True Crime Wine Club, Birdwatchers, & More Mysteries!

Post author By Jamie Canaves
Post date June 27, 2017

Hello my fellow mystery fans! I want to read all my books in every animal cafe— raccoons included!

Sponsored by The Separatists by Lis Wiehl

Bestselling novelist and national legal and political news analyst Lis Wiehl takes us behind the anchor’s desk and into a country being torn apart.

Reporter Erica Sparks heads to North Dakota, to investigate Take Back Our Homeland, a large secessionist group threatening our Union.

When Erica discovers a potential informant murdered in her Bismarck hotel, she realizes Take Back Our Homeland might be even more dangerous than she thought. She unwittingly becomes one of the key players in the story she’s reporting. Her fear and anxiety escalate – for her family and her own life.

I can’t get enough of Juniper Song!

Beware Beware (Juniper Song, #2) by Steph Cha: While Song ended up investigating way more than she’d ever imagined, or wanted to, in the first book (Follow Her Home) it was really just something that started as a favor for a friend. Now she’s back, and this time interning as a private detective—I mean, what else would a woman do who seems to have tragedy and murder follow her? She’s finally given her first solo case to tear her teeth on that seems easy enough: follow Daphne Freamon’s boyfriend Jamie Tilley. But this is Song, and noir, so before she can get a handle on what Tilley is up to she’s called to help him when he finds himself the only person left at a party with a dead Hollywood actor. Not one to ever have peace, Song’s roommate also seems to be finding herself in danger (which Song is trying to protect her from). Cha brings the Korean communities in L.A. alive while creating a hell of a noir heroine who sees the world as it is: always with a bit of a dark stain.

For fans of true crime:

Viola Davis, Julius Tennon, and a bunch of production companies are creating a documentary series that will follow two inmates on death row in order to re-examine their cases.

Watch the official trailer for Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Brothers starring Edie Falco.

There’s a true crime wine club.

A true crime podcast helped exonerate an imprisoned man.

I’ve been seeing a bunch of articles about Netflix’s The Keepers (fantastic but brutal, ALL THE TRIGGER WARNINGS) and found this L.A. Times article interesting in its questioning of why true crime mostly focuses on female victims. For me one of the things that made The Keepers so successful is that it focused mostly on giving voice to the victims rather than obsessing over the killer/attacker/suspect. And if you’re looking for true crime novels that give voice to victims, and can handle brutal reads, I recommend two recent reads: The Fact of a Body: A Murder and a Memoir by Alexandria Marzano-Lesnevich and The Grim Sleeper: The Lost Women of South Central by Christine Pelisek.

New evidence in the case made famous by Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood has lead producers to create a new re-examining documentary.

Quartz: True Crime Fans Should Listen to This New Podcast Created by San Quentin Inmates.

Grabs the reader from the first page!

The Birdwatcher by William Shaw: William South, a police sergeant in Kent, is assigned to a murder case but he has two reasons he tries to get out of it: first, he’s a birdwatcher and he doesn’t want to miss out on the arrival of migrating birds; second, HE’S A MURDERER HIMSELF. What?! Clearly no one else seems to know his second reason, seeing as he’s police and his boss doesn’t care that he doesn’t want the case. He has to take it. Complicating his life further: the murder victim is not only one of South’s neighbors, but also a birdwatching friend. Oh, and he’s got a new partner, a sergeant relocated from London: Alexandra Cupidi. Cupidi comes with her own baggage, including a teen daughter who is pissed her life has been uprooted. Between the current murder case (turns out South maybe didn’t know his birdwatching buddy that well), the flashback chapters to his childhood in Ireland, and the murder of his father, there is plenty of mystery to get sucked into. The birdwatching, Cupidi’s character, and her daughter are added bonuses to a solid story. If you’re looking for a satisfying-from-beginning-to-end read don’t miss this one.

Fiona Barton does it again!

The Child by Fiona Barton: I was a fan of Barton’s debut The Widow, since I can’t fathom how people defend their spouses or stay with them after they’ve committed horrible crime(s) and it took me deep into that land with a balance of unsettling and real characters. (The audiobook’s narrators were great!) So I had high expectations for The Child and was thrilled that Barton delivered another great novel while being different from her first. This time around we get changing point of view between four women: Emma, Kate, Angela, and Jude. You get a slice of each woman’s current life: Emma, a book editor, is having emotional problems and seems to be hiding something from her husband Paul; Jude is Emma’s mum and their relationship is strained; Kate is a reporter trying to figure out the mystery behind baby bones discovered in a now construction site; Angela is a mum whose newborn baby disappeared years ago. Each woman is drawn to the news of the baby skeleton, drawing the reader deeper into the women’s lives… The depth of Barton’s characters elevates this novel into a satisfying, emotional mystery with a twist.

Recent paperback releases:

The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty

The Killing Lessons by Saul Black

Grace to Finish (A Manor House Mystery) by Julie Hyzy

Before the Fall by Noah Hawley

Browse all the books recommended in Unusual Suspects previous newsletters on this shelf. And if you like to put a pin in things there’s an Unusual Suspects board.

Until next time, keep investigating! And in the meantime come talk books with me on Twitter and Litsy–you can find me under Jamie Canaves.

In The Club

In the Club Jun 28

Post author By Jenn Northington
Post date June 27, 2017

Welcome back to In The Club, a newsletter of resources to keep your book group well-met and well-read. Today we’ve got Pride reads, a Maori/Pasifika reading list, a look at the first Big Library Reads, Oprah’s latest pick, and lots more linky goodness.

This newsletter is sponsored by Swimming Home by Mary-Rose MacColl.

London 1925: Fifteen-year-old Catherine Quick longs to feel once more the warm waters of her home, to strike out into the ocean off the Torres Strait Islands in Australia and swim, as she’s done since she was a child. But now, orphaned and living with her aunt Louisa in London, Catherine feels that everything she values has been stripped away from her.

This DC book group has been around since 2007, and BookBrowse interviewed one of their organizers! If you want an in-depth look at how one group operates, this is well worth your time.

Read like Moana: This excellent Maori/Pasifika reading list has novels, poetry, and short stories across genres, along with great descriptions. I now want to read everything on here, basically. And what an excellent pairing — read one of these and then (re)watch Moana!

I missed it earlier, but the Big Library Read ran from June 12-26. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s a worldwide book club facilitated by Overdrive, allowing anyone access to the chosen ebook without holds or wait lists. Cool, right? From the discussion page it looks like it was a smallish group, but I’ll be keeping an eye on it for the next one.

Speaking of ebooks! If you’re already reading the classics or want to read more of them, ebooks are already a great choice, since they’re generally very available. Of course, the formatting isn’t always the best, which is where Standard Ebooks wants to come in. They’re taking public domain/open access books and making nicely-formatted ebooks, available for free. I tested one out, and it was pretty seamless.

As Pride month wraps up, there’s no time like the present for some round-ups to bring the rainbow to your reading list!
– Book Club Made Me Gay (this one’s a must-read, and exploded my own TBR)
– 10 Mind-Blowing Bi & Lesbian Books
– Celebrating Pride and Queer Lit with Hide
– Finding Queer POC Books
– 100 Must-Read LGBTQIA YA Books
– 14 More LGBTQ Middle Grade Books
– Favorite Queer SFF Characters

Related: I love these queer rainbow book stacks, and it got me thinking. Next time you’re stuck for a topic or can’t decide on a book, why not have everyone Build Their Own Stack and bring it for discussion? Pick a few books (let’s say 3-5) around a theme, bring your stack to the meeting, and explain why they’re you’re favorite for that theme. I’ll bet you anything you’d get some new books on your group’s TBR list, find some reads for yourself, and fill up your discussion nicely.

In celebrity book club news, Sarah Jessica Parker has picked the first title for her partnership with the ALA: No One Is Coming To Save Us by Stephanie Powell-Watts. She’s also announced her first manuscript acquisition for her new imprint!

And last but definitely not least, let’s talk about Behold the Dreamers, which Oprah just picked for her book club! This has been a staff favorite at Book Riot since it came out, so we could not be more excited. Here’s a link-kit for discussing it amongst yourselves:
– CBS has the announcement and reading group guide!
– The Atlantic looks at Behold the Dreamers and The Wangs vs. The World, both about the 2008 financial collapse.
– PBS has a video (and transcript) of an interview with Imbolo Mbue about writing the book and what people might take away from it.
– Rebecca reviewed it on our YouTube channel back when it first came out.
– And for podcast fans, Rebecca and Liberty discussed it on All the Books.

And that’s a wrap: Happy discussing! If you’re interested in more science fiction and fantasy talk, you can catch me and my co-host Sharifah on the new SFF Yeah! podcast. For many many more book recommendations (including the occasional book club question!) you can find me on the Get Booked podcast with the inimitable Amanda.

More Resources:
– Our Book Group In A Box guide
– List your group on the Book Group Resources page

Riot Rundown

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Post author By Devin Service
Post date June 27, 2017

Today’s Riot Rundown is sponsored by Penguin Books.

One night in 1917 Beatrice Haven sneaks out of her uncle’s house on Cape Ann, Massachusetts, leaves her newborn baby at the foot of a pear tree, and watches as another woman claims the infant as her own. The unwed daughter of wealthy Jewish industrialists and a gifted pianist bound for Radcliffe, Bea plans to leave her shameful secret behind and make a fresh start. Ten years later, Prohibition is in full swing, post-WWI America is in the grips of rampant xenophobia, and Bea’s hopes for her future remain unfulfilled.

The Stack

062717-BRInsiders-The-Stack

Post author By Devin Service
Post date June 27, 2017

Join your fellow book nerds at Book Riot Insiders and get a sweet store deal, exclusive content, the magical New Releases Index, and more!

Giveaways

Win THE ILLUSTRATED HARRY POTTER & THE SORCERER’S STONE!

Post author By Jeff O'Neal
Post date June 26, 2017

We are continuing our celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the publication of Harry Potter & The Sorcerer’s Stone with a giveaway of five copies of the beautiful illustration edition.

These full color editions started coming out every year in 2015 with more than a 100 illustrations by Jim Kay in each volume.

Go here to enter the giveaway, or just click the illustration from the book below. Good luck!

New Books

Friendly Aliens, 18th-Century Romps, and More New Books!

Post author By Liberty Hardy
Post date June 26, 2017

Happy last June Tuesday! (How is that already possible??!) It’s another stellar day for new releases. At the top of my shopping list is Before Everything by Victoria Redel. I have heard wonderful things, so I must see for myself. And for all you Fiona Barton fans, she has a new one out today called The Child. I also have a few more fantastic titles to tell you about today, and as always, you can also hear about several more great books on this week’s episode of the All the Books! Rebecca and I talked about a few amazing books we loved, such as The Windfall, My Glory Was I Had Such Friends, and The Sisters Chase.

This week’s newsletter is sponsored by The Sisters Chase by Sarah Healy.

A gripping novel about two sisters who are left homeless by their mother’s death and the lengths the fierce older sister will go to protect her beloved young charge.

“A deliciously compulsive read. . . . It lingers like a summer dream after the last page is turned.” —Amy Gentry, author of Good as Gone

“Part mystery, part road novel, part family saga, The Sisters Chase had me riveted from the first secret to the last revelation.” —Lisa Lutz, author of The Passenger and How to Start a Fire

“Captivating . . . a fierce and unstoppable force of nature.” —Publishers Weekly

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

A bisexual British lord heads out on a wild journey with his best friend/secret crush in this fun 18th-century romp! Monty has reached an age when he is expected to finally settle down and act like a gentleman. But before he does, he takes his BFF Percy on one last adventure around the globe, which quickly turns dangerous – both romantically and to their actual lives! This is fun with a capital “YES.”

Backlist bump: Bloody Jack: Being an Account of the Curious Adventures of Mary “Jacky” Faber, Ship’s Boy by L. A. Meyer

Spoonbenders by Daryl Gregory

Once upon a time, the Telemachuses were famous. With a telekinetic, a psychic, and a human lie detector in the family, they were a wonder to citizens and secret agents everywhere. But twenty years later, the family is disgraced and in shambles, trying desperately to make ends meet. A visit from an old friend at the CIA checking to see if they have any remaining powers seems to be a waste of time, but what the family doesn’t know is that one of the children has just discovered he has the ability to leave his body. This is a funny, heartfelt dysfunctional family comedy with a supernatural twist.

Backlist bump: The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson

The Girl of the Lake: Stories by Bill Roorbach

I know I have raved about him before, but I’m going to do it again, because Bill Roorbach is a national treasure. And I’m not just saying that because he’s a Mainer like me. These nine stories are funny and emotional slices of life, with unforgettable characters and so much heart. Roorbach has been called “a kinder, gentler John Irving,” and I think that is the perfect description. I never miss a chance to see him speak, and I’m wildly envious of his students.

Backlist bump: Big Bend: Stories by Bill Roorbach

Everyone’s a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too: A Book by Jomny Sun

This is one of the sweetest and strangest books I’ve seen lately. Based on Jomny Sun’s popular Twitter account, it’s the story of a lonely alien sent to observe Earth, where he meets all kinds of other creatures and learns that it’s okay to be different. The “dawwwww” factor is strong in this one.

Backlist bump: Heart and Brain: An Awkward Yeti Collection by The Awkward Yeti

The Fourth Monkey by J. D. Barker

For years, the Fourth Monkey Killer has been plaguing the city of Chicago. But then the police catch a lucky break: he’s struck and killed by a bus on his way to mail another gruesome package. The good news is that he’s dead. The bad news is that he still has a kidnap victim out there somewhere. If the police want to save her, they’ll have to read through the diary they found in his pocket to learn who he is and just what they’re up against. It turns out, the 4MK’s origin story is as upsetting as his new persona. If you like fast-paced, disturbing thrillers, this is the summer read for you! (The galley for this book arrived in my mailbox with a gummy eyeball, and I immediately thought, “You have my attention.”)

Backlist bump: The Poet by Michael Connolly

That’s it for me today – time to get back to reading! If you want to learn more about books new and old (and see lots of pictures of my cats, Millay and Steinbeck), or tell me about books you’re reading, or books you think I should read (I HEART RECOMMENDATIONS!), you can find me on Twitter at MissLiberty, on Instagram at FranzenComesAlive, or L itsy under ‘Liberty’!

Stay rad,

Liberty

This Week In Books

Millennials Most Frequent Users of Public Libraries: This Week in Books

Post author By Sharifah Williams
Post date June 25, 2017

Because We Cool Like That

America’s Millennials are more likely to have visited a public library in the past year than any other adult generation, says a new analysis of Pew Research Center survey data. Results showed that 53% of Millennials (ages 18-35) say they used a library or bookmobile in the previous year. Whereas 45% of Gen Xers, 43% of Baby Boomers, and 36% of those in the Silent Generation used those same resources. The discrepancy could be the result of changes to the public library system, computer and internet usage, and literacy programs. I know I couldn’t survive without library ebooks and audiobooks on my phone, so I found it interesting that use of public library mobile apps is less common across all generations.

Sorry, No Cumberbatch as Dracula Promises Here

The writers and producers of the BBC’s Sherlock are reuniting to develop a new take on the horror classic Dracula. Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat will write the series, and Sue Vertue’s Hartswood Films will produce. But it’ll be a minute before we learn anything about casting, and honestly that’s the news we’re all waiting to hear. Dracula as a character is ideal for adaptation, and I personally loved Coppola’s film take (because Gary Oldman; let’s try to forget about Keanu), so I am not upset by this news. I’ll be tuning in to find out how they modernize the story. Will Dracula discover Tinder?

Broadway Gets Dystopian With Orwell’s Classic

This isn’t Into the Woods or Hedwig and the Angry Inch. This is totalitarianism and Big Brother. This is George Orwell’s 1984 on Broadway. The play, starring Olivia Wilde among other actors, opened this past Friday and was not what you might call a lighthearted production. There is a reason Orwell’s dystopian novel reached No. 1 status on Amazon recently. I’m not sure I’d be able to handle it myself, but a stage production sounds like the perfect platform for rumination.

DREAD NATION Looks Awesome. The End.

Justina Ireland’s forthcoming novel Dread Nation (April 2018) is about zombies, racism, and kick-ass black and Native girls trained in the art of combat. And the cover reveal is so real. You have to see it for yourself.

Thanks to Smoke by Dan Vyleta, new in paperback, for sponsoring this week’s newsletter.

In an alternate Victorian England those who are wicked are marked by smoke. The aristocracy are clean, proof of their virtue and right to rule, while the lower classes are drenched in sin and soot. Readers of the Harry Potter series and Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell are sure to be mesmerized by Dan Vyleta’s thrilling blend of historical fiction and fantasy, as three young friends scratch the surface of the grown-up world to discover startling wonders—and dangerous secrets.

Giveaways

Win a Book Lovers Prize Pack!

Post author By Jeff O'Neal
Post date June 25, 2017

We have 5 Chronicle Books Book Lovers prize packs to give away to 5 Riot readers! The prize pack includes:

There’s No Place Like Home literary tattoos
Card Catalog
Literary Notes
Literary Journeys: A Reader’s Journal

Celebrate your love for all things literally with these items inspired by books: Show off your favorite quotes from beloved classics with There Is No Place Like Home: Literary Tattoos from Classic Children’s Literature; keep in touch with fellow bibliophiles with these whimsical and inspiring Literary Notes: 20 Notecards & Envelopes; discover the history of the catalog card with a book from The Library of Congress, The Card Catalog: Books, Cards, and Literary Treasures; and take notes and keep track of what you want to read next with Literary Journeys: A Reader’s Journal.

Ready to take your shot? Go here to enter, or just click the cover image below:

Riot Rundown

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Post author By Devin Service
Post date June 25, 2017

Today’s Riot Rundown is sponsored by Penguin Books.

How far will a mother go to save her family? The Hammond family is living in DC, where everything seems to be going just fine, until it becomes clear that the oldest daughter, Tilly, is developing abnormally–a mix of off-the-charts genius and social incompetence. Once Tilly is kicked out of the last school in the area, the family turns to Camp Harmony and the wisdom of child behavior guru Scott Bean for a solution. But what they discover in the woods of New Hampshire will push them to the very limit.

Book Radar

Lilly Singh, Christopher Robin, and More Blips on the Book Radar!

Post author By Liberty Hardy
Post date June 23, 2017

Hello, book lovers! It’s Monday, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing! There’s lots of great book stuff to learn about. Hope you enjoy your week. Be excellent to each other. – xoxo, Liberty

Deals, Reels, and Squeals

Lilly Singh joins the cast of the Fahrenheit 451 series.

Marisha Pessl is publishing her first YA novel!

Sony Acquires The Day The Crayons Quit.

Jeff Jackson has a new novel coming in 2018, called Destroy All Monsters.

It’s official! There will be a follow-up to The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee.

Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively in talks to star in A Simple Favor, based on the novel by Darcey Bell.

David Mamet in talks to adapt Don Winslow’s NYPD novel The Force.

Kyle Chandler will co-star with Ryan Gosling in First Man, based on James Hansen book about Neil Armstrong’s moon landing.

Eli Roth & Jack Black in talks for The House With A Clock In Its Walls, based on the 1973 book.

Damon Lindelof to develop Watchmen for HBO. (I say include Tales of the Black Freighter or gtfo.)

Rachel Vorona Cote will publish Too Much is Just Enough with Hachette.

Cover Reveals

THIS COVER. Check out Justina Ireland’s Dread Nation, a post-reconstruction story about zombies and racism. (April 2018)

Check out an excerpt and cover reveal from John Scalzi’s Head On, the sequel to Lock In. (April 17, 2018)

See the cover of Ashley Poston’s Heart of Iron! (Feb. 13, 2018)

Take an exclusive look at the cover for the 10th anniversary edition of The Name of the Wind. (Oct. 3, 2017)

Sneak Peeks!

The first trailer for Goodbye Christopher Robin has been released.

New trailer for Game of Thrones, season seven. (I don’t watch the show, but I’m gonna call spoilers just to be safe.)

Book Riot Recommends

At Book Riot, I work on the New Books! email, the All the Books! podcast about new releases, and the Book Riot Insiders New Release Index. I am very fortunate to get to read a lot of upcoming titles, and I’m delighted to share a couple with you each week!

New People by Danzy Senna

Oooooo, this book! Senna has created an engrossing story of race and class in contemporary America. It follows the lives of Maria Khalil, a seemingly perfect couple, as they plan their wedding. But Maria is becoming increasingly fixated on a poet she barely knows, and her new infatuation could upend her whole life. It’s fantastic! You can practically hear it sizzle in your hands. (Aug. 1, Riverhead Books)

Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything by Lydia Kang and Nate Pedersen

A fascinating, comic compendium of 67 outlandish, dangerous, and flat-out deadly historical medical treatments, in a time when “do no harm” was more a suggestion than a rule to follow. Leeches, lobotomies, strychnine – it’s all here. It will make you thankful you live in the 21st century. Perfect for fans of Charlatan by Pope Brock.

And this is funny.

In case you’re not already following him on Twitter, you should know author Rabih Alameddine has the strongest, most delightful gif game in town.