This Easter Sunday, we’re cracking open a couple of very special eggs — and inside are two brilliant new names joining the lineup for the 2025 Heywood Literary Festival in Wiltshire. If you’re hunting for literary treasures, look no further. We’re delighted to announce that Genevieve Glaister and Richard Vinen will appear at the festival, held at the beautiful Heywood House on October 18th and 19th.

Tickets for all events go on sale Friday, April 25th.

The Prison Officer

First up, Gen Glaister brings us The Prison Officer, a darkly comic and refreshingly honest book inspired by her real-life work inside the UK prison system. Glaister’s writing is both sharp and compassionate, offering a compelling portrait of life behind bars — not just for inmates, but for those tasked with keeping order. With wit and raw insight, she explores power, vulnerability, and the human need for connection in the most unlikely of places. The Prison Officer has quickly marked Glaister out as an exciting new voice in British writing, and we can’t wait to welcome her to Wiltshire.

The Last Titans: Churchill and de Gualle

Joining her is acclaimed historian Richard Vinen, author of the brilliant The Last Titans: Churchill and de Gaulle. In this compelling dual biography, Vinen draws fresh parallels between two of the 20th century’s most iconic — and complicated — wartime leaders. With his signature clarity and intellectual rigor, he captures the clash of egos, ideals, and political instincts that defined the relationship between Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle. More than just a tale of rivalry, The Last Titans is a profound meditation on leadership, nationhood, and legacy.

These authors are just two of the powerful voices appearing at this year’s literary festival Wiltshire readers won’t want to miss. And with a setting as unique as Heywood House — an elegant historic estate nestled in the countryside — the weekend promises inspiration at every turn.

Keep your eyes peeled this week for more announcements (and maybe a few more Easter treats). But for now, mark your calendar: tickets available Friday 25th April at heywoodhousetalks.co.uk/buytickets.

Happy Easter — and happy reading!