Times thriller of the month & CWA dagger winning author & journalist Holly Watt on The WCCS.

S9E01Holly started her career at the Sunday Times, before moving to the Daily Telegraph. During six years at the Telegraph, she was the Whitehall Editor and jointly ran the investigations team. She then moved to work on the Guardian's investigations team.Holly has been nominated for a wide range of #journalism prizes, winning awards for her work on stories including MPs’ Expenses at the Telegraph and the Panama Papers at the Guardian.She has reported from a wide range of countries, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Libya, Jordan and Lebanon. As well as flying around the world on everything from Lynx helicopters to Air Force One, Holly also worked as an undercover journalist.In 2008, she was the Laurence Stern Fellow, spending several months working at the Washington Post.Holly's first novel - To The Lions - won the 2019 CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger. The Dead Line was longlisted for the 2021 Steel Dagger. Her third book, The Hunt and The Kill, is out now. It was TheTimes's #thriller of the Month.The Crime #writers Associations described To The Lions as "A deeply uncomfortable read which lingers long in the memory, this tautly plotted and timely thriller shines a light on the role of the journalist as witness or protagonist and asks devastating questions about the value of human life before culminating in a life-or-death chase through the desert to Libya. This is a highly accomplished debut that marks Watt out as a fresh and important voice."Her latest book THE HUNT AND THE KILL was called a searing, page-turning, pulse-racing thriller that sees Casey on a hunt around the globe as she pursues a major exposé into pioneering medical research and drugs that could change the world. The Hunt and the Kill is the third book in the Casey Benedict series. That too was a Times Thriller of the Month!#THE HUNT AND THE KILL:When acclaimed undercover journalist Casey Benedict is asked to interview a young woman with cystic fibrosis, the patient's doctor alerts her to the looming threat of antibiotic-resistant infections, tipping her off about a potential new wonder drug. If the rumours are true, this new antibiotic could save millions of lives, but no one wants to admit that the drug even exists.As Casey investigates, she follows the trail from the Maldives to a game reserve in Zimbabwe, using her undercover skills to probe the truth and find out why the discovery of this new drug is being covered-up. When tragedy unexpectedly strikes, Casey suspects that someone is trying to silence her, but she is not prepared to let the story drop, no matter how much danger she - or those she loves most - are put in.A searing, page-turning, pulse-racing thriller that sees Casey on a hunt around the globe as she pursues a major exposé into pioneering medical research and drugs that could change the world.If you want to sponsor CJ Aggett on The Frontline 100k Walk, please visit here: https://events.soldierscharity.org/fundraisers/christopheraggettFOLLOW US► Our website - https://www.thewritingcommunitychatshow.com► Universal link - https://linktr.ee/TheWCCS► Buy the show a coffee - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/TheWCCS► Use hashtag #TheWritingCommunityChatShow or #TheWCCS on social media to keep us current. This show will only succeed with your support!► Support us through #Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/WCCS?fan_landing=true► For our #FIVERR affiliate link click here (we will earn a little from you signing up through our link and more if you use the service. We back this service and have used it with great results! - https://fvrr.co/32SB6cs► For our PRO #WRITING AID affiliate link click here - https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=15286Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-writing-community-chat-show--5445493/support.Connect With The Community🏆 Ranked #3 Writing Podcast in the UK (2025) The WCCS is more than a show; it’s a masterclass in the craft and business of storytelling. Join 380+ interviews with NYT Bestsellers, Indie Icons, and Celebrities.📺 Watch the Full Shows: The Writing Community Chat Show | 360+ Author Interviews, Writing Tips & Creative Chaos.✍️ The Stories Behind the Stories And Great Writing Articles: WRITE, CONNECT, GROW, With The Writing Community Chat Show. | 📚The WCCS | Substack🚀 Support the Mission With Tips And Donations: PayPal.MeTogether as one, we get it done! The Writing Community Chat Show is a proud supporter of indie authors and creative persistence.