TGE's Current Read

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Sam Herbst (co-host of The Great Equalizer) catches up with authors to chat about their books. TGE's Current Read offers word nerds, bibliophiles and literature buffs a glimpse into the mind of an author and showcases the latest books that the world's biggest publishing houses have on offer. Subscribe and join the conversation with TGE and authors from around the globe.

5. MÄRZ

From Dark Academia to Rock ’n Roll: ML Rio Talks Hot Wax

Your Current Read host Sam Herbst sits down with internationally bestselling author ML Rio to chat about her latest novel, Hot Wax. If, like so many of us, you became obsessed with If We Were Villains — the dark academia cult favourite steeped in Shakespearean drama — you won’t want to miss this deep dive into Rio’s latest work. Following her novella Graveyard Shift – a USA today bestseller – Hot Wax marks a bold and stylistically electric new chapter in this author's writing career. Joining us from her home in Philadelphia, Rio discusses the origins of Hot Wax, her shift from Shakespearean obsession to music-driven storytelling, and how her academic background continues to shape her voice. In this episode, we explore: - Writing Hot Wax after the global success of If We Were Villains - Music as a creative force and narrative engine - Rio's artistic influences in music, literature, film - Readers' reception of Hot Wax And, of course, we ask what’s next for M. L. Rio? From dark academia to vinyl-era vibes, this conversation unpacks the evolution of a distinctive literary voice and looks at the risks — and rewards — of creative reinvention. For lovers of literary fiction, campus novels and music-infused storytelling, you're going to love this behind-the-scenes look into ML Rio's writing process and the crafting of Hot Wax. __ 🖤 LISTEN 💛 LIKE 🖤 SHARE 💛 (and let us know what you think of the episode!) 📚 Subscribe to ⁠ ⁨@thegreatequalizerpodcast⁩ ⁠ and TGE's Current Read for more 1:1 interviews with internationally acclaimed bestselling authors. __ #MLRio #HotWax #IfWeWereVillains #DarkAcademia #LiteraryFiction #AuthorInterview #BookTube #WritersOfYouTube #Shakespeare #ComingOfAge #NewBookRelease #SimonAndSchuster #WritingProcess #BooksAndMusic #TGECurrentRead

57 Min.
17.12.2025

Power, sex, corruption & identity with author Mpho Boshego | TGE's Current Read

On this episode of TGE’s Current Read, we sit down with Mpho Boshego — author, communications strategist and former South African diplomat — to unpack her bold and compelling debut novel, Diplomatic Ties. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience in diplomacy, stakeholder relations and corporate communications – including her time as a South African diplomat in Belgium – Boshego lifts the veil on the rarely spoken-about underbelly of international diplomacy. Through the eyes of Mbali, an ambitious young graduate from Mamelodi, Diplomatic Ties explores what happens when personal history collides with political influence. In this episode, we delve into: – The author's real-life diplomatic experience and how it shaped the novel – Writing sex, power, and corruption without flinching – The contrast between township life and diplomatic opulence – Feminism, integrity and feeling tainted as a woman – Why fiction offers freedom in writing – What it means to be South African on a global stage We also talk about Mpho’s creative writing journey, the discipline behind finishing a debut novel, and unforgettable passages from the book. Naturally, we chat about the potential for a second novel on the horizon and get a reading from the author herself. If you’re interested in African literature, political fiction, women’s stories, or power dynamics behind closed doors, DO NOT sleep on this conversation. 🎧 Welcome to TGE’s Current Read — where books meet bold conversation. __ 🖤 LISTEN 💛 LIKE 🖤 SHARE 💛 (and let us know what you think of the episode!) #TGEsCurrentRead #DiplomaticTies #MphoBoshego #SouthAfricanAuthors #AfricanLiterature #PoliticalFiction #WomenInWriting #Diplomacy #PowerAndPolitics #FeministLiterature #BookPodcast #LocalVoices #AfricanStories #LiteraryPodcast #SouthAfricanPodcasts

1 Std. 9 Min.
30.10.2025

HEAP EARTH UPON IT | An interview with Chloe Michelle Howarth

On this episode of TGE’s Current Read, we welcome Irish novelist Chloe Michelle Howarth. Best known for her debut novel Sunburn — a tender, searing portrait of queer adolescence and forbidden love — Chloe captured readers with her ability to balance delicacy and emotional intensity. Sunburn was shortlisted for the 2024 Polari First Book Prize, the 2024 Book Awards: Discover Award, and the 2023 Nero Book Award for Debut Fiction, earning its place as a quiet cult classic among contemporary literary readers. But in this episode of Current Read, we turn our attention to her second novel, Heap Earth Upon It — a multi-perspective family drama set in 1960s rural Ireland. Retaining Howarth’s poetic lyricism while stepping away from the teenage nostalgia of her debut, this novel dives into themes of repression, longing, and the shadows of family history, pulling readers into a darker, more atmospheric world with the intrigue of a literary thriller. Chloe joins us to talk about her writing process, the atmospheric Irish countryside that shapes her fiction, and the thematic threads she wanted to explore in Heap Earth Upon It. And as always on TGE’s Current Read, we get: 🖤 A special reading from the author 🤍 A peek at what’s on her current TBR 🖤 A hint of what Chloe is working on next 🎙️ Subscribe to TGE’s Current Read for more conversations with today’s most exciting authors. __ 🖤 LISTEN 💛 LIKE 🖤 SHARE 💛 (and let us know what you think of the episode!) __ #ChloeMichelleHowarth #HeapEarthUponIt #Sunburn #IrishFiction #LiteraryFiction #QueerFiction #BookPodcast #WritersLife #TheGreatEqualizer #CurrentRead #BookTube #BookLovers #ReadingCommunity #AuthorInterview #NewBooks #IrishWriters #LiteraryPodcast This episode of TGE’s Current Read was brought to you in part by Jonathan Ball Publishers.

54 Min.
24.10.2025

The Break in by Katherine Faulkner

On this episode of TGE’s Current Read, hosts Sam and Charlene sit down with bestselling author Katherine Faulkner: journalist-turned-novelist and the mind behind Greenwich Park, The Other Mothers, and her latest psychological thriller, The Break In. After a decade at The Times, London, as an investigative journalist and editor, Katherine has become one of the sharpest voices in modern domestic suspense – a master at throwing “ordinary women into extraordinary, what-would-you-do situations” (as you deftly put by author Abigail Dean. In this episode, we chat about: 🖤 Katherine’s transition from newsroom to novelist life 🤍 The short story inspiration behind The Break In 🖤 The intersection of motherhood, domesticity and danger in Katherine’s work 🤍 The psychology of safety, secrecy and suspense within the home 🖤 How Katherine manages to write while raising two kids (spoiler alert: with difficulty!) About the book: The Break In follows a London mother who kills an intruder in self-defence, only to find that nothing about the man, or her own life, is as it seems. A chilling, twist-filled exploration of guilt, privilege, and how well we really know the people closest to us. 🎙️ Subscribe to TGE’s Current Read for more conversations with today’s most exciting authors. __ 🖤 LISTEN 💛 LIKE 🖤 SHARE 💛 (and let us know what you think of the episode!) __ #KatherineFaulkner #TheBreakIn #DomesticThriller #PsychologicalThriller #MumNoir #BookPodcast #CrimeFiction #CurrentRead #TGERadio #BookLovers #AuthorInterview #WomenWriters #BookTube #ReadingCommunity #SuspenseFiction #TheOtherMothers #GreenwichPark

1 Std. 3 Min.
01.10.2025

Paper Heart by Cecelia Ahern

On this episode of TGE’s Current Read we welcome back international bestselling author Cecelia Ahern, who is currently promoting her latest novel, Paper Heart. Paper Heart is a story about dreams, having the courage to turn them into a reality, and being brave enough to open your heart to the possibility of love and truly living. We meet Pip – a passenger in her own story – whose life has been grounded and largely uneventful since she had her daughter, Bella, at 16. Having shamed her parents by being a pregnant teen, Pip hands over the reins to her controlling mother, becoming trapped in a life empty of the hopes and dreams she once aspired to. Much like the origami poems Pip so diligently writes and folds away, Pip is made smaller by circumstance, but begins to unfold over the course of the novel, opening herself up to realise that the world is bigger than her small-town setting, that life has so much more to offer her. Cecelia chats with Sam about what inspired Pip’s character, what made the author weave in the golden thread of origami art, and what motivated her to write a novel about the many ways we dig – ‘physically into the earth, mentally and spiritually into the sky and universe, and emotionally into our own hearts’. We’re also treated to a reading by the author and get a sneak peek into what Cecelia is currently reading and, of course, what she’s working on next. __ 🖤 LISTEN 💛 LIKE 🖤 SHARE 💛 SUBSCRIBE #CeceliaAhern #PaperHeart #AuthorInterview #BookPodcast #BookTube #FictionBooks #ContemporaryFiction #CurrentReadPodcast #BookDiscussion #ReadersLif This episode of TGE’s Current Read was brought to you in part by Jonathan Ball Publishers.

52 Min.
15.09.2025

Saraswati by Gurnaik Johal

On this episode of TGE’s Current Read, Sam Herbst welcomes award-winning Indian-British author Gurnaik Johal for an in-depth author interview. No stranger to fiction, Gurnaik won the Somerset Maugham Award in 2022 for his short story collection, We Move, among other accolades. Now venturing into the realm of longform fiction, Gurnaik’s debut novel Saraswati has been listed among Observer’s Best Debut Novels for 2025 and was a finalist for the Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize. Described as “an ambitious panoramic portrait” (The Guardian) and a “roaring deluge of a novel” (Jon McGregor), Saraswati connects the lives of seven distant relatives whose ancestors were all named after different tributaries of Northern India’s holy Saraswati river. In this conversation, Gurnaik shares the genesis of Saraswati – the seed that sprouted this sprawling story. He also reflects on his passion for folktales in fiction, his place within the Indian diaspora literature tradition, the sociopolitical themes his work explores, and how the dystopian elements in Saraswati became a self-fulfilling prophecy. As with every Current Read episode, we enjoy a live author reading and chat about Gurnaik’s latest inspirations and creative process. Join us for this literary podcast discussion, and let us know what you think of the episode. __ 🖤 LISTEN 💛 LIKE 🖤 SHARE 💛 SUBSCRIBE #GurnaikJohal #SaraswatiNovel #AuthorInterview #ContemporaryFiction #CurrentRead #DebutNovels2025 #IndianDiasporaLiterature This episode of TGE’s Current Read was brought to you in part by Jonathan Ball Publishers.

53 Min.
08.08.2025

The Tradwife's Secret by Liane Child

On this episode of TGE’s Current Read, we chat with author Liane Child, whose addictive new thriller, The Tradwife’s Secret, will have you turning the pages well into the wee hours, with a twist you probably won’t see coming. This is a novel that, according to one reviewer, reads like an episode right out of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. Aside from being a good old-fashioned domestic romp, it scratches a very particular itch for anyone familiar (read: obsessed) with the explosive – and divisive – trad wife phenomenon. If this is you, you’ve probably had one too many Nara Smith midnight scrolls, or ventured into the Hannah Neeleman Ballerina Farm rabbit hole and come back to tell the tale. Sound familiar? Then this book is the one for you. Against the backdrop of a fun and fast-paced thriller, Liane Child unpacks some major overarching themes – right-wing conservatism, pro-family/anti-feminist values, and the pitfalls of living your life online (or taking life advice from people who do). It’s a book that lightens the mood around particularly divisive topics while using fiction to shed light on the problematic nature of the trad wife trend, and why it’s so enticing. Sam and Charlene touch base with the author about her personal obsession with the trad wife trend and why she decided to write a book about it. Avoiding spoilers, we chat about characters, plot, and setting, as well as why 'domestic thriller' was the perfect genre for this tale.Join us as we deep-dive into the wild world of Montana-based influencer Ms Madison March and – as always – let us know what you think of this episode. __ 🖤 LISTEN 💛 LIKE 🖤 SHARE 💛 SUBSCRIBE __ #DomesticThriller #ThrillerBooks #PsychologicalThriller #NewBookRelease #TradWife #TradWifeTrend #TraditionalWife #FemininityMovement #CurrentRead #MotherhoodUnplugged This episode of TGE’s Current Read was brought to you in part by Jonathan Ball Publishers. NB links: Tune into a previous discussion on The Great Equalizer about Tradwives and professional girlfriends (the #nojudgies deep dive): https://youtu.be/lpj5w230RS0?si=CGtFtD35YAoGWZWR

52 Min.
06.06.2025

Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley

On this episode of TGE’s Current Read, your host Sam Herbst chats with Holly Brickley, one of this year’s HOTTEST new authors, whose debut novel Deep Cuts has already made Hollywood inroads. Silver screen stars Saoirse Ronan and Austin Butler have already been named as the leads in A24’s film adaptation, with the progressive film company set to start production on the movie soon (if not already!) having snatched up rights long before the novel’s official publication date.However, behind MANY a great movie is – of course – an even greater book. We are so privileged to have Holly join us on the pod to chat about her writing journey, what inspired her novel, and why she set it against the very unique backdrop of the early 2000s music industry.With an accompanying Spotify playlist (of course), Deep Cuts is SO Millennials-coded, tapping into 90s and noughties nostalgia that’ll have you going back to the CD burns of your carefree high school days. Even so, this novel does so well to bridge the generational gap, appealing to Ben Xers and Gen Zers all the same, with infuriatingly relatable and lovable characters that stay with you long after the final chapter. Tune in for more from the author and a BTS look into the makings of our generation’s next pop culture phenomenon. If you loved Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Daisy Jones & the Six, Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow & Tomorrow & Tomorrow and David Nicholls’ One Day, this debut novel is right up your alley, and this hot new author is ONE. TO. WATCH.__🖤 LISTEN 💛 LIKE 🖤 SHARE 💛 SUBSCRIBEAnd tell us what you think of the episode 🫶🏽__#booktube #bookrecs #bookstagram #debutnovel #deepcuts #2000s #earlyaughts #popculture #musicindustry #A24 #hollybrickley #lovestory #romcom #firstlove @A24@jonathanballpublishers2050

48 Min.

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Sam Herbst (co-host of The Great Equalizer) catches up with authors to chat about their books. TGE's Current Read offers word nerds, bibliophiles and literature buffs a glimpse into the mind of an author and showcases the latest books that the world's biggest publishing houses have on offer. Subscribe and join the conversation with TGE and authors from around the globe.

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