More about books

Catherine Larner

Hello, I'm Catherine Larner, a freelance journalist, editor and presenter living in Suffolk. I contribute features, profiles, reviews, comment and analysis to regional and national magazines, newspapers and online. You can take a look at my published articles on my website here.

I also interview on stage for festivals, organisations and bookshops, 'in conversation' with novelists, historians, politicians and personalities.

Reading extensively and widely, I report on the books I've enjoyed in a weekly e-newsletter and on this site which now provides a resource of more than 800 titles. I hope you'll find it helpful in choosing books for yourself and for your friends and family.

Thank you for reading

 

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.

What's on

I am always planning new events but at the moment I have nothing quite ready to announce.

Recent Events

Saturday 23 May 2026
BBC newsreader, presenter, distance runner and now writer, Sophie Raworth joined us to talk about her new book 'Running on Air'.

Events Archive

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

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. 

Pick a Colour
by Souvankham Thammavongsa
Monday, 27 July 2026 - 8:00pm
Pick a Colour
by Souvankham Thammavongsa
A novel about loneliness, love, labour and class, which 'subverts the comforting mundane' as it chronicles the immigrant experience in a nail bar, during a single day. Said to be funny, moving and 'hauntingly good'. What will we think of it?
Monday, 27 July 2026 - 8:00pm

Readers recommendations
At the end of each year, members of the Woodbridge 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 2025 the titles that were mentioned are listed here.

FRAMLINGHAM

I'm leading a monthly adult book group at the fabulous Ottie and the Bea children's shop in Framlingham. You can find out about how to join in the meeting and sign up here or call in to the shop to learn more and browse the wonderful selection of children's books and gifts. The book we are reading this month is

The Given World
by Melissa Harrison
The new novel from this nature writer, children's author, podcaster and columnist, is described as 'strange, resonant, heartbreaking and poignant' this is portrait of village life has been compared to 'Under Milk Wood'. What will we think of it?
Wednesday, 22 July 2026 - 7:30pm

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.

Rose Tremain
Recommended non-fiction
Publication date: 11th April 2019
Allen Levi
Publication date: 4th December 2025
Angela Tomaski
Publication date: 5th March 2026
Hardback edition
Ece Temelkuran
Recommended non-fiction
Written as a series of letters giving the perspective of a displaced person and how we might all respond.
Publication date: 23rd April 2026
Dorcas Gwata
Recommended non-fiction
A mental health nurse shares her experience of working with young people exposed to gang life in London.
Publication date: 12th February 2026
Rachel Hore
Telling the story of two women involved in undercover work in WWII, inspired by real events.
Publication date: 2nd July 2026
Hardback edition
Lea Koorsgaard and translated by Sherilyn Nicolette Hellberg
Recommended non-fiction
A bestseller in Denmark, this is a memoir of a woman who seeks to see all the butterflies in one season.
Publication date: 11th June 2026
Hardback edition
Jane Harper
A woman returns to her home town on the anniversary of her son's disappearance, and tries to find some answers.
Publication date: 23rd April 2026
Hardback edition

For children

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

by Alex G. Griffiths
A fox, living alone in the forest, receives a strange letter inviting him to solve a puzzle.
Publication date: 28th August 2025
by Eoin McLaughlin and illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark
Memories made by a young boy spending time with his grandmother.
Publication date: 4th June 2026
by Lucas Maxwell
A story of how a neurodivergent teenager copes with family breakdown.
Publication date: 9th April 2026
by Mick Jackson and illustrated by Baljinder Kaur
Taking an overnight train, a little girl struggles to get to sleep.
Publication date: 7th May 2026
by Jo Arnold and illustrated by Philip Harris
For anyone fascinated by what lies under the sea. Beautifully illustrated and incredible stories.
Publication date: 7th May 2026
Hardback edition
by Christopher Edge
A tense adventure with a clever and surprising twist.
Publication date: 2nd July 2026
by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Gill Smith
A beautiful personal story of coping with grief and how our loved ones live on in our memories.
Publication date: 12th March 2026
Hardback edition
by Emma Chichester Clark
Charming illustrations telling the story of a little girl who would rather be on her own, until she wouldn't.
Publication date: 26th March 2026

Look out for

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

by Tim Sullivan
Number eight in the series following the cases of DS George Cross. Brilliant!
Publication date: 16th July 2026
by Meg Mason
In the world of literary events, Sophie becomes smitten and rather obsessed with one particular author.
Publication date: 27th August 2026
by Louisa Young
Continuing the stories from the Cazalet Chronicles by Elisabeth Jane Howard.
Publication date: 3rd September 2026
by Caroline Quentin
Recommended non-fiction
A rather lovely book where the actress Caroline Quentin shares her wonder in the natural world through words and illustration.
Publication date: 10th September 2026
by Rose Tremain
An imagining of how Daphne du Maurier may have been inspired to write 'Rebecca'.
Publication date: 17th September 2026
by Louise Kennedy
Publication date: 24th September 2026
by Louis de Berniéres
Recommended non-fiction
Publication date: 29th September 2026
by Sarah Moss
A short story to be devoured in one sitting, about how the past always catches up with you.
Publication date: 1st October 2026
by Ann Cleeves
The fourth in the Two Rivers series with detective Matthew Venn.
Publication date: 8th October 2026

News

Sunday 5 July 2026

Living in the moment

So the big question today: who is staying up (or getting up) to watch England play Mexico?

Although FIFA's attempt at moving the game forward by six hours was rather bizarre, and ultimately unworkable, it would have been nice to have had an early evening fixture so that more of us could have shared in the moment. As it is, I will wait until tomorrow morning to find out the score.

I've been enjoying watching the sport on television in the past couple of weeks, though it's rather impinged on my reading time!

I spent yesterday evening gripped by the tennis. It was the match between Italian, Matteo Berrettini and Bulgarian, Grigor Dimitrov. It went to five sets and was a great display of tenacity and determination.