In First Impressions this week, we take a wild ride with The Continental Affair by Christine Mangan, the story of a suspenseful chase through 1960s Europe and beyond.

But the thrills don't stop there. In Editor's Choice, we review Emma Ramadan's translation of Maud Ventura's French-language debut novel My Husband, the intense tale of a wife's ongoing obsession with her husband of fifteen years. Our accompanying "beyond the book" article takes a brief look at the art, science and practical logistics of book translation.

You can also check out our Books in Translation category for your next great translated read.

Plus, be sure to take note of our excellent lineup of fall book club discussions — we hope to see you there!

With best wishes,

Davina Morgan-Witts

BookBrowse Publisher

Each month, we share books with BookBrowse members to read and review. Here are their opinions on one recently released title.

"Join Henri as he chases Louise across Europe in search of the money she's stolen that he is charged with recovering. In alternating double chapters from each character's point of view, the reader is told their stories in 'the present' and 'before.' From Granada to Paris to Belgrade to Istanbul, this novel is at once suspenseful and poignant. Though set in the 1960s, there is a feel of the '30s, which is very appealing. ... I will heartily recommend The Continental Affair to those who are looking for a story with suspense, as well as well-drawn, sympathetic characters. I enjoyed it immensely." —Gail K. (Saratoga Springs, NY)

"The Continental Affair by Christine Magnan is not what I expected—a romantic European tryst with two attractive people—and not the kind of book—a mysterious, weirdly winding tale of two people trying to escape their pasts—I usually read. But it is intriguing and hard to put down." —Margot T. (Westport, CT)

"Moody and atmospheric...the novel discomfits with its notions of free will and fate between star-crossed souls. A great choice for book groups." —Claire M. (Wrentham, MA)

This issue of The BookBrowse Review features reviews and "beyond the book" articles for 14 books, including The History of a Difficult Child by Mihret Sibhat, Banyan Moon by Thao Thai and Witness by Jamel Brinkley.

We also bring you a new Wordplay, previews of noteworthy upcoming releases and much more.

This twice-monthly online-magazine is just one benefit of being a BookBrowse member. Find out more!

For couples who've chosen to spend their lives together, the passionate flames of new love tend to eventually cool into a sort of comfortable warmth. One's spouse becomes a beloved partner rather than an object of infatuation. Maud Ventura's provocative novel My Husband, translated from French by Emma Ramadan, explores what it's like when that doesn't happen.

Ventura's unnamed narrator, a forty-year-old English teacher and book translator, is intensely obsessed with her husband of fifteen years. As the book opens, she frames this situation as still loving him as much as she did the day she met him. But as the plot progresses, the reader quickly discovers her obsession is deeper — and darker — than mere butterflies. Told over the course of one week in the couple's life, this story has all the tension of a domestic suspense novel with the biting wit of a dark comedy. It skewers the idea of the "perfect" marriage and reveals the inner thoughts of a well-off suburbanite. ...continued

In Maud Ventura's novel My Husband, we get a glimpse into the main character's work as a book translator. Translated books give readers the chance to step into the shoes of characters living in different countries and cultures. When it comes to American books in translation (like this English-language version of Ventura's novel), an often-cited statistic is that only around 3% of books published in the United States are translated works, a number that some in the industry are working to increase.

The process of bringing foreign language books to readers is a complex one, involving the dedicated work of many highly skilled professionals. ...continued

My Husband by Maud Ventura (above) is only one of many works in our Books in Translation category, where you can find nearly 150 featured and recommended titles translated into English from a variety of other languages.

This is just one of 100+ themed categories you can explore on BookBrowse to find the perfect read for your book club or yourself. Members have full access to all categories, while non-members can view a limited number.

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