An evening with Felix Francis - Dark Horse
Warwick Books, Warwick, CV34 4SL
Tuesday 7th October 2025
We're very happy to welcome Felix Francis, Sunday Times and New York Times international bestselling author to Warwick Books to celebrate the launch of his latest book Dark Horse.
Dark Horse - Imogen Duffy is a young Irish jockey, whose fledging career is given a huge boost when she wins a prestigious horse race at Cheltenham Steeplechasing Festival. But all is not well in her life. She has a violent and controlling boyfriend, also a jockey, and he becomes increasingly jealous of her success. As a result, she tries to break off their relationship, but he won’t take ‘no’ for an answer. He attacks her, and claims that he’d rather kill her than allow her to leave him. Imogen flees her home in Ireland, coming to England to get away from him, and to continue her riding career at a racing stable in Lambourn, where she finds increasing success. But the abusive boyfriend follows her across the Irish Sea, stalks her, steals from her, attacks her again, and then tries to ruin both her career and her reputation. Imogen’s desperate father turns to Sid Halley for help, and Sid reluctantly agrees to investigate, but then finds out that he is also being stalked and threatened. Can Sid find out what is going on, and before it is too late? This latest chapter of the Sid Halley story will have readers racing to the end as they are plunged into the dangerous and gripping world of horse racing.
You can book tickets in the shop or online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/warwick-books
An evening with Ned Palmer -A tour of British, Irish & French cheeses
Warwick Unitarian Chapel, 31 High St, Warwick, CV34 4AX
Friday 10th October 2025
Join cheesemonger extraordinaire Ned Palmer on a journey of British, Irish & French cheeses with our good friends, independent cheesemongers Queso. There will be cheese, there will be a little wine and a chance to buy Ned's wonderful books about cheese!
You can book tickets in the shop or online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/warwick-books
An evening with Sasha Butler - The Marriage Contract
Warwick Books, Warwick Books,CV34 4SL
Tuesday 14th October 2025
Join us for an evening with Sasha talking about her latest book The Marriage Contract. You'll have the opportunity to ask questions and have your book signed by the author. A little more about The Marriage Contract:
‘Once she had thought of them, their love, as a fortress that nothing, not giants nor dragons nor men with fists and minds of gore could tear down. She realises now, that their love is malleable, mouldable, breakable. As soft as dreams.’ Summer in Worcestershire, 1577.
Eliza Litton, a talented artist, is in love with childhood friend, Francis. But her tyrannical father, who rules the household with insults and fists, has other ideas. As summer comes to an end, Francis vanishes after a drunken night at the inn and Eliza’s father forces her to marry a gentleman, Edmund. Thrown into a new, unfamiliar life with her husband who appears distant and cold, Eliza cannot tear herself from the memory of Francis. Yet her feelings for Edmund soften with time; he presents a life to her better than she ever dreamed. He provides her a safety she never had beneath her father’s roof and encourages her to paint, to pursue the things she loves. As she begins to fall for Edmund, Francis is adrift on his own voyage, doing all he can to survive, fixated on returning to Eliza. But as Eliza grows closer to Edmund, she uncovers a deceit she never imagined, causing her to question her own loyalties and commit her own betrayals. After everything, who will Eliza be? And what choices will she make? The Marriage Contract vividly portrays life in the precarious and unforgiving Elizabethan era, exploring love’s many forms; how we can betray the ones we love, and how we can find forgiveness; and explores a woman’s fight to follow her desires and find her autonomy.
You can book tickets in the shop or online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/warwick-books
An evening with Georgie Codd - Never Had A Dad
Warwick Books, Warwick, CV34 4SL
Tuesday 28th October 2025
Fatherless, friendly 31yoF looking for intrepid M50s-70s who wants to try being a father figure (not sugar daddy). Georgie Codd never had a dad. And she didn’t think that would ever change – until a stranger’s practical joke made her wonder if she could find one.
So began her quest for a father figure, placing ‘dadverts’ in newspapers, magazines and corners of the internet she thought the fatherly might frequent. Along with the conversations, meetings and the twists and turns of seeking family relationships with strangers comes a curious look at the societal, cultural and biological functions of fatherhood. What makes someone decide to have or not have a child? What is the experience for single parents, for queer communities, for people rejected by their birth family – or for those who do the rejecting? And why were so many ‘dads’ angling for something other than parenthood? By turns brilliant and bonkers, hilarious and poignant, this is an unexpected story of the strange, intimate things we mean when we talk about family.
You can book tickets in the shop or online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/warwick-books
An evening with Owen Davies - Folklore
Warwick Books, Warwick, CV34 4SL
Tuesday 4th November 2025, 6.30pm
Manchester University Press are delighted to be publishing a gripping guide to the weird yet everyday world of British folklore, written by two leading experts and publishing this September.
In this ground-breaking book, two leading experts provide the definitive guide to British folklore past and present. Owen Davies and Ceri Houlbrook explore folklore in all its remarkable variations, from village rituals and fairy tales to UFO legends and internet fanfiction. Travelling through a landscape of witches, wizards and wicker men, they reveal how folklore has been researched and written about in the past and show how it continues to be lived in the present. At the same time, they provide the reader with a valuable toolkit for understanding how to interpret the diverse examples given. The book's key message is that folklore is much more than the fossilised remains of a distant, rural past. Folklore is and always has been ubiquitous, dynamic and political. It is a living tradition that draws from many sources, including migrant communities, and is forever being renewed and updated.
Owen Davies is Professor of Social History at the University of Hertfordshire. He is the author of numerous books, most recently Art of Grimoire and Troubled by Faith: Insanity and the Supernatural in the Age of the Asylum (both 2023). He has been described as Britain's foremost academic expert on the history of magic. Ceri Houlbrook is Senior Lecturer in Folklore and History at the University of Hertfordshire. Her books include The Magic of Coin-Trees (2018), Unlocking the Love-Lock (2021) and Ritual 'Litter' Redressed (2022). In addition to her scholarly work, she writes folklore- inspired fiction.
You can book tickets in the shop or online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/warwick-books
An evening with Nuzo Onoh - Futility
Warwick Books, Warwick, CV34 4SL
Friday 7th November 2025
Nuzo is the recipient of the Bram Stoker Award® for Lifetime Achievement and crowned the ‘Queen of African Horror’. To celebrate the publication of her upcoming book Futility on the 14th of October; a monstrous, gleeful, bitingly funny tale of murder, body-swapping and bloody vengeance, we have invited her to Warwick Books to talk to us about it.
Perfect for readers of Oyinkan Braithwaite’s My Sister the Serial Killer and Bella Mackie’s How to Kill Your Family
FUTILITY is a blood-soaked, expletive-laden, vengeance filled horror story of two angry women seeking the help of a trickster spirit to punish the men who have wronged them – who get more than they bargained for...! It is satirical, twisty and murderous. It is bloody. It is deadly. It is deliciously funny!
Nuzo is an award-winning Nigerian-British writer of Igbo descent. She is a pioneer of the African horror literary genre. Hailed as the "Queen of African Horror”, Nuzo’s writing showcases both the beautiful and horrific in the African culture within fictitious narratives. Nuzo’s works have been featured in numerous magazines and anthologies. She has given talks and lectures about African Horror, including at the prestigious Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies, London. She has also appeared on many radio shows and podcasts, including BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour. Her works have appeared in academic studies and been longlisted and shortlisted. She is a Bram Stoker Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.
You can book tickets in the shop or online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/warwick-books
An evening with Guy Hale - Sleep No More
Warwick Books, Warwick, CV34 4SL
Tuesday 11th November 2025
We're very happy to be welcoming back Guy to Warwick Books to talk about his new book, Sleep No More, which is the fourth in his hugely popular Shakespeare Murders series.
Boundless ambition collides headlong with the cold fury of revenge as we enter the final scene of this tragedy. Sir Morris Oxford lies critically wounded in Stratford Hospital. Oliver Lawrence, whose cunning plan put him there, thought his revenge was complete but it takes a lot to kill a King. There can be no hiding place for those that harbour secrets...
On the dark streets of Stratford, something wicked this way comes!
You can book tickets in the shop or online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/warwick-books
An evening with Dr Stephanie Fitzgerald - The Gifts of Winter
Warwick Books, Warwick, CV34 4SL
Tuesday 18th November 2025
Winter can be tough. As the temperature drops, so can our general wellbeing. It is common to experience a dip in mood over the autumn/ winter months, which means many of us cite winter as the most depressing season in the calendar. We hunker down, try to ignore the season entirely and wish it away, whilst waiting for spring. This session will help introduce the audience to a very different side of winter and show where the gems of the season are hidden.
This session will take the audience through some of the natural challenges of winter, why our brains may struggle at this time of year and offer practical tips and tools that can help. This session offers an engaging blend of neuroscience and psychology, with an emphasis on preparing for a better winter and uncovering the joy of the season. There is a better way to ‘do’ winter rather than grit your teeth and wait for it to be over. It is a season to be enjoyed not endured, and this session will show the audience how. An uplifting, positive and motivating session, designed to help the audience feel confident in their own approach to ensure a better winter and embrace the cosy comfort that lies in our
coldest season.
Dr Stephanie Fitzgerald is a chartered clinical psychologist, neuropsychologist, international keynote speaker and award-winning author. Stephanie’s fifth book ‘The Gifts of Winter’ is published by Michael Joseph (Penguin Random House) and offers practical and easily accessible advice to enjoy, not endure, our coldest season. Stephanie’s keynotes are powerful. She has a knack for engaging audiences at all levels and
leaves them with techniques they can implement and benefit from immediately. Stephanie doesn’t just talk at people; she leads them through a process of change. Audiences report feeling uplifted, empowered and energised after hearing Stephanie speak.
You can book tickets in the shop or online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/warwick-books
An evening with Professor Angie Hobbs - Why Plato Matters Now
Warwick books, Warwick, CV34 4SL
Tuesday 25th November 2025, 6.30pm
We're delighted to welcome back Angie to talk about her latest book Why Plato Matters Today.
Professor Angie Hobbs proves in this persuasive and intelligent book that Plato is more relevant than ever. If we want to understand the world we live in – from democracy, autocracy and fake news to celebrity, cancel culture and what money can and cannot do – there is no better place to start than Plato. Exploring the intersection between the ancient and the modern, Professor Hobbs shows how Plato can help us address key questions concerning the nature of a flourishing life and community, healthcare, love and friendship, heroism, art and myth-making. Angie shows us how Plato’s adaptation of the Socratic method and dialogue form can enable us to deal more constructively with contested issues in politics, religion and culture. Plato’s methodology, arguments, ideas and vivid images are explained and explored with a clarity suitable both for readers familiar with his work and for those approaching Plato for the first time. This book shows why Plato really matters, now more than ever.
Angie Hobbs is emerita Professor of the Public Understanding of Philosophy at the University of Sheffield. She gained a degree in Classics and a PhD in Ancient Philosophy at the University of Cambridge, and her chief interests are in ancient philosophy and literature, and ethics and political theory from classical thought to the present, and she has published widely in these areas, including Plato and the Hero. She works in a number of policy sectors, and contributes regularly to radio, television and other media around the world, including 27 appearances on In Our Time on Radio 4. She has spoken at the World Economic Forum at Davos, the Athens Democracy Forum, the Houses of Parliament, the Scottish Parliament and Westminster Abbey and been the guest on Desert Island Discs and Private Passions. She was a judge of the Man Booker International Prize 2019 and was on the World Economic Forum Global Future Council 2018-9 for Values, Ethics and Innovation.
You can book tickets in the shop or online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/warwick-books
Free Dog Portraits by Harriet Lowther - with every purchase of Tell Your Dog I Love Them
Warwick Books, Warwick, CV34 4SL
Saturday 29th November 2025
Free dog portraits by Harriet Lowther : 10am Saturday 29th November at Warwick Books.
Purchase a copy of TELL YOUR DOG I LOVE THEM at Warwick Books and get a free illustration of your pooch.
Reserve your spot to avoid disapointment.
A must-have for dog lovers, Tell Your Dog I Love Them is a heart-warming celebration of the joy, devotion, and unconditional love that dogs bring into our lives, created by the popular artist Harriet Lowther. From their quirky habits to their unwavering devotion, Tell Your Dog I Love Them captures the charm, personality, and pure magic of our four-legged friends with warmth, humour and unmistakable authenticity. Featuring a mix of artistic styles including pencil, pen and ink, watercolour, collage and print, it brings together witty observations, relatable moments and the delightful chaos that every dog owner will recognise! Beautifully illustrated and filled with humour, sentiment and insight, this book is a love letter to the unique connection between humans and their dogs. Perfect as a gift or a personal keepsake, it offers every dog lover a joyful and heartfelt way to celebrate their best friends.
You can book tickets in the shop or online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/warwick-books
An evening with Carmella Lowkis - A Slow and Secret Poison
Warwick Books, Warwick, CV34 4SL
Tuesday 20th January 2026
'We are cursed, here at Harfold, whether you believe in it or not.'
1922, Wiltshire. When Vee Morgan accepts the job of gardener at a crumbling stately home, she's hoping for a fresh start where nobody knows her troubled history.
But Harfold Manor is shadowed by grief and the memories of long-faded glory, its rooms haunted by the only surviving member of the family, Lady Arabella Lascy. Vee is fascinated by her enigmatic new employer, a woman obsessed with the curse she believes has killed her family one by one. A curse that is coming for her next.
As Vee immerses herself in the world of Harfold, she finds herself increasingly entranced by Arabella and the secrets that poison her.
But Vee has her own things to hide: secrets that caused her to flee Cardiff, secrets that estranged her from her own family, secrets that might finally catch up to her…
Carmella Lowkis grew up in Wiltshire and has a degree in English literature and Creative Writing from the University of Warwick. After graduating, she worked in libraries, before moving into book marketing. Carmella lives in North London with her girlfriend. You can follow her on Twitter @carmellalowkis. Spitting Gold was her first novel.
You can book tickets in the shop or online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/warwick-books
“A venue fit for a king! It was a fantastic evening, they had arranged it all perfectly. I am gobsmacked and over the moon all at once!”
We’re delighted to host a rich series of literary events in and around Warwick. These include our popular 'Meet the author' events. The talks usually last about an hour, followed by questions, and then there is an opportunity to meet the speaker and have a book signed. Previous authors Melvyn Bragg, Jodi Picoult, Kate Williams, Professor Edith Hall and Dr Elizabeth Goldring. These events take place across Warwick including the beautiful Lord Leycester Hospital. We also support Warwick Words Festival.
Refreshments provided by local independent businesses are served at all of our events!
“Huge thanks for a fab event yesterday!”