“Riveting….Evocative, intriguing, and complex, this novel is as smooth as the underbelly of a deadly, furtive reptile. Mandel’s substantial fan base will rejoice; word of mouth will bring new fans on board.”—Library Journal, Starred Review

“The mystery surrounding the two percolates with suspense — the friends are hiding something — but the most interesting aspect of Ms. St. John Mandel’s novel, her third, is how aggressively unglamorous it is, starting with Gavin himself. But he’s hardly the only one with a “fallen-down life” in a world of weed-fringed cul-de-sacs, 7-Elevens and ‘Cinnabon-scented’ mall air.” – New York Times

“[An] elegant, hypnotic novel….engrossing….Mandel brilliantly modulates the heightening suspense in a novel that remains, above all, an elegy for lost — and perhaps only imagined — innocence.”
— The Washington Post

“What unfolds is a somewhat standard mystery but a remarkable morality play. Perhaps all novelists can be said to wrestle with morality; Mandel seems to wrestle with it at greater length and in greater depth than most novelists, a statement that applies to her previous novels, Last Night in Montreal and The Singer’s Gun….Reared in the Canadian province of British Columbia, a student of dance in Toronto and eventually a resident of Brooklyn, Mandel gained insights into human nature that promise more first-rate fiction.”— The Dallas Morning News

“The author again melds mystery plotting with literary techniques like shifting points-of-view, resulting in both sophistication and suspense . . . Mandel’s novel excels as a character study that considers the slow degradation of hopes, dreams, and expectations of people who are only in their late 20s but already feel ancient.” - Publishers Weekly

“. . . the book, like its brilliant predecessor, “The Singer’s Gun,” virtually trumpets its author’s talents: her charismatic verbal grace and acuity, the rich atmosphere she creates, and the thoughtful way she tries to tease meaning out of the collateral damage her characters, in screwing up, have wrought.” Nan Goldberg, The Boston Globe

“The Lola Quartet is a decade-spanning, well-compressed novel with a pared-down style . . . deft . . . riveting . . . What makes this book memorable is . . . the meditation of these characters, who are not otherwise criminals, on their complicity in real crime.” –The Cleveland Plain Dealer

“[An] ingeniously structured literary thriller….All I can tell you about the novel’s resolution is that it involves a shooting, an impersonation and a murder. Summarized, the plot twists sound improbable, but Emily St. John Mandel is so sure-footed in her invention and so good at delineating her cast, that I went along trustingly and with bated breath.”—The Minneapolis Star Tribune

“Mandel’s writing includes essences of noir and of the socially conscious novel, and she achieves - through effortless shifts in point of view, and a sparseness that indicates a real sense of sophistication - a highly literary novel.” - BookBrowse, Morgan Macgregor

“The Lola Quartet is a terrific novel which I would classify as a literary suspense-thriller. Written with Mandel’s signature style, filled with complex characters, and revolving around the simple, yet compelling, concept that one decision can have lasting echoes far into the future.” - Caribousmom.com

“Another engrossing tale of things not being what they seem or going terribly wrong, exploring questions of identity, family and the near impossibility of being the person you want to be.”—Shelf Awareness Pro

“Like the wandering compositions of the music they shared, the Lola Quartet’s individual stories alternate in prominence, sometimes sharply apparent, sometimes just serving as background. And the ending—appropriate to the genre—is like a major seventh chord, a partial and unsettling resolution.” - Anna Perleberg, Posmans’ Grand Central

“I just finished Emily St. John Mandel’s The Lola Quartet, reading in a fever that almost made me miss my subway stop. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I don’t think it was a contemporary noir with a palpable atmosphere at once tense and languid. Can’t wait to handsell it!” –Jessica Stockton Bagnulo, Greenlight Bookstore, NY

I’ll read absolutely anything that Emily St. John Mandel writes—even if it was a list of ingredients for a cereal box. But I’m not exaggerating when I say that this is truly her best novel yet. By examining identity through truly fascinating and realistic characters, she gets to the core truth of who we, as human beings, really are. I love how she combines gorgeous prose with an intriguing and captivating plot. Emily St. John Mandel is one of our finest contemporary writers, and I can’t wait to handsell TONS of copies of this book. 
—Michele Filgate, McNally Jackson

“We’re huge fans of Emily, who will one day be a household name, and who will win prizes. Big prizes.”—Peter Makin, Brilliant Books

“How far would you go for someone you love?” asks The Lola Quartet. That “someone” might be a lover, child, sibling, friend, or a pill - or other thrill - that substitutes for human love. In her careful, suspense-building novel, Emily St. John Mandel explores this question as she follows the unexpected turns and criss-crossing paths members of a high school jazz group have taken over the past decade. She shows us that answer is unknowable, until we’re faced with making the ultimate sacrifice. Mandel will have every reader wondering, “what would I have done?” – Dawn Rennert, Concord Bookshop, MA

“The Lola Quartet unfolds its mystery methodically and beautifully, taking the reader from the oppressive heat of small town Florida swamps to the brisk activity of big cities like New York and Chicago. Jazz music beats throughout the narrative as if you yourself are tucked in the dark corners of long forgotten clubs, and the characters are passionate about music, love, and each other; though passion is not always kind. This novel (total creeping thriller) keeps you on your toes as the events of a cloudy, emotionally charged, and risky past decade for all involved unfurl themselves before the rapt reader, much like a tropical flower opening to the heat, or a great jazz duet warming up for its entranced audience.”—Jessica Perry, Book Passage, CA

“In her latest, Emily St. John Mandel shows how relationships formed in high school,  so often fraught with drama, can ebb and flow and fade and come back to haunt you. Among her characters, the perception of what’s important and the potential impact of actions varies widely, and something as tiny as a photograph can become riddled with layers and layers of meaning that may or may not exist, and that differ for each person who sees it. Her writing is taut, the characters well-wrought, and her characteristic infusions of moral ambiguity and complexity remind us, as good novels should, of what it means to be human.”—Emily Pullen, Skylight Books, CA

“I love it!!!” – Sue Krall, Off the Beaten Path, CO

“I’m often asked for a book that will grab the reader from the very first page, and The Lola Quartet just shot to the top my list. The interwoven lives of several vastly different characters thrown together by proximity or unlikely circumstances combine to tell a tale about the difficulty of growing into the person you want and always expected yourself to be.  After three solid novels, Emily St. John Mandel deserves to be a household name when it comes to well-crafted, thought-provoking literature”.— Jill Miner, Saturn Booksellers

“Luckily for readers and booksellers everywhere, she has done it again. Emily St. John Mandel has managed to wrap matters of friendship and family and duty and honor into a story that, while not neat, rings true and carries profound emotional weight. Mandel is a thinking and feeling person’s novelist—she mashes together varying locales and ideas and emotions in ways that, if listed, could sound pretentious. Her writing is anything but that. I say this each time with her—it was a joy to be a participant in her work.”
—Hans Weyandt, Micawber’s Books, MN

“Every time I read a novel by Emily St. John Mandel, I start thinking about what I need to have with me (which should all fit in a largish messenger bag) for a one-way trip to a destination unknown, and what I can leave behind. That thought experiment never ends well, for the real work of deciding what to carry and what to leave behind is about the memories that attach to things. It gets called baggage for a reason, after all. In this way, Mandel’s new novel, The Lola Quartet is a variation on a theme. Like her first, Last Night In Montreal this book is about the consequences of running away with your child and your love for her - but this time scored for orchestra instead of chamber music . . . But that’s the fun of Mandel’s novels, you get the romance of disappearing without the desperation. Well, that and the breathlessly good prose.” - James Liu, Seminary Co-op Bookstore, IL

Emily St. John Mandel’s latest novel caught me from the first page.  In The Lola Quartet, Mandel melds riffs on unemployment, plagiarism, jazz, debt, addiction, foreclosure and redemption into a carefully woven thriller.  - Stephanie Valdez,  The Community Bookstore

“The Lola Quartet is a mystery, wrapped in a bildungsroman, inside gorgeous modern fiction. Emily St. John Mandel’s abilities as a writer continue to progress in this latest novel: she displays even more sensitivity, courage, and humor than in her earlier works. The Lola Quartet is a great story that defies standard categorization, and it’s all the richer for it.” – Hap Houlihan, The Morris Bookshop, KY

“...The Lola Quartet is her 3rd novel and in my opinion, her best yet. Florida, New York, Utah. Journalism, drugs, jazz, and gambling addictions. Characters who seem to be real people, who elicit a visceral response from the reader. And, an ending that was an emotional punch in the gut. Emily’s books only get better and better and I look at her as one of my personal writing teachers.” – Drew Goodman, University of Utah Campus Bookstore, UT

“I wanted to let you know how much I loved Emily St. John Mandel’s new book and how much I look forward to selling it to my customers . . .” —Janet Geddis, Avid Bookshop, GA

“I hope the whole would will read this new novel-with jazz in the background. Can’t think of a better way to spend the weekend.”—Mary Gay Shipley, That Bookstore in Blytheville, AR

“Loved the book.  Didn’t want to put it down.  Didn’t really want to see it end!”—Char Stocker, Great Debate Books, Quincy, IL

“The Lola Quartet is at once alive and frozen: vibrant with the interconnected stories of an old group of friends to whom life has not been kind, and a perfect snapshot of the many ways in which life can be unkind in our modern age. Mandel’s writing is as steady and thoughtful as ever, an ideal frame for her hapless, hopeful characters. A beautiful story.” – Stephanie Anderson, WORD, NY

“The Lola Quartet is an amazing book!  The story is well written, very interesting and holds the reader’s attention throughout.  It is a story that will stay with the reader long after the book is finished. This is a very talented writer who should go far.”—Cheryl Kravetz, Classic Bookshop, Palm Beach, FL

“The Lola Quartet should be accompanied by the following warning: Do not read the first three paragraphs unless you have at least four more hours to spare.  Emily St. John Mandel grabs the reader immediately and follows with a novel of intensity and intelligence.  The small missteps and misunderstandings of a group of young people result in lives that spiral out of control and literally and figuratively are eventually destroyed.  This is a work of power and depth that demonstrates how fragile live can be and how fraught with danger at every turn.”—Bill Cusumano, Nicola’s Bookstore, MI

“I have always been fascinated by novels that explore identity such as John Banville’s novels . . . Emily St John Mandel explores how family, circumstances and fate makes a person . . . She does it by immersing us into the story of her characters . . .What a luminous novel, almost impressionist. Mandel reaches out to me, personally, and speaks to me alone. She knows my secrets and desires, my longings and regrets and engages me on an emotional as well as intellectual level because these people are so real to me. Plus she’s a damn good storyteller . . . I once said that she is why I am a bookseller and continue to be one. With each new novel, she convinces me that books (and books like hers especially) are one of the best things in my life. She touches me in that special deep part of my being that is, perhaps, the best part of me.” –Micheal Fraser, Joseph Beth Booksellers, OH

“One of the beautiful things about following a new author is watching the growth in each book she writes. I’ve loved all of Emily’s books but this one rises to a new level—everything about it works for me. The characters are flawed but compelling and likeable . . . And the pacing was impeccable. . . . I could feel the heat of Florida and how beaten down life had made Daniel. His very appearance made that clear. Every time Jack was in a scene, I felt jittery, then when he would take more pills, the landscape would appear hazy. And I could almost see the walls around Sasha’s life. It was so great at the end when she decided to escape. The ending although not happy, was satisfying (although I’m still worried about what will happen to poor Grace) and that makes all the difference between a good story and a so so story. I’ll stop gushing now. It was beautiful. I can’t wait to recommend it to readers.” – Vicki Erwin, Main Street Books, MO

“This sad, yet sublime, novel should bring Emily St. John Mandel a widespread readership. . . . Emily St. John Mandel is a master storyteller. Not one character is superfluous, and their connections to one other were sometimes as surprising as they were realistic. It is exciting to watch an author perfect her craft, and this novel definitely shows that St. John Mandel is a major writer. The way St. John Mandel lays out the story, slowly revealing the past that has made the story’s present. The choices, betrayals, and lies that have lead her characters to their present-day positions. This novel had me hooked from the first page, not only from the crisp prose, but also from its relevance: these are characters struggling to get by, folks who have not achieved what we were all led to believe the American dream means. Once again, Emily St. John Mandel has taken my breath away with her taut storytelling, her flawed and deeply humane characters and a writing style that makes me fall in love with it every time.” – Joe Eichman, The Tattered Cover, CO

“The Lola Quartet is a stylish tale of how the lives of four friends who were in a high school jazz group have played out over the next ten years. Mandel is a skilled story teller and her novel reads like an edgy jazz composition.  The well developed characters not only played together as musicians but played each other in their personal lives. How and why they reconnect with each other years later in an outer suburban Florida which is as bleak and dangerous as their lives makes a compelling novel.  Her latest novel is both a satisfying read and very entertaining. A really wonderful novel.” —Sarah Knight, Northshire Bookstore, VT

“Emily St. John Mandel’s The Lola Quartet is a compelling story in which the lives of her trademark flawed characters are connected by the decisions they made in the past and their struggles to deal with the ramifications of those decisions ten years later . . . The building sense of foreboding has a subtle crescendo that almost lulls the reader into a kind of suburban ennui – similar stories could be happening in my own neighborhood! But the chilling denouement left me wondering how Anna, Daniel, Sasha, and Gavin are going to live the rest of their lives.” —Alice Meloy, Blue Willow Bookshop, TX

“Emily St. John Mandel’s writing possesses the gift of clarity.  Her new novel The Lola Quartet is deceptively simple, engaging enough to serve as casual entertainment, yet rewards the mindful reader with its rich depth and subtlety.  St. John Mandel is an important talent on the rise.” – John Turner, NYU Bookstore, NY

“This page-turning story of friendship, betrayal, and disappointment is a testament to the genius of Emily St. John Mandel.  Her characters are supremely flawed, yet they stay with you long after you’ve closed the book.  I was incredibly impressed with “The Lola Quartet” and I can’t wait to put it in the hands of my customers.” - Suzanna Hermans, Oblong Books & Music, NY

“Emily St. John Mandel carves out a place for herself among the great suspense writers with her third novel, “The Lola Quartet”.  Wrought with tension and intrigue, “The Lola Quartet” slowly dips the reader into a steamy underbelly of Florida crime. Secrets from the past, a crime gone wrong, and the loyalty of family motivate a complex cast of characters to make decisions they would not make under normal circumstances.  But, in the world of Sebastian, Florida, things have gone so far from normal, it’s hard to tell if anyone will come back.” - Jessilynn Norcross, McLean and Eakin, MI

Be forewarned!  Emily St. John Mandel’s new book, “The Lola Quartet” is addictive.  The more you read, the more difficult it is to put down.  In what appears to be Mandel’s signature style, she takes her unique characters back and forth in time while also alternating character voices.  The result is an engrossing, often gripping tale… Mandel slowly builds her novel in a deliberate crescendo that leads to a surprising conclusion.  Then, when all seems bleak and despairing, she gives us one little ray of hope that the future might hold more harmonious music than the present.  I have never given much thought to setting a novel to music.  The musical score for “The Lola Quartet” would, I believe, be excellent.  Encore, Ms. Mandel!” - Nancy Simpson-Brice, Book Vault, IA

“Youthful indiscretions lead to disastrous consequences in the adult lives of “The Lola Quartet’s” estranged musicians.  One by one, they find each other again, but they are so accustomed to keeping secrets and withholding trust, that they walk the razor-thin line between choosing their own destinies and being fate’s fools.  This amazing tale of synchronicity will keep you feverishly turning the pages—it’s clearly Mandel’s finest work yet.” —Emily Crowe, The Odyssey Bookshop, MA

“Emily St. John Mandel has written another wildly beautiful novel about people making ill-advised decisions, and the consequences of their actions. Her treatment of her characters is so genuine and loving that you can see yourself making the same choices, whether it’s stealing from drug dealers, lying to friends and family or eating baby pandas. (Okay, I made that last one up, but if anyone could talk you into eating a baby panda, it’s Emily.)”— Liberty Hardy, Riverrun

“The Lola Quartet had me in its jazzy grip from the first page. Emily St. John Mandel proves once again that she has major chops, and the novel’s pull is irresistible.”—Emma Straub, BookCourt, Brooklyn also the author of Other People We Married (stories) and Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures (Novel, Riverhead Books, coming in 2012)

“I had a good time reading Emily St. John Mandel’s Lola Quartet.  I had enjoyed her previous novel, The Singer’s Gun, but feel her writing and storytelling has matured nicely in the new novel.  Like Singer’s Gun, Lola Quartet is a well-paced story with just the right amount of underlying tension.  You don’t want to read too fast because you want to live along with the characters and understand what they’re thinking and doing, but you also want to race ahead to find the answers to the Big Questions. I look forward to recommending this book to customers and to reading more of Emily St. John Mandel’s novels.” —Jamie Fiocco, Flyleaf Books Chapel Hill, NC

“Emily St. John Mandel nails it with The Lola Quartet. She had me from page one, when Anna, a 15 year old with a new baby and $120,000 in cash which clearly does not belong to her goes on the run. I loved this tale about what not to do after high school . . .  One of the characters in this novel says of another, “He’s got the music,” meaning he’s got a real musical gift. Emily St. John Mandel has got the story. I see movie rights all over this novel.”—Kris Kleindienst, Left Bank Books, MO

“I picked up THE LOLA QUARTET last night at 8 pm, intending to read an hour before turning out the light.  Finished at 11 pm.  Just couldn’t put the book down!  Mandel plays words and actions as skillfully as Django Reinhardt played gypsy jazz.  So excited to discover this “new” author.  Now I must read her other two books.”—Nancy Brock

“I highly recommend The Lola Quartet and now look forward to reading Emily St. John Mandel’s first novel, Last Night in Montreal, and her second novel, The Singer’s Gun.”—Polyanna-blogspot