Weekly Update

June 6, 2025

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What a Week!

Late last Friday night, I received a message from Annalisa Hartlaub, who shared the incredibly sad news that her father, Joe Hartlaub --- our Senior Writer Emeritus and beloved mystery/thriller/crime book reviewer --- died last Thursday after a brief illness at the way too young age of 73.

Joe had retired from writing for us in 2021 after 24 years and over 3,000(!) reviews (he joined us just one year after Bookreporter launched). He leaves behind his family and so many friends, including authors who appreciated his writing about their work. He loved wearing hats, favoring fedoras but sporting the pork pie hat on occasion as well. Joe’s full obituary is here. He will be so missed. His upbeat voice on the phone always made us smile, and his Happy Birthday serenades were so special.

Over the past week, the outpouring of beautiful comments from people across the industry have been so lovely to see. Stories were shared, as well as endless notes about his kindness. He had been planning to attend the Bouchercon conference in New Orleans in early September, and so many were looking forward to seeing him there. This is such a huge loss for his loved ones and all those who were lucky enough to know him --- either personally or through his masterful reviews.

On Sunday, I attended the wedding of the daughter of our Word of Mouth editor, Melanie Steinberg, in Atlantic Beach, New York. What a fun evening! You can see a photo of Melanie and me above. My husband and I knew no one at the wedding, but Melanie wisely seated us at a table with friends of hers who were readers (and one was a knitter) for me, and one gentleman played golf, so he and Tom talked golf courses around the country all night. It was a terrific celebration!

On Monday night, I went into the city to have dinner with Sharon Kurtzman --- the author of THE LOST BAKER OF VIENNA, which is coming out on August 19th and will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection --- and her agent, Wendy Sherman, who is a longtime friend. There has been great buzz about Sharon’s book, which is set in post-World War II Austria. I had a wonderful time talking books and life for a couple of hours. Another lovely evening.

On Tuesday, Tom Donadio, Francesca Smith and I attended the U.S. Book Show. Sponsored by Publishers Weekly, this full-day conference about publishing and the business of books took place at the New York Academy of Medicine in East Harlem.

The day kicked off with Joy Bivins, the director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, which is celebrating their 100th anniversary this year. Joy explained the importance of the Schomburg Center --- which is located in Harlem and is dedicated to the collection, preservation and exhibition of Black history and culture --- and how they are honoring the centennial. I have never been there, but after hearing Joy talk about it --- and after reading HARLEM RHAPSODY by Victoria Christopher Murray --- I am eager to plan a visit.

Next up was “CEOs in Conversation” with Jonathan Karp, the CEO of Simon & Schuster, and David Shelley, the CEO of Hachette Book Group. They talked about the benefits and drawbacks of AI (unsurprisingly, this issue was brought up a lot throughout the conference), the importance of data analytics and how it has impacted their business (especially when it comes to how many copies of a book are initially printed), and what people can do to fight book bans.

“Passing the Torch: Cultivating the Next Generation of Publishing Leaders” featured a lively discussion about such topics as mentoring young workers, the challenges of being an effective leader and communicator in a hybrid work environment (when some people are working in the office, while others are working remotely), and what the publishing industry might look like in 15 years. 

During one very interesting panel, “The Direct-to-Reader Revolution,” the big talk was about the TWELVE different media consumers in this country. It used to be just Facebook and Twitter where you captured customers, but now there are myriad ways to reach readers, and the tried-and-true social media may not be working. Think about how your media habits have changed over the past few years.

We also attended panels that focused on digital reviewing and its impact on how books are being marketed, the rise of audiobooks and how publishers can effectively reach those who listen on audio, and how TikTok is being used to build a community of readers and spread the word about book releases.

We learned so much that we can apply to what we are doing here at Bookreporter and the websites that we build for authors…and, of course, we enjoyed seeing many of our publisher friends. It truly was a fabulous program.

The following evening, Tom, Francesca and I met up with my friends, Beverley and Annmarie, in Manhattan for an event at Symphony Space on the Upper West Side celebrating the release of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novel, ATMOSPHERE: A Love Story, which is this month’s “Good Morning America” Book Club selection and will be a Bets On pick.

Taylor was in conversation with Cosmopolitan’s Tamara Fuentes about ATMOSPHERE, which is set against the backdrop of the 1980s space shuttle program. They discussed many different aspects of the book, including why Taylor felt it was important that the subtitle be “A Love Story” (instead of “A Novel”) and her extensive research into space travel. She worked very closely with Paul Dye --- the longest-serving flight director at NASA and the author of SHUTTLE, HOUSTON: My Life in the Center Seat at Mission Control --- and emphasized that the book simply wouldn’t have existed without his guidance and expertise.

Taylor made sure that she didn't have any character in the book supplant any existing history. For example, since Sally Ride was the first female astronaut in space, Joan Goodwin's flight in the book had to come after that. And fun tidbit: Taylor had her daughter in mind when she named the fictional mission in the book “STS-LR9” (“LR” are her initials, and “9” is her age).

She also touched on some exciting new projects that are in the works, including a Netflix adaptation of CARRIE SOTO IS BACK, where Serena Williams will serve as an executive producer. You may remember that I loved this book when it released three years ago, and it got me interested in watching tennis, so I am looking forward to this series (as is Tom, who is a huge tennis fan).

It was such a fun evening, and we all were impressed with Taylor’s confidence, poise and enthusiasm as she talked about the book and thanked her fans for their unwavering support and encouragement. 

We are featuring our review of ATMOSPHERE this week from Rebecca Munro, who has this to say about it: “Alternating between Joan’s training as an astronaut and the flight that will change everything for her, Reid has penned her most propulsive, heartbreaking novel yet…and, somehow, her most uplifting.... The falling-in-love talks between Joan and Vanessa present some of Reid’s most skillful, intricate dialogue yet. Often you think the characters are having a surface-level conversation (and so do they), but with the turn of a phrase, you realize they’re having a much deeper, more complex one. And in that tiny, finite moment, you grasp how truly infinite Reid’s talent is.”

Don’t miss my Bets On commentary later this month. In the meantime, here’s a terrific interview with Taylor on “Good Morning America.”

This is your last Weekly Update newsletter reminder to sign up for our next “Bookaccino Live” book preview afternoon event, which will take place on Wednesday, June 11th at 2pm ET.

The focus will be on titles releasing between June 10th and July 1st, in addition to a few from August, that we think will appeal to you. Click here to sign up. Those who join us live 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.

Julie Clark follows up THE LAST FLIGHT and THE LIES I TELL with her third thriller, THE GHOSTWRITER, which was this week’s Summer Reading prize book. This upcoming Bets On pick revolves around a ghostwriter who is hired to write the last book for her estranged father, a famous horror novelist --- and finds herself investigating the brutal murders of his two siblings in the summer of 1975.

In her review, Rebecca Munro raves, “Oh, how I enjoyed this intricately plotted, metatextual thriller!... Clark is a master of sleight of hand and redirection, yet we still soak up every word. Not many authors can inspire this sort of faith in their audience, especially when presenting them with a cold case and a man whose memory is fading before their eyes. But this is the power of Clark's prose; she’s just that good. It may be only the first week of June, but it is definitely not too soon to call THE GHOSTWRITER the thriller of the summer.”

Rebecca is spot-on here! We will share my Bets On commentary and my interview with Julie later this month.

Our Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight of THE GUEST COTTAGE continues this week with our review of the book, which kicks off Lori Foster’s Firefly Summer series.

Bronwyn Miller calls it “a charming mix of ‘Virgin River’ and ‘Sweet Magnolias.’ Like lounging in a hammock on a bright summer day, fans of Robyn Carr, Jill Shalvis and Susan Mallery will ease into this appealing story of reinvention, love, friendship and community.”

We will feature my interview with Lori in next week’s newsletter. I am reading the book now, and it is a lot of fun!

Other books we’re reviewing this week include:

• BADLANDS: While investigating bizarre deaths in the desert, archaeologist Nora Kelly and FBI Agent Corrie Swanson awaken an ancient evil more terrifying than anything they’ve faced before in Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child’s latest thriller.
   
• DON’T FORGET ME, LITTLE BESSIE: James Lee Burke’s new novel is told through the eyes of 14-year-old Bessie Holland, who must flee to New York after accidentally killing an unarmed man to defend her father.
   
• HOW TO LOSE YOUR MOTHER: Political writer and podcaster Molly Jong-Fast has penned a memoir about the encroaching dementia of her mother --- novelist, poet and essayist Erica Jong --- and a reckoning with her complicated childhood.

Our “Bookreporter Talks To” Interview with Chris Pavone
As promised last week, the video of Chris Pavone’s interview for his new thriller, THE DOORMAN, is now available on our YouTube channel. If you prefer listening to it, be sure to check out the podcast here. Don't miss my Bets On commentary about the book in next week's newsletter.

Summer Reading Contest Update
Next week’s Summer Reading prize book will be THE NANTUCKET RESTAURANT by Pamela Kelley, in which three sisters --- each at her own crossroads in life --- inherit a Nantucket restaurant and embrace working together. The contest will be up at noon ET on the day of the book's release, Tuesday, June 10th.

June’s New in Paperback Feature
Our New in Paperback roundups for June are now up. We’re featuring paperback fiction reprints from such bestselling authors as Greg Iles (SOUTHERN MAN), Shari Lapena (WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?), Janet Evanovich (NOW OR NEVER: A Stephanie Plum Novel), J. Courtney Sullivan (THE CLIFFS), Sarah Pekkanen (HOUSE OF GLASS), and Dawn Tripp (JACKIE); nonfiction titles, including THE FRIDAY AFTERNOON CLUB: A Family Memoir by Griffin Dunne and BEN & ME: In Search of a Founder's Formula for a Long and Useful Life by Eric Weiner; and paperback originals like JILL IS NOT HAPPY by Kaira Rouda (who I enjoyed interviewing yesterday) and JUST BEACHY by Wendy Wax.

Revisiting THREE “Bookreporter Talks To” Interviews
Out in paperback this week are BAD TOURISTS by Caro Carver, GO AS A RIVER by Shelley Read, and SUMMERS AT THE SAINT by Mary Kay Andrews. I talked to Caro, Shelley and Mary Kay when their books came out in hardcover, so if you’d like to check out these interviews, you can watch the videos or listen to the podcasts using the links below.

• Mary Kay Andrews (SUMMERS AT THE SAINT) Video | Podcast
• Caro Carver (BAD TOURISTS) Video | Podcast
• Shelley Read (GO AS A RIVER) Video | Podcast

Books on Screen Offerings for June
We’ve also updated our Books on Screen feature for this month. June’s roundup includes the series premieres of Prime Video's "We Were Liars" and Netflix's "The Survivors"; the season premieres of "Grantchester" on PBS "Masterpiece" and "The Buccaneers" on Apple TV+; the season finale of "The Walking Dead: Dead City" on AMC; the continuation of Hulu's "Nine Perfect Strangers" and Max's "And Just Like That..."; the films The Life of Chuck and How to Train Your Dragon in theaters and Pie to Die For: A Hannah Swensen Mystery on Hallmark Mystery; and the DVD/Blu-ray releases of Snow White, The Friend, The Monkey, In the Lost Lands and A Working Man.

Enter Our New Word of Mouth Contest
We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about. Let us know by Friday, June 20th at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll have a chance to win KING OF ASHES by S. A. Cosby and THE RIVER IS WAITING by Wally Lamb, both of which release on Tuesday.

Vote in Our New Poll --- and Check Out Results from the Last Poll
For our latest poll, we’ve listed 35 fiction 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, June 20th at noon ET.

When was the book that you’re currently reading published? That was our previous poll question, and here are the results:

• This year (61%)
• Last year (12%)
• Earlier than 2024 (27%)

THE LISTENERS is June’s Barnes & Noble Book Club selection, as well as the Top LibraryReads Pick. Maggie Stiefvater’s first adult novel is a mesmerizing portrait of an irresistible heroine, an unlikely romance, and a hotel --- and a world --- in peril. On Tuesday, July 8th at 3pm ET, Barnes & Noble will host a live virtual event with Maggie, which you can sign up for here.

This month’s “Read with Jenna” Book Club pick is A FAMILY MATTER by debut novelist Claire Lynch. Here’s how Jenna describes the book: “In the '80s, we meet a young mother who falls in love and is punished for it. In the early aughts, we meet Heron who is an older man who has to reckon with the decision he made and tell the story of her life…. It's a story about family, truth and, most of all, about love.”

Another debut novel, Allison King’s THE PHOENIX PENCIL COMPANY, is Reese’s Book Club pick for June. In it, a hidden and nearly forgotten magic --- of Reforging pencils, bringing the memories they contain back to life --- holds the power to transform a young woman’s relationship with her grandmother and to mend long-lost connections across time and space. We will review the book later this month.

For more June selections, including the Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, see our “Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks” feature here.

News & Pop Culture

Reader Mail:

We heard from two of our Mother’s Day contest winners.

Dorothy wrote, ”What a wonderful surprise that I won the contest. I look forward to reading the various books. I enjoy reading the newsletters to learn about new books, author talks and contests. Thank you!”

Beth wrote, “What a wonderful surprise it was to learn that I was a winner in Bookreporter’s Mother Day contest! When the big box arrived with 10 wonderful books, I was amazed! The 10th anniversary edition of THE NIGHTINGALE is beautiful. One of my adult daughters happened to be visiting me when the books arrived. She quickly selected two of the books to read and promised she would return them to me soon. Thank you for choosing such interesting books that will keep me busy reading during the summer and fall. I really enjoy reading about authors and their books on Bookreporter. Thank you again!”

Sandra wrote about winning BEACH HOUSE RULES in our Summer Reading contest: “I'm so excited! Thank you! YAY!!! A perfect start to my summer!”

“Pulse” on Netflix: Yes, I love medical shows, even if they are not 100% authentic. So I watched this series...and between this, “The Pitt” and “The Resident”, I think I am capable of following a conversation in an ER!

The French Open finals are this weekend. I confess that I have not paid too much attention to the tournament and felt much better about this when our resident tennis aficionado and Editorial Director, Tom, said the same thing! The finals are on at 9am ET on Saturday (women’s) and Sunday (men’s).

This has been one very crazy, busy week with FOUR days/nights of events in the city, so I confess to being pretty tired. Actually, really tired! We have no weekend plans except yoga, and that is by design. The gazebo has been built; while they said it would take four people to build it, Husband Tom outdid himself by working with just one other person. Next up is a garden shed; we are now having umpteen discussions on where it should go.

Karyn has been brilliant at planting all the annuals and perennials that I have shopped for. I keep telling her and Tom that I think I am done with planting until the post-July 4th plant sales. I think they believe me.

I still am listening to WHAT KIND OF PARADISE by Janelle Brown, which is terrific. And I want to read Wally Lamb’s book, the aforementioned THE RIVER IS WAITING. It seemed to be coming out so far in the distance when I heard about it, and now it's releasing on Tuesday. This has been a fabulous year of reading so far, with so much more to come.

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:
ATMOSPHERE by Taylor Jenkins Reid
June's "Good Morning America" Book Club Pick
and an Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title

ATMOSPHERE: A Love Story by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Kristen DiMercurio and Julia Whelan
Joan Goodwin is content with her life as a professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University and as aunt to her precocious niece, Frances. That is, until she comes across an advertisement seeking the first women scientists to join NASA’s space shuttle program. Selected from a pool of thousands of applicants in the summer of 1980, Joan begins training at Houston’s Johnson Space Center, alongside an exceptional group of fellow candidates. As the new astronauts become unlikely friends and prepare for their first flights, Joan finds a passion and a love she never imagined. In this new light, she begins to question everything she thinks she knows about her place in the observable universe. Then, in December 1984, on mission STS-LR9, it all changes in an instant. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to see why the book is this month's "Good Morning America" Book Club pick.

Click here to read our review.

ATMOSPHERE will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's Bets On commentary later this month.

Featured Review: THE GHOSTWRITER by Julie Clark
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title

THE GHOSTWRITER by Julie Clark (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Ellen Archer, Katie Schorr and Josh Hurley
June 1975. The Taylor family shatters in a single night when two teenage siblings are found dead in their own home. The only surviving sibling, Vincent, never shakes the whispers and accusations that he was the one who killed them. Decades later, the legend only grows as his career as a horror writer skyrockets. Ghostwriter Olivia Dumont has spent her entire professional life hiding the fact that she is the only child of Vincent Taylor. Now on the brink of financial ruin, she's offered a job to ghostwrite her father's last book. What she doesn't know, though, is that this project is another one of his lies. Because it's not another horror novel he wants her to write. After 50 years of silence, Vincent Taylor is finally ready to talk about what really happened that night in 1975. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to visit Julie Clark's website.

Click here to read our review.

THE GHOSTWRITER will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's Bets On commentary and her
"Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Julie Clark later this month.

Featured Review:
THE GUEST COTTAGE by Lori Foster
Our Latest Women’s Fiction Author Spotlight Title

THE GUEST COTTAGE: A Firefly Summer Novel by Lori Foster (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Piper Goodeve
Marlow Heddings is starting over. She has carried the outrage of her husband Dylan’s affair with a younger woman --- and the expectations of his family’s powerful Chicago holdings company --- long enough. Now, after another devastating twist of fate, she is unapologetically moving on. Arriving in tiny Bramble, Kentucky, Marlow revels in her freedom, swapping her executive suits for sundresses...and scouting places to open her dream boutique. Best of all is her new residence, an adorable cottage with gorgeous lake views --- and a breathtaking landlord, former Marine Cort Easton. Soon they’re sharing dockside morning coffee and nighttime firefly gazing. Marlow’s new life feels like a dream. Then Pixie Nolan arrives on her doorstep. With a shocking secret. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- 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 next week's newsletter.

Featured Review: BADLANDS
by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

BADLANDS: A Nora Kelly Novel by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Cynthia Farrell
In the New Mexico badlands, the skeleton of a woman is found --- and the case is assigned to FBI Agent Corrie Swanson. The victim walked into the desert, shedding clothes as she went, and died in agony of heatstroke and thirst. Two rare artifacts are found clutched in her bony hands --- lightning stones used by the ancient Chaco people to summon the gods. Is it suicide or…sacrifice? Agent Swanson brings in archaeologist Nora Kelly to investigate. When a second body is found --- exactly like the other --- the two realize the case runs deeper than they imagined. As Corrie and Nora pursue their investigation into remote canyons, haunted ruins and long-lost rituals, they find themselves confronting a dark power that, disturbed from its long slumber, threatens to exact an unspeakable price. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

- Click here to read more about the book.

Click here to read our review.

Featured Review: DON’T FORGET ME,
LITTLE BESSIE by James Lee Burke

DON'T FORGET ME, LITTLE BESSIE by James Lee Burke (Historical Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Amanda Stribling
At the beginning of the 20th century, Bessie Holland yearns for the love that she has never known. She finds a soulmate and mentor in a brilliant but tormented suffragette English teacher, who inspires Bessie to fight the forces of evil that permeate her world. Watching the vast Texas countryside being destroyed by an oil company and a menacing figure with a violent past, Bessie is prepared to defend her home and her family. But when she accidentally kills an unarmed man to defend her father, Hackberry, she must flee to New York. There, her older brother introduces her to boys who will grow into gangsters. But as children admire and respect Bessie’s spirit and fortitude, she is cast into a gangland that yearns for justice and mercy. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

- Click here to read more about the book.

Click here to read our review.

Featured Review: HOW TO LOSE YOUR MOTHER
by Molly Jong-Fast

HOW TO LOSE YOUR MOTHER: A Daughter's Memoir by Molly Jong-Fast (Memoir)
Audiobook available, read by Molly Jong-Fast
Molly Jong-Fast is the only child of a famous woman, writer Erica Jong, whose sensational book FEAR OF FLYING launched her into second-wave feminist stardom. She grew up yearning for a connection with her dreamy, glamorous, just-out-of-reach mother, who always seemed to be heading somewhere that wasn’t with Molly. When, in 2023, Erica was diagnosed with dementia just as Molly’s husband discovered he had a rare cancer, Jong-Fast was catapulted into a transformative year. HOW TO LOSE YOUR MOTHER is a compulsively readable memoir about an intense mother–daughter relationship, a sometimes chaotic upbringing with a fame-hungry parent, and the upheavals that challenge our hard-won adulthood. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.

- Click here to read more about the book.

Click here to read our review.

Bookreporter.com's 21st 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.

Click here to read all the contest details
and learn more about our featured titles.

Our Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks for June

Click here for June's Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks.

June’s New in Paperback Roundups

June's roundup of New in Paperback fiction titles includes SOUTHERN MAN, the epic seventh installment in Greg Iles' Penn Cage series, which centers on a man --- and a town --- rocked by anarchy and tragedy, but unbowed in the fight to save those they love; WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?, an unputdownable thriller from the “queen of the one-sit read,” Shari Lapena, that unravels the secrets of the seemingly peaceful town of Fairhill, Vermont; SUMMERS AT THE SAINT by Mary Kay Andrews, a beach read with depth and heart that revolves around the St. Cecelia, a landmark hotel on the coast of Georgia, where traditions run deep and scandals run even deeper; and J. Courtney Sullivan's THE CLIFFS, an enthralling novel of family, secrets, ghosts and homecoming set on the seaside cliffs of Maine.

Among our nonfiction highlights are THE FRIDAY AFTERNOON CLUB, Griffin Dunne’s memoir of growing up among larger-than-life characters in Hollywood and Manhattan, which finds wicked humor and glimmers of light in even the most painful of circumstances; BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME, Ta-Nehisi Coates' profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about America's racial history and ideals to the most intimate concerns of a father for his son; LARRY McMURTRY, Tracy Daugherty's sweeping and insightful biography of the late Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist and screenwriter; and BEN & ME, an unconventional biography in which Eric Weiner follows in the footsteps of Benjamin Franklin, mining his life for inspiration and practical lessons for living a purposeful and virtuous life.

Find out what's New in Paperback for the weeks of
June 2nd, June 9th, June 16th and June 23rd.

June’s Books on Screen Feature

Here is a preview of this month's movies, TV shows and DVDs/Blu-rays that are based on books. For a complete list of June's offerings, please click here.
 

Film Releases

The Life of Chuck
Release Date: Friday, June 6th (limited release in theaters); Friday, June 13th (wide release)
Based on: The short story "The Life of Chuck" from IF IT BLEEDS by Stephen King

How to Train Your Dragon
Release Date: Friday, June 13th (wide release in theaters)
Based on: HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON by Cressida Cowell

Pie to Die For: A Hannah Swensen Mystery
Air Date: Sunday, June 22nd at 8pm ET/PT on Hallmark Mystery
Based on: The Hannah Swensen Mystery series by Joanne Fluke
 

Series Premieres

"The Survivors" (6-episode limited series)
Release Date: Friday, June 6th on Netflix (all episodes of the series will be available)
Based on: THE SURVIVORS by Jane Harper

"We Were Liars"
Release Date: Wednesday, June 18th on Prime Video (all episodes of Season 1 will be available)
Based on: WE WERE LIARS by E. Lockhart
 

Season Premiere

"The Buccaneers"
Release Dates: Wednesdays on Apple TV+; Season 2 Premiere on June 18th
Based on: The unfinished novel of the same name by Edith Wharton
 

Season Finale

"The Walking Dead: Dead City"
Air Dates: Sundays at 9pm ET/PT on AMC; Season 2 Finale on June 22nd
Based on: The comic book series The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard
 

Ongoing Series

"Nine Perfect Strangers"
Release Dates: Wednesdays on Hulu; Season 2 continues
Based on: NINE PERFECT STRANGERS by Liane Moriarty

"And Just Like That..."
Release Dates: Thursdays on Max; Season 3 continues
Based on: SEX AND THE CITY by Candace Bushnell
 

On DVD and Blu-ray

The Friend
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: Tuesday, June 10th
Based on: THE FRIEND by Sigrid Nunez

The Monkey
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: Tuesday, June 24th
Based on: The short story “The Monkey” by Stephen King

Snow White
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: Tuesday, June 24th
Based on: The fairy tale "Snow White" by the Brothers Grimm
 

Click here to see our Books on Screen feature for June.

More Reviews This Week

RETURN TO SENDER: A Longmire Mystery by Craig Johnson (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by George Guidall
When Blair McGowan, the mail person with the longest postal route in the country of over 300 miles a day, goes missing, the question becomes: Where do you look for her? The Postal Inspector for the State of Wyoming elicits Sheriff Walt Longmire to mount an investigation into her disappearance, and Walt does everything but mail it in. Posing as a letter carrier himself, the good sheriff follows her trail and finds himself enveloped in the intrigue of an otherworldly cult. Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro.

FDR DRIVE by James Comey (Legal Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Cassandra Campbell
After a stint in the private sector, working at the largest hedge fund in the world, Nora Carleton has returned to her former role as a New York City federal prosecutor. A threat is building in the city, with far-right extremism powered by internet demagogues and funded by shadowy organizations. Together with legendary investigator Benny Dugan and aided by colleagues at the FBI, Nora builds a case against one of the key players in this burgeoning movement, arguing before a jury that some speech is actually a deadly crime. But the menace taking root is far bigger than any courtroom, and as the militants target an upcoming United Nations rally, Nora and her team must race to disrupt the plans and minimize casualties. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

LIFE AND ART: Essays by Richard Russo (Essays)
Audiobook available, read by Richard Russo
Richard Russo’s masterful new essays consider how life and art inform each other and how the stories we tell shape our understanding of the world around us. In “The Lives of Others,” Russo reflects on the implacable fact that writers use people, insisting that what matters, in the end, is how and for what purpose. In “Stiff Neck,” he writes of the exasperating fault lines exposed within his own family as his wife’s sister and her husband --- proudly unvaccinated --- develop COVID. In “Triage,” he details the terror of seeing his seven-year-old grandson in critical condition. And in “Ghosts,” he revisits Gloversville, the town that gave rise to the now-legendary fictional town of North Bath, and confronts the specter of its richly populated past and its ghostly present. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.

THE EXPAT AFFAIR by Kimberly Belle (Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Jennifer Jill Araya and Marni Penning
Following a nasty divorce, Rayna Dumont came to Amsterdam for a fresh start. She’s never been the type for a one-night stand, but Xander is more than willing to go along for the ride. Until the morning after, when Rayna finds him dead on the shower floor and millions of dollars’ worth of diamonds missing from his safe. From her lavish home in the heart of the city, Willow Prins is captivated by the news. Her husband is Xander’s former boss and heir to a diamond house, and the scandal strains their already-rocky marriage. As the house comes under scrutiny, Willow wonders if her life is about to implode --- and how much of the blame she can place on Rayna. Soon, Willow and Rayna are dragged into the dark and dangerous underbelly of the diamond market, where they’ll have to uncover the truth to survive. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.

THE CARDINAL: A Novel of Love and Power by Alison Weir (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Rosalyn Landor 
Cardinal Thomas Wolsey’s rise from humble beginnings coincided with young Henry VIII’s ascension to the throne in 1509, and they grew to be cherished friends. By 1515, Wolsey --- now a cardinal --- had become the controlling figure in all matters of church and state. Wolsey operated on an international stage and worked hard to broker universal peace. All was going dazzlingly well until Henry fell in love with Anne Boleyn and sought to end his marriage to his first wife, Katherine of Aragon. Swept up in the maelstrom of “the Divorce,” Wolsey, who successfully had given his master everything he wanted, found himself in an impossible situation. As he drew the ire of the future queen, the cardinal found his privileged life and his relationship with Henry crumbling around him. Reviewed by Pauline Finch.

1861: THE LOST PEACE by Jay Winik (History)
Audiobook available, read by Arthur Morey
1861: THE LOST PEACE is the story of President Lincoln’s difficult and courageous decision to go to war against the Confederacy at a time when the country wrestled with deep moral questions of epic proportions. Through Jay Winik’s singular reporting and storytelling, readers will learn about the extraordinary Washington Peace Conference at the Willard Hotel to avert cataclysmic war. They will observe the irascible and farsighted Senator JJ Crittenden, the tireless moderate seeking a middle way to peace. Readers will glimpse inside Lincoln’s cabinet, which rivaled the executive in its authority --- a fact too often forgotten --- and witness a parade of statesmen frenetically grasping for peace rather than the spectacle of a young nation slowly choking itself to death. Reviewed by Curtis Edmonds.

LLOYD McNEIL'S LAST RIDE by Will Leitch (Fiction/Humor)
Audiobook available, read by Chris Andrew Ciulla
Lloyd McNeil has just learned he has months to live. He also learns that his 20 years as a beat cop in Atlanta haven’t earned him enough money to take care of his teenage son, Bishop, after he’s gone. But when Lloyd discovers his police benefits will increase exponentially if he dies in the line of duty, he comes up with a plan. Lloyd begins to throw himself into one life-threatening situation after another to try to get himself killed and to provide for his son…but he keeps failing --- and surviving. To his shock, his accidental heroics make him an inspirational icon in the community. But time is still running out for Lloyd to get his affairs in order, to teach Bishop the lessons he needs to be a good person, and to say goodbye. Reviewed by Kate Ayers.

ENDLING by Maria Reva (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Max Meyers and Saskia Maarleveld
Ukraine, 2022. Yeva is a loner and a maverick scientist who scours the country’s forests and valleys, trying and failing to breed rare snails, while her relatives urge her to settle down. Yeva already dates plenty of men --- not for love, but to fund her work --- entertaining Westerners who come to Ukraine on guided romance tours believing they’ll find docile brides untainted by feminism and modernity. Nastia and her sister, Solomiya, are also entangled in the booming marriage industry, posing as a hopeful bride and her translator while secretly searching for their missing mother, who vanished after years of fierce activism against the romance tours. Together they embark across hundreds of miles. But their plans come to a screeching halt when Russia invades. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

THEIR DOUBLE LIVES by Jaime Lynn Hendricks (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Emma Love
A down-on-her-luck waitress at a posh New Jersey country club, Kim Valva couldn’t be living a more different life from the carefree socialites she serves. Her live-in boyfriend recently cheated on her, her social life is in shambles, and her dog needs a life-saving surgery that she can’t afford. Then a mysterious figure called The Stranger contacts her with an offer she can’t refuse: Put a pill in the new member’s drink; when he dies, she’ll have enough money to fix her dog and her life. Her target turns out to be Tony Fiore, Kim’s bad boy ex-boyfriend from high school. Stunned to see Tony again, Kim can’t bring herself to go through with spiking his drink. Instead, it is Tony’s gorgeous fiancée, PJ Walsh, who dies horrifically at the table just as dinner ends. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

Next Week's Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on June 10th

Below are some notable titles releasing on June 10th 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 9th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.

BURY OUR BONES IN THE MIDNIGHT SOIL by V. E. Schwab (Historical Fantasy)
From V. E. Schwab, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LaRUE, comes a new genre-defying novel about immortality and hunger.

JILL IS NOT HAPPY by Kaira Rouda (Domestic Thriller)
BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES meets WAR OF THE ROSES in this latest thriller from the USA Today bestselling author of BEST DAY EVER and THE NEXT WIFE, in which an ill-fated road trip resurrects a married couple's darkest secrets.

KILL YOUR DARLINGS by Peter Swanson (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
From the New York Times bestselling author of THE KIND WORTH KILLING and EIGHT PERFECT MURDERS comes an inventive, utterly propulsive murder-mystery in reverse, tracing a marriage back in time to uncover the dark secret at its heart.

KING OF ASHES by S. A. Cosby (Thriller)
Award-winning, New York Times bestselling author S. A. Cosby returns with KING OF ASHES, a Godfather-inspired Southern crime epic and dazzling family drama.

KNAVE OF DIAMONDS: A Novel of Suspense Featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes by Laurie R. King (Historical Mystery)
Mary Russell’s allegiances are tested by the reappearance of her long-lost uncle --- and a tantalizing case not even Sherlock Holmes could solve.

THE NANTUCKET RESTAURANT by Pamela Kelley (Fiction)
For fans of Elin Hilderbrand, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Pamela Kelley invites readers to step onto the shores of Nantucket, the perfect backdrop for your summer beach read.

THE RIVER IS WAITING by Wally Lamb (Fiction)
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of two Oprah Book Club picks --- SHE'S COME UNDONE and I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE --- comes the propulsive story of a young father who, after an unbearable tragedy, reckons with the possibility of atonement for the unforgivable.

SO FAR GONE by Jess Walter (Fiction)
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of BEAUTIFUL RUINS --- and in the propulsive spirit of Charles Portis’ TRUE GRIT --- comes a hilarious, empathetic and brilliantly provocative adventure through life in modern America, about a reclusive journalist forced back into the world to rescue his kidnapped grandchildren.

WITH A VENGEANCE by Riley Sager (Historical/Psychological Thriller)
One train. No stops. A deadly game of survival and revenge. In 1942, six people destroyed Anna Matheson’s family. Twelve years later, she’s ready for retribution.

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

From left to right: Lisa Scottoline, Kristin Harmel, Kendra Elliot

Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events

Here are five upcoming virtual book and author events that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links for more info and to register.

Monday, June 9th at 7pm ET: Murder By The Book: Kendra Elliot will talk to Mystery & Thriller Maven’s Sara DiVello about her latest novel, HER FIRST MISTAKE. When a very personal cold case murder is reopened, a detective’s secrets come to light in this first installment of the Noelle Marshall mystery/thriller series.

Monday, June 9th at 7:30pm ET: “Lisa Live”: Join Lisa Scottoline on Facebook every Monday night through July 7th as she reveals her inspirations behind her upcoming novel, THE UNRAVELING OF JULIA. And be sure to enter the Pre-Order Sweepstakes for the book. Lisa will be giving away an exciting prize each week during her “Lisa Live” events, leading up to the book's July 15th publication.

Wednesday, June 11th at 2pm ET: “Bookaccino Live” Book Preview: Carol Fitzgerald will present titles releasing between June 10th and July 1st, along with a few from August, 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, June 11th at 7pm ET: “Friends & Fiction”: Join “Friends & Fiction” for a conversation with Kristin Harmel about her latest book, THE STOLEN LIFE OF COLETTE MARCEAU, an electrifying novel about two jewel thieves, a priceless bracelet that disappears in 1940s Paris, and a quest for answers in a decades-old murder.

Wednesday, June 11th at 8pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: A. J. Landau, the pseudonym for Jon Land and Jeff Ayers, will talk about their latest novel, COLD BURN. This second National Parks thriller marks the return of Agent Michael Walker as multiple deaths at Glacier Bay National Park are just the first steps in a potential global disaster.

 "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 are our latest interviews:

• Janet Skeslien Charles (THE PARISIAN CHAPTER: An Audio Novel) Video | Podcast
• Chris Pavone (THE DOORMAN) Podcast

Other authors we've interviewed include:

• Marie Benedict (THE QUEENS OF CRIME) Video | Podcast
• Joseph Finder (THE OLIGARCH'S DAUGHTER) Video | Podcast
• Clare Leslie Hall (BROKEN COUNTRY) Video | Podcast
• Katy Hays (SALTWATER) Video | Podcast
• Jeff Hobbs (SEEKING SHELTER: A Working Mother, Her Children, and a Story of Homelessness in America) Video | Podcast
• Georgia Hunter (ONE GOOD THING) Video | Podcast
• Victoria Christopher Murray (HARLEM RHAPSODY) Video | Podcast
• Nita Prose (THE MAID'S SECRET: A Maid Novel) Video | Podcast
• Scott Turow (PRESUMED GUILTY) Video | Podcast
• Charmaine Wilkerson (GOOD DIRT) Video | Podcast

Upcoming interviews include:

• Megan Abbott (EL DORADO DRIVE)
• Julie Clark (THE GHOSTWRITER)
• Jeanine Cummins (SPEAK TO ME OF HOME)
• Lori Foster (THE GUEST COTTAGE: A Firefly Summer Novel)
• Kaira Rouda (JILL IS NOT HAPPY)

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

Our Latest Poll: June Fiction Releases to Anticipate

Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, June 20th 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.

Quick Links to Features on Bookreporter.com

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