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Carol's latest "Bookreporter Talks To" interview and podcast is with Linwood Barclay,
whose new thriller, ELEVATOR PITCH, is now in stores. Click on the photo above for the video.
Carol talks about this month's ReadingGroupGuides.com update in her latest preview video.
Carol's dad (pictured above) turns 90 on Sunday, and she and her family
will be getting together on Saturday night to celebrate this wonderful milestone.
This is your last summer weekend...so grab a book and head outside. Fall rolls in on Monday, so this is your last chance!
Last Saturday, I went to yoga class and from there headed to the hair salon for a haircut. There I realized that I had left my backpack with my wallet at the yoga studio, which would not be open until Sunday morning. So there went my plans for doing a huge list of errands as I did not have my driver’s license, credit cards or cash, and my gas tank light had blinked on for a refill (I am known to wait for the light to go on before getting gas, which drives my husband crazy). So what did I do? I grabbed books and read to prep for upcoming interviews for both our in-house videos/podcasts and an upcoming festival and events. There were lots of options on my bookshelf!
With that in mind, here’s a heads up for those who live in or around New Jersey. The lineup for the Morristown Festival of Books, which takes place on October 11th and 12th, has been announced. I am happy to share that I am moderating three panels. The first is with Marie Benedict and Whitney Scharer; the second is with Marjan Kamali and Beatriz Williams; and the third is with Pam Jenoff and Jennifer Robson. The whole lineup is fabulous. I hope to see many of our readers there! This is the sixth year of this Festival, and it’s really terrific.
While we're on the subject of podcasts and videos, I am happy to share our latest "Bookreporter Talks To" interview and podcast with Linwood Barclay, whose new thriller, ELEVATOR PITCH, landed in stores on Tuesday. Yes, we talked about the book, and what is up for him next. But we also chatted about the kinds of people with whom we would like to get stuck in an elevator, and his model train setup. Linwood opens with a fun story about the event where we first met. I think you will be amused.
Speaking of getting stuck in elevators, we learned this week that Doubleday Canada, in partnership with Escape Manor, has put together an exciting new escape room adventure based on Linwood’s novel in his hometown of Toronto. "Elevator Pitch" is an all-new 20 to 25-minute escape experience designed for four guests. The puzzles and clues are based on the new book, and Linwood himself will be providing the voice-over elements. It will take place in a custom-built elevator car housed in Escape Manor’s downtown Toronto location (383 King St. W.). Another reason to go to Toronto!
Joe Hartlaub has our review and proclaims, “ELEVATOR PITCH will have you taking the stairs for weeks, if not months. The plot unwinds slowly but steadily through the viewpoints of a number of instantly memorable characters, each of whom you miss when they’re not on the page at any given moment.” He also calls it “one of those rare books that will make you wish it would never end.” I echo Joe’s praise, as you will see in my Bookreporter.com Bets On commentary next week. The last 50 pages are a complete rush.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include Salman Rushdie’s much-talked-about novel, QUICHOTTE, which is a modern-day retelling of the Cervantes classic, DON QUIXOTE, and has been shortlisted for this year’s Man Booker Prize; THE SECRETS WE KEPT by Lara Prescott, a Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club pick inspired by the true story of the CIA plot to infiltrate the hearts and minds of Soviet Russia, not with propaganda, but with one of the greatest love stories of the 20th century: DOCTOR ZHIVAGO; Jacqueline Woodson’s RED AT THE BONE, in which an unexpected teenage pregnancy pulls together two families from different social classes; LAND OF WOLVES, the 15th entry in Craig Johnson’s beloved mystery series starring Wyoming Sheriff Walt Longmire; and THE STRANGER INSIDE, a psychological thriller from Lisa Unger that takes readers deep inside the minds of both perpetrator and victim.
THE NANNY by Gilly Macmillan, which we reviewed last week, is my latest Bets On pick. Click here to find out why I’m betting you’ll love this dark and unpredictable tale. Gilly was a recent guest in our “Bookreporter Talks To” series; you can watch the video interview here or listen to the podcast here.
In this week’s Fall Preview contests, we gave away the aforementioned ELEVATOR PITCH by Linwood Barclay, along with THE GLASS OCEAN by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig and Karen White (a Bets On title that's now available in paperback), KOPP SISTERS ON THE MARCH: A Kopp Sisters Novel by Amy Stewart (which we review this week), and THE NEAREST EXIT MAY BE BEHIND YOU by Amulya Malladi (another Bets On pick). Next week’s prizes will be THE GREAT ALONE by Kristin Hannah, THE LIGHT OVER LONDON by Julia Kelly, and A SPARK OF LIGHT by Jodi Picoult. All three are releasing in paperback on Tuesday, which is when the first contest of the week will go live.
Our new poll asks which of 20 paperbacks releasing this month you have read or are planning to read. Click here to cast your votes.
In our previous poll, we listed 25 titles that are being published this month for the first time and asked which of them, if any, you are looking forward to reading. Here are your top five picks: THIS TENDER LAND by William Kent Krueger (46%), THE DUTCH HOUSE by Ann Patchett (32%), A SINGLE THREAD by Tracy Chevalier (25%), THE SECRETS WE KEPT by Lara Prescott (23%), and THE TESTAMENTS by Margaret Atwood (23%). Click here for the complete results.
Since THE DUTCH HOUSE is so high on your TBR list, we’re giving it away as one of our Word of Mouth prizes for this contest period; the other is John Sandford’s upcoming Virgil Flowers thriller, BLOODY GENIUS. Let us know by Friday, October 4th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll have a chance to win both these novels.
There’s still time to enter this month’s Sounding Off on Audio contest. Submit your comments about the audiobooks you’ve listened to, and you’ll be in the running to win the audio versions of Stephen King's THE INSTITUTE, read by Santino Fontana, and Alice Hoffman's THE WORLD THAT WE KNEW, read by Judith Light. The deadline for your submissions is Monday, October 1st at noon ET.
We updated ReadingGroupGuides.com last week, and I shot a video where I talk about our monthly contest and some of the books we're featuring on the site. Click here to watch the video. There are a lot of great recommendations for book groups here!
The longlists for this year’s National Book Awards were announced this week. Click here to see all 50 titles in the categories of Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translated Literature, and Young People’s Literature. The finalists will be revealed on October 8th, followed by the announcement of the winners on November 20th.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Jeneen said, “Thank you so much for the copy of THIS TENDER LAND by William Kent Krueger. Ever since reading ORDINARY GRACE, his books are always on my TBRN (To Be Read NOW) list. His books have such depth and emotion to them that I have to take my time to enjoy every sentence. Pure poetry. Thank you again. I am newly retired, and nothing makes my day brighter than a new book in the mail!"
Judy wrote about winning THE LAST WIDOW by Karin Slaughter and OLD BONES by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child in a previous Word of Mouth contest: “Oh, YIPPEE! I am a big fan of your website and enter most of your contests, so I am delighted to finally be a winner. I look forward to receiving my gift books and promise to read and review them.”
Karen wrote, “When I got to the paragraph in today's Bookreporter newsletter about your making chilled corn soup, I knew I had to reply. Just a week ago, I was reading some periodical (don't remember which one) in which a recipe was given that used fresh corn kernels. The method described sounds like it was just made for you: put one end of the cob into the center hole of a Bundt pan, and with a very sharp knife, cut the kernels off. The kernels will fall into the pan rather than 'shoot everywhere.' This sounded like an ingenious solution, and I hope it works for you, although you probably won't be able to try it until next year. :-( As for getting the milk out of the kernels, I have no clue. I'm sure a Google search will result in several solutions and perhaps even a YouTube video. In my cooking life, I've not made such time-consuming, labor-intensive recipes, but I admire those who do and enjoy doing it. Good luck!” Thanks, Karen!
And I finally found this idea from Ina Garten: “First, Ina lays a clean kitchen towel over a cutting board. Then she slices the end off of the cob and uses a sharp knife to strip it of its kernels. Instead of bouncing out of reach, the kernels congregate on the towel. (GENIUS.) Then Ina simply picks up the towel and relocates them to a bowl for further prep.” I am sure I would drop the towel.
Kate wrote, “I read about your sister-in-law, Katie, learning to knit with huge needles and multi-colored yarn. That sounds like something I would have done back in the day when I was learning to knit. For the record, I just gave my cousin the knitter three bankers boxes full of miscellaneous projects started but not even close to being completed, along with all of my collection of knitting needles. It appeared at the time that I could afford to buy all of that stuff, but between television and wine, I couldn't do a project without making a mistake and then couldn't figure out how to correct the mistakes. Best news: besides getting rid of all of those boxes of guilt, my cousin gifted me a beautiful beret she made from one of my projects. She said first she ripped out what I had started! Good luck to Katie!” I love this, and if Katie’s yarn comes back my way, I will remember it!
Margaret Atwood on "CBS Sunday Morning": She talks about her influences for her writing of THE HANDMAID’S TALE and THE TESTAMENTS.
Downton Abbey: The film opens in theaters today. I am looking forward to hearing what our readers say about it. If you see it, shoot me an email with the subject line "Downton Abbey" and your feedback about it!
Emmy Awards: Sunday night at 8pm ET. It will be interesting to see who and what wins. Here’s the list of nominees.
Penguins: When your publishing company is Penguin Random House, you can make an amusing documentary with actual penguins "working as interns" at the Penguin Random House warehouse in Westminster, MD. For humor, check out Lilly and Tetra, two penguins from the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore here as they spent a day at the warehouse. And click here for some funny behind-the-scenes footage. Note the publisher is donating to their conservation efforts to protect African penguin habitats.
Jane Fonda: I am a huge fan of Susan Lacy’s documentaries. This week, I finally had a chance to catch her 2018 one about Jane Fonda on HBO. As always, she presented a 360-degree look at her subject.
What Happened on September 11: My son, Greg, noted that this year is the first time that everyone under the legal age of 18 was not born on 9/11. And it got me thinking about how this day would be taught to children. This HBO documentary is a primer. You can watch it in its entirety On Demand here until October 16th.
I still am looking into learning how to weave. If any of you have ideas, I am all ears. I did find a place about 40 minutes from me that teaches it.
They are installing sprinklers in our office, and the disruption as construction happens is making me crazy. We had to take everything off my bookshelves, and each night we need to put all the computers and monitors under the desks. I feel like we are in preschool putting everything in our cubbies every day. There are boxes all over my office; Greg has PTSD from our office move two years ago just looking at the boxes. May this please end soon. And may I stop having the nightmare of the sprinklers shooting water all over the office!
My dad turns 90 on Sunday, and we are getting together to celebrate on Saturday night. You can see a picture of us above. I am looking forward to feting him. What a wonderful milestone!
We have two interviews lined up for next week. You’ll have to wait to see who I am talking to!
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: QUICHOTTE by Salman Rushdie
QUICHOTTE by Salman Rushdie (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Vikas Adam
Inspired by the Cervantes classic, Sam DuChamp, mediocre writer of spy thrillers, creates Quichotte, a courtly, addled salesman obsessed with television who falls in impossible love with a TV star. Together with his (imaginary) son Sancho, Quichotte sets off on a picaresque quest across America to prove worthy of her hand, gallantly braving the tragicomic perils of an age where “Anything-Can-Happen.” Meanwhile, his creator, in a midlife crisis, has equally urgent challenges of his own. Just as Cervantes wrote DON QUIXOTE to satirize the culture of his time, Salman Rushdie takes the reader on a wild ride through a country on the verge of moral and spiritual collapse. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: ELEVATOR PITCH by Linwood Barclay
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Pick
ELEVATOR PITCH by Linwood Barclay (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Johnathan McClain
It all begins on a Monday, when four people board an elevator in a Manhattan office tower. Each presses a button for their floor, but the elevator proceeds, non-stop, to the top. Once there, it stops for a few seconds, and then plummets. Right to the bottom of the shaft. It appears to be a horrific, random tragedy. But then, on Tuesday, it happens again, in a different Manhattan skyscraper. And when Wednesday brings yet another high-rise catastrophe, one of the most vertical cities in the world --- and the nation’s capital of media, finance and entertainment --- is plunged into chaos. Who is behind this? Why are they doing it? What do these deadly acts of sabotage have to do with the fingerless body found on the High Line? Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Linwood Barclay or listen to the podcast.
- Click here to visit Linwood Barclay's website.
Click here to read our review.
ELEVATOR PITCH will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's commentary in next week's newsletter.
Featured Review:
THE SECRETS WE KEPT by Lara Prescott
September’s Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine
Book Club Pick
THE SECRETS WE KEPT by Lara Prescott (Historical Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Mozhan Marnò, Carlotta Brentan, Cynthia Farrell, Saskia Maarleveld, Jonathan Davis, David Pittu and James Fouhey
At the height of the Cold War, two secretaries are pulled out of the typing pool at the CIA and given the assignment of a lifetime. Their mission: to smuggle DOCTOR ZHIVAGO out of the USSR, where no one dare publish it, and help Pasternak's magnum opus make its way into print around the world. Glamorous and sophisticated Sally Forrester is a seasoned spy who has honed her gift for deceit all over the world --- using her magnetism and charm to pry secrets out of powerful men. Irina is a complete novice, and under Sally's tutelage quickly learns how to blend in, make drops and invisibly ferry classified documents. Reviewed by Melanie Reynolds.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to see why the book is this month's Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club pick.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: RED AT THE BONE
by Jacqueline Woodson
RED AT THE BONE by Jacqueline Woodson (Fiction)
Audiobook available; read by Jacqueline Woodson, with Quincy Tyler Bernstine, Peter Francis James, Shayna Small and Bahni Turpin
As RED AT THE BONE opens in 2001, it is the evening of 16-year-old Melody's coming-of-age ceremony in her grandparents' Brooklyn brownstone. Watched lovingly by her relatives and friends, she wears a special custom-made dress. But the event is not without poignancy. Sixteen years earlier, that very dress was measured and sewn for a different wearer: Melody's mother, for her own ceremony --- a celebration that ultimately never took place. Unfurling the history of Melody's parents and grandparents to show how they all arrived at this moment, Jacqueline Woodson considers not just their ambitions and successes but also the costs, the tolls they've paid for striving to overcome expectations and escape the pull of history. Reviewed by Maya Gittelman.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: LAND OF WOLVES by Craig Johnson
LAND OF WOLVES by Craig Johnson (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by George Guidall
Attempting to recover from his harrowing experiences in Mexico, in LAND OF WOLVES Wyoming Sheriff Walt Longmire is neck deep in the investigation of what could or could not be the suicidal hanging of a shepherd. With unsettling connections to a Basque family with a reputation for removing the legs of Absaroka County sheriffs, matters become even more complicated with the appearance of an oversize wolf in the Big Horn Mountains to which Walt finds himself feeling more and more empathetic. Reviewed by Roz Shea.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: THE STRANGER INSIDE by Lisa Unger
THE STRANGER INSIDE by Lisa Unger (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Vivienne Leheny and Chris Andrew Ciulla
Twelve-year-old Rain Winter narrowly escaped an abduction while walking to a friend’s house. Her two best friends, Tess and Hank, were not as lucky. Tess never came home, and Hank was held in captivity before managing to escape. Their abductor was sent to prison but years later was released. Then someone delivered real justice --- and killed him in cold blood. Now Rain is living the perfect suburban life, her dark childhood buried deep. But when another brutal murderer who escaped justice is found dead, Rain is unexpectedly drawn into the case. Eerie similarities to the murder of her friends’ abductor force Rain to revisit memories she’s worked hard to leave behind. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
THE NANNY by Gilly Macmillan
THE NANNY by Gilly Macmillan (Psychological Thriller)
Gilly Macmillan’s latest book, THE NANNY, is set on an estate called Lake Hall. Jo, along with her young daughter, has reluctantly moved back there from California following the sudden death of her husband. Her mother, Virginia, is called Lady Holt, and she stands fast on principles. Their world is rocked as Jo's nanny, Hannah, who had disappeared from their home 30 years ago, resurfaces, as does a skull on a beach near the house. Why is the nanny back? Whose skull is it? From these questions, Gilly delivers answers in a really well-plotted, character-driven thriller told from multiple points of view.
Jo is eager to have Hannah’s help as she tries to rebuild her life. Her daughter, Ruby, is quite reluctant to embrace her. She is more drawn to her grandmother, much to Jo’s consternation. Jo remembers her nanny as a warm person who she loved being with. And even though she appears less warm now, she gravitates towards her more than her mother. But are Ruby’s instincts right? And just what is up with the skull?
While we are swept up in this family’s tangled secrets, the pace is brisk and the writing takes us on many twists and turns, but they all work. It wraps up with a very satisfying ending. My one question: WHY have I not read Gilly Macmillan’s work before this?
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review.
- Watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Gilly Macmillan or listen to the podcast.
Click here for more books we're betting you'll love.
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, September 24th at noon ET.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
Nonfiction Author Spotlight:
MOTHERHOOD SO WHITE by Nefertiti Austin
MOTHERHOOD SO WHITE: A Memoir of Race, Gender, and Parenting in America by Nefertiti Austin (Memoir)
When Nefertiti Austin, a single African American woman, decided she wanted to adopt a Black baby boy out of the foster-care system, she was unprepared for the fact that there is no place for Black women in the “mommy wars.” Austin set off on her path without the ability to seek guidance from others who looked like her or shared her experience. She soon realized that she would have to navigate skepticism not only from the adoption community, who deal almost exclusively with white women, but surprisingly, from her own family and friends as well.
MOTHERHOOD SO WHITE is the story of Nefertiti’s fight to create the family she always knew she was meant to have and the story of motherhood that all American families need now. In this unflinching account of her parenting journey, Nefertiti examines the history of adoption in the African American community, faces off against stereotypes of single, Black motherhood, and confronts the reality of raising children of color in racially charged, modern-day America.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Nefertiti Austin's bio.
- Connect with Nefertiti Austin on Facebook and Twitter.
Click here to read more in our Nonfiction Author Spotlight.
Don't miss our review of MOTHERHOOD SO WHITE
and our interview with Nefertiti Austin in next week's newsletter.
ROBERT B. PARKER'S THE BITTEREST PILL: A Jesse Stone Novel by Reed Farrel Coleman (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by James Naughton
When a popular high school cheerleader dies of a suspected heroin overdose, it becomes clear that the opioid epidemic has spread even to the idyllic town of Paradise. It will be up to police chief Jesse Stone to unravel the supply chain and unmask the criminals behind it, and the investigation has a clear epicenter: Paradise High School. But when it comes to drugs, the very people Jesse is trying to protect are often those with the most to lose. As he digs deeper into the case, he finds himself battling self-interested administrators, reluctant teachers, distrustful schoolkids and overprotective parents. At the end of the line are the true bad guys, the ones with a lucrative business they'd kill to protect. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
HEAVEN, MY HOME: A Highway 59 Novel by Attica Locke (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by JD Jackson
Nine-year-old Levi King knew he should have left for home sooner; now he's alone in the darkness of vast Caddo Lake. A sudden noise distracts him, and all goes dark. Darren Matthews is trying to emerge from another kind of darkness. After the events of his previous investigation, his marriage is in a precarious state of re-building, and his career and reputation lie in the hands of his mother. She now holds the key to his freedom, and is not above a little maternal blackmail to press her advantage. Levi's disappearance has links to Darren's last case, and to a wealthy businesswoman --- the boy's grandmother --- who seems more concerned about the fate of her business than that of her grandson. Reviewed by Megan Elliott.
WHAT ROSE FORGOT by Nevada Barr (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Kate Burton
Rose Dennis has been committed to the Alzheimer's Unit in a nursing home. With no memory of how she ended up in this position, Rose is sure that something is very wrong. When she overhears one of the administrators saying about her that she's "not making it through the week," Rose is convinced that if she is to survive, she has to get out of the nursing home. She avoids taking her medication and then stages her escape. The only problem is: How does she convince anyone that she's not actually demented? But any lingering doubt Rose herself might have had is erased when a would-be killer shows up in her house in the middle of the night. Now she knows that someone is determined to get rid of her. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE CHESTNUT MAN by Søren Sveistrup (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Peter Noble
A psychopath is terrorizing Copenhagen. His calling card is a “chestnut man” --- a handmade doll made of matchsticks and two chestnuts --- which he leaves at each bloody crime scene. Examining the dolls, forensics makes a shocking discovery --- a fingerprint belonging to a young girl, a government minister’s daughter who had been kidnapped and murdered a year ago. A tragic coincidence, or something more twisted? To save innocent lives, a pair of detectives must put aside their differences to piece together the Chestnut Man’s gruesome clues. Because it’s clear that the madman is on a mission that is far from over. And no one is safe. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE SECOND FOUNDING: How the Civil War and Reconstruction Remade the Constitution by Eric Foner (History)
The Declaration of Independence announced equality as an American ideal, but it took the Civil War and the subsequent adoption of three constitutional amendments to establish that ideal as American law. The Reconstruction amendments abolished slavery, guaranteed all persons due process and equal protection of the law, and equipped black men with the right to vote. In grafting the principle of equality onto the Constitution, these revolutionary changes marked the second founding of the United States. Eric Foner’s history traces the arc of these pivotal amendments from their dramatic origins in pre-Civil War mass meetings of African-American “colored citizens” and in Republican party politics to their virtual nullification in the late 19th century. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
KOPP SISTERS ON THE MARCH: A Kopp Sisters Novel by Amy Stewart (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Christina Moore
It’s the spring of 1917, and change is in the air. American women have done something remarkable: they’ve banded together to create military-style training camps for women who want to serve. These so-called National Service Schools prove irresistible to the Kopp sisters, who leave their farm in New Jersey to join up. When an accident befalls the matron, Constance reluctantly agrees to oversee the camp --- much to the alarm of the Kopps’ tent-mate, the real-life Beulah Binford, who is seeking refuge from her own scandalous past under the cover of a false identity. Will she be denied a second chance? And after notoriety, can a woman’s life ever be her own again? Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
CHASING THE BEAR: How Bear Bryant and Nick Saban Made Alabama the Greatest College Football Program of All Time by Lars Anderson (Sports/Biography)
Audiobook available, read by Dan Woren
Both Bear Bryant and Nick Saban are undeniable kings of college football, two coaches at Alabama who have each won more national championships --- six apiece --- than anyone else in the history of the game. CHASING THE BEAR examines how they did it, revealing along the way their similarities in style, background, football philosophy and recruiting methods, while providing readers a rare inside look at two of the greatest leaders in the history of sports. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
SHULA: The Coach of the NFL's Greatest Generation by Mark Ribowsky (Sports/Biography)
Audiobook available, read by L.J. Ganser
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997, Don Shula remains the winningest coach of all time with 347 career victories and the only undefeated season in NFL history. But before he became the architect of the Dolphins dynasty, Shula was a hardworking kid selling fish on the banks of Lake Erie, the eldest of six children born during the Depression to Hungarian immigrant parents. As acclaimed sports biographer Mark Ribowsky shows, Shula met serious resistance at home when he asked to play high school football. But when his parents finally relented, they discovered that their son, though perhaps short on the physical gifts of the truly blessed, had an unmatched mind for the game’s strategy and a stomach for its brutality. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
GALLOWS COURT by Martin Edwards (Historical Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Sheila Mitchell
A spate of violent deaths has horrified London, and Rachel Savernake --- the enigmatic daughter of a notorious hanging judge --- is on the killer’s trail. Jacob Flint, a young newspaperman temporarily manning The Clarion's crime desk, is looking for the scoop that will make his name. He's certain there is more to Miss Savernake's amateur sleuthing than meets the eye. He's not the only one. Flint's pursuit of Rachel Savernake will draw him ever deeper into a labyrinth of deception and corruption. Murder by murder, he'll be swept ever closer to its dark heart --- an ancient place of execution. Twisted family relationships add to a trust-no-one narrative positively reeking with atmosphere. Reviewed by Barbara Lipkien Gershenbaum.
- Click here to read an interview with Martin Edwards.
29 SECONDS by T. M. Logan (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Katherine Littrell
Sarah is a young professor struggling to prove herself in a workplace controlled by Alan Hawthorne, whose inappropriate treatment of female colleagues behind closed doors has gone unchallenged for years. And Sarah is his newest target. When Hawthorne's advances become threatening, Sarah is left with nowhere to turn. Until the night she witnesses an attempted kidnapping of a young child on her drive home, and jumps in to intervene. The child’s father turns out to be a successful businessman with dangerous connections --- and her act of bravery has put this powerful man in her debt. He gives Sarah a burner phone and an unbelievable offer. A once-in-a-lifetime deal that can make all her problems disappear. All it takes is a 29-second phone call. Reviewed by Christine M. Irvin.
THE NOBODIES by Liza Palmer (Fiction/Humor)
Audiobook available, read by Suzy Jackson
If there's one thing Joan Dixon knows about herself, it's that she is a damn good journalist. But when she is laid off from yet another soon-to-be-shuttered newspaper, and even the soulless, listicle-writing online jobs have dried up, she is left with few options. So she goes to work as a junior copywriter at Bloom, a Los Angeles startup where her bosses are all a decade younger. For once, Joan has a steady paycheck and a stable job. She befriends a group of misfit coworkers and even begins a real relationship. But once a journalist, always a journalist, and as Joan starts to poke beneath Bloom’s bright surface, she realizes that she may have accidentally stumbled onto the scoop of her lifetime. Is it worth risking everything for the sake of the story? Reviewed by Lorraine W. Shanley.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on September 24th
Below are some notable titles releasing on September 24th 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 September 23rd, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
THE DUTCH HOUSE by Ann Patchett (Fiction)
Ann Patchett, the New York Times bestselling author of COMMONWEALTH and STATE OF WONDER, returns with her most powerful novel to date: a richly moving story that explores the indelible bond between two siblings, the house of their childhood, and a past that will not let them go.
INSIDE OUT: A Memoir by Demi Moore (Memoir)
Famed American actress Demi Moore at last tells her own story in a surprisingly intimate and emotionally charged memoir.
LETHAL AGENT: A Mitch Rapp Novel by Vince Flynn and Kyle Mills (Political Thriller)
An unprecedented and terrifying bioterrorism plot threatens to kill millions in the midst of a divisive presidential election in this new thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling Mitch Rapp series.
MOTHERHOOD SO WHITE: A Memoir of Race, Gender, and Parenting in America by Nefertiti Austin (Memoir)
When Nefertiti Austin, a single African American woman, decided she wanted to adopt a Black baby boy out of the foster-care system, she was unprepared for the fact that there is no place for Black women in the “mommy wars.”
SINS OF THE FATHERS: A J.P. Beaumont Novel by J.A. Jance (Mystery/Thriller)
Seattle investigator J. P. Beaumont is drawn into an intriguing, and shockingly personal, case in this superb tale of suspense from New York Times bestselling author J. A. Jance.
THE WATER DANCER by Ta-Nehisi Coates (Historical Fantasy/Magical Realism)
From the National Book Award-winning author of BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME comes a boldly conjured debut novel about a magical gift, a devastating loss, and an underground war for freedom.
THE WORLD THAT WE KNEW by Alice Hoffman (Historical Fiction/Magical Realism)
In 1941, during humanity’s darkest hour, three unforgettable young women must act with courage and love to survive, from the New York Times bestselling author of THE DOVEKEEPERS and THE MARRIAGE OF OPPOSITES, Alice Hoffman.
YEAR OF THE MONKEY by Patti Smith (Memoir)
From the National Book Award-winning author of JUST KIDS and M TRAIN comes a profound, beautifully realized memoir in which dreams and reality are vividly woven into a tapestry of one transformative year.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
Our Latest Poll:
September Paperback Releases to Anticipate
Which of the following books releasing in paperback in September have you read or do you plan to read? Please check all that apply.
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ANNELIES: A Novel of Anne Frank, by David R. Gillham
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DARK TIDE RISING: A William Monk Novel, by Anne Perry
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THE FALL OF GONDOLIN written by J. R. R. Tolkien, edited by Christopher Tolkien and illustrated by Alan Lee
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FEAR: Trump in the White House, by Bob Woodward
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THE GIRL IN THE GLASS BOX: A Jack Swyteck Novel, by James Grippando
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THE GLASS OCEAN by Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig and Karen White
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THE GREAT ALONE by Kristin Hannah
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HEARTLAND: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth, by Sarah Smarsh
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HOLY GHOST: A Virgil Flowers Novel, by John Sandford
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IN A HOUSE OF LIES by Ian Rankin
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INSPECTION by Josh Malerman
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LIAR LIAR by James Patterson and Candice Fox
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THE LIGHT OVER LONDON by Julia Kelly
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THE MAN WHO CAME UPTOWN by George Pelecanos
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THE REAL LOLITA: A Lost Girl, an Unthinkable Crime, and a Scandalous Masterpiece, by Sarah Weinman
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THE RULE OF LAW: A Dismas Hardy Novel, by John Lescroart
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SHE WOULD BE KING by Wayétu Moore
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A SPARK OF LIGHT by Jodi Picoult
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WILD CARD: A Stone Barrington Novel, by Stuart Woods
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WINTER IN PARADISE by Elin Hilderbrand
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None of the above
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, October 4th 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 20th to October 4th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of BLOODY GENIUS: A Virgil Flowers Novel by John Sandford and THE DUTCH HOUSE by Ann Patchett.
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 3rd to October 1st at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Stephen King's THE INSTITUTE, read by Santino Fontana, and Alice Hoffman's THE WORLD THAT WE KNEW, read by Judith Light.
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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