A Reliable Wife: A Novel
Robert Goolrick (Algonquin Books)
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“Set in a land where long winters drive residents to unthinkable acts, this is the story of a wealthy Wisconsin foundry owner gets more than he bargains for when he orders a mail-order bride. Determined to quickly change from new bride to wealthy widow, his wife is as surprised as the reader to discover the sexual intensity of this quiet man. Many secrets. Many lies. Very sensual.”
— Beth Golay, Watermark Books, Wichita, KS
April 2009 Indie Next List
Inspired Recommendations from Indie Booksellers
By Paulette Jiles
William Morrow
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“The savage struggle for land and dominion between Native American tribes and Western settlers is brought to life in this riveting novel set in North Texas after the Civil War. Rich in historical background and told in beautiful prose, this is a great novel for book groups.”
— Sheila Daley, Barrett Bookstore, Darien, CT
By Joseph Boyden
Viking Adult
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“Will Bird, a Cree bush pilot, lies in a coma, and his niece Annie has come home to Northern Canada to be at his side. Through Annie's narration, the reader begins to understand the meaning of family bonds, even as Will's voice relates his own powerful story. Filled with wonderful characters and the strength and depth of understanding that exists between them -- and written with grace and beauty -- I found I just didn't want this story to end.”
— Sue Richardson, Maine Coast Book Shop, Inc., Damariscotta, ME
By Walter Mosley
Riverhead Hardcover
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“Walter Mosley introduces a new character, Leonid McGill, a private detective who is attempting to do penance. But the true star of Mosley's novel is New York City, as the author brings alive all the glitter, corruption, diversity, and substance that comprise our greatest city.”
— Bill Cusumano, Nicola's Books, Ann Arbor, MI
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“Frank and Ellie Benton move from Michigan to India in an effort to recover after the tragic death of their son. When Frank begins tutoring the son of their housekeeper, he sets in motion events that strain relationships and lead to a startling conclusion. This beautifully written book, set in Girbaug, India, is a contrast in cultures as well as a study in human grief and loss.”
— Gayle Wingerter, Inklings Bookshop, Yakima, WA
By Christian Moerk
Henry Holt & Company
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“Will a diary found in the dead-letter bin solve the mystery behind three dead women discovered in a locked house? Set in a small Irish village, Darling Jim is a dark, erotic, and bloody tale. Shivers.”
— Becky Milner, Vintage Books, Vancouver, WA
By Joanna Smith Rakoff
Scribner
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“Joanna Smith Rakoff's first novel chronicles the sometimes ludicrous, maddeningly funny, and, often, moving adventures of a gifted group of twenty-something friends in New York City just after college graduation. Combining cockeyed details of development that ring true with empathy and insight, Rakoff tells the story of marriages, children, and the success (or failure) of these characters' art with a light and witty touch. A portrait of a generation, A Fortunate Age is a delight”
— Jill Owens, Powell's Books, Inc, Portland, OR
By Lisa Lutz
Simon & Schuster
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“Izzy Spellman's parents want her to take over the family detective agency, but, after her last case, she has her doubts about rejoining the family business. When her boss cuts her bartending hours and insists she help his friend discover if his wife is cheating on him, Izzy figures she will try to solve a case before deciding whether to jump back into the game. Full of likable, quirky characters, this story is a real treat.”
— Deon Stonehouse, Sunriver Books, Sunriver, OR
By C. E. Morgan
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
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“The quiet tension and powerful, exquisite writing transport the reader deeply into the lives of people struggling with love, loss, and life. The work reminds us of the value of literature and its meaning to our psyche.”
— Ed Conklin, Chaucer's Books, Santa Barbara, CA
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“The Little Sleep is fast and fun, a noirish suspense novel featuring Mark Genevich, a hard-boiled, narcoleptic, quasi-detective in South Boston. This is the first of what promises to be an engaging series, and I eagerly await Mark Genevich's future exploits.”
— Tova Beiser, Brown University Bookstore, Providence, RI
By Jennifer Thompson-Cannino and Ronald Cotton, with Erin Torneo
St. Martin's Press
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“A black man is accused of a terrible crime by a white woman and spends years in prison before being exonerated by DNA evidence. Then, the previously incarcerated man and the victim become friends, team up, and set out on a mission to rescue others falsely accused. No novel tells a story this important or heartrending. Read it!”
— Deal Safrit, Literary Book Post, Salisbury, NC
By Ace Atkins
Putnam Adult
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“Ace Atkins writing in the voice of Sam 'Dashiell' Hammett is a match made in heaven. All the elements of great noir are here: the fogs of San Francisco, the cold-hearted blond, and the crooked cops. To make the feat even more impressive, Atkins tackles the notorious case of Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle and offers a very believable answer to what happened and why.”
— Ann Carlson, Harborwalk Books, Georgetown, SC
By Mary Pipher
Riverhead Hardcover
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“This touching and engaging memoir includes details of Mary Pipher's early life, deft descriptions of her extended family, and the ways her life changed after she was overwhelmed by the success of her book Reviving Ophelia. With clarity and humor, she describes how Buddhism helped her come to terms with the problems and pressures of her life.”
— Carol Schneck, Schuler Books & Music, Okemos, MI
By Lincoln Child
Doubleday
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“When paleoecologist Evan Marshall accidentally discovers an enormous beast buried in the ice in Alaska's Federal Wildlife Zone, strange things start happening. Child has written a masterful crossing between the realms of fantasy and Inuit belief -- this is a can't-put-down book.”
— Daniel Thomas, Browsing Bison Books, Deer Lodge, MT
By Isabel Gillies
Scribner
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“Isabel Gillies has written a compulsively readable memoir about the dissolution of her marriage. She does a admirable job of not only portraying her own mistakes but also of presenting her husband reasonably. Gillies has a wonderfully transparent voice, and I enjoyed reading her story.”
— Carla Cohen, Politics & Prose Books &, Washington, DC
By Kevin Wilson
Harper Perennial
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“In this fantastic debut collection of stories, Kevin Wilson infuses the everyday, mundane world with a touch of magic, reexamining the familiar through a slightly warped lens. Each of Wilson's characters possesses a touch of melancholy, but each one manages to reconcile this sadness. Definitely a must-have for fans of the short story.”
— Christopher Chadwick, ASUN Bookstore, Reno, NV
By Domenico Starnone, Anthony Shugaar (trans.)
Europa
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“What begins as a Mediterranean noir quickly shifts into a puzzle from Pirandello and Calvino country, as the author begins removing sequences from the story and rewriting others. A profound meditation on political beliefs and mortality, with plenty of surprises.”
— Nick DiMartino, University Book Store, Seattle, WA
By Louis Maistros
The Toby Press
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“One of the best New Orleans novels I've ever read, Louis Maistros' debut seems dictated in a fever dream of automatic writing. Beginning in 1891, the confrontation between nine-year-old Typhus Morningstar and an evil spirit who has taken possession of a baby will take readers into an underworld journey as a decades-old voodoo curse is unleashed.”
— Patrick Millikin, The Poisoned Pen, Scottsdale, AZ
By Hans Fallada, Michael Hoffman (trans.)
Melville House
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“By turns horrifying and inspiring, Hans Fallada's story of an ordinary German couple defying the Nazi's inhumane brutality is authentic and informative -- an admirable addition to German literature.”
— Nancy Olson, Quail Ridge Books, Raleigh, NC
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“Cara Black's detective, Aimee Leduc, lives in a Paris brimming with characters from France's colonial past and diverse present. Her novels are filled with immigrants from Vietnam, Algeria, Eastern Europe, and -- in Murder in the Latin Quarter -- Haiti. Aimee's life is a lonely one since the death of her father; so, when a beautiful young Haitian woman announces that she is Aimee's sister, she cannot resist the search for the truth. It's wonderful to watch the growth and development of a fine mystery writer.”
— Wendy Foster-Leigh, The King's English, Salt Lake City, UT
Now in Paperback
Indie Next List Selections Come to Paperback
