In an exciting event hosted by The Poisoned Pen Bookstore, authors Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles took center stage to discuss their latest collaboration, All That is Hidden. In this delightful conversation, they shared insights into their writing process and the inspiration behind their historical mystery series featuring Molly Murphy and her daughter.
The authors revealed that the idea for All That is Hidden was born from their research into historical events. Their discussion touched on various aspects of their work, from historical accuracy to the challenges of writing together. They also gave fans a sneak peek into their upcoming projects, including a new Molly Murphy book set in the Catskills and Rhys’s World War II standalone, titled The Paris Assignment.
They talked about incorporating real history into the book, including the story of Tammany Hall. Clare also shared some interesting stories she found during her research, such as a fire on the Hudson River and a mailbag mishap. The authors discussed the challenges Molly Murphy faces in the book, and talked about Molly’s daughter, Claire, and her experiences at a new school. The authors mentioned that there is a crime in the book, but did not reveal any details.
If you enjoyed the discussion between Rhys Bowen and Clare Broyles, be sure to share this post on social media and don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter to stay updated on all the latest books and author events.
Renowned author C.J. Box took the stage at The Poisoned Pen Bookstore to discuss his latest thriller, Storm Watch. The event was filled with humor, insights, and even a martini lesson or two, as Box engaged in conversation with our founder Barbara Peters.
Box started the evening with a nod to the in-person and online attendees, jokingly apologizing to those standing and hinting at the possibility of outdoor events in the future.
He then shared insights into his writing process, drawing inspiration from topics that interest him and weaving them into page-turning storylines. He highlighted how the Joe Pickett series always tackles current issues, this time delving into politics, resource management, energy, and environmental concerns. One intriguing plot twist involves an attempt to secede Wyoming from the Union, adding a thrilling layer to the story, among various issues addressed in the book, including cryptocurrency mining and the tension between states with federal lands.
Box expressed his approach of presenting both sides of controversial issues in his books and allowing readers to form their own opinions. Thus, the conversation didn’t shy away from the grittier aspects of the Western landscape, touching on rural poverty, meth addiction, and rising real estate prices due to tech entrepreneurs.
Throughout the discussion, the importance of ethics and doing what’s right in small communities resonated strongly. Box emphasized the unique dynamic of tight-knit Western communities, and how even in the face of disagreements, people must coexist and find common ground.
The conversation flowed seamlessly from character development to the challenges of writing and entering the world of TV adaptations. Box shared insights into his writing process, which includes having an ending in mind and writing a minimum of 1,000 words per day, his dedication to authenticity in his settings, and how his characters have evolved over the series.
In the final Q&A session, Box answered questions about his writing routines, his experiences as a journalist, and even shared a glimpse into the future of the Joe Pickett TV series.
If you missed this captivating event, don’t worry. The Poisoned Pen Bookstore regularly hosts engaging discussions with amazing authors. Subscribe to our newsletter for updates on future events and author discussions. And if you enjoyed the conversation, feel free to share your thoughts on social media and invite others to jump in.
Fall in love with a good book…! In the Midmonth BookNotes you’ll read about the latest in romance, women’s fiction and more. This month’s issue features a special valentine’s day selection.
In this captivating live event hosted byThe Poisoned Pen, acclaimed author of the Sigma Force series James Rollins discusses his book The Cradle of Ice, the second in a tetralogy set on a tidally locked planet. The event offered intriguing insights into the book’s origins and the creative process behind it.
Rollins explained the unique setting of the book: “It takes place on a tidally locked planet, where one side is always facing the Sun, and the other is eternally cold and shrouded in ice. The story revolves around a prophecy of the Moon crashing into the planet and the quest to prevent it.“
He explained the inspiration behind the book’s title and its connection to the storyline of the Moon crashing into the planet, and shared how he developed the world and its different environments. Rollins highlighted the importance of maps in visualizing the world and how he worked with graphic artists to create them, stressing his philosophy of connecting with professionals in different fields to ensure the scientific accuracy of his novels. He also discussed the challenges of writing fantasy, including creating unique names and languages.
Rollins discussed the challenges of writing fantasy and balancing world-building with plot and character development and specifically delved into the challenges of writing fantasy and thrillers. “When writing fantasy, you want to be transported to that world and spend time there,” he said. “For thrillers, you need to provide more detailed descriptions, like describing a tavern.”
Towards the end, Rollins answered questions from the virtual audience, showcasing his passion for storytelling and the depth of research that goes into his novels.
If you enjoyed this amazing event that shed light into Rollins’s world-building process and the inspiration behind The Cradle of Ice, be sure to share on social media and subscribe to our newsletter for more author events and book recommendations.
The weather may keep authors from home, but fortunately social media still allows The Poisoned Pen to host them no matter where they are. Matt Witten was stuck in Boston, but Barbara Peters, owner of the bookstore, was still able to have a conversation about books and writing for television. Witten’s latest book, Killer Story, is available through the Web Store. http://bit.ly/3Dhr4nM
Here’s the description of Killer Story.
How far will she go to catch the killer—and make her podcast a hit?
Talented and idealistic young reporter Petra Kovach is on the brink of being laid off from her third failing newspaper in a row. To save her job, she pitches the launch of a true crime podcast about a sensational, unsolved murder.
Years earlier, an alt-right YouTuber was killed in her Harvard dorm room, and the case went cold. Petra knew the victim—she was once her camp counselor and loved her like a little sister, despite their political differences.
Petra’s investigation gets off to a rocky start, as her promising leads quickly shrivel up. In her passionate quest for justice—and clicks—Petra burns sources and breaks laws, ultimately putting her own life on the line. Even as her star rises, she worries it could all come crashing down at any moment if her actions are exposed.
When her machinations start to backfire, there’s only one way to fix everything and solve the murder—even though it may cost her everything she loves.
Perfect for fans of Karin Slaughter and Harlan Coben
Matt Witten is a TV writer, novelist, playwright, and screenwriter. His television writing includes such shows as House, Pretty Little Liars, and Law & Order. His TV scripts have been nominated for an Emmy and two Edgars, and he has written four mystery novels, winning a Malice Domestic award for best debut novel. He has also written stage plays that have been produced throughout the world.
His previous novel, The Necklace, has been optioned for film by Appian Way and Cartel Pictures, with Leonardo DiCaprio attached as producer. Killer Story is his most recent novel.
This is an interesting conversation about writing and Killer Story. Enjoy!
Barbara Peters, owner of The Poisoned Pen, recently welcomed authors Kathryn Lasky and Ana Reyes to the bookstore. Lasky’s Light on Bone is a mystery featuring Georgia O’Keefe as an amateur sleuth. Ana Reyes’ The House in the Pines is a NYTimes bestseller and the Reese Witherspoon January Pick of the Month. There are signed copies of both books in the Web Store. https://store.poisonedpen.com/
Here’s the summary of Light on Bone.
“Step aside Miss Marple, Eugenia Potter, and Kinsey Millhone—Georgia O’Keeffe is the new sleuth in town! Kathryn Lasky brings the rich imagination of her YA and Juvenile books to Light On Bone, a stunning, suspenseful adult mystery. Vivid prose brushstrokes bring the legendary artist, the Southwest landscape she loved, and a complicated plot with historical and imagined characters to life.”—Katherine Hall Page, author of the award-winning Faith Fairchild series
Kathryn Lasky has written an exciting new adult amateur sleuth mystery set in New Mexico in the 1930s. The sleuth is Georgia O’Keefe, who actually did suffer a nervous breakdown in 1933 when her husband Alfred Stieglitz had a somewhat public affair, was hospitalized for psychiatric treatment, and then traveled to the Ghost Ranch in New Mexico to paint. O’Keefe was approaching the peak of her fame and success, having just sold a painting for a record price. The narrative begins when she discovers the slain body of a priest in the desert. The plot includes several other murders, Georgia’s burgeoning romance with the local sheriff, an international espionage plot involving Charles Lindbergh (who is staying at the ranch with his wife Anne), and lots of intricate twists and turns leading to a thoroughly unforeseen denouement. The strength of this story is how Lasky’s elegant writing captures the emotional depth of this artist’s turmoil and so stunningly reveals O’Keeffe’s perception of the landscape that moves her to paint. It is not simply a who-dunnit mystery, but much more: It is a narrative of healing and resurrection of spirit.
Kathryn Lasky is the award winning author of many children’s books as well as several adult novels including Night Gardening and the Calista Jacobs mystery series. Her best selling series The Guardians of Ga’Hoole was made into a Warner Brothers movie Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole directed by Zack Snyder. She is the recipient of a Newbery Honor award and twice winner of the National Jewish Book Award, as well as recognition from Amnesty International for her novel The Extra. Her work has been translated into nineteen languages worldwide. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Here’s the description of The House in the Pines.
An instant New York Times bestseller!
“This is an absolute, can’t-put-it-down thriller…It’s truly a wild ride that had me flying through chapter after chapter—which I think is the perfect way to kick off your year of reading.” —Reese Witherspoon (Reese’s Book Club Jan ’23 Pick)
Armed with only hazy memories, a woman who long ago witnessed her friend’s sudden, mysterious death, and has since spent her life trying to forget, sets out to track down answers. What she uncovers, deep in the woods, is hardly to be believed….
Maya was a high school senior when her best friend, Aubrey, mysteriously dropped dead in front of the enigmatic man named Frank whom they’d been spending time with all summer.
Seven years later, Maya lives in Boston with a loving boyfriend and is kicking the secret addiction that has allowed her to cope with what happened years ago, the gaps in her memories, and the lost time that she can’t account for. But her past comes rushing back when she comes across a recent YouTube video in which a young woman suddenly keels over and dies in a diner while sitting across from none other than Frank. Plunged into the trauma that has defined her life, Maya heads to her Berkshires hometown to relive that fateful summer—the influence Frank once had on her and the obsessive jealousy that nearly destroyed her friendship with Aubrey.
At her mother’s house, she excavates fragments of her past and notices hidden messages in her deceased Guatemalan father’s book that didn’t stand out to her earlier. To save herself, she must understand a story written before she was born, but time keeps running out, and soon, all roads are leading back to Frank’s cabin….
Utterly unique and captivating, The House in the Pines keeps you guessing about whether we can ever fully confront the past and return home.
Ana Reyes has an MFA from Louisiana State University. Her work has appeared in Bodega, Pear Noir!, New Delta Review, and elsewhere. She lives in Los Angeles where she teaches creative writing to older adults at Santa Monica College. The House in the Pines is her first novel.
Enjoy the conversation with Kathryn Lasky and Ana Reyes.
Everybody Knows that Jordan Harper’s book by that title is the Hot Book of the Week at The Poisoned Pen. And, why wouldn’t it be? Patrick Millikin from the bookstore recently raved about it for “Ask a Bookseller” on MPRNews. http://bit.ly/3R5OemJ And, Harper will be appearing at the bookstore on Monday, January 30 at 7 PM. You can order signed copies through the Web Store. http://bit.ly/3XVQGPe
Here’s the summary of Everybody Knows.
A fearless black-bag publicist exposes the belly of the L.A. beast in “one of the best LA noir novels I’ve ever read” (Attica Locke) from Edgar Award-winning author Jordan Harper. Welcome to Mae Pruett’s Los Angeles, where “Nobody talks. But everybody whispers.” As a “black-bag” publicist tasked not with letting the good news out but keeping the bad news in, Mae works for one of LA’s most powerful and sought-after crisis PR firms, at the center of a sprawling web of lawyers, PR flaks, and private security firms she calls “The Beast.” They protect the rich and powerful and depraved by any means necessary.
After her boss is gunned down in front of the Beverly Hills Hotel in a random attack, Mae takes it upon herself to investigate and runs headfirst into The Beast’s lawless machinations and the twisted systems it exists to perpetuate. It takes her on a roving neon joyride through a Los Angeles full of influencers pumped full of pills and fillers; sprawling mansions footsteps away from sprawling homeless encampments; crooked cops and mysterious wrecking crews in the middle of the night.
Edgar Award-winner Jordan Harper’s EVERYBODY KNOWS is addicting and alarming, a “juggernaut of a novel” and “an absolute tour de force.” It is what the crime novel can achieve in the modern age: portray the human lives at the center of vast American landscapes, and make us thrill at their attempts to face impossible odds.
Recommended by Wall Street Journal• Washington Post • Lit Hub• LA Times •CrimeReads• Alta Online • Kirkus Reviews• Publishers Weekly• NBC/TODAY and many more!
• An ABA January 2023 Indie Next List Pick •
“The book everybody’s been waiting for” —Michael Connelly “An absolute tour de force”—S. A. Cosby “The best mystery novel I’ve read in years” —James Patterson
Jordan Harper is the Edgar-Award winning author of She Rides Shotgun and Love and Other Wounds. Born and educated in Missouri, he now lives in Los Angeles, where he works as a writer and producer for television.
