More about books

My More About Books bookstore where books can be purchased online can be found here or from any 'buy this book online' link. If you buy books linked to this site, I earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.

For book news, events and recommendations, sign up for my weekly e-newsletter here.

As a writer and editor, I have enjoyed many years meeting and interviewing many fascinating people, and visiting wonderful locations worldwide. Take a look at my website here for an archive of my published articles.

These days I also indulge my passion for books, reading and writing by interviewing authors, hosting events and sharing my reviews and recommendations.

I've organised visits to Woodbridge by Alexander McCall Smith, Margaret Drabble, Victoria Hislop, Griff Rhys Jones, Kate Mosse, Deborah Moggach, Maggie O'Farrell, Michael Morpurgo, Robert Peston, Kate Humble, Max Hastings and many more.

I've interviewed Simon Mayo for the First Light Festival; Simon Garfield, Anna Pavord and Melissa Harrison for The Cut Halesworth; Louise Doughty, Salley Vickers and Esther Freud for Felixstowe Book Festival; Barbara Erskine and Alan Johnson MP for Suffolk Libraries, as well as authors for Lavenham Literary Festival, FolkEast and the HighTide Festival in Aldeburgh.

For more than 10 years I co-hosted a book club on air for BBC Radio Suffolk with the afternoon presenter, Lesley Dolphin. You can listen again to our conversations by following the link below. 

In 2008 I launched an open book club in Woodbridge and we have been meeting each month ever since.

Each week I compile an e-newsletter offering book news, author events, my reviews and recommendations. If you'd like to receive it, please click here.

Thank you for reading
Catherine

What's on

Wednesday 1st May, 7.30pm
at Corner Room, 10 Church Street, Framlingham
Considered one of the most inspiring young nature writers working today, Matt Gaw will be talking about how we can celebrate 'good' and 'bad' weather.

Events Archive

Visit my archive pages for details of all events in recent years.

Listening in

For more than 10 years I co-hosted a monthly book club on BBC Radio Suffolk with the presenter Lesley Dolphin. You can listen to past discussions here.

Book Groups

WOODBRIDGE

I've been hosting an open Book Group in Woodbridge for the past 17 years. We used to meet in the town's bookshop but are now gathering in a hall just off the Thoroughfare. Please ​​​​sign up for the weekly e-newsletter here to receive details. 

For thy great pain have mercy on my little pain
by Victoria Mackenzie
A slim book, with a big title, exploring of the lives of two spiritual women of the 15th century and their extraordinary contribution to literature. What will we think of it?
Monday, 22 April 2024 - 8:00pm

Reader recommendations

At the end of each year, members of the Book Group meet together to share their favourite titles and offer ideas for gifts for friends and family, and for new authors to try ourselves. For 2023 the titles that were mentioned are listed here.

Buying books

I've linked the reviews on my website so that you can purchase online if you wish (and I will receive a small commission for each purchase, with a further commission going to all independent bookshops). 

Click here for my page on bookshop.org and do consider using it whenever you wish to buy online. 

Book reviews

My recent recommendations

Here are the books I've been enjoying recently, both fiction and non-fiction titles.

Paula Sutton
Daphne Brewster has left London for quieter, safer Norfolk, but village life isn't quite as idyllic as she'd hoped.
Publication date: 4th April 2024
Hardback edition
Michael Mansfield
Recommended non-fiction
A challenging, emotional but ultimately uplifting book which urges us all to make a difference.
Publication date: 5th October 2023
Hardback edition
Anthony Horowitz
Another breathtakingly clever and gripping murder mystery, starring Horowitz and Hawthorne.
Publication date: 11th April 2024
Hardback edition
Charles Spencer
Recommended non-fiction
An open, honest and, nonetheless, engaging account of a sad childhood spent away from home, in the care of abusive teachers.
Publication date: 14th March 2024
Hardback edition
Nicci French
A book of two halves - in 1990 a woman, a mother and wife, disappears, but now, 30 years later, the mystery might be solved.
Publication date: 29th February 2024
Hardback edition
Simon Mundie
Recommended non-fiction
Learning lessons on life from sporting champions.
Publication date: 18th January 2024
Hardback edition
Michael Magee
Publication date: 6th April 2023
Tim Owen and Mike Palmer and Andy Airey
Recommended non-fiction
A powerful and uplifting book, giving each man’s story of family and friendship, purpose and hope after they each lost their daughters to suicide.
Publication date: 4th April 2024
Hardback edition

For children

These are my most recent recommendations for children. Click here to see listings by age.

by Axel Scheffler
An animal fable about learning right and wrong.
Publication date: 7th March 2024
Hardback edition
by Kate Saunders
Four children audition for parts in a new film - clearly inspired by 'The Sound of Music'! Wonderfully warm, uplifting and joyful!
Publication date: 7th March 2024
by Hans Konnecke and illustrated by Ole Konnecke
A wonderful mix of fun illustrations and fascinating facts about musical instruments. Something here for all ages but aimed at 4-8 years.
Publication date: 1st March 2024
Hardback edition
by Charlotte Middleton
A delightful story about a guinea pig with wonderful collage illustrations sharing messages about the environment and cultivation, suitable for...
Publication date: 22nd February 2024
by Jen Carney
A warm, funny, big-hearted book about a boy who's good at drawing who has a dog who isn't good at tricks. And much more.
Publication date: 1st February 2024
by Phil Hickes
A boarding school ghost story adventure - set in Suffolk!
Publication date: 1st February 2024
by Sam Sedgman
A brilliant adventure exploring time, power and politics, set in London, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament!
Publication date: 1st February 2024
by Rachel Bright and illustrated by Nadia Shireen
This is a funny, rhyming story about a snail, Gail the Snail in fact, who has always wanted to go to space and how she manages to achieve it. 
Publication date: 18th January 2024
Hardback edition

Look out for

These titles will soon be published but are not yet available in the shops. 

by David Nicholls
Publication date: 23rd April 2024
by Erica James
After 30 years of marriage, Kip leaves his wife for a younger woman. A story of the resilience of the family members as they each come to terms with this new reality.
Publication date: 25th April 2024
by Andrew Hunter Murray
Publication date: 25th April 2024
by Emily Henry
Publication date: 25th April 2024
by Olivia Laing
Recommended non-fiction
A beautifully told account of buying a house and garden in Suffolk, and the author's thoughts on gardens in literature, art and society.
Publication date: 2nd May 2024
by Ashely Mullenger
Recommended non-fiction
Publication date: 2nd May 2024
by Clover Stroud
Recommended non-fiction
Publication date: 9th May 2024
by Catherine Bruton
Recommended for children
Publication date: 9th May 2024
by Sarah Crossan
Publication date: 23rd May 2024
by Clare Povey
Recommended for children
Publication date: 6th June 2024
by Elly Griffiths
A fabulous collections of short stories featuring all our favourite Elly Griffiths' characters - Ruth Galloway, Max Mephisto, Justice Jones, Harbinder Kaur, and more!
Publication date: 18th June 2024
by Hilary McKay
Recommended for children
Publication date: 8th August 2024

News

Sunday 14 April 2024

Walk the talk

I've covered quite some miles in my car in this past week, driving around the region for various reasons. And it's been enjoyable. The weather has been fine, the routes clear and familiar, the roads well maintained (on the whole) and the traffic free flowing!

When I'm driving without any stress or pressure, it's a time for thought and inspiration. I usually have voices on the radio quietly accompanying me. And my mind wanders, whether prompted by something being discussed in the programme or sent on a tangent of an altogether different subject. 

In an article this weekend, the novelist David Nicholls describes how he has found walking to be his way of gaining clarity and insight. (And also a time to listen to audio books, rather delightfully sharing that a 500 page book is a 50 mile walk.)

His latest novel, called 'You Are Here' (released later this month with my review to follow next weekend) focuses on friends walking from one side of the country to the other. It is something David Nicholls himself has discovered rather late in life, he says - this experience of taking a journey, stripped away of all the usual distractions of daily life, focusing entirely on getting from A to B through your own efforts.