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I love summer. I enjoy early morning swims, gardening, and reading in the pool or in the turquoise tent that we affectionately call “the Cleopatra tent.” I finally found some terrific dinner plate dahlias at the nursery. Last year, I bought two plants at another nursery that they swore were dinner plates, but they turned out to be regular-sized flowers, which was a disappointment. You can see what I am talking about above. Karyn, who has been doing a lot of planting for us, was here early this morning, working on a section that we bought plants for last week. But it was just too hot; the ground was way too dry.
We closed the office Wednesday for Juneteenth. It was nice to have time midweek to read. I finished Chris Whitaker’s ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK, and there is so much to talk about here. It ended up in a place that I love. So much happens that I feel like I need to re-read it now that I know the twists and surprises to see how they were laid out. There is a lot that I want to discuss with Chris; I am a huge fan of his. The book was just announced this week as a “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club pick for July, and Jenna's production company plans to develop it into a film. It is such a complex story that I have to see how this is done! Oh, and it will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection as you will want to see what Chris does here.
Then I started JACKIE by Dawn Tripp, which released this week. Yes, there have been many books about Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The novel opens with an author’s note where Dawn details how she found some photos of Jackie, which sent her down the rabbit hole of reading about Jackie for years before she started writing. And from the 75 pages that I have read so far, I am loving the perspective on how she is writing about the woman who needs only one name.
I am looking forward to reading THE GOD OF THE WOODS by Liz Moore, which comes out on July 2nd and is July's #1 Indie Next pick. I enjoyed Liz's previous book, LONG BRIGHT RIVER, for which I interviewed her four years ago. Yes, there are lots of great books coming this summer!
Speaking of which, in next week's newsletter, we will share the video of our “Bookaccino Live” Summer Preview evening program that we hosted last night. I talked about 55 books that are out now or soon to be released this summer that we want you to have on your radar. In the meantime, you can take a look at the titles included in the presentation here.
This is your last newsletter reminder to sign up for this month’s “Bookaccino Live” Book Group event, which will take place on Tuesday, June 25th at 8pm ET.
Our guest will be William Kent Krueger, and he will be talking about his New York Times bestseller, THE RIVER WE REMEMBER, a Bets On pick that is now available in paperback. In 1958, a small Minnesota town is rocked by a shocking murder, pouring fresh fuel on old grievances.
You can register for the event by clicking here. If you have a question for Kent, please email it to me using the subject line “Kent” by Tuesday at noon ET. Be sure to also include your name, city and state, and indicate if you’d like to be on camera during the event so you can ask Kent the question yourself, or if you’d prefer me to ask it for you. Those who appear on camera will be able to chat with Kent in our virtual green room before the program starts.
Our 13th Annual Book Group Speed Dating Event is Now Available for Viewing!
Earlier this month, we hosted our 13th Annual Book Group Speed Dating event for booksellers, librarians, book club leaders and bloggers. Representatives from six publishers presented 30 titles perfect for book groups that will be published between now and October. You can watch the event here --- and if you would like to hear from a specific publisher, we have included timestamps for each of them.
To learn more about the books, click here to access a PDF of the PowerPoint presentation of the featured titles, as well as an Excel spreadsheet that lists the books both by publisher and alphabetically by title, along with a sheet to take notes.
In MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, Riley Sager’s latest jaw-dropping thriller, a man must contend with the long-ago disappearance of his childhood best friend --- and the dark secrets lurking just beyond the safe confines of his picture-perfect neighborhood.
Ray Palen has our review and says, “Before the final answers are revealed, there will be some nice plot twists that will have readers scratching their heads. I figured out one of them, but at least two others completely blindsided me. This is what Riley Sager does so well. He sets up circumstances and characters you feel very comfortable with and then puts plenty of doubt in your mind about everyone and everything involved with his well-plotted story.”
Welcome to the opening weekend of The Manor, a luxury resort built on top of old secrets in an ancient wood. The Founder. The Husband. The Mystery Guest. The Kitchen Help. All have an agenda. All have a past. But not everyone will survive THE MIDNIGHT FEAST, a deliciously twisted new locked room murder mystery from Lucy Foley.
Norah Piehl has this to say in her review: “False identities, secrets and plans for revenge abound. Even if readers guess one or more of the mysteries, they surely will be surprised by others…. Obviously, the summer solstice season is the ideal time to read THE MIDNIGHT FEAST, but the good news is that it will keep you up at night no matter how many hours of daylight there are.”
THE FRIDAY AFTERNOON CLUB is Griffin Dunne’s much-talked-about memoir of growing up among larger-than-life characters in Hollywood and Manhattan. But this is no mere celebrity memoir. It’s essentially a family story that embraces the poignant absurdities and best and worst efforts of its lovable, infuriating, funny and moving characters --- its author most of all.
According to Philip Zozzaro in his review, “Griffin Dunne spares no emotions in bringing readers the lion’s share of his life story…. [He] possesses a self-deprecating manner in relating stories from both his youth and his adulthood…. A widely known veteran actor, Griffin Dunne showcases a real talent for writing. Frank, humorous and touching, THE FRIDAY AFTERNOON CLUB profiles a truly American family.”
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book on audio, and I highly recommend it as hearing Griffin's storytelling is just wonderful.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
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THE NEXT MRS. PARRISH: Daphne and Amber Parrish are thrust back into each other’s lives upon the resurgence of a long-forgotten threat, forcing a vicious game of cat and mouse where everything is on the line, in this highly anticipated sequel to Liv Constantine’s THE LAST MRS. PARRISH.
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FAMILIARIS: As we mentioned in last week’s newsletter, Oprah’s latest Book Club pick is this long-awaited follow-up to THE STORY OF EDGAR SAWTELLE (which also was an Oprah’s Book Club pick when it released in 2008). David Wroblewski has penned the stirring origin story of the Sawtelle family and the remarkable dogs that carry the Sawtelle name.
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SANDWICH: This moving, hilarious story of a family summer vacation full of secrets, lunch and learning to let go is this month’s Top LibraryReads Pick. Our reviewer Sarah Rachel Egelman calls Catherine Newman’s latest novel “tender-hearted in the best possible way and a revelation itself.”
I’m Betting You’ll Love…
SHELTERWOOD by Lisa Wingate is my latest Bets On pick. You can see my commentary here. If you missed my “Bookreporter Talks To” interview with Lisa from last week, be sure to watch or listen to it. We will share our review of the book in next week’s newsletter.
Revisiting Two “Bookreporter Talks To” Interviews
Out in paperback this week are EVERYONE HERE IS LYING by Shari Lapena and THE WIFE APP by Carolyn Mackler. I talked to Shari and Carolyn when their books came out in hardcover, so if you’d like to check out these interviews, you can watch the videos or listen to the podcasts using the links below.
Summer Reading Contest Update
In this week’s Summer Reading contest, we gave away BELONGING by Jill Fordyce. Next week’s prize will be HONEY by Isabel Banta, a debut novel that follows the meteoric rise of singer Amber Young as she navigates fame in the late-'90s and early-2000s era of pop music superstardom. The contest will be up at noon ET on the day of its release, Tuesday, June 25th.
Announcing Our Father’s Day Contest Winners
Congratulations to the five winners of our Father’s Day contest! These lucky readers will receive all seven of our featured titles:
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Bill S. from Upper Darby, PA
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Kathie G. from Avondale, PA
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Lydia B. from Cheboygan, MI
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Peter S. from Merrimack, NH
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Robert W. from Mechanicville, NY
Enter Our New Word of Mouth Contest
We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about. Let us know by Friday, July 12th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll have a chance to win the aforementioned ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK by Chris Whitaker and THE GOD OF THE WOODS by Liz Moore.
Vote in Our New Poll --- and Check Out Results from the Last Poll
When you go on vacation, what do you do about books? Do you bring them with you, purchase them along the way, or do you not read books on vacation? That’s the subject of our latest poll; cast your votes here by Friday, July 12th at noon ET.
With June being Audiobook Appreciation Month, we asked if you listen to audiobooks in our previous poll. Here are the results:
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I listen to digital downloads (47%)
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I listen to CDs (4%)
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I listen to both digital downloads and CDs (8%)
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I have not listened to an audiobook but would like to (5%)
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I have tried audiobooks and do not enjoy them (16%)
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I have no interest in listening to audiobooks (21%)
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Kathleen shared this feedback on last night's Summer Reading event: “It was a wonderful presentation! Thanks, Carol and Tom! Happy Reading! Now if I could just stay awake at night to read all these books!”
One of our readers this week wrote about the topic of negative reviews, and we are sharing her comments in full.
“A bit of background first. I am 66 years old. I have been a regular, avid reader since I was about 10. I currently read about 200 books a year in all genres with the exception of horror. In my retired mode, I have become active on BookTok, Instagram, Facebook and others, reviewing books. I read advance copies as well. At my age, it is a challenge to garner followers who are interested to hear what I have to say. I aim for the over-40 group. Regardless, I am a constant book reviewer and recommend books almost entirely. And no matter how many people listen to/read my reviews, I enjoy it tremendously. I try always to include both positive and negative in ALL book reviews regardless of the star rating. If I DNF a book, regardless of where it came from, I will not offer a rating but will state why I didn’t finish it.
“I read as a consumer of literature, not as a writer or editor or publisher or marketer! My POV helps readers decide if a book has interest to them. Will they beg, buy, borrow or steal this book? If I do not accurately represent my thoughts on a book, I have done a disservice to them and most definitely to myself. I am not a commercial. What’s the point of reviewing if we aren’t honest? It is not our job to protect the interests of the authors! That’s the proofreaders, the editors, the agents, the publishers! If they haven’t prepared the book and the author before it gets to the consumer, then it’s way too late for me to 'protect' them! And that’s unfair to readers! My job is to protect the interests of the reader. My job is to critique and give an honest review, good and bad.
“I have hundreds of responses to a negative review that state, 'This book is for me!'; 'Weird girl book! Yeah!'; 'I love reading 2-star books.' Our readers are much more intelligent and informed than we give them credit for! We know that reading is subjective, so write your reviews with that in the forefront always. Many people read low-rated books specifically because they WANT to read that type of story. If we present every book as only positive, our readers will call us out! You can’t love every book. It’s not possible. Misrepresentation is liable. I will reiterate that negative and positive go hand in hand. There is always something good to say, or you wouldn’t have picked the book up in the first place. But honesty is the best policy! Didn’t our moms tell us that before we could even read?”
From me... It is always interesting to read other opinions, but we are going to stay with our mantra that if our reviewers do not enjoy a book, they should not review it. Our reviewers select what they want to read. And Tom, our Editorial Director, works to match the right reviewer with the right book. As I know the tastes of many of them, I often say, “I think so-and-so will like this” if a book has not been selected and I have read it. Not everyone agrees with my Bets On picks, but I have no desire to discuss books that I did not enjoy. Sometimes it may be my mood, or where I am in life, that kept me from enjoying a book. There are a lot of books I like that do not sell as well as I wish they would, but here we are not going to spend time telling people what not to read. And I still wish that readers would consider how their opinions may be received on non-review sites before they voice them.
We watched “House of the Dragon” on Sunday night, and I understood the WHOLE THING. I asked my husband Tom no questions. I was so impressed with myself. Then we realized that we watched Season ONE: Episode One, not Season TWO: Episode One! I cannot make this stuff up. We will have to catch up this weekend.
According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, “The moon turns full tonight, a day after the summer solstice. It doesn’t happen often that the solstice falls within a day of the full moon --- only about once every 19 to 20 years, according to Space.com. That’s significant. Because the sun reaches its highest point in the sky with the solstice, the moon will appear lower in the sky and look bigger.” Next year, I think I am going to have a Summer Solstice party when it falls on a Friday.
I have a quiet weekend planned. It’s going to be HOT, and I really want to enjoy some floating in the pool while I read. There are so many books out these next two weeks that I cannot wait to read!
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: MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT by Riley Sager
MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT by Riley Sager (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Santino Fontana
One July night, 10-year-old Ethan and his best friend and neighbor, Billy, fell asleep in a tent on a manicured lawn in a quaint New Jersey cul-de-sac. In the morning, Ethan woke up alone. During the night, someone had sliced the tent open with a knife and taken Billy. He was never seen again. Thirty years later, Ethan has reluctantly returned to his childhood home. Someone seems to be roaming the cul-de-sac at odd hours, and signs of Billy’s presence keep appearing in Ethan’s backyard. Is someone playing a cruel prank? Or has Billy, long thought to be dead, somehow returned to Hemlock Circle? The closer Ethan gets to the truth, the more he realizes that no place --- be it quiet forest or suburban street --- is completely safe. And that the past has a way of haunting the present. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: THE MIDNIGHT FEAST by Lucy Foley
THE MIDNIGHT FEAST by Lucy Foley (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available; read by Joe Eyre, Sarah Slimani, Roly Botha, Laurence Dobiesz and Tuppence Middleton
It’s the opening night of The Manor, and no expense, small or large, has been spared. The infinity pool sparkles; crystal pouches for guests’ healing have been placed in the Seaside Cottages and Woodland Hutches; the “Manor Mule” cocktail (grapefruit, ginger, vodka and a dash of CBD oil) is being poured with a heavy hand. Everyone is wearing linen. But under the burning midsummer sun, darkness stirs. Old friends and enemies circulate among the guests. Just outside the Manor’s immaculately kept grounds, an ancient forest bristles with secrets. And the Sunday morning of opening weekend, the local police are called. Something’s not right with the guests. There’s been a fire. A body’s been discovered. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review:
THE FRIDAY AFTERNOON CLUB by Griffin Dunne
THE FRIDAY AFTERNOON CLUB: A Family Memoir by Griffin Dunne (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Griffin Dunne
Griffin Dunne’s memoir of growing up among larger-than-life characters in Hollywood and Manhattan finds wicked humor and glimmers of light in even the most painful of circumstances. In the midst of it all, Griffin’s 22-year-old sister, Dominique, was brutally strangled to death by her ex-boyfriend, leading to one of the most infamous public trials of the 1980s. The outcome was a travesty of justice that marked the beginning of their father Dominick Dunne’s career as a crime reporter for Vanity Fair and a victims' rights activist. But THE FRIDAY AFTERNOON CLUB is no mere celebrity memoir. It is, down to its bones, a family story that embraces the poignant absurdities and best and worst efforts of its lovable, infuriating, funny and moving characters --- its author most of all. Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
SHELTERWOOD by Lisa Wingate
SHELTERWOOD by Lisa Wingate (Historical Fiction)
I know little about Eastern Oklahoma, and I never have traveled there. But after reading SHELTERWOOD by Lisa Wingate, I would love to see this part of the country.
The book is set in two time frames. In 1909, we meet 11-year-old Olive Augusta Radley, who knows that the two Choctaw girls boarded in their home as wards are not safe around her stepfather. The older girl disappears, and shortly after, Ollie flees to the woods with the younger girl. After the passage of the Dawes Act, which gave every Indian man, woman and child land, the youngest of these inheritors were preyed upon by men who wanted to lay claim to their oil rights. Children were hidden in the woods in places like the Winding Stair Mountains. There they would forage for food and protect one another, setting up their own systems of order in which the older children would watch out for the younger ones.
- 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 watch our "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Lisa Wingate.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here to read more of Carol's Bets On commentary.
ReadingGroupGuides.com’s 13th Annual
Book Group Speed Dating Event:
Great Books for Book Groups
Featured Review: THE NEXT MRS. PARRISH
by Liv Constantine
THE NEXT MRS. PARRISH by Liv Constantine (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Raquel Beattie, Scott Brick, Suzanne Elise Freeman and Erin Bennett
Hard work and immaculate planning turned Amber Patterson Parrish from invisible wallflower to prominent socialite. Less than a year after her husband Jackson’s tax-evasion scandal, Amber reigns supreme over the Bishops Harbor community. But with Jackson being released from prison, Amber’s free time --- and money --- is vanishing. Meanwhile, Daphne Parrish left Bishops Harbor after her divorce from Jackson, swearing she would never go back. But when one of her daughters runs away from home, desperate to see her father, Daphne agrees to return for the summer for their daughters’ sake. When a ghost from Amber’s past emerges looking for revenge, these three figures find unlikely allies in one another. But who is playing who? Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: FAMILIARIS by David Wroblewski
Oprah’s Latest Book Club Pick
FAMILIARIS by David Wroblewski (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Richard Poe
It is spring 1919, and John Sawtelle's imagination has gotten him into trouble…again. Now John and his newlywed wife, Mary, along with their two best friends and their three dogs, are setting off for Wisconsin's north woods, where they hope to make a fresh start --- and, with a little luck, discover what it takes to live a life of meaning, purpose and adventure. But the place they are headed for is far stranger and more perilous than they realize, and it will take all their ingenuity, along with a few new friends --- human, animal and otherworldly --- to realize their dreams. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
- Click here to see why the book is Oprah's latest Book Club pick.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: SANDWICH by Catherine Newman
June’s Top LibraryReads Pick
SANDWICH by Catherine Newman (Fiction/Humor)
Audiobook available, read by Nan McNamara
For the past two decades, Rocky has looked forward to her family’s yearly escape to Cape Cod. Their humble beach-town rental has been the site of sweet memories, sunny days, great meals and messes of all kinds. This year’s vacation, with Rocky sandwiched between her half-grown kids and fully aging parents, promises to be just as delightful as summers past --- except, perhaps, for Rocky’s hormonal bouts of rage and melancholy. (Hello, menopause!) Her body is changing; her life is, too. And then a chain of events sends her into the past, reliving both the tenderness and sorrow of a handful of long-ago summers. And when Rocky comes face to face with her family’s history and future, she is forced to accept that she can no longer hide her secrets from the people she loves. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com's 20th Annual
Summer Reading Contests and Feature
Summer is here! At Bookreporter.com, this means it's time for us to share some great summer book picks with our Summer Reading Contests and Feature. We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through early August, so you will have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here.
Our next contest will be up on Tuesday, June 25th at noon ET. The prize book will be HONEY by Isabel Banta, a coming-of-age story that follows the meteoric rise of singer Amber Young as she navigates fame in the late-'90s and early-2000s era of pop music superstardom.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
HORROR MOVIE by Paul Tremblay (Psychological Thriller/Horror)
Audiobook available, read by various narrators
In June 1993, a group of young guerilla filmmakers spent four weeks making Horror Movie, a notorious, disturbing, art-house horror flick. Only three of the film’s scenes were ever released to the public, but Horror Movie has nevertheless grown a rabid fan base. Three decades later, Hollywood is pushing for a big-budget reboot. The man who played “The Thin Kid” is the only surviving cast member. He remembers all too well the secrets buried within the original screenplay, the bizarre events of the filming, and the dangerous crossed lines on set that resulted in tragedy. Still, he’s going to help remake the film, even if it means navigating a world of cynical producers, egomaniacal directors and surreal fan conventions --- demons of the past be damned. But at what cost? Reviewed by Ray Palen.
A TALENT FOR MURDER by Peter Swanson (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available; read by Sophie Amoss, Stephen Graybill, Saskia Maarleveld, Graham Halstead, Kathleen Early and Keith Szarabajka
Martha Ratliff conceded long ago that she’d likely spend her life alone. She was fine with it, happy with her solo existence, stimulated by her work as a librarian in Maine. But then she met Alan, a charming and sweet-natured salesman whose job took him on the road for half the year. When he asked her to marry him, she said yes, even though he still felt a little bit like a stranger. A year in and the marriage was good, except for that strange blood streak on the back of one of his shirts he’d worn to a conference in Denver. Her curiosity turning to suspicion, Martha investigates the cities Alan visited over the past year and uncovers a disturbing pattern --- five unsolved cases of murdered women. Is she married to a serial killer? Or could it merely be a coincidence? Reviewed by Ray Palen.
1974: A Personal History by Francine Prose (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Francine Prose
During her 20s, Francine Prose lived in San Francisco, where she began an intense and strange relationship with Tony Russo, who had been indicted and tried for working with Daniel Ellsberg to leak the Pentagon papers. The narrative is framed around the nights she spent with Russo driving manically around San Francisco, listening to his stories --- and the disturbing and dramatic end of that relationship in New York. What happens to them mirrors the events and preoccupations of that historical moment: the Vietnam War, drugs, women's liberation, the Patty Hearst kidnapping. At once heartfelt and ironic, funny and sad, personal and political, 1974 provides an insightful look at how Francine Prose became a writer and an artist during a time when the country, too, was shaping its identity. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
PARADE by Rachel Cusk (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Genevieve Gaunt
Midway through his life, the artist G begins to paint upside down. Eventually, he paints his wife upside down. He also makes her ugly. The paintings are a great success. In Paris, a woman is attacked by a stranger in the street. Her attacker flees, but not before turning around to contemplate her victim, like an artist stepping back from a canvas. At the age of 22, the painter G leaves home for a new life in another country, far from the disapproval of her parents. Her paintings attract the disapproval of the man she later marries. When a mother dies, her children confront her legacy: the stories she told, the roles she assigned to them, the ways she withheld her love. Her death is a kind of freedom. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
SHADOWHEART: An UNSUB Novel by Meg Gardiner (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Hillary Huber
In a Tennessee prison, Efrem Judah Goode draws haunting portraits of women he claims he has killed. Around the country, desperate families of the missing seek answers in his eerie drawings. And on darkened back roads and New York City streets, a new killer poses duct-taped bodies at the sites of Goode’s murders. Two serial killers are locked in a twisted rivalry. To stop the brutal slayings, FBI profiler Caitlin Hendrix must unravel the connection between Goode and the Broken Heart Killer. Their warped competition destroys anyone in their path. Caught between a manipulative psychopath and a ruthless UNSUB, Caitlin has to dive into not one but two dark and twisted minds. She will risk everything, plunging into the depths of their depraved clash, to hunt down an unstoppable killer. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE NATURE OF DISAPPEARING by Kimi Cunningham Grant (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Emily Pike Stewart
Emlyn doesn't let herself think about the past. How she and her best friend, Janessa, barely speak anymore. How Tyler, the love of her life, left her half dead on the side of the road three years ago. She now lives alone in her Airstream trailer and works as a fishing and hunting guide in scenic Idaho. Her closest friends are the community's makeshift reverend and a handsome Forest Service ranger. But when Tyler shows up with the news that Janessa is missing, Emlyn is propelled back into the world she worked so hard to forget. As Emlyn and Tyler trace Janessa's path through miles of wild country, Emlyn can't deny the chemistry still crackling between them. But the deeper they press into the wilderness, the more she begins to suspect that a darker truth lies in the woods --- and that Janessa isn't the only one in danger. Reviewed by Sam Johnson.
A VIEW FROM THE STARS: Stories and Essays by Cixin Liu (Science Fiction/Short Stories & Essays)
Audiobook available, read by Brian Nishii
A VIEW FROM THE STARS features a range of short works from the past three decades of New York Times bestselling author Cixin Liu's prolific career, putting his nonfiction essays and short stories side-by-side for the first time. This collection includes essays and interviews that shed light on Liu's experiences as a reader, writer and lover of science fiction throughout his life, as well as short fiction that gives glimpses into the evolution of his imaginative voice over the years. Reviewed by Pauline Finch.
Next Week's Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on June 25th
Below are some notable titles releasing on June 25th 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 June 24th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK by Chris Whitaker (Mystery/Thriller)
A missing person mystery, a serial killer thriller, a love story and a unique twist on each, Chris Whitaker has written a novel about what lurks in the shadows of obsession and the blinding light of hope.
DON'T LET THE DEVIL RIDE by Ace Atkins (Thriller)
S. A. Cosby meets Don Winslow in this breakout thriller from New York Times bestselling author Ace Atkins. A Memphis woman hires a PI to find her missing husband, only to discover that he is involved in a dangerous web of international intrigue --- and she and her children are now at risk.
FLASHBACK by Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen (Mystery/Thriller)
Kendra Michaels uses her heightened powers of deduction to draw out a serial killer who has not been seen or heard from in over 15 years.
A HAPPIER LIFE by Kristy Woodson Harvey (Fiction)
This tender novel follows a young woman who discovers the family she has always longed for when she spends a life-changing summer in North Carolina.
HONEY by Isabel Banta (Fiction)
This coming-of-age story follows the meteoric rise of singer Amber Young as she navigates fame in the late-'90s and early-2000s era of pop music superstardom.
HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN by Joyce Maynard (Fiction)
From New York Times bestselling author Joyce Maynard comes the eagerly anticipated follow-up to her beloved novel, COUNT THE WAYS --- a complex story of three generations of a family and its remarkable, resilient, indomitable matriarch, Eleanor.
HUSBANDS & LOVERS by Beatriz Williams (Historical Fiction)
Two women --- separated by decades and continents, and united by an exotic family heirloom --- reclaim secrets and lost loves in this sweeping novel from the New York Times bestselling author of THE SUMMER WIVES.
INCIDENTS AROUND THE HOUSE by Josh Malerman (Supernatural Thriller/Horror)
From the New York Times bestselling author of BIRD BOX comes a chilling horror novel about a haunting, told from the perspective of a young girl whose troubled family is targeted by an entity she calls “Other Mommy.”
RESURRECTION by Danielle Steel (Fiction)
#1 New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel returns with an irresistible novel about a woman whose seemingly perfect life comes crashing down --- and learns to find joy in rising above.
SENTINEL: An Armored Novel by Mark Greaney (Thriller/Adventure)
An African coup may force Josh Duffy to choose between his mission and his family in this intense thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Gray Man series.
SOME MURDERS IN BERLIN by Karen Robards (Historical Thriller)
This pulse-pounding, brilliantly twisting new historical thriller is a gripping tale that will leave you questioning everything.
WHEN THE NIGHT COMES FALLING: A Requiem for the Idaho Student Murders by Howard Blum (True Crime)
WHEN THE NIGHT COMES FALLING is the definitive, inside story of the University of Idaho murders from bestselling author Howard Blum, whose groundbreaking coverage of the story was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
From left to right: Ace Atkins, Chris Whitaker, William Kent Krueger
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, June 24th at 8pm ET: Murder By The Book: Ace Atkins will talk to Mystery & Thriller Maven’s Sara DiVello about his new thriller, DON'T LET THE DEVIL RIDE. In it, a Memphis woman hires a PI to find her missing husband, only to discover that he is involved in a dangerous web of international intrigue.
Tuesday, June 25th at 8pm ET: "Bookaccino Live" Book Group: Carol Fitzgerald will talk to William Kent Krueger about his New York Times bestseller, THE RIVER WE REMEMBER, which is a Bets On pick. Kent also will answer questions from guests who will be "on stage," as well as from other members of the audience.
Wednesday, June 26th 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 Chris Whitaker about his new novel, ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK, a thriller about what lurks in the shadows of obsession and the blinding light of hope.
"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 this year include:
Upcoming interviews include:
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Marjan Kamali (THE LION WOMEN OF TEHRAN)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll: Taking Books on Vacation
When you go on vacation, what do you do about books? Please check all that apply.
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I bring physical books (hardcovers or paperbacks) that I have bought.
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I bring physical books from the library.
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I bring e-books that I have bought and downloaded.
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I bring e-books that I have downloaded from the library.
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I bring physical audiobooks that I have bought.
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I bring physical audiobooks from the library.
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I bring audiobooks that I have bought and downloaded.
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I bring audiobooks that I have downloaded from the library.
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I buy physical books while I am on vacation.
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I buy physical audiobooks while I am on vacation.
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I buy and download e-books while I am on vacation.
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I download e-books from the library while I am on vacation.
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I buy and download audiobooks while I am on vacation.
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I download audiobooks from the library while I am on vacation.
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I do not read or listen to books when I go on vacation.
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, July 12th 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 June 21st to July 12th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK by Chris Whitaker and THE GOD OF THE WOODS by Liz Moore.
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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