Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    The Newsmakers
    The Newsmakers
    The Newsmakers
    Audiobook9 hours

    The Newsmakers

    Written by Lis Wiehl and Sebastian Stuart

    Narrated by Devon O'Day

    3.5/5

    ()

    Switch to ebook

    About this audiobook

    Lis Wiehl incorporates her own experience as a TV host and federal prosecutor in this riveting series. Erica Sparks has become a superstar overnight. Is it due to her hard work and talent, or is she at the center of a spiraling conspiracy?

    Erica Sparks is a beautiful and ambitious reporter who has just landed her dream job at Global News Network in New York. And while it was hard to leave Jenny, her cherished eight-year-old daughter, in the custody of her ex-husband, Erica is determined to succeed in the cutthroat world of big-time broadcasting. She can only hope her troubled past won’t come back to sabotage her dreams.

    Although the wounds from her divorce are still fresh, Erica can’t deny the chemistry between her and her new producer, the handsome and empathetic Greg Underwood. But a relationship is the last thing she wants right now.

    On her very first assignment, Erica inadvertently witnesses—and films—a horrific tragedy, scooping all the other networks. Mere weeks later, another tragedy strikes—again, right in front of Erica and her cameras.

    Her career skyrockets overnight, but Erica is troubled. Deeply. This can’t just be coincidence. But what is it?

    Erica will stop at nothing to uncover the truth. But she has to make sure disaster—and her troubled past—don’t catch up with her first. 

    "A heart-pounding thrill-ride from someone who knows the news business inside and out. Not to be missed!" --Karin Slaughter, New York Times bestselling author 

    "The Newsmakers is a stunning thriller in a new series by one of my favorite authors. Lis Wiehl casts her insider's eye on the intrigue and drama of high-stakes television journalism. Terrorist attack? Murder of a presidential candidate? A reporter whose own life is at risk? This thrill ride has them all." —Linda Fairstein, New York Times bestselling author 

    "A page-turner from the word go. Completely entertaining. Outrageoulsy readable. This quick-cut action-thriller spotlights television's cutthroat deal-making, unholy alliances, and lust for success. Gotta love Lis! As always, she nails it." —Hank Phillippi Ryan, Agatha, Anthony, and Mary Higgins Clark Award willing author of What You See 

    "Lis Wiehl is a seasoned journalist who knows the news business. Here, she's fashioned a tantalizing story that takes full advantage of her insider status. It's a fascinating thriller, which poses a curious questions: what happens when reality is not quite good enough. The answer is going to shock you." —Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author 

    "The Newsmakers is sensational—taut, troubling, and terrifying. With Erica Sparks, Lis Wiehl has created her most memorable character yet: a reporter who has smarts, drive, heart—and a dark past that threatens to pull her down. Waiting for Book 2 won't be easy." —Kate White, New York Times bestselling author 

    • Full-length suspense
    • Part of a series, but can be read as a standalone
    • Also in The Newsmakers series:
      • The Newsmakers
      • The Candidate
      • The Separatists 
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherThomas Nelson
    Release dateJan 19, 2016
    ISBN9780718077242
    Author

    Lis Wiehl

    New York Times bestselling author Lis Wiehl is the former legal analyst for Fox News and the O’Reilly Factor and has appeared regularly on Your World with Neil Cavuto, Lou Dobbs Tonight, and the Imus morning shows. The former cohost of WOR radio's WOR Tonight with Joe Concha and Lis Wiehl, she has served as legal analyst and reporter for NBC News and NPR's All Things Considered, as a federal prosecutor in the United States Attorney's office, and as a tenured professor of law at the University of Washington. She appears frequently on CNN as a legal analyst.

    More audiobooks from Lis Wiehl

    Related to The Newsmakers

    Titles in the series (3)

    View More
    View More

    Related audiobooks

    Mystery For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Book Club

      Sep 14, 2023

      Book Club
      5 min read

    • Article

      O Fortuna, Velut Luna

      Sep 15, 2018

      What is Miss Treece’s trouble, according to a popular notion? The man A has failed to show up. Arousing herself at the restaurant, she fixes her lipstick when her solo supper concludes and takes herself down the stairs situated behind the bar. There,

      3 min read

    • Article

      Books

      Jan 20, 2020

      Theresa’s former husband Theo has been little but a shadow in her life: he’s spent the past two decades in an institution. Now that he’s dead, she finds herself unsure how to mourn for a man she’s tried so hard to put behind her. But going through a

      4 min read

    • Article

      Book Club

      Jul 20, 2022

      Book Club
      5 min read

    • Article

      Book Club

      Jul 16, 2020

      Book Club
      4 min read

    • Article

      Book Club

      Jul 10, 2019

      Book Club
      5 min read

    • Article

      Book Club

      Oct 13, 2021

      If you know anyone planning a career in journalism, make sure they read Millar’s warts-and-all reveal. Since August 2019 she’s been co-presenter with Michael Rowland on ABC News Breakfast. It’s a chance to sit down after 10 years in Washington and th

      5 min read

    • Article

      Books

      Dec 15, 2022

      Books
      4 min read

    • Article

      Book Club

      Aug 16, 2023

      Book Club
      5 min read

    • Article

      Books

      Dec 18, 2020

      Books
      4 min read

    • Article

      Book Club

      Nov 9, 2023

      Book Club
      5 min read

    • Article

      Book Club

      Aug 16, 2023

      Book Club
      5 min read

    • Article

      Book Club

      Jul 19, 2023

      Book Club
      5 min read

    • Article

      Books

      Aug 20, 2021

      ‘Brood’ is such a multi-layered word: thinking deeply about something, a group of young animals, something to do with longed-for motherhood… and this beautiful, spare book is about all of those, and more. The protagonist (she’s never named) and her h

      4 min read

    • Article

      A Double Life

      Dec 7, 2020

      Sadie is in the kitchen, already dressed in school uniform, fastening the clips on the violin she chose for her most recent birthday, when Gabriela heads downstairs the following morning. Seven years old: how the hell did that happen? Briefly, she wo

      6 min read

    • Article

      Book Club

      Sep 14, 2022

      Book Club
      5 min read

    • Article

      Great Read

      May 18, 2022

      Great Read
      5 min read

    • Article

      Quantum Radio

      Feb 22, 2023

      Quantum Radio
      5 min read

    • Article

      Freedom

      Aug 6, 2020

      Freedom
      7 min read

    • Article

      Changing Our Narratives through ‘Days of Our Lives’

      Oct 17, 2018

      1. Just weeks before the presidential election, after the release of the recording in which Donald Trump bragged about sexually assaulting women as he headed to the set of Days of Our Lives, my mother called me. While most people talked about the wor

      5 min read

    • Article

      Film

      Jun 12, 2022

      Film
      2 min read

    • Article

      Proverbs Of A Faceless Time

      Dec 1, 2023

      Proverbs Of A Faceless Time
      9 min read

    • Article

      ‘The Trojan War Museum’: Featured Fiction from Ayse Papatya Bucak

      Aug 20, 2019

      An excerpt from O. Henry and Pushcart Prize winner Ayse Papatya Bucak’s debut collection. The post ‘The Trojan War Museum’: Featured Fiction from Ayse Papatya Bucak appeared first on The Millions.

      5 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for The Newsmakers

    3.5/5

    32 ratings9 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      Great! Captivating! Fun,exhilarating ride! Would recommend to adventure seekers
    • 4/5
      Title: The NewsmakersAuthor: Lis Wiehl with Sebastian StuartPages: 337Year: 2016Publisher: Thomas NelsonErica Sparks has worked very hard to get her life back on track after a rocky divorce and a battle with alcohol. She has just landed her dream job as a field reporter with an up-and-coming network led by billionaire entrepreneur, Nylan Hastings. When Erica meets Nylan the first time she gets a weird vibe from him, but shrugs it off. On her first day, she lands a national story and is off and running to the top of the news reporters heap. She lands an interview with a presidential hopeful only to have tragedy strike during the interview. Again, Erica makes the headlines and the network’s ratings soar.While working on one story; however, Erica begins to suspect a sinister plot. She enlists the aid of one of the IT specialists at the network. He discovers something big, but wants to tell Erica in person. They agree to meet somewhere away from the network, but he never shows up. As the plot thickens and attempts are made to scare her, Erica feels more and more danger to the point where she hires a security company to guard her daughter and buys a burner cell phone so her calls can’t be traced. Erica feels she is in too deep now to stop her investigation and she wants justice for the victims of these terrible crimes. What she discovers stuns her and she knows her life is in imminent jeopardy. Can she stay alive long enough to get her story aired?While the story is riveting, there are a few things I need to point out to readers. As this book is from a Christian publisher, there are some things in the novel that I didn’t expect. There are a few curse words in the book, there is a minor character in the story who is gay, which didn’t add to the story, and there is one scene that is sexually suggestive. I wouldn’t expect this content from a publisher of Christian books and think readers should be made aware of these items. Otherwise, the book has suspense, tension, some romance and a great ending. The chapters are short, so readers can speed through the action to the edge-of-your-seat ending. I liked Erica’s honesty about her past as well as her continued struggles as it made her seem more human.My rating is 4 stars.Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
    • 3/5
      Erica is getting her big break, she's been hired on as a field reporter for the next up and coming channel, GNN. She's determined to grow from her past and find success, but there might be a cost. Nylan Hastings isn't thought of fondly and when Erica finds herself in the midst of several newsworthy moments she has to ask herself how. Something about the timeline just doesn't add up and when she starts doing her own detective work she might find that the accidents hit close to home. Is the success worth it?

      I am going to review this book differently than I have in the past, not because it wasn't a good book, it's just how I wrote notes while I read.

      Pros:
      Though the story line is fairly predictable, the method in which Lis Wiehl gets you there is not. There are definitely some twists and turns, some characters that make things even more interesting, and a lot of suspense.
      I like the idea of knowing the villain, but not knowing what he has planned. This works for the good and the bad of this book unfortunately, as at times it is done very well and at other times I just want to know why.
      There are some shocking moments in this book and I loved reading those gritty scenes, because while they aren't pretty and packaged in a little bow, they do feel like reality.
      I loved the secondary characters, the story came to life with their interactions with Erica, they have very distinct voices. I liked that we moved around the world to see various characters that tie everything together.

      Cons:
      The title gave away too much for me, it puts an idea into your head from the moment you start the book. The plot was very transparent, leaving little to the imagination.
      We're asked to believe that Erica has overcome the odds and built up her career, of course with a little assistance, but it's hard to believe this women has ever done anything on her own. She's terribly vapid, really insecure, and hard to relate to. While I enjoyed her sleuthing, I just could never picture this women having this much strength.
      The book sometimes reads as though it's a script for a movie or a television show: "Erica puts on her clothes" and "Erica washes off her makeup." It's a present tense third person style, but it doesn't feel consistent. Unfortunately, this took away from the story for me, because it was hard to keep reading.
      As a person who is around several people who have overcome alcoholism I really would have expected more on the battle against it. Erica seems to want to give in more times than I can count and she fails to lean on her friends and family every time she thinks she should.

      While it wasn't the best suspense novel I have read, it is an easy one to sit down and get through. At times predictable, but still shocking it is a worthwhile read. You'll find yourself wondering about your own news intake and where it comes from.

      Many thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
    • 2/5
      I have been a big fan of Lis Wiehl’s novels since reading her Triple Threat series. I have read almost all of her books and have really enjoyed them. But The Newsmakers? Not so much. The premise sounded very interesting — an up-and-coming investigative reporter who not only witnesses first hand huge news stories, but becomes part of the stories themselves. Is there something sinister going on that is fueling her rise to fame? Great stuff for a story. But this one just fell flat for me. The characters were one-dimensional, and the mystery was easy to spot. Thomas Nelson is the publisher of The Newsmakers, but there wasn’t much in the book that would let you know they are Christian publishers. Besides the language, there is a big creepiness that seemed a bit gratuitous and frankly titillating. I was disappointed in that from a publisher that I have really liked. Thomas Nelson has ventured into an edginess that I have liked, but this one just went too far. The Newsmakers is book 1 in the series, but I don’t think I will be reading any of the subsequent books.Audience: adults.
    • 3/5
      I really wanted to like this book. I think the premise is very timely and had been looking forward to reading it. However, I was disappointed in the execution of the plot. Without giving away the details, I wish that the villain had not been portrayed as such a monster. I felt like it would have been a more interesting story with a few more shades of gray. If you enjoy fast paced stories, this may be enjoyable for you. I was just hoping for more.
    • 4/5
      At the beginning of the book, I was having a difficult time getting into the story. As the details started to emerge I found myself intrigued and was able to get involved in a heartstopping action filled book. Erica has been through a very difficult divorce and lost custody of her child. Her alcohol addiction cost her dearly and now she is trying to start over. She lands a job at the prestigious Global News Network. She is determined to be the best reporter they have ever had. As Erica reports on a major disaster it seems that overnight her popularity has skyrocketed. Will fame cost her more than she is willing to deliver? What happens when she investigates the disaster on her own? Why are there so many horrible things happening around her? The story is written with a great look into the news business and how cutthroat it can be. The more Erica gets great stories that become major headlines, the more her life is in danger. Is her boss, Nylan behind a sinister plot to take out major influential people? Who can Erica trust as she gets closer to the truth? There is mention in the book of alcoholism and drug abuse which draws attention to the destruction it can cause to a person. The book really picks up speed at the halfway mark and delves into deception, and a story that is believable with twists and turns. I liked the characters and how each one played an intricate part in the story. The author does a good job of making Nylan so evil that I instantly didn't trust him. I am looking forwarding to the next installment of this story to see if Erica can continue to be strong and fight for truth and justice. I received a copy of this boom from The Fiction Guild for an honest review.
    • 4/5
      The beautiful Erica Sparks just got a dream job at at Global News Network (GNN) in New York. As newly hired field reporter she is out to search the truth. Once landed at GNN, founded by Nylan Hastings, she meets producer Greg Underwood, off-kilter handsome, lean and fit in his early fourties. He sends Eric off to an interview with the Duchess of Cambridge (a.k.a Kate Middleton) , but just before that interviews, she witnesses the Staten Island ferryboat crash into Battery Park, Manhattan seawall. The in-depth follow-up of that crash not only causes GNN's popularity reach sky high, but also Sparks' star to rise high.Both anchorwoman with her own anticipated show, The Erica Sparks Effect, mother and reporter, never leaves Erica a dull day. The few people she can trust at GNN, where small fish compete with sharks, discover macabre facts behind the ferry crash. One after another key persons get killed, which leaves Erica almost to her own devices. Her daughter Jenny, under custody of Erica's ex-husband Dirk, means a lot to her, but is at a physical and emotional distance. The reason for the divorce is disclosed as well during the hunt for truth and justice along the book's story line. Hopefully the demons from her past haunt her not as fast as she can prove who's the one who ordered the killings.Lis Wiehl is competent in building up suspense, let the tense relationship with Greg Underwood. evolve, but not end in sexual encounters too soon, and jump to a happy end of this whodunit. The Newsmakers testifies to an insider's knowledge of the big-time news networks, and treats readers longing for an entertaining page-turner well.
    • 4/5
      Fans of Fox News know that Lis Wiehl doesn't shy away from hard-hitting news and isn't afraid to ask the questions the viewers want to hear the answers to. In THE NEWSMAKERS, she has created a reporter with the same drive to get to the truth of the story.Erika Sparks has been chosen by Nylan Hastings to be the new face of Global News Network (GNN). Nylan created the network and runs it himself after making billions on a video game that he created. Now as a leader in the news world, he wants to be the best including hiring the best reporter and newscaster he can find. On Erika's first live shoot to interview the Duchess of Cambridge, the Staten Island Ferry crashes into the port, on live TV while Erika is reporting. GNN's ratings spike and Erika becomes an instant household name. Later, while interviewing a potential presidential candidate, another incident happens, live, during her interview. Is this all a coincidence or is there an evil force behind all these incidents. As Erika, ever the reporter, digs deeper into the accidents, she finds that not only herself but everyone close to her could be in danger.This fast-paced book, even with its predictability, kept me turning the pages with quickening breaths. Even though I guessed the root cause of the casualties in the story, there was more that I couldn't have imagined. Some of the scenarios were quite disturbing and makes me cautious of our future. I have no doubt that some of these types of situations are occurring already.Wiehl takes you into the heat of the action in the newsrooms and shows you the backstabbing, the favors, and the deals that are made on a given news day. Wiehl takes current stories ripped from the headlines and inserts them into Erika's life as a reporter making the reader think that much of this could be happening in our world today. Wiehl shows the reality of stardom and how quickly it can be achieved or taken away by the next upcoming star. Erika is a flawed, yet likable character that the reader will root for and worry about. Erika's past makes her real to the reader and backs up her driven character. Even if the situations she puts herself in feel a bit far-fetched, Wiehl pulls you into the storyline so effortlessly that you ignore it and focus on how Erika is going to get out of this mess.Current news stories and a fast-paced suspenseful thriller make this a great read for mystery readers. Wiehl is known for her other series of mysteries and she leaves the ending of THE NEWSMAKERS open for the reader to want to know more about Erika's next story.
    • 4/5
      I have read several books from this author. I instantly became a fan of the author's writing. A good connection with the characters and the story. However it has been a little while since I have picked up a book from this author to read. So when I saw this new book I decided now was a good time to revisit this author's writing. Again I able to jump right into this story with no problems. In fact, I was watching some television when I started this book. I actually could not wait for my show to be done so I could turn off the television to really focus my attention on reading this book. As much as I did like this book the only reason I was not in love with it is because I felt that the only strong person in this book was Erica. She lead the story and showed she was not just beauty but also brains. Plus, I was not feeling the romantic angle between she and her producer. Otherwise, I enjoyed this book a lot and plan to go back and check out prior novels and can't wait to read the next book from this author.