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September 15, 2026

This Bookreporter.com Special Newsletter spotlights a book that we know people will be talking about this fall. Read more about it, and enter our Fall Reading Contest by Wednesday, September 16th at noon ET for a chance to win one of five copies of THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah, a #1 bestseller and Bookreporter.com Bets On pick that is now available in paperback. Please note that each contest is only open for 24 hours, so you will need to act quickly!

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Amanda Peters, author of The Birthing Tree

Born under the shadow of a birthing tree sacred to generations of Mi’kmaq women, Aliet Paul grows up outside a small Nova Scotia town with her fierce, loving grandmother, Kiju. Her mother died bringing her into the world under that very tree. Her father remains a mystery no one will name. As Aliet comes of age, she navigates love, loss and a personal tragedy that veers her from the path her grandmother wanted for her. She becomes a nurse trained in modern medicine, yet she carries Kiju’s teachings close. Years later, when the call comes that Kiju has died, Aliet returns home to a crumbling house. As she digs to uncover who her family really is, each revelation pulls her deeper into a web of long-guarded silences, dangerous loyalties and generational wounds that refuse to stay buried.

Ariel Lawhon, author of The Pirate Queen

As the only daughter of a powerful chieftain, Grace O’Malley’s role is to secure a strong alliance and bear children. But when she’s sent to foster with a nearby clan, she falls for a clever and open-minded second son --- a man she cannot have. Married off against her will to a brutal warrior, Grace performs her duty, all the while gathering followers loyal to her, and consolidating her husband’s power, only to be ousted from his lands. But this betrayal offers Grace the opportunity to return to sea, finally leading clan O’Malley’s mighty fleet. Just as Grace finds true independence, Queen Elizabeth’s incursions into Ireland grow bolder. She must fight to defend her land, her ships, and the people she loves most against the cruel and power-hungry English deputies.

Harlan Coben, author of Plot Twist: Life, Craft, and the Messy First Draft: A Memoir on Writing

With 100 million books in print worldwide and over 20 blockbuster television and film adaptations of his work, Harlan Coben has much to teach us about the creative process. PLOT TWIST is a refreshingly honest look at the life of a writer whose stories have thrilled us for decades. Plumbing memories from his suburban childhood and his early years trying to break into publishing, Coben tells his own story for the first time. He reveals the real-world inspirations for some of his most beloved characters, as well as the innovative plots that drive his propulsive novels. Filled with useful tips and techniques on the creative process, Coben does away with the traditional “categories” of writing --- characters, plot, setting, etc. --- and looks at the process holistically.

Emma Cline, author of Switzy

A private plane cuts through the winter night, somewhere over Greenland. David, a retired executive, sits back in his leather seat. The notebook in his jacket pocket is filled with familiar phrases, urgent reminders to himself, but he struggles to recognize his own handwriting. Cody, his assistant, will shepherd him along the voyage. A stopover in London. Dinner with his adult daughter. A meeting in France with an old friend, estranged for decades. His final destination is Zurich. David glides through hotel rooms, airports and foreign cities, running out the clock on his mortal life. His grasp on the present slips away, and the past rushes in. As David’s arrival in Zurich looms, an exquisitely rendered portrait of an unraveling mind emerges. 

Alice Hoffman, author of The Witches of Cambridge

By the 1950s, Cambridge, Massachusetts feels far removed from the legendary witch trials that marked its early days as a colony. Ava, a bright young woman from a small town in Maine, arrives for her first year at Radcliffe College. There, she meets Lauren, and both are recruited by the Lilith Society, a secret organization of witches at Radcliffe dating back to colonial times. They form a close bond that is put to the test as they learn to navigate their new power, friendship and love. While Radcliffe seems like a safe haven, the shadow of McCarthyism looms large. And as girls from the Lilith Society begin to go missing, Ava and Lauren realize that the witch trials of the past may not be as deeply buried as they once believed.

Editorial Content for Agrippa: A Novel of Ancient Rome's Descent into Dictatorship

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Ray Palen

Robert Harris has spent the majority of his literary career producing historical fiction, some of which has gone on to inspire outstanding films, like Enigma and Conclave. His latest, AGRIPPA, focuses on a little-known figure of the Roman Empire who grew up under the shadow of Julius Caesar before going on to be the principal ally of Caesar's nephew, Octavius. Read More

Teaser

He was born feet first. His mother did not survive, and the nickname, Agrippa --- mother killer --- stuck. But the schoolyard taunting only served to harden his resolve and hone his predilection for aggression. Agrippa was a mere commoner, a plebeian, but he earned the respect and fear of his peers. He defended a bullied young boy, Octavius, who turned out to be Caesar’s nephew. He eventually joined the ranks of the legionnaires and marched against their enemies. His prowess on the battlefield spoke for itself, and Caesar relied on him to protect his favored nephew. When Caesar was murdered in the Senate, Octavius inherited the empire in name only. To assume the mantle, he would have to fight for it. Agrippa, forever by his side, would be his closest advisor and the merciless agent of his military will.

Promo

He was born feet first. His mother did not survive, and the nickname, Agrippa --- mother killer --- stuck. But the schoolyard taunting only served to harden his resolve and hone his predilection for aggression. Agrippa was a mere commoner, a plebeian, but he earned the respect and fear of his peers. He defended a bullied young boy, Octavius, who turned out to be Caesar’s nephew. He eventually joined the ranks of the legionnaires and marched against their enemies. His prowess on the battlefield spoke for itself, and Caesar relied on him to protect his favored nephew. When Caesar was murdered in the Senate, Octavius inherited the empire in name only. To assume the mantle, he would have to fight for it. Agrippa, forever by his side, would be his closest advisor and the merciless agent of his military will.

About the Book

From the #1 internationally bestselling author of CONCLAVE and DICTATOR, a gripping tale of ancient Rome’s descent into dictatorship.

He was born feet first, a dangerous way to enter the world. His mother did not survive, and the nickname, Agrippa --- mother killer --- stuck. But the schoolyard taunting only served to harden his resolve and hone his predilection for aggression. In time, the name lost its sting and became instead a mark of his invincibility. It came to shape his destiny.

Agrippa was a mere commoner, a plebeian, his father a humble Stoic, but he earned the respect and fear of his peers. He defended a bullied young boy, Octavius, who turned out to be the nephew of Caesar himself, a chance encounter that would change the trajectory of his life. He eventually joined the ranks of the legionnaires and marched against their enemies. His prowess on the battlefield spoke for itself, and Caesar relied on him to protect his favored nephew. When Caesar was murdered in the Senate, Octavius inherited the empire in name only. To assume the mantle he would have to fight for it, and Agrippa, forever by his side, would be his closest advisor and the merciless agent of his military will.

As gripping and full of intrigue as his bestselling novel CONCLAVE, AGRIPPA is Robert Harris’ monumental return to the world of ancient Rome on the precipice of dictatorship, a novel for our times.

Audiobook available, read by Simon Russell Beale 

Editorial Content for Heart of Glass

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Rebecca Munro

In HEART OF GLASS, Jennifer Hillier invites readers to Seaside, Washington, the scene of her thriller, WONDERLAND, where dead bodies tend to show up with alarming frequency. Though the novels operate as standalones, readers of WONDERLAND will delight in returning to the book’s eponymous theme park. Read More

Teaser

Twenty-five years ago in Seaside, Washington, a charming drifter named Sam met three inseparable teenage girls at the local amusement park. Days later, one of them was found dead. Barb and Nicolette were shocked to learn that the man they all met at Wonderland was the Carnival Killer. After he's arrested for the murders of five young women --- one of whom was their best friend, Lorelei --- Nicolette moved to the city to pursue her dreams of being famous. Barb stayed behind in Seaside, eventually becoming a reporter for the local paper. But when the Carnival Killer recants his confession and a new body washes ashore on the eve of Wonderland’s grand reopening, the secrets that Barb and Nicolette have worked so hard to bury begin to resurface, threatening to destroy everything in their carefully constructed lives.

Promo

Twenty-five years ago in Seaside, Washington, a charming drifter named Sam met three inseparable teenage girls at the local amusement park. Days later, one of them was found dead. Barb and Nicolette were shocked to learn that the man they all met at Wonderland was the Carnival Killer. After he's arrested for the murders of five young women --- one of whom was their best friend, Lorelei --- Nicolette moved to the city to pursue her dreams of being famous. Barb stayed behind in Seaside, eventually becoming a reporter for the local paper. But when the Carnival Killer recants his confession and a new body washes ashore on the eve of Wonderland’s grand reopening, the secrets that Barb and Nicolette have worked so hard to bury begin to resurface, threatening to destroy everything in their carefully constructed lives.

About the Book

Twenty-five years ago in Seaside, Washington, a charming drifter named Sam met three inseparable teenage girls at the local amusement park. Days later, one of them was found dead, her body surfacing in a flooded cranberry bog not far from where she was murdered.

Barb and Nicolette were shocked to learn that the man they all met at Wonderland was the Carnival Killer. After he's arrested for the murders of five young women --- one of whom was their best friend, Lorelei --- Nicolette moved to the city to pursue her dreams of being famous. Barb stayed behind in Seaside, eventually becoming a reporter for the local paper. Their past safely behind them, they’ve both moved on with their lives.

But when the Carnival Killer recants his confession and a new body washes ashore on the eve of Wonderland’s grand reopening, the secrets that Barb and Nicolette have worked so hard to bury begin to resurface, threatening to destroy everything in their carefully constructed lives.

Audiobook available; read by Brittany Pressley, Chris Brinkley, Eunice Wong, Ferdelle Capistrano and January LaVoy

Editorial Content for Ten Perfect Guests

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Ray Palen

Jonathan Santlofer is a writer and an artist. So it makes sense that his novels, such as THE LOST VAN GOGH and THE LAST MONA LISA, focus on the art world.

“Attendance required or forfeit your inheritance.” Read More

Teaser

When celebrated and enigmatic artist Victor D'Arcangelo dies unexpectedly, his nearest and dearest receive an irresistible summons: attend his weekend memorial --- or forfeit their inheritance. But once they arrive, the paradise begins to feel more like a prison. Someone knows their secrets. Someone wants revenge. As the weekend spirals into chaos, one question hangs in the sultry, tropical air: Who, if anyone, will survive? This time, the masterpiece may be murder.

Promo

When celebrated and enigmatic artist Victor D'Arcangelo dies unexpectedly, his nearest and dearest receive an irresistible summons: attend his weekend memorial --- or forfeit their inheritance. But once they arrive, the paradise begins to feel more like a prison. Someone knows their secrets. Someone wants revenge. As the weekend spirals into chaos, one question hangs in the sultry, tropical air: Who, if anyone, will survive? This time, the masterpiece may be murder.

About the Book

Ten perfect guests.

One secluded island.

No way out.

When celebrated and enigmatic artist Victor D’Arcangelo dies unexpectedly, his nearest and dearest receive an irresistible summons: attend his weekend memorial --- or forfeit their inheritance.

But once they arrive, the paradise begins to feel more like a prison. Someone knows their secrets. Someone wants revenge.

As the weekend spirals into chaos, one question hangs in the sultry, tropical air: Who, if anyone, will survive?

This time, the masterpiece may be murder.

Audiobook available, read by Malcolm Hillgartner