THE Bookery is delighted to welcome novelist Danielle Giles in conversation with folklorist Mark Norman at 7pm on Thursday, February 12 for the paperback launch of her acclaimed historical gothic novel Mere.

Join us for an evocative evening as Danielle Giles discusses her haunting debut Mere—a darkly atmospheric tale set in 10th-century Norfolk, where faith, fear, and forbidden love collide in a convent surrounded by treacherous marshland.

The paperback edition will be launched at this special event, with Danielle in conversation with Mark Norman, friend of The Bookery, folklorist and founder of The Folklore Podcast.

Set deep in the Fens, Mere follows an isolated order of holy sisters whose lives are governed by faith and fear. When the mere claims a young servant boy, the convent’s fragile order begins to unravel, revealing secrets darker and more unholy than Sister Hilda could ever have imagined.

As visions, curses, and forbidden love take hold, Giles weaves a tale of survival and transformation that is both timeless and unsettling. The novel’s claustrophobic setting and supernatural edge make it a perfect read for the long winter nights.

Danielle Giles is a writer and researcher based in Bristol. Her work has appeared in Extra Teeth and Dear Damsels, and she has been recognised by the Bristol Short Story Prize, Brick Lane Bookshop Prize, and Bath Short Story Award. Mere is her first novel, with a second historical gothic currently in progress.

Mark Norman, chairing the evening, is a council member of the Folklore Society and founding curator of The Folklore Library and Archive. Appointed Recorder of Folklore for the Devonshire Association, Mark is internationally known for The Folklore Podcast, which has received over 2,000,000 downloads.

Danielle will be signing copies of Mere after the event.

Tickets £5 available at The Bookery or via our website: https://www.thebookery.org.