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James and Susan Patterson are the co-authors of The Mother Daughter Book Club recently on shelves this summer. James Patterson is one of the most popular storytellers of our time. He is the creator of unforgettable characters and series, including Alex Cross and has co authored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton and Dolly Parton. Susan Solie Patterson has a Bachelor of Science/Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she was also an All-American swimmer. She is the author of Big Words for Little Geniuses, a New York Times bestseller. The four discuss book clubs, Wisconsin and the states where we are all from, and how both Jim and Sue got their start writing. We dig into the books, food, characters, and story and inspiration behind The Mother Daughter Book Club and their process for writing it together. It's as if Jim, Sue, Elin and Tim have their own book club together in this penultimate episode of Season 4!  Thank you to our Episode Sponsor: WawaAnd a special thank you to our Season 4 Premier Sponsors: Book of the MonthNantucket Book PartnersLittle, BrownJames and Sue Patterson Reading List The Mother Daughter Book ClubThings I Wish I Told My MotherBig Words for Little Geniuses The Most Dangerous Games with Mr BeastWhat Else are we Reading in this Episode The Guest by Emma ClineThe Blue Bistro by Elin Hilderbrand Lady Chattery’s Lover by Oliver MellorsCharlotte’s Web by E.B. White28 Summers by Elin HilderbrandWhere’d You Go Bernadette by Maria SempleThe Wedding People by Alison EspachLessons in Chemistry by Bonnie GarmusBel Canto by Ann PatchettWhistler by Ann PatchettThe Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste NgThe Five-Star Weekend by Elin HilderbrandThe Perfect Couple by Elin HilderbrandFollow/Subscribe to the 'Books, Beach, & Beyond' podcast now to stay current on new episodes. And find us on Instagram at @booksbeachandbeyond Happy Reading!

Alice Hoffman is the author of more than thirty works of fiction, including the Practical Magic series. We start this episode talking about beginnings and our favorite first pages of books. The three discuss how Alice got her start as a writer, the magic in Alice’s novels and the magic of books, moving in and living with school roommates, her new novel Witches of Cambridge, Anne Frank, her Best Dog in the World anthology and our love of our dogs, the Practical Magic movie and the upcoming sequel, supporting breast cancer research, and so much more! Alice wrote one of the greatest quotes, “Books may well be the only true magic.” and this episode has a magical feeling to it with some fall autumn vibes. Thank you to our Episode Sponsor: Book of the MonthAnd a special thank you to our Season 4 Premier Sponsors: Book of the MonthNantucket Book PartnersLittle, BrownAlice Hoffman Reading List The Witches of CambridgeIllumination NightWhen We Flew AwayThe Best Dog in the WorldPractical MagicThe Probable FutureThe Museum of Extraordinary Things  What Else Are We Reading in this Episode Plot Twist by Harlan CohenFranny and Zooey by J D SalingerIt by Stephen KingRay Bradbury booksElizabeth Strout booksHollow Bones by Jodi PicoultFollow/Subscribe to the 'Books, Beach, & Beyond' podcast now to stay current on new episodes. And find us on Instagram at @booksbeachandbeyond Happy Reading!

Harlan Coben joins Books, Beach, & Beyond this week for such an entertaining conversation about reading and writing. Harlan is a #1 best-selling author and one of the world’s leading storytellers, and one of Tim's auto-buy authors. His thirty-eight suspense novels are published in forty six languages and have been number one bestsellers in more than a dozen countries. Your hosts talk with him about his new memoir Plot Twist along with topics like point of view, Harlan’s take on research, favorite endings in books and penning great plot twists, writing with Reese Witherspoon, and all his book to screen adaptations. The episode is filled with incredible writing tips and takeaways from a singular writing life. Thank you to our Episode Sponsor: Nantucket Book PartnersAnd a special thank you to our Season 4 Premier Sponsors: Book of the MonthNantucket Book PartnersLittle, Brown Harlan Coben Reading List Plot TwistTell No OneThe InnocentI Will Find YouGone Before GoodbyeThe WoodsThe StrangerLazarus What else are we reading in this episode? The Perfect Couple by Elin Hilderbrand White Fur by Jardine Libaire The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie Are You My Mother? by PD Eastman Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S.Lewis A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain Double Indemnity by James M. Cain Michael Connelly books Phillip Roth books Bird by Bird by Ann Lamott The Color of Light by William Goldman Follow/Subscribe to the 'Books, Beach, & Beyond' podcast now to stay current on new episodes. And find us on Instagram at @booksbeachandbeyond Happy Reading!

Please welcome to the podcast one of Elin's very favorite writers (and now Tim’s), - Anna Quindlen! Anna is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling novel Rise and Shine, the #1 bestselling memoir Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake, and A Short Guide to a Happy Life. Her new novel More Than Enough was released in February 2026. The three dive into how Anna got her start writing, how reading and writing fulfills someone differently, weaving backstory into narrative, and how to engage fully in our daily lives. Anna discusses her new novel More Than Enough; her characters, the multiple storylines, and the book’s themes and literary references. The episode ends with Anna explaining how she infuses the lessons she writes about in her nonfiction into her fiction and the three give us a terrific speed round with some great reading recommendations! Thank you to our Episode Sponsor: Nantucket Meat & FishAnd a special thank you to our Season 4 Premier Sponsors: Book of the MonthNantucket Book PartnersLittle, BrownBooks Mentioned in this Episode  Object Lessons by Anna QuindlenOne True Thing by Anna QuindlenBlack & Blue by Anna QuindlenEvery Last One by Anna QuindlenLittle Women by Louisa May AlcottThe Correspondent by Virgina EvansTheo of Golden by Allen LeviThe Accidental Tourist by Ann TylerStill Life with Breadcrumbs by Anna QuindlenMore than Enough by Anna QuindlenA Short Guide to a Happy Life by Anna Quindlen Away by Amy BloomThe Savage Noble Death by Babs Dionne by Ron Currie Jr.She Rides Shotgun by Jordan HarperA Violent Masterpiece by Jordan HarperThe Burning Side by Sarah DamoffWho Else Are We Talking About Susan IsaacsScott TurowRichard RussoIrma BaumbachLaurie ColwinAnn TylerHerman MelvilleEdith WhartonAlice McDermottAmy BloomDon DeLillo Phillip RothStephen KingFollow/Subscribe to the 'Books, Beach, & Beyond' podcast now to stay current on new episodes. And find us on Instagram at @booksbeachandbeyond Happy Reading!

They say “Summer begins with MKA” and we are thrilled to welcome New York Times best-selling author Mary Kay Andrews this summer to Books, Beach, & Beyond. Mary Kay Andrews is the author of thirty-three novels and a cookbook. In June, St. Martin’s Press published her 34th novel Road Trip. Your hosts and Mary Kay talk about how publishing has changed since her first book in 1992 and how writing for a newspaper helped in writing her novels. Then they dig into Road Trip with a “road trip” inspired speed round (favorite "road trip song", "favorite road trip snack") and background on her research trip to Ireland for the new book. The three end the episode with some bad irish accents and talking all about “Friends and Fiction” and the vibrant show and community that she built along with four other best-selling authors. Thank you to our Episode Sponsors: Little, BrownPeacockAnd a special thank you to our Season 4 Premier Sponsors: Book of the MonthNantucket Book PartnersLittle, BrownBooks Mentioned in This Episode Road Trip by Mary Kay AndrewsMemoirs of a Geisha by Arthur GoldenEvery Crooked Nanny by Mary Kay AndrewsMidnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John BerendtTo Live and Die in Dixie by Mary Kay AndrewsSavannah Blues by Mary Kay AndrewsHissy Fit by Mary Kay AndrewsThe Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie The Searcher by Tana FrenchDolly All The Time by Annabel MonaghanWho else are we talking about this episode?  Tim WintonKarin SlaughterAgatha ChristieMichael ConnellyElinor LipmanAnna QuindlenHarlan CobenFollow/Subscribe to the 'Books, Beach, & Beyond' podcast now to stay current on new episodes. And find us on Instagram at @booksbeachandbeyond Happy Reading!

Welcome to the podcast Jennifer Garner, actor and entrepreneur and star of The Five-Star Weekend, the 8 episode series from Peacock adapted from the novel by your co-host Elin Hilderbrand. They start by asking Jen what she read as a child, if she approaches roles differently if the original content is a book, and they dig into a bunch of Jen’s other screen adaptations. Then they chat all about The Five-Star Weekend, the character of Hollis, pretend cooking shows and favorite summer recipes, the friendship and camaraderie of the cast and the characters, and so much more. Settle in for a five-star conversation and then head over to Peacock and binge the show of the summer!  Thank you to our Episode Sponsors: CartolinaSerena & LilyNantucket Historical AssociationAnd a special thank you to our Season 4 Premier Sponsors: Book of the MonthNantucket Book PartnersLittle, BrownWhat are we reading in this episode?  The Five-Star Weekend by Elin HilderbrandRoots by Alex HaleySwan Song by Elin HilderbrandTo Kill A Mockingbird by Harper LeeThe English Patient by Michael OndaatjeJaws by Peter Benchley Harriet The Spy by Louise FitzhughThe Land of Stories by Chris ColferPartita by Barbara Kingsolver The Foster’s Market by Sara FosterModern Comfort Food by Ina GardenBarefoot at Home by Ina GartenBarefoot in Paris by Ina GardenWho else are we reading?  Ann PatchettLaura DaveDavid SedarisAbraham VergheseBarbara KingsolverFollow/Subscribe to the 'Books, Beach, & Beyond' podcast now to stay current on new episodes. And find us on Instagram at @booksbeachandbeyond Happy Reading!

This special episode of Books, Beach, & Beyond was recorded LIVE at the 15th annual Nantucket Book Festival on June 13, 2026. Tim sits Tayari Jones down to talk about one of the best-selling novels of the year so far - KIN. Tayari and Tim talk about Tayari’s origin story, choosing point of view, mothers and daughters, writing historical fiction, her tour for Kin, and much more. Thank you to Nantucket Community Television for the live audio recording of this conversation. Thank you to our Episode Sponsors: Nantucket HotelN MagazineNantucket CurrentAnd a special thank you to our Season 4 Premier Sponsors: Book of the MonthNantucket Book PartnersLittle, BrownFollow/Subscribe to the 'Books, Beach, & Beyond' podcast now to stay current on new episodes. And find us on Instagram at @booksbeachandbeyond Happy Reading!

This special episode of Books, Beach, & Beyond was recorded LIVE at the 15th annual Nantucket Book Festival on June 12, 2026. Elin sits Belle Burden down to talk about one of the best-selling memoirs of the year so far - “Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage.” Elin designed the conversation to be split between before the book, about the book, and after the book came out. Belle tells us of her writing and reading life, her past, her marriage, being on Oprah’s podcast, and Hollywood plans for the screen adaptation. Thank you to Nantucket Community Television for the live audio recording of this conversation. Thank you to our Episode Sponsors: Nantucket HotelHill House Home - 20% off first order of $150 or more with code ACK20And a special thank you to our Season 4 Premier Sponsors: Book of the MonthNantucket Book PartnersLittle, BrownFollow/Subscribe to the 'Books, Beach, & Beyond' podcast now to stay current on new episodes. And find us on Instagram at @booksbeachandbeyond Happy Reading!

Carley Fortune is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer After, One Golden Summer, This Summer Will Be Different, Meet Me at the Lake, and new on shelves this year, the #1 New York Times bestseller - Our Perfect Storm. Carley, Elin, and Tim start talking about the romance genre and its respect in the industry, Carley’s life as a journalist before turning into a novelist, and how she got her start. They chat about literary tropes, first person point of view, writing believable sex scenes, her Canadian settings, Tofino and Barry’s Bay, her newest novel Our Perfect Storm, and her screen adaptation Every Year After based on her book Every Summer After. Thank you to our Episode Sponsors: Nantucket Book PartnersNantucket LoomsAnd a special thank you to our Season 4 Premier Sponsors: Book of the MonthNantucket Book PartnersLittle, BrownCarley Fortune Reading List Every Summer AfterOne Golden SummerThis Summer Will Be Different Meet Me at the LakeOur Perfect StormWhat else are we reading in this episode? Anne of Green Gables by Lucy MontgomeryTomorrow When the War Began by John MarsdenFifty Shades of Grey E. L. JamesDolly All the Time by Annabel MonaghanSandwich by Catherine NewmanFollow/Subscribe to the 'Books, Beach, & Beyond' podcast now to stay current on new episodes. And find us on Instagram at @booksbeachandbeyond Happy Reading!

Elin Hilderbrand and Tim Ehrenberg of Tim Talks Books are back for Season 4 of Books, Beach, & Beyond! The two co-hosts update listeners on their years so far and then introduce returning guests Ann Patchett and Emma Straub, both bookstore owners (Parnassus Books in Nashville, TN, and Books Are Magic in Brooklyn, NY), and both with new books this year. The four talk about bookstores from childhood, what it’s like owning a bookstore, and their favorite books of 2026 so far. They dive into the research for Emma’s new novel published this April,  American Fantasy and discuss the themes of Ann’s newest on shelves this week, Whistler.  The episode ends with a bunch of book recommendations for you to check out. This is an entertaining conversation between four readers and friends to kick off your summer reading. A readers’ dream! Thank you to our Episode Sponsors: Little, BrownNantucket Island ToursAnd a special thank you to our Season 4 Premier Sponsors: Book of the MonthNantucket Book PartnersLittle, BrownBooks Mentioned in this episode The Five-Star Weekend by Elin HilderbrandAmerican Fantasy by Emma StraubWhistler by Ann PatchettThis is Not About Us by Allegra GoodmanThe Heir Apparent by Rebecca ArmitageJohn of John by Douglas StuartKin by Tayari JonesThe Reservation by Rebecca KauffmannThe Things We Never Say by Elizabeth StroutLost Lambs by Madeline CashSophie Standing There by Meg MasonHollow Bones by Jodi PicoultDown with the Shipmans by Meg Mitchell MooreThe Shampoo Effect by Jenny JacksonCool Machine by Colson WhiteheadMusic Against the Night by Yiyun LiSorrow and Bliss by Meg MasonPly by Hernan DiazFollow/Subscribe to the 'Books, Beach, & Beyond' podcast now to stay current on new episodes. And find us on Instagram at @booksbeachandbeyond Happy Reading!

Next up for Books, Beach, & Beyond is the best-selling and award-winning writer Elizabeth Strout, author of Olive Kitteridge, My Name is Lucy Barton, and Tell Me Everything, just released in paperback. Elin and Tim start by discussing why they read and welcome Liz with how she got her start in this literary life along with her one night as a stand-up comedian. They continue with discussion on some of her beloved characters Olive, Lucy, and Bob, and dig into her process, point of view, her Pulitzer Prize win and Oprah’s Book Club experience. We hear about the screen adaptation of Olive Kitteridge with Frances McDormand, which two characters Liz would take to a weekly lunch, and what books her characters would recommend to read. A Special Thank you to our Episode Sponsors: Little, BrownHill House HomeElizabeth Strout Books: Amy and IsabelleOlive KitteridgeMy Name is Lucy BartonOlive, AgainTell Me EverythingOther Books Mentioned: Winesburg, Ohio: A Group of Tales of Ohio Small Town Life by Sherwood AndersonThe Good Seed by William MarchMrs. Dalloway by Virgina WoolfMiddlemarch by George EliotFollow/Subscribe to the 'Books, Beach, & Beyond' podcast now to stay current on new episodes. And find us on Instagram at @booksbeachandbeyond Happy Reading!

Next on Books, Beach, & Beyond is Catherine Newman, author of Sandwich, We All Want Impossible Things, and Wreck, (forthcoming from HarperCollins in October 2025.) Elin and Tim begin by gushing about Catherine’s writing and how much they love her books. Catherine takes us back to her first writing projects, and then her pivot into writing auto-fiction with her three novels. They talk about family summer vacations, what keeps them up at night, health scares, grief, food in her books, her beloved characters, family dynamics, and all the themes and layers upon layers in Catherine’s novels. Don't miss this episode and make sure to pre-order Wreck coming out this fall. A Special Thank you to our Episode Sponsors: CartolinaNantucket Meat & FishCatherine Newman Reading List: We All Want Impossible ThingsSandwichWreck (coming October 28, 2026. Pre-order now!)What else are we reading in this episode? The Beans of Egypt, Maine by Carolyn ChuteSmall Rain by Garth GreenwellStation Eleven by Emily St. John MandelThe Road by Cormac McCarthyLittle House on the Prairie by Laura Ingall’s WilderBlack Hearts in Battersea by Joan AikenThe Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan AikenThe Usual Desire to Kill by Camilla BarnesReal Americans by Rachel KhongLoved and Missed by Susie BoytThe Girls in Queens by Christine Kandic TorresHeartwood by Amity GaigeCassandra at the Wedding by Dorothy BakerBridge of Sighs by Richard RussoStraight Man by Richard RussoThe Risk Pool by Richard RussoThe Emperor of Gladness by Ocean VuongFollow/Subscribe to the 'Books, Beach, & Beyond' podcast now to stay current on new episodes. And find us on Instagram at @booksbeachandbeyond Happy Reading!

Elin and Tim welcome to the podcast Curtis Sittenfeld, the author of Prep, American Wife, and Show, Don’t Tell. They start with Curtis’s favorite books, her time at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop where Elin and her compare stories, and then segue into her debut novel, “the boarding school book of boarding school books”, Prep. They discuss how much of it was inspired by Curtis’s own boarding school experience and compare and contrast it to Elin’s upcoming boarding school novel, The Academy, as well as chat about their favorite campus novels. The three move on to Curtis’s novels inspired by First Ladies, American Wife and Rodham, and they laugh about their favorite SNL skits. This episode is rich with reading recommendations so don’t miss it! A Special Thank you to our Episode Sponsors: The Nantucket HotelNantucket Historical AssociationCurtis Sittenfeld’s Reading List: PrepAmerican WifeEligibleRomantic ComedyRodhamShow Don’t TellWhat Else Are We Reading in this Episode: Charlotte’s Web by E.B WhiteStuart Little by E.B. WhiteThe Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler WarnerThe Secret History by Donna TarttFoster Dade Explores the Cosmos by Nash JenkinsSarah Phillips by Andrea LeeGentlemen and Players by Joanne HarrisI am Charlotte Simmons by Thomas WolfeThe Islanders by Lewis RobinsonGirlfriending by Susanna DanielMy Own Devices by DessaAnimal Instinct by Amy ShearnFollow/Subscribe to the 'Books, Beach, & Beyond' podcast now to stay current on new episodes. And find us on Instagram at @booksbeachandbeyond Happy Reading!

Books, Beach, & Beyond’s first LIVE podcast recording was June 14th at the Nantucket Book Festival where Elin and Tim were in conversation with best-selling author Carl Hiaasen, author of Fever Beach. The three talk about Carl’s career as a journalist turned novelist, setting his novels in the state of Florida, writing satire, his outrageous characters, and writing for both adults and children. Carl discusses how publishing has changed in his long career, engaging in politics, the exuberant writing and humor in his novels, his advice to graduates, and his take on Hollywood adaptations. The audience at the Nantucket Book Festival was in stitches and you will be, too. A Special Thank You To Our Episode Sponsors: CartolinaNantucket LoomsCarl Hiaasen Books: Double WhammyTourist SeasonFever BeachAssume the Worst: The Graduation Speech You’ll Never HearHoot Other Books Mentioned: The Hardy Boys by Franklin W DixonNancy Drew by Carolyn KeeneDavy Barry booksKaren Russell booksErik Larson booksMartin Amos booksChristopher Moore books Follow/Subscribe to the 'Books, Beach, & Beyond' podcast now to stay current on new episodes. And find us on Instagram at @booksbeachandbeyond Happy Reading!

Our first official episode of Season 3 is with the force that is GAYLE KING! Gayle is an award-winning journalist and co-host of CBS MORNINGS, also editor-at-large of Oprah Daily and hosts “Gayle King in the House,” a live, weekly radio show on SiriusXM. The three discuss their favorite interview topics to engage with writers about, what Gayle was reading as a young girl, how her journalism career started, and some highlights from that journey. The three continue with their reading habits, book recommendations, likes and dislikes in their reading lives, interviewing tips, and the people they would most like to interview someday. A Special Thank You To Our Episode Sponsors Nantucket Book PartnersBerkshire Hathaway HomeServices Island Properties NantucketReading List Elsie Dinsmore by Martha FinleyNancy Drew Books Bobby Twins Books Danielle Steel BooksLittle Women by Louisa May AlcottBeverly Cleary Books Judith Krantz Books Barbara Taylor Bradford BooksTilt by Emma Pattee The River is Waiting by Wally LambI Know This Much is True by Wally LambThe Emperor of Gladness by Ocean VuongBridge of Sighs by Richard RussoFollow/Subscribe to the 'Books, Beach, & Beyond' podcast now to stay current on new episodes. And find us on Instagram at @booksbeachandbeyond Happy Reading!