HodderPod - Hodder books podcast

HodderPod - Hodder books podcast

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HodderPod - Hodder books podcast episodes

  • PAY THE PRICE by Sam Tobin, read by Janelle Thompson - audiobook extract
    The deadliest criminals of Manchester's murky underworld are back in an explosive book!
    A sister's love.
    When Fauzia's brother turns up with a dead body, her perfect life is shattered. She'll protect him to the ends of the earth, but who is he running from?
    A woman scorned.
    Keisha knows all too well that family comes first. Reeling from rejection, she's determined to make Malton pay. And she'll hurt him in the worst way imaginable.
    A deadly threat.
    Craig Malton is on the hunt for a violent drug lord who's wreaking havoc and destruction in Manchester. Little does he know what's coming for him...
    An action-packed gangland thriller in Manchester's murky underworld - perfect for fans of Martina Cole and Kimberley Chambers.
    4 min
  • THE GREAT ESCAPER by Simon Pearson, read by Charles Johnston - audiobook extract
    Sunday Times Top 10 Bestseller
    The thrilling true story of the real Great Escape, published to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the escape.
    Roger Bushell was 'Big X', mastermind of the mass breakout from Stalag Luft III in March 1944, immortalised in the Hollywood film The Great Escape.
    Very little was known about Bushell until 2011, when his family donated his private papers - a treasure trove of letters, photographs and diaries - to the Imperial War Museum. Through exclusive access to this material - as well as fascinating new research from other sources - Simon Pearson, Chief Night Editor of The Times, has now written the first biography of this iconic figure.
    Born in South Africa in 1910, Roger Bushell was the son of a British mining engineer. By the age of 29, this charismatic character who spoke nine languages had become a London barrister with a reputation for successfully defending those much less fortunate than him. He was also renowned as an international ski champion and fighter pilot with a string of glamorous girlfriends.
    On 23 May, 1940, his Spitfire was shot down during a dogfight over Boulogne after destroying two German fighters. From then on his life was governed by an unquenchable desire to escape from Occupied Europe.
    Over the next four years he made three escapes, coming within 100 yards of the Swiss border during his first attempt. His second escape took him to Prague where he was sheltered by the Czech resistance for eight months before he was captured. The three months of savage interrogation in Berlin by the Gestapo that followed made him even more determined. Prisoner or not, he would do his utmost to fight the Nazis. His third (and last escape) destabilised the Nazi leadership and captured the imagination of the world.
    He died on 29 March 1944, murdered on the explicit instructions of Adolf Hitler.
    Simon Pearson's revealing biography is a vivid account of war and love, triumph and tragedy - one man's attempt to challenge remorseless tyranny in the face of impossible odds.
    5 min
  • SPICE ROAD by Maya Ibrahim, read by Krupa Pattani - audiobook extract
    The first book in an epic fantasy series for fans of Sabaa Tahir, Hafsah Faizal and Elizabeth Lim, set in an Arabian-inspired land. Raised to protect her nation from the monsters lurking in the sands, 17-year-old Imani must fight to find her brother whose betrayal is now their greatest threat.
    In the hidden desert city of Qalia, secret spice magic awakens affinities in those who drink the misra tea. With an affinity for iron, 17-year-old Imani wields a dagger like no other warrior, garnering her the reputation as the next greatest Shield for battling the dangerous djinn, ghouls and other monsters that lurk in the sands beyond city limits.
    Her reputation has been overshadowed, however, by her brother who tarnished the family name after he was discovered stealing their nation's coveted spice—a tell-tale sign of magical obsession. He disappeared soon after, believed to have died beyond the Forbidden Wastes, and leaving Imani reeling with both betrayal and grief.
    But when Imani uncovers evidence her brother may be alive and spreading their nation's magic beyond the desert, she strikes a deal with the Council to find him and bring him back to Qalia before he can reveal the city's location. Accompanied by Qayn, a roguish but handsome djinni, and Taha, a powerful beastseer whose magical talents are matched only by his arrogance, they set out on their mission.
    Imani will soon discover there are many secrets that lie beyond the Forbidden Wastes—and in her own heart—but will she find her brother before his betrayals endanger the fate of all of Qalia?
    In this epic and action-packed fantasy, one young heroine navigates the treacherous road between protecting the ones you love and staying loyal to the place you call home.
    5 min
  • THIS WON'T HURT by Marieke Bigg, read by Daphne Kouma - audiobook extract
    The past, present and future of the sexism inherent in medicine and medical research—and how to change it.
    The idea that medicine is gender-neutral is a myth. This isn't inflammatory rhetoric; it's simply true. From the way pain is felt, to how heart attacks are diagnosed, to the very role society plays in the health of the body, the medical landscape in place today is one that was designed for, and by, men.
    This audiobook is about all the ways medicine is not gender-neutral, from research to treatment to diagnosis. Throughout history, flawed mindsets have paved the way for sub-par treatment, and the prevailing attitudes that still exist today have had terrible repercussions for women and their bodies.
    Blending fascinating examples with historical and cultural context, and reflecting on her own personal experience with healthcare, Dr Marieke Bigg explores how women's bodies have been ignored, misunderstood and misdiagnosed, whilst keeping an eye to a better future. This is a sharp and honest must-listen, and an empowering tool for anyone committed to making this world safer to navigate for all.
    5 min
  • TRUTH AND REPAIR by Judith Herman, read by Stacey Glemboski - audiobook extract
    A powerful exploration of what justice truly means for survivors of sexual violence, abuse, and trauma.
    Part manifesto, part exploration of what justice truly means for survivors of trauma and abuse, Judith Herman forces us to reconsider our perspective on victims, revealing uncomfortable truths about our justice systems and proposing new ways to implement justice. A follow-up to the bestselling Trauma and Recovery the audiobook is divided into three parts, Part One: Power, examines the structure and nature of tyranny, patriarchy and white supremacy; Part Two: Visions of Justice, reveals how our current system is woefully ill-equipped for victims and corrects our misguided assumptions about what survivors need in the aftermath of violence, and finally in Part Three: Centring Survivor Justice, Herman proposes alternative methods of justice, offering hopeful new ways to think about its meanings and possibilities.
    Truth and Repair is a profound and timely commentary that lies at the intersection of several cultural moments including the #MeToo movement, a resurgent interest in trauma, and the global movements focusing on racial injustices and abuses of power towards people of colour. Thoughtful, visceral and moving, Truth and Repair is a necessary call to action that invites us to envision a new approach to justice—one that centres on healing and solidarity to stand with survivors everywhere.
    4 min
  • NEEDLESS ALLEY by Natalie Marlow, read by Paul Dela Ross - audiobook extract
    Birmingham, 1933.
    Private enquiry agent William Garrett, a man damaged by a dark childhood spent on Birmingham's canals, specialises in facilitating divorces for the city's male elite. With the help of his best friend - charming, out-of-work actor Ronnie Edgerton - William sets up honey traps. But photographing unsuspecting women in flagrante plagues his conscience and William heaves up his guts with remorse after every job.
    However, William's life changes when he accidentally meets the beautiful Clara Morton and falls in love. Little does he know she is the wife of a client - a leading fascist with a dangerous obsession. And what should have been another straightforward job turns into something far more deadly.
    Drenched in evocative period atmosphere and starring an unforgettable cast of characters, Needless Alley takes the listener from seedy canal-side pubs, to crumbling Warwickshire manor houses, and into the hidden spaces of Birmingham's queer, bohemian society.
    2 min
  • ASHES AND STONES by Allyson Shaw, read by Lucy Paterson - audiobook extract
    'It's summer. I stand where perhaps Ellen stood, in this ground thick with new thistle and long grass. She would have ken this coast in all weathers: in the summer when it was as gentle as a lake and in the winter, with the high winds and stinging salt spray.'
    A beautifully written journey through Scottish history and across the Scottish landscape in search of the women accused and killed during the witch hunts.
    Ashes and Stones is a moving and personal journey, along rugged coasts and through remote villages and modern cities, in search of the traces of those accused of witchcraft in seventeenth-century Scotland. We visit modern memorials, roadside shrines and standing stones, and roam among forests and hedge mazes, folk lore and political fantasies. From fairy hills to forgotten caves, we explore a spellbound landscape.
    Allyson Shaw untangles the myth of witchcraft and gives voice to those erased by it. Her elegant and lucid prose weaves threads of history and feminist reclamation, alongside beautiful travel, nature and memoir writing, to create a vibrant memorial. This is the untold story of the witches' monuments of Scotland and the women's lives they mark. Ashes and Stones is a trove of folklore linking the lives of modern women to the horrors of the past, and it is record of resilience and a call to choose and remember our ancestors.
    2 min
  • BIGGER, BETTER, BOLDER written and read by Jennifer Cohen - audiobook extract
    Jennifer Cohen, a superstar motivational coach, illuminates how to get the life you want by being bold, resilient, and creating specific goals and habits.
    'I know what it takes to get what you want in life. It's a habit anyone can learn, a skill you can develop, a gift you don't need to be born with. The more experience you get, the more confident you'll be. Even when you fail, you'll feel stronger with each try you make. At work, at home, wherever your life unfolds—be bold. Take action. Ask for the right things. Chase what you want instead of taking what you can get. What do you want most in life, and why don't you have it?'
    Think about the things that give your life depth, focus, and meaning: deeply satisfying relationships with plenty of give and take, physical health and emotional wellbeing, passion projects, self-esteem, and self-respect. Bold people have these things. Bold people recognize what's holding them back—and it's almost always a fear of failure. They train to overcome their fears, they embrace the 10% Target, and they create everyday, life-long habits to get what they want.
    Bigger, Better, Bolder brings listeners one step closer to boldness, one chapter at a time. With practical takeaways and action steps-bite-sized Bold Moves—and real-life case studies of boldness in action, Jennifer Cohen teaches you how to get what you want.
    4 min
  • A POCKETFUL OF HOPE by Pat Allerton - audiobook extract
    The Portable Priest brings hope to those who need it—covering an A-Z of life's biggest modern-day challenges.
    We live in an age where more and more people are saying something like, 'I'm not religious, but I am spiritual'. 'Hope' isn't just a nice idea—it can be life-changing and at the very least, an empowering lens to navigate troubled times and transcend daily stress.
    Hope, alongside the idea of a higher power, can help people feel less alone and more supported, especially when the world turns on its head, which can happen at any point. It is well-known through history that during troubled waters and periods of change, whether that be a pandemic, the loss of a loved one or simply someone's lack of purpose, people turn to religion for the answers.
    Reverend Pat Allerton is here to lead us through the different themes and issues of modern life, showing us that Hope is always there. He leads us though topics such as Anxiety, Acceptance, Connection, Forgiveness, Grief, Love, Togetherness, Trust and Uncertainty to prove to us that Hope is the answer even in the darkest of times
    3 min
  • MAAME by Jessica George, read by Heather Agyepong - audiobook extract
    A blisteringly funny, heartbreaking novel about 20-something British Ghanaian Maddie as she grapples with identity, love, loss and becoming the woman she wants to be—for fans of Chewing Gum, Such a Fun Age and Queenie.
    Mum calls me Maame. It has many meanings in Twi, but in my case, it means woman.
    Meet Maddie.
    To her mostly absent mum, she's Maame, the woman of the family. To her dad, she's his carer—even if he hardly recognises her. To her friends, she's the one who still lives at home, who never puts herself first.
    It's time to become the woman she wants to be.
    The kind who wears a bright yellow suit, says yes to after-work drinks and flirts with a 30-something banker. Who doesn't have to Google all her life choices. Who demands a seat at the table.
    But to put ourselves together, sometimes we have to fall apart....
    Heartbreaking, sharply funny and achingly relatable, Maame is an irresistibly fresh coming-of-age story with a heroine you'll never forget.
    5 min

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