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Joe Hartlaub has been our Senior Writer and our beloved mystery/thriller/crime book reviewer since 1997 (just one year after Bookreporter launched). After 24 years and over 3,000(!) reviews, Joe has decided to step away from his role while he is "still at the top of his game." He let us know about his decision in May as he wanted to make sure we had at least three months' notice, which we so appreciated. We will miss him dearly as he has been part of the heart and soul of Bookreporter for over two decades. But we are so happy for him as he turns the page on a brand-new chapter in his life. His plan is to have “no deadlines,” and after years of meeting deadlines with typically three or four reviews each week, we understand and respect this goal.
To celebrate his long and impressive run with us, we have asked a number of authors whose books Joe has reviewed frequently to share a few words about him, as well as some publishing professionals who have known him for many years. Their tributes are here, and there also are reflections from me and our Editorial Director, Tom Donadio. As you can see, they love Joe just as much as we do and have appreciated his insightful and spot-on reviews.
Those who are close to Joe know that he loves wearing hats, favoring fedoras but sporting the pork pie hat on occasion as well. So it’s only fitting that we say “Hats off!” to Joe for a job well done as he looks forward to his much-deserved retirement.
This week we are featuring Joe’s final review, MY HEART IS A CHAINSAW by Stephen Graham Jones, which you can check out here. Also, Joe will be celebrating a milestone birthday tomorrow, September 11th. If you would like to send him birthday wishes and congratulate him on his retirement, feel free to drop him a note. I am sure this is one time he would not mind having a full inbox!
My latest “Bookreporter Talks To” interview is with Naomi Hirahara, the Edgar Award-winning author of the Mas Arai series. Her latest stand-alone mystery, CLARK AND DIVISION, is a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. I loved it and learned so much reading it while also enjoying her storytelling.
Twenty-year-old Aki Ito and her parents have just been released from Manzanar, where they have been detained by the US government since the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, together with thousands of other Japanese Americans. The life in California the Itos were forced to leave behind is gone; instead, they are being resettled 2,000 miles away in Chicago, where Aki’s older sister, Rose, was sent months earlier and moved to the new Japanese American neighborhood near Clark and Division streets. But on the eve of the Ito family’s reunion, Rose is killed by a subway train, and officials are ruling it a suicide. Aki’s instinct tells her there is much more to the story, and she knows she is the only person who could ever learn the truth.
In our interview, Naomi explains the research she conducted to tell this story and how her nonfiction research on Japanese Americans inspires her fiction. She also talks about her trip to Chicago, where she walked the streets of Clark and Division to absorb details shared in her writing. CLARK AND DIVISION is so different from most World War II novels, and we emphasize how perfect it would be for book club discussions. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast.
Our Fiction Author Spotlight kicks off this week for IN EVERY MIRROR SHE’S BLACK by Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström, which is now in stores and will be a Bets On selection. The book revolves around three Black women who are linked in unexpected ways to the same influential white man in Stockholm. Successful marketing executive Kemi Adeyemi is lured from the U.S. to Sweden by Jonny von Lundin, CEO of the nation's largest marketing firm, to help fix a PR fiasco involving a racially tone-deaf campaign. A chance meeting with Jonny in business class en route to the U.S. propels former model-turned-flight-attendant Brittany-Rae Johnson into a life of wealth, luxury and privilege as the object of his unhealthy obsession. And refugee Muna Saheed, who lost her entire family, finds a job cleaning the toilets at Jonny's office as she works to establish her residency in Sweden, all while seeking connection and a place she can call home.
We have our review of the book from Megan Elliott, who says, “Åkerström, a Nigerian-American travel writer who currently lives in Sweden, resists any temptation to force her characters together into a mutually supportive trio of friendship. Instead, they remain largely isolated from each other…. Muna, Kemi and Brittany may be of the same race, but their wildly different experiences, attitudes and goals separate them in important ways. Åkerström lets each woman's story play out in its own sobering way, as each gradually comes to terms with the gap between their imagined life in Sweden and their day-to-day reality.” I look forward to chatting with Lolá next week; we plan to feature our interview and my Bets On commentary in next Friday’s newsletter.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
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A SLOW FIRE BURNING: Paula Hawkins’ latest thriller, which will be a Bets On pick, is a gripping and twisting story of deceit, murder and revenge. When a young man is found gruesomely murdered in a London houseboat, it triggers questions about three women who knew him. Find out why I’m betting you’ll love this book in next week’s newsletter.
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MATRIX: Lauren Groff’s first novel since 2015’s FATES AND FURIES, which is this month’s Barnes & Noble Book Club selection and a #1 Indie Next pick, is a defiant and timely exploration of the raw power of female creativity in a corrupted world. On Tuesday, October 12th at 3pm ET, B&N will host a virtual event featuring Groff. Click here to register.
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FORGOTTEN IN DEATH: In the 53rd installment of J. D. Robb’s In Death series, homicide detective Eve Dallas must enter a complex world of real estate development, family history, shady deals and shocking secrets to find justice for two women whose lives were thrown away.
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BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY: Qian Julie Wang’s memoir, which is this month’s “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club pick, puts readers in the shoes of an undocumented child living in poverty in the richest country in the world. Jenna says, “When it comes to widely debated issues such as immigration, it is one thing to listen to pundits speak their opinions, but it is another to read the real details of a little girl’s experience growing up as an undocumented immigrant in the U.S. It is one of those remarkable books that stays with you long after you’ve finished reading it.”
Announcing This Year’s Fall Preview Feature
Our Fall Preview feature is back for an 11th year! On select days in September and October, we will spotlight a different title and offer a 24-hour contest to win five copies of the book. We also will be sending a special newsletter to announce each day's title. If you have not done so already, you can sign up here to receive these dedicated newsletters. We kick off this year’s contests by giving away THE INHERITANCE by JoAnn Ross, THE RIVIERA HOUSE by Natasha Lester, and ROCK PAPER SCISSORS by Alice Feeney (more on the latter in a bit). The first contest will go live on Tuesday, September 14th at noon ET.
Quick Takes on Regular Features
Our New in Paperback roundups are now available for September. We’re featuring paperback reprints from such bestselling authors as David Baldacci (A GAMBLING MAN), Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke (PIECE OF MY HEART), Jodi Picoult (THE BOOK OF TWO WAYS), Elena Ferrante (THE LYING LIFE OF ADULTS), and Alice Hoffman (MAGIC LESSONS); nonfiction titles, including HIS TRUTH IS MARCHING ON by Jon Meacham, TALKING TO STRANGERS by Malcolm Gladwell, and THIS TIME NEXT YEAR WE’LL BE LAUGHING by Jacqueline Winspear; and paperback originals like CATCH US WHEN WE FALL by Juliette Fay and MISS KOPP INVESTIGATES by Amy Stewart.
We’ve also updated our Books on Screen feature for this month. September's roundup includes the season two premieres of "The Morning Show" on Apple TV+ and "Big Sky" on ABC; the series debuts of Peacock's "Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol," Showtime's "American Rust" and Netflix's "The Chestnut Man"; the films Dear Evan Hansen, Cinderella, Cry Macho and Worth; and the DVD releases of Black Widow and Cruella.
It was announced this week that L.A. WEATHER by María Amparo Escandón is September’s Reese’s Book Club pick. Here’s what Reese has to say about the book: “Author María Amparo Escandón takes us to sunny Los Angeles where a dry spell creates a perfect storm for the Alvarado family. This story beautifully weaves together the theme of family and uses weather as a metaphor to peel back the curtain on the layered lives of three sisters and their parents. There’s a 100% chance you’ll be paging through this book to uncover the secrets and deception that could potentially burn everything down!”
This month’s “Good Morning America” Book Club pick is SEVERAL PEOPLE ARE TYPING, a debut novel by Calvin Kasulke, who tells “GMA,” “Even though the book is written entirely in Slack chats, you don’t need to ever have used Slack or to even really know what Slack is to read this book. If you’ve ever sent a text message or DM or been in a group chat, you’re totally gonna get this."
For more September selections, including the Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, see our “Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks” feature here.
Enter Our New Word of Mouth Contest
Our latest Word of Mouth prizes are APPLES NEVER FALL by Liane Moriarty (more on this later) and BEAUTIFUL WORLD, WHERE ARE YOU by Sally Rooney. Let us know by Friday, September 24th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win both these titles.
Vote in Our New Poll --- and Check Out Results from the Last Poll
Our new poll asks which of 30 fiction titles releasing in September you are planning to read. Click here to let us know. There are lots of big books coming out this month that you will want on your radar!
In honor of our 25th anniversary, our previous poll asked how long you’ve been a Bookreporter reader. Here’s a peek at the results: 5-10 years (29%) 11-15 years (21%), 16-20 years (15%), 21-25 years (15%, 8% of whom have been with us since 1996). Click here for the full breakdown. It is so great to hear about the 8% who have been visitors of the site from the very beginning!
We were saddened to hear that Caroline Todd, who wrote with her son Charles under the pseudonym Charles Todd, passed away on August 28th. You know them as the award-winning authors of two historical mystery series: one featuring Inspector Ian Rutledge, the other starring Bess Crawford, and both taking place during World War I. Ray Palen has reviewed many of Charles Todd’s books for us and has written a lovely tribute to Caroline, who he had the honor of meeting a while back. I was lucky enough to be seated next to Caroline at a dinner in Philadelphia a few years ago. She was just lovely and a fabulous conversation companion.
This is your last weekly newsletter reminder to sign up for this month’s “Bookaccino Live” afternoon event, which will take place this Wednesday, September 15th at 2pm ET. I will present a number of titles releasing between September 14th and October 5th, along with a few from November, that we are especially excited about. Please keep in mind that attendees of the live event will be invited to answer a survey about the books from the presentation that they are most interested in reading. Those who do will be eligible to win a prize! Be sure to register here by 1pm ET on Wednesday the 15th, and we will send you a list of the featured titles before the event.
Tomorrow will be the 20th anniversary of September 11th, a day that rushes way too many sad memories over me. My early remembrance that day was that the sky was so very blue. I learned later that the sky was what is called “severe clear”; I have never seen a sky that blue before or after. I remember swimming early that morning and thinking, "Wow, it’s going to be a great day." So many great things were happening at The Book Report; we had just celebrated our fifth anniversary, we were launching a few new author websites that morning, and I was heading into the city to a press conference at the Rainbow Room for Jack Welch’s book, JACK: STRAIGHT FROM THE GUT. We had built the website for the book, and I stayed home to watch his interview with Matt Lauer on "Today," which was also a cue for us to add an excerpt from the book to the website. And then on the drive in, the world fell apart.
I have been listening to THE ONLY PLANE IN THE SKY by Garrett M. Graff, which is brought to life by a 45-person cast. It is “the first comprehensive oral history of September 11, 2001 --- a panoramic narrative woven from voices on the front lines of an unprecedented national trauma.” It opens on September 10th and sets the stage with people’s everyday moments. One woman, an art student who was a filmmaker and had a space to work at in the World Trade Center, filmed a wild thunderstorm the night before the attack and describes that footage, and then received a call from her husband to meet up with him. She placed the footage in a wooden film cabinet that she thought would be a safe space where no one would find it. And then the next day happened, and that footage was lost. Slices like that make this book special, and it’s really resonating with me as an audio listen.
THE DAY THE WORLD CAME TO TOWN by Jim DeFede is one of my favorite books, and longtime readers have heard me mention it on this anniversary. It’s about the people of Gander, Newfoundland, who found themselves hosting people from around the world as their international flights were grounded that day. It’s one very uplifting story and has much the same theme as the Broadway show "Come From Away."
And the day also reminds me of Paul Simon at the 10th Anniversary Commemoration when he sang "The Sound of Silence," as he made a last-minute change from his previous plan to sing "Bridge Over Troubled Water." You can hear and see some pure emotion here.
Take a moment tomorrow to pause and reflect.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
We received lots of nice comments about our 25th Anniversary video. And thanks to all of you who wrote Tom directly; he was delighted to hear from you. Here are some reader notes about the anniversary and more.
Marilyn wrote, "Congratulations! I’m rather new to your site and positively overwhelmed!!! So glad I found you!"
Susan wrote, “Dear Carol, thank you for the wonderful 25 years of Bookreporter! I wish you another great 25 years!"
Jeanne wrote, “I absolutely love your Summer Reading newsletter and reading about all the upcoming new releases. It gives me something to look forward to, especially as we are still struggling with the pandemic. I love submitting my book reviews for a chance to win some great new releases. You are hands down my favorite newsletter. Thank you!"
“Being James Bond” on Apple TV+: Anything with Daniel Craig works for me. And my husband is very aware of this!
“Ted Lasso” on Apple TV+: I am enjoying it, but I liked it more when I watched season one as all episodes already had dropped.
Our break was nice, but I have to say that I could have used a week off without a hurricane. Yes, Ida swooped through mid-week and definitely dampened things a lot. I cannot believe how hard it rained and how much destruction was wrought in a very short time. I never got into my usual kickback zone until around Friday. Earlier in the week, my friend Annmarie, who I met via the site, came for lunch and spent a really fun six hours talking books and life. On her way out, a comment about one of my husband’s cars led to our figuring out that her brother has been a longtime friend of my husband’s. A small-world moment that I loved!
At the end of the week, I had finished just one book --- the aforementioned IN EVERY MIRROR SHE’S BLACK --- and I was staring at a huge pile that I was dying to read with sad eyes since I knew there was no way I was going to get time to enjoy them all. I was way, way off my book-a-day pace.
The sky was blue, and I headed outside with the aforementioned ROCK PAPER SCISSORS by Alice Feeney, and I loved it. Yes, it will be a Bets On pick. Then it was on to the aforementioned APPLES NEVER FALL by Liane Moriarty. Now I confess that I never finished NINE PERFECT STRANGERS, so I was not sure that she was going to nail it with her new one, but oh she so did. On Sunday, Tom wanted to run some errands, but I said, “One hundred more pages and we can go!” It, too, will be a Bets On selection.
I had heard good things about MRS. MARCH by Virginia Feito, so I jumped on reading that next. It’s a tightly written story where I quickly dropped into the character’s head, with all her quirkiness. I see why our reviewer Kate Ayers said, “MRS. MARCH raises as many questions as it answers. But by the last sentence, it answers one very big one. It’s a doozy, too.” From there, I started THE NIGHT SHE DISAPPEARED by Lisa Jewell. I have about 100 pages to go, and I have no guesses as to how it is going to end!
So yes, I could have used another week reading in the Cleopatra tent, but summer is not over yet. Look at the calendar! I have two more weekends still to go!
Friends are coming tomorrow night for dinner, and I am vowing to keep it simple so I can read all day. Greg is in Vancouver visiting friends and touring Vancouver Island after a few days of “work from away,” which he is mastering during the pandemic. At some point I will get to kayak with Cory; our plans over the vacation were thwarted.
Read on, and have a great week. And to those celebrating Yom Kippur next week, have a good fast.
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 SLOW FIRE BURNING by Paula Hawkins
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Pick
A SLOW FIRE BURNING by Paula Hawkins (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Rosamund Pike
When a young man is found gruesomely murdered in a London houseboat, it triggers questions about three women who knew him. Laura is the troubled one-night-stand last seen in the victim’s home. Carla is his grief-stricken aunt, already mourning the recent death of yet another family member. And Miriam is the nosy neighbor clearly keeping secrets from the police. Three women with separate connections to the victim. Three women who are --- for different reasons --- simmering with resentment. When it comes to revenge, even good people might be capable of terrible deeds. How far might any one of them go to find peace? How long can secrets smolder before they explode into flame? Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
Click here to read our review.
A SLOW FIRE BURNING will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's commentary in next week's newsletter.
Featured Review: MATRIX by Lauren Groff
September’s Barnes & Noble Book Club Pick
MATRIX by Lauren Groff (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Adjoa Andoh
Cast out of the royal court by Eleanor of Aquitaine, deemed too coarse and rough-hewn for marriage or courtly life, 17-year-old Marie de France is sent to England to be the new prioress of an impoverished abbey, its nuns on the brink of starvation and beset by disease. At first taken aback by the severity of her new life, Marie finds focus and love in collective life with her singular and mercurial sisters. Born the last in a long line of female warriors and crusaders, Marie is determined to chart a bold new course for the women she now leads and protects. But in a world that is shifting and corroding in frightening ways, one that can never reconcile itself with her existence, will the sheer force of Marie’s vision be bulwark enough? Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
» On Tuesday, October 12th at 3pm ET, Lauren Groff will talk about MATRIX during a B&N Book Club virtual event. Click here to sign up.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: FORGOTTEN IN DEATH by J. D. Robb
FORGOTTEN IN DEATH by J. D. Robb (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Susan Ericksen
The body was left in a dumpster, the victim a woman known for offering paper flowers in return for spare change --- and for keeping the cops informed of any infractions she witnessed on the street. But the notebook where she scribbled her intel on litterers and other such offenders is nowhere to be found. Then Eve Dallas is summoned away to a nearby building site to view more remains unearthed by recent construction work. She isn’t happy when she realizes that the scene of the crime belongs to her husband, Roarke. Now Eve must enter a complex world of real estate development, family history, shady deals and shocking secrets to find justice for two women whose lives were thrown away. Reviewed by Jennifer McCord.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
New Fiction Author Spotlight:
IN EVERY MIRROR SHE’S BLACK
by Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Pick
IN EVERY MIRROR SHE'S BLACK by Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström (Fiction)
Successful marketing executive Kemi Adeyemi is lured from the U.S. to Sweden by Jonny von Lundin, CEO of the nation’s largest marketing firm, to help fix a PR fiasco involving a racially tone-deaf campaign. A killer at work but a failure in love, Kemi’s move is a last-ditch effort to reclaim her social life.
A chance meeting with Jonny in business class en route to the U.S. propels former model-turned-flight-attendant Brittany-Rae Johnson into a life of wealth, luxury and privilege --- a life she’s not sure she wants --- as the object of his unhealthy obsession.
And refugee Muna Saheed, who lost her entire family, finds a job cleaning the toilets at Jonny’s office as she works to establish her residency in Sweden and, more importantly, seeks connection and a place she can call home.
Told through the perspectives of each of the three women, IN EVERY MIRROR SHE'S BLACK is a fast-paced, richly nuanced yet accessible contemporary novel that touches on important social issues of racism, classism, fetishization and tokenism, and what it means to be a Black woman navigating a white-dominated society.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to read Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström's bio.
- Click here to visit Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström's website.
- Connect with Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström on Facebook and Twitter.
Click here to read our review.
Click here to read more in our Fiction Author Spotlight.
IN EVERY MIRROR SHE'S BLACK will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's commentary in next week's newsletter.
Announcing Bookreporter.com's 11th Annual
Fall Preview Contests and Feature
Fall is known as the biggest season of the year for books. The titles that release during this latter part of the year often become holiday gifts, and many are blockbusters. To celebrate the arrival of fall, we are spotlighting a number of outstanding books that we know people will be talking about in the days and months to come.
We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days in September and October, so you will have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here.
Our first prize book will be announced on Tuesday, September 14th at noon ET.
This year's featured titles include:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
Featured Review:
BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY by Qian Julie Wang
September’s “Read with Jenna”
Today Show Book Club Pick
BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY: A Memoir by Qian Julie Wang (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Qian Julie Wang
In Chinese, the word for America, Mei Guo, translates directly to “beautiful country.” Yet when seven-year-old Qian arrives in New York City in 1994 full of curiosity, she is overwhelmed by crushing fear and scarcity. In China, her parents were professors; in America, her family is “illegal,” and it will require all the determination and small joys they can muster to survive. Inhabiting her childhood perspective with exquisite lyric clarity and unforgettable charm and strength, Qian Julie Wang has penned an essential American story about a family fracturing under the weight of invisibility, and a girl coming of age in the shadows, who never stops seeking the light. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to see why the book is September's "Read with Jenna" pick.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: MY HEART IS A CHAINSAW
by Stephen Graham Jones
MY HEART IS A CHAINSAW by Stephen Graham Jones (Supernatural Thriller/Horror)
Audiobook available, read by Cara Gee
Jade Daniels is an angry, half-Indian outcast with an abusive father, an absent mother, and an entire town that wants nothing to do with her. She lives in her own world, a world in which protection comes from an unusual source: horror movies…especially the ones where a masked killer seeks revenge on a world that wronged them. And Jade narrates the quirky history of Proofrock as if it is one of those movies. But when blood actually starts to spill into the waters of Indian Lake, she pulls us into her dizzying, encyclopedic mind of blood and masked murderers, and predicts exactly how the plot will unfold. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Reviews: THE NATURE OF MIDDLE-EARTH
written by J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by Carl F. Hostetter
THE NATURE OF MIDDLE-EARTH written by J. R. R. Tolkien, edited by Carl F. Hostetter (Fantasy/Adventure)
It is well known that J.R.R. Tolkien published THE HOBBIT and THE LORD OF THE RINGS. What may be less known is that he continued to write about Middle-earth in the decades that followed, right up until the years before his death in 1973. For him, Middle-earth was part of an entire world to be explored, and the writings in THE NATURE OF MIDDLE-EARTH reveal the journeys that he took as he sought to better understand his unique creation. From sweeping themes as profound as Elvish immortality and reincarnation, and the Powers of the Valar, to the more earth-bound subjects of the lands and beasts of Númenor, the geography of the Rivers and Beacon-hills of Gondor, and even who had beards! Reviewed by Ray Palen and Stephen Hubbard.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Read reviews by Ray Palen and Stephen Hubbard.
September’s New in Paperback Roundups
September's roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes A GAMBLING MAN, an intriguing thriller from David Baldacci that marks the return of Aloysius Archer, the straight-talking World War II veteran fresh out of prison; PIECE OF MY HEART by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke, in which television producer Laurie Moran must solve the kidnapping of her fiancée’s nephew --- just days before her wedding; Jodi Picoult's THE BOOK OF TWO WAYS, a riveting novel about the choices that alter the course of our lives; THE LYING LIFE OF ADULTS, a powerful work of fiction set in a divided Naples by Elena Ferrante, whose 14-year-old protagonist is searching for her reflection in two kindred cities that fear and detest one another; and THE AWKWARD BLACK MAN, a masterful collection of short stories from Walter Mosley, who presents distinct characters as they struggle to move through the world --- heroes who are awkward, nerdy, self-defeating, self-involved and, on the whole, odd.
Among our nonfiction highlights are HIS TRUTH IS MARCHING ON, Pulitzer Prize winner Jon Meacham's intimate and revealing portrait of civil rights icon and longtime U.S. congressman John Lewis, which links his life to the painful quest for justice in America from the 1950s to the present; TALKING TO STRANGERS, Malcolm Gladwell's powerful examination of our interactions with strangers --- and why they often go wrong; THIS TIME NEXT YEAR WE'LL BE LAUGHING, Jacqueline Winspear's deeply personal memoir of her family’s resilience in the face of war and privation; SHE COME BY IT NATURAL, in which National Book Award finalist Sarah Smarsh focuses her laser-sharp insights on a working-class icon and one of the most unifying figures in American culture: Dolly Parton; and Becky Cooper's WE KEEP THE DEAD CLOSE, a haunting true-crime narrative of an unsolved 1969 murder at a prestigious institution and a lyrical memoir of obsession and love for a girl who dreamed of rising among men.
Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of
September 6th, September 13th, September 20th and September 27th.
September’s Books on Screen Feature
Here is a preview of this month's movies, TV shows and DVDs that are based on books. For a complete list of September's offerings, please click here.
In Theaters
Dear Evan Hansen
Release Date: September 24th (wide)
Based on: DEAR EVAN HANSEN by Val Emmich, with Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Series Premieres
"American Rust"
Air Dates: Sundays at 10pm ET/PT on Showtime; Series Premiere on September 12th
Based on: AMERICAN RUST by Philipp Meyer
"Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol"
Release Dates: Thursdays on Peacock; Series Premiere on September 16th
Based on: THE LOST SYMBOL by Dan Brown
"The Chestnut Man"
Release Date: September 29th on Netflix (Season One)
Based on: THE CHESTNUT MAN by Søren Sveistrup
Season Premieres
"The Morning Show"
Release Dates: Fridays on Apple TV+; Season Two Premiere on September 17th
Based on: TOP OF THE MORNING: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV by Brian Stelter
"Big Sky"
Air Dates: Thursdays at 10pm ET/PT on ABC; Season Two Premiere on September 30th
Based on: The Highway series by C. J. Box
On DVD
Black Widow
DVD Release Date: September 14th
Based on: The Marvel Comics character of the same name
Cruella
DVD Release Date: September 21st
Based on: The character Cruella de Vil, introduced in Dodie Smith's 1956 novel, THE HUNDRED AND ONE DALMATIANS
DEFENDING BRITTA STEIN by Ronald H. Balson (Legal Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Gabra Zackman
Ole Henryks, a popular restaurateur, is set to be honored by the Danish/American Association for his many civic and charitable contributions. Ninety-year-old Britta Stein levels public accusations against Henryks by spray-painting “Coward,” “Traitor,” “Collaborator” and “War Criminal” on the walls of his restaurant. Mrs. Stein is ultimately taken into custody and charged with criminal defacement of property. She also becomes the target of a bitter lawsuit filed by Henryks and his son, accusing her of defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress. With the help of her investigator husband, Liam Taggart, attorney Catherine Lockhart must reach back into wartime Denmark and locate evidence that proves Mrs. Stein's innocence. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
YOU CAN RUN by Karen Cleveland (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Devon Sorvari and Mia Ellis
We have your son. It’s the call that’s every parent’s nightmare. And for CIA analyst Jill Bailey, it’s the call that changes everything. It’s Jill’s job to vet new CIA sources. Like Falcon, who’s been on the recruitment fast track. But before she can get to work, Jill learns that her son has been taken. And to get him back, she does something she thought she’d never do. Alex Charles, a hard-hitting journalist, begins to investigate an anonymous tip: an explosive claim about the CIA’s hottest new source. The tip --- and a fierce determination to find the truth --- leads Alex to Jill, who would rather remain hidden. As the two begin to work together, they uncover a vast conspiracy that will force them to confront their loyalties to family and country. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
CUL-DE-SAC by Joy Fielding (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Lauren Fortgang
Someone on this quiet, unassuming cul-de-sac will be shot dead in the middle of a sultry July night. Will it be Maggie, the perfectionist wife, or Craig, the husband who can’t quite live up to her expectations? Maybe it will be Nick, a highly respected oncologist, or his wife, Dani, a successful dentist, both with well-kept secrets of their own. Or Julia, an elderly widow, whose troubled grandson has recently moved in with her. Then there’s Olivia and her husband, Sean. Having lost his job at a prestigious advertising agency, Sean is depressed, resentful of his working wife and drinking heavily. And what of the newlyweds, Aiden and Heidi, whose marriage is already on the rocks? Matters aren’t helped when Heidi befriends Julia’s grandson, setting the stage for a major blowup. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
THE STOLEN HOURS by Allen Eskens (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by MacLeod Andrews, Christine Lakin and Tina Huang
Lila Nash is on the verge of landing her dream job --- working as a prosecutor under the Hennepin County Attorney --- and has settled into a happy life with her boyfriend, Joe Talbert. But when a woman is pulled from the Mississippi River, barely alive, things in the office take a personal turn. The police believe the woman’s assailant is local photographer Gavin Spenser, but the case quickly flounders as the evidence wears thin. The more determined Lila is to put Gavin behind bars, the more elusive justice becomes. Battling a vindictive new boss and haunted by the ghosts of her own unspeakable attack, which she’s kept a dark secret for eight long years, Lila knows the clock is ticking down. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE HOUSE OF ASHES by Stuart Neville (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Caroline Lennon
Sara Keane’s husband, Damien, has uprooted them from England and moved them to his native Northern Ireland for a “fresh start” in the wake of her nervous breakdown. Sara, who knows no one in Northern Ireland, is jobless, carless and friendless. When a blood-soaked old woman beats on the door, insisting the house is hers before being bundled back to her care facility, Sara begins to understand the house has a terrible history her husband never intended for her to discover. As the two women form a bond over their shared traumas, Sara finds the strength to stand up to her abuser, and Mary --- silent for six decades --- is finally ready to tell her story. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
MASTERMIND: A Theo Cray and Jessica Blackwood Thriller by Andrew Mayne (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Jennifer O'Donnell and Will Damron
A mysterious electrical storm plunges Manhattan into darkness. As a strange, smothering fog rolls in, all communication crashes. In the blink of an eye, the island seems to vanish into a void. FBI Special Agent Jessica Blackwood and brilliant scientist Dr. Theo Cray know this isn’t a freak accident. It’s a sinister sleight of hand. Their greatest adversary, a serial killer and cultist known as the Warlock, has escaped during a prison transfer in New York. A depraved master of manipulation, he promised the end of days. He’s making good on it. One by one, cities across the globe are erupting in chaos as they disappear into the same black holes. But the voids are just a warm-up for something bigger. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
TWO-WAY MIRROR: The Life of Elizabeth Barrett Browning by Fiona Sampson (Biography)
"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways." With these words, Elizabeth Barrett Browning has come down to us as a romantic heroine, a recluse controlled by a domineering father and often overshadowed by her husband, Robert Browning. But behind the melodrama lies a thoroughly modern figure whose extraordinary life is an electrifying study in self-invention. TWO-WAY MIRROR is the first biography of Barrett Browning in more than three decades. With unique access to the poet’s abundant correspondence, Fiona Sampson holds up a mirror to the woman, her art, and the art of biography itself. Reviewed by Pauline Finch.
THE LIVING AND THE LOST by Ellen Feldman (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Barrie Kreinik
Millie (Meike) Mosbach and her brother, David, manage to escape to the States just before Kristallnacht, leaving their parents and little sister in Berlin. Millie attends Bryn Mawr on a special scholarship for non-Aryan German girls and graduates to a magazine job in Philadelphia. David enlists in the army and is eventually posted to the top-secret Camp Ritchie in Maryland, which trains German-speaking men for intelligence work. Now they are both back in their former hometown, haunted by ghosts and hoping against hope to find their family. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
GUMSHOE GONE by Rob Leininger (Mystery)
Kidnapped by a gorgeous girl in a casino bar in Reno, Mortimer Angel disappears for several days. When he finally makes contact with his friends and family, he's on a new case, one that takes him on more than one unexpected journey, then becomes a new case with more unexpected journeys. This time, Mort travels more roads than he has ever traveled before, and ends up in a place he never could have predicted. Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.
- Click here to read our interview with Rob Leininger.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on September 14th
Below are some notable titles releasing on September 14th that we would like to make you aware of. We will have more on many of these books in the weeks to come. For a list of additional hardcovers and paperbacks available the week of September 13th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
APPLES NEVER FALL by Liane Moriarty (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Liane Moriarty comes a novel that looks at marriage, siblings and how the people we love the most can hurt us the deepest.
ENEMY AT THE GATES: A Mitch Rapp Novel by Vince Flynn and Kyle Mills (Political Thriller)
Picking up where TOTAL POWER left off, the next thriller in the #1 New York Times bestselling Mitch Rapp series follows the CIA’s top operative as he searches for a high-level mole with the power to rewrite the world order.
FUZZ: When Nature Breaks the Law by Mary Roach (Science/Humor)
Join Mary Roach, "America’s funniest science writer" (Peter Carlson, Washington Post), on an irresistible investigation into the unpredictable world where wildlife and humans meet.
HARLEM SHUFFLE by Colson Whitehead (Historical Fiction)
From the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author of THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD and THE NICKEL BOYS comes a gloriously entertaining novel of heists, shakedowns and rip-offs set in Harlem in the 1960s.
HER PERFECT LIFE by Hank Phillippi Ryan (Psychological Thriller)
Beloved television reporter Lily Atwood has it all --- fame, fortune, Emmys, an adorable seven-year-old daughter, and the hashtag her loving fans created: #PerfectLily. To keep it, all she has to do is protect one life-changing secret.
TALK TO ME by T.C. Boyle (Fiction)
From bestselling and award-winning author T.C. Boyle comes a lively, thought-provoking novel that asks us what it would be like if we could really talk to the animals.
TRAVELS WITH GEORGE: In Search of Washington and His Legacy by Nathaniel Philbrick (History/Travel Memoir)
Does George Washington still matter? Bestselling author Nathaniel Philbrick argues for Washington's unique contribution to the forging of America by retracing his journey as a new president through all 13 former colonies, which were now an unsure nation.
THE WORLD PLAYED CHESS by Robert Dugoni (Fiction)
In 1979, Vincent Bianco has just graduated high school and lands a job as a laborer on a construction crew. Working alongside two Vietnam vets, one suffering from PTSD, Vincent gets the education of a lifetime. Now 40 years later, with his own son leaving for college, the lessons of that summer dramatically unfold.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
From left to right: Colson Whitehead, Billie Jean King, Lauren Groff
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.
Saturday, September 11th at 7pm ET: Politics and Prose Bookstore: Lauren Groff will discuss her new novel, MATRIX, which is this month's Barnes & Noble Book Club pick, with Hernan Diaz.
Sunday, September 12th at 5:30pm ET: Santa Barbara Museum of Art: Bestselling author and Santa Barbara's own idiosyncratic muse T.C. Boyle returns to celebrate the Museum’s grand reopening and read from his lively and thought-provoking new novel, TALK TO ME.
Sunday, September 12th at 7pm ET: Amazon Publishing: Robert Dugoni will be in conversation with Kristin Hannah about his new novel, THE WORLD PLAYED CHESS.
Sunday, September 12th at 8pm ET: MJCCA Book Fest: MJCCA Book Fest in Your Living Room and the National JCC Literary Consortium present a virtual event featuring Billie Jean King, who will be in conversation with Katie Couric about her autobiography, ALL IN.
Monday, September 13th at 7pm ET: Brookline Booksmith: Celebrate the release of HER PERFECT LIFE with Hank Phillippi Ryan in a virtual launch party emceed by Jenna Blum and featuring Joseph Finder, Jennifer Hillier, Wanda Morris, Samantha Downing and Hannah Mary McKinnon.
Monday, September 13th at 7:30pm ET: Greenlight Bookstore: Qian Julie Wang will launch her incandescent debut memoir, BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY, which is this month's "Read with Jenna" Today Show Book Club pick. National Book Award-winning author Charles Yu will join Wang for a meaningful evening of reading and conversation to present this powerful writer and her modern classic to Greenlight's virtual community.
Tuesday, September 14th at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble Book Club: Barnes & Noble will host a Facebook Live discussion for their August Book Club selection, THE GUILT TRIP, featuring Sandie Jones in conversation with Clare Mackintosh.
Wednesday, September 15th at 2pm ET: "Bookaccino Live: A Lively Talk About Books": Carol Fitzgerald will present titles releasing between September 14th and October 5th, along with a few from November, that she would like to get on your radar.
Wednesday, September 15th 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 Emily Henry, whose latest novel is PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION.
Thursday, September 16th on 8pm ET: Murder By The Book: Hank Phillippi Ryan will be in conversation with Robyn Harding, author of THE PERFECT FAMILY, about her latest thriller, the appropriately titled HER PERFECT LIFE.
Thursday, September 16th on 9:30pm ET: Changing Hands Bookstore: Two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author Colson Whitehead will discuss his latest novel, HARLEM SHUFFLE, with USA Today Books Editor Barbara VanDenburgh.
"Bookreporter Talks To" Videos & Podcasts
“Bookreporter Talks To” is a video and podcast series that delivers a long-form, in-depth author interview every week. For years, Carol has moderated book festivals and author events around the country. But we know that readers often do not live where they can attend an author event. Our goal is to bring these author interviews to readers, wherever they may be. Watch on video, or listen as a podcast. (The podcasts include audio excerpts.)
Here is our latest interview:
Other authors we've interviewed include:
Upcoming interviews include:
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Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström (IN EVERY MIRROR SHE'S BLACK)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll: September Fiction Releases to Anticipate
Which of the following fiction titles releasing in September are you planning to read? Please check all that apply.
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APPLES NEVER FALL by Liane Moriarty
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BEAUTIFUL WORLD, WHERE ARE YOU by Sally Rooney
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BEWILDERMENT by Richard Powers
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THE BOOK OF FORM AND EMPTINESS by Ruth Ozeki
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THE BURNING by Jonathan Kellerman and Jesse Kellerman
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A CALLING FOR CHARLIE BARNES by Joshua Ferris
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CLOUD CUCKOO LAND by Anthony Doerr
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A DARKER REALITY: An Elena Standish Novel, by Anne Perry
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DAUGHTER OF THE MORNING STAR: A Longmire Mystery, by Craig Johnson
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DEFENDING BRITTA STEIN by Ronald H. Balson
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ENEMY AT THE GATES: A Mitch Rapp Novel, by Vince Flynn and Kyle Mills
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FORGOTTEN IN DEATH by J. D. Robb
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FRIENDS LIKE THESE by Kimberly McCreight
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THE GREAT GLORIOUS GODDAMN OF IT ALL by Josh Ritter
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HARLEM SHUFFLE by Colson Whitehead
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HER PERFECT LIFE by Hank Phillippi Ryan
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HIGH STAKES by Iris Johansen
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AN IMPOSSIBLE PROMISE: A Providence Falls Novel, by Jude Deveraux and Tara Sheets
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IN EVERY MIRROR SHE'S BLACK by Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström
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L.A. WEATHER by María Amparo Escandón
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THE MAGICIAN by Colm Tóibín
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MATRIX by Lauren Groff
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THE NIGHT SHE DISAPPEARED by Lisa Jewell
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ROBERT B. PARKER’S STONE’S THROW: A Jesse Stone Novel, by Mike Lupica
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ROCK PAPER SCISSORS by Alice Feeney
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THE SANTA SUIT by Mary Kay Andrews
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TALK TO ME by T.C. Boyle
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WHEN GHOSTS COME HOME by Wiley Cash
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THE WISH by Nicholas Sparks
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THE WORLD PLAYED CHESS by Robert Dugoni
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None of the above
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, September 24th at noon ET.
Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What
You're Reading --- and You Can Win Two Books!
Tell us about the books you’ve finished reading with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from September 10th to September 24th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of APPLES NEVER FALL by Liane Moriarty and BEAUTIFUL WORLD, WHERE ARE YOU by Sally Rooney.
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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