Shari Lapena

I'm Joe Hallow, and wherever you are in the world, it's great to have you with us, and I hope you're happy and healthy wherever you're listening from.

And if you're only just joining us for this series, well, there are lots of episodes to catch up on should you wish, including chats with Elif Shafak, Max Porter, Katherine Rundell, Donal Ryan, Lisa Jewell, Shari Lapena, and many, many more besides.

And today, as ever, I'm joined by two fabulous writers and humans who'll be going head-to-head in a war of the words a little later on.

My first guest started writing when he was 10 years old.

Okay.

And it is The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena.

That's still a thriller.

It's a thriller-

Yeah.

If you've read all- Yeah, I know ...

the new thrillers and you're looking for some old ones, I would highly recommend this one because I really liked it, and I shockingly remember exactly what happens, and that is The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena.

I had to look up how she said her name.

Um, we've seen the ultimate bestseller, perhaps, today.

Um, we will be joined by bookseller, agent, and also a podcaster, the one and only David Headley, um, from Goldsboro Books and DHH Literary Agency, and the absolutely amazing Shari Lapena from Canada, who is a multimillion-copy bestselling author herself.

Yes.

So you've been listening to The Secret World of Books, powered by SuperSpree.

Which brings us to our final grouping, focusing on neighborhood horrors, the infiltration of media, and maternal dread.

We have None of This Is True by Lisa Jewell, The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena, The Perfect Marriage by Geneva Rose, and The Push by Ashley Audrain.

Let's start with Lisa Jewell's incredibly modern take on the thriller.

Yes.