In My Good Books

About In My Good Books

In My Good Books is the podcast for UK readers who love crime fiction, thrillers, and literary fiction. Hosted by Susie Green, each episode features relaxed, in-depth conversations with authors and fellow readers about the stories that stay with us, the books we can’t stop recommending, and the creative process behind the page. Whether you’re looking for your next gripping read or curious about how your favourite authors craft their stories, this podcast is here to inspire, entertain, and help you discover your next great book. New episodes every week, follow to never miss an episode!

Publisher

Susie Green

Category

arts

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

15 Jun 2025

Latest episode

12 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

149 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   12 Oct 2026

   148: Leye Adenle: Fall From Grace – Crime, Corruption and the Royal Family

   What happens when a former police officer turned executive coach becomes caught up in a dangerous investigation involving corruption, religion and the British royal family? This week on In My Good Books, I'm joined by acclaimed crime writer Leye Adenle (https://www.instagram.com/leyeadenle/) to discuss Fall From Grace (https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/fall-from-grace-the-gripping-new-thriller-from-an-unforgettable-voice-in-crime-fiction-leye-adenle/daab13403affe70d?ean=9781398550506), the first book in his new crime thriller series featuring Bobby Fatukan. Leye and I discuss the inspiration behind Bobby, the challenges of writing a character who questions his own judgement, and his determination to create a crime thriller that readers simply cannot predict. We also talk about the extraordinary journey to publication, his experiences at international book festivals, and what's coming next for Bobby and his Amaka thriller series. Plus, Leye shares some brilliant crime fiction recommendations, including: Lightseekers and Gaslight by Femi Kayode My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite You can find Leye's Substack here (https://leyeadenle.substack.com/)to read some of his short stories. If you love complex characters, unpredictable plots and crime fiction that does something different, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

2. 

   5 Oct 2026

   147: Lord Peter Hain on Smuggler Kingpin, Activism and Writing Thrillers.

   This week, I’m joined by Lord Peter Hain, whose extraordinary career has taken him from anti-apartheid activism to more than 20 years as an MP and roles in Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s governments – including Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Peter’s latest thriller, Smuggler Kingpin (https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/smuggler-kingpin-peter-hain/15f0c3c92a4efa12?ean=9781919247175), takes readers into the world of tobacco and gold smuggling across Zimbabwe and South Africa, where organised crime, corruption and political power collide. We talk about the real-world criminal networks that inspired the novel, the research involved in writing about a secretive and dangerous world, and how Peter’s own experiences – including surviving a letter bomb sent by apartheid agents – inform his fiction. Peter recommends four books spanning Westminster, geopolitics, espionage and the Cold War: Get In by Patrick Maguire and Gabriel Pogrund, Surviving Chaos by Mark Leonard, A Duty of Care by Gerald Seymour and Code to Zero by Ken Follett.

3. 

   28 Sept 2026

   146: Bloody Scotland 2026: Inside Scotland’s International Crime Writing Festival

   Come with me to Bloody Scotland 2026 for a special episode recorded behind the scenes at Scotland’s International Crime Writing Festival in Stirling. I spent the weekend in the very busy festival green room, grabbing authors for quick conversations between their events and getting a taste of what Bloody Scotland is really like behind the scenes. Mark Billingham looks back on his long history with the festival, from the infamous Scotland v England crime writers’ football match to interviewing Richard Osman, and tells me about his latest Declan Miller novel, The Shadow Step – as well as giving us a tantalising first look at his next standalone novel. I also get to sit down with one of my favourite crime writers, S.A. Cosby, to talk about King of Ashes, his love of The Wire, memorable encounters with readers and what he's writing next. C.M. Ewan takes us aboard the Eurostar for his latest thriller I Spy and talks about writing page-turners in confined settings, his writing routine and the advice he’s been sharing with aspiring writers. Then I bring together all five authors shortlisted for the 2026 McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year – Tariq Ashkanani, Gavin Bell, Philip Miller, Frances Crawford and Zoë Rankin – before the winner is announced. We talk about their shortlisted novels, what the recognition means to them and those final nervous hours before the ceremony. There are also conversations with Ajay Chowdhury, whose writing career began with a Bloody Scotland competition, about his standalone thriller Eden Falls and its timely exploration of AI; and Luca Veste, who reflects on more than a decade of Bloody Scotland memories and introduces his new Liverpool crime series beginning with Liar Liar. Plus, some of my bookish friends share their own favourite moments from the weekend and why they think Bloody Scotland is such a special festival. Expect crime fiction, new books, writing chat, festival stories, awards, plenty of laughs – and all the noise and chaos of a green room packed with crime writers. If you love crime and thriller books, author interviews or book festivals, this is your chance to come behind the scenes at Bloody Scotland with me.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

26 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 36 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

72

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

0

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