We are pleased to say we have got some fantastic events lined up for the summer, so do read on and we very much hope to see you at one or more of them in the coming months.

Mark & Nicki

gripping historical writer guests at mostly books

Ninety years on, and just as the recently discovered bodies of Alexei and Mariya are re-interred with the family in St Petersburg, Helen Rappaport reviews the murder of the Russian imperial family in her book Ekaterinburg : The last days of the Romanovs.

Currently touring, with dates including the Hay Festival, Way with Words and Edinburgh Book Festival, Helen Rappaport will be at mostly books on Tuesday July 1 at 7.30pm. We anticipate a great evening with an author whose books are marked not only by impeccable research, but also written in an exciting way.

mostly books is not alone in predicting that this will be a bestseller. Here is what author and publisher Susan Hill has to say about Ekaterinburg:

"It kept me up for 2 nights. Rappaport has found a gripping way of telling the story of the Imperial family. She takes us to the house in which they were incarcerated and then through their last thirteen days, to the end, when they died in a terrible mass-shooting. It is the most claustrophobic read. We are locked in the house with them. It is frightening, because we know what is going to happen and wait to find out when, how. It is imagined like a great novel, but it is not fiction. Rappaport is a serious historian, she knows her facts, she knows her Russia. . . . It is that perfect but rare blend of history, sense of place, human tragedy, drama and atmosphere which just cannot fail."

Helen Rappaport has a successful writing career as a historian (having written several major reference works on subjects ranging from women serving in the Crimea, Queen Victoria to Joseph Stalin) and also appears regularly on Radio 4.

From her ability to turn well-known historical events into gripping, page-turning prose it is no surprise that one of Helen Rappaport's more recent ventures was to co-write a gripping historical thriller with William Horwood. Do join us for what promises to be a fascinating evening. Tickets £3 - email us to reserve tickets.

Nicola Beauman - founder of Persephone Books

Tuesday July 8 at 7.30pm Nicola Beauman, founder and head of Persephone Books will be a special guest, talking about the company and the enduring appeal of the books she keeps in print for ongoing generations to enjoy.

Persephone was founded by Nicola Beauman in 1990 with an aim of keeping, or bringing back into print, largely forgotten authors of the twentieth century. Each one in the collection of seventy-eight books is intelligent, thought-provoking and beautifully written, but have gone out of print as fashions have changed. The first Persephone book was Dorothy Whipple's Someone at a Distance, a 1953 tale of the breakdown of a marriage. Whipple, who died in 1966, wrote 11 novels and was described by JB Priestley as the 20th century's Jane Austen, would not be enjoyed by readers today without Persephone Books choosing her as one of their flagship authors.

Another is Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, by Winifred Watson, the tale of a governess's friendship with a glitzy nightclub singer in 1930s London, another would-be forgotten story that has not only been kept in print by Persephone Books, but was recently released as a film.

As well as a growing list of titles, Persephone has a growing list of fans, including India Knight, Maureen Lipman and Jacqueline Wilson. Nicola Beauman is a much-respected and sought-after speaker and mostly books is thrilled to be able to welcome her to Abingdon.

intense debut receiving rave reviews

One of mostly books' picks of an up and coming author to watch this summer is Sarah Stovell, who will be a guest at mostly books on Tuesday July 29, when she will talk about her first novel Mothernight, a gripping, intense story about how people act in the wake of tragedy.

The story is told through three narrative voices: Leila, Olivia and Kathryn, Leila's stepmother. Olivia spends the summer at the home of her boarding school friend, the brilliant, distant, lonely Leila. Their intense relationship circles Leila's painful past: a dreadful accident when she was five, and then the sudden death of her infant brother four years later. Olivia meets Leila's childhood friend Rosie, a disturbing, manipulative influence, and Katherine, Leila's step-mother: bitter, damaged and unforgiving. Now on the verge of adulthood, Leila decides to confront her past and her family, but the atmosphere of blame and recrimination hangs as heavy as the summer heat and will prove more powerful than she could have ever imagined.

'Kate Atkinson crossed with Alice Sebold. All the makings of a contemporary classic.' Scott Pack

'A wonderfully assured debut, reminiscent of Helen Dunmore or Julie Myserson......Absolutely gripping.' Sarah Bower

Sarah Stovell lives in Oxfordshire and works as an antiquarian bookseller and teacher of Creative Writing.

cherry cake and ginger beer

If you ever read Enid Blyton and wished you could have a midnight feast of nestles milk and join in a picnic with lashings of ginger beer, why not join us for an indulgent, nostalgia treat, in the company of Jane Brocket, author of Cherry Cake and Ginger Beer: A Golden Treasury of Classic Treats?

The Broad Face, Abingdon's friendliest eatery, will be hosting a celebration of classic children's literature - complete with cake and ginger beer.

This event is to celebrate the publication of this 'cookbook with a difference' - a wonderfully nostalgic cookery book, that will take many straight back to their favourite childhood books. It features recipes for Milly Molly Mandy's Treacle Tart, a Swallows and Amazons Boat Breakfast, the Famous Five Fruit Cake and St Clare's Eclairs amongst others. Divided into appropriate sections like High Tea Treats, Midnight Feasts and Seaside Picnics, each recipe is introduced with an evocative description of the book that inspired it.

Mellie Nevill, owner of the Broad Face said: "Our puddings at the Broad Face have won awards for innovation as well as deliciousness, but its surprising how little tastes have changed in comfort foods. I look forward to celebrating all those marvellous endless meals everyone always seemed to be enjoying in children's books."

Jane Brocket is also author of The Gentle Art of Domesticity (a gorgeous, unusual and inspirational book that takes delight in everything from hand-knitted socks to colourful cupcakes). She will be introducing some of her favourite recipes and passages on Saturday August 23 at 4pm. Tickets are £6 adults, £3 children (over sevens please). And if that isn't enough to tempt you, Jane will also be doing a demonstration of how to ice buns.

Summer children's events

RAINBOW WEEK Aug 5 - 12. There will be rainbow colouring and fun activities all week - help us paint a giant rainbow. On Tuesday August 12 our special guest will be the RAINBOW WEAVER, Tippi, who, aged seven, wrote the Rainbow Weaver with her mum, Lyndsay. It's a picture story aimed at children over five about an evil Hobgoblin King who is stealing all the colour from the world. Storytelling and face painting at 1 pm. Please book. 01235 525880 or email books@mostly-books.co.uk

Ever wondered how to escape from a sinking car, or a burning building? Tues Aug 19, survival expert Kenn Griffiths, author of The Essential Survival Manual, will be showing children practical survival skills at 11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm. You can learn how to construct a shelter, light a fire…and skills you might need when faced with extreme danger. Tickets £3

STORYTELLING Tues Aug 26 at 11am and 2.30pm. Master storyteller Peter Hearn makes a welcome return with his spellbinding mix of stories and music that makes this a perfect session for children aged 7 and above. This event is free of charge, but you do need to book.

NEW BOOK GROUP. This term we have been running a new book group for an hour on Monday between 4pm and 5pm which has been looking at the books shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Award. This award goes to an author/ Illustrator of children's books from ages 2 up to about 9. It is a big range of books and some of them were quite challenging in their ideas. The group - run by Alison - consists of children aged between 5 and 8 and has been a lot of fun. They have really got stuck in and enjoyed the stories and activities and refreshments. We have some budding children's illustrators in the making! It's very special to see their rapt faces as they study the pictures and make guesses about what is going to be on the next page.

The group also had local author and illustrator David Melling come to talk to them about his book Scallywags which was longlisted for the award this year. For the final meeting on Monday the group chose their favourite - with the real award being decided on June 26th.

Such as been the success and enthusiasm that we aim to continue meeting in the shop once a to read and share and draw and have fun with books! If you would like your children to join the group, please talk to Alison in the shop or email alison@mostly-books.co.uk

piano exam syllabus

mostly books now stocks a range of sheet music - mostly grade books for the main instruments studied. We can also order a wide range of music (please allow at least a week). And we do also stock a small range of music books for study and pleasure.

The ABRSM syllabus for piano changes in July. We shall be stocking all of the new music - exams pieces, scales and arpeggios etc.

Katie Fforde and Jill Mansell

We are pleased to announce that we shall be the official bookseller at the annual conference of the Romantic Novelists Association in Chichester on July 5.

Among the speakers this year are two extremely popular authors - Kaite Fforde and Jill Mansell. If you would like any signed copies, please do put your order in advance as we shall be doing signings with both authors that weekend. (For a full list of authors appearing - talk to Mark.)

Literary society for Abingdon?

Do you like reading and talking about books? Do you enjoy listening to author talks? We are currently trying to see if there is interest in forming a literary society locally.

One of the main roles of the members will be helping improve our events, by choosing and inviting author speakers. We are constantly trying to improve our events to get the sort of speakers you really want to come and listen to - so we would appreciate some expert help!

We get contacted quite regularly now by authors offering to come and do talks and we would really like the chance to get some feedback before we invite them.

We have started canvassing opinion and it seems there is popular support for regular meetings, perhaps monthly on a Tuesday, where we might invite a guest speaker and discuss some of the author options available and plan a forward programme of events that are likely to be lively and interesting. We know what great readers our customers are and we'd like some help spotting that up and coming talent that people would love to hear from.

And, of course, the greater numbers we can draw in to coming to events, the easier it is to persuade better-known authors to drop in to Abingdon.

If you would like to be more involved in author events and receive regular emails and previews of what is being planned, please talk to us, or send us an email.

If you would prefer not to receive future mailings from Mostly Books, please email us at books@mostly-books.co.uk

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