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Hardcover Fiction

Week of January 13, 2019

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1
THE RECKONING
John Grisham
Cover of THE RECKONING

THE RECKONING

by John Grisham · Doubleday

5 wks at #1 · 10 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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FIRE AND BLOOD
George R.R. Martin

FIRE AND BLOOD

by George R.R. Martin · Bantam

6 wks on list

The thrilling history of the Targaryens comes to life in this masterly work by the author of A Song of Ice and Fire, the inspiration for HBO's Game of Thrones. With all the fire and fury fans have come to expect from internationally bestselling author George R. R. Martin, this is the first volume of the definitive two-part history of the Targaryens in Westeros. Centuries before the events of A Game of Thrones, House Targaryen--the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria--took up residence on Dragonstone. Fire and Blood begins their tale with the legendary Aegon the Conqueror, creator of the Iron Throne, and goes on to recount the generations of Targaryens who fought to hold that iconic seat, all the way up to the civil war that nearly tore their dynasty apart. What really happened during the Dance of the Dragons? Why did it become so deadly to visit Valyria after the Doom? What is the origin of Daenerys's three dragon eggs? These are but a few of the questions answered in this essential chronicle, as related by a learned maester of the Citadel and featuring more than eighty all-new black-and-white illustrations by artist Doug Wheatley. Readers have glimpsed small parts of this narrative in such volumes as The World of Ice & Fire, but now, for the first time, the full tapestry of Targaryen history is revealed. With all the scope and grandeur of Gibbon's The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, Fire and Blood is the ultimate game of thrones, giving readers a whole new appreciation for the dynamic, often bloody, and always fascinating history of Westeros.

3
EVERY BREATH
Nicholas Sparks
Cover of EVERY BREATH

EVERY BREATH

by Nicholas Sparks · Grand Central

11 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?

4
TARGET: ALEX CROSS
James Patterson
Cover of TARGET: ALEX CROSS

TARGET: ALEX CROSS

by James Patterson · Little, Brown

6 wks on list

NOW THE INSPIRATION FOR THE ORIGINAL SERIES 'CROSS' ON PRIME VIDEO ____________________________________ 'No one gets this big without amazing natural storytelling talent - which is what Jim has, in spades. The Alex Cross series proves it.' LEE CHILD 'Alex Cross is a legend.' HARLAN COBEN ______________________________ TARGET: HEAD OF STATE Alex Cross and his family join men and women from across the nation lining the streets of Washington, DC to mourn the unexpected death of the president. TARGET: UNITED STATES CABINET With the country still in shock, the assassination of a prominent senator strikes another devastating blow to the heart of the nation's capital. TARGET: ALEX CROSS Cross is called on to lead the FBI investigation to find America's most wanted criminal. But what follows will plunge the country into chaos, and draw Cross into the most important case of his life. ______________________________ THE BEST ALEX CROSS YET? Here's what the fans say: 'It's been a while since I last read a James Patterson Alex Cross novel and I had forgotten what a good series this is. A fabulous read' 'Another winner for Alex Cross and the great J. P.!' 'Once again, the author produces a very readable book. It is fast moving and the plot develops at a real pace. I thoroughly enjoyed this and recommend it to all.' 'Target: Alex Cross is from page 1 till the last one a warm bed for every thriller lover. Snuggling down, on a rainy day, and this book in your hands, you'll forget the rest of the world.' 'Multiple story lines woven into one keeps you interested and will make you hate yourself for finishing this book in one go. Where's number 27??? I want it now.' 'I've been following Alex Cross since Along Came A Spider and I'm not ready for his story to end yet! This was a fast, fun ride and it did not disappoint.' _______________________________________ 'It's no mystery why James Patterson is the world's most popular thriller writer . . . Simply put: nobody does it better.' JEFFERY DEAVER 'The master storyteller of our times' HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON 'Patterson boils a scene down to the single, telling detail, the element that defines a character or moves a plot along. It's what fires off the movie projector in the reader's mind.' MICHAEL CONNELLY 'One of the greatest storytellers of all time' PATRICIA CORNWELL 'James Patterson is The Boss. End of.' IAN RANKIN

5
WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING
Delia Owens
Cover of WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING

WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING

by Delia Owens · Putnam

17 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.

6
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

12 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!'

7
ELEVATION
Stephen King
Cover of ELEVATION

ELEVATION

by Stephen King · Scribner

9 wks on list

From legendary master storyteller Stephen King, a riveting story about “an ordinary man in an extraordinary condition rising above hatred” (The Washington Post) and bringing the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine together—a “joyful, uplifting” (Entertainment Weekly) tale about finding common ground despite deep-rooted differences, “the sign of a master elevating his own legendary game yet again” (USA TODAY). Although Scott Carey doesn’t look any different, he’s been steadily losing weight. There are a couple of other odd things, too. He weighs the same in his clothes and out of them, no matter how heavy they are. Scott doesn’t want to be poked and prodded. He mostly just wants someone else to know, and he trusts Doctor Bob Ellis. In the small town of Castle Rock, the setting of many of King’s most iconic stories, Scott is engaged in a low grade—but escalating—battle with the lesbians next door whose dog regularly drops his business on Scott’s lawn. One of the women is friendly; the other, cold as ice. Both are trying to launch a new restaurant, but the people of Castle Rock want no part of a gay married couple, and the place is in trouble. When Scott finally understands the prejudices they face—including his own—he tries to help. Unlikely alliances, the annual foot race, and the mystery of Scott’s affliction bring out the best in people who have indulged the worst in themselves and others. “Written in masterly Stephen King’s signature translucent…this uncharacteristically glimmering fairy tale calls unabashedly for us to rise above our differences” (Booklist, starred review). Elevation is an antidote to our divisive culture, an “elegant whisper of a story” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review), “perfect for any fan of small towns, magic, and the joys and challenges of doing the right thing” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).

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PAST TENSE
Lee Child
Cover of PAST TENSE

PAST TENSE

by Lee Child · Delacorte Press

8 wks on list

JACK REACHER NEVER LOOKS BACK . . . UNTIL NOW. 'There's only one Jack Reacher. Accept no substitutes.' - Mick Herron. The present can be tense . . . A young couple trying to get to New York City are stranded at a lonely motel in the middle of nowhere. Before long they're trapped in an ominous game of life and death. But the past can be worse . . . Meanwhile, Jack Reacher sets out on an epic road trip across America. He doesn't get far. Deep in the New England woods, he sees a sign to a place he has never been - the town where his father was born. But when he arrives he is told no one named Reacher ever lived there. Now he wonders: who's lying? As the tension ratchets up and these two stories begin to entwine, the stakes have never been higher for Reacher. That's for damn sure. _________ Although the Jack Reacher novels can be read in any order, Past Tense is the 23rd in the series. And don’t miss Reacher's newest adventure, No.30, Exit Strategy! ***OUT NOW***

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NINE PERFECT STRANGERS
Liane Moriarty
Cover of NINE PERFECT STRANGERS

NINE PERFECT STRANGERS

by Liane Moriarty · Flatiron

8 wks on list

Download a free excerpt from Liane Moriarty’s Nine Perfect Strangers! From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Big Little Lies Could ten days at a health resort really change you forever? In Liane Moriarty’s latest page-turner, nine perfect strangers are about to find out... Nine people gather at a remote health resort. Some are here to lose weight, some are here to get a reboot on life, some are here for reasons they can’t even admit to themselves. Amidst all of the luxury and pampering, the mindfulness and meditation, they know these ten days might involve some real work. But none of them could imagine just how challenging the next ten days are going to be. Frances Welty, the formerly best-selling romantic novelist, arrives at Tranquillum House nursing a bad back, a broken heart, and an exquisitely painful paper cut. She’s immediately intrigued by her fellow guests. Most of them don’t look to be in need of a health resort at all. But the person that intrigues her most is the strange and charismatic owner/director of Tranquillum House. Could this person really have the answers Frances didn’t even know she was seeking? Should Frances put aside her doubts and immerse herself in everything Tranquillum House has to offer – or should she run while she still can? It’s not long before every guest at Tranquillum House is asking exactly the same question. Combining all of the hallmarks that have made her writing a go-to for anyone looking for wickedly smart, page-turning fiction that will make you laugh and gasp, Liane Moriarty’s Nine Perfect Strangers once again shows why she is a master of her craft.

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1
LONG ROAD TO MERCY
David Baldacci
Cover of LONG ROAD TO MERCY

LONG ROAD TO MERCY

by David Baldacci · Grand Central

7 wks on list

Number one bestseller Long Road to Mercy is the heart-pounding first novel in the FBI Special Agent Atlee Pine series by international number one bestselling author David Baldacci. Escaping a monster is her past. Catching a killer is her present . . . * * * * * FBI Special Agent Atlee Pine has learnt three lessons in life: Some wounds never heal. Atlee’s twin sister, Mercy, was abducted from their bedroom over thirty years ago, and Atlee has spent every day since wondering what happened to her. Time doesn’t lessen your pain. The prime suspect, notorious serial killer Daniel James Tor, is in a high-security prison, but with no confession, Atlee continues to search for her sister, even as Tor taunts her from jail. But she can always make a difference. Wracked by survivor’s guilt, Atlee joined the FBI to hunt down killers like Tor. Assigned to the remote wilds of the Western United States, she has spent years honing her skills and building her endurance, always with one eye on the ultimate goal. Now, Atlee Pine is tasked with an investigation which begins with a missing person in the Grand Canyon. And ends with a discovery much more sinister and far-reaching. The action continues in A Minute to Midnight. * * * * * KILLER TWISTS. HEROES TO BELIEVE IN. TRUST BALDACCI. 'One of the world's thriller masters' – Daily Mail 'Baldacci is still peerless' – Sunday Times 'One of the all-time best thriller authors' – Lisa Gardner 'Baldacci delivers, every time!' – Lisa Scottoline *The 6.20 Man, the first instalment in the Travis Devine series, was an instant New York Times bestseller w/c 31/07/2024

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TOM CLANCY: OATH OF OFFICE
Marc Cameron
Cover of TOM CLANCY: OATH OF OFFICE

TOM CLANCY: OATH OF OFFICE

by Marc Cameron · Putnam

5 wks on list

Marine officer. CIA analyst. President. Jack Ryan has devoted his life to protecting the United States. What if this time, he can't? President Ryan and the Campus return in this entry in Tom Clancy's #1 New York Times-bestselling series. Freedom may have finally arrived in Iran. As protests break out across the country, the media rejoices over the so-called Persian Spring. Western leaders are ecstatic. Members of Congress and the Cabinet clamor to back the rebels. Only President Jack Ryan remains wary. Meanwhile, he has plenty to handle at home. A deadly strain of flu is ravaging the United States as spring floods decimate the Southeast. An unethical senator wants to bring down the Ryan presidency and is willing to lean on fabricated bot-planted stories to do it. But the scariest story is the most closely guarded one. Two Russian nuclear missiles have been hijacked. The Campus gets their first break when Jack Junior connects with a rogue Russian intelligence officer in Afghanistan--only to be abducted soon after arriving. John Clark and the rest of the Campus team race to track the missiles and rescue their colleague. As sensationalized stories spin out of control and the stolen missiles remain out of reach, President Ryan's toughest challenge emerges: How do you meet an enemy head on, when he won't even show you his face?

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DARK SACRED NIGHT
Michael Connelly
Cover of DARK SACRED NIGHT

DARK SACRED NIGHT

by Michael Connelly · Little, Brown

8 wks on list

Harry Bosch teams up with LAPD detective Renée Ballard to solve the murder of a young girl in the new thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Connelly. Detective Renée Ballard is working the night beat -- known in LAPD slang as "the late show" -- and returns to Hollywood Station in the early hours to find a stranger rifling through old file cabinets. The intruder is retired detective Harry Bosch, working a cold case that has gotten under his skin. Ballard can't let him go through department records, but when he leaves, she looks into the case herself and feels a deep tug of empathy and anger. She has never been the kind of cop who leaves the job behind at the end of her shift -- and she wants in. The murder, unsolved, was of fifteen-year-old Daisy Clayton, a runaway on the streets of Hollywood who was brutally killed, her body left in a dumpster like so much trash. Now Ballard joins forces with Bosch to find out what happened to Daisy, and to finally bring her killer to justice. Along the way, the two detectives forge a fragile trust, but this new partnership is put to the test when the case takes an unexpected and dangerous turn. Dark Sacred Night for the first time brings together these two powerhouse detectives in a riveting story that unfolds with furious momentum. And it shows once more why "there's no doubt Connelly is a master of crime fiction" (Associated Press).

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LOOK ALIVE TWENTY-FIVE
Janet Evanovich
Cover of LOOK ALIVE TWENTY-FIVE

LOOK ALIVE TWENTY-FIVE

by Janet Evanovich · Putnam

7 wks on list

Stephanie Plum faces the toughest puzzle of her career in the twenty-fifth entry in Janet Evanovich's #1 New York Times-bestselling series. There's nothing like a good deli, and the Red River Deli in Trenton is one of the best. World-famous for its pastrami, cole slaw, and for its disappearing managers. Over the last month, three have vanished from the face of the earth, and the only clue in each case is one shoe that's been left behind. The police are baffled. Lula is convinced that it's a case of alien abduction. Whatever it is, they'd better figure out what's going on before they lose their new manager, Ms. Stephanie Plum.

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OF BLOOD AND BONE
Nora Roberts
Cover of OF BLOOD AND BONE

OF BLOOD AND BONE

by Nora Roberts · St. Martin's

3 wks on list

Nora Roberts, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the epic Year One returns with Of Blood and Bone, a new tale of terror and magick in a brand new world. They look like an everyday family living an ordinary life. But beyond the edges of this peaceful farm, unimaginable forces of light and dark have been unleashed. Fallon Swift, approaching her thirteenth birthday, barely knows the world that existed before—the city where her parents lived, now in ruins and reclaimed by nature since the Doom sickened and killed billions. Traveling anywhere is a danger, as vicious gangs of Raiders and fanatics called Purity Warriors search for their next victim. Those like Fallon, in possession of gifts, are hunted—and the time is coming when her true nature, her identity as The One, can no longer be hidden. In a mysterious shelter in the forest, her training is about to begin under the guidance of Mallick, whose skills have been honed over centuries. She will learn the old ways of healing; study and spar; encounter faeries and elves and shifters; and find powers within herself she never imagined. And when the time is right, she will take up the sword, and fight. For until she grows into the woman she was born to be, the world outside will never be whole again.

15
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THERE THERE
Tommy Orange
Cover of THERE THERE

THERE THERE

by Tommy Orange · Knopf

Discover Tommy Orange’s searing debut novel, following a multi-generational cast of characters as they gather for the Big Oakland Powwow. 'A thunderclap' Marlon James 'Astonishing' Margaret Atwood, via Twitter 'Pure soaring beauty' Colm Tóibín Jacquie Red Feather is newly sober and hoping to reconnect with her estranged family. That's why she is there. Dene is there because he has been collecting stories to honour his uncle's death, while Edwin is looking for his true father and Opal came to watch her boy Orvil dance. All of them are connected by bonds they may not yet understand. All of them are here for the celebration that is the Big Oakland Powwow. But Tony Loneman is also there. And Tony has come to the Powow with darker intentions. ** Shortlisted for the 2020 International Dublin Literary Award ** 'An exhilarating, polyphonic debut novel... Dazzling' Daily Telegraph 'Lyrical and playful, shaking and shimmering with energy... Orange creates beauty out of tragedy' Guardian 'Bold and engrossing... Orange has got under his characters' skins, allowing them to speak for themselves' Financial Times

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