The Thriller Zone was my excuse to sit down with the writers, filmmakers, and creative troublemakers who shape the stories we can’t put down. For more than 250 episodes, I interviewed legends of suspense and rising voices redefining the genre. What started as a podcast turned into a masterclass in storytelling—and it changed the way I write. Now, the show lives here as an archive of conversations that still inspire me. If you love thrillers, grab a seat … the mic’s still warm.

A promotional image for the podcast 'The Thriller Zone with Dave Temple.' It features a smiling man with gray hair and a beard, wearing a dark jacket over a white shirt, set against a red background with white text and a circular design element.

Featured Conversations

Voices that shaped how I write.

Promotional graphic featuring author Don Winslow with a serious expression, large text announcing his novel 'City in Ruins,' a smaller image of TV host David Temple from The Thriller Zone, and the website URL thethrillerzone.com.

Don Winslow

Cover of the novel 'Kiss Her Goodbye' by Lisa Gardner featuring a picture of the author, a small inset of a man in a podcast logo, and the book's cover with a dark house and a colorful sky.

Lisa Gardner

Book cover of "Midnight Black" by Mark Greaney featuring icy blue background and a prison fence with watchtower, alongside a portrait of Mark Greaney with brown hair in a black shirt, and a red circular logo of "The Thriller Zone" podcast with Dave Temple.

Mark Greaney

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Cover of the book "The List" by Steve Berry featuring a portrait of Steve Berry with gray hair and a black shirt, along with the book's cover which has a red background, a torn paper effect revealing a dark code-like background, and the title in large gold and white letters. A smaller circular inset shows Dave Temple with a white beard and dark jacket, with the text "The Thriller Zone with Dave Temple".

Meg Gardiner

Cover of a book titled "Strangers in Time" by David Baldacci, with a man in a gray suit standing with one hand in his pocket, and a smaller inset image of David Baldacci smiling, along with promotional text for a podcast and website.

David Baldacci

Book cover featuring the titles "Battle Mountain" and "The Thriller Zone with Dave Temple" alongside a man in a cowboy hat and a patterned shirt, with the website thethrillerzone.com at the bottom.

C.J. Box

Promotional poster featuring Michael Dolan, editor and author, with text describing his background and an upcoming event date of August 24. Includes a smaller image of a man wearing a leather jacket and the logo of The Thriller Zone podcast.

Michael Dolan

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A promotional graphic featuring Meg Gardiner, a bestselling author, promoting her novel "Shadow Heart." The graphic includes her portrait, the book cover, her name in large text at the top, and the book's release date, June 10, along with her website URL.

Steve Berry

Promotional graphic featuring author Megan Abbott, with a picture of her smiling in a red shirt, and book covers of her novels 'The Turnout' and 'Eldorado Drive'. Also includes a smaller image of podcast host Dave Temple from 'The Thriller Zone'. Text promotes the release date of June 19.

Megan Abbott

A promotional image for a podcast episode featuring Robert Dugoni, with his book cover of "Her Deadly Game" and podcast title "The Thriller Zone" with David Temple, date 03.29, and website thethrillerzone.com.

Megan Abbott

…and some of the Power Players in Publishing

Promotional graphic featuring a headshot of Mark Gottlieb, announcing a podcast episode on Trident Media Group about talent agents and book publishing, with additional topics listed and a small circular image of host Dave Temple.

Mark Gottlieb

PODCAST

Promotional graphic featuring James Patterson with a book cover for 'Holmes is Missing' by James Patterson and Brian Sitts. The graphic highlights the launch of season 8 on January 16, with a picture of James Patterson, and includes a small circular inset of Dave Temple.

James Patterson

A man in a cream-colored suit with a white shirt and pink patterned tie, smiling slightly, with text indicating he is Robert Gottlieb, chairman of TMG and Trident Media Group, alongside an inset photo of another man with a red background labeled 'The Thriller Zone with Dave Temple, stories that thrill'.

Robert Gottlieb

Cover of a book titled Presumed Guilty by Scott Turow, featuring a photo of the author on a red background, with a smaller inset of a different person promoting a thriller zone event with Dave Temple.

Scott Turow

Close-up of a woman with long wavy hair wearing a black blazer and white top, with a blue background. A book cover for 'Worst Case Scenario' by L.J. Newman is visible, featuring an airplane on fire and orange text, along with a smaller cover of a thriller book at the bottom right corner, and a date 7.29.

T. J. Newman

Book cover for 'Emily Bestler 6.3' by Emily Bestler, featuring a close-up of a woman with red hair and blue eyes, with logos for Simon & Schuster and Emily Bestler Books, and a sticker for 'The Thriller Zone' podcast.

Emily Bestler