April Festival 2025

Claire Douglas, L.V. Matthews and G.D. Wright

Fri 25 Apr | 10:00am

Writing to Thrill

Three popular crime writers discuss their novels and the art of writing thrillers

Fri 25 Apr | 10:00am

Andy Hussey | Any Trout About?

Story time with Andy Hussey and The Anywhere Book Club

Fri 25 Apr | 11:00am

Margaret Sturton | Alberta: A Cautionary Tale

Story time and fun wtih popular local author

Fri 25 Apr | 12:00pm

Fresh Voices: A Conversation with Debut Authors

Discover the journeys and inspirations behind two captivating debut novels

Fri 25 Apr | 2:00pm

Tracy Chevalier | The Glassmaker

Tracy Chevalier in conversation with Rebecca Fletcher

Fri 25 Apr | 4:00pm

Simon Heffer | Scarcely English: A-Z of Assaults on our Language

Simon Heffer in conversation with Gaby Huddart

Fri 25 Apr | 4:30pm

Nicky Smith-Dale | Betty Steady

Story time fun and games with Betty Steady in the land of Wobbly Rock

Susie Dent author image credit Stewart Williams

Fri 25 Apr | 6:00pm

Susie Dent | Guilty By Definition

Countdown's Susie Dent discusses her new novel and her love of words

Fri 25 Apr | 8:00pm

Jeremy Bowen | The Making of the Modern Middle East: A Personal History

BBC International Editor, Jeremy Bowen, discusses the shaping of the modern Middle East

Sat 26 Apr | 9:00am

Sohail Husain | Beyond Beliefs

Sohail Husain discusses his family's unconventional history

Sat 26 Apr | 10:00am

The Countess of Carnarvon | The Earl and the Pharaoh

From the Real Downton Abbey....to the Discovery of Tutankhamun

Sat 26 Apr | 10:00am

Rob Eastaway | Much Ado About Numbers: Shakespeare’s Mathematical Life and Times

Rob Eastaway reveals fascinating new insights into the world of Shakespeare

Sat 26 Apr | 11:30am

Patrick Grant | Less: Stop Buying So Much Rubbish

The Sewing Bee's judge, Patrick Grant, discusses his new book

Sat 26 Apr | 11:30am

Marcel Dirsus | How Tyrants Fall …and How Nations Survive

The author of The Economist's Book of the Year offers insights into tyrants

Sat 26 Apr | 12:30pm

Chris Jackson | 20 Years of Royal Photography: Behind the Crown

Chris Jackson discusses his career as Getty Royal Photographer

Sat 26 Apr | 1:00pm

Kathryn Sutherland | Jane Austen in 41 Objects

New insights into Jane Austen's life and times.

Sat 26 Apr | 2:00pm

Ben Pentreath | An English Vision

Britain's most acclaimed architectural designer talks about his work and inspirations

Sat 26 Apr | 3:30pm

Carrie Sellon | Pizza Pete

Local author Carrie Sellon introduces Pizza Pete and the Missing Magic

Sat 26 Apr | 3:30pm

William Hanson | Just Good Manners

The UK's leading etiquette expert, and Instagram sensation, talks about modern manners

Sat 26 Apr | 4:30pm

Maz Evans | Oh What a Knight!

Meet superstar children's author, Maz Evans, and find out about her latest book

Sat 26 Apr | 7:00pm

Dame Kelly Holmes | Unique

Kelly Holmes talks about her life and new memoir with Gaby Huddart

Sun 27 Apr | 10:00am

Judy Murray | The Wild Card

Judy Murray discusses her new novel and her life in tennis

Sun 27 Apr | 10:00am

Kate Nicholson | Behind Everest: Ruth Mallory’s Story

Kate Nicholson talks about the life of Ruth Mallory

Sun 27 Apr | 11:00am

How to Get Published | Submitting Your Book to Agents and Editors with Tom Bromley and Judith Heneghan

Advice on how to get your book published from industry insiders

Tom Holland, photographed by Charlie Hopkinson ©

Sun 27 Apr | 12:00pm

Tom Holland | The Lives of the Caesars

Britain's most listened to historian, Tom Holland, discusses his new book about the lives of the Caesars

Sun 27 Apr | 12:00pm

Franco Fubini | In Search of the Perfect Peach with Dr Federica Amati

Food for Thought - why flavour holds the answer to fixing our food system

Sun 27 Apr | 2:00pm

Pollyanna Wilkinson | How to Design a Garden

Create and Maintain Your Dream Garden