Daria Lavelle on her debut novel "Aftertaste" (July 2025)

Mary Kay Andrews on "Road Trip" and the power of reinvention

New York Times Bestselling author Mary Kay Andrews says her books are about women reclaiming their power, discovering who they are, and who they can become. Her latest novel, "Road Trip" takes readers on a journey with two sisters, both broke, who haven't spoken in years and who are now forced together after their mother's death. A painting in their mother's home might be worth millions, and they take a trip to Ireland to solve the mystery. Andrews told Mary how she used her family history and the true-crime story of stolen paintings from a grand estate in Ireland as springboards for the book. Andrews also sprinkled in "some kissing and some killing."  She also shared that even after 34 published novels she still suffers from imposter-syndrome, believing that she will fail every time. She has trick a to overcome the self-doubt. Audio excerpt from ROAD TRIP Trip by Mary Kay Andrews Copyright © 2026 by the author and excerpted by permission of St. Martin’s Publishing Group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Fiona Davis on the Met Gala, Ancient Egypt, and "The Stolen Queen" (February 2025)

Fiona Davis brings the forgotten histories and dramatic stories of iconic New York City buildings to life in her historical fiction novels. Among her books, she's written about Radio City Music hall in "The Spectacular," the Frick mansion in "The Magnolia Palace," and the New York Public Library in "The Lions of Fifth Avenue." Her latest book "The Stolen Queen," a dual timeline set in the Metropolitan Museum as it readies for a Met Gala in the 1970s, and in Egypt in the 1930s, was a 2025 Club Calvi Readers' Choice. Now, the New York Times bestseller is out in paperback. Mary talked to Davis about her road to becoming a published author, with stops along the way working as an actress and a journalist, and why New York City is an enduring inspiration. Audio excerpted with permission of Penguin Random House Audio from THE STOLEN QUEEN by Fiona Davis, read by Linda Jones. © Fiona Davis ℗ 2025 Penguin Random House, LLC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Eloisa James on romance, revisions, and "The Last Lady B"

Eloisa James has been called a "Reigning Queen of Romance," and she certainly has had one of the most interesting day jobs in the industry. James is the author of dozens of historical romances, many of them hitting bestseller lists. She told Mary that she wrote her books on the weekends because on weekdays she was a professor teaching Shakespeare at Fordham University in New York City. James talked to Mary about tough sessions with her editor, the romances she likes to read, and why her latest book, "The Last Lady B," is a big change from her previous works.  Copyright © 2026 by Eloisa James, Inc.. Audio excerpt courtesy of Simon & Schuster Audio from the audiobook The Last Lady B, read by Mary Jane Wells, published by Simon & Schuster Audio, a Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. Used with permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Lisa Unger on "Served Him Right" & advice for aspiring authors

Bestselling author Lisa Unger has an opinion about authors and social media that she admits might generate pushback. She has a rare background for a published author. Before her first book contract, Unger spent years working in publishing, in publicity, helping authors spread the word about their books. She shared with Mary her advice for aspiring authors, how she discovers her characters as she's writing them on the page, being an introvert, and the inspiration for her latest book, the instant bestseller, "Served Him Right." Audiobook excerpted from "Served Him Right" by Lisa Unger, Copyright © 2026 by Lisa Unger Published by Park Row Books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Daria Lavelle on her debut novel "Aftertaste" (July 2025)

Daria Lavelle's debut novel "Aftertaste," a Club Calvi Readers' Choice in the summer of 2025, is a haunting story of a New York City chef whose foods can bring ghosts back from the afterlife for one last meal with their loved ones. The chef opens a restaurant serving closure, but it causes chaos. If you missed reading the book in hardcover, it's now out in paperback. Daria talked to Mary about how her Ukrainian heritage is sprinkled throughout the book and how she landed her book contract. Audio excerpt Copyright © 2025 by Daria Lavelle. Courtesy of Simon & Schuster Audio from the audiobook Aftertaste: A Novel by Daria Lavelle, read by Ari Fliakos, Tessa Albertson, André Santana, and Kristen Sieh published by Simon & Schuster Audio, a Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc. Used with permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]