Fall books preview: Make room for J.K. Rowling, Larry McMurtry and many more

By David Martindale

Special to the Star-Telegram

Will J.K. Rowling's fans want to read one of her books without Harry Potter on the pages?

That's the big question -- and perhaps the big gamble -- involving one of the biggest book releases of the fall.

After seven global bestsellers about a beloved boy wizard, Rowling has chosen to write something completely different.

The Casual Vacancy (Little, Brown, $35) is her first novel for a grown-up audience, 512 pages about a seemingly idyllic English town and "what lies behind the pretty facade" of this community.

Rowling's last novel, 2007's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, sold more than 11 million copies on its first day of release in the U.S. and the U.K.

The Casual Vacancy needs only to move a fraction of that much merchandise to be considered a huge success. And given that many of her devoted readers are now adults, maybe there's no risk in her moving into the adult marketplace.

Still, there's an element of uncertainty because it's not Harry Potter and the Casual Vacancy.

More than 2 million copies of the book, which wasn't made available for advance review, will start lining bookstore shelves Thursday.

But while Rowling is the publishing powerhouse of the season, hers is by no means the only new release worthy of our attention in the months to come.

Here is a guide to some of this fall's biggest and most anticipated releases.

Fiction

Live by Night

by Dennis Lehane

William Morrow, $27.99, on sale Oct. 2

Lehane, whose bestsellers include Mystic River, Shutter Island and Gone, Baby, Gone, is one of the top crime writers in the business. His latest, his first stand-alone novel in four years, is a Prohibition-era tale set in Boston, Florida and Cuba, populated by tough gangsters, petty criminals and two unforgettable dames.

The Twelve

by Justin Cronin

Ballantine, $28, Oct. 16

The Passage, Cronin's postapocalyptic vampire tale, was the scariest and most elegantly written horror novel of 2010. The Twelve is his second book in the trilogy, in which surviving humans hunt for the 12 original "virals" who must be destroyed in order to save what's left of the world and humanity.

Phantom

by Jo Nesbø

Knopf, $25.95, Oct. 2

This Norwegian crime writer is red-hot. Martin Scorsese is planning to make a movie out of The Snowman, one of Nesbø's bestsellers featuring Oslo detective Harry Hole. In Phantom, Harry sets out to prove that the son of his lady love is innocent of murder, an investigation that pits him against drug dealers and crooked cops.

Back to Blood

by Tom Wolfe

Little, Brown, $30, Oct. 23

The release of a new Tom Wolfe book is always a momentous event, even though his last novel, I Am Charlotte Simmons in 2004, was something of a disappointment. The new book is a sprawling crime story set in the melting pot of Miami, where Cuban immigrants rub elbows with crazy artists and shady Russians.

The Bone Bed

by Patricia Cornwell

Putnam, $28.50, Oct. 16

Cornwell's series character, medical examiner Kay Scarpetta, investigates a paleontologist's disappearance in a case that involves a gruesome murder, inexplicable tortures and trace evidence from the last living creatures of the dinosaur age.

Sweet Tooth

by Ian McEwan

Nan A. Talese/Doubleday, $26.95, Nov. 13

The author of Atonement is back with a story about spies and swinging 1970s London, in which a smart and beautiful Cambridge student is recruited into the MI5.

The Racketeer

by John Grisham

Doubleday, $28.95, Oct. 23

The master of the legal thriller is back with the story of a lawyer-turned-prison inmate who knows the facts behind the murder of a federal judge.

Also worth noting:

The Round House, by Louise Erdrich (Harper, $27.99, Oct. 2)

Astray, by Emma Donoghue (Little, Brown, $25.99, Oct. 30)

Sutton, by J.R. Moehringer (Hyperion, $27.99, Tuesday)

Eight Girls Taking Pictures, by Whitney Otto (Scribner, $25, Nov. 6)

The Black Box, by Michael Connelly (Little, Brown, $27.99, Nov. 26)

The Lawgiver, by Herman Wouk (Simon & Schuster, $25.99, Nov. 13)

NYPD Red, by James Patterson and Marshall Karp (Little, Brown, $27.99, Oct. 8)

Red Rain, by R.L. Stine (Touchstone, $24.99, Oct. 9)

Celebrity memoirs and biographies

Waging Heavy Peace

by Neil Young

Blue Rider, $30, on sale Tuesday

The legendary rocker, now embracing a contemplative existence in Hawaii, reflects on his wild life and times, from the Buffalo Springfield years, to the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young era, to life with Crazy Horse.

Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story

by Arnold Schwarzenegger

Simon & Schuster, $35, Oct. 1

The Governator promised he'd be back. His autobiography recounts his improbable journey from Austrian bodybuilder, to one of the most famous movie stars in the world, to governor of California.

Joseph Anton:

A Memoir

by Salman Rushdie

Random House, $30, in stores

The title of this book is the alias Rushdie used when he was hiding after Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini called for his death for the alleged blasphemy of The Satanic Verses. This is the story of his life living underground.

Who I Am:

A Memoir

by Pete Townshend

Harper, $32.50, Oct. 8

The iconic guitarist from the Who remembers all the great stories, from meeting Roger Daltrey, to creating the rock opera Tommy, to nearly dying on numerous occasions because of his wild rock 'n' roll lifestyle.

Steven Spielberg: A Retrospective

by Richard Schickel

Sterling, $35, Oct. 2

This book contains commentary and excerpts from a series of interviews with the famed director of E.T., Jaws and Raiders of the Lost Ark. Showcased throughout are more than 400 images, many of them behind-the-scenes movie photos.

Also worth noting:

Hello, Gorgeous: Becoming Barbra Streisand, by William J. Mann (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $30, Oct. 9)

The John Lennon Letters, edited by Hunter Davies (Little, Brown, $29.99, Oct. 9)

History and politics

Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power

by Jon Meacham

Random House, $35, Nov. 13

The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of American Lion, about the life of Andrew Jackson, turns his attention to Jefferson, a rare individual who succeeded as both a politician and a philosopher.

Custer

by Larry McMurtry

Simon & Schuster, $35, Nov. 6

In a lavishly illustrated volume, the Pulitzer-winning author of Lonesome Dove delivers a portrait of the life and legacy of the West's most legendary figure, Gen. George Armstrong Custer.

Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot

by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard

Henry Holt, $28, Oct. 2

In the follow-up to his bestselling Killing Lincoln, O'Reilly recounts the events surrounding another event that shocked the nation and changed American history, the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

The Oath: The Obama White House and the Supreme Court

by Jeffrey Toobin

Doubleday, $28.95, in stores

CNN's senior legal analyst examines ideological differences between the John Roberts Supreme Court and the Obama administration -- and the court's decision to uphold much of Obama's healthcare legislation.

The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor

by Jake Tapper

Little, Brown, $29.99, Nov. 13

The senior White House correspondent for ABC News recounts the valor and sacrifice of one of America's deadliest Afghanistan battles, in which 53 U.S. troops were outmanned by nearly 400 Taliban fighters.

Also worth noting:

Listening In: The Secret White House Recordings of John F. Kennedy, edited by Ted Widmer, foreword by Caroline Kennedy (Hyperion, $40, Tuesday)

The Patriarch: The Remarkable Life and Turbulent Times of Joseph P. Kennedy, by David Nasaw (Penguin Press, $40, Nov. 13)

Master of the Mountain: Thomas Jefferson and His Slaves, by Henry Wiencek (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $28, Oct. 16)

And a few more

Celebrate: A Year of Festivities for Families and Friends

by Pippa Middleton

Viking Adult, $50, Oct. 30

In her first book, the sister of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, future queen, reveals the secrets to hosting a successful party, with recipes, tips and detailed instructions on how to throw a memorable event.

The End of Your Life Book Club

by Will Schwalbe

Knopf, $25, Oct. 2

In a true story, a son and his mother, who is dying of cancer, form a "book club" in order to have something to talk about in the hospital -- and they wind up bonding in a way they never had before.

America Again: Re-becoming the Greatness We Never Weren't

by Stephen Colbert

Grand Central, $28.99, Oct. 2

Comedy Central's polarizing fake pundit offers his remedy to what's ailing America: subjects ranging from healthcare, to the economy, to food ("Feel free to deep-fry this book -- it's a rich source of fiber").

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