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Benjamin Myers talks to Horatio Clare about his new novel Rare Singles, which tells the story of Bucky Bronco, an elderly one-and-a-half-hit soul singer, grieving for his dead wife, surviving on low paid, hard graft jobs and struggling with an opioid addiction to dull the pain... when he's invited to Scarborough for a Northern Soul weekender that could just prove to be his salvation. Ben's 25 years as a music journalist feed into his storytelling.

Professional musician turned novelist Claire Kohda joins Horatio along with newly announced Children's Laureate and award-winning screenwriter Frank Cottrell-Boyce (who wrote 24 Hour Party People and Hilary and Jackie) to discuss connections between music and writing.

Frank Cottrell-Boyce shares his plans for the role of Children's Laureate focussing on accessible literacy for children.

And for our monthly Editor's Pick - where we ask a Commissioning Editor to recommend us a great read from a rival publishing house - Rose Green from Doubleday UK has chosen Mina's Matchbox by Yoko Ogawa translated by Stephen Snyder.

Presented by Horatio Clare
Produced by Allegra McIlroy

Book List – Sunday 28 July

Rare Singles by Benjamin Myers
The Offing by Benjamin Myers
Cuddy by Benjamin Myers
Hangover Square by Patrick Hamilton
The Slaves of Solitude by Patrick Hamilton
Woman Eating by Claire Kohda
Time’s Arrow by Martin Amis
Twenty Four Hour Party People by Frank Cottrell-Boyce
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
Mina's Matchbox by Yoko Ogawa: Translated by Stephen Snyder