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The countdown to spring is on! Drum roll for Monday at 5:24pm ET. It seems so fitting that this week the last amaryllis bulb popped! But for humor, the Christmas cactus that already had bloomed at Christmas popped five more blooms this week. Clearly the flowers in our house are on their own cycles. The catalogs for outdoor bulbs and flowers are coming in fast and furiously. I am practicing self-restraint!
Last weekend, I read and enjoyed PINEAPPLE STREET by Jenny Jackson, which is this month's “Good Morning America” Book Club selection and will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. Told from the points of view of two sisters, Darley and Georgiana, and their sister-in-law, Sasha, it’s a perfect March escape. I completely dropped into their Brooklyn Heights world, and all of their trials and tribulations as they move in the world of the top one percent. Rife with so many familiar family moments, along with enough drama to keep the plot spinning, it was a brisk read. Look for my Bets On commentary next week. I absolutely loved this interview that J. Courtney Sullivan did with Jenny at her launch event at Books Are Magic in Brooklyn. It was the perfect setting for the launch as the book is set near there. She does not give anything away, so give it a watch to see why I was so captivated by this book.
By the way, until I read PINEAPPLE STREET, I had no idea that there are streets named Pineapple, Cranberry and Orange in Brooklyn Heights. On Brownstoner, I learned that Pineapple, Cranberry and Orange streets are known for their historic architecture, solitude and prime location near the promenade. Their titles used to better reflect their refined location, having been previously named for the neighborhood’s aristocratic families. My friend, Lourdes, told me that she lived near Pineapple Street when she first came to New York. You learn something new every day!
My latest “Bookreporter Talks To” interview is with William Landay. His new novel, ALL THAT IS MINE I CARRY WITH ME, is his first book in 11 years, following his 2012 bestseller, DEFENDING JACOB. A tale about family --- family secrets and vengeance, but also family love --- this upcoming Bets On pick grapples with a primal question: When does loyalty reach its limit?
Bill discusses the structure of the novel, which is told in four parts, and why he chose this method of storytelling. He also delves into crime writing and what has happened to this genre both in books and on the screen. And yes, we talk about the limited series adaptation of DEFENDING JACOB on Apple TV+, which was so well done. Click here to watch the video or here to listen to the podcast. And don’t miss my Bets On commentary in next week’s newsletter.
It was announced this week that HELLO BEAUTIFUL is Oprah’s milestone 100th Book Club pick. Ann Napolitano’s latest novel is inspired by Louisa May Alcott’s timeless classic, LITTLE WOMEN, and follows her instant New York Times bestseller DEAR EDWARD, which is now an Apple TV+ series. This poignant and engrossing family story poses the question: Can love make a broken person whole?
Oprah says, “The whole reason I started a book club was to uplift and inspire people. A great book not only enhances your life experience but can also change you. Our 100th selection does just that --- you cannot read it without opening up, forgiving, seeing yourself and the relationships we weave in a new way. You come away more connected to life.” Ann appeared with Oprah on “CBS Mornings” to talk about the book, her writing process and where the title comes from. Click here to watch the interview.
Be sure to join Oprah, Ann and four Oprah's Book Club readers for a special discussion of HELLO BEAUTIFUL on OprahDaily.com, following the reading schedule that you can find on this page.
Rebecca Munro has our review and calls the book “a sweeping, perceptive and beautifully rendered family saga that could only be achieved by an author at the height of her literary powers.... An immersive work of fiction that is woven through with transformative, powerful grief, HELLO BEAUTIFUL is a soaring portrait of love.... Book clubs will no doubt find much to reflect on, discuss and deepen their connections with in this generous, healing novel.” I have read about 100 pages and am enjoying it.
A father serving a life sentence for the murder of his own son receives evidence that his child may still be alive, and he must break out of prison to find out the truth, in Harlan Coben’s latest thriller, I WILL FIND YOU.
According to our reviewer Ray Palen, “Coben saves his best writing for FBI special agents Max Bernstein and Sarah Jablonski, who are pursuing David. Their dialogue is written in such witty back-and-forth fashion that they refer to themselves as the Lucy and Desi of the FBI…. I WILL FIND YOU brings on a slew of characters along the way, and each not only adds to the plot but occasionally spins off into exciting new directions. It is a real winner and just begs to be put in line for the same cinematic treatment that so many of Coben’s other novels have received.”
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
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THE KIND WORTH SAVING: In this eagerly awaited follow-up to Peter Swanson’s THE KIND WORTH KILLING, private investigator Henry Kimball starts to follow a possibly adulterous husband, but little does he know that the twisted trail will lead back to the woman who hired him.
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WOLF TRAP: Connor Sullivan, the acclaimed author of SLEEPING BEAR, is back with an adrenaline-fueled thriller that follows a shadow operative in the midst of a conspiracy with worldwide implications. For those of you who may not know, Connor's father is bestselling author Mark Sullivan.
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THE EXCEPTIONS: Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Kate Zernike pens the inspiring account of the 16 female scientists who forced MIT to publicly admit it had been discriminating against its female faculty for years --- sparking a nationwide reckoning with the pervasive sexism in science.
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THE LOST ENGLISH GIRL: Julia Kelly’s latest novel, which is our current New Release Spotlight title and a Simon & Schuster Book Club Favorites pick for March, weaves an epic saga of love, motherhood and betrayal set against World War II.
I’m Betting You’ll Love…
GO AS A RIVER by Shelley Read, which we reviewed last week, is my latest Bets On selection. Click here for my commentary. If you missed my recent “Bookreporter Talks To” interview with Shelley, you can watch it here or listen to it here.
Spring Preview Update
In this week’s Spring Preview contests, we gave away THE FOUR WINDS by Kristin Hannah (which is now available in paperback), THE GIFTS by Liz Hyder, and ONCE WE WERE HOME by Jennifer Rosner. Next week’s prizes will be LOYALTY by Lisa Scottoline (which releases on March 28th) and THE SHOP ON ROYAL STREET by Karen White. The first contest of the week will be up on Tuesday, March 21st at noon ET.
We also are giving away THE FOUR WINDS in our current “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” contest on ReadingGroupGuides.com. Three readers will win up to 12 paperback copies of the book for their group. All you have to do is fill out the form on this page by Wednesday, April 5th at noon ET. Kristin will be especially busy over the next few weeks as she is on an extensive tour for this much-anticipated paperback release. Be sure to check out her schedule here on her website.
Enter Our New Word of Mouth Contest
We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about. Let us know by Friday, March 31st at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll have a chance to win EARTH’S THE RIGHT PLACE FOR LOVE by Elizabeth Berg and HANG THE MOON by Jeannette Walls. We will feature our reviews of both titles over the next couple of weeks.
Vote in Our New Poll --- and Check Out Results from the Last Poll
Which social media platforms do you use regularly, and which do you use to talk about or note the books that you’re reading? Those are our latest poll questions; let us know what your social media habits are by clicking here.
In our previous poll, we listed 30 fiction titles that are releasing this month and asked which of them, if any, you are looking forward to reading. Here are your top five picks: ALL THAT IS MINE I CARRY WITH ME by William Landay (39%), LOYALTY by Lisa Scottoline (36%), I WILL FIND YOU by Harlan Coben (31%), HELLO BEAUTIFUL by Ann Napolitano (31%), and HANG THE MOON by Jeannette Walls (31%). Click here for all the results.
Be sure to join Simon & Schuster and book festivals across the country this Wednesday, March 22nd at 7pm ET for Spring 2023 AuthorFest, an evening with New York Times bestselling authors Laura Dave and Rebecca Serle. Both Dave and Serle are masters of complicated families and love stories, creating characters that have enchanted people across mediums as both of their work has leapt from the page to the screen.
In their conversation, which will be moderated by New York Times bestselling author Jessica Knoll, they will discuss adaptations, where they draw inspiration, and how the world around them influences their work. Click here to sign up to attend the event, which will be broadcast via Zoom. Dave’s THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME will be a limited series on Apple TV+ starting April 14th, and the two books in Serle’s Famous in Love YA series became a hit drama series on Freeform. I am looking forward to watching this event.
This week we learned the sad news that legendary author John Jakes has passed away at the age of 90. He was the creator of the eight-volume Kent Family Chronicles, the Main and Hazard families of the North and South trilogy, and the Crowns of Chicago, German-Americans whose stories interweave the history of the 20th century in HOMELAND and its sequel, AMERICAN DREAMS. His 2002 novel, CHARLESTON, returned him to the turbulent years of the Revolution and the Civil War, and became his 16th consecutive New York Times bestseller. In addition, six of his major novels have been adapted as television miniseries. In fact, the first “North and South” production ranks seventh among the 10 highest rated miniseries of all time. You can read much more about his life and career in this tribute from the New York Times.
We also mourn the passing of Christopher Fowler, the acclaimed author of the award-winning Peculiar Crimes Unit mysteries, who died earlier this month at the age of 69 after being diagnosed with cancer three years ago.
Here’s what Ray Palen has to say about one of his favorite authors: “Fowler was most famous for his outstanding Peculiar Crimes Unit mysteries featuring the indomitable detectives Arthur Bryant and John May. This series was based on a unit that Fowler’s father worked in during World War II. As the series name suggests, these books deal with crimes on the odd end of the spectrum, often showing us a myriad of London landmarks and traditions. When I reviewed his most recent book, BRYANT & MAY: PECULIAR LONDON, I remarked that it had a feeling of finality to it as if he knew this would be the last time he would revisit these wonderful characters. While his passing is extremely sad for his fans around the globe, Christopher Fowler left us with quite a legacy to remember him by and a beloved series that remains unmatched in its uniqueness. Cheers, Chris!”
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Nancy said, “I am always looking for books about Colorado and was overjoyed when I found your recommendation of Shelley Read’s GO AS A RIVER. I don’t want it to end. Another great, relatively unknown, wonderful author who writes about Colorado is Sandra Dallas. Keep up the great recommendations and your newsletters!!! You have the best job!” Note that Sandra Dallas has a new book coming out, WHERE COYOTES HOWL, which will be on sale April 18th.
Becky wrote, asking me to interview Geraldine Brooks about HORSE. I missed a few terrific books last year, and I hope to play catch-up in the months to come. She shared this: “As a discussion leader and a retired English teacher, I always begin with the author. Lots of research goes into that journey. I found that Geraldine Brooks is a Pulitzer Prize winner for her novel, MARCH. So I have just read that one. Her writing is exceptional, and her research is impeccable. We used your interview for our last book, LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY by Bonnie Garmus. We really appreciated your interview with Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. That opened our minds and was truly enriching. You do interviews so well. You are a natural --- and very respected and admired by the readers in our club. Our gratitude.” The appreciation is all mine, Becky. I love speaking with authors, and I am so glad that you enjoy these interviews.
Suzanne wrote, “I couldn’t be more excited to learn I have just won a copy of THE HOUSE OF LINCOLN. I so enjoyed Nancy Horan's book, LOVING FRANK, so I know I will be captivated by this one. I was visiting my daughter when I saw the email. She thought I won money because I was so thrilled. I yelled, ‘Noooo, I won a book!’ Yes, she just gave me a look. Anyway, thank you so much!”
“Daisy Jones & The Six” on Amazon Prime Video: I am enjoying this series. I also took this quiz: Which 'Daisy Jones & The Six' Character Are You? I do not think I have taken a quiz like this since I worked at Mademoiselle magazine. For the record, I am Camila, which makes so much sense.
“Shrinking” on Apple TV+: My favorite character is Liz, the meddling neighbor. To me, her voice sounds like Carrie Fisher’s.
“Ted Lasso” on Apple TV+: Yes, it’s back, and we enjoyed episode one. We wish there was more than one airing a week.
The “Crime Scene” Documentary Series on Netflix: The latest installment, “The Texas Killing Fields”, is now streaming. There is so much to think about here, especially something that I touched upon in my interview with William Landay. Not everyone is found right away when they go missing, and the forensics used during the investigations on this show bring closure to some families, but not to others.
NCAA Basketball: We have watched some games already, but I know that more will be watched this weekend. I have not had time to play with a bracket, so I also have not had time to have my bracket crushed. I was sorry that neither Rutgers nor Seton Hall made the “Dance,” but I am ready to cheer on Princeton and Fairleigh Dickinson as the Jersey teams.
My Next In-Person Event
I am doing an event tomorrow, Saturday, March 18th at the Mountainside Public Library in Mountainside, NJ, at 2pm. I hope to see many of you there! I am still playing with the presentation, adding more and more PowerPoint slides.
A reminder that I will be out in East Hampton for the Hamptons Mystery & Crime Festival, where I will be moderating three of the dozens of panels that they are offering from Friday through Sunday, April 14th-16th. Tickets are selling briskly, so if you would like to enjoy this bookish weekend, you will want to get on this now. The lineup of authors is truly wonderful. Alafair Burke and A. J. Finn are co-chairing the festival, and Casey Sherman is the True Crime Chair. The spotlight guests are Michael Connelly, Lisa Jewell and Anthony Horowitz. “60 Minutes” reporter Steve Kroft will be featured in conversation with former NYC Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly.
Featured speakers include Megan Abbott, Alison Gaylin, Greer Hendricks, Clare Mackintosh, Wanda M. Morris, Liz Nugent, Nita Prose, Riley Sager, John Searles, Alex Segura, Stacy Willingham, and many more. They are offering lots of different programming, including graveyard tours and a bus trip to visit crime scenes around the Hamptons, and Forensics World will host a Crime Scene Challenge titled “Who Killed The Mayor?” at Village Hall. There will be a realistic simulated crime scene, and participants will act as detectives examining real forensic evidence. It promises to be a really terrific weekend of mystery and crime!
Yes, we are celebrating St. Patrick’s Day tonight with corned beef and cabbage, and Irish soda bread. I know this is not Irish, but rather some meal that has been created to honor the day. I am more than ready for it, and to have corned beef on rye sandwiches over the weekend. For humor, when I worked at Condé Nast, our offices were on Madison between 44th and 45th streets. The bands used to line up and tune up on 44th Street…for hours. I can still hear the bagpipes playing in my head!
Lots of great reading is on tap this weekend. April 4th has new releases coming from Kate Morton, Rachel Beanland and Sally Hepworth. I must read faster. And we will debate if weather in the 50s is too warm for a fire in the fireplace. Oh, and the skirt that I am re-knitting? I knew something looked wrong. WHO knew that there are 2.5 needles and they are 3mm. I had never heard of 2.5. And I needed size 3, not size 3mm. Again, backwards knitting is on tap.
Read on, and have a great week.
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
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Featured Review:
HELLO BEAUTIFUL by Ann Napolitano
Oprah’s 100th Book Club Pick
HELLO BEAUTIFUL by Ann Napolitano (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Maura Tierney
William Waters grew up in a house silenced by tragedy, where his parents could hardly bear to look at him, much less love him. So when he meets the spirited and ambitious Julia Padavano in his freshman year of college, it’s as if the world has lit up around him. With Julia comes her family, as she and her three sisters are inseparable. With the Padavanos, William experiences a newfound contentment; every moment in their house is filled with loving chaos. But then darkness from William’s past surfaces, jeopardizing not only Julia’s carefully orchestrated plans for their future, but the sisters’ unshakeable devotion to one another. The result is a catastrophic family rift that changes their lives for generations. Will the loyalty that once rooted them be strong enough to draw them back together when it matters most? Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to see why the book is Oprah's latest Book Club pick.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: I WILL FIND YOU by Harlan Coben
I WILL FIND YOU by Harlan Coben (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Steven Weber
David Burroughs was once a devoted father to his three-year-old son Matthew, living a dream life just a short drive away from the working-class suburb where he and his wife, Cheryl, first fell in love --- until one fateful night when David woke suddenly to discover Matthew had been murdered. Half a decade later, David has been wrongly accused and convicted of the murder, left to serve out his time in a maximum-security prison. Then Cheryl’s younger sister, Rachel, makes a surprise appearance during visiting hours bearing a strange photograph. It’s a vacation shot of a bustling amusement park a friend shared with her, and in the background is a boy bearing an eerie resemblance to David’s son. Even though it can’t be, David just knows: Matthew is still alive. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: THE KIND WORTH SAVING
by Peter Swanson
THE KIND WORTH SAVING by Peter Swanson (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Keith Szarabaijka, Kathleen Early, Helen Laser and Micky Shiloah
There was always something slightly dangerous about Joan. So when she turns up at private investigator Henry Kimball’s office asking him to investigate her husband, he can’t help feeling ill at ease. Just the sight of her stirs up a chilling memory: He knew Joan in his previous life as a high school English teacher, when he was at the center of a tragedy. Now Joan needs his help in proving that her husband is cheating. But what should be a simple case of infidelity becomes much more complicated when Kimball finds two bodies in an uninhabited suburban home with a FOR SALE sign out front. Suddenly it feels like the past is repeating itself, and Henry must go back to one of the worst days of his life to uncover the truth. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
GO AS A RIVER by Shelley Read
GO AS A RIVER by Shelley Read (Fiction)
GO AS A RIVER by Shelley Read is set in a place that is very special to me --- the Gunnison Valley of Colorado. I have spent a lot of time there, and it’s where I met my husband, who, like me, hails from New Jersey.
In 1948, Torie is a lonely teenage girl caring for her father, uncle and brother following a car accident that killed her mother, favorite aunt and cousin. They live in the town of Iola. School already is behind her, though she normally would be of high school age. With her father and brother, she tends the family’s peach farm when she is not cooking and running the household. And yes, we can stop here for a second, as I never knew that peaches grew in Colorado. In an interview with Shelley, she said that she had not known about Georgia peaches!
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Shelley Read.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary.
Featured Review: WOLF TRAP by Connor Sullivan
WOLF TRAP by Connor Sullivan (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Will Damron
Under the direction of the Special Activities Center in the Operations Directorate of the CIA, over 300 highly trained agents operate in the darkest shadows of the country’s covert wars. Plucked from the highest echelons of America’s special mission units, these individuals go through rigorous training by the Agency to perfect the arts of assassination, sabotage, infiltration and guerrilla warfare. When diplomacy and military intervention fails, the President of the United States calls upon them to solve America’s most dangerous crises. Brian Rhome thought his time within this elite group was over. But now he’s on a desperate race against time around the globe as he confronts the traumas of his past and unravels a deadly conspiracy that threatens the highest levels of American democracy. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: THE EXCEPTIONS by Kate Zernike
THE EXCEPTIONS: Nancy Hopkins, MIT, and the Fight for Women in Science by Kate Zernike (History)
Audiobook available, read by Kathe Mazur
In 1999, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology admitted to discriminating against women on its faculty, forcing institutions across the country to confront a problem they had long ignored: the need for more women at the top levels of science. Written by the journalist who broke the story for The Boston Globe, THE EXCEPTIONS is the untold story of how 16 highly accomplished women on the MIT faculty came together to do the work that triggered the historic admission. It centers on the life of Nancy Hopkins, a reluctant feminist who became the leader of the 16 and a hero to two generations of women in science. Reviewed by Pauline Finch.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review:
THE LOST ENGLISH GIRL by Julia Kelly
A New Release Spotlight Title
THE LOST ENGLISH GIRL by Julia Kelly (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Danielle Cohen and Raphael Corkhill
Raised in a strict Catholic family, Viv Byrne finds herself pregnant after a fling with Joshua Levinson, a Jewish man. When Joshua makes a life-changing choice on their wedding day, Viv is forced into the arms of her disapproving family. Four years later and on the eve of World War II, Viv is faced with the impossible choice to evacuate her young daughter to the countryside estate of the affluent Thompson family. In New York City, Joshua gives up his failing musical career to serve in the Royal Air Force. However, tragedy strikes when Viv learns that the countryside safe haven she sent her daughter to wasn’t immune from the horrors of war. It is only years later, with Joshua’s help, that Viv learns the secrets of their shared past and what it will take to put a family back together again. Reviewed by Amy Gwiazdowski.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to read more in our New Release Spotlight.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com's 12th Annual
Spring Preview Contests and Feature
Spring is in the air (or will be very soon)! We’ve already caught the fever --- and it’s being fueled by some wonderful new and upcoming releases. Our 12th 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 through mid-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 Tuesday, March 21st at noon ET.
This year's contest titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
GOOD DOG, BAD COP: A K Team Novel by David Rosenfelt (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Fred Berman
Corey Douglas’ former mentor, Jimmy Dietrich, had his whole identity wrapped up in being a cop. When Jimmy retired three years ago, his marriage quickly deteriorated, and he tried --- and failed --- to get back on the force. Jimmy was left to try to adjust to life as a civilian. Not long after, two bodies were pulled from the Passaic River: a local woman, Susan Avery, and Jimmy Dietrich. With no true evidence available, the deaths went unsolved and the case declared cold. This didn’t stop the whispers: an affair gone wrong...a murder-suicide committed by Jimmy. Corey never believed it. With this case, the K Team has the opportunity to find the real murderer and clear Jimmy’s name. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
WHAT HAVE WE DONE by Alex Finlay (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Brittany Pressley, James Patrick Cronin, Jon Lindstrom and Maggie Thompson
Twenty five years ago, Jenna, Donnie and Nico were the best of friends, having forged a bond through the abuse and neglect they endured as residents of Savior House, a group home for parentless teens. When the home was shut down --- after the disappearance of several kids --- the three were split up. Though the trauma of their childhood has never left them, each went on to live accomplished --- if troubled --- lives. They haven’t seen one another since they were teens but now are reunited for a single haunting reason: someone is trying to kill them. To survive, the group will have to revisit the nightmares of their childhoods and confront their shared past --- a past that holds the secret to why someone wants them dead. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
KÜNSTLERS IN PARADISE by Cathleen Schine (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Jesse Vilinsky
For years Mamie Künstler has lived happily in her bungalow in Venice, California, with her inscrutable housekeeper and her gigantic St. Bernard dog. Their tranquility is upended when Mamie’s grandson, Julian, arrives from New York City to seek his fortune in Hollywood. But it is 2020, the pandemic sweeps in, and Julian’s short visit suddenly has no end in sight. Mamie was only 11 when the Künstlers escaped Vienna in 1939. They made their way to sunny, surreal Los Angeles where they joined a colony of distinguished Jewish musicians, writers and intellectuals also escaping Hitler. Now, Mamie begins to tell Julian the buried stories of her early years in Los Angeles. While the pandemic cuts Julian off from the life he knows, Mamie’s tales open up a world of lives that came before him.
MOTHERED by Zoje Stage (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Sophie Amoss and David de Vries
Grace isn’t exactly thrilled when her newly widowed mother, Jackie, asks to move in with her. They’ve never had a great relationship, and Grace likes her space --- especially now that she’s stuck at home during a pandemic. Then again, she needs help with the mortgage after losing her job. But living with Mother isn’t for everyone. Good intentions turn bad soon after Jackie moves in. Old wounds fester, and new ones open. Grace starts having nightmares about her disabled twin sister, who died when they were kids. And Jackie discovers that Grace secretly catfishes people online. When Jackie makes an earth-shattering accusation against her, Grace sees it as an act of revenge, and it sends her spiraling into a sleep-deprived madness. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
THE DOG OF THE NORTH by Elizabeth McKenzie (Fiction/Humor)
Audiobook available, read by Katherine Littrell
Penny Rush has problems. Her marriage is over, and she has quit her job. Her mother and stepfather went missing in the Australian outback five years ago; her mentally unbalanced father provokes her; and her grandmother, Dr. Pincer, keeps experiments in the refrigerator and something worse in the woodshed. But Penny is a virtuoso at what’s possible when all else fails. There will be a road trip in the Dog of the North, an old van with gingham curtains, a piñata and stiff brakes. There will be injury and peril. There will be a dog named Kweecoats and two brothers who may share a toupee. There will be questions: Why is a detective investigating her grandmother, and what is “the scintillator”? And can Penny recognize a good thing when it finally comes her way? Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
SOMEONE ELSE’S LIFE by Lyn Liao Butler (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Angela Lin
Blow by blow, Annie Lin’s life crumbles, and she realizes it’s time for a change. Annie should be at ease, safe in her new Kauai home with her husband and son. She hopes proximity to her family can provide them all with a sense of belonging and calm. But soon items from her past start turning up, and she has the unnerving sensation that she’s being watched. Reality begins to fracture, and Annie’s panic attacks return. When, during a brewing storm, a woman appears on her doorstep looking for shelter, Annie is relieved to have the company and feels an unexplainable bond with her visitor. As the night progresses, Annie realizes that the woman is no stranger. Their lives are inextricably intertwined --- and Annie might just lose everything. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
BURNING DISTANCE by Joanne Leedom-Ackerman (Political Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Danielle Rippy
When 10-year-old Elizabeth West’s father dies in a tragic plane crash, her family moves to London. Her mother marries a knighted British businessman who has two children, and Elizabeth (Lizzy) and her two sisters move in with their new family. At age 16, while attending the American School of London, Lizzy meets and falls in love with Adil Hasan. But when Adil’s father is deported, Lizzy and Adil are separated. Lizzy’s family has also become involved with French-German industrialist Gerald Rene Wagner. Little does she know that Adil’s family has ties to the man as well. When a member of her family is murdered in Berlin under mysterious circumstances, questions surface about Wagner’s dealings, and Lizzy reexamines what really may have happened to her father. Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.
STIFLED LAUGHTER: One Woman's Story About Fighting Censorship by Claudia Johnson (Memoir)
Part memoir, part courtroom drama, and part primer for advocates fighting assaults on free speech, STIFLED LAUGHTER is the story of one woman's efforts to restore literary classics to the classrooms of rural north Florida. Updated with a new introduction, Claudia Johnson's honest, often hilarious, first-person account of censorship in its modern form provides valuable insight into why the books children read at school remains a controversial issue, and why free speech in America remains a precarious right. Johnson fights tirelessly to keep texts like Lysistrata and “The Millers Tale” in Florida school textbooks regardless of a preacher’s efforts to take them out. Readers are given a glimpse into the courtroom and all the drama, passion and hard work that follows. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
Next Week's Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on March 20th and 21st
Below are some notable titles releasing on March 20th and 21st 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 March 20th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
March 20th
COUNTDOWN by James Patterson and Brendan DuBois (Thriller)
Five days to save the world, four days to save her family. COUNTDOWN is James Patterson’s most terrifying time-bomb of a thriller since THE PRESIDENT IS MISSING.
March 21st
THE DONUT LEGION by Joe R. Lansdale (Mystery/Dark Humor)
In this stand-alone novel, Edgar Award-winning author Joe R. Lansdale beams a light on an East Texas town where a QAnon-style evangelist cult is brewing trouble.
EARTH'S THE RIGHT PLACE FOR LOVE by Elizabeth Berg (Fiction)
This beautiful new novel by the beloved author of OPEN HOUSE and TALK BEFORE SLEEP tells the story of two young people growing up in Mason, Missouri, and how Arthur Moses, a shy young man, becomes the wise and compassionate person readers loved in THE STORY OF ARTHUR TRULUV.
STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT: A Novel of Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner by Heather Webb (Historical Fiction)
It was the tumultuous romance that scandalized the world: Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner fought, loved and lived life to the hilt. Now their unbridled story is brought vividly to life by Heather Webb, the bestselling author of MEET ME IN MONACO and THE NEXT SHIP HOME.
TWO WARS AND A WEDDING by Lauren Willig (Historical Fiction)
From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Willig comes a dramatic coming-of-age story with a dual timeline and a single heroine --- a bold and adventuring young woman who finds herself caught up in two very different wars on both sides of the Atlantic.
THE WHITE LADY by Jacqueline Winspear (Historical Mystery)
This heart-stopping novel, set in post-WWII Britain in 1947, follows the coming of age and maturity of former wartime operative Elinor White --- veteran of two wars, trained killer, protective of her anonymity --- when she is drawn back into the world of menace she has been desperate to leave behind.
WOMAN OF THE YEAR by Darcey Bell (Psychological Thriller)
From the New York Times bestselling author of A SIMPLE FAVOR comes a deliciously twisty thriller about the dark side of female friendship and a revenge plot that gets a little out of hand.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
From left to right: Jenny Jackson, Joe R. Lansdale, Stephanie Clifford
Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events
As many book and author events are still happening online these days, we are highlighting a number of them that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links below for more info and to register.
Saturday, March 18th at 1pm ET: Warwick's: Warwick's will host Stephanie Clifford as she discusses her new book, THE FAREWELL TOUR, with V. V. Ganeshananthan. The author of the New York Times bestseller EVERYBODY RISE tells the story of one unforgettable woman’s rise in country and western music.
Monday, March 20th at 7pm ET: Murder By The Book: Alex Finlay will talk to Mystery & Thriller Maven’s Sara DiVello about his new book, WHAT HAVE WE DONE, an edge-of-your seat thriller and a gut-wrenching coming-of-age story about the lives we leave behind and the secrets we carry with us forever.
Monday, March 20th at 7:30pm ET: “Lisa Live!”: Join Lisa Scottoline every Monday night through March 27th as she hosts her weekly “Talking LOYALTY” video series and Facebook Live events leading up to the publication of her latest historical novel, LOYALTY, on March 28th. And be sure to enter the LOYALTY Pre-order Sweepstakes by Sunday, March 26th at 11:59pm ET.
Wednesday, March 22nd at 3pm ET: Boswell Book Company: Join Boswell Book Company for the March installment of their "Readings from Oconomowaukee" event series, presented in partnership with Books & Company. This month’s event features Jenny Jackson, author of PINEAPPLE STREET (this month's "Good Morning America" Book Club pick), in conversation with Daniel Goldin, Lisa Baudoin and Lauren Fox.
Wednesday, March 22nd at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors will talk to Colleen Oakley and Julie Carrick Dalton about their latest books, Oakley's THE MOSTLY TRUE STORY OF TANNER & LOUISE and Dalton's THE LAST BEEKEEPER. Appearing on the Aftershow will be Stephanie Marie Thornton, whose new novel is HER LOST WORDS.
Wednesday, March 22nd at 7pm ET: Simon & Schuster's Spring 2023 AuthorFest: Simon & Schuster partners with the book festival community each season to bring exclusive author programming to readers across the US. Their Spring 2023 AuthorFest event will feature Laura Dave and Rebecca Serle in conversation with fellow New York Times bestselling author Jessica Knoll.
Wednesday, March 22nd at 8pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Joe R. Lansdale will talk about his latest book, THE DONUT LEGION. Brimming with colorful characters and Lansdale’s characteristic bounce, this rollicking crime novel examines the insidious rise of fringe groups and those under their sway with black comedy and glints of pathos.
"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:
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William Landay (ALL THAT IS MINE I CARRY WITH ME) Video | Podcast
Other authors we've interviewed include:
Upcoming interviews include:
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Sadeqa Johnson (THE HOUSE OF EVE)
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Susan Patterson and Susan DiLallo (THINGS I WISH I TOLD MY MOTHER)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll: Your Social Media Preferences
Which of the following social media platforms do you use on a regular basis? Please check all that apply.
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Facebook
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TikTok
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Twitter
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None of these
On which of the following social media platforms do you talk about or note the books that you are reading? Please check all that apply.
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Facebook
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Instagram
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TikTok
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Twitter
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None of these
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, March 31st 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 March 17th to March 31st at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of EARTH'S THE RIGHT PLACE FOR LOVE by Elizabeth Berg and HANG THE MOON by Jeannette Walls.
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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