Mist The Path of a Killer

Mist The Path of a Killer is the first part of a new crime series from author Jason Instrell.

It features Detective Inspector John Miste of the Leicestershire Police force.

He is deeply affected by the disappearance of his brother as a child and as a result he decided to join the police force.

As a result of his dedication and his hard work John rises through the ranks and is regarded as a competent and well-respected detective.

He becomes enmeshed in the hunt for a highly dangerous and prolific murderer who is known by the name The Wolf.

The Wolf always seems to be one step ahead of Miste and his dedicated team of police officers.

But why? And who is The Wolf? What are his motives for his murderous spree?

Can John Miste and his team cage The Wolf or will he continue to elude them?

This is an extremely taught and well-written and chilling novel which I can highly recommend.

It is published by The Book Guild at £7.99 and can be purchased here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

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You Must Be Jo King

This is a comic novel debut from author Moira Murphy.

It's about Joanne King who is recently divorced at age 39. Jo, as she is otherwise known, is well aware that she needs to make some changes in her life. And to this end she realises that she must set herself some goals.

Three goals! Yes, three goals should be more than enough.

The first goal is to ensure the future safety of her home and her furniture. Training her dog should achieve this.

Try not to be horrid about her husband's new woman, Fran. Well, especially in front of the children she shares with George, her ex-husband. And she hopes this will be for the sake of George, too.

Thirdly? Yes, her third goal is to get herself a new life all of her very own! And if his plan might include a little bit of some romance to lighten things up for her, so much the better!

However... however... her plans have to be bombproofed against the vagaries of her teenaged children, her mother who is 83 and also the puppy dog that was such a nice and thoughtful departing gift from George. And the thing was that the puppy was supposedly a present to the kids and not o!

Amidst all this internal, family-related chaos she has encounters with artists, a police officer (but not in a bad way!) and Nick King, who is a physiotherapist.

Plus there's the added and dubious pleasure of hostilities between Jo and her and the new love of her ex-husband George's life, his new 'soulmate', Fran.

But something seems to indicate that Jo will come out on top, ahead of the field, with Millie the dog in tow!

This is a gloriously written and very amusing book. It's fiction, but it's very, very truthful indeed!

It's published by The Book Guild at £7.99 and copies will be available here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

A Corner of My Heart

A Corner of My Heart is a debut novel from award winning playwright Mark Seaman.

Originally conceived as a play, the author took the decision to re-work it as a novel.

It tells the story of Mary. At under two months of age in 1949, she is adopted by a married couple,. James and Carol Rowland, who found Mary in a home for unmarried mothers.

Mary has a happy and fulfilled life with her adopted parents and she accepts with equimenity the fact that her birth mother, Ruth, gave her up for adoption.

However, when Mary is 28, and a mother in her own right, old, unasked questions come to the fore. Why was her mother unmarried? Why was Mary, apparently,  so easily given up for adoption?

The focus of the story then shifts to that of Ruth. We see the horrific childhood that blighted Ruth and so many people of her generation, torn from the life she knew and transported to the Nazi death camp, Birkenau, where she knew real suffering and horrendous deprivation.

After the liberation of Birkenau and the end of the war she attempts to make a new life for herself in the austerity of postwar Europe. But the shock discovery of her pregnancy breaks her, forcing to give her child up for adoption. 

However, when Ruth receives a letter from her long-lost daughter, Mary, it is decided to arrange a meeting between them, a meeting that will life changing for the both of them.

This is a thoughtful and very moving debut novel from an author who it is to be hoped will have many more books to bring forward in the future.

It's published by The Book Guild at £9.99 and is available for purchase here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

Righteous Correction

Righteous Correction is the first of a new series of crime novel from author Simon J. Stephens.

It concerns a man called Zipoly, so named because his parents used a bag of Scrabble tiles to create his name. As the alternative had been Waduut, Zipoly, or Zip as he was more commonly known, realised that it could have been worse, as he was known to everyone as Zip.

Zip gets married to Francesca, they have two children and then his family is taken away from hm during a horrendous and utterly unnecessary road crash.

He avenges the calamity that took his family away from him but he then becomes drawn into the ambit of a very secret and ancient order, for whom he becomes involved in the fight against crime and injustice. 

His cover is that of a lonely, widowed man who travels the length and breadth of the country, just cruising on the canals of England on a narrow boat.

It turns out that Zip, who previously was a highly successful sanitaryware sales manager, was also highly successful in his new role as a very unconventional crimefighter.

All was going well for Zip -as well as it could, under the circumstances- when he was faced with a dilemma.

Exactly what would happen to Zip should his controllers and superiors demand that he undertake a task that he found to be morally repugnant, to cross a very distinct line?

Zip is about to finds out.

This is a very interesting book, because not only is it a thriller it is also very thought-provoking, raising a great many questions about the human condition, forgiveness, vengeance, love and moral relativity.

It costs £9.99 form Matador and copies may be bought here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

An Oxford Scandal

An Oxford Scandal is a real treat for fans of the historical crime novels of author Norman Russell and for newcomers to his work.

In An Oxford Scandal the reader is taken back to the city of Oxford in the latter part of the Victorian era.

We meet up with Anthony Jardine who is an Oxford tutor who has managed the feat of being both success and popular.

He finds that there are some strains on his life, split as his time is between his working life, his devoted wife Dora and his equally devoted lover, Rachel.

However, the situation is more complex than he could have known as Dora is, what modern society would describe as a junkie, as she is in the terrible grip of an addiction to cocaine. Her behaviour (as a result of her addiction?) is becoming a source of increasing angst for Arthur..

In fact, he retreats, somewhat, into the world of academia as concentrates on the discovery of what appear to be the remains of St Thomas a Becket which were, apparently, hidden in a secret vault at the college.

Then the corpse of Dora is found (murdered in a tram) and, unfortunately for Arthur, as he was in the area, meeting his mistress, he falls under the suspicion of having killed his wife.

Onto the scene comes Inspector James Antrobus who is ably assisted by his friend Sophia Jex-Blake, the pioneering woman doctor and feminist.

The investigation proves to be somewhat complicated, even more so when Rachel, Anthony's  mistress, is also murdered.

Who is the real killer? What on earth could their motives be? And what is the link between, murders and Anthony Jardine and London?

This is an exciting detective knowledge, yet it is also cerebral and very well researched. The inclusion of historical figures like Dr Sophia Jex-Blake is an added element of interest.

The book is published by Matador at a remarkably reasonable £8.99 and it can be purchased here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

What is Science fiction? And who wrote the first Science Fiction story?

In their book “Science Fiction, an historical anthology” Eric S. Rabkin and Robert Scholes explore the historical cannon of Science Fiction literature.

They cover in Part one “The Emergence of Modern Science” and include Cyrano de Bergerac’s “From Other Worlds” (1657), Jonathon Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, (1726) and François Marie Arouet (Voltaire) Micromegas (1752)

In Part 2, Nineteenth Century they cover E. T. A. Hoffman’s The Sandman (1816) Mary Wollstonecraft Shelly Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus (1818)
Edgar Allan Poe A Decent into the Maelstrom (1841)
Nathanial Hawthorne Rappaccini’s Daughter (1844)
Edward Bellamy Looking Backward 2000-1887 (1888)

In the section Early Twentieth Century they include The Star by H. G. Wells (even though this story was published in 1889, thus part of the previous century) and Hugo Gernsback’s novel Ralph 124C 41+ (1911.)

They would appear to argue, or at least, suggest that Science Fiction began as early as the 17th century.

However, they omit Swift’s bitter and biting satire “A Modest Proposal For preventing the Children of Poor People From being a Burthen to Their Parents or Country, and For making them Beneficial to the Publick”. One might argue that the theme of commodifying people as a potential food source was taken up in the film “Soylent Green” which has corpses being turned into a foodstuff called Soylent Green. (Incidentally this theme was not in the Harry Harrison novel upon which the film was based, Make Room, Make Room.

(Note: They also failed to mention Jules Verne, a leading exponent of scientific fiction.)

However, if one undertakes further research it becomes clear that Science Fiction stories predate the eighteenth century.

In an article in The Daily Telegraph published 7th November 2013 arts editor Charlotte Runcie wrote an article that reported during the 2013 Cambridge Festival of Ideas, senior lecturer Dr Justin Meggitt posited “the first ever work of science fiction was in fact written by a Greek-speaking Syrian author, in Ancient Rome.”

Runcie added: “True History by Lucian of Samosata is ostensibly a parody of Ancient Roman travel writing. But with characters venturing to distant realms including the moon, the sun, and strange planets and islands, it has a surprising amount in common with modern sci-fi novels and films.”

Runcie also points out the following ancient writings should be considered as Science Fiction:  “The Ramayana - attributed to Valmiki, between the fifth and fourth centuries BC, Urashima Tarō - Japanese legend dating from around the eighth century AD, The Republic - Plato, around 380 BC and the Book of Revelation - John of Patmos, around 90 AD.”

However, some scholars would question that list because some of them involve “magic, not science.
Runcie also cites author and scholar Margaret Attwood “But some question whether it is really the first ever example of the genre. Last year, Margaret Atwood published a book of essays exploring her own theories on the origins of sci-fi, citing Plato's Republic and even the Book of Revelation as possible contenders for the title.”

In general it is acknowledged Science Fiction as we understand the term began at the turn of the 19th century, with novels like H. G. Wells’ The Time Machine (1895) The Invisible Man (1897), and The War of the Worlds (1898).

Mention must go to Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1886)
In the USA Science Fiction novels can arguably be said to have begun with Edgar Rice Burroughs, with his serialised story Under the Moons of Mars (1912; novelised as A Princess of Mars, 1917.
In 1926 Hugo Gernsback began publishing Amazing Stories.

The magazine spawned many imitators and Gernsback added other Science Fiction titles to his stable; Science Wonder Stories, Air Wonder Stories, and Scientific Detective Monthly, later renamed Amazing Detective Tales.

In 1934 the clamour of readers demanding Science Fiction stories was so high it was decided to launch the Science Fiction League, sponsored by Gernsback himself.

The Science Fiction League had branches throughout the USA and with branches in the UK and Australia. It began holding conventions, still a staple for fans today.

An early, long-serving influence on Science Fiction was the editor of Astounding Science Fiction from 1937 until 1971. With his scientific background (he had a BSc) he was rigorous in ensuring the science was accurate.

Under Campbell the magazine published stories by authors who were to become Literary Lions of the Science Fiction world, like Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, A.E. Van Vogt, Theodore Sturgeon, Arthur C. Clarke (another ‘proper’ scientist like Isaac Asimov.)

There have been a number of protagonists of satirical Science Fiction, like British author Michael Moorcock and fellow British author J. G. Ballard whose satirical novels include his 1973 novel Crash, which is about people who get sexual kicks from car crashes. Possibly the first Science Fiction novel to feature symphorophilia as the main theme.

However, renowned Science Fiction author Harry Harrison was able to prove in the multiple Stainless Steel Rat novels featuring his character James Bolivar diGriz , also known by the sobriquets Slippery Jim and The Stainless Steel Rat, that it is possible to write Science Fiction novels that are both satirical and highly amusing.

If one reads the Douglas Adams Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy novels and the Stainless Steel Rat novels, one might be forgiven for noticing a similarity if not in the subject matter a certain similarity in the joy de vivre that both authors brought to their published works.


References
Rabkin, E., Scholes, R, 1983. Science Fiction, an historical anthology. 1st ed. New York: Oxford University Press.

Charlotte Runcie, arts editor. 2013. Daily Telegraph. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/10432784/Is-this-the-first-ever-sci-fi-novel.html.
Encyclopedia Britannica. 2018. The 19th and early 20th centuries Proto-science fiction. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.britannica.com/art/science-fiction/The-19th-and-early-20th-centuries.
Psychology Dictionary. 2018. symphorophilia. [ONLINE] Available at: https://psychologydictionary.org/symphorophilia/.
Famous People. 2018. John W. Campbell. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/john-w-campbell-4901.php.

What will Augmented Reality present us with in 2018?

Night Shelter

Former lawyer and nine book novelist Gil Hogg has brought in Night Shelter a harrowing tail of drugs, prostitution, homelessness, murder and corruption in both high and low places.

Jimmy Morton is a supervisor at the Night Shelter which is at the heart of this story. It provides some respite for the homeless people of central London.

Jimmy finds himself inadvertently involved in the murder of a local prostitute called Eva, who was found dead in a tenement in Butcher's Row,

The Night Shelter's director and a guest of his, one Arnold Catesby decided to have a bit of a boys' night out. Of the kind of boys' night out that involves a booze and drug-fuelled sex party at an adjacent pub, which, coincidentally (or not?) took place not very far from where Eva's body was discovered.

Onto the scene comes Chief Inspector Dan Hamish from Scotland Yard. He's out to look after his own back and he is perhaps a little too cynical.

He learns that Eva was also at the party, but it's his belief that Catesby and his ilk are too well protected to touch.

However, he interrogates the members of the group individually and they all reassure CI Hamish that they all have solid insurance.

What do they mean by the terms "solid" and "insurance"?

And what might happen when the policy comes due?

This is a very intelligently written and very believable gritty thriller which can be bought here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

The Reaper Calls Time

This is the final installment in the boxing-inspired crime series by former boxer and boxing trainer Gary Tulley.

Again, we meet Ronnie Callaghan, a retired professional boxer who runs a boxing gym and who also has a sideline in market trading.

He lives a pretty good, comfortable life, but all of this is put in jeopardy when an unwelcome blast from the past threatens everything.

For Paul Rossetti, a "plastic gangster" has returned and he is demanding to take over the rights to his father's criminal empire.

And he also wants to take out Ronnie to put right the wrong that he believes Ronnie did to his family.

But exactly who can Ronnie Trust? And who, for that matter, can Rossetti trust?

And who will win out in this gritty, no holds barred thriller of a novel?

It's published by Matador at £8.99 and can be purchased here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

The Legacy of Crystal Island

The Legacy of Crystal Island is a new fantasy novel from Colleen O'Flaherty-Hilder.

It's set during the next century and it follows the story of Orla, a princess who is 14 years old. Orla has undergone a special seven-year initiation process.

This has taken place on an island that is enchanted and protected by a magical crystal fortress. The rest of the world is in a bad way, it is decaying rapidly, ruined by greedy rulers who are set on amassing great wealth for themselves whilst perpetuating an aura of fear for their unwilling subjects.

Orla is a descendant of the Crystalanders, who were the Guardians of Eternal Wisdom. It is their task to ensure that balance is maintained throughout the entirety of the cosmos.

In the very early days of the story of mankind, they were able to besow the Gifts of Creation upon mankind, thus helping to transform the primal fear that is within  all humans, tempering it with Crystaland Wisdom.

But after thousands of years the primal fear beings to reassert itself, causing a degeneration within mankind.

It is the destiny of Orla to work with mankind to reawaken the Crystaland Wisdom that it deep within the body of all people, to help transform the hatred and conflict that bedevils humankind.

Orla must undergo rigorous training before she is equipped for her role.

It is an interesting novel and draws on the author's deep knowledge and understanding of physics, spirituality and emotional programming.

It is published by Matador at £8.99.

It can be purchased here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

Ghostly Witnesses

Ghostly Witnesses is the debut novel from author James. L. Williams.

P.C. Vic Holland has recently undergone a personal tragedy that very nearly took his career as a police officer away from him.

His sure fire advancement to the post of sergeant was now almost certain never to happen and he was still struggling to settle in to a new role at Clapfield where, for no reason that he could easily discern, he had earned the scorn and hatred of his new sergeant, sergeant Proudfoot.

On his way home and thinking of the fish and chip supper he would treat himself to (he really should do something to get himself back into shape) he came across two criminals who had broken into a shop, set fire to it and knocked a pregnant woman and her husband to the floor, Vic gives chase to the criminal duo and he soon realises the folly of his action as they attempt to take his life.

At the last second his life is saved by a stranger who appears just in the nick of time. However, according to the police records the man who fortuitously turned up to save his life was dead and has been so for the past two years.

The result is that vic suddenly finds himself propelled into the midst of his most intriguing and bizarre case of his entire career.

It's a stunner of a detective novel, with more than a few psychic and paranormal twists and turns right up until the ending.

P C Vic Holland is a wonderfully human police officer and a welcome addition to the ranks of fictional police officers and James L. Williams is a great new writer of detective novels. Let's hope this is the first of many novels by James L. Williams featuring P C Vic Holland.

The book is published by The Book Guild and costs £8.99. You can buy here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

Reflections

Reflections is an interesting memoir from Robin Beazley. Interesting because of what Robin's life intersected with and interesting because it is a totally honest memoir. Which is not always the case with autobiographical accounts!

He was born  in Greece to a Greek mother and a Canadian father in 1937. He spent the majority of his life living in Africa where he undertook several different occupations such as a geologist, an  accountant and a liquidator. 

He eventually moved to England in the year 2000.

He and his fourth wife now live in Hertfordshire and Robin is retired.

His childhood was interesting to say the least, growing up in war-torn Athens, living through the Nazi occupation, bombing raids and the like.

He was also interested in discovering the genealogy of his family and he gives candid reflections on his work life, his varied careers. Much of his time in Africa was spent in Zimbabwe.

He animatedly and with great humour describes his romantic relationships and the incidents, some amusing, some enthralling that took place during his professional life.

It's published by the Book Guild at £9.49 and can be purchased at  https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

Witch Dust

In Witch Dust we meet Adam and Ophelia, who are the darlings of the entertainment world. Appearances on the Graham Norton Show, Christmas specials and magazine and newspaper features, they are known as Mr and Mrs Magic.

Their daughter Sandra is best described as "long-suffering" in fact, without Murray Silverstone to look after her, it's probably nobody would have sewn labels into her clothes, nobody would have seen her school plays and nobody would have bothered, very much, if she had never seen a dentist ever.

Page 1 contains one of the best lines I have read in a novel: "I've just killed your father."

The story relates how, when the marriage and professional partnership of Mr and Mrs Magic disappears, not in a puff of stage smoke, but with a cloud of adultery ("a chorus girl too far") Sandra suddenly finds a life she never knew she had or that she actually wanted.

From being a part of a family of three, she suddenly finds herself surrounded by a whole passel of family members she never knew existed.

There's the tottering hotel business, a documentary, a hanged maid, ghosts, psychics, journalists and then the situation slides from farce into a potentially very dark tragedy indeed.

And Sandra finds that she isn't fighting to save the income of her family, she's actually fighting for their lives. 

And what did happen to the lion that vanished in mid pounce?

This is an enjoyable and  fast-paced novel from the pen of published author and journalist Marilyn Messik.

It's published by Matador at £7.99 and can be obtained here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

Chasing the Sun With Henry

Gary Brockwell's debut novel Chasing the Sun With Henry looks at how tragic circumstances can impact relationships, perhaps not always in the way one might expect.

Eddie Dungiven is a bored close up magician and children's entertainer. In fact, he is not only bored with his professional life, he is bored with his life in general, including his wife Sally.

Sally has two preoccupations in her life. Cleaning their house and flawed and useless 'get rich quick' scams.

To escape Eddie takes his Collie-Springer cross, Henry, for regular walks on a secluded beach.

Things start to change when he happens upon a beautiful woman called Cerys Sindon.

Eddie's relationship with his wife deteriorates still further as her behaviour worsens and becomes even more erratic and troublesome. In fact, it seems that Sally has not been honest with Eddie. But why?

Could he, should he, enter into a relationship with the alluring Cerys?

However, with the unexpected death of the person who Eddie relied on as a father figure in his life causes him to take stock of his life, what his needs are and the needs of others.

As Eddie seeks for answers he approaches medium Ignatius McKenzie for answers to his problems. Some of the answers are deeply personal revelations and have very important implications for not only Eddie but for Cerys, too. In fact, Cerys has a deep secret that she is trying to hide.

It's a very perceptive novel and works well as a good, adult romance story.

It's published by Matador at £8.99 and can be ordered here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.


 

That's Christmas: Merry Christmas, everyone! What to do for a last m...

That's Christmas: Merry Christmas, everyone! What to do for a last m...: OK, with all the best will in the world, things can go wrong. The present doesn't turn up at all, or it's broken, the wrong size...

From Small Beginnings

From Small Beginnings is a poetical book from the pen of London-born but Irish citizen, Sean Notyeats.

It's a very interesting book which really belongs on the bookshelf of any writer, poet, or teacher of creative writing.

For it is an exploration of the beginning of Sean's journey as a poet.

He examines lyrics from 21st century hip-hop, 19th century comedy operettas and flower power era songs ands explains how,  at the commencement of his journey through poetry, he regarded poetry as an extension of song. But as he continued his research he modified his viewpoint.

He asks an important question "Why be a poet or a storyteller?"  and makes a good and praiseworthy effort to provide some answers.

There are sixty poems covering a wide range of subjects from the condition of the United Kingdom, sex, the situation in Europe, America, Canada, Death, Australasia, business and several others, including wizards.

It's described as an "anti-textbook" but it is this reviewer's opinion that this book should definitely be a required text for all creative writing classes throughout the land.

It's published by The Book Guild at £7.99 and can be ordered here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

Lost?

Lost? is an interesting exploration of Liverpool F. C. as it celebrates 125 years as a football club.

However, there are niggling doubts for the true fans. Is Liverpool F. C. still an elite team? Why is it that, despite all the promises of foreign owners, that the trophy cabinet is all but bare?

The book, by Anthony Carragher, peeks back at the glory days of the past, the current days when the club is flush with dosh and looks towards the uncertain future of not only Liverpool but of English football in general.

For over two decades LIverpool F. C. dominated the football scene at home and in Europe. But of late the victories have dried up and they have not, shockingly, won a league title in over 25 years!

Is this something particular to Liverpool F. C? Or is it indicative of wider problems throughout the game in general?

The author has been able to secure exclusive interviews with key figures from the glory days of the club including former managers, Brendan Rogers and Roy Evans, members of Bill Shankly's family and numerous footballing legends both past and present.

It's a candid look at not only Liverpool F. C., but of the wider football scene in England and it will be a great Christmas present for Liverpool fans and football fans in general.

It's published by Matador at £12.99 and can be bought here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

Much Needed Rain

Much Needed Rain is a gripping debut crime thriller from R. G. Oram.

David Lewelyn is an extraordinary person. He knows when you are lying. Every single time. You can try to control your breathing, make your expression as neutral as you can, but it doesn't matter. He'll know if you are lying.

However, things come closer to home for David when Hannah who he employed as his secretary is found dead in her apartment. She had been bound hand and foot and her murderer had slashed her body repeatedly. 

Because he was with her at her apartment mere hours before she was killed, the LAPD immediately suspect him of being the killer. 

But his DNA does not match the DNA of the killer that had been found in the apartment. In fact, there is no match for the killer's DNA on the National Database.

But does this mean that he should be ruled out as a suspect? Should he be allowed to provide his expertise to the police investigators, under the circumstances? After all, as her employer, he knew her better than anyone else.

Whatever suspects the police manage to find all seem to have incontrovertible alibis. 

However, the truths that they finally uncover are perhaps worse than they could ever have imagined and they discover that murder can be either a game or a very lucrative business.

And that sometimes there are people who just can't be trusted.

This is a very good debut thriller and it's to be hoped that this is the first of many books from R. G. Oram.

It will make a gritty thriller of a Christmas present for the thriller fan in your life. You can order a copy here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

A New Man

A New Man is an interesting and very important autobiography from Charlie Kiss.

Charlie was a proud feminist and also a proud lesbian.

Charlie admits to having a few vague doubts about her sexuality, but it was with a shock that Charlie realised, one day, that she was not, after all, a woman, or a lesbian, but was, in fact, really a man.

The result of this realisation was that Charlie's life was turned upside down as she became isolated from family and friends, suffered from a complete collapse of her identity and went through periods of mania. She was even homeless for a period of time.

However, Charlie's story is, ultimately, a very inspirational one as it shows how she was able to continue her life without medication.

Eventually, however, Charlie is strong enough to realise that "he" is "her" real identity and so Charlie began to transition from a Lesbian woman into a heterosexual man.

He began to quickly adjust to his new role as a heterosexual male and is now happy in his own body.

It's an inspirational book and a very moving account of what happened to Charlie.

It costs £13.99 and is published by Matador and is available from https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

Marvin's Seaside Adventure

Louise Crowther's Marvin's Seaside Adventure tells the story of Marvin. Marvin is an elderly and rather rusty Mini car who has stood, neglected and uncared for, on the forecourt of a rural garage for many years.

Nobody even gave him a second look, he was not loved or even cared for, very much.

However, every week he did have a treat, his regular trip to the carwash. But! One week something truly extraordinary happened to Marvin! He went in his old, rusty self, yet this time he came out transformed back to what he had originally been, a shiny, beautiful Mini car!

He is magically taken to the seaside where he meets up with Larry who is a young lifeboat and they soon become very good friends.

But one day, disaster looms! Larry was showing off in the sea and he soon gets into difficulty!

What can Marvin, his new friend do, to save Larry the Lifeboat?

This is an amazingly fun book for children which is ideal for reading to them and showing them the stunning and super bright illustrations, from Dave Hill.

It's a must buy Christmas stocking filler and you can order it at https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

Lebensraum 2018 How to Fight World War III

Lebensraum 2018 How to Fight World War III is a novel from Ian Muir who brings us a thrilling tale of the very near future.

The novel mixes historical and current facts and events into a disturbing fictional account of how a modern-day Hitler could arise in Germany.

The surge of immigration into Germany has brought about a disaster of global proportions and in this novel readers can see how all these dreadful events are the result of the mind of a man who makes the term Machiavellian redundant.

Wolfgang Schuschnigg is the man, but as he tells his story the reader must struggle to uncover if he is telling the truth or if he is merely delusional?  He desires to ensure that Germany is, once again, a racially pure nation and a major superpower. But what is he? The new Fuhrer or an evil but spent old man?

He ruminates on his life, from his childhood during which he suffered from neglect, and right up until the moment when he is appointed to be the new Chancellor of Germany.

This is an interesting science fiction novel and will make an interesting Christmas present for sci-fi fans and those who like future history books.

It's published by the Book Guild at £8.99 and can be bought here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

DP Goes A-Roving

DP Goes A-Roving is a fantastical historical tale from author Nicholas Romano.

Dino is a young boy who is trying to make some sense from a matriarchal mother, an absent father, Blackshirts v Partisans, a vile war and the trials and tribulations of first love.

In the immediate post-war years Dino meets up with an idealistic philosopher who seems a little bit unlucky, ends up serving some time in the nick, meets up with some old comrades and his wartime sweetheart.

These events prompt our hero to leg it, moving to and island where he meets up with some truly bizarre characters. And hilarity (well, sort of) ensues.

Eventually he returns home and undergoes a somewhat dramatic reunion with his family and then the fun starts, involving castles and cliffs and the like.

It's an unusual and slightly bizarre book, but one that is very readable indeed.

It's published by The Book Guild at £8.99 and you can order it for Chirstmas here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

Whisper of Death

Whisper of Death is a new novel from published author Paige Elizabeth Turner.

It is a follow-up to her novel Beyonds All Doubt, which sees investigator Olivia Watts once again enmeshed in an investigation into another high-profile mystery.

Only a short time (mere hours, really) after she had been happily preparing lunch in her own home, Joyce Beecham was dead in hospital.

Why? How had she died? Was it murder?

Into this maelstrom steps Olivia Watts, principal investigator of new frecently founded business, 'Watts Happening? Investigations.'

Olivia's company has been commissioned by a legal acquaintance of hers, Alexander Beecham, to investigate his mother's suspicious death.

Olivia's investigations soon turn up matters that some people might have thought best left hidden, including a clandestine marriage, some nasty sibling rivalries and some financial transactions that, on the face of it, seem to be problematic to say the very least.

Whilst rummaging through family closets she unearths a few skeletons and meets up with Lord Bennington, an inventor best described as somewhat eccentric who seems to have some close connections to the Beecham clan.

She also finds an estranged relative who she believes to be her number one suspect. But is she?

Can Olivia solve the murder? Will she receive the support of her on-off boyfriend and former supervising officer, DCI Stafford?

This is another excellent novel form Matador about a character who is becoming a firm favourite with me, Olivia Watts. I love a good murder mystery at Christmas and this is my pick for Christmas 2017.

It'll be a great Christmas gift for the murder mystery fan/s in your life and you can order it here  https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

Dreaming of a Divine Life

Dreaming of a Divine Life is an amazing memoir from Joanne Lee Philpot.

The book commences with the dream of a yoga teacher's dream of making a retreat in the countryside of Italy.

But it soon becomes much more than that when Joanne sees it transformed into a journey of self-realisation and self-discovery.

Joanne realised that if she took the time and made the effort to see the positive in all experiences, including the negative experiences, and learning to be more of a giver than a taker, by seeking out and learning the truth about relationships and "choosing  love over fear and by learning to feel good and cultivate compassion for others, I hope that my readers will relate to my difficult experiences," Joanne said, in regards to the purposes behind writing her book.

Her dream turned inot a bit of a nightmare, to be honest. The dream of a wonderful yoga retreat in the Italian countryside turned out to be an uncompleted house in the hills in which she found herself struggling to raise her four kids!

But she became aware that sometimes a travail or a problem may, in reality, be a blessing in disguise and a moment that we can learn from and use the4 experience to grow spiritually.

It's a book of interesting spiritual concepts but it is in no way preachy or overwritten so will be a useful book for everyone who wants to learn about the yogic way of life.

It's published by Matador at £9.99 and will make an ideal present this Christmas. You can order it here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

Mary Darling

Mary Darling is a debut novel from L M d'Mello.

The protagonist of the novel, is Mary Darling who was found abandoned on the steps of a hospital very soon after her birth.

Marey spends the first part of her life in the care system until she is adopted by Tom and Susan who lost their own daughter in a tragic accident.

Her new parents do their best to make her life a happy and contented one, but school bullies do their best to hurt Mary. However, a totally unexpected ally comes to her rescue.

But Mary's life is utterly transformed when she realises that she has an amazing power. She can not only communicate with animals, she also has the ability to heal them, too.

She then proceeds to help save the animals of the world from harm, cruelty and the ever-present danger of extinction.

She must fight against an array of dangerous enemies who mean harm to not only the animals of the world but also to Mary, herself.

This is the first part of a trilogy of books published by Matador.

The book costs £9.99 and is an excellent and entertaining way of bringing the plight of the animal kingdom to children and adults and will make a great Christmas gift.

You can order your copy here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

The Theology of Truth

The Theology of Truth is an analysis and review of the theological concepts and ideas that are to be found in both the Old and New Testaments from theologian W. A . Sumner, who studied theology at Hull and went on to achieve an M Litt from Oxford University.

The book commences with a review of the varied and different types of truth or certainty. These range from mathematical realities right through to theological concepts and ideas. 

The remainder of the book is a selection of different theological materials from all over the world.

The authors of the cited materials all claim, in one way or another, to impart to us the truth about both life and death.

A. A. Summer employs Biblical materials to draw comparisons with these other scriptural materials.

He then proceeds to examine and outline the varying forms of truth (covering art to mathematics) and thence on to matters both philosophical and theological.

He makes a careful analysis of each scripture in that light, endeavouring to undertake this work as objectively as possible.

This is an extremely interesting and very well written work from the author of The Theology of Paradox (also available) and will be an excellent Christmas present to all students of religion,  but perhaps especially those studying comparative religions.

It is published by The Book Guild at an extremely modest £9.99 and can be ordered here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

Without Borders

Without Borders is a moving novel from Susanne Burge.

The novel follows a young Doctor called Ana, who is working at the Za'atari refugee camp in Jordan.

Rahim, who is eleven years old, tells Ana something. She fails to recognise the significance of what he said until he suddenly vanishes.

Ana feels impelled to go on a rescue mission to save the young boy, and she goes to a secretive field hospital which is located in the besieged town of Old Homs.

However, she barely escapes with her life, fleeing from ISIS forces. However, she has put those who assisted her in fear for their lives.

Unfortunately she is captured by the Shabia and put in the hands of their evil leader.

She witnesses acts of love, of betrayal and of unspeakable horror as she tries to make sense of the situation around her. Who can she trust? And is everyone quite what they seem?

This is an extremely well-written and thoughtful novel. It is published by Matador at £8.99 and is available here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

Colonel Belchamp's Battlefield Tour

Colonel Belchamp's Battlefield Tour is a moving piece of fiction which does start from some historical wartime fact.

In May 1940 Dunkirk was not the only place to see a strong, but ultimately hopeless, defensive action. For there was also the defence of the port town of Calais, often overlooked by the history books.

Author Adrian Crisp has used the defence of Calais as the starting point for his novel.

The book begins 24 years later, in May 1964. Former soldier James Butland is devastated by the recent death of his young son. 

He decided that he would return to France to visit the battlefields where, as a young man of 18 years of age, he took part in the defence of Calais.

Whilst there he takes stock of his life, looking back over the lead up to the Second World War, the war years and the years following that dreadful conflict.

He had been on the point of going to study at Oxford University, but like so many members of his generation his plans were spiked by the advent of war, when he becomes a young soldier.

He is wounded in the conflict and is hidden from the invading Germans by a young medical student named Agnes. Following a brief love affair she is able to help him return to England.

After his return to full health James is posted to Tunisia where, during vicious fighting, he is wounded again, this time so severely that his has to be discharged from active service.

Weary from fighting and killing James decides that he would rather be helping people and saving lives, so he opts for a career in medicine and trains as a Doctor.

James' career as a man of medicine flourishes, but his life is shattered when his son who is none years of age is killed in a road accident.

Whilst he is visiting France he decides to see if he can find Agnes. He does so, but is shocked to learn that she bore him a child.

This news brings a crisis of conscience to James. What should he do? How should he react to this utterly unexpected news?

This is a very thoughtful novel and it is to be hoped that Adrian Crisp will have a long career as a novelist ahead of him.

The book is published by Matador at £7.99 and can be purchased here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

You Can't, You Won't A Life of Unarmed Combat

You Can't, You Won't, a Life of Unarmed Combat is a stunning memoir from Liverpudlian comedian Gary Skyner. Written with the assistance of Carol Fenlon, Gary tells his life story as one of the Thalidomide children.

Born in 1959 with a range of severe physical disabilities after his mother was prescribed the drug Thalidomide to calm her morning sickness when she was pregnant with Gary.

As one of the first Thalidomide children born within the UK, his life was both challenging and difficult because the drug also impaired his physical development. Indeed medical opinion varied from: "He'll not live, long" to "He'll never amount to much."

However, Gary is living proof that belies both of those medical opinions and Gary just goes to prove that there's nothing a person cannot achieve if they set their mind to it.

In his autobiography Gary shows how he was able to defy all the odds to become a successful and very popular comedian and motivational speaker.

It reveals the traumas caused by the breakdown of the marriage of his parents and of his somewhat difficult relationship with his father. Gary remains convinced that this was as the result of the strains and tribulations of raising a disabled child in 1960s Toxteth.

Gary became a passionate campaigner for the rights of Thalidomide victims to receive proper recompense and recognition for the problems that Thalidomide had caused them and their families.

This is a truly heartwarming book and it is published by Matador at £8.99 and will make a great Christmas gift for lovers of biographies.

You can order it here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

Red Sky Over Dartmoor

Red Sky Over Dartmoor is a novel from debut author Tony Rea.

It takes the reader back to A september morning in 1920. The sky above the small Devonshire village is a vivid red and three former soldiers are meeting together.

The story slips back to 1918 and moves forward with a train of linked events, including examples of bravery, rivalry, cowardice and even homicide.

Canadian artillery captain Marc Bergeron can't keep himself out of strife. Bombardier Ryan is his sidekick, an Irishman who is handy with his fists and a dead shot with a Mauser pistol.

Whilst participating in the fighting in France, Captain Bergeron meets the utterly useless and incompetent Major Cross and the reprehensible Captain Wadham. Cross and Wadham both seem for some reason, to have an axe to grind with one of their own NCOs.

When two suspicious deaths take place which are not connected to the military actions of war, Captain Bergeron is hell bent on finding out who was responsible and to making sure that the two murder victims get justice.

Which is why one of the three old soldiers will soon meet his death, belated though it might have been.

This is an extremely well-researched and very well-written book which is an ideal Chirstmas gift for those who like a well-crafted novel.

It's published by Matador at £8.99 and can be ordered at https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

AspergerWorld: My Fairy Jam Jar

Aspergerworld: My Fairy Jam Jar is a new book from Autism activist Joely Colmer through which she shares her own inspirational life story.

The book takes us through the life journey of Joely. From her childhood challenges, to to her successful completion of her education to her current position as a passionate and crusading autism activist and a campaigner working tirelessly to raise awareness amongst the public.

However, there's a good deal more to this book than that. It's also a highly useful resources for people who are living on the Autistic Spectrum, offering them useful tips and hints for coping with their daily lives.

There is also useful information for their family members and for professional health personnel on how they can best offer support and appropriate assistance to the person on the Autistic Spectrum.

It is an extremely thought-provoking and very honest and moving book.

If you have an Autistic Spectrum Disorder, have a family member or a friend who is ASD, if you are a teacher, a Doctor, a nurse, a psychologist or a school counsellor, you must buy this book.

Seriously, you must buy this book. There should be copies in every hospital resource library, every school, every doctor's surgery, every university and every FE college throughout the UK.

It is published by Matador at £12.99 and will make a wonderful Christmas gift for anyone who needs to learn more about Autism.

You can purchase it here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

Jan

Jan is a fictional thriller from former military officer Peter Haden. But it is based on the true life story of his Uncle Jan.

Jan was a young Polish boy who, due to the depression of the 1920s, was forced to seek employment in Germany, just over the border.

During the invasion of Poland by Nazi germany his sister and father brutally lose their lives and Jan's brother remains on the family farm to work with the Polish partisans.

As Nazi persecution increased, Jan was asked to help by assisting his employer's Jewish daughter to flee to a farm on the Belgian border where she could seek refuge.

After making a motor journey across Germany Jan manages to reach England.

He is given intensive specialist military training to enable him to undertake missions for the Allies.

He undertakes two missions, the first with the Polish partisan forces. He then meets up with the Jewish girl, Renate, with whom he must make reports to the Allies on the German build-up behind the Western front.

Renate and Jan are captured by the Gestapo and they must make good their escape to flee across the border into Belgium and then on to England.

It's a riveting and thrilling book, and is the third military thriller from Peter Haden.

It's published by Matador at £9.99 and really should be in the Christmas stocking of any fan of military thrillers.

You can purchase it here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

Storyteller

Storyteller, On the Journey of Poetry, is the third collection of poems from David Hamilton.

It is like no other collection of poems that I have ever read before. And I mean that in a very good and very positive light.

David Hamilton is a poet for the modern age, yet he is able to drawn upon the poetic traditions of Homer, Chaucer, Pope and Tennyson.

It's not just a collection of poems, it contains the distilled wisdom of the author, plus a collection of extremely high quality photographs (all taken by David Hamilton) that really add to the vitality of this anthology. 

There are poems, sonnets and stories told from the perspective of a variety of historical characters, all smartly linked together by the weaving prose of David Hamilton who acts in the guise of a literary master of ceremonies. And what splendid ceremonies they are!

The book is published by Matador and costs £12.99 and will make an excellent Christmas gift for the poetry reader in your life. And for the non-poetry reader too, for that matter.

Will also be a useful purpose for poetry lecturers, too.

It can be purchased here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

Blackhart

Blackhart is a novel from D L Millan.

In the year 1822 Lord Blackhart is thrilling his young grandsons with the stories of a mystical curse that has been placed upon their family. It is the story of the Black Dove.

But the threat will only come good should the Blackhart line die out.

The story then moves to the present day when a teenage girl by the name of Callie follows a mysterious stranger and finds herself in a totally different world.

A battle, using the powers of magic, breaks out between the mysterious stranger (who is called Alex) and James Blackhart and his cohorts.

In the nick of time reinforcements arrive in the form of the Doves, who are Alexis' previously estranged sisters.

The Blackharts flee to their home in the early 19th century.

It becomes clear that the two time streams have become linked due a a Blackhart portal, which is an ability unique to the family, which gives them the ability to travel backward and forward in time.

James Blackhart's niece lives with the sisters and sahe discovers evidence that Callie's late father was a creator of portals.

Callie and Alexis meet, once again, under extremely trying circumstances and a secret from Callie's life is revealed. A secret that has haunted her for years.

Callie is drawn into a dangerous world of time travel and magic, where she learns about ancient secrets and the curse of the Black Dove.

This book is published by The Book Guild at £9.49 and can be purchased here
https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

Aaron's Rod

In 1938, during archaeological digs at Lachish, James Starkey discovered a copper scroll that had been buried in a clay cylinder, hidden beneath a pyramid of skulls. 

It is believed to date back to the 7th century and the Assyrian conquest. The contents of the scroll are so shocking that Starkey decides to hide them in a cave where his body is found the next day.

Some 70 years later Professor Joshua Black, professor of surgery at London University, is discovered hanging from a tree on Hampstead Heath. It's theorised that he committed suicide.

But not everyone is convinced of this, including an elderly and somewhat genteel older lady called Olive Hathaway. Dr Sanjay Manchanda also doubts that it was a suicide and the Indian born doctor and the elderly widow team up as a somewhat unlikely detective team.

The duo follow a trail from London to the Holy Land and discover the mysterious scroll that had been hidden  decades previously.

Deep beneath the site of the temple of the ancient Samarian Kingdom, near to the modern day borders of Syria and the Golan Heights they discover an amazing treasure trove hidden in a secret vault.

But why were ISIL interested in their search? And what, exactly, would they find?

This is a compelling adventure novel and at £7.99 will make a spiffing Christmas gift.

It's published by Matador at £7.99 and can be bought here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

No Turning Back

Published author Fred Smith is back with the second installment of the life of James Williams.

James Williams is the son of Robert Williams, a bailiff who readers first met in the novel The Devil Returns Twice as Deadly. 

Robert's son James has a consuming passion for all things involving engineering and he starts and builds a highly successful engineering works and iron foundry.

In common with many entrepreneurial engineers of his day he joins forces and becomes involved in the early days of the advent of what was to become the railway network of the United Kingdom and made their fortunes.

However, it wasn't an easy task and there are many trials and tribulations that beset James as he works hard to establish himself.

The story is filled with a number of subplots and mysterious events and some rather unexpected twists and turns along the way.

It's a compelling novel written in a rapid pace that takes the reader back to the early 19th century to a daring and dashing time of disappearing vicars, of outrages and revenges.

It's published by The Book Guild at £8.99 and will make a most excellent Chirstmas stocking filler.

You can purchase it here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

Conkers and Grenades

Conkers and Grenades is set in the city of Bristol in 1916 in the midst of the Great War.

This is the debut novel from Hillary Lee-Corbin and is a book for children.

Mar and Appy are two ordinary boys, living in Bristol. Their fathers are both fighting on the front, so not unnaturally they both decide to do their bit for the war effort to help defeat the Kaiser and his Imperial army.

However, they inadvertently become entangled in a net of spies, secret agents, special secret codes and an ever-present sense of danger.

They find themselves caught up in a world of intrigue and menace where people are not quite as they seem ad they run the risk of betrayal.

They find themselves facing foes who are much older than they are who are far more experienced than a pair of Bristol boys who are also facing shortages of food, and the ever-present risk that their families might receive a telegram about a loved one who had gone missing in action. Or worse.

They discover a German spy ring and an audacious plan to murder the King and Queen of England.

But what can two boys do against a team of dedicated German spies? However, they've probably not met any Bristol boys, before!

This is a very intriguing mystery for children and hopefully the first of many novels about Appy and Mar.

It's published by Matador at £7.99 and will make a really good Christmas present.

You can order it here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

At Reception

At Reception is the debut novel of Galahad Porter.

Sally is a lonely person. However, it's a lonely world that she inhabits that is, largely, of her own making.

She is a victim of psychological stress which is, unfortunately, mistreated and unsupported.

She lives alone by choice, with only stuffed toys for company.

She seems locked into a situation that she is unable to break out of. She is, in effect, crippling her life.

Sally works at a hotel and a guest arrives there. This proves to be an event which is a catalyst for helping Sally to become more open to the idea of forming human relationships.

The novel follows Sally's life over a period of three days, and shows how she reacts with guests (such as new arrival John) and other staff members and how Sally's opinions on love, life and relationships begins to develop some interesting changes in her own perception of self and how she perceives other people.

John is a charming man, yet can his charm help Sally come out of her shell and will she be ready to consider going on a serious date with him and potentially developing a relationship with him?

It's a very well written book and will make an excellent Christmas gift for the lover of romantic fiction with a bit of thought behind it.

It's published by Matador at £7.99 and is available to purchase here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

Anything is Possible

Anything is Possible is a love story which is a debut for former bank worker Rob Osborne.

Matt is an ordinary sort of bloke, he leads a normal enough life, he works at a bank in London with Bully, who is his best mate.

Rob has a healthy fantasy life which seems to revolve around his celebrity crush, Abbey Jones who is a popular TV soap opera star.

He can't believe his luck when Abbey Jones herself has to come inot the branch where he is working to make a money withdrawal.

Unfortunately he makes a complete idiot of himself, irritates Abbey and the moment, his moment to shine when he met her, was lost. Or was it?

Because over a period of time and following a chain of events and happenings they meet again and the actually seem to be developing romantic feelings for one another.

But can Matt's dream come true? Or is it possible that after years of unrequited pining for her, he will be unable to sustain a long term relationship with someone who is as famous as Abbey?

So, can Matt and Abbey work out a way to remain together as a couple? Or will they be spun apart by Abbey's fame?

But can his friend Bully help him to pull it out of the bag?

An ideal Christmas gift for the romantic fiction lover in your life, it's published by The Book Guild at £8.99 and can be obtained here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

The Boys From the Bridge

The Boys From the Bridge is an incredible true story of how, in 1976, Richard Attenborough directed the film A Bridge Too Far.

Attenborough created a group that became known as the APA, or Attenborough's Private Army. The APA consisted of a group of 50 handpicked young British actors who were brought together to train under the expert guidance of a former SAS officer who trained them so that they would be able to recreate, with exact military precision, the heroic deeds performed by the members of the British Paratroop Regiment who were able to hold, against incredible odds, the bridge at Arnhem, in 1944.

The APA worked for a half year with major stars of the day such as Michael Caine, Sir Laurence Oliver, Sean connery and Anthony Hopkins.

The account of what happened is revealed in this thrilling and amusing account by someone who was actually there throughout it all, a member of the APA, a then young British actor by the name of Sebastian "Seebo" Abineri.

He tells stories of how they drank the town dry (do remember that 1976 was the hottest, driest summer in decades) and how they spent three weeks hard infantry training to be able to not just act the part of soldiers but be the part of soldiers. The first time such a feat had been attempted in the history of film making.

There are stories of camaraderie and of incidents and injuries both on and off the set.

Seebo also touches on his acting career both before and after A Bridge Too Far. Including causing a bit of a stink at a casting call. Literally causing a stink. It's an amusing story and told in the self-deprecating and entertaining manner that he employs throughout this very readable book.

Included is the story of a man who had the ability to swallow and regurgitate whole pickled eggs to order, and the fellow actor called  Patrick Hannaway who laughed so much at the egg man and an ensemble performance of "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts" that his lungs collapsed and he was close to death when he was taken by ambulance to a Dutch hospital were surgeons were able to save his life.

All-in-all this is a great memoir published at £9.99 by The Book Guild and it will make a fantastic Christmas present.

It's available for purchase here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

Saving Africa

Saving Africa is a very thoughtful book on the situation in Africa, by Ivorian author N. Timolen Amessa.

In his book Amessa identifies several important factors that he believes are an inhibiting factor in developing countries, with particular emphasis on post-Colonial Africa.

He examines the impact on the social life of the peoples of Africa and explores a range of cultural factors such as problem in reconciling varied cultural traditions and practices with the more westernised way of life.

He also gives consideration as to the potential impact of how political and economic systems that are currently in place may increase or add to these problems.

Amessa employs to very good effect the case of Cote D'Ivoire (the Ivory Coast) as a main example. He uses this to illustrate how the legacy of colonial rule and the scale of local corruption amongst the political elite, when one factors in other problems such as poor infrastructure, managerial inefficiencies and limited provision of educational services, causes endemic problems with the lifestyles of most citizens of African countries.

But what's to be done? Amessa outlines a blueprint for change, a plan for how to bring about an evolution in Africa.

Should his plan be implemented it would allow all African people to enjoy the benefits of living within a modern society, with a stable economic system and a sound political structure, yet which would preserve the best of its traditions and customs, yet which also take advantage of opportunities that Western culture can also offer.

It's a well-written book which, although well researched, is not an arid exercise in academic speak and is to be heartily recommended to all students of Africa, third world issues, foreign aid and the like.

This will make a moist excellent and thought-provoking Christmas gift.

It is published by Matador at £10.99 and is available for purchase here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

Legacy of a Duelist

Legacy of a Duelist is a novel from author T. C. Sutton.

It opens with a child who is starving and dressed in a few pitiful rags of clothing. He is wandering through some woods, searching for anything that he can eat to assuage his gnawing hunger.

He hears the sounds of voices and laughter coming from within the woods and he spies a scene that bewilders his youthful mind, so different is it from anything he has ever known before.

This chance meeting changes this scrap of a boy's life for ever, as fate intervenes and introduces him to a lifestyle through childhood into adulthood that he could never have dreamed of.

He finds ease, learning and the love of a family, becoming a member of the upper classes of 18th century English society, a far cry from his extremely humble origins.

However, his life is populated by fervent and dedicated foes, enemies who will do anything to bring about his destruction and death.

He must always be on the alert, ready to repel a foe, unable or unwilling to offer anyone his friendship or trust in case they might betray him. 

But will he be able to claim his own legacy after all?

Eventually the novel ends in a thrilling denouement with a duel to the death, where two implacable foes faced each other. But they had both been trained by the same man, so which would win?

This novel is a classic piece of 18th century adventure and is extremely well researched and very well-written. Readers will be taken to the time of duelists and will see and hear a duel to the death. A remarkably enjoyable book. An ideal Christmas present for £8.99 from The Book Guild.

It can be purchased here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.

A Time for Role Call

It is post-war Britain, 1946 to be precise, and former debutante Sally Jardine-Fell, SOE operative is in jail, due to be put on trial for murder. But it is for a murder of which she is innocent.

The reader is invited to follow the twisting path of Sally from blitz-torn London to Yorkshire, where she meets up with the mysterious Adam.

She travels to the Rome of the Fascist regime and to the bedchamber of of member of Mussolini's government, who is her SOE target.

However, for reasons that are entirely beyond her control her operation is aborted and after the overthrow of Mussolini and the allied forces invasion of Italy she leaves Rome to escape Italy.

There follows a series of hairraising adventures as she meets up with German deserters, escaped POWs, a nun, Italian draft dodgers, Adam (again and only briefly) Italian partisans and shepherds.

Eventually back on post-war London a former SOE superior of hers tries to kill her. But (and not by her hand) it is he who ends up dead, and not Sally.

The judge appears bent on virtually ordering the jury to convict her on flimsy circumstantial evidence  and send her to the gallows. And yet, perhaps fate has something else in store?

It's a tightly written novel that carefully blends historical facts and very plausible fiction from previously published author Doug Thompson and is £8.99 from Matador and will make a most excellent Christmas present for fans of his work.

You can purchase it here https://goo.gl/wdCFDG.