In My Good Books

Frances Crawford joins me for this special Bloody Scotland 2026 episode to discuss her acclaimed debut novel, A Bad, Bad Place.

Set in Possilpark, Glasgow in 1979, A Bad, Bad Place is a gripping crime novel that asks a fascinating question: what happens to the person who discovers the body? Rather than following the detectives, Frances focuses on twelve-year-old Janey, whose life is transformed after she stumbles across the victim, and the ripple effect that violent crime has on an entire community.

Frances will be appearing at Bloody Scotland 2026 on:
Debut Prize Panel – Friday 18 September at 3:00pm
Gory Glesga – Sunday 20 September at 1:30pm

She also recommends checking out:
Desert Island Crooks featuring Louise Welsh, M.W. Craven and Kirsten Perrin, and the ever-popular Pitch Perfect event for aspiring crime writers.

This week I'm joined by playwright, theatre maker and debut novelist Amman Brar to discuss his wonderful new novel Mr Siddhu's Post Office.

Inspired by his own experiences growing up around his father's post office, the novel is a moving story about family, community, love and second chances, set against the backdrop of the Horizon Post Office scandal. While the miscarriage of justice forms an important part of the novel, this is ultimately a deeply human story about belonging, responsibility and finding happiness later in life.

Amman Brar Instagam

Buy Mr Siddhu's Post Office

Books recommended in this episode

Jamaica Road by Lisa Smith

Where the Serpent Lives by Daniel Muinuddin

If you enjoy the episode, I'd really appreciate it if you could follow the podcast, leave a rating or review, and share it with a fellow book lover.

This week on In My Good Books, I'm joined by chef, writer and journalist Alasdair Gill to discuss his memoir Knives and Spoons, as part of my Reading Is Political series.

Alasdair's book explores life inside professional kitchens, the realities of addiction, and the long road to recovery. Through stories of restaurant life, family, food and sobriety, he reflects on the people who shaped him, the communities he found in hospitality and why kitchens can become both a refuge and a place where addiction is allowed to flourish.

We talk about what really goes on behind the pass, why hospitality attracts so many people searching for somewhere to belong, the relationship between obsession, cooking and addiction, and why writing this memoir became an important part of Alasdair's recovery.

As always in Reading Is Political, Alasdair also recommends books that have helped him better understand people, addiction, hospitality and the world around him.

Books recommended in this episode:

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas – Hunter S. Thompson

The Rum Diary – Hunter S. Thompson

Without Reservation – Jeremy King

Kitchen Confidential – Anthony Bourdain

This Is Going to Hurt – Adam Kay

White Heat – Marco Pierre White

Find Ali here: https://www.instagram.com/aligill__/

Buy Knives & Spoons: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/knives-and-spoons-a-chef-s-story-of-kitchens-addictions-and-mayhem-alasdair-gill/ed8f21fa754f5840?ean=9781037401435&bkshp-astro=t

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