Books

A bumper selection from local authors, with plenty of reading options for the summer holidays.

The Hotel by the Sea
by Julie Caplin

A charming, feel-good romance set against the sun-soaked Algarve coast. The story follows Rebecca, seeking a fresh start, and her complicated connection with the charismatic Felipe. Caplin’s vivid descriptions of Portugal create an immersive, escapist atmosphere, while the slow-burn romance feels both warm and believable.

A delightful summer escape about self-discovery, healing, and finding love in unexpected places. Perfect to read on the plane or the beach, or in the garden if that’s as far as you’re going this summer!

An evening course in Tring, entitled Writing for Profit or Pleasure, set Julie Caplin on her novel-writing  career. The six-week adult education course, which was run at Tring School, taught her everything she didn’t know about writing and needed to learn. That was 16 years and many novels ago. Julie also writes romantic and historical fiction as Jules Wake.

Hold Your Teen Close
by Penny Goodwin

This is a compassionate and practical guide for parents navigating the often turbulent teenage years. There are books and magazine articles galore about the baby stage, but once you get to the teenage years, information is sparse. Goodwin emphasises the importance of maintaining emotional connection, even as teens push for independence. Through relatable examples and clear advice, she encourages open communication, empathy, and consistency. The book balances understanding adolescent development with actionable strategies, helping parents respond rather than react. Based around teen boys (though much of its wisdom will apply equally to either gender), it offers thoughtful insights grounded in real-life experience.

Herts-based parenting educator and author Penny Goodwin has worked closely with teenage boys facing personal and emotional challenges, supporting their development in areas such as emotional  intelligence, self-esteem, confidence, education, decision-making, and relationships.

The Forgers
by Roger Moorhouse

This is a gripping and meticulously researched account of one of the most audacious deception operations of the Second World War. The author brings clarity and narrative drive to the complex story of Nazi-led forgery efforts, combining archival depth with vivid storytelling. The book excels in revealing the human dimension behind the operation – its victims, perpetrators, and reluctant participants. At times dense with detail, it nonetheless rewards the reader with a fascinating exploration of fraud, survival, and moral ambiguity under extreme conditions.

Roger Moorhouse has lived in and around Tring for most of his life. A historian specialising in Nazi Germany, Poland and World War Two in Europe, his latest book Wolfpack (2025), looks inside Hitler’s U-boat War. First to Fight – written in a shed at the end of his garden – was awarded the Polish Foreign Ministry History Prize in 2020.

Fantastic Visions: A Life in Art of Imagination
by Brigid Marlin

Well-known Berkhamsted artist Brigid Marlin has written about her life in this fascinating autobiography, which is peppered with her wonderful, bold artwork.

Brigid was born in Washington DC, in 1936, and when the family later moved to Europe, Brigid went to art school in Dublin, Paris, and finally in New York. After she married, she moved to England, and Hemel Hempstead, where she and her husband brought up their three boys.

Brigid studied with Ernst Fuchs, a Viennese visionary artist, and developing her skill as a portrait painter led to commissions, such as the Queen Mother, PL Travers, the Dalai Lama and JG Ballard, her painting of whom is in the National Portrait Gallery.

This book offers a fascinating insight into the life of an artist, as well as being generously illustrated with her paintings.

Brigid moved to Berkhamsted in 1995, where she continues to teach, write and paint – Mary Casserley, chairman of the Berkhamsted Local History and Museum Society is one of her pupils. Brigid also published Techniques in Painting – Learning from the Dutch Masters, in 2022.

Blimey, I’m Knackered: An American’s Survival Guide to British English
by Marshall Hall

George Bernard Shaw is famously believed to have said: ‘England and America are two countries separated by a common language’, and in this handy guide, Marshall Hall attempts to bring the two nations together, by helping translate much of the English vernacular for his American compatriots. If you love language and its idiosyncrasies, it’s a fascinating read, wherever you are from. The perfect book to dip in and out of when you have a few moments to spare.

Historic Bridges of Buckinghamshire
by Marshall Hall

Marshall is also something of a bridge buff – and among the books he has written on the subject is Historic Bridges of Buckinghamshire. I guarantee you’ll learn more about bridges than you ever thought, and pick up some interesting local history, such as the story of the Battle of Olney Bridge, and why a bridge was praised by 17-century diarist Samuel Pepys.

A professor of socio-anthropology, Marshall Hall was born in Ohio. He moved from the University of Cincinnati to teach at the American College in London. Now, 33 years later, he still calls the UK home. He lives with his English wife in Chesham.

All in Love is Fair
by Chris Baker

This is a compelling and emotionally charged novel that explores the complexities of love, loyalty, and personal sacrifice. Chris crafts relatable characters whose flaws and desires feel authentic, drawing readers into their tangled relationships. The narrative, which takes us through two World Wars, balances heartfelt moments with tension, keeping the story engaging throughout. Themes of forgiveness and self-discovery resonate strongly, leaving a lasting impression. Overall, it is a thoughtful and enjoyable read that will appeal to fans of character-driven romance and drama.

Chris has turned his lifelong passion for astronomy into an art business based on his astro-photography. He and his wife Fiona divide their time between Dudswell, Berkhamsted, and Devon, and Chris finds he gets inspired to write during walks and cycle rides in the Chilterns and on Dartmoor.

The War Unseen
by Stephen C Brehm

Tring has been used as the inspiration for the small town that features in this engaging young adult book. When Josh Summers and his brother Dan move to a rather dull small market town in southern England, they never dreamed they would end up fighting an enemy force. As strange events unfold, Josh becomes caught in a conflict involving ancient evil and echoes of knighthood and legend. The novel blends everyday realism with supernatural tension, creating an eerie atmosphere. And all while the town’s inhabitants remain unaware of what is happening. Or do they…?!

Steve is a screenwriter who has lived in Tring for 25 years. He won the world’s largest screenwriting competition in 2022, and has a number of feature-length projects in development. He decided to try his hand at YA novel writing, hoping to encourage more boys to read books.

A Sequence of Cosmic Accidents
by S.A Reyhani

This is a lively and imaginative adventure that blends science fiction with emotional depth. Aimed at ages 10-12, it follows Arian, a grieving boy whose life is disrupted when his strange foster sister, Madlock, turns out to be a fugitive from another world. The story combines humour, fast-paced action, and inventive world-building, with wormholes, magic, and an ancient enemy driving the plot. The use of Victorian-era slang and insults had this linguistics-loving reviewer giggling. Alongside the excitement, it thoughtfully explores grief, friendship and identity. Engaging and funny, it’s a highly entertaining debut that balances heartfelt moments with wild, cosmic adventure.

A Sequence of Cosmic Accidents was a National Book Tokens top pick for children’s books in 2025. The author grew up in Berkhamsted and spends every summer there, pottering around the castle with her children or down the Kings Arms (preferably without the children).