Never Miss a Contest or a Promotion!
Follow and Like Us on Social Media
First of all, thanks to those of you who wrote such lovely notes to both Tom and me about the 27th anniversary of Bookreporter and what the site and newsletter mean to you. They were so appreciated! They were shared with the team, and we note some of them below in the Reader Mail section.
We all had a fabulous break and came back well-read. I spent time with a mix of books that came out earlier this summer, some just out this week, and a few on the horizon --- including one coming in January (FIRST LIE WINS by Ashley Elston) --- that I am crazy about. I had a wonderful time reading IN the pool. I perfected standing in the pool, working out with ankle weights, and doing side kicks and leg lifts while reading. My legs are now in very good shape. I should add up the pages that I read and contemplate how many leg lifts to do per book.
A number of these books will be Bookreporter.com Bets On selections. I came back to my desk and set up interviews with many of the authors; there are numerous folded-down pages for interviews. Each book was a completely terrific reading experience for different reasons. I am happy to say that no book was put aside as “no, not interested” all week. Yes, I had been curating this pile for a while, and it was a true delight to have the time to read.
Did I read everything that I wanted to read? Not by a long shot. And I really am sad about the sun dipping down early in the evening, which keeps me from reading in the pool after dinner. But I will be in the pool or in the Cleopatra tent reading this weekend. I had hoped to take the above photo next to the pool, but as I headed outside, the wind kicked up as a prelude to rain.
I also went book shopping last week. I have been reading so much about the redesign of Barnes & Noble stores. So on a really cloudy afternoon, I took a ride to the one near my home where I spent a busman’s holiday shopping. I loved strolling the aisles and seeing so many of the books that we have reviewed.
Up front, there was a table with trade paperbacks on it, and I bought three: TRUST by Hernan Diaz, MIRACLE CREEK by Angie Kim (I hope to read some of that one before I interview her about her latest, HAPPINESS FALLS), and SALVAGE THE BONES by Jesmyn Ward (I have her upcoming title, LET US DESCEND, on my reading pile). I just realized they all are prize winners that I somehow missed when they first came out, though I know we covered all three.
There was a buzz in the store that day...and, yes, I was observing what people were looking at and buying!
Earlier this year when I read GO AS A RIVER, Shelley Read told me about the fabulous peaches that come from Colorado. The cold nights are said to make them sweeter. I confess that I never had thought about peaches from Colorado in all the years that I traveled there. Jersey peaches, yes. Georgia peaches, yes (and we ordered those this summer). But Colorado peaches? Not on my radar. Well, I searched down a supplier, and these beauties arrived yesterday. So we will be doing some taste testing! I will report back. Thanks to Shelley for that piece of Colorado trivia from her beautiful novel, which is a Bets On selection.
My latest "Bookreporter Talks To" interview is with Melanie Benjamin, whose new work of historical fiction is CALIFORNIA GOLDEN. Set in Southern California in the 1950s and '60s, the story is built around Carol --- a prize-winning surfer at a time when women were not big contenders in the sport --- and her two daughters, Mindy and Ginger.
Melanie discusses the structure of the book with the daughters’ story coming first, then the mother’s, and finally all of them together. She also delves into how the lives of women have changed over the past decades, as well as her research on surfing and life during these times in California and Hawaii. Click here to watch the video or here to listen to the podcast.
We are featuring William Kent Krueger’s new stand-alone novel, THE RIVER WE REMEMBER, in our New Release Spotlight. It’s an Indie Next pick, a Book of the Month Club selection, a Barnes & Noble Most Anticipated Book of September, and an upcoming Bets On pick. Set in the summer of 1958, the plot revolves around long-held secrets and prejudices that threaten to rip apart a small Minnesota community following the murder of the county’s leading citizen. But the themes of the novel run deeper, touching on the wounds that war delivers to the human spirit and the question of how we heal from those wounds.
Pamela Kramer has our review and says, “This is the kind of book that really seems to have it all: murder, small-town animosities, prejudice, loneliness, bullies, violence, broken people and families, rape, and even a bit of romance…. The characters become real in Krueger's deft hands, and we care about what happens to them. Most of them, anyway…. [Y]ou will love the twist when the perpetrator of the crime is finally revealed.”
Don’t miss my Bets On commentary later this month, and there will be a “Bookreporter Talks To” interview with Kent as soon as we can find time between stops on his tour. Next week, we will share comments from the 25 readers who won copies of THE RIVER WE REMEMBER in a previous contest. My interview with Kent will include some of their questions!
As for that tour, Kent will be making nearly 50 stops across the country. Click here for the event calendar on his website to see when he might be appearing at a bookstore near you.
Stephen King’s newly released thriller, HOLLY, marks the long-awaited return of Holly Gibney. Readers have witnessed Holly’s gradual transformation from a shy (but also brave and ethical) recluse in MR. MERCEDES to Bill Hodges’ partner in FINDERS KEEPERS to a full-fledged, smart and occasionally tough private detective in THE OUTSIDER. This time, Holly is on her own and up against a pair of unimaginably depraved and brilliantly disguised adversaries.
According to our reviewer Ray Palen, the book is “a wonder --- a novel that millions of King fans have been waiting for him to pen…. Despite the absence of any overt supernatural elements, HOLLY is indeed a horror novel and a thriller all wrapped up in one --- and a superior effort at that. Readers will be cringing in terror one moment and cheering loudly for Holly the next as Stephen King takes us on yet another classic scary ride just in time for the Halloween season.” You can watch Stephen King talk about HOLLY on “Good Morning America” here.
The aforementioned Angie Kim follows up her Edgar Award-winning debut novel, MIRACLE CREEK, with HAPPINESS FALLS. In addition to being this month’s “Good Morning America” Book Club pick and Barnes & Noble Book Club selection, it will be a Bets On title. When a father goes missing, his family’s desperate search leads them to question everything they know about him and one another.
Our reviewer Norah Piehl calls the book “a suspenseful, beautiful and hopeful novel, even though it's also a sad one. There's no shortage of fruitful book club discussion topics here, most notably the assumptions that people make about the intelligence of those who are attempting to communicate in a second language or those who…are unable to use spoken language at all. Angie Kim's second effort is smart, perceptive, and rich with ideas and information --- the kind of novel that people won't be able to stop thinking and talking about.” I so agree! Find out why I’m betting you’ll love this book in next week’s newsletter. I look forward to talking to Angie on Monday!
On Tuesday, October 3rd at 3pm ET, B&N will host a live virtual event with Angie Kim. She will be joined in the discussion by Shannon DeVito, the Sr. Director of Book Strategy and Customer Experience at B&N, and Miwa Messer, the Executive Producer and host of B&N's “Poured Over” podcast. Click here to sign up.
Enter Our New Word of Mouth Contest
HAPPINESS FALLS is one of the prizes in our new Word of Mouth contest; the other is BRIGHT YOUNG WOMEN by Jessica Knoll, which releases on September 19th and also will be a Bets On pick. Let us know by Friday, September 22nd at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll have a chance to win both these titles.
Zadie Smith’s new novel, THE FRAUD, is her first work of historical fiction. Set against the legal trial that divided Victorian England and based on real events, this book is about truth and fiction, Jamaica and Britain, fraudulence and authenticity, and the mystery of “other people.”
Harvey Freedenberg has this to say in his review: “Focusing on a sensational trial and on the life of a writer prominent in his time but now forgotten, it’s a sumptuous portrait of life in Victorian England… There are moments of both deep seriousness and levity in THE FRAUD, but at every turn, Zadie Smith succeeds in evoking a vivid sense of life in 19th-century England that makes it feel both alien and oddly familiar.”
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
-
PAYBACK IN DEATH: A retired colleague falls victim to a staged suicide in this 57th installment in J. D. Robb’s In Death series starring Lt. Eve Dallas. Our reviewer Jennifer McCord calls the book “a captivating story full of intrigue. Especially riveting are the interrogation scenes, where Robb executes skillful dialogue that highlights her protagonist’s expertise as an investigator.”
-
MOTHER-DAUGHTER MURDER NIGHT: Nina Simon’s debut novel is this month’s Reese’s Book Club pick. Here’s what Reese has to say about the book: “This fun and gripping whodunit follows a grandmother-mother-daughter trio as they try to solve a murder in their coastal town… I just loved how intriguing the mystery was, but also the dynamics between a grandmother, a mother and a daughter --- a teenage daughter.”
-
THE GIRL IN THE EAGLE’S TALONS: This pulse-pounding thriller by Karin Smirnoff kicks off a brand-new Millennium trilogy (also known as the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series, made famous by the late Stieg Larsson) featuring Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist. This time, the duo navigates a world of conspiracy and betrayal, old enemies and new friends, ice-bound wilderness, and the global corporations that threaten to tear it apart. I have not read this series in a while, but I want to get my hands on this one!
This Month’s New in Paperback Feature
Our New in Paperback roundups for September are now up. We’re featuring paperback reprints from such bestselling authors as Cormac McCarthy (THE PASSENGER and STELLA MARIS), Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan (MAD HONEY), Elizabeth Strout (LUCY BY THE SEA), Fredrik Backman (THE WINNERS), and Marie Benedict (THE MITFORD AFFAIR); nonfiction titles, including BURNING QUESTIONS: Essays and Occasional Pieces, 2004 to 2022 by Margaret Atwood and ELIZABETH TAYLOR: The Grit & Glamour of an Icon by Kate Andersen Brower; and paperback originals like BENEATH THE SURFACE by Kaira Rouda and THE TAKEN ONES by Jess Lourey.
Revisiting My “Bookreporter Talks To” Interview with Lynda Cohen Loigman
Out in paperback this week is THE MATCHMAKER’S GIFT by Lynda Cohen Loigman, a heartwarming story of two extraordinary women from two different eras who defy expectations to realize their unique talent of seeing soulmates in the most unexpected places. I talked to Lynda about the book last September 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.
All of Our Videos and Podcasts in One Place
Following our news that we have more than 500,000 video views/podcast listens for our “Bookreporter Talks To” author interview series, a few of you asked where you can find all of the interviews. Well, of course, our brilliant Editorial Director has that for you. You can see all of the interviews listed by author here. You also can find this link each week in the “Bookreporter Talks To” Videos & Podcasts section further down the newsletter.
Books on Screen Offerings for September
We’ve also updated our Books on Screen feature for this month. September’s roundup includes the season premieres of "The Morning Show" on Apple TV+, "The Wheel of Time" on Amazon Prime Video, and "Virgin River" on Netflix; the series premieres of AMC's "The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon," Hulu's "The Other Black Girl," Apple TV+'s "The Changeling," and Netflix's "Dear Child"; the season finales of "Harlan Coben’s Shelter" on Amazon Prime Video and "Dark Winds" on AMC; the Netflix film Love at First Sight, along with the theatrical releases of Dumb Money and A Haunting in Venice; and the DVD releases of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, God Is a Bullet and Corner Office.
Vote in Our New Poll --- and Check Out Results from the Last Poll
For our latest poll, we’ve listed 30 fiction titles releasing this month, and we’re asking you which, if any, you’re planning to read. Click here to let us know.
In honor of our 27th anniversary, our previous poll asked how long you’ve been a Bookreporter reader. Here’s a peek at the results: 11-15 years (24%) 5-10 years (19%), 21-27 years (18%, 9% of whom have been with us since 1996). Click here for the full breakdown.
AMAZING GRACE ADAMS by debut novelist Fran Littlewood is this month’s “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club pick. This funny yet touching story is about an invisible everywoman who is pushed to the brink --- and finally pushes back. Jenna says, “It takes place over one day with a ton of flashbacks, so you see why Grace's life has been shattered. You find out her marriage is falling apart. Her daughter won’t speak to her.” Still, Jenna emphasizes that the book is “wildly funny” in its approach to “dealing with so many of the issues that mothers and wives face mid-age.”
We will share our review in next week’s newsletter. It’s interesting. I have to say that this book has been pitched to me as being funny. But as I read and I learned the backstory about Grace, I found her story to be very sad.
For more September selections, including the Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, see our “Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks” feature here.
This is your last Weekly Update newsletter reminder to sign up for this month’s “Bookaccino Live” book preview event, which will take place next Wednesday, September 13th at 2pm ET. The focus will be on titles releasing between September 12th and October 3rd, in addition to a few from November, that we would like to tell you about. Click here to register. Those attending the live event will be asked to answer a survey about the books from the presentation that they are most interested in reading and will be eligible to win a prize.
Kirkus Reviews has announced the finalists for the 10th annual Kirkus Prize in Fiction, Nonfiction and Young Readers’ Literature. They include THE HEAVEN & EARTH GROCERY STORE by James McBride (Fiction), OUR MIGRANT SOULS: A Meditation on Race and the Meanings and Myths of "Latino," by Héctor Tobar (Nonfiction), and THE SKULL: A Tyrolean Folktale, by Jon Klassen (Young Readers’ Literature). Click here for all the nominees. The winners will be announced on October 11th at an in-person ceremony at New York’s Tribeca Rooftop. The announcement also will be livestreamed on Kirkus’s YouTube channel.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Denise wrote, “Something that always knocks my socks off about your work is how small in size you are yet how big your impact is. 'Though she be but little, she is fierce.' I know other people are key, but what the two of you accomplish is awesome, and I am such a grateful beneficiary of that work. Looking forward to the next 27!”
Debbie wrote, “Congratulations on the 27th birthday of Bookreporter. I have been following along for the last 10+ years and have enjoyed all of its many variations and successes, as well as the snippets about your family, especially 'watching' your boys Greg and Cory grow up. You have provided thousands of readers with insights into the books and authors they love, introduced them to new books and authors they came to love, and increased their TBR lists exponentially. I am not sure whether that is a blessing or a curse, but I know I will never run out of books to read. 'Bookreporter Talks To,' 'Bookaccino Live' and 'Bookaccino Live' Book Group have been wonderful additions to your offerings, and I still look forward to Saturdays when I find your weekly newsletter in my inbox. Here’s to many more years of books, authors and new friends!”
Jill wrote, “I really enjoyed hearing the history! What you guys do matters to all of us. Enjoy your time off, and happy reading.”
Linda wrote, “Congratulations, Carol and the team! What an amazing history, and I love how you've told it in this email. It could be the narrator script for the video you all could do and share on YouTube and other social channels. Nearly 100% of books I read I heard about first from you! Thank you, and keep going!”
Eleanor wrote, “The first thing I do Saturday morning is read Bookreporter. Thank you so much. I’m in two book clubs and lead one of them. A lot of people in my area ask for my opinion about books. Most of my reading and recommendations come from Bookreporter. Thank you.”
Sandy wrote, “Congratulations on 27 years of Bookreporter! As a longtime reader, I thoroughly have enjoyed receiving your news-filled newsletter each week. It’s been the highlight of my Saturday mornings. I have received so many great book recommendations. Thank you!”
Debbie wrote, “Congratulations on ‘our’ anniversary. What a whirlwind time you have created for book lovers. Do not disturb me on Saturday mornings as I read the newsletter. I always have a pen and paper next to me to list the many books that spike my interest. I am proud to say I have been faithful from the beginning. Keep on reading! Yours in turquoise.”
Deb wrote, “I loved the story of how you started out, how Bookreporter adjusted and morphed, and the delightful irony of 'the videos' now widely available. Too funny about the B&N color scheme. In this age of screen time (not counting e-readers!), I am delighted to find people still passionate about books. (I've kept our neighborhood book group going for over 25 years.) Thank you for helping readers find great materials and for helping authors continue to make a living at their craft and passion. I like that you add bits about movies and shows you've enjoyed. You do a great job of making things personal while touching the universal. I like the contests too! Keep up the outstanding work!”
Gina wrote, “Thanks for 27 years of sharing your love of books and reading with us. There is no one like you. I am so grateful for the time and effort and humor you put into the newsletter. Thanks and thanks again.”
Barbara wrote, “I have been an avid reader of Bookreporter for 25 years, discovering your great book ideas on AOL. I was thrilled to win an advance reader copy of THE RIVER WE REMEMBER, which is one of my favorite books of this year. I have won one other book from Bookreporter --- that was THIS TENDER LAND, so you can imagine how surprised I was to win William Kent Krueger's latest book. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
And we heard from a new reader. Tony wrote, “This is the first time I've received and read your online book report, and I was fascinated by it. Having just read your report for the first time at 4am, I look forward to the next. And the next. And so on!”
“Good Morning America” profiles [words] Bookstore: I am a huge fan of Jonah and Ellen Zimiles from [words] Bookstore in Maplewood, NJ. In addition to running a terrific store, they have employed over 150 young people with autism. Their son is on the spectrum, and they looked for ways to be inclusionary for those who see life differently. They also talk about LifeTown, a very special project. I had the pleasure of being at the opening of it a few years ago. I so appreciate what they have done, and I am so happy to see them spotlighted on “GMA”.
“Who is Erin Carter?” on Netflix: I really enjoyed this very twisty thriller. I do wonder how she explained the rear window shot out of the back of the car; when you watch, you will see what I mean. I feel like that was a plot hole. But I really liked it.
I watched a LOT of tennis over the past two weeks. Tom (Editorial Director Tom as opposed to Husband Tom) is a huge tennis fan, and we texted a lot about these matches even over the break. I am afraid to pick a favorite in the finals since I had a terrible track record with this last year.
With my tennis viewing, I did not watch a lot of other programming, so there are episodes of “Billions”, “The Chi” and “Harlan Coben's Shelter” to catch up on. And there is lot more lined up to watch in the weeks ahead. I saw one episode of Mick Herron’s new series, “Slow Horses”, on Apple TV+ and look forward to watching more after seeing this interview with him today, courtesy of The Poisoned Pen Bookstore, with John Sandford as the guest host.
I confess that I did not do anything to formally commemorate National Read a Book Day on Wednesday. But hey, I trust that our readers are well attuned to reading a book every day, so I think we can let this one slide.
I am having dinner with my dad tonight at a wood-fire pizza place near his house. The rest of the weekend will be about tennis, reading and, I sincerely hope, some blue skies, though there is lots of rain in the forecast. I can hope, right? Luckily reading is an all-weather activity.
Read on, and have a great week.
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
P.S. For those of you who shop online, if you use the store links that appear on our site 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!
New Release Spotlight:
THE RIVER WE REMEMBER by William Kent Krueger
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
THE RIVER WE REMEMBER by William Kent Krueger (Historical Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by CJ Wilson
On Memorial Day, as the people of Jewel, Minnesota, gather to remember and honor the sacrifice of so many sons in the wars of the past, the half-clothed body of wealthy landowner Jimmy Quinn is found floating in the Alabaster River, dead from a shotgun blast.
Investigation of the murder falls to Sheriff Brody Dern, a highly decorated war hero who still carries the physical and emotional scars from his military service. Even before Dern has the results of the autopsy, vicious rumors begin to circulate that the killer must be Noah Bluestone, a Native American WWII veteran who recently has returned to Jewel with a Japanese wife. As suspicions and accusations mount and the town teeters on the edge of more violence, Dern struggles not only to find the truth of Quinn’s murder but also to put to rest the demons from his own past.
Caught up in the torrent of anger that sweeps through Jewel are a war widow and her adolescent son, the intrepid publisher of the local newspaper, an aging deputy and a crusading female lawyer, all of whom struggle with their own tragic histories and harbor secrets that Quinn’s death threatens to expose.
- 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 William Kent Krueger's bio.
- Click here to visit William Kent Krueger's website.
- Click here for William Kent Krueger's book tour schedule.
- Connect with William Kent Krueger on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click here to read our review.
Click here to read more in our New Release Spotlight.
THE RIVER WE REMEMBER will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's commentary later this month.
Featured Review: HOLLY by Stephen King
HOLLY by Stephen King (Thriller/Horror)
Audiobook available, read by Justine Lupe
When Penny Dahl calls the Finders Keepers detective agency hoping for help locating her missing daughter, Holly Gibney is reluctant to accept the case. Her partner, Pete, has COVID. Her (very complicated) mother has just died. And Holly is meant to be on leave. But something in Penny Dahl’s desperate voice makes it impossible for Holly to turn her down. Mere blocks from where Bonnie Dahl disappeared live Professors Rodney and Emily Harris. They are the picture of bourgeois respectability, but they are harboring an unholy secret in the basement of their well-kept, book-lined home, one that may be related to Bonnie’s disappearance. And it will prove nearly impossible to discover what they are up to: they are savvy, they are patient, and they are ruthless. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: HAPPINESS FALLS by Angie Kim
September’s Barnes & Noble and
“Good Morning America” Book Club Picks,
and an Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
HAPPINESS FALLS by Angie Kim (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Shannon Tyo, Sean Patrick Hopkins and Thomas Pruyn
Mia, the irreverent, hyperanalytical 20-year-old daughter of a biracial Korean American family in Virginia, has an explanation for everything --- which is why she isn’t initially concerned when her father and younger brother, Eugene, don’t return from a walk in a nearby park. They must have lost their phone. Or stopped for an errand somewhere. But by the time Mia’s brother runs through the front door bloody and alone, it becomes clear that the father in this tight-knit family is missing and the only witness is Eugene, who has the rare genetic condition Angelman syndrome and cannot speak. What follows is both a ticking-clock investigation into the whereabouts of a father and an emotionally rich portrait of a family whose most personal secrets just may be at the heart of his disappearance. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
» HAPPINESS FALLS is September's Barnes & Noble Book Club pick. On Tuesday, October 3rd at 3pm ET, B&N will host a live virtual event with Angie Kim. She will be joined in the discussion by Shannon DeVito, the Sr. Director of Book Strategy and Customer Experience at B&N, and Miwa Messer, the Executive Producer and host of B&N's “Poured Over” podcast. 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 see why the book is this month's "Good Morning America" Book Club pick.
Click here to read our review.
HAPPINESS FALLS will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's commentary in next week's newsletter.
Featured Review: THE FRAUD by Zadie Smith
THE FRAUD by Zadie Smith (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Zadie Smith
It is 1873. Mrs. Eliza Touchet is the Scottish housekeeper --- and cousin by marriage --- of a once-famous novelist, William Ainsworth, with whom she has lived for 30 years. Mrs. Touchet suspects her cousin of having no talent; his successful friend, Mr. Charles Dickens, of being a bully and a moralist; and England of being a land of facades, in which nothing is quite what it seems. The “Tichborne Trial” --- wherein a lower-class butcher from Australia claimed he was in fact the rightful heir of a sizable estate and title --- captivates Mrs. Touchet and all of England. Is Sir Roger Tichborne really who he says he is? Or is he a fraud? Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: PAYBACK IN DEATH by J. D. Robb
PAYBACK IN DEATH by J. D. Robb (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Susan Ericksen
Lt. Eve Dallas is just home from a long-overdue vacation when she responds to a call of an unattended death. The victim is Martin Greenleaf, retired Internal Affairs Captain. At first glance, the scene appears to be suicide, but the closer Eve examines the body, the more suspicious she becomes. An unlocked open window, a loving wife and family, a too-perfect suicide note --- Eve's gut says it's a homicide. After all, Greenleaf put a lot of dirty cops away during his 47 years in Internal Affairs. It could very well be payback --- and she will not rest until the case is closed. Reviewed by Jennifer McCord.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review:
MOTHER-DAUGHTER MURDER NIGHT by Nina Simon
Reese’s Book Club Pick for September
MOTHER-DAUGHTER MURDER NIGHT by Nina Simon (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Jane Oppenheimer
High-powered businesswoman Lana Rubicon has a lot to be proud of. But when she finds herself trapped 300 miles north of the city, convalescing in a sleepy coastal town with her adult daughter Beth and teenage granddaughter Jack, Lana hopes that boredom won’t kill her before the cancer does. Then Jack happens upon a dead body while kayaking and quickly becomes a suspect in the homicide investigation. Beth thinks Lana should focus on recovery, but Lana has a better idea. She’ll pull on her wig, find the true murderer, protect her family and prove she still has power. With Jack and Beth’s help, Lana uncovers a web of lies, family vendettas and land disputes lurking beneath the surface of a community populated by folksy conservationists and wealthy ranchers. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
- Click here to visit the Reese's Book Club website.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review:
THE GIRL IN THE EAGLE'S TALONS
by Karin Smirnoff
THE GIRL IN THE EAGLE'S TALONS: A Lisbeth Salander Novel written by Karin Smirnoff, translated by Sarah Death (Thriller)
Change is coming to Sweden’s far north: its untapped natural resources are sparking a gold rush, with the criminal underworld leading the charge. But it’s not the prospect of riches that brings Lisbeth Salander to the small town of Gasskas. She has been named guardian to her niece Svala, whose mother has disappeared. Two things soon become clear: Svala is a remarkably gifted teenager --- and she’s being watched. Mikael Blomkvist is also heading north. He has seen better days. Millennium magazine is in its final print issue, and relations with his daughter are strained. Worse still, there are troubling rumors surrounding the man she’s about to marry. When the truth behind the whispers explodes into violence, Salander emerges as Blomkvist’s last hope. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
September’s New in Paperback Roundups
September's roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes the two books in Cormac McCarthy's masterful The Passenger series --- THE PASSENGER, the story of a salvage diver, haunted by loss, afraid of the watery deep, pursued for a conspiracy beyond his understanding, and longing for a death he cannot reconcile with God, and STELLA MARIS, an intimate portrait of grief and longing, as a young woman in a psychiatric facility seeks to understand her own existence; MAD HONEY by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan, a riveting novel of suspense, an unforgettable love story, and a moving and powerful exploration of the secrets we keep and the risks we take in order to become ourselves; Elizabeth Strout's LUCY BY THE SEA, a poignant, pitch-perfect novel about a divorced couple stuck together during lockdown --- and the love, loss, despair and hope that animate us even as the world seems to be falling apart; and THE WINNERS, the breathtaking conclusion to Fredrik Backman's Beartown trilogy, a story about first loves, second chances and last goodbyes.
Among our nonfiction highlights are BURNING QUESTIONS, a brilliant selection of essays --- including three new pieces --- from Margaret Atwood, who offers her funny, erudite, endlessly curious and uncannily prescient take on everything from whether or not THE HANDMAID'S TALE is a dystopia to the importance of how to define granola; ELIZABETH TAYLOR by Kate Andersen Brower, the first-ever authorized biography of one of the most famous movie stars of the 20th century; Andrew Morton's THE QUEEN, the definitive, most comprehensive account of Queen Elizabeth II's legendary reign; and ONE HUNDRED SATURDAYS, the remarkable story of 99-year-old Stella Levi, whose conversations with writer Michael Frank over the course of six years bring to life the vibrant world of Jewish Rhodes, the deportation to Auschwitz that extinguished 90 percent of her community, and the resilience and wisdom of the woman who lived to tell the tale.
Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of
September 4th, September 11th, September 18th and September 25th.
September’s Books on Screen Feature
Here is a preview of this month's movies, TV shows and DVDs that are based on books. For a complete list of September's offerings, please click here.
Film Releases
A Haunting in Venice
Release Date: September 15th (wide release in theaters)
Based on: HALLOWE'EN PARTY by Agatha Christie
Dumb Money
Release Date: September 15th (limited release in theaters)
Based on: THE ANTISOCIAL NETWORK: The GameStop Short Squeeze and the Ragtag Group of Amateur Traders That Brought Wall Street to Its Knees, by Ben Mezrich
Love at First Sight
Release Date: September 15th on Netflix
Based on: THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT by Jennifer E. Smith
Series Premieres
"Dear Child" (6-episode limited series)
Release Date: Now streaming on Netflix (all episodes are available)
Based on: DEAR CHILD by Romy Hausmann
"The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon"
Air Dates: Sundays at 9pm ET/PT on AMC; Series Premiere on September 10th
Based on: The comic book series The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard
"The Other Black Girl"
Release Date: September 13th on Hulu (Season One)
Based on: THE OTHER BLACK GIRL by Zakiya Dalila Harris
Season Premieres
"Virgin River"
Release Date: Now streaming on Netflix (Season Five, Part One)
Based on: The Virgin River series by Robyn Carr
"The Morning Show"
Release Dates: Wednesdays on Apple TV+; Season Three Premiere on September 13th (the first two episodes will be available)
Based on: TOP OF THE MORNING: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV by Brian Stelter
Season Finale
"Harlan Coben’s Shelter"
Release Dates: Fridays on Amazon Prime Video; Season One Finale on September 22nd
Based on: SHELTER: A Mickey Bolitar Novel by Harlan Coben
On DVD
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
DVD Release Date: Now available
Based on: The Marvel Comics character Spider-Man
THE HIKE by Lucy Clarke (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by David Johansen-Menkin and Stephanie Racine
Burned out by both her marriage and work, Liz is desperate for an escape. More than that, she craves an adventure, a total reset. So when she plans a vacation with her three best friends, she persuades them to spend four nights camping in the stunning mountains of Norway. Following a trail that climbs through lush valleys, towering peaks and past jewel-blue lakes, Liz is sure that the hike is just what they need. But as they stride farther from civilization, it becomes clear that the women are not the only ones looking to lose themselves in the mountains. The wilderness hides secrets darker than they ever could have imagined, and if they’re not careful, not all of them will return. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
EVIL EYE by Etaf Rum (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Vaneh Assadourian and Gail Shalan
Raised in a conservative and emotionally volatile Palestinian family in Brooklyn, Yara thought she finally would feel free when she married a charming entrepreneur who took her to the suburbs. With her family balanced with her professional ambitions, Yara knows that her life is infinitely more rewarding than her own mother’s. So why doesn’t it feel like enough? After her dream of chaperoning a student trip to Europe evaporates and she responds to a colleague’s racist provocation, Yara is put on probation at work and must attend mandatory counseling to keep her position. To save herself, Yara must reckon with the reality that the difficulties of the childhood she thought she left behind have very real --- and damaging --- implications not just on her own future but that of her daughters. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
REYKJAVÍK: A Crime Story by Ragnar Jónasson and Katrín Jakobsdóttir (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Bert Seymour and Tamaryn Payne
Iceland, 1956. Fourteen-year-old Lára decides to spend the summer working for a couple on the small island of Videy, just off the coast of Reykjavík. In early August, the girl disappears without a trace. Time passes, and the mystery becomes Iceland‘s most infamous unsolved case. What happened to the young girl? Is she still alive? Did she leave the island, or did something happen to her there? Thirty years later, as the city of Reykjavík celebrates its 200th anniversary, journalist Valur Robertsson begins his own investigation into Lára's case. But as he draws closer to discovering the secret, and with the eyes of Reykjavík upon him, it soon becomes clear that Lára's disappearance is a mystery that someone will stop at nothing to keep unsolved. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
WHALEFALL by Daniel Kraus (Science Fiction/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Kirby Heyborne
Jay Gardiner has given himself a fool’s errand --- to find the remains of his deceased father in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Monastery Beach. He knows it’s a long shot, but Jay feels it’s the only way for him to lift the weight of guilt he has carried since his dad’s death by suicide the previous year. The dive begins well enough, but the sudden appearance of a giant squid puts Jay in very real jeopardy, made infinitely worse by the arrival of a sperm whale looking to feed. Suddenly, Jay is caught in the squid’s tentacles and drawn into the whale’s mouth where he is pulled into the first of its four stomachs. He quickly realizes he has only one hour before his oxygen tanks run out --- one hour to defeat his demons and escape the belly of a whale. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
CREEP: Accusations and Confessions by Myriam Gurba (Sociology/Essays)
Audiobook available, read by Myriam Gurba
A creep can be a singular figure, a villain who makes things go bump in the night. Yet creep is also what the fog does --- it lurks into place to do its dirty work, muffling screams, obscuring the truth, and providing cover for those prowling within it. CREEP is Myriam Gurba’s informal sociology of creeps, a deep dive into the dark recesses of the toxic traditions that plague the United States and create the abusers who haunt our books, schools and homes. Gurba studies the ways in which oppression is collectively enacted, sustaining ecosystems that unfairly distribute suffering and premature death to our most vulnerable. She also examines how we as individuals, communities and institutions can challenge creeps and rid ourselves of the fog that seeks to blind us. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
KISSING KOSHER by Jean Meltzer (Romantic Comedy)
Audiobook available, read by Dara Rosenberg
Chronic pelvic pain has forced Avital Cohen to sideline her photography dreams and her love life. It’s all she can do to manage her family’s kosher bakery, Best Babka in Brooklyn, without collapsing. She needs hired help. And distractingly handsome Ethan Lippmann seems to be the perfect fit. Except Ethan isn’t there to work --- he’s undercover, at the behest of his grandfather. Though Lippmann’s is a household name when it comes to mass-produced kosher baked goods, they don’t have the charm of Avital’s bakery. Or her grandfather’s world-famous pumpkin spice babka recipe. As they bake side by side, Ethan soon finds himself more interested in Avital than in stealing family secrets, especially as he helps her find the chronic pain relief --- and pleasure --- she’s been missing. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
LAS MADRES by Esmeralda Santiago (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Esmeralda Santiago
They refer to themselves as “las Madres,” a close-knit group of women who, with their daughters, have created a family based on friendship and blood ties. Their story begins in Puerto Rico in 1975 when 15-year-old Luz is seriously injured in a car accident. Tragically, her parents are both killed in the crash. Now orphaned, Luz copes with the aftershock of a brain injury when two new friends enter her life, Ada and Shirley. In 2017, in the Bronx, Luz’s adult daughter, Marysol, wishes she better understood her. But how can she when her mother barely remembers her own life? To help, Ada and Shirley’s daughter, Graciela, suggests a vacation in Puerto Rico. But despite all their careful planning, back-to-back hurricanes disrupt their homecoming, and a secret is revealed that blows their lives wide open. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
THE CONTINENTAL AFFAIR by Christine Mangan (Historical/Literary Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by George Weightman and Hannah Kelly-Turner
Meet Henri and Louise. Two strangers, traveling alone, on the train from Belgrade to Istanbul. Except this isn't the first time they have met. It's the 1960s, and Louise is running. From her past in England, from the owners of the money she has stolen --- and from Henri, the person who has been sent to collect it. Across the Continent Henri follows, desperate to leave behind his own troubles. The memories of his past life as a gendarme in Algeria that keep resurfacing. His inability to reconcile the growing responsibilities of his current criminal path with this former self. But Henri soon realizes that Louise is no ordinary mark. As the train hurtles toward its final destination, Henri and Louise must decide what the future will hold --- and if it involves one another. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
BRIDGE by Lauren Beukes (Science Fiction/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Lisa Cordileone
Twenty-four-year-old Bridge is paralyzed by choices: all the other lives she could have lived, the decisions she could have made. And now, who she should be in the wake of her mother’s unexpected death. Jo was a maverick neuroscientist fixated on an artifact she called the “dreamworm” that she believed could open the doors to other worlds. But in packing up Jo’s house, Bridge discovers Jo’s obsession hidden amongst her things. And the dreamworm works, exactly the way it’s supposed to, the way Bridge remembers from when she was a little girl. Suddenly Bridge can step into other realities, otherselves. In one of them, could she find out what really happened to her mother? What Bridge doesn’t know is that there are others hunting for the dreamworm --- who will kill to get their hands on it. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on September 12th
Below are some notable titles releasing on September 12th 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 September 11th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
23 ½ LIES by James Patterson (Thriller)
Enjoy three heart-racing thrillers from the New York Times bestselling master of suspense --- written with Maxine Paetro, Andrew Bourelle and Loren D. Estleman.
CHENNEVILLE: A Novel of Murder, Loss, and Vengeance by Paulette Jiles (Historical Fiction)
Consumed with grief, driven by vengeance, a man undertakes an unrelenting odyssey across the lawless post–Civil War frontier seeking redemption.
CODE RED: A Mitch Rapp Novel by Vince Flynn and Kyle Mills (Political Thriller)
Mitch Rapp returns to make a mortal enemy of Russia in this high-octane and up-to-the-minute installment of the #1 New York Times bestselling series.
ELON MUSK by Walter Isaacson (Biography)
From the author of STEVE JOBS and other bestselling biographies, this is the astonishingly intimate story of the most fascinating and controversial innovator of our era --- a rule-breaking visionary who helped to lead the world into the era of electric vehicles, private space exploration and artificial intelligence. Oh, and took over Twitter.
HEMLOCK ISLAND by Kelley Armstrong (Horror)
Laney Kilpatrick has been renting her vacation home to strangers. But broken belongings and campfires that nearly burn down the house have escalated to bloody bones, hex circles, and terrified renters who have fled after finding blood and nail marks all over the guest room closet.
LARRY McMURTRY: A Life by Tracy Daugherty (Biography)
A sweeping and insightful look at a versatile, one-of-a-kind American writer, Tracy Daugherty’s new book is a must-read for every Larry McMurtry fan.
NORMAL RULES DON'T APPLY: Stories by Kate Atkinson (Fiction/Short Stories)
Witty and wise, with subtle connections between the stories, NORMAL RULES DON'T APPLY is a startling and funny feast for the imagination --- stories with the depth and bite to create their own fully formed worlds.
ONCE A GIANT: A Story of Victory, Tragedy, and Life After Football by Gary Myers (Sports)
ONCE A GIANT is the inside story of the Super Bowl champion 1986 New York Giants, the extraordinary friendships that resulted --- and stunning revelations about the hardships they faced.
SCATTERSHOT: Life, Music, Elton, and Me by Bernie Taupin (Memoir)
SCATTERSHOT is an evocative, clear-eyed and revealing memoir by Bernie Taupin, the lyrical master and long-time collaborator of Elton John.
THE SECRET HOURS by Mick Herron (Thriller)
THE SECRET HOURS is a gripping stand-alone spy thriller from the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of SLOW HORSES, with a riveting reveal about a disastrous MI5 mission in Cold War Berlin.
THE SIX: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts by Loren Grush (History)
In the bestselling tradition of HIDDEN FIGURES and CODE GIRLS, THE SIX is the remarkable true story of America’s first female astronauts --- six extraordinary women, each making history going to orbit aboard NASA’s Space Shuttle.
THE TRAITOR AMONG US: An Elena Standish Novel by Anne Perry (Historical Mystery)
Elena Standish investigates the murder of a fellow MI6 agent near the country estate of one of England’s most influential families.
THE VASTER WILDS by Lauren Groff (Historical Fiction)
This taut and electrifying novel from celebrated bestselling author Lauren Groff is about one spirited girl alone in the wilderness who is trying to survive.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
From left to right: Ann Patchett, Kim Coleman Foote, Charlaine Harris
Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events
Here are six upcoming virtual book and author events that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links for more info and to register.
Saturday, September 9th at 4pm ET: Book Passage: Mick Herron will be in conversation with Luisa Smith, the Buying Director of Book Passage and Editor in Chief of Penzler Publishers, about THE SECRET HOURS, a stand-alone spy thriller that is at once unnerving, poignant and laugh-out-loud funny.
Sunday, September 10th at 12pm ET: SJP Lit Salon: Kim Coleman Foote will be in conversation with Sarah Jessica Parker about her debut novel, COLEMAN HILL, the exhilarating story of two American families whose fates become intertwined in the wake of the Great Migration.
Tuesday, September 12th at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble Book Club: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome Ann Patchett for a live book club event to discuss TOM LAKE, August's B&N Book Club pick. She will be in conversation with Shannon DeVito, the Sr. Director of Book Strategy and Customer Experience at B&N, and Miwa Messer, the host and Executive Producer of B&N's “Poured Over” podcast.
Wednesday, September 13th at 2pm ET: "Bookaccino Live: A Lively Talk About Books": Carol Fitzgerald will present titles releasing between September 12th and October 3rd, along with a few from November, that she would like to get on your radar.
Wednesday, September 13th 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 Denene Millner and Jessica Ward about their latest novels: Denene's ONE BLOOD and Jessica's THE ST. AMBROSE SCHOOL FOR GIRLS.
Wednesday, September 13th at 9pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Charlaine Harris will talk about her latest novel, ALL THE DEAD SHALL WEEP, the fifth installment in her Gunnie Rose series. Sisters Lizbeth Rose and Felicia, as well as brother Eli and Peter, are reunited in Texoma only to break apart before the Wizard’s Ball held in San Diego, which will determine all their fates.
"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:
Other authors we've interviewed include:
Upcoming interviews include:
-
Tess Gerritsen (THE SPY COAST)
-
Angie Kim (HAPPINESS FALLS)
-
William Kent Krueger (THE RIVER WE REMEMBER)
-
Jean Kwok (THE LEFTOVER WOMAN)
-
Sarah Pekkanen (GONE TONIGHT)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll:
September Fiction Releases to Anticipate
Which of the following fiction titles releasing in September are you planning to read? Please check all that apply.
-
12 MONTHS TO LIVE by James Patterson and Mike Lupica
-
ALL THE DEAD SHALL WEEP by Charlaine Harris
-
AMAZING GRACE ADAMS by Fran Littlewood
-
THE ARMOR OF LIGHT by Ken Follett
-
BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CHRISTMAS by Mary Kay Andrews
-
BRIGHT YOUNG WOMEN by Jessica Knoll
-
CHENNEVILLE: A Novel of Murder, Loss, and Vengeance, by Paulette Jiles
-
CLIVE CUSSLER'S CONDOR'S FURY: A Novel from the NUMA Files, by Graham Brown
-
CODE RED: A Mitch Rapp Novel, by Vince Flynn and Kyle Mills
-
COLEMAN HILL by Kim Coleman Foote
-
DEVIL MAKES THREE by Ben Fountain
-
THE FRAGILE THREADS OF POWER by V. E. Schwab
-
THE FRAUD by Zadie Smith
-
HEMLOCK ISLAND by Kelley Armstrong
-
HOLLY by Stephen King
-
THE LAND OF LOST THINGS by John Connolly
-
THE LAST DEVIL TO DIE: A Thursday Murder Club Mystery, by Richard Osman
-
THE LONGMIRE DEFENSE: A Longmire Mystery, by Craig Johnson
-
MOTHER-DAUGHTER MURDER NIGHT by Nina Simon
-
THE MUSEUM OF FAILURES by Thrity Umrigar
-
NORMAL RULES DON'T APPLY: Stories, by Kate Atkinson
-
NOT FOREVER, BUT FOR NOW by Chuck Palahniuk
-
PAYBACK IN DEATH by J. D. Robb
-
THE RIVER WE REMEMBER by William Kent Krueger
-
THE SECRET HOURS by Mick Herron
-
THE SEPTEMBER HOUSE by Carissa Orlando
-
THE TRAITOR AMONG US: An Elena Standish Novel, by Anne Perry
-
TRAITORS GATE by Jeffrey Archer
-
THE VASTER WILDS by Lauren Groff
-
THE WREN, THE WREN by Anne Enright
-
None of the above
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, September 22nd 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 September 8th to September 22nd at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of BRIGHT YOUNG WOMEN by Jessica Knoll and HAPPINESS FALLS by Angie Kim.
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.
|