What a night! We were thrilled to welcome the brilliant Emma Stonex back to The Bookery for the launch of her new novel, The Sunshine Man. And as if having one superstar wasn’t enough, our audience got a surprise bonus: Emma’s good friend Melissa Lesage—the talented photographer behind the striking author photo on the inside jacket—was with us in our Link Room. A double bill of talent, right here in Crediton! Back in 2022, Emma joined us to launch The Lamplighters — her Sunday Times bestselling debut, translated into 25 languages and loved by readers everywhere. She describes it as a bit of a “Marmite” book, but if you haven’t read it yet, event chair Anne Oxborough OBE strongly recommends you do. Anne has interviewed authors for us previously and was once again in the chair for this event leading a conversation that was free flowing, captivating, funny, and wonderfully warm — just the way we like it. For the detail lovers (you know who you are): The Sunshine Man’s sprayed edges come in 17 different variations. Yes, seventeen. Stack them together and you’ve got yourself an actual work of art. Book nerd heaven and a big shout out to Picador for the creativity and providing such a visually appealing Independent Bookshop Edition.

Emma’s latest is a chilling, twisty thriller that begins with a bang—literally. “The week I shot a man clean through the head began like any other.” That’s the opening line. Go on, try not to keep reading but not much point issuing a trigger warning after that! The story follows Birdie, a woman who’s been waiting years to settle the score with Jimmy Maguire, her sister’s killer. Now he’s out of prison. She’s got a plan. And a gun. What follows is a gripping tale that travels from the grit of London to the rolling hills of Devon and the haunting Cornish coast. But what makes it so compelling is how it’s told—from both Birdie’s and Jimmy’s perspectives. Just when you think you’ve figured it all out, Emma twists the knife (figuratively, mostly).

Emma shared some fascinating behind-the-scenes stories—like how she actually had to abandon the book she started after The Lamplighters. A tough call, but the right one, she says. From there came The Sunshine Man, a novel fuelled by big themes: revenge, justice (both legal and spiritual), forgiveness, and how the traumas of childhood can echo into adult life. She spoke about her research—reading first-person accounts of men in prison and even visiting prison libraries to meet inmates’ book groups. She described those sessions as exhilarating and eye-opening. Emma talked about HM Prison Grendon, a therapeutic prison focused on communication, trust and rehabilitation. It’s a place that challenges the idea that people are simply the sum of their worst actions—a theme that runs deep through the book and one that clearly made an impression on our loyal and supportive customers.

It was clear from the reading Emma gave that Birdie isn’t your typical revenge heroine. When she watches Jimmy smoke a cigarette shortly after his release, something about his casual enjoyment enrages her—it gives her the push she needs to follow through. We found ourselves holding our breath during that excerpt. The tension! The writing! The absolutely un-put-downable quality of it all. Anne also touched on Emma’s recent Woman’s Hour interview and those central themes of justice vs. vengeance, and the murky spaces in between. Can revenge ever bring peace? Is there such a thing as spiritual justice? And what happens when you dedicate your whole life to settling a score?

Of course, we couldn’t let Emma go without asking about that mention of Crediton on page 304. Anne did her best to pinpoint the village where the final showdown takes place, but Emma played her cards close to her chest. “A village a few miles from Crediton,” she said with a smile—which is just vague enough to send local imaginations running wild. The evening wrapped up with some thoughtful audience questions about the writing process, life inside UK prisons, and how Emma works with her editors. Emma then spent time chatting with readers and signing copies of The Sunshine Man.

Huge thanks to Emma for being such a generous and engaging guest, and to Anne for guiding the evening with humour, insight, and just the right amount of dramatic flair.

And yes, we do have signed copies of The Sunshine Man available now—sprayed edges and all—in-store and online HERE. Come and grab one before they disappear!