Brighton’s oldest independent bookshop
91 St. George’s Road, Brighton BN2 1EE
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This is a preorder page. The publication date is on the 17th September 2026.
This anthology brings together poetry and prose to celebrate independent bookshops. It has been specially commissioned for the 50th Anniversary of the opening of Kemptown Bookshop in Brighton, while honouring the significant impact independent bookshops have on local communities and on the arts.
Featuring winning writers and contributors including Peter James · Elly Griffiths · Roy McFarlane · Erin James · AFLO. the poet
Cover design by Alexa Vieira
Published by époque press
We are a small team. We aim to dispatch your order within 3-5 working days. Thank you for your patience.
By Cathy Hayward
She thought she knew her family. One photograph proves she has been living a lie. Joanne has always believed her mother died giving birth to her.
It’s a painful truth, but one she’s accepted. Then, whilst sorting through old baby clothes, she finds a photograph tucked away in a box—her birth mother, smiling and very much alive, cradling a newborn in her arms. As Joanne starts searching, the answers she gets only lead to more questions.
Her journey takes her to Rose Cottage, where her mother once lived, and into a past filled with long-hidden secrets. Can she find out what really happened? What could be so terrible that her father has kept it from her for her whole life—and is she ready for the truth?
These are signed copies with an exclusive bookmark.
We are a small team. We aim to dispatch your order within 3-5 working days. Thank you for your patience.
by Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse
Blanche returns to Rwanda after building a life in Bordeaux with her husband and young son, Stokely. Reuniting with her mother Immaculata, old wounds are reopened for both mother and daughter while Stokely, caught between two countries, tries to understand where he comes from and where he belongs. Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse’s unforgettable debut novel follows three generations torn apart by the genocide against the Tutsis, as they try to reconnect with one another, rebuild broken links and find their place in today’s world.
More Than a Bookshop
We host a wide range of events from book launches to writing groups, children’s story time to co-working sessions, book clubs, and more. Drop in or check out the full listing below.