For fans of 84 Charing Cross Road and Alan Bennett, this is the charming tale of a small bookshop and one very mysterious customer

‘It’s not particularly difficult to run a successful bookshop, thought Valerie: a grasp of the rudiments of business, a sensible plan, a little skill in negotiation, a couple of contacts and a large portion of magic.’

When businesswoman Valerie takes over the bookshop owned by her aunt – who has vanished without trace – her intention is to bring some order to the chaos, and then sell the business. But she has underestimated the power of the little shop. One day she stumbles upon a mysterious book with an unfinished ending. Valerie thinks it must be a defective copy, but when a customer turns up searching for that very book, her view of the shop – and world – shifts, as she is forced to question what is and isn’t possible.

A Very Special Year is a declaration of love for literature, for beautiful books, the power and magic of stories as well as proof that the world of the imagination is still alive within us.