Out of Order Book Club

About Out of Order Book Club

The Out of Order Book Club podcast is aimed at avid readers and aspiring writers everywhere who are interested in books from all sorts of genres. Every fortnight, Mal takes you through a random book from a crime, fantasy or sci-fi series and asks whether this book in the series can be read out of order. Email: outoforderbookclub@outlook.com (mailto:outoforderbookclub@outlook.com) Blog/Website: outoforderbookclub.com (https://outoforderbookclub.wpcomstaging.com/)

Publisher

Mal Bernhardt

Category

arts

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

16 Aug 2025

Latest episode

12 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

40 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   12 Oct 2026

   Vaseem Khan's The Edge of Darkness (2026)

   In this episode of Season 3, Mal will be taking a look at the 6th book of the Malabar House series which focuses on Persis Wadia the first female detective, in 1950s post-Independence and post Partition India. We'll be taking a look at the questions thrown up about both Persis Wadia's personal and professional relationships. What is Sam Wadia like? What is Archie like (or is he even worth it)? Persis Wadia has been successful in the previous novels, however, does it matter if you don't know the details? On top of all this, what questions are thrown up by setting the book in an area of India that is 'mysterious' to many people inside and outside of India (including Persis Wadia)? Do any of these questions stop someone reading it out of order? Join me. Email: outoforderbookclub@outlook.com (mailto:outoforderbookclub@outlook.com) Content: I think a couple of mild swear words slipped through. Useful links and helpful sources: Vaseem Khan's website (https://vaseemkhan.com/blog/): Hopefully, this link should take you through to Khan's blog post of Nagaland and an overview of its history in relation to The Edge of Darkness. Worth a read if you found what I said even vaguely interesting! Actually, it's worth reading even if you didn't, as you're getting the author's perspective on this area! Murder Junction podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/murder-junction/id1475258158): This podcast is hosted by Vaseem Khan and Abir Mukherjee. I didn't mention this in the episode which is a massive oversight on my account, as Khan and Mukherjee have been podcasting regularly throughout their crime writing careers (I don't know where they get the time!!) Anyway, it's worth a listen for fans of true crime and crime writing. Note: I didn't want to listen to the episode about this novel as I was worried it would influence my content, but it's on my to-do list! Page One Interview (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1f2KiBCSIs) Writer's Routine Podcast (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KCZ4_0r1nc) Hodder Books series - Vaseem Khan diversity in literature (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56FuSBaOVrE) The Guardian: Vaseem Khan becomes first person of colour to chair Crime Writers’ Association (2023) (https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/may/31/vaseem-khan-first-person-of-colour-to-chair-cwa) BBC: From Nagaland to a path to the Oscars: Indian film brings a rarely seen world to global cinema (2026) (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cv2dwk3z7x5eo) HIF Interview: The Malabar House Series (https://harrogateinternationalfestivals.com/youre-booked/author-interviews/theakston-old-peculier-crime-novel-of-the-year-shortlist-an-interview-with-vaseem-khan/) Sophie-Constanze Bantle's "You're a Symbol, Persis": The Complexity of Postcolonial and Feminist Progress in Vaseem Khan's Malabar House Series (2024) (https://mcfarlandbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/5-Clu422-Bantle-p1.pdf) Rosemary Erickson Johnsen's Historical Crime Ficton: A Cushion on the Seat (2022) (https://mcfarlandbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/1-Johnsen-Clu401.pdf)

2. 

   28 Sept 2026

   Louis L'Amour's The Man from the Broken Hills (1975)

   In the 12th episode of this season we journey into a genre we've never looked at before - the Western. Mal is taking a look at Louis L'Amour's 'The Man from the Broken Hills'. L'Amour is possibly the most prolific author I've read so far. By the time of his death he had collected and read over 10,000 books and sold over 200 million copies of his work. However, this is also an author that wrote from the 1930s onwards, he only became very well-known in the 1970s. His key writing ambition, in the last few decades of his life was to write a forty novel history of the American West through the experiences of three migrant families - the Sacketts, the Talons and the Chantrys. It was this series of novels showing their interwoven stories that 'The Man from the Broken Hills' is a part of. In this episode, we'll be asking whether this novel can standalone or whether you can read it out of order. Email: outoforderbookclub@outlook.com (mailto:outoforderbookclub@outlook.com) Useful links and helpful sources: Louis L'Amour's official website - The Louis L'Amour Trading Post (https://louislamour.com/tradingpost.htm) 60 Minutes - Louis L'Amour (1976) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0da3C2BLCro) The Life and Legacy of Louis L'Amour - Art of Manliness podcast (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIQdRkJJtII) John D. Nesbitt's Change of Purpose in the Novels of Louis L'Amour (1978): (https://muse.jhu.edu/article/529328/summary) This was a really useful piece of research just because it game me a framework for looking at this Milo Talon novel in context. Harold E. Hinds Mexican and Mexican-American Images in the Western Novels of Louis L'Amour (1977): (https://www.jstor.org/stable/20119070) This is a good piece of research to read because although it doesn't cover all aspects of race and gender, I think it is nuanced investigation of how an author can be well-read, make an effort with depictions of other cultures and genders but be very inconsistent. Adrian Burton's Saddling up for Louis (2013): (https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1890/1540-9295-11.4.224) Read this if you want to know whether L'Amour was right about tumbleweed. Christine Bold's review of Education of a Wandering Man (1989): (https://openurl.ebsco.com/c/t4a2lo/EPDB%253Agcd%253A9%253A23038985/detailv2?sid=ebsco%253Aocu%253Arecord&id=ebsco%253Agcd%253A10366613&bquery=AU%2520Bold%252C%2520Christine&page=1&link_origin=www.google.com&searchDescription=Bold%252C%2520Christine&crl=f&x-cgp-token=t4a2lo) A brief but interesting review of L'Amour's memoir. Louis L'Amour's letter to The Wilson Quarterly (1987): (https://www.jstor.org/stable/40257825) A salty (pun intended) response by L'Amour to a problematic article in WQ showing his understanding and research of Asian cultures and their exploration skills before the Europeans even got out of the dock. Harold E. Lewis' L'Amour on Education (1987) (https://www.jstor.org/stable/30186691?searchText=louis%2520l%2527amour%2520lewis&searchUri=%252Faction%252FdoBasicSearch%253FQuery%253Dlouis%252Bl%252527amour%252Blewis%2526so%253Drel&ab_segments=0%252Fbasic_search_gsv2%252Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%253A3593bf0e129d2ea1d6639619c6598380)

3. 

   14 Sept 2026

   Ann Cleeves' The Dying Light (2026) and David Baldacci's All In (2026)

   In the belated third Sampler Edition we're looking at two samplers for books that aren't out yet, but will be very soon: The Dying Light by Ann Cleeves (released in October 2026) All In by David Baldacci (released November 2026) Although these are two very different samplers one about a murder in a North Devon coastal home, the other about an assassination attempt and kidnapping with possible national security implications, the slight unhappy or uncomfortable central characters gave me lots of similar questions about the backgrounds of the leads Matthew Venn and Travis Devine. In addition, I reveal, perhaps, a little too much about my terrible geography skills, and I waffle on a little too much about the possible meanings of 6:20 for someone who doesn't know (i.e. me!). As well as that you'll get a quick overview of the authors and these series. Email: outoforderbookclub@outlook.com (mailto:outoforderbookclub@outlook.com) Content: I am fairly sure I get through this without swearing. Useful links and helpful sources: Ann Cleeves Ann Cleeves website (https://www.anncleeves.com/): Right now (Sept. 2026), the site has lots of additional information about the upcoming release of The Dying Light and events where Ann Cleeves will be promoting it. If you found this episode interesting it is worth dipping into. National Centre for the Written Word Interview (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wopvU2w5luo) Pan Macmillan videos with Ann Cleeves (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt1jrRSTvDiq_h6n_MJFupMBDYugjg1Jj) Edinburgh International Festival interview (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yw3YyuyHIJ0) Calibre Audio interview (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wqz3K7yxp5I) BBC Interview (2005) (https://www.bbc.co.uk/bradford/culture/words/2005/ann_cleeves.shtml) The Poisoned Pen Interview (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpSBP9tCrzg) David Baldacci David Baldacci website (https://www.davidbaldacci.com/): Like the Ann Cleeves site, this one also has a lot of additional information on the home page about All In as it will be released in the UK in a few months. In addition, if you scroll down a little more you'll find further information about the series. A really good resource if this episode got you interested in the series. Writers Digest Interview (https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/conversation-with-david-baldacci-on-writing-standalone-novel-vs-series-killer-writers) The Big Thrill Interview - David Baldacci took control of his career - by not taking royalties (https://www.thebigthrill.org/2022/03/on-the-cover-david-baldacci/) David Perell Interview (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDqPHJK0E5Q) 60 minutes interview (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR1Hmklq7p4) David Baldacci at Theakstons Crime Writing Festival (https://www.on-magazine.co.uk/arts/arts-interviews/david-baldacci-interview/)

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.