Bookreporter Talks To

Lisa See joined us for September's "Bookaccino Live" Book Group event to discuss her instant New York Times bestseller, DAUGHTERS OF THE SUN AND MOON, which was a Bookreporter Bets On selection when it released in June.

Lisa shared how a story that her grandmother told her when she was a child standing in downtown Los Angeles gave her the initial idea for the book. Research is always critical to her writing, and she explained how she created her three characters, basing them on four women she read about.

Lisa loves talking to book groups and has created materials to enhance the reading experience with the "Step Inside" feature on her website, as well as tea-tasting kits.

Our Latest "Bookreporter Talks To" Interviews:

Amanda Peters: https://youtu.be/1ZpbCHCiD38

Jonathan Santlofer: https://youtu.be/rUk_eqMBrgk

Hank Phillippi Ryan: https://youtu.be/6EjQPzlBOxw

Shari Lapena: https://youtu.be/AZykCEM0ojE

Chris Bohjalian: https://youtu.be/VnRpBPFctY0

Nadia Hashimi: https://youtu.be/uxVRLLQY1oA

Sophie Chen Keller: https://youtu.be/bWMs3VWUC4A

Ben Reeves: https://youtu.be/Jsr5c3WQPuQ

Our Latest "Bookaccino Live" Book Group Events:

Bruce Holsinger: https://youtu.be/wwQjtlPePBQ

Wally Lamb: https://youtu.be/-eMtMznKoVE

Laura Dave: https://youtu.be/RRWrSjdxyrc

Lisa Ridzén: https://youtu.be/dleYdLoh0bY

Patrick Ryan: https://youtu.be/keazeWK1lto

Lily King: https://youtu.be/_yo2x2ZA0B0

Sign up for newsletters from Bookreporter and Reading Group Guides here: https://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/

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Website: https://www.bookreporter.com

Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald

Edited by Jordan Redd Productions

Amanda Peters joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her latest novel, THE BIRTHING TREE, which is an instant national bestseller. Like her debut, THE BERRY PICKERS, it is a Bookreporter Bets On selection.

Amanda shares the personal and professional inspirations behind the book. They include a childhood memory involving her grandmother, who had dementia and told her about a tree near the water where Mi'kmaq women used to give birth, as well as Amanda's work with Nova Scotia's midwifery regulation committee.

Our conversation explores the importance of preserving Mi'kmaq traditions, intergenerational storytelling, and Amanda's personal journey reconnecting with her Indigenous heritage.

Our Latest "Bookreporter Talks To" Interviews:

Jonathan Santlofer: https://youtu.be/rUk_eqMBrgk

Hank Phillippi Ryan: https://youtu.be/6EjQPzlBOxw

Shari Lapena: https://youtu.be/AZykCEM0ojE

Chris Bohjalian: https://youtu.be/VnRpBPFctY0

Nadia Hashimi: https://youtu.be/uxVRLLQY1oA

Sophie Chen Keller: https://youtu.be/bWMs3VWUC4A

Ben Reeves: https://youtu.be/Jsr5c3WQPuQ

Rachel Beanland: https://youtu.be/6Piw8q7pGkc

Our Latest "Bookaccino Live" Book Group Events:

Bruce Holsinger: https://youtu.be/wwQjtlPePBQ

Wally Lamb: https://youtu.be/-eMtMznKoVE

Laura Dave: https://youtu.be/RRWrSjdxyrc

Lisa Ridzén: https://youtu.be/dleYdLoh0bY

Patrick Ryan: https://youtu.be/keazeWK1lto

Lily King: https://youtu.be/_yo2x2ZA0B0

Sign up for newsletters from Bookreporter and Reading Group Guides here: https://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/

FOLLOW US on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookreporter

Website: https://www.bookreporter.com

Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald

Edited by Jordan Redd Productions

Jonathan Santlofer joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about his latest thriller, TEN PERFECT GUESTS, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. He describes the book as a classic whodunit featuring 10 characters brought to an isolated island for a memorial, with an inheritance at stake. Jonathan wanted to use all classic tropes — locked room, large cast, hidden motives — without a detective figure. He explains that managing 10 distinct characters was more difficult than anticipated, requiring a character chart and careful differentiation so readers would not need to look back.

The novel is written in the third-person omniscient perspective, allowing access to all characters' inner thoughts, with the final section shifting to the killer's point of view — which expanded unexpectedly to 35 pages. Jonathan also discusses his next project, the third book in his art-thriller series, which he is working on now.

Our Latest "Bookreporter Talks To" Interviews:

Hank Phillippi Ryan: https://youtu.be/6EjQPzlBOxw

Shari Lapena: https://youtu.be/AZykCEM0ojE

Chris Bohjalian: https://youtu.be/VnRpBPFctY0

Nadia Hashimi: https://youtu.be/uxVRLLQY1oA

Sophie Chen Keller: https://youtu.be/bWMs3VWUC4A

Ben Reeves: https://youtu.be/Jsr5c3WQPuQ

Rachel Beanland: https://youtu.be/6Piw8q7pGkc

Lisa Scottolin: https://youtu.be/9MsfXILFZ_Y

Our Latest "Bookaccino Live" Book Group Events:

Bruce Holsinger: https://youtu.be/wwQjtlPePBQ

Wally Lamb: https://youtu.be/-eMtMznKoVE

Laura Dave: https://youtu.be/RRWrSjdxyrc

Lisa Ridzén: https://youtu.be/dleYdLoh0bY

Patrick Ryan: https://youtu.be/keazeWK1lto

Lily King: https://youtu.be/_yo2x2ZA0B0

Sign up for newsletters from Bookreporter and Reading Group Guides here: https://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/

FOLLOW US on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookreporter

Website: https://www.bookreporter.com

Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald

Edited by Jordan Redd Productions

Hank Phillippi Ryan joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her latest novel, MOTHER DAUGHTER SISTER STRANGER, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. This multilayered domestic thriller explores family secrets, identity, the meaning of motherhood, and the search for happy endings.

The story centers on two sisters, Eliza and Bea Ramsey, the sole survivors of a plane crash that killed their parents. When Bea disappears on the 11th anniversary of the tragedy, Eliza must find Bea while caring for her 11-year-old niece, Piper. The book was inspired by Hank reflecting on lying to her mother as a teenager and then wondering if her mother had also lied to her — questioning the truth of family history and legacy. Additional creative inspirations came from Hank's mother reading stories aloud and always saying "the end," prompting Hank to wonder what happened after that.

Hank discusses writing in first person as akin to method acting — fully inhabiting Eliza's perspective — and describes the "Hank DNA" as stories about smart, savvy women who have the rug pulled out from under them and must reclaim their power. She also talks about the audiobook, which is narrated by Stevi Incremona.

Our Latest "Bookreporter Talks To" Interviews:

Shari Lapena: https://youtu.be/AZykCEM0ojE

Chris Bohjalian: https://youtu.be/VnRpBPFctY0

Nadia Hashimi: https://youtu.be/uxVRLLQY1oA

Sophie Chen Keller: https://youtu.be/bWMs3VWUC4A

Ben Reeves: https://youtu.be/Jsr5c3WQPuQ

Rachel Beanland: https://youtu.be/6Piw8q7pGkc

Lisa Scottolin: https://youtu.be/9MsfXILFZ_Y

John Searles: https://youtu.be/LA2gXPoc_zk

Our Latest "Bookaccino Live" Book Group Events:

Bruce Holsinger: https://youtu.be/wwQjtlPePBQ

Wally Lamb: https://youtu.be/-eMtMznKoVE

Laura Dave: https://youtu.be/RRWrSjdxyrc

Lisa Ridzén: https://youtu.be/dleYdLoh0bY

Patrick Ryan: https://youtu.be/keazeWK1lto

Lily King: https://youtu.be/_yo2x2ZA0B0

Sign up for newsletters from Bookreporter and Reading Group Guides here: https://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/

FOLLOW US on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookreporter

Website: https://www.bookreporter.com

Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald

Edited by Jordan Redd Productions

Shari Lapena joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her latest thriller, GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER, which is an instant New York Times and USA Today bestseller, as well as a "number one" library hold and a Goodreads "most wanted to read" title. It also is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. For Carol, Shari's books are always "one-sit reads," meaning that once she starts them, they are propulsive enough that she does not stop until they have been read in full.

GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER centers on Jill and Ted, a privileged Manhattan couple who live in a Brooklyn Heights brownstone. Shari chose this as their home due to her personal fascination with these properties, using a coffee table book of floor plans and history for research. The two kill Ted's wealthy older brother, Greg (setting it up to look like a sailing accident), in order to inherit his estate and preserve their lifestyle. The settings throughout the book become characters of their own, and it is very interesting to see how this murder affects each character.

Paul Ramirez, a special agent with the Coast Guard Investigative Service, immediately senses that Jill and Ted are lying, and he makes it his mission to rattle their cage, even though he lacks evidence. Their cleaning lady, Nadya Sokolov, is a Russian immigrant and has intimate knowledge of the household. Paul and Nadya serve as foils to Jill and Ted, representing working-class perspectives that expose the couple's carelessness and privilege.

Audio listeners, please note: A bonus interview between Shari and narrator January LaVoy is included at the end of the audiobook, recorded remotely between Toronto and a US studio — their first interaction despite multiple collaborations.

Our Latest "Bookreporter Talks To" Interviews:

Chris Bohjalian: https://youtu.be/VnRpBPFctY0

Nadia Hashimi: https://youtu.be/uxVRLLQY1oA

Sophie Chen Keller: https://youtu.be/bWMs3VWUC4A

Ben Reeves: https://youtu.be/Jsr5c3WQPuQ

Rachel Beanland: https://youtu.be/6Piw8q7pGkc

Lisa Scottolin: https://youtu.be/9MsfXILFZ_Y

John Searles: https://youtu.be/LA2gXPoc_zk

Jenny Jackson: https://youtu.be/V116A5eBBBE

Our Latest "Bookaccino Live" Book Group Events:

Bruce Holsinger: https://youtu.be/wwQjtlPePBQ

Wally Lamb: https://youtu.be/-eMtMznKoVE

Laura Dave: https://youtu.be/RRWrSjdxyrc

Lisa Ridzén: https://youtu.be/dleYdLoh0bY

Patrick Ryan: https://youtu.be/keazeWK1lto

Lily King: https://youtu.be/_yo2x2ZA0B0

Sign up for newsletters from Bookreporter and Reading Group Guides here: https://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/

FOLLOW US on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookreporter

Website: https://www.bookreporter.com

Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald

Edited by Jordan Redd Productions

Chris Bohjalian joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about his new novel, THE AMATEUR, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. He wrote in an "alchemic frenzy" over 90 days in the summer of 2024 without telling anyone — not his wife, daughter, editor or agents — until it was finished. It's his most autobiographical book in nature as he mined the days he spent as a "spectacular golf caddie" when he was in high school, earning $40–$50 a day, staying fit, and reading during breaks. Chris explains that his second summer at this job made him acutely aware of how golf displays the class divide in America as he was caddying for his classmates' parents.

In THE AMATEUR, Mira Winston hits a golf ball at a driving range. It goes through a net and kills 17-year-old caddie Kenny Foster by rupturing an artery. Chris shares that this prologue reads as if it is a third-person omniscient novel discussing the history of golf balls and country clubs, until the final sentences reveal Mira as the narrator.

The book's title carries multiple meanings, including class elitism in golf culture and broader themes about Mira's identity and choices. Her first-person voice was a deliberate and central creative choice, enabling both wit and deep psychological complexity. The 1978 setting is integral to the novel's exploration of gender inequality, the dismissal of female athletes, and the systemic failure of adults to protect young women. Chris acknowledges that THE AMATEUR, though based on his adolescence, is now considered historical fiction — a reflection of how much the world has changed.

Our Latest "Bookreporter Talks To" Interviews:

Nadia Hashimi: https://youtu.be/uxVRLLQY1oA

Sophie Chen Keller: https://youtu.be/bWMs3VWUC4A

Ben Reeves: https://youtu.be/Jsr5c3WQPuQ

Rachel Beanland: https://youtu.be/6Piw8q7pGkc

Lisa Scottolin: https://youtu.be/9MsfXILFZ_Y

John Searles: https://youtu.be/LA2gXPoc_zk

Jenny Jackson: https://youtu.be/V116A5eBBBE

Beatriz Williams: https://youtu.be/d554V2bGHSQ

Our Latest "Bookaccino Live" Book Group Events:

Bruce Holsinger: https://youtu.be/wwQjtlPePBQ

Wally Lamb: https://youtu.be/-eMtMznKoVE

Laura Dave: https://youtu.be/RRWrSjdxyrc

Lisa Ridzén: https://youtu.be/dleYdLoh0bY

Patrick Ryan: https://youtu.be/keazeWK1lto

Lily King: https://youtu.be/_yo2x2ZA0B0

Sign up for newsletters from Bookreporter and Reading Group Guides here: https://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/

FOLLOW US on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookreporter

Website: https://www.bookreporter.com

Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald

Edited by Jordan Redd Productions

Nadia Hashimi joins Carol Fitzgerald to discuss her new novel, CITY OF WIDOWS, a Bookreporter Bets On selection set in Afghanistan, a place that she previously wrote about. While the book looks back in time, the arc of it moves towards the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, focusing on Afghan female soldiers, journalists, and the chaos of evacuation. Nadia talks about the shock of the total Taliban takeover — many had hoped for a power-sharing arrangement — and the rapid reversal of 20 years of progress for women.

Marjan, Nadia's protagonist, had been a soldier in an elite unit of women serving with the Afghan army working with the Americans. As the Taliban advance toward Kabul in the summer of 2021 following the U.S. withdrawal announcement, Marjan and her unit go from hunters to hunted, facing a ticking clock to escape or find safety. She is on the run with her daughter, Hawa, hoping to get on one of the last planes leaving Kabul for the U.S. Nadia talks about the City of Widows, a place in Afghanistan where widowed women built their own homes on a hill, away from the city, creating an independent community.

The Taliban's restrictions are deliberate and systematic, designed to suppress potential backlash by eliminating women's access to education, community and economic participation. Nadia notes that international outrage about what has happened in Afghanistan has faded, which she describes as "the heartbreaking part." The book grew from direct personal involvement in the evacuation crisis and a desire to highlight the hidden complexity and agency of Afghan women. CITY OF WIDOWS is a stand-alone novel but rewards readers of THE PEARL THAT BROKE ITS SHELL with a deeper understanding of Marjan's origins and transformation.

Our Latest "Bookreporter Talks To" Interviews:

Sophie Chen Keller: https://youtu.be/bWMs3VWUC4A

Ben Reeves: https://youtu.be/Jsr5c3WQPuQ

Rachel Beanland: https://youtu.be/6Piw8q7pGkc

Lisa Scottolin: https://youtu.be/9MsfXILFZ_Y

John Searles: https://youtu.be/LA2gXPoc_zk

Jenny Jackson: https://youtu.be/V116A5eBBBE

Beatriz Williams: https://youtu.be/d554V2bGHSQ

Lori Foster: https://youtu.be/C2xlNPgKjm0

Our Latest "Bookaccino Live" Book Group Events:

Bruce Holsinger: https://youtu.be/wwQjtlPePBQ

Wally Lamb: https://youtu.be/-eMtMznKoVE

Laura Dave: https://youtu.be/RRWrSjdxyrc

Lisa Ridzén: https://youtu.be/dleYdLoh0bY

Patrick Ryan: https://youtu.be/keazeWK1lto

Lily King: https://youtu.be/_yo2x2ZA0B0

Sign up for newsletters from Bookreporter and Reading Group Guides here: https://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/

FOLLOW US on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookreporter

Website: https://www.bookreporter.com

Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald

Edited by Jordan Redd Productions

Sophie Chen Keller joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her latest novel, LITTLE WONDER, which was published by Jenna Bush Hager's imprint, Thousand Voices. It is an Oprah's Book Club pick and a Bookreporter Bets On selection. Song, a migrant worker, and her 11-year-old piano prodigy son, River, are separated in a massive crowd at a Beijing train station on the busiest travel day of the year. The story follows both characters over the years as they search for each other while building separate lives.

Sophie describes LITTLE WONDER as being about motherhood, music, and the love between a mother and a child. She shares that she was born in rural northeastern China, was raised in the US, lived in Beijing, and is now residing in Germany. Her own experiences as a mother and a pianist deeply informed the novel. Carol and Sophie's conversation also touches on themes of longing, stage fright, social inequality in China, and the COVID-19 pandemic as portrayed in the book.

And yes, Sophie explains what she was doing when she got the call from Oprah. The interview that Oprah taped with Sophie was her first real exposure to reader reactions. She found the audience's questions to be surprising and insightful as they made connections she had not anticipated.

Our Latest "Bookreporter Talks To" Interviews:

Ben Reeves: https://youtu.be/Jsr5c3WQPuQ

Rachel Beanland: https://youtu.be/6Piw8q7pGkc

Lisa Scottolin: https://youtu.be/9MsfXILFZ_Y

John Searles: https://youtu.be/LA2gXPoc_zk

Jenny Jackson: https://youtu.be/V116A5eBBBE

Beatriz Williams: https://youtu.be/d554V2bGHSQ

Lori Foster: https://youtu.be/C2xlNPgKjm0

Lisa See: https://youtu.be/5UpTJ_YAnxE

Our Latest "Bookaccino Live" Book Group Events:

Bruce Holsinger: https://youtu.be/wwQjtlPePBQ

Wally Lamb: https://youtu.be/-eMtMznKoVE

Laura Dave: https://youtu.be/RRWrSjdxyrc

Lisa Ridzén: https://youtu.be/dleYdLoh0bY

Patrick Ryan: https://youtu.be/keazeWK1lto

Lily King: https://youtu.be/_yo2x2ZA0B0

Sign up for newsletters from Bookreporter and Reading Group Guides here: https://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/

FOLLOW US on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookreporter

Website: https://www.bookreporter.com

Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald

Edited by Jordan Redd Productions

Ben Reeves joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about his debut novel, EVERYTHING WAS BEAUTFUL AND NOTHING HURT, which is an instant New York Times bestseller, a #1 Indie Next pick, and a Bookreporter Bets On selection. The book reimagines the Grim Reaper as a compassionate, ordinary man named Travis who spends time with people before they die, exploring themes of life, death, grief and regret. It ultimately makes readers question if they are truly living the life they want and focusing on what matters.

The book won the Bath Novel Award in 2024, which launched Ben's publishing journey after 20 years of writing. Ben notes that he is always personally preoccupied with whether or not he is using his time well, and he wanted to unpack that through storytelling — encouraging readers to "wake up" by contemplating mortality. He also explains why he brought two characters to the forefront of the story: a midwife and her daughter.

Carol praises the final chapter as the most impactful part of the novel and urges readers to give it a lot of thought. She sees it as the emotional and philosophical culmination of the book's message about living intentionally. Ben also shares that he is working on a new project.

Our Latest "Bookreporter Talks To" Interviews:

Rachel Beanland: https://youtu.be/6Piw8q7pGkc

Lisa Scottolin: https://youtu.be/9MsfXILFZ_Y

John Searles: https://youtu.be/LA2gXPoc_zk

Jenny Jackson: https://youtu.be/V116A5eBBBE

Beatriz Williams: https://youtu.be/d554V2bGHSQ

Lori Foster: https://youtu.be/C2xlNPgKjm0

Lisa See: https://youtu.be/5UpTJ_YAnxE

Ruta Sepetys: https://youtu.be/Mv9XRWohkjs

Kathryn Stockett: https://youtu.be/-mNe-Y9CctQ

Susan Patterson: https://youtu.be/jvZjwDq_dUw

Our Latest "Bookaccino Live" Book Group Events:

Bruce Holsinger: https://youtu.be/wwQjtlPePBQ

Wally Lamb: https://youtu.be/-eMtMznKoVE

Laura Dave: https://youtu.be/RRWrSjdxyrc

Lisa Ridzén: https://youtu.be/dleYdLoh0bY

Patrick Ryan: https://youtu.be/keazeWK1lto

Lily King: https://youtu.be/_yo2x2ZA0B0

Sign up for newsletters from Bookreporter and Reading Group Guides here: https://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/

FOLLOW US on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookreporter

Website: https://www.bookreporter.com

Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald

Edited by Jordan Redd Productions

Rachel Beanland joins Carol Fitzgerald to discuss her new novel , THE HALF LIFE, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. This is the third time that Carol has interviewed Rachel. Her previous books, FLORENCE ADLER SWIMS FOREVER and THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE, were Bets On picks as well.

THE HALF LIFE follows Eileen O'Malley, a 23-year-old woman from Charleston who marries a naval officer named Paul Archer and moves to La Maddalena, Italy, in 1974. Rachel drew heavily from her own childhood experiences living on La Maddalena as a Navy family member, as well as a 2019 research trip back to the island. The interview covers the book's various themes: coming of age, sexual awakening, military wife culture, Cold War politics, grief and self-discovery.

Rachel had a clear picture of Eileen from the start — a questioning, unfulfilled young woman who had not yet come of age when she married — and was thinking about her mother, a Navy wife who resisted many of the expected social obligations, as she was shaping the character. She found Paul relatively easy to write, but it took several attempts to define Teo, who ultimately serves as an honest, non-performative counterpoint to Paul. The full cast of characters reflects the range of ways that women responded to the constraints of military life. Their relationships are complex and not always harmonious. And yes, there actually was a book called THE NAVY WIFE: What She Ought to Know About the Customs of the Service and the Management of a Navy Household, which Eileen receives as a wedding gift.

Carol and Rachel also discuss the Epilogue, which is very powerful, as well as the choice of the title, which resonates on many levels.

Our Latest "Bookreporter Talks To" Interviews:

Lisa Scottolin: https://youtu.be/9MsfXILFZ_Y

John Searles: https://youtu.be/LA2gXPoc_zk

Jenny Jackson: https://youtu.be/V116A5eBBBE

Beatriz Williams: https://youtu.be/d554V2bGHSQ

Lori Foster: https://youtu.be/C2xlNPgKjm0

Lisa See: https://youtu.be/5UpTJ_YAnxE

Ruta Sepetys: https://youtu.be/Mv9XRWohkjs

Kathryn Stockett: https://youtu.be/-mNe-Y9CctQ

Susan Patterson: https://youtu.be/jvZjwDq_dUw

Jane Harper: https://youtu.be/PTqqPXbbX8A

Our Latest "Bookaccino Live" Book Group Events:

Bruce Holsinger: https://youtu.be/wwQjtlPePBQ

Wally Lamb: https://youtu.be/-eMtMznKoVE

Laura Dave: https://youtu.be/RRWrSjdxyrc

Lisa Ridzén: https://youtu.be/dleYdLoh0bY

Patrick Ryan: https://youtu.be/keazeWK1lto

Lily King: https://youtu.be/_yo2x2ZA0B0

Sign up for newsletters from Bookreporter and Reading Group Guides here: https://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/

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Website: https://www.bookreporter.com

Art Credit: Tom Fitzgerald

Edited by Jordan Redd Productions