Editorial Content for The Gallery Assistant
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
Kate Belli, the author of the popular Gilded Gotham mystery series, makes her thriller debut with THE GALLERY ASSISTANT. This intriguing novel is set in post-9/11 New York, where a young woman traumatized by the attack on her city unwittingly uncovers a dangerous mystery unfolding in Manhattan’s Upper East Side art world. Read More
Teaser
November 2001: Chloe Harlow wakes up late, with hazy memories of the party the night before but no recollection of how she got back to her Brooklyn apartment. When she finally arrives at the exclusive Upper East Side art gallery where she works, she is immediately called into her boss’s office. A pair of NYPD detectives greet her, also very curious to know how her evening ended…because the host of the party, a rising painter and the gallery’s newest artist, is dead. Navigating both the sophisticated high-stakes art world and her personal life in burgeoning Williamsburg, Chloe struggles to piece together a complete picture of that lost night. As she digs deeper, inconsistencies emerge between what she remembers and what people tell her actually happened, and more questions are raised.
Promo
November 2001: Chloe Harlow wakes up late, with hazy memories of the party the night before but no recollection of how she got back to her Brooklyn apartment. When she finally arrives at the exclusive Upper East Side art gallery where she works, she is immediately called into her boss’s office. A pair of NYPD detectives greet her, also very curious to know how her evening ended…because the host of the party, a rising painter and the gallery’s newest artist, is dead. Navigating both the sophisticated high-stakes art world and her personal life in burgeoning Williamsburg, Chloe struggles to piece together a complete picture of that lost night. As she digs deeper, inconsistencies emerge between what she remembers and what people tell her actually happened, and more questions are raised.
About the Book
This twisty and sinister thriller follows a New York art gallery assistant reckoning with her past and now trapped in a web of deceit after an up-and-coming painter is murdered --- perfect for fans of Katy Hays and Julia Bartz.
November 2001: Chloe Harlow wakes up late, with hazy memories of the party the night before but no recollection of how she got back to her Brooklyn apartment. Ever since the terrifying and catastrophic terrorist attack, it seems she has been on a collision course with destruction.
When she finally arrives at the exclusive Upper East Side art gallery where she works, she is immediately called into her boss’s office. A pair of NYPD detectives greet her, also very curious to know how her evening ended…because the host of the party, a rising painter and the gallery’s newest artist, is dead.
Navigating both the sophisticated high-stakes art world and her personal life in burgeoning Williamsburg, Chloe struggles to piece together a complete picture of that lost night. As she digs deeper, inconsistencies emerge between what she remembers and what people tell her actually happened, and more questions are raised. Everything begins to feel like a conspiracy and maybe it is. Because Chloe is the only one who glimpses the secrets the murdered artist left behind, and the closer she gets to the truth, the more deadly it becomes.
Audiobook available, read by Devon Sorvari
Editorial Content for Running Deep: Bravery, Survival, and the True Story of the Deadliest Submarine in World War II
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
I love that Tom Clavin name-checks his sources in RUNNING DEEP. By that, I don’t mean that he lists them in the endnotes. He actually names the authors and their books within the narrative or in footnotes. If you’re an avid reader, it’s always nice to get a good literary recommendation. Read More
Teaser
There was one submarine that outfought all other boats in the Silent Service in World War II: the USS Tang. Captain Richard Hetherington O’Kane commanded the attack submarine that sunk more tonnage, rescued more downed aviators, and successfully completed more surface attacks than any other American submarine. The Tang achieved its greatest success on October 24, 1944, when it took on an entire Japanese convoy and destroyed it. But its 24th and last torpedo boomeranged, returning to strike the Tang. Mortally wounded, the boat sunk. After hours of struggle, nine of the 87 crewmen, including O’Kane, made it to the surface. Captured by the Japanese, the Tang sailors joined other submariners and flyers at a “torture camp,” where O’Kane was a special target. Against all odds, when the camp was liberated in August 1945, O’Kane still lived.
Promo
There was one submarine that outfought all other boats in the Silent Service in World War II: the USS Tang. Captain Richard Hetherington O’Kane commanded the attack submarine that sunk more tonnage, rescued more downed aviators, and successfully completed more surface attacks than any other American submarine. The Tang achieved its greatest success on October 24, 1944, when it took on an entire Japanese convoy and destroyed it. But its 24th and last torpedo boomeranged, returning to strike the Tang. Mortally wounded, the boat sunk. After hours of struggle, nine of the 87 crewmen, including O’Kane, made it to the surface. Captured by the Japanese, the Tang sailors joined other submariners and flyers at a “torture camp,” where O’Kane was a special target. Against all odds, when the camp was liberated in August 1945, O’Kane still lived.
About the Book
The true story of the deadliest submarine in World War II and the courageous captain who survived torture and imprisonment at the hands of the enemy.
There was one submarine that outfought all other boats in the Silent Service in World War II: the USS Tang. Captain Richard Hetherington O’Kane commanded the attack submarine that sunk more tonnage, rescued more downed aviators, and successfully completed more surface attacks than any other American submarine. These undersea predators were the first to lead the offensive rebound against the Japanese, but at great cost: Submariners would have six times the mortality rate as the sailors who manned surface ships.
The Tang achieved its greatest success on October 24, 1944, when it took on an entire Japanese convoy and destroyed it. But its 24th and last torpedo boomeranged, returning to strike the Tang. Mortally wounded, the boat sunk, coming to rest on the bottom, 180 feet down. After hours of struggle, nine of the 87 crewmen, including O’Kane, made it to the surface.
Captured by the Japanese, the Tang sailors joined other submariners and flyers --- including Louis Zamperini and “Pappy” Boyington --- at a “torture camp” whose purpose was to gain vital information from inmates and otherwise let them die from malnutrition, disease and abuse. A special target was Captain O’Kane after the Japanese learned of the headlines about the Tang. Against all odds, when the camp was liberated in August 1945, O’Kane, at only 90 pounds, still lived. The following January, Richard O’Kane limped into the White House where President Truman bestowed him with the Medal of Honor.
This is the true story of death and survival in the high seas --- and of the submarine and her brave captain who would become legends.
Audiobook available, read by George Newbern
Editorial Content for Damaged People: A Memoir of Fathers and Sons
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
In the 1970s and ’80s, a time when prominent print journalists still could achieve wealth and celebrity status, Joe McGinniss stood at the pinnacle of his profession. Before reaching his 27th birthday, his book, THE SELLING OF THE PRESIDENT 1968 --- the story of the successful effort masterminded by young TV producer Roger Ailes to repackage and market Richard Nixon in his second presidential run --- became a massive bestseller and remains an essential political campaign handbook to this day. Read More
Teaser
Joe McGinniss was a paradox: a brilliant writer whose dazzling achievements were overshadowed by personal demons. At age 26, he became the youngest living person to top the New York Times bestseller list, for his book THE SELLING OF THE PRESIDENT, about Richard Nixon's 1968 campaign. Shortly after, he walked out on his wife and their three young children. His oldest son, Joe McGinniss Jr., went on to become a writer himself, known for his critically acclaimed novels THE DELIVERY MAN and CAROUSEL COURT. In DAMAGED PEOPLE, McGinniss Jr. vividly recounts his affectionate yet stormy relationship with his famous father, capturing moments of tenderness and humor amid the chaos and tension.
Promo
Joe McGinniss was a paradox: a brilliant writer whose dazzling achievements were overshadowed by personal demons. At age 26, he became the youngest living person to top the New York Times bestseller list, for his book THE SELLING OF THE PRESIDENT, about Richard Nixon's 1968 campaign. Shortly after, he walked out on his wife and their three young children. His oldest son, Joe McGinniss Jr., went on to become a writer himself, known for his critically acclaimed novels THE DELIVERY MAN and CAROUSEL COURT. In DAMAGED PEOPLE, McGinniss Jr. vividly recounts his affectionate yet stormy relationship with his famous father, capturing moments of tenderness and humor amid the chaos and tension.
About the Book
The son of renowned author Joe McGinniss --- celebrated for works like THE SELLING OF THE PRESIDENT and true-crime blockbusters FATAL VISION and CRUEL DOUBT --- delivers a raw and deeply moving memoir that explores the complicated bonds between fathers and sons, set against a backdrop of fame, addiction and the relentless pursuit of redemption.
Joe McGinniss was a paradox: a brilliant writer whose dazzling achievements were overshadowed by personal demons. At age 26, he became the youngest living person to top the New York Times bestseller list, for his book THE SELLING OF THE PRESIDENT, about Richard Nixon's 1968 campaign. Shortly after, he walked out on his wife and their three young children.
His oldest son, Joe McGinniss Jr., went on to become a writer himself, known for his critically acclaimed novels THE DELIVERY MAN and CAROUSEL COURT. In DAMAGED PEOPLE, McGinniss Jr. vividly recounts his affectionate yet stormy relationship with his famous father, capturing moments of tenderness and humor amid the chaos and tension.
The prosaic commitments of full-time fatherhood held little appeal for Joe McGinniss, a superstar author who proudly relished the freedom to chase stories anywhere his curiosity led. He rose to prominence with a trilogy of true crime blockbusters in the 1980s and early ’90s: FATAL VISION, BLIND FAITH and CRUEL DOUBT. Notoriously, he found himself the subject of Janet Malcom’s THE JOURNALIST AND THE MURDERER, a book accusing him of manipulating one of his subjects. Controversy would dog the rest of his journalistic career, as he was accused of falsifying details in his 1993 biography of Ted Kennedy and his 2011 biography of Sarah Palin. His life was a turbulent mix of success and scandal, marked by alcoholism, depression, and an obsessive dedication to his craft that often left his family struggling to stay afloat.
Now a father raising a son of his own, McGinniss Jr. wrestles with the legacy of his upbringing and his father’s self-destruction, striving to create a stable and nurturing environment for his child. The pressures of modern parenting --- ranging from competitive school admissions to the mental health challenges that today’s youth face --- force him to confront long-buried demons of ambition and obsession. DAMAGED PEOPLE dives deep into the heartbreak of unfulfilled expectations and the beauty of second chances, offering an unflinching look at what it means to grow into a more compassionate and present parent.
Bringing a novelist’s storytelling skills to this deeply personal story, McGinniss Jr. delivers a poignant tale of grace, resilience and growth, showing us that even in the face of fractured relationships, there’s hope for healing and a brighter future.
Audiobook available, read by Joe McGinniss Jr.
Editorial Content for The Missing Pages
Book
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
Bibliophiles are smitten by the scent of paper and ink. They love to sit in the peaceful silence of libraries and peruse vast selections of books. They enjoy meeting other bibliophiles and talking books. And sometimes, as in this beautifully narrated tale, they fall in love. There is much loss in these pages, but also much love. Read More
Teaser
1912: Harry Widener, a promising and passionate book collector, boards the Titanic holding tight to a priceless volume he’s just purchased in London. After catastrophe strikes the ship, Harry’s last known words are that he must return to his cabin to retrieve his latest treasure. Neither the young man nor the book is ever seen again. Honoring her son’s memory, Harry’s mother builds the Harry Widener Memorial Library at Harvard to house his extensive book collection and ensure his legacy. Decades later, Violet Hutchins, a Harvard sophomore recovering from her own great loss, is working as a page at the Widener Library. When mysterious things begin happening at the library, Violet wonders if Harry Widener’s ghost is trying to communicate with her, seeking Violet to uncover a long-buried secret that Harry took with him to the grave.
Promo
1912: Harry Widener, a promising and passionate book collector, boards the Titanic holding tight to a priceless volume he’s just purchased in London. After catastrophe strikes the ship, Harry’s last known words are that he must return to his cabin to retrieve his latest treasure. Neither the young man nor the book is ever seen again. Honoring her son’s memory, Harry’s mother builds the Harry Widener Memorial Library at Harvard to house his extensive book collection and ensure his legacy. Decades later, Violet Hutchins, a Harvard sophomore recovering from her own great loss, is working as a page at the Widener Library. When mysterious things begin happening at the library, Violet wonders if Harry Widener’s ghost is trying to communicate with her, seeking Violet to uncover a long-buried secret that Harry took with him to the grave.
About the Book
A ghost in a library. A story waiting to be told. THE MISSING PAGES is a rich, lyrical novel that reminds us that books are as eternal as the soul.
1912: Harry Widener, a promising and passionate book collector, boards the Titanic holding tight to a priceless volume he’s just purchased in London. After catastrophe strikes the ship, Harry’s last known words are that he must return to his cabin to retrieve his latest treasure. Neither the young man nor the book is ever seen again. Honoring her son’s memory, Harry’s mother builds the Harry Widener Memorial Library at Harvard to house his extensive book collection and ensure his legacy.
Decades later, Violet Hutchins, a Harvard sophomore recovering from her own great loss, is working as a page at the Widener Library. When mysterious things begin happening at the library, Violet wonders if Harry Widener’s ghost is trying to communicate with her, seeking Violet to uncover a long-buried secret that Harry took with him to the grave.
For fans of THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY and THE BOOK THIEF, bestselling author Alyson Richman has written a love story, a ghost story, and an elegy to the healing power of books.
Audiobook available, read by Cassandra Campbell and Michael Crouch
Editorial Content for Near Flesh: Stories
Book
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
The opening story in Katherine Dunn’s posthumous collection is not about any character in particular but about the loss of body parts and the morgue where they are gathered. It’s a strange and grisly, but intriguing, work and sets the tone for the rest of the book. Read More
Teaser
A woman invests in a series of sex robots to get her off and comes to terms with the limitations --- and real threat --- of automated companionship. A knowing young student pursues an affair with an older man, the poet in residence at the university where she studies writing, and weighs the benefits and costs of their arrangement. A mother moves to a farm with her family and must come to terms with the violence simmering beneath her skin. NEAR FLESH is the first and only collection of short fiction by Katherine Dunn, the author of the bestselling novel GEEK LOVE. These 19 stories are attuned to the spit and grit of tough living. They pulse with yearning for a more prosperous life, for sexual satisfaction, to escape abusive husbands and the disappointments of convention.
Promo
A woman invests in a series of sex robots to get her off and comes to terms with the limitations --- and real threat --- of automated companionship. A knowing young student pursues an affair with an older man, the poet in residence at the university where she studies writing, and weighs the benefits and costs of their arrangement. A mother moves to a farm with her family and must come to terms with the violence simmering beneath her skin. NEAR FLESH is the first and only collection of short fiction by Katherine Dunn, the author of the bestselling novel GEEK LOVE. These 19 stories are attuned to the spit and grit of tough living. They pulse with yearning for a more prosperous life, for sexual satisfaction, to escape abusive husbands and the disappointments of convention.
About the Book
A previously unpublished collection of stories about motherhood, violence and desire, from the cult icon Katherine Dunn, the author of GEEK LOVE.
A woman invests in a series of sex robots to get her off and comes to terms with the limitations --- and real threat --- of automated companionship. A knowing young student pursues an affair with an older man, the poet in residence at the university where she studies writing, and weighs the benefits and costs of their arrangement. A mother moves to a farm with her family and must come to terms with the violence simmering beneath her skin.
NEAR FLESH is the first and only collection of short fiction by Katherine Dunn, the author of the bestselling novel GEEK LOVE. These 19 stories are, like Dunn’s entire body of work, attuned to the spit and grit of tough living. They pulse with yearning for a more prosperous life, for sexual satisfaction, to escape abusive husbands and the disappointments of convention. A better life, for these mostly female protagonists, seems always just out of reach.
In NEAR FLESH, Dunn explores the struggle of women to live on their own terms, and the desire to relish --- rather than squash --- what distinguishes a person.
Audiobook available, read by Alyssa Bresnahan
Editorial Content for The Deadly Book Club
Book
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
In her seventh book, THE DEADLY BOOK CLUB, Lyn Liao Butler presents a thrilling murder mystery filled with likely suspects, all of whom might have had a reason to kill the victim. Five prominent female book influencers meet online once a month to talk business and books, drink cocktails and dish dirt. During one meeting, when several of them happen to be in Hawaii, the screen freezes. But the audio continues, and they hear bloodcurdling screams as one of them is surely being murdered. Read More
Teaser
Five of the most prominent book influencers in the US make up an exclusive virtual book club that’s the envy of the online book world. Once a month, they get on a video call to sip cocktails, chat about social media campaigns and book events, and discuss their monthly book club pick. Until one meeting, when all of their screens freeze, and they listen to gut-wrenching screams as one of them is brutally attacked. As the investigation unearths secrets each of them needs to keep buried, the jealousies, hidden resentments, and trouble in their personal lives begin to surface. The remaining four women are suspicious of each other, pointing fingers to take the heat off their own indiscretions. But if they want to figure out who killed their friend, they need to band together and put past hurts behind them. Or one of them will be next.
Promo
Five of the most prominent book influencers in the US make up an exclusive virtual book club that’s the envy of the online book world. Once a month, they get on a video call to sip cocktails, chat about social media campaigns and book events, and discuss their monthly book club pick. Until one meeting, when all of their screens freeze, and they listen to gut-wrenching screams as one of them is brutally attacked. As the investigation unearths secrets each of them needs to keep buried, the jealousies, hidden resentments, and trouble in their personal lives begin to surface. The remaining four women are suspicious of each other, pointing fingers to take the heat off their own indiscretions. But if they want to figure out who killed their friend, they need to band together and put past hurts behind them. Or one of them will be next.
About the Book
A virtual book club listens in horror when the screen freezes and one of their members is murdered in this twisty and delicious thriller from the author of SOMEONE ELSE'S LIFE, perfect for fans of FIRST LIE WINS and THE WRITING RETREAT.
Five of the most prominent book influencers in the US make up an exclusive virtual book club that’s the envy of the online book world. Once a month, they get on a video call to sip cocktails, chat about social media campaigns and book events, and discuss their monthly book club pick.
Until one meeting, when all of their screens freeze, and they listen to gut wrenching screams as one of them is brutally attacked. It feels like an eternity before the video call drops --- and thus begins the frantic texts and phone calls as they try to figure out who was murdered and why.
As the investigation unearths secrets each of them needs to keep buried, the jealousies, hidden resentments, and trouble in their personal lives begin to surface. The remaining four women are suspicious of each other, pointing fingers to take the heat off their own indiscretions. But if they want to figure out who killed their friend, they need to band together and put past hurts behind them. Or one of them will be next.
Audiobook available; read by Edelyn Okano, Si Chen and Carmen Seantel
Editorial Content for The Fairest: An Arles Shepherd Thriller
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
As THE FAIREST opens, two people appear to be lost on a trip to the countryside somewhere. It is unclear if this is a flashback or a fictional scene between characters in a book by author Kara Parsons. As the story progresses, this introduction --- along with various other moments spliced into the novel --- will become quite clear. Read More
Teaser
Author Kara Parsons is at a book signing in the town where she was raised. Before it’s over, a young girl approaches with a copy of Kara’s book containing a handwritten inscription: I am a missing child. Most people would alert the police, but Kara knows what happens to the young and vulnerable when the system fails them. She turns to her former therapist, Arles Shepherd, who finds something off about this girl who refuses to reveal her own name. What is she running from? And how much of what she says can be believed? When a man with a gun manages to locate Arles’ remote wilderness home, the true threat is revealed, and Arles and Kara go on the run. But to save this child, Arles must allow her to be found. And that’s when the real danger begins.
Promo
Author Kara Parsons is at a book signing in the town where she was raised. Before it’s over, a young girl approaches with a copy of Kara’s book containing a handwritten inscription: I am a missing child. Most people would alert the police, but Kara knows what happens to the young and vulnerable when the system fails them. She turns to her former therapist, Arles Shepherd, who finds something off about this girl who refuses to reveal her own name. What is she running from? And how much of what she says can be believed? When a man with a gun manages to locate Arles’ remote wilderness home, the true threat is revealed, and Arles and Kara go on the run. But to save this child, Arles must allow her to be found. And that’s when the real danger begins.
About the Book
When a young girl seeks out sanctuary with a total stranger, a nightmare follows in this riveting novel of suspense by Jenny Milchman, the USA Today bestselling author of THE USUAL SILENCE.
Author Kara Parsons is at a book signing in the town where she was raised. Before it’s over, a young girl approaches with a copy of Kara’s book containing a handwritten inscription: I am a missing child.
Most people would alert the police, but Kara knows what happens to the young and vulnerable when the system fails them. She turns to her former therapist, Arles Shepherd, who’s recovering from injuries and staying off the grid. But even Arles, who’s seen everything, finds something off about this girl who refuses to reveal her own name. What is she running from? And how much of what she says can be believed?
When a man with a gun manages to locate Arles’ remote wilderness home, the true threat is revealed, and Arles and Kara go on the run. But fleeing only gets them so far. To save this child, Arles must allow her to be found. And that’s when the real danger begins.
Audiobook available, read by Sarah Mollo-Christensen
October 24, 2025
I did a books presentation at my local health club this week. It’s the second time that I have done an event like this, and it was so much fun. I structured it like our “Bookaccino Live” events, but this time it was with “me” live as well. It was a great opportunity to share the books that we are championing to a live audience.
During this week, I have heard from some of the attendees, and they remarked on how they loved getting a list of what they may want to explore. I find that these days there are so few outlets writing about books, and readers still crave book conversation. I am hoping that some of them subscribe to this newsletter!





