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My book group had a great time at our early December meeting. Fiona Davis joined us via Zoom for our discussion. Props to my husband who put together a camera setup that had Fiona on our big television screen with a wide-angle camera that showed the entire group. We all had busy Novembers and Decembers, so we loved that THE SPECTACULAR was the kind of book that we could get into quickly and read speedily, thanks to Fiona’s prose and the plot that kept us turning the pages. I loved the questions from our group, some of which I incorporated into the interview with Fiona that I did the following week (more on that later). After we met, I decided to do this interview to be sure that readers had a chance to hear her speak about this book, whether or not they were in a book group.
We also decided that, instead of always picking on the fly the month before, we would look ahead a couple of months. In November we locked down CLASS: A Memoir of Motherhood, Hunger, and Higher Education by Stephanie Land for our January read. I already listened to it on audio. It was one of my last Bookreporter.com Bets On selections for 2023, and I look forward to hearing what the other group members share about it. We are a very honest book group. No one holds back. We also will be discussing THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah in March. Yes, we have not decided on our February title yet, which proves that we still have a bit to go on planning ahead. But it's our goal!
On November 30th, we hosted our final “Bookaccino Live” Book Group event of 2023. Our guest was Dani Shapiro, and she talked about her novel, SIGNAL FIRES, a Bets On pick that recently released in paperback.
Our readers loved SIGNAL FIRES and were quick to ask questions about the characters, who drive this story. Dani had put the book away a while ago, and when she came back to it, it was with fresh eyes and a new perspective. She shares why she pivoted in time to tell the story and how the accident that opens the novel radiated through the lives of the Wilf family in very different ways. She also explains why Waldo stole a piece of her heart, as well as that of readers.
People from 22 states, DC and Canada were part of the audience. As a result, there was a question about the city of Roseville, Michigan, being mentioned in the book as a reader lived close to there. Click here to watch the video or here to listen to the podcast.
We are thrilled to announce that Lisa See will be our next “Bookaccino Live” Book Group guest, our first of 2024. The event will be held on Wednesday, January 31st at 8pm ET, and you can sign up for it here. We will be talking about LADY TAN’S CIRCLE OF WOMEN, a #1 New York Times bestseller and a Bets On selection when it released in June.
Just as we did for Dani’s event, there will be a two-part Q&A session after I talk to Lisa. For the first part, those who are asking a question on camera will be featured. This includes spending time with Lisa backstage in our virtual green room before the show starts. If you would like to ask your question "live on screen" this way, please email me with the subject line "Lisa" by noon ET on January 31st. Be sure to include your name, city and state, as well as your question. If you do not want to appear on camera but still would like to ask a question, please note that you want to be off camera, and share your question --- adding your name, city and state.
Two BIG Year-End Contests You Will Want to Enter
This is your last ReadingGroupGuides newsletter reminder to enter our End-of-the-Year Contest. By sharing your favorite book that you read with your group and your favorite book that you read outside your group this year, you will be eligible to win six titles releasing in early 2024 that are perfect for book group discussions.
The prizes are FINDING MARGARET FULLER by Allison Pataki, FIRST LIE WINS by Ashley Elston, SLOW NOODLES: A Cambodian Memoir of Love, Loss, and Family Recipes by Chantha Nguon with Kim Green, THE STORM WE MADE by Vanessa Chan, WHAT HAPPENED TO NINA? by Dervla McTiernan, and the aforementioned THE WOMEN by Kristin Hannah. To enter, please fill out this form by Wednesday, January 10th at noon ET. We will share our reader-compiled "Best Of" list with you in the next newsletter.
On Bookreporter, we’re awarding all 44(!) of my 2023 Bets On selections to the Grand Prize winner of our End-of-the-Year Contest. Eleven other winners will receive four of these titles. Be sure to enter here by Friday, January 12th at noon ET. Scroll further down the newsletter for all the details. You may want to suggest that others in your group enter as well, so you can share the prizes if you’re one of the winners!
If you would like to know more about these books, be sure to check out this video and podcast where I talk about each of my 44 picks and why they resonated with me so much.
We wrap up our “Bookreporter Talks To” series for the year with my final four interviews of 2023.
First up is Nita Prose. She joined me to talk about THE MYSTERY GUEST; we are featuring the discussion guide in this newsletter. The book is a follow-up to THE MAID, which was a “Good Morning America” Book Club pick when it released in January 2022. Like her debut, THE MYSTERY GUEST is a Bets On selection.
Nita shares the challenges of writing a second novel featuring the same character and how she worked to be sure that the story here was as strong as what she delivered in THE MAID. She explains what this book reveals about her character Molly’s background while still moving the story forward. Until recently, Nita was the Editorial Director at Simon & Schuster Canada, and she talks about why she chose to step down from this position to be a full-time writer. Click here to watch the video or here to listen to the podcast.
As I alluded to earlier, I had so much fun talking to Fiona Davis about her most recent novel, THE SPECTACULAR. We featured the guide when it released in June, and it also is a Bets On title. Radio City Music Hall is the latest iconic New York City building that Fiona explores. This time, she layers in an additional element as she unearths a story about a habitual bomber who terrorized the city for more than a decade, targeting well-known locations.
A Rockette reached out to Fiona with the idea for the book, and she researched it from there. Adding the bomber pegged the book as a thriller, and Fiona discusses how she approached working to keep the action advancing. She also talks about her upcoming Audible original and the subject of her 2025 novel. Click here to watch the video or here to listen to the podcast.
I also had the pleasure of catching up with Gilly Macmillan, whose latest thriller, THE MANOR HOUSE, is a Bets On selection as well. The premise is a fun one as a couple wins the lottery, and they set out to spend their winnings wisely. They first build a beautiful glass house with all the bells and whistles that one might want. It’s just brilliant. But mere pages into the book, one of them is found dead in the swimming pool. What happened? Was it foul play, or was it an accident?
This is a book with so many twists and turns, and Gilly had lots of fun writing them. Plus, all that tech talk as the house performs as planned (or does not) just adds to the intrigue. We talk about yoga for a bit. Also, Gilly shares that there is one question I brought up that no one else has asked her about. And it just might surprise you! Click here to watch the video or here to listen to the podcast.
Finally, I interviewed Douglas Brunt about THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF RUDOLF DIESEL: Genius, Power, and Deception on the Eve of World War I, which was an instant New York Times bestseller when it released in September. Apple Books has selected it as one of the 20 best books of 2023, and it was named one of the Best History Books of the Year by Audible.
Doug talks about the origin of the story, which came about as he bought an older boat, and how his fascination with the character of Rudolf Diesel sprang from there. Many know about Diesel fuel, but few are aware that it was named for the man who invented it, along with the first Diesel engine. Doug explains why he chose to include a wider view of what was going on in the world at the time, as well as theories about Diesel’s fate. He goes on to present his thoughts on what really happened; to him, it was neither suicide nor murder. Click here to watch the video or here to listen to the podcast.
In addition to THE MYSTERY GUEST, we have added guides for these five books:
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THE OTHER MOTHERS: Katherine Faulkner's latest book is a Bets On pick, just like her debut novel, GREENWICH PARK, was last year. This fresh and deftly paced thriller is about murder, class and motherhood in an exclusive London community. I hope to interview Katherine in the new year!
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THE FROZEN RIVER: December’s “Good Morning America” Book Club pick is a gripping new historical mystery from Ariel Lawhon. The novel is inspired by the life and diary of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and wrote herself into American history.
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WE MUST NOT THINK OF OURSELVES: Lauren Grodstein’s latest work of fiction is this month’s “Read with Jenna” Today Show Book Club pick. Jenna says the book follows “an archivist who was writing the stories of people living in the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II so that their stories would not be lost.”
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BEFORE WE WERE INNOCENT: Reese’s Book Club pick for this month is Ella Berman’s second novel, which is now in paperback. Here’s what Reese says about it: “How about a captivating thriller for the holidays?... Three high school friends on a summer vacation in a gorgeous villa in Greece. What could possibly go wrong? This compulsive thriller reads like true crime and had me guessing until the very end.”
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HALF A CUP OF SAND AND SKY: A finalist for the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction, Nadine Bjursten’s debut novel is, according to author Stephen Kizner, “[a] searing love story [that] unfolds against the violent background of Iran's Islamic Revolution and the upheaval that followed.... Persian tradition combines with Iranian modernity to shape a rich tapestry of history and emotion.”
For more December selections, including the Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, see our “Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks” feature here. Please note that there are no December picks for the Barnes & Noble Book Club or Simon & Schuster’s “Book Club Favorites.”
First row: Carol Fitzgerald, Eileen Zimmerman Nicol, Tom Donadio, Kate Ayers
Second row: Stuart Shiffman, Harvey Freedenberg, Pamela Kramer, Norah Piehl
Third row: Ray Palen, Rebecca Munro
On December 6th, we hosted our year-end “Bookaccino Live” event featuring eight Bookreporter reviewers: Kate Ayers, Harvey Freedenberg, Pamela Kramer, Rebecca Munro, Eileen Zimmerman Nicol, Ray Palen, Norah Piehl and Stuart Shiffman. Each of them talked about their three favorite books of 2023. Their selections cover a wide variety of genres, and there may be a few titles you haven’t heard of that you will want to check out.
Click here to watch the event or here to listen to the podcast. A list of all the books that were presented, along with their covers, can be found here. Pictured above is me with our Editorial Director, Tom Donadio, and all eight reviewers as we appeared on Zoom “Brady Bunch”-style. We are so lucky to have such a vibrant book community. We had more than 300 attendees, and they came from 31 states, DC and Canada.
You can check out more 2023 faves from these reviewers and many others in Bookreporter's annual Reviewer Picks feature. See which of their fiction and nonfiction selections you agree or disagree with --- and which titles you may want to add to your 2024 reading lists or discuss with your group.
Our first “Bookaccino Live” book preview event of 2024 will take place on Wednesday, January 10th at 2pm ET. I will present titles releasing between January 2nd and February 6th, in addition to a few from March, that we think will appeal to you. Click here to sign up. Those attending the live event will be asked to answer a survey about the books from the presentation that they are most interested in reading and will be eligible to win a prize.
Authors Blog About Their Favorite Bookish Holiday Memories
Bookreporter’s Holiday Author Blog series returned for a 16th consecutive year. Many thanks to this year’s participants for sharing with us their memories of giving or receiving books during the holidays: Armando Lucas Correa (THE SILENCE IN HER EYES), Ashley Elston (FIRST LIE WINS), Laurie Frankel (FAMILY FAMILY), Freida McFadden (THE TEACHER), Allison Pataki (FINDING MARGARET FULLER), and Jonathan Santlofer (THE LOST VAN GOGH). We loved all these pieces, and we so appreciate these authors for taking the time to reminisce with us. Each one is truly special.
Books You Want to Wrap and Unwrap...and Give and Get
If you have some last-minute holiday shopping to do, may we suggest you take a look at Bookreporter's Holiday Cheer feature and “What to Give, What to Get” Guide? You will find books here that are perfect for holiday giving and getting --- and you may even want to include a few of these titles on your "to me/from me" list. THAT is my favorite list.
Wishing you all an absolutely brilliant holiday season and all the very best for 2024! We hope you read something terrific over the break that you want to share with your group.
Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])
P.S. For those of you who shop online, if you use the store links that appear on our site for shopping, ReadingGroupGuides.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and IndieBound. As you check out the discussion guides and various features on our site, we would appreciate your considering this as you buy!
New Guide: THE MYSTERY GUEST by Nita Prose
A Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
THE MYSTERY GUEST: A Maid Novel by Nita Prose (Mystery)
With her flair for cleaning and proper etiquette, Molly Gray has risen through the ranks of the glorious five-star Regency Grand Hotel to become the esteemed Head Maid. But just as her life reaches a pinnacle state of perfection, her world is turned upside down when J. D. Grimthorpe, the world-renowned mystery author, drops dead on the hotel’s tearoom floor. When Detective Stark, Molly’s old foe, investigates the author’s unexpected demise, it becomes clear that this death was murder most foul. Suspects abound, and everyone wants to know: Who killed J. D. Grimthorpe? As the high-profile death threatens the hotel’s pristine reputation, Molly knows that she alone holds the key to unlocking the killer’s identity. But that key is buried deep in her past, as long ago she knew J. D. Grimthorpe.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to read Carol's Bookreporter.com Bets On commentary.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Nita Prose.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here for the discussion guide.
New Guide:
THE OTHER MOTHERS by Katherine Faulkner
A Bookreporter.com Bets On Title
THE OTHER MOTHERS by Katherine Faulkner (Domestic Thriller)
When a young nanny is found dead under mysterious circumstances, new mom Tash is intrigued. She has been searching for a story to launch her career as a freelance journalist. But she also has been searching for new friends to help her navigate motherhood. She sees them at her son’s new playgroup. The other mothers. A group of sleek, sophisticated women. When the mothers welcome her into their circle, Tash discovers the kind of life she has always dreamt of and is quickly swept up into their wealthy world. But when another young woman is found dead, it’s clear there’s much more to the community than meets the eye. Are these women really her friends? Or is there another, more dangerous reason that she has been so quickly accepted into their exclusive world?
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to read Carol's Bookreporter.com Bets On commentary.
Click here for the discussion guide.
Special Contest:
Share Your Favorite Books of 2023
and Enter to Win SIX Outstanding Book Group Titles Releasing in 2024!
This is the time of year when we start seeing “Best Books of the Year” lists. We would like you and your book group to help us compile ours by entering our special End-of-the-Year contest!
All you have to do is fill out this form, sharing both your favorite book that you discussed with your group and your favorite book that you read outside your group in 2023, by Wednesday, January 10th at noon ET.
One Grand Prize winner will be awarded SIX fabulous book group titles releasing in early 2024:
Please note: Your favorite book that you discussed with your group CAN be the same as your favorite book that you read outside your group. And they don't need to have been published in 2023. Also, please be careful with the spelling of book titles and authors’ first and last names to save us editing time.
We will share our reader-compiled "Best Of" list with you shortly after the contest ends. We cannot wait to see what you select!
Click here to share your favorite books of 2023 and enter the contest.
Special Contest on Bookreporter.com:
Enter to Win Our End-of-the-Year Celebration,
Featuring All 44 "Bets On" Titles from 2023
We are thrilled to announce our End-of-the-Year Contest featuring Carol Fitzgerald’s Bookreporter.com Bets On picks from 2023. One Grand Prize winner will be awarded all 44 books, while 11 other readers will receive four of these titles.
To enter, please fill out this form by Friday, January 12th at noon ET.
Here are this year's Bets On selections:
- Watch or listen to Carol talk about each of her 44 Bets On selections.
Click here to enter the contest.
New Guide: THE FROZEN RIVER by Ariel Lawhon
December’s “Good Morning America” Book Club Pick
THE FROZEN RIVER by Ariel Lawhon (Historical Mystery)
Maine, 1789: The Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice. Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine the cause of death. As the local midwife and healer, Martha is good at keeping secrets. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, every murder and debacle that unfolds in the town of Hallowell. In that diary she also documented the details of an alleged rape that occurred four months earlier. Now, one of the men accused of that heinous attack has been found dead in the ice. While Martha is certain she knows what happened the night of the assault, she suspects that the two crimes are linked. Over the course of one long, hard winter, Martha’s diary lands at the center of the scandal and threatens to tear both her family and her community apart.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to see why the book is this month's "Good Morning America" Book Club pick.
Click here for the discussion guide.
New Guide: WE MUST NOT THINK OF OURSELVES
by Lauren Grodstein
December’s “Read with Jenna”
Today Show Book Club Pick
WE MUST NOT THINK OF OURSELVES by Lauren Grodstein (Historical Fiction)
In November 1940, Adam Paskow becomes a prisoner in the Warsaw Ghetto, where the Jews of the city are cut off from their former lives and held captive by Nazi guards. Weeks later, he is approached by a mysterious figure with a surprising request: Will he join a secret group of archivists working to preserve the truth of what is happening inside these walls? Adam agrees and begins taking testimonies from his students, friends and neighbors. One of the people Adam interviews is his flatmate Sala Wiskoff, who is married with two children. Over the months of their confinement, in the presence of her family, Adam and Sala fall in love. But when Adam discovers a possible escape from the Ghetto, he is faced with an unbearable choice: Whom can he save, and at what cost?
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to see why the book is this month's "Read with Jenna" pick.
Click here for the discussion guide.
New Guide: BEFORE WE WERE INNOCENT
by Ella Berman
Reese’s Book Club Pick for December
BEFORE WE WERE INNOCENT by Ella Berman (Psychological Thriller)
Ten years ago, after a sun-soaked summer spent in Greece, best friends Bess and Joni were cleared of having any involvement in their friend Evangeline’s death. But that didn’t stop the media from ripping apart their teenage lives like vultures. While the girls were never convicted, Joni capitalized on her newfound infamy to become a motivational speaker. Bess resolved to make her life as small and controlled as possible so she wouldn’t risk losing everything all over again. And it almost worked. Except now Joni needs a favor, and when she turns up at her old friend's doorstep asking for an alibi, Bess has no choice but to say yes. But as the two friends try desperately to shake off their past, they have to face reality. Can you ever be an innocent woman when everyone wants you to be guilty?
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to visit the Reese's Book Club website.
Click here for the discussion guide.
New Guide: HALF A CUP OF SAND AND SKY
by Nadine Bjursten
HALF A CUP OF SAND AND SKY by Nadine Bjursten (Fiction)
It is 1977, and the anti-shah protests at Tehran University are intensifying, but Amineh is not like her peers who want a say in the future of their country. Her thoughts are on the beautiful literature of another era and her past of rose harvests and Rumi poetry evenings under the desert sky. A chance encounter with Farzad, an opposition leader and disarmament activist, will thrust her into a life she didn’t ask for and didn’t want. Nobody wanted the tyranny that is quickly turning worse than the tyranny it replaced. But maybe Amineh has been looking at her life all wrong. Maybe the thing she is seeking is not in the past at all.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read critical praise.
- Click here to watch the book trailer.
- Click here to read an interview with Nadine Bjursten.
- Click here to visit Nadine Bjursten's website.
Click here for the discussion guide.
Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks for December
Each month, we share top book picks from Indie Next and LibraryReads, as well as the Target Book Club title. We also feature a number of other prominent picks, including Oprah’s Book Club, the Barnes & Noble Book Club, Reese's Book Club, Jenna Bush Hager's "Read with Jenna" Today Show Book Club, the "Good Morning America" Book Club, and Simon & Schuster’s Book Club Favorites.
Below is a preview of December's "Favorite Monthly Lists & Picks." For the complete Indie Next and LibraryReads lists, as well as additional links pertaining to this month's selections, please click here.
Indie Next
#1 Pick: THE MYSTERY GUEST: A Maid Novel by Nita Prose
SECOND CHANCES IN NEW PORT STEPHEN by TJ Alexander
THE OTHER MOTHERS by Katherine Faulkner
THE FAKE MATE by Lana Ferguson
THE FROZEN RIVER by Ariel Lawhon
LibraryReads
Top Pick: RAIDERS OF THE LOST HEART by Jo Segura
THE COUPLE IN THE PHOTO by Helen Cooper
THE CURSE OF PENRYTH HALL by Jess Armstrong
THE FAKE MATE by Lana Ferguson
FAMILIA by Lauren E. Rico
Target Book Club
THE LAST LOVE NOTE by Emma Grey
Reese's Book Club
BEFORE WE WERE INNOCENT by Ella Berman
Jenna Bush Hager's "Read with Jenna" Today Show Book Club
WE MUST NOT THINK OF OURSELVES by Lauren Grodstein
"Good Morning America" Book Club
THE FROZEN RIVER by Ariel Lawhon
New December Releases of Interest to Book Groups
Here are a number of books releasing in December for the first time (which we aren't currently featuring on the site or in the newsletter) that we think will be of interest to book groups.
BECOMING ELLA FITZGERALD: The Jazz Singer Who Transformed American Song by Judith Tick (Biography)
Ella Fitzgerald (1917–1996) possessed one of the 20th century’s most astonishing voices. In this first major biography since Fitzgerald’s death, historian Judith Tick offers a sublime portrait of this ambitious risk-taker whose exceptional musical spontaneity made her a transformational artist.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF GONE by Catherine Ryan Hyde (Fiction)
The truth behind a teenage girl’s disappearance becomes something to conceal in a gripping novel about justice, lies and impossible choices by New York Times bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hyde.
FAMILIA by Lauren E. Rico (Fiction)
Against the bold beauty of San Juan, a baffling genealogy test connects two twenty-something women across cultures and class in this emotional yet refreshing story about sisterhood and self-discovery.
PROPHET SONG by Paul Lynch (Dystopian Fiction)
Winner of the 2023 Booker Prize, PROPHET SONG presents a terrifying and shocking vision of a country sliding into authoritarianism and a deeply human portrait of a mother’s fight to hold her family together.
TWO DEAD WIVES by Adele Parks (Psychological Thriller)
This explosive thriller from international bestselling author Adele Parks examines what it is to be a family and the dangerous lengths that people will go to for those they love.
THE WEEKEND RETREAT by Tara Laskowski (Domestic Thriller/Mystery)
A wealthy family's vacation at their lush winery estate becomes a weekend to kill for in this deliciously twisted novel of suspense.
THE WONDER OF IT ALL: A House of Falconer Novel by Barbara Taylor Bradford (Historical Fiction)
Told with Barbara Taylor Bradford's inimitable style and flair for period detail, THE WONDER OF IT ALL concludes the House of Falconer trilogy that has followed the story of this remarkable family from Victorian times to the 20th century.
ReadingGroupGuides.com’s 12 ½ Annual Book Group Speed Dating Event: Great Books for Book Groups
Bookreporter.com Bets On:
THE BERRY PICKERS, ABSOLUTION, CLASS,
THE SPECTACULAR and THE MANOR HOUSE
THE BERRY PICKERS by Amanda Peters (Fiction)
I had heard such great things about THE BERRY PICKERS by debut novelist Amanda Peters that I was curious to read it. Clearly, I was not alone as it was tough to get my hands on a copy. It was sold out in so many places. I had read the pitch for it, and when we shared it at our November “Bookaccino Live” book preview program, it was the book that our attendees most wanted to read.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on THE BERRY PICKERS.
ABSOLUTION by Alice McDermott (Historical Fiction)
When we think about Vietnam, what comes to mind are soldiers, battles, napalm and a war that no one wants to talk about. With ABSOLUTION, Alice McDermott delivers a book with beautiful prose that I just inhaled, and it gave me a different perspective on the place before it really erupted. But first, the setup. The story takes place before we formally entered the war in 1965. Trouble is brewing, but the US is not deeply involved. We are there more as advisors to the South Vietnamese. Alice explores these days through the story of the wives of those who accompanied their husbands to Vietnam in 1963.
- Click here to read more about the book.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on ABSOLUTION.
CLASS: A Memoir of Motherhood, Hunger, and Higher Education by Stephanie Land (Memoir)
Only one memoir is on my Bets On list this year: CLASS by Stephanie Land. I had the pleasure of interviewing Stephanie twice in 2018 before her New York Times bestseller MAID came out in early 2019. That was before Zoom and video were readily available, so those interviews do not exist. I loved that the book enjoyed instant success, and it was fun to see it made into a hugely popular Netflix series. I wanted to read CLASS to see what happened next.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on CLASS.
THE SPECTACULAR by Fiona Davis (Historical Fiction)
When I heard that Fiona Davis had written a book set at Radio City Music Hall, I decided to hold off on reading it until November when the Christmas Spectacular kicked off there. Pun intended. I am glad I did. THE SPECTACULAR opens in 1956 when 19-year-old Marion Brooks seizes an opportunity and auditions for the Rockettes. And she is selected. Her father, Simon, is furious. He had plans for her --- she would marry her boyfriend, Nathaniel, and they would continue to live in Bronxville. Instead, she moves into a rooming house with other Rockettes and theater folks and embarks on a grueling yet invigorating schedule to perfect the tightly choreographed routines.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here for the discussion guide.
- Click here to read an excerpt.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Fiona Davis.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on THE SPECTACULAR.
THE MANOR HOUSE by Gilly Macmillan (Psychological Thriller)
I first read Gilly Macmillan when she wrote THE NANNY and have looked forward to each of her books since then. With THE MANOR HOUSE, she once again does not disappoint. Here we have a young couple who has won the lottery; I know many of us have dreamed of this. Nicole and Tom move into The Glass Barn, with state-of-the-art features and a design that is the envy of a lot of people. They have cool cars, and we know that their lives feel very grand. This is set up very early. But by page five, Tom is found dead in their swimming pool.
- Click here to read more about the book.
- Click here to read our review on Bookreporter.com.
- Click here to watch Carol's "Bookreporter Talks To" interview with Gilly Macmillan.
- Click here to listen to a podcast of the interview.
Click here to read more of Carol's commentary on THE MANOR HOUSE.
Bookreporter.com's 16th Annual Holiday Author Blogs:
Authors Write About Their Favorite Holiday Memories
of Giving or Receiving Books
Bookreporter.com's Holiday Author Blogs have returned for a 16th consecutive year! Six authors shared with us some wonderful memories about giving or receiving books during the holidays.
As always, we appreciate all the authors who took the time to participate in this annual feature.
Click here to read Bookreporter.com's 2023 Holiday Author Blogs.
From left to right: Rachel Hawkins, Matthew Blake, Kate Brody
Upcoming Virtual Book and Author Events
Here are five upcoming virtual book and author events that you may be interested in attending. Click on the links for more info and to register.
Thursday, January 4th at 2pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Matthew Blake will talk about his debut novel, ANNA O, a dark, twisty and shocking mystery about a young woman who commits a double murder while sleepwalking and then never opens her eyes again.
Monday, January 8th at 3pm ET: Barnes & Noble: Join Barnes & Noble as they welcome Rachel Hawkins, the New York Times bestselling author of THE VILLA, and Stacy Willingham, the New York Times bestselling author of A FLICKER IN THE DARK, for a live virtual discussion of Rachel's THE HEIRESS and Stacy's ONLY IF YOU'RE LUCKY as part of their Midday Mystery Virtual Event series. Rachel and Stacy will be in conversation with a special guest.
Wednesday, January 10th at 2pm ET: "Bookaccino Live: A Lively Talk About Books": Carol Fitzgerald will present titles releasing between January 2nd and February 6th, along with a few from March, that she would like to get on your radar.
Wednesday, January 10th at 6pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Kate Brody will talk about her first novel, RABBIT HOLE, a twisty, sexy debut that explores the dark side of true crime fandom and the blurry lines of female friendship.
Thursday, January 11th at 8pm ET: The Poisoned Pen Bookstore: Amy Pease will talk about her first novel, NORTHWOODS, an unputdownable and thrilling debut in which the dark underbelly of an idyllic Midwestern resort town is revealed in the aftermath of a murder with ties to America’s opioid epidemic.
"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 are our latest interviews:
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Douglas Brunt (THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF RUDOLF DIESEL: Genius, Power, and Deception on the Eve of World War I) Video | Podcast
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Fiona Davis (THE SPECTACULAR) Video | Podcast
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Gilly Macmillan (THE MANOR HOUSE) Video | Podcast
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Nita Prose (THE MYSTERY GUEST: A Maid Novel) Video | Podcast
Other authors we've interviewed include:
Upcoming interviews include:
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Ashley Elston (FIRST LIE WINS)
Click here for a complete list of our
"Bookreporter Talks To" videos and podcasts.
We currently are featuring the following guides on ReadingGroupGuides.com:
BEFORE WE WERE INNOCENT by Ella Berman (Psychological Thriller)
BEFORE WE WERE INNOCENT is a compulsive, twisty suspense novel about three best friends’ summer abroad in Greece that ends in murder and what happens 10 years later when history appears to repeat itself.
THE BERRY PICKERS by Amanda Peters (Fiction)
A four-year-old Mi’kmaq girl goes missing from the blueberry fields of Maine, sparking a mystery that will haunt the survivors, unravel a family and remain unsolved for nearly 50 years.
BLOOD SISTERS by Vanessa Lillie (Mystery/Thriller)
BLOOD SISTERS is a visceral and compelling mystery about a Cherokee archaeologist for the Bureau of Indian Affairs who is summoned to rural Oklahoma to investigate the disappearance of two women...one of them her sister.
BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CHRISTMAS by Mary Kay Andrews (Romance)
From Mary Kay Andrews, the New York Times bestselling author of THE HOMEWRECKERS and THE SANTA SUIT, comes a novella celebrating love and the warm, glittering charm of the holiday season.
THE FROZEN RIVER by Ariel Lawhon (Historical Mystery)
From the New York Times bestselling author of I WAS ANASTASIA and CODE NAME HÉLÈNE comes a gripping historical mystery inspired by the life and diary of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and wrote herself into American history.
HALF A CUP OF SAND AND SKY by Nadine Bjursten (Fiction)
A finalist for the PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction, HALF A CUP OF SAND AND SKY is a moving portrait of one woman’s search for love and belonging cast against a nuanced backdrop of political turmoil.
MAYBE NEXT TIME by Cesca Major (Fiction)
One Day meets Groundhog Day in this heartwarming and emotionally poignant novel about a stressed woman who must relive the same day over and over, keeping her family and work life from imploding as she attempts to spare her husband from an unfortunate fate.
THE MYSTERY GUEST: A Maid Novel by Nita Prose (Mystery)
A new mess. A new mystery. It’s up to Molly the maid to uncover the truth, no matter how dirty, in this stand-alone novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of THE MAID, a "Good Morning America" Book Club pick.
THE OTHER MOTHERS by Katherine Faulkner (Domestic Thriller)
The author of the twisty, whip-smart GREENWICH PARK returns with a fresh and deftly paced thriller about murder, class and motherhood in an exclusive London community.
THE SUN SETS IN SINGAPORE by Kehinde Fadipe (Fiction)
Basking in Singapore’s nonstop sunshine, Dara, Amaka and Lillian are living the glamorous expat dream --- until a mysterious (not to mention handsome) new arrival infiltrates their tight-knit community and ruins everything.
A VERY INCONVENIENT SCANDAL by Jacquelyn Mitchard (Fiction)
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jacquelyn Mitchard comes a page-turning family drama that explores the emotional consequences of loyalty, deception and jealousy.
WE MUST NOT THINK OF OURSELVES by Lauren Grodstein (Historical Fiction)
Inspired by a little-known piece of history --- the underground group that kept an archive to ensure that the lives of Jewish occupants of the Warsaw Ghetto in World War II were not lost to history --- this is a heart-wrenching novel of love and defiance that People calls "gripping, emotional, and against all odds, hopeful."
Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:
DIAMONDS AND DEADLINES: A Tale of Greed, Deceit, and a Female Tycoon in New York City’s Gilded Age by Betsy Prioleau (Biography)
DIAMONDS AND DEADLINES is the first major biography of the glamorous and scandalous Miriam Leslie, titan of publishing and an unsung hero of women’s suffrage.
THE HOUSE IN THE PINES by Ana Reyes (Psychological Thriller)
Armed with only hazy memories, a woman who long ago witnessed her friend’s sudden, mysterious death and has since spent her life trying to forget sets out to track down answers. What she uncovers, deep in the woods, is hardly to be believed.
THE SNOW HARE by Paula Lichtarowicz (Historical Fiction)
In Paula Lichtarowicz's novel of love and consequences, a woman dreams of becoming a doctor until World War II leads her instead into an astonishing love --- and a fateful choice.
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