THE CHAIRMAN by Stephen Frey
“Diminished by dull prose, but distinguished by colorful, well-drawn characters and an arresting, labyrinthine plot, this 10th novel by Frey (after Silent Partner) illuminates the machinations of big business and high finance. Frey introduces Christian Gillette, who will be a continuing character in this inaugural volume of a projected series. . . Corporate chicanery, boardroom sex and backstabbing abound, and conspiracies proliferate. . . Sadly, a perfunctory denouement does no justice to the clever plot.” – Publisher's Weekly

CINDERELLA MAN: JAMES J. BRADDOCK, MAX BAER, AND THE GREATEST UPSET IN BOXING HISTORY by Jeremy Schaap
“In retelling the story of a near-impossible sports comeback in 1935, Schaap intricately chronicles the history of boxing during the Depression. Jimmy Braddock, an Irish-American heavyweight who began his career as a light heavyweight, was determined to win the title until a series of jinxes hit: the stock market crashed, he broke his dominant hand and a succession of losses crushed his spirit. . . Boxing enthusiasts will be more than satisfied by Schaap's meticulous account, which includes round-by-round details of the fight, as well as profiles of other fighters of the era. Not overly emotional, the story hits a nerve at just the right moments and features many of the same elements that made Seabiscuit a hit.” – Publisher's Weekly

FRIENDS, LOVERS, CHOCOLATE by Alexander McCall Smith
“*Starred Review* Moral dilemmas and mysteries of the heart suffuse this second installment from the Sunday Philosophy Club, Scotsman McCall Smith's latest series following the wildly popular No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. Fortysomething Scottish-American moral philosopher Isabel Dalhousie seems destined to become entangled in other people's lives. It's not nosiness, she tells herself. After all, isn't it human nature to want to help fellow souls in distress? . . . Fans of McCall Smith are sure to savor this wise and whimsical offering filled with lively descriptions of Edinburgh and droll moral observations.” – Booklist

NEVER HAVE YOUR DOG STUFFED: AND OTHER THINGS I’VE LEARNED by Alan Alda
“Humble to a fault, Alda spends more time discussing his formative years than he does on his Emmies and Oscar nominations, which he glosses over. A significant chunk of the final third of the book is devoted to an epiphany Alda had after a health scare in Chile. It runs a bit long, but Alda's conversational style keeps the story on track. It's a brief but entertaining autobiography tempered with humility and a depth rarely found in celebrity memoirs." – Publisher's Weekly

STRAIGHT INTO DARKNESS by Faye Kellerman
“Kellerman, perhaps best known for her Peter Decker/Rina Lazarus novels, takes a hiatus from things contemporary in this ambitious historical mystery, in which politics, prejudice, and revenge form the backdrop for murder. The time is 1929, the place is Munich, and Hitler and his thugs and sycophants are gathering momentum for the horrors to come. Kommunisten, Social Democrats, gays, and, especially, Jews are the targets of Brown Shirts, who are increasing in number and viciousness. Even Munich's Homicide Unit has its Nazi sympathizers. Inspektor Axel Berg, however, isn't one of them. He hopes to steer clear of politics, especially on the job. . . This is a complicated novel, and its mystery occasionally flounders under the weighty political backdrop. But suspense gradually mounts, and the ironic ending is worth the wait. As for Berg, he is one of Kellerman's richest creations--an intriguing protagonist, flawed yet compassionate and heroic, forced to confront enormous odds in brutal times.” – Booklist