135: Phoenicia Rogerson (Aphrodite)
Author's Afterword
Charlie and Phoenicia Rogerson (Aphrodite) discuss the latter's mythological comedy, an incredibly unique book about the Greek goddess of love which sports an ensemble cast of many narrators in an Ancient Greek theatre fashion, a variety of different modes and effective mediums of writing including interrupting footnotes, and more sexual references than Zeus himself could produce. Please note that this episode includes necessary mentions of mythological regular and sexual violence and swearing. General references: Pausanius says in his Description of Greece, chapter 19.2: "Now the shape of it...
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134: Elodie Harper (Boudicca's Daughter)
Author's Afterword
Charlie and Elodie Harper (Boudicca's Daughter) discuss the Iceni women history didn't deem important enough to give us names for, working with morally grey relationships for which there are no answers, and, in all this context, Ancient Britain and Ancient Rome. Please note that there is mention of rape and violence in this episode. General References: Books mentioned by name or extensively: Elodie Harper: The Wolf Den trilogy Elodie Harper: Boudicca's Daughter Release details: recorded 27th August 2025; published 8th December 2025 Where to find Elodie online: || Where to find Charlie...
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133: Juhea Kim (A Love Story From The End Of The World)
Author's Afterword
Charlie and Juhea Kim (A Love Story From The End Of The World) discuss Juhea's fantastic largely environmental and philosophical short story collection. This is a book that looks at the problems with our present as well as the possible futures that may result from them. General references: Rocky Groundhog Day In The Mood For Love Kpop Demon Hunters Books mentioned by name or extensively: Dante Alighieri: The Divine Comedy Juhea Kim: A Love Story From The End Of The World Juhea Kim: the Divine Comedy Mikhail Bulgakov: The Master And The Margarita Release details: recorded 29th August 2025;...
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132: Clémence Michallon (Our Last Resort)
Author's Afterword
Charlie and Clémence Michallon (Our Last Resort) discuss Clémence's epic multi-thousand-a-day writing streak and how she cuts sentences that don't work, often not replacing them, also Charlie's discomfort with the idea of the morally grey aspect of the novel and Clémence's thoughts that we think of morality in the context of the book/show, and fictional pets staying alive beyond the pages. Please note that the book under discussion is about a murder. Books mentioned by name or extensively: Clémence Michallon: The Quiet Tenant Clémence Michallon: Our last Resort Tyler Keevil: Your Still...
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131: Nikki May (This Motherless Land)
Author's Afterword
Charlie and Nikki May (This Motherless Land) discuss her childhood in Lagos and moving to England, various ways Nikki's story changed over time (quite a lot!), the Nigerian women's relay team of 1992, and the upcoming TV adaptations of both This Motherless Land and Wahala. Please note that there is some swearing in this episode. General references: Nikki made the shortlist of the Nigerian Prize for Literature Books mentioned by name or extensively: Enid Blyton: The Famous Five (series) Jane Austen: Pride And Prejudice Jane Austen: Emma Jane Austen: Mansfield Park Nikki May: Wahala Nikki May:...
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130: Jim C Hines (Kitemaster)
Author's Afterword
Charlie and Jim C Hines (Kitemaster) discuss how his story developed over a number of years, including wonder and physics reasoning in the book, his excellent study of grief (and humour in that context), and his unique and choices in regards to the book world's belief system of an afterlife. Please note there is some very mild swearing in this episode, as well as discussions of cancer and death. Please also note, on a very different subject, that there are spoilers for The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe as well as Serenity (Firefly) and, sort of, for Star Wars: A New Hope. I doubt anyone but...
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129: Julie Kagawa (Fateless)
Author's Afterword
Charlie and Julie Kagawa (Fateless) discuss video games, working with fate and destiny, Julie's brilliant world building and magic system, and the decisions she made about where to end the book. General references: My episode with Samantha Sotto Yambao is 122 Books mentioned by name or extensively: Julie Kagawa: The Iron Fey Julie Kagawa: The Blood Of Eden Julie Kagawa: Talon Games mentioned: Assassin's Creed D&D Final Fantasy X Final Fantasy X-2 Guild Wars 2 Hitman Prince Of Persia Splinter Cell Tomb Raider Release details: recorded 19th May 2025; published 22nd September 2025 Where to...
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128: Maggie Stiefvater (The Listeners)
Author's Afterword
Charlie and Maggie Stiefvater (The Listeners) discuss the lesser-known history of the US hosting Axis diplomats in luxury hotels, the arrangements made to swap diplomats one for one, including disability and mental illness in such a story, Maggie's main character's dachshunds and their relationship to the man they never let pet them, the era-aligned game that Maggie created, and much more. General references: Charlie's conversation with Elaine Chiew is episode 111 Books mentioned by name or extensively: Maggie Stiefvater: Shiver Maggie Stiefvater: The Scorpio Races Maggie Stiefvater: The...
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127: Emily Slapper (Everyone I Know Is Dying)
Author's Afterword
Charlie and Emily Slapper (Everyone I Know Is Dying) discuss her phenomenal book that looks at a young woman spiralling from mental illness. This involves discussing romantic relationships when one is depressed, the affect of parents, the affect of society, and not using labels. General references: I spoke to Samantha Sotto Yambao in episode 122 Books mentioned by name or extensively: Emily Slapper: Everyone I Know Is Dying Sylvia Plath: The Bell Jar Release details: recorded 16th April 2025; published 25th August 2025 Where to find Emily online: Where to find Charlie online: || || || ...
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126: Michael Stewart (Black Wood Women)
Author's Afterword
Charlie and Michael Stewart (Black Wood Women) discuss the persecution of Irish people in the 17th century, the loss of and possible reintroduction of wolves in Britain, and 17th century hippies. Please note that there is discussion of drugs in this episode. General references: Books mentioned by name or extensively: Elizabeth Fremantle: Honey And The Sting Ian D Rotherham: Yorkshire's Forgotten Fenlands Michael Stewart: King Crow Michael Stewart: Walking The Invisible Michael Stewart: Black Wood Women Michael Stewart: Surrounded By My Enemy Stacey Thomas: The Revels Release details: recorded...
info_outlineCharlie and Amy Engel (I Did It For You) discuss her literary thriller wherein the killer did it but it isn't that simple, wherein both the victim's and killer's families are given empathy, and wherein the sister of the victim and the brother of the killer start a romance.
Please note that whilst there are no references to detailed violence, this episode looks at various issues surrounding murder cases.
A transcript is available on my site
General references:
It was indeed Elmore Leonard who said, "You take out the parts that people skip when they're reading". This link has more information.
Books mentioned by name or extensively:
Amy Engel: The Familiar Dark
Amy Engel: I Did It For You
Release details: recorded 17th December 2024; published 28th April 2025
Where to find Amy online: Website || Twitter || Instagram || Facebook
Where to find Charlie online: Website || Twitter || Instagram || TikTok
Discussions
01:15 The inspiration - location and character
02:37 Creating Greer
04:50 Creating Ludlow and the well-drawn townspeople
07:53 How Amy works with secrets and reveals
09:24 How was it writing Greer in terms of her being an unreliable narrator?
11:10 The different extra narratives
12:33 Roy, the killer's, difference, his potential neurodivergence, and the importance of looking at this
15:41 Did you ever consider not having Roy 'do' it?
17:33 The grief in the book, including a look at the different sets of parents
19:46 Including Dean and humanising the family of the murderer
22:30 Amy tells us more about how her career in law influenced her writing
24:35 The slower pacing, which isn't so usual for a thriller, and how Amy categorises her novels. We then move on to what Amy added to the novel in editing
27:59 Amy's thought process and planning in regards to the bad guy (different person to the killer)
34:03 Amy deciding to end Greer and Dean's romance
36:29 Where Greer and Dean may end up, separately, beyond the pages of the book. We then move on to Greer's parents in the same vein
39:03 What Amy is writing and planning now