‘Autopsy: A Scarpetta Novel’ will be released on November 30, 2021. Photo: amazon
Patricia Cornwell is recognized as one of the world’s top bestselling crime authors with novels translated into thirty-six languages in more than 120 countries. Her novels have won numerous prestigious awards including the Edgar, the Creasey, the Anthony, the Macavity, and the Prix du Roman d’Aventure. Beyond the Scarpetta series, Patricia has written a definitive book about Jack the Ripper, a biography, and three more fiction series, among others. Cornwell, a licensed helicopter pilot and scuba diver, actively researches the forensic technologies that inform her work. Her new novel “Autopsy: A Scarpetta Novel” will be released on November 30, 2021. In this relaunch of the electrifying, landmark #1 bestselling thriller series, chief medical examiner Dr. Kay Scarpetta hunts those responsible for two wildly divergent and chilling murders. (amazon, 2021)
“Autopsy: A Scarpetta Novel” – Forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta has come almost full circle, returning to Virginia as the chief medical examiner, the state where she launched her storied career. Finding herself the new girl in town once again after being away for many years, she has inherited not only an overbearing secretary, but also a legacy of neglect and potential corruption. She and her husband Benton Wesley, now a forensic psychologist with the U.S. Secret Service, have relocated to Old Town Alexandria where she is headquartered five miles from the Pentagon in a post-pandemic world that is been torn by civil and political unrest. Just weeks on the job, she is called to a scene by railroad tracks where a woman’s body has been shockingly displayed, her throat cut down to the spine, and as Scarpetta begins to follow the trail, it leads unnervingly close to her own historic neighborhood.
At the same time, a catastrophe occurs in a top-secret laboratory in outer space, endangering at least two scientists aboard. Appointed to the highly classified Doomsday Commission that specializes in sensitive national security cases, Scarpetta is summoned to the White House and tasked with finding out exactly what happened. But even as she works the first potential crime scene in space remotely, an apparent serial killer strikes again remarkably close to home.
‘Some Things I Still Can’t Tell You: Poems’ is the new poetry collection by Misha Collins. Photo: amazon
Misha Collins is an actor, author, and activist focused on inspiring change through art and by gamifying civic engagement and social good. Misha was a lead on Supernatural, the longest-running sci-fi/fantasy series in U.S. history, where he portrayed the angel Castiel. When not in front of the camera, Misha connects with his millions of social media followers to promote social change through projects like GISH, his Guinness World Record-setting global scavenger hunt that fosters creative mayhem to inspire social activism, and Random Acts, his nonprofit, which has raised millions to complete grassroots charitable projects. Misha is a published poet and author of bestselling book “The Adventurous Eaters Club.” A University of Chicago graduate with a B.A. in Social Theory, Misha is a former White House intern who has campaigned extensively for progressive candidates nationwide. His debut poetry collection “Some Things I Still Can’t Tell You: Poems” is both a celebration of and aspiration for a life well lived. (amazon, 2021)
“Some Things I Still Can’t Tell You: Poems” – This book is a compilation of small observations and musings. It is filled with moments of reflection and a love letter to simple joys: passing a simple blade of grass on the sidewalk, the freedom of peeing outdoors late at night, or the way a hand-built ceramic mug feels when it is full of warm tea on a chilly morning. It is a catalog and a compendium that examines the complicated experience of being all too human and interacting with a complex, confounding, breathtaking world, and a reminder to stop and be awake and alive in yourself. Trademark wit and subtle vulnerability converge in each poem.
‘This Bright Future: A Memoir’ by Bobby Hall, a.k.a. Logic. Photo: amazon
Bobby Hall, a.k.a. Logic, is a Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling recording artist, author, actor, streamer, and film producer. In addition to his three number-one albums, ten platinum singles, and billions of streams, Hall’s debut book, “Supermarket,” made him the first hip-hop artist to have a #1 New York Times bestselling novel. His new book “This Bright Future: A Memoir” is a raw and unfiltered journey into the life and mind of Bobby Hall who emerged from the wreckage of a horrifically abusive childhood to become an era-defining artist of our tumultuous age. (amazon, 2021)
“This Bright Future: A Memoir” – A self-described orphan with parents, Bobby Hall began life as Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, the only child of an alcoholic, mentally ill mother on welfare and an absent, crack-addicted father. After enduring seventeen years of abuse and neglect, Bobby ran away from home and—with nothing more than a discarded laptop and a ninth-grade education—he found his voice in the world of hip-hop and a new home in a place he never expected: the untamed and uncharted wilderness of the social media age. In the message boards and livestreams of this brave new world, Bobby became Logic, transforming a childhood of violence, anger, and trauma into music that spread a resilient message of peace, love, and positivity. His songs would touch the lives of millions, taking him to dizzying heights of success, where the wounds of his childhood and the perils of Internet fame would nearly be his undoing. A landmark achievement in an already remarkable career, “This Bright Future” looks back on Bobby’s extraordinary life with lacerating humor and fearless honesty. Heart-wrenching yet ultimately uplifting, this book completes the incredible true story and transformation of a human being who, against all odds, refused to be broken.
‘The Wilkes Insurrection’ is Robbie Bach’s thrilling new novel. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Robbie Bachis best known for founding and leading the team that created the Xbox. Today he is an entertaining storyteller and catalyzing voice who writes books and speaks to audiences on leadership, creativity, strategy, and civic issues. In 2015, he published his first book,” Xbox Revisited: A Game Plan for Corporate and Civic Renewal.”
His first novel The Wilkes Insurrection, released this week, is a contemporary thriller of anarchic obsession and heroic ambition and a perfect blend of heartless villains, complex but captivating protagonists, and political intrigue.
The Wilkes Insurrection begins with a Prologue that has an unnamed antagonist fleeing from the authorities as they are about to storm his apartment. He manages to slip by using a disguise and activates a car bomb as a distraction so he can get away.
The first chapter is then set at Newark Liberty International Airport, April 16, 2019 and John Humboldt is about to board a flight. Everything goes as planned until just outside Omaha, Nebraska, when commercial Flight 209 violently crashes onto the Offutt Air Force Base runway. While going through the wreckage, Major Tamika Smith manages to rescue a survivor who was thrown from the plane – John Humboldt. This airplane crash is just one of many acts of mayhem planned by an elusive extremist determined to destroy America at all costs.
The deadly attacks continue and are connected but there are no clear clues as to who may be to blame. A dark web hacker, Bryce Roscovitch, is just one player and he must confront his own conscience as the attacks become increasingly personal. At the center of it all is Major Tamika Smith whose own tragic past constantly haunts her and she must decide if she is willing to put it all aside for the greater good. Loved ones are lost and relationships are formed but in the end, the country is still standing.
Some of the best political thrillers take place in our current turbulent environment and The Wilkes Insurrection is no exception. Set from 2019 to the end of the past presidential election, it contains the perfect mix of villains and heroes, and even anti-heroes.
Right from the first page, the action comes at the reader full blown and does not let go. The action is fast paced and the language is easy to understand and being mostly dialogue driven, the story flows effortlessly from page to page.
While the good guys’ characters are deeply developed, complex, and relatable, Ford Wilkes, the main villain, is one dimensional with no redeeming qualities, which makes it easy for readers to dislike him. Bryce is a little more conflicted. He may understand that he is on the wrong side of the law and does not care who gets hurt, but deep down he is battling his own demons. What stands out the most is the heartbreaking moment when John Humboldt is sending his last texts to friends and family in the middle of the crash. The plane is going down but he takes the time to help and comfort the elderly couple sitting next to him.
With exciting action and interesting characters, Robbie Bach’s excellent debut novel is hard to put down until the thrilling conclusion. The Wilkes Insurrection is a classic good versus evil tale with a feel-good ending and is recommended for readers who enjoy the best of Brad Thor, David Baldacci, and Robert Ludlum. Hopefully, this will turn into a series so readers can read more about Major Tamika Smith’s heartbreaking yet heroic story.
*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.
‘The Wilkes Insurrection’ by Robbie Bach will be released on Tuesday, October 12, 2021. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Robbie Bach is best known for founding and leading the team that created the Xbox. Today he is an entertaining storyteller and catalyzing voice who writes books and speaks to audiences on leadership, creativity, strategy, and civic issues. During his twenty-two years at Microsoft, Robbie worked in various marketing and business management roles—including supporting the successful launch and expansion of Microsoft Office and leading the creation and development of the Xbox business. Then as Microsoft’s President of the Entertainment and Devices Division, he was responsible for the company’s worldwide gaming, music, video, phone, and retail sales businesses until he retired in 2010.
In 2015, he published his first book,” Xbox Revisited: A Game Plan for Corporate and Civic Renewal.” “The Wilkes Insurrection,” his first novel, will be released on Tuesday, October 12, 2021. It is a contemporary thriller of anarchic obsession and heroic ambition and a perfect blend of callous villains, complex but captivating protagonists, and political intrigue.
Major Tamika Smith is a Combat Search and Rescue Specialist at Offutt Air Force Base. When a commercial airliner is diverted to attempt an emergency landing, she swings into action.
She grabbed the handheld mic attached to the wall by an accordion cable. “Attention all crews.” And then, “Hey . . . shut the hell up!”
Quiet, finally.
Now, more calmly, she began. “Listen carefully . . .” She tried to balance her sense of urgency with the need for people to take a deep breath and focus. “We’ve got an inbound civilian 757 with two hundred thirteen souls on board. Two hundred passengers and thirteen crew. They blew a door at 34,000 feet and have lost significant hydraulic control. They’re trying to dump fuel, but we should assume that fire and smoke are in our future. They’ll be coming in from the northwest on Runway 12. Tough to guess about touchdown. The pilot will make sure he gets over the airfield. So let’s set up on Ramp B. Five minutes out. Obviously, this is not a drill.”
Air Traffic Control could have diverted the plane to Omaha or Lincoln, but Offutt had some decided advantages. In particular, its remote location reduced the likelihood of casualties on the ground. Her instructions would put the bulk of her team partway down Offutt’s main runway. Given the likelihood of fire, getting stationed close to the scene would buy them critical seconds to douse any flames and pull out survivors. But too far down the runway might make them roadkill in the wreckage.
“Washington—you need to call Commander Jessup. But he’s not going to be much help here until the press arrives.” At that point, his unique pain-in-the-ass skills might be useful. “If you really want to help, you can pair up with me.”
The look on the young captain’s face had equal elements of excitement and terror. Kind of like a teenage boy about to get to second base with his girlfriend for the first time. To his credit, he didn’t hesitate. “Major, I’ve done some training, but you’ll have to tell me what I need to do.”
Yelling above the sound of vehicles revving up, she kept her instructions short and to the point. “Grab some gear, Captain, and follow me. Keys are in the truck.”
They jumped into a vehicle and raced out on to the field, with Tamika directing him down the ramp toward the middle of the runway.
Putting on her equipment, she realized she better prepare him for what was coming. “Look, if this plane comes down hard, there’ll be shit everywhere. Plane parts, luggage, smoke, and probably body parts.”
That did not improve the look on Washington’s face.
“Just stay focused on our task and you’ll be fine. Part of the team will jump on any fires, but our assignment is getting people out and away to safety. As the plane goes past us, we’re going to go like a bat out of hell after it on the runway. Get as close to the fuselage as you can. Then stay with me. I’ve done this too many times before.”
Once in position, Tamika looked back down the runway, mentally tracing a line out toward the horizon. Dusk was settling across the prairie sky in hues of blue, red, and purple. Through the haze, she spotted the 757 with its wing and belly lights blazing. This was clearly not your typical approach. It looked like a boat bobbing across a rough ocean—first up, then down, now left, followed by steep right.
“Rev it up, Captain, it looks like he’ll be lucky to get it down somewhere on the field.”
On the radio: “Listen up—stay narrow for now. I don’t think they have much lateral control, and I don’t want any of us to get hit. Once he goes by, we can spread out based on how lucky he gets. Let’s make this count.”
The growl of the truck engines filled her ears.
In that instant, memories of enemy attacks crashed in. The smell of smoke, the feel of heat, and the cacophony of sounds associated with battle. Tamika’s ears rang with the crackle of her radio, the screams of wounded, and the continuing jackhammer sounds of machine gun fire.
Staring straight ahead, Tamika fought to stay in control. To push back the unwelcome memories that sometimes closed in around her.
“Major? Major Smith?”
“I’m here, Captain.” Adrenaline brought her back to the moment. “Just drive the damn truck when the plane goes by.”
With binoculars, Tamika could see the gaping hole in the right side of the fuselage as the plane shimmied back and forth across the approach vector. It crossed the outer boundary of the field, looming large as it sailed by.
“Go! Go! Go!” She screamed as the cavalcade of fire and rescue vehicles took off down the runway.
At the last moment before touchdown, the plane lurched down on its left side. It bounced once—and then broke apart. The mid-section flipped over and slid across the end of the runway. Both wings split off followed by a fireball. Sounds of destruction boomed across the field.
The initial strike had split the nose away from the main body of the plane. What looked like the first six or seven rows of the passenger compartment along with the cockpit slid all the way past the end of the runway but looked upright and relatively intact.
The main cabin, on the other hand, was in shambles. It went well off to the right side of the runway, settling upside down and facing backward. Smoke poured from gaps in the shell. The last ten rows of the plane had separated hard at landing and somersaulted into a ditch on the left side of the runway, surrounded by crushed debris from the tail.
“Let’s get some foam on that main cabin to the right,” Tamika yelled into her radio. “Crews one, two, and three, converge on the midsection of the fuselage. Four, you have the nose. Five, you’re on the tail section. Let’s move!”
She slammed down the radio and yelled at Washington, “Put us right next to that big hole at the front of the cabin. You’re gonna want your oxygen mask on.”
They screamed down the last stretch of runway then veered off into the sloped grass approaching what was left of Flight 209. As they swung around to the side of the plane, Tamika jumped out of the truck before it had rolled to a stop. She ran up to the opening with her heart pounding. She took a deep breath. Then leapt into the fire.
In that instant, she knew it would be for the last time.
Author Robbie Bach. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
‘The Midnight Man’ by Caroline Mitchell will be out October 13, 2021. Photo: amazon
Caroline Mitchell is a New York Times, USA Today, Washington Post, and International #1 Bestselling Author. Shortlisted by the International Thriller Awards for best e-book 2017 and the Killer Nashville Best Police Procedural 2018, she has sold over 1.3 million books. A former police detective, she has worked in CID and specialized in roles dealing with vulnerable victims, high-risk victims of domestic abuse, and serious sexual offences. She now writes full time. Caroline writes psychological and crime thrillers. Her stand-alone thriller “Silent Victim” reached No.1 in the Amazon charts in the UK, USA, and Australia and was the winner of the Reader’s Favourite Awards in the psychological thriller category. It has been described as ‘brilliantly gripping and deliciously creepy. Her new book is “The Midnight Man,” a new case will take Detective Sarah Noble back to everything she has been running from and shake her to the core. It will be released on Wednesday, October 13, 2021. (amazon, 2021)
“The Midnight Man”- if you open your door to the Midnight Man, hide with a candle wherever you can. Try not to scream as he draws near, because one of you will not be leaving here. On Halloween night in Slayton, five girls go to Blackhall Manor to play the Midnight Game. They write their names on a piece of paper and prick their fingers to soak it in blood. At exactly midnight they knock on the door twenty-two times – they have invited the Midnight Man in. It was supposed to be a game, but only four girls come home. Detective Sarah Noble has just returned to the force, and no one knows more about Blackhall Manor than her. Will she be ready to meet the Midnight Man?
‘Welcome to Cooper’ is the new debut thriller by Tariq Ashkanani. Photo: amazon
Tariq Ashkanani is a solicitor based in Edinburgh, where he also runs WriteGear, a Kickstarter company that sells high-quality notebooks for writers, and WriteGear’s podcast Page One. He had no formal writing training or consultation prior to writing “Welcome to Cooper.” He is currently working on a follow-up thriller. In his new book “Welcome to Cooper,” an explosive thriller of bad choices and dark crimes, Detective Levine knew his transfer was a punishment―but he had no idea just how bad it would get. (amazon, 2021)
“Welcome to Cooper” – Cooper, Nebraska, is forgettable and forgotten, a town you would only stumble into if you had taken a seriously wrong turn. Like Detective Thomas Levine’s career has. But when a young woman is found lying in the snow, choked to death, her eyes gouged out, the disgraced detective is Cooper’s only hope for restoring peace and justice. For Levine, still grieving and guilt-ridden over the death of his girlfriend, his so-called “transfer” from the big city to this grubby backwater has always felt like a punishment. And when his cantankerous new partner shoots their prime suspect using Levine’s gun, all hope of redemption is shattered. With the case in chaos, and both extortion and a violent drug cartel to contend with, he finds himself in a world of trouble. It gets worse. The real killer is still out there, and he has plans for Detective Levine. And Cooper may just be the perfect place to get away with murder.
“Head Shot” is the second book in the Marko Zorn Series by Otho Eskin. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Otho Eskin is a lawyer and former member of the U.S. Foreign Service. He is a playwright whose work has appeared in New York, Washington, D.C. and Europe, and is active in the Washington theater scene. He published his first thriller, “The Reflecting Pool,” to great reviews and book club interest in 2020. It was selected as an Amazon Editors’ Pick for Best Mystery, Thriller and Suspense. “The Reflecting Pool” follows Marko Zorn- a Washington D.C. homicide detective who has a strong ethical compass but refuses to play by the rules. The sequel, “Head Shot,” also featuring Marko Zorn will be released on December 7, 2021. It features the most elusive assassin in the world against D.C. Homicide Detective Marko Zorn. (Otho Eskin, 2021)
“Head Shot” – Old loves die hard in Otho Eskin’s second Marko Zorn novel, “Head Shot” (Oceanview Publishing). D.C. homicide detective Marko Zorn is leading the investigation of the onstage murder of an actress he once loved when he is assigned to protect Nina Voychek, the visiting prime minister of Montenegro. Zorn discovers a surprising additional target while he is shielding Voychek from her political enemies—himself. As he foils attempts on his life, he pulls out all stops and deploys his nefarious resources to hunt whoever is targeting him and prevent an international tragedy on American soil.
It is a pulse-pounding race to find his attacker as Zorn and his tentative young partner, Lucy Tanaka, contend with decoded messages, Supermax prisoner interviews, mafia lawyers and an ancient Black Mountain curse. And as they navigate D.C. and confront growing danger, they must solve the deadliest puzzle of all—are they facing multiple hired guns with diverging agendas, or just the world’s most lethal and elusive contract killer?
‘The Gilded Page: The Secret Lives of Medieval Manuscripts’ by Mary Wellesley. Photo: amazon
A new month means new books on the horizon. These are some notable new releases for the month of October in my favorite categories: Fiction, Young Adult, History & Biography, Mystery & Thriller, Science fiction, Fantasy, and Historical fiction. My pick for this month is “The Gilded Page: The Secret Lives of Medieval Manuscripts” by Mary Wellesley because I would love to read more about Medieval Manuscripts. (amazon, Goodreads, 2021)
Fiction “The Book of Magic” by Alice Hoffman Releasedate: October 12, 2021 Master storyteller Alice Hoffman brings us the conclusion of the Practical Magic series in a spellbinding and enchanting final Owens novel brimming with lyric beauty and vivid characters. The Owens family has been cursed in matters of love for over three-hundred years but all of that is about to change. The novel begins in a library, the best place for a story to be conjured, when beloved aunt Jet Owens hears the deathwatch beetle and knows she has only seven days to live. Jet is not the only one in danger—the curse is already at work.
A frantic attempt to save a young man’s life spurs three generations of the Owens women, and one long-lost brother, to use their unusual gifts to break the curse as they travel from Paris to London to the English countryside where their ancestor Maria Owens first practiced the Unnamed Art. The younger generation discovers secrets that have been hidden from them in matters of both magic and love by Sally, their fiercely protective mother. As Kylie Owens uncovers the truth about who she is and what her own dark powers are, her aunt Franny comes to understand that she is ready to sacrifice everything for her family, and Sally Owens realizes that she is willing to give up everything for love.
Young Adult “Kingdom of the Cursed” by Kerri Maniscalco Release date: October 5, 2021 From #1 New York Times bestselling author of “Stalking Jack the Ripper,” Kerri Maniscalco, comes the sizzling, sweepingly romantic sequel to “Kingdom of the Wicked.” One sister. Two sinful princes. Infinite deception with a side of revenge. Welcome to Hell.
After selling her soul to become Queen of the Wicked, Emilia travels to the Seven Circles with the enigmatic Prince of Wrath, where she is introduced to a seductive world of vice. She vows to do whatever it takes to avenge her beloved sister, Vittoria even if that means accepting the hand of the Prince of Pride, the king of demons. The first rule in the court of the Wicked? Trust no one. With back-stabbing princes, luxurious palaces, mysterious party invitations, and conflicting clues about who really killed her twin, Emilia finds herself more alone than ever before. Can she even trust Wrath, her one-time ally in the mortal world, or is he keeping dangerous secrets about his true nature?
History and Biography “The Gilded Page: The Secret Lives of Medieval Manuscripts” by Mary Wellesley Release date: October 12, 2021 A breathtaking journey into the hidden history of medieval manuscripts, from the Lindisfarne Gospels to the ornate Psalter of Henry VIII. Medieval manuscripts can tell us much about power and art, knowledge and beauty. Many have survived because of an author’s status. Part of the reason we have so much of Chaucer’s writings, for example, is because he was a London-based government official first and a poet second. Other works by the less influential have narrowly avoided ruin, like the book of illiterate Margery Kempe, found in a country house closet, the cover nibbled on by mice. Scholar Mary Wellesley recounts the amazing origins of these remarkable manuscripts, surfacing the important roles played by women and ordinary people—the grinders, binders, and scribes—in their creation and survival.
Mystery and Thriller “These Silent Woods” by Kimi Cunningham Grant Release date: October 26, 2021 A father and daughter living in the remote Appalachian mountains must reckon with the ghosts of their past. No electricity, no family, no connection to the outside world. For eight years, Cooper and his young daughter, Finch, have lived in isolation in a remote cabin in the northern Appalachian woods. And that is exactly the way Cooper wants it, because he has a lot to hide. Finch has been raised on the books filling the cabin’s shelves and the beautiful but brutal code of life in the wilderness. But she is starting to push back against the sheltered life Cooper has created for her—and he is still haunted by the painful truth of what it took to get them there.
The only people who know they exist are a mysterious local hermit named Scotland, and Cooper’s old friend, Jake, who visits each winter to bring them food and supplies. But this year, Jake does not show up, setting off an irreversible chain of events that reveals just how precarious their situation really is. Suddenly, the boundaries of their safe haven have blurred—and when a stranger wanders into their woods, Finch’s growing obsession with her could put them all in danger. After a shocking disappearance threatens to upend the only life Finch has ever known, Cooper is forced to decide whether to keep hiding or finally face the sins of his past.
Science Fiction “Perhaps the Stars” by Ada Palmer Release date: October 19, 2021 The final instalment in Ada Palmer’s award-winning, critically acclaimed Terra Ignota series. The long years of near-utopia have end abruptly. Peace and order are now figments of the past. Corruption, deception, and insurgency hum within the once steadfast leadership of the Hives, nations without fixed location.
The heartbreaking truth is that for decades, even centuries, the leaders of the great Hives bought the world’s stability with a trickle of secret murders, mathematically planned. So that no faction could ever dominate. So that the balance held. The Hives’ facade of solidity is the only hope they have for maintaining a semblance of order, for preventing the public from succumbing to the savagery and bloodlust of wars past. But as the great secret becomes more and more widely known, that facade is slipping away. Just days earlier, the world was a pinnacle of human civilization. Hives and hiveless, Utopians and sensayers, emperors and the downtrodden, warriors and saints scramble to prepare for the seemingly inevitable war.
Fantasy “The Lighthouse Witches” by C.J. Cooke Release date: October 5, 2021 Two sisters go missing on a remote Scottish island. Twenty years later, one is found–but she is still the same age as when she disappeared. The secrets of witches have reached across the centuries in this chilling Gothic thriller. When single mother Liv is commissioned to paint a mural in a 100-year-old lighthouse on a remote Scottish island, it is an opportunity to start over with her three daughters–Luna, Sapphire, and Clover. When two of her daughters go missing, she is frantic. She learns that the cave beneath the lighthouse was once a prison for women accused of witchcraft. The locals warn her about wildlings, supernatural beings who mimic human children, created by witches for revenge. Liv is told wildlings are dangerous and must be killed.
Twenty-two years later, Luna has been searching for her missing sisters and mother. When she receives a call about her youngest sister, Clover, she is initially ecstatic. Clover is the sister she remembers–except she is still seven years old, the age she was when she vanished. Luna is worried Clover is a wildling. Luna has few memories of her time on the island, but she will have to return to find the truth of what happened to her family. But she does not realize just how much the truth will change her.
Historical fiction “Small Pleasures” by Clare Chambers Release date: October 5, 2021 In the best tradition of Tessa Hadley, Kazuo Ishiguro, and Ann Patchett—an astonishing, keenly observed period piece about an ordinary British woman in the 1950s whose dutiful life takes a sudden turn into a pitched battle between propriety and unexpected passion.
1957: Jean Swinney is a feature writer on a local paper in the southeast suburbs of London. Clever but with limited career opportunities and on the brink of forty, Jean lives a dreary existence that includes caring for her demanding widowed mother, who rarely leaves the house. It is a small life with little joy and no likelihood of escape.
That all changes when a young woman, Gretchen Tilbury, contacts the paper to claim that her daughter is the result of a virgin birth. Jean seizes onto the bizarre story and sets out to discover whether Gretchen is a miracle or a fraud. But the more Jean investigates, the more her life becomes strangely intertwined with that of the Tilburys, including Gretchen’s gentle and thoughtful husband Howard, who mostly believes his wife, and their quirky and charming daughter Margaret, who becomes a sort of surrogate child for Jean. Gretchen, too, becomes a much-needed friend in an otherwise empty social life. Jean cannot bring herself to discard what seems like her one chance at happiness, even as the story that she is researching starts to send dark ripples across all their lives with unimaginable consequences.
Releasing this October 12, ‘A Tomato Grows in Brooklyn’ features irresistible family Italian dishes, all delivered with a brazen Brooklyn accent. Photo: amazon
David Ruggerio is a well-known celebrity chef and restaurant owner in New York City. He was honored in 1995 by noted vintner Robert Mondavi as one of the thirteen best young chefs in America. He went on to star in his own popular PBS cooking series, Little Italy with David Ruggerio, and later starred in his own iconic series on Food Network, Ruggerio to Go. David has written two acclaimed cookbooks, both published by Artisan Books, “Little Italy with David Ruggerio” and “David Ruggerio’s Italian Kitchen.” He returns with a new cookbook, “A Tomato Grows in Brooklyn,” to release be October 12. The book is a mouth-watering invitation to all gourmet food-lovers to enter his Brooklyn kitchen and explore the Italian-American cuisine he knows, grew up with, and adores. (David Ruggerio, 2021)
“A Tomato Grows in Brooklyn” includes 135 delicious recipes, illustrated with of luscious pictures that will inspire and help the readers to awaken the Super Chef within. With a bite of Involtini of Eggplant, a taste of Octopus in Warm Vinaigrette, a forkful of Carbonara of Artichoke, a morsel of Gnocchi all’Amatriciana, or a mouthful of Panna Cotta of Orange, Caramel and Figs, they will discover what makes the Italian-American fare of Brooklyn unique and delicious. This humble cuisine reflects a beautiful story of triumph and hardship, one forever rich in humanity and heritage.
Ruggerio’s new cookbook has already received praise from food critics. The New York Times’ Bryan Miller says, “David Ruggiero has crafted an outstanding book: an evocatively written memoir of a special time and place that nurtured his rise to culinary fame, and a compilation of irresistible family Italian dishes, many with a brazen Brooklyn accent.”
After 35 years of cooking, David Ruggerio’s passion for creating dishes and improving his culinary craft has only grown. “A Tomato Grows in Brooklyn” is available in hardcover, and is a must-have on the shelves of those who love cooking.
“A Tomato Grows in Brooklyn” is available for pre-order on amazon.
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1949534207 Hardcover Price: $18.95 Length: 252 pages Publisher: Black Rose Writing
SA Examiner 