Secrets

Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, Writers on Writing

Oct 21: Brad Meltzer – The Thrill Master Who Never Fails to Thrill

October 21, 2026

The Viper, A Zig & Nola Novel.

The Viper – A Zig & Nola Novel with Brad Meltzer

He writes the thrillers that keep you up at night. And hunts down the secrets history hoped you’d never find.

Brad Meltzer is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, the mind behind The Inner Circle and The Escape Artist. He’s also the host of Brad Meltzer’s Decoded and Lost History, and the creator of the Ordinary People Change the World series, which teaches kids that heroes are made, not born.

So what drives a man to chase conspiracies, crack historical codes, and inspire the next generation?

This week on Conversations Live, Vicki St. Clair sits down with Brad for a conversation about storytelling, curiosity, and the power of ordinary people to do extraordinary things. And of course, Brad’s latest thriller, The Viper.

Meet Brad Meltzer

Emmy-nominated Brad Meltzer is #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lightning Rod, The Escape Artist, and 11 other bestselling thrillers. He also writes non-fiction books like The JFK Conspiracy, and the Ordinary P eople Change the World kids book series, which he does with Chris Eliopoulos. In addition to his fiction, Brad is one of the only authors to ever have books on the bestseller list for Non-Fiction (The Nazi Conspiracy), Advice (Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter), Children’s Books (I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln) and even comic books (Justice League of America), for which he won the prestigious Eisner Award. As the host of Brad Meltzer’s Lost History and Brad Meltzer’s Decoded on the History Channel, Brad is responsible for helping find the missing 9/11 flag.

Feb 04: Money, Ambition, Succession, Power, & Dark Family Secrets

February 4, 2026

John Seabrook reveals the true story behind The Spinach King

The Spinach King – The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty with author John Seabrook

You might wonder why John Seabrook, a successful author and New Yorker staff writer “felt an obligation” to turn his investigative reporting skills towards his own family and its American legacy.

But when you hear the true story – with the fiction-like twists and betrayals behind the legacy facade – the question then becomes, how did John Seabrook manage to stay objective while writing THE SPINACH KING: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty.

We dive into that question with John, as we expose some of the greed, corruption, and dark family secrets behind The Spinach King. To John he was just Grandfather. To Japanese Americans who worked at Seabrook Farms, following internment, he was God-sent. But to most, he was Charles Franklin Seabrook, a man you did not cross. A man so powerful, he was named the Henry Ford of Agriculture.

Meet John Seabrook

John Seabrook is a prominent American journalist. He’s written for The New Yorker for more than three decades and is known for exploring the intersection of pop culture, technology, and commerce. John Seabrook has also authored several notable books, including The Song Machine (2015) and Nobrow. And has contributed to publications such as Vanity Fair, Harper’s, and The Village Voice. Today, John Seabrook joins us to discuss his 2025 family memoir, The Spinach King: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty.