A beautiful day in Paddo with purple clouds all around that dumped their contents elsewhere - hope you got it if you need it. First track: Abdullah Ibrahim - Earth Bird from the Enja Heritage Collection. First guest: novelist Emma Babbington whose second murder-mystery, The Gardens, is out now from Harper-Collins. It’s set mainly in Coogee and north London and there’s a cult, a missing girl - sister of the heroine - and some twists and turns that slowly reveal themselves (to the author too, she said, as she had no idea how it would pan out until it did!) Interesting delve into the hows and whys of contemporary mystery. One for your Christmas/summer list. Second track: Abdullah Ibrahim - Song For Sathima from Cape Town Revisited Our second guest: Kate Grenville whose 25th publication, The Country Schoolmaster, a Mystery in 88 in Letters is out now. from Black Inc. While poking around in the archives she came across a dusty box containing a bundle of letters tied with pink tape. And off she went. She was fascinating about method (cup of tea in the morning and hand written notes) and the things that get her going - curiosity is the fuel that lifts off the rocket. And also the meeting of fact, fiction and imagination - what do they make? Listen to this again, or for the first time, she’s the real deal. Another must for your Christmas/summer list. Third track: Abdullah Ibrahim - For Coltrane Final guest of the day: Mike Booth who’s playing Charles Condamine in the New Theatre’s Blithe Spirit. The problem of having two wives, even if one (Elvira) is dead, is at the heart of the comedy. Written in 1941, he reminds, Noel Coward deliberately decided to cheer up wartime London. Mike gets to wear natty three piece suits and a pair of Oxford brogues (his own). A summer show. Happening in Sydney: Snowflake, starring James Lugton, makes its long-awaited transfer from the Old Fitz to the Ensemble. The King Who Was A King opens at 25A, Downstairs Belvoir. The Gospel According To Paul opens at Wharf 1 for Sydney Theatre Company, bringing Jonathan Biggins back to town in his seminal role as PJ Keating. And while on the subject of Biggins: his novel Near Death In Venice is out now from Simon & Schuster. It’s as funny and witty and bonkers are you might expect from him: an art tour guide on his enforced last tour of the great pictures of Europe devises a heist… The Powerhouse Parramatta is opening this weekend. Pop along to see what almost a billion bucks looks like. We’ll report back next Tuesday. At Carriageworks and not to be missed (also returned to, in my view) is Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away) the immersion into David Hockney’s life and work that is one of the most thrilling things you could wish for. Truly an event for all ages. One for the diary: opening on January 7 is Emily in Sydney, a survey of Emily Kame Kngwarreye as she first appeared in the city (one picture in a group show at SH Ervin Gallery in 1989!) to her meteoric rise to global stardom. It will be ravishing. Final track: Abdullah Ibrahim - Ishmael