Hut's Place

Weekly Words about New Books in

Independent Bookstores

October 2, 2022

New Fiction - Backman Brings Beartown Back to Life and Legal Thriller Benefits from Unconventional Investigator

The Winners by Fredrik Backman. The famed Swedish author (A Man Called Ove, Anxious People) wraps up his Beartown trilogy in superb, satisfying style. A devastating storm and the unexpected death of a beloved Beartown figure threatens to further fracture relations between small neighboring towns, but the events also prompt the return home of two key characters from the earlier books - Maya and Benji. As always, hockey is the glue that holds the rival communities together, but knowledge of the game is not necessary to enjoy the book. What is necessary is to want to read a novel laden with extraordinary characters - ordinary people whose strengths and weaknesses will make you care deeply and root for better lives for so many. And yes, although it's not strictly necessary, I would recommend reading Beartown and Us Against You - both in paperback - before this one.

In its starred review, Booklist called The Winners a "dramatic and highly satisfying novel, building on themes introduced in the first two books and brilliantly drawing the reader deeply into the story. The translation is nimble and idiomatic, perfectly conveying Backman’s love of language and his wonderful sense of humor. If this really is the last Beartown novel, it’s a hell of a conclusion to an outstanding series"

Suspect by Scott Turow. The dean of the legal thriller loosens his courthouse tie to produce a thoroughly entertaining crime drama featuring Pinky Granum, a free spirited, 30-something woman with a free-wheeling background. Pinky has found her calling as an investigator for attorney Rik Dudek, whose latest case is defending the town's female police chief from trumped-up sexual harassment charges. Pinky's investigative tactics are hardly Detecting 101, but she's pretty fearless and smart as hell. Turow throws in several enjoyable courtroom exchanges, but he clearly had fun stretching himself in a less formal environment - and making Pinky the star witness of this one.

Booklist gets the nod again for its review of Suspect: “Pinky’s unconventional, socially awkward narration offers a fresh take on sticky legal issues, and Turow’s carefully paced, tight plotting complements her dedication to the long game.”

Reluctant Scientist on Seemingly Impossible Space Mission to Save the World

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. The talented Weir is a former software engineer who fulfilled his dream of becoming a full-time writer following the success of his novel The Martian. With his new, wildly popular intersteller adventure, job security seems a lock.

So here's the deal. You're Ryland Grace, a once-promising molecular biologist who is tagged to be part of a three-person scientific mission into space. An unknown and inexplicable force is draining energy from the Sun, which if left unchecked could mean the end of life on Earth. So off you shoot into space to save the world. Sounds daunting, especially when Grace awakens from an induced coma to find himself millions of miles from home and now traveling on a seemingly impossible mission with two dead crewmates. That can't be good.

Without giving away too much, it turns out our hero is not the only one searching for answers out in space. And while Weir's wonkiness and goofy humor aren't great literary devices, he knows his science and how to make it accessible in a book that is a helluva page-turner.

In it's rave review, Library Journal weighed in with this: "The book’s witty narrator, hard science, and flashbacks all blend into a high-stakes adventure of galactic proportions, while presenting some exciting twists and strong themes of collaboration and friendship."

Join the Mailing List to get Hut's Place free every week.

Alternatively, email me at hutlandon@gmail.com and request to be added to the list. Feedback and comments also welcomed!

And rest assured - your e-mail will never be shared!

WHY THE COLUMN?

Hi, I'm Hut Landon, and I'm a bookseller in an independent bookstore in BerkeIey, CA.

My goal here is to keep readers up to date about new books hitting the shelves, share what indie booksellers are recommending in their stores, and pass on occasional news about the book world.

I'm not into long, wordy reviews or literary criticism; HUT'S PLACE is meant to be a quick, fun read for book buyers. If you have any friends who you think might like receiving this column, simply click on "Forward this email" below and enter their email address. There is also a box to add a short message.

WHERE TO FIND AN INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE

Many of you already have a favorite local bookstore, but for those of you without such a relationship, you can click here to find the nearest indie bookstore by simply entering your postal code.