After creating the irresistible anti-hero Grace in How To Kill Your Family, Bella Mackie returns with more familial dysfunction, more unlikeable characters and, yes, more murder in What A Way To Go. We sat down to discuss the lives of the super wealthy, her fascination with the appeal of true crime, and finding humour in the darkest of places.…

Clare Chambers knows how to hook readers, with her previous novel, Small Pleasures, winning The British Book Awards 2022 Pageturner Book of the Year. She looks set to do it all over again with her latest, Shy Creatures, which unearths the story of a mute patient in a psychiatric hospital. We sat down to talk about factual inspiration, the influence…

After introducing us to legal dogsbody Gary Thorn in The Satsuma Complex, comedian Bob Mortimer returns with its sequel, The Hotel Avocado. We sat down with a nice slice of Battenberg cake to discuss death row meals, memories of his days as a South London solicitor and the correct ratio of marzipan to cake.…

WE DISCUSS: - The Olympics but make it French - America's Mascots: Simone and Snoop - Ballerina Farm - R rated Twilight - Strawn at Minetta - Why rum is a bad choice for a night cap - Tik Tok comment section culture FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM and TIKTOK @CallYourFriendPodcastद्वारा Greer Pollock and Lizzie Dixon

Ferdia Lennon’s riotously funny debut disarms from the very first page. With a setting of Syracuse in 412 BC but a very modern Irish vernacular, readers will enjoy every minute they spend with best friends Gelon and Lampo as they seek to stage a performance of Euripides with a group of captured Athenian soldiers. We spoke with him about finding the…

Chris Whitaker's previous novel, We Begin At The End, was a multi-award-winning smash with readers, who fell in love with its characters and pressed copies on friends so as to have someone to discuss it with. He’s done it again with All The Colours of the Dark, which again features characters that will get under your skin, a plot so propulsive the …

Does your mom like the Kardashians? A great movie to see with your significant other Our summer show and book recs Making time for hobbies as an adult FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM and TIKTOK @CallYourFriendPodcastद्वारा Greer Pollock and Lizzie Dixon

The Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize is powered by our brilliant booksellers, whose keen eye for the most exciting new talent makes it a thrilling short list every year. In this third year, we spoke with authors from around the globe about having the support of booksellers, the release of seeing years of work finally realised and how specificity in …

One of the most important cultural figures of the past forty years, Naomi Campbell needs almost no introduction. Suzy sat down with her friend to discuss her life and work, and not least, an incredible new exhibition at the V&A South Kensington celebrating none other than the supermodel herself. The show runs from Saturday June 22, 2024 until April…

Hot from winning the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2024, we spoke with V. V. Ganeshananthan about her novel, Brotherless Night, which took over 15 years to complete. Exhaustive research, an incendiary setting, and characters that capture your heart. We spoke with her about the politics of civil war, the time it takes to write and the support you need a…

Suzy has a relaxed chat with her friend, the wildly talented polymath Jasper Conran, about his life, career and his latest project, designing the set and costumes for Frederick Ashton's Les Rendezvous at London's Royal Opera House. Les Rendezvous runs with The Dream and Rhapsody from June 6 until June 19, 2024. See link below for details. https://w…

The concept of following Brooklyn with a sequel took even the author by surprise, but after 15 years the story of Eilis continues in Long Island. We spoke with Colm Tóibín about his rigorous approach to avoiding the tedious, his long working relationship with editor Mary Mount and his connection to his hometown Enniscorthy in County Wexford, Irelan…

Some debuts are so assured and so distinctive that you just have to know more about what went into their creation. Kaliane Bradley’s The Ministry of Time is one such debut. We sat down with her to discover how the book was originally meant to be something else entirely, the inspirations behind its brilliant plot, and how she managed to balance come…

Suzy's guest for this episode needs no introduction: the visionary, decade-spanning and wildly successful Giorgio Armani. Suzy and Mr Armani speak in both Paris and Venice about his life and current activities. Produced by Natasha Cowan @tashonfash Edited by Tim Thornton @timwthornton Music by @joergzuber Graphics by Paul Wallis Mr Armani's English…

Join us for a chat with Alex Christmas, a Civil Engineer from Dunblane! In this episode, Alex shares his journey from Dunblane to the bustling city of London. We explore his background, experiences in Dunblane, and his impression of life in the capital. Discover the contrasts between small-town living and the fast-paced atmosphere of London, as wel…

With a novel that spans twenty years, marked by three celestial events and characters with their feet firmly on the ground, we sat down for a fascinating conversation with former Waterstones Book of the Year author, Sarah Perry. How do faith and science intersect, what do we really mean by love, friendship and family, and when our orbits bring us b…

On 12 Aug 2022, over 30 years after a fatwa had been ordered against him, Salman Rushdie was attacked as he was about to give a public lecture at the Chautauqua​ Institution. By his own admission, he shouldn’t have survived such serious injuries. So what was it that helped him to persevere and how has it changed his outlook on life. We spoke with h…

Fresh from breaking hearts with the TV adaptation of his bestselling One Day, David Nicholls came in to talk to us about his new novel, You Are Here, which introduces us to Marnie and Michael, two souls on an epic walk, on the precipice of a new friendship, and maybe more. We sat down to talk about his love of walking, music and, well... love.…

Not many writers would be brave enough to take an American classic like The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and rework it from a new perspective, but then Percival Everett isn’t like most writers. We sat down to talk about giving fresh voice to one of American literature’s most important characters, the whole concept of ‘black voices’ and what drive…

With African history having largely been told through a western lens, Zeinab Badawi travelled to over 30 countries in the continent of her birth over the course of 7 years, speaking with historians, archaeologists and academics in order to give them voice and weave an epic narrative from the cradle of humanity to a vibrant future.…

Suzy sits down with London-based fashion designer Bella Freud, to talk about her life, career and larger-than-life family background. Produced by Natasha Cowan @tashonfash Edited by Tim Thornton @timwthornton Music by @joergzuber Graphics by Paul Wallis To find Suzy's articles visit https://suzymenkes.com ...find Suzy on Instagram @suzymenkes and T…

Rejoice! For Marian Keyes is back with another hilarious novel which follows Anna Walsh's move from New York back to Ireland, leaving expensive beauty products and easy access to HRT behind, for a moving confrontation with her past - and some small-town politics. We spoke with her about the surprisingly personal inspiration for this new tale, chang…

When Chimene Suleyman went to an abortion clinic with her partner, she had no idea that this would be the last time she would see him; even less that she was not the only woman to have been manipulated and betrayed by him. In a frank and revelatory conversation we speak with her about the social media post that united these women in their experienc…

Suzy travels to Paris to speak to Simone Rocha and Jean Paul Gaultier about Simone's highly anticipated Jean Paul Gaultier couture collection. Produced by Natasha Cowan @tashonfash Edited by Tim Thornton @timwthornton Music by @joergzuber Graphics by Paul Wallis To find Suzy's articles visit https://suzymenkes.com ...find Suzy on Instagram @suzymen…

With a debut that became an immediate bestseller and a second novel that joined his first as a Waterstones Thriller of the Month, we were of course front of queue to find out where Stuart Turton might take us with his latest book. Did anyone guess a crime thriller set in a utopian community made up of the last humans on earth after a catastrophe ha…

If you’ve ever seen someone in the supermarket who you’re sure you know, but can’t remember their name, or had the answer for something on the tip of your tongue, or had that sense of deja-vu; this is the book for you. Using the latest memory research, neuroscientist Dr. Charan Ranganath helps us to understand more about how memory works, why it’s …

Suzy meets Jeff and Émilie Goldblum, perhaps the most charming couple in all of Hollywood, and speaks to them about fashion, life, work, family... and la dolce vita nella bella italia! https://www.emiliegoldblum.com/ Produced by Natasha Cowan @tashonfash Edited by Tim Thornton @timwthornton Music by @joergzuber Graphics by Paul Wallis Thanks to Dam…

Anna Jones has always been a passionate advocate for vibrant, sustainable cooking that places vegetables centre stage. In her latest book, Easy Wins, she highlights 12 hero ingredients that will allow you to get maximum flavour into your food with minimum effort, the perfect solution for those who don’t want to compromise on taste but may have limi…

Growing up in the shadow of Canary Wharf’s towers, Gary Stevenson always yearned for more. In an eye-opening conversation we learn how a simple card game changed his life and how a nose for how the world turns combined with a skill for maths led him to become the most successful trader in one of the world’s largest banks. Featuring larger-than-life…

WE DISCUSS: Are you supposed to buy your partner a Valentine’s Day gift? Why pre-fixed menus are not romantic. A door hold vs. a pass back Lattes and Lexapro If you wear this to workout, it’s an ICK Featuring our segment: Things I’m Mad About (gym edition) FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM and TIKTOK @CallYourFriendPodcast…