A woman with shoulder-length wavy blonde hair wearing black glasses and a white turtleneck sweater, sitting in front of a patterned curtain.

Photo by Emily Knecht

Josie Adams is an author, producer, and founder of House of Water, an independent, female-forward production company working across film, television, books, audio, and theater.

She is the co-author, with her father, actor Tony Shalhoub, of We Thought They’d Never Leave: Musings on Food & Family, a culinary memoir forthcoming from Simon & Schuster in October 2026, and Ollie’s Marvelous Mind, an illustrated children’s book forthcoming from Philomel in 2028.

Her essays and stories have appeared in or are forthcoming from LitHub, McSweeney’s, Bon Appétit, and Audible. She is also the co-author, with Kati O’Hearn, of a middle-grade eco-fantasy novel currently on submission.

She recently appeared in two episodes of the CNN Originals series Tony Shalhoub: Breaking Bread. She holds a BFA in Theatre from CalArts, as well as multiple culinary degrees.

Adopted at birth from Omaha, Nebraska and raised in Los Angeles, she now lives in New Jersey with her husband and two children.

Books

We Thought They’d Never Leave: Musings on Food & Family by Tony Shalhoub with Josie Adams (Gallery, 10.27.26)

Nonfiction

McSweeney’s “Home”

Audible Sleep Stories

“The Tea Shoppe” (narrated by Nicola Barber)

“The Swan Prince’s Lantern” (narrated by Alan Cumming)

“The Florist” (narrated by Stephanie Hsu)

“The Gardener” (narrated by Minnie Driver)

“The Village Bookshop” (narrated by Simu Liu)

“The Watchful Streetlamp” (narrated by Jurnee Smollett)

“The Mountain Lodge” (narrated by Cobie Smulders)

“The Lighthouse Keeper’s Retreat” (narrated by Chrissy Metz)

Writing

We Thought They’d Never Leave

Book cover featuring a smiling man with a mustache and curly hair, reclining with hands behind head, wearing a burgundy sweater. The background is light blue with text in large red font that reads 'WE THOUGHT THEY'D NEVER LEAVE' and smaller black cursive text that says 'musings on food and family'. The bottom of the cover displays the title 'TONY SHALHoub' with 'with Josie Adams' below it, against a table set with glasses, plates, and bowls of food.

For readers of Stanley Tucci and Ruth Reichl and fans of award-winning actor-turned-author Tony Shalhoub (Big Night, Monk, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), comes a delightful narrative of nostalgic remembrances and recollections about gathering at the family table.

We Thought They’d Never Leave marks the literary debut of Tony Shalhoub, the beloved actor who, for the first time, has gathered delightful stories, memories, and recipes to create this timely, feel-good collection.

Written with his daughter, Josie Adams, the book is a humorous and heartfelt portrait of place, family, and food. At its center is the annual Shalhoub summer reunion in Door County, Wisconsin—a tradition that pulls ten siblings, their children, and their children’s children back to the same stretch of land, carrying decades of shared history with them.

“A treasure for foodies, theatergoers, film buffs, Wisconsinites, and everyone else.”
— Kirkus (Starred Review)

Through rich vignettes drawn from his parents, his siblings, and the many summers spent crowded around long tables, Tony reflects on the meals, mishaps, and small moments that link one generation to the next—from his childhood in a lively Lebanese-American household in Green Bay to the beautiful, chaotic gatherings that continue today. Along the way, he includes several family recipes that have stood the test of time.

Part memoir and part family-history—full of games, gatherings, and Shalhoub lore, plus twenty recipes—We Thought They’d Never Leave is a love letter to food, family, tradition, and the kind of loud, affectionate, ever-growing family reunion that somehow always makes room for one more at the table.

Preorder Now (Coming 10.27.26)

Early praise for We Thought They’d Never Leave

  • "Tony Shalhoub's talent knows no bounds. His writing is as witty, warm, and charming as he is.”

    —Stanley Tucci, New York Times bestselling author of Taste and What I Ate In One Year

  • "Tony is a longtime friend, and while reading his and Josie's wonderful book, I couldn't help but be bothered that he's never invited me to dinner.”

    —Seth Meyers

  • “This is my kind of book—hilarious and warm stories of family, surrounded by love and food! Tony and his daughter Josie have invited us to their big, beautiful table, and I might not be leaving.”

    —Phil Rosenthal, New York Times bestselling author of Somebody Feed Phil the Book and Phil’s Favorites

  • “A wonderfully affectionate story. Witty, charming, and deeply affecting, this is a book for the ages."

    —Keith McNally, New York Times bestselling author of I Regret Almost Everything

Preorder Now (Coming 10.27.26)

Book Tour Dates

Join Tony Shalhoub & Josie Adams on the We Thought They’d Never Leave book tour!

Tickets available below.

Two people playing cards, sitting on a wooden table in a room with white paneled walls. The man on the left has curly dark hair, a mustache, are wearing a light-colored striped shirt. The woman on the right has long wavy blonde hair, is wearing glasses, a dark top, and jeans. Both are smiling and looking at the camera.

Symphony Space Event // New York, NY // 10.27.26

Words Bookstore Event // Maplewood, NJ // 10.28.26

RJ Julia Booksellers Event // Madison, CT // 10.29.26

Clark Art Institute Event // Williamstown, MA // 11.1.26

Live Talks Event // Los Angeles, CA // 11.5.26

Egyptian Theater Event // Boise, ID // 11.6.26

Barnes & Noble Event // Green Bay, WI // 11.9.26

Miami Book Fair // Miami, FL // 11.15.26

Contact

Books: Kari Stuart @ CAA

Podcast: Caroline Edwards @ CAA

Film/TV: Matt Horwitz @ Echo Lake Entertainment

PR: Gayle Khait @ Khait PR