The Radio 2 Book Club

'Time To Burn' by Ellery Lloyd 20.07.2026 14min

Collette Lyons and Paul Vlitos (aka Ellery Lloyd) join Sara for a natter about their new novel, 'Time To Burn'. Paul and Collette not only write together, but are married too - and Sara has A LOT of questions! Their new novel is about time travel gone wrong, so we delve into their inspirations for the book, how important the history was, and just how they plot and plan (and write) between the two of them. Plus, we hear an extract from the audiobook - and - get two cracking book recommendations too! Here's a little more about Ellery Lloyd's latest novel, 'Time To Burn':If the past catches up with you, time travel can be murder . . .London, the present day: commercial time travel is a reality. Tempus Tours – owned by controversial tech entrepreneur Inigo Frank – offers the wealthy a chance to witness pivotal moments in history.To immortalise his achievement, Frank enlists award-winning filmmaker Phoebe Hunt to create a fly-on-the-wall documentary. On her first day shadowing Inigo, she is set to witness the return of a billionaire property developer and his family from their trip to the past. But instead of their awe-filled return, she captures the group arriving bloodied and traumatized, with one of their number missing.Not only that, but Phoebe recognizes the missing woman. She knows not only that she's not who she claims to be, but that the woman has every reason to harbor a grudge against her. And as events begin to unravel in the present day, it seems increasingly clear that the woman had sinister motives for returning to the past – and that people close to Phoebe are in danger.Can Phoebe stop the ripple effect before she loses everything – and everyone – she holds dear?

'The Leveret' by Anna Goldreich 14.07.2026 15min

Debut novelist, Anna Goldreich, joins Sara in the Book Club to discuss 'The Leveret'. They chat about her inspirations behind the story, farming, baby hares, grief, queer love and much much more. Anna is also a keen twitcher - and runs a queer bird watching group in Norfolk - which Sara gets very interested in! We also hear a clip of the audiobook - and - get a cracking book recommendation too! Here's a little more about 'The Leveret':Moving to the countryside is supposed to fix Clare and Phoebe’s relationship. A fresh start, a change of scenery, a chance to heal after the miscarriage of their baby girl.Instead, Phoebe feels suffocated. Back in the rural community she ran from at seventeen and unable to face the partner she cannot help, she throws herself into work on the family farm. Clare is a stranger in the village, uninitiated and out of place. She spends her days drifting around the cottage, its walls groaning and shifting as she withdraws into a world inside her head.One day, wandering through the forest nearby, Clare finds a leveret – her own little Isla. A surrogate to lick and love. A way to feel whole again.But as Isla grows into an adult hare she becomes wild and unruly – a kicking, biting, scratching creature. With Clare’s grasp on reality growing ever more tenuous, Phoebe begins to question whether Isla is the cure for grief Clare is searching for as she desperately clings on to the woman she loves . . .With this bruisingly tender love story, debut author Anna Goldreich has conjured a hazy dream of a novel about the fantasies we create as a refuge from grief. The Leveret is a heartbreakingly gorgeous and lyrically haunting hymn to queer love and the power to rebuild from the wreckage of a relationship.

Lisa Jewell (live from the Crossed Wires Festival) 07.07.2026 34min

Sara heads to Sheffield, for the Crossed Wires Festival, to speak with international bestselling author Lisa Jewell, in front of a live audience. Lisa chats about her new thriller, 'It Could Have Been Her', as well as her writing inspirations, the Harrogate Crime Writing Festival and how she turned from writing commercial 'women's fiction' to dark psychological thrillers.She also reads us a short extract of the novel, recommends us some books and takes audience questions too. Here's a little more info on Lisa's new novel: Jane Trevally, newly divorced and feeling a little lost, agrees to accompany a man she doesn't know to his house in the darkest corner of Hampstead Heath. She's offered a drink, goes in, and then - a scream and the sound of something falling upstairs - Jane senses she's in a bad place. She runs.Twenty five years later, Jane finds herself outside the same house, this time to return a small white dog who's been found near her home in the country; a dog whose owner has just been reported missing.A fleeting glimpse of a haunted looking woman through the window sends Jane on a mission to uncover the house's secrets - secrets more terrifying than she could have ever imagined, especially when she realises it could have been her. .

'The Girl With A Thousand Faces' by Sunyi Dean 16.06.2026 14min

Fantasy author Sunyi Dean joins Sara for the Book Club, to chat about her new novel and the inspirations behind it.They chat about Hong Kong, myths, legends, ghosts and dim sum! We also hear a clip from the audiobook (*which has references to drowning) and get some great book recommendations from Sunyi too. Here's a little more info on 'The Girl With A Thousand Faces': Mercy Chan is a triad exorcist with a mysterious past. After washing up on the shores of Hong Kong with no memory during World War II, she found a home in Kowloon Walled City, an infamous, ghost-infested slum full of lost and traumatised civilians. Since the war ended, Mercy has rebuilt her life and found work as a ghost-talker for the local triad, dealing with the angry and bitter spirits who haunt this place.But the past she can’t remember won’t let her go. An unusually powerful ghost lurks in Kowloon’s waterways, drowning innocents and threatening the district. Unnervingly, it claims to know Mercy – and her forgotten childhood.As Mercy is drawn into a deadly cat-and-mouse game with this malignant spirit, she begins to realise that the monster she fights within these walls may well be one of her own making.

'Mrs Dickens' by Emily Howes 08.06.2026 15min

Emily Howes returns to the Radio 2 Book Club to discuss her new novel, Mrs Dickens; a fictional story about the life of Kate Hogarth - who was married to the author Charles Dickens for 22 years. Sara chats to Emily about writing women back into history, who were written out in their own lifetime, and the challenges that come with writing real-life figures in fiction. We also hear a clip from the audiobook - and get some great book recommendations too. Emily was last on the Book Club back in 2024 for her debut novel, 'The Painter's Daughters' - and you can hear that chat on BBC Sounds too! Here's a little more info on 'Mrs Dickens': London, 1835. Nineteen-year-old Kate Hogarth falls in love with the young journalist Charles Dickens. In the early days of their marriage, Charles is infatuated with his bride and Kate delights in her new life, the balm to her husband's irrepressible spirit. But as he finds fame as a novelist and the family rise through the ranks of Victorian society, Kate becomes increasingly aware of his frustration that real people cannot be manipulated as easily as his characters.Meanwhile, in the East End slums, a young orphan named Anne Brown has lost everything, but is determined to make her way in the world. A chance encounter with the Dickens family transports her to the heart of the household, opening up a world of privilege, travel and remarkable company. But her newfound freedom has come at a cost she cannot always ignore.As the years go by and the family expands, the cracks in the Dickens's marriage deepen. Kate seeks comfort and companionship in her trusted servant, but whilst Anne has come to care deeply for Mrs Dickens, her loyalties are tested to breaking point as Charles takes control of their future . . .Vibrant, witty and deeply moving, Mrs Dickens traces a long marriage in all its tenderness, grief, romance and fury. It illuminates the life of a complex, forgotten woman whose voice often went unheard, but whose story deserves to be told.

'John Of John' by Douglas Stuart 01.06.2026 16min

Sara welcomes international bestselling author, Douglas Stuart, to the Book Club. They discuss his beautiful new novel - John Of John - and his inspirations behind the story. Douglas tells Sara about his epic trip to the Scottish Islands, the people he met there - and what he learned about sheep farming and textile making (all of which made it into this new book). He also chats about exploring the theme of masculinity and how not growing up with a father figure helped shape and create the central relationship in his novel. Douglas also gives a great book recommendation - and - plays us a short extract from the audiobook too.Here's a little more info on 'John Of John': Out of money and with little to show for his art school education, John-Calum Macleod takes the ferry home to the island of Harris to find that not much has changed except for him. In the windswept croft where he grew up, Cal resumes his old life, caught between the two poles of his childhood: his father John, a sheep farmer, weaver, and pillar of their local Presbyterian church, and his Glaswegian grandmother Ella, who has kept a faltering peace with her son-in-law for decades.While Cal wonders if any lonely men might be found on the barren hillsides of home, John is dismayed by his son’s long hair and how he seems unwilling to be Saved. As the seasons pass, everything is poised to change as the threads holding together the fragile community become increasingly entangled.

The Carnegies 2026 26.05.2026 11min

Superstar librarian, Stella Hine, joins Sara for a chat about this year's Carnegie Awards (the UK's longest-running children's book awards)She also shares her top five reads of the year (so far) which is a mixture of non-fiction, fiction - and children's books (as you might expect) Her choices are:Everyday Nature by Andy Beer The Examiner by Janice Hallett The Crossing by Manjeet Mann Ming The Panda: A True Story of Courage and Hope by Jake Hope – illustrated by Yu Rong Theo Of Golden by Allen Levi

'Dissection Of A Murder' by Jo Murray 18.05.2026 11min

Debut novelist Jo Murray joins Sara for a natter about her crime thriller 'Dissection Of A Murder' Jo was a criminal barrister for many years before leaving the profession to spend more time with family and to write. Sara talks to Jo about bringing her real-life experiences from the courtroom to the page, making her readers work hard and how she came up with a very important element of the story (and characters). We also get a great book recommendation from Jo - and - get an exclusive extract of the audiobook too. Here's a little more info on 'Dissection Of A Murder':A dead judge. A silent defendant. And a courtroom full of liars.When Leila Reynolds is handed her first murder case, she’s shocked at how high-profile it is: the murder of a well-respected, well-known judge. This shouldn’t be the kind of case she’s leading; it’s way beyond her expertise. But the defendant, Jack Millman, is clear. He wants her, and only her.To make things worse, he’s refusing to talk. How is she supposed to prove herself on what appears to be an unwinnable case?Losing is not an option. She must find the most persuasive argument. Trials aren’t won by convincing judges or fellow barristers – they’re all about convincing a jury.Suddenly, Leila finds herself fighting not only to keep Jack out of prison, but also to keep her own secrets buried.It’s true what they say – there are two sides to every story.Guilty or not guilty?You decide . . .

The Radio 2 Book Club Award 12.05.2026 22min

Jeremy Vine goes backstage at The British Book Awards ('The Nibbies') to speak with the great and the good of the book industry, including: Sir Tony Robinson, Michael Rosen, MC Grammar, Steph McGovern, Matt Cain, Laura Shepherd-Robinson and Abir Mukherjee...He brings us all the glitz and glam from the 36th Nibbies, which took place in London's Mayfair in May 2026, as well as an interview with the first ever winner of The Radio 2 Book Club Award - Roisin O'Donnell. Roisin won for her debut novel, 'Nesting', which we featured on the Book Club back in January 2025. (you can hear that interview on BBC Sounds anytime you like!) Here's a little more info on her book:On a bright spring afternoon in Dublin, Ciara Fay makes a split-second decision that will change everything. Grabbing an armful of clothes from the washing line, Ciara straps her two young daughters into her car and drives away. Head spinning, all she knows for certain is that home is no longer safe.This was meant to be an escape. But with dwindling savings, no job, and her family across the sea, Ciara finds herself adrift, facing a broken housing system and the voice of her own demons. As summer passes and winter closes in, she must navigate raising her children in a hotel room, searching for a new home and dealing with her husband Ryan’s relentless campaign to get her to come back. Because leaving is one thing, but staying away is another.What will it take for Ciara to rebuild her life? Can she ever truly break away from Ryan’s control – and what will be the cost?

'The Wreck' by Lizzy Stewart 05.05.2026 12min

Author and illustrator, Lizzy Stewart, joins Sara in the Book Club to chat about her new illustrated novel, 'The Wreck'. They talk about her writing (and drawing) routine, Eric Ravilious as an inspiration, 90s hairdos - and how drastically friendships can change over decades. Lizzy also recommends us a couple of books she has enjoyed reading recently. Here's a little more info on 'The Wreck':Two couples pursue their dream of communal living in the English countryside – and then it all comes tumbling downCharlotte and Francesca were best friends at university in the mid-1970s. But tensions coursed beneath their natural affection, deepening when Fran got together with Charlotte’s friend Adrian, and the two women drifted apart.When Fran contacts Charlotte out of the blue with an unusual proposal – an invitation to live with her and Adrian in the rambling house they’ve bought in the countryside – Charlotte impulsively persuades her partner, Bill, to accept this tantalising promise of a new kind of community.At first their new life feels utopian; life and space are shared joyfully. But it doesn’t take long for old tensions to rise to the surface, shattering their illusions and showing each of them in a new light.

A Comic Book Celebration - with Jamie Smart, Neill Cameron, Jess Bradley and more 28.04.2026 20min

Sara presents a special edition of the Radio 2 Book, celebrating all things comics, with a trip to Phoenix Fest in Oxford. This two-day festival showcases some of the biggest names in the world of comic books - and encourages children and adults to draw and read for pleasure.As well as hearing from some of the children who are attended the festival, we also chat to Jamie Smart (creator of Bunny VS Monkey), Neill Cameron (creator of Donut Squad), Jess Bradley (Super Dweeb) and Patrice Aggs and Joe Brady, on collaborating together.

Celebrating Fairy Tales - with Dr Sharon Blackie 21.04.2026 9min

Dr Sharon Blackie joins Sara to chat about the origins of Fairytales and why she believes they are still so important and relevant today. Sharon is a former neuroscientist and psychologist, turned bestselling author and speaker who has a background in mythology and folklore. As part of the BBC's 'Once Upon A Time' season - Sara an Sharon explore the origins of Fairytales, how she used them in her practices - and why we're still so fascinated with them.Here's a little more info on Sharon's book, 'Ripening':In this world in which all our old certainties seem to be crumbling, many women feel lost. In Ripening, Sharon Blackie insists that fairy tales are precisely the stories we need for such times.Long before they became bywords for people-pleasing princesses, these old stories – passed down to us through generations by our peasant ancestors – told us everything that women need to learn about the world. They might be set in difficult and dangerous times, but they insist that their heroines face the unfaceable and dig deep for previously unimagined inner resources. They teach us to be savvy, inspire us to grow in confidence, show us how to be bold and claim the future we dream of. More than anything, fairy tales are soul-food. They show us how to take hold of our own personal narratives and transform them into stories that might begin with trauma, but end with empowerment. They offer us images of startling resonance and beauty, while showing us how to recognise and make use of the possibilities that rise to the surface when broken systems are cracked open.

'Yesteryear' by Caro Claire Burke 13.04.2026 9min

Caro Claire Burke joins Sara in the Radio 2 Book Club to chat about her debut novel, 'Yesteryear'. They discuss the #tradwife movement, influencers, influences, and why satire is needed right now. We also hear a clip from the audiobook - and - try to get Caro to spill the beans on the film adaptation, which is already in the works (with Anne Hathaway attached) Here's the blurb for 'Yesteryear':My name is Natalie Heller Mills, and I was perfect at being alive…'Natalie lives a traditional lifestyle – and has the social media accounts to prove it. Her charming farmhouse on her working ranch is artfully cluttered, her husband is a handsome cowboy, her homemade sourdough boules are each more beautiful than the last. So what if there are nannies and producers and industrial-grade ovens behind the scenes? What Natalie’s followers don’t know won’t hurt them.Then, one morning, Natalie wakes up in a strange, horrible version of reality. Her home, her husband, her children—they’re all familiar, but something’s off. Is this a hoax? A reality show? A test from God? Natalie knows just two things for sure: this isn't her perfect life, and she must escape, by any means possible.

'Love Lane' by Patrick Gale 07.04.2026 15min

Sara welcomes bestselling novelist Patrick Gale back to the Radio 2 Book Club. They chat about his new novel, 'Love Lane', a sequel (sort of) to one of his earlier books 'A Place Called Winter'. Patrick explains what made him want to return to this story and the characters and talks about the incredible treasure trove of family trinkets and secrets that he inherited, which allowed him to write a story based on his own family history. Patrick narrates the audiobook himself, so we hear a little clip of that - and - get some cracking reading recommendations from him as well! Here's the blurb for 'Love Lane': A reunion. A journey. A longing for a place called home...When veteran Canadian wheat farmer, Harry Cane is obliged to sell up and sail home to an England transformed by two world wars, his arrival triggers unwelcome self-examination for the family he abandoned, and for whom he has never been more than a distant myth.His daughter feels duty bound to take him in but is riven with doubt and ambushed by a long buried anger she has never before expressed. Harry's effect on the next generation is less predictable, and enables his granddaughter to deal with an unspeakable trauma, while her gentle husband feels seen for who he truly is.Can Harry stay and make a new life before it's too late, or will he find himself cast out again, punished for having witnessed and understood too much?

'Under Water' by Tara Menon 31.03.2026 13min

Debut novelist Tara Menon joins Sara in the Radio 2 Book Club to discuss her new novel, 'Under Water'. They talk about what inspired the novel, her research and why it took so long (8 years) to write. Tara also gives us a couple of great book recommendations too.Here's a little more about 'Under Water': When six-year-old Marissa loses her mother, she is taken by her father to live on a small Thai island in the Andaman Sea. There, she forms a deep friendship with Arielle and together they explore the fragile wonders of its forests, reefs, and beaches. Holding their breath for minutes at a time, they learn to dive into the deep, as effortlessly synchronized as the manta rays they come to know by name. Then, on Boxing Day 2004, when the Indian Ocean tsunami makes landfall, they are swept up by the first wave and separated.Eight years later, Marissa is living in New York. She spends her days wandering through the city and her nights seeking solace in the beds of strangers. As the city prepares for a devastating storm, Marissa reflects on her past and learns how to sustain herself in a precarious world.

Superstar Librarian Maggie Ross 24.03.2026 15min

Sara welcomes one of our superstar librarians to the podcast. Maggie Ross works for the Royal Borough Of Windsor & Maidenhead libraries - and has been part of our Radio 2 Book Club panel for many years. She chats with Sara about her job, the brilliance of libraries - and some of the books she's looking forward to coming out later this year Her Top Five Reads of this year are:A Family Matter by Claire Lynch The Family Way by Laney Katz Becker The Killer Question by Janice Hallett Show Me Where it Hurts by Claire Gleeson The Mercy Step by Marcia Hutchinson

'This Story Might Save Your Life' by Tiffany Crum 17.03.2026 16min

A thriller, a romance, a hugely successful podcast; those are the ingredients for Tiffany Crum's debut novel, 'This Story Might Save Your Life'. Sara chats to Tiffany about her former career in Hollywood, writing romantically about Los Angeles, following your dreams, how to choose the best character names - and what she loves so much about podcasts. We also hear a clip from the audiobook - and - get a cracking book recommendation too! Here's a little more info about Tiffany's novel:Benny and Joy like to say that they've been saving each other's lives since the moment they met.Until the day Joy disappears and Benny is accused of her murder.Best friends Benny and Joy host a beloved 'comedy survival' podcast, gleefully finding life-affirming humour in near-death experiences.When Benny arrives at Joy and her husband's home one morning to record, he finds shattered glass and an empty house.With Joy missing and the hours ticking by, not even their most devoted fans could guess the terrible secrets they have hidden from the world - and from each other.If Benny wants to find Joy in time, and clear his own name, he'll have to solve the highest stakes survival story yet.

'Minbak' by Ela Lee 10.03.2026 14min

Former lawyer turned novelist, Ela Lee, joins Sara in the Radio 2 Book Club for a chat about her new novel, 'Minbak'. They chat about the inspirations behind the story (including a dinner table convo where Ela's mum just casually mentioned that she had been a journalist during the 1985 uprising) and why it took an agent being very honest to get the best out of this book. We also get a cheeky little listen to the audiobook (which Ela narrates herself) and a couple of cracking book recommendations too. Here's a little more about 'Minbak':Incheon, South Korea, 1985. The country is revolting against a dictatorship, but in the local boarding-house, the chaos inside is only just beginning. When Hana is pulled from school to work in her family’s minbak, all she wants is to escape her small town. When she finally does, she leaves as an exile, a ruin, or a martyr, depending on who you ask. Her mother Youngia is left behind with the torment of both of their decisions.London, 2008. Ada knows little about her mother, Hana. When tragedy hits, Hana has no choice but to move her daughter and ailing mother into a single room and turn the rest of their home into a minbak. As the past collides with the present, Ada is determined to unearth her mother’s secrets. But her obsession will lead to a discovery that unravels not just her family’s dark past, but that of an entire country’s.From Korea’s industrial estates to London’s suburbs, the three women cross continents and generations to find truth, forgiveness and compassion.

Jamie Smart joins us for World Book Day! 05.03.2026 17min

Comic book artist Jamie Smart joins Sara in the Book Club for a World Book Day special! The Bunny Vs Monkey creator chats to Sara about his award-winning series, his inspirations, encouraging kids to draw - and - recommends us a couple of great books. We also sent some copies of 'Total Chaos' to a school in Manchester, to see what our Junior Book Club thought of his new book! Happy World Book Day everyone!

The Royal Library at Windsor Castle (celebrating 500 Words) 03.03.2026 27min

Come with Sara Cox on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Royal Library in Windsor Castle. Housing over 45,000 items, this library is a treasure trove for book lovers, with texts dating back hundreds of years. Our guide is one of the curators, Elizabeth Clark Ashby, who tells us the history of the library, what her job entails day-to-day, and picks out four amazing artifacts to show us. These are: A handwritten manuscript by Mozart (aged 11) The complete works of Shakespeare, which was owned by Charles IA tiny jeweled miniature book, made for Queen Mary's dolls houseA copy of Jane Eyre, inscribed by Queen Victoria to AlbertWindsor Castle played host to the Gran Final of 500 Words - the UK's most celebrated children's writing competition. Exceptional young writers from all across the UK were invited to a reception, hosted by Her Majesty The Queen, honouring their imagination, creativity and remarkable stories. The Grand Final was hosted by Alex Jones and Roman Kemp and the six winning entries – to be revealed in a special edition of The One Show on Friday 6th March - were read at the event by Sara Cox, Jodie Whittaker, Joanna Page, Bradley and Barney Walsh, Big Zuu and Paterson Joseph. *you can hear more from Sara's trip to Windsor on her teatime show on Radio 2, on Thursday 5th March.