Welcome

As a writer and editor, I have enjoyed many years meeting and interviewing many fascinating people, and visiting wonderful locations worldwide.

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

Each month I host 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. Do join in with your own comments on the books we're reading!

I also have the pleasure of chairing and organising author talks for children and adults at events and festivals thoughout the year.

Past events include Alexander McCall Smith, Margaret Drabble, Victoria Hislop, Griff Rhys Jones, Kate Mosse, Deborah Moggach, Maggie O'Farrell, Michael Morpurgo, Robert Peston, Kate Humble, Alan Johnson MP, Max Hastings and many more.

I hope you will enjoy reading details of my events, my reviews and recommendations.

And if you'd like to sign up for my weekly newsletter please click here.

Thank you for reading

Catherine

Events

coming soon

Sally Magnusson in conversation
Tuesday 7th April, 2.45pm
at Woodbridge Community Hall
The much-loved broadcaster, presenter and journalist visits to introduce her novel set in the Highlands in the 19th century.
read more
Alison Weir on The Tainted Queen
Friday 15th May, 7.30pm
at Woodbridge Community Hall
The best-selling historian imagines the life of Katheryn Howard, fifth wife of Henry VIII in this illustrated talk.
read more

For early notification of my events why not sign up for my weekly newsletter? Just provide your name and email address and confirm that you want to receive these emails. Sign up here.

Talking with Lesley

on BBC Radio Suffolk, Wednesday 8 January.

For some years now I've been enjoying a monthly chat with Lesley Dolphin, the afternoon presenter on BBC Radio Suffolk, contributing to her regular feature 'Lesley's Readers'.

We talk together about the book we have just read, and the one we'll be discussing next month as well as all other things book related!

 

Browsers Book Group

The Great Level
by Stella Tillyard
Join in the friendly discussion over a glass of wine or coffee and flapjack. All are welcome, and please buy your book from Browsers Bookshop, Woodbridge
Monday, 30 March 2020 - 8:00pm

Browsers Book Group has been meeting monthly for over 12 years now. The books we have read are listed here.

recent events

Liz Calder in conversation
Thursday 30 January 2020
Respected publisher and member of the 2019 Booker Prize judging panel, Liz Calder shared something of her life in books.
read my report
Meet the author - Henry Blofeld
Saturday 2 November 2019
Despite terrible weather, dozens of people joined us in the bookshop to meet cricket raconteur Henry Blofeld as he signed copies of his new book 'My A-Z of Cricket'.
read my report
Lindsay McCrae My Penguin Year
Friday 1 November 2019
The award-winning cameraman talked about his extraordinary year following emperor penguins in Antarctica.
read my report

Archive

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

Book reviews

Look out for

The Authenticity Project
by Clare Pooley
The lives of six strangers collide when they pick up a notebook and confront the truth about their lives. A lose-yourself, uplifting read with a serious theme to ponder! Published 2 April 2020.
read my review

For audio reviews click here

My recent recommendations

You're Not Listening
by Kate Murphy
So many of today's problems could be resolved if we'd just listen more carefully to each other. Lots of lightbulb moments in this...
read my review
Review date: 22.02.20
This Golden Fleece
by Esther Rutter
Taking a year to explore knitting throughout the British Isles - a beautifully executed account of a journey through social history and creativity.
read my review
Review date: 22.02.20
Wintering
by Katherine May
A fascinating and thought-provoking memoir inviting us all to take time out to regroup and recuperate.
read my review
Review date: 17.02.20
How Was it For You?
by Virginia Nicholson
A fascinating presentation of what the events and movements of this decade really meant to women's lives at the time.
read my review
Review date: 19.01.20

For more reviews click here

For children

Piglettes
by Clementine Beauvais
A funny, uplifting, quirky and inspiring story of three girls who take a road trip to Paris to prove themselves after bullying at school.
read my review
Review date: 07.11.19
The Sharp Edge of a Snow Flake
by Sif Sigmarsdottir
Social media influencers, investigative journalism, manipulation of the truth and murder, in Iceland. A thriller with two young women at its heart,...
read my review
Review date: 07.11.19
Potkin and Stubbs - The Haunting of Peligan City
by Sophie Green
A return to Peligan City to meet our crusading investigators Lil Potkin and Nedly Stubbs, and it's darker and funnier than the first book!
read my review
A Girl Called Justice
by Elly Griffiths
The first in a series of children's books by the writer of the best-selling Ruth Galloway novels, published in May 2019.
read my review
Potkin and Stubbs
by Sophie Green
A fabulous, inventive, funny, detective-ghost story which is the first of a trilogy. And what a great cover!
read my review

For more books for children click here

On the radio

BBC Radio Suffolk

Catherine at BBC Radio SuffolkOn the first Tuesday (or Wednesday!) of each month, at 2.20pm, I join Lesley Dolphin on the afternoon programme at BBC Radio Suffolk to discuss the book of the month which I have chosen for her feature called Lesley's Readers. Listeners are invited to send in comments by text or email, or by phoning the programme on 0800 141 2121.

Lesley's Readers are reading...

The Great Level
by Stella Tillyard
Listen to Catherine's recommendation

We have just read.....

My blog

Monday 17 February 2020

Weathering the storm

I hope you've been safe and warm through the visits by Ciara and Dennis in recent days - open fires, steaming cups of tea and toast, and a comfy chair as you curl up with a good book, perhaps?