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Here's a fun tidbit for you. This year, the unofficial summer calendar will look longer than usual as we had an early Memorial Day, and Labor Day will be celebrated on the later side. This will not happen again until 2037. This means that you have more time for summer reading. You can up your reading quota by at least one book!
This Tuesday, June 2nd will be a very big book launch day. After I finish THE LAKE HOUSE by Lori Foster, I am contemplating whether to read A PAIR OF ACES by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, THE WINDSOR AFFAIR by Melanie Benjamin, or WHISTLER by Ann Patchett.
On Tuesday night, I am going to be at Symphony Space in New York City, where Ann Patchett will be interviewed by Amor Towles. I have never seen either of them live, so this should be fun. If you are there, be sure to say hi. I think we are in the first row!
Also out on Tuesday is ROAD TRIP by Mary Kay Andrews, which I finished last week. It's her first book in two years. Readers are taken along on a journey with two sisters, who travel to Ireland to prove the origin of a family painting, which may be worth a fortune. Mary Kay is on a mega-tour to celebrate this launch.
Wally Lamb joined us on Tuesday evening for this month’s “Bookaccino Live” Book Group event. We had a wonderful conversation about his instant New York Times bestseller, THE RIVER IS WAITING, an Oprah’s Book Club pick and a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection that is now available in paperback.
Wally explained how he came to write this story and how his time working with incarcerated women in the prison system influenced his work. A number of readers joined us to share their thoughts on the book and how it affected them in powerful ways. We also fielded questions from other members of our Zoom audience, all of which were sharp and insightful.
Click here to watch the event or here to listen to the podcast. Wally was incredibly generous with his time as the program lasted nearly two hours. There was so much ground to cover, and we touched on a variety of subjects that arose from the book. Please keep in mind that we DID talk spoilers.
Our next “Bookaccino Live” Book Group guest will be Bruce Holsinger. The event will be held on Wednesday, June 24th at 8pm ET, and you can sign up here for it.
We will talk about Bruce’s national bestseller, CULPABILITY, which also was an Oprah’s Book Club selection and a Bets On title. This suspenseful family drama is about moral responsibility in the age of artificial intelligence. Our reviewer Norah Piehl says, “Pick this one up if you want to consider some of today’s most pressing issues --- and if you'd like to do so in the context of a truly thrilling story.”
I will interview Bruce and then will turn to readers who would like to share a question for him on screen (we have special sign-in directions for these attendees, and they will get to chat with Bruce in our “backstage green room” before the program starts), followed by audience questions.
If you would like to ask Bruce a question, please fill out this form by Wednesday, June 24th at noon ET. Remember 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.
Matt Haig revisits the world of THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY with his latest novel, THE MIDNIGHT TRAIN, which poses one central question: When your life flashes before your eyes, where would you stop? No one can change the past, but the Midnight Train can take you there. The chance to relive the moments that meant most.
Ray Palen has our review and says, “If you crossed It’s a Wonderful Life with a pinch of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, you would have a decent idea of what to expect from Matt Haig’s latest mind-bending sci-fi/fantasy classic… Haig indeed has a way with words, and in much the same vein as THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY, this excursion into the unknown and the fine line between life and death is very much a grand adventure to be experienced and cherished.”
Ruta Sepetys, who many of you know as the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the young adult books BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY and SALT TO THE SEA, is back with her first novel for adults. In A FORTUNE OF SAND, which is set in Prohibition-era Detroit, the daughter of a powerful tycoon escapes to a glamorous artists’ retreat --- where dark secrets and dangerous temptations await.
According to Rebecca Munro in her review, “[W]hat makes the book truly shine is the eerie, gothic, almost noir vibe with which Sepetys infuses Marjorie’s narrative.... Authentic, gripping, and rare for its focus on an under-discussed region and era, A FORTUNE OF SAND is Ruta Sepetys at her best: probing, compassionate and dedicated to the preservation of history. Readers of Marie Benedict, as well as Beatriz Williams, Lauren Willig and Karen White, will adore this one, and teens who devoured her young adult works will be delighted to reunite with their favorite author in a new, grittier way.”
I loved talking to Ruta about the book this week. We will share my interview with her in next week’s newsletter.
Our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight of the aforementioned THE LAKE HOUSE continues this week with our review of the book, which is the second installment in Lori Foster’s Firefly Summer series, following last year’s THE GUEST COTTAGE.
Our reviewer Bronwyn Miller says, “Lori Foster’s latest amiable read is for those loyal viewers of ‘Virgin River’ and ‘Sweet Magnolias’; fans of authors like Susan Mallery and Debbie Macomber; or anyone who loves a small-town, second-chance, redemptive love story. And even though the book is part of a series, it easily can be enjoyed as a stand-alone. It would be perfect to toss into your bag as you head to the beach or the lake, or as you’re relaxing in your yard when you need a sweet escape from the everyday.” I agree with Bronwyn!
I enjoyed my conversation with Lori about THE GUEST COTTAGE last year, so I look forward to talking to her about THE LAKE HOUSE soon.
Summer Reading Contest Update
We gave away THE LAKE HOUSE in one of our Summer Reading contests this week, along with MERRY-GO-ROUND BROKE DOWN by David Woo and Margalit Shinar. Next week’s prizes will be the aforementioned THE WINDSOR AFFAIR by Melanie Benjamin and ROAD TRIP by Mary Kay Andrews. These giveaways will be up at noon ET on Tuesday, June 2nd and Thursday, June 4th.
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
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THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE: In his new essay collection, David Sedaris reflects on what it means to be a foreigner, a brother and a lifelong friend. Bronwyn Miller says that Sedaris “observes life post-COVID, both here and abroad, with his signature wit and wry humor.”
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KATE!: #1 New York Times bestselling royal biographer Christopher Andersen has penned the definitive portrait of Kate Middleton, the beloved and private Princess of Wales, which traces her stunning rise from working-class roots to queen-in-waiting.
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THE DIVORCE: What is a happily ever after really worth? In her latest work of psychological suspense, Freida McFadden delivers a subversive thriller where love curdles into vengeance, and survival becomes the most dangerous game of all.
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TAKE ME WITH YOU: In Steven Rowley’s new novel, Jesse witnesses Norman, his husband of 30 years, get out of bed late one night, walk into their Joshua Tree backyard, step into a strange beam of light and…disappear. Where did he go? Will he ever return?
Enter Our New Word of Mouth Contest
Let us know by Friday, June 12th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll have a chance to win the aforementioned A PAIR OF ACES by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray and WHISTLER by Ann Patchett in our new Word of Mouth contest.
In A PAIR OF ACES, two trailblazing women on opposite sides of the law --- a prosecutor and a madam --- team up to bring down notorious Mob boss Lucky Luciano in 1930s New York. WHISTLER is a story about two adults looking back over the choices they made, as well as the choices that were made for them.
Vote in Our New Poll --- and Check Out Results from the Last Poll
In honor of June being Audiobook Appreciation Month, we want to know if you listen to audiobooks and how you consume them. Click here to answer our new poll by Friday, June 12th at noon ET.
In our previous poll, we listed 15 nonfiction titles that are releasing this month and asked which of them, if any, you are looking forward to reading. Below are your top five picks, and you can see all the results here.
Please note that the publication date for THE KILLER AND FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT changed shortly after we posted this poll. The book is now releasing on June 9th.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Shelley wrote, “Thank you for the opportunity to talk to Wally Lamb and ask him questions. I see him as a true novelist and not a formulaic writer. I have already finished CULPABILITY, another terrific read, and look forward to asking questions. Thanks for making these opportunities available.”
Courtney wrote, “I wanted to let you know that I read four of your latest book picks recently: THE CORRESPONDENT, THEO OF GOLDEN, WILD DARK SHORE and WHEN THE CRANES FLY SOUTH. Thank you for your recommendations.”
Janet wrote, “I am so pleased to have won THE LITTLE BOOKSHOP BY THE HARBOR by Jean Stone in your Summer Reading contest. It's the perfect book for a summer read. Thank you.”
The Crash on Netflix: Wow, this documentary was so interesting. The evidence in this case is so convincing.
“The Four Seasons” Season Two on Netflix: I watched a couple of episodes last night and was amused. Yes, it is not like the original, but it was just fine!
“Dutton Ranch” on Paramount+: We like Taylor Sheridan's shows, and this one is great.
“Marshals” on CBS and Paramount+: The 13-episode first season wrapped up. I do not think that the love interest they have set up for Kayce is right. I tell my husband that every time they are on screen together.
There were a couple of evenings cheering on the Knicks. I cannot tell you one player’s name, but I love watching them score. Onward to the NBA Finals starting Wednesday night.
Bookmark Mailing --- I Cannot Make This Up!
There are times when life has humor that you cannot make up. Last Wednesday night, I dropped the envelopes with a large number of bookmarks requested by our readers into a mailbox in the next town. It was the kind of theft-proof box that has just a narrow opening on top, so it took some time to mail them.
A couple of weeks ago, we had weighed an envelope with a note and 10 bookmarks at the post office and were assured they were one ounce or under (our scale here registered the same thing), so regular postage fees of a Forever stamp applied. With that in mind, Francesca and I had packaged up another huge batch for readers with requests for 10.
Last Friday, my husband brought me mail from our office mailbox, and there was a package from the post office. Inside were all the envelopes that we had mailed with the words “postage due 29 cents” on them. On Saturday, I brought them back to my local post office where it was confirmed that the postage was right with just a regular stamp, and the attendant took the “postage due” ones away to go out. I bought more regular stamps and went home to add them to the pile that Francesca and I had packaged up on Friday.
Eager to get them out, I brought them back to the post office in town that afternoon. A different teller saw me placing the envelopes on the counter where things can be dropped to mail out. She said, “You are the person who owes more postage on what you left this morning.” I now am thinking I cannot make this up. She goes in the back and brings me all of the envelopes. She said the other teller’s scale was not calibrated correctly.
I ask to buy 29-cent stamps. She went in the back and came out with some, but not enough. They had school busses on them. It ends up that to get more, I had to “come back after 11 on Tuesday” with no further explanation, except that they were out of stamps. I mailed what I could. With this new-found knowledge, Francesca and I went back to packing up bookmarks with renewed vigor, again weighing them on a scale here. Those with 10 enclosed took a regular “Forever stamp and the school bus stamp.” Twenty, which were two ounces, needed a flower stamp, which I had on hand.
I did not get to the post office on Tuesday but instead went on Wednesday around 10:00. I was told, “There are no stamps until 11. The person with the key to the safe would be there then.” And we wonder why the post office is in trouble.
Today I headed back there with even more bookmark mailings ready to go. Oh, 30 bookmarks get an over two-ounce stamp. I did not get to see that stamp as the teller handled it for me. I bought all of the flower and school bus stamps that they had. We still have 50 more sets of bookmarks from the original list of 170 requests to fulfill, so if you asked for some and did not get them, they will be coming. I am 99% sure that I will be back to the post office after 11:00 one day to wrap up this project!
I have no weekend plans, except for yoga, and I know we need another trip to the plant nursery to finish up outside planters. My friend, Karyn, has been doing an amazing job of planting and weeding, the latter of which was sorely needed and the former of which is making me smile.
We also are getting our house painted, so everything near the house is taped up or packed up. I want to say it all will be done by June. But June 1st is Monday, so there goes that plan! I am glad we have an extra long summer. See how I took that concept full circle?
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 Bookshop/IndieBound. As you read our reviews and features, we would appreciate your considering this as you buy!
Featured Review: THE MIDNIGHT TRAIN by Matt Haig
THE MIDNIGHT TRAIN by Matt Haig (Science Fiction/Fantasy)
Audiobook available, read by James Norton
No one can change the past, but the Midnight Train can take you there. The chance to relive the moments that meant most. To see what kind of person you really were. For Wilbur, his best days were with Maggie, the love of his life. On his honeymoon in Venice. Before he gave it all away. He wishes he could go back and live differently. But to do so risks everything. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: A FORTUNE OF SAND by Ruta Sepetys
A FORTUNE OF SAND by Ruta Sepetys (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Saskia Maarleveld
Detroit, 1927. A city of smoke and ambition, where glittering wealth conceals a graveyard of secrets. Marjorie Lennox is the youngest daughter of a powerful Detroit dynasty. Creative, reckless and never quite what they wanted, Marjorie has spent her life overlooked by her controlling father and self-absorbed siblings. But when she secretly applies to an elite arts program backed by a mysterious patron, she grabs the chance to finally step out of her family’s shadow. The program is strict in ways that feel sinister. Doors lock at strange hours. Rumors spread about women going missing. And the handsome benefactor behind it all is as magnetic as he is unsettling. As Marjorie gets pulled deeper into his world, she must fight to discover the truth before she loses herself completely. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- 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.
Don't miss Carol's “Bookreporter Talks To” interview
with Ruta Sepetys in next week's newsletter.
Featured Review:
THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE by David Sedaris
THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE: Essays by David Sedaris (Essays)
Audiobook available, read by David Sedaris
In THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE, David Sedaris investigates what it means to be a traveler, a brother, a lifelong friend. Trying on the role of caretaker after his boyfriend Hugh’s hip-replacement surgery, he both succeeds and fails. He covers ground with his friend, Dawn, and challenges her to eat a truck tire. Ever adding to his list of “Countries I Have Been To,” he rides a horse named Tequila in Guatemala, buys a bespoke priest’s cassock in Vatican City, and goes on safari in Kenya without taking a single photo. Throughout these essays, Sedaris shows how much there is to marvel at when you keep your head up and your eyes open, observing with warmth and curiosity this fascinating human species and the lands we inhabit. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: THE LAKE HOUSE by Lori Foster
Our Latest Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight Title
THE LAKE HOUSE: A Firefly Summer Novel by Lori Foster (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Piper Goodeve
When Pixie Nolan first came to Bramble, Kentucky, the abandoned and desperate young single mother found hope, healing and a fresh start. With the loving support of her best friends, she is now happily raising her toddler son in a cozy cottage. She never expected to make an electrifying connection with a summer renter, a retired Navy SEAL with his own complicated past. Brogan Rafferty arrives with an adorable baby girl in tow and settles into the lake house next door. But it’s no coincidence that Brogan has found Pixie, and his startling revelations make it clear she’s the key to healing old regrets and building new dreams. And when a hostile stranger turns up with shocking accusations against Bramble’s new hometown hero, Pixie must put her own fears and heartbreak away for good. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- 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.
Click here to read our review.
Don't miss Carol's “Bookreporter Talks To” interview with Lori Foster in June.
Featured Review: KATE! by Christopher Andersen
KATE!: The Courage, Grace, and Power of the Woman Who Will Be Queen by Christopher Andersen (Biography)
Audiobook available, read by Elizabeth Knowelden
Kate Middleton is one of the most photographed, most talked about, most written about women in the world --- heiress to Princess Diana’s glamour and mystique, wife of one future monarch and mother of another. But as the daughter of an airline attendant who grew up in public housing, Kate was not destined for this fate. She had to fight for it --- and for the love of the future king. In this illuminating portrait, Christopher Andersen chronicles Kate’s life, beginning with her humble upbringing; her off-again, on-again love story with William that catapulted her to global fame; and the 2011 “Wedding of the Century.” Throughout their marriage, Kate has proven that she is more than just a prince’s wife. Yet her story is more complex than the public knows. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: THE DIVORCE by Freida McFadden
THE DIVORCE by Freida McFadden (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by January LaVoy, Edoardo Ballerini and Marin Ireland
Naomi was living the quintessential love story. Boy meets girl. They fall in love, get married, buy a dream house and start a family. Then --- he kicks her out, hires the city's best divorce lawyers, drains their accounts, and takes up with a twenty-something. It's a brutal end to the story. Naomi should accept defeat: move into a dingy apartment, get back into the workforce, and piece together the shattered remains of her life. Except, why should she? Instead, Naomi fixates on her husband's new girlfriend. What begins as cynical curiosity soon twists into obsession --- and then into something far darker. As Naomi uncovers secrets she never imagined, she realizes her own life may be in danger. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: TAKE ME WITH YOU by Steven Rowley
TAKE ME WITH YOU by Steven Rowley (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Michael Urie
Thirty years into their relationship, college professor Jesse del Ruth witnesses his husband, Norman, get out of bed late one night, walk into their backyard, step into a strange beam of light, and…disappear. How could Norman desert him? Where did he go? Will he ever return? As Jesse struggles to understand Norman’s disappearance, he tries to piece together his new reality. Is he expected to wait patiently for a partner who may never come back? Or is this an opportunity for reinvention? When Norman’s sister, Lally, lands on Jesse’s doorstep with an urgent request, Norman’s absence becomes even more profound. Add to Jesse’s grief and confusion a conspiracy-theorist neighbor, a strange man following him, and suspicions that he may have had a hand in Norman’s disappearance, and Jesse starts to crack under the pressure. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
Click here to read our review.
Bookreporter.com's 22nd 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 two contests will be up at noon ET on Tuesday, June 2nd and Thursday, June 4th. The prize books will be THE WINDSOR AFFAIR by Melanie Benjamin and ROAD TRIP by Mary Kay Andrews.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
What’s New on ReadingGroupGuides.com
We currently are featuring the following guides on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
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.
BENEATH A BROKEN SKY by Joshua Moehling (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Linda Jones
It's a hot, miserable summer in the small town of Sandy Lake. Detective Ben Packard has finally settled into life here --- just in time for a tornado to sweep through the county, causing irreparable damage. Hiding among the debris is someone with a secret. When a mother who made enemies defending her bullied son is killed, the suspect list stretches across the entire town. For Packard, the case hits uncomfortably close to home. The deeper he digs, the more Sandy Lake hums with a tension that refuses to break. As thick smoke from nearby wildfires chokes the air, someone from Packard's past shows up on his doorstep without warning, forcing him to confront the reality of navigating life as a gay man in a small town bent on tradition, no matter the cost. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
AN ORDINARY SORT OF EVIL: A Rip Through Time Novel by Kelley Armstrong (Historical Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Kate Handford
Modern-day homicide detective Mallory Mitchell has grown accustomed to life in Victorian Scotland after traveling 150 years into the past into the body of a housemaid. Even though she works as an assistant to forensic-science pioneer Dr. Duncan Gray and Detective Hugh McCreadie, she considers them true friends. Late one night, Gray and Mallory are summoned urgently to the home of Lady Adler, a patron of Gray’s undertaking business. They arrive in the midst of a seance with a ghost demanding Gray's presence. The ghost is Lady Adler's former maid, who had gone missing but now requests that Gray investigate her murder. Unsure if there's been a murder or not, Gray and Mallory are once again drawn into a mystery much more puzzling --- and more dangerous --- than it first seems. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
A COURSE CALLED HOME: Adventures of an Accidental Golf Course Owner by Tom Coyne (Sports/Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Jacques Roy
Tom Coyne, the New York Times bestselling author of A COURSE CALLED AMERICA and numerous other contemporary classics of golf literature, has spent his career traveling the world and playing legendary courses from St. Andrews to Shinnecock. One day, at the urging of a course superintendent who is hoping to save his local nine-hole gem from shuttering just shy of its 100th anniversary, Coyne pays a visit to Sullivan County Golf & Country Club in upstate New York. When he arrives, the course is buried under ice and snow, and what he can see of the clubhouse is falling apart. By the time he leaves, all he can see is his next adventure: discovering how owning a course is vastly different from playing one. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
THE ROLLING STONES: The Biography by Bob Spitz (Music/Biography)
Audiobook available, read by MacLeod Andrews
All great music is a threat. What left is there to say about The Rolling Stones? A hell of a lot, it turns out. Bob Spitz has brought his indefatigable energy and five decades of experiences in the fields and hollows of rock 'n’ roll to bear on his five-year journey to reexamine one of popular music’s greatest stories. There are myriad revisions to the conventional narrative that underscore just how in control of that narrative the band has been up to now. But, as with the Beatles and Led Zeppelin, Spitz’s greatest gift is for the big picture. He knows where the magic is, and why it is. He is as clear-eyed a connoisseur of the show business, the spectacle and the collateral damage of this whirlwind as anyone alive. But the ultimate goal is to connect with a creative force whose power shows no signs of fading, over 60 years on. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.
THE VISIONARIES: Bretton Woods, the Marshall Plan, and the Making of the Post-World War II Order by James Holland (History)
Audiobook available, read by Al Murray
James Holland’s deep knowledge of WWII gives him unique insight and appreciation for its historic aftermath. THE VISIONARIES chronicles the prelude to the Marshall Plan --- from Franklin Roosevelt’s historic “four freedoms” speech and “Good Neighbor Policy” towards Central and South America to the landmark Bretton Woods Conference of July 1944, which established the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, pillars of world stability. But it was Truman who pushed for the Marshall Plan, which in 1948 kickstarted via economic assistance the fastest period of growth in European history. However, Holland warns that we in the West have become complacent, less willing to safeguard the freedoms that extended prosperity has allowed. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
DEAD WEIGHT written by Hildur Knútsdóttir, translated by Mary Robinette Kowal (Psychological Thriller/Horror)
Audiobook available, read by Mary Robinette Kowal
Unnur was living a normal, if lonely, life until a black cat showed up at her door. When she tracks down the cat’s wayward owner, she finds a young woman just as lost and in need of help. Like a gust of cold air in a Reykjavík night, Ásta and her pet slip into Unnur’s life. It’s unexpected, but welcome. Unnur likes the company, and she begins to rely on Ásta in turn. But like a black cat, trouble has been tailing her new friend, and Unnur is the only one there for Ásta when things take a violent turn. The two women quickly learn: nothing tests a friendship like blood on your hands. Reviewed by Katherine B. Weissman.
GLYPH by Ali Smith (Metaphysical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Lesley Sharp
It all starts when Petra and her little sister, Patch, hear a horrifying story from the past and find themselves making up a ghost. Is it imaginary? Is it real? Then it all starts again 30 years later when Petra, now estranged from Patch, finds a phantom horse kicking the furniture to pieces in her bedroom. What to do? She phones her sister. In a chiarascuro dance through our increasingly antagonistic era, GLYPH asks if we’re attending to the history that’s made us and to the history we’re making. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
YOU CAN TELL ME by Melinda Leigh (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Mandy Figueroa
On the three-year anniversary of true crime writer Olivia Cruz’s horrific kidnapping, she’s scheduled to walk her podcaster friend, Zoe March, through the crime scene, but Zoe fails to show. Zoe’s husband, who claims she never came home the night before, has reported her missing. But marital conflicts make the police suspect she has left him. Olivia thinks otherwise. Retracing her friend’s last steps, she finds Zoe’s phone and a text with one chilling word: Run. It soon becomes apparent that Zoe has been keeping secrets, and with her true crime podcast, there’s no telling what she has unearthed. To find her, Olivia must dig into her friend’s past. Did Zoe vanish to escape a killer, and is Olivia walking into a deadly trap? Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on June 1st and 2nd
Below are some notable titles releasing on June 1st and 2nd 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 June 1st, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
June 1st
THE GIRL IN THE LAKE by Lauren Oliver (Psychological Thriller/Supernatural Mystery)
A young girl who claims to remember a past life draws a psychologist into a decades-old mystery in a haunting novel of suspense by New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver.
June 2nd
BLUNT INSTRUMENT by Amy Bloom (Mystery)
Written with the same depth of character and insight that readers have come to expect from Amy Bloom’s novels and memoirs, BLUNT INSTRUMENT is an engaging and entertaining mystery with a clever, complex protagonist at its core.
THE CHILDREN by Melissa Albert (Literary Mystery/Gothic Fantasy)
In this haunting new novel from New York Times bestselling author Melissa Albert, the estranged adult children of a legendary author, written into their dead mother’s beloved fantasy series, must contend with the vine-like creep of legacy, memory and magic.
CLIVE CUSSLER COLD FIRE: A Novel from the NUMA Files by Graham Brown (Thriller/Adventure)
When a NATO weapon that could ensure peace or start World War Three vanishes in the Arctic, Kurt Austin and NUMA race to recover it before it falls into enemy hands.
DOWN WITH THE SHIPMANS by Meg Mitchell Moore (Fiction)
From the bestselling author of MANSION BEACH comes a summery drama following three sisters who return to their childhood home, each with their own secret.
THE KENNEDYS AND THE WINDSORS: The Story of Two Dynasties, One Born, One Made by Caroline Hallemann (Biography)
In THE KENNEDYS AND THE WINDSORS, acclaimed journalist Caroline Hallemann unearths the story of two iconic families whose lives, ambitions and respective reigns have mirrored each other in surprising ways.
LAND by Maggie O'Farrell (Historical Fiction)
The award-winning, bestselling author of HAMNET and THE MARRIAGE PORTRAIT returns with a soaring historical novel set in Ireland in the years before and after the Great Hunger.
A PAIR OF ACES by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray (Historical Fiction)
This gripping novel is about two trailblazing women on opposite sides of the law --- a prosecutor and a madam --- who team up to bring down notorious Mob boss Lucky Luciano in 1930s New York.
A RIVER RED WITH BLOOD: A Charlie Parker Novel by John Connolly (Supernatural Thriller)
Two intertwined disappearances leave a rural community in shock in this latest gripping Charlie Parker novel from New York Times bestselling author John Connolly.
ROAD TRIP by Mary Kay Andrews (Fiction)
Pack your bags for a summer journey shaped by family secrets, long-buried history, and charming men with Irish accents. Join Mary Kay Andrews on a road trip that will entertain you for miles.
STUART WOODS' DEEP WATER: A Stone Barrington Novel by Brett Battles
(Thriller/Adventure)
In this latest action-packed adventure in the #1 New York Times bestselling series, Stone Barrington must avenge attacks on two of his dear friends.
THE TYPING LADY: And Other Fictions by Ruth Ozeki (Fiction/Short Stories)
This spellbinding story collection from Booker Prize finalist Ruth Ozeki is about the lives we almost lived, the people we can’t quite forget, and the stories that shape us long after the last page is turned.
VIEW FROM THE EAST WING: A Memoir by Jill Biden (Memoir)
A novelist once wrote, “There are stories one must tell, and years when one must tell them.” Jill Biden’s time to discuss her four years in the White House is now.
WHISTLER by Ann Patchett (Fiction)
This moving, luminous novel reminds us of the sweetness and impermanence of life and the power of connection to defy time.
THE WINDSOR AFFAIR by Melanie Benjamin (Historical Fiction)
A scandalous affair. A power struggle for the throne. A sensational rivalry between an English queen and an American social climber. This electrifying novel tells the story of the Abdication of Edward VIII --- and the two women at the center of it all.
Click here to see the latest “On Sale This Week” newsletter.
From left to right: Annabel Monaghan, Lev AC Rosen, Ayelet Waldman
Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events
Here are three upcoming virtual book and author events that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links for more info and to register.
Monday, June 1st at 4pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Lev AC Rosen will talk about his new novel, THE DISASTER GAY DETECTIVE AGENCY, a punchy, hilarious mystery-thriller. Meet the disaster gays: They're messy. They're queer. And they're about to solve a murder…or die trying.
Tuesday, June 2nd at 8pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Ayelet Waldman will talk about her latest book, A PERFECT HAND. This richly drawn, captivating and endlessly amusing novel of love and subterfuge between a lady’s maid and her clandestine lover is set in the country estates of 19th-century England.
Wednesday, June 3rd at 7pm ET: “Friends & Fiction”: Join “Friends & Fiction” for a conversation with Annabel Monaghan about her new novel, DOLLY ALL THE TIME, in which a hardworking single mom returns to her seaside hometown and stumbles into a fake dating situationship with a wealthy, workaholic scion.
"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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Rachel Beanland (THE HALF LIFE)
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Lori Foster (THE LAKE HOUSE: A Firefly Summer Novel)
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Jenny Jackson (THE SHAMPOO EFFECT)
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John Searles (SINGLE GIRLS)
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Lisa See (DAUGHTERS OF THE SUN AND MOON)
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Ruta Sepetys (A FORTUNE OF SAND)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll: Audiobook Month
June is Audiobook Appreciation Month. Do you listen to audiobooks? Please check all that apply.
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I listen to digital downloads.
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I listen to CDs.
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I belong to Audible.
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I belong to Libro.fm.
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I belong to Spotify, and in addition to listening to music there, I use them for audiobooks.
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I belong to Spotify but did not know they had audiobooks available.
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I have not listened to an audiobook but would like to.
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I have tried audiobooks and do not enjoy them.
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I have no interest in listening to audiobooks.
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, June 12th 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 29th to June 12th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of A PAIR OF ACES by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray and WHISTLER by Ann Patchett.
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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