Best Book Forward

I am absolutely thrilled to kick off the new season with the brilliant Sunday Times bestselling author, Dr. Joanna Cannon, to talk all about her beautiful new novel, An Unlikely Visitor.

In this episode, Jo talks about her journey from becoming a doctor in her 40s to a bestselling author, how everything in life worth having starts with a pinch of anxiety and how meeting one reader in a signing line led to Jo dedicating this novel to her.

Of course, no episode of Best Book Forward is complete without lots of book chat and Jo’s love of books shines through this chat. We could have talked books all day long.

Joanna’s Book Choices:

• Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
• Talking Heads by Alan Bennett
• Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
• Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
• When God Was A Rabbit by Sarah Winman

Books by Dr. Joanna Cannon:

• An Unlikely Visitor
• The Trouble with Goats and Sheep
• A Tidy Ending
• Three Things About Elsie

Other Books Mentioned:

• The Midnight Train by Matt Haig
• Roman Mornings by Matson Taylor
• Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt by Ben Reeves
• Tin Man by Sarah Winman
• My Cousin Rachel by Daphne Du Maurier
• The Lido by Libby Page
• Still Life by Sarah Winman

If you loved listening to this episode, please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review Best Book Forward on your favourite podcast app, and don’t forget to tell your book-loving friends. It really helps new listeners discover our cozy reading community and helps us grow!

See you next Thursday for another wonderful guest, and happy listening!

🎧 Listen & Subscribe Now: : Best Book Forward Podcast

📲 Connect with Us:

• Follow Helen on Instagram: @bestbookforward
• Discover more book recommendations on our Website: https://bestbookforward.org/

Welcome to this very special preview episode of Best Book Forward! Today, I am giving you an exclusive sneak peek into my conversation with the brilliant bestselling author, Dr. Joanna Cannon, ahead of her main episode dropping this Thursday.

To celebrate the launch of her beautiful new novel, An Unlikely Visitor, we are wrapping up today's episode with a very special, exclusive audiobook preview, read beautifully by Emily Joyce. Trust me when I say it is pure joy. It made me want to just curl up in my favourite chair with a cup of tea and keep listening all afternoon!

In this quick preview, I am sharing a little glimpse of what is to come later this week. We chat about Jo’s incredible journey from working as a doctor to becoming a bestselling author and I had a goosebumps moment when Jo talked about how she believes that everything in life that is truly worth having starts with a pinch of anxiety (and I totally agree with her)>

What really shines through for me in this whole episode is Jo’s completely infectious love of books, and I just know you are going to absolutely love this chat. Both the main interview and An Unlikely Visitor release this coming Thursday, and I hope you'll be diving into both.

If you are already subscribed to Best Book Forward, your podcast app will send you a little notification the moment the main episode lands. In the meantime, come and say hello to us both over on Instagram by hitting the links below!

🎧 Listen & Subscribe https://best-book-forward.captivate.fm/listen

📲 Connect with Us

• Follow Helen on Instagram: @bestbookforward
• Follow Joanna Cannon on Instagram: @joannacannonauthor

🎙️ Best Book Forward – Season 6 Trailer

A brand new season of Best Book Forward is almost here!

Join me for another chapter of bookish conversation, where each week I sit down with incredible authors to explore the books that have shaped their lives. You can think of it as a bookish take on Desert Island Discs.

For June and July, we are packing our bags and heading from the bustling streets of early-2000s London to sun-drenched Positano. We will be travelling to nineteenth-century France and 1970s Rome, exploring unforgettable summers, unexpected visitors, love stories, secrets, and lives changed forever.

Together, we’ll dive into the books our authors return to again and again, and we will explore how memory, identity, love, and reinvention shape the stories that stay with us long after the final page is turned.

Exciting news for this season: We are going twice weekly!

The main interview episodes will continue exactly as they always have, dropping every single Thursday. But on Tuesdays, I’ll be bringing you shorter preview episodes where I'll announce my next guest, give you a little glimpse into our chat, and share an exclusive reading from the author to get you excited for the week ahead.

So, wherever you’re spending your summer this year, whether you are on a plane, by the sea, relaxing in the garden, or just stealing a quiet moment for yourself, bring a book, and bring us with you. Though be warned, this podcast is highly likely to expand your TBR list, so you might want to double-check your airline baggage allowance before you hit download!

The very first preview episode drops on Tuesday 2nd June, and if you’re subscribed, it’ll be ready and waiting for you.

🎧 Listen & Subscribe https://best-book-forward.captivate.fm/listen

📲 Stay Connected

• Follow on Instagram: @bestbookforward
• Website: https://bestbookforward.org/

Kate Lord Brown on The Silver Thread

In this final episode of Season 5, I’m joined by bestselling author Kate Lord Brown to talk about her beautiful new novel, The Silver Thread. We discuss Kate’s love of uncovering forgotten histories, the real-life inspirations behind the novel, and how Liberty London became an unexpected doorway into the past.

Of course, no episode of Best Book Forward is complete without book recommendations. Here are the books that have shaped Kate. You’ll find links to buy below:

Books by Kate:

The Silver Thread

The Golden Hour

A Summer at the Castle

A Season of Secrets

Kate’s Book Choices:

The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi Di Lampedusa

Brother of the More Famous Jack by Barbara Trapido

Heartburn by Nora Ephron

Light Years by James Salter

The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje

Other Books Mentioned:

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

The Homemade God by Rachel Joyce

Season 6 is coming really soon and I cannot wait to tell you what I’ve been working on. But first a huge thanks to my guests who have been:

Julie Owen Moylan

Lucy Apps

Sarah Vaughan

Heidi Swain

Ilona Bannister

Andrea Mara

Lucy Ashe

and Kate Lord Brown

In the meantime, if you’ve enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate and review Best Book Forward, and don’t forget to tell your friends. It really helps new listeners discover the show.

See you soon, and happy listening.

Listen & Subscribe Now:

https://best-book-forward.captivate.fm/listen

To stay in touch with Best Book Forward news please follow me on Instagram @bestbookforward or visit my website: https://bestbookforward.org/

Lucy Ashe on The Model Patient

In this episode, I’m joined by author Lucy Ashe to talk about her latest novel, The Model Patient, looking at her own experiences with therapy helped shaped the story and how her research into women’s lives in the 1960s made her feel a sense of urgency.

Of course, no episode of Best Book Forward is complete without book recommendations. Here are the books that have shaped Lucy. You’ll find links to buy below:

Books by Lucy:

The Model Patient

Clara & Olivia

The Sleeping Beauties

Lucy’s Book Choices:

Northern Lights by Philip Pullman

Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

All About Love by Bell Hooks

Other Books Mentioned

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Why We Dream by Alice Robb

Woman's Lore by Sarah Clegg

I’ll be back next week with another author conversation, and I’d love for you to join me for that too.

In the meantime, if you’ve enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review Best Book Forward, and don’t forget to tell your friends. It really helps new listeners discover the show.

See you tomorrow, and happy listening.

Listen & Subscribe Now:

https://best-book-forward.captivate.fm/listen

To stay in touch with Best Book Forward news please follow me on Instagram @bestbookforward or visit my website: https://bestbookforward.org/

Andrea Mara on Such a Nice Girl: When Friendship and Motherhood Collide

In this episode bestselling author Andrea Mara joins me to talk about her gripping new thriller Such a Nice Girl, released today. We get into the story behind the book, which begins the morning after a glamorous wedding when two mothers wake to find their daughters missing. What follows is a tense and emotional unravelling of friendship, trust, and the quiet fears that sit beneath family life.

Andrea shares what inspired the novel and how she builds that sense of unease that keeps readers turning pages. We also talk about her writing process, the balance between character and plot and how much she loves to come up with great red herrings.

Of course, no episode of Best Book Forward is complete without book recommendations. Here are the books that have shaped Andrea. You’ll find links to buy below:

Books by Andrea:

Such A Nice Girl

All Her Fault

It Should Have Been You

Andrea’s Book Choices:

It by Stephen King

The Jackson Brodie Series by Kate Atkinson

The Chimney Sweeper Boy by Barbara Vine

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Margot's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe

Other Books Mentioned

On Writing by Stephen King

Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson

Small Mercies by Denis Lehane

Long Bright River by Liz Moore

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

I’ll be back next week with another author conversation, and I’d love for you to join me for that too.

In the meantime, if you’ve enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review Best Book Forward, and don’t forget to tell your friends. It really helps new listeners discover the show.

See you tomorrow, and happy listening.

Listen & Subscribe Now:

https://best-book-forward.captivate.fm/listen

To stay in touch with Best Book Forward news please follow me on Instagram @bestbookforward or visit my website: https://bestbookforward.org/

Andrea Mara on Such a Nice Girl: When Friendship and Motherhood Collide

In this episode bestselling author Andrea Mara joins me to talk about her gripping new thriller Such a Nice Girl, released today. We get into the story behind the book, which begins the morning after a glamorous wedding when two mothers wake to find their daughters missing. What follows is a tense and emotional unravelling of friendship, trust, and the quiet fears that sit beneath family life.

Andrea shares what inspired the novel and how she builds that sense of unease that keeps readers turning pages. We also talk about her writing process, the balance between character and plot, and the journey to becoming a bestselling thriller author. It is a really fascinating look at how a story comes together and what drives her to keep writing darker, more complex narratives.

What we talk about:

• The inspiration behind Such a Nice Girl
• Why stories about motherhood and friendship resonate so deeply
• Building suspense through character and everyday fears
• Andrea’s writing process and how her ideas develop
• Her journey to becoming a bestselling author

Books that shaped Andrea

Of course, no episode of Best Book Forward is complete without book recommendations. Here are the books that have shaped Andrea. You’ll find links to buy below:

I’ll be back next week with another author conversation, and I’d love for you to join me for that too.

In the meantime, if you’ve enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review Best Book Forward, and don’t forget to tell your friends. It really helps new listeners discover the show.

See you tomorrow, and happy listening.

Listen & Subscribe Now:

https://best-book-forward.captivate.fm/listen

To stay in touch with Best Book Forward news please follow me on Instagram @bestbookforward or visit my website: https://bestbookforward.org/

Ilona joins me today to chat about her incredible new novel Five. I couldn’t wait to chat to Ilona about it; I mean check this hook out: Five passengers, five, stories, five minutes until someone dies. Who do you want it to be? Brilliant isn't it and I can tell you it is a fantastic read one that should be read in a group!

This is a story about judgment. About empathy. About the hidden lives we never see and in this episode Ilona share what drew her to this premise as we discuss the themes of how we view strangers and the assumptions we make.

This conversation dives into:

• Moral decision-making under extreme pressure
• The psychology of judgment and bias
• The importance of empathy in everyday interactions
• The lived experiences of mothers and individuals navigating neurodiversity
• How real-world moments can inspire compelling fiction

Books that shaped Ilona

Of course, no episode of Best Book Forward is complete without book recommendations. Here are the books that have shaped Heidi, you’ll find links to buy below:

• The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
• Mrs Death Misses Death by Salena Godden
• Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby
• Edith's Diary by Patricia Highsmith

Also recommended by Ilona:

Unschooled by Caro Giles

I’ll be back next week with another author conversation, and I’d love for you to join me for that too.

In the meantime, if you’ve enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review Best Book Forward, and don’t forget to tell your friends... it really helps new listeners discover the show.

See you tomorrow, and happy listening.

Listen & Subscribe Now:

https://best-book-forward.captivate.fm/listen

To stay in touch with Best Book Forward news please follow me on Instagram @bestbookforward or visit my website: https://bestbookforward.org/

Heidi Swain on Walking on Sunshine: A Story of New Beginnings

In this uplifting episode, Heidi Swain joins Helen to discuss her latest novel, Walking on Sunshine. We follow Tilly as she returns to her childhood village after the loss of her father, navigating grief, rediscovering home, and finding the courage to start again.

Heidi shares the inspiration behind the story, the importance of setting in her writing, and how themes of friendship, community, and resilience shape her work. She also offers insight into her creative process and reflects on the joy of telling stories that bring comfort and hope.

To discover more of Heidi's books head to her website: https://heidiswain.co.uk/

What we talk about:

• The story behind Walking on Sunshine
• Writing about grief, home, and new beginnings
• The power of place in storytelling
• Heidi’s creative process and inspirations

Books that shaped Heidi

Of course, no episode of Best Book Forward is complete without book recommendations. Here are the books that have shaped Heidi, you’ll find links to buy below:

• Winnie The Pooh by A.A. Milne
• In and Out of the Garden by Sara Midda (currently out of print)
• A Room With A View by E.M. Forster
• A Village Affair by Joanna Trollope
• The Darling Buds of May by H.E. Bates

I’ll be back next week with another author conversation, and I’d love for you to join me for that too.

In the meantime, if you’ve enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review Best Book Forward, and don’t forget to tell your friends... it really helps new listeners discover the show.

See you tomorrow, and happy listening.

Listen & Subscribe Now:

https://best-book-forward.captivate.fm/listen

To stay in touch with Best Book Forward news please follow me on Instagram @bestbookforward or visit my website: https://bestbookforward.org/

Sarah Vaughan on Based on a True Story

In this episode, I’m joined by bestselling author Sarah Vaughan to discuss her brilliant new novel, Based on a True Story. We explore the themes at the heart of the book, including power, family dynamics, and the secrets that lie beneath carefully constructed lives.

Sarah shares insights into her writing process and inspirations, revealing how her background in journalism continues to shape her fiction. We also talk about the impact of Anatomy of a Scandal and its journey to the screen and of course the five books that have shaped her life.

📚 By Sarah Vaughan

• Based on a True Story
• Anatomy of a Scandal
• Reputation
• Little Disasters

✨ Books Mentioned

Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen

Bring up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel

I’ll be back next week with another author conversation, and I’d love for you to join me for that too.

In the meantime, if you’ve enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review Best Book Forward, and don’t forget to tell your friends... it really helps new listeners discover the show.

See you tomorrow, and happy listening.

Listen & Subscribe Now:

https://best-book-forward.captivate.fm/listen

To stay in touch with Best Book Forward news please follow me on Instagram @bestbookforward or visit my website: https://bestbookforward.org/

Lucy Apps on Gloria Don’t Speak

In this episode, I’m joined by Lucy Apps to discuss her debut novel Gloria Don’t Speak, recently longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction. We talk about the inspirations behind the novel, her writing life, and what it’s like to receive such major literary recognition.

At the heart of the conversation is Gloria; a young woman with learning disabilities navigating friendship, vulnerability, and independence in East London. Lucy shares how she approached crafting Gloria’s voice with authenticity and care, and why it was so important to tell a story that reflects the often-overlooked experiences of adults with learning disabilities.

We also explore the themes of trust, trauma, and connection within the novel, alongside a broader discussion about care, autonomy, and representation in fiction. Plus, Lucy shares some of the books that have shaped her life and thinking as a writer.

📚 By Lucy Apps

• Gloria Don't Speak

✨ Books Mentioned

Born to be Wild: The Livewire Guide to Saving Animals by Juliet Galletley - Currently Unavailable on bookshop.org

Obedience to Authority by Stanley Milgram

Nightbirds on Nantucket by Joan Aiken

Bodies by Jed Mercurio

Immanuel by Matthew McNaught

I’ll be back next week with another author conversation, and I’d love for you to join me for that too.

In the meantime, if you’ve enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review Best Book Forward, and don’t forget to tell your friends... it really helps new listeners discover the show.

See you tomorrow, and happy listening.

Listen & Subscribe Now:

https://best-book-forward.captivate.fm/listen

To stay in touch with Best Book Forward news please follow me on Instagram @bestbookforward or visit my website: https://bestbookforward.org/