Bookreporter.com Staff Picks
Before ringing in the new year, we at The Book Report Network reflect on some of our favorite books published in 2008. Though it was difficult to narrow down, each staff member chose up to five books that he or she enjoyed the most this year. Take a look and see if any of our selections match yours --- and which titles you may want to consider reading in the future.

Bookreporter.com Reviewer Picks
Recently we asked our reviewers to provide us with a list of some of their favorite books from 2008. Included is a mix of fiction and nonfiction titles, all published this year. Take a moment to read these varied lists of titles and see if you agree with their selections! Please note that due to personal and professional commitments, some reviewers were not able to participate in this feature.

INTERVIEWS OF 2008
As 2008 comes to a close, we invite you to take a look at the author interviews that were featured throughout the year on Bookreporter.com. This is a great way to catch up on the discussions you may have missed --- and to re-read what some of your favorite authors had to say about their books.

Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush

About Lisa Jackson About Nancy Bush LisaJackson.com NancyBush.net Author Bibliography - Lisa Jackson Author Bibliography - Nancy Bush About the Book: WICKED GAME

We have 10 advance reading copies of WICKED GAME by Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush to give away to readers who would like to preview the book and comment about it. A description can be found by clicking the link below. If you are interested, please fill out this form by Friday, January 9th.

WICKED GAME by Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush (Romantic Suspense)
On Sale January 27, 2009
Twenty years ago, wild-child Jessie Brentwood vanished from St. Elizabeth’s high school. Most in Jessie’s tight circle of friends believed she simply ran away. Few suspected Jessie was hiding a shocking secret --- one that brought her into the crosshairs of a vicious killer. Two decades pass before a body is unearthed on school grounds and Jessie’s old friends reunite to talk. Most are sure the body is Jessie’s and the mystery of what happened to her has finally been solved. But soon, Jessie’s friends each begin to die in horrible, freak accidents that defy explanation. » Read More

For more on Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush and past featured authors, see our Romantic Suspense promotion.

T. Greenwood

About T. Greenwood TGreenwood.com Author Bibliography Critical Praise Winners of the ARC Mailing About the Book: TWO RIVERS Read an excerpt from TWO RIVERS

TWO RIVERS by T. Greenwood (Fiction)
On Sale December 30, 2008
A haunting new novel set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and civil rights movement is an examination of the power of grief, and the importance of forgiveness. » Read More

For more on T. Greenwood and past featured authors, see our
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Kevin O’Brien

About Kevin O’Brien KevinOBrienBooks.com Author Bibliography Critical Praise Winners of the ARC Mailing About the Book: FINAL BREATH Read an excerpt from FINAL BREATH

FINAL BREATH by Kevin O’Brien (Thriller)
On Sale December 30, 2008
At first the deaths seem random: a young Portland couple brutally murdered in a game gone awry, a Chicago woman who plummeted to her death from an office building, an aspiring screenwriter asphyxiated in his New York apartment… but the macabre souvenirs television reporter Sydney Jordan receives reveal the connection is both personal and terrifying. » Read More

For more on Kevin O’Brien and past featured authors, see our
Suspense/Thriller promotion.

Ted Dekker and Erin Healy

About Ted Dekker About Erin Healy TedDekker.com ErinHealy.com Author Bibliography - Ted Dekker Fast Facts Critical Praise Winners of the ARC Mailing About the Book: KISS Read an excerpt from KISS

KISS by Ted Dekker and Erin Healy (Suspense)
On Sale January 7, 2009
After a car accident puts Shauna McAllister in a coma and wipes out six months of her memory, she returns to her childhood home to recover, but her arrival is fraught with confusion. Her estranged father, a senator bidding on the White House, and her abusive stepmother blame Shauna for the tragedy, which has left her beloved brother severely brain damaged. » Read More

For more on Ted Dekker and Erin Healy and past featured authors,
see our Suspense/Thriller promotion.

NEW IN PAPERBACK

BOOKS INTO MOVIES

With presents to buy, seasonal festivities to plan and late-year loose ends to tie up, the month of December is always a hectic one. What better way to escape the chaos than a night out at the movies? From the laugh-out-loud Jim Carrey comedy Yes Man and the big-budget comic book-inspired action flick The Spirit, to the much-anticipated Winslet/DiCaprio reunion in Revolutionary Road, this month’s Books into Movies feature boasts a wide range of films that offer an ideal two-hour sanctuary from the holiday madness to sit back and lose yourself in a good story.

Offering the perfect diversion is the romantic fantasy drama The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Featuring Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton, this star-studded adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s famous short story chronicles the life of a peculiar man who physically ages backwards and the complications that arise in life
and love.

Fitting the bill as the family film of the holiday season is The Tale of Despereaux --- based on Kate DiCamillo’s quirky fairy tale about the most unlikely knight in shining armor --- followed by the charming pet memoir Marley & Me in close second.

And, for a darker, thought-provoking and poignant character study, there’s the Oscar-buzzworthy Wendy and Lucy, a socio-political indie film about a young woman and her pet dog who encounter serious roadblocks on their way from Indiana to Alaska, in search of employment.

Also, releasing on DVD in December are Prince Caspian --- the second installment in the Chronicles of Narnia series --- the Dr. Seuss favorite Horton Hears a Who! and the period drama The Duchess.

» Click here for more details about December’s films.

CROSS COUNTRY by James Patterson (Thriller)
When the home of Alex Cross's oldest friend is turned into the worst murder scene Alex has ever seen, the destruction leads him to believe that he's chasing a horrible new breed of killer. As Alex and his girlfriend become entangled in the deadly Nigerian underworld of Washington D.C., they discover a stunningly organized gang of lethal teenagers headed by a powerful, diabolical man --- the African warlord known as the Tiger. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub and excerpted.

SHOW NO FEAR: A Nina Reilly Novel, by Perri O’Shaughnessy (Legal Thriller)
In this prequel to the bestselling series that chronicles Nina Reilly's illustrious career as a criminal lawyer, Perri O'Shaughnessy gives readers a glimpse into her early life as a single mom and introduces several of the series' popular characters, including skirt-chasing homicide detective Paul van Wagoner. Reviewed by Lori Lamothe and excerpted.

DARK PURSUIT by Brandilyn Collins (Thriller)
Kaitlan Sering’s estranged grandfather, novelist Darell Brooke, was the legendary King of Suspense --- until an auto accident left him unable to concentrate. Now she’s begging him to protect her from a real serial killer. Can his muddled mind devise a plan to catch the murderer? Reviewed by Marcia Ford and excerpted.

OUTLIERS: The Story of Success, by Malcolm Gladwell (Psychology/Business)
In his third book, social commentator Malcolm Gladwell takes a fresh and stimulating look at the definition of success. Beyond innate talent and hard work, he asks: What are the true determinants of high achievement, and how can we make more opportunities available to a broader group in our society? Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg.

TITANIC’S LAST SECRETS: The Further Adventures of Shadow Divers of John Chatterton and Richie Kohler, by Brad Matsen (History)
As the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic approaches, a team of experts on the 1912 disaster has unveiled a new theory that radically revises history on a subject that continues to fascinate “Titaniacs” the world over. Much of what you thought you “knew” about that April night in 1912 is wrong, they say, and the true story has remained covered up for a century. Reviewed by Robert Finn.

- Visit the publisher’s official website, www.TwelveBooks.com.

THE KING OF SWORDS by Nick Stone (Thriller)
When Detective Max Mingus and his partner, Joe Liston, are called to the scene of a death at Miami's Primate Park, it looks like another routine --- if slightly bizarre --- investigation. That is, until two things turn up: the victim's family, slaughtered, and a partly digested tarot card in the dead man's stomach --- the King of Swords. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

SECOND TIME AROUND by Marcia Willett (Fiction)
In this lovely page-turner, Mathilda Rainbird dies, leaving her home in a secluded cove at the shore to three unknown relatives, all strangers to one another. We follow the lives of young Tessa, widower Will and retired school matron Beatrice, as they connect with each other and with Mathilda's housekeeper, Isobel. Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon.

NIGHT OF THUNDER: A Bob Lee Swagger Novel, by Stephen Hunter (Thriller)
In NIGHT OF THUNDER, Marine Corps master sniper Bob Lee Swagger lets loose his swift sword of justice against Sinnerman. Set against the backdrop of the weeklong NASCAR event, deep in the heart of Dixie, the story takes Swagger through scandals bubbling over with corrupt cops, meth lab crackers and deranged evangelicals set on making Swagger’s life miserable. Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub.

SPELLBOUND BY BEAUTY: Alfred Hitchcock and His Leading Ladies, by Donald Spoto (Biography)
The final volume in Donald Spoto’s Hitchcock trilogy that began with THE ART OF ALFRED HITCHCOCK and continued with THE DARK SIDE OF GENIUS is the story of the great moviemaker and his female stars, the unusual ideas of sex and romance that inform his films, and the Hollywood dreams that often became nightmares. Reviewed by Ron Kaplan.

THE SPANISH GAME by Charles Cumming (Spy Thriller)
Six years ago, Alec Milius was released by MI6 after a disasterous operation. His world shattered, Milius has been living in Madrid, attempting to put his former life as a spy behind him and quietly rebuild his life. But all his plans come crashing down when the head of a separatist movement goes missing, and Milius is lured back into the world of espionage, the brutal world of lies and desperation. Reviewed by Roz Shea.

THE JOURNAL OF HELENE BERR by Hélène Berr (Memoir)
Call her the French Anne Frank if you like, but Hélène Berr is more than just another Holocaust account. This true journal, newly translated into English, records at once the average life of a French college student in the 1940s and the horrors of World War II. Reviewed by Sarah Hannah Gómez.

Marie Bostwick
Marie Bostwick is the New York Times bestselling author of four novels: FIELDS OF GOLD, RIVER'S EDGE, ON WINGS OF THE MORNING and the newly released A SINGLE THREAD. In this interview with Bookreporter.com's Jennifer McCord, Bostwick explains why she decided to focus on a contemporary storyline in this latest book after publishing three historical works of fiction and talks about how her heroic characters were inspired by the strong women in her life. She also recalls how she first began writing, discusses her fascination with quilting --- including its history and cultural value --- and shares details about the next two installments in her Cobbled Court series.

» Read the interview and the review.

John Lutz
Award-winning thriller author John Lutz began writing in 1966 and has since gone on to publish over 40 novels and 200 short stories. His latest work of fiction, NIGHT KILLS, marks the return of homicide detective Frank Quinn, who was featured in the previous works DARKER THAN NIGHT and IN FOR THE KILL. In this interview with Bookreporter.com's Joe Hartlaub, Lutz elaborates on the dynamic his protagonist shares with two recurring secondary characters and describes his fascination behind what motivates ordinarily cautious people to take unreasonable risks. He also shares details about his writing process and discusses some of his current projects, including a stand-alone caper story and a fourth Quinn novel to be released in 2009.

» Read the interview and the review.

M. J. Rose
In this interview with Bookreporter.com's Joe Hartlaub, international bestselling author M. J. Rose recalls the specific event during a family vacation in Vienna that inspired the plot of her latest work of fiction, THE MEMORIST, and explains the role that music --- including the work of Beethoven, who is a central figure in the novel --- has played in her writing process. She also shares some of the favorite books she has read recently, discusses details about where the Phoenix Foundation series is headed and reveals which of her 10 novels is her favorite.

» Read the interview and the review.

Carla Neggers
New York Times bestselling author Carla Neggers has written over 50 novels, including TEMPTING FATE, THE WIDOW, THE ANGEL and the newly released COLD PURSUIT. In this interview with Bookreporter.com's Amie Taylor, Neggers describes how the idea for this latest work arose from the main characters instead of the plot and explains how her atmospheric home in Vermont inspired the story's New England setting. She also discusses how her parents instilled in her both a sense of wanderlust and the need to tell stories, shares her personal writing philosophy and reveals details about her next book, THE MIST, set for publication in June 2009.

» Read the interview and the review.

Dean Koontz
In this interview, New York Times bestselling thriller author Dean Koontz recalls the inspiration behind his latest novel, YOUR HEART BELONGS TO ME, and explains how his Internet entrepreneur protagonist differs from the heroes in many of his previous works. He also shares details about his writing process and reveals what his readers can look forward to in the months to come.

» Read the interview and the review.

Steve Berry
In Steve Berry's latest thriller, THE CHARLEMAGNE PURSUIT, protagonist Cotton Malone searches for the truth behind his father's mysterious death 38 years previous, while also stumbling upon cryptic diaries found in the tomb of the legendary ruler of the Holy Roman Empire. In this interview, Berry discusses what drew him to this progressive historical figure and describes why he chose to explore his main character's past. He also expands on the mysterious history of Antarctica --- which figures heavily in the book's plot --- explains the concept of "first civilization" and shares some of the exotic locations he's visited in researching the story.

» Read the interview and the review.

Kate Jacobs
KNIT TWO is Kate Jacobs's third novel and the sequel to her 2007 bestseller and book club favorite THE FRIDAY NIGHT KNITTING CLUB. In this interview, Jacobs fills us in on what Dakota and other frequenters of Walker and Daughter yarn shop have been up to in the five years that have passed between the books' storylines, and explains how much of herself, her family and her personal life infuse each of her characters. She also shares her thoughts on the resurgence in popularity of knitting, discusses the inherent connections among this traditional pastime with food and friendship --- which are common threads in all her novels --- and reveals what she hopes readers will take away from her work.

» Read the interview and the review.

Christopher Fowler
Mystery and thriller writer Christopher Fowler's latest release, THE VICTORIA VANISHES, is the sixth installment in a series featuring two elderly detectives in London's Peculiar Crimes Unit, Arthur Bryant and John May. In this Author Talk, Fowler provides a bit of background information about the series, including how his protagonists got their names and the real-life inspiration behind the unusual police division where they work. He also discusses his fascination with London's underbelly, shares details about his writing process and names some of the writers who have influenced his work.

» Read the Author Talk and the review.

Marie Bostwick

About Marie Bostwick Author Interview –– November 21, 2008 MarieBostwick.com Critical Praise Winners of the ARC Mailing Read a review of A SINGLE THREAD About the Book: A SINGLE THREAD Read an excerpt from A SINGLE THREAD Marie Bostwick Answers Readers' Questions Reader Comments about A SINGLE THREAD

A SINGLE THREAD by Marie Bostwick (Fiction)
On Sale Now
A SINGLE THREAD is a sometimes humorous and always touching story that features the strong, first person voice and lyrical style, small town values and the quilting imagery readers of Marie Bostwick’s historical novels have come to love. » Read More

For more on Marie Bostwick and past featured authors, see our
Women's Fiction promotion.

M. C. Beaton

About M. C. Beaton Author Bibliography Critical Praise Winners of the ARC Mailing Read a review of A SPOONFUL OF POISON About the Book: A SPOONFUL OF POISON Read an excerpt from A SPOONFUL OF POISON Reader Comments about A SPOONFUL OF POISON

A SPOONFUL OF POISON by M. C. Beaton (Mystery)
On Sale Now
When Agatha Raisin goes to the remote hamlet of Comfrey Magna to politely turn down a public relations job, she encounters the stunning green eyes of handsome widower George Selby, and promptly agrees to do whatever PR work the village needs. But as events in Agatha’s new adventure A SPOONFUL OF POISON unfold, the rural festival Agatha is promoting soon takes a deadly turn, and Agatha must investigate the toxic spiking of some local preserves. » Read More

For more on M. C. Beaton and past featured authors, see our
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Christopher Fowler

About Christopher Fowler Author Talk –– October 31, 2008 ChristopherFowler.co.uk Author Bibliography Critical Praise Winners of the ARC Mailing Read a review of THE VICTORIA VANISHES About the Book: THE VICTORIA VANISHES Read an excerpt from THE VICTORIA VANISHES Reader Comments about THE VICTORIA VANISHES

THE VICTORIA VANISHES by Christopher Fowler (Mystery)
On Sale Now
It’s a case tailor-made for the Peculiar Crimes Unit. A lonely hearts killer is targeting middle-aged women at some of England’s most well-known pubs --- including one torn down eighty years ago. What’s more, Arthur Bryant happened to see one of the victims only moments before her death at the pub that doesn’t exist. Indeed, this case is littered with clues that defy everything the veteran detectives know about the habits of serial killers, the methodology of crime, and the odds of making an arrest. Now, with the public on the verge of panic and their superiors determined to shut the PCU down for good, Detectives Bryant and May must rise to the occasion in defense of two great English traditions --- the pub and the Peculiar Crimes Unit. » Read More

For more on Christopher Fowler and past featured authors, see our
Mystery Mayhem promotion.

Carla Neggers

About Carla Neggers Author Interview –– October 31, 2008 CarlaNeggers.com Author Bibliography Critical Praise Winners of the ARC Mailing Read a review of COLD PURSUIT About the Book: COLD PURSUIT Read an excerpt from COLD PURSUIT Carla Neggers Answers Readers' Questions Reader Comments about COLD PURSUIT

COLD PURSUIT by Carla Neggers (Romantic Suspense)
On Sale Now
A number of prominent figures have been killed under mysterious circumstances in the past year. All unconnected. But when an esteemed U.S. ambassador is slain in a questionable hit-and-run in Washington, D.C. and his stepdaughter vanishes mere hours later in the mountains of northern New England, suspicions are raised by a Secret Service agent and a recovering Special Forces soldier in COLD PURSUIT, the newest novel by New York Times bestselling author Carla Neggers. » Read More

For more on Carla Neggers and past featured authors, see our
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John Lutz

About John Lutz Author Interview –– November 14, 2008 JohnLutzOnline.com Author Bibliography Critical Praise Winners of the ARC Mailing Read a review of NIGHT KILLS About the Book: NIGHT KILLS Read an excerpt from NIGHT KILLS John Lutz Answers Readers' Questions Reader Comments about NIGHT KILLS

NIGHT KILLS by John Lutz (Psychological Thriller)
On Sale Now
New York Times bestselling author John Lutz returns with a gruesome, page turning psychological thriller. A former NYPD detective is hunting for a madman: someone is shooting young women in the heart, defiling their bodies, and only leaving their torsos to be found. No one knows the true motives behind a rampage of cold-blooded murders… or how much more terrifying it’s going to get. » Read More

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M. J. Rose

About M. J. Rose Author Interview –– October 31, 2008 MJRose.com Author Bibliography Critical Praise Winners of the ARC Mailing Read a review of THE MEMORIST About the Book: THE MEMORIST Read an excerpt from THE MEMORIST M. J. Rose Answers Readers' Questions Reader Comments about THE MEMORIST

THE MEMORIST by M. J. Rose (Suspense)
On Sale Now
She is paralyzed by the past. He was robbed of the future.

The dreads are back. As a child, Meers Logan was haunted by memories of another time and place, always accompanied by the faint strains of elusive music. Now the hand of the past has reached out again. An envelope addressed to her and delivered to the Phoenix Foundation --- an institute dedicated to the recovery of past life memories --- contains a childhood drawing of an elaborate box that Meers recognizes... and a sheet from an auction catalogue identifying the object she spent years imagining as an eighteenth century gaming box » Read More

For more on M. J. Rose and past featured authors, see our
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