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Week of May 6, 2019

New in Paperback

Week of May 6, 2019

Paperback releases for the week of May 6th include LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE by Celeste Ng, a riveting novel that traces the intertwined fates of the picture-perfect Richardson family and the enigmatic mother and daughter who upend their lives; THERE THERE, Tommy Orange’s shattering novel that follows 12 characters from Native communities --- all traveling to the Big Oakland Powwow, all connected to each other in ways they may not yet realize; THE MARS ROOM by Rachel Kushner, a spectacularly compelling, heart-stopping novel about a life gone off the rails in contemporary America; and Simon Winchester's THE PERFECTIONISTS, a superb history that traces the development of technology from the Industrial Age to the Digital Age to explore the single component crucial to advancement --- precision.

The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton - Historical Mystery/Thriller

May 7, 2019

There are three rules of Blackheath House: 1) Evelyn Hardcastle will be murdered at 11:00pm; 2) There are eight days, and eight witnesses for you to inhabit; 3) We will only let you escape once you tell us the name of the killer. Understood? Then let's begin. Evelyn Hardcastle will die. She will die every day until Aiden Bishop can identify her killer and break the cycle. But every time the day begins again, Aiden wakes up in the body of a different guest. Some of his hosts are helpful, and others only operate on a need-to-know basis.

Adjustment Day by Chuck Palahniuk - Fiction/Satire

May 7, 2019

ADJUSTMENT DAY is an ingenious, darkly comic work in which Chuck Palahniuk does what he does best: skewer the absurdities in our society. Geriatric politicians bring the nation to the brink of a third world war to control the burgeoning population of young males, while working-class men dream of burying the elites. When Adjustment Day arrives, it fearlessly makes real the logical conclusion of every separatist fantasy, alternative fact and conspiracy theory lurking in the American psyche.

Baby, You're Gonna Be Mine: Stories by Kevin Wilson - Fiction/Short Stories

May 7, 2019

BABY, YOU’RE GONNA BE MINE is Kevin Wilson’s first story collection in nearly a decade. “Wildfire Johnny” is the story of a man who discovers a magic razor that allows him to travel back in time. “Scroll Through the Weapons” is about a couple taking care of their underfed and almost feral nieces and nephews. “Signal to the Faithful” follows a boy as he takes a tense road trip with his priest. And “Baby, You’re Gonna Be Mine,” the title story, is about a narcissistic rock star who moves back home during a rough patch. These stories all build on each other in strange and remarkable ways.

Beauty in the Broken Places: A Memoir of Love, Faith, and Resilience by Allison Pataki - Memoir

May 7, 2019

When Allison Pataki's husband suffers a stroke, he wakes up with a complete loss of memory. At five months pregnant, Allison has lost the Dave she knew and loved. Within a few months, she found herself caring for both a newborn and a sick husband, struggling with the fear of what was to come. As a way to make sense of the pain and chaos of their new reality, Allison started to write daily letters to Dave. Not only would she work to make sense of the unfathomable experiences unfolding around her, but her letters would provide Dave with the memories he could not make on his own. She was writing to preserve their past, protect their present and fight for their future. Those letters became the foundation for this beautiful, intimate memoir.

The Bookshop of Yesterdays by Amy Meyerson - Fiction

May 7, 2019

Miranda Brooks grew up in the stacks of her eccentric uncle Billy’s bookstore, solving the inventive scavenger hunts he created just for her. But on Miranda’s 12th birthday, Billy has a mysterious falling-out with her mother and suddenly disappears from Miranda’s life. She doesn’t hear about him again until 16 years later when she receives unexpected news: Billy has died and left her Prospero Books, which is teetering on bankruptcy, and one final scavenger hunt. Miranda soon finds herself drawn into a journey where she meets people from Billy’s past, people whose stories reveal a history that Miranda’s mother has kept hidden --- and the terrible secret that tore her family apart.

The Cactus by Sarah Haywood - Fiction

May 7, 2019

Susan Green has a flat that is ideal for one, a job that suits her passion for logic, and an “interpersonal arrangement” that provides cultural and other, more intimate, benefits. But suddenly confronted with the loss of her mother and the news that she is about to become a mother herself, Susan’s greatest fear is realized. She is losing control. When she learns that her mother’s will inexplicably favors her indolent brother, Edward, Susan’s already dismantled world is sent flying into a tailspin. As her due date draws near and her family problems become increasingly difficult to ignore, Susan finds help and self-discovery in the most unlikely of places.

Census by Jesse Ball - Dystopian Fiction

May 7, 2019

When a widower receives notice from a doctor that he doesn’t have long left to live, he is struck by the question of who will care for his adult son, who has Down syndrome. With no recourse in mind, and with a desire to see the country on one last trip, the man signs up as a census taker for a mysterious governmental bureau and leaves town with his son. Traveling into the country, through towns named only by ascending letters of the alphabet, the man and his son encounter a wide range of human experience. As they approach “Z,” the man must confront a series of questions: What is the purpose of the census? Is he complicit in its mission? And just how will he learn to say goodbye to his son?

The Colors of All the Cattle: No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (19) by Alexander McCall Smith - Mystery

May 7, 2019

When Mma Potokwane suggests to Mma Ramotswe that she run for a seat on the Gaborone City Council, Mma Ramotswe is at first reluctant. But when she learns that developers plan to build the flashy Big Fun Hotel next to a graveyard, she allows herself to be persuaded. Her opponent is none other than Mma Makutsi’s old nemesis, Violet Sephotho, who is in the pocket of the hotel developers. Meanwhile, Mma Ramotswe has acquired a new client: one of her late father’s old friends, who was the victim of a hit-and-run accident. Charlie volunteers to be the lead investigator in the case to prove he’s ready to be more than an apprentice, as well as to impress a new girlfriend.

Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce - Historical Fiction

May 7, 2019

Emmeline Lake dreams of becoming a Lady War Correspondent, and when she spots a job advertisement in the newspaper, she seizes her chance. But after a rather unfortunate misunderstanding, she finds herself typing letters for the formidable Henrietta Bird, renowned advice columnist of Woman’s Friend magazine. Mrs. Bird is very clear: letters containing any Unpleasantness must go straight into the bin. But as Emmy reads the desperate pleas from women who many have Gone Too Far with the wrong man, or can’t bear to let their children be evacuated, she begins to secretly write back to the readers who have poured out their troubles.

The Electric Woman: A Memoir in Death-Defying Acts by Tessa Fontaine - Memoir

May 7, 2019

For three years, Tessa Fontaine lived in a constant state of emergency as her mother battled stroke after stroke. But hospitals, wheelchairs and loss of language couldn’t hold back such a woman; she and her husband would see Italy together, come what may. Thus Fontaine became free to follow her own piper, a literal giant inviting her to “come play” in the World of Wonders, America’s last traveling sideshow. How could she resist? Transformed into an escape artist, a snake charmer and a high-voltage Electra, Fontaine witnessed the marvels of carnival life. Through these, she trained her body to ignore fear and learned how to keep her heart open in the face of loss.

The Gray Ghost: A Sam and Remi Fargo Adventure by Clive Cussler and Robin Burcell - Thriller/Adventure

May 7, 2019

In 1906, a groundbreaking Rolls-Royce prototype known as the Gray Ghost vanishes from the streets of Manchester, England, and it is only the lucky intervention of an American detective named Isaac Bell that prevents it from being lost forever. However, not even he can save the good name of Marcus Peyton, the man wrongly blamed for the theft. More than a hundred years later, it is his grandson who turns to Sam and Remi Fargo to help prove his grandfather's innocence. But there is even more at stake than any of them know. For the car has vanished again, and in it is an object so rare that it has the capacity to change lives.

Guilty by Laura Elliot - Psychological Thriller

May 7, 2019

On a warm summer's morning, 13-year-old school girl Constance Lawson is reported missing. A few days later, Constance's uncle, Karl Lawson, suddenly finds himself swept up in a media frenzy created by journalist Amanda Bowe implying that he is the prime suspect. Six years later, Karl's life is in ruins. His marriage is over, and his family is destroyed. But the woman who took everything away from him is thriving. With a successful career, husband and gorgeous baby boy, Amanda's world is complete. Until the day she receives a phone call. In a heartbeat, she is plunged into every mother's worst nightmare.

A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership by James Comey - Memoir/Politics

May 7, 2019

In A HIGHER LOYALTY, former FBI director James Comey shares his never-before-told experiences from some of the highest-stakes situations of his career in the past two decades of American government, exploring what good, ethical leadership looks like, and how it drives sound decisions. His journey provides an unprecedented entry into the corridors of power, and a remarkable lesson in what makes an effective leader.

The House Swap by Rebecca Fleet - Thriller

May 7, 2019

When Caroline and Francis receive an offer to house swap --- from their city apartment to a house in an upscale London suburb --- they jump at the chance for a week away from home, their son, and the tensions that have pushed their marriage to the brink. As the couple settles in, the old problems that permeate their marriage start bubbling to the surface. But while they attempt to mend their relationship, their neighbor is showing a little too much interest in their activities. Meanwhile, Caroline slowly begins to uncover some signs of life in the stark house --- signs of her life. It seems the person they have swapped with is someone who knows her, someone who knows the secrets she's desperate to forget.

I'm Keith Hernandez: A Memoir by Keith Hernandez - Sports/Memoir

May 7, 2019

During his illustrious career with the World Series-winning St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets, Keith Hernandez was a perennial fan favorite, earning 11 consecutive Gold Gloves, a National League co-MVP Award, and a batting title. But it was his unique blend of intelligence, humor and talent --- not to mention his unflappable leadership, playful antics and competitive temperament --- that transcended the sport and propelled him to a level of renown that few other athletes have achieved. Now, with a striking mix of candor and self-reflection, Hernandez takes us along on his journey to baseball immortality.

Jane Seymour, The Haunted Queen by Alison Weir - Historical Fiction

May 7, 2019

Ever since she was a child, Jane has longed for a cloistered life as a nun. But her large noble family has other plans, and as an adult, Jane is invited to the King’s court to serve as lady-in-waiting to Queen Katherine of Aragon. The devout Katherine shows kindness to all her ladies, which makes rumors of Henry’s lustful pursuit of Anne Boleyn --- also lady-in-waiting to the queen --- all the more shocking. But once Henry disavows Katherine and secures Anne as his new queen --- forever altering the religious landscape of England --- he turns his eye to another: Jane herself. Urged to return the King’s affection and earn favor for her family, Jane is drawn into a dangerous political game that pits her conscience against her desires.

Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng - Fiction

May 7, 2019

In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is planned. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson. Enter Mia Warren, who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenage daughter and rents a house from the Richardsons. But Mia carries a mysterious past and a disregard for the status quo that threatens to upend this community. When family friends of the Richardsons attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that divides the town --- and puts Mia and Elena on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Elena is determined to uncover the secrets in Mia's past. But her obsession will come at unexpected and devastating costs.

The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner - Fiction

May 7, 2019

It’s 2003 and Romy Hall, named after a German actress, is at the start of two consecutive life sentences at Stanville Women’s Correctional Facility, deep in California’s Central Valley. Outside is the world from which she has been severed: her young son, Jackson, and the San Francisco of her youth. Inside is a new reality: thousands of women hustling for the bare essentials needed to survive; the bluffing and pageantry and casual acts of violence by guards and prisoners alike; and the deadpan absurdities of institutional living.

Milk!: A 10,000-Year Food Fracas by Mark Kurlansky - History

May 7, 2019

Before the industrial revolution, it was common for families to keep dairy cows and produce their own milk. But during the 19th century, mass production and urbanization made milk safety a leading issue of the day, with milk-borne illnesses a common cause of death. Pasteurization slowly became a legislative matter. And today milk is a test case in the most pressing issues in food politics, from industrial farming and animal rights to GMOs, the locavore movement, and advocates for raw milk, who controversially reject pasteurization. Tracing the liquid's diverse history from antiquity to the present, historian Mark Kurlansky details its curious and crucial role in cultural evolution, religion, nutrition, politics and economics.

Miss Kopp Just Won't Quit: A Kopp Sisters Novel by Amy Stewart - Historical Mystery

May 7, 2019

After a year on the job, New Jersey’s first female deputy sheriff has collared criminals, demanded justice for wronged women, and gained notoriety nationwide for her exploits. But on one stormy night, everything falls apart. While transporting a woman to an insane asylum, Deputy Kopp discovers something deeply troubling about her story. Before she can investigate, another inmate bound for the asylum breaks free and tries to escape. In both cases, Constance runs instinctively toward justice. But the fall of 1916 is a high-stakes election year, and any move she makes could jeopardize Sheriff Heath’s future --- and her own. Although Constance is not on the ballot, her controversial career makes her the target of political attacks.

Miss Subways by David Duchovny - Fantasy/Humor

May 7, 2019

Emer is just a woman living in New York City who takes the subway, buys ice cream from the bodega on the corner, has writerly aspirations, and lives with her boyfriend, Con. But is this life she lives the only path she’s on? Taking inspiration from the myth of Emer and Cuchulain, and featuring an all-star cast of mythical figures from all over the world, David Duchovny’s MISS SUBWAYS is one woman’s trippy, mystical journey down parallel tracks of time and love. On the way, Emer will battle natural and supernatural forces to find her true voice, power and destiny.

Motherhood by Sheila Heti - Fiction

May 7, 2019

In her late 30s, when her friends are asking when they will become mothers, the narrator of MOTHERHOOD considers if she will do so at all. In a narrative spanning several years, casting among the influence of her peers, partner and her duties to her forbearers, she struggles to make a wise and moral choice. After seeking guidance from philosophy, her body, mysticism and chance, she discovers her answer much closer to home.

Murder on the Left Bank: An Aimée Leduc Investigation Set in Paris by Cara Black - Mystery

May 7, 2019

A dying man enters the office of Éric Besson, a lawyer in Paris’s 13th arrondissement. He is carrying a dilapidated notebook full of meticulous investment records. For decades, he has been helping a cadre of dirty cops launder stolen money. The notebook contains his full confession. He is adamant that Besson get the notebook into the hands of La Proc, Paris’s chief prosecuting attorney, so the corruption can finally be brought to light. But en route to La Proc, Besson’s courier --- his assistant and nephew --- is murdered, and the notebook disappears. Private investigator Aimée Leduc is reluctant to get involved, as her father was a cop and was murdered by the same dirty syndicate the notebook implicates.

My Ex-Life by Stephen McCauley - Fiction

May 7, 2019

David Hedges’ life is coming apart at the seams. His job helping San Francisco rich kids get into the colleges of their (parents’) choice is exasperating; his younger boyfriend has left him; and the beloved carriage house he rents is being sold. The last person he expects to hear from is Julie Fiske. It’s been decades since they’ve spoken, and he’s relieved to hear she’s recovered from her brief, misguided first marriage. To him. Julie would like David’s help organizing college plans for her 17-year-old daughter, Mandy. When David flies east, they find themselves living under the same roof (one David needs to repair). David and Julie pick up exactly where they left off 30 years ago. But there’s one broken bit between them that no amount of home renovations will fix.

Our Kind of Cruelty by Araminta Hall - Psychological Thriller

May 7, 2019

Mike Hayes fought his way out of a brutal childhood and into a quiet, if lonely, life before he met Verity Metcalf. V taught him about love; in return, Mike has dedicated his life to making her happy. He’s found the perfect home, the perfect job; he’s sculpted himself into the physical ideal V has always wanted. He knows they’ll be blissfully happy together. It doesn’t matter that she hasn’t been returning his emails or phone calls. It doesn’t matter that she says she’s marrying Angus. It’s all just part of the secret game they used to play. If Mike watches V closely, he’ll see the signs. If he keeps track of her every move, he’ll know just when to come to her rescue.

Paper Ghosts by Julia Heaberlin - Psychological Thriller

May 7, 2019

Years ago, her sister Rachel vanished. Now she is almost certain the man who took Rachel sits in the passenger seat beside her. He claims to have dementia and no memory of murdering girls across Texas in a string of places where he shot eerie pictures. To find the truth, she proposes a dangerous idea: a 10-day road trip with a possible serial killer to examine cold cases linked to his haunting photographs. Is he a liar or a broken old man? Is he a pathological con artist --- or is she? You won’t see the final, terrifying twist spinning your way until the very last mile.

The Perfectionists: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World by Simon Winchester - History

May 7, 2019

The rise of manufacturing could not have happened without an attention to precision. At the dawn of the Industrial Revolution in 18th-century England, standards of measurement were established, giving way to the development of machine tools --- machines that make machines. Eventually, the application of precision tools and methods resulted in the creation and mass production of items from guns and glass to mirrors, lenses and cameras --- and eventually gave way to further breakthroughs, including gene splicing, microchips and the Hadron Collider. Simon Winchester takes us back to the origins of the Industrial Age, to England where he introduces the scientific minds that helped usher in modern production.

Points North: Stories by Howard Frank Mosher - Fiction/Short Stories

May 7, 2019

In POINTS NORTH, completed just weeks before his death, Howard Frank Mosher presents a collection of stories that center around the Kinneson family, ranging over decades of their history in Vermont’s fabled Northeast Kingdom. From a loquacious itinerant preacher who beguiles the reticent farmers and shopkeepers of a small New England town, to a proposed dam that threatens the river that Kinneson men have fished for generations, the scandalous secret of a romance and its violent consequences, and a young man’s seemingly fruitless search for love, POINTS NORTH is a full-hearted and gently comic last gift to those who treasure Howard Frank Mosher.

Robert B. Parker's Old Black Magic: A Spenser Novel by Ace Atkins - Mystery

May 7, 2019

The heist was legendary, still talked about 20 years after the priceless paintings disappeared from one of Boston's premier art museums. Most thought the art was lost forever. But when paint chips from the most valuable piece stolen, Gentlemen in Black by a Spanish master, arrives at the desk of a Boston journalist, the museum finds hope and enlists Spenser's help. Soon the cold art case thrusts Spenser into the shady world of black market art dealers, aged Mafia bosses and old vendettas. A five-million-dollar-reward by the museum's top benefactor sets Spenser and pals Vinnie Morris and Hawk onto a trail of hidden secrets, jailhouse confessions and decades-old murders.

Severance by Ling Ma - Post-Apocalyptic Satire

May 7, 2019

Candace Chen is a first-generation American who manages the overseas production of specially designed Bibles. She’s so dedicated to her work that she barely notices when a plague of biblical proportions begins sweeping the globe. When her free-spirited boyfriend announces that he’s leaving New York, she moves into her abandoned office, sending taskmaster emails in an attempt to fulfill a lucrative contract. But as Shen Fever spreads, she eventually flees her decimated city, joining a small band of fellow survivors led by a power-hungry IT expert named Bob. Sustained by foraged junk food and Xanax, they encounter the wrenching sight of fever-stricken zombies who are trapped in repetitive, mundane acts of daily life.

Shelter in Place by Nora Roberts - Romantic Suspense

May 7, 2019

It is the Saturday after the 2016 presidential election, and in a plush weekend house in Connecticut, an intimate group of friends, New Yorkers all, has gathered to recover from what they consider the greatest political catastrophe of their lives. They have just sat down to tea when their hostess, Eva Lindquist, proposes a dare. Who among them would be willing to ask Siri how to assassinate Donald Trump? Liberal and like-minded --- editors, writers, a decorator, a theater producer, and one financial guy, Eva’s husband, Bruce --- the friends have come to the countryside in the hope of restoring the bubble in which they have grown used to living. Yet with the exception of one brash and obnoxious book editor, none is willing to accept Eva’s challenge.
A Shout in the Ruins by Kevin Powers - Historical Fiction

May 7, 2019

Spanning over 100 years, from the antebellum era to the 1980s, A SHOUT IN THE RUINS examines the fates of the inhabitants of Beauvais Plantation outside of Richmond, Virginia. When war arrives, the master of Beauvais, Anthony Levallios, foresees that dominion in a new America will be measured not in acres of tobacco under cultivation by his slaves, but in industry and capital. A grievously wounded Confederate veteran loses his grip on a world he no longer understands, and his daughter finds herself married to Levallois, an arrangement that feels little better than imprisonment. And two people enslaved at Beauvais plantation, Nurse and Rawls, overcome impossible odds to be together, only to find that the promise of coming freedom may not be something they will live to see.

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik - Fantasy

May 7, 2019

Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders, but her father’s inability to collect his debts has left his family on the edge of poverty --- until Miryem takes matters into her own hands. Hardening her heart, the young woman sets out to claim what is owed and soon gains a reputation for being able to turn silver into gold. When an ill-advised boast draws the attention of the king of the Staryk --- grim fey creatures who seem more ice than flesh --- Miryem’s fate, and that of two kingdoms, will be forever altered. She will face an impossible challenge and, along with two unlikely allies, uncover a secret that threatens to consume the lands of humans and Staryk alike.

Such a Perfect Wife by Kate White - Mystery/Thriller

May 7, 2019

On a sunny morning in late September, Shannon Blaine sets off for a jog along the rural roads near her home in Lake George, New York. It’s her usual a.m. routine, her “me time” after dropping the kids off at school…except on this day she never returns. Is her husband lying when he says he has no clue where she is? Could Shannon have split on her own, overwhelmed by the pressures of her life? Or is she the victim of a sexual predator who had been prowling the area and snatched her before she knew what was happening? True crime writer Bailey Weggins heads north from New York City to report on the mysterious disappearance. An anonymous tip soon leads her to a grisly, bone-chilling discovery.

There There by Tommy Orange - Fiction

May 7, 2019

THERE THERE follows 12 characters from Native communities: all traveling to the Big Oakland Powwow, all connected to each other in ways they may not yet realize. There is Jacquie Red Feather, newly sober and working to make it back to the family she left behind. Dene Oxendene, who is pulling his life back together after his uncle’s death, has come to work at the powwow to honor his memory. Fourteen-year-old Orvil has come to perform traditional dance for the very first time. Together, this chorus of voices tells of the plight of the urban Native American --- grappling with a complex and painful history, with an inheritance of beauty and spirituality, with communion and sacrifice and heroism.

Treeborne by Caleb Johnson - Fiction

May 7, 2019

Janie Treeborne lives on an orchard at the edge of Elberta, Alabama, and in time, she has become its keeper. Elberta has seen fierce battles, violent storms and frantic change --- and when the town is once again threatened from without, Janie realizes it won’t withstand much more. So she tells the story of its people: of Hugh, her granddaddy, determined to preserve Elberta’s legacy at any cost; of his wife, Maybelle, the postmaster, whose sudden death throws the town into chaos; of her lover, Lee Malone, a black orchardist harvesting from a land where he is less than welcome; of the time when Janie kidnapped her own Hollywood-obsessed aunt and tore the wrong people apart.

When Life Gives You Lululemons by Lauren Weisberger - Fiction/Humor

May 7, 2019

Welcome to Greenwich, Connecticut, where everyone has something to say about the infamous new neighbor. After leaving Miranda Priestly, Emily Charlton has been working in Hollywood as an image consultant to the stars, but recently, Emily has lost a few clients. She’s hopeless with social media. The new guard is nipping at her heels. She needs a big opportunity, and she needs it now. When Karolina Hartwell, a gorgeous former supermodel, is arrested for a DUI, her fall from grace is merciless. Her senator-husband leaves her, her Beltway friends disappear, and the tabloids pounce. In Karolina, Emily finds her comeback opportunity. But she quickly learns that Greenwich is a world apart and this comeback needs a team approach.

The Word Is Murder by Anthony Horowitz - Mystery

May 7, 2019

Diana Cowper, the wealthy mother of a famous actor, enters a funeral parlor to plan her own service. Six hours later she is found dead, strangled with a curtain cord in her own home. Enter disgraced police detective Daniel Hawthorne, a brilliant, eccentric investigator. Hawthorne needs a ghost writer to document his life and chooses Anthony Horowitz. Drawn in against his will, Horowitz soon finds himself at the center of a story he cannot control. Hawthorne is brusque, temperamental and annoying, but his latest case --- with its many twists and turns --- proves irresistible. The writer and the detective form an unusual partnership. At the same time, it soon becomes clear that Hawthorne is hiding some dark secrets of his own.