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A Fun Author Lunch...and a Bit of a Rant
First: Something New! Our Events Newsletter
As many of you know, over the past few years, we have increased the number of virtual events that we are offering to readers. We have a rather huge invite list that has become unwieldy to write via regular email. Thus, we now have an Events Newsletter, which we will send around the first of the month. While we mention our events in this newsletter, if you want to plan a couple of months ahead, sign up here for our new Events Newsletter. It will come from Events@thebookreportnetwork.com, so drop that address in your address book!
Yesterday I left my desk (which is shocking around here), got in my car (which I don't do as much anymore, so that means I can go more than a month on a tank of gas), and drove into the city for an author lunch, my first since 2020. And what a treat it was. I heard about three terrific books --- THE WIVES: A Memoir by Simone Gorrindo (on sale April 9th), THE LION WOMEN OF TEHRAN by Marjan Kamali (on sale July 2nd; I loved her last book, THE STATIONERY SHOP), and JFK, Jr.: An Intimate Oral Biography by RoseMarie Terenzio and Liz McNeil (on sale July 16th) --- and enjoyed some great table conversation with media and publishing colleagues. I look forward to interviewing all of these authors, as well as reading their books. May there be more occasions like this!
In 1997, a year after we launched The Book Report on AOL, we started a site for teens and the following year a site for kids. We had adult-moderated chat rooms and message boards, and kids and teens would come home after school, log on and talk about...books! Our chat crew was trained and taught them internet safety, as well as hosting bookish conversations. Then COPPA, the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, came along. Suddenly what we did was considered to be marketing to kids and teens, and we had to shut down these features.
These days, I watch kids and teens creating all kinds of content on social media, and I think: Now who is marketing to whom? And whatever happened to COPPA? Know that every time I see a new study about how much time is spent by teens on social media and how this needs to stop as it is harmful (and let's get real, there are a lot of tweens on these channels as well), I think back to those days when we safely talked...books! I am wondering when the COPPA law went poof since you cannot tell me that kids and teens are not being marketed to online all day, every day!
On Wednesday night, we hosted our first “Bookaccino Live” Book Group event of 2024. Our guest was Lisa See, and she talked about her most recent book, LADY TAN’S CIRCLE OF WOMEN, which was a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick when it released last June. She explained how she came to discover Tan Yunxian, a female physician from 15th-century China, and why she decided to write a novel based on her extraordinary life.
Two readers, Debbie and Michelle, appeared on camera to ask Lisa about her interest in ancient Chinese medicine and the role of women in it, as well as how a new book idea comes to her. Michelle learned that Lisa’s mother, Carolyn See, wrote a book called MAKING A LITERARY LIFE and was curious to know if Lisa followed her mother’s writing advice.
We also fielded some fabulous questions from the audience that touched on a number of additional topics, including the book’s gorgeous cover and Lisa’s lovely necklaces, which an eagle-eyed reader noticed she wears to all of her events. Plus, Lisa shared a shoe that would have been worn on a bound foot! Our attendees hailed from 37 states and Canada, which we were thrilled to see. Click here to watch the video or here to listen to the podcast.
I am so excited to announce that Shelby Van Pelt will be our next “Bookaccino Live” Book Group guest. The event will be held on Wednesday, February 28th at 8pm ET, and you can sign up here for it. We will be talking about her debut novel, REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES, which was an instant New York Times bestseller and a “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club pick when it released in 2022.
Just as we did on Wednesday night, there will be a two-part Q&A session after I talk to Shelby. For the first part, those who are asking a question “on camera” will be featured. This includes spending time with Shelby 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 "Shelby" by noon ET on February 28th. 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.
Back in November, we gave 25 readers the chance to win an advance copy of Kristin Hannah’s upcoming novel, THE WOMEN, and let us know their thoughts on it. We received terrific feedback on the book, which releases on February 6th and will be a Bets On selection. Click here to take a look at those comments. I cannot wait for more of you to read it!
The winners also submitted questions for Kristin, many of which I will be asking her during a LIVE “Bookreporter Talks To” interview on Wednesday, March 6th at 7pm ET. We also are giving them the option of asking their questions on camera. We will share the signup link to this special evening event in a couple of weeks, but we wanted to let you know about it now so you have it on your radar.
I am looking forward to seeing Kristin at her tour stop in New York City at Symphony Space on Thursday, February 8th at 7pm. She will be in conversation with novelist, editor and columnist Elisabeth Egan (A WINDOW OPENS), with a performance from the novel by Amy Ryan (“Only Murders in the Building”). Let me know if you plan to be there as well!
Debbie, who won a copy of THE WOMEN, sent us the picture that you see above. She wrote, “Such a great book, which brought back so many memories of the Vietnam War and the discord in this country. My sister became an Army nurse in the mid-’70s. The quilt that is in this picture is an American flag quilt that she made me.” The quilt is beautiful, and we love that Debbie included her dog in the photo, along with the book!
And speaking of contest winners, above is a picture of Jill from Rochester Hills, MI, who won all 44 of my Bets On picks from 2023. She could not believe that she was the Grand Prize winner in our End-of-the-Year Contest, as you can see from this note I received from her right after we sent last Friday’s newsletter announcing that she was the winner.
“Oh my gosh, Carol. I am so shocked and thrilled beyond words to have won the Grand Prize of 44 books!!! I love reading your newsletters in bed, and when I saw my name, I threw the covers off and ran downstairs to tell my husband. I am in two book clubs that meet monthly (and I have told them about your newsletters, videos, podcasts, etc.). It will be exciting for all of them too, as I definitely will share with them.
“Also, I am purchasing through our local library a Little Free Library, a book-sharing exchange based on the notion of ‘take a book, return a book.’ Now I will have stock to refill as needed. Thank you all for the work you do to keep us abreast of new books coming out, plus all the interviews of authors, etc. I so very much appreciate you all, and thank you for my wonderful gift.”
Jill, thank YOU for sharing this photo and spreading the word about what we do. We truly appreciate your support. Happy reading!
If you also were a winner in our year-end contest, feel free to send us a picture!
Daisy Goodwin, whose bestselling books include THE AMERICAN HEIRESS, THE FORTUNE HUNTER and VICTORIA, is back with her first novel in eight years. DIVA tells the story of the scandalous love affair between Maria Callas, the most celebrated opera singer of all time, and Aristotle Onassis, one of the richest men in the world.
Katherine B. Weissman has our review and says, “Callas’ personality and talent make a rich subject, and anyone who loves her music and is intrigued by her colorful ‘private’ life will be drawn in by this book. I was especially interested in the idea that her passionate relationship with Onassis gave her new insights into powerful operatic characters like Norma and Tosca.” I am a huge fan of Daisy's work and look forward to getting my hands on this one!
FAMILY FAMILY is the fifth novel from Laurie Frankel, whose previous works of fiction include THIS IS HOW IT ALWAYS IS and ONE TWO THREE. While promoting her most recent movie, a film about adoption, India Allwood does something she knows you should never, ever do --- she tells a journalist the truth.
According to our reviewer Jana Siciliano, “FAMILY FAMILY whizzes back and forth in time. It has a 'ripped-from-the-headlines' feel to it, with the cancel culture of our contemporary society getting a solid look-see.... The novel is fun, compelling and works hard to address how life is lived under constant scrutiny. It would make for a great vacation read. So for those of you lucky enough to head to warmer climes this winter, FAMILY FAMILY will need a place in your suitcase.”
Word of Mouth Reminder
DIVA and FAMILY FAMILY are our current Word of Mouth prizes. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read by Friday, February 2nd at noon ET, and you’ll be in the running to win both these titles.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
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RANDOM IN DEATH: In J. D. Robb’s new thriller featuring NYPSD Lieutenant Eve Dallas, a small and easily concealed weapon wreaks havoc --- and the killer is just a face in the crowd.
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ONLY IF YOU’RE LUCKY: This lyrical, dark academia novel from Stacy Willingham --- whose previous books are A FLICKER IN THE DARK and ALL THE DANGEROUS THINGS --- captures the adrenaline-filled insides of female friendships in those all-important early years of college.
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FRONT SIGHT: This collection of three interconnected novellas from Pulitzer Prize winner Stephen Hunter follows each generation of the iconic Swagger family --- grandfather Charles, father Earl and fan favorite hero Bob Lee.
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GOODBYE GIRL: A contentious intellectual piracy case leads to an unsolved murder, and Jack Swyteck’s client --- a pop music icon --- is the accused killer in James Grippando’s 18th legal thriller featuring the famed Miami criminal defense lawyer.
Winter Reading Update
We launched our Winter Reading contests this week by giving away THE LAST SUMMER AT CHELSEA BEACH by Pam Jenoff. Our next prize book will be Hank Phillippi Ryan’s new psychological thriller, ONE WRONG WORD, which will be in stores on February 6th. The giveaway will be up on Tuesday, February 13th at noon ET.
Remember to Vote in Our Poll
Our poll continues to ask which of 30 titles releasing in paperback this month you have read or are planning to read. Click here to let us know.
The finalists for the 2023 National Book Critics Circle Awards have been announced in six categories: Autobiography, Biography, Criticism, Fiction, Nonfiction and Poetry. Among the nominees are HOW TO SAY BABYLON: A Memoir by Safiya Sinclair (Autobiography), KING: A Life by Jonathan Eig (Biography), DOPPELGANGER: A Trip into the Mirror World by Naomi Klein (Criticism), and I AM HOMELESS IF THIS IS NOT MY HOME by Lorrie Moore (Fiction).
Other announcements include two lifetime achievement awards, the NBCC Service Award, the winner and finalists for the Nona Balakian Citation, the finalists for the John Leonard Prize for Best First Book, and the shortlist for the Gregg Barrios Book in Translation Prize. Click here for all the nominees. The awards will be presented on March 21st at the New School in New York City, in a ceremony that will be free and open to the public.
Also announced this week were the winners of the 2024 Andrew Carnegie Medals. THE BERRY PICKERS by Amanda Peters (a Bets On pick) won the Fiction medal, while the Nonfiction medal was awarded to WE WERE ONCE A FAMILY: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal in America by Roxanna Asgarian. These awards “serve as a guide to help adults select quality reading material. They are the first single-book awards for adult books given by the American Library Association and reflect the expert judgment and insight of library professionals who work closely with adult readers.” If you missed my interview with Amanda Peters, be sure to watch or listen to it.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail: Carolyn wrote, “Talking about Susi, who reads a book a week: I can do that easily. I am retired. I read Stuart Woods' Stone Barrington series. They're easy to read and fast-moving. I do forget what has been read, but I am rereading the series. I remember some things, but there's a lot I don’t. I love your column. There are interesting things there, so keep writing it.”
Thanks to the many readers who shared the name of their local yarn shop. I still am noodling what I would like to do with these stores, so keep the names of those stores coming.
“Reacher” on Amazon Prime Video: I finished season two the other night. I love the camaraderie of the team, though I still thought the sound and video were off!
Society of the Snow on Netflix, as well as Society of the Snow: Who Were We on the Mountain?, also on Netflix. Both are terrific, but I recommend watching the latter first. It will have you appreciating the former even more.
This is what I call “My Marble Cake Birthday Week,” as both of my sons have birthdays within five days of each other. So triple-level cakes with chocolate frosting are on the agenda. It is easier than all of those years when we baked cakes in shapes. Ah, the cake pans that we have here! I think one of my favorites was the year we built a complete Thomas the Tank Engine train set with engines, cars and tracks. Between birthday parties and Halloween, Tom and I were pretty creative!
There will be football to watch on Sunday! For the rest of the weekend, I am dreaming about sitting with my feet up and reading. There are so many books that are calling my name from my bookshelves. I long for a lazy Saturday and Sunday. I feel like January has been something like 90 days long...and so many people have been telling me the same thing!
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: DIVA by Daisy Goodwin
DIVA by Daisy Goodwin (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Lorelei King
In the glittering and ruthlessly competitive world of opera, Maria Callas was known simply as la divina: the divine one. But her fame was hard-won. Raised in Nazi-occupied Greece by a mother who mercilessly exploited her golden voice, she learned early in life to protect herself from those who would use her for their own ends. When she met the fabulously rich Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, for the first time in her life, she believed she’d found someone who saw the woman within the legendary soprano. She fell desperately in love. And then suddenly, it was over. The international press announced that Aristotle Onassis would marry the most famous woman in the world, former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, leaving Maria to pick up the pieces. Reviewed by Katherine B. Weissman.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: FAMILY FAMILY by Laurie Frankel
FAMILY FAMILY by Laurie Frankel (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Patti Murin
India Allwood grew up wanting to be an actor. Armed with a stack of index cards (for research/line memorization/make-shift confetti), she goes from awkward 16-year-old to Broadway ingenue to TV superhero. Her new movie is a prestige picture about adoption, but its spin is the same old tired story of tragedy. India is an adoptive mom in real life, though. She wants everyone to know there’s more to her family than pain and regret. So she does something you should never do --- she tells a journalist the truth: it’s a bad movie. Soon she’s at the center of a media storm, battling accusations from the press and the paparazzi. Her twin 10-year-olds know they need help --- and who better to call than family? But that’s where it gets really messy because India is not just an adoptive mother. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: RANDOM IN DEATH by J. D. Robb
RANDOM IN DEATH by J. D. Robb (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Susan Ericksen
Jenna is at a New York club with her best friends, watching the legendary band Avenue A. From the stage, guitarist Jake Kincade catches her eye and smiles. It’s the best night of her life. It’s also the last night of her life. Minutes later, Jake is in the alley getting some fresh air, and the girl from the dance floor comes stumbling out, sick and confused and deathly pale. He tries to help, but it’s no use. He doesn’t know that someone in the crowd has jabbed her with a needle --- and when his girlfriend Nadine arrives, she knows the only thing left to do for the girl is call her friend, Lieutenant Eve Dallas. There are no obvious clues why this levelheaded 16-year-old would be targeted. If Jenna was just the random, unlucky victim of a madman consumed by hatred, there are likely more deaths to come. Reviewed by Jennifer McCord.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
New Special Feature:
Readers Comment on THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah,
an Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
Releasing on February 6th
Last November, 25 readers won an advance copy of THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah, which releases on February 6th and will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. We asked them to read the book and let us know their thoughts on it. We are happy to share their comments with you here. Many thanks to all who took the time to give us such wonderful feedback.
THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah (Historical Fiction)
“Women can be heroes, too.” When 20-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these unexpected words, it is a revelation. Raised on idyllic Coronado Island and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing and being a good girl. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly imagines a different choice for her life. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she impulsively joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path. As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war, as well as the unexpected trauma of coming home to a changed and politically divided America.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to visit Kristin Hannah's website.
- Click here to see Kristin Hannah's tour dates.
Click here for readers' comments about the book.
Featured Review: ONLY IF YOU’RE LUCKY
by Stacy Willingham
ONLY IF YOU'RE LUCKY by Stacy Willingham (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Karissa Vacker
Lucy Sharpe is larger than life. Especially for shy, unassuming Margot, who meets Lucy at the end of their freshman year at a liberal arts college in South Carolina. But when Lucy asks her to room together, something in Margot can't say no. And so she finds herself living in an off-campus house with three other girls: Lucy, the ringleader; Sloane, the sarcastic one; and Nicole, the nice one. It's a year that finds Margot finally coming out of the shell she's been in since the end of high school, when her best friend Eliza died three weeks after graduation. Margot and Lucy have become the closest of friends, but by the middle of their sophomore year, one of the fraternity boys from the house next door has been brutally murdered... and Lucy Sharpe is missing without a trace. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: FRONT SIGHT by Stephen Hunter
FRONT SIGHT: Three Swagger Novellas by Stephen Hunter (Political/Historical Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Eric G. Dove
This collection of three interconnected novellas follows each generation of the iconic Swagger family. In “City of Meat,” Charles Swagger is on the hunt for notorious bank robber Baby Face Nelson when he traces a tip to the Chicago stock yards. While there, he’s brutally assaulted and discovers that the madman who attacked him is involved in a nearby narcotics ring. Earl Swagger investigates a violent bank robbery in “Johnny Tuesday” that left two dead and a fortune missing in small-town Maryland. At every turn, however, he’s met with silence and hostility from the townsfolk. Finally, in “Five Dolls for the Gut Hook,” a 32-year-old Bob Lee Swagger is back from Vietnam nearly broken over good men lost for nothing. But one afternoon he’s wakened from his nightmares by two men with a problem. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: GOODBYE GIRL by James Grippando
GOODBYE GIRL: A Jack Swyteck Novel by James Grippando (Legal Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Jonathan Davis
Jack Swyteck’s latest client, Imani Nichols, is a Grammy-winning pop star whose career has skyrocketed. Despite her success, she’s the most underpaid superstar on the planet because of an onerous record contract she signed as a teenager with her now ex-husband, Shaky Nichols. Preferring to see thieves profit from her music than let her ex-husband pocket one more dime, Imani takes to social media and tells her millions of fans to “go pirate” and download her music illegally. Her hardball tactic leads to scorched-earth litigation, and now she needs Jack’s help. The case takes a deadly turn when salacious allegations of infidelity send Imani and Shaky down a path of mutual assured destruction, each implicating the other in the unsolved murder of Imani’s extramarital lover 12 years ago. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com's Ninth Annual
Winter Reading Contests and Feature
Our Winter Reading contests have returned for a ninth year! On select days in January and February, we are hosting a series of 24-hour contests spotlighting a book releasing this winter and giving five lucky readers the chance to win it. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here.
Our next prize book will be announced on Tuesday, February 13th at noon ET.
This year's contest titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
What’s New This Month on ReadingGroupGuides.com
Our Reader-Selected Best Books of 2023
Recently, we asked you to tell us your favorite book that you read with your book group and your favorite book that you read outside your group last year. The top 10 results in each category are in! The #1 pick in the first category (book read with your group) is LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY by Bonnie Garmus, while the top selection in the second category (book read outside your group) is THE RIVER WE REMEMBER by William Kent Krueger. Click here for our reader-selected best books of 2023.
A special congratulations to our contest winner, Loralee K. from Castle Rock, CO, who won six books releasing this year that we think will be great for book group discussions: FINDING MARGARET FULLER by Allison Pataki, FIRST LIE WINS by Ashley Elston, SLOW NOODLES: A Cambodian Memoir of Love, Loss, and Family Recipes by Chantha Nguon with Kim Green, THE STORM WE MADE by Vanessa Chan, WHAT HAPPENED TO NINA? by Dervla McTiernan, and THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah.
Most Requested Guides of 2023
We took a look at all of the guides that you accessed last year, and from there we pulled together a list of the top 30 titles. Your #1 most requested guide from 2023 is DEMON COPPERHEAD by Barbara Kingsolver. Rounding out the top five are HORSE by Geraldine Brooks, HELLO BEAUTIFUL by Ann Napolitano, MAD HONEY by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan, and THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. We love seeing which books resonated the most with you and your group! Click here for the most requested guides of 2023.
Here are our latest featured guides:
Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:
Click here to visit ReadingGroupGuides.com.
NO ONE CAN KNOW by Kate Alice Marshall (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Karissa Vacker
Fourteen years ago, the Palmer sisters --- Emma, Juliette and Daphne --- left their home in Arden Hills and never returned. But when Emma discovers she’s pregnant and her husband loses his job, she has no option but to return to the house that she and her estranged sisters still own...and where their parents were murdered. Emma has never told anyone what she saw the night her parents died, even when she became the prime suspect. But her presence in the house threatens to uncover secrets that have stayed hidden for years, and the sisters are drawn together once again. As they face their memories of the past, rivalries restart, connections are forged, and, for the first time, Emma starts to ask questions about what really happened that night. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
THE CLINIC by Cate Quinn (Psychological Thriller)
Meg works for a casino in LA, catching cheaters and popping a few too many pain pills to cope, following a far different path than her sister Haley, a famous actress. But suddenly reports surface of Haley dying at the remote rehab facility where she had been forced to go to get her addictions under control. There are whispers of suicide, but Meg can't believe it. She decides that the best way to find out what happened to her sister is to check in herself --- to investigate what really happened from the inside. Battling her own addictions and figuring out the truth will be much more difficult than she imagined, far away from friends, family --- and anyone who could help her. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
THE BULLET SWALLOWER by Elizabeth Gonzalez James (Western/Magical Realism)
Audiobook available, read by Lee Osorio
In 1895, Antonio Sonoro is the latest in a long line of ruthless men. A drought has ravaged the town of Dorado, Mexico, where he lives with his wife and children. So when he hears about a train laden with gold and other treasures, he sets off for Houston to rob it. But when the heist goes awry and his younger brother, Hugo, is killed by the Texas Rangers, Antonio finds himself launched into a quest for revenge. In 1964, Jaime Sonoro is Mexico’s most renowned actor and singer. But his comfortable life is disrupted when he discovers a book that purports to tell the entire history of his family beginning with Cain and Abel. Jaime realizes that he may be the one who has to pay for his ancestors’ crimes unless he can discover the true story of his grandfather Antonio, the legendary bandido El Tragabalas, The Bullet Swallower. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
NORTHWOODS by Amy Pease (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Chris Henry Coffey with Zac Aleman
Eli North is not okay. His drinking is getting worse by the day, his emotional wounds after a deployment to Afghanistan are as raw as ever, his marriage and career are over, and the only job he can hold down is with the local sheriff’s department. And that’s only because the sheriff is his mother --- and she’s overwhelmed with small town Shaky Lake’s dwindling budget and the fallout from the opioid epidemic. The Northwoods of Wisconsin may be a vacationer’s paradise, but amidst the fishing trips and campfires and Paul Bunyan festivals, something sinister is taking shape. When the body of a teenage boy is found in the lake, it sets in motion an investigation that leads Eli to a wealthy enclave with a violent past, a pharmaceutical salesman and a missing teenage girl. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
THE WHARTON PLOT by Mariah Fredericks (Historical Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Kitty Hendrix
New York City, 1911. Finding herself at a crossroads with both her marriage and her writing, Edith Wharton makes the decision to leave America, her publisher and her loveless marriage. And then, dashing novelist David Graham Phillips --- a writer with often notorious ideas about society and women’s place in it --- is shot to death outside the Princeton Club. Edith herself met the man only once, when the two formed a mutual distaste over tea in the Palm Court of the Belmont hotel. When Phillips is killed, Edith's life takes another turn. His sister is convinced Graham was killed by someone determined to stop the publication of his next book, which promised to uncover secrets that powerful people rather would have stayed hidden. Though unconvinced, Edith is curious. What kind of book could push someone to kill? Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
THIS PLAGUE OF SOULS by Mike McCormack (Noir/Metaphysical Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Dan Murphy
Nealon returns from prison to his house in the West of Ireland to find it empty. No heat or light, no sign of his wife or child. It is as if the world has forgotten or erased him. Then he starts getting calls from a man who claims to know what's happened to his family --- a man who will tell Nealon all he needs to know in return for a single meeting. In a hotel lobby, in the shadow of an unfolding terrorist attack, Nealon and the man embark on a conversation shot through with secrets and evasions, a verbal game of cat and mouse that leaps from Nealon's past and childhood to the motives driving a series of international crimes launched against "a world so wretched it can only be redeemed by an act of revenge." Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
MIDNIGHT CLIMAX: A Kats Takemoto Novel by Peter Kageyama (Historical Mystery)
Kats Takemoto, the nisei private detective from HUNTERS POINT, returns to investigate the murder of a young Chinese girl, killed in a covert CIA brothel in the heart of San Francisco. Her family, members of a Tong, a powerful Chinatown gang, demand vengeance that threatens to start an all-out war in Chinatown unless Kats can discover the truth behind the slaying. Along the way, he will discover a personal connection to the suspected killer, a fellow veteran who was tortured and experimented on, turning him into a lethal weapon and a ticking bomb. Kats and his friends race to find this soldier before the government and the rival Tong gangs spiral into more bloodshed. Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro.
UNBURDENED: A Lenten Journey Toward Forgiveness by Carol Penner (Devotional)
When harmful words or actions lead to broken relationships, we often aim for forgiveness. But forgiveness can be elusive. Sometimes it can take our whole lives to forgive those who have harmed us. Sometimes we may never manage it. And when we are the ones responsible for rupture, we may long for a reconciliation that doesn’t come. Lent is a time to reflect on how Jesus frees us from the burden of sin, both personal and communal. It’s a time to orient ourselves toward Easter and the possibility of new life in Christ. UNBURDENED invites readers to hear God’s call to move away from brokenness and into the healing and hope of the resurrection. Author Carol Penner draws on her experiences as a pastor, chaplain and theologian to help readers navigate the forgiveness journey. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
Next Week's Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on
January 30th and February 1st
Below are some notable titles releasing on January 30th and February 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 January 29th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
January 30th
BELONGING by Jill Fordyce (Fiction)
Spanning three decades, BELONGING is a heartbreaking and hopeful coming-of-age story that traverses lifelong friendship, first love and a young woman’s fierce desire to transcend her traumatic childhood.
COME AND GET IT by Kiley Reid (Fiction)
From the celebrated New York Times bestselling author of SUCH A FUN AGE comes a fresh and provocative story about a residential assistant and her messy entanglement with a professor and three unruly students.
EVERYONE ON THIS TRAIN IS A SUSPECT by Benjamin Stevenson (Mystery)
From the bestselling author of EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE comes a fiendishly fun locked room (train) murder mystery perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Anthony Horowitz.
GOOD MATERIAL by Dolly Alderton (Fiction)
From the New York Times bestselling author of GHOSTS and EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT LOVE comes a story of heartbreak and friendship and how to survive both.
HOUSE OF FLAME AND SHADOW: A Crescent City Novel by Sarah J. Maas (Fantasy/Romance)
This stunning third book in Sarah J. Maas' sexy, action-packed Crescent City series follows the global bestsellers HOUSE OF EARTH AND BLOOD and HOUSE OF SKY AND BREATH.
MISSING PERSONS: A Private Novel by James Patterson, with Adam Hamdy (Thriller)
In Afghanistan, a US pilot is shot down during a covert mission. In New York, a mother is forced to flee with her two young children. Finding the connection between the two will lead the Private team right into a deadly trap.
MOCKINGBIRD SUMMER by Lynda Rutledge (Historical Fiction)
MOCKINGBIRD SUMMER is a powerful and emotional coming-of-age novel set amid the turmoil and profound changes of the 1960s by the bestselling author of WEST WITH GIRAFFES.
ONE HOUR OF FERVOR written by Muriel Barbery, translated by Alison Anderson (Fiction)
From the bestselling author of THE ELEGANCE OF THE HEDGEHOG comes a family story with a difference, a novel about the decisions one makes and the destiny they determine by one of Europe’s most brilliant and stylistically subtle authors.
February 1st
THE BAD WEATHER FRIEND by Dean Koontz (Thriller/Adventure)
Benny is so nice they feel compelled to destroy him, but he has a friend who should scare the hell out of them in this breathtaking new kind of thriller by the #1 New York Times bestselling master of suspense, Dean Koontz.
LAST NIGHT by Luanne Rice (Domestic Thriller/Mystery)
From the Amazon Charts and New York Times bestselling author of THE SHADOW BOX and LAST DAY comes a breathtaking thriller about a family shaken by lies, vengeance and a cold-blooded crime.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
From left to right: Mariah Fredericks, Benjamin Stevenson, Jennifer Moorman
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.
Monday, January 29th at 6pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Mariah Fredericks will talk to special guest host Karen Odden about her mesmerizing new novel, THE WHARTON PLOT, which follows renowned novelist Edith Wharton in the twilight years of the Gilded Age in New York as she tracks a killer.
Wednesday, January 31st at 6pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Benjamin Stevenson will talk about his second mystery novel, EVERYONE ON THIS TRAIN IS A SUSPECT, following the 2023 publication of the indie darling EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE.
Wednesday, January 31st 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 Jennifer Moorman about her latest enchanting novel, THE MAGIC ALL AROUND.
"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:
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll: January Paperback Releases to Anticipate
Which of the following titles releasing in paperback in January have you read or do you plan to read? Please check all that apply.
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THE 9th MAN: A Luke Daniels Thriller, by Steve Berry with Grant Blackwood
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AFTER DEATH by Dean Koontz
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AFTER SAPPHO by Selby Wynn Schwartz
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AGE OF VICE by Deepti Kapoor
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ALL THE DANGEROUS THINGS by Stacy Willingham
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THE BAD ANGEL BROTHERS by Paul Theroux
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CHAIN-GANG ALL-STARS by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
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CHILDREN OF THE STATE: Stories of Survival and Hope in the Juvenile Justice System, by Jeff Hobbs
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CODE 6 by James Grippando
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DEATH OF A TRAITOR: A Hamish Macbeth Murder Mystery, by M. C. Beaton with R.W. Green
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EVERY MAN A KING: A King Oliver Novel, by Walter Mosley
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EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY HAS KILLED SOMEONE by Benjamin Stevenson
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THE FARAWAY WORLD: Stories, by Patricia Engel
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FINLAY DONOVAN JUMPS THE GUN by Elle Cosimano
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A GUEST AT THE FEAST: Essays, by Colm Tóibín
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HELL BENT by Leigh Bardugo
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HORSE by Geraldine Brooks
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HOW TO SELL A HAUNTED HOUSE by Grady Hendrix
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JUST THE NICEST COUPLE by Mary Kubica
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THE LINDBERGH NANNY by Mariah Fredericks
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THE LOST ENGLISH GIRL by Julia Kelly
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LOYALTY by Lisa Scottoline
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THE NAZI CONSPIRACY: The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill, by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch
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REEF ROAD by Deborah Goodrich Royce
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SMALL WORLD by Laura Zigman
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SYMPHONY OF SECRETS by Brendan Slocumb
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UNRAVELING: What I Learned About Life While Shearing Sheep, Dyeing Wool, and Making the World's Ugliest Sweater, by Peggy Orenstein
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VICTORY CITY by Salman Rushdie
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THE WAY OF THE BEAR: A Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito Novel, by Anne Hillerman
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WHERE THE DEAD SLEEP by Joshua Moehling
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None of the above
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, February 2nd 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 January 19th to February 2nd at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of DIVA by Daisy Goodwin and FAMILY FAMILY by Laurie Frankel.
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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