He’s been described as “the John le Carré of his generation” and a “megastar of the genre”.

British spy writer Mick Herron has earned millions of fans around the world and delighted critics with his thrilling plots, rich characters, and dry humour.

He’s won dozens of awards for both his Slough House series, his stand alone works, and his short story collections, and ‘Slow Horses’ and ‘Down Cemetery Road’ have both been adapted to the screen.

Herron’s on our shores for the Auckland Writers Festival, in which he’ll introduce the latest addition to his iconic series, ‘Clown Town’, set during the height of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

‘Slow Horses’ was originally released in 2010, and wasn’t particularly successful, especially when compared to the acclaim both the book, and Herron's work as a whole, now holds.

Herron told Jack Tame things changed one day at a time, so it doesn’t feel like that big of a difference.

“It was a low slow process, and it’s one in which, I mean, my part in it has been that every – well, most days, not every day, most days I just sit down and get on with the book that I happen to be writing.”

“Everything else goes on around me really,” he told Tame.

He attributes his success to his publishers, the people working in marketing, those who run festivals, and so on.

“I just respond to invitations and very happily turn up.”

Over four million copies of his books have sold around the world, but Herron isn’t quite sure what it is about his work that people connect with so much.

“I don’t intend to investigate it too closely,” he said.

“It’s a feeling that if I did, I might break something without meaning to.”

“I just carry on doing what I’m doing and hope I’m doing it right ... I just do what I’ve always done, which is write the novel that’s inside me that I need to write.”

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What does the phrase “doing the edges” mean to you?

Most people would think either of assembling the outside of a jigsaw puzzle, or cleaning up and trimming around the edge of your lawn.

And while Kevin Milne understands the purpose of one of those, he doesn’t quite get why people bother with the other.

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It’s the 21st anniversary of the debut album from iconic Kiwi band Fat Freddy’s Drop, ‘Based On A True Story’.

And to mark the occasion, they’re setting off on a world tour – kicking things off with three performances in Auckland.

Chris Schulz was at the first show last night, and joined Jack Tame to share his thoughts.

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The Things We Never Say by Elizabeth Stroud

Artie Dam is a man with a secret. He spends his days teaching history to high schoolers, expanding their young minds, correcting their casual cruelties, and lending a kind word to those who need it most. He goes to holiday parties with his wife of three decades, makes small talk with neighbours, and, on weekends, takes his sailboat out on the beautiful Massachusetts Bay. He is, by all appearances, present and alive. But inside, Artie is plagued by feelings of isolation. He looks out at a world gone mad—at himself and the people around him—and turns a question over and over in his mind: how is it that we know so little about one another, even those closest to us?

And then, one day, Artie learns that life has been keeping a secret from him, one that threatens to upend his entire world. Once he learns it, he is forced to chart a new course, to reconsider the relationships he holds most dear—and to make peace with the mysteries at the heart of our existence.

The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett

Oxford, Mississippi, 1933.

Eleven-year-old Meg Lefleur has learned the hard way to rely on no one.

Ever since her beloved mother failed to come home last Christmas Eve, she’s been one of the 'unadoptable' girls at the town’s orphanage, where she fights each day to keep her wits sharp and her spirit unbowed.

When she meets Birdie, a young woman who has come to Oxford determined to remind her socialite sister of the impoverished family she left behind, for the first time in a long while it seems someone else might care about Meg’s future.

But as the Depression tightens its grip, Birdie begins to suspect her sister’s charmed life may be founded on a tapestry of lies. Then, Birdie encounters Charlie, a woman haunted by loss who has been pushed to the brink with nothing left to lose.

Drawn together by circumstance, they find unexpected kinship among a disreputable, determined band of women.

But in a town steeped in hypocrisy, even the smallest act of defiance can have dangerous consequences…

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"'Slow down and soak up the truly remarkable surroundings'. That simple tourist maxim has taken on new meaning in Queenstown, as the wellness wave washes over our premier resort town with unprecedented relish."

Read Mike's full article here.

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On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 16 May 2026, British spy author Mick Herron joins Jack in studio to talk about his latest book, ‘Clown Town’.

Jack delights in his son's first word – Dad!

Chef Nadia Lim is in to convince us that cabbage can be the hero on your plate, while Francesca Rudkin reviews the dark new thriller ‘Obsession’.

Plus, Ed McKnight dissects dodgy Facebook ads so we know what to look out for.

Get the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast every Saturday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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We often think of influencers as being media celebrities, politicians, or people in the media, and that mental health care needs to be done by psychologists and counsellors. But new research suggests that people in your community who you have regular ongoing trusted and personal relationships with could also play a big role.

Recent research looking at how hairdressers could influence people’s views and actions around climate change found that hairdressers were often already talking with clients about climate change and how to influence this. By introducing a few simple prompts —e.g. stickers on the mirrors, hairdressers commenting on their own initiatives to reduce water and recycle— conversations on the topic increased and clients reported they were more likely to take similar actions, both about their haircare and other things at home such as energy use.

This research built on earlier studies which had looked at the effect barbers could have on the mental health of their clients, particularly for groups who typically don’t engage well with traditional mental health services (e.g. young men). With some training, barbers were able to monitor their client’s mental health, provide emotional support, and give some basic advice about where to go for help.

In both these areas there were some key things that are thought to help:

• Hairdressers and barbers often have regular ongoing relationships with clients, allowing them to regularly check-in with them.
• There is often a warm and trusting relationship between the barber and their clients – we know from other psychology research that this type of relationship is central to any type of therapy going well.
• Hairdressers and barbers are often seen by the public as cool and influential. They have some status within their communities where people look up to them – particularly true for barbers in places like Black communities in the USA.

However, we do need to be careful, particularly in looking after barbers who might be providing mental health support. We want to make sure they are well equipped and have their own support, so they don’t feel unduly burdened by caring for people’s mental health problems as well as their hair.

Innovative solutions like these might really help in nudging people towards making changes in their lives, either around climate change or mental health, and could be an efficient way to roll out widescale changes in health and wellbeing.

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The ads we see on social media promise us a great many things, but how many of them are as good as they seem?

Ed McKnight was recently served an ad on Facebook promising rental investment with great returns that set off a few alarms.

He joined Jack Tame to break down the ad and explain the concerning signs to look for if you spot an investment ad that seems too good to be true.

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