If you’re an obsessive reader – someone who painstakingly curates their summer reading list, devours anything and everything by a writer you love and enjoys hearing about the inner workings of an author’s world – then there’s a good chance the world of literary podcasts might be for you.

Whether it’s dissecting a trending theme in books (AI or fandoms, for example), something Literary Friction does very well; an in-depth interview with a writer of the moment; or a look at the times successful authors have failed over the course of their career (see Francesca Steele’s Write-Off), there is a whole world of podcasts that get granular about writers, the act writing and the types of fiction audiences are drawn to right now. It’s also the perfect place to get book recommendations from people you admire.

8 of the best books podcasts to listen to now