The Conversation with Nadine Matheson

"You have to point out these are the things that people were willing to look past because he was so charismatic, because he gave people great opportunities..."Cheyenne RoundtreeInvestigative journalist Cheyenne Roundtree joins Nadine Matheson to discuss her debut book Bad Boy for Life, a comprehensive look at the rise and fall of Sean "Diddy" Combs. Drawing on three years of reporting, over 100 interviews, and six weeks sitting in the federal courtroom, Cheyenne breaks down what the public saw versus what was happening behind closed doors, from the Cassie Ventura lawsuit to the criminal trial, the emotional complexity of the victims' testimony, and the broader questions about accountability, fandom, and institutional protection.Cheyenne Roundtree is an investigative reporter at Rolling Stone. She co-authored the magazine's landmark investigation into Sean "Diddy" Combs alongside colleague Nancy Dillon, published shortly after the hotel surveillance video of Combs attacking Cassie Ventura became public. Bad Boy for Life is her first book. Her work focuses on long-form investigative reporting, and she has spent nearly three years covering the Combs story from the initial allegations through the federal criminal trial.Buy 'Bad Boy for Life'Follow Cheyenne Roundtree

"It's old men thinking they can dictate to everybody else about what it is to be part of something. They want to dictate who is in the tent and who's outside the tent."Abir MukherjeeAbir Mukherjee sits down with Nadine Matheson for a candid, frequently hilarious conversation about his journey from a 20-year career in finance to becoming one of crime fiction's most distinctive voices. He shares the extraordinary story of winning a writing competition with an unfinished novel, getting the biggest names in crime fiction to fix his book for free, and why he finds publishing more prejudiced than the City. He also introduces his new satirical thriller, The Pinnacle.Abir Mukherjee is a British Asian crime fiction author who spent two decades in finance, working in international mergers and acquisitions, before winning the Telegraph/Penguin Random House crime writing competition in 2014. His Sam Wyndham historical crime series, set in British Raj-era India, has been published to critical acclaim. His standalone thriller Hunted won the Crime and Thriller Book of the Year at the British Book Awards 2025 and Theakston's Old Peculiar Crime Novel of theYear Award 2025. He was published in 2016, the same year as Vaseem Khan, and together they helped prove that British Asian crime fiction could be commercially successful, opening doors for a new generation of writers. His latest novel is The Pinnacle, a satirical thriller set in a Mumbai luxury skyscraper. He lives in Surrey with his family. Find him at abirmukherjee.com and on Instagram and Facebook.Buy 'The Pinnacle'

"You need to find it in yourself if you want to keep going."Ruth DugdallFormer probation officer and crime author Ruth Dugdall joins Nadine Matheson to discuss her journey from working inside prisons to writing the Kate Austin crime series. Ruth shares vivid stories from her probation career, including being handcuffed by a prison officer "for a laugh", and opens up about winning a major writing award only to be told nobody wanted her book. They also explore the ethics of writing about real crimes, Ruth's fascination with the women who keep secrets, and her new novel Mother Missing.Ruth Dugdall is a former probation officer who worked with sex offenders, stalkers, and young men who committed murder, before becoming a crime novelist. She won the Crime Writers' Association Debut Dagger for The Woman Before Me and recently completed a PhD by publication on her own novels, arguing that the probation perspective is uniquely absent from crime fiction. She has just signed a six-book deal with HarperCollins for the Kate Austin series. Her new novel Mother Missing is published on 26th September. Find her on Instagram @ruthdugdall.Follow Ruth DugdallBuy 'Mother Missing'

In this extended coffee break conversation, Nadine Matheson sits down with debut author NJ Hatton (Nick Jones) to discuss his psychological suspense thriller Truth Will Out. They explore the real-life hit-and-run that inspired the novel, the moral grey areas of fatherhood and justice, the transition from screenwriting to novels, and what's coming next, including teasers for books two and three.NJ Hatton is the pen name of Nick Jones, a former screenwriter and kids' media producer turned psychological thriller author. His debut novel Truth Will Out is out now. Before turning to novels, he worked in television development and at Moonbug Entertainment on preschool animation. He lives in Worcestershire with his family.Buy 'Truth Will Out'

"The art isn't created on the page or on the stage. It's created in the mind of the reader or the person watching the play. What you're trying to do is give the watcher or the reader the space to use their imagination and co-create what you've done with them."Ajay ChowdhuryNadine Matheson welcomes bestselling author, tech entrepreneur and theatre director, Ajay Chowdhury, for a wide-ranging conversation about his multi-hyphenate creative life. They discuss how Ajay helped create Shazam, his six-year journey from competition winner to seven published books, the AI fears that drove his latest thriller Eden Falls, and the realities of the publishing industry he didn't see coming.Ajay Chowdhury is a British crime novelist, tech entrepreneur, and theatre director. He co-created Shazam, the music recognition app that became a verb, and has published seven books in six years, including the Kamil Chowdhury detective series and the standalone thriller Eden Falls. His upcoming books include The Patriot (a heist novel about stealing the Koh-i-Noor diamond, out November 2026) and The Outsider. He is also directing the play Dog Mom at Southwark Playhouse in October/November 2025. Find him at ajaychowdhury.com.Buy Eden Falls

Welcome to Season 5 of 'The Conversation with Nadine Matheson' 🎉"No one's asking for the work. No one was asking for Time Jump… but I still have the faith that it will pay off. And I love writing and I think it's the thing I'm best at. So to not do it is you're cheating yourself." Adam SimcoxAuthor and filmmaker Adam Simcox joins Nadine to celebrate the publication of his new novel Time Jump, a time-travelling psychological thriller set between 1997 and 2026. They discuss his journey from law student to filmmaker to novelist, surviving 150+ agent rejections, dumping 70,000 words mid-draft, why AI can't replace the craft of storytelling, and the importance of backing yourself when no one's asking for the work.Adam Simcox is a novelist, filmmaker, and photographer. He wrote and directed three feature films before transitioning to fiction. His debut film sold to Netflix before it became the Netflix juggernaut that we all know. He is the author of The Dying Squad trilogy and his latest novel, Time Jump (Renegade Books, 3 September 2026). He studied law before switching to a master's in film and documentary production at Salford University. Find him on Instagram at @simcoxadam. Follow Adam SimcoxBuy Time Jump by Adam Simcox

Welcome to Season 5 of 'The Conversation with Nadine Matheson' 🎉"Romance and crime are propping up the entire industry. It's billions of dollars and pounds a year. So if it wasn't for these books, good luck getting your breakout literary moment."Lindsey KelkBestselling author Lindsey Kelk joins Nadine to trace her journey from a South Yorkshire mining village to international publishing success. From being told she wasn't "from the right background" at Harper Collins, to writing her debut novel on Boxing Day and moving to New York within weeks of its publication, Lindsey shares how naivety, spite, and an unstoppable imagination built a 17-year career in romance and why she's not apologising for any of it.About Lindsey Kelk:Lindsey Kelk is the bestselling author of romantic comedy novels including the I Heart series and the Bell Witches YA paranormal series. Her new adult college romance series, Hit or Miss, is written under the pseudonym Elle Kelk. Originally from South Yorkshire, she worked in publishing at Harper Collins before writing her debut novel, I Heart New York, in 2007. She now lives in the US and co-hosts the wrestling podcast Tights and Fights. Find her on Instagram at @lindseykelk.Buy The BookHit or Miss by Elle Kelk (ebook) (paperback)

Watch as a full video episode on YouTubeOn this week’s episode, we are talking about MrBeast & James Patterson’s apparent book flop, and wondering if publishers will learn that social media following doesn’t translate into book sales. Plus, we talk about the Self-Publishing Partnership’s collapse, and discuss how NOT to behave at conventions after stories of a very pushy author came out of WorldCon.00:00 Intro01:02 From the Slush Pile - Listener Comments17:43 Self-Publishing Panic - Another Unbound?26:09 WorldCon Drama - When the Hustle Goes Wrong34:02 MrBeast Book Bomb - Is Publishing The Most Dangerous Game?42:45 Stranger Than Fiction - Nadine's Idea Factory45:19 The Final Chapter - Entertainment Catch-upLinks:Almost 100 authors affected by Self-Publishing Partnership collapseIs There a Wrong Way to Chase Your Dreams?Is MrBeast and James Patterson’s Novel Collaboration Headed for a Disastrous Debut?South Korean police officer admits to closing missing person cases to avoid workAdventures in Publishing-land is brought to you by STET Podcasts - the one stop shop for all your writing podcast needs, featuring Page One - The Writer's Podcast, The Conversation with Nadine Matheson and more! Find all our shows here!Follow us on BlueskyFollow us on Instagram

🌞 Summer Rewind: While we count down to Season 5 (launching 8 September 2026), we're revisiting some of the best conversations and fan favourites from Season 4."The more rejections you get, the less they matter because they become ordinary."Tayari JonesIn this final summer rewind episode, we dive deep into the world of storytelling with the remarkable Tayari Jones, an acclaimed author known for her powerful narratives and profound insights into the writing process. Tayari shares her journey from a talkative child with a passion for storytelling to a successful writer whose works resonate with readers around the globe.One of the most captivating moments in our conversation revolves around the challenges of rejection. Tayari candidly discusses her experience of receiving 22 rejections before finally publishing her first book. She reflects on how resilience builds over time and how rejections lose their sting once they stop feeling exceptional and start feeling routine. This perspective is not only refreshing but also serves as a reminder that persistence is key in the creative world.We also explore the significance of mentorship in Tayari's life. She recalls her university days, where a teacher encouraged her to write down her thoughts instead of merely speaking them. This pivotal moment ignited her passion for writing and helped her find her voice. Tayari believes that the encouragement, or lack thereof from family can shape a writer's journey, highlighting the importance of self-definition in art.As we discuss her best-selling novel and Oprah Book Club pick, Kin, Tayari reveals that the narrative focuses on the complexities of friendship and the bonds that shape our lives, describing friendships as the other great love stories we live through.Follow Tayari JonesBuy KinSeason 5 of The Conversation with Nadine Matheson launches 8 September 2026.