The latest novel in Stuart Woods’ long-running Stone Barrington series made its debut on the New York Times Bestseller list for the week of August 30th. The book debuted at number 2 on the Combined Print and E-book Fiction list and at number 6 on the Hardcover Fiction list. G.P. Putnam’s Sons published the book on August 11, 2020.

Former New Yorker staff writer and investigative journalist Becky Cooper’s thrilling true crime debut, WE KEEP THE DEAD CLOSE, received its first trade review this week, and a starred one at that! Publishers Weekly raves: “In this mesmerizing debut . . . [Cooper] delves into the phenomenon and morality of true crime fandom. This twist-filled whodunit is a nonfiction page-turner.” Grand Central Publishing will publish the book on November 10, 2020.

HMH Books announced on August 24th that activist and speaker Kleaver Cruz’s Black Joy Project, an online initiative that centers Black joy as an act of resistance, is becoming a book! AP broke the news on Monday, and outlets such as ABC News, The Washington Post, and USA Today picked up the story, among many others. The book does not yet have a release date.

Craig Davidson’s second short story collection CASCADE received a rave review from the Toronto Star. The news site praises the author’s language and depth of feeling, writing: "Davidson’s stories retain their immediacy and gut-level emotion while also allowing for a lyricism in the writing that elevates the subject matter.” Knopf Canada published the book on August 18, 2020.

THE SPRAWL by Jason Diamond was showered with critical praise upon its release. In a starred review, Booklist writes that: “[i]n this fascinating history, Diamond presents readers with a new way of viewing this ubiquitous environment,” and calls the book a “humble and curious must-read.” Meanwhile, Kirkus refers to the book as “[a] literate meditation on clipped-lawn places easily taken for granted but that well deserve such reflection.” Diamond was also interviewed in Bloomberg, The Millions, Hazlitt, and more. Coffee House Press published the book on August 25, 2020.

PERFECT TUNES by Emily Gould is one of Esquire’s Best Books of 2020. They write: “Brimming with gemlike insight and humor, PERFECT TUNES is a moving investigation of love, loss, and parenthood.” Avid Reader Press published the book on April 14, 2020.

GOLDEN GATES by Conor Dougherty is one of Esquire’s Best Books of 2020. They write: “What could be a dry narrative of the housing crisis is utterly gripping in Dougherty’s hands, told as it is through the lens of individuals in San Francisco struggling with rising rents, housing scarcity, and poverty. Through zippy prose and deep reporting, Dougherty explains why housing has become unaffordable and how we can solve the problem--that is, if we want to.” Dougherty also discussed his work as a housing reporter with the New York Times, writing: "Housing should be an investment in people. It shouldn’t be an investment in structure. We would do well to start asking ourselves more frequently, 'What is the point of having a home?' To live in it." Penguin Press published the book on February 18, 2020.

Already a hit in the UK, Kate Riordan’s new thriller THE HEATWAVE published in the US this past week. Selected as a most-anticipated book by Better Homes and Gardens, the New York Post, Good Morning America, and many more, this chilling novel set in the South of France is the perfect read for August. Riordan held a virtual launch event with Rosie Walsh, author of New York Times bestseller GHOSTED, via Poisoned Pen Books on August 20th. Grand Central published the book on August 18, 2020.

HUSH by Dylan Farrow is a Fall 2020 Kids' Indie Next pick. The book was recommended by Square Books, who write: “Farrow shows potential to be the next big name in YA fantasy with her stunning debut, HUSH, about a world full of secrets and the girl willing to speak them all . . . Farrow blends classic high fantasy with a strong feminist message of self-belief and courage. You don’t want to miss this one.” Wednesday Books will publish the book on October 6, 2020.

Both The Hollywood Reporter and USA Today shared their anticipation for Sharon Stone’s upcoming memoir, THE BEAUTY OF LIVING TWICE, which her editor describes as “a celebration of strength and resilience, a reckoning, and a call to activism.” Knopf will publish the book in March of 2021.

Karolina Waclawiak’s third novel LIFE EVENTS received a rave review by Lara Vapnyar in The New York Times Book Review. Vapnyar writes: “Waclawiak accomplishes a brilliant feat here, creating an atmosphere of almost palpable, effortful dullness that presides over the entire novel. With so much opportunity for raw emotion, the author seems to avoid it at all cost, going for exceptional clarity instead. ” Farrar, Straus and Giroux published the book on July 28, 2020.

The New York Review of Books writer Jonathan Freeland features Philip N. Howard’s LIE MACHINES in his article “Disinformed to Death.” Freeland writes that “the moment is ripe . . . for books on disinformation . . . these ‘lie machines’ – consisting, Howard writes, of the governments or political campaigns that produce the lies alongside the social media platforms, algorithms, and bots that distribute them – matter gravely.” Yale University Press published the book on May 19, 2020.