Prepub alert.(List)

FICTION

Beattie, Ann. Walks with Men. Scribner. Jun. 2010. 112p. ISBN 978-1-4391-7576-7. $12; pap. ISBN 978-1-4391-6869-1. $10.

New York, 1980s. Harvard valedictorian Jane has much to learn about life from riveting older writer Neil. Beattie in her usual vein and being pushed in paperback (this is short); three-city tour.

Bender, Aimee. The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake. Doubleday. Jun. 2010. 288p. ISBN 978-0-385-50112-5. $24.95.

Rose has a special "gift": when eating, she can taste people's emotions, like her mom's grief, baked right into a yummy lemon cake. What a premise, and Bender is making a name for herself; with an eight-city tour.

Brown, Janelle. This Is Where We Live. Spiegel & Grau. Jun. 2010. 336p. ISBN 978-0-385-52403-2. $25. CD: Random Audio.

Hopeful filmmaker Claudia and indie musician Jeremy buy a cute little bungalow overlooking Los Angeles--and watch their lives fall apart. Brown's All We Ever Wanted Was Everything was a huge debut; expect lots of buzz about this. With a three-city tour.

Clinch, Jon. Kings of the Earth. Random. Jun. 2010. 416p. ISBN 978-1-4000-6901-9. $26.

An elderly man dies on his upstate New York farm; was one of his brothers responsible? Clinch's debut, Finn, was exceptional, so watch this one. With a six-city tour.

Cronin, Justin. The Passage. Ballantine. Jun. 2010. 784p. ISBN 978-0-345-50496-8. $26. CD: Random Audio.

Challenged by his daughter to write the story of a little girl who saves the world, PEN/ Hemingway award winner Cronin forsook his literary persona (but not his excellent style) to craft a high-end sf story. In an experiment gone awry, the subjects escape--including young Amy--and they all carry a deadly virus that nearly destroys humanity. Big stuff is expected, so be ready to buy extras. With a 15-city tour. (See "Spring Editors' Picks," p. 28.)

Deaver, Jeffery. The Burning Wire: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel. S. & S. Jun. 2010. 448p. ISBN 978-1-4391-5633-9. $26.99. CD: S. & S. Audio.

Even as quadriplegic forensic criminalist Lincoln Rhyme undergoes treatment, he's worrying about a killer who works through the energy grid. The last Rhyme book, The Broken Window, sold three-quarters of a million copies in hardcover and paperback; buy accordingly. With a 12-city tour.

Egan, Jennifer. A Visit from the Goon Squad. Knopf. Jun. 2010. 288p. ISBN 978-0-307-59283-5. $24.95.

Former punk rocker and current record exec Bennie Salazar and his employee, the mercurial Sasha, are at the heart of a novel ranging from 1970s San Francisco to a postwar future. Egan's previous The Keep was excellent, so I want you to try this; with a reading group guide.

Ellis, Bret Easton. Imperial Bedrooms. Knopf. Jun. 2010. 224p. ISBN 978-0-307-26810-1. $25. CD: Random Audio.

Ellis's latest stars characters from his first book, Less Than Zero. Clay's a screenwriter one-upped by a determined young actress, for instance. Hmm, how long can an author remain an enfant terrible? With an 11-city tour.

Evanovich, Janet. Sizzling Sixteen: A Stephanie Plum Novel. St. Martin's. Jun. 2010. 320p. ISBN 978-0-312-383305. $27.99. CD: Macmillan Audio.

Bounty hunter Stephanie is chasing a particularly dangerous quarry. Will Lula's troubles with a Madoff-like scam distract? With a national tour and a one-day laydown on June 22; huge.

Fesperman, Dan. Layover in Dubai. Knopf. Jul. 2010. 304p. ISBN 978-0-307-26838-9. $25.95.

Cautious corporate auditor Sam Keller risks a fancy vacation in upscale …