Kathryn Sharman joins me for the first coffee break of season four to talk about her debut novel The Family at Number 23, a compelling psychological thriller, exploring the complex relationships between the characters Laura and Iris, two friends navigating the challenges of life, motherhood, and the pursuit of status.

Catherine shares her journey of writing this novel, revealing how personal experiences and the intricacies of the housing market shaped her narrative. We discuss the psychological depth of her characters, the unexpected twists that emerged during the writing process, and the fine balance between planning and letting the story unfold organically.

As Iris grapples with feelings of inadequacy and jealousy after her friend Laura's seemingly perfect life, an encounter with an elderly woman leads to a series of morally dubious decisions that spiral out of control.

Buy The Family at Number 23

Follow Kathryn Sharman

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Welcome back to The Conversation with Nadine Matheson!

In this episode, I am delighted to welcome the talented author Clemence Michelon, whose latest novel Our Last Resort is captivating readers everywhere. Join us as we explore Clemence's journey from journalist to novelist, delving into the challenges and triumphs that have shaped her writing career.

Clemence shares her unique insights on managing the pressures of success, especially after the acclaim of her debut novel, The Quiet Tenant. We discuss the emotional rollercoaster of publishing, the intricacies of writing dual timelines, and how her experiences as an immigrant have influenced her storytelling.

In Our Last Resort, we follow siblings Frida and Gabriel as they attempt to mend their fractured relationship during a stay at a remote hotel, only for their plans to unravel when a murder occurs. Clemence reveals the inspiration behind her characters and how her own life experiences inform her narratives, creating a rich tapestry of human emotion and connection.

This episode is a treasure trove of wisdom for aspiring writers and anyone interested in the art of storytelling.

Buy 'Our Last Resort'

Follow Clemence Michelon

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Welcome to Season Four of The Conversation with Nadine Matheson!

In this episode, I’m thrilled to welcome author Amy Jordan, whose gripping new novel, The Dark Hours, is making waves in the literary world. Join us as we delve into Amy's fascinating writing journey, exploring the twists and turns that led her to become a published author.

Amy shares her insights on the realities of the publishing industry, the importance of resilience, and the unexpected challenges that come with crafting compelling narratives. We discuss how personal experiences shape storytelling and the significance of trusting your creative instincts, even when the path seems uncertain.

In The Dark Hours, we meet Julia Hart, a retired detective drawn back into a chilling case that has haunted her for decades. As a copycat killer emerges, Julia must confront her past and the shadows that linger from her career. Amy reveals the inspiration behind her characters and how real-life experiences have influenced her writing.

With candid reflections on the highs and lows of being a writer, this episode is a treasure trove of advice for aspiring authors and seasoned writers alike.

Buy The Dark Hours

Follow Amy Jordan

We’d love to hear your thoughts. Take a moment to complete The Conversation survey and share your views about the podcast. http://bit.ly/theconversationwithnadinematheson-survey

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Welcome to the Summer Break Rewind!

While The Conversation takes a short summer break, I’ll be sharing fan-favourite episodes from Season Three, along with brilliant conversations from Page One: The Writer’s Podcast. Season Four returns in September until then, enjoy the rewind!

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In this episode of 'Coffee Break', New York Times Bestselling author of Blacktop Wasteland, Razorblade Tears and All The Sinners Bleed, S.A. Cosby joins me to talk about his new book 'King of Ashes'.

Whether you're already a devoted fan or discovering SA Cosby for the first time, this episode offers rare insights into the mind of a writer who continues to redefine contemporary crime fiction while never losing sight of the human heart beating beneath the darkness.

King Of Ashes

A son returning home. A dangerous debt. Secrets about to ignite . . . and a family consumed by flames.

Roman Carruthers left the smoke and fire of his family's crematory business behind in his hometown of Jefferson Run, Virginia. He is enjoying a life of shallow excess as a financial adviser in Atlanta until he gets a call from his sister, Neveah, telling him their father is in a coma after a hit-and-run accident.

When Roman goes home, he learns the accident may not be what it seems. His brother, Dante, is deeply in debt to dangerous, ruthless criminals. And Roman is willing to do anything to protect his family. Anything.

A financial whiz with a head for numbers and a talent for making his clients rich, Roman must use all his skills to try to save his family while dealing with a shadow that has haunted them all for twenty years: the disappearance of their mother when Roman and his siblings were teenagers. It's a mystery that Neveah, who has sacrificed so much of her life to hold her family together, is determined to solve once and for all.

As fate and chance and heartache ignite their lives, the Carruthers family must pull together to survive or see their lives turn to ash. Because, as their father counseled them from birth, nothing lasts forever. Everything burns.

We’d love to hear your thoughts. Take a moment to complete The Conversation survey and share your views about the podcast. http://bit.ly/theconversationwithnadinematheson-survey

"Enjoying 'The Conversation'? Support the podcast by buying me a cup of coffee ☕️

https://ko-fi.com/nadinematheson

Purchase books by the featured authors through my affiliate shop on Bookshop.org

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Summer Break Rewind!

While The Conversation takes a short summer break, I’ll be sharing fan-favourite episodes from Season Three, along with brilliant conversations from Page One: The Writer’s Podcast. Season Four returns in September until then, enjoy the rewind!

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In this special Summer Rewind episode of The Conversation Podcast, I’m sharing Episode 53 of Page One: The Writer’s Podcast, where hosts Marco and Tariq sit down with Alex Garland, the critically acclaimed writer and director of movies such as Ex Machina, Annihilation and, most recently, the TV series Devs. His career began with the bestselling novel, The Beach, before he moved on to writing screenplays for films such as 28 Days Later, Sunshine, Never Let Me Go and Dredd.

We’d love to hear your thoughts. Take a moment to complete The Conversation survey and share your views about the podcast. http://bit.ly/theconversationwithnadinematheson-survey

"Enjoying 'The Conversation'? Support the podcast by buying me a cup of coffee ☕️

https://ko-fi.com/nadinematheson

Purchase books by the featured authors through my affiliate shop on Bookshop.org

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Summer Break Rewind!

While The Conversation takes a short summer break, I’ll be sharing fan-favourite episodes from Season Three, along with brilliant conversations from Page One: The Writer’s Podcast. Season Four returns in September until then, enjoy the rewind!

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What happens after you get that coveted book deal?

Award-winning author Tariq Ashkanani pulls back the curtain on the publishing industry with refreshing honesty, revealing the unexpected challenges and disappointments that come after signing with an agent. From the marketing struggles that leave authors shouting into the void to the strange disconnect between publicity budgets and actual book sales, Tariq and Nadine explore the parts of the writer's journey rarely discussed in public.

But this conversation goes deeper than industry talk. Tariq shares the creative spark behind his deliciously dark new thriller The Midnight King, revealing how he crafts villains with psychological depth and finds those perfect "pockets of darkness" within everyday normality.

For readers of The Midnight King, crime fiction enthusiasts, or anyone curious about the realities of creative careers, this conversation offers both practical wisdom, laughs and the encouragement to trust your creative instincts.

The Midnight King

'This is a work of fiction. This is not a confession.' Lucas Cole is a bestselling writer. He is also a father, a widower, and a beloved celebrity in his small town. He is an unassuming man ­- tall, thin and quietly friendly. Lucas Cole is also a serial killer.

Nathan Cole has known the truth about his father since he was ten years old. Too terrified to go to the police, he ran away from home as soon as he was able, carrying the guilt of leaving his sister behind. But when Lucas is found dead in a dingy motel room, Nathan returns to his childhood home for the first time in seventeen years. It's there he finds The Midnight King, his father's final unpublished manuscript, a fictionalised account of his hideous crimes, hidden in a box of trinkets taken from his victims. Trinkets that include a ribbon belonging to a missing eight-year-old girl who disappeared only days before his father's death.

Now, Nathan must deal with the consequences of keeping his father's secret. But it may not be as simple as finding a lost child. For The Midnight King holds Nathan's secrets as well as Lucas's, and he is not the only one searching for the truth...

*First Broadcast: 10 April 2025

We’d love to hear your thoughts. Take a moment to complete The Conversation survey and share your views about the podcast. http://bit.ly/theconversationwithnadinematheson-survey

"Enjoying 'The Conversation'? Support the podcast by buying me a cup of coffee ☕️

https://ko-fi.com/nadinematheson

Purchase books by the featured authors through my affiliate shop on Bookshop.org

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Summer Break Rewind!

While The Conversation takes a short summer break, I’ll be sharing fan-favourite episodes from Season Three, along with brilliant conversations from Page One: The Writer’s Podcast. Season Four returns in September until then, enjoy the rewind!

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In this special Summer Rewind episode of The Conversation Podcast, I’m sharing Episode 199 of Page One: The Writer’s Podcast, where hosts Marco and Tariq sit down with

Deborah Harkness, best-selling author of the 'All Souls' series. Her debut, A Discovery of Witches, was an immediate best-seller, hitting #2 on the New York Times list, and was also a bestseller in the UK, France and Germany. The initial trilogy in the All Souls series has been translated into 37 languages. Her latest book in the series, The Black Bird Oracle, is just out.

Buy The Black Bird Oracle

The first shadows fall on a Friday afternoon when a single, dying raven delivers an invitation to the witch, Diana Bishop. It calls her home to the hallowed ground of Ravenswood, to a place and a family she has never known.

And when Diana and her husband Matthew Clairmont learn that their seven-year-old twins must have their magical powers tested, Diana decides to forge a new future for her family, hoping to find answers at the Proctor ancestral home.

There, Diana becomes her great aunt Gwyneth's pupil in Higher Magic. And as Diana walks an unknown path, she must journey to some of the darkest places within her family history - and herself - if she is to unlock greater power.

Follow Deborah Harkness

We’d love to hear your thoughts. Take a moment to complete The Conversation survey and share your views about the podcast. http://bit.ly/theconversationwithnadinematheson-survey

"Enjoying 'The Conversation'? Support the podcast by buying me a cup of coffee ☕️

https://ko-fi.com/nadinematheson

Purchase books by the featured authors through my affiliate shop on Bookshop.org

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the Summer Break Rewind!

While The Conversation takes a short summer break, I’ll be sharing fan-favourite episodes from Season Three, along with brilliant conversations from Page One: The Writer’s Podcast. Season Four returns in September until then, enjoy the rewind!

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Kate Ruby, renowned author and TV producer, joins me to unpack her incredible journey from crafting lighthearted rom-coms to penning edge-of-your-seat domestic thrillers. This episode doesn't just skim the surface; we dissect Kate's career evolution and delve into the unique experiences that shaped her storytelling skills, from her unconventional childhood to her dynamic roles in television production at major networks like Channel 4 and the BBC and her new book, "Everything You Have."

Her insights into transitioning between the collaborative nature of TV and the solitary world of novel writing offer invaluable lessons for any creative balancing multiple pursuits.

Follow Kate Ruby

*First Broadcast: 17 December 2024

We’d love to hear your thoughts. Take a moment to complete The Conversation survey and share your views about the podcast. http://bit.ly/theconversationwithnadinematheson-survey

"Enjoying 'The Conversation'? Support the podcast by buying me a cup of coffee ☕️

https://ko-fi.com/nadinematheson

Purchase books by the featured authors through my affiliate shop on Bookshop.org

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.