Cocktails, Conversation & A Murder Mystery - Inside Our May Cocktail & Book Club Gathering

On Sunday 10th May 2026, we gathered once again at Hidden Grooves inside Virgin Hotels London Shoreditch for another Cocktail & Book Club afternoon.

This month’s gathering was a particularly special one, held in collaboration with Penguin Random House and Century Publishing, as we welcomed author Kelly Mullen to discuss her book, A Murder in Eight Cocktails.

It was such a lovely afternoon. The room quickly filled with conversation, laughter, cocktails, and that familiar warm atmosphere that always seems to settle in naturally at these gatherings. Some people already knew each other, others were meeting for the first time, but within minutes it all felt comfortable and easy.

We spent part of the afternoon sitting down with Kelly for a really inspiring Q&A about the writing process, creativity, and what it actually means to begin pursuing the thing you dream of doing.

One of the conversations that stayed with many of us was the idea that we often imagine ourselves succeeding at the thing we want to do, but we rarely imagine ourselves at the beginning of it. The uncertain stage which is also the learning stage and the part where you simply have to keep showing up and continue creating.

Kelly shared some really lovely advice for anybody wanting to start writing or pursue something creative in general, and it was refreshing to hear such an honest perspective on the process behind it all.

She also told us a little about her current work and mentioned that she is now writing her third book, which will be slightly darker than A Murder in Eight Cocktails. We spoke about her characters, how stories begin to come together, and the particular moment in the writing process where she realised the direction the book was going to take. It made for a really thoughtful and engaging conversation.

After the Q&A, we stayed together for cocktails from Chrome Horse Society Tequila, along with food and snacks, while conversations continued around the room. As always, the afternoon naturally became about much more than just the book itself.

We spoke about creativity, goals, writing, life, and all the things we are currently trying to build or figure out for ourselves. It was really lovely seeing everybody connect so openly and comfortably with one another.

Thank you so much to everyone who joined us, to everyone who continues to support the club, and to everybody helping us build this lovely little community together.

Looking forward to the next gathering!

See you inside,

Alex Latte xx