In My Good Books

101: Matt Cain: The Castle of Stories, LGBTQ+ Fiction & Pansy Publishing

This week on In My Good Books, Susie is joined by bestselling author, journalist and LGBTQ+ advocate Matt Cain to kick off Pride Month with a warm, funny and thought-provoking conversation about storytelling, identity, publishing and queer history. Matt chats about his uplifting new novel The Castle of Stories, a beautiful story set in a real-life Italian castle inherited by his husband’s family. The novel follows a newly blended family spending the summer restoring the crumbling property, only to uncover hidden secrets from the past through old letters and photographs. The conversation also explores LGBTQ+ history and the importance of preserving stories that were often erased or hidden. Matt shares how his role as a patron of LGBTQ+ History Month has influenced his writing and explains why fiction can help fill in the gaps left behind by history. Matt also opens up about his experiences in publishing and why he decided to launch his own independent LGBTQ+ publisher, Pansy Publishing. He talks candidly about the challenges queer authors still face in commercial fiction, the importance of making books accessible to everyone and why reading should never feel elitist or intimidating. There’s also plenty of behind-the-scenes chat about Matt’s new Substack diary project, where he plans to share the realities of life as an author and publisher — including plenty of publishing industry gossip. You can subscribe here: https://substack.com/@mattcainwriter Books discussed in this episode include: The Mercy Step by Marsha Hutchinson Human Animal by Seth Insua Fruit Fly by Josh Silver Plus, Matt gives a sneak peek at the historical fiction project he’s currently working on. Whether you’re looking for your next Pride Month read, interested in the future of queer publishing, or simply love uplifting conversations about books and creativity, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. You can follow Matt Cain online and find out more about The Castle of Stories and Pansy Publishing here: https://www.mattcainwriter.com/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGn9eSVxN6Rul1iD7752aFdpwsE2-obMOPJPfsNqJg_7YGh0LNtQvGkXYtDJ7s_aem_6Z57qPJofLY0rKJLGGRarQ https://pansybooks.co.uk/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGnXu5j1NNnoyex3a1OvBRgrBhxVOw_-Lk1claV4LHy1MD3upzp28YJkxzO_64_aem_GdKvKWv53eRoK_ubjlmt4g You can buy The Castle of Stories here: https://pansybooks.co.uk/linktree/?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPOTM2NjE5NzQzMzkyNDU5AAGnEcdmz3Tk5qjfQ1woMaVWjHDF9G7CZASZ2Oq8I46n2g03E47mKBLCEvILNw8_aem_QOGAEdeFkVxlaiE1zlbD7w

100: Kathryn Sharman on The Second Home, Psychological Suspense and Small-Town Secrets

In this episode of In My Good Books, I’m joined once again by bestselling psychological thriller author Kathryn Sharman to chat about her brilliant new novel, The Second Home. Following the success of The Family at Number 23, Kathryn returns with another domestic suspense novel — this time set in a coastal community where simmering tensions around tourism, second homes and privilege threaten to boil over. We discuss the inspiration behind the story, including Kathryn’s own holiday experience that sparked the initial idea, and why she wanted to explore the complicated reality of tourism in seaside towns. We also chat about creating morally complex female characters, why homes and property have become such a strong part of Kathryn’s author brand, and how she builds atmosphere and setting into her thrillers. Plus, we discuss: * The nuance of second-home ownership and Airbnb culture * Writing characters readers don’t always know whether to trust * The strange experience of friends and family reading your work * Kathryn’s new two-book deal If you love psychological thrillers packed with secrets, tension, family drama and beautifully observed social commentary, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Find Kathryn here: https://www.instagram.com/kathryn.sharman/ Buy The Second Home: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-second-home-an-addictive-page-turning-psychological-thriller-with-a-killer-twist-kathryn-sharman/c1fb19de27735b09?ean=9781399747189&next=t Books recommended in this episode: Home Sweet Home: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/home-sweet-home-a-twisty-new-domestic-thriller-from-the-author-of-the-perfect-guest-ruth-irons/4cc7baa88a9b75da?ean=9781785307553&next=t Connie: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/connie-charlotte-duckworth/7954481?ean=9781529430639&next=t

99: Simon Mason: Crime, Class and Chaos in The Dangerous Stranger

This week on In My Good Books, I’m joined by award-winning crime writer Simon Mason to discuss his latest novel, The Dangerous Stranger — the fifth instalment in his DI Ryan Wilkins series. Set in Oxford, the series follows mismatched detective duo Ryan Wilkins and Ray Wilkins — two men who share a surname but could not be more different. In this episode, Simon talks about creating one of modern crime fiction’s most compelling detective partnerships, why their differences make them work so well, and how their relationship has evolved across the series. Along the way, we chat about: * Why Simon deliberately gives readers just enough backstory to jump into the series at any point * The inspiration behind Ryan and Ray’s unusual dynamic * How little police procedural research he actually does * Why entertaining the reader always comes first * His move from children’s fiction into adult crime writing * The pressures and pleasures of writing a long-running crime series Simon also shares some brilliant book recommendations, including Lazare by Nelio Biedermann and the work of Flannery O'Connor. Buy The Dangerous Stranger: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-dangerous-stranger-the-latest-instalment-in-the-pacy-oxford-set-di-ryan-wilkins-series-simon-mason/f6322c01045ab322?ean=9781529439595&next=t

98: Ilona Bannister on Public Spaces, Moral Dilemmas and Complicated Characters

In this episode of In My Good Books, I’m joined by Ilona Bannister to discuss her gripping new thriller, Five — one of the most original and thought-provoking books I’ve read this year. Five strangers stand on a train platform waiting for the next service to London Victoria. In five minutes, one of them will die. The reader knows what’s coming, but the characters do not. As the clock ticks down, we learn more about each passenger and are forced to confront our own judgments about who deserves more time. We talk about her unique writing process, why she doesn’t outline her novels, and how the structure of Five evolved organically as the story developed. We also discuss: * Why the narrator has divided readers so strongly * Creating morally complex characters readers constantly reassess * Writing Emma, one of the book’s most controversial mothers * The research behind the novel and Ilona’s former career as a lawyer * Exploring public judgment, neurodivergence and empathy through fiction * Why thriller fiction has become the perfect home for her writing Find Ilona here: https://www.instagram.com/ilona.bannister/ Buy Five here: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/five-ilona-bannister/7889982?ean=9780008770563&next=t Ilona also recommends two brilliant recent reads:  The Good Listener by Holly Watt https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-good-listener-holly-watt/7982023?ean=9781526694577&next=t May We Feed the King by Rebecca Perry https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/may-we-feed-the-king-rebecca-perry/7972133?ean=9781803513867&next=t If you enjoy literary thrillers, morally complex characters and books that leave you questioning your own assumptions, this episode is for you.

97: Victoria West on Never Alone, Breaking Into Publishing & Writing Diverse Stories That Feel Real

In this episode of In My Good Books, I’m joined by psychological thriller author Victoria West to talk about her debut novel Never Alone, her unconventional journey into publishing, and why authentic representation in fiction matters more than ever. Victoria shares the story behind Never Alone, a tense and atmospheric psychological thriller that explores isolation, identity, and the secrets we carry. We dive into the inspiration behind the novel, her writing process, and how she builds suspense while keeping her characters emotionally grounded and relatable. This episode is a must-listen for readers who love psychological thrillers, aspiring writers curious about the publishing journey, and anyone interested in how storytelling is evolving to better reflect the world we live in. Find Victoria here: https://www.vwauthor.com/ Buy Never Alone: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/never-alone-victoria-west/3df9f6048e999fc9?ean=9781836730439&next=t Books recommended in this episode: Sick to Death: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/sick-people-chris-bridges/7613746?ean=9780008698140&next=t The Marriage Act: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/the-marriage-act-john-marrs/5753433?ean=9781529071191&next=t One by One: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/one-by-one-a-completely-unputdownable-crime-thriller-sam-frances/5d33ef25e38e9acb?ean=9781035418442&next=t