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Published by Susie Green
In My Good Books is the podcast for UK readers who love crime fiction, thrillers, and literary fiction. Hosted by Susie Green, each episode features relaxed, in-depth conversations with authors and fellow readers about the stories that stay with us, the books we can’t stop recommending, and the creative process behind the page. Whether you’re looking for your next gripping read or curious about how your favourite authors craft their stories, this podcast is here to inspire, entertain, and help you discover your next great book. New episodes every week, follow to never miss an episode!
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In this episode of In My Good Books , I’m joined by Cathryn Kemp to talk about her new historical novel They Can’t Burn Us All , which takes us to 17th-century Iceland and a notorious real-life witch trial where the story of witchcraft looked very different from elsewhere in Europe. We look at some of the bigger questions running through They Can’t Burn Us All - misogyny, power, jealousy, sisterhood and the way communities can turn against their own. Cathryn explains why writing about the past gives her the distance to explore issues that remain uncomfortably relevant today, and why researching the witch trials left her with more rage rather than fewer questions. Cathryn recommends The Wax Child by Olga Ravn, Burial Rites by Hannah Kent, Fingersmith by Sarah Waters, Still Life by Sarah Winman and The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff. They Can’t Burn Us All by Cathryn Kemp is out now.
This week on In My Good Books , I’m joined by The Secret Barrister to talk about their first novel, The Cut Throat Trial , now out in paperback. But who is The Secret Barrister? Despite selling more than a million books, appearing regularly in the media and becoming one of the best-known voices on the British criminal justice system, the identity of The Secret Barrister remains one of publishing’s best-kept secrets. Drawing on years spent working inside the criminal justice system, The Secret Barrister takes us behind the scenes of a murder trial, showing not only what happens in front of the jury but the legal arguments, tactical decisions and private conversations happening when the jury isn’t in the room. We talk about why The Secret Barrister decided to move from bestselling nonfiction into fiction, why a cut-throat trial offered the perfect structure for a novel, creating multiple narrators with very different versions of the same events and the challenge of keeping the reader guessing about who – if anyone – is telling the truth. Books recommended by The Secret Barrister: You Don’t Know Me by Imran Mahmood Based on a True Story by Sarah Vaughan
What if a killer was targeting people who all shared exactly the same address – but lived thousands of miles apart? Gavin Bell joins me on In My Good Books to talk about 138 Main Street , his ingenious new thriller and the first novel he has published under his own name after previously writing as Mason Cross and Alex Knight. The novel begins with a brutal murder at 138 Main Street in an affluent Long Island town. Then another killing takes place at the same address in Illinois. With more than 7,000 Main Streets across the United States, the FBI faces an extraordinary problem: how do you protect thousands of potential targets when you have no idea where the killer will strike next? Gavin tells me where the brilliantly simple idea came from, how a spot of procrastination led him down a Main Street research rabbit hole, and why setting the story across America gave him the geographical scale he needed. We talk about researching locations during lockdown, using property websites and floor plans to construct scenes, and how real places can force a writer to rethink a plot. Gavin will be appearing at Bloody Scotland on Saturday 19 September on Across the Pond , alongside Edel Coffey and Tariq Ashkanani, chaired by me! The panel brings together three writers whose latest novels take readers across the Atlantic to America. Gavin also shares the Bloody Scotland events he doesn't want to miss: In Conversation: Chris Brookmyre and Abir Mukherjee on Friday 18 September at 1.30pm, and Denise Mina Presents: Jane Harper & Jane Casey on Saturday 19 September at 3pm.
New York Times bestselling author Chloe Benjami n joins me to talk about Under Story , her first novel since the international bestseller The Immortalists – and a book I loved so much I read all 500 pages twice before this interview. Under Story follows divorced scientists Laurel and Eli, who are unexpectedly reunited at a research base in Antarctica, where a mysterious visual disturbance known as the Arc is behaving strangely. What follows is a genre-blending novel bringing together relationships, nature, physics, fungi, parallel universes and some enormous questions about what we know – and don't know – about our world. Chloe tells me about the real scientific story that first sparked the idea for Under Story , why the first draft took more than five years to write, and the extraordinary amount of research that went into creating it. We talk about everything from neutrino experiments and theoretical physics to fungi, Antarctica and a women's mushroom conference – as well as how Chloe decided where scientific reality should end and fiction could begin. Chloe also tells me about the forthcoming film adaptation of Under Story , her role as a producer and what it feels like to hand such an intricate story over to a screenwriter. And, of course, we finish with what’s in Chloe’s good books, as she recommends Piranesi and J onathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke, Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials , A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, The Giver by Lois Lowry and Ted Chiang’s Stories of Your Life and Others . If you love ambitious literary fiction, speculative and science fiction, books about parallel universes or novels that leave you thinking long after you've finished them, this is an episode – and a book – you won't want to miss.
Janice Hallett joins me on In My Good Books to talk about The Silent Appeal , her new murder mystery and a return to the brilliantly chaotic world of am dram! Since The Appeal was published in 2021, Janice has become one of the most distinctive voices in modern crime fiction, creating ingenious mysteries told through emails, text messages, transcripts and other documents rather than traditional narrative. Now, The Silent Appeal takes us back to Lockwood, where the Fairway Players are preparing to stage Agatha Christie's The Hollow . But, as you might expect, there's far more happening behind the scenes than amateur dramatics. Janice tells me why she decided to return to the characters from The Appeal , how she keeps track of such a huge cast, and how she gives every character a distinctive personality using only the way they communicate. We talk about the influence of her ten years as a scriptwriter, why she writes her incredibly intricate mysteries chronologically and – perhaps most surprisingly – why she doesn't plan them in advance. We also discuss the danger of an unusual format becoming a gimmick, the unexpected influences behind The Appeal , including narrative video games and Emma Donoghue's Room , and why story and character always have to come before structure. Janice also talks about taking her distinctive storytelling style into children's fiction with A Box Full of Murders and Death at the Museum , writing two books a year, and what her writing schedule actually looks like when edits, short stories and other projects all have to fit around each other. And, of course, I ask Janice what's in her good books. She recommends The Fifteenth Man by William Cook, The Art of Getting Hammered by Joanna Wallace and London Falling . The Silent Appeal is out now. Listen to the full episode of In My Good Books wherever you get your podcasts.
Bestselling author Sarah Vaughan joins me for the latest episode in my Bloody Scotland 2026 series to talk about her new psychological thriller, Based on a True Story . Sarah tells me why she wanted to make Based on a True Story a glossier, more playful departure from novels including Anatomy of a Scandal , Little Disasters and Reputation , and why the Cornish setting was so important to her. We talk about the novel’s surprising influences, from Agatha Christie and Daphne du Maurier to King Lear , Macbeth and Succession , and why Sarah decided to put a powerful matriarch and her three very different daughters at the centre of the story. We also discuss the complicated relationship between parents and children when a child becomes part of a parent’s work, the real-life experiences of Christopher Robin Milne that helped inspire the novel, influencer culture and the ethics of parents sharing their children online. Sarah also talks about what happens when a writer’s novels start being adapted for television, and how working as an executive producer on adaptations of her books has changed the way she thinks about pacing, chapter endings, point of view and setting when she writes. Plus, we look ahead to Bloody Scotland and Sarah shares the events she’s hoping to catch while she’s in Stirling. Sarah Vaughan will appear alongside Evelyn Clarke and Sarah Lotz on Writes and Wrongs at 12 noon on Friday 18 September at the Golden Lion Hotel. Sarah’s Bloody Scotland picks include Denise Mina Presents Lucy Foley at 3pm, where Lucy will discuss her new Miss Marple novel Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel ; The Kill Switch: Robert Peston at 5pm; Twists and Turns with Gilly Macmillan, Dorothy Koomson and Claire Douglas at 6.45pm; and Richard Osman with Mark Billingham at 8.15pm.
Matt Coyne , better known to millions of parents as Man vs Baby, joins me to talk about his new novel, The Trouble With Sister Francis a funny and nostalgic story about friendship, community and growing up. Matt takes us back to the 1980s and the working-class Sheffield estate that helped inspire the novel, introducing us to Sister Francis, a swearing, smoking, unconventional nun, and the four boys who find refuge in the boys’ club she is trying to revive. We chat about how much of the book was inspired by Matt’s own childhood and his big Irish Catholic family, why nostalgia can be such rich territory for fiction, and the challenge of turning personal memories into a story that connects with readers who weren’t there. And, as always, we finish with some book recommendations: Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers — Mary Roach The List of Suspicious Things — Jennie Godfrey On the Edge, S tepping Up & Well, That Escalated Quickly — Sarah Turner Skulduggery Pleasant — Derek Landy
Sarah Pinborough joins me for a special Bloody Scotland 2026 episode to discuss her haunting new novel, They Say a Girl Died Here . Known for bestselling novels including Behind Her Eyes , Sarah has built a reputation for writing books that constantly surprise readers. In this conversation, we explore how an early novella evolved into one of her most emotionally resonant novels, why she's drawn to isolated small-town settings, and how memory, trauma and family relationships became the emotional heart of the story. We also chat about adapting her own work for television, why she's no longer chasing the "big twist", the pressure of writing unforgettable opening chapters, and how horror films continue to inspire her writing. Sarah will appear on the panel: The Stuff of Nightmares She also recommends: How to Clean a Crime Scene Femme Fatales with Liz Nugent, Andrea Mara and Harriet Tyce S.A. Cosby 's event If you're heading to Stirling this September, make sure you check them out.
This week I'm joined by Joanna Wallace to celebrate the publication of her brilliantly entertaining new novel, The Art of Getting Hammered . Joanna's debut novel, You'd Look Better as a Ghost , introduced readers to one of crime fiction's most unforgettable protagonists: Claire, the artist, pub worker and part-time serial killer. Now Claire is back, and this time she finds herself investigating drink spiking, mysterious deaths, and another killer operating on her patch - all while trying to stick to her own very unusual moral code. Joanna also shares two brilliant book recommendations: The Silent Appeal by Janice Hallett Man and Dog: A Love Story by Tony Parsons If you enjoy crime fiction that's dark, funny, brilliantly original and packed with memorable characters, this is an episode you won't want to miss.
Jonathan Trigell joins me for this episode of Reading Is Political to discuss the re-release of his award-winning novel, Boy A . First published in 2004, Boy A became one of the defining British novels of its generation, winning both the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize and the Waverton Good Read Award before being adapted into the acclaimed BAFTA-winning film starring Andrew Garfield. More than twenty years later, the novel has been re-released for a new generation of readers and its themes feel just as relevant today. Our conversation explores why society continues to struggle with ideas of crime, punishment, rehabilitation and forgiveness. We discuss whether children who commit terrible crimes are judged differently from adults, the role of the media in shaping public opinion, and how social media would completely change Jack's story if Boy A were written today. Jonathan's book recommendations: • GB84 — David Peace • If We Tolerate This: How the British Establishment Made the Far Right Respectable — Daniel Trilling • Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York — Andrew Lownie • Lost Boys: Undercover in the Manosphere — James Bloodworth • Fieldwork As A Sex Object — Meena Kandasamy • The Road — Cormac McCarthy • The House at Pooh Corner — A. A. Milne
Linda Duncan McLaughlin joins me to discuss her debut crime novel, Original Sins , which has been shortlisted for the 2026 Bloody Scotland Debut Prize. Linda shares the inspiration behind a story that explores identity, adoption and the age-old question of nature versus nurture. We discuss the challenge of writing a protagonist whose birth father is a serial killer, why the novel blends psychological suspense with family drama, and how a manuscript that sat unfinished for years eventually became her debut novel. Linda also tells us about appearing on the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize Panel , taking place Friday 18 September at 3:00pm, and shares the festival events she's most looking forward to attending. Her recommendations include the Two Crime Walking Tour , From Screen to Page , You the Jury , Every Breath You Take , Glesga , Murder at the Edge of the World , and Pitch Perfect .
This week on In My Good Books , I'm joined by debut author Katie Huttlestone to discuss her novel, A Healthy Appetite . The novel follows Hannah, a woman with late-stage illness who volunteers for an experimental drug trial. As the treatment begins to work in unexpected ways, it also awakens an increasingly ravenous appetite, forcing Hannah to confront impossible questions about survival, identity and the moral compromises we might make to stay alive. Katie shares the deeply personal inspiration behind the novel, drawing on her own experiences of living with chronic illness while creating a speculative story that asks fascinating "what if?" questions rather than telling a traditional cancer narrative. We talk about medical trials, the realities of living in the space between illness and wellness, and why she wanted to write a story that offered something different from the books she'd previously encountered. As always, Katie shares two brilliant book recommendations to add to your reading list: Permanence by Sophie Mackintosh Wrecks by Matt Hill If you enjoy conversations about books, writing and the stories behind the stories, don't forget to follow In My Good Books so you never miss an episode.
In this episode of Reading Is Political, I'm joined by debut novelist Fauzia Musa to discuss her extraordinary novel The Strangling Fig . Spanning the Partition of India and Pakistan in 1947 through to the early 2000s, The Strangling Fig is a sweeping family saga that blends literary fiction, magical realism and historical memory. We explore how personal histories become family myths, the generational impact of political decisions, and why some stories remain untold for decades. Fauzia shares how the novel began as an attempt to write her own family's history before evolving into fiction, why she introduced a ghost into the narrative, and how multiple drafts transformed the book into the story readers see today. We also discuss researching Partition, writing ambitious dual timelines, and the challenge of creating authentic characters across generations. Fauzia also recommends four books that have shaped her thinking, before sharing two comfort reads she returns to again and again: Melissa Febos – Body Work: The Radical Power of Personal Narrative Shehan Karunatilaka – The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida Shon Faye – Love in Exile Ayn Rand – The Fountainhead Lily King – Heart the Lover John Fowles – The Magus If you enjoy conversations about books, politics, identity and the stories that shape our world, don't forget to follow In My Good Books wherever you listen to podcasts. Fauzia's Legit Substack
Kirsty Lockwood joins me to discuss her debut crime thriller, We Know What You Did , a novel that's already making waves after being shortlisted for the 2026 Bloody Scotland Debut Prize and longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize. In this episode, Kirsty shares the whirlwind journey from publication day to becoming one of the most talked-about new voices in Scottish crime fiction. We chat about the inspiration behind Odette, one of this year's most compelling protagonists, the challenge of writing dual timelines, and why social media became such an important part of the novel's central mystery. As part of my Bloody Scotland 2026 series, Kirsty also tells us about appearing on the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize Panel , taking place Friday 18 September at 3:00pm, and shares the festival events she's most excited to attend. Her recommendations include Femme Fatales (featuring Liz Nugent, Harriet Tyce and Andrea Mara) and Are They or Aren't They? featuring Leodora Darlington. If you enjoy psychological suspense, character-driven crime fiction and behind-the-scenes publishing conversations, this is an episode you won't want to miss.
When Zoe Ranki n first joined the podcast, T he Vanishing Place hadn't even been published. Fast forward a year and her haunting New Zealand thriller has been shortlisted for the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize and longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize, an incredible achievement for a first novel. In this special Bloody Scotland 2026 episode, we chat about everything that's happened since publication, from seeing her novel on bookshop shelves to meeting readers, navigating imposter syndrome, and why receiving congratulations from Ian Rankin felt completely surreal. We also dive back into The Vanishing Place , discussing its unforgettable setting in the remote New Zealand bush, why Zoe describes her books as "nature-centric thrillers", and how the landscape became as important as any of the characters. She shares the inspiration behind the novel, the challenges of writing it, and why Jane Harper's The Dry changed her life forever. There's plenty of Bloody Scotland chat too, including Zoe's excitement about making the journey from New Zealand, the panels she's appearing on, and the events she's most looking forward to attending. Debut Prize Panel Friday 18 September • 3:00pm Murder at the End of the World Saturday 19 September • 9:45pm Femmes Fatales featuring Liz Nugent, Harriet Tyce and Andrea Mara Jane Harper & Jane Case y Denise Mina in conversation with Lucy Foley If you're heading to Bloody Scotland, don't miss the chance to hear Zoe speak!
In this episode, I'm joined by Dr Eleanor Drage , Senior Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge, AI ethicist, broadcaster and co-host of T he Good Robot podcast , to discuss her new book What If We Got AI Right? We explore why conversations about AI need to move beyond hype and fear, how power, politics and inequality are embedded in technology, and why regulation, education and public participation will all be essential in shaping the future of AI. Eleanor also recommends a brilliant selection of books that explore technology, disability, labour, philosophy and the future of society. Joshua Schuster & Derek Woods – Calamity Theory Tim Ingold – Lines Karen Levy – Data Driven Jane Bennett – Vibrant Matter Cassandra Hartblay – Access Vernaculars Ned Beauman – Venomous Lumpsucker If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it with anyone interested in AI, politics, technology or the future of society.
Join me behind the Scenes at the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival 2026! This week's episode is something a little different as I take you behind the scenes at the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in Harrogate, Europe's largest celebration of crime fiction. Over one packed weekend I caught up with eight fantastic authors to chat about their latest books, writing life, festival highlights and what readers can expect next. From bestselling thriller writers to exciting debut novelists, this episode gives you a flavour of one of the friendliest and most exciting weekends in the publishing calendar. 📚 John Marrs – Dead In The Water 📚 Gillian McAllister – Caller Unknown 📚 Dorothy Koomson – T he Quiet Girls 📚 Holly Stars – Murder in the Dressing Room 📚 Arvind Ethan David – T he Great Game 📚 Adele Parks – Eyes on You 📚 Mark Edwards – One of the Family 📚 Anna Mazzola – Anna Sharpe: Lie for Your Life (coming January 2027) 📝 Enter the Sarita Domingo Prize 📬 Arvind Ethan David's Substack: The Dread and the Envy 🎙️ Dorothy Koomson's podcast: The Dorothy Edit If you enjoy In My Good Books , I'd really appreciate it if you could follow the podcast, leave a rating or review, and share the episode with a fellow book lover. You can also find me on Instagram: @inmygoodbookspod
Steve Cavanagh joins me to discuss his latest legal thriller, One of Us is Guilty, the tenth novel in his bestselling Eddie Flynn series. In this episode, Steve introduces Eddie Flynn for anyone who is new to the series and explains why every book is written to work equally well for first-time readers and long-standing fans. We talk about why the tenth Eddie Flynn novel felt significant, the characters Steve wanted to revisit, and his decision to spend more time in Eddie’s head. Steve also discusses the structure of One of Us is Guilty, including the challenge of showing the same scene from two different perspectives and allowing the reader to see what each character is thinking and hiding. Buy One Of Us Is Guilty Find Steve on Instagram The Steve Cavanagh Readers Club Books recommended: The Devils by Joe Abercrombie The Firm by John Grisham
In this episode I'm joined by award-winning Scottish author Sara Sheridan to discuss her captivating new historical novel, The Jewel Keepers . Known for bringing overlooked stories from Scotland's past to life, Sara takes readers on a thrilling treasure hunt through 1837 Edinburgh, following Araminta Mackenzie Moore as she uncovers family secrets, hidden histories and a mysterious lost Scottish crown. Sara's website Buy The Jewel Keepers Sara also shares three brilliant book recommendations: Water Music by T. C. Boyle Doorways in Drumorty by Lorna Moon The Pretender by Jo Harkin
This week I'm joined by bestselling crime writer, former criminal defence lawyer, podcaster and Chair of the Crime Writers' Association, Nadine Matheson . Nadine's Inspector Anjelica Henley series has become one of the standout police procedural series in UK crime fiction, and in this episode we dive into the fourth novel, The Shadow Carver . We discuss why she wanted to explore vigilantism, justice and the moral grey areas that exist between right and wrong, as well as why Henley's flaws are just as important as her strengths. We also chat about creating memorable serial killers without relying on gratuitous violence, building an ensemble cast across four books, and why Nadine begins every novel with a single vivid scene she can see playing out like a film. Away from the series, Nadine shares the story of her route to publication, explains why she avoided writing legal thrillers despite her career in criminal law, and gives an exclusive glimpse into her forthcoming standalone psychological thriller. As part of my Bloody Scotland 2026 series, we also talk about the festival itself, the panels Nadine is looking forward to attending, and what readers can expect when she returns to Stirling. Nadine will be appearing at Bloody Scotland on Saturday 19 September at 4.45pm in In Conversation with Steve Cavanagh . During the episode she also recommends the following festival panels: Twists and Turns featuring Gilly MacMillan, Dorothy Koomson and Claire Douglas. Across the Pond featuring Gavin Bell, Adele Parks and Tariq Ashkanani and chaired by me! If you're heading to Bloody Scotland, I'd highly recommend checking them out. If you enjoy the episode, please follow the podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it with a fellow book lover. It really helps more readers discover the show.
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Observed September 18, 2026. Cached outside the daily freshness window; the positions keep the date they were taken on.
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