Reviews And Publicity

A Miscellany of Linkage Until My Triumphant Return

Faithful librarians, as previously mentioned I'm heading out of the country for almost two weeks starting tomorrow, but before I catch my flight I'm posting a bunch of the good book news coming out of Macmillan to keep you satisfied.

Consider this the flood before the drought—drink up!

- First and most importantly if you're looking for our BookExpo America and/or ALA Annual Conference schedules, follow the links to get to all of our updated information. Also Shelf Awareness has been posting some very helpful BEA articles such as "What the Show Planner Won't Tell You: 10 Tips to Survive BEA" and "BEA: Walks on the West Side."

- After such great news about the Locus Award finalists, we're delighted to keep the excitement going with the John W. Campbell Memorial Award finalists announcement! Three Tor books are up for Best Novel including EXISTENCE by David Brin, THE RAPTURE OF THE NERDS by Cory Doctorow & Charles Stross, and THE FRACTAL PRINCE by Hannu Rajaniemi (sequel to Uncharted Pages pick, THE QUANTUM THIEF!). The award will be presented on June 14th. See the full list of finalists here.

- Just ahead of the inevitable summer heat, Publishers Weekly has published their "Best Summer Books 2013" including FLORA by Gail Godwin, ENIGMA OF CHINA by Qiu Xiaolong, UNMASTERED: A Book on Desire, Most Difficult to Tell by Katherine Angel, FORTY-ONE FALSE STARTS: Essays on Artists and Writers by Janet Malcolm, and BYZANTIUM by Ben Stroud.

- If you're excited to about Paul Doiron's latest thriller, MASSACRE POND (see more about that here), you might want to read about how messy his head gets as he's finishing the novels we're all so eager for. Read "The Strange Unreality of Writing a Novel" on MaineCrimeWriters.com.

- You know what? We haven't had the chance to talk about WOKE UP LONELY by Fiona Maazel yet. Well, we'll let these other fine folks do the talking:

"Hilarious and heartbreaking." —NPR

"Maazel's insights are as sound as her imagination is wild." —Oprah.com (Book of the Week)

"Spins between the spooky midnight frequency of V. and the bizarro humor of WHITE NOISE [...] Maazel is an entertaining writer with a dry, droll sense of humor." —The New York Times Book Review

"Brilliantly imagined." —Vanity Fair

- I also don't think we ever mentioned that Ice-T and Jorge Hinojosa's MIRROR IMAGE (available now) was Library Journal's Pick of the Month and received a starred review!

- What else do we have for you? Oh! The cover for Jay Kristoff's KINSLAYER, sequel to STORMDANCER, was just revealed on CuddleBuggery.com! Go take a looksie.

- And finally, I bid my ado with love and this puppy butt heart for you:

I HEART YOU. twitter.com/CuteOverloads/…
— Cute Overloads (@CuteOverloads) May 13, 2013

Reviews and Publicity

Monday Fun Day! (5/13/2013 Edition)

Happy Monday, friends! This is a short week for me as I'm heading off on vacation starting Thursday. Let's jump into a little Macmillany goodness to get your week started, shall we?

- Congratulations to 2013 Locus Award finalists John Scalzi, author of REDSHIRTS which is up for Best Science Fiction Novel, Mary Robinette Kowal, author of GLAMOUR IN GLASS which is up for Best Fantasy Novel (I recommended this series in Uncharted Pages!), and Gardner Dozois, editor of The Year’s Best Science Fiction: Twenty-ninth Annual Collection up for Best Anthology!

We're also delighted to see that Tor.com is a finalist for Best Magazine and Tor Books has been nominated for Best Publisher! And while we're at it, a hearty applause for Tor Teen author Cory Doctorow and Mac Kids author Catherynne M. Valente who are nominated for awards as well. See the full list of Locus finalists here.

- Looking ahead, the July 2013 Indie Next List has two perfect summer reads from St. Martin's Press: AMY FALLS DOWN by Jincy Willett and SWEET SALT AIR by Barbara Delinsky!

- We would also like to point you in the direction of Doug Lord's latest (and dare I say, greatest?) selections for Library Journal's Books for Dudes column, "A Simple Murder, Wool, and The Human Division."

- And last, but not even close to least, actually closer to most—a basket full of puppy:

So, should we get a bigger basket? Maybe more puppies? Both? twitter.com/EmergencyPuppy…
— Emergency Cute Stuff (@EmergencyPuppy) April 29, 2013

Reviews and Publicity

Starred Reviews for Massacre Pond

In MASSACRE POND, Barry Award-winner Paul Doiron's latest suspense novel featuring Game Warden Mike Bowditch, a wealthy animal rights activist is buying up huge parcels of timberland to create a new national park. When seven moose are found butchered on her estate and a shocking murder is discovered, it's Mike's job to solve the controversial case.

"This series follows Bowditch from the start of his warden career, and his evolution creates a constantly fresh perspective paired with solid procedural details and an outdoors education, to boot. MASSACRE POND, arguably the best yet, boasts fair-minded exploration of Maine’s conflicting environmental and economic interests and marks a turning point for Bowditch, who questions his fit with a career that constantly requires suppressing his instincts." —Booklist (starred review)
"An unusual lead investigator, thoughtful plotting, and lyrical prose add up to a winner" —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Reviews and Publicity

Booklist's 2013 Best Crime Novels

It's #MysteryMonth over at Booklist and one of the things I love about that is getting to post a "year's best" list in summer—December and January get all the round-up love.

And if you're thinking, Hold up! There's a reason those round-ups are in December! Are these books from last year? This year? Next year?! Don't you fret, they've cleared that up for us: "As always, both our best crime novel lists draw from crime fiction reviewed in Booklist since the last Mystery Showcase issue"

In Top 10 Crime Fiction:

THE BEAUTIFUL MYSTERY by Louise Penny

"Roiling human passion set against the sublime serenity of the chants produces a melody of uncommon complexity and beauty."

In Best Crime Fiction Debuts:

A GOOD DEATH by Christopher R. Cox

"[Cox] channels Conrad, Kipling, and Francis Ford Coppola. An insightful, transcendent adventure."

See Booklist's full list on "The Year’s Best Crime Novels: 2013."

Reviews and Publicity

Maximum Shelf: Close My Eyes

I assume you're all subscribed to Shelf Awareness, the insightful daily newsletter that collects all sorts of good info on day-to-day publishing happenings, but just in case you're not, allow me to swivel your neck in their direction like the literary chiropractor I am. Boom: Shelf-Awareness.com.

Shelf Awareness also has a newsletter dedicated entirely to one title that they deem "a great handselling opportunity" called Maximum Shelf (full disclosure: we sponsor the issues with our books). Today's Maximum Shelf featured a book that we're all very excited about: CLOSE MY EYES by Sophie McKenzie.

EarlyWord Galley Chatters may remember that this is the title that Robin Beerbower of Salem Public raved about across the entire cover of the galley!!

close my eyes arc

The Maximum Shelf delivers the full scoop about McKenzie's incredible U.S. debut.

"[CLOSE MY EYES is] a fast-moving tale of psychological suspense full of twists and genuine surprises. While comparisons have been made to Gillian Flynn's GONE GIRL, McKenzie's page-turner is more reminiscent of the creepy Gaslight, the 1944 film that so powerfully depicted a terrorized woman it led to the term 'gaslighting,' a form of mental abuse wherein the victim is made to believe she is going insane..."

They've also included a great interview with author Sophie McKenzie about how she went about writing her first novel for adults.

Head on over to Shelf-Awareness.com now to learn more about CLOSE MY EYES!

close my eyes banner

Reviews and Publicity

Monday Fun Day! (5/6/2013 Edition)

Hellooooo Monday! It's yet another brand new week and we're inching ever closer to summer skies. To kick off your week right we rounded up a few exciting viewables; take a look.

- Watch Louise Penny accept the 2013 Agatha Award for Best Novel (yet again!) this time for THE BEAUTIFUL MYSTERY and Catriona McPherson accept the 2013 Agatha Award for Best Historical for DANDY GILVER AND AN UNSUITABLE DAY FOR MURDER:

Louise kindly thanked her editor Hope Dellon, her publicist Sarah Melnyk, and publisher Andrew Martin. In describing her books she said,

"At the heart of the nugget they're about belonging, they're about my own personal quest for belonging, that for all of my life I've felt—for much of my life I've felt like I was on an island near the mainland [...] for me to find my community is deeply meaningful and what great company to be in."

Catriona also thanked all of the excellent people at Minotaur Books, her editor Marcia Markland, her fellow Macmillan author and winner of the Mary Higgins Clark Award Hank Fabulous Ryan, er, Hank Phillippi Ryan and everyone in the Flatiron building (that's us!).

We loved getting the chance to talk about these two incredible books and if you didn't heed our praises when they came out, now's the time!

See all of the Agatha winners at MaliceDomestic.org.

- Speaking of Mysteries, if you missed the "Thrilling Mysteries" Booklist webinar you can now access the archived webinar (the link is available on our titles list post).

- And finally, the greatest mystery of all: what exactly is this cat trying to pull? (Thanks, Ivy!)

@taliasherer @macmillanlib These tweeps in your repertoire? // RT @emrgencykittens: twitter.com/EmrgencyKitten…
— Ivy B (@Ivy_B) May 2, 2013

Reviews and Publicity

Mary Higgins Clark Award Goes to Hank Phillippi Ryan!

Major congratulations to reporter-turned-author Hank Phillippi Ryan, who won the 13th Mary Higgins Clark Award for her suspense novel, THE OTHER WOMAN!

THE OTHER WOMAN is about a crack pair of investigators: Jane Ryland, a muckraking reporter, and Jake Brogan, a detective assigned to a high profile serial killer case, who have to work together to unravel the key to an election fraught with seduction, betrayal, and muuuurderrrr!

New York Times bestselling author Lee Child said, "THE OTHER WOMAN does everything a great suspense novel should."

MysteryPlayground.net has a nice recap of the awards evening including some pictures of the attending authors.

The next book in Ryan's Jane Ryland and Jake Brogan suspense series, THE WRONG GIRL, will be available in September from Forge.

Reviews and Publicity

Our Thrilling Mysteries from the Booklist Webinar

Yesterday Talia kicked off Booklist's "Thrilling Mysteries" collection development webinar by spreading the good word about fifteen of our finest forthcoming Mysteries!

First @taliasherer of @macmillanlib promises hedgehogs, then she tells us she's kidding. #booklistwebinar #mysterymonth
— Keir Graff (@Booklist_Keir) April 30, 2013

"Gentle readers, you best take a snack break!" -- @taliasherer getting real!! #booklistwebinar
— Macmillan Library (@MacmillanLib) April 30, 2013

The List of Macmillan Titles:

BEHIND THE SHATTERED GLASS by Tasha Alexander (9781250024701)
BITTER RIVER by Julia Keller (9781250003492, download a review copy)
THE CARETAKER by A.X. Ahmad (9781250016843)
DEATH OF A DYER by Eleanor Kuhns (9781250033963, download a review copy)
THE FIRE WITNESS by Lars Kepler (9780374298661)
THE GOOD BOY by Theresa Schwegel (9781250001795)
HER LAST BREATH by Linda Castillo (9780312658571, download a review copy)
THE HIGHWAY by C.J. Box (9780312583200, download a review copy)
HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN by Louise Penny (9780312655471)
THE INVENTION OF MURDER by Judith Flanders (9781250024879)
LET IT BURN by Steve Hamilton (9780312640224)
LOST by S.J. Bolton (9781250028563)
AN OLD BETRAYAL by Charles Finch (9781250011619)
ONCE UPON A LIE by Maggie Barbieri (9781250011671)
THROUGH THE EVIL DAYS by Julia Spencer-Fleming (9780312606848)

Thanks @audiogo @librarylovefest @rhlibrary @severnhouse @pppress @seventhstbooks & @macmillanlib for a bloody grand start to #mysterymonth!
— ALA_Booklist Pubs (@ALA_Booklist) April 30, 2013

View or download the full deck of presentation slides from this webinar at BooklistOnline.com! We will post a link to the archived webinar when it becomes available.

UPDATE (5/13): Booklist archived the webinar on their site. It's now available to view here. Enjoy.

Reviews and Publicity

Meet Ava Lee the Forensic Accountant, Martial Arts Master, & Sleuth

Ava Lee, martial arts master and unflappable forensic accountant, is back in her second outing, THE WILD BEASTS OF WUHAM, and this time she's unraveling a financial scandal in the art world to the tune of $100 million. From Denmark to the Faroe Islands, New York to London, Ava tracks down the provenance of a series of meticulously forged paintings.

Booklist is of the first to review THE WILD BEASTS OF WUHAN and they said, "You haven’t seen cold and calculating until you’ve double-crossed this number cruncher. Another strong entry from Arthur Ellis Award–winner Hamilton."

Library Journal gave the first Ava Lee novel, THE DISCIPLE OF LAS VEGAS, a starred review and said, "This financial mystery echoes Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone series heroine, but Ava is edgier and computer savvy; she is as resourceful as Stieg Larsson’s Lisbeth Salander but without the emotional baggage and extreme violence. Highly recommended."

The Ava Lee Series has been sold in more than twenty countries, and has been optioned for film by Strada Films/Union Pictures.

Reviews and Publicity

Tuesday Fun Day! (4/16/2013 Edition)

Hello librarians,

I'm back in New York and wishing you all a wonderful National Library Week! I'm wearing my very best yellow, plaid skirt and evergreen sweater combo in tribute to you.

In book news:

- The Man Booker Prize winning novel, BRING UP THE BODIES by Hilary Mantel, is one of six novels on the 2013 Women’s Prize for Fiction shortlist!

- CURSE OF THE JADE LILY by David Housewright is the winner of the 25th annual Minnesota Book Award for Genre Fiction! The honor is awarded by the Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, the Saint Paul Public Library, and the City of Saint Paul. See the full list of award winners on Shelf Awareness.

- And speaking of good books, Kirkus Reviews gave an exalting review of Wilton Barnhardt's latest novel, LOOKAWAY, LOOKAWAY.

"Barnhardt’s fourth novel is a revelation: witty, savage and bighearted all at once, it is the Southern novel for the 21st century. [...] Barnhardt masterfully reimagines the Southern gothic: There is every kind of sordid deed committed, but there is also an abundance of humanity and grace." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Get whitelisted and download a review copy from Edelweiss now!

Finally we wish all the best for the victims, families, and friends of those affected by the bombings in Boston. We were relieved to hear that the Boston Public Library next to the finish line was closed on Monday in observance of Patriot’s Day. Stay safe, Boston friends.

Thank you for the expressions of care and concern for the #library today. Our thoughts go out to those affected by today's tragedy #boston
— BostonPublicLibrary (@BPLBoston) April 16, 2013