best contemporary women's fiction: six novels  <p><b>six novels in one volume by today’s most outstanding female writers—includes <i>the magician’s assistant</i>, <i>those who save us</i>, and more.</b><br /> <br /> from the #1 <i>new york times</i>–bestselling author of <i>commonwealth</i> and <i>bel canto</i>, to the multiple award-winning author of <i>this must be the place</i>, this collection gathers a half-dozen top-notch literary talents in a treasure trove for fiction lovers. included:<br /> <br /><b><i>almost</i></b><b> by elizabeth benedict</b> chronicles the attempt of writer sophy chase to come to terms with the death of her almost ex-husband—who may have committed suicide on the new england resort island where she left him just months before.<br /> <br /><b><i>those who save us</i></b><b> by jenna blum</b> follows trudy, a professor of german history, as she investigates her mother’s past in wwii germany, combining a passionate, doomed love story; a vivid evocation of life during the war; and a poignant mother/daughter drama.<br /> <br /><b><i>the hearts of horses</i></b><b> by molly gloss</b> is a heartwarming story of a young woman with the rare talent of “gentling” wild horses, and the unexpected and profound connections between people and animals.<br /> <br /><b><i>the last chinese chef</i></b><b> by nicole mones</b> takes readers inside the hidden world of elite cuisine in modern china, through the story of an american food writer in beijing who discovers that her late husband may have been leading a double life.<br /> <br /><b><i>the vanishing act of esme lennox</i></b><b> by maggie o’farrell</b> is a gothic, intricate tale of family secrets, lost lives, and the freedom brought by truth.<br /> <br /><b><i>the magician’s assistant</i></b><b> by ann patchett</b> tells the story of the death of a secretive magician—and how it sets in motion his partner’s journey of self-discovery.<br /> </p>