Episodes

Cathy Ace jokes she followed the advice given to many beginner writers to “write what you know” and the result was her university lecturer sleuth Cait Morgan – a short, plus-sized Welsh-Canadian who’s a bit bossy.” Rather like Cathy herself! Hi there, I’m your host Jenny Wheeler and today Cathy talks about the personal loss that propelled her into writing fiction, why she loves puzzle mysteries and the one thing she would change if she was starting over. Six things you’ll learn from this Joys ...

Ritter Ames is a USA Today best-selling mystery author who’s equally at home in the world of fast action international art fraud – as in her Bodies of Art series, or in small town Vermont in the traditional cozy “Organised Mysteries” series – featuring amateur sleuth Kate in a small town setting. Hi there I’m your host Jenny Wheeler and today we are talking to Ritter about the secrets of her success, life before fiction and why she loves London and Cary Grant movies. Six things you’ll learn fr...

Jo Spain’s crime thrillers are Irish best sellers. Her quietly charismatic lead detective Tom Reynolds is called upon to explore dark secrets of Ireland’s past – secrets that still haunt life in the green isle today. Hi there, I’m your host Jenny Wheeler and today Jo talks about why she loves writing crime and which actor she’d pick to play Tom in an upcoming TV series. Six things you’ll learn from this Joys of Binge Reading episode: Why Jo “counts minutes like other women count calories“ Th...

Jennifer Kincheloe’s 1906 Los Angeles mystery series introduces the irresistible Anna Blanc, the Kim Kardashian of her day, willing to sacrifice a life of wealth and privilege and challenge the status quo to pursue her dream of becoming an LAPD detective. Hi there, I’m your host Jenny Wheeler and today Jennifer explains how much Anna is based on LA’s first woman detective and tells how chronic fatigue got her writing. Six things you’ll learn from this Joys of Binge Reading episode How researc...

Candace Robb has turned a passion for medieval history into two best-selling crime series – one with a feisty female sleuth – but both of which stay true to the period while delivering addictive story telling. Hi there, I’m your host Jenny Wheeler and today Candace talks about her love affair with York and how she secured a top writer as her early mentor. Six things you’ll learn from this Joys of Binge Reading episode How a girl from Cincinnati fell in love with medieval York Why she thinks Y...

Diane Vallere’s mysteries are for women who like “shoes, clues and clothes” – think The Devil Wears Prada with an amateur sleuth on staff. But that’s not the only thing they have in common. They’re also full of humor. Perhaps not so surprising for a writer who lives by one of Coco Chanel’s favorite sayings: “You live but once; you might as well be amusing.” Hi there I’m your host Jenny Wheeler and today Diane talks about how Doris Day movies brightened her life after divorce and how binge watchi...

Kara Isaac’s contemporary inspirational romances are rom-com adventures designed to appeal to a wide audience of readers – even those who don’t share the same faith walk. Hi there, I’m your host Jenny Wheeler and today Wellington author Kara talks about combining writing laugh out loud funny love stories with her other life as pastor’s wife, mother of three and public servant. Six things you’ll learn from this Joys of Binge Reading episode Why Google Street View is a writer’s best friend The ...

Gabriel Farago’s latest Jack Rogan thriller is a medical adventure that deals with the dark matter of the human genome and a visionary scientist with the power to change the future of medicine. Sounds like Sci Fi you think? Well it’s not. It’s had approval from top cancer researchers. Jenny: Hi there, I’m your host Jenny Wheeler and today Gabriel tells us about the virtual reality game that’s helping make dark science real to ordinary people – and why he thanks Dan Brown for his writing career....

How did first time author CF Yetmen achieve the beginner writer’s dream and have Hollywood power broker George Clooney promote her first book? Hi there. I’m your host Jenny Wheeler and today historical mystery author CF Yetmen talks about the amazing convergence of ideas that saw her first Anna Klein book ride a tidal wave of publicity in conjunction with a Clooney blockbuster movie. Six things you’ll learn from this Joys of Binge Reading episode: The part serendipity played in buddying up wi...

James Ziskin’s Ellie Stone mystery series gives us genre fiction that’s intelligent and entertaining – in spades – and he’s got a slew of awards to prove it. Hi there, I’m your host Jenny Wheeler, and today Jim talks about his heroine Ellie, a hard drinking, free wheeling “girl reporter” turned investigator, who carves out the life she wants for herself in up state New York in the 60s, regardless of the obstacles. Think Helen Gurley Brown meets Murder She Wrote. Six things you’ll learn from th...

Mark Ellis’s World War II London is a place where crime flourishes alongside the heroism of firefighters and fighter pilots and his charismatic Detective Frank Merlin deals with rapists, and racketeers amidst the carnage of falling bombs.. Hi there I’m your host Jenny Wheeler and today Mark talks about one of the best kept secrets of wartime Britain – how the Blackout and the Blitz led to a 60 per cent surge in crime all over the land. Six things you’ll learn from this Joys of Binge Reading ep...

The ‘Chieftain’ series of Scottish historical romances have been best sellers and award winners for Frances Housden, but her latest work is a contemporary police procedural along the lines of ‘Ian Rankin meets J D Robb.’ Frances talks about why she enjoys a good serving of mystery with her romance. Six things you’ll learn from this Joys of Binge Reading episode: What Frances loves about medieval Scotland Why reading is the essential for good writing The secret of successful romance How helping...

Sydney writer Christopher Hepworth’s Hollywood-paced international thrillers feature a 21st century “James Bond” hero, a high body count and lots of action in exotic settings. It’s Indiana Jones with high stakes conspiracy. Hi there: I’m your host Jenny Wheeler, and today Christopher tells us why he loves the thriller genre and how growing up in Zambia has influenced his writing. Six things you’ll learn from this Joys of Binge Reading episode: What Christopher loves about writing thrillers Th...

MK Tod began as many of us do – researching her grandfather’s involvement in two World Wars without any thought of where it might lead, and discovered herself as an author who now has three historic novels published and more on the way. Six things you’ll learn from this Joys of Binge Reading episode: The shocking family event that led to her first novel Why going to Hong Kong jump started her writing career The three things you need to be a successful writer Robert Harris and other writers wh...

Mystery author Sybil Johnson loves to read and write “cozies” – the lighter side of the mystery genre. Firstly, for their sheer escapism. And secondly because – unlike in real life – justice always prevails. Hi there: I’m your host Jenny Wheeler, and today Sybil is talking about why she dropped out of computer programming to become a successful mystery author. Six things you’ll learn from this Joys of Binge Reading episode: How Sybil woke up one day and had a story in her mind she just had to...

Ellen Crosby’s Wine Country series mixes murder with the merlot in a romp through the affluent horse and hunt country of Northern Virginia. Demand for the books is attested by their prominence – Book # 8 – The Vineyard Victims – is out this week – Book # 9 near completion and Book # 10 scheduled for next year. Six things you’ll learn from this Joys of Binge Reading episode: The family health challenge that led Ellen to give her heroine Lucie a limp How having the CIA in her backyard helps her ...

Sam Blake has had a great career helping many best selling writers get published. Now she’s joined their ranks, with her Cat Connolly series about a Dublin detective that’s been described as “PD James meets Karin Slaughter.” The first book in the series – Little Bones – went to No 1 in the Irish Best Seller lists and stayed in the Top Ten for eight weeks. The second, In Deep Water, is recently published. Six things you’ll learn from this Joys of Binge Reading episode: How Sam became one of Ire...

Carrie Stuart Parks is an internationally recognised forensic artist and creator of the award winning Gwen Marcey suspense series featuring an FBI trained forensic artist who is always being thrust out of her studio into life and death action. Six things you’ll learn from this Joys of Binge Reading episode: How Carrie found her mentor through a thoughtful Christmas gift Why writing “kept her sane” in dark times The ‘Don’t Lie To Me’ workshops that contribute to Gwen’s character The two thin...

Ian Hamilton’s feisty heroine Ava Lee tracks down white collar fraud and retrieves ill gotten gains with an ancient and deadly form of martial arts. Think Jackie Chan meets Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. And if the going gets a little rough sometimes, well Ava and her mentor Uncle like to think of themselves as the guardian angels of investors, restoring lives. Six things you’ll learn from this Joys of Binge Reading episode: How the prospect of dying got Ian writing Why the process of writing i...

Naomi Hirahara turned to the mystery genre to tell the story of a grumpy old LA gardener and reluctant sleuth who is also a Hiroshima survivor. It’s a story that is central to her life, because it is also her Father’s story. And as Naomi explains, mystery enabled her to tell the closely personal story of the atomic bomb survivors who were American citizens, without the danger of polarising views. Six things you’ll learn from this Joys of Binge Reading episode: How a grumpy Japanese gardener be...

Sue Ann Jaffarian holds down a full time job and writes more popular mysteries than many full time writers. With a back list of 25 books ranging from cozy mysteries to paranormal and – more recently – adult romance, Sue Ann is the perfect example of a successful hybrid author. She explains how she does it – and what she’s learned – to her cost – about staying healthy as a top producer. Six things you’ll learn from this Joys of Binge Reading episode: The “lemons into lemonade” moment that helpe...

Sophia James has had a long and successful career as a Harlequin historical author with a remarkable 24 books in print and more coming. Readers of her Regency series love her “haunted and damaged” heroes, and she says she loves writing these “broken men” because they are just so interesting. But then, love was never meant to be easy. Show Notes Summary In this interview you’ll discover: How having her wisdom teeth out opened the door to Sophia’s first book Why she loves her haunted and damage...

LA Mystery writer Nancy Cole Silverman has enjoyed a successful Hollywood radio career working in both sides of the microphone -in reporting and management- before she decided to do what she’d always wanted to do most – write fiction – and created the Carol Childs mystery series. Carol is a 40 year old LA cub reporter who has to prove herself to a wonder boy boss half her age, while also being primary custodial parent to a 16 year old son. Yes – there are challenges a plenty there for this woul...

Cozy murders Queen Peg Cochran's bright and funny small town mysteries feature resourceful amateur women sleuths, lots of red herring clues and food - always food. From Gig, the low cal caterer in the Gourmet de Lite series to Tennessee Tea sipping Emma in the Sweet Nothings antique lingerie series (written under her Meg London pen name) - something as tantalising as the answer to "who dunnit" is always about to be served.