i loved talking to Molly Crighton over Zoom earlier this month about her new novel The Body and the Blood out with Hachette New Zealand i first met Molly's work through her poetry and short stories and was thrilled to read this amazing new work. i had the most enjoyable time reading The Body and the Blood. It's an incredible work of crime fiction. The story begins with the murder of the organist at St Paul's Cathedral being explained away by police as an accident, but is there something more sinister at play? Ivo and Halia form an unlikely team to try and get to the bottom of what actually happened at the historic and labyrinthine cathedral which is so well-known in Ōtepoti. This book delivers in so many ways, it' thrilling, compelling, beautifully written and queer as a Ripley novel. i love it and can't wait to read more crime from Molly. This podcast was recorded over Zoom. Action: Librarians and Archivists with Palestine (LAP) Molly identified Librarians and Archivists with Palestine as a group she'd like to highlight. Molly says, 'They do work keeping records of the destruction of libraries, archives, and museums in Palestine, and people can submit any evidence of censorship about Palestinian topics in their own libraries/archives.' You can read more at Librarians and Archivists with Palestine website: https://librarianswithpalestine.org/ Rachael Gloag & Marcus Fitchett Memorial Medical Education Trust Molly also mentioned this organisation, saying, 'Tony Fitchett is a friend of mine whom I credit in the acknowledgements, and he was my first real reader for the book. He and his wife Bron are incredible people who are real beacons of wisdom, generosity, and kindness. Their son Marcus Fitchett, and their son's partner Rachael Gloag, were killed in a car crash in 1996 when Marcus was only 26, and in memory of them Tony and Bron established the Rachael Gloag & Marcus Fitchett Memorial Medical Education Trust. Tony also wrote a book of poems, 'As Well as Joy', in memory of Marcus and Rachael. The trust helps "medical students who are experiencing real financial difficulties and also students who are coming to the Medical School after training in other health professions or after a prolonged period of study".' There is a little more information about it, as well as how to donate, here: https://hail.to/diocese-of-dunedin/article/OykAQWJ You can support Better off Read financially at Buy Better off Read a Coffee Music in Better off Read was made by Brent McIntyre.