Daring debut novels: The Dog Stars and The Dead Do Not Improve; new in paperback: The Orphan Master's Son

"Literature can remind us that not all life is already written down: there are still so many stories to be told."--Colum McCann, LET THE GREAT WORLD SPIN

August brings exciting new stories that we're eager to share. We couldn't put down Peter Heller's THE DOG STARS, a paradoxically poetic and pungent post-apocalyptic novel. If you haven't read Adam Johnson's critically acclaimed THE ORPHAN MASTER'S SON, we urge you to pick up a copy of this novel that Michiko Kakutani of THE NEW YORK TIMES called "daring and remarkable," newly available in paperback. Modern mystery lovers have a treat in store with THE DEAD DO NOT IMPROVE, Jay Caspian Kang's twenty-first century take on a noir detective story.

To thank our subscribers, we're delighted to offer free ground UPS shipping on your purchases. Simply enter coupon code "SUNSHINE2012" at checkout to qualify.

==========================================

THE DOG STARS Written by Peter Heller Category: Fiction - Literary $24.95 http://information.randomhouse.com/HS?a=ENX7CkR1RUUm8SA9MOB1-AbnGHxKXSv19vcStGb5lw8W0bBhOG5mpqVsje_HheFjplNi

A riveting, powerful novel about a pilot living in a world filled with loss--and what he is willing to risk to rediscover, against all odds, connection, love, and grace.

"With its evocative descriptions of hunting, fishing, and flying, this novel, perhaps the world's most poetic survival guide, reads as if Billy Collins had novelized one of George Romero's zombie flicks."--PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY

---

THE ORPHAN MASTER'S SON Written by Adam Johnson Category: Fiction - Thrillers $15.00 http://information.randomhouse.com/HS?a=ENX7CkR1RUUm8SA9MOB1-AbnGHxKXSv19_cStGb5lw8W0bBhOG5mpqVsje_HheFjplNj

Part bildungsroman, part political thriller, part exposé of the most secretive country in the world, this is the story of a North Korean orphan who rises up through the ranks of the DPRK army ultimately to become--for a very short time--a rival to the Dear Leader, Kim Jongil.

---

THE DEAD DO NOT IMPROVE Written by Jay Caspian Kang Category: Fiction - Literary $25.00 http://information.randomhouse.com/HS?a=ENX7CkR1RUUm8SA9MOB1-AbnGHxKXSv19PcStGb5lw8W0bBhOG5mpqVsje_HheFjplNg

Hailed as THE AWL's novel to anticipate in 2012, this glorious debut stars hippie detectives, a singular city, and an MFA student on the run. Philip Kim, stymied recent MFA recipient and a scathing, expert capturer of the filth and glory of our modern times, becomes the focus of an elaborate, violent scheme after the murder of his elderly next-door neighbor.

---

WHAT HAPPENED TO MY SISTER Written by Elizabeth Flock Category: Fiction - Literary $15.00 http://information.randomhouse.com/HS?a=ENX7CkR1RUUm8SA9MOB1-AbnGHxKXSv19fcStGb5lw8W0bBhOG5mpqVsje_HheFjplNh

Carrie and her mother have fled their small North Carolina town for a fresh start, when they meet another mother/daughter pair, Honor and Cricket, with a troubled past of their own. Carrie and Cricket become fast friends, especially when they discover a surprising secret that could change both of their lives forever.

---

SORRY PLEASE THANK YOU Written by Charles Yu Category: Fiction - Literary $24.95 http://information.randomhouse.com/HS?a=ENX7CkR1RUUm8SA9MOB1-AbnGHxKXSv1ivcStGb5lw8W0bBhOG5mpqVsje_HheFjplNm

The author of the widely praised debut novel HOW TO LIVE SAFELY IN A SCIENCE FICTIONAL UNIVERSE returns with a hilarious, heartbreaking, and utterly original collection of short stories.

"Looking for the next great voice in fiction? Young author Charles Yu's short stories beg comparisons to Kurt Vonnegut and Douglas Adams, but he's funnier than both."--MEN'S HEALTH

---

THE MAP OF LOST MEMORIES Written by Kim Fay Category: Fiction - Historical $26.00 http://information.randomhouse.com/HS?a=ENX7CkR1RUUm8SA9MOB1-AbnGHxKXSv1i_cStGb5lw8W0bBhOG5mpqVsje_HheFjplNn

Suspense and secrets are woven together in this engrossing fiction debut by Kim Fay. THE MAP OF LOST MEMORIES takes readers on a daring expedition to a remote land, where the search for an elusive treasure becomes a journey into the darkest recesses of the mind and heart.

---

THE PIGEON PIE MYSTERY Written by Julia Stuart Category: Fiction - Historical $24.95 http://information.randomhouse.com/HS?a=ENX7CkR1RUUm8SA9MOB1-AbnGHxKXSv1iPcStGb5lw8W0bBhOG5mpqVsje_HheFjplNk

Julia Stuart returns in her follow-up to THE TOWER, THE ZOO AND THE TORTOISE with this clever murder mystery set in Victorian England. With her trademark wit and charm, Stuart introduces us to a cast of lovable oddballs, from the palace maze-keeper to the unconventional Lady Beatrice (who likes to dress up as a toucan--don't ask), as she guides us through the many delightful twists and turns in this quirky murder mystery.

---

New for Young Adults

THE STONE GIRL Written by Alyssa B. Sheinmel Category: Juvenile Fiction - Health & Daily Living - Diseases $16.99 http://information.randomhouse.com/HS?a=ENX7CkR1RUUm8SA9MOB1-AbnGHxKXSv1ifcStGb5lw8W0bBhOG5mpqVsje_HheFjplNl

Sethie Weiss is hungry. She's managed to get down to 111 pounds and knows that with a little more hard work she can force the number on the scale even lower. With THE STONE GIRL, Alyssa B. Sheinmel has created an affecting and unflinching portrait of a girl battling an eating disorder.

---

PENELOPE Written by Rebecca Harrington Category: Fiction - Humorous $14.95 http://information.randomhouse.com/HS?a=ENX7CkR1RUUm8SA9MOB1-AbnGHxKXSv1jvcStGb5lw8W0bBhOG5mpqVsje_HheFjplNq

PREP meets THE MARRIAGE PLOT in this uproarious send-up of campus life starring one singularly unprepared, socially maladroit, charmingly clueless freshman named Penelope. ==========================================

This offer is valid for customers residing in the United States of America who place orders online through www.randomhouse.com. Note: www.randomhouse.com does not fulfill orders internationally. Customers must enter the promotion code SUNSHINE2012 at checkout to qualify for the promotion. Coupon code valid through September 30, 2012.