This episode is part of my Bloody Scotland 2026 series.

My guest this week is debut crime author May Rinaldi, whose novel Liar Thief has already enjoyed an incredible journey. After winning the Black Spring Crime Novel Prize and securing a publishing deal, the novel has gone on to be shortlisted for the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize 2026.

We discuss the long road from a short story written over a decade ago to becoming one of Scotland's standout crime debuts, why May writes as a "pantser", and how her characters often surprise her while she's writing. We also explore the unusual structure of the novel, unreliable memory, friendship, loyalty and why readers are left questioning whether Ginny Queen is really the serial killer she claims to be.

As part of our Bloody Scotland chat, May also recommends some of the festival panels she's most looking forward to this year:

S.A. Cosby in conversation with Denise Mina: https://bloodyscotland.com/event/denise-mina-presents-sa-cosby-534010/

Femme Fatales: Liz Nugent, Harriet Tyce & Andrea Mara: https://bloodyscotland.com/event/femmes-fatales-liz-nugent-harriet-tyce-andrea-mara-542410/

See May live at Bloody Scotland 2026:

Debut Prize Panel Friday 18 September 3:00pm https://bloodyscotland.com/event/debut-prize-panel-frances-crawford-kirsty-lockwood-may-rinaldi-539210/

Find May here: https://www.instagram.com/mayrinaldi56/

Buy Liar Thief: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/liar-thief-may-rinaldi/f6de426c45920a5f?ean=9781917788205&bkshp-astro=t

If you're attending the festival, make sure you book early as this panel is always hugely popular.

This week I'm joined by bestselling author Nicci Cloke to discuss one of the most inventive psychological crime novels I've read this year.

Recently shortlisted for the CWA Twisted Dagger Award, Her Many Faces follows Katie, a young woman on trial for poisoning four powerful men. But instead of hearing from Katie herself, the story unfolds through the five men who believe they know her best.

In this episode we discuss:

• The inspiration behind Her Many Faces
• Why the novel is told through five male perspectives
• Writing distinct character voices
• The challenge of second-person narration
• Crime fiction, conspiracy theories and media narratives
• How readers bring their own biases to a story
• Nicci's creative process and plotting style
• Recovering from creative burnout
• An exclusive look at her upcoming novel

Book recommendations:

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans

So Old, So Young by Grant Ginder

Find Nicci here: https://www.instagram.com/niccicloke/

Buy Her Many Faces: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/her-many-faces-nicci-cloke/21b8d59184fd944b?ean=9781529938180&bkshp-astro=t

Welcome to a new series of Reading Is Political.

My first guest is debut novelist Amy Abdelnoor, whose extraordinary novel Ever Land draws on her experiences living and working in the West Bank and Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. Through the intertwined stories of two young women, Amy explores identity, belonging, memory and the lasting impact of political conflict.

We discuss why she chose fiction rather than non-fiction to tell this story, how her own experiences shaped the novel, and why storytelling can sometimes achieve something history books cannot.

Amy also talks candidly about writing and publishing a novel about Palestine during one of the most significant periods in the region's recent history, and reflects on the responsibility of telling stories that have so often been overlooked.

As always on Reading Is Political, Amy also recommends the books she believes everyone should read to better understand this subject, from powerful Palestinian fiction to moving memoir and thought-provoking non-fiction.

Whether you're looking to understand more about Palestine, discover outstanding literary fiction, or simply hear a fascinating conversation about the power of books, this is an episode not to miss.

Books discussed:

Minor Detail – Adania Shibli

Enter Ghost – Isabella Hammad

A Diary of a Young Doctor: Notes from the Genocide in Gaza – Dr Ezzideen Shehab

Apeirogon – Colum McCann

Home Fire – Kamila Shamsie

Daybreak in Gaza – edited by Matthew Teller and Mahmoud Muna

Bel Canto – Ann Patchett

Sex and Stravinsky — Barbara Trapido

You can find Amy here: https://www.instagram.com/amyabdelnoor/

Buy Ever Land here: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/ever-land-amy-abdelnoor/ee13136a5140c89a?ean=9781529155129&bkshp-astro=t

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow In My Good Books, leave a rating or review, and share the podcast with a fellow reader.

This week I'm joined by internationally bestselling Australian author Sally Hepworth to chat about her brilliant new novel, Mad Mabel.

At the heart of the novel is 81-year-old Elsie, better known to the world as the infamous "Mad Mabel" a woman convicted of murder as a teenager who finds herself under suspicion once again decades later.

Books recommended:

Big Little Truths by Liane Moriarty

The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Strout

BuyMad Mabel here: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/mad-mabel-sally-hepworth/cedf8452e1c72443?ean=9781037409875&bkshp-astro=t

Find Sally here: https://www.instagram.com/sallyhepworth/

If you enjoy the episode, I'd be so grateful if you could follow the podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it with another book lover.

This week I'm joined by bestselling author Nikki Smith, whose latest novel The Last Place You Look is a psychological thriller that takes readers from an exclusive gated community in Surrey to a luxury safari lodge in South Africa.

Known for her addictive destination thrillers, Nikki shares how she chooses the stunning locations for her novels, why she believes every great hook has to deliver on its promise, and how she balances meticulous plotting with surprises that emerge during the writing process.

We also chat about her journey from accountant to bestselling novelist, the creative writing course that changed everything, and the return of the much-loved In Suspense podcast.

Plus, Nikki recommends two brilliant books you won't want to miss.

• The Death of Us — Abigail Dean
• The Scandalous Ladies' Football Club — Frances Quinn

Find Nikki here: https://www.instagram.com/nikkismith_author/

Buy The Last Place You Look: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-last-place-you-look-nikki-smith/7b9d57401e4d544a?ean=9781405976121&next=t

This week I'm joined by one of the biggest names in crime fiction, Jane Casey.

Best known for her bestselling Maeve Kerrigan series, Jane joins me to discuss her new standalone thriller, Everything She Didn't Say. Set in the West of Ireland, it's a tense psychological mystery about friendship and identity.

We chat about why she wanted to write a novel set in Ireland for the first time, creating a completely new detective duo, and how this book challenged her more than any of her previous novels.

Of course, I couldn't let her leave without asking about Maeve Kerrigan. Jane gives us a little tease about the next book in the series, reveals the real-life crime that inspired it, and explains why she's having more fun writing it than ever before.

We also chat about her brand new newsletter and finish with two brilliant book recommendations for crime fiction fans.

Books mentioned

• Everything She Didn't Say – Jane Casey

• The Drowning Place – Sarah Hilary

• Never to Be Found – Jo Spain

If you enjoyed this episode, I'd love it if you could follow the podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it with another crime fiction fan.

Find Jane here: https://www.instagram.com/janecaseyauthor/

Buy Everything She Didn't Say: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/untitled-jane-casey-jane-casey/7889899?ean=9780008702304&next=t

Sign up for Jane's newsletter: https://signup.harpercollins.co.uk/join/6n7/signup-harperfiction-janecasey?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGnurP9vcYq5hBHvaEjy1vr9o328-5lYuNwPPKD9R6M71as-vijnud4ja7SLSs_aem_b-nD5BIt5Zs3R9XGCwCfMg&utm_id=97760_v0_s00_e0_tv3

In this episode of In My Good Books, Susie Green is joined by author GD Wright to discuss his latest crime novel, Against the Tide.

Gaz shares the inspiration behind Against the Tide, the third novel set in his fictional coastal town of Beechbrook. They discuss family liaison officers, the personal experiences that shaped the story, and why this is the most emotional and darkest book he has written so far.

The conversation also explores Gaz's experience of working in the police, his recovery after a serious illness, his screenwriting work on upcoming film Breathe Deep, and the launch of his new podcast, Pros and Cons.

Books discussed in this episode:

• Against the Tide by GD Wright
• Run For Your Life by Jackie Kabler
• The Date by T.H. Murdoch
• The Family Break by Ruth Irons

Find Gaz here: https://www.instagram.com/gdwrightwrites/

Buy Against The Tide: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/against-the-tide-g-d-wright/7914629?ean=9780008763213&next=t

In this special episode of In My Good Books, Susie is joined by two thriller authors with brand-new releases to celebrate.

JM Simpson discusses Mine to Keep, a domestic thriller exploring obsession, secrets, false accusations and the devastating impact of domestic abuse. Gemma Denham talks about The Inheritance, a chilling suspense novel in which a family's fresh start in an inherited Victorian house quickly turns sinister.

Ahead of the recording, listeners submitted questions for both authors, leading to a fascinating conversation about where story ideas come from, overcoming second-book syndrome, writing difficult subjects, creating memorable characters, and the realities of balancing writing with everyday life.

JM and Gemma also share whether they base characters on real people, discuss the appeal of standalones versus series, reveal what they're working on next, and recommend some brilliant books for your TBR.

Books discussed include:

• Mine to Keep – JM Simpson

https://amzn.eu/d/07O9jPzv
• The Inheritance – Gemma Denham https://amzn.eu/d/0610Q3jo

• The Chemistry of Death – Simon Beckett
• Five – Ilona Bannister
• Don't Fall in Love with Me – Paige Toon
• Sworn to Silence – Linda Castillo

If you enjoy crime fiction, psychological suspense, domestic thrillers and hearing directly from the authors behind them, this episode is for you.

Follow and subscribe to In My Good Books so you never miss an episode.

In this episode of In My Good Books, I’m joined by Jennifer Ross to discuss her genre-blending new novel Every Lifetime After.

Previously known for her historical fiction as Jenny Ashcroft, Jennifer talks about why she wanted to move into more speculative storytelling and how Every Lifetime After combines World War Two historical fiction, romance, mystery and time-slip elements into one unforgettable story.

We also discuss:

• Why Jennifer doesn’t plot her novels in advance
• Writing under a new name after publishing six novels as Jenny Ashcroft
• The research behind both the World War Two storyline and the modern movie-set setting
• Why speculative fiction has become such an exciting creative space for her
• Her upcoming novel The Bureau of Second Chances
• The books she’s recently loved and recommends to readers

If you enjoy historical fiction, speculative fiction, time-slip novels, or stories about love, memory and second chances, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Find Jenny here: https://www.instagram.com/jennyashcroftauthor/

Buy Every Lifetime After: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/every-lifetime-after-jennifer-ross/8c23154611c9e0ef?ean=9780008753757&next=t

Books recommended in this episode:

Going Solo: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/every-lifetime-after-jennifer-ross/8c23154611c9e0ef?ean=9780008753757&next=t

The Artist: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-artist-escape-to-provence-with-the-winner-of-the-waterstones-book-of-the-year-2025-lucy-steeds/ab6f46ef8ff5989c?ean=9781399819565&next=t

The Heir Apparent: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-heir-apparent-rebecca-armitage/9c24bf95ccfe93f8?ean=9780008757687&next=t

In this episode of In My Good Books, bestselling author Louise Beech joins me to discuss her extraordinary new novel, Wonderful.

A lifelong Marilyn Monroe fan, Louise has spent years fascinated by the woman behind the icon. In Wonderful, she imagines an alternative history where Marilyn survives that fateful night in 1962 and is given the chance to walk away from fame and reinvent her life.

Alongside Marilyn's story, we meet Flora, a working-class woman from Hull who is struggling with family responsibilities, grief and finding her place in the world. Connecting them both is an unexpected visitor: the Virgin Mary.

We discuss:

• Louise's lifelong fascination with Marilyn Monroe

• The real woman behind the Hollywood legend

• Why Marilyn was far more intelligent and complex than popular culture suggests

• The surprising inspiration behind Wonderful

• Working-class representation in fiction

• Themes of motherhood, identity and reinvention

• Blending history, spirituality and contemporary fiction

• The realities of self-publishing after a successful traditionally published career

• Why Louise was determined to publish this book on Marilyn's 100th birthday

Louise also recommends two fascinating books about Marilyn Monroe, including a new release exploring the books Marilyn read throughout her life.

If you've ever wondered who Marilyn Monroe really was, or love novels that explore what might have been, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.

Books discussed:

• Wonderful by Louise Beech

• Marilyn and Her Books by Gail Crowther

• My Sister Marilyn by Berniece Baker Miracle

Follow Louise Beech and find out more about Wonderful through her website and social media channels:

• https://louisebeech.co.uk/

• https://www.instagram.com/louise_beech_swanson/

Link to the website Louise discussed in the episode:

• https://www.wkwproductions.co.uk/

Subscribe to In My Good Books for more conversations with authors and book lovers.