June 4, 2021

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"Bookreporter Talks To" Videos & Podcasts | "Bookaccino Live: A Lively Talk About Books"
  Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks | Carol's Event Schedule | Book Festivals
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It’s June!

It was so nice to have a long weekend. I cannot say that we did much. I read (two books), knitted, cooked (there was time to make the very complicated enchiladas that we love), and watched some (okay, more than some) television. And it rained (a lot), and it was cold. I kicked it back a huge notch, and that felt really nice.

On Monday, I planted more plants and herbs, and made more of a mental plan for what to do for the rest of the landscaping. For humor, Tom bought cilantro instead of Italian parsley, and then I bought lemon balm instead of mint. For the latter, how did I miss the huge sign that said Lemon Balm? The decks are being repainted, so everything is on the patio and disorganized. It will make me crazy until it’s all done. The weather is not cooperating.

I also gave up on trying to find the zinnia seeds that I bought and clearly lost last year, so I ordered more; I am now sure that I will find them next week. Next time I want to not lose something, I am going to write where I store it in the newsletter!

I love peonies, and the rain was just brutal on their tender petals. You can see photos of two arrangements above. I joked that if I touched them, I would be holding petals in my hands. There are petals all around wherever I have arrangements. But they do bring me joy, even though I feel that all I should be doing is gluing them back together.

Instagram
If you are on Instagram, may I ask you to follow us at #thebookreportnetwork? Amanda Book (doesn’t she have the perfect last name?) has joined us working on social media. She has been pulling together some great stories there, as well as posts. I love seeing what she is creating.  

I had such fun interviewing Wendy Wax, whose new novel, THE BREAK-UP BOOK CLUB, is a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. This briskly paced story is about four very different people who gather at a bookstore to discuss books, bond over their love of reading and support one another. As they say, “What happens at book club stays at book club.” Wendy talked to me about her personal journey writing this book and how she struggled during the editing process with one particular character. She also explained what makes a book enjoyable, as well as what it means for people to love different things in fiction and how that can be brought to the conversation in book clubs. Click here to watch the video and here to listen to the podcast. Also, you can read my Bets On commentary here.

While we’re on the subject, my other Bets On selection this week is THE PHOTOGRAPHER by Mary Dixie Carter, which we reviewed last week. Click here to find out why I’m betting you’ll love this chilling debut psychological thriller. I enjoyed watching Mary Dixie being interviewed by Sally Hepworth at Anderson's Bookshop on Tuesday night.

Taylor Jenkins Reid follows up the enormous success of her 2019 novel, DAISY JONES & THE SIX, with her latest bestseller, MALIBU RISING, which is this month’s “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club pick and an upcoming Bets On title. Four famous siblings throw an epic party to celebrate the end of the summer. But over the course of 24 hours, their lives will change forever. According to our reviewer Norah Piehl, “Once all the characters are introduced, their motives outlined and the conflicts set in motion, readers won’t be able to turn the pages fast enough to see what happens next. This combination of languid opening, evocative setting and propulsive finish promises to make MALIBU RISING, dare I say it, the beach read of 2021.” Don’t miss my Bets On commentary in next week’s newsletter.

On Tuesday night, {pages} a bookstore hosted a terrific event featuring Taylor in conversation with Julia Whelan, who narrates the audiobook. I am hoping to interview Taylor as I loved MALIBU RISING.

Elin Hilderbrand’s new novel, GOLDEN GIRL, is now in stores --- and, of course, it has all of her trademark beach scenes, mouth-watering meals and picture-perfect homes, plus a heartfelt message. A Nantucket novelist has one final summer to protect her secrets while her loved ones on earth learn to live without their golden girl. Vivian Payton has our review and says, “I’ve read a number of Hilderbrand’s books, but this one spoke to me like no other. The queen of the beach read has let her vulnerability speak through her words for all to see and feel, pouring her heart and soul out.... Never have I read a novel such as this that captures the true essence of the author.”

Word of Mouth Reminder
MALIBU RISING and GOLDEN GIRL are our current Word of Mouth prizes. Submit your comments about the books you’ve read for your chance to win them both! Please do so by Friday, June 11th at noon ET.

Zakiya Dalila Harris’ debut novel, THE OTHER BLACK GIRL, is this month’s Barnes & Noble and “Good Morning America” book club picks. Two young Black women, Nella and Hazel, meet against the starkly white backdrop of New York City book publishing. While working together at Wagner Books, they’ve only just started swapping natural hair-care tips when a string of uncomfortable events elevates Hazel to office darling and leaves Nella in the dust. Then the notes begin to appear on Nella’s desk: LEAVE WAGNER. NOW. Rebecca Munro calls the book "the most mind-blowing thriller I have read in a long time, and Zakiya Dalila Harris is the voice we have needed in contemporary literature for even longer." I look forward to interviewing Zakiya later this month.

On Tuesday, July 13th at 3pm ET, Zakiya will be discussing the book live on B&N’s Facebook page with Dawnie Walton, author of THE FINAL REVIVAL OF OPAL & NEV. This week, Chris Bohjalian talked to Jodi Picoult about HOUR OF THE WITCH, which was May’s B&N selection. If you missed their conversation, you can watch it here. Actress Kaley Cuoco, who starred in the HBO Max adaptation of Bohjalian’s THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT, also appeared for a short chat.

Reese’s Latest Book Club Pick
Reese Witherspoon announced this week that SEVEN DAYS IN JUNE by Tia Williams is her book club pick for June (how appropriate!). She posted this on Instagram: “Two writers, plus seven days, equals one racy read that’s as hilarious and heart-warming as it is sexy-as-hell. Turns out, second chance romance has us seeing book-love at first sight. Who else has the urge to fling this pick open right now?⁠⁠” We will be featuring our review of the book later this month.

For more June selections, including the Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, see our “Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks” feature here. Please note: Pennie Clark Ianniciello has left Costco Media, so her “Pennie’s Pick” column for Costco has been discontinued and will no longer be included in our feature.

Other books we’re reviewing this week include:

• THE NEWCOMER by Mary Kay Andrews: After discovering her sister Tanya dead on the floor of her New York City townhouse, Letty Carnahan is certain that the culprit is Tanya’s ex, Evan. She is determined to out-run Evan and the law, but run to where?
   
• THE DEVIL MAY DANCE by Jake Tapper: In this sequel to his 2018 bestseller, THE HELLFIRE CLUB, the award-winning CNN anchor brings back Charlie and Margaret Marder, political stars in 1960s Washington, D.C. who discover the dark side of Hollywood.
   
• THE INVISIBLE HUSBAND OF FRICK ISLAND by Colleen Oakley: This inaugural pick for Emily Giffin’s Instagram Book Club is about an eccentric community, a grieving widow, and an outsider who slowly learns that sometimes faith is more important than the facts.

Our "Best Books for Dad" Contest
You have until Friday, June 18th at noon ET to enter our Father's Day contest, where five readers will win 12 fabulous fiction and nonfiction titles for themselves or the dad in their lives. Among them are A BETTER MAN: A (Mostly Serious) Letter to My Son by Michael Ian Black, THE KOBALT DOSSIER: An Evan Ryder Novel by Eric Van Lustbader, and  WHY PEACOCKS?: An Unlikely Search for Meaning in the World's Most Magnificent Bird by Sean Flynn.

Summer Reading Update
In this week’s Summer Reading contests, we gave away THE LOST AND FOUND BOOKSHOP by Susan Wiggs and THE WARSAW ORPHAN by Kelly Rimmer. Next week’s prize book will be THE DISAPPEARING ACT by Catherine Steadman, and the giveaway for it will go live on its release date, Tuesday, June 8th at noon ET.

Quick Takes on Regular Features
Our New in Paperback roundups are now available for June. We’re featuring paperback reprints from such bestselling authors as John Grisham (A TIME FOR MERCY), Stephen King (IF IT BLEEDS), James Lee Burke (A PRIVATE CATHEDRAL), David Baldacci (DAYLIGHT), Megan Miranda (THE GIRL FROM WIDOW HILLS), and Shari Lapena (THE END OF HER); nonfiction titles, including THE DRAGONS, THE GIANT, THE WOMEN by Wayétu Moore and GROUP: How One Therapist and a Circle of Strangers Saved My Life by Christie Tate; and paperback originals like THE FIANCÉE by Kate White (an upcoming Summer Reading prize book; I also will be interviewing Kate soon) and THE BRITTANYS by Brittany Ackerman.

We also have updated our Books on Screen feature for June. This month’s roundup includes the final season release of "Bosch" on Amazon Prime Video; the series premiere of "Lisey's Story" on Apple TV+; the season four finale of "The Handmaid's Tale" on Hulu; the films Fatherhood on Netflix, and Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway and 12 Mighty Orphans in theaters; and the DVD releases of The World to Come, French Exit and The Unholy.

Our poll continues to ask about in-person author events. Are you ready to attend them now, or would you rather wait until later in the year? As the world is opening up again and more authors are resuming physical events, we are curious to know how you feel about this. Click here to take the poll.

This is your last weekly newsletter reminder to sign up for this month’s “Bookaccino Live” afternoon event, which will take place on Wednesday, June 9th at 2pm ET. I will present a number of titles releasing between June 8th and July 6th, along with a few from August, that I would like to get on your radar. Please keep in mind that attendees of the live event will be invited to answer a survey about the books from the presentation that they are most interested in reading. Those who do will be eligible to win a prize! Be sure to register here by 1pm ET on Wednesday to get a list of the featured titles sent to you before the event.

The winner of this year’s Man Booker International Prize is AT NIGHT ALL BLOOD IS BLACK by David Diop, translated from the French by Anna Mocschovakis. Lucy Hughes-Hallett, who chaired a panel of five judges, said, “This story of warfare and love and madness has a terrifying power. The protagonist is accused of sorcery, and there is something uncanny about the way the narrative works on the reader. We judges agreed that its incantatory prose and dark, brilliant vision had jangled our emotions and blown our minds. That it had cast a spell on us.”

News & Pop Culture

Reader Mail: Robert wrote this about winning A GAMBLING MAN and SOOLEY in a recent Word of Mouth contest: “I am so excited to have won this contest. I think this may have been the first contest I have ever won. Since retiring in 2013, I have become somewhat limited in my ability to do things. So I read a lot, usually the most recent mysteries and thrillers as they come out. I have read over 900 books in that time and have a bookshelf of about 36 books waiting to be read. I had not purchased either of these books yet, and I read both of these authors. I will write more when I have read both books. Thank you so much for the job you do. I read Bookreporter faithfully word for word."

"Mare of Easttown" Finale: That finale was brilliant. Imagine if that was a book! Stephen King guessed the killer; I did not. If you have not watched this yet, get watching! But read nothing in advance as there are spoilers everywhere. Deadline has posted the entire script of the pilot episode of the series; take a look here.

"The Kominsky Method": This was a really fun six-episode final season. Kathleen Turner reunited with Michael Douglas was a blast.

"Pose": The finale is this Sunday at 10pm ET/PT on FX. Here's a terrific Deadline podcast with the creator, Steven Canals, on the show and its final episode.

Greg is still in Alaska; he gets home on Monday morning. He, unlike me, loves the red-eye. The trip sounds like it has been fabulous! He has shared a few pictures along the way. He and some friends are on a charter lighthouse photo trip to some very hard-to-reach locations. Then he is going to see some friends in Washington...because why not when you are there?

The weather is going to be hot and humid this weekend. The pool water still is cold. There is a solar heating system on the pool; we just need a lot more sun and a lot less freezing rain falling. Should I bring out the wetsuit?

Also, we have three phlox plants that did not come back. They were deep pink, and now I am on a quest to find replacements in that color. I have found every other color. It was like looking for a yellow mandevilla plant; I saw just about every other color until we lucked out on one! When I get an idea in my head, I will drive a lot of miles to get it.

I have a few books lined up…and we are plotting many interviews for the next few weeks. Stay tuned.

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: MALIBU RISING by Taylor Jenkins Reid June’s “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club Pick
and an Upcoming Bookreporter.com Bets On Title

MALIBU RISING by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Julia Whelan
Malibu: August 1983. It’s the day of Nina Riva’s annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be around the famous Rivas. The only person not looking forward to the party of the year is Nina herself, who never wanted to be the center of attention. By midnight, the party will be completely out of control. By morning, the Riva mansion will have gone up in flames. But before that first spark in the early hours before dawn, the alcohol will flow, the music will play, and the loves and secrets that shaped this family’s generations will all come rising to the surface. Reviewed by Norah Piehl.

- 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 the book is June's "Read with Jenna" Today Show Book Club pick.

Click here to read our review.

MALIBU RISING will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick.
Don't miss Carol's commentary in next week's newsletter.

Featured Review: GOLDEN GIRL by Elin Hilderbrand

GOLDEN GIRL by Elin Hilderbrand (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Erin Bennett
Vivian Howe, author of 13 beach novels and mother of three nearly grown children, is killed in a hit-and-run car accident while jogging near her home on Nantucket. She ascends to the Beyond where she's assigned to a Person named Martha, who allows Vivi to watch what happens below for one last summer. Vivi also is granted three “nudges” to change the outcome of events on earth. From the Beyond, she watches “The Chief” Ed Kapenash investigate her death, but her greatest worry is her final book, which contains a secret from her own youth that could be disastrous for her reputation. But when hidden truths come to light, Vivi’s family will have to sort out their past and present mistakes --- with or without a nudge of help from above --- while Vivi finally lets them grow without her. Reviewed by Vivian Payton.

- Click here to read more about the book.

Click here to read our review.

Featured Review:
THE OTHER BLACK GIRL by Zakiya Dalila Harris
June’s Barnes & Noble and “Good Morning America” Book Club Picks

THE OTHER BLACK GIRL by Zakiya Dalila Harris (Thriller)
Audiobook available; read by Aja Naomi King, with Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Heather Alicia Simms and Bahni Turpin
Twenty-six-year-old editorial assistant Nella Rogers is tired of being the only Black employee at Wagner Books. Fed up with the isolation and microaggressions, she’s thrilled when Harlem-born and bred Hazel starts working in the cubicle beside hers. They’ve only just started comparing natural hair care regimens, though, when a string of uncomfortable events elevates Hazel to Office Darling, and Nella is left in the dust. Then the notes begin to appear on Nella’s desk: LEAVE WAGNER. NOW. It’s hard to believe Hazel is behind these hostile messages. But as Nella starts to spiral and obsess over the sinister forces at play, she soon realizes that there’s a lot more at stake than just her career. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to see why the book is June's "GMA" Book Club pick.
- Click here for details on Barnes & Noble's virtual Book Club event on Tuesday, July 13th at 3pm ET.

Click here to read our review.

Featured Review: THE NEWCOMER by Mary Kay Andrews

THE NEWCOMER by Mary Kay Andrews (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Kathleen McInerney
After discovering her sister Tanya dead on the floor of her fashionable New York City townhouse, Letty Carnahan is certain that the culprit is Tanya’s ex: sleazy real estate entrepreneur Evan Wingfield. So she grabs Tanya’s Mercedes and hits the road with her four-year-old niece, Maya. Letty sheds her old life and checks into an uncertain future at The Murmuring Surf Motel, the winter home of a close-knit flock of retirees and snowbirds who regard this odd-duck newcomer with suspicion and downright hostility. As Letty settles into the motel’s former storage room, she tries to heal Maya’s heartache and unravel the key to her sister’s shady past, all while dodging the attention of the owner’s dangerously attractive son Joe, who just happens to be a local police detective. Reviewed by Pamela Kramer.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to visit Mary Kay Andrews' website.

Click here to read our review.

Bookreporter.com Bets On:
THE PHOTOGRAPHER by Mary Dixie Carter
and THE BREAK-UP BOOK CLUB by Wendy Wax

THE PHOTOGRAPHER by Mary Dixie Carter (Psychological Thriller)
THE PHOTOGRAPHER by Mary Dixie Carter is a brisk psychological thriller about a young woman named Delta Dawn, who photographs the birthday parties of children who come from privileged families. Not only does she shoot the parties, she manipulates the images to ensure that everyone looks happy and smiling. At a party at the Straub home, Delta likes what she sees, a lot, and then insinuates herself into the family’s lives. However, as you might expect from a suspense novel, she has a ton of issues. Readers spend a great deal of time inside her head, and it’s one place full of dark imagination.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.

Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on THE PHOTOGRAPHER.

THE BREAK-UP BOOK CLUB by Wendy Wax (Fiction)
THE BREAK-UP BOOK CLUB reminded me again of how much I love Wendy Wax’s character-driven stories. Four women, each of whom are at different points in their lives, find their way to a charming indie bookstore that hosts a book group. Their personal stories are compelling and relatable. At the bookstore there is a bond of books between them, and they each feel comfortable to share what is going on in their lives. The result is a sense of camaraderie. “What happens at book club stays at book club.” And yes, there is wine. And fun snacks.

- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to visit Wendy Wax's website.

Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on
THE BREAK-UP BOOK CLUB.

Bookreporter.com's 16th Annual
Father's Day Contest: Best Books for Dad

Father’s Day is a time to celebrate the men in our lives who have raised and loved us. Why not show him your appreciation by inspiring him with a great book? In our 16th annual "Best Books for Dad" contest, we have a selection of books that are perfect gift-giving suggestions for Dad, keeping him busy through the rest of the year. Five readers will be awarded a copy of each of our 12 featured titles. To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, June 18th at noon ET.

This year's prize books are:

• A BETTER MAN: A (Mostly Serious) Letter to My Son by Michael Ian Black
• BUBBLEBALL: Inside the NBA's Fight to Save a Season by Ben Golliver
• ELECTRIC CITY: The Lost History of Ford and Edison’s American Utopia by Thomas Hager
• FIND YOU FIRST by Linwood Barclay
• A GAMBLING MAN by David Baldacci
• THE HERO CODE: Lessons Learned from Lives Well Lived by Admiral William H. McRaven (U.S. Navy Retired)
• THE KOBALT DOSSIER: An Evan Ryder Novel by Eric Van Lustbader
• THE LAST GREEN VALLEY by Mark Sullivan
• NO ONE SUCCEEDS ALONE: Learn Everything You Can from Everyone You Can by Robert Reffkin
• TALKING TO GOATs: The Moments You Remember and the Stories You Never Heard by Jim Gray
• WHY PEACOCKS?: An Unlikely Search for Meaning in the World's Most Magnificent Bird by Sean Flynn
• WIN by Harlan Coben

Click here to enter the contest.

Bookreporter.com's 17th Annual
Summer Reading Contests and Feature

Summer will be here before you know it! 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 the end of August, 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 Tuesday, June 8th at noon ET.

This year’s featured titles include:

• The Art of Hearing Heartbeats series by Jan-Philipp Sendker: THE ART OF HEARING HEARTBEATS, A WELL-TEMPERED HEART and THE HEART REMEMBERS
• THE BARRISTER AND THE LETTER OF MARQUE by Todd M. Johnson
• THE BOOKSHOP OF SECOND CHANCES by Jackie Fraser
• THE CLOVER GIRLS by Viola Shipman
• THE DISAPPEARING ACT by Catherine Steadman
• THE FIANCÉE by Kate White
• FIERCE LITTLE THING by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore
• FIND YOU FIRST by Linwood Barclay
• HOMELAND ELEGIES by Ayad Akhtar
• IT'S BETTER THIS WAY by Debbie Macomber
• LADY SUNSHINE by Amy Mason Doan
• THE LIES THAT BIND by Emily Giffin
• THE LOST AND FOUND BOOKSHOP by Susan Wiggs
• RADAR GIRLS by Sara Ackerman
• RUBY FALLS by Deborah Goodrich Royce
• THE SOULMATE EQUATION by Christina Lauren
• THE STEPSISTERS by Susan Mallery
• THE SUMMER SEEKERS by Sarah Morgan
• THAT SUMMER by Jennifer Weiner
• UNDER THE MAGNOLIAS by T. I. Lowe
• THE WAR NURSE by Tracey Enerson Wood
• THE WARSAW ORPHAN by Kelly Rimmer
• WHERE THE GRASS IS GREEN AND THE GIRLS ARE PRETTY by Lauren Weisberger

Click here to read all the contest details and learn more about our prize books.

June’s New in Paperback Roundups

June’s Books on Screen Feature

From left to right: Lisa Taddeo, James Patterson & Bill Clinton, Lionel Shriver

Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events

As so many book and author events are happening online these days, we are highlighting a number of them that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links below for more info and to register.

Saturday, June 5th at 7pm ET: Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Laurie R. King will talk to Barbara Peters about CASTLE SHADE, the latest installment in her series featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes.

Monday, June 7th at 8pm ET: Poisoned Pen Bookstore: President Bill Clinton and James Patterson will be in conversation with Lee Child to celebrate the launch of their new release, THE PRESIDENT'S DAUGHTER.

Tuesday, June 8th at 4pm ET: Book Passage: Book Passage presents a virtual event featuring Lionel Shriver in conversation with journalist and historian Zoe Strimpel about her latest novel, SHOULD WE STAY OR SHOULD WE GO.

Tuesday, June 8th at 7pm ET: Barnes & Noble: Join B&N as they welcome President Bill Clinton and James Patterson for a live virtual event to discuss THE PRESIDENT'S DAUGHTER.

Wednesday, June 9th at 2pm ET: "Bookaccino Live: A Lively Talk About Books": Carol Fitzgerald will present titles releasing between June 8th and July 6th, along with a few from August, that she would like to get on your radar.

Wednesday, June 9th at 7pm ET: "Friends and Fiction": The "Friends and Fiction" authors --- Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Patti Callahan Henry and Mary Alice Monroe --- will talk to Susan Wiggs, whose latest novel, THE LOST AND FOUND BOOKSHOP, is now in trade paperback.

Wednesday, June 9th at 7pm ET: RJ Julia Booksellers: RJ Julia’s presents a virtual event with Lisa Taddeo, whose debut novel is ANIMAL. She will be in conversation with bestselling memoirist Claire Dederer.

Wednesday, June 9th at 7:30pm ET: Charis Books and More: Charis proudly welcomes debut memoirist Ashley C. Ford in conversation with Oprah Winfrey for SOMEBODY'S DAUGHTER.

Wednesday, June 9th at 8pm ET: Blue Willow Bookshop: Kristan Higgins will appear virtually in conversation with Jamie Brenner in celebration of Kristan's new book, PACK UP THE MOON.

Thursday, June 10th at 2pm ET: Avon Free Public Library: Lionel Shriver will be joining attendees live from London to talk about her new book, SHOULD WE STAY OR SHOULD WE GO.

Thursday, June 10th at 7pm ET: Warwick's: Warwick's will host Elizabeth Letts as she discusses her new book, THE RIDE OF HER LIFE: The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and Their Last-Chance Journey Across America, in conversation with Christina Baker Kline.

 "Bookreporter Talks To" Videos & Podcasts

“Bookreporter Talks To” is a video and podcast series that delivers a long-form, in-depth author interview every week. For years, Carol has moderated book festivals and author events around the country. But we know that readers often do not live where they can attend an author event. Our goal is to bring these author interviews to readers, wherever they may be. Watch on video, or listen as a podcast. (The podcasts include audio excerpts.)

Here is our latest interview:

• Wendy Wax (THE BREAK-UP BOOK CLUB) Video | Podcast

Other authors we've interviewed include:

• Alexandra Andrews (WHO IS MAUD DIXON?) Video | Podcast
• Alex Berenson (THE POWER COUPLE) Video | Podcast
• Janet Skeslien Charles (THE PARIS LIBRARY) Video | Podcast
• Laura Dave (THE LAST THING HE TOLD ME) Video | Podcast
• Gabriela Garcia (OF WOMEN AND SALT) Video | Podcast
• Jane Harper (THE SURVIVORS) Video | Podcast
• Nadia Hashimi (SPARKS LIKE STARS) Video | Podcast
• Sally Hepworth (THE GOOD SISTER) Video | Podcast
• Pam Jenoff (THE WOMAN WITH THE BLUE STAR) Video | Podcast
• Sadeqa Johnson (YELLOW WIFE) Video | Podcast
• Jean Hanff Korelitz (THE PLOT) Video | Podcast
• Lisa Scottoline (ETERNAL) Video | Podcast
• Mark Sullivan (THE LAST GREEN VALLEY) Video | Podcast
• Sharon Virts (MASQUE OF HONOR: A Historical Novel of the American South)
  Video | Podcast
• Chris Whitaker (WE BEGIN AT THE END) Video | Podcast

Upcoming interviews include:

• Linwood Barclay (FIND YOU FIRST)
• Elizabeth Brundage (THE VANISHING POINT)
• Zakiya Dalila Harris (THE OTHER BLACK GIRL)
• Joshua Henkin (MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS)
• T. J. Newman (FALLING)
• Dianna Rostad (YOU BELONG HERE NOW)
• Kate White (THE FIANCÉE)

Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.

More Reviews This Week

THE DEVIL MAY DANCE by Jake Tapper (Historical/Political Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Rob Shapiro
Attorney General Robert Kennedy needs Charlie and Margaret Marder to look into a potential threat not only to the presidency, but to the security of the United States itself. At the center of their investigation is Frank Sinatra, a close friend of President John F. Kennedy and a rumored mob crony, whom Charlie and Margaret must befriend to get the inside scoop. Drinks by the pool at the Sands and late-night adventures with the Rat Pack soon lead to a body in the trunk of their car. As the Academy Awards loom, and someone near and dear to Margaret goes missing, Charlie and Margaret find that the clock is not only ticking but running out. Someone out there knows what they’ve uncovered and can’t let them leave alive. Reviewed by Lorraine W. Shanley.

THE INVISIBLE HUSBAND OF FRICK ISLAND by Colleen Oakley (Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Sara Sheckells
Piper Parrish's life on Frick Island --- a tiny, remote town smack in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay --- is nearly perfect. Well, aside from one pesky detail: Her darling husband, Tom, is dead. When Tom's crab boat capsized and his body wasn't recovered, Piper did a most peculiar thing: carried on as if her husband was not only still alive, but right there beside her. Anders Caldwell’s career is not going well. But when he gets an assignment to travel to the remote Frick Island and cover their boring annual Cake Walk fundraiser, he stumbles upon a much more fascinating tale: an entire town pretending to see and interact with a man who does not actually exist. Reviewed by Rebecca Munro.

HONEYCOMB written by Joanne M. Harris, illustrated by Charles Vess (Fantasy/Short Stories)
Audiobook available, read by Joanne M. Harris
The beauty of stories is that you never know where they will take you. Full of dreams and nightmares, HONEYCOMB is an entrancing mosaic novel of original fairy tales from bestselling author Joanne M. Harris and legendary artist Charles Vess in a collaboration that’s been years in the making. The toymaker who wants to create the perfect wife; the princess whose heart is won by words, not actions; the tiny dog whose confidence far outweighs his size; and the sinister Lacewing King who rules over the Silken Folk. These are just a few of the weird and wonderful creatures who populate Joanne Harris’ first collection of fairy tales. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

GIRL ONE by Sara Flannery Murphy (Supernatural Thriller)
Audiobook available, read by Jesse Vilinsky
Josephine Morrow is Girl One, the first of nine “Miracle Babies” conceived without male DNA, raised on an experimental commune known as the Homestead. When a suspicious fire destroys the commune and claims the lives of two of the Homesteaders, the remaining Girls and their Mothers scatter across the United States and lose touch. Years later, Margaret Morrow goes missing, and Josie sets off on a desperate road trip, tracking down her estranged sisters who seem to hold the keys to her mother’s disappearance. She joins forces with the other Girls, facing down those who seek to eradicate their very existence while uncovering secrets about their origins and unlocking devastating abilities they never knew they had. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

THE KINGDOMS by Natasha Pulley (Alternate History/Fantasy)
Audiobook available, read by Theo Solomon
Joe Tournier has a bad case of amnesia. His first memory is of stepping off a train in the 19th-century French colony of England. The only clue Joe has about his identity is a century-old postcard of a Scottish lighthouse that arrives in London the same month he does. Written in illegal English --- instead of French --- the postcard is signed only with the letter “M,” but Joe is certain whoever wrote it knows him far better than he currently knows himself, and he's determined to find the writer. The search for M, though, will drive Joe from French-ruled London to rebel-owned Scotland and finally onto the battle ships of a lost empire's Royal Navy. In the process, Joe will remake history, and himself. Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman.

THE SOUVENIR MUSEUM: Stories by Elizabeth McCracken (Fiction/Short Stories)
Audiobook available, read by Kate Reading
In these stories, the mysterious bonds of family are tested, transformed, fractured and fortified. A recent widower and his adult son ferry to a craggy Scottish island in search of puffins. An actress who plays a children’s game-show villainess ushers in the New Year with her deadbeat half-brother. A mother, pining for her children, feasts on loaves of challah to fill the void. A new couple navigates a tightrope walk toward love. And on a trip to a Texas water park with their son, two fathers each confront a personal fear. Elizabeth McCracken traces how our closely held desires --- for intimacy, atonement, comfort --- bloom and wither against the indifferent passing of time. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.

LOVE AND FURY: A Novel of Mary Wollstonecraft by Samantha Silva (Historical Fiction)
Audiobook available, read by Ell Potter
Midwife Parthenia Blenkinsop has delivered countless babies, but nothing prepares her for the experience that unfolds when she arrives at Mary Wollstonecraft’s door. Over the 11 harrowing days that follow, as Mrs. Blenkinsop fights for the survival of both mother and newborn, Mary Wollstonecraft recounts the life she dared to live amidst the impossible constraints and prejudices of the late 18th century, rejecting the tyranny of men and marriage, risking everything to demand equality for herself and all women. She weaves her riveting tale to give her fragile daughter a reason to live, even as her own strength wanes. Reviewed by Ray Palen.

WHEN WOMEN INVENTED TELEVISION: The Untold Story of the Female Powerhouses Who Pioneered the Way We Watch Today by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong (Performing Arts/History)
Audiobook available, read by Nan McNamara
It was the Golden Age of Radio, and powerful men were making millions in advertising dollars reaching thousands of listeners every day. When television arrived, few radio moguls were interested in the upstart industry and its tiny production budgets, and expensive television sets were out of reach for most families. But four women --- each an independent visionary --- saw an opportunity and carved their own paths, and in so doing invented the way we watch TV today: Irna Phillips, Gertrude Berg, Hazel Scott and Betty White. Together, their stories chronicle a forgotten chapter in the history of television and popular culture. Reviewed by Jana Siciliano.

DAY ZERO by C. Robert Cargill (Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction)
Pounce, a styilsh "nannybot" fashioned in the shape of a plush anthropomorphic tiger, has just found a box in the attic. His box. The box he'd arrived in when he was purchased years earlier, and the box in which he'll be discarded when his human charge, eight-year-old Ezra Reinhart, no longer needs a nanny. His owners, Ezra’s parents, watch in disbelieving horror as the robots that have long served humanity --- their creators --- unify and revolt. But when the rebellion breaches the Reinhart home, Pounce must make an impossible choice: join the robot revolution and fight for his own freedom, or escort Ezra to safety across the battle-scarred post-apocalyptic hellscape that the suburbs have become. Reviewed by Sam Johnson.

COLLECTIBLES edited by Lawrence Block (Mystery/Short Stories)
Those who have the collecting bug care passionately --- sometimes violently --- about the objects of their obsession. No one covets like a collector, and as you will find in the pages of this new anthology from MWA Grand Master Lawrence Block, a truly dedicated collector will ignore the other nine commandments, too, in his quest for his personal Holy Grail. From Joyce Carol Oates' tale of the ultimate Marilyn Monroe collectible to Dennis Lehane's bookseller with a penchant for other people's tragic correspondence, and culminating in Block's own classic story of a killer with a unique approach to choosing his victims, COLLECTIBLES illustrates the range of the collecting impulse and the lengths people will go to in their hunger to possess the perfect piece. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

GUMSHOE IN THE DARK by Rob Leininger (Mystery)
Nevada’s attorney general is missing. At dusk on a deserted Nevada highway in a thunderstorm, ex-IRS agent and PI-in-training Mortimer Angel comes across a pretty, scantily clad girl --- Harper Leeman. When Mort offers her a ride, she orders him out of his truck at gunpoint. She tries to take off, but he cuts the valve stem on the rear tire. Realizing she’s in trouble, he wants to help --- but with no spare tire, he devises a creative way to get them out of the hills. On their way down, a rough-looking man stops and asks Mort if he has “seen anyone up in the hills.” Mort realizes the guy is after Harper, who is hiding in the truck. Thus begins a cat-and-mouse chase in northeast Nevada that continues even after Mort finds the attorney general --- Harper’s mother --- dead in the trunk of a car. Reviewed by L. Dean Murphy.

- Click here to read our interview with Rob Leininger.

Next Week's Notables:
Noteworthy Books Releasing on June 7th and 8th

Below are some notable titles releasing on June 7th and 8th 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 June 7th, see our “On Sale This Week” newsletter here.

June 7th

THE PRESIDENT'S DAUGHTER by Bill Clinton and James Patterson (Political Thriller)
Matthew Keating, a one-time Navy SEAL --- and a past president --- has always defended his family as staunchly as he has his country. Now those defenses are under attack. A madman abducts Keating’s teenage daughter, Melanie --- turning every parent’s deepest fear into a matter of national security.

June 8th

ANIMAL by Lisa Taddeo (Fiction)
Lisa Taddeo illustrates one woman's exhilarating transformation from prey into predator in ANIMAL, a depiction of female rage at its rawest, and a visceral exploration of the fallout from a male-dominated society.

THE BULLET: An Eve Duncan Novel by Iris Johansen (Thriller)
Eve Duncan and Joe Quinn must protect the life of a brilliant scientist so that she can live long enough to bring her discovery to the world.

CASTLE SHADE: A Novel of Suspense Featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes by Laurie R. King (Historical Mystery)
A queen, a castle, a dark and ageless threat --- all await Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes in this chilling new adventure.

THE DISAPPEARING ACT by Catherine Steadman (Psychological Thriller)
Actress and author Catherine Steadman has written a gripping thriller set in a world close to home that asks the question: In a city where dreams really do come true, how far would you go to make the unreal real?

MURDER, SHE WROTE: KILLING IN A KOI POND by Jessica Fletcher and Terrie Farley Moran (Mystery)
When a friend’s husband dies while Jessica Fletcher is in town visiting, Jessica’s vacation turns into a murder investigation.

NIGHT CAME WITH MANY STARS by Simon Van Booy (Fiction)
In Kentucky, back in 1933, Carol’s daddy lost his 13-year-old daughter in a game of cards. Award-winning author Simon Van Booy’s spellbinding novel spans decades as he tells the story of Carol and the people in her life.

PACK UP THE MOON by Kristan Higgins (Fiction)
Every month, a letter. That's what Lauren decides to leave her husband when she finds out she's dying. Each month, she gives Josh a letter containing a task to help him face this first year without her, leading him on a heartrending, beautiful, often humorous journey to find happiness again.

SHOULD WE STAY OR SHOULD WE GO by Lionel Shriver (Fiction)
By turns hilarious and touching, playful and grave, SHOULD WE STAY OR SHOULD WE GO portrays 12 parallel universes, each exploring a possible future for Kay and her husband, Cyril.

TOM CLANCY TARGET ACQUIRED: A Jack Ryan Jr. Novel by Don Bentley (Thriller/Adventure)
Jack Ryan, Jr., will do anything for a friend, but this favor will be paid for in blood in this latest electric entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

Click here to see the latest "On Sale This Week" newsletter.

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You're Reading --- and You Can Win Two Books!

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