Presenter James Crawford speaks to the writer Susan Barker on Take Four Books this week about her new novel, Old Soul, and the three other works that have helped to shape its creation. Susan's new book, published by Penguin, is made up of seven testimonies that cross centuries and continents, but they have one thing in common - a beguiling woman, who is much older than she looks, and leaves a trail of death and disappearance in her wake. The books Susan chose for her episode were: Under The Skin by Michel Faber (2000); Ghostwritten by David Mitchell (1999); and Cat's Eye by Margaret Atwood (1988).

The supporting contributor was the writer and Strathclyde University Creative Writing lecturer, Rodge Glass.

During the episode, a short clip of the audiobook version of Under The Skin is played. The publisher is Canongate Books Ltd.

Producer: Dom Howell Editor: Gillian Wheelan This was a BBC Audio Scotland production

This week Take Four Books, presented by James Crawford, talks to best-selling author Emma Healey about her new book – Sweat – and the three books that inspired its creation. Emma’s choices were: Dare Me by Megan Abbott (2012); Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss (2018); and The Harpy by Megan Hunter (2020). Producer: Rachael O’Neill Editor: Annie McGuire Take Four Books is a BBC Audio Scotland production.

This week Take Four Books, presented by James Crawford, talks to the award-winning Australian writer Michelle de Kretser about her new novel - Theory & Practice - and its three key influences. Michelle's choices were: the diary of Virginia Woolf from 1932; Ali Smith’s The Accidental from 2005; and Shirley Hazzard’s The Transit of Venus, from 1980.

Producer: Dom Howell Editor: Annie McGuire Take Four Books is a BBC Audio Scotland production.