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Ep8 Chris Chambers Noir: This month, we shine a light on two seasoned noir authors — Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier and Joel E. Turner explain, “New Jersey smirk and Caribbean heart. Noir or not?”
This month's topic: How Noir shapes Crime Fiction, and what are the future trends? Meet our guest: Alex Kenna is a mystery writer, prosecutor, and amateur painter. Her first novel, What Meets the Eye, was a 2023 Shamus Award Finalist for best first P.I. novel. Kirkus Reviews called it a “righteous, painful debut,” and Bookpage called her “a master in the making.” Don't miss this interview!
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Ep8 Chris Chambers Noir: This month, we shine a light on two seasoned noir authors — Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier and Joel E. Turner explain, “New Jersey smirk and Caribbean heart. Noir or not?”
April 2026: On this month’s episode of Chris Chambers Noir, two more inspiring novelists are the focus of our Q&A with our host, bestselling mystery writer Christopher Chambers.
This month’s topic: New Jersey smirk and Caribbean heart… Noir or not?
Meet our guests!
Author Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier: Originally from St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, and currently living in Apex, North Carolina. Ashley-Ruth is an emerging writer of contemporary Caribbean mysteries. The winner of the North Carolina Writers Network’s 2022 Jacobs/Jones prize for Black writers, Ashley-Ruth’s stories have appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Black Cat Weekly, and The Caribbean Writer. Ashley-Ruth is a first grade teacher, a wife, and a mom of 4. For her, uninterrupted writing time is more valuable than gold. Her work has appeared in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, Black Cat Weekly, Stone’s Throw, Smoking Pen Press, Malice Domestic’s Mystery Most Devious and Mystery Most Humorous, The Best American Mystery and Suspense 2023, and other esteemed anthologies. She writes mysteries highlighting the vibrant culture of her home. Ashley-Ruth is a 2023 SMFS Derringer finalist, a 2023 and 2024 Killer Nashville Claymore finalist, and one of the 2024 recipients of MWA’s Barbara Neely grant for Black mystery writers. Her first novel-length work is forthcoming from Crooked Lane Books in Spring 2026. She currently lives with her family and teaches first grade in North Carolina. Learn more: ashleyruthbernier.com
About Ashely-Ruth’s new book, The Bush Tea Murder: Culinary journalist Naomi Sinclair is cooking up a maelstrom of trouble upon her return to the blue waters of her native Saint Thomas. The first in a new cozy mystery series set in the US Virgin Islands, this charming amateur sleuth will enrapture fans of Joanne Fluke and Carrie Doyle. Food journalist Naomi Sinclair doesn’t expect a side of murder with her passion fruit juice.
But when her return to Saint Thomas heralds a series of troubling cases, ranging from petty theft to cold-blooded murder, that threaten her tight-knit community, that is exactly the kind of unsavory treat she must sink her teeth into. Luckily for her neighbors, Naomi is as deft at solving puzzles as rolling johnnycake dough—a good thing, since her island community, though small, keeps serving up plenty of trouble.
With the help of her friends and her crush, Mateo, Naomi must navigate the tumultuous turquoise waters of life in the Caribbean, all as her beloved father battles an illness that keeps tugging her back to her island amid her rising career stateside. Rich with mouthwatering recipes, lush landscapes, and a hefty dose of fun under the sun, The Bush Tea Murder has all the ingredients to make up the perfect beach listen. Buy the book!
Author Joel E. Turner
Author Joel E. Turner: Joel’s first novel, WILDWOOD EXIT, is a noir tale set at the Jersey Shore, was published by Level Best Books in 2025. Amy Rosenberg of the Philadelphia Inquirer called it “a quirky sand-in-your-shoes crime novel with a romantic heart.” His fiction has appeared in many US and UK journals.
Articles he has written about Soul music have been featured on the UK-based Soul Source website, a major platform for news on the Northern Soul scene. His second novel, BRENDA’S GREEN NOTE, forthcoming from Cynren Press in 2027, is a coming-of-age story about a young woman with synesthesia who harnesses her ability to see sounds as colors to become a key player in the vibrant music scene of the 1960s in Philadelphia. Learn more at joeleturnerauthor.com.
About Joel’s new sordid book, Wildwood Exit: A deadly family vendetta at a Jersey Shore restaurant pulls John McGinty (aka Ginty) into a dark world of embezzlement, drug-dealing, a lying wife, and a junkie son. Ginty has just stepped in as the manager of a Wildwood restaurant owned by his friend, Lou Scolletta, after Lou fires the old manager for dipping in the till.
Ginty starts out ordering rolls of salami and bottles of Galliano, but quickly becomes Lou’s consigliere, picking up questionable packages from sketchy associates; tailing Lou’s wife Concetta on her furtive trips to Cape May; scouring the Jersey Shore for Lou’s son, Davy, a junkie on the lam; and wondering why a possibly bent State Trooper keeps showing up everywhere he goes.
Things in Ginty’s world don’t improve when a drug shipment goes wrong, a blackmail note appears…and a body is found floating in Delaware Bay. Ginty is now the unwilling yet trusted confidante of all the Scollettas and realizes that everyone in this twisted family circle is in danger, including himself. WILDWOOD EXIT is as sordid as it is comic, and should be on every beach towel from Asbury Park to Cape May. Buy the book!
Author Christopher Chambers
About Christopher Chambers: A Washington, D.C. native, Chris is a lecturer at Georgetown University, Chair of the International Conflict Resolution Center and is General Counsel to a not-for-profit benefitting HBCUs: Student Housing of America. He is the author of the Angela Bivens thriller series for Random House, The Rocket Crockett pulp noir series, and Black Pulp for Prose-Press, and editor, along with Gary Phillips, of The Darker Mask graphic short story collection, the Bronze Buckaroo Rides Again: Honoring Harlem’s Herb Jeffries. He was a finalist in 2008 for the PEN/Malamud Short Story Award for “Leviathan.”
He’s contributed short stories to The Obama Inheritance: 15 Stories of Conspiracy Noir (Three Rooms Press) and is the winner of the Anthony Award. The Black Panther: Tales Of Wakanda, The Faking of the President, and Midnight Hour, Witnesses for the Dead with Gar Anthony Haywood–all major award-winning collections and bestsellers. His noir hardboiled mystery Scavenger (2020) won a starred review and profile in Publishers Weekly; the sequel Standalone sees the return of the indestructible homeless addict turned PI Dickie Cornish, patrolling the unforgiving city streets ravaged by COVID, with the third in the trilogy Streetwhys in 2025. His next Marvel contribution is in Captain America: The Shield of Sam Wilson. Learn more: ChrisChambersNoir.com
About Chris’s latest book, “Street Whys:” We again meet Washington, DC’s notorious detective, former street denizen Dickie Cornish, who faces off with bloodthirsty cops and the justice department. Underground detective Dickie Cornish faces a vindictive murder rap from his past if he doesn’t agree to help prove that the fentanyl ravaging the streets of DC is bankrolled by shadowy donors of a certain former president. Broke and desperate, Cornish soon finds himself on a collision course with shady public defenders and corrupt police officers, forcing him to use his street connections to flip their plan. Or die.
The Dickie Cornish series has met with widespread critical acclaim: Publishers Weekly dubbed the series debut, Scavenger, “[A] no-holds-barred crime novel…a 21st-century twist on traditional hardboiled noir.” The Strand Magazine selected Standalone, the second book in the series, as one of the “Top 25 Mystery Novels of the Year,” adding, “It’s apparent that the modern heir to Chandler, Woolrich, and Cain is Christopher Chambers, enough said.” And renowned crime author George Pelecanos raves that the series “really nails Washington, DC in the current environment.” Click here to buy Chris’s books.
I turn the tables on thriller novelist Jeffrey James Higgins: Join us April 2, 6-9pm at Elaine’s Literary Salon when I interview Jeff about the release of the final book in his 4-part Nathan Burke series
A Note from bestselling, award-winning noir author Christopher Chambers: Hello, my friends! I am excited to invite you to the book launch party, on April 2, 6-9pm, at Elaine’s Literary Salon (208 Queen Street, Alexandria, VA) to celebrate the release of book 4 in the 4-part Nathan Burke series by my good buddy Jeffrey James Higgins.
I turn the tables on Jeff: Having interviewed hundreds of authors at Elaine’s Literary Salon (#1 on Spotify for literary salons podcasts!), Jeff is comfortable asking the questions. But on April 2, I get to interview him about his 4-part book series, how he went from DEA agent to author, and what he advises writers about to help them get an agent, a publisher, and become bestsellers.
While his books aren’t noir (we forgive him), Jeff’s novels are page-turners that keep you guessing. Critics say his work is “pulse-pounding and must-reads.”
Of the Nathan Burke series, Jeff explains: “I wanted to write a story about what happens when devotion and duty collide, giving my protagonist — FBI Agent Nathan Burke — a heart-pounding challenge to uncover a global conspiracy to save his wife, and the nation.”
Check out our commercial for the April 2 event above! And click here to watch my interview with Jeff when talked with me about my latest book, StreetWhys.
Check back on on April 3 for the new episode of ChrisChamberNoir.com featuring two seasoned noir authors — Joel E. Turner and Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier for our fabulous conversation on “New Jersey smirk and Caribbean heart. Noir or not?”
Please join us: Thursday, April 2 from 6-9pm
At Elaine’s Restaurant: 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Click here to reserve your free tickets!
About Book 4 of Jeff’s 4-part Nathan Burke series: The Uganda Protocol
Terror strikes from inside America’s own institutions, turning one agent’s manhunt into a fight to save everything that matters.
FBI Special Agent Nathan Burke expected a routine prisoner transport. Instead, he finds an airplane full of corpses and his most wanted terrorism suspect gone without a trace. The investigation plunges him into an international manhunt for Imam Omar Yemeni, a man whose network runs deeper and deadlier than anyone imagined.
Meanwhile, Iranian immigrant Leila Kabiri works as a court interpreter, building a new life for her neurodivergent son Darius after fleeing her homeland. But when colleagues start disappearing and foreign operatives make contact, Leila discovers the American justice system itself has been compromised. Someone is watching her every move, and they want something only she can provide.
What Nathan doesn’t realize is that Yemeni’s escape was just the opening move in a much larger plan—one that targets the most vulnerable and threatens mass casualties. As Nathan races across continents tracking his fugitive, Leila finds herself trapped between protecting her family and doing what’s right. When their paths finally converge, both will discover that the most dangerous enemies are the ones hiding in plain sight.
Jeff says: “This book is perfect for fans of Michael Connelly, David Baldacci, and Vince Flynn, this pulse-pounding international thriller delivers high-stakes action and unforgettable characters in a race against time where the cost of failure is measured in thousands of lives.” Click here to buy the book!
Back to the beginning — About Book 1: The Havana Syndrome
FBI Agent Nathan Burke is in the middle of a high-stakes operation to dismantle a terrorist network when his world is turned upside down―his estranged wife, Reagan, falls victim to the mysterious and debilitating Havana Syndrome. Determined to reconcile with her and find the responsible party, he teams up with his former academy classmate Meili Chan and CIA liaison Bashir Gemayel to launch a rogue investigation, putting his own job at risk.
As more American spies and diplomats fall prey to this unexplained phenomenon, and terrorist attacks increase at home and abroad, Nathan unearths evidence of high-energy weapons and a conspiracy that threatens the very fabric of national security.
But when the CIA dismisses his findings, and the balance between his official and illicit missions teeters on the edge of collapse, Nathan must choose between his duty to his country and his devotion to Reagan. With his allies falling one by one to mysterious attacks and with friend and foe seemingly indistinguishable, Nathan must stop the spread of the Havana Syndrome and uncover the truth…or risk becoming its next victim.
Bestselling author Jeffrey James Higgins takes readers from the buzzing streets of Washington, D.C., to the eerie silence of Tallinn, Estonia, where suspense meets the stark realities of espionage, assassination, and deception. Perfect for fans of David Baldacci and Michael Connelly. Click here to buy the book.
Click here to buy Jeff’s books!
Meet the Author:
About bestselling thriller novelist and our Elaine’s Literary Salon Host, Jeffrey James Higgins: A retired supervisory special agent who writes thrillers, short stories, creative nonfiction, and essays, Jeff has wrestled a suicide bomber, fought the Taliban in combat, and chased terrorists across five continents. He received the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Heroism and the DEA Award of Valor. Jeffrey has been interviewed by CNN, National Geographic, and The New York Times. Learn more: jeffreyjameshiggings.com
Find more Elaine’s Literary Salon events here. And check back for new episodes of Elaine’s Literary Salon on Inkandescent.tv and listen to all the podcasts on InkandescentRadio.com.
Elaine’s Literary Salon
About Elaine’s: A menu filled with delicious modern Mediterranean cuisine selection is sure to please everyone in your party. The dishes are based on exquisite food found in Alexandria, Egypt — a combination of Middle Eastern with French, Greek, and Italian influences. Elaine’s is named for the owner’s grandmother and is based on a promise she made at the age of 12, growing up in Cairo. “I promised my grandma I would someday own a restaurant and name it after her,” shares Cynthia, who is also an author. She and her husband, bestselling thriller novelist Jeffrey James Higgins, are proud to share my family’s recipes with new friends and families in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.” Located in an 1880s building, it was the previous home for 38 years of the beloved bistro Bilbo Baggins. The newly renovated restaurant is located in the heart of Old Town’s Historic District within sight of the Potomac River and Founders Park, just a few blocks from The Torpedo Factory Art Center, and Old Town Alexandria Waterfront. Make a reservation today: elaines-restaurant.com.
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Ep7 Chris Chambers Noir: This month, we shine a light on Alex Kenna, “The Future of Noir”
On the February 2026 episode of Chris Chambers Noir: Meet two new hot novelists who are taking the genre by storm — P.M. Raymond and Jason Powell
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Ep7 Chris Chambers Noir: This month, we shine a light on Alex Kenna, “The Future of Noir”
March 2026: On this month’s episode of Chris Chambers Noir, Chris chose Alex Kenna to be our star. Bestselling mystery writer Christopher Chambers insissts, she’s the future of the genre.
This month’s topic: How Noir shapes Crime Fiction, and what are the future trends?
Meet our guest: Alex Kenna is a mystery writer, prosecutor, and amateur painter. Her first novel, What Meets the Eye, was a 2023 Shamus Award Finalist for best first P.I. novel. Kirkus Reviews called it a “righteous, painful debut,” and Bookpage called her “a master in the making.” She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, son, and giant schnauzer. Before law school, she studied art and art history, worked as a freelance culture writer for the Atlantic and other publications, and sold paintings in a gallery. When she’s not writing, Alex can be found exploring Southern California, toddler-wrangling, and playing string instruments badly.
About Alex’s books:
Burn this Night: A Mystery — Struggling private investigator Kate Myles is shattered to learn her late father isn’t her biological dad. She’s still reeling when she discovers that an unknown distant relative is the prime suspect in a decades-old murder investigation. Trying to convince her to take on the case for free, an old colleague recommends her as an investigator for a recent arson murder in the same small town.
After giving up on a failed acting career, Abby Coburn is starting over as a promising social work student. With her life on the right track, she’s determined to help her brother, Jacob, whose meth addiction triggered a psychotic break and descent into crime. But when Abby dies in a fire that kills two other people and destroys part of the town, the police immediately suspect Jacob.
As the Coburn family grapples with the tragedy, Kate begins unraveling the cold case but finds herself caught in the middle of an emotional minefield. Pretty soon, she discovers that this town is full of dark secrets, and as she comes closer and closer to figuring out the truth, Kate must solve both murders before she becomes the next victim. Published: Nov. 12, 2024
“What Meets the Eye,” by Alex Kenna
What Meets the Eye: A Mystery — From debut author Alex Kenna comes a pulse-pounding tapestry of secrets, retribution, and greed for fans of Jeffrey Archer. Kate Myles was a promising Los Angeles police detective, until an accident and opioid addiction blew up her family and destroyed her career.
Struggling to rebuild her life, Kate decides to try her hand at private detective work—but she gets much more than she bargained for when she takes on the case of a celebrated painter found dead in a downtown loft.
When Margot Starling’s body was found, the cause of death was assumed to be suicide. Despite her beauty, talent, and fame, she struggled with a host of demons. But as Kate digs deeper, she learns that Margot had a growing list of powerful enemies—among them a shady art dealer who had been selling forged works by Margot. Kate soon uncovers a dirty trail that leads straight into the heart of the city’s deadly underworld. Margot died for her art—and if Kate doesn’t tread lightly, she could be the next to get brushed out. Published: Dec. 6, 2022. Buy Alex’s books here!
About Christopher Chambers: A Washington, D.C. native, Chris is a lecturer at Georgetown University, Chair of the International Conflict Resolution Center and is General Counsel to a not-for-profit benefitting HBCUs: Student Housing of America. He is the author of the Angela Bivens thriller series for Random House, The Rocket Crockett pulp noir series, and Black Pulp for Prose-Press, and editor, along with Gary Phillips, of The Darker Mask graphic short story collection, the Bronze Buckaroo Rides Again: Honoring Harlem’s Herb Jeffries. He was a finalist in 2008 for the PEN/Malamud Short Story Award for “Leviathan.”
He’s contributed short stories to The Obama Inheritance: 15 Stories of Conspiracy Noir (Three Rooms Press) and is the winner of the Anthony Award. The Black Panther: Tales Of Wakanda, The Faking of the President, and Midnight Hour, Witnesses for the Dead with Gar Anthony Haywood–all major award-winning collections and bestsellers. His noir hardboiled mystery Scavenger (2020) won a starred review and profile in Publishers Weekly; the sequel Standalone sees the return of the indestructible homeless addict turned PI Dickie Cornish, patrolling the unforgiving city streets ravaged by COVID, with the third in the trilogy Streetwhys in 2025. His next Marvel contribution is in Captain America: The Shield of Sam Wilson. Learn more: ChrisChambersNoir.com
About Chris’s latest book, “Street Whys:” We again meet Washington, DC’s notorious detective, former street denizen Dickie Cornish, who faces off with bloodthirsty cops and the justice department. Underground detective Dickie Cornish faces a vindictive murder rap from his past if he doesn’t agree to help prove that the fentanyl ravaging the streets of DC is bankrolled by shadowy donors of a certain former president. Broke and desperate, Cornish soon finds himself on a collision course with shady public defenders and corrupt police officers, forcing him to use his street connections to flip their plan. Or die.
The Dickie Cornish series has met with widespread critical acclaim: Publishers Weekly dubbed the series debut, Scavenger, “[A] no-holds-barred crime novel…a 21st-century twist on traditional hardboiled noir.” The Strand Magazine selected Standalone, the second book in the series, as one of the “Top 25 Mystery Novels of the Year,” adding, “It’s apparent that the modern heir to Chandler, Woolrich, and Cain is Christopher Chambers, enough said.” And renowned crime author George Pelecanos raves that the series “really nails Washington, DC in the current environment.” Click here to buy Chris’s books.
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Ep6 Chris Chambers Noir: This month we shine a light on two new hot novelists — P.M. Raymond and NYC firefighter Jason Powell
On this month's episode of Chris Chambers Noir, two new hot novelists are the focus of our Q&A with our host, bestselling mystery writer Christopher Chambers.
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Ep6 Chris Chambers Noir: This month we shine a light on two new hot novelists — P.M. Raymond and NYC firefighter Jason Powell
February 2026: On this month’s episode of Chris Chambers Noir, two new hot novelists are the focus of our Q&A with our host, bestselling mystery writer Christopher Chambers.
This month’s topic: Riffs on a Noir Theme: Horror & Psychological Suspense to Thrillers
Meet our guests:
P.M. Raymond: An award-winning author from New Orleans, Louisiana, P.M. Raymond knows a thing or two about good gumbo, grits, and café au lait. She is a 2025 Killer Shorts and Horror2Comic Semifinalist, the Sisters in Crime 2024 Eleanor Taylor Bland Award Winner, 2024 Claymore Award Finalist, and 2024 Killer Shorts Finalist. She was named to the 160 Black Women in Horror in 2023.
P.M. Raymond
Her debut interconnected short story collection – THINGS ARE AS THEY SHOULD BE and other words to die for – is coming April 2026 from Uncomfortably Dark Horror. Her work has appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Writer’s Digest, Punk Noir, Flash Fiction Magazine, Kings River Life Magazine, Dark Fire Fiction, Pyre Magazine, The Furious Gazelle, Dark Yonder, and THE MOST DANGEROUS GAMES anthology from Level Best Books, among others. Learn more here: pmraymond.com
Jason Powell: When New York City firefighter Jason Powell isn’t at the firehouse or at a desk, he can be found in the city with his back pack filled with snacks, water, a notebook and a novel.
Born the youngest of nine kids, his household of eleven people taught him to appreciate alone time and sweet escapes. He has found there is no better place to escape to than in between the covers of a book. Learn more here about his new book, No Man’s Ghost: authorjasonpowell.com
About Christopher Chambers: A Washington, D.C. native, Chris is a lecturer at Georgetown University, Chair of the International Conflict Resolution Center and is General Counsel to a not-for-profit benefitting HBCUs: Student Housing of America. He is the author of the Angela Bivens thriller series for Random House, The Rocket Crockett pulp noir series, and Black Pulp for Prose-Press, and editor, along with Gary Phillips, of The Darker Mask graphic short story collection, the Bronze Buckaroo Rides Again: Honoring Harlem’s Herb Jeffries. He was a finalist in 2008 for the PEN/Malamud Short Story Award for “Leviathan.”
He’s contributed short stories to The Obama Inheritance: 15 Stories of Conspiracy Noir (Three Rooms Press) and is the winner of the Anthony Award. The Black Panther: Tales Of Wakanda, The Faking of the President, and Midnight Hour, Witnesses for the Dead with Gar Anthony Haywood–all major award-winning collections and bestsellers. His noir hardboiled mystery Scavenger (2020) won a starred review and profile in Publishers Weekly; the sequel Standalone sees the return of the indestructible homeless addict turned PI Dickie Cornish, patrolling the unforgiving city streets ravaged by COVID, with the third in the trilogy Streetwhys in 2025. His next Marvel contribution is in Captain America: The Shield of Sam Wilson. Learn more: ChrisChambersNoir.com
About Chris’s latest book, “Street Whys:” We again meet Washington, DC’s notorious detective, former street denizen Dickie Cornish, who faces off with bloodthirsty cops and the justice department. Underground detective Dickie Cornish faces a vindictive murder rap from his past if he doesn’t agree to help prove that the fentanyl ravaging the streets of DC is bankrolled by shadowy donors of a certain former president. Broke and desperate, Cornish soon finds himself on a collision course with shady public defenders and corrupt police officers, forcing him to use his street connections to flip their plan. Or die.
The Dickie Cornish series has met with widespread critical acclaim: Publishers Weekly dubbed the series debut, Scavenger, “[A] no-holds-barred crime novel…a 21st-century twist on traditional hardboiled noir.” The Strand Magazine selected Standalone, the second book in the series, as one of the “Top 25 Mystery Novels of the Year,” adding, “It’s apparent that the modern heir to Chandler, Woolrich, and Cain is Christopher Chambers, enough said.” And renowned crime author George Pelecanos raves that the series “really nails Washington, DC in the current environment.” Click here to buy the book.
