builds in Newport, again creating a home that will bring her another notch of status. Reading about her architecture plans was so enlightening. She was consumed with every detail. As she and her family gallivant throughout Europe at every turn, they are seeing the best of the world, and thus it is shared with the reader. Ava works at everything, including setting up the best marriage for her own daughter, knowing full well how position matters. She is constantly positioning herself and her family.
- Click here to read more about the audiobook.
- Click here to read a review of the hardcover.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on A WELL-BEHAVED WOMAN.
An Interview with Eileen Brady, Author of PENNED
PENNED is the fourth book in Eileen Brady’s mystery series starring veterinarian Kate Turner, the first installment of which, MUZZLED, won the 2013 Discover Mystery Award. In this interview, Brady explains why she decided to use the infamous Robert Fisher case from 2001 as the jumping-off point for this latest story; talks about her 20-year stint as a practicing veterinarian, including some of her favorite patients; and shares the most important lesson she has learned about writing mysteries that she wishes she had known in the early stages of her career.
PENNED: A Kate Turner, DVM, Mystery by Eileen Brady (Mystery)
Dr. Kate Turner, DVM, is seven months into her one-year contract to cover for a Hudson Valley vet taking a year-long world cruise. Gloria LaGuardia has been installed at an assisted living center by her niece. They bump into Kate at the Oak Falls annual Halloween street bash. While Gloria's conversation indicates some mental confusion, she's still sharp. She says, "Someone evil is here. I saw him." Saw who? Will this chance meeting draw Kate into the path of Carl Wolf, a notorious fugitive 21 years on the FBI's Most Wanted List? Is Wolf hiding in plain sight in or around Oak Falls? When Gloria, once an artist endowed with a sharp eye, is murdered, Kate doesn't know what to think.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the interview.
THE CLOCKMAKER'S DAUGHTER by Kate Morton (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Joanne Froggatt
In the summer of 1862, a group of young artists descends upon Birchwood Manor in rural Oxfordshire. By the time their stay is over, one woman has been shot dead while another has disappeared; a priceless heirloom is missing; and Edward Radcliffe's life is in ruins. Over 150 years later, Elodie Winslow, a young archivist in London, uncovers a leather satchel with two seemingly unrelated items in it: a sepia photograph of an arresting-looking woman in Victorian clothing, and an artist's sketchbook containing the drawing of a twin-gabled house on the bend of a river. Why does Birchwood Manor feel so familiar to Elodie? And who is the beautiful woman in the photograph? Will she ever give up her secrets? Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
THE COLLECTOR'S APPRENTICE by B. A. Shapiro (Historical Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Xe Sands
Everyone in Belgium, including her own family, believes Paulien Mertens stole millions in a sophisticated con game perpetrated by her then-fiancé, George Everard. To protect herself from the law and the wrath of those who lost everything, she creates a new identity, a Frenchwoman named Vivienne Gregsby, and sets out to recover her father’s art collection and prove her innocence. When the eccentric and wealthy American art collector Edwin Bradley offers Vivienne the perfect job, she is soon caught up in the Parisian world of post-Impressionists and expatriates. Her life becomes even more complicated when George returns with unclear motives --- and then she is arrested for Bradley’s murder. Reviewed by Roberta O’Hara.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
THE FOX by Frederick Forsyth (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by David Rintoul
Adrian Weston, former chief of the British Secret Intelligence Service, is awoken in the middle of the night by a phone call from the Prime Minister. The Pentagon, the NSA and the CIA have been hacked simultaneously, their seemingly impenetrable firewalls breached by an unknown enemy known only as "The Fox." Even more surprisingly, the culprit is revealed to be a young British teenager, Luke Jennings. Extradition to the U.S. seems likely --- until Weston has another idea: If Luke can do this to us, what can he do to our enemies? After conferring with both the American President and the Prime Minister, Weston is determined to use "The Fox" and his talents to the advantage of the two nations. But doing so places the boy on a geopolitical minefield. Reviewed by Katherine B. Weissman.
THE DARKNESS by Ragnar Jonasson (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Amanda Redman
The body of a young Russian woman washes up on an Icelandic shore. After a cursory investigation, the death is declared a suicide and the case is quietly closed. Over a year later, Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir of the Reykjavík police is forced into early retirement at 64. But before she leaves, she is given two weeks to solve a single cold case of her choice. She knows which one: the Russian woman whose hope for asylum ended on the dark, cold shore of an unfamiliar country. Soon Hulda discovers that another young woman vanished at the same time, and that no one is telling her the whole story. Even her colleagues in the police seem determined to put the brakes on her investigation. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
LITTLE by Edward Carey (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Jayne Entwistle
In 1761, a tiny, odd-looking girl named Marie is born in a village in Switzerland. After the death of her parents, she is apprenticed to an eccentric wax sculptor and whisked off to the seamy streets of Paris, where they meet a domineering widow and her quiet, pale son. Together, they convert an abandoned monkey house into an exhibition hall for wax heads, and the spectacle becomes a sensation. As word of her artistic talent spreads, Marie is called to Versailles, where she tutors a princess and saves Marie Antoinette in childbirth. But outside the palace walls, Paris is roiling: The revolutionary mob is demanding heads, and…at the wax museum, heads are what they do. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
THE COUNT OF 9 by Erle Stanley Gardner, writing as A. A. Fair (Hard-boiled Mystery)
At the time of his death, Erle Stanley Gardner was the best-selling American author of all time, with hundreds of millions of books in print, including the 29 cases of the brash, irresistible detective team of Bertha Cool and Donald Lam. Gardner was also one of the most ingenious plot-spinners in the field, coming up with stunning twists and reveals...and THE COUNT OF 9 is Gardner at his twistiest. Hired to protect the treasures of a globe-trotting adventurer, Bertha and Donald confront an impossible crime: how could anything be smuggled out of a dinner party --- least of all a six-foot-long blowgun --- when the guests were X-rayed coming and going? But that's nothing compared to the crime they face next: AN IMPOSSIBLE MURDER. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE BURN ZONE: A Memoir by Renee Linnell (Memoir)
After seven years of faithfully following her spiritual teacher, Renee Linnell finally realized she was in a cult and had been severely brainwashed. But how did that happen to someone like her? She had graduated magna cum laude with a double degree. She had traveled to nearly 50 countries alone before she turned 35. She was a surf model and a professional Argentine tango dancer. She had started five different companies and had an MBA from NYU. THE BURN ZONE is an exploration of how we give up our power --- how what started out as a need to heal from the loss of her parents and to understand the big questions in life could leave a young woman fighting for her sanity and her sense of self. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
Next Week's Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on October 30th
Below are some notable titles releasing on October 30th 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 available the week of October 29th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
ALICE ISN’T DEAD by Joseph Fink (Horror/Thriller)
Keisha Taylor lived a quiet life with her wife, Alice, until the day Alice disappeared. After months of searching, presuming she was dead, Keisha held a funeral, mourned and gradually tried to get on with her life. But that was before Keisha started to see her wife, again and again, in the background of news reports from all over America.
DARK SACRED NIGHT: A Ballard and Bosch Novel by Michael Connelly (Thriller)
Detective Renée Ballard is working the night beat and returns to Hollywood Station to find a stranger rifling through old file cabinets. The intruder is retired detective Harry Bosch, working a cold case that has gotten under his skin. Ballard can't let him go through department records, but when he leaves, she looks into the case herself and feels a deep tug of empathy and anger.
ELEVATION by Stephen King (Fiction)
In the small town of Castle Rock, Scott Carey is engaged in a low-grade --- but escalating --- battle with the lesbians next door whose dog regularly drops his business on Scott’s lawn. They are trying to launch a new restaurant, but the people of Castle Rock want no part of a gay married couple. When Scott finally understands the prejudices they face --- including his own --- he tries to help.
FAMILY TRUST by Kathy Wang (Fiction)
Meet Stanley Huang: father, husband, ex-husband, man of unpredictable tastes and temper, aficionado of all-inclusive vacations and bargain luxury goods, newly diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. For years, Stanley has claimed that he’s worth a small fortune. But the time is now coming when the details of his estate will finally be revealed, and Stanley’s family is nervous.
THE RAIN WATCHER by Tatiana de Rosnay (Fiction)
Linden Malegarde has come home to Paris from the United States. It has been years since the whole family was all together. Now the Malegarde family is gathering for Paul, Linden’s father’s 70th birthday. But their delicate harmony is shattered as the City of Light undergoes a stunning natural disaster, and the Seine bursts its banks and floods the city. All members of the family will have to fight to keep their unity against tragic circumstances.
UNEASY LIES THE CROWN: A Lady Emily Mystery by Tasha Alexander (Historical Mystery)
A body has been found in the Tower of London, posed to look like the murdered medieval king Henry VI. When a second dead man turns up in London's exclusive Berkeley Square, his mutilated remains staged to evoke the violent demise of Edward II, it becomes evident that the mastermind behind the crimes plans to strike again. With the killer leaving a trail of dead kings in his wake, will Edward be the next victim?
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
Young Adult Books You Want to Read
Here are this month's books we reviewed on Teenreads.com that we think will appeal to an adult audience:
DEAR EVAN HANSEN by Val Emmich, with Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Fiction)
Audiobook available; read by Ben Levi Ross, Mike Faist and Mallory Bechtel
When a letter that was never meant to be seen by anyone draws high school senior Evan Hansen into a family's grief over the loss of their son, he is given the chance of a lifetime: to belong. He just has to stick to a lie he never meant to tell, that the notoriously troubled Connor Murphy was his secret best friend. Suddenly, Evan isn't invisible anymore --- even to the girl of his dreams. No longer tangled in his once-incapacitating anxiety, this new Evan has a purpose. And a website. He's confident. He's a viral phenomenon. Every day is amazing. Until everything is in danger of unraveling and he comes face to face with his greatest obstacle: himself.
DRY by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman (Fiction/Adventure)
Audiobook available; read by Jenni Barber, Michael Crouch, Kivlighan De Montebello, Noah Galvin, Candace Thaxton, and the authors
The drought --- or the Tap-Out, as everyone calls it --- has been going on for a while now. Everyone’s lives have become an endless list of don’ts: don’t water the lawn, don’t fill up your pool, don’t take long showers. Until the taps run dry. Suddenly, Alyssa’s quiet suburban street spirals into a warzone of desperation; neighbors and families turn against each other on the hunt for water. And when her parents don’t return and her life --- and the life of her brother --- is threatened, Alyssa has to make impossible choices if she’s going to survive.
ANNE FRANK’S DIARY: The Graphic Adaptation adapted by Ari Folman, with illustrations by David Polonsky (Graphic Memoir)
A timeless story rediscovered by each new generation, THE DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL stands without peer. For both young readers and adults, it continues to capture the remarkable spirit of Anne Frank, who for a time survived the worst horror the modern world has seen --- and who remained triumphantly and heartbreakingly human throughout her ordeal. Adapted by Ari Folman, illustrated by David Polonsky, and authorized by the Anne Frank Foundation in Basel, this is the first graphic edition of THE DIARY and includes extensive quotation directly from the definitive edition.
THE WAR OUTSIDE by Monica Hesse (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available; read by Christie Moreau and Allison Hiroto, and featuring the author
It's 1944, and World War II is raging across Europe and the Pacific. The war seemed far away from Margot in Iowa and Haruko in Colorado --- until they were uprooted to dusty Texas, all because of the places their parents once called home: Germany and Japan. Haruko and Margot meet at the high school in Crystal City, a "family internment camp" for those accused of colluding with the enemy. With everything around them falling apart, the teens find solace in their growing, secret friendship. But in a prison the government has deemed full of spies, can they trust anyone --- even each other?
Click here for more young adult books we recommend you read.
Our Latest Poll: Do You Use Cookbooks?
Do you use cookbooks when you are preparing meals?
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Always. I continually seek out new ones, as well as using old favorites.
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Always. I use old favorites and occasionally seek out new ones.
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I always am using old favorites.
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Sometimes
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Only on holidays or special occasions
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Never
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, November 2nd 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 October 19th to November 2nd at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of ELEVATION by Stephen King and THE RECKONING by John Grisham.
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 October 1st to November 1st at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of THE NEXT PERSON YOU MEET IN HEAVEN written and read by Mitch Albom and UNSHELTERED written and read by Barbara Kingsolver.
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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