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Best Sellers

Hardcover Fiction

Week of May 25, 2014

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1
NEW
UNLUCKY 13
James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Cover of UNLUCKY 13

UNLUCKY 13

by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro · Little, Brown

2 wks at #1 · 1 on list

The Women's Murder Club is stalked by a killer with nothing to lose. San Francisco Detective Lindsay Boxer is loving her life as a new mother. With an attentive husband, a job she loves, plus best friends who can talk about anything from sex to murder, things couldn't be better. Then the FBI sends Lindsay a photo of a killer from her past, and her happy world is shattered. The picture captures a beautiful woman at a stoplight. But all Lindsay sees is the psychopath behind those seductive eyes: Mackie Morales, the most deranged and dangerous mind the Women's Murder Club has ever encountered. In this pulse-racing, emotionally charged novel by James Patterson, the Women's Murder Club must find a killer--before she finds them first.

2
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FIELD OF PREY
John Sandford
Cover of FIELD OF PREY

FIELD OF PREY

by John Sandford · Putnam

1 wks on list

A Lucas Davenport thriller by internationally bestselling novelist John Sandford 'He knows where the bodies are buried.' A familiar expression, often said with a laugh. But in Lucas Davenport's line of work, it's sometimes all too true.... When a county deputy is called out to an abandoned farmhouse in the cornfields of Minnesota by a couple of terrified teenagers, he finds that a body has been stuffed down a cistern. And then another, and another. By the time Lucas Davenport is called in, the police are up to fifteen bodies, and counting. And when Lucas begins to investigate, he makes some disturbing discoveries of his own. The victims have been killed over a great many years, one every summer, regular as clockwork. How could this have happened without anybody noticing? Because one thing was for sure: The killer has to live close by. He is probably even someone they see every day... ***READERS LOVE THE PREY SERIES*** 'John Sandford knows all there is to know about detonating the gut-level shocks of a good thriller' The New York Times Book Review ​ 'The best Lucas Davenport story so far. The man has a fine touch for outlaws' Stephen King on Golden Prey 'Sandford’s trademark blend of rough humor and deadly action keeps the pages turning until the smile-inducing wrap-up, which reveals the fates of a number of his quirky, memorable characters' Publishers Weekly on Golden Prey 'It appears there is no limit to John Sandford’s ability to keep new breath and blood flowing into his Lucas Davenport series. This is a series you must be reading if you are not already' Bookreporter.com 'Sandford has always been at the top of any list of great mystery writers. His writing and the appeal of his lead character are as fresh as ever' The Huffington Post 'Sandford is consistently brilliant' Cleveland Plain Dealer

3
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WALKING ON WATER
Richard Paul Evans
Cover of WALKING ON WATER

WALKING ON WATER

by Richard Paul Evans · Simon & Schuster

1 wks on list

With this New York Times bestseller, the beloved Walk series ends as Alan Christoffersen reaches his destination and the beginning of a new life: “Definitely a journey worth taking” (Booklist). After the death of his beloved wife, after the loss of his advertising business to his once-trusted partner, after bankruptcy forced him from his home, Alan Christoffersen embarked on a daring cross-country journey—a walk across America, from Seattle to Key West, with only the pack on his back. Through it all he learned life-changing lessons about love, forgiveness, and most of all, hope. Now Alan must again return west to face yet another crisis, one that threatens to upend his world just as he had begun to heal from so much loss, leaving him unsure of whether he can reach the end his journey. It will take the love of a new friend, and the wisdom of an old friend, to help him to finally leave the past behind and find the strength and hope to live again. Walking on Water is a beautiful story of one man’s search for a new beginning, of “humorous moments, heartwarming moments, moments of self-discovery, and moments of profound wisdom” (Deseret Morning News).

4
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THE TARGET
David Baldacci
Cover of THE TARGET

THE TARGET

by David Baldacci · Grand Central

3 wks on list

The world's greatest assassins are on a high-risk mission for the President--but a powerful mastermind wants them dead in this #1 New York Times bestselling thriller. The President knows it's a perilous, high-risk assignment. If he gives the order, he has the opportunity to take down a global menace, once and for all. If the mission fails, he would face certain impeachment, and the threats against the nation would multiply. So the president turns to the one team that can pull off the impossible: Will Robie and his partner, Jessica Reel. Together, Robie and Reel's talents as assassins are unmatched. But there are some in power who don't trust the pair. They doubt their willingness to follow orders. And they will do anything to see that the two assassins succeed, but that they do not survive. As they prepare for their mission, Reel faces a personal crisis that could well lead old enemies right to her doorstep, resurrecting the ghosts of her earlier life and bringing stark danger to all those close to her. And all the while, Robie and Reel are stalked by a new adversary: an unknown and unlikely assassin, a woman who has trained her entire life to kill, and who has her own list of targets--a list that includes Will Robie and Jessica Reel.

5
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THE GOLDFINCH
Donna Tartt
Cover of THE GOLDFINCH

THE GOLDFINCH

by Donna Tartt · Little, Brown

29 wks on list

WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR FICTION Theo Decker, aged thirteen, is left alone in the world after surviving a catastrophe that kills his only close relative - his mother - and tears him away from everything he knows. Tormented by grief, drifting from home to home, he grows increasingly obsessed with a small, enchanting work of art which dominates his imagination and ultimately draws him, as an adult, into a much darker life than he could ever have foreseen. 'A masterpiece' The Times 'Astonishing' Guardian 'Superb' Daily Mail 'A gripping page turner' Independent on Sunday 'A triumph' Stephen King 'Dazzling' New York Times

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NATCHEZ BURNING
Greg Iles
Cover of NATCHEZ BURNING

NATCHEZ BURNING

by Greg Iles · Morrow/HarperCollins

2 wks on list

#1 New York Times bestselling author Greg Iles continues the electrifying story of Natchez Burning with this second volume in an epic trilogy of blood and race, family and justice. Penn Cage is caught in the darkest maelstrom of his life. The death of his father's African-American nurse has fractured Penn's family and turned Dr. Tom Cage into a fugitive. Penn has inadvertently started a war with an offshoot of the KKK called the Double Eagles, and Penn's fiancee, journalist Caitlin Masters, is chasing the biggest story of her career. Both Caitlin and the Feds that Penn reluctantly teams up with believe Tom can lead them to evidence of America's most secret, shameful history, a time when powerful men committed violent race murders to conceal a conspiracy involving the Mafia, the Double Eagles, and the assassination of JFK. In the end, all roads lead to the Bone Tree, a legendary killing site that may conceal far more than the remains of the forgotten.

7
3
THE COLLECTOR
Nora Roberts
Cover of THE COLLECTOR

THE COLLECTOR

by Nora Roberts · Putnam

4 wks on list

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts comes a novel about a woman who needs nothing, a man who sees everything, and the web of deceit, greed and danger that brings them together—and could tear them apart... When professional house-sitter Lila Emerson witnesses a murder/suicide from her current apartment-sitting job, life as she knows it takes a dramatic turn. Suddenly, the woman with no permanent ties finds herself almost wishing for one... Artist Ashton Archer knows his brother isn’t capable of violence—against himself or others. He recruits Lila, the only eyewitness, to help him uncover what happened. Chalking up their intense attraction to the heat of the moment, Lila agrees to help Ash try to find out who murdered his brother and why. From the penthouses of Manhattan to grand Italian villas, their investigation draws them into a rarefied circle where priceless antiques are bought, sold, gambled away and stolen; where what you possess is who you are; and where what you desire becomes a deadly obsession...

8
3
CHESTNUT STREET
Maeve Binchy
Cover of CHESTNUT STREET

CHESTNUT STREET

by Maeve Binchy · Knopf

3 wks on list

Superb storytelling from one of the world's best-loved writers. Just round the corner from St Jarlath's Crescent (featured in MINDING FRANKIE) is Chestnut Street. Here, the lives of the residents are revealed in Maeve Binchy's wonderfully compelling tales: Bucket Maguire, the window cleaner, who must do more than he bargained for to protect his son. Nessa Byrne, whose aunt comes to visit from America for six weeks every summer and turns the house - and Nessa's world - upside down. Lilian, the generous girl with a big heart, and the fiancé not everyone approves of. And Melly, whose gossip about the neighbours leads to trouble in the form of the fortune teller, 'Madame Magic'... 'In Chestnut Street [there is] enough kindness, wisdom and insight into human nature, to remind readers why Maeve Binchy was one of the most beloved writers this country has ever produced' Irish Times

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THE INVENTION OF WINGS
Sue Monk Kidd
Cover of THE INVENTION OF WINGS

THE INVENTION OF WINGS

by Sue Monk Kidd · Viking Press

18 wks on list

An exclusive free sample chapter from THE INVENTION OF WINGS... From the celebrated author of the international bestseller THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES comes an extraordinary novel about two exceptional women. Sarah Grimké is the middle daughter. The one her mother calls difficult and her father calls remarkable. On Sarah's eleventh birthday, Hetty 'Handful' Grimké is taken from the slave quarters she shares with her mother, wrapped in lavender ribbons, and presented to Sarah as a gift. Sarah knows what she does next will unleash a world of trouble. She also knows that she cannot accept. And so, indeed, the trouble begins ... A powerful, sweeping novel, inspired by real events, and set in the American Deep South in the nineteenth century, THE INVENTION OF WINGS evokes a world of shocking contrasts, of beauty and ugliness, of righteous people living daily with cruelty they fail to recognise; and celebrates the power of friendship and sisterhood against all the odds.

10
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ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE
Anthony Doerr
Cover of ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE

ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE

by Anthony Doerr · Scribner

1 wks on list

An imaginative and intricate novel inspired by the horrors of World War II and written in short, elegant chapters that explore human nature and the contradictory power of technology.

11
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DELICIOUS!
Ruth Reichl
Cover of DELICIOUS!

DELICIOUS!

by Ruth Reichl · Random House

1 wks on list

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “Reichl’s compulsively readable novel is a treat for anyone who loves a warm, character-packed tale—a delectable mix of flavor, fantasy, and emotional comfort food.”—O: The Oprah Magazine The debut novel from the beloved food critic and author of The Paris Novel, featuring an exclusive conversation between Ruth Reichl and Emily Giffin Billie Breslin has traveled far from her home in California to take a job at Delicious!, New York’s most iconic food magazine. At first, Billie feels like a fish out of water—until she is welcomed by the magazine’s colorful staff and seduced by the vibrant downtown food scene. Then an unexpected turn of events leads Billie to a miraculous discovery. In a hidden room in the magazine’s library, she finds a cache of letters written during World War II by Lulu Swan, a plucky twelve-year-old, to the legendary chef James Beard. Lulu’s letters provide Billie with a richer understanding of history and inspire Billie to come to terms with her fears and her ability to open her heart to love. Through her bestselling memoirs, including Tender at the Bone and Comfort Me with Apples, Ruth Reichl has achieved a special place in readers’ hearts. Now, with this magical novel, she has created a sumptuous world that will enchant you.

12
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MIDNIGHT CROSSROAD
Charlaine Harris
Cover of MIDNIGHT CROSSROAD

MIDNIGHT CROSSROAD

by Charlaine Harris · Ace

1 wks on list

Take a trip to the small Texas town where only outsiders fit in with the first novel in #1 New York Times bestselling author Charlaine Harris’ paranormal mystery series. Welcome to Midnight, Texas, a town with many boarded-up windows and few full-time inhabitants, located at the crossing of Witch Light Road and the Davy highway. It’s a pretty standard dried-up western town. There’s a pawnshop with three residents. One is seen only at night. There’s a diner, but people stopping there tend not to linger. There’s a newcomer, Manfred Bernardo, who just wants to work hard and blend in. But Manfred has secrets of his own...

13
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ROBERT B. PARKER'S CHEAP SHOT
Ace Atkins
Cover of ROBERT B. PARKER'S CHEAP SHOT

ROBERT B. PARKER'S CHEAP SHOT

by Ace Atkins · Putnam

1 wks on list

“Atkins gives Robert B. Parker’s long-running series one of its best installments to date” (Bookreporter.com) as Spenser investigates the kidnapping of a football player’s son. Kinjo Heywood is one of the New England Patriots’ marquee players—a hard-nosed linebacker who’s earned his standing as one of the toughest guys in the league. He may be worth millions but his connection to a nightclub shooting two years before is still putting a dangerous spin on his life, and his career. When Heywood’s nine-year-old son, Akira, is kidnapped, and a winding trail through Boston’s underworld begins, Spenser puts together his own all-star team of toughs. It will take both Hawk and Spenser’s protégé, Zebulon Sixkill, to watch Spenser’s back. Because Heywood’s next unpredictable move puts everyone in jeopardy as the clock winds down on Akira’s future.

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I'VE GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN
Mary Higgins Clark
Cover of I'VE GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN

I'VE GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN

by Mary Higgins Clark · Simon & Schuster

6 wks on list

In this gripping #1 New York Times bestseller from Queen of Suspense Mary Higgins Clark, a Manhattan ER doctor is brazenly murdered in front of his young son in a city playground. Five years later, his killer is still at large. When Laurie Moran’s husband was brutally murdered, only three-year-old Timmy saw the face of his father’s killer. Five years later his piercing blue eyes still haunt Timmy’s dreams. Laurie is haunted by more—the killer’s threat to her son as he fled the scene: “Tell your mother she’s next, then it’s your turn…” Now Laurie is dealing with murder again, this time as the producer of a true-crime, cold-case television show. The series will launch with the twenty-year-old unsolved murder of Betsy Powell. Betsy, a socialite, was found suffocated in her bed after a gala celebrating the graduation of her daughter and three friends. The sensational murder was news nationwide. Reopening the case in its lavish setting and with the cooperation of the surviving guests that night, Laurie is sure to have a hit on her hands. But when the estranged friends begin filming, it becomes clear each is hiding secrets…small and large. And a pair of blue eyes is watching events unfold, too…

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THE LAST KIND WORDS SALOON
Larry McMurtry
Cover of THE LAST KIND WORDS SALOON

THE LAST KIND WORDS SALOON

by Larry McMurtry · Liveright

This is Larry McMurtry's ballad in prose: his heartfelt tribute to a bygone era of the American West. Larry McMurtry has done more than any other living writer to shape our literary imagination of the American West. With The Last Kind Words Saloon, he returns to the vivid and unsparing portrait of the nineteenth-century and cowboy lifestyle made so memorable in his classic Lonesome Dove. Evoking the greatest characters and legends of the Old Wild West, McMurtry tells the story of the closing of the American frontier through the travails of two of its most immortal figures: Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday. Long Grass, Texas. Once hailed as heroes for their days of subduing drunks in Abilene and Dodge – more often with a mean look than a pistol – the taciturn Wyatt now idles away his time between bottles, while the dentist-turned-gunslinger Doc is more adept at poker than extracting teeth. With the buffalo herds gone, the Comanche defeated, and vast swaths of the Great Plains enclosed by cattle ranches, Wyatt and Doc live on, even as the storied West that forged their myths disappears. McMurtry traces the rich and varied friendship of the heroic pair from the town of Long Grass to Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show in Denver, then to Mobetie, Texas, and finally to Tombstone, Arizona, culminating with the famed gunfight at the O.K. Corral, rendered here in McMurtry's stark and peerless prose. As harsh and beautiful, and as brutal and captivating as the open range it depicts, The Last Kind Words Saloon celebrates the genius of one of the most original American writers.

Historical bestseller data sourced from the New York Times Book Review, archived by Hawes Publications.