Familiar names feature new books for holidays

In addition to local-oriented books, the holiday book-buying season also has kicked off for shoppers seeking more familiar titles.

Big-name authors “usually have books coming out in November or December, or even October, for people to buy for gifts,” says Alexander Crosby, adult collection development librarian for the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District.

“But a whole other trend (is for) what aren’t really best-sellers, but for what some people call coffee table books. A lot of people like to give them to people (for) whatever craft they do — knitters, woodworkers. Those kinds of books tend to be fairly expensive, and sometimes those are big on people’s gift lists.”

This year’s suitable-for-gift-giving literary roster includes releases from several famous names, including: Tom Clancy’s latest adventure, “Full Force and Effect” by Mark Greaney (Dec. 2, Putnam Adult, $29.95); “The Assassination Option,” (Dec. 30, Putnam Adult, $28.95), the second entry in W.E.B. Griffin’s “Clandestine Operations” series, set during the Cold War; and Stephen King’s “Revival” (Nov. 11, Scribner, $30), which unfolds over 50 years and begins with a charismatic minister’s arrival in a small New England town.

Las Vegans love mysteries, Crosby notes, and this holiday season soon will see: ‘The Burning Room” (Nov. 3, Little, Brown and Co., $28), the new Harry Bosch novel from Michael Connelly; “Flesh and Blood” (Nov. 11, HarperCollins Publishers, $28.99), the 22nd book in Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta series; and “Die Again” by Tess Gerritsen (Dec. 30, Random House, $27), which brings back detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles (who also inspired the popular TNT series).

In nonfiction, Crosby expects motivational speaker Tony Robbins’ latest, “Money: Master the Game: 7 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom” (Nov. 18, Simon &Schuster, $28) to be popular among readers. Then, among current affairs and biography entries, one of the season’s most eagerly anticipated releases is “41: A Portrait of My Father” (Nov. 11, Crown, $28), described as a “personal biography” of President George H.W. Bush by his son, President George W. Bush.

Here are other notable national releases scheduled during the next several weeks.

■ “Betrayed” (Nov. 25, St. Martin’s Press, $27.99) is the latest entry in Lisa Scottoline’s Rosato &Associates series.

■ “The Escape” by David Baldacci (Nov. 18, Grand Central Publishing, $28) is the third thriller featuring U.S. Army special agent John Puller.

■ “Heart of the Sea” (Dec. 2, Penguin Group, $17) is the final book in Nora Roberts’ Gallaghers of Ardmore Irish trilogy.

■ “Hope to Die” (Nov. 24, Little, Brown and Co., $29) is James Patterson’s latest mystery featuring detective Alex Cross.

■ “I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend” (Nov. 4, HarperCollins Publishers, $26) is a memoir by comedian and occasional Las Vegas headliner Martin Short.

■ “Jason” by Laurell K. Hamilton (Dec. 2, Penguin Group, $7) is the latest from the author of the Anita Blake paranormal series, featuring what promotional material calls one of the vampire hunter’s “best friends and favorite werewolves, with benefits.”

■ “The Job” (Nov. 18, Random House Publishing Group, $28) is Janet Evanovich and Goldberg Lee’s third Fox and O’Hare novel featuring a dedicated FBI agent and a charming con man.

■ “Let Me Be Frank With You” (Nov. 4, HarperCollins Publishers,, $27) sees the return of Richard Ford’s sportswriter protagonist Frank Bascombe, who also was featured in three previous acclaimed, award-winning novels.

■ “The Long Haul” by Jeff Kinney (Nov. 4, Abrams Books, $13.95) is the ninth entry in the popular “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series. This one has the Heffleys taking a road trip that (spoiler alert) doesn’t go smoothly.

■“The Mistletoe Promise” (Nov. 18, Simon &Schuster, $19.99) is the latest Christmas-flavored story from Richard Paul Evans, whose previous Yuletide novels include “The Christmas Box.”

■ “Saint Odd” (Bantam, Jan. 13, 2015, $28) is the wrap-up of Dean Koontz’s “Odd Thomas” series.

■“The Stranger: Barack Obama in the White House” (Nov. 11, Little, Brown and Co., $29) is NBC News political director/“Meet the Press” host Chuck Todd’s analysis of the challenges President Barack Obama has faced during his presidency and how he has, or hasn’t, overcome them.

■ “There Was a Little Girl: The Real Story of My Mother and Me” by Brooke Shields (Nov. 18, Penguin Group, $26.95) is a memoir in which the actress examines her sometimes strained relationship with her late mother (who also was, for many years, her manager).

Contact reporter John Przybys at jprzybys@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0280.