Podcasts about death of the reader

Welcome to your Murder Mystery Detour! Once a whenever-we-can, Flex and Herds go live (or undead, as the case may be), to talk about their latest fixations in the crime fiction world, and we hear from you about yours! We're also joined by our editor, Cameron Furlong, producer Max Mahood, and feature an interview from Jonathan Chang. Our guests are Brydon Coverdale, Dinuka McKenzie, and Robert Connolly. This iteration, we spoke about: Good Old Colingwood Forever by Brydon Coverdale, winner of the 2024 ACWA Louie Award. Tipping Point by Dinuka McKenzie You Had It Coming by B.M. Carroll Unfinished Business by Shankari Chandran The Mystery of Mr. E by Sophie Hannah and Martyn Tott Nest of Vipers by Harini Nagendra What I Would Do to You by Georgia Harper The Dry 2: Force of Nature by Robert Connolly, from the Jane Harper novel of the desequelised same name. Untitled 'Tank Water' Sequel by Michael Burge You can chat along live to future episodes via the YouTube page.

We discuss chapters 25-36 of Tara Moss' new Billie Walker novel, 'The Ghosts of Paris'. Now in Paris, ready for the requisite showdown with the Nazis on her tail, Billie founds herself under the watchful eye over a resistance faction that has been tracking down war criminals on the run after the Second World War. Just her luck, it turns out, that one of them knows her perhaps a little too well. It's time to ponder over Dom's solution as we meet the Ghosts of Paris themselves.We're also joined by Lindy Cameron, Craig Sisterson and Vanda Symon to talk about 'Dark Deeds Down Under', a collection of some of the best of Australian and New Zealand mystery fiction, recently released by Clan Destine Press. With two more volumes in this anthology series already on the way, there's plenty to revel in as our local best get together.Thank you to Harper Collins for copies of the book.

We discuss chapters 13-24 of Tara Moss' new Billie Walker novel, 'The Ghosts of Paris'. Billie's journey through Europe in search of not one, but two, estranged husbands begins. Featuring uncomfortable run-ins with some men who think we're being too harsh on the Germans, to the altogether silly rules against women wearing pants in Paris, the post-war hustle and bustle is on full display. Billie finds out one of her friends has seen Jack, only to find a similar looking man on a morgue slab. Could it all be going awry?We're also joined by Nicolas Pleskof, director of French Murder Mystery Comedy 'Murder Party', to talk about playfulness and suffocation, the great game, and the Australian release of his film.Thank you to Harper Collins for copies of the book.

We discuss chapters 1-12 of Tara Moss' new Billie Walker novel, 'The Ghosts of Paris'. After her last showdown in 'The War Widow', Billie Walker has made quite the name for herself as a private inquiry agent in Sydney, with a unique clientele as the only woman in the country doing her line of work. One client leads to the next, until one Vera Montgomery comes with a blank cheque to find her missing husband. If Billie can prove he's dead, she is free to live her own life. Issues don't always disappear with their times, this intelligent, socially conscious novel sets an intriguing opening as we take to the skies on our way to explore the human stories often swept up in the theatre of war. Solving this one is 2SER's Sponsorship manager Dom Romeo, and if you want our help promoting your business, Dom tells us you should get in touch with him!We're also joined by Tara herself to talk about the all-seeing eye of a noir detective, the way we portray ourselves through fashion, and the heroics in the little things. Thank you to Harper Collins for copies of the book, and arranging our time with Tara.

Welcome to your Murder Mystery Detour! Once a whenever-we-can, Flex and Herds go live (or undead, as the case may be), to talk about their latest fixations in the crime fiction world, and we hear from you about yours! With Herds unfortunately unwell at the last hour, 2SER's own Sponsorship Manager Dom Romeo stepped in ahead of his trial-by-fire for Tara Moss' The Ghosts of Paris. This iteration, we spoke about:Murder Party - Directed by Nicolas PleskofDark Deeds Down Under - Edited by Craig Sisterson, Published by Clan Destine PressPeril at the Exposition - Nev MarchThe Lost Man of Bombay (Out August 2022) - Vaseem KhanDenizen - James McKenzie WatsonEveryone In My Family Has Killed Someone - Benjamin StevensonThe Files of Young Kindaichi (2022) - Directed by Hisashi KimuraWe also listened to 'Watching the Detectives' by Elvis Costello, but that's been excised for the podcast! Check out the YouTube page for live chat and a bonus discussion about 'The Quarry'.

We've simply not had enough of Miss Jane Marple, and so it was that we decided to watch all manner of adaptations of 'The Body in the Library' before continuing on the world tour. Featuring the chaotic South Korean 'Ms. Ma: Nemesis', and the staple BBC 'Agatha Christie's Miss Marple', we also challenged you to bring your favourite to the table.Ms. Ma: Nemesis, also known as 'God of Revenge', stars Yunjin Kim of LOST fame, and brings Marple to the modern day. It features convoluted overarching drama, tenuous links to the original novels, and some thrillingly bizarre performances from the supporting cast. Perhaps not one to dive in to part way, it's a competent but questionable reinterpretation of a truly classic character.Agatha Christie's Miss Marple, on the other hand, provides a more faithful adaptation of the story, occasionally to the show's detriment as they juggle the contradictions of a protagonist who knows the answers but hasn't yet spoken, taking it in a curious direction, and showing up their South Korean counterparts on how to do ludicrously blunt sound design.Let us know about your favourite when we go LIVE, Thursday 21st of July at 7:30PM AEST for Death of the Reader: UNDEAD

We discuss chapters 14-18 of Agatha Christie's 'The Body in the Library', the second novel to feature Miss Jane Marple. With Ms. Marple alleging an impending third murder, the police decide the only reasonable course of action is to prepare a dramatic 'just-on-time-arrest', to ensure Conway Jefferson can get one last bit of excitement out of this string of murders.We're also joined by Margaret Hickey to talk about her new novel 'Stone Town', and the recent Ned Kelly nomination for Mark Ariti's previous outing 'Cutters End'. Thanks to Penguin Australia for copies of these books.

We discuss chapters 9-13 of Agatha Christie's 'The Body in the Library', the second novel to feature Miss Jane Marple. As the police continue their investigation into the death of Ruby Keene, they are sidetracked by another (definitely unrelated) murder, of one Pamela Reeves. Found burning in the wreckage of a Minoan 14 motor vehicle at the local quarry, the young girl had gone missing just a day before Ruby's death. Unsurprisingly, Miss Marple notices something off about the girl's cause of death, and our lady detective steps into her own.We're also joined by Moira Redmond of 'Clothes in Books' to talk a bit about the background of her blog, the way Christie approaches fashion, and how Christie's narratives served as escapism for the Dame during the war.

We discuss chapters 1-8 of Agatha Christie's 'The Body in the Library', the second novel to feature Miss Jane Marple. After a frightful dream, Dolly Bantry awakes to find a body, in her library! A young dancer from a club on the coast nearby, strangled, just hours after she was last seen entertaining one Conway Jefferson. A clown-car of cops begin to follow the leads on this grizzly case, until Colonel Arthur Bantry decides that simply isn't enough investigators, and summons Sir Henry Clithering, who summons Miss Jane Marple. I'm sure one of these people will be able to figure it out!

We discuss chapters 25-34 of Sulari Gentill's 'The Woman in the Library', her second standalone metafictional mystery. We're also joined by Dani Vee from Words and Nerds, to join Herds in the battle for points. In Hannah's world, Leo's messages grow more and more erratic, until eventually international travel returns, and he makes his way to Sydney to finally meet his favourite federal agency. In Freddie's world, it's about time for our moustache-twirling villain to be unveiled, but it seems even they don't have all the answers.We're once again joined by Sulari to dive into why Leo's worst crime isn't murder.Thanks to Ultimo Press for copies of the book, and for arranging our time with Sulari!

We discuss chapters 12-24 of Sulari Gentill's 'The Woman in the Library', her second standalone metafictional mystery. We're also joined by Dani Vee from Words and Nerds, to join herds in the hotseat as we scale the mountain of realities facing us as writers write writers writing writers. In Freddie's reality, she struggles with her feelings for Cain as increasingly dark facets of his past emerge, making the aftermath of Whit's injury and Marigold's bizarre fascinations even more difficult to stomach. In Hannah's world, Letters From Leo have taken an even darker turn, a humble correspondence seemingly gone horribly wrong.And in Sulari's world, two schmucks sit down across a table to grill her about every which decision, and still can't seem to take a bloody hint.Thanks to Ultimo Press for copies of the book, and for arranging our time with Sulari!

We discuss chapters 1-11 of Sulari Gentill's 'The Woman in the Library', her second standalone metafictional crime extravaganza. Australian author Hannah Tigone is writing her next bestseller novel, about Winifred 'Freddie' Kincaid writing her debut novel, about another writer writing their debut novel. We follow Hannah's drafts, and the accompanying emails from an enthusiastic fan, Leo, who has volunteered himself to help Hannah make his home town of Boston more realistic. Freddie's world has four writers who meet after a blood-curdling shriek is let out in the Boston Public Library, and they become fast friends as they attempt to solve the ensuing mysteries as it seems the suspicions of the police close in on them.Herds is in the hotseat, and all professional neutrality is out the window, as two Sulari Gentill fanboys ignore all the warning signs that Leo's insufferability reflects poorly on them.Thanks to Ultimo Press for early copies of the book.

We discuss chapters 13-20 of Absolution by Murder, the first novel in the dark-ages mystery extravaganza that is the Sister Fidelma series by Peter Tremayne. Secrets are unveiled, sequels are baited, and we get answers to about half of the questions we had along the way. Does the novel fare best as a mystery, or as a piece of historical fiction? With a historians hand behind the ink, perhaps there is a more unique explanation to this book's approach to history.

We discuss chapters 8-12 of Absolution by Murder, the first novel in the dark-ages mystery extravaganza that is the Sister Fidelma series by Peter Tremayne. Now neck deep in the interrogation section, the bodies are mounting, and Sister Fidelma finds herself increasingly pitted against the norms of Northumbira. Will she and Eadulf find the truth before Oswy's kingdom comes undone?We also speak with Joanne Burn about her latest novel 'The Hemlock Cure', and its reimagining of the true story of Eyam, a village that locked itself away from the world to stem the tide of the Black Plague in the 1660s. Thank you to Pegasus Books for the review copy of the novel.

We discuss chapters 1-7 of Absolution by Murder, the first novel in the dark-ages mystery extravaganza that is the Sister Fidelma series by Peter Tremayne. Taking place at the historical Synod of Whitby, where the churches of the world met to discuss the terms of their ongoing belief, under the watchful eye of King Oswy of Northumbria. When Sister Etain is killed just hours after announcing her marriage, Sister Fidelma of Kildare is called forth to investigate crime, risking her neck to get justice for her old friend and mentor.We also speak with Harini Nagendra about her debut Crime Fiction release, The Bangalore Detectives Club. Telling the story of Kaveri, a young woman in Bengaluru, newly wed, attempting to solve crimes in her newfound social circle without being outcast from it.

We discuss Aoife Clifford's latest novel 'When We Fall', from its roots in the global mistreatment of mothers and children of minority groups the world over, Dutch art, the way we construct crime, and more that we dare not mention in the description. If you want to hear more, you can also hear Aoife in discussion with Gary Disher, Hayley Scrivenor, and Dr. Kate Evans at the upcoming Sydney Writers' Festival for the panel 'Small Town, Big Secrets'. You can also hear Flex discuss it over on ABC Radio National's 'The Bookshelf'.Thank you to ABC Radio National and Ultimo Press for getting us copies of the book.

We discuss chapters 14-21, in John Dickson Carr's 'The Crooked Hinge' with Brad Friedman of 'Ah Sweet Mystery'. Our charming little murder mystery takes a bizarre tour through the romantic proclivities of both our detective's assistant and a suspect. At last, an explanation of motive emerges for the crime, but it's even more bizarre than we had predicted. Dr. Gideon Fell announces his solution, only for a challenge to be raised and a cliff hung. Finally, an invitation to meet from the culprit concludes the true nature of the case.We're also joined by Aoife Clifford to talk about her latest release, 'When We Fall', ahead of her appearance for 'Small Town, Big Secrets' at the Sydney Writers' Festival. Flex also spoke about this book on ABC Radio National's 'The Bookshelf'.

We discuss chapters 7-13, 'The Life of an Automaton', in John Dickson Carr's 'The Crooked Hinge' with Brad Friedman of 'Ah Sweet Mystery'. Dr. Gideon Fell has arrived on the scene, but the we're confounded by his being there to solve an entirely different murder; Victoria Daly. Weapons are found, an apple goes rolling, and the mysterious mechanoid stored on the Farnleigh estate comes rolling down the stairs as the spook factor of the novel starts to rise. Will it be Herds' solution that makes it across the line, or is Flex's bizarre suggestion the truth?We're also joined by Benjamin Stevenson to talk about his latest novel 'Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone'. It's as though he did his best to write a novel specifically for us, as his protagonist Ern goes about making a mess of the Knox Decalogue. Thanks to Penguin Australia for providing a copy of the novel.

We discuss chapters 1-6, 'The Death of a Man', in John Dickson Carr's 'The Crooked Hinge' with Brad Friedman of 'Ah Sweet Mystery'. Part of Carr's iconic Dr. Gideon Fell mystery series, we follow the dispute between two John Farnleighs. Allegedly, the two of them met as children on the Titanic, and during the chaos, one stole the identity of other, trading circus life for the wealth of the British upper-class. Is the story true, and if so, which Farnleigh is the real one? Why does the defendant even entertain the idea? The requisite murder occurs, and it's Brad against the boys in this golden-age showdown.

We discuss the upcoming animated series 'The Art of Murder' from Melbourne's Choc Chip Animation Studios with studio leads Nirali and Anokhi Somaia. Following the story of a young artist as her creations come to life, a murder occurs in the pages of her artbook, and the game, as they say, is afoot. Featuring music by Sonya Belousova and Gionna Ostinelli of ‘The Witcher' fame (hear more about that when they spoke with our friend Ruby over at Kotaku Australia), and with an all-star cast of internet darlings, it's an exciting proposition. We talk all about the inspirations for the show, putting it together remotely, and what inspired Pip's relatable journey of self-discovery.

We discuss Kenneth Branagh's new adaptation of Agatha Christie's classic Poirot novel 'Death on the Nile'. It's spoiler free for the first five minutes! Hercule Poirot just so happens to run into his friend Bouc near Cairo, and Bouc invites him to the wedding party that the young socialite is there to attend. Poirot begrudgingly accepts, and finds himself celebrating the marriage of the Doyles, who he had met in London six months ago. Aboard a boat on the Nile, scorned lovers drip from the decks, and wealth oozes from the cracks. When the inevitable murder happens, Poirot is thrust on the case, and his efforts do not go appreciated.Thanks to Disney Australia for helping us to see this film early to prepare the episode.We're also joined by Nirali and Anokhi from Choc Chip Animation Studios to talk about their upcoming murder mystery musical 'The Art of Murder' and the artistic journeys within. Also check out their discussion with our friend Ruby at Kotaku Australia talking about their incredible collaborators, including Sonya Belousova, the composer for Netflix's 'The Witcher'.Also if you're hunting it, the Red Hot Chilli Writers Podcast is here.

It's time for the crown. The Sulari Gentill Award for the most-recommended mystery novel of the year for Death of the Reader goes to, Sulari Gentill, and her 2018 book ‘Crossing the Lines', also known as ‘After She Wrote Him', or ‘A Line Once Crossed' by me and like two other fans. Crossing the Lines makes a compelling case for why a sense of uncertainty can be a blessing in fiction, and it can really open up a door for your reading once it clicks.

Yukito Ayatsuji's 'The Decagon House Murders' takes out second place for our recommendations, this Review Season. The novel achieves the rare feat of taking one of the most highly regarded mysteries of all time, spoofing it, and somehow, besting it. It's incredibly clever, astonishingly memorable, and as the current wave of shin-honkaku translations hopefully continues, you will love seeing the work this did in inspiring a generation of writers. We do not have the time to name the dense list of people, who upon hearing we occasionally feature Japanese novels ask ‘have you read the Decagon House Murders?'.

For our final week of Review Season, Herds is set to deliver you into the third-last stop on our journey to rank our recommendations of all the murder mystery stories that we've enjoyed over the course of this year. Today, the unforgettable commercial-failure cult-classic train-mystery remembered as The Last Express by Jordan Mechner, a murder mystery video game that truly is one of a kind and that holds a special place in Hers' heart for being the story that got him interested in murder mysteries in the first place. Let's step into the shoes of Robert Cath, American doctor, as he steps into the shoes of deceased friend Tyler Whitney, and boards The Orient Express for a journey across Europe.

Coming in fourth place on our recommendations for 2021 is 'The Tokyo Zodiac Murders' by Soji Shimada. Written in 1981 and considered to be the grandfather of Shin-Honkaku mystery (also known as modern deduction-based mysteries) it employs a combination of astrology and alchemy, straight up wizards, and hard clues to construct a devilish puzzle with an ending twist solution that would be quite the feat to determine before our detective does.

Richard Osman's 'The Thursday Murder Club' comes in fifth place for our 2021 recommendations. One of the best-selling books in recent memory, this astonishingly accessible modern crime romp is a treasure, and I'm so grateful we got to feature it on the show. Television presenter Richard Osman debuted into crime fiction in 2020 with a mystery that took the classic mystery-club-out-of-their-depth format, aged it up a lot and made them all entertainingly talented swimmers.

Coming in at sixth place for our 2021 recommendations on Review Season is Emma Stonex's 'The Lamplighters'. One of the sad necessities of review season is that in order to numb the pain of making our list, criteria are king, and that often places our personal favourites outside the podium. The Lamplighters, is such a case. This haunting, lyrical and enveloping exploration into an impossible crime and the people left behind by it, made waves internationally this year, and Flex thinks it was well deserved.

If you peer just off the starboard bow you'll be able to spot our 7th place entry into Review Season this year coming just over the horizon, but be warned, monsters spotted in the ocean may be larger than they appear… 'Return of the Obra Dinn' is a 2018 released video game by one Lucas Pope of 'Papers Please' fame, and once again tasks himself with making mundane bureaucracy fun for the whole family.

In 8th place for Review Season we will be recommending the lovely, the horrific, the whimsical 'Murder in Old Bombay' by Nev March. If you need any proof at all that every novel is beloved on this show then listen no further than the out pouring of love that Herds gives today. Are you looking to read an epic tale that is exactly one third murder mystery, one third romance, and one third war drama? If so, Murder in Old Bombay is the gift that keeps on giving.

In 9th place we have (and Knox help me on this ranking) 'And Then There Were None' by Agatha Christie, circa 1939. One of, if not the, best codifiers for the closed circle/farmhouse/impossible crime trifecta in the murder mystery space. It is into this mindset we must submerge ourselves to truly understand how Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None came to be, and how it's construction is held in such a high regard to this day.

Coming in at 10th for 2021 in our rankings is internet-darling production studio Rooster Teeth's 'Dead Little Roosters'. Directed by Josh Flanagan and Fiona Nova, the third edition of this multi-layered interactive video puzzle takes the colour-rich, room/weapon/culprit challenge of Cluedo, the layered rhyme of And Then There Were None, and lets an enormous audience run ravenous over it for weeks on end. How does it stack up, both for a curious mystery fan unfamiliar with the studio's antics, and a rusted-on adherent to the wacky comedy Rooster Teeth is known for. Let's hope we can answer that question.

Our 11th Recommendation for 2021 goes to Masako Togawa's 'The Master Key'. A novel that at once told a laidback mystery while also layering in as many narration perceptions as I could personally stomach. There are moments of mirth and comedy but it is much more a sad tragedy than anything else. Masako Togawa has written a story about the lived-in experiences of the ladies around her, old women with little time left but a heck of a skeleton in their closets.

Anthony Horowitz' 'Magpie Murders' takes out our twelfth recommendation spot for 2021, a story that took us under its wing for not one but two murder mysteries with completely different detectives, Watsons, and culprits. We covered Magpie Murders as part of a stretch of stories involving metafiction, and heartily recommend it if you have a lot of time to pore over the text, ideally camping out in a public library so you can crosscheck it with the other great works of fiction that it makes reference to.

Our 13th recommendation for 2021 on your Murder Mystery World Tour is Seicho Matsumoto's ‘Inspector Imanishi Investigates', also known as Castle of Sand. The edition we read was translated into English by Beth Cary, and published by Soho Crime in 2003. If you're looking for a slow-pace, thoughtful mystery that thrives on letting its intrigue hang in the open air, this is your stop.

In our Halloween Spooktacular, we're joined by Brad Friedman from Ah Sweet Mystery to discuss Agatha Christie's infamous 'Hallowe'en Party' and its 2011 British Television adaptation with a screenplay by Mark Gatiss. Taking very direct inspiration from elsewhere in her own franchises, Agatha Christie penned a derivative tale that Gatiss has reworked into a charming, if bizarre, romp for perfect Halloween viewing. From architectural antagonists to a nose-bludgeoning metaphor in the form of a bed-ridden author who can't come up with fresh ideas, the captivating performances of David Suchet and his co-stars turn this missable novel into something a bit more special.We also sit down to discuss our draft rankings for this year's 'Review Season', our annual year-end recommendations based on what we've covered through the year. If you have any opinions you want to squeeze onto our desks before the final rankings - send them to us via @FlexAndHerds on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter!

Flex's quest to disgrace the origins of Murder Mystery continues as we not only put forward solutions for Poe's second mystery, but also the true crime that inspired it. Is it possible, nearly 200 years on, to discern a nature to these crimes other than their traditionally presented solution? After listening to True Crime podcasts for aeons, surely we have the tools prepared to debunk this long-cold case. We're also joined by Sam Twyford-Moore from Faber Writing Academy to talk about the work they do fostering new Australian writing talent, in celebration of their support for 2SER's annual Radiothon.It's currently RADIOTHON over on our home station, 2SER 107.3. Independent media is one of the great necessities of a free and open society. For over 40 years, 2SER has been a fearless and independent source for news, views and great music, and your support keeps us on air. If that's important to you, become a subscriber on the website!

Our Halloween spooktacular begins with the grandfathers of Murder Mystery, with a little twist. Despite being familiar with the solutions, Flex is challenged with putting together a unified solution for Poe's Murders in the Rue Morgue & The Purloined Letter. Is it possible to explain the exploits of Dupin with just one trick, linking the gothic horror master's puzzles together? We also sit down with Christian Henriksson from 'Mysteries, Short and Sweet' to talk more about Poe's influence on our beloved genre, from damsels in distress to the true crime stories of the present day.It's currently RADIOTHON over on our home station, 2SER 107.3. Independent media is one of the great necessities of a free and open society. For over 40 years, 2SER has been a fearless and independent source for news, views and great music, and your support keeps us on air. If that's important to you, become a subscriber on the website!

During our discussion of Theodore Roscoe's 'Murder on the Way!', you might have heard us mention Death Among the Undead, which was recently translated by Ho-Ling Wong published by Locked Room International, adding to their collection of both niche and incredibly significant translated works from Japan. We sat down with John Pugmire from Locked Room International to talk a bit about what goes into selecting a book for their imprint, the exciting premise of Death Among the Undead, as well as his own translation work.

We discuss chapters 1-14 of Theodore Roscoe's Murder on the Way! Edited by Jim Noy of The Invisible Event and In GAD We Trust. An unfortunate adventure into the Haitian wilderness results in Cart buried alive, it seems our tale is over. Fortunately for Cart, it turns out Pete Dale was the detective all along, and we end up in a tempestuous confrontation with our killer in the mansion after her daring rescue. How petty will Jim Noy be with the points he was offered? Find out in this thrilling conclusion to a bewildering pulp tale.

We discuss chapters 6-9 of Theodore Roscoe's Murder on the Way! Edited by Jim Noy of The Invisible Event and In GAD We Trust. Cart and Pete are caught in the middle of the tontine, with corpses dropping around them as the guests at the mansion vie for wealth. Meanwhile, in the storm outside, a zombie rallies the local population into an uprising that sweeps the safety net out from under the survivors. Can Flex and Herds settle on a solution, or will contest divide them?

In modern crime fiction, or perhaps just modern fiction, there are few authors as prolific and genre-diverse as Anthony Horowitz, so it was a delight to have him on the show to cap off our 2021 journey through Metafiction to discuss his latest, 'A Line To Kill', as well as the many ideas and themes we've been investigating on this leg of our Murder Mystery World Tour. From unlikely thematic pairings, the inversion of the writer in his portrayal of himself, to the homework he does to put together a compelling puzzle, we did our best to hit all the ideas of A Line To Kill (and Magpie Murders!) without spoilers, so enjoy at your leisure!

We discuss chapters 1-5 of Theodore Roscoe's Murder on the Way! Edited by Jim Noy of The Invisible Event and In GAD We Trust, this pulp nightmare of a murder mystery takes the whole island of Haiti and turns it into the country house of the Golden Age. Artist Edwin 'Cart' Cartershall and Patricia 'Pete' Dale are invited to the funeral of Pete's distant relative, Eli Proudfoot. A bizarre tontine encouraging the attendees to kill one another promises Eli's fortune to whoever remains on the island for 24 hours after the reading of the will, and of course, the body-count rises to meet it. In a head-to-head collaboration for points, can Flex and Herds actually work together before Jim escapes with the goods?We're also joined by Anthony Horowitz, author of Magpie Murders and many other books, to talk about the latest entry in his Daniel Hawthorne series, 'A Line To Kill', and what inspires the innovative metafictions with which he's been challenging the crime fiction world.

We discuss parts 9-12 of Emma Stonex's 'The Lamplighters', as the waves calm and the true detective of the story steps into the light. What really happened on the Maiden? We get our answer, but whose answer is it? Does it constitute truth, and does that matter? As each question is replaced by the next, the surface calms and this queasy story comes to a gentle end. We're joined this week by Emma Stonex, to pick further into the decisions behind the story, the impact it's had and the previously unseen influence it has on her new story.

We discuss parts 5-8 of Emma Stonex's 'The Lamplighters', its chaos and turbulence only growing as we approach the inevitable incident that spurred the whole story on. In 1972, the three keepers on the lighthouse grow distrustful. Their secrets are brought to bear, and an agent of chaos arrives amid distressing visions of bodies and ghosts. In 1992, the widows try to reconcile their differences, turning their cold distrust of Dan Sharp into a catalyst for growth. Through all this can Herds discern the identity of culprit and conspirator?We've got an excerpt this week from the wonderful 'In GAD We Trust' podcast, hosted by Jim Noy of The Invisible Event, in preparation for him joining us for our next book. He sat down a few weeks ago to speak with Tony Medawar about his fourth 'Bodies in the Library' collection and the processes that went into it. You can find the full episode here, be sure to give it a listen!

We discuss parts 1-4 of Emma Stonex's 'The Lamplighters', with its haunting lyricism here to spook Herds off the scent of truth. Three men disappear from 'The Maiden', leaving the perfect mystery in their wake. Twenty years later, writer Dan Sharp shows up to unravel the case, speaking with the women who were left behind. Raising many questions about the genre we inhabit, there's a lot to soak in here, and the book doesn't make it easy, even though the effort is worth it.We're also joined by Associate Professor of Narratology, Dr. Tom van Laer, from the University of Sydney, to talk about how the shifting perspectives and work the book asks of you engages and endears it to its audience.

We discuss Parts 6-7 of 'Magpie Murders' by Anthony Horowitz, with Andrew Pople from 2SER's 'Final Draft' in the hotseat. Susan's amateur-sleuth-editing career pays off as we reach the dramatic, burning conclusion of Magpie Murders. This dramatic send-off for both Pund and his author ends with a bizarre reveal that left us scratching our heads. Do both Horowitz' and Conway's stories meet the mark of fair play, and did they even try to?

We discuss Parts 5-6 (up to the Road to Framlingham) of 'Magpie Murders' by Anthony Horowitz, with Andrew Pople from 2SER's 'Final Draft' in the hotseat. The end of Alan Conway's 'Magpie Murders' is missing, and the author himself has turned up dead in dramatic circumstances. Can his discovering editor Susan Ryeland find out what happened before things collapse further, or did she do the crime herself? We've got a new layer of reality to contend with and Andrew Pople is ready to unravel every thread, or so he thinks.

We discuss Parts 1-4 of 'Magpie Murders' by Anthony Horowitz, with Andrew Pople from 2SER's 'Final Draft' in the hotseat. A murder occurs in Saxby-on-Avon, and detective Atticus Pund refuses the call. A second murder occurs in Saxby-on-Avon, and Atticus Pund answers the call, only to find a history of death and deceit in the small town. Above all this, an unnamed editor warns us that Alan Conway's 'Magpie Murders', featuring Atticus Pund, changed their life. Can Andrew Pople unravel reality in time?We're also joined by Dr. Lucy Andrew and Dr. Samuel Saunders to talk about their new 'Study in Sidekicks', an academic exploration of the real heroes of detective fiction and beyond. Who are the sidekicks, how have they evolved, and what do they do for us?

In case you missed it, we had a lovely long chat with Sulari Gentill as part of our recent episodes on her award-winning 'Crossing the Lines', also known as 'After She Wrote Him'. From the book's writing, to its publishing and reception, we do our best to cover it all! Listen in to hear our full discussion including more reality-bending, sausage-roll-logistics, and more!

We discuss chapters 20-24 of Sulari Gentill's 'Crossing the Lines'. Ned and Maddie's spiral into madness approaches its crescendo as their relationships with the people around them start to crumble. Maddie's relationship with her husband begins to collapse after Ned writes him potentially having an affair, and Ned's relationship with Willow dissolves as it becomes clear what the truth is behind the murder of Geoffrey Vogel is. Is there any way back from the abyss?We're joined one again by Sulari Gentill to talk about the maddening details that nearly sent us spiraling into that same abyss as we read the book, and we finally try figure out what 'pantsing' actually is.