Friends & Fiction

On this episode, Ron Block & Mary Kay Andrews welcome USA Today bestselling author Jesse Q. Sutanto to discuss her new claustrophobic psychological suspense novel Read Between the Lies in which the line between victim and villain blurs with every chapter. Because in the end, everyone has their own version of the truth--but only one will make it onto the page. Jesse is the Edgar Award-winning, USA Today bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties, The Obsession, Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit, Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, and Well, That Was Unexpected. The film rights to Dial A for Aunties were acquired by Netflix in a competitive bidding war, while the TV rights to Vera Wong were bought by Warner Bros. with Oprah Winfrey and Mindy Kaling attached to produce. Sutanto holds a master's degree in creative writing from the University of Oxford and lives in Indonesia with her husband, two daughters, and a ridiculously large extended family. She joins us to discuss her new novel Read Between the Lies which Mindy Kaling describes as “a dark, delicious takedown of cancel culture and the publishing industry.” Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode, Mary Kay Andrews & Kristy Woodson Harvey welcome New York Times bestselling author Jayne Ann Krentz to discuss her enthralling new romantic suspense novel, The Shop on Hidden Lane which is filled with deeply entrenched grudges, psychic dangers, and a conspiracy that threatens not only two families but also the entire paranormal community. Jayne is the author of more than 50 NYT bestsellers. She uses three different pen names for each of her “worlds.” As Jayne Ann Krentz (her married name) she writes contemporary romantic-suspense. She uses Amanda Quick for her novels of historical romantic-suspense. Jayne Castle (her birth name) is reserved these days for her stories of futuristic/paranormal romantic-suspense. In addition to her fiction writing, she is the editor of and a contributor to the essay collection, Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women: Romance Writers on the Appeal of the Romance. In a starred review, Booklist said The Shop on Hidden Lane “delivers everything her readers crave including a super-cool librarian heroine with an intriguing side hustle, plenty of snappy dialogue, simmering sexual chemistry, and a clever canine who almost steals the show." We can’t wait to talk to her all about it! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode, Kristin Harmel & Ron Block welcome #1 bestselling author Brad Meltzer on our first show of the new year to discuss The Viper, the brand-new installment in his thrilling Zig and Nola series which unravels a shocking cold case with a personal—and deadly—twist. Brad Meltzer is the Emmy-nominated, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lightning Rod and twelve other bestselling thrillers. He also writes nonfiction books like The JFK Conspiracy, and the Ordinary People Change the World kids’ book series. One of the co-creators of the TV show, “Jack & Bobby,” Brad is also the host of “Brad Meltzer’s Decoded” on the History Channel and is responsible for helping find the missing 9/11 flag with his show, “Brad Meltzer’s Lost History.” He joins us from his home in Florida to discuss The Viper (William Morrow, January 6th), which S.A. Cosby calls “a pulse pounding adventure that takes you on a journey into the darkest recesses of the human heart.” Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For New Year's week, we are re-airing one of our favorite episodes from the vault! Join us as the Fab Four — Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey & Patti Callahan Henry — talk to reigning queen of the modern romance novel, Emily Henry, about her 2024 No.1 NYT-bestselling FUNNY STORY. Emily Henry is the author of four YA novels and, since 2020, she has published six NYT-bestselling rom-coms for adults (including BEACH READ, BOOK LOVERS, and HAPPY PLACE), with five of them being adapted for the big and small screens. In April 2024 Emily joined us to discuss FUNNY STORY, a shimmering, joyful novel about a pair of opposites with the wrong thing in common that went on to become a New York Times Notable Book. Now is the perfect time to revisit this chat as Emily comes off a truly incredible year. Emily’s 2025 novel GREAT BIG BEAUTIFUL LIFE was a #1 NYT bestseller and was named a Reese’s Book Club pick, and the movie adaptation of her 2021 THE PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION will premiere on Netflix just after the holidays on January 9, 2026. So, as you wait for the ball to drop this New Year’s Eve, tune in for this interview, now with a brand-new intro recorded by Kristy Woodson Harvey. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For Christmas week, we are re-airing one of our favorite episodes from the vault! Join us as the Fab Four — Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey & Patti Callahan Henry — talk to #1 bestselling author Taylor Jenkins Reid about her blockbuster 2021 novel MAILUBU RISING, a NYT-bestseller and Read with Jenna Book Club Pick.Taylor's books have been chosen by Reese’s Book Club, Read with Jenna, Indie Next, Best of Amazon, and Book of the Month. Taylor is the author of nine novels, including DAISY JONES AND THE SIX, which was adapted by Hello Sunshine as a limited series for Amazon and has sold more than 2-million copies. In August 2021, Taylor joined us to discuss MAILUBU RISING. Now is the perfect time to revisit this episode as Taylor had quite the year in 2025 including gracing the cover of TIME Magazine. Her 2025 #1 NYT-bestselling novel, ATMOSPHERE, was a GMA Book Club pick, dominated bestseller lists for weeks on end, and now tops loads of year-end best-of lists, including being named the Target Book of the Year and Audible’s Audiobook of the Year. So, as you wait for Santa to come down the chimney, tune in for this interview, now with a brand-new intro recorded by Kristin Harmel. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode, Mary Kay Andrews & Ron Block welcome #1 New York Times bestselling author, Jacquelyn Mitchard, to discuss The Birdwatcher, her page-turning drama that explores the beauty of female friendship; the relationship between money, power, and sex; and the very human desire to protect the ones we love most. Jacquelyn Mitchard is the award-winning, NYT-bestselling author of twelve novels for adults, seven novels for teenagers, and five children's books. These include The Deep End of the Ocean, the inaugural selection of the Oprah Winfrey Book Club with more than 3-million copies in print in 34 languages. She is also a professor of creative writing whose short stories, articles, essays, and book reviews have been widely published. A native of Chicago, she joins us from her home on Cape Cod to discuss her new novel, The Birdwatcher, which was named a Zibby's Most Anticipated Book of Fall 2025 and which Lisa Genova calls, “a suspenseful, twisty, and page-turning drama.” Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode, Mary Kay Andrews & Patti Callahan Henry welcome New York Times bestselling author, Ace Atkins, to discuss his rollicking comedic thriller, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, set in 1985 in which a suburban teen suspects his mom’s new boyfriend is the ultimate bad guy—a KGB agent. Ace Atkins is an award-winning, NYT-bestselling author of more than thirty novels and numerous short stories and, in 2011, was tapped by the estate of Robert B. Parker to continue his beloved Spenser series. A former college football player at Auburn University (where he was part of the undefeated 1993 team, appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated) and a former crime reporter at The Tampa Tribune, Ace is a recipient of the Richard Wright Literary Excellence Award and the Harper Lee Award, and is a member of the Alabama Writers Hall of Fame. He joins us from his home in Oxford, Mississippi to discuss Everybody Wants to Rule the World which his publisher calls “Elmore Leonard meets Robert Ludlum,” and which bestselling author Robert Crais describes as “unlike anything the great Ace Atkins has written before, and an absolute blast!” Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode, Kristin Harmel, Patti Callahan Henry & Mary Kay Andrews welcome this month’s F&F Featured Author, the internationally renowned, award-winning, NYT-bestselling author John Irving, to discuss our December 2025 Pick of the Month, Queen Esther, which returns us after forty years to the world of his bestselling classic novel and Academy Award-winning film, The Cider House Rules. John Irving is an icon of American letters and the acclaimed author of more than 20 books which have been translated into more than 35 languages. His works include the National Book Award winning cultural phenomenon The World According to Garp; The Cider House Rules, for which he won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay; The Hotel New Hampshire, a bestseller which was made into a film starring Jodie Foster; and A Prayer for Owen Meany which is his all-time bestselling novel in every language. A former competitive wrestler and wrestling coach, he is a member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. A dual citizen of the United States and Canada, John joins us from his home in Toronto to discuss Queen Esther which revisits the orphanage in St. Cloud’s, Maine, where Dr. Wilbur Larch takes in Esther, a Viennese-born Jew whose life is shaped by anti-Semitism. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For Thanksgiving week we are re-airing one of our favorite episodes from the vault! Join us as Kristin Harmel & Patti Callahan Henry talk to #1 bestselling author Louise Penny about her Fall 2024 novel The Grey Wolf, the 19th installment in her wildly successful Armand Gamache mystery series. Louise Penny is the #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Globe and Mail bestselling author of the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache novels. She was also the co-author with Hillary Rodham Clinton of the #1 New York Times bestselling thriller State of Terror. In October 2024, Kristin & Patti enjoyed a warm and insightful chat with Louise about her life and career. Now is the perfect time to re-air this episode as the 20th Gamache novel, The Black Wolf, was just released on October 28, 2025. So, as you’re slicing, dicing, baking, and entertaining, tune in for this chat, now with a brand-new intro recorded by Patti! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode, Mary Kay Andrews & Kristin Harmel welcome #1 New York Times bestselling authors Lee Child and Andrew Child to discuss Exit Strategy, the “blockbuster” (Esquire) 30th installment in their Jack Reacher thriller series. Lee Child is the author of the #1 NYT-bestselling Jack Reacher series and the complete Jack Reacher story collection, No Middle Name. Foreign rights in the Reacher series have been sold in one hundred territories. Lee is an Executive Producer on the wildly successful Reacher Amazon Prime series which is adapted from his novels. Lee’s brother, Andrew Child, who also writes as Andrew Grant, is the author of six novels of his own (Run, False Positive, Too Close to Home). He’s also the #1 bestselling co-author of six novels in the Reacher universe, including this latest one. The brothers join us to chat about Exit Strategy, how their co-writing process works, and what kind of trouble Reacher gets up to in this “sure to please” (Booklist) thriller with “the best villain yet” (USA Today). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode, Patti Callahan Henry & Kristy Woodson Harvey welcome Broadway producer turned author Brisa Carleton to discuss her debut novel Last Call at the Savoy, which is set against the glittering backdrop of London's iconic Savoy hotel where a young woman is forced to confront her troubled past as she uncovers the story of the hotel's first female bartender who’s been erased from the history books. Brisa grew up in the Pacific Northwest before moving to Midtown Manhattan to turn her passion for musicals and "flare for the dramatic" into an award-winning career as a Broadway producer. Three Tonys later, she's worked on numerous productions including Hamilton, Beautiful, and Moulin Rouge. She recently turned her entrepreneurial spirit to actual "spirits," launching Literati Spirits, a premium vodka created by book lovers for book lovers. She joins us to discuss her buzzy debut novel Last Call at the Savoy which Fiona Davis calls, "an exhilarating, tender read that will leave you smiling," and which Lisa Jackson calls, “bright and sassy.” Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode, the full F&F family gathers live to welcome this month’s F&F Featured Author, the award-winning global #1 bestselling David Baldacci to discuss our November 2025 Pick of the Month, his new thriller, Nash Falls, in which Walter Nash’s life is turned completely upside down when he’s recruited by the FBI to bring down a global crime network. Baldacci is one of the world's favorite storytellers with books published in more than forty-five languages in more than eighty countries with 200 million plus copies sold worldwide. His works have been adapted for feature film and television. He’s the cofounder, along with his wife, of the Wish You Well Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting literacy efforts across America. He joins us from his native Virginia to discuss his brand-new stand-alone novel Nash Falls (coming from Grand Central Publishing on Nov. 11) featuring investment banker turned FBI inside man Walter Nash who’s tasked with exposing a money laundering enterprise at his own firm. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode, we air the recording from a recent in-person theater event that Kristy Woodson Harvey conducted with #1 NYT-bestselling global phenomenon Nicholas Sparks. Tune in to catch this conversation that was recorded at a packed-house sold-out event at Trustee’s Theater in Savannah, GA on October 14, 2025. Hosted by the fine folks at the Savannah Book Festival, Kristy was in conversation with Sparks to celebrate the release of his newest novel, REMAIN: A Supernatural Love Story, a book that he co-wrote with filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan, which just debuted at #1 on the NYT bestseller list, and which hits theaters soon as a major motion picture starring Jake Gyllenhaal. An unprecedented collaboration between the globally bestselling author of love stories like The Notebook and the renowned screenwriter and director of blockbuster thrillers like The Sixth Sense, REMAIN is a one-of-a-kind novel that grapples with the supernatural mysteries of life, death, and human connection. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode, Ron Block & Patti Callahan Henry welcome New York Times bestselling author Catherine Newman to discuss her wonderful new novel WRECK, full of laughter and heart, about marriage, family, and what happens when life doesn’t go as planned. Catherine is the NYT-bestselling author of the memoirs Catastrophic Happiness and Waiting for Birdy, the middle-grade novel One Mixed-Up Night, the kids’ craft book Stitch Camp, the bestselling how-to books for kids How to Be a Person and What Can I Say?, and the novel We All Want Impossible Things. Her 2024 smash success novel, Sandwich, was an instant NYT-bestseller and called “joy in book form” by Ann Patchett. Catherine writes Crone Sandwich on Substack and has been a regular contributor to the New York Times, Real Simple, O, The Oprah Magazine, and Cup of Jo among other publications. She joins us to discuss WRECK, her “utterly joyful standalone novel” (Oprah Daily) that brings back Rocky and her family from Sandwich, this time in at home Western Massachusetts, for an exploration of the hidden rules of family, the heavy weight of uncertainty, and the gnarly fact that the people you love aren’t always who you want them to be. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode, Patti Callahan Henry & Kristin Harmel welcome #1 New York Times bestselling author Joe Hill to discuss his new novel, King Sorrow, a chilling tale of modern-world dangers, dark academia, and the unexpected consequences of revenge as six friends dabble in the occult and are tragically, horrifyingly successful… calling forth an evil entity that demands regular human sacrifice. Joe Hill is the son of Stephen King and the #1 bestselling, award-winning author of novels (The Fireman, NOS4A2, Horns, Heart-Shaped Box), fiction collections (Strange Weather, Full Throttle, 20th Century Ghosts), graphic novels (Basketful of Heads, Plunge, Sea Dogs, Dying is Easy, Wraith), and a comic-book series (Locke & Key) which he co-created with artistic maestro Gabriel Rodriguez. Much of his work has been adapted for film and television. He joins us to discuss his epic new horror novel, King Sorrow, which Ruth Ware has called, “a brilliantly Faustian fable with a heart as huge as a dragon’s, and a stinging twist in its tail,” and which has earned a trifecta of starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus & Booklist. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode, the full F&F family — Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Mary Kay Andrews & Patti Callahan Henry — gathers to welcome this month’s F&F Featured Author, internationally renowned, #1 NYT-bestselling author Mitch Albom, to discuss our October 2025 Pick of the Month, his new novel, Twice, a stunning love story that dares to explore how our unchecked desires might mean losing what we’ve had all along. Mitch’s numerous books of fiction and nonfiction have collectively sold 42-million copies in 48 languages worldwide. He has written eight #1 New York Times bestsellers (including the beloved Tuesdays with Morrie), award-winning television films, stage plays, screenplays, a nationally syndicated newspaper column, and a musical. Through his work at the Detroit Free Press, he was inducted into both the National Sports Media Association and Michigan Sports halls of fame and is the recipient of the 2010 Red Smith Award for lifetime achievement. He founded the nonprofit SAY Detroit providing health, housing and education for Detroiters in need, and he operates Have Faith Haiti, a home and school for impoverished children and orphans in Port-au-Prince. He joins us from his home in Michigan to discuss Twice, a warm and heartfelt new novel that asks the question: What if you got to do everything in your life —twice? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode, Kristy Woodson Harvey & Mary Kay Andrews welcome bestselling author Meagan Church to discuss The Mad Wife, an exploration of identity, motherhood, and the suffocating grip of societal expectations which will leave you questioning the lives we build—and the lies we live. Meagan built a career as a storyteller and freelance writer for brands, blogs, and organizations. Her fiction (The Girls We Sent Away, The Last Carolina Girl) consists of emotionally-charged, thought-provoking, empathy-inducing stories that focus on overlooked and oppressed women's voices from the past. A Midwesterner by birth, she joins us from her current home in North Carolina that she shares with her high school sweetheart, three children and a plethora of pets. We’re eager to discuss her new novel, The Mad Wife (Sourcebooks, Sept 30), which has been praised by Sarah Penner as "a gripping portrait of 1950s suburbia with a sinister undercurrent…a haunting, hopeful tale of resilience, reckoning, and the redemptive power of truth," and by Ashley Winstead as a “one-sitting read [that] offers unforgettable characters, a beautiful window into life in the Fifties, and a stirring tribute to the strength of women." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode, Kristin Harmel & Ron Block welcome acclaimed NYT-bestselling novelist Jane Hamilton to discuss her stunning new coming-of-age novel, The Phoebe Variations, about girls, mothers, and finding one's way in the world. Jane's novels have won literary prizes, have been made into films, and have been international bestsellers. Two of them — The Book of Ruth and A Map of the World — were selections of Oprah's Book Club. Her nonfiction has appeared in the New York Times; The Washington Post; Allure; O, The Oprah Magazine; Elle; and various anthologies. She joins us from her home on an apple farm in Wisconsin to discuss her latest novel, The Phoebe Variations (Sept 23, Zibby Publishing), which is already an Oprah Daily Best Book of Fall, an Indie Next Pick for October, and a LibraryReads Pick for September and which has been described by Meg Wolitzer as “glorious,” and by Allegra Goodman as “poignant and funny with plenty of unexpected twists and turns.” Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode, Mary Kay Andrews & Kristy Woodson Harvey welcome bestselling, award-winning author Hank Phillippi Ryan to discuss her new cross-country cat-and-mouse chase, All This Could Be Yours. Hank is the USA Today bestselling author of 16 psychological thrillers, winning the most prestigious awards in the genre: five Agathas, five Anthonys, and the coveted Mary Higgins Clark Award. She’s also the on-air investigative reporter for Boston's WHDH-TV, and has won an unprecedented 37 EMMY awards for her groundbreaking journalism and true crime stories which have changed laws, changed lives, and resulted in millions of dollars in refunds and restitution for consumers. A past president of National Sisters in Crime, she is now on the board of International Thriller Writers. She joins us to discuss her new “nail-biting thriller” (People), All This Could Be Yours, which Library Journal says “should be on everyone’s reading list!” Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Mary Kay Andrews & Kristin Harmel gather to welcome this month’s F&F Featured Author, #1 NYT-bestselling novelist Elin Hilderbrand along with her daughter Shelby Cunningham, to discuss our September 2025 Pick of the Month, their irresistible new co-written novel, The Academy, the deliciously scandalous story of one drama-filled year at a New England boarding school. Elin is a graduate of Johns Hopkins University and the Iowa Writers Workshop. The Academy is her 31st novel, and the first co-written with her daughter. Elin is the co-host of the podcast Books, Beach and Beyond with @TimTalksBooks creator, Tim Ehrenberg. Last year’s TV adaptation of her novel The Perfect Couple, premiered in Netflix's #1 slot with more than 20-million views in its first four days becoming the most-watched original streaming series in the US for several weeks running. Shelby Cunningham was born and raised on Nantucket Island. A 2024 graduate of Rhode Island’s St. George's School, she is presently a student at the University of Miami. This dynamic mother-daughter duo joins us to discuss their fresh, buzzy take on boarding school life which represents a thrilling new direction from one of America's most satisfying and popular storytellers. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.