A spellbinding historical novel set near Strasbourg in the 16th Century – inspired by the real events of the so-called ‘Dancing Plague’. In the midst of a blisteringly hot, pestilent summer, pregnant Lisbet tends the bees on her husband’s farm, until the peace is disturbed by the return of Agnethe, her sister-in-law, from seven years’ penance in a nunnery for a crime no one will name. Lisbet is moved by the stoic young woman and becomes determined to discover her secret. Meanwhile, both women are intrigued by rumours of a frenzy of women dancing for days in Strasbourg’s market square, and against a backdrop of mounting religious hysteria and superstition, passions are ignited and dangerous deceptions are uncovered. Simply perfect writing; raw, immersive and compelling, this story will haunt you for days. Review by Gudrun.
A gripping, gritty and absorbing crime novel set in Brighton. Graham Bartlett spent 30 years in the police, as a detective, firearms commander, and city police chief in Brighton & Hove, and now works as a crime-consultant for writers including Peter James, Elly Griffiths and Dorothy Koomson. Bad for Good is his first crime fiction novel, following 2 best-selling ‘true crime’ books.
Detective Superintendent Joanne Howe has a complex and sensitive case on her hands: the murder of a promising young footballer, who just happens to be the son of her colleague, D.I Phil Cooke. Against the backdrop of a city wrought by violence and crime, and a police force hamstrung by government cuts, Joanne must contend with blackmail, a disturbingly brutal gang of vigilantes, and deep-rooted police corruption as she tracks down Harry’s killer. As you might expect, the plotting, characters and local details are grainy and authentic – and Graham isn’t shy about packing a political punch amongst the intrigue.
For fans of Peter James!Graham Bartlett will be talking about BAD FOR GOOD with fellow crime-writer Lesley Thomson at the Steyning Centre on Friday 24th June. Tix from the Steyning Bookshop.
Join fabulous author / illustrator SOPHY HENN for some fact-filled, fascinating LIFESIZE fun in the bookshop garden! Sophy’s LIFESIZE books are ingenious, interactive non-fiction picture books which invite children to see how they measure up against some of the world’s biggest and smallest creatures. Discover a wealth of fascinating facts, from how fast a hummingbird can flap its’ wings, to just HOW giant is a giant squid, at this fun, interactive event, which will finish with a spot of animal DRAW-ALONG, in classic Sophy style!
This event is for children aged 4-10, accompanying adults do not need a ticket but are welcome to hang around and watch! Your ticket price of £5 will knock a fiver off any LIFESIZE book purchase, and Sophy will be happy to sign all books purchased.
Mehar and her new sisters-in-law are married to three brothers, but as the men come to them in darkness and their days are veiled, they don’t know which sister has which husband. In their small, claustrophobic world, filled with sweeping and pounding and kneading and baking, a mistake and a deception ignite a passion that has far reaching consequences. 60 years later, Mehar’s great grandson, escaping demons of his own, seeks sanctuary on the family’s old farm. Spare and atmospheric, a haunting tale of forbidden love.
Ask a child to name their senses, and they will probably come up with the same five as you. Smell, taste, sight, hearing, and touch were first described as the five senses by Aristotle over two thousand years ago. However, with the advent of modern neuroscience, these senses have been joined by the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth senses, and many more. Jackie Higgins takes us on a fascinating journey around the ways in which we perceive the world, using the extraordinary perceptive powers of animals as our guide. From the incredible colour vision of the mantis shrimp to the extraordinarily sensitive nose of the star-nosed mole, and the ability of the barn owl to locate prey in darkness, and the cheetah’s sense of balance, to a spider’s body clock, these incredible animal studies illuminate our own sentience.
A fascinating evening with two Sussex crime writers: Graham Bartlett and Lesley Thomson.
Graham Bartlett will introduce his new novel Bad for Good – a gripping, gritty and authentic thriller set in Brighton. Graham Bartlett was a Sussex policeman for over 30 years, rising to become Chief Superintendent and police commander of Brighton & Hove, and now works as a crime consultant, advising writers such as Peter James, Mark Billingham, Elly Griffiths, as well as running courses and seminars. He is the author of 2 best-selling ‘True Crime’ books; Babes in the Wood, and Death Comes Knocking.
Lesley Thomson will introduce her new novel The Companion, a gothic thriller set in the heart of Sussex, with echoes of Agatha Christie and Barbara Vine. Lesley is a seasoned, award-winning crime writer, the author of the Detective’s Daughter series, which feature a feisty, methodical cleaner as their heroine, as well as many standalone novels. Lesley teaches creative writing at West Dean College and runs her own crime writing course. Lesley and Graham will be in conversation with Gudrun from the Steyning Bookshop, who’ll be teasing out all their most grisly research stories! A glass of wine / soft drink will be served on arrival.
Welcome to the World is Julia Donaldson’s beautiful new book – a magical, lyrical celebration of babies’ first experiences, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. To celebrate the book’s publication, Julia will sign copies of Welcome to the World, plus her latest paperback Counting Creatures, andall her other books purchased on the day or pre-ordered, at The Steyning Bookshop on Saturday 7th May from 10.30am.
To attend this signing you MUST book a place. Each booking admits 1 family (of up to 5 people). There are 2 family ticket prices: the £12.99 price includes 1 copy of Welcome to the World in hardback, the £10.99 price includes 1 copy of Counting Creatures in paperback. Additional copies of these and Julia’s other books may be purchased from us on the day. Julia will sign all books purchased at our shop, but we are afraid that customers may not bring their own copies from home to be signed.
There are 3 signing sessions: 10.30am, 11.15am and 12 midday. Each session lasts 40 minutes and 20 families will meet Julia during this time, so there will be time to have a little chat!
Have you ever wondered what it takes to run an ultramarathon? Find out more at this sociable evening at Steyning Athletic Club with writer and runner Matt Whyman, whose new book ‘Failure is an Option’ is the story of an average runner who sets out to discover just how far he can go. With the support (and misgivings) of his family, and aware that his quickest years are behind him, Matt Whyman leaves the Saturday morning 5K to push towards 100-mile ultramarathons and beyond. By slowing things down to run a very long way, he joins a growing number of men and women from all walks of life striving to do something extraordinary. Warm, witty, entertaining and at times, deeply moving, Matt’s story will have you rooting for him, as he travels far beyond his comfort zone and sets his sights on a six-day mountain ultra that even hardened veterans consider to be the most formidable on earth: the Dragon’s Back Race. Copies of ‘Failure is an Option’ will be on sale for the ticket-holders bonus price of £10 (RRP £12.99). EVENING FORMAT: Doors open 7.30pm, refreshments (wine/ soft drinks & nibbles) will be served, interview with Matt from 7.45pm followed by Q & A, then book signing. Tickets: Steyning Athletic Club members £3 / general admission £5
It’s AGES since we’ve had a kids holiday activity, because of you-know-what! So, we are excited to announce that we’ll be celebrating all things SPRING with stories, games and a craft activity for children aged 4-7, on Wednesday 20th April at 11am.
Space is limited so 15 children is the max!
There will be an indoor and outdoor element, if the weather is fine, so dress accordingly. Free refreshments for hens & chicks! £3 per child, gives discount against book purchase.
Come and meet Julia Donaldson at the Steyning Bookshop on Saturday 5th March, from 2pm onwards, to celebrate the release of her 2 wonderful new books A Pocketful of Songs and Mole’s Spectacles. For COVID safety, this event will be organised in timed slots, each 40 minutes long, admitting 20 families per 40 minutes. Your ticket booking entitles entry to the signing for 1 family group of up to 5 people, and includes a copy of either Pocketful of Songs (£14.99 ticket) Mole’s Spectacles (£6.99 ticket) , or both books (£21.98 ticket)
Additional Julia D books for signing can be purchased at the bookshop on the day – we will have a huge selection of ALL Julia’s books on display for customers to browse, buy and get signed, but if there is a particular book that you really want, you can add it to your ticket order by phoning the shop on 01903 812062 or shopping via our website here, selecting LOCAL PICKUP as your delivery option, and adding in the ORDER NOTES that you’ll be collecting it at the signing.
We are sorry, but we cannot allow customers to bring books from home for signing by Julia.
There will be activities for children while they wait to meet Julia!
Pocketful of Songs is the latest collection of Julia’s songs, including family favourites from Stick Man and Superworm to Tiddler and The Highway Rat, collected in a beautiful hardback gift edition, richly illustrated by Axel Scheffler and accompanied by a CD featuring Julia Donaldson herself performing the songs, which will have the whole family singing and clapping along. The book also includes music scores for piano and guitar.
Mole’s Spectacles is the 7th book in Julia and Axel’s beloved Acorn Wood series, perfect for pre-schoolers, produced in sturdy board book format with fun flaps to lift on every page…. Mole has lost his spectacles. He searches all around his house, in the garden and even in Weasel’s sweetshop, but he can’t find them anywhere! Where could they be? Lift the flaps to help him find them!
