Podcast by Mal Bernhardt
09 February 2026
In this episode, I'll be taking a look at a novel where I know nothing/nada/nowt about the TV show, so this should be interesting! The novel is 'Darkness on the Edge of Town' by Adam Christopher, and the TV series is 'Stranger Things'.
Can you understand a tie-in novel when you haven't seen one episode of the TV series? Can it work as a standalone novel and/or an entry point to the TV series? What, if any, are the differences between this novel and the ones we've already looked at? On top of all that, we're revisiting an author that appeared in the first season (episode 4), so feel free to go and listen to that before you dive in here!
Useful links and sources:
Stranger Things Books Penguin Random House site
M.J. Clarke - The Strict Maze of Media Tie-In Novels
Matt Hills -Torchwood's trans-transmedia: Media tie-ins and brand 'fanagement'
The Psychgeist of Pop Culture: Stranger Things - Edited by Anton Roberts
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02 February 2026
In the fourth episode of this season, we're taking a look at 'Mr. Monk and the Blue Flu' by Lee Goldberg from the TV series 'Monk'.
This is the first episode where the author of the novel has also written for the TV series, and I'll be using this novel to look at key ideas about fidelity and linearity in tie-in novels. In addition, I'll certainly be asking the usual Out of Order Book Club questions about whether this can standalone not only from the TV series but also the novel series as well. Personally speaking, this last point is quite difficult to answer!
Email: outoforderbookclub@outlook.com
Social Media: Since recording this podcast, I have deactivated my Bluesky account so I am less distracted and a wee bit more productive. This means at the moment, despite what I say in the podcast, you can't find me and follow me on Bluesky. Hopefully, I'll be back there some day!
Useful links and helpful sources:
M.J. Clarke - The Strict Maze of Media Tie-In Novels (2009)
Matt Hills -Torchwood's trans-transmedia: Media tie-ins and brand 'fanagement' (2012)
Shaun Duke - Fan Fiction vs. Tie-in Fiction: A Framework (2023)
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26 January 2026
In this week's episode of the the TV tie-in mini-season, we'll be taking a look at 'Shadow of the Sphinx' by Carla Jablonski, which is a Charmed novel. My knowledge of this series is based on watching a few episodes here and there when it was originally broadcast back in the late 90s and early 00s. Will it impact my understanding of the novel? Well, it is certainly a risk!
If you mix that lack of knowledge with the fact that this is a novel that is linked to a particular series (sorry!) season of Charmed, and it's a great chance to see whether this TV tie-in can standalone which is what we're really interested in on this podcast.
Email: outoforderbookclub@outlook.com
Social Media: Since recording this podcast, I have deactivated my Blue Sky account so I am less distracted. This means at the moment, you can't find me and follow me on Blue Sky. Hopefully, I'll be back there some day!
Useful links and helpful sources:
M.J. Clarke - The Strict Maze of Media Tie-In Novels (2009)
A great interview called 'The collaboration between author and illustrator' which tells you all about that, and gives some idea about how Jablonski approaches the creative process.
Charmed List of novels (Wikipedia)
This was truly helpful in giving me an overview of the novel series and how they relate to the TV series.
The House of Halliwell podcast
I was right! In the podcast, I guessed that there was a podcast with the original cast members talking about the series, and here it is!
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19 January 2026
In the second episode of this season, we'll be taking a look at a novel tied to a series Mal is legitimately a fan of - Murder, She Wrote. The TV tie-in novel we'll be looking at is 'Murder on Parade' by Jessica Fletcher and Donald Bain. Join me for a trip to Cabot Cove where we'll dealing with these questions, amongst many others:
Please note: I rerecorded large chunks of this because I kept calling Donald Bain 'Douglas' for reasons I can't imagine. However, a couple have slipped through because they were part of some adlibbing that I liked, and I wasn't sure I'd remember make the same points again if I rerecorded it! My apologies.
Email: outoforderbookclub@outlook.com
Social Media: Since recording this podcast, I have deactivated my Blue Sky account so I am less distracted. This means at the moment, you can't find me and follow me on Blue Sky. Hopefully, I'll be back there some day!
Useful links and sources:
Cozy Mystery List: Interview with Donald Bain (n.d.)
Complete List of Murder, She Wrote novels from Cozy Crime Reads (2026)
Wikipedia's Murder, She Wrote novel list: In the podcast, I slipped and said Donald Bain wrote 'nearly 40' of these novels, when I meant 'over' 40. The numbered list is here. and include contibutions from other Jessica Fletcher co-authors.
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12 January 2026
We're starting this mini-season with a bit of a bitesize (though not as bitesize as I intended!) episode laying the groundwork for the TV tie-in season. In this episode, we're not looking at any particular book but at the complex world of TV tie-in novels, and some of the challenges involved in writing them. In this episode, I will try to answer the following questions:
This episode also introduces some key sources used as research and referred to throughout the season. You can find the links below:
M.J. Clarke - The Strict Maze of Media Tie-In Novels (2009)
Matt Hills -Torchwood's trans-transmedia: Media tie-ins and brand 'fanagement' (2012)
Shaun Duke - Fan Fiction vs. Tie-in Fiction: A Framework (2023)
Karen Raugust - Tie-ins Attract TV viewers to the mystery genre (2012)
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27 December 2025
In January, Out of Order Book Club will be back with a new (mini) season. I'll be dipping my toe into the water of TV tie-in novels. I hope to answer some burning questions, at least for me, about:
So join me, Mal Bernhardt, as I spend some time with Mulder, Scully, Fletcher, Solo (not that one) and many others for our TV tie-in season.
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