In this episode Chris Bridges, bestselling author of Sick to Death, joins me again to discuss his much-anticipated second novel, The Deathbed. We dive deep into the writing process, the pressure of following up a successful debut, and what it really feels like when awards recognition is both validating and daunting.

Chris shares how living with chronic illness has shaped not only his writing routine but also the promotional side of being an author. We talk candidly about the expectations that come with a second book and the challenge of pushing yourself creatively while managing your health.

Our conversation explores the darker themes at the heart of The Deathbed  - moral ambiguity, friendship dynamics, and the unsettling power of an unreliable narrator. Chris also discusses how nursing is portrayed in his fiction, focusing on its complexity, ethical grey areas, and emotional intensity.

We also chat about the 90s setting in Sick to Death, and how Chris accidentally wrote what now feels like historical fiction. From pre-mobile phone communication challenges to cultural nostalgia, the era adds an unexpected layer to the story.

Find Chris on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisbridgeswriter/

Buy The Death Bed: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-death-bed-chris-bridges/7852349?ean=9780008698171&next=t

Books recommended:

https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/witch-trial-don-t-miss-the-extraordinary-brand-new-thriller-from-the-sunday-times-million-copy-bestselling-author-available-to-pre-order-now-harrie/d50dd98898dbdd03?ean=9781035411917&next=t

https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/a-judgement-in-stone-a-chilling-and-captivatingly-unsettling-thriller-from-the-award-winning-queen-of-crime-ruth-rendell-ruth-rendell/14018?ean=9780099171409&next=t

In this episode of In My Good Books, I’m joined by debut author Matilda Wilding to discuss her gripping novel The Waiting List. A story built around moral dilemmas, parenting, and an impossible question: not who is the murderer… but who will be murdered?

The Waiting List explores the emotional and ethical complexity faced by a new mother whose child desperately needs a heart transplant. As the tension builds, the novel forces readers to confront uncomfortable truths about love, survival, and the lengths a parent might go to for their child.

Matilda also chats about the realities of publishing a debut novel - from the overwhelm of publicity to the surreal thrill of hearing The Waiting List transformed into an audiobook.

If you’re interested in moral dilemmas in fiction, emotionally complex stories about parenting, or hearing about the writing and publishing process from a debut novelist, this episode is for you.

Matilda's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matildawildingauthor/

Buy The Waiting List: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-waiting-list-matilda-wilding/7956705?ean=9781526692184&next=t

Books recommended in this episode:

https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/abigail-dean-novel-2025-abigail-dean/7681254?ean=9780008625610&next=t

https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/alys-always-harriet-lane/680056?ean=9781848428409&next=t

https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/her-many-faces-nicci-cloke/7730200?ean=9781787304796&next=t

In this episode of In My Good Books, I’m joined by bestselling author Catriona Ward to discuss her haunting and new novel Nowhere Burning.

Catriona shares the real-life inspiration behind Nowhere Burning, the complex family dynamics at its heart, and why horror is so often misunderstood as being purely about gore. We also discuss cults, celebrity culture, loneliness, childhood imagination, and the darker undercurrents of stories we think we know, including the shadowy inspiration she drew from the original Peter Pan myth!

We dive into her writing process, the balance between structure and spontaneity, and how her own upbringing and literary influences shaped her distinctive voice within the horror genre.

If you love psychological thrillers, literary fiction that pushes boundaries, or horror that lingers long after the final page, this conversation is for you.

Follow Catriona on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catward66/

Buy Nowhere Burning: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/nowhere-burning-catriona-ward/294c43f2b65ba50f?ean=9781800811010&next=t

Books recommended in this episode:

https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/echo-from-the-author-of-hex-thomas-olde-heuvelt/5072854?ean=9781529331790&next=t

https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/victorian-psycho-virginia-feito/7713441?ean=9780008739638&next=t

https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-five-hallie-rubenhold/5256453?ean=9781784162344&next=t

In this episode of In My Good Books, I’m joined by bestselling author Will Dean to discuss his new psychological thriller, Adrift.

We explore the claustrophobic tension at the heart of this novel, set aboard a narrowboat where isolation, control and family dynamics collide. Will shares how the confined setting becomes a powerful symbol of emotional manipulation and gaslighting, particularly through the chilling character of Drew, a father whose controlling behaviour shapes the entire narrative.

We talk in depth about character development, especially the central relationship between Peggy and Samson, and how home can represent both sanctuary and imprisonment. Will also reflects on the emotional toll of writing such an intense, realistic psychological thriller, and why he can only immerse himself in this kind of darkness every few years.

Find Will on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/willrdean/

Buy Adrift Here: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/adrift-the-gripping-and-haunting-new-crime-thriller-from-the-award-winning-author-of-the-last-thing-to-burn-will-dean/910459271644b551?ean=9781529382891&next=t

Books recommended in this episode:

https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-truth-about-ruby-cooper-liz-nugent/6620f0d5655ca246?ean=9781844886791&next=t

In this episode of In My Good Books, I’m joined by author R.S. Burnett to talk about his new thriller, Deception Island ,and the real-life location that inspired the novel.

We dig into Rob’s writing process, from extensive research to deep character development, and explore how his background in journalism influences the way he approaches writing a book. He talks openly about the pressures of writing a second novel, why it can feel harder than the first, and how fear plays a central role in his antagonist, in ways that feel uncomfortably close to real-world events in the US and UK today.

We finish with some brilliant book recommendations and a hint at the new fiction ideas Rob is exploring next.

If you enjoy author interviews, conversations about writing fiction, and behind-the-scenes insights into reading and the creative process, this episode is for you.

Rob's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rob.burnett/

Buy Deception Island here: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/deception-island-r-s-burnett/7840430?ean=9780008696481&next=t

Books recommended in this episode:

https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/a-falkland-islander-s-wartime-journal-surviving-the-siege-graham-bound/6754934?ean=9781399088671&next=t

https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/a-sociopath-s-guide-to-a-successful-marriage-m-k-oliver/7840578?ean=9780008835743&next=t

https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-peak-thomas-redway/7751612?ean=9780008747398&next=t

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, before turning to her latest novel Warning Signs. Set largely in the wilderness and centred on twelve-year-old Zach, Warning Signs explores danger, survival, and deeply toxic family dynamics, drawing on Tracy’s own experiences growing up in Colorado and her encounters with extreme natural environments.

You can find Tracy here: https://www.instagram.com/tsierraauthor/

Buy Warning Signs here: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/warning-signs-tracy-sierra/7872219?ean=9780241760918&next=t

Books recommended in this episode:

The Death Of Us by Abigail Dean

Dead Weight by Hildur Knuttsdotir

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 championing reading as a form of well-being, creating space for thoughtful conversations, and bringing readers and writers together in a genuinely welcoming way.

You can buy tickets to the festival here: https://www.skiddle.com/whats-on/events/all/?keyword=helensburgh+book+festival&hidecancelled=1

To register your interest in the Pitch Perfect event contact the festival via email at [email protected]

Keep up to date with the festival on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hburghbookfest/

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, capitalism, and climate catastrophe shaped the world of the story. We talk about the intense writing process, including how the book was drafted in just ten days!

Our conversation also digs into character relationships and power dynamics, particularly how Lucy approached writing emotionally complex characters who are navigating grief, love, and control in a fractured future. Along the way, Lucy reflects on their creative journey, what writing this book taught them about themselves, and how their work across genres has influenced their voice.

We also chat about what Lucy’s working on next and swap recommendations for other thought-provoking books that have stayed with them. It’s a thoughtful, wide-ranging author interview that looks at creativity, craft, and the stories that challenge us to see ourselves differently.

Find Lucy here: https://www.instagram.com/ldlapinski/

Buy Some Body Like Me here: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/some-body-like-me-a-story-of-unexpected-love-at-the-end-of-the-world-lucy-lapinska/e5fb0f64244e168c?ean=9781399623049&next=t

Books recommended in this episode:

Under The Eye Of The Big Bird by Hiromi Kawakami

The Garden by Nick Newman

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 finding her voice on the page to learning how to build fully rounded, believable characters. At the heart of the novel is Esther, a woman whose life is deeply influenced by online personas, fandom and the blurred lines between connection and obsession, something that feels increasingly familiar in today’s digital world.

Tanya is refreshingly honest about the pressure of writing a second book after the success of a debut, how much harder it feels knowing people are waiting to read it, and what that does to your confidence as a writer. 

We finish, as always, with some excellent book recommendations, making this a must-listen episode for readers who love smart, contemporary fiction that interrogates modern life.

You can find Tanya here: https://www.instagram.com/tanyasweeney/

You can buy the book here: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/esther-is-now-following-you-tanya-sweeney/7866244?ean=9780857507914&next=t

Books recommended in this episode:

The Girls by Lori Lansens

Really Good, Actually by Monica Heissey

Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld

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 into the irresistible time-loop concept at the centre of the novel, where Viv wakes up at the same family party every time she’s murdered and has to work out who killed her - again. Caroline explains how the idea evolved, how she balanced the mechanics of a murder mystery with humour, and why leaning into comedy felt unavoidable for her voice as a writer.

We also chat about Caroline’s meticulous plotting process (yes, spreadsheets!), managing a large cast of family suspects, and how she keeps the mystery tight without overwhelming the reader. Plus, Caroline reveals which TV game show she’d most like to go on and why.

This episode is a must-listen for readers who love clever crime, high-concept storytelling, and books that are as funny as they are twisty.

You can find Caroline here: https://www.instagram.com/carolinehulse1/

You can buy Vivan Dies Again here: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/vivian-dies-again-c-e-hulse/7870072?ean=9781805226260&next=t

Books recommended in this episode:

Witch Trial by Harriet Tyce

The Artful Anna Harris by Tracy Maton

Her Many Faces by Nikki Cloke