The Waterstones Podcast

The investigative reporting of Patrick Radden Keefe has already given us non-fiction classics like Say Nothing and Empire of Pain. In London Falling, he turns his eye to the story of Zac Brettler, who plunged to his death from a luxury London apartment at the age of just 19. What his parents then discovered was an alternative life that had led their son through the capital’s dangerous underworld to that Thames-side balcony. We spoke with him about what makes a story compelling, his conversations with Zac’s parents, and what ultimately led to that fatal fall.

For the first time ever, the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize assembles our shortlisted authors and illustrators for a special interview in which we discover more about the joy of picture books, the nature of world building, and how they incorporate important and mature themes as readers get older. Ahead of our winners announcement on 26 March, sit back and enjoy the brilliant creativity of them all.

The legends surrounding the figure of Rasputin are so well-trodden we may think we know the story, but how did a man born as a peasant come to find himself within the Tsar’s inner circle and how instrumental was he in the downfall of the Romanov dynasty. Luckily, we have historian Antony Beevor to answer every one of these questions and more. 

Booker Prize-winner George Saunders takes us back to that space between life and death in his new novel, Vigil, leading to a fruitful conversation about providing comfort at the end of life, why repentance at the end might not make the difference and why he’s always happiest raising questions and providing no answers.

Booker Prize-winner Julian Barnes has a bibliography that would keep a reader happy for many months, even years, but with mention that his latest book, Departure(s), might be his last, we were determined to speak with him about his approach to fiction, the passage of time, and the very special relationship between writer and reader.

From the discipline he learnt from his grandfather and the integrity from his parents, to the lessons learned from everything from inflatable unicorns to crucial penalties, Gareth Southgate's approach to management has lessons for us all. We sat down to speak to him about personal values, taking pride in your actions and what the future might hold.

Continuing the seasonal series after Michael Morpurgo’s Spring, Val McDermid turns from crime to Winter, with its festivals, rituals and new year drive to achieve. We sat down with her to talk about the ghosts of Christmas past, holding on to tradition and why the new year is such a creative time for writing.

Salman Rushdie’s return to fiction sees him sharing a collection of stories which look at the questions that await us all at the end of our lives. We spoke with him about mortality, looking back and what the future might hold, together with what drives his creativity.

Join us for what promises to be an unmissable evening with bestselling author R.F. Kuang, as we celebrate the publication of her much-anticipated new novel, Katabasis.The internationally bestselling author of Babel and Yellowface returns with Katabasis: a sublimely dark and unputdownable tale of two rival Cambridge academics who must join forces on a rescue mission in hell itself.R.F. Kuang is now the author of six novels, with her debut novel The Poppy War written on her gap year in China and released in 2018. This was followed by The Dragon Republic (2019), The Burning God (2022), Babel (2022) and most recently Yellowface (2023).

30 years after he introduced the world to Lyra Belacqua, Philip Pullman launched the final volume in his Book of Dust series: The Rose Field. Just ahead of that event we sat down to speak with him about his feelings on finishing this epic writing task, the importance of imagination, and what he might turn to next as a storyteller.

From the moment she began her education at Oxford University, Malala Yousafzai was aware how hard it would be for her to enjoy a normal student experience. But as we discover from her new memoir and from our fascinating conversation with her about it, she was determined, for once, to throw herself fully into life at university. From clubs to dances, missed deadlines to lockdown, heartbreak to happiness - she shares with great honesty the many ways in which she forged her own path in life.

From her childhood in Islington to the red carpet at Cannes, Kathy Burke has always spoken her mind, and that strength and independence of thought is on every page of her memoir, A Mind of My Own. We sat down to speak with her about those early days in London, how they have informed her whole life, and what have been her guiding principles through it all.

Ian McEwan's masterful new novel is a piece of speculative fiction that shows a radically altered UK on the other side of climate catastrophe and global warfare. But it centres on two academics reaching back into the past to uncover the secrets behind a poem performed only once and lost to history. We spoke with him about the novel's big themes, its human focus and how to bring past and future together in the present moment.

With the arrival of Among the Burning Flowers, the majestic prequel to her classic fantasy, The Priory of the Orange Tree, we sat down with ⁠Samantha Shannon⁠ to talk about prequels, sequels, reading order, star signs, big themes, tiny books and so much more.

Back in 2017, we made Slow Horses by Mick Herron our Thriller of the Month in August and a whole host of readers found their new obsession. Now, 15 years on from its first publication, we sat down with the author of 9 novels and 5 novellas in the series to discover how it all began, what he thinks are the most important elements of his writing and where his cast of sidelined spooks find themselves in the new novel, Clown Town.

We sat down with the phenomenal A. F. Steadman to discuss all things Skandar, including emergency sandwiches, superfan events and reading for pleasure as we celebrate the heart-pounding conclusion to the iconic children's fantasy series, as Skandar and his unicorn rider friends face their deadliest ever challenge and most dangerous foe...

Already the best selling YA thriller writer, thanks to series like A Good Girl's Guide To Murder, Holly Jackson is back with Not Quite Dead Yet, her first novel for adult readers. We sat down with her to find out about how she approaches each project, finding humour in the face of death, and how she was able to write this book in just 6 weeks!

The Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize 2025 shortlisted authors are here! Meet Catherine Airey (Confessions), Gurnaik Johal (Saraswati), Niamh Ní Mhaolieoin (Ordinary Saints), William Rayfet Hunter (Sunstruck) Lisa Ridzén (When The Cranes Fly South) and Lucy Steeds (The Artist). Join us for a free-flowing conversation about the themes and strengths highlighted by our booksellers and some winning tips for any writers out there working on their own debut.

What do you do when you've already sold over 36 million copies of your Horrible Histories books? You write the kind of book that you, as a reader, would kill to read. And Terry Deary's first love was always murder mysteries, so this year he brings us his first: Actually, I'm Murderer. We sat down with him to discover more about the incident in 1974 that inspired it, how he found his way to writing and what keeps him inspired.

Known for her pioneering work as an intimacy co-ordinator on shows such as Normal People and I May Destroy You, Ita O'Brien has distilled her practice into a book that has something to say to anyone about the role of intimacy in their lives. In a frank and honest conversation that covers why guidance was desperately needed in the entertainment industry through to her passionate advocacy for sex education that is fit for purpose, we also find out more about the path that has led her to such a unique role.