Tennis, Tech & Tension: Elise Hart Kipness on Close Call
Journalist-turned-novelist Elise Hart Kipness serves up high-stakes suspense in her latest thriller Close Call. Inspired by her own career in reporting, Elise shares why she set a kidnapping story against the cutthroat backdrop of professional tennis. We talk about how technology raises the stakes in her thrillers, what it takes to write convincingly about pro athletes, and the delicate balance between adrenaline-pumping pacing and the emotional weight of secrets, betrayals, and family ties.Step onto the court if you dare—download and listen today.
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Murder, Media & The Method: Hank Phillippi Ryan on The House Guest
Hank Phillippi Ryan joins us to talk about The House Guest and the killer details behind her storytelling. She shares her preferred method of murder on the page—and how it helps her characters reclaim their power. We dig into the discipline of sitting down to write for months while trusting the process, the balance of being both a bestselling novelist and an Emmy-winning investigative reporter, and the not-so-surprising career advice she once got from Harlan Coben.Download and listen today—because with Hank, every secret has a breaking point.
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Twins, Secrets & Tension: Sarah Pekkanen on The Locked Ward
Bestselling author Sarah Pekkanen takes us inside The Locked Ward, a chilling story born from her real-life visit to an actual psychiatric ward. We talk about the fascinating nature vs. nurture dynamic of twins separated at birth, the delicate balance of portraying mental illness with sensitivity and respect, and the technical challenge of controlling what readers know—and when. Packed with tension, empathy, and psychological depth, this episode pulls back the curtain on Sarah’s most haunting novel yet.Download and listen today—before visiting hours in The Locked Ward are over.
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25 Books of Murder & Mayhem: Karin Slaughter on We Are All Guilty Here
We’re celebrating a milestone with Karin Slaughter—her 25th novel, We Are All Guilty Here! Karin takes us inside her newest thriller and introduces a powerful new protagonist destined to keep readers hooked for books to come. We talk about her fearless approach to writing violence against women with both urgency and empathy, and what it’s like to see her stories leap from the page to the television screen. Twenty-five novels in, and Karin shows no signs of slowing down.Download and listen today—because Karin Slaughter always delivers the kill.
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Arson, Twists & Real-World Stakes: James L’Etoile on River of Lies
James L’Etoile joins us to talk about River of Lies, a gripping mystery that blends page-turning suspense with real-world social issues. He shares his fiery research into arson, how he crafts twists that are as ironic as they are iconic, and the challenge of weaving relevance into riveting storytelling. We also shine a light on James’s work as a tireless volunteer in the crime writing community—and how giving back fuels his creative life. Download and listen today for a smart, twisty ride through mystery, meaning, and murder.
Three best-selling authors talking about killing (of the fictional kind) with the best thriller and suspense authors in the business. Killer cocktails, killer conversations, and killer guests with hosts Kimberly Belle, Heather Gudenkauf, and Kaira Rouda.
South Africa