Hannah Grogan - owner Chris's daughter - is now assisting in the shop and with the newly renamed Substack Newsletter/blog 'Secondhand Bookmarks'. We would love it if you could read and subscribe HERE. As you can see from her previous post about the Bechdel Test, she is an English graduate with a keen eye on the cultural impact of books and bookshops. Thanks in advance! The world of bookselling is tough at the moment and we're working hard to make sure we have all the books you'll ever need...

Just to prove that Framlingham Bookshop is a proper family affair, we now have recent graduate Hannah Grogan behind the desk. Assisting Chris and Suzie, she is also going to write for the blog. Here is her first, fascinating post about how women are written in film and literature.

When settling down for the evening and choosing a film, my mum and I often find ourselves craving something similar; “something with some good female characters in it”, or as my mum would say, “a bit of female psychology”. While many films have an abundance of female characters, even as the protagonists, it so often feels like something is missing and finding a film that ticks this box is always harder than it sounds. So, what is missing? Why aren’t these characters hitting the spot?
 
It is only recently that I have come across the Bechdel Test. While first imagined as something of a joke or social commentary in Alison Bechdel’s 1980s comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For, it has gained serious traction through the 2000s and found its way into mainstream film criticism. The beauty of this test, in my opinion, is its simplicity. It requires us to ask three questions: 
 
Are there two named female characters? 
Do they talk to each other?
Do they discuss something other than a man?
 
Easy peasy. Or so you’d think. I certainly did. However, upon reflecting upon some of my all-time favourites, I was surprised at how many did not reach these simple requirements.
 
Now it’s in my head, the pattern is hard to ignore. The issue isn’t the lack of female representation in itself, but how they are represented. These characters appear as wives, mothers, daughters, objects of desire, support systems, moral compasses, an ‘avenge her death’ plot line or a reward to be won after saving the world. They propel all sorts of complex storylines, yet their narrative function is perpetually shaped in relation to the men they orbit.  
 
Working in a bookshop, I suppose its natural that I’ve started to think about the Bechdel Test in literature too. It surprised me how often that same slightly unsatisfied feeling came down to this simple, usually unnoticed absence. Just as with films, many novels offer plenty of female characters, and more frequently named than in films, yet something is missing. Asking the questions of -  are they talking to each other, and what are they given narrative space to talk about? - has begun to run in my head alongside the act of reading. A lens through which to read, notice and respond. 
 
Personally, I don’t think the Bechdel Test is asking if the author is a feminist or intending to make an accusation. Indeed, I believe that nearly all the books and films that fail the test are doing so completely subconsciously and that’s exactly the point. Failing to meet these requirements isn’t deliberate, but instinctive. A reminder of how often women are imagined, by default, in relation to men.
 
This isn’t to say the test is perfect; it certainly has its limitations. Texts that pass can still reduce and objectify their female characters or exacerbate sexist ideas. If we see two named women conversing about the weather, it will technically pass despite a lack of character depth or agency. Similarly, some pieces of work may possess a complex and developed female character without meeting the requirements, especially in literature. Novels, particularly those written in the first person, can grant a deep and nuanced female perspective through internal monologue or interactive engagement with the reader while denying the characters meaningful exchanges with one another. Would we say this lacks representation? Where do we draw the line?
 
In my opinion, passing the test does not make a work necessarily progressive nor does failing it label it sexist. Rather than delivering a verdict on a single book or film, for me, it offers a way of paying attention - a lens through which to watch and read. It’s real value, I think, lies in the conversations it opens up, prompting us to notice who is given narrative visibility, and how this quietly shapes our perceptions and expectations.
 
We'd love to hear some of your favourite examples of books that pass or fail the Bechdel  Test. Some great books that do pass the test currently stocked in the bookshop are:
 
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood   
White Teeth by Zadie Smith 
Union Street by Pat Barker
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott 
 
Happy reading!
Hannah Grogan January 2026

Peter Grogan Ceramics sells well in the summer holidays and Peter has recently added these cute book brooches into the line. They are great as gifts - just £3 each or two for £5 and there are many other designs to choose from. They also come as necklaces at £4. 

A teacher came in with her family this week and suggested he make lots for World Book Day or to sell as a gift for teachers at the end of term. Maybe she just wanted one herself, but it's a good idea. What do you think?

It was 'one of those days' in the bookshop yesterday. Tuesday is one of two market days here in Framlingham and local shops always hope that, in the summer, a few more visitors will come through the doors. And yesterday they did - and went out without buying anything.

So I took to Substack to ask some questions about what we sell, what might we sell and how to turn those who say 'lovely shop!' and 'I'm so pleased we still have physical bookshops' into customers who buy even one paperback.

So if you have a moment, do check out the post below and tell us your thoughts. Local shops here are surprised at how quiet it is in Framlingham for June. World events? Maybe.

Flaming June (or rather showery and cloudy June thus far here in Suffolk) has been designated National Crime Reading Month by the fabulous Crime Writers’ Association. For a whole month, and in collaboration with The Reading Agency, new books are promoted to those who already love the crime genre and for new readers, the whole world of crime writing is opened up with events in places such as bookshops, libraries, theatres and online. 

Crime is the world’s bestselling genre – in our shop too - and there really is something for everyone. In Framlingham Books, we see readers who love classics such as Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers, cosy crime, dark thrillers, popular TV detectives and spy thrillers. There are even detectives in sci-fi and fantasy novels and books for children. From Hercule Poirot to Jack Reacher, Miss Marple to Vera Stanhope, there is a detective for everyone.

At the end of the month, the Crime Writers’ Association hands out the coveted Daggers – awards to best crime writing of the year. 

You can find out more on the Crime Writers’ Association and NCRM websites, and in our shop where our window display highlights the range of writing encompassed by the genre.

So who are your favourite crime writers? Do you prefer hard-boiled, troubled detectives or those who solve mysteries over a cup of tea and their knitting? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

This post, about the type of books customers look for in secondhand bookshops, is still popular on Substack, even after five weeks. Take a look if you have a mo, and follow No Wriggling Out of Writing for more bookshop news and general writerly chat.

 On Substack, this post introduced readers to Framlingham Books and examined why secondhand, and new, bookshops are so important. We have real value in our local community which is heartening and we are grateful to all those who come in year round, even when it is colder inside than out, and buy a book.​

Read more HERE on the Substack site (which is full of bookish tales and wonderful writing.)