Author Provocateur with Josie Brown
Novelist Josie Brown interviews other authors on their creative process.
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Jason Pinter - A STRANGER AT THE DOOR
01/17/2025
Jason Pinter - A STRANGER AT THE DOOR
In Jason Pinter's second novel in the Rachel Marin thriller series, A STRANGER AT THE DOOR, Pinter has given Rachel a unique skill set: she has an uncanny ability to see clues that crime scene investigators may miss, making her a much-needed asset by her town’s understaffed homicide detectives, including her love interest, John Serrano. She’s also a lethal killer. This gives her leeway to do things that may be considered skirting the law. It also makes her one kick-ass helicopter mom. When danger lands on Rachel’s doorstep with the threat of harming her young family, she has a vested interest in solving the heinous murder of a local high school teacher, Matthew Linklater—he was brutally murdered before his home was set afire. Solving the beloved teacher’s death becomes imperative, especially when it turns out that some of her son Eric’s classmates may be involved. Jason and I discuss how he came up with the plot, and how being a parent helped him create the empathy needed to let loose the Tiger Mom in his intrepid protagonist. A STRANGER AT THE DOOR is in Amazon. You can also purchase it at your local bookstore. For more about Josie, go to https://www.josiebrown.com
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Eileen Goudge - ALL THEY NEED TO KNOW
09/24/2024
Eileen Goudge - ALL THEY NEED TO KNOW
In New York Times best-selling Author Eileen Goudge’s latest novel, All THEY NEED TO KNOW, Kyra, an abused wife of a rich, powerful man goes on the run, ending up across the country in a small California town where she hopes to hide out. Instead, she is embraced by the locals, who offer friendship, support, and acceptance—no questions asked. Inevitably, though, terror comes knocking. Is Kyra strong enough to confront it? This novel is especially compelling because it’s based on incidents that happened to Eileen. In our very candid conversation, she shows that a fully-lived life isn’t just fodder for fiction, but the greatest catalyst for exorcizing the demons of one’s past. Check out Eileen Goudge's ALL THEY NEED TO KNOW on Amazon and in other bookstores. Check out Josie's website at https://josiebrown.com This has been a copyrighted episode of Author Provocateur with Josie Brown. AI was not used in the creation of this podcast. (c) 2024 Josie Brown.
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Jennifer S. Brown - THE WHISPER SISTER
09/03/2024
Jennifer S. Brown - THE WHISPER SISTER
In THE WHISPER SISTER, Jennifer S. Brown delivers an atmospheric coming-of-age story set in Prohibition-era New York, tracing one immigrant family’s fortunes and a young girl’s journey from the schoolyard to the speakeasy. The streets of New York in 1920 are most certainly not paved with gold, as Minnie Soffer learns when she arrives at Ellis Island. Her father, who left Ukraine when Minnie was a toddler, feels like a stranger. She sleeps on a mattress on the kitchen floor, and she understands nothing at school. They came to America for this? When her father, Ike, opens his own soda shop, stability and citizenship seem within reach. But the soda shop is not what it seems; it’s a front for Ike’s real moneymaker: a speakeasy. When tragedy strikes the Soffers, Minnie has no choice but to take over the bar. She’s determined to make the speakeasy a success despite the risks it brings to herself, her family, and her freedom. At what price does the American dream come true? Minnie won’t stop until she finds out. Check out Jennifer S. Brown’s THE WHISPER SISTER on Amazon and in other bookstores. Check out Josie's website at https://josiebrown.com This has been a copyrighted episode of Author Provocateur with Josie Brown. AI was not used in the creation of this podcast. (c) 2024 Josie Brown.
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Daniel Pyne - WATER MEMORY
07/30/2024
Daniel Pyne - WATER MEMORY
In prolific screenwriter Daniel Pyne’s latest thriller, WATER MEMORY—Black Ops specialist Aubrey Sentro may be one concussion away from death. But when pirates seize the cargo ship she’s on, she must decide whether to risk her life to save her fellow passengers. As she plays their deadly game of cat and mouse, she pushes herself to survive by focusing on thoughts of her children. She’s never told them what she really does for a living, and now she might not get the chance. While her memories make her vulnerable, motherhood makes her dangerous. Daniel and I also discuss his process for writing the novel his first series, and the similarities and differences between writing for film and television as opposed to novels.
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Hank Phillippi Ryan - HER PERFECT LIFE
07/30/2024
Hank Phillippi Ryan - HER PERFECT LIFE
Hank Phillippi Ryan’s latest thriller, HER PERFECT LIFE, Lily Atwood, is an award-winning on-air television reporter with a seemingly perfect life. A job she loves that earns her incredible celebrity status, a seven-year-old loving daughter, Rowen, who goes to a posh private school; and the perfect beautiful home in a safe neighborhood. But not everything is as perfect as it seems. Lily has several dark secrets—including the fact that her older sister disappeared when Lily was Rowen’s age. This chilling psychological standalone has received starred reviews from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly, which called it "A superlative thriller." It has also garnered a starred review from Publishers Weekly, and is now nominated for the Anthony Award for Best Novel, and the iconic Mary Higgins Clark Award. Like protagonist Lily, Hank is also a television news reporter. She and I discuss how the idea of this plot came to her; what about Lily’s on-air career mirrors her own; and how she overcomes the doubt every author faces: writing that next novel.
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James Rollins - CRUCIBLE
06/29/2024
James Rollins - CRUCIBLE
Novelist Josie Brown interviews best-selling author James Rollins on his thriller, CRUCIBLE. Something old—in this case, an ancient witch hunter's tome—and something new: artificial intelligence, which goes by the less frightening initials AI. When combined, they are a hair-raising combination in James Rollins' thriller, CRUCIBLE. Rollins success as a thriller author comes from his research. His deep dives into subjects from our past always comes from not just asking, "What if?..." But "What if it's catastrophic to the world—or worse yet, world order?" Since writing CRUCIBLE, AI's conquests is everywhere: not just the sciences but the arts too. Rollins saw it coming, making this 2018 interview prescient on too many levels. For more information on Josie, her books, and her interviews, visit her website:
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Robert Dugoni - A COLD TRAIL
06/25/2024
Robert Dugoni - A COLD TRAIL
In New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni’s latest thriller, A COLD TRAIL, Seattle homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite returns home to Cedar Grove, where a brutal murder and her haunted past come to a crossroads. There her husband, lawyer Dan O’Leary, is drawn into representing a local merchant whose business is jeopardized by the town’s revitalization. At the same time, Tracy is urged by the local Police Department to put her own skills to work on a new case: the brutal murder of the new police chief’s wife who was also local reporter investigating a cold-case slaying of a young woman. As Tracy’s and Dan’s cases crisscross, Tracy may have put everyone she loves at risk. Josie and Robert talk about the genesis for the book's plot, a family recipe for great spaghetti sauce (hint: a family recipe) and the REAL Tracy Crosswhite.
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Stella Bixby - CATFISHED
03/22/2024
Stella Bixby - CATFISHED
In the first novel of Stella Bixby’s RILEY COOPER series, CATFISHED, Bixby’s protagonist is at her lowest point: living in her parent’s basement with no prospects for employment — until she becomes a park ranger. And that’s when the fun — and the murders — begin Stella and I discuss how her former careers as a park ranger and firefighter molded her plots, Riley’s her love-hate relationship with the cop on the beat, Luke Hannah, and the changes in Riley’s future, now that the 16th novel of the series will soon be released. There’s still a lot ahead for this former prom queen, and you’ll want to hear all about it. Stella Bixby's CATFISHED is free now at your favorite digital bookstore. Josie is running a contest this week for a $50 gift card to the bookstore of your choice. No purchase necessary. . This is a copyrighted episode of Author Provocateur. No AI was used in the creation of this episode.
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Julie Mulhern - FIELDS' GUIDE TO ABDUCTION
03/21/2024
Julie Mulhern - FIELDS' GUIDE TO ABDUCTION
In FIELDS' GUIDE TO ABDUCTION—the first novel of Julie Mulhern’s POPPY FIELDS funny mystery series—Hollywood influencer Poppy Fields’s trip to Mexico, is much less relaxing than sunbathing by breathtaking infinity pools or attending glittering parties on patios overlooking the Pacific. Instead, she’s got to placate a drug cartel boss whose infatuated with Poppy’s movie star mother. With death lurking around every corner, Poppy will need more than her smarts, acting skills, and a lot of luck to make it back to Rodeo Drive. Julie and I talk about how the character of Poppy came to her, the added layer that fame puts on the already complex dynamic of mother-daughter relationships, and how Julie’s world travels have been incorporated into Poppy’s life—all great stuff for a heroine whose whirlwind life is already 8 novels and counting. Julie Mulhern's FIELDS' GUIDE TO ABDUCTION is free now at your favorite digital bookstore. Josie is running a contest this week for a $50 gift card to the bookstore of your choice. No purchase necessary. . This is a copyrighted episode of Author Provocateur. No AI was used in the creation of this episode.
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Kristi Rose - ONE HIT WONDER
03/20/2024
Kristi Rose - ONE HIT WONDER
In ONE HIT WONDER, the first novel in Kristi Roses’s Samantha True funny mystery series—her heroine, rookie forensic photographer—discovers that her small Washington town of Wind River has a sinister underbelly when it is hit with not just one murder, but two. And what does a Sasquatch sighting have to do with it? Well, you’ll have to read it to find out. Kristi and I talk about the fun she has surrounding Samantha with a marvelous cast of quirky characters; how Samantha’s dyslexia forces her think outside the box; and how Kristi plots her books so that, even six books later, the twists and turns keep on coming. JB Lynn’s mystery, THE HITWOMAN AND THE FAMILY JEWELS, is free now at your favorite digital bookstore. FOR A CHANCE TO ENTER JOSIE'S 5 DAYS - 5 AUTHORS - 5 BOOKS CONTEST FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A $50 BOOKSTORE GIFT CARD, This is a copyrighted episode of Author Provocateur. No AI was used in the creation of this episode.
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JB Lynn - THE HITWOMAN AND THE FAMILY JEWELS
03/19/2024
JB Lynn - THE HITWOMAN AND THE FAMILY JEWELS
When Maggie Lee — the heroine of JB Lynn’s novel— THE HITWOMAN AND THE FAMILY JEWELS — is asked by her mob boss employer to kill a cop, she wants to say no—especially when she finds out the cop in question is someone she once dated— Until that former date—Patrick Mulligan, whom she still cares about—tries to kill her too. JB and I talk about her wild-and-crazy cast of characters—mobsters and off-the-wall-family to boot, including a prison escapee father; JB also explains how Maggie’s menagerie —a talking lizard, a grumpy cat, and a primadonna Doberman—make a fitting conscience for this accidental hitwoman. We also discuss the joys and challenges of writing a long-running mystery series with a beloved lead character. JB Lynn’s mystery, THE HITWOMAN AND THE FAMILY JEWELS, is free now at your favorite digital bookstore. FOR A CHANCE TO ENTER JOSIE'S 5 DAYS - 5 AUTHORS - 5 BOOKS CONTEST FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A $50 BOOKSTORE GIFT CARD, This is a copyrighted episode of Author Provocateur. No AI was used in the creation of this episode.
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Camilla Chafer - ARMED AND FABULOUS
03/18/2024
Camilla Chafer - ARMED AND FABULOUS
In the first novel in Camilla Chafer’s sixteen-book Lexi Graves series, a boring temp job immediately becomes exciting—and deadly—when Lexi finds one of the company’s bosses face down in a pool of blood. When it’s discovered that millions of dollars missing from the company’s coffers, Lexi is also the chief suspect. Throw in the fact that her sexy new boss is not all he seems to be, and you see why Lexi may be in over her head. Camilla and I discuss Lexi’s trajectory from aimless gig worker to sexy intelligence operative with the international organization tracking the money —and the killers who leave numerous bodies in their wake. Camilla also tells me how, sixteen novels later, she keeps her globe-trotting private investigator constantly in danger—and how much fun it’s been upping the romance quotient with the spy guys who love her—while keeping readers on edge to see who wins out. Camilla Chafer’s ARMED AND FABULOUS is free now at your favorite digital bookstore. FOR A CHANCE TO ENTER JOSIE'S 5 DAYS - 5 AUTHORS - 5 BOOKS CONTEST FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A $50 BOOKSTORE GIFT CARD, . This is a copyrighted episode of Author Provocateur. No AI was used in the creation of this episode.
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Dara Levan - IT COULD BE WORSE
03/11/2024
Dara Levan - IT COULD BE WORSE
IT COULD BE WORSE, Dara Levan’s heartbreaking debut novel, is a tour de force chronicling a woman’s journey through the anxieties, trials, and tribulations with pregnancy, childbirth, and early motherhood—all the while addressing one parent’s toxic narcissism and the other’s enabling of it. Despite the dark circumstances that propel her protagonist Allegra’s anxieties and fear, Levan provides the necessary crises that provoke several insightful reckonings and allows her to open up to her husband and friends. But it is Allegra’s own unique parenting skills that provide needed proof that clarity comes at all ages and stages of life. The climax makes for a fabulous ending. In my discussion with Dara, we discuss what drove her to write it, how she was able to draw such strong pathos out of certain scenes that certainly had me biting my nails, and how she was able to use the actions of parents who, wittingly or not, could harm their children. Truly a must-read. Dara Levan’s IT COULD BE WORSE IS IN BOOKSTORES NOW. Check out Josie's website at https://josiebrown.com This has been a copyrighted episode of Author Provocateur with Josie Brown. AI was not used in the creation of this podcast.
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Samantha M. Bailey - A FRIEND IN THE DARK
02/29/2024
Samantha M. Bailey - A FRIEND IN THE DARK
A pending divorce. An estranged child. Eden Miller, a 45-year old realtor, finds her life crumbling, her heart broken, and her ego bruised— Until a chance glance at the Facebook page of her senior-year college crush has her sending him a friend request— Which is answered. And so it begins. A passionate communication with the sexiest man she’s ever known, who, it seems, is also soon to be single. Is it too good to be true? Best-selling author Samantha M. Bailey’s latest thriller, A FRIEND IN THE DARK, isn’t just a rollercoaster of passion and deception, but a deep dive into the psyche of a woman whose hope for a new start comes at a big price: one that may cost her everything. Samantha and I discuss how she conceived such a vulnerable protagonist, how she ratchets up the tension for Eden, and how Samantha has honed the reputation for delivering thrillers about women whose trusting natures allow others to infiltrate their world with the intent to destroy their lives. Check out Samantha M. Bailey's latest novel, the mystery A FRIEND IN THE DARK, in Amazon now. Check out Josie's website at This has been a copyrighted episode of Author Provocateur with Josie Brown. AI was not used in the creation of this podcast.
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Lee Goldberg - MOVIELAND
02/28/2024
Lee Goldberg - MOVIELAND
In the Movieland — the fourth book in the Eve Ronin thriller series — bestselling author Lee Goldberg’s plot, parallels a true and recent ongoing investigation that concerns a shooter whose stalking ground is a national park in and around Malibu Canyon. As always, Lee peppers the plot with several possible suspects, dirty politics, investigative shenanigans, and plenty of great detective work by Sherrif Detective Eve Ronin and her soon-to-be retiring partner, Duncan Pavone. And, as always, you’ll be at the edge of your seat until the very last plot twist. Lee and I discuss the depth of his research, his always great dialogue; his spot-on pacing; and how the tension that exists between Eve and her family and her department is the driving force to making her the best investigator she can be. He also brings great insights on ageism in Hollywood (it’s not just against actors); And, should your book get optioned for TV or Film, the best answers to give producers as to how much you’d like to be involved. What he says may surprise you. Lee Goldberg's novel, the mystery MOVIELAND, is in bookstores now. Check out Josie's website at This has been a copyrighted episode of Author Provocateur with Josie Brown. AI was not used in the creation of this podcast.
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Rhys Bowen - WHERE THE SKY BEGINS
02/28/2024
Rhys Bowen - WHERE THE SKY BEGINS
In Rhys Bowen’s latest historical novel, WHERE THE SKY BEGINS, London during WWII is seen through the eyes of Josie Banks, and East Ender, a plain-spoken East Ender in a bad marriage, with no job, and one talent: making a decent cuppa. Evacuated to the English countryside, Josie ends up on the estate of the aristocratic: Miss Harcourt, a reluctant host to the survivors of the Blitz. Awed as she is by the magnificent landscape, Josie convinces Miss Harcourt to let her open a humble tea shop on the estate, seeing it as a chance for evacuees and villagers to begin again and possibly thrive. When Josie meets Mike Johnson, a handsome Canadian pilot stationed at a neighboring bomber base, a growing intimacy brings her an inner peace she’s never felt before. Then Stan returns from the war. Now a threat looms larger than anyone imagined. And a dangerous secret is about to upend Josie’s life again. Her newfound courage will be tested if she is to emerge, like a survivor, triumphant. Rhys and I discuss how and when this story came to her, the research that took her into one of England’s most devastating wars, and why she loves to pivot in and out of writing mysteries—all great stuff from this prolific writer. You'll find WHERE THE SKY BEGINS on Amazon, or you can get it from your local bookstore now. Check out Josie's website at This has been a copyrighted episode of Author Provocateur with Josie Brown. AI was not used in the creation of this podcast.
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Jane Smiley - A DANGEROUS BUSINESS
02/28/2024
Jane Smiley - A DANGEROUS BUSINESS
Adventurers whose gold rush fantasies have been crushed. A prim whorehouse madam whose strict rules are readily adhered to by her girls and patrons. Two hookers with hearts of steel. In Pulitzer Prize-Winning author Jane Smiley’s historical mystery, A DANGEROUS BUSINESS, two ladies of the night—sweet but stoic Eliza Ripple and her feisty pants-wearing sidekick, Jean—must chase down a serial killer on the loose in the hills of 1850s Monterey, California. Jane and I discuss how the story came to her: How she researched this town that is near and dear to her heart; and how she’s sustained a writing career by making each of her novels different, but with the same result: compelling plots, realistic dialogue, and great characters — and in the case of A DANGEROUS BUSINESS, With the addition of a stomach-churning mystery that you’ll want as your next great read. Jane Smiley’s latest novel, the mystery A DANGEROUS BUSINESS, is in bookstores now. Check out Josie's website at This has been a copyrighted episode of Author Provocateur with Josie Brown. AI was not used in the creation of this podcast.
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