Just like with the releases of DVDs and CDs, books are released every Tuesday, so here’s a look at the books that are already or will soon be released in May 2010. These ten books listed feature both fiction and non-fiction from a variety of genres such as legal thriller, crime novel, mystery, fantasy and gothic just to name a few. Many of the book titles and subject matter will seem very familiar. You may even recognize an author or two out of the list as well. A few of these authors have written previous works that were made into well-known films or TV series. Now let’s find out what are the titles, authors, relase dates, brief synopsis, and where can you purchase these newly released books.
10.) Innocent – Scott Turow (May 4, 2010)
This is the long-awaited sequel from his debut book Presumed Innocent that was later made into a film starring Harrison Ford. Innocent is set in 2008 when twenty-two years earlier Rusty Sabich had been accused of murdering his mistress. Now Sabich is a judge who is accused once again of a murder regarding his wife. It’s a case of déjà vu when his old nemesis tries to prosecute Rusty Sabich once again. There is a lot of suspicious activity going on, but you’ll need to read the book to see if he is actually innocent. Scott Turow, the author, is a practicing attorney at the Chicago law firm of Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal mostly working on pro bono cases. He has now written nine novels and two non-fiction books.
9.) Shade – Jeri Smith-Ready (May 4, 2010)
Here is a book geared for the Young Adult reader that is a perfect combination of mystery, ghosts and romance. It’s based on a love triangle with Aura, the main character, whose boyfriend had died, but then he comes back to haunt her. This comes from Jeri Smith-Ready‘s debut teen novel series. The Shift is the eventual sequel to Shade that most readers are very excited for its release in May 2011. The author specializes in romantic and urban fantasy where she currently lives in Maryland. Her other novels include: Bad to the Bone (2009), The Reawakened (2008), Wicked Game (2008) to name just a few.
8.) No Wonder My Parents Drank: Tales from a Stand-Up Dad – Jay Mohr (May 11, 2010)
Rarely is there a book written from a male perspective that’s purely focused on parenting. Jay Mohr is a successful comedian from stand-up to starring in his own sitcom, Gary Unmarried. Just from the book title alone you get a idea of his acerbic humor where he details about dirty diapers, disciplining, carte blanche to the ladies room, carpool lane access, and using a valid excuse to get out of obligatory family dinners. Anyone who is a parent will certainly love this book. It certainly is unique, refreshing, funny, and so true to life.
7.) Heart of the Matter – Emily Giffin (May 11, 2010)
It’s the story of a pediatric plastic surgeon who is celebrating his wedding anniversary with his wife when he gets an emergency call regarding a six-year-old burn victim. The victim’s mother and doctor begin a close relationship that will leave the reader wondering how things are going to turn out from the perspectives of the two women involved. Emily Giffin is the author of several novels, most notably Something Borrowed. Her works are based on relationships and their emotional attachments. The types of novels Emily writes about are oftentimes classified as “chick lit”. This is a genre in women’s fiction dealing with modern women issues in a humorous and lighthearted way.
6.) The Ark: A Novel – Boyd Morrison (May 11, 2010)
A cleverly written book that skillfully ties together archeology, religion fanaticism, and biblical history that meets high-tech in a heart-pounding thriller filled with international intrigue mixed in with “on the edge of your seat” terror. In a way it reminds me of The Bourne Identity and The Da Vinci Code combined together. The story is about trying to find Noah’s Ark that is met up with a great deal of obstacles and danger. Boyd Morrison has made a huge impression on the literary world with his debut thriller novel The Ark. Expect great things from this author as becoming the next Tom Clancy or Robert Ludlum.
5.) Tell-All – Chuck Palahniuk (May 4, 2010)
If you love the golden era of Hollywood this will certainly be the novel for you. The story is told by a life-long employee named Hazie who has been caring for an aging actress name Katherine Kenton. One day the actress receives a visitor who has written a tell-all memoir about Katherine. In the tell-all it foretells the actresses’ death in a type of Lillan Hellman styled musical. Hazie the caretaker fears this may become a reality. Some of you may know the author, Chuck Palahniuk, previous work, the award winning novel Fight Club that was later made into a film starring Brad Pitt. Tell-All is his eleventh novel.
4.) The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest – Stieg Larsson (May 25, 2010)
You are probably familiar with the late author’s Millennium Trilogy from which this book title is the last in its series. The other preceding crime novels are The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2005) and The Girl Who Played with Fire (2006). Stieg Larsson passed away in 2004; however, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest was published posthumously in Swedish in 2007. Lisabeth Salander is an amazing computer hacker and the main character in the trilogy. She is now under armed guard in a hospital after being shot in the head, yet Lisabeth is still a suspect for three murders in Stockholm. A journalist is helping her unravel the mystery based on a cover-up as to who shot her father by communicating primarily online. The final sequel in this series is said to be saving the very best for last. Stieg Larsson is one of the world’s best selling authors where his trilogy has now sold over 27 million copies in over 40 countries.
3.) Dead in the Family – Charlaine Harris (May 4, 2010)
Her book series on The Southern Vampire Mysteries or the Sookie Stackhouse Novels are the basis for the hit TV series on HBO True Blood. Dead in the Family is the tenth book in these chronicles. Sookie is still reeling after the death of her fairy cousin, Claudine, and others from the Faery War. Claudine’s triplet, Claude, moves in with Sookie which proves to be complicated with the government run by werewolves. Sookie also thinks she is n love with the vampire Eric Northman. The books explores more in-depth on relationships and family connections. Charlaine Harris is a New York Times bestselling mystery author who has been writing for over twenty years now. The creator of the HBO series Six Feet Under approached the author in making her book series on Sookie Stackhouse a weekly television program. The Academy Award-winning actress Anna Paqiun portrays Sookie on True Blood.
2.) Spoken From the Heart – Laura Bush (May 4, 2010)
In her memoir she reveals a lot about growing up in an oil town in West Texas where oil rigs were more common than trees. Dust and dirt oftentimes caked laundry that was hung on the clothesline before they were dried. It is in this book where she discusses for the first time her car accident that involved the death of a friend while in high school. When her husband won the election that night as the next Texas Governor her father was dying. Naturally she mentions the years in the White House and as being First Lady.
1.) Finding Chandra: A True Washington Murder Mystery – Scott Higham and Sari Horowitz (May 11, 2010)
Written by two Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalists at the Washington Post, Scott Higham and Sari Horowitz, detail in their non-fiction book on the 2001 disappearance of Chandra Levy, a Washington DC intern from their original 13-part investigative series featured in the Washington Post. Chandra was involved in an affair with the California Congressman Gary Condit. A year after Chandra Levy’s disappearance her remains were found in a 2,800-acre Washington DC park.
The authors present a narrative by stating some of the factors that complicated it from the start. First with the intense scrutiny the case received from the national media by focusing heavily on the Congressman. Secondly, there were numerous missteps from the DC law enforcement when the killer at large had not been apprehended. Both of the authors shared the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting from their expose on the death of children in the DC foster care system. They have also written extensively on homeland security, the Abu Ghraib prison and social services. Bob Woodward, one of the Washington Post reporters who uncovered Watergate stated Finding Chandra: A True Washington Murder Mystery is “Washington’s In Cold Blood, expertly and marvelously told by two of journalism’s greatest investigative reporters.”
You can get these outstanding books at your local bookstore or online at www.amazon.com or www.barnesandnoble.com or www.borders.com. There is certainly one book that is bound to interest you whether you enjoy reading fiction or non-fiction from the already established authors to the up and coming ones.
SOURCES:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
http://www.amazon.com/ref=gno_logo
http://www.simonandschuster.com/
http://bestsellers.about.com/od/newupcomingreleases/ig/May-2010-Book-Releases/
http://www.daemonsbooks.com/2010/04/30/new-book-releases-may-2010/
http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20100517/ARTICLE/5171028/2055/NEWS
