November 10, 2023

November 10, 2023

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Jelember the Eleventeenth

This is the time of year when we are reading books that are out now while also reading promotional materials from publishers about books releasing in the spring --- and even summer. There are times when I look up and think, What month are we in? Thus the title of this newsletter. My life is a mishmash of months and days.

It reminds me of when I was working at Mademoiselle, and we would “close the book,” meaning we would send the magazine to print three months in advance. We were working on Christmas in August and bathing suits in February and March. I would look at clothes in stores and think, Wow, we did that leopard three months ago. And yes, we did, but it was now in stores. At times these days, I do feel like we live much more in the moment. But then I see a pitch for an early summer title, and I feel wickedly behind.

My latest "Bookreporter Talks To" interview is with Tess Gerritsen. Her recently released novel, THE SPY COAST, kicks off a new series, The Martini Club, and will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. In this fresh take on the spy thriller, which we reviewed last week, a retired CIA operative in small-town Maine tackles the ghosts of her past.

Tess shares where she got the idea for this book, which has a very interesting origin. She has visited the international locations where the action takes place, and she discusses how she was able to make those scenes feel so authentic. She did not plot the novel in advance, which is surprising when readers see how well it all came together. I think this is her best book yet! Find out why I feel this way in next week’s newsletter when I share my Bets On commentary. In the meantime, click here to watch the interview or here to listen to the podcast.

We hosted our final “Bookaccino Live” book preview event of 2023 on Wednesday afternoon. I talked about 26 books releasing between now and the end of the year, plus 18 from January and February, that we wanted to get on your radar. You can watch the presentation here and see a list of the featured titles here.

Our first “Bookaccino Live” book preview event of 2024 will take place on Wednesday, January 10th at 2pm ET. I will present titles releasing between January 2nd and February 6th, in addition to a few from March, that we think will appeal to you. Click here to sign up. Those attending the live event will be asked to answer a survey about the books from the presentation that they are most interested in reading and will be eligible to win a prize.

RESURRECTION WALK is the newly released seventh installment in Michael Connelly’s Lincoln Lawyer series. This time, defense attorney Mickey Haller enlists the help of his half-brother, retired LAPD Detective Harry Bosch, to prove the innocence of a woman convicted of killing her husband.

Our reviewer Ray Palen calls RESURRECTION WALK “an outstanding legal thriller from start to finish that contains a dream team of dual protagonists as engaging as any pair found in this genre. Saying that a Connelly novel is a must-read is an understatement, and his longtime readers will absolutely love this one.”

While we're on the subject, it's worth noting that the second season of “Bosch: Legacy” wrapped up today when the final two episodes dropped on Amazon Freevee. I do love this show! 

It was announced this week that CLASS is this month’s “Good Morning America” Book Club pick. Stephanie Land wrote about being a struggling mother barely making ends meet as a housecleaner in her book, MAID, which was turned into a hit Netflix series two years ago. Now Stephanie is back with a follow-up memoir, where she takes readers with her as she finishes college and pursues her writing career.

According to our reviewer Rebecca Munro, “While the chapters on class-jumping and navigating byzantine student loan and government assistance programs are compelling, the parts of the book where Land focuses on her desire to be a mother are downright heart-grabbing.... Land is unabashed and unashamed in revealing her bad decisions, her poorly thought-out choices, and even her heated moments of anger. This provides some of the book’s strongest refrains.”

I conducted the first two interviews that Stephanie did about MAID, both on the same day. It was selected as a BookExpo Buzz Book back in May 2018, and Facebook wanted to shoot a segment with her for Facebook Live. The book was not coming out until January 2019. We had two great conversations, but it was the early days of the book when she was first talking about it, and I was trying to ensure that the book got its due. I talked to her again when “Maid” premiered on Netflix; you can see that interview here. I am listening to CLASS on audio now and hope to interview her once again!

Word of Mouth Reminder
CLASS is one of our Word of Mouth prizes, along with THE MANOR HOUSE by Gilly Macmillan, which we plan to review next week. 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, November 17th at noon ET. I am working on getting an interview set up with Gilly.

Other books we’re reviewing this week include:

• EVERYTHING I LEARNED, I LEARNED IN A CHINESE RESTAURANT: Served up by the cofounder of the Asian American Writers’ Workshop and structured around the very menu that graced the tables of Chung’s Cantonese Cuisine, Curtis Chin’s memoir tells the story of his time growing up as a gay Chinese American kid in 1980s Detroit.
   
• NIGHT SIDE OF THE RIVER: In this delightfully chilling collection, the iconic Jeanette Winterson turns her fearless gaze to the realm of ghosts, interspersing her own encounters with the supernatural alongside hair-raising fictions. She examines grief, revenge, and the myriad ways in which technology can disrupt the boundary between life and death.
   
• GEORGE HARRISON: Acclaimed Beatles biographer Philip Norman has penned a rare and revealing portrait of George Harrison, the most misunderstood and mysterious Beatle, based on decades-long research and unparalleled access to inside sources. Norman examines Harrison through the lens of his numerous self-contradictions.

Announcing This Year’s Holiday Cheer Contests
To get you ready for the holidays, we are bringing you two Holiday Cheer contests this month, each of which will run for just 24 hours. The prize books are THE JOLLIEST BUNCH: Unhinged Holiday Stories by Danny Pellegrino and MOTHER-DAUGHTER MURDER NIGHT by Nina Simon, the latter of which was a Reese’s Book Club pick earlier this fall.

The contest for THE JOLLIEST BUNCH will go live this Tuesday, November 14th at noon ET, so be sure to visit the site at that time and enter for your chance to win one of five copies. Two weeks later, on November 30th, we will be giving away MOTHER-DAUGHTER MURDER NIGHT. If you would like to receive a special Holiday Cheer newsletter on the 14th and 30th spotlighting each contest, be sure to sign up here for these email alerts.

“What to Give, What to Get” is Back!
After more than a decade-long hiatus, we have brought back our “What to Give, What to Get” feature. Here you will find seven books in a variety of genres that we think are “reader perfect” suggestions for holiday giving and getting. Among them are BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CHRISTMAS by Mary Kay Andrews, THE ROARING DAYS OF ZORA LILY by Noelle Salazar, and THE PIONEER WOMAN COOKS ― DINNER’S READY!: 112 Fast and Fabulous Recipes for Slightly Impatient Home Cooks by Ree Drummond. Let the browsing and the shopping begin!

This Month’s New in Paperback Feature
Our New in Paperback roundups for November are now available. We’re featuring paperback reprints from such bestselling fiction authors as Jeffery Deaver (HUNTING TIME), Allegra Goodman (SAM), Anthony Horowitz (THE TWIST OF A KNIFE), Jane Smiley (A DANGEROUS BUSINESS), and Sophie Hannah (THE COUPLE AT THE TABLE); nonfiction titles, including NOVELIST AS A VOCATION by Haruki Murakami and MUSSOLINI'S DAUGHTER: The Most Dangerous Woman in Europe by Caroline Moorehead; and paperback originals like THE WISHING BRIDGE by Viola Shipman (which you also will find in “What to Give, What to Get”) and THE FICTION WRITER by Jillian Cantor.

Remember to Vote in Our Poll
Our poll continues to ask which of 25 fiction titles releasing this month you are planning to read. Be sure to let us know here by Friday, November 17th at noon ET.

Alice McDermott’s new novel, ABSOLUTION, is November’s Barnes & Noble Book Club pick. The renowned winner of the National Book Award has written a riveting account of women’s lives on the margins of the Vietnam War. On Wednesday, December 6th at 3pm ET, B&N will host a live virtual event with Alice, which you can sign up for here.

Reese’s Book Club pick for this month is MAYBE NEXT TIME by novelist and screenwriter Cesca Major. One Day meets Groundhog Day in this heartwarming and emotionally poignant novel about a stressed woman who must relive the same day over and over, keeping her family and work life from imploding as she attempts to spare her husband from an unfortunate fate.

THE SUN SETS IN SINGAPORE by debut novelist Kehinde Fadipe is November’s “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club pick. Basking in Singapore’s nonstop sunshine, Dara, Amaka and Lillian are living the glamorous expat dream --- until a mysterious new arrival infiltrates their tight-knit community and ruins everything. Jenna says, “I think you will fall in love with this trio of women because you will relate to them, you will fall in love with Singapore, and you will leave with more compassion and more understanding.”

For more November selections, including the Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, see our “Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks” feature here.

News & Pop Culture

Reader Mail:

Joyce wrote, “Yes, I’m a winner! What a delightful surprise to receive a copy of VEIL OF DOUBT in the mail. Since my favorite reading genres are mystery and historical fiction, what can be more perfect than a mystery set in 1872? Can’t wait to get started. Thank you!”

Janet wrote about Wednesday's event: “I have watched your 'Bookreporter Talks To' author interviews in the past, but this was my first 'Bookaccino Live' event. I enjoyed it so much. Thank you!”

“All the Light We Cannot See” on Netflix: This series was just terrific. We inhaled it over two nights. It was so very well done, though it does depart from the book, as many series do. I am really sorry that the two blind actresses in the show did not have a chance to make the rounds doing interviews due to the actor’s strike.

“Black Cake” on Hulu and “Lessons in Chemistry” on Apple TV+: I am enjoying both of these shows a lot. It's a nice way to be able to see how the content of favorite books has been adapted. I was slow to warm to the latter, but like a good soufflé I am settling into it! 

The Velveteen Rabbit on Apple TV+: This kids and family live-action animated hybrid special based on the classic children’s book will be launching globally on November 22nd. Here’s the trailer.

Barbra Streisand on “CBS Sunday Morning”: Here she is talking about her memoir, MY NAME IS BARBRA, which is 992 pages!

Rebecca Yarros: The author of IRON FLAME, the eagerly anticipated follow-up to FOURTH WING (this year's runaway bestseller), was on “Good Morning America” this week. Click here to watch the interview.

The Finale of “The Morning Show”: Wow, a lot happened there. Talk about non-stop twists.

“Fellow Travelers” on Showtime: I am on the second episode. The hidden lives of gay people in the '50s during the McCarthy era is brought to life as we travel with these characters from that decade onward. Life is so very different today! 

Featured Review: RESURRECTION WALK
by Michael Connelly

RESURRECTION WALK: A Lincoln Lawyer Novel by Michael Connelly (Legal Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Peter Giles, Titus Welliver and Christine Lakin
After getting a wrongfully convicted man out of prison, defense attorney Mickey Haller is inundated with pleas from incarcerated people claiming innocence. He enlists his half-brother, retired LAPD Detective Harry Bosch, to weed through the letters, knowing most claims will be false. Bosch pulls a needle from the haystack: a woman in prison for killing her husband, a sheriff’s deputy, but who still maintains her innocence. Bosch reviews the case and sees elements that don’t add up, and a sheriff’s department intent on bringing quick justice in the killing of one of its own. The path for both lawyer and investigator is fraught with danger from those who don’t want the case reopened and will stop at nothing to keep the Haller-Bosch dream team from finding the truth. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

- Click here to read more about the book.

Click here to read our review.

Featured Review: CLASS by Stephanie Land
November’s “Good Morning America” Book Club Pick

CLASS: A Memoir of Motherhood, Hunger, and Higher Education by Stephanie Land (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Stephanie Land
When Stephanie Land set out to write her memoir, MAID, she never could have imagined what was to come. Handpicked by President Barack Obama as one of the best books of 2019, it was called “an eye-opening journey into the lives of the working poor.” Later it was adapted into the hit Netflix series “Maid.” MAID was a story about a housecleaner, but it also was a story about a woman with a dream. In CLASS, Land takes us with her as she finishes college and pursues her writing career. Facing barriers at every turn --- including a byzantine loan system, not having enough money for food, navigating the judgments of professors and fellow students who didn’t understand the demands of attending college while under the poverty line --- Land finds a way to survive once again. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to see why the book is this month's "Good Morning America" Book Club pick.

Click here to read our review.

Featured Reviews: EVERYTHING I LEARNED,
I LEARNED IN A CHINESE RESTAURANT by Curtis Chin

EVERYTHING I LEARNED, I LEARNED IN A CHINESE RESTAURANT: A Memoir by Curtis Chin (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Curtis Chin
1980s Detroit was a volatile place to live, but above the fray stood a safe haven: Chung’s Cantonese Cuisine, where anyone --- from the city’s first Black mayor to the local drag queens, from a big-time Hollywood star to elderly Jewish couples --- could sit down for a warm, home-cooked meal. Here was where, beneath a bright-red awning and surrounded by his multigenerational family, filmmaker and activist Curtis Chin came of age; where he learned to embrace his identity as a gay ABC, or American-born Chinese; where he navigated the divided city’s spiraling misfortunes; and where he realized just how much he had to offer to the world, to his beloved family and to himself. Reviewed by Roberta O'Hara and Barbara Bamberger Scott.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.

Click here to read two reviews.

Announcing Bookreporter.com's
Holiday Cheer Contests and Feature

Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.

Bookreporter.com’s “What to Give, What to Get” Guide:
“Reader Perfect” Suggestions
for Holiday Giving and Getting

We at Bookreporter.com know that readers crave ideas for gift-giving --- and getting --- at the holidays. With this in mind, we're offering a "What to Give, What to Get" Guide with "Reader Perfect" suggestions. We have book ideas for everyone on your holiday list. And while you're looking for gifts for others, may we suggest you jot down notes for books YOU want? Let the shopping begin!

Our featured titles are:

• BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CHRISTMAS by Mary Kay Andrews
• DIAMONDS AND DEADLINES: A Tale of Greed, Deceit, and a Female Tycoon in New York City’s Gilded Age by Betsy Prioleau
• MOTHER-DAUGHTER MURDER NIGHT by Nina Simon
• THE PIONEER WOMAN COOKS ― DINNER'S READY!: 112 Fast and Fabulous Recipes for Slightly Impatient Home Cooks by Ree Drummond
• THE ROARING DAYS OF ZORA LILY by Noelle Salazar
• THE SISTERS OF SEA VIEW: On Devonshire Shores, Book 1 by Julie Klassen
• THE WISHING BRIDGE by Viola Shipman

Click here to see our "What to Give, What to Get" Guide.

Featured Review: NIGHT SIDE OF THE RIVER
by Jeanette Winterson

NIGHT SIDE OF THE RIVER: Ghost Stories by Jeanette Winterson (Supernatural Fiction/Short Stories)
Audiobook available, read by Jeanette Winterson and Vicky Licorish
In this delightfully chilling collection, the iconic Jeanette Winterson turns her fearless gaze to the realm of ghosts, interspersing her own encounters with the supernatural alongside hair-raising fictions. Lifting the veil between the living and the dead, Winterson spirits us away to a haunted estate that ensnares a nomadic young couple in its own dark past, a staged immersive ghost tour gone awry, a West Village séance that threatens the bounds between AI and reality, and a vacation home in the metaverse where a widow visits an improved version of her deceased husband. Gloriously gothic and unnervingly contemporary, Winterson examines grief, revenge, and the myriad ways in which technology can disrupt the boundary between life and death. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

- Click here to read more about the book.

Click here to read our review.

Featured Review: GEORGE HARRISON by Philip Norman

GEORGE HARRISON: The Reluctant Beatle by Philip Norman (Music/Biography)
Audiobook available, read by David Holt
Despite being hailed as one of the best guitarists of his era, George Harrison, particularly in his early decades, battled feelings of inferiority. He was often the butt of jokes from his bandmates owing to his lower-class background and, typically, was allowed to contribute only one or two songs per Beatles album out of the dozens he wrote. Now, acclaimed Beatles biographer Philip Norman examines Harrison through the lens of his numerous self-contradictions. This rich biography captures him at his most multifaceted: devoted friend, loyal son, master guitar player, brilliant songwriter, cocaine addict, serial philanderer, global philanthropist, student of Indian mysticism, self-deprecating comedian, and, ultimately, iconic artist and man beloved by millions. Reviewed by Ron Kaplan (www.RonKaplansBaseballBookshelf.com).

- Click here to read more about the book.

Click here to read our review.

November’s New in Paperback Roundups

November's roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes Jeffery Deaver's  HUNTING TIME, a riveting thriller that finds reward seeker Colter Shaw plunging into the woods and racing the clock in a case where nothing is quite what it seems; SAM by Allegra Goodman, an unforgettable portrait of coming-of-age that offers subtle yet powerful reflections on class, parenthood, addiction, lust and the irrepressible power of dreams; THE TWIST OF A KNIFE, the ingenious fourth literary whodunit from Anthony Horowitz, who becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation --- and only one man can prove his innocence: his newly estranged partner in solving crime, Detective Hawthorne; Jane Smiley's A DANGEROUS BUSINESS, a rollicking murder mystery set in Gold Rush California in which two young prostitutes follow a trail of missing girls; and ALL THE BROKEN PLACES by John Boyne, a devastating, beautiful story about a woman who must confront the sins of her own terrible past, and a present in which it is never too late for bravery.

Among our nonfiction highlights are NOVELIST AS A VOCATION, an insightful look into the mind of a master storyteller and a unique look at the craft of writing from beloved author Haruki Murakami; MUSSOLINI'S DAUGHTER, Caroline Moorehead's thrilling biography of Edda Mussolini --- Benito Mussolini’s favorite daughter, one of the most influential women in 1930s Europe --- and a heart-stopping account of the unraveling of the Fascist dream in Italy; HOLLYWOOD: The Oral History by Jeanine Basinger and Sam Wasson, the real story of Hollywood as told by such luminaries as Steven Spielberg, Frank Capra, Katharine Hepburn, Meryl Streep, Harold Lloyd and nearly 400 others --- assembled from the American Film Institute’s treasure trove of interviews --- which reveals a fresh history of the American movie industry from its beginnings to today; and John Lancaster's THE GREAT AIR RACE, the untold, almost unbelievable story of the daring pilots who risked their lives in an unprecedented air race in 1919 --- and put American aviation on the map.

Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of
November 6th, November 13th, November 20th and November 27th.

More Reviews This Week

THE GOOD PART by Sophie Cousens (Romantic Comedy)
Audiobook available, read by Kerry Gilbert
Lucy Young is 26 and tired. Tired of fetching coffees for senior TV producers, sick of going on disastrous dates, and done with living in a damp flat with roommates who never buy toilet paper. After another disappointing date, Lucy stumbles upon a wishing machine. Pushing a coin into the slot, she closes her eyes and wishes with all her might: Please, let me skip to the good part of my life. When she wakes the next morning to a handsome man, a ring on her finger, a high-powered job and two storybook-perfect children, Lucy can’t believe this is real. As she begins to embrace new relationships and the perks of maturity, Lucy will have to ask herself: Can she go back to her previous life? If so, can she stand to leave the good part behind? Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

WHEN I'M DEAD: A Black Harbor Novel by Hannah Morrissey (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Andrew Eiden, Caitlin Kelly, Gary Tiedemann and Xe Sands
On a bone-chilling October night, Medical Examiner Rowan Winthorp investigates the death of her daughter’s best friend. Hours later, the tragedy hits even closer to home when she makes a devastating discovery --- her daughter, Chloe, is gone. But not without a trace. A morbid mosaic of clues forces Rowan and her husband to question how deeply they really knew their daughter. As they work closely to peel back the layers of this case, they begin to unearth disturbing details about Chloe and her secret transgressions…details that threaten to tear them apart. Amidst the noise of navigating her newfound grief and reconciling the sins of her past, an undeniable fact rings true for Rowan: karma has finally come to collect. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

HOME AT NIGHT: A Mercy Carr Mystery by Paula Munier (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Kathleen McInerney
It’s Halloween in Vermont, winter is coming, and five humans, two dogs and a cat are a crowd in Mercy Carr’s small cabin. She needs more room --- and she knows just the place: Grackle Tree Farm, with 30 acres of woods and wetlands and a Victorian manor to die for. They say it’s haunted by the ghosts of missing children and lost poets and a murderer or two, but Mercy loves it anyway. Even when Elvis finds a dead body in the library. A coded letter found on the victim points to a hidden treasure that may be worth a fortune (if it’s real). She and Captain Thrasher conduct a search of the old place --- and end up at the wrong end of a Glock. A masked man shoots Thrasher, and she and Elvis must take him down before he murders them all. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.

THE PREMONITION written by Banana Yoshimoto, translated by Asa Yoneda (Fiction)
Yayoi, a 19-year-old woman from a seemingly loving middle-class family, lately has been haunted by the feeling that she has forgotten something important from her childhood. Her premonition grows stronger day by day. As if led by it, she decides to move in with her mysterious aunt, Yukino. For as long as Yayoi can remember, Yukino has lived alone in an old gloomy single-family home. When she is not working, she spends all day in her pajamas, clipping her nails and trimming her split ends. She sometimes wakes Yayoi at 2am to be her drinking companion and watches Friday the 13th over and over to comfort herself. A child study desk, old stuffed animals --- things Yukino wants to forget --- are piled up in her backyard like a graveyard of her memories. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.

THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE WILD by Peggy Townsend (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Karissa Vacker
It’s summer in Alaska, and the light surrounding the shipping-container-turned-storage shed where Liv Russo is being held prisoner is fuzzy and gray. Around her is thick forest and jagged mountains. In front of her, across a clearing, is a low-slung cabin with a single window that spills a wash of yellow light onto bare ground. Illuminated in that light is the father of her child, a man she once loved. A man who is now her jailor. Liv vows to do anything to escape. Carrying her own secrets and a fierce need to protect her young son, Liv must navigate a new world where extreme weather, starvation and dangerous wildlife are not the only threats she faces. With winter's arrival imminent, she knows she must reckon with her past and the choices that brought her to the unforgiving Alaskan landscape if she is ever going to make it out alive. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

THE BELL IN THE FOG by Lev AC Rosen (Historical Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Vikas Adam
San Francisco, 1952. Detective Evander “Andy” Mills has started a new life for himself as a private detective, but his business hasn’t exactly taken off. It turns out that word spreads fast when you have a bad reputation, and no one in the queer community trusts him enough to ask an ex-cop for help. When James, an old flame from the war who had mysteriously disappeared, arrives in his offices above the Ruby, Andy wants to kick him out. But the job seems to be a simple case of blackmail, and Andy’s debts are piling up. He agrees to investigate, despite everything it stirs up. The case will take him back to the shadowy, closeted world of the Navy, and then out into the gay bars of the city, where the past rises up to meet him, like the swell of the ocean under a warship. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.

I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU YET by Jesse Q. Sutanto (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Yu-Li Alice Shen, Saskia Maarleveld, Leiana Bertrand and Eunice Wong
A struggling midlist writer, Jane feels trapped in an underwhelming marriage. There's only ever been one person she cared about: Thalia, her best and only friend nearly a decade ago during their Creative Writing days at Oxford. But then one night ruined everything. The blood-soaked night that should have bound Thalia to Jane forever instead made her lose her completely. Thalia disappeared without a trace, and Jane has been unable to find her since. Until now. Because there she is, her name at the top of the New York Times bestseller list: A Most Pleasant Death by Thalia Ashcroft. When she discovers a post from Thalia on her website about attending a book convention in New York City in a week --- “Can’t wait to see you there!” --- Jane can’t wait either. Jane won’t lose Thalia again. Reviewed by Christine M. Irvin.

THE PRINCESS by Wendy Holden (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Mary Jane Wells
Britain, 1961: A beautiful blonde baby is born to Viscount Althorp, heir to the Spencer earldom. But Diana grows up amid the fallout of her parents’ messy divorce. She struggles at school. Her refuge throughout is romantic novels. She dreams of falling in love and being rescued by a handsome prince. In royal circles, there is concern about the Prince of Wales. Charles is nearing 30, and the right girl needs to be found, fast. She must be young, aristocratic and completely free of past liaisons. Pure and innocent. Eighteen-year-old Diana Spencer is just about the only candidate. Her yearning to be loved dovetails with royal desperation for a bride. But the route to the altar is perilous. There are hidden dangers. Ruthless schemers. Can Diana’s romantic dream survive? Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.

FACE OF GREED by James L'Etoile (Mystery/Thriller)
When a prominent Sacramento businessman is killed and his wife injured in a brutal home invasion, Detective Emily Hunter and her partner, Javier Medina, are called to investigate. At first glance, it seems like a crime of opportunity gone horribly wrong, but Emily soon finds there might be more to both the crime and the dead man. The high-stakes investigation also comes at a time when Emily is caring for her mother, who has early-onset Alzheimer’s, and Emily struggles to balance her job with her personal life. The city’s political elite seem to want the case solved quickly, but darker forces want it buried. Could there have been a motive behind the attack, making it more than a random home invasion? Emily uncovers clues that cause her to reconsider her understanding of the crime. Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.

Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on November 14th

Below are some notable titles releasing on November 14th 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 November 13th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.

DAY by Michael Cunningham (Fiction)
From the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of THE HOURS comes a “quietly stunning” (Ocean Vuong) exploration of love and loss, the struggles and limitations of family life --- and how we all must learn to live together and apart.

THE EDGE: A 6:20 Man Thriller by David Baldacci (Thriller)
The 6:20 Man is back, dropped by his handlers into a small coastal town in Maine to solve the murder of a CIA agent who knew America’s dirtiest secrets. Can Travis Devine uncover the truth before his time runs out?

THE LITTLE LIAR by Mitch Albom (Historical Fiction)
Beloved bestselling author Mitch Albom returns with a powerful novel that moves from a coastal Greek city during the Holocaust, to America, where the intertwined lives of three survivors are forever changed by the perils of deception and the grace of redemption.

PAST LYING: A Karen Pirie Novel by Val McDermid (Mystery/Thriller)
In this superb new addition to Val McDermid’s masterful crime series, DCI Karen Pirie returns in a propulsive thriller of deceit and vengeance, set against the disquiet of a global pandemic.

SISTER OF STARLIT SEAS by Terry Brooks (Fantasy)
A rebellious young heroine begins a voyage of self-discovery in the third novel of an epic fantasy series set in the world of Viridian Deep, from the legendary author of the Shannara saga.

SO LATE IN THE DAY: Stories of Women and Men by Claire Keegan (Fiction/Short Stories)
Celebrated for her powerful short fiction, Claire Keegan now gifts us three exquisite stories together forming a brilliant examination of gender dynamics and an arc from her earliest to her most recent work.

UHTRED'S FEAST: Inside the World of The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell with Suzanne Pollak (Historical Fiction/Social History)
In this engaging social history, New York Times bestselling author Bernard Cornwell completes his epic Last Kingdom series with this companion book featuring three exclusive short stories and 60 recipes that bring Uhtred’s world to life as never before.

A VERY INCONVENIENT SCANDAL by Jacquelyn Mitchard (Fiction)
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jacquelyn Mitchard comes a page-turning family drama that explores the emotional consequences of loyalty, deception and jealousy.

Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.

From left to right: Ariel Djanikian, Dirk Cussler, Tess Gerritsen

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.

Saturday, November 11th at 6pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Join Poisoned Pen for a special celebration of the 50th anniversary of Clive Cussler's first Dirk Pitt adventure, THE MEDITERRANEAN CAPER. The event will be hosted by Dirk Cussler, whose new Dirk Pitt thriller is THE CORSICAN SHADOW, and will feature special guests Graham Brown, Jack DuBrul and Mike Maden.

Tuesday, November 14th at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble Book Club: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome Ariel Djanikian for a live virtual event to discuss THE PROSPECTORS, October'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, November 15th 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 Tess Gerritsen about her latest book, THE SPY COAST, a fresh take on the spy thriller featuring a retired CIA operative in small-town Maine who tackles the ghosts of her past.

 "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:

• Tess Gerritsen (THE SPY COAST) Video | Podcast

Other authors we've interviewed include:

• Ashley Audrain (THE WHISPERS) Video | Podcast
• Melanie Benjamin (CALIFORNIA GOLDEN) Video | Podcast
• Alli Frank and Asha Youmans (THE BETTER HALF) Video | Podcast
• Naomi Hirahara (EVERGREEN: A Japantown Mystery) Video | Podcast
• Angie Kim (HAPPINESS FALLS) Video | Podcast
• Jessica Knoll (BRIGHT YOUNG WOMEN) Video | Podcast
• William Kent Krueger (THE RIVER WE REMEMBER) Video | Podcast
• Jean Kwok (THE LEFTOVER WOMAN) Video | Podcast
• Tracey Lange (THE CONNELLYS OF COUNTY DOWN) Video | Podcast
• Shari Lapena (EVERYONE HERE IS LYING) Video | Podcast
• Liz Nugent (STRANGE SALLY DIAMOND) Video | Podcast
• Sarah Pekkanen (GONE TONIGHT) Video | Podcast
• John Sargent (TURNING PAGES: The Adventures and Misadventures of a Publisher)
  Video | Podcast
• Thrity Umrigar (THE MUSEUM OF FAILURES) Video | Podcast
• Sharon Virts (VEIL OF DOUBT) Video | Podcast

Upcoming interviews include:

• Douglas Brunt (THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF RUDOLF DIESEL: Genius, Power, and Deception on the Eve of World War I)

Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.

Our Latest Poll:
November Fiction Releases to Anticipate

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