In this interview, I chat with Elizabeth Heider about Children of the Savage City, her main character's interesting job, the inspiration for Nikki, setting her books in Naples, her stunning covers, why she focused on systemic corruption, her view on friendships, and much more.
Elizabeth's recommended reads are:
- A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purcell
- The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre
Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page Winter Reading Guide here for a tip of your choice or for a set price here via credit card with over 40 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter and spring - a number of books you will not see on other guides. I also include mystery series recommendations, backlist picks, and fiction and nonfiction pairings.
Purchase Kelly and my Shelf Ceremony here. We discuss tons more great read from 2025.
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Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2026? Check out our fifth Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead, and we color-code by genre in this one!
Looking for something new to read? Here is my monthly Buzz Reads column with five new recommendations each month.
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Elizabeth Heider writes literary crime fiction at the intersection of psychological thriller and political noir. Her novels draw on decades of work across military, government, academia, international organizations, and the private sector.
She is the author of May the Wolf Die, named a Best Book of 2024 by The New York Times, The Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, Best Thriller Books, and CriminOlly. Her forthcoming novel, Children of the Savage City (Penguin), will be published on 17 February 2026. Her books have been optioned for television.
Elizabeth holds a PhD in physics and has worked for Microsoft’s AI4Science Research Program and the European Space Agency. She lived and worked in Naples, Italy for several years, deploying as a civilian analyst aboard U.S. and European naval ships. She is based in The Hague.
