The latest edition of The Thursday Book Club was broadcast on 21st August 2025 at 2pm on Phonic FM. Joining host Jonathan Posner were Cathie Hartigan and Keith Rossiter. 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 The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods.
‘The thing about books,’ she said ‘is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of.’
On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found…
For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives.
But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. And by unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder… where nothing is as it seems.
Listen to the show (below) to find out what we thought of the book.
Available on Amazon.
Our discussion was:
Let’s talk AI again – as the tech develops, where does this go for authors?
The second hour was presented by Cathy Dodd, with a discussion on: What constitutes a good summer read? Are there any particular genres that are worthy of the accolade of a good summer read? Is there such a thing or is this a subtle way of getting people to buy books?
Cathy also played some great music!
Listen to both parts of the show in full here:
The next show is at 2pm on the 18th September 2025.
NEWS
Tracey and Mark Norman had a book out with The History Press on the 21st August. It’s called Devon’s Forgotten Witches 1860-1910. Witchcraft and witches throughout history have long captured the imagination, yet hidden away in archives are records of long forgotten cases. Many of these are tragic, some are unusual – perhaps even inexplicable – but all are fascinating in their own right. Devon’s Forgotten Witches 1860–1910 takes a deep dive through these records, bringing to the surface accusations of witchcraft in the county that have languished, unacknowledged, in the British Newspaper Archive for decades. These are the stories of ordinary people whose lives were touched in some way by witchcraft. The book is available from Waterstones, the usual online places (i.e. Amazon) and any good bookshop. Alternatively, you can get a copy signed by Tracey and Mark via The Folklore Podcast website.
Helena Dixon’s new murder mystery Murder in Paris, comes out on August 26th. It’s the 21st Kitty Underhay mystery.
Paris, 1937. Kitty Underhay, with a croissant in hand and her handsome husband Matt by her side, is soaking up the delightfully Parisian charms of the French capital. Kitty is full of joie de vivre, but the afternoon takes a very sour turn when she stumbles across the body of a beautiful young woman, murdered in broad daylight. With a murderer in their midst, can the duo find the killer before it’s adieu for both of them? Or will this Parisian sojourn be their last?
Available on Amazon.
Cathie Hartigan will be signing her recently published novel, The Luthier’s Promise, in the RAMM shop on Saturday 13th September from 11 o’clock.
Set in 1595, Will, the lutemaker of the title, promises to bring the wayward Tudor ‘rock star’, John Dowland, safely home from Italy, but when love delays them, it is not only Will’s promise that is in jeopardy, but also their lives.
The Luthier’s Promise is available on Kindle and in paperback on Amazon.
Lin Treadgold writes historical and contemporary romantic fiction. Her new novel, The Trail to Freedom will be released in November. It’s set in World War II, and tells of Ellie and Harold, and how their relationship is damaged by the war.
Silent Truths, Spoken Lies was Miranda Ramphul’s debut novel, which came out at the end of August, 2024. It is a compelling, fast paced psychological novel about family relationships, human weaknesses and ultimate strength, full of twists and turns.
To mark the upcoming anniversary of its publication, it will be available on Amazon for the discounted price of £1.99 from Friday 22nd August.
Kate Rigby reminds us of her novel Far Cry From The Turquoise Room. Told from both daughter and father’s perspectives, this is a coming-of-age, riches-to-rags tale of loss, resilience, and self-discovery, set just before the millennium. It is also about the passage of childhood into puberty. Leila is the eight-year-old daughter of Hassan Nassiri, a wealthy Iranian property owner, and younger sister to the adored Fayruz, her father’s favourite daughter. But a holiday narrowboat tragedy has far-reaching consequences for the surviving family. Hassan withdraws into reclusive grief, when he’s not escaping into work, or high jinks with his men friends at his second home in Hampstead, leaving Leila to fend for herself in a lonely world of nannies, chess and stargazing. Leila eventually runs away from home and joins a family of travellers in Sussex, and so follows a tale of adventure, danger and romance – and further anguish for her surviving family. But how will she fare at such a young age and will her family ever find her?
Available on Amazon.
Jonathan Posner has a ‘Meet the Author’ event coming up on September 25th at the Ivybridge Bookshop. He’ll be introducing and reading from his Tudor adventure The Lawyer’s Legacy, and there will be signed copies available. It’s at 5:30pm, and it’s FREE, so do please come along.
More info on the event at ivybridgebookshop.com.
The Lawyer’s Legacy is available on Amazon.
On that subject, there are also talks by authors we’ve featured on The Thursday Book Club, all at 5:30pm.
- Stephanie Austin will be talking on How to get Murdered in Devon, her new Juno Browne Devon mystery on September 11th.
- Mark and Tracey Norman will be introducing the book we mentioned earlier – Devon’s Forgotten Witches on 18th September.
- David Sharpe will be talking about his new police procedural mystery set on Jersey, One of the Few on 2nd October.
- Rosemary Griggs will be presenting Mistress of Dartington Hall on 16th October.
Go to ivybridgebookshop.com for more details, or register at in**@iv***************.com.
Calling all budding (and seasoned) novelists! Entries are open for the Exeter Novel Prize, now organised by Word Kitchen. There’s a £1,000 first prize, and entries will be judged by noted London literary agent, Hellie Ogden. Go to https://www.wordkitchen.org.uk/exeter-novel-prize for more information on how to enter. Good luck!
A new adult novel came out at the end of July by children’s author Amy Sparkes. It’s called The Players – Act 1: All the World’s a Stage.
How far would you go to save what you truly love?
England, 1715. When society doesn’t understand you, and your family is out of the picture, a strolling theatre company could be your perfect home…
Ambitious lead actor Thomas is determined to reach Drury Lane and prove to his father that he is not a failure.
Fierce Caroline has a traumatic past and is determined to protect the company which saved her.
Kind-hearted Annie just wants to look after her found family.
So, when their heartbroken manager Robert is injured and decides to fold the struggling company, the players are resolved to change his mind, whatever the cost. Unfortunately, the odds are stacked against them. They’ve lost their stage, they still haven’t got a skull for Hamlet, and flamboyant ex-member Piero is hunting them down, with a spot of revenge on his mind…
Is it time for the final bow?
Available on Amazon.
Keith and Jonathan will be presenting a writers’ workshop at the Dartmouth Book Festival. The workshop is called ‘Creating Great Characters‘.
It’s on the 19th September at 2pm in the Flavel Studio, Dartmouth.
Book via the Flavel Centre website, or use this link.
Thomas R Weaver has a new book out this month that ties in with our discussion on AI. It’s called Artificial Wisdom.
Who would you trust with the future?
The year is 2050. In the teeth of a climate catastrophe, the world is left with a drastic solution: one global leader to steer it through the coming apocalypse.
The final two candidates are ex-US President Lockwood, and Solomon, the world’s first political artificial intelligence.
As whispers of a global conspiracy emerge, investigative journalist Marcus Tully finds himself at the centre of it – when Solomon’s creator turns up murdered.
Overnight, one investigation becomes two, and it’s not just the result of the election that’s at stake but the future of the species. Suddenly humanity must make an impossible choice – between salvation, or freedom.
Available on Amazon.
Richard Frost’s new self-improvement book Loving Yourself came out in July. Available on Amazon.
There’s a launch event on Thursday 18th September at Exeter Cathedral 6:15 – 7:15pm. Details and to reserve your place, at richardfrostauthor.com.
