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Catching Up with Author Friends
While I love working remotely, I also enjoy catching up with my author friends. Last night, Tom Donadio and I went to a party that was thrown by Jonathan Santlofer at his loft to celebrate his and Lisa Unger’s same-day birthdays, which are on Saturday.
We had a fabulous time talking to Jonathan; Lisa and her husband, Jeff; and many others who were in attendance --- including Harlan Coben, Alafair Burke, John Searles (he has a nonfiction book coming out about Helen Gurley Brown, who ran Cosmopolitan, and the assistants who worked with her), Megan Abbott, Alison Gaylin, Jim Fusilli, Christina Baker Kline and Anne Burt (the first book in their Crystal River thriller series, PLEASE DON’T LIE, releases in September), Wendy Corsi Staub and Otto Penzler.
The turnout was a wonderful gathering of authors, and it was great to see so many people happy to raise a glass to Jonathan and Lisa in anticipation of their big day. Nights like this where we talk books and life are such fun. I wish that we had had more time to talk to people. Through the years, we have become lucky to call so many of these authors friends.
Since I had such a busy week, I have no new reading of mine to report, but we have lots more to share.
My latest “Bookreporter Talks To” interview is with Nita Prose. Her new novel, THE MAID’S SECRET, is the last book featuring Molly the Maid and is a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Nita shares that she did not set out to write a series, but once the first book was finished, it was clear that there was more to Molly’s story. She enjoyed developing a voice for Gran in this novel; in the prior installments, everything about Gran came to readers from Molly. Nita muses about “the egg,” which is referenced throughout the series as the nest egg, and how that has real implications in this final book. And yes, she reveals what’s next for her. Click here to watch the video or here to listen to the podcast.
We will feature our review of THE MAID’S SECRET in next week’s newsletter. In the meantime, take a look at my Bets On commentary 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, April 29th at 8pm ET.
Our guest will be Marjan Kamali, and she will be talking about her national bestseller, THE LION WOMEN OF TEHRAN, which was a Bets On selection when it released last summer. The novel is a sweeping exploration of how profoundly we are shaped by those we meet when we are young, and the way love and courage transforms our lives.
You can register for the event by clicking here. If you have a question for Marjan, please email it to me using the subject line “Marjan” 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 Marjan 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 Marjan in our virtual green room before the program starts.
Marjan is a fabulous guest. She joined my book group for a discussion, and it was excellent. This is your chance to have that same experience whether or not you are in a book group.
Emily Henry’s new novel, GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL LIFE, is Reese’s Book Club pick for May. In it, two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a woman with more than a couple of plot twists up her sleeve. Reese calls it “a mystery, romance, and thriller all rolled into one captivating story!”
According to Rebecca Munro in her review, the book is “[Henry's] most ambitious and successful work yet.” She goes on to say, “Whether you’re a longtime fan of the author or just wondering what all the buzz is about, GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL LIFE will convince you of Henry’s brilliance and leave you wondering about your own story, that of your family’s, and where exactly the truth lies between it all. But in a world full of uncertainty and trauma, spin and deception, there’s just one resounding truth: Emily Henry simply can do no wrong.”
Francesca Smith, our Contest Coordinator, is a big Emily Henry fan. She read the book and loved it just as much as Rebecca did.
THE BOOK OF ALCHEMY by Suleika Jaouad is a guide to the art of journaling and a meditation on the central questions of life. It features contributions from Hanif Abdurraqib, Jon Batiste (Suleika’s husband), Salman Rushdie, George Saunders, Gloria Steinem, and so many more. Tom and I got to hear Suleika talk about her book at a media luncheon in February, and she was a passionate speaker on the concept of journaling.
Harvey Freedenberg has our review and says, “One of the occupational hazards of book reviewing is the requirement to begin the assigned book on page one and dutifully move through it to the final page. Without discouraging anyone from following that path, it’s decidedly not the ideal way to read this book. Instead, pick one of the sections at random and, after digesting Jaouad’s thoughtful, heartfelt introduction, dive deeply into that section’s 10 mini-essays and prompts. Alternatively, hopscotch through the book, reading stories at random and selecting prompts that strike a meaningful chord. In any case, allow time to put the book aside and actually do the work that Jaouad hopes to inspire.”
Suleika appeared on “CBS Mornings” and talked more about the book. She also was on “Today” with the aforementioned Jon Batiste. I enjoyed both segments.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
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THE PERFECT DIVORCE: Filled with page-turning suspense and Jeneva Rose’s signature twists and turns, this #1 New York Times bestselling sequel to THE PERFECT MARRIAGE will have readers wondering: Can Bob and Sarah achieve the perfect divorce? Or will it be “’til death do us part”?
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BIG CHIEF: THERE THERE meets THE NIGHT WATCHMAN in Jon Hickey’s thrilling and timely literary debut about the search for belonging --- to an ancestral and spiritual home, to a family, and to a sovereign people at a moment of great historical importance.
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SKY DADDY: Cross the jet bridge with Linda, a frequent flyer with an unusual obsession, in this subversive and unexpectedly heartwarming first novel from Kate Folk, the acclaimed author of the short story collection OUT THERE.
I’m Betting You’ll Love…
My latest Bets On title is SALTWATER by Katy Hays, an electrifying thriller about an opulent family retreat to Italy that is shattered by the resurfacing of a decades-old crime. Click here for my commentary. And for those who missed my recent “Bookreporter Talks To” interview with Katy, be sure to watch or listen to it.
Revisiting My “Bookreporter Talks To” Interview with Ruth Reichl
Out in paperback this week is Ruth Reichl’s THE PARIS NOVEL, a dazzling, heartfelt adventure through the food, art and fashion scenes of 1980s Paris. I talked to Ruth about the book, which is a Bets On pick, when it released in hardcover last April. Click here to watch the video or here to listen to the podcast if you haven’t already.
Books Mom Will Love…and Can Win!
There’s plenty of time to enter our 20th annual Mother’s Day contest. We’re giving five readers the opportunity to win 10 fabulous titles for themselves or their mom. Among them are GO AS A RIVER by Shelley Read (a Bets On selection) and LAND OF DREAMS: Home to Green Creek, Book 1 by Lauraine Snelling with Kiersti Giron. To enter, please fill out this form by Monday, May 12th at noon ET.
Don’t Miss This Family Drama and Political Thriller Perfect for Fans of Lisa Jewell and Daniel Silva
We are continuing to feature THE FAR SIDE OF THE DESERT by Joanne Leedom-Ackerman in our Paperback Spotlight. Monte and Samantha Waters are on vacation when the unthinkable happens, and one of them is kidnapped. Leaving no stone unturned, the other sister and brother fight to bring their sibling home.
According to award-winning novelist Jennifer Clement, “THE FAR SIDE OF THE DESERT is that rare story --- a literary work and a first-rate thriller. Joanne Leedom-Ackerman, who has traveled the world advocating for human rights, is one of the few writers today who can construct a superb and complex international spy novel. THE FAR SIDE OF THE DESERT is stellar.”
Enter Our New Word of Mouth Contest
We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about. Let us know by Friday, May 9th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll have a chance to win MY FRIENDS by Fredrik Backman and MY NAME IS EMILIA DEL VALLE by Isabel Allende, both of which release on Tuesday, May 6th.
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, May 9th at noon ET.
Our previous poll asked how often you discuss books with your friends outside of a book group. Here are the results, which we loved to see:
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All of the time (45%)
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Some of the time (50%)
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Never (2%)
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I would love to do this, but I do not. (3%)
Oprah’s latest Book Club pick is MATRIARCH: A Memoir by Tina Knowles, which released this week.
“Some of you might know Tina Knowles as the mother of a superstar --- as in Beyoncé --- but she is also a highly successful entrepreneur, fashion designer, philanthropist, and now author of this fascinating memoir of her journey to become the global figure she is today,” Oprah said. “You’re going to want to clear your schedule as you’re going to be totally riveted by the twists and turns of this deeply personal and compelling story.”
Oprah recently talked to Tina about MATRIARCH and its themes of Black motherhood, human resilience and creative genius in front of a live audience at Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Chicago. You can watch their conversation here on Oprah’s YouTube channel.
Teresa from Pennsburg, PA won HEARTWOOD and the aforementioned THE MAID’S SECRET in our Word of Mouth contest. She wrote, “I can’t believe I won! Thank you so much for these books and for years of book reviews that have led me to so many adventures. I look forward to your newsletter every Saturday morning, and I can’t wait to read both THE MAID'S SECRET and HEARTWOOD. THE MAID was one of our book club’s selections, and I’ve read THE MYSTERY GUEST, so I’m delighted to read another book about Molly. Sincere thanks for your wonderful newsletter and for these two new books.”
Andi from Grandville, MI, who also won HEARTWOOD and THE MAID'S SECRET, shared the above photos and wrote, “Book mail is the BEST mail!!! So exciting!”
Jenna Bush Hager is launching the Read with Jenna Book Festival, a two-day event in Nashville, TN, that will take place on May 30th and 31st. Programming will include book signings, conversations with authors, a live recording of Jenna’s “Open Book” podcast, and more. Tickets start at $399. See more about this exciting new festival here.
Conclave: As soon as I heard the sad news of Pope Francis' passing, I thought about the movie Conclave, which I had watched a while ago. I was not alone. Variety reports, “Viewership of Conclave spiked 283% on Monday as word of Pope Francis’ passing spread throughout the world, according to Luminate, which tracks viewership of streaming content. Conclave generated about 1.8 million minutes viewed on April 20; by the end of April 21, that number had reached 6.9 million minutes viewed.”
I did not get much reading done last weekend as I was in Easter creator/craft-time mode with my niece, Glynnis; Cory; and his girlfriend, Kaltrina. They all are creative, and we kept ramping each other up to make our charcuterie bunny fun (note the teeth and the bow tie that were later contributions), as well as the Easter basket cupcakes where I mandated that only green, yellow, blue and red peanut M&Ms would be the Easter eggs. Then we built a vase puzzle. In reality, Cory used his super engineer skills to put the puzzle together, and Kaltrina followed suit. I think Glynnis and I each found two pieces that went together. It was a fun project.
My niece came, and we bought a big pile of books for her new baby. The boys selected their favorites growing up; Tom picked some that he loved to read to the boys; and I added Madeline, Eloise and LILLY'S PURPLE PLASTIC PURSE, which I thought she would enjoy.
On Saturday, I am headed to the Montclair Literary Festival where I plan to attend two events with my friend, Annmarie. One features Georgia Hunter, while the other features the aforementioned Lisa Unger. I have not checked out this somewhat local festival, so I am looking forward to it.
Husband Tom has been away playing golf all week. It’s been very warm here --- even hot --- all week, and I am soooo ready for the pool to be opened! My friend, Karyn, also reminded me that I need to plant the bulbs for the dahlias, as well as a peony that is in a pot somewhere. Yes, planting season is just about here again!
Read on, and have a great week…and here's hoping you have something fun planned on Saturday for Independent Bookstore Day!
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:
GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL LIFE by Emily Henry
Reese’s Book Club Pick for May
GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL LIFE by Emily Henry (Romantic Comedy)
Audiobook available, read by Julia Whelan
Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer Prize-winning human thundercloud. And they’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island to write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years, or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives --- tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the 20th century. Margaret invites them both for a one-month trial period, after which she will choose the person who will tell her story. But Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story --- pieces they can’t swap to put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time they’re in the same room. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to see why the book is Reese's Book Club pick for May.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review:
THE BOOK OF ALCHEMY by Suleika Jaouad
THE BOOK OF ALCHEMY: A Creative Practice for an Inspired Life by Suleika Jaouad (Self-Help/Personal Growth)
Audiobook available, read by Suleika Jaouad with a full cast
From the time she was young, Suleika Jaouad has kept a journal. She’s used it to mark life's biggest occasions and to weather its most ferocious storms. Journaling has buoyed her through illness, heartbreak and the deepest uncertainty. And she is not alone. For so many people, keeping a journal is an essential tool for navigating both the personal peaks and valleys and the collective challenges of modern life. In THE BOOK OF ALCHEMY, Suleika explores the art of journaling and shares everything she's learned about how this life-altering practice can help us tap into that mystical trait that exists in every human: creativity. She has gathered wisdom from 100 writers, artists and thinkers in the form of essays and writing prompts. Their insights invite us to inhabit a more inspired life. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com Bets On: SALTWATER by Katy Hays
SALTWATER by Katy Hays (Psychological Thriller)
As my sons are now in their 30s, I miss spring break, which was a standard thing in their youth. So it was no surprise that I was eager for a book that took place in a location with sun and sand. SALTWATER by Katy Hays fit the bill. It’s set on the isle of Capri, where the Lingate family has gathered for a week each summer to vacation. What’s a tad odd about this return trip each year is that it’s the anniversary of the week when Sarah Lingate was found dead in 1992. Are they coming back there to honor her, or to be sure that people believe she died of natural causes and that no one in the family had anything to do with it? Interesting question, right?
But then the necklace that Sarah was wearing on the night she disappeared shows up again, and the investigation into what happened to her is reopened.
- 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 Katy Hays.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here to read more of Carol's Bets On commentary.
Bookreporter.com’s 20th Annual
Mother’s Day Contest: Books Mom Will Love
Mother’s Day is a time to recognize the woman who raised and nurtured us. To celebrate, we're giving you the opportunity to win books for yourself or the special lady in your life in our 20th annual "Books Mom Will Love" contest. From now through Monday, May 12th at noon ET, readers can enter to win one of our five prize packages, which includes 10 great titles that we think moms will love.
This year's prize books are:
Click here to enter the contest.
Paperback Spotlight: THE FAR SIDE OF THE DESERT
by Joanne Leedom-Ackerman
THE FAR SIDE OF THE DESERT by Joanne Leedom-Ackerman
(Political Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Robin McAlpine
Sisters Samantha and Monte Waters are vacationing together in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, enjoying a festival and planning to meet with their brother, Cal. But the idyllic plans are short-lived. When terrorists’ attacks rock the city around them, Monte, a U.S. foreign service officer, and Samantha, an international television correspondent, are separated, and one of them is whisked away in the frenzy.
The family mobilizes, using all their contacts to try to find their missing sister, but to no avail. She has vanished. As time presses on, the outlook darkens. Can she be found, or is she a lost cause? And even if she returns, will the damage to her and those around her be irreparable?
Moving from Spain to Washington to Morocco to Gibraltar to the Sahara Desert, THE FAR SIDE OF THE DESERT is a family drama and political thriller that explores links of terrorism, crime and financial manipulation, revealing the grace that ultimately foils destruction.
- Click here to read our review.
- Click here to read Joanne Leedom-Ackerman's bio.
- Click here to visit Joanne Leedom-Ackerman's website.
- Connect with Joanne Leedom-Ackerman on Facebook, X, Instagram, Bluesky and Threads.
Click here to read more in our Paperback Spotlight.
Featured Review:
THE PERFECT DIVORCE by Jeneva Rose
THE PERFECT DIVORCE by Jeneva Rose (Domestic Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Mozhan Navabi, Andrew Eiden, Adam Lazarre-White, J. S. Arquin, Brittany Pressley and Andi Arndt
It's been 11 years since high-powered attorney Sarah Morgan defended her husband, Adam, against the charge of murdering his mistress. Sarah has long since moved on, starting a family with her new husband, Bob Miller, and changing careers. Her life is back to being exactly how she always wanted. Or is it? After discovering Bob engaged in a one-night stand, Sarah wastes no time filing for divorce. However, amid their ugly separation, new DNA evidence is uncovered in the case against Adam, forcing the police to reopen the investigation and putting Sarah right back in the spotlight. Everyone wants to know what really happened, most of all former Deputy Hudson, who is hell-bent on finding the truth. But when the woman Bob slept with is reported missing, he and Sarah start to fight dirty, and a high-stakes game of cat and mouse ensues. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: BIG CHIEF by Jon Hickey
BIG CHIEF by Jon Hickey (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Shaun Taylor-Corbett
Mitch Caddo, a young law school graduate and an aspiring political fixer, is an outsider in the homeland of his Anishinaabe ancestors. But alongside his childhood friend, Tribal President Mack Beck, he runs the government of the Passage Rouge Nation and the tribe’s Golden Eagle Casino and Hotel. On the eve of Mack’s reelection, their tenuous grip on power is threatened by a nationally known activist and politician, Gloria Hawkins, and her young aide, Layla Beck, none other than Mack’s estranged sister and Mitch’s former love. In their struggle for control over Passage Rouge, the campaigns resort to bare-knuckle political gamesmanship. But when an accident claims the life of Mitch’s mentor, a power broker in the reservation’s political scene, the election slides into chaos and pits Mitch against the only family he has. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
- 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: SKY DADDY by Kate Folk
SKY DADDY by Kate Folk (Fiction/Dark Humor)
Audiobook available, read by Kristen Sieh
During the week, Linda earns $20 an hour moderating comments for a video-sharing platform, and then rides the bus home to the windowless garage she rents on the outskirts of San Francisco. But on the last Friday of each month, she indulges her true passion, taking BART to SFO for a round-trip flight to a regional hub. The destination is irrelevant, because each trip means a new date with a handsome stranger --- a stranger whose intelligent windscreens, sleek fuselages and powerful engines make Linda feel a way that no human ever could. Linda knows that she can’t tell anyone she’s sexually obsessed with planes. Nor can she reveal her belief that it’s her destiny to “marry” one of her suitors, uniting with her soulmate plane for eternity. But then an opportunity arises to hasten her dream of eternal partnership, and the carefully balanced elements of her life begin to spin out of control. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
What’s New This Month on ReadingGroupGuides.com
We currently have the following contest running on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
Enter to Win One of 25 Copies of MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH MURDER by Colleen Cambridge
In anticipation of the April 29th release of A FASHIONABLY FRENCH MURDER, the third book in Colleen Cambridge's An American in Paris Mystery series, we are awarding 25 readers a copy of MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH MURDER, the opening installment of the series.
From fine Bordeaux and freshly baked baguettes to the friendly chatter of the green market, post-World War II Paris is indulging its appetite for food, and life, once more. Enter Tabitha Knight, a young American woman who makes friends with chef-in-training Julia Child --- and finds herself immersed in a murder most unsavory.
Enter here by Wednesday, May 14th at noon ET.
Here are our latest featured guides:
Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:
Click here to visit ReadingGroupGuides.com.
ATAVISTS: Stories by Lydia Millet (Fiction/Short Stories)
Audiobook available; read by Hillary Huber, Devon Sorvari, Patrick Zeller and Pete Cross
The word atavism, coined by a botanist and popularized by a criminologist, refers to the resurfacing of a primitive evolutionary trait or urge in a modern being. This inventive collection from Lydia Millet offers overlapping tales of urges ranging from rage to jealousy to yearning. The titular atavists include an underachieving, bewildered young bartender; a middle-aged mother convinced that her gentle son-in-law is fixated on geriatric porn; a bodybuilder with an incel’s fantasy life; an arrogant academic accused of plagiarism; and an empty-nester dad determined to host refugees in a tiny house in his backyard. As they pick away at the splitting seams in American culture, Millet’s characters shimmer with the sense of powerlessness we share in an era of mass overwhelm. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
THE BRIGHT YEARS by Sarah Damoff (Fiction)
Audiobook available; read by Ferdelle Capistrano, Joy Osmanski and Lee Osorio
Ryan and Lillian Bright are deeply in love, recently married, and now parents to a baby girl, Georgette. But Lillian has a son she hasn’t told Ryan about, and Ryan has an alcohol addiction he hasn’t told Lillian about, so Georgette comes of age watching their marriage rise and fall. When a shocking blow scatters their fragile trio, Georgette tries to distance herself from reminders of her parents. Years later, Lillian’s son comes searching for his birth family, so Georgette must return to her roots, unearth her family’s history, and decide if she can open up to love for them --- or herself --- while there’s still time. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
THE PRETENDER by Jo Harkin (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by John Hollingworth
In 1480, the arrival of a well-dressed stranger from London upends John Collan’s life forever. John is not John Collan, the son of Will Collan, but Lambert Simnel, the son of the long-deceased Duke of Clarence. Lambert has been hidden in the countryside after a brotherly rift over the crown --- and because Richard III has a habit of making his nephews disappear. He is removed from his humble origins and sent to Oxford to be educated in a manner befitting the throne’s rightful heir. There he encounters the intractable Joan, the delightfully strong-willed daughter of his Irish patrons, who is imbued with both extraordinary political savvy and occasional murderous tendencies. Together Lambert and Joan form an alliance that will change the fate of the English monarchy. Reviewed by Megan Elliott.
WHEN THE WOLF COMES HOME by Nat Cassidy (Horror/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Helen Laser
One night, Jess, a struggling actress, finds a five-year-old runaway hiding in the bushes outside her apartment. After a violent, bloody encounter with the boy's father, she and the boy find themselves running for their lives. As they attempt to evade the boy's increasingly desperate father, Jess slowly comes to a horrifying understanding of the butchery that follows them --- the boy can turn his every fear into reality. And when the wolf finally comes home, no one will be spared. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
FAIR PLAY by Louise Hegarty (Literary Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Andrew Wincott and Aoife McMahon
A group of friends gather at an Airbnb on New Year’s Eve. It is Benjamin’s birthday, and his sister, Abigail, is throwing him a jazz-age Murder Mystery-themed party. As the night plays out, champagne is drunk, hors d’oeuvres consumed and relationships forged, consolidated or frayed. Someone kisses the wrong person; someone else’s heart is broken. In the morning, all of them wake up --- except Benjamin. As Abigail attempts to wrap her mind around her brother’s death, an eminent detective arrives determined to find Benjamin's killer. In this mansion, suddenly complete with a butler, gardener and housekeeper, everyone is a suspect, and nothing is quite as it seems. Will the culprit be revealed? And how can Abigail piece herself back together in the wake of this loss? Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE ACID QUEEN: The Psychedelic Life and Counterculture Rebellion of Rosemary Woodruff Leary by Susannah Cahalan (Biography)
Audiobook available, read by Susannah Cahalan
Rosemary Woodruff Leary has been known only as the wife of Timothy Leary, the Harvard professor-turned-psychedelic high priest, whose jailbreak captivated the counterculture and whose life on the run with Rosemary inflamed the government. But Rosemary was more than a mere accessory. She was a beatnik, a psychonaut, and a true believer who tested the limits of her mind and the expectations for women of her time. Long overlooked by those who have venerated her husband, Rosemary spent her life on the forefront of the counterculture, working with Leary on his books and speeches, sewing his clothing, and shaping the media’s narrative about LSD. Ultimately, Rosemary sacrificed everything for the safety of her fellow psychedelic pioneers and the preservation of her husband’s legacy. Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro.
EAT THE ONES YOU LOVE by Sarah Maria Griffin (Fantasy/Horror)
Audiobook available, read by Barry McStay and Lauren O’Leary
After losing her job and her fiancé, and moving back from the city to live with her parents, Shell Pine needs some help. And according to the sign in the window, the florist shop in the mall does too. Shell gets the gig, and the flowers she works with are just the thing she needs to cheer up. Or maybe it’s Neve, the beautiful shop manager, who is making her days so rosy. But you have to get your hands dirty if you want your garden to grow --- and Neve’s secrets are as dark and dangerous as they come. In the back room of the flower shop, a young sentient orchid actually runs the show. He is hungry...and he has a plan for them all. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
BEFORE ELVIS: The African American Musicians Who Made the King by Preston Lauterbach (Music/History)
Audiobook available, read by Jaime Lincoln Smith
After Baz Luhrmann’s movie, Elvis, hit theaters, audiences and critics alike couldn't help but question the Black origins of Elvis Presley’s music and style, reigniting a debate that has been circling for decades. In BEFORE ELVIS​, author Preston Lauterbach answers these questions definitively, based on new research and extensive, previously unpublished interviews with the artists who blazed the way and the people who knew them. Within these pages, Lauterbach examines the lives, music, legacies and interactions with Elvis of the four innovative Black artists who created a style that would come to be known as Rock ’n’ Roll: Little Junior Parker, Big Mama Thornton, Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, and mostly unknown eccentric Beale Street guitarist Calvin Newborn. Reviewed by Michael Barson.
Next Week's Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on
April 28th, April 29th and May 1st
Below are some notable titles releasing on April 28th, April 29th and May 1st that we would like to make you aware of. We will have more on many of these books in the weeks to come. For a list of additional hardcovers and paperbacks available the week of April 28th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
April 28th
25 ALIVE by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro (Thriller)
Sergeant Lindsay Boxer, medical examiner Claire Washburn, Assistant District Attorney Yuki Castellano, and crime reporter Cindy Thomas investigate the shocking murder of a former SFPD chief in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park.
April 29th
THE AMALFI CURSE by Sarah Penner (Historical Fantasy/Adventure)
Against the dazzling backdrop of the Amalfi Coast, this bewitching novel shimmers with mystery, romance, and the untamed magic of the sea.
COLD BURN: A National Parks Thriller by A. J. Landau (Thriller)
Agent Michael Walker returns when multiple deaths at Glacier Bay National Park are just the first steps in a potential global disaster.
THE CORRESPONDENT by Virginia Evans (Fiction)
Filled with knowledge that only comes from a life fully lived, THE CORRESPONDENT is a gem of a novel about the power of finding solace in literature and connection with people we might never meet in person.
A FASHIONABLY FRENCH MURDER: An American in Paris Mystery by Colleen Cambridge (Historical Mystery)
American expat Tabitha Knight has found a new life in postwar Paris, along with a delightful friend in aspiring chef Julia Child. Yet there are perils in peacetime too, as a killer infiltrates one of the city’s most famous fashion houses.
HOW TO SEAL YOUR OWN FATE by Kristen Perrin (Mystery)
Kristen Perrin is back with the second novel in her Castle Knoll series. Annie Adams is caught in a new web of murder that spans decades, returning us to the idyllic English village that holds layers of secrets.
THE LILAC PEOPLE by Milo Todd (Historical Fiction)
THE LILAC PEOPLE is a moving and deeply humane story about a trans man who must relinquish the freedoms of prewar Berlin to survive first the Nazis and then the Allies while protecting the ones he loves.
A MIND OF HER OWN by Danielle Steel (Historical Fiction)
Rising above the devastation of World War I, a young half-French, half-American woman remains true to her own independent spirit in this powerful historical novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel.
THE MURDER MACHINE by Heather Graham (Technothriller)
FBI agent Jude Mackenzie must uncover how a homeowner was killed by her state-of-the-art home controlled by an AI assistant. Partnering with cybercrimes Special Agent Victoria Tennant reveals that they’re truly after a human perpetrator hiding behind machines, but this puts them in the criminal’s digital crosshairs.
MY NEXT BREATH: A Memoir by Jeremy Renner (Memoir)
MY NEXT BREATH is the gripping and inspiring story of acclaimed actor Jeremy Renner’s near-fatal accident, and what he learned about inner strength, endurance and hope as he overcame insurmountable odds to recover, one breath at a time.
SHOW, DON'T TELL: A Writer, Her Teacher, and the Power of Sharing Our Stories by Kristine Gasbarre (Memoir)
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of HOW TO LOVE AN AMERICAN MAN comes a memoir that inspires us to remember the special teachers in our lives and reflect on the change we create when we share our stories.
TOUGH LUCK by Sandra Dallas (Western)
In this homage to True Grit, a young woman makes a perilous journey west in 1863 in search of her gold-mining father.
May 1st
WHEN STARS ALIGN by Melissa de la Cruz (Fiction)
Three girls in Hollywood thought they’d rule the world. Reality bites in a touching novel about success, friendship and redemption by New York Times bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz.
Click here to see the latest “On Sale This Week” newsletter.
From left to right: Rachel Ekstrom Courage, Marjan Kamali, Carley Fortune
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.
Tuesday, April 29th at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome Rachel Ekstrom Courage for a live virtual discussion of MURDER BY CHEESECAKE: A Golden Girls Cozy Mystery, as part of their B&N Midday Mystery Virtual Event series. Rachel will be in conversation with the New York Times bestselling author of FINLAY DONOVAN DIGS HER OWN GRAVE, Elle Cosimano.
Tuesday, April 29th at 8pm ET: “Bookaccino Live” Book Group: Carol Fitzgerald will talk to Marjan Kamali about THE LION WOMEN OF TEHRAN, a national bestseller and a 2024 Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. Marjan also will answer questions from guests who will be “on stage,” as well as from other members of the audience.
Wednesday, April 30th at 7pm ET: “Friends & Fiction”: Join “Friends & Fiction” for a conversation with Carley Fortune about her new novel, ONE GOLDEN SUMMER, a tender nostalgia-tinged love story about starting over, family, and an unforgettable summer.
"Bookreporter Talks To" Videos & Podcasts
“Bookreporter Talks To” is a video and podcast series that delivers long-form, in-depth author interviews. 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:
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Nita Prose (THE MAID'S SECRET: A Maid Novel) Video | Podcast
Other authors we've interviewed include:
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Marie Benedict (THE QUEENS OF CRIME) Video | Podcast
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Joseph Finder (THE OLIGARCH'S DAUGHTER) Video | Podcast
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Clare Leslie Hall (BROKEN COUNTRY) Video | Podcast
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Katy Hays (SALTWATER) Video | Podcast
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Jeff Hobbs (SEEKING SHELTER: A Working Mother, Her Children, and a Story of Homelessness in America) Video | Podcast
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Michelle Horton (DEAR SISTER: A Memoir of Secrets, Survival, and Unbreakable Bonds) Video | Podcast
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Georgia Hunter (ONE GOOD THING) Video | Podcast
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Tracey Lange (WHAT HAPPENED TO THE McCRAYS?) Video | Podcast
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Scott Turow (PRESUMED GUILTY) Video | Podcast
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Charmaine Wilkerson (GOOD DIRT) Video | Podcast
Upcoming interviews include:
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Brenda Coffee (MAYA BLUE: A Memoir of Survival)
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Chris Pavone (THE DOORMAN)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll: May Fiction Releases to Anticipate
Which of the following fiction titles releasing in May do you plan to read? Please check all that apply.
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ANIMA RISING by Christopher Moore
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BEACH HOUSE RULES by Kristy Woodson Harvey
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THE CHILDREN OF EVE: A Charlie Parker Novel, by John Connolly
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THE DARK MAESTRO by Brendan Slocumb
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A DEAD DRAW by Robert Dugoni
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THE DOORMAN by Chris Pavone
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THE EMPEROR OF GLADNESS by Ocean Vuong
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FDR DRIVE by James Comey
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FEVER BEACH by Carl Hiaasen
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THE GIRLS OF GOOD FORTUNE by Kristina McMorris
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GOING HOME IN THE DARK by Dean Koontz
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HIDDEN NATURE by Nora Roberts
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THE LAST FERRY OUT by Andrea Bartz
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THE LOVE HATERS by Katherine Center
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THE MAN MADE OF SMOKE by Alex North
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THE MANOR OF DREAMS by Christina Li
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MANSION BEACH by Meg Mitchell Moore
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MARBLE HALL MURDERS by Anthony Horowitz
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MARGUERITE BY THE LAKE by Mary Dixie Carter
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THE MARTHA’S VINEYARD BEACH AND BOOK CLUB by Martha Hall Kelly
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MICHAEL WITHOUT APOLOGY by Catherine Ryan Hyde
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THE MISSING HALF by Ashley Flowers, with Alex Kiester
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MY FRIENDS by Fredrik Backman
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MY NAME IS EMILIA DEL VALLE by Isabel Allende
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THE NAMES by Florence Knapp
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NEVER FLINCH by Stephen King
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NIGHTSHADE by Michael Connelly
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RETURN TO SENDER: A Longmire Mystery, by Craig Johnson
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RUN FOR THE HILLS by Kevin Wilson
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SOUTH OF NOWHERE: A Colter Shaw Novel, by Jeffery Deaver
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SPEAK TO ME OF HOME by Jeanine Cummins
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THE TENANT by Freida McFadden
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WE LIVE HERE NOW by Sarah Pinborough
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WHERE THE RIVERS MERGE by Mary Alice Monroe
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WHISTLE by Linwood Barclay
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None of the above
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, May 9th 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 April 25th to May 9th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of MY FRIENDS by Fredrik Backman and MY NAME IS EMILIA DEL VALLE by Isabel Allende.
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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