In today's podcast we talk to "the demon dog of American crime fiction", James Ellroy, about his latest book, Blood's a Rover - the final part of his magisterial Underworld USA trilogy which covers a 14-year stretch of American history from 1958 to 1972. He tells Xan Brooks about why he has no interest in writing about the modern world, the real-life inspiration for his main female character, and the fascination of bringing President Nixon to life on the page.
We talk to the second of the authors shortlisted for this year's Guardian first book award, Petina Gappah, about the challenges of portraying life in Zimbabwe.
And, as the second Roald Dahl funny prize for comic novels is announced, we listen to a reading from the winning author, Philip Ardagh, and the Guardian's children's editor, Julia Eccleshare, explains why she thinks children like nothing better than a really yucky read.
