April 1, 2022

April 1, 2022

Lamb/Lion Leads to April Fool’s

Growing up, my boys used to get the biggest kick out of whether I would call March a lamb/lion month or a lion/lamb month in this newsletter. I confess to not even being able to remember the beginning of March, but I know it is exiting like a lion. Seriously, the storms last night were quite insane.The lightning was flashing, the trees were swaying, and some power was lost in our area. 

I was moderating Simon & Schuster’s Spring 2022 AuthorFest event last night with guests Janet Evanovich and Nelson DeMille. All afternoon, I was monitoring the wind and rain reports with fingers crossed. It is very hard to type with crossed fingers! Luckily, the worst of the storms held off, and I had a terrific conversation with both of them. I hope some of you were there. If not, we will be sharing a video soon. In the meantime, above you can see a screenshot of the event that was captured by one of the attendees, KC Davis. Thanks, KC!

I have three books queued up. First up is TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY by Linwood Barclay. The plot sounds great --- a missing woman, her husband is a suspect, and years later she suddenly returns home. Hmmmm.... Next is THE TOBACCO WIVES by Adele Myers. We featured this book in a number of our preview events, and I am looking forward to it. I have only read about 30 pages so far, but I am completely intrigued by the premise and the writing. And finally there's HEALING: When a Nurse Becomes a Patient by Theresa Brown, RN. Theresa was diagnosed with breast cancer, so she got to see the world of medicine from the other side. I heard her talk about this book at an author lunch, and she was so interesting.

In stores this week is Lisa Scottoline’s new thriller, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BENNETTS, which is a People Magazine Book of the Week and will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. Jason Bennett is driving his family home when a pickup truck begins tailgating them. Suddenly two men jump out of the pickup; they pull guns on Jason and demand the car before committing a life-changing act of violence. Jason and his family learn that the carjackers are members of a dangerous drug-trafficking organization, and to ensure their safety, they must enter the witness protection program. But after Jason learns a shocking truth, he realizes that he has to take matters into his own hands.

Our reviewer Rebecca Munro calls the book “a high-octane, edge-of-your-seat thriller” and goes on to say, “I never guessed what would happen next, and every time I thought I found a plot hole or loose end, Scottoline filled it brilliantly with even more shocking reveals. She doesn’t let up with the twists, and in fact matches them at every turn with believable, resonant character development and surprisingly poignant musings on grief, marriage and justice.” Don’t miss my Bets On commentary in next week’s newsletter. This is the most fast-paced book that Lisa has ever written. I was tailgated the other day, and I wanted to yell, "You need to read Lisa Scottoline's book!"

Lisa’s virtual book tour continues this weekend and next week. Click here for her schedule, and be sure to visit this page often as more events get added. You also can check out her offer for book groups that are reading WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BENNETTS here. Oh, and if you missed last month’s “Bookaccino Live” Book Group event, where I talked to Lisa about her first historical novel, ETERNAL (which is now in paperback), you can watch it here and listen to the podcast here.

My latest “Bookreporter Talks To” interview is with Gilly Macmillan, whose new thriller, THE LONG WEEKEND, is now available and will be a Bets On selection. The book begins with a group of women who travel to an isolated part of England ahead of their husbands for a week away. As soon as they arrive, a note from “E” tells them that one of their husbands has already been killed. “E” is Edie, who used to be part of one of the couples who took this annual trip, but her husband died the year before. With no cell service and a treacherous walk to the nearest landline, they are trapped.

In the interview, Gilly says that she wanted to take this opportunity to write something fast and thrilling. She discusses finding her characters through multiple drafts and how she laced in the twists. I mention that THE LONG WEEKEND reminds me of a Ruth Ware novel in that it is both fun and terrifying. And yes, we talk about what’s next. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast.

According to our reviewer Megan Elliott, “Shifting perspectives --- including sections told from the point of view of a character whose identity is withheld until late in the book --- will keep readers guessing as to who’s really behind the letter and the crimes that follow.... Ultimately...this is an eminently readable page-turner.” Find out why I’m betting you’ll love this book in next week’s newsletter.

Other books we’re reviewing this week include:

• THE DIAMOND EYE: Based on a true story, Kate Quinn’s new novel is the World War II tale of a quiet librarian who becomes history’s deadliest female sniper.
   
• THE MISSING PIECE: John Lescroart’s latest thriller featuring master attorney Dismas Hardy is about a relentlessly twisty murder mystery.
   
• BURNING QUESTIONS: In more than 60 pieces, Margaret Atwood offers her take on everything from debt and tech to the climate crisis, freedom and the importance of how to define granola.

Releasing this week is THE SHOP ON ROYAL STREET, which is the first book in a spinoff of Karen White’s Tradd Street novels. Nola Trenholm is hopeful for a fresh start in the Big Easy but must deal with ghosts from her past --- as well as new ones. We’re sharing a Q&A with Karen where she talks about her inspiration for this new series, the research she conducted and more. You also can read an excerpt here and check out the discussion guide here.

Spring Preview Update
We gave away the aforementioned WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BENNETTS in this week’s Spring Preview contest. Our next giveaway will be on Wednesday, April 6th at noon ET; the prize book will be THE MASTER CRAFTSMAN by Kelli Stuart.

Books on Screen Offerings for April
April's Books on Screen roundup includes the season two premiere of "The Flight Attendant" on HBO Max; the season finales of "My Brilliant Friend" on HBO, "Pachinko" on Apple TV+ and "Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber" on Showtime; the series premieres of FX on Hulu's "Under the Banner of Heaven," Netflix's "Anatomy of a Scandal," HBO Max's "Tokyo Vice" and Showtime's "The Man Who Fell to Earth"; the films All the Old Knives and Curious Caterer: Dying for Chocolate; and the DVD releases of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Death on the Nile, The Tiger Rising, The Meaning of Hitler, Last Looks and The King's Daughter.

Enter Our New Word of Mouth Contest
We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about. Let us know by Friday, April 15th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win SISTER STARDUST by Jane Green and THE YOUNGER WIFE by Sally Hepworth, both of which release on Tuesday and will be Bets On selections.

Vote in Our New Poll --- and Check Out Results from the Last Poll
Our new poll asks which of 30 titles releasing in April you are planning to read. Click here to cast your votes.

In our previous poll, we listed 20 fiction titles that released in paperback in March and asked which of them, if any, you have read or are planning to read. Here are your top five picks: THE PARIS LIBRARY by Janet Skeslien Charles (52%), THE GOOD SISTER by Sally Hepworth (38%), WHO IS MAUD DIXON? by Alexandra Andrews (30%), BAND OF SISTERS by Lauren Willig (24%), and KLARA AND THE SUN by Kazuo Ishiguro (23%). Click here for all the results.

News & Pop Culture

Reader Mail: Andrew wrote about winning our Spring Preview contest for WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BENNETTS: “Wow! I love your newsletters and contests!! I'm so excited to have won, thank you so much!”

The Oscars: One more thought about Oscar night. I think that Kevin Costner's speech before he presented the award for Best Director to Jane Campion was a highlight of the night for me. I fear it got lost in the noise of "the big slap," so I am sharing a link to it here. Oh, and his sunglasses on the red carpet are amusingly cool.

Marie Kondo: KonMari Media, Inc. announced this week that the bestselling author has a new book coming in November, MARIE KONDO’S KURASHI AT HOME: How to Organize Your Space and Achieve Your Ideal Life. Now we are not just sparking joy, I guess we are organizing the joy.

The Final Four: Well, the Peacocks did not go all the way, but they were a lot of fun to watch. I am trying to figure out who I want to see win the championship. Part of me is thinking Duke, just so Coach K gets one more big one, BUT I have to mull this over more. I know, I am overthinking. Again. And if I am being honest, it may be because the final four teams have not resonated with me like the Peacocks. But hmmmm, maybe I should cheer for North Carolina given that they beat the Peacocks? I give up. I will wait to see who the final two are and then pick. How’s that for dodging the question?

Tonight and tomorrow night, Tom, the boys and I will be attending the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival at Princeton University. The event was canceled in 2020 and 2021, so we are looking forward to seeing what they have to offer this round. This will be the first time that the four of us all are going together. NOW if I could just remember WHERE the tickets are that I printed out!

Tom is heading to San Antonio on business on Sunday. He is joking that I will be eating pizza on English muffins all week. Although I do love to cook, when he travels I often resort to a version of college dorm eating. It endlessly amuses him. My book group is meeting next week to discuss BLACK CAKE by Charmaine Wilkerson, and one of the members is bringing a black cake. I am looking forward to both the discussion AND the cake.

I am really terrible at April Fool’s jokes, so instead I am going to wish you a brilliant April. May we truly feel like Spring Has Sprung!

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:
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BENNETTS
by Lisa Scottoline
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BENNETTS by Lisa Scottoline (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Edoardo Ballerini
Jason Bennett is driving his family home after his daughter’s field hockey game when a pickup truck begins tailgating them. Suddenly two men jump from the pickup and pull guns on Jason, demanding the car. A horrific flash of violence changes his life forever. Later that awful night, Jason and his family receive a visit from the FBI. The carjackers were members of a dangerous drug-trafficking organization, and now Jason and his family are in their crosshairs. The agents advise them to enter the witness protection program, and they have no choice but to agree. The Bennetts begin to fall apart at the seams. Then Jason learns a shocking truth and realizes that he has to take matters into his own hands. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to visit Lisa Scottoline's website.
- Click here for Lisa Scottoline's virtual book tour schedule.

Featured Review: THE LONG WEEKEND
by Gilly Macmillan
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title

THE LONG WEEKEND by Gilly Macmillan (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Olivia Poulet
Dark Fell Barn is a “perfectly isolated” retreat, or so says its website when Jayne books a reservation for her friends. A quiet place, far removed from the rest of the world, is exactly what they need. The women arrive for a girls’ night ahead of their husbands. Ex-Army Jayne is hardened and serious but also damaged. Ruth is a driven doctor and new mother who is battling demons of her own. Young Emily, just wed and insecure, is the newest addition to this tight-knit band. Missing this year is Edie, who was the glue holding them together, until her husband died suddenly. But what they hoped would be a relaxing break soon turns to horror. Upon arrival at Dark Fell Barn, the women find a devastating note claiming one of their husbands will be murdered. Reviewed by Megan Elliott.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Gilly Macmillan.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.

Click here to read our review.

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

Featured Review: THE DIAMOND EYE by Kate Quinn

THE DIAMOND EYE by Kate Quinn (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Saskia Maarleveld
After Hitler’s invasion of Russia, Mila Pavlichenko must forge herself from studious girl to deadly sniper --- a lethal hunter of Nazis known as Lady Death. When news of her 300th kill makes her a national heroine, Mila is sent to America on a goodwill tour. She finds herself isolated and lonely in the glittering world of Washington, DC --- until an unexpected friendship with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and an even more unexpected connection with a silent fellow sniper offer the possibility of happiness. But when an old enemy from Mila’s past joins forces with a deadly new foe lurking in the shadows, Lady Death finds herself battling her own demons and enemy bullets in the deadliest duel of her life. Reviewed by Rebecca Wasniak.

- Click here to read more about the book.

Click here to read our review.

Featured Review: THE MISSING PIECE by John Lescroart

THE MISSING PIECE by John Lescroart (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Jacques Roy
No one mourned when San Francisco DA Wes Farrell put Paul Riley in prison 11 years ago for the rape and murder of his girlfriend. And no one is particularly happy to see him again when he’s released after The Exoneration Initiative uncovered evidence that pinned the crime on someone else. In fact, Riley soon turns up murdered, surrounded by the loot from his latest scam. But if Riley was really innocent all along, who wanted him dead? To the cops, it’s straightforward: the still-grieving father of Riley’s dead girlfriend killed the former prisoner. Farrell, now out of politics and practicing law with master attorney Dismas Hardy, agrees to represent the defendant, Doug Rush --- and is left in the dust when Rush suddenly vanishes. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.

- Click here to read more about the book.

Click here to read our review.

Featured Review: BURNING QUESTIONS
by Margaret Atwood

BURNING QUESTIONS: Essays and Occasional Pieces, 2004 to 2021 by Margaret Atwood (Essays)
Audiobook available, read by a full cast
In more than 60 pieces, Margaret Atwood aims her prodigious intellect and impish humor at the world, and reports back to us on what she finds. This rollercoaster period brought the end of history, a financial crash, the rise of Trump and a pandemic. From debt to tech, the climate crisis to freedom; from when to dispense advice to the young (answer: only when asked) to how to define granola, we have no better guide to the many and varied mysteries of our universe. Reviewed by Pauline Finch.

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

Click here to read our review.

An Interview with Karen White,
Author of THE SHOP ON ROYAL STREET

THE SHOP ON ROYAL STREET is the opening installment in a spin-off series of Karen White’s New York Times bestselling Tradd Street novels. It stars Nola Trenholm, who is hopeful for a fresh start in New Orleans. But she must deal with ghosts from her past, as well as new ones. In this interview, White talks about why she decided to tell this story from Nola’s point of view, her “research” trip to the Big Easy (it was a tough job, but someone had to do it!), and some aspects of the new series that she thinks Tradd Street fans will love --- including several cameo appearances and the surprising reappearance of a character brought back into Nola’s life due to reader demand.

THE SHOP ON ROYAL STREET by Karen White (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Sophie Amoss
Nola Trenholm is looking to begin her life anew in New Orleans. But the historic fixer-upper she buys comes with even more work than she anticipated when the house’s previous occupants don’t seem to be ready to depart. Although she can’t communicate with ghosts like her stepmother can, luckily Nola knows someone in New Orleans who is able to --- even if he’s the last person on earth she wants anything to do with ever again. Beau Ryan comes with his own dark past --- a past that involves the disappearance of his sister and parents during Hurricane Katrina --- and he’s connected to the unsolved murder of a woman who once lived in the old Creole cottage Nola is determined to make her own...whether the resident restless spirits agree or not.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to visit Karen White's website.

Click here to read the interview.

Bookreporter.com's 11th Annual
Spring Preview Contests and Feature

Spring is in the air! We’ve caught the fever --- and it’s being fueled by some wonderful new and upcoming releases. Our 11th annual Spring Preview Contests and Feature spotlights many of these picks, which we know people will be talking about over the next few months. We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days in March and April. You will need to check the site to see the featured book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce each title, which you can sign up for here.

Our next prize book will be announced on Wednesday, April 6th at noon ET.

This year's featured titles include:

• THE CATCH by Alison Fairbrother
• JOAN: A Novel of Joan of Arc by Katherine J. Chen
• THE MASTER CRAFTSMAN by Kelli Stuart
• SUMMER AT THE CAPE by RaeAnne Thayne
• WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BENNETTS by Lisa Scottoline

Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.

April’s Books on Screen Feature

More Reviews This Week

MURDER AT THE PORTE DE VERSAILLES: An Aimée Leduc Investigation Set in Paris by Cara Black (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Carine Montbertrand
In the wake of 9/11, Paris is living in a state of fear. For Aimée Leduc, November is bittersweet: the anniversary of her father’s death and her daughter’s third birthday fall on the same day. A gathering for family and friends is disrupted when a bomb goes off at the police laboratory --- and Boris Viard, the partner of Aimée’s friend Michou, is found unconscious at the scene of the crime with traces of explosives under his fingernails. Aimée doesn’t believe Boris set the bomb. When a member of the French secret service drafts Aimée to help investigate possible links to an Iranian Revolutionary guard and fugitive radicals who bombed Interpol in the 1980s, Aimée uncovers ties to a cold case of her father’s. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

THE NEXT THING YOU KNOW by Jessica Strawser (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Christa Lewis
As an end-of-life doula, Nova Huston’s job is to help terminally ill people make peace with their impending death. Unlike her business partner, who swears by her system of checklists, free-spirited Nova doesn’t shy away from difficult clients. When Mason Shaylor shows up at her door, Nova doesn’t recognize him as the indie-favorite singer-songwriter who recently vanished from the public eye. She knows only what he’s told her: That life as he knows it is over. His deteriorating condition makes playing his guitar physically impossible. Helping him is Nova’s biggest challenge yet. It turns out that she and Mason have more in common than anyone could guess… and meeting him might turn out to be the hardest, best thing that’s ever happened to them both. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.

WILD AND WICKED THINGS by Francesca May (Historical Fantasy)
Audiobook available; read by Marisa Calin, Gemma Dawson and Ralph Lister
On Crow Island, people whisper, real magic lurks just below the surface. Neither real magic nor faux magic interests Annie Mason. Not after it stole her future. She’s only on the island to settle her late father’s estate and, hopefully, reconnect with her long-absent best friend, Beatrice, who fled their dreary lives for a more glamorous one. Yet Crow Island is brimming with temptation, and the biggest one may be her enigmatic new neighbor. Mysterious and alluring, Emmeline Delacroix is a figure shadowed by rumors of witchcraft. And when Annie witnesses a confrontation between Bea and Emmeline at one of the island's extravagant parties, she is drawn into a glittering, haunted world, where the cost of illicit magic might be death. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.

THE FELL by Sarah Moss (Fiction)
At dusk on a November evening, a woman slips through her garden gate and turns up the hill. Kate is in the middle of a two-week mandatory quarantine period, a true lockdown, but she can’t take it anymore --- the closeness of the air in her small house, the confinement. And anyway, the moor will be deserted at this time. Nobody need ever know she’s stepped out. Kate planned only a quick walk --- a stretch of the legs, a breath of fresh air --- on paths she knows too well. But somehow she falls. Injured and unable to move, she sees that her short, furtive stroll will become a mountain rescue operation, maybe even a missing person case. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

ALL THE WHITE SPACES by Ally Wilkes (Supernatural Thriller/Historical Horror)
Audiobook available, read by Scott Turner Schofield
In the wake of the First World War, Jonathan Morgan stows away on an Antarctic expedition, determined to find his rightful place in the world of men. But not all is smooth sailing: the war casts its long shadow over them all, and grief, guilt and mistrust skulk among the explorers. When disaster strikes in Antarctica’s frozen Weddell Sea, the men must take to the land. In the freezing darkness of the Polar night, where the aurora creeps across the sky, something terrible has been waiting to lure them out into its deadly landscape. As the harsh Antarctic winter descends, this supernatural force will prey on their deepest desires and deepest fears to pick them off one by one. Reviewed by Katherine B. Weissman.

THE ECHOES by Jess Montgomery (Historical Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Susan Bennett
Sheriff Lily Ross and her family look forward to the opening of an amusement park created by Chalmer Fitzpatrick. When Lily is alerted to the possible drowning of a girl, she discovers schisms going back several generations, in an ongoing dispute over the land on which Fitzpatrick has built the park. Lily's family life is soon rattled with the revelation that before he died, her brother had a daughter, Esme, and arrangements have been made for Esme to immigrate to the U.S. to live with them. But Esme never makes it to Kinship, and soon Lily discovers that she has been kidnapped. A young woman is indeed found murdered in the fishing pond on Fitzpatrick's property, at the same time that a baby is left on his doorstep. As the two crimes interweave, Lily must confront the question of what makes family. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.

ADMISSIONS: A Memoir of Surviving Boarding School by Kendra James (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Mela Lee
Early on in Kendra James’ professional life, she began to feel like she was selling a lie. As an admissions officer specializing in diversity recruitment for independent prep schools, she persuaded students and families to embark on the same perilous journey she herself had made --- to attend cutthroat and largely white schools similar to The Taft School, where she had been the first African-American legacy student only a few years earlier. Her new job forced her to reflect on her own elite education experience, and to realize how disillusioned she had become with America’s inequitable system. Reviewed by Dunja Bonacci Skenderović.

THE BUCHAREST DOSSIER by William Maz (Thriller)
At the start of the 1989 uprising in Romania, CIA analyst Bill Hefflin --- a disillusioned Romanian expat --- arrives in Bucharest at the insistence of his KGB asset, code-named Boris. As Hefflin becomes embroiled in an uprising that turns into a brutal revolution, nothing is as it seems, including the search for his childhood love, which has taken on mythical proportions. With the bloody events unfolding at blinding speed, Hefflin realizes the revolution is manipulated by outside forces, including his own CIA and Boris --- the puppeteer who seems to be pulling all the strings of Hefflin’s life. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

UNTIL THE LAST OF ME: A Take Them to the Stars Novel by Sylvain Neuvel (Historical Thriller/Science Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Thomas Judd
The First Rule is the most important: Always run, never fight. For generations, Mia’s family has shaped human history to push them to the stars. The year is 1968, and she is on the cusp of destiny, poised to launch the first humans into space. But she cannot take them to the stars, not quite yet. Her adversary is at her heels, the future of the planet at stake, and obeying the First Rule is no longer an option. For the first time in 100 generations, Mia’s family will have to choose to stand their ground, risking not only their bloodline but the future of the human race. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

DOUBLEBLIND: A Georgia Davis Novel of Suspense by Libby Fischer Hellmann (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Daniela Acitelli
With little work during the pandemic, Chicago PI Georgia Davis agrees to help the best friend of fellow sleuth Ellie Foreman. Susan Siler’s aunt died suddenly after her COVID booster, and Susan’s distraught mother wants the death investigated. However, Georgia’s investigation is interrupted by a family trip to Nauvoo, Illinois, the one-time Mormon heartland. It’s there that her life unexpectedly intersects with the runaway spouse of a Mormon Fundamentalist. Back in Evanston, after Georgia is almost killed by a hit-and-run driver, she discovers that she and the escaped woman look remarkably alike. Is someone trying to kill Georgia because of her death investigation? Or is it a case of mistaken identity? Reviewed by Amy Alessio.

Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on April 5th

Below are some notable titles releasing on April 5th 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 April 4th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.

THE CANDY HOUSE by Jennifer Egan (Fiction)
Jennifer Egan has written a “sibling novel” to A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD --- an electrifying, deeply moving novel about the quest for authenticity and meaning in a world where memories and identities are no longer private.

EASY BEAUTY: A Memoir by Chloé Cooper Jones (Memoir)
From Pulitzer Prize finalist Chloé Cooper Jones comes a groundbreaking memoir about disability, motherhood, and a journey to far-flung places in search of a new way of seeing and being seen.

FOUR TREASURES OF THE SKY by Jenny Tinghui Zhang (Historical Fiction)
This propulsive and dazzling debut novel, set against the backdrop of the Chinese Exclusion Act, is about a Chinese girl fighting to claim her place in the 1880s American West.

THE LIFEGUARDS by Amanda Eyre Ward (Fiction)
The bonds between three picture-perfect --- but viciously protective --- mothers and their close-knit sons are tested during one unforgettable summer in a gripping novel from the New York Times bestselling author of THE JETSETTERS.

MEMPHIS by Tara M. Stringfellow (Fiction)
This spellbinding debut novel traces three generations of a Southern Black family and one daughter’s discovery that she has the power to change her family’s legacy.

ONCE A THIEF: A Simon Riske Novel by Christopher Reich (Thriller)
Facing enemies at every turn, freelance private spy Simon Riske dashes across Europe to find the truth behind a mysterious investor known as "the Collector" in Christopher Reich’s high-stakes, page-turning international espionage series.

ROBERT LUDLUM'S THE TREADSTONE TRANSGRESSION by Joshua Hood (Thriller/Adventure)
A blown mission and a dead team leave Adam Hayes the last loose thread in a tapestry of betrayal in this latest high-stakes international thriller from the world of Robert Ludlum.

SEA OF TRANQUILITY by Emily St. John Mandel (Post-Apocalyptic/Science Fiction)
The author of STATION ELEVEN and THE GLASS HOTEL returns with a novel of art, time, love and plague that takes the reader from Vancouver Island in 1912 to a dark colony on the moon 500 years later, unfurling a story of humanity across centuries and space.

SHADOWS OF BERLIN by David R. Gillham (Historical Fiction)
SHADOWS OF BERLIN is a captivating novel of a Berlin girl on the run from the guilt of her past and the boy from Brooklyn who loves her.

SISTER STARDUST by Jane Green (Historical Fiction)
In her first novel inspired by a true story, Jane Green reimagines the life of troubled icon Talitha Getty in this transporting story from a forgotten chapter of the Swinging '60s.

TIME IS A MOTHER by Ocean Vuong (Poetry)
In this deeply intimate second poetry collection, Ocean Vuong searches for life among the aftershocks of his mother’s death, embodying the paradox of sitting within grief while being determined to survive beyond it.

YOUNG MUNGO by Douglas Stuart (Fiction)
Both a page-turner and literary tour de force, YOUNG MUNGO is a vivid portrayal of working-class life and a deeply moving and highly suspenseful story of the dangerous first love of two young men.

THE YOUNGER WIFE by Sally Hepworth (Domestic Thriller)
From the author of THE GOOD SISTER, the breakout New York Times bestseller and “stunningly clever thriller” (People), comes Sally Hepworth’s latest novel of domestic suspense about the tangled vines of family secrets.

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

From left to right: Lisa Scottoline, Harlan Coben, Amanda Eyre Ward

Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events

As so many book and author events are happening online these days, we are highlighting a number of them that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links below for more info and to register.

Sunday, April 3rd at 4pm ET: Towne Book Center: Join Towne Book Center for a virtual event with Lisa Scottoline on their YouTube channel. She'll be talking about her latest thriller, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BENNETTS.

Sunday, April 3rd at 7pm ET: The Back Room: Join authors Amy Impellizzieri, Gilly Macmillan, Mia Manansala and Lisa Scottoline, along with Back Room hosts Karen Dionne and Hank Phillippi Ryan, for an evening of great conversation.

Monday, April 4th at 1pm ET: Simon & Schuster's Book Club Favorites: Janet Skeslien Charles and Kristin Harmel will join members of the Simon & Schuster team for a live historical fiction discussion about THE PARIS LIBRARY and THE FOREST OF VANISHING STARS, which are March's picks for S&S's Book Club Favorites.

Monday, April 4th at 7pm ET: Hudson Library & Historical Society: The Hudson Library & Historical Society will host a live virtual streaming event with Harlan Coben, who will discuss his newest thriller, THE MATCH, with celebrity chef and cookbook author Rachael Ray.

Monday, April 4th at 7:30pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Jeffrey Siger will discuss ONE LAST CHANCE, the 12th installment in his mystery series starring Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis.

Tuesday, April 5th at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble Book Club: Barnes & Noble will host a virtual discussion for their March Book Club selection, ONE ITALIAN SUMMER, featuring Rebecca Serle.

Tuesday, April 5th at 7pm ET: Gramercy Books: Join #1 bestselling author Lisa Scottoline as she launches her latest book --- a pulse-pounding new novel, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BENNETTS, where a family must choose between law and justice.

Tuesday, April 5th at 8pm ET: Murder By The Book: Joshua Hood will be in conversation with Brian Freeman about THE TREADSTONE TRANSGRESSION, the latest high-stakes international thriller from the world of Robert Ludlum.

Thursday, April 7th at 7pm ET: RJ Julia Booksellers: Join Amanda Eyre Ward for the launch of her new book, THE LIFEGUARDS. She will be in conversation with Christina Baker Kline and Paula McLain.

Friday, April 8th at 8pm ET: Warwick's: Warwick's, in partnership with Book Passage, Book Soup, Third Place Books and Rakestraw Books, will host Harlan Coben as he discusses his new book, THE MATCH, with Kristin Hannah.

 "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:

• Gilly Macmillan (THE LONG WEEKEND) Video | Podcast

Other authors we've interviewed include:

• Kimberly Belle (MY DARLING HUSBAND) Video | Podcast
• Katherine Faulkner (GREENWICH PARK) Video | Podcast
• Christopher Golden (ROAD OF BONES) Video | Podcast
• Xochitl Gonzalez (OLGA DIES DREAMING) Video | Podcast
• Heather Gudenkauf (THE OVERNIGHT GUEST) Video | Podcast
• Bonnie Kistler (THE CAGE) Video | Podcast
• Jacquelyn Mitchard (THE GOOD SON) Video | Podcast
• Allison Pataki (THE MAGNIFICENT LIVES OF MARJORIE POST) Video | Podcast
• Nita Prose (THE MAID) Video | Podcast
• James Rollins (THE STARLESS CROWN) Video | Podcast
• John Searles (HER LAST AFFAIR) Video | Podcast
• Brendan Slocumb (THE VIOLIN CONSPIRACY) Video | Podcast
• Wendy Corsi Staub (THE OTHER FAMILY) Video | Podcast
• Karen White (THE ATTIC ON QUEEN STREET) Video | Podcast
• Charmaine Wilkerson (BLACK CAKE) Video | Podcast

Upcoming interviews include:

• Jane Green (SISTER STARDUST)
• Amanda Eyre Ward (THE LIFEGUARDS)

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

Our Latest Poll: April Releases to Anticipate

Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, April 15th at noon ET.

Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What
You're Reading --- and You Can Win Two Books!

Click here to enter the contest.

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