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December 3, 2024

In this newsletter, you will find books releasing the weeks of December 2nd and December 9th that we think will be of interest to Bookreporter.com readers, along with Bonus News, where we call out a contest, feature or review that we want to let you know about so you have it on your radar.

This week, we are calling attention to our review of CHER: The Memoir, Part One, which is now in stores. After more than 70 years of fighting to live her life on her own terms, Cher finally reveals her true story in intimate detail, in this highly anticipated two-part memoir (the second part will release in November 2025).

December 2024

December's Books on Screen roundup includes the films Nickel Boys, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, Nightbitch, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Room Next Door and Oh, Canada; the series premieres of "Dexter: Original Sin" on Paramount+ and "One Hundred Years of Solitude" on Netflix; the season premiere of Netflix's "Virgin River"; the conclusion of "The Day of the Jackal" on Peacock and "Like Water for Chocolate" on Max; the season finales of HBO's "Dune: Prophecy" and The CW's "Sullivan's Crossing"; the continuation of "Outlander" on STARZ and "Tracker" on CBS; and the DVD releases of Conclave, White Bird and The Wild Robot.

Week of December 30, 2024

Paperback releases for the week of December 30th include THE MYSTERY GUEST, the second installment in Nita Prose's fun and entertaining series featuring Molly Gray, the esteemed Head Maid of the five-star Regency Grand Hotel, who must uncover the truth behind the death of a world-renowned mystery author, no matter how dirty; SHE'S NOT SORRY by Mary Kubica, a chilling thriller about an ICU nurse who accidentally uncovers a patient’s frightening past; B. A. Paris' THE GUEST, a heart-pounding work of domestic suspense in which each character’s past unravels, some of which are more dangerous than they ever could have known; and MARTYR!, an electrifying, funny and wholly original novel from Kaveh Akbar, which revolves around a newly sober, orphaned son of Iranian immigrants who --- guided by the voices of artists, poets and kings --- embarks on a remarkable search for a family secret that leads him to a terminally ill painter living out her final days in the Brooklyn Museum.

Weeks of December 16 and 23, 2024

Paperback releases for the weeks of December 16th and 23rd include IT HAD TO BE YOU, the latest thrilling entry in the Under Suspicion series by Mary Higgins Clark and Alafair Burke, which finds television producer Laurie Moran investigating the unsolved murder of a beloved couple celebrating the college graduations of their successful twin sons; HARBOR LIGHTS, a dynamic, gripping collection of short stories from one of the most popular and widely acclaimed icons of American fiction, James Lee Burke, featuring a never-before-published novella; COLD VICTORY by Karl Marlantes, a propulsive and sweeping novel in which loyalty, friendship and love are put to the ultimate test; and WHAT REALLY HAPPENS IN VEGAS, a dazzling journey in which James Patterson and Vanity Fair contributing editor Mark Seal show the real Vegas, transporting readers from the thrill of adrenaline-fueled vice to the glitter of A-list celebrity and entertainment.

Week of December 9, 2024

Paperback releases for the week of December 9th include HOLMES, MARPLE & POE by James Patterson and Brian Sitts, a thrilling story of crime and corruption in which three detectives keep their identities secret, and NYPD Detective Helene Grey is on a mission to unmask them --- no matter who gets killed along the way; Jonathan Evison's AGAIN AND AGAIN,   a poignant and endlessly surprising story about love lost, found and redeemed; A GIANT WIN, a fascinating self-portrait of legendary New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin during his signature game --- the unforgettable Super Bowl that changed NFL history; THE DOOR-TO-DOOR BOOKSTORE, Carsten Henn's charming international bestseller about an unlikely friendship between an elderly door-to-door bookseller and a nine-year-old girl that changes his life; and the paperback original NOT IN MY BOOK, a sexy and hilarious enemies-to-lovers romance from a debut Peruvian-Tennessean voice, Katie Holt. 

Week of December 2, 2024

Paperback releases for the week of December 2nd include THINK TWICE by Harlan Coben, a blistering thriller of secrets, lies and dangerous conspiracies that threaten to cover up the truth when a man presumed dead is suddenly wanted for murder; Tana French's THE HUNTER, a nuanced, atmospheric tale that explores what we’ll do for our loved ones, what we’ll do for revenge, and what we sacrifice when the two collide; OLD CRIMES, a story collection from Jill McCorkle about crimes large and small that is funny and tragic in equal measure; AIRPLANE MODE, a witty personal and cultural history of travel from the perspective of Shahnaz Habib, a Third World-raised woman of color, that asks:   What does it mean to be a joyous traveler when we live in the ruins of colonialism, capitalism and climate change?; and the paperback original THE GREATEST LIE OF ALL by Jillian Cantor, an   addictive story about love, ambition and how far we’re willing to go to protect our hearts.   

November 27, 2024

We are arriving in your inboxes early as we get ready to head out for the long weekend. We are grateful to you, our readers! We love what we do, and we love sharing it with you.

I am hosting dinner here and making our traditional menu with the turkey recipe that I created in 1992...and have made every year since then! I have shared it with friends, and at least two caterers have asked for the recipe. I have adapted the cornbread sweet potato stuffing from DEAN FEARING’S SOUTHWEST CUISINE, which amusingly I picked up as a galley when I worked at Mademoiselle magazine. It’s now out of print, but I still have my food-stained copy.

Phillip Margolin, author of An Insignificant Case

Charlie Webb is a third-rate lawyer who graduated from a third-rate law school and has opened his own law firm, where he gets by handling cases for dubious associates from his youth and some court-appointed cases. In AN INSIGNIFICANT CASE, he’s appointed to be the attorney for a decidedly crackpot artist who calls himself Guido Sabatini (born Lawrence Weiss). Sabatini has been arrested --- again --- for breaking into a restaurant and stealing back a painting he sold them because he was insulted by where it was displayed. But as Lawrence Weiss, he’s also an accomplished card shark and burglar; while he was there, he stole a thumb drive from the owner’s safe. When this minor theft case becomes a double homicide, and even more, Charlie is faced with the most important and deadliest case of his life.

Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World

As Indigenous scientist and author of BRAIDING SWEETGRASS Robin Wall Kimmerer harvests serviceberries alongside the birds, she considers the ethic of reciprocity that lies at the heart of the gift economy. How, she asks, can we learn from Indigenous wisdom and the plant world to reimagine what we value most? Our economy is rooted in scarcity, competition and the hoarding of resources, and we have surrendered our values to a system that actively harms what we love. Meanwhile, the serviceberry’s relationship with the natural world is an embodiment of reciprocity, interconnectedness and gratitude. The tree distributes its wealth --- its abundance of sweet, juicy berries --- to meet the needs of its natural community. And this distribution insures its own survival.

Niall Williams, author of Time of the Child

Doctor Jack Troy was born and raised in Faha, but his responsibilities for the sick and his care for the dying mean that he has always been set apart from the town. His eldest daughter, Ronnie, has grown up in her father's shadow and remains there, having missed one chance at love --- and passed up another offer of marriage from an unsuitable man. But in the Advent season of 1962, as the town readies itself for Christmas, Ronnie and Doctor Troy's lives are turned upside down when a baby is left in their care. As the winter passes, father and daughter's lives, the understanding of their family and their role in their community are changed forever.