Bookwild

This week, Gare, Steph and I share our 2026 bookish goals, and January and February releases we are excited about! Steph also shares a few backlist she will be reading in January and February.

Kate’s Books

Kin by Tayari Jones

Spies and Other Gods James Wolff

Queen of Faces by Petra Lord

On Sundays She Picked Flowers by Yah-Yah Scholfield 

Unread: A Memoir of Learning (And Loving) to Read on TikTok  by Oliver James

Gare’s Books

A Box Full of Darkness by Simone...

This week, I talk with Amanda Jones, a dedicated small-town Louisiana librarian, about the challenges she faces in her fight against book banning and censorship. She discusses her passion for literature, the importance of representation in books, the defamatory posts about her that spread like wildfire, and the impact of misinformation on community perceptions. Amanda has always championed the importance of diverse literature and the role of libraries as safe spaces for all children, particularly those from marginalized communities.

Read all about Amanda's journey in her book That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America

This week, Halley and I catch up on what we've been reading and watching, and then dive into bookish plans and goals for 2026!

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Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with Brittany Penner about her memoir Children Like Us, a haunting, deeply reflective exploration of identity, faith, and survival. Brittany shares what it was like growing up as an Indigenous child adopted into a Mennonite family that fostered dozens of other children, unpacking the long-term impact of the Sixties Scoop, religious indoctrination, and being taught to feel “grateful” for circumstances rooted in colonial harm.

We dive into dissociation, self-abandonment, storytelling as a tool for healing, and the complicated reality of holding love for family while confronting the systems that caused lasting damage.

We...

This week, Gare and I talk about what we've been watching lately, our favorite 2025 reads, and some 2026 books Gare already loves, as well as some 2026 hopefuls!

Our 2025 Faves

Kate's Books

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine

And Then She Fell by Alicia Elliot

Blood Over Bright Haven by M. L. Wang

Sky Full of Elephants by Cebo Williams

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due

Gare's Books

Night Watcher by Daphne Woolsoncroft

This Book...

This week, I talk with Brian Recker about his book Hell Bent, which examines how fear-based teachings about hell distort Christian spirituality, replacing love, connection, and moral discernment with control, shame, and punishment avoidance. Drawing from his upbringing in fundamentalism and later work as an evangelical pastor, he shares how early indoctrination around hell fractures relationships with God, self, and others, discourages intuition and questioning, all while propping up systems of domination—from abusive religious authority to political movements rooted in fear. Rather than abandoning spirituality altogether, he reclaimed Jesus from these systems, reframing faith as a practice of lo...

This week, Halley Sutton is back, and we dive into everything we've been reading and watching - which is quite a lot! We also share a few 2026 books we are excited to read.

What We’ve Been Reading

Everyone Is Lying to You — Joe Piazza

Alchemy of Secrets — Stephanie Garber

Vantage Point — Sarah Sligar
Good Dirt — Charmaine Wilkerson

 

2026 Hopefuls

The Future Saints — Ashley Winstead

All the Little Houses — May Cobb 

The Fortune Tellers of Rue Daru — Olyseia Solnikova Gilmore

Vigil — George S...

This week, I talk with John Fram about the creative process behind his new horror-thriller The Midnight Knock, a genre-blending desert nightmare. He dives into selling the book early, wrestling with a complex multi-POV structure, and navigating the behind-the-scenes realities of publishing—from word-count limits to printing costs to foreign rights. He traces the story’s roots from a childhood moment of awe in West Texas to the unsettling idea of an endless highway, explaining how claustrophobia, cosmic horror, indigenous-informed mythology, and a terrifying owl-snake creature all converged in a motel where the guests can’t outrun their pasts—or the d...

This week, Gare, Steph and I share our last, current and next reads!

Kate's Books

Last - Degenerate by Matt Casamassina

Current - Children Like Us by Birttany Penner

Next - Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson

Gare's Books

Last - All the Little Houses by May Cobb

Current - Heated Rivalry by Rachel Ried

Next - The House Guests by Amber and Danielle Brown

Steph's Books

Last - Everyone is Lying to You by Jo Piazza

Current...

This week, Kristi DeMeester shares how her new novel Dark Sisters emerged from a collision of personal history, cultural rage, and the disturbing ease with which faith, patriarchy, and power can be weaponized. We discuss purity culture, megachurch hypocrisy, witch-trial history, feminist reclamation, the generational impact of religious fundamentalism, and how horror can become a perfect container for social truth-telling, female rage, and bittersweet hope.

Check out the book here:

Dark Sisters by Kristi DeMeester

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This week, MacKenzie Green is back and we dive into the complexities of pop culture, the deeper meanings embedded in modern media, how storytelling has evolved, the impact of anti-intellectualism, and the importance of critical engagement with entertainment.

We discuss the intersection of identity and societal issues, emphasizing that every piece of content carries a message, whether overt or subtle, and the necessity of understanding historical context in shaping narratives amidst a growing trend of superficial engagement with media.

We also share how finding and creating communities that value intellectual rigor and deeper analysis of...

This week, I talk with Keith Giles about how the early Christian world was far more diverse and mystical than most people realize. He unpacks the history of suppressed gospels, the erasure of Mary Magdalene’s authority, and how non-duality, interconnectedness, and compassion sit at the heart of Jesus’s original teachings. We dive into deconstruction, Christian nationalism, biblical misuse, and how theology shapes our relationships with ourselves and others.

Keith offers a grounded, hopeful vision of spirituality rooted not in fear or hierarchy, but in transformation, justice, and shared humanity.

The Quantum Gospel of Mary...

This week, Gare, Steph and I all chose one of our own favorite plot devices and recommended books in that vein! This episode definitely has a book for just about everybody!

Kate's Books - Books with Dramatic Irony

I, Medusa

Stalker

Dark Sisters

Sky Full of Elephants

Happy Land

Gare's Books - Thrillers with Sex Work

Boom Town

Real Easy

These Women

Things We Do in the Dark

The Girl in 6E

Steph's...

Audra McElyea returns to talk about her new locked-room, cancel-culture thriller Not Good People, a twisty ensemble mystery set in a blizzard-stranded Blue Ridge Mountain castle. Audra shares how a decades-old British play inspired her to blend popcorn-thriller pacing with a deeper moral reckoning, how she crafted eleven interconnected characters through actor-based mannerisms, and why the story’s escalating secrets force readers to examine not just the cast—but themselves.

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Ge...

This week, I talk with Erin Crosby Eckstine about her debut Southern Gothic, Junie. She shares how the book developed across years of writing, the importance of portraying enslaved characters with full humanity rather than stereotypes, and why she crafted Junie as a flawed, emotionally real teenager navigating a world she can’t yet fully understand. Erin also explains Gothic and Southern Gothic traditions, the role of ghostly elements like Minnie, the influence of literature within the story, and how intergenerational family history shaped both the novel and her own life.

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This week, Gare, Steph and I share books we think are good discussion starters for book clubs!

Books We Talked About

Kate's Picks

Blood Over Bright Haven by M.L. Wang

Dominion by Addie E. Citchens

My Husband by Maud Ventura

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Allegedly by Tiffany D Jackson

Gare's Picks

Keep it In the Family by John Marrs

Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino

His & Hers by Alice Feeney

American Psycho...

This week, I talk with Wen-Yi Lee about her adult fantasy debut When They Burned the Butterfly—a fierce, Sapphic story of rage, inheritance, and transformation set in post-colonial Singapore. She shares how her homecoming to Singapore shaped this deeply personal book, how real history and mythology intertwined to form her world of fire magic and girl gangs, and why female rage and found family remain at the heart of her storytelling. We also dive into her creative process, from “chasing the shiny thing” when writing to reimagining real-life places and histories that have since disappeared. If you love Jade C...

This week, Gare and I got to chat with bestselling author Nic Stone to talk about her adult debut thriller, Boom Town—a gritty, sexy, and socially sharp story set in Atlanta’s iconic strip-club scene. Nic opens up about her path from YA to adult fiction, the inspiration behind Boom Town (and why she wrote it before anyone else could), and how she approached portraying sex work, power, and autonomy with authenticity and respect. We also discuss banned books, Atlanta’s strip club culture, Nic’s dad’s unforgettable reaction to the audiobook, and the sheer joy of writing co...

This week, Steph and I got chat with Kirsten Miller about her newest novel The Women of Wild Hill. She shares the evolution of her writing process, and the inspirations behind her sharp, witchy, and deeply human stories.

She dives into her love of flawed “unlikable” women, and her view of witchcraft as a metaphor for women’s power and connection to nature. She unpacks how setting, character, and “vibe” shape her work; how hope underpins even her darkest stories; and how The Women of Wild Hill extends the feminist universe begun in The Change, spanning generations of women u...

This week, Halley is back and she shares her experiences at NoirCon, I share my new obsession with Scream With Me, a non-fiction book that draws parallels between popular horror movies from 1968-1980 and feminism, and then we must dive into the monstrous men who star in and/or create some of said films. Because how could we not end up talking about that??

We also do a brief bit on Lily Allen's new album West End Girl, Kayla Nicole's Halloween clapback, and the continuing conflict of Ms. Swift.

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This week, I got to talk with Cate Holahan about her new thriller The Kidnapping of Alice Ingold. She shares the real life case that inspired the kidnapping structure, how anxiety fuels her best ideas, and how she approached writing an AI tech guru.

The Kidnapping of Alice Ingold Synopsis

Alice Ingold has been kidnapped. Call the police. Alert the media. You can't play this game without all the pieces.

Beautiful, blond, and immensely privileged, Alice Ingold is the perfect victim for a true-crime obsessed culture--and for a masked duo with a singular...

This week, I talk with Pelumi Olatinpo about his new poetry collection Manifest Destiny. He shares how and why he created a new type of poetry, what inspired him to write about Manifest Destiny and the way it echoes throughout history, and the power of bearing witness.

Manifest Destiny Synopsis

America turns 250 in 2026. In MANIFEST DESTINY, Pelumi Olatinpo delivers an essential examination of what we’ve been, what we are, and what we might become.

This isn’t a traditional book. It’s a new form entirely—159 “sonetas” that compress centuries into seconds, each one exa...

This week, Gare, Steph and I share some of our favorite recommendations for spooky season!

Kate’s Picks

No Road Home by John Fram

The Getaway by Lamar Giles

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter

The Macabre by Kosoko Jackson

Jackal by Erin E. Adams

Gare’s Picks
Nightwatcher by Daphne Wolsoncroft

Please See Us by Caitlin Mullen

The Sundown Motel by Simone St. James

Keep This For Me by Jennifer Fawcett

Steph’s Picks
Look Closer by Dav...

This week, I chat with Vanessa Lillie about her new thriller in her Syd Walker series, The Bone Thief! We dive into her inspiration for the story, the research she did to incorporate historic and contemporary elements, and the social structures that inspired the Founders Society.

The Bone Thief Synopsis

In the hours before dawn at a local summer camp, Bureau of Indian Affairs archaeologist Syd Walker receives an alarming call: newly discovered skeletal remains have been stolen. Not only have bones gone missing, but a Native teen girl has disappeared near the camp, and...

This week, Gare and I talk with THE Lucinda Berry about her new audiobook This Is a Safe Space!  We dive into her inspiration for this story, how writing for audio changes her process, and how she balances twists and trauma.

This Is A Safe Space Synopsis

Jenna, who runs a successful private therapy practice, still struggles with trust issues of her own. She’s made a promise to stop snooping in her husband Colten’s phone, but sometimes she can’t help herself. One night, she discovers a troubling exchange between him and his cousin...

This week, I'm chatting with a new co-host, Erin Ashley! She shares her interest in memoirs about musicians, how she came to love them as a music journalist, and the fiction she's been trying to read more of this year.

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This week, I talk with Nekesa Afia about her new historical-contemporary mystery As Long As You're Mine. We dive into her inspiration for the book, her fascination with the past, and how her present and past characters are up against similar power imbalances.

As Long As You're Mine Synopsis

Professional ballerina Thea Ross’s world shatters when her screen-legend father commits suicide, leaving behind a shocking confession to a decades-old murder. Determined to uncover the truth, Thea teams up with a relentless journalist, following a trail of clues that leads her back to the glittering ye...

This week, Steph and I chat with Sagit Schwartz about her new thriller The Underdog! We dive into her inspiration for the story, what she loved about writing crazed fan Norma, and how Sagit and I successfully recorded an audiobook thousands of miles apart from each other!

The Underdog Synopsis

When Liz, an aspiring director stuck working as a chaperone for a reality TV music show, picks up a new contestant from a psychiatric hospital, dubbed “The Singing Patient” by fans online, things take an unexpected turn. The contestant disappears at the airport, and Liz find...

Bonus Episode!!  

In this first episode of my new Continuing Ed series, MacKenzie Green joins me to talk about a non-fiction book she convinced me to read: Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism

The book covers the way America chose to "educate" both Native and Black children, but for Indigenous People's Day, we chose to focus on how Indigenous children were treated and taught as our country built its education system.

We cover how Thomas Jefferson's Doctrine of Destiny laid the groundwork for t...

This week, I got to talk with John Fugelsang about his new book Separation of Church and Hate! He shares why he's passionate about taking back the religion of his parents from the way it has been used as a cloak for hate, how it's near impossible to find a quality in Donald Trump that aligns with Jesus' teachings, and ways to lead Christian Nationalists to arguing with God/scripture instead of yourself.

Separation of Church and Hate Synopsis

Told with Fugelsang’s trademark blend of radical honesty, relevant humor, and deep political and religious kn...

Halley Sutton is back! I can't even begin to tell you every topic we talked about, because we basically caught up with each others' lives while also talking about some books, movies and TV shows.

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

...

This week, Gare and I got to talk with Jennifer Fawcett about her serial killer thriller Keep This For Me! We dive into her inspiration for the story, how she was drawn to writing about the aftermath of a serial killer's actions, and how grief and trauma effect families for generations.

Keep This For Me Synopsis

One hot August night in 1993, a young couple go to a party. When their car breaks down, they are picked up by a truck driver who attacks the man and abducts the woman. She is never seen again.

This week, I talk with C.I. Jerez about her emotional and empowering novel At the Island's Edge. We dive into the inspiration for the story, how she explored PTSD, and why she chose to write about a single mom who served in the army.

At the Island's Edge Synopsis

An Iraq War veteran returns to Puerto Rico to reconnect with―and confront―the past in a heart-wrenching novel about duty, motherhood, and the healing power of home.
 

As a combat medic, Lina LaSalle went to Iraq to save the lives of fello...

This week, we have some chaotic dog interruptions, I recorded int he dark because I couldn't even with the light, AND we broke a record and talked about more than 30 books in one episode!! Enjoy the chaos that is Gare, Steph and my 10 Before the End episode.

Kate’s  10 Before the End

What We Leave Behind by Wanda Morris

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/250326a1-6252-41eb-8fbd-318b3903b56c

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/3e324bb5-9f00-4258-817b-00c69...

This week, I talk with Alma Katsu about her new horror novel Fiend. We dive into her inspiration for the story, what draws her to horror, and how she crafted this insidious family.

**Every tech issue that could happen did happen, so there's a somewhat rough cut when we had to switch platforms.

Fiend by Alma Katsu Synopsis

Imagine if the Sackler family had a demon at their beck and call.

The Berisha family runs one of the largest import-export companies in the world, and they’ve always been lucky. Their ri...

This week, I dive into how I went from listening to audiobooks, to wanting to edit audiobooks, to co-narrating and editing my first audiobook over the course of like six months!

Hear how narrating and producing The Underdog came together with Sagit Schwartz, what surprised me about narrating, and how sentimental I am that I recorded it in my neighborhood library.

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This week, I got to talk with Jeffery Deaver and Isabella Maldonado about their second in their Sanchez & Heron series The Grave Artists. We dive into how they create a Serial Killer 2.0, the positive and negative uses of technology, and how they write together.

The Grave Artist Synopsis

A wedding reception is coming to a close in the Hollywood Hills when the blissful day is shattered by the death of one of the newlyweds. Though the incident appears to be an accident, Homeland Security Investigations agent Carmen Sanchez and her partner, security expert Jake Heron...

This week, Gare, Steph and I share books we are excited about on our Fall TBRs!

Books We Talked About

The Reformatory by Tananarive Due
Salt Bones by Jennifer Givhan
Keep This for Me by Jennifer Fawcett
The Women of Wild Hill by Kirsten Miller
Cursed Daughters by Oyinkan Braithwaite
The Hitchhikers by Chevy Stevens
The Mad Wife by Meagan Church
Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber
The Intruder by Freida McFadden
Through Our Teeth by Pamela N. Harris
The Haunting of Room 904 by Erica...

This week, I got to talk with L.S. Stratton about her newest thriller In Deadly Company! We dive into how she wanted to write a fun, bingey thriller, how she used the meta approach of a movie being made about the past timeline, and how she crafted the very corrupt, very welathy family in the middle of it all.

In Deadly Company Synopsis

As the assistant of the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, Nicole Underwood has plenty of tasks on her to-do list—one of which is the blowout birthday celebration for her nightmare, on...

This week, Steph and I talk about fiction books that taught us about different subjects!

Books We Talked About

Play Nice by Rachel Harrison
Eloquent Rage by Brittney Cooper
Wordslut by Amanda Montell
Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall
The Great Mann by Kyra Davis Lurie
Francine’s Spectacular Crash and Burn Renee Swindle
You Know Her by Meagan Jennett
The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali
What Comes After by Joanne Tompkins
Blood Sisters by Vanessa Lillie
The Whistler by Nick Medina
Do Wh...

This week, I got to talk with Penny Zang about her debut novel Doll Parts! We dive into her inspiration for the story, the importance of music throughout, and the ways Sylvia Plath's life and writing influenced Doll Parts.

Doll Parts Synopsis

Some stories refuse to stay buried.

For best friends Nikki and Sadie, college was supposed to be a fresh start, a way to blast Courtney Love from car speakers and leave their youth behind. But along with sadness-obsessed girls and intrusive professors, a dark story plagues their small all-women's school: the...

This week, Gare, Steph and I talk about some of our favorite books we read in August!

Books We Talked About

My Husband by Maud Ventura

Too Old for This by Samantha Downing

Don’t Forget to Write by Sarah Goodman-Confino

Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen

Knife River by Justine Champine

Dominion by Addie Citchens

Everyone is Lying to You by Jo Piazza

Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green

The Trad Wi...

This week, I got to talk with Rebecca McKanna with Steph Lauer IN PERSON about Rebecca's book Don't Forget the Girl. We dive into how a short story collection inspired the book, how she got to know her characters, and why she chose the ending she chose.

Don't Forget the Girl Synopsis

We never remember the dead girls. We never forget the killers. 

Twelve years ago, 18-year-old University of Iowa freshman Abby Hartmann disappeared. Now, Jon Allan Blue, the serial killer suspected of her murder, is about to be executed. Abby's best friends, B...

This week, Gare, Steph and I share short, bingey books we highly recommend!

Books We Talked About

Everyone Is Lying to You – Joe Piazza
The Favorite Girl – Monica Arya
The Mad Wife - Meagan Church
The Grave Artist – Isabella Maldonado & Jeffrey Deaver
Happy Land – Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Bath Haus – P.J. Vernon

Short & Bingey
Everything Is Tuberculosis – John Green
The Trap – Catherine Ryan Howard
The Locked Door – Freida McFadden
Liars – Sarah Manguso
The Retreat – Krysten Ritter
I Did It for You – Amy Engel
Lula Dean’s Littl...

This week, I got to talk with Kaila Yu about her memoir Fetishization: A Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty.  We dive into her experience growing up amidst yellow fever, how her self image was affected, and how she learned to love and accept herself.

Fetishization: A Reckoning with Yellow Fever, Feminism, and Beauty Synopsis

No one fetishized Kaila Yu more than she fetishized herself. As a young girl, she dreamt of beauty. But none of the beautiful women on television looked like her. In the late '90s and early 2000s Asian women w...

This week, I talk with Zoe B. Wallbrook about her hilariously funny and suspenseful mystery novel History Lessons. We dive into her inspiration for the book, how she incorporated misogynoir and how she injected so much humor.

History Lessons Synopsis

A college history professor must solve her superstar colleague's murder before she becomes the next target in this funny, romantic debut mystery, perfect for readers of Janet Evanovich, Kellye Garrett, and Ali Hazelwood.

As a newly minted junior professor, Daphne Ouverture spends her days giving lectures on French colonialism, working on her next...

This week, Gare shares all the ins and outs of Ethel Cain's dark, haunting album Preacher's Daughter!

Check out the album here.

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Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

  Duration: 01:30:52

This week, I chat with Leigh Dunlap about her darkly comical debut thriller Bless Your Heart. We dive into her inspiration for the story, how her screenwriting background influenced her novel writing process, and how her relationship with her son formed the story.

Bless Your Heart Synopsis

Anderson Tupper, a member of one of Atlanta’s richest families, has been murdered in the dugout of the Little League field where he was a volunteer coach, and it’s up to Detective Shay Claypool, a single mother from the other side of town, to find his kill...

This week, I talk with Samantha Downing about her snarky new thriller Too Old for This. We dive into her inspiration for the story, her favorite parts about writing Lottie, and how she chooses memorable names for her characters.

Too Old for This Synopsis

Lottie Jones thought her crimes were behind her.

Decades earlier, she changed her identity and tucked herself away in a small town. Her most exciting nights are the weekly bingo games at the local church and gossiping with her friends.  

When investigative journalist Plum Dixon shows up o...

This week, Steph and I talk about books with memorable characters who we will never forget!

Books We've Been Reading

You Belong Here

Don’t Forget the Girl

Recursion

Doll Parts

Honey and Spice

Do What Godmother Says

Books with Memorable Characters

Junie

Remarkably Bright Creatures

Dissolution

The Paper Palace

An Inconvenient Woman

None of This is True

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This week, I talk with Cobie LaJeanne about her pitch-black thriller Blood in the Cradle. We dive into her inspiration for the story, how the book developed over time, and what it was like creating a detective with synesthesia!

Blood in the Cradle Synopsis

When decorated detective Chloe Van Belle receives a call about a severed limb in a fountain, she dreads returning to Encounters, a renowned angel-worshipping church tied to her dark childhood wounds. She’s further shocked to learn six-year-old Lillian vanished [from the congregation] without being reported.

Chloe’s half-sister Rosi...

This week, Gare, Steph and I talk about new-to-us authors we discovered and love!

Books We Talked About

The Book of Accidents

The Babysitter Lives

The Killer on the Road

Unlikely Animals

History Lessons

What Lies Between Us

Behind Every Good Man

Love You to Death

Deeper Than the Dead

This Violent Heart

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This week, Gare and I talk with Clèmence Michallon about her new thriller Our Last Resort. We dive into her inspiration for the book, her fresh take on a locked room thriller, and how she crafted a believable cult.

Our Last Resort Synopsis

Innocence doesn't bail you out; it just makes you easier to trap.

Frida and Gabriel arrive seeking a fresh start at the stunning Ara Hotel in the secluded desert of Escalante, Utah. Once so close they were able to finish each other’s sentences, they’ve grown apart in recen...

This week, Halley Sutton and I chat with Melanie Anagnos about her new noir Nightswimming. We dive into her love for 70s culture, how reading noir shaped Nightswimming, and the future for the trilogy.

Nightswimming Synopsis

Paterson, New Jersey, 1979: Jamie Palmieri is an up-and-coming patrol officer, three years out of the academy and frustrated with his slow rise to detective. That all changes one frigid night in January, when a double homicide at a local bar leaves the owner and a young woman dead. In the wake of the Rubin "Hurricane" Carter proceedings and the...

This week, I talk with Christina Dotson about her voice-y thriller loosely inspired by Thelma & Louise. She shares how she created Kayla and Zorie's friendship, why she set the story in the south, and what she loves about writing "unlikeable" characters.

Love You to Death Synopsis

When two best friends' hobby of crashing weddings takes a deadly turn, they’re forced to embark on a road trip of survival in this addictive thriller.

How well do we really know our friends?

As the only Black women at an antebellum-themed wedding, Kayla an...

This week, Halley Sutton and I catch up about where we are with our writing processes (spoiler: I am focusing more on building Bookwild than writing).

Halley shares a new approach to writing that has worked for her that she found on TikTok.

Halley also shares some insights into the traditional publishing industry and we discuss the appeal of self publishing.

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This week, I got to talk with Cebo Campbell and MacKenzie Green about Cebo's speculative novel Sky Full of Elephants. We dive into his inspiration for the story, how he chose Charlie and Sidney as the characters to lead the story, and get a few details into the production of the Sky Full of Elephants movie!

Sky Full of Elephants Synopsis

n this exquisite speculative novel set in a world where white people no longer exist, college professor Charlie Brunton receives a call from his estranged daughter Sidney, setting off a chain of events as...

This week, Steph and I talk about some our favorite books outside the thriller genre, since we've both been expanding our genres a little.

Books We Talked About

Project Hail Mary

The Road to Tender Hearts

Sky Full of Elephants

PS You’re the Worst

The Three Lives of Cate Kay

The Seven O’Clock Club

An Academy for Liars

Shy Girl

Things Don’t Break On Their Own

The Book Club for Troublesome Women

Chec...

This week, I talk with M.M. Deluca about her new thriller The Divorce Party! We dive into why she wanted to write a thriller with some humor, how her trip to Vegas inspired the story, and the way well developed characters with complete character arcs improve thrillers.

The Divorce Party Synopsis

Savannah, Daisy, and Zoe haven’t spoken in almost twenty years, since the night that changed everything. But when an unexpected invitation arrives from Evie, the ruthless queen bee of their college clique, they have no choice but to reunite in Las Vegas fo...

Last year, Sabrina Thatcher (aka Olivia Day Wallce) and Lori Brand shared their experiences at ThrillerFest, and this year, since I got to go for the first time, we all get back together to discuss Thrillerfest 2025!

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Other Co-hosts On Instagram:

Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

This week, I talked with Kaira Rouda about her new thriller Jill Is Not Happy. We dive into how her own road trip inspired the story, what Kaira loves about writing domestic thrillers, and the likeable unlikeability of Jill.

Jill is Not Happy Synopsis

Some secrets keep a couple together.

If you ask Jill Tingley, she’ll tell you she and her husband Jack are college sweethearts living the dream in Southern California. Wealthy, popular and genetically blessed, theirs is an enviable life, though they’ve grown distant in recent years. Newly empty nest...

This week, I shared a quick ThrillerFest Recap (more to come on that front), and then Gare and Steph and I shared some of our favorite iconically blue and yellow covered thrillers!

Books We Talked About

No Road Home

Keep it in the Family

Believe Me Now

When No One is Watching

The Pact

Daughter of Mine

Not a Happy Family

What Have You Done

Darling Girls

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This week, I got to talk with Rob Hart about the second book in his Assassins Anonymous Series The Medusa Protocol. We dive into the inspiration for the title, how he crafts action without letting his main characters kill anyone, and plans for the third book in the series.

The Medusa Protocol Synopsis

When Astrid, known in her assassin days as Azrael, stopped showing up to Assassins Anonymous, the group assumed her past had caught up with her. Only her sponsor Mark, formerly the deadliest killer in the world, holds out hope that she’s ok...

This week, I was lucky enough to go to Chicago with Steph to see Julie Clark in conversation with Mary Kubica about her new thriller The Ghostwriter!! If you haven't seen the sprayed edges already, you need to. We had so much fun at the event, but also had the best time recording our first IRL episode! The reading gods smiled down on me and now specific fiction books work for me in audio form, so we decided to share some of our favorite audiobooks!

Books We Talked About

Finding Me by Viola Davis

This week, I got to talk with Kimberly G. Giarratano about her newest installation in the noir Billie Levine series, Make a Killing! We dive into what was different about writing this one, how she landed on a luxury luggage company for the story, and how capitalism has seeped into college.

Make a Killing Synopsis

Private Investigator Billie Levine should be ecstatic. She’s finally getting the cheating spouse cases she’s always wanted. Nothing to do but sit back, snap incriminating photos, and get paid. Except Jeremy Yang is competing for work with his own...

This week, Gare, Steph and I share some of our favorite LGBTQIA+ books for Pride Month! Also, don't forget you can #ReadQueerAllYear!

Books We Talked About

Harriet Tubman Live in Concert

Winging it With You

We Are Never Meeting in Real Life

Glitter in the Dark

Game Changer

One Killer Problem

This Violent Heart

Just By Looking At Him

House of Hunger

The Snow Garden

The Honeys

Extras

These Violent Delights<...

This week, I got to talk with Jennifer Oko about her uniquely crafted novel Just Emilia. We dive into how she created the three women in the elevator as their own characters, but also all the same woman, and the inspiration for the story.

Just Emilia Synopsis

The past, present, and future collide in a DC Metro elevator as three women get caught up in a gripping time-traveling tale of memory, emotion, and unspoken truths about their shared history.

When Emilia Fletcher finds herself trapped inside a Washington, DC Metro elevator, getting out...

This week, Steph and I ask all about Gare's experience as a moderator at the Montreal Mystery Festival, and we all share some of our favorite reads halfway through 2025!

Don’t Tell Me How to Die

This Book Will Bury Me

The Paper Palace

Julie Chan is Dead

Keep it in the Family

The Devil and Mrs. Davenport

The Manor of Dreams

Night Watcher

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies

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This week, I got to talk with Allison Bucola about her new thriller The Ascent. We dive into her cult research, the long term damage of growing up in a cult, and how Ophelia's postpartum mental health contributed to the story.

The Ascent Synopsis

Twenty years ago, the members of a reclusive commune outside Philadelphia vanished without a trace. The mystery of their disappearance has never been solved. No sightings of the members were ever verified, and no bodies ever found. But the group did leave one thing behind: a twelve-year-old girl wandering alone on...

This week, I got to talk with Kristen L. Berry about her debut mystery thriller We Don't Talk About Carol! We dive into Kristen's writing process, the inspiration for the story, and how one person can still make little differences against systemic oppressors.

We Don't Talk About Carol Synopsis

A dedicated journalist unearths a generations-old family secret—and a connection to a string of missing girls that hits way too close to home—in this gripping debut novel.

In the wake of her grandmother's passing, Sydney Singleton finds a hidden photograph of a litt...

This week, Halley Sutton and I catch up on everything we've been reading and watching, including The Studio and how it examines the intersection of creativity and commerce. We also get into the messy subject of what to do with the art of problematic artists, and the pernicious linguistics and attitudes about women's body image. It's a little bit of everything this week!

Halley's Substack

The White Lotus Podcast

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This week, I got to talk with Tori Eldridge about her newest novel Kaua'i Storm. Tori shares the inspiration for the book, how her settings matter so much to her, and how this book had her personally invested in nailing the culture.

Kaua'i Storm Synopsis

Returning to Kaua‘i, park ranger Makalani finds her family divided and their way of life at risk in this rich and emotional adventure by the bestselling author of the Lily Wong series.

After ten years as a national park ranger in Oregon, Makalani Pahukula is back on Ka...

This week, I chat with Brian Watson @readingwithbrian about how long we've both been reading, thrillers that stood out as ones that created our love for thrillers, and some of our favorite domestic suspense thrillers!

Books/Authors We Talked About

Regrets Only by Kieran Scott

The Push by Ashley Audrain

You Deserve to Know by Aggie Blum Thompson

The Woman Inside by E.G. Scott

A.R. Torre

Madwoman by Chelsea Bieker

I'll Be You by Janelle Brown

Local Woman Missing...

This week, the iconic Jaime Lynn Hendricks is back for the fifth time to chat about her newest page turner Their Double Lives! Gare and I ask all our burning questions, and we discuss Gare's dog Murphy's debut in a book!

Their Double Lives Synopsis

A down-on-her-luck waitress at a posh New Jersey country club, Kim Valva couldn’t be living a more different life from the carefree socialites she serves. Her live-in boyfriend recently cheated on her, her social life is in shambles, and her dog needs a life-saving surgery that she can’t affo...

This week, Gare, Steph and I are talking about the 2025 Summer thriller releases we are excited to read!

Bookwild Merch

ThrillerFest GoFundMe

Books We Talked About

Love You to Death by Christina Dotson

Night Watcher by Daphne Woolsoncroft

The Laughing Dead by Jess Lourey

Just Emilia by Jennifer Oko

One Dark Night by Hannah Richell

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark

Doll Parts by Penny Zang

Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham

Our Secrets Were Safe...

This week, I talk with Judy Hutson about her new spy thriller Spy Notes! We dive into the inspiration for the story, how her job as a publicist in the music industry informed the book, and how she chose the places for Johnny to travel to!

Spy Notes Synopsis

Music, Mayhem, and Missions...

When music publicist Johnny Harrington isn't managing her superstar client Naive, she's enjoying Christmas on her family's idyllic island home in Barbados. But this year's holiday harmony is shattered when an undercover detective turns up dead, and Johnny's new romance...

This week, Gare, Steph and I talk about five of our favorite authors and our favorite book of theirs!

Books We Talked About

The Last Housewife

Bright Young Women

Play Nice

The Woman Inside

Jar of Hearts

The Family Next Door

The Night She Disappeared

Dark Highway

The Quarry Girls

They Never Learn

The Trap

The Children on the Hill

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This week, I got to talk with Robert Bailey about his emotionally driven action thriller The Boomerang. We dive into the inspiration for the book, the research he did for certain parts, and his favorite parts of writing the relationships in the book.

The Boomerang Synopsis

The president of the United States has terminal cancer. Chief of Staff Eli James, his faithful consigliere and best friend, is one of the few who know. But just as the president’s condition mysteriously improves, Eli’s hit with another blow: his daughter has cancer too.

Hell...

This week, Halley Sutton is back and we delve into character development, the subconscious influences on storytelling, and the darker themes that often emerge in our work.

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Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

Steph Lauer @books.in.badgerland

Halley Sutton @halleysutton25

Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

MacKenzie Green @missusa2...

This week, MacKenzie Green and I dive into everything we loved about Sinners. We dive into Ryan Coogler's succinct visual storytelling, how he tackled the themes of religion, spirituality and race, and how social horror paired with humor comes together so well.

Follow MacKenzie here

Listen to Manifestation Monday here

TikToks I mentioned

Seven Deadly Sins from TheReel Voice

Vampires Needing to Be Invited BrandonToksMovies

Sammy's Ability to Connect With People is What the Devil Wanted from 5hahem

Racism hurts White Couple Too from TheJaam<...

This week, I got to talk with Liann Zhang about her incredibly voicey and suspenseful thriller Julie Chan is dead. We dive into the inspiration for the story, how her ability to write the environment of the Internet is linked to how she is chronically online (same), and her favorite backstories she created for some extra vapid influencers.

Julie Chan is Dead Synopsis

Julie Chan has nothing. Her twin sister has everything. Except a pulse.

Julie Chan, a supermarket cashier with nothing to lose, finds herself thrust into the glamorous yet perilous world...

This week, Gare, Steph and i talk about books we took risks on that we ended up loving!

Books We Talked About

Lion Women of Tehran Marjan Kamali

Hush Anne Frasier

The Wedding People Alison Espach

An Academy for Liars Alexis Henderson

A Density of Souls Christopher Rice

The Shards Bret Easton Ellis

We Used to Live Here Marcus Kliewer

The Paper Palace Miranda Cowley Heller

IKEA Bookshelf

Ring Page Turner

Paperfeel/Matte iPad Screen...

THIS EPISODE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR AGATHA ALL ALONG

A couple weeks ago, Halley told me she watched Agatha All Along and loved it, which lead to me binging it in one week. We reconvened and broke down all of our favorite parts of this (dare I say) perfectly written show!

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...

This week, Marisha Lunde, Gare and I set out to talk about psychological thrillers, but veered into all kinds of other topics, including reality TV. The episode may feel a little disjointed at times, because a tornado touched down near my home and I lost power in the middle of the episode as well as a few other times. Otherwise, enjoy meeting Marisha Lunde and hearing about her journey on Bookstagram!

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This week, I got to talk with Saumya Dave about her new thriller The Guilt Pill! She shares how she found the inspiration for the book, how her work as a psychiatrist informed the book, and how she started the book while pregnant with her first child, and finished it while she was pregnant with her second!

The Guilt Pill Synopsis

What if women could get rid of their guilt?

Maya Patel has it all—her own start-up, a sexy, doting husband, influencer status, and now, a new baby. Or does she? Because be...

This week, Halley and I do a DEEP dive into our thoughts after the season three finale of The White Lotus. Grab a piña colada and enjoy! 🙃

Links Mentioned:

White Lotus Podcast

No Nonsense Spirituality

Take on Death in Season 3

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Gare Billings @gareindeedreads

If you're listening to these episodes as their air, you're getting what was going to be April 8ths Tuesday episode today, because Halley Sutton and I HAD to talk White Lotus Spoilers and finale predictions!

If you want to skip White Lotus spoilers (through Season 3 Episode 7) you can listen to the first few minutes, and when I say skip to this timestamp if you don't want spoilers, skip ahead to 31:02. *Yes, there were 25 mins worth of White Lotus to talk about, and really, we could've probably done 90 minutes on it.

Then, we talk about how...

This week, Gare, Steph and I share some of our favorite single POV thrillers!

Books We Talked About

And Now She’s Gone

Chasing the Boogeyman

The Devil and Mrs Davenport

The Book of Essie

The Family Tree

Things We Do in the Dark

An Anonymous Girl

Providence

Their Vicious Games

Kismet

Look What You Made Me Do

Sugar

A Criminal Defense

The Inmate

The Mirror House Gi...

This week I got to talk with Olesya Lyuzna about her historical noir Glitter in the Dark! We dive into Olesya's lifelong obsession with the 1920s, some wild facts she learned while researching, and how humans have always been chasing really similar feelings, even 100 years ago.

Glitter in the Dark Synopsis

The search for a kidnapped singer in Prohibition-era New York leads an intrepid reporter from Harlem speakeasies to the dazzling world of the theater, all while grappling with her warring passions.

Ambitious advice columnist Ginny Dugan knows she’s capable of more th...

This week, I got to talk with Elizabeth Rose Quinn about her new thriller Follow Me! We dive into the personal inspiration for this book, and how cathartic it was to write as a new mother.

Follow Me Synopsis

After her twin sister, Chiara, goes missing at a mom-fluencer weekend, Adrienne Shaw will find her no matter what it takes. They may have been on the outs, but no one comes for her sister and gets away with it.

It’s been a year, the authorities have no answers, and her brother-in-law is us...

Gare, Steph and I share more Kindle Unlimited thrillers so you can basically read for free.

Blacktop Wasteland

Valentine

The Devil and Mrs Davenport

Fractured

The Butcher

Strange Sally Diamond

Like a Sister

The Good Lie

Darling Girls

The Memory Watcher

Ricochet

Such Quiet Girls

A Killer’s Code

The Secret Witness

Slewfoot

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This week, I got to chat with Emily Carpenter about her new horror-thriller Gothictown.  We dive into how a newspaper article she saw during the pandemic inspired the story, and how she crafted such a creepy vibe for Julianna, Georgia.  

Gothictown Synopsis

Welcome to gentle Juliana, where you can have it all…if you pay the price.

The email that lands in Billie Hope’s inbox seems like a gift from the universe. For $100, she can purchase a spacious Victorian home in Juliana, Georgia, a small town eager to boost its economy in the wa...

This week, I got to chat with one of our podcast faves ASHLEY WINSTEAD! In her third appearance on the show, we talk about her new thriller, This Book Will Bury Me, and how she exorcized her own demons after she found herself obsessed with true crime forums in the wake of her father's unexpected death. She shares why she was drawn to writing a roman à clef about grief and true crime obsession, and her willingness to critique herself through that form.

This Book Will Bury Me Synopsis

It's the most famous crime in modern h...

Today, Gare and I talk with Marshall Karp about his book that we all loved (Gare, Steph and me) Don't Tell Me How To Die. He shares the inspiration for the book and how his determination to get the story right delivered us one of our new favorite books!

Synopsis

I have one thing to do before I die.
And time is running out.

I had it all: a fantastic husband, two great kids, an exciting career. And then, at the age of forty-three, I found out I would be dead before...

This week, Gare and I share books we think will cure your White Lotus hangover after the season finale!

Books We Talked About

Born for This

It Could Be Anyone

Running Cold

We Were Never Here

The Hollywood Assistant

She Started It

The Whispers

The Vacationers

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This week, I talk with Nick Kolakowski about his mystery-thriller Where the Bones Lie! We dive into the inspiration for the story, his closeness to one of the characters, and how he subverted the noir genre.

Where the Bones Lie Synopsis

For Dash Fuller, Hollywood’s underbelly is home. He’s spent years making the film industry’s worst secrets disappear, and it’s left him a cynical burnout with a taste for bourbon and self-loathing.

But when a young woman comes to him with a peculiar quest, Dash sees a chance at redempti...

This week, Gare and I share some of our favorite popcorn thrillers, AND discuss actors we want to see on future seasons of White Lotus.

Books We Talked About

If You See Me

Return to Midnight

On the Surface

You Killed Me First

This Girl’s A Killer

The Teacher

The Astrology House

The Final Act

The Lake of Lost Girls

Count My Lies

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This week, Halley Sutton and I introduce a new series about writing! I've said on this podcast a few times that I will finish my book this year, and this series is a way to make sure I do spend time on it, and stay in the writing state of mind. For our first topic of this series, we talk about things that keep us close to writing even when we aren't putting down tons of words.

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This week, Gare and I talk about books we wish we could erase from our memories and re-read!

Books We Discussed

Local Woman Missing

The Last Winter of Dani Lansing

The Night Bird

The Girl Who Was Taken

1984

The Shards

All the Missing Girls

What You Don’t Know

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This week, Gare, Steph and I talk about 2025 thrillers we are excited about!

Glitter in the Dark

Count My Lies

This Book Will Bury Me

Immaculate Conception

The Death of Us

Whispers of Dead Girls

A Thousand Natural Shocks

The Missing Half

Don’t Tell Me How to Die

The Memory Collectors

One in Four

Their Double Lives

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