It’s starting to feel distinctly festive in Kemps and we’re very much enjoying talking to customers about the books they are planning to gift to their nearest and dearest. One of the best parts of the job is chatting to customers, giving recommendations and picking up a few ideas ourselves! So, with that in mind, here are just a few of the books we have been recommending this month, all of them with an eye to popping one under the Christmas tree.

First up is Dawnlands, the new release from Queen of Historical fiction, Philippa Gregory. The novel is a continuation of previous novels, Tidelands and Dark Tide and it follows the story of Alinor, a woman who has risen from poverty and persecution to a position of status in 15th Century society. Now a woman of potential power and influence, Alinor finds herself faced with the prospect of returning home to Tidelands as a ruler if she can navigate the political intrigue of a country that is once again in the throes of a religious tussle between Protestantism and Catholicism. Family, love and politics are all woven into this masterful portrayal of the plight of women during a dangerously unstable era of English history. It was a pleasure to welcome historical novelist, Simon Turney, to Kemps, recently, to sign copies of his new novel Domitian. Set in ancient Rome, AD52 this is another novel that boils with political tension and intrigue. Turney reimagines the life of Domitian who is the youngest son of the new imperial family, the Flavians. However, in the wake of the downfall of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, the Roman Empire is experiencing turbulent times and the prospect of civil war. As his older brother lies gravely ill, Domitian is suddenly faced with the prospect of ascending the throne and, as a ruler, he must not only battle with his unpreparedness for such a position but also the political turmoil of an Empire in crisis. This is a gripping novel which shines a light on a lesser-known period of Roman history.

Although turkey may be on many people’s minds at this time of the year, a book we highly recommend is local writer, Sally Coulthard’s Fowl Play: A History of the Chicken from Dinosaur to the Dinner Plate. Tracing the evolution of the chicken from its prehistoric origins, Sally offers a fascinating and genuinely informative social history of this remarkable bird. This book is guaranteed to make you pause over paragraphs, read sections out to willing listeners and reassess your thoughts on this most overlooked – and overused – ‘bird in our backyard’.

Christmas is a time for biographies and autobiographies and there are many excellent ones this year. Two that have flown off the shelves in Kemps are Good Pop, Bad Pop the reflections and musings upon the contents of his attic by Jarvis Cocker, frontman of 90s indie band Pulp and A Pocketful of Happiness: A Memoir by Richard E. Grant. Richard E. Grant’s account of his life together with his wife Joan is profoundly moving and joyfully hilarious in equal measure. The memoir is drawn from the diary he has kept since childhood and therefore gives us a very personal insight into the thoughts, feelings and experiences of one of the most iconic actors of his generation. Good Pop, Bad Pop is an entertaining and revealing account of Jarvis Cocker’s early life as told through various objects. We learn of his serious brush with meningitis as a child, a catastrophic fall that was the catalyst for his creative musical output and his magnificent ‘Pulp masterplan’ written in a school exercise book at the age of 15. Woven through all these personal anecdotes are ruminations upon popular culture and politics that shape each and every one of us.

A child’s stocking is not complete without a book and there are some lovely Christmas books to choose from. One of the loveliest is Christmas, a reissue of Dick Bruna’s simple retelling of the nativity story. Dick Bruna is better known as the creator of Miffy and this book follows the same format as the Miffy books. Bruna’s simple text and illustrations give this book a universal appeal and the new hardcover – all white trimmed with gold – gives it a truly yuletide feel. Young fans of Holly Webb’s enchanting animal stories will love Luna the story of a young girl, Hannah, whose cherished wooden bear toy is damaged. After crying herself to sleep, she awakes in the past to the sounds of a bear cub trapped in a cage. Can Hannah free the cub and find a way back to her own time before it is too late? With slight echoes of the Nutcracker, this is a magical time-slip tale that will enchant and delight readers from the age of six.

Finally, for those craving just a few quiet moments of reading indulgence in among all the hustle and bustle of the tinsel, the wrapping and the sprouts. Ian Moore delivers with a quick, easy and very funny ‘mini’ murder mystery. Hot off the heels of his success with Death and Croissants and Death and Fromage, Moore treats us to a little seasonal indulgence with Death and Papa Noel where we return to the Loire Valley to find the long-suffering protagonist, Richard Ainsworth preparing for the perfect quiet Christmas. However, having found himself in the middle of a very real Christmas murder mystery game, Richard must try to work out which of the guests is the culprit. Moore’s writing has been described as a cross between Richard Osman and MC Beaton. What better way than this to get us into the mood for the festivities ahead?

• Dawnlands by Philippa Gregory, Hardback, £20, ISBN: 9781471172892

• Domitian by Simon Turney, Hardback, £18.99, ISBN: 9781800329041

• Fowl Play: A History of the Chicken From Dinosaur to Dinner Plate by Sally Coulthard, Hardback, £20, ISBN: 9781801104470

• Good Pop, Bad Pop by Jarvis Cocker, Hardback, £20, ISBN: 9781787330566

• A Pocketful of Happiness by Richard E. Grant, Hardback, £20 ISBN: 9781398519473

• Christmas by Dick Bruna, Hardback, £10, ISBN: 9781398521322

• Luna by Holly Webb, Paperback, £6.99, ISBN: 9781788954525

• Death and Papa Noel by Ian Moore, Hardback, £8.99, ISBN: 9781788424257