A Word on Words

Mark Greaney’s latest Gray Man thriller has Court Gentry caught between the Russian mafia and the CIA. After stealing records from the Swiss bank that employs him, Alex Velesky was hoping to expose a conspiracy, but accidentally unmasks a gold mine of corruption. Now a target of the Russian mafia and the CIA, Gentry and his lover, Zoya Zakharova, both want him but for different reasons.

“Somebody told me once that when we share meals with strangers we become closer. But, I think, when we share stories that’s when we really understand each other. Now, sharing meals warms our stomachs, but sharing stories warms our hearts.” Tan Twan Eng talks with Jeremy Finley about his book The House of Doors.

“I wrote a story, and I showed it to a schoolmate of mine. And, he read it and he didn’t believe that I was the one who wrote the story. He thought perhaps I had copied it from somewhere or something, and that was like a huge motivation for me to write.” Stephen Buoro talks with J.T. Ellison about his book The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa.

Ryan La Sala’s horror novel BEHOLDER is a chilling tale about art, aesthetic obsession and the gaze peering back at us from our reflections. Athan Bakirtzis has secured an invitation to a mysterious penthouse soiree for New York City’s artsy elite. But when the party descends into chaos, Athan is the primary suspect. In a race to prove his innocence, Athan is swept up in a supernatural mystery.

Christine Coulson talks with J.T. Ellison about her book One Woman Show.

Christine Coulson's novel One Woman Show is told through a unique perspective. The characters are depicted as works of art and, using a strict label format of no more than 75 words, the story is told using museum wall labels. Precise and humorous, One Woman Show challenges conventional narratives, prompting readers to question who holds the authority to tell our stories.

John Scalzi talks with Jeremy Finley about his book Starter Villain.

In John Scalzi’s novel Starter Villain, Charlie, a divorced substitute teacher living with his cat, inherits his long-lost uncle Jake’s supervillain business. Pulled into a war his uncle started, Charlie is up against a league of supervillains, but with unionized dolphins, hyper-intelligent talking cats, and a henchperson at his side, going bad is starting to look pretty good.

In a realm of four worlds, linked by London, magic spiraled out of control. To safeguard their realms, the worlds sealed their doors. A young runaway possessing a unique magical gift, obtains a device altering the fate of all the worlds. She holds the power to unite or unravel the delicate tapestry of these interconnected realms. V.E. Schwab talks with J.T. Ellison about her book The Fragile Threads of Power on NPT's original series A Word on Words.

“I have these four detectives, and because they're from that generation who were overlooked, they are invisible. And yet they're so incredibly wise and experienced. And if you're invisible and wise, then you make an amazing detective.” Richard Osman talks with Jeremy Finley about his book The Last Devil to Die, a Thursday Murder Club mystery on NPT's original series A Word on Words.

A rogue Russian military unit has disappeared in the heart of Ukraine, leaving a trail of war crimes in their wake. Their involvement in the abduction of an American aid worker presents a challenge, as direct military intervention is not an option. To resolve the crisis, the U.S. deploys, Scot Harvath with one mission: locate the aid worker and ensure that those responsible face the consequences.

“It just really struck me how unexpected it was, to me, that these wonderful things could coexist with these awful things.” Rebecca Fogg talks with Jeremy Finley about her book Beautiful Trauma.