Mostly Books Meets . . .

This week we welcome onto the podcast performer, activist, and author Jill Nalder. In January 2021 Russell T Davies‘ It's a Sin hit our TV screens. For some, it was a reminder of the pain and prejudice of the AIDs crisis, while for many it was an education. Either way, it captured the hearts and minds of millions across the country. Jill Nalder, a lifelong friend of Russell, was the inspiration for the character of Jill Baxter (and even played Jill's mum in the show!). Now she has put her life and experiences into her own words in Love from the Pink Palace. The podcast is produced and presented by Jack Wrighton @jackwrighton and the team at Mostly Books. It is edited by Michael Roberts @michael.glyn.roberts Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Love from the Pink Palace is published in the UK by Headline. Books mentioned in this episode include: Famous Five by Enid Blyton ISBN: 9781444935011 Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens ISBN: 9781472154668 The Stand by Stephen King ISBN: 9781444720730 The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy ISBN: 9780006550686 Love from the Pink Palace by Jill Nalder ISBN: 9781472288462

On the podcast this week we are thrilled to be hosting the twice Booker prize shortlisted author Mohsin Hamid. Mohsin is the author of five novels , including Exit West, and The Reluctant Fundamentalist as well as a book of essays, Discontent and Its Civilizations. His writing has been translated into forty languages, featured on bestseller lists, and has been adapted for the cinema. Mohsin's latest book, The Last White Man, was published in August of this year. The podcast is produced and presented by Jack Wrighton @jackwrighton and the team at Mostly Books. It is edited by Michael Roberts @michael.glyn.roberts Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. The Last White Man is published in the UK by Hamish Hamilton. Books mentioned in this episode include: Charlotte's Webb by E. B. White ISBN: 9780141354828 Dune by Frank Herbert ISBN: 9780340960196 Gilgamesh ISBN: 9780300268096 Beloved by Toni Morrison ISBN: 9780099511656 The Last White Man by Mohsin Hamid ISBN: 9780241566572

It is our great pleasure to welcome onto the podcast this week debut novelist, and journalist, Tracey Lien. Tracey grew up in Sydney, Australia. She was previously a reporter for Vox Media before going on to work for the Los Angeles Times. Tracey then made the brave leap into the world of fiction and joined the MFA program at the University of Kansas. It was during this time that her first novel All That's Left Unsaid was born. Set in the Vietnamese enclave of Cabramatta in Sydney the story opens with the brutal murder of a seventeen-year-old boy. Realising that the full details of the crime are not being uncovered by the police the sister of the murdered boy, Ky, takes it upon herself to find the witnesses and discover the truth for herself. All That's Left Unsaid manages to be both a compelling page-turner as well as a profound exploration of racism and the Vietnamese-Australian experience. The podcast is produced and presented by Jack Wrighton @jackwrighton and the team at Mostly Books. It is edited by Michael Roberts @michael.glyn.roberts Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. All That's Left Unsaid is published in the UK by HQ @hqstories. Books mentioned in this episode include: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone ISBN: 9781408855652 Civilwarland In Bad Decline by George Saunders ISBN: 9781784871291 More Than You'll Ever Know by Katie Gutierrez ISBN: 9780241529980 Easy Beauty by Chloe Cooper Jones ISBN: 9780349013824

This week we're speaking to award-winning writer and illustrator, Jackie Morris. Over her career Jackie has written and illustrated over 40 books. In 2019 she won the CLIP Kate Greenaway Medal and The Books are My Bag Readers Award for the absolutely stunning book, The Lost Words. It is a staple in every bookshop and appeals to both adults and children alike. Told off as a child for drawing and dreaming, she now has the last laugh as she gets to do both every day. Her work has been translated into over fourteen languages and has been adapted for stage, film and set to music. A huge supporter of independent bookshops, it's fantastic to have her as a guest today. The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter. Feather, Leaf, Bark & Stone is published in the UK by Unbound and Something About a Bear is published in the UK by Otter-Barry Books. Books mentioned in this episode include: Call of The Wild by Jack London ISBN: 9781906230777 Watership Down by Richards Adams ISBN: 9780241953235 Tarka the Otter by Henry Williamson ISBN: 9780241375983 The Book of Trespass by Nick Hayes ISBN: 9781526604729 Land of the Forest by Caroline Pitcher ISBN: 9781802581645 The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane & Jackie Morris ISBN: 9780241253588 Feather, Leaf, Bark & Stone by Jackie Morris ISBN: 9781800181557 Something About a Bear by Jackie Morris ISBN: 9781913074289

On the podcast this week we are speaking to award-winning novelist Kamila Shamsie. I thought for a long time about how best to introduce a writer as renowned and respected as Kamila. I toyed with the idea of listing off her many accolades and achievements, but each time I read them out loud I found it didn't capture the experience of reading a Shamsie novel for the first time. Instead, I'll tell you that those who know and love her work talk about it in the same way they might recount a chapter from their own lives. Those who have yet to read one of her novels soon find themselves the subject of a swift conversion. Home Fire, with its beautiful and heart-breaking merging of the personal and the political, had a profound effect on me. And so, too, did Kamila's latest novel, Best of Friends, which is published on 27th September. Best of Friends is an exquisite portrayal of friendship, of coming of age both physically and politically, and an exploration of how even those closest to us can still remain unknowable. The podcast is produced and presented by Jack Wrighton @jackwrighton and the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. It is edited by Michael Roberts @michael.glyn.roberts. Best of Friends is published in the UK by Bloomsbury. Books mentioned in this episode include: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis ISBN: 9780007323128 Meatless Days by Sara Suleri ISBN: 9780241342466 Companion Piece by Ali Smith ISBN: 9780241541340 Sterling Karat Gold by Isabel Waidner ISBN: 9781913512040 The Candy House by Jennifer Egan ISBN: 9781472150912 To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf ISBN: 9780141183411 Best of Friends BY Kamila Shamsie ISBN: 9781526647702

On this week's episode we have the amazing R. F. Kuang, the author of the much loved and lauded Poppy War Trilogy. Rebecca is a Marshall Scholar, translator, and has been nominated for the Hugo, Nebula, Locus, and World Fantasy Award. She has an MPhil in Chinese Studies from Cambridge and an MSc in Contemporary Chinese Studies from Oxford and is now pursuing a PhD in East Asian Languages and Literatures at Yale. Rebecca's new novel, Babel, was published on 1st of September. It is both an exciting edition and challenge to the genre of the Oxford novel, a riveting story, a reflection on language's power to subjugate and to liberate, and so much more besides. The podcast is produced and presented by Jack Wrighton and the Mostly Books team. It is edited by Michael Roberts. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Babel is published in the UK by @HarperVoyagerUK. Books mentioned in this episode include: Animal Farm by George Orwell ISBN: 9780141182704 Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card ISBN: 9780356500843 Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov ISBN: 9780141185262 Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow ISBN: 9781784744649 SPQR by Mary Beard ISBN: 9781846683817 Babel by R. F. Kuang ISBN: 9780008501815

It is our great pleasure to welcome to the podcast this week a true legend of crime fiction, the novelist Karin Slaughter. Karin launched onto the scene in 2001 with her first novel Blindsighted, which marked the beginning of the Grant County series. Since then she has gone on to write more than twenty instant New York Times bestselling novels, including the much-loved Will Trent series which is due to be televised by Disney. Kim's second-to-none storytelling has caught the eye of many a producer with her 2018 novel Pieces of Her being released as a limited series on Netflix starring Toni Colette. Karin has built a loyal fanbase with her stories that defy you to put them down and has garnered readers from across the globe. On top of very successful career as a novelist, she is the founder of Save the Libraries a nonprofit organization, which was established to support libraries and library programming. A cause that those of us at Mostly Books and many of our listeners will be passionate about. The podcast is produced and presented by Jack Wrighton and the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Michael Roberts. Girl, Forgotten is published in the UK by HarperCollins. Books mentioned in this episode include: Blindsighted by Karin Slaughter ISBN: 9780099553052 Encyclopaedia Brown by Donal J. Sobol ISBN: 9780553482973 Complete Stories by Flannery O'Connor ISBN: 9780571245789 The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury ISBN: 9780571245789 Booth by Karen Joy Fowler ISBN: 9781788168632 Girl, Forgotten by Karin Slaughter ISBN: 9780008303563

Mostly Books Meets is back for another season! The first guest joining us in season five is novelist, Kim Sherwood. Kim's first novel Testament was published in 2018, and was longlisted for the Desmond Elliott Award, shortlisted for the Best First Novel Award, and won the Bath Novel Award and the Harper's Bazaar Big Book of the Year. A James Bond fan since a young age, and described as a “Fleming aficionado of the highest order”. In 2021 it was announced that a new series of double-0 novels penned by Kim had been authorized by the Fleming estate. These new novels mark an exciting departure, as they are set in the world of James Bond but instead turn their focus on a new generation of double-0 agents. Double or Nothing, the first in Kim's new Bond series, publishes on the 1st of September. Having been granted an early glimpse at this exciting new thriller I can confirm that it really does live up to the hype. Kim has used her brilliant talent at characterization to expand the dramatis personae of the Bond universe with a story that is sure to attract new fans to the series, as well as delighting it's old friends. The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Michael Roberts. Double of Nothing is published in the UK by Harper Collins. Books mentioned in this episode include: The Famous Five by Enid Blyton The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien Watership Down by Richard Adams The Heat of the Day by Elizabeth Bowen Double or Nothing by Kim Sherwood

Our guest this week is Sunday Times best-selling author, Cathy Rentzenbrink. Cathy is an integral part of the publishing world who regularly chairs literary events, runs creative writing courses, and speaks and writes on life, death, love, and literature. She believes that everyone's life would be improved by picking up a pen and is at her happiest when encouraging her students to have the courage to delve into themselves and see the magic that will start to happen on the page. Her first book, The Last Act of Love, was the heart-breaking account of the tragic loss of her brother and the follow up, A Manual for Heartache is a searingly honest account of how she dealt with her grief. Cathy's third book, Dear Reader, is a brilliant account of the books she's read and the impact they've had on her. It's a perfect trip down memory lane and covers so many books that will be familiar to readers everywhere. Her first novel, Everyone is Still Alive, was published last year and Cathy's latest book, Write it All Down, came out in January. Sarah first met Cathy at the Bookseller's Association conference which, in normal times, takes place once a year and is a joyful couple of days where booksellers, publishers, authors and others from the trade get together for a celebration of all things books. Cathy has hosted the conference for as long as I have been a bookseller and just makes the event. We are thrilled to be welcoming her to Mostly Books Meets. The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter. Write It All Down is published in the UK by @panmacmillan Books mentioned in this episode include: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis – 9780007323128 Quilt on Fire: The Messy Magic of Midlife by Christie Watson – 9781784744045 When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi – 9781784701994 Dear Reader: The Comfort and Joy of Books by Cathy Rentzenbrink - 9781509891559 Write It All Down: How to Put Your Life on the Page by Cathy Rentzenbrink – 9781529056228 Everyone Is Still Alive by Cathy Rentzenbrink – 9781474621120

It's our great pleasure to welcome onto the podcast this week writer, journalist, and academic Sunny Singh. Sunny was born in Varanasi, India and went on to study in India, the USA, and Spain. Her first book, published in the year 2000, was the prize-winning Nani's Book of Suicides. She has since gone on to release two other novels as well as works of nonfiction, and her short stories have been published by the likes of Drawbridge and World Literature Today. In 2016, she co-founded the Jhalak Prize for Book of the Year by a Writer of Colour which seeks to champion the work of British and British resident BAME writers. For two years in a row Mostly Books has been proud to be a Jhalak Prize Champion. The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter www.twitter.com/mostlyreading & Instagram www.instagram.com/mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short www.instagram.com/alongstoryshorter. We're Going to Find the Monster is published in the UK by Puffin Books. Books mentioned in this episode include: The Three Fat Men by Yuri Olesha – 9781843914525 Living While Black by Guilaine Kinouani – 9781529109436 Jhalak Prize Children's and YA Shortlist: We're Going to Find the Monster by Malorie Blackman & Dapo Adeola – 9780241401309 (https://bit.ly/3PCMxMy) Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-Iyimide – 9781474967532 (https://bit.ly/3wOIdm2) Musical Truth by Jeffrey Boakye – 9780571366491 (https://bit.ly/3wSNB6m) The Crossing by Manjeet Mann – 9780241411445 (https://bit.ly/3sYc5tO) Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths by Maisie Chan – 9781800780019 The Sound of Everything by Rebecca Henry – 9781911427155

This week, we are delighted to be speaking to Eve Chase. Eve is a star on the rise. She has published four novels, the latest of which, The Birdcage, was out in April. Her third novel, The Glass House, was a Sunday Times bestseller, Richard and Judy pick and sold nearly 200,000 copies across all formats. We're expecting readers to be just as excited about The Birdcage. Eve's novels are perfect for book groups, and The Birdcage is storytelling at its best. With wide-ranging reader appeal, her books have been reviewed in many publications including the New York Times and one of our previous guests, Lisa Jewell, has called her ‘one of the most enthralling novelists of the moment'. The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter. The Birdcage is published in the UK by @penguinukbooks. Books mentioned in this episode include: The Birdcage – Eve Chase 9781405940986 The Wishing-Chair Collection - Enid Blyton 9781444959512 Wrong Place, Wrong Time - Gillian McAllistair 9780241520949 The Diary of a Young Girl: The Definitive Edition – Anne Frank 9780141315195

This week we are speaking to author, Louise Hare. Louise is a major author on the rise – she was one of the Observer's top 10 debuts for 2020, and her first book, This Lovely City was a BBC 2 Between The Covers pick and was shortlisted for the RSL Ondaatje Prize. The book received near-universal acclaim with blanket review coverage. Louise's profile is only continuing to grow, particularly surrounding the work she does to champion black British authors and writing. Louise's new book, Miss Aldridge Regrets is published on 28th April. The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter. Miss Aldridge Regrets is published in the UK by HarperCollins. Books mentioned in this episode include: Secret Seven by Enid Blyton (9781444913439) Vine Street by Dominic Nolan (9781472288851) Fingersmith by Sarah Waters (9781860498831) Miss Aldridge Regrets by Louise Hare (9780008332617)

Our guests this week are Kitty & Al Tait. Breadsong, the part memoir, part recipe book by Kitty & Al was published on 28th April. The book tells the story of Kitty's battle with depression and anxiety, and how baking bread with her Dad changed everything. The result of their journey is the Orange Bakery in Watlington, renowned throughout the local area for their sourdough bread and fresh pastries. The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter. Breadsong is published in the UK by Bloomsbury. The book discussed in this episode is: Breadsong : How Baking Changed Our Lives by Kitty & Al Tait (9781526631855)

This week we're speaking to children's author, Alex Falase-Koya. Alex was the winner of Spread the Word's 2019 London Writers Awards for YA/children's books and his Letter to my Future Self can be found on their website. Alex was inspired to write his debut novel, ‘Marv and the Mega Robot' after struggling to find superheroes in fiction who looked like him. By creating Marv, a superhero whose strengths are kindness and imagination, Alex hopes to have created a character to whom all children can relate. The first two books of Alex's series on Marv were published on 3rd February. The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter. Marv and the Mega Robot & Marv and the Dino Attack is published in the UK by Oxford University Press Books mentioned in this episode include: The Witches by Roald Dahl – 9780141365473 Marv and the Mega Robot by Alex Falase-Koya – 9780192780423 Marv and the Dino Attack by Alex Falase-Koya – 9780192780447 Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro – 9780571258093 The Spook's Apprentice by Joseph Delaney – 9781782952459 The Breakfast Club Adventures: The Beast Beyond the Fence by Marcus Rashford & Alex Falase-Koya - 9781529076622

In the podcast this week, Mostly Books is speaking to author and practicing barrister, Imran Mahmood. Imran's debut novel, You Don't Know Me, was chosen as a BBC Radio 2 Book Club choice when it was published in 2017. It was also longlisted for the Theakston Crime Novel of the Year and the Crime Writer's Association Gold Awards. A TV adaptation of the book was released on Netflix at the end of last year. Imran recently had a short story included in a crime anthology called ‘The Perfect Crime' alongside authors such as Vaseem Khan and Walter Mosely. His latest book, I Know What I Saw, was published in June last year and is out in paperback on 28th April. The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter. I Know What I Saw is published in the UK by Bloomsbury. Books mentioned in this episode include: I Know What I Saw – Imran Mahmood (9781526627667) You Don't Know Me – Imran Mahmood (9781405927376) Wrong Place, Wrong Time – Gillian McAllister (9780241520949) The Perfect Crime - Edited by: Vaseem Khan & Maxim Jakubowski (9780008462321) To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee (9780099549482)

Our guest this week is Sunday Times bestselling author, Beth O'Leary. Beth wrote her debut novel, The Flatshare, on her train journey to and from her job at a children's publisher. Since then she has gone on to write a further three books and her writing has been translated into more than 30 languages. Beth's latest novel, The No-Show, was published on 12th April. The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter. The No-Show is published in the UK by Quercus Publishing. Books mentioned in this episode include: Bramley Hedge books by Jill Barklem Lucie Yi is Not Romantic by Lauren Ho - 9780008505653 Rachel's Holiday by Marian Keyes - 9780241958438 The No-Show by Beth O'Leary - 9781529409109

Our guest this week is author Tom Watson. Tom is a graduate of the UEA creative writing course where he won the Curtis Brown Prize. Metronome, his debut novel was published on 31st March. It is an utterly compelling read examining what happens to human relationships and love when put under extreme pressure. The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter. Metronome is published in the UK by Bloomsbury. Books mentioned in this episode include: Metronome - Tom Watson 9781526639547 My Family and Other Animals - Gerald Durrell 9780141374109 The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4 - Sue Townsend 9780141315980 Moby-Dick - Herman Melville 9780141198958 East of Eden - John Steinbeck 9780141185071 The Secret History - Donna Tartt 9780140167771 The Waves - Virginia Woolf 9781784870843 The Shipping News - Annie Proulx 9781857022421 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro 9780571258246 Dept. of Speculation - Jenny Offill 9781847088741

Our guest this week is children's author, Hannah Gold. Hannah is passionate about writing stories which share her love of the planet. Her debut middle-grade book, The Last Bear, was the biggest selling debut hardback of 2021 as well as being shortlisted for numerous awards including The Blue Peter Book Award. Her new book, The Lost Whale, comes out in March. The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter. The Lost Whale is published in the UK by HarperCollins. Books mentioned in this episode include: The Last Bear - Hanna Gold 9780008411312 The Lost Whale - Hannah Gold 9780008543280 The Ugly Duckling - Hans Christian Anderson 9781474991193 Fledgling - Lucy Hope 9781839941887 The Animals of Farthing Wood - Colin Dann 9781405281805

This week we are delighted to be hosting not one, but two brilliant creatives; author Swapna Haddow and illustrator Dapo Adeola. Swapna Haddow is the writer of the popular prize-winning Dave Pigeon and Bad Panda series and Dapo Adeola is an award-winning illustrator, who co-created and illustrated the picture book Look Up! And is the writer of the book Hey You! An Empowering Celebration of Growing Up Black Together they have created the wonderful and heartwarming picture book My Dad is a Grizzly Bear which was released last year. This month they released their second collaboration My Mum is a Lioness. The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter. My Mum is a Lioness is published in the UK by Pan Macmillan. Books mentioned in this episode include: My Mum is a Lioness - 9781529013993 My Dad Is A Grizzly Bear - 9781529013979 Hey You!: An empowering celebration of growing up Black - 9780241521946 Look Up! - 9780241345849 Clean Up! - 9780241345894 We're Going to Find the Monster - 9780241401309 Dave Pigeon - 9780571323302 Bad Panda - 9780571352418 Little Rabbit's Big Surprise - 9781788950299 Dave Pigeon (Nuggets!) - 9780571324439 Ballet Bunnies: Millie's Birthday - 9780192774873 Please Don't Feed the Vampire! - 9781407157344 Burglar Bill - 9780140503012 The Henna Artist - 9780778331476 The Boy Who Made Everyone Laugh - 9780702300851 Danny the Champion of the World - 9780141365411 The Field Guide - 9781471174940 Look Both Ways - 9781999642594 When I Was the Greatest - 9780571369645 Head to the Mostly Books Website to buy a copy of these books with a 10% discount for the next month: www.mostly-books.co.uk/shop

Our guest this week is author Robert Edric. Robert's first novel, Winter Garden, was published in 1986 and went on to win the James Tait Black award. Since then, he has written a grand total of twenty-eight novels. Including Peacetime and Gathering the Water which were both longlisted for the Booker Prize. The Telegraph described his backlist as “one of the most extraordinary bodies of work to appear from a single author”. Robert's latest book, a memoir, is called My Own Worst Enemy and is a touching and vivid portrait of 1960s working-class Sheffield. At the core of this deeply engaging account of a bygone era is the relationship between a deeply insecure and overbearing father and his educated son, of two people join by blood and yet are worlds apart. D. J. Taylor writing in The Spectator described it as “Neatly written, psychologically acute and never disguising the hurt that lies at its core, this is a small masterpiece.” The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter. My Own Worst Enemy is published in the UK by Swift. Books mentioned in this episode include: My Own Worst Enemy : Scenes of a Childhood - Robert Edric (9781800750814) Sons and Lovers - D H Lawrence (9780141199856) Stalingrad - Antony Beevor (9780141032405) The Nanny State Made Me: A Story of Britain and How to Save it - Stuart Maconie (9781529102437) I Wanna Be Yours - John Cooper Clarke (9781509896127) Lay Down My Sword and Shield - James Lee Burke (9781398706392) Orwell: The Life - D. J. Taylor (9780099283461) The Battle of Britain - by James Holland (9780552156103)

In the Podcast this week, we're speaking to author Kasim Ali. Kasim has previously had a short story published in The Good Journal and has been longlisted for both the 4th Estate B4ME Short Story Prize and shortlisted for Hachette's Mo Siewcherran Prize. On the 3rd of March his debut novel Good Intentions was published by 4th Estate. It tells of the story of Nur and Yasmina who have been together for four happy years, however Nur has not yet told his parents of Yasmina's existence for fear of losing his status as the Golden Child. On New Years Eve he decides to break the news to his parents: That he has built a life with a woman he loves and she is Black. Author Lillian Li described it as “Compelling, emotionally honest, and unafraid of the grey areas of race, faith, sexuality and love.” It is a beautifully written novel, and one that stands out for me for its exquisite rendering of the complex relationships between lovers, family, and friends. Good Intentions asserts an exciting new voice on the UK literary scene. When he is not writing Kasim is an assistant editor at Penguin Random House and is currently working on his third novel while he should be editing his second. The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter. Good Intentions is published in the UK by 4th Estate. Books mentioned in this episode include: Good Intentions – Kasim Ali (9780008450656) The Stolen – Alex Shearer Frankenstein – Mary Shelley (9780141198965) Dracula – Bram Stoker (9780141199337) Attack Of The Graveyard Ghouls - R.L. Stine (9781407157290) The Bad Beginning - Lemony Snicket (9781405266062) The Secret History - Donna Tartt (9780140167771) A Little Life - Hanya Yanagihara (9781529077216) White Teeth - Zadie Smith (9780140276336) The Reluctant Fundamentalist - Mohsin Hamid (9780141029542) The Incarnations - Susan Barker (9781784160005)

Our guest this week is Hafsa Zayyan. Hafsa's book, We Are All Birds of Uganda, was published early last year and has just been released into paperback. One of the breakout debuts of 2021, it was a BBC Radio 4 Book at Bedtime and a Book Club pick for both the BBC Radio 2 and Sky Book Show. The book has attracted a lot of well-deserved praise since winning the inaugural #Merkey Books New Writers Prize chosen by a panel of judges including Stormzy. The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter. We Are All Birds of Uganda is published in the UK by @penguinukbooks. Books mentioned in this episode include: We Are All Birds of Uganda by Hafsa Zayyan – 9781529118667 Detransition, Baby by Torrey Peters – 9781788167222 Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe – 9780141023380 The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg

In the podcast this week, we're speaking to author, copywriter and bookseller, Jen Williams. Jen started her writing career by creating character-driven fantasy novels full of adventure and magic. They were extremely successful and Jen was awarded the British Fantasy award on two occasions. More recently, Jen has written dark unsettling thrillers with strong female leads. He latest book, Dog Rose Dirt was published in paperback on 20th January. The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter. Dog Rose Dirt is published in the UK by Harper Collins. Books mentioned in this episode include: Dog Rose Dirt by Jen Williams Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien The Apparition Phase by Will Maclean The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson The Stand by Stephen King The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb

This week we're speaking to author, Lucy Diamond. Lucy has been writing uplit fiction since 2007. She has published three novellas and seventeen novels, the latest of which, Anything Could Happen, came out in January this year. Lucy Diamond is actually called Sue Mongredien but she writes under a pseudonym because she initially started out writing children's books. Lucy's books are perfect for escapism, fun books that are ideal for anyone who has been struggling with reading motivation during lockdown. The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter. Anything Could Happen is published in the UK by Quercus Publishing. Books mentioned in this episode include: Anything Could Happen by Lucy Diamond (9781529419603) James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl (9780141365459) Rainbow Magic by Daisy Meadows (9781408364482) Writers and Lovers by Lily King (9781529033137) Any Way You Want Me by Lucy Diamond (9781509811144) Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier (9780349006574)

This week, we're speaking to debut author, Rosie Andrews. Rosie's much anticipated debut novel, The Leviathan, was published on 3rd February. Historical fiction based in the 17th Century, the book has already received rave reviews with comparisons being made to novels such as The Essex Serpent, The Mermaid and Mrs Hancock and The Binding. The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter. The Leviathan is published in the UK by @bloomsburypublishing Books mentioned in this episode include: The Leviathan by Rosie Andrews (9781526637338) Mallory Towers by Enid Blyton (9781444929874) St Clare's by Enid Blyton (9781444934823) 1984 by George Orwell (9780141393049) Road to Wigan Pier by George Orwell 9780141185293) Down & Out in Paris & London by George Orwell (9780141184388) Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (9780141198965) Moonlight and the Pearler's Daughter (9781529072846) The Key in the Lock by Beth Underdown (9780241503300) The Silmarillion by JR Tolkein (9780007523221) Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (9780141198859) Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (9780007351008) Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkein (9780261103252)

Welcome to season 4 of Mostly Books Meets! Our first guest this season is joining us for a second time - a Mostly Books Meets first! This week we're talking to Sunday Times best-selling author, Beth Morrey. Beth first joined us as a guest this time last year, talking about her debut novel Saving Missy. Fast forward a year, a lot has changed. We're still dealing with the effects of COVID but we are no longer in full lockdown as we were when Beth and I first caught up and, whilst we're still talking books, we're here today to chat about Beth's brand new book, Em & Me which was published on 3rd February. Books read by Beth in the last year are listed below. All of which are available to buy for a discounted price through the Mostly Books website. The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter Hamnet, Maggie O'Farrell (9781472223821) The Silent Daughter, Emma Christie (9781787394933) Small Pleasures, Clare Chambers (9781474613903) The Vanishing Half, Brit Bennett (9780349701479) Sorrow and Bliss, Meg Mason (9781474622974) Falling, TJ Newman (9781398507241) From the Veg Patch, Kathy Slack (9781529107968) The Last One at the Party, Bethany Clift (9781529332162) Dark Matter, Michelle Paver (9781409121183) The Sentinel, Lee Child/Andrew Child (9780552177429) Past Tense, Lee Child (9780857503626) This Much is True, Miriam Margolyes (9781529379884) Stanley Tucci – Taste (9780241500996) The Silence, Susan Allott (9780008361341) Magpie, Elizabeth Day (9780008374945) Mrs Dalloway, Virginia Woolf (9780241341117) The Pursuit of Love, Nancy Mitford (9780241514993) The Grand Sophy, Georgette Heyer (9780099585541) Just Haven't Met You Yet, Sophie Cousens (9781787466814) Rachel's Holiday, Marian Keyes (9780241958438) One Ordinary Day at a Time, Sarah J Harris (9780008377373) Where We Belong, Anstey Harris (9781471173868) If I Can't Have You, Charlotte Levin (9781529032420) Lost Property, Helen Parris (9781529176339) People Like Us, Louise Fein (9781789545005) The Couple at no.9, Claire Douglas (9781405943406) Wintering, Katherine May (9781846045998) All the Lonely People, Mike Gayle (9781473687417) The Maid, Nita Prose (9780008435721) Black Cake, Charmaine Wilkerson (9780241529928) A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting, Sophie Irwin (9780008519520) Don't Forget to Scream, Marianne Levy (9781474623667) Meredith Alone, Claire Alexander (9780241542408)

In the podcast this week, I'm speaking to award-winning author, JP Delaney. J.P. Delaney is a pseudonym of author, Tony Strong who has also written under the name Anthony Capella. JP ‘s first psychological thriller, The Girl Before, was an instant Sunday Times and New York Times bestseller and went on to sell over a million copies worldwide. His subsequent books Believe Me, The Perfect Wife, and Playing Nice were also top ten bestsellers. The Girl Before is being adapted into a major television series and JP has been heavily involved as lead writer and co-executive producer. A TV tie in edition of the book was published on 25th November and the TV series is due to be released the weekend before Christmas. JP, welcome to Mostly Books Meets. -- Books mentioned in this episode include: The Girl Before by JP Delaney (https://bit.ly/3dCVcwQ), Mitford Girls by Mary S Lovell (https://bit.ly/3ycORBR), I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith (https://bit.ly/3rNLFeE). All of which are available to buy for a discounted price through the Mostly Books website (www.mostly-books.co.uk/shop). The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter

This week we're speaking to crime author, Cara Hunter. Cara is the author of five bestselling crime novels following the investigations of DI Adam Fawley and his team. Set in her home city of Oxford, Cara's books feature an ensemble cast of characters that readers have avidly followed since 2017. Her fast-paced twisting plotlines deliver a gripping read and have won spots on the Richard and Judy Book Club, numerous short-listings in crime fiction awards, and optioned for TV. In her latest book The Whole Truth, DI Adam Fawley and his team are up against the clock when an Oxford student accuses one of the university's professors of sexual assault and lives come under threat.

This week we're speaking to Crime author, Olivia Kiernan. Olivia is the author of four Frankie Sheehan detective novels. Set in Dublin, the ongoing series sees DCS Frankie Sheehan and her team investigating murders across the city, where appearances are rarely what they seem. In her latest book The Murder Box, we join DCS Frankie Sheehan as a seemingly innocent murder mystery game reveals a sinister connection to the disappearance of a young woman. -- Books mentioned in this episode include: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor (https://bit.ly/3cKcVlA), The Adventures of the Wishing-Chair by Enid Blyton (https://bit.ly/3DW9vrG) , Madame Zero by Sarah Hall (https://bit.ly/3laTLtM), Circle Of Friends by Maeve Binchy (https://bit.ly/3HVSXCA), The Murder Box by Olivia Kiernan (https://bit.ly/30Wf8aP). All of which are available to buy for a discounted price through the Mostly Books website (www.mostly-books.co.uk/shop). The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter

We're taking a couple of weeks off to record some new episodes so we thought we'd go back to take another listen to our interview with Abigail Dean in season 2. -- Abigail's debut novel, Girl A, was published in January 2021 after a 9-way auction resulted in Abigail Dean was born in Manchester, and grew up in the Peak District. She studied English Literature at Cambridge University, and graduated with a double first in 2011. Abigail always loved reading, writing, and talking about books, and her first job was as a bookseller at Waterstones. She later worked as an associate at a New York law firm. Ahead of her thirtieth birthday, she took time off between jobs to work on her first novel, GIRL A. Abigail now works as a lawyer at Google. Abigail's debut novel, GIRL A sold in the UK after a 9-way auction to HarperCollins who published it in January 2021. The book immediately became a Sunday Times Bestseller. It has also sold in the US to Viking for a seven-figure deal and has sold in 30 territories including television/film. GIRL A came out in paperback on 30th September GIRL A tells the story of Lex, better known to the world as Girl A, who escaped her family home where she and her siblings were held captive by their parents. Now, after her mother's death, she and her siblings are left the family home. Wanting to transform the House of Horrors into a force for good, Lex must come to terms with her six siblings – and with the childhood they shared. Abigail lives in south London, and is working on her second novel, The Conspiracies. The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Mostly Books Meets is Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter.

We're taking a couple of weeks off to record some new episodes. In the meantime, we thought you'd like to listen to one of our favourite episodes from season one with best-selling author, Robert Harris. Robert's first novel, Fatherland, was published in 1992 to critical acclaim and he has since gone on to publish a further 13 novels, the latest of which, V2, was published on when we interviewed Robert in September 2021. More recently, more than ten years in the writing, and now published in a single volume for the first time, The Cicero Trilogy brings the world of the Roman republic vividly to life. Robert specialises is historical fiction and he's well known for producing page turning thrillers that keep the reader guessing until the end. His work has been translated into forty languages, several of his books have been turned into films, and he is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Books mentioned in this episode include: Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld (https://bit.ly/3EP78ar), 1984 by George Orwell (https://bit.ly/3q3m6p3) & V2 by Robert Harris (https://bit.ly/3bJcsPS). Robert's latest book, The Cicero Trilogy is out in hardback now: https://bit.ly/3EMaGKw All of of these books are available to buy for a discounted price through the Mostly Books website (www.mostly-books.co.uk/shop). The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Mostly Books Meets is Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter.

In the podcast this week, we're speaking to award-winning author, Mick Herron. Mick is the author of the bestselling Slough House novels which have won two Crime Writer's Association Daggers, been published in over 20 languages, and are the basis of a major forthcoming TV series starring Gary Oldman as Jackson Lamb. He is also the author of the Sarah Tucker /Zoë Boehm series, and the standalone novels Reconstruction, Nobody Walks and This is What Happened. “The John le Carré of his generation” according to fellow crime writer, Val McDermid, Mick's books were a slow burn, with Slow Horses (the first in the series) making it to number one an incredible seven years after it's initial publication. Mick now has a huge army of fans that eagerly await every new addition to the Slough House Series.

In the podcast this week, we're speaking to author, Rachel Edwards. Rachel is the author of two domestic thrillers Darling and Lucky. Her debut novel Darling examines the fractured and tumultuous relationship between Darling and her 16-year-old step-daughter Lola. Vying for the attentions of husband and father Thomas, it soon emerges that neither can be trusted, and both will do whatever it takes to get what they want. In her new book Lucky, Rachel has delved into the spiralling world of online gambling, as Etta's online luck runs out and lands her in a terrifying situation that tests how much she is willing to risk to survive. Rachel is a long-experienced writer with Sunday Times columns and regular magazine features to her name. Now a full-time author, Rachel's contemporary narratives hinge on the secrets and lies that spear the hearts of the families and relationships she writes about. -- Books mentioned in this episode include: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (https://bit.ly/2Zl1zBc), Mr. Loverman by Bernardine Evaristo (https://bit.ly/2Z9FHZN), I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou (https://bit.ly/2Z9tSCU), Lucky by Rachel Edwards (https://bit.ly/3B19JLR), Darling by Rachel Edwards (https://bit.ly/3njMHLB) All of which are available to buy for a discounted price through the Mostly Books website (www.mostly-books.co.uk/shop). The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter

In the podcast this week we are speaking to international bestselling author Ben Mezrich. In 2003 he released Bringing Down The House: The Inside Story of Six MIT Students Who Took Vegas for Millions which spent a whopping sixty-three weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, and went on to be adapted into the 2008 film 21. In 2009 came The Accidental Billionaires which explored the founding of the now highly influential social media giant Facebook, which spent eighteen weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, and was later adapted into the Oscar winning film The Social Network. His latest book The Antisocial Network was published this month and tells the David v. Goliath story of the GameStop short squeeze which caught the attention of the public this year and left the powers that be on Wall Street shaking. Books mentioned in this episode: The Antisocial Network by Ben Mezrich (https://bit.ly/3FLsSoY), The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich (https://bit.ly/2YQcp1K), Breaking Vegas by Ben Mezrich (https://bit.ly/3lFWXht) Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McInerney (https://bit.ly/3j1NxLB), Life by Keith Richards (https://bit.ly/3lDMxPx), Fiesta: The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway (https://bit.ly/3aS2tHT), Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson (https://bit.ly/3BIrr8i), All of which are available to buy for a discounted price through the Mostly Books website (www.mostly-books.co.uk/shop). The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter Ben can be found on Twitter @benmezrich & Instagram @benmezrich

In the podcast this week, we're speaking to children's author, Emma Norry. Emma is a rising star as a writer with a particular interest in exploring difficult issues and complex characters in a realistic contemporary and accessible style. Emma, who writes under the names E.L Norry and EM Norry wrote two short stories as part of the Homecoming anthology in celebration of VE day. She has also written for Penguin's extraordinary Lives series, chronicling the life of Nelson Mandela and footballer, Lionel Messie. Emma's first middle grade fiction title, Amber Undercover, was published in April this year and, more recently, has created a ‘Choose your own Adventure' story which was included in ‘Happy Here', a book containing 10 stories from black authors and illustrators. Happy Here was published in August this year. Books mentioned in this episode include: Happy Here! By Various (https://bit.ly/2XVWlLS), Amber Undercover by Em Norry (https://bit.ly/3ld3BM4), Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery (https://bit.ly/3DfQYG5), Emily of New Moon by LM Montgomery, The Places I cried in Public by Holly Bourne (https://bit.ly/3leZcrM), What Should I do with My Life? by Po Bronson, The Secret History by Donna Tartt (https://bit.ly/305MOTb), Where I'm Calling From : The Selected Stories by Raymond Carver (https://bit.ly/3iC9dxE), Notes to Self by Emilie Pine (https://bit.ly/3DfNcfT), Fairy Tales by Terry Jones (https://bit.ly/3FkapQ3) All of which are available to buy for a discounted price through the Mostly Books website (www.mostly-books.co.uk/shop). The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter

In the podcast this week, we are speaking to children's author Aisling Fowler. Aisling's debut book, Fireborn, is published on today (30th September). The book, which is being billed as the middle-grade debut of the decade is, in turn, exciting, funny and heart wrenchingly sad, New to the world of publishing, Aisling has been an avid fan of books and writing from an early age. Books mentioned in this episode include: Fireborn: Twelve and the Frozen Forest by Aisling Fowler (https://bit.ly/3ma6hct). The Screaming Staircase: by Jonathan Stroud (https://bit.ly/3omgdCk). A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik (https://bit.ly/3upiLAT). Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien (https://bit.ly/3AMzBMq) All of which are available to buy for a discounted price through the Mostly Books website. The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter

In the podcast this week we are speaking to chef and internet sensation, Poppy O'Toole. Poppy O'Toole has spent the last decade in professional kitchens – from Michelin-starred restaurants to fine-dining experiences. After being made redundant due to Covid last year, she has found a passion for teaching others via social media. Her educational and entertaining content has amassed over 1.5 MILLION followers and gives us access to the skills she's learnt from restaurants to inspire and teach people how to cook. In her debut, Poppy Cooks: The Food You Need, Poppy offers a cookbook with no judgement. Instead she covers 12 go-to skills that everyone needs to know and then uses them as a base for several delicious recipes. Poppy Cooks is available through our website at a discounted price until 20th October (https://bit.ly/3kCjefz). The podcast is produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter

In the podcast this week, we're speaking to biographer and literary agent, Andrew Lownie. Andrew founded his literary agency 1998 which has since gone on to be world renowned, currently working with around 350 authors. Andrew's biography of John Buchanan was published in 1995 and he has since gone on to publish books on Guy Burgess & the Mountbattens. His latest book, which explores the lives of The Duke and Duchess of Windsor post abdication was published on 19th August. Books mentioned in this episode: The Otterbury Incident by C Lewis (https://bit.ly/3ClbN2j), Climate of Treason by Andrew Boyle, Anatomy of Britain Today by Anthony Sampson, The Mountbattens : Their Lives & Loves by Andrew Lownie (https://bit.ly/3Eq4AAb), Traitor King by Andrew Lownie (https://bit.ly/3EoV28f). Produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter

In the podcast this week we're talking to acclaimed author Joanne Harris. Joanne is an Anglo-French writer, whose books include over twenty novels, two cookbooks and many short stories. Her work is extremely diverse, covering aspects of magic realism, suspense, historical fiction, mythology and fantasy. Her novel, Chocolat, published in 1999, went on to sell over a million copies in the UK alone and was adapted for the big screen in the year 2000. Joanne is an Honorary Fellow of St Catherine's College, Cambridge, and she was awarded an MBE in 2013. Her latest book, A Narrow Door, was published in August this year. Books mentioned in this episode: A Narrow Door by Joanne Harris (https://bit.ly/3l2Z6lP) Insatiable by Daisy Buchanan (https://bit.ly/3tr55F5) The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson (https://bit.ly/3E2ehUW) Chocolat by Joanne Harris (https://bit.ly/3l3M33z) Honeycomb by Joanne M. Harris (https://bit.ly/3tpHFzK) Hilda Boswell's Treasury of Poetry

In the first episode of season three of Mostly Books Meets, we are chatting to award winning children's author and wildlife enthusiast, Gill Lewis. Gill's first book, Sky Hawk, was written after she completed a master's degree in Writing for Young People. At the end of the degree, she won a prize for the most promising writer of her year. Whoever chose her as a winner was absolutely right, Gill has since gone on to write numerous books, two of which are out this year, together with 10th anniversary edition of Sky Hawk. Books featured in this episode: ​Snow Goose by Paul Gallico - https://bit.ly/2V6jc5L This Book is Cruelty Free by Linda Newbery - https://bit.ly/3DEExVi Inglorious by Mark Avery - https://bit.ly/3gUj40V Sky Hawk by Gill Lewis - https://bit.ly/3kGPInT Mostly Books Meets is available on @Spotify, @itunes & @Soundcloud - More details can be found on our website (www.mostly-books.co.uk). Produced and presented by the team at Mostly Books. Find us on Twitter @mostlyreading & Instagram @mostlybooks_shop. Edited by Nick Short @alongstoryshorter

This week we’re speaking to author, Tom Templeton. Tom originally worked as a journalist for the Observer newspaper before retaining as a doctor when he was 30. These days he works as a GP in Oxford. Tom’s book, 34 patients is published on 27th May. The book describes 34 of the patients that Tom has encountered during his medical career, ranging from a baby to a 103 year old woman. Beautifully written, the book is a moving portrait of humanity which asks the reader to treat everyone with compassion. -- Books Featured In This Episode: The Seven Crystal Balls (https://bit.ly/3t1jkyp) Troubles by JG Farrell (https://bit.ly/3e0dU2m) The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson (https://bit.ly/3vwublL) 34 Patients by Tom Templeton (https://bit.ly/3yDuywT) Catcher in the Rye (https://bit.ly/2QW95Ow) River Out of Eden by Prof Richard Dawkins (https://bit.ly/3u1CfdE) -- Produced & presented by the team at Mostly Books (www.mostly-books.co.uk) www.twitter.com/mostlyreading www.instagram.com/mostlybooks_shop Edited by Nick Short (www.instagram.com/alongstoryshorter)

In the podcast this week, we’re speaking to best-selling author, Christy Lefteri. Christy’s first book, A Watermelon, a Fish and a Bible, was published in 2010. Her second novel, the Beekeeper of Aleppo came out in 2019 and won the 2020 Aspen Words Literary Prize. It is still high in the bestseller lists two years after publication. Christy’s latest book, Songbirds, is out in July this year. -- Books Featured In This Episode: Book of Fairy Tales Snowflake by Louise Nealon (https://bit.ly/3eUjT9h) Songbirds by Christy Lefteri (https://bit.ly/2RroIy4) The Overstory by Richard Powers (https://bit.ly/3xvEQio) The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri (https://bit.ly/3aGHo3g) -- Produced & presented by the team at Mostly Books (www.mostly-books.co.uk) www.twitter.com/mostlyreading www.instagram.com/mostlybooks_shop Edited by Nick Short (www.instagram.com/alongstoryshorter)

In the podcast this week, we’re speaking to award winning author & journalist, Henry Porter. Henry has written nine novels, including a children’s book. His latest book, The Old Enemy, is the third part of a quartet of thrillers and was published in April this year. -- Books Featured In This Episode: The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (https://bit.ly/3nuHOyX) The Old Enemy by Henry Porter (https://bit.ly/2R9ffL6) The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John Le Carre (https://bit.ly/3tYMj7i) Save the Cat by Blake Snyder (https://bit.ly/3gLiinC) Speak, Memory by Vladimir Nabokov (https://bit.ly/3e0J4qx) -- Produced & presented by the team at Mostly Books (www.mostly-books.co.uk) www.twitter.com/mostlyreading www.instagram.com/mostlybooks_shop Edited by Nick Short (www.instagram.com/alongstoryshorter)

In the podcast this week, we’re speaking to award-winning Novelist, screenwriter, critic and short story writer, William Boyd. William’s first novel was published in 1981 and he has since gone on to publish a further 16 novels and countless short story collections, together with works of non-fiction, plays. A former television critic, he has also worked extensively as a screenwriter for both film and television. William’s latest book, Trio, was published in October 2020 and will be out in paperback later this year. -- Books Featured In This Episode: The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling (https://bit.ly/3vryTBa) Monica Jones, Philip Larkin and Me : Her Life and Long Loves by John Sutherland (https://bit.ly/3vsuYnx) Pale Fire by Vladimir Nabokov (https://bit.ly/3gLjWph) Trio by William Boyd (https://bit.ly/3nnEjdo) The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles (https://bit.ly/3u5evW4) Chekhov's Selected Stories by Anton Chekhov (https://bit.ly/32Wxlmv) -- Produced & presented by the team at Mostly Books (www.mostly-books.co.uk) www.twitter.com/mostlyreading www.instagram.com/mostlybooks_shop Edited by Nick Short (www.instagram.com/alongstoryshorter)

In the podcast this week, we’re speaking to author, Abbie Greaves Abbie’s debut novel, The Silent Treatment was published in April 2020, and came out in paperback in October. The book, where the two main protagonists are a couple that haven’t said a word to each other for six months is, quite simply, brilliant. We first met Abbie when she agreed to come along to one of the meetings for our book club, the Mostly Books Cosy Club. Our members loved reading The Silent Treatment and it was great for them to all chat to Abbie about her experiences as a debut author. -- Books Featured In This Episode: Flower Fairies of the Garden Books Featured In This Episode: Flower Fairies of the Garden Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart (https://bit.ly/3xpnSlv) Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey (https://bit.ly/32QBWGA) The Silent Treatment by Abbie Greaves (https://bit.ly/3vedRG2) The Ends of the Earth by Abbie Greaves (https://bit.ly/3vnYJFV) -- Produced & presented by the team at Mostly Books (www.mostly-books.co.uk) www.twitter.com/mostlyreading www.instagram.com/mostlybooks_shop Edited by Nick Short (www.instagram.com/alongstoryshorter)

In the podcast this week, we’re speaking to Sunday Times bestselling author, Ruth Hogan. Ruth’s first novel, The Keeper of Lost Things was published in 2017. It became a Sunday Times bestseller, was chosen as a Richard & Judy book club pick and was published in over 30 countries. She then went on to publish two more books, The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes and Queenie Malone's Paradise Hotel, which helped to establish her as the Queen of Uplit. Ruth’s latest book, Madame Burova, was published on 1st April this year. -- Books Featured In This Episode: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (https://bit.ly/3ejVXfT) Green Eggs & Ham by Dr Seuss (https://bit.ly/3dwqOVE) The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain (https://bit.ly/3tD5kfh) Morning's At Seven by Eric Malpass (Out of Print) Madame Burova by Ruth Hogan (https://bit.ly/3xalnn8) -- Produced & presented by the team at Mostly Books (www.mostly-books.co.uk) www.twitter.com/mostlyreading www.instagram.com/mostlybooks_shop Edited by Nick Short (www.instagram.com/alongstoryshorter)

This week we're talking to children’s author LD Lapinski, whose debut children's book, the Strangeworlds Travel Agency was published in April last year. The second book in the series, The Strangeworlds Travel Agency: The Edge of the Ocean is out on 15th April.

This week we’re speaking to Managing Director of the Booksellers Association, Meryl Halls. Meryl has been part of the BA, the trade body which promotes retail bookselling in the UK & Ireland, since the year 2000. Her first role in the organization was as a conference assistant in. Since then, she has worked across all of organisation’s major campaigns including Books Are My Bag and Independent Bookshop Week as well as being heavily involved in the policy work. In 2018 Meryl took on the role of Managing Director and was named FutureBook Person of the Year in 2020. Meryl is passionate about all aspect of the book trade. She works tirelessly for booksellers all over the country, and what she does is invaluable. @booksaremybag #ChooseBookshops #BooksellersAssociation #Bookshop Books Discussed in this episode: The Secret Seven by Enid Blyton The Magus by John Fowles The Rebel Angels by Robertson Davies (Part of the Cornish Trilogy) Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders The Plot Against America by Philip Roth Leonard & Hungry Paul by --- Produced & presented by the team at Mostly Books (www.mostly-books.co.uk) Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mostlyreading Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/mostlybooks_shop Edited by Nick Short (www.instagram.com/alongstoryshorter)

This week we’re talking to prize winning author, Anthony McGowan. Anthony’s first book, Stag Hunt was published in 2004 and he has since gone on to publish another 50 titles. Whilst his first book was a Crime Thriller, the majority of his work has been for children and young adults. With a range of styles, Anthony’s writing appeals to all. From 2013 – 2019, Anthony published a series of four books, Brock, Pike, Rook and Lark, with publisher, Barrington Stoke, who create content for Dyslexic and reluctant readers. Rook was shortlisted for the Carnegie medal in 2018 and Anthony went on to win the medal in 2020 for Lark. Anthony’s latest book, I Am the Minotaur, was published in January this year. @tonymcgowan #barringtonstoke @oxunipress @oxfordchildrens This episode was recorded in February 2020. --- The Guinness Book of Animal Facts and Feats Our Endless Numbered Days by Claire Fuller Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien I am the Minotaur by Anthony McGowan -- Produced & presented by the team at Mostly Books (www.mostly-books.co.uk) www.twitter.com/mostlyreading www.instagram.com/mostlybooks_shop Edited by Nick Short (www.instagram.com/alongstoryshorter)

On the podcast this week, we’re speaking to crime author, Liz Nugent. Liz’s first book, Unravelling Oliver, was published in 2014 and was named Crime Novel of the Year at the Irish book awards. She has gone on to publish a further three novels, the latest of which, Our Little Cruelties, was published in March 2020 and has just come out in paperback. Liz has an army of high-profile fans, including Graham Norton, Marian Keyes & Lisa Jewell and that fandom is well deserved as her books are page-turning thrillers that keep the reader guessing to the end. This episode was recorded in January 2021. -- Books Featured In This Episode: The Shoe Shop Bears by Margaret J Baker Leonard and Hungry Paul by Ronan Hession A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry Our Little Cruelties by Liz Nugent -- Produced & presented by the team at Mostly Books (www.mostly-books.co.uk) www.twitter.com/mostlyreading www.instagram.com/mostlybooks_shop Edited by Nick Short (www.instagram.com/alongstoryshorter)

This week we’re talking to Sunday Times best-selling author, Beth Morrey. Beth’s debut novel, Saving Missy, was published in February 2020. We were lucky enough to have Beth join us for an event before lockdown and her stories and relaxed style made her a firm favourite with our guests. In January 2020, Beth released the first episode of her podcast, One Torn Every Minute, where she interviews women who’ve given birth, talking about their experiences in hilarious gory detail. Saving Missy was published in paperback on 4th March, giving a whole host of new readers the opportunity to meet Missy. --- Books Featured In This Episode: Watership Down by Richard Adams (https://bit.ly/3tr6oT2) Five on a Treasure Island by Enid Blyton (https://bit.ly/3tpV0a7) Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell (https://bit.ly/2OWmBRf) Which Witch? By Eva Ibbotson (https://bit.ly/3lr1pPG) Saving Missy by Beth Morrey (https://bit.ly/3tlXhTI) Note that the publication date of Hamnet in paperback has changed since this episode was recorded. The new publication date is 1st April. -- Produced & presented by the team at Mostly Books (www.mostly-books.co.uk) www.twitter.com/mostlyreading www.instagram.com/mostlybooks_shop Edited by Nick Short (www.instagram.com/alongstoryshorter)