Hank Phillippi Ryan's New Thriller Was Inspired by Her Own Book Tour: See the Cover! (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Minotaur Books; Iden Ford

The bestselling author, known forThe House Guest,The Murder Listand more, is gearing up to release her latest book, which the publisher calls a “twisty cat and mouse thriller” this fall — and PEOPLE can exclusively debut its cover.

“Tessa Calloway’s dreams have come true — she’s now a debut author with a surprise bestselling novel, with standing room only events and adoring readers on her triumphant nationwide book tour. But soon, things begin to go terrifyingly wrong, and Tessa knows it cannot be a coincidence,” an official synopsis teases.

Minotaur Books

“Someone is obsessed with not only sabotaging her career, but destroying her beloved husband and kids back home,” the synopsis continues. “Problem is, Tessa has a devastating secret. The escalating threats and increasing danger might be her own fault—the result of a high-stakes Faustian bargain she made long ago. And now, that one split-second decision may be back to ruin her life.”

All This Could Be Yoursis first and foremost a nail-biting thriller, but it also has a deeper meaning, one that’s close to Ryan’s heart — and career. Ryan got the idea for the novel while interacting with a fan of her work at a book signing, she tells PEOPLE in an exclusive statement.

“It happened on my very own book tour — I was signing my novel to a reader, and wrote: ‘So wonderful to see you in Scottsdale.’ And I added the date. As I handed the book back to her, I thought well, I’ve just given someone a perfect alibi,” she tells PEOPLE. “That inscription proved she was at this particular Scottsdale event, and so was I. And that we had met.”

Naturally, the exchange got her thinking. “Then I thought about all the other inscriptions I’ve written: ‘thank you for everything,’ or ‘so good to see you again,’ or ‘I enjoyed our time together,'” Ryan says. “I realized how many double meanings someone could concoct from those, and how my perfectly innocent inscriptions might be twisted into something sinister. Even menacing. Yikes!”

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Hank Phillippi Ryan.Iden Ford

Iden Ford

“I also thought about authors on book tour; how vulnerable we are, how everybody knows where we are every day,” the author continues. “We make it so easy — just look at our websites! Suddenly, my fabulous and exciting book tour became full of threats and danger. And life-changing bargains.”

That concept became her next novel, which is also a tribute to the people who make books come to life and into the hands of readers.

“Yes, it’s a twisty cat and mouse thriller — but as I wrote it, it also became a love letter to readers, writers, librarians, booksellers,” she says, “and anyone who loves the world of storytelling.”

All This Could Be Yourscomes out Sept. 9, 2025 and is available for preorder now, wherever books are sold.

source: people.com