Books
An eclectic collection of reads from local authors, including everything from mystery and fantasy to dystopian and surreal fiction.
Flume
by Bigfoot
Surrealist author Bigfoot has done it again, with this compelling story, set on a 33-minute ride down London’s largest water flume ride.
A ride built by a famous seafarer called Mr Poppy, who died on his first slide down it.
12-year-old Shanks is no fan of rides like these – nor can he swim – but his uncle has paid for it as a birthday treat.
He reluctantly pushes off behind his two friends, but in the 33 minutes the ride lasts, can he make sure they don’t suffer the same fate as the ride’s inventor?
A tale with twists and turns and mystery, Bigfoot has written this for kids and big kids. A thrilling ride of a read!
Bigfoot is a local author who creates surreal stories for middle school age up to adult. Flume was a finalist in the Wishing Shelf Book Awards.
Edward IX, The Black Lion
by Sandy Berlin
What would happen if the way we live now was taken from us, and we returned to a world before the industrial revolution?
How would we survive if cities fell apart as all technology was wiped out and we returned to life in the countryside, surviving off the land, with no electricity and no modern medicine?
That’s what happens when a man who believes he is the rightful Plantagenet king takes over not only Britain, but the world.
This thought-provoking tale carries us along with Colonel Alex Rheinhart, one of Britain’s most decorated female soldiers, who finds herself thrown into this alien world, and her quest to find the ‘king’ takes her across the globe to discover a horrific world of mind control and clones.
You won’t want to put it down, and the good news is that the sequel, Edward X: The Gold Lion, is already out now!
Sandy Berlin is a retired bank manager, who has lived in Northchurch for over 30 years, with his wife Janet. He says: ‘Writing has become one of my favourite pastimes so far.’ A third book is already in the works.
The Missing Madonna
by MH Field
MH Field brings us back to the Chiltern village of Diston St. Peter with another mystery for the Reverend Robin to solve.
This time an unexpected visitor sends Robin on a quest to find the missing Madonna statue.
Another cosy, easy read, perfect for indulging in while travelling to your holiday destination or for a relaxing read sitting in the garden.
MH Field has lived in a village in the Chilterns for over 40 years. After a life working in the financial sector and commuting into London every day, they have now retired and enjoy travel and photography. This is their second book about the Reverend Robin and his wife Penny. The first book, A Difficult Truth, was published in 2024.
Prince of the Sommerlings
by E.L. Grant
The Sommerlings – or faeries – vanished from Elbion thousands of years ago, when a great evil drove them from their homes and into a magical, hidden kingdom.
They were forbidden to return to Elbion on pain of death, in fear that the evil, a terrible creature called Morgalene, would re-awake. But they did return, and she did awake – putting the magical faerie land in danger.
Now, they must hope that the Prince of the Sommerlings, the spirit of nature, will rise once more to save both kingdoms.
The author paints a wonderful picture of the worlds in his book, and the story is well-paced – with the action speeding up as we approach the finale. Even if you’re not a huge fan of fantasy fiction, this makes for an easy read, and it’s a fabulous read for fantasy aficionados.
The author and his partner Denise have recently moved house, to live on the edge of Ashridge Forest. He works for John Lewis, is an avid Arsenal fan, and enjoys cross country running, pubs and Caribbean cooking.
His dream is to be writing full time from a luxury cabin in the bottom of the garden and to see his work make it onto the big screen.
Man Trouble: Belonging / Behaviour / Biology
by David Algar
In this interesting read, David looks at what it means to be a man in today’s society. He combines personal experience in an engaging, very honest and often humorous way. For men of a certain age, his essays on losing glasses, the prostate and keeping chickens will definitely be relatable! Younger readers may get a taste of what’s to come!
Written as a series of essays, the book is easy to dip in and out of, as and when you wish, to read about everything from drinking culture and the boys’ trip to nicknames and banter, as well as David’s very honest account of his own cancer battle.
An engaging read for anyone, whether you’re a man who can relate, a teenage boy finding your place in the world, or someone who wants to find out more about the way their male partner or friend, son, or brother interacts in society.
David Algar is a Bucks-based author with a degree in psychology and politics, a long career in industry, a wife, two kids, five chickens, their bikes and a kayak!