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Under-the-Weather Reading
I was under the weather this week, and I realized that books make a great distraction when one feels like this. So I decided to treat myself to Graydon Carter’s memoir, WHEN THE GOING WAS GOOD: An Editor’s Adventures During the Last Golden Age of Magazines, which captured his time at Vanity Fair, along with other magazines. Longtime readers here know that I spent 17 years at Condé Nast, and some of those years overlapped with Graydon’s time at Vanity Fair. He captured so much of what I remember about creating something monthly, not weekly or (the way that things happen these days) hourly. It’s a terrific behind-the-scenes look at how magazines were nurtured and made, including a description of a wall in his office where the content for each month was juggled --- what makes it in the issue, and what is left behind.
There is also what happens off the pages --- the parties (including the first Vanity Fair Oscar party and others in later years), the dinners, the lunches at the Royalton Hotel --- and tips on how to leave a crowded room, or how to drop into an event on a night when there is more than one party that you need to hit. It’s about how to create something from scratch, like Spy magazine, as well as how to lunch with Si Newhouse and talk business, art and pugs. Graydon tells a great story; there’s lots of insider stuff, but it doesn't feel gossipy. It also has the feel of someone who has had time to think about what happened and ruminate over it instead of just reacting. He left Vanity Fair in 2017.
Many of the people on the pages are those who rode the same elevators as I did. Yes, this really was a golden age of magazines. It began to lurch to a grinding halt, like so many other things, during the 2007/2008 recession, which took a toll on advertising. By the way, I am not sure we really have given this recession its total due on the impact it had across all sectors. There was a clear “before” and “after.” I am sure that doing math for Graydon in his last 10 years there was a lot tougher than the 15 before that. I am glad that I got to be part of “the golden age” before I moved over to the digital world covering books. Those were some very special days.
Of course, the book world also changed after those recession years. Elaborate events and lots of socializing have been swept away. But while e-books and audiobooks have grown in popularity, print books still are found on shelves --- unlike magazines, which when found in paper are mere shadows of their former selves. I feel like they are pamphlets at the supermarket checkout. I wonder who buys them, and who replaces them each week since it feels like none could be selling out. I highly recommend WHEN THE GOING IS GOOD --- and you do not need to be under the weather to read it. It will be out on March 25th.
Now I am reading BROKEN COUNTRY by Clare Leslie Hall, which releases on Tuesday. There are times when a book pulls me in on page one --- and then the following chapters keep raising the bar about the story and the storytelling. The setup was pitch-perfect. Beth had a relationship with Gabriel Wolfe when she was a teenager, and it was magical. Years have gone by. Beth is now married to Frank, a farmer, and she’s content with her world. One day, a dog attacks their newly born lambs, and Frank shoots the dog dead. A young boy howls at the loss of his dog. When his father comes to get him, it’s Gabriel, who has returned.
Something in the past has been hidden, and I have not spied it yet. But the simmer on this book is there, and I can feel that when it boils it’s going to be very complicated for Beth. BROKEN COUNTRY is a love story and a thriller...and with the writing so far, I think it’s the best of both. I am looking forward to getting back to it.
On Wednesday night, Lisa Wingate joined us for February’s “Bookaccino Live” Book Group to discuss her most recent novel, SHELTERWOOD. This USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestseller, which also was a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick when it released in hardcover last year, is now available in paperback and is our current “What's Your Book Group Reading This Month?” prize book on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
Lisa explains what sparked the idea for SHELTERWOOD and why she chose to set it in two time periods: 1909 and 1990. We also learn about the research she did into the “elf children,” the Dawes Act and the formidable Kate Barnard, as well as the life of forest rangers who work in national parks. Lisa believes that listening to stories from our past matter --- and she shares how her work has inspired readers to reach out to find their own connections. Click here to watch the video or here to listen to the podcast.
We are happy to report that we had attendees from 31 states, plus five from Canada. We love being able to reach a wide audience with our virtual programs as we know many of you do not have access to live events when an author is on tour. The chat during the event was so lively; we loved that some readers were joining us for the first time. Connecting authors with readers like this is so very special. If you have never joined us before, I hope you will for a future program.
Our next “Bookaccino Live” Book Group guest will be Anna Quindlen. The event will be held on Wednesday, March 26th at 8pm ET, and you can sign up here for it. We will talk about her New York Times bestseller, AFTER ANNIE, which released in paperback this week. Anna’s trademark wisdom on family, friendship and the ties that bind us are at the center of this novel about the power of love to transcend loss and triumph over adversity.
Just as we did on Wednesday night, there will be a two-part Q&A session after I talk to Anna. For the first part, those who are asking a question on camera will be featured. This includes spending time with Anna 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 "Anna" by noon ET on March 26th. 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.
A week before Anna Quindlen’s event, be sure to join us for a special “Bookaccino Live” Spring Preview evening program on Wednesday, March 19th at 8pm ET. I will be talking about a number of books releasing this spring that we think you will enjoy reading over the next few months. Included will be fiction; historical fiction; thrillers and mysteries; and memoirs, biographies and other nonfiction. You can sign up for the event by clicking here.
Announcing This Year’s Spring Reading Contests
And speaking of spring, today we launched our 14th annual Spring Reading feature, where we are spotlighting a number of new and upcoming releases that we think people will be talking about this spring --- and beyond. We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these books on select days through mid-April; five readers will be awarded the book that we are featuring that day. You can sign up here for alerts so you will be notified as soon as these giveaways are up.
We will kick off the feature by giving away FINLAY DONOVAN DIGS HER OWN GRAVE, the highly anticipated next installment in Elle Cosimano’s fan-favorite series starring Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime, Vero. The contest for it will go live at noon ET on the day of its release, Tuesday, March 4th.
SHOW DON’T TELL is Curtis Sittenfeld’s second story collection, following YOU THINK IT, I’LL SAY IT, which released seven years ago. Her latest book explores marriage, friendship, fame and artistic ambition --- including a story that revisits the main character from her iconic novel, PREP.
Roberta O’Hara describes the book like this in her review: “Imagine a gossip session with a close friend or even a well-meaning neighbor. That’s SHOW DON’T TELL, a bevy of stories about the messiness of living.” She goes on to say, “Sittenfeld has a way of depicting characters and drawing them out in such a fashion that they stay with you long after the story has ended. So to see the return of a beloved character from her debut novel, PREP, was a delight as we had been craving more from Lee Fiora.”
An extreme game of hide-and-seek turns deadly in Lisa Unger’s riveting new thriller, CLOSE YOUR EYES AND COUNT TO 10. In a ruthless battle for survival, where the stakes are higher than ever, the blurry line between the virtual and the real proves that the only person we can trust is ourselves.
Ray Palen has our review and says, “The story is told by multiple narrators and from varied points of view, which keeps readers on edge and adds to the suspense that is being built…. CLOSE YOUR EYES AND COUNT TO 10 is just about what you would expect from a Lisa Unger novel --- complicated characters, dangerous settings, and plot twist after plot twist. It was a pleasure to spend time with her as she put the competitive reality show genre under her literary microscope and spun it into something formidable.”
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
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BATTLE MOUNTAIN: Outlaw falconer Nate Romanowski is off the grid and out for revenge in this 25th installment of C. J. Box’s Joe Pickett mystery/thriller series. Little do Nate and Joe know that their separate journeys are about to converge…at Battle Mountain.
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FAMOUS LAST WORDS: In Gillian McAllister’s latest thriller, a new mother’s world is upended when her husband commits a terrifying crime. How well does she truly know the man she loves? And what danger does she face if her entire life has been built on a lie?
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DEEP CUTS: Moving from Brooklyn bars to San Francisco dance floors, Holly Brickley's much-talked-about debut novel is a love story about two people who are pulled apart by the same force that draws them together: music.
I’m Betting You’ll Love…
My latest Bets On picks are THE QUEENS OF CRIME by Marie Benedict and THE OLIGARCH’S DAUGHTER by Joseph Finder. Click on each of the titles for my Bets On commentary. And if you missed my interviews with Marie or Joe, be sure to check them out using the links below.
Enter Our New Word of Mouth Contest
We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about. Let us know by Friday, March 14th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll have a chance to win BLOOD MOON by Sandra Brown (releasing on Tuesday) and THE JACKAL’S MISTRESS by Chris Bohjalian (releasing on March 11th).
Vote in Our New Poll --- and Check Out Results from the Last Poll
For our latest poll, we’ve listed 35 fiction titles releasing this month, and we’re asking you which, if any, you’re planning to read. Click here to let us know by Friday, March 14th at noon ET.
In our previous poll, we wanted to know if you look at blurbs (brief quotes from authors and influencers) when you consider buying or reading a book. Here are the results:
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I always look at blurbs to determine whether or not to buy a book. (21%)
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I sometimes look at blurbs to determine whether or not to buy a book. (23%)
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I do not look at blurbs to determine whether or not to buy a book. (20%)
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I always look at blurbs to determine whether or not to read a book. (18%)
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I sometimes look at blurbs to determine whether or not to read a book. (29%)
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I do not look at blurbs to determine whether or not to read a book. (32%)
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I am not sure how I feel. (2%)
The longlist for the 2025 International Booker Prize has been announced, featuring 13 authors longlisted for the first time. The list celebrates the best works of long-form fiction or collections of short stories translated into English and published in the UK and/or Ireland between May 1, 2024 and April 30, 2025.
The shortlist of six books will be announced on April 8th, and the winner will be named during a ceremony at London’s Tate Modern on May 20th.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Miriam Kassenoff, one of our longtime readers who I had the pleasure of meeting years ago in Miami, sent a link to a segment from “CBS Sunday Morning” where she was featured last week. The subject is “Live2Tell”.
Here’s the promo for it: “It's estimated that of the 200,000 survivors of the Holocaust still with us, half will be gone in the next 5-7 years, which is why photographer Gillian Laub has been taking photos of as many Holocaust survivors as she can --- more than 300 portraits so far. Correspondent Lee Cowan talks with Laub about her project, called 'Live2Tell.' He also talks with some survivors --- models of courage, fortitude and grace --- who bear witness to the horrors they experienced, and to the antisemitism they see today in America.”
Watch this very moving piece here. And many thanks to Miriam for getting this fabulous project on my radar!
Joan wrote about winning both THE QUEENS OF CRIME and THREE DAYS IN JUNE in our Word of Mouth contest: “I am happily surprised!”
Linda from Kennebunkport, Maine, wrote this about winning ISOLA in a “Bookaccino Live” contest: “Thank you so much for your note and the book! I was so excited when I opened my mailbox tonight. You have brought me great joy today! I can’t wait to read the book. Thank you and your team for the amazing work you do to keep us all reading and informed.”
Ann, one of the winners in our End-of-the-Year contest, wrote, “I thanked you on Instagram, but I don’t know if you saw it. Thank you for choosing me to get those wonderful books at the end of the year. I love them all. THE WOMEN is one of my favorite books. I usually read on a Kindle, so having a real book in my hands is great. I do appreciate the newsletter, and it has led me to find interesting authors to read. I am a reader. I always have something to read. I carry a small Kindle in my purse, so I can read while waiting in offices, sitting at a restaurant, or just waiting around. It is a winner and a lot lighter to carry than a book. Again, thank you for the box of books. It is so appreciated.”
Laura wrote about winning a copy of THE QUEENS OF CRIME in a Winter Reading contest: “Thanks so much for sending THE QUEENS OF CRIME! I did a quick Instagram story but will post again when my full review is complete.”
We love that readers are sharing their prizes on social media. Francesca has been doing a brilliant job of keeping our social media updated. If you are not following us on our various channels, please consider doing so. We are on Facebook at Bookreporter and ReadingGroupGuides, and Instagram at TheBookReportNetwork (someone else has the Bookreporter handle but has not posted in YEARS) and ReadingGroupGuides.
“The White Lotus” on Max: I think the first two episodes of the season could have been a lot brisker. It feels like some things are being over-explained. We know what the show is like after two seasons. The pace could be better; it's rather boring.
“Reacher” on Prime Video: We're four episodes into the season, and we're enjoying it. I wish that all episodes dropped at the same time.
“1923” on Paramount+: The new season feels all over the place, and it is. I am thinking that I would like some more hang time in Montana.
“Manhunt” on Apple TV+: I finished this series last night. I confess that I thought it ended when John Wilkes Booth was killed, but I loved how the story continued.
“Tracker” on Paramount+: I seem to catch this show on demand during the week. It’s always a great companion while I'm doing something else, like answering email.
The Oscars: There is little excitement around here for the Oscars on Sunday night. I feel like the world of streaming has taken its toll on movies. Reading my opening paragraphs, movies often feel like magazines. We only saw one nominated film in the theater, A Complete Unknown, which we loved. I watched Conclave on television, and it was terrific. Beyond that, I do not know what many of these films even are. When I saw yesterday that Gene Hackman had died, my first thought was that whoever is working on the “In Memoriam” part of the broadcast needed to head back to the cutting room.
A quiet weekend is on tap. We had a couple of trees fall in front of the house, and I would love to get them cut up and stacked. Note that this would be something for Husband Tom, not me, to do. But I can motivate. My indoor goal is to reorganize the laundry room. I know, really exciting times around our house, folks. But we have decided that the laundry room has become the catch-all room, and it needs to be sorted. I am making a baby blanket for an upcoming baby shower. And I want to delve into some March books that have been calling my name.
Note that this is the last full weekend of standard time. Next weekend will be cut short by an hour as we turn the clocks ahead.
Goodbye to February! 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: SHOW DON’T TELL by Curtis Sittenfeld
SHOW DON'T TELL: Stories by Curtis Sittenfeld (Fiction/Short Stories)
Audiobook available; read by Michael Crouch, George Newbern, Xe Sands, Emily Rankin, Nicole Lewis and Kristen Sieh
In her second story collection, Curtis Sittenfeld shows why she’s as beloved for her short fiction as she is for her novels. In these dazzling stories, she conjures up characters so real that they seem like old friends, laying bare the moments when their long-held beliefs are overturned. In “The Patron Saints of Middle Age,” a woman visits two friends she hasn’t seen since her divorce. In “A for Alone,” a married artist embarks on a creative project intended to disprove the so-called Mike Pence Rule, which suggests that women and men can’t spend time alone together without lusting after each other. And in “Lost but Not Forgotten,” Sittenfeld gives readers of her novel PREP a window into the world of her beloved character Lee Fiora, decades later, when Lee attends an alumni reunion at her boarding school. Reviewed by Roberta O'Hara.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: CLOSE YOUR EYES
AND COUNT TO 10 by Lisa Unger
CLOSE YOUR EYES AND COUNT TO 10 by Lisa Unger (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Vivienne Leheny
Charismatic daredevil and extreme adventurer Maverick Dillan invites you to the ultimate game of hide-and-seek. But as the players gather on Falcao Island, the event quickly spirals into a chilling test of survival. A storm rages as a deadly threat stalks the contestants, turning the challenge into something far more sinister than the social media stunt it was intended to be. Enter Adele, a single mother with a fierce determination to protect her children at all costs. When she begins the game, she unwittingly enters a twisted web of deception and intrigue. Can she maneuver through the treacherous storm and the relentless competition and get home to her family? In a ruthless battle for survival where the stakes are higher than ever, the blurry line between the virtual and the real proves that the only person we can trust is ourselves. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Announcing Bookreporter.com’s 14th Annual
Spring Reading Contests and Feature
Spring is in the air (or will be very soon)! We’ve already caught the fever --- and it’s being fueled by some wonderful new and upcoming releases.
Our 14th annual Spring Reading Contests and Feature spotlights many of these picks, which we know people will be talking about over the next few months. We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through mid-April. You will need to check the site to see the featured book and enter to win.
We also are sending a special newsletter to announce each title, which you can sign up for here.
Our first contest will be up on Tuesday, March 4th at noon ET. The prize book will be FINLAY DONOVAN DIGS HER OWN GRAVE, the highly anticipated next installment in Elle Cosimano’s fan-favorite series starring Finlay Donovan and her nanny/partner-in-crime, Vero.
This year's contest titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
THE QUEENS OF CRIME by Marie Benedict
and THE OLIGARCH’S DAUGHTER by Joseph Finder
THE QUEENS OF CRIME by Marie Benedict (Historical Mystery)
A few years ago, Marie Benedict wrote THE MYSTERY OF MRS. CHRISTIE. It examined the 11-day disappearance of Agatha Christie, which became huge news.
In THE QUEENS OF CRIME, which is set in 1930, Marie brings together Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy, all of whom are brilliant female writers in the Golden Age of Detective Fiction. The book is told from Dorothy’s point of view. These women strive to have the respect of the male writers in the genre, and all are members of the legendary Detection Club.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review.
- 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 Marie Benedict.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on THE QUEENS OF CRIME.
THE OLIGARCH'S DAUGHTER by Joseph Finder (Thriller)
THE OLIGARCH’S DAUGHTER by Joseph Finder is the kind of thriller that has you racing to read the pages.
The book opens with a young man working on a sailboat. Suddenly he realizes that the carefully devised cover that he has built for himself over the past years has been blown --- and he has been found by one of the Russians from whom he has been running. He quickly grabs his go bag with cash and survival gear, including a burner phone, and heads into the woods. He is armed with his wits and the skills he honed as a child with his father, who loved living off the grid. Readers head on the run with him as the henchmen who have been called out to catch him are close on his tail.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review.
- Click here to watch our "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Joseph Finder.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on
THE OLIGARCH'S DAUGHTER.
Featured Review: BATTLE MOUNTAIN by C. J. Box
BATTLE MOUNTAIN: A Joe Pickett Novel by C. J. Box (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by David Chandler
The campaign of destruction that Axel Soledad and Dallas Cates wreaked on Nate Romanowski and Joe Pickett left both men in tatters, especially Nate, who lost almost everything. Wondering if the civilized life left him vulnerable to attack, Nate dropped off the grid with his falcons in tow to prepare for vengeance. When Joe gets a call from the governor asking for help finding his son-in-law, who has gone missing in the Sierra Madre mountain range, he enlists the help of a local, a rookie game warden named Susan Kany. As Nate and fellow falconer Geronimo Jones circle closer to their prey, Joe and Susan follow the nearly cold trail to Warm Springs. Little do Nate and Joe know that their separate journeys are about to converge…at Battle Mountain. 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:
FAMOUS LAST WORDS by Gillian McAllister
FAMOUS LAST WORDS by Gillian McAllister (Domestic Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Emilia Fox
It is June 21st, the longest day of the year, and new mother Camilla’s life is about to change forever. After months of maternity leave, she will drop her infant daughter off at daycare for the first time and return to her job as a literary agent. Finally. But when she wakes, her husband Luke isn’t there, and in his place is a cryptic note. Then it starts. Breaking news: there's a hostage situation developing in London. The police arrive and tell her that Luke is involved. But he isn't a hostage. Her husband --- doting father, eternal optimist --- is the gunman. What she does next is crucial. Because only she knows what the note he left behind that morning says. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: DEEP CUTS by Holly Brickley
DEEP CUTS by Holly Brickley (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Jayme Mattler
It’s a Friday night in a campus bar in Berkeley, fall of 2000, and Percy Marks is pontificating about music again. Hall and Oates is on the jukebox, and Percy --- who has no talent for music, just lots of opinions about it --- can’t stop herself from overanalyzing the song, indulging what she knows to be her most annoying habit. But something is different tonight. The guy beside her at the bar, fellow student Joe Morrow, is a songwriter. And he could listen to Percy talk all night. Joe asks Percy for feedback on one of his songs --- and the results kick off a partnership that will span years, ignite new passions in them both, and crush their egos again and again. Is their collaboration worth its cost? Or is it holding Percy back from finding her own voice? Reviewed by Megan Elliott.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
What’s New on ReadingGroupGuides.com
SOMETHING IN THE WALLS by Daisy Pearce (Psychological Thriller/Supernatural Horror)
Audiobook available, read by Ana Clements
Newly minted child psychologist Mina aimlessly spends her days stuck in the stifling heat wave sweeping across Britain. The only reprieve from her small, close world is attending the local bereavement group to mourn her brother’s death from years ago. That is, until she meets journalist Sam Hunter at the grief group one day. Alice Webber is a 13-year-old girl who claims she’s being haunted by a witch. Living with her family in their crowded home in the remote village of Banathel, Alice’s symptoms are increasingly disturbing, and money is tight. Taking this job will give Mina some experience; Sam will get the scoop of a lifetime; and Alice will get better. But instead of improving, Alice’s behavior becomes increasingly inexplicable and intense. As Mina races to uncover the truth behind Alice’s condition, the dark cracks of Banathel begin to show. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
BACK AFTER THIS by Linda Holmes (Romantic Comedy)
Audiobook available, read by Linda Holmes
After a disastrous relationship with a colleague who stole her heart and her ideas, podcaster Cecily Foster has put romantic love on hold. When the boss who’s disappointed her again and again finally offers her the chance to host her own show, she wants to be thrilled. But the show will be about Cecily’s dating life, and she has to follow the guidance of influencer and newly minted relationship coach Eliza Cassidy. Once she’s committed to 20 blind dates of Eliza’s choosing, Cecily finds herself unable to stop thinking about Will, a photographer she helped to rescue a lost dog. Even though there are sparks between the two, Will’s own path is uncertain, and Eliza’s skeptical comments about Cecily’s decision-making aren’t helping. As Cecily struggles to balance the life she truly desires and the one Eliza wants to create for her, she finds herself at a crossroads. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
COLD AS HELL: A Haven's Rock Novel by Kelley Armstrong (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Thérèse Plummer
Detective Casey Duncan and her husband, Sheriff Eric Dalton, are starting a family now that they’ve settled into their life at Haven’s Rock. As Casey nears the end of her pregnancy, she lets nothing stop her from investigating what happens in the forbidden forest outside the town of Haven’s Rock. When one of the town's residents is drugged and wanders too close to the edge of town, she’s dragged into the woods kicking and screaming. She’s saved in the nick of time, but the women of the town are alarmed. Casey and Eric investigate the assault just as a snowstorm hits Haven’s Rock, covering the forest. It’s there that they find a frozen body, naked in the snow. With mixed accounts of the woman's last movements, the two begin to question who they can trust --- and who they can't --- in their seemingly safe haven. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
THE DARK MIRROR: A Bone Season Novel by Samantha Shannon (Dystopian/Urban Fantasy)
Audiobook available, read by Alana Kerr Collins
Paige Mahoney is outside the Republic of Scion for the first time in more than a decade, but she has no idea how she got to the free world. Half a year has been wiped from her memory. Her journey back to the revolution soon takes her to Venice, where the Domino Programme has uncovered evidence of a secret Scion plan. Before Paige can return to London, she must help the network unravel the sinister Operation Ventriloquist, which threatens to bring Europe to its knees in weeks. And it soon becomes clear that the one person who could recover her memories --- Arcturus Mesarthim --- also might hold the key to thwarting Scion, allowing the revolution to strike an unprecedented blow. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
SAINT OF THE NARROWS STREET by William Boyle (Crime Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Carol Monda
Gravesend, Brooklyn, 1986: Risa Franzone lives in a ground-floor apartment on Saint of the Narrows Street with her bad-seed husband, Saverio, and their eight-month-old baby, Fabrizio. On the night Risa's younger sister, Giulia, moves in to recover from a bad breakup, a fateful accident occurs: Risa strikes a drunk, erratic Sav with a cast-iron pan, killing him on the spot. The sisters are left with a choice: notify the authorities and make a case for self-defense, or bury the man's body and go on with their lives as best they can. In a moment of panic, they call upon Sav's childhood friend, Christopher "Chooch" Gardini, to help them. Over the vast expanse of the next 18 years, life goes on in the working-class Italian neighborhood of Gravesend as Risa, Giulia, Chooch and eventually Fabrizio grapple with what happened that night. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
READING THE WAVES: A Memoir by Lidia Yuknavitch (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Lidia Yuknavitch
Drawing on her background --- her father's abuse, her complicated dynamic with her disabled mother, the death of her child, her sexual relationships with men and women --- and her creative life as an author and teacher, Lidia Yuknavitch has come to understand that by using the power of literature and storytelling to reframe her memories, she can loosen the bonds that have enslaved her emotional growth. Armed with this insight, she allows herself to look with the eye of an artist at the wounds she suffered and come to understand the transformational power this has to restore her soul. By turns candid and lyrical, stoic and forgiving, blunt and evocative, READING THE WAVES reframes memory to show how crucial this process can be to gaining a deeper understanding of ourselves. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
FAGIN THE THIEF by Allison Epstein (Historical Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Will Watt
Long before Oliver Twist stumbled onto the scene, Jacob Fagin was scratching out a life for himself in the dark alleys of 19th-century London. Born in the Jewish enclave of Stepney shortly after his father was executed as a thief, Jacob's whole world is his open-minded mother, Leah. But Jacob’s prospects are forever altered when a light-fingered pickpocket takes Jacob under his wing and teaches him a trade that pays far better than the neighborhood boys could possibly dream. Striking out on his own, Jacob familiarizes himself with London's highest value neighborhoods while forging his own path in the shadows. But everything changes when he adopts an aspiring teenage thief named Bill Sikes, whose mercurial temper poses a danger to himself and anyone foolish enough to cross him. Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro.
YOU ARE FATALLY INVITED by Ande Pliego (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available; read by Alejandro Ruiz, Dawn Harvey, Jeremy Carlisle Parker, John Lee, Will Damron, Victoria Villarreal, Mia Hutchinson-Shaw and Feodor Chin
When renowned anonymous author J. R. Alastor hires former aspiring writer Mila del Angél to host a writing retreat at his private manor off the coast of Maine, she jumps at the chance --- particularly since she has an axe to grind with one of the invitees. The guest list? Six thriller authors, all masters of deceit, misdirection and mayhem. Alastor and Mila have masterminded a week of games, trope-fueled riddles, and maybe a jump scare or two --- the perfect cover for Mila to plot a murder of her own. But when a guest turns up dead --- and it’s not the murder she planned --- Mila finds herself trapped in a different narrative altogether. With a storm isolating the island, and the body count rising, Mila must outwit a killer who knows literally every trick in the book. Reviewed by Curtis Edmonds.
TALKING BASEBALL WITH MAJOR LEAGUE STARS by Wayne Stewart (Sports)
Imagine you had the opportunity to sit down with ballplayers such as Hank Aaron, Greg Maddux, Joe Torre and Nolan Ryan. You might ask them about their star teammates and hated opponents. You might talk about the obstacles they overcame and the strategies that led to their success. Or you might just talk about life in the majors. In TALKING BASEBALL WITH MAJOR LEAGUE STARS, Wayne Stewart provides readers with all that and more. Featuring over 45 years of interviews, Stewart details the history, tactics and inside stories of the national pastime with unique perspectives that only the players, coaches and managers could provide. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
Next Week's Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on March 4th
Below are some notable titles releasing on March 4th 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 March 3rd, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
BABY, IT'S MURDER: The Concluding Mike Hammer Novel by Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins (Hard-boiled Mystery)
Mike Hammer’s deadly final adventure challenges everything we knew about the enduring noir detective in this gripping finale with a shocking twist.
BLOOD MOON by Sandra Brown (Romantic Suspense)
#1 New York Times bestselling author Sandra Brown returns with another gripping thriller where an embittered detective and an ambitious TV show producer are in a race against the clock to prevent another young woman from disappearing before the next blood moon.
THE BOXCAR LIBRARIAN by Brianna Labuskes (Historical Fiction)
Inspired by true events, this thrilling Depression-era novel is about a woman’s quest to uncover a mystery surrounding a local librarian and the Boxcar Library --- a converted mining train that brought books to isolated rural towns in Montana.
BROKEN COUNTRY by Clare Leslie Hall (Historical Fiction)
A love triangle unearths dangerous, deadly secrets from the past in this thrilling tale perfect for fans of THE PAPER PALACE and WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING.
COUNT MY LIES by Sophie Stava (Domestic Thriller)
This read-in-one-night thriller is narrated by a compulsive liar whose little white lies allow her to enter into the life and comfort of a wealthy married couple who are harboring much darker secrets themselves.
DON'T TELL ME HOW TO DIE by Marshall Karp (Domestic Thriller)
Rich with Marshall Karp’s deft array of three-dimensional characters and his signature biting humor, DON'T TELL ME HOW TO DIE has so many twists and turns, you’d swear he wrote it with a corkscrew.
THE DREAM HOTEL by Laila Lalami (Dystopian Fiction)
From Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award finalist Laila Lalami comes a riveting and utterly original novel about one woman’s fight for freedom, set in a near future where even dreams are under surveillance.
EXPECT GREAT THINGS!: How the Katharine Gibbs School Revolutionized the American Workplace for Women by Vanda Krefft (History)
From the 1910s to the 1960s, the famed Katharine Gibbs School trained women for executive secretary positions but surreptitiously was instilling the self-confidence and strategic know-how necessary for them to claim equality, power and authority in the wider world.
FAR FROM HOME by Danielle Steel (Historical Fiction)
#1 New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel delivers an exciting and moving historical novel about a courageous wife and mother hiding in occupied France.
FINLAY DONOVAN DIGS HER OWN GRAVE by Elle Cosimano (Mystery/Humor)
From New York Times bestselling author and Edgar Award nominee Elle Cosimano comes FINLAY DONOVAN DIGS HER OWN GRAVE, the hugely anticipated next installment in the fan-favorite Finlay Donovan series.
GALWAY'S EDGE: A Jack Taylor Mystery by Ken Bruen (Mystery/Thriller)
A secretive vigilante group called Edge cleanses Galway of its worst criminals. But when someone starts picking off Edge members, private detective Jack Taylor steps in to investigate.
THE GIRL FROM GREENWICH STREET: A Novel of Hamilton, Burr, and America's First Murder Trial by Lauren Willig (Historical Mystery/Legal Thriller)
Based on the true story of a famous trial, THE GIRL FROM GREENWICH STREET is "Law and Order: 1800," as Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr investigate the shocking murder of a young woman who everyone --- and no one --- seemed to know.
KILLS WELL WITH OTHERS by Deanna Raybourn (Thriller)
Four women assassins, senior in status --- and in age --- sharpen their knives for another bloody good adventure in this riotous follow-up to the New York Times bestselling sensation KILLERS OF A CERTAIN AGE.
THE LAST DAYS OF KIRA MULLAN by Nicci French (Psychological Thriller)
From international bestselling master of suspense Nicci French comes a chilling new psychological thriller about a woman determined to get justice for a murder no one else believes happened.
ONE GOOD THING by Georgia Hunter (Historical Fiction)
From the New York Times bestselling author of WE WERE THE LUCKY ONES comes an unforgettable story of hardship and hope, courage and resilience, that follows one young woman’s journey through war-torn Italy.
PROPAGANDA GIRLS: The Secret War of the Women in the OSS by Lisa Rogak (History)
PROPAGANDA GIRLS is the incredible untold story of four women who spun the web of deception that helped win World War II.
TAKING MANHATTAN: The Extraordinary Events That Created New York and Shaped America by Russell Shorto (History)
The author of THE ISLAND AT THE CENTER OF THE WORLD offers up a thrilling narrative of how New York --- that brash, bold, archetypal city --- came to be.
WARD D by Freida McFadden (Psychological Thriller)
#1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden delivers a taut, locked-room thriller that will make you want to leave the light on.
WE PRETTY PIECES OF FLESH by Colwill Brown (Fiction)
This exuberant and ribald debut novel is about three adolescent girls, as sweetly vulnerable as they are cunning and tough, coming of age in a gritty postindustrial town in '90s Yorkshire, England.
WILD DARK SHORE by Charlotte McConaghy (Fiction)
A novel of breathtaking twists, dizzying beauty and ferocious love, WILD DARK SHORE is about the impossible choices we make to protect the people we love, even as the world around us disappears.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
From left to right: Colleen Oakley, Adrian McKinty, Jessica Soffer
Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events
Here are five upcoming virtual book and author events that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links for more info and to register.
Monday, March 3rd at 7pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: James L'Etoile will talk about his new novel, RIVER OF LIES. When the homeless camps of Sacramento fall victim to a string of devastating arson attacks, Detective Emily Hunter and her partner, Javier Medina, dive into the investigation.
Tuesday, March 4th at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble Book Club: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome Jessica Soffer for a live virtual event to discuss her latest novel, THIS IS A LOVE STORY, which is February's B&N Book Club pick. Jessica will be in conversation with Lexie Smyth, B&N's Fiction Category Manager.
Wednesday, March 5th at 7pm ET: “Friends & Fiction”: Join “Friends & Fiction” for a conversation with Colleen Oakley about her new novel, JANE AND DAN AT THE END OF THE WORLD. Date night goes off the rails in this hilariously insightful take on midlife and marriage when one unhappy couple find themselves at the heart of a crime in progress.
Wednesday, March 5th at 8pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Adrian McKinty will talk about HANG ON ST. CHRISTOPHER, which continues his Edgar Award–winning Sean Duffy series. This time, Duffy attempts to bring a killer to justice while trying to keep himself and his team alive as everything unravels around them.
Thursday, March 6th at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome Sarah Crouch for a live virtual discussion of MIDDLETIDE as part of their B&N Midday Mystery Virtual Event series. Sarah will be in conversation with the New York Times bestselling author of THE SECRET BOOK OF FLORA LEA, Patti Callahan Henry.
"Bookreporter Talks To" Videos & Podcasts
“Bookreporter Talks To” is a video and podcast series that delivers a long-form, in-depth author interview every week. For years, Carol has moderated book festivals and author events around the country. But we know that readers often do not live where they can attend an author event. Our goal is to bring these author interviews to readers, wherever they may be. Watch on video, or listen as a podcast. (The podcasts include audio excerpts.)
Here is our latest interview:
Other authors we've interviewed include:
Upcoming interviews include:
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Jeff Hobbs (SEEKING SHELTER: A Working Mother, Her Children, and a Story of Homelessness in America)
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Charmaine Wilkerson (GOOD DIRT)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll: March Fiction Releases to Anticipate
Which of the following fiction titles releasing in March do you plan to read? Please check all that apply.
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THE ANTIDOTE by Karen Russell
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BABY, IT'S MURDER: The Concluding Mike Hammer Novel, by Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins
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BEACH VIBES by Susan Mallery
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BLOOD MOON by Sandra Brown
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THE BOXCAR LIBRARIAN by Brianna Labuskes
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BROKEN COUNTRY by Clare Leslie Hall
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THE BUFFALO HUNTER HUNTER by Stephen Graham Jones
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COUNT MY LIES by Sophie Stava
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DON'T TELL ME HOW TO DIE by Marshall Karp
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THE DREAM HOTEL by Laila Lalami
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ELPHIE: A Wicked Childhood, by Gregory Maguire
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FAR FROM HOME by Danielle Steel
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FINLAY DONOVAN DIGS HER OWN GRAVE by Elle Cosimano
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GALAPHILE: The First Druids of Shannara, by Terry Brooks
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THE GIRL FROM GREENWICH STREET: A Novel of Hamilton, Burr, and America's First Murder Trial, by Lauren Willig
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THE JACKAL'S MISTRESS by Chris Bohjalian
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KILLS WELL WITH OTHERS by Deanna Raybourn
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THE LAST DAYS OF KIRA MULLAN by Nicci French
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LETHAL PREY: A Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers Novel, by John Sandford
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THE LOVE WE FOUND by Jill Santopolo
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A MAP TO PARADISE by Susan Meissner
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NOBODY'S FOOL by Harlan Coben
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ONE GOOD THING by Georgia Hunter
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THE PARIS EXPRESS by Emma Donoghue
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SALTWATER by Katy Hays
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SISTER EUROPE by Nell Zink
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THE STORY SHE LEFT BEHIND by Patti Callahan Henry
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THE SUMMER GUESTS by Tess Gerritsen
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THIS BOOK WILL BURY ME by Ashley Winstead
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TWIST by Colum McCann
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WARD D by Freida McFadden
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WE PRETTY PIECES OF FLESH by Colwill Brown
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WILD DARK SHORE by Charlotte McConaghy
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THE WOMEN ON PLATFORM TWO by Laura Anthony
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THE WRITER by James Patterson and J. D. Barker
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None of the above
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, March 14th 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 February 28th to March 14th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of BLOOD MOON by Sandra Brown and THE JACKAL'S MISTRESS by Chris Bohjalian.
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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