Born in Paris, Adam grew up in India, Cameroon and England, following the postings of his father, who worked for Pan Am. After graduating from Magdalen College, Oxford in 1979, he founded a touring theatre company before teaching mime and physical theatre in London’s East End. He has lived in the Cevennes in France for over 25 years and currently teaches at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Nîmes.

His first novel Ulverton was described by John Fowles as "the most interesting first novel I have read these last years" and was awarded the Winifred Holtby Memorial Prize. It has become a literary classic, much praised for its panoramic portrait of rural England through its 12 interlinked stories of a single downland village from the time of Cromwell to the 1980s. Since then he has written both contemporary and historical novels, showcasing an eclectic range of style and form but always with beautiful prose, skillfully-drawn characters and a strong connection between people and place.

Adam will present his latest novel, Missing Fay, published earlier this month. Described as "superb" by The Sunday Times, it centres on the disappearance of a spirited 14-year old from a Lincoln housing estate. Is she a runaway or a victim? As the mystery of Fay's disappearance unfolds, Adam offers what BBC Radio 4 has described as “a biopsy slice through a community”, an atmospheric story, interwoven with the varied lives of six locals, a wonderfully eccentric collection of characters who are all touched, one way or another, by her disappearance.

Beautifully written, with great psychological depth, forensic insight, a strong sense of place and sharp wit, this is a must-read book for the summer. To find out more about Adam, click here

Book Sale

There will be book sales and signings at the end of each session.
You can also buy a selection of books by participating authors throughout the weekend at our bookshop

Whats On...

Adam Thorpe is an award-winning novelist, poet and playwright, about whom Hilary Mantel has said "there is no contemporary author I admire more". Over his 25-year career, he has published 11 novels, 2 short story collections, 6 poetry collections and a non-fiction book On Silbury Hill, which was BBC Radio 4’s Book of the Week in 2014.

www.blevinsfranks.com