Rosie and I had a very brief conversation recently about anticipating book releases. I confessed that I don't tend to get all jazzed up about romance releases. You know how some of y'all count down the weeks until the new Lisa Kleypas, Linda Howard, Nalini Singh, whomever book? Yeah, I just don't do that with romance. I don't know why. I just don't. The closest I've ever come is with Maureen McKade. After reading A Reason To Live, I was thisclose to selling a kidney to get my hands on A Reason To Believe. And while there are many authors I like quite a lot (Cheryl St. John, Karen Templeton, Cheryl Reavis to name a few) - I don't plan my entire life around getting their latest book. Sorry ladies.Although I told Rosie that if Maggie Osborne ever comes to her senses and "un-retires," all bets are off.
That being said, I do get that anticipation itch (wonder if there's an ointment for that?) when it comes to mystery/suspense novels. I suspect it's because that genre consistently gives me "white knuckle reads." The kinds of books that I do not want to put down. The kinds of books that are so exciting, so thrilling, so.....so.....unstoppable, that I consider calling in dead to work just so I can read more. I've read great romances in my day. Wonderful, fulfilling, emotionally wrenching romance novels. But they just don't "speak" to me on the same level as a great suspense book.
And vice versa, suspense doesn't speak to me on the same level as romance. Romance is the genre I love to reread. Romance is the genre that is currently taking over the Bat Cave. Suspense? Yeah, not so much. Go figure.
All of this is a long-winded lead-up to say I uncovered a plot description online for Chelsea Cain's September release, Evil At Heart. Oh. My. God. I sort of feel like one of those half-crazed girlies who will be camping out to get the DVD of the Twilight movie. I'm trying to think of what I wouldn't do to get my hands on a copy of this book - and frankly, it's a little scary. It's March and I'm already starting to drool out of the side of my mouth. Seriously. I might need help.
I found this description over at Fantastic Fiction. Hopefully it's accurate, since Amazon is showing the exact same one.
Description:
This is the blistering new serial-killer thriller in Cain's "Gretchen Lowell" series. A college student is found dead, floating in a rowing boat on a lake, a gaping wound in his abdomen. The autopsy reveals that his spleen was removed while he was still alive. A media frenzy ensues, the press reaching the same conclusion as the local law enforcement: Gretchen Lowell, the 'Beauty Killer', still at large following her prison escape, is back and she's killing again. But Detective Archie Sheridan, on medical leave following his last run-in with Gretchen, isn't so sure.:::drooling::: I need to snap out of it. I do need to be able to function between now and September.
The more he discovers about the murders the more convinced he is that they could be the work of a copy-cat. Plus Archie has other things to worry about - his health is declining sharply and he is being stalked by a strange young man. At first Archie dismisses him as one of a disturbed group who are obsessed with Gretchen and romanticise Archie's ten-day ordeal with her. But as the young man's attentions begin to intensify, it becomes clear that this group will go to great lengths to feel close to the Beauty Killer...
Archie, along with journalist Susan Ward, is desperate to find the truth behind this new spate of killings. But it is Gretchen who holds the answers and copy-cat or not, she still has one more victim in mind.
10 comments:
1. I'm sorry you are feeling the itch.
2. You are so lucky to not have to feel the itch most of the time!
I can't really look at release dates of books because I get nutty. I will go to bookstores for weeks before the date hoping against hope that somehow the publishing gods have sent out a special book just for me. (And sometimes they do!)
I think I have read so many 'meh' books that when I find an author who can deliver every thing I want in a story I get caught. The worst though is when the shine starts to wear off. The magic isn't there any more and it takes longer for someone like me to move on.
I probably read farther than most people when it came to LKH, I have Garwood's contemps in Hardcover (!!!) that I knew I couldn't read but bought thinking maybe I could and Linda Howard has turned so sharply for me that I've cut myself off from her completely.
Okay, I'll probably buy Howard in PB. Baby steps ;)
CindyS
OMG Cain in September!! I am doing the snoopy dance about this!!
I remember when Sept and Oct rolled around last year, there was some awesome book releases. Just like the fall season with tv, the same goes for books?
I am so doing a post about the new Cain book.
Hey, Wendy, have you seen the blurb and cover for Bronwyin Parry's Dark Country That's one I'm dying to get my hand on myself!
Cindy: I hear you on the shine. I have more than a handful of mystery authors I really need to give up on....but I can't. Damn nostalgia! At least I've gotten to the point where I've stopped buying them. But I still read a work copy. Sigh.
Kate: Spring and Fall are traditionally the big months in publishing. So yeah, always lots of great books coming out around September/October. I'm dying, dying, dying to get my hands on the new Cain.
AL: That's right! She's got one coming out in the fall too. I'm really looking forward to that one, and still crossing my fingers she lands a publisher here in the States.
Maybe Chelsea will be at BEA in May? Perhaps she will have an ARC or two I can scoop up for us?
Kate: Definitely watch the BEA schedule - because she was there last year, and did a couple of signings. St. Martin's was laying on the full-court-press for Sweetheart last year.
St. Martin's has a wonderful library rep (seriously, she's awesome), and I've gotten ARCs for the first two books. Crossing my fingers that I get one for Evil At Heart. We'll see though. With the economy continuing to tank, I wouldn't be surprised if publishers seriously scale back on their ARCs......
If only publishers would send out more electronic ARCS. I would glady take those.
Ms. Cain's publisher obviously has no empathy for full time nursing students or this would be released in August. Wish I could share in the happy dance.
Big Sis: If I get an advanced copy, it will probably be during one of the summer months. In which case - I could send it to you to read before you start back up at nursing school.
Unfortunately September/October is also (usually) when Tess Gerritsen has a new book come out. I'm not seeing anything "yet" - but that's one you'll probably have to wait to read. I never get advanced copies for her books - so have to wait to buy it new when the laydown date rolls around.
Katiebabs beat me to it, but you know I'll keep an eye out for it at BEA for you.
Post a Comment