In this last newsletter before January, we bring you our First Impressions readers' thoughts on a unique and absorbing crime novel perfect for keeping you occupied over the remaining days of the year: Joseph Knox's True Crime Story is a work of fiction that reads like real life.

If one book isn't enough to last you until 2022, join us in looking back over all the First Impressions books covered this year. You can browse through our readers' personal, honest reviews to find something that truly grabs your interest.

And if you're looking for an additional bookish diversion, the Big Holiday Wordplay will be open through to the end of the year. Try to solve the clues, and you just might win your choice of a BookBrowse membership or three books from our currently available selection. I know that many subscribers enjoy solving the clues with their bookish friends.

You can also enter our latest giveaway for a chance to receive a copy of a significant book about American food history that focuses on the influence of immigrant women, Taste Makers by Mayukh Sen.

With best wishes for the holiday season,

Davina Morgan-Witts

BookBrowse Publisher

Each month we give away books to BookBrowse members who live in the U.S. to read and review. Members who choose to participate receive a free book about every 3-4 months. Here are their opinions on one recently released title.

"Gripping! It is set at Manchester University in Northern England, and starts innocuously enough with a student disappearance just before the Christmas holidays. Not necessarily a major crime, and the police are informed, but this is not a standard police procedural, and the missing girl, Zoe Nolan, is not quite the ordinary student she seemed to be at first. She has an identical twin, also a student at the university, which of course complicates things. The book progresses by means of a series of interviews with all her friends, fellow students, family and staff, brilliantly edited and arranged to provoke doubts, and sends the reader off in all directions... This is one of the most original books I have read in a long time, because of the format. It is different, feels real, as if it could actually be a 'true crime story.' Can't wait to read Sirens, the author's debut novel, don't know how I missed it." - Patricia T. (Fallbrook, CA)

"Although described as a novel, this engrossing story sure doesn't read like fiction! The title is what originally drew me to this book, and I was intrigued from the very first page. Mystery lovers will really enjoy this one. I loved it and appreciated the originality of the format in which the story was told. It truly blurs the lines between fact and fiction. I had to keep reminding myself that True Crime Story is fiction (or is it?)." - Kathy D. (Spotsylvania, VA)

"If you are a fan of crime novels, try your hand at this one! You won't see it coming! Great book club exercise if you use a whiteboard or cork board!" - Wendy A. (Durham, NC)

Recently, we announced our Top 20 books of the year along with our Best of the Year award winners in the categories of Best Nonfiction, Best Fiction, Best Debut and Best Young Adult. Visit the BookBrowse blog to explore our award winners, the full Top 20 and other end-of-year content.

This holiday season, give the gift that will last all year — a one-year membership to BookBrowse, including our twice-monthly e-magazine, access to all our reviews and "beyond the book" articles, and much more. It's the perfect choice for your book-loving friends and family!

For a limited time, we're offering a $7 discount, so you can give a one-year membership for just $32.

Buy today using coupon code HOLIDAY2021 and tell us when you'd like your gift to be sent, and we'll email the gift certificate to your recipient on the day you specify.

And if you're not already a BookBrowse member, you can also use HOLIDAY2021 to treat yourself!

US$32 is equivalent to approx. CA$41, £24, €28, AU$45 and NZ$47.

There are many places to find reader reviews on the web, but it can be a challenge to know which are truly independent. The reader reviews offered through BookBrowse's First Impressions program are trustworthy because only our members can post them.

By seeing the similarities in reader reactions and opinions, you can better decide if a book is one you’re likely to enjoy. And with all of the reviewed books available, you’re sure to find many that appeal to you.

Who's really behind America's appetite for foods from around the globe? This group biography from an electric new voice in food writing honors seven extraordinary women, all immigrants, who left an indelible mark on the way Americans eat today. Taste Makers stretches from World War II to the present, with absorbing and deeply researched portraits of figures including Mexican-born Elena Zelayeta, a blind chef; Marcella Hazan, the deity of Italian cuisine; and Norma Shirley, a champion of Jamaican dishes.

"Thoughtfully written, Sen's portrayals of his subjects reveal how rich and nuanced being 'American' can truly be. Food lovers with a big appetite for knowledge will gobble this up." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A must-read for those interested in culinary or women's history and the evolution of American cookbooks." - Library Journal (starred review)

"Mayukh makes the American kitchen feel vast, interconnected and full of wonder – never insular, small-minded or cold – and weaves together these undertold stories with unmatched care and respect." - Ruby Tandoh, author of Eat Up!

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