Netflix's summer blockbuster series The Hunting Wives has captivated audiences on screen but its roots are on the page. May Cobb, bestselling author of sultry suspense novels including The Hunting Wives, A Likeable Woman and The Hollywood Assistant, joins us to talk about writing sexy, complicated, and morally questionable women - whether we like them, or not.
Description highlights:
- The Netflix adaptation of The Hunting Wives and what it's like to see her book come to life on screen.
- Voyeurism, blurred friendships, and bicuriosity as recurring themes in Cobb's work.
- The controversy around "unlikeable women" in fiction and why Cobb insists on writing flawed, messy heroines.
- Why infidelity remains one of romance's biggest taboos—and how Cobb resisted editorial pressure to "justify" her characters' choices.
- Reflections on East Texas, obsession, and the intoxicating danger of "bad for you" relationships.
- Alongside the interview, listeners hear a dramatic reading from The Hunting Wives, a playful performance experiment with narrator Gideon Frost, and a poignant Dear Allie listener letter about reckless love and lasting devotion.
Notable Quotes
- "I will die on the hill of defending my unlikeable female characters and their messy decisions—because we're all messy." — May Cobb
- "Sometimes the relationships that light you on fire, even if they burn, are the ones that help you know yourself better." — Allie Martina
- "We all understand that magnetic draw—that chemistry you can't explain." — Allie Martina
Books & Links Mentioned
📚 By May Cobb
- The Hunting Wives Kindle | Audiobook | Print
- A Likeable Woman Kindle | Audiobook | Print
- My Summer Darlings Kindle | Audiobook | Print
- Big Woods Audiobook
🔖 Recommended by May
- Till Death Do Us Part by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn Kindle | Audiobook | Print
Time-Coded Themes
- 00:00 – Opening Quote: Erica Jong on feminism, desire, and "bad women."
- 01:00 – Reading from The Hunting Wives: A charged scene of temptation, infidelity, and longing.
- 05:00 – Allie's Reflection: Why infidelity is nearly forbidden in romance novels, yet resonates in Cobb's fiction.
- 06:30 – Interview Begins: Allie and May reminisce about 20+ years of friendship and celebrate the Netflix adaptation.
- 09:00 – Voyeurism as Theme: From Hitchcock to East Texas backyards.
- 11:00 – Friendships, intimacy, and bicuriosity: How blurred boundaries fuel Cobb's stories.
- 15:00 – Lust vs. Motivation: Why women characters shouldn't need an "excuse" to desire.
- 17:00 – The "Unlikeable Woman" Debate: Cobb defends her messy female characters.
- 23:00 – Infidelity in Fiction: Publishing pushback and Cobb's resistance to sanitizing her characters.
- 27:00 – Genre & Marketing: Why Cobb's "sultry suspense" straddles thriller and romance categories.
- 29:00 – From Victorian literature to now: How repression, erotic tension, and female sexuality evolved on the page.
- 31:00 – Romance stigma fading: Why genre barriers are breaking down.
- 33:00 – Book Recs: Till Death Do Us Part by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn.
- 35:00 – Gideon Frost Performance: Playful riff on "irresistible but toxic" relationships.
- 38:00 – Dear Allie Letter: Reckless love that turned into 20 years of partnership.
- 40:00 – Closing & Credits.
Guest Bio: May Cobb
May Cobb is the award-winning author of sultry suspense thrillers set against the backdrop of East Texas. Her novels, including The Hunting Wives and A Likeable Woman, explore obsession, power dynamics, and the lives of unapologetically flawed women. Cobb's work has been praised for its page-turning suspense, messy characters, and fearless explorations of female desire. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her family and is a frequent contributor to literary discussions about thrillers, women in fiction, and the blurred lines between morality and lust.
Follow May Cobb:
- Website: maycobb.com
- Instagram: @may_cobb
Production Credits
- Host & Producer: Allie Martina
- Series Producer: Jill Ruby
- Special Contributor: Gideon Frost
- Creative Design: Dana Christopherson
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Show notes created by Descript.
