ARGONAUT BOOKS

Part of our Halloween Season of events at Argonaut Books.

Join us for the paperback launch of the beautiful Carrion Crow by Heather Parry! This event will be chaired by Elle Nash

Marguerite Périgord is locked in the attic of her family home, a towering Chelsea house overlooking the stinking Thames. For company she has a sewing machine, Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management and a carrion crow who has come to nest in the rafters. Restless, she spends her waning energies on the fascinations of her own body, memorising Mrs Beeton’s advice and longing for her life outside.

Cécile Périgord has confined her daughter Marguerite for her own good. Cécile is concerned that Marguerite’s engagement to a much older, near-penniless solicitor, will drag the family name – her husband’s name, that is – into disrepute. And for Cécile, who has worked hard at her own betterment, this simply won’t do.

Cécile’s life has taught her that no matter how high a woman climbs she can just as readily fall. Of course, both have their secrets, intentions and histories to hide. As Marguerite’s patience turns into rage, the boundaries of her mind and body start to fray.

And neither woman can recognise what the other is becoming.

Heather Parry is a Glasgow-based writer and editor, originally from South Yorkshire. Her debut novel, Orpheus Builds a Girl, was shortlisted for the Saltire Society Fiction Book of the Year Award and longlisted for the Polari First Book Prize. She is also the author of a short story collection, This Is My Body, Given For You, and her first nonfiction book, Electric Dreams: On Sex Robots and the Failed Promises of Capitalism, was released in 2024 as part of 404 Ink’s Inklings series.

Elle Nash is a British-American editor and author based in Glasgow, Scotland. She is the author of Animals Eat Each Other. Nash writes about working-class characters and narratives and has criticized mainstream literature for ignoring those narratives and perpetuating the false idea of class mobility. Her writing generally revolves around women, psychosexual transgressive themes, eating disorders, and other self-destructive behaviour.

There will be a book signing immediately following the event. Complimentary drinks will be available throughout.

*Everyone attending one of our events during October will receive one of our limited edition Halloween tote bags!*

Halloween Events FAQs

How long does each event last?
Every event is different! We try to aim for around an hour for book discussions and two hours for workshops! Our spoken word night tends to run quite late.

Can I purchase a copy of the book at the event?
Emphatically yes! All events with an associated book can be purchased via the page you're on or in the shop at the event.

Will your café stay open for events?
Yes! Our café will be open to provide hot drinks throughout the evening.

Will events be livestreamed?
Unfortunately no but we hope to have the facilities to be able to livestream events in the future!

How do I get to the shop?
Directions to the shop can be found here. We are situated on all major bus routes which run down Leith Walk and we're 30 seconds from the Foot of the Walk tram stop. If you're driving, we have a lovely big Tesco car park right behind the shop.

What are your accessibility arrangements in the shop? 
Please see our notes on accessibility here and let us know if we can help any further.