Among the titles destined for bestsellerdom arriving next week are new books by Daniel Silva (The English Girl, Harper), Danielle Steel (First Sight; RH/Delacorte), Alex Kava (Stranded; RH/Doubleday) and Jeff Abbott (Downfall; Hachette/Grand Central).At least one new author is  waiting in the wings; Koethi Zan‘s debut is building buzz.

All the titles listed here, and more, are listed with full ordering information and alternative formats on our downloadable spreadsheet, New Title Radar, Week of 7.15.13.

Watch List

The Never List, Koethi Zan, (Penguin/Pamela Dorman)

GalleyChat has been abuzz for months over this title, calling it “disturbing and well thought out” and “very creepy but not exploitative,” although a few felt the ending was rushed. Independent booksellers are proponents, making it an IndieNext selection for August: “Zan’s debut is a doozy! Part thriller, part mystery, and all spellbinding, The Never List leads the reader into a world of kidnapping, hostages, dank cellars, BDSM, and many wicked characters. Set in the present day, The Never List chronicles Sarah’s attempt to locate Jennifer, who disappeared shortly after their abduction and three-year captivity in a cellar of torture and abuse. Zan keeps the narrative lively with terse dialog, top-notch character development, an occasional red herring, and edge-of-your-seat confrontations. This engrossing book has Hollywood movie written all over it. Treat yourself and read this book!” —Nancy Simpson-Brice, Book Vault, Oskaloosa, IA

Brilliance, Marcus Sakey, (Amazon/Thomas & Mercer; Amazon/Brilliance Audio)

Prepub reviews for this book are over the top. It’s starred by Booklist and PW and called by LJ “one of the more surprising thrillers of the year,” noting it will appeal to both sf and mystery lovers, because the author sets this thriller in a dystopian future. True to that form, it is the first of a projected series and a film is already in the works. That is not unusual for the author, however. The rights to all four of his previous titles have been purchased and filming has begun in London on an adaptation of Good People, (Penguin/Onyx, 2009) with Kate Hudson and James Franco.

Blood & Beauty: The Borgias; A Novel, (Random House; RH Audio)

A librarians’ pick at the BEA Shout ‘n’ Share panel, this title was heralded nearly two weeks before publication, in the Sunday NYT Book Review, with a compelling comparison,

In Blood and Beauty, Dunant follows the path set by Hilary Mantel with Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies. Just as Mantel humanized and, to an extent, rehabilitated the brilliant, villainous Thomas Cromwell and the court of Henry VIII, Dunant transforms the blackhearted Borgias and the conniving courtiers and cardinals of Renaissance Europe into fully rounded characters.

Media Magnets

   

This Town: Two Parties and a Funeral-Plus, Plenty of Valet Parking!-In America’s Gilded Capital, Mark Leibovich, (Penguin/Blue Rider)

The embargo has already been broken on this takedown of D.C. insiders, as we wrote earlier. Leibovich, the chief national correspondent for The New York Times Magazine is an insider himself, guaranteeing him a spot on the political talk shows.

Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth, Reza Aslan, (Random House)

That title, paired with the subtitle, by an Iranian-American scholar is enough to get attention. No stranger to media (he’s appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart), the author is scheduled for appearances on NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday , Fresh Air , Comedy Central’s The Daily Show and HBO’s Real Time with Bill Mahr.

TV Tie-ins

   

   

See our earlier story on this BBC/STARZ series, which debuts August 10. Trade paperback tie-ins are published by S&S.

The White Queen,9781476735481

The Red Queen, 9781476746302

Lady of the Rivers, 9781476746319

The Kingmaker’s Daughter, 9781476746326

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