Books

Cuddle up this winter with one of these books from local authors – there’s something for all ages!

Finding Bear
By Hannah Gold

Our young reviewer Zoe Clark-Monks writes: Finding Bear is the sequel to The Last Bear, and follows the story of April Wood who, having returned from Bear Island, finds out that a polar bear has been shot in Svalbard and fears that it could be her friend, Bear. After convincing her father to come with her to Svalbard to see if Bear is all right she encounters multiple obstacles on the way. This book really enlightens you about the effects of climate change on animals and is a great read. It grips you from the very start and takes you on an unforgettable and amazingly illustrated story of courage and faith.

Hannah Gold is a bestselling author who grew up in Tring.

Capital Vices
By Conor Montague

If you’re looking for a very different read, this collection of stories from Conor Montague might fit the bill. Conor is well travelled and his stories take the reader around the world, from tough tales of Irish country life to the trials and tribulations of an Irish man paying a visit to the Taj Mahal. Why would a man find the latest robot disappointing – and what goes through a boxer’s mind while he’s being counted out? Find out this and much more. While Conor’s writing has a dark and sometimes disturbing tone, the stories’ humour evokes some laugh-out-loud moments. The images he paints with his words will remain with you for a long time.

Conor is originally from Ireland but now lives in Tring. He runs a local weekly writing class.

Christmas at the Wartime Bookshop
By Lesley Eames

Our favourite wartime trio are back again. Following hot on the heels of the second book in this Trilogy, Christmas at the Wartime Bookshop welcomes back Naomi, Alice and Kate.

This time, Naomi is trying to rid herself of the man who married her for her money, while Alice’s husband has returned to the war – but she has something to look forward to as she is now pregnant with their child.

Kate now has help from the land girls, but when her brother returns with terrible injuries what will this mean for her life? And why has her pilot beau Leo stopped writing?

As the festive season approaches, can their friendship and the spirit of community in the Hertfordshire village help them have a merry Christmas?

This is another cosy, comforting and heartwarming story from Lesley – perfect to read on a winter’s evening or discover in your Christmas stocking!

Award-winning author Lesley Eames lives in St Albans.

Dance Me To The End of Time
By Tanya Wheway

Tanya’s book is a moving tale of hard work, love and the importance of family. It is a fascinating account of Tanya’s life from her upbringing in Malta and Singapore, her spells in America and her all-encompassing love of one man, their resilience in the face of adversity and finally Tanya’s exotic travels with one of her granddaughters. It tells us how Tanya and Allan developed the concept of Champneys in Tring – familiar to many in the local area – and ran it not once but twice. It’s a very engaging read, part autobiography and part coach, delivering a multitude of ‘life lessons’ between the covers. It’s flamboyant and sparkling!

Ghostly Light
By Brenda Hurley

A magnificent carved bed is key to this final part of the trilogy about Louis, and has led to reality and the netherworld existing side by side in a room at the Royal Oak.

When Debs visits North Yorkshire and falls in love with its people and the countryside, she finds a number of strange coincidences that bring danger, romance, angels and demons to the inn.
This intriguing tale switches between the real world and the spirit world, where Louis is finally with his love – but what is threatening their happiness?

Will there be a happy ending in both worlds? You’ll want to keep reading to find out.

Tring author Brenda Hurley is a landscape artist, who only began writing in her late sixties. Ghostly Embrace and Ghostly Return are the first two parts of the trilogy.

Sour Cherry Soup
By Sara Clifford

Chilterns Stories is a collection of tales inspired by the diverse cultural and natural heritage of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, to provide new ways for people living and working in the area to appreciate the value of the landscape all around.

The collection includes four original books (with two more to come), as well as two well-known titles.
Sour Cherry Soup is written by playwright Sara, who weaves stories of Romans, agricultural history, bodgers, weavers and cherry growers into this one-woman show, which toured the Chilterns this year.

Find out more about the project and its other publications at www.chilternsaonb.org/chalkcherrieschairs.

The Ponies and Taren
By Pam Howard

Pam’s books regularly feature on our pages, but usually involve dragons and Ashridge woods. This time, Pam has focused on another animal, with this tale of Taren, who wins a scholarship to a private school that has a wonderful stables. Taren may be pony mad, but she’s also football crazy, and when her chance to play on the school team is scuppered by an unfortunate incident, she has to clear her name. Tackling the school bully, she is supported by her friend Max, who is star of the boys’ football team. This very readable school story is aimed at children aged eight-plus, and proves how kindness and honesty can win through. A lovely read for anyone who likes football, ponies or both!

Pam lives in Little Gaddesden and has had a lifelong passion for horses and riding.