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Tomorrow night brings two out-of-town Overlook authors, as well as one northeastern native to bookstores across New York for an evening of readings, signings, and lively discussion. Award-winning English novelist R.J. Ellory, author of A Quiet Vendetta will be joined by A Killer’s Essence author Dave Zeltserman to promote their latest crime thrillers at Brooklyn’s BookCourt, while English

Magnificent praise for The Anniversary Man, by R.J. Ellory in Booklist: "This is one of those police-procedural gems that come along once in a blue moon. The book is entirely free of the tired formulas that drive way too many procedurals and that often seem more oriented toward
securing movie rights than telling a story. And what a story this is! NYPD Detective Ray Irving—overworked, underpaid, and absolutely dedicated to his job—risks his code of ethics and, ultimately, his life to track down a serial killer who is imitating the crimes of some of the worst monsters our society has spawned. An increasing number of leads begin flowing in from newspaper researcher John Costello, a psychologically damaged survivor of the “Hammer of God” killer. Two decades after that traumatic event, Costello now seems to have garnered an uncannily encyclopedic knowledge of serial murderers. Costello’s almost prescient information soon makes him Irving’s number-one resource as well as his number-one suspect. Although Ellory is widely acclaimed in his native Britain, his books have not yet received widespread distribution in the U.S. Following A Quiet Belief in Angels (2009), this could be the one to put his name in lights in this country. Expect his name to be on every crime-fiction fan’s lips in short order." — Elliott Swanson

Eleanor Bukowsky takes a look at A Quiet Belief in Angels on the popular Mostly Fiction blog: "R. J. Ellory’s A Quiet Belief in Angels is the heartrending story of Joseph Vaughn, a boy who grows up under an unlucky star. The narrator is only eleven when his thirty-seven year old father, Earl, dies in 1939, leaving him and his impoverished young mother to fend for themselves. Earl’s death leaves Joseph and his mother deeply shaken. The boy is further traumatized when a classmate is found dead, after having been stripped, beaten, and assaulted by an unknown perpetrator. This girl’s murder is just the first in a long string of calamities that will dog Augusta Falls, Georgia, where Joseph and his mother live. The specter of death constantly haunts this tragic tale of hopes dashed and innocent lives snuffed out prematurely. The author eloquently and vividly evokes the atmosphere of rural Georgia before the Second World War, where people make do with very little, gossip is a way of life, neighbors help neighbors, and outsiders are never fully accepted. There was “a richness in friendship and community” that helped compensate for a lack of material wealth. Joseph, who is highly intelligent, sensitive, and imaginative, is given a much-needed boost by his beloved teacher, Miss Webber, who encourages him to become an avid reader and try his hand at creative writing. This multi-faceted novel blends disparate elements that do not always smoothly coexist. Side by side with scenes of gothic horror are poignant romantic encounters. Humor and tragedy intermingle freely. Although Joseph benefits from a few close friendships, he also endures unspeakable betrayals. Throughout, he recalls in flashback the high and lows of his tumultuous life. Vaughn is a three-dimensional protagonist who holds this somewhat sprawling book together when it is in danger of sinking under its own weight. In an electrifying conclusion, Joseph decides that it is his responsibility to mete out punishment on behalf of the many people whose lives have been ruined by a psychopathic and manipulative villain. It is likely that Ellory tries to do too much in this murder mystery/ coming-of-age story/ exploration of family angst/ and study of small town life. Still, A Quiet Belief in Angels has a gripping quality that draws us in and keeps us on tenterhooks until it culminates in an explosive confrontation between good and evil."

Tuesday, October 20, 7pm, at The Center for Fiction, 17 East 47th Street, New York. For more information, 212-755-6710 / www.centerforfiction.org.

Every year the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance chooses a basketful of books for the Fall 2009 Okra Picks. Thirteen books made the final list, and include fiction, nonfiction, poetry, children’s and young adult titles. All the books have the following things in common: 1) They are Southern in nature. 2) They are Fall 2009 releases and 3) There is a SIBA member Bookstore who is really excited about this book. Southern booksellers love their Southern authors!

Topping the Fiction list this time is R.J. Ellory's thrilling A Quiet Belief in Angels! Ellory appeared at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville over the weekend, and will continue his tour of the South with appearances at Borders in Atlanta tonight and Books and Books in Coral Gables, Florida on Tuesday night.

More praise for R. J. Ellory's A Quiet Belief in Angels: This literary mystery and coming-of-age tale is an absolutely amazing read. Eleven-year-old Joseph Vaughan could have lived out an unassuming life in his small rural Georgia town. But over the years, Joseph faced events that many would never experience; events that shaped his life in unexpected ways. It is 1939 when his father dies. Joseph, a bright student, is encouraged by both his mother and his teacher to develop his promising writing skills. When a girl in his class is kidnapped and murdered, Joseph takes a special interest, collecting facts about the murder and even forming his own band of Guardians to track the killer. As more girls are found, Joseph becomes entangled in the case, eventually discovering one of the bodies himself. For decades, the girls would haunt him, until he is faced once again with the death of someone close to him, someone whose murder resembles those of so long ago. Joseph's pursuit of the truth sends him down a path that will change him forever. As he struggles with growing up, with prison, and even with fame, Joseph never forgets the murders that plagued his hometown or the body that he found. Ellory's American debut is a brilliant read -enthralling and lyrical prose paired with a smart mystery that will literally leave you guessing until the very last page." -Becky Lejune of Bookbitch.com

More and more booksellers are adding their support to R.J. Ellory's A Quiet Belief in Angels, which goes on sale next Tuesday, September 8:

We're now only one week away from the long-awaited American debut of R.J. Ellory's A Quiet Belief in Angels. Here's a quick look at some of the early notices:

Sally Brewster and Frazer Dobson of Park Road Books in Charlotte, North Carolina have joined the chorus of voices singing the praises of R.J. Ellory's A Quiet Belief in Angels:

A letter from Peter Mayer, publisher of The Overlook Press, to all the loyal readers of The Winged Elephant:

Peter Mayer spoke to Jason Boog of GalleyCat this week in Overlook's SoHo office. Here's the post: "GalleyCat caught up with Overlook Press founder Peter Mayer to study the fine art of literary obfuscation. This month, Overlook Press will publish The Stranger by Max Frei--a literary fantasy novel supposedly written by the novel's main character. In reality, The Stranger was written by a reclusive female artist and has sold millions of copies in Russia. After hearing Russian readers rave about the book, Mayer scooped up the eight-book series. "A great deal of Russian literature has been disguised," he explained. "Russia was an autocratic state with great curtailments on people's personal lives... [obfuscation] is a feature that kept a lot of writers out of jail for many years."