Confessions of a Book Collector
Confessions of a Book Collector is the podcast for readers, collectors and anyone fascinated by the world of books. Hosted by Goldsboro Books Co-Founder and literary agent, David Headley, the series takes listeners behind the scenes of publishing through candid conversations with bestselling authors, exciting new voices and the industry's most influential figures. Alongside exclusive insights into book collecting and book investing, David shares the stories behind some of the most sought-after editions, the books he believes deserve a place on every shelf, and the industry secrets he's gathered from decades spent championing exceptional writers.
Episodes
103 episodes
What Should You Read Next? 12 Unmissable New & Upcoming Books
With thousands of new books published every year, how do you decide what’s actually worth reading?In this episode, Goldsboro Books co-founder and literary agent David Headley does the choosing for you, sharing 12 new and upcoming books t...
Inside Capital Crime With Andrew & Lee Child, Jeffrey Archer & Many More
In this special episode, we take you inside this year’s Capital Crime Festival with five brilliant panel discussions featuring some of the biggest names in crime and thriller writing.From 2mins 15s The Rebels Behind The ...
Erin Kelly On Mass Hysteria & The Power of Ritual
What makes fear contagious? Why do we cling to ritual? And can we ever really trust our memories?Bestselling author and Capital Crime Festival Genre-Bending Book of the Year winner Erin Kelly joins David Headley for one of our most intri...
Stephanie Bramwell-Lawes: Do True Villains Really Exist?
Is anyone ever truly a villain?Stephanie Bramwell-Lawes has spent nearly two decades helping other authors find their readers. This year, it's finally her turn.In this episode, David sits down with Stephanie to explore the darker ...
Saima Mir: Code-Switching & The Truth About Being An Author
Award-winning journalist and novelist Saima Mir joins David Headley to talk about crime, justice, identity and the experiences that shaped her bestselling Jia Khan series.Drawing on her years reporting from courtrooms and covering the af...
Live From Capital Crime: Clare Mackintosh on The Art Of Manipulating the Reader
Recorded live at Capital Crime Festival 2026, David Headley is joined on stage by one of Britain's most celebrated crime writers, Clare Mackintosh.With the release of her latest thriller,
Anthony Kavanagh: What It Really Takes to Write a Memoir
In this deeply personal conversation, 90's pop idol Anthony Kavanagh (known as Kavana) joins David Headley to go beyond the headlines of Pop Scars and explore the writing journey itself. Learning how vulnerability became his greatest s...
How Intelligence Secrets and Trauma Psychology Inspired Britain's Explosive New Spy Series | Chris Merritt
In this episode, David Headley sits down with bestselling thriller writer, former British diplomat and clinical psychologist Chris Merritt to explore the remarkable experiences behind his new spy thriller, Octagon.From living th...
Lucy Vine: From Rom-Com Queen to Cosy Crime Killer
Lucy Vine has spent years making readers laugh with bestselling rom-coms. But under the pen name Elly Vine, she's now embracing murder and a very different kind of female rage.In this episode of Confessions of a Book Collector, ...
Why Readers Return: Characters, Crime & The Feeling They Leave Behind | Chris McDonald
Crime writer Chris McDonald joins Confessions of a Book Collector to discuss his new private investigator novel, The Wrong Man, and why readers remember how a book made them feel long after they've forgotten the plot.Chris share...
The Grey Areas of Truth: Sarah Vaughan On Power & Scandal
Bestselling author Sarah Vaughan joins David Headley on Confessions of a Book Collector to discuss power, privilege, politics, morally difficult characters and the emotional truths hidden beneath public lives.From her years as a politic...
Discovering Books Before Everyone Else (And 17 Books You Need on Your Shelves)
In this episode, David reflects on one of the greatest pleasures of reading: discovering a remarkable book before the rest of the world catches up.David also shares some of the upcoming and recently published novels he’s most excited abo...
The Secrets Behind Capital Crime Festival
Go behind the scenes of this year’s Capital Crime Festival as David sits down with Festival Director Lizzie Curle to uncover what it really takes to create London’s biggest celebration of crime and thriller fiction.From programming stand...
Hallie Rubenhold: The Truth Behind the Stories We Thought We Knew
We’re joined by Hallie Rubenhold, bestselling author behind The Five and Story of a Murder, and a writer who has reshaped how we think about some of history’s most infamous crimes. Known for shifting the focus away from sensat...
Tom Rob Smith: What Happens After the Love Story?
Tom Rob Smith joins Confessions of a Book Collector to talk about writing a love story that doesn’t start at the beginning.Best known for Child 44, Tom has spent much of his career writing high-stakes, high-tension stories. But ...
David Goodman: An Overnight Success 20 Years In The Making
David Headley sits down with multi-award-winning crime author David Goodman to talk about A Reluctant Spy, the breakout thriller that launched the
Back To Where It Begins: Jennie Godfrey Returns To Champion Debuts
Jennie Godfrey returns as a champion of new voices, discussing Goldsboro’s Fresh Ink subscription and this month’s stan...
Lottie Moggach: The Era That Sparked Our True Crime Obsession
David sits down with bestselling author Lottie Moggach to discuss her fourth novel, Mrs Pearcey, a story rooted in a real Victorian murder that took place in her own grandmother’s kitchen in Camden.Lottie shares how the case captured her...
Francis Spufford On Why Fantasy Makes History Feel More Real
This week on Confessions of a Book Collector, we’re joined by the brilliant Francis Spufford to talk about his genre-bending new novel set in Blitz-era London.Blending history with fantasy, Francis explores a city under pressure...
Harriet Tyce: Playing with Truth and Lies
Bestselling author and The Traitors icon Harriet Tyce joins us to talk about her latest instant Sunday Times bestseller, Witch Trial, a chilling courtroom thriller ...
George Clarke: The Bookshop That Changed Everything
In our first episode of series 6, we welcome architect, TV presenter and soon-to-be bookshop owner, George Clarke.George is best known for George Clark's Amazing Spaces and The Restoration Man, but long before the television cameras and...
Welcome To Series 6 Of Confessions of A Book Collector
In our sixth series of Confessions of a Book Collector, David sits down with more remarkable writers and storytellers whose lives have been shaped by books in very different ways.In this short teaser, discover who’ll be joining him for c...
An Exciting Year For Reading (And A Reminder To Go All In)
This episode is a pause.A look back at the books and conversations that shaped 2025.A look ahead to a bold, uncomfortable, exciting year in reading.And a reminder that five minutes a day is enough.Without books, the wor...
Georgia Summers: Deadly Ink & The Bookshop Everyone Wants
What if the magic of books was literally lethal? In this episode of Confessions of a Book Collector, David Headley sits down with Sunday Times bestselling author Georgia Summers to talk deadly ink magic and magical bookshops. We explor...
Philippa Gregory on Rewriting History’s Most Famous Villains
David Headley sits down with Philippa Gregory, the undisputed queen of historical fiction, to discuss The Berlin Traitor and the woman history loves to hate: Jane Boleyn. Drawing on new scholarship and decades of obsession, she refr...