The January 2010 Indie Next List

Here's a preview of the titles on the January Indie Next List flier, now on its way to ABA member stores in the IndieBound movement. A downloadable PDF version of the list will also be available beginning January 1 on BookWeb.org and IndieBound.org.

The Unnamed: A Novel by Joshua Ferris
(Little, Brown, $24.99, 9780316034012)
"Tim Farnsworth, a respected litigation attorney for a high-powered Manhattan law firm, is seized by a bizarre illness: He cannot stop walking. Whether taken as a form of mental or physical illness or read as an allegorical tale, The Unnamed is an absolutely heartbreaking story of love, marriage, family, and what it means to be successful in today's society." --Joni Montover, Paragraphs on Padre Boulevard, South Padre Island, TX

Remarkable Creatures: A Novel by Tracy Chevalier
(Dutton, $26.95, 9780525951452)
"Tracy Chevalier brings history alive in Remarkable Creatures, which fictionalizes the story of Mary Anning, a young fossil hunter who in the early 1800s makes a discovery along the English seacoast that challenges the world views of geologists and theologians. Chevalier's skillful storytelling takes the reader back in history to walk in the footprints of this remarkable woman." --Carol Hicks, Bookshelf At Hooligan Rocks, Truckee, CA

Alice I Have Been: A Novel by Melanie Benjamin
(Delacorte, $25, 9780385344135)
"Melanie Benjamin's Alice I Have Been is a richly woven fictional account of the life of the girl who became Alice in Wonderland. It's a mystery, and a love story, that follows Alice into adulthood after both tragic and wonderful experiences. I loved this creative and well-written book." --Doreen Pierson, Chapter One Book Store, Hamilton, MT

The First Rule:A Joe Pike Novel by Robert Crais
(Putnam, $26.95, 9780399156137)
"Frank Meyer, a former mercenary now living a normal life, has been killed along with his family. Has his past come back to haunt him? Or has he been involved in 'something bad,' as the police believe? Frank was one of Joe Pike's men, and Pike is determined to discover the truth -- no matter how dangerous. If you are looking for strong characters and strong action The First Rule is for you." --Karen Briggs, Great Northern Books and Hobbies, Oscoda, MI

Thereby Hangs a Tail: A Chet and Bernie Mystery by Spencer Quinn
(Atria, $25, 9781416585855)
"In fighting crime, Chet is the kind of dog you want on your side: straightforward, ready to hold onto the bad guy (using teeth if necessary), and optimistic, even in difficult situations. Once again, he and his human detective partner, Bernie, dig for clues, battle the bad guys, and never turn down treats. I'm already eager for the third installment!" --Jennifer Sorensen, Literary Life Bookstore & More, Inc., Grand Rapids, MI

The Breach by Patrick Lee
(Harper, $7.99 paper, 9780061584459)
"Patrick Lee's debut thriller, The Breach, features former cop Travis Chase and is a masterpiece of suspense, with exciting plot twists and an ending that is surprising, original, and satisfying. Lee writes with such a savvy style that it's hard to believe this is his first novel." --Doug Christi, Browsing Bison Books, Deer Lodge, MT

The Red Door: An Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery by Charles Todd
(Morrow, $24.99, 9780061726163)
"World War I affected not only those who served, but those who stayed at home. Inspector Ian Rutledge has returned from the war but has brought back his own horrors and guilt. Now, he is faced with two cases, which, he suspects, may be connected. Filled with unexpected twists and turns plus the personal angst of Rutledge himself, The Red Door is one more satisfying chapter in the life of Inspector Rutledge, his family, and cohorts." --Wendy Foster Leigh, The King's English, Salt Lake City, UT

Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace With Marriage by Elizabeth Gilbert
(Viking, $26.95, 9780670021659)
"This is an intriguing study of marriage past and present, not only in the U.S. but throughout the world. Picking up the story of Elizabeth Gilbert's life where it stopped at the end of Eat, Pray, Love and sharing her angst about tying the knot was like having a conversation with a great pal." --Leslie Hakala, Best of Times Bookstore, Red Wing, MN

Shades of Grey: A Novel by Jasper Fforde
(Viking, $25.95, 9780670019632)
"Set in a future world in which a caste system of color rigidly defines each individual, our naive young hero -- who wants nothing more than to marry up-color -- is sent to the outskirts of the civilized world as punishment for prideful behavior. Here, he falls in love -- and must answer some uncomfortable questions and face dangerous truths. Fforde's characters are quirky, fresh, and engaging, and he draws from a seemingly bottomless well of hilarity. Funny, fast-paced, and fabulous!" --Jennie Turner-Collins, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Cincinnati, OH

Bloodroot by Amy Greene
(Knopf, $24.95, 9780307269867)
"The isolated Appalachian setting in Bloodroot is a powerful, realistic, and truly American stage on which basic human traits emerge under the heavy hand of hardship and poverty. This multi-generational story is a must-read for those who wish to expand their horizons, experience a part of our country often ignored, and face challenges head-on through honest and sparse prose. I'm still reeling." --Janel Feierabend, Book Passage, Corte Madera, CA

The Swan Thieves: A Novel by Elizabeth Kostova
(Little, Brown, $26.99, 9780316065788)
"The Swan Thieves skillfully blends the worlds of art, psychology, history, and mythology with myriad voices to create a compelling tale of love, obsession, and human nature. Add a dash of mystery, and you have a thoroughly satisfying read." --Sue Beale, Nicola's Books, Ann Arbor, MI

The Crossing Places: A Ruth Galloway Mystery by Elly Griffiths
(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $25, 9780547229898)
"The fascinating, isolated area of England called The Saltmarsh is an ideal location for middle-age forensic anthropologist Ruth Galloway to discover a child's bones, which begins this mystery. The characters in The Crossing Places are terrific, all unique and darkly sinister enough to keep readers involved in an engrossing story. An excellent first mystery!" --Susan Wasson, Bookworks, Albuquerque, NM

A Mountain of Crumbs: A Memoir by Elena Gorokhova
(Simon & Schuster, $26, 9781439125670)
"Elena Gorokhova's A Mountain of Crumbs offers a view of the locked-in nature of daily life in 1960s Leningrad, beginning even in nursery school. Gorokhova's precise language and her word photos are impressive. I loved this book." --Carla Cohen, Politics & Prose Books & Coffee, Washington, DC

Then Came the Evening: A Novel by Brian Hart
(Bloomsbury, $25, 9781608190140)
"Brian Hart's dark, brooding debut novel portrays an American West that few writers capture, and certainly not as well as he does. Tense dialogue captures the lives entwined in this bleak, raw landscape. Then Came the Evening is a psychological stunner." --Andy Nettell, Back of Beyond Books, Moab, UT

Angel of Death Row: My Life as a Death Penalty Defense Lawyer by Andrea Lyon
(Kaplan, $24.95, 9781607144342)
"Glass ceiling or metal jail bars, seemingly nothing will stop Andrea Lyon from success. Her record of 19 death row victories has earned her the title of this book. This one reads like a thriller with real life-and-death consequences." --Jamie Robinson, Bestsellers Books & Coffee Co., Mason, MI

The Girl Next Door: A Novel by Elizabeth Noble
(Touchstone, $15 paper, 9781439154830)
"Elizabeth Noble is back with another winner. We get to see bits of the lives of several people in one building in Manhattan -- relationships beginning and ending, including everything that happens in between. This isn't a fluff read, as Noble weaves some pretty powerful emotions into these neighbors' tales. You'll want to know what happens with everyone!" --Jackie Blem, Tattered Cover Book Store, Denver, CO

Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog: The Amazing Adventures of an Ordinary Woman by Lisa Scottoline
(St. Martin's, $21.99, 9780312587482)
"Scottoline shares her life over the course of a year in this insightful and humorous book, reflecting on family, aging in today's American culture, regrettable paint choices, electronic devices that think for us, education, haircuts, Thanksgiving, and the press. You'll be laughing out loud over her observations about life and the bizarre nature of things." --Natalie Glenn, Red-Tail Books, Eleven Mile Corner, AZ

The Girl With Glass Feet: A Novel by Ali Shaw
(Holt, $24, 9780805091144)
"When Ida Maclaird meets Midas Crook, she is slowly turning into glass. As the two young people search for answers, they must confront past ghosts and untangle their feelings for one another before time runs out. Haunting and beautiful and sad, Ali Shaw's debut novel tackles the bonds of family, the nature of love, and the power of transformation, all twisted together in prose that sparkles and captivates." --Erin Kurup, Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza, Albany, NY

The Privileges: A Novel by Jonathan Dee
(Random House, $25, 9781400068678)
"Adam and Cynthia Morey are an exceptionally beautiful couple. They marry young, achieve abundant success and riches, have beautiful children, and somehow stay beautiful themselves. A 'happy' story that a novelist should avoid like the plague. But in this fantastic novel Jonathan Dee gives us a profoundly moving story about the sort of people we thought we should hate. If Dee had written twice as much, I would have read it all." --David Mallmann, Next Chapter Bookshop, Mequon, WI

An Irish Country Girl: A Novel by Patrick Taylor
(Forge, $24.99, 9780765320711)
"In An Irish Country Girl, we return to Ballybucklebo and listen in as fey Kinky Kincaid, the housekeeper who smoothes the life of the village's doctors, weaves a tale based on memories of her earlier years in Cork, her family, the ghost that haunts the high hill, and her young dreams." --Becky Milner, Vintage Books, Vancouver, WA

Fiction

Among Thieves: A Novel by David Hosp (Grand Central, $24.99, 9780446580151)

The Butterflies of Grand Canyon: A Novel by Margaret Erhart (Plume, $15 paper, 9780452295490)

A Fair Maiden: A Novel by Joyce Carol Oates (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $22, 9780151015160)

Finch by Jeff VanderMeer (Underland Press, $14.95 paper, 9780980226010)

Ghosts and Lightning by Trevor Byrne (Doubleday, $24.95, 9780385531276)

The Pig Did It by Joseph Caldwell (Delphinium, $13.99 paper, 9781883285340)

Saving Cicadas: A Novel by Nicole Seitz (Thomas Nelson, $14.99 paper, 9781595545039)

Through the Heart: A Novel by Kate Morgenroth (Plume, $15 paper, 9780452295896)

True Confections: A Novel by Katharine Weber (Shaye Areheart Books, $22, 9780307395863)

Unfinished Desires: A Novel by Gail Godwin (Random House, $26, 9780345483201)

Nonfiction

Cherries in Winter: My Family's Recipe for Hope in Hard Times by Suzan Colon (Doubleday, $21.95, 9780385532525)

Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer (Little, Brown, $25.99, 9780316069908)

Happy: A Memoir by Alex Lemon (Scribner, $25, 9781416550235)

The Most They Ever Had by Rick Bragg (MacAdam/Cage, $23, 9781596923614)

The Voice That Calls You Home: Inspiration for Life's Journeys by Andrea Raynor (Atria, $24, 9781416596110)

Mystery/Suspense

The Disappeared: A Novel by M.R. Hall (Simon & Schuster, $24.99, 9781439156988)

I, Sniper: A Bob Lee Swagger Novel by Stephen Hunter (Simon & Schuster, $26, 9781416565154)