Podcasts about Dreda Say Mitchell

Miss Marple isn't an old duffer - she's a swinging cat! At least that's what Mark and Gray discover this episode when they shine a light on Agatha Christie's beloved sleuth. In particular we look at her 1960s outings, plus her Swinging-era cases in the recent 2021 short story collection, in stories by Alyssa Cole, Naomi Alderman, Jean Kwok, Dreda Say Mitchell, Karen M. McManus and Leigh Bardugo.You can find us on Instagram @Christie_Time. We are on BlueSky at christietime.bsky.social. Please do subscribe, rate and review us wherever you get your podcasts.Our website is ChristieTime.com.The Swinging Christies is a Christie Time project by Mark Aldridge and Gray Robert Brown.Next episode: we travel to India!00:00:00 - Opening titles00:00:50 - Introductory chat00:07:00 - Why the Sixties belong to Miss Marple00:15:09 - The Swinging-era Marple: Twelve New Stories00:19:01 - Miss Marple Takes Manhattan by Alyssa Cole00:29:20 - The Open Mind by Naomi Alderman00:41:45 - The Jade Empress by Jean Kwok00:44:43 - A Deadly Wedding Day by Dreda Say Mitchell00:52:44 - The Murdering Sort by Karen M. McManus00:58:26 - The Disappearance by Leigh Bardugo01:04:59 - Tackling racism in these stories01:16:17 - How to get in touch01:17:17 - Closing titles01:17:44 - CodaTW: discussion of racism and antisemitism

Tom Sutcliffe is joined by writer Dreda Say Mitchell and critic Scott Bryan to assess the week's cultural releases, including a new stage version of the hit TV series Inside Number 9. They've also been watching Mike Leigh's first film in 6 years, Hard Truths, which has reunited him with Marianne Jean-Baptiste who was nominated for an Oscar in his hit film Secrets and Lies. Finally they review Saturday Night, the new film about the beginnings of the cult TV series Saturday Night Live which launched the careers of many comedians including Tina Fey. Presenter: Tom Sutcliffe Producer: Claire Bartleet

Join me for a special episode digging deep into the Women's Prize Discoveries 2025, a prize and program for unpublished women fiction writers in the UK and Ireland, with two of this years judges Dreda Say Mitchell, an award winning and bestselling crime and mystery author and Chloe Timms, journalist, author and podcast host. We are joined by the winner of the inaugural Discoveries Prize 2021, Emma van Straaten, whose debut novel This Immaculate Body will be published in February. This episode is packed full of advice and will get you itching to pull out your Work in Progress and enter the prize.LinksWomen's Prize Discoveries 2025Girl, Missing - Dreda Say MitchellThe Seawomen - Chloe TimmsThis Immaculate Body - Emma van StraatenDreda Say Mitchell - dredamitchell.comChloe Timms - chloetimms.co.ukConfessions of A Debut Novelist with Chloe TimmsEmma van Straaten on Instagram @evswritesBook Proposal Group Program - pennywincerwrites.com/bookproposalgroupNot Too Busy To Write on Substack

Boyd Hilton and Dreda Say Mitchell join Samira to review the 12 time Tony nominated Slave Play by Jeremy O. Harris which has just opened in London, having premiered, not without controversy, in New York in 2018. The film Fly me to the Moon starring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum is a rom com set during the 1960s Space Race between the USA and Russia. Sunny is a future set thriller TV series in which an American woman living in Japan loses her family in a plane crash and is sent a robot by way of compensation and comfort, by the company her husband worked for, and who ends up helping her uncover some shocking secrets.Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Corinna Jones

DREDA SAY MITCHELL MBE & RYAN CARTER (Tony Mason) chat to Paul Burke about their new psychological thriller BELIEVE ME, new ways of publishing, the Groucho Club, writing partnersBELIEVE ME: One woman's mysterious death has led to a lifetime of pain. Can her daughter find out why?While working on a property dispute, lawyer Gabby is shocked to discover a name more familiar than her own on the title deeds: her mother's. But her mother died twenty-five years ago from an undiagnosed illness at forty, leaving Gabby with more questions about the mysterious Ocean Haven than she can find answers for.Desperate to uncover the truth of her mother's connection to this house, Gabby begins to investigate, creating tension in her fractured and distant family. So when she begins to uncover the dark and disturbing history of Ocean Haven, is there anyone at all she can turn to?With her own fortieth birthday fast approaching, Gabby senses the onset of the same unexplained pains her mother experienced all those years ago. Is she being paranoid, or is she about to die in the same way? Or is Ocean Haven hiding a secret about her mother's past—and Gabby's future—that she hasn't yet dared imagine?DREDA SAY MITCHELL & RYAN CARTER Dreda was awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours' List, 2020. She scooped the CWA's John Creasey Dagger Award for best first-time crime novel in 2004, the first time a Black British author has received this honour.Ryan and Dreda write across the crime and mystery genre – psychological thrillers, gritty gangland crime and fast-paced action books. Spare Room, their first psychological thriller, was a #1 UK and US Amazon Bestseller. Dreda is a passionate campaigner and speaker on social issues and the arts. She has appeared on television, including Celebrity Pointless, Celebrity Eggheads, BBC 1 Breakfast, Sunday Morning Live, Newsnight, The Review Show and Front Row Late on BBC 2. Ryan and Dreda performed a specially commissioned monologue on the ground-breaking Sky Arts Art 50 on Sky TV.Dreda is a trustee of the Royal Literary Fund and an ambassador for The Reading Agency. Some of their books are currently in development as TV and film adaptations.Dreda's parents are from the beautiful Caribbean island of Grenada.RecommendationsThe Colour Purple Alice WalkerClinging to the Wreckage John Mortimer Until Proven Innocent Nicola WilliamsPaul Burke writes for Crime Time, Crime Fiction Lover and the European Literature Network. He is also a CWA Historical Dagger Judge 2023.Produced by Junkyard DogMusic courtesy of Southgate and LeighCrime TimeCrime Time FM is the official podcast ofGwyl Crime Cymru Festival 2023CrimeFest 2023&CWA Daggers 2023

Agatha Christie is the world's most translated author, with her work being available in over 100 languages. And one of her most beloved characters, Miss Marple, is about to be resurrected with the help of 12 contemporary authors. In The Studio talks to two of those writers: Dreda Say Mitchell who specialises in a different type of crime story, the gritty gangster genre, and Kate Mosse, who is known for her historical sagas. They reveal how they rose to the challenge of reinventing one of the most famous characters in 20th Century fiction.

Agatha Christie is the world's most translated author, with her work being available in over 100 languages. And one of her most beloved characters, Miss Marple, is about to be resurrected with the help of 12 contemporary authors. In The Studio talks to two of those writers: Dreda Say Mitchell who specialises in a different type of crime story, the gritty gangster genre, and Kate Mosse, who is known for her historical sagas. They reveal how they rose to the challenge of reinventing one of the most famous characters in 20th Century fiction.

Dreda Say Mitchell MBE is an award-winning and internationally bestselling author, campaigner, broadcaster and journalist. Dreda's first novel was the acclaimed and award winning Running Hot and to date she she written 20 books. Her books have been translated into 14 languages and she's been collaborating with her partner, Ryan Carter, since her fifth book. Dreda Say Mitchell & Ryan Carters latest novel is 'Believe Me' which is available to order now. In this gripping thriller from the bestselling authors of Spare Room and Say Her Name, one woman's mysterious death has led to a lifetime of pain. Can her daughter find out why?While working on a property dispute, lawyer Gabby is shocked to discover a name more familiar than her own on the title deeds: her mother's. But her mother died twenty-five years ago from an undiagnosed illness at forty, leaving Gabby with more questions about the mysterious Ocean Haven than she can find answers for.Desperate to uncover the truth of her mother's connection to this house, Gabby begins to investigate, creating tension in her fractured and distant family. So when she begins to uncover the dark and disturbing history of Ocean Haven, is there anyone at all she can turn to?With her own fortieth birthday fast approaching, Gabby senses the onset of the same unexplained pains her mother experienced all those years ago. Is she being paranoid, or is she about to die in the same way? Or is Ocean Haven hiding a secret about her mother's past―and Gabby's future―that she hasn't yet dared imagine?Buy Believe Mehttps://amzn.to/403WSWKFollow Dreda Say Mitchelldredamitchell.comFacebook dredasaymitchellPatreon - Support The Showpatreon.com/theconversationwithnadinemathesonpodcastThank you for joining me. Don't forget to subscribe, download and review.Pre-Order The Kill List (Inspector Henley - Book 3) Follow Me:www.nadinematheson.com Threads: @nadinematheson Facebook: nadinemathesonbooksInstagram: @queennadsTikTok: @writer_nadinemathesonBlueSky: @nadinematheson.bsky.social

Join us for a podcast first as we venture into a collection of mysteries, Marple: Twelve New Stories . The twelve writers are Alyssa Cole, Lucy Foley, Elly Griffiths, Natalie Haynes, Jean Kwok, Val McDermid, Karen M. McManus, Dreda Say Mitchell, Kate Mosse and Ruth Ware. No spoiler alert! We do not reveal whodunnit for any of the stories. In Mystery Business, there is a request for the show's 2 year anniversary and a spooky schemozzle. Case Notes and Purrcule Pawrot are short and sweet. We also discuss how to be a domestic goddess, how to wield a hatpin and how (not) to play snapdragon. Mystery Mentions Rare book laced with arsenic article Val McDermid - Queen of Crime in S2, Ep 14 The Lady Vanishes- Ethel Lina White International Agatha Christie Festival episode A Farrago of Blether- Maddy Berry - discussed here and here The Murder at the Vicarage- Agatha Christie Snapdragon episode and short video on how (not) to play snapdragon Overboard Nintendo Switch game AOB: Natalie Haynes Stands Up for the Classics podcast Next book for 23rd December: Tied Up in Tinsel by Ngaio Marsh In the mood for more mystery? Check out Season 4 Episode 1 - The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side (Agatha Chrisitie) featuring the original Marple. Follow us on Instagram: @missingsalmoncase Rate us on Apple , Audible and Spotify Nominate a Queen of Crime: missingsalmoncase@gmail.com This podcast is created, produced and edited by Maddy Berry and Hannah Knight. Our music is sourced from Melody Loops and composed by Geoff Harvey.

Episode 103 November 11, 2022 On the Needles 1:13 ALL KNITTING LINKS GO TO RAVELRY UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.  Please visit our Instagram page @craftcookreadrepeat for non-Rav photos and info     Quartzonite by Yvette Noel, The Lemonade Shop Simple Sock in Fricken Bats– DONE!!   Tii Pullover by Joji Locatelli, Machete Shoppe Dirty DK in Eucalyptus   Easy Stripes Blanket by Joan of Dark aka Toni Carr, Knit Picks Brava Worsted in Currant and Dove Heather, Caron Simply Soft in Bone   Shawlography by Stephen West Lisa Souza SAWK in "green jay" Louie & Lola fingering in "pacific" Oink Targhee Sock in "eye of the tiger" Oink Targhee Sock in "in the navy" Oink Targhee Sock in "random carp"   On the Easel 12:30 Birds + Breakables with egg cups & feathers! Keep an eye on my IG account for sneak peeks. Gouachevember– the community-driven, gouache-focused challenge hosted by Daria, and co-sponsored by us both. On the Table 16:17 Pumpkin cheesecake bars from 100 cookies    Julia Turshen cooking class A Happens-to-be-Vegan Halloween Meal [Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini / Rice Pilaf with Carrots + Turmeric / Black Bean + Tomato Stew / Roasted Squash Agrodolce / Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread]   Street Fair Stuffed mushrooms from Simply Julia    Spatchcocked chicken with garlic, lemon & parsley sauce. Beef Barley stew Lots of cookies from 100 Cookies   Polenteria new gluten free Italian restaurant in the SF Bay Area   On the Nightstand 32:06 We are now a Bookshop.org affiliate!  You can visit our shop to find books we've talked about or click on the links below.  The books are supplied by local independent bookstores and a percentage goes to us at no cost to you!   Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister (audio)  Marple: Twelve New Mysteries by Naomi Alderman, Leigh Bardugo, Alyssa Cole, Lucy Foley, Elly Griffiths, Natalie Haynes, Jean Kwok, Val McDermid, Karen M. McManus, Dreda Say Mitchell, Kate Mosse, Ruth Ware, Agatha Christie (Creator)  The Kiss Curse by Erin Sterling Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey (audio) Darko Dawson #1  Memory of Souls by Jen Lyons  On the Rooftop by Margaret Wilkerson Sexton The Lovers by Paolo Cognetti, trans. Stash Luczkiw Songbirds by Christy Lefteri The Crane Wife by CJ Hauser We are the Light by Matthew Quick  

Agatha Christie is the world's most translated author, with her work being available in over 100 languages. And one of her most beloved characters, Miss Marple, is about to be resurrected with the help of 12 contemporary authors. In The Studio talks to two of those writers: Dreda Say Mitchell who specialises in a different type of crime story, the gritty gangster genre, and Kate Mosse, who's known for her historical sagas. They reveal how they rose to the challenge of re-inventing one of the most famous characters in twentieth century fiction.

Clive Anderson and Bidisha are joined by Sara Pascoe, Benedict MacDonald, Dreda Say Mitchell and Elf Lyons for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Alina Bzhezhinska & HipHarpCollective and George Riley.

The novelist and the podcaster propose favourite books for discussion

We look at how audience figures are recovering after two years of shutdown and pandemic restrictions. Carolyn Atkinson reports on the business of seat-filling companies and on new models being considered for ticket sales. We announce the winner of the 2022 Windham Campbell Prizes. The awards recognise eight writers annually for literary achievement across fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama, at every stage of their careers. Each recipient is gifted an unrestricted grant of $165,000 USD to support their writing and allow them to focus on their work independent of financial concerns. And the authors Dreda Say Mitchell and Ryan Carter join us to discuss their new crime novel, Say Her Name, and writing as a partnership. Presenter: Tom Sutcliffe Producer: Simon Richardson Image: Empty auditorium seats Credit: BBC

This year sees a number of writers we know primarily as poets or novelists releasing collections of essays - from Jeanette Winterson to Lucy Ellman and Karl Ove Knausgaard. Tom talks to two of them: Kei Miller, whose latest collection is called Things I have Withheld, and Rachel Kushner, whose new collection is called The Hard Crowd. Dreda Say Mitchell reviews new Sky TV series, Bloods. Samson Kayo and Jane Horrocks star in this six-part comedy series as paramedic partners in the South London ambulance service. When tough-acting loner Maleek is paired with over-friendly divorcee Wendy, their partnership looks dead on arrival. But before long they’re acting as each other’s life support. An ensemble comedy, set within the fast-paced, never-ending rush of 999 call-outs, Bloods also stars Adrian Scarborough, Lucy Punch and Julian Barratt. Writer and video games editor Jordan Erica Webber talks us through the long-awaited New Pokemon Snap. The original game came out in 1999 on the Nintendo 64. Now, its release comes after a huge wave of lockdown sales of the Nintendo Switch gaming device and as part of a new wave of games focussing on gentler storytelling, photography and the natural environment. Presenter: Tom Sutcliffe Producer: Oliver Jones

Johny Pitts talks to Jon McGregor about his latest novel Lean Fall Stand, inspired by a trip to Antarctica. Opening with sparse, barely describable landscape in the midst of a storm, it follows Robert "Doc" Wright's recovery in the aftermath and sensitively examines heroism, modern masculinity and the failure of words. Chester Himes is an often overlooked favour of his Black American contemporaries Ralph Ellison, Richard Wright and James Baldwin, despite also attempting to carve out a literary career in Paris. With his better-known Harlem detective series being reissued, his biographer Lawrence P. Jackson and crime writer Dreda Say Mitchell discuss his prescient legacy. And looking ahead to next month, Francesca Main of Phoenix Books chooses a multi-generational story of love, family and Indian history as her Editor's Tip. BOOK LIST: Lean Fall Stand by Jon McGregor A Rage in Harlem by Chester Himes Cotton Comes to Harlem by Chester Himes Lonely Crusade by Chester Himes Cast the First Stone by Chester Himes If He Hollers Let Him Go by Chester Himes Chester B Himes: A Biography by Lawrence P Jackson Shelter by Lawrence P Jackson China Room by Sunjeev Sahota

Today, Griff was awarded the 2021 BRITs Rising Star prize. The 20 year old singer-songwriter joins us to discuss how she writes her lyrics including to her breakout single Black Hole, making music in lockdown and what the future holds for her now she’s won this award. Line of Duty returns to our screens this weekend. Crime writers Dreda Say Mitchell and Abir Mukherjee review Jed Mercurio’s sixth series and consider the depiction of the police in TV drama more generally. After concern that the government's post-Brexit trade deal with Europe left them out, Labour MP Harriet Harman tells us about her proposed 10 point plan to help musicians and other touring artists who want to work in the EU. Giles Terera won an Olivier Award for his performance as Aaron Burr in Hamilton. His next role will be in a play he's written himself: The Meaning of Zong is a powerful account of the notorious massacre aboard the slave ship Zong in 1781. Originally conceived for the stage, it's now been made for Radio 3 as part of the BBC Lights Up festival. Giles talks about the play and about his new song cycle, Black Matter, inspired by the last year. Presenter: Tom Sutcliffe Producer: Sarah Johnson Studio Manager: Matilda Macari

Leicester Curve’s recent award-winning revival of the musical The Color Purple, based on Alice Walker’s novel, has been reimagined, filmed and is being streamed for audiences. Dreda Say Mitchell and David Benedict review. David Rodigan joins us to celebrate the life of the great Jamaican musician U-Roy, who died recently. He was a master of the toasting mic style – the precursor of rapping, MC-ing and freestyling. Niven Govinden studied film before becoming an award-winning writer. In his sixth novel Diary of a Film his cinematic knowledge is filtered through the lens of creative anxiety, queer desire, and European city walking. In it, an auteur and his lead actors arrive at a prestigious film festival to premiere his latest film. Alone one morning at a backstreet cafe, he strikes up a conversation with a local woman who takes him on a walk to uncover the city's secrets, historic and personal. A story of love and tragedy emerges, and he begins to see the chance meeting as fate. Every year the Arts Foundation makes awards of £10,000 to assist artists with living and working costs - helping them to carry on creating. All five of the 2021 winners are talking about their work on Front Row. The fourth is John Barber, Arts Foundation Fellow for Choral Composition. He tells John Wilson about the range of his music making, from a retelling of the Persephone myth for 1500 voices, 10 years running Woven Gold, a choir made up of refugees and asylum seekers and professional musicians, to pieces for small choirs such at The Sixteen. So much choral music is rooted in religious texts and liturgy. But Barber is not religious and he explains his concern with composing music for voices from a secular perspective. Presenter: John Wilson Producer: Julian May Studio Manager: Donald MacDonald

How easy is it to climb out of the working class in Britain? Have attitudes to social mobility changed at all? Matthew Sweet talks to Professor Selina Todd about her latest book, Snakes and Ladders, which explores the myths and realities of the past century. They're joined by an accents specialist, a policy thinker and journalist, and a data analyst. Professor Selina Todd is author of Snakes and Ladders: The Great British Social Mobility Myth; The People: The Rise and Fall of the Working Class 1910-2010; Tastes of Honey The Making of Shelagh Delaney and a Cultural Revolution David Goodhart is the author of Head, Hand, Heart: The Struggle for Dignity and Status in the 21st Century (2020). He is Head of Policy Exchange's Demography, Immigration, and Integration Unit; and, he is also one of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) board commissioners. Timandra Harkness is the author of Big Data: Does Size Matter and presents Radio 4 series including Divided Nation and Future Proofing Dr Sadie Ryan is part of the Manchester Voices project https://www.manchestervoices.org/project-team/ and presents a podcast https://www.accentricity-podcast.com/ You can hear more about the Manchester project in this episode of New Thinking https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07h30hm You might also be interested in Free Thinking programmes exploring The council estate in culture with artists George Shaw and Kader Attia , drama specialist Katie Beswick and writer Dreda Say Mitchell https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0003596 City Life, estate living and lockdown with poet Caleb Femi, Katie Beswick, and urban researchers Julia King and Irit Katz https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000nvk2 Class in Britain - a review of Shelagh Delaney's play; Lindsay Johns, Douglas Murray and the former headmaster of Eton Tony Little https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02twczj Philip Dodd with Douglas Murray, author of The Madness of Crowds, the commentator David Goodhart, the writer and campaigner Beatrix Campbell, and the academic Maya Goodfellow, author of Hostile Environment - How Immigrants Became Scapegoats, reflect on the role of culture and identity in politics in Europe and post election Britain https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000cb2f Producer: Ruth Watts

A break-neck-speed thriller from Dreda Say Mitchell, author of the Flesh and Blood trilogy. Teenager Nikki Bell is the only witness to the brutal murder of two members of her family and their cleaner. She's lucky to be alive. But the murder isn't a one-off. It's part of a bigger, more violent attack planned on affluent families in the area - and now Nikki, as the only living witness, is a dangerous threat to the well-orchestrated scheme. As the net draws tighter around the killers, DI Rio Wray must do whatever it takes to keep Nikki alive. But when you're dealing with criminals, there's no line they won't cross... In a kill-or-be-killed-world, who will be first to pull the trigger?

Join authors and podcasters The Red Hot Chilli Crime Writers: Abir Mukherjee and Vaseem Khan as they take to our digital stage to discuss making crime a career with Mark Edwards, Claire McGowan, Dreda Say Mitchell and Susi Holliday. The Red Hot Chilli Writers present Career Criminals was recorded live as part of the digital Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival 2020. This episode is kindly supported by Thomas & Mercer. To download a free, exclusive sampler of Susi Holliday's fantastic book, The Last Resort, a gift from Thomas & Mercer, visit our website here: http://bit.ly/CareerCriminals Podcast Music By: Joseph McDade.

DARK MYSTERIES Tuesday and Friday at 2am CET - Wednesday and Friday at 1pm CET. This program is hosted by Madeleine d'Este. This week, Madeleine talks about the book "Spare Room" by Dreda Say Mitchell.

In this episode we discuss festivals, the good, the bad and the plain weird. We also have a special segment from the world's biggest crime festival, Theakston Old Peculier at Harrogate, where we interviewed four brilliant crime authors: Mark Edwards, Susi Holliday, Claire McGowan, and Dreda Say Mitchell. 

Joining Iain Dale on Cross Question this week are Former Conservative MP David Lidington, Labour MP for Lewisham Deptford Vicky Foxcroft, Historian and Broadcaster David Starkey and Dreda Say Mitchell; journalist and broadcaster.

Lenny Henry discusses his latest role as Elmore in August Wilson’s play King Hedley II. King is a young black man, just out of prison, who dreams of starting a business and a family. Then the smooth-talking, crap-shooting hustler Elmore wanders in and changes the dynamic in the yard. Artistic director Nadia Fall tells Samira why she has brought this epic, set in Pittsburgh in the Reagan era, to the Theatre Royal, Stratford East, and announces her plans for her second season there. The celebrated comic artist and graphic novelist Posy Simmonds, famous for her satirical long-running comic strips Gemma Bovary and Tamara Drewe in The Guardian, and books including Cassandra Darke, discusses her first major UK retrospective covering a 50-year career. The Central Park Five are the subject of a new true crime drama from Netflix. When They See Us centres on the wrongful conviction of five teenagers of colour for violent rape in New York in 1989 and their following 25-year fight to prove their innocence. The show is directed by Ava DuVernay who’s known for her critically acclaimed films Selma about Martin Luther King, and the documentary 13th, which considers the high percentage of African-Americans in US prisons. Dreda Say Mitchell reviews the drama. And poet, performer and juggler Gruffudd Owen on being the new Welsh-language children's laureate. Presenter Samira Ahmed Producer Jerome Weatherald

Painter George Shaw, crime writer Dreda Say Mitchell and drama expert Katie Beswick join Matthew Sweet to look at depictions of estate living - from the writing of Andrea Dunbar to SLICK on Sheffield's Park Hill estate to the images of the Tile Hill estate in Coventry where George Shaw grew up, which he creates using Humbrol enamel - the kind of paint used for Airfix kits. Plus a view of the French banlieue from artist Kader Attia. George Shaw: A Corner of a Foreign Field is at the Holburne Museum, Bath to 6th May 2019. Katie Beswick has just published Social Housing in Performance. Dreda Say Mitchell's latest book is called Spare Room. She also writes the Flesh and Blood Series set in London's gangland and the Gangland Girls series. Kader Attia: The Museum of Emotion runs at the Hayward Gallery at London's SouthBank Centre to May 6th 2019.

How much should we separate art from the artist's behaviour? With new sexual abuse allegations concerning Michael Jackson in the forthcoming documentary Leaving Neverland and R Kelly being charged with 10 counts of sexual abuse – writers Anna Leszkiewicz, Ekow Eshun and Dreda Say Mitchell consider the extent to which we should boycott or continue to appreciate an individual's work in the light of questions over their behaviour.On the eve of his world tour, multi-instrumentalist, singer, composer, and Grammy award-winner Jacob Collier talks about working with an orchestra after his rise to fame as a solo performer. He also plays a composition from his latest record, Djesse Volume 1, live in the studio, the first of a quartet of albums to be released this year. Dorothea Tanning wanted to depict ‘unknown but knowable states' in her work, flirting with ideas of surrealism and abstraction. Tanning was an American who emigrated with her husband Max Ernst to Paris in the 50s, where she moved away from painting to make sculptures out of fabric. As a retrospective of her work opens at Tate Modern and Virago re-publish her novel Chasm, we assess the life and work of Tanning, and consider if the new Tate show does her justice.Presenter: Stig Abell Producer: Ben Mitchell

Olivia Colman is winning major awards for her portrayal of Queen Anne in The Favourite, Yorgos Lanthimos' film about a scandalous love triangle between the monarch, the Duchess of Marlborough and her cousin Abigail Masham. Olivia Colman discusses the difference between playing Queen Anne and her other role as our present Queen Elizabeth in the forthcoming series of The Crown. Luther is back. Dreda Say Mitchell reviews Idris Elba's return as the maverick police detective as the BBC airs an episode a night this week.Roger Kneebone, Professor of Surgical Education, and embroiderer Fleur Oakes, artist-in-residence in the vascular department of Imperial College London, discuss the role of embroidery and 'thread management' in helping surgeons become more proficient when they perform vascular surgery. Presenter Janina Ramirez Producer Jerome Weatherald

Working-class artists continue to be underrepresented in the arts. How has this inequality shaped the practice of contemporary artists? Has it helped or hindered their creativity? Oscar- and Grammy-winning film director Asif Kapadia, award-winning crime novelist Dreda Say Mitchell, and the artist Bob and Roberta Smith RA, as they reflect on their own experiences of class and its influence on their work. Chaired by the writer and broadcaster Nihal Arthanayake, the panel will also look at what needs to change and how. Come to the next Festival of Ideas live in the RA's Benjamin West Lecture Theatre – line-up coming soon: https://roy.ac/FOI2019

Getting butterflies is something many performers admit to, and although some thrive off it, others are often more badly affected. Professor of Performance Science, Aaron Williamon and West End psychologist Dr Anna Colton discuss the power of stage fright and how to overcome it.This week Channel 4 airs a true crime drama about Tony Martin, the Norfolk farmer who in 1999 shot dead a burglar at his Norfolk farmhouse. His actions and subsequent murder trial sparked a national debate about householders' rights to protect their property. The drama, however, does not focus on the furore surrounding the case, instead the script is taken verbatim from police interviews with Tony Martin. Crime writer Dreda Say Mitchell gives her verdict. Joel and Ethan Coen discuss their latest feature The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, a six-part anthology film made up of tales about the American frontier, starring a plethora of big names including Liam Neeson, Tom Waits and James Franco. Each of the stories, which were written over a 25 year period, pay homage to a different subgenre of movie about the American West, in the Coen Brothers' characteristic style.Presenter: Stig Abell Producer: Kate Bullivant

Iain talks to three best-selling novelists about their new books, how to get into writing fiction, and how to be successful without an actual publisher. Dreda Say Mitchell – Blood Secrets Amanda Prowse – The Coordinates of Loss and How to Fall In Love Again Judith O’Reilly – Killing State

Chadwick Boseman discusses taking on the role of Black Panther, the first black mainstream comic book hero, and talks about the responsibility he feels in taking on the first black lead in a superhero film. Following the release of Black Panther, critic Dreda Say Mitchell, and comic book writer, Kieron Gillen, review the film, and consider whether the time of the black superhero has finally arrived.When and how should we be introducing children to Shakespeare? Is it better to start with the stories and move onto the complexity of the language or do we miss out on something vital by not starting with the text? Purni Morell, Artistic Director of the Unicorn Theatre and Erica Whyman, Deputy artistic director of the RSC, discuss.Today is Dydd Miwsig Cymru - Welsh Music Day, which celebrates not just Welsh music, but music in Welsh. Through the programme Stig Abell samples the variety of contemporary music performed in the Welsh language today.Presenter: Stig AbellProducer: Julian May.

Bestselling gritty crime author Dreda Say Mitchell talks to us about her background growing up in the East End of London, the struggles she encountered becoming a writer and having her books adapted by Hollywood.   DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPT

An exclusive sneak peek at the first three episodes of Partners in Crime, including interviews with TV’s very own Inspector Barnaby, Neil Dudgeon; thriller author and Captain Hastings from the TV series Poirot, Hugh Fraser - and bestselling gritty crime fiction writer Dreda Say Mitchell.

Kiri, Channel 4's new drama series, is about the disappearance of a young girl, written by Jack Thorne. It stars Sarah Lancashire as the girl's social worker and Lucian Msamati as her grandfather. Dreda Say Mitchell reviews.The winner of the Costa First Novel prize is Gail Honeyman for Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. It tells the story of a 29-year-old woman who lives alone, surviving, but not really living. Gail discusses how she was inspired to write the book after reading an article about loneliness.The Golden Globe Awards last night were dominated by speeches about Hollywood's sexual abuse scandal. Anna Smith runs us through the events of the night and Best Actor winner Gary Oldman talks about finally being recognized by the Golden Globes after 30 years. Why does the public appetite for portraiture and self-portraiture prevail in the age of the selfie? We discuss with Art Critic Jonathan Jones and Art Historian Frances Borzello, author of Seeing Ourselves: Women's Self Portraits. Presenter: John Wilson Producer: Hannah Robins.

The much-anticipated musical Hamilton has opened in London. It tells the story of Alexander Hamilton; one of the Founding Fathers of The United States with intentionally colour-conscious casting of non-white actors as the Founding Fathers. It has been a phenomenon on Broadway and across the US; how will it play with British audiences? Irish film Sanctuary has a cast made up almost exclusively of actors with learning difficulties. It lightly tells the story of a trip to the cinema where the best laid plans go awry. And even though it includes hugging and learning, does it tread the difficult line avoiding sentimentality or patronising the cast and the issues raised? In Louise Erdrich's newest novel Future Home Of The Living God, evolution is running backwards and all around the central character society is crumbling. She's a 26 year old fighting for her life in an oppressive post-cataclysm America, pregnant (maybe by an angel) And we review 3 of the BBC's TV Christmas specials: Father Brown, Upstart Crow and Not Going Out - what is the attraction of these yearly yuletide delights? Tom Sutcliffe's guests are Sarah Churchwell, Dreda Say Mitchell and David Benedict. The producer is Oliver Jones.

Daniel Mays, the actor who came to prominence for his roles in Vera Drake, Line of Duty, Life on Mars and Mrs Biggs, discusses his new BBC drama Against The Law. He plays Peter Wildeblood, a man imprisoned for homosexual acts in the 1950s, who then went on to campaign for a change in the law. Queen Latifah and Jada Pinkett Smith star in Girls Trip, a film where four old friends reunite for a wild weekend away. It has had a strong opening weekend at the US box office, which the director Malcolm D Lee ascribes to 'black girl magic'. Dreda Say Mitchell gives her verdict. Asifa Lahore, the UK's first out Muslim drag queen, chooses Dana International's Eurovision-winning song Diva for our Queer Icons series.Helen Mort has been described by Carol Ann Duffy as 'among the brightest stars in the sparkling new constellation of British poets'. But she first came to prominence in 1998 as one of the winners of the Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award. Helen Mort tells Samira Ahmed why young people should enter the competition this year. Presenter Samira Ahmed Producer Kate Bullivant.

Ray Davies is best known as frontman to the Kinks, a quintessentially English band, yet it is America which is at the heart of his most recent project. He talks to us about his first solo album in a decade, Americana, an ambivalent yet deeply personal homage to the country which has inspired him, banned him and almost killed him.Unlike the American Black Panther movement, the British version was largely non-violent. Members included the late writer Darcus Howe, poet Linton Kwesi Johnson and photographer Neil Kenlock. Guerrilla, a new six-part series by Sky Atlantic, uses the movement as a springboard for a tense thriller set in a fictional Black Power underground cell in 1970's London. Broadcaster and author Dreda Say Mitchell has seen it.The Odyssey Project is a new Radio 4 series which sees ten poets offer contemporary poetic responses to Homer's The Odyssey. Poet in Residence, Daljit Nagra reads his own poem and discusses the process of curating the project. This weekend saw the opening in Venice of Damien Hirst's new exhibition Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable, which the artist claims cost millions of pounds of his own money. The exhibition, reportedly 10 years in the making, has divided critics. Matthew Collings gives his response. Presenter: John Wilson Producer: Rebecca Armstrong.

Anthony Head, who started his career in the Nescafe Gold Blend adverts and then went on to achieve international fame in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, is now on stage in Terence Rattigan's Love In Idleness. He talks about his career spanning several decades.Dreda Say Mitchell reviews the return of BBC drama Line of Duty, starring Thandie Newton. Tim Marlow explores the underground studio of artist Ai Weiwei for the new World Service documentary strand In the Studio, which launches tomorrow.As a British East Asian, mostly female cast perform Christopher Marlowe's Tamburlaine, director Ng Choon Ping and Kumiko Mendl of Yellow Earth Theatre Company discuss the contemporary resonances in this brutal and controversial play.Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Timothy Prosser.

Jojo Moyes had been writing for ten years and was beginning to wonder if she'd ever find success when her ninth novel, Me Before You, rocketed her to number one in the charts. She discusses her sudden rise to global fame and, as her first short story collection is published, compares the art of writing novels to short form.Prime Suspect 1973 is a new TV drama charting the rise of the young WPC Jane Tennison, the character made famous by Helen Mirren in the successful 1990s series. This prequel, starring Stephanie Martini, shows how Tennison became the formidable character viewers have come to know. Dreda Say Mitchell reviews.As the Waterstones bookshop chain admits to opening shops in three small towns in England that appear to be both local and independent, Rosamund De La Hay, the owner of the Main Street Trading Company in St Boswells, Scotland defends the truly independent bookstore.Hull UK City of Culture 2017 announced today that, after a £16m transformation, the Hull New Theatre will reopen with its first visit from The Royal Ballet in 30 years. Kevin O'Hare, director of The Royal Ballet, explains why he's bringing a programme of Swan Lake-inspired works to the city of his birth; including getting the whole city to dance together as a long line of several hundred cygnets. Presenter: Kirsty Lang Producer: Angie Nehring.

Barry Forshaw chairs a panel of leading Brit Noir writers: Dreda Say Mitchell, Angela Clarke and Steve Mosby. Find out more about the Noirwich Crime Writing Festival at noirwich.co.uk.

As part of a series of Radio 4 programmes reflecting and examining the political and cultural landscape in Britain after the Brexit vote, Front Row will pick up from Today with a live broadcast in front of an audience at the RSA. Hosted by John Wilson, the discussion will feature leading creative figures, including actor and director Samuel West, novelists Val McDermid and Dreda Say Mitchell, TV producer Phil Redmond and designer Wayne Hemingway, to consider the artistic impact of the decision to leave the EU and how our culture will change over the next 10 years.

John Wilson is joined by cultural figures including Phil Redmond, Val McDermid, Dreda Say Mitchell, Rufus Norris, Wayne Hemingway, Samuel West, Jane and Louise Wilson, George the Poet and Anthony Anaxagorou to discuss how Britain's creative community can and should respond to the divisions in British society exposed by the EU Referendum result. With an audience at The Royal Society of Arts in London, they explore whether Brexit presents an artistic opportunity, if it signals a retreat from European culture, how it will be reflected in the books, films, plays and music of the next few years, and what art can do to help us navigate the realities of post-Brexit BritainProducer: Dixi Stewart.

Emma Watson plays an air stewardess who gets caught up in the Chilean politics of early era Pinochet. The Colony explores a little-known side of the regime Faith Healer is Brian Friel's play about the fallibility of remembering, revived at London's Donmar Warehouse Libyan writer Hisham Matar tells the story of how the disappearance of his father led his own exile from his homeland and political awakening during Ghadafi's dictatorship David Hockney's work created on iPad and a collection of 82 portraits are on show in 2 new exhibitions ITV's Brief Encounters is a drama about the founding of the Ann Summers' retail outlets Tom Sutcliffe's guests are Stephanie Merritt, Dreda Say Mitchell and Pat Kane. The producer is Oliver Jones.

In A Hologram For The King, Tom Hanks stars as a stressed-out executive with problems at home, trying to land an IT deal with the King of Saudi Arabia. Sue Turton, a former correspondent with Al Jazeera and Channel Four, assesses whether the film captures the realities of doing business in the region.Michael Morpurgo's book Running Wild, about a young boy's adventures lost in the Indonesian jungle, has been brought to life by Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in London. Morpurgo, the play's director Timothy Sheader, and Toby Olie - designer of many of the animal puppets - discuss the challenges of the production.Jo Brand returns as nurse Kim Wilde in Going Forward, a brand-new three-part TV comedy series that turns the spotlight on domiciliary care. It's a spin-off series of the critically acclaimed Getting On. Dreda Say Mitchell reviews.After winning the Lifetime Achievement Award at the International Opera Awards on Sunday, the German mezzo-soprano opera singer and director Brigitte Fassbaender discusses the difference between singing a Strauss opera and Schubert's lieder, and reveals how despite all her years of performing and directing, she still suffers from dreadful nerves.

Richard Gere's latest film Time Out Of Mind sees him playing a homeless man who struggles to survive on the streets of New York City, Dreda Say Mitchell reviews the film which is a personal project for Gere, aimed at drawing attention to the plight of the homeless.John Osborne first offered Look Back in Anger to Derby Theatre, but it was rejected. They're making amends with a 60th anniversary production, and a new play, Jinny, written in response to it from a female perspective. Samira Ahmed talks to the director Sarah Brigham and Benedict Nightingale, who as a young critic, saw the original production.Tanita Tikaram rose to fame in the 1980s with the album Ancient Heart. It sold 4m copies and produced four chart singles including Twist in My Sobriety. The singer discusses her new album Closer to the People which is influenced by Anita O'Day, Philip Glass and Thelonious Monk.Was Hilma af Klint (1862-1944) Europe's first abstract artist, before even Kandinsky and Mondrian? A new exhibition at the Serpentine Gallery in London shows how this Swedish artist was reacting to the big debates of the late 19th and early 20th century. Charlotte Mullins reviews.Presenter Samira Ahmed Producer Jerome Weatherald.

Quentin Tarantino's film Hateful Eight - the work of a genius at the top of his game or more of the same? The Chichester Festival Theatre's revival of Guys and Dolls has transferred to London's Savoy Theatre George Simenon wrote 75 Maigret novels and they're all being republished - how well do they stand up nowadays? The Metropolitan Police's Crime Museum is usually closed to the public but The Museum of London has a temporary exhibition showing 600 of the 2000 items it contains; fascinating and gruesome certainly... but is it distasteful? ITV's historical drama Jericho looks at the lives of the Victorian navvies who built the great engineering edifices of the age Tom Sutcliffe's guests are David Schneider, Sophie Hannah and Dreda Say Mitchell. The producer is Oliver Jones.

The Oscar-winning writer and producer Aaron Sorkin, acclaimed for The Social Network and The West Wing, talks to Kirsty Lang as the final season of The Newsroom airs. Kirsty visits Leighton House in London as paintings from The Pérez Simón Collection, the largest private collection of Victorian art outside the UK, go on display there, including some significant works by Lord Frederick Leighton now returning to the house where they were painted. We speak to Ali Smith, author of How to be Both, the winner of the Goldsmiths Prize 2014. And crime writer Dreda Say Mitchell joins Kirsty to talk about her new thriller, Vendetta - which features an undercover cop who falls in love with one of the members of the criminal gang that he has infiltrated.

Ricky Tomlinson and playwright Neil Gore talk to John Wilson about United We Stand, a new play which looks at the controversial criminal prosecution that followed the 1972 national building workers' strike; Dreda Say Mitchell reviews The Driver, BBC1's new drama starring David Morrissey whose life takes an unexpected turn when he finds himself moonlighting for a criminal gang. Also on the programme, Francesca Rhydderch, who's been shortlisted for the BBC National Short Story Award, reveals the research she undertook for her entry, The Taxidermist's Daughter; and this week the German artist Anselm Kiefer, whose 40-year career wrestles with the darkness of Germany's history, has his first major UK retrospective. The exhibition's curator Kathleen Soriano discusses the themes and the monumental scale of Kiefer's work on show at the Royal Academy.

Razia Iqbal talks to Mad Men actor Jon Hamm, whose new film - Million Dollar Arm - tells the extraordinary story of two Indian baseball pitchers who were discovered after winning a reality show competition. Dreda Say Mitchell reviews BBC Four's Crimes of Passion, a new Swedish crime series set in the 1950s. Ed Stoppard gives voice to the statue of Sherlock Holmes, as part of the Talking Statues project. And Razia explores the rise of Digital Art.

Kirsty Lang talks to Kristin Davis, best known for playing Charlotte in Sex and the City, as she makes her West End debut in Fatal Attraction, directed by Trevor Nunn. The latest Nordic Noir to arrive on British TV screens is Mammon, a Norwegian thriller about a newspaper journalist. Crime writer Dreda Say Mitchell reviews. Documentary maker Errol Morris (The Fog of War) on his latest film The Unknown Known, which profiles former US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld from his early days as a congressman to the invasion of Iraq in 2003. In August Kate Bush will play her first live concerts in 35 years. She recently talked to John Wilson about her fears of performing live.

With John Wilson. Wilko Johnson and Roger Daltrey of The Who have teamed up for a new project. Since he was diagnosed with terminal cancer last year, Wilko has been collaborating with Daltrey on an album, Going Back Home. They talk about their shared musical interests and Roger explains why Wilko reminds him of a young Pete Townsend. John talks to first time actor and former limo driver Barkhad Abdi, whose extraordinary performance as a Somali pirate in the film Captain Phillips opposite Tom Hanks has earned him Oscar, Golden Globe and Bafta nominations. Salamander is the latest Euro-thriller to arrive on British TV - this time from Belgium, and in Flemish. Disguised as builders, a gang rob a top Belgian bank - but the burglars only target a small handful of the vaults, the ones belonging to the country's industrial, financial, judicial and political elite. These stolen safe-deposit boxes contain secrets that could bring down the nation. Crime writer Dreda Say Mitchell reviews. Hans Haacke and David Shrigley will be the next two artists to display their work on Trafalgar Square's fourth plinth. Haacke's sculpture of a horse's skeleton will go up in 2015, followed by Shrigley's giant thumbs up in 2016. Both artists discuss developing an idea for one of London's busiest civic spaces and explain why humour is important in public art. Producer: Olivia Skinner.

Richard Coles and Suzy Klein with author, journalist and educational adviser Dreda Say Mitchell. They are also joined by listeners Sarah and Mark Horsburgh on their experience of offering respite foster care. We travel to Nottingham with John McCarthy on the trail of Alan Sillitoe, meet two lads who tell of a chance encounter with Nelson Mandela and Doreen Lawrence's Inheritance Tracks.Producer Alex Lewis.

With Mark Lawson. Martin Freeman returns this week as Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, the second film in Peter Jackson's trilogy. He talks to Mark about the physical difficulties of shooting scenes with Ian McKellen's towering Gandalf and how his commitment to the BBC's Sherlock almost cost him the role altogether. Bret Easton Ellis' cult novel American Psycho has been adapted as a new musical starring Matt Smith as Patrick Bateman, the successful Manhattan banker turned serial killer. Dreda Say Mitchell reviews. Mark investigates whether dividing large publishing houses into small imprints improves authors' chances of winning literary prizes. With Editor in Chief of Atlantic Books Ravi Mirchandani. Jeff Park, Front Row's Crime Fiction aficionado, joins Mark to reveal his Christmas round-up of crime books. Jeff's Top Six:- Samurai Summer, by Ake Edwardson The Ghost Riders Of Ordebec, by Fred Vargas Dead Lions, by Mick Herron The Siege, by Arturo Pérez-Reverte The Enigma Of China, by Qiu Xiaolong The Square Of Revenge, by Pieter Aspe Also recommended:- The Late Monsieur Gallet, by Georges Simenon The Good Suicides, by Antonio Hill The Cuckoo's Calling, by Robert Galbraith (aka JK Rowling) Rogue Male, by Geoffrey Household A Conspiracy Of Faith, by Jussi Adler-Olsen The Scent Of Death, by Andrew Taylor Death Of A Nightingale, by Lene Kaaberbol and Agnete Friis Producer: Timothy Prosser.

With Mark Lawson, The composer Sir John Tavener died today. Famous for his choral pieces The Lamb and Song for Athene - which was sung at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales - and for The Protecting Veil, for cello and orchestra. Nicholas Kenyon discusses his life and work. Plus a recent Front Row interview with Tavener himself. Curtain: Poirot's Last Case will see David Suchet making his final appearance as Agatha Christie's iconic Belgian detective. Crime writers Dreda Say Mitchell and Natasha Cooper, with crime fiction specialist Jeff Park, discuss the TV drama alongside a new translation of Pietr the Latvian: the first novel in Georges Simenon's Maigret series. Don Juan is given a modern day treatment in Don Jon, written, directed and staring Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Also starring Scarlett Johansson and Julianne Moore, the comedy explores how films can lead to unrealistic expectations when it comes to finding love and a lasting relationship. Bel Mooney reviews. Producer Claire Bartleet.

With John Wilson. Ryan Gosling and Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive, Pusher) team up again for the crime thriller Only God Forgives. Set in the Bangkok underworld, the film has divided critics with its use of violence and an unconventional narrative structure, and even Gosling has admitted the film could alienate audiences. Crime writer Dreda Say Mitchell gives her verdict. Violinist Nicola Benedetti nominates a favourite concerto for Cultural Exchange, in which leading creative minds share an artistic passion. Sculptor Antony Gormley pays tribute to fellow artist Walter De Maria, who has died at the age of 77. Walter De Maria's most renowned work is The Lightning Field, in which he placed 400 stainless steel poles in a vast grid in a remote area of New Mexico. Antony Gormley share his memories of De Maria, who became a reclusive figure, and was rarely photographed or interviewed - although he performed as a musician alongside Lou Reed and John Cale in New York in the 1960s. A new exhibition Mass Observation: This is Your Photo offers an examination of the role of photography in the Mass Observation Archive. Mass Observation was founded in 1937 as a radical experiment in social science, art and documentary to create a kaleidoscopic view of 'ordinary life'. Iain Sinclair responds to the exhibition at the Photographers Gallery in London.

Three of the UK’s leading female crime writers introduce their new books and talk about their different approaches to storytelling. In her new novel, Kind of Cruel, mistress of suspense Sophie Hannah delivers an intricately plotted and pleasingly sinister story. This new novel will not disappoint the many fans who adore Hannah’s edge of the seat plotting. Dreda Say Mitchell is an award-winning crime writer whose latest novel is Hit Girls. Mitchell writes contemporary urban noir with real verve. Mari Hannah’s first novel, The Murder Wall, is set in Newcastle and launches the fictional career of Kate Daniels. Event recorded Saturday 27 October 2012 at Durham Book Festival. For more information about the festival, see www.durhambookfestival.com.

With Mark Lawson. Director Joe Wright, whose film credits include Atonement and Anna Karenina, makes his stage debut with a new production of Pinero's Trelawny of the Wells. Described as Pinero's love letter to theatre, the play pokes fun at the cliches associated with life on the stage. Writer and comedian Viv Groskop gives her verdict. Broadchurch and Mayday are two new TV thriller series starting next week. In Broadchurch, David Tennant and Olivia Colman star as detectives in a small coastal town trying to understand what lay behind the death of a young boy whose body was found at the foot of a cliff. Mayday has a similar theme, as a small community tries to find out what happened to a 14 year old who vanished without trace. Crime writer Dreda Say Mitchell and crime fiction specialist Jeff Park review the two series. Veteran American short story writer Edith Pearlman has received great acclaim for her new collection, Binocular Vision. The stories span 40 years of writing, with settings including tsarist Russia and London during the Blitz. Edith Pearlman discusses the appeal of the short form. As Pope Benedict XVI enjoys his last full day in office before retiring on Thursday, writer Peter Stanford considers the papacy in fiction from Morris West's bestseller The Shoes Of The Fisherman to the bio-pics of the short life of Pope Joan. Producer Ellie Bury.

With Kirsty Lang. The TV drama series Call the Midwife follows the working and personal lives of a team of midwives working in east London in the 1950s and is based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth. The second series starts on Sunday on BBC One. Writer and reviewer Dreda Say Mitchell reflects on its appeal, and whether it can sustain its success. Ruthie Henshall is an actress, singer and dancer and has starred in many popular musicals - including Les Miserables, Cats and Cabaret. She's about to begin a UK tour - where her show will include many of the greatest musical hits of the past 20 years. She discusses her career, and the demands made on musical theatre performers. What does an artist see in an election campaign? Nicola Green, whose silkscreen prints reflecting on Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign go on show today at the Walker Art Gallery, and photographer Simon Roberts, the official Artist for the UK's 2010 General Election, discuss their experiences of following politicians on the campaign trail. Producer Ellie Bury.

With Kirsty Lang, Booker Prize-winning novelist Roddy Doyle talks about his new novella, Two Pints. It's a year's dialogue between two men in a Dublin pub over their pints. Beginning with the landmark Royal visit to Ireland in May 2011 and ending with the Paralympics last September, they set the world to rights and talk about the day's news. Michael Boyd's last production as Artistic Director of the RSC is an adaptation of Pushkin's Boris Godunov. Theatre critic Andrew Dickson reviews the play and assesses Boyd's tenure. The Staves are three singing sisters from Watford. They grew up singing harmonies around the kitchen table at home, and are on a sell-out UK tour. Jessica, Emily and Camilla Stavely-Taylor tell Kirsty how it all began. Peter Mullan stars as Brighton crime-boss-turned-entrepreneur Richie Beckett in a new four-part Channel 4 TV drama The Fear, which chronicles the disintegration of a criminal mind. Crime writer Dreda Say Mitchell gives her verdict. Producer Penny Murphy.

Dreda Say Mitchell presents a special Open Book programme on Tartan Noir, exploring the appeal of the Scottish crime novel. Glasgow based author Denise Mina joins Edinburgh writer and publisher Allan Guthrie to discuss the importance of place in this increasingly popular genre, while Stuart MacBride, writer of the DS Logan McRae books, takes us on a tour of his inspirational Aberdeen setting.

Recorded in A Room for London, the creative / living space in the shape of a boat on top of the Queen Elizabeth Hall on the South Bank of the Thames, Open Book explores the impact the city has had on literature - from Chaucer and Dickens to Martin Amis and Peter Ackroyd; the themes it evokes and why it creates such a diverse backdrop to novels. Mariella Frostrup is joined by novelists who've all been charmed by London - Will Self, Amanda Craig, Dreda Say Mitchell and Ben Aaronovitch.

With Mark Lawson. The actress Olivia Colman talks about her breakthrough year, in which she has followed supporting roles in Peep Show and Rev with an award-winning lead in Paddy Considine's film Tyrannosaur and the role of Carol Thatcher alongside Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady. She's now appearing in a new stage production of Noel Coward's play Hay Fever. Woody Harrelson stars as a wayward LA policeman in Rampart, a film exploring the fallout of the LAPD's 1990s corruption scandal. Crime writer Dreda Say Mitchell gives her verdict on this bad cop, bad cop story. As e-books account for an increasing percentage of total book sales, many in the publishing industry are keen for the UK to instigate an e-book chart, along with the other readily-available sales figures. Jonathan Nowell from chart compilers Nielsen and Philip Jones from The Bookseller discuss why this is yet to happen. Producer Ellie Bury.

With Kirsty Lang. Meryl Streep is hotly tipped for Oscar success for her performance as Margaret Thatcher in the forthcoming film The Iron Lady. She discusses how she mastered Thatcher's famous voice, why she decided to donate her fee for the film to charity and how she feels about her daughters following her into the acting profession. Director Shane Meadows continues the story of a group of young skinheads who first appeared in his film This is England, set in 1983. This is England 88 is the second in a series of television sequels, and stars Vicky McClure as Lol, now struggling to cope with life as a single mother. Dreda Say Mitchell reviews. Reviewers Georgia Coleridge and Damian Kelleher offer their pick of the year's children's books, ranging from picture books to teenage fiction. Producer Nicki Paxman.

With Mark Lawson. Playwright and film director Neil LaBute discusses his new play Reasons to be Pretty, starring Billie Piper, which asks if conventional beauty can be a curse. Writer Ian Rankin reviews two new TV shows which focus on undercover operators: Confessions of an Undercover Cop, and Double Agent: The Eddie Chapman Story. In his new film Justice, Nicolas Cage plays a man who enlists the services of a vigilante group to settle the score after his wife is assaulted. Dreda Say Mitchell reviews. Although the sales of vinyl records are rising again, the days when every high street boasted a shop filled with LPs and singles are long gone. David Hepworth recalls the vanishing pleasures offered by record shops. Producer Jerome Weatherald.

Author Dreda Say Mitchell argues that the importance of cultural institutions like family, faith and community has been ignored in the debate about social mobility. Born into an extended working-class family, she found her own upbringing was influenced by each of these institutions, and she believes their importance in promoting social mobility has been underestimated. Four Thought is a series of talks which combine thought provoking ideas and engaging storytelling. Recorded in front of an audience at the RSA in London, speakers take to the stage to air their latest thinking on the trends, ideas, interests and passions that affect our culture and society. Producer: Giles Edwards.

Crime writer Dreda Say Mitchell talks to Ruth Rendell about "Vault", her 23rd Inspector Wexford novel. They are joined by Newcastle born writer Martyn Waites to discuss how writers write the city in their books. And critic Michael Carlson profiles Ira Levin author of Rosemary's Baby,The Stepford Wives, A Kiss Before Dying and The Boys From Brazil.

Richard Coles with crime novelist Dreda Say Mitchell; poet Mr Gee; a former page 3 model, and a man who grew up with Nelson Mandela. There's a Crowdscape feature from Bury St Edmunds, and Inheritance Tracks from former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.