The Back Room - Must-Reads for March
Spring is coming, and with it, a flurry of exciting book releases! I had the pleasure of participating in The Back Room: Cocktails and Conversations with Your Favorite Authors, hosted by the talented authors Hank Phillippi Ryan and Karen Dionne. This unique event brought together authors with new books hitting the shelves this month, including Jacqueline Faber, Tess Gerritsen, Andrew Ludington, and Gigi Pandian.
I was particularly drawn to this session for the renowned author Tess Gerritsen. While I wasn’t familiar with the other authors, that’s precisely what makes these Back Room events so captivating. They offer an opportunity to discover new authors and books that might otherwise remain hidden from my radar.
The event started with an engaging “get to know you” game, where each author was presented with three questions to share some fascinating facts about themselves. Additionally , each author enthusiastically recommended a book they had recently read. Attending The Back Room can quickly expand one’s reading list! Next, the breakout rooms were set up, providing an opportunity for each author to delve into their latest book, and Karen facilitated Q&A sessions with participants.
I had the privilege of meeting Tess Gerritsen and Jacqueline Faber in my first breakout room. Tess discussed her latest series, The Martini Club, and its second book, The Summer Guests. The Spy Coast is the first book in the series. I currently have it on my Kindle but haven’t had the chance to read it yet. After listening to her talk about her characters, a group of retired spies with interestingly flawed traits, I’m intrigued and want to move this book up my reading list. The Department is Jacqueline’s debut novel. She’s an interesting person with a PhD in Comparative Literature. Her book sounds intriguing, and I hope I’m the right kind of reader for it; the premise of a missing woman and an ethics professor sounds captivating. Jacqueline acknowledged that her book might not appeal to everyone.
In the second breakout room, I had the pleasure of meeting authors Andrew Ludington and Gigi Pandian. Andrew’s debut novel, The Splinter Effect, is about time travel. His description sounded rather complex, but if you like time travel stories then this first of a four-book series is for you! I found it clever that he strolls cemeteries to search for character names. Gigi brought a lot of energy to The Back Room. She passionately discussed her book series, Secret Staircase Mysteries, which includes the fourth and final book, The Library Game. This locked room mystery is perfect for those who enjoy Agatha Christie novels and locked room mysteries in general. Gigi also mentioned that her books can be read as stand-alones, which is great news for those who prefer not to commit to a series. I’m definitely going to check out The Library Game!
I’m a dedicated fan of The Back Room and am excitedly looking forward to the next!
You can read my blog posts about my previous experiences with The Back Room below.
The Back Room - New Year, New Books (2025)
The Back Room - Twisty Suspense (2024)
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