In A Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

In A Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware
Published by Gallery/Scout Press ISBN 9781501115523
Hardcover, $26, 320 pages

People looking for a read similar to The Girl On The Train have a new mystery to savor. Ruth Ware's In A Dark, Dark Wood is a worthy successor, also featuring an unreliable narrator.

The story opens with Nora waking up with a head injury in a hospital bed. She wonders what has happened and what she has done. And why is her room being guarded by a police officer? Is it to protect her or keep her from leaving?

Earlier, Nora received an invitation to a hen (bachelorette) party for someone she hasn't seen since high school. Since she didn't get an invitation to the wedding she finds this strange, but when her friend Nina calls and begs to go with her to the party, she reluctantly agrees.

The party takes place in a secluded house in the woods, and we meet the people at the party- Nora (a writer), Nina (a doctor), Melanie (a lawyer and new mom), Tom (a playwright), Flo (the party hostess and best friend of the bride) and Clare (the bride).

We slowly find out that Clare and Nora used to be best friends until something drastic happened to end that. And now Clare is engaged to Nora's ex-boyfriend. Why would Clare invite Nora to her hen party?

In A Dark, Dark Wood has a setup reminiscent to an Agatha Christie novel: a small group of people trapped in a place, when strange things begin to happen. There is too much drinking, some drug use, a ouija board, a shotgun on the wall, and then the truth telling begins and people begin to turn on each other. (There's even a Ten Little Indians shout-out in the story.)

When it appears that someone out there is trying to break into the house, the shotgun comes into play. And Nora ends up in the hospital with ahead injury with only flashes of a shooting and a car accident.

Like The Girl On The Train, the reader is led to believe that our narrator may be responsible for a death. Nora's head injury, like Rachel's alcohol-induced blackouts, causes her to wonder what she may have done. Ware does a terrific job creating an atmosphere of panic and confusion, and even though the reader feels confident she has cracked the mystery, she begins to doubt herself just as Nora does.

In A Dark, Dark Wood is a page-turner, the kind of book you can curl up with on a rainy day and read all the way through. And if someone you know from high school invites you to a weekend at a secluded house in the woods, you will know enough to decline. I recommend this book for those who liked The Girl On The Train and Agatha Christie mysteries. It was an Editor's Buzz book at BEA this year, and a well-deserved choice.

BEA 15- Book Group Speed Dating with Publishers- Part 2

Continuing on with Part 2 of BEA's Book Group Speed Dating with publishers hosted by BookReporter.com, we have five more publishers who shared their favorite upcoming books with us.

Henry Holt had two books I liked:

• Tenacity by J.S. Law is psychological thriller set on a submarine. When there is a murder on the submarine, a tough female naval investigator must solve the case and bring the murderer to justice. There seems to be a theme this fall of strong female characters in books, and I like that. On sale November 3rd
• Being Mortal by Atul Gawande was a big book talked about at last year's BEA. Dr. Gawande shares his thoughts on how the medical community and society seems to avoid planning for the end of life, and to celebrate the fact that the book is still on the bestseller list, Henry Holt gave each participant a copy of this most important book that everyone should read. On sale now

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt presented three interesting books:

• Girl With A Gun by Amy Stewart was a big presence at BEA, with over 1000 advanced reader copies being handed out. Stewart, the author of The Drunken Botanist, based her novel on the true story of one of the first female deputy sheriffs, set in 1914 Hackensack. I'm very excited to read this one. On sale September 1st
• Dietland by Sarai Walker  is a provocative novel about an overweight woman saving up money for weight reduction surgery who gets involved with a "shadowy feminist guerilla group". They are calling this one "Bridget Jones meets Fight Club", which sounds too crazy to pass up, and Dietland received a rave review in Entertainment Weekly. On sale now
• How To Start A Fire by Lisa Lutz is not the next book in Lutz's hilarious The Spellman Files, but more of a traditional women's fiction book, about friendship and secrets, but still retaining Lutz's signature sense of humor. A friend of mine read this already and loved it. On sale now

Other Press had one book I was intrigued by:

• Couple Mechanics by Nelly Alard was described to us as a "yummy French novel". Who can resist that description? Based on a true scandalous story, Juliette and Oliver are a modern busy French couple, parents to two young children. Oliver confesses to an affair, and after a Fatal Attraction scenario, Juliette must decide whether to kill or help her husband. On sale January 19, 2016

Penguin shared two books with us that excited me:

• Eileen by Ottessa Moshfegh was an Editor's Buzz Book. Eileen is a young woman working a dead-end job in a boy's prison in 1960's Boston area, supporting her father. When a glamorous woman joins the staff, she sweeps Eileen up in a crime scheme, and Eileen is both delighted and horrified. On sale August 18th
• Fates and Furies, by Lauren Groff and from their Riverhead Books imprint, tells the story of marriage, told from both the perspectives of husband and wife. It reveals how "the key to a great marriage is not in its truths, but in its secrets." I loved Groff's The Monsters of Templeton, and she writes so beautifully I know this one will be great. On sale September 15th

St. Martin's Press also had two books I wanted to hear more about:

• Everybody Rise by Stephanie Clifford was a book everyone was buzzing about at BEA. Clifford, a journalist at The New York Times takes on in hot topic- Upper East Side wives- in her debut novel. Her main character is a transplant from Maryland who does her best to fit in with the wealthy women in her new neighborhood. Called "a 21st century Bonfire of the Vanities mixed with Prep and Rules of Civility", this one is at the top of my TBR list. On sale August 18th
• Hemingway in Love by A.E. Hochner is one that fans of The Paris Wife will enjoy. Hochner, who was good friends with Hemingway, writes a lyrical, beautiful account of Hemingway's Paris affair that destroyed his marriage to first wife Hadley, the woman he called the love of his life. This is a great opportunity to hear about Ernest Hemingway from someone who knew him well. On sale October 20th

Again, I'd like to thank Carol Fitzgerald and her terrific team at BookReporter.com for putting together this fantastic opportunity for all of us to speak with the publishers and hear about what they think will be the big books of fall.

Part 1 is here.

BEA 15- Book Group Speed Dating with Publishers- Part 1

One of the events that has grown over the past few years is Book Group Speed Dating with publishers. Carol Fitzgerald and her team at BookReporter.com invite publishers to go from table to table to talk about their upcoming books with librarians and book club leaders. This year there were 27 publishers, and over 250 people eager to hear what is on deck.

This is one of my favorite BEA events, I particularly enjoy the interaction with the publishers. The most successful presentations are by publishers who have perfected their 'elevated elevator' pitches. They have less than 10 minutes to cover 5 or more books, and get us interested.

Each table had nine different publishers, and these are the highlights from my table:

Corsortium Books presented two thrillers, Lost Canyon and The Do-Right. 

• Lost Canyon  by Nina Revoyr, from Akashic Books, was described as "Wild meets Deliverance" about four backpackers who find more than they bargained for while backpacking in the Sierra Nevadas. On sale August 25th
• The Do-Right  by Lisa Sandlin from Cinco Puntos Press is getting rave reviews already for her story of a PI's secretary who, after spending 14 years in prison for killing one of the men who raped her, runs into the other man who raped her. The main character here is described as "kick-ass", and the dark side of the city of Beaumont is a major character as well. On Sale October 13th

Hogarth also had two books I am interested in:

• The Gap of Time by acclaimed writer Jeannette Winterson kicks off their Hogarth Shakespeare series as authors reinterpret famous works by the Bard. Winterson retells The Winter's Tale,  set in 2008 London and a storm-ravaged city New Bohemia in America. Ann Tyler and Margaret Atwood will be taking on other Shakespeare works, and this is a very exciting project. On sale October 6th
• The Tsar of Love and Techno by Anthony Marra, called a modern day Tolstoy, are linked short stories that continue in the vein of his brilliant novel A Constellation of Vital Phenomena, which I loved. I can't wait to read this one.  On sale October 13th

Little, Brown and Company had three books that piqued my curiosity:

• Early One Morning by Virginia Bailey is being compared to The Lifeboat and The Paris Wife. Set during WWII, it tells the story of a woman who sees a family being loaded onto a truck to go to a concentration camp. She makes a split second decision to claim one of the children as her own and rescue him. This decision has long-lasting complications. On sale September 29th
• The Three-Year Swim Club by Julie Checkoway and published by Grand Central, will appeal to readers who liked Unbroken and The Boys in the Boat. It's about a group of young children from Maui who became Olympic-level swimmers in the 1930's to escape poverty. This one was an Editor's Buzz Book selection. On sale October 27th
• After the Crash by Michel Bussi and published by Hachette, is translated from a hugely popular French novel about a plane crash in the Alps. There is only one survivor, a three-year-old girl, and two families fight over whom the girl really belongs to. On sale January 5, 2016 

Harper presented three books that intrigued me:

• The Sunrise by Victoria Hislop's comparison to Beautiful Ruins captured me right away because I loved that book. We meet a Greek family and a Turkish family whose lives are destroyed during the Cypriot coup of 1974, and it's about love, loss, loyalty and resilience. On sale July 7th
• The Story of Land and Sea by Katy Simpson Smith is published by Harper Perennial and like The Orchardist (which I loved) and Geraldine Brooks' books is a lyrical, quieter book  about three generations of family during years after the American Revolution dealing with love, war and slavery in North Carolina. On sale July 21st
• The Art of Crash Landing by Melissa DeCarlo is a debut novel from a fresh, funny voice about a lovable character who always seems to mess things up and the family secrets she uncovers. On sale September 8th

Part Two is posted here.

BEA 15- Harper Bloggers Fall Preview

One of my favorite events every year at the Book Expo of America, the annual publishing conference held at the Javits Center, is HarperCollins Blogger Fall Preview. Publicists and marketing directors from the many HarperCollins imprints share the upcoming books that they are most excited about, and I enjoy this event because we get to talk to the Harper folks outside of the BEA craziness and we get to see our blogger friends whom we usually only see once a year.

 Harper started off the presentation, and they had lots of books that I can't wait to read. The big one, of course, is Harper Lee's Go Set A Watchman, her sequel to To Kill A Mockingbird, which Lee actually wrote before Mockingbird. I don't know of one person who cannot wait to read this one.

Author Meg Waite Clayton is going in a new direction with her next book, The Race for Paris, the story of two women, one a reporter and the other a photographer, who are trying to make it to Paris to cover the end of WWII. This one is aimed at fans of books like Paula McClain's The Paris Wife. 

Mary Karr's last memoir Lit, is one of my all-time favorite books, and her newest is The Art of Memoir. She shares insights into the struggles and triumphs in the craft of writing, and finding yourself and your voice in the process.

I always look forward to Adriana Trigiani's books, and her new one is All The Stars in The Heavens, which goes back to the Golden Age of Hollywood, basing her her book on a true story. If you love old movies, this is for you.

Harper Perennial shared some books that intrigued me as well. Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor have the #1 podcast on Itunes called Welcome to Night Vale, which has been described as "Lake Wobegon meets Stephen King", and is a hit with 20-somethings. They had a huge signing line at BEA, and this book is sure to be big.

 Rachel B. Glaser's debut novel, Paulina and Fran, is about two art school students. This is a sexy, funny, fast read with YA crossover appeal, and the cover art is very eye-catching and 1970s retro.

Melissa DeCarlo's debut novel, The Art of Crash Landing is one for fans of Lianne Moriarty and Jojo Moyes. It was described as "smart, sweet, hilarious and difficult not to fall in love with."

Harper 360 showed a video made by spoken word poet Steven Camden (whose stage name is Polar Bear) talking about his novel It's About Love. Luke is young man living in the shadow of his brother who goes away to school to follow his passion and find a fresh start. He meets a young woman named Leia and it's all about love. This video really intrigued me and made me want to read this book.

Goddess is Kelly Gardiner's novel based on real 17th century woman, Julie d'Aubigny, who is described as "a cross between Kate Middleton and Lady Gaga". This one is for fans of Sarah Waters and Hilary Mantel, and again, the cover art is mesmerizing.

Morrow Paperbacks had lots of great stuff, especially for book clubs. Kim van Alkemade's debut novel Orphan #8 tells the story of a young orphan girl in 1919 New York City who is sent to a home for orphans where a doctor performs medical experiments on her that disfigure her. Years later she grows up, becomes a nurse and ends up working at the same place the doctor is now practicing. Does she forgive or seek vengeance? This one is tops on my TBR list.

The Sparrow Sisters by former publicist Ellen Herrick is mystical love story along the lines of Practical Magic and Saving Cee Cee Hunnicutt, and lots of us were interested in this one.

Lisa Ballantyne's Everything She Forgot is suspense mystery about a woman who gets into a car accident and is rescued by a stranger who then disappears. In the aftermath, childhood memories come to her and a family mystery is revealed.

From William Morrow, Stephen P. Kiernan's The Hummingbird tells the story of a hospice nurse dealing with two men- her husband, a veteran who has PTSD and a patient of hers, an elderly old curmudgeonly professor. It's a lovely story about relationships, marriage, friendship and human dignity.

Ben McPherson's A Line of Blood is a thriller about a family- father, mother and son- who find their neighbor's dead body and when the police suspect them, the family crumbles. This is more of a domestic drama than psychological thriller.

Homer Hickam, who wrote a memoir October Sky, wrote a Depression-era novel titled Carrying Albert Home, about a couple who drive 1000 miles with their alligator in their car. Along the way they encounter John Steinbeck and bank robbers, among others. It's called a 'cross between Big Fish and The Notebook', and that sounds irresistible to me.

I've got a lot of reading ahead of me, I hope you've found something here that interests you as well.

Weekend Cooking- Cookbooks at BEA

This post is part of Beth Fish Reads' Weekend Cooking.  If you have anything related to food, cookbook reviews, novel or non-fiction book reviews, recipes, movie reviews, etc., head over to Beth Fish Reads and add your post. Or, if you want to read food related posts, head over to read what some interesting people have to say about food.

This week was the annual Book Expo of America (BEA), a conference that brings together publishers, booksellers, librarians, and bloggers to discuss all things bookish. This was my seventh visit to the show and I saw some wonderful friends and made some new ones.

As usual, my first post about the BEA is a roundup of food books that I link to Beth Fish Reads Weekend Cooking meme. This year, I got some terrific complete cookbooks, two of them giveaways at the Penguin Canada booth.

Foodie books from BEA

When I make my monthly trip to Costco, I always pick up at least one of their $4.99 rotisserie chickens, so I was excited to grab a copy of Eric Akis' The Great Rotisserie Chicken Cookbook.  There's over 100 recipes for storebought and homecooked chicken and I know I will using this one frequently.

Michael Smith's Family Meals is the other book I got at Penguin Canada. I have one other of his cookbooks, and my family loves the Buffalo Chicken Salad recipe that I make from that one, so I'm looking forward to finding some more recipes from him here.

Katie Lee was signing her newest Endless Summer Cookbook at the Abrams booth. My husband and I enjoy her Logan County Hamburger recipes, and this book looks like a perfect one to break out for summer gatherings.

Reader's Digest was once again giving away the latest edition of The Taste of Home Cookbook, a favorite among home cooks because it is filled with the best recipes from people just like us.

For those who love their cocktails, Food & Wine Cocktails 2015 has 150 recipes for classic and new drinks from the best bartenders around the country. Cheers!

I also picked up three foodie books-a memoir titled The Raging Skillet by Rossi, an NYC chef who tells her story of growing up in a Jersey Shore Orthodox Jewish family and her climb to working in some of New York's grittiest kitchens before opening up her own restaurant.

I also got two fiction books about food- Jessica Tom's Food Whore, a novel about a woman who ghostwrites reviews for a New York food critic and J. Ryan Stradal's Kitchens of the Great Midwest, a much buzzed about debut novel that I cannot wait to read.

Over the next few weeks I will be sharing other books I got, authors I met and panel discussions I attended from BEA. Did you find any good cookbooks at BEA this year?