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

Screen time

While it’s still not possible to meet in person, I’ve been in touch with some of my favourite authors to find out about their new books and to learn more about where and how they’ve been working.

Catherine with Meg Rosoff in video

Meg Rosoff introduces her ninth novel The Great Godden
- watch video - quick view

Browsers Book Group

Due to the current situation regarding coronavirus, we are no longer able to meet in person. If you wish to join in with the monthly online discussion, please sign up for the weekly e-newsletter here to receive details.

The Offing

by Benjamin Myers

An unlikely friendship between a 16-year-old miner's son and an eccentric elderly woman, set on the Yorkshire coast one summer after the second world war, this book has been described as 'full of warmth and kindness'. What will we think of it?

Monday, 27 July 2020 - 8:00pm

Listening in

For some years I’ve been co-hosting a monthly book club on BBC Radio Suffolk with the presenter Lesley Dolphin. You can listen to past discussions here.

Scroll down for details of the title we’re reading this month or click here.

Podcasts

Dr Rowan Williams: The former Archbishop of Canterbury on the Rule of St Benedict

Published by and available on Premier Radio

First available: 6th June 2020

Author visits

The programme of talks and signings is halted for the time being, but you can relive past events here and in the archive. I’ll have news of any forthcoming events just as soon as it’s possible to start again!

Liz Trenow in conversation

Wednesday 26 February 2020

The popular novelist talked about the inspiration for her latest book, set around the development of radar at Bawdsey, Suffolk during WWII.

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.

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'.

Archive

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

Book reviews

Look out for

The Great Godden

by Meg Rosoff

The story of one family, one summer, in a holiday home by the coast. A wonderful escapist coming-of-age read. Published 9 July 2020.

Rodham

by Curtis Sittenfeld

Published 9 July 2020. What would have happened if Hillary hadn't married Bill? This is a fascinating, completely engrossing, imagining of the lives of two formidable politicians.

The Shelf

by Helly Acton

Published 9 July. Dumped on live television, Amy has a choice to make. This is an inventive, affirming, fun read celebrating self-belief, self-worth and reality tv!

Miss Benson's Beetle

by Rachel Joyce

Fabulous characters, a journey, friendship and self discovery. Familiar Rachel Joyce, with some surprises too. Published 23 July 2020.

The Lie

by Hilary Boyd

A gripping family drama about choices and consequences. Published 6 August 2020.

The Glass Hotel

by Emily St John Mandel

An intriguing, beguiling, all-engrossing tale of wealth and power, guilt and regret, fate, choice, morality, corruption, delusion... Published 6 August 2020.

The Soup Movement

by Ben Davis

by Sophie Mackintosh

An unsettling but intriguing and consuming dystopian world, reminiscent of 'The Handmaid's Tale'. Published 27 August 2020.

The Thursday Murder Club

by Richard Osman

Four friends in a retirement village meet to solve a murder. It's funny and there's lots of talk of cake. Looking forward to the next instalment already!

Exit

by Belinda Bauer

A quirky, comical murder mystery. Not what I was expecting! Loved it. Published 11 February 2021.

My recent recommendations

This Lovely City

by Louise Hare

Set in London after the Second World War, a jazz musician has arrived on the Empire Windrush. A beautiful, compelling read.

Recommendation date: 28.06.20

Breaking and Mending

by Joanna Cannon

A frank, moving and beautifully written memoir exploring, through the highs and lows of her career path as a junior doctor.

Recommendation date: 27.05.20

by Raynor Winn

An extraordinary and inspiring memoir of how a couple face the loss of everything they've held dear by going on a very long walk!

Recommendation date: 13.05.20

The Silent Treatment

by Abbie Greaves

Frank hasn't spoken to his wife for six months. As she lies unconscious in her hospital bed, he tells her their story, and reveals the secret...

Recommendation date: 29.04.20

by Ann Napolitano

Uplifting and life-affirming, and completely compelling, this is an extraordinary book. The sole survivor from a plane crash, this 13-year-old boy...

Recommendation date: 29.04.20

Redhead by the Side of the Road

by Anne Tyler

A charming, funny and poignant love story. Micah solves all your computer problems, but struggles with his relationships.

Recommendation date: 29.04.20

The Ninth Child

by Sally Magnusson

Blending folklore with historical fiction in the Scottish highlands, this is a beautiful and mystical story which explores religion and the...

Recommendation date: 15.04.20

by Jeanine Cummins

The compelling and shocking story of a mother and son seeking to escape from Mexico across the border to the USA.

Recommendation date: 09.04.20

For children

Also display listings for children by age

A Sky Painted Gold

by Laura Wood

A charming, magical, escapist summer read, particularly for anyone who loves the 1920s and the Cornish coast!

Review date: 22.06.20

Cloudburst

by Wilbur Smith

A fabulous African adventure for older children from the master storyteller, Wilbur Smith, with Chris Wakling.

Review date: 28.05.20

The Star Outside My Window

by Onjali Q. Rauf

A beautifully told story of believing in a star, but with the backdrop of domestic abuse, grief and foster care.

Review date: 16.05.20

by Kit de Waal

A coming-of-age road trip novel about identity, loss, friendship, fractured relationships, which is also described as a feminist take on 'Moby...

Review date: 29.04.20

On the radio

BBC Radio Suffolk

Catherine at BBC Radio Suffolk On 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.

xxx

Lesley's Readers are reading...

Leonard and Hungry Paul

by Ronan Hession

Listen to Catherine's choice for the month

We have just read.....

The Hunting Party

by Lucy Foley

A group of friends gather in a remote, luxury, hunting lodge in Scotland for a fun reunion. But as the snow falls, one of them goes missing. This murder-mystery has consistently topped the charts. What will we think of it?

Listen to Catherine's choice for BBC Radio Suffolk

Listen to Lesley and Catherine's discussion

My blog

Monday 22 June 2020

Summertime

Sunday 21 June. It's the longest day! I'm never entirely sure if that's something to be celebrated or not - the evenings will be drawing in from now on, after all! But as the weather forecast for the coming week looks very promising, let's enjoy the long summer days while we can.

And, with bookshops opening again, we're able to replenish our stock of reading material. Even though we all seem to be blessed with piles of books still to be read, the lure of the recently reviewed title is often irresistible, isn't it?

Do take a look at my website for details of the titles I've been reading lately. The lockdown meant that the publication of many books was delayed and the summer months will see the release of some great reads, so watch this space!

.... read more of my blog

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