Cassie McCullagh

Anyway, let's get to The Palm House by Gwendolyn Riley.

Kate, how would you describe this?

Okay, Kate, Tim, I'm feeling the bathwater is going a little bit lukewarm on this book.

Is that accurate?

Well, you certainly don't like every character in Bleak House, the Charles Dickens novel that we suspect might be being referenced at the beginning of this book.

on the bookshelf now.

It's time for some book recommendations from our readers, reviewers today, Tim Rogers and Madeline Gray.

Madeline, first to you, what have you read lately that you like?

Oh, the unreliable memoirs.

It also, Unreliable Memoirs, has the most superb final paragraph of any Australian book, I think.

It just brings me to tears.

So that's next on my list.

No, you will give her a full-hearted wink as you walk up to collect the prize.

Oh, gosh.

Congratulations.

Yeah, that's great.

Your book is brilliant, as is Charlotte's.

Your mention of Richard Thompson and Linda, but also in the same breath as Nick Drake, reminds me of an interview that I heard with Richard Thompson once where he's described meeting Queen Elizabeth II.

And some of the interviewer said, what was that like?

And he said, well, she's the only person who didn't ask me what Nick Drake was like.