The death row investigator, who won a prestigious French Prix award for her haunting debut novel set in a maximum security prison in Oregon, mingled with the Worcester Park Evening Book Club.
The local literature lovers were among the first in the country to devour the gripping read, after keen Sutton Council librarian Stella Chevalier convinced The Reading Agency to let the group meet the author and sneak peak the book.
The author is visiting London for just a few days ahead of The Enchanted’s UK release. Her visit coincided with World Book Day.
Impressed by the many intelligent questions asked by the group, Denfeld said: “You guys are the most astute group, really you are my favourite.”
“I’m so honoured to be here. Where I grew up, it was a poor area, and starting back in kinder, I would always run to the library after school. The librarians were my friends. I would escape in to literature. It became my sanctuary.
“Any time I have the opportunity to do an event in a library, I take it. Libraries are just such as special place.”
She went on to say:
“It’s refreshing to come here [the UK]. In the States, the issue [the death penalty] is so politicised and people are likely to look at my work and think it’s trying to push a particular stance.
“Really, I wanted to capture the truth of prisons. I’m fascinated by prison culture – prisoners create their own world and society in these places they disappear into.
“It’s like they say – you read newspapers for the facts, but you read fiction for the truth.”
The exclusive book signing
Carol Rowles, a member of Worcester Park Evening Book Club, said:
“I was taken aback at the poetry in the writing and found that initially quite disturbing in the context of the novel. However, the fantasy, the magic of the words somehow quickly seemed to work with the bleakness of the situation.
“It seems strange to say I enjoyed the novel….and yet, because it was based on truth and experience, it was actually enjoyable, recognising that this life is life for those who work and wait on death row.”
Sutton libraries host 19 adult book clubs across its nine branches, where members usually met monthly to discuss their latest reads.
For more information about our book clubs, contact Colin Todd on [email protected] or ask at your local branch.
Thank you to Olivia’s Florists, Wallington for providing the beautiful flowers presented to the author.
Visit the author’s website for more information about The Enchanted.