Oliver Darkshire – författare

''This book is a gem that was perfectly cut to fit the Pratchett-shaped hole in my heart'' C.M. Waggoner

''A bubbling cauldron overflowing with imagination and charm'' Chris Sugden

Books can change lives. Magic books can cause absolute chaos.

Isabella Nagg lives on a tiny, miserable farm in a tiny, miserable village with a husband who''s about as useful as a wet sock. Her days are filled with scrunge (don''t ask), mildly cursed livestock, and singing to her beloved pot of basil. It''s not much-but it''s hers.

Then Mr. Nagg brings home a stolen spell book from the local wizard, and Isabella starts to wonder: what''s the worst that could happen?

Cue one grumpy cat-like companion, a magical Ponzi scheme, and a journey through a world where enchantment meets bureaucracy and goblins have opinions on capitalism. As Isabella stumbles into spells, secrets, and self-discovery, she might just find that magic isn''t the only thing she''s been missing.

Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil is a delightfully bonkers, footnote-filled romp for fans of Pratchett, folklore, and anyone who suspects their houseplants might be judging them.

NetGalley readers love Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''Had me completely enthralled from start to finish''

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''A really hilarious cozy fantasy''

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''A delightful read . . . I found myself legitimately laughing aloud''

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐''I described this book to a friend today as "clever funny" . . . I will likely read this again in the future as I enjoyed it that much...which is pretty much the highest praise I can offer''

Brought to you by Penguin.Welcome to Sotheran''s, one of the oldest bookshops in the world, with its weird and wonderful clientele, suspicious cupboards, unlabelled keys, poisoned books and some things that aren''t even books, presided over by one deeply eccentric apprentice.Some years ago, Oliver Darkshire stepped into the hushed interior of Henry Sotheran Ltd on Sackville Street (est. 1761) to interview for their bookselling apprenticeship, a decision which has bedevilled him ever since.He''d intended to stay for a year before launching into some less dusty, better remunerated career. Unfortunately for him, the alluring smell of old books and the temptation of a management-approved afternoon nap proved irresistible. Soon he was balancing teetering stacks of first editions, fending off nonagenarian widows with a ten-foot pole and trying not to upset the store''s resident ghost (the late Mr Sotheran had unfinished business when he was hit by that tram).For while Sotheran''s might be a treasure trove of literary delights, it sings a siren song to eccentrics. There are not only colleagues whose tastes in rare items range from the inspired to the mildly dangerous, but also zealous collectors seeking knowledge, curios, or simply someone with whom to hold a four hour conversation about books bound in human skin.By turns unhinged and earnestly dog-eared, Once Upon a Tome is the rather colourful story of life in one of the world''s oldest bookshops and a love letter to the benign, unruly world of antiquarian bookselling, where to be uncommon or strange is the best possible compliment.© Oliver Darkshire 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022