TheBestseller
Observatory

Best Sellers

Hardcover Fiction

Week of October 12, 2014

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1
EDGE OF ETERNITY
Ken Follett
Cover of EDGE OF ETERNITY

EDGE OF ETERNITY

by Ken Follett · Dutton

2 wks at #1 · 2 on list

Ken Follett's extraordinary historical epic, the Century Trilogy, reaches its sweeping, passionate conclusion. In Fall of Giants and Winter of the World, Ken Follett followed the fortunes of five international families—American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh—as they made their way through the twentieth century. Now they come to one of the most tumultuous eras of all: the 1960s through the 1980s, from civil rights, assassinations, mass political movements, and Vietnam to the Berlin Wall, the Cuban Missile Crisis, presidential impeachment, revolution—and rock and roll. East German teacher Rebecca Hoffmann discovers she’s been spied on by the Stasi for years and commits an impulsive act that will affect her family for the rest of their lives. . . . George Jakes, the child of a mixed-race couple, bypasses a corporate law career to join Robert F. Kennedy's Justice Department and finds himself in the middle of not only the seminal events of the civil rights battle but a much more personal battle of his own. . . . Cameron Dewar, the grandson of a senator, jumps at the chance to do some official and unofficial espionage for a cause he believes in, only to discover that the world is a much more dangerous place than he'd imagined. . . . Dimka Dvorkin, a young aide to Nikita Khrushchev, becomes an agent both for good and for ill as the United States and the Soviet Union race to the brink of nuclear war, while his twin sister, Tanya, carves out a role that will take her from Moscow to Cuba to Prague to Warsaw—and into history.

2
PERSONAL
Lee Child
Cover of PERSONAL

PERSONAL

by Lee Child · Delacorte Press

4 wks on list

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Don’t miss the hit streaming series Reacher! “The best one yet.”—Stephen King Someone has tried to kill the French president. How many snipers can shoot from three-quarters of a mile with total confidence? John Kott—a U.S. Army marksman gone bad—is one of them. After fifteen years in prison, he’s out . . . and there’s a G8 summit coming up, packed with enough world leaders to tempt any assassin. If anyone can stop Kott, it’s the man who beat him before: Jack Reacher. And though he’d rather work alone, Reacher is teamed with rookie analyst Casey Nice. They’re facing a rough road, full of local thugs, double-crosses, and no backup if things go wrong. Reacher never gets too close. But this time it’s personal.

3
SOMEWHERE SAFE WITH SOMEBODY GOOD
Jan Karon
Cover of SOMEWHERE SAFE WITH SOMEBODY GOOD

SOMEWHERE SAFE WITH SOMEBODY GOOD

by Jan Karon · Putnam

4 wks on list

#1 New York Times bestselling author Jan Karon welcomes you back home to Mitford in this inspirational novel that “hits the sweet spot at the intersection of your heart and your funny bone” (USA Today). After five hectic years of retirement from Lord’s Chapel, Father Tim Kavanagh returns with his wife, Cynthia, from the land of his Irish ancestors. While he’s glad to be at home in Mitford, something is definitely missing from his life: a pulpit. But when he’s offered one, he decides he doesn’t want it. For years, he believed he had a few answers. Now he has questions. How can he possibly help Dooley’s younger brother, Sammy, make it through the fallout of a disasterous childhood? Could doing a good deed for the town bookstore be the best thing for his befuddled spirit? And who was riding through town in a limo? Not Edith Mallory. Then an editorial in the weekly Muse poses a question that sets the whole town looking for answers: Does Mitford still take care of its own?

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BONES NEVER LIE
Kathy Reichs
Cover of BONES NEVER LIE

BONES NEVER LIE

by Kathy Reichs · Bantam

1 wks on list

A gripping Temperance Brennan novel from world-class forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs, the international #1 bestselling crime thriller writer and the inspiration behind the hit TV series Bones. ___________________________________ Tempe is faced with a horrifying possibility: a murderer she could never catch is killing again. For a decade, Temperance Brennan has been haunted by the one who got away. The killer of young women. The monster. And the one who has now come back. Feeding on fear, grief and rage. Killing again. Killing girls. Getting closer. Coming for Tempe. ___________________________________ Many of the world's greatest thriller writers are huge fans of her work: 'Kathy Reichs writes smart - no, make that brilliant - mysteries that are as realistic as nonfiction and as fast-paced as the best thrillers about Jack Reacher, or Alex Cross' JAMES PATTERSON 'One of my favourite writers' KARIN SLAUGHTER 'I love Kathy Reichs - always scary, always suspenseful, and I always learn something' LEE CHILD 'Nobody does forensics thrillers like Kathy Reichs. She is the real deal' DAVID BALDACCI 'Each book in Kathy Reichs's fantastic Temperance Brennan series is better than the last. They are filled with riveting twists and turns - and no matter how many books she writes, I jus cannot get enough' LISA SCOTTOLINE 'Nobody writes a more imaginative thriller than Kathy Reichs!' CLIVE CUSSLER

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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

21 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.

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THE BONE CLOCKS
David Mitchell
Cover of THE BONE CLOCKS

THE BONE CLOCKS

by David Mitchell · Random House

4 wks on list

'ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANTLY INVENTIVE WRITERS OF THIS, OR ANY, COUNTRY' INDEPENDENT Winner of the World Fantasy Award and longlisted for the Booker and Folio Prizes 'A triumph' GUARDIAN 'Fantastical' OBSERVER 'Epic' EVENING STANDARD 'Mind-spinning' INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY 'Dazzling' NEW YORK TIMES The internationally bestselling novel from the author of Cloud Atlas, at once the kaleidoscopic story of an unusual woman's life, a metaphysical thriller and a profound meditation on mortality and survival Run away, one drowsy summer's afternoon, with Holly Sykes: wayward teenager, broken-hearted rebel and unwitting pawn in a titanic, hidden conflict. Over six decades, the consequences of a moment's impulse unfold, drawing an ordinary woman into a world far beyond her imagining. And as life in the near future turns perilous, the pledge she made to a stranger may become the key to her family's survival . . . PRAISE FOR DAVID MITCHELL 'A thrilling and gifted writer' FINANCIAL TIMES 'Dizzyingly, dazzlingly good' DAILY MAIL 'Mitchell is, clearly, a genius' NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW 'An author of extraordinary ambition and skill' INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY 'A superb storyteller' THE NEW YORKER

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THE PAYING GUESTS
Sarah Waters
Cover of THE PAYING GUESTS

THE PAYING GUESTS

by Sarah Waters · Riverhead

2 wks on list

'A page-turning melodrama and a fascinating portrait of London on the verge of great change' Guardian It is 1922, and in a hushed south London villa life is about to be transformed, as genteel widow Mrs Wray and her discontented daughter Frances are obliged to take in lodgers. Lilian and Leonard Barber, a modern young couple of the 'clerk class', bring with them gramophone music, colour, fun - and dangerous desires. The most ordinary of lives, it seems, can explode into passion and drama... A love story that is also a crime story, this is vintage Sarah Waters. 'Another wild ride of a novel... magnetic storytelling' Tracy Chevalier, Observer 'You will be hooked within a page' Charlotte Mendelson, Financial Times 'Sumptuous... the writing is impeccable. A joy in every respect' New Statesman 'An unsurpassed fictional recorder of vanished eras and hidden lives' Sunday Times

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THE CHILDREN ACT
Ian McEwan
Cover of THE CHILDREN ACT

THE CHILDREN ACT

by Ian McEwan · Nan A. Talese/ Doubleday

3 wks on list

A brilliant, emotionally wrenching new novel from the author of Atonement and Amsterdam. Fiona Maye, a leading High Court judge, renowned for her fierce intelligence and sensitivity is called on to try an urgent case. For religious reasons, a seventeen-year-old boy is refusing the medical treatment that could save his life. Time is running out. She visits the boy in hospital – an encounter which stirs long-buried feelings in her and powerful new emotions in the boy. But it is Fiona who must ultimately decide whether he lives or dies and her judgement will have momentous consequences for them both.

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THE SECRET PLACE
Tana French
Cover of THE SECRET PLACE

THE SECRET PLACE

by Tana French · Viking Press

4 wks on list

The photo shows a boy who was murdered a year ago. The caption says, 'I KNOW WHO KILLED HIM'. Detective Stephen Moran hasn't seen Holly Mackey since she was a 9-year-old witness to the events of Faithful Place. Now she's 16 and she's shown up outside his squad room, with a photograph and a story. Even in her exclusive boarding school, in the graceful golden world that Stephen has always longed for, bad things happen and people have secrets. The previous year, Christopher Harper, from the neighbouring boys' school, was found murdered on the grounds. And today, in the Secret Place - the school noticeboard where girls can pin up their secrets anonymously - Holly found the card.

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THE GOLDFINCH
Donna Tartt
Cover of THE GOLDFINCH

THE GOLDFINCH

by Donna Tartt · Little, Brown

49 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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FESTIVE IN DEATH
J. D. Robb
Cover of FESTIVE IN DEATH

FESTIVE IN DEATH

by J. D. Robb · Putnam

3 wks on list

It's Christmas, but Lieutenant Eve Dallas is in no mood to celebrate. While her charismatic husband Roarke plans a huge, glittering party, Eve has murder on her mind. The victim - personal trainer Trey Ziegler - was trouble in life and is causing even more problems in death. Vain, unfaithful and vindictive, Trey had cultivated a lot of enemies. Which means Eve has a lot of potential suspects. And when she and Detective Peabody uncover Trey's sinister secret, the case takes a deadly turn. Christmas may be a festival of light, but Eve and Roarke will be forced once more down a very dark path in their hunt for the truth.

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TO DWELL IN DARKNESS
Deborah Crombie
Cover of TO DWELL IN DARKNESS

TO DWELL IN DARKNESS

by Deborah Crombie · Morrow/HarperCollins

1 wks on list

In the tradition of P. D. James, Elizabeth George, and Louise Penny, New York Times bestselling author Deborah Crombie spins an engrossing, emotionally powerful tale of conspiracy, betrayal, and double-dealings that will bring home the chilling consequences of murder to Scotland Yard detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James. Recently uprooted and feeling his way in his new posting to Camden—an eclectic area of London's counterculture, as well as it's greatest travel hub—Superintendent Kincaid is plunged into the investigation of a fatal bombing during a protest at St. Pancras Station. The already sensitive enquiry is almost immediately complicated by a set of strange circumstances and coincidences. One of the key witnesses to the chaos is Melody Talbot, a fellow detective, and trusted colleague of Kincaid's wife, D.I. Gemma James; the victim appears to have set off the bomb, but all of his associates vehemently deny the possibility; and a mysterious, shadowy bystander has disappeared from the scene—and seemingly from the face of London!—under highly suspicious circumstances. In addition, Kincaid's ex-boss has been brutally attacked, and Kincaid—who never got to the bottom of his own transfer—suspects the circumstances are connected at a higher level. Kincaid, with the help of Gemma, Melody and his former sergeant, Doug Cullen, is determined to uncover what lies at the dark center. Unfortunately for Kincaid, finding the truth may have more devastating consequences than he could imagine, test his commitment to Scotland Yard, and imperil his family, friends...and his own future... "A wealth of detail about St. Pancras' history and architecture that would do Margaret Truman proud." – Kirkus Reviews

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BIG LITTLE LIES
Liane Moriarty
Cover of BIG LITTLE LIES

BIG LITTLE LIES

by Liane Moriarty · Amy Einhorn/Putnam

8 wks on list

DISCOVER THE GRIPPING NO. 1 BESTSELLER BEHIND THE AWARD WINNING HBO SENSATION STARRING REESE WITHERSPOON, NICOLE KIDMAN & MERYL STREEP **The long-awaited sequel, Big Little Truths, is available to pre-order now** ________ Perfect families, perfect houses, perfect lives. Three mothers, Jane, Madeline and Celeste appear to have it all, until they find out just how easy it is for one little lie to spiral out of control . . . Single mum Jane has just moved to town. She's got her little boy in tow - plus a secret she's been carrying for five years. On the first day of the school run she meets Madeline - a force to be reckoned with, who remembers everything and forgives no one - and Celeste, the kind of beautiful woman who makes the world stop and stare, but is inexplicably ill at ease. They both take Jane under their wing - while careful to keep their own secrets under wraps. But a minor incident involving the children of all three women rapidly escalates: playground whispers become spiteful rumours until no one can tell the truth from the lies . . . It was always going to end in tears, but how did it end in murder? ________ 'Blame and guilt, forgiveness and retribution, love and betrayal. A tense, page-turning story . . . a great read' Mail on Sunday 'Blending romance, comedy and mystery, this is a wonderful book - full of brains, guts and heart' Sunday Mirror 'A hell of a good book. Funny and scary' Stephen King 'Brilliant, standout, superbly clever. Moriarty writes vividly, wittily and wickedly' Sunday Express

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COLORLESS TSUKURU TAZAKI AND HIS YEARS OF PILGRIMAGE
Haruki Murakami
Cover of COLORLESS TSUKURU TAZAKI AND HIS YEARS OF PILGRIMAGE

COLORLESS TSUKURU TAZAKI AND HIS YEARS OF PILGRIMAGE

by Haruki Murakami · Knopf

7 wks on list

INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • One of the most revered voices in literature today gives us a story of love, friend­ship, and heartbreak for the ages. “Mesmerizing, immersive, hallucinogenic.”—Entertainment Weekly Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage is the remarkable story of a young man haunted by a great loss; of dreams and nightmares that have unintended consequences for the world around us; and of a journey into the past that is necessary to mend the present. ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post, Financial Times, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Slate, Mother Jones, The Daily Beast, BookPage

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ADULTERY
Paulo Coelho
Cover of ADULTERY

ADULTERY

by Paulo Coelho · Knopf

#1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • From the extraordinary author of the international bestselling sensation The Alchemist comes a provocative novel that explores the question of what it means to live life fully and happily. "A compelling tale of existential angst, marital betrayal and sexual sin.” —The Chicago Tribune I want to change. I need to change. I'm gradually losing touch with myself. Adultery, the novel by Paulo Coelho, best-selling author of The Alchemist and Eleven Minutes, searches for the balance between life's routine and the desire for something new. “Propulsive.... A compelling tale of existential angst, marital betrayal and sexual sin.” —The Chicago Tribune

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