Jennifer Ryan: "Party Granny lived up to her reputation"

“Hopefully readers of The Escape will be scared to be in their own home.” CL Taylor is the Sunday Times bestselling author of psychological thrillers. Her fourth book, The Escape, publishes in March 2017 and already people are raving about it: “C.L.Taylor is a class act and The Escape is gem of a book” – SIMON TOYNE “Absorbing and disturbing” – ALEX MARWOOD “Definitely CL Taylor’s best yet” – LISA HALL Here she discusses her fascination with how people respond to fear, why you should never set a book in your own home, and her top tips for aspiring writers.

Catherine Mayer is a journalist, a best selling author and a former president of the foreign press association in London - she accidentally co founded a political party at the Woman of the World festival in March 2015. She's watched the Woman's Equality Party grow from an idea to a vibrant political force across the UK - she is now president. Gender equality is good for everyone so why are women everywhere at best second class citizens. What will it take to reach gender equality? Catherine's new book 'Attack of the 50 ft. Women' offers a tantilising preview of a gender equal future that could be ours. It's a brilliant, original book and Catherine takes us on a journey discussing global issues and debates impacting every one of us. She talks to co founder of the Women's Equality Party and actress Tanya Moodie who happens to be the reader of the audiobook. Halla Gunnarsdóttir is also involved in today's episode - a former advisor to the Icelandic government as well as Head of partnerships and policy for the Woman's Equality Party.

Borough Press’ editor Charlotte Cray meets debut novelist Jennifer Ryan, the author of The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir. In this conversation they delve into life in the invented idyllic English village of Chilbury and meet all of its delightful and unsavory characters – with some lovely readings from the book. But most important of all, they meet its subversive all-female choir that fights for its place during WW2. From Party Granny to Shakespeare Granny, we hear about the characters in Jennifer’s life that inspired this novel too. And the genesis of this novel of letters: how Jennifer steeped herself in the letters from the period and buried herself in the diaries from the governmental Mass Observation Project. Plug in to hear a part giggly, part serious conversation about a warm, funny and big-hearted novel of wartime gumption and village spirit which will make your heart sing out – and meet a brilliant new voice in fiction.

Welcome back to BookD in 2017 - first up we have the fabulous Angela Clarke who just so happens to be the Amazon Rising Star of 2016 and author of the Hashtag Murder series. On today's episode, Angela talks to her Editor Phoebe Morgan about the joys and dangers of social media, revenge porn and her new novel Watch Me. Who turned Twitter evil? Angela would like to know…

Welcome to BookD - on today's episode, best selling crime author Paul Finch’s talks about the research aspect of his new book Strangers with ex under cover cop Ash Cameron. Strangers is a gloriously gripping read – a crime novel which will have fans of The Fall hooked from page one. A half-a-million copy bestseller already, Paul Finch is no stranger to the limelight, with the likes of Peter James calling him a “born storyteller”, whilst Rachel Abbott says Strangers is “compulsive reading”. And it’s no surprise, for Paul first cut his crime-writing teeth penning episodes of The Bill for ITV. It was here he learned how to reel the viewers in, and of course, how to leave them gasping for more. But with Strangers, Paul now explores the grimy underbelly of Manchester – a place where a female serial killer is on the loose, and no man is safe. His heroine, Lucy, eager to prove herself against the odds, takes on an assignment most of us would baulk at, agreeing to go undercover as a prostitute, in her efforts to apprehend one of the most depraved killers you’re likely to meet. For this, Paul turned to Ash whose book Confessions of an Undercover Cop published back in 2013. After years spent going undercover, Paul could think of no-one better to give the inside scoop as he researched Strangers. So what could be better than to hear them both in conversation, discussing the reality of one of the most dangerous professions around…