North London Reading Group

Bookstock is a cosy literary night where some very varied authors read, perform and discuss their works to an audience of avid readers in a lovely London pub.

And we’re rather proud of the roster of writers who will be performing for you at our next Bookstock on Saturday 18 May. The line-up has been very much a labour of love. We’ve reached out to writers we’ve read that have impressed us and literally punched the air with delight when they confirmed. Here’s why…

Matt Haig

Matt will be both compering and performing his latest novel, the funny and powerful The Humans, in which an extra-terrestrial visits earth in the form of a Cambridge Mathematics Professor and slowly warms to the peculiarities of our weird species. The book is rapidly gaining plaudits from luminaries such as Jeanette Winterson and Joanne Harris, while Matt says that if he were to be hit by a bus today, it is the novel he’d want to be remembered for.

Matt made waves with his last novel The Radleys, and his blog for Booktrust certainly has a loyal following from the comments we’ve received since we announced he would be appearing!

M.H.Baylis

Matthew is a novelist, journalist and former EastEnders storyliner. When we caught wind that his debut crime novel A Death at the Palace was set up the road in Ally Pally, we asked him to come and read to us. The book is rapidly racking up great reviews (with both The Daily Mail and The Guardian for once in agreement!)

Lane Ashfeldt

We warmly welcome back short fiction writer Lane for a second Bookstock appearance to introduce Saltwater,  a collection of “a dozen or so stories inspired by the sea”. Her stories cover coastlines from the West of Ireland to Santorini, Greece and we can’t wait to hear her transport us to those places on 18 May.

Liz Harris

Liz will appear for the first time to read from her prize-winning novel, The Road Back, which takes place the 1950s and 1995 and is set in both London and in Ladakh, an Indian province west of Tibet. Legendary Inspector Morse author Colin Dexter has described it as “A splendid love story, so beautifully told.” (But no, there isn’t a murder in it!)

Seki Lynch

Multi-talented Seki is a voice to watch – he’s a poet, writer of short stories, and is currently working on his first novel, Chartreuse. We had to get him along after reading some of his lingering, louche poetry.

You can read more about and book tickets for just £6 on the Bookstock website. Don’t miss out!