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Last night, Tom (Editorial Director Tom, not Husband Tom) and I went into the city for a party that was hosted by the Publishers Publicity Association, which is made up of book publicists. We got to see a lot of industry folks, including a former staffer and a former intern. A number of the people we talked to mentioned how “ahead of the curve” we were.
First, by starting an online book site 29 years ago. Second, for creating a home for book groups with ReadingGroupGuides.com over 25 years ago (big celebration news is coming in the next few weeks). And third, how in early 2019, we were shooting videos in our office (primitively with a camera) talking about the books that were out that week. BookTok was not formally called that until 2020. Note: I still remember shooting some weekly videos in my family room at the start of the pandemic!
We took that weekly video idea and morphed it into something bigger with “Bookaccino Live” in July 2020. For this month's “Bookaccino Live” afternoon program, 289 people were there, and 462 registered. Everyone was sent the video earlier today. And we know hundreds more will watch later.
Our mission with each thing we do is to connect more readers with books. Last night, a lot of the conversation was about how there is less and less book coverage these days. A few weeks ago, the AP announced that they were ending their book review coverage. Many other venues have cut back, which makes us even more strident about our mission.
This is your last Weekly Update newsletter reminder to sign up for our “Bookaccino Live” Fall Preview evening event, which we will be hosting on Tuesday, September 16th at 8pm ET.
I will be presenting a number of books releasing this fall 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.
We hosted this month’s aforementioned “Bookaccino Live” book preview afternoon event on Wednesday. I talked about 25 books releasing between now and September 30th, plus 10 from the second half of October and 11 from November, that we wanted to get on your radar. You can watch the presentation here and see a list of the featured titles here.
Next month's “Bookaccino Live” book preview afternoon event will take place on Wednesday, October 8th at 2pm ET. The focus will be on books releasing between October 7th and November 4th, as well as some titles from December, plus January 2026, that we think will appeal to you. Click here to sign up.
On ReadingGroupGuides.com, we just kicked off a HUGE contest that we’re calling “Explore the World of Marie Benedict with Your Book Group!”
The Grand Prize will be all eight of Marie Benedict’s solo historical novels --- THE OTHER EINSTEIN, CARNEGIE’S MAID, THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE ROOM, LADY CLEMENTINE, THE MYSTERY OF MRS. CHRISTIE, HER HIDDEN GENIUS, THE MITFORD AFFAIR and THE QUEENS OF CRIME --- along with her novella, AGENT 355, which released as an Audible Original in 2020 and is now available in a print edition.
Three runners-up will receive up to 12 copies of Marie’s most recent novel, THE QUEENS OF CRIME, for their book group.
Be sure to submit your entries by Wednesday, October 8th at noon ET. And please spread the word about this contest to friends and family who are fans of Marie Benedict’s work or would be interested in reading about the untold stories of women in history who have been overlooked or forgotten.
This week marks the long-awaited release of THE SECRET OF SECRETS, the sixth entry in Dan Brown’s iconic series starring Robert Langdon. This time, the esteemed professor of symbology travels to Prague to attend a groundbreaking lecture by Katherine Solomon, who is on the verge of publishing an explosive book that contains startling discoveries about the nature of human consciousness and threatens to disrupt centuries of established belief. But a brutal murder catapults the trip into chaos, and Katherine suddenly disappears along with her manuscript.
Ray Palen has our review and says, “In typical Brown fashion, he introduces extensive ideas that drive a relentless plot --- human consciousness, life after death, and the political entrapment that threatens to militarize these and other scientific concepts…. THE SECRET OF SECRETS is another instant classic that details deeply intricate theories and ideas, and presents them in an easily consumable way that creates an unforgettable experience for anyone who reads it.”
Jackson Lamb and the bad spies of Slough House are caught in a deadly battle between MI5's secret past and its murky future in CLOWN TOWN, the highly anticipated ninth installment in Mick Herron’s critically acclaimed and wildly popular thriller series.
According to Ray Palen in his review, “Mick Herron has no problem depicting the dangers related to the spy game, and not all of the Slow Horses will survive this latest assignment. CLOWN TOWN is a solid read and a terrific entry in a modern-day spy series that never disappoints.”
Season five of “Slow Horses” will premiere Wednesday, September 24th on Apple TV+ with the first two episodes. It’s based on the fifth Slough House thriller, LONDON RULES.
This week, we’re featuring our review of ALL THIS COULD BE YOURS, which is a New Release Spotlight title and will be a Bets On selection. Is a debut author's blockbuster bestseller about to ruin her life? A glamorous book tour becomes a deadly cat-and-mouse chase in Hank Phillippi Ryan’s captivating new thriller.
Pamela Kramer has this to say in her review: “For diehard readers, it's really fun to see what an author’s life is like on the road. But it's also impossible not to be pulled into Tessa's world and worry about who or what is lurking, waiting for the next chance to scare her, to make her feel alone and vulnerable, and to fear what might be next…. Brilliant writing, nonstop action, mysteries on several fronts, and a character we can sympathize with who finally seems to have what she deserves in life all serve to make this a book that you'll finish in a day. It's clever, thoughtful and perfectly executed.”
We will feature my “Bookreporter Talks To” interview with Hank in next week’s newsletter, followed by my Bets On commentary in the September 26th newsletter.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
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MOTHER MARY COMES TO ME: Arundhati Roy’s first memoir traces the complex relationship with her mother, Mary Roy, a fierce and formidable force who shaped her life both as a woman and as a writer.
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VIANNE: Joanne Harris returns to the world of CHOCOLAT with the long-awaited story of Vianne, which begins six years before she opens her scandalous chocolaterie in the small French village of Lansquenet.
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KATABASIS: In R. F. Kuang’s new dark academia fantasy, two graduate students must put aside their rivalry and journey to Hell to save their professor’s soul --- perhaps at the cost of their own.
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TO THE MOON AND BACK: One young woman’s relentless quest to become the first Cherokee astronaut will irrevocably alter the fates of the people she loves in Eliana Ramage’s debut novel, which is this month’s Reese’s Book Club pick.
I’m Betting You’ll Love…
My latest Bets On selection is THE LOST BAKER OF VIENNA by Sharon Kurtzman, a debut novel that shines a light on the courageous spirit of WWII refugees as they battle to survive the overwhelming hardships of a world torn apart. Click here for my commentary. If you missed my interview with Sharon from last week, be sure to watch or listen to it.
Last month, when I went to see Sharon at Watchung Booksellers, we took some pictures. Above you can see Sharon and me with Husband Tom, who is rarely photographed!
Fall Reading Contest Update
In this week’s Fall Reading contests, we gave away the aforementioned ALL THIS COULD BE YOURS by Hank Phillippi Ryan, as well as THE IMPROBABLE VICTORIA WOODHULL by Eden Collinsworth. Next week’s prize book will be MIDNIGHT BURNING: An Einstein-Chaplin Thriller by Paul Levine, which we will review next week. The contest will be up at noon ET on the day of its release, Tuesday, September 16th.
Word of Mouth Contest Reminder
If you weren’t a winner of ALL THIS COULD BE YOURS in the Fall Reading contest, you’ll have another opportunity to win it in our Word of Mouth contest, along with THE ACADEMY by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham, which we will review next week. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win both these titles. Please do so by Friday, September 19th at noon ET.
Remember to Vote in Our Poll
Our poll continues to ask which of 35 fiction titles releasing this month you have read or are planning to read. Click here to let us know by Friday, September 19th at noon ET.
ALL THE WAY TO THE RIVER: Love, Loss, and Liberation, Elizabeth Gilbert’s first nonfiction book in a decade, is Oprah’s Book Club pick for September.
Oprah says, “While married, [Elizabeth Gilbert] falls in love with her best friend, Rayya, who has just been diagnosed with cancer. Then she divorces her husband…and loses herself in the relationship and then spirals down down down until she no longer recognizes herself or her partner…. With EAT PRAY LOVE, Elizabeth Gilbert started a movement. This new memoir is just as powerful --- raw, unflinching, and deeply healing. She bares her soul, sharing her truth so openly, she offers readers the courage to face their own.”
In front of a live audience at a Starbucks café in Seattle, Gilbert talked about the book with Oprah, who called it “the bravest thing I've ever seen.” Click here for the discussion.
The longlists for this year’s National Book Awards have been announced. Click here to see all 50 titles in the categories of Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translated Literature, and Young People’s Literature.
They include THE ANTIDOTE by Karen Russell (Fiction), THINGS IN NATURE MERELY GROW by Yiyun Li (Nonfiction), SCORCHED EARTH by Tiana Clark (Poetry), WE DO NOT PART by Han Kang, translated from the Korean by e. yaewon and Paige Aniyah Morris (Translated Literature), and A WORLD WORTH SAVING by Kyle Lukoff (Young People's Literature).
The finalists will be named on October 7th, followed by the announcement of the winners on November 19th at the 76th National Book Awards Ceremony, which will be livestreamed for all to see. You can sign up to watch it for free by clicking here.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Kathy wrote, “Thanks, Carol, for the Events newsletter with the schedule for the rest of 2025. It gives me an opportunity to manipulate my schedule, so I don't miss a live event. I always appreciate your weekly newsletters, but I really enjoy the live book events. Sometimes, if I am on the fence after reading a book, hearing the author's process and passion can give me a totally different perspective, turning me into a fan.”
Diane wrote, “I read and listened to THE CORRESPONDENT by Virginia Evans. I could not put it down. It is the best book I have read lately.” You may recall that in last week’s newsletter, a reader had asked about this book. I have both a print copy and the audio (which has a multi-cast), and I am looking forward to reading and listening to it this weekend!
Sande wrote, “I select books for the library in the CCRC where I live. We have about 5,000 books, and our circulation is about 400 per month. Your Seasonal Reading suggestion list is enormously helpful. Just having the titles and authors is perfect. I also use Kirkus and Booklist as well, but your list is great. Will you be making a list for Winter 2026? I do hope so. I’ve been a viewer of 'Bookaccino' for many years and have reviewed several books, but time is catching up with me.”
Liz wrote about my love of sun gold tomatoes and suggested that I try growing them. Here is her advice: “We have had great luck growing tomatoes in Earth boxes. They have a water reservoir on the bottom and are large enough for two plants per box. There is a pipe in the corner so the water goes directly into the reservoir. The roots of the plants at the end of the season are massive. Of course, you can grow other veggies on them as well.”
Jill wrote with a tip that "Apple Watch can track steps in a pool." However, I am a Samsung user, so I think I am saddled with a Fitbit that just tells me to keep moving.
Another thing we talked about at the publicist event last night are the absolutely annoying algorithms on social media, which only deliver certain content to you. Case in point: I like to watch diving. So I fell upon videos of Sam Fricker, a diver from Australia. He shows his various dives (including a 3.5 rotation flip) and how he trains. Now, after watching a few of these, every time I log on, I see videos from Sam. Not just one, but many are served to me. They come to me as posts, reels and videos, and are on Facebook as well as Instagram. And they are not just diving videos but also interviews with him. I see more of him than I do my family and friends! It is pretty wild. I feel like I need to add him to our holiday list!
Years ago, when we were the book site on AOL, I thought it would be a great idea to ask people what they wanted to see on AOL by having them check off a list of interests, so that content could be sent to them. I remember being told, “People do not know what they want to see, so we need to tell them.” Crazy, right? So these days, algorithms supposedly are sending you what you want, but it’s often on overload.
Also, there is less traditional book coverage than ever before, but even on social media, your love of books may not deliver what you want. Instead, you will get lots of diving and then videos and posts that you have zero interest in, and it makes you wonder, WHAT did I click to get that? I find myself wondering, “If I click on this,” what will I then see “all the time”?
With our newsletter and website, even if you miss a week, you KNOW what you are going to see! Books and authors.
Tomorrow I am headed to the Milford Readers and Writers Festival, where I am going to be interviewing Adriana Trigiani. I just finished listening to THE VIEW FROM LAKE COMO, which was brilliantly narrated by Mira Sorvino. My neighbor, Jennifer, is on the committee for the Festival, and I am glad she asked me to be a part of it. I have known Adri for most of her 25-year writing career, so I am really looking forward to this!
On Monday, Karyn, who works on our backyard gardens with me, came over, and we mapped out everything that has been planted to date. Now I am going to do photos, drawings and notes so we remember where everything is as I bit the bullet and bought many perennials. We also brainstormed “next year.”
I am hoping for yet another beautiful weekend, which will wrap up with the Emmys on Sunday night. Read on, and have a great week.
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
P.S. For those of you who shop online, if you use the store links that appear on our site for shopping, Bookreporter.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and IndieBound. As you read our reviews and features, we would appreciate your considering this as you buy!
Featured Review:
THE SECRET OF SECRETS by Dan Brown
THE SECRET OF SECRETS by Dan Brown (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Paul Michael
Robert Langdon, esteemed professor of symbology, travels to Prague to attend a groundbreaking lecture by Katherine Solomon --- a prominent noetic scientist with whom he recently has begun a relationship. Katherine is on the verge of publishing an explosive book that contains startling discoveries about the nature of human consciousness and threatens to disrupt centuries of established belief. But a brutal murder catapults the trip into chaos, and Katherine suddenly disappears along with her manuscript. Langdon finds himself targeted by a powerful organization and hunted by a chilling assailant sprung from Prague’s most ancient mythology. In a thrilling race through the dual worlds of futuristic science and mystical lore, Langdon uncovers a shocking truth about a secret project that will forever change the way we think about the human mind. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: CLOWN TOWN by Mick Herron
CLOWN TOWN by Mick Herron (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Gerard Doyle
David Cartwright has left his library to the Spooks’ College in Oxford, and now one of the books is missing. Or perhaps it never existed. River, once a “slow horse” of Slough House, MI5’s outpost for demoted and disgraced spies, starts investigating the secrets of his grandfather’s library. Over at the Park, MI5 First Desk Diana Taverner is in a pickle. An operation carried out during the height of the Troubles laid bare the ugly side of state security, and those involved are threatening to expose details. But every threat hides an opportunity, and Taverner has come up with a scheme. Jackson Lamb, the enigmatic and odiferous head of Slough House, has no plans to send in the clowns. On the other hand, if the clowns ignore his instructions, any harm that befalls them is hardly his fault. But they’re his clowns. And if they don’t all make it home, there will be a reckoning. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review:
ALL THIS COULD BE YOURS by Hank Phillippi Ryan
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
ALL THIS COULD BE YOURS by Hank Phillippi Ryan (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Sarah Mollo-Christensen
Debut sensation Tessa Calloway is on a whirlwind book tour for her instant bestseller, All This Could Be Yours. She receives standing ovations from adoring fans while her husband, Henry, and their two children cheer her on from their brand-new dream house. But there's a chilling problem with Tessa's triumphant book tour. She soon discovers she is being stalked by someone who's obsessed not only with sabotaging her career, but also with destroying her perfect family back home. Tessa fears that the fallout from an impossible decision she once made appears to be coming due. And she’s realizing that every high-stakes bargain comes with a high-stakes price. If Tessa can't untangle who's threatening to expose her darkest secrets, she'll lose her career, her family --- and possibly her life. 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.
ALL THIS COULD BE YOURS will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Hank Phillippi Ryan
in next week's newsletter, followed by her Bets On commentary in the September 26th newsletter.
New Special Contest on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
Enter to Win Copies of Marie Benedict's Solo Historical Novels, Plus a Novella We Want to Get on Your Radar!
Marie Benedict is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction featuring iconic --- and often ignored --- women in history. Her books lead to fascinating discussions, especially among book groups, so we are thrilled to host a very special contest that immerses you in her world.
One Grand Prize winner will be awarded all eight of Marie's solo historical novels --- THE OTHER EINSTEIN, CARNEGIE’S MAID, THE ONLY WOMAN IN THE ROOM, LADY CLEMENTINE, THE MYSTERY OF MRS. CHRISTIE, HER HIDDEN GENIUS, THE MITFORD AFFAIR and THE QUEENS OF CRIME --- along with her novella, AGENT 355.
Three additional readers will win up to 12 copies of THE QUEENS OF CRIME for their book group.
» And be on the lookout for Marie's next novel, DAUGHTER OF EGYPT, which releases on March 24, 2026. It's about a young aristocratic Englishwoman who unearths the truth about a forgotten Pharaoh. Read more about the book here.
Click here to enter the contest by Wednesday, October 8th at noon ET.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
THE LOST BAKER OF VIENNA by Sharon Kurtzman
THE LOST BAKER OF VIENNA by Sharon Kurtzman (Historical Fiction)
I, like many of you, have read my fair share of fiction about World War II. What my historical education lacks is what happened after the war. I am not naïve. I did not think that people left the concentration camps, bought new clothes, and had a few good meals to celebrate their liberation. But I also was not sure how their stories would unfold. THE LOST BAKER OF VIENNA gave me the chance to see how one fictional family navigated the weeks and months after their release.
The book has its history rooted in stories that Sharon Kurtzman’s mother shared with her of how her family survived after the fighting ended. They lived in Vienna, a city that was controlled by four different countries (I did not know this) and where violence still sprang up, food was scarce, and the black market was in full operation.
- 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 Sharon Kurtzman.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
- Click here to visit Sharon Kurtzman's website.
- Click here for a downloadable booklet that includes some of Sharon's favorite recipes.
Click here to read more of Carol's Bets On commentary.
Featured Review:
MOTHER MARY COMES TO ME by Arundhati Roy
MOTHER MARY COMES TO ME by Arundhati Roy (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Arundhati Roy
MOTHER MARY COMES TO ME is a soaring account of how Arundhati Roy became the person and the writer she is. “Heart-smashed” by her mother Mary’s death in September 2022 yet puzzled and “more than a little ashamed” by the intensity of her response, Roy began to write, to make sense of her feelings about the mother she ran from at age 18, “not because I didn’t love her, but in order to be able to continue to love her.” And so begins this astonishing, sometimes disturbing and surprisingly funny memoir of the author’s journey from her childhood in Kerala, India, where her single mother founded a school, to the writing of her prize-winning novels and essays, through today. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: VIANNE by Joanne Harris
VIANNE by Joanne Harris (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Joanne Harris
On the evening of July 4th, a young woman scatters her mother’s ashes in New York and follows the call of the changing winds to the French coastal city of Marseille. For the first time in her life, Vianne feels in control of her future. Charming her way into a job as a waitress, she tries to fit in, make friends, and come to terms with her pregnancy, knowing that by the time her child is born, the turning wind will have changed once again. As she discovers the joy of cooking for the very first time, making local recipes her own with the addition of bittersweet chocolate spices, she learns that this humble magic has the power to unlock secrets. And yet her gift comes at a price. And Vianne has a secret of her own --- a secret that threatens everything. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: KATABASIS by R. F. Kuang
KATABASIS by R. F. Kuang (Historical Fantasy)
Alice Law has only ever had one goal: to become one of the brightest minds in the field of Magick. She has sacrificed everything to make that a reality so she can work with Professor Jacob Grimes at Cambridge, the greatest magician in the world. That is, until he dies in a magical accident that could possibly be her fault. Grimes is now in Hell, and she’s going in after him. Because his recommendation could hold her very future in his now incorporeal hands, and even death is not going to stop the pursuit of her dreams. Nor will the fact that her rival, Peter Murdoch, has come to the very same conclusion. With nothing but the tales of Orpheus and Dante to guide them, they set off across Hell to save a man they don’t even like. But there’s something in Alice and Peter’s past that could forge them into the perfect allies…or lead to their doom. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review:
TO THE MOON AND BACK by Eliana Ramage
Reese’s Book Club Pick for September
TO THE MOON AND BACK by Eliana Ramage (Fiction)
Audiobook available; read by Nathalie Standingcloud, Kamali Minter and Tanis Parenteau
Steph Harper is on the run. When she was five, her mother fled an abusive husband --- with Steph and her younger sister in tow --- to Cherokee Nation, where she hoped they might finally belong. In response, Steph sets her sights as far away from Oklahoma as she can get, vowing that she will let nothing get in the way of pursuing the rigorous physical and academic training she knows she will need to be accepted by NASA, and ultimately, to go to the moon. Spanning three decades and several continents, TO THE MOON AND BACK encompasses Steph’s turbulent journey, along with the multifaceted and intertwined lives of the three women closest to her. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
- Click here to see why the book is this month's Reese's Book Club pick.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com's 15th Annual
Fall Reading Contests and Feature
Fall is known as the biggest season of the year for books. The titles that release during this latter part of the year often become holiday gifts, and many are blockbusters. In our Fall Reading Contests and Feature, we are spotlighting a number of outstanding books that we know people will be talking about this fall.
We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through October, so you will have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here.
Our next contest will be up on Tuesday, September 16th at noon ET. The prize book will be MIDNIGHT BURNING by Paul Levine, a wildly inventive thriller in which Albert Einstein and Charlie Chaplin uncover a plot by the Nazis that includes an armed insurrection and the assassinations of Hollywood's biggest stars.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
FORGET ME NOT by Stacy Willingham (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Helen Laser and Karissa Vacker
Twenty-two years ago, Claire Campbell’s older sister, Natalie, disappeared shortly after her 18th birthday. Days later, her blood was found in a car, a man was arrested, and the case was swiftly closed. In the decades since, Claire has attempted to forget her traumatic past by moving to the city and climbing the ranks as an investigative journalist. Until an unexpected call from her father forces her to come back home and face it all anew. Claire decides on a whim to accept a seasonal job at Galloway Farm, a muscadine vineyard in coastal South Carolina. There, she stumbles across an old diary written by one of the vineyard's owners that describes details of various unsolved crimes. As the days stretch on, Claire starts to obsess over the diary's contents, as well as the lingering feeling that her own sister's disappearance may be somehow tied to it all. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
TOO OLD FOR THIS by Samantha Downing (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Elizabeth Wiley
Lottie Jones thought her crimes were behind her. Decades earlier, she changed her identity and tucked herself away in a small town. Her most exciting nights are the weekly bingo games at the local church and gossiping with her friends. When investigative journalist Plum Dixon shows up on her doorstep asking questions about Lottie’s past and specifically her involvement with numerous unsolved cases, well, Lottie just can’t have that. But getting away with murder is hard enough when you’re young. And when Lottie receives another annoying knock on the door, she realizes this crime just might be the death of her. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
MERCY by Joan Silber (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available; read by L.J. Ganser, Nan McNamara, Christina Moore, Alyssa Bresnahan, Helen Laser and Nick Walther
In the gritty East Village of 1970s New York, Ivan and his best friend, Eddie, a popular local bartender, are dabbling in drugs following a short tour of Europe. One night, as Ivan and Eddie experiment with heroin, things go horribly wrong. In a panic, Ivan rushes Eddie to a crowded local ER and, believing his friend is about to die, makes the awful choice to leave him there. This one act of abandonment haunts Ivan his entire life. He keeps this secret from his friends and later his family, forever searching for mercy from "a remorse that never dies." Ivan's decision also ripples across time through an extended community, affecting a host of other people unknowingly connected to that night. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
AMERICAN KINGS: A Biography of the Quarterback by Seth Wickersham
(Sports/Biography)
Audiobook available, read by Seth Wickersham
The quarterback: the American equivalent of royalty, long glamorized, mythologized and worshipped. Still, long before the Super Bowl trophies, massive contracts, brand deals and millions of social media followers comes the dream. From the backyard to Pop Warner, from high school to college, from the NFL to the Hall of Fame, becoming the country’s ultimate idol requires single-minded focus while navigating a maze of bad breaks, insecurities, jealousy, pressure and fame. Long known as the outsider’s guide into this elite world, Seth Wickersham’s fresh reporting goes deep into the quarterback journey, measuring the distance between what the men who have traveled it expected and what they found at the end of the road. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
HAPPINESS AND LOVE by Zoe Dubno (Fiction/Dark Humor)
Audiobook available, read by Zoe Dubno
Years after escaping New York and the center of its artistic world --- a group of self-important, depraved and unscrupulous artists, curators and hangers-on --- our narrator is back in town. She’s wandering around the Lower East Side, thinking about the recent death of her former best friend, Rebecca, when she runs into Eugene, one half of the artist-curator couple at the heart of her old social set. Despite her better judgment, she accepts his invitation to a dinner party. And though the party is held only hours after Rebecca’s funeral, it's not a memorial of Rebecca but a dinner held in honor of a young, newly famous actress. When the guest of honor finally arrives, she sets in motion a disastrous end to the evening, laying bare the depravity and decadence of the hosts’ empty little lives. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
ONE OF THEM by Kitty Zeldis (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Gilli Messer
Anne Bishop seems like a typical Vassar sophomore --- one of a popular group of privileged WASP friends. None of the girls in her circle has any idea that she’s Jewish, or that her real first name is Miriam. Pretending to be a Gentile has made life easier. As Anne, she no longer suffers the snubs, snide remarks and daily restrictions Jews face. But her secret life is threatened when she becomes fascinated by a girl not in her crowd. Delia Goldhush is sophisticated, stylish, brilliant and unashamedly Jewish. Knowing that her growing closeness with Delia would be social suicide if it were discovered, Anne keeps their friendship quiet. Delia seems to understand --- until a cruelty on Anne’s part drives them apart and sends them scattering to other corners of the world, alone and together. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
AUTOMATIC NOODLE by Annalee Newitz (Science Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Em Grosland
You don’t have to eat food to know the way to a city’s heart is through its stomach. So when a group of deactivated robots come back online in an abandoned ghost kitchen, they decide to make their own way doing what they know: making food --- the tastiest hand-pulled noodles around --- for the humans of San Francisco, who are recovering from a devastating war. But when their robot-run business starts causing a stir, a targeted wave of one-star reviews threatens to boil over into a crisis. To keep their doors open, they’ll have to call on their customers, their community and each other --- and find a way to survive and thrive in a world that wasn’t built for them. Reviewed by Christine M. Irvin.
AN ECHO OF CHILDREN by Ramsey Campbell (Supernatural Horror/Psychological Thriller)
Coral and Allan Clarendon have just moved to the seaside town of Barnwall with their young son, Dean. If an uncommon number of children have died unnaturally in Barnwall throughout history, surely Dean must be safe with his parents. Could their house be a source of peril? Allan and Coral seem to think so, since they call for an exorcism. Allan’s father, Thom, believes his wife is wrong to think the ceremony has left Dean in worse danger. But if she’s alone in seeing the terrors that are gathering around him, how desperate will her solution have to be? Reviewed by Ray Palen.
Next Week's Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on September 16th
Below are some notable titles releasing on September 16th 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 September 15th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
THE ACADEMY by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham (Fiction)
From Elin Hilderbrand and her daughter, Shelby Cunningham, comes the irresistible, deliciously scandalous story of one drama-filled year at a New England boarding school.
FIEND by Alma Katsu (Supernatural Thriller/Horror)
Historical horror maven Alma Katsu turns her talents to the modern world for the first time, in this terrifying tale about an all-powerful family with an ancient evil under its thumb.
GRAY DAWN: An Easy Rawlins Mystery by Walter Mosley (Mystery)
In this thrilling mystery from Walter Mosley, Detective Easy Rawlins has settled into the happy rhythm of his new life when a dark siren from his past returns and threatens to destroy the peace he's fought for.
HISTORY MATTERS written by David McCullough, edited by Dorie McCullough Lawson and Michael Hill (Essays)
In this posthumous collection of thought-provoking essays --- many never published before --- Pulitzer Prize–winning historian and bestselling author David McCullough affirms the value of history, how we can be guided by its lessons, and the enduring legacy of American ideals.
MIDNIGHT BURNING: An Einstein-Chaplin Thriller by Paul Levine (Historical Thriller)
Paul Levine delivers a wildly inventive thriller laced with humor and a larger-than-life cast, including Charles Lindbergh, Douglas Fairbanks, William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Goebbels.
OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES by Clare Mackintosh (Psychological Thriller)
You want what they have, but what price would you pay? New York Times bestselling author Clare Mackintosh is back with another unputdownable installment in her DC Morgan series.
REPLACEABLE YOU: Adventures in Human Anatomy by Mary Roach
(Science/Humor)
From the New York Times bestselling author of STIFF and FUZZ comes a rollicking exploration of the quest to recreate the impossible complexities of human anatomy.
WATCHING EVIL DEAD: Unearthing the Radiant Artist Within by Josh Malerman (Memoir/Self-Help)
The bestselling author of BIRD BOX and INCIDENTS AROUND THE HOUSE has written an impassioned book about a night that changed his life and put into perspective the writing life --- and how you, too, can be inspired to face the fears that might hold you back from doing your best work.
WE THE PEOPLE: A History of the U.S. Constitution by Jill Lepore (History)
The U.S. Constitution is among the oldest constitutions in the world but also one of the most difficult to amend. Jill Lepore explains why in WE THE PEOPLE, the most original history of the Constitution in decades --- and an essential companion to her landmark history of the United States, THESE TRUTHS.
THE WILDERNESS by Angela Flournoy (Fiction)
THE WILDERNESS is an era-defining novel about five Black women over the course of their 20-year friendship, as they move through the dizzying and sometimes precarious period between young adulthood and midlife.
Click here to see the latest “On Sale This Week” newsletter.
Carol's In-Person Events Schedule
Here are six upcoming events where Carol will be interviewing authors live, including Adriana Trigiani, Clare Leslie Hall and Alex DeMille --- and six authors who will be part of the Morristown Festival of Books.
Saturday, September 13th
4:30 – 5:30pm ET
Milford, PA
The Milford Readers and Writers Festival
Milford Theater
An interview with Adriana Trigiani discussing THE VIEW FROM LAKE COMO and more!
Tickets here
Monday, October 6th
6:30pm ET
Paramus, NJ
Barnes & Noble
In conversation with Clare Leslie Hall about BROKEN COUNTRY
Saturday, October 11th
Morristown, NJ
Morristown Festival of Books
Moderator for Three Panels:
11:00 – 11:50am: Sharon Kurtzman and Jeanine Cummins
12:10 – 1:00pm: Chris Pavone and William Kent Krueger
2:30 – 3:20pm: Genevieve Kingston and Vicky Nguyen
Tuesday, October 28th
7:00pm ET
Barnes & Noble – Upper West Side
In conversation with Alex DeMille for the launch of THE TIN MEN written by Alex and his father, Nelson DeMille
From left to right: Jeffrey Archer, P. J. Tracy, Walter Mosley
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.
Sunday, September 14th at 3pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Jeffrey Archer will talk about his latest thriller, END GAME. William Warwick and Ross Hogan return, for one last time, in a gripping and unputdownable finale.
Monday, September 15th at 8pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Walter Mosley will talk about his latest thrilling mystery, GRAY DAWN. Detective Easy Rawlins has settled into the happy rhythm of his new life when a dark siren from his past returns and threatens to destroy the peace he's fought for.
Tuesday, September 16th at 8pm ET: "Bookaccino Live" Fall Preview Evening Event: Carol Fitzgerald will talk about a number of books releasing this fall 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.
Wednesday, September 17th at 7pm ET: “Friends & Fiction”: Join “Friends & Fiction” for a conversation with Hank Phillippi Ryan about her new thriller, ALL THIS COULD BE YOURS, in which a glamorous book tour becomes a deadly cat-and-mouse chase.
Wednesday, September 17th at 8pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: P. J. Tracy will talk about her latest novel, THE DEEPEST CUT. The Monkeewrench team is back in a brand-new nail-biting thriller.
"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:
Other authors we've interviewed include:
Upcoming interviews include:
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Hank Phillippi Ryan (ALL THIS COULD BE YOURS)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll: September Fiction Releases to Anticipate
Which of the following fiction titles releasing in September have you read or do you plan to read? Please check all that apply.
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THE ACADEMY by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham
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ALL THIS COULD BE YOURS by Hank Phillippi Ryan
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AMITY by Nathan Harris
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APOSTLE'S COVE by William Kent Krueger
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BILLION-DOLLAR RANSOM by James Patterson and Duane Swierczynski
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BUCKEYE by Patrick Ryan
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CIRCLE OF DAYS by Ken Follett
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CLIVE CUSSLER THE IRON STORM: An Isaac Bell Adventure, by Jack Du Brul
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CLOWN TOWN by Mick Herron
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CROOKS: A Novel About Crime and Family, by Lou Berney
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THE DEEPEST CUT: A Monkeewrench Novel, by P. J. Tracy
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A DIFFERENT KIND OF TENSION: New and Selected Stories, by Jonathan Lethem
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THE ELEMENTS by John Boyne
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END GAME by Jeffrey Archer
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FAMOUS by Blake Crouch
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FRAMED IN DEATH by J. D. Robb
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THE GIRL FROM DEVIL'S LAKE: A Brady Novel, of Suspense by J. A. Jance
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THE GRAVE ARTIST by Jeffery Deaver and Isabella Maldonado
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GRAY DAWN: An Easy Rawlins Mystery, by Walter Mosley
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THE HALLMARKED MAN: A Cormoran Strike Novel, by Robert Galbraith
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HEART THE LOVER by Lily King
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HOT DESK by Laura Dickerman
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I AM YOU by Victoria Redel
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THE IMPOSSIBLE FORTUNE: A Thursday Murder Club Mystery, by Richard Osman
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IN THE TIME OF FIVE PUMPKINS: No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (26) by Alexander McCall Smith
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MIDNIGHT BURNING: An Einstein-Chaplin Thriller, by Paul Levine
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OTHER PEOPLE'S HOUSES by Clare Mackintosh
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PICKET LINE: The Lost Novella, by Elmore Leonard
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PICTURES OF HIM by Clare Leslie Hall (previously published as HIM under Clare Empson)
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PLEASE DON’T LIE by Christina Baker Kline and Anne Burt
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THE SECRET OF SECRETS by Dan Brown
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TO THE MOON AND BACK by Eliana Ramage
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VIANNE by Joanne Harris
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WHAT WE CAN KNOW by Ian McEwan
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WHATEVER HAPPENED TO LORI LOVELY? by Sarah McCoy
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None of the above
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, September 19th 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 September 5th to September 19th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE ACADEMY by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham and ALL THIS COULD BE YOURS by Hank Phillippi Ryan.
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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