DISCOVER THE MAGIC OF WORDS & WONDER BOOKS

The Words and Wonder Bookshop Story

We are delighted to be part of the local community with our first independent bookshop in Downham Market Norfolk, which we opened on 1st August 2024. Downham is a lovely town with many independent shops so well worth a visit and a stroll around.

We have enjoyed our first year and made many new friends from our lovely loyal customers. We love welcoming new customers into the bookshop every day so please come and browse our ever changing selection of books, cards and gifts and say hello.

Events

New books in stock!!

We have lots of great new books in stock at the moment. I am currently enjoying Rob Parker’s ‘Forbidden Waters’, I do love a bit of Norfolk crime.

I also enjoyed ‘Be More Bird’ from Candida Meyrick, it was just the tonic needed when I read it.

I have my eye on ‘A Family Matter’ by Claire Lynch as one to add to the ever growing to be read pile!

We also have some signed editions in stock - George Saunders anyone? Plus some gorgeous sprayed edge editions. 🫶

Come and take a look 👀 📚📚

Penny x

#independentbookshop #downhammarket #norfolk #goodreads

Author Rob Parker kindly popped in to the shop yesterday to sign copies of his Norfolk based crime novels ‘The Troubled Deep’ and the newly released second book in the series ‘Forbidden Water’. Thanks so much Rob, it was great to meet you and we look forward to seeing you again soon!

Rob’s novels are perfect for all you Norfolk crime fans so come and take a look!

‘The follow-up to the excellent The Troubled Deep, the second of the Cam Killick mysteries is tense, intelligent and vividly atmospheric. The Norfolk Broads provide a world of submerged secrets, and Cam is a deeply compelling lead. This is suspense with real momentum, and a narrative that pulls readers deep into a chilling tale told with heart and humanity. Unmissable’
Crime Monthly

@robparkerauthor
@bloomsburypublishing

#norfolk #independentbookshop #downhammarket #norfolkcrimethriller

We were so chuffed to hear that one of our favourite local authors @camillabalshaw has won the biography and memoir category at the East Anglian Book Awards. Congratulations Camilla! 👏👏👏👏. More details below ⬇️

Also keep your eyes peeled 👀for information coming very soon of a new memoir writing course Camilla will be running in a couple of months time from the bookshop. Exciting!

🏆 Introducing… the East Anglian Book Awards 2025 category winners!

BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR
‘Named: A Story of Names and Reclaiming Who We Are’ by Camilla Balshaw (Bedford Square Publishers)

DEBUT NOVEL
‘Silver Harvest’ by Daryl Fraser (Story Machine)

HISTORY & TRADITION
‘Finding the Wayfarer: Physical, Spiritual and Poetic Survival’ by Emma Rose Barber (Tandem Publishing)

POETRY
‘Buying the Farm’ by Eliza O’Toole (Shearsman Books)

FICTION
‘Florrie: A Football Love Story’ by Anna Trench (Jonathan Cape)

CHILDREN’S BOOKS
‘Ghost Tide’ by Jim Cockin (Lightning Books)

GENERAL NON-FICTION
‘Flint Country: A Stone Journey’ by Laurence Mitchell (Saraband)

The category winners now go forward to compete for the prestigious £1,000 Book of the Year Award, which will be announced at a celebratory event on Thursday 12 February.

Celebrate these exceptional titles by grabbing a copy from your local bookstore or library. #GoAllIn

Find out more: https://buff.ly/U4neizC

#norfolkbookawards #independentbookshop #downhammarket #norfolk

I have a little helper this morning as I try to put together a card order. Meet Herbert everyone 😺❤️

#cats_of_instagram #indiebooksellers #downhammarket #norfolk #greenpebblecards

So here they are - our bestselling books of last year. 📚A mix of fiction, crime fiction, local history, memoir and the charming story ‘Always Remember’ by Charlie Mackesy.

Our top seller was ‘Norfolk Dog Friendly Pub Walks’ by Angela Youngman which has been hugely popular all year. You can’t beat a walk in beautiful Norfolk with the dog and a visit to a great pub! 🍺🍺🍺🐕🦮🐕‍🦺

It’s wonderful to see books by some of our favourite local authors Camilla Balshaw - ‘Named’, Sarah Louise Miller - ‘The Lancaster Story’, and Sadie Norman - ‘Murder in a Cottage’ were popular with our customers and they continue to be so!

I was also super pleased to see some of my favourite reads of the year in there too, such as ‘Leonard & Hungry Paul’ by Ronan Hessian ( I was late to the party with this one but loved it!) and ‘Lula Deans Little Library of Banned Books’ by Kirsten Miller. I know I spoke to a lot of people about these books, so I hope you enjoyed them if you took up my recommendation!

We can’t wait to find out what your favourites will be over the coming year. Happy Reading! See you soon x 📖📚📖

Penny & Sarah Words & Wonder Books

@camillabalshaw
@dr_sarahloumiller
@adberginwriter

#independentbookshop #norfolk#downhammarket #lovebooks

We would like to wish all of our customers and friends of the bookshop a very Happy Christmas and a happy & healthy 2026.

We have been blown away by all of your support and friendship this year, helping us reach our first birthday and beyond. thank you, it’s much appreciated. 🙏

So have a wonderful Christmas, enjoy your new books!
And if Santa didn’t bring you any 😱 we will be back open for you to get your book fix or spend your tokens & vouchers on Saturday 27th December 10am- 3pm. 📚📚📚

We are open Christmas Eve!
9:30am - 2pm
Make sure to grab those last minute festive reads! 🎄

#downhammarket #bookshop #independentbookshop #wordsandwonder #christmas

Don’t forget we are open tomorrow 21st December 11-3pm for your Christmas book buying. 📚📚
And there is still time to donate to our Christmas Book Tree for the Swan Project.

See you soon! 🎅🏻🎄📚📚📚
#downhammarket #independentbookshop #norfolk #books

As Christmas fast approaches so do our holiday opening hours!
Check out our Christmas and New Year opening times!
🎄🎅🎊

Open today 11-3pm for all your Christmas gift needs!

Christmas 2025 Supporting the Swan Youth Project Downham Market 🎄🎄

Help spread the love of reading to local teenagers 📚📚

Last year we were delighted to be able to give nearly £250 worth of books to the young people from the Swan Youth Project to help them build a library in their premises. The teenagers were delighted to come to the bookshop to choose the books they wanted to read in their warm and calm reading space.

You can help us this year to donate even more books by donating to this wonderful cause. By donating £5 or £10 you can choose a little book to hang on our Christmas Tree and at the end of December we will add our own donation to yours and donate the full amount of money raised to The Swan Youth Project and they will come and choose the real books they want!

Swan Youth Project has been created to offer educational, social and emotional support to young people between the ages of 8 – 24 years of age, including helping and supporting engagement with emerging and low-level health needs. This is achieved by engaging through the provision of targeted activity, which will enable young people to overcome disadvantages, to be inspired and to have the confidence to participate in society. They work in partnership with children and young people as they seek to meet their personal, social, emotional, cultural, spiritual, political and physical needs.

#swanprojectdownhammarket #downhammarket #norfolk #bookshop #indiebookshop

We can’t wait for the Sunday Makers Market this Sunday 14th December in Downham, brought to you by the amazing @mabelthebakery. We know there will be lots of lovely stalls for you to get those presents sorted as well as Christmas vibes with food, drink and live music.

We are open too on Sunday 11am -3pm. Come and have a browse and maybe find a gift or two! 🎁📚📚

#downhammarket #norfolk #bookshop #mabelthebakery #indiebookshop

We have lots of wonderful gift ideas in the shop. Plus some gorgeous new prints from Nicola Hart. Come and take a look! 👀 📚🎁#downhammarket #bookshop #norfolk #indiebookshop

🎄 The Downham Market Christmas Bonanza is LIVE!
Over 30 amazing local businesses (including us!) have donated some amazing prizes for a huge festive raffle — raising money for The Swan Youth Project, who provide meals, mentoring, support and a safe space for young people in our town.

Tickets are £10, and 100% of proceeds go directly to The Swan Project.

👉 Enter the raffle online here:
https://tinyurl.com/BIG-BONANZA-TICKETS
Or if you’d prefer to pay with cash in person, head to Living in Paradise, 48 High Street, Downham Market and they can help you with your tickets

Help us raise funds, support local young people, and celebrate the incredible independent businesses that make Downham Market such a special place. 💛

We have the last remaining Advent calendars & cards in stock. These are beautiful Angela Harding designs from Art Angels. Get them while you can!

Don’t forget we are open this Sunday November 30th 11-4pm for the Downham Christmas Light Switch-on. Come and have a browse and maybe get some gift ideas - for yourself or others! 🎁🎁🎁🎄🎄🎄

We will be opening today 11-4pm for the Downham Christmas light switch on. So come and have a browse before going to see the town being lit up for the festive season. 📚🎄🎁

#downhammarket #bookshop #wordsandwonderbooks #norfolk #independentbookshop

It’s not just books we sell! We have these gorgeous handmade ceramic decorations by @blended_monkey who run brilliant crafty workshops and artisan craft fayres in Upwell.

The very beautiful tactile wood creations from @stevegorerowe in Stoke Ferry. Have you ever tried using a wooden spoon for your cereal?

The cards are from @artangelspublishing, Norwich. They produce so many delightful cards and notecards (and advent calendars!) from a wide range of artists including friend of the shop @louisestebbingprintmaker .💕

#downhammarket #bookshop #wordsandwonder #norfolk #wordsandwonderbooks #downhammarketnorfolk #shoplocal #shopsmall

It’s a veritable feast of fabulous books in the shop at this time of year. So many great books being published but we are managing to squeeze them in 🤣

Here are just a handful, there are some great gifts to be had! See you soon! 🎁🎄🛍️🎄

#downhammarket #bookshop #norfolk #wordsandwonder #independentbookshop #books #wordsandwonderbooks #booklovers #indiebookshop #

Wow! What night we had on Saturday, we finally saw the powerful and amazing stage show that is War Horse at the Theatre Royal in Norwich. What a truly superb piece of theatre War Horse is, beautiful acting and magical puppetry. So powerful. I can’t believe I’d not been to see it before but I knew it would be emotional.

With Remembrance this month this was a timely reminder, we must never forget those brave men, women and innocent animals who served to defend our country.

During the standing ovation the lovely Michael Morpurgo appeared on stage!! He thanked the cast and reminded us all what this story truly stands for. 🕊️

Then as we were leaving I noticed a gentlemen just casually leaning on the desk in the foyer. Mr Morpurgo himself!! Karen was delighted as he signed the programme she had bought for a student who loves Michael’s books. Such a kind man! Such a brilliant end to a wonderful evening.

And yes, dear reader, I shed a tear🥲 🐎

#lestweforget #norwichtheatreroyal #michaelmorpurgo #independentbooksellers#wordsandwonderbookshop #downhammarket #norfolk

From the 1st November we will be closing at 4pm.
We will be opening extra hours in the run up to Christmas though, so watch this space for details! 🎄📚🎁

We have lovely local author Emma-Jane Upson giving a reading in the shop of her picture book ‘The Stink Gremlins’, a fun story about little green gremlins who like to steal dirty children!
Come and join us 30th October 2.30pm. It’s free so just pop along. See you there!

#downhammarket #bookshop #norfolk

For the last of our autumn talks we were joined by Dr Charles Moseley who read from his wonderful memoir ‘To The Eel Island’. We could have listen to him talk all evening about life in the fens, the traditions, the history and the nature.

A huge thank you to Charles for taking the time to visit us and to all of the lovely audience who joined us too.
We now have signed copies of ‘To The Eel Island’ in stock along with Charles’ other books ‘To Everything A Season - A View From The Fen’, Etheldreda’ and ‘Crossroad - A Pilgrimage of Unknowing’ .

#wordsandwonderbooks #independentbookshop #downhammarket #merlinunwinbooks #norfolk

Check out these two great events tomorrow.

THIS SUNDAY’S Autumn Artisan Fayre in Upwell Hall (PE14 9AB) 10 till 4 pm!

🎨Fab line-up of ARTISTS⁠
🧁Tasty TREATS by Fanoggins Bakery & a seating area too ⁠
🚗FREE ENTRY & lots of on-site PARKING⁠
🏆️High-quality RAFFLE with prizes made by the attending artists⁠
🎸MUSIC from local duo “The Rummuns”
💰️ALL profits going to Norfolk and Waveney Mind

🎨Louise Stebbings Open Studio- this Sunday 11am to 3pm
Lots of linocuts, etchings, acrylics, cards and more to see.
Many bargains for Open Day only.

#blendedmonkeycrafts #louisestebbingprintmaker #norfolk

The shortlist for the East Anglian Book Awards has been announced and what a list it is!

This year marks an exciting expansion, with eligibility widened to include books and writers
from Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. The broader
scope reflects East Anglia’s reputation as a region of ‘big skies and bold stories’ - celebrating the voices, books and ideas born from East Anglia’s rich literary and cultural landscape.

We are so pleased to see Camilla Balshaw’s ‘Named’ on the shortlist. We recently had a fantastic event with Camilla @camillabalshaw ( Signed copies in stock) 👏👏👏

Also Charles Moseley, @dr_charles_moseley who is joining us this Thursday 23rd Oct ( a few places still available, get in contact if you fancy joining us) to talk about his book ‘To Eel Island’ is on the shortlist too! 👏👏👏

Category winners will be announced in the Eastern Daily Press in January 2026, followed by
the Overall Book of the Year and City of Literature Awards, presented at a special event at
the National Centre for Writing in Norwich on Thursday 12 February 2026.

We have many of the shortlisted titles in stock so if you fancy checking them out pop and see us!

@writerscentre @eastern_daily_press @norwich.cityoflit
#eaba #independentbookshop #downhammarket #norfolk #merlinunwinbooks #wordsandwonderbooks

On Thursday evening we were pleased to welcome superb historical thriller writer Rory Clements to the shop to talk about his new novel Evil in High Places ( it’s a cracking read!).

A huge thank you to Rory for a wonderful talk and signing everyone’s books. And thank you to everyone who came along to see Rory and support us - it means a lot! 🙏

#thriller #thrillerwriter #indiebookshop #wordsandwonder #downhammarketnorfolk #norfolk #penguinrandomhouse #roryclements

Our last two events for October: there are still a couple if spaces available for Rory Clements this Thursday.

And on the 23rd Charles Moseley joins us to talk about his memoir’To The Eel Island’.

All events are FREE please contact the shop to let us know you are coming along.
📧info@wordsand wonderbooks.com
☎️ 01366 691093
Or call in the shop

#downhammarket #bookshop #independentbookshop #wordsandwonderbooks #books #norfolk

Lauren from Brisbane, and her family visited our little bookshop back in the summer. She promised to send us some photos of the Words & Wonder bookshop bag and here they are! I think this must be the most well travelled bookshop bag! ❤️
Thank you @laurenapage

We have a few spaces left for our evening with bestselling historical thriller writer Rory Clements. Come and join us as Rory talks about his latest novel.

Evil in High Places is a cracking read set in Munich, 1936. All eyes are on the Bavarian capital for the upcoming Olympic games. As athletes fight for gold and the Nazis fight for power, Detective Sebastian Wolff faces a battle of his own.

A famous actress has disappeared and Wolff has been ordered to find her, fast. But Elena Lang is no ordinary film-star: she is the mistress of Joseph Goebbels - Hitler’s right-hand-man in the party that Wolff despises.

But corruption runs deep in Munich and Elena is just the first to go missing. In a search that will take him from high society to the city’s darkest corners, Wolff is about to learn just how easily the hunter becomes the hunted: this is a city on the brink of war, and some enemies are better left alone.

Both Sarah and I really enjoyed this!

Come and join us! 6.30pm Thursday 16th October in the shop. FREE to attend, just let us know you are coming along email info@wordsandwonderbooks.com, phone 01366 691093 or call in the shop.

We look forward to seeing you!

#wordsandwonder #downhammarket #thrillerbooks #thrillerwriter #roryclements #indiebooks #norfolk

Oh what a night! On Wednesday evening we welcomed the wonderful Camilla Balshaw in conversation with Nicola Streeten to the shop to talk about all things names and memoir writing. It was a lively, interactive fun evening.

A huge ‘thank you!’ to Camilla and Nicola and to everyone who came along. It was a brilliant evening!❤️
Signed copies in the shop - the perfect gift!

@camillabalshaw @nicolast.reeten 🙏🙏🙏

#wordsandwonderbooks #downhammarket #books #indiebookshop #memoirwriting #memoir #bookevent #norfolk

Could we love a set of bookends more? These are adorable from @thechairwomanuk. We are so chuffed to be showing them off in the bookshop.
Your bookshelves need these!! 😊

#downhammarket #bookshop #wordsandwonder #independentbookshop #norfolk #wordsandwonderbooks #booklovers

Just a week to go before Camilla Balshaw joins us to talk about her book Named. She will be in conversation with Dr Nicola Streeten who is a multi-award-winning graphic novelist and comics scholar. Her graphic memoir Billy, Me & You (Myriad Editions, 2011) was followed by The Inking Woman (Myriad Editions, 2018) a 250-year illustrated history of British women’s cartoonists.

This promises to be a highly interesting discussion with two super talented authors.

Join us! Wednesday 1st October 6.30pm at the shop. FREE to attend please just let us know you are coming via email info@wordsandwonderbooks.com, phone 01366 691093 or calling in the shop.

#downhammarket#bookshop #events #indiebookshop #memoirwriting

Next up in our autumn events programme is the wonderful Camilla Balshaw. On October 1st at 6.30pm Camilla will be in conversation with Dr Nicola Streeten discussing her book ‘Named’.

Named is a fascinating exploration of names, global naming conventions and identity politics woven into a moving, personal narrative about the finding of family and self. At the intersection of memoir and social and cultural history it is a truly fascinating book about the seemingly ordinary and every day.

This event is FREE but please contact the shop to register your attendance.

We look forward to seeing you at what will be a fascinating and interesting evening!

#booksbooksbooks #downhammarket #independentbookshop #bookevents #norfolk

We are pleased to be working with the Kings Lynn Literature Festival once again,supplying books for their events.

The festival now in its fortieth year, takes place on the weekend of the 26th - 28th September in Kings Lynn’s medieval Town Hall. This year a whole host of wonderful authors will be attending with Sophie Hannah, Camilla Balshaw, Anthony Seldon and Sarah Perry to name but a few.
For more details and tickets go to
www.kllitfests.com

A huge thank you to Andrew Bergin @adberginwriter and Max, his lovely spaniel for joining us last night for such an interesting talk about his historical crime novel ‘The Wicked of the Earth’. It’s a cracking read!

Thanks to everyone who joined us too, it was a great evening. Max and Mo had a fun time too 🐶
Signed copies in the shop now!

#bookshopsofinstagram #books #historicalcrimefiction #downhammarket #wordsandwonderbookshop

Last call for this event! We have a few spaces remaining for what will be an interesting and lively discussion by Andrew Bergin on life in England c. 1650, history, politics and witch hunts. Thursday 11th September 6.30pm in the shop. Come and join us. - it’s free to attend!

More info www.wordsandwonderbooks.com

New books ❤️ Oh how we love this time of year! So many wonderful books being released. Here are just few we now have in stock. Still lots more to come over the next couple of months Richard Osman, Philippa Gregory, Dan Brown, Philip Pullman and so many more. It’s gonna be a bumper books autumn! 📚📚📚🍂🍂

Here are the events we have lined for the next two months. All of our events are free to attend, we want to make them accessible to all. 😊
All start at 6.30 pm. Please contact us to register your attendance. More details on our website www.wordsandwonderbooks.com

We look forward to you joining us!

#downhammarket #bookshop #wordsandwonder #independentbookshop #andrewbergin #camillabalshaw #bedfordsquarepublishers #roryclementsauthor #penguinrandomhouseuk #charlesmoseley #merlinunwinbooks #bookevents

In stock and signed copies. Grab them while you can!

On September 11th at 6.30pm we will be joined by Andrew Bergin who will be discussing his novel ‘The Wicked Earth’.

October, 1650, traumatised Parliamentarian spy James Archer returns north seeking his sister Meg, missing in the aftermath of Newcastle’s recent witch trials.

Aloof, enigmatic Elizabeth Thompson draws him to investigate the ongoing killing of women who had worked to free the accused.

But when Elizabeth herself becomes hunted, the only chance of escape lies in Archer setting himself as bait.

Telling the true story of England’s largest witch trial, and the extraordinary all-female campaign to free the accused, The Wicked of the Earth is perfect for readers of Andrew Taylor, S G MacLean, S J Parris, or C J Sansom.

This event is FREE but please contact the shop to register your attendance. Email info@wordsandwonderbooks.com, call us on 01366 691093 or pop in the shop.

#crimewriter #history #bookevent #norfolkevents #downhammarket #indiebookshoplife

We are open 7 days this week. We will be open 10 am- 2pm on Sunday for the wonderful Mabel’s Makers Market. Come and have a browse- See you soon!

#downhammarket #bookshop #wordsandwonder #independentbookshop #makersmarket #norfolk

A massive thank you to everyone who came by the shop yesterday to wish us a happy 1st birthday! We couldn’t have done it without all of our wonderful customers kindness and support. We are grateful for each and every one of you! Thank you for making us feel so welcome, here is to another year of bookshop adventures!

#wordsandwonder #downhammarket #bookshop #birthday

A sneak peek at our new book bags! Featuring a gorgeous print of our shop by the wonderful @louisestebbingprintmaker and to celebrate our first birthday, our new bags have just arrived. They will be on sale from Friday. We look forward to celebrating with you 🥳

#downhammarket #bookshop #wordsandwonderbooks #independentbookshop #norfolk

We are open today 11-3pm for the Makers Market. Pop in and say hi 👋 we’d love to see you!

Preparations for our 1 year bookshop birthday celebrations are underway with some wonderful window art work by the incredibly talented Amelie from @framinart

Keep an eye out for more celebrations coming to the shop next weekend!
#bookshop #birthday #wordsandwonder #downhammarket

We have lots of brilliant books to keep children entertained throughout the holidays. And don’t forget we are open Mondays 9.30-4pm throughout July & August.
Come and take a peek! ☀️🏖️📚📚

#downhammarket #bookshop #wordsandwonderbooks #books #norfolk #independentbookshop #booklovers

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Bookshops are important places; they allow people to develop and explore their love of reading, expand their experiences and discover whole new worlds

Be Part of the Words and Wonder Story

Whether you just want to come in for a browse to see what new books we’ve got, find new stories about old friends, be inspired to try a new author, or to share some of your favourite books with us, then we would be delighted to see you.

Shop in our virtual bookshop at www.bookshop.org

If you can't make it into the shop you can support us by shopping on www.Bookshop.org

(https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/wordsandwonderbooks)

and choosing from our vast virtual shop on there. Just select our shop before you start filling your basket and we gratefully receive a % of the sale.

Look out for the special discounts.

Thank you.

Buying a gift

If you want to buy a gift for a loved one of any age, we can help you select a book for them that they will love. You will be able to buy National Book Tokens too or a Words and Wonder book voucher to spend with us, so you can give someone the joy of choosing their own new books.

We will also be selling a small range of mostly locally sources crafts, cards and wrapping paper that we hope you will find hard to resist!

Independent Book shop in Downham Market

DISCOVER THE MAGIC OF WORDS & WONDER BOOKS

The Words and Wonder Bookshop Story

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Be Part of the Words and Wonder Story

Buying a gift