Live Wire

Virginia and I each took a copy of Harlan Coben’s newest  novel, Live Wire, when they arrived last week.  She finished first, with me right behind.  Live Wire is the tenth book to feature Coben’s most popular character, Myron Bolitar.  In this book we learn more about Bolitar than we ever knew, his family, his roots, and the skeletons hidden deep in his closet.  Both Virginia and I found this to be a fast read.  As the different plotlines were revealed the pace quickened.  In the final breath Coben ties it all together with his trademark suspense and classic style.

Live Wire Video

Gabriel Wire is the prettyboy frontman for the chart topping Australian rock band HorsePower.  Myron’s client Lex plays number two in the act, or as Coben puts it, “the John Oates to Gabriel’s Daryl Hall.”  As the story revs up we learn that Lex’s former tennis star wife, Suzze T, is also one of Myron’s clients.  Eight months prenant, she calls for Myron’s help in finding the missing Lex.  As he searches for Lex, we get our first glimpse of Kitty, Myron sister-in-law, who disappeared some 15 years earlier along with younger brother Brad.  The story weaves in-and-out of now and then, as we learn of Myron’s early years, the injury that kept him from playing for the Celtics (he was a #1 draft pick), how he formed his agency, and how his first clients fell into a scene of fame, complete with drugs, sex, murder and revenge.

Coben takes Bolitar on an lifetime journey that reveals to the reader unknown sides of the character.  Coben delicately juggles strong character analysis with a suspense filled storyline that keeps the reader fully engaged.

Those reading Coben for the first time will find “Live Wire” a great starting point, while longtime fans will be wondering how Coben maintains his surperb quality from one book to the next.

VJ Books has received:  Janet Evanovich – Wicked Appetite, Jose Rodrigues dos Santos – Einstein Enigma, Archer Mayor – Red Herring, Ken Follett – Fall of Giants, Michael Connelly – The Reversal, Catherine Coulter – The Valcourt Heiress, Robert B. Parker – Painted Ladies, William Gibson – Zero History, Ted Bell – Warlord, Kevin Guilfoile – The Thousand, Joyce Carol Oates – Sourland, Lisa Black – Trail of Blood, Stephen White – Last Lie, Spencer Quinn – To Fetch a Thief, Clive Cussler – The Lost Empire, Harlan Coben – Back Spin, Bernard Cornwell The Fort, and Richard Castle – Naked Heat.

VJ Books has received:  Harlan Coben – Caught, Danielle Trussoni – Angelology, Linda Fairstein – Hell Gate, Jack Coughlin – Clean Kill, Seth Grahame-Smith – Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter, Henning Mankell – The Man From Beijing, Lorrie Moore – A Gate At The Stairs, and Sandi Ault – Wild Penance.

VJ Books celebrates bestselling writer Harlan Coben as March 2010 Favorite Author.  Coben is the bestselling author of sixteen previous novels, including the #1 New York Times bestsellers Long Lost and Hold Tight.

Winner of the Edgar Award, Shamus Award and Anthony Award – the first author to win all three – international bestselling author Harlan Coben’s critically-acclaimed novels have been called “ingenious” (New York Times), “poignant and insightful” (Los Angeles Times), and “superb” (Chicago Tribune). 

His most recent novels, The Woods, Promise Me, The Innocent, Just One Look, No Second Chance, Tell No One and Gone For Good have appeared on the top of all the major bestseller lists including the New York Times, London Times, Le Monde, Publishers Weekly, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal and USA TODAY – and many others throughout the world.  His books are published in thirty-seven languages around the globe and have been number one bestsellers in nearly a dozen countries.

In his first books, Coben immersed himself in the exploits of sports agent Myron Bolitar. Critics loved the series, saying, “You race to turn pages…both suspenseful and often surprisingly funny” (People). After seven books Coben wanted to try something different. “I came up with a great idea that simply would not work for Myron,” says Coben. The result was the critically acclaimed New York Times bestseller Tell No One, which (more…)

VJ Books, online bookseller of collectible and signed mystery, science fiction and horror books, is proud to announce its recent membership into ITW (The International Thriller Writers).

ITW is the only writer’s organization devoted exclusively to the thriller genre.

Co-Presidents Steve Berry (Paris Vendetta) and Joe Moore (The 731 Legacy) recently offered their congratulations to John Hutchinson and Virginia Lenneville, owners of the 13-year-old internet company.  Being a part of the associate membership of ITW shows VJ Books’ commitment to promoting the thriller genre at an innovative and superior level.

ITW began in June 2004 and has grown to over 1100 members consisting of authors, fans, publishers and the like.  Past co-presidents include David Morrell and Gayle Lynds, and James Rollins.

VJ Books was honored to have attended the Annual Thrillerfest held in New York.  “We look forward to upcoming events where authors, fans and booksellers can meet to talk about great reading!” offered Ms. Lenneville about the July 2009 event.  David Morrell was honored as 2009 Thrillermaster.  Brad Meltzer, long-time friend of VJ Books was honored with the Silver Bullet Award.

Best Thriller of the Year was given to Jeffery Deaver for The Bodies Left Behind.  His novel The Broken Window was also nominated.  Other “Best Thriller” nominees Harlan Coben, Andrew Gross and Brad Thor also have long-time relationships with VJ Books.

“I can’t begin to tell you how special it was to see our author friends at the workshops and other events that weekend” Lenneville added.  “It convinced John and me that we simply had to become members and support this fine organization.”

For more information on the International Thriller Writers, visit their website at:  www.thrillerwriters.org.  For more information about VJ Books, visit their site at www.vjbooks.com.

Here’s a look at Publisher’s Weekly fiction bestsellers as we reach the half-year.  It’s become increasingly hard of late for authors to hold onto the #1 spot, but this year seems tougher still.  Of the 18 authors who have nabbed that perch, only three – John Grisham, The Associate; Janet Evanovich, Plum Spooky; and Jodi Picoult, Handle with Care – have exceeded a week’s stay.  Such bestseller veterans as Michael Connelly, James Patterson, Harlan Coben, Mary Higgins Clark and others have managed only one week on top.  Of this year’s fiction newcomers, the five longest-running tenures to date are David Baldacci (First Family, nine weeks and counting); James Patterson (Run for Your Life, nine weeks); James Patterson (The 8th Confession, seven weeks); Maeve Binchy (Heart and Soul, seven weeks) and W.E.B. Griffin (Black Ops, seven weeks).

(Publisher’s Weekly, June 29)

With two books in competition for the International Thriller Writers’ Best Thriller of the Year – The Broken Window and The Bodies Left Behind – it looks like the suspense-meister (Jeffery Deaver) has a 40% shot.  (The other nominees are Harlan Coben (Hold Tight), Andrew Gross (Dark Tide) and Brad Thor (The Last Patriot).)  The winner will be announced at the July 11 Thrillerfest 2009 awards banquet.

How’s this for a book tour spin?  At many of Harlan Coben‘s appearances, he’s shared the bill with Australian song-writer Missy Higgins; they both speak, she sings and they discuss the creative process of writing books and songs.  These events “have been a huge succes,” says Dutton publicity dirctor  Christine Ball.  Next up:  local boy Coben will be honored at an April 16 luncheon by the Friends of the Ridgewood (N.J.) Library, celebrating the library’s 20th anniversary.  Long Lost copies in print:  336,000.

Order your signed copy of Harlan Coben‘s Long Lost at www.vjbooks.com

(Publisher’s Weekly, Mar. 23)

In a March 3 CBS Morning Show interview with Harry Smith, Coben talked about parents monitoring their kids’ Internet use – an important aspect of Hold Tight‘s plot.  “It’s a really gray area,” he said.  “We’re all guilty of being helicopiter parents, hoevering over our kids.”  It’s clearly a topic of interest to Coben, who has four children ranging in age from six to 14.  Copies in print:  737,000.  Coben’s newest hardcover, Long Lost, is due from Putnam on March 31.

Order your signed copy of Hold Tight  and Long Lost by Harlan Coben from www.vjbooks.com

Watch CBS Videos Online‘ >Harlan Coben interview with Harry Smith of CBS Morning Show

(Publisher’s Weekly, Feb. 9)

Myron Bolitar takes on international terrorists in bestseller Coben’s fast-paced ninth thriller to feature the sports and entertainment agent (after Promise Me). With his romantic relationship with 9/11 widow Ali Wilder on the rocks, Myron is free at a moment’s notice to accept the invitation of his former lover, Terese Collins, a TV newswoman who dropped out of his life years earlier, to join her in Paris. There Terese tells Myron her investigative reporter ex-husband, Rick, whom Myron never knew about, recently got back in touch with her and hinted at an earthshaking revelation. Rick’s murder plunges Bolitar into a frenzied, often violent chase across Europe in an effort to learn Rick’s secret. Aided by his upper-class sidekick and bodyguard, Win, Bolitar builds up an impressive body count as he attempts to prove he didn’t kill Rick—and foil a terrorist plot that’s as imaginative as it is preposterous. Bolitar fans will cheer their hero every step of the way. (Apr.)

Order your signed copy of The Long Lost by Harlan Coben at www.vjbooks.com today!