Loveday Cardew's beloved Lost for Words bookshop, along with the rest of York, has fallen quiet. At the very time when people most need books to widen their horizons, or escape from their fears, or enhance their lives, the doors are closed. Then the first letter comes. Rosemary and George have been married for fifty years. Now their time is running out. They have decided to set out on their last journey together, without ever leaving the bench at the bottom of their garden in Whitby. All they need is someone who shares their love of books. Suddenly it's clear to Loveday that she and her team can do something useful in a crisis. They can recommend books to help with the situations their customers find themselves in: fear, boredom, loneliness, the desire for laughter and escape.

Stephanie Butland is the author of eight novels, including the beloved bookshop tale Lost For Words.

Stephanie lives near the sea in the north-east of England, with her husband Alan and Harris the greyhound. She writes in a studio at the bottom of her garden. For fun, she reads, knits, bakes, walks, and goes to the cinema and theatre. Stephanie loves to talk books and meet readers, and is an occasional performance poet.