FIRST CHAPTER FUN

First Chapter Fun – Episode 359 – THE LONG MARCH HOME by Tosca Lee & Marcus Brotherton Listen to bestselling, award-winning crime author Hank Phillippi Ryan read the description and opening pages of THE LONG MARCH HOME by Tosca Lee & Marcus Brotherton, which is available now! About THE LONG MARCH HOME: Jimmy Propfield joined the army for two reasons: to get out of Mobile, Alabama, with his best friends Hank and Billy and to forget his high school sweetheart, Claire.  Life in the Philippines seems like paradise--until the morning of December 8, 1941, when news comes from Manila: Imperial Japan has bombed Pearl Harbor. Within hours, the teenage friends are plunged into war as enemy warplanes attack Luzon, beginning a battle for control of the Pacific Theater that will culminate with a last stand on the Bataan Peninsula and end with the largest surrender of American troops in history.  What follows will become known as one of the worst atrocities in modern warfare: the Bataan Death March. With no hope of rescue, the three friends vow to make it back home together. But the ordeal is only the beginning of their nearly four-year fight to survive.  About the author: Tosca Lee is the New York Times bestselling author of twelve novels including The Long March Home (May 2, 2023 with Marcus Brotherton), The Line Between, A Single Light, and The Legend of Sheba. Her work has been translated into seventeen languages and optioned for TV and film. She is the recipient of multiple awards including two International Book Awards. Her work has been praised as “deeply human…” “powerful…” and “mind-bending.” Lee earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Smith College. She also studied at Oxford University. A former first runner-up to Mrs. United States, she lives in Nebraska with her husband and one of four children still at home.  Connect with Tosca: Facebook: www.facebook.com/authortoscalee Instagram: www.instagram.com/toscalee Twitter: www.twitter.com/toscalee Website: www.toscalee.com Meet your First Chapter Fun hosts ⁠Hannah Mary McKinnon⁠ and ⁠Hank Phillippi Ryan⁠ and join us for First Chapter Fun ever Tuesday, live on ⁠Facebook⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ at 12.30 p.m. ET (or catch up later on this podcast). Stay safe. Stay kind. See you next time on First Chapter Fun! Hank & Hannah x Note: read with the author's and publisher's permission

First Chapter Fun – Episode 358 – PERFECT SHOT by Steve Urszenyi Listen to internationally bestselling crime and rom-com author Hannah Mary McKinnon read the description and opening pages PERFECT SHOT by Steve Urszenyi, which is available now! About PERFECT SHOT: Special Agent Alexandra Martel has put her days on the battlefield behind her. Charming and disarming, relentless and lethal, she earned a reputation as one of the most renowned and decorated Army snipers in the service before stepping away. But when Alex, now an FBI special agent on loan to Interpol, learns that an old friend, an MI5 officer, has been killed under mysterious circumstances, she’s pulled back into the dangerous world she left behind: a world where some people fear her, some want to recruit her, and everyone seems to want her dead. Following a trail of clues left behind by the dead woman, Alex pieces together a terrifying conspiracy that only escalates when a nuclear warhead goes missing. Dodging death at every turn, she reluctantly joins forces with a CIA officer, but he has plans of his own for her—and will stop at nothing to achieve them. Chasing the truth through the streets of London and bustling Turkish markets to the underbelly of Paris, Alex is unrelenting in her pursuit of justice. But as the clock ticks down and the world edges closer to doom, she must fall back on her Special Ops skills to stop the unthinkable. She thought her life as a sniper was over—but with stakes this high, she must use whatever means necessary to render the world safe. About the author:   Steve Urszenyi served for many years as a paramedic and a police tactical medic. He is an expert in chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosives (CBRNE) incident response. When not writing, Steve loves international travel and touring on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle with his wife, Lynne. They live in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Connect with Steve: Facebook: www.facebook.com/SteveUrszenyiAuthor Instagram: www.instagram.com/steveurszenyi Twitter/X: www.twitter.com/steveurszenyi Website: www.steveurszenyi.com Meet your First Chapter Fun hosts ⁠Hannah Mary McKinnon⁠ and ⁠Hank Phillippi Ryan⁠ and join us for First Chapter Fun ever Tuesday, live on ⁠Facebook⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ at 12.30 p.m. ET (or catch up later on this podcast). Stay safe. Stay kind. See you next time on First Chapter Fun! Hank & Hannah x Note: read with the author's and publisher's permission

First Chapter Fun – Episode 357 – THESE STILL BLACK WATERS by Christina McDonald Listen to bestselling, award-winning crime author Hank Phillippi Ryan read the description and opening pages of THESE STILL BLACK WATERS by Christina McDonald, which is available now! About THESE STILL BLACK WATERS: After a violent home invasion, Neve Maguire returns with her daughter to Black Lake, her childhood summer home, hoping for a fresh start. But when the body of a woman is found floating among the reeds in the lake behind her house, she fears she has made a horrible mistake. Neve is hiding secrets, though. Detective Jess Lambert can tell. Recently back after her own personal tragedy, Jess knows what it’s like to live with skeletons in your closet, and she’s sure Neve has a few of her own. When another woman’s body is found, Jess and Neve are forced to confront a horrible truth. Because one thing is clear: the darkness of the past is waiting. And the secrets of Black Lake are only just beginning to surface. About the author: Christina McDonald is the USA Today bestselling author of These Still Black Waters, Do No Harm, Behind Every Lie and The Night Olivia Fell, which has been optioned for television by a major Hollywood studio. She is from Seattle but now lives in London, England with her husband, two sons, and their dog, Tango. She’s currently working on her next novel. Connect with Christina: Facebook: www.facebook.com/christinamcdonaldauthor Instagram: www.instagram.com/christinamac79 Twitter: www.twitter.com/christinamac79 Website: www.christina-mcdonald.com Meet your First Chapter Fun hosts ⁠⁠⁠Hannah Mary McKinnon⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Hank Phillippi Ryan⁠⁠⁠ and join us for First Chapter Fun ever Tuesday, live on ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ at 12.30 p.m. ET (or catch up later on this podcast). Stay safe. Stay kind. See you next time on First Chapter Fun! Hank & Hannah x Note: read with the author's and publisher's permission

First Chapter Fun – Episode 356 – KISSING KOSHER by Jean Meltzer Listen to internationally bestselling crime & rom-com author Hannah Mary McKinnon read the description and opening pages of KISSING KOSHER by Jean Meltzer, which is available now! About KISSING KOSHER: Avital Cohen isn’t wearing underpants—woefully, for unsexy reasons. Chronic pelvic pain has forced her to sideline her photography dreams and her love life. It’s all she can do to manage her family’s kosher bakery, Best Babka in Brooklyn, without collapsing. She needs hired help. And distractingly handsome Ethan Lippmann seems the perfect fit. Except Ethan isn’t there to work—he’s undercover, at the behest of his ironfisted grandfather. Though Lippmann’s is a household name when it comes to mass-produced kosher baked goods, they don’t have the charm of Avital’s bakery. Or her grandfather’s world-famous pumpkin-spiced babka recipe. As they bake side by side, Ethan soon finds himself more interested in Avital than in stealing family secrets, especially as he helps her find the chronic pain relief—and pleasure—she’s been missing. But perfecting the recipe for romance calls for leaving out the lies…even if coming clean means risking everything. About the author:   Jean Meltzer studied dramatic writing at NYU Tisch and has earned numerous awards for her work in television, including a Daytime Emmy. She spent five years in rabbinical school before her chronic illness forced her to withdraw, and her father told her she should write a book—just not a Jewish one because no one reads those. Kissing Kosher is her third novel. Connect with Jean: Facebook: www.facebook.com/JeanMeltzerAuthor Instagram: www.instagram.com/JeanMeltzer Website: www.jeanmeltzer.com Meet your First Chapter Fun hosts ⁠Hannah Mary McKinnon⁠ and ⁠Hank Phillippi Ryan⁠ and join us for First Chapter Fun ever Tuesday, live on ⁠Facebook⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ at 12.30 p.m. ET (or catch up later on this podcast). Stay safe. Stay kind. See you next time on First Chapter Fun! Hank & Hannah x Note: read with the author's and publisher's permission

First Chapter Fun – Episode 355 – HAVE YOU SEEN HER by Catherine McKenzie Listen to bestselling, award-winning crime author Hank Phillippi Ryan read the description and opening pages of HAVE YOU SEEN HER by Catherine McKenzie, which is available now! About HAVE YOU SEEN HER: Equipped with a burner phone and a new job, Cassie Peters has left her hectic and secretive life in New York City for the refuge of her hometown of Mammoth Lakes, California. There, she begins working again with Yosemite Search and Rescue, where a case she worked a decade ago continues to haunt her. She quickly falls into old patterns, joining a group of fellow seasonal workers and young adventurers who have made Yosemite their home during the summer. There, she meets Petal, a young woman living in a trailer with her much older wife, keeping a detailed diary of the goings on of the park, and Jada, a recent college graduate on a cross-country road trip with her boyfriend, documenting their journey on Instagram. When these three women cross paths, Cassie’s past catches up with her, and the shocking consequences ripple out far beyond what any could have imagined in this unputdownable thriller from an author who “never fails to impress” (Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author). About the author: Catherine McKenzie was born and raised in Montreal, Canada. A graduate of McGill in History and Law, Catherine practiced law for twenty years before leaving the practice to write full time. An avid runner, skier and tennis player, she’s the author of numerous bestsellers including HIDDEN, FRACTURED, THE GOOD LIAR and I’LL NEVER TELL. Her works have been translated into multiple languages and PLEASE JOIN US and I’LL NEVER TELL have all been optioned for development into television series. Connect with Catherine: Facebook: www.facebook.com/catherinemckenzieauthor Instagram: www.instagram.com/catherinemckenzieauthor Twitter / X: www.twitter.com/cemckenzie Website: www.catherinemckenzie.com Meet your First Chapter Fun hosts ⁠Hannah Mary McKinnon⁠ and ⁠Hank Phillippi Ryan⁠ and join us for First Chapter Fun ever Tuesday, live on ⁠Facebook⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ at 12.30 p.m. ET (or catch up later on this podcast). Stay safe. Stay kind. See you next time on First Chapter Fun! Hank & Hannah x Note: read with the author's and publisher's permission

First Chapter Fun – Episode 354 – TWISTED by Maggie Giles Listen to internationally bestselling author Hannah Mary McKinnon read the description and opening pages TWISTED by Maggie Giles, which is available now! About TWISTED: Detective Ryan Boone thought the simple jewelry heist was an open and shut case. That is until he discovers an unknown drug, and this minor crime he was investigating may be tied to a string of seemingly unconnected murders. Meanwhile, Mel Parker, unscrupulous leader of a less-than-legal high-end escort service, stumbles across the same pills. On top of protecting her “investment,” she has her own reasons for attempting to unravel the mystery behind the medication. Ryan knows someone has the answers he seeks, and Mel can’t come forward. To complicate things further, five other women are implicated in the murders despite most having never met. As the trail turns up as many mysteries as resolutions, Ryan and Mel must discover the twisted connection before someone else ends up dead. About the author:   Maggie Giles is a Canadian author who is usually daydreaming about fictional characters. Always looking for a new creative outlet, Maggie dove into writing a novel head first. She has been a member of the Women's Fiction Writers Association since 2014 where she works as their Social Media Director. Connect with Maggie: Facebook: www.facebook.com/maggiegiles2251 Instagram: www.instagram.com/maggiegiles Twitter: www.twitter.com/maggiegiles Website: www.maggiegiles.com Meet your First Chapter Fun hosts ⁠Hannah Mary McKinnon⁠ and ⁠Hank Phillippi Ryan⁠ and join us for First Chapter Fun ever Tuesday, live on ⁠Facebook⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ at 12.30 p.m. ET (or catch up later on this podcast). Stay safe. Stay kind. See you next time on First Chapter Fun! Hank & Hannah x Note: read with the author's and publisher's permission

First Chapter Fun – Episode 353 – BROADWAY BUTTERFLY by Sara DiVello Listen to bestselling, award-winning crime author Hank Phillippi Ryan read the description and opening pages of BROADWAY BUTTERFLY by Sara DiVello, which is available now! About BROADWAY BUTTERFLY: Manhattan, 1923. Scandalous flapper Dot King is found dead in her Midtown apartment, a bottle of chloroform beside her and a fortune in jewels missing. Dot’s headline-making murder grips the city. It also draws a clutch of lovers, parasites, and justice seekers into one of the city’s most mesmerizing mysteries. Among them: Daily News crime reporter Julia Harpman, chasing the story while navigating a male-dominated industry; righteous NYPD detective John D. Coughlin, struggling against city corruption; and Ella Bradford, the victim’s Harlem maid, closest confidante, and keeper of secrets. Adding fuel to the already volatile crime: a politically connected Philadelphia socialite, an Atlantic City bootlegger, Dot’s dicey gigolo lover, a sultry Broadway dancer, and a cagey sugar daddy guarding secrets of his own. About the author: Sara DiVello is a true crime writer and the creator/host of Mystery and Thriller Mavens, a popular author interview series and interactive Facebook group. Her book, Broadway Butterfly: A Thriller, was an Entertainment Weekly Most Anticipated Book, was a Vanity Fair recommended read, was selected by the CBS New York Book Club, and earned starred reviews from Booklist and Library Journal. For her weekly Mystery and Thriller Mavens live events, Sara has interviewed over 350 authors, ranging from the bestselling and world-renowned to the buzziest debuts. While creative and active on her own social media platforms, DiVello also serves as the director of social media strategy for the International Thriller Writers association. Connect with Sara: Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorsaradivello Instagram: www.instagram.com/saradivello Twitter/X: www.twitter.com/saradivello Website: www.saradivello.com Meet your First Chapter Fun hosts ⁠Hannah Mary McKinnon⁠ and ⁠Hank Phillippi Ryan⁠ and join us for First Chapter Fun ever Tuesday, live on ⁠Facebook⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ at 12.30 p.m. ET (or catch up later on this podcast). Stay safe. Stay kind. See you next time on First Chapter Fun! Hank & Hannah x Note: read with the author's and publisher's permission

First Chapter Fun – Episode 352 – BLOOD SISTERS by Vanessa Lillie Listen to internationally bestselling author Hannah Mary McKinnon read the description and opening pages of BLOOD SISTERS by Vanessa Lillie, which is available October 31st! About BLOOD SISTERS: There are secrets in the land. As an archaeologist for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Syd Walker spends her days in Rhode Island trying to protect the land's indigenous past, even as she’s escaping her own. While Syd is dedicated to her job, she’s haunted by a night of violence she barely escaped in her Oklahoma hometown fifteen years ago. Though she swore she’d never go back, the past comes calling. When a skull is found near the crime scene of her youth, just as her sister, Emma Lou, vanishes, Syd knows she must return home. She refuses to let her sister's disappearance, or the remains, go ignored—as so often happens in cases of missing Native women. But not everyone is glad to have Syd home, and she can feel the crosshairs on her. Still, the deeper Syd digs, the more she uncovers about a string of missing indigenous women cases going back decades. To save her sister, she must expose a darkness in the town that no one wants to face—not even Syd. The truth will be unearthed. About the author: Vanessa Lillie is the author of the Rhode Island-set bestselling thrillers Little Voices and For the Best and the creator of the Audible Original co-authored bestselling series Young Rich Widows, which was an International Thriller Writers Best Audiobook nominee, with a sequel, Desperate Deadly Widows, forthcoming. Her latest book, Blood Sisters, featuring a Cherokee archaeologist, will launch on Halloween. She also had a weekly column in the Providence Journal about life during the pandemic. Vanessa is an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma living on Narragansett land in Rhode Island with her husband, third grade son and bossy pugapoo. Connect with Vanessa: Facebook: www.facebook.com/vanessalillieauthor Instagram: www.instagram.com/vanessalillie Twitter / X: www.twitter.com/vanessalillie Website: www.vanessalillie.com Meet your First Chapter Fun hosts ⁠Hannah Mary McKinnon⁠ and ⁠Hank Phillippi Ryan⁠ and join us for First Chapter Fun ever Tuesday, live on ⁠Facebook⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ at 12.30 p.m. ET (or catch up later on this podcast). Stay safe. Stay kind. See you next time on First Chapter Fun! Hank & Hannah x Note: read with the author's and publisher's permission

First Chapter Fun – Episode 351 – THE BAKER’S MAN by Jennifer Moorman Listen to award-winning, bestselling crime author Hank Phillippi Ryan read the description and opening pages of THE BAKER’S MAN by Jennifer Moorman, which is available now! About THE BAKER’S MAN: Anna O’Brien inherited several gifts from her late Grandma Bea: culinary superpowers, a bakery in a charming Southern town, and a mysterious box with a note: Open the box only when you need to. You’ll know exactly when you do, and you’ll know what to do with it. I love you. The night her presumed fiancé crushes her dreams, Anna opens the box and finds “magic sugar” inside, along with a recipe to bake “the perfect man.” Encouraged by her best friend Lily (and maybe a wee bit too much rum), a heartbroken Anna sets out to do what she always does when she’s feeling blue: bake. She hardly believes her eyes the next morning when a man—a breathing and rather handsome man—is in her bakery and seems to know all her likes and dislikes, her quirks and preferences. Elijah is everything Anna dreamed and nothing she expected. Where did he come from? Is he real? And when he fashions his own ideas about what makes a good life, can she let him go? About the author: Jennifer Moorman is the bestselling author of the magical realism Mystic Water Series. Jennifer starting writing in elementary school, crafting epic tales of adventure and love and magic. She wrote stories in Mead notebooks, on printer paper, on napkins, on the soles of her shoes. Her blog is full of dishes inspired by fiction, and she hosts baking classes showcasing these recipes. Jennifer considers herself a traveler, a baker, and a dreamer. Connect with Jennifer: Facebook: www.facebook.com/jennifermoormanbooks Instagram: www.instagram.com/jenniferrmoorman Website: www.jennifermoorman.com Meet your First Chapter Fun hosts ⁠⁠Hannah Mary McKinnon⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Hank Phillippi Ryan⁠⁠ and join us for First Chapter Fun ever Tuesday, live on ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ at 12.30 p.m. ET (or catch up later on this podcast). Stay safe. Stay kind. See you next time on First Chapter Fun! Hank & Hannah x Note: read with the author's and publisher's permission

First Chapter Fun – Episode 350 – DEATH OF A DANCING QUEEN by Kimberly G. Giarratano   Listen to bestelling author Hannah Mary McKinnon read the description and opening pages of DEATH OF A DANCING QUEEN by Kimberly G. Giarratano, which is available now! About DEATH OF A DANCING QUEEN: After her mother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis, Billie Levine revamped her grandfather’s private investigation firm and set up shop in the corner booth of her favorite North Jersey deli hoping the free pickles and flexible hours would allow her to take care of her mom and pay the bills. So when Tommy Russo, a rich kid with a nasty drug habit, offers her a stack of cash to find his missing girlfriend, how can she refuse? At first, Billie thinks this will be easy earnings, but then her missing person's case turns into a murder investigation and Russo is the detective bureau’s number one suspect.  Suddenly Billie is embroiled in a deadly gang war that’s connected to the decades-old disappearance of a famous cabaret dancer with ties to both an infamous Jewish mob and a skinhead group. Toss in the reappearance of Billie’s hunky ex-boyfriend with his own rap sheet, and she is regretting every decision that got her to this point. Becoming a P.I. was supposed to solve her problems. But if Billie doesn’t crack this case, the next body the police dredge out of the Hudson River will be hers. About the author: Kimberly G. Giarratano is an author of mysteries for teens and adults. Her debut novel, Grunge Gods and Graveyards, won the 2015 Silver Falchion Award for Best YA at Killer Nashville. A former librarian, she is currently an instructor at SUNY Orange County Community College and a reviewer for BookPage. She is also the chapter liaison for Sisters in Crime. Born in New York and raised in New Jersey, Kim and her husband moved to the Poconos to raise their three kids amid black bears and wild turkeys. While she doesn’t miss the traffic, she’d give anything for a decent bagel and lox. Connect with Kimberly: Facebook: www.facebook.com/KGGiarratanoAuthor Instagram: www.instagram.com/kimgarnickgiarratano Twitter/X: www.twitter.com/KGGiarratano Website: www.kimberlyggiarratano.com Meet your First Chapter Fun hosts ⁠⁠Hannah Mary McKinnon⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Hank Phillippi Ryan⁠⁠ and join us for First Chapter Fun ever Tuesday, live on ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ at 12.30 p.m. ET (or catch up later on this podcast). Stay safe. Stay kind. See you next time on First Chapter Fun! Hank & Hannah x Note: read with the author's and publisher's permission

First Chapter Fun – Episode 349 – THE CHRISTMAS WAGER by Holly Cassidy (Hannah Mary McKinnon)   Listen to bestselling authors Hank Phillippi Ryan and Hannah Mary McKinnon read the description and opening pages of THE CHRISTMAS WAGER by Holly Cassidy (Hannah Mary McKinnon's rom-com pen name), which is available September 26, 2023! About THE CHRISTMAS WAGER: When LA-based real estate developer Bella Ross arrives in the sleepy, mountain town of Maple Falls, she has one mission: to acquire the local failing Christmas shop, Always Noelle, securing the promotion of her dreams. Nothing can get in her way. Except the shop owner's stubborn grandson, Jesse Harrison. Both refuse to budge, until an unlikely wager is struck: Bella and Jesse will compete in the Maple Falls Holiday Games, an annual tradition of eccentric feats of strength and skills. Winner decides the selling price. They'll give each other a run for their money, but as the competition heats up, Bella and Jesse's icy feelings toward each other begin to thaw. It'll take a Christmas miracle for them to admit there's a spark, but what if it's just another game? About the author: Holly Cassidy is the pen name for internationally bestselling author Hannah Mary McKinnon. Her suspense novels include The Neighbors, Her Secret Son, Sister Dear, You Will Remember Me, Never Coming Home, and The Revenge List. McKinnon was born in England, grew up in Switzerland, and now lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and three sons. The Christmas Wager is her first novel writing as Holly Cassidy.  Connect with Holly/Hannah: Facebook: www.facebook.com/HannahMaryMcKinnon Instagram: www.instagram.com/HannahMaryMcKinnon Website: www.HollyCassidyAuthor.com Meet your First Chapter Fun hosts ⁠Hannah Mary McKinnon⁠ and ⁠Hank Phillippi Ryan⁠ and join us for First Chapter Fun ever Tuesday, live on ⁠Facebook⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ at 12.30 p.m. ET (or catch up later on this podcast). Stay safe. Stay kind. See you next time on First Chapter Fun! Hank & Hannah x Note: read with the author's and publisher's permission

First Chapter Fun – Episode 348 – SOMEONE ELSE’S LIFE by Lyn Liao Butler   Listen to internationally bestselling author Hannah Mary McKinnon read the description and opening pages of SOMEONE ELSE’S LIFE by Lyn Liao Butler, which is available now! About SOMEONE ELSE’S LIFE: Blow by blow, Annie Lin’s life crumbles. Her dance studio goes bankrupt. Her mother and beloved dog are gone the same year. Then a terrible accident leaves her young son traumatized. It’s time for a change. Palm trees, mai tais, peace and quiet—Annie should be at ease, safe in her new Kauai home with her husband and son. She hopes proximity to her family can provide them all with a sense of belonging and calm. But soon items from her past start turning up—her dog’s collar, a bracelet that disappeared years ago—and she has the unnerving sensation she’s being watched. Reality begins to fracture, and Annie’s panic attacks return. When, during a brewing storm, a woman appears on her doorstep looking for shelter, Annie is relieved to have the company and feels an unexplainable bond with her visitor. As the night progresses, Annie realizes the woman is no stranger. Their lives are inextricably intertwined—and Annie might just lose everything. About the author: Lyn Liao Butler is a Taiwanese American author of thrillers, upmarket fiction, and rom-coms. Her most recent thriller, Someone Else’s Life, was an Amazon bestseller, and her upcoming books include a rom-com, Crazy Bao You coming June 6, 2023, and another thriller What Is Mine, out February 2024. Before becoming an author, she was a professional ballet and modern dancer, and is still a fitness and yoga instructor. Connect with Lyn: Facebook: www.facebook.com/lynliaobutler Instagram: www.instagram.com/lynliaobutler Twitter/X: www.twitter.com/lynliaobutler Website: www.lynliaobutler.com Meet your First Chapter Fun hosts ⁠Hannah Mary McKinnon⁠ and ⁠Hank Phillippi Ryan⁠ and join us for First Chapter Fun ever Tuesday, live on ⁠Facebook⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ at 12.30 p.m. ET (or catch up later on this podcast). Stay safe. Stay kind. See you next time on First Chapter Fun! Hank & Hannah x Note: read with the author's and publisher's permission

First Chapter Fun – Episode 347 – AN HONEST MAN by Michael Kyorta Listen to bestselling, award-winning crime author Hank Phillippi Ryan read the description and opening pages of AN HONEST MAN by Michael Kyorta, which is available now! About AN HONEST MAN: Israel Pike was a killer, and he was an honest man. They were not mutually exclusive. After discovering seven men butchered aboard their yacht – including two Senate rivals – Israel Pike is regarded as a prime suspect. A troubled man infamous on Salvation Point Island for murdering his own father a decade before, Israel has few options, no friends, and a life-threatening secret. Elsewhere on the island, 12-year-old Lyman Rankin seeks shelter from his alcoholic father in an abandoned house only to discover that he is not alone. A mysterious woman greets him with a hatchet and a promise: “Make a sound and I’ll kill you.” As the investigation barrels forward, Lyman, Israel, and the fate of the case collide in immutable ways. About the author: Michael Koryta is the New York Times-bestselling author of 18 novels. His work has been translated into more than 20 languages and has won or been nominated for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, Edgar Award, Shamus Award, Barry Award, Quill Award, International Thriller Writers Award, and the Golden Dagger. They’ve been selected as “best books of the year” by numerous publications. Connect with Michael: Facebook: www.facebook.com/michaelkoryta Instagram: www.instagram.com/michaelkoryta Twitter/X: www.twitter.com/mjkoryta Website: www.michaelkoryta.com Meet your First Chapter Fun hosts ⁠⁠Hannah Mary McKinnon⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Hank Phillippi Ryan⁠⁠ and join us for First Chapter Fun ever Tuesday, live on ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ at 12.30 p.m. ET (or catch up later on this podcast). Stay safe. Stay kind. See you next time on First Chapter Fun! Hank & Hannah x Note: read with the author's and publisher's permission

First Chapter Fun – Episode 346 – AFTER THAT NIGHT by Karin Slaughter Listen to bestselling, award-winning crime author Hank Phillippi Ryan read the description and opening pages of AFTER THAT NIGHT by Karin Slaughter, which is available August 22nd! About AFTER THAT NIGHT: Will Trent and Sara Linton are back in an electrifying thriller featuring GBI investigator Will Trent and medical examiner Sara Linton from New York Times bestselling author Karin Slaughter After that night, everything changed . . . Fifteen years ago, Sara Linton’s life changed forever when a celebratory night out ended in a violent attack that tore her world apart. Since then, Sara has remade her life. A successful doctor, engaged to a man she loves, she has finally managed to leave the past behind her. Until one evening, on call in the ER, everything changes. Sara battles to save a broken young woman who’s been brutally attacked. But as the investigation progresses, led by GBI Special Agent Will Trent, it becomes clear that Dani Cooper’s assault is uncannily linked to Sara’s. And the past isn’t going to stay buried forever . . . About the author: Karin Slaughter is the author of more than twenty instant New York Times bestselling novels, including the Edgar–nominated Cop Town and standalone novels Pretty Girls, The Good Daughter, and Pieces of Her. She is published in 120 countries with more than 40 million copies sold across the globe. Pieces of Her is now a #1 Netflix original series starring Toni Collette, Will Trent is now a television series starring Ramón Rodríguez on ABC, and further projects are in development for television. Slaughter is the founder of the Save the Libraries project—a nonprofit organization established to support libraries and library programming. A native of Georgia, she lives in Atlanta. Connect with Karin: Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorKarinSlaughter Instagram: www.instagram.com/KarinSlaughterAuthor Twitter: www.twitter.com/slaughterkarin Website: www.karinslaughter.com Meet your First Chapter Fun hosts ⁠Hannah Mary McKinnon⁠ and ⁠Hank Phillippi Ryan⁠ and join us for First Chapter Fun ever Tuesday, live on ⁠Facebook⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ at 12.30 p.m. ET (or catch up later on this podcast). Stay safe. Stay kind. See you next time on First Chapter Fun! Hank & Hannah x Note: read with the author's and publisher's permission

First Chapter Fun – Episode 345 – THE HOUSE OF EVE by Sadeqa Johnson Listen to award-winning, bestselling crime author ⁠⁠Hank Phillippi Ryan⁠⁠ read the description and opening pages of THE HOUSE OF EVE by Sadeqa Johnson, which is available now! About THE HOUSE OF EVE: 1950s Philadelphia: fifteen-year-old Ruby Pearsall is on track to becoming the first in her family to attend college, in spite of having a mother more interested in keeping a man than raising a daughter. But a taboo love affair threatens to pull her back down into the poverty and desperation that has been passed on to her like a birthright. Eleanor Quarles arrives in Washington, DC, with ambition and secrets. When she meets the handsome William Pride at Howard University, they fall madly in love. But William hails from one of DC’s elite wealthy Black families, and his parents don’t let just anyone into their fold. Eleanor hopes that a baby will make her finally feel at home in William’s family and grant her the life she’s been searching for. But having a baby—and fitting in—is easier said than done. With their stories colliding in the most unexpected of ways, Ruby and Eleanor will both make decisions that shape the trajectory of their lives. About the author:   Sadeqa Johnson is the New York Times best-selling author of five novels. Her accolades include being the 2022 Hurston/Wright Foundation Legacy finalist, a BCALA Literary Honoree, and the Library of Virginia’s Literary People’s Choice Award winner. She is a Kimbilio Fellow and teaches in the M.F.A. program at Drexel University. Originally from Philadelphia, she currently lives near Richmond, VA with her husband and three teens. Connect with Sadeqa: Facebook: ⁠⁠www.facebook.com/SadeqaJohnson⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠www.instagram.com/SadeqaSays⁠⁠ Twitter: ⁠⁠www.twitter.com/SadeqaSays⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠www.sadeqajohnson.com⁠⁠ Meet your First Chapter Fun hosts ⁠⁠⁠Hannah Mary McKinnon⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Hank Phillippi Ryan⁠⁠⁠ and join us for First Chapter Fun ever Tuesday, live on ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ at 12.30 p.m. ET (or catch up later on this podcast). Stay safe. Stay kind. See you next time on First Chapter Fun! Hank & Hannah x Note: read with the author's and publisher's permission

First Chapter Fun – Episode 344 – THICKER THAN WATER by Megan Collins   Listen to award-winning, best-selling crime author Hank Phillippi Ryan read the description and opening pages of THICKER THAN WATER by Megan Collins, which is available now. About THICKER THAN WATER: Two sisters-in-law find themselves at painful odds when the man who connects them—the brother of one, the husband of the other—is accused of a brutal crime in this twisty thriller from the author of the “exceedingly entertaining” (The New York Times) The Family Plot. Julia and Sienna Larkin are sisters-in-law, connected by Julia’s husband and Sienna’s brother, Jason. More than that, the two are devoted best friends and business partners, believing that theirs is a uniquely unbreakable bond. To Sienna, her protective brother can do no wrong, and although Julia knows he’s not perfect, they’ve built a comfortable life and family together. Recently, Jason has been putting in long hours to secure a promotion at work, so when his boss is found brutally murdered—his lips sewn shut—the Larkins are shocked and unsettled, especially as local gossip swirls. A few days later, Julia and Sienna’s lives are upended when Jason gets into a car accident and is placed in a medically induced coma. Worse, the police arrive with news that he’s the prime suspect in the murder investigation. With Jason unable to respond—and with Julia and Sienna working to clear his name—the two women find their friendship threatened for the first time: Sienna staunchly maintains her brother’s innocence, but as their investigation uncovers a complicated web of secrets, Julia is less sure she’s willing to defend her husband. About the author: Megan Collins is the author of Thicker Than Water, The Family Plot, Behind the Red Door, and The Winter Sister. A former creative writing teacher, she is also the managing editor of 3Elements Review. She lives in Connecticut, where she obsesses over dogs, miniatures, and cake.  Connect with Megan: Facebook: www.facebook.com/megancollinswriter Instagram: www.instagram.com/megancollinswriter Twitter: www.twitter.com/ImMeganCollins Website: www.megancollins.com Meet your First Chapter Fun hosts ⁠Hannah Mary McKinnon⁠ and ⁠Hank Phillippi Ryan⁠ and join us for First Chapter Fun ever Tuesday, live on ⁠Facebook⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ at 12.30 p.m. ET (or catch up later on this podcast). Stay safe. Stay kind. See you next time on First Chapter Fun! Hank & Hannah x Note: read with the author's and publisher's permission

First Chapter Fun – Episode 343 – THE NIGHT IT ENDED by Katie Garner Listen to internationally bestselling author Hannah Mary McKinnon read the description and opening pages of THE NIGHT IT ENDED by Katie Garner, which is available now! About THE NIGHT IT ENDED: Finding the truth seems impossible when her own dark past has her seeing lies everywhere she looks… From the outside, criminal psychiatrist Dr. Madeline Pine’s life appears picture-perfect—she has a beautiful family, a successful mental health practice, and a growing reputation as an expert in female violence. But when she's called to help investigate a mysterious death at a boarding school for troubled teenage girls, Madeline hesitates. She’s been through tragic cases before, and the one she was entangled in last year nearly destroyed her… Yet she can’t turn away when she hears about Charlotte Ridley. After she was found barefoot and in pajamas at the bottom of an icy ravine on campus, the police ruled her death a tragic accident. But the private investigator hired by her mother has his doubts. If it were Madeline’s daughter who died, she’d want to know why.  Arriving at the secluded campus in upstate New York, Madeline’s met by an unhelpful skeleton staff and the four other students still on campus during winter break. Each seems to hold a piece of the puzzle. And everyone has secrets—Madeline included. But who would kill to protect them? About the author:   Katie Garner was born in New York and grew up in New Jersey. She has a degree in Art History from Ramapo College and is certified to teach high school Art. She hoards paperbacks, coffee mugs, and dog toys and can be seen holding at least one of those things most of the time.  ​Katie lives in a New Jersey river town with her husband, baby boy, and shih-poo where she writes books about women and their dark, secret selves. The Night It Ended is her debut novel. Connect with Katie: Instagram: www.instagram.com/katiewritesmystery Twitter: www.twitter.com/kgarnerauthor Website: www.katiegarnerauthor Meet your First Chapter Fun hosts ⁠⁠Hannah Mary McKinnon⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Hank Phillippi Ryan⁠⁠ and join us for First Chapter Fun ever Tuesday, live on ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ at 12.30 p.m. ET (or catch up later on this podcast). Stay safe. Stay kind. See you next time on First Chapter Fun! Hank & Hannah x Note: read with the author's and publisher's permission

First Chapter Fun – Episode 342 – A TWISTED LOVE STORY by Samantha Downing   Listen to bestselling, award-winning crime author Hank Phillippi Ryan read the description and opening pages of A TWISTED LOVE STORY by Samantha Downing, which is available July 18th! About A TWISTED LOVE STORY:  Wes and Ivy are madly in love. They've never felt anything like it. It's the type of romance people write stories about. But what kind of story? When it's good, it's great. Flowers. Grand gestures. Deep meaningful conversations where the whole world disappears. When it's bad, it's really bad. Vengeful fights. Damaged property. Arrest warrants. But their vicious cycle of catastrophic breakups and head-over-heels reconciliations needs to end fast. Because suddenly, Wes and Ivy have a common enemy - and she's a detective. There's something Wes and Ivy never talk about - in good times or bad. The night of their worst breakup, when one of them took things too far, and someone ended up dead. If they can stick together, they can survive anything--even the tightening net of a police investigation. Because one more breakup might just be their last…  About the author: Samantha Downing is the author of the bestselling My Lovely Wife, nominated for the Edgar, ITW, Macavity awards in the US, the CWA award in the UK, and the winner of the Prix des Lectrices award in France.  Connect with Samantha: Facebook: www.facebook.com/smariedowning Instagram: www.instagram.com/smariedowning Twitter: www.twitter.com/smariedowning Website: www.samanthadowning.com Meet your First Chapter Fun hosts ⁠Hannah Mary McKinnon⁠ and ⁠Hank Phillippi Ryan⁠ and join us for First Chapter Fun ever Tuesday, live on ⁠Facebook⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ at 12.30 p.m. ET (or catch up later on this podcast). Stay safe. Stay kind. See you next time on First Chapter Fun! Hank & Hannah x Note: read with the author's and publisher's permission

First Chapter Fun – Episode 341 – THE GIRLS ARE GOOD by Ilaria Bernadini Listen to internationally bestselling author Hannah Mary McKinnon read the description and opening pages of THE GIRLS ARE GOOD by Ilaria Bernadini, which is available now! About THE GIRLS ARE GOOD:  A DANGEROUS OBSESSION - Martina wants to be the best gymnast in the world. But so does everyone around her. A TOURNAMENT WITH A DIFFERENCE - During one week of intense competition, Martina and her teammates are tested to the limit, and any sign of weakness can quickly spell the end. A MURDER IN THE NIGHT - By the end of the week, one of the gymnasts will be dead.  Every girl will do anything to win…but at what cost? About the author:   Ilaria Bernardini was born in Milan and is an author and scriptwriter. Her novel Faremo Foresta was longlisted for Italy’s prestigious Strega Prize and she has created TV shows including Ginnaste and Ballerini (MTV) and has written for Ciak, Tutto Musica, Linus, Rolling Stone, Amica, Vanity Fair and GQ. The Girls Are Good is based on her novel Corpo Libero which subsequently morphed into a cult reality show. This story was inspired by Ilaria’s exclusive behind-the-scenes exposure to the controversies that have gripped the world of gymnastics over the past decade. The book has already been optioned by Indigo productions along with All 3Media (the company behind Fleabag) for an eight-part TV series. Connect with Ilaria: Instagram: www.instagram.com/ilaria_bernardini Twitter: www.twitter.com/faremoforesta Meet your First Chapter Fun hosts ⁠Hannah Mary McKinnon⁠ and ⁠Hank Phillippi Ryan⁠ and join us for First Chapter Fun ever Tuesday, live on ⁠Facebook⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ at 12.30 p.m. ET (or catch up later on this podcast). Stay safe. Stay kind. See you next time on First Chapter Fun! Hank & Hannah x Note: read with the author's and publisher's permission

First Chapter Fun – Episode 340 – THE SENATOR’S WIFE by Liv Constantine   Listen to award-winning, bestselling crime author Hank Phillippi Ryan read the description and opening pages of THE SENATOR’S WIFE by Liv Constantine, which is available now! About THE SENATOR’S WIFE: After a tragic chain of events led to the deaths of their spouses two years ago, D.C. philanthropist Sloane Chase and Senator Whit Montgomery are finally starting to move on. The horrifying ordeal drew them together, and now they’re ready to settle down again—with each other. As Sloane returns to the world of White House dinners and political small talk, this time with her new husband, she’s also preparing for an upcoming hip replacement—the latest reminder of the lupus she’s managed since her twenties. With their hectic schedules, they decide that hiring a home health aide will give Sloane the support and independence she needs postsurgery. And they find the perfect fit in Athena Karras. Seemingly a godsend, Athena tends to Sloane and even helps her run her charitable foundation. But Sloane slowly begins to deteriorate—a complication, Athena explains, of Sloane’s lupus. As weeks go by, Sloane becomes sicker, and her uncertainty quickly turns to paranoia as she begins to suspect the worst. Why is Athena asking her so many probing questions about her foundation—as well as about her past? And could Sloane be imagining the sultry looks between Athena and her new husband? About the authors: Liv Constantine is the pen name of sisters Lynne Constantine and Valerie Constantine. Lynne and Valerie are Wall St. Journal and USA Today international bestselling authors with over one million copies sold worldwide. Their books have been translated into 28 languages, are available in 33 countries, and are in development for both television and film.  Their novels have been praised by USA Today, The Sunday Times, People Magazine, and Good Morning America, among many others. Their debut novel, THE LAST MRS. PARRISH, is a Reese Witherspoon Book Club selection.  Connect with the authors: Facebook: www.facebook.com/LivConstantine Instagram: www.instagram.com/LivConstantine2 Twitter: www.twitter.com/LivConstantine2 Website: www.LivConstantine.com Meet your First Chapter Fun hosts ⁠Hannah Mary McKinnon⁠ and ⁠Hank Phillippi Ryan⁠ and join us for First Chapter Fun ever Tuesday, live on ⁠Facebook⁠ and ⁠Instagram⁠ at 12.30 p.m. ET (or catch up later on this podcast). Stay safe. Stay kind. See you next time on First Chapter Fun! Hank & Hannah x Note: read with the author's and publisher's permission