June 18, 2021

June 18, 2021

Happy Father’s Day!

Rhubarb continues to star at our house. Tonight I am putting together Rhubarb Cream Cheese Hand Pies. There will be more rhubarb this weekend once I hit the farmer’s market for Father's Day Strawberry/Rhubarb Pie. Then we are picking up peaches on Sunday from the Georgia Peach Truck that is touring up the east coast, so I can see us segueing to baking with those next! I signed us up for a bushel of peaches in both June and July, so this will be fun.

I finished reading THE LAST COMMANDMENT by Scott Shepherd, which I wrote about in last week’s newsletter, and it’s really terrific --- with a shocker of an ending. And yes, I recall the Ten Commandments a little better now, but let’s not do a pop quiz à la third-grade catechism class. It will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection when it releases on July 13th, and I look forward to interviewing Scott about it. He shared a bit about book two in the series this week, and already I am anticipating it. I love when an author writes characters that I am invested in.

I started GREAT CIRCLE by Maggie Shipstead this week. As it clocks in at 608 pages, I have a feeling this book will be on my nightstand for a while. I think it will count for some exercise arm lifts, but I am not sure it will be floating in the pool with me!

Virtual Events Galore!
I continued my remote author event viewing. I teed up the week on Tuesday with Alex Michaelides, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of THE SILENT PATIENT, whose new novel is THE MAIDENS. He was interviewed by Lucy Foley, who wrote last year’s smash hit, THE GUEST LIST. Their conversation was brisk and fun. Lucy dove into Alex’s writing process, as well as some of the themes in the book, namely the Greek myths and tragedies that were his reading as he was growing up on Cyprus. It was a lovely hour to promote a book on publication day. We have our review of THE MAIDENS this week from Ray Palen, who says, "Michaelides has proven that he is no one-hit wonder and is well on his way to becoming one of the world’s most influential and well-read thriller writers." I look forward to interviewing Alex soon!

That night, I had a doubleheader, beginning with Joshua Henkin's virtual launch party for MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS, where he was in conversation with Julie Orringer, the author of THE FLIGHT PORTFOLIO. We were interviewing Josh on Wednesday, so hearing more about the book from him that night was terrific. (I conduct a lot of research before we do our "Bookreporter Talks To" interviews.)

Then I zipped over to the book launch event for IN THE HEIGHTS: Finding Home, where Lin-Manuel Miranda, Quiara Alegría Hudes and Jeremy McCarter were moderated on a panel by award-winning actor, director and producer America Ferrera, who narrates the audiobook with the authors. While many know Miranda for "Hamilton," he first found his fame on Broadway with "In the Heights." The movie adaptation is now in theaters and available on HBO Max. I have not had a chance to watch it yet, but hearing the panel reminisce made me want to see it all the more, and those who love theater will want the book either in print or on audio.

We have two new “Bookreporter Talks To” interviews to share with you this week. First up is the aforementioned Joshua Henkin, whose latest novel, MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS, is this month’s #1 Indie Next pick and will be a Bets On selection. In the book, Pru Steiner falls in love with her Shakespeare professor, Spence Robin. Marrying him means ending her ambition to make a name for herself in New York academia. Decades later, Spence is diagnosed with Alzheimer's, and Pru must come to terms with the impact that will have on her life. Layer in a stepson who walks to his own beat and a daughter who is in medical school, and it’s both the story of a marriage and of a family. During our conversation, Josh gave a great deal of insight into how each of his characters drive the story and revealed the parallels to his own life. I also talked to him about what it's like to write as a full-time creative writing professor and the ways in which his career motivates his writing work. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast.

Sarah Rachel Egelman reviews MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS for us this week and calls it “a lovely and bittersweet ode to the challenges of partnership and parenting, as well as a fond tribute to New York City. It is an especially worthwhile exploration of memory and identity, and the spaces where the two intersect.” That is so well put. Don’t miss my Bets On commentary in next week’s newsletter.

My second interview is with Zakiya Dalila Harris, whose debut novel, THE OTHER BLACK GIRL, is this month’s Barnes & Noble and “Good Morning America” book club picks. This edge-of-your seat thriller is about the tension that unfurls when two young Black women meet against the starkly white backdrop of New York City book publishing. Zakiya spent a few years working in the editorial department at Knopf Doubleday. She left to write this book when the kernel of a story idea came to her, and it was too good to ignore. In our interview, Zakiya shared how her experiences in the publishing industry inspired everything from the microaggressions present in Nella's story, to the loose basis of certain characters, to the premise itself. We also talked about pop culture references, career transitions (especially for those who are assistants), and some of the challenges involved in getting the book to meet Zakiya's vision. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast.

Announcing Our New Release Spotlight Title
Our New Release Spotlight is back, and this time we’re featuring THE WOMAN THEY COULD NOT SILENCE: One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men Who Tried to Make Her Disappear, which releases on June 22nd. It’s written by Kate Moore, who many of you know as the author of THE RADIUM GIRLS: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women, which was a Bets On title.

This time, Moore explores the life of a forgotten woman, Elizabeth Packard, a housewife and mother of six whose husband had her committed to an insane asylum because he felt threatened by her intellect, independence and outspokenness. The horrific conditions inside the Illinois State Hospital in Jacksonville, Illinois, are overseen by Dr. Andrew McFarland, a man who will prove to be even more dangerous to Elizabeth than her husband. But most disturbing is that Elizabeth is not the only sane woman confined to the institution. There are many rational women on her ward who have been committed not because they need medical treatment, but to keep them in line. Elizabeth’s refusal to be silenced and her ceaseless quest for justice challenged the medical science of the day and led to a giant leap forward in human rights. We will feature our review of the book in next week’s newsletter. It’s such a shocking story…and when Kate came upon it, she had to write it!

Update on THREE Contests
In the meantime, head over to ReadingGroupGuides.com where you and your book group can win up to 12 copies of THE WOMAN THEY COULD NOT SILENCE in our “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” contest. Enter here by Wednesday, July 7th at noon ET.

On ReadingGroupGuides, we also have a special contest and author chat opportunity for THE HUSBANDS, an upcoming novel (and future Bets On pick) from Chandler Baker, whose adult debut, WHISPER NETWORK, was a New York Times bestseller. The book doesn’t release until August 3rd, but we’re awarding up to 10 advance copies to 15 groups who will share their comments on it --- and five of these 15 groups will win a chat with Chandler via Zoom. All the contest details can be found here, and the deadline for your entries is Wednesday, July 7th at noon ET.

Shifting back over to Bookreporter, you have until next Thursday, June 24th at noon ET to enter our contest for IN EVERY MIRROR SHE'S BLACK by debut novelist Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström. We’re giving 25 readers the chance to win an advance copy of the book, which releases on September 7th. Taylor Jenkins Reid calls it “a wise and complicated exploration of the lives of three Black women in America and Sweden. Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström offers a sharply written story with messy, deeply moving characters, raising brutal questions and steering clear of easy answers. A book that will stick with you long after you've turned the last page."

Other books we’re reviewing this week include:

• SEVEN DAYS IN JUNE: Tia Williams’ latest novel, in which two writers discover their second chance at love, is Reese’s Book Club pick for June. Reese posted this on Instagram: “Two writers, plus seven days, equals one racy read that’s as hilarious and heart-warming as it is sexy-as-hell. Turns out, second chance romance has us seeing book-love at first sight. Who else has the urge to fling this pick open right now?⁠⁠”
   
• OUR WOMAN IN MOSCOW: Beatriz Williams’ new historical novel is a gripping and profoundly human story of Cold War espionage and family devotion. Our reviewer Rebecca Wasniak found the story to be “informative, suspenseful and engaging” and called the ending “deliciously shocking and oh-so-satisfying.”
   
• PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION: Emily Henry follows up last year’s BEACH READ with this #1 New York Times bestseller that will leave you with the warm, hazy afterglow usually reserved for the best vacations. The book’s tagline is: Two best friends. Ten summer trips. One last chance to fall in love.

Congratulations to the winners of our Father’s Day contest! Five lucky readers --- David B. from Santa Rosa, CA; Katherine H. from Rhinelander, WI; Leann A. from Columbia, SC; Tabitha E. from Griffin, GA; and Vicki V. from Skipperville, AL --- will receive all 12 of our featured titles, which you can see above and read more about here.

Word of Mouth and Poll Reminders
The aforementioned THE MAIDENS by Alex Michaelides and MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS by Joshua Henkin are our current Word of Mouth prizes. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read, and you’ll have the opportunity to win both these highly anticipated novels. Please do so by Friday, June 25th at noon ET.

Our poll continues to ask which social media platforms you use regularly, and which ones you use to talk about or note the books that you’re reading. Click here to let us know what your social media habits are.

A reminder that our next “Bookaccino Live” Book Group event will take place next Thursday, June 24th at 8pm ET. Julie Clark will be our special guest, and I will talk to her about THE LAST FLIGHT, a Bets On pick that recently released in paperback. She also will be answering questions from those in attendance, including a select few who will join us “on stage.” Click here to register. If you have a question for Julie that you would like to ask on camera, please send me an email with the subject line “Question for Julie Clark” by this Wednesday at 6pm ET.

It was announced this week that Oprah has selected THE SWEETNESS OF WATER by Nathan Harris as her next book club pick. This debut novel is about the unlikely bond between two freedmen who are brothers and the Georgia farmer whose alliance will alter their lives, and his, forever. Oprah said, "As I read this masterful novel I kept thinking --- this young 29-year-old is a first-time author, so how did he do this?" She continued, "As the best writers can do, Nathan takes us back in time, and helps us to feel we are right there with Prentiss and Landry as they get their first taste of freedom. I rooted for them, and feared for them too." Click here for more of her thoughts on the book. Oprah’s conversation with Nathan will stream on Apple TV+ starting July 23rd, and we look forward to featuring our review of the book in the weeks to come.

News & Pop Culture

Reader Mail:

Macgregor from Paso Robles, CA, wrote, “OK Carol, after reading your review of Taylor Jenkins Reid's new book, I’m getting it! I loved DAISY JONES & THE SIX, and this new book sounds great! Thank you, Bookeporter; I don’t know how you do it...weekly!” I hope you enjoy it, Macgregor. And the kudos on weekly go to our entire team, especially our Editorial Director, Tom Donadio!

Edie wrote, “The June 11, 2021 email listing the "Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts was a great summary of what you have done. It is really helpful in finding author interviews to tell others in my dialogue group that meets on Sunday mornings. Thanks for all you do for us readers!” Edie, so glad you found that helpful and that you are enjoying these interviews. We have many more lined up!

"The Bold Type" on Hulu: I am deep down the rabbit hole watching this series. I am late to the game on it, but I am on season three; it’s ending with season five shortly. Amusingly, Zakiya and I talked about it in our interview. It's a total escape! 

Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain: I am looking forward to this one. It will be in theaters on July 16th. After its theater run, fans will have the chance to stream it in its entirety on HBO Max and CNN. This is one very powerful trailer, especially as we know how his life ended.

We have been doing a lot of work at the house, with the help of our friend TK, who enjoys working with wood as much as Tom does. The two of them have been on a roll refinishing outdoor furniture, and restaining and painting all of the decks. It’s been a massive project. My contribution has been planting lots of flowers --- some new perennials, as well as plenty of annuals and seeds. I bought some cute plant markers to label all the planters with seeds in them to keep the mystery out of things (before I write on them, I need to work on my handwriting since it's basically illegible), and I already have noted that I overplanted the small planters with seeds. Also, I am charting the perennial gardens since I never seem to remember what is growing where and when; I want it to be that something is always in bloom. And the pool is just about warm enough for me to consider doing laps!

The US Open started yesterday, which means there will be lots of golf talk around the house this weekend. Luckily it is being played on the west coast, so we have time to get some things done before Tom is seated watching TV.  

Tomorrow is Juneteenth. Take some time to reflect on the meaning of this significant day, which has now been recognized as a national holiday. I confess to not knowing about Juneteenth until last year, and I think I am not alone. Summer kicks off here in the east at 11:30pm on Sunday, so I will be celebrating the day of the year with the most daylight on Monday, which makes it one of my favorite days of the year.

My parents are headed here to celebrate Father's Day, and we all are looking forward to that. This is a moment when I am sad that I never met Tom's dad, who passed away three years before we met. Tom said he would have liked me, and I am taking his word for that. Somewhat ironically, our dads share the same birthday in September.

Happy Father’s Day to those of you who are being celebrated. To those of you who are missing your dads, our thoughts go out to you.

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 MAIDENS by Alex Michaelides

THE MAIDENS by Alex Michaelides (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith and Louise Brealey
A handsome and charismatic Greek tragedy professor at Cambridge University, Edward Fosca is adored by staff and students alike --- particularly by the members of a secret society of female students known as The Maidens. Mariana Andros is a brilliant but troubled group therapist who becomes fixated on The Maidens when one member, a friend of Mariana’s niece Zoe, is found murdered in Cambridge. She becomes convinced that, despite his alibi, Edward Fosca is guilty of the murder. When another body is found, Mariana’s obsession with proving Fosca’s guilt spirals out of control, threatening to destroy her credibility as well as her closest relationships. 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:
MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS by Joshua Henkin
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title

MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS by Joshua Henkin (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Kathe Mazur and Shane Baker
Ohio-born Pru Steiner arrives in New York in 1976. When she falls in love with and marries Spence Robin, her hotshot young Shakespeare professor, her life takes a turn she couldn’t have anticipated. Thirty years later, something is wrong with Spence. With their daughter, Sarah, away at medical school, Pru must struggle on her own to care for him. One day, feeling especially isolated, Pru meets a man, and the possibility of new romance blooms. Meanwhile, Spence’s estranged son from his first marriage has come back into their lives. Arlo, a wealthy entrepreneur who invests in biotech, may be his father’s last, best hope. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Joshua Henkin.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.

Click here to read our review.

MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's commentary in next week's newsletter.

New Release Spotlight:
THE WOMAN THEY COULD NOT SILENCE by Kate Moore On Sale June 22nd

THE WOMAN THEY COULD NOT SILENCE: One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men Who Tried to Make Her Disappear by Kate Moore (Biography)
1860: As the clash between the states rolls slowly to a boil, Elizabeth Packard, housewife and mother of six, is facing her own battle. The enemy sits across the table and sleeps in the next room. Her husband of 21 years is plotting against her because he feels increasingly threatened --- by Elizabeth's intellect, independence and unwillingness to stifle her own thoughts. So Theophilus makes a plan to put his wife back in her place. One summer morning, he has her committed to an insane asylum.

The horrific conditions inside the Illinois State Hospital in Jacksonville, Illinois, are overseen by Dr. Andrew McFarland, a man who will prove to be even more dangerous to Elizabeth than her traitorous husband. But most disturbing is that Elizabeth is not the only sane woman confined to the institution. There are many rational women on her ward who tell the same story: they've been committed not because they need medical treatment, but to keep them in line --- conveniently labeled "crazy" so their voices are ignored.

No one is willing to fight for their freedom, and, disenfranchised both by gender and the stigma of their supposed madness, they cannot possibly fight for themselves. But Elizabeth is about to discover that the merit of losing everything is that you then have nothing to lose.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to read Kate Moore's bio.
- Click here to visit Kate Moore's website.
- Connect with Kate Moore on Facebook and Twitter.

Click here to read more in our New Release Spotlight.

Don't miss our review of THE WOMAN THEY COULD NOT SILENCE
in next week's newsletter.

Special Contest:
Enter to Win an Advance Copy of IN EVERY MIRROR SHE'S BLACK by Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström,
Releasing September 7th

New Special Contest on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
Enter to Win Up to 10 Advance Copies of THE HUSBANDS
for Your Group and Share Your Comments on It,
Plus an Opportunity to Chat with Chandler Baker

From Chandler Baker, the New York Times bestselling author of WHISPER NETWORK, comes THE HUSBANDS, a novel that asks: To what lengths will a woman go for a little more help from her husband? We are giving 15 groups the opportunity to win up to 10 advance copies of the book, which releases on August 3rd, and share their comments on it. In addition, five of these winning groups will be selected to chat with Chandler via Zoom. To enter, please fill out this form by Wednesday, July 7th at noon ET.

THE HUSBANDS by Chandler Baker (Domestic Thriller/Mystery)
Nora Spangler is a successful attorney, but when it comes to domestic life, she packs the lunches, schedules the doctor appointments, knows where the extra paper towel rolls are, and designs and orders the holiday cards. Her husband works hard, too...but why does it seem like she is always working so much harder? When the Spanglers go house hunting in Dynasty Ranch, an exclusive suburban neighborhood, Nora meets a group of high-powered women with enviably supportive husbands. When she agrees to help with a resident’s wrongful death case, she is pulled into the lives of the women there. As the case unravels, Nora uncovers a plot that may explain the secret to having it all. One that’s worth killing for.

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

Click here to enter the contest.

Featured Review: SEVEN DAYS IN JUNE by Tia Williams
Reese’s Book Club Pick for June

SEVEN DAYS IN JUNE by Tia Williams (Romance)
Audiobook available, read by Mela Lee
Eva Mercy is a single mom and bestselling erotica writer who is feeling pressed from all sides. Shane Hall is a reclusive, enigmatic, award-winning novelist who, to everyone's surprise, shows up in New York. When Shane and Eva meet unexpectedly at a literary event, sparks fly, raising not only their buried traumas, but the eyebrows of the Black literati. What no one knows is that 15 years earlier, teenage Eva and Shane spent one crazy, torrid week madly in love. While they may be pretending not to know each other, they can't deny their chemistry --- or the fact that they've been secretly writing to each other in their books through the years. Over the next seven days, amidst a steamy Brooklyn summer, Eva and Shane reconnect --- but Eva is wary of the man who broke her heart. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to visit the Reese's Book Club website.

Click here to read our review.

Featured Review:
OUR WOMAN IN MOSCOW by Beatriz Williams

OUR WOMAN IN MOSCOW by Beatriz Williams (Historical Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Nicola Barber and Cassandra Campbell
In the autumn of 1948, Iris Digby vanishes from her London home with her American diplomat husband and their two children. The world is shocked by the family’s sensational disappearance. Were they eliminated by the Soviet intelligence service? Or have the Digbys defected to Moscow with a trove of the West’s most vital secrets? Four years later, Ruth Macallister receives a postcard from the twin sister she hasn’t seen since their catastrophic parting in Rome in the summer of 1940, as war engulfed the continent and Iris fell desperately in love with an enigmatic United States Embassy official named Sasha Digby. Within days, Ruth is on her way to Moscow, posing as the wife of counterintelligence agent Sumner Fox in a precarious plot to extract the Digbys from behind the Iron Curtain. Reviewed by Rebecca Wasniak.

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

Click here to read our review.

Featured Review:
PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION by Emily Henry

Bookreporter.com's 17th Annual
Summer Reading Contests and Feature

Summer will be here before you know it! 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 the end of August, 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, June 29th at noon ET.

This year’s featured titles include:

• The Art of Hearing Heartbeats series by Jan-Philipp Sendker: THE ART OF HEARING HEARTBEATS, A WELL-TEMPERED HEART and THE HEART REMEMBERS
• THE BARRISTER AND THE LETTER OF MARQUE by Todd M. Johnson
• THE BOOKSHOP OF SECOND CHANCES by Jackie Fraser
• THE CLOVER GIRLS by Viola Shipman
• THE DISAPPEARING ACT by Catherine Steadman
• FALLING by T. J. Newman
• THE FIANCÉE by Kate White
• FIERCE LITTLE THING by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore
• FIND YOU FIRST by Linwood Barclay
• HOMELAND ELEGIES by Ayad Akhtar
• IT'S BETTER THIS WAY by Debbie Macomber
• LADY SUNSHINE by Amy Mason Doan
• THE LIES THAT BIND by Emily Giffin
• THE LOST AND FOUND BOOKSHOP by Susan Wiggs
• RADAR GIRLS by Sara Ackerman
• RUBY FALLS by Deborah Goodrich Royce
• THE SOULMATE EQUATION by Christina Lauren
• THE STEPSISTERS by Susan Mallery
• THE SUMMER SEEKERS by Sarah Morgan
• THAT SUMMER by Jennifer Weiner
• UNDER THE MAGNOLIAS by T. I. Lowe
• THE WAR NURSE by Tracey Enerson Wood
• THE WARSAW ORPHAN by Kelly Rimmer
• WHERE THE GRASS IS GREEN AND THE GIRLS ARE PRETTY by Lauren Weisberger

Click here to read all the contest details and learn more about our prize books.

From left to right: Kate Moore, Laura Lippman, Francesca Serritella

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, June 20th at 5pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": For this special bonus episode, the "Friends and Fiction" authors --- Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Patti Callahan Henry and Mary Alice Monroe --- will talk to Ann Garvin, whose latest novel is I THOUGHT YOU SAID THIS WOULD WORK.

Monday, June 21st at 8pm ET: Murder By The Book: Francesca Serritella (GHOSTS OF HARVARD) will be in conversation with her mother, Lisa Scottoline (ETERNAL).

Tuesday, June 22nd at 6pm ET: The Ivy Bookshop: The Ivy is thrilled to welcome Laura Lippman for the launch of her new book, DREAM GIRL. Laura will be in conversation with Wall Street Journal Drama Critic Terry Teachout.

Tuesday, June 22nd at 7pm ET: BookMovement: Join BookMovement for a live virtual Book Launch Party for Joshua Henkin's latest novel, MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS.

Wednesday, June 23rd at 1pm ET: Simon & Schuster's Book Club Favorites: Rachel Beanland will join members of the Simon & Schuster team for a Facebook Live Book Club chat about FLORENCE ADLER SWIMS FOREVER, which is June's pick for S&S's Book Club Favorites.

Wednesday, June 23rd at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors will talk to Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murphy about their upcoming novel, THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN.

Wednesday, June 23rd at 8pm ET: Anderson's Bookshops: Join Anderson's Bookshops for a virtual event with author Kate Moore to celebrate the release of her new book, THE WOMAN THEY COULD NOT SILENCE: One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men Who Tried to Make Her Disappear. Kate will be in conversation with fellow author Liza Mundy.

Wednesday, June 23rd at 8pm ET: Left Bank Books: Left Bank Books welcomes Joshua Henkin, who will discuss his celebrated new book, MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS. He will be in conversation with Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award finalist Rebecca Makkai.

Thursday, June 24th at 8pm ET: "Bookaccino Live" Book Group Event: Carol Fitzgerald will talk to Julie Clark about THE LAST FLIGHT. Julie also will answer questions from guests who will be "on stage," as well as from other members of the audience. Click here to register. If you have a question for Julie that you would like to ask on camera, please send Carol an email with the subject line “Question for Julie Clark.”

Thursday, June 24th at 8pm ET: Magic City Books: Magic City Books is proud to welcome Kate Moore, the bestselling author of THE RADIUM GIRLS, for a virtual event in celebration of her new book, THE WOMAN THEY COULD NOT SILENCE.

 "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 are our latest interviews:

• Zakiya Dalila Harris (THE OTHER BLACK GIRL) Video | Podcast
• Joshua Henkin (MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS) Video | Podcast

Other authors we've interviewed include:

• Alexandra Andrews (WHO IS MAUD DIXON?) Video | Podcast
• Linwood Barclay (FIND YOU FIRST) Video | Podcast
• Alex Berenson (THE POWER COUPLE) Video | Podcast
• Janet Skeslien Charles (THE PARIS LIBRARY) Video | Podcast
• Laura Dave (THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME) Video | Podcast
• Gabriela Garcia (OF WOMEN AND SALT) Video | Podcast
• Jane Harper (THE SURVIVORS) Video | Podcast
• Nadia Hashimi (SPARKS LIKE STARS) Video | Podcast
• Sally Hepworth (THE GOOD SISTER) Video | Podcast
• Pam Jenoff (THE WOMAN WITH THE BLUE STAR) Video | Podcast
• Jean Hanff Korelitz (THE PLOT) Video | Podcast
• Lisa Scottoline (ETERNAL) Video | Podcast
• Mark Sullivan (THE LAST GREEN VALLEY) Video | Podcast
• Wendy Wax (THE BREAK-UP BOOK CLUB) Video | Podcast
• Chris Whitaker (WE BEGIN AT THE END) Video | Podcast

Upcoming interviews include:

• Elizabeth Brundage (THE VANISHING POINT)
• Christina Clancy (SHOULDER SEASON)
• Alex Michaelides (THE MAIDENS)
• T. J. Newman (FALLING)
• Dianna Rostad (YOU BELONG HERE NOW)
• Scott Shepherd (THE LAST COMMANDMENT: An Austin Grant of Scotland Yard Novel)
• Lauren Weisberger (WHERE THE GRASS IS GREEN AND THE GIRLS ARE PRETTY)
• Kate White (THE FIANCÉE)

Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.

More Reviews This Week

WIDESPREAD PANIC by James Ellroy (Historical Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Craig Wasson
Freddy Otash was the man in the know and the man to know in ‘50s L.A. He was a rogue cop, a sleazoid private eye, a shakedown artist, a pimp --- and, most notably, the head strong-arm goon for Confidential magazine. Confidential presaged the idiot internet --- and delivered the dirt, the dish, the insidious ink and the scurrilous skank. It mauled misanthropic movie stars, sex-soiled socialites and putzo politicians. Mattress Jack Kennedy, James Dean, Montgomery Clift, Burt Lancaster, Liz Taylor, Rock Hudson --- Frantic Freddy outed them all. He was the Tattle Tyrant who held Hollywood hostage, and now he’s here to CONFESS. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

HAIRPIN BRIDGE by Taylor Adams (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by LuLu Lam and Sophie Amoss
Three months ago, Lena Nguyen’s estranged twin sister, Cambry, drove to a remote bridge and jumped 200 feet to her death. That is the official police version, but Lena isn’t buying it. Now she’s come to that very bridge, driving her dead twin’s car and armed with a cassette recorder, determined to find out what really happened by interviewing the highway patrolman who allegedly discovered her sister’s body. But Corporal Raymond Raycevic’s story seems a bit off. Perhaps most troubling of all, he is referred to by name in Cambry’s final enigmatic text to her sister: Please Forgive Me. As her twin’s final hours come into focus, Lena’s search turns into a harrowing tooth-and-nail fight for her own survival --- one that will test everything she thought she knew about her sister and herself. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

THE ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF LENNI AND MARGOT by Marianne Cronin (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Sheila Reid and Rebecca Benson
Seventeen-year-old Lenni Pettersson lives on the Terminal Ward at the Glasgow Princess Royal Hospital. Though the teenager has been told she’s dying, she still has plenty of living to do. Joining the hospital’s arts and crafts class, she meets the magnificent Margot, an 83-year-old rebel who transforms Lenni in ways she never imagined. Though their days are dwindling, both are determined to leave their mark on the world. With the help of Lenni’s doting palliative care nurse and Father Arthur, the hospital’s patient chaplain, Lenni and Margot devise a plan to create 100 paintings showcasing the stories of the century they have lived --- stories of love and loss, of courage and kindness, of unexpected tenderness and pure joy. Reviewed by Alison Lee.

A GOOD KILL by John McMahon (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Jon Lindstrom
In the years since the mysterious deaths of his wife and child, police detective P.T. Marsh has faced demons --- both professional and personal. But when he is called to the scene of a school shooting, the professional and personal become intertwined, and he suspects that whoever is behind the crime may be connected to his own family tragedy. As Marsh and his partner Remy investigate the shooting, they discover that it is far from straightforward, and their search for answers leads them to a conspiracy at the highest levels of local government --- including within the police force. The stakes in the case become increasingly high, culminating in a showdown that has Marsh questioning everything he knows. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

THE BRITTANYS by Brittany Ackerman (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Dara Rosenberg
They're not the most popular freshmen at their Florida prep school, but at least everyone knows their name(s). The Brittanys. Brittany Rosenberg drives her golf cart around her subdivision to meet boys. Brittany Gottlieb insists you can't lose your virginity if you haven't gotten your period. (She heard it somewhere!). Brittany Tomassi is from New York. Brittany Jensen once threw her tampon into a stranger's swimming pool. She is the greatest person in the whole wide world --- at least as far as the fifth Brittany, our narrator, is concerned. Even within their friend group, she and Jensen are a duo. But Jensen's interests may be diverging from her friends'. And within our narrator's own family, life-changing events may be taking shape --- events that only years later, she has the perspective to see. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.

THE GREAT MISTAKE by Jonathan Lee (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Graham Halstead
Andrew Haswell Green is dead, shot at the venerable age of 83, when he thought life could hold no more surprises. The killing --- on Park Avenue in broad daylight, on Friday the 13th --- shook the city. Born to a struggling farmer, Green was a self-made man without whom there would be no Central Park, no Metropolitan Museum of Art, no Museum of Natural History, no New York Public Library. But Green had a secret, a life locked within him that now, in the hour of his death, may finally break free. Reviewed by Christine M. Irvin.

THE BLACKTONGUE THIEF by Christopher Buehlman (Fantasy/Adventure)
Audiobook available, read by Christopher Buehlman
Kinch Na Shannack owes the Takers Guild a small fortune for his education as a thief. His debt has driven him to lie in wait by the old forest road, planning to rob the next traveler that crosses his path. But today, Kinch Na Shannack has picked the wrong mark. Galva is a knight, a survivor of the brutal goblin wars, and handmaiden of the goddess of death. She is searching for her queen, missing since a distant northern city fell to giants. Unsuccessful in his robbery and lucky to escape with his life, Kinch now finds his fate entangled with Galva's. Common enemies and uncommon dangers force thief and knight on an epic journey where goblins hunger for human flesh, krakens hunt in dark waters, and honor is a luxury few can afford. Reviewed by Jack Kramer.

WITH TEETH by Kristen Arnett (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Kristen Sieh
If she’s being honest, Sammie Lucas is scared of her son. Working from home in the close quarters of their Florida house, she lives with one wary eye peeled on Samson, a sullen, unknowable boy who resists her every attempt to bond with him. Uncertain in her own feelings about motherhood, she tries her best while growing increasingly resentful of Monika, her confident but absent wife. As Samson grows from feral toddler to surly teenager, Sammie’s life begins to deteriorate into a mess of unruly behavior, and her struggle to create a picture-perfect queer family unravels. When her son’s hostility finally spills over into physical aggression, Sammie must confront her role in the mess --- and the possibility that it will never be clean again. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.

BATTLE FOR THE BIG TOP: P.T. Barnum, James Bailey, John Ringling and the Death-Defying Saga of the American Circus by Les Standiford (History)
Audiobook available, read by B.J. Harrison
Millions have sat under the “big top,” watching as trapeze artists glide and clowns entertain, but few know the captivating stories behind the men whose creativity, ingenuity and determination created one of our country’s most beloved pastimes. In BATTLE FOR THE BIG TOP, New York Times bestselling author Les Standiford brings to life a remarkable era when three circus kings --- James Bailey, P.T. Barnum and John Ringling --- all vied for control of the vastly profitable and influential American Circus. Ultimately, the rivalry of these three men resulted in the creation of an institution that would surpass all intentions and, for 147 years, hold a nation spellbound. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.

THE ROYAL SECRET by Andrew Taylor (Historical Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Leighton Pugh
Two young girls plot a murder by witchcraft. Soon afterwards a government clerk dies painfully under mysterious circumstances. His colleague, James Marwood, is asked to investigate, but the task brings unexpected dangers. Meanwhile, architect Cat Hakesby is working for a merchant who lives on Slaughter Street, where the air smells of blood and a captive Barbary lion prowls the stables. Then a prestigious new commission arrives. Cat must design a Poultry House for the woman that the King loves most in all the world. Unbeknownst to all, at the heart of this lies a royal secret so explosive that it could not only rip apart England but change the entire face of Europe. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

A PAST THAT BREATHES by Noel A. Obiora (Legal Thriller)
In January 1995, a promising young musician was found murdered in her apartment in West Los Angeles. There were no eyewitnesses to the crime, but someone saw her arguing with her ex-boyfriend, an African American man, the day before she was found dead. With the city in the throes of the O.J. Simpson trial at the time, the LAPD was not about to let another African American skip town after killing a white woman. They arrested the ex-boyfriend on circumstantial evidence but ignored other evidence found at the scene of the crime that did not support their case. This collection of evidence, and the LAPD's questionable tactics, did not sit well with the younger of two deputy district attorneys assigned to the case. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.

Next Week's Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on June 22nd

Below are some notable titles releasing on June 22nd 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 June 21st, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.

DREAM GIRL by Laura Lippman (Psychological Thriller/Horror)
Following up on her acclaimed and wildly successful New York Times bestseller LADY IN THE LAKE, Laura Lippman returns with a dark, complex tale of psychological suspense with echoes of MISERY involving a novelist, incapacitated by injury, who is plagued by mysterious phone calls.

FILTHY ANIMALS by Brandon Taylor (Fiction/Short Stories)
FILTHY ANIMALS is a group portrait of young adults enmeshed in desire and violence, a hotly charged, deeply satisfying new work of fiction from the author of Booker Prize finalist REAL LIFE.

HOSTAGE by Clare Mackintosh (Psychological Thriller)
From New York Times bestselling author Clare Mackintosh comes a claustrophobic thriller set over 20 hours on-board the inaugural nonstop flight from London to Sydney.

MOON LAKE by Joe R. Lansdale (Mystery)
From Edgar Award-winning author Joe R. Lansdale comes the gripping and unexpected tale of a lost town and the dark secrets that lie beneath the glittering waters of an East Texas lake.

THE SECRET KEEPER OF JAIPUR by Alka Joshi (Historical Fiction)
In New York Times bestselling author Alka Joshi’s intriguing new novel, henna artist Lakshmi arranges for her protégé, Malik, to intern at the Jaipur Palace in this tale rich in character, atmosphere and lavish storytelling.

SONGS IN URSA MAJOR by Emma Brodie (Fiction)
SONGS IN URSA MAJOR is a transporting love story of music, stardom, heartbreak and a gifted young singer-songwriter who must find her own voice.

SUNRISE BY THE SEA: A Little Beach Street Bakery Novel by Jenny Colgan (Fiction)
New York Times bestselling author Jenny Colgan returns to the setting of her beloved Little Beach Street Bakery series for a timely and heartfelt novel set in a Cornish seaside village.

WHAT A DOG KNOWS by Susan Wilson (Fiction)
From New York Times bestselling author Susan Wilson comes WHAT A DOG KNOWS, another heartwarming novel about humans and the dogs that change our lives.

THE WOMAN THEY COULD NOT SILENCE: One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men Who Tried to Make Her Disappear by Kate Moore (Biography)
From the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of THE RADIUM GIRLS comes another dark and dramatic but ultimately uplifting tale of a forgotten woman whose inspirational journey sparked lasting change for women's rights and exposed injustices that still resonate today.

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

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