Books: New and Noteworthy
- David Baldacci is back with his second John Puller thriller
- Can Timothy Ferriss deliver another '4-Hour' best seller?
- Vogue's Grace Coddington writes her life story
1. The Forgotten by David Baldacci (Grand Central, fiction, on sale Nov. 20)
What it's about: After Special Agent John Puller's aunt is found dead in Paradise, Fla., he becomes convinced it's no accident, in the second installment in a series.
The buzz: Baldacci's first Puller thriller, Zero Day, made its debut on USA TODAY's Best-Selling Books list at No. 3 last year.
2. The 4-Hour Chef by Timothy Ferriss (Amazon/New Harvest, non-fiction, on sale Nov. 20)
What it's about: The guy who brought us best sellers on mastering skills such as fitness (The 4-Hour Body) and lifestyle (The 4-Hour Workweek) now offers shortcuts to "cooking like a pro."
The buzz: Ferriss' book has made headlines because many bookstores, battling publisher Amazon, are refusing to sell it. Will that hurt sales? The 4-Hour Body hit No. 4 on USA TODAY's list in 2010.
3. Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich (Bantam, fiction, on sale Nov. 20)
What it's about: Female bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is searching for an embezzler who has mysteriously vanished from the hospital after an emergency appendectomy.
The buzz: Will Nineteen be another lucky number for Evanovich? Seven of the last eight Plum mysteries have hit No. 1 on USA TODAY's list.
4. Grace by Grace Coddington (Random House, non-fiction, on sale Nov. 20)
What it's about: A memoir by the model turned creative director of Vogue magazine, with whimsical illustrations by the author.
The buzz: Coddington was a central character in The September Issue, the 2009 documentary about Vogue. Says Kirkus Reviews of her memoir: "A lively glimpse of the fashion industry and the characters behind it."
5. Fox Tracks by Rita Mae Brown (Ballantine, fiction, on sale Nov. 20)
What it's about: The eighth novel in Brown's foxhunting mystery series finds Sister Jane Arnold investigating the murder of a tobacconist.
The buzz: Brown also writes a best-selling cat mystery series revolving around a feline named Mrs. Murphy.