Highlights Newsletter

  The weekly newsletter, now available each week on this page, brings complete information on upcoming author events, coming attractions for future months, new signed first editions, and other features, such as announcements of our monthly 'Signed & Selected' picks.
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TOMORROW, TUESDAY the 22nd at 3:00 PM at San Mateo Main Library: ALEXANDER McCALL SMITH will talk about and sign his latest No. 1 Ladies mystery, The Miracle at Speedy Motors (Pantheon, $21.95). The ninth adventure of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency finds Precious Ramotswe, Botswana's leading -- and only -- female private detective, confronted by anonymous letters threatening her and her prickly assistant, Grace Makutsi. Publishers Weekly said this "triumphant" addition to the series "will intrigue old fans" with "significant developments in the lives of the community Smith has lovingly created"; at the same time, this entry should prove "immediately accessible to newcomers ... (and) will prompt them to seek out the earlier books." ALSO: -- Espresso Tales (Anchor, 2006, $13.95, trade paperback original) New, SIGNED. -- Friends, Lovers, Chocolate (Pantheon, 2005, $5.00) F/F, SIGNED. -- The Good Husband Of Zebra Drive (London, UK: Polygon, 2007, $34.00) New, SIGNED.

The author will also sign Love Over Scotland (Knopf, $13.95 trade paperback original), the third in the 44 Scotland Street series; Kirkus called it "...irresistible". Reserve your copies now, for pick-up at store or at event! The San Mateo Main Library is at 55 West Third Avenue, one block west of El Camino Real. "M" is co-sponsor and will be on hand with these books for sale. There is free underground and street parking.

WEDNESDAY the 23rd brings RABIH ALAMEDDINE at Noon, to sign (only) Hakawati (Knopf, $25.95). Kirkus starred: "Alameddine mingles a four-generation family saga with a cornucopia of Arabian tales and historical dramas to create a one-of-a-kind novel... No one interested in boundary-defying fiction will want to miss this high-wire act... A dizzying, prodigal display of storytelling overabundance." The history of a family and of Lebanon unfold side-by-side in this story of a Californian who goes home to Beirut to visit his dying father. Amy Tan called it "a glorious, gorgeous masterpiece of pure storytelling and fable-making." And Andrew Sean Greer said: "Here it comes, the book of the year, on its own magic carpet. No book this bewitching has ever felt so important; no book this important has ever been so lovingly enchanted. It is a snapshot of our current crisis, and a story for the ages."

On SATURDAY the 26th at 2:00 PM, ADAM MANSBACH debuts at "M" with The End of The Jews (Spiegel & Grau, $23.95). "Mansbach takes on three generations of the Brodsky family in this epic of American life from the mid-1930s to the end of the 1990s," reported Library Journal. The author, who teaches at the San Francisco Art Institute, "moves effortlessly between U.S. jazz clubs of different eras and Communist Prague... Believably eccentric characters and an inventive cross-generational plot make this novel of immigration's vicissitudes a delight," added Publishers Weekly. It's "painfully honest, compassionately cognizant of human frailty and complexity, alive to the magic of creativity yet aware of its consequences -- very exciting fiction indeed," agreed Kirkus. And author Daniel Alarcon (Lost City Radio) called it "Lyrical, brave, and moving ... further proof of Adam Mansbach’s formidable talent... This novel is not to be missed."

SUNDAY the 27th at 2:00 PM, JACK O'CONNELL brings The Resurrectionist (Algonquin, $24.95) As he pores over old comic books to learn what his son may have imagined when his brain still functioned normally, a father discovers the Goldfaden Freaks, a sideshow troupe including a skeleton, a pinhead, a human torso, a lobster girl and the chicken boy who serves as their conscience and spirit. "A father struggles to reclaim his son from a long-standing coma in O'Connell's dark, wildly inventive fantasy... The shadow world of comic books provides O'Connell (Word Made Flesh, 1999, etc.) with material for a nightmarish story that's hallucinatory, tightly structured and ultimately redemptive," said Kirkus. And Publishers Weekly called it "an engrossing, elaborately staged exploration of consciousness... Like Stephen King in Richard Bachman mode, O'Connell digs for darkness... This strange brew is sure to enhance [his] growing cult status."

ON TUESDAY the 29th at 7:00 PM, we welcome back LIBBY FISCHER HELLMANN. She will discuss and sign Easy Innocence (Big Earth, $24.95, and the $45.00 limited "Evidence" edition, signed and dated on a special Booking Sheet). The award-winning author of the Ellie Foreman series (An Image of Death, Eye for Murder) and editor of the Chicago Blues anthology introduces a new character, Chicago cop-turned-PI Georgia Davis, to investigate the killing of a high school girl found bludgeoned at a spot where a notorious hazing incident once took place. "Hellmann brings to life the reality of hazing and bullying among teenage girls in a story with enough twists and turns to keep you reading to the end. Highly recommended." said School Library Journal. And Kirkus said: "Depth of characterization sets this new entry by Hellmann apart from a crowded field." -- ALSO: Image Of Death (Poisoned Pen, 2004, $12.00) F-/F, SIGNED and dated.

On WEDNESDAY the 30th at 7:00 PM, STEVEN SIDOR talks about and signs The Mirror's Edge (St. Martin's Minotaur, $24.95). In what Publishers Weekly called the "bone-chilling" third novel by the author of Skin River and Bone Factory, Chicago freelance journalist Jase Deering decides to investigate a year-old kidnapping. The trail leads to a cult that advocates human sacrifice. Ten years later, Deering -- who has ghosts of his own -- is still investigating, and realizing that even if he finds the victims, it may be too late to save them, or himself. PW said Sidor "is a master of the unsettling, and each twist is more grisly and unexpected than the last. Readers won't be able to resist staying up all night to finish this haunting tale..." And Kirkus concluded: "No doubt about it, Sidor writes brilliantly."

THURSDAY, MAY 1st at 7:00 PM, SCOTT SIGLER will discuss and sign Infected (Crown, $24.95). "In Sigler's riveting horror thriller, alien seeds from outer space infect a number of unlucky humans, who develop some unusual symptoms-itchy, blue triangular growths on their skin-that eventually result in the carriers becoming screaming, homicidal maniacs... Sigler (Ancestor) leads the reader from one startling detail to the next - the creatures learn to speak ('feed us we hungry'); they grow little black eyes - until even hardened genre fans will find themselves whimpering at each new revelation. This terrifying page-turner could be the author's breakout book..." said Publishers Weekly. And Library Journal said: "Sigler has.... [built] up a readership with blogs and podcast versions of his writing, then using that momentum to secure a book deal. This novel doesn't suffer from any sense of gimmickry, though, despite its noticeably short, podcast-friendly chapters. It's a solid example of the technically minded sf horror Sigler aims to produce."

FRIDAY the 2nd at 7:00 PM, the first-ever appearance of a true Brit master, PETER LOVESEY, who will discuss and sign The Headhunters: An Inspector Hen Mallin Investigation (Soho, $24.00). "Lovesey's second novel starring Chichester CID inspector Henrietta 'Hen' Mallin (after 2005's The Circle) provides further proof that the CWA Diamond Dagger winner has no peer in presenting a traditional mystery, with all the clues hiding in plain sight... Inspector Mallin deserves as long a fictional career as Lovesey's other current series sleuth, Peter Diamond," said Publishers Weekly. And Kirkus praised: "Master craftsman Lovesey (The Secret Hangman, 2007, etc.) flaunts his deviousness with a plethora of wickedly plausible suspects... Lovesey makes it virtually impossible to figure out whodunit before he reveals all. Catnip for enthusiasts of the classic puzzler." Rounding out the raves, Library Journal said: "Award winner Lovesey never fails to entertain: his books are as complicated and well written as those of Ian Rankin and John Harvey. Here, the suspense will keep readers turning pages long into the night." --ALSO: The Secret Hangman (U.K.: Sphere, 2007, $39.00) SIGNED.

On SATURDAY the 3rd at 2:00 PM, CLAIRE M. JOHNSON returns with Roux Morgue (Poisoned Pen, $24.95). Publishers Weekly starred: "The growing rift between the "dinosaurs" and the "young brats" on the teaching staff at San Francisco's École d'Epicure fuels the highly amusing action in Johnson's superior second cozy to feature funky pastry chef Mary Ryan (after 2002's Beat Until Stiff)... When one chef dies after an allergic shellfish reaction with no shellfish on the menu, and another is strangled at home, Ryan suspects something more sinister than differences of culinary theory. In one of many farcical scenes, Ryan enlists the aid of a hostile friend-of-a-friend to hack into École's computer system to dig for answers. This enjoyable romp should gain Johnson new fans." And Kirkus concluded: "Sexual tension, cooking tips and a neatly packaged mystery. All in all, a tasty tale."

'S&S' I: DAVID LEVIEN - City of the Sun (Doubleday, $24.95) [Previously announced] Publishers Weekly starred: "Screenwriter Levien's debut crackles with raw intensity... Levien expertly weaves a subplot involving the tragic death of Behr's own young son into the complex kidnapping story, and the moments shared between the two grieving fathers are heartbreaking. Fans of Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch will be particularly delighted." And Kirkus praised: "In this debut novel from screenwriter Levien, a kidnapped child leads an emotionally wounded private detective and his client down a relentlessly grim trail from middle America to the darkest deserts of Mexico. Young Jamie Gabriel is in the middle of his predawn paper route when he's snatched from an Indianapolis street by strip-club bouncer Tad Ford and his partner Rooster Mintz. ...the novel is a remarkably assured exercise in grabbing you by the throat and shaking you until the very end."

'S&S' II: DOMENIC STANSBERRY - The Ancient Rain (St. Martin's Minotaur, $24.95). The Edgar winner's third mystery to feature San Francisco cop-turned-PI Dante Mancuso looks at veterans of the counterculture underground caught up in paranoid post-9/11 America. Publishers Weekly called it "... compelling... Mancuso learns firsthand what it feels like to become a victim in a drama being played out between the government and those that oppose its policies. Equal parts contemporary crime fiction and dark, existential poetry, this novel should win Stansberry new fans." Kirkus concluded that "Stansberry has always walked on the noir side -- but this brilliantly imagined version of real events packs an emotional wallop genre fiction rarely delivers." George Pelecanos said: "Stansberry is an extraordinarily evocative writer."

'S&S' III: LOUISE PENNY - The Cruelist Month (St. Martin's Minotaur, $23.95). Publishers Weekly starred: "Chief Insp. Armand Gamache and his team investigate another bizarre crime in the tiny Quebec village of Three Pines in Penny's expertly plotted third cozy... Arthur Ellis Award-winner Penny paints a vivid picture of the French-Canadian village, its inhabitants and a determined detective who will strike many Agatha Christie fans as a 21st-century version of Hercule Poirot." And Kirkus also starred its review: "Gamache is a prodigiously complicated and engaging hero, destined to become one of the classic detectives." The Chicago Tribune warned: "Don't look for the hamlet of Three Pines anywhere on a map ... although Louise Penny has made the town and its residents so real ... that you might just try to find it."

'MYSTORICAL': LAURA JOH ROWLAND - The Secret Adventures of Charlotte Bronte (Penguin, $24.95). Kirkus said: "Rowland offers an attractive counterpoint in her portrayal of the Bronte clan and their family dynamics. A very Victorian murder, the evils of British imperialism and a beloved novelist unite in this appealing literary mystery." And from Publishers Weekly: "The author of Jane Eyre plays sleuth in this enchanting historical from Rowland, acclaimed for her mystery series set in 17th-century Japan (The Snow Empress, etc.). ...Charlotte becomes ensnared in a case involving a revenge plot orchestrated by an arch villain shaded with old school orientalism. Brontë fans will delight in Rowland's portrait of Charlotte, who closely parallels Jane both in personality and station. The men playing opposite Charlotte often echo the character of Edward Rochester, lending an enticing will-they, won't-they tension to the proceedings."

PETER ABRAHAMS: Delusion (William Morrow, $24.95) SIGNED. [Expected in -- finally -- this week, approx. 4/23.] Kirkus said that in the latest offering from this Edgar-nominated author, ''the apparent exoneration of a wrongfully convicted killer plays havoc with the people who did the convicting -- and with the convict as well. One night 20 years ago, Nell Jarreau saw her boyfriend stabbed to death by a robber whose mask slipped just enough to give a clear look at his face, enough to persuade her -- and a jury -- that the murderer was Alvin DuPree. Now a videotape, locked away in the files of a detective, gives DuPree an alibi... As the plot simmers, the real prize here is DuPree, a brutish innocent who imagines himself as Job. Abrahams succeeds in making this deeply wronged man dangerous, pitiable and scary."

ACE ATKINS: Wicked City (Penguin, $24.95) SIGNED. [Expected early this week, approx. 4/21] "A riveting story about how the triumph of evil is forestalled when good men ... do something. Phenix City, Ala., is a real place. In 1955 Look magazine called it 'the Wickedest City in America.' Atkins, who begins his novel a year earlier, based it on a real case that transformed the town. While sin, in all its familiar variations, had become endemic in Phenix City, one homicide too many was about to change the status quo... Atkins (White Shadow, 2006, etc.) is clearly in love with his colorful characters - on both sides of the moral divide - and makes them wonderfully believable," said Kirkus. And Library Journal called it "...a gripping, superb crime story, all the more remarkable because it really did happen. Highly recommended..."

DONNA LEON: The Girl of His Dreams (Grove/Atlantic, $24.00) SIGNED bookplates. Once again, food, family, art, history, and local politics play as central a role as an unsolved crime. When a friend of Brunetti’s brother, a priest recently returned from years of missionary work, calls with a request, Brunetti suspects the man’s motives. But the investigation has to be put aside when, one cold and rainy morning, a body is found floating in a canal."Leon builds her plots slowly, with plenty of thought-provoking diversions. At the heart of this particular death in Venice are issues of charity and the protection of disenfranchised communities and deprived children. But she is also careful not to ram any messages down your throat. Brunetti’s thirst for the Venetian way of life, as ever, carries the story," said the Mirror (UK). And Library Journal said: "American-born Leon describes her longtime home of Venice lovingly, and the ethical grounding she gives this novel lifts it above the norm."

ANNE PERRY: Buckingham Palace Gardens (Random House, $26.00, and ALSO NOW IN, the U.K. true first edition, SIGNED and dated, $48.00). Perry's 25th novel featuring Thomas Pitt (last seen in 2005's Long Spoon Lane) finds the Victorian sleuth's "detecting and diplomatic skills tested as never before," said Publishers Weekly. When a prostitute's mutilated corpse is found in a cupboard at Buckingham Palace after a stag party thrown by the prince of Wales, political disaster looms for the monarchy, and Pitt, who firmly believes in the concept of justice, has to deal with people able to make their own. "Perry," PW continues, "does a nice job with some plot twists" in this "solid" addition to her bestselling series. As the Cleveland Plain Dealer has said, "Her grasp of Victorian character and conscience still astonishes."

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