Bestselling author Heather B. Moore joins Jane Healey to discuss her richly researched new novel, Julia, which explores the extraordinary life of culinary icon Julia Child. From her surprising work in the OSS during World War II to her groundbreaking cooking career that began in Paris, Moore paints a vivid portrait of a woman who found her passion later in life and never looked back. The conversation dives into Julia’s love story with Paul Child, her relentless determination to publish Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and how Moore balanced fact and fiction in this biographical novel.

Bestselling author Erika Robuck joins host Jane Healey to talk about The Last Assignment: A Novel of Dickie Chappelle, her biographical novel about trailblazing war photojournalist Dickie Chappelle, who embedded with Marines and bore witness to Cold War flashpoints from Hungary and Cuba to Vietnam. They explore Dickie’s fearless calling to show civilians the realities of war, her complicated personal life and refusal to be tied down, the deep archival research at the University of Wisconsin that brought her story to life, and how Erika balances fact and fiction when writing about real women in history. The conversation also dives into Erika’s writing process, the strange “alchemy” of research, and a sneak peek at her next projects, including a new intelligence heroine and a Southern Gothic historical horror novel drawn from her own family’s past.

In this episode of Historical Happy Hour, bestselling author Jane Healey welcomes back Rhys Bowen to discuss her latest novel, Mrs. Endicott’s Splendid Adventure. Set in the South of France on the eve of World War II, the book follows Ellie Endicott as she discovers independence, friendship, and courage after being abandoned by her husband. Bowen shares the inspirations behind the novel—from a crumbling Italian villa to her reflections on “invisible women”—and dives into themes of resilience, female friendship, and personal reinvention during tumultuous times. The conversation also explores her research process, writing routines, and the challenges and joys of balancing hope with historical truth.