Reads of the week
The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo (Gallery Books), by Amy Schumer
Amy Schumer is a powerhouse in the entertainment industry, thanks to her Emmywinning TV series, Inside Amy Schumer, and feature film box-office smash Trainwreck. A comedian, actress, writer, producer and director, Schumer is on her way to adding “bestselling author” to her list of achievements with her new book, The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo. Schumer is known for standing in a spotlight and sharing every corner of her soul with thousands of strangers. So it’s no surprise that her book is packed with hilarious, honest and often vulnerably raw details of her life. Her self-deprecating essays reveal a young Amy navigating the tricky waters of adolescence, including new love, lost friendships and the accidental discovery of what the naked body of an older woman looks like up close and personal. Readers also get a peek inside Schumer’s “new money” world. She starts by chronicling the better part of a decade when she hustled comedy clubs for work in order to make a name. Readers will laugh and cry, and may put the book down from moments of honesty that result in uncomfortable realistic details from her life. More important, the essays challenge readers to harness their own stories.
Rise the Dark (Little, Brown and Co), by Michael Koryta
Mark Novak, seen previously in Michael Koryta’s Last Words , is still seeking answers regarding the murder of his wife in Rise the Dark. Garland Webb, the man responsible for killing Lauren Novak, walks away a free man on a technicality. Mark knows Garland is responsible, but can he prove it? The words “rise the dark” were written in Lauren’s notebook prior to her death, and the cryptic message has been elusive. In a small town in Montana, Sabrina Baldwin watches her husband, Jay, head out to repair a downed power line. She showers, and when she steps out, she’s shocked to see a man waiting for her. Garland shoots her with a tranquilizer dart and his bold plan begins. Mark visits the site of his wife’s murder and learns that he’s a pawn in a game where his survival is doubtful. Garland knows every move Mark is going to make, and the truth behind Lauren’s cryptic message will ruin the lives of many people. Jay learns of his wife’s kidnapping and realizes he will have to betray everything he holds dear in order to win her freedom. Koryta has a gift for terrific suspense that immerses the reader while also delivering prose that almost reads like poetry. Some of the answers that Mark finds are a bit hard to believe, but that’s a minor bump in the road that should definitely be traveled.
Behind Closed Doors (St. Martin’s Press), by B.A. Paris
The domestic thriller genre is based on a simple theme — sometimes the worst terror comes not from strangers but from those closest to us. That premise receives a gripping workout in B.A. Paris’ terrifying and often realistic debut.
Behind Closed Doors, a bestseller last year in Britain, is now receiving its US launch. Grace Harrington expected a happily-ever-after ending when she married successful, charming and handsome Jack Angel after a whirlwind romance. Besides, they aren’t the only couple who decided to wed a few months after they met, nor are they the only ones who married without having first slept together. Jack seems perfect, especially because he genuinely seems to care about Grace’s 17-year-old sister, Millie, who has Down’s syndrome. But Grace discovers on their wedding night that Jack is only interested in the facade of perfection that his new wife brings to the marriage. By day, she is a virtual prisoner in her bedroom in the couple’s pristine mansion in Spring Eaton, England. Grace knows she has to obey Jack’s every demand and keep up appearances, especially when they have guests for dinner. Behind Closed Doors alternates between the couple’s past and present, showing how relentless intimidation has affected Grace. Once a bright, independent executive whose job took her around the world, she is soon reduced to timidity. Jack has made it clear that he will hunt her down and harm Millie if Grace leaves him.