October 16, 2020

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Carol's latest "Bookreporter Talks To" interview is with Lisa Jewell,
whose new psychological thriller, INVISIBLE GIRL, will be a Bets On pick.
Click on the image above for the video and here for the podcast.

On Wednesday, we held our fifth “Bookaccino Live: A Lively Talk About Books” event.
Carol presented books releasing between October 13th and November 3rd, as well as five
publishing in December. Click on the image above to watch the presentation.
You also can see a list of the featured titles here.

On Wednesday, November 11th at 2pm ET, we will host our next "Bookaccino Live" event.
Carol will present a number of books releasing between November 10th and January 5th
that she would like to get on your radar. Click on the image above to sign up.

Carol will be diving into Ottolenghi's new cookbook, FLAVOR, this weekend.
She will flag pages with post-it notes for current and future cooking.

Carol found some magnolia leaves to pair with eucalyptus for arrangements in her house.
You can see one of them above.

Fall is in the Air --- and in the House

Last Sunday, I headed out to the farmer’s market. I jumped in my car, and my battery was dead, which surprised me; I assumed that it was because I had left the lights on. We charged it, and it ran for a bit, but I quickly learned that I needed a new battery when it was stone cold dead the following day. Then I realized that I have not been driving very much at all. I rarely go anywhere during the week; I have become a weekend driver. If I have free time during the week, I will go for a walk and listen to a podcast.

Speaking of podcasts, the traffic on our "Bookreporter Talks To" podcast has been way up this month. Thanks to those of you who are listening. If you want to share this link with other booklovers, we would appreciate it!

I spent most of the three-day weekend channeling my inner Ina Garten, and I cooked up a storm. I sat down and read her new cookbook, MODERN COMFORT FOOD, like it was a novel. I flagged pages with post-it notes. The flags on top were for future projects; the ones tagged on the side were to be made that weekend. I made Fig and Cheese Toasts, Broccoli and Kale Salad with Caesar Salad Dressing, Tomato and Goat Cheese Crostata, Shrimp and Linguine Fra Diavolo, and Cheddar and Chutney Grilled Cheese sandwiches with Creamy Tomato Bisque. Tonight we are planning Sausage, Peppers and Onions, and tomorrow it will be Spaghetti Squash Arrabbiata. In the copy about desserts, Ina mentions how she got the idea on how to perfect her Boston Cream Pie recipe from a tip from the founder of Milk Bar, who shared the idea at a B&N event at Union Square. I was at that event and remember that conversation. What fun!

On Wednesday, we held our fifth “Bookaccino Live” event, where I talked about titles releasing from October 13th to November 3rd, along with five from December, that I wanted to get your radar. For those of you who missed the presentation, you can watch it here, and a list of the featured titles is here.

Don’t miss our next “Bookaccino Live” session, which will take place on Wednesday, November 11th at 2pm ET. I will present books that are coming out between November 10th and January 5th that I am especially excited about. Click here to sign up. Those who attend the live event will be asked to answer a survey about the books that they are most interested in reading and will be eligible to win prizes. Please note that we will not be doing an event in December, as we know many of you will be preparing for the holidays and not a lot of notable books release towards the end of the year. We will pick up our schedule again in mid-January.

My latest “Bookreporter Talks To” interview is with Lisa Jewell, whose new psychological thriller, INVISIBLE GIRL (an upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On title), is about a young woman’s disappearance and a group of strangers whose lives intersect in its wake. In our conversation, Lisa revealed her inspiration for the book, which came from a rather innocuous sighting that got her imagination going. We also talked about the incel ideology, which one of her characters has embraced, and the strange ways that it has crept into society. And Lisa gave us her thoughts on perfectionism --- how it influences her work and affects her life in general. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast.

Ray Palen has our review of the book and says, "Lisa Jewell leaves red herrings everywhere, and INVISIBLE GIRL reads like an old-fashioned mystery at times. Of course, there will be several surprises in the breakneck finish and revelations that will shock." Don’t miss my Bets On commentary in next week’s newsletter.

We gave away INVISIBLE GIRL in this week’s Fall Preview contest. We wrap up these contests next week with THE GIRL IN THE MIRROR by Rose Carlyle, which also will be a Bets On pick. The 24-hour giveaway will kick off on Tuesday, October 20th at noon ET, the same day that the book releases. I had the pleasure of chatting with Rose yesterday for a “Bookreporter Talks To” segment; we will share that interview with you in next week’s newsletter.

Jake Brigance is back! The defense attorney from A TIME TO KILL and SYCAMORE ROW returns for a third case in John Grisham’s new legal thriller, A TIME FOR MERCY. The setting is Clanton, Mississippi, in 1990. Jake finds himself embroiled in a deeply divisive trial when the court appoints him attorney for Drew Gamble, a 16-year-old boy accused of murdering a local deputy. Many in Clanton want a swift trial and the death penalty, but Jake discovers that there is more to the story than meets the eye. His fierce commitment to saving Drew from the gas chamber puts his career, his financial security and the safety of his family in jeopardy.

According to Stuart Shiffman, our resident Grisham aficionado, “While Grisham has set his story in rural Mississippi, as one who has been in many rural Illinois communities and their courthouses, the demise of small-town legal practices --- just as that of small-time doctors --- should be a concern for society at large. Grisham knows of what he writes. In A TIME FOR MERCY, readers see the law, both good and bad, and are better informed and educated on the operation of the American legal system.”

On Wednesday, October 21st at 9pm ET, Live Talks Los Angeles will host a virtual event featuring Matthew McConaughey. The Academy Award-winning actor will be in conversation with Grisham about his memoir, GREENLIGHTS, which releases on Tuesday. This pairing makes perfect sense as McConaughey starred as Jake Brigance in the 1996 movie adaptation of A TIME TO KILL, so this promises to be a fun and lively conversation. Click here to sign up. I already have a ticket!

A TIME FOR MERCY is one of our current Word of Mouth prizes; the other is LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND by Rumaan Alam, which is this month’s Barnes & Noble Book Club selection and a “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club pick. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win both these novels. Be sure to enter by Friday, October 23rd at noon ET. By the way, there is a terrific interview with Alam here.

ELEANOR is the first single-volume cradle-to-grave portrait of Eleanor Roosevelt in six decades from biographer David Michaelis. Our reviewer Barbara Bamberger Scott has this to say about the book: “To fully portray someone whose circumstances and courageous attitude put her on the world stage with some of the best-known figures in the politics and government of her times cannot be an easy task, but in this lengthy exploration, Michaelis allows us to see Eleanor’s public face and her private moments outside the box of her fame. From her own writings and a mountain of other important sources, he paints her as human, female and, at times, vulnerable and sad."

Other books we’re reviewing this week include A SONG FOR THE DARK TIMES, Pulitzer Prize winner Ian Rankin’s new Rebus novel about crime, punishment and redemption; SHE COME BY IT NATURAL, in which Sarah Smarsh, the author of HEARTLAND, explores the overlooked contributions to social progress by bold, hard-luck women --- including those averse to the term “feminism” --- as exemplified by Dolly Parton’s life and art; DEAR CHILD, Romy Hausmann’s English-language debut that the publisher describes as “GONE GIRL meets ROOM,” which is about a woman held captive who finally escapes --- but can she ever really get away?; and THE DEVIL AND THE DARK WATER by Stuart Turton, which offers a chilling new spin to the Sherlock Holmes detective duo in a thriller of supernatural horror, occult suspicion and paranormal mystery on the high seas --- from the award-winning author of THE 7½ DEATHS OF EVELYN HARDCASTLE.

My latest Bets On selection is CONFESSIONS ON THE 7:45 by Lisa Unger, which we reviewed in last week's newsletter. Click here for my commentary. And if you missed my “Bookreporter Talks To” interview with Lisa, you can watch it here and listen to the podcast here.

Our poll continues to ask which of 16 nonfiction titles releasing in September and October you have read or are planning to read. Click here to let us know.

News & Pop Culture

Reader Mail:

I finally had time to catch up on some reader mail this week.

Kathryn wrote about squash blossoms, with a great idea: “Growing up, Mom always planted several hills of pumpkins in the garden. We never let them go to pumpkins, but went out in the mornings to pick the blossoms for lunch. You cut the bottom end off, pull out the pistol and stamens, rinse, dip in egg, then cracker crumbs, and give it a quick fry until just golden brown on both sides and sprinkle a little salt. We ate them like cookies with our fresh tomatoes. Nothing better...we three girls and Mom lined up at the sink, letting those tomatoes drip off our elbows and crunching the blossoms! Heaven!”

Donna wrote, “Carol, I was introduced to your site a few months ago and have shared it with many, many friends. Thank you for the overwhelming time that you must invest to deliver such outstanding content. A high school teacher taught me that there are two kinds of knowledge: one is to know a thing, and the other is to know where to find it. You are my ‘where to find it.’ Thank you.” So glad you found us!

Gerald wrote, “Please thank your husband for recommending Robert Pobi. I'm halfway through CITY OF WINDOWS and have UNDER PRESSURE on my shelf. Dr. Lucas Page is right up there with Harry Bosch and Lincoln Rhyme. I would love to see him on one of your video chats.” I will pass that along!

Tracy said this about winning THE BOOK OF TWO WAYS: “Thank you so much for the win! I cannot wait to read the book and review it!”

Jill wrote, “It was a pleasant surprise to see I had won ANXIOUS PEOPLE by Fredrik Backman. I am looking forward to reading it. Also, I enjoyed your interview with Fiona Davis, who wrote THE LIONS OF FIFTH AVENUE. I took notes from this interview to share with my book club, as this is the book that was chosen for this month. Thank you so much, and I enjoy reading your newsletter."

Sylvia wrote, "I received the copies of BETTY and THE EXILES that I won from Bookreporter. I never win anything. I enter all the time, expecting nothing, and then, surprise! I love your newsletters. I’m an avid reader, and with the pandemic I’ve read over 200 books so far this year. I’m going to dig into my winning books in October. Thanks for all the book love you spread.”

Loretta wrote this about winning THE LAST FLIGHT: “Thank you for this wonderful book! My hubby snagged it first, and then I finished it last night! We both enjoyed this clever read! Kudos to Julie Clark!”

"Schitt’s Creek" on Netflix: I finished it last weekend; it's an amusing show. I confess that I did not like it much when I watched the first few episodes, but when I circled back, I loved it.

"The Queen’s Gambit" is coming to Netflix on October 23rd: Jesse Kornbluth, who founded Bookreporter with me, is crazy about the book that this limited series is based on --- it is his “#1 favorite almost unknown novel.” Here’s what he had to say; read it before you watch!

Last weekend, I sorted through many piles of files, notes and cards. Most of the time I was thinking, WHY did I save these things? In one amusing moment, I found a birth announcement from Sean, TBRN employee #1, from when his daughter was born (she just turned seven), and then in another box there was a thank you note for a blanket I knit the baby. Taking this full circle, a couple of weeks ago he sent me a photo of her packing “Aunt Carol’s blanket” for a trip. Just a wonderful series of finds. Little bits of fun memories like that are swelling up as I go through these boxes. I do realize how much more correspondence is conducted in email these days. There are so few cards and letters sent. This means that a lot of shared history is trapped on a screen.

I confess that I have the world’s worst handwriting. I type everything --- even if I slip notes into cards. I tossed a huge bag of business cards that I have collected through the years; I think 90% of them no longer were valid.

More cleanup is on tap for the weekend. Who knows what I will find this time? I also want to see if we finally can create a new studio for me to shoot videos and podcasts on the lower level of the house so we can reclaim the dining room for dining. This has been the plan since we moved out of our New York office in early June, but there are so many other things that need to happen to make it work. I feel like my entire life right now is “if/then.” And “if” and “then” are happening a lot slower than I would like.

I will be reading the new Ottolenghi cookbook, FLAVOR, and will employ my flagging-with-post-its technique again for what I want to make. For novel reading, I have started GOODNIGHT BEAUTIFUL by Aimee Molloy, which we are reviewing this week. I also am promising myself to finish reading a manuscript for which I want to help find an agent.

I found this really fun pattern for knitting a pumpkin. I am wondering if I have the right yarn to make one…or two. I found some magnolia leaves to pair with eucalyptus for arrangements in the house. You can see one of them above. It's fun and seasonal.

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: A TIME FOR MERCY by John Grisham

A TIME FOR MERCY by John Grisham (Legal Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Michael Beck
Clanton, Mississippi. 1990. Jake Brigance finds himself embroiled in a deeply divisive trial when the court appoints him attorney for Drew Gamble, a timid 16-year-old boy accused of murdering a local deputy. Many in Clanton want a swift trial and the death penalty, but Brigance digs in and discovers that there is more to the story than meets the eye. His fierce commitment to saving Drew from the gas chamber puts his career, his financial security and the safety of his family on the line. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.

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