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And Just Like That, It’s December!
We had a really wonderful --- and busy --- Thanksgiving weekend. Dinner on Thursday was festively fun, and I wisely packed up lots of leftovers for everyone, so we were not eating them for days!
Greg's friend, Angela, was visiting from the UK, and she was a total delight. Kelley, our niece, spent the weekend, too. She is a great golfer, and she and Tom played on two days.
Then Kelley and I went poinsettia shopping at a nearby nursery where they grow 25,000 poinsettia plants. The colors were just stunning --- yellow, bronze, multi-color, light pink, deep pink. I am not a fan of the traditional red plants, but these I love. She also helped me decorate for the holiday, and we got a lot done!
We all watched Planes, Trains and Automobiles, which feels like a signature Thanksgiving movie. And on Sunday, there was a brilliant dusting of snow to make things feel really festive.
I should have rested more. This week has been hectic as we pull together our year-end plans.
This is your last weekly newsletter reminder to sign up for our very special “Bookaccino Live” event that will take place this Wednesday, December 8th at 8pm ET. As part of our ongoing 25th anniversary celebration, we will be talking to 11 of our longtime reviewers about their top three books of 2021. Our guests will be Sarah Rachel Egelman, Megan Elliott, Pauline Finch, Harvey Freedenberg, Bronwyn Miller, Rebecca Munro, Eileen Zimmerman Nicol, Ray Palen, Norah Piehl, Stuart Shiffman and Jana Siciliano. You may remember we held a similar event with some of these reviewers in August 2020, which we enjoyed so much…and Wednesday’s event promises to be just as fun! Be sure to register by clicking here.
Announcing Our Special End-of-the-Year Contest!
This one deserves a drum roll... I am so excited to announce the kickoff to our 11th annual End-of-the-Year Contest!
One very lucky Grand Prize winner will be awarded all 44 of my Bookreporter.com Bets On picks from this year, while 11 other winners will receive a selection of four of these titles.
Among the books you can win are FIND YOU FIRST by Linwood Barclay, THE HUSBANDS by Chandler Baker, THE MYSTERY OF MRS. CHRISTIE by Marie Benedict, THE PUSH by Ashley Audrain, ROCK PAPER SCISSORS by Alice Feeney, A SLOW FIRE BURNING by Paula Hawkins, and WE BEGIN AT THE END by Chris Whitaker. To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, January 7th at noon ET.
I’m Betting You’ll Love…
My 44th and final Bets On title of 2021 is Katie Couric’s explosive memoir, GOING THERE. Click here to read my commentary.
Our latest New Release Spotlight title is THE COLLECTIVE by Alison Gaylin, which we reviewed last month. Five years after her daughter’s death, Camille is still obsessed with the young man she believes to be responsible. When her impulsive actions draw the attention of a secret group of women --- the collective --- Camille is drawn into a dark web as these mothers share their stories of loss, as well as their desire for justice. Fueled by mutual rage, the collective members devise and act out retribution fantasies through anonymous revenge killings. As Camille struggles to understand whether this is a role-playing exercise or a terrifying reality, she must decide if these women are truly avenging angels or monsters. Click here to read our review. And if you missed my “Bookreporter Talks To” interview with Alison, you can watch it here and listen to the podcast here.
Jodi Picoult is back with her latest novel, WISH YOU WERE HERE, which we gave away in a Holiday Cheer contest this week. When the pandemic first started, all Jodi could think about was how to chronicle it and what lessons, if any, we have learned from it. She says, “Diana’s story is one we can all connect to: it’s one of isolation, adaptation, and survival. We woke up one day, and everything as we knew it changed. To say it was catastrophic is an understatement, but it also gave us a much clearer sense of what matters.”
According to our reviewer Pamela Kramer, “This delightful yet horrifying book is thoughtful and life-affirming, which is exactly what we’ve come to expect from this prolific writer…. Perhaps most effectively, Picoult does what she excels at in her novels --- taking a real situation, focusing on a few participants, and exposing the intimate details of how those people are affected.” She also teases, “There is a huge plot twist halfway through the book. It is a complete surprise and makes us reconsider Diana's experiences in the Galápagos and how they have changed her.” I read this book a couple of months ago and gasped at the plot twist.
Jodi recently talked about WISH YOU WERE HERE on "Good Morning America." Click here to watch the interview. The book already has been picked up by Netflix!
THE MIDNIGHT LOCK is Jeffery Deaver’s latest thriller starring his beloved protagonists, Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs, as they search for a criminal whose fascination with breaking locks terrorizes New York City. The book takes place over just a few days’ time, features one surprise after another, and offers a fascinating look at the esoteric world of lockpicking.
Ray Palen has our review and says, “It is difficult to talk much more about THE MIDNIGHT LOCK without giving away some of Deaver’s clever plotting. He does reveal the identity of the Locksmith well before the end of the novel, and all I can say is that it’s a nice twist. Watching Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs operate under the restrictions imposed on them instantly provides heightened levels of suspense that play through to the very last page.”
Enter Our New Word of Mouth Contest
WISH YOU WERE HERE and THE MIDNIGHT LOCK are our current Word of Mouth prizes. Let us know by Friday, December 17th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win both these titles.
Holiday Cheer Update
Along with WISH YOU WERE HERE, we gave away these books in this week’s Holiday Cheer contests: DAVA SHASTRI’S LAST DAY by Kirthana Ramisetti, which is this month’s “Good Morning America” Book Club pick; HOOKED: How Crafting Saved My Life by Sutton Foster; and VERITY by Colleen Hoover, which we are reviewing this week. We have one more Holiday Cheer contest scheduled to begin this Tuesday, December 7th at noon ET; we will be giving away SHADOWS OF SWANFORD ABBEY by Julie Klassen.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
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ALL ABOUT ME!: At 95, the legendary Mel Brooks continues to set the standard for comedy across television, film and the stage. Now, for the first time, this EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) winner shares his story in his own words.
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WHEN CHRISTMAS COMES: After a confession of murder, a sleuthing English teacher will need a Christmas miracle to prove a condemned man innocent in this 36th novel by two-time Edgar Award winner Andrew Klavan.
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THE LEFT-HANDED TWIN: In Thomas Perry’s ninth thriller starring Jane Whitefield, the famed rescue artist leads a deadly crime syndicate on a wild chase through the Northeast.
December’s Books on Screen Feature
We’ve updated our Books on Screen feature for this month. December’s roundup includes the series premieres of HBO Max's "Station Eleven" and Netflix's "Stay Close" and "Anxious People"; the season finales of "The Wheel of Time" on Amazon Prime Video and "Gossip Girl" on HBO Max; the films The Hating Game, The Tender Bar, The Lost Daughter and Diary of a Wimpy Kid; and the DVD releases of Dear Evan Hansen, The Last Duel, Cry Macho and Venom: Let There Be Carnage.
Vote in Our New Poll --- and Check Out Results from the Last Poll
We’re curious to know if you’re planning to give books as gifts this holiday season. Let us know by voting in our latest poll.
Our previous poll asked which of 30 fiction titles releasing last month and this month you are planning to read. The overwhelming winner was the aforementioned WISH YOU WERE HERE by Jodi Picoult, which received 44% of the vote. Rounding out the top five are THE POSTMISTRESS OF PARIS by Meg Waite Clayton (27%), MERCY: An Atlee Pine Thriller by David Baldacci (26%), NEVER by Ken Follett (25%), and THE SENTENCE by Louise Erdrich (24%). Click here for all the results.
The final round is now open for the 13th Annual Goodreads Choice Awards, the only major book awards decided by readers. Be sure to cast your votes in 17 different categories by this Sunday, December 5th. The winners will be announced on Thursday, December 9th.
News and Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
We got a number of nice notes from readers after we sent our Thanksgiving Eve newsletter. Here are a few of them:
Jeanne: "This Thanksgiving I thank you and the awesome staff of Bookreporter for all the information, entertainment and joy you bring me with every single newsletter you distribute every week all year long. I wish each of you a safe, Happy Thanksgiving with your families and loved ones and wishing you extra special blessings this Thanksgiving. Thank you for all your hard work. I know it is appreciated by your many readers."
Cherie: "We readers are thankful for all of the brilliant newsletters and suggestions that you have for us. Have a great Thanksgiving."
Mary Lou: "Happy Thanksgiving to you, your Bookreporter family, and your family family. :) Thank you for all you do for us nerds and readers and nerdy readers."
"Yellowstone": Beth was reading a book, and I was craning my head trying to see what it was when she started talking about it: THE SOLACE OF OPEN SPACES. Watching that show, I would love to spend time in an open space like that!
"Selling Sunset", Season Four: I watch this soap opera-like series, and brain cells die; it is like watching grown Valley Girls selling real estate. Their wardrobe budget is insane. But did I devour it in all its insanity? Yes! Does this mean I never need to watch a "Housewives" show? Yes! Also, I note that none of the houses that they show have books on the shelves.
"And Just Like That...": The latest chapter in the post-"Sex and the City" era airs on December 9th. The trailer is here. Yes, I will watch it! After all, the original was based on a book.
After watching "Dopesick" and "American Rust", I am reading THE LEAST OF US: True Tales of America and Hope in the Time of Fentanyl and Meth by Sam Quinones. Now I also want to read his earlier book, DREAMLAND: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic.
My birthday is Tuesday. My husband, Tom, who rarely travels on business, has a week-long business trip, so the boys are doing dinners with me, which will be fun. We also have our evening with our reviewers on Wednesday, and then it's book group night, where we will discuss GOING THERE.
This is a busy time of year at the office as we try to wrap up business and prepare for the holidays. I have zero holiday shopping done, though I have chided everyone to shop early! Well, the "to me, from me" category is pretty well covered. Besides books, I am stumped on what to get other folks. And the men in my family are not forthcoming with ideas! Do they not understand supply chain delays? Watching the news, I feel like everything we want must be on a container ship.
There will be lots of "fa la la la la" here this weekend as I keep decorating. It's that time of year. Keep it festive everyone, as 'tis the season.
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: WISH YOU WERE HERE by Jodi Picoult
WISH YOU WERE HERE by Jodi Picoult (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Marin Ireland
Diana O’Toole is an associate specialist at Sotheby’s, and her boss has hinted at a promotion if she can close a deal with a high-profile client. She’s not engaged just yet, but she knows that her boyfriend Finn, a surgical resident, is about to propose on their romantic getaway to the Galápagos. But then a virus that felt worlds away has appeared in the city, and on the eve of their departure, Finn breaks the news: It’s all hands on deck at the hospital. He has to stay behind. You should still go, he assures her. It turns out the whole island is now under quarantine, and Diana is stranded until the borders reopen. Slowly, she carves out a connection with a local family when a teenager with a secret opens up to Diana, despite her father’s suspicion of outsiders. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: THE MIDNIGHT LOCK by Jeffery Deaver
THE MIDNIGHT LOCK: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel by Jeffery Deaver (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Edoardo Ballerini
A woman wakes up in the morning to find that someone has picked her apartment’s supposedly impregnable door lock and rearranged personal items. Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs are brought in to investigate and soon learn that the sociopathic intruder, who calls himself "the Locksmith,” can break through any lock or security system ever devised. With more victims on the horizon, Rhyme, Sachs and their stable of associates must discover his true mission. Their hunt is interrupted when an internal investigation in the police force uncovers what seems to be a crucial mistake in one of Rhyme's previous cases. He is fired as a consultant for the NYPD and must risk jail if he investigates the Locksmith case in secret. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
New Special Contest:
Enter to Win Our End-of-the-Year Celebration,
Featuring All 44 "Bets On" Titles from 2021
We are thrilled to announce our End-of-the-Year Contest featuring Carol Fitzgerald’s Bookreporter.com Bets On picks from 2021. One Grand Prize winner will be awarded all 44 books, while 11 other readers will receive a selection of four of these titles. To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, January 7th at noon ET.
Here are this year's Bookreporter.com Bets On titles:
Click here to enter the contest.
New Release Spotlight:
THE COLLECTIVE by Alison Gaylin
THE COLLECTIVE by Alison Gaylin (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Vivienne Leheny
Camille Gardener is a grieving --- and angry --- mother who, five years after her daughter’s death, is still obsessed with the privileged young man she believes to be responsible.
When her rash actions attract the attention of a secret group of women --- the collective --- Camille is drawn into a dark web where these mothers share their wildly different stories of loss, as well as their desire for justice in a world where privilege denies accountability and perpetrators emerge unscathed. Fueled by mutual rage, these women orchestrate their own brand of justice through precise, anonymous, complexly plotted and perfectly executed revenge killings, with individual members completing a specific and integral task in each plan.
As Camille struggles to comprehend whether this is a role-playing exercise or terrifying reality, she must decide if these women are truly avenging angels or monsters. Becoming more deeply enmeshed in the group, Camille learns truths about the collective --- and about herself --- that she may not be able to survive.
- Click here to read our review.
- Click here to read Alison Gaylin's bio.
- Click here to visit Alison Gaylin's website.
- Connect with Alison Gaylin on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Alison Gaylin.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here to read more in our New Release Spotlight.
Bookreporter.com Bets On: GOING THERE by Katie Couric
GOING THERE by Katie Couric (Memoir)
Years ago, I thought being a host of a morning show would be a great career for me. Then I realized that I would be heading to work around 3:45am to do that job, and since I am not a morning person, I decided that never was going to happen. That said, I have been intrigued by network television, both for what goes into making a broadcast behind the scenes and how it has changed since its early days.
So I read Katie Couric’s GOING THERE with interest in not just her story, but how the programming has evolved and its challenges for women. Couric writes with unflinching honesty about what happened to her through the years --- from her start at a small station to moving to Washington, DC and then heading to New York. She discusses the highs as well as the lows, like missing her first daughter’s birthday to cover the Olympics and the housekeeper/nanny who betrayed her confidences. And of course, she talks about her biggest personal challenge: losing her husband, Jay, in his early 40s when she had two small children. While she knew he was gravely ill, the speed of his death still shocked her. I dare people to read those pages without a lump in their throats.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary.
Featured Review: ALL ABOUT ME! by Mel Brooks
ALL ABOUT ME!: My Remarkable Life in Show Business by Mel Brooks (Autobiography)
Audiobook available, read by Mel Brooks
ALL ABOUT ME! charts Mel Brooks’ meteoric rise from a Depression-era kid in Brooklyn to the recipient of the National Medal of Arts. Whether serving in the United States Army in World War II, or during his burgeoning career as a teenage comedian in the Catskills, Mel was always mining his experiences for material and looking for the perfect joke. His book offers fans insight into the inspiration behind the ideas for his outstanding collection of boundary-breaking work, and includes details about the many close friendships and collaborations Brooks had, including those with Sid Caesar, Carl Reiner, Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn, Alfred Hitchcock and the great love of his life, Anne Bancroft. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: VERITY by Colleen Hoover
VERITY by Colleen Hoover (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Vanessa Johansson and Amy Landon
Jeremy Crawford, the husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired struggling writer Lowen Ashleigh to complete the remaining books in a successful series that his injured wife is unable to finish. Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity’s notes and outlines. What Lowen doesn’t expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read --- page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity's recollection of the night her family was forever altered. Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents could devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen’s feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife’s words. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com's
Holiday Cheer Contests and Feature
At Bookreporter.com, we kick off the holiday season in style with our Holiday Cheer Contests and Feature. As our gift to you, on select days in November and December, we are spotlighting a book and giving five lucky readers the chance to win it. You have to visit the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter the 24-hour contest. As always, we are sending our special Holiday Cheer newsletter on the days when there are contests. Click here to sign up for these email alerts.
Our final prize book will be announced on Tuesday, December 7th at noon ET.
This year's contest titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
December’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 December's offerings, please click here.
Film Releases
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Release Date: December 3rd on Disney+
Based on: DIARY OF A WIMPY KID by Jeff Kinney
The Hating Game
Release Date: December 10th (limited); also available on demand
Based on: THE HATING GAME by Sally Thorne
The Tender Bar
Release Dates: December 17th (limited); December 22nd (wide)
Based on: THE TENDER BAR: A Memoir by J.R. Moehringer
The Lost Daughter
Release Date: December 31st on Netflix
Based on: THE LOST DAUGHTER written by Elena Ferrante, translated by Ann Goldstein
Series Premieres
"Station Eleven" (10-episode limited series)
Release Dates: Thursdays on HBO Max; the first three episodes will be available on December 16th
Based on: STATION ELEVEN by Emily St. John Mandel
"Anxious People" (6-episode limited series)
Release Date: December 29th on Netflix
Based on: ANXIOUS PEOPLE by Fredrik Backman
"Stay Close" (8-episode limited series)
Release Date: December 31st on Netflix
Based on: STAY CLOSE by Harlan Coben
Season Finale
"The Wheel of Time"
Release Dates: Fridays on Amazon Prime Video; Season One Finale on December 24th
Based on: The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan
On DVD
Dear Evan Hansen
DVD Release Date: December 7th
Based on: DEAR EVAN HANSEN by Val Emmich, with Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
WHEN CHRISTMAS COMES by Andrew Klavan (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Adam Barr
Colorful Christmas lights dapple the family homes in the idyllic lakeside town of Sweet Haven when Jennifer Dean, a young librarian at the local elementary school, is brutally murdered. There are witnesses, and her boyfriend, Travis Blake, confesses to the crime…but something doesn’t quite add up. Blake is a third-generation Army Ranger, awarded the Silver Star for his heroism in Afghanistan. How could a beloved son of this tight-knit burgh commit such a grisly deed? In steps Cameron Winter, a rugged and lonesome English professor haunted by the ghosts of his own Christmas past, whose former lover asks him to prove Blake innocent. If he can solve this small-town mystery, just maybe he can find peace from his inner demons as well. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE LEFT-HANDED TWIN: A Jane Whitefield Novel by Thomas Perry (Thriller)
Jane Whitefield helps people disappear. Fearing for their lives, fleeing dangerous situations, her clients come to her when they need to vanish completely. And when people are desperate enough to need her services, they come to the old house in rural western New York where Jane was raised to begin their escape. It’s there that, one spring night, Jane finds a young woman fresh from LA. After she cheated on her boyfriend, he dragged her to the home of the offending man and made her watch as he killed him. She testified against the boyfriend, but a bribed jury acquitted him, and now he’s free and trying to find and kill her. Jane agrees to help, but the boyfriend has some new friends: members of a Russian organized crime brotherhood. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
CHILD OF LIGHT by Terry Brooks (Fantasy)
Audiobook available, read by Jeremy Carlisle Parker
At 19, Auris Afton Grieg has led an…unusual life. Since the age of 15, she has been trapped in a sinister prison. Why? She does not know. She has no memories of her past beyond the vaguest of impressions. All she knows is that she is about to age out of the children’s prison, and rumors say that the adult version is far, far worse. So she and some friends stage a desperate escape into the surrounding wastelands. And it is here that Auris’ journey of discovery begins, for she is rescued by an unusual stranger who claims to be Fae --- a member of a magical race that Auris had thought to be no more than legend. Reviewed by Stephen Hubbard.
HELLO, TRANSCRIBER by Hannah Morrissey (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Angela Dawe
Every night, police transcriber Hazel Greenlee listens as detectives divulge Black Harbor, Wisconsin’s gruesome secrets. An aspiring novelist, Hazel believes that writing a book could be her only ticket out of this frozen hellscape, but her life isn’t exactly brimming with inspiration. Until her neighbor confesses to hiding the corpse of an overdose victim. With an insider’s look at the investigation, Hazel becomes spellbound by the lead detective, Nikolai Kole, and the chilling narrative he shares with her. Through his transcription, she learns that the suspicious death is linked to Candy Man --- a drug dealer notorious for selling illegal substances to children --- and when Kole invites her on a covert operation to help take the dealer down, the promise of a story calls to her. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
CHOUETTE by Claire Oshetsky (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Julia Whelan
Tiny is pregnant. Her husband is delighted. “You think this baby is going to be like you, but it’s not like you at all,” she warns him. “This baby is an owl-baby.” When Chouette is born small and broken-winged, Tiny works around the clock to meet her daughter’s needs. Left on her own to care for a child who seems more predatory bird than baby, Tiny vows to raise Chouette to be her authentic self. Even in those times when Chouette’s behaviors grow violent and strange, Tiny’s loving commitment to her daughter is unwavering. When she discovers that her husband is on an obsessive and increasingly dangerous quest to find a “cure” for their daughter, Tiny must decide if Chouette should be raised to fit in or to be herself --- and learn what it truly means to be a mother. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
THE BONE SHARD EMPEROR by Andrea Stewart (Fantasy)
Audiobook available; read by Natalie Naudus, Feodor Chin and Emily Woo Zeller
Lin Sukai finally sits on the throne she won at so much cost, but her struggles are only just beginning. Her people don’t trust her. Her political alliances are weak. And in the north-east of the Empire, a rebel army of constructs is gathering, its leader determined to take the throne by force. Yet an even greater threat is on the horizon, for the Alanga --- the powerful magicians of legend --- have returned to the Empire. They claim they come in peace, and Lin will need their help in order to defeat the rebels and restore peace. But can she trust them? Reviewed by Carly Silver.
A NET FOR SMALL FISHES by Lucy Jago (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Sarah Durham
When Frances Howard, the beautiful but unhappy wife of the Earl of Essex, meets the talented Anne Turner, the two strike up an unlikely yet powerful friendship. Frances makes Anne her confidante, sweeping her into a glamorous and extravagant world, riven with bitter rivalry. As the women grow closer, each hopes to change her circumstances. Frances is trapped in a miserable marriage while loving another, and newly widowed Anne struggles to keep herself and her six children alive as she waits for a promised proposal. A desperate plan to change their fortunes is hatched. But navigating the Jacobean court is a dangerous game, and one misstep could cost them everything. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
WHAT JUST HAPPENED: Notes on a Long Year by Charles Finch (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Charles Finch
In March 2020, at the request of the Los Angeles Times, Charles Finch became a reluctant diarist: As California sheltered in place, he began to write daily notes about the odd ambient changes in his own life and in the lives around him. The result is WHAT JUST HAPPENED, where Finch brings us into his own world: taking long evening walks near his home in L.A., listening to music, and keeping virtual connections with friends across the country as they each experience the crisis. And drawing on his remarkable acuity as a cultural critic, he chronicles one endless year with delightful commentary on current events, and the things that distract him from current events: Murakami’s novels, reality television, the Beatles. Reviewed by Pauline Finch.
THE DEATHWATCH BEETLE by Kjell Eriksson (Mystery)
Four years have passed since Cecilia Karlsson disappeared from the island of Gräsö in Roslagen. When Ann Lindell receives a tip that she has been seen alive, she cannot help getting involved, even though she is no longer with the police. The black sheep of the island, Nils Lindberg, has never forgotten Cecilia Karlsson, with whom he was in love as a teenager. He may not be completely sober all the time, but he has no doubt of what he saw out on the bay just before Cecilia disappeared. While Ann struggles to put the jigsaw puzzle together, she is trying to establish herself in her new life together with her lover, Edvard. At the same time, someone is hiding in a cottage in a remote part of the island. Someone who is looking for revenge. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
LAST REDEMPTION: A Rick Cahill Novel by Matt Coyle (Hard-boiled Mystery/Thriller)
Rick Cahill's fiancée, Leah Landingham, is pregnant with their first child, and Rick is doing PI work that pays well and keeps him out of danger. Then a doctor gives him the bad news about the headaches he’s been suffering --- CTE, which leads to senility and early death --- a secret he keeps from Leah and his best friend, Moira MacFarlane. When Moira asks him to monitor her son, Luke --- who’s broken a restraining order to stay away from his girlfriend --- a simple surveillance explodes into greed, deceit and murder. Luke goes missing, and Rick’s dogged determination compels him to follow clues that lead to the exploration of high finance and DNA cancer research. Ultimately, Rick is forced to battle sadistic killers as he tries to find Luke and stay alive long enough to see the birth of his child. Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.
- Click here to read our interview with Matt Coyle.
WATCH HER FALL by Erin Kelly (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Imogen Church
Ava Kirilova has reached the very top of her profession. After years and years of hard graft, pain and sacrifice as part of the London Russian Ballet Company, allowing nothing else to distract her, she is finally the poster girl for "Swan Lake." Even Mr K --- her father and the intense, terrifying director of the company --- can find no fault. Ava has pushed herself ahead of countless other talented, hardworking girls, and they are all watching her now. But there is someone who really wants to see Ava fall. Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.
- Click here to read our interview with Erin Kelly.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on December 7th
Below are some notable titles releasing on December 7th 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 December 6th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
APPARENTLY THERE WERE COMPLAINTS: A Memoir by Sharon Gless (Memoir)
Emmy Award–winning actress Sharon Gless tells all in this laugh-out-loud, juicy and touching memoir about her five decades in Hollywood, where she took on some of the most groundbreaking roles of her time.
THE BALLERINAS by Rachel Kapelke-Dale (Thriller)
"Dare Me" meets Black Swan and LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE in a captivating, voice-driven debut novel about a trio of ballerinas who meet as students at the Paris Opera Ballet School.
BOY UNDERGROUND by Catherine Ryan Hyde (Historical Fiction)
During World War II, a teenage boy finds his voice, the courage of his convictions, and friends for life in an emotional and uplifting novel by New York Times and #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hyde.
BRIGHT BURNING THINGS by Lisa Harding (Fiction)
A rising international literary star makes her American debut with this visceral, tender and brave portrait of addiction, recovery and motherhood, as harrowing and intense as SHUGGIE BAIN.
BRYANT & MAY: LONDON BRIDGE IS FALLING DOWN: A Peculiar Crimes Unit Mystery by Christopher Fowler (Mystery)
The brilliant duo of Arthur Bryant and John May uncovers a nefarious plot behind the seemingly innocuous death of an old lady --- and when the case leads them to London Bridge, it all comes down on the Peculiar Crimes Unit.
LUCKY by Marissa Stapley (Fiction)
LUCKY is a thrilling rollercoaster ride about a heist gone terribly wrong, with a plucky protagonist who will win readers’ hearts.
MOTHERS, FATHERS, AND OTHERS: Essays by Siri Hustvedt (Essays)
Feminist philosophy meets family memoir in this new essay collection from Siri Hustvedt, an exploration of the shifting borders that define human experience, including boundaries we usually take for granted --- between ourselves and others, nature and nurture, viewer and artwork --- that turn out to be far less stable than we imagine.
SEA HAWKE: An Alex Hawke Novel by Ted Bell (Thriller/Adventure)
Alex Hawke is sailing into trouble when an around-the-world journey becomes a fight against terror in this latest exciting adventure from New York Times bestselling novelist Ted Bell.
SHARPE'S ASSASSIN by Bernard Cornwell (Historical Fiction)
Bernard Cornwell's iconic hero, Richard Sharpe, is dispatched to a new battleground: the maze of Paris streets, where lines blur between friend and foe. And in search of a spy, he will have to defeat a lethal assassin determined to kill his target...or die trying.
TRUE CRIME STORY by Joseph Knox (Mystery/Thriller)
TRUE CRIME STORY is the thrilling story of a university student's sudden disappearance, the woman who became obsessed with her case, and the crime writer who uncovered the chilling truth about what happened.
W. E. B. GRIFFIN ROGUE ASSET: A Presidential Agent Novel by Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson (Thriller/Adventure)
The Secretary of State has been kidnapped by Islamic extremists, and his only hope for survival is a reconstituted Presidential Agent team in this revival of W. E. B. Griffin's New York Times bestselling series.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
From left to right: Michael J. Fox, Siri Hustvedt, Jeffery Deaver
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.
Tuesday, December 7th at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble Book Club: Barnes & Noble will host a Facebook Live discussion for their November Book Club selection, OUR COUNTRY FRIENDS, featuring Gary Shteyngart.
Tuesday, December 7th at 7pm ET: The Mark Twain House & Museum: The Mark Twain House & Museum is delighted to welcome New York Times bestselling thriller writer Jeffery Deaver discussing his latest novel, THE MIDNIGHT LOCK, with fellow bestseller Steve Berry.
Tuesday, December 7th at 7pm ET: Warwick's: Warwick's, in partnership with Flatiron Books, is honored to launch the paperback release of Michael J. Fox’s New York Times bestselling memoir, NO TIME LIKE THE FUTURE. To celebrate this new edition, Fox will be in conversation with journalist Willie Geist.
Tuesday, December 7th at 7:30pm ET: Square Books: Square Books is pleased to partner with HarperCollins and fellow indie bookstores to present Ann Patchett in conversation with Amor Towles in celebration of the publication of Patchett's charming essay collection, THESE PRECIOUS DAYS.
Wednesday, December 8th at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors --- Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey and Patti Callahan Henry --- will talk to Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, whose most recent novel is GOOD COMPANY.
Wednesday, December 8th at 7pm ET: Harvard Book Store: Harvard Book Store's virtual event series welcomes award-winning novelist and essayist Siri Hustvedt for a discussion of her latest essay collection, MOTHERS, FATHERS, AND OTHERS. She will be joined in conversation by Danielle Spencer, author and Academic Director of the Columbia University Narrative Medicine Program.
Wednesday, December 8th at 7pm ET: Warwick's: Warwick's will host Meg Waite Clayton as she discusses her new book, THE POSTMISTRESS OF PARIS, a haunting novel that revisits the dark early days of the German occupation in France.
Wednesday, December 8th at 8pm ET: "Bookaccino Live": As part of Bookreporter.com's 25th anniversary celebration, we are excited to bring together some of our longtime reviewers, each of whom will talk about his or her favorite books of 2021. Click here to sign up.
Thursday, December 9th at 7:30pm ET: Community Bookstore: Siri Hustvedt will join Community Bookstore to present her new book, MOTHERS, FATHERS, AND OTHERS, in conversation with her daughter, the musician Sophie Auster.
Friday, December 10th at 8pm ET: Murder By The Book: Jeffery Deaver will be in conversation with fellow New York Times bestselling author Riley Sager about his latest Lincoln Rhyme thriller, THE MIDNIGHT LOCK.
"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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Xochitl Gonzalez (OLGA DIES DREAMING)
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James Rollins (THE STARLESS CROWN)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll: Giving Books for the Holidays
Are you planning to give books as gifts this holiday season? Please check all that apply.
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I am planning to give print books (hardcovers and/or paperbacks).
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I am planning to give e-books.
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I am planning to give audiobooks.
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I am planning to give a gift card that will allow the recipient to buy a print book, e-book or audiobook.
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I am not planning to give any books or book gift cards this year.
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I am not sure what I am doing.
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Other (Please specify)
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, December 17th 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 December 3rd to December 17th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE MIDNIGHT LOCK: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel by Jeffery Deaver and WISH YOU WERE HERE by Jodi Picoult.
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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