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And So Ends “The Year Called January”!
I am asking my annual question: “Why does July fly by, while January has the same number of days, but it feels like we cram a year into it?” For me, it’s also a blur of cake the last week of the month as my sons have birthdays five days apart. I have made two yellow cakes with chocolate frosting!
It has been a busy week as I had two days of meetings in the city. I know, how brilliant was I to schedule these for the coldest and snowiest week of the year? I am not sure who in the city shovels the corners, but the narrow passages leave a lot to be desired. At least the frozen street meant that I was not trudging through slush on Thursday like I did on Tuesday. I am not averse to cold weather, but it has been a while since I found a need to pull out scarves, hats and gloves.
On Tuesday evening, we hosted our 40th “Bookaccino Live” Book Group program --- and it was our most attended event ever! Allen Levi joined us to discuss his New York Times bestselling debut novel, THEO OF GOLDEN. The audience clearly was mesmerized by the insight he gave into the characters and setting.
Allen talked about his inspiration for writing the book and expressed his appreciation for how it has resonated with so many people. He thoughtfully responded to a number of reader questions. Some were asked by attendees who appeared on the virtual stage, while I shared questions and comments from those who were camera-shy or weren’t able to attend. Allen also updated us on the project that he is working on now. And yes, it features Ellen!
Click here to watch the event or here to listen to the podcast. The program clocks in at just under two hours, but be assured that those who read THEO OF GOLDEN will not want to miss a minute of it. This is the kind of book group where we assume that readers have read the book, so we did talk spoilers. We covered so much ground with Allen and heard from a number of people who were blown away by the book --- including a mother and her 14-year-old son!
We’ve had such an overwhelming response to this event, and I’ve loved reading the notes that I’ve received from those who attended. I’m sharing some of them with you here. They are amazing!
Reader Comments about Allen Levi's Event
Maryann wrote, “Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this conversation and community. I never expected to be so enthralled for two hours --- way past my bedtime! Lucky me that I stumbled upon this event. Please include me for any future events. THEO OF GOLDEN was not only a delight, but a Pandora’s box of surprises. No one could miss the kindness, the prudence and the care of Theo’s interactions with everyone he meets. However, beyond the novel, the author was authentic, educated and eloquent with the wisdom of his years, beliefs, experiences and travels.”
Carolyn wrote, ”I watched the YouTube video today, and it was wonderful. I know a lot of work went into this presentation, and it is very much appreciated.”
Debbie wrote, “Just wanted you to know what a great program you hosted last evening! It was amazing that you pulled off the technology to allow the large number of people who wanted to see and hear the interview with Allen Levi. Allen was so gracious not only to answer all the questions but also to listen to the many stories people wanted to tell him. It is obvious that the book resonated at a very personal level with readers.”
Shari wrote, ”This conversation was as beautiful, warm and loving as the book itself. Thank you for hosting it. You were an excellent moderator.”
Marcia wrote, “As a former head of Reader Services with lots of experience hosting authors, I must comment about last night’s interview with Allen Levi. The way that you structured the program by allowing people to join in visually to present their questions and thoughts was exciting and novel. Choosing people from all parts of the country allowed different points of view from diverse voices --- again a new and exciting idea. As you said, the program could’ve gone on for hours, and I bet you would not have lost one viewer. It was so good! Allen Levi could not have been more charming or interesting. What a great interview you ran!”
Julia wrote, “I enjoyed the entire interview so much, and my husband had to hand me a box of tissues because I cried throughout. Allen Levi is such a beautiful soul. Visiting the coffee shop Fountain City Coffee in Columbus, Georgia, has been added to my bucket list, and I hope to meet Allen there one day.”
Lori wrote, “Thank you to you and your team for putting together last night’s conversation with Allen Levi. How great was that?”
Sanders wrote, “I am from 'Golden' (Columbus, GA). I have known Allen since childhood, and I couldn't be more proud and thrilled for my friend. In my mind's eye, I have an uncanny visual of Golden and many of the characters as I have read and reread the book.”
We know a number of readers were joining us for the first time at this event. And we look forward to sharing with them more of what we offer.
We are thrilled to announce that Lily King will be our next “Bookaccino Live” Book Group guest. The event will be held on Thursday, February 26th at 8pm ET, and you can sign up here for it.
We will talk about her most recent novel, HEART THE LOVER, an instant New York Times bestseller and a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. This deeply moving love story celebrates literature, forgiveness, and the transformative bonds that shape our lives.
I will interview Lily and then will turn to readers who would like to share a question for her on screen (we have special sign-in directions for these attendees, and they will get to chat with Lily in our “backstage green room” before the program starts), followed by audience questions.
If you would like to ask Lily a question, please fill out this form by noon ET on Thursday, February 26th. Be sure to include your name, city, state, email address and phone number, as well as your question. And indicate if you would like to be on camera or off.
My latest “Bookreporter Talks To” interview is with Paula McLain. Her new novel, SKYLARK, is January's “Good Morning America” Book Club pick.
Paula has been enthralled with Paris since her 2011 bestseller, THE PARIS WIFE. Her new book features dual timelines set in Paris --- one in 1664 and the other in the 1940s during the Nazi occupation. The characters face parallel struggles across different time periods. Both storylines address how people find meaning and hope through connections with others.
In SKYLARK, the underground tunnels beneath Paris serve as a space of refuge and resistance throughout history. Paula conducted extensive research, including physically exploring the city’s underground tunnel network. She wanted to create a “drilled-down view” of Paris rather than the glamorous cafés portrayed in her earlier work.
In addition to talking about how she worked with her editor, Peter Borland, to weave the two stories together, Paula discusses the audiobook narration by Alexa Davalos and Michiel Huisman, both of whom captured the emotional essence of the characters.
Click here to watch the video or here to listen to the podcast.
George Saunders’ much-talked-about and long-awaited second novel, following 2017’s Booker Prize winner LINCOLN IN THE BARDO, released this week. VIGIL takes place at the bedside of an oil company CEO in the twilight hours of his life as he is ferried from this world into the next. It’s a tale that encompasses life and death, good and evil, and the thorny question of absolution.
Harvey Freedenberg has our review and says, “Whether in real life or literature, most of us will encounter a character like K. J. Boone, armed with firm ideas about whether or not the term ‘villain’ should be attached to him for eternity. And it’s likely that many will leave his story with that assessment unchanged. The fact that Saunders may shake those perceptions a bit along the way is a tribute to the success of this modest but memorable novel.”
Word of Mouth Contest Reminder
VIGIL is one of our current Word of Mouth prizes; the other is IT’S NOT HER by Mary Kubica, which we will review next week. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to with both these titles. Please do so by Friday, February 6th at noon ET.
Don Winslow announced his retirement from writing in 2022, but it turns out he has more stories to tell. The newly released THE FINAL SCORE is a collection of six all-new, never-before-published short novels. From a legendary thief planning one last impossible job to a father confronting the brutal consequences of his past, these stories are immersive, morally layered and deeply human.
Ray Palen has this to say in his review: “I have enjoyed everything that Don Winslow has written and consider him to be on equal footing with the three crime writers I recommend to readers the most: Michael Connelly, Dennis Lehane and George Pelecanos. Winslow is at the top of his game here as he looks forward to the upcoming film adaptation of his novella, CRIME 101. At the same time, I know he will be celebrating the reception he gets for THE FINAL SCORE.”
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
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PENDERGAST: Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child have penned A. X. L. Pendergast’s origin story, which is a golden opportunity for longtime fans and newcomers to learn about Agent Pendergast’s strange and shocking first case.
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HER COLD JUSTICE: To save a client accused of murder, defense attorney Keera Duggan must fight a complex web of corruption in Robert Dugoni’s riveting new novel of suspense.
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MISSING SAM: Thrity Umrigar’s first thriller is the tense and twisty story of a woman who goes missing on a morning run and her wife's determination to both find her and clear her own name.
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DEAR DEBBIE: Freida McFadden returns with a biting, subversive thriller about what happens when women finally choose to take justice into their own hands --- with killer results.
I’m Betting You’ll Love…
My two latest Bets On selections are STRANGERS: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden and ANATOMY OF AN ALIBI by Ashley Elston. Click on each of the titles for my Bets On commentary. If you missed my interview with Belle, be sure to watch or listen to it. We will feature my conversation with Ashley in February.
Revisiting Two “Bookreporter Talks To” Interviews
Out in paperback this week are PRESUMED GUILTY by Scott Turow and GOOD DIRT by Charmaine Wilkerson, both of which were 2025 Bets On picks. I talked to Scott and Charmaine when their books came out in hardcover, so if you’d like to check out these interviews, you can watch the videos or listen to the podcasts using the links below.
Winter Reading Contest Update
We gave away ORDER OF ROYALS by Jude Deveraux in this week’s Winter Reading contest. Our next contest will be up on Tuesday, February 3rd at noon ET. The prize book will be BLADE by Wendy Walker. This chilling psychological thriller, an upcoming Bets On selection that we will review next week, is set in the cutthroat world of elite figure skating. I enjoyed chatting with Wendy about the book today. We will share that interview with you in the February 13th newsletter.
Remember to Vote in Our Poll
Our poll continues to ask which of my Bets On picks that are now or soon will be in paperback you have read or are planning to read. Click here to let us know by Friday, February 6th at noon ET.
Last night, we learned the sad news that James Sallis passed away on Tuesday at the age of 81 following a long illness. Perhaps best known for his existentialist crime fiction and neo-noirs like DRIVE, which was adapted into a film starring Ryan Gosling, Sallis was also a poet, musicologist, literary historian, critic, editor and teacher.
According to Sallis’ publisher, Soho Press, “Jim wrote without cynicism about the strength of the human spirit and invested dignity into all his characters, no matter how far on the edge of society they live… He knew that good fiction was to be set against the faults of society but also serves to remind us that salvation is the realm of the individual.”
On Tuesday, February 3rd at 7pm ET, be sure to watch the Buzz Books Official Spring Summer 2026 Nonfiction Panel, a free virtual event.
Five authors will be in conversation with their editors about their upcoming books:
You can register for the event by clicking here. And you can download Buzz Books Spring/Summer 2026 here. This free e-book sampler offers readers an exclusive preview of some of the season’s most anticipated releases, curated to showcase both established voices and emerging talents.
The winners of the 2026 Andrew Carnegie Medals were announced this week. A GUARDIAN AND A THIEF by Megha Majumdar won the Fiction medal, while the Nonfiction medal was awarded to THINGS IN NATURE MERELY GROW by Yiyun Li.
The Carnegie Medals “serve as a guide to help adults select quality reading material. They are the first single-book awards for adult books given by the American Library Association and reflect the expert judgment and insight of library professionals who work closely with adult readers.”
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Luella (pictured above) wrote about winning one of our Year-End Bets On prizes: “Thank you for the books I received. I look forward to reading them.”
Judy wrote, “You and your staff sure know how to make a happy reader’s day. I was so delighted to receive my package with your label and even more delighted to find SKYLARK inside. This has been high on my list of books I look forward to reading. I happily will share it with friends when I finish it. I thank you all for the wonderful programs and interviews you share with us.”
Last Saturday, we watched live on Netflix as Alex Honnold successfully scaled the Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taiwan. Cory and his girlfriend, Kaltrina, love to rock climb, and Cory had turned us on to Alex climbing El Capitan in the documentary Free Solo, so it was fun to celebrate Cory’s birthday watching this. The casual way that Alex did this climb belied how dangerous it was.
No real weekend plans are ahead, and that suits me just fine! I have some things I want to conquer around the house. And, as always, just sitting in front of the fireplace reading makes me smile.
I am planning to tape the Australian Open men's and women's finals. Unlike Editorial Director Tom, I cannot set an alarm to wake up at 3:30am. We are pulling for Carlos Alcaraz in the men's final!
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: VIGIL by George Saunders
VIGIL by George Saunders (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by a full cast
Not for the first time, Jill “Doll” Blaine finds herself hurtling toward earth, reconstituting as she falls. She plummets towards her newest charge, yet another soul she must usher into the afterlife, and lands headfirst in the circular drive of his ornate mansion. She has performed this sacred duty 343 times since her own death. Her charges, as a rule, have been greatly comforted in their final moments. But this charge, she soon discovers, isn’t like the others. The powerful K. J. Boone will not be consoled, because he has nothing to regret. He lived a big, bold life, and the world is better for it. Isn’t it? Crowds of people and animals --- worldly and otherworldly, alive and dead --- arrive, clamoring for a reckoning. Birds swarm the dying man’s room, and two oil-business cronies from decades past show up with chilling plans for his post-death future. 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 read our review.
Featured Review: THE FINAL SCORE by Don Winslow
THE FINAL SCORE by Don Winslow (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Peter Giles
THE FINAL SCORE is a collection of six all-new short novels from Don Winslow. The multi-million-dollar casino heist is impossible. That’s what makes it irresistible to a legendary robber facing the rest of his life in prison for his “Final Score.” An ambitious, hard-working college-bound teenager has a side job delivering illegal booze to “The Sunday List” until a crooked cop, a seductive customer and a fake guru threaten to end his dreams. Two wise guys tell each other a “True Story” over breakfast at a diner. It’s all laughs until someone else has to pick up the check. And there are three more stories that are just as twisty: “The North Wing,” “The Lunch Break” and “Collision.” Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: PENDERGAST
by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
PENDERGAST: The Beginning by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Jefferson Mays
It only took six months for the life of Special Agent Dwight Chambers to crumble around him. First, he lost his partner, and then, tragically, his wife. Returning to work at the New Orleans Field Office, Chambers is dismayed to find himself saddled with mentoring a brand-new FBI agent --- A. X. L. Pendergast. As Chambers tries to pull himself together, his enigmatic and exasperating junior partner pulls an outrageous stunt that gets both of them suspended. Pendergast welcomes the banishment, because it gives him the opportunity to investigate a peculiar murder in Mississippi that has captured his fancy. Chambers grudgingly goes along. Thanks in large part to Pendergast’s brilliance and unorthodox methods, they solve the case and find the killer. That is when the true horror begins. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
STRANGERS by Belle Burden
and ANATOMY OF AN ALIBI by Ashley Elston
STRANGERS: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden (Memoir)
I had the pleasure of meeting Belle Burden at a publisher event in November. After she told us her story, which is detailed in STRANGERS, I immediately requested a pre-release audio download. I love listening to memoirs on audio. After finishing it, I would share the book’s opening with friends, and they all said that it sounded like a really good novel. Then I would tell them that it’s a memoir.
So what did they react to?
In the first week of the pandemic, while Belle and her family were staying at their home on Martha’s Vineyard, life was going as well as it could be during those uncertain times. There were lovely fires in the fireplace, with wood that was carefully selected by Belle’s husband, and cocktails in the afternoon. Yes, there still was fear of COVID, but they felt safe where they were.
The following week, Belle was mopping the floor (I remember thinking that she knew exactly what she was doing when her world turned upside down), and the phone rang.
- 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 Belle Burden.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on STRANGERS.
ANATOMY OF AN ALIBI by Ashley Elston (Psychological Thriller)
I thought it would be tough for Ashley Elston to match her previous thriller, FIRST LIE WINS. But she certainly did that, and more, with ANATOMY OF AN ALIBI.
Small towns often have their own hierarchy with those in power who call the shots. They typically are not elected; rather, they wield power because of money or who they know. Many have secrets that go back decades, all linked to their own nefarious deeds. In ANATOMY OF AN ALIBI, Ashley puts those who have this unelected power into the hot seat, as their deeds from the past come back. And this time judgment is made.
Right from the start, there is a setup where an impersonation can help uncover part of a secret. Camille Bayliss enlists Aubrey Price to impersonate her at a bar in St. Francisville, Louisiana. Why? Camille needs some time to spy on her husband, Ben, a man who tracks her every move.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review.
- Click here to visit Ashley Elston's website.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on ANATOMY OF AN ALIBI.
Featured Review: HER COLD JUSTICE by Robert Dugoni
HER COLD JUSTICE by Robert Dugoni (Legal Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Saskia Maarleveld
In a quiet South Seattle neighborhood, a suspected drug smuggler and his girlfriend are murdered in their home. When a young man named Michael Westbrook is accused of the brutal double homicide, his uncle, JP Harrison, turns to Keera Duggan to defend him. The evidence is circumstantial --- Michael worked with one of the victims, drugs were found in his possession, and he bolted from authorities. Ruthless star prosecutor Anh Tran has gotten convictions on much less. With the testimony of two prison informants, the case looks grave. To free her client, Keera must dig deep before Tran crushes both of them. As the investigation gets more twisted with each new find, Keera is swept up in a mystery with far-reaching consequences. This case isn’t just murder. It’s looking like a conspiracy. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: MISSING SAM by Thrity Umrigar
MISSING SAM by Thrity Umrigar (Domestic Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Reena Dutt
One night after a party, old grievances surface between married couple Aliya and Sam, and the night ends badly with a heated argument. Sam goes for a run early the next morning to clear her head --- and doesn’t come back. Aliya reports her wife missing, but as a gay Muslim daughter of immigrants, she can't escape the scrutiny and suspicion of those around her. Scared and furious, and feeling isolated as strangers and acquaintances alike doubt her innocence, Aliya makes one wrong choice after another. She must fight to prove her innocence in the public eye even as she is torn between her fear that Sam is dead and her desire to find and save her wife. But is safety ever truly possible for them? Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
- 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: DEAR DEBBIE by Freida McFadden
DEAR DEBBIE by Freida McFadden (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Julia Whelan, January LaVoy and Scott Brick
For years, Debbie Mullen has compiled all of her best advice into her column, Dear Debbie, where the wives of New England come for sympathy and neighborly advice. Through her work, Debbie has heard from countless women who are ignored, belittled, or even abused by their husbands. And Debbie does her best to guide them in the right direction. Or at least, she did. These days, Debbie's life seems to be spiraling out of control. She just lost her job. Something strange is happening with her teenage daughters. And her husband is keeping secrets, according to the tracking app she installed on his phone. Now, Debbie is done being the bigger person. She's done being reasonable and practical. It's time to take her own advice. And now it's time for payback against all the people in her life who deserve it the most. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com's 11th Annual
Winter Reading Contests and Feature
Our Winter Reading contests have returned for an 11th year! On select days through mid- February, we are hosting a series of 24-hour contests spotlighting a book releasing this winter and giving five lucky readers the chance to win it. 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, February 3rd at noon ET. The prize book will be BLADE by Wendy Walker, which is an upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. This chilling psychological thriller is set in the cutthroat world of elite figure skating.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
What’s New This Month on ReadingGroupGuides.com
Our Reader-Selected Best Books of 2025
In our special year-end feature on ReadingGroupGuides.com, we asked you to share both your favorite book that you read with your book group and your favorite book that you read outside your group in 2025.
The #1 pick in the first category (book read with your group) is THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah, while the top selection in the second category (book read outside your group) is THE CORRESPONDENT by Virginia Evans. Both are Bookreporter.com Bets On titles.
A special congratulations to our contest winner, Donna M. from Wahoo, NE, who won six fabulous book group titles releasing this year: DAUGHTER OF EGYPT by Marie Benedict, KEEPER OF LOST CHILDREN by Sadeqa Johnson, KIN by Tayari Jones, SKYLARK by Paula McLain, STRANGERS: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden, and WHERE THE WILDFLOWERS GROW by Terah Shelton Harris.
Most Requested Guides of 2025
Our Most Requested Guides feature for 2025 is now available. We took a look at all of the guides that you accessed last year, and from there we pulled together a list of the top 30 titles.
In the top 10 are THE FROZEN RIVER by Ariel Lawhon, THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah, THE LION WOMEN OF TEHRAN by Marjan Kamali, THE WEDDING PEOPLE by Alison Espach, MY FRIENDS by Fredrik Backman, THE BERRY PICKERS by Amanda Peters, DEMON COPPERHEAD by Barbara Kingsolver, HORSE by Geraldine Brooks, BROKEN COUNTRY by Clare Leslie Hall, and THE NAMES by Florence Knapp.
We always love seeing which guides appealed to you the most!
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.
THE INVISIBLE WOMAN by James Patterson and Susan DiLallo (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Marni Penning
Elinor Gilbert was once a young woman with a thriving career at the FBI. Now decades past solving crimes with the bureau, she is personally and professionally forgettable. Which is exactly what her former FBI boss needs. He disguises Elinor as a middle-aged nanny, and casts her as an agent on the inside of his investigation into a New York art dealer suspected of ties to organized crime. But as Elinor pushes toward the truth, her superpower --- anonymity --- morphs into a fatal flaw. The more the invisible woman integrates into her “host” family, the more dangerously memorable she becomes. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE RE-DO LIST by Denise Williams (Romantic Comedy)
Audiobook available, read by Teddy Hamilton and January LaVoy
Willow experienced all her big firsts with her high school sweetheart. Now, reeling from their very public breakup, she wants to get a re-do on those important moments. While dog-sitting for her brother during his deployment, she has a chance to start over, and spending time with his best friend gives her the confidence to start checking items off her “Re-Do list.” Deacon promised his best friend two things when Cruz left for a deployment: he would look out for Willow and keep his hands off Cruz’s baby sister. “Operation Re-Do” is innocent enough at first: Deacon likes Willow, and he’s willing to help her out any way he can. But when the list of firsts turns from a first dance to first kisses and more, Deacon can’t deny the connection he feels to Willow. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
AN ARCANE INHERITANCE by Kamilah Cole (Dark Fantasy/Romance)
Audiobook available, read by Joy Sunday
Ellory Morgan is determined to prove that she belongs at Warren University, an ivy league school whose history is deeply linked to occult rumors and dark secrets. But as she settles into her freshman year, something about the ornate buildings and shadowy paths feels strangely…familiar. And, with every passing day, that sense of déjà vu grows increasingly sinister. Despite all logic, despite all reason, despite all the rules of reality, Ellory knows one thing to be true: she has been here before. And if she can't convince brooding legacy student Hudson Graves to help her remember a past that seems determined to slip through her fingers as if by some insidious magic…this time, she may lose herself for good. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
SCAVENGERS by Kathleen Boland (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Helen Laser
After being fired for taking an uncharacteristic risk at her commodities trading job, Bea Macon sublets her New York apartment and books a one-way ticket to stay with her mother, Christy. Usually the responsible one, Bea isn't about to admit exactly why she's suddenly decided to visit, but she isn’t the only one keeping secrets: Christy has a man. She has a map. She has…a username on a forum devoted to unearthing $1 million in buried treasure that an antiquities dealer claims to have hidden somewhere in the western U.S.? Bea is convinced this is just another one of her mother’s wild larks, an elaborate way to refuse to finally grow up. But Christy believes she’s onto something --- and she’s arranged a rendezvous in a rural town called Mercy with the guy she’s been obsessively trading theories with online to prove it. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
TOM PAINE'S WAR: The Words That Rallied a Nation and the Founder for Our Time by Jack Kelly (History)
Audiobook available, read by Jim Seybert
Two hundred and fifty years ago, the Declaration of Independence marked the birth of the United States. But two essays of that era appealed even more directly to Americans’ feelings. In January 1776, Thomas Paine --- a recent immigrant to America --- published Common Sense. His straightforward argument upended the fraud of monarchy and dismantled the idea of aristocratic privilege that had dominated the world for centuries. He turned a rebellion over taxes and representation into a true Revolution. Having inspired patriots to declare their independence, Paine enlisted as a militia private. He saw Washington’s army suffer grievous defeats. He slogged through the mud with retreating troops to Pennsylvania. There, he wrote The American Crisis, the most stirring rallying cry in our history. It began: “These are the times that try men’s souls…” Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro.
THE HOUR OF THE WOLF: A Memoir by Fatima Bhutto (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Fatima Bhutto
Fatima Bhutto was a teenager when her beloved father was assassinated. Ever since, she longed for a complete and happy family. Years later, still grappling with profound grief, she meets a charismatic man who offers her a new beginning --- promising love, healing, and the children she’s always dreamed of. But the dream soon unravels, revealing a toxic, manipulative relationship that holds her captive for over a decade. By the spring of 2020, Fatima finds herself secluded in the English countryside, accompanied by her most loyal companion: Coco, a fiercely protective Jack Russell terrier. In the presence of nature and Coco’s unwavering devotion, Fatima begins to question everything --- and slowly finds the courage to confront her suffering and reclaim her voice. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
WILDWOOD by Amy Pease (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Chris Henry Coffey and Amanda Dolan
Deputy Sheriff Eli North has spent the last year getting his life back together. He hasn’t touched a drop of alcohol, he’s working through his PTSD from his military deployment, and he’s repairing his most important relationships. When an undercover informant disappears and all signs point to murder, Eli must expose the dark underbelly of his idyllic Wisconsin small town while safeguarding his newfound stability. Then, with the unexpected arrival of FBI Agent Alyssa Mason, Eli and his mother, the sheriff, are pulled deeper into a violent criminal network built on the backs of the lost and forgotten. As the case deepens, loyalties fracture and the line between justice and survival begins to blur. In a town where everyone has something to hide, exposing the truth may cost them everything. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
THE UNDEAD: A Novel of Modern Russia by Svetlana Satchkova (Fiction)
When Maya, a young Russian filmmaker, makes a low-budget horror movie with her friends, it seems like a promising start to a career in indie film. Little does she know that her jokey lo-fi film will soon attract the attention of the autocratic censors at the highest levels of the Russian police state. What follows is a propulsive narrative of an artist being crushed by state power, and the choices that one makes within a system where free expression is literally illegal. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
- Click here to read an interview with Svetlana Satchkova.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on February 1st and 3rd
Below are some notable titles releasing on February 1st and 3rd 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 February 2nd, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
February 1st
BLADE by Wendy Walker (Psychological Thriller)
From USA Today bestselling author --- and former competitive skater --- Wendy Walker comes a chilling psychological thriller set in the cutthroat world of elite figure skating.
February 3rd
DOUBLE TROUBLE by Joyce Carol Oates, writing as Rosamond Smith (Psychological Thriller)
This double dose of gripping psychological suspense from six-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Joyce Carol Oates pairs two complete novels and two rare short stories. Two serial killers --- one female, one male --- murder in the name of a higher cause.
THE EXES by Leodora Darlington (Psychological Thriller)
Who hasn’t wanted to murder an ex --- figuratively, at least? In this explosive debut thriller, a woman’s seemingly perfect romantic life is on the verge of collapse as she uncovers a hidden history surfacing dark secrets that have deadly consequences.
FAMILY DRAMA by Rebecca Fallon (Fiction)
Sharp, assured and beautifully written, FAMILY DRAMA is a story told in double-helix, with intertwined timelines that explore the different versions of ourselves we share with the world and with each other.
IMPOSTOR: An Alexander Gregory Thriller by LJ Ross (Psychological Thriller)
From internationally bestselling author LJ Ross comes a tense, atmospheric thriller that explores how far we'll go to understand --- and survive --- the darkness around us.
IN HER DEFENSE by Philippa Malicka (Psychological Thriller)
As a sensational celebrity libel trial unfolds, a young woman at the periphery secretly wields the power to make or break the case. But with her own hidden past, will she dare to speak up?
IT'S NOT HER by Mary Kubica (Psychological Thriller)
Two families at a secluded lake resort are at the center of a chilling crime in this twisty thriller from the bestselling author of LOCAL WOMAN MISSING.
JIGSAW: An Alex Delaware Novel by Jonathan Kellerman (Psychological Thriller)
Psychologist Alex Delaware and Detective Milo Sturgis, the most beloved duo in American crime fiction, return in this electric thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling “master of suspense” (Los Angeles Times).
LA LUCCI by Susan Lucci, with Laura Morton (Memoir)
This deeply personal and compelling new book explores Emmy Award-winning actress and legendary television icon Susan Lucci's journey through love, joy, reinvention and resilience in the face of profound loss --- both personal and professional.
ON THIS GROUND: Hardship and Hope at the Toughest Prep School in America by Anthony DePalma (Social Science/Education)
ON THIS GROUND is the remarkable story of hope, determination and resilience at a celebrated school in Newark, New Jersey, the students who thrive there, and a community that refused to let its children’s education become a casualty of a growing racial divide.
STOLEN IN DEATH by J. D. Robb (Mystery/Thriller)
A violent death and a vault of stolen treasures has Eve Dallas struggling to solve crimes old and new in this latest thriller in J. D. Robb's #1 New York Times bestselling series.
A STUDY IN SECRETS: A Redacted Man Mystery by Jeffrey Siger (Mystery)
A retired gentleman with a complicated past. A missing priceless treasure. A young woman in trouble. The opening installment in Jeffrey Siger's Redacted Man mystery series set in New York City introduces a Sherlock Holmes-worthy sleuth.
WE WERE NEVER FRIENDS by Kaira Rouda (Domestic Thriller)
For fans of Shari Lapena, Mary Kubica and B. A. Paris, WE WERE NEVER FRIENDS is an unputdownable, riveting train wreck full of dark humor and bad behavior.
WOLF HOUR written by Jo Nesbø, translated by Robert Ferguson (Mystery/Thriller)
From “one of today’s most interesting thriller writers” (Lee Child) comes an immersive, propulsive novel in which a detective and a crime writer conduct parallel investigations, six years apart, into a series of puzzling murders.
Click here to see the latest “On Sale This Week” newsletter.
From left to right: Kaira Rouda, Jonathan Kellerman, Freida McFadden
Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events
Here are five upcoming virtual book and author events that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links for more info and to register.
Monday, February 2nd at 8pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Jonathan Kellerman will talk about his latest book, JIGSAW, an electric thriller that marks the return of the most beloved duo in American crime fiction: psychologist Alex Delaware and Detective Milo Sturgis.
Tuesday, February 3rd at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome #1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden and internationally bestselling author LJ Ross for a virtual discussion of McFadden's DEAR DEBBIE and Ross' IMPOSTOR as part of B&N's Midday Mystery Virtual Event series. Freida and LJ will be in conversation with USA Today bestselling author Hank Phillippi Ryan.
Tuesday, February 3rd at 7pm ET: Buzz Books Official Spring Summer 2026 Nonfiction Panel: Five authors will chat with their editors about their upcoming books: Sue Aikens (NORTH OF ORDINARY), Casey Sherman (THE KILLER AND FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT), Sarah Wilson (I EAT THE STARS), ​Annabelle Gurwitch (THE END OF MY LIFE IS KILLING ME), and Beth Howard (SONG FOR A HARD-HIT PEOPLE).
Tuesday, February 3rd at 9pm ET: Killer Author Club: Kaira Rouda will talk to her fellow Killer Author Club hosts, Kimberly Belle and Heather Gudenkauf, about her latest thriller. WE WERE NEVER FRIENDS is an unputdownable, riveting train wreck full of dark humor and bad behavior.
Wednesday, February 4th at 7pm ET: “Friends & Fiction”: Join “Friends & Fiction” for a conversation with Janie Chang and Kate Quinn about their latest books: Janie's THE FOURTH PRINCESS: A Gothic Novel of Old Shanghai and Kate's THE ASTRAL LIBRARY.
"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 recently include:
Upcoming interviews include:
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Ashley Elston (ANATOMY OF AN ALIBI)
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Sadeqa Johnson (KEEPER OF LOST CHILDREN)
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Wendy Walker (BLADE)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll: Which of Carol’s
"Bets On" Selections Appeal to You the Most?
We have listed 12 of Carol’s Bookreporter.com Bets On picks that are now or soon to be in paperback. Which of these books have you read or do you plan to read? Please check all that apply.
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BEAUTIFUL UGLY by Alice Feeney
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GOOD DIRT by Charmaine Wilkerson
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HARLEM RHAPSODY by Victoria Christopher Murray
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LIKE MOTHER, LIKE MOTHER by Susan Rieger
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MORE OR LESS MADDY by Lisa Genova
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THE NOTE by Alafair Burke
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THE OLIGARCH’S DAUGHTER by Joseph Finder
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ONE GOOD THING by Georgia Hunter
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PRESUMED GUILTY by Scott Turow
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SEEKING SHELTER: A Working Mother, Her Children, and a Story of Homelessness in America, by Jeff Hobbs
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THE UNRAVELING OF JULIA by Lisa Scottoline
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WHAT HAPPENED TO THE McCRAYS? by Tracey Lange
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None of the above
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, February 6th 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 January 23rd to February 6th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of IT'S NOT HER by Mary Kubica and VIGIL by George Saunders.
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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