10 Days of Freedom

10 Days of Freedom is a new science fiction novel from Maurice Powell.

It is set in the year 2209, and the population of the world is now a staggering 5 billion.

11 men make an escape form a "Work Zone", previously known as a prison. Although the men were held as prisoners, they had committed no crime and had not had a trial. They were the result of a programme to genetically engineer worker humans, designed to undertake manual work for their supporters.

Over the years the 11 had been able to collect bits and pieces of information about the world outside the "Work Zone" until one day, they managed to escape from the Work Zone, escaping to the countrside just ot the south of Birmingham.

They are being trailed by guards from the Work Zone, senior government officials and a husband and wife team who are leading academics form Oxford University, experts in the field of psychoanalysis.

The fugitives cannot be allowed to remain at large. They must be stopped no matter the cost. Because the British public must never learn the truth about the Work Zones and what happens within them.

Can the 11 outwit the authorities? Can they evade their pursuers and continue to live free and outside the Work Zone?

What would happen if the public found out about the truth of the Work Zones? Because a lot more than the freedom of the 11 rests on this.

It is a though provoking novel which raises many interesting questions on ethics and morality.

It is published by The Book Guild at £8.99.

   

Pickles' Purrfect Plan

Pickles' Purrfect Plan is a wonderful book from author Carolyn Young.

Pickles is a lovely little kitty who is also very clever.

Pickles lives with Winnie the Witch and Willie the Wizard in a lovely little cottage in the heart of a wood.

However, after a really, really nasty storm their cottage is left in a terrible state of disrepair. Unfortunately Winnie and Willie are without any funds, so they cannot afford ot have the cottage repaired.

They retire to bed, sad. However! Pickles is an extraordinary little cat and he comes up with a very clever plan to ask his animal kingdom friends to come together and help repair the cottage.

The incredibly good story is very well illustrated by pictures from Jo Blakeley and the book is ideal for parents and children, it is aimed at children ages 5 to 7.

It is published by Matador at £6.99

Appearance and Inference

Appearance and Inference is a new philosophical work from Edward Allbless.

He argues that in a world now cast adrift on a sea of 'fake news' where concepts like  'post truth' is now holding sway.

Allbless points out in his work that we must seriously think about what we know, what we think we know and how it is that we acquired such information and knowledge in the first place.

He argues, cogently, that when we analyse truth that such an analyse must be centred on an unbiased perspective.

He also points out that we must be critical of the various shibboleths that we might tend to take to heart.

In his book he aims to identify and "call out" the nonsense that is at the heart of many "knowledge-related platitudes" and false assumptions.

The book is short, under 100 pages, and although it is a scholarly work it is eminently readable for both philosophers, students and the general public.

It is published by Matador at £8.99 and deserves to be in the libraries of every university in the world.

Within the Water

Within the Water is a science fiction fantasy adventure novel from Kelly Fallows.

Captain Benjamin Daniels was once a leading light in the Republic's Naval Service, but that was in his past. Now he is a disgraced former officer, a pirate.

He becomes the leader of a group of fellow exiles. They are at the mercies of not only the Republic but also the Guild, a criminal organisation.

Captain Daniels and his crew must employ their varied skills to work for the Guild, whilst always trying to remain out of the clutches of the ruthless troops of the Republic.

Trapped between these two dangerous factions, he must take his crew on a very dangerous mission that will risk their lives as they battle against all sides as they try to work to save the fractured remnants of society already damaged by the wars that left the world a water-covered ruin.

The stakes are very high, for if they fail, the future of all citizens will be at risk.

This is an exciting and adventurous debut novel and Kelly Fallows is a name to keep an eye open for.

The book is published by Matador and costs £7.99

Sorak Returns

Sorak Returns is a science fiction novel with a difference, for it is also a romantic tale that details the story of Sorak and Nasa, after they escaped from the city of their birth, removing their son, Lenar, with them.

Their life, however, has become increasingly troubled, and they find that they are struggling to survive.

They need to move on to establish a place of refuge for themselves and their son.

However, life in their former city has changed in ways that they could not have conceived, after a series of brutal regimes it has now controlled by two warring fiefdoms.

Their search for a new home for their family is interrupted when they meet up with a group of rebel soldiers. A woman with the group attracts the attention of Lenar.

What they learn from the rebels makes them reevaluate their future plans and they decide to return to the very city that they escaped from all those years ago.

What will happen when they return to the city? Can they help to bring about a peaceful resolution to decades of internal warfare and fighting?

This book is published by The Book Guild at £8.99.

Video book reviews. A new feature

There's a new feature about to be rolled out on That's Books.

There will be audio visual material to accompany book reviews on the site.

Lifestyle Change With April

Lifestyle Change With April is an inspirational book from fitness guru and businesswoman April Laugh.

Do you want to live a healthier lifestyle? Need to drop a bit of weight? Or are you just looking to eat a bit better? Looking for ways to stay motivated?

Then this book is the right book for you!

It's not a book filled with theories, it is a down-to-earth, practical guide to healthy eating.

You'll learn how to stop binge eating, cut down on your cravings and eat more for sustained weight reduction.

April's also includes a free meal diary to help you spot every calorie and to make every meal count toward your ultimate goals.

There's also a highly effective seven day detox plan and the book is backed up with truly inspirational stories form some of April's very own clients.

It's copiously illustrated with photographs and colourful, inspirational graphics.

The book shows you that you aren't alone in your struggle to gain control over your weight and offers practical support to help you get where you want to be.

It's published by Matador at £14.99.

Ozzy & Izzy The Ospreys

Ozzy & Izzy The Ospreys is a wonderful book that is handsomely illustrated and, as one might suspect from the title, tells the compelling story of two Ospreys, Ozzy & Izzy.

Written by Paul Philip Gaunt and illustrated by Matija Sandric, it tells the story of how Ozzy migrates between Senegal on Africa's west coast and Rutland in the English Midlands.

It was in Rutland that Ozzy met Izzy.

It's the wonderful story of their 6,000 mile courtship, where they delight visitors to Rutland Water with their displays of aerial prowess and fishing abilities as they work hard to keep their growing family fed as they prepare their children for their return ship to far off Senegal.

It's an incredibly moving and very well told story and is aimed at children and young adults aged between 7 to 13, though I can see many older people and parents equally enjoying this charming book.

It's published by The Book Guild at £6.99.

The Perils of a Literary Life

The Perils of a Literary Life is a novel from the pen of Jennifer Weeks.

What happens when your grip on reality begins to falter?

It's a romantic tale set amongst the Yorkshire Dales, yet it also moves into thriller territory, too.

Alice is tired with being kept under the influence of her twin sister, who is just a shade too possessive for Alive's liking.

So Alice moves to the Dales where she can live a perfect life in a beautiful little cottage while she works as a teacher.

She meets William, the nephew of her ageing neighbour. William is an actor and a bit of a dish, so Alice quickly falls for his charming ways.

Alice soon realises that she is totally in love with William. They are, she thinks, perfect for each other. They are, in fact, soul mates.

However, she finds something out about William. She hears a furious row between William and his uncle, her elderly neighbour, concerning the heavy debts that William has amassed due to his gambling addiction.

Not long after the uncle falls to his death on the crags not far from the cottage. She is immediately suspicious of William. Did his uncle fall, or did William push him to his death?

And when William's aunt Annie becomes ill, Alice is convinced that William has poisoned her to shut her up about his uncle's murder. Alice begins to fear that his next victim will be her, Alice!

But exactly how far from reality might Alice have strayed? Can she believe anything, any more? Can she believe herself?

This is a thought provoking novel which raises some very interesting points about the perils of a literary life.

It is published by Matador at £8.99.

The Woman With The Red Hair

The Woman With The Red Hair is a debut novel from Clive Tuckett.

Harry Frobisher, along with many other young men, had suffered badly during the Great War. He was traumatised and left sightless.

He returns to his family's ancestral home on Bodmin Moor. He feels that he needs to seek reconciliation with William, his brother, after the murder of their parents.

But there has been a second murder on the moors. And not only that, but there have been reported sightings of the apparition of a woman with red hair out on the moors.

Some locals are convinced that is Morag Donaldson, formerly the secretary of Lord and Lady Frobisher, Harry's parents.

After being found guilty of the murders, Morag had been committed to an insane asylum.

The local police find themselves baffled by the case and so it falls to Inspector Edwards of Scotland Yard to come from London to take over the investigation.

His immediate conclusion? That the case was far more complex than the local police had assumed and that the whole investigation needed to be reopened in order for him to establish who had committed the murder and what their motive might have been.

This is an evocative and emotionally charged piece of detective fiction. The irst of many such novels from Clive, it is to be hoped.

It is published by The Book Guild at £9.99.

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor is a novel by Mo McDonald.

Way back in the 1980s, Jack Kelly was famous as both as a successful novelist and a celebrity broadcaster.

He had the lifestyle to match, an army of fans and the ability to do, pretty much, whatever he wanted, when he wanted. Life was good.

Now, moving forward to today, his secretary gives him an urgent call. She is warning Jack that a story on social media concerning Jack has gone viral.

It brings to light details of a relationship he had with a woman called Marian Davies, 30 years previously.

Why this? Why now? Especially at a time when Jack is ready for a very important career move, he doesn't want or need even a hint of scandal.

He takes the time to examine his life of the last three decades, looking back to a time that was pre-social media, the last time he had seen Marian, during the time when a celebrity could fairly easy control the narrative of their public persona.

But the question remained: Where had Marian been all these years? And why had she reappeared?

And would there be a price for Jack to pay all these years later?

It's a debut novel and hopefully the first of many novels from Mo.

It's published by The Book Guild at £8.99.

An Urgent Murder

An Urgent Murder is a thrilling detective  novel form Alex Winchester.

A murder had to be performed. And urgently! Should the victim be made to suffer? Perhaps.

And if the blame could be placed on an innocent person? So what?

A murder is undertaken in a home. When the police find the murder weapon (a jar of poison apparently with the fingerprints of the killer on it, the police declare that the case is closed. The nurse (whose fingerprints were those on the bottle) does not admit to the murder, but then she doesn't actually deny it, either.

However, there's one detective who isn't quite so certain about her guilt.

John has had a long and chequered career as a Met detective. His attitude to policing is perhaps a little flexible, but he is surprised when he is teamed up with Alison who is a young officer from the Sussex Police force, who does it all by the book.

There are many twists and turns in this fast paced thriller. Who was the murder victim, really? Why did he have to die?

Can Alison trust John? Can they trust their own police force, or, as they suspect, is there a mole within their organisation feeding information back to a shadowy crime baron?

Can they use their skills and experiences as police detectives to bring the killer to Justice?

And will the killings stop?

Published by Matador at £9.99, this is a must read for all thriller and detective fiction fans.

The Arnolfini Connection

The Arnolfini Connection is a novel from Brenda Turner.

It is a compelling historical novel from the pen of Brenda Turner.

Vilnius is an important city, dear to the people of Lithuania, the capital of which it is.

However, in the first part of the 20th century the city was populated almost completely by non-Lithuanians.

Not surprisingly Lithuanians were very unhappy about this situation and would go to almost any lengths to address this problem. Even if this meant they had to seek the help of outside powers.

Amidst this tense situation a clandestine love affair between two youngsters from two opposing families brought about a reprehensible assault.

Circumstances resulted in their separation between London and Vilnius. they find that circumstances totally outside their control shatter their lives even further, with the advent of the Second World War.

However, the young lovers are linked by a joint passion for a Renaissance painting from the 15th century.

Can this be the key to getting them back together?

The story is very well-written and draws on the family links of Brenda Turner to Vilnius.

It is published by The Book Guild and costs £8.99.

When the Ice Dog Comes

When the Ice Dog Comes is a new book from author P K Bell.

It tells the story of Westie Lady Corrie-Rex Arabella Jayne, in the sequel to Letters to Daddy.

Granpappy has sent a message in the form of the Ice Dog. And so our Westie heroine. She must  discover what fate had befallen her long lost Mammy and Pappy, stolen by dog kidnappers, and never heard from again.

She decides to leave home, trusting the safety of her humoan family to Max the Muckhart Warrior.

But Max is a Westie who is capable - of getting everyone into trouble!

During a family holiday in Scotland he finds the Loch Ness Monster (or does he?) Can Daddy be counted to come to the rescue?

This is a modern, action-packed adventure for children and adults of all ages (it's ideal to read together) and it is charmingly illustrated throughout by Paula Jasper-Osbourne. And the illustrations are specially designed so that you can colour them in!

It's published by Matador at £5.99.

Rude Rousing Revenge

Rude Rousing Revenge is a new novel from Robert Hobbs.

The protagonist, Karen, is a no nonsense kind of a woman. She's highly successful. And she's also heading toward her 40th birthday.

She is beginning to wonder about her life. Is this all there is? Why now, amidst all this success, is she starting to feel unchallenged? As if her near perfect existence might not be enough?

But then Karen's life is hit by the terrible news that her sister has been brutally slain.

Six months after this tragic even and with the police nowhere near to finding the culprit, Karen decides to take matters into her own hands.

If the police cannot track down and expose the person responsible for the brutal murder of her sister, then she will!

However, someone is watching Karen's efforts with alarm.

What if she should discover the truth about what happened and why it happened?

Perhaps it would be better to have Karen removed?

And why do people keep getting shot to death?

There's also a very dramatic twist that I will leave you to discover when you buy the book.

It's published by The Book Guild at £8.99.

Mercy or Mercenary

Mercy or Mercenary is a new, thought-provoking thriller from Sheila Parker.

The impact that Alzheimer's can have on an individual and their family can be devastating.

But does that excuse someone who decides that they should have the power of life or death over someone?

Leo Adare, a famous actor, is having his biography written, by a team of writers. Ralph Maguire, Ralph's friend Duncan Sinclair and his doting wife, Isabel. What is remarkable about this is that Ralph is suffering from Alzheimer's.

However, Ralph dies and the post mortem reveals that he died as a result of the medication that he was taking.

But there's a twist that interests the police and everyone else involved. It would have been impossible for Ralph to get to the medicine cabinet in the bathroom without help.

So, who was it administered the fatal dose? And why did they do it?

Was it a mercy killing or a mercenary killing?

There are many twists and turns in this thriller that takes an interesting peek into the murky world of mercy killings.

It's published by Matador at £8.99.

It's Wake-Up Time

It's Wake-Up Time is a highly poignant and moving story written by Angela Skelley about life in Bristol in the 1960s and 1970s.

From the first page which details her depression, all the way through to Canada, it details life in Bristol in the 1960s and the 1970s.

People generally didn't have telephones at home and only the more well-off neighbours had the luxury of a TV set.

Angela and her siblings were packed into a tiny prefab home which froze every winter, so life back then was not always easy.

There was pop music of the day, featuring visits by such luminaries as The Beatles, make-up (some homemade based on folk wisdom) and first jobs at age 14.

And then there was emigration to Canada.

This is an interesting memorial and it is published by Matador at £8.99.

Mind Your Will

Mind Your Will is a highly welcome book from Dr Hugh F. O'Donnell.

It is a highly welcome book that is a practical guide to protecting your will.

Not only is the author a Doctor he is an experienced counsellor who has developed years of experience.

In this book he shows the reader how to stop those using undue influence in their tracks and how you can use the power of the law to protect the vulnerable.

It covers cases like that of Gordon Lambert who made 31 wills in the last year of his life. This caused tremendous ill feeling as it was alleged that these wills were made whilst he was under undue influence and brought about a bitter dispute.

You will learn how some physical and mental health issues can bring about situations where a person can become victim to undue influence, how physicians can be of assistance in testatory matters, the definitions of capacity and how it can be assessed and how vulnerable people can be protected from the venal and the grasping. Which might include greedy councils and other interested bodies.

The book is published by Matador at £12.99.

The Importance of Being Maddison

The Importance of Being Maddison is a new novel from Helen E. Highton.

It's a very amusing novel which takes a wry look at the life of a typical family, through the lens of a girl of seven!

It looks at the McLaren family and how Maddison fits in to the life of the family.

Maddie is a little pocket rocket who seems to have not been fitted with an off switch!

There's her mother, Liz, who seems to be going from one Maddie inspired disaster to another (she always seems to be apologising for what Maddie has done, or trying to explain it.

Then there is Joe, her Dad, who seems unable to suffer fools gladly, or perhaps at all.

There's her sister, Rachel who looks at her little sister with a mixture of shock, amusement and perhaps a hint of jealousy.

And what about brother Robbie, going through the traumas of being a teenage boy, who is frustrated and exasperated by his little sister and her antics.

This book will resonate with everyone who had a little sister like Maddie, and make everyone else who didn't have a little sister like Maddie very, very grateful for that fact!

It's published by Matador at £8.99.

Lizzie's' Dream

Lizzie's' Dream is a romantic novel set against the backdrops of the horrors of the Great War.

Lizzie is 15 and she knows what she wants to be. She wants to be a governess.

However, the fact that she, along with the rest of her working class family, work in the local mill, this dream job looks to be more of a piper dream than something she can attain.

However, She meets a young solider called Harry who is stationed locally, but as their romance seems to be blossoming, Harry is sent away as part of the war.

Whilst she is trying to forget about Harry, she becomes a companion to Molly, who is the daughter of the family that owns the mill, for Molly is a sickly girl and is too ill to attend school.

As well as being her companion, the two girls swiftly develop a genuine friendship and Lizzie is able to teach Molly everything she knows.

Could this mean that Lizzie's dream might have a chance of becoming a reality?

But then she receives a letter form Harry, who has been injured and is now recuperating in a military hospital.

What happens next?

This is a charming and somewhat bitter-sweet romantic novel and it is the debut novel of poet Beverley J. Tucker.

It is published by Matador at £7.99.

They Were There on the Western Front 1914-1918

They Were There on the Western Front 1914-1918 is a remarkable book from Alan Weeks.

He has painstakingly researched an absolutely amazing collection of first-hand accounts from 100 people who were there on the Western Front.

The 100 are made up of a wide variety of different nationalities, British, Americans, Australians and French, from all walks of life, officers, conscripts, regular soldiers, engineers, medical staff and more besides.

It is profusely illustrated with photographs, drawings and maps which help to support the diary writings of these 100 people, including Alan's own father.

It explores topics such as why would someone want to keep a diary in the hell that was the Western Front?

There's also extracts from the diaries of Harry Patch, who died at 111, the last veteran of trenches of World War 1.

Not only are there diaries, but also extracts of letters that were sent back home.

This is a very moving and thought-provoking work and it is one that the serious student of the First World War will want on his or her bookshelf.

It is published by The Book Guild at £11.99.

Yoi

Yoi is an important book, for it is the first published biography about Edith Cornelia Crosse, who was a most remarkable woman.

Widely known as Yoi, Edith was born in Hungary to a British father and a Hungarian/Polish mother.

Eventually Yoi moved to England where she lived with her grandmother.

She settled down to life as a married woman and a mother. But her life was to be changed dramatically when a major scandal blew up and changed her life for ever, when she ran away with a young lover.

Yoi had a love of travel and she roamed far and wide, visiting Tehran and Italy, where she lived with her second husband, a sculptor of some repute called Antonio Maraini.

Yoi began to find success as a writer, publishing several books of her travels, books which met with some success.

She also published a variety of articles in newspapers and magazines in Britain, including an interview with Mussolini.

Yoi was an interesting woman, cultured and refined yet not averse to stirring things up a little, if she felt so inclined.

The book is well researched and profusely illustrated and does bring to life Yoi.

The book is published by Matador at £17.99.

Field of Dust

Field of Dust is a novel by Angela Jean Young, but it is based on a true story.

On September 3rd 1878 the paddle steamer SS Princess Alice hundreds of passengers are enjoying a moonlit cruise on the Thames Estuary.

Unfortunately the SS Princess Alice was in a collision with a collier the Bywell Castle. Within minutes the SS Princess Alice was destroyed, cut in two, sending it to the bottom of the Thames.

650 Londoners lost their lives in the accident and for days afterwards bloated corpses were being dragged from the water.

This recovery operation is taking place watched by children from a community known as The Creek. The tragic events are locked into their memories for the rest of their lives.

One of the children, Florence Grant, also has troubles in her own life, her own family has been destroyed by the secret lives enjoyed by their parents and she and her sister were harshly abandoned by their alcoholic mover.

However, Florence is an extraordinary young working class lady, she will not allow her past to control her future.

But it was the speech of a young and impassioned young union official that caused a major development and brought change into Florence's life.

This book scores with the reader on two counts: The quality of the writing and the quality of the research, both of which are absolutely meticulous.

It is fictionalised history rather than pure fiction and all the better for it.

It is published by The Book Guild at £8.99.

My Wellness Toolbox

My Wellness Toolbox by Alison Swift is, without a doubt, the best self-help book that has been written and published in the past couple of decades.

By using the techniques that she outlines in her book Alison Swift was able to "banish the blues" and "nuke negativity."

It is a very simple book and very easy to read and to follow.

It contains 26 tools that you can employ, right now, to make your life infinitely better.

And most of them are explained in only one or two pages.

You'll learn how water can help you, how to use "No" to your advantage, how to create and employ your own positive affirmations, how to use gratitude, how to make and use a vision board, how listening to the right type of music can help, how to breathe to your own advantage, how to use Reiki, how learning something new can help you, how to employ kindness, the use of physical exercise, massage therapy, how laughter should be a part of your Wellness toolbox and many more besides.

This book will help you to be able to help yourself. It's part of my Wellness Toolbox, and for the nifty price of a mere £9.99, you can make it a part of your Wellness Toolbox, too!

It's published by Matador and will make a great gift to give to someone else or an ideal gift to give to yourself.

This book works and you deserve it!

That's Christmas: A guaranteed, easy way to make extra money for Christmas...

That's Christmas: A guaranteed, easy way to make extra money for Chr...: We can all do with some extra money at Christmas, whether it is for spending on Christmas gifts, Christmas foods or decorations. Several...

Listen, It's Wednesday

Listen, It's Wednesday, is set during the vibrant era of the 1960s.

Music is of vital importance and blues music was at the zenith of its influence.

 Listen, It's Wednesday follows the varied fortunes of a highly talented and very important member of an all woman brass band (a rarity of the day) who is saved from a suicide attempt by the loyal members of her band.

She was brought to such a low ebb in her life by the loss of her girl friend.

Her friends in the band manage to help save her from herself and she learns that she can keep going buoyed up by her friends, her own humour, the brass band and the realisation that when good old William Shakespeare said: "Sweet are the uses of adversity" the Bard of Avon might actually have actually had something go for him!

Although this book is a work of fiction, Chris Vale has based the novel on her experiences in a brass band. Although she was the only female member a cavalier and rather crass remark from the conductor lead her to write her first novel, Brassy Women.

So. what happens to Chrissy and her friends? Will they find success as musicians? Can they find true love? Can they reach their dreams?

This is a strikingly good novel, filled with twists and turns, and love and friendships. And the harsh reality that the 1960s were not swinging and 'with it' for everyone. 

It is published by The Book Guild at £8.99..

 

The Boy Who Imagined and Found he Could Draw!

Vapi is not doing well at school, to be perfectly honest. But it's not really Vapi's fault.

He is a misfit at school, but this seems to be as a result of the fact that he struggles in lessons. The situation is made worse by the fact that poor Vapi is being targeted by the school bully.

But Vapi has an escape route that he employs when his day-to-day life threatens to become too unbearably. He uses his imagination to take him on all sorts of fantastic adventures.

However, Vapi's situation begins to change for the better when he learns that he can draw and that he can use his drawings to help other people who are having problems in their own lives.

Written and illustrated by Fred and Ann Onymouse, this book will be a real winner with children of all ages.

It is published by Matador at £7.99.

The Price of Magic

This is an amazing book for children from ages 9 to 11, from Gavin Neale.

Siblings Abbey and Chris moved into a new home four summers ago. They learned a number of things including the fact that magic is not a fantasy, it is as very real thing and they met up with a lovely pair of witches who lived just down their road.

The children undertook a perilous rescue mission to save their mother from the Land of Fairy. Although their memories of this momentous even are beginning to fade, Abby still bears the scar of the wound he received from a ghostly sabre tooth tiger.

However, the Queen of the Land of Fairy is in desperate trouble and she comes to Abby seeking her assistance.

However, the consequences for Abby could have devastating consequences. But Abby has to gird her loins, ensure that a magical war is halted before it can really start, plus save the life of her neighbour.

All pretty dramatic fro anyone, but even more so for a girl of 11 who finds out that magic can come with a price even for those who use it for the power of good.

This is a great book for children and adults and it is published by Matador at £8.99.

Is Virtual Reality an isolating experience?

Five Rites

The kidnapping of Margaret Rotheram as a child was, in many ways, the making of her.

A curious statement, yes. But it was a truthful one. For her new family moved in illustrious spheres of influence which brought Margaret, who is an especially gifted and intelligent child, to the notice of a very special and highly elite organisation which is known, rather prosaically, as the "Organisation."

They monitored Margaret until the time was right for them to make their move.

For a while, Margaret works as an Operative for the Organisation. It became clear that she was the best of the best and the fact that she outperforms everyone else meant that she quickly rose through the ranks of the Organisation.

However, it is not all smooth sailing for the Organisation, as it has accumulated enemies throughout the years of its existence. And these enemies will stop at nothing to destroy Margaret and her Organisation.

Leigh David's novel starts with the kidnapping of a Russian living in London and continues at breakneck speed with many flashbacks to the war years and familial betrayals, and the machinations of a variety of various intelligence agencies. a world in which human life is expendable and which no one should be trusted.

But then, came the heist. Probably the biggest heist in the history of the world.

Could it be pulled off? And if it could be done, what then?

This is a breathtaking book and a real high octane corker of a thriller.

It is published by The Book Guild at £8.99.

Munich The Man Who Said No!

Munich the Man Who Said No! is a novel from David Laws.

It is set against the back drop of the 1938 Munich Conference.

An American foreign news correspondent gatecrashes the conference to make a protest at what he perceived as the surrender of the British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain to Adolf Hitler, the leader of Germany.

However, before he can make his feelings known to Chamberlain, he is knocked unconscious. And is never seen alive again.

70 years later his granddaughter who has a degree in history from Cambridge University, is determined to find out what her grandfather had been trying to accomplish in Munich and what actually happened to her grandfather.

And she is determined to learn the truth, no matter what obstacles are placed in her path.

But what exactly is going on? Who can Emma trust? Who can anyone trust?

This is a complex and intriguing debut novel from author David Laws.

It is published by Matador at £8.99.

Sid the Madeiran Wall Lizard

Sid the Madeiran Wall Lizard is a debut novel from author Heather Heath Gorton.

It is aimed at children up to age 7 to help teach them about wildlife, the habitats they live in and how such creatures are precious.

It's also a very entertaining story about Sid the Madeiran Wall Lizard who lives on the island of Madeira and who is having a bit of a problem with keeping his feet cool under the blazing sun that shines down on the island.

He tries a variety of methods, increasing his knowledge throughout this entertaining story until he finally hits on the ideal sollution, with the assistance of his good friends Steph, Bert and a little mouse called Pete, and some frog friends, too!

It is an illustrated book and is an ideal read along book.

It is published by Matador at £6.99.

How big can Virtual Reality get?

Winning the Weight Battle

Winning the Weight Battle is a startling new book on obesity and weight loss from Ian B. Stark.

Mr Stark makes a claim that, on the face of it, might seem absurd. He argues that a lack of sugar is a cause of the increase in obesity.

He has studied physiology for 40 years and he issues a challenge to the media for what he calls a regular misrepresentation of the science of sugars.

He points out that sugar is actually a necessary element that allows us to participate in fast exercise which, in turn is the element which improves our hearts and, ultimately the rest of our bodies.

He points out that there have been recent studies of large population groups that actually prove the benefits of eating sugars and, yes, even chocolate.

His book is very well argued and his claims regarding the foods we eat, what types of exercise we should participate in and what meals are important, are all backed by solid facts within his book.

At the age of 71 he was healthy enough to be able to play football and he is still a keen runner, what Ian Stark has to add to the diet and exercise debate should be taken note of.

The book is published by Matador at £10.99.

Beyond the Arch

Beyond the Arch is a stunning debut novel from David Evered. It is set against the background of the changing attitudes of the latter years of the 1960s.

 Peter Bowman is a successful solicitor. However, a series of utterly bewildering events including the metaphorical death of his marriage and the very real death of a close personal friend and turning up late, again, for one of his own dinner parties led to an extraordinary set of consequences that totally disrupted his life.

He decides to quit working as a solicitor (at least for a while) and to follow his ambition of writing fiction.

Which takes him on a series of bewildering journeys during which he faces some new challenges and meets new loves and some new tragedies, too.

He leaves the familiar surroundings of his life in the North East of England for France, where he lives with a freelance journalist called Sally.

Sally is a bit of a mystery herself, with something of a troubled past.

He begins on his first baby steps of writing a novel. But can he, a survivor of a previous generation, really escape the restrictions that his own background have placed upon him?

Can he really embrace the new "With it" movement that burst upon the unsuspecting public in the late 1960s?

Does Peter succeed in his ambition?

Or does something even more wonderful happen to him?

It's an incredibly moving novel and although it is not a romance it is filled with love.

It's published by Matador at £9.99.

Home Before the Leaves Fall

Home Before the Leaves Fall is a novel about the Great War by author N L Collier.

However, it is different to many of the other novels set during the Great War, or Wold War One as that conflict is also known.

This is because Collier has taken the interesting step in his debut novel to set the novel from a German perspective.

As war breaks out all over Europe German university student Franz Becker takes the decision to give up his academic life -at least for the present time- and to enlist in the Kaiser's Army.

He feels sure that the army life will enable him to escape from his safe and predictable life. However, not everyone in Germany agrees with him .For example his best friend, Karl von Leussow is sickened by the idea of a European conflict. And Karl should know about this type of matter. After all, hadn't his family supplied the Prussian Army with members of the officer class for many generations?

Despite his misgivings (Karl is aware exactly how bloody and brutal war can actually be) Karl also joins the army in order to defend his country.

Along with the other new recruits they both receive six weeks of barely adequate training and they are bundled off to join in the fighting at Ypres. The fighting was terrible and the carnage unthinkable.

The shock at what he is witnessing has a major impact on Franz, but he swiftly learns that he must fight or die. So, he fights.

He proves to be a good solider and his promotion up the ranks is rapid. He is then put under considerable pressure to make the change to join the officer class, but he knows of the dangers of becoming an officer and declines to take the commission.

Karl, with a background in hunting, becomes a sniper, which causes his friend Franz some angst.

After seeing aircraft above the trenches more frequently, Franz decides to transfer to the Air Service, but Karl decides to remain earthbound.

After his acceptance into the Air Service the two friends decide to enjoy a leave together.

The novel is extremely well written and pulls no punches. The one thing the reader will begin to understand is that there's probably no difference between the soldiers, no matter what side they are on.

It is published by Matador at £7.99.

Hurricane Hill

Hurricane Hill is a novel by Chris Leicester which is based on his highly successful play of the same name which he toured the UK with in 2013 to 2015.

It is a heart and gut wrenching examination of the terrible effects of PTSD on combatants and their family members.

It's a novel that is moving and yet also very disturbing, too. It tells of the camaraderie built up on the battlefield and explores the moral dilemmas that soldiers sometimes face on the battlefield. Who lives and who dies on the day? Which life is more important? Who should be saved, who should be sacrificed?

The novel also explores the results of what happens when a former combatant returns home carrying the heavy weight pf PTSD.

I have never suffered -thank the Lord!- from PTSD, but I have known former servicemen who fought in the types of regiments that Chris Leicester alludes to who do suffer from PTSD and this book might just help give a glimpse of insight into what they are going through.

It is published by Matador at £8.99.

Striking Similarities

Kevin Morley takes a detailed look at two examples of industrial action that were both extremely important moments in industrial relations

In 1913 there was the Dublin Lockout which was a gargantuan struggle between the opposing forces of William Murphy who owned the Dublin United Tramway Company and the Irish Independent newspaper group whilst also being the head of the Employers Federation, versus Jim Larkin and James Connolly and the Irish Transport and General Workers Union.

The dispute was a bitter one involving a strike and a lockout of the working people of Dublin which lasted for some eight months.

In the first part of this well-researched work the author examines the lockout and the conclusion in 1914.

The second part of the book crosses the Irish Sea and looks at the 1984/85 Miners Strike which crippled the coalfields of Britain for a year.

Morley points out that, although separated by 70 years and two world wars, that there are some very strong similarities between the two industrial disputes. And that these similarities are well worth closer examination.

Striking Similarities deserves a place on the bookshelf of any modern historian and people who specialise in industrial relations. And of any layman with an interest in modern history.

It is published by The Book Guild at £11.99.

The Mule in Military Service

Almost entirely ignored, the role of the poor mule in wars, including both the  First and Second World Wars is examined and reported upon by Anthony Clayton in his new book The Mule in Military Service.

It is a detailed and authoritative account of the use and treatment of mules whilst in military service.

Anthony Clayton points out that the number of mules used within conflicts has been huge. But he points out that their loyal service was often overshadowed by the hardships they went through and the many cases of utterly unnecessary cruelty to which they were subjected.

The book is a thoroughly well researched work and is an epitome of what in depth research should be.

Although this book will be of great value to academics searching the history of war it is not in any way a dry book as it is written in a very readable style.

It is well sourced and cited throughout and it does contain some very illuminating illustrations. 

This book belongs on the bookshelf of any military historian and interested lay reader and at £9.99 is well worth the price.

It is published by The Book Guild.

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The Cypher Bureau

The Cypher Bureau is a novel by Eilidh McGinness. It tells the story of what happens when the Polish Cypher Bureau learn that the Germans are employing a new type of code that hey cannot decypher.

The Cypher Bureau takers the decision to employ mathematics students to implement a new way of dealing with the science of code breaking.

One of these students is Marian Rejewski. With other outstanding mathematics students he participates in a top secret course in code breaking.

He is given a commercial version of the Enigma machine and a set of user handbooks, and, alone, het starts to learn how to break the code.

His work must be undertaken in absolute secrecy, but the situation is growing increasingly dangerous as the outbreak of war with Germany is becoming more obvious and time is running out for the team of code breakers.

Although the story is a fictionalised account of real events, Marian Rejewski was a very real part of the Polish efforts to defeat the German Enigma cypher.

It's a very readable account of the story of the incredibly brave and resourceful Polish code breakers and the absolutely vital part they played in helping defeat Nazi Germany.

It is published by The Book Guild at £8.99.

Fragments

Fragments is a new novel from lawyer turned author John Ellison.

It's a novel that draws heavily on the maxim "Borrow from history, build from imagination."

It's a piece of historical fiction, yet a piece of recent history, set in the 1960s and beyond.

Rather than writing a 'straight' memoir, John Ellison has decided to mine memoir to create a fictionalised story which he uses to tell the life, from his point of view, of Clive Bates, who, from his position as a retired law lecturer, looks back all the way to 1968 when he leaves University with a law degree and takes up his first teaching post.

There are a rather eclectic (dare one say also slightly eccentric?)  group of fellow lecturers in the college's Business and General Studies Department of East Ham Technical College.

Potential problems are flagged from the early pages of the novel when one of his colleagues airly annonces that: "Teaching a class of pretty girls about erotic references in the poems of John Donne and being paid for it is in my view a reasonable way of making a living."

However, as he doesn't expect to remain in the employ of the East Ham Technical College for long, that might or might not be a problem for those concerned!

There's snobbish behaviour from some chap who was educated at Oxford and a colleague always ready to fulminate on the advantages of Socialism at, or without, the drop of a hat all adding to the general atmosphere of the East Ham Technical College's Business and General Studies Department!

However, this is all set against casual sexism and everyday racism, the sudden shock of the speeches of Enoch Powell, the Russian invasion of Chekassloakia, the massive anti-Vietnam war demonstration in London and the US Presidential election of 1968.

John Ellison uses the historical backdrop to interweave the life story of Clive Bates into a very enjoyable and realistic memoir, albeit a fictional one.

It's published by Matador at £8.99

The Girl in the Abbey

The Girl in the Abbey is set during the tumultuous period of World War 2.

Grimsby was an important British port and, as such, it was constantly under attack by Nazi bombers so many of the children of Grimsby were evacuated inland to places of safety.

Violet Cobb is one of the evacuees. Violet is a resourceful and brave young girl who finds herself waiting on the doorstep of Bramblington Abbey, far away from her hometown and her family and friends.

The Abbey is situated in a village called Bramblingham-in-Finalis, which is preternaturally quite and crumbling from age after age of neglect.

She meets Mr Whispers, who Violet thinks looks like a desiccated old stick who looks like a housekeeper from a scary film.

Mr Whispers makes it very clear that Violet must not enter the Abbey itself, nor is she to bother the surviving member of the family who own the abbey, Lady Ainsworth for fear of a terrible beating.

But later, Violet finds a girl who she can befriend. Her new friend is called Sarah and Sarah says that she is the granddaughter of the reclusive and mysterious owner of the Abbey.

Together the two girls explore the local area. Violet soon learns that whilst Bramblington Abbey might have its own secrets, the elderly and decaying abbey is not the only one with secrets that it might wish to keep to itself.

But eventually Violet does enter the old abbey and, amidst treasures she could only have ever seen in her dreams, she meets Lady Audrey Ainsworth. Who she finds a most engaging raconteur as she takes Violet on a impromptu guided tour of her country home.

And then secrets started to bubble out from the reason why Lady Audrey never leaves her family home to why Mrs Geddes uses paraffin in her cakes.

This is an amusing and moving novel that touches on a number of themes, including what happens on the homefront during a war, class differences, friendships and a good deal more.

It's published by the Book Guild at £7.99.   

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The Lantern

The Lantern is a piece of political philosophy.

It examines and explores the complex and myriad issues that have, unfortunately, stymied and real changes and developments in the current Arabian world.

The author, Ayman Aborabh, takes the time and trouble to reexamine these issues by introducing new and groundbreaking ways of thinking that the author hopes will challenge his readers to understand and embrace and what is commonly described as western philosophy and to meld these with the current political realities and politics that exist within the Arab world.

He is candid in his observations, but he levens this with a good deal of humour. He takes the works of the likes of Plato, Machiavelli, Burke and Hobbes and triex to illustrate his points by picturing how these great minds from previous ages would examine the political makeup of the states of modern Arabia.

He also features two "normal" Arabian citizens who he has arguing vital questions on freedom, democracy and on their ordinary lives.

Although a serious academic work it is written in an open and approachable style, the author aims it at universities that offer courses on modern Arabian politics and the like.

 It is published by Matador at £13.99.

The author also has a YouTube channel https://youtube.com/omelseiasa which is in the Arabian language.

The Tales of Louis the House Rabbit

The Tales of Louis the House Rabbit is an utterly charming illustrated book by Harriet Hall.

It is a book that is aimed at parents and children (ideal for reading to children) and it contains simply written stories about Louis who is a rabbit who lives in a house.

He manages to sneak out of the house and meets a whole range of interesting creatures such a bees, frogs, a rabbit (who is puzzled as to why Louis doesn't have a warren!) Whiskers, Louis' new rabbit chum, shows Louis his warren and introduces Louis to his extended family.

After some adventures, including a bit of a scary one, Louis returns to his own home, with his human family.

But he dreams about the other rabbits when he falls asleep in his bed, after washing his ears, of course!

It costs £8.99 and is published by Matador and it is the first in a series, so do look out for subsequent books.

Soundman

Who is John 'Wilf' Wilford? He worked as a roadie for many top bands and musicians. His book Soundman traces his 30 year history of working on the road as a sound engineer, a tour manager and a production manager.

In his book he takes his readers on a behind-the-scenes tour of what took place by on and off the stage, sound checks, recording studios, TV studios, the tour buses and the hotels that the bands occupied during their tours.

It's the view of a genuine insider, and you'll be shown the highs and lows of life on the road with some very famous and some not quite so famous bands and individuals from 30 years on the road.

From pub gigs right up to gigantic events at stadiums like Wembley and the Hollywood Bowl, you'll see them all.

After tinkering with his father's defunct valved radio (he got it working) Wilf was bitten by the radio and electronics bug and eventually took a City and Guilds course to learn the basics of radio and television servicing.

Eventually he shifted over inot the world of pub gigs, as a part time roadie, he took up the career as a full time professional.

He built (whilst working with Midas Amplification) sound mixing consoles for top groups such as Pink Floyd. He actually built their highly specialised Quadraphonic mixing desk.

Eventually he launched several sound companies in both the UK and in Nashville, in the USA.

Learn how some managers of bands utterly ripped off their bands, sometimes even ensuring they didn't even own their own homes, how Black Sabbath designed an absolutely huge replica of Stonehenge to appear on stage with them. But they had forgotten to measure the doorways of the halls they were to perform in, and the result was they could not get their Stonehenge into any of them!

And there was the dreadful incident involving serious injuries to a dwarf actor dressed up as a baby during a Black Sabbath tour. 

The book is well illustrated with pictures of equipment and of gigs, but mainly from the perspective of the sound engineer, which is what would be expected, as this book is from the perspective of a sound engineer.

There are scores of anecdotes and interesting little asides and stories and at £12.95 (published by The Book Guid) this book needs to be in the hands of people who where there, or who want to see what "where" was like!

The Jacobite Rebellion A Novel

The Jacobite Rebellion A Novel is a novel form Paul Adams.

Charles Edward Stuart's life has just taken an unexpected turn for the worst. He is arrested by the police, but it appears it is all just a case of mistaken identity, so he is released from police custody.

Back home again he makes the mistake of opening the door to Flora Macdonald who is able to persuade Carles to join her on a journey to Scotland. However, they are trailed by DCI Cumberland, who is following them.

Once in Scotland Charles is taken to Brady Castle where he is introduced to Colonel MacPherson, who informs Charles that he is plotting the overthrow of Queen Elizabeth the Second, with who he believes to be the real King, Charles Stuart. But not our Charles Stuart, a different Charles Stuart, for our hero is merely being employed as a decoy.

However, it's clear from page one of this novel that the whole thing is going to be a riot. Well, several riots, really. A riot of fun, then there's the accidental riot accidentally caused by DI Monro, the incident of caticide resulting from an incompetent police firearms unit (police force amalgamations you see? Very tricky stuff...), a traffic wearden, a postman and a lost stripagram (how was she to know dressing up as a police officer would cause even more mayhem?) and this was before the BBC arrived on scene!

The police interview is a classic example of how mistakes can be made and the entire book is full of wry and caustic humour. Everything in the book is an object lesson in how it is possible to take ordinary, mundane events and, with a slight flick and a twist, turn them into an absolutely hilarious series of weird happenings.

And this was before our hero makes his fateful trip up North!

It's a novel that generally offers two or three (sometimes more) laughs per page and just wait to see what happens to HRH! Pity about Lawrence the cat, though. And who would have thought that pedalo operators would have been so important as to how things turned out?

It's published by The Book Guild at £7.99 and will be another great summer holiday read.