Editorial Content for Nothing Can Hurt You
Book
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
So many novels begin with, or center on, the murder of a young woman. In the telling, she becomes an object --- pitied, mourned, lost, silenced. Readers become voyeurs, observing her suffering and pain along with the characters. In NOTHING CAN HURT YOU, Nicola Maye Goldberg plays with the dead girl trope, offering something interesting without quite subverting it. Read More
Teaser
On a cold day in 1997, student Sara Morgan was killed in the woods surrounding her liberal arts college in upstate New York. Her boyfriend, Blake Campbell, confessed, his plea of temporary insanity raising more questions than it answered. In the wake of his acquittal, the case comes to haunt a strange and surprising network of community members, from the young woman who discovers Sara's body to the junior reporter who senses its connection to convicted local serial killer John Logan. Others are looking for retribution or explanation: Sara's half-sister, stifled by her family's bereft silence about Blake, poses as a babysitter and seeks out her own form of justice, while the teenager Sara used to babysit starts writing to Logan in prison.
Promo
On a cold day in 1997, student Sara Morgan was killed in the woods surrounding her liberal arts college in upstate New York. Her boyfriend, Blake Campbell, confessed, his plea of temporary insanity raising more questions than it answered. In the wake of his acquittal, the case comes to haunt a strange and surprising network of community members, from the young woman who discovers Sara's body to the junior reporter who senses its connection to convicted local serial killer John Logan. Others are looking for retribution or explanation: Sara's half-sister, stifled by her family's bereft silence about Blake, poses as a babysitter and seeks out her own form of justice, while the teenager Sara used to babysit starts writing to Logan in prison.
About the Book
A “captivating, serpentine, and affecting” (Megan Abbott) literary thriller inspired by the true story of a college student's killing.
On a cold day in 1997, student Sara Morgan was killed in the woods surrounding her liberal arts college in upstate New York. Her boyfriend, Blake Campbell, confessed, his plea of temporary insanity raising more questions than it answered.
In the wake of his acquittal, the case comes to haunt a strange and surprising network of community members, from the young woman who discovers Sara's body to the junior reporter who senses its connection to convicted local serial killer John Logan. Others are looking for retribution or explanation: Sara's half sister, stifled by her family's bereft silence about Blake, poses as a babysitter and seeks out her own form of justice, while the teenager Sara used to babysit starts writing to Logan in prison.
A propulsive, taut tale of voyeurism and obsession, NOTHING CAN HURT YOU dares to examine gendered violence not as an anomaly, but as the very core of everyday life. Tracing the concentric circles of violence rippling out from Sara's murder, Nicola Maye Goldberg masterfully conducts an unforgettable chorus of disparate voices.
Audiobook available; read by Kate Handford, Lance C Fuller, Jennifer Woodward, Laurence Bouvard, Pat Rodrigues, Deborah McBride, Lexie McDougall and Madeleine Rose
Editorial Content for Love & Other Crimes: Stories
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
Short story lovers, maybe lovers in general, are in for a treat with LOVE & OTHER CRIMES, a medley of short fiction by Sara Paretsky. You may know her work already, as she enjoys a fine reputation for her detective fiction featuring heroine V.I. Warshawski. Over the course of her 23 novels, Paretsky has developed Warshawski into a solid, formidable defender of women, minorities, the innocent and the yet-to-be-proven innocent. Read More
Teaser
Sara Paretsky’s LOVE & OTHER CRIMES is comprised of 14 short stories, including one new V.I. Warshawski story and seven other classics featuring the indomitable detective. In “Miss Bianca,” a young girl becomes involved in espionage when she befriends a mouse in a laboratory that is conducting dark experiments. Ten-year-old V.I. Warshawski appears in “Wildcat,” embarking on her very first investigation to save her father. A hardboiled New York detective and elderly British aristocrat team up to reveal a murderer in Chicago during the World’s Fair in “Murder at the Century of Progress.” In the new title story, “Love & Other Crimes,” V.I. treads the line between justice and vengeance when the wrongful firing of a family friend makes him a murder suspect.
Promo
Sara Paretsky’s LOVE & OTHER CRIMES is comprised of 14 short stories, including one new V.I. Warshawski story and seven other classics featuring the indomitable detective. In “Miss Bianca,” a young girl becomes involved in espionage when she befriends a mouse in a laboratory that is conducting dark experiments. Ten-year-old V.I. Warshawski appears in “Wildcat,” embarking on her very first investigation to save her father. A hardboiled New York detective and elderly British aristocrat team up to reveal a murderer in Chicago during the World’s Fair in “Murder at the Century of Progress.” In the new title story, “Love & Other Crimes,” V.I. treads the line between justice and vengeance when the wrongful firing of a family friend makes him a murder suspect.
About the Book
From New York Times bestselling author Sara Paretsky, a collection of thrilling crime and detective short stories, many featuring legendary detective V.I. Warshawski --- including a brand-new V.I. story.
New York Times bestselling author Sara Paretsky is the master of twisting suspense and compelling plots. She has been hailed by the crime community as “a legend” (Harlan Coben) and “one of the all-time greats” (Karin Slaughter). Her acclaimed novels featuring detective V.I. Warshawski have become one of the most celebrated series in modern fiction. Now in this spellbinding collection, Paretsky showcases her extraordinary talents with 14 short stories, including one new V.I. story and seven other classics featuring the indomitable detective.
In “Miss Bianca,” a young girl becomes involved in espionage when she befriends a mouse in a laboratory that is conducting dark experiments. Ten-year-old V.I. Warshawski appears in “Wildcat,” embarking on her very first investigation to save her father. A hardboiled New York detective and elderly British aristocrat team up to reveal a murderer in Chicago during the World’s Fair in “Murder at the Century of Progress.” In the new title story, “Love & Other Crimes,” V.I. treads the line between justice and vengeance when the wrongful firing of a family friend makes him a murder suspect.
For longtime fans of V.I. Warshawski, new readers discovering her for the first time, or any lover of crime and bone-chilling suspense, LOVE & OTHER CRIMES is a celebration of Paretsky’s exceptional storytelling skill and a searing exploration of the dark conspiracies and desperate human acts hiding in plain sight.
Audiobook available, read by Susan Ericksen
Editorial Content for Thin Girls
Book
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
With her debut novel, THIN GIRLS, Diana Clarke has entered the literary world as a major force to be reckoned with. The New Zealand writer studied at Purdue University where she received her MFA in fiction. While there, she became Roxane Gay’s protégé and often sought the literary legend's opinion on her work. The book follows the journey of twin sisters Rose and Lily Winters as they struggle to find individual happiness both apart and together. Read More
Teaser
Rose and Lily Winters are twins. Like most young women, they’ve struggled with their bodies and food since childhood, and high school finds them turning to food --- or not --- to battle the waves of insecurity and the yearning for popularity. Within a few years, Rose is about to mark her one-year anniversary in a rehabilitation facility for anorexics. Lily is also struggling. A kindergarten teacher, she dates abusive men, including a student’s married father, in search of the close yet complicated companionship she lost when she became separated from Rose. When Lily joins a cult diet group led by a social media faux feminist, whose eating plan consists of consuming questionable non-caloric foods, Rose senses that Lily needs her help.
Promo
Rose and Lily Winters are twins. Like most young women, they’ve struggled with their bodies and food since childhood, and high school finds them turning to food --- or not --- to battle the waves of insecurity and the yearning for popularity. Within a few years, Rose is about to mark her one-year anniversary in a rehabilitation facility for anorexics. Lily is also struggling. A kindergarten teacher, she dates abusive men, including a student’s married father, in search of the close yet complicated companionship she lost when she became separated from Rose. When Lily joins a cult diet group led by a social media faux feminist, whose eating plan consists of consuming questionable non-caloric foods, Rose senses that Lily needs her help.
About the Book
A dark, edgy, voice-driven literary debut novel about twin sisters that explores body image and queerness as well as toxic diet culture and the power of sisterhood, love and lifelong friendships, written by a talented protégé of Roxane Gay.
Rose and Lily Winters are twins, as close as the bond implies; they feel each other’s emotions, taste what the other is feeling. Like most young women, they’ve struggled with their bodies and food since childhood, and high school finds them turning to food --- or not --- to battle the waves of insecurity and the yearning for popularity. But their connection can be as destructive as it is supportive, a yin to yang. when Rose stops eating, Lily starts --- consuming everything Rose won’t or can’t.
Within a few years, Rose is about to mark her one-year anniversary in a rehabilitation facility for anorexics. Lily, her sole visitor, is the only thing tethering her to a normal life.
But Lily is struggling, too. A kindergarten teacher, she dates abusive men, including a student’s married father, in search of the close yet complicated companionship she lost when she became separated from Rose.
When Lily joins a cult diet group led by a social media faux feminist, whose eating plan consists of consuming questionable non-caloric foods, Rose senses that Lily needs her help. With her sister’s life in jeopardy, Rose must find a way to rescue her --- and perhaps, save herself.
Illuminating some of the most fraught and common issues confronting women, THIN GIRLS is a powerful, emotionally resonant story, beautifully told, that will keep you turning the pages to the gratifying, hopeful end.
Audiobook available, read by Jayme Mattler
Editorial Content for The Finders
Book
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
Meet Mason "Mace" Reid and his crime-solving partner Elvira (Vira for short), a golden retriever with extraordinary canine skills. They live near Chicago and assist law enforcement in human remains detection. For mystery writers, finding a dead body is usually not the end of the story; it is only the beginning. THE FINDERS, which kicks off Jeffrey B. Burton’s Mace Reid K-9 series, is certainly a mystery novel in that vein. Read More
Teaser
Mason "Mace" Reid lives on the outskirts of Chicago and specializes in human remains detection. He trains dogs to hunt for the dead. Reid is coming off a taxing year --- mourning the death of a beloved springer spaniel, as well as the dissolution of his marriage. He adopts a rescue dog with a mysterious past --- a golden retriever named Vira. And when Reid begins training Vira as a cadaver dog, he comes to realize just how special the newest addition to his family truly is. Suddenly, Reid and his prize pupil find themselves hurled into a taxing murder case, which will push them to their very limits. Paired with determined Chicago Police Officer Kippy Gimm, Mace must put all his trust in Vira's abilities to thwart a serial killer who has now set his sights on Mace himself.
Promo
Mason "Mace" Reid lives on the outskirts of Chicago and specializes in human remains detection. He trains dogs to hunt for the dead. Reid is coming off a taxing year --- mourning the death of a beloved springer spaniel, as well as the dissolution of his marriage. He adopts a rescue dog with a mysterious past --- a golden retriever named Vira. And when Reid begins training Vira as a cadaver dog, he comes to realize just how special the newest addition to his family truly is. Suddenly, Reid and his prize pupil find themselves hurled into a taxing murder case, which will push them to their very limits. Paired with determined Chicago Police Officer Kippy Gimm, Mace must put all his trust in Vira's abilities to thwart a serial killer who has now set his sights on Mace himself.
About the Book
Jeffrey B. Burton's THE FINDERS marks the beginning of a fast-paced new mystery series featuring a heroic golden retriever cadaver dog named Vira and her handler, Mason Reid.
Mason "Mace" Reid lives on the outskirts of Chicago and specializes in human remains detection. He trains dogs to hunt for the dead. Reid’s coming off a taxing year --- mourning the death of a beloved springer spaniel as well as the dissolution of his marriage. He adopts a rescue dog with a mysterious past --- a golden retriever named Vira. And when Reid begins training Vira as a cadaver dog, he comes to realize just how special the newest addition to his family truly is.
Suddenly, Reid and his prize pupil find themselves hurled into a taxing murder case, which will push them to their very limits. Paired with determined Chicago Police Officer Kippy Gimm, Mace must put all his trust in Vira's abilities to thwart a serial killer who has now set his sights on Mace himself.
Audiobook available, read by Matt Godfrey
Editorial Content for Touch the Night
Book
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
Max Booth III is a sick son of a gun. I say that as a high compliment. His new work attracted my attention when it was described to me as being a cross between “Stranger Things” and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. That isn’t entirely accurate; it is more than that, notwithstanding that its title is more reminiscent of an F. Scott Fitzgerald tome than a Robert McCammon novel. Gentle title or not, TOUCH THE NIGHT will give you waking nightmares. Read More
Teaser
Something sinister is hiding in the small town of Percy, Indiana, and 12-year-old Joshua Washington and Alonzo Jones are about to find themselves up close and personal with it. After a harmless night of petty property damage leads to the unthinkable, the red and blue lights of a cop car are the last things these boys want to see. Especially a cop car driven by something not quite human. Enter Mary Washington and Ottessa Jones. Their sons have been best friends for years, and now Josh and Alonzo have been abducted in the dead of night. Worst of all, the local sheriff refuses to believe they're missing, leaving it up to Mary and Ottessa to take the law into their own hands before a family of ungodly lunatics can complete a ritual decades in the making.
Promo
Something sinister is hiding in the small town of Percy, Indiana, and 12-year-old Joshua Washington and Alonzo Jones are about to find themselves up close and personal with it. After a harmless night of petty property damage leads to the unthinkable, the red and blue lights of a cop car are the last things these boys want to see. Especially a cop car driven by something not quite human. Enter Mary Washington and Ottessa Jones. Their sons have been best friends for years, and now Josh and Alonzo have been abducted in the dead of night. Worst of all, the local sheriff refuses to believe they're missing, leaving it up to Mary and Ottessa to take the law into their own hands before a family of ungodly lunatics can complete a ritual decades in the making.
About the Book
MOTHER! MOTHER! RISE FROM THE GROUND!
"Stranger Things" and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre unite to form a blood-soaked matrimony of violence and corruption.
Something sinister's hiding in the small town of Percy, Indiana, and 12-year-old Joshua Washington and Alonzo Jones are about to find themselves up close and personal with it. After a harmless night of petty property damage leads to the unthinkable, the red and blue lights of a cop car are the last things these boys want to see. Especially a cop car driven by something not quite human.
Enter Mary Washington and Ottessa Jones. Their sons have been best friends for years, and now Josh and Alonzo have been abducted in the dead of night. Worst of all, the local sheriff refuses to believe they're missing, leaving it up to Mary and Ottessa to take the law into their own hands before a family of ungodly lunatics can complete a ritual decades in the making.
Together they will embark on a surreal and violent journey into a land of corrupt law enforcement, small-town secrets, gravitational oddities and ancient black magic.
We have listed 20 of Carol’s Bookreporter.com Bets On picks that are now in paperback or will be this month. Which of these have you read or do you plan to read? Please check all that apply.
July 2, 2020, 431 voters
Anthony J. D'Angelo
If you have time to whine and complain about something then you have the time to do something about it.
Attribution
July 1, 2020
Last Monday night, I had the pleasure of attending a virtual "Writers at Home" event that was a perk for frequent attendees of BOOKTHEWRITER's Pop-Up Book Groups. Jeanine Cummins was the author guest, and she and Jean Hanff Korelitz, who hosted the program, had a wonderful discussion about AMERICAN DIRT, with questions from the attendees. Jeanine shared how she wrote two complete versions of a novel with similar themes, and abandoned them before she penned the bestselling book that we all now know. The sudden death of her father in late 2016 devastated her, and for a while she just could not get out of bed. She started writing as a way to get her bearings again. She went to the desert to volunteer in a migrant camp, and by the time she left, she had the full arc of the story.







