Free Speech Rules!

Free Speech Rules!

Fifty years ago today (October 1), students at the University of California at Berkeley surrounded a campus police car on the school’s main plaza and held it captive for 33 hours. This non-violent protest in the fall of 1964 launched the Free Speech Movement, the first major campus protest by white students of the sixties. […]

Know More…

For Your Consideration: November LibraryReads titles

For Your Consideration: November LibraryReads titles

It’s never too early to start thinking about the next LibraryReads list. Download, read, and nominate your favorite titles now for the November 2014* LibraryReads list! *Nominations are due October 1 BETRAYED by Lisa Scottoline In the latest Rosato & Associates thriller, Judy Carrier is pondering her personal and professional future when she learns her […]

Know More…

Labor Day Weekend Reading

Labor Day Weekend Reading

Hip hip hooray, it’s Labor Day! For us (and hopefully you) that means a nice, long, relaxing weekend with plenty of reading time (we’re out tomorrow and Monday). Here are the books topping our TBR pile: ON THE EDGE by Edward St. Aubyn On Sale: October 14, 2014 Shortlisted for the Guardian Fiction Award, St. […]

Know More…

Happy #BookBday (8/5/14 Edition)

Happy #BookBday (8/5/14 Edition)

Oh what a lovely day for a #BookBday! Today we celebrate: DRIVING WITH THE TOP DOWN by Beth Harbison In New York Times bestseller Harbison’s latest novel, two women set out on an antiquing road trip and get more than they bargained for when they pick up a third, stranded woman. “…it’s an enjoyable ride. Readers […]

Know More…

Friday Reads: Indie Next Edition

Friday Reads: Indie Next Edition

Congratulations! You made it to another weekend! We know what we’re doing—settling in with a bowl of ice cream and two great books that also happen to be August Indie Next picks: SMALL BLESSINGS by Martha Woodroof Readers who loved MAJOR PETTIGREW’S LAST STAND will adore this inspiring debut of a small-town college professor, a […]

Know More…

Booklist’s Best Crime

Booklist’s Best Crime

May is Mystery Month over at Booklist and to celebrate they’ve put together “Best of” reading lists with loads of Macmillan titles! 
Best Crime Novels

Top 10 Crime Fiction

THE CAIRO AFFAIR by Olen Steinhauer
Steinhauer follows his acclaimed Milo Weaver trilogy with a stand-alone that is as emotionally rich as it is layered with intrigue. A career diplomat is shot dead in Budapest in front of his disbelieving wife, who is determined to find out why. This complex tale leaves us with the feeling that, despite all the information won, lost, hoarded, and put to use, the world of intelligence is no stronger than the fragile, fallible human beings who navigate it.

HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN by Louise Penny
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache has a new case involving the murder of the last surviving sister of quintuplets, a woman with ties to Three Pines, the idyllic, off-the-grid village outside Montreal where several of Gamache’s previous adventures have been set. The novel not only puts Gamache in harm’s way but also exposes Three Pines to defilement—a cozy setting under attack from a decidedly hard-boiled world. Another bravura performance from the magnificent Penny.

THE ORPHAN CHOIR by Sophie Hannah
Teetering on the edge of sanity, Louise Beeston retreats to a country home in England, hoping to escape the haunting choir music she hears continually. This riveting stand-alone, in which suspense snowballs to a climax that is all the more dire for its everyday contemporary English setting, is absolutely haunting, in every sense of the word.

[...]

Know More...

Thriller Thursday bonus: DECODED

Thriller Thursday bonus: DECODED

HOT TITLE ALERT! We want to make sure this gripping debut novel is on your radar: DECODED by multi-award-winning author Mai Jia. 

One of China's bestselling novels, it reveals the mysterious world of Unit 701, a top-secret Chinese intelligence agency whose sole purpose is counterespionage and code breaking. Brilliantly combining the mystery and tension of a spy thriller with the psychological nuance of an intimate character study and the magical qualities of a Chinese fable, DECODED discovers in cryptography the key to the human heart.

The New York Times jumped on DECODED early and ran an interview with Jia on their Sinosphere Blog and reviews have been outstanding:

“Told by a shadowy narrator who draws on interview transcripts and declassified documents, the book ranges in style from mythic fairy tale to spy story to epistemological speculation. Within this fantastic framework unfolds the saga of Rong Jinzhen, a youngster of illegitimate origin and odd upbringing whose phenomenal success in his non-chosen field leads to international counterespionage.” The Wall Street Journal 

Finally, a great Chinese novel. It stands out among Chinese novels for its pace, liveliness and the sheer novelty of the tale it tells. It grips from the first page… [Jia] offers a beguiling and magical mystery tour of China. It is an absolute joy to read. The Economist 

“An espionage novelist who navigates the top-secret world of cryptography, Mai has been hailed as China’s Dan Brown. DECODED quite blithely—and deliberately—defies the genre expectations.” — The New Republic 

“Readers skate the line separating insanity from genius in Mai Jia’s riveting tale of cryptographic warfare. A denouement at once heartbreaking and thought-provoking leaves readers pondering the collective sanity of a world shrouding knowledge in enigmas. Gifted translators bring English-speaking readers a Chinese literary treasure.” — Booklist, starred review

“Mai’s careful attention to pacing and the folklore-inspired narration make for a fascinating story, neatly interwoven with complex mathematical theory.”
Publishers Weekly

[...]

Know More...

Sneak Peek: April 2014 Indie Next list

Sneak Peek: April 2014 Indie Next list

Indie Next logoThe April 2014 Indie Next list was recently announced and we're thrilled that it includes so many great Macmillan titles!

THE EMPATHY EXAMS by Leslie Jamison
"A tough, intrepid, scouring observer and vigilant thinker, she generates startling and sparking extrapolations and analysis. On the prowl for truth and intimate with pain, Jamison carries forward the fierce and empathic essayistic tradition as practiced by writers she names as mentors, most resonantly James Agee and Joan Didion." — Booklist, starred review & our most popular ARC at ALA Midwinter! 

THE PLOVER by Brian Doyle
Doyle's story about a man who flees his troubled life on land for the solitude of the Pacific Ocean, but ends up on a rousing adventure is, “A rare and unusual book and a brilliant, mystical exploration of the human spirit.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review

MIMI MALLOY, AT LAST! by Julia MacDonnell
"MacDonnell captures perfectly the family dynamics between sisters, mothers, and daughters, as if she were sitting in on their gab sessions, taking copious notes. For readers who enjoy Maeve Binchy and Rosamunde Pilcher, this is a highly engaging family chronicle, with a healthy dose of Irish history laced in as well." — Booklist 

THE CAIRO AFFAIR by Olen Steinhauer
Steinhauer's geopolitical tale about the aftermath of a diplomat's assassination and his wife's relentless investigation is “Elaborate, sophisticated…a long, twisty road full of cleverly placed potholes and unexpected turns. Mr. Steinhauer draws his spies as flesh-and-blood characters in whom his readers invest both attention and emotion.” — Janet Maslin, The New York Times

ROOSEVELT'S BEAST by Louis Bayard
Bayard draws on Teddy and Kermit Roosevelt’s real-life ill-fated 1914 Amazon expedition to create "A suspense-filled re-imagining of history deepened by a confrontation with evil’s supernatural presence." — Kirkus Reviews

See the full April 2014 Indie Next List here.

[...]

Know More...

Thriller Thursday (3/20/14 Edition)

Thriller Thursday (3/20/14 Edition)

Happy #ThrillerThursday, friends! Here's a look at the latest books keeping us up past bedtime:

THE CAIRO AFFAIR by Olen Steinhauer
Steinhauer's geopolitical tale about a murdered diplomat, his unfaithful wife, her Egyptian intelligence ex-lover, and a CIA analyst recently earned a rave New York Times review from Janet Maslin: “Elaborate, sophisticated…a long, twisty road full of cleverly placed potholes and unexpected turns. Mr. Steinhauer draws his spies as flesh-and-blood characters in whom his readers invest both attention and emotion.”

DECODED by Mai Jia
“Told by a shadowy narrator who draws on interview transcripts and declassified documents, the book ranges in style from mythic fairy tale to spy story to epistemological speculation. Within this fantastic framework unfolds the saga of Rong Jinzhen, a youngster of illegitimate origin and odd upbringing whose phenomenal success in his non-chosen field leads to international counterespionage.” — The Wall Street Journal 
BONUS: read the interview with Mai Jia in the New York Times Sinosphere blog

DON'T LOOK FOR ME by Loren D. Estleman
In the 24th(!) book in the Amos Walker series, the "barely housebroken" P.I. finds himself caught between the mafia and the porn industry. "A direct descendant of Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe, Walker fires up a cig, has a sip of Scotch, and ponders how the case of a disappeared wife can get this complicated. A very good entry in a solid series." — Booklist  

THE TRIDENT DECEPTION by Rick Campbell
"Campbell utilizes his background as a retired navy commander and his familiarity with submarines to craft a terrific thriller debut. Campbell does an amazing job, balancing character interaction with high-octane action, all the while keeping the technical jargon to a level understandable by nonmilitary readers. This is the best novel about a submarine since Tom Clancy’s classic THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER." — Booklist, starred review

What's tingling your spine this #ThrillerThursday? Share your reads with us @MacmillanLib
[...]

Know More...

Friday Reads – Minotaur Stars Edition

Friday Reads – Minotaur Stars Edition

TGIF! Today's #FridayReads are two Minotaur mysteries that are raking in the starred pre-publication reviews! 

Talia is avoiding the wilderness after reading

Destroyer Angel

DESTROYER ANGEL by Nevada Barr
In the next book in Barr's New York Times bestselling Anna Pigeon series, a camping trip in Minnesota goes harrowingly wrong when Anna's friends are taken hostage by armed thugs. 

"Once again, Barr lays down a riveting mystery and permeates the pages with scrupulous descriptions of Anna's struggle with the cold, with the night, and with the terror and fear of not rescuing her friends." Library Journal, starred review

"Gripping... Barr's gift for depicting breathtaking scenery elevates the story, as does Anna's complex, ever-evolving personality." Publishers Weekly, starred review  

"Anna Pigeon’s eighteenth adventure is equal parts psychological thriller and wilderness-survival tale sure to please series followers with a darker, no-holds-barred look at the emotional impact of Anna’s survival instinct, while beckoning newcomers with top-tier white-knuckle suspense." Booklist  


Anne is reconsidering her vacation plans after reading

Cairo AffairTHE CAIRO AFFAIR by Olen Steinhauer
International politics are at play as an Egyptian agent, an American analyst, a CIA agent, and a bereaved wife all converge on Cairo to find out why a diplomat was assassinated.

"THE CAIRO AFFAIR is an elegant, elaborate clockwork of mystery and deception that should draw readers in and keep them on tenterhooks as they try to figure out what is really making it all tick." Publishers Weekly, boxed signature review

"It has become de rigeur to compare Steinhauer to le Carré, but it’s nearly time to pass the torch: for the next generation, it’s Steinhauer who will become the standard by which others are measured." — Booklist, starred review

"In narrative arcs that vault between a 1991 honeymoon trip to Serbia and a few days in 2011, Steinhauer once again displays his mastery of complex and twisty storytelling. Readers yearning for a fiendishly complex plot, penetrating characterizations, and a new warrior in the ancient struggle between anomie and truth will welcome Sophie and her brash courage." Library Journal

What are you reading this Friday? Share your #FridayReads with us @MacmillanLib. [...]

Know More...

css.php