Bookcited!: A Libraries NI podcast for all things library

Patricia Forde gives Jillian and Sian some tips to share to listeners, encourage children to read more as well as sharing about her writing life and the importance of representation in Children’s Literature.

Exploring obsession, violence and the human edge of crime fiction. Liverpudlian Luca Veste joins Bookcited! to discuss dark stories and why they matter - as well as analysing the plight of his beloved football team and the joy of playing Glastonbury. 

Jillian and Pete discuss the novel which follows Louisa, an eighteen-year-old aspiring artist aging out of the foster care system after the recent death of her best friend. She comes into possession of a world-famous painting featuring three tiny figures on a pier and story takes off from there.

Avid crime reader Paul Harvey talks to Jillian and Pete about the appeal of reading crime, his famous brother-in-law and which crime writers are his favourites.

Listen as bestselling crime writer Mark Billingham joins Jillian and Pete to reflect on his 25 year writing journey with stories that grip, characters that last and why his Tom Thorne series has endured. 

Join Jillian as she flies solo to interview the legend that is Bernard MacLaverty – his novels have been shortlisted for the Booker Prize and his most recent novel Midwinter Break has just been released as a film starring Ciaran Hinds and Lesley Manville. 

Join us for a Bookcited! conversation with award‑winning narrator Gerard Doyle as we discuss the merits of making books more accessible for all. Jillian and Pete glimpse some behind the scenes snippets about recording an audiobook as they chat with Gerard all the way from New York. 

Here's a taster from Jillian and Pete about the BOTM for June... Three Days by Anne Tyler revolves around three days centred around  events at a family wedding that shake up the lives of the bride’s divorced parents.

Join Jillian and Sian as they chat to Sophie Hayles from the Crescent Arts Centre about the exciting programme for this year’s Belfast Book Festival as well as hearing some behind the scenes anecdotes from past years.

Bethany introduces Jillian and Pete to her new novel ‘Familiar’ – grounded in the natural world of the Co. Down countryside, the peaceful surroundings belie the worlds which are turned upside down by the return of a long lost relative. 

Roisín O’Donnell joins Jillian and Pete on Bookcited for a moving conversation about Nesting, home, and emotional survival. 

Join the legendary children’s author Eoin Colfer as he joins Jillian and Sian to talk about his writing life and how Artemis Fowl became a worldwide phenomenon. 

Join Jillian and Pete as they chat to London author of The Doll Factory, Elizabeth Macneal, about her journey from Managing Consultancy to author and potter, finding the light in the darkness of her own historical novels, and her obsession with researching and writing about the Victorian era.

For May 2026’s Book of the Month Jillian and Pete revisit their interview with the author – who will be appearing at the Belfast Book Festival in June this year. ‘Ordinary Saints’ - Niamh Ni Mhaoilieoin’s debut novel has been nominated for a multitude of awards since its release and we are thrilled to have it as our Book Of The Month across all our Libraries. 

In this episode Jillian and Pete introduce Antrim’s Master of Crime, local author James Murphy.  James talks about his work as cheerleader for the annual National Crime Reading Month every June and about his own crime writing journey  

UK Children’s Laureate author Frank Cottrell Boyce joins Jillian and Sian to explore the National Year of Reading, the magic of stories and why books matter more than ever in a world of endless screen time.

Legendary crime writer Ian Rankin joins Jillian and Pete to explore the evolution of Rebus, the restless spirit of Edinburgh and the soundtrack that fuels his writing. 

Michelle Griffin joins Jillian and Pete to discuss the art of editing and the unseen work that strengthens every story. An illuminating conversation that highlights the essential role of editors in modern publishing.

Alan Hollinghurst joins Bookcited! to talk about April’s Book of the Month ‘Our Evenings’ and a lifetime of storytelling. A rich and generous conversation about identity, theatre and the making of a modern classic.

Patrick Gale joins Jillian and Pete to explore how the subtle interplay of inspiration and the long echo of family history have quietly shaped his forthcoming novel Love Lane. 

Jillian and Pete speak with Trish Bennett in a special World Poetry Day episode on the emotional honesty and sharp observation at the heart of her poems. A warm, revealing conversation that celebrates the art of capturing life in verse. 

Islands within an Island - Jan Carson joins Jillian and Pete to explore the stories, secrets and quiet enchantments woven through her new novel based around Lough Neagh, Few and Far Between. 

Join us to celebrate the 100th episode of Bookcited! where Jillian and Pete are joined by Conor and Sian to look back over some of the most memorable interviews and think about hypothetical future guests – dead or alive! 

Jillian and Sian join local author Sheena Wilkinson as she reflects on writing, representation and the importance of telling women’s stories for International Women’s Day which takes place on 8 March.

Jillian and Pete explore the quiet magic and bittersweet wonder of the bestselling Japanese novel Before the Coffee Gets Cold, Libraries NI’s March Book of the Month.