Mariella explores a literary world shaped by political intrigue, psychological manipulation and mysterious malign forces beyond human control - the conspiracy thriller - with two of the forms latest exponents. Nick Harkaway's latest novel Tigerman is set in a post colonial enclave on the verge of environmental collapse and Ned Beauman, one of Granta's Best Young British novelists of 2013, has set his novel Glow on the streets of London where an imaginary psychotropic drug is gaining the upper hand. What is the appeal of writing a conspiracy thriller in the post cold war era and what are the defining elements of the genre itself?

As the first ever Australia and New Zealand Festival of Literature and Arts is staged in the UK this week writer and journalist Ramona Koval sends us a post-card from Melbourne about current literary goings on down under.

This year's winner of the 2014 Kim Scott Walwyn prize - commissioning editor of genre fiction at Hodder and Stoughton Anne Perry - reveals how to blaze a trail in today's multi platform publishing world. Awarded to exceptional female publishers Perry was described in the judge's citation as the "acme of today's multi talented and multi tasking publisher - a fearless pathfinder who has set a standard to which we should all aspire." Passionate about sci fi and fantasy fiction Perry runs her own sci fi publishing imprint, has founded an award winning scifi blog and back in 2008 launched The Kitchies - the ironically named UK genre prize for "speculative and fantastic" fiction.

And Bernadine Evaristo, award winning writer of The Emperor's Babe reveals the book she would never lend, and how it has influenced her own writing. Show less