The other night, right before I left for Orlando, I learned that I had achieved “Silver Elite” frequent flyer status on Continental, which, given my non-stop travel this year, should come as no surprise. Yes, I danced a happy dance over that one, and then a true nirvana moment of any frequent traveler came through in email --- the complimentary upgrade to First Class. Hmmmm I wonder if they had read last week’s newsletter about my fear of Mickey ears and Shamu the whale in coach. I think I was out of the airport and into a taxi before the last row got off the plane. It is the little things that make me happy!

Before I jumped on that plane I wrapped up events at the International Thriller Writers conference, which ended as well as it began. One of the highlights of Friday was the demonstration by the ATF of firearms, weapons and their armored truck. I had a blast climbing around the truck and donning the bulletproof vest and helmet. The picture here is of me climbing out of the back after I raised the turret on top. The fashion look you see is part of my audition for Charlie's Angels. Can't you see me now frolicking on a caper? 

Christopher Reich threw a really lovely party on Friday night where he feted the nominees for Best Novel, an award that he won two years ago for THE PATRIOTS CLUB. I had the chance to talk to my pal Linwood Barclay, which is always fun, and to meet Gregg Hurwitz. I love moments at these conferences where I get to meet an author who I have heard about, and read our reviews of, but whom I have never read. Thus I have been enjoying Hurwitz's novel, THE CRIME WRITER, which was recently released in paperback. Gregg also told my son Greg that Gregg with two g's IS a good thing, which made ME smile since it’s my preferred spelling and my Greg used that until second grade when one day the "g" just fell off the end! I needed to dash out Saturday night to make my flight before the Awards Ceremony, but you can see the winners here.

Reich’s new book RULES OF DECEPTION came out on Tuesday, and I am thrilled to share our interview with him and Joe Hartlaub’s review this week. As Joe says, “Christopher Reich is a sure-footed guide through the labyrinthine plotting of RULES OF DECEPTION, and his characters --- both primary and secondary --- are every bit as compelling and memorable as the storyline, which reads as if it was ripped from tomorrow's headlines.”

Our Beach Bag of Books contest book this week is WHERE THE RIVER ENDS by Charles Martin. I have been a HUGE fan of Charles’s work since I read the manuscript of his first book, THE DEAD DON’T DANCE, five books ago. WHERE THE RIVER ENDS is a very powerful love story and a very emotional read. You will need tissues at various points, but I am one who loves to feel as I read, and Charles once again made me feel. It also made me want to paddle my way down the St. Mary’s River, which is something Charles did as research for the book. You can see a video interview with him here that has some footage of this. For this beach bag contest I went with a camping theme. We have a great camp pillow, a NALGENE water bottle (I was looking for a metal canteen but was told they were passé) and a compass among the items that you can win. Read on for more about this book, and click here to enter the contest.

Also out this week is Lisa Gardner’s SAY GOODBYE. You heard me talk about this one a few months ago as a fantastic book. The spider storyline was inspired by Lisa’s daughter, who loves tarantulas. You can read more about this in the Author Talk with Lisa that we are featuring along with Joe’s review.

We’re launching two new One to Watch features this week. Our first new featured author is Andrew Davidson, whose debut novel, THE GARGOYLE, weaves an astonishing tale about love and redemption. I have started reading this one, and the writing is strong and tugging me in. We have 10 copies of THE GARGOYLE to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, July 25th.

Our second new featured author is Matt Rothschild, whose debut memoir, DUMBFOUNDED, tells the humorous story of a boy trying to find his place in the world. I was laughing from the opening pages. The dialogue between Rothschild’s grandparents is like watching a tennis match.We have 10 copies of DUMBFOUNDED to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, July 25th.

We have received some great responses from our advance readers for IN THE WOODS by Tana French, which you can read here. Don’t forget that French’s new book, THE LIKENESS, is now in stores. We will be featuring a review of it next week.
 
On Tuesday, Daniel Silva’s new book, MOSCOW RULES, the latest in his Gabriel Allon series, will be in stores. It’s received terrific pre-publication buzz. Want to read more about it? His new website just went live today at DanielSilvaBooks.com. Check it out. 
 
Wednesday I am off to San Diego for Comic-Con, the comic book convention, where attendance for this four-day show will be at something like 120,000. People have me bracing for crowds of completely passionate fans. We are planning to launch a graphic novel site here on Bookreporter.com (we’ve been including two reviews each week and features on books in this format these past few months) as well as on Teenreads.com in the very near future. I am planning to meet both authors and creators at this show. People keep asking what costume I'm going to wear since this convention is filled with folks into roleplaying and dressing up. For the record, I will be the one NOT in costume; as a rule I limit my costumes to Halloween. I am sure I will have more than a story or two to share with you once this is over.

Have a great week...I have a hammock and a pool chair here with my name on them before I pull out my luggage and again get packing. Here’s to all of you finding something wonderful to read here at Bookreporter.com this week.

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

THE LAST PATRIOT by Brad Thor (Political Thriller)
Was the Prophet Mohammed assassinated by his companions in order to keep his final revelation hidden and out of the Koran? This is the premise behind Brad Thor's pulse-pounding thriller, THE LAST PATRIOT. Navy SEAL turned covert Homeland Security operative Scot Harvath must race to locate an ancient secret that has the power to stop militant Islam dead in its tracks. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

-Click here to read an excerpt from THE LAST PATRIOT.

Andrew Davidson’s debut novel, THE GARGOYLE, is the product of seven years' worth of research and composition. Releasing on August 5th, THE GARGOYLE weaves a riveting love story about the redemptive power of suffering and a romance that transcends the limits of space and time.

We have 10 copies of THE GARGOYLE to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, July 25th.

-Click here to read Andrew Davidson's bio.
-Visit these two pages about THE GARGOYLE: www.doubleday.com/thegargoyle and www.BurnedByLove.com.

More about THE GARGOYLE:
Marianne Engel is a beautiful sculptress of gargoyles who appears in the burn unit one day and tells the narrator of this mesmerizing tale that they were lovers in medieval times, when she was a scribe and he was a mercenary. Is she simply mad? Or is she truly the angel of mercy who will save him from his suicidal despair?

In his debut memoir, DUMBFOUNDED, Matt Rothschild writes a laugh-out-loud narrative of a precocious and sexually confused boy raised by his grandparents --- the only Jews in an elite Manhattan apartment building. DUMBFOUNDED will be available in stores on August 12th.

We have 10 copies of DUMBFOUNDED to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, July 25th.

-Click here to read Matt Rothschild’s bio.
-Visit the author’s official website, www.MattRothschild.com.

More about DUMBFOUNDED:
The only Jewish family in a luxury Fifth Avenue building of WASPs, the senior Rothschilds took over the responsibility of raising their grandson, Matt, after his mother left him for Italy and a fourth husband. But rearing Matt was no small task --- even for his sharp-tongued grandmother, a cross between Lauren Bacall and Bea Arthur, and a lady who Matt grew to love deeply.

In 2000, Brandon Massey won the Black Writers Alliance’s Gold Pen Award for Best Thriller for his first book, THUNDERLAND. He has since published nine more suspense novels and short story collections. In DON’T EVER TELL, his newest thriller now in stores, a woman’s dark secrets have a way of coming back with a vengeance.

-Click here to read a third excerpt from DON'T EVER TELL.
-Click here to read Brandon Massey’s bio.
-Click here to see Brandon Massey's backlist.
-Click here to read critical praise for DON'T EVER TELL.
-Visit the author’s official website, www.BrandonMassey.com.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.

More about DON’T EVER TELL:
With a new identity, a new city to live in and a wonderful new husband, Rachel Moore believes she's finally free of the demons in her past. But nothing could be farther from the truth. For the deadly secrets she thought were long buried are now on the brink of being exposed...

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