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Listening My Way Through Chores
Last Sunday found me not with a book in hand, but rather with a leaf skimmer. I made my way around the pool dragging leaves out while listening to audiobooks. I also made great headway clipping the dried flowers off the hydrangea bushes. I am happy that these shrubs bloomed so beautifully this year, but I was not budgeting enough Sunday afternoon time for clipping dead blooms. I did not have a headset on as I was outside working. There were more than a few times when I thought that neighbors might be curious about the monologues going on at our house if the breeze sent the audiobook discussions their way. That said, multitasking like this made the chores go a lot faster.
I did a quick sprint to my phone when Tom (Husband Tom, not Editorial Director Tom) came home and started talking about his golf game and asking what I wanted for dinner. I am sure I lost a few paragraphs there. Also, I have been listening to audiobooks on normal speed. For those of you who “pick up the pace” on your listening, at what speed do you listen?
By the way, I got some great business advice from Ina Garten’s memoir, BE READY WHEN THE LUCK HAPPENS --- two things that I had not thought about when running a business, and I have been noodling them this past week.
Thanks to all of you who answered our 2024 Reader Survey. We appreciate your taking the time to weigh in. Know that your answers will help us shape future programming. Next week, we will announce the winners of the three $50 gift cards and the five book prizes.
This week, I have been prepping for tomorrow’s events at the Morristown Festival of Books. I am looking forward to the panels that I am moderating --- and Julia from our book group will be moderating another. Sadly our panels will be overlapping; I would love to see her interview Lynda Cohen Loigman and Susan Minot. You can see the panels that I will be moderating here. Please come up and say hello if you are there and not running to a book signing or another program. The full schedule is here.
As promised, the video of last Wednesday’s “Bookaccino Live” book preview event is now available. I talked about 42 books releasing between now and November 5th (including 11 holiday-themed titles), along with six from December, that we wanted to get on your radar. Click here to watch the presentation and here to see a list of the featured titles.
Next month's “Bookaccino Live” book preview event will take place on Wednesday, November 13th at 2pm ET. The focus will be on titles releasing between November 12th and the end of the year, in addition to a few from January and February, that we think will appeal to you. Click here to sign up. Those who join us live 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.
We will be hosting our 13 ½ Annual Book Group Speed Dating event on Friday, November 8th at 1pm ET. If you are a bookseller, librarian or book group leader, and would be interested in attending this event, please email me using the subject line “Speed Dating.” In your note, tell me a bit about yourself and what you do with book groups. This is a “trade only” event, but we will be sharing the publisher videos, PowerPoint slides and other materials with you later in November.
LAPD Detective Renée Ballard tracks a serial rapist whose trail has gone cold and enlists a new volunteer to the Open-Unsolved Unit --- Patrol Officer Maddie Bosch, Harry’s daughter --- in THE WAITING, Michael Connelly’s sixth Ballard and Bosch thriller.
Here’s what Ray Palen says in his review: “At one point, as Ballard is introducing Maddie to the team, Maddie asks what the biggest challenge is. I smiled when Ballard responded with a lyric from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: ‘The waiting is the hardest part.’ Not only am I huge Petty fan, I love that moment when the origin of a book’s title is revealed. THE WAITING is a delight from start to finish and another example of classic Connelly.”
In FRAMED, his first work of nonfiction since 2006’s THE INNOCENT MAN, John Grisham teams up with Jim McCloskey, the founder of Centurion Ministries, to share 10 harrowing true stories of wrongful convictions.
Stuart Shiffman has our review and says, “I came to this book after decades of work in the criminal justice system as a prosecutor, judge and defense attorney…. I know that most people in the legal system are hard-working, conscientious believers in justice. But far too often we are silent about injustices that must be recognized and corrected. Hopefully, after reading John Grisham and Jim McCloskey’s eye-opening book, we will be silent no longer. The system needs our help.”
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
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JOHN LEWIS: David Greenberg’s newly released biography of Civil Rights icon John Lewis draws on interviews with Lewis and approximately 275 others who knew him at various stages of his life, as well as never-before-used FBI files and documents.
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MIDNIGHT AND BLUE: John Rebus spent his life as a cop putting Edinburgh's most deadly criminals behind bars. Now, having been convicted of a homicide, he's joined them in this 25th installment of Ian Rankin’s series starring the notorious detective.
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SHRED SISTERS: Spanning two decades, Betsy Lerner’s debut novel explores the fierce complexities of sisterhood, mental health, loss and love. If anything is true, it’s what one of the characters learns on her road to self-acceptance: No one will love you more or hurt you more than a sister.
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DARK SPACE: Acclaimed authors Rob Hart and Alex Segura join forces on this sweeping sci-fi spy thriller that blends the epic scope and character-driven spark of “Star Trek” with the intrigue of John le Carré's novels featuring George Smiley.
On ReadingGroupGuides.com, we are giving away copies of THE FROZEN RIVER by Ariel Lawhon to book groups in our “What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” contest. This national bestseller, which was a “Good Morning America” Book Club pick and an NPR Book of the Year when it released in hardcover last December, will be available in paperback on November 5th.
Here's the premise: As a midwife and healer in 1789 Maine, Martha Ballard is good at keeping secrets. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, every murder and debacle that unfolds in the town of Hallowell. In that diary she also documented the details of an alleged rape that occurred four months earlier. Now, one of the men accused of that heinous attack has been found dead in the ice. While Martha is certain she knows what happened the night of the assault, she suspects that the two crimes are linked.
Three groups will win up to 12 paperback copies of THE FROZEN RIVER. To enter, please fill out the form on this page by Wednesday, November 13th at noon ET.
I am happy to announce that Ariel Lawhon will be our “Bookaccino Live” Book Group guest on Tuesday, December 3rd at 8pm ET. I will talk to her about THE FROZEN RIVER, and then we will turn to questions from our audience on Zoom. Click here for all the details and to sign up. We will have more reminders about this event in future newsletters.
Fall Reading Contest Update
In this week’s Fall Reading contest, we gave away BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CHRISTMAS by Mary Kay Andrews. Next week’s prize book will be Bonnie Kistler’s new psychological thriller, SHELL GAMES, which releases on November 19th. I have loved Bonnie’s thrillers, and I am looking forward to this one, which is being called her best yet. The contest will be up on Tuesday, October 22nd at noon ET.
Enter Our New Word of Mouth Contest
We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about. Let us know by Friday, November 1st at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll have a chance to win THE BLUE HOUR by Paula Hawkins and THE GREY WOLF by Louise Penny, both of which release on October 29th.
THE BLUE HOUR, an upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On pick, is an immersive novel that asks searing questions of ambition, power, gender and perception. THE GREY WOLF, the 19th installment in the Armand Gamache series, pulls the curtain back on what modern terrorism could look like. We will feature reviews of both books in the November 1st newsletter, and I am planning to interview Paula when she is here in the States.
Vote in Our New Poll --- and Check Out Results from the Last Poll
In our latest poll, we’ve listed 20 notable nonfiction titles releasing this month, and we’re asking you which, if any, you have read or are planning to read. Click here to let us know.
Our previous poll listed 30 fiction titles that are releasing this month, and we asked which of them, if any, you are looking forward to reading. Below are your top five picks (note that your top two faves are our current Word of Mouth prizes), and you can see all the results here.
On Wednesday night, Kirkus Reviews announced the winners of the 11th annual Kirkus Prize in the categories of Fiction, Nonfiction and Young Readers’ Literature at an in-person ceremony that also was livestreamed on Kirkus's YouTube channel. They are JAMES by Percival Everett (Fiction), CHALLENGER: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space, by Adam Higginbotham (Nonfiction), and GATHER by Kenneth M. Cadow (Young Readers’ Literature).
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail: Cheryl from Winter Haven, FL wrote, “As we are recovering from the terrible weather last Wednesday, I was very upset to realize I had missed the 2pm event on the 9th. Hopefully we are now on the path to restoration and recovery. Being a part of these wonderful Bookreporter events is always fun and informative. You and Tom do a great job! I am praying for everyone who experienced the real terror of this hurricane, and that our lives, homes and families may now move ahead with hope and healing. I will look for the upcoming video.” Our thoughts have been with Cheryl and others who have been affected by the terrible weather in the south.
Taylor Swift Book Coming November 29th as a Target Exclusive: Shopping inspiration for Black Friday has arrived, Taylor Swift style. THE OFFICIAL TAYLOR SWIFT: The Eras Tour Book will be sold exclusively at Target “while supplies last.” The 256-page book, priced at $39.99, promises “over 500 images, including never-before-seen performance photos from every era as well as exclusive rehearsal photos and behind-the-scenes images of instruments, costumes, set pieces and designer sketches used throughout the tour.” It also includes “personal reflections and notes written by Taylor herself about her experience” on the tour.
I want to know how many parents will be coerced into sleeping in the Target parking lot on Thanksgiving night. Hey, can you picture a run to the book department instead of racing to get the latest electronics on sale? Oh, Taylor also will have an extended version of her album, The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology, on sale in physical Target stores only on Black Friday, and then it will be available through Target's website and app the following day, November 30th. Target shareholders, consider this an early gift. Will we hear a “bah humbug” from indie stores, Amazon, B&N and Books-A-Million?
There was a lot of baseball on this week around our house, and then on Sunday and Monday nights there was lots of football. Go, Yankees...and yes, a Subway Series would be a lot of fun! I do look forward to getting back to my usual rocking around the streaming choices.
Last Sunday, I raced over to the farmers' market and picked up some stunning flowers. Then I came home and made arrangements. You can see some of them above. I had hoped to get rainbow radishes last week, but they said they would not be available until this week. So I will have another Sunday morning race to the market!
Luckily I skimmed those leaves when I did. Tom and Cory got the cover on the pool late Sunday afternoon right before the wind kicked up on Monday. I think the leaves from a block away are now at our house! Tom bought a six-foot skeleton that is sitting in a turquoise rocking chair on our front porch. It is not as terrifying there as it was when he cleverly seated it at the kitchen table. I jumped seeing it when I thought I was home alone.
Kathy Trocheck, aka Mary Kay Andrews, is coming here for dinner after the book festival. Her panel is one of the last of the day. She is the queen of home design and decorating both in real life and in her books. So we have been floofing (her word) the house up, which includes swapping the porch decorations and doing what I call “seeing our house through others’ eyes.” I am sure many of you know this drill. It is the only way we really get things done around here! And hey, we are ahead of the holiday rush to do this.
I will be off in search of the rainbow radishes on Sunday…and then I am betting I will be kicking it back with a book. I still have a lot of October reading to do!
Read on, and have a great week.
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
P.S. For those of you who shop online, if you use the store links that appear on our site for shopping, Bookreporter.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and IndieBound. As you read our reviews and features, we would appreciate your considering this as you buy!
Featured Review: THE WAITING by Michael Connelly
THE WAITING: A Ballard and Bosch Novel by Michael Connelly (Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Christine Lakin, Titus Welliver and Madison Lintz
Renée Ballard and the LAPD’s Open-Unsolved Unit get a hot shot DNA connection between a recently arrested man and a serial rapist and murderer who went quiet 20 years ago. His father was the Pillowcase Rapist, responsible for a five-year reign of terror in the City of Angels. But when Ballard and her team move in on their suspect, they encounter a baffling web of secrets and legal hurdles. Meanwhile, Ballard’s badge, gun and ID are stolen. She works the burglary alone, but her mission draws her into unexpected danger. So she knocks on the door of Harry Bosch. At the same time, Ballard takes on a new volunteer to the cold case unit: Bosch’s daughter, Maddie, now a patrol officer. But Maddie has an ulterior motive for getting access to the city’s library of lost souls --- a case that may be the most iconic in the city’s history. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review:
FRAMED by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey
FRAMED: Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey (True Crime)
Audiobook available; read by Michael Beck, with a preface read by the authors
John Grisham is known worldwide for his bestselling novels, but it’s his real-life passion for justice that led to his work with Jim McCloskey of Centurion Ministries, the first organization dedicated to exonerating innocent people who have been wrongly convicted. Together they offer an inside look at the many injustices in our criminal justice system. A fundamental principle of our legal system is a presumption of innocence, but once someone has been found guilty, there is very little room to prove doubt. These 10 true stories shed light on Americans who were innocent but found guilty and forced to sacrifice friends, families and decades of their lives to prison while the guilty parties remained free. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: JOHN LEWIS by David Greenberg
JOHN LEWIS: A Life by David Greenberg (Biography)
Audiobook available, read by David Sadzin
Born into poverty in rural Alabama, John Lewis would become second only to Martin Luther King, Jr. in his contributions to the Civil Rights Movement. He was a Freedom Rider who helped to integrate bus stations in the South, a leader of the Nashville sit-in movement, the youngest speaker at the 1963 March on Washington, and the chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), which he made into one of the major civil rights organizations. He may be best remembered as the victim of a vicious beating by Alabama state troopers at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, where he nearly died. David Greenberg’s biography traces Lewis’ life through the post-Civil Rights years, when he headed the Voter Education Project, which enrolled millions of African American voters across the South. Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
“What’s Your Book Group Reading This Month?” Contest on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
Enter to Win Up to 12 Paperback Copies of
THE FROZEN RIVER by Ariel Lawhon for Your Group
Each month in our "What's Your Book Group Reading This Month?" feature on ReadingGroupGuides.com, we ask book groups to share the titles they are reading that month and rate them. From all entries, three winners will be selected, and each will win up to 12 copies of that month’s prize book for their group. Note: To be eligible to win, let us know the title of the book that YOUR book group is CURRENTLY reading, NOT the title we are giving away.
THE FROZEN RIVER by Ariel Lawhon (Historical Mystery)
Maine, 1789: The Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice. Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine the cause of death. As the local midwife and healer, Martha is good at keeping secrets. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, every murder and debacle that unfolds in the town of Hallowell. In that diary she also documented the details of an alleged rape that occurred four months earlier. Now, one of the men accused of that heinous attack has been found dead in the ice. While Martha is certain she knows what happened the night of the assault, she suspects that the two crimes are linked. Over the course of one long, hard winter, Martha’s diary lands at the center of the scandal and threatens to tear both her family and her community apart.
Click here to sign up for our "Bookaccino Live" Book Group event
with Ariel Lawhon on Tuesday, December 3rd at 8pm ET.
Featured Review: MIDNIGHT AND BLUE by Ian Rankin
MIDNIGHT AND BLUE: An Inspector Rebus Novel by Ian Rankin (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by James MacPherson
A convict is brutally murdered in his locked cell deep in the heart of Scotland’s most infamous prison. Sleeping in a cell across the floor lies John Rebus, the equally notorious detective. Stripped of his badge and estranged from his police family, he is now fighting for his own life --- protected by an old nemesis but always one wrong move away from the shank. As new allies and old enemies circle, and the days and nights bleed into each other, even this legendary figure struggles to keep his head. They say old habits die hard, though. The death stirs Rebus’ deductive --- and manipulative --- impulses, setting off a domino-chain of scheming criminals, corrupt prison guards, and perhaps only one or two good souls who may see it all through. But how do you find a killer in a place full of them? Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: SHRED SISTERS by Betsy Lerner
SHRED SISTERS by Betsy Lerner (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Rebecca Lowman
It is said that when one person in a family is unstable, the whole family is destabilized. Meet the Shreds. Olivia is the sister in the spotlight until her stunning confidence becomes erratic and unpredictable. Younger sister Amy, cautious and studious to the core, believes in facts, proof and the empirical world. None of that explains what’s happening to Ollie, whose physical beauty and charisma mask the mental illness that will shatter Amy’s carefully constructed life. As Amy comes of age and seeks to find her place --- first in academics, then New York publishing, and through a series of troubled relationships --- every step brings collisions with Ollie, who slips in and out of the Shred family without warning. Yet for all that threatens their sibling bond, Amy and Ollie cannot escape or deny the inextricable sister knot that binds them. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: DARK SPACE
by Rob Hart and Alex Segura
DARK SPACE by Rob Hart and Alex Segura (Science Fiction/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Nicol Zanzarella and Timothy Andrés Pabon
Jose Carriles is the pilot of the Mosaic, a massive ship taking the Interstellar Union's first-ever mission to outside our solar system. His former friend, Corin Timony, should have been the best spy at the Bazaar, the lunar colony's international intelligence arm. Instead, she's been demoted to admin duties. But when the Mosaic experiences a series of strange malfunctions, and Carriles is forced to take a wild gamble to save the ship, he begins to suspect the reasons behind the exploratory mission weren't exactly on the up and up. At the same time, Timony's old instincts kick in as she realizes the distress call she received from the Mosaic has been wiped without a trace. As people start to end up dead and loyalties are tested, Timony and Carriles find themselves entangled in a star-spanning conspiracy. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com's 14th Annual
Fall Reading Contests and Feature
Fall is known as the biggest season of the year for books. The titles that release during this latter part of the year often become holiday gifts, and many are blockbusters. In our Fall Reading Contests and Feature, we are spotlighting a number of outstanding books that we know people will be talking about this fall.
We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through October, 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, October 22nd at noon ET. The prize book will be SHELL GAMES by Bonnie Kistler. Releasing on November 19th, this dazzling thriller is about a young woman whose fabulously wealthy mother might be the victim of an elaborate con or might be losing her mind --- and the daughter can’t tell where the truth lies.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
THE MORE THE TERRIER: An Andy Carpenter Mystery by David Rosenfelt (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Grover Gardner
Reluctant lawyer Andy Carpenter is relieved to be headed back to Paterson, New Jersey, after a week-long family vacation in the Adirondacks. He's ready to put the holly jolly season way behind him and settle in at home with his three dogs. But when they finally arrive, there is an extra dog eagerly awaiting them, as well as one anxious dog sitter. When the dog showed up on the doorstep a few days ago, the sitter knew Andy would know what to do. Indeed, Andy recognizes Murphy, who the Carpenters fostered before the dog went home with BJ Bremer and his mother. When Andy goes to take Murphy back to the Bremers, instead of the happy reunion he expects, he finds BJ's mother in tears. It turns out Murphy ran off…after BJ was arrested for murder. The case isn’t as simple as Andy thought it would be, with BJ suspected of killing one of his professors. Reviewed by Jack Kramer.
THE MAN IN BLACK: And Other Stories by Elly Griffiths (Mystery & Thriller/Short Stories)
Audiobook available; read by Luke Thompson, Jane McDowell, Juliette Burton, Beth Eyre, Nina Wadia and Imogen Wilde
Elly Griffiths has always written short stories to experiment with different voices and genres, as well as to explore what some of her fictional creations such as Ruth Galloway, Harbinder Kaur and Max Mephisto might have done outside of the novels. THE MAN IN BLACK gathers these bite-sized tales all together in one splendid volume. There are ghost stories, cozy mysteries, tales of psychological suspense, and poignant vignettes of love and loss. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
AMERICAN RAPTURE by CJ Leede (Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction/Horror)
Audiobook available, read by Moniqua Plante
A virus is spreading across America, transforming the infected and making them feral with lust. Sophie, a good Catholic girl, must traverse the hellscape of the midwest to try to find her family while the world around her burns. Along the way she discovers there are far worse fates than dying a virgin. The end times are coming. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
THE NIGHT WOODS: A Mercy Carr Mystery by Paula Munier (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Kathleen McInerney
Record snow, sleet and rain are pummeling Vermont, and a wild boar has escaped from an exclusive hunting club nearby. But that won’t stop a very pregnant Mercy Carr from hiking her beloved woods with her loyal dog, Elvis. She’s supposed to be decorating the nursery and helping her mother plan the baby shower, but she’d much rather be playing Scrabble with Homer Grant, a word-loving, shotgun-toting hermit living deep in the forest. But when she and Elvis drop by Homer’s cabin for their weekly game, they arrive to find an unknown dead man --- and no sign of Homer. As they search the woods, Mercy discovers a patch of devastation that could only be left behind by wild boar. She’s relieved when Elvis tracks Homer, injured but alive. But Homer’s troubles are far from over, as he’s still the number one suspect and he remembers nothing of the attack. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
THE MYSTERIOUS BOOKSHOP PRESENTS THE BEST MYSTERY STORIES OF THE YEAR: 2024 edited with an introduction by Anthony Horowitz (Mystery/Short Stories)
Audiobook available, read by Kim Niemi and BJ Harrison
From a pool of over 3,000 considered stories published last year --- anything that touched on crime, mystery and suspense --- these are the very best, selected by series editor Otto Penzler and guest editor Anthony Horowitz. The tales included cover a range of styles, highlighting the diversity of subjects and forms comprising the genre we call mystery fiction. Featuring a mixture of household names, masters of the short form and newcomers to the field, the collection offers a variety that promises something for every reader. And it’s all capped off by a vintage story from the first half of the previous century, sourced directly from the rare book room at The Mysterious Bookshop, the oldest mystery fiction specialty store in the world. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
MAMA: A Queer Black Woman’s Story of a Family Lost and Found by Nikkya Hargrove (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Grace Porter
When her mother --- addicted to cocaine and just out of prison --- had a son and then died only a few months later, Nikkya Hargrove was faced with an impossible choice. Although she had just graduated from college, she decided to fight for custody of her half brother, Jonathan. Nikkya vividly recounts how she is subjected to preconceived notions that she, a Black queer young woman, cannot be given such responsibility. Her honest portrayal of the shame she feels accepting food stamps, her family’s reaction to her coming out, and the joy she experiences when she meets the woman who will become her wife reveal her sheer determination. And whether she’s clashing with Jonathan’s biological father or battling for Jonathan’s education rights after he’s diagnosed with ADHD and autism, this is a woman who won’t give up. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
CRACKS BENEATH THE SURFACE: A Jhonni Laurent Mystery by Mary Ann Miller (Mystery)
Spring has sprung, and Easter festivities are underway in Field’s Crossing, Indiana. The annual egg hunt is a huge success, thanks in no small part to Lisa DuVal, the owner of Big Al’s Diner, who dyed all of the eggs. But when Sheriff Jhonni Laurent discovers Lisa’s body in her catering van later that day, the happy holiday quickly sours, and Laurent begins a murder investigation. All are shocked at the reading of the will when it’s revealed that the diner will be inherited by Lisa’s best friend --- not by her daughter, which raises Laurent’s suspicions. While working to find the killer, Laurent uncovers some unsightly secrets that Lisa’s family had been concealing. Could they be involved in something shady? When another body is discovered, Laurent must work quickly to determine how the two crimes connect --- and who could be behind it all. Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.
Next Week's Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on October 21st and 22nd
Below are some notable titles releasing on October 21st and 22nd that we would like to make you aware of. We will have more on many of these books in the weeks to come. For a list of additional hardcovers and paperbacks available the week of October 21st, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
October 21st
AMERICAN HEROES by James Patterson and Matt Eversmann, with Tim Malloy (Biography)
From the authors of WALK IN MY COMBAT BOOTS, bravery and selflessness are literally defined in these riveting first-person tales from our nation’s greatest heroes.
October 22nd
ABSOLUTION: A Southern Reach Novel by Jeff VanderMeer (Speculative Fiction)
ABSOLUTION is the surprise fourth volume in Jeff VanderMeer’s Southern Reach series --- and the final word on one of the most provocative and popular speculative fiction series of our time.
BANDIT HEAVEN: The Hole-in-the-Wall Gangs and the Final Chapter of the Wild West by Tom Clavin (History)
From multiple New York Times bestselling author Tom Clavin comes the thrilling true story of the most infamous hangout for bandits, thieves and murderers of all time --- and the lawmen tasked with rooting them out.
BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT by Robert Dugoni (Legal Thriller)
A master manipulator accused of murder. An attorney sworn to defend her. Keera Duggan returns in a riveting novel of suspense by New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni.
CHRISTMAS CRIMES AT THE MYSTERIOUS BOOKSHOP edited by Otto Penzler (Mystery/Short Stories)
The 12 festive crime stories in this collection are set in New York City’s beloved mystery bookstore and penned by such authors as Jeffery Deaver, Lyndsay Faye, Laura Lippman and Thomas Perry.
EVERYONE THIS CHRISTMAS HAS A SECRET: A Festive Mystery by Benjamin Stevenson (Mystery)
Benjamin Stevenson returns with a Christmas addition to his bestselling Ernest Cunningham mysteries. Unwrap all the Christmas staples: presents, family, an impossible murder or two, and a deadly Advent calendar of clues.
IN TOO DEEP: A Reacher Novel by Lee Child and Andrew Child (Thriller)
Jack Reacher wakes up alone, in the dark, handcuffed to a makeshift bed. The last thing he can recall is the car in which he hitched a ride getting run off the road. The driver was killed. His captors assume Reacher was the driver’s accomplice and plan to make him talk. A plan that will backfire spectacularly.
KARLA'S CHOICE: A John le Carré Novel by Nick Harkaway (Historical Thriller)
KARLA'S CHOICE is an extraordinary new novel set in the world of John le Carré's most iconic spy, George Smiley, written by acclaimed novelist Nick Harkaway.
LIFEFORM by Jenny Slate (Humor/Essays)
From actor, comedian, the co-creator of Marcel the Shell and the New York Times bestselling author of LITTLE WEIRDS comes a wild, soulful, hilarious collection of genre-bending essays depicting the journey into motherhood as you’ve never seen it before.
MY GOOD BRIGHT WOLF: A Memoir by Sarah Moss (Memoir)
From the acclaimed author of GHOST WALL, SUMMERWATER and THE FELL, Sarah Moss’ MY GOOD BRIGHT WOLF is an unflinching memoir about childhood, food, books, and our ability to see, become and protect ourselves.
ROMAN YEAR: A Memoir by André Aciman (Memoir)
The author of CALL ME BY YOUR NAME returns with a deeply romantic memoir of his time in Rome while on the cusp of adulthood.
RUN by Blake Crouch (Science Fiction/Apocalyptic Thriller)
From the New York Times bestselling author of DARK MATTER and RECURSION comes a gripping apocalyptic thriller about a man and his family running for their lives in an America gone mad.
THE SECRET WAR OF JULIA CHILD by Diana R. Chambers (Historical Fiction)
Before she mastered the art of French cooking in midlife, Julia Child found herself working in the secrets trade in Asia during World War II, a journey that will delight both historical fiction fans and lovers of America's most beloved chef, revealing how the war made her into the icon we know now.
UNLEASHED by Boris Johnson (Memoir)
Shattering the mold of the traditional political memoir, UNLEASHED is a candid, unrestrained and revealing book by Boris Johnson, the Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
From left to right: Robert Dugoni, Isabella Maldonado, Jeffery Deaver
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, October 21st at 8pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Robert Dugoni will talk about his latest thriller, BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT. A master manipulator accused of murder. An attorney sworn to defend her. Keera Duggan returns in Dugoni's riveting novel of suspense.
Tuesday, October 22nd at 9pm ET: Killer Author Club: Kimberly Belle, Heather Gudenkauf and Kaira Rouda will talk to Jeffery Deaver and Isabella Maldonado about their thriller, FATAL INTRUSION, which kicks off a propulsive new series. As a wave of murders grips Southern California, an unlikely pair must untangle the mysterious patterns of an elusive killer.
Wednesday, October 23rd at 7pm ET: “Friends & Fiction”: Join “Friends & Fiction” for a conversation with Paula Hawkins about her latest book, THE BLUE HOUR. This stylish and immersive novel of ambition, legacy and betrayal is the F&F Pick of the Month.
"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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Paula Hawkins (THE BLUE HOUR)
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Susan Rieger (LIKE MOTHER, LIKE MOTHER)
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Sharon Virts (THE GRAYS OF TRUTH)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll:
October Nonfiction Releases to Anticipate
Which of the following nonfiction titles releasing in October have you read or do you plan to read? Please check all that apply.
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AMERICAN HEROES by James Patterson and Matt Eversmann, with Tim Malloy
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BANDIT HEAVEN: The Hole-in-the-Wall Gangs and the Final Chapter of the Wild West, by Tom Clavin
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BE READY WHEN THE LUCK HAPPENS: A Memoir, by Ina Garten
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THE FLITTING: A Memoir of Fathers, Sons, and Butterflies, by Ben Masters
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FRAMED: Astonishing True Stories of Wrongful Convictions, by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey
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FROM HERE TO THE GREAT UNKNOWN: A Memoir, by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough
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GATHER ME: A Memoir in Praise of the Books That Saved Me, by Glory Edim
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JOHN LEWIS: A Life, by David Greenberg
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LIFEFORM by Jenny Slate
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MAMA: A Queer Black Woman’s Story of a Family Lost and Found, by Nikkya Hargrove
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MELANIA by Melania Trump
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THE MESSAGE by Ta-Nehisi Coates
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MY GOOD BRIGHT WOLF: A Memoir, by Sarah Moss
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THE POSITION OF SPOONS: And Other Intimacies, by Deborah Levy
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REVENGE OF THE TIPPING POINT: Overstories, Superspreaders, and the Rise of Social Engineering, by Malcolm Gladwell
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ROMAN YEAR: A Memoir, by André Aciman
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SONNY BOY: A Memoir, by Al Pacino
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UNLEASHED by Boris Johnson
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WAR by Bob Woodward
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WHAT I ATE IN ONE YEAR: (and related thoughts) by Stanley Tucci
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None of the above
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, November 1st at noon ET.
Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What
You've Read --- and You Can Win Two Books!
Tell us about the books you’ve read with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from October 18th to November 1st at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE BLUE HOUR by Paula Hawkins and THE GREY WOLF by Louise Penny.
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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