August 9, 2019

August 9, 2019

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Latest Update on Our GoFundMe Campaign
to Expand The Book Report Network:
$29,440 Raised --- Let's Get to $30,000!

Thank you to those of you who already have donated to our GoFundMe campaign. So far we have raised $29,440 of our $50,000 goal, with online donations and checks. We are sooooo close to $30,000; help us get there!

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Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Toni Morrison passed away on Monday at the age of 88.
Click on her photo for a wonderful tribute from Tayari Jones, who reflects on her work and legacy.

In our latest "Bookreporter Talks To" interview, Carol chats with Fiona Davis, whose new
historical novel, THE CHELSEA GIRLS, is now in stores and is one of this week's Bets On picks.
Take a look at their conversation by clicking on the image above.

Carol read and enjoyed THE ESCAPE ROOM by Megan Goldin,
which we reviewed last week. It will be a Bets On pick.

The Art of Racing in the Rain, based on the New York Times
bestselling novel by Garth Stein, is now in theaters.

We had to say goodbye this week to our amazing summer intern, Amanda Book,
who is pictured above. She spent a lot of time filming and editing our videos,
and even produced the content for our upcoming podcast. We will miss her!

Carol recently made gazpacho and put it in a pitcher before it had a chance to chill.
So her husband found a bucket, packed it with ice and put the pitcher inside.
Click on the photo for the recipe.

As Carol was preparing dinner last Saturday, she was looking for something easy to make
that was "new." So she whipped up the Tomato Carpaccio dish (courtesy of her go-to cookbook,
OTTOLENGHI SIMPLE) that you see above, and it was a hit. Click on the photo for the recipe.

Going Full Circle…

I am happy to share our latest “Bookreporter Talks To” interview with Fiona Davis, the author of THE CHELSEA GIRLS. I have been a huge fan of Fiona’s work through her first four books, and from our recent poll results, we know that many of you are fans as well. Hers was the book that you most wanted to read in July! I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation, where we explore a lot about her writing and get a hint as to what she is working on next. She gave me a really high compliment when she posted this video on her Facebook page, saying about my interview style, “She really digs deep and asks the best questions.” You can watch the interview here.

We are very, very close to launching our first podcast. We are hoping to go live in the next few weeks; the audio for the first episode is done, and now we are deep into the mechanics of designing a logo, launching a landing page for show notes and finalizing distribution. The plan is that our “Bookreporter Talks To” interviews will be available on both video and audio whenever possible. When authors are not available to come to our office to record, we just will be doing podcasts. We are starting with the “Bookreporter Talks To” pieces, and then we have a few ideas about some other directions that we are going to take for podcasts.

Conceptualizing and executing two completely new platforms has been challenging, especially as I had made documentaries in the past and thus had a very keen idea on just how I wanted these videos to look and feel. And with the podcast, how I wanted it to sound. So getting this note from Cheryl last Saturday evening was really lovely: “I just spent Saturday evening catching up on some “Bookreporter Talks To” interviews: I haven't been able to keep up. Tonight I had some time, and with a glass of wine I listened to Mary Beth Keane, Shari Lapena and Sally Hepworth. Thank you for hosting these discussions. I love getting to know the authors’ thoughts and what fuels their writing process. I enjoy everything you talk about, and will catch up on Sunday with everything else I have missed.”

If those of you who watch on YouTube can comment on the videos there, it would be so appreciated, as it will help others discover us. Also, subscribe to our channel and share these videos with your friends.

For humor in all of this, in the summer of 1995, my original business partners and I approached Barnes & Noble about a program where we would provide author interviews on video for them to air in their stores on VHS tapes (this was pre-DVD). We quickly saw that they were not grasping our creative concept (the dead giveaway was when we were asked questions like who would put the tape in and what color the televisions would be, noting the tan, brown and green color scheme of B&N superstores).

We instead decided to launch a site about books and authors on AOL. Yes, remember AOL? So this week, Barnes & Noble was sold to an equity group, as we were upping our online interview game. Talk about feeling like things going full circle. I do wonder what those videos that we conceptualized would have done for them in store, and eventually online, to build customer loyalty and attention .

Also, this week we bid a fond farewell to one of our summer interns, Amanda Book (and yes, that is her last name). She spent a huge chunk of time filming and editing our videos (she could make a great blooper reel with all the times I said book titles and author names wrong, and the times I held audiobooks upside down), and this week she produced our first podcast. We spent 30 minutes just recording the intro for the podcast. Trust that saying the word “depth” is harder than you think. I finally got it right, and there was a huge crack of thunder, causing yet another take. When we brought Amanda on this summer, we did not plan for her to take on these roles, but she jumped in to edit a video when we got in a bind, and from there she was working the shoots, as well as the production.

We are going to miss her and her positive energy and grace under pressure. She spent a lot of time with headphones on cleaning up sound. You can see a photo of her above. Her goal is to do writing and editing once she finishes school next summer. We wish her all good things and would welcome her back!

Back in 2008, I read a book called THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN by Garth Stein. I was at the Public Library Association Conference, and our anniversary was that weekend. I did not have a present for my husband, so I asked Garth to sign an advance copy of the book as my husband is a car-racing enthusiast. It was a big hit as a gift, and we both read and loved it. For years, there was conversation about making a film adaptation. Today it finally hits theaters, and we are looking forward to seeing it. For anyone who wonders why it takes so long for something to get made into a movie, Garth can give you a whole lecture about that. If you go to see it, let us know what you think of it!  

This week, we learned the sad news that Toni Morrison passed away at the age of 88. Morrison was the author of 11 novels, from THE BLUEST EYE (1970) to GOD HELP THE CHILD (2015). She received the National Book Critics Circle Award for SONG OF SOLOMON and the Pulitzer Prize for BELOVED, and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993. In 2012, President Barack Obama presented her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and four years later she received the PEN/Saul Bellow Award for Achievement in American Fiction. I came across a lovely tribute to Morrison and her impressive body of work from Tayari Jones, author of AN AMERICAN MARRIAGE, which you can take a look at here. You can also read her obituary in the New York Times here.

Drum roll...or perhaps I should say, "Grab your harmonicas." Our Fiction Author Spotlight & Contest kicks off this week for William Kent Krueger’s upcoming stand-alone novel, THIS TENDER LAND. Perfect for fans of BEFORE WE WERE YOURS, WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING and ORPHAN TRAIN, this future Bookreporter.com Bets On pick is about four orphans on a life-changing odyssey during the Great Depression. Over the course of one unforgettable summer, they will journey into the unknown and cross paths with others who are adrift --- from struggling farmers and traveling faith healers to displaced families and lost souls of all kinds.

Although it doesn’t release until September 3rd, we’re giving 35 readers the chance to preview the book and give us their feedback on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, August 22nd at noon ET. And when you read it, you will understand my harmonica reference. You can even listen to a playlist of music inspired by THIS TENDER LAND on Kent’s website here, which also has a lot of ancillary materials to enhance your reading experience.

Coming off the heels of last year’s instant New York Times bestseller, THE DEATH OF MRS. WESTAWAY, Ruth Ware’s highly anticipated fifth novel, THE TURN OF THE KEY, is now in stores and will be a Bets On selection. Rowan Caine answers an ad that sounds too good to be true: a position for a live-in nanny with a staggeringly generous salary. When she arrives at Heatherbrae House, she is drawn immediately to this luxurious “smart” home and its picture-perfect family. What she doesn’t know is that she’s stepping into a nightmare --- one that will end with a child dead and herself in prison awaiting trial for murder. Our reviewer Roz Shea calls the book “[t]wisty and surprising, as entertaining as it is heartrending…” Don’t miss my Bets On commentary in next week’s newsletter.

Other books we’re reviewing this week include A DANGEROUS MAN, the latest installment in Robert Crais’ series starring Elvis Cole and Joe Pike, the latter of whom is dealing with his most perilous case to date; THE PERFECT WIFE, a new psychological thriller from JP Delaney about a woman who awakens with no memory of who she is, and a man claiming to be her husband who says she is a miracle of science; THE BIRTHDAY GIRL by Melissa de la Cruz, in which a fashion designer’s secrets come to light in one eventful evening full of twists, turns and surprises; and Robert Wilson’s BARNUM, the first major biography of P.T. Barnum in a generation.

Last week, we featured our review of Richard Russo’s CHANCES ARE…, his first stand-alone novel in 10 years. This week, I’m happy to be sharing a terrific interview with him where he talks about his inspiration for the book, the challenges he faced in writing about the mystery that lies at the heart of the story, why he’s not such a huge fan of reunions (at least at first), and much more. I enjoyed the audiobook, narrated by Fred Sanders, so much that it’ll be a Bets On selection. Remember my vow not to take my cell phone outside so I would read more? Well, the battery on my phone died in the house while I was listening on my Bluetooth speaker. So I grabbed a print copy to finish it. I loved it, and you’ll find out why in next week’s newsletter.

Speaking of Bets On selections, my three latest picks are SOMEONE WE KNOW by Shari Lapena, NEVER HAVE I EVER by Joshilyn Jackson, and the aforementioned THE CHELSEA GIRLS by Fiona Davis. Click on each of the titles for my Bets On commentary.

In this week’s Summer Reading contests, we gave away the aforementioned THE PERFECT WIFE by JP Delaney, along with OUTFOX by Sandra Brown, SOMEONE KNOWS by Lisa Scottoline (now in paperback), and WHISPER NETWORK by Chandler Baker. Next week, we’re giving away another Lisa Scottoline book, FEARED (which releases in paperback on Tuesday), in addition to THE LAST HOUSE GUEST by Megan Miranda (this month’s Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club pick), THE OYSTERVILLE SEWING CIRCLE by Susan Wiggs, and THE WINEMAKER'S WIFE by Kristin Harmel. The first contest of the week will go live on Monday, August 12th at noon ET.

Our New in Paperback roundups are now available for August. We're featuring paperback reprints from such bestselling authors as Anne Rice (BLOOD COMMUNION), Lisa Gardner (NEVER TELL), Craig Johnson (DEPTH OF WINTER), Jonathan Lethem (THE FERAL DETECTIVE), and Lisa Jewell (WATCHING YOU); nonfiction titles, including DOPESICK: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company that Addicted America by Beth Macy, SMALL ANIMALS: Parenthood in the Age of Fear by Kim Brooks, and MEG, JO, BETH, AMY: The Story of Little Women and Why It Still Matters by Anne Boyd Rioux; and paperback originals like THE WARNING by James Patterson with Robison Wells, LIFE AND OTHER INCONVENIENCES by Kristan Higgins (which we're reviewing this week), and NO GOOD DEED by James Swain.

For our latest poll, we've listed 25 fiction titles releasing in August and we’re asking you which, if any, you’re planning to read. Click here to let us know.

Our previous poll asked what you typically borrow from the library. Here’s the breakdown: print books (81%), e-books (35%), DVDs (24%), digital audiobooks (19%), physical audiobooks (15%). Some of you submitted answers of your own, which we LOVE seeing. Among them: magazines, music CDs, games and museum passes. Click here for all the results.

We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win THE LAST WIDOW by Karin Slaughter and OLD BONES by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. Please do so by Friday, August 23rd at noon ET.

Don’t forget to enter this month’s Sounding Off on Audio contest, where the prize books are the audio versions of Laura Lippman's LADY IN THE LAKE, read by Susan Bennett, and Daniel Silva's THE NEW GIRL, read by George Guidall --- both of which are New York Times bestsellers. Let us know by Tuesday, September 3rd at noon ET what audiobooks you’ve listened to, and you’ll have a chance to win both these audio titles.

News & Pop Culture

Reader Mail:

Joyce wrote about one of our Summer Reading contest prizes: “Thanks so much for sending this unique and interesting book. Really enjoyed it.

"IN THE FULL LIGHT OF THE SUN by Clare Clark is a fascinating novel that uses the Fake Controversy of van Gogh's works of art during the late 1920s as its basic setting. The story mirrors the real characters in the actual event. Quotations from letters written by van Gogh to his brother describe his paintings and helped verify the legitimate work. For example, 'The fakes lacked the artist's struggle with his subject.' The author uses imagery to paint the pictures of the story. '...the painting was as vivid as if it was in front of him.' 'Julius looked at a painting until he could find nothing new in it.' 'To write about art, you must speak as art speaks, passionately and directly to the soul.' The unique qualities of the characters are developed so that you feel like you know them personally, and the reader struggles with their challenges. The novel is intriguing and well-developed. However, the most fascinating part for me was about van Gogh and his work."

Debi wrote, "Thank you so much for your excellent newsletter. I am always finding books I want to read. Could you share your recipe for gazpacho that you mentioned? I am a big fan (of yours AND of gazpacho!!)." Here is the recipe that I used. For humor, I read the recipe and realized that it was supposed to chill, and I was trying to figure out how to do that quickly as it already was in a large pitcher. Tom found me a bucket, packed it with ice and put the pitcher inside.

Kathy wrote about one of our other contests: “Just wanted to let you know I loved MORE THAN WORDS CAN SAY. Just posted about it on Bookreporter and Goodreads. This book would make a great Hallmark movie! Thanks so much for the opportunity to read it!” We love when our winners write about the books that they receive!

Linda and Debbie both wrote, excited about winning NEVER HAVE I EVER. Linda said, “It will be my next read, and I’ll do a review also.” Debbie said, "Looking forward to reading this book!"

Ann wrote, “Oh my goodness, I love hedgehogs!! Quentin is much too precious!!” Indeed he is.

Otherhood: Very humorous movie on Netflix (based on the book WHATEVER MAKES YOU HAPPY by William Sutcliffe) about three moms whose sons grew up together. They do not hear from the boys on Mother’s Day, so they head to New York to track them down at their apartments. It had some very funny moments. The conversation where one son did not have drapes in his apartment was really funny, as the first thing that I noticed in Cory's apartment is that he did buy drapes.

Last Saturday, I read THE ESCAPE ROOM by Megan Goldin, which we reviewed last week. I had grabbed the audiobook on CDs in the office and was listening to it piecemeal as I did errands around town, and headed to and from yoga. I was quite intrigued and a bit curious when the second chapter was all about Sara Hall, who was not part of the setup chapter, and I wanted to read more. Fast. I am lucky that I also had an advance copy on my bookshelf, so when I came home, I snatched that and headed for the pool. I started reading it at 2:30, and I was on page 220 by 6:00. I stopped to make and eat dinner, and then headed back outside to finish it. It’s really well done.

Four very competitive hedge fund traders at a Wall Street firm are summoned to come in on a weekend for a team-building exercise that takes place in an escape room. (Having done one of these a few weeks ago and failing miserably at it made it more interesting.) They all feel that they are above this, but are too paranoid about losing to not participate. Quickly they start to realize that this is not a typical exercise; there’s a hidden meaning that they are uncovering, and it’s sending them in a direction that they never saw coming. I do need to inquire how the author wrote this well about the world of New York finance, given her background reporting from the Middle East and that she is now living in Australia. I felt that I was very inside this competitive world. And yes, this will be a Bets On selection.

I make Tom crazy when we are making dinner, and I get off track and make something not on the planned menu. For example, I will decide to bake bran or blueberry corn muffins for breakfast while we are preparing dinner. I see this as efficient. He thinks that I am delaying dinner prep. Last Saturday, as we were making dinner, I was looking at a cookbook to see if there was something easy I could make that was “new.” In one of my go-to cookbooks, OTTOLENGHI SIMPLE, I found a Tomato Carpaccio recipe that I whipped up while he was plating the rest of the dinner. It was that simple. You can see a photo of it above. And yes, when I grabbed the cookbook, he did get exasperated, but he loved the result!

Quentin, “the hedgehog in residence,” moved out last night. Cory came to pick him up as he is settled in his apartment enough now for Quentin to be there (Sam’s apartment is too small for him and roommates; while he is very tiny, he has a lot of equipment). Now, I will admit that Quentin was not the most fun pet to play with as he basically is afraid of his own shadow, but I am going to miss having the little guy around. I enjoyed having a reason to head upstairs and check on him, and he was an easy guest as he never left wet towels or socks on the floor.

My parents celebrated their 65th(!) anniversary this week. They are great role models for a happy marriage!

Our friend, Cathy, is back from Portugal and is coming to dinner on Sunday night. I am making a Berry with Yogurt recipe. For the record, I am using Greek yogurt, and not making sheep’s labneh, as I have zero idea what that is!

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 TURN OF THE KEY by Ruth Ware
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title

THE TURN OF THE KEY by Ruth Ware (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Imogen Church
When she stumbles across the ad, she’s looking for something else completely. But it seems like too good an opportunity to miss --- a live-in nannying post, with a staggeringly generous salary. And when Rowan Caine arrives at Heatherbrae House, she is smitten --- by the luxurious “smart” home fitted out with all modern conveniences, by the beautiful Scottish Highlands, and by this picture-perfect family. What she doesn’t know is that she’s stepping into a nightmare --- one that will end with a child dead and herself in prison awaiting trial for murder. Writing to her lawyer from prison, she struggles to explain the unraveling events that led to her incarceration. Reviewed by Roz Shea.

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

Click here to read the review.

THE TURN OF THE KEY will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's commentary in next week's newsletter.

New Fiction Author Spotlight & Contest:
THIS TENDER LAND by William Kent Krueger
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title

We have 35 copies of THIS TENDER LAND by William Kent Krueger --- a magnificent novel about four orphans on a life-changing odyssey during the early years of the Great Depression --- to give away to those who would like to read the book, which releases on September 3rd, and share their comments on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, August 22nd at noon ET.

THIS TENDER LAND by William Kent Krueger (Historical Fiction)
1932, Minnesota. The Lincoln School is a pitiless place where hundreds of Native American children, forcibly separated from their parents, are sent to be educated. It is also home to an orphan named Odie O’Banion, a lively boy whose exploits earn him the superintendent’s wrath. Forced to flee, he and his brother Albert, their best friend Mose, and a brokenhearted little girl named Emmy steal away in a canoe, heading for the mighty Mississippi and a place to call their own.

Over the course of one unforgettable summer, these four orphans will journey into the unknown and cross paths with others who are adrift, from struggling farmers and traveling faith healers to displaced families and lost souls of all kinds. With the feel of a modern classic, THIS TENDER LAND is an enthralling, big-hearted epic that shows how the magnificent American landscape connects us all, haunts our dreams and makes us whole.

- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to read William Kent Krueger’s bio.
- Click here to visit William Kent Krueger’s website.
- Connect with William Kent Krueger on Facebook and Twitter.

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

Featured Review: A DANGEROUS MAN by Robert Crais

A DANGEROUS MAN: An Elvis Cole and Joe Pike Novel by Robert Crais (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Luke Daniels
Joe Pike didn't expect to rescue a woman during his trip to the bank. So when Isabel Roland, the young teller who helped him, steps out of the bank, Joe is on hand when two men abduct her. Joe chases them down, and the kidnappers are arrested. But instead of putting the drama to bed, the arrests are only the beginning of the trouble for Joe and Izzy. After posting bail, the two men are murdered and Izzy disappears. Pike calls on his friend, Elvis Cole, to help learn the truth. What Elvis uncovers is a twisted family story that involves corporate whistleblowing, huge amounts of cash, the Witness Relocation Program, and a long line of lies. Is Izzy a perpetrator or a victim? And how far will Joe go to find out? Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

- Click here to read more about the book.

Click here to read the review.

Featured Review: THE PERFECT WIFE by JP Delaney

THE PERFECT WIFE by JP Delaney (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Saskia Maarleveld, Graham Halstead and Euan Morton, with a note read by JP Delaney
Abbie awakens in a daze with no memory of who she is or how she landed in this unsettling condition. The man by her side claims to be her husband. He’s a titan of the tech world, the founder of one of Silicon Valley’s most innovative start-ups. He tells Abbie that she is a gifted artist, an avid surfer, a loving mother to their young son, and the perfect wife. He says she had a terrible accident five years ago and that, through a huge technological breakthrough, she has been brought back from the abyss. But as Abbie pieces together memories of her marriage, she begins questioning her husband’s motives --- and his version of events. Can she trust him when he says he wants them to be together forever? And what really happened to Abbie half a decade ago? 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: THE BIRTHDAY GIRL
by Melissa de la Cruz

THE BIRTHDAY GIRL by Melissa de la Cruz (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Brittany Pressley
Before she became a glamorous fashion designer, Ellie de Florent-Stinson was a trailer-park teen about to turn 16. But a night of birthday celebration doesn’t go exactly as planned and descends into a night she’ll never be able to forget. Now, on the cusp of her 40th birthday, it appears Ellie has everything she ever wanted. Except everything is not quite as perfect as it looks on the outside, as Ellie is keeping many secrets. Hiding those skeletons has a cost, and it all comes to a head the night of her fabulous birthday party in the desert. Old and new friends and frenemies, stepdaughters and business partners, ex-wives and ex-husbands congregate, and the glittering facade of Ellie’s life begins to crumble. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.

- Click here to read more about the book.

Click here to read the review.

Bookreporter.com Bets On:
SOMEONE WE KNOW, NEVER HAVE I EVER
and THE CHELSEA GIRLS

SOMEONE WE KNOW by Shari Lapena (Psychological Thriller)
A few weeks ago, I had a thought that if someone broke into a house, they would not need to take anything physically. If they had access to computers, they could steal a lot. In SOMEONE WE KNOW by Shari Lapena, a teen is breaking into houses in his neighborhood. His mom learns about this and sends some anonymous notes to victims, hoping to keep him out of trouble, but then someone in one of those houses is found dead. And from there, he could be a suspect.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Shari Lapena.

Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on SOMEONE WE KNOW.
 

NEVER HAVE I EVER by Joshilyn Jackson (Thriller)
In NEVER HAVE I EVER, Joshilyn Jackson is exploring a new genre, and she clearly shows that she has strong writing chops in the craft of penning suspense/thrillers. The book opens at a neighborhood book club discussion. The usual suspects are there, but in wanders the woman who is staying at the neighborhood rental house. Hmmmm that has not happened before. She’s cooler than the rest of the women who have gathered to talk books. Angelica Roux quickly takes charge of the night and gets everyone involved in a drinking game: “Never Have I Ever.” The game seems tame at first, but then it abruptly takes on a new tone.

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

Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on NEVER HAVE I EVER.

THE CHELSEA GIRLS by Fiona Davis (Historical Fiction)
Longtime readers know that I have loved all of Fiona Davis’ books. In THE CHELSEA GIRLS, she has ratcheted up her craft to a new level, tackling a thorny topic that few may know about, as well as offering her usual look at an iconic New York building. For those who may not be familiar with it, the Chelsea Hotel is a popular home to actors, singers, artists and musicians. The folks at the Chelsea are artsy, and the vibe of the place is edgy and cool.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Fiona Davis.

Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on THE CHELSEA GIRLS.

An Interview with Richard Russo,
Author of CHANCES ARE...
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title

CHANCES ARE... is Richard Russo’s first stand-alone novel in 10 years, since 2009’s THAT OLD CAPE MAGIC. Here, we are introduced to three men who were college friends in the '60s as they gather on Martha’s Vineyard to reminisce about life, including the disappearance of a woman on this island back in 1971. In this interview, Russo explains his decision to set the book on the Vineyard, the profound mystery at the heart of the story and why it was so challenging to write about it, how the Vietnam War informs this novel of friendship and secrets, and why he finds reunions with old friends to be a terrifying experience (at least at first).

CHANCES ARE... by Richard Russo (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Fred Sanders
One beautiful September day, three men convene on Martha's Vineyard, friends ever since meeting in college circa the '60s. They couldn't have been more different then, or even today --- Lincoln is a commercial real estate broker, Teddy a tiny-press publisher, and Mickey a musician beyond his rocking age. But each man holds his own secrets, in addition to the monumental mystery that none of them has ever stopped puzzling over since a Memorial Day weekend right here on the Vineyard in 1971: the disappearance of the woman each of them loved --- Jacy Rockafellow. Now, more than 40 years later, as this new weekend unfolds, three lives are displayed in their entirety while the distant past confounds the present like a relentless squall of surprise and discovery. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.

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

Click here to read the interview.

The audio version of CHANCES ARE... 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 23rd, 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 Monday, August 12th at noon ET.

This year’s prize books are:

• ASK AGAIN, YES by Mary Beth Keane
• BEFORE AND AGAIN by Barbara Delinsky
• BEFORE WE WERE YOURS by Lisa Wingate
• A BEND IN THE STARS by Rachel Barenbaum
• BODY LEAPING BACKWARD: Memoir of a Delinquent Girlhood by Maureen Stanton
• THE BOOKSHOP ON THE SHORE by Jenny Colgan
• THE BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK by Kim Michele Richardson
• CAPE MAY by Chip Cheek
• THE CHELSEA GIRLS by Fiona Davis
• DEAD SILENCE: A Foundlings Novel by Wendy Corsi Staub
• THE DEARLY BELOVED by Cara Wall
• THE DEATH OF MRS. WESTAWAY by Ruth Ware
• THE DREAM DAUGHTER by Diane Chamberlain
• EVVIE DRAKE STARTS OVER by Linda Holmes
• THE FAVORITE DAUGHTER by Patti Callahan Henry
• FEARED by Lisa Scottoline

• THE GOLDEN HOUR by Beatriz Williams

• THE GUEST BOOK by Sarah Blake
• HOW TO WALK AWAY by Katherine Center
• IN THE FULL LIGHT OF THE SUN by Clare Clark
• INLAND by Téa Obreht
• THE ISLAND OF SEA WOMEN by Lisa See
• THE ISLANDERS by Meg Mitchell Moore
• IT'S HOT IN THE HAMPTONS by Holly Peterson
• KICK-ASS KINDA GIRL: A Memoir of Life, Love, and Caregiving by Kathi Koll
• THE LAST BOOK PARTY by Karen Dukess

• THE LAST HOUSE GUEST by Megan Miranda

• LAST WOMAN STANDING by Amy Gentry
• LIFELINES by Heidi Diehl
• MY EX-BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING by Wendy Wax
• A NEARLY NORMAL FAMILY by M.T. Edvardsson
• NEVER HAVE I EVER by Joshilyn Jackson
• THE NIGHT BEFORE by Wendy Walker
• OUR KIND OF CRUELTY by Araminta Hall
• OUTFOX by Sandra Brown
• THE OYSTERVILLE SEWING CIRCLE by Susan Wiggs
• THE PERFECT WIFE by JP Delaney
• PRETTY GUILTY WOMEN by Gina LaManna
• SEARCHING FOR SYLVIE LEE by Jean Kwok
• SHE WAS THE QUIET ONE by Michele Campbell
• SISTERS OF SUMMER’S END by Lori Foster
• SOMEONE KNOWS by Lisa Scottoline
• THE STATIONERY SHOP by Marjan Kamali
• SUCH A PERFECT WIFE by Kate White
• THE SUMMER I MET JACK by Michelle Gable
• THE SUMMER OF SUNSHINE AND MARGOT by Susan Mallery
• THE SUMMER WIVES by Beatriz Williams
• SUNSET BEACH by Mary Kay Andrews
• TEMPER by Layne Fargo
• TIDELANDS by Philippa Gregory
• TIME AFTER TIME by Lisa Grunwald
• UNDER CURRENTS by Nora Roberts
• WHISPER NETWORK by Chandler Baker

• WINDOW ON THE BAY by Debbie Macomber

• THE WINEMAKER'S WIFE by Kristin Harmel

• YOU’VE BEEN VOLUNTEERED: A Class Mom Novel by Laurie Gelman

Click here to read all the contest details.

See the prize books that were awarded in May, June and July,
and that will be awarded in August.

August's New in Paperback Roundups

August’s roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes BLOOD COMMUNION, a continuation of Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles, in which Prince Lestat tells the tale of his coming to rule the vampire world and the eternal struggle to find belonging, a place in the universe for the undead, and how he must battle the seemingly unstoppable force determined to thwart his vision and destroy the entire vampire netherworld; NEVER TELL, an unpredictable thriller from Lisa Gardner that puts fan favorites D. D. Warren and Flora Dane on a stunning new case that begins with a vicious murder and gets darker from there; and Marie Benedict's THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE ROOM, a powerful novel based on the incredible true story of the glamour icon and scientist whose groundbreaking invention revolutionized modern communication.

Among our nonfiction highlights are DOPESICK, a masterful work in which Beth Macy takes us into the epicenter of America's 20-plus-year struggle with opioid addiction; SMALL ANIMALS by Kim Brooks, a riveting examination of the ways our culture of competitive, anxious and judgmental parenting has profoundly altered the experiences of parents and children; and MEG, JO, BETH, AMY, Anne Boyd Rioux's fresh and engaging look at the circumstances leading Louisa May Alcott to write LITTLE WOMEN, and why this beloved story of family and community ties set in the Civil War has resonated with audiences across time.

 Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of
August 5th, August 12th, August 19th and August 26th.

More Reviews This Week

THE INN by James Patterson and Candice Fox (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Edoardo Ballerini
The Inn at Gloucester stands alone on the rocky shoreline. Its seclusion suits former Boston police detective Bill Robinson, novice owner and innkeeper. As long as the dozen residents pay their rent, Robinson doesn't ask any questions. Neither does Sheriff Clayton Spears, who lives on the second floor. Then Mitchell Cline arrives, with a deadly new way of doing business. His crew of local killers break laws, deal drugs and bring violence to the doors of the Inn. That's when Robinson realizes, with the help of journalist Susan Solie, that leaving the city is no escape from the reality of evil --- or the responsibility for action. Teaming up with Sheriff Spears and two fearless residents --- Army veteran Nick Jones and groundskeeper Effie Johnson --- Robinson begins a risky defense. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

GAME OF SNIPERS: A Bob Lee Swagger Novel by Stephen Hunter (Thriller/Adventure)
Audiobook available, read by R.C. Bray
When Bob Lee Swagger is approached by a woman who lost a son to war and has spent the years since risking all that she has to find the sniper who pulled the trigger, he knows right away he'll do everything in his power to help her. But what begins as a favor becomes an obsession, and soon Swagger is back in the action, teaming up with the Mossad, the FBI and local American law enforcement as he tracks a sniper who is his own equal...and attempts to decipher that assassin's ultimate target before it's too late. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

BARNUM: An American Life by Robert Wilson (Biography)
Audiobook available, read by Arthur Morey
Nearly 125 years after his death, the name P. T. Barnum still inspires wonder. Robert Wilson’s biography captures the full genius, infamy and allure of the ebullient showman. From birth to death, Phineas Taylor Barnum repeatedly reinvented himself. He learned as a young man how to wow crowds, and built a fortune that placed him among the first millionaires in the United States. He also suffered tragedy, bankruptcy and fires that destroyed his life’s work, yet willed himself to rebuild and succeed again. As an entertainer, Barnum courted controversy time and again throughout his life --- yet he was also a man of strong convictions, guided in his work not by a desire to deceive but an eagerness to thrill and bring joy to his audiences. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.

LIFE AND OTHER INCONVENIENCES by Kristan Higgins (Fiction)
Audiobook available; read by Barbara Caruso, Dion Graham, Suzy Jackson and Xe Sands
When Emma London's mother died, her father abandoned her on his mother's doorstep. Genevieve took Emma in and reluctantly raised her --- until Emma got pregnant her senior year of high school. Genevieve kicked her out with nothing but the clothes on her back...but Emma took with her the most important London possession: the strength not just to survive but to thrive. And indeed, Emma has built a wonderful life for herself and her teenage daughter, Riley. So what is Emma to do when Genevieve does the one thing Emma never expected of her and, after not speaking to her for nearly two decades, calls and asks for help? Reviewed by Rebecca Wasniak.

TELL ME EVERYTHING by Cambria Brockman (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Ariadne Meyers
In her first weeks at Hawthorne College, Malin is swept up into a tight-knit circle that will stick together through all four years. But Malin isn’t like the rest of her friends. She’s an expert at hiding her troubled past. She acts as if she shares the preoccupations of those around her, all while using her extraordinary insight to detect their deepest vulnerabilities and weaknesses. By Senior Day, Malin’s secrets --- and those of her friends --- are revealed. While she scrambles to maintain her artfully curated image, her missteps set in motion a devastating chain of events that ends in a murder. And as fragile relationships hang in the balance and close alliances shift, Malin must test the limits of what she’s capable of to stop the truth from coming out. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

WITHOUT A PRAYER: The Death of Lucas Leonard and How One Church Became a Cult by Susan Ashline (True Crime)
Teenager Lucas Leonard made shocking admissions in front of the altar --- he'd practiced witchcraft, conspired to murder his parents, and committed unspeakable crimes. The confessions earned him a brutal beating by a gang of angry church members, including his parents and sister. Lucas was brought to the hospital dead, awakening the sleepy community of Chadwicks, New York, to the horror that had been lurking next door. Nine members of Lucas' church would eventually find themselves facing murder-related charges. But how did they get to that point? And what made Lucas confess? The full story has never been told --- until now. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.

THE VAN APFEL GIRLS ARE GONE by Felicity McLean (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Cat Gould
Tikka Malloy was 11 and one-sixth years old during the long, hot, Australian summer of 1992. The TV news in the background chattered with debate about the exoneration of Lindy (“dingo took my baby”) Chamberlain. That summer was when the Van Apfel sisters --- Ruth, Hannah and the beautiful Cordelia --- mysteriously disappeared. Did they just run far away from their harsh, evangelical parents, or were they taken? While the search for the girls united the small community, the mystery of their disappearance was never solved, and Tikka and her older sister, Laura, have been haunted ever since by the loss of their friends and playmates. Now, years later, Tikka has returned home to try to make sense of that strange moment in time. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.

HOWLING DARK: The Sun Eater, Book Two by Christopher Ruocchio (Space Opera/Fantasy)
Audiobook available, read by Samuel Roukin
For half a century, Hadrian Marlowe has searched the farther suns for the lost planet of Vorgossos, hoping to find a way to contact the elusive alien Cielcin. He has not succeeded, and for years has wandered among the barbarian Normans as captain of a band of mercenaries. Determined to make peace and bring an end to nearly 400 years of war, Hadrian must venture beyond the security of the Sollan Empire and among the Extrasolarians who dwell between the stars. There, he will contend with creatures that once were human, with traitors in his midst, and with a meeting that will bring him face to face with no less than the oldest enemy of mankind. If he succeeds, he will usher in a peace unlike any in recorded history. If he fails, the galaxy will burn. Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard.

GUMSHOE ROCK by Rob Leininger (Mystery)
Early in July, northern Nevada’s senior Internal Revenue Service agent, Ronald Soranden --- disliked by every agent in the Reno IRS office --- vanished without a trace. In September, his skull is dropped through the slashed top of a Mustang convertible. The vehicle belongs to Lucy Landry, PI Mortimer Angel’s gorgeous young assistant now working with him on a seemingly unrelated embezzlement case. But Mort is a former IRS field agent in Reno who had done his time during the tyrannical reign of Soranden. When the FBI is brought in to investigate the murder, Mort and Lucy realize shocking details about their own case --- primarily Soranden’s involvement. It becomes evident that events and suspects of the embezzlement case and Soranden’s murder are heavily entangled with those enmeshed in an ugly case of blackmail. Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.

- Click here to read our interview with Rob Leininger.

Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on August 13th

Below are some notable titles releasing on August 13th 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 August 12th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.

THE BITTERROOTS by C. J. Box (Mystery/Thriller)
With THE BITTERROOTS, master storyteller C. J. Box delivers another searing novel of loyalty, lies and lethal retribution.

CONTRABAND: A Stone Barrington Novel by Stuart Woods (Thriller/Adventure)
Stone Barrington is caught in the web of a national smuggling operation in Stuart Woods' latest action-packed thriller.

THE DEARLY BELOVED by Cara Wall (Fiction)
Charles and Lily, James and Nan. They meet in Greenwich Village in 1963 when Charles and James are jointly hired to steward the historic Third Presbyterian Church through turbulent times. Their personal differences, however, threaten to tear them apart.

DRIVE YOUR PLOW OVER THE BONES OF THE DEAD written by Olga Tokarczuk, translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones (Literary Mystery/Humor)
A deeply satisfying thriller cum fairy tale, DRIVE YOUR PLOW OVER THE BONES OF THE DEAD is a provocative exploration of the murky borderland between sanity and madness, justice and tradition, autonomy and fate. Whom do we deem sane? Who is worthy of a voice?

INLAND by Téa Obreht (Historical Fiction)
The New York Times bestselling author of THE TIGER'S WIFE returns with a stunning tale of perseverance --- an epic journey across an unforgettable landscape of magic and myth.

THE LAST GOOD GUY by T. Jefferson Parker (Thriller)
In this electrifying new thriller from three-time Edgar Award winner and New York Times bestseller T. Jefferson Parker, private investigator Roland Ford hunts for a missing teenager and uncovers a dark conspiracy in his most personal case yet.

THE OYSTERVILLE SEWING CIRCLE by Susan Wiggs (Fiction)
The #1 New York Times bestselling author brings us her most ambitious and provocative work yet --- a searing and timely novel that explores the most volatile issue of our time: domestic violence.

RIVER OF FIRE: My Spiritual Journey by Sister Helen Prejean (Spirituality/Memoir)
In this revelatory, intimate memoir from the author of DEAD MAN WALKING, the nation’s foremost leader in efforts to abolish the death penalty shares the story of her growth as a spiritual leader, speaks out about the challenges of the Catholic Church, and shows that joy and religion are not mutually exclusive.

THE SWALLOWS by Lisa Lutz (Fiction)
A teacher at a New England prep school ignites a gender war --- with deadly consequences --- in this dark and provocative novel by the bestselling author of THE PASSENGER.

THIRTEEN by Steve Cavanagh (Legal Thriller)
THIRTEEN is the legal thriller that Lee Child, Michael Connelly and Ruth Ware are raving about and readers can’t put down.

THE WARNING by James Patterson with Robison Wells (Technothriller)
Two roads lead to Mount Hope. None leads out. There's no place to run in a community that's been taken --- and is being intentionally kept --- off the grid.

THE WINEMAKER'S WIFE by Kristin Harmel (Historical Fiction)
The author of the international bestseller THE ROOM ON RUE AMÉLIE returns with a moving story set amid the champagne vineyards of northern France during the darkest days of World War II, perfect for fans of Kristin Hannah’s THE NIGHTINGALE.

Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.

Our Latest Poll: August Fiction Releases to Anticipate

Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, August 23rd at noon ET.

Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What
You're Reading --- and You Can Win Two Books!

Click here to enter the contest.

Sounding Off on Audio Contest: Tell Us What
You're Listening to --- and You Can Win Two Audiobooks!

Click here to enter the contest.

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