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Best Sellers

Hardcover Fiction

Week of May 8, 2016

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1
NEW
THE LAST MILE
David Baldacci
Cover of THE LAST MILE

THE LAST MILE

by David Baldacci · Grand Central

1 wks at #1 · 1 on list

A gripping thriller from David Baldacci, The Last Mile is perfect for fans of Lee Child and James Patterson. Memories can be a real killer. Melvin Mars awaits his fate on Death Row. He was one of America's most promising football stars until, aged twenty, he was arrested and convicted for the murder of his parents just as he was due to begin a very lucrative contract with the NFL. When Amos Decker, newly appointed special agent with the FBI, hears the news that Melvin was saved in the final seconds before his execution because someone has confessed to the killings, he persuades his boss to allow him to carry out an investigation into the Mars murders. There are facts about the case which don't add up, and as the investigation deepens, Decker and his team uncover layer upon layer of lies and deception which are rooted at a time in American history which most would rather forget, but some seem keen to remember. There is someone out there with a lot to hide, and a secret that everyone is looking for. A race against time ensues because, when revealed, that information threatens to tear apart the corridors of power at the very highest level. The case proves to be life-changing for both Mars and Decker in ways that neither could ever have imagined. The Last Mile is the second in the Amos Decker series, following Memory Man. Continue the investigative thrillers with The Fix.

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THE OBSESSION
Nora Roberts
Cover of THE OBSESSION

THE OBSESSION

by Nora Roberts · Berkley

2 wks on list

In this spellbinding novel about a woman whose past is catching up with her, #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts dazzles readers 'a story you won't be able to put down' (Library Journal) Naomi Carson is a survivor. As a child, her family was torn apart by a shocking crime. It could have destroyed her, but Naomi has grown up strong, with a passion for photography that has taken her all around the world. Now, at last, she has decided to put down roots. The beautiful old house on Point Bluff needs work, but Naomi is looking forward to making a home of her own. But as Naomi plans for the future, her past is catching up with her. Someone in town knows her terrifying secret - and won't let her forget it... 'A read to be savored . . . Roberts has an unparalleled ability to paint a picture with words . . . and the story is expertly executed.' -Publishers Weekly (starred review)

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THE NEST
Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney
Cover of THE NEST

THE NEST

by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney · Ecco/HarperCollins

5 wks on list

“Hilarious and big-hearted, The Nest is a stellar debut.” — People A warm, funny and acutely perceptive debut novel about four adult siblings and the fate of the shared inheritance that has shaped their choices and their lives. Every family has its problems. But even among the most troubled, the Plumb family stands out as spectacularly dysfunctional. Years of simmering tensions finally reach a breaking point on an unseasonably cold afternoon in New York City as Melody, Beatrice, and Jack Plumb gather to confront their charismatic and reckless older brother, Leo, freshly released from rehab. Months earlier, an inebriated Leo got behind the wheel of a car with a nineteen-year-old waitress as his passenger. The ensuing accident has endangered the Plumbs' joint trust fund, “The Nest,” which they are months away from finally receiving. Meant by their deceased father to be a modest mid-life supplement, the Plumb siblings have watched The Nest’s value soar along with the stock market and have been counting on the money to solve a number of self-inflicted problems. Melody, a wife and mother in an upscale suburb, has an unwieldy mortgage and looming college tuition for her twin teenage daughters. Jack, an antiques dealer, has secretly borrowed against the beach cottage he shares with his husband, Walker, to keep his store open. And Bea, a once-promising short-story writer, just can’t seem to finish her overdue novel. Can Leo rescue his siblings and, by extension, the people they love? Or will everyone need to reimagine the futures they’ve envisioned? Brought together as never before, Leo, Melody, Jack, and Beatrice must grapple with old resentments, present-day truths, and the significant emotional and financial toll of the accident, as well as finally acknowledge the choices they have made in their own lives. This is a story about the power of family, the possibilities of friendship, the ways we depend upon one another and the ways we let one another down. In this tender, entertaining, and deftly written debut, Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney brings a remarkable cast of characters to life to illuminate what money does to relationships, what happens to our ambitions over the course of time, and the fraught yet unbreakable ties we share with those we love.

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THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN
Paula Hawkins
Cover of THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN

THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN

by Paula Hawkins · Riverhead

67 wks on list

THE RUNAWAY GLOBAL BESTSELLER 'Gripping, enthralling - a top-notch thriller and a compulsive read.' SJ Watson, bestselling author of BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP Rachel catches the same commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She's even started to feel like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. 'Jess and Jason', she calls them. Their life - as she sees it - is perfect. If only Rachel could be that happy. And then she sees something shocking. It's only a minute until the train moves on, but it's enough. Now everything's changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she's only watched from afar. Now they'll see; she's much more than just the girl on the train... ***PAULA HAWKINS' NEW ADDICTIVE THRILLER, THE BLUE HOUR IS AVAILABLE NOW***

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ELIGIBLE
Curtis Sittenfeld
Cover of ELIGIBLE

ELIGIBLE

by Curtis Sittenfeld · Random House

1 wks on list

Returning with her sister, Jane, to their Ohio hometown when their father falls ill, New York magazine editor Lizzy Bennett confronts challenges in the form of her younger sisters' football fangirl antics, a creepy cousin's unwanted attentions and the infuriating standoffish manners of a handsome neurosurgeon. --Publisher.

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FOOL ME ONCE
Harlan Coben
Cover of FOOL ME ONCE

FOOL ME ONCE

by Harlan Coben · Dutton

5 wks on list

THE BIGGEST NETFLIX SHOW OF 2024 STARRING MICHELLE KEEGAN, JOANNA LUMLEY AND RICHARD ARMITAGE. READ THE BOOK THAT STARTED IT ALL . . . 'The absolute master' RICHARD OSMAN 'One of the all-time greats' GILLIAN FLYNN 'At the top of his game' PETER JAMES 'Never lets you down' LEE CHILD _______________ You think you know the truth. The truth is you know nothing. If your husband was murdered. And you were a witness. How do you explain it when he appears on your nanny cam, back from the dead? You thought you trusted him. Now you can't even trust yourself. Dark secrets and a terrifying hunt for the truth lie at the heart of this gripping thriller by the 'master of the double twist' Harlan Coben ... _______________ Readers love Fool Me Once . . . 'A spine tingling page turner!' 5-star reader review 'Fast-paced and very captivating' 5-star reader review 'Any reader who enjoys a cleverly plotted book filled with twists and turns will enjoy this one.' 5-star reader review 'An excellent thriller, packed with taut, edgy suspense.' 5-star reader review 'What a story. What a plot.' 5-star reader review

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THE NIGHTINGALE
Kristin Hannah
Cover of THE NIGHTINGALE

THE NIGHTINGALE

by Kristin Hannah · St. Martin's

60 wks on list

The bestselling Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick 'One of the greatest storytellers of our time' – Delia Owens, author of Where the Crawdads Sing Soon to be a major motion picture, The Nightingale is a multi-million copy bestseller across the world. It is a heart-breakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the endurance of women. 'I always thought it was what I wanted: to be loved and admired. Now I think perhaps I’d like to be known' This story is about what it was like to be a woman during World War II when women’s stories were all too often forgotten or overlooked . . . Vianne and Isabelle Mauriac are two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals and passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path towards survival, love and freedom in war-torn France. Kristin Hannah's The Nightingale is a novel for everyone, a novel for a lifetime. ‘A rich, compelling novel of love, sacrifice and survival’ - Kate Morton ‘Movingly written and plotted with the heartless skill of a Greek tragedy, you’ll keep turning the pages until the last racking sob’ - Daily Mail ‘I loved The Nightingale . . . great characters, great plots, great emotions, who could ask for more in a novel?’ - Isabel Allende, bestselling author of The House of the Spirits ‘A gripping tale of family, love, grief and forgiveness’ - Sunday Express The Nightingale has sold more than 4 million copies globally, TIME, February 2021

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MILLER'S VALLEY
Anna Quindlen
Cover of MILLER'S VALLEY

MILLER'S VALLEY

by Anna Quindlen · Random House

3 wks on list

~The New York Times bestselling novel from the Pulitzer Prize-winning writer~ ‘Miller's Valley reads like a companion to Elizabeth Strout’s Olive Kitteridge’ Elisabeth Egan, author of A Window Opens Mimi Miller’s family have lived in Miller’s Valley for generations and at times it feels like nothing ever changes – until now when the town is under threat. But as Mimi looks back on the span of her life in this place, she confronts the toxicity of secrets, the dangers of gossip, the flaws of marriage, the risks and inequalities of friendship, loyalty and passion. Home, she acknowledges, is somewhere it’s just as easy to feel lost as contented. A captivating, beautifully crafted story of family and memory that recalls the work of Anne Tyler or Elizabeth Strout, Miller's Valley reminds us that the place where you grew up can disappear, and the people in it too, but all will live on in your heart for ever. 'Qualities and shades of love are this writer's strong suit, and she has the unusual talent for writing about them with so much truth and heart that one is carried away on a tidal wave of involvement and concern' Elizabeth Jane Howard 'Mesmerizing. Quindlen makes her characters so richly alive, so believable, that it’s impossible not to feel every doubt and dream they harbor . . . Overwhelmingly moving’ New York Times

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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

103 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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AS TIME GOES BY
Mary Higgins Clark
Cover of AS TIME GOES BY

AS TIME GOES BY

by Mary Higgins Clark · Simon & Schuster

3 wks on list

Television journalist Delaney Wright is on the brink of stardom after she begins covering a sensational murder trial for the news. She should be thrilled, yet her growing desire to locate her birth mother consumes her thoughts. On trial for murder is Betsy Grant, widow of a wealthy doctor who has been an Alzheimer’s victim for eight years. When her once-upon-a-time celebrity lawyer urges her to accept a plea bargain, Betsy refuses: she will go to trial to prove her innocence. Betsy’s stepson, Alan Grant, bides his time nervously as the trial begins. His substantial inheritance hangs in the balance—his only means of making good on payments he owes his ex-wife, his children, and increasingly angry creditors. As the trial unfolds, and the damning evidence against Betsy piles up, Delaney is convinced that Betsy is not guilty and frantically tries to prove her innocence, before time runs out…

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MOST WANTED
Lisa Scottoline
Cover of MOST WANTED

MOST WANTED

by Lisa Scottoline · St. Martin's

2 wks on list

Lisa Scottoline, internationally bestselling author of KEEP QUIET and EVERY FIFTEEN MINUTES, returns with MOST WANTED, a gripping new tale of family, secrets and survival. Sure to keep fans of DAUGHTER and I LET YOU GO hooked until the last page. When a woman and her husband, desperate for a baby, find themselves unable to conceive, they decide to take further steps. Since it is the husband who is infertile, the heroine decides to use a donor. And all seems to be well. Three months pass and she is happily pregnant. But a shocking revelation occurs when she discovers that a man arrested for a series of brutal murders is her donor - the biological father of the child she is carrying. Delving deeper to uncover the truth, the heroine must face her worst fears, and confront a terrifying truth. MOST WANTED is sure to be Lisa Scottoline's most discussed, bestselling novel yet.

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THE 14TH COLONY
Steve Berry
Cover of THE 14TH COLONY

THE 14TH COLONY

by Steve Berry · Minotaur

3 wks on list

Bestselling author Steve Berry’s trademark mix of history and speculation is all here in this provocative Cotton Malone thriller, The 14th Colony. What happens if both the president and vice-president-elect die before taking the oath of office? The answer is far from certain—in fact, what follows would be nothing short of total political chaos. Shot down over Siberia, ex-Justice Department agent Cotton Malone is forced into a fight for survival against Aleksandr Zorin, a man whose loyalty to the former Soviet Union has festered for decades into an intense hatred of the United States. Before escaping, Malone learns that Zorin and another ex-KGB officer, this one a sleeper still embedded in the West, are headed overseas to Washington D.C. Noon on January 20th—Inauguration Day—is only hours away. A flaw in the Constitution, and an even more flawed presidential succession act, have opened the door to disaster and Zorin intends to exploit both weaknesses to their fullest. Armed with a weapon leftover from the Cold War, one long thought to be just a myth, Zorin plans to attack. He’s aided by a shocking secret hidden in the archives of America’s oldest fraternal organization—the Society of Cincinnati—a group that once lent out its military savvy to presidents, including helping to formulate three invasion plans of what was intended to be America’s 14th colony—Canada. In a race against the clock that starts in the frozen extremes of Russia and ultimately ends at the White House itself, Malone must not only battle Zorin, he must also confront a crippling fear that he’s long denied, but which now jeopardizes everything.

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THE SUMMER BEFORE THE WAR
Helen Simonson
Cover of THE SUMMER BEFORE THE WAR

THE SUMMER BEFORE THE WAR

by Helen Simonson · Random House

5 wks on list

It is late summer in East Sussex, 1914. Amidst the season's splendour, fiercely independent Beatrice Nash arrives in the coastal town of Rye to fill a teaching position at the local grammar school. There she is taken under the wing of formidable matriarch Agatha Kent, who, along with her charming nephews, tries her best to welcome Beatrice to a place that remains stubbornly resistant to the idea of female teachers. But just as Beatrice comes alive to the beauty of the Sussex landscape, and the colourful characters that populate Rye, the perfect summer is about to end. For the unimaginable is coming – and soon the limits of progress, and the old ways, will be tested as this small town goes to war.

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MAESTRA
L. S. Hilton
Cover of MAESTRA

MAESTRA

by L. S. Hilton · Putnam

1 wks on list

Le thriller le plus scandaleusement original que vous lirez cette année. Le jour, Judith Rashleigh est assistante dans un hôtel de ventes aux enchères londonien qui l'exploite malgré ses diplômes et son talent. La nuit, elle officie dans un bar à hôtesses où elle séduit sans effort. Judith sait qu'elle doit jouer le jeu. Pour faire carrière et pour charmer les hommes, elle a appris à être une gentille fille... Jusqu'à ce qu'elle découvre une gigantesque escroquerie autour d'une fausse toile de maître. Licenciée avant d'avoir pu faire éclater le scandale, Judith décide de fuir avec un riche client sur la Côte d'Azur. Là-bas, un monde décadent et corrompu les attend. Là-bas, elle goûtera à la vengeance. La gentille fille deviendra femme fatale. Traduit dans 40 pays et déjà en cours d'adaptation par la productrice de Millénium et la scénariste de La fille du train, Maestra est le premier volet d'une trilogie noire et érotique.

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LILAC GIRLS
Martha Hall Kelly
Cover of LILAC GIRLS

LILAC GIRLS

by Martha Hall Kelly · Ballantine

3 wks on list

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • One million copies sold! Inspired by the life of a real World War II heroine, this remarkable debut novel reveals the power of unsung women to change history in their quest for love, freedom, and second chances. “Extremely moving and memorable . . . This impressive debut should appeal strongly to historical fiction readers and to book clubs that adored Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale and Anthony Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See.”—Library Journal (starred review) New York socialite Caroline Ferriday has her hands full with her post at the French consulate and a new love on the horizon. But Caroline’s world is forever changed when Hitler’s army invades Poland in September 1939—and then sets its sights on France. An ocean away from Caroline, Kasia Kuzmerick, a Polish teenager, senses her carefree youth disappearing as she is drawn deeper into her role as courier for the underground resistance movement. In a tense atmosphere of watchful eyes and suspecting neighbors, one false move can have dire consequences. For the ambitious young German doctor, Herta Oberheuser, an ad for a government medical position seems her ticket out of a desolate life. Once hired, though, she finds herself trapped in a male-dominated realm of Nazi secrets and power. The lives of these three women are set on a collision course when the unthinkable happens and Kasia is sent to Ravensbrück, the notorious Nazi concentration camp for women. Their stories cross continents—from New York to Paris, Germany, and Poland—as Caroline and Kasia strive to bring justice to those whom history has forgotten. USA Today “New and Noteworthy” Book • LibraryReads Top Ten Pick

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MY STRUGGLE: BOOK 5
Karl Ove Knausgaard
Cover of MY STRUGGLE: BOOK 5

MY STRUGGLE: BOOK 5

by Karl Ove Knausgaard · Archipelago

The fifth book of Knausgaard's powerful My Struggle series is written with tremendous force and sincerity. As a nineteen-year-old, Karl Ove moves to Bergen and invests all of himself in his writing. But his efforts get the opposite effect - he wants it so much that he gets writer's block. At the same time, he sees his friends, one-by-one, publish their debuts. He suspects that he will never get anything published. Book Five is also a book about strong new friendships and a shattering love affair. Then one day Karl Ove reaches two crucial points in his life: his father dies, and shortly thereafter, he completes his first novel.

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