Aleksandar Hemon's dazzling new novel is all the more remarkable for being written in his second language. Born in Bosnia and now based in the States, questions of identity and belonging sit at the heart of his writing. He talks to Viola Fort.

Kate Summerscale, winner of the prestigious Samuel Johnson prize for non-fiction, talks to Katie McCalmont about her fascinating new book, the shadowy detective who inspired the likes of Wilkie Collins and Charles Dickens, and a child murder that haunted a nation.

Philip Gourevitch's new book Standard Operating Procedure is an investigation into the American human rights violations at Abu Ghraib. He talks to James Vitus about using the interview as a means to explore a story and applying the principles of the novel to non-fiction.

His reflective, moving and often very funny memoirs have brought playwright Simon Gray a whole new readership outside theatre circles. The third volume, The Last Cigarette, is a triumph. He tells Viola Fort how memory is an act of imagination.

Aravind Adiga, political journalist and debut novelist, talks to Rebecca Yolland about rewriting India; forgoing the silk, saris and spices for corruption, sleaze and the rising middle classes.