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Calling All Trick-or-Treaters!
We got smart this year...or at least my husband did. We bought Halloween candy early instead of my hitting the store the day before Halloween and grabbing whatever is left on the shelves. Luckily, except for Peanut M&M’s (which I like), all the other candy that he picked out belongs in the “non-faves” department and easily can be forgotten. Last year, we got one crowd of 20 children, and I panicked that we would run out of candy, but they were the last trick-or-treaters we saw for the night. Kids tend to migrate towards the “high-reward” neighborhoods where there is less space between the houses.
On our neighborhood Facebook page, I noted that we hoped to have a lot of costumed folks on our porch --- and “we have full-sized bars!” If I am writing this newsletter eating Peanut M&Ms next week, you will know that my advertising scheme failed.
We hosted our latest “Bookaccino Live” Book Group event on Wednesday night. Our guests were Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan, who joined us to discuss their novel, MAD HONEY, a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick that recently released in paperback.
To start off the event, Jennifer explained that the idea for the book came to her in a dream that she had in 2017. She and Jodi talked about their characters and who wrote each, as well as how they worked with one portion of the narrative going forward and another going backward. Jodi is a complete outliner, and they discussed how having this structure allowed them to develop the story with each of them writing on their own. This truly was a partnership throughout the entire process of writing, editing and promoting the book. Jodi and Jennifer also pointed out that they wanted to tell a story about a person who was transgender but frame it against a much bigger narrative and a mystery.
I had so much fun talking to Jodi and Jennifer and watching them interact with each other. Two readers appeared on camera to ask them questions, and I shared questions from two others who were unable to join us before we moved on to the audience Q&A. Jodi and Jennifer gave such insightful answers, and we learned so much more about their writing process and how the story came together. 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.
Our last “Bookaccino Live” Book Group event of the year will be held on Thursday, November 30th at 8pm ET. Our guest will be Dani Shapiro, and we will be talking about her national bestseller, SIGNAL FIRES, a Bets On selection that released in paperback this week. 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 Dani. For the first part, those who are asking a question “on camera” will be featured. This includes spending time with Dani 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 "Dani" by noon ET on November 30th. 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.
You can sign up for the event by clicking here. I talked to Dani earlier this year about the book and look forward to more conversation with her!
Last call! We will be hosting our 12 ½ Annual Book Group Speed Dating event next Friday, November 3rd at 1pm ET. If you are a librarian, bookseller or book club leader of three or more groups, and would be interested in attending this event, please email me and tell me a bit about yourself using the subject line “Speed Dating.” This is a “trade only” event, but we will be sharing the publisher videos, PowerPoint slides and other materials with you later in November.
Our latest “Bookreporter Talks To” interview is with Sharon Virts, whose new novel, VEIL OF DOUBT, is a mystery set in 1872. Sharon shares how her love of history helped her to discover this story. She talks about the character of Emily, who is accused of poisoning her daughter, and how she had to learn not only the legalese of the day, but also about chemistry and how poisoning may have happened in that time frame. Sharon needed to stay grounded in what information was available. She researched the trial and learned some interesting things about what went on in court then as opposed to now.
Sharon discusses how this post-Civil War time period was important to the story, explaining what the times meant as men returned home with emotional as well as physical scars. She also reveals the novel’s original title and shares what she loves about the cover. Like Sharon’s first book, MASQUE OF HONOR, VEIL OF DOUBT is a Bets On title. Click here to watch the video or here to listen to the podcast.
It was announced this week that Jesmyn Ward’s new novel, LET US DESCEND, is Oprah’s latest Book Club pick. This reimagining of American slavery centers on an enslaved girl in the years before the Civil War. It’s a journey from the rice fields of the Carolinas to the slave markets of New Orleans and into the fearsome heart of a Louisiana sugar plantation.
Oprah calls the book “a vital work of culture” and “ultimately a tale of resilience and humanity in the face of such horrible cruelty written as only Jesmyn Ward can. So be prepared to go on a journey by an author who is, among many things, a two-time National Book Award winner."
Jesmyn Ward appeared with Oprah on “CBS Mornings” earlier this week. She talked about finding out that her book was selected for Oprah's Book Club, her experience writing the book, and how her own personal loss and grief helped her write about the enslaved teen, Annis, at the center of the book. Click here to watch the interview.
Be sure to join Oprah, Jesmyn and Oprah's Book Club readers for a special discussion of LET US DESCEND on OprahDaily.com, following the reading schedule on this page.
Our reviewer Jana Siciliano has this to say about the book: “It is as close to a new Toni Morrison novel as one could hope to get from another fantastically talented African American female writer.... LET US DESCEND is sure to cement Jesmyn Ward’s reputation as a writer whose books will stand the test of time.” Jesmyn is a beautiful writer. I was reading the book during the week; I loved her use of language and how she brings the story alive.
Word of Mouth Reminder
LET US DESCEND is one of our current Word of Mouth prizes, along with ABSOLUTION by Alice McDermott. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read by Friday, November 3rd at noon ET, and you’ll be in the running to win both these titles.
THE SECRET is Lee Child and Andrew Child’s gripping new Jack Reacher thriller that revolves around the sudden deaths of US citizens in 1992. These deaths could be accidents, and they don’t appear to be connected. But a fatal fall from a high-floor window leads the Secretary of Defense to demand an investigation from an interagency task force. And he wants Jack Reacher to be the army’s representative.
According to our reviewer Ray Palen, “THE SECRET is just what you would expect from a Jack Reacher novel --- fast-paced, no-nonsense and extremely hard-hitting. While fans wait patiently for the second season of 'Reacher' to hit Amazon Prime Video, it might be a nice idea to dive into this exciting new book so you can get your Reacher fix right now.”
SISTERS UNDER THE RISING SUN is our latest New Release Spotlight title. It’s written by Heather Morris, the multimillion-copy bestselling author of THE TATTOOIST OF AUSCHWITZ, CILKA'S JOURNEY and THREE SISTERS.
Here’s the premise: In the midst of World War II, English musician Norah Chambers places her eight-year-old daughter, Sally, on a ship leaving Singapore, desperate to keep her safe from the Japanese army. Sister Nesta James, a Welsh Australian nurse, has enlisted to tend to Allied troops. But as Singapore falls to the Japanese, she joins the terrified cargo of people, including the heartbroken Norah, crammed aboard the Vyner Brooke merchant ship. Only two days later, they are bombarded from the air off the coast of Indonesia. After surviving a brutal 24 hours in the sea, Norah and Nesta are captured by the Japanese and held in one of their notorious POW camps. These sisters in arms fight side by side every day, discovering in themselves and each other extraordinary reserves of courage, resourcefulness and determination.
We will feature our review of SISTERS UNDER THE RISING SUN in next week’s newsletter, so please be on the lookout for that!
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
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CHRISTMAS PRESENTS: Coupling a picturesque, cozy setting with a deeply unsettling suspenseful plot, Lisa Unger’s latest is a chilling seasonal novella that can be enjoyed all year long.
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HERCULE POIROT’S SILENT NIGHT: In Sophie Hannah’s new book, the legendary star of Agatha Christie’s MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS and DEATH ON THE NILE puts his little gray cells to work solving a baffling Christmas mystery.
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EVERYTHING IS NOT ENOUGH: Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström follows up her international bestseller IN EVERY MIRROR SHE'S BLACK with a second novel that focuses on the lives of three Black women as they fight their own personal struggles in one of the most egalitarian societies: Sweden.
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JULIA: Critically acclaimed novelist Sandra Newman has penned an imaginative, feminist and relevant-to-today retelling of George Orwell’s 1984, from the point of view of Winston Smith’s lover, Julia.
Remember to Vote in Our Poll
Our poll continues to ask which of 25 new and upcoming nonfiction titles you have read or are planning to read. Be sure to let us know here by Friday, November 3rd at noon ET.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
We heard from a number of readers following our “Bookaccino Live” Book Group event with Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan. Here are comments from a few of them:
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Helen: “Amazing! Thanks so much from Cedar Rapids, Iowa.”
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Carol: “The discussion was EXCELLENT! I’m wondering if you’re able to send a link so I can hear it again. Many, many thanks!”
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Donna K.: “Thank you for such an engaging and enlightening interview with the authors. It was amazing!”
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Donna: “Excellent interview! I feel that I need to reread the book. Thanks.”
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Laureen: “What a great night! Thanks for what you do! I love these opportunities.”
Abby wrote, “I just watched your interview with William Kent Krueger. He is such an interesting person. Thank you for asking my question about alternate titles to THE RIVER WE REMEMBER since I was unable to attend that day. I loved hearing his answer.”
“Bosch: Legacy” on Amazon Freevee: I watched the first few episodes of season two and was glad to see Bosch back. I was amused at his tech guy, who is able to hack into every database with lightning speed. I also am amused at how quickly everyone zips around LA! Obviously, there is only traffic when I am there.
“Lessons in Chemistry” on Apple TV+: I liked episode three more than the first two episodes. I feel like the story settled in a bit.
The Finale of “Billions” on Showtime: I had the pleasure of screening the finale last night. Typically, the penultimate episode in a series is the best, while the finale is a letdown. Not here. It’s terrific, and I don't think I'd change anything. Now, without “Billions” and “Succession”, what will we do without gross over-the-top indulgence and in-fighting on Sunday night?
“The Gilded Age” on HBO: Season two will be set in 1884, which means we’ll get to see everything from the legendary “Opera Wars” that built the original Metropolitan Opera House, to the grand opening of the Brooklyn Bridge. Let’s see if everyone is still talking with absurd accents like they are working on elocution.
Leave the World Behind: This film based on Rumaan Alam's 2020 novel will be in select theaters on November 22nd and will stream on Netflix on December 8th. Here’s the trailer.
Ann Patchett and Kate DiCamillo: Ann and Kate dedicated their most recent books to each other and appeared at the Library of Congress earlier this month. You can watch them in conversation with each other here.
The Rolling Stones: Their new album, Hackney Diamonds, is fabulous. Their last few were sleepers to me. But this one is a real winner. Mick clearly is still rocking it at 80!
Well, the pool is closed, and the Cleopatra tent has been taken down. I got every leaf out of the pool before the cover went on. We were doing sooooo well with this. But then, wooosh, the wind flew in on Sunday morning, and bam, in came the leaves. I was fishing out leaves for over an hour. We (as in Husband Tom) moved those two turquoise pots of purple mums that you saw last week to the front porch, and they look great. Note to self: water them!
Now it is time to start thinking about the umpteen indoor tasks that have been overlooked while we enjoyed the great outdoors. Somehow, when these tasks are ideas rather than things we really should accomplish, they sound a lot more fun. An example: “Let’s reorganize the basement!” Or: “In the fall, I will have time to organize the closets in my office.” Or my real favorite: “Now I can unpack the eight boxes that I brought home from the office in April 2020.” Yes, those boxes. Maybe I will attempt one box or one closet this weekend. After all, there are about seven months before we open the pool again. Why rush to do it all?
It’s also time for amaryllis bulb shopping for holiday gifts. We were at the garden center the other day buying shrubs on sale. (There's nothing like waiting so long that you are getting them at 50%, not 20%, off!) And I saw the bulbs had come in. I told them I would be back to buy them over the weekend. The sales clerk said there is a woman who comes in every year and buys dozens of them for gifts. I said, “Um…that woman is ME!”
I am reading Tess Gerritsen’s new thriller, THE SPY COAST, in anticipation of interviewing her on Tuesday. I am enjoying it and looking forward to this conversation.
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: LET US DESCEND by Jesmyn Ward
Oprah’s Latest Book Club Pick
LET US DESCEND by Jesmyn Ward (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Jesmyn Ward
LET US DESCEND is a reimagining of American slavery --- a journey from the rice fields of the Carolinas to the slave markets of New Orleans and into the fearsome heart of a Louisiana sugar plantation. Annis, sold south by the white enslaver who fathered her, is the reader’s guide through this hellscape. As she struggles through the miles-long march, Annis turns inward, seeking comfort from memories of her mother and stories of her African warrior grandmother. Throughout, she opens herself to a world beyond this world, one teeming with spirits: of earth and water, of myth and history; spirits who nurture and give, and those who manipulate and take. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to see why the book is Oprah's latest Book Club pick.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: THE SECRET
by Lee Child and Andrew Child
THE SECRET: A Jack Reacher Novel by Lee Child and Andrew Child (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Scott Brick
1992. All across the United States, respectable, upstanding citizens are showing up dead. These deaths could be accidents, and they don’t appear to be connected --- until a fatal fall from a high-floor window attracts some unexpected attention. That attention comes from the Secretary of Defense. All of a sudden, he wants an interagency task force to investigate. And he wants Jack Reacher as the army’s representative. If Reacher gets a result, great. If not, he’s a convenient fall guy. But office politics isn’t Reacher’s thing. Three questions quickly emerge: Who’s with him, who’s against him, and will the justice he dispenses be the official kind...or his own kind? Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
New Release Spotlight:
SISTERS UNDER THE RISING SUN by Heather Morris
SISTERS UNDER THE RISING SUN by Heather Morris (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Laura Carmichael
In the midst of World War II, an English musician, Norah Chambers, places her eight-year-old daughter, Sally, on a ship leaving Singapore, desperate to keep her safe from the Japanese army as they move down through the Pacific. Norah remains to care for her husband and elderly parents, knowing she may never see her child again.
Sister Nesta James, a Welsh Australian nurse, has enlisted to tend to Allied troops. But as Singapore falls to the Japanese, she joins the terrified cargo of people, including the heartbroken Norah, crammed aboard the Vyner Brooke merchant ship. Only two days later, they are bombarded from the air off the coast of Indonesia, and in a matter of hours, the Vyner Brooke lies broken on the seabed.
After surviving a brutal 24 hours in the sea, Nesta and Norah reach the beaches of a remote island, only to be captured by the Japanese and held in one of their notorious POW camps. The camps are places of starvation and brutality, where disease runs rampant. Sisters in arms, Norah and Nesta fight side by side every day, helping whoever they can, and discovering in themselves and each other extraordinary reserves of courage, resourcefulness and determination.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Heather Morris' bio.
- Click here to visit Heather Morris' website.
- Click here to connect with Heather Morris on Facebook.
Click here to read more in our New Release Spotlight.
Featured Review: CHRISTMAS PRESENTS by Lisa Unger
CHRISTMAS PRESENTS by Lisa Unger (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Jennifer Pickens
Madeline Martin is the young owner of a thriving business, The Next Chapter Bookshop. When Harley Granger, a failed novelist turned true crime podcaster, drifts into her shop in the days before Christmas, he seems intent on digging up events that Madeline would much rather forget. She’s the only surviving victim of Evan Handy, the man who was convicted of murdering her best friend, Steph, and is suspected in the disappearance of two sisters, also good friends of Madeline’s. Since Evan Handy went to jail, three other young women have gone missing, most recently a young college dropout named Lolly. Five young women missing in the same area in a decade. Are they connected? Was Evan Handy innocent after all? Or was there someone else there that night? Someone who is still satisfying his dark appetites? Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: HERCULE POIROT’S
SILENT NIGHT by Sophie Hannah
HERCULE POIROT'S SILENT NIGHT: A Hercule Poirot Mystery by Sophie Hannah (Historical Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Julian Rhind-Tutt
Hercule Poirot and Inspector Edward Catchpool are looking forward to Christmas when they are called upon to investigate the murder of a man in a Norfolk hospital ward. Cynthia Catchpool, Edward’s mother, insists that Poirot stay with her in a crumbling mansion by the coast so they all can be together for the festive period while he solves the case. The local constabulary’s investigation failed to uncover how someone could have entered a hospital room and killed him under the noses of the staff. Cynthia’s friend, Arnold, is soon to be admitted to that same hospital, and his wife is convinced he will be the killer’s next victim, though she refuses to explain why. Meanwhile, an utterly ruthless individual has ideas about what ought to happen to Hercule Poirot. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: EVERYTHING IS NOT ENOUGH
by Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström
EVERYTHING IS NOT ENOUGH by Lolá Ákínmádé Åkerström (Fiction)
Audiobook available; read by Palmira Koukkari Mbenga, Mela Lee and Délé Ogundiran
Powerful marketing executive Kemi Adeyemi has finally found the man she needs, but Tobias Wikström thinks she's the most selfish woman he has ever met for asking him to give up his life in Sweden and move to the US for her own comfort. Former model-turned-flight attendant Brittany-Rae von Lundin gave up her career and came with nothing into Jonny’s kingdom. Having had a child with him, her greatest fear for Maya includes being cut off from the resources to which she has become accustomed. After fleeing her home through a client to seek a new life in Sweden, Yasmiin finds love in the arms of Yagiz Çelik. But someone from her past forces her to become a caretaker before she’s ready. EVERYTHING IS NOT ENOUGH follows the loosely intertwined and messy lives of Kemi, Brittany and Yasmiin as they interrogate themes of place, prejudice and patriarchy in Europe. Reviewed by Megan Elliott.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: JULIA by Sandra Newman
JULIA by Sandra Newman (Dystopian Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Louise Brearley
Julia Worthing is a mechanic, working in the Fiction Department at the Ministry of Truth. It’s 1984, and Britain (now called Airstrip One) has long been absorbed into the larger trans-Atlantic nation of Oceania. Oceania has been at war for as long as anyone can remember and is ruled by an ultra-totalitarian Party, whose leader is a quasi-mythical figure called Big Brother. In short, everything about this world is as it is in Orwell’s 1984. One day, Julia finds herself walking toward Winston Smith in a corridor and impulsively slips him a note, setting in motion the devastating, unforgettable events of the classic story. Julia takes us on a surprising journey through Orwell’s now-iconic dystopia, with twists that reveal unexpected sides not only to Julia, but to other familiar figures in the 1984 universe. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
What’s New This Month on ReadingGroupGuides.com
ONE LAST KILL by Robert Dugoni (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Emily Sutton-Smith
Tracy Crosswhite is reopening the investigation into Seattle’s Route 99 serial killer. After 13 victims, he stopped hunting and the trail went cold, stirring public outrage. Now, nearly three decades after his first kill, Tracy is expected to finally bring closure to the victims’ families and redeem the Seattle PD’s reputation. Even if it means working with her nemesis, Captain Johnny Nolasco. Lead detective of the original task force, Nolasco dares Tracy to do what he failed to: close the case. Forming an uneasy alliance, Tracy and Nolasco revisit old leads and pursue new evidence only to unearth high-level corruption and cover-ups as dangerous as the elusive killer himself. At the risk of being exposed, such deadly and powerful forces will go to extremes to stay in the shadows. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
FAMILY MEAL by Bryan Washington (Fiction)
Audiobook available; read by Bryan Washington, André Santana and Jake Choi
Cam is living in Los Angeles and falling apart after the love of his life has died. Kai's ghost won't leave Cam alone; his spectral visits are wild, tender and unexpected. When Cam returns to his hometown of Houston, he crashes back into the orbit of his former best friend, TJ, and TJ's family bakery. TJ is not sure how to navigate this changed Cam, impenetrably cool and self-destructing, or their charged estrangement. Can they find a way past all that has been said --- and left unsaid --- to save each other? Could they find a way back to being okay again, or maybe for the first time? Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
UP ON THE WOOF TOP: A Chet & Bernie Mystery by Spencer Quinn (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Jim Frangione
Chet the dog and his human partner, Bernie Little, find themselves high in the mountains this holiday season to help Dame Ariadne Carlisle, a renowned author of bestselling Christmas mysteries, find Rudy, her lead reindeer and good luck charm, who has gone missing. At Kringle Ranch, Dame Ariadne’s expansive mountain spread, Chet discovers that he is not fond of reindeer. But the case turns out to be about much more than reindeer after Dame Ariadne’s personal assistant takes a long fall into Devil’s Purse, a deep mountain gorge. When our duo discovers that someone very close to Dame Ariadne was murdered in that same spot decades earlier, they start looking into that long-ago unsolved crime. But as they reach into the past, the past is also reaching out for them. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
DEVIL MAKES THREE by Ben Fountain (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Ron Butler
Haiti, 1991. When a violent coup d’état leads to the fall of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, American expat Matt Amaker is forced to abandon his idyllic, beachfront scuba business. With the rise of a brutal military dictatorship and an international embargo threatening to destroy even the country’s most powerful players, some are looking to gain an advantage in the chaos --- and others are just looking to make it through another day. Desperate for money --- and survival --- Matt teams up with his best friend and business partner, Alix Variel. They set their sights on legendary shipwrecks that have been rumored to contain priceless treasures off a remote section of Haiti’s southern coast. However, their ambition and exploration of these disastrous wrecks come with a cascade of ill-fated incidents. Reviewed by Curtis Edmonds.
WHAT WE KEPT TO OURSELVES by Nancy Jooyoun Kim (Domestic Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Jennifer Kim
1999: The Kim family is struggling to move on after their mother, Sunny, vanished a year ago. Sixty-one-year-old John Kim feels more isolated from his grown children, Anastasia and Ronald, than ever before. But one evening, their fragile lives are further upended when John finds the body of a stranger in the backyard, carrying a letter to Sunny. 1977: Sunny is pregnant and has just moved to Los Angeles from Korea with her aloof and often-absent husband. Her loneliness and isolation are broken only by a fateful encounter at a bus stop. The unexpected connection spans the decades and echoes into the family’s lives in the present as they uncover devastating secrets that put not only everything they thought they knew about their mother but also their very lives at risk. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
THE HIVE AND THE HONEY: Stories by Paul Yoon (Fiction/Short Stories)
Audiobook available, read by Raymond J. Lee
A boy searches for his father, a prison guard on Sakhalin Island. In Barcelona, a woman is tasked with spying on a prizefighter who may or may not be her estranged son. A samurai escorts an orphan to his countrymen in the Edo Period. A formerly incarcerated man starts a new life in a small town in upstate New York and attempts to build a family. THE HIVE AND THE HONEY is a bold and indelible collection that portrays the vastness and complexity of diasporic communities, with each story bringing to light the knotty inheritances of their characters. How does a North Korean defector connect with the child she once left behind? What are the traumas that haunt a Korean settlement in Far East Russia? Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
TOO MANY BULLETS by Max Allan Collins (Historical Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Dan John Miller
In 1968, Nate Heller is there when Robert Kennedy is shot at the Ambassador Hotel. Heller takes it upon himself to investigate the murder when a friend of his and Bobby’s raises doubts about the LAPD’s investigation. Heller strongly suspects the involvement of Jimmy Hoffa (currently imprisoned), but Hoffa seems to be in the clear as the private eye looks into the possible presence of CIA enemies of RFK’s on the murder night, the apparent manipulation of Sirhan Sirhan into a Manchurian Candidate-style assassin, and a probable second shooter. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
CHRISTMAS AT CORGI COVE by Annie England Noblin (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Marni Penning
Rosie Reynolds had come to lakeside Corgi Cove as a lost, lonely girl abandoned by her own mother, but there she discovered a true place to call home. She loves her Corgis, Bonnie and Clyde; loves the lakeside life; and loves her aunt and uncle most of all. But when she discovers that their struggling inn is about to be bought out by some big city chain, she hatches a plan: to win a contest naming theirs the best Christmas-themed inn in the USA. However, she didn’t count on Everett St Claire, who doesn't think it will be that difficult to convince one elderly couple to take the money to retire. With the holidays nearing and the deadline looming, Rosie and Everett are about to discover the magic of a Christmas at Corgi Cove. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
MARY AND THE BIRTH OF FRANKENSTEIN written by Anne Eekhout, translated by Laura Watkinson (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Ell Potter
Switzerland, 1816. A volcanic eruption in Indonesia envelopes the whole of Europe in ash and cloud. Amid this “year without a summer,” 18-year-old Mary Shelley and her lover, Percy Bysshe Shelley, arrive at Lake Geneva to visit Lord Byron and his companion, John Polidori. One famous evening, Byron issues a challenge to write the best ghost story. Contemplating what to write, Mary recalls another summer, when she was 14. Scotland, 1812. A guest of the Baxter family, Mary arrives in Dundee, befriending young Isabella Baxter. As their bond deepens, Mary and Isabella’s feelings for each other intensify. But someone has been watching them --- the charismatic and vaguely sinister Mr. Booth, Isabella's older brother-in-law, who may not be as benevolent as he purports to be. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on
October 31st and November 1st
Below are some notable titles releasing on October 31st and November 1st 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 30th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
October 31st
ABSOLUTION by Alice McDermott (Historical Fiction)
From renowned National Book Award winner Alice McDermott comes a riveting account of women’s lives on the margins of the Vietnam War.
BEING HENRY: The Fonz...and Beyond by Henry Winkler (Memoir)
From Emmy Award-winning actor, author, comedian, producer and director Henry Winkler comes a deeply thoughtful memoir of the lifelong effects of stardom and the struggle to become whole.
DIRTY THIRTY: A Stephanie Plum Novel by Janet Evanovich (Mystery)
#1 New York Times bestselling author Janet Evanovich is in top form as she sends Stephanie Plum on the trail of a stolen cache of dirty diamonds.
FROM A FAR AND LOVELY COUNTRY: No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (24) by Alexander McCall Smith (Mystery)
In this latest installment in Alexander McCall Smith’s cherished No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, two confounding cases compete for Mma Ramotswe’s attention --- and she may need to call in back-up.
THE HOUSE OF LOVE AND DEATH: A Cameron Winter Mystery by Andrew Klavan (Hard-boiled Mystery)
In this newest entry in the USA Today bestselling Cameron Winter series, the ex-spy-turned-English professor defies accepted narratives and corrupt local authorities to investigate the murder of a wealthy family in the Chicago suburbs.
November 1st
THE SPY COAST by Tess Gerritsen (Thriller)
A retired CIA operative in small-town Maine tackles the ghosts of her past in this fresh take on the spy thriller from New York Times bestselling author Tess Gerritsen.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
From left to right: Angie Kim, Andrew Klavan, Janice Hallett
Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events
Here are three upcoming virtual book and author events that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links for more info and to register.
Wednesday, November 1st at 4pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Janice Hallett will talk about her new novel, THE CHRISTMAS APPEAL, an immersive holiday caper that follows the hilarious Fairway Players theater group as they put on a Christmas play --- and solve a murder that threatens their production.
Wednesday, November 1st 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 Angie Kim about her new novel, HAPPINESS FALLS, which is both a riveting page-turner and a deeply moving portrait of a family in crisis.
Wednesday, November 1st at 8pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Andrew Klavan will talk about his new mystery, THE HOUSE OF LOVE AND DEATH, the latest entry in his Cameron Winter series. The ex-spy-turned-English professor defies accepted narratives and corrupt local authorities to investigate the murder of a wealthy family in the Chicago suburbs.
"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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Jessica Knoll (BRIGHT YOUNG WOMEN)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll:
New and Upcoming Nonfiction Titles to Anticipate
Which of the following recently released or soon-to-be-released nonfiction titles have you read or are you planning to read? Please check all that apply.
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ASTOR: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune, by Anderson Cooper and Katherine Howe
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BEING HENRY: The Fonz...and Beyond, by Henry Winkler
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BREAKING TWITTER: Elon Musk and the Most Controversial Corporate Takeover in History, by Ben Mezrich
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CLASS: A Memoir of Motherhood, Hunger and Higher Education, by Stephanie Land
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ELON MUSK by Walter Isaacson
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ENERGY FOLLOWS THOUGHT by Willie Nelson, with David Ritz and Mickey Raphael
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EVERYTHING I LEARNED, I LEARNED IN A CHINESE RESTAURANT: A Memoir, by Curtis Chin
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GEORGE HARRISON: The Reluctant Beatle, by Philip Norman
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GOING INFINITE: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon, by Michael Lewis
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HOW TO SAY BABYLON: A Memoir, by Safiya Sinclair
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I MUST BE DREAMING by Roz Chast
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IF YOU WOULD HAVE TOLD ME: A Memoir, by John Stamos
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IN LIGHT OF ALL DARKNESS: Inside the Polly Klaas Kidnapping and the Search for America's Child, by Kim Cross
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LARRY McMURTRY: A Life, by Tracy Daugherty
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MADONNA: A Rebel Life, by Mary Gabriel
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A MEMOIR OF MY FORMER SELF: A Life in Writing, by Hilary Mantel
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MY NAME IS BARBRA by Barbra Streisand
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THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF RUDOLF DIESEL: Genius, Power, and Deception on the Eve of World War I, by Douglas Brunt
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SCATTERSHOT: Life, Music, Elton, and Me, by Bernie Taupin
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THE SISTERHOOD: The Secret History of Women at the CIA, by Liza Mundy
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THE SIX: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts, by Loren Grush
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THICKER THAN WATER: A Memoir, by Kerry Washington
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TURNING PAGES: The Adventures and Misadventures of a Publisher, by John Sargent
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WANDERING THROUGH LIFE: A Memoir, by Donna Leon
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THE WOMAN IN ME by Britney Spears
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None of the above
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, November 3rd 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 October 20th to November 3rd at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of ABSOLUTION by Alice McDermott and LET US DESCEND by Jesmyn Ward.
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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