Best-selling authors including Rachel Hore, Michael Mansfield KC and Blake Morrison will be descending on Felixstowe this summer for the annual book festival.
The festival by the sea returns for its 12th year from Wednesday - Sunday June 26-30 and takes place across Harvest House in Cobbold Road, Felixstowe and the Two Sisters Arts Centre in Trimley St Mary.
Sunday Times Best Selling author Rachel Hore will be talking on stage to local author Alexandra Carey (author of The Light That Bends Around Corners). Hore will discuss her latest novel, The Hidden Years – a tale of secrets, loss and betrayal, set on the Cornish coast during World War Two and in the heady days of the 1960s.
Popular crime writers Jane Casey and William Shaw will also be at the festival chatting on stage to Felixstowe-based crime writer, Ruth Dugdall. She will be discussing Jane's A Stranger In The Family and William's The Wild Swimmers.
Also new for 2024 is Agatha Christie expert Dr. Mark Aldridge who will discuss his book, Agatha Christie's Marple: Expert on Wickedness in which 'Agathologist' Mark looks at nearly a century of St Mary Mead and Miss Jane Marple.
Non-fiction authors will include Michael Mansfield KC, the barrister, famous for his work on landmark cases such as Grenfell, Hillsborough,The Marchioness disaster, Stephen Lawrence and the Birmingham Six. Michael will be talking about his book The Power in the People.
Nigel Toon will give a fascinating talk on HOW AI THINKS: How we built it, how it can help us, and how we can control it.
Dean Burnett will discuss his latest book Emotional Ignorance - Misadventures in the science of emotion, discussing topics including, Why can’t we think straight when hungry? What’s the point of nightmares? And why is it so impossible to forget embarrassing memories?
Felixstowe Book Festival patron Esther Freud will interview columnist Natasha Walter about her memoir, Before The Light Fades, a compelling reconstruction of her mother’s life as well as an examination of the right to die debate.
Other highlights include:
* A talk by Birds of a Feather script writing duo Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran
* Nigerian writers Chioma Okereke and and Stephen Buoro talking about their respective books, Water Baby and The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa.
* Leading poet and author Chris Tutton and harpist Anne Denholm in a special performance of Imaginary Landscapes
* The Hosepipe Band accompanying EADT columnist and poet Martin Newell and author and poet Blake Morrison.
As well as Alexandra Carey and Ruth Dugnall, other local authors will include Joy Bounds, author of Shining Threads who will be appearing at Felixstowe library on Thursday 27 June from 7- 8pm, while the Two Sisters Arts Centre at Trimley will hold its own Take Three Poets with readings from the published collections of Suffolk authors Sophia Michaels, Virginia Betts and Antony Johae. An open mic reading is also planned.
More details will be released on the Felixstowe Book Festival website www.felixstowebookfestival.co.uk this month (March) or follow them on social media @felixstowebookfestival
You can book your tickets from Monday April 8
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