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On Friday, Carol interviewed three authors about their upcoming thrillers
(all of which will be Bets On picks) for our "Bookreporter Talks To" series,
and we will share these interviews as soon as their books release.
First up was Shari Lapena, whose new novel, SOMEONE WE KNOW, is available on July 30th.
Carol then talked to Linwood Barclay about ELEVATOR PITCH (on sale September 17th).
Finally, Carol had a wonderful chat with Gilly Macmillan about THE NANNY,
which releases on September 10th.
Carol read GIRLS LIKE US by Cristina Alger, which is now in stores and will be a Bets On pick.
She is now listening to Riley Sager's LOCK EVERY DOOR, read by Dylan Moore (one of this month's Sounding Off on Audio prize titles), and Richard Russo's CHANCES ARE..., read by Fred Sanders.
It’s Been a Thrilling Week
I hope everyone had a great 4th of July weekend. I made the flag pie that we shared the recipe for in the last newsletter on the 7th instead of the 4th; it was a really fun project. Cutting stars made of dough by hand is not easy…and it was somewhat amusing to make that happen. No two stars looked alike. I am not Betsy Ross.
I kicked it back a huge notch and did lots of reading. First up was SOMEONE WE KNOW by Shari Lapena (on sale July 30th), which is just terrific. I have been a fan of hers since THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR. This new book will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. A few weeks ago, I had a thought that if someone broke into a house, they would not need to take anything physically from the house; if they had access to computers, they could steal a lot. In SOMEONE WE KNOW, a teen is breaking into houses in his neighborhood. His mom learns about this and sends some anonymous notes to victims, and then someone in one of those houses is murdered. And from there, he could be a suspect. But as we delve deeper into this neighborhood, we learn that there are a lot of other suspects, and you really do not know what is going on in this neighborhood. Shari brilliantly writes domestic suspense. I interviewed her today, and we will have that interview for you in a few weeks.
Next, as I also was interviewing her this morning, I read THE NANNY by Gilly Macmillan. While Gilly is wildly popular and a bestselling author, this is the first of her books that I have read. It will be in stores on September 10th and will be a Bets On pick. We, too, had a lovely chat, and over the last few days, I feel like I made a new author friend in her. THE NANNY is set on an estate home called Lake Hall. Jo reluctantly has moved back there with her young daughter following the sudden death of her husband. Her mother, Virginia, wants to be called Lady Holt, and she stands fast on principles. Their world is rocked as Jo's nanny, Hannah, who had disappeared from their home 30 years ago, resurfaces, as does a skull on a beach near the house. Why is the nanny back? Whose skull is it? What readers get is a really well-plotted, character-driven thriller.
On Thursday afternoon, I spent a fun hour at Clue Chase in the city with Linwood Barclay and Gilly, where we and a few other members of the media worked clues to get ourselves out of a locked room. I confess that I possessed few skills to help release us. I was amused at how the rotary dial phone perplexed some of the younger members on the team. I shared some long-stored knowledge that area codes had been assigned with population density in mind; New York was 212 as that was easy to dial. Yes, I felt ancient, but hey, I had one skill. Linwood also stopped by for an interview, which we will share when ELEVATOR PITCH releases on September 17th. I was worried about riding an elevator with him after reading it. It's just terrific!
On Wednesday night, I went to Shakespeare & Co. on the Upper East Side, where Wendy Walker had organized a really fun event with five other authors --- Cristina Alger, Riley Sager, Kaira Rouda, and Lynne Constantine and Valerie Constantine, who write as Liv Constantine. To prep for the evening, I read Cristina Alger's GIRLS LIKE US, which will be a Bets On selection. It just hit stores last week and became an instant New York Times bestseller. We will have our review in two weeks. It’s set on the “other side of Suffolk County,” as in "not the Hamptons." A young FBI agent is in town for her dad’s funeral and is asked to assist in a case of a murdered woman that was left unsolved. What she uncovers is something far bigger. It is so very well done; I had enjoyed her book, THE BANKER’S WIFE, last year. It, too, had been a Bets On pick.
The car that I drive is old enough to still have a CD player in it. There, I am listening to LOCK EVERY DOOR by Riley Sager, which also is an instant New York Times bestseller. A young woman is offered an opportunity to live in a luxury apartment rent-free, which she thinks is a dream come true. And then she learns of all the rules that come with this job, and they seem a bit daunting. I am still at the beginning, but I feel trouble being set up. This is one of our two Sounding Off on Audio prizes this month; more on that later.
I floated in the pool listening to an advance reading copy of CHANCES ARE... by Richard Russo, which will be in stores on July 30th, via my Bluetooth headphones. It was a perfect way to enjoy the pool and an audiobook. In it, three men who were college friends in the '60s gather on Martha’s Vineyard. One is now a commercial real estate broker, another a small press publisher, and the third an aging musician. They are reminiscing about life, including the disappearance of a woman on this island back in 1971. What did happen to Jacy Rockafellow? So far, I have been introduced to all the characters, and the setup has been so well done. I felt like I was eavesdropping as I floated. I will listen more as I float and weed this weekend.
Our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight & Contest for NEVER HAVE I EVER kicked off this week. This latest novel by Joshilyn Jackson (an upcoming Bets On title) introduces readers to Amy Whey, whose satisfyingly ordinary life is majorly disrupted by the appearance of Angelica Roux on her doorstep. Roux tells Amy that if she doesn’t give her what she asks for, she’s going to make Amy pay for her sins. To protect herself and her family, and save the life she’s built, Amy must beat this she-devil at her own clever game, matching wits with Roux in an escalating war of hidden pasts and unearthed secrets.
NEVER HAVE I EVER doesn’t release until July 30th, but we’re giving 25 readers the opportunity to win a copy of the book and share their feedback on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, July 25th at noon ET. We will post our review of the book and interview with Joshilyn in the August 2nd newsletter, and my Bets On commentary will run the following week.
This week, we are reviewing three books that are Summer Reading prize titles and will be Bets On selections over the next couple of weeks.
WHISPER NETWORK, Chandler Baker’s first novel for adults, is this month’s Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club Pick and another instant New York Times bestseller. According to Reese, the book is "honest, timely and completely thrilling --- I was so surprised to find out who the murderer was!" I listened to the audio version a few weeks ago, and I agree with Reese’s assessment --- you really don’t know the whole story until the very end. Click here for the discussion guide on ReadingGroupGuides.com.
Karen Dukess’ debut, THE LAST BOOK PARTY, also has been getting plenty of buzz leading up to its release. This brisk summer read is set in the publishing world of 1980s New York and the timeless beaches of Cape Cod. As I said in a previous newsletter, it’s both a coming-of-age story and a fun, fictitious look into the world of publishing. We also have a discussion guide available for this book, which you can check out here.
New York Times bestselling author Beatriz Williams is back with another outstanding work of historical fiction. In THE GOLDEN HOUR, which is set during World War II, a beautiful young “society reporter” is sent to the Bahamas --- a haven of spies, traitors, and the infamous Duke and Duchess of Windsor. What a stunning cover this one has!
Other books we’re reviewing this week include THREE WOMEN, a riveting true story about the sex lives of three American women, based on nearly a decade of immersive reporting from Lisa Taddeo (you can see Lisa talking about THREE WOMEN and her research on "CBS This Morning" here); Adrian McKinty’s THE CHAIN, a page-turning thriller that has been getting huge buzz and has the frightening tagline “The only way to get your child back is to kidnap another child. You are now part of The Chain” (I am reading this one; what a premise!); and THE NEED by Helen Phillips, a subversive, speculative thriller about a mother who finds herself face-to-face with an intruder who knows far too much about her and her family.
In this week’s Summer Reading contests, we gave away HOW TO WALK AWAY by Katherine Center, INLAND by Téa Obreht, the aforementioned THE LAST BOOK PARTY by Karen Dukess, and UNDER CURRENTS by Nora Roberts (we’ll have our review of the latter in next week’s newsletter). Our prizes next week will be BODY LEAPING BACKWARDS: Memoir of a Delinquent Girlhood by Maureen Stanton, THE FAVORITE DAUGHTER by Patti Callahan Henry, IN THE FULL LIGHT OF THE SUN by Clare Clark, and WINDOW ON THE BAY by Debbie Macomber. The first contest of the week will go live on Monday, July 15th at noon ET. You can see me sharing these books in a video here.
For our latest poll, we've listed 20 titles releasing in July and we’re asking you which, if any, you’re planning to read. Click here to let us know. We eagerly take a look at these poll results to see what you are reading.
Our previous poll asked where you like to read books during the summer. Here are your top go-to places: In my house or apartment (83%), Wherever I am on my vacation (57%), On my patio (57%), At the beach (40%), In my backyard (35%), On an airplane (34%). Click here for all the results.
We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win Colson Whitehead’s highly anticipated new novel, THE NICKEL BOYS (we’ll have our review next week), and the aforementioned THE CHAIN by Adrian McKinty. Be sure to enter by Friday, July 26th at noon ET.
You have until Thursday, August 1st at noon ET to enter our Sounding Off on Audio contest, where we’re giving away the audio versions of the aforementioned LOCK EVERY DOOR by Riley Sager (read by Dylan Moore) and WINDOW ON THE BAY by Debbie Macomber (read by Tavia Gilbert, Erin Bennett and Karissa Vacker). Let us know what audiobooks you’ve listened to for your chance to win both these audio titles.
News & Pop Culture:
Reader Mail
Theresa wrote, “I just finished reading THE NIGHT BEFORE by Wendy Walker, one of the books I won in a recent Word of Mouth contest. As I mentioned in a previous email to you, I’m not a fan of thrillers. I entered the contest because I wanted to try out a new genre. Well, I wasn’t disappointed! THE NIGHT BEFORE kept me on the edge of my seat and kept me guessing all along the way. It also made me glad I’ve never had to experience online dating --- my eyes sure got opened on that score! But seriously, it was an engaging book on a number of levels, with unexpected twists and turns. I gobbled it up in two days. I just posted a review on Goodreads and would have submitted a Word of Mouth review if I hadn’t already read the two books you’re featuring this time around. I’m looking forward to reading THE NEVER GAME by Jeffery Deaver, the second book I won." I love everything about this email!
Patricia wrote about winning a copy of THE ISLANDERS by Meg Mitchell Moore in one of our Summer Reading contests: “Wow, thanks so much. I'm anxious to read it. Bookreporter is the best. I tell all my friends (even if they are not readers) about Bookreporter. Love all of your newsletters!” Thank you, Patricia. We really appreciate your sharing the site and newsletters with your friends.
I have had very little time for new television viewing this week, though I enjoyed episodes of "Younger" and "The Good Fight." I think "Big Little Lies" is good, but I am not sure I can see a path to season three right now.
Paul Simon and Alice Quinn: They both were honored with the Poetry Society of America Prize. Paul Simon’s comments were amusing.
Roundup of Summer Movies Based on Books: With thanks to the “Off the Shelf” newsletter, we share this roundup of some of the big summer movies based on books. There are some great Books to Movies on the horizon.
I made a fabulous Watermelon Gazpacho this week from Yotam Ottolenghi, who longtime readers will know is one of my favorite chefs. Just before going to bed, I went to put a huge Tupperware container with the soup in it into the refrigerator, or I tried to. It slipped off the shelf, the lid flipped off, and soup was splashed everywhere. It literally looked like a crime scene. I used most of a roll of paper towels mopping it up, and was able to salvage about half of the batch. There's nothing like drama just as you are trying to settle down for the evening. It tastes great, though, and I will make it again!
After a REALLY crazy week of ThrillerFest events, I have a very quiet weekend on tap. Tom is playing in a golf tournament both weekend mornings. I am planning yoga, reading and sleep, the latter of which I did not get enough of this week. Blueberries are abundant, so I may make cornbread with them, or this recipe for blueberry muffins from Ina Garten. I also picked up some rhubarb, and I will either make the same crisp that I have been making or give something new a whirl with rhubarb. I love enjoying fruits and veggies when they are in their prime.
Greg is in town plotting a trip for next weekend. Cory is at his new apartment; we were invited over this week to see his new couch and table/chairs. I love seeing how happy he is with this move. For humor, his girlfriend Sam’s hedgehog is still at our house. Sam’s apartment for her co-op job is not big enough for his cage and equipment. The way I see it, if we have Quentin, they will come visit. And Quentin is very low maintenance. I never need to tell him to make his bed, and he leaves no wet towels on the floor.
Read on, and have a great week.
Carol Fitzgerald (Carol@bookreporter.com)
P.S. For those of you who are doing online shopping, if you use the store links below, Bookreporter.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases. We would appreciate your considering this!
Featured Review: THREE WOMEN by Lisa Taddeo
THREE WOMEN by Lisa Taddeo (Biography)
Audiobook available; read by Tara Lynne Barr, Marin Ireland, Mena Suvari and Lisa Taddeo
It thrills us and torments us. It controls our thoughts, destroys our lives, and it’s all we live for. Yet we almost never speak of it. And as a buried force in our lives, desire remains largely unexplored --- until now. Over the past eight years, journalist Lisa Taddeo has driven across the country six times to embed herself with ordinary women from different regions and backgrounds. The result, THREE WOMEN, is a groundbreaking portrait of erotic longing in today’s America, exposing the fragility, complexity and inequality of female desire with unprecedented depth and emotional power. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: WHISPER NETWORK by Chandler Baker
A Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club Pick
and an Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
WHISPER NETWORK by Chandler Baker (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Almarie Guerra
Sloane, Ardie, Grace and Rosalita have worked at Truviv, Inc. for years. The sudden death of Truviv’s CEO means that their boss, Ames, will likely take over the entire company. Each of the women has a different relationship with Ames, who has always been surrounded by whispers about how he treats women. Those whispers have been ignored, but the world has changed, and the women are watching this promotion differently. This time, when they find out that Ames is making an inappropriate move on a colleague, they aren’t willing to let it go. Sloane and her colleagues’ decision to take a stand sets in motion a catastrophic shift in the office. Lies will be uncovered. Secrets will be exposed. And not everyone will survive. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to see why Reese Witherspoon selected the book as her July book club pick.
Click here to read the review.
WHISPER NETWORK will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's commentary in next week's newsletter.
Featured Review: THE GOLDEN HOUR by Beatriz Williams An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
THE GOLDEN HOUR by Beatriz Williams (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Cassandra Campbell and Saskia Maarleveld
Newly widowed Leonora “Lulu” Randolph arrives in the Bahamas to investigate the Governor and his wife for a New York society magazine. After all, American readers have an insatiable appetite for news of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, that glamorous couple whose love affair nearly brought the British monarchy to its knees five years earlier. What more intriguing backdrop for their romance than a wartime Caribbean paradise, a colonial playground for kingpins of ill-gotten empires? But as she infiltrates the Duke and Duchess’s social circle, and the powerful cabal that controls the islands’ political and financial affairs, Lulu uncovers evidence that beneath the glister of Wallis and Edward’s marriage lies an ugly --- and even treasonous --- reality. Reviewed by Bronwyn Miller.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read the review.
THE GOLDEN HOUR will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's commentary in a future newsletter.
New Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight & Contest:
NEVER HAVE I EVER by Joshilyn Jackson
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
We have 25 copies of NEVER HAVE I EVER by Joshilyn Jackson --- a diabolically entertaining tale of betrayal, deception, temptation and love filled with dark twists --- to give away to those who would like to read the book, which releases on July 30th, and share their comments on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, July 25th at noon ET.
NEVER HAVE I EVER by Joshilyn Jackson (Thriller)
Amy Whey is proud of her ordinary life and the simple pleasures that come with it --- teaching diving lessons, baking cookies for new neighbors, helping her best friend, Charlotte, run their local book club. Her greatest joy is her family: her devoted professor husband, her spirited 15-year-old stepdaughter, her adorable infant son. And, of course, the steadfast and supportive Charlotte. But Amy’s sweet, uncomplicated life begins to unravel when the mysterious and alluring Angelica Roux arrives on her doorstep one book club night.
Sultry and magnetic, Roux beguiles the group with her feral charm. She keeps the wine flowing and lures them into a game of spilling secrets. Everyone thinks it’s naughty, harmless fun. Only Amy knows better. Something wicked has come her way --- a she-devil in a pricey red sports car who seems to know the terrible truth about who she is and what she once did.
When they’re alone, Roux tells her that if she doesn’t give her what she asks for, what she deserves, she’s going to make Amy pay for her sins. One way or another.
To protect herself and her family, and save the life she’s built, Amy must beat the devil at her own clever game, matching wits with Roux in an escalating war of hidden pasts and unearthed secrets. Amy knows the consequences if she can’t beat Roux. What terrifies her is everything she could lose if she wins.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read Joshilyn Jackson's bio.
- Click here to visit Joshilyn Jackson's website.
- Connect with Joshilyn Jackson on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click here to read more in our Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight
and enter the contest.
Featured Review:
THE LAST BOOK PARTY by Karen Dukess
An Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
THE LAST BOOK PARTY by Karen Dukess (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Jesse Vilinsky
In the summer of 1987, 25-year-old Eve Rosen is an aspiring writer languishing in a low-level assistant job. With her professional ambitions floundering, Eve jumps at the chance to attend an early summer gathering at the Cape Cod home of famed New Yorker writer Henry Grey and his poet wife, Tillie. Dazzled by the guests and her burgeoning crush on the hosts’ artistic son, Eve lands a new job as Henry Grey’s research assistant and an invitation to Henry and Tillie’s exclusive and famed "Book Party" --- where attendees dress as literary characters. But by the night of the party, Eve discovers uncomfortable truths about her summer entanglements and understands that the literary world she so desperately wanted to be a part of is not at all what it seems. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
Click here to read the review.
THE LAST BOOK PARTY will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's commentary in next week's newsletter.
Featured Review: THE CHAIN by Adrian McKinty
THE CHAIN by Adrian McKinty (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by January LaVoy
Your phone rings. A stranger has kidnapped your child. To free them, you must abduct someone else’s child. Your child will be released when your victim’s parents kidnap another child. If any of these things don’t happen, your child will be killed. You are now part of The Chain. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: THE NEED by Helen Phillips
THE NEED by Helen Phillips (Speculative Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Alexandra Allwine
When Molly, home alone with her two young children, hears footsteps in the living room, she tries to convince herself it’s the sleep deprivation. But then the footsteps come again, and she catches a glimpse of movement. Suddenly she finds herself face-to-face with an intruder who knows far too much about her and her family. As she attempts to protect those she loves most, Molly must also acknowledge her own frailty. She slips down an existential rabbit hole where she must confront the dualities of motherhood --- the ecstasy and the dread; the languor and the ferocity; the banality and the transcendence --- as the book hurtles toward a mind-bending conclusion. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Bookreporter.com's Summer Reading
Contests and Feature
Summer is here! At Bookreporter.com, this means it's time for us to share some great summer book picks with our Summer Reading Contests and Feature. We are hosting a series of 24-hour contests for these titles on select days through August 23rd, so you will have to check the site each day to see the featured prize book and enter to win. We also are sending a special newsletter to announce the day's title, which you can sign up for here.
Our next prize book will be announced on Monday, July 15th at noon ET.
This year’s prize books include:
Click here to read all the contest details.
See the prize books that were awarded in May and June,
and that will be awarded in July and August.
Bookreporter.com’s Latest Blog Post:
“Not Enough Time is a Myth” by Carter Wilson,
Author of THE DEAD GIRL IN 2A
USA Today and #1 Denver Post bestselling author Carter Wilson has written five critically acclaimed, stand-alone psychological thrillers. His sixth and latest novel, THE DEAD GIRL IN 2A, is intensely creepy and full of his signature whom-can-you-trust paranoia. In this very uplifting and inspiring piece, Carter draws on personal experience as he encourages us to define our lives, not through time, but through the things that make us happy rather than the things that we feel like we have to do. He has a simple formula for this: PASSION + COMMITMENT = HAPPINESS.
THE DEAD GIRL IN 2A by Carter Wilson (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Michael Braun, Jennifer O'Donnell and Jonathan Todd Ross
Jack Buchanan knows the woman sitting next to him on his business flight to Denver --- he just can't figure out how he knows her. He and Clara Stowe have nearly nothing in common apart from a deep and shared certainty that they've met before. As their airplane conversation deepens, both struggle to figure out what circumstances could have possibly brought them together. Then, Clara admits that she's traveling to the Colorado mountains to kill herself, and she disappears into the crowded airport immediately after landing. THE DEAD GIRL IN 2A is the story of what happens to Jake and Clara after they get off that plane, and the manipulative figure who has brought them together decades after they first met.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read Carter Wilson's blog post.
THE GIFTED SCHOOL by Bruce Holsinger (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by January LaVoy
Set in the fictional town of Crystal, Colorado, THE GIFTED SCHOOL observes the drama within a community of friends and parents as good intentions and high ambitions collide in a pile-up with long-held secrets and lies. Seen through the lens of four families who've been a part of one another's lives since their kids were born over a decade ago, the story reveals not only the lengths that some adults are willing to go to get ahead, but the effect on the group's children, sibling relationships, marriages and careers, as simmering resentments come to a boil and long-buried, explosive secrets surface and detonate. Reviewed by Jane Krebs.
THE SHAMELESS: A Quinn Colson Novel by Ace Atkins (Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by MacLeod Andrews, with Erin Spencer, Romy Nordlinger, Brittany Goodwin, Joy Nash, Emily Rankin and Frankie Corzo
Twenty years ago, Brandon Taylor was thought to be just another teen boy who ended his life too soon. That's what almost everyone in Tibbehah County, Mississippi, said after his body and hunting rifle were found in the Big Woods. Now two New York-based reporters show up asking Sheriff Quinn Colson questions about the Taylor case. What happened to the evidence? Where are the missing files? Who really killed Brandon? But Quinn is trying to shut down the criminal syndicate that's had a stranglehold on Tibbehah for years, trafficking drugs, stolen goods and young women through the MidSouth. Quinn has been fighting evil and corruption since he was a kid, at home or as a U.S. Army Ranger in Afghanistan and Iraq. This time, evil may win out. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE BOOKISH LIFE OF NINA HILL by Abbi Waxman (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Emily Rankin
The only child of a single mother, Nina Hill has her life just as she wants it: a job in a bookstore, a kick-butt trivia team, a world-class planner and a cat named Phil. If she sometimes suspects there might be more to life than reading, she just shrugs and picks up a new book. When the father Nina never knew existed suddenly dies, leaving behind innumerable sisters, brothers, nieces and nephews, Nina is horrified. They all live close by! It's time for Nina to come out of her comfortable shell, but she isn't convinced real life could ever live up to fiction. It's going to take a brand-new family, a persistent suitor, and the combined effects of ice cream and trivia to make her turn her own fresh page. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
WANDERERS by Chuck Wendig (Apocalyptic Thriller/Science Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Dominic Hoffman and Xe Sands
Shana wakes up one morning to discover her little sister in the grip of a strange malady. She appears to be sleepwalking and is heading with inexorable determination to a destination that only she knows. Soon Shana and her sister are joined by a flock of sleepwalkers from across America. Like Shana, there are other “shepherds” who follow the flock to protect their friends and family on the long dark road ahead. For as the sleepwalking phenomenon awakens terror and violence in America, the real danger may not be the epidemic but the fear of it. With society collapsing all around them --- and an ultraviolent militia threatening to exterminate them --- the fate of the sleepwalkers depends on unraveling the mystery behind the epidemic. Reviewed by Maya Gittelman.
MAGGIE BROWN & OTHERS: Stories by Peter Orner (Fiction/Short Stories)
In MAGGIE BROWN & OTHERS, Peter Orner chronicles people whose lives are at inflection points. Whether it's a first date that turns into a late-night road trip to a séance in an abandoned airplane hangar, or a family's memories of the painful mystery surrounding a forgotten uncle's demise, Orner reveals how our fleeting decisions between kindness and abandonment chase us across time. These stories are anchored by a poignant novella that delivers not only the joys and travails of a 40-year marriage, but an entire era in a working-class New England city. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
THE SUMMER COUNTRY by Lauren Willig (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Nicola Barber
When her grandfather dies, Emily Dawson --- the poor cousin in a prosperous English merchant clan --- receives an unexpected inheritance: Peverills, a sugar plantation in Barbados that her grandfather never told anyone he owned. When Emily accompanies her cousin and his new wife to Barbados, she finds Peverills a burnt-out shell, reduced to ruins in 1816, when a rising of enslaved people sent the island up in flames. Why would her practical-minded grandfather leave her a property in ruins? Why are the neighboring plantation owners, the Davenants, so eager to acquire Peverills? The answer lies in the past --- a tangled history of lies, greed, clandestine love, heartbreaking betrayal and a bold bid for freedom. Reviewed by Leah DeCesare (www.leahdecesare.com).
IF: The Untold Story of Kipling's American Years by Christopher Benfey (Biography)
Audiobook available, read by Joshua Kane
At the turn of the 20th century, Rudyard Kipling towered over not just English literature, but the entire literary world. At the height of his fame in 1907, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, becoming its youngest winner. His influence on figures --- including the likes of Freud and William James --- was vast and profound. But in recent decades, Kipling’s reputation has suffered a strange eclipse. Though his body of work still looms large, and his monumental poem “If—” is quoted and referenced by politicians, athletes and professors, he himself is treated with profound unease as a man on the wrong side of history. In IF, scholar Christopher Benfey brings this fascinating writer to life and gives full attention to his intense engagement with the United States. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
ONE LITTLE SECRET by Cate Holahan (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Hillary Huber
The glass beach house was supposed to be the getaway that Susan needed. Eager to help her transplanted family set down roots in their new town --- and desperate for some kid-free conversation --- she invites her new neighbors to join in on a week-long sublet with her and her workaholic husband. But someone says too much. And the next morning, one of the women is discovered dead on the private beach. Town detective Gabby Watkins must figure out who permanently silenced the deceased. As she investigates, she learns that everyone in the glass house was hiding something that could tie them to the murder, and that the biggest secrets of all are often in plain sight for anyone willing to look. Reviewed by Megan Elliott.
STONE COLD HEART by Caz Frear (Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Jane Collingwood
A young Australian woman turns up dead after a party thrown by her new boss. The initial investigation of Naomi Lockhart's murder points to Joseph Madden, the owner of a coffee shop. Madden insists he’s innocent, that he was home with his wife Rachel at the time of the murder. When police question her, Rachel contradicts his alibi, swearing that she was home alone. Detective Constable Cat Kinsella knows that one of them is lying --- but the question of which one, and why, is far more complicated than she could have expected. As she tries to balance the demands of the investigation with a budding romance and unresolved family drama, Cat has to decide how far she’ll go to keep her own past mistakes buried. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on July 15th and 16th
Below are some notable titles releasing on July 15th and 16th that we would like to make you aware of. We will have more on many of these books in the weeks to come. For a list of additional hardcovers and paperbacks available the week of July 15th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
July 15th
SOPHIA, PRINCESS AMONG BEASTS by James Patterson with Emily Raymond (Fantasy/Adventure)
A princess who has lost her mother and father finds herself in a terrifying world that urgently needs a queen.
July 16th
BARK OF NIGHT: An Andy Carpenter Mystery by David Rosenfelt (Mystery)
BARK OF NIGHT is the latest novel in David Rosenfelt’s witty, heartfelt mystery series featuring lawyer Andy Carpenter and his faithful golden retriever, Tara.
THE NEW GIRL by Daniel Silva (Thriller/Adventure)
Filled with dark humor and breathtaking twists of plot, THE NEW GIRL is both a thrilling, page-turning tale of entertainment and a sophisticated study of political alliances and great-power rivalries in a dangerous world.
THE NICKEL BOYS by Colson Whitehead (Historical Fiction)
In this bravura follow-up to THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD, Colson Whitehead brilliantly dramatizes another strand of American history through the story of two boys sentenced to a hellish reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida.
RAISED IN CAPTIVITY: Fictional Nonfiction by Chuck Klosterman (Fiction/Short Stories)
Funny, wise and weird in equal measure, RAISED IN CAPTIVITY bids fair to be one of the most original and exciting story collections in recent memory, a fever graph of our deepest unvoiced hopes, fears and preoccupations.
RED METAL by Mark Greaney and LtCol H. Ripley Rawlings IV, USMC (Thriller/Adventure)
From the New York Times bestselling author of the Gray Man series comes a startlingly realistic novel of World War III.
THE SECOND-WORST RESTAURANT IN FRANCE by Alexander McCall Smith (Fiction/Humor)
In this delightful sequel to the bestselling comedic novel MY ITALIAN BULLDOZER, Paul Stuart's travels take him to a French village, where the local restaurant's haute cuisine leaves a lot to be desired.
SHAMED by Linda Castillo (Mystery/Thriller)
In this gripping thriller from New York Times bestselling author Linda Castillo, a devastating murder exposes an Amish family’s tortured past.
WINDOW ON THE BAY by Debbie Macomber (Romance)
When a single mom becomes an empty nester, she spreads her wings to rediscover herself --- and her passions --- in this heartwarming novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber.
Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.
Our Latest Poll: July Releases to Anticipate
Which of the following titles releasing in July are you planning to read? Please check all that apply.
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THE CHAIN by Adrian McKinty
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CHANCES ARE... by Richard Russo
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THE CHELSEA GIRLS by Fiona Davis
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CHIMES OF A LOST CATHEDRAL by Janet Fitch
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THE GOLDEN HOUR by Beatriz Williams
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KNIFE: A Harry Hole Novel, by Jo Nesbø
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LADY IN THE LAKE by Laura Lippman
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THE LAST BOOK PARTY by Karen Dukess
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LOCK EVERY DOOR by Riley Sager
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NEVER HAVE I EVER by Joshilyn Jackson
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THE NEW GIRL by Daniel Silva
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THE NICKEL BOYS by Colson Whitehead
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ONE GOOD DEED by David Baldacci
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THE SECOND-WORST RESTAURANT IN FRANCE by Alexander McCall Smith
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SMOKESCREEN by Iris Johansen
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SOMEONE WE KNOW by Shari Lapena
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THREE WOMEN by Lisa Taddeo
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UNDER CURRENTS by Nora Roberts
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WHISPER NETWORK by Chandler Baker
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WINDOW ON THE BAY by Debbie Macomber
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None of the above
Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, July 26th at noon ET.
Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What
You're Reading --- and You Can Win Two Books!
Tell us about the books you’ve finished reading with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from July 11th to July 26th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE CHAIN by Adrian McKinty and THE NICKEL BOYS by Colson Whitehead.
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 rules and guidelines, click here.
- To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.
Sounding Off on Audio Contest: Tell Us What
You're Listening to --- and You Can Win Two Audiobooks!
Tell us about the audiobooks you’ve finished listening to with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars for both the performance and the content. During the contest period from July 1st to August 1st at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Riley Sager's LOCK EVERY DOOR, read by Dylan Moore, and Debbie Macomber's WINDOW ON THE BAY, read by Tavia Gilbert, Erin Bennett and Karissa Vacker.
To make sure other readers will be able to find the audiobook, 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.
- To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.
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