Editorial Content for Mister Magic
Book
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Reviewer (text)
If you crossed a David Lynch film with Stephen King’s IT, featuring Pennywise the Dancing Clown, you only would begin to skim the surface of MISTER MAGIC, Kiersten White’s sickly absurd and completely unnerving new novel. The book’s title refers to a classic children’s program that no one seems to be able to prove ever actually existed. Read More
Teaser
Thirty years after a tragic accident shut down production of the classic children’s program “Mister Magic,” the five surviving cast members --- known as the Circle of Friends --- have spent their lives searching for the happiness they felt while they were on it. Then a twist of fate brings them back together at the remote desert filming compound. Even though they haven’t seen each other for years, they understand one another better than anyone has since. After all, they’re the only ones who hold the secret of that circle, the mystery of the magic man in his infinitely black cape, and, maybe, the answers to what really happened on that deadly last day. But as the Circle of Friends reclaim parts of their past, they begin to wonder: Are they here by choice, or have they been lured into a trap?
Promo
Thirty years after a tragic accident shut down production of the classic children’s program “Mister Magic,” the five surviving cast members --- known as the Circle of Friends --- have spent their lives searching for the happiness they felt while they were on it. Then a twist of fate brings them back together at the remote desert filming compound. Even though they haven’t seen each other for years, they understand one another better than anyone has since. After all, they’re the only ones who hold the secret of that circle, the mystery of the magic man in his infinitely black cape, and, maybe, the answers to what really happened on that deadly last day. But as the Circle of Friends reclaim parts of their past, they begin to wonder: Are they here by choice, or have they been lured into a trap?
About the Book
Who is Mister Magic? Former child stars reunite to uncover the tragedy that ended their show --- and discover the secret of its enigmatic host --- in this “skin-crawling story of pop culture fandom and '90s nostalgia” (Melissa Albert, author of THE HAZEL WOODS) from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of HIDE.
Thirty years after a tragic accident shut down production of the classic children’s program "Mister Magic," the five surviving cast members have done their best to move on. But just as generations of cultishly devoted fans still cling to the lessons they learned from the show, the cast, known as the Circle of Friends, have spent their lives searching for the happiness they felt while they were on it. The friendship. The feeling of belonging. And the protection of Mister Magic.
But with no surviving video of the show, no evidence of who directed or produced it, and no records of who --- or what --- the beloved host actually was, memories are all the former Circle of Friends has.
Then a twist of fate brings the castmates back together at the remote desert filming compound that feels like it’s been waiting for them all this time. Even though they haven’t seen each other for years, they understand one another better than anyone has since.
After all, they’re the only ones who hold the secret of that circle, the mystery of the magic man in his infinitely black cape, and, maybe, the answers to what really happened on that deadly last day. But as the Circle of Friends reclaim parts of their past, they begin to wonder: Are they here by choice, or have they been lured into a trap?
Audiobook available, read by Rebecca Lowman
Editorial Content for Looking Glass Sound
Book
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
As she has demonstrated in her previous books, Catriona Ward is a master of atmosphere. Her latest gothic thriller, LOOKING GLASS SOUND, uses place to great effect. Her young protagonist is dropped into a beachy yet ominous locale, a place of dread and beauty that comes to stand for longing, desire, fear and loss for the rest of his life. But the “rest of his life” grows increasingly hard to pin down as the novel progresses and Ward upends --- then upends again --- her narrative, resulting in a sense of unease for readers and characters alike. Read More
Teaser
In a cottage overlooking the windswept Maine coast, Wilder Harlow has begun the last book he will ever write. It is the story about the sun-drenched summer days of his youth in Whistler Bay, and the blood-stained path of the killer who stalked his small vacation town. About the terrible secret he and his companions, Nat and Harper, discovered entombed in the coves off the bay. And how the pact they swore that day echoed down the decades, forever shaping their lives. But the more Wilder writes, the less he trusts himself and his memory. He starts to see things that can’t be real. Who, or what, is haunting him? No longer able to trust his own eyes, Wilder begins to fear that this will not only be his last book, but the last thing he ever does.
Promo
In a cottage overlooking the windswept Maine coast, Wilder Harlow has begun the last book he will ever write. It is the story about the sun-drenched summer days of his youth in Whistler Bay, and the blood-stained path of the killer who stalked his small vacation town. About the terrible secret he and his companions, Nat and Harper, discovered entombed in the coves off the bay. And how the pact they swore that day echoed down the decades, forever shaping their lives. But the more Wilder writes, the less he trusts himself and his memory. He starts to see things that can’t be real. Who, or what, is haunting him? No longer able to trust his own eyes, Wilder begins to fear that this will not only be his last book, but the last thing he ever does.
About the Book
The author of THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET, Catriona Ward, delivers a masterful story about friendship and betrayal, dark obsessions and the impossibility of escaping your own story.
In a cottage overlooking the windswept Maine coast, Wilder Harlow has begun the last book he will ever write.
It is the story about the sun-drenched summer days of his youth in Whistler Bay, and the blood-stained path of the killer that stalked his small vacation town. About the terrible secret he and his companions, Nat and Harper, discovered entombed in the coves off the bay. And how the pact they swore that day echoed down the decades, forever shaping their lives.
But the more Wilder writes, the less he trusts himself and his memory. He starts to see things that can’t be real --- notes hidden in the cabin, from an old friend now dead; a woman with dark hair drowning in the icy waters below, calling for help; entire chapters he doesn’t recall typing, appearing overnight. Who, or what, is haunting Wilder?
No longer able to trust his own eyes, Wilder begins to fear that this will not only be his last book, but the last thing he ever does.
Audiobook available, read by Christopher Ragland and Katherine Fenton
Editorial Content for Dark Corners
Book
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
Good books not only present thrilling plots and relatable characters, they also provide readers with something additional to consider. Novels like Megan Goldin's DARK CORNERS shine a light on the fake world of social media while engrossing us in a desperate attempt to stop a serial killer before he can strike again. Read More
Teaser
Terence Bailey is about to be released from prison for breaking and entering, though investigators have long suspected him in the murders of six women. As his release date approaches, Bailey gets a surprise visit from Maddison Logan, a hot, young influencer with a huge social media following. Hours later, Maddison disappears, and police suspect she’s been kidnapped --- or worse. Is Maddison’s disappearance connected to her visit to Bailey? And why was she visiting him in the first place? When they hit a wall in the investigation, the FBI reluctantly asks for Rachel Krall’s help in finding the missing influencer. Using a fake Instagram account, Rachel goes undercover to BuzzCon, a popular influencer conference, where she discovers a world of fierce rivalry that may have turned lethal.
Promo
Terence Bailey is about to be released from prison for breaking and entering, though investigators have long suspected him in the murders of six women. As his release date approaches, Bailey gets a surprise visit from Maddison Logan, a hot, young influencer with a huge social media following. Hours later, Maddison disappears, and police suspect she’s been kidnapped --- or worse. Is Maddison’s disappearance connected to her visit to Bailey? And why was she visiting him in the first place? When they hit a wall in the investigation, the FBI reluctantly asks for Rachel Krall’s help in finding the missing influencer. Using a fake Instagram account, Rachel goes undercover to BuzzCon, a popular influencer conference, where she discovers a world of fierce rivalry that may have turned lethal.
About the Book
Rachel Krall, the true crime podcaster star of Megan Goldin’s acclaimed THE NIGHT SWIM, returns to search for a popular influencer who disappears after visiting a suspected serial killer.
Terence Bailey is about to be released from prison for breaking and entering, though investigators have long suspected him in the murders of six women. As his release date approaches, Bailey gets a surprise visit from Maddison Logan, a hot, young influencer with a huge social media following. Hours later, Maddison disappears, and police suspect she’s been kidnapped --- or worse. Is Maddison’s disappearance connected to her visit to Bailey? And why was she visiting him in the first place?
When they hit a wall in the investigation, the FBI reluctantly asks for Rachel Krall’s help in finding the missing influencer. Maddison seems to only exist on social media; she has no family, no friends, and other than in her posts, most people have never seen her. Who is she, really? Using a fake Instagram account, Rachel goes undercover to BuzzCon, a popular influencer conference, where she discovers a world of fierce rivalry that may have turned lethal.
When police find the body of a woman with a tattoo of a snake eating its tail --- identical to a tattoo Rachel had seen on Bailey’s hand --- the FBI must consider a chilling possibility: Bailey has an accomplice on the outside and a dangerous obsession with influencers, including Rachel Krall herself. Suddenly the target of a monster hiding in plain sight, Rachel is forced to confront the very real dangers that lurk in the dark corners of the internet.
Audiobook available; read by André Santana, January LaVoy and Samantha Desz
Editorial Content for The Detective Up Late: A Sean Duffy Novel
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
It's just turned a new decade. The celebrations for the arrival of the new year are over. Detective Inspector Sean Duffy has hopes that the 1990s will finally bring better times, but he’s not counting on it. So this will be his last case. Read More
Teaser
Slamming the door on the hellscape of 1980s Belfast, Detective Inspector Sean Duffy hopes that the 1990s are going to be better for him and the people of Northern Ireland. As a Catholic cop in the mainly Protestant RUC, he still has a target on his back. With a steady girlfriend and a child, the stakes couldn't be higher. After handling a mercurial triple agent, and surviving the riots and bombings and assassination attempts, all Duffy wants to do now is live. But in his final days in charge of Carrickfergus CID, a missing persons report captures his attention. A 15-year-old traveler girl has disappeared, and no one seems to give a damn about it. Duffy begins to dig and uncovers a disturbing underground of men who seem to know her very well. The deeper he digs, the more sinister it all gets.
Promo
Slamming the door on the hellscape of 1980s Belfast, Detective Inspector Sean Duffy hopes that the 1990s are going to be better for him and the people of Northern Ireland. As a Catholic cop in the mainly Protestant RUC, he still has a target on his back. With a steady girlfriend and a child, the stakes couldn't be higher. After handling a mercurial triple agent, and surviving the riots and bombings and assassination attempts, all Duffy wants to do now is live. But in his final days in charge of Carrickfergus CID, a missing persons report captures his attention. A 15-year-old traveler girl has disappeared, and no one seems to give a damn about it. Duffy begins to dig and uncovers a disturbing underground of men who seem to know her very well. The deeper he digs, the more sinister it all gets.
About the Book
From New York Times bestselling author Adrian McKinty comes the next thrilling mystery in the Edgar Award-winning Sean Duffy detective series.
Slamming the door on the hellscape of 1980s Belfast, Detective Inspector Sean Duffy hopes that the 1990s are going to be better for him and the people of Northern Ireland. As a Catholic cop in the mainly Protestant RUC, he still has a target on his back, and with a steady girlfriend and a child the stakes couldn't be higher.
After handling a mercurial triple agent, and surviving the riots and bombings and assassination attempts, all Duffy wants to do now is live. But in his final days in charge of Carrickfergus CID, a missing persons report captures his attention. A 15-year-old traveler girl has disappeared and no one seems to give a damn about it. Duffy begins to dig and uncovers a disturbing underground of men who seem to know her very well. The deeper he digs, the more sinister it all gets.
Is finding out the truth worth it if DI Duffy is going to get himself and his colleagues killed? Can he survive one last case before getting himself and his family out over the water?
Audiobook available, read by Gerard Doyle
Editorial Content for The Handyman Method: A Story of Terror
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
I’ve been a horror fan for as long as I can remember. The genre is full of boundless creativity with barely any literary restraints that can contain it. There are only so many ways you can kill someone (I hope), which makes it exceedingly difficult to find something very original in a crime novel. But that is not the case when it comes to great horror. Read More
Teaser
When a young family moves into an unfinished development community, cracks begin to emerge in both their new residence and their lives, as a mysterious online DIY instructor delivers dark subliminal suggestions about how to handle any problem around the house. The trials of home improvement, destructive insecurities and haunted house horror all collide in this thrilling story perfect for fans of Nick Cutter’s bestsellers THE TROOP and THE DEEP.
Promo
When a young family moves into an unfinished development community, cracks begin to emerge in both their new residence and their lives, as a mysterious online DIY instructor delivers dark subliminal suggestions about how to handle any problem around the house. The trials of home improvement, destructive insecurities and haunted house horror all collide in this thrilling story perfect for fans of Nick Cutter’s bestsellers THE TROOP and THE DEEP.
About the Book
A chilling domestic story of terror for fans of "Black Mirror" and The Amityville Horror.
When a young family moves into an unfinished development community, cracks begin to emerge in both their new residence and their lives, as a mysterious online DIY instructor delivers dark subliminal suggestions about how to handle any problem around the house. The trials of home improvement, destructive insecurities and haunted house horror all collide in this thrilling story perfect for fans of Nick Cutter’s bestsellers THE TROOP and THE DEEP.
Audiobook available, read by Corey Brill
Editorial Content for Tomb Sweeping: Stories
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
For centuries, China and other Asian countries have celebrated Tomb Sweeping Day as a sign of respect to their ancestors. Families visit gravesites and pay homage to their long dead by literally sweeping the dirt off burial plots, cleaning the areas, making repairs and placing willow branches atop tombstones.
The holiday celebrates connections and relationships, making TOMB SWEEPING the perfect title for Alexandra Chang’s collection of short tales. These 15 stories are explorations of how people relate to one another and to themselves --- or, in some cases, don’t. Read More
Teaser
TOMB SWEEPING probes the loyalties we hold: to relatives, to strangers and to ourselves. In stories set across the US and Asia, Alexandra Chang immerses us in the lives of immigrant families, grocery store employees, expecting parents and guileless lab assistants. A woman known only to her neighbors as “the Asian recycling lady” collects bottles from the streets she calls home. A young college grad ponders the void left from a broken friendship. An unfulfilled housewife in Shanghai finds a secret outlet for her ambitions in an undercover gambling den. Two strangers become something more through the bond of mistaken identity. These characters, adeptly attuned to the mystery of living, invite us to consider if it is possible for anyone to entirely do right by another.
Promo
TOMB SWEEPING probes the loyalties we hold: to relatives, to strangers and to ourselves. In stories set across the US and Asia, Alexandra Chang immerses us in the lives of immigrant families, grocery store employees, expecting parents and guileless lab assistants. A woman known only to her neighbors as “the Asian recycling lady” collects bottles from the streets she calls home. A young college grad ponders the void left from a broken friendship. An unfulfilled housewife in Shanghai finds a secret outlet for her ambitions in an undercover gambling den. Two strangers become something more through the bond of mistaken identity. These characters, adeptly attuned to the mystery of living, invite us to consider if it is possible for anyone to entirely do right by another.
About the Book
A playful and deeply affective short story collection about the histories, technologies and generational divides that shape our relationships --- from the award-winning writer of DAYS OF DISTRACTION.
Compelling and perceptive, TOMB SWEEPING probes the loyalties we hold: to relatives, to strangers and to ourselves. In stories set across the US and Asia, Alexandra Chang immerses us in the lives of immigrant families, grocery store employees, expecting parents and guileless lab assistants.
A woman known only to her neighbors as “the Asian recycling lady” collects bottles from the streets she calls home. A young college grad ponders the void left from a broken friendship. An unfulfilled housewife in Shanghai finds a secret outlet for her ambitions in an undercover gambling den. Two strangers become something more through the bond of mistaken identity.
These characters, adeptly attuned to the mystery of living, invite us to consider whether it is possible for anyone to entirely do right by another. TOMB SWEEPING brims with remarkable skill and talent in every story, keeping a definitive pulse on loss, community and what it means to feel fully alive. With her debut story collection, Chang further establishes herself as “a writer to watch” (New York Times Book Review).
Audiobook available, read by Hannah Choi
Editorial Content for Dead and Gone: A Detective Annalisa Vega Novel
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
Joanna Schaffhausen has flown under the radar with her first-class novels featuring Detective Annalisa Vega. Perhaps the release of the third and latest one, DEAD AND GONE, will bring her out into the light for all to see. I guarantee you it is worth the effort to jump into this absorbing and satisfying series. Read More
Teaser
For Chicago police detective Annalisa Vega, Sam Tran’s death presents an ominous puzzle. The ex-cop turned PI is found hanging from a cemetery tree with a message across his chest that suggests someone holds a murderous grudge against the police. Annalisa suspects the real answer lies in one of Tran’s open cases. She believes he stumbled on a dark secret during his investigations and someone killed him to keep him quiet. Her own family harbors plenty of secrets, something Annalisa is reminded of when her brother turns out to be one of Sam’s last clients. Vinny Vega hired Tran to find a dangerous stalker on his daughter’s college campus. Now Sam is dead and the stalker remains at large, with Annalisa’s niece, Quinn, firmly in his sights.
Promo
For Chicago police detective Annalisa Vega, Sam Tran’s death presents an ominous puzzle. The ex-cop turned PI is found hanging from a cemetery tree with a message across his chest that suggests someone holds a murderous grudge against the police. Annalisa suspects the real answer lies in one of Tran’s open cases. She believes he stumbled on a dark secret during his investigations and someone killed him to keep him quiet. Her own family harbors plenty of secrets, something Annalisa is reminded of when her brother turns out to be one of Sam’s last clients. Vinny Vega hired Tran to find a dangerous stalker on his daughter’s college campus. Now Sam is dead and the stalker remains at large, with Annalisa’s niece, Quinn, firmly in his sights.
About the Book
The next installment of Joanna Schaffhausen's critically acclaimed Detective Annalisa Vega series.
For Chicago police detective Annalisa Vega, Sam Tran’s death presents an ominous puzzle. The ex-cop turned PI is found hanging from a cemetery tree with a message across his chest that suggests someone holds a murderous grudge against the police. Annalisa suspects the real answer lies in one of Tran’s open cases. She believes he stumbled on a dark secret during his investigations and someone killed him to keep him quiet. Her own family harbors plenty of secrets, something Annalisa is reminded of when her brother turns out to be one of Sam’s last clients.
Vinny Vega hired Tran to find a dangerous stalker on his daughter’s college campus. Now Sam is dead and the stalker remains at large, with Annalisa’s niece, Quinn, firmly in his sights.
To protect Quinn, Annalisa begins tracing Sam’s steps back through his open cases, which include not only the campus stalker but also a brutal double homicide from 20 years ago. Did Sam finally find the killer? Did he uncover the stalker’s identity? Annalisa must figure out which secret got Sam killed, and fast or someone else will die. Every move she makes brings her closer to the truth of Sam’s death, and closer to a murderer who will stop at nothing to remain free.
Audiobook available, read by Kelsey Navarro Foster
Editorial Content for Between Us
Book
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
It’s been 10 years since the formation of the so-called “Brian Club,” a WhatsApp group of friends who met one another while working at a Manchester bookstore. A decade later, some things have changed pretty dramatically for them. Read More
Teaser
When Roisin and Joe join their friends for a weekend at a country house, it’s a triple celebration --- a birthday, an engagement, and the launch of Joe’s shiny new TV show. But as the weekend unfolds, tensions come to light in the group, and Roisin begins to question her own relationship. And as they watch the first episode of Joe’s drama, she realizes that the private things she told him are right there on the screen. With her friend group in chaos and her messy love life on display for the whole world to see, Roisin returns home to avoid the unwanted attention and help run her family’s pub. But drama still follows, in the form of her dysfunctional family. Yet the most unexpected twist of all is an old friend, who is suddenly there for Roisin in ways she never knew she needed.
Promo
When Roisin and Joe join their friends for a weekend at a country house, it’s a triple celebration --- a birthday, an engagement, and the launch of Joe’s shiny new TV show. But as the weekend unfolds, tensions come to light in the group, and Roisin begins to question her own relationship. And as they watch the first episode of Joe’s drama, she realizes that the private things she told him are right there on the screen. With her friend group in chaos and her messy love life on display for the whole world to see, Roisin returns home to avoid the unwanted attention and help run her family’s pub. But drama still follows, in the form of her dysfunctional family. Yet the most unexpected twist of all is an old friend, who is suddenly there for Roisin in ways she never knew she needed.
About the Book
International bestseller Mhairi McFarlane delivers a witty, clever, emotional new novel about a woman whose life unravels spectacularly after her screenwriter boyfriend uses their relationship as inspiration for his new television show.
When Roisin and Joe join their friends for a weekend at a country house, it’s a triple celebration --- a birthday, an engagement, and the launch of Joe’s shiny new TV show. But as the weekend unfolds, tensions come to light in the group and Roisin begins to question her own relationship. And as they watch the first episode of Joe’s drama, she realizes that the private things she told him --- which should have stayed between them --- are right there on the screen.
With her friend group in chaos and her messy love life on display for the whole world to see, Roisin returns home to avoid the unwanted attention and help run her family’s pub. But drama still follows, in the form of her dysfunctional family and the looming question: What other parts of her now-ex’s show are inspired by real events? Lies? Infidelity? Every week, as a new episode airs, she wonders what other secrets will be revealed.
Yet the most unexpected twist of all is an old friend, who is suddenly there for Roisin in ways she never knew she needed.
Audiobook available, read by Mira Dovreni