Simon Mayo's Books Of The Year

John Boyne returns to the pod for his hat-trick appearance. He has written 13 novels for for adults, 6 novels for younger readers, and a short story collection, including The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas which was a New York Times no.1 Bestseller and was adapted for a feature film, a play, a ballet and an opera, selling around 11 million copies worldwide. As of 2021, it has spent 15 years in the New York Times Top 10 Bestsellers Chart. His latest novel The Echo Chamber looks at the effects of social media. "To err is maybe to be human but to really foul things up you only need a phone."  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

One of the world's great crime writers takes our Q&A about his favourite books and authors...which include Ian Rankin, PD James and Agatha Christie.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Iceland's Ragnar Jonasson is a crime writing phenomenon - and it's not even his main job. He works as an investment banker in Reykjavik, in addition to teaching law at Reykjavik University. But is also a bestseller in Germany, France, the UK and Australia. From the age of 17, Ragnar translated 14 Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic. Ragnar is the co-founder of the Reykjavik international crime writing festival Iceland Noir. He has also been shortlisted for Novel of the Year in Sweden, The Barry Award in the US and the Petrona Award. The film rights for The Darkness have also been snapped up by Hollywood.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The best selling author of Black Buck talks us through some of his favourite books and authors, which include...Colson Whitehead, Jason Reynolds, Iceberg Slim, John A Williams and Candice Carty Williams  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A fantastically funny interview with Mateo Askaripour about his New York Times bestseller Black Buck - a satirical debut novel about a young man given a shot at stardom as the lone black salesman at a mysterious, cult-like, and wildly successful startup where nothing is as it seems.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Michael is the bestselling author of thirty-six novels and one work of non-fiction. With over eighty million copies of his books sold worldwide and translated into forty foreign languages, he is one of the most successful writers working today. His very first novel, The Black Echo, won the prestigious Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best First Novel in 1992. In 2002, Clint Eastwood directed and starred in the movie adaptation of Connelly’s 1998 novel, Blood Work. In March 2011, the movie adaptation of his #1 bestselling novel, The Lincoln Lawyer, hit theatres worldwide starring Matthew McConaughey as Mickey Haller. His most recent #1 New York Times bestsellers include Dark Sacred Night, Two Kinds Of Truth, The Late Show, The Wrong Side Of Goodbye, The Crossing, The Burning Room, The Gods of Guilt, and The Black Box. Michael’s crime fiction career was honoured with the Diamond Dagger from the CWA in 2018. Michael is the executive producer of Bosch, an Amazon Studios original drama series based on his bestselling character Harry Bosch, starring Titus Welliver. Bosch streams on Amazon Prime Video. He is the creator and host of the podcast Murder Book.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When defence attorney Mickey Haller is pulled over by police, the body of a client is discovered in the trunk of his Lincoln. Haller is charged with murder and can't make the $5 million bail slapped on him by a vindictive judge. Haller knows he's been framed and elects to defend himself. Best selling author Michael Connelly chats to Simon and Matt from Las Vegas. He is perhaps best known for his books featuring LAPD Detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch and criminal defence attorney Mickey Haller. Connelly is the bestselling author of 31 novels and one work of non-fiction, with over 74 million copies of his books sold worldwide and translated into 40 foreign languages. His first novel, The Black Echo, won the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best First Novel in 1992. In 2002, Clint Eastwood directed and starred in the movie adaptation of Connelly's 1997 novel, Blood Work. In March 2011, the movie adaptation of Connelly's novel The Lincoln Lawyer starred Matthew McConaughey as Mickey Haller.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The king of sci-fi talks about his favourite books and authors - which include Douglas Adams, Isaac Asimov, Lee Child and Iain M Banks  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The best selling author of The Martian and Artemis returns with a new sci-fi thriller. It has already had its film rights snapped up by Ryan Gosling and MGM. Tim Peake has called Project Hail Mary ‘One of the most plausible science fiction books I’ve ever read’.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The best selling author of The Sanatorium chats to Simon and Matt about some of her favourite books and authors - which include Jo Nesbo, Enid Blyton and Guy Morpuss. Plus there is a lot of chat about Warwick University  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Sarah Pearse lives by the sea in South Devon with her husband and two daughters. She studied English and Creative Writing at the University of Warwick and worked in Brand PR for a variety of households brands before following her passion for writing. Her experiences living in the Swiss Alps in her early twenties inspired her acclaimed debut novel, The Sanatorium, which was an instant Sunday Times and New York Times Top Ten bestseller in hardback, and a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The best selling author of Girl A talks about some of her favourite books and authors - which include Gone Girl, A Little Life and Never Let Me Go  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Abigail Dean studied English Literature at Cambridge University, and graduated with a double first in 2011. Her first job was as a bookseller at Waterstones. Abigail now works as a lawyer at Google. Ahead of her thirtieth birthday, she took time off between jobs to work on her first novel, GIRL A. The book immediately became a New York Times and Sunday Times Bestseller and has sold in 31 territories including television/film. GIRL A tells the story of Lex, better known to the world as Girl A, who escaped her family home where she and her siblings were held captive by their parents. Now, after her mother’s death, she and her siblings are left the family home. Wanting to transform the House of Horrors into a force for good, Lex must come to terms with her six siblings – and with the childhood they shared.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The multi million selling author and comedian chats about his favourite books and authors which include Alan Partridge, Nick Hornby and John Updike  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

David Baddiel is an author, comedian and screenwriter. He has written and performed in a series of highly successful TV comedy shows, including Fantasy Football, The Mary Whitehouse Experience and Baddiel and Skinner Unplanned. He is the author of four novels as well as six books for children which have sold over 1 million copies. In Jews Don't Count David combines powerful polemic and personal testimony to investigate why, in an age of heightened awareness of the evils of systemic racism, anti-Semitism appears to have been neglected by those who consider themselves progressive and enlightened.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.