In My Good Books

In this episode of  In My Good Books , Susie is joined by author  Tracy Sierra  to talk about her psychological thrillers  Nightwatching  and  Warning Signs , and the ideas, fears, and family dynamics that sit beneath the tension in her work. Tracy discusses the journey of publishing her debut novel  Nightwatching  and the surreal moment of seeing it featured on  The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon...

In this special episode of  In My Good Books , I’m sharing everything you need to know about the  Helensburgh Book Festival 2026 programme , a much-loved literary festival taking place on Scotland’s west coast from  Friday 27th to Saturday 28th March 2026 . Nestled in the beautiful seaside town of Helensburgh, this intimate festival has built a strong reputation over the past four years for champi...

In this episode of  In My Good Books , I’m joined by award-winning author  Lucy Lapinska  (also known as L.D. Lapinski) to talk about their debut adult novel,  Some Body Like Me , a sharp, emotionally resonant speculative thriller that explores identity, ownership, and what it really means to inhabit a body. Lucy discusses the inspiration behind the novel and how ideas around bodily autonomy, capi...

In this episode of In My Good Books , I’m joined by journalist and author Tanya Sweeney to talk about her brilliant debut novel, Esther is Now Following You , a sharp, funny and unsettling exploration of social media, celebrity culture and parasocial relationships. Tanya has spent over fifteen years working in journalism, and we talk about how that background shaped her move into fiction, from fin...

In this episode of  In My Good Books , I’m joined by author  Caroline Hulse , who writes crime fiction under the name  C.E. Hulse , to talk about her brilliantly inventive novel  Vivian Dies Again . Known for acclaimed contemporary novels like  The Adults  and  Reasonable People , Caroline chats about making the leap into crime fiction and why this genre has always been close to her heart. We dive...

In this episode of  In My Good Books , I’m joined by bestselling author Alexandra Potter to talk about her latest novel,  So I Met This Guy  , a smart, funny and deeply moving story about heartbreak, reinvention and the power of female friendship. Alexandra shares the surprising inspiration behind the story and we also talk about Alexandra’s love of writing character-driven fiction, particularly s...

In this episode of  In My Good Books , I’m joined by crime writer Sean Watkin to talk about his dark, character-driven police procedural  Better Off Dead , the second novel in his DCI de Silva series. Sean chats about his writing journey, including the surprising fact that  Better Off Dead  originally began life as a horror novel before a tutor encouraged him to try crime fiction – a change that c...

In this episode of  In My Good Books , Susie is joined by debut novelist Silvia Saunders to talk about her beautifully observed first novel,  Homesick . Set during the uncertain years of early adulthood, the book explores friendship, love, jealousy and mental health through the eyes of Mara, a librarian trying to navigate adulthood while living with her childhood best friend. Silvia discusses how ...

In this episode of  In My Good Books , I’m joined by bestselling author and former police detective  Caroline Mitchell  to talk about her remarkable writing career and her latest psychological thriller,  The Ice Angels . Caroline has published an astonishing  23 novels  since leaving the police, and in this conversation she shares how her background in law enforcement shapes her crime writing, fro...

In this episode of  In My Good Books , I’m joined by bestselling author Laura Pearson to talk about her latest novel,  What Happened That Summer . We discuss the inspiration behind  What Happened That Summer , including how the idea came to Laura unexpectedly while travelling, and why she knew this was a story she had to tell. Laura also explains the unique podcast-style format used in the novel a...

In this episode of  In My Good Books , I’m joined by novelist  Carole Hailey  to talk about her gripping debut novel, Scenes From A Tragedy . We discuss how Carole was drawn to writing about a devastating plane crash in the Lake District and how her background in law shaped the way she approached research, investigation and storytelling. Carole shares her fascination with exploring the aftermath o...

In this episode of  In My Good Books , I’m joined by award-winning author  D.V. Bishop  to talk about his brilliant historical crime series set in  Renaissance Italy . We explore the world of  Cesare Aldo , a crime investigator navigating a corrupt justice system while living as a gay man in a deeply repressive society. David shares how his fascination with historical criminal justice led to the c...

What happens when two book podcasters try to narrow the entire publishing world down to just ten books? In this episode, Susie is joined by Philippa Hall, host of the hugely influential Quick Book Reviews  podcast, for a wide-ranging conversation about podcasting, books, and the power of the bookish community. Together, Susie and Philippa reflect on the realities of creating book content - from th...

In the final episode of the year, Susie is joined by one of her all-time favourite writers:  Abigail Dean , the internationally bestselling author of  Girl A ,  Day One , and her extraordinary new novel  The Death of Us . Across her three novels, Abigail has become known for exploring trauma, memory, survival and the complicated ways people love each other through unthinkable circumstances.  The D...

In this week’s episode, Susie sits down with bestselling author Anna Bailey to talk about their novel, Our Last Wild Days. Set in the humid, eerie landscape of rural Louisiana, the book blends literary fiction with the pace and atmosphere of a thriller, exploring small-town secrets, loyalty, and the places we run from but never quite escape. Anna opens up about why the American South has always pu...

In this special episode of  In My Good Books , Susie shines a spotlight on the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize, a writing competition that has become genuinely life-changing for many unpublished authors. She’s joined by literary agent Hellie Ogden, alongside prize winners Catherine Chanter and Megan Davis, to demystify the entry process and talk honestly about what the prize can offer writers at the...

In this episode of In My Good Books, Susie talks with author G.D. Wright about his turbulent year, his creative resilience, and the release of his latest novel, Into the Fire. Gary opens up about navigating serious health challenges while continuing to write, and how the support of the author and book blogging community helped carry him through. We explore the moral dilemmas that drive his storyte...

In this episode of In My Good Books, Susie is joined by author Emma Steele to talk about her deeply moving novel The Love of Our Lives, a story that blends emotional authenticity with a quietly powerful speculative twist. Emma talks about the inspiration behind Maggie, a woman navigating life a year after a heart transplant, and the intense emotional struggle that still shadows her recovery. From...

In this episode, Susie sits down with author Natasha Siegel to dive into her dark, atmospheric, and deeply thought-provoking gothic fantasy novel, As Many Souls As Stars. They explore the book’s genre-blending heart - part historical fiction, part sapphic gothic, part Faustian re-imagining, and how Natasha uses three time periods to interrogate the portrayal of women across history. Natasha chats...

In this episode of In My Good Books, Susie sits down with crime fiction author J.M. Simpson to talk about her new novel The Ophelia Murders, the first instalment in her Whistler’s Peak series set deep in the Scottish Highlands. Jo shares the inspirations behind her setting, how she approaches character development, and why her writing process is driven by instinct rather than rigid planning. We al...

In this episode of In My Good Books, Susie chats with authors Emilie Castera and Eve Goodfellow about their witty and fast-paced crime novel, A Bloody Merry Murder. Written as a duo, Emilie and Eve share how they bring their characters to life through alternating chapters, creating distinct voices and an addictive reading experience. The pair open up about the realities of self-publishing, from ed...

In this special episode of In My Good Books, Susie sits down with Vic Watson, the organiser of the hugely popular Bay Tales crime fiction festival, returning to Whitley Bay on 28th February 2026. Vic gives us an inside look at what makes Bay Tales one of the UK’s most exciting crime fiction events. From its community roots and warm, coastal setting to its line-up of bestselling authors, dynamic pa...

In this episode of In My Good Books, Susie sits down with crime writer Tariq Ashkanani to talk about his new thriller, The Night Watcher - the first in a brand new Edinburgh-set PI series. Tariq introduces us to Callie Munro, a private investigator shaped by a difficult past and determined to uncover the truth, no matter the cost. We chat about writing flawed characters, the morally grey areas of...

In this episode of In My Good Books, Susie sits down with author Emma Christie to discuss her tense and emotional psychological thriller, Watch Your Back. The novel follows Jo, a woman working in a charity shop who’s hiding a devastating secret. When a mysterious box of letters from prison arrives at the shop, Jo is torn between uncovering the truth and keeping the past buried. But before she can...

In this episode of In My Good Books, Susie chats with Alison Stockham, author of the gripping psychological thriller Let Her Go. Together, they explore the fragile boundaries of friendship, trust, and betrayal and the real-life experience that inspired Alison’s latest novel. Susie and Alison also discuss the craft of writing psychological thrillers - from creating characters with hidden motives to...