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Some Goodbyes…and a Hello
Many of you have gotten to know Austin Ruh at our various live events. Over the past couple of years, we have filmed over 100 interviews and events together, including five Book Group Speed Dating programs. A little over a week ago, he called to tell me that he is leaving to take a job at a film production studio.
For humor, when I hired him, it was to replace Nicole as our Ad/Promo Manager, and I had zero idea about his film background. He joined us on the recommendation of a good friend. One day shortly after he started, I mentioned that Amanda, who had been doing the filming and editing for us, had left to go back to school, and I needed to find someone to work on our video/podcast series. He said he had been a film major in college and thought he could help out. Seriously, it was what Jesse Kornbluth and I call “a hand of God moment.” So he sat behind the camera when we were in the city taping interviews, and when we did the pivot to the home office, he helped coordinated our plans for Zoom. We shot many interviews and programs first beamed from my dining room studio and then from my home office studio.
With Tom Donadio, in one Zoom call we invented “Bookaccino Live” that begat the “Bookaccino Live” Book Club. And we did those five Book Group Speed Dating programs, also reinventing our signature live program to be virtual --- and engaging. In winter 2021, we produced the Morristown Festival of Books virtual programming, a four-event series. As I said the other day, ”We invented a lot of really terrific programs together,” to which he replied, “I cannot wait to see what you do next,” which is very kind. I cannot wait to see what he does too.
Next week, Jordan Redd will be joining us to do production on “Bookreporter Talks To” and “Bookaccino Live.” And to show how tightly spun our world is, I found her through Amanda, who is now working at Hachette. When I reached out to her for ideas for a candidate, she was back to me with Jordan’s name within 24 hours. Jordan was a film and literature major at American University and has recently moved to New York --- a lucky pairing for us. Austin filmed a series of videos to explain details of how he did each part of his job. I love this.
I know you join me in wishing Austin all good things. I am so grateful for his support in all that we created together. He’s also working on a couple of fantasy works of fiction, so you just never know where his name will pop up next in the book world.
Also this week, our longtime reviewer Roz Shea informed Tom and me that she will be stepping away from reviewing books to focus on her health. She has been with us since 1998 and was a moderator for a chat room we had on AOL during the early days of Bookreporter (it was called Bookaccino, a name I loved so much that I resurrected it for our video/podcast series). Above is a photo of Roz during an event where she signed copies of a book she edited, SAND IN OUR SHOES: Chasing the American Dream, under her real name, Rosemary Shearer.
Roz wrote us a lovely note reflecting on her 24 years with us. Here’s part of what she said: “This has been one of my greatest joys in life --- from the monthly book selections, to picking books to read and review, and even interviewing many of the world's most prominent writers. So many genres, so many bestsellers. It was my privilege to follow most of Sue Grafton's ambitious Alphabet series, from A IS FOR ALIBI to Y IS FOR YESTERDAY, until her tragic death took her life before she wrote ‘Z.’ Other favorites of mine have included James Lee Burke, Patricia Cornwell, Janet Evanovich, Tony Hillerman, Dean Koontz, Sara Paretsky, Terry Pratchett, Daniel Silva, Alexander McCall Smith and Paul Theroux. So many of their books now adorn my bookshelves! I am so proud to be able to say that I was a reviewer for Bookreporter. It opened up a whole new career for me!”
Tom and I wish Roz all the very best and cannot thank her enough for all that she has contributed to Bookreporter over the years. We will miss her, but we will never lose touch with her. Originally known as BkPgRoz, she always will be a member of the Book Report Network family! And of course, the door will always be open for her if she is able to return.
Tracy Flick is back, and once again the iconic protagonist of Tom Perrotta’s ELECTION --- and Reese Witherspoon’s character from the classic movie adaptation --- is determined to take high school politics by storm. TRACY FLICK CAN’T WIN, Perrotta’s highly anticipated sequel, will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection.
Jana Siciliano has our review and says, “I enjoyed this book so much. The writing is efficient and pointed, yet the story never fails to be incredibly funny. Even as we watch Tracy plunge into the craziness of small-town education and politics, and possibly see ourselves in the addle-brained former prom queens and football players, TRACY FLICK CAN’T WIN will prove to be a winner this summer.”
I so agree with Jana; she nails what works about it. I read an early copy of this book late last summer, and I literally did not move from my lawn chair until it was finished. And I laughed. A lot. It’s so smart and clever. Don’t miss my Bets On commentary in next week’s newsletter.
In her new novel, IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS, Therese Anne Fowler introduces us to the Geller sisters: Beck, Claire and Sophie, a trio of strong-minded women whose pragmatic, widowed mother, Marti, will be dying soon and taking her secrets with her. Enter C.J. Reynolds, an enigmatic southerner ex-con with his own hidden past who complicates the situation.
According to our reviewer Rebecca Munro, “Contrary to Fowler’s previous books, IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS is a true slow-burn family drama. Though the action is limited, she keeps the plot moving by employing her keen eye for relationship dynamics in marriage, sisterhood and found family. There’s no doubt that the characters are beautifully rendered and smartly written, but the true tension comes from the dramatic irony she uses to tie each of their plotlines together.”
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
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HAPPY-GO-LUCKY: This latest essay collection from bestselling author and humorist David Sedaris features his unique and acerbic take on the pandemic, political unrest and the death of his father.
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EVERY CLOAK ROLLED IN BLOOD: In his most autobiographical novel to date, James Lee Burke continues the epic Holland family saga with a writer grieving the death of his daughter while battling earthly and supernatural outlaws.
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MORE THAN YOU’LL EVER KNOW: Katie Gutierrez’s debut novel, which is June’s “Good Morning America” Book Club pick, is about a woman caught leading a double life after one husband murders the other, and the true-crime writer who becomes obsessed with telling her story.
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THE WOMAN IN THE LIBRARY: Ned Kelly Award-winning author Sulari Gentill’s mystery-within-a-mystery, which is this month’s Top LibraryReads Pick, is set in motion with a deceptively simple, Dear Hannah, What are you writing? pulling us into the ornate reading room at the Boston Public Library.
Enter to Win a Thrilling Feminist Dystopian Novel
You have until Friday, June 17th at noon ET to enter our contest for WIDOWLAND by C. J. Carey and be one of our 25 lucky winners. Releasing on August 9th, the book is set in an alternate reality in which Britain surrendered to the Nazis and has been under occupation for over a decade. Bestselling author Rhys Bowen raves, "Storytelling at its best! I rarely come across a book I can't put down, but I devoured this one. It was THE HANDMAID’S TALE but even more closely tied to the reality of our world, showing what happens to women under a totalitarian regime."
I’m Betting You’ll Love…
My latest Bets On picks are TWO NIGHTS IN LISBON by Chris Pavone and TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY by Linwood Barclay. Click on the titles to see why I’m betting you’ll love these books. If you missed my recent “Bookreporter Talks To” interview with Chris, you can watch it here or listen to the podcast here.
Summer Reading Update
TWO NIGHTS IN LISBON will be next week’s Summer Reading prize book; the 24-hour contest for it will be up on Tuesday, June 14th at noon ET. This week, we gave away BEAUTIFUL WORLD, WHERE ARE YOU by Sally Rooney, which is now available in paperback.
Last Chance to Enter our “Best Books for Dad” Contest!
TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY is one of the prizes in this year’s Father’s Day contest, which is entering its final week. We’re giving five readers the opportunity to win all 12 of our dad-friendly titles, which also include THE OMEGA FACTOR by Steve Berry, SWING AND A HIT: Nine Innings of What Baseball Taught Me by Paul O'Neill and Jack Curry, UNDELIVERED: The Never-Heard Speeches That Would Have Rewritten History by Jeff Nussbaum, and WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BENNETTS by Lisa Scottoline. To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, June 17th at noon ET.
Play Ball!
We also are featuring SWING AND A HIT in our latest Baseball Books roundup. Ron Kaplan, our resident baseball aficionado, weighs in on Paul O’Neill’s memoir, along with four other recently released titles about our national pastime: a unique biography of Jackie Robinson; two books that focus on the rebels of the sport --- the athletes, lesser-known individuals and social movements that changed the game, and America, forever; and a love letter to the game from one of the country’s foremost scribes. All five of these books would make perfect Father’s Day gifts!
This Month’s New in Paperback Feature
Our New in Paperback roundups are now available for June. We’re featuring paperback reprints from such bestselling authors as John Grisham (THE JUDGE’S LIST), Jodi Picoult (WISH YOU WERE HERE), Megan Miranda (SUCH A QUIET PLACE), Paula Hawkins (A SLOW FIRE BURNING), and Jennifer Chiaverini (THE WOMEN’S MARCH); nonfiction titles, including GOING THERE by Katie Couric and THE BOMBER MAFIA: A Dream, a Temptation, and the Longest Night of the Second World War by Malcolm Gladwell; and paperback originals like THE SECOND HUSBAND by Kate White and OUT OF THE CLEAR BLUE SKY by Kristan Higgins.
Revisiting Four “Bookreporter Talks To” Interviews
Out in paperback this week are IN EVERY MIRROR SHE’S BLACK by Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström, THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, THE OTHER BLACK GIRL by Zakiya Dalila Harris, and WHERE THE GRASS IS GREEN AND THE GIRLS ARE PRETTY by Lauren Weisberger. I talked to Lolá, Marie, Victoria, Zakiya and Lauren when their books came out in hardcover, so if you’d like to check out these interviews, you can watch the videos or listen to the podcasts using these links:
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Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström (IN EVERY MIRROR SHE'S BLACK) Video | Podcast
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Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray (THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN)
Video | Podcast
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Zakiya Dalila Harris (THE OTHER BLACK GIRL) Video | Podcast
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Lauren Weisberger (WHERE THE GRASS IS GREEN AND THE GIRLS ARE PRETTY) Video | Podcast
Enter Our New Word of Mouth Contest
We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about. Let us know by Friday, June 24th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win THE HOTEL NANTUCKET by Elin Hilderbrand and VACATIONLAND by Meg Mitchell Moore. More on the latter down below!
Vote in Our New Poll --- and Check Out Results from the Last Poll
So many authors, publishers and agents gauge the success of a book by whether or not it hits the New York Times bestseller list. We’re curious: Do you follow these lists? That’s our latest poll question; let us know by clicking here.
In our previous poll, we asked how many physical books (hardcovers or paperbacks) you usually take with you on a weekend trip. 35% of you take along two books, while 19% pack three books and 18% bring just one book. It turns out that 13% of you only read e-books and 2% only listen to audiobooks. Click here for all the results. As for me, I think I would take four...just so I have options!
Kirstin Chen’s latest novel, COUNTERFEIT, is Reese’s Book Club pick for June. Reese says, “This page-turner follows Ava, a rule-abiding lawyer who has ticked all of life’s boxes until she gets wrapped up in a counterfeit handbag scheme with one of her best friends. COUNTERFEIT is full of compelling twists, riveting adventures, and of course luxury handbags. Can you spot the fake?” Don’t miss our review in next week’s newsletter.
Jenna Bush Hager has selected THESE IMPOSSIBLE THINGS as this month’s “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club pick. Salma El-Wardany’s debut novel is about three best friends navigating love, sex, faith and the one night that changes it all. "Just like in my own life, this book is about three strong women who are the heroines of their own stories," says Jenna. "This book perfectly portrays the power, vulnerability and solace I have always found in female friendship."
For more June selections, including the Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, see our “Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks” feature here.
This is your last Bookreporter newsletter reminder to sign up for this month’s “Bookaccino Live” preview event, which will take place on Wednesday, June 15th at 2pm ET. I will talk about titles releasing between June 14th and July 5th, along with a few from August, that I would like to get on your radar. Click here to register. Those attending the live event will be asked to answer a survey about the books from the presentation that they are most interested in reading and will be eligible to win a prize.
The winners of the 2022 Thriller Awards were announced at a banquet in New York City last Saturday night, which officially wrapped up this year’s ThrillerFest. Among the winners were RAZORBLADE TEARS by S.A. Cosby (Best Hardcover Novel and Best Audiobook), MY SWEET GIRL by Amanda Jayatissa (Best First Novel), and BLOODLINE by Jess Lourey (Best Paperback Original). Click here for all the winners. The International Thriller Writers honored this year’s ThrillerMasters, Frederick Forsyth and Diana Gabaldon, at the banquet. Also receiving special recognition were Spotlight Guests Alafair Burke, Joseph Finder and Veronica Roth.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Pat wrote, “Thank you for the wonderful Bookreporter newsletter. I really enjoy it. For quite a while I wasn’t getting your email. Then I subscribed to it using my iPhone, and now it’s a weekly treat! I had been trying to get it using my old computer. My TBR list of books just keeps growing.”
Lisa wrote, “I read your newsletter for the first time just now. I get quite a few book-centered emails, and I’m not sure if this is my first or if I have overlooked Bookreporter previously. What a treat! Thank you. I love the embedded links, and I love the book news. I enjoyed the reader replies, too. I will go back and pursue several of the opportunities to reply and enter to win. I’m a retired teacher and middle school principal, and I’m a reading advocate and book crusader to my friends. Reading has saved my life on many levels, literally --- but I will hold back those gory details for a more appropriate time. With thanks and anticipation.”
Mary Ann wrote, “After reading the story Debbie told about bookmobiles, I have a very similar story. I, too, was born in 1952, and when I was quite young, since our suburb did not have a library and my mother couldn’t drive, each Saturday my father took me to the bookmobile, which was parked behind our local drugstore. I went in and checked out a huge stack, read them all, and went back for another stack each week. It seemed that our school library didn’t have enough reading material for me. To this day, I can still remember the smell inside of the bookmobile. It was a slightly smoky smell, which seemed to attach itself to the pages of the books. I didn’t mind; I was happy to have plenty of books to read!”
“The First Lady” on Showtime: There are two more episodes left. I have been enjoying it.
“This Is Us” Stars Talk About Scenes They Wish They’d Filmed: Here's a fun piece from People magazine.
I had such fun reading the aforementioned VACATIONLAND by Meg Mitchell Moore, which is set in Maine over a summer. It's in stores on Tuesday, and it will be a Bets On selection. There is a place in the town where my mother-in-law lived called Maine on Main, where they sell Maine lobsters. I may have to stop by, grab a lobster roll and call it a perfect book pairing!
Here’s a quick take on the plot: Louisa arrives in Maine with her three children with a plan to complete a book that she is writing for her role as a college professor. Her husband has stayed behind in Brooklyn to work on fundraising for his podcast company, which has consumed all of his time. Louisa has brilliant memories of being in this house in Maine, called Ships View, which is set on the water. Her spending time there goes back to her childhood days, and while in recent years she typically has spent just a couple of weeks there, this time she plans to spend the whole summer. But time has taken a toll on her parents; her dad, who was a prominent judge, is suffering from Alzheimer’s. They have a caregiver for him, but it’s clear that this is a burden overwhelming the family and is only destined to become more difficult.
But there’s more. A young woman named Kristie has taken a Greyhound bus to Maine from Pennsylvania on a quest of her own. And it’s one that will surprise fewer people than one might think. I loved this book; it’s a perfect beach-themed escape.
I have a quiet weekend on tap. Gardening is going more slowly than usual, even with time to plant after dinner. There are a lot of pinks and purples in the plants already in pots and in the ground, which is giving the garden a nice shock of color. And no pansies was my mantra this year. They die too quickly and look sad. No sad plants allowed. The peonies were spectacular, but they definitely were short-lived thanks to pounding rain one night. I barely saw the pink ones. I still need to clear land to plant seeds. I know that makes me sound like a farmer. Above is a picture of the seeds that I want to plant. Let’s just say I bought way, way too many, but I am now thinking, Where, oh where, can they go? Thus “clearing the land.”
We still are waiting on that lawn mower part. Tom now heard it will be in on June 16th, meaning it will arrive that day in Austin, Texas. I passed a farm in town with goats. Should we borrow them? Today Tom read my mind about how much can be mowed with the electric mower. Well, not much as four bags and a small patch done later, he saw that this was not going to work. A friend is planning to move, and he wants to sell his tractor, but it has a wheel that needs to be fixed and that will not be done until Wednesday. If I see any neighbors when I go get the mail, I am going to put a bag on my head...or wait, I can go to the street with a flashlight in the night. Problem solved!
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:
TRACY FLICK CAN’T WIN by Tom Perrotta
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
TRACY FLICK CAN'T WIN by Tom Perrotta (Fiction)
Audiobook available; read by Lucy Liu, Dennis Boutsikaris and Jeremy Bobb
Tracy Flick is a hardworking assistant principal at a public high school in suburban New Jersey. Still ambitious but feeling a little stuck in midlife, she gets a jolt of good news when the longtime principal abruptly announces his retirement, creating a rare opportunity for Tracy to ascend to the top job. Tracy throws herself into her work with renewed zeal, determined to prove her worth while also managing her personal life --- a 10-year-old daughter, a needy doctor boyfriend and a burgeoning meditation practice. But nothing ever comes easily to Tracy Flick, no matter how diligent or qualified she happens to be. As she broods on the past, Tracy becomes aware of storm clouds brewing in the present. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
TRACY FLICK CAN'T WIN will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's commentary in next week's newsletter.
Featured Review: IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS
by Therese Anne Fowler
IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS by Therese Anne Fowler (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Barrie Kreinik
Meet the Geller sisters: Beck, Claire and Sophie, a trio of strong-minded women whose pragmatic, widowed mother, Marti, will be dying soon and taking her secrets with her. Marti has ensured that her modest estate is easy for her family to deal with once she’s gone --- including a provision that the family’s summer cottage on Mount Desert Island, Maine, must be sold, the proceeds split equally among the three girls. Enter C.J. Reynolds, an enigmatic southerner ex-con with his own hidden past, who complicates the situation. All is not what it seems, and everything is about to change. 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 read our review.
Featured Review: HAPPY-GO-LUCKY by David Sedaris
HAPPY-GO-LUCKY by David Sedaris (Humor/Essays)
Audiobook available, read by David Sedaris
Back when restaurant menus were still printed on paper, and wearing a mask --- or not --- was a decision made mostly on Halloween, David Sedaris spent his time doing normal things. But then the pandemic hits, and like so many others, he’s stuck in lockdown, unable to tour and read for audiences, the part of his work he loves most. As the world gradually settles into a new reality, Sedaris too finds himself changed. His offer to fix a stranger’s teeth rebuffed, he straightens his own and ventures into the world with new confidence. Newly orphaned, he considers what it means, in his seventh decade, no longer to be someone’s son. And back on the road, he discovers a battle-scarred America. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Special Contest:
Enter to Win an Advance Copy of WIDOWLAND
by C. J. Carey, Releasing August 9th
WIDOWLAND by C. J. Carey is a thrilling feminist dystopian novel set in an alternative history that terrifyingly imagines what a British alliance with Germany would look like if the Nazis had won World War II. The book doesn't release until August 9th, but we have 25 advance copies to give away to readers. To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, June 17th at noon ET.
WIDOWLAND by C. J. Carey (Alternate History/Dystopian Thriller)
London, 1953. Thirteen years have passed since England surrendered to the Nazis and formed a Grand Alliance with Germany. It was forced to adopt many of its oppressive ideologies, one of which was the strict classification of women into hierarchical groups based on the perceived value they brought to society.
Rose Ransom, a member of the privileged Geli class, remembers life from before the war but knows better than to let it show. She works for the Ministry of Culture, rewriting the classics of English literature to ensure there are no subversive thoughts that will give women any ideas.
Outbreaks of insurgency have been seen across the country with graffiti made up of seditious lines from forbidden works by women painted on public buildings. Suspicion has fallen on Widowland, the run-down slums where childless women over 50 have been banished. Rose is given the dangerous task of infiltrating Widowland to find the source of the rebellion before the Leader arrives in England for the Coronation ceremony of King Edward VIII and Queen Wallis. Will Rose follow her instructions and uncover the criminals? Or will she fight for what she knows in her heart is right?
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read C. J. Carey's bio.
Bookreporter.com's 17th Annual
Father's Day Contest: Best Books for Dad
Father’s Day is a time to celebrate the men in our lives who have raised and loved us. Why not show him your appreciation by inspiring him with a great book? In our 17th annual "Best Books for Dad" contest, we have a selection of books that are perfect gift-giving suggestions for Dad, keeping him busy through the rest of the year. Five readers will be awarded a copy of each of our 12 featured titles. To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, June 17th at noon ET.
This year's prize books are:
Click here to enter the contest.
Featured Review: EVERY CLOAK ROLLED IN BLOOD
by James Lee Burke
EVERY CLOAK ROLLED IN BLOOD by James Lee Burke (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Will Patton
Novelist Aaron Holland Broussard is shattered when his daughter, Fannie Mae, dies suddenly. As he tries to honor her memory by saving two young men from a life of crime amid their opioid-ravaged community, he is drawn into a network of villainy that includes a violent former Klansman, a far-from-holy minister, a biker club posing as evangelicals, and a murderer who has been hiding in plain sight. Aaron’s only ally is state police officer Ruby Spotted Horse, a no-nonsense woman who harbors some powerful secrets in her cellar. Despite the air of mystery surrounding her, Ruby is the only one Aaron can trust. That is, until the ghost of Fannie Mae shows up, guiding her father through a tangled web of the present and past. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review:
MORE THAN YOU’LL EVER KNOW by Katie Gutierrez
June’s “Good Morning America” Book Club Pick
MORE THAN YOU'LL EVER KNOW by Katie Gutierrez (Literary Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Inés del Castillo and Yareli Arizmendi
In 1985, Lore Rivera marries Andres Russo in Mexico City, even though she is already married to Fabian Rivera in Laredo, Texas, and they share twin sons. Through her career as an international banker, Lore splits her time between two countries and two families --- until the truth is revealed and one husband is arrested for murdering the other. In 2017, struggling true-crime writer Cassie Bowman encounters an article on the internet detailing that tragic final act. Cassie is immediately enticed by what is not explored: Why would a woman --- a mother --- risk everything for a secret double marriage? But the more time she spends with Lore, the more Cassie questions the facts surrounding the murder itself. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to see why the book is this month's "Good Morning America" Book Club pick.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
TWO NIGHTS IN LISBON by Chris Pavone
and TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY by Linwood Barclay
TWO NIGHTS IN LISBON by Chris Pavone (Thriller)
TWO NIGHTS IN LISBON by Chris Pavone is tough to talk about as the plot reveals will spoil it for you. I will share that these are two very action-packed nights and days.
We begin with Ariel Price waking up in Lisbon and finding out that her husband, John, is gone. Did he just run out for coffee? They had a great last evening with some spirited sex, so there is no feeling that their relationship went awry. She searches for a note, but there is none. She reaches for a phone to call him, but his phone is dead. She takes all the usual steps to locate him --- hotel security, the police, even the American embassy. He was in town on business, but they had not talked about where those meetings were. She was there to sightsee and have fun, and he was to catch up with her. The authorities question how much she does not know; her conversation feels a bit unbelievable.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Chris Pavone.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on TWO NIGHTS IN LISBON.
TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY by Linwood Barclay (Psychological Thriller)
I have long thought that those cameras people have on their houses have made it really tough to be a crime writer. These days, along with cell phones, GPS and a whole host of devices that make it difficult to ramp up a plot, now we have what is in essence spyware on many doorsteps.
In Linwood Barclay’s TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY, Brie Mason has been missing for six years. She was home alone one afternoon. Her husband, Andy, was away fishing with his best friend, Greg, who also was his business partner. Brie’s only visitors that day was an exterminator who had been called in to see if there was a mouse in the house. But no one saw her after that. Andy has been a prime suspect for years and has never been completely discounted. He sold the house, which eventually was torn down by the new residents, and a new house stands in its place. Andy is now living in a new town with a new name, and he has a new woman in his life named Jayne. He also has split his business from Greg since no one wanted a would-be murderer in their home. But things are finally looking up for Andy.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review.
- Click here to visit Linwood Barclay's website.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on
TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY.
Bookreporter.com's 18th Annual
Summer Reading Contests and Feature
Summer will be here before you know it! At Bookreporter.com, this means it's time for us to share some great summer book picks with our Summer Reading Contests and Feature. We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through the end of August, so you will have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here.
Our next prize book will be announced on Tuesday, June 14th at noon ET.
This year’s prize books include:
Click here to read all the contest details and learn more about our prize books.
Bookreporter.com’s 2022
Summer Baseball Books Roundup
Variety of books is the spice of baseball life. As usual, the new MLB season offers a variety of literary baseball topics, from biographies to histories to statistical analysis and beyond. Our reviewer Ron Kaplan is here to talk about five of these titles in this year's Summer Baseball Books roundup. They include SWING AND A HIT, the fun and fiery memoir of All-Star Yankee and five-time World Series champion Paul O’Neill; TRUE, an unconventional biography by Kostya Kennedy, who focuses on four transformative years in Jackie Robinson's athletic and public life; and MAJOR LEAGUE REBELS by Robert Elias and Peter Dreier, a captivating history of the baseball reformers and revolutionaries who challenged their sport and society --- and in turn helped change America.
Click here for Ron Kaplan’s 2022 Summer Baseball Books roundup.
June’s New in Paperback Roundups
June's roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes THE JUDGE'S LIST by John Grisham, which marks the return of investigator Lacy Stoltz, who follows the trail of a serial killer and closes in on a shocking suspect --- a sitting judge; Jodi Picoult's WISH YOU WERE HERE, a deeply moving novel about the resilience of the human spirit in a moment of crisis; SUCH A QUIET PLACE, a riveting thriller from Megan Miranda about a mysterious murder in an idyllic and close-knit neighborhood; and THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN, in which Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray tell the remarkable story of J. P. Morgan’s personal librarian, Belle da Costa Greene, the Black American woman who was forced to hide her true identity and pass as white to leave a lasting legacy that enriched our nation.
Among our nonfiction highlights are Katie Couric's GOING THERE, a heartbreaking, hilarious and brutally honest memoir that shares the deeply personal life story of a girl next door and her transformation into a household name; ON ANIMALS, in which beloved New Yorker staff writer Susan Orlean gathers a lifetime of musings, meditations and in-depth profiles about animals; THE BOMBER MAFIA, Malcolm Gladwell's riveting exploration of how technology and best intentions collide in the heat of war; and THE TWELVE LIVES OF ALFRED HITCHCOCK, Edward White's fresh, innovative biography of the 20th century's most iconic filmmaker.
Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of
June 6th, June 13th, June 20th and June 27th.
THE WOMAN IN THE LIBRARY by Sulari Gentill (Literary Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Katherine Littrell
Sulari Gentill sets this mystery-within-a-mystery in motion with a deceptively simple, Dear Hannah, What are you writing? pulling us into the ornate reading room at the Boston Public Library. But fair reader, in every person's story, there is something to hide. The tranquility is shattered by a woman's terrified scream. Security guards take charge immediately, instructing everyone inside to stay put until the threat is identified and contained. While they wait for the all-clear, four strangers, who had happened to sit at the same table, pass the time in conversation and friendships are struck. Each has his or her own reasons for being in the reading room that morning --- it just happens that one is a murderer. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
MEANT TO BE MINE by Hannah Orenstein (Romance)
Audiobook available, read by Erin Ruth Walker
What if you knew exactly when you’d meet the love of your life? Edie Meyer knows. When her Grandma Gloria was a young woman, she had a vision of the exact day she would meet her soul mate --- and then Grandpa Ray showed up. Since then, Gloria has accurately predicted the day every single member of the family has met their match. Edie’s day arrives on June 24, 2022, when she’s 29 years old. That morning, she boards an airplane to her twin sister’s surprise engagement, and when a handsome musician sits beside her, she knows it’s meant to be. But fate comes with more complications than Edie expected, and she can’t fight the nagging suspicion that her perfect guy doesn’t have perfect timing. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
BY THE BOOK: A Meant to Be Novel by Jasmine Guillory (Romantic Comedy)
Audiobook available, read by Sarah Hollis
Isabelle is completely lost. When she first began her career in publishing after college, she did not expect to be 25, still living at home and one of the few Black employees at her publishing house. Overworked and underpaid, constantly torn between speaking up or stifling herself, Izzy thinks there must be more to this publishing life. So when she overhears her boss complaining about a beastly high-profile author who has failed to deliver his long-awaited manuscript, Isabelle sees an opportunity to finally get the promotion she deserves. All she has to do is go to the author’s Santa Barbara mansion and give him a pep talk or three. How hard could it be? But Izzy quickly finds out she is in over her head. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
THE LIFESTYLE by Taylor Hahn (Fiction/Humor)
Audiobook available, read by Christine Lakin
Georgina Wagman has it all --- a great marriage, a great job at a prestigious law firm, and great friends. Until, that is, she walks in on her husband Nathan in a compromising position with a junior associate. Divorce is not a part of the five-year plan, so she comes up with an idea to save her marriage and recapture the spark. She and Nathan are going to become swingers. Georgina won't embark on this adventure alone, though. Her friends, Felix and Norah, and their respective partners decide to tag along for the ride. Her plan is foolproof, until she runs into a college ex at her first swingers’ party. When they reconnect, Georgina will find herself torn between her head and her heart, with her very happiness hanging in the balance. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
VIGIL HARBOR by Julia Glass (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by a full cast
A decade from now, in the historic town of Vigil Harbor, there is a rash of divorces among the yacht-club set, a marine biologist despairs at the state of the world, a spurned wife is bent on revenge, and the renowned architect Austin Kepner pursues a passion for building homes designed to withstand the escalating fury of relentless storms. Austin’s stepson, Brecht, has dropped out of college in New York and returned home after narrowly escaping one of the terrorist acts that have become increasingly common. Then two strangers arrive: a stranded traveler with subversive charms and a widow seeking clues about a past lover with ties to Austin --- a woman who may have been more than merely human. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
OMEGA RULES: An Evan Ryder Novel by Eric Van Lustbader (Thriller/Adventure)
Audiobook available, read by Jennie Litt
Evan Ryder was once a field agent for a black-ops arm of the Department of Defense. Now she works for Parachute, a cutting-edge quantum-computing firm whose private espionage network exceeds any government spy agency. But her mission remains the same: seek out and destroy Omega, a fanatical global cult intent on destroying democracy. The fight against Omega has already cost Evan dearly, but she will not stop until she has torn out the conspiracy by its roots, no matter the risk. In OMEGA RULES, the assassination of a Parachute agent in Vienna sets Evan on a dangerous, world-wide hunt for answers and on a collision course with forces so powerful they may be beyond her abilities to annihilate. Reviewed by Cindy Burnett.
SNOWSTORM IN AUGUST by Marshall Karp (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Chris Andrew Ciulla and Michael Manuel
Imagine Central Park buried under tons of snow. Only it's not snow. It's cocaine. Four thousand pounds of it. Cutting a swath of death through the thousands of unsuspecting joggers, cyclists and picnickers enjoying a summer afternoon. So begins the war between Joaquin Alboroto, the most powerful drug lord on the planet, and his most hated enemy: the city of New York. But the only NYPD unit trained to go up against this level of terrorism has been disbanded, and the new police commissioner is a bureaucrat, not a wartime commander. The task falls on the shoulders of former NYPD captain Danny Corcoran. A trusted friend recruits Corcoran to a team of top cops --- all retired. Funded by four anonymous billionaires, their mission is to stop Alboroto before his next "gift" to the city leaves a million New Yorkers blind. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
CROWN & SCEPTRE: A New History of the British Monarchy, from William the Conqueror to Elizabeth II by Tracy Borman (History)
Audiobook available, read by Tracy Borman
Since William the Conqueror, duke of Normandy, crossed the English Channel in 1066 to defeat King Harold II and unite England’s various kingdoms, 41 kings and queens have sat on Britain’s throne. Ironically, during very few of these 955 years has the throne’s occupant been unambiguously English. Appealing to the intrinsic fascination with British royalty, Tracy Borman lifts the veil to reveal the remarkable characters and personalities who have ruled and, since the Glorious Revolution of 1688, have more ceremonially reigned --- a crucial distinction explaining the staying power of the monarchy as the royal family has evolved and adapted to the needs and opinions of its people, avoiding the storms of rebellion that brought many of Europe’s royals to an abrupt end. Reviewed by Pauline Finch.
BACKSTORY by William L. Myers, Jr. (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
In the aftermath of his wife’s apparent suicide, Jackson Robert Hunter wakes up outside a bar with a badly battered head and no memory. Revelations convince Jackson that his wife’s death wasn’t a suicide, but a murder, and he sets out to find the killer. While hunting the villain and struggling with his amnesia, Jackson discovers that his own backstory is a dark one, littered with broken hearts and dead bodies --- a wife he betrayed, a lover he abandoned, a squad of crooked cops he double-crossed, and a city that lives in fear of his name. Along the way he encounters a sister he didn’t know he had, a niece he failed to save, and a mentor ready to lead Jackson down the darkest of paths. Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on June 14th
Below are some notable titles releasing on June 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 June 13th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
ALSO A POET: Frank O'Hara, My Father, and Me by Ada Calhoun (Memoir)
This staggering memoir from New York Times bestselling author Ada Calhoun traces her fraught relationship with her father and their shared obsession with a great poet.
AND THERE HE KEPT HER by Joshua Moehling (Mystery/Thriller)
Unrelentingly suspenseful and written with a piercing gaze into the dark depths of the human soul, AND THERE HE KEPT HER is a thrilling page-turner that introduces readers to a complicated new hero and forces us to consider the true nature of evil.
BLOOD ORANGE NIGHT: My Journey to the Edge of Madness by Melissa Bond (Memoir)
BRAIN ON FIRE meets HIGH ACHIEVER in this visceral, propulsive memoir detailing a woman’s accidental descent into prescription benzodiazepine dependence and the life-threatening impacts of the drugs’ long-term use.
A FACE TO DIE FOR: An Eve Duncan Novel by Iris Johansen (Thriller)
Eve Duncan attempts to unearth one of history’s most intriguing lost secrets in this adventure ripped from the pages of Greek mythology.
GHOST LOVER: Stories by Lisa Taddeo (Fiction/Short Stories)
GHOST LOVER is an electrifying collection of fearless and ferocious short stories from Lisa Taddeo, the #1 New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of THREE WOMEN.
HORSE by Geraldine Brooks (Historical Fiction)
A discarded painting in a junk pile, a skeleton in an attic, and the greatest racehorse in American history. From these strands, Pulitzer Prize winner Geraldine Brooks braids a sweeping story of spirit, obsession and injustice across American history.
THE HOTEL NANTUCKET by Elin Hilderbrand (Fiction)
Filled with the emotional depth and multiple points of view that characterize Elin Hilderbrand’s novels, as well as an added dash of Roaring Twenties history, THE HOTEL NANTUCKET offers something for everyone in this compelling summer drama.
JACKIE & ME by Louis Bayard (Historical Fiction)
In bestselling author Louis Bayard’s witty and deeply empathetic telling, JACKIE & ME is a page-turning story of friendship, love, sacrifice and betrayal --- and a fresh take on two iconic American figures.
LOCAL GONE MISSING by Fiona Barton (Mystery/Thriller)
Detective Elise King investigates a man’s disappearance in a seaside town where the locals and weekenders are at odds in this rich and captivating new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of THE WIDOW.
VACATIONLAND by Meg Mitchell Moore (Fiction)
From the USA Today bestselling author of TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE and THE ISLANDERS comes a delicious summer read set in Midcoast Maine, tackling family secrets, marriage, motherhood and privilege.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
From left to right: Fiona Barton, Tom Perrotta, Katie Gutierrez
Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events
As many book and author events are happening online these days, we are highlighting a number of them that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links below for more info and to register.
Sunday, June 12th at 7pm ET: The Back Room: Join authors Katie Gutierrez, William Martin, Hannah Mary McKinnon and Riley Sager, along with Back Room hosts Karen Dionne and Hank Phillippi Ryan, for an evening of great conversation.
Tuesday, June 14th at 3pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Fiona Barton will discuss her new novel, LOCAL GONE MISSING, in which detective Elise King investigates a man’s disappearance in a seaside town where the locals and weekenders are at odds.
Tuesday, June 14th at 7pm ET: Montclair Public Library: Tom Perrotta will discuss TRACY FLICK CAN'T WIN, his long-awaited sequel to ELECTION, with Elisabeth Egan of The New York Times Book Review.
Wednesday, June 15th at 2pm ET: "Bookaccino Live: A Lively Talk About Books": Carol Fitzgerald will present titles releasing between June 14th and July 5th, along with a few from August, that she would like to get on your radar.
Wednesday, June 15th 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 Emily Giffin and Harlan Coben about their latest novels, MEANT TO BE and THE MATCH.
"Bookreporter Talks To" Videos & Podcasts
“Bookreporter Talks To” is a video and podcast series that delivers a long-form, in-depth author interview every week. For years, Carol has moderated book festivals and author events around the country. But we know that readers often do not live where they can attend an author event. Our goal is to bring these author interviews to readers, wherever they may be. Watch on video, or listen as a podcast. (The podcasts include audio excerpts.)
Here are our latest interviews:
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Chris Pavone (TWO NIGHTS IN LISBON) Video | Podcast
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Kim Michele Richardson (THE BOOK WOMAN'S DAUGHTER) Podcast
Other authors we've interviewed include:
Upcoming interviews include:
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Kimberly Brock (THE LOST BOOK OF ELEANOR DARE)
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Julie Clark (THE LIES I TELL)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll: The New York Times Bestseller Lists
Do you look at the New York Times bestseller lists?
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Yes, all the time
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Yes, sometimes
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No
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No, but I plan to pay more attention to them.
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, June 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 June 10th to June 24th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE HOTEL NANTUCKET by Elin Hilderbrand and VACATIONLAND by Meg Mitchell Moore.
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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