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Editorial Content for The Last to See Her

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Christine M. Irvin

When Meg’s sister Gen goes missing, and Meg files a missing person’s report, she becomes the prime suspect. The officer in charge of the case points out that Meg was “the last to see her.”

Meg, a surgeon, plans to attend a conference in New York City and talks Gen into going with her. This will allow them to have some girl time together and talk about Gen’s upcoming divorce. The papers have been signed; they just need to be filed before it's official. Read More

Teaser

Gen is on the verge of a divorce from her cheating husband. When her sister, Meg, has a convention to attend in the Big Apple, she invites Gen along to celebrate her newly found freedom. But the perfect sisters’ getaway quickly goes awry when a tipsy Gen defiantly throws her wedding ring off the hotel room’s balcony. Then, wanting some fresh air, she decides to take a late-evening walk alone and vanishes without a trace. The investigation that follows uncovers secrets --- and betrayals --- between sisters and spouses that will twist the truth in on itself until nothing is clear. What really happened to Gen, and who, besides Meg, was the last to see her?

Promo

Gen is on the verge of a divorce from her cheating husband. When her sister, Meg, has a convention to attend in the Big Apple, she invites Gen along to celebrate her newly found freedom. But the perfect sisters’ getaway quickly goes awry when a tipsy Gen defiantly throws her wedding ring off the hotel room’s balcony. Then, wanting some fresh air, she decides to take a late-evening walk alone and vanishes without a trace. The investigation that follows uncovers secrets --- and betrayals --- between sisters and spouses that will twist the truth in on itself until nothing is clear. What really happened to Gen, and who, besides Meg, was the last to see her?

About the Book

A woman disappears into the dark city night.

Gen is on the verge of a divorce from her cheating husband. When her sister, Meg, has a convention to attend in the Big Apple, she invites Gen along to celebrate her newly found freedom. But the perfect sisters’ getaway quickly goes awry when a tipsy Gen defiantly throws her wedding ring off the hotel room’s balcony. Then, wanting some fresh air, she decides to take a late-evening walk alone and vanishes without a trace.

The investigation that follows uncovers secrets --- and betrayals --- between sisters and spouses that will twist the truth in on itself until nothing is clear.

What really happened to Gen, and who, besides Meg, was the last to see her?

Audiobook available, read by Vivienne Leheny

Editorial Content for The Lies You Told

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Stuart Shiffman

In her second mystery, Harriet Tyce has established what runners might call a comfortable pace. She has written a thriller somewhat similar to her first novel, BLOOD ORANGE, but different enough to establish for readers that she is not a one-trick pony. Her characters in both novels are female members of the British legal system facing life crises and tribulations. Read More

Teaser

When Sadie Roper moves back to London, she's determined to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. First, she needs to get her daughter settled into a new school. Next, she's going to get back the high-flying criminal barrister career she sacrificed for marriage 10 years earlier. But nothing goes quite as planned. The school is not very welcoming to newcomers, her daughter hasn't made any friends yet, and the other mothers are as fiercely competitive as their children. However, the tide starts to turn as Sadie begins to work on a scandalous, high-profile case and is befriended by Liza, queen of the school moms. Soon Sadie and her family start to thrive…but does this close new friendship prevent her from seeing the truth?

Promo

When Sadie Roper moves back to London, she's determined to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. First, she needs to get her daughter settled into a new school. Next, she's going to get back the high-flying criminal barrister career she sacrificed for marriage 10 years earlier. But nothing goes quite as planned. The school is not very welcoming to newcomers, her daughter hasn't made any friends yet, and the other mothers are as fiercely competitive as their children. However, the tide starts to turn as Sadie begins to work on a scandalous, high-profile case and is befriended by Liza, queen of the school moms. Soon Sadie and her family start to thrive…but does this close new friendship prevent her from seeing the truth?

About the Book

From the acclaimed author of BLOOD ORANGE, a dark new psychological thriller about the perfect mother, the perfect wife, the perfect family --- and the perfect murder.

In the playground it's the law of the jungle

But at the school gate, there are no rules at all...

When Sadie Roper moves back to London, she's determined to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. First, she needs to get her daughter settled into a new school --- one of the most exclusive in the city. Next, she's going to get back the high-flying criminal barrister career she sacrificed for marriage ten years earlier. But nothing goes quite as planned. The school is not very welcoming newcomers, her daughter hasn't made any friends yet, and the other mothers are as fiercely competitive as their children. Sadie immediately finds herself on the outside as she navigates the fraught politics of the school gate.

But the tide starts to turn as Sadie begins to work on a scandalous, high-profile case that's the perfect opportunity to prove herself again, even though a dangerous flirtation threatens to cloud her professional judgment. And when Liza, queen of the school moms, befriends Sadie, she draws her into the heart of the world from which she was previously excluded. Soon Sadie and her family start to thrive, but does this close new friendship prevent her from seeing the truth? Sadie may be keeping her friends close, but what she doesn't know is that her enemies are closer still.

Dark, addictive and compelling, THE LIES YOU TOLD is a compulsive psychological thriller from a master storyteller.

Audiobook available, read by Sarah Durham

Editorial Content for Blood Royal: A Sequel to The Three Musketeers

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Ray Palen

Translated by the brilliant Lawrence Ellsworth, THE RED SPHINX was a direct sequel to THE THREE MUSKETEERS and was set a mere 20 days after the action of Alexandre Dumas' classic novel. We are now treated to the next book in the series, BLOOD ROYAL, which takes place 20 years after the prior tale. Ellsworth’s introduction is worth the price of admission all by itself and gives an outstanding refresher of the saga up to this point. This grand tale first appeared in serial form in Parisian periodicals from 1845 to 1850. Read More

Teaser

The Four Musketeers all venture to England on parallel missions to save King Charles I, pursued by the murderous and vengeful Mordaunt, the son of Milady de Winter, the great villain of THE THREE MUSKETEERS. Despite all his experience, d’Artagnan is repeatedly foiled by the much younger Mordaunt, who erupts out of the past to embody the strengths of audacity and cunning that were once d’Artagnan’s hallmarks. Mordaunt has corrupted those youthful strengths, and the older d’Artagnan is no match for him until he is able to pull his former team together again. To do this, d’Artagnan will have to become a true leader of men, leading not just by example but also by foresight, persuasion and compromise.

Promo

The Four Musketeers all venture to England on parallel missions to save King Charles I, pursued by the murderous and vengeful Mordaunt, the son of Milady de Winter, the great villain of THE THREE MUSKETEERS. Despite all his experience, d’Artagnan is repeatedly foiled by the much younger Mordaunt, who erupts out of the past to embody the strengths of audacity and cunning that were once d’Artagnan’s hallmarks. Mordaunt has corrupted those youthful strengths, and the older d’Artagnan is no match for him until he is able to pull his former team together again. To do this, d’Artagnan will have to become a true leader of men, leading not just by example but also by foresight, persuasion and compromise.

About the Book

The latest entry in this acclaimed series of new translations of the Musketeer novels, BLOOD ROYAL continues the adventures of the valiant d’Artagnan and his three loyal friends.

The latest translation in Lawrence Ellsworth’s acclaimed new series of Alexandre Dumas’ greatest adventures is BLOOD ROYAL, the second half of what Dumas originally published as TWENTY YEARS AFTER. In this volume, all the plots and schemes set up in the previous novel come to dramatic fruition in the kind of exciting thrill-ride Dumas is famous for --- while at the same time introducing the characters and themes that form the foundation of the rest of the series, leading to its great climax in THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK.

In BLOOD ROYAL, the Four Musketeers all venture to England on parallel missions to save King Charles I, pursued by the murderous and vengeful Mordaunt, the son of Milady de Winter, the great villain of THE THREE MUSKETEERS. Despite all his experience, d’Artagnan is repeatedly foiled by the much younger Mordaunt, who erupts out of the past to embody the strengths of audacity and cunning that were once d’Artagnan’s hallmarks. Mordaunt has corrupted those youthful strengths, and the older d’Artagnan is no match for him until he is able to pull his former team together again. To do this, d’Artagnan will have to become a true leader of men, leading not just by example but also by foresight, persuasion and compromise. Only then can the team of Athos, Porthos and Aramis be re-formed in all its might to defeat the specter of their past.

BLOOD ROYAL is unmatched in Dumas’ oeuvre in its depictions of his most famous and beloved characters, and an unforgettable saga of swordplay, suspense, revenge and ultimate triumph. 

Audiobook available, read by John Lee

Editorial Content for We Hear Voices

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Sarah Rachel Egelman

In an author’s note found in WE HEAR VOICES, debut novelist Evie Green assures readers that she wrote the book before COVID-19 swept the globe. Read More

Teaser

Kids have imaginary friends. Rachel knows this. So when her young son, Billy, miraculously recovers from a horrible flu that has proven fatal for many, she thinks nothing of Delfy, his new invisible friend. After all, her family is healthy and that's all that matters. But soon Delfy is telling Billy what to do, and the boy is acting up and lashing out in ways he never has before. As Delfy's influence is growing stranger and more sinister by the day, and rising tensions threaten to tear Rachel's family apart, she clings to one purpose: to protect her children at any cost --- even from themselves.

Promo

Kids have imaginary friends. Rachel knows this. So when her young son, Billy, miraculously recovers from a horrible flu that has proven fatal for many, she thinks nothing of Delfy, his new invisible friend. After all, her family is healthy and that's all that matters. But soon Delfy is telling Billy what to do, and the boy is acting up and lashing out in ways he never has before. As Delfy's influence is growing stranger and more sinister by the day, and rising tensions threaten to tear Rachel's family apart, she clings to one purpose: to protect her children at any cost --- even from themselves.

About the Book

An eerie debut about a little boy who recovers from a mysterious pandemic and inherits an imaginary friend who makes him do violent things.

Kids have imaginary friends. Rachel knows this. So when her young son, Billy, miraculously recovers from a horrible flu that has proven fatal for many, she thinks nothing of Delfy, his new invisible friend. After all, her family is healthy and that's all that matters.

But soon Delfy is telling Billy what to do, and the boy is acting up and lashing out in ways he never has before. As Delfy's influence is growing stranger and more sinister by the day, and rising tensions threaten to tear Rachel's family apart, she clings to one purpose: to protect her children at any cost --- even from themselves.

WE HEAR VOICES is a gripping near-future horror novel that tests the fragility of family and the terrifying gray area between fear and love.

Audiobook available, read by Elizabeth Knowelden

Editorial Content for The Wicked Hour: A Natalie Lockhart Novel

Contributors

Reviewer (text)

Lorraine W. Shanley

THE WICKED HOUR is the second installment in Alice Blanchard’s Natalie Lockhart series, and it’s definitely useful (though not imperative) to have read TRACE OF EVIL first.

Natalie is a young police detective in the town of Burning Lake, where she grew up. She and the whole police force are on duty for the town's annual Halloween celebration, which draws about 100,000 tourists and is a huge moneymaker for the local merchants. The fictional town has a well-publicized 17th-century history of hanging witches, as well as a renowned school of music. Read More

Teaser

The day after Burning Lake’s notorious, debauched Halloween celebration, Detective Natalie Lockhart uncovers a heartbreaking scene --- a young woman, dead and lying in a dumpster. There’s no clue to who she is, save for a mystifying tattoo on her arm and a callus underneath her chin. As Natalie retraces the victim’s steps leading up to her death, she uncovers a deeper, darker horror: a string of murders and disappearances, seemingly unconnected, that may have ties to each other --- and explain the abrupt disappearance of her best friend years ago. As she digs deeper within the mind of the hunter, Natalie finds a darkness she never could have imagined.

Promo

The day after Burning Lake’s notorious, debauched Halloween celebration, Detective Natalie Lockhart uncovers a heartbreaking scene --- a young woman, dead and lying in a dumpster. There’s no clue to who she is, save for a mystifying tattoo on her arm and a callus underneath her chin. As Natalie retraces the victim’s steps leading up to her death, she uncovers a deeper, darker horror: a string of murders and disappearances, seemingly unconnected, that may have ties to each other --- and explain the abrupt disappearance of her best friend years ago. As she digs deeper within the mind of the hunter, Natalie finds a darkness she never could have imagined.

About the Book

From the award-winning author of TRACE OF EVIL, a detective dealing with the scars of her past must solve a seemingly unconnected string of murders, and face the impossible question of what to do when the killer may be hiding amongst the ones you know, in Alice Blanchard's THE WICKED HOUR.

The day after Burning Lake’s notorious, debauched Halloween celebration, Detective Natalie Lockhart uncovers a heartbreaking scene --- a young woman, dead and lying in a dumpster. There’s no clue to who she is, save for a mystifying tattoo on her arm, and a callus underneath her chin. She’s not from around here. No one knows who she is.

As Natalie retraces the young woman’s steps leading up to her death, she uncovers a deeper, darker horror --- a string of murders and disappearances, seemingly unconnected, that may have ties to each other --- and explain the abrupt disappearance of her best friend years ago.

As she digs deeper within the mind of the hunter, Natalie finds a darkness she never could have imagined. And as she draws closer to the truth, the killer is weaving a trap for her that may prove inescapable.

Audiobook available, read by Sophie Amoss

How many print books and e-books did you read in 2020? How many audiobooks did you listen to?

December 18, 2020, 518 voters

December 18, 2020 - January 8, 2021

Here are reading recommendations with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars for the contest period of December 18 - January 8.

Robert Orben

I take my children everywhere, but they always find their way back home.

Attribution

Robert Orben
In her essay collection MADNESS, RACK, AND HONEY, the poet Mary Ruefle entitled one entry “Someone Reading a Book is a Sign of Order in the World.” That optimistic title came to mind as I scanned the list of a dozen favorite books I compiled this year, as I do each December, from the 70 or so I reviewed as a freelance reviewer in 2020, the year that order in the world took a sabbatical.
John le Carré catapulted to fame in 1963 following the publication of THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD, which was promptly turned into a hit movie starring one of Hollywood’s leading actors, Richard Burton, as British spy Alec Leamas.