Looking forward to 2016 reads

I often get so wrapped in the immediate list of things I have on my reading schedule that I don't look ahead more than that. I thought I'd stop looking at the ground for a little while and glance forward to see what I'm excited about on the reading horizon.

O.k. well, the first book isn't that much forward. It's actually tomorrow. Gregg Hurwitz's Orphan X is the first in a new series for him--and it's quite different, but I'll save that for the review. I've been feeling a little withdrawal since I didn't have any Hurwitz last year, but Orphan X is here, so I should get my fix and be fine again.

And next week is Alafair Burke's The Ex.  I haven't had an opportunity to read her books with Mary Higgins Clark, so I'm ready to tear into this one--another author I missed reading last year.

February is bringing The Opposite of Everyone by Joshilyn Jackson, Jo Nesbø's The Midnight Sun and a non-fiction title Incarceration Nations by a John Jay professor named Baz Dreisinger.

Also in February--it's a good month for books--is Daniel Black's Listen to the Lambs, Neal Griffin's A Voice from the Field,  and Johnny Shaw's Floodgate. Very different books, but all titles to look forward to.

One of the debut's I'm looking forward to comes out in February as well: Out of the Blues by Trudy Nan Boyce. 

March has Lyndsay Faye's Jane Steele, Lisa Lutz's The Passenger and a couple of historical fiction titles I'm excited about: Mrs. Houdini by Victoria Kelly and Hanging Mary by Susan Higginbotham.

And I have to admit I'm rather intrigued by Keri Smith's Wander Society.

Steve Hockensmith wants us to Give the Devil His Due in the next Tarot Card mystery, out in April along with Simon Van Booy's Father's Day.

We have to wait until September for the next Walt Longmire novel, but May will bring a new novella, The Highwayman.  I eagerly anticipate BOTH!

Also in May is another debut I'm excited about, Mission Hill by Pamela Wechsler. She's written for TV and now she's starting a legal thriller series. Another TV writer with a book out in May is Noah Hawley whose Before the Fall I'm looking forward to.

And...and...and...the next Fredrik Backman book comes out in May! Britt-Marie Was Here. I can hardly sit still when I type this. If you read My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry, you'll know Britt-Marie was a character in that book. It sounds like the new one combines the best qualities of his first two books...but you know my feelings, everything about those two books were spectacular. I just can't wait for this one!  

Finally for May, John Connolly and Jennifer Ridyard wrap up The Chronicles of the Invaders trilogy with Dominion. I've really enjoyed this YA series...and it's sci-fi. Who knew?

June brings back Shake Bouchon in Double Barrel Bluff (I just love his titles!). I can't wait for this book, partly because I want to read the Skype seen. Lou did research for that scene while we conducted an interview via Skype! But more than anything, I love Lou Berney's writing. It's such a treat whenever there's a new book from him.

Property of the State is out in June from Bill Cameron. This is a YA and I'm rather excited to see what Cameron is going to deliver in this younger age bracket.

Also breaking into the YA realm this year is Louis Bayard with Lucky Strikes. All one needs to say is that a new Bayard is coming, and I get goose bumps.

In August, Michael Koryta's second Mark Novak novel will come out. Which gives me time to read the first. It is one of the titles on my 2015 list I still hope to get to. And W. Bruce Cameron has another Repo Man book coming!

Sean Chercover will wrap up the Game Trilogy in September with a very fitting title, The Apocalypse Game. And Chris Holm releases Red Right Hand...another one I have to get to from my 2015 list is The Killing Kind. I have to do so before September!

Very quickly, a couple that have already released: Marcus Sakey's final book in the Brilliance trilogy: Written in Fire (does it seem like a lot of trilogies are wrapping up this year?!) and Reed Farrel Coleman's Where It Hurts. I reviewed Coleman's book for Shelf, but I have to get to Sakey's, I can't let that one go unread!

**Correction** Coleman's book comes out next week. It's only January and I'm already losing track of time. Good gracious!

Lots of goodness coming in 2016, right? I'm sure there's more I should have on my list, so let me know what you're looking forward to this year.

Happy Reading!

My Favorite Reads of 2014 & A Year-End Wrap-up

It does not seem possible that today is the last day of 2014. The calendar pages really seemed to turn quickly for me this year. Did you find that too?

I had quite a successful year of reading. I read 106 books this year. This is actually the most I've read since the first year I blogged. In 2008 I read 112. It's a pretty big accomplishment for me considering how many non-fiction books I've read this year--they always take me a little longer to read than fiction.

But here are the statistical breakdowns, for those who might be interested.

Total books read: 106
Number of different authors read: 102
Number of new-to-me authors: 70
Number of debuts: 12
Number of audiobooks: 35
Number of fiction works: 85
Number of non-fiction works: 21
Number of male authors: 72
Number of female authors: 37
(note: the overlap in gender numbers comes from books with multiple authors)

I've enjoyed the variety of books I've read and my year-end list surely reflects it. While I often feel like there's a lot I'm missing, I know it isn't realistic to think I can read it all. I'm quite content reading what makes me happy, though. My approach will probably go in a similar direction for 2015 but you never can tell what interesting twists may arise. In the mean time, a look at my favorite reads of 2014.

A drumroll please....

10. Things Half in Shadow by Alan Finn - I started to include this one on my debut list, but since it's not really a debut, just the first book under the pen name, I opted not to include it there--that's kind of like cheating, right? But it's been awhile since a historical novel grabbed me the way this one did. My review of it will be forthcoming (after it appears in Shelf Awareness) but it snuck in under the wire with a Dec. 30th release date. I enjoyed the blending of genres, the characters and the mystical element of the book. Boy, you don't hear me say that often, do you?

9.   All Day and a Night by Alafair Burke - I'm kind of running out of stuff to say about Alafair Burke's work without repeating myself, since she shows up on this list year after year. The areas I praise her in she only improves with each book. This is--in my opinion--her best work to date. She keeps it fresh, fun, fast and engaging (did you think I'd use another f-word there?).  As you can see from my stats, I read a large number of books by authors who are new to me each year, so I don't end up reading a lot of the same people continually. But Alafair Burke is one of the few I anxiously anticipate and make time for, regardless.

8.   All the Truth is Out by Matt Bai - I found this book to be so vital to the understanding of our consumption of news in this era. We're so caught up in things that don't actually matter or only searching out the things we want to hear or even manipulating the truth so it becomes what we want it to be. Eye opening, honest and challenging. Bai did his homework and delivers it superbly. This is really an important issue and one we'd all benefit from examining a little closer.

7.   Roosevelt's Beast by Louis Bayard - First of all, Louis Bayard used one of my favorite words in this book -- Bwana. I've christened him Bwana Bayard and it's a perfect fit. This book is smart, funny, brilliantly constructed. Not many people can plop you into the South American jungles with a monster and make it enjoyable. Reading a book by Louis Bayard always ends up being a sweet treat, Roosevelt's Beast was no exception.

6.   Morgue Drawer: Do Not Enter by Jutta Profijt - Really I have to say all three of Profijt's books should be included here. I chose Do Not Enter because it's the book that was published this year in the U.S. but I just feel as though I've discovered secret treasure with this series. Of course, it was secret to me, but now I've unearthed it and that makes me very happy. Don't worry, a gushing review of all three books is forthcoming, I promise!

5.   The Global War on Morris by Steve Israel - Somehow I completely missed this book as a debut--I should have included in yesterday's list as well, but when Israel decides to hang up his political hat, he's got a real future in publishing. Heck, he doesn't even need to give up the day job, I guess. In this case his insider perspective helped as The Global War on Morris is a political satire. This is another under the wire December 30th publication and my review is forthcoming. Rapier wit, intelligent argument and an absurd reality.

4.  Hand to Mouth by Linda Tirado - Linda Tirado blew me away. She's smart, witty, brutally honest and this book is a scary reminder for us all of how close we are to poverty. More than that, it's a wake-up call to the fact that we are not better or more deserving than the working poor...or those in deep poverty for that matter. Tirado has written in such a way as to let us walk in her shoes for awhile. And they're rather uncomfortable. Tirado has an important message to share but she also has a gift with writing. I hope there will be more from her in the future.

3.   Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson - With the year's national headlines related to race issues in our country, this book was even more powerful than anyone really could have anticipated. Just Mercy emphasizes the massive miscarriages of justice that happen every day that never make those headlines, the ones many people remain happily ignorant to. It's startling, mortifying and it's something every single person in this country needs to be aware of. It's beautifully written and reads like fiction. If only it were.

2.   Wait for Signs by Craig Johnson - I adore Craig Johnson's full-length novels, but I chose the collection of shorts because I was reminded while reading them how endearing, touching, humorous and so densely packed with wonderfulness each one is. It's a small package, but boy howdy is it a priceless gem.

1.   A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Brackman - I gushed over this book yesterday, so you probably don't need me to do so again today. I'll simply say that if you haven't checked this one out yet, I highly recommend you do. There's simply so much to love in it--everyone needs an Ove!

And there you have it. My favorite reads of 2014. It was certainly a great year for reading. How about you? What knocked your socks off this year?

Also, a last little correction for yesterday. I included The Secret Wisdom of the Earth on my favorite debuts list and it IS in fact one of my favorite debuts. However, it doesn't officially come out until 2015. I read it in advance to cover it for Shelf Awareness and lost track of its publication date--January 2015. It's a wonderful book but it isn't a 2014 debut. Sorry!

2014 Favorite Covers & First Lines

Well, it's hard to believe it, but it's that time of year again. Time to sum up the year in reading with my favorites lists. For those who may be new to the blog this year end, I have foregone the use of the term "best" because the connotation indicates there is a standard or rubric that makes the selection objective, when in reality all of these lists--no matter who they are compiled by--are completely subjective and dependent on the choosers' tastes and interests. So my lists are "favorite lists."

I had hoped to integrate some stats from what blog readers also liked this year, but the responses were too few to offer anything up in that realm. Maybe next year?

As for my favorites in the categories of covers and first lines, here are those that rocked my reading world for 2014:

FAVORITE COVERS

5.  A Better World (Marcus Sakey): I think you'll notice a running theme of simplicity in my favorite covers. In addition to A Better World's cover having a connection with the first in the trilogy, it screams a big meaning in a subtle use of art. The only thing that would have improved this cover is a more subtle use of the blurb--preferably moving it to the back cover.

4. Roosevelt's Beast (Louis Bayard): The rich layered approach of Bayard's writing is epitomized in the dimension of this cover. His atmosphere and setting are nailed.  The minimalistic use of color gives each hue strength in the overall arrangement. The font choice for the title builds the suspense before readers even crack the cover. And the wording is limited to the title and author--how wonderfully refreshing.

3. Conquest (John Connolly & Jennie Redyard): I absolutely love the use of shape and light in this cover. It exudes so many elements of the novel: the blending of cultures, the sci-fi genre, they mysterious and unknown, as well as the strong connection to basics of the planet. Again, I think the simplistic color scheme adds strength to each shade and highlight.

2. The Global War on Morris (Steve Israel): This is a very late entry for 2014. The book comes out tomorrow and you'll hear more about it after my review runs in Shelf Awareness, but this cover has a less subtle use of color which is perfect for this political satire. The stark contrast between the elements in this composition are bold and loud and funny, just like the points Israel makes inside the book.

1. The Intern's Handbook (Shane Kuhn): I listened to this audiobook for Audiofile Magazine and much like The Global War on Morris, the colors of this cover are minimal but they are bold and jump out at the viewer. The composition of the cover is brilliant and intricately tied to the plot. I can't help but love a cover that makes a concerted effort to accurately tie into the novel it's representing.  Kudos to Simon and Schuster on this beauty!

FAVORITE FIRST LINES:

5.  Talk by Michael Smerconish: "Fire, tits and sharks are TV gold."

4. Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix: "It was dawn, and the zombies were stumbling through the parking lot, streaming toward the massive beige box at the far end."

3. Don't Look Back by Gregg Hurwitz: "Terror came as a vibration, a plucked-wire note more felt than heard, primary to the deadening heat, to the flick of unseen insects against her face, to the oppressive night humidity that pressed into her pores."

2. Those Who Wish Me Dead by Michael Koryta: "On the last day of Jace Wilson's life, the thirteen-year-old stood on a quarry ledge staring at cool, still water and finally understood something his mother had told him years before: Trouble might come for you when you showed fear, but trouble doubled-down when you lied about it."

1. The Happiest People in the World by Brock Clarke: "The moose head was fixed to the wall, the microphone in its mouth was broken, but the camera in its left eye was working just fine, and as far as the moose head could see, this was just another Friday night in the Lumber Lodge!"

What covers and first lines tickled your fancy this year? Share with us in the comments, we'd love to know. Tomorrow I'll have my favorite debuts and favorite audiobooks for 2014. See you then!

My Life According to Books

Welcome to today's Thankfully Reading Weekend mini-challenge. This is a meme I have done for the past several years, thanks to my friend Pop Culture Nerd. This year I collaborated with her to come up with the sentence starters and we're sharing it with you for this mini-challenge.

For those who haven't heard of this fun activity before, I'm going to give you the beginnings to ten sentences. You complete the sentences with book titles from books you've read this year. They don't have to be books that were published this year, just books you read this year.

You can see Pop Culture Nerd's responses here. And the responses I gave for previous years include last year, 2012, 2011, 2010, and 2009 (yes, I obviously enjoy this--I hope you do, too).

So now on to this year's feature:

1. Black Friday makes me: Roosevelt's Beast (Louis Bayard)

2. If you post racists comments on Facebook, I: (flip) The Kill Switch (James Rollins & Grant Blackwood)

3. In my ID photo, I look like: (I belong in) Morgue Drawer 4 (Jutta Profijt)

4. If someone interrupts my reading, I: Think Like a Freak (Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner)

5. When I read/watch the news I: (become an) Angry Optimist (Lisa Rogak)

6. The last time I (we) visited the zoo, I (we): (were) The Happiest People in the World (Brock Clarke)

7. If I were a Supreme Court justice, I would: (dole out) Just Mercy (Bryan Stevenson)

8. Absolutely nothing compares to: Adventures in the Anthropocene (Gaia Vince)

9. Best advice my mom gave me was: Don't Look Back (Gregg Hurwitz)

10. My hope for 2015 is: A Better World (Marcus Sakey)

O.k. what do you think? Ready to take a shot at it? You can post to your blog or leave a comment with your responses. If you post to your blog, be sure to come back and leave us a link so we can come see your responses! It's so much fun to see what everyone comes up with for these.

The 2014 Mid-point Post

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that tomorrow is the first day of July! Where has this year gone? I guess I've been so busy reading that the days have gotten away from me. ;-)

So, I thought I'd do a mid-point rundown of my reading so far and then you all can share with me some of your favorite reads and numbers of books etc.

To date I've read 51 books by 51 different authors.
19 of those were written by women, 1 was written by a male/female writing team and the remaining 30 by men.
14 are unabridged audiobooks.
8 are debut novels.
31 are books written by authors I've never read before this year.
And 5 are non-fiction.

That's the lowdown on stats. Now, the fun part. The books at this point in the year that will be considered for my favorites list in December (in the order in which I read them):

The Stolen Ones by Richard Montanari
Roosevelt's Beast by Louis Bayard
The Deepest Secret by Carla Buckley
Talk by Michael Smerconish
The Intern's Handbook by Shane Kuhn
Any Other Name by Craig Johnson
Those Who Wish Me Dead by Michael Koryta
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
A Brand New World by Marcus Sakey
All Day and a Night by Alafair Burke

There are ten titles here, so obviously they won't all be on the final list--unless the second half of the year is really bad, but don't count on it--just consider this my mid-year favorites list. The titles linked above will go to my reviews. The remainder of the reviews are forthcoming.

So, your turn. What's knocked your socks off so far this year?

Five on Friday - Louis Bayard

Happy Friday and Happy Pi Day everyone! I'm working on prep for Left Coast Crime next week and getting very excited to see a lot of my book-loving friends soon. Are any of you planning to attend?

I will be moderating a panel called "Social Media: Getting the Word out in Today's Digital Age."  It's Friday at 4 if you will be there and are so inclined to attend. We're going to try to touch on some current issues in the major social media platforms. There's another panel opposite us with Craig Johnson and Cara Black that I'd probably choose over ours, so if you're not there, I won't be offended, really! ;-)

If you haven't seen this yet, I'm sure all you Harry Bosch fans will be happy.

For my audiobook-loving friends, you definitely want to check out this contest over at Criminal Element. I'm listening to The Cairo Affair right now and can tell you it's excellent! I'm sure the other three are great as well!

Friday Reads has some dark international crime to give away this week. And me, I have Louis Bayard! Well, I have Louis' Five on Friday interview.

I did some brainstorming and came up with a new final question so we can have some great authors revisit us for Five on Friday. Don't worry, I'm still recruiting new faces, but this will enable you to get to know some of our favorite faces even better. And since Lou is definitely one of my most favorites, it's fitting that we welcome him back first. If you missed my review of his new book Roosevelt's Beast, be sure to check that out as well. I'm sure you'll see that on my end of the year favorites list.

And without any further ado, let me turn this show over to the star!

1. As hard as I’ve tried, I’ve never been able to master: skating. Roller or ice. I held out hope that my two boys would succeed where I had failed, but they turned out to be just as oafish as me. We’re a family that respects solid ground. (But I’m crazy in awe of Olympic skaters.) 


2. My favorite smell is: the smell of an old paperback. Which is cheating, I know, because each paperback has its own smell. The one I remember best was the old, dog-eared copy of “Gone with the Wind” I read as a kid. A sweet rich piney smell I could never get enough of.


3. If I had to perform in a talent show, I would do: my Ethel Merman impersonation. A long time ago, a friend and I put together a show called “Ethel Merman Sings the Music of Boy George.” Today, I would probably have to confine myself to Late Ethel, sliding crazily between notes.


4. I have nearly been driven to road rage when I’ve witnessed a driver doing: I’m big on etiquette, so if I let a driver cut in front of me, I fully expect a thank-you wave. And if I don’t get it, I begin to plot a vast array of diabolical paybacks, all of which climax with the driver sputtering out his last breaths on a hot pavement: “Why? Why?” “’Cause you didn’t thank me, punk.” Cue Sergio Leone music.


5. If you had been born with a warning label, what would it read? “Don’t leave unattended. On second thought, do. Feed with chocolate.” 

When you stop laughing I encourage you to go check out Lou's Facebook page, his Twitter account and his website. And if you haven't read his books yet, put everything else away and go find one!! I've read them in print and listened to audios and I've loved every last word. And if you're in the DC area, I want to encourage you to go see Lou and tell him hi for me at One More Page Books on March 27th. I was going to make a trip to DC, but since I'll just be getting back from Monterey, it's not going to work out. Jenn Lawrence, I'm looking at you, girl! One of these days, I'm determined to meet this man in person!

It is such an honor to not only have this amazing writer here on the blog, but for him to return. What a treasure! My thanks to Louis Bayard. And to all of you for tolerating my fan girl behavior this Friday. Hope your weekend is great.

Happy Reading!

Roosevelt's Beast - Louis Bayard

First line: "After all these years, his best friend is malaria."

Using Theodore and Kermit Roosevelt's famed 1914 exploration of the River of Doubt in Brazil as his foundation, Louis Bayard shifts his imagination into overdrive and creates a thrilling adventure that would make today's action heroes envious.

The Roosevelt-Rondon expedition was moving slowly down the South American river. Their rations were running low and disease was running high. Due to dangerous rapids and currents in the water, the group would often have to carry the boats on land until they passed the hazardous areas. During one of these forays, Teddy and Kermit are kidnapped by the Cinta Larga, a Amazonian tribe.

Communication would have been impossible for the Roosevelt's among this strange group of people were it not for a young woman named Luz. Luz spoke Portuguese--as did Kermit; she wasn't born into the Cinta Larga tribe, but rather was absorbed by them when her family perished in the jungle. 

Teddy and Kermit are determined that they will not remain with the Cinta Larga, nor will they die at their hands. Luz informs them both that the tribe will release them if they perform a special task on their behalf. They must find and kill the Beast, the monster that has been tormenting the tribe. It has killed man and animal alike, gutting its prey and yet leaving no tracks.

Left with no alternative, the Roosevelts--sick and malnourished--set off with two rifles, Luz and Luz's young son Thiago in search of the elusive Beast.

Reading a new novel by Louis Bayard is akin to a midnight ride on Santa's sleigh: it's magical, breath-taking and unforgettable. He gives you a view of the world you can't get anywhere else. Roosevelt's Beast continues his string of exceptional stories and incredible worlds.

Kermit Roosevelt is the "hero" of this story. The reader learns through his eyes and experiences. The expedition was not one he had any interest in joining--he had just become engaged and was wrapped up in wedding planning--but he was pressured to go along by his mother who worried about Teddy. Despite being an accomplished, talented young man in his own right, Kermit perpetually lived in the shadow of his presidential father. He's complex and troubled. Bayard uses this condition of his hero to re-create, re-shape and give voice to an engaging, compassionate and flawed adventurer.

Equally fascinating is the voice that Teddy then has in the novel as experienced through Kermit's eyes. The hodge-podge mixture of greatness and humor, yet vulnerability. Kermit's a son who looks up to his father, yet has to take care of him and protect him at the same time.

Bayard's firm understanding and knowledge of, not only the trip itself, but the entire Roosevelt family, is obvious in his approach to the historical elements as well as his manipulation of them. He brings the Amazonian world to life on his pages, leaving the reader swatting at bugs and hearing the whining call of the spider monkeys.

Roosevelt's Beast is multi-layered and definitely a book meant for re-reading. Forget all of technology's flashy special effects and enhancements, Bayard uses good old-fashioned imagination and creativity to haunt, engage, grip, tickle and entertain. It doesn't get more effective--or more magical--than that.

Roosevelt's Beast releases to the world in hardcover (ISBN: 978-0-8050-9070-3) this Tuesday. It is also available as an unabridged audiobook (ISBN: 978-1629234489), narrated by John Pruden from Dreamscape Audio.

Tomorrow Louis Bayard returns to the Five on Friday seat, so be sure to check back. In the meantime, enjoy his mock book trailer:

Looking Forward to March

Since I've been going through the books I have for March and growing more and more excited, I thought I'd do a highlight post of the four I'm most looking forward to. At least so far! I'm hoping to be able to read them all, although they may not all fit into March--don't forget about Left Coast Crime!

The first book on my radar is Brad Parks' next Carter Ross mystery, THE PLAYER. The series has only continued to get better, so I'm excited to delve into the new installment that has Carter investigating strange illnesses in a small neighborhood. This one sounds like a creative twist on environmental poisoning stories. THE PLAYER comes out March 4th from Minotaur.

The next book is a non-fiction. And it's a memoir. Those who know me well know I usually run screaming at the mention of a memoir, but the basis for this young man's story is a cause near and dear to my heart: education. So I'm intrigued and looking forward to THE PROMISE OF A PENCIL. Adam Braun, the book's author, has been named to Forbes's list of 30 under 30 because of his work creating this non-profit that builds schools and trains teachers in impoverished areas around the world. So, I have high hopes for this memoir from Scribner. THE PROMISE OF A PENCIL comes out March 18th.

The third gem for March is the second book for Orest Stelmach. THE BOY WHO STOLE FROM THE DEAD is the follow-up to his 2013 debut THE BOY FROM REACTOR 4. Despite the boy titles, Stelmach's continuing character is Nadia Tesla. In THE BOY WHO STOLE FROM THE DEAD, Nadia has to take on an international investigation when a mysterious young hockey phenom is accused of murder in New York City. An added bonus on buying this book is Stelmach's continuing donation to Chernobyl Children International. I'd be excited to read it without the charity connection, but it sure is nice to see someone reaching out for others, isn't it? THE BOY WHO STOLE FROM THE DEAD comes out March 11th from Thomas & Mercer.

Then a book I've been waiting for! Louis Bayard isn't as prolific  as some writers (in novel-writing, he does quite a bit of additional writing, though) so whenever something new comes out, it's cause for celebration. This March his book ROOSEVELT'S BEAST will be out from Henry Holt. If you visit his website, he has a short audio clip about his writing of the book. Bayard is so fascinating and I'm psyched about this book. This is an alternate history story of Teddy and Kermit Roosevelt's Amazon voyage in 1914. The two Roosevelts are kidnapped by a native tribe. I've come to learn that a book from Louis Bayard is absolutely worth the wait. ROOSEVELT'S BEAST comes out March 18th.

O.k. so those are the books I'm most looking forward to in March. What has caught YOUR eye?

2012 Favorite Audiobooks

Since the number of audiobooks I listened to this year was about half of what I listened to last year, I thought it appropriate that I choose my top five, otherwise my top 10 would be almost 50 percent of what I listened to. That's kind of silly. Staying to five is a challenge because I listened to some great audiobooks this year, but I'm up for it.

Here are the five audiobooks that I felt overall were the best listening experiences of my 2012 year (note that they were not necessarily produced this year; I listened to them this year):

5. Mr Timothy. Written by Louis Bayard and narrated by Mark Honan for AudioGo. This audio kept me company on my drive back from Washington D.C. the week before Christmas (how appropriate). The time period and atmosphere were communicated beautifully through Honan's narration. He brought out the age and maturity levels of the characters and nailed the spunk of the young Collin. Louis Bayard is a brilliant writer and none of his eloquence or art was lost in Honan's translation. Wonderfully done.

4. The Wind Through the Keyhole. Written and narrated by Stephen King for Simon and Schuster Audio. Believe it or not, this was my first foray into King's written work. I've seen several of the movie adaptations of his work, but this was the first time hearing his actual words. And while I'm not typically a fantasy reader, I loved the layers of meaning in this story. The biggest shocker, however, is that King is a fantastic narrator. I typically shy away from audios narrated by their authors because writing a book does not make a person a good narrator. As a matter of fact, very few authors have the performance talent necessary to narrate their own work. But this was stellar, so it was a treat to hear King's own interpretation of his work.

3. Invisible Murder. Written by Lene Kaaberbøl and Agnete Friis, narrated by Katherine Kellgren for AudioGo. Kellgren did such a spectacular job with the various dialects in this suspense thriller. The ease with which she handled all ages and genders made the audio flow so smoothly that the fact it WAS an audio simply faded into the background as the story took center stage.

2. Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend. Written by Matthew Dicks, narrated by Matthew Brown for Macmillan Audio. It's not technically a crime fiction audiobook, but there is a crime element. And regardless of genre, it's an amazing audiobook. The story is heartwarming but also extremely challenging. Brown had to bring out the additional dimension of imaginary friends, the dimension in which they reside and people are only tangentially connected. Brown nailed it; the recording is brilliant and unforgettable.

1. Gutshot Straight. Written by Lou Berney, narrated by Edoardo Ballerini for Audible, Inc. There are probably a lot of people tired of hearing me recommend Lou Berney this year. I had a copy of Gutshot Straight in print for quite awhile, but hadn't gotten around to reading it. So, I picked up the audio and kicked myself for not reading it sooner. However, had I read it sooner, I would not likely have picked up the audio and enjoyed the best listening experience of 2012. Ballerini did such a magnificent job narrating this all-around fun crime caper. He seemed to be on the same wave length with both Berney and Shake. I was entranced; I laughed; I exercised extra just so I could listen longer. Superb! My favorite audiobook of 2012.

There you have it! My favorite audios. Now let me know what you listened to this year that you really liked. Did anyone try audios for the first time? Anyone putting them on their list to try for 2013? The hardest list is next. Narrowing down my favorite reads of 2012. Check back on Monday. In the mean time, have a wonderful weekend and HAPPY READING!

Five on Friday: Louis Bayard

I am so sorry I've been M.I.A. this week. To make up for my absence, I have a super fun Five on Friday today. Before I get to our wonderful guest, though, I have a few items to share with you.

First, my interview with Lisa Unger appeared this week in Shelf Awareness. So you can check that out if you'd like. I'll have a review of her new book HEARTBROKEN soon, I promise!

Next, congrats go out to Carl who was the winner of NIGHT WATCH from last week's giveaway. I'll have some more great giveaways next week, so stay tuned.

And the last little item I want to share is about a Criminal Element contest. I don't share all the contests over there, but y'all know I loved Lou Berney's GUTSHOT STRAIGHT and I have to say that WHIPLASH RIVER is just as wonderful (review to come later); Criminal Element has a chance for you to win both. You have to register before noon (Eastern) on the 17th, so just go do it now and you'll have nothing to worry about!

O.k. now for the highlight of my Friday. Louis Bayard has become one of my go-to recommendations and I have Steve Hockensmith to thank for that. Steve recommended Louis' THE PALE BLUE EYE on one of our features here awhile back. Steve's recommendation was just too tempting to resist, and I'm glad because THE PALE BLUE EYE was amazing! And I've been a devout Louis Bayard fan ever since. I believe he's the kind of writer who can appeal to everyone. So if you haven't read him yet, add him to your list. I highly recommend the audio versions of his books as well.

To say I'm thrilled to have him participating in the Five on Friday feature would be a gross understatement. Please help me welcome, Mr. Louis Bayard!

When I’m reading a book, I absolutely hate it when a writer...  Pummels me with research! I call it the “straight A student trap.” You’ve been spending all this time in the library stacks and you want a big fat gold star for it, so you download everything you’ve ever learned about … [sanitation practices in early 19th-century France] … [architectural features of Restoration-Era London] … [shipbuilding in the Far East] … and it’s such a bore. If I can’t find your story for the research, I move on.

The TV show I absolutely can’t miss is:  “The Good Wife.” Not game-changing television. It’s just so unfailingly well-constructed, well-written and well-acted that it gives me more actual pleasure than more “happening” shows (e.g., Breaking Bad, Mad Men). And it confirms my suspicion that great entertainment is rarer than great art.

The best car I ever owned was:  A 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera. Because it was so ugly it was pretty. Because, when I moved from Chicago, it was able to carry every last one of my belongings (including the stereo system that never worked but I brought with me anyway). Because it was so insultingly easy to break into and hotwire that, by the time it was finally stolen, its insurance value was significantly more than I could have sold it for. I believe it grasped this at some level. I believe it went to its chop shop with a true heart.

My favorite vegetable is: Brussels sprouts. Because of all things you have to do to Brussels sprouts – i.e., lard them with cream, butter, bacon or cheese or some combination of all those things – to make them edible. In other words, they give you the perfect excuse to eat stuff you would never otherwise allow yourself to eat. (Hm. Brussels sprouts and ice cream….)

The #1 item on my bucket list right now is: Finishing my fricking book! Each of my novels takes roughly two years to emerge, so by the end of the gestation, I’m like a heavily pregnant woman begging for epidurals. Just get it out! And then, of course, once it’s done I plunge into existential angst because I’m not working on a book and hence have no identity. Writers are a sick breed. 

Oh, but I'm so glad you exist! When Lou isn't writing his novels, he writes some fantastic articles and reviews for various publications. You can check them out on his website.  I also love his video of him from the National Book Festival.



 Fun stuff. Wonderful writer. Great guy. Many thanks to Lou for taking time out and having a little fun with us this week. I hope you all enjoyed Lou's responses much as I did.

Have a GREAT weekend and happy reading!

THE PALE BLUE EYE - Louis Bayard

First line: "In two or three hours...well, it's hard to tell...in three hours, surely, or at the very outside, four hours...within four hours, let us say, I'll be dead."

An apparent suicide is discovered outside the parade grounds of West Point in 1830. A cadet has hung himself from a tree. To add insult to injury, someone sneaks into the coroner's and steals the dead cadet's heart.

In an effort to quietly and discreetly solve the mystery of who would commit such a ghoulish wrong on the dead, West Point Superintendent Sylvanus Thayer calls on Augustus "Gus" Landor, a former constable, to investigate the crime. Landor, being an outsider, needs to find an assistant who can penetrate the West Point code but who isn't a suspect and won't look suspicious in his inquiries. So Gus turns to Edgar Allan Poe.

Louis Bayard has a very rare skill. He manages to blend the literary, the mysterious and suspenseful, the historical and the comical altogether in a most effective combination. The euphonious language may at first deceive readers into thinking the plot's pacing will be slow, but it's quite the contrary. Bayard has constructed a murder mystery that only continues to gather layers and momentum as the story unfolds. Red herrings abound, teasing the reader to follow, daring him/her to just try to put the book down.

The dialogue in THE PALE BLUE EYE resonates with the time period and the characteristics of the speakers, but it is also sharp and witty. Bayard's portrayal of Poe through his language is deliciously priceless: he's at time sympathetic, at times unintentionally comical and always passionate.

The characters populating THE PALE BLUE EYE exude depth and realism, while remaining constructs of their author's imagination. I personally found myself talking to them: "get a grip," "no, don't do it," "awwww!" Those kinds of responses, whether positive or negative, are elicited by the characters who provoke our ardor.  Bayard and his characters are excellent provocateurs.

I listened to THE PALE BLUE EYE on audio, which was an exceptional treat. Charles Leggett narrated Bayard's work with panache. His reading epitomizes what a great audiobook does. Leggett embodies each of the characters through their unique mannerisms, tones, and dialects. The demanding presence of Commandant Ethan Allen Hitchcock leaves even the reader a bit intimidated, while Poe's starry-eyed infatuation is cute and Landor's weariness lamentable.  Bayard's wit comes through in Leggett's interpretation of the work, leaving the reader chuckling or even laughing out loud.  And he seems to flow effortlessly through the various East Coast dialects spoken by the cast.

I believe that certain books should at be experienced on audio at least once. The beauty of the language, when performed well, is simply magical. THE PALE BLUE EYE read by Charles Leggett is one of these books.

THE PALE BLUE EYE is available in trade paper from Harper Perennial (ISBN: 978-0060733988) and on audio from AudioGo (previously BBC America) (ISBN: 978-0792742371).