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Latest Update on Our GoFundMe Campaign
Thank you to those of you who have donated to our GoFundMe campaign. So far, with online and snail mail donations, we have raised $35,985 of our $50,000 goal.
You can read about our plans and donate here. If you would prefer donating via check, please send to:
The Book Report, Inc.
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Thank you again for your consideration and your donation.
Carol's latest "Bookreporter Talks To" interview is with Robert Dugoni,
whose new thriller is THE LAST AGENT.
Click on the image above for the video and here for the podcast.
Earlier this month, Midtown Scholar Bookstore hosted an exclusive live-stream conversation with Fredrik Backman and Ruth Ware about their latest novels, ANXIOUS PEOPLE and ONE BY ONE. Moderating the discussion was Wendy Walker, whose new psychological thriller is DON’T LOOK FOR ME.
Click on the image above to watch the interview, which will be available until October 9th.
Midtown Scholar has a limited supply of signed first-edition copies of ANXIOUS PEOPLE.
If you’d like to purchase one, click here to place your order.
Earlier today, Carol moderated a panel of authors called "Not to Be Missed."
She had wonderful discussions with Chris Whitaker (WE BEGIN AT THE END, on sale March 9, 2021), Dewaine Farria (REVOLUTIONS OF ALL COLORS, on sale November 15th),
Marie Benedict (THE MYSTERY OF MRS. CHRISTIE, on sale December 29th),
and Michael Farris Smith (NICK, on sale January 5, 2021).
One night this week, a frog jumped into Carol's pool as she was swimming.
She's betting he was envious of her wetsuit, which you can see above.
The Frog Kick: Who Does It Better?
The other night, I had company swimming as there was a frog in the pool. All summer my husband has been skimming him out of the pool and bringing him to the woods. And he has been hopping back. There is some debate about whose frog kick is better! I am sure he is envious of my wetsuit. The water was so cold one night this week that I wore the wetsuit gloves as well. But it was a crazy week, and hitting the pool was exactly what I needed to unwind.
All week I have been participating in remote conferences, listening to editors, publishing reps and authors talking about books. It’s been so interesting to be able to experience these events from home. I confess that while I miss in-person networking, I am very happy that I have been able to multitask and keep up with work projects. Today I moderated a panel of authors called “Not to Be Missed.” Last weekend, I fast-tracked reading their books to prep. They were WE BEGIN AT THE END by Chris Whitaker, NICK by Michael Farris Smith, THE MYSTERY OF MRS. CHRISTIE by Marie Benedict, and REVOLUTIONS OF ALL COLORS by Dewaine Farria. We had some wonderful conversations!
We have a very special interview to share with you this week. On September 9th, Midtown Scholar Bookstore in Harrisburg, PA hosted an exclusive live-stream conversation with Fredrik Backman and Ruth Ware about their latest novels, ANXIOUS PEOPLE and ONE BY ONE (the latter of which was a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick). They were interviewed by Wendy Walker, whose new psychological thriller, DON’T LOOK FOR ME, we featured in last week’s newsletter and is a Bets On selection this week.
The interview will be up on our YouTube channel only until Friday, October 9th, so be sure to watch it now before it’s too late! I attended this event, and it was terrific, which is why I asked them to share it with us. Also, Midtown Scholar has a limited supply of signed first-edition copies of ANXIOUS PEOPLE; if you’d like to purchase one, you can do so by clicking here. I would love to see you send them some support for sharing this interview with us.
My latest “Bookreporter Talks To” interview is with Robert Dugoni, whose new book, THE LAST AGENT, is the second installment in his Charles Jenkins series. Jenkins has walked away from his life as a spy after being exonerated on charges of espionage. But when he learns that Paulina Ponomayova, the woman who saved his life, is being held in a Russian prison, he is lured out of retirement to return to Russia and save her. The action here is brisk; there is one section that reminded me of THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR. Robert and I talked about his three series (I have been a fan of his work ever since his debut novel, THE JURY MASTER, released in 2006), his stand-alone title THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF SAM HELL, his writing schedule, and what he likes to bring to the page for readers. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast.
We also have our review of THE LAST AGENT from Rebecca Munro, who has this to say: "Employing his trademark taut and lightning-fast pacing, Dugoni quickly sets the scene and lets Jenkins loose to do what he does best: infuriate nearly everyone around him.... For a series ostensibly about international intrigue, spies and espionage, Dugoni still manages to create very credible and human characters who positively burst off the page, even when the action has stilled for a moment."
Jodi Picoult follows up her recent bestselling novels, SMALL GREAT THINGS and A SPARK OF LIGHT, with another surefire bestseller, THE BOOK OF TWO WAYS. As the plane she is on prepares for a crash landing, Dawn Edelstein braces herself as thoughts flash through her mind. But rather than thinking about her husband, her mind is on Wyatt Armstrong, an archaeologist in Egypt who she hasn’t seen in 15 years. After the crash landing, the airline offers the stranded passengers transportation to wherever they want to go. Should she continue down the path she is on and go home to her family, or should she return to the archaeological site she left years ago, reconnect with Wyatt, and maybe even complete her research on The Book of Two Ways --- the first known map of the afterlife?
Rebecca Wasniak has our review and says, “My passion for reading is fueled by books such as this one because it allows me to experience and explore different subjects, ideas and life paths. Picoult is a master at sharing her extensive research in an intelligent, immersive manner while also delving deep into human psyches and relationships.”
We gave away THE BOOK OF TWO WAYS in a Fall Preview contest this week, along with the aforementioned ANXIOUS PEOPLE by Fredrik Backman and DON’T LOOK FOR ME by Wendy Walker. Next week’s prize will be ONE CHARMED CHRISTMAS by Sheila Roberts (we thought we’d give you a head start on your holiday reading!). The 24-hour giveaway will go live on Tuesday, September 29th at noon ET.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include SHADOWS IN DEATH, the 51st installment in J. D. Robb’s In Death series featuring Lt. Eve Dallas, who is about to walk into the shadows of her husband’s dangerous past; PIRANESI, which is set in an alternate dreamlike reality and is the highly anticipated second novel from Susanna Clarke, whose debut, JONATHAN STRANGE & MR NORRELL, released in 2004; and TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, a new psychological thriller from Gilly Macmillan that, according to the publisher, “cleverly blends atmosphere, tarnished memories, mystery, and twisty secrets from the past into a potent, intense read that will leave you questioning everything you believe.”
We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about. Let us know by Friday, October 9th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll have a chance to win two upcoming Bets On picks: CONFESSIONS ON THE 7:45 by Lisa Unger (which we will review on October 9th) and THE END OF THE DAY by Bill Clegg (don’t miss our review next week). I look forward to interviewing Lisa soon for a “Bookreporter Talks To” interview.
Do you shelve your books by spine color? I see so many people doing this online, so I thought it would be a fun poll question to pose to our readers. Click here to let us know if you organize your books like this. For the record, I do not!
Our previous poll asked with of 30 fiction titles releasing this month you are planning to read. Here are your top five picks: ANXIOUS PEOPLE by Fredrik Backman (54%), ONE BY ONE by Ruth Ware (50%), THE BOOK OF TWO WAYS by Jodi Picoult (43%), ALL THE DEVILS ARE HERE by Louise Penny (34%), and BEFORE SHE WAS HELEN by Caroline B. Cooney (33%). Click here for all the results.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Rosemary wrote, “Thank you so much for my copy of BEFORE SHE WAS HELEN. I received it, read it immediately and thoroughly enjoyed it. Since I'm in my mid-70s and live in an 'active 55 and over' development, I loved the entire concept. Also, I have to say that leaving the scene of a crime to go to a card game IS an interesting idea! It's always nice to find an author who is previously unknown to me, and I'll look forward (hopefully) to her writing more adult fiction. Also, since a friend and I run a book club here, this book will be loaned to a number of people, giving her even more new fans. I've been a fan of Bookreporter for a number of years, and the only criticism I could offer is that between your recommendations and the book printers of this world, I find it hard to keep up! Thank you to you and all the people at Bookreporter for the excellent job you do."
Banned Books Week: Yes, it’s that time of year. Check it out between September 27th and October 3rd.
Matthew McConaughey: Remember he starred in A Time to Kill? Well, given that he played Jake Brigance in the movie, how perfect is it that he reads a preview of A TIME FOR MERCY, John Grisham’s latest thriller, coming on October 13th?
Those Who Crochet: Here is a Crochet a Long (CAL), where they are reading ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE by Anthony Doerr while crocheting.
"Schitt’s Creek" on Netflix: It won a ton of Emmys. I had started watching it and stopped at some point. This week it was background humor as I worked. It’s smartly amusing, and that is a thing.
The other night, the temperature dropped quickly to the low 40s, and I found myself sprinting outside to bring in the houseplants. Of course, on Wednesday it was 78! But the plants are not going back outside.
We had a fabulous evening celebrating my dad’s birthday on Tuesday; we were so lucky to be able to do this! I know many families are very far-flung. We already are feeling like we will be Zooming with my sister and her family in Atlanta for the holidays!
This weekend has to be about house catch-up/closet cleaning. The dumpster people are coming to pick it up on Monday, so the race is on to get the rest of the attic cleared out. This will be a weekend that things get a lot messier before they get better. But I am ready to make some progress in between racing the frog in the pool.
To our friends celebrating Yom Kippur, we wish you a good fast. 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 BOOK OF TWO WAYS
by Jodi Picoult
THE BOOK OF TWO WAYS by Jodi Picoult (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Patti Murin
Dawn Edelstein is on a plane when the flight attendant makes an announcement: Prepare for a crash landing. She braces herself as thoughts flash through her mind. The shocking thing is, the thoughts are not of her husband, but of a man she last saw 15 years ago: Wyatt Armstrong, who is now somewhere in Egypt working as an archaeologist. After the crash landing, the airline offers transportation to wherever they want to go. The obvious option for Dawn is to continue down the path she is on and go home to her family. The other is to return to the archaeological site she left years before, reconnect with Wyatt and their unresolved history, and maybe even complete her research on The Book of Two Ways --- the first known map of the afterlife. Reviewed by Rebecca Wasniak.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: SHADOWS IN DEATH by J. D. Robb
SHADOWS IN DEATH by J. D. Robb (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Susan Ericksen
While Eve Dallas examines a fresh body in Washington Square Park, her husband, Roarke, spots a man among the onlookers he’s known since his younger days on the streets of Dublin. A man who claims to be his half brother. A man who kills for a living. Eve is quick to suspect that the victim’s spouse --- resentful over his wife’s affair and poised to inherit her fortune --- would have happily paid an assassin to do his dirty work. Roarke is just as quick to warn her that if Lorcan Cobbe is the hitman, she needs to be careful. Law enforcement agencies worldwide have pursued this cold-hearted killer for years, to no avail. And his lazy smirk when he looked Roarke’s way indicates that he will target anyone who matters to Roarke…and is confident he’ll get away with it. Reviewed by Jennifer McCord.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: PIRANESI by Susanna Clarke
PIRANESI by Susanna Clarke (Dark Fantasy)
Audiobook available, read by Chiwetel Ejiofor
Piranesi's house is no ordinary building: its rooms are infinite, its corridors endless, its walls are lined with thousands upon thousands of statues, each one different from all the others. Within the labyrinth of halls an ocean is imprisoned; waves thunder up staircases, rooms are flooded in an instant. But Piranesi is not afraid; he understands the tides as he understands the pattern of the labyrinth itself. There is one other person in the house --- a man called The Other, who visits Piranesi twice a week and asks for help with research into A Great and Secret Knowledge. But as Piranesi explores, evidence emerges of another person, and a terrible truth begins to unravel, revealing a world beyond the one Piranesi has always known. Reviewed by Maya Gittelman.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: THE LAST AGENT by Robert Dugoni
THE LAST AGENT by Robert Dugoni (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Edoardo Ballerini
Former spy Charles Jenkins, who survived an undercover Russian operation gone wrong, learns of a woman isolated in Moscow’s notorious Lefortovo Prison. If it’s Paulina Ponomayova, the agent who sacrificed her life to save his, Jenkins can’t leave her behind. But there’s no guarantee it’s her. Or proof Paulina is still alive. To find out, Jenkins must return to Russia. Next move: blackmail Viktor Federov, a former Russian officer with his own ax to grind, into helping him infiltrate Lefortovo. The enemy who once pursued Jenkins across three continents is now the only man Jenkins can trust. Every step of the way, they’re hunted by a brutal Russian agent on a killer quest of his own. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Robert Dugoni.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH
by Gilly Macmillan
TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH by Gilly Macmillan (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Emma Fryer
Lucy Harper’s talent for writing bestselling novels has given her fame, fortune and millions of fans. It’s also given her Dan, her needy, jealous husband whose own writing career has gone precisely nowhere. Now Dan has vanished. But this isn’t the first time that someone has disappeared from Lucy’s life. Three decades ago, her little brother Teddy also went missing and was never found. Lucy, the only witness, helplessly spun fantasy after fantasy about Teddy’s disappearance. But now Lucy is a grown woman who can’t hide behind fiction any longer. The world is watching, and her whole life is under intense scrutiny. Could she have hurt Teddy? Did she kill Dan? Finally, now, Lucy Harper is going to tell the truth. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
DON’T LOOK FOR ME by Wendy Walker
DON'T LOOK FOR ME by Wendy Walker (Psychological Thriller)
DON’T LOOK FOR ME is my fourth Bets On selection from Wendy Walker. People often ask me who to compare Wendy to, and I never can answer that straight out. Her books look at a psychological issue and delve deeply into it, which drops them into the zone of psychological suspense. But I find them to be sharper than a lot of offerings in this genre. They are rooted in topics that are not often addressed in thrillers. Here it’s “walking away,” something that actually happens with women as they abandon their marriage and head to build a new life for themselves without telling anyone where they have gone. Often when this occurs, there are children in the picture.
In DON’T LOOK FOR ME, Molly is ready to walk away from her life. She has tragically lost a child, feels disconnected from her family, and thinks that walking away would be the best plan for them. The family could move on without her. As she ponders this, her car runs out of gas; with a storm brewing, she is happy when someone pulls to the side of the road and offers her a ride. There’s a young girl in the truck, and she’s smiling. What could go wrong? From the moment the car door locks, you know everything might go wrong. And it does.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Wendy Walker.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
- Click here to visit Wendy Walker's website.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary.
An Exclusive Interview with Fredrik Backman
and Ruth Ware, Moderated by Wendy Walker,
Courtesy of Midtown Scholar Bookstore
Bookreporter.com's 10th Annual
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 29th at noon ET.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
From left to right: Nicholas Sparks, Marilynne Robinson, Bill Clegg
Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events
As so many book and author events are happening online these days, we are highlighting a number of them that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links below for more info and to register.
Sunday, September 27th at 7pm ET: The Back Room: Cocktails and Conversations with Your Favorite Authors: Join authors Karen Dionne, Tori Eldridge, Hank Phillippi Ryan and Wendy Walker with guest host Robin Agnew for an evening of great conversation.
Sunday, September 27th at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": Every Wednesday, Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Patti Callahan Henry and Mary Alice Monroe talk books and writing on their "Friends and Fiction" Facebook group page. In a special Sunday edition, the "Friends and Fiction" authors will talk to Christina Lauren, whose soon-to-be-released novel is HOLIDAZE.
Monday, September 28th at 7pm ET: Beyond the Book Jacket: New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult will discuss her new novel, THE BOOK OF TWO WAYS, with Taylor Jenkins Reid, whose most recent book is DAISY JONES & THE SIX.
Tuesday, September 29th at 7pm ET: McNally Jackson Virtual Event: McNally Jackson presents Bill Clegg and David Ebershoff in conversation. Clegg will discuss his new novel, THE END OF THE DAY.
Tuesday, September 29th at 7:30pm ET: Brooklyn Book Festival Virtual Event: Marilynne Robinson will join Community Bookstore in Brooklyn, NY for the launch of her new novel, JACK, in conversation with Esmé Weijun Wang.
Wednesday, September 30th at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors will talk to Kathy Reichs, whose latest Temperance Brennan novel is A CONSPIRACY OF BONES.
Wednesday, September 30th at 7pm ET: Warwick's Virtual Event: Warwick's will host Nicholas Sparks, in conversation with Elin Hilderbrand, as he discusses his new book, THE RETURN.
Wednesday, September 30th at 8pm ET: Murder By The Book Virtual Event: Join Murder By The Book for an online event featuring Wendy Walker, whose new psychological thriller is DON'T LOOK FOR ME, and Aimee Molloy, whose upcoming novel is GOODNIGHT BEAUTIFUL.
Thursday, October 1st at 7pm ET: Warwick's Virtual Event: Warwick's will host Bill Clegg, in conversation with Jeniffer Thompson, as he discusses his new book, THE END OF THE DAY.
"Bookreporter Talks To" Videos & Podcasts
“Bookreporter Talks To” is a video and podcast series that delivers a long-form, in-depth author interview every week. For years, Carol has moderated book festivals and author events around the country. But we know that readers often do not live where they can attend an author event. Our goal is to bring these author interviews to readers, wherever they may be. Watch on video, or listen as a podcast. (The podcasts include audio excerpts.)
Here is our latest interview:
Other authors we've interviewed include:
Upcoming interviews include:
-
Rose Carlyle (THE GIRL IN THE MIRROR)
-
Suzanne Skyvara, the Vice President of Marketing & Editorial at Goodreads, and Danny Feekes, their Managing Editor
-
Lisa Unger (CONFESSIONS ON THE 7:45)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
THE COAST-TO-COAST MURDERS by James Patterson and J. D. Barker (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Jason Culp, Tristan Morris and Renata Friedman
Michael and Megan Fitzgerald’s parents are public intellectuals, an Ivy League clinical psychologist and a renowned psychiatrist, and they brought up their adopted children in a rarefied, experimental environment. It forced secrets upon them that they keep at all costs. In Los Angeles, Detective Garrett Dobbs and FBI Agent Jessica Gimble have joined forces to work a murder that seems like a dead cinch. Their chief suspect is quickly identified and apprehended. But then there's another killing just like the one they've been investigating. And another. And not just in Los Angeles. The Fitzgerald family comes to the investigators' attention, but Dobbs and Gimble are at a loss. If one of the four is involved, which Fitzgerald might it be? Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB by Richard Osman (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Lesley Manville
In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet weekly in the Jigsaw Room to discuss unsolved crimes. Together they call themselves The Thursday Murder Club. When a local developer is found dead with a mysterious photograph left next to the body, the Thursday Murder Club suddenly find themselves in the middle of their first live case. As the bodies begin to pile up, can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer before it's too late? Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING by Alyssa Cole (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Susan Dalian and Jay Aaseng
Sydney Green is Brooklyn born and raised, but her beloved neighborhood seems to change every time she blinks. Condos are sprouting like weeds, FOR SALE signs are popping up overnight, and the neighbors she’s known all her life are disappearing. To hold onto her community’s past and present, Sydney channels her frustration into a walking tour and finds an unlikely and unwanted assistant in one of the new arrivals to the block --- her neighbor Theo. But Sydney and Theo’s deep dive into history quickly becomes a dizzying descent into paranoia and fear. Their neighbors may not have moved to the suburbs after all, and the push to revitalize the community may be more deadly than advertised. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
A QUESTION OF BETRAYAL: An Elena Standish Novel by Anne Perry (Historical Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Susan Lyons
Britain’s secret intelligence service, MI6, has lost contact with its informant in northern Italy, just as important information about the future plans of Austria and Nazi Germany is coming to light. And young Elena Standish is the only person who can recognize MI6’s man --- because he is her former lover. Aiden Strother betrayed her six years before, throwing shame on her entire family. Now, with so much to prove, Elena heads to Trieste to track down Aiden and find out what happened to his handler, who has mysteriously cut off contact with Britain. As Elena gets word of a secret group working to put Austria in the hands of Germany, her older sister, Margot, is in Berlin to watch a childhood friend get married --- to a member of the Gestapo. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
DEAR ANN by Bobbie Ann Mason (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Janet Metzger
Ann Workman is a misfit who has traveled from rural Kentucky to graduate school in the transformative years of the late 1960s. Although he comes from a very different place, upper-middle class suburban Chicago, Jimmy is also a misfit, a rebel who rejects his upbringing and questions everything. Ann and Jimmy bond through music and literature and their own quirkiness, diving headfirst into what seems to be a perfect relationship. But with the Vietnam War looming and the country in turmoil, their future is uncertain. Many years later, Ann recalls this time of innocence --- and her own obsession with Jimmy --- as she faces another life crisis. Seeking escape from her problems, she tries to imagine where she might be if she had chosen differently all those years ago. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
MILL TOWN: Reckoning with What Remains by Kerri Arsenault (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Kerri Arsenault
Kerri Arsenault grew up in the rural working class town of Mexico, Maine. For over 100 years, the community orbited around a paper mill that employs most townspeople, including three generations of Arsenault’s own family. Years after she moved away, Arsenault realized the price she paid for her seemingly secure childhood. The mill, while providing livelihoods for nearly everyone, also contributed to the destruction of the environment and the decline of the town’s economic, physical and emotional health in a slow-moving catastrophe, earning the area the nickname “Cancer Valley.” In MILL TOWN, Arsenault illuminates the rise and collapse of the working class, the hazards of loving and leaving home, and the ambiguous nature of toxics and disease. Reviewed by Cindy Burnett.
THE BIG DOOR PRIZE by M.O. Walsh (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Sean Pratt
What would you do if you knew your life's potential? That's the question facing the residents of Deerfield, Louisiana, when the DNAMIX machine appears in their local grocery store. Its promise is amazing: With just a quick swab of your cheek and two dollars, the device claims to use the science of DNA to tell you your life's potential. With enough credibility to make the townspeople curious, soon the former teachers, nurses and shopkeepers of Deerfield are abruptly changing course to pursue their destinies as magicians, cowboys and athletes --- including the novel's main characters, Douglas Hubbard and his wife, Cherilyn, who both believed they were perfectly happy until they realized they could dream for more. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
INTERFERENCE by Brad Parks (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Laura Jennings and Christopher Lane
Quantum physicist Matt Bronik is suffering from strange, violent seizures that medical science seems powerless to explain --- much to the consternation of his wife, Brigid. Matt doesn’t think these fits could be related to his research, which he has always described as benign and esoteric. That, it turns out, is not quite true: Matt has been prodding the mysteries of the quantum universe, with terrible repercussions for his health. And perhaps even for humanity as a whole. Then, in the midst of another seizure, Matt disappears. With his life in clear danger, Brigid sets out to find him. Will Matt be killed before she reaches him, or could the physics that endangered him actually be used to save his life? Reviewed by Ray Palen.
GODS AT PLAY: An Eyewitness Account of Great Moments in American Sports by Tom Callahan (Sports/History)
As a columnist for Time magazine, among many other publications, Tom Callahan witnessed an extraordinary number of defining moments in American sport across four decades. He takes us from Roberto Clemente clinching his 3,000th, and final, regular-season hit in Pittsburgh; to ringside for the Muhammad Ali–George Foreman fight in Zaire; and to Arthur Ashe announcing, at a news conference, that he’d tested positive for HIV. There are also little-known private moments: Joe Morgan whispering thank you to a virtually blind Jackie Robinson on the field at the 1972 World Series, or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar saying he was more interested in being a good man than in being the greatest basketball player. Reviewed by Ron Kaplan (www.RonKaplansBaseballBookshelf.com).
DANCING WITH THE OCTOPUS: A Memoir of a Crime by Debora Harding (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Debora Harding
When Debora Harding was just 14, she was abducted at knifepoint from a church parking lot. She was thrown into a van, assaulted, held for ransom and left to die. Debora survived. She identified her attacker to the police and then returned to her teenage life in a dysfunctional home where she was expected to simply move on. Denial became the family coping strategy offered by her fun-loving, conflicted father and her cruelly resentful mother. It wasn't until decades later --- when beset by the symptoms of PTSD --- that Debora undertook a radical project: she met her childhood attacker face-to-face in prison and began to reconsider and reimagine his complex story. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
GIRL GONE MAD by Avery Bishop (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Cassandra Campbell
Once upon a time, Emily Bennett was part of a middle school clique called the Harpies --- six popular girls who bullied the new girl to her breaking point. The Harpies took a blood oath: never tell a soul what they did to Grace Farmer. Now, 14 years later, it seems karma has caught up to them when one member of that vicious circle commits suicide. But when a second Harpy is discovered dead shortly after, also from an apparent suicide, the deaths start to look suspicious. And when Emily begins seeing a woman who looks a lot like Grace Farmer lurking in the shadows, she is forced to wonder: Is Grace back for revenge? Or is Emily’s guilt driving her mad? Reviewed by Christine M. Irvin.
AND NOW SHE'S GONE by Rachel Howzell Hall (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Je Nie Fleming
Isabel Lincoln is gone. But is she missing? It’s up to Grayson Sykes to find her. Although she is reluctant to track down a woman who may not want to be found, Gray’s search for Isabel Lincoln becomes more complicated and dangerous with every new revelation about the woman’s secrets and the truth she’s hidden from her friends and family. Featuring two complicated women in a dangerous cat-and-mouse game, Rachel Howzell Hall's AND NOW SHE'S GONE explores the nature of secrets --- and how violence and fear can lead you to abandon everything in order to survive. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
Next Week's Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on September 29th
Below are some notable titles releasing on September 29th 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 28th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
BATTLE GROUND: A Novel of the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher (Urban Fantasy)
Things are about to get serious for Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard, in the next entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling Dresden Files.
CHRISTMAS CUPCAKE MURDER: A Hannah Swensen Mystery with Recipes! by Joanne Fluke (Mystery)
As December turns Lake Eden into the North Pole, the heat is on in Hannah Swensen’s kitchen to honor two Christmas promises: baking irresistible holiday cupcakes and preventing a person who attempted murder from succeeding the second time around!
THE CONSTANT RABBIT by Jasper Fforde (Fantasy)
An inimitable blend of satire, fantasy and thriller, THE CONSTANT RABBIT is the latest dazzlingly original foray into Jasper Fforde's ever-astonishing creative genius.
A DEADLY EDUCATION by Naomi Novik (Fantasy)
From the New York Times bestselling author of UPROOTED and SPINNING SILVER comes the story of an unwilling dark sorceress who is destined to rewrite the rules of magic.
THE END OF THE DAY by Bill Clegg (Fiction)
Following his acclaimed New York Times bestseller, DID YOU EVER HAVE A FAMILY, Bill Clegg returns with a deeply moving, emotionally resonant second novel about the complicated bonds and breaking points of friendship, the corrosive forces of secrets, the heartbeat of longing, and the redemption found in forgiveness.
JACK by Marilynne Robinson (Fiction)
Marilynne Robinson, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Humanities Medal, returns to the world of Gilead with JACK, the latest novel in one of the great works of contemporary American fiction.
JUST LIKE YOU by Nick Hornby (Fiction)
This warm, wise, highly entertaining 21st-century love story is about what happens when the person who makes you happiest is someone you never expected.
THE REACHER GUY: A Biography of Lee Child by Heather Martin (Biography)
THE REACHER GUY is an exquisitely written and nuanced biography of an exceptional individual and writer who has created the #1 international bestselling hero Jack Reacher, revered by dedicated and loyal readers worldwide.
THE RETURN by Nicholas Sparks (Romance)
In the romantic tradition of DEAR JOHN, #1 New York Times bestselling author Nicholas Sparks returns with the story of an injured Navy doctor --- and two women whose secrets will change the course of his life.
THE TALENTED MISS FARWELL by Emily Gray Tedrowe (Thriller)
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN meets Patricia Highsmith in this electrifying page-turner of greed and obsession, survival and self-invention, that is a piercing character study of one unforgettable female con artist.
UNRESTRICTED ACCESS: New and Classic Short Fiction by James Rollins (Thriller/Short Stories)
Experience the exciting breadth of #1 New York Times bestselling author James Rollins’ wild imagination and adventurous spirit in this anthology of his short masterworks, including a new full-length novella featuring Captain Tucker Wayne and his military war dog, Kane, as well as 11 previously published short stories, gathered together for the first time.
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Our Latest Poll: Shelving Books by Spine Color
We have been seeing many photos of people shelving books by spine color. Do you shelve your books by spine color?
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Yes
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No, but this is a good idea.
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Never!
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, October 9th 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 25th to October 9th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of CONFESSIONS ON THE 7:45 by Lisa Unger and THE END OF THE DAY by Bill Clegg.
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.
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