Dose encounters of the fatal kind: 'Served Him Right' highlights a thin line between help and harm.

On this episode of Fully Booked, internationally bestselling thriller author Lisa Unger joins us to discuss Served Him Right (Park Row Books, March 10), in which a brunch bunch receives word that the bad boyfriend they’ve gathered to excise from their social media accounts has been murdered. “Breaking up isn’t just hard to do—it can be fatal” Kirkus writes in a starred review that says: “Sisterhood is powerful in surprising ways in this twisty, satisfying thriller.”

Unger is the New York Times bestselling author of 23 novels, published in 33 languages, with millions of copies sold worldwide. In 2019, she received two Edgar Award nominations in the same year, an honor held by only an elite few (including Agatha Christie). Her short fiction has been anthologized in The Best American Mystery and Suspense, and she is co-president of the International Thriller Writers organization. She lives with her family on the West Coast of Florida.

Here’s a bit more from our review of Served Him Right: “The Blacksmith sisters have very different personalities—perfectionist Vera and chaos agent Ana often clash. But they’re bound by tragedy, having been orphaned after their mother was convicted of murdering their father, then died in prison herself.…The sisters’ past comes back into play, though, when Vera hosts a brunch ‘ex-orcism’ to celebrate Ana’s breakup with her latest bad boyfriend, Paul Hayes. He owns a high-powered advertising firm and has a rumored tendency to sexually harass his employees (or worse). Amid the mimosas, a police detective arrives looking for Ana, to let her know Paul’s body has been found in a shallow grave in a remote park.…As the intricate links between the crimes become clear, Unger keeps the suspense in high gear, skillfully swinging among several vividly portrayed first-person narrators.”

In a wide-ranging conversation, Unger and I dig into ex-orcisms (i.e. removing, unfollowing, or blocking your ex—or your friend’s ex—on social media); the healing and deadly properties of plants; what we call women who possess deep knowledge of the natural world; character development; and the wildly supportive community of thriller writers. And at the end of the interview, Unger recommends a book that’s part of her background research for the novel she’s currently working on. Follow @kirkus_reviews on Instagram, DM us the title of that book, and you’ll be entered in a drawing to receive a $100 VISA gift card, courtesy of Kirkus.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:

Dance With Me, Franny Nice Shirt by Elizabeth Kelly Stephenson

Blanket Party in Desert Storm by Darnnell Reese & Deidra Wilson

Echoes of Fortune by David R. Leng

The Past Is Not at Rest by Katherine Bennett

From the Cold by Mia K. Rose

Fully Booked is produced by Jessica Lockhart and Megan Labrise.