In this episode of Tom’s Book Club, Lucy Steeds discusses her debut novel The Artist, winner of both the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize 2025 and Waterstones Book of the Year 2025.

Set in Provence in 1920, The Artist follows Ettie, a young woman living in the shadow of her uncle, the celebrated painter Edouard Tartuffe. When an ambitious journalist arrives at the isolated farmhouse hoping to interview the elusive artist, long-buried secrets begin to surface over the course of one sweltering summer.

In this conversation, Lucy Steeds talks about writing from dual perspectives, capturing the sensory atmosphere of 1920s France, and how synesthesia shaped the novel’s vivid descriptions and emotional texture. The episode also explores creativity, power, and the tension between artistic genius and those forced to support it from the margins.

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In this episode of Tom’s Book Club, Liz Moore discusses her gripping novel The God of the Woods, shortlisted for the 2026 British Book Awards in the Crime & Thriller category.

Set in a remote American summer camp, the novel begins with the disappearance of a teenage girl — fourteen years after her brother vanished in the same wilderness. As the search unfolds, long-buried secrets surrounding the powerful Van Laar family begin to surface, raising questions about what really happened, and who might be responsible.

In this conversation, Liz Moore explores the origins of the novel, her approach to writing across multiple timelines and perspectives, and the challenges of inhabiting such a wide cast of characters. She also discusses research, character creation, and the real-life influences behind the story.

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In this episode of Tom’s Book Club, Lily King discusses her novel Heart the Lover, now shortlisted for the 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction.

The novel follows a writer whose intense friendship with two magnetic figures in her youth continues to shape her life years later. Moving across time, Heart the Lover explores love in its many forms and the lasting impact of the choices we make. In this conversation, Lily King talks about the origins of the novel, its distinctive structure, and being surprised by readers reactions.

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In this episode of Tom’s Book Club, Yael van der Wouden discusses her debut novel The Safekeep, winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2025.

Set in the Netherlands in the years after the Second World War, The Safekeep follows Isabel, whose ordered, solitary life is disrupted by the arrival of her brother’s enigmatic girlfriend. As the summer unfolds, desire, tension, and long-buried secrets rise to the surface, leading to a powerful and unsettling revelation.

In this extended conversation, Yael van der Wouden talks about unlikeable narrators, being surprised by her characters and how it felt to win the Women's Prize.

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In this episode of Tom’s Book Club, Brian Bilston discusses his latest book, How to Lay an Egg with a Horse Inside: An Alternative Guide to Writing and Enjoying Poetry.

Known for his witty, widely shared verse, Brian reflects on the state of poetry in 2026, his decision to step away from Twitter, and why he has chosen to remain (semi) anonymous. The conversation also explores how humour and accessibility shape his work and includes a reading from the new book.

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In this episode of Tom’s Book Club, Charlotte Runcie discusses her sharp and darkly funny debut novel Bring the House Down, which is the Indie Book of the Month pick for April.

Set against the backdrop of the Edinburgh Fringe, the novel follows a notorious theatre critic whose scathing review sparks an unexpected and deeply personal act of revenge. As the story unfolds, what begins as a witty premise becomes a deeper exploration of criticism, power and grief.

In this conversation, Charlotte talks about the real-life inspiration behind the book, why it could only take place in Edinburgh and the pressures of putting creative work into the world.

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In this episode of Tom’s Book Club, Erin Somers discusses her incisive and incredibly funny novel The Ten Year Affair.

The book follows Cora, a married mother who forms an instant connection with another parent at a baby group. Rather than act on it, she allows the relationship to unfold in her imagination, but as the fantasy deepens, it begins to reshape how she sees her own life, her marriage, and the small frustrations of domestic routine.

In this conversation, Erin explores writing desire without action, the role of humour in depicting marriage and motherhood, and how the novel captures the anxieties and absurdities of modern life.

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In this episode of Tom’s Book Club, David Szalay discusses his 2025 Booker Prize-winning novel Flesh, a sweeping, provocative portrait of one man’s life shaped by desire, chance, and consequence.

The novel follows István, a young boy growing up in Hungary in the late 1980s, whose life is irrevocably altered by a tragic youthful affair. From a quiet apartment block to the rarefied world of London’s elite, we trace István’s journey across decades, as ambition, intimacy, and the pursuit of status pull him in conflicting directions.

In this conversation, David reflects on winning the Booker and whether it fill influence his writing, the prolific use of the word 'okay', and what István would have made of the story.

If you’re interested in contemporary literary fiction, Booker Prize winners, or novels that explore identity, ambition, and the long shadow of early decisions, this episode is for you.

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