Book Off is back! Welcome to Series 12. And to kick us off, we welcome Jennie Godfrey and Susan Fletcher to the studio to talk about their books and writing, and get some recommendations too.

Jennie's debut novel, The List Of Suspicious Things, has been published to great acclaim whilst Susan's new novel, The Night In Question, is hotly anticipated - and coming out in just a few weeks.

We discuss Yorkshire, adventure, writing older characters, friendships in fiction and a lot lot more.

It also turns out, Susan and Jennie (and Joe) are huuuuge Marian Keyes fans, so there's a little bit of fan girling...please forgive us.

THE BOOK OFF

'Rachel's Holiday' by Marian Keyes

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'The Poisonwood Bible' by Barbara Kingsolver

But who will win?

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It's a children's book special this week!

Former Children's Laureate, Cressida Cowell, goes head to head with broadcaster and author Dermot O'Leary.

They chat about their latest novels, their passion for getting books into children's hands, a love of history - and - world building!

THE BOOK OFF

'The Power Of The Dog' by Don Winslow

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'The Joy Luck Club' by Amy Tan

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Authors Heidi Amsinck and Marisa Haetzman go head to head in a war of the words, just before their appearance at Bloody Scotland.

Heidi discusses her latest Jensen thriller, 'The Girl in The Photo' and her love for Denmark.

Marisa tells us about collaborating with her husband, Chris Brookmyre (writing as Ambrose Parry) and their new book, 'Voices Of The Dead'

They also tell us what they have been reading and enjoying recently.

THE BOOK OFF

Mayflies by Andrew O'Hagan

VS

The Elements Of Style by William Strunk Jr and EB White

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Journalist, radio presenter and author Stig Abell goes head to head with international bestselling author and screenwriter, Jo Spain in a war of the words.

They discuss the politics of blurbing books, where they get their inspirations from, hard-boiled crime and when and where they write.

They also recommend us some brilliant books, which they have enjoyed recently.

THE BOOK OFF

'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen

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'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen

(Yes! The same book pitched against itself. A BOOK OFF FIRST!)

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Bestselling novelist, Catriona Ward, goes head to head in a war of the words with Suede co-founder, bassist and author, Mat Osman!

They discuss their new novels - "Looking Glass Sound" and "The Ghost Theatre" - as well as recommending us some books they have read recently and loved. These include 'Orlando' by Virginia Wolf and 'Wide Sargasso Sea' by Jean Rhys.

The authors also talk about being "shelved" in the right place, the horror genre, Stephen King, Elizabethan London and what one reads on a tour bus.

THE BOOK OFF

'The Haunting Of Hill House' by Shirley Jackson

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'You Only Live Twice' by Ian Fleming

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Authors Poorna Bell and Eva Rice go head to head in a War of the Words!

They discuss their love of the 90s and why it's such a rich decade to set fiction in. (*warning - Joe and Eva geek out a little on the music of the 90s just fyi!)

We also get some brilliant book recommendations AND some very useful writing tips too.

THE BOOK OFF

'Kitchen' by Banana Yoshimoto

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'The Buddha Of Suburbia' by Hanif Kureishi

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Publicist extraordinaire and debut novelist Georgina Moore goes head to head with author and journalist Sophia Money-Coutts in a war of the words.

They talk to Joe Haddow about siblings, sisterhood, writing women in their thirties and boats!

We also delve into literary love, language and landscapes - and the importance of a setting.

George and Sophia also give us some brilliant book recommendations too.

THE BOOK OFF

'By Grand Central Station I Sat Down And Wept' by Elizabeth Smart

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'The Five' by Hallie Rubenhold

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Bestselling authors Jill Mansell and Lucy Diamond join Joe Haddow for a war of the words!

They discuss the brilliance of Elly Griffiths (a previous BooK Off guest) and how hard it is to find the time to start a new series of books. They talk about their new novels ('Promise Me' and 'The Best Days Of Our Lives') as well as giving us some writing tips.

The authors also talk about why 'feelgood fiction' is in such a good place at the moment, and how we all need a bit of it in our lives!

THE BOOK OFF

'Riders' by Jilly Cooper

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'One Good Turn' by Kate Atkinson

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In this episode, bestselling crime/thriller authors Elly Griffiths and Jane Harper go head to head in a war of the words.

The writers discuss their latest novels, 'The Last Remains' and 'Exiles', and give us some writing tips too.

They also recommend us some books they have read recently and talk about what it means to take their research seriously. (hint - wine tasting is key)

THE BOOK OFF

'Cold Comfort Farm' by Stella Gibbons

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'Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone' by Benjamin Stevenson.

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In the first episode of our new series, authors Kirsty Logan and Laura Purcell go head to head in a war of the words...

They discuss their new novels - 'Now She Is Witch' and 'The Whispering Muse' - writing processes and they give us some brilliant book recommendations.

THE BOOK OFF

'Moominland Midwinter' by Tove Jansson

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'The Circus Of Wonders' by Elizabeth Macneal

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