Today, Samuel joins Betsy to talk about his debut novel, The Death and Life of August Sweeney. This captivating story took five years to bring to life and is deeply rooted in immersive research. Samuel shares how he worked in Michelin-starred kitchens and spent years studying clinical pathology, even assisting with autopsies, to bring authenticity to his characters.

The book follows August Sweeney, a larger-than-life celebrity chef who insists on being autopsied by a specific pathologist, Dr. Maya Zhu. In their conversation, Betsy and Samuel explore the intense world of high-end kitchens, the stress that especially affects women in the culinary and medical fields, and what Dr. Zhu uncovers—not just about August’s body, but also about herself.

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