How's this for an introduction: "If I were a woman, I'd be Zoe Sharp. If Jack Reacher were a woman, he'd be Zoe Sharp's main character, Charlie Fox." No small compliment for our guest this week, paid to her by Lee Child himself. In our fascinating interview with Zoe Sharp, we learn about her unconventional start in life, her rise through journalism into full-time writer, and the development of her three main crime and thriller fiction series. We also discover that there's no better way to master fight scenes than learning the martial arts techniques for yourself. This is a high-octane interview with one of Britain's most accomplished authors. 

And if that's not enough, we meet Eliza Chambers, a young actress and stage performer who has been working with us to bring Jennie Ensor's Silenced to audio. What's it like to work with the 'Ho' of Hobeck in the studio? Not as frightening as you may think...

zoesharp.com

Eliza Chambers - The Urdang Academy - London Area, United Kingdom | LinkedIn

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silenced-gripping-urban-psychological-thriller-ebook/dp/B09KJPQY4P

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We have a busy week ahead of us at Hobeck Books with the launch of two new titles. Alongside the release of A J Aberford's second George Zammit thriller, Bullets in the Sand, we're delighted to be publishing Her Deadly Friend by bestselling author Rae Sargeant. Rachel has been hugely successful with her psychological thrillers for Harper Collins, but her first novel for Hobeck is a departure - a mix of suspense and police procedural set in the fictional city of Gleveham, based loosely on Rachel's home city of Gloucester. Rachel joined us in one of the key settings for the book, the beautiful Painswick Rococo Gardens near Stroud to discuss her new series.

Also this week, is the publication industry exploiting young recruits? And will the fall in Amazon Prime subscribers impact on publishing?

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The sales figures bear this out: historical crime fiction is on the rise. This week we speak to one of the modern masters of the art, Mark Ellis, author of the superb Frank Merlin series set in World War Two. Originally from Swansea, Mark studied at Cambridge, became a barrister, then moved into banking before becoming a computing entrepreneur. The sale of his company has allowed him to follow his passion for writing, with his first Frank Merlin novel Princes Gate published in 2011. His latest Merlin novel, Dead in the Water was released in May this year. As Mark explains to The Hobcast Book Show, he takes several months to research each novel to ensure that his books reflect accurately actual wartime events; one mistake can easily destroy a reader's trust in the author's credibility.

Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca react to the shocking attack on Sir Salman Rushdie, and also examine some surprising data about the state of British publishing as a whole.

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The Hobcast Book Show team have been on their travels over the past week, first to Wales and then to Devon for a family holiday. Inspired by their experiences, they were determined to feature an author connected with one of those areas, so this week's guest is the brilliant Malcolm Pryce, author Louie Knight Mystery series of novels set in the coastal town of Aberystwyth in Mid-Wales. As Malcolm explains to Adrian and Rebecca, his childhood experiences of growing up in the town provided ample inspiration for his satirical take on American hard-boiled detective fiction. We also discuss how a career as an advertising copywriter has influenced his work, and how he's using his experience to create a new writing course for authors.

Also this week we discuss the legal case which is dominating publishing in the United States, and we reflect on comments by Anthony Horowitz in a recent interview about the issues facing authors tackling sensitive subjects.

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'It's more than speculation, it's a prediction.' That, famously, was the tagline for The Swarm - the 1978 disaster movie starring Michael Caine that depicted the impact that a swarm of 'African Killer Bees' would have on the United States. It's a sad reflection that the opposite is now true, and bees and other pollinators are under threat. That's the starting point for Hive - the award-nominated novel by our guest this week, April Doyle. In a fascinating interview, we discuss how she was drawn to the subject, and we also explore her work as a creative writing teacher in her home county of Kent. 

Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca discuss the impact of issues created by a new computer system at the UK's leading bookshop chain, and look forward to a busy month ahead for Hobeck Books with three books being released in August.

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It's the big one! This week The Hobcast Book Show comes from the world's biggest crime writing festival, the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Festival set in the grounds of the Old Swan Hotel in Harrogate. Back to full capacity for 2022, the event was a huge success, attracting some of the biggest names in global crime fiction. As you'll hear in this special show, Adrian and Rebecca caught up with some star guests, including this year's winner of the Crime Novel of the Year award, Mick Herron. We also speak to Will Dean, who draws inspiration for his Tuva Moodyson novels from his own life deep in the Swedish forests. And we also catch up with Dame Denise Mina who was the festival's programme director this year, and ask her where she feels Harrogate needs to go next to maintain it's position as the world's most prestigious crime fiction festival. So settle back and enjoy the energy, the sounds, and the gossip from Harrogate 2022.

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It's that time of year again. The Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Festival begins this week in Harrogate, bringing together the great and good from the UK and international crime writing scene. It's like Glyndebourne for the morbid, or Henley for those whose rivers run with blood. One of the highlights of the four day event is the announcement of the Theakstons award for Crime Novel of the Year. In this special edition of The Hobcast Book Show, we speak to one of the six authors nominated for this hugely sought after prize, Vaseem Khan. Vaseem has established himself as one of the most popular and talented crime authors of his generation, with first his Baby Ganesh series set in present day India, and now the Malabar House series of novels set in 1950s India. In this fascinating interview, we learn about Vaseem's long road to publication, his views on improving and widening diversity within publishing, and his passion for cricket. 

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We're delighted to be launching a new series of wonderful thrillers this week - the Inspector George Zammit series by A J Aberford. Set in Malta, George is an unlikely hero. He's not ambitious, carries too much weight, and enjoys the quiet life, but events conspire to place our hero at the centre of a series of complex international conspiracies. As author Tony Gartland, (writing as A J Aberford), tells us, Malta is the perfect location for his novels that combine gripping action, compelling characters, and no little humour. The first novel in the series, Bodies in the Water, is published by Hobeck this week.

Also in this edition of the Hobcast, we discuss how failing up can lead to riches if you're a certain departing UK Prime Minister, and we look ahead to a special edition of the show as part of our build up to the Harrogate Crime Writing festival.

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One half of the Hobcast presentation team has spent half his life in journalism, and Adrian has lost count of the number of times he's sworn at the TV over the depiction of his former trade. But do journalists get a bad rap in fiction? Isn't it fair enough that writers use their creative licence to depict journalists in a way that suits their own stories? Or should writers work harder to get the details right and better reflect the reality of what it's like to chase down stories, often in harsh environments? In this episode of The Hobcast Book Show we speak to two leading UK journalists and crime authors, Sarah Sultoon and Holly Watt. Sarah worked as an international news executive and producer for CNN, a role that placed in some of the world's most challenging war zones. Holly has also faced similar challenges working for The Sunday Times and The Telegraph, and drew widespread acclaim for her work on the MP expenses scandal.

Also this week, Adrian and Rebecca reflect on a big proposed change to the UK book distribution scene, and bemoan the decision to end the coveted Blue Peter book awards after 22 years.

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One half of Hobeck, (Adrian), put on their glad rags this week to head to the prestigious CWA Daggers Gala Dinner in London. Our very own Mark Wightman was nominated for the John Creasey New Blood Dagger for Waking the Tiger. Sadly, Mark wasn't successful, the award going to Janice Hallett's The Appeal. As you'll hear in this special show, the night was a celebration of the UK's most popular fiction genre, crime, capping off a successful Crime Reading Month across the country. 

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