What happens when an American former intelligence officer and a British bestselling author start talking shop? You get Amato2Berrick (A2B) Crime Conversations, a YouTube channel dedicated to the grit, research, and adrenaline of the crime fiction world.
If you’ve been following my journey from the CIA to the streets of Acapulco with Detective Emilia Cruz, you know I value authenticity above all else. That’s why I teamed up with the brilliant Jane Harvey-Berrick (writing as Berrick Ford) to pull back the curtain on how we build our worlds.
What is A2B Crime Conversations?
Think of it as a transatlantic lounge for mystery lovers. In short, snackable videos, Jane and I bridge the gap between Tennessee and Cornwall to discuss:
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The Research: From police procedures to 1920s bootlegging history.
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The Craft: How we handle character backstories, consistency, and building a “universe” that feels real to the reader.
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The Inspiration: Where the dark ideas come from and how we turn them into high-stakes suspense.
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Global Recommendations: We share our favorite crime reads from around the world, so you’ll never run out of books for your TBR pile.
“Ocean x Murder x 2”
Our collaboration isn’t just digital—it’s literary. We recently celebrated the release of our Ocean x Murder x 2 box set, which brings together two compelling female leads from opposite sides of the world.
Whether it’s the sun-drenched danger of Mexico in my book Cliff Diver or the rugged, atmospheric coast of Cornwall in Jane’s Dead Water, we’re obsessed with how setting shapes the crime. On the channel, we dive deep into why these locations are more than just backdrops—they are characters in their own right.
Why You Should Subscribe
If you love The Crime Fiction Files or you’re a regular at the Galliano Club, this channel is your backstage pass. It’s a place for us to geek out over tradecraft, plot twists, and the nuances of the genre we all love.
Watch & Subscribe: A2B Crime Conversations on YouTube
Join the Conversation: What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to ask a crime author about their research process? Leave a comment on our latest video, and we might just answer it in an upcoming episode!
Want more behind-the-scenes tradecraft? Don’t forget to sign up for the Crime Fiction Files newsletter for real-world headlines decoded with crime fiction insights.
