Person
Every book John Maher recommended on podcasts
John Maher appears on The Book Review as a literary observer and publishing commentator who tracks industry trends, marketing strategies, and genre developments across contemporary publishing. Discussing evolving genre trends, Maher highlights Patrick Horvath's 'Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees' as an example of cozy horror and a breakout comic book hit. In conversations about industry economics and publishing conglomerates, Maher discusses Percival Everett's novel 'James', comparing the marketing budgets and publicity investments behind major bestsellers with those of other notable releases. Alongside 'James', he mentions Carl Weber's 'The Director' as an example of a strong book that succeeded without massive promotional backing or being heavily pushed as a book of the year by major publishing houses. Furthermore, Maher discusses Richard Osman's 'The Thursday Murder Club' series as a prominent mainstream example of cozy mysteries that offer straightforward, accessible reading experiences. Through these discussions, Maher provides an insider perspective on how books are marketed, categorized, and received within the contemporary literary marketplace.
Books recommended by John Maher
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Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees
Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees is a comic book by creator Patrick Horvath that combines charming visual aesthetics with dark, unsettling narratives.
Recommended“This is a cozy horror. It's a comic book. It's called Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees. And it was a breakout hit from, I believe, last year.”
Where to get it
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James
James by Percival L.
Discussed“I'm picking on the wonderful P of Everett, but James, the amount of money they put behind James is not the same amount of money for publicity to get attention for it last year. It's not the same as they put this year for, let's pick one of our best books, The Director, right?”
Where to get it
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The choir director
Discussed“It's not the same as they put this year for, let's pick one of our best books, The Director, right? A great book that absolutely was not a book that anybody was gunning to be book of the year, despite the fact that they have a great team over at Summit.”
Where to get it
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The Thursday Murder Club
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman is a lighthearted yet clever cozy mystery novel that follows an eccentric group of retired pensioners solving crimes from a retirement village.
Discussed“let me give you the big mainstream example and that's the Richard Osman Thursday Murder Club books are 100% cozy mysteries there's nothing that's going to make you blanch Tina...”
Where to get it
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| What Did 2025 Mean for Books? | The Book Review | 2025-12-19 | 4 |