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DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251114T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251114T220000
DTSTAMP:20260416T220641
CREATED:20250922T222321Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250922T222321Z
UID:10000018-1763148600-1763157600@www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk
SUMMARY:Steve Pledger
DESCRIPTION:We’re excited to welcome Steve Pledger to Pickering Book Tree on 14th November! \nDescribed as a ‘Master of his craft’ by Folking.com\, and his recordings as ‘object lessons in the art of contemporary songwriting’ by fRoots Magazine\, he is both a classic troubadour and an outstanding original. \nSteve’s blend of blistering social commentary\, stark honesty\, and fearless tenderness have marked him out as someone unafraid to create his own place in the singer/songwriter landscape. \nHis insightful music\, always relevant\, strikes a particular nerve in these troubled times. \nDrinks will be available to purchase at an informal bar before the show and during the interval. The concert will be in our atmospheric upstairs event space\, surrounded by the building’s old oak beams. \nDoors will open from 7pm\, and the performance will start at 7.30pm. \nTickets can be booked below\, by contacting Pickering Book Tree\, or at the shop counter. We hope to see you there! \n  \nAbout the Musician\nOne of the finest protest singer/songwriters of his generation — Folk & Tumble \nSteve has released a string of successful albums throughout his career to date\, attracting critical acclaim and awards. \nHis 4th studio album\, What Tomorrow Knows (2022) has been enthusiastically received by many and described as “a future classic” by Roots & Fusion. \nThis follows on from 14 Good Intentions (2012)\, Striking Matches in the Wind\, (2015)\, Somewhere Between (2016)\, and his live mini-album Alone in the Dark (2019). \nSomewhere Between was nominated for several awards and went on to win Album of the Year (male artist) from FolkWords as well as the coveted Album of the Year from FATEA Magazine. \nOther nominations and plaudits followed\, and in 2020 a download release of the piano-backed/spoken word version of his song The Baptist’s Father secured him Track of the Year from FATEA. \nSteve’s recently published book\, Stolen Bouquets: Selected Lyrics\, contains over 30 of his songs\, including several unreleased ones\, and specially written notes for each piece. \n[Seeing him perform live is] a privilege to witness — FATEA Magazine \n  \nFind Out More\nFollow Steve on Facebook\, Instagram or TikTok \nRead more about Steve on his website and join his mailing list via this page to receive email updates \nFind Steve’s music on Bandcamp
URL:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/event/steve-pledger/
LOCATION:Pickering Book Tree\, 43a Market Place\, Pickering\, YO18 7AE
CATEGORIES:Folk at the Book Tree,Live Music
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251121T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251121T210000
DTSTAMP:20260416T220641
CREATED:20251018T161853Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251018T165752Z
UID:10000021-1763753400-1763758800@www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk
SUMMARY:Russell Scott
DESCRIPTION:We very much look forward to welcoming Russell Scott to the Book Tree to discuss his explosive book VIP Lane\, which tells the real story of the epidemic of cronyism and corruption during Covid. \nVIP Lane is the result of years of investigation to unpick the web of vested interests and political favouritism that defined the UK government’s pandemic response. Throughout the book\, Russell reveals an eye watering tale of costly mistakes and self interest which led to billions of pounds wasted on inflated prices and sometimes unusable PPE\, while generating vast profits for the beneficiaries. \nThe event is free to attend\, but booking is essential. The shop door will be open from 7pm and complementary drinks will be available before the event starts at 7.30pm. \n  \nAbout the Book\nThis is the story of cronyism that reached the heart of government — how Conservative Party donors and politicians gamed the system during the pandemic to the tune of billions of pounds. And how the revelations surrounding the government’s misconduct fuelled the unprecedented political turmoil that engulfed the previous administration. \nFormer lead investigator at The Good Law Project\, journalist Russell Scott details his years-long battle to expose the government’s unlawful VIP Lane. From private hospitals and MPs’ second jobs to party donors and Peers landing multimillion-pound contracts\, and the billions wasted in the PPE procurement programme\, Scott unpicks the web of vested interests and political favouritism that defined the pandemic response. Drawing on new insider sources\, painstaking contract analysis\, and previously unpublished Freedom of Information requests\, this is an investigation that exposes the stark realities of power\, privilege\, and impunity in Westminster. \nScott’s findings lay bare the depth of cronyism that permeated government decision-making\, revealing an eye-watering tale of costly mistakes and self-interest at a moment of national crisis. This account sheds light on the critical themes of trust\, government transparency\, leadership\, populism\, and democracy — forces that continue to shape Britain’s political landscape today. \n  \nAbout the Author\nRussell Scott is an award-winning journalist and former lead investigator at The Good Law Project. His work on public procurement\, government accountability and corruption has shaped public discourse and driven legal action across the UK. VIP Lane is his debut book and the culmination of years of investigative reporting into the UK government’s pandemic response. He is a sought-after speaker\, contributor\, and media commentator on issues of transparency\, democracy\, and public ethics.
URL:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/event/russell-scott/
LOCATION:Pickering Book Tree\, 43a Market Place\, Pickering\, YO18 7AE
CATEGORIES:In Conversation With,Meet the Author,Non Fiction,Politics
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251122T140000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251122T163000
DTSTAMP:20260416T220641
CREATED:20251119T112253Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251119T211813Z
UID:10000023-1763820000-1763829000@www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk
SUMMARY:Winter Storytime with Olivia Mulligan
DESCRIPTION:We are very excited to welcome talented poet and children’s author Olivia Mulligan back to the Book Tree to read from her new children’s picture book\, Reggie On A Sledgie. \nThe lovable and adventurous little rescue kitten\, Reggie\, is back to go on a whole new wintry adventure! \nLiv will deliver the story in her warm and friendly style\, perfect for little ones of all ages to come and listen. The book is best suited for ages 3-6\, however all are welcome. \nThe sessions will run in our comfortable downstairs children’s section starting half hourly from 2pm until the last reading at 4pm. \nThere’s no need to book (walk-ins welcome on the day) however spaces are limited per session\, so we recommend arriving ahead of the start time to find a comfy seat before the story begins. You can also book below if you want to reserve a space at one of the sessions — this will guarantee a seat and also help us to manage numbers on the day. \nPop into the bookshop during the Pickering Christmas lights switch on activities\, grab a beanbag or floor cushion (adult sized chairs available too)\, and go on a wintry adventure with Reggie the rescue kitten! \n  \nAbout Liv\nOlivia Mulligan\, or Liv as she is known\, was born and bred in North Yorkshire. After spending several years in London\, completing a degree in Drama and Creative Writing\, and a short spell working in the city\, she could no longer resist the call of the Yorkshire Dales. \nLiv is a keen cross country runner\, a coffee barista\, and now – poet. Her spoken word poem\, The Lockdown Chat was aired at the 2020 BBC Upload Festival in the Writers’ Tent. In March 2021 Liv was invited to be Poet Laureate for a weekly slot on BBC Radio York. \n  \nAbout Reggie\nReggie is a playful little rescue kitten based on Liv’s very own rescue cat. He likes adventure and exploring (or\, at least he thinks he does!) but he always knows that his new owner\, Pip\, will be there at the end of a long day for lots of cuddles.
URL:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/event/winter-storytime/
LOCATION:Pickering Book Tree\, 43a Market Place\, Pickering\, YO18 7AE
CATEGORIES:Children’s Fiction,Children’s Storytime,Meet the Author,Picture Book
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251205T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251205T210000
DTSTAMP:20260416T220641
CREATED:20251104T144820Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251104T144820Z
UID:10000019-1764963000-1764968400@www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk
SUMMARY:Amanda Huggins
DESCRIPTION:Join us for an evening of storytelling and romance as we chat to award-winning author\, Amanda Huggins about her new novella\, The Blue of You. \nThe perfect read in the run-up to Christmas\, The Blue of You captures the experiences of small town youth and the conflicted feelings that wait for those who choose to return. Set against the backdrop of our very recognisable north-east coastline\, Amanda’s novella is a bitter-sweet and relatable story of one woman’s grief\, her loves and the place she calls home. \n  \nAbout the Book\nEvery Christmas Eve\, Janey Shaw is reminded of the tragic death of her schoolfriend\, Alice\, and the untidy ending of her relationship with Rory Brook\, her first love. When Janey leaves London to return to her hometown on the North East Coast of England\, the ghosts of her unresolved past lie in wait. \nThere\, Janey meets a coble fisherman\, Tom Inglewood\, and admires his ambitions to preserve the traditional way of life in their community and to stop second home owners from painting over the town’s heritage. Can she start to build a new life and finally paint over her own past? Or will she have to confront her ghosts as Christmas draws closer? \n  \nAbout the Author\nAmanda Huggins is the author of the award-winning novellas All Our Squandered Beauty and Crossing the Lines\, as well as seven collections of short stories and poetry. Her latest novella\, The Blue of You\, was released by Northodox Press in October.  Amongst others\, her work has also been published by Harper’s Bazaar\, Mslexia\, The Telegraph and the Guardian. Three of her short stories have been broadcast on BBC radio. \nShe has won numerous awards\, including three Saboteur Awards for fiction and poetry\, the Colm Toibin International Short Story Award\, the H E Bates Short Story Prize and the BGTW New Travel Writer of the Year. \nAmanda grew up on the North Yorkshire coast and has strong family connections to the North York Moors area. She now lives near Leeds where she works as a freelance editor.
URL:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/event/amanda-huggins/
LOCATION:Pickering Book Tree\, 43a Market Place\, Pickering\, YO18 7AE
CATEGORIES:Fiction,In Conversation With,Literary Fiction,Meet the Author
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251212T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251212T220000
DTSTAMP:20260416T220641
CREATED:20251105T032850Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251105T032850Z
UID:10000022-1765566000-1765576800@www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk
SUMMARY:Gin and Books Evening
DESCRIPTION:Join us for the perfect combination on a Friday evening in December! \nBecause last year’s festive gin and books event was so much fun\, we’ve summoned a delicious range of distilled treats for a return of Winter Spirits in the Book Tree… \na friendly haunting among the old oak beams\, where we’ll meet:\n🕵️‍♂️ The Ghost of Characters Past\n🎄 Winter Spirits (make great presents!)\n📚 The Ghost of Christmas Books Yet to be Read \nAt the event\, enjoy a selection of literary cocktails from the pop-up bar and soak up the festive atmosphere in the cosy company of a room full of books and booklovers! The shop will be open for browsing if you’re looking for the perfect gift or to find your next read\, bookish socialising\, and possibly a very relaxed and completely optional game or activity (TBC). \nThe bookshop will be open from 7pm\, when the bar will also open. \nTickets are free and guarantee entry to the event. While we will be able to accept walk-ins on the night\, space in the shop is limited and priority will be given to those who have booked in advance.
URL:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/event/winter-spirits/
LOCATION:Pickering Book Tree\, 43a Market Place\, Pickering\, YO18 7AE
CATEGORIES:Bookish Socialising,Food and Drink,Gin and Books,Late Night Bookshop
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20251229T170000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20251229T180000
DTSTAMP:20260416T220641
CREATED:20251212T061404Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251212T143706Z
UID:10000024-1767027600-1767031200@www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk
SUMMARY:Toby Virgo & Carter the Cabman
DESCRIPTION:‘Tis the Dark Time of the Year…\nbut don’t worry\, Jeremiah Carter is here 🎩 \nWe’re delighted to welcome Toby Virgo and Carter the Cabman back for a special seasonal event in the Book Tree. \nHear extracts from the new Carter the Cabman story\, The Dead Who Bury Us\, and enjoy a warming mulled wine while you soak up the atmosphere. Toby will also share tales and anecdotes from Victorian London’s strange obsession with Death\, gleaned from his extensive research of the period. \nThe Dead Who Bury Us is the third in the series of beautifully produced pamphlets set in the world and life of Carter the Cabman. Like the full length novel they accompany\, each short story is complete with stunning illustrations together with immersive narration rich with historical detail evoking the streets of Victorian London and the realities of life for people of the time. \n  \nAbout the Book\nRead about the story below\, and watch the trailer on YouTube (here’s the link) for a taste of what to expect… \nThe Dead Who Bury Us is set on All Hallows’ Eve\, 1888 and follows hansom cab driver Jeremiah Carter as he works the rain-lashed streets of Victorian London on the night when the veil between the living and the dead is said to be at its thinnest. \nVisiting a small churchyard in the dead of night\, Carter quickly discovers he is not alone. But in a world when men and women will stoop to almost any depths to survive another day in the Abyss\, justice can be served in the strangest of ways. \n  \nEvent Details\nThis event will start at 5pm\, and the shop door will be open from 4.30 (we’ll close as usual at 4pm to set up). \nTickets are free and guarantee entry to the event. There’ll be complementary mulled wine on arrival. \nWe look forward to seeing you there!
URL:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/event/toby-virgo/
LOCATION:Pickering Book Tree\, 43a Market Place\, Pickering\, YO18 7AE
CATEGORIES:Fiction,Historical Fiction,Meet the Author
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260220T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260220T220000
DTSTAMP:20260416T220641
CREATED:20260115T224228Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260213T194300Z
UID:10000026-1771615800-1771624800@www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk
SUMMARY:Brooks Williams
DESCRIPTION:We are thrilled to welcome acoustic guitarist and singer-songwriter Brooks Williams to the Book Tree for our first music gig of 2026. \nCombining roots\, jazz\, blues\, classical and folk\, Brooks is a “guitarist in possession of rich vocal powers and a talent for lyrical imagery” (RnR Magazine) with “a beautiful voice that you just melt into” (Americana UK). \nEach year Brooks performs hundreds of solo and band shows and regularly collaborates with an impressive list of fellow musicians including Hans Theessink\, Guy Davis\, Sally Barker\, Boo Hewerdine\, Paul Jones\, and Rab Noakes. He’s played the Fairport Cropredy Festival\, Newport Folk Festival\, Kerrville Folk Festival\, Costa del Folk\, Shrewsbury Festival\, Celtic Connections and Glastonbury Festival among many others. \nBrooks creates a “beautiful fusion” (Keys And Chords) in his music\, “Setting new standards and a fresh direction for the blues” (Blues In Britain). His massive repertoire spans his own impeccably written material\, and he has an excellent ear for a good cover too. Down At The Crossroads wrote of Brooks that his “original songs are typically sophisticated musically\, and yet sound immediately familiar – a sign of a skilled songwriter”. \nDrinks will be available to purchase at an informal bar before the show and during the interval. The concert will be in our atmospheric upstairs event space\, surrounded by the building’s old oak beams. \nDoors will open from 7pm\, and the performance will start at 7.30pm. \nTickets can be booked below\, by contacting Pickering Book Tree\, or at the shop counter. We hope to see you there! \n  \nAbout the Musician\nOne of the most consistently excellent musicians in roots music — American Roots UK who ranked Brooks Williams in the Top 100 Acoustic Guitarists \nSTRING BENDER\, SONG WARBLER\, TUNE WRANGLER\nBrooks Williams is one of those select few ‘how on earth does he do it?’ artists. He can sing. He can write. And\, man oh man\, can he play guitar. \nStatesboro\, Georgia-born\, Williams lives and tours from him home in the United Kingdom for nearly two decades. \nWilliams’ music effortlessly slides between country\, blues and folk. He has been playing Americana long before it was given that name. \nWith thirty-four recordings in thirty-five years\, Brooks Williams is listed one of the ‘Top 100 Acoustic Guitarists’. At The Barrier calls him a “chocolate-voiced\, guitar maestro”. \nNever one to shy away from the road\, the list of venues and festivals Brooks Williams has plays is staggering. Newport\, Winnipeg\, Cropredy\, Cambridge\, Philadelphia\, are but a few of many. \nIt is pure talent\, hard work and relentless touring which has brought him to the pinnacle of his career — Blues In Britain \n  \nFind Out More\nFollow Brooks on Facebook or Instagram \nRead more about Brooks on his website \nFind Brooks’ music on Bandcamp or YouTube
URL:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/event/brooks-williams/
LOCATION:Pickering Book Tree\, 43a Market Place\, Pickering\, YO18 7AE
CATEGORIES:Folk at the Book Tree,Live Music
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260306T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260306T220000
DTSTAMP:20260416T220641
CREATED:20260118T194835Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260118T194835Z
UID:10000027-1772825400-1772834400@www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk
SUMMARY:Pete Morton
DESCRIPTION:We very much look forward to welcoming folk singer\, songwriter and entertainer Pete Morton to his first gig at Pickering Book Tree. Pete is an astounding live performer\, as those of you have seen him before will attest to! \nSince the 1990s Pete has toured extensively throughout the UK and the world including the US\, Canada\, and Europe. He has also toured Pakistan\, Malaysia\, and Singapore on behalf of the British Council. \nPete’s diverse repertoire ranges from songs of love to social commentary to historical classics and beyond. Described by R2 Magazine as “a writer who manages to express everything\, from the highly personal to the truly international”\, his albums and live performances are rich with music and stories to make you laugh and cry. \n  \nAbout the Show\nThis new show of Pete’s is a tour de force\, it is honestly a revelation\, and a real joy\, to see a performer at the top of his already deeply impressive game … It’s one of the very best things I’ve ever seen — Pete Kenny \nThe Ghost of a Sailor is a new show of singing together\, comedy and storytelling. The 17th century ghost is a shipwrecked sailor who has remained resident in a harbour tavern to the present day\, telling his tales in an unruly mix of stand-up\, tales and popular chorus. The show is primarily a community singalong that crosses the centuries with well known traditional ditties\, music hall and modern day popular classics\, with songs for all generations. \nThe sailor’s ghost winds his way back and forth through time\, interacting with the audience\, observing the world and history\, whispering to famous characters\, dancing with revellers and falling in love. The show is wrapped in the style of the talking blues — a simple guitar and spoken word technique invented by Woody Guthrie\, and later made famous by Bob Dylan in his early recordings. \nDrinks will be available to purchase at an informal bar before the show and during the interval. The concert will be in our atmospheric upstairs event space\, surrounded by the building’s old oak beams. \nDoors will open from 7pm\, and the performance will start at 7.30pm. \nTickets can be booked below\, by contacting Pickering Book Tree\, or at the shop counter. We hope to see you there! \n  \nAbout the Musician\nPete is everything we want our singer-songwriters to be. Fiercely creative\, proudly independent\, skilful\, talented\, and terminally unpredictable — MOJO Magazine \nPete Morton is a singer and entertainer who is often referred to as an old time troubadour. He delivers an unruly freewheeling mix of storytelling\, comedy and song that weaves its way around the folk tradition. His current show The Ghost of a Sailor’s talking blues is a joyful ramble through time (not necessarily in the right order)\, in the style of the talking blues\, as well as unleashing popular singalong chorus from the last 400 years. \nPete is known for his songwriting skills. He has recorded a wealth of material over the years. His two most recent albums are The Golden Thread and Fair Freedom. \nHis most famous song Another Train has been performed and recorded by various artists including Sally Barker\, whose version you can listen to on YouTube here. \nOriginally from Leicester\, Pete discovered the acoustic music scene at 16 and has been on the never-ending tour internationally ever since. With his powerful\, euphonious voice storytelling and compelling stage presence he continues his merry niche\, singing songs and entertaining with a fun-loving and approachable style. \nAs a chronicler of the human condition and wry observer of history and the march of progress\, Morton is up there with fellow Englishmen Richard Thompson and Chris Wood — Glasgow Herald \n  \nFind Out More\nFollow Pete on Facebook or Instagram \nRead more about Pete on his website\, his Ghost of a Sailor tour page or his Wikipedia page for a full bio and discography \nFind Pete’s music on YouTube or his two most recent albums on Bandcamp
URL:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/event/pete-morton/
LOCATION:Pickering Book Tree\, 43a Market Place\, Pickering\, YO18 7AE
CATEGORIES:Folk at the Book Tree,Live Music
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260313T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260313T210000
DTSTAMP:20260416T220641
CREATED:20260125T200945Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260312T191953Z
UID:10000028-1773430200-1773435600@www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk
SUMMARY:Gay Marris
DESCRIPTION:We are excited to welcome Gay Marris back to the Book Tree for what is sure to be a fascinating evening! \nMany of you will remember her previous event in 2024 when she enthralled us with her debut novel A Curtain Twitcher’s Book of Murder — a deliciously dark and gripping crime novel in short stories about a series of murders on Atbara Avenue\, the very picture of a quiet suburban street. \nThe Beasts of the Black Loch\, the first book in the new A Natural History of Murder series\, is published on 12th March. We can’t wait to chat with Gay about her brilliant combination of science and cosy crime\, the clues which can be found in nature\, her writing process and more at this in conversation event. \nThe novel is gorgeously atmospheric\, steeped in its wild Highlands setting with wonderful descriptions of the flora and fauna from the perspective of the very knowledgeable Dr Ava Dickens\, whose point of view is a delight to read. There’s an eclectic cast of characters — isolated together and each raising suspicion in one way or another — combined with a hint of local folklore\, a crumbling estate turned hotel setting\, and a satisfying mystery which kept us guessing. The story reads like a classic whodunit for Agatha Christy fans\, with a scientific twist as Ava uses her knowledge of the natural world to find a killer wreaking havoc in an otherwise peaceful place ruled by nature. \nThis event will start at 7.30pm and the shop door will be open from 7pm with complementary wine and cordial available on arrival. \nTickets are free and guarantee entry to the event. Please contact the shop or use the booking form below to reserve your seats. \nWe look forward to seeing you there! \n  \nAbout the Book\nIn 50\,000 acres of remote Scottish mountains and moor sits Dorcha Hall: a former hunting lodge nestling amongst ancient forests\, on the shores of the enigmatic ‘Black Loch’. At night\, lights glow from within\, smoke curls from its chimneys\, and in the forgiving murk of the gloaming\, it looks magical. In daylight\, its mouldering plasterwork and failing plumbing present a less romantic reality. \nDr Ava Dickens has come to Dorcha to visit her godson\, Alastair – a young man whose parents’ sudden death has taken him from a quiet life in academia to owning Loch Dorcha. He and his very new wife are convinced the only way to make the estate work is to run the Hall as a hotel. But Ava is a rigorous scientist\, her specialty animal behaviour\, and she is by no means certain that the evidence is indicative of a successful outcome. \nWhen one of the hotel guests is found dead in his bed\, having gulped down poisonous insect repellant rather than the whisky sitting next to it\, Ava’s knowledge of the female Culicoides impunctatus – aka the Highland midge – leads her to doubt that it was an accident. And worse is to come… \n  \nAbout the Author\nDr Gay Marris is a retired research scientist whose career focussed on insect ecology\, parasites and honey bee health. Her first novel\, A Curtain Twitcher’s Book of Murder\, is set in the deceptively dangerous suburbs of 1960s London\, where she grew up. \nFrom a young age Gay had a profound curiosity about nature. Many formative hours were spent in the company of tadpoles\, caterpillars\, and other wildlife gathered on garden safaris. Time well spent. She went on to study at Dundee University\, was awarded a degree in Zoology and\, later\, a doctorate. \nPerhaps because she spent so much of her professional life observing tiny interactions between tiny creatures\, her fictional work explores the minutiae of human conduct: what makes us tick.
URL:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/event/gay-marris/
LOCATION:Pickering Book Tree\, 43a Market Place\, Pickering\, YO18 7AE
CATEGORIES:Cosy Crime,Fiction,In Conversation With,Meet the Author,Mystery
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260327T183000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260327T193000
DTSTAMP:20260416T220641
CREATED:20260126T022459Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260126T024802Z
UID:10000029-1774636200-1774639800@www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk
SUMMARY:Ryedale Festival: Pre-Concert Conversation with Edward Dusinberre
DESCRIPTION:Ryedale Festival: Pre-concert conversation with Edward Dusinberre\n6.45–7.15pm | Pickering Book Tree\nEdward Dusinberre\, first violinist of the Takács Quartet\, joins us to discuss his writing as well as his music-making. Warm\, insightful and often very funny\, his two acclaimed books — Beethoven for a Later Age and Distant Melodies — offer a rare glimpse into the pressures\, friendships and musical adventures of one of the world’s great ensembles. A fascinating introduction before hearing the Quartet perform.\n  \nTickets: £5\nBook online at ryedalefestival.com\n(direct link to the pre-event conversation here)\nDoors will be open from 6.30pm for a prompt start at 6.45pm. The event will be held in our atmospheric upstairs event space. \nThe bookshop will remain open for browsing following the event\, and there will pre-signed copies of both of Edward’s books available to purchase while stocks last. \n  \nRyedale Festival 2026 Season Launch Concert: Takács Quartet\n8pm | Church of St Peter and St Paul\, Pickering\nHaydn – Quartet in G minor op.74 No.3 The Rider\nBeethoven – Quartet in E-flat major op.74 The Harp\nDebussy – Quartet in G minor \nJoin us as we open the 2026 season with the Takács Quartet\, whose five-decade journey from Budapest to the major stages of the world has made them one of the most revered ensembles of the past century. As BBC Music Magazine recently put it\, ‘you will not hear better string quartet playing anywhere in the world today’. \nTheir programme moves from the galloping energy of Haydn’s Rider Quartet to the glowing serenity of Beethoven’s Harp Quartet\, before closing with an impressionist masterpiece by Debussy. An unmissable night for music-lovers across Yorkshire and a memorable way to launch the Festival’s 2026 season. \nClassical music doesn’t get more life-enhancing than this — The Guardian \nThe undisputed greatest string quartet in the world — The Daily Telegraph\n  \nTickets: £38 · £32 · £22 · £5 (Under 25s)\nBook online at ryedalefestival.com\n(direct link to the launch concert here)\nThe full programme for the 2026 Ryedale Festival will be announced after the concert. Festival dates Friday 10th July – Sunday 26th July 2026
URL:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/event/edward-dusinberre/
LOCATION:Pickering Book Tree\, 43a Market Place\, Pickering\, YO18 7AE
CATEGORIES:Guest Interviewer,Meet the Author,Memoir,Music,Non Fiction,Ryedale Festival
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Edward-Dusinberre-webp.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260331T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260331T210000
DTSTAMP:20260416T220641
CREATED:20260218T173121Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260324T170408Z
UID:10000031-1774985400-1774990800@www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk
SUMMARY:Ava Glass
DESCRIPTION:We are delighted to welcome brilliant spy fiction author Ava Glass to Pickering to discuss her new page-turner\, which is published in March! \nInspired by her time working with spies and later as a crime reporter in the US\, Ava’s fiction is laced with tension and is addictively entertaining. The Hiding Season features a compelling main character who’s easy to root for from the beginning as she tries to build a new life for herself after her old one falls apart\, through to her unwitting discovery of something she wasn’t meant to see\, and the ensuing cat and mouse chase to survive. The fast-paced story is packed with plenty of action and suspense — all of which kept us hooked until the final page! \nOne of the vanishingly few female authors writing spy fiction\, Ava Glass is breaking down the door to the most male-dominated genre. We can’t wait to chat with her about The Hiding Season (spoiler free!)\, the art of writing gripping espionage and crime thrillers\, and balancing real world inspiration with the perfect fictional spy story. \nFor a taste of what to expect\, there’s a great article in The Yorkshire Times here: https://yorkshiretimes.co.uk/article/The-Spy-WHO-Nodded-At-Me \nThe event will start at 7.30pm and the shop door will be open from 7pm with complementary wine and cordial available on arrival. \nTickets are free and guarantee entry to the event. Please contact the shop or use the booking form below to reserve your seats. \nWe look forward to seeing you there! \n  \nAbout the Book\nA twisting cat and mouse chase from the mountains of Montana to the heart of Texas that warns the reader\, be careful who you trust! — Ruth Ware \nIn this gripping\, atmospheric thriller\, a woman becomes the only witness to a deadly crime . . . making her the next target.\nMaya Landry is in desperate need of a fresh start. \nAlone and heartbroken\, she finds work as a caretaker at an exclusive ski resort for the elite in the mountains of Montana. Quiet and empty in the summer months\, it’s the perfect escape. \nAll Maya wants is to be alone. But she’s not alone on the mountain. Someone else is there. A killer with his next victim in his sights. \nAfter Maya finds a body\, she must run for her life. One man tells her that he can save her. But can she trust him? Is he everything he claims to be? \nOnly one thing is certain: the killer will stop at nothing. And Maya is the only witness to their crime . . . \nA stunningly paced and artfully rendered thriller\, The Hiding Season gripped me from the first word and kept me up late into the night. Riveting — Megan Davis \n  \nAbout the Author\nDubbed ‘The new queen of spy fiction’ by the Guardian newspaper\, ‘the real thing’ by the Washington Post and ‘A worthy heir to the James Bond mantle’ by James Patterson\, A.C. ‘Ava’ Glass is the CWA Dagger-shortlisted author of the popular Emma Makepeace series (which included The Chase\, The Trap\, and The Traitor. Her critically acclaimed 2023 thriller The Traitor was a Grazia Book of the Month\, a Washington Post Book of the Year\, a Cosmopolitan Book of the Year\, and a Richard and Judy Bookclub pick. \nAva Glass’ novels are based on first-hand experience working with spies for the British government alongside several years working as an investigative journalist and crime reporter in the US. Her time in that world fascinated her\, and the people she met back then inspire every book she writes.
URL:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/event/ava-glass/
LOCATION:Pickering Book Tree\, 43a Market Place\, Pickering\, YO18 7AE
CATEGORIES:Fiction,In Conversation With,Meet the Author,Spy Fiction,Thriller
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Ava-Glass-webp.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260403T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260403T220000
DTSTAMP:20260416T220641
CREATED:20260224T190455Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T153710Z
UID:10000032-1775244600-1775253600@www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk
SUMMARY:Anne Gair
DESCRIPTION:We are delighted to welcome the wonderful Anne Gair to Pickering during the tour for her gorgeous debut album of original songs which has already received wide praise. \nAnne’s music is a heady mix of genres with nods to indie folk\, country americana\, blues and jazz\, with strong vocal melody lines and a penchant for harmony and open tunings. \nAnne played at The International Celtic Connections Festival in Glasgow in January 2025\, releasing her debut single Steal Away that same month. \nHer debut album Cigarettes and Smokescreens was chosen as Album of the Week on Celtic Music Radio in November 2025\, and went on to be nominated for Album of the Year. Anne’s fifth single\, Blank Spaces\, was included in the Fatea Winter Sessions 2025. \nOriginally trained as an actor at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama\, Anne has toured widely on stage performing both Joni Mitchell covers as well as her own original material\, and is endorsed by Cole Clark Guitars and G7th Capos. \n(Anne’s) voice is beautiful\, just gorgeous — Nerina Pallot \nThe event will be held in The Black Swan in a separate room with a cosy atmosphere making it a lovely setting for live music! The room has easy access to the bar which will be open as usual\, so arrive any time before the show starts if you’d like to enjoy a drink or two beforehand. There will also be an interval. \nWe’ll check tickets into the performance space from 7pm to allow plenty of time to arrive and find a seat before the music starts at 7.30pm with a special guest opener from Carrie Martin. \nTickets can be booked below\, by contacting Pickering Book Tree\, or on the door while spaces are available. We hope to see you there! \n  \nAbout the Musician\nIn Cigarettes and Smokescreens Gair has delivered a remarkable debut … it flows as confidently as the incoming tide — Neil King\, Fatea Magazine \nWith an extensive performance history\, Anne has toured throughout the UK and abroad both as a solo artist and lately with her ensemble\, The Anne Gair Band. She has played at prestigious venues including The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall (Celtic Connections 2025)\, The 100 Club\, The Cavern Club\, The Hard Rock Cafe\, The Voodoo Rooms\, King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut\, Belladrum Tartan Heart festival\, and regularly performs to sold-out audiences in venues and theatres across the country. \nAnne possesses a passion for writing in alternative open tunings and pushing genre boundaries which has drawn comparison to Laura Marling\, Joni Mitchell\, John Martyn\, and Imelda May\, as she lets each song breathe and travel where it needs to go. \nAnne Gair’s contributions to new music make her an up-and-coming artist being touted as ‘One of Scotland’s most promising songwriters’. \nWhen not on stage\, you will usually find her in a field in Scotland\, in the middle of no-where with her two retired horses. \nWhat a lovely song\, beautifully written. A masterpiece — Paul Johnson\, writing for Folking.com about the single White Horses \n  \nFind Out More\nFollow Anne on Facebook or Instagram \nRead more about Anne on her website \nFind Anne’s music on Bandcamp or YouTube
URL:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/event/anne-gair/
LOCATION:The Black Swan\, 18 Birdgate\, Pickering\, YO18 7AL
CATEGORIES:Live Music
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Anne-Gair-new-venue-webp.webp
ORGANIZER;CN="Pickering Book Tree":MAILTO:shop@pickeringbooktree.co.uk
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260406T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260406T200000
DTSTAMP:20260416T220641
CREATED:20260316T222646Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T201019Z
UID:10000035-1775502000-1775505600@www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk
SUMMARY:Oak Book Club: April 2026
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a welcoming Book Tree book club! \nWe usually meet on the second Monday of each month to discuss the current book and choose the next month’s read\, but please note that this meeting is on the first Monday in April. \nBring along your favourite drink — we’ll provide the glasses and washing up. \nThe bookshop door will be open from 6.50pm for a 7pm start in our atmospheric upstairs space. \nOur book club meetings are free to attend\, and we offer a 10% discount on each month’s paperback choice. \n  \nThis Month’s Book\nThe Boy from the Sea by Garrett Carr\nA Waterstones Book of the Month\nAs read on BBC Radio 4\nA Sunday Times Best Book of the Year\nAn Observer Best Debut of the Year \nA baby is found abandoned on a windswept Irish beach\, and nothing in this small coastal town will ever be the same again. The Boy from the Sea is Garrett Carr’s moving tale of a boy that brings together a community\, but changes a family forever… \nCompassionate\, lyrical and full of devilment — Louise Kennedy\, author of Trespasses \nA joy . . . Vivid\, loving and genuinely funny — The Sunday Times \nI didn’t want it to ever end — Jennie Godfrey\, author of The List of Suspicious Things \nIn 1973 on the west coast of Ireland\, a baby is found abandoned on the beach. Who is he? Where is he from? \nAmbrose\, a local fisherman\, is far more interested in who he will become and – with a curious community looking on – takes the baby home and adopts him. \nBut for Declan\, Ambrose’s young son\, this arrival is surely bad news. Rivalries can be decades in the making\, and families are easy to break… \n\nReaders love The Boy from the Sea: \n“Left me feeling warm and satisfied when I finished it and I’ve thought about it daily since then” \n“Books are meant to change you\, to shape you\, and to heal you\, and The Boy from the Sea does all those things” \n“You feel like you’re right there in the village” \n“Stunning. I found myself waking up at 5am because I was desperate to read more” \n“Felt like I was stepping off life’s treadmill and immersing myself in another world”
URL:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/event/oak-club-april-2026/
LOCATION:Pickering Book Tree\, 43a Market Place\, Pickering\, YO18 7AE
CATEGORIES:Book Club,Meet at the Book Tree,Oak Club
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Oak-Club-April-2026.webp
ORGANIZER;CN="Pickering Book Tree":MAILTO:shop@pickeringbooktree.co.uk
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260409T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260409T200000
DTSTAMP:20260416T220641
CREATED:20260317T210804Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T202732Z
UID:10000036-1775761200-1775764800@www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk
SUMMARY:Hawthorn Book Club: April 2026
DESCRIPTION:Join us for the first meeting of a new Book Tree book club! \nWe’ll meet on the second Thursday of each month for a relaxed and friendly conversation about the current book. \nBring along your favourite drink — we’ll provide the glasses and washing up. \nThe bookshop door will be open from 6.50pm for a 7pm start in our atmospheric upstairs space. \nOur book club meetings are free to attend\, and we offer a 10% discount on each month’s paperback choice. \n  \nThis Month’s Book\nGreater Sins by Gabrielle Griffiths\nWaterstones Scottish Book of the Month for February 2026\nRadio Times Best Books of 2025 \nA gritty tale of secrets\, guilt and desire — The Observer \nCompletely enthralling — Lucy Rose\, author of The Lamb \nA simmering tale of outcasts and buried secrets\, love and redemption — Danielle Giles\, author of Mere \n1915\, the Cabrach. \nIn the fierce\, wild beauty of this remote corner of Scotland\, an isolated community makes a discovery: an ancient body in a peat bog\, perfectly preserved. Two people haul the body from the ground: Lizzie\, the wife of a wealthy local landowner\, and Johnny\, a nomadic singer and farm hand. \nSoon afterwards\, strange events begin to occur. At hearthside and inn\, people whisper: what have we unearthed? \nAs tensions run high and men leave for war\, old fears and secrets emerge. But in a place where judgement is swift\, who is truly without sin? \nA striking and atmospheric debut — The Times \nSets a beautifully atmospheric scene from its opening lines to its final moments — PA Media \nScapegoats\, suspicion and secrets…a haunting picture of a small\, intense environment where isolation can breed solidarity and warmth as easily as superstition and exclusion — Financial Times \n\nWhat readers are saying: \n“An earthy\, folkloric tale\, where superstition is rife…a captivating read. Highly recommended” \n“A gothic literary experience\, rural and immersive\, that thrums with tension\, mystery and forbidden love” \n“A deeply immersive reading experience\, and one of the best elements of this book is how the atmosphere and environment of rural scotland\, the small farms\, the fields\, the bog\, the changing of seasons – nature itself becomes a character” \n“Beautifully written\, chilling and disturbing\, the book is an engrossing read from start to finish” \n“Sometimes you come across a book that is note perfect; very readable and entirely relatable but still beautifully\, poetically written. This is such a complete novel\, it is hard to believe it is the author’s debut” \n“This was a stunningly beautiful novel. Dark and creepy and wonderfully realised\, and the character voices were next-level good”
URL:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/event/hawthorn-club-april-2026/
LOCATION:Pickering Book Tree\, 43a Market Place\, Pickering\, YO18 7AE
CATEGORIES:Book Club,Hawthorn Club,Meet at the Book Tree
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Hawthorn-Club-April-2026-webp.webp
ORGANIZER;CN="Pickering Book Tree":MAILTO:shop@pickeringbooktree.co.uk
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260416T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260416T210000
DTSTAMP:20260416T220641
CREATED:20260301T205549Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260312T180743Z
UID:10000033-1776367800-1776373200@www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk
SUMMARY:Kate Gray
DESCRIPTION:We can’t wait to chat with Kate about her gripping new summer thriller\, where family drama and dark secrets collide in a sun-drenched Italian villa to set in motion a mystery which kept us guessing right up to the end! \nC.M. Ewan recommends Welcome to the Family as “the perfect destination thriller” which combines “a messed up family with devastating secrets and a twisting murder mystery” to create “a stunning summer page-turner”. \nIn this character driven crime novel\, an alternating viewpoint casts doubt on the motivations of others to weave complicated family loyalties\, lies and betrayal into a quickly developing mystery where we could never be sure who to trust. That’s all we’ll say for now\, so that you can find out for yourself spoiler free! \nThis event will start at 7.30pm and the shop door will be open from 7pm with complementary wine and cordial available on arrival. \nTickets are free and guarantee entry to the event. Please contact the shop or use the booking form below to reserve your seats. \n  \nAbout the Book\nSimmering tension turns deadly in this twisty and addictive summer mystery – a cracking family thriller — T.M. Logan \n  \nHoliday with your in-laws can be murder . . .\nRosie Riley is nervously excited about meeting the Fraser family. She’s head-over-heels for her boyfriend Theo and she hopes that spending a fortnight with the Frasers at their luxury Tuscan villa is a good sign of where their relationship is headed. \nFenna Fraser has been part of the family for years. She’s always enjoyed the glam annual holiday\, but this year she’s especially tired with a new baby in tow and she fears her mother-in-law will be more critical than ever. No one is good enough for her sons. \nIt starts as the perfect family holiday.\nIt ends with one of these women arrested for murder.\nWho is guilty? Who is the victim? And did they deserve it? \nA red hot thriller which simply demands to be read by a pool… I didn’t know who to believe; lies\, betrayal and buried secrets ensured I read Welcome to the Family in one weekend — Jo Murray \n  \nAbout the Author\nKate Gray is the author of page-turning summer thrillers. She loves writing about terrifying situations that anyone could find themselves in. If these happen to take place in exotic locations then that’s even better! \nAs well as her twisty\, suspense thrillers\, she also writes feel-good uplifting fiction as Katy Colins. \nKate lives in North Yorkshire with her husband\, two young children and two rescue cats. She also runs creative writing workshops and mentors aspiring authors. \nBefore becoming a full-time author\, Kate worked in public relations and was a freelance journalist. Her work has been featured in Stylist\, Marie Claire\, and national newspapers. Her debut psychological thriller The Honeymoon published to critical acclaim in 2023 and was followed by The Summer Party in 2024. Welcome to the Family is Kate’s third book in this genre\, and will be published by Headline in April 2026.
URL:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/event/kate-gray/
LOCATION:Pickering Book Tree\, 43a Market Place\, Pickering\, YO18 7AE
CATEGORIES:Fiction,In Conversation With,Launch Event,Meet the Author,Mystery,Psychological Thriller
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Kate-Gray-webp.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260425T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260425T220000
DTSTAMP:20260416T220641
CREATED:20260302T205109Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260302T205109Z
UID:10000030-1777143600-1777154400@www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk
SUMMARY:Three Acres and a Cow
DESCRIPTION:The history lesson I’ve always wanted. Thank you for a very entertaining/life changing evening. I’ll be looking at the land and listening to folk songs in a very different way — Emily \nA history of land rights and protest in folk song and story\, the show connects the Norman Conquest and Peasants’ Revolt with current issues like the housing crisis\, reparations\, climate breakdown and food sovereignty via the Enclosures\, English Civil War and Industrial Revolution\, drawing a compelling narrative through the radical people’s history of England in folk song\, stories and poems. \nPart TED talk\, part history lecture\, part folk club sing-a-long\, part storytelling session… Come and share in these tales as they have been shared for generations. \nVisit the Three Acres and a Cow website for more information about the group and the show\, and check their Frequently Asked Questions page for answers to any specific enquiries. \nThe event will be held in the Memorial Hall\, Pickering\, which is fully accessible. \nDoors 6.30pm with the show starting promptly at 7.00pm. We will finish around 9.45pm with one interval. \nI think about this show all the time. It has totally changed the way I think about colonialism\, direct action and English nationalism. Thinking about it today\, four years after seeing the show\, it’s clear it was a life changing event for me — Monique \n  \nTickets\nStandard seated tickets are £16.50\n(supported and pay it forward options also available) \nBook online at threeacresandacow.co.uk\n(direct link to the Pickering event here)
URL:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/event/three-acres-and-a-cow/
LOCATION:Pickering Memorial Hall\, Potter Hill\, Pickering\, YO18 8AA
CATEGORIES:Community Event,Folk,Live Music,Social History,Storytelling
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Three-Acres-and-a-Cow-webp.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260504T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260504T200000
DTSTAMP:20260416T220641
CREATED:20260414T175530Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T183624Z
UID:10000040-1777921200-1777924800@www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk
SUMMARY:Oak Book Club: May 2026
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a welcoming book club to discuss the current novel and choose the next month’s read. \nIn May and for the foreseeable future\, meetings will now be held on the first Monday of each month rather than the second. \nThe bookshop door will be open from 6.50pm for a 7pm start in our atmospheric upstairs space. \nOur book club meetings are free to attend\, and we offer a 10% discount on each month’s paperback choice. \n  \nThis Month’s Book\nThe Names by Florence Knapp\n \nBrilliant . . . one of those books that will make you irritable with anyone who interrupts you\, but which you’ll finish wanting to press into the hands of a friend — The Times \nBeautifully written\, and wise and tender . . . An utter original — Jojo Moyes \n*** \nA once-in-a-generation debut from a major new talent\, The Names is the story of three names\, three versions of a life\, and the infinite possibilities that a single decision can spark. \nIt is 1987\, and in the wake of a great storm\, Cora sets out with her young daughter to register the birth of her son. Her husband expects her to follow tradition and call the baby after him – but is it right for her child to inherit his name from generations of domineering men? Her choice will shape the course of their lives. \nSeven years later\, her son is Bear\, a name chosen by his sister\, hoping he will grow up to be brave and big-hearted. Or he is Julian\, the name his mother set her heart on\, keen for him to become his own person. Or he is Gordon\, named after his father and raised in his cruel image – but is there still a chance to break the mould? \nPowerfully moving and full of hope\, this is the story of three names\, three versions of a life\, and the infinite possibilities that a single decision can spark. \n*** \nWildly original and emotionally profound — The Observer \nAstonishing\, unique and incredibly moving\, The Names is a beautiful novel about the courage of a mother in the moment she names her child . . . I know it will stay with me for a long time — Jeanine Cummins
URL:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/event/oak-club-may-2026/
LOCATION:Pickering Book Tree\, 43a Market Place\, Pickering\, YO18 7AE
CATEGORIES:Book Club,Meet at the Book Tree,Oak Club
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Oak-Club-May-webp.webp
ORGANIZER;CN="Pickering Book Tree":MAILTO:shop@pickeringbooktree.co.uk
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260505T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260505T210000
DTSTAMP:20260416T220641
CREATED:20260408T213220Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260408T224627Z
UID:10000038-1778009400-1778014800@www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk
SUMMARY:Jules Brown
DESCRIPTION:We’re very much looking forward to chatting with Jules Brown about his travel adventures\, from how he plans his journeys to translating them into his always entertaining real-life stories. \nThe evening will focus on Jules’ newest book Far Out\, which takes readers with him on his challenge to reach each of the four furthest points in Europe by train\, exploring some fascinating off the beaten track places along the way. \nJules’ books are all written in his lively and humorous style\, and are brilliantly engaging with quick and often funny observations which make these reads perfect for fans of Bill Bryson\, anyone in need of some armchair travelling\, or perhaps even to inspire your own European adventure! \nJules started his travel author journey writing for Rough Guides\, now focussing on his own blog posts and travel books. He’s published two series: Tales from a Travel Writer’s Life (Don’t eat the Puffin\, Never Pack an Ice-Axe and Watch Out for Pirates) and On the Rails (Not Cool: Europe by Train in a Heatwave and Far Out: By Train to the Edges of Europe). \nJules has so many great stories to tell gathered from his many trips across Europe and beyond\, so we know that we’re in for a fantastic evening hearing some of them! \nThis event will start at 7.30pm and the shop door will be open from 7pm with complementary wine and cordial available on arrival. \nTickets are free and guarantee entry to the event. Please contact the shop or use the booking form below to reserve your seats. \n  \nAbout the Book\nJules’ travel writing is funny\, inspiring\, quirky and always engaging. His blog is great but reading the cream of his travels in book form is even more fun — Mark Ellingham\, founder of Rough Guides & publisher of Driving over Lemons \nTravel writer Jules Brown is back with another wayward rail adventure. \nWhen Jules sets out to go as far as he can in Europe by train\, everything seems to be on track. Travel to the most extreme stations in the north\, south\, east\, and west. How hard can it be for a seasoned rail traveller and ex guidebook writer? \nFunny you should ask. \nIt’s a long way\, for a start – from Scandinavia and Finland to the shores of the Mediterranean and Atlantic. Even the final destinations are in dispute. In fact\, no one sensible would try it. \nEnter Jules. Whether it’s travelling through the Swedish wilderness on the Inlandsbanan\, into the Pyrenees on the Train Jaune\, or across Spain on the Torre Oro\, he’s aiming for some classic rail experiences. And while capital cities and famous sights come and go\, there are also plenty of offbeat and intriguing stops along the way. \n*This book also includes five special route maps. \nJules has a rare observational talent. These short travel tales are really very good – passionate\, engaging and entertaining — Phil Ascough\, journalist\, author\, media/PR consultant \n  \nAbout the Author\nTravel writer Jules Brown wrote his first books for Rough Guides\, and more recently has produced a series of highly entertaining travel memoirs and adventures based on his travelling life. \nIn his latest book\, Far Out\, he takes to Europe’s trains to journey to the most extreme stations in the north\, south\, east and west of the continent. Part travelogue\, part memoir\, and definitely not a guidebook\, Far Out is a snort-in-your-coffee train adventure by the author of Not Cool: Europe by Train in a Heatwave.
URL:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/event/jules-brown/
LOCATION:Pickering Book Tree\, 43a Market Place\, Pickering\, YO18 7AE
CATEGORIES:In Conversation With,Meet the Author,Memoir,Non Fiction,Travel Writing
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Jules-Brown-webp.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260508T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260508T220000
DTSTAMP:20260416T220641
CREATED:20260403T160041Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260403T160041Z
UID:10000034-1778268600-1778277600@www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk
SUMMARY:Yvonne Lyon & Boo Hewerdine
DESCRIPTION:An intimate\, story-led evening with Boo Hewerdine and Yvonne Lyon. Things Found In Books is a wonderful project!\nFollowing a hugely successful 2025 tour for their album Things Found In Books\, we’re thrilled that Yvonne Lyon and Boo Hewerdine are touring again this May and are returning to Pickering for what we know will be another very special evening of music and stories. \nThings Found In Books is a show born from songs written in response to a notice board in Culzean Castle’s secondhand bookshop\, where notes\, photographs\, old receipts\, letters\, postcards and fragments of people’s lives have been lovingly collected and kept on the wall among the bookshelves. Forming an inimitable songwriting partnership\, Yvonne and Boo weave these ephemeral stories with their own\, creating a performance full of nostalgia and beauty\, hope and longing. \nFor a hint of what to expect you can hear Yvonne and Boo talk about the album on their YouTube video. \nAudience members are encouraged to bring their own ‘things found in books’ to to the gigs — items brought along so far have have ranged from tickets and letters to… bacon! Yes… in 4 different locations…! This is a beautiful idea\, so if you have anything you’d like to add to the touring board of things found in books please bring it along to the show. \nThe gig will be in our atmospheric upstairs event space\, surrounded by the building’s old oak beams in the very apt setting of the bookshop! Drinks will be available to purchase at an informal bar before the show and during the interval. \nDoors will open from 7pm\, and the show will start at 7.30pm. \n  \nAbout the Musicians\nBoo Hewerdine\nOne of the country’s most consistently admired songwriters — Folk Radio UK \nBoo Hewerdine is an acclaimed award-winning English singer-songwriter now living and working in Glasgow. Well known as one of the greatest songwriter performers in the business\, he has worked with several other well-known names including Eddi Reader\, who enjoyed international success with the hit single Patience of Angels (written by Boo) in 1995. \nSimple\, poetic reflections on life and love — The Guardian \nRead more about Boo on his website \nFollow Boo on Facebook or Instagram \nListen to Boo’s music on YouTube or Bandcamp \n  \nYvonne Lyon\nAn awesome level of talent that I cannot compare — Maverick Magazine \nYvonne Lyon is among the UK’s brightest and best singer songwriters. Her most recent album Growing Wild is her tenth solo studio album release. Yvonne consistently combines poignant lyrics with strong\, creative melodies demonstrating a voice that can be both fragile and intense. She has guested on to live sessions with Bob Harris on BBC Radio 2 and recently completed a master’s degree in Songwriting and Performance from the University of West Scotland. \nI love her\, absolutely love her… great song beautifully performed — Michael Ball\, BBC Radio 2 \nRead more about Yvonne on her website \nFollow Yvonne on Facebook or Instagram \nListen to Yvonne’s music on YouTube or Bandcamp
URL:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/event/things-found-in-books/
LOCATION:Pickering Book Tree\, 43a Market Place\, Pickering\, YO18 7AE
CATEGORIES:Folk at the Book Tree,Live Music
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260514T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260514T200000
DTSTAMP:20260416T220641
CREATED:20260413T214456Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T183555Z
UID:10000041-1778785200-1778788800@www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk
SUMMARY:Hawthorn Book Club: May 2026
DESCRIPTION:Join us for our next Thursday book club! \nWe meet on the second Thursday of each month for a relaxed and friendly conversation about the current book. \nThe bookshop door will be open from 6.50pm for a 7pm start in our atmospheric upstairs space. \nOur book club meetings are free to attend\, and we offer a 10% discount on each month’s paperback choice. \n  \nThis Month’s Book\nLate in the Day by Tessa Hadley\n \nThe lives of two close-knit couples are irrevocably changed by an untimely death in this Sunday Times bestselling novel \nAlex and Christine and Zach and Lydia have been inseparable since their twenties. From student house-shares and grubby pubs to proper homes and grown-up careers\, the two couples’ lives have been interlinked for decades. Then one evening\, Alex and Christine receive a call from a distraught Lydia. Zach is dead. \nInconsolable\, Lydia moves in with Alex and Christine. But instead of their loss bringing them closer\, the three of them find that love and sorrow give way to anger and bitterness as old entanglements and resentments rise from the past. \nUnflinching\, intelligent and fascinating — Marian Keyes
URL:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/event/hawthorn-club-may-2026/
LOCATION:Pickering Book Tree\, 43a Market Place\, Pickering\, YO18 7AE
CATEGORIES:Book Club,Hawthorn Club,Meet at the Book Tree
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ORGANIZER;CN="Pickering Book Tree":MAILTO:shop@pickeringbooktree.co.uk
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260515T190000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260515T200000
DTSTAMP:20260416T220641
CREATED:20260107T163335Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260404T174947Z
UID:10000025-1778871600-1778875200@www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk
SUMMARY:Ellie Levenson
DESCRIPTION:New date — this event had to be rescheduled due to Ellie’s train being at an hours long standstill last time. We’re so glad that it’s been possible to find a new date when Ellie will be able to travel up to us again!\n \nWe’re delighted to welcome Ellie Levenson to the Book Tree to discuss her deeply suspenseful and original debut novel! \nRoom 706 is both reflective and pacy with the tension of a very real threat looming over the narrator throughout. Caught somewhere she shouldn’t be when the worst happens — in the wrong place at precisely the worst time — she must face the most confronting situation of her life and discover what matters most. \nBuilt upon a brilliant concept brought to life sensitively\, and led by a deeply layered and very believable main character\, this story is gripping and emotional in equal measure and lingers long after turning the final page. \nThis event will start at the slightly earlier time of 7pm\, and the shop door will be open from 6.30pm with complementary wine and cordial available on arrival. \nTickets are free and guarantee entry to the event. Please contact the shop or use the booking form below to reserve your seats. \nWe look forward to seeing you there! \n  \nAbout the Book\nA tense\, riveting read about the unpredictable ripple effects luck and choices can have — Tracy Sierra \nA love story wrapped in a grenade — Cecelia Ahern \nIf she knew it would end this way\, would it ever have begun?\nWhen mother of two Kate goes to meet her lover James in a hotel room\, she watches in horror when she switches on the TV and realises their hotel has been taken under terrorist siege. Told to stay silent and hidden\, Kate is trapped in a room with a man she’s been having an affair with for years – her escape hatch\, her release valve – but who she doesn’t really know at all. \nIn one room\, with the possibility of death looming\, Kate is left to contemplate what has led her here. She reflects on the grief and heartbreak of her young life\, the complexities of her relationship with her husband\, Vic\, and the pure\, unadulterated love she feels for her children. Intricately weaving Kate’s past in with her present\, Room 706 follows one woman taking stock of her life\, and considering what life might hold in store – if she makes it home. \nI devoured it… I haven’t stopped thinking about it — Jennie Godfrey \nA suspenseful real-time page-turner with an ending that demands to be talked about — Erin Kelly \n  \nAbout the Author\nEllie Levenson has worked as a journalist\, writer and lecturer for many years. \nHer freelance work as a feature writer and columnist saw articles published across national newspapers\, consumer magazines and specialist publications\, with a special focus on writing accessibly about politics\, language and social issues. \nEllie has extensive experience as a lecturer in journalism at Goldsmiths College\, University of London\, and has been a guest lecturer at many other institutions. She has also worked as an Adjunct Professor at the London programmes of Boston University and Syracuse University. \nBefore becoming a novelist\, Ellie wrote non-fiction books for adults and non-fiction and picture books for children. These include Politics in 100 words (Quarto\, 2020)\, Creativity and Feature Writing: How to get hundreds of new ideas every day (Routledge\, 2015)\, The Election (Fisherton Press\, 2015) and The Noughtie Girl’s Guide to Feminism (Oneworld\, 2009).
URL:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/event/ellie-levenson/
LOCATION:Pickering Book Tree\, 43a Market Place\, Pickering\, YO18 7AE
CATEGORIES:Book Club Fiction,Debut,Fiction,In Conversation With,Meet the Author
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Ellie-Levenson-new-date-webp.webp
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260529T193000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260529T210000
DTSTAMP:20260416T220641
CREATED:20260408T224454Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260408T224454Z
UID:10000039-1780083000-1780088400@www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk
SUMMARY:Katie Carr
DESCRIPTION:We very much look forward to welcoming Katie Carr to mark the much anticipated publication of her memoir Thundery at Times. \nKatie’s first book Moderate Becoming Good Later follows her brother Toby as he faces a life‑limiting illness through sea kayaking and the solace of the natural world\, written from his recordings and notes. \nThundery at Times is her own memoir of finishing his Shipping Forecast journey while navigating loss\, a difficult family past\, and midlife in Barcelona. \nThis event will start at 7.30pm and the shop door will be open from 7pm with complementary wine and cordial available on arrival. \nTickets are free and guarantee entry to the event. Please contact the shop or use the booking form below to reserve your seats. \nWe look forward to seeing you there! \n  \nAbout the Book:\nKatie had never been in a sea kayak\, but when her brother Toby died in the middle of his challenge to paddle in every area of the Shipping Forecast\, she decided to honour his memory by completing his adventure. On a journey that takes her from the monotonies of motherhood in urban Barcelona to the far reaches of the Shipping Forecast through the wilds of the British Isles\, Katie is forced to face her past and question her present\, exploring the loss of her family members as well as her own identity. After two years of inelegant paddling and potentially worse parenting\, can she complete the challenge? \nThundery at Times is not a story of battling high seas or completing daring tasks\, but one of making your own rules and living life to the full. It is about finding joy and hope in nature\, motherhood and middle age\, in nurturing your own adventures and embracing connection and peace. It is a story of female resilience in the face of adversity; of staring down grief and asking\, what’s possible from here? \n  \nAbout the Author\nKatie Carr is a British author\, coach and trainer based in Barcelona. Her work sits where sea and city\, loss and possibility meet: she writes narrative non‑fiction and helps people find steadier ways of leading and living; her narrative non‑fiction is rooted in sea\, weather and family\, and includes Moderate Becoming Good Later and Thundery at Times.
URL:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/event/katie-carr/
LOCATION:Pickering Book Tree\, 43a Market Place\, Pickering\, YO18 7AE
CATEGORIES:In Conversation With,Meet the Author,Memoir,Non Fiction,Travel Writing
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260618
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260624
DTSTAMP:20260416T220641
CREATED:20260320T192128Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260320T215835Z
UID:10000037-1781740800-1782259199@www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk
SUMMARY:Pickering Midsummer Festival
DESCRIPTION:The first Pickering Midsummer Festival will take place from Thursday 18th to Tuesday 23rd June 2026\, in the beautiful and historic town of Pickering North Yorkshire. \nIt will be a folk traditions themed weekend of music\, author events\, storytelling\, art\, performance\, heritage crafts\, a dash of midsummer magic\, plus more as it develops over time. \nThere’ll be much more announced over the coming weeks — including an exciting lineup of events — but for now we just wanted to share the early news that it’s happening! \n  \nFind Out More\nRegister using the form below to hear when full information about year’s events lineup. We will email you once the event pages are online so that you can find out more and book tickets\, or save the date for unticketed events. \nYou can also follow Pickering Midsummer Festival on Facebook or Instagram to stay in the loop and find out about festival events as they’re announced. Or join our email newsletter (scroll to near the end of our website homepage here) for occasional updates including events and book recommendations. \nIf you’re as excited about this as we are\, please share this page to help make the first Pickering Midsummer Festival a wonderful weekend for everybody!
URL:https://www.pickeringbooktree.co.uk/event/midsummer-festival-2026/
CATEGORIES:Community Event,Pickering Midsummer Festival
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