Editor’s Choice
Long Lost, by Harlan Coben, $27.95. Myron Bolitar takes on international terrorists in best-seller Coben’s fast-paced ninth thriller to feature the sports and entertainment agent (after “Promise Me”). Aided by his upper-class sidekick and bodyguard, Win, Bolitar builds up an impressive body count as he attempts to prove he’s (innocent of murder) — and foil a terrorist plot that’s as imaginative as it is preposterous. Publishers Weekly
FICTION
Malice, by Lisa Jackson, $24. A vengeful ex-wife appears to have returned from the dead to stalk her ex-husband in this gripping thriller from best-seller Jackson (“Absolute Fear”). Jackson heightens the creep factor by including the viewpoint of a character whose hatred for past wrongs inspires another extreme killing spree. Publishers Weekly
The Lost Quilter, by Jennifer Chiaverini, $24. In her 14th series installment, Chiaverini picks up the threads from “The Runaway Quilt” to spin another tale of adventure, love, perseverance and, of course, quilting. This satisfying and redemptive narrative unfolds with cinematic clarity. Publishers Weekly
NONFICTION
The Wikipedia Revolution: How a Bunch of Nobodies Created the World’s Greatest Encyclopedia, by Andrew Lih, $24.99. Tracing Wikipedia’s evolution and expansion to international editions, Lih views the encyclopedia as a “global community of passionate scribes,” attributing its success to a policy of openness which is “not so much technical phenomenon as social phenomenon.” Publishers Weekly
To the End of the Earth: Our Epic Journey to the North Pole and the Legend of Peary and Henson, by Tom Avery, $26.95. Avery comes across as a modest, amiable man who manages to conceal the steely drive his arduous expedition so obviously required. As his conclusion makes clear, the author may need that stamina to withstand the attacks from those still convinced that Peary was a fraud. A fine blend of history and adventure. Kirkus
PAPERBACKS
The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century, by Steve Coll, $18. Coll’s riveting new book not only gives us the most psychologically detailed portrait of the brutal 9/11 mastermind yet, but in telling the epic story of Osama bin Laden’s extended family, it also reveals the crucial role that his relatives and their relationship with the royal house of Saud played in shaping his thinking. The New York Times
The Cure for Modern Life, by Lisa Tucker, $15. A touching and very modern relationship story and a multifaceted analysis of what it means to be a good person in the 21st century. This fast-paced, funny and smart novel is a sure bet for book clubs. Booklist
The Cellist of Sarajevo, by Steven Galloway, $15. Galloway (“Ascension”) delivers a tense and haunting novel following four people trying to survive war-torn Sarajevo. With wonderfully drawn characters and a stripped-down narrative, Galloway brings to life a distant conflict. Publishers Weekly
COMING UP
The Arms Maker of Berlin, by Dan Festerman, $24.95. Nat Turnbull, a history professor who specializes in the German resistance, is only mildly surprised when his estranged mentor, Gordon Wolfe, is arrested for possession of stolen World War II archives. But what’s in the archives is staggering. (August)
