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Lawyer turned bestselling author, Scott Turow, joins Simon and Matt for a chat about his new novel, 'Presumed Guilty' (the sequel to his 1987 masterpiece, 'Presumed Innocent')
Scott joins us down the line from Florida and discusses writing an 'older' protagonist, the soothing components of jazz music, Keith Jarrett and how much legalise is too much legalise.
This episode comes complete with a crashing of dishes in the background, courtesy of the Turow household.
Here's some more info on the new book:
In a sequel to Presumed Innocent, the book that redefined the legal thriller, judge and lawyer Rusty Sabich returns to the courtroom to defend his step-son against a racially-charged murder indictment as the boy’s life – and perhaps Rusty’s last chance at happiness – hang in the balance.
Rusty is a retired judge attempting a third act in life with a loving soon-to-be wife, Bea, with whom he shares both a restful home on an idyllic lake in the rural Midwest and a plaintive hope that this marriage will be his best, and his last. But the peace that’s taken Rusty so long to find evaporates when Bea’s young adult son, Aaron, living under their supervision while on probation for drug possession, disappears. If Aaron doesn’t return soon, he will be sent back to jail.
Aaron eventually turns up with a vague story about a camping trip with his troubled girlfriend, Mae, that ended in a fight and a long hitchhike home. Days later, when she still hasn’t returned, suspicion falls on Aaron, and when Mae is subsequently discovered dead, Aaron is arrested and set for trial on charges of first degree murder.
Faced with few choices and even fewer hopes, Bea begs Rusty to return to court one last time, to defend her son and to save their last best hope for happiness. For Rusty, the question is not whether to defend Aaron, or whether the boy is in fact innocent – it’s whether the system to which he has devoted his life can ever provide true justice for those who are presumed guilty.
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The international bestselling author Jojo Moyes joins Simon and Matt for a Q&A.
She gives us some great book recommendations, tells us a little about her reading and writing habits - and we find out who she'd invite to her fantasy dinner party.
Lisa Jewell also makes a surprise appearance - to ask Jojo a question about being more sinister!
You can hear more from Jojo on our previous episode, where we dive into her new novel, "We All Live Here"
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International bestselling sensation, Jojo Moyes, returns to the podcast to tell us about her new novel.
Simon and Matt talk to her about writing nasty characters, whether it's harder to come up with plots seventeen books in, and how she may have accidentally based a character on David Soul, who she met 30 odd years ago!
More on the book:
Lila Kennedy has a lot on her plate. A recently broken marriage, two wayward daughters, a house that is falling apart, and an elderly stepfather who seems to have quietly moved in. Not to mention a once promising writing career that is now in freefall. So when her real dad - a man she has barely seen since he ran off to Hollywood thirty-five years ago - suddenly appears on her doorstep wanting to make amends, it feels like the final straw.
But it turns out even the family you thought you could never forgive might have something to teach you: about love, friendship, and what it actually means to be family.
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This week, we put broadcasting legend and bestselling author Simon Mayo under the Q&A spotlight.
Marianna Spring joins Matt Williams as our guest host, and asks about Simon's writing process, inspirations - and who he would invite to his fantasy dinner party.
There's also a surprise question from fellow author and broadcaster, Tom Bradby!
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Yes, it's that time again, where the the tables turn and the Host becomes the Guest on Books Of The Year.
This week we welcome a superstar co-host Marianna Spring to the studio, who steps into the Mayo shoes and, along with Matt, interviews Broadcaster and Author Simon Mayo about his new novel, 'Black Tag'.
They talk about about his inspirations for the book, why he has brought back a character from a previous novel and what it says about journalism, and journalists, working today.
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Simon and Matt put a range of questions to our special guest, the author and sports journalist Miguel Delaney.
They ask about his favourite authors, which books he's jealous of and wished he'd written, his writing processes - especially when touring so much - and who he'd invite to his fantasy dinner party.
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Miguel Delaney is no stranger to writing about sport, or indeed football, as he is the Chief Football Writer for The Independent.
In his new book, States Of Play, he looks at the incredibly interesting (and controversial) topic of Sportswashing.
Simon and Matt find out more what this means, how it is affecting sport (especially football) and what Miguel has found out from his many years of researching and investigating.
If you're not a football fan, this may not seem like a book for you, but the subject is fascinating and wide ranging...
More on the book here!
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Michael Connelly joins Simon and Matt for a bonus Q&A episode.
He talks about his writing processes, inspirations, favourite authors -and who he would invite to his fantasy dinner party.
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Simon and Matt welcome international bestselling author Michael Connelly to Books Of The Year.
They discuss his new book The Waiting, as well as his inspirations, Los Angeles basements, the constant nagging of an author's head and how he feels about Bosch getting older.
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Matt Haig joins Simon and Matt for a little does of Q&A.
He gives us some great book recommendations, talks about his writing process, the power of walking and who he'd invite to his fantasy dinner party.
We also surprise him with a question from fan - and friend - Bryony Gordon!
And remember, for a limited time, you can £100 off any HD light and free UK delivery. Just visit seriousreaders.com/booksoftheyear to find out more!
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International bestselling author Matt Haig drops by the studio for a chat with Simon and Matt.
His new novel, The Life Impossible, is - in his words - "not The Midnight Library 2" - but it does share some themes.
Matt talks about facing fears and going back to Ibiza, a place where he nearly committed suicide and which held a lot of trauma. He talks about his fish out of water characters, why he doesn't like the term 'magical realism' and how he nearly stopped writing altogether to become a bookseller.
And remember, for a limited time, you can £100 off any HD light and free UK delivery. Just visit seriousreaders.com/booksoftheyear to find out more!
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Simon and Matt welcome international bestselling author, Jodi Picoult, back to the studio for a slice of Q&A.
She talks about some of her favourite authors and gives us some book recommendations. Plus we hear from crime writer Gillian McAllister and learn who Jodi would invite to her fantasy dinner party.
We hope you enjoy the chat!
And remember, for a limited time, you can £100 off any HD light and free UK delivery. Just visit seriousreaders.com/booksoftheyear to find out more!
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Jodi Picoult is baaaack! And she joins Simon and Matt in the studio to discuss her new novel.
They chat about the myths surrounding Shakespeare and his work, whether he really wrote all the plays he's credited to have written, and why the history of women writers of the time is completely unknown.
Women used writing to record their wisdom at the time, but this specific part of history hasn't been explored properly.
We hope you enjoy this lively and quite fulsome debate!
(and here's a little more on the book)
BY ANY OTHER NAME
Student playwright Melina Green finds that even in New York, her words will struggle to make the stage, when the power is held by men. Inspired by the life of her ancestor Emilia Bassano, a gifted and witty storyteller herself, Melina takes a lesson from history, and submits a play under a male pseudonym . . .
As Melina discovers more of Emilia’s extraordinary life in Elizabethan England, she is determined to right the wrongs of the past – and finally tell her story.
Two women – centuries apart – are both forced to hide behind another name.
But can either make their voices heard?
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Simon and Matt welcome Ian Rankin to the studio for a special Q&A episode.
They discuss his love of music, his writing processes, Swedish Death Cleaning (yes really) and who he would invite to his fantasy dinner party.
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Sir Ian Rankin joins Simon and Matt for a natter about his new book, Midnight And Blue.
They discuss the challenges of writing a book from a world inside a prison, and how much Ian had to research to ensure he got the details right.
And of course they chat about music (Pentangle even get a mention) and the recent screen adaptation of his book.
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Bestselling author Robert Harris joins Simon and Matt for a Q&A episode.
He tells us the last book her really REALLY enjoyed reading, what he learns (and has learnt) from writing each of his books, why he's drawn to WWI and WWII and who he would invite to his fantasy dinner party.
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Robert Harris returns to Books Of The Year to discuss his new novel, 'Precipice', with Simon and Matt.
A new Robert Harris novel is always a big moment - and once again, he hasn't let us down!
They chat about the extraordinary letters that were sent from Prime Minister H.H. Asquith to the woman he was besotted with, Venetia Stanley, and how that relationship changed the shape of government forever.
'Precipice' like many of Robert's novels is based on true events - and so these letters, and Asquith's love for Venetia Stanley, form the backbone of this book.
He also discusses his research, 'The War Book' which he got to hold in the national archives - and what he thinks Asquith would have made of our current government.
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Ben Macintyre returns to Books Of The Year and answers questions about his craft, research, favourite books and authors.
He tells us who he would invited to his fantasy dinner party, and gives us some great book recommendations too.
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Ben Macintyre joins us again to discuss his brilliant new book 'The Siege'
Simon and Matt chat to him about the incredible research and interviews he undertook to write the account of this incredible historic event.
They delve into who carried out The Siege and what the people wanted, and how Ben managed to get so much access to the first hand accounts.
Here's a little more on the book:
On April 30, 1980, six heavily armed gunmen burst into the Iranian embassy on Princes Gate, overlooking Hyde Park in London. There they took 26 hostages, including embassy staff, visitors, and three British citizens.
A tense six-day siege ensued as millions gathered around screens across the country to witness the longest news flash in British television history, in which police negotiators and psychiatrists sought a bloodless end to the standoff, while the SAS – hitherto an organisation shrouded in secrecy – laid plans for a daring rescue mission: Operation Nimrod.
Drawing on unpublished source material, exclusive interviews with the SAS, and testimony from witnesses including hostages, negotiators, intelligence officers and the on-site psychiatrist, bestselling historian Ben Macintyre takes readers on a gripping journey from the years and weeks of build-up on both sides, to the minute-by-minute account of the siege and rescue.
Recreating the dramatic conversations between negotiators and hostages, the cutting-edge intelligence work happening behind-the-scenes, and the media frenzy around this moment of international significance, The Siege is the remarkable story of what really happened on those fateful six days, and the first full account of a moment that forever changed the way the nation thought about the SAS – and itself.
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Simon Mayo and Matt Williams welcome music journalist and author David Hepworth to the studio, to find out about his favourite authors and books and get a sense of his reading habits.
You'll probably be as surprised as us to discover that he only reads standing up!
There's also a surprise question from broadcasting legend, Bob Harris, and we find out who David would invite to his fantasy dinner party!
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