Simon Mayo's Books of the Year

Simon and Matt put a range of questions to our special guest, the author and sports journalist Miguel Delaney. They ask about his favourite authors, which books he's jealous of and wished he'd written, his writing processes - especially when touring so much - and who he'd invite to his fantasy dinner party.

Miguel Delaney is no stranger to writing about sport, or indeed football, as he is the Chief Football Writer for The Independent. In his new book, States Of Play, he looks at the incredibly interesting (and controversial) topic of Sportswashing. Simon and Matt find out more what this means, how it is affecting sport (especially football) and what Miguel has found out from his many years of researching and investigating. If you're not a football fan, this may not seem like a book for you, but the subject is fascinating and wide ranging... More on the book here!

Michael Connelly joins Simon and Matt for a bonus Q&A episode. He talks about his writing processes, inspirations, favourite authors -and who he would invite to his fantasy dinner party.

Simon and Matt welcome international bestselling author Michael Connelly to Books Of The Year. They discuss his new book The Waiting, as well as his inspirations, Los Angeles basements, the constant nagging of an author's head and how he feels about Bosch getting older.

Matt Haig joins Simon and Matt for a little does of Q&A. He gives us some great book recommendations, talks about his writing process, the power of walking and who he'd invite to his fantasy dinner party. We also surprise him with a question from fan - and friend - Bryony Gordon! And remember, for a limited time, you can £100 off any HD light and free UK delivery. Just visit seriousreaders.com/booksoftheyear to find out more!

International bestselling author Matt Haig drops by the studio for a chat with Simon and Matt. His new novel, The Life Impossible, is - in his words - "not The Midnight Library 2" - but it does share some themes. Matt talks about facing fears and going back to Ibiza, a place where he nearly committed suicide and which held a lot of trauma. He talks about his fish out of water characters, why he doesn't like the term 'magical realism' and how he nearly stopped writing altogether to become a bookseller. And remember, for a limited time, you can £100 off any HD light and free UK delivery. Just visit seriousreaders.com/booksoftheyear to find out more!

Simon and Matt welcome international bestselling author, Jodi Picoult, back to the studio for a slice of Q&A. She talks about some of her favourite authors and gives us some book recommendations. Plus we hear from crime writer Gillian McAllister and learn who Jodi would invite to her fantasy dinner party. We hope you enjoy the chat! And remember, for a limited time, you can £100 off any HD light and free UK delivery. Just visit seriousreaders.com/booksoftheyear to find out more!

Jodi Picoult is baaaack! And she joins Simon and Matt in the studio to discuss her new novel. They chat about the myths surrounding Shakespeare and his work, whether he really wrote all the plays he's credited to have written, and why the history of women writers of the time is completely unknown. Women used writing to record their wisdom at the time, but this specific part of history hasn't been explored properly. We hope you enjoy this lively and quite fulsome debate! (and here's a little more on the book) BY ANY OTHER NAME Student playwright Melina Green finds that even in New York, her words will struggle to make the stage, when the power is held by men. Inspired by the life of her ancestor Emilia Bassano, a gifted and witty storyteller herself, Melina takes a lesson from history, and submits a play under a male pseudonym . . . As Melina discovers more of Emilia’s extraordinary life in Elizabethan England, she is determined to right the wrongs of the past – and finally tell her story. Two women – centuries apart – are both forced to hide behind another name. But can either make their voices heard?

Simon and Matt welcome Ian Rankin to the studio for a special Q&A episode. They discuss his love of music, his writing processes, Swedish Death Cleaning (yes really) and who he would invite to his fantasy dinner party.

Sir Ian Rankin joins Simon and Matt for a natter about his new book, Midnight And Blue. They discuss the challenges of writing a book from a world inside a prison, and how much Ian had to research to ensure he got the details right. And of course they chat about music (Pentangle even get a mention) and the recent screen adaptation of his book.