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It’s been a busy week with the "less fun" things, like tons of paperwork, accounting and “oh dear, half the year is gone” organizing that filled my days. And we nailed some plans for the next few months. Our 25th anniversary is in August, and we are thinking of ways to celebrate this super big milestone. If you have ideas for us, let us know.
But the week also was time for a really fun event, and the launch of one of my favorite features!
Last night, we hosted our fifth "Bookaccino Live" Book Group event. Our guest was Julie Clark, whose most recent novel, THE LAST FLIGHT, is a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick that is now in paperback. As always, it was such fun to catch up with Julie as THE LAST FLIGHT was a favorite among our readers. Julie also shared news about her next book, which is coming next June. I'm not telling you anything else about it. You’ll have to watch or listen to our discussion to learn more. With so many people traveling for vacations, we too are going to give our "Bookaccino Live" Book Group event a two-month break and pick up in late September.
My latest “Bookreporter Talks To” interview is with Lauren Weisberger, the New York Times bestselling author of THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA. Her new novel, WHERE THE GRASS IS GREEN AND THE GIRLS ARE PRETTY, is about sisters, their perfect lives...and their perfect lies. Lauren, who channeled her close relationship with her sister as she wrote the book, talked to me about how far she was in her early draft before realizing that she'd have to start over with a different approach, while hoping for the male characters to be nice guys instead of villains. At the same time, she offered fascinating insight into her female characters and how their agency involves them making their own choices. Lauren is excited about the upcoming stage adaptation of THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, which she's been working on with Kevin McCollum and Elton John, the latter of whom is writing all the music. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast.
Our Virtual Vacation Reads Feature is Back!
With so many people unable to travel last summer due to the pandemic, we were inspired to create our Virtual Vacation Reads feature, which allowed readers to pay a virtual visit to various getaway locations with the help of some fabulous books. Thankfully the world is opening up again and travel plans are being made, but it’s always such fun to escape into the pages of a book and feel like you’ve been transported to another time and place. Thus we have decided to make Virtual Vacation Reads an annual feature! This year, you can virtually travel to Nantucket, Cape Cod, Malibu, the Catskills, Charleston, Palm Beach and so many other idyllic locales. All the titles here are hardcovers and paperbacks that have been published this year, or will be releasing in the weeks to come. Just like last year, we also have included links to indie bookstores that are at or near each of these locations, so you can pay them a virtual visit and do some shopping as well!
This week’s reviews include the following:
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DREAM GIRL: With echoes of MISERY, Laura Lippman’s latest psychological thriller is about a novelist, incapacitated by injury, who is plagued by mysterious phone calls.
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THE WOMAN THEY COULD NOT SILENCE: In our latest New Release Spotlight title, Kate Moore chronicles Elizabeth Packard's inspirational journey that sparked lasting change for women's rights and exposed injustices that still resonate today.
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SOMEBODY’S DAUGHTER: In this instant New York Times bestseller, debut memoirist Ashley C. Ford recounts the story of a childhood defined by the looming absence of her incarcerated father.
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SONGS IN URSA MAJOR: First-time novelist Emma Brodie has penned a love story of music, stardom, heartbreak and a gifted young singer-songwriter who must find her own voice. Paula McLain calls the book “sparklingly original. A drenching, delicious and impressive debut.”
I’m Betting You’ll Love…
My latest Bets On pick is MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS by Joshua Henkin, which is this month’s #1 Indie Next pick. Click here for my commentary. If you missed my interview with Josh, you can watch it here and listen to the podcast here.
Summer Reading Update
Our 24-hour Summer Reading contests resume next week. We are giving away THE FIANCÉE by Kate White, LADY SUNSHINE by Amy Mason Doan, and RUBY FALLS by Deborah Goodrich Royce. Our first contest of the week will go live on Tuesday, June 29th at noon ET.
Enter Our New Word of Mouth Contest
We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about. Let us know by Friday, July 9th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray (the #1 pick from readers who attended our June “Bookaccino Live” afternoon event), and SURVIVE THE NIGHT by Riley Sager, both of which release on Tuesday. We will feature our reviews of these highly anticipated novels in next week’s newsletter.
Vote in Our New Poll --- and Check Out Results from the Last Poll
Our latest poll asks if you pre-order books online or at bookstores, or reserve books at libraries. We asked this question back in February 2019 when it was a major topic of discussion at Winter Institute. Nearly 700 readers voted at the time, so we thought it would be a good idea to revisit this question to see how (or if) your pre-ordering habits have changed. Click here to let us know what you do.
Our previous poll asked about your social media habits. Which social media platforms do you use on a regular basis? Here are your top three preferences: Goodreads (70%), Facebook (66%), and Instagram (38%). And on which of the following social media platforms do you talk about or note the books that you are reading? Goodreads (62%), Facebook (39%), and Instagram (14%). Click here for all the results.
On Tuesday, June 29th at 7pm ET, Library Love Fest is hosting a virtual event featuring three authors who will talk about their upcoming books: Tamron Hall (AS THE WICKED WATCH: The First Jordan Manning Novel), Lori Rader-Day (DEATH AT GREENWAY), and Sarah MacLean (BOMBSHELL: A Hell's Belles Novel). Join them for a night of stories by and about strong women told through three genres: mystery, history and romance. You can sign up for the event here.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail: Ann wrote: “Thank you so much for the Rhubarb Dump Cake recipe. I am always looking for recipes to use the rhubarb I grow and this one was perfect!!! It was easy to make and delicious. My family liked it also. Please keep the great recipes coming.” Ann, read on for two more for you: Rhubarb Cream Cheese Hand Pies and Strawberry Rhubarb Pies.
"The Chi" on Showtime: Was the mayor really killed last week?
"Bosch" Season 7 on Amazon Prime: The final season kicks off today. Yes, this is yet another binge watch. And they are rebooting it on IGTV.
"The Bold Type" on Hulu: I binged four seasons and all the available episodes in the fifth. The self-control chip would not kick in. I enjoyed it, though season five is a stretch and I did not love the end of season four. And really, Jane is now going to be the Editor-in-Chief of Scarlet. Um...
Lady Boss: The Jackie Collins Story on CNN: I am planning to watch this on Sunday night at 9pm ET.
On Friday night, after I handed off this newsletter to Tom Donadio, I headed to the kitchen and made Rhubarb Cream Cheese Hand Pies. I had made the dough on Sunday, rhubarb filling on Monday, the cream cheese filling on Wednesday, and finally there was time to pull it all together after a hectic week. We highly recommend the results, but next time I may make it all in one day. We had some leftover filling, and the next day I got an idea to try it inside the dough that comes in those cans that pop out in the dairy section. I found one with big sheets. I made them like the hand pies. Next time I am going to roll them inside crescent dinner roll dough.
Last Saturday, I went on a quest for more rhubarb. The week before, it had been readily available at the farmers' market. Last weekend, there was nary a stalk to be found. Then I hit two supermarkets, and the produce managers looked at me like I had five heads. In the parking lot of one of them, I called Whole Foods and the produce manager said she had 6-7 stalks, but "none in the back." I hightailed it there and dashed to that section so quickly that people were quite taken aback. It was sad-looking rhubarb, the kind that I normally would have left on the shelf, but I whisked it out of there. I got home and started baking as the plan was two Strawberry Rhubarb Pies for Father’s Day --- one for dinner on Sunday and one for my dad. Here’s the recipe I used. Oh, and I did not make the crust. I made a last-ditch stop at Trader Joe’s looking for more rhubarb, but instead scored pie crust shells.
I gave Tom a copy of SOOLEY by John Grisham for Father’s Day. Amusingly he posed with it like I hold the books in photos for our “Bookreporter Talks To” videos. And yes, there were as many outtakes of this as ones that they shoot of me. Very funny moment.
On Sunday, we picked up a bushel of Georgia peaches, which have been just fabulous. We gave some away to friends…it was like Trick or Treat here at the house: “Here, take a peach.” They are so delicious on their own that I am not sure I want to bake with them, but there are many and they are calling to me to do something amazing. And we have another bushel on order for July!
Tom and our friend TK got so much more done with the decks and outdoor living areas this week. Of course, this project is some version of “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie,” as once one project is done, another comes along as something else needs sprucing up. I have vowed to stay out of ANY garden centers this weekend, as I have zero self-control. I want some more perennials, but I am going to wait for that four-letter word: sale! The tubes are blown up; it’s time for floating and reading…FINALLY.
Tonight for dinner, we are planning flatbread pizzas and scheming what goes on them. I am smiling thinking of that. I hope you find your version of what makes you happy this weekend.
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: DREAM GIRL by Laura Lippman
DREAM GIRL by Laura Lippman (Psychological Thriller/Horror)
Audiobook available, read by Jason Culp
Injured in a freak fall, novelist Gerry Andersen is confined to a hospital bed in his glamorous high-rise apartment, dependent on two women he barely knows: his incurious young assistant, and a dull, slow-witted night nurse. Then late one night, the phone rings. The caller claims to be the “real” Aubrey, the alluring title character from his most successful novel, Dream Girl. But there is no real Aubrey. Could the cryptic caller be one of his three ex-wives playing a vindictive trick after all these years? Or is she Margot, an ex-girlfriend who keeps trying to insinuate her way back into Gerry’s life? Aubrey is threatening to visit him, suggesting that she is owed something. Is the threat real, or is it a sign of dementia? Reviewed by Megan Elliott.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review:
THE WOMAN THEY COULD NOT SILENCE by Kate Moore Our Latest New Release Spotlight Title
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)
Audiobook available, read by Kate Moore
1860: As the clash between the states rolls slowly to a boil, Elizabeth Packard is facing her own battle. 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. One summer morning, Theophilus has her committed to an insane asylum. The conditions inside the Illinois State Hospital in Jacksonville, Illinois, are horrific, and 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. No one is willing to fight for their freedom, and 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. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
- 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 our review.
Click here to read more in our New Release Spotlight.
Bookreporter.com’s 2021 Virtual Vacation Reads:
Books Set in Getaway Locations
Bookreporter has a way for you to virtually travel with our list of books set in vacation locales. Escape to idyllic spots like Nantucket, Cape Cod, Malibu, the Catskills, Charleston and Palm Beach --- along with many others --- in our 2021 Virtual Vacation Reads feature. Pick your book(s) to embark on the summer vacation you've been dreaming of. You’ll only have to figure out how to send postcards!
Please note: For your convenience, we have organized these books both by location and alphabetically by title. We also have included links to indie bookstores that are at or near each of these locations, so you can pay them a virtual visit as well! May we suggest that you buy these books from them?
Click here to see our 2021 Virtual Vacation Reads feature.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS by Joshua Henkin
MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS by Joshua Henkin (Fiction)
When I saw that Joshua Henkin had a new book coming out, MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS, I was excited. That was last year; it was held because of the pandemic, and I kept it on my shelf to read it closer to its release. And I am so glad I did since I wanted to be sure that the details in it were fresh come publication time, which is now upon us.
When the book opens, it’s 1976 and Pru Steiner is taking a class with Spence Robin, a young Shakespeare professor, who is quickly making a name for himself. Their relationship moves from professional to personal in no time, and eventually they marry. It’s all quick but feels perfect. Spence is the pride of the university; he is renowned and beloved. Three decades pass when Pru begins to notice that something is off with Spence.
- 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 Joshua Henkin.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary.
Featured Review: SOMEBODY’S DAUGHTER
by Ashley C. Ford
SOMEBODY'S DAUGHTER: A Memoir by Ashley C. Ford (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Ashley C. Ford
Through poverty, adolescence and a fraught relationship with her mother, Ashley Ford wishes she could turn to her father for hope and encouragement. But he’s in prison, and she doesn’t know what he did to end up there. She doesn’t know how to deal with the incessant worries that keep her up at night, or how to handle the changes in her body that draw unwanted attention from men. In her search for unconditional love, Ashley begins dating a boy her mother hates. When the relationship turns sour, he assaults her. Still reeling from the rape, Ashley desperately searches for meaning in the chaos. Then her grandmother reveals the truth about her father’s incarceration…and Ashley’s entire world is turned upside down. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review:
SONGS IN URSA MAJOR by Emma Brodie
SONGS IN URSA MAJOR by Emma Brodie (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Kristen Sieh
The year is 1969, and the Bayleen Island Folk Fest is abuzz with one name: Jesse Reid. Jesse’s intricate guitar riffs and supple baritone are poised to tip from fame to legend with this one headlining performance. That is, until his motorcycle crashes on the way to the show. Jane Quinn and her bandmates are asked to play in his place at the festival, and Jane delivers the performance of a lifetime. Jesse stays on the island to recover and strikes up a friendship with Jane, which soon turns into a passionate love affair. When Jane stumbles on the dark secret beneath Jesse’s music, she must reckon with the shadows of her own past. What follows is the birth of one of the most iconic albums of all time. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com's 17th Annual
Summer Reading Contests and Feature
Summer is here! At Bookreporter.com, this means it's time for us to share some great summer book picks with our Summer Reading Contests and Feature. We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through 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:
Click here to read all the contest details and learn more about our prize books.
What’s New This Month on ReadingGroupGuides.com
We currently have two contests running on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
Special Contest: Win Up to 10 Advance Copies of THE HUSBANDS for Your Group and Share Your Comments on It --- Plus an Opportunity to Chat with Author 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. Enter here by Wednesday, July 7th at noon ET.
"What's Your Book Group Reading This Month?" Contest: Win Up to 12 Copies of THE WOMAN THEY COULD NOT SILENCE by Kate Moore for Your Group
Each month in our "What's Your Book Group Reading This Month" contest, we ask book groups to share the titles they are reading that month and rate them. From all entries, three winners will be selected, and each will win up to 12 copies of that month’s prize book for their group. Our latest prize book is THE WOMAN THEY COULD NOT SILENCE: One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men Who Tried to Make Her Disappear. Kate Moore, the bestselling author of THE RADIUM GIRLS, has written 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. Enter here by Wednesday, July 7th at noon ET.
Here are our latest featured guides:
Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:
Click here to visit ReadingGroupGuides.com.
From left to right: Kate White, Riley Sager, Francine Prose
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.
Monday, June 28th at 8pm ET: Loyalty Bookstores: Loyalty is thrilled to welcome Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray for a special pre-launch celebration of their new book, THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN.
Tuesday, June 29th at 7pm ET: Doylestown Bookshop: Kate White will discuss her new novel, THE FIANCÉE, a page-turning thriller about a captivating but cunning woman who threatens to upend the picture-perfect lives of the family she’s about to join, with debut author Wanda M. Morris.
Tuesday, June 29th at 7pm ET: Library Love Fest: Join Library Love Fest for a night of stories by and about strong women told through three genres: mystery, history and romance. In the spotlight are Tamron Hall (AS THE WICKED WATCH), Lori Rader-Day (DEATH AT GREENWAY) and Sarah MacLean (BOMBSHELL).
Tuesday, June 29th at 8pm ET: Murder By The Book: Riley Sager will be in conversation with Crime By The Book's Abby Endler about his new thriller, SURVIVE THE NIGHT.
Tuesday, June 29th at 8pm ET: Titcomb's Book Shop: Titcomb's welcomes Kate Moore for a discussion of her latest book, THE WOMAN THEY COULD NOT SILENCE.
Wednesday, June 30th at 7pm ET: Books & Books: Books & Books presents a virtual event with Lisa Taddeo, author of ANIMAL. Lisa will be in conversation with Elin Hilderbrand, whose latest novel is GOLDEN GIRL.
Wednesday, June 30th at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors --- Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Patti Callahan Henry and Mary Alice Monroe --- will talk to Kristan Higgins (PACK UP THE MOON) and Colleen Oakley (THE INVISIBLE HUSBAND OF FRICK ISLAND).
Wednesday, June 30th at 7pm ET: Hudson Library & Historical Society: The Hudson Library & Historical Society will host a live virtual streaming event with Kate White, author of THE FIANCÉE.
Wednesday, June 30th at 9pm ET: {pages} a bookstore: {pages} is pleased to present Joshua Henkin, author of MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS, for a virtual event. Joshua will be in conversation with Rachel Beanland, author of FLORENCE ADLER SWIMS FOREVER.
Wednesday, June 30th at 9pm ET: Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Riley Sager will discuss his latest novel, SURVIVE THE NIGHT, with special guest host May Cobb.
Thursday, July 1st at 7pm ET: Avon Free Public Library: Join Kate White for a virtual event celebrating her riveting new stand-alone thriller, THE FIANCÉE.
Thursday, July 1st at 7pm ET: Bookmarks: Let's Talk Historical Fiction is back! Bookmarks will be exploring the popular genre of historical fiction with Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray (THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN) and Chanel Cleeton (THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL IN CUBA).
Thursday, July 1st at 7pm ET: Reads & Company: Reads & Company and libraries from across the Chester County Library System have joined forces to host Riley Sager, author of SURVIVE THE NIGHT, for a virtual in-conversation event with Jeffery Deaver.
Thursday, July 1st at 9pm ET: Elliott Bay Book Company: Francine Prose will read from and discuss her new novel, THE VIXEN, with novelist Margot Livesey.
"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:
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Lauren Weisberger (WHERE THE GRASS IS GREEN AND THE GIRLS ARE PRETTY) Video | Podcast
Other authors we've interviewed include:
Upcoming interviews include:
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Elizabeth Brundage (THE VANISHING POINT)
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Christina Clancy (SHOULDER SEASON)
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Alex Michaelides (THE MAIDENS)
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T. J. Newman (FALLING)
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Dianna Rostad (YOU BELONG HERE NOW)
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Scott Shepherd (THE LAST COMMANDMENT: An Austin Grant of Scotland Yard Novel)
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Kate White (THE FIANCÉE)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: An Ali Reynolds Mystery by J.A. Jance (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Karen Ziemba
Mateo Vega, a one-time employee of Ali Reynolds' husband, B. Simpson, has spent the last 16 years of his life behind bars. According to the courts, he murdered his girlfriend. But Mateo knows that her real killer is still on the loose. After Mateo is granted parole, Stu Ramey of High Noon Enterprises asks him to work for B. once again. Just as Mateo starts his new job, though, a deadbeat tenant who is in arrears has just fled, and tech expert Cami Lee has gone missing. As Ali races to both find a connection between the two disappearances and help Mateo clear his name with the help of PI J.P. Beaumont, tragedy strikes in her personal life, and she must thread the needle between good and evil before it’s too late. Reviewed by Roz Shea.
BLUSH by Jamie Brenner (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Julia Whelan
For decades, the Hollander Estates winery has been the premier destination for lavish parties and romantic day trips on the North Fork of Long Island. But behind the lush vineyards and majestic estate house, the Hollander family fortunes have suffered, and the threat of a sale brings old wounds to the surface. For matriarch Vivian, she fears that selling their winery to strangers could expose a dark secret she's harbored for decades. Meanwhile, her daughter, Leah, finds her marriage at a crossroads and returns home for a sorely needed escape. And granddaughter Sadie runs to the vineyard looking for inspiration. But when Sadie uncovers journals from Vivian's old book club dedicated to scandalous novels of decades past, she realizes that this might be the distraction they all need. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
FILTHY ANIMALS by Brandon Taylor (Fiction/Short Stories)
Audiobook available; read by Kevin R. Free, Nicole Lewis and TL Thompson
In the series of linked stories at the heart of FILTHY ANIMALS, set among young creatives in the American Midwest, a young man treads delicate emotional waters as he navigates a series of sexually fraught encounters with two dancers in an open relationship, forcing him to weigh his vulnerabilities against his loneliness. In other stories, a young woman battles with the cancers draining her body and her family; menacing undercurrents among a group of teenagers explode in violence on a winter night; a little girl tears through a house like a tornado, driving her babysitter to the brink; and couples feel out the jagged edges of connection, comfort and cruelty. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
HOSTAGE by Clare Mackintosh (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Vinette Robinson
Mina is trying to focus on her job as a flight attendant, not the problems with her five-year-old daughter back home or the fissures in her marriage. But the plane has barely taken off when Mina receives a chilling note from an anonymous passenger, someone intent on ensuring the plane never reaches its destination: "The following instructions will save your daughter's life..." Someone needs Mina's assistance and knows exactly how to make her comply. When one passenger is killed and then another, Mina knows she must act. But which lives does she save: Her passengers...or her own daughter and husband who are in grave distress back at home? Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE CHOSEN AND THE BEAUTIFUL by Nghi Vo (Historical Fantasy)
Audiobook available, read by Natalie Naudus
Jordan Baker grows up in the most rarefied circles of 1920s American society. She has money, education, a killer golf handicap, and invitations to some of the most exclusive parties of the Jazz Age. She’s also queer and Asian, a Vietnamese adoptee treated as an exotic attraction by her peers, while the most important doors remain closed to her. But the world is full of wonders: infernal pacts and dazzling illusions, lost ghosts and elemental mysteries. In all paper is fire, and Jordan can burn the cut paper heart out of a man. She just has to learn how. Reviewed by Maya Gittelman.
THE KILLING HILLS by Chris Offutt (Literary Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by George Newbern
Mick Hardin, a combat veteran now working as an Army CID agent, is home on a leave that is almost done. His wife is about to give birth, but they aren’t getting along. His sister, newly risen to sheriff, has just landed her first murder case, and local politicians are pushing for city police or the FBI to take the case. Are they convinced she can’t handle it, or is there something else at work? She calls on Mick who, with his homicide investigation experience and familiarity with the terrain, is well-suited to staying under the radar. As he delves into the investigation, he dodges his commanding officer’s increasingly urgent calls while attempting to head off further murders. And he needs to talk to his wife. Reviewed by Lorraine W. Shanley.
THE ROAD TRIP by Beth O'Leary (Romantic Comedy)
Audiobook available, read by Josh Dylan and Eleanor Tomlinson
Four years ago, Dylan and Addie fell in love under the Provence sun. Two years ago, their relationship officially ended. They haven’t spoken since. Today, Dylan’s and Addie’s lives collide again. It’s the day before Dylan’s friend Cherry’s wedding, and Addie and Dylan crash cars at the start of the journey there. The car Dylan was driving is wrecked. So, along with Dylan’s best friend, Addie’s sister, and a random guy on Facebook who needed a ride, they squeeze into a space-challenged Mini and set off across Britain. Cramped into the same space, Dylan and Addie are forced to confront the choices they made that tore them apart --- and ask themselves if that final decision was the right one after all. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
PALACE OF THE DROWNED by Christine Mangan (Literary/Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Emily Pennant-Rea
It’s 1966, and Frankie Croy retreats to her friend’s vacant palazzo in Venice. Years have passed since the initial success of Frankie’s debut novel, and she has spent her career trying to live up to the expectations. Now, after a particularly scathing review of her most recent work, she needs to recharge and get re-inspired. Then Gilly appears. A precocious young admirer eager to make friends, Gilly seems determined to insinuate herself into Frankie’s solitary life. But there’s something about the young woman that gives Frankie pause. How much of what Gilly tells her is the truth? As a series of lies and revelations emerge, the lives of these two women will be tragically altered as the catastrophic 1966 flooding of Venice ravages the city. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
WHAT'S DONE IN DARKNESS by Laura McHugh (Literary Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Jennifer Sun Bell
Seventeen-year-old Sarabeth has become increasingly rebellious since her parents found God and moved their family to a remote Arkansas farmstead. She’s all but given up on escaping the farm when a masked man appears one summer morning and snatches her out of the cornfield. A week after her abduction, she’s found alongside a highway, but her family treats her like she’s tainted. There’s little hope of finding her captor, who kept Sarabeth blindfolded in the dark, never uttering a word. Five years later, Sarabeth is struggling to keep her past buried when investigator Nick Farrow calls. Convinced that her case is connected to the strikingly similar disappearance of another young girl, Farrow wants Sarabeth’s help. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE BOMBAY PRINCE: A Mystery of 1920s India by Sujata Massey (Historical Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Sneha Mathan
November 1921. Edward VIII, Prince of Wales and future ruler of India, is arriving in Bombay to begin a four-month tour. The Indian subcontinent is chafing under British rule, and Bombay solicitor Perveen Mistry isn’t surprised when local unrest over the royal arrival spirals into riots. But she’s horrified by the death of Freny Cuttingmaster, an 18-year-old female Parsi student, who falls from a second-floor gallery just as the prince’s grand procession is passing by her college. Freny had come for a legal consultation just days before her death, and what she confided makes Perveen suspicious that her death was not an accident. Reviewed by Carly Silver.
WHAT A DOG KNOWS by Susan Wilson (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Christina Delaine
Ruby Heartwood, a traveling psychic, has always lived a life on the move. One night, when she is camped by the side of the road, a fierce thunder and lightning storm erupts. In the middle of the downpour, she hears a distinct voice telling her to "let me in." In jumps a little black and white dog, and to Ruby's astonishment, she can hear the dog's thoughts. She decides to set up semi-permanent residency in the town of Harmony Farms, until she can sort out what is going on, and who the dog, Hitch, belongs to. But some people in Harmony Farms don't want her there. And it seems that events keep preventing Ruby from leaving. What secrets is this town keeping? Why was she meant to find this dog? Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
STAR EATER by Kerstin Hall (Fantasy)
Audiobook available, read by Samara Naeymi
Elfreda Raughn will avoid pregnancy if it kills her, and one way or another, it will kill her. Though she’s able to stomach her gruesome day-to-day duties, the reality of preserving the Sisterhood of Aytrium’s magical bloodline horrifies her. She wants out, whatever the cost. So when a shadowy faction approaches Elfreda with an offer of escape, she leaps at the opportunity. As their spy, she gains access to the highest reaches of the Sisterhood, and enters a glittering world of opulent parties, subtle deceptions and unexpected bloodshed. Reviewed by Katherine B. Weissman.
Next Week's Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on June 29th
Below are some notable titles releasing on June 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 June 28th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
THE FIANCÉE by Kate White (Psychological Thriller)
New York Times bestselling author Kate White returns with a riveting thriller about a captivating but cunning woman who joins a family and threatens to upend their picture-perfect lives.
HELL OF A BOOK by Jason Mott (Fiction)
This astounding work of fiction from New York Times bestselling author Jason Mott goes to the heart of racism, police violence and the hidden costs exacted upon Black Americans, and America as a whole.
THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray (Historical Fiction)
This is the remarkable story of J. P. Morgan’s personal librarian, Belle da Costa Greene, the Black American woman who was forced to hide her true identity and pass as white to leave a lasting legacy that enriched our nation.
ROCK THE BOAT by Beck Dorey-Stein (Fiction)
Old friends discover how much has changed (and how much has stayed the same) when they reunite in their seaside hometown for one unforgettable summer.
STEALTH ATTACK: A Jonathan Grave Thriller by John Gilstrap (Political Thriller)
Black Ops veteran Jonathan Grave is back and pursuing two missing American teens kidnapped and hidden in Mexico’s dark underworld…where he finds himself caught in the center of a vendetta he never expected.
SURVIVE THE NIGHT by Riley Sager (Psychological Thriller)
It’s November 1991. Nirvana is in the tape deck, George H. W. Bush is in the White House, and movie-obsessed college student Charlie Jordan is in a car with a man who might be a serial killer.
THE VIXEN by Francine Prose (Historical Fiction)
Francine Prose returns with a dazzling new novel set in the glamorous world of 1950s New York publishing, the story of a young man tasked with editing a steamy bodice-ripper based on the recent trial and execution of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg --- an assignment that will reveal the true cost of entering that seductive, dangerous new world.
WHEN STARS COLLIDE: A Chicago Stars Novel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (Mystery/Romance)
#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Elizabeth Phillips returns to her beloved Chicago Stars series with a romance between a Chicago Stars quarterback and one of the world’s greatest opera singers --- and a major diva.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
Our Latest Poll: Pre-ordering and Reserving Books
Do you pre-order books online or at bookstores, or reserve books at libraries? Please check all that apply.
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I pre-order books online all the time.
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I pre-order books by favorite authors online as soon as I hear about them.
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I pre-order books online that I read about, even if I am not familiar with the author.
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I sometimes pre-order books online, depending on how excited I am to read them.
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I never pre-order books online.
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I pre-order books from my local bookstore all the time.
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I pre-order books by favorite authors from my local bookstore all the time.
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I pre-order books from my local bookstore that I read about, even if I am not familiar with the author.
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I sometimes pre-order books from my local bookstore, depending on how excited I am to read them.
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I never pre-order books from my local bookstore, but this would be a good idea.
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I am not interested in pre-ordering books from my local bookstore.
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There is no indie bookstore near my home.
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I reserve books from the library all the time.
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I reserve books from the library months before the books come out.
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I sometimes reserve books from the library, depending on how excited I am to read them.
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I never reserve books from the library.
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, July 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 June 25th to July 9th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray and SURVIVE THE NIGHT by Riley Sager.
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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