Thurs 16 July / In conversation with Marcia Hutchinson

Excited to be welcoming Women's Prize for Fiction shortlisted author Marcia Hutchinson to Bookbag, The Mercy Step is Marcia Hutchinson's solo debut novel informed by her own experience as a child.

The book tells the story of Mercy, a precocious British-Jamaican girl born into a world that feels far too big for her small body — into a home run by an angry, violent father and a devout mother, both Windrush migrants from Jamaica. She craves her mother’s attention, which she must share with the Church and her many siblings, while the whole family live at the whims of their father’s temper.

But Mercy is nothing if not resilient. She finds joy and escapism in books, in learning, and in the loyal company of her doll Dolly. She is determined to overcome her upbringing — no matter what it takes.

Hutchinson was the first pupil from her comprehensive school to go to Oxford, where she gained an MA in Law. She worked as a lawyer before founding the educational publishing company Primary Colours, which she ran until 2014. She was awarded an MBE in 2011 for services to cultural diversity. Moving to Manchester in 2012, she became a community activist and was elected as a Labour councillor in 2021. She is now a full-time writer and an active member of the Black Writers’ Guild.

Join us for a conversation with the author, tickets up soon.