The latest edition of The Thursday Book Club was broadcast on 17th July 2025 at 2pm on Phonic FM. Joining host Jonathan Posner were Angie Wooldridge and Jason Mann. Click the names to find out more about them, and use the audio bar below to listen to the full show.
The second hour was presented by Cathy Dodd.
We reviewed A Skinful of Shadows by Frances Hardinge.
When a creature dies, its spirit can go looking for somewhere to hide.
Some people have space inside them, perfect for hiding.
Makepeace, a courageous girl with a mysterious past, defends herself nightly from the ghosts which try to possess her. Then a dreadful event causes her to drop her guard for a moment.
And now there’s a ghost inside her.
The spirit is wild, brutish and strong, but it may be her only defence in a time of dark suspicion and fear. As the English Civil War erupts, Makepeace must decide which is worse: possession – or death.
Available on Amazon.
The second hour was again presented by Cathy Dodd, with a discussion on What makes a good or bad author reading?
Cathy also played some great music!
Listen to both parts of the show in full here:
The next show is at 2pm on the 21st August 2025.
NEWS
Carryl Church tells us that her second novel with Joffe Books came out in June. It’s called Secrets at the Ambrose Café and is set in Exeter in 1925. Della Wilde has set aside her dream of moving to Paris to study at the renowned Le Cordon Bleu, choosing instead to support her family torn apart by war. By night, she works at the prestigious Ambrose Café, serving the city’s elite – and feels utterly invisible.
Until a chance encounter with rebellious Alice Winters, the daughter of a powerful MP, upends Della’s world. Available on Amazon.
Georgia Hill has a new historical romance out. Very much rooted in Devon, The Sea Glass Necklace is inspired by the finding of the Seaton Down Hoard, a huge collection of Roman coins. It’s a dual timeline narrative, telling the stories of Juno in contemporary Devon and Flavia in Roman Britain – and their search for new beginnings. Here’s the overview: Two women seek a new beginning. For one, it will end in tragedy. Available on Amazon and other platforms.
Ebberley Finch’s new book is called The Seaside Sisterhood, and should be a perfect summer holiday read. Set on the coast in Cornwall, it’s an enjoyable tale of love, friendship, sisterhood and new beginnings. Available on Amazon.
Lizzie Khalil’s story of growing up in Devonport Plymouth is called Devonport Maid. It charts the true-life story of Lizzie, an unwanted, tiny, black baby girl who is unceremoniously abandoned at birth by her delinquent teenage mother, leaving her in a predominantly white town. It’s the story of her fight to come to terms with her lot. After surviving years of relentless bullying and racial abuse, and a DNA test had revealed the shocking and earth-shattering truth about her “deliberately hidden beginnings” Lizzie makes herself the master of her own destiny, deciding she had one of two choices: either sink or swim. Available on Amazon.
Mary Georgina de Grey has recently been featured on Amber Daulton’s blog, Sexy Stories with Heart. It’s an in depth interview with her main character in Then The Earth Moved, Isla Bruni. Here’s the blurb for the book: Talented designer Isla Bruni is keen to widen her experience before setting up her own interiors business, so she accepts an exchange with a top studio located in an Italian hilltop town. She doesn’t trust Italian men – after all, hasn’t she had a good reason? But irresistible, sexy entrepreneur Edmondo Benedetti turns her carefully ordered life upside down. How can she realize her ambitions without sacrificing love? Only when she’s thrust into danger does she begin to understand what is important. The past is the past – yet if secrets buried there resurface, could they destroy her future?
The book is available on Amazon.
The blog is here.
Cirencester Author Heidi Sinton released her debut YA Sci-fi Novel Less Than on July 1st. Evie Lawson is an anomaly. Fifteen years old and nearly powerless in a world shaped by four extraordinary abilities known as Docers, she’s ostracised and labelled a ‘Less Than’ – a class pushed to the margins of society. Segregated to a special school for those deemed unworthy of a proper education, Evie and her tight-knit group of friends must navigate growing up in a world built to keep them down. When one of their own dares to rise above their station, they discover that true strength goes beyond what you can do. This YA Science-Fiction book is perfect for fans of emotional, character-driven stories. It explores the limits of friendship, the cost of ambition, and the strength it takes to rise above. It’s available on Amazon in paperback, Kindle and Kindle unlimited.
Following on with a similar theme, Stoat Books in Plymouth have published Robert Garnham’s novel The Neon Yak. Robert is a Paignton-based comedy performance poet and writer, active all over the UK. The Neon Yak is a deeply introspective novel that explores the challenges of growing up different. Set in the heart of 1980s suburbia, it follows Daniel Cooper, a boy caught between his true self and the expectations imposed upon him. As he navigates school bullies, family tensions, and the constant backdrop of motorways and distant city lights, Daniel finds refuge in books, music, and his vivid imagination. Amidst his struggle with societal norms and self-discovery, a voice from within—embodied by the captivating and enigmatic Tina—urges him to embrace his authentic identity. Available on Amazon.
Elizabeth Keysian has just got a new book out with Dragonblade Publishing, for those readers who fancy Regency romances with a little bit of spice. It’s called The Lyon Rampant, and is set partly in London and partly on Dartmoor. It’s the start of an ambitious series based on the fictional Lyon’s Den, an exclusive gentleman’s gaming club run by an extremely unconventional matchmaker. Available on Amazon.
Carey Jane Rowland is a local poet who has recently self-published two collections of modern poetry and prose. Both books are now available on Amazon. Letters of Love is a heartfelt collection of love poems that explore connection, vulnerability, and the beauty of emotional expression. Available on Amazon.
It Hasn’t Stopped Raining Since You Left is a moving collection of poetry delving into heartbreak, loss, and longing. Available on Amazon
Here is the South Hams Literary Festival line-up on Saturday 4th October – with interviews by our very own Cathy Dodd:
- 10 am – 11 am, in the Beacon Room at the Ivybridge Library it’s all about Crime Fiction. Cathy interviews Abigail Yardimci & Helena Dixon on the subject of Killer Stories & Criminal Minds.
- 11.30 am – 12.30 pm, also in the Beacon Room, the focus turns to Fantasy. Cathy interviews Geoff Wilson & Susie Williamson, on the topic of Beyond the Realms.
- Between 1.30 and 2.30pm at Hawthorn House, Ivybridge, It’s Wellbeing & Personal Memoirs. Cathy interviews Mary Elizabeth Earle & Kate Harris, on the topic of The Story Within.
- Finally, the subject turns to Historical Fiction and Voices from the Past. Between 3 pm and 4pm at the Ivybridge Bookshop, Cathy interviews JH Mann & Jill McRae-Spencer.
Spaces are limited on all events, but the good news is that tickets are free! They must be bookked in advance on Eventbrite.
Other Festivals also mentioned on the show:
Appledore Book Festival – 12-21 September. Tickets from July 26th. More Info.
Budleigh Salterton Literary Festival – 17-21 September. More Info.
North Cornwall Book Festival 25-28 Septenber. More Info.
International Agatha Christie Festival – 13-21 September. More Info.
