Bookwild

This week, I talk with Carter Wilson about his new page turner Tell Me What You Did. We dive into the inspiration for Poe's name, what got him writing about a podcaster, and how he crafted a chilling nemesis.Tell Me What You Did SynopsisShe gets people to confess their crimes for a living. He knows she's hiding a terrible secret. It's time for the truth to come out…Poe Webb, host of a popular true crime podcast, invites people to anonymously confess crimes they've committed to her audience. She can't guarantee the police won't come after her "guests," but her show grants simultaneous anonymity and instant fame—a potent combination that's proven difficult to resist. After an episode recording, Poe usually erases both criminal and crime from her mind.But when a strange and oddly familiar man appears on her show, Poe is forced to take a second look. Not only because he claims to be her mother's murderer from years ago, but because Poe knows something no one else does. Her mother's murderer is dead.Poe killed him.From the USA Today bestselling author of The Dead Girl in 2A and The New Neighbor comes a chilling new thriller that forces the question: are murderers always the bad guys? Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

After three days of bookish tourism, my sister-in-law Jamie and I recapped our trip while we waited to board at LaGuardia. We dove into Liz and Greg's Trust Issues Book Launch, the bookstore crawl we completed, and how we slowly became subway girlies. Some parts may be choppy since we had to pause for airport announcements! Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, I got to talk with Jakob Kerr about his new technothriller Dead Money! We dive into hos his experience in Silicon Valley informed the book, why the tech industry is a prime thriller setting, and how he came up with one of the best intro paragraphs.Dead Money SynopsisDon’t call me a fixer. This isn’t HBO.In her job as unofficial “problem solver” for Silicon Valley’s most ruthless venture capitalist, Mackenzie Clyde’s gotten used to playing for high stakes. Even if none of those tech-bro millions she’s so good at wrangling ever make it into her pockets.But this time, she’s in way over her head—or so it seems.The lightning-rod CEO of tech’s hottest startup has just been murdered, leaving behind billions in “dead money” frozen in his will. As the company’s chief investor, Mackenzie’s boss has a fortune on the line—and with the police treading water, it’s up to Mackenzie to step up and resolve things, fast.Mackenzie’s a lawyer, not a detective. Cracking this fiendishly clever killing, with its list of suspects that reads like a who’s-who of Valley power players, should be way out of her league.Except that Mackenzie’s used to being underestimated. In fact, she’s counting on it.Because the way she sees it, this isn’t an investigation. It’s an opportunity. And she’ll do anything it takes to seize it.Anything at all.Featuring jaw-dropping twists and a wily, outsider heroine you can’t help rooting for, Dead Money is a brilliant sleight-of-hand mystery. Written by a longtime insider, it is also a dead-on snapshot of the Valley’s rich and famous—and a glimpse at the darkness lurking behind the tech world’s cheery facade. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, Gare, Steph and I talk about the next 3 books on our TBRs!Books We Talked AboutTemperRabbitsVantage PointThe Dark Hours A Long Time GoneA Killer’s MindThe ReformatoryWhere Are the Children?The Last Caretaker Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Tyler and I finish up our recap of the movies we saw in theaters in 2024!Movies We Talked AboutOddityIt Ends With Us Strange DarlingBlink TwiceSaturday NightAfrAIdVenom: The Last DanceAnoraHereticConclaveGladiator IIInterstellarBabygirl Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, Halley Sutton, Steph Lauer and I talk with Layne Fargo about her new book The Favorites! We dive into her inspiration for the book, trips Halley and Layne took to research the book, how she used character names from Wuthering Heights in The Favorites, and her lifelong love for figure skating!The Favorites SynopsisShe might not have a famous name, funding, or her family’s support, but Katarina Shaw has always known that she was destined to become an Olympic skater. When she meets Heath Rocha, a lonely kid stuck in the foster care system, their instant connection makes them a formidable duo on the ice. Clinging to skating—and each other—to escape their turbulent lives, Kat and Heath go from childhood sweethearts to champion ice dancers, captivating the world with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style, and rollercoaster relationship. Until a shocking incident at the Olympic Games brings their partnership to a sudden end.As the ten-year anniversary of their final skate approaches, an unauthorized documentary reignites the public obsession with Shaw and Rocha, claiming to uncover the "real story" through interviews with their closest friends and fiercest rivals. Kat wants nothing to do with the documentary. But she can't stand the thought of someone else defining her legacy either. So, after a decade of silence, she's telling her story: from the childhood tragedies that created her all-consuming bond with Heath to the clash of desires that tore them apart. Sensational rumors have haunted their every step for years, but the truth may be even more shocking than the headlines.Inspired by the powerful love and hate that fuel Emily Bronte’s classic, Wuthering Heights, The Favorites is an exhilarating dance between passion, ambition, and what it truly means to win. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, Gare and I chose our own sub-genres to give recommendations for!I chose "Mind Benders" and Gare chose "Missing Persons/Cold Cases" so if you are looking for books in either of those genres, we've got you covered!Kate's BooksRecursionI’m Thinking of Ending ThingsThe Mechanics of MemoryThe New OneStay AwakeGare's BooksThe Lost HouseA Flicker in the DarkThe Man on the TrainLeave the Girls BehindAll Good People Here Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, Tyler joins me to discuss the many movies we saw in 2024 thanks to our AMC membership.Movies We Talked AboutAnyone But YouAmerican FictionArgylleDuneDune 2Civil WarMonkey ManChallengersThe Fall GuyFuriosa: A Mad Max SagaInside Out 2Bad Boys: Ride or DieThe BikeridersMaxxxineLonglegsTwistersA Quite Place: Day OneDeadpool & Wolverine Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, we catch up on how our holidays went, talk about words/phrases of the year for 2025, and share ore backlist thrillers we want to read!Books We Talked AboutHostageTake it BackWhat January RemembersWe SpreadSuch a Pretty SmileThe Truth About Melody BrowneOutSummer RentalSuch Sharp TeethThe House on Needless StreetThin AirNotes on Your Sudden Disappearance Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

There isn't an author interview this Tuesday, so I did a year in review solo episode! I dive into everything that happened with Bookwild in 2024, including merging Between the Lines and Killing the Tea into Bookwild, the co-hosts that joined this year, bookish friendships created, repeat author guests, writing progress, Imposter Hour and Bookwild's Backlist Book Club! Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, Halley, Gare and I catch up and also share 2025 book releases we are super excited about!Books We Talked AboutThis Book Will Bury MeBeautiful UglyCross My HeartDon’t Let Him InA Serial Killer’s Guide to MarriageVictorian PsychoHigh SeasonA Gorgeous ExcitementVantage Point Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, Gare, Steph and each chose a hyped book and share three books like it that deserve more hype!Kate's Books Like The Guest List (And White Lotus)The Astrology HouseYou Can Trust MeIt Could Be AnyoneSteph's Books Like The PushThe First Day of SpringBlood SugarMonday’s Not ComingGare's Books Like The Luckiest Girl AliveEverything You Want Me to BeNice GirlsWhite Ivy Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, Gare, Steph and I chose our own genres to pick books from, and tried to guess what each other picked based on our choices! Listen and you can play along with us!Kate’s PicksThe PredictionFatal IntrusionDead MoneySteph's PicksA Step Past DarknessJane DoeThe Mindfuck SeriesGare's PicksThe Girls Are All So Nice HereTell Me EverythingOnly If You’re Lucky Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, I talk with Sagit Schwartz about her new short story thriller Broken Threads! We dive into the inspiration for the story, the fun of writing short stories, and the Easter egg for her next novel.Broken Threads SynopsisWhen Clare loses her job as a technical writer at a pharmaceutical company due to AI, she has one month’s rent saved and a historical fiction novel she’s been unable to get published. Desperate, she turns to Amber, a young influencer in her apartment building, for help promoting the book.Amber offers Clare a shocking deal: fifty percent of the profits—if Clare allows her to claim the novel as her own. Running out of money and options, Claire hesitantly agrees.Then, the unimaginable happens. The book is an instant runaway hit—a viral phenomenon, skyrocketing to the top of multiple bestseller lists. Literary agents reach out to Amber, eager to sign her, and Clare begins to suspect Amber is cheating her out of money. Until Amber is found dead… Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, Gare and Steph and I share SOME of our favorite books we read in 2024! I have to add that we all had plenty of others we loved, and it was hard to just pick a few for this episode.Books We Talked AboutWe Used to Live HereReturn to MidnightMargo’s Got Money TroublesAn Academy for LiarsThe Lake of Lost GirlsLula Dean’s Little Library of Banned BooksThe Last PartyRabbit HoleListen for the LieMadwomanOnly If You’re LuckyDon’t Forget the GirlNo Road HomeHow We Named the StarsThe Golden Cage Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, I talk with Karen E. Osborne about how she published her first book at 69, and continued publishing more! We dive into the grit and grace that permeate all of her stories, and her desire to see survivors of trauma as thrivers and not just the "bad guys" of a story.Follow Karen's podcast on YouTube hereAnd check out her website here Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Halley Sutton is back this week, and per usual, we cover ALL the things! We dive into the visuals of Gladiator II vs the plot, Michael Schur's A Man on the Inside, and give a writing challenge update. Then, we get to our main topic: the difference between twists and reveals. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, I talk with Pip Drysdale about her new Hollywood thriller The Close Up! We dive into her inspiration for the book, how she made LA come to life, and writing a book within a book.The Close Up SynopsisWhen Zoe Ann Weiss moves to Los Angeles to pursue her dream of becoming a writer, her whole future is wide open. But then Zach, the bartender and aspiring actor she’s falling for, ghosts her. Her debut novel, a thriller, fails. And she has writer’s block worse than ever before. Now, three years later, Zach is famous and Zoe is... not.She’s facing her thirtieth birthday, a dead-end job at a flower shop, and a demanding agent, terrified she’ll never get her life back on track. But when she goes to make a flower delivery and Zach is at the address, it’s like no time has passed at all. They start casually dating in secret, her writer’s block disappears, and Zoe begins to feel Zach inspired her first novel, so why can’t he inspire her second? But then the inevitable happens and photos are leaked, landing Zoe in the press. Her first novel goes viral, and now everyone seems to know her name. Except the problem with everyone knowing your name is that everyone knows your name—including the mysterious stalker obsessed with Zach. A stalker who begins reenacting violent events from Zoe’s book, step by step, against her... Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, I talk with Victor Methos about his chilling new legal thriller The Silent Watcher. We dive into how Batman inspired the story, how Victor's work as a lawyer has informed his writing, and how he writes multiple books a year.The Silent Watcher SynopsisFar from the neon glare of the Vegas strip, attorney Piper Danes walks away from a hotshot law firm to work as a guardian ad litem (GAL). Piper was once a vulnerable youth herself, and a GAL gave her hope when she needed it most. Now she’s committed to paying it forward.Her first case is unlike any fifteen-year-old Sophie Grace is the sole survivor of a gruesome family murder. Teaming up with the formidable Judge Hope Dawson and enigmatic Detective Lazarus Holloway, Piper delves into a world more sinister than she could have imagined.Their hunt for the truth leads to a serial killer known only as “The Creeper,” a predator who hides in the shadows. But as the team inches closer to unveiling the murderer, they find themselves in the crosshairs. Trapped in a web of lies, Piper will do anything to protect Sophie and stop the killer…before she becomes his next victim. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

I just finished reading We Used to Live Here, and it was truly one of my favorite reading experiences ever! I was annotating and highlighting like a mad woman, and just had to make some content diving into as many of the intricacies as I could. This entire video is FULL OF SPOILERS, so if you haven't read it yet, this isn't the video for you. If you have read it, I'd love to hear any of your theories or questions in the comments! Links mentioned in the book:http://rare-toy-forums.net/http://rare-toy-forums.net/watching.html Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, Gare, Steph and I are talking about thrillers we are excited to read that will be released between December 2024-February 2025!Books We Talked AboutDeath of the AuthorTrust IssuesBeautiful UglyThis Violent HeartCross My HeartThe FavoritesTell Me What You DidA Gorgeous ExcitementNo Place Left to HideThe Lost HouseA Killing ColdThe Mirror House GirlsA Girl Like UsThe Three Live of Kate Cay Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, I talk with Emma Dues about her stunningly creepy debut thriller Return to Midnight! We dive into the inspo for the book, how teaching affects her writing, and the mystery inherent to Victorian mansions.Return to Midnight SynopsisNearly ten years ago, five Ohio university students were murdered in an off-campus Victorian home. The media dubbed it the Midnight House Massacre. Ever since, survivor and novelist Margot Davis has wanted to forget it, and never again utter the killer’s name. Until she’s compelled to write her side of the story. To do that, she’s returning to Midnight House.It’ll be a chance for Margot to reconnect with other survivors, heal the trauma, and dispel the ugly conspiracy theories of obsessed true crime fanatics. But when news of Margot’s book gets out, she receives a threatening note that demands she stop lying. Or else. It chills Margot’s blood. Because she hasn’t been telling the whole truth.As the threats continue, each more sinister than the last, a journalist comes to Margot with new suspicions about that brutal October night. Now, to save her own life, Margot must reveal her well-guarded secrets—ones that, for good reason, she’s been too terrified to share. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, Halley and I once again commit to one subject, and end up covering multiple. On top of some great female rage thriller recommendations, we dive into the film Heretic, talk about religions' obsessions with rules and workarounds, and get into a brief rant about twists verses reveals (more on that in future episodes).Books with Female RageThis GIrl’s a KillerIn Defense of WitchesThe Lion Women of TehranThey Never LearnTheir Vicious GamesHouse WomanHer Name is KnightSmile and Look PrettyHurt for MeA Certain HungerLay Your Body DownOutEleven PercentThe Lady Upstairs Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, I got to talk with Jan Gangsei about her salacious new thriller Dead Below Deck! We dive into how the idea came to her, how she chose to structure it, and what drew her to YA.Dead Below Deck SynopsisIt was supposed to be the best-ever girls’ trip: five days, four friends, one luxury yacht, no parents. But on the final night, as the yacht cruised the deep and dark waters between Florida and Grand Cayman, eighteen-year-old heiress Giselle vanished. She’s nowhere to be found the next morning even after a frantic search, until security footage surfaces . . . showing Maggie pushing her overboard.But Maggie has no memory of what happened. All she knows is that she woke up with a throbbing headache, thousands of dollars in cash in her safe, a passport that isn’t hers, and Giselle’s diary. And while Maggie had her own reasons to want Giselle dead, so did everyone else on board: jealous Viv, calculating Emi, even some members of the staff.What really went down on the top deck that night? Maggie will have to work her way backward to uncover the secrets that everyone—even Giselle—kept below deck or she’s dead in the water. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week Vanessa Lillie and Gare “Bleak” Billings share recommendations from Indigenous authors for Native American Heritage Month, and I think I might be reading fast paced, paranormal horror for the rest of the year! Check out these great recommendations:The Berry PickersBlood SistersNever Whistle at NightThe Only Good IndiansBad CreeThe Haunting of Room 904ShutterWinter CountsWhere They Last Saw HerThe Highway of TearsNever Name the DeadOn the Savage SideAnd Then She FellVencoIndian Burial GroundSisters of the Lost Nation Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, I got to talk with Emma C. Wells about her stunning debut serial killer thriller This Girl's a Killer! We dive into her inspiration for the book, how Cordelia was unavoidable for her, and the way women have to consider violence in ways men don't. This Girl's a Killer SynopsisAsk Cordelia Black why she did it. The answer will always be: He had it coming.Cordelia Black loves exactly three things: Her chosen family, her hairdresser (worth every penny plus tip), and killing bad men.By day she's an ambitious pharma rep with a flawless reputation and designer wardrobe. By night, she culls South Louisiana of unscrupulous men―monsters who think they've evaded justice, until they meet her. Sure, the evening news may have started throwing around phrases like "serial killer," but Cordelia knows that's absurd. She's not a killer, she is simply karma. And being karma requires complete and utter control.But when Cordelia discovers a flaw in her perfectly designed system for eliminating monsters, pressure heightens. And it only intensifies when her best friend starts dating a man Cordelia isn't sure is a good person. Someone who might just unravel everything she has worked for.Soon enough Cordelia has to come face to face with the choices she's made. The good, the bad, and the murderous. Both her family, and her freedom, depend on it. Check out Bitter Southerner where Emma got her Hell Hath No Fury shirt If you've enjoyed episode of Bookwild, an easy way to support ongoing episodes and content is to join the Bookwild Patreon. Just $5 a month helps me spend more time on this content, and bring you more of it! And if you're interested in Bookwild's Backlist Book Club, you can join the $10 tier and chat with the community at Book Club each month! Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, Gare, Steph and I share backlist books we really want to read. We also manage to sneak in two that aren't even really backlist, but we still want to read them too!Comfort ShowsEnglish TeacherInsecureTop ChefHow to Die AloneLaw & Order: SVU Books We Talked AboutGodshotThe Year of the WitchingThe Lake of Lost GirlsThe Lighthouse WitchesBeautiful PeoplePlaying DeadBlack SheepThe Memory PoliceReturn to MidnightHer Pretty FaceThe Bright LandsElevenAmerican PsychoThe CipherThe Final Act Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week I got to talk with writing duo Katherine Greene, made up of A. Meredith Walters and Claire C. Riley. We dive into how they became friends and writing partners, the initial image that was the inspiration for this story, and how they approach writing thrillers together.The Lake of Lost Girls SynopsisIt's 1998, and female students are going missing at Southern State University in North Carolina. But freshman Jessica Fadley, once a bright and responsible student, is going through her own struggles. Just as her life seems to be careening dangerously out of control, she suddenly disappears.Twenty-four years later, Jessica's sister Lindsey is desperately searching for answers and uses the momentum of a new chart-topping true crime podcast, Ten Seconds to Vanish, that focuses on the cold cases, to guide her own investigation. Soon, interest reaches fever pitch when the bodies of the long-missing women begin turning up at a local lake, which leads Lindsey down a disturbing road of discovery.In the present, one sister seeks to untangle a complicated web of lies.In the past, the other descends ever deeper into a darkness that will lead to her ultimate fate.This propulsive and chilling suspense is a sharp examination of sisterhood and the culture of true crime. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, Halley Sutton and I talk about scandals both fictional and non-fictional!Books, Movies, Docs We Talked AboutThe Seven Husbands of Evelyn HugoThe Sin Eater: The Crimes of Anthony PellicanoScotty and the Secret History of HollywoodOnce More From the TopDid You Hear About Kitty KarrFanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and SaraThought Crimes: The Case of the Cannibal CopMommy Dead and DearestI Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth V. Michelle CarterHollywood BabylonMissing White WomanThe Two Mrs. GrenvillesLa Cote Basque, 1965You're Wrong AboutThe FavoritesOn the SurfacePicnic at Hanging RockThe Hurricane BlondeThe Lady Upstairs Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, I talk with Danielle Trussoni about her new installment in The Puzzle Series, The Puzzle Box! We dive into how she created this genre-mashup of a series, what piqued her interest in puzzles, and the puzzle masters she works with for her books.The Puzzle Box SynopsisIt is the Year of the Wood Dragon, and the ingenious Mike Brink has been invited to Tokyo, Japan, to open the legendary Dragon Box.The box was constructed during one of Japan’s most tumultuous periods, when the samurai class was disbanded and the shogun lost power. In this moment of crisis, Emperor Meiji locked a priceless Imperial secret in the Dragon Box. Only two people knew how to open the box—Meiji and the box’s sadistic constructor—and both died without telling a soul what was inside or how to open it.Every twelve years since then, in the Year of the Dragon, the Imperial family holds a clandestine contest to open the box. It is devilishly difficult, filled with tricks, booby traps, poisons, and mind-bending twists. Every puzzle master who has attempted to open it has died in the process.But Brink is not just any puzzle master. He may be the only person alive who can crack it. His determination is matched only by that of two sisters, descendants of an illustrious samurai clan, who will stop at nothing to claim the treasure.Brink’s quest launches him on a breakneck adventure across Japan, from the Imperial Palace in Tokyo to the pristine forests of Hakone to an ancient cave in Kyushu. In the process, he discovers the power of Meiji’s hidden treasure, and—more crucially—the true nature of his extraordinary talent. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, Gare, Steph and I share some of our auto-buy authors and rank the top 3 books we've read of theirs!Books We Talked AboutAmina AkhtarKismetAlmost Surely Dead#fashionvictimCatherine Ryan HowardThe TrapThe Liar's GirlThe Nothing ManJulia HeaberlinBlack Eyed SusansNight Will Find YouWe Are All the Same in the DarkJ.M. CannonThis Family LiesBlood OrangesThe Flash GirlsChevy StevensThose GirlsStill MissingDark RoadsSally HepworthThe Good SisterDarling GirlsThe Mother-in-LawSusan WalterOver Her Dead BodyLie By the PoolRunning ColdLucinda BerrySaving NoahIf You Tell a LieOff the Deep EndSimone St. JamesThe Broken GirlsThe Sundown MotelThe Haunting of Maddy Clare Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, I talk with Alexis Henderson about her new dark academia, psychological magic thriller An Academy for Liars. We dive into her initial idea for the book, how she explored consent in the context of psychological magic, and the intricacies of free will.An Academy for Liars SynopsisLennon Carter’s life is falling apart. Then she gets a mysterious phone call inviting her to take the entrance exam for Drayton College, a school of magic hidden in a secret pocket of Savannah. Lennon has been chosen because—like everyone else at the school—she has the innate gift of persuasion, the ability to wield her will like a weapon, using it to control others and, in rare cases, matter itself. After passing the test, Lennon begins to learn how to master her devastating and unsettling power. But despite persuasion’s heavy toll on her body and mind, she is wholly captivated by her studies, by Drayton’s lush, moss-draped campus, and by her brilliant classmates. But even more captivating is her charismatic adviser, Dante, who both intimidates and enthralls her. As Lennon continues in her studies, her control grows, and she starts to uncover more about the secret world she has entered into, including the disquieting history of Drayton College. She is increasingly disturbed by what she learns, for it seems that the ultimate test is to embrace absolute power without succumbing to corruption...and it’s a test she’s terrified she’s going to fail. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Time for a bonus episode!! I've had so much fun talking to so many of you about Tell Me Lies, and I just had to do an episode on my thoughts now that we've all seen season two. I recap all the key moments of each episode, and share what I thought was happening in the moment I watched it verses how I view it now with the context of the whole season. DM me with any of your thoughts and reactions! Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, Halley Sutton joins me to talk about hyped books we have on our TBRs but haven't gotten to reading yet. We also, somehow, accidentally, platform men??Books We Talked AboutKate’s PicksThe PlotThe God of the WoodsHidden PicturesWrong Place Wrong TimeTomorrow and Tomorrow and TomorrowHalley’s PicksThe Moonflower MurdersLessons in ChemistryThe MaidensUntamedAnita de Monte Laughs LastThe Searcher Other BooksThe Graveyard ShiftNight Side of the RiverThis Girl’s a Killer Movies We Talked AboutA Girl Walks Home Alone At NightIt's What's InsideThe Substance Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, I talk with Carinn Jade about her deliciously twisty thriller The Astrology House. We dive into her lifelong interest in astrology, the inspiration for the book, and exploring fate vs free will.Check out the Pop Fiction Women podcast too!The Astrology House SynopsisMargot needs a minute. She’s been working eighty-hour weeks as a newly minted partner at her law firm. She’s disconnected from her brother, the only family she has left. And she’s still not pregnant after years of trying.Stars Harbor Astrological Retreat promises rest, relaxation, and wisdom for Margot and her friends. With Instagram-worthy views and nightly astrology readings in an impeccably restored waterfront Victorian house, this resort should be the ultimate getaway.For Margot’s brother, Adam, it’s the perfect opportunity to invigorate his romantic life and inspire his writing. But his wife, Aimee, hides the darkness of her past with a beautiful social media feed. Their friend, Farah, is a successful doctor who cannot admit that she’s losing control.Yet no one holds a greater secret than their astrologer host, Rini. She has a plan for her guests, and one of them won’t be leaving Stars Harbor alive. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, Gare, Steph and I share thrillers on Kindle Unlimited that you just have to read!KU Books We Talked AboutFatal IntrusionThe InmateReal EasyThe PredictionThe ThicketHis & HersA Flicker in the DarkThe Murder Between UsJane DoeThis Family LiesThe Drowned GirlsThe HeiressOther Books We Talked AboutGaslightSugarWhite Girl ProblemsPyschosAmerican Babe Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, I talk with Rob Hart and Alex Segura about their new space thriller Dark Space. We dive into their world building, their joint writing process, and how speculative fiction helps us examine present truths.Dark Space SynopsisIf life were fair, ace pilot Jose Carriles should have ended up a desk jockey like his former friend Corin Timony, back on the lunar colony of New Destiny. Instead, he’s the pilot of the Mosaic—a massive ship taking the Interstellar Union’s first-ever mission to outside our solar system.Timony should have been the best spy at the Bazaar, the lunar colony’s international intelligence arm. Instead, she’s been demoted to admin duties like monitoring long-range communications. She has no one to blame but herself—and maybe Carriles.But when the Mosaic experiences a series of strange malfunctions and Carriles is forced to take a wild gamble to save the ship, he begins to suspect the reasons behind the exploratory mission weren’t exactly on the up-and-up.At the same time, Timony’s old instincts kick in as she realizes the distress call she received from the Mosaic has been wiped without a trace.As people start to end up dead and loyalties are tested, Timony and Carriles find themselves entangled in a star-spanning conspiracy that drags them through the darkest corners of their government—and their own personal failures—and face-to-face with a reckoning that could destroy humanity as we know it. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, I talk with Susan Walter about her new skiing related thriller Running Cold. We dive into how the Banff Springs Hotel felt like it deserved a murder mystery, Susan's own love for skiing, and how she manages so many POVs.Running Cold SynopsisJulie Adler’s perfect facade is shattered by grief when her husband commits suicide. His death reveals that their luxurious California life was a house of cards, and his secret business dealings have left Julie penniless.As she strikes out on her own, Julie feels drawn to her old stomping grounds in Banff, a charming and isolated ski town where she once trained for the Olympics. She finds work as a housekeeper at a luxury resort, but just as she starts to piece together a new life, an eccentric guest turns up dead. And Julie, the last person seen in her hotel room, is the prime suspect.The evidence is stacked against her, but even in the encroaching blizzard, Julie knows her way around these mountains. She just needs to evade the police long enough to find the truth behind the murder…and before the real killer finds her first. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, I catch up with Halley Sutton who just got back from her trip to Egypt. She shares highlights from the trip, and books she read while there, including one with Egypt as a setting. We talk about bookish news and some 2025 books we are excited for, and dive into the movie Strange Darling, the movie Oddity and the TV show Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. We basically cover it all!Books We Talked AboutThe God of the WoodsWhat the River KnowsThe FavoritesSay Nothing : Memory and MurderThis Book Will Bury MeTrial By AmbushThis Girl’s a KillerThe Astrology HouseHouse of Hunger TV Shows We Talked AboutSecret Lives of Mormon Wives Movies We Talked AboutStrange DarlingOddityMy Old Ass Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, I talk with Lauren Ling Brown about her debut dark academia thriller Society of Lies! We dive into the inspiration for the idea, the moral dilemma at its core, and how her personal experiences influenced the novel.Society of Lies SynopsisMaya has returned to Princeton for her college reunion—it’s been a decade since she graduated, and she is looking forward to seeing old faces and reminiscing about her time there. This visit is special because Maya will also be attending the graduation of her little sister, Naomi.But what should have been a dream weekend becomes Maya’s worst nightmare when she receives the news that Naomi is dead. The police are calling it an accident, but Maya suspects that there is more to the story than they are letting on.As Maya pieces together what happened in the months leading up to her sister’s death, she begins to realize how much Naomi hid from her. Despite Maya’s warnings, Naomi had joined Sterling Club, the most exclusive social club on campus—the same one Maya belonged to. And if she had to guess, Naomi was likely tapped for the secret society within it.The more Maya uncovers, the more terrified she becomes that Naomi’s decision to follow in her footsteps might have been what got her killed. Because Maya’s time at Princeton wasn’t as wonderful as she’d always made it seem—after all, her sister wasn’t the first young woman to turn up dead. Now every clue is leading Maya back to the past . . . and to the secret she’s kept all these years. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

In "honor" of National Podcast Day on September 30, Gare, Steph and I share some of our favorite thrillers with podcasts in the plots!Books We Talked AboutThe Night SwimDon’t Forget the GirlThings We Do in the DarkListen for the LiePenanceGirl, 11Truth Be ToldMargo’s Got Money TroubleSadieAll the Dangerous ThingsThe Last HousewifeAlmost Surely DeadNone of This is TrueThe Weight of BloodSix Stories Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, I talk with Damian McCarthy about his genre-mashup, paranormal horror thriller Oddity. We dive into how he crafted plot around visuals, and how he brought together multiple ideas into Oddity's fabric.Oddity SynopsisA psychic medium attempts to uncover the truth behind her sister's murder at the site of the crime. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, I talk with Audra McElyea about her newest thriller Hush Dear Sister. We dive into the inspiration behind the story, the Gothic mansion as its own character, complex sister dynamics and the freedom of self-publishing.Hush Dear Sister SynopsisAfter a tragic accident she can’t quite remember, forty-something-year-old beloved Hollywood actress Annette Taylor finds herself bound to a wheelchair with several injuries. Living in Crawford Manor, the Gothic Hollywood mansion from the film that made her famous, has become too much for her to handle alone, so she must rely on her estranged, child-star sister, Sophia, to help take care of her.Shortly after a serial killer targeting actresses emerges, the sisters agree to be filmed in the house together for renowned producer and director Frank Baxter’s new documentary about their life. Only Annette seems to be getting worse, and the rumored hauntings inside Crawford Manor prove to be more than just Hollywood legend.When Annette’s ex-fiancé, Charlie, and her actress best friend, Monroe, grow suspicious of Sophia’s motives, they plan to remove her from Annette’s house, but more trouble ensues when they're faced with accusations of their own. Everyone finds themselves at odds with one another in a race against time and a serial killer, but trying to figure out what happened the night of Annette’s accident and how it’s connected to the Red-Carpet Killer could give them all the answers they’re looking for. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, I talk with Marjan Kamali about her beautiful novel about friendship, The Lion Women of Tehran. We dive into how the book covers the nature of childhood friendships, the vast spectrum of being a Lion Woman, and the jarring aftermath of women losing their rights almost overnight to religious fundamentalists in Iran.The Lion Women of Tehran SynopsisIn 1950s Tehran, seven-year-old Ellie lives in grand comfort until the untimely death of her father, forcing Ellie and her mother to move to a tiny home downtown. Lonely and bearing the brunt of her mother’s endless grievances, Ellie dreams of a friend to alleviate her isolation.Luckily, on the first day of school, she meets Homa, a kind, passionate girl with a brave and irrepressible spirit. Together, the two girls play games, learn to cook in the stone kitchen of Homa’s warm home, wander through the colorful stalls of the Grand Bazaar, and share their ambitions for becoming “lion women.”But their happiness is disrupted when Ellie and her mother are afforded the opportunity to return to their previous bourgeois life. Now a popular student at the best girls’ high school in Iran, Ellie’s memories of Homa begin to fade. Years later, however, her sudden reappearance in Ellie’s privileged world alters the course of both of their lives.Together, the two young women come of age and pursue their own goals for meaningful futures. But as the political turmoil in Iran builds to a breaking point, one earth-shattering betrayal will have enormous consequences. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, Gare, Steph and I share books to read if the sleazy, sexy, toxic, dark academia of Tell Me Lies has you in a chokehold! Books We Talked AboutLadykillerWe Love the Night LifeOnly If You’re LuckyAn Academy for LiarsA Lovely LieThe Favorite SisterNone of This Is TrueLike You Hate Me Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

Emily Layden joins me to talk about her new contemporary fiction novel Once More From The Top! We dive into her inspiration for the book, and our shared obsession with the many facets of fame.Once More From The Top SynopsisEveryone in America knows Dylan Read, or at least has heard her music. Since releasing her debut album her senior year of high school, Dylan’s spent fifteen years growing up in the public eye. She’s not only perfected her skills when it comes to lyrics and melody; she’s also learned how to craft a public narrative that satisfies her fans, her label, and the media. In the circles of fame and celebrity in which she now travels, the careful maintenance of Dylan Read pop star is often more important than the songs themselves.And so lots of people think they understand everything about Dylan Read. But what no one knows is the part of her origin story she has successfully kept hidden: her childhood best friend Kelsey vanished the year before Dylan became famous. Now, as Dylan’s at the height of her career, Kelsey’s body is found at the bottom of their hometown lake—forcing Dylan to reckon with their shared past, her friend’s influence on her music, and whether there’s more to their story than meets the eye. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, Caileigh Hynes @thebookpear joins me and shares 5 of her favorite reads in 2024 so far! We dive into what we love about thrillers, how she started her account, and our matching pet names!Books We Talked AboutKill for Me Kill for YouThe Return of Ellie BlackLook CloserShe’s Not SorryMurder Road Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, I talk with Hannah D Sharpe about her new domestic suspense Between Lies and Revenge. We dive into how she learned about gemology, her experiences with MLMs, and found family.Between Lies and Revenge SynopsisYears after the death of her brother and the theft of her heirloom jewelry, ex-con Elle is on the run ... until she spots a stranger wearing a signature piece. Determined to take back what is hers, Elle stalks and befriends the woman, using her gemology skills as a ruse. Elle offers to appraise and clean the jewelry, replicating and replacing the pieces instead.Olivia is drowning. She maxes out credit cards behind her financially-strict husband's back in order to pay for fertility treatments, keep her blackmailing father at bay, and maintain appearances with her wealthy friends and their cultist MLM social circles. When Olivia meets Elle, she finally feels understood ... and inspired.With Elle’s expertise and Olivia’s connections, the two start a side-hustle by way of home jewelry appraisal parties. When this isn't lucrative enough, they develop the perfect con: switching rich housewives’ gems with fakes. But their hidden truths get in the way of their success, and each other. Before their secrets bury them, they must confess their lies to one another and trust their final con will exact the revenge that’ll secure their freedom, and their lives. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, I got to talk with Chelsea Bieker about her powerful emotional suspense novel Madwoman. We dive into the story's exploration of motherhood, traumatic childhoods, coping mechanisms, anxiety and integration. Madwoman SynopsisThe world is not made for mothers.Yet mothers made the world…Clove has gone to extremes to keep her past a secret. Thanks to her lies, she’s landed the life of her dreams, complete with a safe husband and two adoring children who will never know the terror that was routine in her own childhood. If her buried anxiety threatens to breach the surface, Clove (if that is really her name) focuses on finding the right supplement, the right gratitude meditation. But when she receives a letter from a women’s prison in California, her past comes screeching into the present, entangling her in a dangerous game with memory and the people she thought she had outrun. As we race between her precarious present-day life in Portland, Oregon and her childhood in a Waikiki high-rise with her mother and father, Clove is forced to finally unravel the defining day of her life. How did she survive that day, and what will it take to end the cycle of violence? Will the truth undo her, or could it ultimately save her? Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba 

This week, I got to talk with Jeffery Deaver and Isabella Maldonado about their new action thriller Fatal Intrusion. We dive into their joint writing process, the inception of the story, and creating a killer obsessed with spiders.Fatal Intrusion SynopsisCarmen Sanchez is a tough Homeland Security agent who plays by the rules. But when her sister is attacked, revealing a connection to a series of murders across Southern California, she realizes a conventional investigation will not be enough to stop the ruthless perpetrator.With nowhere else to turn, Sanchez enlists the aid of Professor Jake Heron, a brilliant and quirky private security expert who, unlike Sanchez, believes rules are merely suggestions. The two have a troubled past, but he owes her a favor and she’s cashing in. They team up to catch the assailant, who, mystifyingly, has no discernable motive and fits no classic criminal profile. All they have to go on is a distinctive tattoo and a singular obsession that gives this chillingly efficient tactician his nickname: Spider.Over the next seventy-two hours, Sanchez and Heron find themselves in the midst of a lethal chess match with the killer as they race to stop the carnage. As the victims mount, so do the risks. Because this spider’s web of intrigue is more sinister—and goes far deeper—than anyone could possibly anticipate. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba