What to Expect, the Week of 3/28
Next week is dominated by new books in series (two of which are coming to an end), but one debut mystery may break through.
To Watch
The debut mystery Bent Road by Lori Roy, (Dutton/Penguin), arrives with the kind of inhouse excitement the publisher felt for Tana French’s breakout. It’s received stars from Kirkus, Library Journal and PW, and a review that reads like a star from Booklist, “Terrifying and touching, the novel is captivating from beginning to end.” Publishers Weekly called it “Midwestern noir with gothic undertones [that] is sure to make several 2011 must-read lists.”
Movie Tie-in
Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin, (St. Martin’s Mass Mkt., 9780312993177; Trade Pbk. 9780312600723). The tie-in arrives this week, the movie opens in theaters on May 6th, starring Kate Hudson and Ginnifer Goodwin. Check out the trailer here.
Usual Suspects
The Land of Painted Caves by Jean M. Auel (Crown) is the sixth and final book in the Earth’s Children series. Despite some long spells between books (the first, The Clan of the Cave Bear, came out in 1980; the most recent, The Shelters of Stone, in 2002), this one is hotly anticipated. It’s been on the Amazon Top 100 (now at #12) for 67 days.
The Troubled Man by Henning Mankell (Knopf) is, sadly, the final mystery featuring Kurt Wallander, which is likely to bring it extra media attention.
Lover Unleashed by J. R. Ward (NAL/Penguin), book nine in the Black Dagger Brotherhood vampire series, it’s getting a 300,000 printing.
Sweet Valley Confidential: Ten Years Later by Francine Pascal (St. Martin’s Press). The girls of the popular Sweet Valley High series, which began in 1983, are now grown up and what grownup fan can resist them? Entertainment Weekly‘s reviewer, for one. That former fan rates it a lowly C.
Mystery: An Alex Delaware Novel by Jonathan Kellerman, (Ballantine Books). The book is a mystery, but the title actually comes from the nickname of the murder victim in this 26th book featuring the L.A. psychologist/detective.
Nonfiction
Come to the Edge: A Memoir by Christina Haag (Spiegel & Grau). The ex-girlfriend of JFK Jr. revealed some supposed scandal (Tantric Sex! Marijuana! Thrill-seekng!) in an excerpt in Vanity Fair, riling up the tabloids. The book received more measured attention in an early review this week from Janet Maslin in the NYT. The author is scheduled to appear on the Today Show next week.