Bookreporter Talks To

Megan Miranda joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her latest thriller, Such a Quiet Place, which is a locked-in thriller.

The setting is the idyllic neighborhood of Hollow's Edge, where the residents are also employed by the local college. It’s a convivial place where everyone looks out for one another. The community is reeling from the murder of two neighbors, the Truetts, and a year later, this cozy oasis has become stifling. The residents can't sell their homes and tensions are still at a high. One of the neighbors, Ruby, was convicted of murdering the Truetts, but her murder conviction was overturned and she has waltzed back into the neighborhood. Now Hollow's Edge turns on itself, and threatening notes are spread. As they start to wonder who the next victim may be, Harper, who Ruby lived with, does whatever she can to uncover the truth.

Megan and Carol talk about the conflict that can grow in small communities, as well as how Megan gained experiences to write a book set such a closeted setting. Carol nails Megan’s favorite lines in the book, which give nothing away. Also, as Rebekkah Ross has narrated all of Megan’s adult thrillers, they talk about what she brings to the storytelling. They chat about the upcoming adaptation for The Last House Guest, which is in television development as a series by Dakota and Elle Fanning’s Lewellen Pictures and MRC Television.

Books Discussed in This Episode:

Such a Quiet Place by Megan Miranda https://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/such-a-quiet-place

More Bookreporter Talks To:
Falling: https://youtu.be/2Ee8HHeZYr0
The Last Commandment: https://youtu.be/vyVcaUCh2Lw
The Personal Librarian: https://youtu.be/DYhTvlyWDSU

Check out our Bookaccino Book Club live events!
Julie Clark: https://youtu.be/8AjJHRttMpU
William Kent Krueger: https://youtu.be/dX-mHWLmv5k

Sign up for the weekly Bookreporter.com newsletter here: http://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/bookreporter-weekly-newsletter-subscribe

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

Photography Credit: Greg Fitzgerald

Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray talked to Carol Fitzgerald about their first collaboration, The Personal Librarian, which is a New York Times bestseller, a Good Morning America Book Club Selection, and a Bookreporter Bets On pick. Marie, who has been interviewed for “Bookreporter Talks To” previously, is the New York Times bestselling author of novels that include The Other Einstein and Lady Clementine. She focuses her novels on important historical women who may have been overlooked by the canonical history. Victoria is the winner of Library Journal's Best Book of the Year and has written over 20 novels; this is her first book of historical fiction.

The Personal Librarian tells the story of J.P. Morgan's personal librarian, Belle da Costa Greene, who purchased and catalogued his impressive collection of rare and high quality books and artwork. What people did not know is that Belle was a Black woman who passed as white. Her secret was kept hidden, though her father had been the first Black man to graduate from Harvard University. Her complex backstory is as interesting as the collection.

Marie and Victoria share how and why they came together to work on The Personal Librarian. They both share their takes on the story, explaining certain aspects of their research that made its way into the story they were trying to tell. And they share what they are up to next, both alone and as collaborators.

Books Discussed in This Episode:

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray https://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/the-personal-librarian/about

Stand Your Ground by Victoria Christopher Murray https://victoriachristophermurray.com/all-books/stand-your-ground

An Illuminated Life by Heidi Ardizzone https://www.amazon.com/Illuminated-Life-Greenes-Prejudice-Privilege/dp/0393051048

Good Morning America Interview: https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/video/authors-personal-librarian-talk-78835572

More Bookreporter Talks To:
The Fiancee: https://youtu.be/jdyz8p6VnbM
Falling: https://youtu.be/2Ee8HHeZYr0
The Last Commandment: https://youtu.be/vyVcaUCh2Lw

Check out our Bookaccino Book Club live events!
Julie Clark: https://youtu.be/8AjJHRttMpU
William Kent Krueger: https://youtu.be/dX-mHWLmv5k

Sign up for the weekly Bookreporter.com newsletter here: http://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/bookreporter-weekly-newsletter-subscribe

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

Photography Credit: Greg Fitzgerald

Scott Shepherd joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about his thriller, The Last Commandment, which is the first in a series. They cover a lot of turf here; Scott has had the idea for this book for a while now and talks about how he played around with the it decades before writing it. They spoke in depth about the characters, why he chose London and New York for settings, and where he may go in future books.

Scott was a longtime writer/producer/show-runner with years of experience running network television series, and talks about the different challenges between writing for the screen and writing for a novel. The conversation about television writers’ rooms will give you a great idea of how things come together on the small screen. His family has a real Hollywood history. His great grandfather was Louis B Mayer from MGM, so he shares some fun stories of growing up, when celebrities were just friends of the family. Wait until you hear who read him bedtime stories.

Books Discussed This Episode:

The Last Commandment by Scott Shepherd

More Bookreporter Talks To:
Where the Grass is Green and the Girls Are Pretty: https://youtu.be/U2tbngh546o
The Fiancee: https://youtu.be/jdyz8p6VnbM
Falling: https://youtu.be/2Ee8HHeZYr0

Check out our Bookaccino Book Club live events!
Julie Clark: https://youtu.be/8AjJHRttMpU
William Kent Krueger: https://youtu.be/dX-mHWLmv5k

Sign up for the weekly Bookreporter.com newsletter here: http://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/bookreporter-weekly-newsletter-subscribe

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

Photography Credit: Greg Fitzgerald

T.J. Newman joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her debut thriller, Falling, which is a #1 Indie Pick for July and a Bookreporter Bets On selection.

TJ, a former flight attendant, got the idea for this book when she was on a flight and asked the flight’s captain, “Hey, what would you do if your family was taken, and you were told that if you didn’t crash the plane, they would be killed?” His reaction, and where her imagination took it next, became Falling. The book was written on many a cross-country red-eye flight -- often with scribbles on napkins and random notes stuffed into TJ’s pockets. The flight crew inspired by her experiences are at its heart, and the next time you get on a plane, you will definitely find yourself thinking of these characters!

TJ explains why she used her initials instead of her first name, Torri, as well as the evolution her writing journey took before she landed on Falling. She was a bookseller before she became a flight attendant, so she knows exactly how special it is for a debut author to be selected as a #1 Indie pick and have the attention of readers. This is one of the tightest and most haunting thrillers of the year -- from the title, jacket cover, and premise, right through to the prose. We talk about how it all came together, what’s next both for Falling, and for her.

Books Discussed This Episode:

Falling by T.J. Newman

Falling Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQlAw4bIYJA

More Bookreporter Talks To:
Morningside Heights: https://youtu.be/qfP9-x6uDfQ
Where the Grass is Green and the Girls Are Pretty: https://youtu.be/U2tbngh546o
The Fiancee: https://youtu.be/jdyz8p6VnbM

Check out our Bookaccino Book Club live events!
Julie Clark: https://youtu.be/8AjJHRttMpU
William Kent Krueger: https://youtu.be/dX-mHWLmv5k

Sign up for the weekly Bookreporter.com newsletter here: http://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/bookreporter-weekly-newsletter-subscribe

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

Photography Credit: Greg Fitzgerald

Kate White joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her latest novel, The Fiancée, a stand-alone thriller in a locked-in scenario.

The Fiancée is set on a sixty-acre estate, where Summer, her husband Gabe, her nine-year-old stepson Henry, and other members of the family have gathered for an annual summer reunion. Enter Hannah, Summer's brother-in-law's new girlfriend, who seems familiar to Summer but claims they've never met. When a member of the family dies, Summer starts an investigation of her own to prove it couldn't have been natural causes after all, thinking Hannah must have been involved and needs to be exposed. Kate and Carol worked together years ago at Mademoiselle magazine. Kate went on to other magazine positions, namely as the Editor-in-Chief of Cosmopolitan. Kate talks about how she moved from editing from Cosmo to novels, and the lessons she learned in the process. She also talks about how she pursues her craft and lends an insider look at her next book.

Book Discussed This Episode:

The Fiancée by Kate White

More Bookreporter Talks To:
The Break-Up Book Club: https://youtu.be/OQoxBpkBF_k
Morningside Heights: https://youtu.be/qfP9-x6uDfQ
Where the Grass is Green and the Girls Are Pretty: https://youtu.be/U2tbngh546o

Check out our Bookaccino Book Club live events!
Julie Clark: https://youtu.be/8AjJHRttMpU
William Kent Krueger: https://youtu.be/dX-mHWLmv5k

Sign up for the weekly Bookreporter.com newsletter here: http://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/bookreporter-weekly-newsletter-subscribe

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

Photography Credit: Greg Fitzgerald

Julie Clark, the New York Times bestselling author of The Last Flight, was our June "Bookaccino Live" Book Club guest.

In The Last Flight, two women switch places to get a chance at a new life. Claire, who married into a political dynasty that she wants out of, meets Eva in an airport bar. On a whim, the two decide to trade tickets and board the other’s flight. But one of the planes goes down, and suddenly Claire realizes this is her chance to disappear and start a new life. She soon learns that not only is she running from her old identity, she also learns that Eva had secrets of her own that could put her at risk.

With this opportunity to have a live book group discussion, Julie Clark dove deep into the book without the fear of spoiling anything. Stay tuned to hear the great questions from our readers, and know that if you've already read The Last Flight, there's plenty of background you will take away from this interview. Oh, and Julie shares the title and plot details of her next thriller coming in June 2022.

Books Discussed in this Episode:

The Last Flight by Julie Clark

More Bookreporter Talks To:
The Plot: https://youtu.be/OV_ORMNT8W0
The Break-Up Book Club: https://youtu.be/OQoxBpkBF_k
Morningside Heights: https://youtu.be/qfP9-x6uDfQ

Check out our other videos:
Bookaccino Book Club with Kim Michele Richardson: https://youtu.be/Y5R70-w0AVg
Bookaccino Book Club with William Kent Krueger: https://youtu.be/dX-mHWLmv5k

Sign up for the weekly Bookreporter.com newsletter here: http://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/bookreporter-weekly-newsletter-subscribe

FOLLOW US
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookreporter
Website: https://www.bookreporter.com
Photography Credit: Greg Fitzgerald

Lauren Weisberger, the New York Times bestselling author of The Devil Wears Prada, talks to Carol Fitzgerald about her newest novel, Where the Grass is Green and the Girls Are Pretty.

In Where the Grass is Green and the Girls Are Pretty, Peyton thinks she has it all as an anchor of a beloved morning show, with celebrity status and enough money for her family to enjoy life. Her daughter is bound for Princeton and ready to follow her filmmaking dreams. Peyton’s sister, Skye, lives a modest life and longs to do more with her career. She is making great strides on a fundraiser and feels some fulfillment outside her role as a stay-at-home mother. One lie is all it takes to unravel the careful plans that they all have in place.

Lauren channeled her close relationship with her sister as she wrote the novel. She talks about how far she was in her early draft before realizing she'd have to start over with a different approach, while hoping for the men characters to be nice guys instead of villains. She talks about her women characters and how their agency involves them making their own choices. They also discuss what's next for Lauren: in books and on stage. She's currently excited about the upcoming stage adaptation of The Devil Wears Prada, which she's been working on with Kevin McCollum and Elton John, with Elton writing all the music.

Books Discussed in this Episode:

Where the Grass is Green and the Girls Are Pretty by Lauren Weisberger 

More Bookreporter Talks To:
The Plot: https://youtu.be/OV_ORMNT8W0
The Break-Up Book Club: https://youtu.be/OQoxBpkBF_k
Morningside Heights: https://youtu.be/qfP9-x6uDfQ

Check out our other videos:
Bookaccino Book Club with Kim Michele Richardson: https://youtu.be/Y5R70-w0AVg
Bookaccino Book Club with William Kent Krueger: https://youtu.be/dX-mHWLmv5k

Sign up for the weekly Bookreporter.com newsletter here: http://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/bookreporter-weekly-newsletter-subscribe

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

Photography Credit: Greg Fitzgerald

Joshua Henkin joins Carol Fitzgerald to discuss his new novel, Morningside Heights. As the author of four novels, Joshua also directs the MFA Fiction Writing program at Brooklyn College.

In Morningside Heights, Pru Steiner falls in love with her Shakespeare professor, Spence. Marrying him means ending her ambition to make a name for herself in New York academia. Decades later, Spence is diagnosed with Alzheimers, and Pru must come to terms with the impact of that on her life. Layer in a stepson who walks to his own beat and a daughter who is in medical school, and it’s both the story of a marriage and of a family.

Joshua Henkin discusses his characters and gives insight into how they each drive the story in Morningside Heights while also talking about the parallels to his own life. Carol talks to Joshua about what it's like to write as a full time creative writing professor and the ways in which his career motivates his writing work.

Book Discussed in this Episode:

Morningside Heights by Joshua Henkin https://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/morningside-heights

More Bookreporter Talks To:

The Other Black Girl: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0us87ycXBM
The Plot: https://youtu.be/OV_ORMNT8W0
The Break-Up Book Club: https://youtu.be/OQoxBpkBF_k

Check out our other videos:

Bookaccino Book Club with Kim Michele Richardson: https://youtu.be/Y5R70-w0AVg
Bookaccino Book Club with William Kent Krueger: https://youtu.be/dX-mHWLmv5k

Sign up for the weekly Bookreporter.com newsletter here: http://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/bookreporter-weekly-newsletter-subscribe

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

Photography Credit: Greg Fitzgerald

Zakiya Dalila Harris joins Carol Fitzgerald to discuss her debut novel, THE OTHER BLACK GIRL. Zakiya spent a few years working in the editorial department at Knopf/Doubleday. She left to write THE OTHER BLACK GIRL when the kernel of a story idea came to her, and it was too good to ignore.

In THE OTHER BLACK GIRL, editorial assistant Nella Rogers, who's been the only Black editorial employee at Wagner Books, meets Hazel, another Black woman who's just begun working beside her. What Nella hopes is an opportunity to find some common ground turns into a series of uncomfortable situations as Hazel’s stature rises in the office and Nella’s confidence is challenged. That's when notes start arriving on Nella's desk, saying, "Leave Wagner. Now." From there, Nella's life spirals as she tries to find out who is behind the notes and how she can defend both her career and her life.

In their conversation, Zakiya shares her background in publishing and how her experiences inspired everything from the microaggressions present in Nella's story, to the loose basis of certain characters, to the premise of the idea itself. Carol and Zakiya talk about pop culture references, career transitions (especially for those who are assistants), and some of the challenges involved in getting this book to meet Zakiya's vision.

Book Discussed in this Episode:

THE OTHER BLACK GIRL by Zakiya Dalila Harris

Links Discussed in the Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGuYu21YwTo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlZcK1DRROM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GT9maAjUKZ4

More Bookreporter Talks To:
The Plot: https://youtu.be/OV_ORMNT8W0
The Break-Up Book Club: https://youtu.be/OQoxBpkBF_k
Find You First: https://youtu.be/7jN-RW-r_wk

Check out our other videos:

Bookaccino Book Club with Kim Michele Richardson: https://youtu.be/Y5R70-w0AVg
Bookaccino Book Club with William Kent Krueger: https://youtu.be/dX-mHWLmv5k

Sign up for the weekly Bookreporter.com newsletter here: http://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/bookreporter-weekly-newsletter-subscribe

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

Photography Credit: Greg Fitzgerald

Linwood Barclay, the New York Times bestselling thriller author of over 20 novels, joins Carol Fitzgerald to discuss his latest thriller, Find You First.

In Find You First, Miles Cookson is a tech millionaire who has all the money he could ask for but is running out of time. He's been diagnosed with a terminal illness and hopes to spend the last bit of his short life finding anyone he might have passed it on to. As a sperm donor, he knows he has multiple unknown kids, and he's got to find them and share the truth before time runs out. On his journey, he realizes that his possible descendants are vanishing one by one.

Linwood talks about what drew him to write about DNA testing, as well as his character, Jeremy Pritkin. They also discuss his writing process – and what’s next. Carol and Linwood are old friends, and they roll on to to discuss what they have binge watched and loved -- and how Linwood has not been able to get a haircut since November 28th due to Covid-restrictions in Toronto.

Book Discussed in This Episode:

Find You First by Linwood Barclay https://www.bookreporter.com/reviews/find-you-first

Check out our last interview with Linwood: https://youtu.be/NUI2TZmg8ZE

More Bookreporter Talks To:
The Last Thing He Told Me: https://youtu.be/mK0ISnXjbhY
The Plot: https://youtu.be/OV_ORMNT8W0
The Break-Up Book Club: https://youtu.be/OQoxBpkBF_k

Check out our other videos:
Bookaccino Book Club with Kim Michele Richardson: https://youtu.be/Y5R70-w0AVg
Bookaccino Book Club with William Kent Krueger: https://youtu.be/dX-mHWLmv5k

Sign up for the weekly Bookreporter.com newsletter here: http://tbrnetwork.com/newsletters/bookreporter-weekly-newsletter-subscribe

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