A Word on Words

Nghi Vo’s novel The City in Glass is a tale of love, loss, and redemption. The demon Vitrine built the city of Azril into a place of joy, desire, and chaos. But when angels come, the city falls, and Vitrine is left to mourn the ruins and the lives lost. Bound to the angel who destroyed Azril, they unearth the past and fight to reshape the future—but will they save or destroy Azril once more?

Witty and poignant, Grief Is for People is Sloane Crosley’s moving exploration of loss following the death of her closest friend. In this memoir, Crosley confronts grief’s complexities through philosophy, art, and personal reflection, blending humor and empathy. A modern elegy, it challenges conventional notions of mourning while navigating friendship, family, and the impact of the pandemic.

Eli Cranor talks with Jeremy Finley about his thriller BROILER. The novel follows two families entangled in the world of an Arkansas chicken plant. When Edwin is fired by the ruthless manager Luke, he seeks revenge, sparking a deadly chain of events. This noir thriller exposes the divide between those at the top and those below, revealing the violent realities at the heart of the American Dream.

S.A. Cosby's ALL THE SINNERS BLEED is a Southern noir thriller following Titus Crown, the first Black sheriff in a small Virginia town. As he investigates the murder of a schoolteacher, Titus uncovers a web of racism, corruption, and hidden crimes. The novel explores justice, trauma, and the burden of history, blending fast-paced action with deep moral complexity.

“It's not the monster that's going to get you. It's the monster in the human that's going to get you.” Alma Katsu talks with Jeremy Finley about her supernatural thriller THE FERVOR.

How does unresolved trauma affect memory? In her novel WHAT FIRE BRINGS, New York Times bestselling author, Rachel Howzell Hall explores trauma, memory and loss. Hall talks with J.T. Ellison about her inspiration for the story and her new adventure co-writing fantasy.

Mark Greaney’s latest Gray Man thriller has Court Gentry caught between the Russian mafia and the CIA. After stealing records from the Swiss bank that employs him, Alex Velesky was hoping to expose a conspiracy, but accidentally unmasks a gold mine of corruption. Now a target of the Russian mafia and the CIA, Gentry and his lover, Zoya Zakharova, both want him but for different reasons.

“Somebody told me once that when we share meals with strangers we become closer. But, I think, when we share stories that’s when we really understand each other. Now, sharing meals warms our stomachs, but sharing stories warms our hearts.” Tan Twan Eng talks with Jeremy Finley about his book The House of Doors .

“I wrote a story, and I showed it to a schoolmate of mine. And, he read it and he didn’t believe that I was the one who wrote the story. He thought perhaps I had copied it from somewhere or something, and that was like a huge motivation for me to write.” Stephen Buoro talks with J.T. Ellison about his book The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa.

Ryan La Sala’s horror novel BEHOLDER is a chilling tale about art, aesthetic obsession and the gaze peering back at us from our reflections. Athan Bakirtzis has secured an invitation to a mysterious penthouse soiree for New York City’s artsy elite. But when the party descends into chaos, Athan is the primary suspect. In a race to prove his innocence, Athan is swept up in a supernatural mystery.

Christine Coulson talks with J.T. Ellison about her book One Woman Show . Christine Coulson's novel One Woman Show is told through a unique perspective. The characters are depicted as works of art and, using a strict label format of no more than 75 words, the story is told using museum wall labels. Precise and humorous, One Woman Show challenges conventional narratives, prompting readers to questi...

John Scalzi talks with Jeremy Finley about his book Starter Villain . In John Scalzi’s novel Starter Villain , Charlie, a divorced substitute teacher living with his cat, inherits his long-lost uncle Jake’s supervillain business. Pulled into a war his uncle started, Charlie is up against a league of supervillains, but with unionized dolphins, hyper-intelligent talking cats, and a henchperson at hi...

In a realm of four worlds, linked by London, magic spiraled out of control. To safeguard their realms, the worlds sealed their doors. A young runaway possessing a unique magical gift, obtains a device altering the fate of all the worlds. She holds the power to unite or unravel the delicate tapestry of these interconnected realms. V.E. Schwab talks with J.T. Ellison about her book The Fragile Threa...

“I have these four detectives, and because they're from that generation who were overlooked, they are invisible. And yet they're so incredibly wise and experienced. And if you're invisible and wise, then you make an amazing detective.” Richard Osman talks with Jeremy Finley about his book The Last Devil to Die , a Thursday Murder Club mystery on NPT's original series A Word on Words .

A rogue Russian military unit has disappeared in the heart of Ukraine, leaving a trail of war crimes in their wake. Their involvement in the abduction of an American aid worker presents a challenge, as direct military intervention is not an option. To resolve the crisis, the U.S. deploys, Scot Harvath with one mission: locate the aid worker and ensure that those responsible face the consequences.

“It just really struck me how unexpected it was, to me, that these wonderful things could coexist with these awful things.” Rebecca Fogg talks with Jeremy Finley about her book Beautiful Trauma .

Lidia Bastianich – the Italian-American chef, beloved public television personality, and cookbook author – shares her culinary expertise in "Lidia's a Pot, a Pan, and a Bowl." Lidia invites us on a delightful journey through the heart and soul of Italian cuisine, celebrating the simple yet soul-satisfying joys of cooking in everyday pots, pans, and bowls.

Rea Frey talks with Jeremy Finley about her book The Other Year . Kate Baker’s beach vacation turns into a heart-stopping ordeal when her daughter Olivia disappears in the water. Rea Frey's The Other Year explores parallel timelines: one where Olivia survives and Kate faces the challenges of motherhood, and another where Olivia tragically dies, forcing Kate to navigate grief and anger. It's a grip...

Author Matthew Quick talks with host J.T. Ellison about We are the Light , a novel exploring the complexities of human connection and self-discovery. Quick delves into themes of acceptance, forgiveness, and the transformative power of friendship. With a blend of empathy and wit, Quick’s narrative highlights the resilience of the human spirit and the existence of hope even in the darkest moments.

Noir writer Gabino Iglesias talks with host Jeremy Finley about his book The Devil Takes You Home . Filled with suspense, dark humor, and profound insights into the human condition, The Devil Takes You Home is a raw and unflinching exploration of the lengths people will go to survive and the consequences that await them.

“They continued to nurse people in the most terrible of conditions and they never lost their resolve or their resiliency.” Authors Lawhon, McMorris, and Meissner talk with J.T. Ellison about their book When We Had Wings . The novel is an interwoven tale about a trio of World War II nurses stationed in the South Pacific who go from a dream assignment to war overnight.

Join Nashville Public Television's A Word on Words for an engaging episode featuring acclaimed author Rick Bragg as he discusses his latest book, The Speckled Beauty , with host Jeremy Finley. In this captivating memoir, Bragg masterfully weaves together the Southern landscape and the deep bond between humans and their animal companions, particularly his beloved dog. Prepare for an enchanting conv...

“My dad started reading this poem. I was three. I stopped him. I said, ‘Start over.’ Like, what is this? This is the most beautiful thing I've ever heard in my life! And so we started over, and I stopped him again. I said, ‘I will be a poet. This is for me.’” Tara M. Stringfellow talks with J.T. Ellison about her novel Memphis .

“It's the things that you don't want to write about. The things that seem a little too hard to look at. That is where I often find the best material is going to be.” Author Isaac Fitzgerald talks with host Jeremy Finley about Dirtbag, Massachusetts . This memoir is a captivating look at Fitzgerald’s transgressions, and how those sins make us who we are.

“It can be really hard to be yourself in the world, but it can feel worse to be someone that you’re not.” Casey Park’s talks with J.T. Ellison about Diary of a Misfit . Heartbreaking and poignant, Park’s journey to find her grandmother’s friend, Roy, a woman who lived as a man, examines a host of issues from opioid addiction and poverty to religion, gender identity, and sexuality.