Vacation feels like it was a year ago. Every once in a while I pass a mirror and see that I am tan and I think --- that’s right, I was away! Since I have been back, it’s been go go go.

The best part about vacation was having the time to read without guilt. I never read at my desk in the office, which is somewhat amusing given the fact that reading is a huge part of my job. Once in a while I sneak a page or two, but the vast majority of my reading is done once I get home at night or on weekends. By the way, I took a quick picture of the office in the rental house before I took down my computer and packed up my books so you could see just how much I moved in.

So what did I read? First was a wonderful funny and thoughtful memoir called I LOVED, I LOST, I MADE SPAGHETTI. It’s a terrific story of food and failed relationships from Giulia Melucci, who cooked for all the men in her life through the years. It’s the kind of book you cannot read when you are hungry. There are recipes throughout it, and I have a couple of pages dogeared with things I would like to try! Here’s a fun video with Melucci talking about the book that was amusing. We plan to have our review for you next week.

I was humored reading this, as for my third date with my husband (we met skiing in Crested Butte, Colorado, so dates one and two happened there), it was his birthday and I made dinner --- chicken cutlets, linguini and some green vegetable and chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. At the time, that just about summed up my culinary skill. He had another birthday yesterday, and while the chocolate cake will be on the menu when we officially celebrate tomorrow night, I think the rest of the menu will be a tad more sophisticated.

Easter Sunday found me on the deck reading THE WILDWATER WALKING CLUB by Claire Cook, which will be in stores May 5th. It’s a quick smart read that will get you thinking about walking, friendship and making time for the things you love. The protagonist, Noreen Kelly, takes a buyout from her company and starts to think about what comes next. She never had free time to just enjoy and never got to know her neighbors. Now as she redefines herself, she takes joys in simple things and getting to know those around her, including two women who form a walking club with her. Reading I remembered when I first left Conde Nast and I had no idea what to do all day. Just as I got to the point where I was ready to take cake-decorating classes from Wilton, I decided to start Bookreporter.com. Thus my cakes still do not look as good as they taste.

THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE by Alan Bradley is a completely fun romp of a mystery read. Fans of Alexander McCall Smith will just love the ever-so-precocious Flavia de Luce, who is aptly described as “an aspiring chemist with a passion for poison, a taste for homicide and an obsession with delving into the forbidden past of her taciturn, widowed father.” It’s in stores on April 28th and is the number one pick for the Indie Next list from Independent Booksellers for May.

I also read THE HORSE BOY by Rupert Isaacson, which is reviewed this week by Barbara Bamberger Scott. It’s a moving and passionate memoir about the journey one family took to heal their autistic son Rowan by traveling to Mongolia where horses and shamans might work their magic. It’s just wonderful.

Also this week we have a review of TRIPLE CROSS by Mark T. Sullivan. It's been a while since his last book, but this one is so wickedly timely as it has ties to the economy with a story set in a ski lodge in Montana where the wealthiest men in the world have gathered to celebrate the holidays with their families. A hostage situation erupts and from there the story reads, as our reviewer Joe Hartlaub says, like “Die Hard at a ski resort.” I read it months ago, loved it and am thrilled to share it with you. Curious if a place like this exists? Then see this piece in The New Yorker.

A favorite author of mine is Philip Gulley. His memoir I LOVE YOU, MISS HUDDLESTON will remind you of the best parts of growing up. Our reviewer, Sally M. Tibbetts, agrees with just how special this coming-of-age book is, and she, like me, notes that readers will want to read all of Gulley’s books once they finish this one.

We are launching a new feature for John Sandford this week, whose new suspense/thriller novel, WICKED PREY, releases on May 12th. It is the 19th book in Sandford’s Prey series, which features the Twin Cities' crime-fighting Lucas Davenport. We have 10 copies of WICKED PREY 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, April 24th.

Also, if you are a fan of Lisa Jackson’s, please take a moment to read our advance readers’ responses to her latest book, MALICE. We also kick off our Mother’s Day Contest this week. Be sure to check out the 13 mom-perfect titles, and enter the contest to win a basket of books and mom-pampering treats. For the record, I still am waging a campaign for Mother’s Day WEEK!

Quiet weekend ahead…nothing like last weekend when my older son and I blasted up the 4x4 beach in his truck. At one point we were off-roading in puddles, and I was very happy to learn his car could plow through 20 inches of water. I also was glad I remembered the demonstration of how it would not roll even when it was on its side at 45 degrees. That came in handy as we dropped off the “shelf” of sand that was about three feet high headed for the hardpacked sand nearer to the ocean. I wish we had this on video!

Next Friday I travel to LA for the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. I will be at The Mystery Bookstore in Westwood Friday night for their annual Mystery Author event and then racing around the UCLA campus Saturday and Sunday. If you plan to attend, let me know. I would love to catch up with you. Read on....

Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)

Inspired by both a ski vacation and the earliest indicators of the current U.S. economic crisis, Mark T. Sullivan's TRIPLE CROSS centers on the wealthy patrons of an exclusive resort who are taken hostage by terrorists and put on trial for crimes against humanity. In this interview, Sullivan discusses the kind of research he performed to create the very realistic financial scenarios portrayed in the book, and sheds light on his decision to make three teenage triplets the heroes of the story. He also describes how his previous career as an investigative reporter helped to hone his skills as a novelist, explains why mysteries and thrillers are his genre of choice, and shares details about two projects currently in the works.

TRIPLE CROSS by Mark T. Sullivan (Thriller)
It’s New Year’s Eve at the Jefferson Club, a luxurious private ski resort in the mountains of southwestern Montana. Seven of the world’s wealthiest men and a U.S. Senator are among the guests gathered in the ballroom of the club’s spectacular main lodge for a private party. At the stroke of midnight, a ruthless and well-armed militia attacks the club. These self-described anti-globalists intend to put the wealthy patrons of the club on trial for crimes against humanity, live on the Internet for all the world to see. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

-Click here to read a review of TRIPLE CROSS.
-Visit Mark T. Sullivan’s official website, www.MarkTSullivan.com.

For 20 years, John Sandford’s books have been beloved for their “ingenious plots, vivid characters, crisp dialogue and endless surprises” (The Washington Post). Sandford is the author of 19 Prey novels and eight other books, including, most recently, HEAT LIGHTNING. In WICKED PREY, his newest Prey thriller releasing on May 12th, Lucas Davenport faces danger on multiple fronts when the Republican National Convention comes to St. Paul.

We have 10 copies of WICKED PREY 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, April 24th.

-Click here to read John Sandford’s bio.
-Visit John Sandford’s official website, www.JohnSandford.org.

More about WICKED PREY:
Danger stalks Lucas Davenport at work and all too close to home, in the superlative new thriller by the #1 New York Times bestselling author.

The Republicans are coming to St. Paul for their convention. Crashing the party are a few hard cases the police would rather stayed away, including a crew of professional stickup men who’ve spotted several lucrative opportunities. All that’s headache enough for Lucas Davenport --- but what’s about to hit him is even worse.

Nancy Bush is the author of the acclaimed Jane Kelley Mysteries, which include CANDY APPLE RED, ELECTRIC BLUE and ULTRAVIOLET. In her new romantic suspense novel, UNSEEN, Gemma La Porte survives a horrific car accident and awakens with a loss of memory and a terrifying realization that she may be guilty of murder. UNSEEN is now available in stores.

-Click here to read a second excerpt from UNSEEN.
-Click here to read Nancy Bush’s bio.
-Click here to see Nancy Bush's backlist.
-Click here to read critical praise for UNSEEN.
-Visit Nancy Bush's official website, www.NancyBush.net.
-Click here to see our advance copy winners.

More about UNSEEN:
Gemma La Porte wakes up in a hospital and knows her name and where she lives, but there are blank spaces in her memory. When released, she senses she’s being watched but thinks she's overreacting. As the days pass, Gemma begins having blackouts, waking up and having no idea where she's been or what she's done, especially when she finds blood on her hands. Has she committed murder?

ReadingGroupGuides.com is conducting a survey of book groups. Our goal is to identify trends and topics that are of interest to book groups that we can share with publishers and authors, so they can provide the information and resources to enhance your meetings and discussions. We have not done a survey since 2001, and we know that a lot has changed in the last eight years! Thus, we would love to hear from you.

We estimate it will take 12-15 minutes to complete the survey. Each of the first 2,500 respondents will receive one of these 28 books graciously provided by our publisher colleagues. All other entrants will be entered into a random drawing to win one of 200 books. The titles that have been selected each are worthy of a terrific book group discussion, besides providing some wonderful reading enjoyment. Titles will be selected at random. Your name will not be used for any other mailing.

If you know people in other book clubs, may we suggest that you forward this link to them? The more voices that are heard for this, the more we will be able to have your comments shared with publishers and authors.

The survey will close on April 30th, so click here to answer the survey NOW.

One quick note: Given customs and mailing restrictions, the prize offerings are only available to residents of the United States and Canada. To our international readers, we welcome your participation and regret we cannot send prizes overseas.

-Click here for more information about the survey and the 28 prize books.

Please note that only our readers who are members of book clubs are eligible to take this survey.