beasts of the earth | topshelfmerricklibrary

“James Wade’s newest novel, Hollow Out the Dark, is a masterpiece of atmospheric crime fiction; a worthy successor to the likes of William Gay and Cormac McCarthy. Set in East Texas, it is an epic, and age-old, story of greed and generational betrayal—where vengeance is swift and forgiveness a long time coming.” Kathleen Kent, NYT bestselling author of Black Wolf

I was thrilled to welcome back four-time guest James Wade of the podcast to talk about his gripping new release, Hollow Out the Dark – a Depression-era gothic crime thriller wrapped in a whiskey war. It’s edge-of-your-seat storytelling at its finest.
We dive into the novel’s powerful themes of brotherhood, its echoes of Cain and Abel, James’s thoughtful use of epigraphs, his unique writing process, and his uncanny ability to craft complex, unforgettable villains. We even get a sneak peek at his upcoming summer 2025 release.
We packed a lot into this episode, so don’t miss it.
Thanks for joining me once again, James!

James Wade recommends: Turtle House by Amanda Churchill; Orbital by Samantha Harvey; the work of Lauren Groff; the work of Robert Gwaltney.

Place your hold here for all James Wade titles.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

“A ll Things Lef t Wild by James Wade was one of my favorite novels of the last two years, as was River, Sing Out. But neither of those novels could have prepared me for the dark and compelling vision of Beasts of the Earth.” ~David Heska Wanbli Weiden, Spur and Anthony Award-winning author of Winter Counts

James Wade’s third book, Beasts of the Earth, is a heart-stopper, a jaw-dropper, and a prose-stunner. The characters of Harlen LeBlanc and Munday Fisher are two you won’t soon forget. There’s a reason the New York Review of Books calls James Wade an “an author of extraordinary merit.” Take a listen to this interview with three-peat guest author James Wade. Thank you so much Mr. W for joining me once again on the show! It’s always a pleasure, but it’s an even bigger pleasure reading your fabulous novels.

Reserve James Wade titles here. Follow James Wade on Instagram at @jameswadewriter

James Wade recommends: Oleander City by Matt Bondurant; Stella Maris by Cormac McCarthy; The Passenger by Cormac McCarthy; The Last Karankawas by Kimberly Garza