Janina Matthewson – författare

A haunting, provocative novel, You Feel It Just Below the Ribs is a fictional autobiography in an alternate twentieth century that chronicles one woman’s unusual life, including the price she pays to survive and the cost her choices hold for the society she is trying to save.

Born at the end of the old world, Miriam grows up during The Great Reckoning, a sprawling, decades-long war that nearly decimates humanity and strips her of friends and family. Devastated by grief and loneliness, she emotionally exiles herself, avoiding relationships or allegiances, and throws herself into her work—disengagement that serves her when the war finally ends, and The New Society arises.

To ensure a lasting peace, The New Society forbids anything that may cause tribal loyalties, including traditional families. Suddenly, everyone must live as Miriam has chosen to—disconnected and unattached. A researcher at heart, Miriam becomes involved in implementing this detachment process. She does not know it is the beginning of a darkly sinister program that will transform this new world and the lives of everyone in it. Eventually, the harmful effects of her research become too much for Miriam, and she devises a secret plan to destroy the system from within, endangering her own life.

But is her “confession” honest—or is it a fabrication riddled with lies meant to conceal

the truth?

A jarring and uncanny tale of loss, trauma, and the power of human connection and deception, You Feel It Just Below the Ribs is a portrait of a disturbing alternate world eerily within reach, and an examination of the difficult choices we must make to survive in it.

''A quiet and tender apocalyptic story'' NATALIA THEODORIDOU''Stayed with me after the final page'' FREYA BROMLEYA moving story of isolation and mankind''s connection with nature, perfect for fans of Emily St. John Mandel and Jon McGregor.Sarah wakes up one morning feeling that something big, something irrevocable has happened. To the small island community of Black Crag, it seems as though the rest of the world has gone to sleep - aeroplanes no longer criss-cross the sky, the radios have gone silent and the ferry no longer brings their supplies. When the ferryman Arthur arrives, traumatised and silent, the whispers about what has happened on the mainland quickly turn into heated arguments. As the chasm dividing the villagers continues to grow, Sarah struggles to find her purpose amidst the chaos. With a harsh winter fast-approaching, will the villagers learn to work together in order to ensure their collective survival? Will Sarah find the answers she''s looking for?

The hit hopepunk sci-fi thriller starring Anya Chalotra and Chance Perdomo''Pulse-pounding, breathtaking... like an HBO mini-series for the ear'' LA WeeklyWhen the cryptic Parallax puzzle appears online, it quickly becomes the world''s most talked-about conundrum. A complex, multi-level cipher, it has the brightest minds on the planet baffled: but who created it, and why?Sixteen-year-old Sabrina is obsessed with cracking it - but when she does, she discovers it isn''t a game. Caught up in a sinister global conspiracy, she becomes involved with a mysterious international task force, and is recruited to hunt down a serial killer who may not be from this world.Joined by geeky New Yorker Benny, the second solver of the Parallax, Sabrina embarks on a dangerous journey that turns her world upside down and sees her questioning her past, her parentage, and everything she''s ever known...A fast-moving, heart-stopping story about finding yourself while finding a killer, this blockbuster drama combines edge-of-your-seat storytelling and powerful sound design to create a totally immersive experience. And for those who want to dig deeper, there are also several ''Easter eggs'' scattered within the story, in the form of puzzles and pop culture references planted by writer Brett Neichin. A must-listen for fans of Doctor Who, Stranger Things and The OA, The Cipher stars Anya Cholatra (The Witcher) as Sabrina and Chance Perdomo (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) as Benny, with a stellar cast including Enzo Cilenti (Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell), Hera Hilmar (Mortal Engines), Olivia Popica (Tyrant), Samuel Adewunmi (The Last Tree) and George Takei (Star Trek).NB: Contains very strong language and violent scenesProduction creditsProduced by Emma HearnDirector and Executive Producer: John Scott DrydenCommissioning Editor: Jason PhippsCommissioning Producers: Rachel Simpson, Ella Woods and Eli SessionsWritten and created by Brett Neichin with additional writing by Janina MatthewsonScript editing by Mike WalkerMusic by Benbrick and Mark Henry PhillipsEditing & Sound Design by Steve BondSound Assistant: Makashe OgbonAssistant Producer: Eleanor MeinTrails by Jack SoperRecorded at Sonica Studios, LondonA Goldhawk Production for BBC SoundsCastSabrina - Anya ChalotraBenny - Chance PerdomoHarry - Enzo CilentiIsabella - Hera HilmarMr Ahmed - Nabil ElouahabiDr Usman - Cyril NriEfrat - Olivia PopicaLucy - Molly HarrisJanitor/Ken - Akie KotabeFergus - Samuel AdewunmiIan - Kerry ShaleSara - Nina YndisKatrin/Diane Trumbo - Clare CorbettLucy Rabbit - Molly HarrisQuentin - Carl PrekoppVincent - Dave McRaeLynn - Leanne BestDr Aoki - George TakeiJapanese Girl - Chloe Okada-HowellsOther parts played by Stephen Mitchell, Philip Desmeules, George Georgiou, Ayeesha Menon, John Scott Dryden, Hugo DrydenFirst broadcast BBC Sounds, 26-29 December 2020©2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd