espionage - Macmillan Library

Happy Monday to our dear librarian pals,

We’d like to remind y’all that the February 1 deadline to nominate March 2014 publications for the next LibraryReads list is just around the corner!

Get thee to edelweiss! Download a DRC, read it, love it and nominate it! REPEAT!

THE 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

SHOTGUN LOVESONGS by Nickolas Butler

Butler's debut novel about the relationship between four friends in a small Midwest town was selected by the ABA for the Spring 2014 Indies Introduce program.

"The hearty Midwest, which thrums and beats through tiny Little Wing, Wisconsin-an Anytown, USA, if there ever was one-assumes the whole soul of Butler's fetching debut. Readers can feel the winter cold on the other side of the neon sign and hear the peanut shells crunching underfoot." — Booklist

TEMPTING FATE by Jane Green

From the New York Times bestselling author of ANOTHER PIECE OF MY HEART comes a riveting new novel about the events leading up to one woman's affair—and its aftermath.

"A SCARLET LETTER for the 21st century." — Kirkus Reviews

PRECIOUS THING by Colette McBeth

"Debut author McBeth’s GONE GIRL-style psychological thriller will be a widespread hit for fans of dark drama with questionable narrators, including S. J. Watson’s BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP (2011), Sabine Durrant’s UNDER YOUR SKIN (2013), and Karen Perry’s THE INNOCENT SLEEP (2013)." — Booklist, starred review

I REMEMBER YOU by Yrsa Sigurdardottir

"In a departure from her series featuring lawyer Thora Gudmundsdottir, Iceland’s queen of suspense combines modern crime detection with mysticism to chilling effect. Nordic mystery writers can raise goosebumps as few others can, and Sigurdardottir shows she’s one of the best." — Booklist, starred review

Let’s not forget the buzz that’s been building for this gem.

THE HAVEN by Carol Lynch Williams

For the teens at The Haven, the world beyond the towering stone wall that surrounds the premises is a dangerous unknown and always has been since the hospital was established in the year 2020. It was built to help control the Disease that claims limbs and lungs-and memories-but what if it's not the safe place it claims to be? Award-winning YA novelist Williams' new novel is "Deliciously enigmatic." — Kirkus Reviews

PROVIDENCE RAG by Bruce DeSilva

“Edgar-winner DeSilva melds moral dilemmas with a suspenseful plot in his third novel featuring Providence, R.I.–based reporter Liam Mulligan, his best yet.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

Go beyond the book and read this Publishers Weekly interview with DeSilva.

For more March LibraryReads title suggestions, view our collection on Edelweiss. Happy reading and happy nominating!

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Know More...

Welcome back, friends! We hope you had a nice Thanksgiving break like we did. We're more than happy to shake off the tryptophan coma with some great news:

Patrick Lee’s explosive new thriller RUNNER has scooped up THREE starred advance reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist, plus a great one from Kirkus Reviews:

“Lee’s precise detailing of technology and medical science recalls the best of Tom Clancy and Robin Cook, while his believable hero adds a Jack Reacher vibe.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Tension mounts right from the start in this nonstop action-packed narrative and seldom flags….All in all, it’s a high-tech thriller that’s hard to put down.” — Library Journal, starred review

“Thriller fans, especially those drawn to conspiracies and espionage, will enjoy the cutting-edge weapons development, the anxiety-ridden showdown between cunning and technology, and the compellingly connected characters.” — Booklist, starred review

"Readers who pick up Lee’s latest should be prepared to miss their favorite television shows, since they won’t put this book down long enough to watch them.” — Kirkus Reviews

Most recently, RUNNER was named a March Indie Next pick!

RUNNER is the first in a new series starring retired special forces operative Sam Dryden. It's sold international rights in seven countries and the film rights were optioned by Warner Brothers with director Justin Lin (Fast & Furious 6) attached. It's one of Anne's personal favorites of the season and if you've heard her talk about it recently at book buzzes, then you know she's very vocal about her casting suggestion (Channing Tatum).

Publishers Weekly interviewed Patrick Lee about the book (Dec. 30 issue):

PW: What was your inspiration for RUNNER and Sam Dryden?
PL: The idea’s initial germ was a protagonist protecting a character who seems entirely vulnerable, but who may turn out to be very dangerous. Sam Dryden emerged as a balance between two things I was looking for in a main character: someone who’s ordinary, and yet is capable of dealing with fairly dangerous situations. So his background is military, including time spent doing things off-the-books that he’s not entirely proud of. But all of that is several years behind him when this series begins.

PW: Why are your novels heavy on technology, à la Tom Clancy?
PL: That grew out of my own interest in technology, and how quickly things are changing around us. I think it’s about 99% good (self-driving cars, potentially improved medical treatments because of genome sequencing) and maybe 1% bad (tech forecasters aren’t optimistic about the future of privacy).

PW: How do you conduct your research?
PL: Pretty often I just draw upon knowledge I’ve already encountered when reading for fun. I love reading nonfiction by writers like Jared Diamond, Richard Dawkins, and Carl Sagan. Bill Bryson is another favorite.

PW: What did you base the mind control in RUNNER on?
PL: The mind-control/mind-reading part is made up, but most of the technical dialogue about how DNA works is based on real science. I tried to make the concept feel plausible by comparing it to abilities that really exist in nature, like the capability of salamanders to regrow limbs. Some scientists think our own ancient ancestors, hundreds of millions of years ago, could regrow limbs, too, and that the DNA instructions for doing so might still exist in us, long-since switched off by more recent genes. I liked the idea of framing mind reading that same way: as a scary thing buried deep in the genetic toy box, which science has managed to dig out.

PW: How close is RUNNER to becoming a movie?
PL: Warner Brothers has bought the film rights. I should probably err on the side of caution as far as talking about it, but some of the people involved at this point are Pouya Shahbazian, Justin Lin, and Adam Cozad. I’m crossing all digits that can be crossed.

PW: What’s next?
PL: The sequel to RUNNER, still untitled. It takes place a couple years after the events of RUNNER, and I probably shouldn’t reveal too much else. Plus I’m still writing it, so everything is subject to change.

If you haven't read it yet, don't wait. Get whitelisted and download your review copy today. Then nominate it for LibraryReads (the deadline for the February list is January 1, 2014).