The Literary Spiral

What happens when the scariest thing inside a house isn't necessarily a ghost, but the secrets, memories, and trauma that refuse to stay buried?

In this episode of The Literary Spiral Podcast, I'm joined by horror author Ellis Hart to discuss his novel, The House That Held Her, and explore the darker side of psychological horror, haunted house fiction, and the unsettling stories that stay with readers long after the final page.

We also get into the fascinating relationship between horror and human emotion, the appeal of morally complicated characters, and why readers are so drawn to dark, uncomfortable stories. And, of course, we wrap things up with a fun, slightly unhinged quickfire round that puts Ellis's horror instincts to the test.

Whether you're a fan of psychological horror books, haunted house novels, gothic horror, disturbing fiction, supernatural suspense, or dark literary fiction, this author interview is for you.

The Literary Spiral Podcast is a bookish podcast dedicated to horror books, psychological thrillers, weird girl literature, dark fiction, and conversations with the authors behind your next favorite read.

If you love horror book recommendations, BookTok, Bookstagram, author interviews, and deep dives into the stories that disturb us in the best possible way, you're in the right place.

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THE HOUSE THAT HELD HER

In this episode I'm joined by debut author Isabela Livino to discuss her debut novel, An Immaculate Deception, a book that's been making waves across BookTok!

We dive into the inspiration behind her debut, the darker themes woven throughout the story, and the creative process of bringing her vision to life. Isabela also takes us behind the scenes of her publishing journey, from writing her manuscript to navigating the process of getting her first novel published and seeing it make its way into readers' hands.

We talk about the realities of breaking into the publishing industry, the challenges and excitement of being a debut author, and what it's like watching your book find an audience.

Whether you've already devoured An Immaculate Deception or you're curious about the journey from aspiring writer to published author, this is a conversation you won't want to miss! Expect dark fiction, publishing insights, and plenty of literary spiraling.

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In this episode I'm joined by the incredibly talented Viggy Parr Hampton, author of multiple horror novels, for a deliciously dark conversation about literature, female rage, morally questionable characters, and the beautifully disturbing world of "weird girl horror."

We dive into the psychology behind her unforgettable characters, the uncomfortable truths lurking beneath their stories, and why we're so fascinated by women who are messy, complicated, and unapologetically difficult to love.

From obsession and power dynamics to societal expectations, taboo subjects, and the darker corners of the female experience, we explore what makes transgressive literature so compelling, and why sometimes the most unsettling stories are the ones that reveal something about ourselves.

If you love literary fiction that pushes boundaries, morally ambiguous women, psychological darkness, and books that leave you questioning everything, this conversation is for you. After you listen to this epsiode, make sure you head over to Viggy's podcast, Horror Humor Hunger, on all podcast platforms.

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New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Hillier joins me for a conversation about her newest thriller, Heart of Glass, the darkness behind her stories, and what it really takes to write characters who are capable of terrible things.

Jennifer talks about returning to the world of Wonderland, writing morally complicated women, our fascination with true crime, and the uncomfortable question at the center of so many great thrillers: how well can we ever really know another person?

We talk twists, creating believable villains, the evolution of her career, the pressure of keeping readers guessing, and what it felt like to become a New York Times bestseller.

Dark, psychological, a little unhinged, and full of behind-the-scenes insight into the mind of one of thriller fiction’s most compelling authors.

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In this episode of The Literary Spiral, I’m joined by author Sara Cooper to talk about her dark, hilarious, and deeply uncomfortable novel Ravenous: a biting satire of influencer culture, consumerism, body image, performative femininity, and motherhood in the age of social media.

We dive into the psychology behind Breigh, an unboxing influencer whose carefully curated online existence begins to unravel after she becomes pregnant. Sara and I talk about Breigh’s desperate need for validation, the strange and unsettling relationship she develops with her unborn baby, the pressure placed on women’s bodies during pregnancy, and what happens when motherhood itself becomes content.

We also get into the absurdity of influencer culture, #LiveBirth, eating makeup, capitalism, parasocial relationships, the ethics of family content, and the surprisingly lonely reality underneath Breigh’s increasingly unhinged behavior.

If you love weird-girl literature, complicated female protagonists, social horror, literary satire, female rage, and books that make you laugh before making you deeply uncomfortable, this conversation is for you.

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In this episode of The Literary Spiral, author Rosie Sycamore discusses her novel, My Violent Muse.

We dive into the complicated relationship between Morello and Florence, the seductive nature of revenge, and why readers are so fascinated by women in fiction who are allowed to be angry, violent, selfish, and completely messy. Rosie discusses the blurred line between muse and manipulation, the romanticization of the tortured artist, and what happens when someone fighting against exploitation begins using power and control herself.

If you love female rage, weird-girl fiction, morally gray women, psychological thrillers, dark literary fiction, revenge stories, and books that make you question exactly who you're supposed to be rooting for, this conversation is for you.

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What happens when wanting a different life turns into an obsession with becoming someone else?

In this episode of The Literary Spiral, I sit down with author Leah Campbell to talk about her dark, unsettling weird-girl novel Sagebrush Baby and the deeply complicated woman at its center: Violet.

We dive into Violet’s obsession with motherhood, the fabricated identity she creates online, and the increasingly disturbing lengths she’ll go to make that fantasy real. Leah and I talk about performative motherhood, social media validation, jealousy, class and isolation, generational trauma, and the uncomfortable line between understanding a morally questionable woman and actually sympathizing with her.

If you love books about obsessive women, female rage, morally questionable characters, motherhood horror, psychological fiction, and protagonists who make one terrible decision after another, this conversation is for you.

What happens when friendship becomes obsession, and intimacy becomes a weapon?

In this episode of The Literary Spiral Podcast, I’m diving deep into the book Jawbone by Mónica Ojeda, one of the strangest, darkest, and most psychologically fascinating explorations of teenage girlhood and female friendship I’ve read.

At the center of Jawbone is a group of teenage girls whose intense friendships, private rituals, fascination with horror, and obsession with fear begin to spiral into something increasingly dangerous. But underneath the novel’s unsettling surface is an even more interesting question: How much power do we gain when someone trusts us enough to tell us exactly where it hurts?

We’re talking about the dark psychology of teenage girl friendships, the line between intimacy and possession, why fear becomes such an important part of the girls’ relationships, and the ways cruelty can hide behind innocence.

If you love weird girl literature, literary horror, psychological horror, female rage, disturbing books, complex female characters, dark academia, or books about obsessive female friendships, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

What happens when science, obsession, and horror collide? In this episode of The Literary Spiral, I’m joined by Leigh Radford, author of the haunting literary horror novel, One Yellow Eye, for a deep dive into the inspiration, research, characters, and unsettling ideas behind the book.

We talk about grief, loss, literary horror, science in fiction, morally complicated characters, obsession, female rage, and the ways reality can become more terrifying than fiction. Leigh shares what drew her to the story, how she incorporates scientific concepts into her writing, and what it’s like creating a protagonist who isn’t necessarily easy to love.

And if you’re already wondering what Leigh is working on next… we talk about her upcoming novel and get a glimpse into what readers can expect from her next book (it’s a good one!).

IN THIS EPISODE:

• The inspiration behind One Yellow Eye

• Grief and loss

• Science, research & horror

• Creating complicated and unlikeable characters

• Obsession, identity & human nature

• Why realistic horror can be the most disturbing

• Her upcoming 2027 novel

If you love horror books, psychological thrillers, literary fiction, dark fiction, unsettling stories, book podcasts, author interviews, and discovering your next five-star read, make sure to subscribe to The Literary Spiral on all streaming platforms.

What happens when mental illness, women’s autonomy, and psychological horror collide?

In this episode of The Literary Spiral, I’m joined by author Faith Gardner to discuss her newest psychological thriller, The Spin. A dark, unsettling novel that explores mental illness, women’s autonomy, power, control, and the terrifying ways systemic failures can shape our lives.

We dive into the inspiration behind The Spin, Faith’s writing process, the research that went into creating the novel, and how she develops psychologically complex characters. We also talk about the darker side of human nature, why psychological thrillers can be such an effective way to explore real-world fears, and the deeper questions surrounding mental health and the systems designed to support us.

If you love psychological thrillers, dark fiction, books about mental illness, women’s rage, complex female characters, and stories that blur the line between psychological horror and systemic horror, this conversation is for you.

In this gripping episode, I sit down with psychological thriller author Liv Lowry to explore what makes a truly unforgettable thriller. We dive into the psychology behind fear, suspense, secrets, manipulation, and those twists that leave readers questioning everything.

What if you don’t actually hate horror, you just hate gore?

In this episode, I’m diving into the difference between horror that scares us and horror that disgusts us, and why the two are so often lumped together. We’re talking fear, violence, discomfort, what makes something truly disturbing, and why some of the most unsettling stories barely need blood at all.

Then, I’m taking a deep dive into Nancy Tucker’s The First Day of Spring. A haunting, psychologically devastating novel that explores childhood, violence, trauma, and the terrifying ways we try to understand the people who commit unimaginable acts.

If you love horror but find yourself saying, “I can handle scary, I just can’t do gore,” this one is for you. Because maybe you don’t hate horror. Maybe you just hate what horror looks like when the blood starts flowing.

In this episode, we’re diving into the complicated, unsettling, and often fascinating world of women in horror. From the ways women are portrayed in the genre to the ways women have reclaimed horror to tell their own stories.

We take a deep dive into Trad Wife by Saratoga Schaefer, unpacking its themes, characters, and the disturbing ideas at the heart of the book. We’ll explore the intersection of femininity, domesticity, control, and horror, and why the “trad wife” ideal can become something far more sinister than it first appears.

If you love horror with something deeper to chew on, this episode is for you. 🖤