Top Shelf at the Merrick Library

Love Lies in the Throes of Rhetoric by Anthony Gedell is an incredible debut featuring a rookie PI thrust into the deadly game of hunting a killer on the loose as fast-paced, intertwining narratives collide with volatile characters in an unforgettable story. Praised as “literary lightning” by Eli Cranor and a “white-knuckle thrill ride” by … Continue reading E156: Interview with Anthony Gedell, author of Love Lies in the Throes of Rhetoric →

Hold on to you hats, folks! I had the pleasure of sitting down with Michael Cannell to talk about the jaw-dropping, true story of law enforcement and the Mafia in the 1970s. Absolutely compelling interview – thank you so much, Michael! For the first time in forty years, former New York Times editor Michael Cannell … Continue reading Episode 155: Interview with Michael Cannell, author of Blood and the Badge →

Inspired by a real place and events from her own family history, Trouble Island marks Sharon Short’s gripping debut in standalone suspense. Many of you may also know Sharon as Jess Montgomery, the acclaimed author of the Kinship Mystery Series and a beloved guest on our show from episodes 45, 57, and 99. But for … Continue reading Episode 154: Interview with Sharon Short, author of Trouble Island →

What a very special episode featuring award-winning and award nominated author: Susan Fletcher! The Night in Question by Susan Fletcher is hands-down one of my favorite books of 2024. This contemporary mystery is also a heartfelt exploration of a woman’s life—grief, joy, regret, and resilience all wrapped into one. In this special episode, Susan and … Continue reading Episode 153: Interview with Susan Fletcher, author of The Night in Question →

For this episode, we head to Damariscotta, Maine, to chat with Adam White about his stunning debut, The Midcoast. This gripping novel dives into privilege, the shadows of the American dream, and the lengths we’ll go to protect the ones we love. I’ve been thinking about this book since it hit shelves two years ago … Continue reading E152: Interview with Adam White, author of The Midcoast →

For this episode I sat down with author Sean Jacques to talk about his fiction debut, Doe Run. Author Eli Cranor says, “Sean Jacques knows the heart of the Ozarks, and puts that knowledge on full display in this sweltering debut. Doe Run burns slow like good bourbon. Drink up.” Doe Run by Sean Jacques features a … Continue reading E151: Interview with Sean Jacques, author of Doe Run →

Happy Episode 150!! For this episode I had the absolute pleasure of hosting Gary Goldstein for his third book, Please Come to Boston. It’s a funny, nostalgic, and bittersweet look at first love at a time when exploring one’s sexual orientation and authentic self was riskier, more uncharted territory, yet with so many of the … Continue reading E150: Interview with Gary Goldstein, author of Please Come to Boston →

Laced with atmospheric poetry and literature and set in the heart of Denver’s black community, They Can’t Take Your Name by Robert Justice is a gripping crime novel that pits three characters in a race against time to thwart a gross miscarriage of justice—and a crooked detective who wreaks havoc…with deadly consequences. This is the … Continue reading Episode 149: Interview with Robert Justice, author of They Can’t Take Your Name →

“This gripping, gritty noir is Upton Sinclair on hormones, the Coen brothers deep-fried.” ~ –Minneapolis Star Tribune about Broiler by Eli Cranor Eli Cranor’s third book, Broiler, is another edge-of-your-seat noir thriller that exposes the dark, bloody heart of life on the margins in the American South and the bleak underside of a bygone American … Continue reading Episode 148: Interview with Eli Cranor, author of Broiler →

With Trouble in Queenstown, Delia Pitts introduces private investigator Vandy Myrick in a powerful mystery that blends grief, class, race, and family with thrilling results. I could not put this book down and it started with the very first sentence! We talk about the book, Delia’s short stories, her familial influences, and her terrific Ross … Continue reading Episode 147: Interview with Delia Pitts, author of Trouble In Queenstown →

Oh my goodness, how thrilled are we all that Ethan Joella is back with his third book,The Same Bright Stars. This uplifting and emotionally resonant novel set in a Delaware beach town, follows a local restaurant owner at a turning point in their life.The Same Bright Stars comes right at you in technicolor, and I … Continue reading Episode 146: Interview with Ethan Joella, author of The Same Bright Stars →

Claire Lombardo, NYT bestselling author of The Most Fun We Ever Had, returns with another brilliantly observed family drama in which the enduring, hard-won affection of a long marriage faces imminent derailment from events both past and present: Same As It Ever Was. Author Bonnie Garmus calls it, “Witty and insightful…a powerful exploration of marriage, … Continue reading Episode 145: Interview with Claire Lombardo, author of Same As It Ever Was →

What You Leave Behind is the powerful new book by Wanda M. Morris, and I am thrilled to host her for this episode! What You Leave Behind is a haunting thriller following a lawyer who after the mysterious disappearance of a local landowner, uncovers a conspiracy that dates back to Reconstruction and still persists in … Continue reading Episode 144: Interview with Wanda M. Morris, author of What You Leave Behind →

For this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing author Henry Wise. He sat down with me to talk about his terrific southern crime debut, Holy City. We talked about his poetry, the craft of writing, his book recommendations, and more. Henry, thank you so much for joining me. Holy City is a captivating debut … Continue reading Episode 143: Interview with Henry Wise, author of Holy City →

I was thrilled to welcome back Edward Ashton for his third visit to talk about his latest release, Mal Goes to War. Mal is a dark comedy wrapped in a techno-thriller that is a a satirical take on war, artificial intelligence, and what it really means to be human. For this episode we talk about the … Continue reading Episode 142: Interview with Edward Ashton, author of Mal Goes to War →

What a thrill to host Garrard Conley for this episode! Conley is the author of the bestselling memoir, Boy Erased, about his time in a church supported conversion therapy facility, which became a major motion picture. For E141, we spoke about his fiction debut, All the World Beside, an electrifying, deeply moving novel about the … Continue reading Episode 141: Interview with Garrard Conley, author of All The World Beside →

Set against the unyielding backdrop of the Great Depression with an unforgettable cast of ornery characters, The County Line by Steve Weddle is a lyrical, loving celebration of community and opportunity in 1933 America. For this episode, Steve talked about outlaw camps, his deep dive into the history of the 1930s, his character development, and … Continue reading Episode 140: Interview with Steve Weddle, author of The County Line →

For this episode I was thrilled to host Anders de la Motte, one of Sweden’s most cherished crime writers, to talk about his latest American release, The Mountain King. This page-turning thriller is the first bestselling installment in his new Leo Asker series and The Mountain King is not to be missed. The son of … Continue reading Episode 139: Interview with Anders de la Motte, author of The Mountain King →

For this episode I was thrilled to host Guggenheim Fellow author Ellen Feldman to discuss her latest release, The Trouble With You. Ellen shares the inspiration behind this captivating 1940s NYC tale of women’s roles in the aftermath of WWII, the legacy these women left behind, and how it paved the way for the women’s … Continue reading Episode 138: Interview with Ellen Feldman, author of The Trouble With You →

“Titles pop into my head as I’m falling asleep.” ~ Heather Levy What a thrill to host Heather Levy for this episode! I missed Heather for her debut Walking Through Needles and to say I was excited to host her for Hurt For Me, is an understatement! Edgar Award-nominated author Jess Lourey says, “Levy’s latest … Continue reading Episode 137: Interview with Heather Levy, author of Hurt For Me →