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• April 22, 2005
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Every month, one subscriber to the Bookreporter.com newsletter wins 5 free hardcover books! This month's selection includes COMPANY MAN by Joseph Finder, FALLS THE SHADOW by William Lashner, THE MERMAID CHAIR by Sue Monk Kidd, NO PLACE LIKE HOME by Mary Higgins Clark and TRUE BELIEVER by Nicholas Sparks. (See the complete contest rules.)
Click here to SUBSCRIBE to the
Bookreporter.com Newsletter!
Also check out our other newsletters on ReadingGroupGuides.com, AuthorsOnTheWeb.com, AuthorYellowPages.com, Teenreads.com, and Kidsreads.com.
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| Bookreporter.com Newsletter |
April 29, 2005 |
| This Week on Bookreporter.com
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Authors Authors Everywhere! |
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I had a very bookish week this week, as the Mystery Writers of America held its 60th Anniversary celebration in New York. The agenda: three days of mystery authors talking books and writing. This gathering is worthy of more than just a few paragraphs here, thus I wrote a Blog devoted to this subject, which you can read here. I will say that I always leave events like this feeling like I am so behind on reading. Last night I sat with a table of judges at the Edgar Awards --- each had read 500 books to select the Best Mystery Novel. It made ME feel like a reading slacker!
Friends and family have been chatting up the culinary skills of Rachael Ray, whose show on the Food Channel has an almost cult-like following. Thus when I saw Ray's 30-MINUTE GET-REAL MEALS cookbook in the office I snatched it and started marking the pages of recipes I wanted to try. This weekend I am going to make the Sliced Steak with Chimichurri and Baked Stuffed Tomatoes and Ginger-Poached Pears with Ricotta and Blueberries. Curious as to what Chimichurri is? I was too. It's a combo of vinegar, oregano or marjoram, garlic, parsley and EVOO (extra virgin olive oil). Will let you know how it turns out next week.
Love to record the books you read? We have come across a great little journal for keeping track of them, appropriately called WHAT I READ, which has a place to record the title, author and thoughts about the book, as well as the date you read it. There are extra pages for you to jot notes about the books you want to read --- and write. If you have a reader in your life who would like to "take notes," may we suggest this easy-to-stash gift? "To me from me gifts" also are suggested here. Celebrate the arrival of May if you are at a loss for what else to celebrate.
Speaking of holidays, are you searching for selections for Mother's Day? Anna Quindlen's new one, BEING PERFECT, may be the perfect gift. What to know more about why I say this? Read more later in this newsletter.
Have a great week...I am thinking May flowers. I think it's time to hit the garden center and do my annual "buy too many packets of seeds" excursion. You know how seed packages tell you to space the seeds 6 inches apart. Well, let's just say, I do not follow directions well. Way I see it, the garden will be more "lush" with more seeds. I also never "thin." Okay, maybe Martha needs to take notes from me!
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com) | |
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Bookreporter.com Talks to: Francine Mathews, Author of BLOWN |
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Bookreporter.com's Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight Team (Carol Fitzgerald, Joe Hartlaub and Wiley Saichek) interviewed Francine Mathews, author of BLOWN. Mathews explains how her job as a CIA analyst influenced the writing of this sequel to THE CUTOUT and her inspiration for the character of Raphael. She also talks about the differences between mystery novels and thrillers, and provides readers with the storyline for her next book, which is set during the Second World War.
BLOWN by Francine Mathews (Suspense)
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
Former CIA analyst Francine Mathews uses her firsthand expertise of international espionage to write this riveting follow-up to THE CUTOUT. In BLOWN, Caroline Carmichael takes to the streets of Washington, D.C., where she must put her life on the line in order to save her country. |
Read our interview with Francine Mathews and a review of BLOWN here.
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Debut Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight: Neil Olson, Author of THE ICON |
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In THE ICON by Neil Olson, which is on sale May 3rd, Matthew Spear, a young Greek-American curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, meets the lovely Ana Kessler, a sometime art dealer who has inherited an impressive collection from her mysterious grandfather. Matthew soon discovers that the jewel of the old man's cache is none other than the Holy Mother of Katarini -- a sacred icon long thought destroyed in a fire. But while Matthew recognizes the icon's value as a work of art -- and a star in his crown if he can add it to the museum's collection -- he soon discovers that it carries a far greater significance to numerous people, including his own grandfather and godfather.
New This Week:
See our list of advance readers.
Read an excerpt from THE ICON.
Read more about THE ICON here:
Its value is beyond measure. Its power beyond belief. A religious icon, thought to have been destroyed during World War II, reappears in contemporary New York in this debut thriller that blends faith, art, history and suspense. |
Read more about Neil Olson and THE ICON here.
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Now in Bookstores: FALLS THE SHADOW by William Lashner |
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FALLS THE SHADOW by William Lashner (Legal Thriller)
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
A beautiful young woman is dead, and her husband is convicted of the murder. In seeking a new trial for him, defense attorney Victor Carl must confront not only a determined prosecutor and a police detective who might have set up his client, but also a strange little busybody named Bob. |
Click here to read our review of FALLS THE SHADOW and an excerpt.
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Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight: Erica Spindler, Author of KILLER TAKES ALL |
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Praised for her insight into the dark world of psychological terror, Erica Spindler delivers novels that are sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very last moment. In KILLER TAKES ALL, which is on sale May 31st, the white rabbit beckons you to follow him, down the rabbit hole, into his world. He's a deceiver, a trickster. You won't know what is truth and what is a lie. He aims to best you. beat you. And when he does, you die.
We have 20 advanced reading copies of KILLER TAKES ALL to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please send your name and mailing address to SuspenseThriller@bookreporter.com by May 6, 2005.
New this week:
Fast Facts about Erica Spindler.
Read more about KILLER TAKES ALL here:
When a friend is found brutally murdered in her New Orleans apartment, former homicide detective Stacy Killian has reason to believe her death is related to the cultish fantasy role-playing game White Rabbit. The game is dark, violent --- and addictive.
As a former member of the Dallas police force, Stacy was exposed to more than her share of the horrors of crime. Moving to New Orleans was her attempt to pursue a quieter life. But her friend's murder plunges her back into the role that she fled.
She finds White Rabbit is more than a game. It's more real than life and death. And anyone can die before the final moment when the game is over...and the killer takes all. |
Read more about Erica Spindler and KILLER TAKES ALL here.
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Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight: Iris Johansen, Author of COUNTDOWN |
Fiction meets fact as bestselling author Iris Johansen and real-life forensic artist and veteran northern New Jersey police sergeant Daniel Sollitti get together to discuss their work. Mr. Sollitti completed his formal forensic art training at the United States Secret Service Training Facility in Maryland and studied 3-Dimensional clay reconstruction of a skull under forensic sculptor Seth Wolfson. Ms. Johansen's newest hardcover, COUNTDOWN --- her sixth thriller featuring forensic sculptor Eve Duncan --- will be released on May 10th, while last year's bestseller, BLIND ALLEY, is now available in paperback.
See our advance readers here.
Read a third excerpt from COUNTDOWN here.
More about COUNTDOWN:
In this relentless psychological thriller a young woman is caught in a maze of secrets and stalked by a merciless killer. The countdown begins the moment you open this riveting novel that only grows more electrifying as the pages turn, more exciting as time runs out. . . |
Read more about Iris Johansen and COUNTDOWN here.
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Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight: Steve Berry, Author of THE THIRD SECRET
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Steve Berry has been a favorite with our readers since his first book, THE AMBER ROOM. Many of you may remember THE ROMANOV PROPHECY, which is now out in paperback. His new book, THE THIRD SECRET, which will be in stores on May 17th, talks about the third secret of Fatima and also shares a riveting story about the events during a Papal conclave. Read an excerpt from THE THIRD SECRET here.
Explosive in both its pace and its revelations, THE THIRD SECRET is a remarkable international thriller. Bestselling author Steve Berry tackles some of the most controversial ideas of our time in a breakneck journey through the history of the Church and the future of religion.
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Click here to read more about Steve Berry and THE THIRD SECRET.
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A GREAT Mother's Day Gift to Give or Get: BEING PERFECT by Anna Quindlen |
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This Mother's Day, give the gift of irresistible advice and wisdom from Anna Quindlen. In this treasure of a book, Quindlen gives inspiring guidance on how to create a life that is uniquely yours, a life that's fulfilling despite its flaws, a life that comes from the center of you.
Quindlen shares wisdom about "the perfection trap," the price you pay when you become ensnared in it, and the key to setting yourself free. She believes that when your success looks good to the world but doesn't feel good in your heart, it isn't success at all.
She asks you to set aside your friends' advice, what your family and co-workers demand, and what society expects, and look at the choices you make every day. When you ask yourself why you are making them, Quindlen encourages you to give this answer: For me.
Note: BEING PERFECT is the PERFECT read for a Mother-Daughter book club.
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Read more about BEING PERFECT here.
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Now in Bookstores: SEX, MURDER AND A DOUBLE LATTE by Kyra Davis |
Will Sophie Katz live long enough to enjoy her next Grande Caramel Brownie Frappuccino?
Meet Sophie Katz. Addicted to Grande Caramel Brownie Frappuccinos and a writer of sexy mysteries, she is living the plot of one of her novels -- which happens to include a serial killer who wants her dead. And if Sophie doesn't solve the mystery, her own bestseller could spell out her doom (why oh why did she have to pick the axe?) SEX, MURDER AND A DOUBLE LATTE will have you laughing out loud and craving your next helping of Double Latte. |
Click here to read more about SEX, MURDER AND A DOUBLE LATTE.
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New in Paperback for April |
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April's roundup of New in Paperback titles includes ERAGON, the New York Times bestseller by Christopher Paolini, who began writing this fantasy novel at the age of 15; PAST DUE, William Lashner's fourth legal thriller featuring defense attorney Victor Carl; SAM'S LETTERS TO JENNIFER, a departure from James Patterson's mysteries and suspense novels; UNLUCKY IN LAW, the tenth installment in the Nina O'Reilly series, written by Pam and Mary O'Shaughnessy (whose pen name is Perri O'Shaughnessy); GIRLS IN TROUBLE, Caroline Leavitt's heart-wrenching story of an open adoption gone wrong; and MADAM SECRETARY, the memoir of former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
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Read our New in Paperback feature here.
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This Week's Reviews and Features |
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SUPERSTITION by Karen Robards (Thriller)
Reviewed by Shannon McKenna
Fifteen years ago, a teenager was stabbed to death and two of her friends vanished without a trace. Supposedly the ghosts of the three girls haunt the old plantation where the crime occurred. Sensing that this story could be her big break, television reporter Nicole Sullivan arranges for her mother to conduct a séance in the house to be broadcast live on Nicole's tabloid news program. But Nicole never could have anticipated the series of events that was about to transpire.
THE INNOCENT by Harlan Coben (Thriller)
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
Matt Hunter's life changes instantly when he tries to break up a fight and winds up killing a man by accident. Nine years after his release from prison, Matt appears to be getting his life back on track --- until he receives a shocking, inexplicable video call from his wife's phone.
EVERYTHING CHANGES by Jonathan Tropper (Fiction)
Reviewed by Brandon M. Stickney
Zack King's days are anything but easygoing. He hates his job, he's falling in love with his late friend's wife and out of love with his own fiancé, and his estranged father suddenly resurfaces after twenty years, looking to make amends. Zack boldly attempts to make some changes in his life, but the immediate results are disastrous.
ONE SUNDAY MORNING by Amy Ephron (Fiction)
Reviewed by Jesse Kornbluth
Four women at a bridge party in the elegant Gramercy Park Hotel see Lizzie Carswell leaving a nearby hotel with Billy Holmes, a man engaged to one of her friends. Although they don't know the whole story and despite their mutual promise to keep what they've seen to themselves, it's only a matter of time before one of them talks --- with heartbreaking consequences for them all.
BREAK, BLOW, BURN: Camille Paglia Reads Forty-three of the World's Best Poems by Camille Paglia (Poetry)
Reviewed by Tony Leuzzi
Camille Paglia glosses forty-three poems from the British and American literary canons, from Shakespeare, through Blake, Yates and Plath, to a smattering of current verse practitioners. Each reading closely attends to matters of language in line-by-line readings, and offers engaging and erudite socio-historical and aesthetic contexts.
THE MOURNING SEXTON by Michael Baron (Legal Thriller)
Reviewed by Kate Ayers
David Hirsch, a lawyer trying to make a comeback after serving time in prison, lands a products liability case that promises to get nasty. But he has no idea how nasty until he finds himself fighting for his life.
HEARTBREAK HOTEL by Jill Marie Landis (Contemporary Romance)
Reviewed by Marie Hashima Lofton
The third novel in Jill Marie Landis's trilogy focuses on a widow who is trying to make a new life for herself after learning that her husband left her in financial ruin. When a stranger moves into her almost-renovated hotel, she finds that her life will never be the same again.
DRIVES LIKE A DREAM by Porter Shreve (Fiction)
Reviewed by Judy Gigstad
Lydia Modine is sixty-one and about to come undone. She hasn't seen her three grown-up children together in more than a year, and now her ex-husband is about to marry a woman half his age. Enter Norm, a brash hippie-professor with progressive ideas about the auto industry. Is he the answer to Lydia's problems?
KNITTING by Anne Bartlett (Fiction)
Reviewed by Norah Piehl
Women's work --- particularly knitting --- is the thread that binds together friends and helps to mend grieving hearts in this spare, moving debut novel from Anne Bartlett, a new Australian writer to watch.
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Click here to read this week's reviews and features.
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| Question of the Week: Favorite Historical Fiction Book |
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Question: What is one of your favorite historical fiction books?
Please note: Our next question update will be on May 6th. |
Answer the Question of the Week here.
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| Word of Mouth: Tell Us What You're Reading -- TWO Prizes! |
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Tell us what books YOU are reading and loving --- or even those you don't.
This week we have some great prizes: FIVE readers each will win a copy of FALLS THE SHADOW by William Lashner and SUPERSTITION by Karen Robards. Please note that our next Word of Mouth update will be on May 6th.
Read more about Karen Robards at KarenRobards.com.
Read more about William Lashner at WilliamLashner.com. |
Need more details about Word of Mouth? Click here.
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As always, here are a few housekeeping notes. If you are seeing this newsletter in a text version, and would prefer to see the graphics, you can either read it online (see the link on the upper right) or change your preferences below.
Those of you who wish to send mail to Bookreporter.com, please see the form on the Write to Us page. We were forced to move to this format after we were inundated with SPAM at the other address. If you would like to reach me, please write Carol@bookreporter.com. Writing any of the respond buttons below will not get to us.
Quick observation --- we have noticed that many of you have been changing your Internet providers in the past month. If you do, please be sure to "take us along" by signing up for the newsletter in your new name!
Happy reading! Don't forget to forward this newsletter to a friend or to visit our other websites from TheBookReportNetwork.com: ReadingGroupGuides.com, AuthorsOnTheWeb.com, FaithfulReader.com, AuthorYellowPages.com, Teenreads.com, and Kidsreads.com.
--- Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
The Book Report Network
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