The Scorpion Thief: A Cold War Heist, Egyptian Myth, & Family Secrets with Janyre Tromp (E209)
Today I’m thrilled to welcome back Janyre Tromp. If her name sounds familiar, that’s because she previously joined us on Episode 106, where we talked about her novel Darkness Calls the Tiger. Janyre is an award-winning, bestselling historical suspense novelist known for weaving together rich history, myth, and stories that search for beauty—even when it isn’t pretty. Her newest book, The Scorpion Thief, takes readers into a Cold War political game involving a cursed Egyptian artifact, two estranged sisters on opposite sides of a dangerous heist, and a mystery that stretches from the streets of Cairo to Washington D.C. and even New Orleans.
In this conversation, we talk about the richness of this historical time period, how she blends myth and suspense into her storytelling, and what it looks like to write consistently while balancing life as an editor, mom, and author.
Episode Highlights:
The fascinating real-life history behind the Cold War setting—and why it almost feels too wild to be fiction.
How Janyre balances being a self-proclaimed “history nerd” with writing fast-paced, gripping suspense.
The inspiration behind The Scorpion Thief and weaving Egyptian myth into a political thriller.
Her creative process, including sketching her book covers before they’re ever designed.
What it looks like to make space for writing in a full and busy life.
Why she describes herself as an eclectic reader and how that shapes her recommendations.
Her three-word description of the book: noir, mystery, and Egyptian.
Connect with Janyre:
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Books and authors mentioned in the episode:
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
Death Was Not on the Guest List by Jenni Walsh (publication date 06/16/26)
Burning the Raven Tree by Janyre Tromp (coming 09/08/26)
The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney
Book Flight
The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto
The 2026 Bookish Flights Reading Challenge is here—a simple, nostalgic way to be intentional with your reading. One book per month, with options for individuals and families. Download it at https://www.bookishflights.com/read/2026readingchallenge
