Kuchenga Shenjé - The Library Thief - In Conversation with Alexis Caught

Queer Amusements presents...

A gorgeous evening celebrating the launch of Kuchenga Shenjé's debut novel, The Library Thief, at Aunty Social. Kuchenga is joined by best selling author Alexis Caught for what is sure to be a heartening and hilarious conversation with two fabulous literary talents.

The Library Thief

The library is under lock and key. But its secrets can't be contained…

1896. After he brought her home from Jamaica as a baby, Florence's father had her hair hot-combed to make her look like the other girls. But as a young woman, Florence is not so easy to tame – and when she brings scandal to his door, the bookbinder throws her onto the streets of Manchester.

Intercepting her father's latest commission, Florence talks her way into the remote, forbidding Rose Hall to restore its collection of rare books. Lord Francis Belfield's library is old and full of secrets – but none so intriguing as the whispers about his late wife. Then one night, the library is broken into. Strangely, all the priceless tomes remain untouched. Florence is puzzled, until she discovers a half-burned book in the fireplace. She realises with horror that someone has found and set fire to the secret diary of Lord Belfield's wife – which may hold the clue to her fate...

With a spellbinding gothic mystery told through the perspective of a white-passing protagonist in the Victorian era, Kuchenga Shenjé explores what being mixed-race meant in Victorian England, delving into a history of survival by assimilation through a wholly original, incendiary story. The next must-read for fans of The Binding, The Confessions of Frannie Langton and The Miniaturist, THE LIBRARY THIEF is the debut historical novel for Spring 2024 that will get everybody talking.

‘A tantalising read that swells with secrets and intrigue. It’s hard to believe that Kuchenga Shenjé writes of the past and not of the present. A beautiful and skilfully written debut.’
Candice Carty-Williams

‘Powerful, sagacious and warm, The Library Thief is both a gripping, multi-layered mystery and a gorgeously absorbing novel … Shenjé’s wholly original debut has bestseller written all over it.’
Joanne Burn, author of The Hemlock Cure

‘A compelling novel that starts as a mystery and grows into a coming-of-age story … filled with fantastically drawn characters and with a love of books that shines through the prose.’
Katie Lumsden, author of The Secrets of Hartwood Hall

Kuchenga Shenjé is a writer, journalist and speaker with work on many media platforms including Stylist, British Vogue and Netflix. She has contributed short stories and essays to several anthologies, most notably It's Not OK to Feel Blue (And Other Lies), Who's Loving You and Loud Black Girls.

Owing to a lifelong obsession with books and the written word, Kuchenga studied Creative Writing at The Open University. Her work is focused on the perils of loving, being loved and women living out loud throughout the ages. Her first novel The Library Thief is the ultimate marriage of her passions for history, mystery and rebels. She currently resides in Manchester where she is determined to continue living a life worth writing about.

Alexis Caught is a best selling author, award winning podcaster, registered psychotherapist (mBACP) and keen rugby player. His debut YA non-fiction, Queer Up; an Uplifting Guide to LGBTQ+ Love, Life and Mental Health draws from his clinical training to make mental health care accessible and shines a light on stories of queer history, politics and joy, building upon his acclaimed podcast Qmmunity which explored themes of identity and belonging within the Queer community. In his clinical work, he is a dual qualified psychotherapy and sex and relationship therapist, working within the NHS and privately focused on a specialism to support the LGBTQ+ community. While identifying as non-binary, Alexis uses he/him pronouns.

Queer Amusements is a new queer multi-artform festival commissioned by Marlborough Productions as part of their New Queer on The Block programme, Aunty Social and supported using public funding by Arts Council England.

Find out more about Queer Amusements here.

General Admission: £3.50 or 'pay what you can'

• Age Restriction: 18+
• Admission includes tea, coffee, soft drinks.

Access: If you have additional access needs (e.g. large print resources, BSL interpreter) Please let us know 7 days prior to the event by

• Emailing us using the ‘contact organiser link; or
• Email Queer Amusements directly at [email protected]

Important info: Please note that this session is upstairs. Aunty Social in the process of installing a lift, which should be ready by Summer 2024. The event space is up a single flight of 14 steps then you go around the corner and there are two small steps. Once you’re upstairs there’s a loo. You shouldn’t need to come downstairs for anything until the end of the activity.

VENUE

Getting here

• Tram to North Pier
• Bus: No 3,4 or 6 bus to Topping St. No 2, 2C, 3, 7, 7, 11, 14, 17, 18 or 20 to Church St (Stanley Buildings)
• Driving: The closest pay and display car parks are on East Topping St and Talbot Road multi storey. There is also parking at the nearby Sainsbury’s supermarket, please make sure that you check the terms before you use the car park. Free parking is available on most streets around the venue from 6pm, please make sure to check signage before leaving your car.

Event Venue

Aunty Social, 28 Topping Street, Blackpool, United Kingdom