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Hardcover Fiction

Week of November 11, 2018

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NEW
THE RECKONING
John Grisham
Cover of THE RECKONING

THE RECKONING

by John Grisham · Doubleday

5 wks at #1 · 1 on list

Books are leather-bound, signed and numbered, with printed endpapers, gold stamping, a slipcase, and a ribbon marker. John Grisham returns to Clanton, Mississippi, to tell the story of an unthinkable murder, the bizarre trial that follows it, and its profound and lasting effect on the people of Ford County. Pete Banning was Clanton's favorite son, a returning war hero, the patriarch of a prominent family, a farmer, father, neighbor, and a faithful member of the Methodist church. Then one cool October morning in 1946. he rose early, drove into town, walked into the Church, and calmly shot and killed the Reverend Dexter Bell. As if the murder wasn't shocking enough, it was even more baffling that Pete's only statement about it--to the sheriff, to his defense attorney, to the judge, to his family and friends, and to the people of Clanton--was "I have nothing to say." And so the murder of the esteemed Reverend Bell became the most mysterious and unforgettable crime Ford County had ever known.

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EVERY BREATH
Nicholas Sparks
Cover of EVERY BREATH

EVERY BREATH

by Nicholas Sparks · Grand Central

2 wks on list

In the romantic tradition of The Notebook and Nights in Rodanthe, #1 New York Times bestselling author Nicholas Sparks returns with a story about a chance encounter that becomes a touchstone for two vastly different individuals -- transcending decades, continents, and the bittersweet workings of fate. Hope Anderson is at a crossroads. At thirty-six, she's been dating her boyfriend, an orthopedic surgeon, for six years. With no wedding plans in sight, and her father recently diagnosed with ALS, she decides to use a week at her family's cottage in Sunset Beach, North Carolina, to ready the house for sale and mull over some difficult decisions about her future. Tru Walls has never visited North Carolina but is summoned to Sunset Beach by a letter from a man claiming to be his father. A safari guide, born and raised in Zimbabwe, Tru hopes to unravel some of the mysteries surrounding his mother's early life and recapture memories lost with her death. When the two strangers cross paths, their connection is as electric as it is unfathomable . . . but in the immersive days that follow, their feelings for each other will give way to choices that pit family duty against personal happiness in devastating ways. Illuminating life's heartbreaking regrets and enduring hope, EVERY BREATH explores the many facets of love that lay claim to our deepest loyalties -- and asks the question, How long can a dream survive?

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THE NEXT PERSON YOU MEET IN HEAVEN
Mitch Albom
Cover of THE NEXT PERSON YOU MEET IN HEAVEN

THE NEXT PERSON YOU MEET IN HEAVEN

by Mitch Albom · Harper

3 wks on list

THE LIFE-AFFIRMING FOLLOW UP TO THE GLOBAL PHENOMENON THE FIVE PEOPLE YOU MEET IN HEAVEN, FROM THE MASTER STORYTELLER WHOSE BOOKS HAVE TOUCHED THE HEARTS OF OVER 40 MILLION READERS 'Mitch Albom sees the magical in the ordinary' Cecilia Ahern __________ No act done for someone else is ever wasted. The accident that killed Eddie left an indelible mark on Annie. Only a girl at the time, injured, scarred, and unable to remember why, Annie's life is forever changed by the incident. Bullied by her peers and haunted by something she cannot recall, Annie struggles to find acceptance as she grows. When, as a young woman, she reconnects with Paulo, her childhood love, she believes she has finally found happiness. But when her wedding day ends in an unimaginable accident, Annie finds herself on her own heavenly journey. It will lead her to her very own five people, whose responsibility it falls on to teach her about the meaning of her life, and to her inevitable reunion with Eddie. __________ WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE NEXT PERSON YOU MEET IN HEAVEN 'The story has your heart in a million pieces whilst you smile and simply can't wait to read what happens next' 'A master storyteller!' 'A perfect end to an already perfect story. It is truly a gift for any reader' 'Anyone who read the first book would expect this second book to be a work of art. It is just that' 'Mitch Albom knows how to tug on the heartstrings!'

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UNSHELTERED
Barbara Kingsolver
Cover of UNSHELTERED

UNSHELTERED

by Barbara Kingsolver · Harper

2 wks on list

How could two hardworking people do everything right in life, a woman asks, and end up destitute? Willa Knox and her husband followed all the rules as responsible parents and professionals, and have nothing to show for it but debts and an inherited brick house that is falling apart. The magazine where Willa worked has folded; the college where her husband had tenure has closed. Their dubious shelter is also the only option for a disabled father-in-law and an exasperating, free-spirited daughter. When the family's one success story, an Ivy-educated son, is uprooted by tragedy, he seems likely to join them, with dark complications of his own. In another time, a troubled husband and public servant asks, How can a man tell the truth, and be reviled for it? A science teacher with a passion for honest investigation, Thatcher Greenwood finds himself under siege: his employer forbids him to speak of the exciting work just published by Charles Darwin. His young bride and social-climbing mother-in-law bristle at the risk of scandal, and dismiss his worries that their elegant house is unsound. In a village ostensibly founded as a benevolent Utopia, Thatcher wants only to honor his duties, but his friendships with a woman scientist and a renegade newspaper editor threaten to draw him into a vendetta with the town's powerful men. This is the story of two families, in two centuries, who live at the corner of Sixth and Plum in Vineland, New Jersey, navigating what seems to be the end of the world as they know it.

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AMBUSH
James Patterson and James O. Born
Cover of AMBUSH

AMBUSH

by James Patterson and James O. Born · Little, Brown

3 wks on list

_________________________________ FROM THE AUTHOR OF SUNDAY TIMES NO. 1 BESTSELLER, THE PRESIDENT IS MISSING Detective Michael Bennett's enemies know where to find him. An anonymous tip about a crime in Upper Manhattan proves to be a set-up. An officer is taken down - but despite the attackers' efforts, it's not Michael Bennett. New York's top cop is not the only one at risk. One of Bennett's children is attacked. And a series of murders follows, each with a distinct signature, alerting Bennett to the presence of a professional killer. Bennett can't tell what's driving the assassin. But he can tell it's personal. _________________________________ INCLUDES BONUS MICHAEL BENNETT STORY, MANHUNT

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HOLY GHOST
John Sandford
Cover of HOLY GHOST

HOLY GHOST

by John Sandford · Putnam

3 wks on list

The eleventh Virgil Flowers novel by internationally bestselling author John Sandford Virgil Flowers investigates a miracle… and a murder… in the wickedly entertaining thriller from the master of pulse-pounding thrillers. Discover why Stephen King calls John Sandford 'one of the great novelists of all time!' Pinion, Minnesota: a huge city of all of seven hundred folks who define the phrase ‘small town’. Nothing has ever happened in Pinion and nothing ever will… until the mayor of sorts (campaign promise: ‘I'll Do What I Can’) comes up with a scheme to put Pinion on the map. He’s heard of a place where a floating image of the Virgin Mary turned the whole town into a shrine, attracting thousands of curious people and making the townsfolk rich overnight. Why not stage a prank in Pinion and do the same? No one gets hurt and everyone gets rich. What could go wrong? And then a dead body shows up. It turns out that lots can go wrong with a get-rich-quick scheme like this one… and lots will. It’ll take everything Virgil Flowers has to put things to right – before someone else dies. * * * Praise for John Sandford and the Virgil Flowers novels * * * ‘Along the way to the satisfying ending, Virgil displays the rough humor and rough justice that make him such an appealing character’ Publishers Weekly on Deep Freeze ‘A knowing portrait of small-town life layered into a very well plotted mystery. Virgil understands that, in small towns, no one ever outgrows high school... One of the very best novels in a superior series’Booklist (starred review) on Deep Freeze ‘Add a gripping storyline, a generous helping of exquisitely conceived characters and laugh-out-loud humor that produce explosive guffaws, not muted chuckles, and you’re in for the usual late-night, don’t-even-think-of-stopping treat when Flowers hits town’ Richmond Times-Dispatch on Deep Freeze ‘An outstanding novel’ Publishers Weekly (starred review) on Escape Clause ‘Perfect entertainment’ Kirkus Reviews on Escape Clause

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THE WITCH ELM
Tana French
Cover of THE WITCH ELM

THE WITCH ELM

by Tana French · Viking Press

3 wks on list

For me it all goes back to that night, the dark corroded hinge between before and after, the slipped-in sheet of trick glass that tints everything on one side in its own murky colours and leaves everything on the other luminous and untouchable. One night changes everything for Toby. A brutal attack leaves him traumatised, unsure even of the person he used to be. He seeks refuge at the family's ancestral home, the Ivy House, filled with cherished memories of wild-strawberry summers and teenage parties with his cousins. But not long after Toby's arrival, a discovery is made. A skull, tucked neatly inside the old wych elm in the garden. As detectives begin to close in, Toby is forced to examine everything he thought he knew about his family, his past, and himself.

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WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING
Delia Owens
Cover of WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING

WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING

by Delia Owens · Putnam

8 wks on list

NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE—The #1 New York Times bestselling worldwide sensation with more than 18 million copies sold, hailed by The New York Times Book Review as “a painfully beautiful first novel that is at once a murder mystery, a coming-of-age narrative and a celebration of nature.” New York Times Readers Pick: 100 Best Books of the 21st Century For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life—until the unthinkable happens. Where the Crawdads Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the natural world, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story, and a surprising tale of possible murder. Owens reminds us that we are forever shaped by the children we once were, and that we are all subject to the beautiful and violent secrets that nature keeps.

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THE CLOCKMAKER'S DAUGHTER
Kate Morton
Cover of THE CLOCKMAKER'S DAUGHTER

THE CLOCKMAKER'S DAUGHTER

by Kate Morton · Atria

3 wks on list

From the bestselling author of The House at Riverton and The Forgotten Garden, Kate Morton brings us her trademark mix of secrets, lies, and haunting, intricately layered mysteries. Set across the Victorian era and present day, The Clockmaker's Daughter is a perfect summer read. My real name, no one remembers. The truth about that summer, no one else knows. Summer, 1862. Abandoned as a child, Birdie grew up in the hands of a mysterious stranger, becoming by turns a thief, a friend, a muse and a lover. Shortly after her eighteenth birthday, she retreats with a group of artists to Birchwood Manor – a beautiful house on a quiet bend of the Upper Thames. The scene is idyllic but, one hot afternoon, a gunshot rings out. A woman is killed, another disappears, and the truth of what happened slips through the cracks of time. 2017. Over one hundred years later, Birchwood Manor has welcomed many newcomers – but guards its secrets closely. That is, until another young woman is drawn to the house. And, as the mystery begins to unravel, we discover the stories of those who have passed through Birchwood Manor since that fateful day in 1862 . . . ‘The Clockmaker’s Daughter is an ambitious, complex, compelling historical mystery with a fabulous cast of characters. This is Kate Morton at her very best’ – Kristin Hannah, bestselling author of The Nightingale

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WINTER IN PARADISE
Elin Hilderbrand
Cover of WINTER IN PARADISE

WINTER IN PARADISE

by Elin Hilderbrand · Little, Brown

3 wks on list

A husband's secret life, a wife's new beginning: escape to the Caribbean with #1 New York Times bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand. Irene Steele shares her idyllic life in a beautiful Iowa City Victorian house with a husband who loves her to sky-writing, sentimental extremes. But as she rings in the new year one cold and snowy night, everything she thought she knew falls to pieces with a shocking phone call: her beloved husband, away on business, has been killed in a helicopter crash. Before Irene can even process the news, she must first confront the perplexing details of her husband's death on the distant Caribbean island of St. John. After Irene and her sons arrive at this faraway paradise, they make yet another shocking discovery: her husband had been living a secret life. As Irene untangles a web of intrigue and deceit, and as she and her sons find themselves drawn into the vibrant island culture, they have to face the truth about their family, and about their own futures. Rich with the lush beauty of the tropics and the drama, romance, and intrigue only Elin Hilderbrand can deliver, Winter in Paradise is a truly transporting novel, and the exciting start to a new series.

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ALASKAN HOLIDAY
Debbie Macomber
Cover of ALASKAN HOLIDAY

ALASKAN HOLIDAY

by Debbie Macomber · Ballantine

4 wks on list

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Debbie Macomber brings us to the Alaskan wilderness for a magical Christmas tale about finding love where it’s least expected. “Picture-perfect . . . this charmer will please Macomber fans and newcomers alike.”—Publishers Weekly Before beginning her dream job as sous chef in one of Seattle’s hottest new restaurants, Josie Avery takes a summer position cooking at a lakeside lodge in the remote Alaskan town of Ponder. Josie falls for the rustic charms of the local community—including Jack Corcoran, the crotchety keeper of Ponder’s famed sourdough starter, and, in particular, the quiet and intense Palmer Saxon, a famed master swordsmith. Josie and Palmer become close during the long Alaskan summer days, but Josie knows that, come fall, she’ll be returning to reality and the career she’s worked so hard for. Palmer, on the other hand, would like nothing better than to make Josie his wife and to keep her in Ponder. But Josie can’t imagine abandoning her mother back in the Emerald City and sacrificing her career to stay in this isolated town—not even for a man she’s quickly coming to love. Fate has other plans. Josie misses the last boat out of town before winter sets in, stranding her in Ponder and putting her dream job at risk. As the holidays approach, Josie and Palmer must grapple with the complications that arise when dreams confront reality, and the Christmas magic that can happen when they put their faith in love. Debbie Macomber is at her best in this beautiful holiday story about the far journeys we travel to find a place to call home. Praise for Alaskan Holiday “[A] tender romance lightly brushed with holiday magic.”—Library Journal “[A] thoroughly charming holiday romance.”—Booklist

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KILLING COMMENDATORE
Haruki Murakami
Cover of KILLING COMMENDATORE

KILLING COMMENDATORE

by Haruki Murakami · Knopf

3 wks on list

*PRE-ORDER HARUKI MURAKAMI’S NEW NOVEL, THE CITY AND ITS UNCERTAIN WALLS, NOW* We all live our lives carrying secrets we cannot disclose. 'Beguiling... Murakami is brilliant at folding the humdrum alongside the supernatural; finding the magic that's nested in life's quotidian details' Guardian When a thirty-something portrait painter is abandoned by his wife, he holes up in the mountain home of a famous artist. The days drift by, spent painting, listening to music and drinking whiskey in the evenings. But then he discovers a strange painting in the attic and unintentionally begins a strange journey of self-discovery that involves a mysterious ringing bell, a precocious thirteen-year-old girl, a Nazi assassination attempt and a haunted underworld. A stunning work of imagination, Killing Commendatore is a surreal tale of love and loneliness, war and art.

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THE FOX
Frederick Forsyth
Cover of THE FOX

THE FOX

by Frederick Forsyth · Putnam

The #1 New York Times-bestselling master of international intrigue takes readers into the bleeding-edge world of technological espionage in a propulsive thriller that feels chillingly real. Former chief of the British Secret Intelligence Service Adrian Weston is awoken in the middle of the night by a phone call from the Prime Minister. Her news is shocking: the Pentagon, the NSA, and the CIA have been hacked simultaneously, their seemingly impenetrable firewalls breached by an unknown enemy known only as "The Fox." Even more surprisingly, the culprit is revealed to be a young British teenager, Luke Jennings. He has no agenda, no secrets, just a blisteringly brilliant mind. Extradition to the U.S. seems likely--until Weston has another idea: If Luke can do this to us, what can he do to our enemies? After conferring with both the American President and the Prime Minister, Weston is determined to use "The Fox" and his talents to the advantage of the two nations. But doing so places the boy on a geopolitical minefield. Adrian must stay one step ahead of multiple invisible enemies, all while finding a way to utilize the most powerful--and most unpredictable--weapon of all. With his trademark research and deep knowledge of the rules and practices of international intrigue, Forsyth takes on tomorrow's threats in this race-against-the-clock thriller.

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