Childhood, community and bookselling with Jennie Godfrey

Jennie Godfrey was raised in West Yorkshire and her debut novel, The List of Suspicious Things, is inspired by her childhood there in the 1970s. Jennie is from a mill-working family, but as the first of the generation born after the mills closed, she went to university and built a career in the corporate world. In 2020 she left and began to write. She is now a writer and part-time Waterstones bookseller and lives in the Somerset countryside.Our interview begins at  24.00We've got a Substack publication now! On the last day of the month, we share recommendations for two things we reckon you should read/watch/listen to. The beauty of Substack is you can revisit all our old editions and comment on our episode updates to share your thoughts. Come say hi! Caitlin recommends: Thoroughly Disenchanted by Alexandra AlmondA time slip novel set in regional Victoria where a couple become stuck in a property. Now, 100 years on they get a visitor who helps them uncover the mysteries of the property. Michelle recommends: Rewitched by Lucy Jane Wood and So Thrilled For You by Holly Bourne*Rewitched is a cosy delight for anyone who grew up watching Sabrina The Teenage Witch. And if you grew up with that? You're probably also the right age to feel like Holly Bourne's new contemporary novel is incredibly relatable. Both are amazing. In this interview, we chat about:Jennie's recollection of growing up during the time police were searching for serial killer The Yorkshire Ripper and how this inspired the novelHow audiences interact with true crime and how we talk about crimes and the impact of crime on everyday peopleThe influences from Jennie's real life that can be seen in the novelThe process from writing to publishing the novel (including how Jennie knew which editor would 'get' the book)Jennie's stint as a bookseller and how this helped her understand the publishing processBooks and other things mentioned:Charmed (TV show)Ghosts (TV show)The Longest Shadow (TV series)The Yorkshire Ripper Files (TV series)Sarah Everard's murder, which happened in lockdown 2021The Peepshow by Kate SummerscaleThe Crime of the Century by Hallie RubenholdFollow Jennie @jennie.godfrey on Instagram and The List of Suspicious Things is available now! Connect with us on Instagram: @betterwordspod