Fiction Review

Fiona Barton, author of The Child, was just here at The Poisoned Pen to discuss and sign her book. You can still buy an autographed copy. https://bit.ly/2uNZtZ1

Here’s the description of the latest book by the author of The Widow.

One of the most highly anticipated thrillers of the year—as seen in People,Entertainment Weekly, Time, USA Today, Bustle, Good Housekeeping.com, HelloGiggles, The Boston Globe, PureWow, The Dallas Morning News, and more!

“The Child is a perfect blend of beach read and book club selection. It’s a fascinating and fitting follow-up to [Barton’s] best-selling debut novel, The Widow. . . .[A] page-turning whodunit….A novel that is both fast-paced and thought-provoking, it keeps the reader guessing right to the end.”—USA Today

“Fiona Barton brings back reporter Kate Waters from the best-selling The Widow and delivers another winner with The Child.…A truly engaging tale. Those who enjoyed The Widow will discover that Barton has only gotten better.”—The Associated Press

“A lightning-paced, twisty story with an ending so surprising you might have to read it twice.”—GoodHousekeeping.com

“Multiple narratives mean non-stop action in The Child…Like her fellow novelists, Fiona Barton knows showing is better than telling because it allows for the reader’s perspective…whether the conclusion occasions a shock or an ‘aha!’ doesn’t matter; it’s satisfying due to all the work that’s gone into its discovery.”—NPR.org

The author of the stunning New York Times bestseller The Widow returns with a brand-new novel of twisting psychological suspense.

As an old house is demolished in a gentrifying section of London, a workman discovers a tiny skeleton, buried for years. For journalist Kate Waters, it’s a story that deserves attention. She cobbles together a piece for her newspaper, but at a loss for answers, she can only pose a question: Who is the Building Site Baby?

As Kate investigates, she unearths connections to a crime that rocked the city decades earlier: A newborn baby was stolen from the maternity ward in a local hospital and was never found. Her heartbroken parents were left devastated by the loss.

But there is more to the story, and Kate is drawn—house by house—into the pasts of the people who once lived in this neighborhood that has given up its greatest mystery. And she soon finds herself the keeper of unexpected secrets that erupt in the lives of three women—and torn between what she can and cannot tell…

*****

See, Barton signed plenty of copies so that you can order one.

You can see part of the event on Livestream. https://livestream.com/poisonedpen/events/7512834

Or, you can go to The Poisoned Pen Bookstore on Facebook, and watch the event there. https://bit.ly/2tBODWz

 

Linda Castillo was recently at The Poisoned Pen to discuss and sign her latest Kate Burkholder mystery, Down a Dark Road.

Signed copies are available through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2uloqKD

Here’s Linda signing copies of the book.

If you’re curious about the book, Gregory Cowles just wrote an article in The New York Times, “A Crime Writer Finds the ‘Perfect Setting” in Amish Country”. https://nyti.ms/2tneDRi

Nicholas Kulish’s recent article in The New York Times takes readers “Inside the World of Brad Thor”, https://nyti.ms/2tku1hn

Thor’s latest Scot Harvath adventure, Use of Force, is currently on the best seller list.

Signed copies are available through The Poisoned Pen’s Web Store. https://bit.ly/2ujqzVR

Fans can read the article, but you might prefer to hear Thor interviewed by Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen. You can watch the recent bookstore event on Livestream. https://livestream.com/poisonedpen/events/7560112

The Poisoned Pen just hosted Marcus Sakey, author of Afterlife, and the author and his book are quite popular with the newspapers right now. Here’s a publicity shot from Thomas & Mercer, the publisher.

You can still buy a signed copy through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2ufZcMb

You may want to read some of the articles about Sakey’s book, but, even better, you can watch and listen to Sakey discuss Afterlife with Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen on Livestream. https://livestream.com/poisonedpen/events/7605934

There are articles from The New York Times – https://nyti.ms/2tkTjfi; The Associated Press – https://bit.ly/2vGCyfw;  and  USNews.com – https://bit.ly/2vGSSNb.

 

Do you know Lyndsay Faye’s book Dust and Shadow? It’s available through the Web Store.  https://bit.ly/2uzRzCz

Here’s the description from the Web Page.

From the gritty streets of nineteenth century London, the loyal and courageous Dr. Watson offers a tale unearthed after generations of lore: the harrowing story of Sherlock Holmes’s attempt to hunt down Jack the Ripper.

As England’s greatest specialist in criminal detection, Sherlock Holmes is unwavering in his quest to capture the killer responsible for terrifying London’s East End. He hires an “unfortunate” known as Mary Ann Monk, the friend of a fellow streetwalker who was one of the Ripper’s earliest victims; and he relies heavily on the steadfast and devoted Dr. John H. Watson. When Holmes himself is wounded in Whitechapel during an attempt to catch the savage monster, the popular press launches an investigation of its own, questioning the great detective’s role in the very crimes he is so fervently struggling to prevent. Stripped of his credibility, Holmes is left with no choice but to break every rule in the desperate race to find the madman known as “the Knife” before it is too late.

A masterly re-creation of history’s most diabolical villain, Lyndsay Faye’s debut brings unparalleled authenticity to the atmosphere of Whitechapel and London in the fledgling days of tabloid journalism and recalls the ideals evinced by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most beloved and world-renowned characters. Jack the Ripper’s identity, still hotly debated around the world more than a century after his crimes were committed, remains a mystery ripe for speculation. Dust and Shadow explores the terrifying prospect of tracking a serial killer without the advantage of modern forensics, and the result is a lightning-paced novel brimming with historical detail that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

*****

On Monday, July 17, Dust and Shadow was performed as a concert at the Highline Ballroom in New York City.

Here’s the Broadway cast.

This was the description of the show from the Highline Ballroom’s site.

The July 17^th concert marks the first time “Dust and Shadow” will be presented to the public.Rachel Flynn will be directing the star-studded evening with music by Jonathan Reid Gealt, lyrics by Dustin Sullivan and a book by Kasey Marino. Matt Hinkley will be rounding out the evening’s creative team with orchestrations, additional arrangements and musical supervision.

The evening features TONY and GRAMMY nominee Bryce Pinkham (Gentleman’s Guide) as Sherlock Holmes, Drew Gehling (Waitress, Roman Holiday) as Dr. John Watson, Lilli Cooper(Spring Awakening, Wicked) as Mary Ann Monk, Kevin Massey (Gentleman’s Guide, Memphis) as Constable Edward Bennett, D. C. Anderson (Phantom of the Opera) as George Lusk, Alexa Green as Mary Ann Nichols, Julia Burrows as Annie Chapman, Sally Eidmanas Elizabeth Stride, Amy Toporek as Catherine Eddowes, Jenny Ashman as Mary Jane Kelly and Michael Deleget as Johnny Blackstone. The concert also features Patrick Massey, Nicholas Ryan, Jamal Lee and Kyle Robert Carter.

“Dust and Shadow,” based on the novel by Lyndsay Faye, transports audiences to the underbelly of Victorian London as Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson pursue the infamous Jack the Ripper.

*****

It may have been the first time “Dust and Shadow” was presented to the public, but with any luck, it won’t be the last. The songs were clever. The casting was excellent. At times the musicians overwhelmed the voices, but, they were doing sound checks right up to the last minute. There were a few small issues with the sound, but nothing that can’t be worked out if the show goes anywhere.

Good luck to Lyndsay Faye with the future of Dust and Shadow.

Daniel Silva, author of House of Spies, was just here at The Poisoned Pen, where he was interviewed by Barbara Peters, owner of the bookstore.

House of Spies is currently the Hot Book of the Week for the bookstore. You might want to buy a signed copy. https://bit.ly/2vyW2CH

Check out the description of House of Spies.

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Black Widow comes the thrilling new summer blockbuster featuring legendary spy, assassin and art restorer Gabriel Allon.

A heart-stopping tale of suspense, Daniel Silva’s runaway bestseller, The Black Widow, was one of 2016’s biggest novels. Now, in House of Spies, Gabriel Allon is back and out for revenge ““ determined to hunt down the world’s most dangerous terrorist, a shadowy ISIS mastermind known only as Saladin.

Four months after the deadliest attack on the American homeland since 9/11, terrorists leave a trail of carnage through London’s glittering West End. The attack is a brilliant feat of planning and secrecy, but with one loose thread.

The thread leads Gabriel Allon and his team of operatives to the south of France and to the gilded doorstep of Jean-Luc Martel and Olivia Watson. A beautiful former British fashion model, Olivia pretends not to know that the true source of Martel’s enormous wealth is drugs. And Martel, likewise, turns a blind eye to the fact he is doing business with a man whose objective is the very destruction of the West. Together, under Gabriel’s skilled hand, they will become an unlikely pair of heroes in the global war on terror.

Written in seductive and elegant prose, the story moves swiftly from the glamour of Saint-Tropez to the grit of Casablanca and, finally, to an electrifying climax that will leave readers breathless long after they turn the final page.

But House of Spies is more than just riveting entertainment; it is a dazzling tale of avarice and redemption, set against the backdrop of the great conflict of our times. And it proves once again why Daniel Silva is “quite simply the best” (Kansas City Star).

Marcus Sakey’s book release for Afterlife is at The Poisoned Pen tonight at 7 PM. In fact, there’s a mention of the bookstore in Hillel Italie’s recent article in the San Francisco Chronicle. https://bit.ly/2vft8Iu

I’m a little late with this post, but you can still purchase signed copies of Afterlife through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2tnzS9R

Here’s the description of the book.

Soon to be a major motion picture from Imagine Entertainment and producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer.

Between life and death lies an epic war, a relentless manhunt through two worlds…and an unforgettable love story.

The last thing FBI agent Will Brody remembers is the explosion—a thousand shards of glass surfing a lethal shock wave.

He wakes without a scratch.

The building is in ruins. His team is gone. Outside, Chicago is dark. Cars lie abandoned. No planes cross the sky. He’s relieved to spot other people—until he sees they’re carrying machetes.

Welcome to the afterlife.

Claire McCoy stands over the body of Will Brody. As head of an FBI task force, she hasn’t had a decent night’s sleep in weeks. A terrorist has claimed eighteen lives and thrown the nation into panic.

Against this horror, something reckless and beautiful happened. She fell in love…with Will Brody.

But the line between life and death is narrower than any of us suspect—and all that matters to Will and Claire is getting back to each other.

From the author of the million-copy bestselling Brilliance Trilogy comes a mind-bending thriller that explores our most haunting and fundamental question: What if death is just the beginning?

Michael Connelly introduces a new character in next week’s book release, The Late Show. You can pre-order signed copies through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2tSGPOV

Here’s the description.

Introducing Renee Ballard, a fierce young detective fighting to prove herself on the LAPD’s toughest beat, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Connelly.

Renee Ballard works the night shift in Hollywood–also known as the Late Show–beginning many investigations but finishing none, as each morning she turns everything over to the day shift. A once up-and-coming detective, she’s been given this beat as punishment after filing a sexual harassment complaint against a supervisor.

But one night she catches two assignments she doesn’t want to part with: the brutal beating of a prostitute left for dead in a parking lot and the killing of a young woman in a nightclub shooting. Ballard is determined not to give up at dawn. Against orders and her partner’s wishes, she works both cases by day while maintaining her shift by night. As the investigations entwine, they pull her closer to her own demons and the reason she won’t give up her job, no matter what the department throws at her.

*****

And, here’s the link if you’d like to read Janet Maslin’s introduction to the new character in The New York Times. https://nyti.ms/2u1ttAG

Beatriz Williams was just at The Poisoned Pen to discuss her new release, Cocoa Beach.

Signed copies of Cocoa Beach are  available through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2tchFfv

Here’s the description.

The New York Times bestselling author of A Certain Age transports readers to sunny Florida in this lush and enthralling historical novel—an enchanting blend of love, suspense, betrayal, and redemption set among the rumrunners and scoundrels of Prohibition-era Cocoa Beach.

Burdened by a dark family secret, Virginia Fortescue flees her oppressive home in New York City for the battlefields of World War I France. While an ambulance driver for the Red Cross, she meets a charismatic British army surgeon whose persistent charm opens her heart to the possibility of love. As the war rages, Virginia falls into a passionate affair with the dashing Captain Simon Fitzwilliam, only to discover that his past has its own dark secrets—secrets that will damage their eventual marriage and propel her back across the Atlantic to the sister and father she left behind.

Five years later, in the early days of Prohibition, the newly widowed Virginia Fitzwilliam arrives in the tropical boomtown of Cocoa Beach, Florida, to settle her husband’s estate. Despite the evidence, Virginia does not believe Simon perished in the fire that destroyed the seaside home he built for her and their young daughter. Separated from her husband since the early days of their marriage, the headstrong Virginia plans to uncover the truth, for the sake of the daughter Simon never met.

Simon’s brother and sister welcome her with open arms and introduce her to a dazzling new world of citrus groves, white beaches, bootleggers, and Prohibition agents. But Virginia senses a predatory presence lurking beneath the irresistible, hedonistic surface of this coastal oasis. The more she learns about Simon and his mysterious business interests, the more she fears that the dangers that surrounded Simon now threaten her and their daughter’s life as well.

*****

Even better than the description, though, you can watch and listen as Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, interviews Beatriz Williams on Livestream. https://livestream.com/poisonedpen/events/7600220

Congratulations to author Robert Dugoni.

In late June in Seattle, Wash., Galen Maynard (l.), Amazon publishing associate publisher, and Gracie Doyle (r.), Thomas & Mercer editorial director, presented author Robert Dugoni (c.) with an award to celebrate over one million copies sold of ‘My Sister’s Grave.’

Bob will appear at The Poisoned Pen on Tuesday, Sept. 5 at 7 PM to introduce and sign his new book, Close to Home.

My Sister’s Grave is available through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2uoBW1D

Here’s the description of the book.

Tracy Crosswhite has spent twenty years questioning the facts surrounding her sister Sarah’s disappearance and the murder trial that followed. She doesn’t believe that Edmund House—a convicted rapist and the man condemned for Sarah’s murder—is the guilty party. Motivated by the opportunity to obtain real justice, Tracy became a homicide detective with the Seattle PD and dedicated her life to tracking down killers.

When Sarah’s remains are finally discovered near their hometown in the northern Cascade mountains of Washington State, Tracy is determined to get the answers she’s been seeking. As she searches for the real killer, she unearths dark, long-kept secrets that will forever change her relationship to her past—and open the door to deadly danger.