Listen Now

Chatting to Emma Stonex about her latest book, The Lamplighters, was so much fun. Inspired by the real life mystery of the Flannel Isles, where three lighthouse keepers disappeared from their island home while manning the light, she has created a mystery that explores human relationships, limitations, and flaws. The Lamplighters went on to become a Sunday Times bestseller, and with good reason! If you would like to discover more about Emma and her book, then you can access her newsletter via her publisher, or follow her on twitter. You can buy The Lamplighters here.

After releasing five books, each of which hit the bestsellers list, Shari Lapena is back with her latest novel, Not A Happy Family. In this family, everyone is keeping secrets—even the dead. Brecken Hill in upstate New York is an expensive place to live. You have to be rich to have a house there, and Fred and Sheila Merton certainly are rich. But even all their money can't protect them when a killer comes to call. The Mertons are brutally murdered after a fraught Easter dinner with their three adult kids. Who, of course, are devastated. Or are they? They each stand to inherit millions. They were never a happy family, thanks to their vindictive father and neglectful mother, but perhaps one of the siblings is more disturbed than anyone knew. Did someone snap after that dreadful evening? Or did another person appear later that night with the worst of intentions? That must be what happened. After all, if one of the family were capable of something as gruesome as this, you'd know. Wouldn't you? Chatting to Shari was a lot of fun, and I absolutely loved her latest book. You can find out more about Shari on twitter, Instagram, and via her website, where there are links to buy her book.

Ashley Audrain is the New York Times best selling author of The Push, a book that set the publishing world alight with its fabulous and provocative plot. Ashley has experience of the publishing world as an editor of fiction, and now writes full time. Chatting to her about this wonderful novel was a real treat, covering topics such as motherhood and its various faces, marketing pros and cons, and what its like to be a celebrity book club pick. Around the 26 minute mark, my daughter interrupts our conversation for a moment, but as this whole discussion centers around the truest face of motherhood, I didn't feel it was necessary to try to edit that out! I really hope you all enjoy this episode. You can discover more about Ashley via her website, Instagram, Facebook and twitter, and you can purchase The Push here.

Recording this weeks episode was so much fun. Chatting to Sarah Pearce about her novel, The Sanatorium, reminded me why I had enjoyed it so much in the first place. For a debut author she has had quite a ride, even being selected by Reece Witherspoon as the February '21 pick for her book club, Hello Sunshine. The Sanatorium is an eerie, compelling read, set in a fantastic location, with all the elements you want from an exciting thriller. You can follow Sarah on Instagram, twitter, or read more about her on her website.

David Headley has been called a tastemaker in the publishing world, and it's easy to see why. David began by opening his flagship bookshop in London, Goldsboro Books, recently followed by a second in Brighton. He is an agent, runs a successful bookclub and events program, with the clout to ask the publishing house for a unique cover for a book before it's to be sold in his shops. David Headley is undoubtedly one of the biggest players in the publishing industry, and it was an absolute delight to talk to him about how he arrived at this position. We talk about books he loved as a child, standout books he has enjoyed lately, and also his unwavering passion for placing books in the hands of readers. This episode is a wonderful insight into the process of bookselling, from the shop floor, as an agent, and of course, as a passionate collector of rare books. More can be found here on David's website for his agency, DHH Literary Agency.

On this week's episode I am joined by Darren O'Sullivan, the author of five psychological thrillers, of which the latest, The Players, is the book he is joining us to talk about today. Today is also the publication day for The Players, so I hope you'll join me on social media to help Darren celebrate! He will also be doing a live reading from his book, so do make sure you check out his Facebook profile and Instagram for the details! You can find Darren on twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and read all about his books on his website. The Players is available now.

Will Dean is the author of the Dark Pines trilogy, a Scandi-noir thriller series set in small town Sweden, and is now the author of a standalone novel The Last Thing To Burn. The Last Thing to Burn has garnered much deserved praise since it was released in January this year, and with close to 90% four and five star reviews on Amazon UK at the time I'm writing this, you can see the sort of effect it has had on readers. This claustrophobic thriller builds in tension until the dramatic finale, and will no doubt leave you wanting more. It was a pleasure to chat with Will about his latest novel, covering his unique writing process, his dedication to planning, and what it is like to live in an isolated Swedish forest as an Ex-Pat. Will Dean can be found on Instagram and twitter, and all of his books can be found here.

Talking to a debut author is always so much fun. This week we are chatting with Sophie Flynn, the author of All My Lies, a cracking thriller with a story of hope at its heart. She talks to us about how she wrote her first novel, how her father's books inspired her to writer thrillers, and how sometimes jumping in with both feet can really set the wheels in motion. You can buy ALL MY LIES here. You can follow Sophie on Instagram, twitter, and via her website.

Gillian McAllister is a Sunday Times bestselling author of five psychological thrillers. How To Disappear is her fifth book, released in July 2020, and upon release it quickly followed her other titles straight into the bestseller lists. It was a pleasure to interview Gillian, and talk about her work. We talked about where she finds her inspiration, the difficulties of characterisation during lockdown, and how all of her books are really love stories. Her books include; EVERYTHING BUT THE TRUTH ANYTHING YOU DO SAY NO FURTHER QUESTIONS THE EVIDENCE AGAINST YOU HOW TO DISAPPEAR THAT NIGHT You can follow Gillian on her social media channels, including twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

What a pleasure it was to talk to today's author, Margaux Deroux, who wrote a wonderfully evocative historical romance, The Lost Diary Of Venice. This book was originally released in the US, and has just been released in the UK too. Margaux is a debut author who loves to connect with readers, so please do get in touch with her via Instagram or twitter. You can also buy her book here.

Today's episode is our first with a non-fiction author. It's a real pleasure to welcome Katherine May to the podcast, to talk about her latest memoir, Wintering. Wintering is an account of her experience of living through a difficult period of life, and how she came to deal with that. It's a beautiful exploration of what it means to live in the cold, and how we can come through the challenges that life throws at us. Perhaps there is no better book to get us through the last part of 2020. You can follow Katherine on Instagram and twitter, and you can buy her fabulous book here.

This week we are talking to the talented debut YA author, Danielle Jawando. I had the pleasure to meet Danielle at my agent's Christmas party a couple of years ago. And The Stars Were Burning Brightly is her debut novel, and it tackles some very difficult issues, such as bullying, teen suicide, and grief. This conversation with Danielle was an absolute pleasure, and I'm so pleased to be able to share it with you this week. You can discover more about Danielle by following her Instagram or twitter profiles, and you can buy her wonderful book here.

Today's conversation is with Catherine Cooper, the author of The Chalet, which is published today! This is a wonderfully tense thriller, and such a fast paced read. I hope this conversation inspires you to go and pick up her excellent book! You can connect with Catherine via her twitter feed, her Instagram profile, or her website, and you can buy her book here.

On this day when we wait for election results in the US, and enter a new national lockdown in the UK, it's my pleasure to offer you a podcast episode that has nothing to do with either of those things. Chatting to Phoebe Morgan was an absolute pleasure. In this conversation we discuss her latest psychological thriller, The Babysitter, including her inspirations, her writing schedule, and how fun it is to create unlikeable characters. You can learn more about Phoebe on her website, connect with her via Instagram and twitter, and buy her book here.

At the time of recording I thought this was episode eight, but this is already episode nine! How has that happened so quickly? This week we are going to talk to one of the big names in crime and thrillers, Sharon Bolton, about her new novel, The Split. It's a pleasure to share this interview with you on the publication day for The Split! I had the chance to read this ahead of time, and I was not disappointed! It is tense and exciting, taking the reader on a remarkable journey which stretches all the way to a remote Antarctic Island. On this episode Sharon talks to us about research, the importance of psychology in crime fiction, and how even after ten years of writing, publication still causes butterflies. More information about Sharon and her books can be found on her website, via her twitter profile, or her Instagram account. You can buy her book here!

On Beyond Words today, we are welcoming Elizabeth Kay, the author of Seven Lies. This is a wonderfully atmospheric psychological thrillers, the kind where you really get into the head of the main character. Seven Lies is out now in all formats. Elizabeth can be found via her website, her instagram, or her twitter profiles, and you can buy her wonderful book here.

On Beyond Words today, we are welcoming Abbie Greaves, the author of The Silent Treatment, a beautiful and uplifting novel that was first published in hardback on 2nd April 2020. The Silent Treatment explores what happens when after decades of love and marriage, one partner suddenly stops talking to the other. The Silent Treatment was a Radio Two book club pick, and is publishing in paperback TODAY! I'm sure that you will not be disappointed if you pick up this book and give it a chance. If you are looking for a moving romance, with a deep and meaningful message behind it that might just have you reaching for the tissues, then The Silent Treatment is for you. Abbie can be found via her website, her instagram, or her twitter profiles, and you can buy her wonderful book here.

Stephanie Wrobel is the Chicago born and UK based author of The Recovery of Rose Gold (Darling Rose Gold in the USA/Canada). This book is such an interesting and tense thriller, dealing with dark and twisty characters, and complex issues in mental health. All that carefully woven together makes for a brilliant thriller that will leave you desperate to know what happens next! The Recovery of Rose Gold is out now in hardback and ebook, and will be available in paperback early next year. You can get your copy here. You can discover more about Stephanie via her Instagram, twitter, or her website.

C L Taylor is the Sunday Times bestselling author of seven stand alone psychological thrillers, and two young adult thrillers. Her books have sold over 1,000,000 copies, and her latest book, STRANGERS, was a top 10 Sunday Times bestseller, and reached the number 1 spot on iBooks. Strangers was released as a hardback in April 2020, and we are celebrating her paperback publication TODAY! Ursula, Gareth and Alice have never met before. Ursula thinks she killed the love of her life. Gareth’s been receiving strange postcards. And Alice is being stalked. None of them are used to relying on others – but when the three strangers’ lives unexpectedly collide, there’s only one thing for it: they have to stick together. Otherwise, one of them will die. Three strangers, two secrets, one terrifying evening.  The million-copy bestseller returns with a gripping new novel that will keep you guessing until the end. C L Taylor can be found on Instagram, twitter, and on her website where you can find information about how to buy signed copies of her books. You can buy the paperback of STRANGERS now via this AMAZON link.

This week we are chatting to Haleh Agar, the Canadian-Iranian author of the fabulous lockdown release, Out Of Touch. Relevant in so many ways this year, Out Of Touch explores cross cultural differences, the ramifications of a fractured family, and what it means to lose part of your own identity. Haleh is on twitter, Instagram, and has a website with resources for writers looking to take the next step in their careers. Out Of Touch is available now.