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Meet your favourite authors and fellow booklovers
Upcoming book and author events
We host a range of events in our Masterton bookshop as well as other event venues around the Wairarapa. Author talks, book launches, our monthly Book Club and other special one-off events. We also host the Wairarapa’s original writer’s festival, Yarns in Barns: Wairarapa Festival of Reading and are the ‘Official Bookseller’ for Featherston Booktown.
Everyone is welcome at our events – see what’s on below or sign up for our newsletter here.

C’mon Masterton! An evening of music and memories with Suzanne Lynch – SOLD OUT!
Step back into the golden era of Kiwi pop with Suzanne Lynch/Donaldson – one half of the iconic sister duo The Chicks and The Lady Killers – as we celebrate the release of her memoir Yesterday When I Was Young.
Suzanne will share stories with legendary broadcaster Karyn Hay, from a career that saw her rise to fame in the late 60s, support Cat Stevens on tour, and perform alongside some of the world’s greatest musicians, as told in her new book, Yesterday When I Was Young.
Then enjoy a live performance featuring Suzanne, joined by fellow C’mon star Shane Hales and guitar maestro Malcolm McCallum followed by a book signing.
5.30pm–7.30pm Thursday 9th October
Hedley’s Books, 150 Queen St, Masterton
Tickets $15
Cash bar by Urlar Wines
**Missed out on tickets? Pre-order the book and we will get Suzanne to autograph it for you personally. Email sales@hedleysbooks.co.nz or call 06 3782875**

Hedley’s Book Club
Booklovers unite! Be welcomed into a community of readers, experience the cosy magic of the bookshop after hours and be inspired by the latest book recommendations from Sue Reid.
What to expect
Arrive for a 5.30pm start. Grab a drink and a nibble as Sue shares updates from the world of books. Then she’ll dive in with her review of that month’s Book Club selections to kick off a wider bookish korero. Read the selections in advance OR simply come along for some ‘To be Read’ pile inspiration.
See the full list of books we’ve been reading here.
Afterwards, the store will be open for you to chat, browse and buy books.
Upcoming dates
5.30pm Wednesday 8th October
5.30pm Wednesday 12th November *Top 10 Books of the Year & Christmas Party*
Summer break in December and January
Hedley’s Books, 150 Queen St, Masterton
Tickets $10. Includes refreshments and 10% off purchases

Wairarapa Bookshop Hop
The ultimate book-lovers weekend out! Grab a Passport and hop around the Wairarapa’s 13 bookshops to discover their treasures.
Collect a stamp from each store you visit and make a purchase from. Each stamp is an entry into the prize draw to win a share of $1000 of Book Vouchers! Plus there will be a $200 prize for the best photo taken on the day. Use #nzbookshopday and #wairarapabookshophop to enter your photos.
Visit Hedley’s and…
– Spend over $80 to receive a $10 Thank You Gift Card to spend on your next purchase!
– Find the Libro.FM Golden Ticket hidden in our shelves to win a year’s supply of Audiobooks!
– Choose two Penguin published books to collect the cutest Petite Personal Penguin figurine!
The Wairarapa Bookshop Hop is happening on NZ Bookshop Day this 11th October 2025

Kiwi Christmas Books
We’ve been supporting the charity, Kiwi Christmas Books as a donation point since 2020. Together, we collect brand new books for children of all ages to gift to Kiwi kids doing it tough at Christmas.
Support this amazing cause by dropping new books into our Masterton store, purchasing them in-store or online using the ‘Add to the Kiwi Christmas Kids donation box’ shipping option.
We’ll start collecting donations for the Wairarapa Women’s Refuge for Christmas from November 2025.
Featherston Booktown Karukatea
We were proud to be Featherston Booktown’s Official Festival Bookseller again in 2025 – a particular special year as they celebrated their 10th Anniversary.
Shoppers in the Booksellers Marquee were able to purchase every available book from the attending authors (and get it signed too!) from us. You can browse some of the books here.
We look forward to seeing you at Featherston Booktown in May 2026.
Next Featherston Booktown Karukatea
May 2026

Yarns in Barns: Wairarapa Festival of Reading
A celebration of stories and the joy of printed books. Running every two years, Yarns in Barns features author talks on subjects from farming to fiction, art to cooking, true crime to children’s stories.
With each event hosted in a unique venue from Masterton to Martinborough, it is also a celebration of our region’s diverse community – old historic courthouses, woolsheds, libraries, a bookstore and of course a barn!
Thanks for joining us in 2024. The next festival will be in October 2026.

The Booklover’s Trail Te Ara Kai Pukapuka Audio App
This free, self-guided tour offers a comprehensive journey through 13 of Wairarapa’s delightful bookstores, from Featherston to Martinborough, Greytown, Carterton, and Masterton. Whether you’re exploring by car or bicycle, the app allows you to immerse yourself in the fascinating tales of these unique booksellers as you traverse the picturesque Wairarapa region.
The diverse booksellers in our region are as captivating as the books they stock, and we invite you to visit each store on the Booklover’s Trail and discover the stories behind these literary havens.
Download the app by visiting these links:
Apple Appstore
Google Playstore
Web app version on your browser