Simon Mayo's Books Of The Year

The multi million selling author of the Jack Reacher books pops in to the pod to talk coffee, movies and cotton buds.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Lee Child reveals that there will be no more movies with Tom Cruise  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dan and Anna from the No Such Thing As A Fish podcast discuss their Book of the Year - amazing facts from 2018. And explorer Levison Wood tells us about his latest adventure, which he has written about in his new book Arabia - 13 countries, 5000 miles...on foot, camel and tank.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Discover the reading habits, loves and suggestions of explorer Levison Wood and the QI Elves Anna & Dan (No Such Thing As A Fish). Levison has written a book about his recent journey around the Arabian Peninsular - 13 countries & 5000 miles via foot, tank and camel. The Elves have released the Book of the Year - amazing facts that may have passed you by in the past 11 months or so.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Two of the world's finest authors grace our studios...three if you include Simon. But even Matt would agree 4 would be stretching it. Markus Zusak's debut novel The Book Thief sold over 8m copies. His latest effort Bridge of Clay has been over a decade in the making. Anthony Horowitz has written books featuring Sherlock Holmes and James Bond (not together, yet...) His new novel The Sentence Is Death is a murder mystery, the second in the bestselling series starring Private Investigator Daniel Hawthorne.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Simon and Matt find out the reading habits of authors Anthony Horowitz and Markus Zusak. Plus your tweets, letters and suggestions. Anthony Horowitz is one of Britain's most successful writers - specialising in mystery and suspense. His work for young adult readers includes The Alex Rider series. His work for adults includes two Sherlock Holmes novels The House of Silk and Moriarty ; plus Magpie Murders and The Word Is Murder . He was also chosen to write James Bond novels by the Ian Fleming estate, starting with Trigger Mortis  which he then followed up with Forever And A Day. He was the creator and writer of the ITV series Foyle's War, Collision and Injustice and the BBC series New Blood. Markus Zusak's breakthrough novel was The Book Thief. Published in 2005, it has been translated in to 30 languages, winning a host of international awards - and was made in to a film starring Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson. His latest release - 10 years in the making, is called Bridge of Clay.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Heather's debut novel The Tattooist Of Auschwitz has become an international best seller. Based on the recollections of Lale Sokolov, who confided his life story to Heather back in 2003 - this is a love story in the most brutal of settings  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Simon and Matt chat to the best selling author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz about her reading habits. Heather Morris' debut novel, at the age of 65, is an incredible piece of work based on her interviews with Lale Sokolov - about his experiences in the Holocaust, and the love of his life.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In our children's special, Chris Riddell talks about Beedle The Bard which he has illustrated for JK Rowling - one of 7 books he has out at the moment. In 2015 he was appointed the UK Children's Laureate. Radio presenter Dermot O'Leary talks about the second outing for his blind ninja cat Toto - in The Incredible Cheese Heist.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dermot O'Leary & Chris Riddell talk about their reading habits, loves and recommendations. Plus your letters and tweets. (If you corresponded with us.)  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Take That frontman opens up about his life, his eating disorder, his songwriting and the stress of being an X Factor judge.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Gary will help you fall asleep. Full interview in the next show. If you are awake in time.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Graham Norton pops in to catch some germs from Simon and Matt - and to talk about his latest novel A Keeper. Graham is one of the UK's best loved broadcasters. He presents The Graham Norton Show on BBC1, has a weekly show on BBC Radio 2, and writes a column for the Telegraph. He is the winner of eight BAFTA awards. Born in Dublin and raised in West Cork, Norton now lives in London.  His debut novel HOLDING was a commercial and critical success, winning Norton the Irish Independent Popular Fiction award at the Bord Gáis Irish Book Awards in 2016.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Enid Blyton, Richmal Crompton, Anne Griffin, Mary Lawson and more  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

(The failing...) New York Times Bestseller Ben MacIntyre pops in to chat at length about his latest effort The Spy and The Traitor. If anyone could be considered a Russian counterpart to the infamous British double-agent Kim Philby, it was Oleg Gordievsky. He took his first posting for Russian intelligence in 1968 and eventually became the Soviet Union’s top man in London, but from 1973 on he was secretly working for MI6. “The best true spy story I have ever read.”—JOHN LE CARRÉ  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.