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This week we finally got to see Top Gun: Maverick, which is terrific. Before the film came on, there was a short clip where Tom Cruise shared a message thanking people for waiting to see the film in theaters --- and telling them “to enjoy the ride." The movie had been finished in 2019, they added some extra footage in 2020, and then it was held until they thought there could be a big enough crowd in theaters. Holding back like that was not easy in our streaming world.
For humor, the original Top Gun came out in 1986, and I still remember my husband, Tom, and I going to see it in a theater at a beach on Long Beach Island. We left the theater and whipped out our aviator sunglasses as we headed to the car, though I think it may have been nighttime. He then drove back to the house like he was on the track racing --- you know, “the need for speed” thing. As the credits rolled for the original, I saw that Whip Hubley, who I had known from high school, played Hollywood. It was really crazy fun to see that.
There are so many times when I see a really well done film that I leave the theater completely inspired to work creatively on a project. There is something about the immersive theater experience that always inspired me to write or delve into a creative idea. These days I rarely go to the theater to see films. I find that the typical timing of the screenings at 7 and 9 is just too early after dinner for us since I usually work until 6:30 or too late for a weeknight at 9. Also, there is little out that interests me.
However, I am going to re-coin the Top Gun line here and tell you about how “I feel the need to read.” I have so many books that I am looking forward to reading on my to-be-read pile. Luckily these are not shelved in my home office, but rather in another room, or I never would get any work done. For me, I do most of my reading very late in the evening or on weekends. Yes, dismiss the image of me collapsed on a couch reading all day. If only...
But let’s get to what we were up to this week. We managed to get a lot packed into four days!
We have two new “Bookreporter Talks To” interviews to share with you in this newsletter. First up is Tom Perrotta, whose latest book, TRACY FLICK CAN’T WIN, is the highly anticipated sequel to his 1998 novel, ELECTION, and a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. Tracy Flick is back, and once again she is determined to take high school politics by storm.
Tom talks about what drew him to write about Tracy again and how she has become an icon. He sheds light on his work as a comic writer, as well as what it was like to work on HBO’s “Mrs. Fletcher” and “The Leftovers.” Curious if Reese Witherspoon, who played Tracy in Election on the big screen, has weighed in on TRACY FLICK CAN’T WIN? Tom lets us know. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast.
I also had the pleasure of catching up with Julie Clark, whose new novel, THE LIES I TELL, is our current Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight title and will be a Bets On selection. This twisted domestic thriller dives deep into the psyches and motivations of two women and their unwavering quest to seek justice for the past and rewrite the future.
Julie explains the kernel of the idea that prompted the book; which of the two main characters, Meg or Kat, was easier to write; the challenges that the story's tight timeline presented; and why she wrote an alternate ending to her previous thriller, THE LAST FLIGHT, which was a New York Times bestseller and a Bets On pick. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast.
Rebecca Munro has our review and says, “Once again, Clark has penned a razor-sharp, character-driven domestic suspense that thrills as easily as it encourages its readers to second-guess themselves, their moral compasses and their definitions of justice.... Clark’s handling of her dual perspectives and timelines is so skilled that you barely have the sense of her pulling the strings behind the scenes, or of being led into a mystery far deeper than you originally signed up for. Yet the mastery is there, pulsing and immediate.” I so agree with Rebecca! Don't miss my Bets On commentary in next week's newsletter.
Be careful what you watch for is the tagline to Riley Sager’s new psychological thriller, THE HOUSE ACROSS THE LAKE. Casey Fletcher escapes to her family’s Vermont lake house to get away from a string of bad press, but she didn’t plan on obsessing over the new neighbors in the house across the lake. When she takes up spying on them, things start getting very weird. And when the wife, Katherine, goes missing, Casey is sure that the husband, Tom, is to blame. But taking matters into her own hands leads her into more trouble than she could have imagined.
According to our reviewer Ray Palen, “This relentless thriller pulls you in and never lets go before leaving your head spinning with some jaw-dropping revelations and plot twists that only a master of the genre can conceive…. The last part of THE HOUSE ACROSS THE LAKE took me completely by surprise, and I could not have been more delighted. It all adds up to another clear winner for Sager and one of this summer’s top reads.”
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
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NIGHTCRAWLING: Leila Mottley’s debut novel, which is the new Oprah’s Book Club pick, is about a young Black woman who walks the streets of Oakland and stumbles headlong into the failure of its justice system. A reminder that a livestream conversation between Oprah and Mottley, along with four followers of Oprah’s Book Club, will air on “Oprah Daily” beginning next Thursday, June 30th at 7pm ET.
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LAPVONA by Ottessa Moshfegh: In a village in a medieval fiefdom buffeted by natural disasters, a motherless shepherd boy finds himself the unlikely pivot of a power struggle that puts all manner of faith to a savage test.
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BLOOD ORANGE NIGHT: BRAIN ON FIRE meets HIGH ACHIEVER in this visceral, propulsive memoir detailing Melissa Bond’s accidental descent into prescription benzodiazepine dependence and the life-threatening impacts of the drugs’ long-term use.
Our Interview with Debut Novelist Joshua Moehling
Our Debut Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight of AND THERE HE KEPT HER continues this week with an interview that Ray Palen conducted with Joshua Moehling. Jonathan Santlofer calls the book “a taut, beautifully written thriller reminiscent of Karin Slaughter. A novel with heart, its protagonist, acting Sheriff Ben Packard, is the kind of hero we need today, a man wrestling with his sexual identity as he searches for missing teens in a small Minnesota town guarding secrets of its own.” Joshua talks to Ray about what inspired him to write the book, why he set the story in a small town, which character was the most fun to write, and much more. Click here for the interview and here for Ray’s review.
I’m Betting You’ll Love…
VACATIONLAND by Meg Mitchell Moore is my latest Bets On pick. Click here to see why I’m betting you’ll love this book, especially now that summer officially has begun. Don’t miss my “Bookreporter Talks To” interview with Meg in next week’s newsletter.
Summer Reading Update
This week, we gave away the aforementioned THE LIES I TELL in this week’s Summer Reading contest. Next week’s prize will be OUR WOMAN IN MOSCOW by Beatriz Williams; the 24-hour contest for it will be up at noon ET on Tuesday, June 28th, the day the book releases in paperback.
Enter Our New Word of Mouth Contest
We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about. Let us know by Friday, July 8th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win THE MEASURE by Nikki Erlick and RIZZOLI & ISLES: LISTEN TO ME by Tess Gerritsen.
Vote in Our New Poll --- and Check Out Results from the Last Poll
For our latest poll, we’ve listed 10 of my Bets On picks that recently came out or will be releasing soon in paperback. How many of these titles have you read or are you planning to read? Let us know here.
Our previous poll asked if you look at the New York Times bestseller lists. 42% of you do not, 38% do some of the time, 19% do all of the time, and 1% do not, but plan to pay more attention to them. This was very interesting to me as publishers and authors strive to “hit the list,” yet only 19% of you read these lists religiously.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Ann wrote about being a winner in our Father’s Day contest: “Thank you so much for selecting me as a winner. I enjoy reading the Bookreporter emails/newsletters every week. You provide great reviews, information and ideas about books and entertainment. I am looking forward to receiving my prize and being able to read them all.”
Julia also wrote about being a Father’s Day contest winner: “Hi Carol and the Bookreporter group! Thank you so much, I am thrilled to have won the Best Books for Dad contest! And while Dad (and son) will enjoy many of the titles, I have my eye on a couple I may read first! I look forward to the newsletter every week, even as it adds to an unending TBR list. A good problem to have!”
Note that these prizes will be going out early next week as the last book arrived today.
Diane wrote about winning a copy of WIDOWLAND by C. J. Carey in a recent contest: “Awesome, thank you so much! I appreciate it and love your site!”
Linda wrote, “I am late, obviously, to read THIS IS HOW IT ALWAYS IS, which I just finished this week. I love everything about this book, and I know it's been on my to-read list thanks to you. The story is immensely powerful, and Laurie Frankel's writing is extraordinary. Would you ever consider a Book Group event with her on this book? She probably has a newer book she'd like to promote, but everyone should read this one, I think. Thanks for all you do and the many wonderful books you've pointed me to over many years.” Hmmmm let me think about that. I loved that book as well. And thank you for your kind words.
Back to the Movie Frame of Mind: I am interested in seeing Elvis. I have read and seen a lot about the effort that Austin Butler put into prepping for the role. Here’s an amusing clip where he taught Jimmy Fallon some dance moves on “The Tonight Show” and talked about the different ways that Elvis spoke.
“The First Lady” on Showtime: I really enjoyed this 10-part series, which wrapped last Sunday.
My friend, Mindy, came to town last week, and we had a really fun lunch along with two other friends of hers on Saturday. Mindy has THE BEST collection of all things trivia and memorabilia. And she gifts the perfect quirky vintage presents. Above the bookshelf is actually salt and pepper shakers, with the middle inside for sugar! The other is a game for booklovers. I love fun things like this, and they are headed to the curio shelf in my office.
Greg is still in Vancouver where this weekend he is at yet another Land Rover event. This time, he and his friend Stewart are running a booth selling items perfect for off-roading. He sent me some pictures last night and told me that all the events he did with me at BookExpo and ALA were great prep for this event. Life skills, folks. You never know where your kids will get them! Cory was in DC last night visiting his friend, Stephen (aka Son 2B around here), and from there he plans to head to North Carolina to catch up with his girlfriend, Kaltrina, and then drive back for the rest of his short vacation.
Tom and I are going to spend the weekend trying to get more done outside. The lawn mower parts have yet to come in, so we bought a used tractor from a friend to get us back into our neighborhood's good graces. The bagger on the mower was not working (it’s always something), so on the side and in the back it now looks like we need to bail the hay.
Our friend TK is helping out with freshening up the patio furniture with some varnish. The seeds that I tossed quite liberally and literally seem to be coming up. Some of the planters have too many sprouts on one side, proving that I have not yet perfected the art of the seed toss. Or maybe they wandered when I watered. (The previous line amused me.) Most of the flowers this year are pinks and purples, and the pops of color are making me smile. Next week we have someone coming to help with weeding and mulching. I am happy to support a neighborhood youth with this project.
Helpers are needed as I “have a need to read.” I hope that in this newsletter we share something to get you reading as well.
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:
THE HOUSE ACROSS THE LAKE by Riley Sager
THE HOUSE ACROSS THE LAKE by Riley Sager (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Bernadette Dunne
Casey Fletcher, a recently widowed actress, has retreated to her family’s lake house in Vermont. She passes the time watching Tom and Katherine Royce, the glamorous couple living in the house across the lake. One day on the lake, Casey saves Katherine from drowning, and the two strike up a budding friendship. But the more they get to know each other --- and the longer Casey watches --- it becomes clear that Katherine and Tom’s marriage isn’t as perfect as it appears. When Katherine suddenly vanishes, Casey immediately suspects Tom of foul play. What she doesn’t realize is that there’s more to the story than meets the eye --- and that shocking secrets can lurk beneath the most placid of surfaces. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
New Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight:
THE LIES I TELL by Julie Clark
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
THE LIES I TELL by Julie Clark (Domestic Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Anna Caputo and Amanda Dolan
Meg Williams. Maggie Littleton. Melody Wilde. Different names for the same person, depending on the town, depending on the job. She's a con artist who erases herself to become whoever you need her to be. A college student. A life coach. A real estate agent. Nothing about her is real. She slides alongside you and tells you exactly what you need to hear, and by the time she's done, you've likely lost everything.
Kat Roberts has been waiting 10 years for the woman who upended her life to return. And now that she has, Kat is determined to be the one to expose her. But as the two women grow closer, Kat's long-held assumptions begin to crumble, leaving Kat to wonder who Meg's true target is.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Julie Clark's bio.
- Click here to visit Julie Clark's website.
- Connect with Julie Clark on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click here to read our review.
Watch or listen to Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Julie Clark.
Click here to read more in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight.
THE LIES I TELL will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's commentary in next week's newsletter.
Our Interview with Joshua Moehling,
Author of AND THERE HE KEPT HER
A Debut Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight Title
When two teenagers break into a house on a remote lake in search of prescription drugs, what starts as a simple burglary turns into a nightmare for all involved. That’s the intriguing premise of Joshua Moehling’s debut novel, AND THERE HE KEPT HER, a thrilling page-turner that introduces readers to a complicated new hero and forces us to consider the true nature of evil. In this interview conducted by Bookreporter reviewer Ray Palen, Moehling talks about his inspiration for the book, his decision to set the story in a small town, some of his favorite mystery/thriller authors, and his future writing plans.
AND THERE HE KEPT HER by Joshua Moehling (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Linda Jones
When two teenagers break into a house on a remote lake in search of prescription drugs, what starts as a simple burglary turns into a nightmare for all involved. Emmett Burr has secrets he's been keeping in his basement for more than two decades, and he'll do anything to keep his past from being revealed. As he gets the upper hand on his tormentors, the lines blur between victim, abuser and protector.
Personal tragedy has sent former police officer Ben Packard back to the small Minnesota town of Sandy Lake in search of a fresh start. Now a sheriff's deputy, Packard is leading the investigation into the missing teens, motivated by a family connection. As clues dry up and time runs out to save them, Packard is forced to reveal his own secrets and dig deep to uncover the dark past of the place he now calls home.
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.
- Click here to read our review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to read Joshua Moehling's bio.
- Click here to visit Joshua Moehling's website.
- Connect with Joshua Moehling on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click here to read our interview.
Click here to read more in our Debut Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight.
Featured Review: NIGHTCRAWLING by Leila Mottley
Oprah’s Latest Book Club Pick
NIGHTCRAWLING by Leila Mottley (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Joniece Abbott-Pratt
Kiara and her brother, Marcus, are scraping by in an East Oakland apartment complex optimistically called the Regal-Hi. Both have dropped out of high school, their family fractured by death and prison. But while Marcus clings to his dream of rap stardom, Kiara hunts for work to pay their rent and to keep the nine-year-old boy next door, abandoned by his mother, safe and fed. One night, what begins as a drunken misunderstanding with a stranger turns into the job Kiara never imagined wanting but now desperately needs: nightcrawling. Her world breaks open even further when her name surfaces in an investigation that exposes her as a key witness in a massive scandal within the Oakland Police Department. 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 see why the book is Oprah's latest Book Club pick.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: LAPVONA by Ottessa Moshfegh
LAPVONA by Ottessa Moshfegh (Historical Fantasy)
Audiobook available, read by Ottessa Moshfegh
Little Marek, the abused and delusional son of the village shepherd, never knew his mother. One of life’s few consolations for Marek is his enduring bond with the blind village midwife, Ina, who suckled him when he was a baby. Ina’s gifts extend beyond childcare: she possesses a unique ability to communicate with the natural world. Her gift often brings her the transmission of sacred knowledge on levels far beyond those available to other villagers, however religious they might be. For some people, Ina’s home in the woods outside of the village is a place to fear and to avoid. By year’s end, the veil between blindness and sight, life and death, the natural world and the spirit world, will prove to be very thin indeed. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review:
BLOOD ORANGE NIGHT by Melissa Bond
BLOOD ORANGE NIGHT: My Journey to the Edge of Madness by Melissa Bond (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Melissa Bond
As Melissa Bond raises her infant daughter and a special-needs one-year-old son, she suffers from unbearable insomnia. She loses her job as a journalist (a casualty of the 2008 recession), and her relationship with her husband grows distant. Her doctor casually prescribes benzodiazepines --- a family of drugs that includes Xanax, Valium, Klonopin, Ativan --- and increases her dosage on a regular basis. Following her doctor’s orders, Melissa takes the pills night after night; her body begins to shut down, and she collapses while holding her infant daughter. Only then does Melissa learn that her doctor --- like many doctors --- has over-prescribed the medication, and quitting cold turkey could lead to psychosis or fatal seizures. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
VACATIONLAND by Meg Mitchell Moore
VACATIONLAND by Meg Mitchell Moore (Fiction)
A few weeks ago, I plucked an advance reading copy of VACATIONLAND by Meg Mitchell Moore from my shelf. Immediately I was transported to a beautiful home on the coast of Maine. I could smell the water and see the rocky shore.
As the novel opens, a young woman named Kristie is headed to Maine on a bus. She has a backpack, $761 and a mission to figure something out. That is the setup for a typical scenario of “a woman on a quest.” From there, the story shifts to Louisa, a tenured professor who has arrived in Maine from Brooklyn with her three children to spend the summer with her parents while her husband launches his podcast brand back in the city. Louisa is counting on her folks to help out with the kids as she works on a book with a deadline she has to hit.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary.
Don't miss Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview
with Meg Mitchell Moore in next week's newsletter.
Bookreporter.com's 18th Annual
Summer Reading Contests and Feature
Summer is here! At Bookreporter.com, this means it's time for us to share some great summer book picks with our Summer Reading Contests and Feature. We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through the end of August, so you will have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here.
Our next prize book will be announced on Tuesday, June 28th at noon ET.
This year’s featured titles include:
Click here to read all the contest details and learn more about our prize books.
What’s New This Month on ReadingGroupGuides.com
ESCAPE: A Billy Harney Thriller by James Patterson and David Ellis (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Edoardo Ballerini
As Chicago PD’s special-ops leader, Detective Billy Harney knows well that money is not the only valuable currency. The filthy rich man he’s investigating is down to his last 20 million. He’s also being held in jail. For now. Billy’s unit is called in when an escape plan results in officers down and inmates vanished. In an empty lot, Billy spots two Kevlar vests. Two helmets. Two assault rifles. And a handwritten note: Hi, Billy, Are you having fun yet? Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
CULT CLASSIC by Sloane Crosley (Literary Fantasy/Humor)
Audiobook available, read by Sloane Crosley
One night in New York City's Chinatown, a woman is at a work reunion dinner with former colleagues when she excuses herself to buy a pack of cigarettes. On her way back, she runs into a former boyfriend. And then another. And…another. Soon nothing is quite what it seems as the city becomes awash with ghosts of heartbreaks past. What would normally pass for coincidence becomes something far stranger as our heroine, the recently engaged Lola, must contend not only with the viability of her current relationship but the fact that both her best friend and her former boss, a magazine editor turned mystical guru, might have an unhealthy investment in the outcome. Is it possible to have a happy ending in an age when the past is ever at your fingertips and sanity is for sale? Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
THE CATCH by Alison Fairbrother (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Julia Knippen
Two years out of college, Ellie Adler has a job in journalism, an older lover and a circle of smart friends. Her beloved father, James, who has children from three marriages, unites the family with his gentle humor and charisma, but Ellie has always believed she is her father's favorite. When he suddenly dies, she finds herself devastated by the unexpected loss. Then, at the reading of his will, she learns that instead of leaving her his prized possession --- a baseball that holds emotional resonance for them both --- he has left her a seemingly ridiculous, even insulting gift. Worse, he’s given the baseball to someone no one in the family has ever heard of. Setting out to track this person down, Ellie learns startling information about who her father really was and who she herself is becoming. Reviewed by Jane T. Krebs.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
RICKEY: The Life and Legend of an American Original by Howard Bryant (Sports/Biography)
Audiobook available, read by JD Jackson
Few names in the history of baseball evoke the excellence and dynamism that Rickey Henderson’s does. He holds the record for the most stolen bases in a single game, and he’s scored more runs than any player ever. But perhaps even more than his prowess on the field, Henderson’s is a story of Oakland, California, the town that gave rise to so many legendary athletes like him. And it’s a story of a sea change in sports, when athletes gained celebrity status and Black players finally earned equitable salaries. Now, in the hands of critically acclaimed sportswriter and culture critic Howard Bryant, one of baseball’s greatest and most original stars finally gets his due. Reviewed by Curtis Edmonds.
THE SPY WHO KNEW TOO MUCH: An Ex-CIA Officer's Quest Through a Legacy of Betrayal by Howard Blum (True Crime)
Audiobook available, read by Steve Hendrickson
Tennent “Pete” Bagley was once a rising star in America’s spy aristocracy. But the star that burned so brightly exploded when Bagley --- who suspected a mole had burrowed deep into the agency’s core --- was believed himself to be the mole. After a year-long investigation, Bagley was finally exonerated, but the accusations tarnished his reputation and tainted his career. When Bagley’s daughter Christina, a CIA analyst, married another intelligence officer who was the son of the man who had played a key role in the investigation into Bagley, it caused a painful rift between the two. But then came former CIA officer John Paisley’s strange death. Pete launches his own investigation that takes him deep into his own past and his own longtime hunt for a mole. Reviewed by Lorraine W. Shanley.
CINDER-NANNY by Sariah Wilson (Romantic Comedy)
Audiobook available, read by Marli Watson
With her sister’s medical bills mounting, Diana Parker can’t say no to a high-paying opportunity like this: accompany a wealthy couple to Aspen and nanny their precocious five-year-old son for three months. Necessary qualifications? She must know how to ski and teach math, speak fluent French, excel at social graces, and hold a master’s degree in childhood development. Who will be the wiser that Diana’s only skill is packing for Colorado? But she’s doing this for her sister. And the perks are pretty irresistible. Wary of gold diggers and scandal, England’s most eligible bachelor is nevertheless falling for Diana and sweeping her off her feet. Sooner or later, she will have to come clean. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
MONKEY IN THE MIDDLE: An Amos Walker Mystery by Loren D. Estleman (Historical Mystery)
It’s summer in Detroit, and private eye Amos Walker has just received word that his ex-wife has passed away. He can use a distraction, which arrives in the form of a young, would-be investigative journalist who has gotten in way over his head. He needs Walker’s protection, but is suspiciously vague about why and from whom. And he’s not the only one playing their cards way too close to their chest. Walker just wants answers, but what he finds is a dead body --- and enough trouble to put him on ice for good, unless he can discover what everyone’s not telling him. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
LAST SUMMER ON STATE STREET by Toya Wolfe (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Shayna Small
Felicia “Fe Fe” Stevens is living with her vigilantly loving mother and older teenage brother in building 4950 of Chicago’s Robert Taylor Homes. It’s the summer of 1999, and her high-rise is next in line to be torn down by the Chicago Housing Authority. It is at this time that she forms a tentative trio with the devout Precious Brown and Stacia Buchanan, daughter of a Gangster Disciple Queen-Pin. But when Fe Fe welcomes a mysterious new friend, Tonya, into their fold, the dynamics shift, upending the lives of all four girls. Decades later, as she remembers that fateful summer, Fe Fe tries to make sense of the grief and fraught bonds that still haunt her and attempts to reclaim the love that never left. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
THE DROWNING SEA: A Maggie D'arcy Mystery by Sarah Stewart Taylor (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Aoife McMahon
For the first time in her adult life, former Long Island homicide detective Maggie D’arcy is unemployed. But her summer vacation on a remote West Cork peninsula takes a dangerous turn when human remains wash up below the steep cliffs of Ross Head. When construction worker Lukas Adamik disappeared months ago, everyone assumed he had gone home to Poland. Now that his body has been found, the guards seem to think he threw himself from the cliffs. But as Maggie gets to know the residents of the nearby village and learns about the history of the peninsula and its abandoned Anglo Irish manor house, once home to a famous Irish painter who died under mysterious circumstances, she starts to think there's something else going on. Something deadly. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on June 28th
Below are some notable titles releasing on June 28th 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 27th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
THE DEAD ROMANTICS by Ashley Poston (Paranormal Romance)
A disillusioned millennial ghostwriter who, quite literally, has some ghosts of her own has to find her way back home in this sparkling adult debut from national bestselling author Ashley Poston.
ELSEWHERE by Alexis Schaitkin (Dystopian Fiction)
Richly emotive and darkly captivating, with elements of Shirley Jackson’s THE LOTTERY and the imaginative depth of Margaret Atwood, ELSEWHERE conjures a community in which girls become wives, wives become mothers, and some of them, quite simply, disappear.
THE GERMAN WIFE by Kelly Rimmer (Historical Fiction)
The New York Times bestselling author of THE WARSAW ORPHAN returns with a gripping novel inspired by the true story of Operation Paperclip: a controversial secret US intelligence program that employed former Nazis in the US after WWII.
I USED TO LIVE HERE ONCE: The Haunted Life of Jean Rhys by Miranda Seymour (Biography)
Jean Rhys is one of the most compelling writers of the 20th century. In I USED TO LIVE HERE ONCE, Miranda Seymour sheds new light on the artist whose proud and fiercely solitary life profoundly informed her writing.
LETHAL GAME: A Jonathan Grave Thriller by John Gilstrap (Political Thriller)
In his new thriller featuring hostage rescue expert Jonathan Grave, John Gilstrap takes readers on an action-packed thrill ride from the wilds of Montana to the streets of Mexico, as a sniper attack turns wilderness hunters into the hunted and Grave’s enemies stalk him with a vengeance.
THE MEASURE by Nikki Erlick (Fiction/Magical Realism)
Enchanting and deeply uplifting, THE MEASURE is a sweeping, ambitious, invigorating story about family, friendship, hope and destiny that encourages us to live life to the fullest.
ROGUES: True Stories of Grifters, Killers, Rebels and Crooks by Patrick Radden Keefe (True Crime)
From the prize-winning, New York Times bestselling author of EMPIRE OF PAIN and SAY NOTHING --- and one of the most decorated journalists of our time --- comes 12 enthralling stories of skulduggery and intrigue.
SANDS OF DUNE: Novellas from the Worlds of Dune by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson (Science Fiction/Space Opera)
Collected for the first time, these Dune novellas by bestselling authors Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson shine a light upon the darker corners of the Dune universe. Spanning space and time, SANDS OF DUNE is essential reading for any fan of the series.
THE SECOND HUSBAND by Kate White (Psychological Thriller)
A woman’s seemingly perfect second marriage is rocked by a discovery about the death of her first husband in this twisty psychological thriller from Kate White, the New York Times bestselling author whom Entertainment Weekly called “impossible to outwit.”
SUSPECTS by Danielle Steel (Thriller)
A dedicated CIA agent becomes an unexpected ally to a woman haunted by the kidnapping of her family in this thrilling novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel.
THRUST by Lidia Yuknavitch (Dystopian Fiction/Alternative History)
As rising waters --- and an encroaching police state --- endanger her life and family, a girl with the gifts of a "carrier" travels through water and time to rescue vulnerable figures from the margins of history.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
From left to right: Kate White, Nikki Erlick, Alexis Schaitkin
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.
Monday, June 27th at 3pm ET: Murder By The Book: Kate White will talk about her new psychological thriller, THE SECOND HUSBAND, with Mystery & Thriller Maven’s Sara DiVello.
Tuesday, June 28th at 6pm ET: Northshire Bookstore: Geraldine Brooks will discuss her new novel, HORSE, a sweeping story of spirit, obsession and injustice across American history. She will be in conversation with Jacki Lyden.
Wednesday, June 29th at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome Riley Sager for a live virtual event to celebrate the release of THE HOUSE ACROSS THE LAKE as part of their B&N Midday Mystery Virtual Event series. He will be in conversation with Megan Miranda.
Wednesday, June 29th at 4pm ET: Warwick's: Warwick's will host Alexis Schaitkin as she discusses her new book, ELSEWHERE, with Clare Beams, the author of the acclaimed debut novel, THE ILLNESS LESSON.
Wednesday, June 29th 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 Elin Hilderbrand and Jamie Brenner about their latest novels, THE HOTEL NANTUCKET and GILT.
Thursday, June 30th at 7pm ET: Warwick's: Warwick's, in partnership with HarperCollins, presents Nikki Erlick as she discusses her debut novel, THE MEASURE, with fellow first-time novelist Shelby Van Pelt.
Thursday, June 30th at 8pm ET: Anderson's Bookshops: Join Anderson's Bookshops, in partnership with fellow independent bookstores across the country, for a virtual event with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks to celebrate the release of her new novel, HORSE.
"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:
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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Meg Mitchell Moore (VACATIONLAND)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll: Which of Carol’s Bets On Selections
That Are Now or Soon to Be in Paperback
Have You Read or Will You Read?
We have listed 10 of Carol’s Bookreporter.com Bets On picks that are now or soon to be in paperback. Which of these books have you read or do you plan to read? Please check all that apply.
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APPLES NEVER FALL by Liane Moriarty
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CLARK AND DIVISION by Naomi Hirahara
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GOING THERE by Katie Couric
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IN EVERY MIRROR SHE'S BLACK by Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström
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THE LAST COMMANDMENT: An Austin Grant of Scotland Yard Novel, by Scott Shepherd
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LIGHTNING STRIKE by William Kent Krueger
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NOT A HAPPY FAMILY by Shari Lapena
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THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
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ROCK PAPER SCISSORS by Alice Feeney
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A SLOW FIRE BURNING by Paula Hawkins
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None of the above
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, July 8th 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 24th to July 8th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE MEASURE by Nikki Erlick and RIZZOLI & ISLES: LISTEN TO ME by Tess Gerritsen.
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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