KPL Podcast

 This week on the KPL Podcast, we welcome back author Julie Leong to discuss her enchanting new novel, The Keeper of Magical Things. Set in the same whimsical world as her debut, The Teller of Small Fortunes, this story follows a novice mage with limited powers who’s been given a deceptively simple assignment—transport and catalog magical artifacts alongside a brilliant (and unfairly attractive) super mage. Their destination? Shpelling, the dullest, least magical village around. But as they wrangle gossipy teapots, temperamental swords, and an unruly catdragon, it becomes clear that something bigger is brewing. With tensions between the Guild and the townsfolk at a breaking point, one wrong move could spark a magical disaster. 

Reader Recommendations

The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall

This week on the KPL Podcast, we welcome author Kristen Loesch to discuss her latest novel, The Hong Kong Widow. Set in 1950s Hong Kong, the story follows Mei, a young refugee fleeing the shadows of her past in Shanghai. When Mei is invited to compete in a chilling contest among six spirit mediums inside one of the city’s most haunted houses, she must confront both restless ghosts and her own buried secrets. Tune in for a conversation about history, hauntings, and writing gothic thrillers.

Author Recommendations

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gillman

The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs

The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

Daughters of Shandong by Eve Chung

Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekuluk

Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham

 In this episode, we dive into Heartland Masala, a vibrant new cookbook that pairs 99 recipes from Indian cooking instructor Jyoti Mukharji with cultural and historical essays by her son, Auyon Mukharji. This joyful collaboration celebrates Indian cuisine, family traditions, and the immigrant experience in the American Midwest. Packed with dazzling recipes, rich storytelling, and stunning visuals, it’s both a feast for the table and for the heart. 

Recommended Cookbook

My Bombay Kitchen Traditional and Modern Parsi Home Cooking by  Niloufer Ichaporia King 

 This week on the KPL Podcast, we welcome author Amanda Chapman to discuss her new novel, Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library. In this spirited mystery, book conservator Tory Van Dyne teams up with a woman claiming to be Agatha Christie—on holiday from the Great Beyond—to catch a killer. 

The Grand Tour by Agatha Christie

Come, Tell Me How You Live by Agatha Christie

The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

A Share in Death by Deborah Crombie

Still Life by Louis Penny

The Norths Meet Murder by Francis Lockridge

If you love horror, The Whistler is a chilling read that lingers long after the last page. Drawing on the Native superstition that warns against whistling at night for fear of summoning spirits, the novel builds its terror from cultural lore and personal tragedy. Henry Hotard, once a rising star in the world of ghost-hunting videos, sees his future collapse after an accident leaves him a quadriplegic. Returning to the reservation where he grew up, Henry struggles with recovery, dependence, and the unsettling sense that he’s being haunted.

His girlfriend, Jade, dismisses the strange occurrences as the byproduct of trauma and adjustment—but Henry isn’t so sure. The book thrives in this space between doubt and belief, grief and dread, leaving readers questioning what’s real and what belongs to the shadows.

Bring Her Back

The Eyes are the Best Part by Monica Kim

Molka by Monica Kim

 This week on the KPL Podcast, we sat down with debut author Ken Miller to discuss his novel High Finance. Miller delivers an eye-opening look at the financial world in the years leading up to the 2008 market crash. The story follows Jed Czincosca, a high-powered dealmaker who rises to the top of Wall Street by orchestrating multibillion-dollar transactions, indulging in drugs and alcohol, and trading on inside information. As Jed’s wealth and influence grow, so do his reckless choices—until the day it all comes crashing down. 

Author Reads

A Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami

The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet by David Mitchell

Rules of Civility by Amor Towles

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

Jeeves and the Wedding Bells by Sebastian Faulks

The Story of a New Name by Elena Ferrante

Unplugged by Tom Freston

This week on the KPL Podcast, we welcome author Daphne Fama to discuss her spellbinding debut novel, The House of Monstrous Women. Set in the Philippines in 1986, this gothic horror tale follows a young woman who becomes entangled in a perilous game after accepting an invitation to the labyrinthine home of her childhood friend—rumored to be a witch. Fama’s lush prose and chilling imagination weave together Filipino folktales and classic gothic horror, introducing a bold new voice to the genre.

Author Reads

The Starving Saints by Caitlin Starling

The Medium (2021) 

 We’re excited to welcome back author Anne Shaw Heinrich to the KPL Podcast! This week, we’ll be diving into her newest release, Violet is Blue, the second book in her Women of Paradise County series. Listeners will get a chance to meet fresh faces in Paradise County while also catching up with some familiar characters from her debut novel, God Bless the Child. If you love heartfelt stories about the everyday lives of small-town residents, this is a series you won’t want to miss. 

 This week we’re joined by KT Hoffman to talk about his highly anticipated debut romcom, The Prospects. Recently named one of the Best Romance Books of 2024, this sweet and heartfelt queer love story follows two minor league baseball players as they discover that the biggest wins can happen off the field. Hoffman shares how his own love of baseball shaped the story and what it means to write joyful, affirming queer romance. 

Author Reads

Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson

Never Been Shipped by Alicia Thompson

With Love, From Cold World by Alicia Thompson

We Could Be So Good by Cat Sebastian

Isn't it Obvious by Rachel Runya Katz

This week on the podcast, we speak with Elyse Graham about her fascinating new book, Book and Dagger. Did you know that modern spycraft was shaped by librarians and professors? Graham uncovers the surprising story of how the OSS—later known as the CIA—took root when the United States entered World War II, blending scholarship with espionage in ways you’ve never imagined.

Author reads

1. The Art Spy: the extraordinary untold tale of WWII resistance hero Rose Valland

 by Michelle Young

2. Katabasis by RF Kuang