The release of The King’s Deception has changed from May 14th to June 11. We are presently finalizing the tour and will shortly announce the cities and dates. What we do know is that Elizabeth and I will be on the road from June 11 to June 23. We’re looking forward to visiting with many of you while we’re out there. So keep Tuesday, June 11 in mind. To get you in the mood, how about a little riddle applicable to the novel: THE KING’S DECEPTION STARTS WITH A QUEEN’S LIE. Got you interested?
Some terrific news. The Columbus Affair paperback, last week, in its first seven days of release, landed at #7 on The New York Times bestseller lists. Last May, the hardcover debuted at #4. That’s two solid performances. Thanks to all of you who made it possible.
Jon Land is a terrific thriller writer in his own right, but he also is a respected reviewer for the Providence-Journal. Jon has picked his top five books for 2012 and The Columbus Affair weighed in at #2, just behind my good friend, Lee Child and ahead of my other good friend, James Rollins (I like that part). Considering the number of books Jon deals with each year, it’s quite an honor. Thanks, Jon. Check out the full list below.
Our reviewers pick their favorites for 2012
Jon Land
A Wanted Man, by Lee Child. (Delacorte) Both Child and his iconic hero Jack Reacher have never been better in this terrific tale highlighted by a bloodily effective climax. Higher stakes this time out for this modern day gunfighter, but Reacher is more than up to the task. Pity the bad guys who pick him up hitchhiking!
The Columbus Affair, by Steve Berry. (Ballantine) Berry departs from his Cotton Malone series to give us a sterling standalone rich in both history and pathos. Great writing, great characters and a big, bold story from the best there is at incorporating then into now.
Bloodline, by James Rollins. (Morrow) An absolutely impossible book to put down, Rollins latest speculative thriller gives us a quest for immortality inside a twist-laden plot packed with cabals and conspiracies. When it comes to layering action with intrigue and mysticism, Rollins is simply the best there is.
Two Graves, by Doug Preston and Lincoln Child. (Grand Central) The latest and best in the Aloysius Pendergast series may or not be supernatural in theme and races to a bracing climax in the jungles of South America, the ultimate irony being that Pendergast can solve any crime except one that hits closest to home. Brilliant in all respects.
The Panther, by Nelson DeMille. (Grand Central) DeMille’s latest to feature John Corey is a tour de force of storytelling power. His use of Islamic radicals as contemporary boogeymen is spot on and Corey is just the man to make them pay for their sins. The kind of book you break appointments to finish uninterrupted.
Steve has been selected by the American Library Association as the 2013 National Spokesperson for Preservation Week. For more information, please click here.
In October, Smithsonian Libraries hosted Steve and Elizabeth as they presented a Writer’s Workshop at the National Museum of Natural History. All of the proceeds from this event benefited the Smithsonian Libraries Rare Books and Preservation Programs. The books that were adopted from the proceeds of this event have now received their electronic bookplates and are currently receiving treatment. Thank you to everyone who attended the workshop and helped make this possible. To take a look at the adoptees, click here.
Check out Steve’s appearance on August 30th, in Prague, at the Palace of Books Luxor. Click here for the video.
Elizabeth and I just returned from a visit to Prague where we had a terrific book event attended by about 200 fans, many of whom brought complete collections of my books for me to sign. It was quite something. Our trip to seems to have been productive. My Czech publisher today told me that The Columbus Affair is #1 on both the hardcover and electronic lists. Thanks to everyone at Domino for making that happen and thanks to all of our readers in Czech. Elizabeth and I plan to return to Prague next September, as part of the cruise we’re taking with fans. The King’s Deception, Cotton Malone’s next adventure, will be released there at the same time. We’re looking forward to another visit. Prague is one of our favorite places in the world. Click here to see the cover of the Czech version of The Columbus Affair.
Here’s a first look at the new paperback cover and inside flap for The Columbus Affair. This book will be in stores December 26th. Click here for the photo.
There’s something exciting happening next year. You can join Elizabeth and me for the 2013 Steve Berry and Fans Cruise – September 7 through September 17. It’s a terrific river journey down the Danube aboard an exquisite ship. We start in Prague and end in Budapest. I will lead tours in Prague to see places from The Columbus Affair. In Melk, you’ll visit the Benedictine Abbey that I used in The Amber Room. In Vienna, we’ll see more places featured in The Columbus Affair. Also, along the way, there will be talks on board, Q&A sessions, dinners, and lots of interacting. Elizabeth and I are looking forward to meeting some of you. Space is limited, so click here to learn all about it and reserve your cabin now.
Maggie Galehouse, reporter for the Houston Chronicle, attended the History Matters Writer’s Workshop that was held on May 23 to benefit Preservation Houston. Click here to read her article about the workshop along with some great pictures.
