AN author will sign her books to raise money for a local bereavement cafe.

Andrea Darby will be at JellyPickleJam in Vine Mews, Evesham signing copies of her novel, The Husband Who Refused to Die.

A donation from the event will go to the Worcestershire branch of Cruse Bereavement Care, a national charity offering support, advice and information for people following the death of a loved one.

Ms Darby, who lives near Tewkesbury, said: “Grief is a major theme explored in my book and I’m grateful to have the opportunity to raise money for Cruse Bereavement Care and to highlight the great work that their volunteers do.

"I’m also looking forward to meeting some potential new readers."

She describes her book as a 'story of love, loss, family and friendship with an unusual premise’

The book tells the story of a 40-year-old widow whose husband dies a few years after announcing his wish to be frozen, or chronically preserved.

He believes he can come back to life when science has moved on and his decision has difficult repercussions for his family.

Earlier this week, it was selected to feature in the groundbreaking BooksOnTheUnderground initiative, with copies hidden in and around London tube stations for lucky readers to find, read and pass on.

Lisa Whelan, owner of JellyPickleJam, said: “We love to support local authors and artists, and we’re really excited to welcome Andrea to the cafe.

"We’re also very pleased to support the valuable work of Cruse Bereavement Care as every single one of us is touched by loss at some point in our lives.

“Andrea’s book tackles some fascinating and contemporary ethical and social dilemmas and I'm sure it will provoke a lot of thought, as well as make for an enjoyable read for our customers.”

The book signing takes place on Saturday, March 11 from 10.30am.

The Husband Who Refused to Die, which is now a suggested read for Cruse Worcestershire volunteers during their specialist bereavement training, is published by Matador.