Books
An eclectic mix of books for readers this spring, with fascinating fiction, local history, and a guide to mental and emotional wellbeing.
The Adventures of Annie Harrison: The Antiques Dealer Who Hears Dead People
The Further Adventures of Annie Harrison
by B G Lambourne
Set in and around Tring, this delightful and highly readable pair of novels follows antiques dealer Annie Harrison, who has a rare gift: she can connect with spirits through old objects.
The books will charm anyone who, like Annie, loves the thrill of uncovering hidden treasures at car boot sales and auctions. At heart, they are a warm celebration of female friendship, following Annie and her best friend Alice as they hunt for stock for Annie’s antiques business – with plenty of pauses along the way for cake, wine, and good conversation.
In the second book, the fun continues as Annie and Alice find themselves caught up in fresh mysteries, including the sporadic appearance of a ghostly child and an upcoming wedding… but whose wedding is it?
With its hugely likeable characters and gentle supernatural twists, The Adventures of Annie Harrison is an easy, comforting read that would translate beautifully into a cosy TV drama series.
The author is a 50-something mother of three grown-up children and has lived in Tring for almost 35 years. Annie Harrison was the name of her great-grandmother — although the character is fictional. Several of the antiques featured in the books are inspired by real finds from the author’s own visits to car boot sales and Tring auctions.
A Novel Plot and Other Short Stories of the Unexpected
by Jay Myers
This contemporary short-story collection delivers a range of fiction built around twisty, surprising ideas.
Jay’s imagination is expansive, and the variety on display is impressive. One moment you’re pondering what you’d do if you won the chance to go on a date with anyone who has ever lived – would you choose a legendary writer, a music icon, a sporting hero… or make a far more unexpected choice? The next, you might stumble upon a mysterious alien craft on a deserted Norfolk beach, share dinner with a virtual companion, or follow a writer who discovers they can no longer control their own fictional creations.
Across its 12 tales, no two stories feel alike. Some will make you laugh out loud; at least one is likely to bring a tear. All of them invite you to step into the story and ask yourself what you would do in the same situation.
Wigginton’s Jay Myers is a novelist and short story writer. Drawing on many years in publishing, he writes fast-moving stories that surprise, challenge, and captivate readers. Jay was born in Canada and is the author of four novels. A Novel Plot is the second collection of short stories. When he’s not writing, he enjoys playing trumpet and flugelhorn.
How to Be Selfish: 7 Steps to Taking Back Your Power
by Suzy Reading
As a chartered psychologist and wellbeing expert, in this book, Suzy Reading challenges the culturally ingrained belief that putting yourself first is inherently selfish.
Instead, she draws on a blend of somatic therapy, neuroscience, conventional psychology and practical coaching tools to argue that healthy selfishness – the practice of filling your own cup first – is essential for mental and emotional wellbeing.
At its core, the book outlines seven steps designed to help readers reclaim peace, assert boundaries, and develop self-advocacy skills. Reading’s voice throughout is compassionate and encouraging, appealing especially to anyone struggling with people-pleasing, perfectionism, or burnout.
One of the book’s strengths is how it recasts ‘selfishness’ as self-respect, rather than egocentric self-indulgence, reframing needs like rest, saying no, and boundary-setting as sacred acts rather than moral failings.
Suzy Reading lives in Berkhamsted with her husband and two children. She’s a chartered psychologist, specialising in self-worth and developing a healthy relationship with self. She has written nine titles on self-care. She also offers counselling, coaching, walk and talks in Ashridge, and teaching yoga, and mummy and baby yoga classes.
Berkhamsted in 50 buildings
by Dr Paul Rabbitts
When you live or work in a town, it’s all too easy to hurry past its buildings without a second glance, whether you’re dashing to the office or doing the school run. Yet behind many familiar facades lie stories far richer – and stranger – than you might imagine.
This engaging book brings the town’s history vividly to life, uncovering the stories behind the historic buildings we pass every day. Some of them may surprise you with their significance: the former M&Co, for example, was once a school attended by the 18th-century poet William Cowper.
Elsewhere, the book reveals dramatic – and sometimes shocking – tales hidden behind respectable exteriors. One building, for example, was home to a seemingly upstanding man who was hanged in 1845 for the murder of his secret mistress.
The journey continues along the canal, where a host of intriguing buildings – including the much-loved canalside pubs – add yet more colour to Berkhamsted’s past.
Fascinating and accessible, this book is a must-read for anyone with a connection to Berkhamsted, and a rich resource for school students exploring local history.
Dr Paul Rabbitts is a qualified landscape architect and current Head of Environment Services for Norwich City Council. There are 15 books in the ‘in 50 Buildings’ series – including Tring, Leighton Buzzard, Watford and Aylesbury.