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Publishing Loses Two Lions
Back in college, I had few courses that I loved. As I reflect on them, they really set the tone for what I do with Bookreporter now. These were small classes where we would read a book a week, discuss it and write a paper about it. I loved this for more than one reason. First, I loathed being in a classroom 2-3 days a week for a class. I also loved having long stretches with no classes so I could leave campus and explore the city; I went to Fordham. These classes met for one long period a week, which was perfect for condensing my days in classrooms; at one point, I got it down to two days a week. The subject of each semester was interesting: Books That Changed America, The Sixties, and others with that tone.
One book we read was then a recent bestseller: THE POWER BROKER by Robert A. Caro, which had come out in 1974. It is a doorstopper of a book about Robert Moses, who literally shaped what we now know as both New York City and the outlying suburbs. It was all told in 1,344 pages. And yes, we had more than a week to read this one; I think we read it in segments. I flew through it as the prose was so well done. And it was so relevant as we were close to the places that were discussed in the book.
So why talk about THE POWER BROKER this week? Robert Gottlieb, who had been Caro’s agent since that first book, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 92. He later edited the four books about Lyndon Johnson that Caro already has published, and they were working on the fifth and final one.
I knew there was a documentary about the two of them that had come out in the fall. I tracked it down last night on Amazon Prime and rented it. For almost two hours I loved watching the conversation about how they collaborated as author and editor. It’s called Turn Every Page: The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb, and it really was terrific. It was produced and directed by Lizzie Gottlieb, Robert’s daughter. In just one of the things that is so smart about it, Caro and Gottlieb do not appear together until the very end. Instead, each shares his own thoughts on working together. So viewers are invited to see their process, as told from each other’s point of view. It works beautifully.
At some point I want to read AVID READER, Gottlieb’s own book on the joy of reading, writing and editing. But what a loss this week. And he wasn't the only literary icon we lost.
On Tuesday, we learned the sad news that Pulitzer Prize-winning author Cormac McCarthy passed away at the age of 89. His career spanned nearly six decades and several genres, and included such iconic novels as ALL THE PRETTY HORSES, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN and THE ROAD, the latter of which was selected as an Oprah’s Book Club pick (resulting in his only televised interview) in 2006. All three of these books were turned into movies; NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN received four Academy Awards, including the award for Best Picture.
Joe Hartlaub, our Senior Writer Emeritus, returned last year to review what would be McCarthy’s final two novels: THE PASSENGER and STELLA MARIS, interconnected books that question the notions of God, truth and existence. Joe is back again, this time to reflect on McCarthy’s career and legacy in this “In Memoriam” piece. We thank him for this terrific remembrance.
We have two new “Bookreporter Talks To” interviews to share with you in this newsletter.
First up is Lisa See, whose latest novel, LADY TAN’S CIRCLE OF WOMEN, we reviewed last week and will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. Lisa explains how she got the idea for this book, inspired by the true story of a woman physician from 15th-century China, which was different from the one she planned to write. She later discovered that Tan Yunxian had written a book, and it had been translated into English. From there, she headed down a rabbit hole of research to ensure that her storytelling was on point.
Lisa shares why she writes in the first person and how she strives to get every detail right. She also talks about how women have been viewed in China through the centuries and speaks in-depth about the marriage bed that is in the book, one that she played in as a child in the family store. And for those who want to know what she is writing next, be sure to stick around until the end of the interview. Click here to watch the video or here to listen to the podcast. Find out why I'm betting you'll love this book in next week's newsletter.
I also talked to Nancy Horan about her new historical novel, THE HOUSE OF LINCOLN, which we continue to feature in our Historical Fiction Author Spotlight.
Nancy was born in Springfield, Illinois, and always was intrigued by Abraham Lincoln and his legacy there. In 2014, she started her research on Lincoln and what the city might have been like during his time. The resulting book is told from the perspective of a fictitious character named Ana Ferreira, who works for the Lincolns. Ana emigrated from Madeira, Portugal, to Springfield by way of Trinidad, which would be a typical journey for a young woman of her time. She befriends a young African American woman named Cal. Through Cal’s eyes, she sees the Underground Railroad as it heads through Springfield, where slaves are shepherded to freedom.
Spanning decades from 1851 to 1909, THE HOUSE OF LINCOLN tells the story of great change in the country. Like Nancy’s debut novel, LOVING FRANK, this one will be a Bets On pick. 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.
Next month's “Bookaccino Live” book preview event will take place on Wednesday, July 12th at 2pm ET. I will present titles releasing between July 11th and August 1st, in addition to a few from September, that we think will appeal to you. Click here to sign up. 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.
We will not be hosting any “Bookaccino Live” Book Group events in June, July or August. But get ready for our September program now.
At the end of Wednesday’s event, we announced that our next “Bookaccino Live” Book Group guest will be Alice Elliott Dark. Her novel, FELLOWSHIP POINT, recently released in paperback and was one of my favorite books of 2022 (yes, it was a Bets On pick). Alice also joined me last month for a “Bookreporter Talks To” interview. The event will be held on Wednesday, September 27th at 8pm ET, and you can sign up here to attend. As the book is nearly 600 pages, we wanted to tell you about this event now so you would have plenty of time to read it leading up to the discussion.
Here's the format of the program: After I talk to Alice for a bit, there will be a two-part Q&A session. For the first part, those who are asking a question “on camera” will be featured. This includes spending time with Alice backstage in our virtual green room before the show starts. If you would like to ask your question "live on screen" this way, please email me with the subject line "Alice" by noon ET on September 27th. Be sure to include your name, city and state, as well as your question. If you do not want to appear on camera but still would like to ask a question, please note that you want to be off camera, and share your question --- adding your name, city and state.
If it’s summer, it means that an Elin Hilderbrand book can’t be too far away. She doesn’t disappoint with her latest beach read, THE FIVE-STAR WEEKEND, a surprising and captivating story about friendship, love and self-discovery. After tragedy strikes, food blogger Hollis Shaw gathers four friends from different stages in her life to spend an unforgettable weekend on Nantucket.
Bronwyn Miller has our review and calls the book “a five-star read.” She goes on to say, “Elin Hilderbrand is a bestselling author and a writing phenom for a reason. She knows how to deliver a satisfying, absorbing read --- and not just for the beach. The story packs a punch, with interesting characters and an engaging, unpredictable plot, all set on beautiful Nantucket. There has been talk of Hilderbrand retiring from writing beach reads in 2024. I, for one, hope she pushes that off for a long time.”
Fiona Davis, who many of you know is a favorite of ours here at Bookreporter, is back with another fascinating historical novel set in an iconic New York City building. Following in the footsteps of such bestsellers as THE MAGNOLIA PALACE, THE LIONS OF FIFTH AVENUE and THE ADDRESS, THE SPECTACULAR is set amidst the glamour and glitz of Radio City Music Hall in its mid-century heyday.
According to our reviewer Rebecca Munro, “It feels reductive to call Davis’ writing effortless --- as if every line, development and historical fact isn’t scrupulously pored over and decided --- yet that is the experience of reading her work. Her worlds, her characters and their dramas are so expertly crafted, so thoroughly immersive, that you almost lose the sense of the novel being written and instead encounter it as a living, breathing bit of history. That she then manages to weave the dazzling history of the Rockettes with a tragic story more or less forgotten in today’s time is a testament to her skill, a talent that only continues to grow with each spectacular book.”
Word of Mouth Reminder
THE FIVE-STAR WEEKEND and THE SPECTACULAR are our current Word of Mouth prizes. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read by Friday, June 23rd at noon ET, and you’ll be in the running to win both these titles.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
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ALL THE SINNERS BLEED: This highly anticipated new novel from S. A. Cosby follows the first Black sheriff in a small Virginia town. A year to the day after Titus Crown’s election, a schoolteacher is killed by a former student, and the student is fatally shot by Titus’ deputies. As Titus investigates the shootings, he unearths terrible crimes and a serial killer who has been hiding in plain sight.
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GOOD NIGHT, IRENE: In the tradition of Kristin Hannah’s THE NIGHTINGALE and Kate Atkinson’s TRANSCRIPTION, Luis Alberto Urrea’s searing epic --- this month’s Barnes & Noble Book Club pick --- is based on the magnificent and true story of courageous Red Cross women. Taking as inspiration his mother’s own Red Cross service, Urrea has delivered an overlooked story of women’s heroism in World War II.
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SUCH KINDNESS: A working-class white man takes a terrible fall in Andre Dubus III’s latest novel. Tom Lowe designed and built his family’s dream home, convinced he is making every sacrifice for the happiness of his wife and son. Until, shingling a roof in too-bright sunlight, he falls. In constant pain, addicted to painkillers at the cost of his relationships with his wife and son, Tom slowly comes to realize that he can never work again. If he is not a working man, then who is he?
A big thank you to everyone who entered our Father’s Day contest! We will announce the five winners of our six prize books in next week’s newsletter. In the meantime, you can see our featured titles above and read more about them here. I have them all packed up to ship out to the winners!
Summer Reading Update
Due to a change in our schedule, we WILL be running a Summer Reading contest next week. The prize book will be THE FAVOR, the adult debut of acclaimed author Adele Griffin, who has written more than 30 YA novels and has been nominated twice for the National Book Award. The contest will be up on Tuesday, June 20th at noon ET. I have been reading this one, and the story has engaged me.
Revisiting My “Bookreporter Talks To” Interview with Tom Perrotta
Out in paperback this week is TRACY FLICK CAN’T WIN, a Bets On pick featuring Tom Perrotta’s most iconic character of all time. I talked to Tom about the book last June when it released in hardcover, so if you missed the interview or would like to revisit it, you can watch it here or listen to the podcast here.
Remember to Vote in Our Poll
Our poll continues to ask which of 35 fiction titles releasing this month you are planning to read. Click here to let us know by Friday, June 23rd at noon ET.
It was announced this week that DEMON COPPERHEAD by Barbara Kingsolver is the winner of the 2023 Women’s Prize for Fiction. This makes Kingsolver the first double winner in the award’s 28-year history, having also won in 2010 for THE LACUNA. It’s been a big year for Kingsolver; just last month, DEMON COPPERHEAD was the co-winner (with Hernan Diaz’s TRUST) of this year’s Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
On the Road Again
On Tuesday night, I am going to be in Rockville Centre as the Rockville Centre Public Library hosts their Summer Reading Kickoff at 7pm. I have been out there many times for this program, and I really am looking forward to it. Our Contest Coordinator, Lisa Hickman, is coming out with me. On Wednesday, Lisa and I will be attending an event that Lisa See is doing at Bryant Park in New York City. If any of you are in the city next week, the program starts at 12:30pm.
On Wednesday night, I will be back home in time to virtually host a Summer Reading Program for the Fairfield Public Library at 6:30pm. Then, for those planning for the following week, I will be in Avalon, NJ at the Avalon Free Public Library to moderate an event on Monday, June 26th at 6pm.
Note that I am not flying anywhere. I need a couple of great cross-country flights to catch up on reading. I miss long flights. These days, the only flights that I have time for are flights of stairs --- usually from my office to the kitchen, and vice versa.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Lucy wrote with an answer to my question about how to keep track of what I watch on Netflix. She replied, “Another great newsletter, which is one I never delete and read every word! In case no one's gotten back to you about finding your Netflix viewing history, you can find it by going to Account (from drop-down from your Avatar on top right), scroll down to Profile & Parental Controls, click on your Avatar again, click on Viewing Activity. If you scroll down, you can 'Download All,' which is what I do and then put the download into a Google Sheet so it's easy to search for what I've watched. Hope that helps. Amazon Prime has something similar. But I do wish they'd just mark each movie/series 'watched' after you've watched it. It would make viewing life easier.” I replied that I hoped Netflix did not see my note that I would pay extra for something like this!
Lorraine wrote this when I shared that the sound on “Bookaccino Live” this week was not as good as usual as I had to use my phone to record the audio since my microphone was somehow not working: “Thanks so much, Carol. It’ll be great, no matter what. This is why I don’t sign up for 'Bookaccino Live,' concerned that something will come up as I don’t like not showing up. My track record with your Speed Dating event is nearly 100%! Thanks for doing all you do.”
Anne from Austin wrote, “I was so pleased to be selected as a recipient of WHAT REMAINS by Wendy Walker. This looks like a perfect summer read, and I’m excited to fit it into the TBR already awaiting my attention (a common problem, I’m sure). Thanks so much for the early reader program, the beautiful finished copy, and all you are doing to support books and authors.”
“Shelter” on Amazon Prime Video: This series, based on Harlan Coben's YA book series featuring Mickey Bolitar, is coming on August 18th: Harlan shared this: “Filmed in my home state of New Jersey (even using my alma mater, Livingston High School), Mickey, Ema, Spoon, Rachel, Troy, Buck and more will all be there. Can’t wait for you to see what this marvelous cast and crew have done with this.”
“Never Have I Ever” on Netflix: Yep, I am watching the final season. I do have a guilty pleasure lest you think I am all intellectual!
We are going to dinner tonight at our local pizza hangout, Lombardi’s, this time with some friends joining us. We love talking to Matt, the manager, and the rest of the staff. It’s like the perfect ending to the week.
Tomorrow night, Wade Rouse and his husband, Gary Edwards, are coming for dinner after Wade’s event in Spring Lake, NJ, where is he going to be talking about FAMOUS IN A SMALL TOWN, the novel he has written under his pen name, Viola Shipman. I am so looking forward to this. I want to get some gardening advice from Gary!
The front walk is done, but this necessitated ripping up some of the lawn. So now that is reseeded. And so many other little things were handled as well while we had a backhoe on site. I know, who wakes up in the morning thinking, "What else can I have them do with the backhoe?"
On Sunday, we will be celebrating Father’s Day here with Tom and my dad, which should be a lot of fun. It’s still too cold to swim in the pool; yes, I am lobbying for a new pool heater. We have a solar solution, but it needs to sit on the grass to get the most sun, and we both loathe how that looks. Tom has an idea to build a new deck area where the patio is and put solar panels on top of it. I know how crazy a project like this can be when Tom starts noodling an idea. Mind you, this has been the same conversation that we have been having for many years now. I can see us hauling out the solar sheets on the lawn any day now.
The office is closed on Monday to observe Juneteenth. I will be spending the day reading after being social for most of the weekend!
To all the dads out there, Happy Father’s Day! And for those of you missing your dads as we celebrate this day, be kind to yourselves. I am interested to see how this commemorative holiday is being celebrated across the country.
Read on, and have a great week.
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
Please note: Just before sending this newsletter, we learned the sad news that bestselling mystery author Carol Higgins Clark, the daughter of Mary Higgins Clark, has passed away at the age of 66 after battling appendix cancer. We will talk much more about her life and career in next week's newsletter.
P.S. For those of you who shop online, if you use the store links for shopping, Bookreporter.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and IndieBound. As you read our reviews and features, we would appreciate your considering this as you buy!
Quick Tech Note: Bookreporter is protected from spam bots and other ridiculous things that try to hack websites by something called Imperva. If you go to the site and see a message that asks you to click "I am not a robot," just know that this is the software being extra cautious. Yes, it's mind-numbing to have to do this, and at least it doesn't happen all the time. But we know you are not robots, so if you could click to tell the software this, that would be great.
Remembering Cormac McCarthy:
Still Writing, Still Dreaming
We mourn the loss of Cormac McCarthy, who has died of natural causes at the age of 89.
One of the world’s most influential and renowned writers, McCarthy’s career spanned nearly six decades and several genres, including fiction and drama. His work has entered the modern canon and won several prestigious literary awards, including the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, and the National Book Critics Circle Award. His books adapted to film include ALL THE PRETTY HORSES, THE ROAD and NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN --- the latter movie receiving four Academy Awards, including the award for Best Picture.
Nihar Malaviya, the CEO of Penguin Random House, said, “Cormac McCarthy changed the course of literature. For 60 years, he demonstrated an unwavering dedication to his craft, and to exploring the infinite possibilities and power of the written word. Millions of readers around the world embraced his characters, his mythic themes, and the intimate emotional truths he laid bare on every page, in brilliant novels that will remain both timely and timeless, for generations to come.”
Joe Hartlaub, our Senior Writer Emeritus, reflects on McCarthy’s career and legacy in a special "In Memoriam" piece.
Click here to read Joe Hartlaub's tribute to Cormac McCarthy.
Featured Review: THE FIVE-STAR WEEKEND
by Elin Hilderbrand
THE FIVE-STAR WEEKEND by Elin Hilderbrand (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Erin Bennett
Hollis Shaw’s life seems picture-perfect. She’s the creator of the popular food blog Hungry with Hollis and is married to Matthew, a dreamy heart surgeon. But after she and Matthew get into a heated argument one snowy morning, he leaves for the airport and is killed in a car accident. The cracks in Hollis’ perfect life --- her strained marriage and her complicated relationship with her daughter, Caroline --- grow deeper. So when Hollis hears about something called a “Five-Star Weekend” --- one woman organizes a trip for her best friend from each phase of her life: her teenage years, her 20s, her 30s and midlife --- she decides to host her own Five-Star Weekend. But the weekend doesn’t turn out to be a joyful Hallmark movie. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: THE SPECTACULAR by Fiona Davis
THE SPECTACULAR by Fiona Davis (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Rachel L. Jacobs and Kimberly Farr
New York City, 1956: When 19-year-old Marion Brooks comes across an opportunity to audition for the Radio City Rockettes, she jumps at the chance to exchange her predictable future for the dazzling life of a performer. Meanwhile, the city is reeling from a string of bombings orchestrated by a person the press has nicknamed the “Big Apple Bomber." With the public in an uproar, the police turn to Peter Griggs, a young doctor who espouses a radical new technique: psychological profiling. As both Marion and Peter find themselves unexpectedly pulled into the police search for the bomber, Marion realizes that if she hopes to catch the culprit, she’ll need to stand out and take a terrifying risk. In doing so, she may be forced to sacrifice everything she’s worked for, as well as the people she loves the most. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
Click here to read our review.
Historical Fiction Author Spotlight:
THE HOUSE OF LINCOLN by Nancy Horan
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
THE HOUSE OF LINCOLN by Nancy Horan (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Sarah Welborn
Rich with historical detail, THE HOUSE OF LINCOLN is an insightful account of Abraham Lincoln's transformative vision for democracy as observed through the eyes of a young immigrant who arrives in Lincoln's home of Springfield, Illinois, from Madeira, Portugal.
Showing intelligence beyond society's expectations, 14-year-old Ana Ferreira is offered a job in the Lincoln household assisting Mary Lincoln with their boys and with the hosting duties borne by the wife of a rising political star. Ana bears witness to the evolution of Lincoln's views on equality and the Union, and observes in full complexity the psyche and pain of his bold, polarizing wife, Mary. Yet, alongside her dearest friend in the Black community, Ana confronts the racial prejudice her friend encounters daily as she watches the inner workings of the Underground Railroad, and directly experiences how slavery contradicts the promise of freedom in her adopted country.
Culminating in an account of the little-known Springfield race riot of 1908, THE HOUSE OF LINCOLN takes readers on a journey through the historic changes that reshaped America and continue to reverberate today.
- Click here to read our review.
- Click here to read Nancy Horan's bio.
- Click here to visit Nancy Horan's website.
Watch or listen to Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To"
interview with Nancy Horan.
Click here to read more in our Historical Fiction Author Spotlight.
THE HOUSE OF LINCOLN will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's commentary in next week's newsletter.
Featured Review:
ALL THE SINNERS BLEED by S. A. Cosby
ALL THE SINNERS BLEED by S. A. Cosby (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Adam Lazarre-White
Titus Crown is the first Black sheriff in the history of Charon County, Virginia. In recent decades, quiet Charon has had only two murders. Then a year to the day after Titus’ election, a schoolteacher is killed by a former student, and the student is fatally shot by Titus’ deputies. As Titus investigates the shootings, he unearths terrible crimes and a serial killer who has been hiding in plain sight. With the killer’s possible connections to a local church and the town’s harrowing history weighing on him, Titus projects confidence about closing the case while concealing a painful secret from his own past. At the same time, he also has to contend with a far-right group that wants to hold a parade in celebration of the town’s Confederate history. 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:
GOOD NIGHT, IRENE by Luis Alberto Urrea
June’s Barnes & Noble Book Club Pick
GOOD NIGHT, IRENE by Luis Alberto Urrea (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Barrie Kreinik
In 1943, Irene Woodward abandons an abusive fiancé in New York to enlist with the Red Cross and head to Europe. She makes fast friends in training with Dorothy Dunford, a towering Midwesterner with a ferocious wit. Together they are part of an elite group of women, nicknamed Donut Dollies, who command military vehicles called Clubmobiles at the front line, providing camaraderie and a taste of home that may be the only solace before troops head into battle. After D-Day, these two intrepid friends join the Allied soldiers streaming into France. Through her friendship with Dorothy and a love affair with a courageous American fighter pilot named Hans, Irene learns to trust again. Her most fervent hope is for all three of them to survive the war intact. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
» GOOD NIGHT, IRENE is June's Barnes & Noble Book Club pick. On Tuesday, July 11th at 3pm ET, B&N will host a live virtual event with Luis Alberto Urrea. He will be joined in the discussion by Shannon DeVito, the Sr. Director of Book Strategy and Customer Experience at B&N, and Miwa Messer, B&N’s Editorial Director. Click here to sign up.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: SUCH KINDNESS by Andre Dubus III
SUCH KINDNESS by Andre Dubus III (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Andre Dubus III
Tom Lowe designed and built his family’s dream home, working extra hours to pay off the adjustable-rate mortgage he took on the property, convinced he is making every sacrifice for the happiness of his wife and son. Until, shingling a roof in too-bright sunlight, he falls. In constant pain, addicted to painkillers at the cost of his relationships with his wife and son, Tom slowly comes to realize that he can never work again. If he is not a working man, who is he? He is not, he believes, the kind of person who lives in subsidized housing, though that is where he has ended up. He is not the kind of person who hatches a scheme to commit convenience-check fraud, together with neighbors he considers lowlifes, until he finds himself stealing his banker’s trash. Who is Tom Lowe, and who will he become? Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com's 19th Annual
Summer Reading Contests and Feature
Summer (officially) 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 mid-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 20th at noon ET.
This year’s featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
PAGEBOY: A Memoir by Elliot Page (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Elliot Page
“Can I kiss you?” It was two months before the world premiere of Juno, and Elliot Page was in his first ever queer bar. The hot summer air hung heavy around him as he looked at her. And then it happened. In front of everyone. A previously unfathomable experience. Here he was on the precipice of discovering himself as a queer person, as a trans person. But for Elliot, two steps forward had always come with one step back. With Juno’s massive success, Elliot became one of the world’s most beloved actors. His dreams were coming true, but the pressure to perform suffocated him. As he navigated criticism and abuse from some of the most powerful people in Hollywood, a past that snapped at his heels, and a society dead set on forcing him into a binary, Elliot often stayed silent. Until enough was enough. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
ROBERT B. PARKER'S BAD INFLUENCE: A Sunny Randall Novel by Alison Gaylin (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Kate Burton
Sunny Randall’s newest client, Blake, seems to have it all: he is an Instagram influencer, with all the perks the lifestyle entails --- a beautiful girlfriend, wealth and adoring fans. But one of those fans has turned ugly, and Sunny is brought on board by Blake’s manager, Bethany, to protect him and to uncover who is out to kill him. In doing so, she investigates a glamorous world rife with lies and schemes…and ties to a dangerous criminal scene. When Bethany goes missing and the threats against Blake escalate, Sunny realizes that in order to solve this case, she has to find out exactly who Blake and Bethany are, behind the Instagram filters. While digging into their pasts, she is also forced to confront her own, as old friends --- and ex-husbands --- reappear. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE LAST LIFEBOAT by Hazel Gaynor (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Billie Fulford-Brown
1940, Kent: As the threat of German invasion looms, a plane crash near her home awakens a strength in Alice King she’d long forgotten. She finds a role perfectly suited to her experience as a schoolteacher --- to help evacuate Britain’s children overseas. 1940, London: Lily Nicols’ humble home is her world until war tears everything asunder. She is faced with an impossible choice: keep her son and daughter close, knowing she may not be able to protect them, or enroll them in a risky evacuation scheme. When a Nazi U-boat torpedoes the S. S. Carlisle carrying a ship of children to Canada, a single lifeboat is left adrift in the storm-tossed Atlantic. Alice and Lily, strangers to each other, will quickly become one another’s very best hope as their lives are fatefully entwined. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
TRIAL by Richard North Patterson (Legal Thriller)
Malcolm Hill, a Black 18-year-old voting rights worker, is stopped by a white sheriff’s deputy on a dark country road in rural Georgia. His single mother, Allie, America’s leading voting rights advocate, restlessly awaits his return before police inform her that Malcolm has been arrested for murder. In Washington, D.C., the rising, young white congressman Chase Brevard of Massachusetts is watching the morning news with his girlfriend, only to find his life transformed in a single moment by the appearance of Malcolm’s photograph. Suddenly all three are enveloped in a media firestorm that threatens their lives --- especially Malcolm’s. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
YOU WERE ALWAYS MINE by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Alexis Floyd and Jenni Barber
Cinnamon Haynes has fought hard for a life she never thought was possible. Her life’s mantra is to be good, quiet and grateful. Until something shifts, and Cinnamon is suddenly haunted by a terrifying question: “Is this all there is?” Daisy Dunlap has had her own share of problems in her 19 years on earth. Her hopes for her future are threatened when she gets unexpectedly pregnant. She hides this development from everyone close to her and then makes a drastic decision with devastating consequences. When Cinnamon finds an abandoned baby in a park and takes the newborn into her home, the ripple effects of this decision risk exposing the truth about Cinnamon’s own past, which she has gone to great pains to portray as idyllic to everyone…even herself. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
BETWEEN TWO MOONS by Aisha Abdel Gawad (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Suehyla El-Attar Young
It’s the holy month of Ramadan, and twin sisters Amira and Lina are about to graduate high school in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. On the precipice of adulthood, they plan to embark on a summer of teenage revelry, trying on new identities, and testing the limits of what they can get away with while still under their parents’ roof. But the twins' expectations of a summer of freedom collide with their older brother's return from prison, whose mysterious behavior threatens to undo the delicate family balance. Meanwhile, a storm is brewing in Bay Ridge. A raid on a local business sparks a protest that brings the Arab community together, and a senseless act of violence threatens to tear them apart. Everyone’s motives are called into question as an alarming sense of disquiet pervades the neighborhood. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
WITCH KING by Martha Wells (Fantasy/Adventure)
Audiobook available, read by Eric Mok
After being murdered, his consciousness dormant and unaware of the passing of time while confined in an elaborate water trap, Kai wakes to find a lesser mage attempting to harness Kai’s magic to his own advantage. That was never going to go well. But why was Kai imprisoned in the first place? What has changed in the world since his assassination? And why does the Rising World Coalition appear to be growing in influence? Kai will need to pull his allies close and draw on all his pain magic if he is to answer even the least of these questions. He’s not going to like the answers. Reviewed by Eleni Karavoussianis.
THE ADULT by Bronwyn Fischer (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Emma Love
Eighteen-year-old Natalie has just arrived at her first year of university in Toronto. Everyone she encounters seems to know exactly who they are. She reads advice listicles, watches videos online and thinks about how to fit in, how to really become someone, whoever that might be. And then she meets Nora, an older woman who takes an unexpected interest in her. She begins spending more and more of her time at Nora’s perfect, tidy home in her beautiful, quiet world. Natalie lies to her floormates about her absence, inventing a fake off-campus boyfriend, and carefully protects this sacred, adult relationship. This only deepens her obsession, even as she comes to suspect that Nora is hiding something. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
RELENTLESS MELT by Jeremy P. Bushnell (Supernatural Historical Mystery/Thriller)
By day, Artie Quick holds down a job as a salesgirl in women’s accessories at Filene’s. By night, she disguises herself as a man to pursue studies in Criminal Investigation at the YMCA's Evening Institute for Younger Men. Artie sets out in search of something to investigate with her pal Theodore, an upper-crust young bachelor whose interest in Boston's occult counterculture has drawn him into the study of magic. Their journey begins on Boston Common --- where the tramps and the groundskeepers swap rumors about unearthly screams and other unsettling anomalies --- but soon they uncover a series of violent abductions that take them on an adventure from the highest corridors of power to the depths of an abandoned mass transit tunnel, its excavation suspiciously never completed. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read an interview with Jeremy P. Bushnell.
THE LAST DROP OF HEMLOCK by Katharine Schellman (Historical Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Sara Young
Life as a working-class girl in Prohibition-era New York isn’t safe or easy. But Vivian Kelly has a new job at the Nightingale, an underground speakeasy. Things are finally looking up for her and her sister, Florence...until the night Vivian learns that her friend Bea's uncle, a bouncer at the Nightingale, has died. His death is ruled a suicide, but Bea isn’t so convinced. She knew her uncle was keeping a secret: a payoff from a mob boss that was going to take him out of the tenements and into a better life. Now, the money is missing. Vivian and Bea uncover more than they expected when rumors surface of a mysterious letter writer who's blackmailing Vivian's poorest neighbors for their most valuable possessions, threatening poison if they don't comply. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
THE ISLAND OF LOST GIRLS by Alex Marwood (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Tamsin Kennard
1985. To 12-year-old Mercedes, La Kastellana is home, an island with deep-rooted traditions untouched by the modern world. But this secluded paradise is upended with the arrival of multimillionaire Matthew Meade and his pampered young daughter, Tatiana. The price that Mercedes and the rest of the islanders will pay is more than they ever could have imagined. 2016. Robin has been desperately searching for her missing 17-year-old daughter, Gemma. Finding herself on La Kastellana, Robin quickly realizes she’s out of her depth. No one is willing to help, and she fears she’s running out of time to find her child. But someone has been watching, silently waiting for the moment to expose the dark truth of what really happens on the island of lost girls. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
Next Week's Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on June 20th
Below are some notable titles releasing on June 20th 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 19th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
THE BRIGHTEST STAR by Gail Tsukiyama (Historical Fiction)
The beloved bestselling author of THE COLOR OF AIR, WOMEN OF THE SILK and THE SAMURAI'S GARDEN returns with this magnificent historical novel based on the life of the luminous, groundbreaking actress Anna May Wong --- the first and only Asian American woman to gain movie stardom in the early days of Hollywood.
THE HAPPINESS PLAN by Susan Mallery (Fiction)
Three women search for joy in #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery’s new novel of hope, heartache and the power of friendship.
HOTEL LAGUNA by Nicola Harrison (Historical Fiction)
HOTEL LAGUNA follows trailblazer Hazel Francis, from the female-staffed factories of World War II to the sun-splashed beaches of southern California, on a daring journey to demand more for herself.
THE ONLY ONE LEFT by Riley Sager (Gothic Thriller/Horror)
Bestselling author Riley Sager returns with a Gothic chiller about a young caregiver assigned to work for a woman accused of a Lizzie Borden-like massacre decades earlier.
THE QUIET TENANT by Clémence Michallon (Psychological Thriller)
This pulse-pounding psychological thriller about a serial killer is narrated by those closest to him: his 13-year-old daughter, his girlfriend --- and the one victim he has spared.
THE SPARE ROOM by Andrea Bartz (Domestic Thriller)
Staying with a friend and her husband is sexier --- and deadlier --- than anyone could imagine in this provocative domestic suspense from the New York Times bestselling author of the Reese’s Book Club pick WE WERE NEVER HERE.
WELCOME TO BEACH TOWN by Susan Wiggs (Fiction)
Beloved New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs returns with a compulsively readable tale of an idyllic California beach town forced to reckon with scandal when a high school valedictorian’s speech reveals secrets that shake the town to its core.
ZERO DAYS by Ruth Ware (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Ruth Ware returns with this adrenaline-fueled thriller that combines Mr. and Mrs. Smith with The Fugitive about a woman in a race against time to clear her name and find her husband’s murderer.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
From left to right: Ruth Ware, Luis Alberto Urrea, Hazel Gaynor
Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events
Here are five upcoming virtual book and author events that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links for more info and to register.
Saturday, June 17th at 1pm ET: Warwick's: Warwick's will host Hazel Gaynor as she discusses her new book, THE LAST LIFEBOAT, with Susan Meissner. Inspired by a remarkable true story, this moving and triumphant novel is about a young teacher who evacuates children to safety across perilous waters.
Wednesday, June 21st at 7pm ET: Bank Square Books: Bank Square Books will present a virtual author talk and Q&A with authors Robyn Harding (THE DROWNING WOMAN) and Wendy Walker (WHAT REMAINS).
Wednesday, June 21st 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 Hazel Gaynor and Katherine Reay about their latest works of historical fiction: Hazel's THE LAST LIFEBOAT and Katherine's A SHADOW IN MOSCOW. Appearing on the Aftershow will be T.I. Lowe, whose new novel is INDIGO ISLE.
Thursday, June 22nd at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome New York Times bestselling author Ruth Ware for a live virtual discussion of her latest adrenaline-fueled thriller, ZERO DAYS, as part of the B&N Midday Mystery Virtual Event series. Ruth will be in conversation with #1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Child.
Thursday, June 22nd at 9pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Luis Alberto Urrea will talk about his latest novel, GOOD NIGHT, IRENE, which is this month's Barnes & Noble Book Club pick. In the tradition of THE NIGHTINGALE and TRANSCRIPTION, this is a searing epic based on the magnificent and true story of courageous Red Cross women.
"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:
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll: June Fiction Releases to Anticipate
Which of the following fiction titles releasing in June are you planning to read? Please check all that apply.
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THE 9th MAN by Steve Berry, with Grant Blackwood
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ALL THE SINNERS BLEED by S. A. Cosby
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BANYAN MOON by Thao Thai
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BE MINE: A Frank Bascombe Novel, by Richard Ford
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THE BEACH AT SUMMERLY by Beatriz Williams
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THE BRIGHTEST STAR by Gail Tsukiyama
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CASSANDRA IN REVERSE by Holly Smale
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CROSS DOWN: An Alex Cross and John Sampson Thriller, by James Patterson and Brendan DuBois
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CROW MARY by Kathleen Grissom
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EVERYTHING'S FINE by Cecilia Rabess
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FAMOUS IN A SMALL TOWN by Viola Shipman
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THE FIRST LADIES by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
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THE FIVE-STAR WEEKEND by Elin Hilderbrand
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THE GIRLS OF SUMMER by Katie Bishop
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THE HAPPINESS PLAN by Susan Mallery
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THE HOUSE OF LINCOLN by Nancy Horan
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INSIDE THREAT by Matthew Quirk
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LADY TAN'S CIRCLE OF WOMEN by Lisa See
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LITTLE MONSTERS by Adrienne Brodeur
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MY MAGNOLIA SUMMER by Victoria Benton Frank
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NEAR MISS: A Stone Barrington Novel, by Stuart Woods and Brett Battles
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THE ONLY ONE LEFT by Riley Sager
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THE PARIS DAUGHTER by Kristin Harmel
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THE QUIET TENANT by Clémence Michallon
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ROBERT B. PARKER'S BAD INFLUENCE: A Sunny Randall Novel, by Alison Gaylin
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THE SPARE ROOM by Andrea Bartz
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THE SPECTACULAR by Fiona Davis
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SUCH KINDNESS by Andre Dubus III
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THE SURVIVOR: An Eve Duncan Novel, by Iris Johansen
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WATCH US SHINE by Marisa de los Santos
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WELCOME TO BEACH TOWN by Susan Wiggs
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WHAT REMAINS by Wendy Walker
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THE WHISPERS by Ashley Audrain
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THE WIND KNOWS MY NAME by Isabel Allende
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ZERO DAYS by Ruth Ware
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None of the above
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, June 23rd 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 read with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from June 9th to June 23rd at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE FIVE-STAR WEEKEND by Elin Hilderbrand and THE SPECTACULAR by Fiona Davis.
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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