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And just like that, it was a five-day workweek!
Before we talk about this week’s news, I wanted to take a moment to send our thoughts out to any of our readers in Southern California who literally have been in the line of fire. We reached out to author friends all week, and we heard from others on social media. This has been such a harrowing time for so many people in the Los Angeles area. I have been to many of the places that saw fire damage this week, and what I keep thinking about is how to rebuild the history and character of a place. I am seeing burned-out places, but in many ways I wish people could see what was there before. Yes, we are seeing horrific damage, but overlays of how things had looked will show more of exactly what was lost. May the winds die down and stay died down!
*** AN IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT OUR POLL ***
We realized this week that we missed including a few notable titles in our current poll, where we’re asking you which books releasing this month you’re planning to read. So we’ve reposted the poll and added the new titles to the existing ones.
If you already answered the poll --- 616 of you did! --- please be sure to cast your votes again so they can be factored into the final results. The poll will be open until next Friday, January 17th at noon ET. We appreciate your understanding and apologize for any inconvenience!
On Monday evening, I had so much fun at an event for Fiona Davis, presented by Thunder Road Books in Spring Lake, NJ. I was lucky enough to be joined by two friends, Annmarie Puleio and Risa Drasin (who you can see above with Fiona and me). It had snowed in the morning, but we were happy to hear that the event was still on --- and the Spring Lake Community Theatre where it was held was packed. I loved seeing hundreds of book lovers out and about on this cold winter’s night. Kate Czyzewski, the store’s manager, did a wonderful job interviewing Fiona about her new book, THE STOLEN QUEEN. As we left, snow flurries were falling, which made the night all the more magical.
By the way, this week New York City implemented its $9 congestion driving fee for those entering the city below 60th Street. While I loved events in New Jersey in the past, I am even more into them now! Next up, I am planning to see Marie Benedict at the Brielle Public Library, presented by BookTowne, on February 10th on the eve of the publication of her latest novel, THE QUEENS OF CRIME. I hope to see many of you there too. Let me know if you are going!
Before I saw Fiona on Monday, I had the pleasure of speaking with her about THE STOLEN QUEEN for our first “Bookreporter Talks To” interview of 2025. This upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On pick is set in Egypt in 1936 and New York City in 1978 --- and the iconic New York building that is featured here is the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We talk about the museum's King Tut exhibit, as well as the Met Gala and how it has changed through the years. And yes, we share an admiration for fashion columnist and editor Diana Vreeland. Fiona also reveals many details about her research, and she notes a book for further reading. Click here to watch the video or here to listen to the podcast.
Rebecca Munro has this to say about the book in her rave review: “Whether detailing the closed-to-the-public workdays of the Met or the smell and temperature of a sand-covered cave, Davis is able to put her readers right there, clicking their heels over the marble floors of the Met or picking up a rusty shovel to dig into the past. Literally.... THE STOLEN QUEEN is a fantastic first read of 2025, a sure-to-please book club pick, and, of course, further proof that there is no historical mystery that Fiona Davis can’t uncover.”
I agree! Find out why I’m betting you’ll love this book just as much as Rebecca and I did in next week’s newsletter. Fiona describes the book as Indiana Jones meets Thelma & Louise meets The Devil Wears Prada.” And that is spot-on!
January’s “Bookaccino Live” Book Preview Afternoon Event
On Wednesday, we hosted our first “Bookaccino Live” book preview event of the year. I talked about 41 books releasing between now and February 4th, plus 12 from March, that we wanted to get on your radar. We will share the link to the video in next Friday's newsletter (our producer is moving this weekend). In the meantime, you can see a list of all the titles that I talked about here.
Announcing This Year’s Winter Reading Contests
Our Winter Reading feature is back for a 10th year! On select days in January and February, we will be hosting a series of 24-hour giveaways spotlighting a book releasing this winter and giving five lucky readers the chance to win it. We also will be sending a special newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here.
Our preview email with all the books to be featured will go out on Monday to those who have opted into the Winter Reading newsletter, and our first contest will go live on Tuesday at noon ET. Week one’s prize books will be BEAUTIFUL UGLY by Alice Feeney (an upcoming Bets On pick) and BROOKE SHIELDS IS NOT ALLOWED TO GET OLD: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman by Brooke Shields with Rachel Bertsche.
A vacation in the Hamptons goes terribly wrong for three friends with a complicated history in Alafair Burke’s latest thriller, THE NOTE. The publisher calls the book “a page-turner of the highest order from one of our greatest contemporary suspense writers.” I feel the same way, which is why it will be a Bets On pick.
Pamela Kramer has our review and says, “Alafair Burke is known for her clever, twisty mysteries, and THE NOTE is no exception. She keeps us guessing almost until the end…. [A]s we'd suspect with an author of Burke's caliber, the ending is not only unexpected, it's heartbreaking in many ways…. Burke's ability to have us care about these people is what makes her books so popular, and by the end of this novel, we do hope that these flawed women find their way to a better future.” Don’t miss my Bets On commentary in next week’s newsletter. I still am hoping to interview Alafair!
Other books we’re reviewing this week include:
January’s New in Paperback Feature
Our New in Paperback roundups for January are now up. We’re featuring paperback fiction reprints from such bestselling authors as Ashley Elston (FIRST LIE WINS), A. J. Finn (END OF STORY), Chris Bohjalian (THE PRINCESS OF LAS VEGAS), Lisa Jewell (NONE OF THIS IS TRUE), Lisa Gardner (STILL SEE YOU EVERYWHERE), Lisa Unger (THE NEW COUPLE IN 5B), Gregg Hurwitz (LONE WOLF), and R. F. Kuang (YELLOWFACE); nonfiction titles, including KING: A Life by Jonathan Eig and THE LOST TOMB: And Other Real-Life Stories of Bones, Burials, and Murder by Douglas Preston; and paperback originals like THE CRASH by Freida McFadden and HOLD STRONG by Robert Dugoni, Jeff Langholz and Chris Crabtree.
Revisiting My “Bookreporter Talks To” Interview with Nita Prose
Out in paperback now is THE MYSTERY GUEST by Nita Prose, a Bets On pick that continues the adventures of Molly the Maid, following her introduction in THE MAID. I talked to Nita about the book in December 2023 when it released in hardcover. So if you missed the discussion or would like to check it out again, you can watch it here or listen to the podcast here.
Word of Mouth Contest Reminder
Submit your comments about the books you’ve read, and you’ll have a chance to win PRESUMED GUILTY by Scott Turow and WHAT HAPPENED TO THE McCRAYS? by Tracey Lange (an upcoming Bets On pick) in our Word of Mouth contest. Be sure to enter by Friday, January 17th at noon ET.
Oprah’s latest Book Club pick is A NEW EARTH: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose, which was originally published in 2005 and was selected for the Book Club in 2008. With his bestselling spiritual guide, THE POWER OF NOW, Eckhart Tolle inspired millions of readers to discover the freedom and joy of a life lived “in the now.” In A NEW EARTH, Tolle expands on these powerful ideas to show how transcending our ego-based state of consciousness is not only essential to personal happiness, but also the key to ending conflict and suffering throughout the world.
Oprah says, “As we welcome a new year, I wanted to revisit the book that had more effect on me than any other book by a living author has had on my perception of how I understand my connection to the world. It changed the way I looked at pain in my life, it changed the way I looked at ego in my life, it changed the way I looked at the roles I played in my life versus the values that I hold for myself. I already had a life’s purpose in 2008, but it enhanced the purpose that I was living here on earth and I know it can do it for everyone who reads it.”
Oprah talked to Eckhart Tolle about A NEW EARTH and its vital lessons for 2025 in front of a live audience at the Starbucks Reserve store in New York's Empire State Building. You can watch their conversation on Oprah’s YouTube channel.
THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE COMMON OCTOPUS by Emma Knight is January’s Barnes & Noble and “Read with Jenna” book club picks. Jenna says, “This is a book about friendship, motherhood and finding ourselves with mystery and romance at its core. This debut novel will sweep you up your feet.” On Tuesday, February 4th at 3pm ET, B&N will host a live virtual event with Emma, which you can sign up for here.
This month’s Reese’s Book Club pick, as well as the Target Book Club selection, is Kate Fagan’s THE THREE LIVES OF CATE KAY. Here’s what Reese says about the book: “Have you ever felt like you were living more than one life? That’s exactly what Cate Kay is grappling with in our January pick…. She’s a literary sensation, the face behind a blockbuster film trilogy, but her life isn’t what it seems. This story swept me away with its big dreams, love and unexpected twists.”
HOMESEEKING is January’s “Good Morning America” Book Club pick. Debut novelist Karissa Chen tells the intimate tale of one couple across 60 years as world events pull them together and apart, illuminating the Chinese diaspora and exploring what it means to find home far from your homeland.
For more January selections, including the Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, see our “Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks” feature here.
News & Pop Culture
Fiona Davis and Her Boyfriend/Partner, Greg Wands: Check out this piece from People about Fiona and Greg. It's a real meet-cute story! Greg also is an author, and he too has a book out this month. TRUST ISSUES, which he co-wrote with Elizabeth McCullough Keenan, releases on January 28th.
“Lioness” on Paramount+: We are now up to the final episode of the second season, and it is just as good as the first.
Spotify: I wanted to hear the soundtrack from A Complete Unknown. But I needed to sign up for Spotify, or else I would be hearing the Wonka soundtrack in between Bob Dylan songs, as I assume they thought I wanted to hear Timothée Chalamet sing anything. Ha! So I am in for the free-month trial, but since they also include 15 hours of audiobook listening with the subscription, I guess I am all in with the $11.99 a month as well when the free trial runs out. Talk about motivation!
Also, after years of working perfectly, the battery for my swim headphones went poof. So now I am going to recreate on Spotify the playlist that I swam to for more than a decade. I think it was originally on iTunes, and I hope I can remember it all. I have a new pair of headphones that I bought last May (and have yet to use) that can sync with my phone. These are tech issues that I have NO time for.
More on Timothée Chalamet: On January 25th, he will be the host and musical guest on “Saturday Night Live.” It would be fun if Dylan walked on stage to play with him.
College Football: I somehow missed that the Orange Bowl was on last night (the college schedule this year has me totally confused), but I caught the second half. It was a really great game. I am ready for the Cotton Bowl tonight as Ohio State and Texas face off.
NFL Football: Well, since the Giants had a really bad season, I have no dog in the hunt when it comes to the playoffs. But I do like Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, so I would not mind a three-peat.
Our house still looks like Christmas, and it will be for another week as next week's three-day weekend will afford me time to dismantle everything. I will attempt to better organize putting decorations away than I have in the past. The attic where they go is soooo cold that by January I am not thinking clearly when I organize them. Cory and his girlfriend made me the adorable village that you see above, which lights up. I have been seeing these Roombox kits all over Instagram. Cory got his at Michaels, and they're also available on NookTales. It looks beautiful on a bookshelf.
This weekend, Tom and I are working on a rebuild of my closet. I told him the best Christmas present he could give me is to help me redesign it. We ordered the hardware for it, and that has come in, so bring on the project. I am waaaaaay more enthusiastic about this than he is!
I am loving MORE OR LESS MADDY, and I look forward to interviewing Lisa Genova about it on Monday. Later in the week, I will be talking to Tracey Lange about WHAT HAPPENED TO THE McCRAYS? Next up, I will be reading the aforementioned PRESUMED GUILTY by Scott Turow. I have to say that January already has had an abundance of reading riches.
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 STOLEN QUEEN by Fiona Davis
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
THE STOLEN QUEEN by Fiona Davis (Historical Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Linda Jones
Egypt, 1936: Anthropology student Charlotte Cross is offered and accepts a coveted spot on an archaeological dig in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings. But then an unbearable tragedy strikes. New York City, 1978: Nineteen-year-old Annie Jenkins lands an opportunity to work for former Vogue fashion editor Diana Vreeland, who’s in the midst of organizing the famous Met Gala. Meanwhile, Charlotte is now leading a quiet life as the associate curator of the Met’s celebrated Department of Egyptian Art. She’s consumed by her research on Hathorkare --- a rare female pharaoh dismissed by most other Egyptologists as unimportant. The night of the gala: One of the Egyptian art collection’s most valuable artifacts goes missing, and there are signs that Hathorkare’s legendary curse might be reawakening. Annie and Charlotte team up to search for the missing antiquity. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to watch our "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Fiona Davis.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here to read our review.
THE STOLEN QUEEN will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's Bets On commentary in next week's newsletter.
Featured Review: THE NOTE by Alafair Burke
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
THE NOTE by Alafair Burke (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Catherine Ho
Growing up, May Hanover was always a good girl. Raised by a first-generation Chinese single mother with high expectations, May didn’t have room to slip up, let alone fail. But even good girls have secrets. And regrets. When it comes to her friendship with Lauren and Kelsey, she's had her fair share of both. Their bond --- forged when May was just 12 years old --- has withstood a tragic accident, individual scandals, heartbreak and loss. Now the three friends have reunited for the first time in years for a few days of sun and fun in the Hamptons. But a chance encounter with a pair of strangers leads to a drunken prank that goes horribly awry. When she finds herself at the center of an urgent police investigation, May begins to wonder if Lauren and Kelsey are keeping secrets from her, testing the limits of her loyalty to lifelong friends. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
THE NOTE will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's Bets On commentary in next week's newsletter.
Announcing Bookreporter.com's 10th Annual
Winter Reading Contests and Feature
At Bookreporter.com, we are kicking off 2025 with our 10th annual Winter Reading Contests and Feature! On select days in January and 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 first two contests will be up at noon ET on Tuesday, January 14th and Wednesday, January 15th. The prize books will be BEAUTIFUL UGLY by Alice Feeney, an upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On pick, and BROOKE SHIELDS IS NOT ALLOWED TO GET OLD: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman by Brooke Shields with Rachel Bertsche.
This year's featured titles are:
Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.
Featured Review: WAKE UP AND OPEN YOUR EYES
by Clay McLeod Chapman
WAKE UP AND OPEN YOUR EYES by Clay McLeod Chapman
(Apocalyptic Thriller/Social Horror)
Audiobook available; read by Kelli Tager, Joe Hempel, Cary Hite, Neil Hellegers, Marni Penning, P. J. Ochlan, Noah Levine, Soneela Nankani, Charlotte Moore-Lambert and Megan Tusing
Noah has been losing his polite Southern parents to far-right cable news for years. So when his mother leaves him a voicemail warning him that the “Great Reawakening” is here, he assumes it’s related to one of her many conspiracy theories. But when his phone calls go unanswered, Noah makes the drive from Brooklyn to Richmond, Virginia. There, he discovers his childhood home in shambles and his parents locked in a terrifying trancelike state in front of the TV. Panicked, Noah attempts to snap them out of it. Then Noah’s mother brutally attacks him. But Noah isn’t the only person to be attacked by a loved one. Families across the country are tearing each other apart --- literally --- as people succumb to a form of possession that gets worse the more time they spend glued to a screen. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review: THE SINNERS ALL BOW
by Kate Winkler Dawson
THE SINNERS ALL BOW: Two Authors, One Murder, and the Real Hester Prynne by Kate Winkler Dawson (True Crime/History)
Audiobook available, read by Kate Winkler Dawson
On a cold winter day in 1832, Sarah Maria Cornell was found dead in a quiet farmyard in a small New England town. When her troubled past and a secret correspondence with charismatic Methodist minister Reverend Ephraim Avery was uncovered, more questions emerged. Was Sarah’s death a suicide...or something much darker? Determined to uncover the real story, Victorian writer Catharine Read Arnold Williams threw herself into the investigation as the trial was unfolding and wrote what many claim to be the first American true-crime narrative, FALL RIVER. The murder divided the country and inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne’s THE SCARLET LETTER. But the reverend was not convicted, and questions linger to this day about what really led to Sarah Cornell’s death. Until now. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read our review.
Featured Review:
SISTERS IN SCIENCE by Olivia Campbell
SISTERS IN SCIENCE: How Four Women Physicists Escaped Nazi Germany and Made Scientific History by Olivia Campbell (History)
Audiobook available, read by Cassandra Campbell
In the 1930s, Germany was a hotbed of scientific thought. But after the Nazis took power, Jewish and female citizens were forced out of their academic positions. Hedwig Kohn, Lise Meitner, Hertha Sponer and Hildegard Stücklen were eminent in their fields, but they had no choice but to flee due to their Jewish ancestry or anti-Nazi sentiments. Their harrowing journey out of Germany became a life-and-death situation that required Herculean efforts of friends and other prominent scientists. Lise fled to Sweden, where she made a groundbreaking discovery in nuclear physics, and the others fled to the United States, where they brought advanced physics to American universities. No matter their destination, each woman revolutionized the field of physics when all odds were stacked against them, galvanizing young women to do the same. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read our review.
Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks for January
Each month, we share top book picks from Indie Next and LibraryReads. We also feature a number of other prominent selections, including the Barnes & Noble Book Club, the "Good Morning America" Book Club, Oprah’s Book Club, the PBS Books Readers Club, the "Read with Jenna" Book Club, Reese's Book Club, and the Target Book Club.
Below is a preview of January's "Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks." For the complete Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, as well as additional links pertaining to this month's selections, please click here.
Indie Next
#1 Pick: WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS by Grady Hendrix
THE THREE LIVES OF CATE KAY by Kate Fagan
WATER MOON by Samantha Sotto Yambao
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE McCRAYS? by Tracey Lange
THE FAVORITES by Layne Fargo
LibraryReads
Top Pick: GOOD DIRT by Charmaine Wilkerson
OUT OF THE WOODS by Hannah Bonam-Young
THE NOTE by Alafair Burke
BABYLONIA by Costanza Casati
THE FAVORITES by Layne Fargo
Barnes & Noble Book Club
THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE COMMON OCTOPUS by Emma Knight
"Good Morning America" Book Club
HOMESEEKING by Karissa Chen
Oprah's Book Club
A NEW EARTH: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose by Eckhart Tolle
PBS Books Readers Club
REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES by Shelby Van Pelt
"Read with Jenna" Book Club
THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE COMMON OCTOPUS by Emma Knight
Reese's Book Club
THE THREE LIVES OF CATE KAY by Kate Fagan
Target Book Club
THE THREE LIVES OF CATE KAY by Kate Fagan
Click here for January's Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks.
January’s New in Paperback Roundups
January's roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes Ashley Elston's adult debut novel, FIRST LIE WINS, which, according to our reviewer Ray Palen, is “extremely clever and throws one twist after another at you in a narrative that will consume you straight through to the dynamic finale”; THE PRINCESS OF LAS VEGAS by Chris Bohjalian, a twisting tale of organized crime, cryptocurrency and family secrets on the Las Vegas Strip that revolves around a Princess Diana impersonator and her estranged sister; NONE OF THIS IS TRUE, an unputdownable psychological thriller from Lisa Jewell that follows a woman who finds herself the subject of her own popular true crime podcast; and R. F. Kuang's YELLOWFACE, a chilling and hilariously cutting novel that grapples with questions of diversity, racism and cultural appropriation, as well as the terrifying alienation of social media.
Among our nonfiction highlights are KING: A Life by Jonathan Eig, the first major biography in decades of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. --- and the first to include recently declassified FBI files; Douglas Preston's THE LOST TOMB, in which a jaw-dropping discovery of an Egyptian tomb opens up a slew of archaeological mysteries and deadly tales; DEAR SISTER, a profound, intimate story of resilience and the unbreakable bond of family from Michelle Horton, who fights the criminal justice system to release her incarcerated sister after she kills her longtime abuser; and the paperback original HAPPY TO HELP, in which Amy Wilson, co-host of the award-winning podcast “What Fresh Hell,” takes a funny and insightful look at how women are conditioned to be “happy to help” --- and what happens when things don’t go that way.
Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of
January 6th, January 13th, January 20th and January 27th.
HOLMES IS MISSING: A Holmes, Margaret & Poe Mystery by James Patterson and Brian Sitts (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Christine Lakin
Success has come quickly to Holmes, Marple & Poe Investigations. The New York City agency led by three detectives --- Brendan Holmes, “the brain”; Margaret Marple, “the eyes”; and Auguste Poe, the “muscle” --- with famous names and mysterious pasts is one major case away from cementing its professional reputation. But as a series of child abductions tests the PIs’ legendary skills, the cerebral Holmes’ absence leaves a gaping hole in the agency roster. Only by closing ranks and solving the mystery within can they recover all that’s been lost. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
MOTHERS AND SONS by Adam Haslett (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Andrew Gibson and Janet Metzger
At 40, Peter, an asylum lawyer in New York City, is overworked and isolated. He spends his days immersed in the struggles of immigrants only to return to an empty apartment and occasional hook-ups with a man who wants more than Peter can give. But when the asylum case of a young gay man pierces Peter's numbness, the event that he has avoided for 20 years returns to haunt him. Ann, his mother, who runs a women's retreat center she founded after leaving his father, is hurt by the estrangement from Peter but cherishes the world she has built. She long ago put behind her the decision that divided her from her son. But as Peter’s case plunges him further into the fraught memory of his first love and the night of violence that changed his life, he and his mother must confront the secret that tore them apart. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
INVISIBLE HELIX: A Detective Galileo Novel by Keigo Higashino (Mystery)
The body of a young man is found floating in Tokyo Bay. But his death was no accident; Ryota Uetsuji was shot. He'd been reported missing the week before by his live-in girlfriend, Sonoka Shimauchi. But when detectives from the Homicide Squad go to interview her, she is nowhere to be found. When they learn that she was the victim of domestic abuse, they presume she was the killer. But her alibi is airtight; she was hours away in Kyoto when Ryota disappeared, forcing Detectives Kusanagi and Utsumi to restart their investigation. But if Sonoko didn't kill her abusive lover, then who did? A thin thread of association leads them to their old consultant, brilliant physicist Manabu Yukawa, known in the department as "Detective Galileo." With Sonoko still missing, the detectives investigate other threads of association. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE PLAYERS by Minette Walters (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Emma Gregory
England, 1685. Decades after the end of the English Civil War, the country is once again divided when Charles II's illegitimate son, the Protestant Duke of Monmouth, arrives in Dorset to incite rebellion against his Catholic uncle. Armed only with pitchforks, Monmouth's army is quickly defeated by King James II's superior forces and charged with high treason. Those found guilty will be hanged, drawn and quartered. As Dorset braces for carnage, the formidable Lady Jayne Harrier and her enigmatic son, assisted by the reclusive daughter of a local magistrate, contrive ways to save men from the gallows. Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro.
POSTMORTEM: What Survives the John Wayne Gacy Murders by Courtney Lund O'Neil (True Crime/Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Leanne Woodward
On a December night in 1978, Courtney Lund O’Neil’s mother, teenager Kim Byers, saw her friend, Rob Piest, alive for the last time. At the end of his shift at the pharmacy where they both worked, 15-year-old Rob went outside to speak to a contractor named John Wayne Gacy about a possible job. That night, Rob became Gacy’s final victim; his body was later found in the Des Plaines River. Kim’s testimony --- along with a receipt belonging to her found in Gacy’s house, proving that Rob had been there --- would be pivotal in convicting the serial killer who assaulted and killed over 30 young men and boys. Though she grew up far from Des Plaines, Courtney has lived in the shadow of that nightmare, keenly aware of its impact on her mother. In search of deeper understanding and closure, Courtney and Kim travel back to Illinois. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
THE WORLD WITH ITS MOUTH OPEN: Stories by Zahid Rafiq (Fiction/Short Stories)
In 11 stories, THE WORLD WITH ITS MOUTH OPEN follows the inner lives of people in Kashmir as they walk the uncertain terrain of their days, fractured from years of war. From a shopkeeper’s encounter with a mannequin, to an expectant mother walking on a precarious road, to a young boy wavering between dreams and reality, to two dogs wandering the city, these stories weave in larger, devastating themes of loss, grief, violence, longing and injustice with the threads of smaller, everyday realities that confront the characters’ lives in profound ways. Although the stories circle the darker aspects of life, they are --- at the same time --- an attempt to run into life, into humor, into beauty, into another person who can offer refuge, if momentarily. Reviewed by Pauline Finch.
UNDER LOCH AND KEY by Lana Ferguson (Paranormal Romantic Comedy)
Audiobook available, read by Samantha Summers and Flint Park
Following the death of her father, Keyanna “Key” MacKay finds herself thrust into the world he’d always refused to speak of. With just a childhood bedtime story about a monster that saved her father’s life and the name of her estranged grandmother to go off of, Key has no idea what she’ll find in Scotland. Lachlan Greer has his own secrets to keep, especially from the bonnie lass he pulls to safety from the slippery shore. He’s looking for answers as well, and Key’s presence on the grounds they both now occupy presents a real problem. It’s even more troublesome when he gets a front row seat to the lukewarm welcome Key receives from her family and the strange powers she begins to develop. When their secrets collide, it becomes clear that Lachlan could hold the answers Keyanna is after --- and that she also might be the key to uncovering his. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.
RIVER OF LIES by James L'Etoile (Mystery/Thriller)
When the homeless camps spread throughout the city of Sacramento fall victim to a string of devastating arson attacks, Detective Emily Hunter and her partner, Javier Medina, dive into the investigation and become acquainted with the real people whose lives have been destroyed. The attacks only begin to draw attention when two of the victims are identified as the city’s former anti-homeless mayor and a camp social worker. But rather than strengthening the push for justice, the movement to completely abolish the camps intensifies. The investigation becomes politically charged when Emily discovers who stands to gain from burning the homeless out of their shelters. It uncovers an unlikely suspect and a reluctant witness standing between Emily and the shocking truth. Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.
WOO WOO by Ella Baxter (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Cat Gould
WOO WOO follows Sabine, a conceptual artist on the verge of a photo exhibition she hopes will be pivotal, as she plunges deeper into her neuroses and seeks validation in relationships --- with her frustratingly rational chef husband, her horde of devoted Gen Z TikTok followers, and even a mysterious, potentially violent stalker. Accompanying her throughout are Sabine’s strange alter egos, from hyperrealistic puppets of her as a baby to the ghost of conceptual artist Carolee Schneemann, who shows up with inscrutable yet sage life advice. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
Next Week's Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on January 14th
Below are some notable titles releasing on January 14th 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 January 13th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
BEAUTIFUL UGLY by Alice Feeney (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
The million-copy bestselling Queen of Twists Alice Feeney returns with a gripping and deliciously dark thriller about marriage...and revenge.
THE BIG EMPTY: An Elvis Cole and Joe Pike Novel by Robert Crais (Thriller)
Elvis Cole and his enigmatic partner, Joe Pike, race to find a terrifying, unidentified killer in this twisting, unpredictable thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Robert Crais.
BROOKE SHIELDS IS NOT ALLOWED TO GET OLD: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman by Brooke Shields with Rachel Bertsche (Memoir)
From generational icon Brooke Shields comes an intimate and empowering exploration of aging that flips the script on the idea of what it means for a woman to grow older.
THE BUSINESS TRIP by Jessie Garcia (Psychological Thriller)
Twist upon twist, layer upon layer, where nothing is as it seems, THE BUSINESS TRIP takes you on a descent into the depths of a mastermind manipulator. But who is playing who?
CLEVER LITTLE THING by Helena Echlin (Psychological Thriller)
This taut, powerful psychological thriller follows a mother who must confront a sudden and terrifying change in her daughter after the abrupt death of their babysitter.
GRAVE DANGER: A Jack Swyteck Novel by James Grippando (Legal Thriller)
James Grippando’s legendary criminal defense attorney, Jack Swyteck, is back to defend a single mother accused of kidnapping her own child in a perilous case involving politics and international diplomacy that will test his legal expertise and his marriage.
HOPE: The Autobiography written by Pope Francis, translated by Richard Dixon with Carlo Musso (Autobiography)
Pope Francis originally intended this exceptional book to appear only after his death, but the needs of our times and the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope have moved him to make this precious legacy available now.
THE JFK CONSPIRACY: The Secret Plot to Kill Kennedy — and Why It Failed by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch (History)
From the New York Times bestselling authors of THE NAZI CONSPIRACY and THE LINCOLN CONSPIRACY comes a true, little-known story about the first assassination attempt on John F. Kennedy, right before his inauguration.
MORE OR LESS MADDY by Lisa Genova (Fiction)
MORE OR LESS MADDY is a breathless, riveting novel about a young woman diagnosed with bipolar disorder who rejects the stability and approval found in a traditionally “normal” life for a career in stand-up comedy.
PRESUMED GUILTY by Scott Turow (Legal Thriller)
Don't miss this new courtroom drama from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of PRESUMED INNOCENT, the phenomenon that redefined the legal thriller and is the basis for Apple TV+’s most-watched drama series ever.
ROBERT LUDLUM'S THE BOURNE VENDETTA by Brian Freeman (Thriller/Adventure)
The hunt for a trove of secret information forces Jason Bourne to decide who lives --- and who dies --- in this latest installment in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.
SAVE OUR SOULS: The True Story of a Castaway Family, Treachery, and Murder by Matthew Pearl (True Crime/History)
From the bestselling author of THE TAKING OF JEMIMA BOONE comes the unbelievable true story of a real-life Swiss Family Robinson (and their dog) who faced sharks, shipwreck and betrayal.
THE TEXAS MURDERS by James Patterson and Andrew Bourelle (Thriller/Western)
In this thrilling novel from James Patterson and Andrew Bourelle, the great Texas Rangers go on a no-holds-barred pursuit of the most dangerous killer ever to terrorize Texas.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE McCRAYS? by Tracey Lange (Fiction)
From New York Times bestselling author Tracey Lange comes a poignant story about the resilience of family, the importance of community, and the magic of middle-school hockey.
WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS by Grady Hendrix (Gothic Thriller/Horror)
In WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS, the author of HOW TO SELL A HAUNTED HOUSE and THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP delivers another searing, completely original novel and further cements his status as a “horror master” (NPR).
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
From left to right: Scott Turow, Tara Dorabji, Grady Hendrix
Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events
Here are four upcoming virtual book and author events that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links for more info and to register.
Sunday, January 12th at 8pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Scott Turow will talk about PRESUMED GUILTY, his third legal thriller featuring former Kindle County prosecutor Rusty Sabich, following PRESUMED INNOCENT and INNOCENT.
Tuesday, January 14th at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome Grady Hendrix for a live virtual performance of WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS as part of their B&N Midday Mystery Virtual Event series.
Tuesday, January 14th at 9pm ET: Killer Author Club: Kimberly Belle, Heather Gudenkauf and Kaira Rouda will talk to Elizabeth McCullough Keenan and Greg Wands about their book, TRUST ISSUES, which is a fresh take on the classic conman chase novel.
Wednesday, January 15th at 7pm ET: “Friends & Fiction: Join “Friends & Fiction” for a conversation with Tara Dorabji about her debut novel, CALL HER FREEDOM, a sweeping family saga following one woman’s struggle to protect her culture and her family amidst the backdrop of a military occupation.
"Bookreporter Talks To" Videos & Podcasts
“Bookreporter Talks To” is a video and podcast series that delivers a long-form, in-depth author interview every week. 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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Lisa Genova (MORE OR LESS MADDY)
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Tracey Lange (WHAT HAPPENED TO THE McCRAYS?)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
Our Latest Poll: January Releases to Anticipate
Which of the following titles releasing in January do you plan to read? Please check all that apply.
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BEAUTIFUL UGLY by Alice Feeney
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BEEN WRONG SO LONG IT FEELS LIKE RIGHT: A King Oliver Novel, by Walter Mosley
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THE BIG EMPTY: An Elvis Cole and Joe Pike Novel, by Robert Crais
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BROOKE SHIELDS IS NOT ALLOWED TO GET OLD: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman, by Brooke Shields with Rachel Bertsche
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THE BUSINESS TRIP by Jessie Garcia
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CLEVER LITTLE THING by Helena Echlin
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THE CRASH by Freida McFadden
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GOOD DIRT by Charmaine Wilkerson
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GRAVE DANGER: A Jack Swyteck Novel, by James Grippando
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THE HEART OF WINTER by Jonathan Evison
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HOLD STRONG by Robert Dugoni, Jeff Langholz and Chris Crabtree
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HOLMES IS MISSING: A Holmes, Margaret & Poe Mystery, by James Patterson and Brian Sitts
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HOMESEEKING by Karissa Chen
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HOPE: The Autobiography, by Pope Francis
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THE JFK CONSPIRACY: The Secret Plot to Kill Kennedy — and Why It Failed, by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch
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THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE COMMON OCTOPUS by Emma Knight
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THE LIFE OF HEROD THE GREAT written by Zora Neale Hurston, edited by Deborah G. Plant
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MORE OR LESS MADDY by Lisa Genova
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NEVER SAY NEVER by Danielle Steel
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THE NOTE by Alafair Burke
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THE OLIGARCH'S DAUGHTER by Joseph Finder
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ONYX STORM by Rebecca Yarros
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ORDER OF SWANS by Jude Deveraux
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PRESUMED GUILTY by Scott Turow
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SAVE OUR SOULS: The True Story of a Castaway Family, Treachery, and Murder, by Matthew Pearl
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SHATTERING DAWN by Jayne Ann Krentz
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THE STOLEN QUEEN by Fiona Davis
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THE TEXAS MURDERS by James Patterson and Andrew Bourelle
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THE THREE LIVES OF CATE KAY by Kate Fagan
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THREE WILD DOGS (and the truth): A Memoir, by Markus Zusak
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TOO SOON by Betty Shamieh
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TRUST ISSUES by Elizabeth McCullough Keenan and Greg Wands
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WAKE UP AND OPEN YOUR EYES by Clay McLeod Chapman
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WHAT HAPPENED TO THE McCRAYS? by Tracey Lange
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WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS by Grady Hendrix
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None of the above
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, January 17th 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 3rd to January 17th at noon ET, three lucky readers will be randomly chosen to win a copy of PRESUMED GUILTY by Scott Turow and WHAT HAPPENED TO THE McCRAYS? by Tracey Lange.
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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