 ERIN KELLY - HE SAYS SHE SAYS TUESDAY 18TH APRIL - 7.30PM (DOORS 7.00PM)
AT BOOKA Looking for your next psychological thriller? Look no further! Join us as bestselling author Erin Kelly makes a return visit to Booka to talk about her new novel He Said She Said – a gripping, twisty read, full of suspense, mystery and misdirection to keep you guessing to the very end! In the hushed aftermath of a total eclipse, Laura witnesses a brutal attack. She and her boyfriend Kit call the police, and in that moment, it is not only the victim's life that is changed forever. Fifteen years on, Laura and Kit live in fear. And while Laura knows she was right to speak out, the events that follow have taught her that you can never see the whole picture: something – and someone – is always in the dark… Erin Kelly is the author of the critically acclaimed psychological thrillers The Poison Tree, The Sick Rose, The Burning Air and The Ties That Bind. She also wrote Broadchurch: The Novel, inspired by the hit TV series. He Said She Said is published on 18th April. We are delighted that Erin will be returning to Oswestry for this event two days before publication. Don't be left in the dark….join us!
Event Format: Author talk followed by audience Q&A and book signing. Tickets: £5 (plus booking fee if purchasing online) Ticket price redeemable against book purchase. Includes a glass of wine /soft drink on arrival. Tickets available from the bookshop, or purchase online here |  HIDDEN NATURE - AN EVENING WITH ALYS FOWLER TUESDAY 2ND MAY - 7.30PM
(DOORS 7.00PM)
THE WYNNSTAY HOTEL, CHURCH STREET, OSWESTRY, SY11 2SZ Join us for an evening in the company of award winning writer, presenter and passionate gardener, Alys Fowler, as she talks about her new book, Hidden Nature: A Voyage of Discovery. Leaving her garden to the mercy of the slugs, Alys Fowler set out in an inflatable kayak to explore Birmingham's canal network, full of little-used waterways where huge pike skulk and kingfishers dart. Her book is about noticing the wild everywhere and what it means to see beauty where you least expect it. What happens when someone who has learned to observe her external world in such detail decides to examine her internal world with the same care? Beautifully written, honest and very moving, Hidden Nature is also the story of Alys Fowler's emotional journey: above all, this book is about losing and finding, exploring familiar places and discovering unknown horizons.
Event Format: Author talk 'in conversation' followed by audience Q&A and book signing.
Tickets: £10 without book (plus booking fee if purchasing online) Admits One and includes £5 redeemable against a signed copy of Hidden Nature or £20 with book (plus booking fee if purchasing online) Admits One and includes a signed hardback copy of Hidden Nature (RRP £20) Tickets available from the bookshop, or purchase online here |  VASEEM KHAN - INSPECTOR CHOPRA RETURNS! THURSDAY 1ST JUNE - 7.30PM
(DOORS 7.00PM)
OSWESTRY CRICKET CLUB, MORDA ROAD, OSWESTRY, SY11 2AY They're back! Vaseem Khan and his detective, Inspector Chopra, make a return visit to Oswestry as Vaseem talks about his new Baby Ganesh Agency novel, The Strange Disappearance of a Bollywood Star. This third instalment sees Inspector Chopra and his elephant sidekick investigating the dark side of Bollywood. Mumbai thrives on extravagant spectacles and larger-than-life characters. But even in the city of dreams, there is no guarantee of a happy ending. Rising star and incorrigible playboy Vikram Verma has disappeared, leaving his latest film in jeopardy. Hired by Verma's formidable mother to find him, Inspector Chopra and his sidekick, baby elephant Ganesha, embark on a journey deep into the world's most flamboyant movie industry. As they uncover feuding stars, failed investments and death threats, it seems that many people have a motive for wanting Verma out of the picture. And yet, as Chopra has long suspected, in Bollywood the truth is often stranger than fiction… Come and find out more about Inspector Chopra's Mumbai as he continues to fight crime and corruption in this latest uplifting adventure. We'll be teaming up with one of our local Indian restaurants to provide a selection of Indian bites too! Tickets: £10 plus booking fee if purchasing online. Includes a selection of Indian bites. £5 of Ticket Price redeemable against a signed hardback copy of The Strange Disappearance of a Bollywood Star. Tickets available from the bookshop, or purchase online here | |  AN EVENING WITH FREDDIE SPENCER FRIDAY 21ST APRIL - 7.30PM
(DOORS 6.45PM)
THE MARCHES SCHOOL, MORDA ROAD, OSWESTRY SY11 2AR Join us for an evening in the company of former World motor cycling champion, Freddie Spencer, as he talks about his new autobiography Feel: My Story. From humble beginnings in Louisiana, Freddie Spencer rose to the pantheon of greats, to win both the 500cc and 250cc GP World Championship in the same year – an historic achievement over three decades ago which has never been repeated. One of the great racers of the 1980's, 'Fast Freddie' describes the thrill and horror of racing in an era when death was a perennial threat. He recalls in pin-sharp detail the frenetic high-octane racing duels with the 'King' Kenny Roberts, but also describes a parallel internal journey as he struggled to make sense of it all. Driven by a search for the personal fulfilment that comes through finding your purpose, Freddie's story is a universal one. In its message of hope, Feel transcends its genre to offer a story for everyone. Part thriller, part philosophical self-exploration, it is a remarkably insightful account of what it is like to have it all, but wonder why. We are thrilled to be hosting this event with Freddie the day after publication and look forward to what should be a special evening full of insight. Don't miss this chance to see 'Fast Freddie' and meet this motor cycling legend. Event Format: Illustrated author talk followed by audience Q&A and book signing. Tickets: £20 (plus booking fee if purchasing online). Includes a signed hardback copy of Feel: My Story by Freddie Spencer Tickets available from the bookshop or purchase online here |  NATALIE HAYNES - THE CHILDREN OF JOCASTA WEDNESDAY 10TH MAY - 7.30PM
(DOORS 7.00PM)
AT BOOKA Join us for an evening in the company of author, broadcaster and comedian, Natalie Haynes, as she talks about her new novel, The Children of Jocasta – a stunning reimagining of the Oedipus and Antigone Greek tragedies, told from the perspectives of the women the myths overlooked. Jocasta is just fifteen when she is told that she must marry the King of Thebes, an old man she has never met. Her life has never been her own, and nor will it be, unless she outlives her strange, absent husband. Ismene is the same age when she is attacked in the palace she calls home. Since the day of her parents' tragic deaths a decade earlier, she has always longed to feel safe with the family she still has. But with a single act of violence, all that is about to change. With the turn of these two events, a tragedy is set in motion. But not as you know it. Through her clever and vivid storytelling Natalie Haynes reimagines the myth and breathes new life into a powerful ancient story in a gripping and accessible way. The Classics are for everyone and there appears to be no shortage of authors wanting to have their go at retelling these age old stories – just going to show that they really do stand the test of time! Natalie is best placed to explain how important they've been in how we now tell stories, from the classic crime mystery to the big cinema blockbuster. So join us for what should be a great event! Tickets: £5 plus booking fee if purchasing online. Ticket price redeemable against a signed hardback copy of The Children of Jocasta. Includes a glass of wine /soft drink on arrival. Tickets available from the bookshop, or purchase online here |  |  | |
