Sometimes we just wanna gush about the things we love. For Renee and Margot, it’s hardboiled fiction. For Ashley and Nox, it’s Lady Gaga’s new album. Tune in for two conversations around why we love the things we love.
What Is Hardboiled Fiction? with Margot Douihy (0:23)
Renee has been reading a lot of books described as “hardboiled” but what does that actually mean? Thank goodness author Margo Douihy is a friend of FBC, because she’s a literal expert on this topic. Margot shares some of the hallmarks of hardboiled fiction, some suggestions for authors queering the genre, and some examples of popular hardboiled media that you may not have realized is hardboiled.
The Measures of MAYHEM (21:47)
Lady Gaga’s latest album Mayhem released on March 7, 2025 and that’s all Ashley and Nox have been listening to. In this conversation, they share their favorite songs from the album and discuss their admiration for the promotion surrounding the release, plus some thoughts on the impact of fandoms on mental health.
Books and Resources Mentioned:
Scorched Grace by Margot Douaihy
Blessed Water by Margot Douaihy
The Simple Art of Murder by Raymond Chandler
The Woman in White by Wilkie White
Sara Peretsky’s V.I. Warshawski series
Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Milhone series
Cheryl A. Head’s Charlie Mack series
Lev AC Rosen’s Evander Mills series
Ellen Hart’s Jane Lawless series
Brokeback Mountain by Anne Proulx
Further reading on the FBC Blog:
When Fans Push Back Against Celebrity Boundaries
Support this episode’s host and guest:
Follow Renee: Instagram // The StoryGraph
Follow Margot Douaihy: Website // Instagram
Follow Ashley: Instagram
Follow Nox: Instagram // TikTok // Threads
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This episode was edited and produced by Renee Powers on the ancestral land of the Dakota people.
Original music by Amarissa
Learn more about Feminist Book Club on our website, sign up for our emails, shop our Bookshop.org recommendations, and follow us on Instagram, BlueSky, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest.
![This April we're diving into Muslim voices with some pretty incredible titles✨️
This members will also receive a sticker from @marhabaprints! Marhaba Prints is a South Asian and Islamic inspired online stationary store selling greeting cards, notepads, stickers, and more, that aims to be a bridge between Pakistani heritage, Islamic teachings, and Canadian culture.
As always we'll be discussing these titles in our online community! Join by April 9th to get one of these titles in your mailbox!
Learn more by heading to the link in our bio!
[alt text: three slides showcasing six books including: Hijab Butch Blue by Lamya H, All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir, Read Dangerously by Azar Nafisi, Read This to Get Smarter by Blair Imani, We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal, and You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat.]](https://www.feministbookclub.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)