An attorney by education, David Baldacci is an acclaimed novelist with a penchant for suspense and legal thrillers.

He’s written over 50 books, and his specialist knowledge of the US political and legal systems make his stories international bestsellers.

‘Nash Falls’ is his newest work, the tale of an ordinary businessman recruited by the FBI to help bring down a global crime network.

Baldacci has been writing for over thirty years, and Walter Nash, the protagonist of the novel, is unlike any he’s written before.

“I’ve been writing a long time and one of my chief things that I do to keep myself motivated is just to challenge myself,” he told Jack Tame.

“Get out of my comfort zone, create characters I haven’t created before.”

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A picture is worth a thousand words, or so the saying goes.

Images often convey more meaning and information than can be held in a sentence or two, an image often provoking more emotion or deeper thought.

Kevin Milne saw one such image earlier this week – an image of the Earth, taken in 1990, from 6 billion kilometres away: The Pale Blue Dot.

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"As a quick hit to recharge when travelling to or from Europe, Doha makes for an eye-opening stopover in the heart of the Middle East. The capital of Qatar pulses with all the flamboyant bling of Dubai, overlaid with deep pockets of old world Doha, where tradition, heritage and culture abound. Doha seems to have nailed the sense of urban intermingling – the fusion of cutting-edge modernity and traditional vibes."

Read Mike's full article here.

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The fourth studio album from Spanish singer Rosalía is a linguistic tour de force.

‘LUX’ is symphonic album, recorded in 14 different languages, its song’s inspired by the lives of various female saints.

Chris Schulz joined Jack Tame to share his thoughts on the album.

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Exit Strategy by Lee Child & Andrew Child

Jack Reacher will make three stops today. Not all of them were planned for.

First - a Baltimore coffee shop. A seat in the corner, facing the door. Black coffee, two refills, no messing about. A minor interruption from two of the customers, but nothing he can't deal with swiftly. As he leaves, a young guy brushes against him in the doorway. Instinctively, Reacher checks the pocket holding his cash and passport. There's no problem. Nothing is missing.

Second - a store to buy a coat. Nothing fancy. Something he can ditch when he heads to warmer climes. Large enough to fit a man the size of a bank vault. As he pulls out his cash, he finds something new in his pocket. A handwritten note. A desperate plea for help.

Third - wherever this bend in the road takes him. Impressed by the guy's technique and intrigued by the message, Reacher makes it his mission to find out more...

Gone Before Goodbye by Harlan Coben & Reese Witherspoon

Maggie McCabe is on the brink. A highly skilled and renowned army combat surgeon, she has always lived life at the edge.

But now, after a devastating series of personal tragedies, Maggie is thrown a lifeline by a former colleague, an elite surgeon whose anonymous clientele demand the best care money can buy - as well as absolute discretion.

Halfway across the globe, one of the world’s most mysterious men requires unconventional medical assistance. Desperate, and one of the few surgeons in the world skilled enough to take this job, Maggie enters his realm of unspeakable opulence and fulfils her end of the agreement.

But when the patient suddenly disappears while still under her care, Maggie must become a fugitive herself – or she will be the next one who is . . .

Gone Before Goodbye.

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On the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast for Saturday 15 November 2025, leading legal thriller author David Baldacci joins Jack to discuss the state of US politics, AI and ownership, and their influence on his latest novel Nash Falls.

Jack considers the convenience of digital IDs and wallets.

Nici Wickes spotlights the mango in her first BBQ firing of the season.

Master sommelier Cameron Douglas shares a bright, taut, fresh, salivating wine pick.

And Kevin Milne discusses a famous photo that sparked some major inspiration for him this week.

Get the Saturday Morning with Jack Tame Full Show Podcast every Saturday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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The holiday season is often filled with waste, but this year could be different.

If you’re looking to shift your holiday celebrations towards the sustainable, but aren’t quite sure how to broach it with your family, Kate Hall has a few tips for you.

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Tohu Pinot Gris 2025, Awatere Valley, Marlborough RRP from $18.99

The Awatere is located on the eastern site of Marlborough with many of the vineyards at the north-eastern reaches. On a clear day, the North Island is easy to see. This location means many of the vineyards are exposed to the easterly and southerly breezes, but there are significant sunshine hours to ripen the grapes.

The wine styles are nearly always fresh and taut, often with a saline quality to the acidity. Lots of citrus and pomaceous fruit flavours are common in the wines.

Founded in 1998, Tohu Wines is the world’s first Māori-owned wine company. They produce excellent wines including sparkling and Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, and this Pinot Gris.

This wine has some delicacy about it, it is bright, taut, fresh, salivating. The varietal flavours of green and red apple, white peach, pear and some honeysuckle deliver the core mid-palate flavours and weight. Salivating and just dry on the palate with textures from lees and acidity creating a vibrant mouthfeel. Well-made, balanced and ready to drink from late 2025 through 2028.

The season: rather excellent

• Warm spring.
• Near-perfect flowering.
• Above-average yields.
• The diurnal shift from warm days to cool night ensured both flavour development and acidity were preserved.

Food match:

New season sweet corn with lots of butter and sea-salt with this wine is a near perfect match. You can also dip the corn cob into a sour-cream sprinkled with nutmeg for some extra matching.

Alternatively, a sweetcorn fritter topped with sour-cream and a slice of smoke salmon works just as well with the Tohu Pinot Gris.

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