March 2016

We were deeply saddened by the heartbreaking news that bestselling author Pat Conroy died last Friday at the age of 70. He passed away at his home in Beaufort, South Carolina, surrounded by family and loved ones, following a very short battle with pancreatic cancer. Perhaps best known as the author of THE PRINCE OF TIDES and THE GREAT SANTINI, Conroy also wrote THE BOO, THE WATER IS WIDE, THE LORDS OF DISCIPLINE, BEACH MUSIC, MY LOSING SEASON, THE PAT CONROY COOKBOOK, SOUTH OF BROAD, MY READING LIFE and THE DEATH OF SANTINI. The Book Report Network's Maya Gittelman reflects on Conroy's extraordinary life and work in this wonderful tribute. He was such a champion of so many authors, especially southern ones; reading their comments on social media this week, as well as those from many readers, made me realize that this was an author loved for much more than his written words. We so feel for his wife, Cassandra King, a writer in her own right, who we have had the pleasure of featuring here.

While we mourn this literary loss, you and your group may want to read (or re-read) a favorite title; we have guides for BEACH MUSIC, THE PRINCE OF TIDES, SOUTH OF BROAD, MY READING LIFE and THE DEATH OF SANTINI.

On a brighter note, can you believe it’s been 10 years since book group favorite THE BOOK THIEF was published? Markus Zusak’s bombshell debut was an instant bestseller, despite the author’s low expectations. Originally published as a Young Adult title, it quickly migrated over to the adult marketplace. It’s the moving story of Liesel Meminger, a young girl who scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can't resist --- books --- in WWII Germany. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids. To date, THE BOOK THIEF has held the number one position at Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and the New York Times bestseller list. It has amassed many and varied awards, ranging from literary prizes to readers’ choice awards to prizes voted on by booksellers and, in 2013, was adapted into a major motion picture. It is also, by the way, constantly listed on our own Best Of lists and Most Requested Guides. You can find discussion questions here, and click here for a highly recommended and very charming interview Entertainment Weekly ran with Zusak in honor of his major milestone.

And speaking of book group favorites, we were delighted to finally see the trailer for the adaptation of M. L. Stedman's mega-bestselling THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS. The film is directed by acclaimed Blue Valentine director Derek Cianfrance, and stars Oscar-winning actress Alicia Vikander and -nominee Michael Fassbender. It will be in theaters on September 2nd.

We have three exciting contests for you this month. We’re happy to announce that our March prize selection for "What's Your Book Group Reading?" is the bestselling THE KITCHEN HOUSE by Kathleen Grissom. We know that many of you may have enjoyed this book, which has become a book group classic. We are spotlighting it again as the highly anticipated follow-up, GLORY OVER EVERYTHING, will be available in stores April 5th. I had the opportunity to read an advance copy of GLORY OVER EVERYTHING, and it is brilliant; it will be a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection. Reading or re-reading THE KITCHEN HOUSE is something you want to do now…or you, like me, will want to read it once you finish GLORY OVER EVERYTHING.

Here’s more on the story of THE KITCHEN HOUSE: Orphaned during her passage from Ireland, young, white Lavinia arrives on the steps of the kitchen house and is placed, as an indentured servant, under the care of Belle, the master’s illegitimate slave daughter. Lavinia learns to cook, clean and serve food, while guided by the quiet strength and love of her new family. She attempts to straddle the worlds of the kitchen and big house, but her skin color will forever set her apart from Belle and the other slaves. Through the unique eyes of Lavinia and Belle, Grissom’s debut novel unfolds in a heartbreaking and ultimately hopeful story of class, race, dignity, deep-buried secrets and familial bonds. Enter here by Wednesday, April 6th for your chance to win copies.

We’re celebrating the paperback release of bestselling author Harriet Evans’ A PLACE FOR US with a special contest that will give three groups the chance to win 12 copies of the book. When Martha, a wife and mother of three, sits down to write out the invitations to her 80th birthday celebration, she knows that what she is planning to reveal at the party could ruin the idyllic life she and her husband David have spent over 50 years building. As the story unfolds, each character reveals the secrets, joys and tragedies they are wrestling with through the confines of the family. What will happen when Martha finally tells the truth? I can picture book groups revealing their own family dramas. Enter here for your chance to win copies by Wednesday, April 6th at noon ET.

We are also celebrating the paperback release of Amanda Filipacchi's THE UNFORTUNATE IMPORTANCE OF BEAUTY by giving 25 readers a chance to win a copy of the book. It’s the story of two friends who feel defined by their looks --- one too beautiful and one too ugly --- whose lives are further complicated when they discover that they may have a murderer in their midst. With biting wit and offbeat charm, Filipacchi illuminates the labyrinthine relationship between beauty, desire and identity, asking at every turn: What does it truly mean to allow oneself to be seen? Click here to enter by Wednesday, March 23rd at noon ET. You will find yourself thinking about the obsession that our culture has with skin-deep beauty as you read this book.

We have two featured guides to share with you this month. The first is for Ruth Wariner’s heartbreakingly wonderful memoir, THE SOUND OF GRAVEL. Did you or your book group read and discuss THE GLASS CASTLE? THE SOUND OF GRAVEL conjured up many of the same emotions for me. Ruth was the 39th of her father’s 42 children. Growing up on a farm in rural Mexico, where authorities turned a blind eye to the practices of her community, Ruth lives in a ramshackle house without indoor plumbing or electricity. In need of government assistance and supplemental income, Ruth and her siblings are carted back and forth between Mexico and the United States, where her mother collects welfare and her stepfather works a variety of odd jobs. As Ruth begins to doubt her family’s beliefs and question her mother’s choices, she struggles to balance her fierce love for her siblings with her determination to forge a better life for herself.

I was so blown away by Ruth’s story that I picked the audiobook as a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection in January, which you can read about here. Click here for the featured guide. You can read our Bookreporter review here, where our reviewer Rebecca Munro echoed my praise for Ruth’s story. After I read it, I spent time reading more of Ruth’s backstory. Based on my rave of this book on Bookreporter, three groups have already contacted me to say that they will be reading it this month! Love that.

Speaking of Bets On, my most recent pick is UNDER THE INFLUENCE by Joyce Maynard, which we also have a discussion guide for this month (as well as a wonderful Q&A with the author). Click here to see why I’m betting you’ll love this poignant story about the true meaning --- and the true price --- of friendship. Something else to share: Joyce has written a three-part series of articles about her own relationship with alcohol, which I have followed starting here. For those of you on Facebook, I have been following Joyce there for a while now. Her posts are wonderful essays about her life, which I love reading. You can see them here.

We’re also featuring the guide for AMERICA’S FIRST DAUGHTER by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie, two mutually bestselling authors. They tell the story of Patsy, Thomas Jefferson’s oldest daughter, who became his helpmate, protector and constant companion in the wake of her mother’s death, traveling with him when he becomes American minister to France. It is in Paris that 15-year-old Patsy learns about her father’s troubling liaison with Sally Hemings, a slave girl her own age. Meanwhile, Patsy has fallen in love --- with her father’s protégé William Short, a staunch abolitionist and ambitious diplomat. Torn between love, principles and the bonds of family, Patsy questions whether she can choose a life as William’s wife and still be a devoted daughter. Fans of historical fiction and the recent “Hamilton” mania won’t want to miss this one. Click here for the featured guide.

Our New in Paperback roundups have been updated for March. We have the latest paperbacks from such bestselling authors as Stephen King, Lee Child, David Baldacci, Daniel Silva, Philippa Gregory, Sophie Kinsella, Lisa Scottoline and Linwood Barclay; nonfiction titles like DEAD WAKE: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson and THE FOLDED CLOCK: A Diary by Heidi Julavits; and much more.

Our Reading Roundup features the month’s selections from Indie Next, Library Reads, Costco’s Pennie’s Pick and Target’s Book Group title.

For those of you who have attended the Book Group Speed Dating sessions at BEA in New York the past few years, please note we will be taking the event on the road to Chicago where the BEA show is this year. The event will be held on Friday, May 13th. We already have a fantastic lineup of publishers confirmed to join us, and we’re working on putting together a great program for our readers who can make it out to the Windy City. Registration for our event is now open; click here to sign up before May 3rd at noon ET. Please note that to attend this event you must be registered to attend BEA on Friday, May 13th and have a badge. Click here for more information.

We know that some of you who typically attend our ReadingGroupGuides.com Annual Book Group Speed Dating Event will not be heading to Chicago. We are gauging interest in a similar Manhattan-based event in late May or June. If you are interested in this event, please fill out this form. Bear in mind that there are no firm plans for this event at this time --- we are merely exploring level of interest.

As a part of my spring cleaning rituals, I’ve been going through my cookbook collection and weeding out the unused and the superfluous --- turns out, I do not need SIX books on cakes and decorating for children's birthday parties! There are some treasures there that were wedding presents; there are others that were purchased on vacations decades ago to Vail and Beaver Creek. There are lots of memories --- and stains, though we have three cookbook stands to protect the books that we never seem to use --- in many of these pages. If you’re looking to refresh your cookbook collection for spring, check out our new Spring Cookbooks 2016 bookshelf, curated by our very own foodie, Nicole Sherman. Whether you're a cooking novice or you've hopped, skipped and jumped around the kitchen plenty of times, there's really a buffet of cookbook choices for you this spring. Braise, bubble, roast, temper, stir, spread, slice and sauté away. There has to be an idea in one of those books to share at your next book group meeting!

I am heading to Denver for the Public Library Association Conference on April 6th to present the results of our Book Group Survey. Looking forward to this! If you are a librarian and plan to be there, please let me know.

This month, we're curious about which popular book group authors your group has read at least one book by. We were inspired by a fabulous blog about groups reading multiple titles by the same author, which you can read here. Let us know who you're reading and re-reading by taking our poll. The deadline for entries is Wednesday, April 6th at noon ET.

Here’s to a great discussion for your group this month! For those of you whose book groups are registered with us, we’ll be back in touch in two weeks. Is your book group not registered yet? Then click here to do so. Happy spring to all, and here’s to a very happy Easter to those who are celebrating --- it’s so early this year!

Carol Fitzgerald ([email protected])

P.S. For those of you who are doing online shopping for books, if you use the store links below, ReadingGroupGuides.com gets a small affiliate fee on your purchases. We would appreciate your considering this!

 

We at The Book Report Network are deeply saddened by the heartbreaking news that bestselling author Pat Conroy has died at the age of 70. He passed away at his home in Beaufort, South Carolina, surrounded by family and loved ones, following a short battle with pancreatic cancer. Perhaps best known as the author of THE PRINCE OF TIDES and THE GREAT SANTINI, Conroy also wrote THE BOO, THE WATER IS WIDE, THE LORDS OF DISCIPLINE, BEACH MUSIC, MY LOSING SEASON, THE PAT CONROY COOKBOOK, SOUTH OF BROAD, MY READING LIFE and THE DEATH OF SANTINI. The Book Report Network's Maya Gittelman reflects on Conroy's extraordinary life and works in this wonderful tribute.

-Read reviews of MY LOSING SEASON, SOUTH OF BROAD and THE DEATH OF SANTINI.
-See discussion guides for THE PRINCE OF TIDES, BEACH MUSIC, SOUTH OF BROAD, MY READING LIFE and THE DEATH OF SANTINI.
-Click here to read Pat Conroy's bio.
-Visit Pat Conroy's official website and Facebook page.
 

On Friday, May 13th, from 2:00pm to 3:50pm at BookExpo America in Chicago, ReadingGroupGuides.com will host its 5th Annual Book Group Speed Dating Event. Representatives from more than a dozen publishers will be in attendance to share selections and book group news from their publishing houses in a speed-dating format designed to give booksellers, librarians, book group leaders and bloggers an inside look at what book groups will want to know for fall and winter. Galley giveaways and ideas for enhancing book group discussions will be part of this event. Advance signup is required by Tuesday, May 3rd at noon ET. Seating will be assigned. Fill out this form to sign up.

Please note: You must be registered to attend BookExpo America in order to attend this session. If you are not, click here to register.

We know that some of you who typically attend our ReadingGroupGuides.com Annual Book Group Speed Dating Event will not be heading to Chicago. We are gauging interest in a similar Manhattan-based event in late May or June. If you are interested in this event, please fill out this form. Bear in mind that there are no firm plans for this event at this time --- we are merely exploring level of interest.
 

We are celebrating the paperback release of bestselling author Harriet Evans' A PLACE FOR US --- about a woman who, on the eve of her 80th birthday, decides to reveal a secret that may tear her family apart --- with a special contest that will give three groups the chance to win 12 copies of the book. To enter, please fill out this form by Wednesday, April 6th at noon ET.

A PLACE FOR US by Harriet Evans (Fiction)
"The day Martha Winter decided to tear apart her family began like any other day."

When Martha sits down one late summer’s morning to write out the invitations to her 80th birthday, she knows that what she will reveal that day will possibly ruin the perfect family idyll she and her husband David have spent over 50 years building…

But she has to let her family know what she and David have sacrificed. She can’t live a lie any more.
The invitation goes out far and wide, calling her three children and their families back home to Winterfold, their rambling house in the heart of the English countryside. They are Bill, the doctor; Florence, the eccentric academic; and Daisy…the child who never fit in. As the story unfolds, each character reveals their own secrets, joys, and tragedies they are wrestling with through.

-Click here for the reading group guide.
 

We are celebrating the paperback release of Amanda Filipacchi's THE UNFORTUNATE IMPORTANCE OF BEAUTY --- part literary whodunit, part surrealist farce, which illuminates the labyrinthine relationship between beauty, desire and identity --- by giving 25 readers a chance to win a copy of the book. To enter, please fill out this form by Wednesday, March 23rd at noon ET.

THE UNFORTUNATE IMPORTANCE OF BEAUTY by Amanda Filipacchi (Fiction)
In the heart of New York City, a group of artistic friends struggles with society's standards of beauty. At the center are Barb and Lily, two women at opposite ends of the beauty spectrum, but with the same problem: Each fears she will never find a love that can overcome her looks. Barb, a stunningly beautiful costume designer, makes herself ugly in hopes of finding true love. Meanwhile, her friend Lily, a brilliantly talented but plain-looking musician, goes to fantastic lengths to attract the man who has rejected her --- with results that are as touching as they are transformative.

To complicate matters, Barb and Lily discover that they may have a murderer in their midst, that Barb’s calm disposition is more dangerously provocative than her beauty ever was, and that Lily's musical talents are more powerful than anyone could have imagined. Part literary whodunit, part surrealist farce, THE UNFORTUNATE IMPORTANCE OF BEAUTY is a smart, modern-day fairy tale. With biting wit and offbeat charm, Amanda Filipacchi illuminates the labyrinthine relationship between beauty, desire and identity, asking at every turn: What does it truly mean to allow oneself to be seen?

-Click here for the reading group guide.
 

Each month, we ask book groups to share the titles they are reading that month and rate them. From all entries, three winners will be selected, and each will win 12 copies of that month’s prize book for their group. Note: To be eligible to win, let us know the title of the book that YOUR book group is CURRENTLY reading, NOT the title we are giving away.

This month's prize book is THE KITCHEN HOUSE. In it, New York Times bestselling author Kathleen Grissom brings to life a thriving plantation in Virginia in the decades before the Civil War, where a dark secret threatens to expose the best and worst in everyone tied to the estate. To enter, please fill out the form on this page by Wednesday, April 6th at noon ET. And make sure to look for the highly anticipated follow-up, GLORY OVER EVERYTHING, which will be available in stores April 5th.

THE KITCHEN HOUSE by Kathleen Grissom (Historical Fiction)
Kathleen Grissom, New York Times bestselling author of the highly anticipated GLORY OVER EVERYTHING, established herself as a remarkable new talent with THE KITCHEN HOUSE, now a contemporary classic. In this gripping novel, a dark secret threatens to expose the best and worst in everyone tied to the estate at a thriving plantation in Virginia in the decades before the Civil War.

Orphaned during her passage from Ireland, young, white Lavinia arrives on the steps of the kitchen house and is placed, as an indentured servant, under the care of Belle, the master’s illegitimate slave daughter. Lavinia learns to cook, clean, and serve food, while guided by the quiet strength and love of her new family.

In time, Lavinia is accepted into the world of the big house, caring for the master’s opium-addicted wife and befriending his dangerous yet protective son. She attempts to straddle the worlds of the kitchen and big house, but her skin color will forever set her apart from Belle and the other slaves.

Through the unique eyes of Lavinia and Belle, Grissom’s debut novel unfolds in a heartbreaking and ultimately hopeful story of class, race, dignity, deep-buried secrets, and familial bonds.

-Click here for the reading group guide.
-Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
-Click here to read more about GLORY OVER EVERYTHING on Bookreporter.com.
 

THE SOUND OF GRAVEL by Ruth Wariner (Memoir)
Ruth Wariner was the 39th of her father’s 42 children. Growing up on a farm in rural Mexico, where authorities turned a blind eye to the practices of her community, Ruth lives in a ramshackle house without indoor plumbing or electricity. At church, preachers teach that God will punish the wicked by destroying the world and that women can only ascend to Heaven by entering into polygamous marriages and giving birth to as many children as possible. After Ruth's father --- the man who had been the founding prophet of the colony --- is brutally murdered by his brother in a bid for church power, her mother remarries, becoming the second wife of another faithful congregant.

In need of government assistance and supplemental income, Ruth and her siblings are carted back and forth between Mexico and the United States, where her mother collects welfare and her stepfather works a variety of odd jobs. Ruth comes to love the time she spends in the States, realizing that perhaps the community into which she was born is not the right one for her. As Ruth begins to doubt her family’s beliefs and question her mother’s choices, she struggles to balance her fierce love for her siblings with her determination to forge a better life for herself.

Recounted from the innocent and hopeful perspective of a child, THE SOUND OF GRAVEL is the remarkable true story of a girl fighting for peace and love. This is an intimate, gripping tale of triumph, courage and resilience.

-Click here for the reading group guide.
-Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
-Click here to read why Carol chose the audiobook as a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection.
 

AMERICA'S FIRST DAUGHTER by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie (Historical Fiction)
From her earliest days, Patsy Jefferson knows that though her father loves his family dearly, his devotion to his country runs deeper still. As Thomas Jefferson’s oldest daughter, she becomes his helpmate, protector and constant companion in the wake of her mother’s death, traveling with him when he becomes American minister to France.

It is in Paris, at the glittering court and among the first tumultuous days of revolution, that 15-year-old Patsy learns about her father’s troubling liaison with Sally Hemings, a slave girl her own age. Meanwhile, Patsy has fallen in love --- with her father’s protégé William Short, a staunch abolitionist and ambitious diplomat. Torn between love, principles, and the bonds of family, Patsy questions whether she can choose a life as William’s wife and still be a devoted daughter.

Her choice will follow her in the years to come, to Virginia farmland, Monticello, and even the White House. And as scandal, tragedy and poverty threaten her family, Patsy must decide how much she will sacrifice to protect her father's reputation, in the process defining not just his political legacy, but that of the nation he founded.

-Click here for the reading group guide.
 

Joyce Maynard is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous titles, including LABOR DAY and AFTER HER, as well as a memoir, AT HOME IN THE WORLD. Her latest novel is UNDER THE INFLUENCE, a poignant story about the true meaning --- and the true price --- of friendship. Like most of her books, UNDER THE INFLUENCE has an authentic, ripped-from-the-headlines appeal, and here, Maynard talks to The Book Report Network’s Norah Piehl about how her fiction intersects with her real life. She also discusses addiction, single motherhood, and the joys and horrors of online dating.

-Click here to read our interview with the author.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
-Click here to see why Carol is betting you'll love this book.
-Click here for the reading group guide.
 

THE WIDOW, debut author Fiona Barton’s brilliant psychological thriller, had readers buzzing well before its publication date. It’s the story of a woman who has stood firmly by a husband suspected of committing a terrible crime. Now that he is dead, people want the truth --- which is never as simple as it seems. Although this is her first book, Barton has been a respected journalist for over 30 years and has a keen eye for the fine line between fact and fiction. In this interview, she talks to Bookreporter.com’s Joe Hartlaub about her unconventional storytelling choices, why she finds “the people on the edge of stories” so fascinating, and how she is adjusting to the unexpected but very well-deserved success of her inaugural novel.

-Click here to read our interview with the author.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
-Click here to see why Carol is betting you'll love this book.


Charles Todd, the mother-son writing duo responsible for countless bestselling historical mysteries, returns with NO SHRED OF EVIDENCE, the latest entry in the Inspector Ian Rutledge series. When four young women are accused of a crime --- without a shred of evidence to clear their names --- war-scarred Rutledge embarks on a dangerous search for the true perpetrator, with many lives hanging in the balance. In this interview with Bookreporter.com’s Ray Palen, the Todd team discusses how their protagonist (and the entire country) has been changed by the war and how the evolution of Rutledge's character surprised even them. They also talk about why they choose the specific time period and settings of their novels, and how they keep their mysteries entertaining, above all else.

-Click here to read our interview with the authors.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
-Click here for the reading group guide.

 

Spring is arguably be the best season of the year. For those of us in the northeast, it's a sign of warmer days ahead, frequent rain showers that bring May flowers, and no longer eating soup or stew for every single meal (although we wouldn't blame you if you still wanted to)! Along with one of the best seasons comes a slew of brand new cookbooks, and this year's batch is sure to get your mouth watering and your tongues wagging.

This season, more so than others, gives us a handful of cookbooks for niche food preparation, and we're totally loving it. If there is one thing to take away from the cookbook scene this season, it's that all-inclusive compendiums are on the out and highly-specialized cooking of one kind foods are in. The burger pics in PORNBURGER (look it up) have us salivating morning and night. N'ICE CREAM highlights all the great, varied methods for making dairy-free ice cream. EGG will show you the 1.5 million and counting ways to cook and serve an egg.

That's not to say that there's any shortage of celebrity cookbooks this season. Tastemaker, actress and lifestyle guru Gwyneth Paltrow graces our kitchens once again with IT'S ALL EASY. If you're already a Gwyneth fan, we guarantee this won't disappoint; if you're new to the "Goop" scene, then you're in for a treat.

Just like any other season, there is an excellent representation for ethnic cuisines. SIROCCO and THE MIDDLE EASTERN VEGETARIAN COOKBOOK tell us about all of the wonderful flavors from the Middle East. KOREATOWN caters to our growing East Asian palettes, and THE INDIAN FAMILY KITCHEN gives us a easy-to-use, modern spin on classic Indian dishes we may already be familiar with (editorial note: Try the "Smokin' Ribs").

Whether you're a cooking novice or you've hopped, skipped and jumped around the kitchen plenty of times, there's really a buffet of cookbook choices for you this spring. Braise, bubble, roast, temper, stir, spread, slice and sauté away!
 

Word of Mouth Contest: Tell Us What You're Reading --- and You Can Win Two Books!

Tell us about the books you’ve finished reading with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars. During the contest period from March 4th to March 18th at noon ET, three lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win a copy of THE STEEL KISS: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel by Jeffery Deaver and TWO IF BY SEA by Jacquelyn Mitchard.

To make sure other readers will be able to find the books you write about, please include the full title and correct author names (your entry must include these to be eligible to win). For rules and guidelines, click here.

-Click here to enter the contest.
-To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.

Sounding Off on Audio Contest: Tell Us What You're Listening to --- and You Can Win Two Audiobooks!

Tell us about the audiobooks you’ve finished listening to with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars for both the performance and the content. During the contest period from March 1st to April 1st at noon ET, two lucky readers each will be randomly chosen to win the audio versions of A MOTHER'S RECKONING: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy, written and read by Sue Klebold, and Chris Pavone's THE TRAVELERS, read by Paul Michael.

To make sure other readers will be able to find the audiobook, please include the full title and correct author names (your entry must include these to be eligible to win). For complete rules and guidelines, click here.

-Click here to enter the contest.
-To see reader comments from previous contest periods, click here.

 

MISSING PIECES by Heather Gudenkauf (Thriller)
I have been a fan of Heather Gudenkauf’s writing since THE WEIGHT OF SILENCE was published in 2009. So when I saw MISSING PIECES, I immediately grabbed it, knowing that Gudenkauf creates a well-paced thriller that always engages me. She did not disappoint.

-Click here to read more of Carol's thoughts on the book.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
 

THE WIDOW by Fiona Barton (Psychological Thriller)
I love diving into psychological thrillers. A couple of years ago, I read a book called THE SILENT WIFE, which I loved and selected as a Bookreporter.com Bets On pick. In it, there was a wife who knew a secret about her husband and from there set a course to unravel and destroy his life. There was a moment when the entire story turned…and, ah, the tangle that was woven! Thus, when I read the description for THE WIDOW by Fiona Barton, I was riveted.

-Click here to read more of Carol's thoughts on the book.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
-Click here to read a Q&A with the author.


A MOTHER'S RECKONING: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy by Sue Klebold (Memoir)
While we were horrified to watch the events at Columbine, for Sue Klebold, this event was personal as it was masterminded and executed by her son, Dylan, and his friend, Eric Harris. While wrapping her head around the horror of what had been unleashed that morning, she grappled with losing the child she had loved, presenting her with a deep set of challenges. She looks at them in A MOTHER’S RECKONING: Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy.

-Click here to read more of Carol's thoughts on the book.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.


UNDER THE INFLUENCE by Joyce Maynard (Fiction)
I always like Joyce Maynard’s writing and find her books to be compelling --- and memorable --- reads. In UNDER THE INFLUENCE, Helen’s life has unraveled due to her excessive drinking. Her marriage has fallen apart, and she has lost custody of her seven-year-old son, Ollie. Her career as a photographer is on the skids like the rest of her life. Then she meets Ava and Swift Havilland, who are wealthy and connected philanthropists, and becomes swept up in their “fabulous” world. They embrace Helen and Ollie, who quickly become like extended family.

-Click here to read more of Carol's thoughts on the book.
-Click here to read more about the book.
-Click here to read a review on Bookreporter.com.
-Click here to read a Q&A with the author.
-Click here for the guide.

 

The following guides are now available on ReadingGroupGuides.com:

AMERICA'S FIRST DAUGHTER by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie (Historical Fiction)
In a compelling, richly researched novel that draws from thousands of letters and original sources, bestselling authors Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie tell the fascinating, untold story of Thomas Jefferson’s eldest daughter, Martha “Patsy” Jefferson Randolph --- a woman who kept the secrets of our most enigmatic founding father and shaped an American legacy.

THE CROOKED HEART OF MERCY by Billie Livingston (Fiction)
Award-winning Canadian author Billie Livingston’s heart-wrenching U.S. debut is about a young couple whose lives are torn apart by tragedy and how they come together to heal each other’s many wounds.

THE KITCHEN HOUSE by Kathleen Grissom (Historical Fiction)
In this gripping New York Times bestseller and book club classic with almost one million copies in print, Kathleen Grissom brings to life a thriving plantation in Virginia in the decades before the Civil War, where a dark secret threatens to expose the best and worst in everyone tied to the estate.

NO SHRED OF EVIDENCE: An Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery by Charles Todd (Historical Mystery)
On the north coast of Cornwall, an apparent act of mercy is repaid by an arrest for murder, and four young women have been accused of the crime; with no shred of evidence to clear the accused, Inspector Ian Rutledge must plunge deep into the darkest secrets of a wild, beautiful and dangerous place if he is to find a killer who may --- or may not --- hold the key to their fate.

THE OPPOSITE OF EVERYONE by Joshilyn Jackson (Fiction)
From beloved New York Times bestselling author Joshilyn Jackson, THE OPPOSITE OF EVERYONE is a story about story itself, how the tales we tell connect us, break us and define us, and how the endings and beginnings we choose can destroy us…and make us whole.

A PLACE FOR US by Harriet Evans (Fiction)
Now in paperback, from international bestseller Harriet Evans, in the vein of Jojo Moyes and Liane Moriarty, an engrossing new novel about Martha, a wife and mother of three, who, on the eve of her 80th birthday, decides to reveal a secret that may tear her family apart and destroy the idyllic life she and her husband have spent the last 50 years building.

THE SOUND OF GRAVEL: A Memoir by Ruth Wariner (Memoir)
THE SOUND OF GRAVEL is a riveting, deeply affecting true story of one girl’s coming-of-age in a polygamist family.

UNDER THE INFLUENCE by Joyce Maynard (Fiction)
The New York Times bestselling author of LABOR DAY and AFTER HER returns with a poignant story about the true meaning --- and the true price --- of friendship.

THE UNFORTUNATE IMPORTANCE OF BEAUTY by Amanda Filipacchi (Fiction)
Part literary whodunit, part surrealist farce, THE UNFORTUNATE IMPORTANCE OF BEAUTY is a smart, modern-day fairy tale that illuminates the labyrinthine relationship between beauty, desire and identity, asking at every turn: What does it truly mean to allow oneself to be seen?

WHAT THE WAVES KNOW by Tamara Valentine (Historical Fiction)
In the tradition of Sue Monk Kidd and Beth Hoffman comes a compelling debut novel about a young woman's quest to find herself --- and her voice --- on the island where she lost both.


Please note that these titles, for which we already had the guides when they appeared in hardcover, are now available in paperback:

THE BONE TREE by Greg Iles (Thriller)
THE BONE TREE is an explosive, action-packed thriller full of twisting intrigue and deadly secrets, a tale that explores the conflicts and casualties that result when the darkest truths of American history come to light.

A DANGEROUS PLACE: A Maisie Dobbs Novel by Jacqueline Winspear (Historical Mystery)
Maisie Dobbs returns in a powerful story of political intrigue and personal tragedy: A brutal murder in the British garrison town of Gilbraltar leads the investigator into a web of lies, deceit and danger.

DISCLAIMER by Renée Knight (Psychological Thriller)
DISCLAIMER is a brilliantly conceived, deeply disturbing psychological thriller about a woman haunted by secrets --- and the price she will pay for concealing the truth.

A NECESSARY END by Holly Brown (Psychological Thriller)
The author of DON'T TRY TO FIND ME returns with a taut, riveting novel of psychological suspense --- a domestic drama full of secrets and twists --- about a woman determined to have a child, her ambivalent husband and a pregnant teenager with a secret agenda of her own.

A SMALL INDISCRETION by Jan Ellison (Fiction)
A SMALL INDISCRETION fixes an unflinching eye on the power of desire and the danger of obsession as it unfolds the story of one woman’s reckoning with a youthful mistake.

 

Which of the following authors has your group read at least one book by? (Check as many as apply.)

Fredrik Backman
Melanie Benjamin
Chris Bohjalian
Chris Cleave
Pat Conroy
Lisa Genova
Kristin Hannah
Sue Monk Kidd
Wally Lamb
Paula McLain
Lianne Moriarty
Jojo Moyes
Lisa See
Donna Tartt
Adriana Trigiani
None of the above