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I feel like I am living in a sitcom.
Outside of our house, there is a bird that loudly tweets exactly five times. I thought I was the only one hearing this, but then my friend, Karyn, was outside planting flowers here the other day. I asked her, “Did you hear that?” She exclaimed “Yes!” and we tried to spot the bird. It has a call that is out of the norm. My husband, Tom, then walked outside, and I asked, “Do you hear the bird?” He replied, “You mean the bird that started chirping five times at 5:10am?”
We really think it is just one, and the other day it was chirping outside my office window on the other side of the house. It’s hard to describe its five-beat tweet, but it's higher pitched than any other bird.
Sitcoms typically have three storylines. The bird is definitely one here.
This was a busy week, with our monthly book preview event and an author interview, as well as some big May titles that are out. So away we go.
My latest “Bookreporter Talks To” interview is with Victoria Christopher Murray, whose first solo historical novel, HARLEM RHAPSODY, will be a Bets On selection. She has written New York Times bestsellers with her co-author, Marie Benedict.
Victoria explains why she chose to write about the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and shares her extensive research, which included reading issues of The Crisis, the official magazine of the NAACP, and her wonderful finds of letters and other works that helped to bring this story together. She speaks of admiring Jessie Redmon Fauset and her education and career success, as well as what happened later in her life.
Victoria is enthusiastic about how much has been achieved, as just 50 years ago, Black people had been enslaved and didn’t have access to education. Click here to watch the video or here to listen to the podcast. Don't miss my Bets On commentary in an upcoming newsletter.
We hosted May’s “Bookaccino Live” book preview afternoon event on Wednesday. I talked about 41 books releasing between now and June 3rd, plus 14 from July, that we wanted to get on your radar. You can watch the presentation here and see a list of the featured titles here.
Our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight is back! This time, we’re featuring Lori Foster’s upcoming book, THE GUEST COTTAGE, which kicks off her Firefly Summer series.
Marlow Heddings has carried the outrage of her husband Dylan’s affair with a younger woman --- and the expectations of his family’s powerful Chicago holdings company --- long enough. Now, after another devastating twist of fate, she is moving on. Arriving in Bramble, Kentucky, Marlow revels in her freedom as she scouts places to open her dream boutique. Best of all is her new residence, an adorable cottage with gorgeous lake views --- and a breathtaking landlord, Cort Easton, who is a former Marine. Soon they’re sharing dockside morning coffee and nighttime firefly gazing. But then Pixie Nolan arrives on Marlow’s doorstep, and she has a shocking secret.
In anticipation of the book’s May 27th publication, we’re awarding a copy to 25 readers and asking them to share their feedback on it by Monday, July 7th. To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, May 30th at noon ET.
What does it mean to call a place home? That question lies at the heart of Jeanine Cummins’ highly anticipated new novel, SPEAK TO ME OF HOME. The #1 New York Times bestselling author of AMERICAN DIRT has written a deeply felt multigenerational family story, and it will be a Bets On selection.
Pamela Kramer has our review and says, “Cummins explores our capacity to love and the ways we love. Through her characters, she demonstrates that while home is where the family is, home also needs to be a place where we are accepted and loved for who we are. The cruelty of racism rears its head often in this saga as we come to realize that seemingly, no matter where one lives, skin color matters…. The nuances of life and love, of family ties and fractures, and the ‘home’ in Puerto Rico, all serve to make this a novel that would be perfect for book groups to discuss.”
Don’t miss my Bets On commentary in next week’s newsletter. I look forward to interviewing Jeanine once her book tour is over at the end of the month.
Word of Mouth Contest Reminder
SPEAK TO ME OF HOME is one of our current Word of Mouth prizes; the other is THE DOORMAN by Chris Pavone, which releases on Tuesday and also will be a Bets On pick. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read by Friday, May 23rd at noon ET, and you’ll be in the running to win both these titles. We will share my interview with Chris in two weeks.
Oprah’s latest Book Club pick is Ocean Vuong’s new work of fiction, THE EMPEROR OF GLADNESS, a bighearted novel about chosen family, unexpected friendship, and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive.
Oprah says, “Those of you who are Ocean Vuong fans or have read his previous book or his poetry understand that he is an extraordinary writer, one of the best of our time and for the ages…. [His] ability to be able to take the characters that have ordinary lives and give extraordinary meaning to those lives makes us each think of our lives differently. He is a brilliant writer and a poet and a master of words.”
In his review, Harvey Freedenberg calls the book “an emotionally affecting novel that is rooted in the particulars of life as it partakes of the universal.” He goes on to say, “Without sentimentalizing these characters, Vuong reveals how their lives link pain and drudgery to some of the most meaningful connections any of them possess…. The novelist Colum McCann once observed, ‘I happen to think that an ounce of empathy is worth a boatload of judgment.’ Ocean Vuong clearly has taken the spirit of that philosophy to heart and applied it with true feeling in this deeply empathetic story.”
In front of a live audience at a Starbucks café in Chicago, Oprah talked to Ocean about this deeply personal narrative and his gift of illuminating the fullness of humanity in the most ordinary of places. Click here to watch their conversation.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
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FEVER BEACH: Carl Hiaasen’s latest laugh-out-loud novel tackles the current chaotic and polarized American culture (following in the path of SQUEEZE ME), and features two wonderful Hiaasen heroes.
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CLASS CLOWN: Dave Barry finally tells his life story with all the humor you’d expect from a man who made a career out of making fun of pretty much everything. We are featuring TWO reviews of the book.
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MARBLE HALL MURDERS: Murder links past and present once again in this mind-boggling metafictional mystery from Anthony Horowitz featuring detective Atticus Pünd and editor Susan Ryeland, the stars of MAGPIE MURDERS and MOONFLOWER MURDERS.
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THE MAN MADE OF SMOKE: By turns emotional, introspective and utterly terrifying, Alex North’s latest serial killer thriller is a story of fathers and sons, shadows and secrets, and the fight we all face to escape the trauma of the past.
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THE DARK MAESTRO: Brendan Slocumb’s new novel introduces readers to Curtis Wilson, a cello virtuoso from Southeast DC at the peak of his career who is forced into witness protection when his family crosses a ruthless criminal organization.
Summer Reading Contest Update
In this week’s Summer Reading contest, we gave away WHISTLE by Linwood Barclay. Next week’s prize will be JUST BEACHY by Wendy Wax, which releases on June 3rd. In it, a former actress in need of a reset reunites with her grandmother, her first crush, and the ladies of Ten Beach Road. The contest will be up on Tuesday, May 20th at noon ET.
Remember to Vote in Our Poll
Our poll continues to ask which of 30 titles releasing in paperback this month you have read or are planning to read. Click here to let us know by Friday, May 23rd at noon ET.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Sue wrote, “I received SKIN & BONES yesterday! I had gotten a text from UPS saying that a package from Hachette Book Group would be arriving, and I wondered what it was, as I hadn't ordered any books recently. What a surprise! A friend of mine suggested that I sign up for your newsletter, and the Summer Reading contest was in the first newsletter I received. As a retired librarian and avid reader, I'll be sure to review it. I'll also be donating the book to my library once I've read it. Here is a photo of my corgi, Kensi, with the book.”
Richard wrote after winning MY FRIENDS by Fredrik Backman and MY NAME IS EMILIA DEL VALLE by Isabel Allende in our Word of Mouth contest: “What a nice surprise for my birthday this coming weekend. I realize they may not arrive until after, but that's okay.”
Backman was interviewed for USA Today, and he speaks about the stress of publishing, among other things. Click here to read the article.
Here’s a terrific piece from the New York Times about Jeanine Cummins and her new book, the aforementioned SPEAK TO ME OF HOME.
Taylor Jenkins Reid is on the cover of Time magazine. I know that many of you are looking forward to her upcoming book, ATMOSPHERE: A Love Story, which releases on June 3rd. Here’s the piece, which includes an interview with her.
Be sure to check out this article from The Atlantic about the extraordinary life and career of Carl Hiaasen, whose latest novel, the aforementioned FEVER BEACH, is now in stores.
It was announced this week that Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben will be writing a thriller together, and it will be published on October 14th. GONE BEFORE GOODBYE is the unforgettable story of an indomitable woman, trapped in a conspiracy she helped create but can’t understand. Her harrowing search for the truth could expose a conspiracy woven throughout the exclusive world of the global ultra elite --- but at an unfathomable cost to Maggie herself.
“Mid-Century Modern” on Hulu: This series is soooo funny. Think “The Golden Girls” with three gay men living together (one named Bunny) in Palm Springs --- and yes, Matt Bomer is easy on the eyes, though the dumber-than-dumb character he plays could be smarter. Bunny’s sister, Mindy, does comedy like Carrie Fisher or the woman who is the so-very-droll neighbor on Apple TV+'s “Shrinking”. Sadly, one of the show's co-stars, Linda Lavin, who played Bunny’s mother (and looked great for 87), passed away while they still were filming, and they incorporated her death into the storyline for an episode. Talk about a tough-to-write segment. You can read more about it here.
I am hoping that we can get the pool opened this weekend. Also, Tom came up with an idea to add a gazebo to the backyard as the new Cleopatra tent. It makes sense since the wind and the rain shattered two of the turquoise Cleopatra beauties in two years. We talked about it and looked at some online. I was reading all of the ratings. I was thinking we were going to discuss this more and then order. FedEx came yesterday; the truck was in the driveway for a while, and then the doorbell rang. From my office window, I saw the driver walk back to the truck, so I thought she had brought a lot of books and I did not need to sign for them, which was good. And I went on working.
Last night, Tom said, “So you saw everything that arrived.” What had arrived? It was the gazebo pieces! Somehow, he ordered it while I thought we were still in the discussion stages. It came with beige drapes. I AM ordering turquoise drapes. With those up, it will be like we live in Palm Springs from May through October. Now there is discussion about doing something to the patio to root it in place. I thought the fact that it had a dual-leveled solid roof and steel beams (yes, I was paying attention, and these were key selling points) meant that it would not be playing a part in “Wizard of Our Backyard,” flying around like the farmhouse in Kansas and collapsing like the tent did last summer. But now there is talk about moving stone and pouring concrete. This should have been an April project, not a May/June project. And no, I have not looked at the number of pieces involved in this. I do not want to know! I did hear that it has really great ratings. Yes, that part of the conversation made an impression!
We went to the plant nursery last Sunday. Just so you know, Mother’s Day is the second busiest day at the nursery. The Saturday before Mother’s Day is the busiest. Yes, we learned that as we stood on a long line. Last year, I did a brilliant job of collecting all the labels from the plants we planted that I liked. NOW if I could just remember where I put those. I have my files from 2021, 2022 and 2023, along with an envelope from 2024 with nothing in it. Well, at least I have the envelope, right? Maybe next year I can ask the bird to hold it for me.
Yoga is on the agenda this weekend, as well as reading ATMOSPHERE. And I am betting there will be another trip to The Farm at Green Village when I find the plant tags from last year. Next week, water aerobics classes at the club will be outside as long as the temperature is over 70 and it’s not raining. I am glad I am not the one in charge of making those weather decisions. The AM water group can be very feisty when summoned to go outside when they do not want to be there. Rebellion has occurred!
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:
SPEAK TO ME OF HOME by Jeanine Cummins
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
SPEAK TO ME OF HOME by Jeanine Cummins (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Almarie Guerra
On her wedding day in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in 1968, Rafaela Acuña y Daubón has mild misgivings, but she marries Peter Brennan Jr. anyway in a blaze of romantic optimism. She has no way of knowing how dramatically her life will change when she uproots her young family to start over in the American Midwest, unleashing a fleet of disappointments. In the 1980s, against the backdrop of her mother’s isolation in St. Louis, Missouri, Rafaela’s daughter, Ruth, wants only to belong. Eager to fit in, Ruth lets go of her language, habits and childhood memories of Puerto Rico. It’s not until decades later when Ruth’s own daughter, Daisy, returns to San Juan that her mother and grandmother begin to truly reflect on the choices that have come to define their lives. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
Click here to read our review.
SPEAK TO ME OF HOME will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's Bets On commentary in next week's newsletter
and her interview with Jeanine Cummins in the weeks to come.
Featured Review:
THE EMPEROR OF GLADNESS by Ocean Vuong
Oprah’s Latest Book Club Pick
THE EMPEROR OF GLADNESS by Ocean Vuong (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by James Aaron Oh
One late summer evening in the post-industrial town of East Gladness, Connecticut, 19-year-old Hai stands on the edge of a bridge in pelting rain, ready to jump, when he hears someone shout across the river. The voice belongs to Grazina, an elderly widow succumbing to dementia, who convinces him to take another path. Bereft and out of options, he quickly becomes her caretaker. Over the course of the year, the unlikely pair develops a life-altering bond, one built on empathy, spiritual reckoning and heartbreak, with the power to transform Hai’s relationship to himself, his family and a community on the brink. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
- Click here to see why the book is Oprah's latest Book Club pick.
Click here to read our review.
New Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight & Contest:
Win One of 25 Copies of THE GUEST COTTAGE
by Lori Foster, Releasing on May 27th,
and Share Your Comments on It
In THE GUEST COTTAGE, the first installment in Lori Foster's Firefly Summer series, love, forgiveness and renewal take center stage in the haven of a quiet lakeside town when two very different women bond over one man’s betrayal.
We have 25 copies to give away to those who would like to read the book, which releases on May 27th, and share their comments on it. All winners must be prepared to provide their feedback by Monday, July 7th.
To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, May 30th at noon ET.
THE GUEST COTTAGE by Lori Foster (Fiction)
Marlow Heddings is starting over. She has carried the outrage of her husband Dylan’s affair with a younger woman --- and the expectations of his family’s powerful Chicago holdings company --- long enough. Now, after another devastating twist of fate, she is unapologetically moving on.
Arriving in tiny Bramble, Kentucky, Marlow revels in her freedom, swapping her executive suits for sundresses...and scouting places to open her dream boutique. Best of all is her new residence, an adorable cottage with gorgeous lake views --- and a breathtaking landlord, former Marine Cort Easton. Soon they’re sharing dockside morning coffee and nighttime firefly gazing. Marlow’s new life feels like a dream.
Then Pixie Nolan arrives on her doorstep. With a shocking secret.
To Marlow’s astonishment, Dylan’s “other woman” is a desperate girl of 19, destitute, exhausted and disowned by her family. Defying her manipulative in-laws’ demands, and surprising even herself, Marlow vows to lay down roots in Bramble and help Pixie get on her feet. Then they’ll part ways. But empathy has a way of forging bonds. As Marlow grows close to the hard-working, devoted young woman, she becomes something of a big sister to Pixie.
Now, with each sunrise, Marlow awakens to the life she was truly meant to live, one filled with deepening connections, supportive friendship...and even a second chance at love.
- Click here to read Lori Foster's bio.
- Click here to visit Lori Foster's website.
- Connect with Lori Foster on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.
Click here to read more in our Women's Fiction Author Spotlight
and enter the contest.
Featured Review: FEVER BEACH by Carl Hiaasen
FEVER BEACH by Carl Hiaasen (Mystery/Humor)
Audiobook available, read by Will Damron
“The afternoon of September first, dishwater-gray and rainy, a man named Dale Figgo picked up a hitchhiker on Gus Grissom Boulevard in Tangelo Shores, Florida. The hitchhiker, who reminded Figgo of Danny DeVito, asked for a lift to the interstate. Figgo said he’d take him there after finishing an errand.” Thus begins FEVER BEACH, with an errand that leads --- in pure Carl Hiaasen style --- into the depths of Florida at its most Floridian: a sun-soaked bastion of right-wing extremism, white power, greed and corruption. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Reviews: CLASS CLOWN by Dave Barry
CLASS CLOWN: The Memoirs of a Professional Wiseass: How I Went 77 Years Without Growing Up by Dave Barry (Memoir/Humor)
Audiobook available, read by Dave Barry
How does the son of a Presbyterian minister wind up winning a Pulitzer Prize for writing a wildly inaccurate newspaper column read by millions of people? Dave Barry takes us on a hilarious ride, starting with a childhood largely spent throwing rocks for entertainment --- there was no internet --- and preparing for nuclear war by hiding under a classroom desk. After literally getting elected class clown in high school, he went to college, where, as an English major, he read snippets of great literature when he was not busy playing in a rock band (it was the ’60s). CLASS CLOWN isn’t just a memoir; it’s a vibrant celebration of a life rich with humor, absurdity, joy and sadness. Reviewed by Ron Kaplan and Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Read reviews from Ron Kaplan and Ray Palen.
Featured Review:
MARBLE HALL MURDERS by Anthony Horowitz
MARBLE HALL MURDERS by Anthony Horowitz (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Lesley Manville and Tim McMullen
Freelancing for a London publisher, editor Susan Ryeland has been given the last job she wants: working on an Atticus Pünd continuation novel called Pünd’s Last Case. Worse still, she knows the new writer. Eliot Crace is the troubled grandson of legendary children’s author Miriam Crace, who died 20 years ago. Eliot is convinced that she was poisoned. To her surprise, Susan enjoys reading the manuscript, which is set in the South of France and revolves around the mysterious death of Lady Margaret Chalfont, days before she was about to change her will. But when it is revealed that Lady Margaret was also poisoned, alarm bells begin to ring. The more Susan reads, the clearer it becomes that Eliot has deliberately concealed clues about his grandmother’s death inside the book. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review:
THE MAN MADE OF SMOKE by Alex North
THE MAN MADE OF SMOKE by Alex North (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Shane Zaza
Dan Garvie’s life has been haunted by the crime he witnessed as a child --- narrowly escaping an encounter with a notorious serial killer. He has dedicated his life since to becoming a criminal profiler, eager to seek justice for innocent victims. So when his father passes away under suspicious circumstances, Dan revisits his small island community, determined to uncover the truth about his death. Is it possible that the monster he remembers from his childhood nightmares has returned after all these years? Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review:
THE DARK MAESTRO by Brendan Slocumb
THE DARK MAESTRO by Brendan Slocumb (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Ronald Peet
Growing up in the Southeast D.C. projects with a drug dealer for a father, Curtis Wilson is a cello prodigy who rises to unimagined heights in the classical music world. But then his life suddenly disintegrates. His father, Zippy, turns state’s evidence, implicating his old bosses. Now the family must enter the witness protection program if they want to survive. This means that Curtis must give up the very thing he loves the most. When Zippy’s bosses prove too elusive for law enforcement, Curtis, Zippy, and Zippy’s girlfriend, Larissa, realize that their only chance of survival is to take on the criminals themselves. They must create new identities and draw on their unique talents, including Curtis’ musical ability, to go after the people who want them dead. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com's 21st Annual
Summer Reading Contests and Feature
Summer will be here before you know it! At Bookreporter.com, this means it's time for us to share some great summer book picks with our Summer Reading Contests and Feature. We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through mid-August, so you will have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here.
Our next contest will be up on Tuesday, May 20th at noon ET. The prize book will be JUST BEACHY, an escapist novel from Wendy Wax that releases on June 3rd. In it, a former actress in need of a reset reunites with her grandmother, her first crush, and the ladies of Ten Beach Road.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
THE DEVILS by Joe Abercrombie (Historical Fantasy)
Audiobook available, read by Steven Pacey
Brother Diaz has been summoned to the Sacred City, where he is certain that a commendation and grand holy assignment awaits him. But his new flock is made up of unrepentant murderers, practitioners of ghastly magic, and outright monsters. The mission he is tasked with will require bloody measures from them all in order to achieve its righteous ends. Elves lurk at our borders and hunger for our flesh, while greedy princes care for nothing but their own ambitions and comfort. With a hellish journey before him, it's a good thing that Brother Diaz has the devils on his side. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
SOMETHING I KEEP UPSTAIRS by J.D. Barker (Supernatural Thriller/Horror)
Audiobook available, read by Michael Crouch
In the sleepy coastal town of New Castle, New Hampshire, 17-year-old Billy Hasler's life is about to take a terrifying turn. When his best friend, David Spivey, inherits a mysterious house on a nearby island, it seems like the perfect place to spend their final summer before heading off to college. No parents. No police. No responsibilities. As they dig into the island's dark past, they awaken an ancient evil that has influenced generations. What begins as an innocent summer adventure quickly descends into a nightmare. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
RORY LAND: The Up-and-Down World of Golf's Global Icon by Timothy M. Gay (Sports/Biography)
Audiobook available, read by Brandon Pollock
Timothy M. Gay writes that Rory McIlroy is “golf’s ageless Opie Taylor,” a freckled superstar whose boyish charm transcends national boundaries and enlivens the game. His seemingly effortless swing is so powerful that Tiger Woods is teaching his own son to mimic Rory’s action. But a charismatic persona and a pretty swing don’t necessarily translate into winning major championships. Over the past decade, Rory has had his heart ripped out as he’s failed to win another major and fallen short of achieving the career Grand Slam. (That all changed when, following the writing of this book, Rory won the Masters for his fifth major and the career Grand Slam.) RORY LAND tells the up-and-down saga of a compassionate and kindhearted superstar living in a world where “money has no conscience.” Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
MAKE ME FAMOUS written by Maud Ventura, translated by Gretchen Schmid (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by January LaVoy
Ever since she was a child, Cléo, the French-American daughter of two academics, has had only one obsession: becoming a famous singer. Over the years, she overcomes every obstacle and becomes a global superstar. But as any celebrity will tell you, getting to the top is one thing; staying there is another. Now 33 years old, Cléo is taking her first real vacation in years, on a remote island with no one else in sight. With the never-ending spin cycle of her life finally on pause and no paparazzi peeking out from behind the coconut palms, she can work on her fourth album in peace. Except that with so much time to think, she can’t help but ruminate on her past --- including how, just six months earlier, things started to go very, very wrong. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
THE NIGHT BIRDS by Christopher Golden (Supernatural Thriller/Horror)
Audiobook available, read by Patricia Santomasso and Sean Patrick Hopkins
After their love ended in heartbreak years ago, Charlie Book and Ruby Cahill never expected to see each other again. Now, as part of his work for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Book lives aboard the Christabel, a 19th-century freighter half-sunken off the shore of Galveston. But when he arrives at the dock, he’s stunned to find Ruby there waiting for him. With her are a mysterious woman and her infant child, asking Book to hide them safely aboard the Christabel while they're on the run. Only it isn’t the police who are after them. It’s a coven of witches that the woman, Mae, has fled, stealing away the helpless infant for whom the coven had hideous plans…or so Mae claims. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
QUEEN OF ALL MAYHEM: The Blood-Soaked Life and Mysterious Death of Belle Starr, the Most Dangerous Woman in the West by Dane Huckelbridge (Biography)
Audiobook available, read by George Newbern
On February 3, 1889, just two days shy of her 41st birthday, Myra Maybelle Shirley --- better known at that point by her outlaw sobriquet “Belle Starr” --- was blown from her horse saddle and killed by a pair of shotgun blasts, delivered by an unseen assailant, only a few miles away from her home in the Indian Territory of present-day Oklahoma. Thus ended the life of one of the most colorful, authentic and dangerous women in the history of the American West. In QUEEN OF ALL MAYHEM, Dane Huckelbridge probes a life rich in contradictions and intrigue. Why did a woman who had considerable advantages in life --- a good family, a decent education, solid marriage prospects, a clear path to financial security --- choose to pursue a life of crime? Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro.
Next Week's Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on May 20th
Below are some notable titles releasing on May 20th 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 May 19th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
AFTERTASTE by Daria Lavelle (Fiction)
What if you could have one last meal with someone you’ve loved, someone you’ve lost? AFTERTASTE is an epic love story, a dark comedy, and a synesthetic adventure through food and grief.
DEATH AT A HIGHLAND WEDDING: A Rip Through Time Novel by Kelley Armstrong (Historical Mystery/Thriller)
DEATH AT A HIGHLAND WEDDING is the fourth installment in New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong's gripping Rip Through Time novels.
THE DOORMAN by Chris Pavone (Thriller)
The New York Times bestselling author of TWO NIGHTS IN LISBON and THE EXPATS has written a pulse-pounding novel of class, privilege, sex and murder.
FDR DRIVE by James Comey (Legal Thriller)
In a new legal thriller by the former director of the FBI, federal prosecutor Nora Carleton and legendary investigator Benny Dugan confront a deadly sect of political extremists.
THE GIRLS OF GOOD FORTUNE by Kristina McMorris (Historical Fiction)
The New York Times bestselling author of SOLD ON A MONDAY and THE WAYS WE HIDE shines a light on shocking events surrounding Portland's dark history in this gripping novel of love, lore and betrayal.
GOING HOME IN THE DARK by Dean Koontz (Thriller)
When hometown horrors come back to haunt, friendship is salvation in a novel about childhood fears and buried secrets by the #1 New York Times bestselling master of suspense, Dean Koontz.
THE LAST FERRY OUT by Andrea Bartz (Psychological Thriller)
On a trip to the tropical paradise where her fiancée died, a young woman begins to suspect the death was no accident --- and the killer is still on the island --- in this twisty thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of WE WERE NEVER HERE.
THE LOVE HATERS by Katherine Center (Romantic Comedy)
It’s a thin line between love and love-hating in the newest laugh-out-loud, all-the-feels rom-com by New York Times bestselling author Katherine Center.
MARGUERITE BY THE LAKE by Mary Dixie Carter (Psychological Thriller)
From Mary Dixie Carter comes an atmospheric, tense novel about the death of a glamorous garden designer, a widower trying to keep his secrets buried, and the beautiful young gardener who finds herself entangled in their lives.
MAYA BLUE: A Memoir of Survival by Brenda Coffee (Memoir)
For fans of "Breaking Bad" and "Narcos" comes a searingly honest and unforgettable memoir that challenges women to rethink everything they know about survival, resilience and finding their voice.
NIGHTSHADE by Michael Connelly (Thriller)
Propulsive and atmospheric, NIGHTSHADE launches a brand new character into the Michael Connelly universe: Detective Stilwell, a cop relentlessly following his mission in the seemingly idyllic setting of Catalina Island.
WHISTLE by Linwood Barclay (Supernatural Thriller/Horror)
New York Times bestselling author Linwood Barclay enters new territory with a supernatural chiller in which a woman and her young son move to a small town looking for a fresh start, only to be haunted by disturbing events and strange visions when they find a mysterious train set in a storage shed.
Click here to see the latest “On Sale This Week” newsletter.
From left to right: Chris Pavone, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Fredrik Backman
Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events
Here are seven upcoming virtual book and author events that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links for more info and to register.
Monday, May 19th at 7:30pm ET: “Lisa Live”: Join Lisa Scottoline on Facebook every Monday night through July 7th as she reveals her inspirations behind her upcoming novel, THE UNRAVELING OF JULIA. And be sure to enter the Pre-Order Sweepstakes for the book. Lisa will be giving away an exciting prize each week during her “Lisa Live” events, leading up to the book's July 15th publication.
Monday, May 19th at 8pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Michael McGarrity will talk about his latest novel, NIGHT IN THE CITY, in which Korean War veteran Sam Monroe, who is accused of the murder of his former lover, is forced to abandon his job as an assistant district attorney and fight to clear his name.
Tuesday, May 20th at 9pm ET: Killer Author Club: Be there when the one and only Jaime Lynn Hendricks joins the Killer Author Club --- Kimberly Belle, Heather Gudenkauf and Kaira Rouda --- to talk all things writing and her latest bone-chilling page turner, THEIR DOUBLE LIVES.
Wednesday, May 21st at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome Anthony Horowitz for a live virtual discussion of MARBLE HALL MURDERS as part of their B&N Midday Mystery Virtual Event series. Anthony will be in conversation with the New York Times bestselling author of END OF STORY, A. J. Finn.
Wednesday, May 21st at 7pm ET: “Friends & Fiction”: Join “Friends & Fiction” for a conversation with Kristy Woodson Harvey about her book, BEACH HOUSE RULES. This delightfully moving new novel is about a mother-daughter duo learning to lean on their community of women --- and each other --- after their world is turned upside down.
Thursday, May 22nd at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome Chris Pavone for a live virtual discussion of THE DOORMAN as part of their B&N Midday Mystery Virtual Event series. Chris will be in conversation with bestselling author Maria Semple.
Friday, May 23rd at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble Book Club: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome Fredrik Backman for a live virtual event to discuss his latest novel, MY FRIENDS, which is May's B&N Book Club pick. Fredrik will be in conversation with Lexie Smyth, B&N’s Category Manager for Fiction, and Brenda Allison, a Frontlist Buyer at B&N.
"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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Victoria Christopher Murray (HARLEM RHAPSODY) 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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Nita Prose (THE MAID'S SECRET: A Maid Novel) 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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Julie Clark (THE GHOSTWRITER)
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Brenda Coffee (MAYA BLUE: A Memoir of Survival)
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Jeanine Cummins (SPEAK TO ME OF HOME)
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Lori Foster (THE GUEST COTTAGE: A Firefly Summer Novel)
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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 Paperback Releases to Anticipate
Which of the following titles releasing in paperback in May have you read or do you plan to read? Please check all that apply.
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ALL FOURS by Miranda July
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THE BLACK BIRD ORACLE by Deborah Harkness
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CLETE: A Dave Robicheaux Novel, by James Lee Burke
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THE COVENANT OF WATER by Abraham Verghese
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DON’T LET THE DEVIL RIDE by Ace Atkins
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FIRST FROST: A Longmire Mystery, by Craig Johnson
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THE GENIUS OF JUDY: How Judy Blume Rewrote Childhood for All of Us, by Rachelle Bergstein
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HARD TO KILL: A Jane Smith Thriller, by James Patterson and Mike Lupica
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HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN by Joyce Maynard
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I WILL RUIN YOU by Linwood Barclay
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THE INSTRUMENTS OF DARKNESS by John Connolly
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LIES AND WEDDINGS by Kevin Kwan
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LISTEN FOR THE LIE by Amy Tintera
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LONG HAUL: Hunting the Highway Serial Killers, by Frank Figliuzzi
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LONG ISLAND COMPROMISE by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
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MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT by Riley Sager
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THE MIDNIGHT FEAST by Lucy Foley
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MIND GAMES by Nora Roberts
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THE NEXT MRS. PARRISH by Liv Constantine
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ROBERT LUDLUM’S THE BOURNE SHADOW by Brian Freeman
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THE ROM-COMMERS by Katherine Center
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THE SEVENTH VEIL OF SALOME by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
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SKIN & BONES by Renée Watson
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THE STOLEN CHILD by Ann Hood
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STUART WOODS’ GOLDEN HOUR: A Teddy Fay Novel Featuring Stone Barrington, by Brett Battles
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THIS STRANGE EVENTFUL HISTORY by Claire Messud
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WE SOLVE MURDERS by Richard Osman
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WESTPORT by James Comey
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WHEN WOMEN RAN FIFTH AVENUE: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion, by Julie Satow
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THE YEAR OF LIVING CONSTITUTIONALLY: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution's Original Meaning, by A.J. Jacobs
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None of the above
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, May 23rd 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 May 9th to May 23rd at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE DOORMAN by Chris Pavone and SPEAK TO ME OF HOME by Jeanine Cummins.
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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