About

Portsmouth BookFest returns for 2025, with a host of literary events taking place across the city. There will be interactive events, workshops and appearances from big names in the literary world.

This friendly and relaxed festival offers almost three weeks of exciting events for all ages in a range of lovely venues!

Portsmouth BookFest 2025

This year the event will be extra special, being part of In Our Words, a year long celebration of literature and literacy by local community group Portsmouth Creates. It aims to explore Portsmouth through storytelling, creativity, books and events. For more information, visit portsmouthcreates.co.uk.

The first week of this year's festival is a special programme of events for children, hosted during the half term holiday. Look forward to a tea party with The Tiger that Came to Tea, performances from Tigerboat Theatre Company, and workshops all about creative writing.

Then follows two weeks of events for adults, including Portsmouth BookFest's first Crime Bites series (featuring Simon Mayo, Pauline Rowson and more), as well as comedian Helen Lederer, behind the scenes at Who Do You Think You Are, and lots of brilliant talks and workshops.

You can buy tickets online at librariesandarchives.portsmouth.gov.uk. Unable to purchase online? Ask one of the friendly members of staff in any Portsmouth City Council Library and they will be happy to assist you.

Please note that organisers cannot guarantee tickets will be available to purchase on the door at certain events.

Event programme

The Tiger Who Came to Tea
18 – 20 February, times and locations vary (see below)
Cost: £3 (free for Leisure Card holders)
Hear Judith Kerr’s classic children’s story read by library staff, take part in a tea party and meet the tiger himself! Suitable for ages 2-10.
Tuesday 18 February:
• Portsmouth Central Library, 11am
• Portsea Library, 3.30pm
Wednesday 19 February:
• Paulsgrove Library, 10am
• Cosham Library, 1pm
• North End Library, 3.30pm
Thursday 20 February:
• Alderman Lacey Library, 10am
• Beddow Library, 1pm
• Southsea Library, 3.30pm

The Book Thief (2013) PG 13
20 February, 3pm–8pm
The Lens Studio, Portsmouth Guildhall
Cost: Free (booking required: portsmouthguildhall.org.uk)
Experience The Book Thief in a unique community-curated screening. Witness a special, immersive screening of The Book Thief (2013), curated by young people from Motiv8 South youth service, as part of the Making Waves Film Festival’s community cinema project. The Book Thief was selected for its profound literary themes and powerful story. This event also forms part of a city-wide festival celebrating literacy and literature.
Step into the world of Liesel Meminger, a young girl discovering the magic of books amid the darkness of Nazi Germany. As Liesel learns to read with the help of her kind-hearted foster father, she shares stolen books with her neighbours and a Jewish man hidden in her basement, offering solace and escape during turbulent times.
Expect more than just a film screening – this event promises an interactive, immersive experience crafted by young curators, inspired by The Book Thief’s themes of resilience, courage, and the transformative power of words. Activities surrounding the film will enhance your experience and connect you more deeply to Liesel’s world.

Soundtrack The Story
21 February, 10am
The Base, Portsmouth Guildhall
Cost: Free (booking required)
Booking: thebaseguildhall.com
A workshop for 11-to-16-year-olds exploring the world of stories and poetry through music and soundscapes. In this workshop, you will have the opportunity to record a part of a story or poem, create a soundscape, and then learn how to edit everything together! Sign up now to make sure you don’t miss out! No music experience necessary.

Drawing and story-making activities with Jonah Rideout, author of A Rubbish Journey
21 February, 2pm–3pm
Southsea Library
Cost: Free (booking required)
Join local children’s author Jonah Rideout for a fun-filled afternoon of drawing and story-making activities for children aged 6-12! Join in the fun whilst learning about the dangers of plastic pollution and the importance of keeping our oceans clean and safe.

Tigerboat Theatre
21 February, times and locations vary (see below)
Cost: £5 per session (booking required for each session). Free for Leisure Card holders.
Join in with an interactive storytelling session, using hand-crafted puppets and props to create a wonderful fairytale world, especially for the littlest of library-goers.
Tigerboat’s story sessions are designed for children aged 2-5 and their families, but everyone is welcome.
Carnegie Library:
• Goldilocks and the Three Bears, 9.45am
• The Billy Goats Gruff, 11am
North End Library:
• Goldilocks and the Three Bears, 2pm
• The Billy Goats Gruff, 3.30pm

Zine-Making Workshop
22 February, 10am–11am
University of Portsmouth Library
Cost: Free (booking required)
Let the University Library’s 'Outside in World: Children’s Books in Translation' collection inspire you to make your own Zine to take away. Please take photographic ID and allow time to sign in at reception. Children must be accompanied at all times by a responsible adult.

Moonstruck! Creative writing with Lynne Stretch
22 February, times and locations vary (see below)
Cost: £3 or free for Leisure card holders
For children age 7 to 11 years old. This workshop will help you write / illustrate poems as your imagination ”flies you to the moon and back”!
• Cosham Library, 10.15am–11.45am
• Southsea Library, 1.30pm–3pm

Black Yanks: Defending Leroy Henry in D-Day Britain – Kate Werran interviewed by Jo Durrant
24 February, 1pm–2.30pm
The D–Day Story
Cost: £7
A special event at The D–Day Story where author Kate Werran will be in conversation with presenter and podcaster Jo Durrant to tell the fascinating story behind her latest book. As the build-up to D-Day escalates, Leroy Henry’s story unfolds, allowing the reader to view a pivotal point in history with an entirely new perspective - making race, the ‘special relationship’ and the British people’s collective power key considerations.
Within the pages of Black Yanks, Kate Werran unearths archival material to reveal the story behind the first significant – if uncelebrated – win in the civil rights movement, a story that has been overlooked for nearly eight decades. Until now.

Regina with Emily Murdoch-Perkins
25 February, 2pm–3.30pm
Portsmouth Central Library
Cost: £7
What queens would England have had if firstborn daughters, not firstborn sons, had inherited the throne? Author Emily Murdoch-Perkins will talk about why it’s ‘time we rediscovered the politicians we lost, the masterminds we see negotiating nunneries not armies, the personalities shining brilliantly even hundreds of years later: the queens who should have been.
‘A fantastic, feminist dance through history.’ – Julia Quinn

Where Madness Lies: The double life of Vivien Leigh by Lyndsy Spence
25 February, 7pm
Location: Zoom (an event link will be emailed to you two days before the event)
Cost: £5
Vivien Leigh was one of the greatest film and theatrical stars of the twentieth century. Her meteoric rise to fame launched her into the gaze of fellow rising star Laurence Olivier. A tempestuous relationship ensued that would last for twenty years and captured the imagination of people around the world. Behind the scenes, however, Leigh’s personal life was marred by bipolar disorder, which remained undiagnosed until 1953. Largely misunderstood and subjected to barbaric mistreatment at the hands of her doctors, she also suffered the heartbreak of Olivier’s infidelity. Contributing to her image as a tragic heroine, she died at the age of 53.
Best-selling author Lyndsy Spence reveals the woman behind the legendary image: a woman who remained strong in the face of adversity.

James Wright: Historic building mythbusting
25 February, 7pm–8.30pm
University of Portsmouth Eldon building
Cost: £7
Join award winning archeologist and media presenter James Wright to talk about his latest book. It links folklore, history, art, architecture, archaeology, sociology, and psychology to delve into the myths surrounding many mysterious features in mediaeval buildings. We can learn so much of value about a society through what it builds. Sometimes the realities hiding behind the stories are even more interesting, romantic and exciting than the myth itself.

Solent and Other Oceans – a 'Pens of the Earth' poetry workshop, with Alison Habens and Sue Spiers
26 February, 3pm–5pm
The Green House, Victoria Park
Cost: £5
Whether you live by, swim in, work with, travel across or holiday near it, the sea and its flora and fauna are a vital and ever changing part of our world. Immerse yourself in some lyrical writing with Alison and Sue in the beautiful surroundings of Victoria Park.

Taking a Ride on the Bookfest Express! A poetry workshop with Maggie Sawkins to celebrate 200 years of the modern railway
27 February, 3pm–5pm
Portsmouth Central Library
Cost: £15
2025 is the 200th anniversary of the birth of the modern railway, when Britain and the world changed forever. As a metaphor for life, trains can move forward at full speed, veer off the tracks or become full-on wrecks – so it’s no wonder there are so many poems and songs invoking life on and off the rails. Maggie’s workshop will explore the world of departures, brief encounters, places in between. There’ll be quick fire exercises as well as a more relaxed period to write, with opportunities for sharing and feedback. Choo! Choo!

Family History and the Media: Behind the scenes of Who Do You Think You Are
27 February, 7pm–8.30pm
Portsmouth Central Library
Cost: £8 (£4 for Leisure Card holders)
Join specialist archive researcher, consultant, TV presenter and author Dr Nick Barratt for this fascinating talk about his work on the popular BBC series Who Do You Think You Are.

The Exploding Typewriter: Poetry, music and spoken word with Niall Hollaert and Andrew Stuart-Buttle
27 February, 7pm–9pm
Portsmouth Central Library
Cost: £8
This show will bring you Niall’s beautiful and profound poetry, perfectly complimented by Andrew’s stunning, layered violins and mandolin; truly transcendental. Words from Niall Hollaert and music from Andrew Stuart-Buttle.

Write Your Novel with William Sutton
28 February, 2pm–4pm
New Theatre Royal
Cost: £20 (£10 concession)
Booking: newtheatreroyal.ticketsolve.com
Move from first ideas towards a final draft of your novel. Get a clearer idea of how to write your book, whether it's crime novel, literary fiction or autobiography. How will you tell your story? Set realistic aims, get down to writing, and explode myths. Discuss everything from planning to procrastination. Explore wider strategies for editing and proofreading.
“Enjoyed being challenged and encouraged.”
“Being forced to write a summary – very useful.”

Helen Lederer
28 February, 7pm–9pm
Portsmouth Central Library
Cost: £15
Helen is back with a bang! BookFest is delighted to welcome Helen Lederer to Portsmouth as part of her one-woman tour for this special in-conversation event about her new memoir, Not That I’m Bitter. Expect lots of legendary funny stories from the outset and honesty about some of the challenges she encountered.
Helen Lederer is a writer, actress, comedian, and presenter. As well as her TV, stage and radio work she’s perhaps best known as Catriona, the dippy journalist in the TV series Absolutely Fabulous - although her stay in the Big Brother house caused a different kind of notoriety. Her novel, Losing It was nominated for the PG Wodehouse comedy literary prize. In 2019, Helen set up the Comedy Women in Print Prize (CWIP), to celebrate witty women writers.
”Dizzy, dippy and divinely funny Helen Lederer takes you on an insanely readable tour through her chaotically wonderful life. Under her costume of the madcap and the daft, there ticks a very, very smart brain and there beats a most warm and kindly heart. It’s a wonderful read.” Stephen Fry
“Irrepressibly, unrepentantly funny.” The Observer

Short Story Workshop with Richard Salsbury
1 March, 10am–12pm (with break)
Portsmouth Central Library
Cost: £5
Whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced writer, let award-winning author Richard Salsbury provide you with the inspiration and confidence to write your first (or your umpteenth) short story.

The Sparkler: with Alan Humm
1 March, 1pm–2.30pm
Portsmouth Central Library
Cost: £5
Described as “remarkable” and “terrific”, The Sparkler is about the years of Charles Dickens’ early fame. Join Alan Humm as he reads from, and discusses, his first novel about one of Portsmouth’s most famous residents.

Right Royal Tales Writing Workshop
1 March, 1pm–4pm
New Theatre Royal
Cost: £16
Booking: newtheatreroyal.com
A guided tour of the New Theatre Royal followed by an exciting creative writing workshop with local authors and performers Jackie Green and Christine Lawrence.

From the Heart poetry recital and concert hosted by Maggie Sawkins featuring Janet Ayers and Les Kazoos d’Amour
2 March, 6pm–9pm
Square Tower, Old Portsmouth
Cost: £7
‘From the Heart’ is the culmination of pledges made by people from all walks of life to learn a poem by heart and recite it in front of an audience. This popular celebratory event is hosted by Maggie Sawkins, recipient of the Ted Hughes Award for New Work in Poetry.
Described as an anarchic musical boot, Les Kazoos D’Amour are an entertaining, lively and quirky mix of music and song brought to you by local legends, Janet Ayers and Matthews Parsons.

Making the Weather: Six politicians who changed modern Britain with Vernon Bogdanor
3 March, 7pm–8.30pm
Portsmouth Central Library
Cost: £10 (£5 for Leisure Card holders)
Vernon Bogdanor explores the political careers of six politicians who, though never prime minister, set the agenda of post-war British politics. Three are from the Left – Aneurin Bevan, Roy Jenkins and Tony Benn – and three are from the Right – Enoch Powell, Keith Joseph, and Nigel Farage.

Christine Lord: Women at War
4 March, 2pm–3.30pm
Portsmouth Central Library
Cost: £5 (£2.50 for Leisure Card holders)
Portsmouth Central Library hosts the official book launch to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the ending of World War Two. It's inspired by journalist Christine Lord’s real-life interviews with survivors and their stories that are entwined with events that changed the course of our global history.

Suzanne Marie Taylor – Still Life “Movy”
4 March, 7pm–8.30pm
Portsmouth Central Library
Cost: £6
Motor Launch [ML]286 was a spirited WW1 submarine chaser which served as part of the Auxiliary Patrol Areas II & III Orkneys and Shetlands. Nicknamed “Movy”- as motor launches were called due to their animated movement in the water, ML286’s shipwrecked archaeology suggests a new type of present-day “movement” in which the motor launch’s decaying remains actively reveal hidden stories. Hear those buried secrets become unearthed in Dr Suzanne Marie Taylor’s one-woman archaeodrama, in which she carefully excavates the motor launch’s compelling narrative through poetry, song and the personal accounts of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve officers who served in the WW1 Motor Launch Patrol including Lt Geoffrey Stephen Allfree RNVR who was Commander of ML286 and is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.

Poetry Open Mic – A Portsmouth Structure
5 March, 7pm (7.30pm start)
Location: Hunter Gatherer Coffee
Cost: £3 (free for leisure card holders)
2025 is the 100th anniversary of the completion of the South Stand at Fratton Park. Portsmouth FC’s two official poets in residence, Chris Perry and Richard Williams, invite you to bring your poems about a Portsmouth structure to Hunter Gatherer Coffee. The structure could be a building, a bridge, maybe even a ship, or something else – a bus shelter, park bench, fairground ride perhaps? Or how about your favourite, coffee shop, pub, or yes, sports ground? The choice is yours.
Read your poems and / or listen to other talented writers’ poetry about the amazing structures that can, or could once be found, in our fabulous waterfront city. This will be a warm, and relaxing environment for new and regular performers alike. If you choose to read then at least one of your poems must be about a Portsmouth structure. Depending on the number of people who wish to read, open mic slots should last for about five minutes each.

Crime Bites 1: Caitlin Davies – Private Inquiries
5 March, 6.30pm
Location: Zoom (an event link will be emailed to you two days before the event)
Cost: £7
Join Caitlin Davies at the first of this year's Crime Bites series at a special Zoom interview. Caitlin’s book is a history of the UK’s real-life female detectives – from mid-Victorian era to present day – and based on original research alongside interviews with modern-day female investigators.
The female private detective has been a staple of popular culture for over 150 years, from Victorian lady sleuths to ‘busy-body spinsters’ and guntoting modern PIs. But what about the real-life women behind these fictional tales – what crimes did they solve, and where are their stories? In Private Inquiries, Caitlin Davies traces the history of the UK’s female investigators, uncovering the truth about their lives and careers from the 1850s to the present day.

Portsmouth Fairy Tales Revisited
5 March, 6.30pm–9pm
Portsmouth Room, Portsmouth Guildhall
Cost: £4 (£2 concession)
Booking: william-sutton.co.uk/events/pft
Portsmouth Fairy Tales (for grown-ups) was launched in the Guildhall in 2015. To mark the tenth anniversary of this collection of fabulous stories, enjoy story readings, a discussion of the book's development and influence, and a celebration of today’s vibrant Portsmouth writing scene that this book fostered and developed. A literary party, for writers and readers.

Finding Words and Pictures
6 March, 7pm–9pm
Beddow Library
Cost: £5 (free for Leisure Card holders)
In this workshop your guide Lucy will help you create your very own zine. Working with recycled materials you will take home a collaged mini-zone filled with images and found poetry or prose.

If all the world’s a stage…then where are all the Black actors, directors and producers?
6 March, 7pm–8.30pm
Portsmouth Central Library
Cost: £7
Simon Hudson, author of History through the Black Experience, will talk about some of the key Black trailblazers in TV, film and theatre, including director Oscar Micheaux, British playwright Roy Williams and American playwright August Wilson.
Simon Hudson was born in Southampton and was a teacher for many years. He has spoken on local and national radio and given talks at book events and festivals. He most recently gave an excellent talk in Portsmouth on the history of Black British Music.

Writing for Procrastinators with William Sutton
6 March, 6pm–8pm online, and 7 March, 10am-12pm at Cosham Library
Mañana, mañana. Do your writing projects linger in your drawer and hard drive? William Sutton hosts the workshop where you can be coaxed into breaking through. (Five recent participants are now published.)

Local Authors Fair
7 March, 11am–2pm
Southsea Library
Cost: Free
Meet new local writing talent at this free, drop-in event. The authors will be happy to chat with you about their journey to publication and you may also purchase their books if want to. Featured authors include Asim Dasgupta, Andy Hanlon, J.S Morton, Otto Redman, Helen and Richard Salsbury, David Gordon Stanley, K.T Thomas and Michael Jon Ward.

Try To Find Me
7 March, 6.30pm–8.30pm
Southsea Library
Cost: £10 (free for students)
A performance by published local poets, and a workshop to help you find your own writing voice. With readings from their funny and moving poems to inspire you, the writers will then lead some interesting and enjoyable exercises so that you can create a poem of your own. There’ll be the chance to share your piece with the group, and get feedback from professionals Dr Alison Habens and Tessa Foley.

Crime Bites 2: A new direction – from cosy crime to writing crime for teens with Sarah Harris and Josie Lloyd
7 March, 7pm–8.30pm
Portsmouth Central Library
Cost: £10 (£5 for Leisure Card holders)
The second event in the Crime Bites series sees bestselling authors Sarah and Josie discuss their approach to writing crime fiction. Both are experienced published authors who have recently taken a new direction in their writing and moved into the crime fiction genre.
Sarah has just published her second YA crime thriller, after previously writing adult fiction and will discuss the different considerations in writing for teens.
Josie has published her first cosy crime novel and will discuss writing in that genre.
It promises to be a great event for those who enjoying reading crime or for those wanting to pick up tips on writing in these genres.

Crime Bites 3: Blood Spatter, Boats and Bodies with crime author Pauline Rowson
8 March, 10.30am-12pm
Portsmouth Central Library
Cost: £12 (£6 for Leisure Card holders)
Join best-selling crime author Pauline Rowson, and hear how she plots, researches and writes her popular crime novels featuring Portsmouth detective, DI Andy Horton in the Solent Murder Mysteries, her 1950s Inspector Ryga mysteries, and her Art Marvik mystery thrillers.

Duncan Minshull: Globetrotting – A walk and talk
8 March, 10.50am for 11am start, until 12.30pm
Meet at Southsea Library to start the walk
Cost: £6
‘There was nowhere to go but everywhere’ – Jack Kerouac
Enjoy a stroll along the Southsea waterfront with Duncan Minshull, editor of Globetrotting: Writers Walk The World. Take in the views and listen to Duncan read extracts from his latest book, and also talk about the joys of ‘footing it’ with his fellow travellers. Why do you go walking?
Dogs on leads welcome.

Crime Bites 4: Simon Mayo
9 March, 2pm–3.30pm
New Theatre Royal
Cost: £20
Booking: newtheatreroyal.com
BookFest welcomes Simon Mayo to the festival for the first time as part of the launch of his exciting new thriller Black Tag.
Bestselling author and legendary broadcaster Simon has created a captivating contemporary thriller, weaving a story ripped from today’s newspapers that will take Famie into a murderous family saga stretching back over centuries. Where did their money come from? And what will they do to keep it?
Simon Mayo MBE is a writer and broadcaster. His previous books include the Sunday Times bestseller Knife Edge, the Times Thriller of the Year Tick Tock, Mad Blood Stirring, Blame and the Itch trilogy, filmed for TV by ABC. He hosts drivetime on Greatest Hits Radio and hosts the ‘The Take’ film-review podcast with Professor Mark Kermode.

Christine Lawrence – Grace
9 March, 4.30pm–6pm
Southsea Library
Cost: Free (booking required)
Christine Lawrence introduces her latest novel which is based on research into life in the Portsmouth Borough Asylum during World War 1. If you enjoyed reading Emily, you will love Grace as she follows her passion to be a nurse during World War 1 and begins her training in Portsmouth Borough Asylum.

Writing Retreat with William Sutton
14 – 15 March, 10am–1pm
Portsmouth Central Library lower ground floor
Cost: £9 (£4.50 concession)
Booking: wegottickets.com/event/639833
William Sutton hosts a Writing Retreat, which you can attend for one morning or both, via Zoom link (sent before event) or in person. Buy just one ticket: it's the same link for both days.
William offers goal-setting targets, encouragement, one-to-one mentoring – and the camaraderie that such a solitary calling often lacks.
“I edited 5000 words in a weekend” - previous attendee.

Films

Join Southsea Cinema for some brilliant films during the festival - and fittingly they are all based on novels!
Please book your tickets for the films at the cinema at southseacinema.co.uk
Unless stated otherwise, all films are £5 (children and students £3).

Sherlock Holmes (1922)
23 February, 6pm
Cost: Free
Featuring John Barrymore as Sherlock Holmes, with an introduction talk from Matt Wingett.

The Lost World (1925)
26 February, 2pm
Cost: Free
The Lost World is a 1925 American silent fantasy giant monster adventure film adapted from Arthur Conan Doyle’s 1912 novel of the same name. The film was produced and distributed by First National Pictures, a major Hollywood studio at the time, and stars Wallace Beery as Professor Challenger. It was directed by Harry O. Hoyt and featured pioneering stop motion special effects by Willis O’Brien, a forerunner of his work on the original King Kong. An introduction talk comes from Matt Wingett.

The Wild Robot (2024)
1 and 8 March, 2pm
A 2024 animated science fiction adventure animation film produced by DreamWorks Animation

It Ends With Us
9 March, 6pm
Lily believes she’s found true love with Ryle, but when a painful incident triggers past trauma, she must decide if love alone can carry her marriage through. However, things are complicated when her first love returns to her life.

Books

Portsmouth BookFest is working with local independent bookseller The Hayling Island Bookshop to offer book sales at most events, so attendees can purchase a book at an event to get it signed by the author.

Photography and filming

Organisers may take photographs in which audiences feature during events. They reserve the right to use these for publicity purposes. Any attendees who do not wish to be photographed should please let organisers know. Filming or recording events by audiences is strictly forbidden.