In My Good Books

Sarah Pinborough joins me for a special Bloody Scotland 2026 episode to discuss her haunting new novel, They Say a Girl Died Here.
Known for bestselling novels including Behind Her Eyes, Sarah has built a reputation for writing books that constantly surprise readers. In this conversation, we explore how an early novella evolved into one of her most emotionally resonant novels, why she's drawn to isolated small-town settings, and how memory, trauma and family relationships became the emotional heart of the story.
We also chat about adapting her own work for television, why she's no longer chasing the "big twist", the pressure of writing unforgettable opening chapters, and how horror films continue to inspire her writing.
Sarah will appear on the panel:
The Stuff of Nightmares

She also recommends:
How to Clean a Crime Scene
Femme Fatales with Liz Nugent, Andrea Mara and Harriet Tyce
S.A. Cosby's event

If you're heading to Stirling this September, make sure you check them out.

This week I'm joined by Joanna Wallace to celebrate the publication of her brilliantly entertaining new novel, The Art of Getting Hammered.
Joanna's debut novel, You'd Look Better as a Ghost, introduced readers to one of crime fiction's most unforgettable protagonists: Claire, the artist, pub worker and part-time serial killer.
Now Claire is back, and this time she finds herself investigating drink spiking, mysterious deaths, and another killer operating on her patch - all while trying to stick to her own very unusual moral code. 
Joanna also shares two brilliant book recommendations:
The Silent Appeal by Janice Hallett
Man and Dog: A Love Story by Tony Parsons 
If you enjoy crime fiction that's dark, funny, brilliantly original and packed with memorable characters, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

Jonathan Trigell joins me for this episode of Reading Is Political to discuss the re-release of his award-winning novel, Boy A.
First published in 2004, Boy A became one of the defining British novels of its generation, winning both the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize and the Waverton Good Read Award before being adapted into the acclaimed BAFTA-winning film starring Andrew Garfield. More than twenty years later, the novel has been re-released for a new generation of readers and its themes feel just as relevant today. 
Our conversation explores why society continues to struggle with ideas of crime, punishment, rehabilitation and forgiveness. We discuss whether children who commit terrible crimes are judged differently from adults, the role of the media in shaping public opinion, and how social media would completely change Jack's story if Boy A were written today.
Jonathan's book recommendations:
• GB84 — David Peace
• If We Tolerate This: How the British Establishment Made the Far Right Respectable — Daniel Trilling
• Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York — Andrew Lownie
• Lost Boys: Undercover in the Manosphere — James Bloodworth
• Fieldwork As A Sex Object — Meena Kandasamy 
• The Road — Cormac McCarthy
• The House at Pooh Corner — A. A. Milne

Linda Duncan McLaughlin joins me to discuss her debut crime novel, Original Sins, which has been shortlisted for the 2026 Bloody Scotland Debut Prize.
Linda shares the inspiration behind a story that explores identity, adoption and the age-old question of nature versus nurture. We discuss the challenge of writing a protagonist whose birth father is a serial killer, why the novel blends psychological suspense with family drama, and how a manuscript that sat unfinished for years eventually became her debut novel.
Linda also tells us about appearing on the Bloody Scotland Debut Prize Panel, taking place Friday 18 September at 3:00pm, and shares the festival events she's most looking forward to attending. Her recommendations include the Two Crime Walking Tour, From Screen to Page, You the Jury, Every Breath You Take, Glesga, Murder at the Edge of the World, and Pitch Perfect.

This week on In My Good Books, I'm joined by debut author Katie Huttlestone to discuss her novel, A Healthy Appetite.
The novel follows Hannah, a woman with late-stage illness who volunteers for an experimental drug trial. As the treatment begins to work in unexpected ways, it also awakens an increasingly ravenous appetite, forcing Hannah to confront impossible questions about survival, identity and the moral compromises we might make to stay alive.
Katie shares the deeply personal inspiration behind the novel, drawing on her own experiences of living with chronic illness while creating a speculative story that asks fascinating "what if?" questions rather than telling a traditional cancer narrative. We talk about medical trials, the realities of living in the space between illness and wellness, and why she wanted to write a story that offered something different from the books she'd previously encountered.
As always, Katie shares two brilliant book recommendations to add to your reading list:
Permanence by Sophie Mackintosh

Wrecks by Matt Hill

If you enjoy conversations about books, writing and the stories behind the stories, don't forget to follow In My Good Books so you never miss an episode.