Bouchercon 2024 Debut Authors Special!

[00:00:03] To season two secrets. And we are kicking off season two with some live podcasting from Bouchercon in Nashville, Tennessee. [00:00:17] I will be posting video updates periodically on the secrets and lies Facebook page so you can always catch the latest and greatest there. [00:00:28] I happen to be recording today from inside the atrium of the Gaylord in Nashville. So it's very noisy going by. There's fountains, waterfalls everywhere. [00:00:45] But it's all part of that convention experience. So today I want to tell you about an event I went to this morning that was all about debut authors. So I'm going to go through the list of the authors that were releasing their first book and spoke with us over breakfast this morning so that you get an idea about what's new in the mystery thriller fiction realm and in the. [00:01:23] In the chat or when I post this on our Facebook page, I will put in some links for you. I'll post the list so that you can snag some of these books for yourself. Okay, we are going to go in reverse order, which is what they did this morning. So we are going to start with a book called Burnt ends. Bye by Laura Wetzel, which she described as, and I quote, the barbecue version of Hamlet. So charred on the outside, tender on the inside. So that sounds like a winner to me. [00:02:01] The next one up is called this girl's a Killer by Emma Wells. And they're fun because she actually had a setup in the book room where you could get your picture taken inside a box, like a Barbie box, except, like angry women evening the odds however they need to. So. All right, next up, perfect shot by Steve Urseni. [00:02:35] I'll put the link to that. Okay. The last days of the midnight Rambler. Bye, Sarah Tomlinson. [00:02:43] I'm going to track this book down because it happens to be involved a ghostwriter, which I may have mentioned before, that my own novel actually involves a ghostwriter. Although instead of, like in my book, that ghostwriter working with a celebrity chef, this ghostwriter is working with famous of classic rock and roll band, where there's a mystery from, I think, the summer of 69, and no one has ever done a memoir talked about it. And so the. The mystery unravels through the course of. Of putting together this book. [00:03:26] All right, so, yeah, I will. I will find her again. That was called the last days of the Midnight Rambler by Sarah Thomas Tomlinson before. I keep going on when I'm like, her book wasn't in the bookstore. It's. There was this weird thing that happened with the supplier who was supposed to supply all of the books for the attending writers at the conference. And at the last minute, I don't know if they pulled out or what the deal was, but then they weren't going to be here. So we got panicked emails saying, hey, can you please send us your ISBN's so we can try and get the books? [00:04:03] My book, for example, is not in the bookstore yet, but my panel isn't until Sunday, so maybe, maybe by then it will arrive. So I haven't actually seen that book in the bookstore yet, but I'm going to watch for it. All right. Neighborhood watch by Sarah Reeder. [00:04:28] Which makes me, it makes me think of that X Files episode where they take on the hOa. [00:04:36] But anyway, that looked like a good one. Zenith man by McCracken Poston junior. Here's the thing about this book. This is actually a true story and this involves, I believe he was a, an attorney and he was representing this individual in a case where, I don't know, maybe he killed his wife. [00:05:06] And then at some point later he finds that his client was autistic, which I guess could have been part of his defense. Anyway, he described, he described this book. So this is actually true crime, which was the only true crime book from the debut authors this morning. So one to watch. All right, next up, the Ascent by Adam Plantinga. [00:05:35] And that looked fun. He's like, if you like books where people get punched in the face and there's a lot of, you know, sarcasm, like, sign me up. [00:05:46] Okay. Northwoods by Amy Peace was next. [00:05:55] Let's see, you know what you did by KT Nguyen. [00:05:59] That is a psychological horror book in which her obsessive compulsive sort of tendencies manifest themselves in the real world. So that's something I hadn't heard before. Excited about that one. [00:06:15] All right, the hidden rooms by Kate Michelson. [00:06:21] Awesome book cover. [00:06:23] So checking that out on the surface, Rachel McGuire. [00:06:31] I think somebody might disappear at sea. [00:06:35] Lest she forget by Lisa Malus, which I understand has been very well reviewed. If you're looking for a new book. Okay. The Ghost tamer, Meredith Lyons. [00:06:47] Now this takes place in New Orleans, and there is a haunted aspect to this, so it looks fascinating and very New Orleans appropriate. [00:07:03] All right, Hollywood hustle by John Lindstrom. [00:07:07] An interesting, he did an interesting call out when he was talking about putting this book together. [00:07:14] There are a lot of writers here who developed work during the Hollywood writers strike some time ago when they weren't actually able to work on their sort of day jobs when they put together novels or stories or something. Else. And he gave a call out this morning when he was talking about getting this book together and debuting as an author to Alex Finley, who I had actually seen on another panel, who seems like a. Like a super nice guy. So if you check out his book as well. [00:07:47] All right, next up, we have the last word by Jerry Lewis. All right, so this cracks me up, because this involves an obituary writer who solves. [00:07:59] Yes, yes, please. [00:08:02] All right, next up, lights out by Elise Hart Kipnis. [00:08:07] And then we get to the Mayfair dagger. Ava Janbury and I looked for this book specifically in the book room. I haven't tracked it down yet. I'll see. I'll see what I can do. But this writer is from Australia. [00:08:26] This book sounds really funny. She says her detective isn't a very good detective. It is just sort of muddling through. Anyway, she sounds like a lot of fun. Her book sounds like a lot of fun. [00:08:37] All right, then we get to my table. Each of the tables this morning had their own author. And we get to Claire Eisenthal, who wrote a book called the Rising Order. [00:08:49] The Rising order. [00:08:52] Here's what. See, that's what she looks like. [00:08:57] That's Claire. [00:09:00] And this is really fun. Well, fun because it's about a woman who is sort of disenchanted with her life at a big technology company, but then gets kidnapped by homeland terrorist organization. [00:09:23] And she's got to, like, navigate through that whole thing. And I'm guessing there are some interesting components or dynamics between the kidnapped and the kidnappers, because on the table. Find this for you. She had the funniest stickers, and I had her give me a couple of them that say he's a ten, but he's part of a terrorist group, so isn't that always the case? Like, you find who might be the one? [00:10:04] All right, definitely. We'll be checking that out. I'm happy to have that book on my to be read file. [00:10:13] Next up, there's no murder like show murder by Ms. Green. And if you sang that along, this is probably the book for you. [00:10:23] Next up, obey all laws by Cindy Goyette. [00:10:29] And this looks like a funny kind of interesting book about a parole officer, I believe, whose clients are, you know, always lying to her or hitting on her or both until I think they start to drop dead. Hence the mystery. [00:10:51] All right. The magic of Death by Leslie Gale. [00:10:55] This has a really funny cover, and it's interesting because it's about a family of witches, I believe, and the protagonist has the ability to talk to the dead. [00:11:11] And I understand there's like a Disney annual pass connection or something kind of funny. So I'll be watching for that one. All right, next up, a punishing breed by DC Frost. [00:11:27] And then we have bone pendant girls. And this is a South Carolina writer, so I'm interested in that. Also a really good book cover. [00:11:39] And apparently this woman finds this hand carved jewelry at a show or something antique store. [00:11:50] And it turns out that the images that have likenesses of girls are missing girls and that it is actually carved in human bone. So she has to unravel that story. [00:12:06] Blue Ridge, which is a psychological thriller by Peter Malone Elliott set in Virginia. [00:12:15] And then we have the shutdown list by Sharon de Kett, which I picked up. Again, awesome cover, right? And protagonist that is over 50 years old. [00:12:32] So I'm excited to read this. [00:12:37] Okay, next up, you can't cheat death by Peggy Doviak. [00:12:45] Year of the rabbit by TD Donnelly. And he said, he described this as a sort of update of three days of the condor. And I love, love, love that story. So I'm excited about that. And he seemed like a really personable, like, cool guy. So go check out that book, year of the rabbit, TD Donnelly. [00:13:08] All right, next up, the day he never came home. And, oh, here we go. [00:13:13] This book. [00:13:15] Andrew Deyoung also seems like a really nice guy. He's been on a couple panels that I have attended while I've been here. One of them earlier today on do you make outlines and plot ahead of time, or do you go by the seat of your pants? You writers are going to understand the question. The pantsers versus plotters physics. Anyway, so he was on a panel about that. This is like what happens when your financial advisor spouse disappears and then you find out that he was, in fact, not a financial advisor, but a scam artist, a criminal who has been running a big ponzi scheme. So that sounds like a really good story. [00:14:15] Let's see, where are we? [00:14:18] Yep. [00:14:20] Hurt Mountain by Angela Crook, which sounds fun and is about crazy stuff that goes on in the Rockies, Colorado. [00:14:32] Then we have another southern writer. And I haven't tracked this book down, but I will because, I mean, look at that. Look at that picture. [00:14:43] South Carolina. The book is called when Cicadas cry. [00:14:49] So, Caroline Cleveland. [00:14:53] So I'm gonna. I'm gonna check that out. A stunning southern thriller set in a small town swarming with secrets, lies, and murders. Secrets and lies. All right, flashes of insight is next by Linda Allen. History, mystery, and menopause, she said. So she takes hot flash induced psychic visions to solve crimes, all about family secrets. Vicki, I'm talking to you and, and mystery and all of that. So definitely check that out. I've been looking for this one too. I had not as yet found it in the book room, but I'll keep on it. [00:15:37] Next up, we have a second term. Jm Adams, he was describing this story, which is a little on the nose, about president who will go to many lengths to secure a second term by any means, and a group of people, people who are trying to thwart that also by any means. So we'll see how that plays out. Anyway, that takes me to the end of our list of debut authors that we just saw this morning. I hope you get some good ideas. I'll post some links and some information along with the list on our secrets and lies Facebook page, which if you haven't liked us yet, please do that. [00:16:29] And any questions or feedback or reviews. If you've read any of these books and you have notes, please let us know in the comments. [00:16:38] Because, I mean, I have boxes and boxes and boxes of books that I have gathered at this convention. And we're halfway through. So anyway, thanks for joining us again. [00:16:50] Until next time. Bye.