Confessions of a Book Collector – Details, episodes & analysis

David Headley is joined by historical fiction titan, Bernard Cornwell OBE. From the enduring presence of Richard Sharpe to the creation of The Last Kingdom, Bernard reflects on how history and curiosity have shaped his writing life.

Bernard opens up about why Sharpe still speaks to him after forty years, the challenge of writing around real history, and how a planned ending collapsed. From book collecting to acting on stage, enjoy this rare, personal insight into one of Britain’s most beloved historical novelists. 

After nearly a decade away from writing novels, Joe Hill returned this year with King Sorrow, a bold, ferocious, genre-blurring epic that fuses horror, high fantasy, dark academia, rare books, and a Faustian bargain with devastating consequences.

In this conversation, Joe joins David Headley to talk about writing a 900-page novel that never lets up, why big books have to move fast, and how six friends summoning a dragon becomes a story about power, complicity, and the stories we choose to live with. Along the way, they explore books bound in human skin, libraries as battlegrounds, the moral cost of comfort, and why genre labels matter far less than telling a great story. Plus, Joe reveals a major exclusive… only on Confessions of a Book Collector.

Confessions of a Book Collector returns soon for its fifth (and most thrilling!) series. Tune in for a first look at the legendary authors, collectors, and surprise guests who’ll be sharing their stories.

We close this series of Confessions of a Book Collector with a sparkling conversation with one of Britain’s best-loved storytellers, Adele Parks MBE.

Over the past 25 years, Adele has written 25 novels spanning romance, historical fiction, family drama and psychological thrillers - and she’s still brimming with ideas. In this episode, Adele reflects on her extraordinary career, the nerves and excitement that come with every new book, and the unwavering support that’s helped her along the way.

She also gives us a first look at her brand-new novel Our Beautiful Mess - our Crime Collective Book Club pick for September - a gripping family drama full of secrets, twists and danger.

A joyful, energised finale to the series, celebrating a writer at the very top of her game.

From stage to page, murder-mystery author Jamie West has cracked the code to self-publishing success. His Murder at the Matinee was shortlisted for the 2025 CWA Whodunnit Dagger Award, and his novels have climbed the Amazon bestseller charts.

By night, Jamie works backstage on some of London’s biggest West End shows. By day, he’s built a thriving career as a self-published author.

From shaping his covers and marketing campaigns to building a loyal readership, Jamie explains why he chose the indie route over traditional publishing, and shares his advice for anyone wishing to take the same path.

In this uplifting episode, David sits down with Florence Knapp, author of one of 2025’s biggest debut novels, The Names. 

Together they explore how the smallest shifts in your routine and the most ordinary decisions can alter the entire course of your life. 

Listen now, to this truly joyful episode.

From touring Europe as a musician, to a 12 year career in publishing working with some of the world’s biggest authors - Hattie William’s is now a celebrated debut author whose novel Bittersweet has secured a six figure deal with Orion Fiction.

Set in the heady, complex world of London publishing, Bittersweet explores a toxic age-gap relationship, the messy beauty of female friendship, and the hidden wounds that shape our choices.

Hattie opens up about how the story and characters arrived, and her history as a reader. We discuss everything from Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath to friendship, grief, ambition, and emotional dependency - plus the unexpected joy of writing strong, surprising friendships.

If you’ve ever wondered how a book club works, and how the books are chosen, then this is for you.

In this special episode, David turns the page back to where it all began 20 years ago, from PREM1ER’s humble origins to the powerhouse book collecting community it is now.

Find out how it all started, why it’s so popular with readers and revisit some of the standout titles that have shaped its story - from the very first pick to recent international bestsellers.

What happens when a brand strategist discovers they can craft award-winning novels? International bestselling author Lex Noteboom joins David to share his incredible journey from his science fiction podcast The Deca Tapes (which landed him multiple book deals in the UK and US) to creating his latest novel, The Man with a Thousand Faces.

Lex reveals his intense world-building writing process, including creating an entire fictional country with its own political systems and maps. Discover when he first realised he could be an author, his biggest fiction influences, and his unique approach to writing bestselling novels.

In this episode we speak to international bestselling author, Will Carver, known for his dark, genre-defying thrillers. Will has been described as ‘arguably the most original writer in Britain’, and if you’ve read his work, you’ll understand why. He’s written mind-bending novels including Good Samaritans, Nothing Important Happened Today and many more, which blend gritty crime, sharp satire and physiological suspense.

Our conversation explores Will’s highly anticipated new novel Kill Them With Kindness, a dark, funny and speculative thriller described as ‘widely original’ and ‘slightly bonkers'. We go behind the scenes to uncover how he creates his mould-breaking thrillers, and take a peek at his personal book collection that’s shaped his writing.