Episode 15

Joining Mariella Frostrup in this week’s episode are Melissa Benn with her most recent gripping political novel, One Of Us; the master of the military page-turner Simon Scarrow on his new book, Fire and Sword; and the master of thrillers, Stuart MacBride with his new book Flesh House.

To read first chapters of the books featured in The Book Show for free, visit Lovereading.co.uk for a taste of what’s coming up!

If you liked Melissa Benn’s One Of Us and are after further compelling novels with a political backdrop, here are a couple more to try:
Blake Morrison: South Of The River
South Of The River opens on the dawn of New Labour’s victory in the 1997 election and ends five years later. It focuses on five very different, dysfunctional yet connected characters. Both funny and profound, the book reflects the change in Blair’s Britain from bright optimism to political and personal disillusion.

Robert Harris: The Ghost
There’s further political intrigue in The Ghost by Robert Harris. Britain’s former prime minister is in trouble –as he’s struggling to finish his memoirs by the ocean in the US, his long term assistant drowns. A ghost writer, more used to working with B-list celebrities, is brought in to rescue the project and soon discovers that there are dark secrets in the ex-PM’s past – secrets that could kill.

If you liked Stuart MacBride’s Flesh House and are keen to become a dedicated follower of tartan noir, then here are a couple more essential books to explore:
Ian Rankin: Exit Music
Inspector Rebus is on the point of retiring when a murder intrudes. A Russian poet living in Edinburgh is found dead at the same time as a delegation of Russian businessmen arrive in town. Everyone wants the case closed quickly, but the more Rebus and DS Siobhan Clarke keep digging, the murkier the crime becomes.

Alex Gray: Shadows of Sounds
George Millar, leader of the Glasgow Orchestra, is found brutally murdered backstage while his colleagues are rehearsing. When DCI Lorimer and psychologist Solomon Brightman are called in to investigate, they uncover a series of tangled relationships between the orchestra members. But were Millar’s controversial dalliances really enough to incite cold-blooded murder?

Bettany Hughes’ book recommendations:
Pat Southern: Empress Zenobia
Andrew Eames: Blue River Black Sea
Saul David: Zuyu Hart
Lindsey Davis: Alexandria

Fine Line:
Candace Bushnell reads us her favourite line which is from Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises.

Book Club:
This week we visit Sotheran’s, an antiquarian book shop in the centre of London which is believed to be one of the oldest antiquarian book shops in the world. John Spray of Sotheran’s recommends Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist for this week's book club read.

Write Place
We peep into last year’s Costa Book Award –winner A L Kennedy’s study in this week’s Write Place.

Guests’ literary heroes and heroines
Each week our guests tell us about their literary heroes and heroines. This week, Melissa Benn’s literary hero or heroine is from F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Last Tycoon; Simon Scarrow has found his favourite literary character from William Shakespeare’s Macbeth; and Stuart MacBride’s literary hero is from A.A. Milne’s Winnie The Pooh. But who have they chosen?