Best Janet Murray Podcasts (2025)

1
I know what I need to do - I’m just afraid I can’t do it 29:26

3d ago29:26

29:26

This is my first solo podcast episode in over a year. For a long time, I wasn’t sure I’d come back. Not because I didn’t care - or didn’t know what to say - but because I found myself on the receiving end of a series of cancellation campaigns that left me questioning everything. In this honest return, I talk about what’s happened over the past six …

1
Kaira Rouda: Jill is Not Happy 47:35

7d ago47:35

47:35

Kaira Rouda talks to Carol Fitzgerald about her latest thriller, JILL IS NOT HAPPY. Note: Kaira IS very happily married to her husband, Harley, which is something you need to know as you read this book. Kaira did get the idea for the novel when she and Harley went to Utah during the pandemic. She saw that the landscape there could lend itself to a …

1
Jeanine Cummins: Speak to Me of Home 1:08:11

11d ago1:08:11

1:08:11

Jeanine Cummins joins Carol Fitzgerald to discuss her new novel, SPEAK TO ME OF HOME, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. She shares her inspiration for the book and talks about the significance of home. What does it mean to different people and to different generations? Jeanine and Carol point out that we go through life either as passenger…

1
Julie Clark: The Ghostwriter 46:02

14d ago46:02

46:02

Julie Clark joins Carol Fitzgerald to discuss her latest thriller, THE GHOSTWRITER, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. Julie shares how she approached writing this book, including how a ghostwriter tackles a subject and handles the storytelling. She also talks about her process, which includes early mornings of writing, and why she will nev…

1
Lori Foster: The Guest Cottage 57:12

14d ago57:12

57:12

Lori Foster joins Carol Fitzgerald to discuss her latest novel, THE GUEST COTTAGE, which kicks off her Firefly Summer series. She explains how she developed the book, including the first idea that came to her, and where she sees the series headed. Fittingly, they talk about their mutual fascination with fireflies. Lori also shares information about…

1
Chris Pavone: The Doorman 1:20:59

28d ago1:20:59

1:20:59

Chris Pavone joins Carol Fitzgerald to discuss his latest thriller, THE DOORMAN, a Bookreporter Bets On selection that is being called a modern-day BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES, which is spot-on. Chris talks about the book’s setting, the Bohemia, which drew inspiration from the building where he now lives. He had long conversations with Johnny, one of t…

1
Bookaccino Live Book Group: Beatriz Williams 1:14:07

29d ago1:14:07

1:14:07

Beatriz Williams joined us for May’s “Bookaccino Live” Book Group to discuss HUSBANDS & LOVERS, a Bookreporter.com Bets On selection that is now available in paperback. She shares her inspiration for the novel, as well as her research. Spoilers are included here as we assume that everyone has read the book. Beatriz also previews her next novel, UND…

1
Janet Skeslien Charles: The Parisian Chapter 54:09

1M ago54:09

54:09

Janet Skeslien Charles joins Carol Fitzgerald to discuss THE PARISIAN CHAPTER, an audio original novel with a multi-cast recording. Pauline Chalamet and 10 other voice actors perform. Janet talks about the structure of the story, which provides listeners with a wonderful audio experience, and how she wrote to have the script work for an audiobook. …

1
Victoria Christopher Murray: Harlem Rhapsody 56:58

1M ago56:58

56:58

Victoria Christopher Murray joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about HARLEM RHAPSODY, which is her first solo historical novel (she has written New York Times bestsellers with her co-author, Marie Benedict). She explains why she chose to write about the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and shares her extensive research, which included reading issues of …

1
Bookaccino Live Book Group: Marjan Kamali 1:02:33

2M ago1:02:33

1:02:33

Marjan Kamali joined us for April’s “Bookaccino Live” Book Group to discuss THE LION WOMEN OF TEHRAN. This national bestseller and a 2024 Bookreporter Bets On selection is a heartfelt novel of friendship, betrayal and redemption set against three transformative decades in Tehran, Iran. Marjan talks about her inspiration for the book, which came fro…

1
Nita Prose: The Maid's Secret 56:55

2M ago56:55

56:55

Nita Prose joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about THE MAID’S SECRET, her last book featuring Molly the Maid. She shares that she did not set out to write a series, but once the first book was finished, it was clear that there was more to Molly’s story. Nita enjoyed developing a voice for Gran in this novel; in the prior installments, everything about…

1
Katy Hays: Saltwater 1:05:30

3M ago1:05:30

1:05:30

Katy Hays joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her latest novel, SALTWATER, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. The book is set on the island of Capri and has the same vibes as “The White Lotus.” Katy explains the origins of the novel, as well as how the story grew and why she told it from the points of view of multiple characters, alternati…

1
Georgia Hunter: One Good Thing 1:12:12

3M ago1:12:12

1:12:12

Georgia Hunter, author of the New York Times bestseller WE WERE THE LUCKY ONES, joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her latest novel, ONE GOOD THING. Georgia explains why she chose to set the book in Italy and the research trip that she took there with her mother, which was such a special time for her. She and Carol discuss what it must be like to…

1
Bookaccino Live Book Group: Anna Quindlen 1:08:33

3M ago1:08:33

1:08:33

Anna Quindlen joined us for March’s “Bookaccino Live” Book Group to discuss AFTER ANNIE, a New York Times bestseller that is now available in paperback. The novel is told from the perspectives of three characters following Annie’s sudden death, and Anna explains why she felt this was the most effective way to tell the story. Anna talks about Annie’…

1
97. Recovering Our Instincts & Free Birth in the Age of Undue Influence(s) | Mary Lou Singleton 1:19:35

3M ago1:19:35

1:19:35

Covered in this episode: Mary Lou Singleton’s call to serve women in birth and her experience watching midwifery turn into a standardized profession Critiquing medicalized midwifery and those who adhere to Science™ Unassisted Childbirth v. Free Birth Dogma What happens when transferring to the hospital unnecessarily becomes the worst thing that cou…

1
Jeff Hobbs: Seeking Shelter 1:21:58

3M ago1:21:58

1:21:58

Jeff Hobbs has been on Carol Fitzgerald’s radar since she first interviewed him 11 years ago at a pre-publication event for THE SHORT AND TRAGIC LIFE OF ROBERT PEACE. So, she was happy to catch up with him about his latest work, SEEKING SHELTER: A Working Mother, Her Children, and a Story of Homelessness in America, which is a Bookreporter Bets On …

1
Clare Leslie Hall: Broken Country 1:03:09

4M ago1:03:09

1:03:09

Clare Leslie Hall joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller, BROKEN COUNTRY, which is both a Reese’s Book Club selection and a Barnes & Noble Book Club pick, as well as a Bookreporter Bets On title. Clare explains the early inspiration for the novel and shares that she worked on it for four years, coming ba…

1
Charmaine Wilkerson: Good Dirt 59:19

4M ago59:19

59:19

Charmaine Wilkerson talks to Carol Fitzgerald about her latest novel, GOOD DIRT, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. She explains how the character of Ebby Freeman came to her, and from there the idea of the clay jar that has been in the family for generations. Charmaine shares the research she conducted about the work of slaves in the South…

1
“Bookaccino Live” Book Group: Lisa Wingate 1:30:09

4M ago1:30:09

1:30:09

Lisa Wingate joined us for February’s “Bookaccino Live” Book Group to discuss SHELTERWOOD, a Bookreporter Bets On selection that is now available in paperback. She explains what sparked the idea for her novel and why she chose to set it in two time periods: 1909 and 1990. We also learn about the research she did into the “elf children,” the Dawes A…

1
96. Women's Communities: 12 Red Flags │ Serendipiti Day 1:38:57

4M ago1:38:57

1:38:57

Dipiti is back to discuss our top 12 red flags to look out for before joining an in-person or online women's community. Want more? Be sure to check out the bonus content available here to Whose Body Is It paid Substack subscribers. Included in the *Bonus Convo* Dipiti's intentions for joining BDSM communities Isabella’s intentions for joining radic…

1
Marie Benedict: The Queens of Crime 1:04:23

4M ago1:04:23

1:04:23

Marie Benedict joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her latest book, THE QUEENS OF CRIME, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. Marie read classic women’s mysteries at a young age, as she was introduced to them by her aunt. Her love for the genre influenced this book, as well as her earlier work, THE MYSTERY OF MRS. CHRISTIE. Marie discusses t…

1
Joseph Finder: The Oligarch's Daughter 51:32

4M ago51:32

51:32

Joseph Finder joins Carol Fitzgerald to discuss his latest thriller, THE OLIGARCH’S DAUGHTER, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. Joe talks about writing the novel’s two time frames and how the awareness of what oligarchs are has become a lot more timely in the past few years. He did some wilderness training for part of the book, and then va…

1
Kerry Jordan: ‘There were times I didn’t want to get out of bed or speak to anyone’ Lessons from leaving a long-term relationship and starting again 39:32

4M ago39:32

39:32

When Kerry Jordan ended her 22 year relationship - there wasn’t just the emotional fallout to deal with. There were also practical issues - like how she could afford to live in the south of England as a self-employed photographer. She decided to move 330 miles away to Cumbria. Where she could just about afford to buy a house - as long as she was pr…

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95. Menopause without Big Pharma │ Kimberly Ann Johnson 1:09:28

5M ago1:09:28

1:09:28

Today's guest, Kimberly Ann Johnson author of the best selling book The Fourth Trimester, works at the intersection of sex, birth, and trauma. Kimberly entered menopause in 2020 and, just as she had with postpartum and motherhood, began to explore this unique phase of female mammalian life with curiosity and spiritual sensitivity. The standard of p…

1
Dipti Tait: ‘I was surrounded by grief and loss’ Lessons from dealing with a grief - and discovering a new career (S1, Ep 9) 58:21

5M ago58:21

58:21

Dipti Tait thought she had her dream job at the BBC, working on well-known TV shows. But when her father fell ill and passed away, her world was turned upside down. As family responsibilities grew—including becoming a mum—her career in television became harder to sustain. A move from London to the countryside brought further change, ultimately lead…

1
Stefan Thomas: ‘Some days I couldn’t even leave the house’ Lessons from managing a chronic illness whilst running a business (S1, Ep 8) 59:10

5M ago59:10

59:10

Running your own business has many perks, but what happens when a chronic illness forces you to rethink everything? Author and speaker Stefan Thomas has ulcerative colitis—an autoimmune condition that affects the bowel, causing pain, fatigue, and frequent (often urgent) trips to the bathroom during flare-ups. In this episode, he shares how he’s ada…

1
“Bookaccino Live” Book Group: Ashley Elston 1:00:52

5M ago1:00:52

1:00:52

Ashley Elston joins us for our first “Bookaccino Live” Book Group event of 2025 to discuss her debut novel for adults, FIRST LIE WINS. This #1 New York Times bestseller and Bookreporter Bets On selection is now available in paperback. Ashley talks about her writing process, which includes the brown butcher paper that lines her walls along with colo…

1
Scott Turow: Presumed Guilty 1:33:44

5M ago1:33:44

1:33:44

Scott Turow joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about his latest legal thriller, PRESUMED GUILTY. This Bookreporter Bets On selection marks the return of Rusty Sabich, following his starring roles in PRESUMED INNOCENT and INNOCENT. Scott explains his decision to write the book and why this may be the last time we see Rusty as a protagonist in one of his…

1
Michelle Horton: Dear Sister: A Memoir of Secrets, Survival, and Unbreakable Bonds 55:21

5M ago55:21

55:21

Michelle Horton joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about DEAR SISTER: A Memoir of Secrets, Survival, and Unbreakable Bonds, which has just released in paperback with bonus content and is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. Michelle shares the harrowing story of how her sister, Nikki, a victim of domestic violence for years, was imprisoned after she kille…

1
Tracey Lange: What Happened to The McCrays? 41:09

5M ago41:09

41:09

Tracey Lange joins Carol Fitzgerald to talk about her latest family-themed novel, WHAT HAPPENED TO THE McCRAYS?, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. Tracey introduces readers to Kyle and Casey McCray, a divorced couple who are very much estranged. As Kyle returns home to Potsdam, New York, for a family emergency, their shared past haunts the…

1
Rachel Spencer: ‘I’d have gone insane if I’d kept going’ Lessons from navigating a personal crisis as a small business owner (S1, Ep 7) 43:31

5M ago43:31

43:31

When Rachel Spencer found herself struggling to breathe - as if something was crushing down on her chest - she knew something had to change.. She’d just received the news that a friend had passed away suddenly - which was devastating enough. But the news followed a serious of personal challenges, that included bereavement, ill health and the breakd…

1
Lisa Genova: More or Less Maddy 1:03:21

5M ago1:03:21

1:03:21

Lisa Genova joins Carol Fitzgerald to discuss her latest novel, MORE OR LESS MADDY, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. Lisa shares what drew her to write about a young woman with bipolar disorder and her research on the subject, which included conversations with people who have been diagnosed with it. She talks about how both the diagnosis …

1
Fiona Davis: The Stolen Queen 51:27

6M ago51:27

51:27

Fiona Davis joins Carol Fitzgerald to discuss her eighth novel, THE STOLEN QUEEN, which is set in Egypt in 1936 and New York City in 1978. The iconic New York building that is featured in this book, which is a Bookreporter Bets On selection, is the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Fiona and Carol talk about the King Tut exhibit, as well as the Met Gala …

1
Tim Lewis: ‘Nobody wants to talk about death. Everybody wants a happy ending’ (S1, Ep 6) Lessons from losing a spouse and finding a new career as an author 52:46

6M ago52:46

52:46

Tim Lewis had been married to his wife Rachel for just a few years when she suffered a life-changing stroke. And as her health deteriorated, Tim began to lead a double life - an IT guy in financial services by day and caring for his wife by night. When his wife sadly passed away, Tim found solace in his work at first - but soon found himself compel…

1
Connie Shaw: ‘I’ve been penalised for expressing my freedom of speech’ (S1, Ep 5) Lessons from being ‘cancelled’ for holding gender critical views 1:04:28

6M ago1:04:28

1:04:28

Universities are the home of free speech, critical thinking & robust debate, right? Not for student Connie Shaw who was recently suspended from Leeds University Student Radio because of her personal views. While the reasons for her suspension have not yet been made clear, she believes it’s because of her gender critical views i.e. she believes ther…

1
2024 Bookreporter Bets On Selections: Books We're Betting You'll Love 1:10:48

6M ago1:10:48

1:10:48

Carol Fitzgerald shares commentary about her 40 Bookreporter Bets On selections from 2024. These are books that she is betting Bookreporter readers will love! (* means a video/podcast interview with that author is available.) The Women by Kristin Hannah * The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali * First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston * Summers at the S…

1
"Bookaccino Live": Our Reviewers' Top Book Picks of 2024 1:05:48

7M ago1:05:48

1:05:48

Carol Fitzgerald and Tom Donadio talked to seven Bookreporter reviewers about two of their favorite books of 2024. Our guests were Kate Ayers, Harvey Freedenberg, Pamela Kramer, Bronwyn Miller, Rebecca Munro, Ray Palen and Stuart Shiffman. Four reviewers — Sarah Rachel Egelman, Megan Elliott, Eileen Zimmerman Nicol and Norah Piehl — were not able t…

1
Mike Morrison: ‘I was waiting for a miracle or death’ Lessons from managing clinical depression while building a business(S1, Ep4) 1:20:28

7M ago1:20:28

1:20:28

We’re far more comfortable talking about mental health than we used to be - which is a good thing. But the word ‘depression’ is now often used to describe feeling sad or ‘down’ - which is not the same as clinical depression. In this interview, you’ll hear from entrepreneur Mike Morrison on how he’s built a successful business whilst managing clinic…

1
"Bookaccino Live" Book Group: Ariel Lawhon 1:20:30

7M ago1:20:30

1:20:30

Ariel Lawhon joined us for a “Bookaccino Live” Book Group discussion of THE FROZEN RIVER, which was a “Good Morning America” Book Club pick and an NPR Book of the Year when it was published in hardcover last December. It is now available in paperback and is a Bookreporter Bets On selection. Our reviewer Pamela Kramer has this to say about the book,…

1
Lizi Jackson-Barrett: ‘I was abused for starting a Jewish business club’ Lessons on staying strong when facing negativity and abuse (S1, Ep 3) 49:50

7M ago49:50

49:50

When Lizi Jackson-Barrett started a business community for Jewish business owners she found herself on the receiving end of criticism and anti-semitic abuse. In this interview, Lizi shares why she decided to start the Jewish Business Network - and how she’s stayed positive - despite the negativity she has experienced. And what it’s like to be a Bri…

1
Lucy Davies: It's a nightmare: I'm not going to pretend it's not'. Lessons from losing your parents while trying to run a business (S1, Ep 2) 30:27

7M ago30:27

30:27

Dealing with the loss of a parent can be tough for anyone to handle. When you run your own business even more so - because you there’s no paid compassionate leave to fall back on. And you can’t just hand your clients/commitments over to someone else until you’re feeling ready to face the world. In this episode of the Courageous podcast, you’ll hear…

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