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Latest Update on Our GoFundMe Campaign
to Expand The Book Report Network
Thank you to those of you who already have donated to our GoFundMe campaign. So far we have raised over $23,000 (46%) of our $50,000 goal, with online donations and checks!
Here are a few of the comments that were shared with donations in the last couple of days; the comments, too, mean so much to us:
Jan: "I donated because I have read and thoroughly enjoyed all book talk since the AOL days. I have had the pleasure of reading so many books I never would have looked at. Thank you for all you and your staff do."
Janet: "I look forward to the newsletter. It helps me so much with picking good reads. Thank you!"
Marilyn: "I love reading about the books that are posted and enjoy Carol's family comments as well."
Mary: "I look forward to the newsletter every week and have been getting it for many years. The book suggestions are always great, and I've enjoyed the addition of the TV and movie tips."
And we are happy to share our latest donation from an author:
Sarah McCoy: "Honored to support an excellent book program and genuine friends."
If you have not donated yet, may we ask that you consider it? Any level of donation that you would be comfortable with is sincerely appreciated; $5 and $10 donations add up! You can read more about our plans and donate here. If you would rather donate via check, our address is:
The Book Report, Inc.
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Thank you again for your consideration and your donation.
Carol finished reading THE GOWN by Jennifer Robson, and it will be a Bets On pick next week.
She is currently reading THE END OF LONELINESS by Benedict Wells,
our latest New Release Spotlight title.
Carol's Casbah 5ply shawl
We had a big birthday in our office this week. Our brilliant Editorial Director, Tom Donadio, turned 40! He has been with us since he was 23, and to me he is ageless. If you, like all of us at TBRN, would like to wish him a great milestone birthday, drop him a note. We celebrated with pizza and Entenmann’s cake, two of Tom's favorites. He pays attention to EVERY detail of EVERY site --- and he does it with total grace and calm. He is a real treasure.
Amusing story. On Tuesday, the weather was predicted to be snow and sleet, so I told the Bookreporter staff to use their judgment and work home if the conditions were bad. Greg and I worked home, and I was talking to the staff via Gchat all day and exchanging emails with them, just like when we are in the office. At one point, I thought to ask if anyone was in the office! No one was; we all were moving at the same pace as always, so I had no idea we all were far-flung. I love technology that allows us to do this. If any tri-state NYC small- to medium-sized company needs a terrific tech company, I recommend our team at RCS Professional.
Not having to commute, I read 150 pages of THE GOWN: A Novel of the Royal Wedding by Jennifer Robson before I sat down at my desk on Tuesday morning and finished it yesterday morning. I really loved it, and it will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection next week. It’s a story written against the backdrop of the creation of Queen Elizabeth’s wedding gown. I loved the period details, as well as the three-character storyline. I especially like these books employing multiple characters when each character is well-drawn and strong. I am going to be interviewing Jennifer in Tucson in two weeks, which I am looking forward to. I have two more books to finish so I can write my interview questions. I am interviewing nine authors on three panels and have notes everywhere.
I also am working on my slide presentation for Sunday, February 24th at the Bernardsville Public Library. For this, too, I have a lineup that I am tweaking and massaging. For these events, I like to strike the right balance for the audience. Since this is a new group, I am finessing this even more than usual. I also want to be sure I am sharing enough peeks into future titles, as well as talking about ones that already have published! I will be going through my shelves here this weekend to be sure I am not missing anything.
I now am reading THE END OF LONELINESS by Benedict Wells, which we featured last week as a New Release Spotlight title and is translated from the German by Charlotte Collins. It's beautifully written. On ReadingGroupGuides.com, we are sharing a blog post written by Tracy Marks, who for seven years has belonged to the "Reading Books by International Writers" book club, where she and her fellow members "discuss books from authors outside the U.S., more than half written in a foreign language and translated into English." However, many of their selections are by "authors from other cultures writing about their country, but in the English language." In her piece, Tracy explains why she loves reading books from other countries and includes some of her favorite titles that the group has read and discussed.
I often feel that I hear about --- and read --- books way in advance and then forget that they are coming out. Or something completely slips by my radar, and I am playing catch-up. For our latest poll, we want to know how far in advance of a book’s publication you want to hear about it to influence your buying or borrowing it. We’re also curious to see how you respond when the book is written by a favorite author of yours, thus we’re asking two questions. Click here to cast your votes.
Our previous poll asked if you pre-order books online or at bookstores, or reserve books at libraries. 61% of you reserve books from the library all the time, 12% pre-order books online all the time, and only 1% pre-order books from their local bookstore all the time. Click here for the complete breakdown.
For those with a local indie bookseller, would you be interested in their hosting a preview night where you could learn from the staff about current and upcoming books? I think this would make for a really nice event. If you have a bookstore that does this, or if this is something you would like to see, drop me a note with the subject line “Indie Pre-Pub Night” and tell me what you think would make a night like this fun.
Now to this week’s update…
Our Debut Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight of BEAUTIFUL BAD by Annie Ward kicks off this week. Maddie and Ian are living the perfect suburban life in Middle America with their beautiful son, Charlie. But when a camping accident leaves Maddie badly scarred, she begins attending writing therapy, where she gradually reveals her fears about Ian's PTSD; her concerns for the safety of their young son; and the couple’s tangled and tumultuous past with Maddie’s best friend, Jo. It all culminates in The Day of the Killing, when a frantic 911 call summons the police to the scene of a shocking crime.
We’re giving 25 readers the chance to win a copy of BEAUTIFUL BAD, which releases on March 5th, and give us their feedback on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, February 28th at noon ET.
We have 15 reviews to share with you this week. Among them are CONNECTIONS IN DEATH, book #48 in J. D. Robb's In Death series featuring homicide cop Eve Dallas, who fights to save the innocent --- and serve justice to the guilty --- on the streets of New York; THE WEDDING GUEST by Jonathan Kellerman, which finds psychologist Alex Delaware and detective Milo Sturgis unraveling a shocking crime at a raucous wedding reception; THE LOST MAN, a new stand-alone novel from Jane Harper about two brothers who meet in the remote Australian outback when the third brother is found dead; and SEPARATE, in which Steve Luxenberg draws from letters, diaries and archival collections to tell the story of Plessy v. Ferguson through the eyes of the people caught up in the case.
My three latest Bets On picks are THE SILENT PATIENT by Alex Michaelides, THE AGE OF LIGHT by Whitney Scharer, and THE GIRLS AT 17 SWANN STREET by Yara Zgheib, all of which we featured in last week’s newsletter. Click on each of the titles for my commentaries.
Our Winter Reading contests wrapped up this week with our final four giveaways: CHEROKEE AMERICA by Margaret Verble, THE HUNTRESS by Kate Quinn, IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE by Jesse Blackadder, and SAVE ME THE PLUMS: My Gourmet Memoir by Ruth Reichl. Congratulations to the winners of our 15 contests, and many thanks to all who entered!
Our next series of 24-hour giveaways will be our Spring Preview contests, which kick off the week of March 11th. If you would like to receive a special newsletter announcing each day’s Spring Preview title, all you have to do is sign up here.
Congratulations to the five winners of this year’s Valentine’s Day contest! They received all seven of our love-themed books, along with some delicious chocolate. Those who entered had the option of responding to the question “Who is your all-time literary crush?” You can see your top 10 “Literary Loves and Lusts” here.
Special thanks to Nicole Sherman on our team who coordinated everything for these contests --- and got the Valentine's Day prizes out this week. She never misses a beat!
We have a new Word of Mouth contest to tell you about. Let us know by Friday, March 1st at noon ET what books you’ve read, and you’ll be in the running to win THE BORDER by Don Winslow and NEVER TELL by Lisa Gardner.
You also have until March 1st to enter this month’s Sounding Off on Audio contest, where you can win the audio versions of Sophie Kinsella’s I OWE YOU ONE (read by Fiona Hardingham) and Fiona Barton’s THE SUSPECT (read by Susan Duerden, Fiona Hardingham, Nicholas Guy Smith and Katharine McEwan). Submit your comments about the audiobooks you’ve listened to, and you may be awarded both these audio titles.
News & Pop Culture
Reader Mail:
Teresa wrote, “THE SILENT PATIENT, THE HUNTRESS and CONNECTIONS IN DEATH (although I always read Nora Roberts' J. D. Robb books), and I've already read THE LAST ROMANTICS! Of course, there are more you've mentioned in the past week or so, but these really stand out as MUST READS! I love your newsletter; it's my fave, and I read it every day...or night when I usually receive it! Keep doing a wonderful job, Carol! I love it and trust your judgment on picking my next books!”
Jani wrote, “Even though I knew she stopped writing many years ago, and that she was in her 90s, it broke my heart to hear about Rosamunde Pilcher's death. I think I own all of her books, and each Christmas I read WINTER SOLSTICE. This year I finished reading it in Scotland, the setting of the book, while in Edinburgh for Hogmanay. It was extra special.
Loretta wrote this about coloring: "I colored for a while; some books had great pics (the Streets of Paris, Chinese Fans) but were not great for actual coloring. It was too involved, or there was no distinction as to where things started or ended. Then I went back to reading all the time; I did it for stress relief. Now I can't find anything I want to read. I start, and then a few chapters in, it's either too violent, or nothing new or interesting is happening. I may go back to coloring with fine tip markers instead of pencils.” I need to think about what to recommend to you, Loretta.
Beth wrote, “No, I don't color anymore, but I have a funny (I think now) story. My youngest sister is 10 years younger than I am. When I was a senior in high school, she was seven. She always had coloring books and loved to color. One of my boyfriends that year used to come over to my house to see me (I thought). But right away, he would tell my seven-year-old sister to get her coloring book, and the two of them would sit on our family room floor and color the entire time he was there. I thought it was cute the first few times. Eventually, though, I got mad at him for not wanting to be with me. Honestly, he really did like to color, and I used to tell him it was very weird that a 17-year-old preferred coloring to me. He did, though." That gave me a laugh.
The Grammys: I confess I knew little of most of the music, but I was wildly impressed with Alicia Keys as a host. She had grace, charm, spunk, and felt natural and unscripted. I will watch anything that she hosts. And the moment when she played two pianos was pretty cool too.
"Victoria": We caught up on season three this week. I like the storyline, but confess that some of the accents do not work for me and I cannot understand what the actors are saying.
"Billions": I got access via my press account to the first four episodes of season four, which is kicking off on March 17th. Looking forward to checking those out this weekend!
"Won’t You Be My Neighbor?": I started to watch this documentary about Fred Rogers the other night and look forward to finishing it.
If any of you are attending the Savannah Book Festival this weekend and would like to write a report for us, please let me know. We always love hearing about your experiences at events like these, and our usual stellar reporter is not going to be there this year due to a family obligation.
I finished the Casbah 5ply shawl this week, which was really fun to make (you can see it above). Thanks to Deb, one of our longtime readers, who bought me the yarn/pattern on her Alaskan vacation. I just love it!
Tom and I both had busy days with work yesterday, so we are opting to celebrate Valentine’s Day tonight. Tomorrow we are celebrating his mother’s 91st birthday at the house with his sister, and her husband and daughter. I am looking forward to this! Both boys and Sam are around this weekend to celebrate. And in other big family news, Cory shopped for, negotiated and bought his own next car last weekend with zero help from us. I love it!
The office is closed for Presidents' Day on Monday, which will give me more reading and prep time for interviews and presentations; there is a lot on tap these next couple of weeks. I still have not managed to make a fire in the fireplace this year. Again, I am making this a weekend goal!
Read on, and have a great week.
Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])
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: CONNECTIONS IN DEATH by J. D. Robb
CONNECTIONS IN DEATH by J. D. Robb (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Susan Ericksen
Homicide cop Eve Dallas and her billionaire husband, Roarke, are building a brand-new school and youth shelter. For expert help, they hire child psychologist Dr. Rochelle Pickering --- whose own brother pulled himself out of a spiral of addiction and crime with Rochelle’s support. Lyle is living with Rochelle while he gets his life together, and he’s thrilled to hear about his sister’s new job offer. But within hours, triumph is followed by tragedy. Returning from a celebratory dinner with her boyfriend, she finds Lyle dead with a syringe in his lap, and Eve’s investigation confirms that this wasn’t just another OD. Reviewed by Jennifer McCord.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: THE WEDDING GUEST
by Jonathan Kellerman
THE WEDDING GUEST: An Alex Delaware Novel by Jonathan Kellerman (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by John Rubinstein
Summoned to a run-down former strip joint, Dr. Alex Delaware and LAPD Lieutenant Milo Sturgis find themselves crashing a wild "Saints and Sinners"–themed wedding reception. But they’re not the only uninvited guests. A horrified bridesmaid has discovered the body of a young woman, dressed to impress in pricey haute couture and accessorized with a grisly red slash around her neck. What’s missing is any means of identification, or a single partygoer who recognizes the victim. The baffled bride is convinced the stranger snuck in to sabotage her big day --- and the groom is sure it’s all a dreadful mistake. But Delaware and Sturgis have a hundred guests to question, and a sneaking suspicion that the motive for murder is personal. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: THE LOST MAN by Jane Harper
THE LOST MAN by Jane Harper (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Stephen Shanahan
Brothers Nathan and Bub Bright meet for the first time in months at the remote fence line separating their cattle ranches in the lonely outback. Their third brother, Cameron, lies dead at their feet. In an isolated belt of Australia, their homes a three-hour drive apart, the brothers were one another's nearest neighbors. Cameron was the middle child, the one who ran the family homestead. But something made him head out alone under the unrelenting sun. Nathan, Bub and Nathan’s son return to Cameron’s ranch and to those left behind by his passing. While they grieve Cameron’s loss, suspicion starts to take hold, and Nathan is forced to examine secrets the family would rather leave in the past. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read the review.
New Debut Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight & Contest: BEAUTIFUL BAD by Annie Ward
We have 25 copies of BEAUTIFUL BAD by Annie Ward --- a page-turning thriller about a devoted wife, a loving husband and a chilling murder that no one saw coming --- to give away to those who would like to read the book, which releases on March 5th, and share their comments on it. To enter, please fill out this form by Thursday, February 28th at noon ET.
BEAUTIFUL BAD by Annie Ward (Psychological Thriller)
Maddie and Ian's love story began with a chance encounter at a party overseas; he was serving in the British army, and she was a travel writer visiting her best friend, Jo. Now almost two decades later, married with a beautiful son, Charlie, they are living the perfect suburban life in Middle America. But when a camping accident leaves Maddie badly scarred, she begins attending writing therapy, where she gradually reveals her fears about Ian's PTSD; her concerns for the safety of their young son; and the couple’s tangled and tumultuous past with Jo.
From the Balkans to England, Iraq to Manhattan, and finally to an ordinary family home in Kansas, 16 years of love and fear, adventure and suspicion culminate in The Day of the Killing, when a frantic 911 call summons the police to the scene of a shocking crime.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to visit the book's website.
- Click here to read Annie Ward's bio.
- Connect with Annie Ward on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Click here to read more in our Debut Suspense/Thriller Author Spotlight
and enter the contest.
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
THE SILENT PATIENT, THE AGE OF LIGHT
and THE GIRLS AT 17 SWANN STREET
THE SILENT PATIENT by Alex Michaelides (Psychological Thriller)
I have been looking forward to sharing my thoughts on THE SILENT PATIENT by Alex Michaelides. When I read an early copy over the summer, I found it to be a completely compelling and propulsive read. Alicia Berenson, an artist, has been convicted of brutally killing her husband, a well-renowned fashion photographer, by shooting him five times in the face. She is now living at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London. After the night of the shooting, she has not spoken a word. Why Alicia is not talking is perplexing. What is she hiding?
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on THE SILENT PATIENT.
THE AGE OF LIGHT by Whitney Scharer (Historical Fiction)
THE AGE OF LIGHT by Whitney Scharer intrigued me as it is a novel about Lee Miller, a well-known Vogue model who became a renowned photographer and journalist. I had spent my earlier career at Conde Nast, so anything that is magazine- or art-related always catches my eye. There are some wonderful references to Conde Nast throughout the book, as well as the excitement that was generated by the heady days of the magazine world at that time.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on THE AGE OF LIGHT.
THE GIRLS AT 17 SWANN STREET by Yara Zgheib (Fiction)
THE GIRLS AT 17 SWANN STREET by Yara Zgheib is a completely captivating and heartbreaking novel about a young woman with anorexia and the other women who live in the treatment facility where she is recovering. What grabbed me about this book is the voice. It’s crystal clear and sharp. That and the pacing made it so compelling. I have read a lot about this subject and have known people locked in the web of eating disorders, but here I really felt that I had an insider’s view of a much larger scope.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read a review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on
THE GIRLS AT 17 SWANN STREET.
Featured Review: PARKLAND by Dave Cullen
PARKLAND: Birth of a Movement by Dave Cullen (Social Science/Current Affairs)
Audiobook available, read by Robert Fass
Dave Cullen unfolds the story of Parkland through the voices of key participants whose diverse personalities and outlooks comprise every facet of their grassroots #neveragain movement. Instead of taking us into the minds of the killer, he takes us into the hearts of the Majory Stoneman Douglas students as they cope with the common concerns of high school students everywhere --- awaiting college acceptance letters, studying for mid-term exams, competing against their athletic rivals, putting together the yearbook, staging the musical "Spring Awakening," enjoying prom and graduation --- while moving forward from a horrific event that has altered them forever. Reviewed by Gabriella Mayer.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: FINDING DOROTHY by Elizabeth Letts
FINDING DOROTHY by Elizabeth Letts (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Ann Marie Lee
As soon as she learns that MGM is adapting her late husband’s masterpiece for the screen, Maud Gage Baum sets about trying to finagle her way onto the set. Nineteen years after Frank’s passing, Maud is the only person who can help the producers stay true to the spirit of the book. But the moment she hears Judy Garland rehearsing the first notes of “Over the Rainbow,” Maud recognizes the yearning that defined her own life story. Judy reminds Maud of a young girl she cared for and tried to help in South Dakota, a dreamer who never got her happy ending. Now, with the young actress under pressure from the studio as well as her ambitious stage mother, Maud resolves to protect her --- the way she tried so hard to protect the real Dorothy. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
Click here to read the review.
Featured Review: SEPARATE by Steve Luxenberg
SEPARATE: The Story of Plessy v. Ferguson, and America's Journey from Slavery to Segregation by Steve Luxenberg (History)
Plessy v. Ferguson, the Supreme Court case synonymous with “separate but equal,” created remarkably little stir when the justices announced their near-unanimous decision on May 18, 1896. Yet it is one of the most compelling and dramatic stories of the 19th century, whose outcome embraced and protected segregation, and whose reverberations are still felt into the 21st. SEPARATE spans a striking range of characters and landscapes, bound together by the defining issue of their time and ours --- race and equality. Award-winning author Steve Luxenberg draws from letters, diaries and archival collections to tell the story of Plessy v. Ferguson through the eyes of the people caught up in the case. Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to visit Steve Luxenberg's website, where you can read a Q&A with Steve, see a discussion guide and more.
Click here to read the review.
Our Interview with W.K. Stratton
and a Review of THE WILD BUNCH
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the release of The Wild Bunch, which was named one of the greatest Westerns of all time by the American Film Institute. In his newly published book, THE WILD BUNCH, W.K. Stratton tells the fascinating history of the making of the movie, which was shaped by infamous director Sam Peckinpah and starred such visionary actors as William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Edmond O'Brien and Robert Ryan. Michael Barson, the Director of Publicity at Poisoned Pen Press, talks with Stratton about his extensive research, which included interviews with many of the surviving cast and crew members; what he considers to be Peckinpah’s single most serious miscalculation in the making of the film; and why he is less than enthusiastic about its upcoming remake, which will be directed by Mel Gibson.
THE WILD BUNCH: Sam Peckinpah, a Revolution in Hollywood, and the Making of a Legendary Film by W.K. Stratton (Entertainment/History)
Sam Peckinpah's film The Wild Bunch is the story of a gang of outlaws who are one big steal from retirement. When their attempted train robbery goes awry, the gang flees to Mexico and falls in with a brutal general of the Mexican Revolution, who offers them the job of a lifetime. Conceived by a stuntman, directed by a blacklisted director, and shot in the sand and heat of the Mexican desert, the movie seemed doomed. Instead, it became an instant classic with a dark, violent take on the Western movie tradition. In THE WILD BUNCH, W.K. Stratton tells the fascinating history of the making of the movie and documents for the first time the extraordinary contribution of Mexican and Mexican-American actors and crew members to the film's success. Reviewed by Stuart Shiffman.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Read the review and interview.
THE SOURCE OF SELF-REGARD: Selected Essays, Speeches, and Meditations by Toni Morrison (Essays)
Audiobook available, read by Bahni Turpin
THE SOURCE OF SELF-REGARD is brimming with all the elegance of mind and style, the literary prowess and moral compass that are Toni Morrison's inimitable hallmark. It is divided into three parts: the first is introduced by a powerful prayer for the dead of 9/11, the second by a searching meditation on Martin Luther King Jr., and the last by a heart-wrenching eulogy for James Baldwin. In the writings and speeches included here, Morrison takes on contested social issues: the foreigner, female empowerment, the press, money, "black matter(s)" and human rights. And here, too, is piercing commentary on her own work and that of others. Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott.
EARLY RISER by Jasper Fforde (Fantasy/Humor)
Audiobook available, read by Thomas Hunt
Your name is Charlie Worthing, and it's your first season with the Winter Consuls, the committed but mildly unhinged group of misfits who are responsible for ensuring the hibernatory safe passage of the sleeping masses. You are investigating an outbreak of viral dreams that you dismiss as nonsense. When the dreams start to kill people, it's unsettling. When you get the dreams too, it's weird. When they start to come true, you begin to doubt your sanity. But teasing truth from the Winter is never easy. You have to avoid the Villains and their penchant for murder, kidnapping and stamp collecting; ensure you aren't eaten by Nightwalkers, whose thirst for human flesh can only be satisfied by comfort food; and sidestep the increasingly less-than-mythical WinterVolk. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.
CARELESS LOVE: A DCI Banks Novel by Peter Robinson (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Simon Prebble
Two suspicious deaths challenge Detective Superintendent Alan Banks and his crack investigative team. A young local student’s body is found in an abandoned car on a lonely country road. The death looks like suicide, but there are too many open questions for Banks and his team to rule out foul play. Meanwhile, a man in his 60s is found dead in a gully up on the wild moorland. Post mortem findings indicate that he died from injuries sustained during a fall. Was it an accident? Or was he pushed? As the inconsistencies multiply and the mysteries surrounding these two cases proliferate, a source reveals a piece of information that shocks the team and impacts the investigations. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
THE HIDING PLACE by C. J. Tudor (Psychological Thriller/Mystery)
Audiobook available, read by Richard Armitage
Joe never wanted to come back to Arnhill. After the way things ended with his old gang and after what happened when his sister went missing, the last thing he wanted to do was return to his hometown. But Joe doesn't have a choice. Because judging by what was done to that poor Morton kid, what happened all those years ago to Joe's sister is happening again. And only Joe knows who is really at fault. The hardest part will be returning to that abandoned mine where it all went wrong, and finally confronting the shocking, horrifying truth about Arnhill, his sister and himself. Because for Joe, the worst moment of his life wasn't the day his sister went missing. It was the day she came back. Reviewed by Ray Palen.
FORGET YOU KNOW ME by Jessica Strawser (Psychological Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Gabra Zackman
Molly and Liza have always been enviably close. Even after Molly married Daniel, the couple considered Liza an honorary family member. But after Liza moved away, things grew more strained than anyone wanted to admit --- in the friendship and the marriage. When Daniel goes away on business, Molly and Liza plan to reconnect with a nice long video chat after the kids are in bed. But then Molly leaves the room to check on a crying child. What Liza sees next will change everything. Only one thing is certain: Molly needs her. Liza drives all night to be at Molly’s side --- but when she arrives, the reception is icy, leaving Liza baffled and hurt. She knows there’s no denying what she saw. Or is there? Reviewed by Kate Ayers.
WHEN YOU READ THIS by Mary Adkins (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Sarah Naughton
For four years, Iris Massey worked side by side with PR maven Smith Simonyi, helping clients perfect their brands. But Iris has died, taken by terminal illness at only 33. Adrift without his friend and colleague, Smith is surprised to discover that in her last six months, Iris created a blog filled with sharp and often funny musings on the end of a life not quite fulfilled. She also made one final request: for Smith to get her posts published as a book. With the help of his charmingly eager, if overbearingly forthright, new intern Carl, Smith tackles the task of fulfilling Iris’ last wish. Before he can do so, though, he must get the approval of Iris’ big sister Jade, a haute cuisine chef who’s been knocked sideways by her loss. Reviewed by Cindy Burnett.
THE RECKONING written by Yrsa Sigurdardottir, translated by Victoria Cribb (Mystery/Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Lucy Paterson
Vaka sits on the cold steps of her new school. Her father appears to have forgotten to pick her up, her mother has forgotten to give her this week’s pocket money, and the school is already locked for the day. With no way to call home, she resigns herself to waiting on the steps until her father remembers her. When a girl approaches, Vaka recognizes her immediately from class, and from her unusual appearance: two of her fingers are missing. The girl lives at the back of the school, and Vaka asks to call her father from the girl's house. That afternoon is the last time anyone sees Vaka. Detective Huldar and child psychologist Freyja are called in and soon find themselves at the heart of another shocking case. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
ANY MEANS NECESSARY: A Leona Lindberg Thriller written by Jenny Rogneby, translated by Agnes Broome (Hard-boiled Thriller)
A man blows himself up outside the Parliament House in Stockholm, but miraculously survives. Was he a lone wolf, or are there more heinous acts to follow? Leona Lindberg is put on the case. But Leona, who has barely escaped her trials from the last case, is focused on other things. Her family is shattered, she is living under threat and desperately needs liquid assets. It's lucky, then, that she can think outside the box like no other detective. With one foot on each side of the law, she mounts a special operation of grand proportions. And the higher the risk, the higher the rewards. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.
Next Week’s Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on February 19th
Below are some notable titles releasing on February 19th 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 February 18th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.
BLOOD ECHO: A Burning Girl Thriller by Christopher Rice (Thriller)
A conspiracy that promises bloodshed and the only woman who can stop it collide in this page-turning thriller by Christopher Rice, the Amazon Charts bestselling author of BONE MUSIC.
THE CARE AND FEEDING OF RAVENOUSLY HUNGRY GIRLS by Anissa Gray (Fiction)
“THE MOTHERS meets AN AMERICAN MARRIAGE” (HelloGiggles) in this dazzling debut novel about mothers and daughters, identity and family, and how the relationships that sustain you can also be the ones that consume you.
DEAR GEORGE, DEAR MARY: A Novel of George Washington's First Love by Mary Calvi (Historical Fiction)
Nine-time New York Emmy Award-winning journalist Mary Calvi has written a novel about heiress Mary Philipse's relationship with George Washington, based on historical accounts, letters and personal journals.
LANDFALL by Thomas Mallon (Fiction)
Set during the tumultuous middle of the George W. Bush years --- amid the twin catastrophes of the Iraq insurgency and Hurricane Katrina --- LANDFALL brings Thomas Mallon’s cavalcade of contemporary American politics, which began with WATERGATE and continued with FINALE, to a vivid and emotional climax.
MISSION CRITICAL: A Gray Man Novel by Mark Greaney (Thriller)
From Mark Greaney, the New York Times bestselling author of GUNMETAL GRAY and a co-author of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan novels, comes a high-stakes thriller featuring the world's most dangerous assassin: the Gray Man.
NEVER TELL by Lisa Gardner (Mystery/Thriller)
#1 New York Times bestseller Lisa Gardner returns with an unpredictable thriller that puts fan favorites D.D. Warren and Flora Dane on a shocking new case that begins with a vicious murder and gets darker from there.
THE NEXT TO DIE by Sophie Hannah (Psychological Thriller)
The New York Times bestselling author of THE MONOGRAM MURDERS and WOMAN WITH A SECRET returns with a disturbing tale of psychological suspense and obsession that hits at the heart of some of our most precious relationships.
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Our Latest Poll: Finding Out About Books in Advance
How far in advance of a book’s publication would you like to hear details about it to influence your buying or borrowing it?
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How far in advance of a book’s publication would you like to hear details about it if it is written by a favorite author of yours?
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Click here to vote in the poll by Friday, March 1st 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 February 15th to March 1st at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE BORDER by Don Winslow and NEVER TELL by Lisa Gardner.
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 February 1st to March 1st at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of Sophie Kinsella’s I OWE YOU ONE, read by Fiona Hardingham, and Fiona Barton’s THE SUSPECT, read by Susan Duerden, Fiona Hardingham, Nicholas Guy Smith and Katharine McEwan.
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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