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Best Sellers

Hardcover Fiction

Week of September 1, 2019

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

WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING

by Delia Owens · Putnam

54 wks at #1 · 50 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 INN
James Patterson and Candice Fox
Cover of THE INN

THE INN

by James Patterson and Candice Fox · Little, Brown

2 wks on list

A RICHARD & JUDY TOP 5 LOCKDOWN READ 'A total page-turner' - Daily Mirror 'One of our favourite writers . . . a really tight story' - Richard & Judy: Keep Reading and Carry On _______ The Inn at Gloucester stands alone on the rocky New England shoreline. Its seclusion suits former Boston police detective Bill Robinson, novice owner and innkeeper. As long as the dozen residents pay their rent, Robinson doesn't ask any questions. Yet all too soon Robinson discovers that leaving the city is no escape from dangers he left behind. A new crew of deadly criminals move into the small town, bringing drugs and violence to the front door of the inn. Robinson feels the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. His sense of duty compels him to fight off the threat to his town. But he can't do it alone. Before time runs out, the residents of the inn will face a choice. Stand together? Or die alone. *Don't miss NEVER NEVER - the first title in the gripping Detective Harriet Blue series - also by James Patterson and Candice Fox**

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THE BITTERROOTS
C.J. Box
Cover of THE BITTERROOTS

THE BITTERROOTS

by C.J. Box · Minotaur

1 wks on list

The latest installment in the crime series that inspired Big Sky. The ties that bind can burn you. Former investigator Cassie Dewell is trying to start over. But when an old friend calls in a favour, she can't refuse: a man has been accused of assaulting a young woman from an influential family, and he needs Cassie's help. Against her better judgment, Cassie agrees. But out by the Bitterroot mountains of Montana, twisted family loyalty runs as deep as the ties to the land, and there's always something more to the story. As Cassie attempts to uncover the truth, she must confront a family whose roots are tangled and deadly, and face the ghosts of her own past.

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ONE GOOD DEED
David Baldacci
Cover of ONE GOOD DEED

ONE GOOD DEED

by David Baldacci · Grand Central

4 wks on list

Murder, family secrets, a touch of romance, deeply-felt revenge, and the twist of all twists . . . One Good Deed is the first novel in the Private Investigator Archer series by international number one bestselling author David Baldacci. 'One of his finest books. Great character, great story, great portrait of an era' – Bill Clinton Freedom never tasted so sweet Poca City 1949. Fresh from serving time for a crime he didn’t commit, Aloysius Archer is ready to put the past behind him and start again. Who can you trust? Accepting a job as a debt collector for the local tycoon he gets embroiled in a long-running feud between the town’s most dangerous residents. When one of them is found dead, Archer is the number one suspect. Framed for murder A bloody game is being played in this town. Should Archer run or fight for the truth? The action continues in A Gambling Man and Dream Town. * * * * * 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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THE NICKEL BOYS
Colson Whitehead
Cover of THE NICKEL BOYS

THE NICKEL BOYS

by Colson Whitehead · Doubleday

5 wks on list

PULITZER PRIZE WINNER • NATIONAL BESTSELLER • This follow-up to The Underground Railroad brilliantly dramatizes another strand of American history through the story of two boys unjustly sentenced to a hellish reform school in Jim Crow-era Florida. • "One of the most gifted novelists in America today." —NPR NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE NOMINATED FOR AN ACADEMY AWARD® FOR BEST PICTURE AND DIRECTED BY ACADEMY AWARD® NOMINEE RAMELL ROSS When Elwood Curtis, a black boy growing up in 1960s Tallahassee, is unfairly sentenced to a juvenile reformatory called the Nickel Academy, he finds himself trapped in a grotesque chamber of horrors. Elwood’s only salvation is his friendship with fellow “delinquent” Turner, which deepens despite Turner’s conviction that Elwood is hopelessly naive, that the world is crooked, and that the only way to survive is to scheme and avoid trouble. As life at the Academy becomes ever more perilous, the tension between Elwood’s ideals and Turner’s skepticism leads to a decision whose repercussions will echo down the decades. Based on the real story of a reform school that operated for 111 years and warped the lives of thousands of children, The Nickel Boys is a devastating, driven narrative that showcases a great American novelist writing at the height of his powers and “should further cement Whitehead as one of his generation's best" (Entertainment Weekly).

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THE TURN OF THE KEY
Ruth Ware
Cover of THE TURN OF THE KEY

THE TURN OF THE KEY

by Ruth Ware · Scout Press

2 wks on list

THEIR DREAM HOUSE WILL BECOME HER WORST NIGHTMARE 'Ruth Ware just gets better and better' Lisa Jewell, bestselling author of The Night She Disappeared 'The queen of creepy crime' Metro When Rowan comes across the advert, it seems too good to be true: a live-in nanny position, with an extremely generous salary. What she doesn't know is that she's stepping into a nightmare - one that will end with her in a cell awaiting trial for murder. She knows she's made mistakes. But she's not guilty - at least not of murder. Which means someone else is... THE TURN OF THE KEY IS: 'Eerie and Tense' Prima 'Deliciously dark and spooky' Sunday Mirror 'Powerfully atmospheric, unguessably twisty' Louise Candlish, bestselling author of Our House

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THE NEW GIRL
Daniel Silva
Cover of THE NEW GIRL

THE NEW GIRL

by Daniel Silva · Harper

5 wks on list

From No.1 New York Times bestselling author Daniel Silva comes a stunning new thriller of vengeance, deception, and betrayal. ‘Allon is the 21st century Bond’ Daily Mail

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OUTFOX
Sandra Brown
Cover of OUTFOX

OUTFOX

by Sandra Brown · Grand Central

2 wks on list

#1 New York Times bestselling author Sandra Brown combines heart-stopping suspense and forbidden passion in this psychological thriller about an FBI agent's hunt for a ruthless conman turned serial killer. Sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats, this new novel will feature Brown's signature combination of steamy romance and jaw-dropping plot twists. FBI agent Drex Easton is relentlessly driven by a single goal: to outmaneuver the conman once known as Weston Graham. Over the past thirty years, Weston has assumed many names and countless disguises, enabling him to lure eight wealthy women out of their fortunes before they disappeared without a trace, their families left without answers and the authorities without clues. The only common trait among the victims: a new man in their life who also vanished, leaving behind no evidence of his existence . . . except for one signature custom. Drex is convinced that these women have been murdered, and that the man he knows as Weston Graham is the sociopath responsible. But each time Drex gets close to catching him, Weston trades one persona for another and disappears again. Now, for the first time in their long game of cat and mouse, Drex has a suspect in sight. Attractive and charming, Jasper Ford is recently married to a successful businesswoman many years his junior, Talia Shafer. Drex insinuates himself into their lives, posing as a new neighbor and setting up surveillance on their house. The closer he gets to the couple, the more convinced he becomes that Jasper is the clever, merciless predator he's sought--and that his own attraction to Talia threatens to compromise his purpose and integrity. This is Drex's one chance to outfox his cunning nemesis before he murders again and eludes justice forever. But first he must determine if the desirable Talia is a heartless accomplice . . . or the next victim.

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CHANCES ARE ...
Richard Russo
Cover of CHANCES ARE ...

CHANCES ARE ...

by Richard Russo · Knopf

3 wks on list

One beautiful September day, three sixty-six-year-old men convene on Martha's Vineyard, friends ever since meeting in college in the 1960s. They couldn't have been more different then, or even today - Lincoln's a commercial real estate broker, Teddy a tiny-press publisher and Mickey an ageing musician. But each man holds his own secrets, in addition to the monumental mystery that none of them has ever stopped puzzling over since 1971: the disappearance of their friend Jacy. Now, decades later, the distant past interrupts the present as the truth about what happened to Jacy finally emerges, forcing the men to reconsider everything they thought they knew about each other. Shot through with Russo's trademark comedy and humanity, Chances Are also introduces a new level of suspense and menace that will quicken the reader's heartbeat throughout this absorbing saga of how friendship's bonds are every bit as constricting and rewarding as those of family. For both longtime fans and lucky newcomers, Chances Are is a stunning demonstration of a highly-acclaimed author deepening and expanding his remarkable body of work.

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CONTRABAND
Stuart Woods
Cover of CONTRABAND

CONTRABAND

by Stuart Woods · Putnam

1 wks on list

Stone Barrington is caught in the web of a national smuggling operation in the latest action-packed thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author. Stone Barrington is getting some much-needed rest and relaxation in the Florida sun when trouble falls from the sky--literally. Intrigued by the suspicious circumstances surrounding this event, Stone joins forces with a sharp-witted and alluring local detective to investigate. But they run into a problem: the evidence keeps disappearing. From the laid-back Key West shores to the bustling Manhattan streets, Stone sets out to connect the dots between the crimes that seem to follow him wherever he travels. His investigations only lead to more questions, and shocking connections between old and new acquaintances. But as Stone must quickly learn, answers--and enemies--are often hiding in plain sight . . .

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EVVIE DRAKE STARTS OVER
Linda Holmes
Cover of EVVIE DRAKE STARTS OVER

EVVIE DRAKE STARTS OVER

by Linda Holmes · Ballantine

6 wks on list

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Read with Jenna Book Club Pick as Featured on Today • “Everything a romantic comedy should be: witty, relatable, and a little complicated.”—People A heartfelt debut about the unlikely relationship between a young woman who’s lost her husband and a major league pitcher who’s lost his game. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR In a sleepy seaside town in Maine, recently widowed Eveleth “Evvie” Drake rarely leaves her large, painfully empty house nearly a year after her husband’s death in a car crash. Everyone in town, even her best friend, Andy, thinks grief keeps her locked inside, and Evvie doesn’t correct them. Meanwhile, in New York City, Dean Tenney, former Major League pitcher and Andy’s childhood best friend, is wrestling with what miserable athletes living out their worst nightmares call the “yips”: he can’t throw straight anymore, and, even worse, he can’t figure out why. As the media storm heats up, an invitation from Andy to stay in Maine seems like the perfect chance to hit the reset button on Dean’s future. When he moves into an apartment at the back of Evvie’s house, the two make a deal: Dean won’t ask about Evvie’s late husband, and Evvie won’t ask about Dean’s baseball career. Rules, though, have a funny way of being broken—and what starts as an unexpected friendship soon turns into something more. To move forward, Evvie and Dean will have to reckon with their pasts—the friendships they’ve damaged, the secrets they’ve kept—but in life, as in baseball, there’s always a chance—up until the last out. A joyful, hilarious, and hope-filled debut, Evvie Drake Starts Over will have you cheering for the two most unlikely comebacks of the year—and will leave you wanting more from Linda Holmes. Praise for Evvie Drake Starts Over “A quirky, sweet, and splendid story of a woman coming into her own.”—Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones & The Six “Effortlessly enjoyable . . . [a] pitch-perfect . . . adult love story that is as romantic as it is real.”–USA Today “Charming, hopeful, and gently romantic . . . Evvie Drake is great company.”—Rainbow Rowell, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Eleanor & Park

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INLAND
Téa Obreht
Cover of INLAND

INLAND

by Téa Obreht · Random House

1 wks on list

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A bracingly epic and imaginatively mythic journey across the American West” (Entertainment Weekly), from the celebrated author of The Tiger’s Wife and The Morningside “Obreht’s simple but rich prose captures and luxuriates in the West’s beauty and sudden menace.”—The New York Times Book Review (Editors’ Choice) A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: Time, The Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, Esquire, Real Simple, Good Housekeeping, Town & Country, The New York Public Library, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, BookPage In the lawless, drought-ridden lands of the Arizona Territory in 1893, two extraordinary lives unfold. Nora is an unflinching frontierswoman awaiting the return of the men in her life—her husband, who has gone in search of water for the parched household, and her elder sons, who have vanished after an explosive argument. Lurie is a former outlaw and a man haunted by ghosts. He sees lost souls who want something from him, and he finds reprieve from their longing in an unexpected relationship that inspires a momentous expedition across the West. Mythical, lyrical, and sweeping in scope, Inland is grounded in true but little-known history. It showcases all of Téa Obreht’s talents as a writer, as she subverts and reimagines the myths of the American West, making them entirely—and unforgettably—her own. Longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction

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SUMMER OF '69
Elin Hilderbrand
Cover of SUMMER OF '69

SUMMER OF '69

by Elin Hilderbrand · Little, Brown

9 wks on list

FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE PERFECT COUPLE, NOW A MAJOR NETFLIX SERIES *** 'Hilderbrand's books keep getting better and better' Bookreporter 'The queen regent of the easy-breezy summer novel' New York Post *** Welcome to the most tumultuous summer of the twentieth century . . . Every year the Levin children have looked forward to spending the summer at their grandmother's historic island home, but this year it's not to be. Blair, the oldest sister, is marooned in Boston, pregnant with twins and unable to travel. Middle sister Kirby is caught up in the thrilling vortex of civil rights protests with her friend Mary Jo Kopechne. And Tiger, the only son, has just been deployed to Vietnam. Thirteen-year-old Jessie, the youngest of them all, suddenly feels like an only child, marooned in the house with her out-of-touch grandmother who is hiding secrets of her own . . . In her first historical novel, Elin Hilderbrand once again cements her title as 'Queen of the Summer Novel' (People). ************ Praise for Elin Hilderbrand 'Sink into this book like a hot, scented bath . . . a delicious, relaxing pleasure' - Kirkus '[Elin Hilderbrand] signifies the start of summer to readers' - The Book Reporter 'Perfect holiday reading' - Candis 'The queen regent of the easy-breezy summer novel' - New York Post

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A DANGEROUS MAN
Robert Crais
Cover of A DANGEROUS MAN

A DANGEROUS MAN

by Robert Crais · Putnam

2 wks on list

As explosive as Michael Connelly and as addictive as Lee Child, A Dangerous Man has 'the smoothest writing and best storytelling you'll ever read' DAVID BALDACCI ‘Slick and enjoyable’ SUN 'Top-notch fun noir' SUNDAY TIMES CRIME CLUB (starred review) ​DESPERATE MEN ARE DANGEROUS . . . Joe Pike wasn't looking to save someone's life on the day he left the bank. But when he saw Isabel, a young teller, being forced into a car by two men, he had no choice but to chase them down. Not long after being released on bail, the men are found dead and Isabel is missing. After his handling of the men, Pike is a prime suspect, along with Izzy – was this an abduction gone wrong? Or did it go exactly how she planned? Convinced that her life is in danger, Pike involves Elvis Cole in a search for the truth, and for Izzy. But they’re not the only ones desperate to find her – and desperate men are dangerous. Why Crais is the King of Crime . . . 'Just keeps getting better and better' David Baldacci ‘[Crais] expertly delivers his customary modern-day riff on the 1940s hardboiled idiom’ Guardian 'Outstanding' Publishers Weekly (starred review) ‘Another rewarding page-turner by one of the most reliable storytellers in modern crime fiction’ Daily Mail 'Crais is a whip-smart writer...This is one of the very best entries in a long-running and still first-rate series' Booklist on A Dangerous Man (starred review) ‘Cleverly plotted, stylishly written’ Washington Post 'If you've always wished Lee Child's Jack Reacher had a little more balance in his life - but the same formidable talents - you'll love Joe Pik . . . Crais never loses control of his clean, clear prose or his ability to sketch fully fleshed characters in a few scenes . . . A taut, exceptional thriller' Kirkus on A Dangerous Man (starred review)

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THINGS YOU SAVE IN A FIRE
Katherine Center
Cover of THINGS YOU SAVE IN A FIRE

THINGS YOU SAVE IN A FIRE

by Katherine Center · St. Martin's

**INDIE NEXT PICK FOR AUGUST** **AN AUGUST 2019 LIBRARYREADS SELECTION** **BOOK OF THE MONTH PICK FOR JULY** **AN AMAZON EDITOR’S PICK FOR AUGUST** “Center gives readers a sharp and witty exploration of love and forgiveness that is at once insightful, entertaining, and thoroughly addictive.” — KIRKUS, STARRED REVIEW “An appealing heroine, a compelling love story, a tearjerking twist, and a thoroughly absorbing story. Another winner from Center.” — BOOKLIST, STARRED REVIEW “A spirited, independent heroine meets a smoking-hot fireman in Center’s smart romance... If you enjoyed ‘The Kiss Quotient,’ by Helen Hoang, read Things You Save in a Fire”’ – THE WASHINGTON POST From the New York Times bestselling author of How to Walk Away comes a stunning new novel about courage, hope, and learning to love against all odds. Cassie Hanwell was born for emergencies. As one of the only female firefighters in her Texas firehouse, she's seen her fair share of them, and she's a total pro at other people's tragedies. But when her estranged and ailing mother asks her to give up her whole life and move to Boston, Cassie suddenly has an emergency of her own. The tough, old-school Boston firehouse is as different from Cassie's old job as it could possibly be. Hazing, a lack of funding, and poor facilities mean that the firemen aren't exactly thrilled to have a "lady" on the crew—even one as competent and smart as Cassie. Except for the infatuation-inspiring rookie, who doesn't seem to mind having Cassie around. But she can't think about that. Because love is girly, and it’s not her thing. And don’t forget the advice her old captain gave her: Never date firefighters. Cassie can feel her resolve slipping...and it means risking it all—the only job she’s ever loved, and the hero she’s worked like hell to become. Katherine Center's Things You Save in a Fire is a heartfelt and healing tour-de-force about the strength of vulnerability, the nourishing magic of forgiveness, and the life-changing power of defining courage, at last, for yourself.

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