Reading By Candlelight Book Club

I hope you enjoy this final episode of the 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘉𝘺 𝘊𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 podcast. I’m so grateful I was able to finish with the author who was the very first person I ever interviewed for the podcast - and my first interview 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 - my wonderfully talented friend and bestselling author 𝗝𝗼 𝗗𝗶𝘅𝗼𝗻 🥰

Jo featured in the Book Boxes in January 2023 and January 2024, and was also the featured author in the 2025 RBC Advent Calendar. She is the only author to be featured three times! 

In this episode, we talk in depth about Jo’s third book, 𝘈 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘈𝘤𝘵 (no spoilers!), how her writing has evolved since her debut, and what the past three years have meant to her as an author.

I got a little teary at the end, thanks to Jo’s beautiful words about the podcast. It’s bittersweet to say goodbye, but I couldn’t have imagined a more fitting way to wrap things up - ending where it all began, with Jo. 🥹

I’ll share a proper thank-you post in a few days to reflect on three years of hosting the podcast and what it has meant to me. 🤍

All episodes of 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘉𝘺 𝘊𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 will remain available wherever you love to listen, with selected episodes also available on YouTube.

'Reading by Candlelight' is a book subscription that celebrates up-and-coming Australian authors, delicious beverages, and incredible creations. Each month features a different novel paired with a handmade scented candle, a seed paper bookmark, a beverage (choice of alcoholic/nonalcoholic), a surprise, and an invitation to join the RBC Facebook Community.

Join our host Fiona Taylor for the final RBC Book Club episode for 2025.

December’s @readingby.candlelight Crime/Thriller Book Box features the brilliant Matthew Spencer and his gripping new novel BROKE ROAD.

Broke Road is the second instalment in Spencer’s acclaimed Rose Riley series, and it’s an absolute masterclass in crime writing. When a woman is found dead in the Hunter Valley, Detective Sergeant Rose Riley is pulled back into the landscape of her childhood, where vineyards and luxury resorts sit uneasily beside prisons, drug dens, and long-held grudges.

As media pressure builds and old wounds resurface, Rose must navigate local secrets, small-town tensions, and the shadows of her own past… while true-crime author Adam Bowman is never far from the story. Taut, atmospheric, and compulsively readable, this is crime fiction at its finest.

If you loved Black River, you are in for an absolute treat, BUT this can also be a stand-alone story, complete in itself.

In this 30 minute chat, Matthew shares what inspired this story, how he gets police procedures SO RIGHT and what's next for Rose Riley ✨

'Reading by Candlelight' is a book subscription that celebrates up-and-coming Australian authors, delicious beverages, and incredible creations. Each month features a different novel paired with a handmade scented candle, a seed paper bookmark, a beverage (choice of alcoholic/nonalcoholic), a surprise, and an invitation to join the RBC Facebook Community.

December’s @readingby.candlelight Historical Fiction Book Box features the incredibly talented Emily Paull and her debut novel THE DISTANCE BETWEEN DREAMS — and our interview is now live!

The Distance Between Dreams is a sweeping dual-timeline love story spanning continents and generations. A long-buried family secret links two families from opposite sides of the tracks, and when their children fall in love decades later, that secret threatens to tear them apart.

Set against the backdrop of both World Wars — from Fremantle, WA to the horror of the Thai–Burma Railway — it’s a powerful read for fans of Natasha Lester and Kate Morton ✨

'Reading by Candlelight' is a book subscription that celebrates up-and-coming Australian authors, delicious beverages, and incredible creations. Each month features a different novel paired with a handmade scented candle, a seed paper bookmark, a beverage (choice of alcoholic/nonalcoholic), a surprise, and an invitation to join the RBC Facebook Community.

November’s @readingby.candlelight 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲/𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗕𝗼𝘅 features the incredible 𝗧𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗮 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝘁 and her debut novel 𝘚𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳. It has been called one of the most explosive crime debuts of the year, and it absolutely lives up to the hype!

In our chat, Tanya and our host Fiona Taylor dive into:
 ✨ The spark that inspired 𝘚𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳
 ✨ How her medical career shaped the novel’s themes
 ✨ How she landed a blurb from Jane Harper (!!)
 ✨ Why she thinks of herself as an “accidental crime writer”

With its dual timeline, gripping pace, complex characters, and twist after twist, 𝘚𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 is truly unputdownable. 

'Reading by Candlelight' is a book subscription that celebrates up-and-coming Australian authors, delicious beverages, and incredible creations. Each month features a different novel paired with a handmade scented candle, a seed paper bookmark, a beverage (choice of alcoholic/nonalcoholic), a surprise, and an invitation to join the RBC Facebook Community.

November’s @readingby.candlelight General Fiction Book Box featured the wonderful Kimberley Allsopp and her second novel, Rise and Shine.

In our cosy half-hour chat, Kimberley and our host Fiona talk about:
 ✨ Why she started the book at the end of a marriage
 ✨ How a rejection of her first novel led her to write Rise and Shine at lightning speed to meet her deadline
✨ Whether her background in publishing influenced her process
✨ And what it’s really like being Trent Dalton’s publicist (yes — it’s as wonderful as you’d imagine!)

Rise and Shine is a sharp, funny, and heartfelt exploration of relationships, dreams, and rediscovery. It’s a story about a marriage at a crossroads — perfect for readers who love flawed protagonists, messy love stories, and books that make you laugh, cry, and reflect in equal measure. Don't miss reading this book - you will adore August and Noah.

'Reading by Candlelight' is a book subscription that celebrates up-and-coming Australian authors, delicious beverages, and incredible creations. Each month features a different novel paired with a handmade scented candle, a seed paper bookmark, a beverage (choice of alcoholic/nonalcoholic), a surprise, and an invitation to join the RBC Facebook Community.

October’s @readingby.candlelight  Romance Book Box featured the lovely Emma Mugglestone and her friends-to-lovers rom-com In The Long Run — and now our interview is live! 🎧💛

In our cosy half-hour chat, we talk about :

🏃‍♀️ her love of running (and run-club romance energy)
🥐 matching her croissant jumper to her book (iconic)
💕 the joy and generosity of the romance writing community
📚 how she went from indie publishing to being commissioned by Penguin (!!)
✨ and the surprising role bestselling author @rachaeljohns played in the journey

“In The Long Run” has everything we love — pastries, fake dating, slow-bloom chemistry, and a run club that becomes the start line for something real.

Listen now and then go fall in love with Knox & Gen 🥐🏃‍♂️💘

'Reading by Candlelight' is a book subscription that celebrates up-and-coming Australian authors, delicious beverages, and incredible creations. Each month features a different novel paired with a handmade scented candle, a seed paper bookmark, a beverage (choice of alcoholic/nonalcoholic), a surprise, and an invitation to join the RBC Facebook Community.

What really happens when a writing retreat turns deadly? 🕯️✍️

In this episode, our host Fiona Taylor chats with January Gilchrist, author of the twist-filled thriller The Final Chapter — a story that takes the idea of “writer’s block” to a whole new level.

We talk about the dark side of creativity, the lure of isolation, and how far people will go for a story worth telling.

It’s atmospheric, unsettling, and utterly compelling — the perfect listen for your evening walk, your commute, or while you’re curled up with a candle burning low.

You can listen now on the Reading By Candlelight podcast or watch the full interview on YouTube🎙️📺

'Reading by Candlelight' is a book subscription that celebrates up-and-coming Australian authors, delicious beverages, and incredible creations. Each month features a different novel paired with a handmade scented candle, a seed paper bookmark, a beverage (choice of alcoholic/nonalcoholic), a surprise, and an invitation to join the RBC Facebook Community.

Our host, Fiona Taylor, had the absolute pleasure of chatting with author Alli Parker about her brilliant new novel, Until the Red Leaves Fall, our September Historical Fiction Book Box pick

Set in the velvet seats and backstage shadows of 1950s Melbourne theatre, it’s a story of secrets, betrayal, and resilience — with unforgettable characters like Emmy Darling, dancer Isadora Westlake, and the formidable actress and theatre owner Virginia van Belle. 

Alli and I discussed the spark that inspired the book, the way her Japanese–Australian heritage influences her storytelling, the delicate balance between weaving history and character, and what it takes to build a voice that’s both lyrical and deeply moving. It was a rich and generous conversation, and I’m so excited to share it with you.

You can listen now on the Reading By Candlelight podcast or watch the full interview on YouTube🎙️📺

Have you read Until the Red Leaves Fall yet? We’d love to know what you thought on socials or in the Reading By Candlelight Book Club on Facebook!

'Reading by Candlelight' is a book subscription that celebrates up-and-coming Australian authors, delicious beverages, and incredible creations. Each month features a different novel paired with a handmade scented candle, a seed paper bookmark, a beverage (choice of alcoholic/nonalcoholic), a surprise, and an invitation to join the RBC Facebook Community.

I had the absolute pleasure of chatting with Mark Muptosa-Russell, author of The Wolf Who Called Boy, for the @readingby.candlelight Book Club.

Mark’s debut is a powerful, lyrical story that blends myth, memory, and the search for belonging. In our conversation, he shared the inspiration behind the book, how his own personal experience shaped the story, and what it means to write about identity, courage, and the ties that bind us.

It was such a thoughtful and moving discussion — one that reminded me why we love shining a light on fresh voices in fiction 🌟

A huge thank you to Mark for joining us, and to all of you who tuned in live. If you missed it, don’t worry — the replay is available now on YouTube and wherever you love to listen.

Have you read The Wolf Who Called Boy yet? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the Reading By Candlelight Facebook group or on Instagram.

'Reading by Candlelight' is a book subscription that celebrates up-and-coming Australian authors, delicious beverages, and incredible creations. Each month features a different novel paired with a handmade scented candle, a seed paper bookmark, a beverage (choice of alcoholic/nonalcoholic), a surprise, and an invitation to join the RBC Facebook Community.

What happens when a king tide washes up more than just seaweed? 🌊

 Luke Johnson’s debut novel King Tide reveals the long-buried secrets of a small community…

This epiosde on the Reading By Candlelight Book Club, we dive into Luke’s writing journey, his inspirations, and what it feels like to finally see your debut novel on shelves.

🎧 Listen now or watch on YouTube.

 📖 Have you read King Tide yet? Come chat with us in the RBC Facebook group!

'Reading by Candlelight' is a book subscription that celebrates up-and-coming Australian authors, delicious beverages, and incredible creations. Each month features a different novel paired with a handmade scented candle, a seed paper bookmark, a beverage (choice of alcoholic/nonalcoholic), a surprise, and an invitation to join the RBC Facebook Community.