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Whooosh! There Goes September!
We have a coat rack in our back hallway that typically tells a story of the season. But I passed it the other night, and I could see how crazy the weather has been this month. There are four prongs on it, each with a beach towel on them ready for us to grab on the way to the pool. There are two rain slickers. There are two heavier jackets. That is like a portrait of September. I feel like this month blitzed by even faster than July, and that is saying something. Two weekends ago I was sitting by the pool, and yesterday I was wearing long sleeves and a warm jacket. And the rain…so much rain!
This month we did three live events, all with great audience attendance. Thanks to those of you who have been a part of them. We have some fun plans for the rest of the year --- and we already are thinking about our 2024 programming. I hope you plan to join us!
We hosted our first “Bookaccino Live” Book Group event of the fall on Wednesday night. Alice Elliott Dark joined us to discuss her novel, FELLOWSHIP POINT, a Bookreporter.com Bets On title that released in paperback earlier this year.
Members of the audience asked questions both on and off camera about Alice’s character development and the setting of Maine, which many considered to be a character in itself. Alice talked about her writing routine and shared insight into the editing process, where 200 pages of the book were winnowed down --- as well as her focus on Agnes and Polly. The ending of the book came to her quite late; she did not write towards it, and readers felt it was very satisfying. There was continuous talk about the beauty of Alice’s writing, and how that made a long book feel just right as our attendees mentioned that they were so vested in the story and how it was told.
It was such a fun evening, and we so appreciate the notes that we received from our readers about how much they loved the event. In fact, we had readers from 33 states and Canada in attendance. We love that we have a cross-country audience! We also know that, for some of you, interacting with an author like you did with Alice is an opportunity that you might not get to have in person. For those who either weren’t able to attend the event or would like to revisit parts of the discussion, you can watch the video here or listen to the podcast here.
I am so excited to announce that Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan will be our next “Bookaccino Live” Book Group guests. The event will be held on Wednesday, October 25th at 8pm ET, and you can sign up here for it. We will be talking about their New York Times bestseller, MAD HONEY, a “Good Morning America” Book Club pick and a Bets On selection that recently released in paperback. It’s also our current “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” prize book on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
Just as we did on Wednesday night, there will be a two-part Q&A session after I talk to Jodi and Jennifer. For the first part, those who are asking a question “on camera” will be featured. This includes spending time with Jodi and Jennifer 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 "Honey" by noon ET on October 25th. 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.
My latest “Bookreporter Talks To” interview is with Ashley Audrain, whose new domestic thriller, THE WHISPERS, follows on the heels of her debut, THE PUSH. Both books are Bets On selections. Ashley sets her latest in a neighborhood that is being gentrified. Some homes are remodeled, while others are original to the neighborhood. We follow two moms of young children, Whitney and Blair, as well as Rebecca, an ER nurse who longs to be a mother, and Mara, an older woman who is watching these families grow up.
Ashley explains why she created these four characters, as well as her inspiration for the block that they live on. She talks about the book’s explosive opening and how it sets up the story. And oh, that ending. Ashley also shares her process on writing, revising and editing. Click here to watch the video or here to listen to the podcast.
Thrity Umrigar follows up her 2022 book, the Reese’s Book Club pick HONOR, with THE MUSEUM OF FAILURES, both of which are Bets On selections. Set in India and the United States, this immersive story --- Thrity’s 10th novel --- is about family secrets and the power of forgiveness.
Katherine B. Weissman has our review and says, “THE MUSEUM OF FAILURES is instructive as well as moving…. As she captures the anguish of people torn between two worlds, Umrigar’s own writing takes on a cinematic brilliance, evoking the ‘imperfect earth’ of the city that Remy once loved and then left…. It’s a poignant journey with an ending that is better than [Remy] could have dreamed of, though different from what he expected.”
I had a fabulous conversation with Thrity this week. We will feature the interview in next week’s newsletter, followed by my Bets On commentary in the October 13th newsletter.
Word of Mouth Reminder
Please keep in mind that THE MUSEUM OF FAILURES is one of our Word of Mouth prizes, along with WELLNESS by Nathan Hill, which is the latest Oprah’s Book Club pick. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win both these titles. Please do so by Friday, October 6th at noon ET.
It's rarely a quiet day for the Thursday Murder Club. In THE LAST DEVIL TO DIE, the fourth installment in Richard Osman’s popular series, shocking news reaches Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim. An old friend has been killed, and a dangerous package he was protecting has gone missing.
According to our reviewer Kate Ayers, “Richard Osman’s books are delightful mysteries, but the best part of them is not the case that’s presented for solving. It’s the people who are solving the case. These four pensioners couldn’t be more real, shrewd, crafty, human --- and witty, too. I wish they lived in my town. I’d happily crash their club meetings!”
Acclaimed journalist Loren Grush has penned the remarkable true story of America’s first female astronauts in THE SIX. These brilliant and courageous women endured claustrophobic --- and sometimes deeply sexist --- media attention, undergoing rigorous survival training and preparing for years to take multi-million-dollar payloads into orbit. Together, the Six helped build the tools that made the space program run.
Barbara Bamberger Scott has this to say in her review: “This significant volume is replete with fine detail about each of the Six at home and on their space adventures. It is enlivened with photos of its remarkable characters, underpinned by Grush’s personal connections with those of the Six still living who cooperated in its creation, and her own clear determination that their story be known and their achievements honored.” I heard Loren speak about her research for this book, and I confess that I knew maybe two of these astronauts’ names.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
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WANDERING THROUGH LIFE: As she enters her 80s, Donna Leon --- the internationally bestselling author of the Commissario Guido Brunetti mysteries --- narrates a remarkable life that she feels has rather more happened to her than been planned.
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NIGHT WATCH: Longlisted for this year’s National Book Award, Jayne Anne Phillips’ latest novel is a mesmerizing story about a mother and daughter seeking refuge in the chaotic aftermath of the Civil War --- and a brilliant portrait of family endurance against all odds.
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THE WREN, THE WREN: Anne Enright’s new book brings to life three generations of McDaragh women who must contend with inheritances --- of poetic wonder and of abandonment by a man who is lauded in public and carelessly selfish at home.
Enter to Win a Copy of a Historical Mystery Based on a Shocking True Story
Our Mystery Mayhem Author Spotlight & Contest continues for VEIL OF DOUBT, the latest historical novel from Sharon Virts, whose debut MASQUE OF HONOR was a Bets On pick when it released two years ago.
Perfect for fans of Margaret Atwood’s ALIAS GRACE and filled with rich period detail gleaned from exhaustive research, VEIL OF DOUBT delves into the darkness of the South during Reconstruction, exposing intrigue, deception and death. Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, says that the book “kept me turning pages, left me thinking about the characters long after the last chapter. Absolutely amazing.”
If you would like to be one of the 25 readers who will win a copy of VEIL OF DOUBT, be sure to fill out this form by Friday, October 6th at noon ET. I read the first 60 pages so quickly. Sharon is a terrific storyteller! I will be setting up an interview with her soon.
I’m Betting You’ll Love…
My two latest Bets On picks are BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CHRISTMAS by Mary Kay Andrews and HAPPINESS FALLS by Angie Kim. Click on each of the titles for my Bets On commentary. If you missed my recent “Bookreporter Talks To” interview with Angie, you can watch it here or listen to the podcast here. Oh, and I am planning to attend Mary Kay’s event in Brielle, NJ on Tuesday night. If you are there, please say hi.
Remember to Vote in Our Poll
Our poll continues to ask which of 25 titles releasing in paperback in September you have read or are planning to read. Click here to let us know.
Our Fall Preview Contest Winners
Congratulations to the five winners of our special Fall Preview contest! Each received a copy of DEVIL MAKES THREE by Ben Fountain, a novel about greed, power and American complicity set in Haiti. We already heard from one of the winners, Kathy B., who said, “Just received a book that I won, DEVIL MAKES THREE. Thank you so much. I’m looking forward to reading it as I have never read anything by Ben Fountain. It sounds intriguing and complicated at the same time. It is a subject that I don’t know much about. I will write a review once I read it.”
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Lynn wrote, “A year or so ago, I received MASQUE OF HONOR. I didn’t know who had sent it. I read several blogs. I loved the book. You mentioned Sharon Virts this week. It rang a bell, so I pulled out the book and found a strip of paper with the sender’s name! Thank you!” Lynn, I love this note, and if you like MASQUE OF HONOR, I think you will enjoy VEIL OF DOUBT!
Holly wrote about last week’s newsletter: “This issue was packed with book reviews, book recommendations, contests, readers' comments, coming screen adaptations, and lots of other bookish information. I kept returning to it during the day in between errands and housework! Thank you to all the Bookreporter.com people. You are appreciated! “ What a nice note to get! And we know we share a lot. I look at a number of newsletters; they give you a tiny promo, and you need to link out for more. We really like to share as much as we can in the newsletter and have you click out for reviews, interviews and contests.
Suzanne wrote, “You cannot imagine my surprise and excitement when I received the package of EVERGREEN for my book club! Thank you, thank you, thank you! All of us look forward to enjoying this book. On Saturday morning, your Bookreporter email is the first thing I look for. Curled up with my coffee, my very long TBR list increases endlessly. Thank you to you and your team for providing my many hours of reading pleasure.”
“Billions” on Showtime: I previewed a number of upcoming episodes, through episode 11, the other night. I loved what I saw, so I will keep watching. And I am now really wondering how this wraps up.
“The Other Black Girl” on Hulu: I started watching this the other night. Great setup. The book got a bit too crazy for me at one point, so I want to see how the show handles it.
“The Morning Show” on Apple TV+: This week’s episode was all about trying to sell-in advertisers in what is called the “upfronts.” There is one cringeworthy scene in a restaurant. And there is a really fun ending to that episode. I loved the scenes on Coney Island!
“Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Scandal” on Netflix: Three new episodes are pretty redundant to the earlier ones but fills in a few more details.
“Extra” in syndication: Often when we are eating dinner, we finish watching the news. “Extra” then comes on, and my husband groans. But these days it has been amusing. With the various strikes in Hollywood, you see how dependent they are on stars doing something. So they are typically saying things like, “Here is the first interview that X did with us 20 years ago.” They then run lots of vintage footage. My bet right now is that the screen actors' strike is settled quickly. Why? At least one studio wants Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio out there promoting Killers of the Flower Moon when it comes out on October 20th. Let’s see if I am right. The 2024 schedule already is a complete mess!
This weekend will be about finishing one more book for the seven interviews that I am doing for the Morristown Festival of Books next Saturday, October 7th (you can find more info on the festival and the panels I will be moderating later in this newsletter) and reading a book for my book group meeting on Monday night. They have promised me that it is a fast read. Then I will be writing interview questions!
I have held to my morning workout plan of reading emails while doing some form of exercise that I talked about a few weeks ago. I fear the pool is too cold --- and it rained most of the week --- so I rode my recumbent bike instead. I also found what looks like a really terrific water exercise routine that I think I can do in the hot tub with my weights and other equipment. It’s called Hydro Revolution. Of course, I cannot read email with this one. But I can listen to an audiobook or a podcast. I am going to try this out as soon as the RAIN ends. RAIN is a four-letter word around here these days!
Tom (the husband, as opposed to Tom, the Editorial Director) flies back today from a business trip to Dallas. So far, he is not delayed due to weather. He took William Kent Krueger's THE RIVER WE REMEMBER with him and told me that on the trip out he would still be reading. But the plane landed! He finished it the other night and asked me to tell Kent that he "wrote one fine book." I know many of you agree. I am working on scheduling an interview with Kent the week of October 16th. "Husband Tom" is off to play golf in the Poconos on Saturday and Sunday, which works since I am going to be turning pages while he whacks golf balls.
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!
Featured Review:
THE MUSEUM OF FAILURES by Thrity Umrigar
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
THE MUSEUM OF FAILURES by Thrity Umrigar (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Vikas Adam
When Remy Wadia left India for the United States, he carried his resentment of his cold and inscrutable mother with him and has kept his distance from her. Years later, he returns to Bombay, planning to adopt a baby from a young pregnant girl --- and to see his elderly mother again before it is too late. She is in the hospital, has stopped talking, and seems to have given up on life. Struck with guilt for not realizing just how ill she had become, Remy devotes himself to helping her recover and return home. But one day in her apartment, he comes upon an old photograph that demands explanation. As shocking family secrets surface, Remy finds himself reevaluating his entire childhood and his relationship to his parents, just as he is on the cusp of becoming a parent himself. Reviewed by Katherine B. Weissman.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
Click here to read our review.
THE MUSEUM OF FAILURES will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's commentary in the October 13th newsletter.
Featured Review: THE LAST DEVIL TO DIE
by Richard Osman
THE LAST DEVIL TO DIE: A Thursday Murder Club Mystery by Richard Osman (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Fiona Shaw
It's rarely a quiet day for the Thursday Murder Club. Shocking news reaches them --- an old friend has been killed, and a dangerous package he was protecting has gone missing. The gang's search leads them into the antiques business, where the tricks of the trade are as old as the objects themselves. As they encounter drug dealers, art forgers and online fraudsters --- as well as heartache close to home --- Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim have no idea whom to trust. With the body count rising, the clock ticking down, and trouble firmly on their tail, has their luck finally run out? And who will be the last devil to die? Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: THE SIX by Loren Grush
THE SIX: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts by Loren Grush (History)
Audiobook available, read by Inés del Castillo
When NASA sent astronauts to the moon in the 1960s and 1970s, the agency excluded women from the corps, arguing that only military test pilots --- a group then made up exclusively of men --- had the right stuff. Eventually, though, NASA recognized its blunder and opened the application process to a wider array of hopefuls, regardless of race or gender. From a candidate pool of 8,000, six elite women were selected in 1978: Sally Ride, Judy Resnik, Anna Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, Shannon Lucid and Rhea Seddon. In THE SIX, acclaimed journalist Loren Grush shows these brilliant and courageous women enduring claustrophobic --- and sometimes deeply sexist --- media attention, undergoing rigorous survival training, and preparing for years to take multi-million-dollar payloads into orbit. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
- 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.
Mystery Mayhem Author Spotlight & Contest:
VEIL OF DOUBT by Sharon Virts
Enter to Win One of 25 Copies of the Book,
Releasing October 10th
When a mother is charged with murder in a town already convinced of her guilt, can defense attorney Powell Harrison find truth and justice in a legal system where innocence is not presumed? We have 25 copies of VEIL OF DOUBT by Sharon Virts to give away to those who would like to read the book, which releases on October 10th. To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, October 6th at noon ET.
VEIL OF DOUBT by Sharon Virts (Historical Mystery/Thriller)
Emily Lloyd, a young widow in Reconstruction-era Virginia, is accused of poisoning her three-year-old daughter, Maud. It isn’t the first death in her home --- her husband and three other children all died of mysterious illnesses --- so when Maud succumbs to an unexplained malady, the town suspects foul play. Soon Mrs. Lloyd is charged not only with poisoning the child but also with murdering her children, her husband and her aunt.
Enter Powell Harrison, a soft-spoken, brilliant attorney who recently returned to his Virginia hometown to help his brother manage their late father’s practice. Approached to assist in Mrs. Lloyd’s defense, Harrison initially declines, worried that an infanticide case might tarnish their family’s reputation. But as details about the widow’s erratic behavior and her reclusive neighbors emerge, Harrison begins to suspect that an even more sinister truth might lurk beneath the family’s horrible fate and finds himself irresistibly drawn to the case.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Sharon Virts' bio.
- Click here to visit Sharon Virts' website.
- Connect with Sharon Virts on Facebook and Instagram.
Click here to read more in our Mystery Mayhem
Author Spotlight and enter the contest.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CHRISTMAS by Mary Kay Andrews
and HAPPINESS FALLS by Angie Kim
BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CHRISTMAS by Mary Kay Andrews (Romance)
Mary Kay Andrews is back with BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CHRISTMAS, and it’s my favorite of all her holiday titles. I do confess that reading such a book in September had me panicked that I was way behind on “making my list and checking it twice.” But putting that aside, this is just the kind of Christmas story set in New York City that you want to read.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to visit Mary Kay Andrews' website.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on
BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CHRISTMAS.
HAPPINESS FALLS by Angie Kim (Mystery/Thriller)
HAPPINESS FALLS by Angie Kim is a beautiful, poignant family story with a mystery layered inside it. Fourteen-year-old Eugene has Angelman syndrome. While he smiles and laughs, he cannot verbalize, so his loved ones have been dealing with these challenges. His father, Adam, has assumed the role of house husband and his caretaker. As the book opens, Eugene and Adam have been out hiking in a suburban park and are late coming home. When only Eugene appears at the door, he is very disconcerted and has blood caked under his fingernails and on his clothing. He is agitated and takes to his room to jump and make the sounds that he uses to soothe himself in these circumstances.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Angie Kim.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on HAPPINESS FALLS.
Featured Review: WANDERING THROUGH LIFE
by Donna Leon
WANDERING THROUGH LIFE: A Memoir by Donna Leon (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Suzanne Toren
In a series of vignettes full of affection, irony and good humor, Donna Leon narrates a remarkable life she feels has rather more happened to her than been planned. Having recently celebrated her 80th birthday, Leon poignantly confronts the dual challenges and pleasures of aging. Complete with a brief letter dissuading those hoping to meet Guido Brunetti at the Questura, and always suffused with music, food and her sharp sense of humor, WANDERING THROUGH LIFE offers Donna Leon at her most personal. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: NIGHT WATCH by Jayne Anne Phillips
NIGHT WATCH by Jayne Anne Phillips (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available; read by Karissa Vacker, Theo T. Stockman and Maggi-Meg Reed
In 1874, in the wake of the War, erasure, trauma and namelessness haunt civilians and veterans, renegades and wanderers, freedmen and runaways. Twelve-year-old ConaLee, the adult in her family for as long as she can remember, finds herself on a buckboard journey with her mother, Eliza, who hasn’t spoken in more than a year. They arrive at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in West Virginia, delivered to the hospital’s entrance by a war veteran who has forced himself into their world. There, far from family, a beloved neighbor, and the mountain home they knew, they try to reclaim their lives. They get swept up in the life of the facility --- the mysterious man they call the Night Watch; the orphan child called Weed; the fearsome woman who runs the kitchen; and the remarkable doctor at the head of the institution. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: THE WREN, THE WREN by Anne Enright
THE WREN, THE WREN by Anne Enright (Fiction)
Audiobook available; read by Anne Enright, Aoife Duffin, Owen Roe and Liza Ross
Nell McDaragh never knew her grandfather, the celebrated Irish poet Phil McDaragh. But his love poems seem to speak directly to her. Restless and wryly self-assured, at 22 Nell leaves her mother Carmel’s orderly home to find her own voice as a writer. As she chases obsessive love, damage and transcendence, her grandfather’s poetry seems to guide her home. Carmel knows the magic of her Daddo’s poetry too well. In his poems to her, Phil envisions his daughter as a bright-eyed wren ascending in escape from his hand. But it is Phil who departs, abandoning his wife and two young daughters. Carmel struggles to reconcile “the poet” with the father whose desertion scars her life, along with that of her
fiercely dutiful sister and their gentle, cancer-ridden mother. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Join Carol Fitzgerald for Three Special Author Events
at the Morristown Festival of Books on October 7th!
Created by and for people who love books, the Morristown Festival of Books in Morristown, New Jersey, has become a destination event for authors and readers. Since its inception, the festival has established itself among the top book festivals nationwide, drawing thousands of annual attendees.
This year's festival, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, will kick off on Friday, October 6th at 7:30pm with the Keynote Event, featuring acclaimed authors James B. Stewart and Rachel Abrams as the festival's 2023 Keynote Speakers. Stewart and Abrams will discuss their jaw-dropping New York Times bestseller, UNSCRIPTED: The Epic Battle for a Media Empire and the Redstone Family Legacy, in an on-stage conversation with former CNN correspondent Brian Stelter. You can purchase your tickets by clicking here.
The Main Festival is free and will get underway on Saturday, October 7th starting at 10am with in-person author talks, Q&As and signings. Carol Fitzgerald will be moderating three events that day, and we want to make sure they are on your radar.
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11am - 11:50am: Adrienne Brodeur (LITTLE MONSTERS) and Andre Dubus III (SUCH KINDNESS) consider complicated characters in fiction.
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12:10pm - 1pm: On the Edge of Your Seat: Megan Abbott (BEWARE THE WOMAN) and William Landay (ALL THAT IS MINE I CARRY WITH ME) talk psychological thrillers.
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2:30pm - 3:20pm: Missing Family and Buried Secrets: This panel features Claire Jiménez (WHAT HAPPENED TO RUTHY RAMIREZ), Jean Kwok (THE LEFTOVER WOMAN), and Thrity Umrigar (THE MUSEUM OF FAILURES).
Also taking place on Saturday during the festival is KidFest, where kids and teens can meet their favorite authors and illustrators and partake in interactive presentations and book readings.
Click here for more information about the Morristown Festival of Books.
What’s New This Month on ReadingGroupGuides.com
MURDER IN THE FAMILY by Cara Hunter (Domestic Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available; read by Lisa Armytage, Olivia Dowd, Rupert Farley, James Goode and Colin Mace
In December 2003, Luke Ryder, the stepfather of acclaimed filmmaker Guy Howard (then aged 10), was found dead in the garden of their suburban family home. Luke Ryder’s murder has never been solved. Guy Howard’s mother and two half-sisters were in the house at the time of the murder, but all swear they saw nothing. Despite a high-profile police investigation and endless media attention, no suspect was ever charged. But some murder cases are simply too big to forget. Now comes the sensational new streaming series “Infamous,” dedicated to investigating --- and perhaps cracking --- this famous cold case. Years later, a group of experts re-examine the evidence on “Infamous” with shocking results. Does the team know more than they’ve been letting on? Reviewed by Ray Palen.
STARTER VILLAIN by John Scalzi (Science Fiction/Humor)
Audiobook available, read by Wil Wheaton
Charlie's life is going nowhere fast. A divorced substitute teacher living with his cat in a house his siblings want to sell, all he wants is to open a pub downtown, if only the bank will approve his loan. Then his long-lost uncle Jake dies and leaves his supervillain business (complete with island volcano lair) to Charlie. But becoming a supervillain isn't all giant laser death rays and lava pits. Jake had enemies, and now they're coming after Charlie. His uncle might have been a stand-up, old-fashioned kind of villain, but these are the real thing: rich, soulless predators backed by multinational corporations and venture capital. It's up to Charlie to win the war his uncle started against a league of supervillains. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
THE LAND OF LOST THINGS by John Connolly (Supernatural Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Lucy Paterson
Phoebe, an eight-year-old girl, lies comatose following a car accident --- a body without a spirit. Ceres, her mother, can only sit by her bedside and read aloud the fairy stories Phoebe loves in the hope they might summon her back to this world. But an old house on the hospital grounds, a property connected to a book written by a vanished author, is calling to Ceres. Something wants her to enter, to journey to a land colored by the memories of childhood, and the folklore beloved of her father --- a land of witches and dryads, giants and mandrakes; a land where old enemies are watching and waiting. The Land of Lost Things. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE WAKE-UP CALL by Beth O'Leary (Romantic Comedy)
Audiobook available, read by Jessie Cave and Lino Facioli
It’s the busiest season of the year, and Forest Manor Hotel is quite literally falling apart. So when Izzy and Lucas are given the same shift on the hotel’s front desk, they have no choice but to put their differences aside and see it through. The hotel won't stay afloat beyond Christmas without some sort of miracle. But when Izzy returns a guest’s lost wedding ring, the reward convinces management that this might be the way to fix everything. With four rings still sitting in the lost and found, the race is on for Izzy and Lucas to save their beloved hotel --- and their jobs. As their bitter rivalry turns into something much more complicated, Izzy and Lucas begin to wonder if there's more at stake here than the hotel's future. Can the two of them make it through the season with their hearts intact? Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
PRINE ON PRINE: Interviews and Encounters with John Prine edited by Holly Gleason (Music/Biography)
John Prine hated giving interviews, but he said much when he talked. Embarrassed by fame, delighted by the smallest things, the first songwriter to read at the Library of Congress, and winner of the Pen Award for Literary Excellence, Prine saw the world unlike anyone else. The songs from 1971’s John Prine remain spot-on takes of the human condition today, and his writing only got richer, funnier and more incisive. The interviews in PRINE ON PRINE trace his career evolution, his singular mind, his enduring awareness of social issues, and his acute love of life. Reviewed by Ron Kaplan (www.RonKaplansBaseballBookshelf.com).
- Click here to read Jesse Kornbluth's review on HeadButler.com.
THE ENEMY BESIDE ME by Naomi Ragen (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Gina Murray
Taking over from her father and grandfather as the head of the Survivor’s Campaign, an organization whose purpose is to bring Nazi war criminals to justice, Milia Gottstein has dedicated her life to making sure the voices of Holocaust victims will never be silenced. It is an overwhelming and heartbreaking mission that has often usurped her time and energy being a wife to busy surgeon Julius, and a mother and grandmother. But now, just as she is finally ready to pass on her work to others, making time for her personal life, an unexpected phone call suddenly explodes all she thought she knew about her present and her future. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
GODKILLER by Hannah Kaner (Fantasy/Adventure)
Audiobook available, read by Kit Griffiths
Gods are forbidden in the kingdom of Middren. Formed by human desires and fed by their worship, there are countless gods in the world --- but after a great war, the new king outlawed them and now pays “godkillers” to destroy any who try to rise from the shadows. As a child, Kissen saw her family murdered by a fire god. Now, she makes a living killing them and enjoys it. But all this changes when Kissen is tasked with helping a young noble girl with a god problem. The child’s soul is bonded to a tiny god of white lies, and Kissen can’t kill it without ending the girl’s life too. Joined by a disillusioned knight on a secret quest, the unlikely group must travel to the ruined city of Blenraden, where the last of the wild gods reside, to each beg a favor. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
THE ROYAL WINDSOR SECRET by Christine Wells (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Ann Marie Gideon
Told she was an orphan, Cleo Davenport knows the rumor --- that her father is none other than the Prince of Wales, heir to the British throne. And at her childhood home at Cairo’s Shepheard’s Hotel, where royals, rulers and the wealthy live, they even called her “The Princess.” But her life is turned upside down when she turns 17. Sent to London under the chaperonage of her very proper aunt, she’s told it’s time to learn manners and make her debut. Cleo longs for independence and a career as a jewelry designer for Cartier, but she can’t move forward until she finds out about her past. Her investigations take a shocking turn into the world of the Parisian demi-monde and a high-class courtesan whose scandalous affair with the young Prince of Wales threatened to bring down the British monarchy. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
WEDNESDAY'S CHILD: Stories by Yiyun Li (Fiction/Short Stories)
Audiobook available, read by Yiyun Li
A grieving mother makes a spreadsheet of everyone she’s lost. Elsewhere, a professor develops a troubled intimacy with her hairdresser. And every year, a restless woman receives an email from a strange man twice her age and several states away. In Yiyun Li’s stories, people strive for an ordinary existence until doing so becomes unsustainable, until the surface cracks and the grand mysterious forces --- death, violence, estrangement --- come to light. And even everyday life is laden with meaning, studded with indelible details: a filched jar of honey, a mound of wounded ants, a photograph kept hidden for many years, until it must be seen. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on October 3rd
Below are some notable titles releasing on October 3rd 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 October 2nd, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
BROOKLYN CRIME NOVEL by Jonathan Lethem (Fiction)
From the bestselling and award-winning author of THE FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE and MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN comes a sweeping story of community, crime and gentrification, tracing more than 50 years of life in one Brooklyn neighborhood.
A COLD HIGHLAND WIND: A Lady Emily Mystery by Tasha Alexander (Historical Mystery)
In this new installment of Tasha Alexander’s acclaimed Lady Emily series set in the wild Scottish highlands, an ancient story of witchcraft may hold the key to solving a murder centuries later.
DEATH VALLEY by Melissa Broder (Fiction/Magical Realism)
The most profound book yet from the visionary author of MILK FED and THE PISCES, DEATH VALLEY is a darkly funny novel about grief that becomes a desert survival story.
GOING INFINITE: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon by Michael Lewis (Business & Economics)
From the #1 bestselling author of THE BIG SHORT and FLASH BOYS comes the story of FTX’s spectacular collapse and the enigmatic founder at its center, Sam Bankman-Fried.
HOW TO SAY BABYLON: A Memoir by Safiya Sinclair (Memoir)
With echoes of EDUCATED and BORN A CRIME, HOW TO SAY BABYLON is the stunning story of the author’s struggle to break free of her rigid Rastafarian upbringing, ruled by her father’s strict patriarchal views and repressive control of her childhood, to find her own voice as a woman and poet.
IN LIGHT OF ALL DARKNESS: Inside the Polly Klaas Kidnapping and the Search for America's Child by Kim Cross (True Crime)
Paced like a thriller and full of insider information on the history and science of Crime Scene Investigation, IN LIGHT OF ALL DARKNESS embeds readers in one of the most famous true-crime stories of our generation --- the kidnapping of Polly Klaas --- a case as pivotal in the history of the FBI as the Unabomber or Oklahoma City bombing.
THE INTERN by Michele Campbell (Legal Thriller)
A young Harvard law student falls under the spell of a charismatic judge in this timely and thrilling novel about class, ambition, family and murder.
JUDGMENT PREY: A Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers Novel by John Sandford (Mystery/Thriller)
Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers team up to crack an unsolvable case in this thrilling new novel by #1 New York Times bestselling author John Sandford.
THE LIST by Yomi Adegoke (Fiction)
In this sensational, page-turning debut novel, a high-profile female journalist’s world is upended when her fiancé’s name turns up in a viral social media post.
A MAN OF TWO FACES: A Memoir, A History, A Memorial by Viet Thanh Nguyen (Memoir)
With insight, humor, formal invention and lyricism, in A MAN OF TWO FACES Viet Thanh Nguyen rewinds the film of his own life.
MIDNIGHT IS THE DARKEST HOUR by Ashley Winstead (Gothic Thriller/Horror)
MIDNIGHT IS THE DARKEST HOUR is a gothic Southern thriller about a killer haunting a small Louisiana town, where two outcasts --- the preacher's daughter and the boy from the wrong side of the tracks --- hold the key to uncovering the truth.
MY DARLING GIRL by Jennifer McMahon (Psychological/Supernatural Thriller)
The New York Times bestselling author of THE DROWNING KIND and THE CHILDREN ON THE HILL returns with a spine-tingling psychological thriller about a woman who, after taking in her dying, alcoholic mother, begins to suspect that demonic possession is haunting her family.
THE NIGHT HOUSE written by Jo Nesbø, translated by Neil Smith (Supernatural Thriller/Horror)
From internationally bestselling author Jo Nesbø comes a chilling fresh spin on the classic horror novel.
ONE LAST KILL by Robert Dugoni (Mystery/Thriller)
Detective Tracy Crosswhite draws a long-dormant serial killer out of hiding in a nerve-shattering novel by New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni.
A TRAITOR IN WHITEHALL by Julia Kelly (Historical Mystery)
From Julia Kelly, the internationally bestselling author of THE LAST DANCE OF THE DEBUTANTE, comes the first installment in her mysterious and immersive Parisian Orphan series.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
From left to right: Angie Kim, Donna Leon, Jessica Knoll
Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events
Here are four upcoming virtual book and author events that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links for more info and to register.
Monday, October 2nd at 3pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Donna Leon will talk about her new book, WANDERING THROUGH LIFE. In this highly anticipated memoir, the internationally bestselling author of the Guido Brunetti mysteries tells her own adventurous life story as she enters her 80s.
Tuesday, October 3rd at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble Book Club: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome Angie Kim for a live virtual event to discuss HAPPINESS FALLS, September'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, October 4th at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome the bestselling author of SLOW HORSES, Mick Herron, for a live virtual discussion of THE SECRET HOURS as part of their Midday Mystery Virtual Event series. Mick will be in conversation with award-winning author Dan Fesperman.
Wednesday, October 4th 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 Jessica Knoll about her new thriller, BRIGHT YOUNG WOMEN, which is Simon & Schuster's Book Club Favorites pick for October.
"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:
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Douglas Brunt (THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF RUDOLF DIESEL: Genius, Power, and Deception on the Eve of World War I)
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Tess Gerritsen (THE SPY COAST)
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William Kent Krueger (THE RIVER WE REMEMBER)
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Jean Kwok (THE LEFTOVER WOMAN)
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Thrity Umrigar (THE MUSEUM OF FAILURES)
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Sharon Virts (VEIL OF DOUBT)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll:
September Paperback Releases to Anticipate
Which of the following titles releasing in paperback in September have you read or do you plan to read? Please check all that apply.
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BLOOD MOON by Heather Graham and Jon Land
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BURNING QUESTIONS: Essays and Occasional Pieces, 2004 to 2022, by Margaret Atwood
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THE CABINET OF DR. LENG: A Pendergast Novel, by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
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CAPTIVE: An Eve Duncan Novel, by Iris Johansen
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THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT by Debbie Macomber
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DON’T FEAR THE REAPER by Stephen Graham Jones
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ELIZABETH TAYLOR: The Grit & Glamour of an Icon, by Kate Andersen Brower
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THE FERVOR by Alma Katsu
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HELL AND BACK: A Longmire Mystery, by Craig Johnson
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HOW NOT TO DROWN IN A GLASS OF WATER by Angie Cruz
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KILLING THE KILLERS: The Secret War Against Terrorists, by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
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LEARNING TO TALK: Stories, by Hilary Mantel
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LUCY BY THE SEA by Elizabeth Strout
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MAD HONEY by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan
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THE MATCHMAKER’S GIFT by Lynda Cohen Loigman
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THE MITFORD AFFAIR by Marie Benedict
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THE MOSQUITO BOWL: A Game of Life and Death in World War II, by Buzz Bissinger
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THE ORACLE OF MARACOOR by Gregory Maguire
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THE PASSENGER by Cormac McCarthy
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THE QUEEN: Her Life, by Andrew Morton
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RIGHTEOUS PREY: A Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers Novel, by John Sandford
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THE SONG OF THE CELL: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human, by Siddhartha Mukherjee
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STELLA MARIS by Cormac McCarthy
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A TRUTH TO LIE FOR: An Elena Standish Novel, by Anne Perry
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THE WINNERS by Fredrik Backman
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None of the above
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, October 6th 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 22nd to October 6th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of WELLNESS by Nathan Hill and THE MUSEUM OF FAILURES by Thrity Umrigar.
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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