Reading Between Deadlines Podcast

Does Persuasion stand the test of 208 years?

This episode’s pick: Persuasion by none other than Jane Austen, the patron saint of slow-burn and witty banter. We don’t know how many copies it’s sold but if people are still reading our books in a couple of centuries time, we’ll consider that a resounding success. Persuasion - the last novel our dear Jane ever finished - is a quiet story about love that refuses to die despite a whole cast of characters believing they know better!

In this episode, we cover:

Which au...

Do all crime novel mysteries need to be resolved?

This episode's pick: In the Woods by Tana French, the award-winning, Celtic-mist-soaked psychological mystery that launched the Dublin Murder Squad. When a young girl is found murdered at an archaeological dig, detective Rob Ryan is forced back into the very woods where he once vanished as a child, an incident he has no memory of, except for his blood-soaked shoes. As Rob and his partner Cassie Maddox investigate, the line between past and present blurs. It’s atmospheric, character-driven, and the kind of book that makes you glance ov...

Did ALL THE COLOURS OF THE DARK live up to the hype?

This episode’s pick: ALL THE COLOURS OF THE DARK - a million-copy bestseller, this sweeping novel follows childhood best friends Patch and Saint, torn apart when Patch is abducted. Trapped in darkness, Patch forms an intense connection with a girl he never sees, and when they escape, she vanishes. As Patch spends years searching for her, Saint is determined to uncover the truth of what happened. A powerful story of love, obsession, and the cost of finding answers.

In this episode, we co...

How would you survive the apocalypse? Would you need a talking pig?

This episode's pick: Set in the near future after a devastating pandemic, How High We Go in the Dark follows a series of interconnected characters as humanity tries to rebuild. From a theme park for terminally ill kids to a talking pig and space travel, the stories explore grief, resilience, and what it means to be human when the world keeps changing. It’s unlike anything we’ve ever read before!

This week’s guest - Kelly Rimmer is a bestselling Australian novelist, goat w...

Did Butter live up to the hype?

This episode's pick: Butter by Asako Yuzuki is a Japanese literary sensation that’s an unusual blend of murder mystery and food writing. Inspired by a true crime case, it’s about women, food, desire, and manipulation. Did it win us over, or was it all sizzle and no steak (or…butter)?

In this episode, we cover:

How hype and translation shaped our expectations

Food writing: sensory delight or just too much butter?

The themes of feminism, appetite, and self-denial

What w...

How far would you go back to save your child?

This episode's pick: Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister—a Reese’s Book Club thriller where a mother sees her teenage son commit a murder… only to wake up the next day and realize she’s gone back in time. As each morning takes her further into the past, she pieces together secrets about her son, her husband, and herself. It’s a murder mystery, a time-travel puzzle, and a meditation on motherhood all rolled into one. But did the high-concept premise deliver?

This week’s gue...

Did Broken Country live up to the hype?

This episode's pick: Broken Country by Claire Leslie Hall — a Reese’s Book Club favourite that’s been compared to The Paper Palace and Where the Crawdads Sing. It’s got love, loyalty, guilt, and a courtroom drama at its heart… but did it win us over?

In this episode, we cover:

Why this book caught our attention (and everyone else’s)

How hype and word-of-mouth shaped our expectations

Love triangles: satisfying tension or too much drama?

The role of setting...

Jungle fever or just fever dream?

This episode's pick: State of Wonder by Ann Patchett—a literary thriller set in the Amazon, complete with pharmaceutical intrigue, moral dilemmas, and one very unfortunate snake encounter. It’s lush, layered, and filled with anacondas, tarantulas, and questionable fertility science. But did it live up to the hype?

This week’s guest:

Pamela Cook —author, podcaster, and teacher. Pam writes contemporary women’s fiction that digs into relationships and psychology. She’s published six novels (traditionally and indie), hosts the Writes4Women podcast, and teaches through her business...

Is this space book really about space?

This episode's pick: Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid—a book that is rumoured to have made her an $8 million dollar advance but may have come at the price of her personal privacy. Part space epic, part love story, part unbelievable side characters and strange snacks. We blast off into TJR’s most interesting book yet.

In this episode, we cover:

Why Atmosphere is a love story that took us by surprise

How the high stakes created good tension

Why we felt we were...

Maeve Binchy’s Evening Class—comfort fiction or structural masterclass?

This week, bestselling author Tess Woods joins us to discuss her all-time favourite Maeve Binchy novel: Evening Class. It’s a quiet, sprawling book with no clear protagonist, barely a plot, and somehow...it works.

In this episode, we explore:

- Why “quiet” doesn’t mean boring

- The weirdly satisfying moment when a character locks her mum in the bathroom

- How Maeve’s “everyday” prose masks big emotional arcs

- What makes a book comforting enough to reread<...

Can a Name Change Your Fate?

This episode's pick: The Names by Florence Knapp—a 2025 debut that’s been dubbed the best in years. It’s a literary “Sliding Doors” novel, but with three parallel lives instead of two. The question at its heart? What happens when a single choice—a baby’s name—changes everything?

In this episode, we cover:

Why The Names is more craft experiment than comfort read

The DV scenes that had us stunned (and one that had food on faces)

Who’s really the main character her...

Maeve Binchy’s Evening Class—comfort fiction or structural masterclass?

This week, bestselling author Tess Woods joins us to discuss her all-time favourite Maeve Binchy novel: Evening Class. It’s a quiet, sprawling book with no clear protagonist, barely a plot, and somehow...it works.

In this episode, we explore:

- Why “quiet” doesn’t mean boring

- The weirdly satisfying moment when a character locks her mum in the bathroom

- How Maeve’s “everyday” prose masks big emotional arcs

- What makes a book comforting enough to reread<...

This episode's pick: Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry—her sixth novel and departure from pure rom-com territory into mystery/women's fiction waters. But did we want to take that journey with her?

Welcome back to Reading Between Deadlines, the podcast where we read with the same chaotic energy we usually reserve for missed deadlines, burnt toast and re-reading our own bios in horror. This week continues our new format—where a guest author brings a book they adore, and we read it for the first time (sometimes very reluctantly).

Our guest this episode? The always delightful and impressively multi-hyphenate Sophie Green bestselling author of Lessons in Love at the Seaside Salon and creator of The Sunshine Society Substack and Sunburnt Country Music Substack.

This month’s pick: Amer...

Welcome back to Reading Between Deadlines, the podcast where two authors read with the kind of energy usually reserved for stress-dreams about book launches. In this episode, Rachael Johns and Anthea Hodgson dive into Swept Away by Beth O’Leary—a bestselling author known for quirky, heartfelt rom-coms.

But this one? Let’s just say, our anchors weren’t the only things that didn’t stay put.

In this episode, we cover:

🌊 Is this a fun high-concept romance… or an oil rig of far-fetched plot devices?

🛏️ Why did they bang while the boat was sinking...

This book contains a content warning for loss of a child.

Welcome back to Reading Between Deadlines, the podcast where we read with the kind of unhinged energy usually reserved for deadline week meltdowns. In this episode, Rachael Johns and Anthea Hodgson attempt to unpack the cult favourite Brother of the More Famous Jack by Barbara Trapido—a book that’s been praised by literary giants and passionately pushed into readers’ hands since 1982.

And yet... we didn’t love it. In fact, we might get cancelled.

In this episode, we cover:

📚 Is this a f...

This book contains a content warning for loss of a child.

Welcome back to Reading Between Deadlines, the podcast where we read with the kind of unhinged energy usually reserved for deadline week meltdowns. In this episode, Rachael Johns and Anthea Hodgson attempt to unpack the cult favourite Brother of the More Famous Jack by Barbara Trapido—a book that’s been praised by literary giants and passionately pushed into readers’ hands since 1982.

And yet... we didn’t love it. In fact, we might get cancelled.

In this episode, we cover:

📚 Is this a f...

Welcome back to Reading Between Deadlines, the podcast where we devour books with the same chaotic energy we bring to deadline week. This week, Rachael Johns and Anthea Hodgson dive tentacle-first into The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus—a debut novel full of moody university students, Scottish castles, emotionally unavailable parents, and yes... actual octopus metaphors.

Written by Emma Knight (co-founder of a fancy Canadian juice company and mysterious woman of few bios), this book swept us away with its atmosphere, aching honesty, and a twist that actually delivered.In this episode, we cover:

🏰 Old h...

Welcome back to Reading Between Deadlines, where we devour books with the same unhinged enthusiasm as we write them. This week, Rachael Johns and Anthea Hodgson take on The Bridges of Madison County—the love story that convinced an entire generation that cheating is fine as long as it’s poetic.

Yes, it’s that 90s classic about a lonely farm wife, a broody photographer, and an affair so powerful it makes Francesca ditch all common sense and pine for decades. Romance? Tragedy? A cautionary tale for every book club member who’s ever fantasised about their barista...

🚨 Book rants & wildly fluctuating opinions incoming! 🚨

This week, Rachael Johns and Anthea Hodgson take on Sally Rooney’s latest, where two brothers navigate grief, romance, and existential dread—all while occasionally playing chess.

Along the way, we discuss:

♟️ The many, many chess metaphors—how far is too far?

📖 Why this book is giving Ulysses energy (but make it Rooney)

💔 A love triangle that had us screaming “just pick someone already!”

🎭 The existential crisis of two brothers navigating grief, relationships, and Dublin

And, of course, we rate it: Kiss, Kill, or Marry...

🚨 Time travel, book rants & chaos incoming! 🚨

In this episode of Reading Between Deadlines, Rachel Johns and Anthea Hodgson take on The Ministry of Time—a book that dares to mix time travel, romance, and social commentary. Does it work? Do they even understand the plot? Who's to say!

Along the way, they tackle:⏳ The baffling science of time travel (we’re still confused)💔 A romance that…was technically there?🔥 Sideburns, honour, and whether Victorian men can handle the 21st century🤯 A plot twist that came in way too late📖 The real reason this book blew up (spoiler: we have theor...

Rachael Johns and Anthea Hodgosn interview author Jacqueline Bublitz about her latest book (and book club pick), LEAVE THE GIRLS BEHIND. They discuss Jacqueline's journey from a call center worker to a successful author, her writing process, and the themes explored in her novels, particularly around crime and gender. The conversation delves into the challenges of writing, character development, and the influence of personal experiences on her storytelling. Jacqueline also shares insights into her reading habits and future projects, making for an engaging and insightful discussion for book lovers.

👋 Follow Jacqueline

💻 Jacqueline’s Website

📸 Jacq...

🎥 Watch it now

Join authors Rachel Johns and Anthea Hodgson in their inaugural episode of 'Reading Between Deadlines,' where they dive into Miranda July's eyebrow-raising 'All Fours.' They debate the book's shock value, delve into its portrayal of midlife awakenings, and humorously dissect its outrageous moments. Don't miss their playful banter and honest critique as they rate the book on their unique 'Kiss, Kill, Marry' scale. Plus, get a sneak peek at upcoming reads and author interviews!

⏰ Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to Reading Between Deadlines

00:42 Meet the Hosts: Rachel and Anthea

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In just under a week, our bookish podcast, Reading Between Deadlines launches and we can’t wait to share it with you!

Here’s a sneak peek…sneak listen? Sneak listen…🎧😊

What should we read next? Let us know in the comments below.