In this bonus episode of Gravely Curious, authors Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe pull back the curtain on Season One with a fun Q&A, sharing how Jane's podcast came to be, who voiced which characters and why cemetery legends and quirky ads became part of the storytelling.

They also reveal where the series fits within the Jane Ladling Mystery timeline, tease what's ahead for future seasons, and celebrate the release of the Twelve Graves of Christmas audiobook, narrated by the talented Kelli Tager, who closes out the episode with a special narration from Romancing the Gravestone.

You can visit Kelli's Instagram here and her website here.

Jane Ladling presents the perfect fail-proof recipe to spice up the holidays. Or ruin them. Baker's choice! Mix a murderous cat with a goofy corgi. (Ignore any hissing. That definitely probably means the two ingredients are blending amazingly well.) Then add a landlocked cemetery allegedly peppered with gold-stuffed coffins. Whisk in a gravekeeper convinced a family curse forever dooms her to lose any man she loves. Marinate with a ridiculously charming special agent whose muscles and lopsided smile make her forget said curse. Toss in a pinch of mystery courtesy of an old, coded treasure map and crank up the heat. Broil, baby!

If no one dies, serve with a smile. If they do, smile wider.

And maybe, just maybe, Jane can solve a series of bewildering clues, end the curse for good, and finally find her own happily ever after. Or not.

Order here: https://books2read.com/u/bzVyXD

The Jane Ladling Mystery Series is a cozy blend of small-town secrets and unforgettable characters. Dive into the books, available in print, ebook or audio for even more twists, turns, and heartwarming moments:

Amazon

Books2Read

The authors behind these stories are Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe. You can explore their work and learn more about them at GenaShowalter.com and JillMonroe.com

Check us out on YouTube here.

Original Jane Ladling cover artwork created by Leni Kauffman.

Audiobooks produced through Dreamscape Media.

*As an Amazon Associate earnings come from qualifying purchases with no cost to you. Thank you.

Secret ledgers, long-forgotten grudges and unraveling secrets. With a stunning conclusion on the horizon, every revelation brings her closer to the final, unexpected twist.

This episode features The Stolen Bride by Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe.

Clover Deering is living her best life. Kind of. Maybe. Okay, so, not at all. The owner of Fur-Ever Pet Spa is deeply in debt and battling a temper that scares even herself. Things go from bad to catastrophe when a terrifying man claiming to be a berserker king demands an impossible mission: force a rival royal to welcome evil into his heart. In exchange, he'll gift her with a prize she cannot resist-meeting the twin she never knew existed. The problem? King Viktor Endris isn't just scary, he's downright feral. When captured by Viktor, Clover enacts her own plan. Tame the unhinged warrior, turn him into an ally, and use him to rescue her sister. Not an easy task as Viktor is at war with ferocious turul-shifters, talks to an invisible friend and flips from controlled to chaos in an instant. As their undeniable connection deepens, she discovers a heartbreaking truth. Falling for her is Viktor's only path to ruin. Yet without his downfall, her twin's fate is sealed. The worst part? Clover just might be falling for him, too. But in the end, only one can survive. Her man, or her sister.

Grab your copy today:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4fXDuC0

Books2Read: https://books2read.com/u/3GEogL

If you're intrigued by this mystery, don't miss the original book series that inspired this podcast!

The Jane Ladling Mystery Series, a cozy blend of small-town secrets and unforgettable characters. Dive into the books, available in print, ebook or audio for even more twists, turns, and heartwarming moments:

Amazon

Books2Read

The authors behind these stories are Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe. You can explore their work and learn more about them at GenaShowalter.com and JillMonroe.com

Original Jane Ladling cover artwork created by Leni Kauffman.

Theme music: Strange Sightings by Leon Ayers through AudioHero.com

Music for The Stolen Bride: Basically Love from S.I. Publishing through AudioHero.com

Other sound effects through AudioHero.com, Apple and Adobe

Special thanks to the Monroe family for lending additional voices.

*As an Amazon Associate earnings come from qualifying purchases with no cost to you. Thank you.

The deeper Jane digs, the murkier the past becomes. The moment the puzzle starts to make sense, additional pieces threaten to change everything. How does a new suspect emerge just as she's closing in on the truth?

Patreon members get episodes early and without ads!

https://www.patreon.com/c/genaandjill

This episode features Sworn Duty by Jill Monroe.

With three failed engagements, Hailey Sutherland is a pro at throwing bachelorette parties. As the new co-owner of her family's B&B, she's determined to make her events shine, and the Fate Delivery Cards will add fun and excitement. Two things missing from her life. The game is simple. Draw a card, do what it says. Now, Hailey is supposed to lock lips with a stranger… Navy SEAL instructor Nate Peterson thought he was prepared for anything. Until a sexy brunette gives him the most explosive kiss of his life, changing everything. She claims their heady chemistry is temporary and has three busted engagements as backup. But Nate wants more. He's picked up a card of his own card, and he'll complete fate's mission until Hailey is his.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4nkR4Dx

Books2Read: https://books2read.com/u/4NwOGz

The Jane Ladling Mystery Series, a cozy blend of small-town secrets and unforgettable characters. Dive into the books, available in print, ebook or audio for even more twists, turns, and heartwarming moments:

Amazon

Books2Read

The authors behind these stories are Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe. You can explore their work and learn more about them at GenaShowalter.com and JillMonroe.com

Original Jane Ladling cover artwork created by Leni Kauffman.

Theme music: Strange Sightings by Leon Ayers through AudioHero

Sworn Duty Ad Music: Spice of Life by George Nishigomi through AudioHero

Music and sound effects through AudioHero, Apple and Adobe

Sworn Duty Cover Photo by Igor Vetushko through DepositPhoto

*As an Amazon Associate earnings come from qualifying purchases with no cost to you. Thank you.

With the scent of scandal still fresh, Jane follows the money. Does it lead straight to the cemetery she runs? An interview with a former bookkeeper reveals missing records, suspicious purchases and a few names with far too much to gain. As Jane unearths a clue hidden in plain sight, her suspects list narrows.

Patreon members get episodes early and without ads!

https://www.patreon.com/c/genaandjill

This episode features The Wrong Bride by Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe.

Vacationing in Scotland, schoolteacher Elizabeth "Elle" Darcy anticipates picturesque landscapes, castles of old and kilt-wearing charmers, not awakening in someone else's body. Worse, that someone just married enigmatic billionaire Callen Bruce. Though that's not the biggest problem. To the rest of the world, her new "husband" runs an elite empire. But behind his public persona, he's a king of berserkers locked in an ancient, supernatural war with wolf-shifters. Determined to reclaim her normal life, Elle will do anything necessary to switch back with Callen's real wife. First, she must ditch the disciplined warrior. An impossibility when he refuses to relinquish the bride chosen for him by fate, even though he despises her. Or does he? The growing heat in his eyes says otherwise. Not that it matters. There's no way this temporary queen will fall for the moody, broody secretive warrior who belongs to another woman. Nope. Not Elle. Not ever. Probably.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4hPG9iX

Books2Read: https://books2read.com/u/bzAggz

Stay tuned–the end of this episode features a sample of the audiobook of Kingdom of Tomorrow.

Kingdom of Tomorrow by Gena Showalter is available in print, ebook and audio and can ordered through Amazon.com

Audio Sample: Fiona Hardingham (Narrator), Brilliance Audio (Publisher)

If you're intrigued by this mystery, don't miss the original book series that inspired this podcast!

The Jane Ladling Mystery Series, a cozy blend of small-town secrets and unforgettable characters. Dive into the books, available in print, ebook or audio for even more twists, turns, and heartwarming moments:

Amazon

Books2Read

The authors behind these stories are Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe. You can explore their work and learn more about them at GenaShowalter.com and JillMonroe.com

Original Jane Ladling cover artwork created by Leni Kauffman.

Theme music: Strange Sightings by Leon Ayers through AudioHero

The Wrong Bride Ad Music: Get Up and Get Loud by Edward Paul Grenga et al through AudioHero

Music and sound effects through AudioHero, Apple and Adobe

*As an Amazon Associate earnings come from qualifying purchases with no cost to you. Thank you.

Jane follows the crumbs straight into the heart of a citywide scheme, cozy committee connections and a very private luncheon with public money. One thing's clear: the victim wasn't just asking the wrong questions…he was asking everyone's secrets.

This episode features Kingdom of Tomorrow by Gena Showalter.

Kingdom of Tomorrow by Gena Showalter is available in print, ebook and audio through Amazon.com

If you're intrigued by this mystery, don't miss the original book series that inspired this podcast!

The Jane Ladling Mystery Series, a cozy blend of small-town secrets and unforgettable characters. Dive into the books, available in print, ebook or audio for even more twists, turns, and heartwarming moments:

Amazon

Books2Read

The authors behind these stories are Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe. You can explore their work and learn more about them at GenaShowalter.com and JillMonroe.com

Original Jane Ladling cover artwork created by Leni Kauffman.

Theme music: Strange Sightings by Leon Ayers through AudioHero.com

Music for Kingdom of Tomorrow: Dark Tower by C.K. Martin through AudioHero.com

Music for Are You Tome Society Material?: Game-O-Rama by Bill Holloman (BMI) through AudioHero.com

Other sound effects through AudioHero.com, Apple and Adobe

*As an Amazon Associate earnings come from qualifying purchases with no cost to you. Thank you.

Gena Showalter shares a special message at the end of the episode.

Jane digs deeper into a suspicious death in her beloved hometown, but quickly finds herself knee-deep in bake sales, building permits and one bakery's suspiciously sweet success. Whispers of shady grants and city funds lead straight to a sugar-dusted paper trail. When a cozy renovation committee starts to look more like a recipe for corruption, Jane turns up the heat.

This episode features The Great and Terrible by Gena Showalter.

When twenty-year-old college dropout Moriah Shaker runs into an empty chapel to escape an unexpected storm, she's catapulted into another world Wizard of Oz style. Unfortunately, she winds up in the treacherous realm of Hakeldama, a fantastical but brutal land where justice is twisted and innocents pay for crimes committed by the elites—and she's now marked for death. On the run and determined to get home, Moriah heads for the City of Lux, where a rumored portal between worlds exists. At her side are the most unlikely of companions. A scrapy hustler, a cranky ex-mayor, and a growing beast-dog. But the one who fascinates her most is Jasher, a heartless executioner who hides a terrible secret. Together, they'll battle bounty hunters, lethal poppies, and winged monsters. Though Moriah doesn't yet know it, there's nothing more dangerous than their forbidden attraction.

Grab your copy today: books2read.com/u/bMqw5B

If you're intrigued by this mystery, don't miss the original book series that inspired this podcast!

The Jane Ladling Mystery Series, a cozy blend of small-town secrets and unforgettable characters. Dive into the books, available in print, ebook or audio for even more twists, turns, and heartwarming moments:

Amazon

Books2Read

The authors behind these stories are Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe. You can explore their work and learn more about them at GenaShowalter.com and JillMonroe.com

Original Jane Ladling cover artwork created by Leni Kauffman.

Theme music: Strange Sightings by Leon Ayers through AudioHero.com

Music for The Great and Terrible: Flare by C. K. Martin through AudioHero.com

Music for Travel to Hakeldama: Voyager by Curt S D Macdonald (BMI) through AudioHero.com

Other sound effects through AudioHero.com, Apple and Adobe

To listen to The Great and Terrible Soundscape go here.

*As an Amazon Associate earnings come from qualifying purchases with no cost to you. Thank you.

A hidden ledger. A scandalous mayor. A dead man with too many enemies. Jane uncovers shady deals and a town full of suspects. Follow the money, they say… but in Aurelian Hills, that trail might just lead straight to the grave.

All Write Already:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Uhv6VC

Books2Read: https://books2read.com/u/49nWyp

If you're intrigued by this mystery, don't miss the original book series that inspired this podcast!

The Jane Ladling Mystery Series, a cozy blend of small-town secrets and unforgettable characters. Dive into the books, available in print, ebook or audio for even more twists, turns, and heartwarming moments:

Amazon

Books2Read

The authors behind these stories are Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe. You can explore their work and learn more about them at GenaShowalter.com and JillMonroe.com

Original Jane Ladling cover artwork created by Leni Kauffman.

Theme music: Strange Sightings by Leon Ayers through AudioHero.com

Music for All Write Already: Atlanta After Hours by Yuri Sazonoff through AudioHero.com

Other sound effects through AudioHero.com, Apple and Adobe

*As an Amazon Associate earnings come from qualifying purchases with no cost to you. Thank you.

Jane's investigation leads her to one the cemetery's oddest headstones, and the town's deepest grudges. When a cryptic complaint points to a long-forgotten plot, she starts piecing together a story someone clearly wanted erased. But in Aurelian Hills, even secrets six feet under have a way of clawing to the surface.

If you're intrigued by this mystery, don't miss the original book series that inspired this podcast!

The Jane Ladling Mystery Series, a cozy blend of small-town secrets and unforgettable characters. Dive into the books, available in print, ebook or audio for even more twists, turns, and heartwarming moments:

Amazon

Books2Read

Kingdom of Tomorrow by Gena Showalter will be available in print, ebook and audio September 1, 2025. You can pre-order it through Amazon.com here: https://amzn.to/437JvHS

You can read it a month early through Amazon First Reads

The authors behind these stories are Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe. You can explore their work and learn more about them at GenaShowalter.com and JillMonroe.com

Original Jane Ladling cover artwork created by Leni Kauffman.

Theme music: Strange Sightings by Leon Ayers through AudioHero.com

Music for Kingdom of Tomorrow Book Ad by Manuel Ochoa through AudioHero.com

Telephone sound effect by Soundstorm Sound Effects Library through AudioHero.com

*As an Amazon Associate earnings come from qualifying purchases with no cost to you. Thank you.

When Jane Ladling inherits Garden of Memories Cemetery, she expects quiet days and peaceful graves. Then she stumbles on a drawer, hiding in plain sight, revealing…a murder? Now, armed with curiosity and a knack for uncovering secrets, Jane dives headfirst into a mystery that refuses to stay buried. Get ready for cozy chills, small-town drama, and a whole lot of digging beneath the surface.

If you're intrigued by this mystery, don't miss the original book series that inspired this podcast!

The Jane Ladling Mystery Series, a cozy blend of small-town secrets and unforgettable characters. Dive into the books, available in print, ebook or audio for even more twists, turns, and heartwarming moments:

Amazon

Books2Read

The authors behind these stories are Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe. You can explore their work and learn more about them at GenaShowalter.com and JillMonroe.com

Original Jane Ladling cover artwork created by Leni Kauffman.

Theme music: Strange Sightings by Leon Ayers through AudioHero.com

*As an Amazon Associate earnings come from qualifying purchases with no cost to you. Thank you.

Welcome to Aurelian Hills, where the cemetery is full, the magnolias bloom and the past has a habit of peeking through the cracks. Jane Ladling, caretaker of the Garden of Memories Cemetery, never meant to become a detective. But one curious clue sets her on the trail of a long-buried mystery that's about to bloom again.

If you're intrigued by this mystery, don't miss the original book series that inspired this podcast!

The Jane Ladling Mystery Series, a cozy blend of small-town secrets and unforgettable characters. Dive into the books, available in print, ebook or audio for even more twists, turns, and heartwarming moments:

Amazon

Books2Read

The authors behind these stories are Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe. You can explore their work and learn more about them at GenaShowalter.com and JillMonroe.com

Original Jane Ladling cover artwork created by Leni Kauffman.

Theme music: Strange Sightings by Leon Ayers through AudioHero.com