>CRAZY HORSE Larry McMurtry The first in a series of short biographies that pair some of our finest writers with history's most compelling figures—like this one on the great Sioux warrior or Mary Gordon on Joan of Arc. (Viking, $19.95)

DIETING WITH THE DUCHESS Sarah, the Duchess of York and Weight Watchers From the woman who was once maligned as the Duchess of Pork, a memoir of her personal battle of the bulge, plus her own diet tips and fave recipes. (Simon & Schuster, $25)

SMOKE SCREEN Vincent Patrick A twisting, expertly crafted thriller in which a high-stakes jewel theft-gone-wrong is actually the first stage in an even more complex struggle against a political terrorist with a deadly secret. (Morrow, $24)