Fire and Honey

Fire and Honey is a novel by C J Evans that is set in the Caribbean.

Susan and Andrea believe that they deserve romance and adventure, plus something to distance themselves a little form their troubled pasts.

And so it is that the two women decide to seek both adventure and romance amongst the Caribbean islands.

And, as if by magic, they meet two utterly charming men and all seems set fair for the romance and adventure that they were craving.

Or does it? Because things are never quite what they seem and soon the two women find themselves drawn into a web of mystery, intrigue and lies, where past evils lurk beneath the surface and ancient curses seem to hold sway and threaten to engulf everyone they come into contact with.

Will Susan and Andrea survive and find happiness? Or will they be destroyed by the dark forces that swirl around them?

This book is published by The Book Guild at £7.99.

The Hanging Women

The Hanging Women is a mystery novel from John Mead. It's a mystery novel with a difference, for it is set against the backdrop of the Chicago of 1886.

Retired Sheriff Jack Stevens makes a grim discovery, the corpses of two young women, one white, one black, hanging from chains in a warehouse.

The position they are in denotes that their killer had thought them guilty of treachery.

Who were the women? Who had determined that they had to die?

Stevens feels duty bound to participate in the investigation, even though he is formally retired. The case is a convoluted one, and it quickly sucks him into a dangerous world of extremists, notorious street gangs battling for supremacy in Chicago and dubious undercover spies and detectives.

With the infamous Haymarket riots and bombings to contend with along with the actions of the city's largest and most deadly street gang, the Dead Hands, can Stevens track the killers down before things really start to get out of hand?

This is an exciting mystery novel and it is clear that John Mead has researched his subject matter very well and has brought the Chicago of the 1880s to life.

AFC Liverpool, sponsored by Laduma on why people should support Non-Leag...

Lady Frances

Lady Frances is the first detailed biographical account of the life of an extraordinary woman, Lady Frances Balfour, one of the main figures behind the votes for women campaign.

She had been interested in politics from an early age, but was stumped from having any real, meaningful involvement in the world of politics because, as with all women of her generation, she was not allowed to participate in democracy because she did not have the power of the vote.

In 1889 she began campaigning for the rights of women to vote (suffrage) and she was the key lobbyist in the Houses of Parliament.

She battled for the rights of women to be able to obtain work with reasonable incomes, to defend the rights and safety of women lured to London by fraudsters, she joined a variety of government committees to fight for changes in the unfair divorce laws, supporting hospitals for women an,d of course, the right to vote for women.

However, although her role was of vital importance to the movement, Joan B. Huffman came to realise that Lady Frances Balfour was the only leader of the women's suffrage campaign who lacked a biography.

So she undertook detailed research into the life of Lady Frances Balfour to redress this situation by providing her with a very well researched and very well written biography.

The book is also profusely illustrated with photographs and paintings of Lady Frances Balfour, family members, etc.

This book will appeal to historians, people who are interested in learning about feminist history and also the general public.

It is published in hardback at £19.99 and is, in my opinion, a must purchase book for school, universities, colleges and municipal libraries throughout the land, but especially Scotland where Lady Frances Balfour was born.

The Singing Chair and Other Stories

The Singing Chair and Other Stories is a collection of highly entertaining short stories from Herta Maria Moser.

Herta is 94 and lived through many of the great events of the tumultuous past century.

She has drawn on her life experiences to create a collection of short stories that cover a wide range of topics, many which draw up[on her own life experiences.

The title story tells the tale of a businessman who, though well-to-do, suffers from stress. His discovery of a chair with the magical powers to take him to a peaceful, calming universe. But what happened when someone did him a favour? Would the chair be ruined forever? Only time would tell.

There are stories set in the aftermath of the First World War, stories that are humorous, poignant, sad or filled with energy, passion, love and betrayal.

Each story is imbued with the sharp intelligence, wit and veracity of the author who is also an accomplished artist, which might indicate why the stories have such a vividness about them.

The book is published by Matador at £8.99.

My Rich Prince

In his new debut book, My Rich Prince, Dr Okechukwu Michael Mwim offers some timely and highly valuable advice to young adults.

It is a unique book in that it tackles a wide range of subjects that are of great value to young adults and teenagers.

He offers his readership life advice on these issues that he has identified and also offers timely warnings of what they need to look out for.

He examines some issues and points out what matters and what doesn't matter, and how they can work toward the goals of maximising their personal happiness and their life goals.

His advice will help young people when they should say no or yes, why other people don't have to like you, why money shouldn't be ignored, what love is, how to live a good life, and how to avoid mistaking stubbornness for persistence.

It's not an overly long book, and it is written in a clear and concise style.

It's published by Matador at £10.99 and will be a very welcome tool in the toolkit that every teenager and young adult needs to learn how to negotiate thair way through modern life.

Hector's Wheels

Hector's Wheels is a wonderful book for children and adults of all ages.

It is set in the Eastern England town of Norwich, which is the county town of Norfolk, and it features a very special dog called Hector, who is a truly remarkable little dog, a beagle called Hector.

Hector was born with a problem that meant one of his front legs was disabled. It was almost certain that he was doomed to spend his life living in a dogs' home.

But that was not to be the case, because a very special family came along with a very special American made canine wheelchair.

Readers can follow Hector as he faces life with his family as he learns to operate his wheelchair, and to cope with his disability.

You'll follow Hector and his brother Reggie on their many adventures including some dangerous situations involving railway lines, angry workmen and quick flowing rivers. Sometimes rescued by their human companions.

There are some lovely images and illustrations (by Sophie Fletcher) plus a photograph of Hector in his American canine wheelchair that accompany this wonderful and very uplifting story.

It's published by Matador at £7.99 and if your'e looking for a suitable Christmas present for a dog lover, then this is it!

Defence of Europe by Sikh Soldiers in the World Wars

Defence of Europe by Sikh Soldiers in the World Wars is a fascinating and highly important new work by Mohindra SA Chowdhry.

It is a history of the highly significant contribution of Sikh soldiers during both of the Wrold Wars.

His book contains new, groundbreaking research which explores how an alliance with Britain was able to allow Sikhism to spread globally and for Sikhs to step forward as global partners, points out the author.

He begins his work with the exploration of the Sikh revolt against the Mughal Empire.

He showed how this revolutionary movement was able ot show that Sikhs were against the religion of Islam and how Sikhism stood for the key principles of human rights and liberty and freedom for everyone.

It shows how, after first fighting with the British the two warring sides came to realise that the two cultures had many things in common.

Chowdhry points out in his book that the common ground developed into a strong and abiding loyalty. This book points out that the strong bond that developed became a loyal force that gave the British access to the superb fighting abilities of the Sikhs during the two Word Wars.

Chowdhry argues, cogently, that it is the duty of all Sikhs,inspired as they are, by deep-rooted principles of justice and equality to, no matter where they live in the modern world, to become involved in mainstream politics and social matters.

The book is published by Matador at £19.99.

It is a very important book that should be owned by every Sikh and all those who are interested in Indian history and in the history of the two World Wars.

Keeping Chronicles

With the increasing interest in local and family history, Keeping Chronicles is a very important and highly interesting book.

It explores the importance of keeping and properly preserving written memorabilia.

These may consist of letters, diaries, old school books, journals, legal documents, receipts, cook books, school exercise book, sketchbooks, etc., etc.

Too many times such memorabilia is lost, being thrown away as of no value, which is simply not the case. They are very valuable for what they can tell us about the past.

Author and academic Rosemary Sassoon shows how using materials from family members, friends and colleagues from all over the world to illustrate the many personal and professional uses that written chronicles can be put to as documents of record. 

In her book Rosemary offers practical hints and tips on what should be saved and how they should be preserved for future generations.

She also has advice on what to do if you have documents or records that you think need to be deposited in an official archive, a library or a museum.

The book is very well written and well designed and contains a full range of very relevant and well-designed illustrations.

This book is published by The Book Guild at £9.95 and every family in the country needs a copy and every library, university, school, college and museum required at least ten copies of this highly important work.

The Splendid Memories

The Splendid Memories is a new novel from author Steven Baker.

In the early 1890s, a Russian family emigrates to the fledgling United States of America.

They have a simple aim, to put behind them the old ways of Mother Russia and to make a good, new life in the new world.

But, their plans are smashed to pieces when their parents suddenly die, far too early. The children end up being taken into an orphanage.

However Anatole and Mariska make the best of this terrible situation and they face their future together with hope and animation.

When they grow up and leave the orphanage they decide to launch themselves into the world of vaudeville and tour North and South America, plus Europe.

Eventually Anatole is shanghaied to China and he is forced to work his way back home to the USA, battling his way through China, travelling through Australia and crossing the Pacific.

He joins the US Army and finds himself in both the Mexican War and the Great War, where he serves on the battlefields that scarred Europe.

On his return he becomes a pioneering cinematographer, famed for producing wildlife documentaries.

This is a truly breathtaking book and a wonderful adventure, covering 475 pages.

It is published by The Book Guild at £9.99.

The Back to Basics Diet

The Back to Basics Diet In the 2018 edition of his book, David Hack reveals what he assures his readers is the secret to sustained and healthy weight loss.

Like many people, David Hack had a health scare. However, unlike most other people under these circumstances, David Hack was able to do something about it by writing his book.

Dieting, David realised, was not enough, so he decided to head back to University to learn about the answers to his failing health.

He learnt about biochemistry, human biology, anatomy and evolution. Based on the information that he obtained, he was able to create the Back to Basics diet.

Which is, he declares, an effective programme of weight loss based on modern science and evolution.

He examines and dismisses the advice of some experts which is to eat less and to move more. He feels that although well-intended, is misguided.

His diet calls for plant-based eating and for daily exercise which is gentle, rather than strenuous.

He removes the hype and the confusing rhetoric that surrounds many modern diets and he shows readers how they can start to lose weight and to keep it off, too.

The Seven Weeks programme even contains some Delicious recipes, too.

It's published by Matador at £10.00.

Cafe Britannica

Cafe Britannica is a new collection of short stories from Stephen Cardew.

It's a collection of ten short stories and it comes with subtitle: "Ten Tea With Tea and Cake."

Each of them is carefully crafted to last a quarter of an hour. Enough time, Stephen Cardew figures, for the story and a nice cup of tea and a piece of cake.

The stories all have a common theme, they feature different cafes from all over the UK and even some from further afield.

There's opportunities for nostalgia, learning about justice and judging, spiritual matters and cafes, coffee, tea, cakes and much more, besides.

There's even a story aimed at children, too.

It's published by The Book Guild and costs £7.99.

Podric Moon and the Corsican Tyrant

Podric Moon and the Corsican Tyrant is a novel from highly experienced and esteemed screenwriter and director, Barney Broom.

It tells the story of Podric Moon who is not only a computer game playing champion, he is the inventor of the Ultimate Virtual Reality programme.

He and his group of friends roam through the magnificent realms of today and of yesterday, playing games and enjoying a multiplicity of adventures.

In this, the first of the series of novels about Podric Moon, he and his friends take on the might power of Napoleon, the Corsican Tyrant of the title.

However, it's not all fun and adventure for Podric, because he is dealt a terrible and tragic blow when his father, a Wing Commander in the RAF, is killed in what was classified as a "freak accident."

Podric makes friends, and enemies, and he meets up with Archie Light, one of the top game designers in the world, having been knocked down by a hit and run driver outside Archie's house.

And that's only the beginning of this truly amazing novel that is aimed at young adults. Although older adults will also find much to commend this book.

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

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.