Shows
Stress NavigationLiesbeth van Rossum on stress in our blood, hair and body fatStress is a full body experience, deeply connected to your perception of a situation, to your thoughts and feelings. It can be beneficial in some contexts and detrimental in others, especially when you keep experiencing it chronically. According to endocrinologist and stress research expert prof. dr. Liesbeth van Rossum (Erasmus MC), chronic stress causes one of the world’s leading health problems: obesity. Liesbeth aims to dive deeper into all the factors that make up a person’s health to better understand why someone may
become obese. Tackling obesity requires more than “move more, eat less”. Being sensitive to the mult...
2025-01-2845 min
Secrets and Spies Podcast: Espionage | Global Issues | Current AffairsMurder of a British Spy in the IRA with Henry HemmingIn this conversation, Chris and author Henry Hemming delve into the intricate world of espionage during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, focusing on the roles of spies, informants, and key figures like Frank Hegarty and Freddy Scappatici. They discuss the political landscape that led to Operation Banner, the evolution of the IRA, and the cultural stigma surrounding informers. The conversation also highlights the challenges faced by intelligence operations and the moral complexities involved in espionage.
Get a copy of “Four Shots In The Night” here: https://www.quercusbooks.co.uk/titles/henry-hemming/four-shots-in-the-night/9781529426786/
Find out more abou...
2024-12-2851 min
If It Ain't Baroque...Saints: A New Legendary of Heroes, Humans and Magic with Amy JeffsLet’s talk about ...Saints!Please give a massive round of applause for Amy Jeffs, author of a new book Saints: a New Legendary of Heroes, Humans and Magic. Published by Riverrun.This chat has it all, a cult of Edward the Confessor, a definition of what a saint actually is and was, a mention of a man covered in pricks (yes, those) and why Henry VIII is to be blamed for everything yet again... we throw in some salmon fishing in the Thames, a medieval c**k-ring and ...it's definitely time to put on he...
2024-12-1241 min
Northern VoicesEpisode 54: Linda GreenIn this episode, bestselling author Linda Green talks about her most recent novel, In Little Stars. We also discuss the fickle world of publishing, the importance of Northern voices in audiobooks and why we need a greater diversity of UK books in the worldwide market.
Find out more:
https://www.quercusbooks.co.uk/titles/linda-green/in-little-stars/9781787478770/
https://www.lindagreenauthor.com/
X:
https://x.com/LindaGreenisms
https://x.com/QuercusBooks
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/lindagreenbooks
https://www.instagram.com/quercusbooks
Music credit: 'Water of Tyne' performed by Edinburgh University Brass Band (2009) arranged by Jack Stobbs, edited and scored for Brass...
2024-11-1325 min
History with JacksonShakespeare's Sister with Ramie TargoffIn this episode, Jackson sits down to talk to author and historian Ramie Targoff to discuss her brand new book with Riverrun 'Shakespeare's Sisters: Four Women Who Wrote the Renaissance'! This riveting conversation touched on the role of being mothers, daughters, sisters and wives played in these women's lives, the role of religion, and crucially the groundbreaking nature of their writing! To grab a copy of 'Shakespeare's Sisters: Four Women Who Wrote the Renaissance' head to https://www.quercusbooks.co.uk/titles/ramie-targoff/shakespeares-sisters/9781529404890/To keep up to date with Ramie head to
2024-03-3141 min
History with JacksonSAS Forged in Hell with Damien LewisIn this episode of the History with Jackson podcast host Jackson van Uden sits down to talk to author and Historian Damien Lewis about his brand new book SAS Forged In Hell From Desert Rats to Dogs of War: The Mavericks Who Made the SAS. This episode looks at the inspiring and daring raids of invasions of Sicily, and Mainland Italy by the SAS during WWII under the guidance of the brave Blair 'Paddy' Mayne. To grab a signed and dedicated copy (Before the 21st of November) of Damien's book head to https://coles-books.co.uk...
2023-10-2958 min
Northern Bibliosphere38: Booksellers, history & mystery with S.G. MacleanWe met with the wonderful Shona Maclean in Inverness to talk about her book The Bookseller of Inverness.
We talked about her book, the pressure of writing about a place close to home, her characters and who she would cast in case of a movie adaptation.
Find out more about her work on quercusbooks.co.uk/contributor/s-g-maclean/
If you have a book you love send us a voice message on speakpipe.com/northernbibliosphere and we will feature the reviews in our future episodes!
If you have an author, book, or literary project that you woul...
2023-10-2844 min
Women's Running StoriesSabrina Pace-Humphreys: Ultra Trail Runner On a Quest to Reach Her Red LineSabrina Pace-Humphreys understands what pushing through, putting one foot in front of the other in the face of great pain and on the edge of breaking feels like. She's been doing it her whole life.But it wasn't until she discovered the world of ultra trail running that she truly understood how deeply empowered this had made her. She's now on a quest to discover just how far she can push her boundaries, for herself and for others: to represent and inspire.This is the story of how Pace-Humphreys went from growing up as the...
2023-10-0634 min
Women's Running StoriesSabrina Pace-Humphreys: Ultra Trail Runner On a Quest to Reach Her Red LineSabrina Pace-Humphreys understands what pushing through, putting one foot in front of the other in the face of great pain and on the edge of breaking feels like. She's been doing it her whole life.But it wasn't until she discovered the world of ultra trail running that she truly understood how deeply empowered this had made her. She's now on a quest to discover just how far she can push her boundaries, for herself and for others: to represent and inspire.This is the story of how Pace-Humphreys went from growing up as the...
2023-10-0637 min
Legitimate LikesMaths with Kit YatesAuthor, lecturer and director of the Centre for Mathematical Biology at the University of Bath Kit Yates (@Kit_Yates_Maths) joins us as we crunch the numbers on maths. Hugh deals with some dry potatoes, Will wonders who invented cards, and Michael tries to get support for one of his schemes.K9See Kit's new book herewww.quercusbooks.co.uk/titles/kit-yates/how-to-expect-the-unexpected/9781529408676/ And his first book herewww.quercusbooks.co.uk/titles/kit-yates/the-maths-of-life-and-death/9781787475403/Don't forget about our LIVE show on Saturday 4th November 2023...
2023-07-141h 10
Rebel HeroinesEpisode Five: The Titanesses/Interview with Rosie GarlandIn this episode we meet a plethora of pre-pantheon Rebel Heroines. Primordial entities who emerged from the chaos, creation goddesses who were up against it, and a host of nymphs, muses and the keepers of Destiny. There are poem extracts from Nikita Gills fabulous Great Goddesses, oracle messages from The Mythical Oracle, and review of Nina Maclaughlin's amazing retelling of Ovid. As if that wasn't enough, we have an interview with author Rosie Garland who gives us a world exclusive premier of a her new Greek Myth inspired novel coming out next year!Content warning: references...
2023-06-1537 min
Football Kit MemoriesJames Brown - founding Editor of Loaded Magazine, author of 'Animal House'Hello, Im Craig and welcome to another episode of Football Kit Memories - the football podcast that gets under the shirt.In today’s episode I'm joined by the founder and first editor of Loaded magazine - James Brown. James recently published his memoir ‘Animal House’ which covers his life both before and after the magazine and for me it was an excellent read in the way it honestly reflects both the highs and lows of celebrity and excess during the 1990s.James initially began writing in Leeds during the 1980s, wher...
2023-05-2646 min
Young Hearts Run Free PodcastSabrina Pace-Humphreys - Black Trail Runners - Young Hearts Run Free - S6 Eps 8 - 2 September 2022Our one-week hiatus is over, long live YHRF!! And we reckon you deserve a belting episode; this week certainly fits that bill.
We kick off proceedings with a wee host catch up. We’ve a fair smattering of stuff to cover after what has been a busy few weeks in the world of running. 100k World Champs featuring plenty pals of the show, UTMB with Jim Walmsley wearing tights as the GOAT delivered yet again. On top of all that there is the small matter of John toeing the start line this weekend at Glenmore, 24 hours of forward momentum pending!
Th...
2022-09-021h 45
Freedom MattersMind, Body and a Bike – James HibbardJames Hamilton Hibbard is a Northern California-based writer and former professional cyclist who studied philosophy at the PhD-level.
His philosophical memoir, THE ART OF CYCLING: Philosophy, Meaning, and a Life on Two Wheels (Quercus/ Hachette Australia), explores questions of embodiment and meaning in our increasingly detached and virtual society, and was shortlisted for The Sunday Times 2022 British Sports Book of the Year, Cycling.
In this conversation we discuss:
- His journey as a professional athlete
- His views on the history of philosophy and the guidance that it brings
- How his experience cycling...
2022-08-0434 min
PARAMEDICASTJake Jones: Author of "Can You Hear Me?"“The longer I do the job, the more fascinated I become with the central overlap of it: you’re dealing with clinical crisis but there’s always a contextual element to it… in this job, you’re always going into somebody else’s world where there are always so many factors at play.”
Jake Jones is a paramedic and author of Can You Hear Me?: An NHS Paramedic's Encounters with Life and Death, published in 2020. The fast-paced memoir was an instant success, with glowing reviews from newspapers and magazines including the Guardian and the Times Literary Supplement, and selection...
2022-07-2242 min
Freelancing for JournalistsAn Interview with Lisa BradleyIn our ‘Summer Reads’ podcast series, we chat with freelance journalists who have written successful books. Bringing the first episode of series eight back with a bang is Lisa Bradley, the author of two psychological thrillers – Paper Dolls and The Lesson. Lisa began her writing career in local news and subsequently worked as a freelance journalist for national papers and magazines. She is now a lecturer in journalism at the University of Sheffield. We chat about the importance of nailing your first draft and finding success after rejection. The Author:Lisa BradleyTwitte...
2022-07-0639 min
quercusbooksBLACK SHEEP written and read by Sabrina Pace-Humphreys - audiobook extractSabrina Pace-Humphreys is a 43-year-old mother of four and grandmother of two, an award-winning businesswoman, an ultrarunner, a social justice activist and a recovering alcoholic. She is a mixed-raced woman, the daughter of a white Scottish Roman Catholic woman and a Black Church of England man. When she was two, her parents separated and Sabrina, her mother and her white-presenting younger sister moved to a small market town where no-one looked like her. From as young as she can remember, she was the subject of verbal and physical racist abuse.
In Black Sheep, Sabrina reveals how she got from there...
2022-05-2505 min
quercusbooksHER LAST WOODS by E.V. Kelly, read by Shelley Atkinson - audiobook extractA gripping debut psychological thriller set on the east coast of Ireland. Atmospheric, twisty and propulsive, Her Last Words is an edge-of-your-seat listen about obsession and dark secrets coming to light.
The dead won't stay silent forever....
It's a crisp spring morning when Cass drops her husband, a respected lecturer, to the beach for his medically prescribed swim. While waiting for him, something catches her eye. A young woman runs towards her husband and embraces him - until he holds his hand over her face and she falls down on the stones, dead.
In the backseat of the car, their...
2022-05-2505 min
quercusbooksTO KILL A TROUBADOUR by Martin Walker, read by Peter Noble - audiobook extractJoin Bruno, France's favourite country cop, on his latest adventure as he fights to keep St Denis safe. Set in the beautiful Périgord region, The Dordogne Mysteries are the perfect combination of mystery and escapism.
It is summer in St Denis and Bruno is busy organising the annual village concert. He's hired a local Périgord folk group, Les Troubadours, to perform their latest hit 'A Song for Catalonia'. But when the song unexpectedly goes viral, the Spanish government, clamping down on the Catalonian bid for independence, bans Les Troubadours from performing it.
The timing couldn't be worse, and Br...
2022-05-2507 min
quercusbooksDEAD RICH by G.W. Shaw, read by Charlotte Worthing - audiobook extractSuper yachts are secretive, like their owners. The bigger the richer. Like castles, they are created to inspire awe. Like castles too, they are defended. They are an entire world, separate from the rest of us.
Kai, a carefree once-successful musician is invited by his new Russian girlfriend, Zina, to join her family's Caribbean holiday. Impulsively accepting he learns that Zina is the daughter of a Russian oligarch, Stepan Pirumov and that the trip is aboard his yacht, the Zinaida, moored in St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. The crew consists of Captain Marius Falk, the first mate, Erin...
2022-05-1902 min
quercusbooksHELLO, GOODBYE AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN by Jennifer E. Smith, read by Amy Tallmadge - audio extractEvery ending is also a new beginning....
The heart-warming and uplifting romance from the best-selling author of The Statistical Probability of Falling in Love. Soon to be a major Netflix film.
On the night before they leave for college, Clare and Aidan have only one thing left to do: figure out whether they should stay together or break up. In 12 hours, they'll be heading to opposite ends of the country, and they're anxious to resolve things before they go.
But the quiet night they had planned quickly turns into an unexpected adventure, a roller-coaster ride through their past that leads...
2022-05-1904 min
quercusbooksTELL ME EVERYTHING by Laura Kay, read by Tigger Blaize - audiobook extractWould you entrust your life choices to someone hell-bent on avoiding theirs?
Natasha has everything under control, at least that's what her clients think. As a therapist, she has all the answers but when it comes to her personal life, she seriously needs to start taking her own advice.
Still living with her ex-girlfriend, Natasha's messy love life is made up of dates and one-night stands. After all, why would you commit to one person, when there is an endless stream of people waiting for you to swipe right? Besides, people always leave.
But when Margot arrives on the scene...
2022-05-1905 min
quercusbooksBILL BAILEY'S REMARKABLE GUIDE TO HAPPINESS written and read by Bill Bailey - audiobook extractWhat makes us happy? Bill Bailey plays crazy golf and hugs trees to find out.
Is there a knack to being happy? From paddle-boarding down the Thames in a Santa hat, to wild swimming in a glacial river and cooking sausages on a campfire, Bill revels in the exhilaration of the outdoors, as well as the quieter pleasures of letter-writing, or of simple reflection.
In this beautiful and uplifting audiobook, Bill Bailey explores all this and more while delving into the nature of happiness, all in his own, remarkable, way.
Packed with wisdom and humour, Bill Bailey aims for the...
2022-04-2901 min
quercusbooksBRAKING DAY by Adam Oyebanji, read by Ariyan Kassam - audiobook extractA riveting story for anyone who has ever looked up at the stars and dreamed of humanity's journey to them, and wondered what it might look when we get there.
Interstellar Vehicle Archimedes has been hurtling through space for more than five generations, an oasis of heat and light in the middle of absolutely nowhere. But now the ageing starship is preparing to brake, for it is arriving at Destination Star: Tau Ceti, the new home for the space-born descendants of the First Crew.
For trainee engineer Ravinder MacLeod, the world he knows is coming to an end. Once Archimedes...
2022-04-2904 min
quercusbooksDOES MY BUTT LOOK BIG IN THIS written and read by Felicity Hayward - audiobook extractPart manifesto, part guide to harnessing the power of self-love and body positivity.
Felicity Hayward - curve model and founder of the online movement #SelfLoveBringsBeauty - is a leading voice for change within the UK's fashion industry. Rooted in her own personal journey navigating the fashion world, Felicity's debut book is a joyful and powerful guide to how you can take control of your own self-image and learn to love your true and authentic self.
From dispelling harmful body myths to finding your own unique style, tips for mental self-care to navigating toxic social media, Felicity shares her own highs...
2022-04-2907 min
quercusbooksMETROPOLIS by Philip Kerr, read by Jonathan Keeble - audiobook extractBerlin Detective Bernie Gunther bows out at last in the 14th and final book of the Sunday Times and New York Times best-selling series. With an introduction by Ian Rankin.
Berlin, 1928, the height of the Weimar Republic. Bernie is a young detective working in Vice when he asked to investigate the Silesian Station killings: four prostitutes murdered in as many weeks, and in the same gruesome manner.
Bernie hardly has time to acquaint himself with the case files before another murder occurs. Until now, no one has shown much interest in these victims—there are plenty in Berlin who'd like th...
2022-04-2901 min
quercusbooksMOMENTICON by Andrew Caldecott, read by John Hastings - audiobook extractA hugely compelling, dark, offbeat adventure from the best-selling author of Rotherweird.
The world has become a dangerous place. Despite the environmentalists' best efforts, the atmosphere has turned toxic, destroying almost all life - plants, animals and most of humanity too.
Survivors live in domes protected by chitin shields, serving one or other of the two great companies, Lord Vane's Tempestas or Lord Sine's Genrich, with their very different visions for mankind's future. A long period of uneasy collaboration between them is about to end.
Far from these centres of power stands the Museum Dome, where persons unknown have assembled...
2022-04-2905 min
quercusbooksTHE SIXTEEN TREES OF THE SOMME by Lars Mytting, trans. by Paul Russell Garrett, read by Robin LaingA family story of epic scale, by the author of Norwegian Wood and The Bell in the Lake.
Edvard grows up on a remote mountain farmstead in Norway with his taciturn grandfather, Sverre. The death of his parents, when he was three years old, has always been shrouded in mystery—he has never been told how or where it took place and has only a distant memory of his mother.
But he knows that the fate of his grandfather's brother, Einar, is somehow bound up with this mystery. One day, a coffin is delivered for his grandfather long before his de...
2022-04-2904 min
quercusbooksSKIP TO THE END by Molly James, read by Kitty Kelly - audiobook extractThree kisses. Two break ups. One happy ending....
Amy Daniels has a pretty nice life. Her career is on the up, she loves her friends and she's about to buy her very own flat. On a good day, Amy could be described as a catch—so why is she perpetually single?
The trouble is, Amy can see something no one else can: the end. As soon as she kisses someone, she knows, in intimate, vivid detail, how their relationship will end. A screaming argument in the middle of the supermarket over milk. An explicit email sent to the wrong address. A...
2022-04-2903 min
quercusbooksTHE CHOSEN by Elizabeth Lowry, read by Philip Bird - audiobook extractOne Wednesday morning in November 1912, Thomas Hardy, an old man in ragged trousers, entombed by paper and increasingly estranged from his wife, Emma, finds her dying in her bedroom. Between his speaking to her and taking her in his arms, she has gone.
The day before, he and Emma had exchanged bitter words, leading Hardy to wonder whether all husbands and wives ended up as enemies to each other. He, his family and Florence Dugdale, the much younger woman with whom he had been in a relationship, all assumed that he would be happy and relieved to be set free...
2022-04-2903 min
quercusbooksTHE EARTH by Dr Elsa Panciroli, read by Reanne Farley - audiobook extractA unique perspective on how our living planet has evolved and adapted, from early organisms to life in the current Anthropocene.
It is difficult to conceive of the vast scale of the history of life on Earth, from the very first living organisms sparking into life in hydrothermal deep-sea vents to the dizzying diversity of life today. The evolution of life is a sweeping epic of a tale, with twists and turns, surprising heroes and unlikely survivors. The Earth beautifully distils this complex story into a meaningful scale. In taking a closer look at 47 carefully selected organisms over 15 periods in...
2022-04-2903 min
quercusbooksTHE HOUSE AY HELYGEN by Victoria Hawthorne, read by Jane McDowell & Tamsin KennardAn atmospheric historical suspense novel rich with familial secrets. The House at Helygen is a twisted tale of dark pasts, murderous presents and uncertain futures.
2019
When Henry Fox is found dead in his ancestral home in Cornwall, the police rule it a suicide, but his pregnant wife, Josie, believes it was murder. Desperate to make sense of Henry's death, she embarks on a quest to learn the truth, all under the watchful eyes of Henry's overbearing mother. Josie soon finds herself wrestling against the dark history of Helygen House and ghosts from the past that refuse to stay buried.
1881
New...
2022-04-2905 min
quercusbooksTHE LAST TO DISAPPEAR by Jo Spain, read by Jasmine Blackborow - audiobook extractThe chilling new thriller from the best-selling author of The Confession and Dirty Little Secrets.
A luxury resort. Three missing women. One body.
When young London professional Alex Evans is informed that his sister's body has been pulled from an icy lake in Northern Lapland, he assumes his irresponsible sister accidentally drowned. He travels to the wealthy winter resort where Vicky worked as a tour-guide and meets Agatha Koskinen, the detective in charge. Agatha is a no-nonsense single mother of three who already thinks there's more to Vicky's case than meets the eye.
As the two form an unlikely alliance...
2022-04-2904 min
quercusbooksTHE WAY OF NAGOMI by Ken Mogi, read by Susan Momoko Hingley - audiobook extractThe Japanese ideology that gives you the powers to embrace everything life throws at you in order to live at peace and harmoniously—as explained by the global best-selling author who brought you Ikigai.
Nagomi represents a state of being where both 'bad' and 'good' things live in harmonious and beneficial co-existence. Every life will have joys and sorrows, opportunities and misfortunes. Understanding and accepting this is important, but nagomi takes it one step further by showing you how to balance all of these experiences, both positive and negative. A popular and common concept in Japan, to achieve nagomi is to...
2022-04-2903 min
quercusbooksWHAT SHE LEFT BEHIND BY Emily Frued, read by Sofia Zervudachi - audiobook extractA suspenseful psychological thriller with a shocking twist, perfect for fans of Lia Middleton, BA Paris and Alex Michaelides.
What if your dream life turned into your worst nightmare?
Lauren is thrilled to escape her old life in London for a fresh start in the countryside with her partner, Paul, and her two stepchildren. Haunted by her past, Lauren knows how lucky she is, in her dream home with her ready-made family. She also knows how much she stands to lose.
But as Lauren struggles to adjust to motherhood, Paul becomes increasingly distant and village rumours begin to swirl about...
2022-04-2904 min
quercusbooksSHY AND MIGHTY written and read by Nadia Finer - Audio ExtractA book for shy people of all ages who wonder how to shine in an incredibly noisy world.
Shyness can make us feel isolated, and it's inherently difficult to talk about, yet half of all humans consider themselves shy. But shyness is not weakness, nor a shameful secret. Let's own our shyness, and work with it in the face of the loud, outgoing idea of success. It's time for a softer, more considered approach. Shy people have unique qualities and skills, so let's nurture and appreciate them.
Nadia Finer gives shy people the support and understanding they need to step...
2022-04-0601 min
quercusbooksGO GENTLY written and read by Bonnie Wright - audiobook extractAn inspiring and approachable tip-filled guide to changing your habits, living more sustainably and taking action, by Greenpeace ambassador Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley in the Harry Potter movies).
Go Gently is a practical guide for sustainability at home that offers simple, tangible steps towards reducing our environmental impact by looking at what we consume and the waste we create, as well as how to take action for environmental change. The title reflects Bonnie's belief that the best way to change our planet and ourselves is through a gentle approach, rather than a judgmental one. This is an audiobook of do's...
2022-03-2504 min
quercusbooksGREEKS BEARING GIFTS by Philip Kerr, read by Jonathan Keeble - audiobook extractBernie Gunther returns in the 13th book in the Sunday Times and New York Times best-selling series, perfect for fans of John le Carre and Robert Harris.
1957, Munich. Bernie Gunther's latest move in a long string of varied careers sees him working for an insurance company. It makes a kind of sense: both cops and insurance companies have a vested interest in figuring out when people are lying to them, and Bernie has a lifetime of experience to call on.
Sent to Athens to investigate a claim from a fellow German for a ship that has sunk, Bernie takes an...
2022-03-2501 min
quercusbooksPRUSSIAN BLUE by Philip Kerr, read by Jonathan Keeble - audiobook extractThe 12th book in the Sunday Times and New York Times best-selling series, perfect for fans of John le Carre and Robert Harris.
France, 1956. Bernie Gunther is on the run. If there's one thing he's learned, it's never to refuse a job from a high-ranking secret policeman. But this is exactly what he's just done. Now he's a marked man, with the East German Stasi on his tail.
Fleeing across Europe, he remembers the last time he worked with his pursuer: in 1939, to solve a murder at the Berghof, Hitler's summer hideaway in the Bavarian Alps. Hitler is long dead...
2022-03-2501 min
quercusbooksTHE OTHER SIDE OF SILENCE by Philip Kerr, read by Jonathan Keeble - audiobook extractBlackmail, espionage and a mass murderer from his past await Bernie Gunther at the French Riviera.
The French Riviera, 1956. A world-weary Bernie Gunther is working under a false name as a hotel concierge. His attempts to keep his nose clean go horribly awry when a wartime acquaintance sucks him into a blackmail plot involving one of the most famous British writers of the 20th century and the Cambridge Spies.
Bernie is missing his old detective life when his past walks through the door in the shape of Harold Hennig, a former captain in the Nazi security service - the man...
2022-03-2501 min
quercusbooksTHOSE WHO RETURN by Kassandra Montag, by Amelia Sciandra - audiobook extractA searing psychological thriller of guilt and redemption, set in the Great Plains of Nebraska. Perfect for fans of Sharp Objects, The Dry and Top of the Lake.
Amid the desolate wilderness of the Great Plains of Nebraska, a region so isolated you could drive for hours without seeing another human being, sits Hatchery House. Having served as a church, an asylum and an orphanage, Hatchery is now a treatment facility for orphaned or abandoned children with psychiatric disorders. Haunted by patients past and present, only the most vulnerable find a home within its walls.
Dr Lorelei 'Lore' Webber, a...
2022-03-2501 min
quercusbooksTHE NO-SHOW by Beth O'Leary - Jane read by Kathryn Drysdale'The No-Show is an ingenious, heartwarming and romantic story with great depths amid the humour and lightness' Sophie Kinsella
'Beth O'Leary is that rare, one-in-a-million talent who can make you laugh, swoon, cry and ache all in the same book . . . surprising and deeply satisfying' Emily Henry
'The kind of book that leaves an impression on your heart' Holly Miller
'Perfect escapism: romantic and uplifting with a twist you won't see coming' Lucy Diamond
The funny, heart-breaking and uplifting new novel from the bestselling author of The Flatshare
Three women. Three dates. One missing man...
8.52 a.m. Siobhan is looking forward...
2022-03-1801 minquercusbooksTHE NO-SHOW by Beth O'Leary - Miranda read by Heather Long'The No-Show is an ingenious, heartwarming and romantic story with great depths amid the humour and lightness' Sophie Kinsella
'Beth O'Leary is that rare, one-in-a-million talent who can make you laugh, swoon, cry and ache all in the same book . . . surprising and deeply satisfying' Emily Henry
'The kind of book that leaves an impression on your heart' Holly Miller
'Perfect escapism: romantic and uplifting with a twist you won't see coming' Lucy Diamond
The funny, heart-breaking and uplifting new novel from the bestselling author of The Flatshare
Three women. Three dates. One missing man...
8.52 a.m. Siobhan is looking forward...
2022-03-1802 minquercusbooksTHE NO-SHOW by Beth O'Leary - Siobhan read by Evanna Lynch'The No-Show is an ingenious, heartwarming and romantic story with great depths amid the humour and lightness' Sophie Kinsella
'Beth O'Leary is that rare, one-in-a-million talent who can make you laugh, swoon, cry and ache all in the same book . . . surprising and deeply satisfying' Emily Henry
'The kind of book that leaves an impression on your heart' Holly Miller
'Perfect escapism: romantic and uplifting with a twist you won't see coming' Lucy Diamond
The funny, heart-breaking and uplifting new novel from the bestselling author of The Flatshare
Three women. Three dates. One missing man...
8.52 a.m. Siobhan is looking forward...
2022-03-1802 min
quercusbooksOUR CHILD OF TWO WORLDS by Stephen Cox, read by Patricia Rodriguez - audiobook extractCory is the child of two worlds: when his birth-people come, they will break his mother's heart...but they may also be this world's only salvation.
Molly and Gene Myers rescued Cory and kept him safe from those who wanted to use his remarkable knowledge and power for their own ends...and in doing so, they rediscovered themselves and fell in love with a remarkable child.
In this gripping sequel to Our Child of the Stars, Cory and his new family are having to deal with the consequences of fame - but Molly is more concerned about the future, for...
2022-02-2501 min
quercusbooksROSE NICOLSON by Andrew Greig, read by Angus Kind - audiobook extract'A tale I have for you.'
Embra, winter of 1574. Queen Mary has fled Scotland, to raise an army from the French. Her son and heir, Jamie is held under protection in Stirling Castle. John Knox is dead. The people are unmoored and lurching under the uncertain governance of this riven land. It's a deadly time for young student Will Fowler, short of stature, low of birth but mightily ambitious, to make his name.
Fowler has found himself where the scorch marks of the martyrs burned at the stake can be seen on every street, where differences in doctrine can...
2022-02-2502 min
quercusbooksTHE REINDEER HUNTERS by Lars Mytting, translated by Deborah Dawkin, read by Roger MayThe Reindeer Hunters is the second in a thrilling historical trilogy that began with The Bell in the Lake.
The year is 1903, and 22 years have passed since Astrid Hekne died in childbirth. Her son, Jehans, lives on a modest smallholding up in the hills near Butangen, having withdrawn from his community. He is drawn to freedom, to fishing and reindeer hunting, and one day meets a stranger over the body of a huge reindeer buck.
Outside the new church in Butangen, Pastor Kai Schweigaard still cares for Astrid Hekne's grave. The village's overworked priest is tormented by his old betrayal...
2022-02-2501 min
quercusbooksONE ITALIAN SUMMER by Rebecca Serle, read by Lauren Graham - Audiobook Extract The heartbreaking new novel from the author of the international bestseller In Five Years
When Katy's mother dies, she is left reeling. Carol wasn't just Katy's mum, but her best friend and first phone call. She had all the answers and now, when Katy needs her the most, she is gone. To make matters worse, the mother-daughter trip of a lifetime looms: two weeks in Positano, the magical town where Carol spent the summer before she met Katy's father. Katy has been waiting years for Carol to take her, and now she is faced with embarking on the adventure alone.
...
2022-02-2103 min
quercusbooksThe Lying Club by Annie Ward, read by Teri Schnaubelt - Audio ExtractAt an elite private school nestled in the Colorado mountains, a tangled web of lies draws together three vastly different women. Natalie, a young office assistant, dreams of having a life like the school moms she deals with every day. Women like Brooke-a gorgeous heiress, ferociously loving mother and serial cheater-and Asha, an overachieving and overprotective mom who suspects her husband of having an affair.
Their fates are bound by their relationships with the handsome, charming assistant athletic director Nicholas, who Natalie loves, Brooke wants and Asha needs. But when two bodies are carried out of the school early one...
2022-02-1804 min
quercusbooksCan Fish Count? Written and read by Brian ButterworthEvery pet owner thinks their own dog, cat, fish or hamster is a genius. What makes CAN FISH COUNT? so exciting is the way it unveils just how widespread intelligence is in nature.
Pioneering psychologist Brian Butterworth describes the extraordinary numerical feats of all manner of species ranging from primates and mammals to birds, reptiles, fish and insects. Whether it's lions deciding to fight or flee, frogs competing for mates, bees navigating their way to food sources, fish assessing which shoal to join, or jackdaws counting friends when joining a mob - every species shares an ability to count.
Homo...
2022-02-1802 min
quercusbooksFINDING A FOREVER HOME by Heather Bishop, read by Gareth Bennett-Ryan - audiobook extractHeartwarming tales of homeless dogs who are matched with new owners, based on much-loved Channel 4 series The Dog House.
Sometimes it's love at first sight. Sometimes it takes a while. But the staff at Woodgreen are always there to look after their canine guests until they find the right permanent home. From big to small and pedigree to the scruffiest pooch, no effort is spared to find each and every one a new family who will give them the love they deserve.
Rehoming a dog is a big commitment, but also a privilege and a huge joy when the right...
2022-02-1101 min
quercusbooksA GOOD DAY TO DIE by Amen Alonge, read by Kwabena Ansah - audiobook extractMeet Pretty Boy. Vengeance is on his mind.
His real name: unknown
His code of conduct: don't be a pawn in someone else's game. Never underestimate the enemy. Above all, survive. There is no glory in death.
His mission: it's been 10 years since Pretty Boy left the big city - today he's back. No one knows why, but it's clear that revenge is on his mind: he is determined to make the person responsible for his exile from the London scene finally pay. But his plans seem derailed when he takes possession of a bracelet, unaware that its original owner...
2022-02-1001 min
quercusbooksTHE LAST GOOD FUNERAL OF THE YEAR written and read by Ed O'Loughlin - audiobook extractSoon, the lockdown would start. People would die alone, without any proper ceremony. Charlotte's death would be washed away, the first drop in a downpour. Nobody knew it then but hers would be the last good funeral of the year.
It was February 2020, when Ed O'Loughlin heard that Charlotte, a woman he'd known had died, young and before her time. He realised that he was being led to reappraise his life, his family and his career as a foreign correspondent and acclaimed novelist in a new, colder light.
He was suddenly faced with facts that he had been ignoring, that...
2022-02-1001 min
quercusbooksTHE LADY FROM ZAGREB by Philip Kerr, read by Jonathan Keeble - audiobook extractBernie Gunther is back, in deeper trouble than ever in this new novel from the master of the historical thriller.
Summer, 1942. When Bernie Gunther is ordered to speak at an international police conference, an old acquaintance has a favour to ask. Little does Bernie suspect what this simple surveillance task will provoke....
One year later, resurfacing from the hell of the Eastern Front, Bernie receives another task that seems straightforward: locating the father of Dalia Dresner, the rising star of German cinema. And if escaping Berlin for a beautiful woman isn't motivation enough, there's the small matter of the request's...
2022-02-0901 min
quercusbooksUNTIL I FIND YOU by Anna Smith, read by Samara MacLaren - audiobook extractThis nail-biting Glasgow-set crime thriller introduces Billie Carlson, an ex-cop turned private investigator. Perfect for fans of Marnie Riches and Martina Cole.
When you've lost everything, you'll stop at nothing.
Billie Carlson left the police force under a cloud. Once a promising young officer, she now works as a private investigator, rooting out insurance scams and spying on cheating spouses.
One morning a distraught young woman comes into her office saying that her baby has been stolen. Her story seems unbelievable, yet something about her makes Billie want to help - Billie knows what it's like to lose someone too.
...
2022-02-0402 min
quercusbooksTHE UNSINKABLE GRETA JAMES by Jennifer E. Smith, read by Mae Whitman - audiobook extractAn indie musician reeling from tragedy reconnects with her estranged father on a week-long cruise in this tale of grief, fame, and love from bestselling author Jennifer E. Smith.
Just after the sudden death of her mother - her most devoted fan - and weeks before the launch of her high-stakes second album, Greta James falls apart on stage. The footage quickly goes viral and she stops playing. Greta's career is suddenly in jeopardy - the kind of jeopardy her father, Conrad, has always warned her about.
Months later, Greta - still heartbroken and very much adrift - reluctantly agrees...
2022-02-0104 min
quercusbooksA MAN WITHOUT BREATH by Philip Kerr, read by Jonathan Keeble - audiobook extractBerlin, March 1943. The mood in Germany is bleak after their stunning defeat at Stalingrad. Private Investigator Bernie Gunther is at work in the German War Crimes Bureau - weary, cynical but well aware of the value of truth in a world where that's now a rarity.
When human remains are found deep in the Katyn Forest, Bernie is sent to investigate. Rumour has it that this mass grave is full of Polish officers murdered by the Russians. For Josef Goebbels, proof of Russian involvement is sure to destroy the Western Alliance, giving Germany a chance to reverse its devastating losses...
2022-01-2701 min
quercusbooksME AND WHITE SUPREMACY (YA EDITION) written and read by Layla Saad - audiobook extractMe and White Supremacy has sold more than 150,000 copies and was shortlisted for the Non-Fiction Book of the Year Award at the British Book Awards. Now, with this YA edition, Layla will help younger listeners to feel more confident talking about white supremacy and antiracism. Layla gives them the knowledge and practical tools they need to help change the world, now and for the generations that come after them.
Me and White Supremacy became one of the most talked about books of 2020. It isn't just an audiobook that you listen to, it is an audiobook that you do, and it...
2022-01-2706 min
quercusbooksALL MY FRIENDS ARE INVISIBLE written and read by Jonathan Joly - audiobook extractA mesmeric, harrowing and uplifting childhood memoir that will open up much-needed conversations about identity and mental health.
It was an ordinary day in 2016. In Gatwick Airport, Jonathan and his wife Anna were having breakfast with their two little children while waiting for their flight to be called. And then it happened, a familiar sensation that Jonathan hadn't had for decades: an out-of-body experience that transported him to another place, the safe place he used to escape to in his mind when he was a boy.
Because growing up in conservative 1980s Dublin, where there was little tolerance for children...
2022-01-2105 min
quercusbooksHOW TO BE PERFECT, written and read by Michael Schur - A Few Questions Before We Get StartedFrom the writer and executive producer of the award-winning Netflix series The Good Place that made moral philosophy fun: a fool-proof guide to making the correct moral decision in every situation you ever encounter, anywhere on earth, forever.
How can we live a more ethical life?
This question has plagued people for thousands of years, but it's never been tougher to answer than it is now, thanks to challenges great and small that flood our day-to-day lives and threaten to overwhelm us with impossible decisions and complicated results with unintended consequences.
Plus, being anything close to an 'ethical person' requires...
2022-01-1208 minquercusbooksHOW TO BE PERFECT, written and read by Michael Schur - Chapter 1From the writer and executive producer of the award-winning Netflix series The Good Place that made moral philosophy fun: a fool-proof guide to making the correct moral decision in every situation you ever encounter, anywhere on earth, forever.
How can we live a more ethical life?
This question has plagued people for thousands of years, but it's never been tougher to answer than it is now, thanks to challenges great and small that flood our day-to-day lives and threaten to overwhelm us with impossible decisions and complicated results with unintended consequences.
Plus, being anything close to an 'ethical person' requires...
2022-01-1206 minquercusbooksHOW TO BE PERFECT, written and read by Michael Schur - Chapter 2HOW TO BE PERFECT, written and read by Michael Schur - Chapter 2 by quercusbooks
2022-01-1208 minquercusbooksHOW TO BE PERFECT, written and read by Michael Schur - Chapter 3From the writer and executive producer of the award-winning Netflix series The Good Place that made moral philosophy fun: a fool-proof guide to making the correct moral decision in every situation you ever encounter, anywhere on earth, forever.
How can we live a more ethical life?
This question has plagued people for thousands of years, but it's never been tougher to answer than it is now, thanks to challenges great and small that flood our day-to-day lives and threaten to overwhelm us with impossible decisions and complicated results with unintended consequences.
Plus, being anything close to an 'ethical person' requires...
2022-01-1205 min
Why Dance MattersS2 E4: Libby Clegg MBELibby Clegg loved dance and ballet when she was little, but became a multi-medal-winning Paralympic athlete. She won five medals games, capping her amazing career in Tokyo with a silver medal for Team GB in the 100m relay - then announced her retirement from the track. Last year she returned to dance in the tv competition Dancing on Ice, reaching the final. Libby, who has Stargardt macular dystrophy, is also candid about struggles with her mental health, even at what should have been her greatest moment of triumph - winning two gold medals at the Rio games.
2021-10-2134 min
Changes with Annie MacmanusJimmy CarrWhen Jimmy Carr was 25 years old, his life looked very different. He was a marketing exec at an oil company, a practicing Catholic, a virgin. And he was sad. In order to change that. He asked himself one question: "What do I want?" He soon discovered that knowing the answer to that question was half the battle. In this conversation, you'll hear exactly how Jimmy Carr turned a quarter-life crisis into an astonishingly successful career in comedy – and why he'd recommend a similar degree of upheaval to anyone stuck in a rut.You can purchase Jimmy Ca...
2021-10-0446 min
Prepublished#33 Talking about writing contemporary novels with Amanda CraigI first encountered Amanda when she was children’s book critic for The Times, and was a judge on the Times/Chicken House competition that won me my first book contract, for Threads. As a journalist and reviewer she has been a huge champion of what she calls the third golden age of children’s literature, spotting Harry Potter, His Dark Materials and The Hunger Games in their early days. As she is also the author of nine novels, I was keen to find out about her own writing process. We also discuss the hard truths...
2021-07-3046 min
The Five Rules Of WritingAuthor and journalist Pete Paphides on how to write about childhoodMusic writer and author Pete Paphides, whose autobiography Broken Greek describes the vital role played by the Top 40 in his formative years, discusses his seven (!) rules of writing about one's own infancy. Presented by Ed Needham and Strong Words Magazine.Buy Broken Greek here: https://www.quercusbooks.co.uk/titles/pete-paphides-2/broken-greek/9781529404425/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2021-04-2854 min
TLC PodcastWomen on top of the world with Lucy-Anne HolmesThis week we are joined by Lucy-Anne Holmes. Lucy-Anne Holmes is a British author, actor and campaigner. She has written many books including Don’t hold my head down, how to start a revolution and most recently Women on top of the world, which is due out February this year. Woman on top of the world is a collection of 50 true disclosures by 50 women from around the world, from all ages and all walks of life -- revealing their innermost thoughts and feelings during sex. All accompanied by full-color interpretive illustrations by a ra...
2021-02-0200 min
A Gay and A NonGayLeaving the Westboro Baptist Church with Megan Phelps-RoperThe Westboro Baptist Church, notorious for picketing funerals and spreading homophobia, are one of the most hateful and homophobic Christian organisations in the world. Megan Phelps-Roper was born to hate, joining her family at an anti-Gay picket at just 5 years old. The pain, sadness and shame Megan and her family have caused LGBTQ+ people around the world is difficult to comprehend, but since leaving the church in 2012 Megan has dedicated her life to spreading love, compassion and understanding. In this episode, James and Dan chat to Megan about her journey. This episode contains strong language, offensive ideology and religious...
2019-11-1435 min