The latest edition of The Thursday Book Club was broadcast on 20th February 2025 at 2pm on Phonic FM. Joining host Jonathan Posner was Su Bristow. Click the names to find out more about them, and use the audio bar below to listen to the full show.
We reviewed Knife Skills for Beginners by Orlando Murrin.
We had an interview with Ebberley Finch, author of Lock, Stock and Harold. The interview was also videoed, so you can watch it by clicking on the thumbnail below.
Our discussion was on: Trad publishing vs Self-Publishing
Which works better for different authors?
What does this mean for readers?
This month I carried on for the second hour, playing some old favourite tunes from the 1980s. So if you love these, keep listening after The Thursday Book Club finishes!
Listen to the show in full here:
The next show is at 2pm on the 20th March 2025.
We’ll be reviewing The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna.
NEWS
Angela Wooldridge’s new collection of sci-fi and fantasy short stories, is out TODAY (20-02-25). It’s called Welcome to the Merewoods. Meet Skye as, with the dubious help of her familiar, Poggitt, she does her best to convince Granny that she has the makings of a good witch. Up in space an unexpected ally is on hand to foil a bunch of invading aliens. A forest god wakes up several hundred years late to discover that neither humans nor squirrels turned out as planned. How do you adjust to a ghost for a housemate? And what do the tea leaves have in store..?
The book is available from Amazon in e-book and paperback.
Paula Harmon asks us to give a shout out for an event taking place in Blandford Forum on 8th March – it’s a standalone event being run by Blandford Literary Festival. It’s called Fighter, Adventurer, Visionary – and it’s a way to celebrate International Women’s Day in Blandford Forum.
Key speakers are:
i. Kate Adie (journalist and war correspondent) and Juliet Campbell, one of the UK’s first female ambassadors.
ii. Also talks and workshops by Finola Brennan, May Ellis, Nicki Greenham, Felice Hardy, Paula Harmon, Alice May, Melanie Ann Vance.
iii. Interviews are by Harry Bucknall and Nat Wood Fox.
There are free refreshments, bookshop and information stands.
Paula says: “If you just wish to sit back and listen – that’s fine, but there will be a chance for attendees to celebrate who has inspired and supported them. This is not just for women – everyone is welcome to come along and enjoy a day of networking, listening and meeting the friendly Blandford Lit Fest team.
Here are the details: The event is taking place on Saturday 8th March 2025 from 9am-6.30pm at the Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion. Tickets are available for the morning or the afternoon or all day. EARLY BIRD TICKETS (£12 for half a day or £20 for a whole day) are available until 21st February 2025 when prices will go up to £15 for a half day or £25 for a whole day).
More info and book tickets at:
https://blandfordliteraryfestival.co.uk/international-womens-day-2025-a-celebration.
Festivals, Fears and Fatalities is the new (Book 2) Jane Austen Tearoom Mysteries by Suzy Bussell.
A bustling festival, a shocking murder… and a tearoom owner bound to the past—literally.
Sidmouth’s Folk Festival is the highlight of the summer, and the owner of the town’s Jane Austen-themed tearoom, Trinity Bishop, is ready for a week of lively music, busy crowds, and endless cups of tea. But when the festival’s director is found dead, the festive atmosphere turns uneasy, and Trinity once again finds herself tangled in a murder investigation.
With DI Cormac O’Malley determined to keep her out of police business, and festival-goers whispering rumours of jealousy, rivalry, and revenge, Trinity has more than enough on her plate. But her biggest challenge? The spirits attached to the enchanted ring on her finger, who are growing restless for her help in moving on to the afterlife.
Balancing the demands of the living and the dead, Trinity must uncover the truth before the festival ends in disaster. But with so many secrets hiding beneath the surface, can she solve the case in time—or will the next fatality be much too close to home?
All in all – A charming and witty cozy mystery perfect for fans of tea, ghosts, and small-town secrets. Available on Amazon.
Here’s more info from Paula Harmon: The ebook of Book One in her Margaret Demeray series The Wrong Sort to Die comes out on TODAY (20-02-25) on Amazon at 99p.
London 1910. Men are dying. All Dr Margaret Demeray – pathologist, investigator, target – wants is justice – but all she gets is danger. Fighting for respect in a man’s world, she is approached by a stranger called Fox to help find out what’s killed a pauper. Tempted by a desire for justice, Margaret tells him what she knows but shortly afterwards, her friend disappears, a second body is found in suspicious circumstances and Fox says he believes she has the key to work things out before anyone else dies – including Margaret herself. Who can she trust? And how come the closer she gets to Fox, the more danger she faces? Available on Amazon.
Murder on the Cornish Coast by Helena Dixon is set in St Mawes, and is released TODAY. This is book 19 in the Miss Underhay mystery series.
Here’s what it’s all about:
Cornwall, 1937. Kitty Underhay has been called to investigate some fishy goings-on in the beautiful coastal village of St Mawes. The body of Lady Cordelia Hedges’ beloved father was found floating in the sea, and shortly afterwards Cordelia herself was almost killed…
Determined to piece together the puzzle, Kitty spends her first evening in the Cornish bay at one of Cordelia’s lavish parties. But she’s not just soaking up the idyllic surroundings with her husband Matt, she’s at the party to get to know those closest to their host. The sleuthing duo quickly realise they’re in unchartered waters and this could be their toughest case yet.
Later that evening, a scream wakes Kitty in the middle of the night: Lady Cordelia is sitting bolt upright in bed, swearing someone has been in her room. As Bertie the dog retrieves a knife from behind the curtain, Kitty’s list of suspects grows: could the murderer be Cordelia’s suspicious stepsister, her spoiled future mother-in-law, or someone even closer to home…?
Then a house guest eats a poisoned chocolate from a box addressed to Cordelia and dies. This latest tragedy helps Kitty to make progress in her investigations at last. But is Kitty floundering? Will she be able to solve this case before someone else gets hurt, or will Kitty herself end up in a watery grave? Available on Amazon.
Five authors will be reading from their work at the Ivybridge Brewing Company FREE event on Thursday March 6th, 6.30pm – 9pm, organised by the South Hams Authors’ Network. It’s at the Ivybridge Brewing Company in their new taproom. Don’t think you need a ticket – just come along on March 6th.
The authors are:
Paul Tobin, author of poetry collection All Yesterday’s Tomorrows
John McKennna, author of Return to Xanthos
Paul Alexander, author of The Lacunist
Tony Rea, author of the Gus Beaumont Aviation WW2 thrillers
Richard Frost, author of Living the Difference.
Richard Frost has a new book coming out on March 20th called Hopes and Expectations, which continues the heartfelt tales of Eastwood Minster, a community where love and loss, joy and laughter, and hope overcoming adversity bind lives together. This third Eastwood Story brings relatable characters and touching moments that celebrate the beauty and messiness of life. You can pre-order on Amazon.
Finally, it’s World Book Day on March 6th – so if you are a parent of school age kids, make sure they’re taking part!
For the writers among you, the next FREE Writing at the Edge webinar is on March 6th. Overcoming Writer’s Block covers strategies for breaking through creative barriers and maintaining a consistent writing practice.
Register for your FREE place here.
