February 19, 2016
As we were putting this newsletter together today, news came in that Harper Lee had passed away at the age of 89. To say that Harper Lee was a national treasure is an understatement. I have never heard anyone say that they did not like TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. Most instead talk about it as a book that made them love reading, or changed their lives, and in that way she had a huge impact on encouraging a lifelong love of reading.
Editorial Content for Brotherhood in DeathBookContributorsReviewer (text)Jennifer McCord
BROTHERHOOD IN DEATH, the 42nd book in the In Death series by J. D. Robb (aka Nora Roberts), is a romantic futuristic thriller. It’s a well-paced, gripping story that kept this reviewer up until the wee hours. Read More TeaserJust as Dennis Mira is about to confront his cousin Edward about selling the West Village brownstone that belonged to their grandfather, he gets a shock: Edward is in front of him, bruised and bloody…and then everything goes black. When Dennis comes to, Edward is gone. Luckily Dennis’ wife is a top profiler for the NYPSD --- and a close colleague of Lieutenant Eve Dallas. Now Eve is determined to uncover the secrets of Edward Mira, but whoever is behind this disappearance, Edward is not going to be their last victim. PromoJust as Dennis Mira is about to confront his cousin Edward about selling the West Village brownstone that belonged to their grandfather, he gets a shock: Edward is in front of him, bruised and bloody…and then everything goes black. When Dennis comes to, Edward is gone. Luckily Dennis’ wife is a top profiler for the NYPSD --- and a close colleague of Lieutenant Eve Dallas. Now Eve is determined to uncover the secrets of Edward Mira, but whoever is behind this disappearance, Edward is not going to be their last victim. About the BookSometimes brotherhood can be another word for conspiracy... Dennis Mira just had two unpleasant surprises. First he learned that his cousin Edward was secretly meeting with a real estate agent about their late grandfather’s magnificent West Village brownstone, despite the promise they both made to keep it in the family. Then, when he went to the house to confront Edward about it, he got a blunt object to the back of the head. Luckily Dennis is married to Charlotte Mira, the NYPSD’s top profiler and a good friend of Lieutenant Eve Dallas. When the two arrive on the scene, he explains that the last thing he saw was Edward in a chair, bruised and bloody. When he came to, his cousin was gone. With the mess cleaned up and the security disks removed, there’s nothing left behind but a few traces for forensics to analyze. As a former lawyer, judge, and senator, Edward Mira mingled with the elite and crossed paths with criminals, making enemies on a regular basis. Like so many politicians, he also made some very close friends behind closed --- and locked --- doors. But a badge and a billionaire husband can get you into places others can’t go, and Eve intends to shine some light on the dirty deals and dark motives behind the disappearance of a powerful man, the family discord over a multimillion-dollar piece of real estate...and a new case that no one saw coming. Audiobook available, narrated by Susan Ericksen Editorial Content for A Doubter's AlmanacBookContributorsReviewer (text)Harvey Freedenberg
In a recent post on the website Medium, mathematics PhD Junaid Mubeen complained that a mere five years after he obtained his doctorate, he no longer understood his dissertation, a painful discovery that led him to question the value of advanced mathematics study. To assuage his self-doubt, Mubeen quickly offered several justifications to support his belief in the worth of contemplating higher mathematics for its own sake. Read More TeaserMilo Andret is born with an unusual mind. A lonely child growing up in the woods of northern Michigan, he gives little thought to his own talent. But with his acceptance at U.C. Berkeley, he realizes the extent --- and the risks --- of his singular gifts. California in the ’70s is a seduction, opening Milo’s eyes to the allure of both ambition and indulgence. The research he begins there will make him a legend; the woman he meets there --- and the rival he meets alongside her --- will haunt him for the rest of his life. For Milo’s brilliance is entwined with a dark need that soon grows to threaten his work, his family, even his existence. PromoMilo Andret is born with an unusual mind. A lonely child growing up in the woods of northern Michigan, he gives little thought to his own talent. But with his acceptance at U.C. Berkeley, he realizes the extent --- and the risks --- of his singular gifts. California in the ’70s is a seduction, opening Milo’s eyes to the allure of both ambition and indulgence. The research he begins there will make him a legend; the woman he meets there --- and the rival he meets alongside her --- will haunt him for the rest of his life. For Milo’s brilliance is entwined with a dark need that soon grows to threaten his work, his family, even his existence. About the BookIn this mesmerizing novel, Ethan Canin, the New York Times bestselling author of AMERICA AMERICA and THE PALACE THIEF, explores the nature of genius, rivalry, ambition and love among multiple generations of a gifted family. Milo Andret is born with an unusual mind. A lonely child growing up in the woods of northern Michigan in the 1950s, he gives little thought to his own talent. But with his acceptance at U.C. Berkeley he realizes the extent, and the risks, of his singular gifts. California in the seventies is a seduction, opening Milo’s eyes to the allure of both ambition and indulgence. The research he begins there will make him a legend; the woman he meets there --- and the rival he meets alongside her --- will haunt him for the rest of his life. For Milo’s brilliance is entwined with a dark need that soon grows to threaten his work, his family, even his existence. Spanning seven decades as it moves from California to Princeton to the Midwest to New York, A DOUBTER'S ALMANAC tells the story of a family as it explores the way ambition lives alongside destructiveness, obsession alongside torment, love alongside grief. It is a story of how the flame of genius both lights and scorches every generation it touches. Graced by stunning prose and brilliant storytelling, A DOUBTER'S ALMANAC is a surprising, suspenseful and deeply moving novel, a major work by a writer who has been hailed as “the most mature and accomplished novelist of his generation.” Audiobook available, narrated by David Aaron Baker Editorial Content for No Shred of Evidence: An Inspector Ian Rutledge MysteryContributorsReviewer (text)Ray Palen
It’s a beautiful autumn day in the year 1920, and the location is just outside of Padstow, Cornwall, UK. Four young women mount their bicycles and take their rowboat onto the lake for a leisurely cruise. While there, they come across another boat occupied by a young man they know by the name of Harry Saunders. Read More TeaserOn the north coast of Cornwall, an apparent act of mercy is repaid by an arrest for murder. Four young women have been accused of the crime. A shocked father calls in a favor at the Home Office. Scotland Yard is asked to review the case. However, Inspector Ian Rutledge is not the first Inspector to reach the village. Following in the shoes of a dead man, he is told the case is all but closed. Even as it takes an unexpected personal turn, Rutledge will require all his skill to deal with the incensed families of the accused, the grieving parents of the victim, and local police eager to see these four women sent to the infamous Bodmin Gaol. PromoOn the north coast of Cornwall, an apparent act of mercy is repaid by an arrest for murder. Four young women have been accused of the crime. A shocked father calls in a favor at the Home Office. Scotland Yard is asked to review the case. However, Inspector Ian Rutledge is not the first Inspector to reach the village. Following in the shoes of a dead man, he is told the case is all but closed. Even as it takes an unexpected personal turn, Rutledge will require all his skill to deal with the incensed families of the accused, the grieving parents of the victim, and local police eager to see these four women sent to the infamous Bodmin Gaol. About the BookOn the north coast of Cornwall, an apparent act of mercy is repaid by an arrest for murder. Four young women have been accused of the crime. A shocked father calls in a favor at the Home Office. Scotland Yard is asked to review the case. However, Inspector Ian Rutledge is not the first Inspector to reach the village. Following in the shoes of a dead man, he is told the case is all but closed. Even as it takes an unexpected personal turn, Rutledge will require all his skill to deal with the incensed families of the accused, the grieving parents of the victim, and local police eager to see these four women sent to the infamous Bodmin Gaol. Then why hasn’t the killing stopped? With no shred of evidence to clear the accused, Rutledge must plunge deep into the darkest secrets of a wild, beautiful and dangerous place if he is to find a killer who may --- or may not --- hold the key to their fate. Audiobook available, narrated by Simon Prebble Editorial Content for The YidBookContributorsReviewer (text)Stuart Shiffman
Moscow, Russia, late February 1953. In a few short weeks, Joseph Stalin, tyrannical leader of the Soviet Union, will die at his dacha just outside Moscow. This is the setting for the opening pages of Paul Goldberg’s THE YID, a novel loosely based on the post-World War II experiences of the author, his friends and relatives. Read More TeaserA week before Stalin's death, his final pogrom is in full swing. Three government goons arrive in the middle of the night to arrest Solomon Shimonovich Levinson, an actor from the defunct State Jewish Theater. But Levinson is a veteran of past wars, and his shocking response to the intruders sets in motion a series of events both zany and deadly as he proceeds to assemble a ragtag group to help him enact a mad-brilliant plot: the assassination of a tyrant. While the setting is Soviet Russia, the backdrop is Shakespeare: A mad king has a diabolical plan to exterminate and deport his country's remaining Jews. PromoA week before Stalin's death, his final pogrom is in full swing. Three government goons arrive in the middle of the night to arrest Solomon Shimonovich Levinson, an actor from the defunct State Jewish Theater. But Levinson is a veteran of past wars, and his shocking response to the intruders sets in motion a series of events both zany and deadly as he proceeds to assemble a ragtag group to help him enact a mad-brilliant plot: the assassination of a tyrant. While the setting is Soviet Russia, the backdrop is Shakespeare: A mad king has a diabolical plan to exterminate and deport his country's remaining Jews. About the BookA debut novel of daring originality, THE YID guarantees that you will never think of Stalinist Russia, Shakespeare, theater, Yiddish or history the same way again. Moscow, February 1953. A week before Stalin’s death, his final pogrom, “one that will forever rid the motherland of the vermin,” is in full swing. Three government goons arrive in the middle of the night to arrest Solomon Shimonovich Levinson, an actor from the defunct State Jewish Theater. But Levinson, though an old man, is a veteran of past wars, and his shocking response to the intruders sets in motion a series of events both zany and deadly as he proceeds to assemble a ragtag group to help him enact a mad-brilliant plot: the assassination of a tyrant. While the setting is Soviet Russia, the backdrop is Shakespeare, with Stalin in the role of mad king. As hilarious as it is moving, as philosophical as it is violent, with echoes of Inglourious Basterds and Seven Samurai, THE YID is a tragicomic masterpiece of historical fiction. Audiobook available, read by Peter Berkrot Editorial Content for Honky Tonk Samurai: A Hap and Leonard NovelContributorsReviewer (text)Joe Hartlaub
I am very pleased to find that a new Hap and Leonard novel is being published just weeks before the March 2nd premiere of the new SundanceTV series featuring Joe R. Lansdale’s iconic creations. Will the show be as good as the books? That remains to be seen, but the program will have to reach the heights of the newly released HONKY TONK SAMURAI, yet another jawdropper from the seemingly indefatigable favorite son of Nacogdoches, Texas. Read More TeaserWhen Hap and Leonard witness a man abusing his dog, Leonard takes matters into his own fists --- and now the bruised dog abuser wants to press charges. One week later, a woman drops by their new PI office with a proposition: find her missing granddaughter, or she'll turn in a video of Leonard beating the dog abuser. The two agree to take on the cold case and soon discover that the used car dealership where her granddaughter worked is actually a front for a prostitution ring. What began as a missing-person case becomes one of blackmail and murder. PromoWhen Hap and Leonard witness a man abusing his dog, Leonard takes matters into his own fists --- and now the bruised dog abuser wants to press charges. One week later, a woman drops by their new PI office with a proposition: find her missing granddaughter, or she'll turn in a video of Leonard beating the dog abuser. The two agree to take on the cold case and soon discover that the used car dealership where her granddaughter worked is actually a front for a prostitution ring. What began as a missing-person case becomes one of blackmail and murder. About the BookOnly Hap and Leonard would catch a cold case with hot cars, hot women and ugly skinheads. The story starts simply enough when Hap, a former '60s activist and self-proclaimed white trash rebel, and Leonard, a tough black, gay Vietnam vet and Republican with an addiction to Dr. Pepper, are working a freelance surveillance job in East Texas. The uneventful stakeout is coming to an end when the pair witness a man abusing his dog. Leonard takes matters into his own fists, and now the bruised dog abuser wants to press charges. One week later, a woman named Lilly Buckner drops by their new PI office with a proposition: find her missing granddaughter, or she'll turn in a video of Leonard beating the dog abuser. The pair agrees to take on the cold case and soon discover that the used car dealership where her granddaughter worked is actually a front for a prostitution ring. What began as a missing-person case becomes one of blackmail and murder. Filled with Lansdale's trademark whip-smart dialogue, relentless pacing and unorthodox characters, HONKY TONK SAMURAI is a rambunctious thrill ride by one hell of a writer. Audiobook available, narrated byChristopher Ryan Grant Editorial Content for The Life of ElvesBookContributorsReviewer (text)Katherine B. Weissman
It’s rare that fiction in translation crosses the Atlantic with a big splash. Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy (THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO and its sequels) and Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan novels come to mind, but what else? Answer: THE ELEGANCE OF THE HEDGEHOG, the surprise 2008 bestseller by Muriel Barbery, a French teacher of philosophy. Read More TeaserMaria lives in a remote village in Burgundy, where she learns that she has a gift for communicating with nature. Hundreds of miles away in Italy, Clara discovers that she possesses a stunning musical genius and is sent from the countryside to Rome to develop her preternatural abilities. THE LIVES OF THE ELVES tells the story of two children whose extraordinary talents will bring them into contact with magical worlds and malevolent forces. If, against all odds, they can be brought together, their meeting may shape the course of history. PromoMaria lives in a remote village in Burgundy, where she learns that she has a gift for communicating with nature. Hundreds of miles away in Italy, Clara discovers that she possesses a stunning musical genius and is sent from the countryside to Rome to develop her preternatural abilities. THE LIVES OF THE ELVES tells the story of two children whose extraordinary talents will bring them into contact with magical worlds and malevolent forces. If, against all odds, they can be brought together, their meeting may shape the course of history. About the BookA moving and deeply felt homage to the power of nature and art by one of the world's most beloved authors. Maria lives in a remote village in Burgundy, where she learns that she has a gift for communicating with nature. Hundreds of miles away in Italy, Clara discovers that she possesses a stunning musical genius and is sent from the countryside to Rome to develop her preternatural abilities. Barbery's THE LIFE OF ELVES tells the story of two children whose extraordinary talents will bring them into contact with magical worlds and malevolent forces. If, against all odds, they can be brought together, their meeting may shape the course of history. Seven years after the publication of her international bestseller, THE ELEGANCE OF THE HEDGEHOG, Muriel Barbery returns with a lyrical novel about the quest for enchantment in a world that seems to have forgotten such a thing ever existed. With its cast of unforgettable characters, each fighting to preserve a sense of enchantment, THE LIFE OF ELVES is a poetic meditation on art, nature, dreams and the role of the imagination. Editorial Content for The First Congress: How James Madison, George Washington, and a Group of Extraordinary Men Invented the GovernmentContributorsReviewer (text)Ron Kaplan
One of the early thoughts that comes to mind when reading this fascinating history is: How did the likes of James Madison and George Washington ever manage the daunting task of creating the Constitution and, by extension, the federal government? As Fergus Bordewich explains, the road to what Americans have lived and died for for more than 200 years was fraught with pot holes, arguments and frustration. Much of this is understandable: There was no blueprint, no history to look to when deciding what to include or omit from this seminal document. Read More TeaserThe First Congress was the most important in US history, says prize-winning author and historian Fergus Bordewich, because it established how our government would actually function. Had it failed, it’s possible that the United States as we know it would not exist today. The Constitution was a broad set of principles. It was left to the members of the First Congress and President George Washington to create the machinery that would make the government work. Fortunately, James Madison, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton and others less well known today rose to the occasion. PromoThe First Congress was the most important in US history, says prize-winning author and historian Fergus Bordewich, because it established how our government would actually function. Had it failed, it’s possible that the United States as we know it would not exist today. The Constitution was a broad set of principles. It was left to the members of the First Congress and President George Washington to create the machinery that would make the government work. Fortunately, James Madison, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton and others less well known today rose to the occasion. About the BookThis “fascinating” (Chicago Tribune), “lively” (The New York Times) history tells how the First Congress and the Washington administration created one of the most productive and far-reaching governments in American history --- “gracefully written…and well worth reading” (The Wall Street Journal). The First Congress may have been the most important in American history because it established how our government would work. The Constitution was a broad set of principles that left undefined the machinery of government. Fortunately, far-sighted, brilliant and determined men such as Washington, Madison, Adams, Hamilton and Jefferson (and others less well known today) labored to create a functioning government. In THE FIRST CONGRESS, award-winning author Fergus Bordewich brings to life the achievements of the First Congress: it debated and passed the first 10 amendments to the Constitution, which we know as the Bill of Rights; admitted North Carolina and Rhode Island to the union when they belatedly ratified the Constitution, then admitted two new states, Kentucky and Vermont, establishing the procedure for admitting new states on equal terms with the original thirteen; chose the site of the national capital, a new city to be built on the Potomac; created a national bank to handle the infant republic’s finances; created the first cabinet positions and the federal court system; and many other achievements. But it avoided the subject of slavery, which was too contentious to resolve. THE FIRST CONGRESS takes us back to the days when the future of our country was by no means assured and makes “an intricate story clear and fascinating” (The Washington Post). Audiobook available, read by Sean Runnette Editorial Content for Wreck and OrderBookContributorsReviewer (text)Norah Piehl
Elsie, the protagonist of WRECK AND ORDER, is the kind of character who, if she was your best friend, you’d be tempted more than once to take by the shoulders, shake a little, and ask, “What are you doing?” We’ve probably all known someone like Elsie --- smart, often lost in her own thoughts, unsure who she wants to be or what kind of life she wants to live, frequently maddeningly indecisive and prone to poor decisions. Read More TeaserElsie has a tumultuous relationship with an abusive boyfriend, a dead-end job at a newspaper, and a sharp intelligence that’s constantly at odds with her many bad decisions. When her initial attempts to improve her life go awry, Elsie decides that a dramatic change is the only solution. So she travels to Paris and Sri Lanka, hoping to accumulate experiences, create connections, and discover a new way to live. Along the way, she meets men and women who challenge and provoke her towards the change she genuinely hopes to find. But in the end, she must still come face-to-face with herself. PromoElsie has a tumultuous relationship with an abusive boyfriend, a dead-end job at a newspaper, and a sharp intelligence that’s constantly at odds with her many bad decisions. When her initial attempts to improve her life go awry, Elsie decides that a dramatic change is the only solution. So she travels to Paris and Sri Lanka, hoping to accumulate experiences, create connections, and discover a new way to live. Along the way, she meets men and women who challenge and provoke her towards the change she genuinely hopes to find. But in the end, she must still come face-to-face with herself. About the BookA boldly candid, raw portrait of a young woman's search for meaning and purpose in an indifferent world Decisively aimless, self-destructive and impulsively in and out of love, Elsie is a young woman who feels stuck. She has a tumultuous relationship with an abusive boyfriend, a dead-end job at a newspaper and a sharp intelligence that’s constantly at odds with her many bad decisions. When her initial attempts to improve her life go awry, Elsie decides that a dramatic change is the only solution. An auto-didact who prefers the education of travel to college, Elsie uses an inheritance to support her as she travels to Paris and Sri Lanka, hoping to accumulate experiences, create connections and discover a new way to live. Along the way, she meets men and women who challenge and provoke her towards the change she genuinely hopes to find. But in the end, she must still come face-to-face with herself. Whole-hearted, fiercely honest and inexorably human, WRECK AND ORDER is a stirring debut that, in mirroring one young woman's dizzying quest for answers, illuminates the important questions that drive us all. Audiobook available, narrated by Nicol Zanzarella Editorial Content for The Quality of SilenceContributorsReviewer (text)Ray Palen
British author Rosamund Lupton has already made a name for herself internationally with her terrific thrillers, SISTER and AFTERWARDS. Her latest effort, THE QUALITY OF SILENCE, may finally put her on the map domestically. This is a pure psychological thriller that does more with the perception of fear than actually knocking you over the head with it. It is set amidst one of the most stark and foreboding landscapes on the planet: the Alaskan wild in the heart of another brutal winter. Read More TeaserTHE QUALITY OF SILENCE is the story of Yasmin, a beautiful astrophysicist, and her precocious deaf daughter, Ruby, who arrive in a remote part of Alaska to be told that Ruby's father, Matt, has been the victim of a catastrophic accident. Unable to accept his death as truth, Yasmin and Ruby set out into the hostile winter of the Alaskan tundra in search of answers. But as a storm closes in, Yasmin realizes that a very human danger may be keeping pace with them. And with no one else on the road to help, they must keep moving, alone and terrified, through an endless Alaskan night. PromoTHE QUALITY OF SILENCE is the story of Yasmin, a beautiful astrophysicist, and her precocious deaf daughter, Ruby, who arrive in a remote part of Alaska to be told that Ruby's father, Matt, has been the victim of a catastrophic accident. Unable to accept his death as truth, Yasmin and Ruby set out into the hostile winter of the Alaskan tundra in search of answers. But as a storm closes in, Yasmin realizes that a very human danger may be keeping pace with them. And with no one else on the road to help, they must keep moving, alone and terrified, through an endless Alaskan night. About the BookThe gripping, moving story of a mother and daughter’s quest to uncover a dark secret in the Alaskan wilderness, from the New York Times bestselling author of SISTER and AFTERWARDS Thrillingly suspenseful and atmospheric, THE QUALITY OF SILENCE is the story of Yasmin, a beautiful astrophysicist, and her precocious deaf daughter, Ruby, who arrive in a remote part of Alaska to be told that Ruby's father, Matt, has been the victim of a catastrophic accident. Unable to accept his death as truth, Yasmin and Ruby set out into the hostile winter of the Alaskan tundra in search of answers. But as a storm closes in, Yasmin realizes that a very human danger may be keeping pace with them. And with no one else on the road to help, they must keep moving, alone and terrified, through an endless Alaskan night. Audiobook available, narrated by Fiona Hardingham |


