Kelly Rimmer’s sweeping World War Two historical suspense has sold more than 2 million copies worldwide and made international best seller lists, including the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today.

Hi there. I'm your host, Jenny Wheeler. And on Binge Reading today, Kelly talks about her latest historical saga, The Paris Agent and two otherwise ordinary women who become spies in World War II France.

It’s a powerful story which threads their lives - they are real life woman - into history, leaving an indelible story of courage and family ties.

Giveaway This Week - Beach Books

In our Giveaway this week, we have Page Turners For The Beach, a wonderfully entertaining, light hearted holiday mix to download for free including Hope Redeemed, a Spanish novella, #6 in my own Of Gold & Blood California mystery series.

You'll find the links for where to download these free books in the show notes for this episode on the website, The Joys Of Binge Reading.com.

DOWNLOAD BEACH pageturners

https://books.bookfunnel.com/pageturnersforthebeach/imv7lrf7i4

And remember if you enjoy the show, leave us a review so others will find us too. Word of mouth is the best way for other people to discover the show and great books they will love to read.

Links to people and places in the episode

Violette Szabo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violette_Szabo

F Section of SOE:  F-Section, 

Diana Rowden:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_Rowden

SOE Special Operations Executive: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Operations_Executive

M. R. D. Foot: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M._R._D._Foot

Henri Dericourt: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_D%C3%A9ricourt

Nicolas Bodington: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolas_Bodington

Kelly Rimmer, The Things We Cannot Say: https://www.amazon.com.au/Things-We-Cannot-Say/dp/1525823566

Scrivener Writing Software: https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overview

Aeon Timeline:  https://timeline.app/blog/introducing-aeon-timeline-3/

CSIRO Parkes Observatory:  https://www.parkes.atnf.csiro.au/

Wernher von Braun: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wernher_von_Braun.

Polin: Polish Museum of Jewish History: https://polin.pl/en/about-museum

Irena Sendler:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irena_Sendler.

Irena’s Children: https://www.amazon.com.au/Irenas-Children-Extraordinary-Warsaw-Ghetto/dp/1476778515

All Adults Here by Emma Straub:  https://www.amazon.com.au/All-Adults-Here-Emma-Straub/dp/1594634696

Dear Mrs Bird by A. J. Pearce:  https://www.amazon.com/Dear-Mrs-Bird-AJ-Pearce/dp/1501170066

Bookouture: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bookouture

Where to find Kelly online

Website: Kellyrimmer.com

Twitter: Kelrimmerwrites

Instagram: kelrimmerwrites

Facebook: @kellymrimmer

Introducing historical suspense author Kelly Rimmer

But now here's Kelly. Hello, via Kelly and welcome to the show. It's great to have you with us.

Kelly Rimmer: Hi, Jenny. It's so good to be here.

Kelly Rimmer Historical suspense author

Jenny Wheeler: Now I think you are somewhere in Central New South Wales, Australia. And for, we've got a lot of international listeners. So for them, new South Wales is the state that has Sydney as its main

Kelly Rimmer: right. That's right.

 As you know, it's quite a big state, and there's this big mountain range at the edge of Sydney, and then there's this whole beautiful countryside on the other side.

Jenny Wheeler: That's wonderful. you've written about something a long distance from Australia. The Paris Agent is your latest book. It's a fascinating dual timeline mystery with multiple romance lines moving from England and World War Two to the 1970s with the daughter of one of those people that was involved in the war.

You've written more than a dozen novels and the most recent ones have all been historical. I'm interested in how you made that transition and how you feel about hist...

A small town scammed by one of their own in a Ponzi scheme. That's the scenario for bestselling author Fiona Lowe’s, latest contemporary fiction, The Money Club.

 Hi there. I'm your host, Jenny Wheeler, and on Binge Reading today, Fiona unpicks the moral quagmire of those who trade on the bonds of their closest friendships and families for money.

This week's Giveaway

In our Giveaway this week, Mystery Thriller and Suspense Freebies for a limited time. Once again, we're giving you a library of choice, including my Hawaiian Christmas novella Captive Heart. It's a mixture of romance and history, #8 in the Of Gold & Blood mystery series.

FREE MYSTERY & SUSPENSE

​https://books.bookfunnel.com/mtsnewsleter_endsjul15th/ze5yu8o9ad

And remember if you enjoy the show, leave us a comment so others will find us too. Word of mouth is still the best form of recommendation.

Links to things mentioned in the show

Ponzi Scheme:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponzi_scheme#

ABC  (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) https://www.abc.net.au/

Grey (Gray) Nomads https://www.thegreynomads.com.au/

Fiona Lowe Books:

A Home Like Ours (Women’s fiction on the theme homelessness among older women)

https://www.amazon.com/A-Home-Like-Ours/dp/B08SR7PSPV/

Family Of Strangers; https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/89575506

The books Fiona is reading now

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins.

https://www.amazon.com/American-Dirt-Novel-Jeanine-Cummins/dp/1250209765

And the controversy over American Dirt

https://www.vulture.com/article/american-dirt-book-controversy-explained.html

The Running Club by Ali Lowe:

https://www.hachette.com.au/ali-lowe/the-running-club-the-gripping-new-novel-full-of-twists-scandals-and-secrets

One Of Those Mothers: Megan Nicol Reed.

https://www.amazon.com/Those-Mothers-Megan-Nicol-Reed-ebook/dp/B0BNGZ2BHJ/

Where to find Fiona Online

Fionalowe.com

Introducing author Fiona Lowe

Fiona Lowe Contemporary women's fiction author

Jenny Wheeler: But now here's Fiona. Hello there, Fiona, and welcome to the show. It's so good to have you with us.

Fiona Lowe: Oh, thank you so much for having me. It's great to be here.

Jenny Wheeler: Fiona, you've got a very impressive back list in the romance area where you started writing You've got prize winning books that have won RITAs. That's the US romance prize and the RUBY, the Australian prize.

But you've turned in more recent years to women's fiction and this one that we're going to be talking about today, The Money Club is actually about the sixth one of these women's fiction ones, if I counted correctly.

Why did you make that change from more straight romance to very much women's fiction?

Fiona Lowe: Oh, I was published with Penguin Random House in America around about the time that they merged. And I had a series, and the first book had done well.

The second book release coincided with the merger and it was absolute chaos. They sacked my editor and they didn't get the books out of the warehouse.

And then they said, ‘oh, we're not publishing those types of books anymore.’

I had lived in the States and I was writing books set in America, but when that all happened, I had an absolute hankering to write a book set in my own back garden in Australia.

A forced change of direction that worked out well

I wanted to move beyond looking at one couple and one relationship, and I wanted to roam over all sorts of things and write books about family and communities.

I changed direction, but that said, the emotion that I write into my books now, I probably couldn't have done without all those years of having written the romance fiction up until that point.

Jenny Wheeler: And are you still with the same publisher, just doing different types of books?

Fiona Lowe: No. I'm with Harper Collins, Australia now, have been for the last seven books.

Jenny Wheeler: Oh, fantastic.

This week on Binge Reading, delightfully fresh and funny romcom from Amy Poeppel. Her latest romp, The Sweet Spot is a tale of spurned love, revenge, and the healing power of friendship.

Hi there. I'm your host Jenny Wheeler, and today Amy talks about her fourth laugh out loud escapade. The Washington Post said of The Sweet Spot; “She puts more planes in the air than an ambitious air traffic controller, and gracefully lands each one.”

Marathon Mystery Giveaway

In our giveaway this week, a Marathon Mystery Giveaway. Fifty books from popular fiction authors, including one from my own in the Gold & Blood mystery Series, an old California series.

Book#1, Poisoned Legacy, a full length mystery, and Book #4, a New York Christmas novella, a romance with a mystery element and a prequel to the series.

Take your pick, just go to the link for free downloadable books. There's forty-nine others as well as my own, so you've got plenty of choice.

FREE MARATHON MYSTERIES

https://books.bookfunnel.com/mysterymarathon/pvjp91o04m

You'll find the link in the show notes for this episode on the website, www.the joysofbingereading.com.

And remember, if you enjoy the show, do leave us a review somewhere so others will discover us and great books they love to read.

Links in the show

Links to things mentioned in the episode:

Amy’s Funny book promo videos:

The Sweet Spot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrCKEkNcXtE

Musical Chairs; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IffxAo-QMh4

Books Amy loves or is reading right now:

Kaye Gibbons:

https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Kaye-Gibbons/1240808

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Ellen-Foster/Kaye-Gibbons/9781442343290

Steven McCauley: https://stephenmccauley.com/ https://stephenmccauley.com/

Elinor Lipman: https://elinorlipman.com/

Steven Rowley: https://www.stevenrowley.com/the-celebrants

The Celebrants:  https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/62049729

The Guncle:  https://www.stevenrowley.com/the-guncle

Barbara Kingsolver: Demon Copperhead (A Pulitzer Prize winner)

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60194162-demon-copperhead

Curtis Sittenfeld: Romantic Comedy, https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/62628727

Where to Find Amy Poeppel online

Amypoeppel.com

Facebook and Instagram: @amypoeppel

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15061378.Amy_Poeppel

Please Note: this is a “near as” transcript, not a word for word rendering, but an account which intended to convey accurate meaning and intent – as the spoken and written words differ.

Introducing Romcom author Amy Poeppel

But now here’s Amy. Hello there, Amy, and welcome to the show. It's great to have you with us.

Amy Poeppel: Well, thank you so much for having me. I'm excited to talk.

Amy Poeppel - fresh and funny romcoms

Jenny Wheeler: You’re an established romcom author. And this is the fourth book that you've written. They've all done very well. This one has got a lovely premise.

Three women, Lauren, Olivia, and Melinda, all with totally different motives and not necessarily at the beginning, good motives, get involved in either caring for or at least investing time in the welfare of a little baby who happens to be without his parents because of difficult circumstances.

That's part of the setup of the story.

You describe it as “a love letter to family friendships and Greenwich Village.” Tell us something about this fourth novel.

Amy Poeppel: I wanted to write a book that took place in Greenwich Village because that's where I live. That is my neighborhood. It's beautiful.

I happen to live in faculty housing at one of the biggest universities here, which is N Y U.

I live in this large, very strange faculty dorm almost, which is I think a novel in and of itself at some point. I think that should be the next novel that I write.

But I walk around this neighborhood all the time and you see faces over and over agai...

Juliette Fay is the award-winning, best-selling author of tender novels that raise questions of loss, regret, second chances, and the influence families play in life-changing decisions.

Hi, I'm your host, Jenny Wheeler, and on Binge Reading today, Juliette talks about her latest novel, The Half Of It, described by the critics as “an immensely satisfying page turner, perfect for fans of Josie Silver and Jojo Moyes."

Helen and Cal enjoyed one perfect night, and then 40 years of buried hurt.

They've got one chance to make it right. But can the past ever be fixed?

Take A Break Free Book for the Beach

Our Giveaway this week is Take A Break With A Free Book. Get ready for the beach - or the winter fire - with Book Bundle 2 in my Of Gold And Blood series, Poisoned Legacy and Tangled Destiny which is included in the offer. with 60+ other great mysteries and thrillers.

That's a full length mystery and a New York Christmas novella and prequel along with a library of selections.

An excellent range of choice there, so it’s highly likely you'll find something you love.

TAKE A BREAK WITH A FREE BOOK

https://books.bookfunnel.com/takeabreak/jtcmnk059p (FOR IF THE BUTTON DOESN'T WORK)

And remember if you enjoyed the show, leave us a review so others will find us too. Word of mouth is still by far the best way for others to discover the show and great books they want to read.

Links to things mentioned in the show

Books Juliette is reading now:

The Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes. https://www.jojomoyes.com/books/the-giver-of-stars/

The Exiles by Christina Baker Klein:

https://www.amazon.com/Exiles-Novel-Christina-Baker-Kline/dp/0062356348

Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman  https://www.amazon.com/Eleanor-Oliphant-Completely-Fine-Novel/dp/0735220689

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld:

https://www.amazon.com.au/Romantic-Comedy-Curtis-Sittenfeld/dp/0399590943

Where to find Juliette Online

Website: Juliettefay.com

Facebook @JulietteFayAuthor

Twitter, @JulietteFay

Instagram: juliette_fay

Introducing author Juliette Fay

Juliette Fay - tender and touching family stories

But now here's Juliette. Hello there, Juliette. And welcome to the show. It's great to have you with us.

Juliette Fay: Oh, it's wonderful to be here. Thank you so much for having me.

Jenny Wheeler: We're talking about your latest book The Half of It. It's a perfectly executed second chance love story. And I wondered right at the beginning, how would you define it in terms of genre fiction? Is it a romance, is it a second coming of age story? How would you classify it?

Juliette Fay: I would classify it as contemporary fiction. It's not really a classical romance story in that there's a lot more going on. It's really about the entire life of the main character Helen Spencer, who's 58 years old, and it's about her relationships with her friends and her children.

There is a romance at the center of it, or a potential romance. But I like that phrase, second coming of age. I think that she's at a point in her life where she really needs to make a course correction and that's the crux of it.

Jenny Wheeler: It's interesting as the population in general is growing older, we probably have a little bit more time to regroup, and in fact, it becomes necessary if you're going to just keep on living to have a chance to regroup, look back on your life, decide whether there are things you would've done differently.

Take stock a little bit, isn't there?

Juliette Fay: Yes, absolutely. And one of the things that was so fascinating to me writing this story is that looking around there aren't very many books with main characters in their fifties and sixties. It's very few. I mean, you have to really dig.

It seems that there's books of characters in their seventies, eighties, and nineties, and then twenties, thirties and forties. I Feel like everybody is in their thirties in most...

Monty Soutar is a respected New Zealand historian who took a big step and turned his life upside down to write a game changing novel. Kāwai For Such A Time As This, is the first instalment in what is to be a three book family saga, which went straight to the top of the bestseller lists in New Zealand and stayed there for 22 weeks.

Hi there, I'm your host, Jenny Wheeler. And it's quite likely no one else but Monty has the knowledge and understanding to undertake a book like it, in the tradition of Alex Haley's Roots, introducing readers to pre-European Maori life in much the same way as Alex Haley's tale of tracing his roots back to Africa captivated an international audience.

Monty tells the fascinating tale of how he came to write it and explains how all of his life experience seemed to be leading up to this point. A perfect preparation for writing a trilogy, telling a story of nation building through the eyes of its original people.

Our Giveaway for this week is Free Historical Fiction for June and Sadie’s Vow, my Book #1 in the Home At Last trilogy is included in a good range of other selections.

GET YOUR FREE HISTORICAL FICTION BOOKS

Https://books.bookfunnel.com/historicalfictionfreebiesjune2023/7xpm3hb0wa (FOR IF THE BUTTON DOESN'T WORK)

And don't forget if you enjoy the podcast, leave a review. So others will find us too,

Links for Monty’s Episode:

Alex Haley Roots: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roots:_The_Saga_of_an_American_Family

NZ East Coast and Gisborne: https://www.newzealand.com/int/feature/auckland-to-wellington-east-coast-journey/

https://www.tairawhitigisborne.co.nz/

Whakatane: https://www.whakatane.com/

NZ Wars of 1860s: https://teara.govt.nz/en/new-zealand-wars#

Ngati Porou:  https://ngatiporou.com/

Ngati Awa: https://ngatiawa.iwi.nz/

Monty Soutar Nga Tamatoa: The Price of Citizenship: C Company 28 , (Maori Battalion) 1939 - 45, in the Second World War https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/5509025

Monty Soutar: Whiti Whiti Whiti, Maori in the First World War: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51092025-whitiki-whiti-whiti-e

Captain James Cook: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Cook

Chinua Achebe,  Things Fall Part:  https://www.amazon.com.au/Things-Fall-apart-Chinua-Achebe/dp/0385474547

Victoria Hislop, The Island: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/922991.The_Island

The Red Tent, Anita Diamant:  https://www.amazon.com.au/Red-Tent-Novel-Tenth-anniversary/dp/0312427298

Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall: https://www.amazon.com.au/Wolf-Hall-Hilary-Mantel/dp/0312429983

The Luminaries, Eleanor Catton:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17333230-the-luminaries

Patricia Grace, Tu: https://www.penguin.co.nz/books/tu-9780143019206

Witi Ihimaera: https://www.penguin.co.nz/authors/witi-ihimaera

Where to find Monty Online

Facebook: @montysoutarauthor

Booktopia: https://www.booktopia.com.au/kawai-monty-soutar/book/9781776890309.html

Amazon.com.au: https://www.amazon.com.au/K%C4%81wai-Such-Time-As-This-ebook/dp/B0BPJNP3QC/

Introducing Kāwai author Monty Soutar

Jenny Wheeler: But now here's Monty. Hello there, Monty, and welcome to the show. It's great to have you with us

Dr Monty Soutar, respected historian and author of a new NZ historical series

Monty Soutar: Thank you, Jenny. I'm pleased to be beyond the show. Kia ora ki a koe. (Ed note: Greetings and Hello to you.)

Jenny Wheeler: Kia ora. (Hello Yes.) Now we've mentioned in the intro about how Roots was partly the thing that sparked this and. Alex Haley's Roots was published way back in the late seventies when you were just a wee toddler. So how did you come to be aware of it and what sort of an impact did it have on you when you were a younger boy?

Monty Soutar: Well, no, I wasn’t a toddler. I was at secondary school when I saw the series. So I never read the book. I saw the series on television. It was one of the I think it was the biggest television seri...

Jill Santopolo is an international best-selling author who writes sweeping love stories about decisions, regrets, second chances and how families influence the choices we make.

Her fourth novel, Stars in an Italian Sky moves from World War II in Italy, to today's New York in a tender-hearted family saga.

Hi there. I'm your host, Julie Wheeler, and in Binge Reading today, Jill talks about how writing helps her understand her own life and why she believes books are essential, not just for our children, but for our human future.

Our Giveaway today is the Booksweeps Family Saga and Historical Fiction that was due to close today has been extended for a few more days.

I'm putting that up again, so you have a chance to enter and win that library of 50 plus historical and family saga books. Included in it is one of mine – Book Bundle #2 - actually two books, one full length mystery, Poisoned Legacy, (Book #1) and a New York Christmas novella, Tangled Destiny (Book #4).

ENTER BOOKSWEEPS HERE

The links for where to enter that giveaway can be found in the show notes for this episode on the website, www.thejoysofbinge reading.com, along with the other details, like Jill's social media contacts and where the books that she recommends can be found as well.

And don't forget if you enjoy the show, do leave a comment somewhere online. so others will find us too. Word of mouth is still by far the best recommendation.

Links to things mentioned in the interview

The Light We Lost, Jill Santopolo:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32956365-the-light-we-lost

Philomel Penguin Children’s Imprint:  https://www.penguin.com/philomel/

Same Time Next Summer: Annabel Monaghan: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/62562931

Nora Goes Off Script: Annabel Monaghan:  https://annabelmonaghan.com/nora-goes-off-script/

Carley Fortune: Meet Me At the Lake: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61797464-meet-me-at-the-lake

The Favor: Adele Griffin: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/63107458

Kristen Harmel, The Paris Daughter:  https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/62327255

The Daydreams, Laura Hankin:  https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/61913611

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58784475-tomorrow-and-tomorrow-and-tomorrow

Where to find Jill Santopolo Online

Website: www.jillsantopolo.com

Instagram: @jillsantopolo

Facebook: @jillsantopoloauthor

Introducing author Jill Santopolo

Author Jill Santopolo - Sweeping love stories

But now here's Jill. Hello there, Jill, and welcome to the show. It's great to have you with us.

Jill Santopolo: Thank you. Thank you for having me.

Jenny Wheeler: Now you are in New York and I'm a New Zealand, so it's really fun to be able to make these connections. You've got the most amazing range of roles on your CV, which we probably will get into a little bit later on, but the real reason we are here today is to talk about your latest book Stars in an Italian Sky.

It's your fourth novel and it's a sweeping dual timeline romance that starts in Genoa in World War II and then moves quite quickly to New York in the 2020 ones. Is this the first one where you've had a truly historical aspect to your work?

Jill Santopolo: Yes, I think so. My first book, The Light We Lost, starts in 2001. By some definitions now people are calling that historical, which is crazy to me.

But this is the first one that feels truly - it's set in 1946 - It's post-war, it feels truly historical to me in a different sense.

Jenny Wheeler: Yes, that's right. All of your books are about heart searching decisions, about where to go in life, missed opportunities, and how families influence our choices. And I wondered what particularly appeals to you about this territory.

Love in all forms, not just romantic

Jill Santopolo: I feel like love in all its forms is what connects people.

Amy Vansant writes gritty thrillers and cozy mysteries which have one thing in common – they’re all funny because as Amy says – she tried to do serious books but they always ended up full of jokes.

Hi there I’m your host Jenny Wheeler and today Amy talks about her Shee McQueen series about a family friendly team of mercenaries, and her Pineapple Port cozies, set in a 55+ Florida resort.

This Week's Giveaway

Our Giveaway is another Booksweeps draw – Link To The Past - Historical and Family Saga stories - 51 books, and an E-Reader. It’s open internationally...

Included in this is my Of Gold & Blood Series 2 Book Bundle consisting of Books 1 and 4 in the series.. Poisoned Legacy and the New York Christmas novella Tangled Destiny, the prequel.

50+ novels, 1 E-Reader $550 value

I know many of you will appreciate that because we have listeners from all over the world, so this is your chance to win a library!

enter booksweeps draw

Or - if button doesn't work - https://www.booksweeps.com/giveaway/may23-win-a-bundle-of-historical-fiction-and-family-sagas/

You can now look for Binge Reading on YouTube if you like to consume your podcasts that way – as increasing numbers of listeners like to.

And don’t forget, if you enjoy the show leave us a positive comment so others will find us too – word of mouth is still the best publicity anyone can get!

Links to things in the show

Amy Vansant – Kilty urban fantasy series: https://amyvansant.com/books/kilty-urban-fantasy

Loggerhead Florida: https://myfwc.com/research/wildlife/sea-turtles/nesting/loggerhead/

Authors XP: https://authorsxp.com/

Life Hacks: https://amyvansant.com/lifehacks

Where to find Amy Vansant

https://amyvansant.com/

https://amyvansant.com/enter-to-win-kindle-books

But now here's our show. Hello there, Amy. And welcome to the show. It's great to have you with us.

Amy Vansant: Thank you. It's great to be here.

Thriller and cozy mystery author Amy Vansant with Archer the bordoodle

Jenny Wheeler: You're a USA Today and Wall Street Journal best selling author, and you're writing across a range of genres, from thrillers to cozy mysteries, some romcoms and fantasy. How did you get started on this trip?

Amy Vansant: I was always a writer ever since I was young. Ever since I could barely write anything, it just seemed like what I was supposed to do.

I was the East Coast editor of Surfer Magazine for about five years, and I did a lot of freelance writing for magazines and I wrote a non-fiction book about surfing.

And right about then was the time that the internet started to get big. I started to do web design as a side gig, and it turned out that was the next big thing.

I ended up doing websites, and I started a web firm for 20 years. I still have it. And then one day I woke up and said, what am I doing?

Why am I not writing? I was always supposed to be a writer, so I went back to it.

Shee McQueen and the family friendly mercenaries

Jenny Wheeler: That’s fabulous. And this Shee McQueen series, which is one of the ones we're talking about today. It's your thriller series.

One of the critics has got a gorgeous line to describe it. They say, “Think Stephanie Plum goes to Florida. Full stop. With Jack Reacher.”

That just seems to me to say it all, and we are looking at number five in the series, which is The Girl Who Saw The Truth.

Now, this whole thriller series is built around troubled mercenaries looking for redemption, and once again, I wondered where did that concept spring from?

Amy Vansant: I think it mostly just came from the fact that my other series, which is a cozy mystery is so tame that I wanted to do something that had a little more bite to it, to just to break it up for me more than anything.

I came along with this idea and put the hotel that the father runs where my house is in real life.

I pretended there was a hotel here instead of my house and took it from ther...

Ann Parker is the award-winning author of the Silver Rush mystery series set in 19th century Colorado. And yes, that is Silver Rush as distinct from the possibly more well known Gold Rush.

Hi there I’m your host, Jenny Wheeler and today Ann talks about how a close family relationship led to her writing the Colorado based Silver Rush series, how she's combined being a science writer by day with being a fiction writer by night, and why she says being a science writer has been a big advantage in writing the series.

Book Giveaway this week

Our Giveaway is Murderous May Mysteries, including Book #2 in my Of Gold and Blood mystery series Brother Betrayed, which has also now out in audio for anyone who prefers to listen to their stories.

Links for that Give away and all the other things we discuss in this episode can be found in the show notes for this episode at the website, the joys of binge reading.com.

And you can now look for Binge Reading on YouTube - audio only, no video. If you like to consume your podcasts through YouTube, now you can hear Binge Reading that way.

And don't forget, if you enjoy the show, leave us a positive comment, so others will find us too. Word of mouth is still the best publicity anyone can get.

GET FREE MAY MURDER MYSTERIES

Links to this episode

Leadville Colorado  https://www.leadville.com/

Barbara Hambly Benjamin January series: https://www.goodreads.com/series/50581-benjamin-january 

Louisa Locke:  https://mlouisalocke.com/https://www.goodreads.com/series/50581-benjamin-january

Marcia Muller and Bill Pronzini mysteries:  https://www.amazon.com/Books-Marcia-Muller-Bill-Pronzini/

Carpenter and Quincannon series:  https://us.macmillan.com/series/carpenterandquincannon

Sulari Gentile, Rowland Sinclair mysteries: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3856582.Sulari_Gentill

Kerry Greenwood: Phryne Fisher series: http://phrynefisher.com/

Michelle Black, Victorian West mysteries:  https://www.michelleblack.com/

Edgar Allan Poe: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Allan_Poe

Camille Minichino, the Periodic Table mysteries:  http://www.minichino.com/

Silver Lies: https://www.amazon.com/Silver-Lies-Ann-Parker-audiobook/dp/B00A31112C/

Iron Ties:  https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Ties-Silver-Rush-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B07VMH5B8C/

Fort Sumter: https://www.battlefields.org/learn/civil-war/battles/fort-sumter

Where to find Ann Parker online

Website: annparker.net

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annparker.writer

Email: [email protected]

But now here's our show.

Introducing historical mystery author Ann Parker

Jenny Wheeler: Hello there Ann, and welcome to the show. It's great to have you with us.

Ann Parker - Historical mystery author of Silver Rush Colorado series

Ann Parker: Oh, and it's so great to be here. Thank you, Jenny.

Jenny Wheeler: Now just to get our geography straight before we begin. You are in Northern California and I'm in New Zealand and we're about 16 hours apart. I'm right about Northern California, am I?

Ann Parker: That's correct. Yep. About 50 miles away from San Francisco. Most people know of San Francisco, so yeah.

Jenny Wheeler: That's not that far. I must assume that I have driven up that Captain Cook Highway in the part in the past.

Ann Parker: Oh, Captain Cook Highway? I don't know what that is..

Jenny Wheeler: Oh, I thought that it was the Coastal Road. I thought it was called Captain Cook Highway. Maybe I've got that wrong.

Ann Parker: oh. You could, I think you're talking highway 1 0 1, but in any case along the coast, it's beautiful. Yeah.

Jenny Wheeler: It's gorgeous. You are an award-winning writer with eight books to your credit and they're called the Silver Rush Mystery Series, and they're set initially in Leadville, Colorado, although the most recent book, which we're going to be talking about today, you've moved to San Francisco.

From Carol Drinkwater, the beloved star of the English TV show. All Creatures Great And Small comes a heart-wrenching World War II romance about a French village that opened its arms as the Nazis closed in

Hi, I'm your host Jenny Wheeler. And Carol, our Binge Reading guest author today, is well known for her series of bestsellers about her life on an olive farm in Provence, made into a series of popular nonfiction books and a TV show called Carol Drinkwater’s Secret Provence.

But Carol also writes fiction and her latest novel An Act of Love is based on a true story that took place in a mountain village not far from where she lives. It's a fascinating story.

Links to items mentioned in the show:

All Creatures Great and Small TV show (2020 Version) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10590066/

1978 Series  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Creatures_Great_and_Small_(1978_TV_series)

Carol Drinkwater’s Olive Farm series:

http://www.caroldrinkwater.com/gallery/mediterranean_gallery.htm

http://www.caroldrinkwater.com/books/theolivefarm

Carol Drinkwater’s Secret Provence Tv series

(All different areas have different providers – search your location...)

https://www.channel5.com/show/a-year-in-provence-with-carol-drinkwater/

Or Prime:  https://www.primevideo.com/hp/video/detail/Carol-Drinkwaters-Secret-Provence/0KPNV7QZY4K2Q0U3FI9AOLF1HE

You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmi4nFcUuHiBZSZXVzB79ghqqwgWm_kR_

Occupied and Free France in World War II

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vichy_France#

Golden Pennies: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0222566/

James Herriot penname – real name James Alf Wight  https://www.jamesherriot.org/life-and-times/

Beyond Borders Film Festival:

https://beyondborders.gr/en/

https://filmfreeway.com/BeyondBorderInternationalFilmFestival

Companion Piece – Ali Smith: https://www.amazon.com/Companion-Piece-Novel-Ali-Smith/dp/0593316371

Seasonal Quartet: Spring and Winter, Ali Smith:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40545817-spring

Oh William, Elizabeth Strout: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/56294820

Where to find Carol Drinkwater Online

Website: http://www.caroldrinkwater.com/

Book Giveaway - Ultimate Reacher Swag Pack

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A Booksweeps promotion featuring Reacher swag - a swag pack and book basket containing essential merchandise to add to your collection. Plus 30 awesome books by best-selling and award-winning authors perfect for Reacher fans and fans of the show.

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And remember, if you enjoy Binge Reading, leave us a review so others will find us too. Word of mouth is the best way for others to discover the show and great books they will love to read.

But now here's Carol

Hello there. Carolyn. Welcome to the show. It's great to have you with us.

Introducing author Carol Drinkwater

Carol Drinkwater: Oh, it's an honor. Hello? Hello, New Zealand.

TV actress and best selling author Carol Drinkwater

Jenny Wheeler: We should start by establishing our geographical location. As you've mentioned, I'm in New Zealand, and where are you for our listeners benefit?

Carol Drinkwater: At the moment, I'm in the south of France overlooking the Bay of Cannes.

Jenny Wheeler: Beautiful. Now that's on your olive farm, is it?

Carol Drinkwater: That's our olive farm. Indeed. Yes. We have two homes in France. One is in the north outside Paris, and the south is the olive farm.

Jenny Wheeler: Wonderful. You've had a fantastic career. You started out with a wonderful career in tv, including a starring role on a famous show of a few years ago now. All Creatures Great And Small, which I'm sure many of our listeners will still remember,

This week on The Joys of Binge Reading, Strange Sally Diamond, the latest, dark and twisted thriller from award-winning Irish novelist, Liz Nugent.

Hi there. I'm your host, Jenny Wheeler, and on Binge Reading today, Liz talks about her gripping new psychological bestseller, always laced with black humor, and explains how Sally is pretty like herself; “Liz, without a filter.”

She tells us what she's learned from TV shows like Breaking Bad and how she came to set part of her story in New Zealand.

We've got our usual book give away, Historic Fiction with Strong Female Leads this week, including one of my books. Sadie's Vow book one in my latest Home At Last series.

Sadie makes a death bed promise to her mother to protect her younger sister, but when an infatuated Phoebe debunks with a mob boss, Sadie has her work cut out.

GET FREE HISTORICALS

https://books.bookfunnel.com/strongfemaleleadsmay2023/tugfi9kl88

And don't forget, if you enjoy this show, leave us a review wherever you listen to the podcast, so others will find us too. It really does help spread the word.

Links mentioned in the show

Unravelling Oliver: https://www.liznugent.com/unravelling-oliver

The Girl On A Train: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22557272-the-girl-on-the-train

Gone Girl: https://www.amazon.com/Gone-Girl-Gillian-Flynn/dp/0307588378

Craig Sisterson: https://thespinoff.co.nz/authors/craig-sisterson

Ngaio Marsh Awards: https://newzealandbooks.com/product-category/awards/ngaio-marsh-awards/

Otago University Centre for Celtic Studies: https://www.otago.ac.nz/ciss/index.html

Professor Liam Mcilvanney: https://www.otago.ac.nz/ciss/people/otago716926.html

Our Little Cruelties: https://www.liznugent.com/little-cruelties

Skin Deep: https://www.liznugent.com/skin-deep

Lying In Wait: https://www.liznugent.com/lying-in-wait

Sarah Hilary, Black Thorn; https://sarahhilary.com/

Vanda Simon: https://www.vandasymon.com/

Paul Cleave: https://www.paulcleave.com/

Fiona Sussman: https://www.fionasussman.co.nz/

Dame Fiona Kidman: https://fionakidman.com/

The Secret History by Donna Tartt: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29044.The_Secret_History

The Book of Evidence by John Banville (Booker Prize winner): https://www.amazon.com/Book-Evidence-John-Banville/dp/0375725237

Light A Penny Candle - Maeve Binchy: https://www.amazon.com/Light-Penny-Candle-Famous-Firsts/dp/045121143X

Where to find Liz online

Website: https://www.liznugent.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liz.nugent.399

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liznugentwriter/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lizzienugent

But now, here's the show.

Introducing thriller writer Liz Nugent

Award winning best selling thriller author Liz Nugent

Hello there, Liz and welcome to the show. It's great to have you with us.

Jenny Wheeler: But now here's Liz. Hello there, Liz, and welcome to the show. It's great to have you with us.

Liz Nugent: Hi Jenny. Thank you very much. It's nice to be virtually in New Zealand. I wish I was there for real.

Jenny Wheeler: I think that you have visited here, haven't you, but we'll talk about that a bit a little bit later.

You've had a brilliant career as a novelist. You're onto book five, we're going to be talking about today, but right from the very start, you've had bestsellers and lots of very positive attention.

You’ve won numerous Irish book awards We should mention if people don't realize it from your accent that you are talking from Ireland.

How did you manage to hit the ground running like that?

Liz Nugent: I don't know. I think, I think my first novel Unraveling Oliver, it came. It came at it. It's a domestic noir story in the same way that Girl On A Train and Gone Girl were those sort of domestic stories.

They weren't like police detective thrillers, they’re about things that happen within families or within bro...