Weekly Update

January 9, 2026

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We’re Back! Happy New Year!

We all had a brilliant two-week break. For me, it was lovely to move through days without a schedule. There were great family memories made, visits with good friends, football...and, yes, lots of reading time in front of the fire, though there always could be more.

I finished reading RUN FOR YOUR LIFE, CALLIE KINGMAN by Alli Frank and Asha Youmans, which was exactly the right book to wind down with over the break. I found myself smiling and laughing as I read it. We have our review below.

People had been talking about THEO OF GOLDEN by Allen Levi, which is one of those books that bubbled up with readers via what we call “word of mouth.” It was originally self-published, but then it was picked up by Atria Books. I listened to it on audio, which was a wonderful experience. At one point, I thought the story was over, but there were two really lovely codas to it that made it even more poignant. It should have been a 2025 Bookreporter.com Bets On selection, but alas I read it too late. In it, a man named Theo comes to the small town of Golden. He sees portraits of people in a coffee shop and decides to gift them to each person pictured. From there is a heartwarming story; I see why it has resonated with people.

I knew that when she was a teenager Wendy Walker had trained to be a competitive skater, living in Colorado from the time that she was 13-16. Harking back to her skating experiences, she has written BLADE, which is an edgy (okay...with skating I had to do that) thriller where Ana, who once trained at a skating facility called The Palace, returns there to defend a young woman who has been charged with murdering her skating instructor. Being back brings up all kinds of memories for Ana --- many that she had not fully dealt with. It will be a Bets On selection. The e-book is now available as an Amazon First Reads; the print and audio will release on February 1st right before we become obsessed with skating at the Olympics.

I started MY HUSBAND’S WIFE by Alice Feeney, which is very twisty and is out on Tuesday. And I am listening to SKYLARK by Paula McLain, which we review below.

Last night, I attended a fun event at the Strand Bookstore to celebrate the publication of Laura Dave’s new book, THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM, which is a sequel to THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME. She was interviewed by Jessica Knoll, who asked brilliant questions (without the aid of notes). As usual, Laura shared details about the inspiration for many key points in the book, which is the first Reese’s Book Club selection for 2026 and this month's #1 Indie Next pick. What I love about an interview with Laura is how she speaks in-depth about parts of the book and how she came to them without giving anything away. I also love that she travels to locations with her family to do her research. For this novel, she picked some pretty spectacular places as settings.

Since I know that many of you will not have the opportunity to see Laura live, I wanted to share three interviews with her, which will give you more insight into the story. Here’s her appearance on “Good Morning America”; here’s a piece that she did for Reese’s Book Club; and here's an interview that Riley Sager did with her for the Poisoned Pen Bookstore.

Note that the second season of the Apple TV+ adaptation of THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME with Jennifer Garner will be coming on February 20th. Fun Fact: Each time Laura works on a book, she listens to one song on repeat as she writes. This time it was “Cardigan” by Taylor Swift. There is a line in the last verse that became like a siren call for her character, Hannah Hall. She also shared that she is writing the script for the Netflix movie adaptation of THE NIGHT WE LOST HIM. But have no fear...she has two other book ideas in mind as well.

We have our review of THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM from Rebecca Munro, who has this to say: “Paired together, THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME and THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM are not just mysteries or ripped-from-the-headlines domestic thrillers, but searing, overarching stories of love and the faith it inspires. This double whammy of emotional suspense packs a punch and will leave readers hungry for more from an author who simply never disappoints.” Don’t miss my Bets On commentary in next week’s newsletter.

Last Chance to Enter Our BIG “Bets On” Contest!

Time is running out to enter our End-of-the-Year contest, where one Grand Prize winner will be awarded all 42(!) of my Bets On picks from 2025, while seven other winners will receive six of these titles.

Some of the books you may win include ATMOSPHERE: A Love Story by Taylor Jenkins Reid, BOAT BABY: A Memoir by Vicky Nguyen, BUCKEYE by Patrick Ryan, THE CORRESPONDENT by Virginia Evans, THE DOORMAN by Chris Pavone, THE MAID’S SECRET: A Maid Novel by Nita Prose, SPEAK TO ME OF HOME by Jeanine Cummins, and THIS HAPPENED TO ME: A Reckoning by Kate Price.

To enter, please fill out this form by Monday, January 12th at noon ET.

If you would like to know more about these books, be sure to check out this video and podcast where I talk about each of my picks and why I’m betting you’ll love them just as much as I did. Also, a list of all the Bets On titles from 2025 can be found here.

Last Chance to Enter Our
End-of-the-Year Contest on Reading Group Guides!

For our End-of-the-Year contest on ReadingGroupGuides.com, readers are telling us their favorite book that they read with their book group and their favorite book that they read outside their group in 2025.

One Grand Prize winner will be awarded six books releasing this year that we think book groups will want to discuss: 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.

To enter, please fill out this form by Wednesday, January 14th at noon ET. We plan to share our reader-compiled "Best Of" list with you in next week’s Reading Group Guides newsletter.

Reminder to Sign Up for Our
First “Bookaccino Live” Event of the Year!

This is your last Weekly Update newsletter reminder to sign up for our first “Bookaccino Live” book preview event of 2026, which will take place on Wednesday, January 14th at 2pm ET.

I will present books releasing between January 13th and February 3rd, as well as some March titles, that we think will appeal to you. Click here to sign up. Those attending the live event will be asked to answer a survey about the books from the presentation that they are most interested in reading and will be eligible to win a prize.

In the aforementioned SKYLARK, Paula McLain weaves a mesmerizing tale of Paris above and below --- where a woman’s quest for artistic freedom in 1664 intertwines with a doctor’s dangerous mission during the German occupation in the 1940s, revealing a story of courage and resistance that transcends time.

According to Rebecca Munro in her review, “Though there is little to initially connect the stories of Alouette and Kristof, it is McLain’s sumptuous, glimmering talent that expertly juxtaposes their tales of courage and resilience.... As sweeping and soaring as the lark it is named after, SKYLARK is a beautiful, surprisingly timely portrait of the human need to survive, and the incredible actions of the few who ensure that is possible for all of us.” 

We will feature my “Bookreporter Talks To” interview with Paula in a few weeks. As I am listening to SKYLARK on audio, hearing the pronunciation of the various locations and names with brilliant accents is adding to the experience. Here’s a link to Paula’s appearance on “Good Morning America” where SKYLARK was selected as their January Book Club pick.

Brad Meltzer is back with the third installment in his Zig & Nola series, THE VIPER, which unravels a shocking cold case with a personal --- and deadly --- twist.

Ray Palen has our review and says, “What truly won me over was the finale. It is filled with revelations and surprises, most importantly naming the identity of the title character. Meltzer calls THE VIPER a novel about dealing with the past, which he himself has aptly learned to do as he has become older and wiser. The ending is moving and cathartic, making the entire slow burn worth wading through to get to the touching conclusion.”

Here’s a link to Brad’s appearance on “Good Morning America,” and be sure to check out this interview with him courtesy of the Poisoned Pen Bookstore. 

We also are featuring reviews of these two books:

• THE REST OF OUR LIVES: A finalist for the 2025 Booker Prize, as well as this month’s Barnes & Noble and “Late Show” book club picks, Ben Markovits’ latest book is a life-affirming road trip novel about marriage, middle age, and a man at a crossroads in his life.
   
• RUN FOR YOUR LIFE, CALLIE KINGMAN: A blindsided soon-to-be divorcée rediscovers herself in Alli Frank and Asha Youmans' witty, celebratory novel about a hard-fought comeback. As always, I was entertained by the writing from these two authors.

Announcing This Year’s Winter Reading Contests
Our Winter Reading feature is back for an 11th 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. The prize book will be the aforementioned STRANGERS by Belle Burden, a gorgeous memoir about the sudden end to a seemingly happy marriage, which will be a Bets On pick.

I interviewed Belle this week and look forward to sharing our in-depth conversation later this month. I also am planning to attend her event at The Strand next Thursday night where she will be interviewed by Anna Quindlen. If you are there, be sure to say hello.

Enter Our New Word of Mouth Contest
You also will have the chance to win STRANGERS in our latest Word of Mouth contest, along with ANATOMY OF AN ALIBI by Ashley Elston, which is out on Tuesday and will be a Bets On selection. You may remember Ashley as the author of FIRST LIE WINS. Let us know by Friday, January 23rd at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win both these titles.

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 Scott Turow (PRESUMED GUILTY), Steve Berry (THE LIST), Chris Bohjalian (THE JACKAL’S MISTRESS), Lisa Gardner (KISS HER GOODBYE), Gregg Hurwitz (NEMESIS: An Orphan X Novel), and Charmaine Wilkerson (GOOD DIRT); nonfiction titles, including SAVE OUR SOULS: The True Story of a Castaway Family, Treachery, and Murder by Matthew Pearl and BROOKE SHIELDS IS NOT ALLOWED TO GET OLD: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman by Brooke Shields with Rachel Bertsche; and paperback originals like WOMAN DOWN by Colleen Hoover and NO ONE WOULD DO WHAT THE LAMBERTS HAVE DONE by Sophie Hannah.

Revisiting My “Bookreporter Talks To” Interview with Lisa Genova
Out in paperback this week is MORE OR LESS MADDY by Lisa Genova, a Bets On pick 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. I talked to Lisa about the book last January 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.

Books on Screen Offerings for January
We’ve also updated our Books on Screen feature for this month. January’s roundup includes the films People We Meet on Vacation on Netflix and H Is for Hawk in theaters; the series premieres of "Harlan Coben's Run Away," "His & Hers" and "Agatha Christie’s Sevel Dials" on Netflix, along with "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" on HBO Max; the season premieres of ABC's "Will Trent," Hallmark Channel's "When Calls the Heart," Netflix's "Bridgerton," Prime Video's "The Night Manager" and Hulu's "Tell Me Lies"; the season finales of "Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale" on AMC+ and "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" on Disney+ and Hulu; and the DVD/Blu-ray releases of Wicked: For Good, One Battle After Another and Afterburn.

This month’s “Read with Jenna” Book Club pick is HOMESCHOOLED by Stefan Merrill Block. This heartbreaking, empowering and often hilarious debut memoir is about a mother’s all-consuming love, a son’s perilous quest to discover the world beyond the front door, and the unregulated homeschool system that impacts millions like him. Jenna says, “I loved its raw honesty and the very American story of one little boy growing up in a family where love is obvious but so is dysfunction.” We will feature our review of the book in next week’s newsletter.

For more January selections, including the Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, see our “Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks” feature here. Please note that there is no Oprah’s Book Club pick this month as Oprah is promoting her new book, ENOUGH: Your Health, Your Weight, and What It's Like to Be Free, which she wrote with Dr. Ania M. Jastreboff.

Vote in Our New Poll --- and Check Out Results from the Last Poll
For our first poll of the year, we’ve listed 35 titles releasing this month, and we’re asking you which, if any, you’re planning to read. Click here to let us know by Friday, January 23rd at noon ET.

In our previous poll, we were curious about how many books you read in 2025. 20% of you read 1-10 print books, 11% read between 101 and 200 print books, and 3% (13 of you) read more than 200(!) print books. Meanwhile, 67% of you read e-books, and 51% listened to audiobooks. Click here for all the results.

On Tuesday, January 20th at 7pm ET, be sure to watch the Buzz Books Spring Summer 2026 Fiction Panel, a free virtual event.

Seven authors will chat with their editors about their upcoming books:

• Evelyn Clarke (THE ENDING WRITES ITSELF)
• L.J. Ross (IMPOSTOR)
• Jan Saenz (200 MONAS)
• Emma Straub (AMERICAN FANTASY)
• Douglas Stuart (JOHN OF JOHN)
• Tia Williams (THE MISSED CONNECTION)
• Kelly Yang (THE TAKE)

You can register for the event by clicking here. Also, you can download Buzz Books Spring/Summer 2026 beginning on the 20th. 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.

News & Pop Culture

Reader Mail:

There were many lovely notes from readers over the holidays. Here are a few. I hope that I responded to each one. I do try, but often I need the weekends to catch up!

Bonnie wrote, “I’m so thrilled to get your email! Today I received a copy of THE BURNING LIBRARY. And I’ll be keeping a watch for SOME BRIGHT NOWHERE. I can’t believe I won Word of Mouth! Thank you so much! I can’t wait to start reading them! Thanks again.”

Maleen wrote, “I have been with you for years --- forever --- but have been a bit in the shadows lately. I just wanted to reach out and tell you that I read the newsletter every week. I choose many books from your Bets On list. And I respect and am grateful for the 'pre-work' that you and the staff do for us readers. I hope you can relax now at the end of this year and enjoy just celebrating with those you love. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you, Carol.”

Sandy wrote, “I love this newsletter each week. Thank you for all the time you put into it. I just answered about how many books I have read this year. Less than 10 print books. Mostly Kindle (over 200). I like e-books as I can adjust the print for my aging eyes! Also, the Kindle is lighter to hold. I just can't concentrate with audible! I am very much a visual person. I also want to thank you for reviewing television shows. I never watched much television, but that is increasing as I get older. I have very much enjoyed your recommendations. Happy Holidays!”  

Jackie wrote, “I just listened to your podcast on your 2025 Bets On picks. I have read several, and after listening to your podcast, I will be reading many more. I love your website and your podcasts. You do an AMAZING job. I live in NC now, but I am a Jersey girl and always will be. I was born and raised and lived there up until three years ago. We moved south to be closer to our grandchildren. There is so much I miss about NJ, though. I miss the food: the pizza, the bagels, the Chinese food and all the wonderful restaurants! It was a wonderful place to grow up.

“You mentioned your dad being 96. Wonderful! My mom will be 102 this year and is still reading, not as fast as she used to and it’s not as easy. She is now doing the large print. It always amazes me how you find time to read so many books. I love audiobooks, too. THE CORRESPONDENT is definitely next on my list. I heard about it quite some time ago, and I can't believe how all of a sudden it has become so well recognized. Thank you so much for all you do! It does not go unnoticed for sure. As I always say, too many books and not enough time...and there better be a bookstore in Heaven!” I love that your mother is still reading at 102!!!

Two Series from Harlan Coben: I joke that Harlan must need less sleep than me! First, we have his new mystery series, the aforementioned “Run Away”, which is “centered on a father desperate for clues about his missing daughter while a string of related murders heightens the urgency to find her.” Then we have his new true-crime series, “Final Twist”, which debuted Wednesday night on CBS and is streaming on Paramount+. He talks about the latter here. I caught part of “Final Twist,” and it was interesting. I love true-crime pieces.

People We Meet on Vacation on Netflix: This newly released film is based on Emily Henry's novel of the same name. Here’s a great piece from Glamour magazine where they interview Emily about the movie and her writing.

Goodbye June on Netflix: I wanted this film to be better than it was! It has a terrific cast and premise, but the characters aren't great and it was just lacking to me. 

“Emily in Paris”, Season 5: It's somewhat embarrassing to say that I watch this series. It’s a background accompaniment when I'm working on other projects. 

“Pluribus” on Apple TV+: We have watched every episode, and I confess that this may be one of the craziest shows that I have seen. Our son, Cory, recommended it. He said that it’s a strange kind of a sci-fi program, but his selling point to me was that the lead character, Carol, is a novelist. He forgot to tell me that she also has a ton of issues. But, hey, the bookstore scenes were fun!

Evil Influencer: The Jodi Hildebrandt Story on Netflix: This is one of those true-crime stories that you watch and think it cannot be real, but it is. It was directed by Skye Borgman, who did another documentary last year, Unknown Number: The High School Catfish, which was just as edgy. Here, a Utah therapist named Jodi Hildebrandt is involved in a child abuse case, along with the children's mother, Ruby Franke. Both of them were huge YouTube influencers, which really makes you wonder WHAT craziness the internet has wrought of people influencing others. Note that Shari Franke, Ruby's eldest daughter (who is not featured in the documentary), wrote a book that came out last year, THE HOUSE OF MY MOTHER: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom.

I want to watch the aforementioned “His & Hers” on Netflix. And if I start watching “The Pitt” on HBO Max, I am going to end up binging the whole thing like I did last season. It is THAT GOOD!

Also, I did very mundane things over the break. I ironed for four hours last Friday, including napkins that I think we used at Easter! I bought a ton of things for ORGANIZING, toggling through Wayfair and The Container Store online (I also can make a list for them of things that they need to create, like a storage container for regular water glasses, not wine glasses or other stemware). And I stayed up until 2am last Saturday night putting 200 recipes in clear sheets in notebooks. I know, so exciting.

Yes, there will be football this weekend. Tonight, for college football, I am looking for a win from Indiana. For pro football, since the Giants aren't in the playoffs, I want to see Denver go all the way.

The goal for the weekend is to finish MY HUSBAND'S WIFE and pick up the aforementioned KEEPER OF LOST CHILDREN by Sadeqa Johnson, which I have been hearing nothing but raves about.

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 FIRST TIME I SAW HIM by Laura Dave
Reese’s Book Club Selection
and #1 Indie Next Pick for January, and an Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title

Featured Review: SKYLARK by Paula McLain
January’s “Good Morning America” Book Club Pick

Featured Review: THE VIPER by Brad Meltzer

THE VIPER: A Zig & Nola Novel by Brad Meltzer (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Scott Brick
Andrew Fechmeier is a master at hiding. He’s spent decades concealing a secret that could get him killed. So when he’s diagnosed with a terminal disease, he heads for the local funeral home carrying the blue suit he eventually wants to be buried in. But what no one knows is that Fechmeier secretly tucked something inside, turning the suit into a final, untraceable hiding spot. It's a perfect plan. Until Fetch is brutally murdered by a mysterious killer who will stop at nothing to find the priceless object hidden in the suit. Wasting no time, the cunning but unconventional Roddy LaPointe opens an investigation into Fetch’s murder, recruiting help from his friend, the brilliant “Zig” Zigarowski. But it doesn’t take long for Zig to discover the real reason Roddy cares so much about this case: Fetch’s death is tied to Roddy’s mother, who was murdered decades earlier. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

- Click here to read more about the book.

Click here to read our review.

Special Contest:
Enter to Win Our End-of-the-Year Celebration,
Featuring All 42 "Bets On" Titles from 2025

Our End-of-the-Year contest, featuring Carol Fitzgerald's Bookreporter.com Bets On picks from 2025, will be wrapping up soon!

One Grand Prize winner will be awarded all 42 books, while seven other readers will receive six of these titles.

To enter, all you have to do is fill out this form by Monday, January 12th at noon ET. Please enter only once. All duplicate entries will be deleted.

Here are Carol's 2025 Bets On selections:

• ALL THIS COULD BE YOURS by Hank Phillippi Ryan
• APOSTLE’S COVE by William Kent Krueger
• ATMOSPHERE: A Love Story by Taylor Jenkins Reid
• BEAUTIFUL UGLY by Alice Feeney
• BOAT BABY: A Memoir by Vicky Nguyen
• THE BREAK-IN by Katherine Faulkner
• BROKEN COUNTRY by Clare Leslie Hall
• BUCKEYE by Patrick Ryan
• THE CORRESPONDENT by Virginia Evans
• CULPABILITY by Bruce Holsinger
• DAYS YOU WERE MINE by Clare Leslie Hall
• DEAR SISTER: A Memoir of Secrets, Survival, and Unbreakable Bonds by Michelle Horton
• THE DOORMAN by Chris Pavone
• THE GHOSTWRITER by Julie Clark
• GOOD DIRT by Charmaine Wilkerson
• HARLEM RHAPSODY by Victoria Christopher Murray
• HEART THE LOVER by Lily King
• THE HEIR APPARENT by Rebecca Armitage
• LAST CALL AT THE SAVOY by Brisa Carleton
• THE LOST BAKER OF VIENNA by Sharon Kurtzman
• THE MAID’S SECRET: A Maid Novel by Nita Prose
• MORE OR LESS MADDY by Lisa Genova
• THE NOTE by Alafair Burke
• THE OLIGARCH’S DAUGHTER by Joseph Finder
• ONE GOOD THING by Georgia Hunter
• PICTURES OF HIM by Clare Leslie Hall
• PLEASE DON’T LIE by Christina Baker Kline and Anne Burt 
• PRESUMED GUILTY by Scott Turow
• THE QUEENS OF CRIME by Marie Benedict
• THE RIVER IS WAITING by Wally Lamb
• SALTWATER by Katy Hays
• SEEKING SHELTER: A Working Mother, Her Children, and a Story of Homelessness in America by Jeff Hobbs
• SHE DIDN’T SEE IT COMING by Shari Lapena
• SPEAK TO ME OF HOME by Jeanine Cummins
• THE STOLEN QUEEN by Fiona Davis
• THE SUMMER GUESTS by Tess Gerritsen
• THIS HAPPENED TO ME: A Reckoning by Kate Price
• THE UNRAVELING OF JULIA by Lisa Scottoline
• WHAT HAPPENED TO THE McCRAYS? by Tracey Lange
• WHAT KIND OF PARADISE by Janelle Brown
• WHATEVER HAPPENED TO LORI LOVELY? by Sarah McCoy
• WHEN THE CRANES FLY SOUTH written by Lisa Ridzén, translated by Alice Menzies

Our Year-End Video and Podcast!

In this video and podcast, Carol talks about all 42 of her 2025 Bets On selections and
why these books resonated with her. A list of these titles can be found here.

Click here to enter the contest.

Announcing Bookreporter.com's 11th Annual
Winter Reading Contests and Feature

Featured Review:
THE REST OF OUR LIVES by Ben Markovits
January’s Barnes & Noble Book Club Pick
and “Late Show” Book Club Selection

THE REST OF OUR LIVES by Ben Markovits (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Eric Meyers
When Tom Layward’s wife had an affair 12 years ago, he resolved to leave her as soon as his youngest child left the nest. Now, while driving his college-bound daughter to Pittsburgh, he remembers his promise to himself. He is also on the run from his own health issues and a forced leave from work. So, rather than returning to his wife in Westchester, Tom keeps driving west, with the vague plan of visiting people from his past --- an old college friend, his ex-girlfriend, his brother, his son --- en route, maybe, to California. He’s moving towards a future he hasn’t even envisioned yet while he considers his past and the choices he’s made that have brought him to this particular present. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.

- 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:
RUN FOR YOUR LIFE, CALLIE KINGMAN
by Alli Frank and Asha Youmans

RUN FOR YOUR LIFE, CALLIE KINGMAN by Alli Frank and Asha Youmans (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Bahni Turpin
Two decades have passed since Callie Kingman begrudgingly followed her husband, Thomas, across the country in pursuit of his career at the expense of her own. Today, Callie is an empty nester with no job prospects, a declining mother, and a spouse who announces his intention to leave her --- in Sacramento, the dullest city in America. His parting potshot: “It’s not me, it’s you.” Taking to bed, Callie relies on delivery for food, her neighbor for booze, and her college best friend for commiseration. When an overdue annual exam leads to a health scare, Callie is forced to contend with her fractured and unfulfilled life by revisiting the vibrant, indomitable woman she used to be. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.

- Click here to read more about the book.

Click here to read our review.

January’s New in Paperback Roundups

January’s Books on Screen Feature

Our Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks for January

More Reviews This Week

THE RIGHT TO REMAIN: A Jack Swyteck Novel by James Grippando (Legal Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Jonathan Davis
Miami criminal defense lawyer Jack Swyteck’s client, Elliott Stafford, has been indicted for murder but has gone silent. He won’t talk to the judge, his girlfriend, or even the attorney fighting for his life. There seems to be no medical or psychological reason for his silence. To some, it’s an act of protest against a broken criminal justice system. Jack doesn’t buy it. Undeterred by the hoopla and calls to walk away, he keeps his client and tries his best to save Elliott from himself. As he digs for facts, Jack discovers a much more disturbing reason for Elliott’s silence. Virtually everything Elliott told Jack before the indictment is proving false, including Elliot’s criminal history, family turmoil and secret past. As Jack plunges deeper, he comes to believe that Elliott isn’t trying to hide his own guilt. He may be protecting someone else --- and the stakes could not be higher. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

AIN'T NOBODY'S FOOL: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton by Martha Ackmann (Biography)
Audiobook available, read by Hannah Church
From her impoverished childhood in the Smoky Mountains to international stardom as a singer, songwriter, actress, businesswoman and philanthropist, Dolly Parton has exceeded everyone's expectations except her own. AIN’T NOBODY’S FOOL is a deep dive into the social, historical and personal forces that made Dolly Parton one of the most beloved and unifying figures in public life and includes interviews with friends, family members, school mates, Nashville neighbors, members of her band, studio musicians, producers and many others. It also features never-before-seen photographs and unearthed documents shedding light on her family's hardscrabble life. Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro.

SHARPE'S STORM: Richard Sharpe and the Invasion of Southern France, 1813 by Bernard Cornwell (Historical Fiction/Adventure)
Audiobook available, read by Rupert Farley
The year is 1813. France is a battlefield, and winter shows no mercy. Amid brutal conditions, Major Richard Sharpe finds himself saddled with an unexpected burden: Rear-Admiral Sir Joel Chase, dispatched by the Admiralty with sealed orders, unshakable confidence, and a frankly terrifying enthusiasm for combat. Sharpe’s mission from Wellington is clear, yet anything but simple: Keep Sir Joel alive. Sir Joel could hold the key to defeating Napoleon once and for all. But to pull off his audacious plan, he needs someone who knows how to fight dirty, think fast and survive the impossible. He needs Sharpe. Reviewed by Curtis Edmonds.

RETURN OF THE MALTESE FALCON by Max Allan Collins (Hard-boiled Historical Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Dan John Miller
Legendary mystery writer Dashiell Hammett only wrote one novel about detective Sam Spade: THE MALTESE FALCON, the most famous private-eye story ever told. But the case was never really solved. The priceless golden, bejeweled bird that men and women had been dying to possess turned out to be a fake. Now, Max Allan Collins brings closure to this crime classic, reuniting all the surviving members of the original cast alongside femme fatales, crooked collectors and greedy gangsters for one more thrilling, deadly chase through the streets, wharves, morgues, bars and back alleys of 1920s San Francisco --- and finally answers the question: Whatever became of the Maltese falcon? Reviewed by Ray Palen.

SWORD BEACH: D-Day Baptism by Fire by Max Hastings (History)
Audiobook available, read by John Hopkins
Between 1941 and 1944, the British army contributed relatively little to World War II. On the unremittingly bloody Eastern Front, no Russian or German soldier had experienced the luxury of having four years to prepare and train for a resumption of the European continental campaign. But on D-Day --- June 6, 1944 --- the lives of British soldiers changed. Thiry-five thousand infantrymen, airmen and special service operatives were sent headfirst into the whitest heat of war, almost overnight. Max Hastings’ SWORD BEACH tells the story of a handful of British soldiers and their critical role in D-Day’s parachute and seaborne offensive. Reviewed by Ron Kaplan (www.RonKaplansBaseballBookshelf.com).

THE CASTAWAYS by Lucy Clarke (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Jess Nesling and Helen Phillips
Two years ago, a small plane disappeared over Fiji. For Erin, it’s been two years of obsessing over every detail, refusing to move forward even as life does. Her sister, Lori, was on that plane, and Erin was meant to be, too. But after a bitter argument, she failed to show. Everyone thinks Lori is dead, but Erin can’t let go. Just when Erin is on the verge of losing hope, the pilot of the missing plane turns up still in Fiji, seemingly with no memory of the crash. In a final bid to find her sister, Erin travels there herself. But what she discovers is beyond anything she could have predicted. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

THE QUIET MOTHER: A Detective Konrad Novel by Arnaldur Indridason (Mystery)
A woman is found murdered in her Reykjavík home, her apartment ransacked. On her desk lies a note with retired detective Konrad’s phone number. Days earlier, she had begged him to find the child she gave up nearly 50 years ago. But Konrad, reluctant to reopen old wounds, turned her away. Now, haunted by guilt, he vows to uncover the truth --- for her and for himself. As Konrad digs into her tragic past, he is drawn into a web of secrets, lies and betrayal. Each revelation points to a hidden life that connects her death to a decades-old murder --- and to shadows from Konrad’s own family history. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

DEAD RINGER by Chris Hauty (Political Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Mack Sanderson
Set in present-day, a disgraced former Secret Service officer and a Jesuit professor join forces to delve into the mysteries surrounding the events of November 22, 1963. Fixated on deciphering the conspiracies behind the history-changing assassination, they are oblivious to the fact that the cabal is still active --- and may face an end as bloody as the carnage in Dealey Plaza. Will they be able to uncover the truth in time? Or will they become two more footnotes in history? Reviewed by Ray Palen.

ILLUSION OF TRUTH by James L'Etoile (Mystery/Thriller)
Sacramento Detective Emily Hunter is exposed to inhumanity on a daily basis. It’s the unfortunate baggage that comes with police work, and she’s mostly learned how to shoulder the load. But it all turns personal when her fellow cop and boyfriend, Brian Conner, is caught in the blast of a targeted church bombing. Brian is gravely injured, suffering a traumatic brain injury. But the attacks don’t stop there. Soon, more officers come under fire, and Emily searches for a connection. She and her partner, Javier Medina, discover that Brian and the other injured officers share a common past --- a past that now has them targeted for payback. Battling with heartbreak, Emily has to identify who’s responsible for the string of attacks and stop them before there are more casualties. Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.

NO ONE ABOARD by Emy McGuire (Domestic Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Ina Barron
At the start of summer, billionaire couple Francis and Lila Cameron set off on their private luxury sailboat to celebrate the high school graduation of their two beloved children. Three weeks later, the Camerons have not been heard from, the captain hasn’t responded to radio calls, and the sailboat is found floating off the coast of Florida. Empty. Where are the Camerons? What happened on their trip? And what secrets does the beautiful boat hold? Set over the course of their vacation and in the aftermath of the sailboat’s discovery, NO ONE ABOARD asks: Who is more dangerous to a family --- a stormy ocean or each other? Reviewed by Christine M. Irvin.

Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on January 13th

Below are some notable titles releasing on January 13th 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 12th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.

ANATOMY OF AN ALIBI by Ashley Elston (Psychological Thriller)
ANATOMY OF AN ALIBI is a tense, feverish thriller about two women’s lives that are forever intertwined when a murder threatens to expose them both.

DETOUR by Jeff Rake and Rob Hart (Science Fiction/Thriller)
A space shuttle flight crew discovers that the Earth they’ve returned to is not the home they left behind in this emotional, mind-bending thriller from the creator of the hit Netflix series "Manifest" and the bestselling author of THE WAREHOUSE.

THE DEVIL'S DAUGHTER by Danielle Steel (Fiction)
Two diametrically different sisters --- one calculating and egotistical; the other honorable, kind and compassionate --- clash in this compelling novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel.

DIVINE RUIN: A Sister Holiday Mystery by Margot Douaihy (Mystery)
With Margot Douaihy’s signature mix of grit, heart and faith, DIVINE RUIN tests the limits of Sister Holiday’s devotion in her darkest and most shocking case yet.

ENOUGH: Your Health, Your Weight, and What It's Like to Be Free by Ania M. Jastreboff, MD, PhD and Oprah Winfrey (Self-Help/Health & Fitness)
For her entire adult life, Oprah Winfrey has struggled with her weight. She never thought in her lifetime that medicines would provide hope, health and healing for people like her. But as her conversations with Dr. Ania Jastreboff reveal, we’ve learned that having obesity is not a choice. It’s not a question of willpower. Obesity is a disease.

IS THIS A CRY FOR HELP? by Emily Austin (Fiction/Dark Humor)
Emily Austin's luminous novel follows a librarian who comes back to work after a mental breakdown only to confront book-banning crusaders in an empowering story of grief, love and the power of libraries.

JEAN by Madeleine Dunnigan (Historical Fiction)
Spellbinding and evocative, JEAN is a meditative narrative of loss and escape distilled into the heartrending story of an intense and dangerous adolescent love.

NOTHING RANDOM: Bennett Cerf and the Publishing House He Built by Gayle Feldman (Biography)
NOTHING RANDOM is the story of legendary Random House founder Bennett Cerf, whose seemingly charmed life at the apogee of the American Century afforded him a front-row seat to literary and cultural history in the making.

PRIVATE ROME: A Private Novel by James Patterson and Adam Hamdy (Thriller)
This thrilling addition to the bestselling Private series transports readers inside the halls of the Vatican itself when a priest is murdered --- and the new lead agent at Private is the number one suspect. 

STRANGERS: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden (Memoir)
STRANGERS is a gorgeous memoir about the sudden end to a seemingly happy marriage --- an aching, love-filled and transcendent account of surviving betrayal and discovering joy.

WINTER: The Story of a Season by Val McDermid (Memoir/Essays)
In this radiant work of creative nonfiction, internationally beloved novelist Val McDermid delivers a dazzling ode to a lost world, ruminating on a single winter in her life as she journeys into the heart of the season’s ever-evolving community-based traditions.

WOMAN DOWN by Colleen Hoover (Romantic Suspense)
In this twisty thriller from New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a frustrated author looks for her muse in a remote hideaway, but what she finds defies all expectations...and reality.

Click here to see the latest “On Sale This Week” newsletter.

From left to right: Jennie Godfrey, Ross Montgomery, Jayne Ann Krentz

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.

Wednesday, January 14th at 2pm ET: “Bookaccino Live” Book Preview Afternoon Event: Carol Fitzgerald will present titles releasing between January 13th and February 3rd, along with a few from March, that we would like to get on your radar. Included will be fiction; historical fiction; thrillers and mysteries; and memoirs, biographies and other nonfiction.

Wednesday, January 14th at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome Jennie Godfrey for a live virtual discussion of THE LIST OF SUSPICIOUS THINGS as part of their B&N Midday Mystery Virtual Event series. Jennie will be in conversation with the New York Times bestselling author of ALL THE COLORS OF THE DARK, Chris Whitaker.

Wednesday, January 14th at 7pm ET: “Friends & Fiction”: Join “Friends & Fiction” for a conversation with Jayne Ann Krentz about THE SHOP ON HIDDEN LANE, an enthralling new romantic suspense novel filled with deeply entrenched grudges, psychic dangers, and a conspiracy that threatens not only two families but also the entire paranormal community.

Thursday, January 15th at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome #1 New York Times bestselling author Ross Montgomery for a live virtual discussion of THE MURDER AT WORLD'S END as part of their B&N Midday Mystery Virtual Event series. Ross will be in conversation with the author of THE LIST OF SUSPICIOUS THINGS, Jennie Godfrey.

 "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:

• Vicky Nguyen (BOAT BABY: A Memoir) Video | Podcast

Other authors we've interviewed recently include:

• Megan Abbott (EL DORADO DRIVE) Video | Podcast
• Brisa Carleton (LAST CALL AT THE SAVOY) Video | Podcast
• Alex DeMille (THE TIN MEN) Video | Podcast
• Virginia Evans (THE CORRESPONDENT) Video | Podcast
• Bruce Holsinger (CULPABILITY) Video | Podcast
• Lily King (HEART THE LOVER) Video | Podcast
• Sharon Kurtzman (THE LOST BAKER OF VIENNA) Video | Podcast
• Kaira Rouda (JILL IS NOT HAPPY) Video | Podcast
• Hank Phillippi Ryan (ALL THIS COULD BE YOURS) Video | Podcast
• Francesca Serritella (FULL BLOOM) Video | Podcast

Upcoming interviews include:

• Rebecca Armitage (THE HEIR APPARENT)
• Belle Burden (STRANGERS: A Memoir of Marriage)
• Sadeqa Johnson (KEEPER OF LOST CHILDREN)
• Paula McLain (SKYLARK)

Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.

Our Latest Poll: January Releases to Anticipate

Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, January 23rd at noon ET.

Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What
You've Read --- and You Can Win Two Books!

Click here to enter the contest.

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