Sherlock & Pages

09/06/2026

07/06/2026

🦉I must admit, this post is one I’m hestitating to post as it’s an almost impossible task. What about T.H White’s Goshawk? What about J.A Baker’s The Peregrine? It really is endless BUT let that inspire…birding is having a moment, let’s grow it into a deep culture of awe AND action. Here’s some to start…get involved in the comments on your favourites and recommendations and for any birding authors, thank you for banging the drum 🦅

27/05/2026

Radical Wordsworth by Jonathan Bate completely opened my eyes to the radical, even revolutionary, impact of Wordsworth output. Of course, this video simplifies things a great deal. He was already working with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, here in Somerset, before returning to live at Dove Cottage in Grasmere with his sister, Dorothy. Together, they produce Lyrical Ballads, setting the scene for them to take on the poetic norms of the day….this was poetry for the people. Maybe it hadn’t sounded like that to my 21st century ear but now I understood…something clicked

I went on such a journey with this book, imaging the pyrotechnics of imaginative fervor of the Lakes Poets as they bounded across fellsides. If you enjoy nature writing, philosophy, literary history, biography, poetry and English landscapes…then this one could be for you. I really really enjoyed it and it’s a book with a long tail. It’s whispering to me now, arguably making more radical in my outlook as I cast a gaze across our current society

23/05/2026

Can anyone help with the great bookshop postcard mystery?

18/05/2026

So…I call Amazon a “pragmatic beast” because realistically, v few publishers or authors are going to look away from it entirely. I totally understand that, as an author and an independent bookshop owner. However, when I see some of the biggest names in the industry promoting pre-orders AND the only option is Amazon, I think 2 things. 1. Either they’ve made a mistake OR, more likely, they are quite being looked after by their teams as they could be…because you can have an array of options now, with a bit of work. Realistically, most authors are going to want those options. So, less of a rant more of a nudge to the industry from our tiny corner…as pre-order mania is, understandably, a gathering phenomena…

13/05/2026

Well, it’s taken a good while but all our new selections are now also uploaded online for your browsing pleasure - see books > ours picks > new stock. These are just a taster as we’ve picked out lots of new literary treats to entice you. Hope you enjoy.

Long Live the Hedgerows, Sherlock & Pages

27/04/2026

Thank you so much for your kind gift and your inspiration as a parent. At first I couldn’t quite take in what I was being given ✨❤️ As another adventure begins, we’re so excited about life here in Frome. Thank you for your continued support.

Lots of Love, Luke & Agathe

21/04/2026

Hello all - due to an unfortunate mix of personal emergencies, family commitments, hospital appointments and holidays, we’re having to close on Thursday. Our sincere apologies if anyone was planning a special trip to the shop that day, it’s simply unavoidable at this time and we hope you can understand. We’ve tried everything to stay open. We hope this is a one off. All our best, Sherlock & Pages

15/04/2026

Our ‘Nun Lit’ curation was born after the team went for a drink together and discussed just how many titles we had in this area. On the edge of our core focus: nature, landscape, history and heritage; it still somehow felt right for Sherlock & Pages. Readers have seemed to love this niche curation and our sales of these books has definitely increased since we introduced the shelf in our little Frome shop. It also prompted us to look at other niche curations, such as our new ‘Darkness & Starlight’ selection. So we do hope you enjoy and that this may prompt a reading journey for you.

Long Life Reading Habits,
Sherlock & Pages

13/04/2026

You know, I really do understand where the customer who replied to my newsletter email was coming from. Appeals from small businesses for support can feel, at times, like a bit of a sob story. That customer has supported us and I think it was a good sense check, although it stung a little at the time (I think things do when you wonder if there was some truth in it). Maybe I didn’t get the tone right…I don’t know, it’s a delicate balance. I always want to be positive and show the value of independent business - at the same time I felt like at the end of the year it was an honest review. 2025 was a tough one for a few horrid months. I was over ambitious, under resourced and stressed…I imagine a lot of business owners will recognise similar patterns. You live and learn. What I really wanted to conclude on is this though - don’t wait for the appeals and distress signals…let’s rally behind our small business if we value you them…maybe this week each of us could pop into that bakery, coffee shop, household goods supplier, record store or whatever it might be…it makes a big difference. Showing support when and where you can, can be enriching and rewarding. I love our loyal customers who make a monthly pilgrimage to the shop - you can tell they so value their books. It’s a deeper level of engagement that is a joy to see.

AND do follow Sophie aka for her journey into the bookselling life AND her illustration career

Thank you for your support,
Luke + the team