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February 15, 2013

Bookreporter.com Newsletter February 15, 2013
Three-Day Weekend Ahead!

When we left off last week, snow was in the air. I am pleased to report that the Fitzgerald men enjoyed it with tractor snow blowing (Tom), skiing (Cory) and winter hiking (Greg). I was content to read, knit and bake the Valentine’s Day cake --- and take a walk once the skies turned blue again. I definitely like the snow better when it is set against a blue sky. Gray is such a drag.

There’s been a lot of talk around our office this week about “House of Cards,” which is an original series on Netflix, based on the book by Michael Dobbs. One of our readers, Mary Lou, wrote me about it during the week, which spurred conversation with the staff. Liz finished the whole series and loved it, and Alina is an episode or two ahead of me as I am watching at least two episodes a night. It’s about a Congressman in DC and the very clandestine behind-the-scenes politicking that goes on there to maneuver things the way he wants. While it’s complete fiction, it feels like it could be laced with fact. I understand there is a British production as well also available on Netflix that I now want to check out.

Funny Netflix story. Last weekend we watched Mission: Impossible IV: Ghost Protocol. I completely forgot that I had seen this in the theater with Cory and his friend, Josh, last year as I wanted to see the scenes in Dubai in IMAX. I am here to attest that they are just as scary on the small screen. By the way, this was a case of the misplaced video. I literally have had this in the house since mid-December; it was lost between a stack of newspapers. I often wonder WHAT they think when movies are gone for months on end. By the way, I went to see the original Mission: Impossible in the months before we launched our first site, which went on to become Bookreporter.com. The title seemed so aptly themed!

One more broadcast note before we move on to books. I heard this week that “Do No Harm” was cancelled; it had “
a paltry 3.1 million viewers.” This made me laugh; if there were 3.1 million readers of a book, there would be an endless stream of press articles about it as a smashing success instead of it being dashed into disgrace.

Speaking of press about books, I was quoted in a USA Today piece this week where Deirdre Donahue looked at a group of books where the theme seems to be “the women behind the men.” It includes mentions of THE AVIATOR’S WIFE and Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald, both of which we have shared with you on this site, as well as ABOVE ALL THINGS by Tanis Rideout, which we are reviewing this week. When George Mallory leaves England to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 1924, he leaves his young wife, Ruth, behind. Ruth and the rest of the country wait in anticipation, hoping that his successful expedition will reclaim some of England’s lost glory.

Our reviewer, Melanie Smith, calls ABOVE ALL THINGS “a fantastic novel on a subject that is terrifying, shocking, wondrous, achingly sad, and a part of recorded history. This is an immensely interesting, romantic read that will appeal strongly to mountaineers and nature/adventure seekers of all dispositions.” I have long stood in awe of those who climb tall mountains like Everest and love reading about these climbs. The details to be taken into account to be part of this adventure always intrigue me, and looking at this in 1924 instead of 2013 shows that the power of the mountain has not changed. And seen through Ruth's eyes, the story has a very strong emotional feel. Rideout does a fabulous job of driving this story forward and building anticipation.

We’re excited to share reviews of two other debut novels that have been getting lots of pre-publication buzz and just released in stores this week.

First up is THE HOUSE GIRL by Tara Conklin, which I talked about in the newsletter two weeks ago. Lina Sparrow is a young attorney who is called in by her firm to work on a historic class-action lawsuit seeking reparations for the descendants of American slaves. As she is working on this case, she learns from her father, Oscar, who is a renowned artist, that there is a controversy in the art world. Art historians are saying that the paintings of Lu Anne Bell, an antebellum artist whose work portrayed the slaves working her Virginia tobacco farm, were actually done by her house slave, Josephine. If Lina can find one of Josephine’s descendants, it would bring more credence to her case. The book jumps back and forth between Virginia in 1852 and New York in 2004. And what unfolds are some secrets from Lina’s life, as well as those about the historical mystery of the paintings.

Melanie Smith says this in her review: “THE HOUSE GIRL is a thoughtful work of fiction about freedom, love, and the continued price for former slaves with modern descendants. Conklin creates a convincing case of an unrecognized injustice with a novel that is both legalistic and artistic. This is a story of personal and national identity that you won’t want to miss.” We also bring you an interview with Conklin, where she reveals, among other things, how reading a Virginia Woolf biography helped inspire her to write THE HOUSE GIRL. I really enjoyed this book…and there is much to think about long after you have finished reading it.

The other highly-anticipated debut novel of the week is THREE GRAVES FULL by Jamie Mason. More than a year ago, mild-mannered Jason Getty killed a man he wished he’d never met. Then he planted the problem a little too close to home. But just as he’s learning to live with the undeniable reality of what he’s done, police unearth two bodies on his property --- neither of which is the one Jason buried. Jason races to stay ahead of the consequences of his crime, and while chaos reigns on his lawn, his sanity unravels.

Joe Hartlaub has our review and says, “THREE GRAVES FULL reads more as if it were Mason’s 20th book than her first. Pitch-perfect pacing, unforgettable descriptions, and quirky but realistic characters abound from page to page. It is a perfect one-sit read, not because there aren’t places where you can comfortably stop, but because you simply will want to keep forging ahead.”

On Tuesday, I was invited to meet Helene Wecker, author of THE GOLEM AND THE JINNI, a completely captivating novel that will be in stores on April 23rd. Barbara Hoffert of Library Journal, who is one of my favorite people in publishing, did a brilliant interview with her on video, which we will share with you in the weeks to come. Helene worked on this story about a golem and a jinni for seven years! Listening to her talk, I became more and more impressed with her. The story is a combination of well-told historical fiction and magical fable about two supernatural creatures in turn-of-the-century immigrant New York beginning in 1899. It brings in elements of Jewish and Arab folk myths, and while I am not a fan of anything fantasy, this book totally captivated me. Maybe that is because it is so infused with atmosphere that is based in reality.

Above is a photo of me with Helene, who I expect you will be hearing a lot more about in the months to come. And for the record, I did NOT dress to match the book cover, but it seems to have happened that way!

Moving from debuts, we have the final book from one of the best-loved storytellers with A WEEK IN WINTER by Maeve Binchy, who passed away last July. Here we are introduced to Chicky Starr, who decides to take an old, decaying mansion set high on the cliffs overlooking the windswept Atlantic Ocean and turn it into a restful place for a holiday by the sea. Everyone thinks she’s crazy. But helped by Rigger, a bad boy turned good, and her niece, Orla, Chicky is finally ready to welcome the first guests to Stone House’s big warm kitchen, log fires, and understated elegant bedrooms.

Reviewer Jennifer McCord says, “Maeve Binchy again has created a sense of place, with each character having his or her own unique part of the overall story and a feeling of coming home to Ireland. This reviewer is ready to book her next vacation on the Irish Coast. As always, after reading a Maeve Binchy book, there is a feeling of hope, warmth and renewal. She is a storyteller who will not be forgotten.” I am so glad we had another chance to celebrate her.

Last week, we featured AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF US by Aria Beth Sloss in our New Release Spotlight, which included a review and an interview with the author. This week, as promised, I’m letting you know why the book is my latest Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. Click here for my thoughts on this outstanding debut novel. It's so tightly written with great mood shifts and so well done.

We’re just about a month away from the official start of spring, and to get you in the mood for this season of renewal, we’re launching our Spring Preview Feature, where we spotlight a number of hot new books releasing in the spring that you will want to consider adding to your reading list. Starting Tuesday, February 19th and continuing through Tuesday, March 19th, we will be hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these books. You’ll have to check the site each day to see which title is being given away --- or you can sign up for our Spring Preview newsletter to be notified when contests go live. Next week we’ll be awarding BROKEN HARBOR by Tana French and CINNAMON AND GUNPOWDER by Eli Brown to the winners of our first two contests. It just so happens that my favorite colors are gracing many of the book covers. Click here to see what I mean!

I confess I was not crazy about the Grammys the other night, but did want to note that Janis Ian won the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word album for the audiobook edition of her memoir, SOCIETY’S CHILD: My Autobiography. It’s always nice when an awards show has a books category.

Speaking of books and awards, in anticipation of the 85th Annual Academy Awards, which will be presented on Sunday, February 24th, we’d like to know which of the Oscar-nominated films you’ve seen or plan to see. We’re also curious as to which of the Oscar-nominated films based on books were your favorites. Let us know by taking part in our latest poll.

Our previous poll asked, “How close to your home (or office, if you work) is your nearest physical bookstore?” It was nice to see that 73% of you have your closest bookstore within 20 minutes of your house, while only 2% have one that’s more than an hour away and 36% know of a bookstore that’s within 20 minutes of your office. Click here for the complete results.

We have a new Word of Mouth contest this week. Let us know what you’re reading by Friday, March 1st at noon ET for your chance to win FUSE by Julianna Baggott, THE SILENCE OF BONAVENTURE ARROW by Rita Leganski and THE STORYTELLER by Jodi Picoult.

“Downton Abbey” wraps up Season Three this weekend, which happened way too fast. I read an interesting piece the other day where Maggie Smith shared that she never watches the show. She feels she will be too critical of her performance. What she's missing! I heard this week that author Wendy Wax, who has been a friend of Bookreporter.com for years, has a new book coming on April 2nd called WHILE WE WERE WATCHING DOWNTON ABBEY. When the concierge of The Alexander, a historic Atlanta apartment building, invites his fellow residents to join him for weekly screenings of “Downton Abbey,” four very different people find themselves connecting with the addictive drama, and --- even more unexpectedly --- with each other. You can read more about it here.

This weekend has three days without a huge agenda. We are going to be celebrating my mother-in-law’s 85th birthday, which is a milestone to be noted. We are debating the menu, and thus the cookbooks are on the counter. This will be balanced by plotting how to get in shape to go skiing in late March out in Colorado. (Talk about yin and yang.) Each of the boys gets to pick a vacation for his Senior Year graduation present. Five years ago, Greg cajoled us into a huge adventure on the QE2. Cory wants to go skiing, which is going to take some getting in shape as the last time I skied was before he was born. Thus the other night, I was clomping around in the ski boots that have been tucked in the back of my closet and hauling out all my cold weather gear. WHY can I not have a child who thinks that snorkeling in the Caribbean would be a great escape? Ah, the reading I would do!

Oh, and I also will be catching up on "The Walking Dead" this weekend as there has not been time for that during the week.

Annoyingly Cory will be in school Monday as part of the “makeup days” for the storm in the fall. I have to say I really feel for the kids and the teachers. I think there is something nice about breaks for family time --- and pleasure reading. But ah, life goes on. And now…please read on…

Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])

PS. When you use the following links to purchase books, you also support Bookreporter.com as we have affiliate arrangements with each of them. Please consider this when shopping for books online!

Now in Stores: A WEEK IN WINTER by Maeve Binchy
A WEEK IN WINTER by Maeve Binchy (Fiction)
When Chicky Starr decides to take an old, decaying mansion set high on the cliffs overlooking the windswept Atlantic Ocean and turn it into a restful place for a holiday by the sea, everyone thinks she is crazy. Helped by Rigger, a bad boy turned good, and her niece, Orla, Chicky is finally ready to welcome the first guests to Stone House’s big warm kitchen, log fires, and understated elegant bedrooms. Reviewed by Jennifer McCord.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.

Click here to read a review.
An Interview with Tara Conklin, Author of THE HOUSE GIRL
Tara Conklin’s highly-anticipated debut novel, THE HOUSE GIRL, intertwines the story of an escaped house slave in 1852 Virginia with that of an ambitious young lawyer in contemporary New York, who is given the difficult assignment of finding the perfect plaintiff to lead an historic class-action lawsuit involving reparations for descendants of American slaves. In this interview, Conklin reveals how reading a biography of Virginia Woolf helped provide the inspiration for her first book and describes the challenges she faced writing from two very different character perspectives.

THE HOUSE GIRL by Tara Conklin (Fiction)
Art historians now suspect that the revered paintings of Lu Anne Bell, an antebellum artist known for her humanizing portraits of the slaves who worked her tobacco farm, were actually the work of Josephine, Lu Anne’s 17-year-old house slave. In piecing together Josephine's story, ambitious young lawyer Lina Sparrow embarks on a journey that will lead her to question her own life, including the full story of her mother's mysterious death. Reviewed by Melanie Smith.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.

Click here to read the interview.
Bookreporter.com's Spring Preview Contests and Feature
Spring is in the air (or will be very soon)! We’ve already caught the fever --- and it’s being fueled by a list of great upcoming books! Here are some picks that we know people will be talking about over the next few months. We will be hosting a number of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through March 19th. You will need to check the site to see the featured book and enter to win. We also will be sending a special newsletter to announce each title, which you can sign up for here.

Our first prize book will be announced on Tuesday, February 19th at noon ET.

This year's featured titles include:


Click here to see our Spring Preview feature and sign up for our special newsletter.
Bookreporter.com Bets On: AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF US by Aria Beth Sloss
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF US by Aria Beth Sloss (Fiction)
As it opens in Pasadena, California in the early ’60s, AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF US starts as many stories do --- with two friends. One is quiet; the other is the new girl in town. Right from the beginning, Alex, the new girl, tells Becky that she has chosen her as her friend, seeing beyond the pretty popular girls to this shy one. From there, a bond is formed that will be tested and pushed, and stretched from one coast to the other, but will tie Alex and Becky, the very unlikely friends, together for decades. These girls do not want to become their mothers, who they see as trapped in their lives, but they are not sure how to break free to not become them.

Captured here are all the social mores that wrapped women’s lives up tight in the early ’60s --- and in the years to follow, we see what unfolds to unravel them. Along the way, the friendship fractures and fails, and then picks itself up and takes a very strange turn. I am cautioning you: NO reading ahead!


And oh, can I see book clubs having a field day with this one, as there are so many plot threads to explore. Let the discussions begin!

-Click here to read more about the book.
-
Click here to read a review.
-
Click here to read an excerpt.
-
Click here to read an interview with Aria Beth Sloss.
-Click here to read more in our New Release Spotlight.

Click here to see our “Bookreporter.com Bets On” feature for the book.
Now in Stores: ABOVE ALL THINGS by Tanis Rideout
ABOVE ALL THINGS by Tanis Rideout (Historical Fiction)
In 1924, George Mallory departs on his third expedition to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Left behind in Cambridge, George’s young wife, Ruth, along with the rest of a war-ravaged England, anticipates news they hope will reclaim some of the empire’s faded glory. Through alternating narratives, what emerges is a story of love torn apart by obsession and the need for redemption. Reviewed by Melanie Smith.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for the reading group guide.

Click here to read a review.
Now in Stores: HIT ME by Lawrence Block
HIT ME by Lawrence Block (Mystery)
Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Lawrence Block brings back his hit man, Keller, in this fifth book of the series. Keller’s life might have changed for the better with his new wife and life in a new city, but he still practices his dark side profession in five new assignments that take him everywhere from a West Indies cruise to his old haunts in New York City. Reviewed by Tom Callahan.

-Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read a review.
Now in Stores: THE DINNER by Herman Koch
THE DINNER by Herman Koch (Psychological Suspense)
On a summer's evening in Amsterdam, two couples meet at a fashionable restaurant for dinner. The conversation remains a gentle hum of polite discourse. But behind the empty words, terrible things need to be said; with every forced smile and every new course, the knives are being sharpened. As civility and friendship disintegrate, each couple shows just how far they are prepared to go to protect those they love. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

-Click here to read more about the book.

Click here to read a review.
Now in Stores: THREE GRAVES FULL by Jamie Mason
THREE GRAVES FULL by Jamie Mason (Thriller)
More than a year ago, mild-mannered Jason Getty killed a man he wished he’d never met. Then he planted the problem a little too close to home. But just as he’s learning to live with the undeniable reality of what he’s done, police unearth two bodies on his property --- neither of which is the one Jason buried. Jason races to stay ahead of the consequences of his crime, and while chaos reigns on his lawn, his sanity unravels, snagged on the agendas of a colorful cast of strangers. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

-Click here to read more about the book.

Click here to read a review.
Paperback Spotlight: A GOOD AMERICAN by Alex George
A GOOD AMERICAN by Alex George (Historical Fiction)
This is the story of the Meisenheimer family, told by James, a third-generation American living in Beatrice, Missouri. It’s where his German grandparents --- Frederick and Jette --- found themselves after journeying across the turbulent Atlantic, fording the flood-swollen Mississippi, and being brought to a sudden halt by the broken water of the pregnant Jette. A GOOD AMERICAN tells of Jette’s dogged determination to feed a town sauerkraut and soul food; the loves and losses of her children, Joseph and Rosa; and the precocious voices of James and his brothers, sometimes raised in discord…sometimes in perfect harmony.

A GOOD AMERICAN
, which released in hardcover last year and was a "Bookreporter.com Bets On" selection, is now available in paperback.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for the reading group guide.
-Click here to see why we're betting you'll love this book.
-Click here to read Alex George’s bio.
-Click here to read an interview with Alex George.
-Click here to visit Alex George’s official website.
-Click here to connect with Alex George on Facebook.

Click here to read more in our Paperback Spotlight.
Paperback Spotlight: AGENT 6 by Tom Rob Smith
AGENT 6 by Tom Rob Smith (Historical Thriller)
Tom Rob Smith's debut, CHILD 44, was an immediate publishing sensation and marked the arrival of a major new talent in contemporary fiction. Named one of top 100 thrillers of all time by NPR, it hit bestseller lists around the world, won the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award and the ITW Thriller Award for Best First Novel, and was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize.

In this spellbinding new novel, Tom Rob Smith probes the tenuous border between love and obsession as Leo Demidov struggles to untangle the threads of a devastating conspiracy that shatters everything he holds dear. Deftly capturing the claustrophobic intensity of the Cold War-era Soviet Union, it's at once a heart-pounding thriller and a richly atmospheric novel of extraordinary depth.

AGENT 6, which released in hardcover last year, is now available in paperback.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here to read critical praise.
-Click here to watch the book trailer.
-Click here to visit the publisher’s book page.
-Click here to read Tom Rob Smith’s bio.
-Click here to visit Tom Rob Smith’s official website.
-Connect with Tom Rob Smith on Facebook and Twitter.

 
Click here to read more in our Paperback Spotlight.
Paperback Spotlight: FIREFLY LANE by Kristin Hannah --- Read it Now Before the Follow-up, FLY AWAY, Releases on April 23rd
Typically in our Paperback Spotlights, we feature either paperback originals or paperback reprints of hardcovers that recently released. FIREFLY LANE by Kristin Hannah doesn't fall into either category as it was published in paperback in 2009. But we wanted to bring this book to your attention in anticipation of the April 23rd release of its follow-up, FLY AWAY, where readers will have a chance to revisit the characters from FIREFLY LANE --- or meet them for the first time. The backstory is so well-told that FLY AWAY can easily work as a stand-alone, but if you haven't read FIREFLY LANE yet, we suggest you do so before the new novel's publication. And you will understand why those who read it five years ago are so eager to see what happened to these characters.

FIREFLY LANE by Kristin Hannah (Fiction)
In the turbulent summer of 1974, Kate Mularkey has accepted her place at the bottom of the eighth-grade social food chain. Then, to her amazement, the “coolest girl in the world” moves in across the street and wants to be her friend. Tully Hart seems to have it all --- beauty, brains, ambition. On the surface they are as opposite as two people can be: Kate, doomed to be forever uncool, with a loving family who mortifies her at every turn. Tully, steeped in glamour and mystery, but with a secret that is destroying her. They make a pact to be best friends forever; by summer’s end they’ve become TullyandKate. Inseparable.

So begins Kristin Hannah’s magnificent novel. Spanning more than three decades and playing out across the ever-changing face of the Pacific Northwest, FIREFLY LANE is the poignant, powerful story of two women and the friendship that becomes the bulkhead of their lives.

-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review.
-Click here to read an excerpt.
-Click here for the reading group guide.
-Click here to read critical praise.
-Click here to read Kristin Hannah’s bio.
-Visit Kristin Hannah’s official website and blog.
-Click here to connect with Kristin Hannah on Facebook.

 
Click here to read more in our Paperback Spotlight.
This Week’s Reviews
GUILT: An Alex Delaware Novel by Jonathan Kellerman (Mystery)
A backyard renovation unearths an infant’s body, buried 60 years ago. Soon thereafter in a nearby park, another disturbingly bizarre discovery is made not far from the body of a young woman shot in the head. Helping LAPD homicide detective Milo Sturgis to link these eerie incidents is brilliant psychologist Alex Delaware. But even the good doctor’s vast experience with matters both clinical and criminal might not be enough to cut down to the bone of this chilling case --- and draw out the disturbing truth. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

-Click here to read an excerpt.

SEE NOW THEN by Jamaica Kincaid (Fiction)
Jamaica Kincaid’s beautiful, painful new book, her first novel in a decade, chronicles the dissolution of a marriage. Mr. Sweet is a composer of difficult works of modern music. He resents Mrs. Sweet, his Caribbean-born wife, for taking him from his beloved Manhattan and making him move to Vermont with their children, the daughter he adores and the son he detests. Kincaid uses Virginia Woolf-style repetition to create a hypnotic portrait of a dying love. Reviewed by Michael Magras.

HOUSE OF EARTH by Woody Guthrie (Historical Fiction)
Finished in 1947 and lost to readers until now, HOUSE OF EARTH is Woody Guthrie's only fully-realized novel --- a powerful portrait of Dust Bowl America, filled with the homespun lyricism and authenticity that have made his songs a part of our national consciousness. It is the story of an ordinary couple's dreams of a better life and their search for love and meaning in a corrupt world. Reviewed by Roz Shea.

THE HOUR OF PERIL: The Secret Plot to Murder Lincoln Before the Civil War by Daniel Stashower (History)
In February 1861, just days before he assumed the presidency, Abraham Lincoln faced a “clear and fully-matured” threat of assassination as he traveled by train from Springfield to Washington for his inauguration. Over a period of 13 days, the legendary detective Allan Pinkerton worked feverishly to detect and thwart the plot, assisted by a captivating young widow named Kate Warne, America’s first female private eye. Reviewed by Judy Gigstad.

THE RIVER SWIMMER: Novellas by Jim Harrison (Fiction/Short Stories)
Jim Harrison delivers two absorbing studies of men at the opposite ends of adult life, noteworthy both for an absence of illusion and a sympathy that never slips into sentimentality. The stories revisit some of Harrison’s habitual concerns --- the world of nature, Native American myth, the sensual pleasures of food and the persistence of sexual desire --- in his characteristically rugged and entertaining style. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.

THE COMFORT OF LIES by Randy Susan Meyers (Fiction)
Five years ago, Tia fell into obsessive love with Nathan. When she became pregnant, he disappeared, and she gave up her baby for adoption. Caroline reluctantly adopted a baby to please her husband, praying her misgivings would disappear. Juliette considered her life ideal. But when she intercepts a letter to her husband from Tia that contains pictures of a child with a deep resemblance to her husband, her world crumbles once more. Before long, the three women and Nathan are on a collision course with consequences that none of them could have predicted. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

SATURDAY NIGHT WIDOWS: The Adventures of Six Friends Remaking Their Lives by Becky Aikman (Memoir)
Losing one's spouse is a life-altering event that Becky Aikman understands all too well. Although she did remarry, Becky remained perplexed by society's current attitudes and beliefs about grief. So she did what any other journalist might do --- she thoroughly researched the subject. Then she organized a support group with five other widows, all of whom were strangers. The end result: six women who found friendship, healing and adventure. Reviewed by Carole Turner.

THE SEVENTH VICTIM by Mary Burton (Romantic Suspense)
It's been seven years since the Seattle Strangler terrorized the city. His victims were all young and pretty, but there was one who miraculously escaped death. Lara Church has only hazy memories of her long-ago attack. What she does have is a home in Austin, a job, and a chance at a normal life at last. Then Texas Ranger James Beck arrives on her doorstep with shattering news: The Strangler is back. And this time, he's in Austin. Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.

THE TROUBLE WITH CHARLIE by Merry Jones (Psychological Thriller)
Elle's soon-to-be-ex-husband, Charlie, has been stabbed to death with a kitchen knife. Yet she feels his presence and hears him accuse her of killing him. Even though she doesn’t believe in ghosts, she argues with him and asserts her innocence. Oddly, Elle has a gap in her memory; she can’t account for her activity during the time of his murder. As Elle tries to clear herself by finding out how Charlie died, she discovers that she had plenty of reason to kill him. Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.
Contests Running on Other Sites in TheBookReportNetwork.com
We have a number of contests currently running on our other sites in TheBookReportNetwork.com. Please take a look at them below, and enter for your chance to win some fabulous books!

ReadingGroupGuides.com

SWEET SALT AIR by Barbara Delinsky
We currently are offering a very special opportunity to our readers. 250 book clubs have the chance to win up to 12 advance copies each of SWEET SALT AIRby Barbara Delinsky --- which releases on June 18th --- provided that members of the winning groups agree to discuss the book at their April, May or June meeting; email friends and tell them about the book; and post comments or feedback about the book and/or their discussion on Barbara Delinsky’s Facebook page, their personal Facebook pages, Twitter accounts or blogs. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, March 5th at noon ET.

THE GOOD DAUGHTER by Jane Porter
We are celebrating the release of THE GOOD DAUGHTER, the second installment in Jane Porter’s Brennan Sisters trilogy (following THE GOOD WOMAN), with a contest that we have never done before. Here, Jane will fly to meet with one book group and take them to dinner to discuss THE GOOD DAUGHTER. You’ll select a mutually acceptable date in May, June or July, and Jane will host an evening with you at a restaurant local to your group. Also, each member of the group will be awarded a copy of the book, which will be shipped in early March once the contest ends. Three other groups will win 12 copies of the book, along with an opportunity to chat with Jane via phone or Skype at a mutually convenient time. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, March 5th at noon ET.

“What Are You Reading?” Monthly Contest Feature
Let us know what your group is reading in February, and you will be entered in a giveaway to win multiple copies of a book for your group! Our latest prize book is THE PROMISE OF STARDUST by Priscille Sibley, an emotionally resonant and thought-provoking novel that raises profound questions about life, death, faith and medicine, and gracefully illuminates the power of love to hurt and to heal. We have 12 copies of the book, which is now in stores, to give away to three groups. The deadline for entries is Monday, March 4th at noon ET.


20SomethingReads.com

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
In anticipation of the February 5th release of SCARLET --- the second book in Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles series, which retells the story of Little Red Riding Hood --- we’re giving five readers the opportunity to win a copy of both CINDER and SCARLET. The deadline for entries is Thursday, March 28th at noon ET.


Teenreads.com

The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
In anticipation of the February 5th release of SCARLET --- the second book in Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicles series, which retells the story of Little Red Riding Hood --- we’re giving five readers the opportunity to win a copy of both CINDER and SCARLET. The deadline for entries is Thursday, March 28th at noon ET.


Word of Mouth
Send us your current reading recommendations with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. This contest period, one teen reader will be randomly chosen to win a copy of CRASH AND BURN by Michael Hassan and OUT OF THE EASY by Ruta Sepetys. The deadline for entries is Friday, March 1st at noon ET.

Kidsreads.com


HOKEY POKEY by Jerry Spinelli
To celebrate the release of HOKEY POKEY, Jerry Spinelli's fable of leaving childhood behind and entering the new adventures of adolescence, Kidsreads.com is giving 10 readers the chance to win a copy of the book. The deadline for entries is Friday, March 15th at noon ET.

FaithfulReader.com

HOME RUN by Travis Thrasher
We are celebrating the March 1st release of HOME RUN by Travis Thrasher with a special contest that will give 25 readers the opportunity to win a copy of the book, which is based on the major motion picture starring Vivica A. Fox and Scott Elrod. In addition, one of these winners will be awarded a Fandango gift card so he or she can take four friends to see the film when it opens on April 19th. The deadline for entries is Friday, March 8th at noon ET.

FaithfulReader.com’s Monthly Contest
In our latest monthly contest, 25 readers will be awarded the first two books in Sigmund Brouwer's fantasy/adventure series, Merlin's Immortals: THE ORPHAN KING and FORTRESS OF MIST. The deadline for entries is Tuesday, March 12th at noon ET.

This Week’s Poll and Word of Mouth Contest
Poll:

Which of the Oscar nominees for "Best Picture" have you seen or do you plan to see? (Please select as many as apply.)

Amour
Argo
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Django Unchained
Les Misérables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Silver Linings Playbook
Zero Dark Thirty
None of the above

Which of the following Oscar-nominated "Books on Screen" movies were your favorites? (Please select as many as apply.)

Anna Karenina
Argo
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Les Misérables
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Mirror Mirror
The Sessions
Silver Linings Playbook
Skyfall
Snow White and the Huntsman
I didn't like any of these movies.
I haven't seen any of these movies.

-Click here to answer the poll.


Word of Mouth:

Tell us your current reading recommendations with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from February 15th to March 1st, FIVE lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of FUSE by Julianna Baggott, THE SILENCE OF BONAVENTURE ARROW by Rita Leganski and THE STORYTELLER by Jodi Picoult.

To make sure other readers will be able to find the books you write about, please include the full title and correct author names (your entry must include these to be eligible to win). For complete rules and guidelines, click here.


-Click here to enter the contest.
-To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.

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