In this suspenseful thriller by Caitlin Rother, a journalist and cop fight a sexual attraction as they join forces to expose a layered scheme of dark and dangerous secrets. When investigative reporter Katrina Chopin and surfing homicide detective Ken Goode lock eyes, there’s an immediate attraction. Sparks fly as they bond over cocktails, sharing their common experiences of being orphans and losing loved ones to suicide. But the next time they meet, it’s from opposing sides of a high-profile case. Two biotech execs, whose company is developing a groundbreaking sexual enhancement drug, turn up dead in the wealthy seaside enclave of La Jolla Farms, where Goode can readily see that the forensic evidence doesn’t add up. As they work their own angles, sometimes together and sometimes at odds, their growing attraction threatens to cost them their jobs—and their lives. As Katrina and Goode pursue answers behind these mysterious events, a secret stalker taunts Katrina with details of her tragic past, which takes her to the brink of death. But once the duo rips the mask away from this beautiful paradise, the corrupt underbelly behind all that glitters is revealed. James chats with the author. Book is out now! Amazon.com

In sixteenth-century Mexico, a fearless young woman strives to uncover the secrets her mother kept as the last Aztec empress in a sweeping historical epic by the author of Daughter of Fire. Tenochtitlan, 1551. Thirty years after the Spanish Conquest destroyed everything she loved, the last Aztec empress has passed and left behind a pristine yet tenuous legacy for her children. As her last will and testament is read out, her daughter Isabel suspects that another account of her mother’s life may exist, hidden away, chapter by chapter, in the Valley of Mexico. Following each clue, Isabel is determined to find out who her mother really was and to discover the secrets she buried in order to survive. Joined by her siblings and a handsome young cook named Juan, Isabel embarks on a perilous journey to piece together the past―a journey that will force the party to brave the brutal viceroyal court, face fearsome legends in mystical chinampas, and trek through desert, fire, and snow. As Isabel’s feelings for Juan grow, she confronts everything she thought she knew about her Spanish father, her empress mother, and herself. Facing everything from the tunnels of ancient pyramids to the summit of an active volcano, Isabel will meet every challenge to fulfill an epic quest for the truth. #1 On Amazon! get your copy!

James reunites with Multi Hyphenate Entertainer Nelson Aspen, whose new book is out now on Amazon! The two catch up on the one the wonderful year 2025 he had professionally and whats to come in this year 2026. nelsonaspen.com

After a car accident took the lives of both her parents, Mira Caine’s transition to adulthood was hard and fast. Solely responsible for the welfare of her intellectually disabled younger brother, she’s searching for a better life for them both when she’s approached by an enigmatic woman with an offer that seems like the answer to their problems. Allison Wyndclyffe, the young heir to an enormous fortune who’s suffered her own trauma, is in need of a mentor and companion.
Isolated on an island in the St. Lawrence River lies the Wyndclyffe estate—beautiful but possessing a dark and complicated legacy. As Mira settles in and befriends her troubled charge, she quickly learns her new home is full of questions that no one wants to answer. What caused Allison’s father to murder his wife and almost kill his daughter? How is the tragedy connected to the arcane writings Mira stumbles across? And why do parts of the island feel strangely familiar to her?
As more of the sprawling manor’s secrets are revealed through Allison’s damaged psyche, Mira’s sense of time and self begin to erode. Before long she will come face-to-face with the unspeakable truth at the heart of Wyndclyffe, and not everyone will make it off the island alive.
James talks with the author about the book! 
Joe Hart is the Edgar Award–winning and Wall Street Journal–bestselling author of seventeen novels, including Wyndclyffe, The River Is Dark, Obscura, The Last Girl, and Or Else. His work has been translated into eight languages as well as optioned for film. Hart lives with his family in Minnesota.

Commemorate 150 years of the Kentucky Derby with this 184-page hardcover book. This coffee-table book offers an unparalleled exploration of the Derby's storied past, combining historic and modern-day photographs with insightful stories from The Courier Journal's award-winning journalists. Every page reflects the excitement and elegance of the Derby, from the intensity of the races to the sophistication of the fashion and the rich culture surrounding this iconic event

In this episode  Doug Hess spoke with author Matthew Pinsker about his book "Boss Lincoln: The Partisan Life of Abraham Lincoln". An eye-opening portrait of Lincoln behind the scenes: Here is the career-long party politician whose brilliant coalition-building during the Civil War set the political foundation for emancipation and Union victory.

You can pre-order the book now.  It will be out on February 10, 2026.

James points out The Difference Between Novella and Novel and other book and story lengths.

James remembers doing an episode on this back in 2018, so he decided to do an update on the subject! All of his books are on Amazon!

From the author of Not What She Seems, Yasmin Angoe’s thriller explores revenge, morality, corruption, and wealth as a woman sets out to uncover the truth behind her friend’s disappearance and expose the powerful family behind it. Isla Thorne had a rough start in life. Orphaned young, she spent her formative years in a group home where she met her best friend, Eden Galloway. At sixteen, they decide to run away to LA…but Eden never makes it. It’s been ten years since Eden vanished. And Isla’s determined to find her. She begins at the last place Eden visited: the Corrigan mansion in Virginia. Eden claimed to have unfinished business there. Posing as an aspiring journalist, Isla insinuates herself into the wealthy family’s home and begins searching for the truth. The more she digs, the more Isla discovers Eden isn’t who she thought she was. Was she even a victim, or did Eden plan this all along? Desperate for answers and to keep her identity hidden, Isla finds an ally in one of the Corrigan sons. But as she wades deeper into this power-hungry family’s secrets and lies, she finds herself in the crosshairs of a bloodline that’s more lethal than loyal. Yasmin Angoe is the author of the critically acclaimed Her Name Is Knight, first book in the Nena Knight trilogy. She is a first-generation Ghanaian American and the recipient of the 2020 Eleanor Taylor Bland Award for Emerging Writers of Color. Her Name Is Knight came in #1 on multiple Amazon Bestseller charts and is an Editor’s Pick for Best Mystery, Thriller, & Suspense. Yasmin is a nominee for the Anthony Awards for Best First Book and the AAMBC Awards for Debut Author of the Year. Her work has received numerous recognitions, Best Of lists, and a Library Journal Starred Review. Her book has appeared in Woman’s World Book Club, POPSUGAR, Nerd Daily, the Washington Independent Review of Books, and other platforms. Yasmin is a former educator and received a Kirkus Review calling Her Name Is Knight, “A parable of reclaiming personal and tribal identity by seizing power at all costs".

Including a Yellow pages! In Between The Pages is on Facebook!