The Rules of Engagement

At the beginning of The Rules of Engagement the new novel by K. A. Lalani, Alex and Daniel are enjoying a perfect weekend, warmed by the June sun.

However, unbeknown to them along with many other people, events are taking place in Europe that will change their lives forever, and the lives of millions of other people, too.

Alex and Daniel join the armed forces, fighting for King and Country for the next three years, knowing that each day could very well be their last day of life.

They are entirely different men, each coming from a different point on the social spectrum but what they see on the Western Front unites them in a way that they might not have been able to comprehend before they faced the horrors of trench warfare.

The novel captures very well the physical and mental deprivations that the soldiers, both men and officers of the line, went through.

And the problems faced by their families back home and the aftermath of the conflict.

It is a thoughtful novel that is well researched ad well written.

It is published by The Book Guild at £9.99.

It Wasn't Me, All Right?

Retired teacher and former school principal Robert Rooney was teaching at what was described as one of the most notorious schools in Belfast during "The Troubles" in his book It Wasn't Me, All Right?

Although intended for pupils who shad "moderate learning difficulties", Robert taught those pupils who were viewed as "failing" in mainsteam schools. The result was an intake that was made up of an eclectic range of intelligence, ability and behaviour.

The story of what happened is written in a manner that, although treating the subject matter with concern and  taking it seriously, treats it with a wry humour.

See how Robert, as a young teacher, learned to deal with a 6 foot tall pupil or wanted to fight him, with his belt wrapped round his fist, how to deal with troublesome pupils on the school buses, how to trick pupils into enjoying art lessons, and all this against the backdrop of "The Troubles."

It's a book that is witty, intelligently written yet with a certain amount of pathos, too.

It's published by Matador at £8.99.

Medicine, Justice and the Bubblegum Factory

Medicine, Justice and the Bubblegum Factory is an amazing memoir.

Graham Standen was a working-class youngster from Romford, in Essex.

He had a troubled childhood blighted by maternal illness, time spent in a children's home, fostering with relatives and he failed his 11 Plus.

However, Graham was made of stern stuff and, against all the odds, he was able, by dint of hard work, he was able to qualify as a medical Doctor.

His medical qualification was put to good use because he was able to correct a terrible miscarriage of justice involing his late father who, along with his two brothers, died from mesothelioma aftyer they worked with asbestos as boiler coverers before the war.

When Graham's father developed disseminated cancer, there were very good grounds for suspecting that exposure to asbestos was the cause. But the diagnosis of mesothelioma was not recognised at the postmortem. Much to the horror of his family.

After a decade spent as a cancer and leukaemia specialist Graham, with the assistance of a colleague who was a pathologist, the cause of Graham's father's death was looked at anew and the correct diagnosis was achieved.

Graham points out that the story of his father highlights the corporate deceit and indifference shown by the industry toward the health of their workers.

It's a very moving account of the struggle of Graham and his family in their attempt to finally gain justice for his father.

It's published by The Book Guild at £9.99.

Gangster Hamster

Gangster Hamster tells the story of Rocco, a very extraordinary hamster.

Tired of the life of an ordinary pet hamster he makes a bid for freedom and heads for the big city. He meets up with a gang of rats who live in the seers and who raid restaurants.

He learns of a plan by a gang of cats to launch an attack on his new found friends and he decides that his moment to shine has arrived.

But! Not everything goes to plan and he soon realises that he has put not only himself but his friends at risk!

So, how can Rocco put things to right? Will he be the super hero hamster that he wants to be? Will he become Rocco the Magnificent? The world-beating Hamster Gangster?

This is a fun book for children from Angela Robb.

It's published by Matador at £7.99.

The Oath

The Oath is set in 1955. Beneath the well-polished veneer of a Northern England boarding school is something wicked and very, very unpleasant.

Senior pupils viciously bully and torment junior pupils who they consider to be inferior.

Jonathan Simon is a new boy at the school. He's warned about three monsters who share his dorm with him. They are Flicker, Sleeth and Tunk. But there's a "no snitching" code that is ruthlessly observed.

Simon befriends two other junior pupils, Ian Gracey, a pixie-faced boy and Arthur Crown. He is grossly overweight, but with a ready wit.

Whilst on a cross country run the three juniors decide to take a short cut and find themselves accidentally in the cadet rifle range. Sleeth is the Corpse Sergeant and puts them through some utterly degrading punishments.

The three junior pupils take a blood oath to ever allow themselves to be bullied again.

Loyalties will be tested to their limits and exactly how far will the pupils go to exact their revenges?

It's an interesting novel that takes a look under the hood of school life in the 1950s.

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

Labyrinth Junction

Labyrinth Junction Hayley Davenport-Smith has written Labyrinth Junction as a way to inspire the imaginations of young people with her debut children's fantasy novel.

It's aimed at children aged 8 to 12 and it's a story about the bravery and determination of a young boy who is ready to risk his own life in his efforts to find his way home.

Ben is fleeing from a pair of dangerous bullies and he has to climb into a dark cave in order to escape from them.

Within the cave he finds the Junction, an amazing portal to other worlds! After he has entered the Junction he realises that he has managed to become trapped in a magical and mysterious land called Nunblebrook.

Ben befriends a young orphan girl and her pet dragon just to stay alive. All three of them and the weird Moonbeamer people set off on a series of dangerous missions and tasks in order to solve a riddle, free the land of a wicked king and to ultimately get Ben safely returned home.

It's an amazingly well written book and is a co-production between Hayley and her daughter (who is 12) who deigned the cover and provided the illustrations.

It's published by Matador at £7.99. 

Deception

In this debut mystery thriller, Deception, from Maggie Belvoir, the reader is asked a very interesting, yet very serious question. Exactly how well do you know your friends? And exactly how well do you know the members of your own family?

Life is great for the O'Brien family! No, it's really good, thank you! They have all the trappings of a successful life. A massive house, lovely holidays abroad, and they have two lovely daughters, Scarlett and Siobhan.

Scarlett has a friend called Margot .Poor Margot has had a bit of a troubled past and when she is adopted into the O'Brien family, everything's good! No, really good, thank you! Margot seems like the piece of the family that was missing.

However, jealousy and sibling rivalry suddenly start to raise their very unpleasant heads and the family begins to become fragmented.

Things become worse when tragedy strikes and the family begins to unravel with even greater speed.

Frank Du Pont, a police detective with an insufferably huge ego decides to take over the murder investigation and makes a vow that he will bring the killer to justice.

But will he? And what is the secret agenda that he is hiding from his colleagues and everyone else? And does he have a secret that he is very keen to keep hidden?

The truth, when it does come to light, could prove even more shocking to the family and the community than anyone could have anticipated.

It's an exceptionally well-written detective thriller and it's to be hoped that Maggie Belvoir will be writing for many more years to come.

It's published by Matador at £9.99.

Acts & Monuments

Barry Todd, the protagonist of Acts & Monuments written by Alan Kane Fraser, is a good guy. How does he know this? Because everyone tells him so!

He is a hardworking member of the team at Monument Housing Association as he strives to ensure the the poor and vulnerable are provided with a safe and decent place to live.

Everyone expected Barry to be promoted to the position of Director at Monument Housing Association, including Barry. But, instead, the promotion is given to the insufferable Langley who had been drafted in from the world of commerce to bring in 'private sector disciplines' to the charity.

There were already issues between Langley and Barry, and the fact that Langley had been promoted to Director made the entire situation worse. And part of what Langley had done (firing Barry's wife) had meant that finances at the Todd household were tighter than they needed to be.

Barry had always been good, had been a good person and a good, loyal employee of the Housing Association, but he was now beginning to doubt that "being good" was good enough. At least for Barry.

And then, by apparent serendipity, an opportunity falls into Barry's lap. He finds himself in the situation where he would be able to steal £50,000 of the Monument Housing Association's money in such a way that it would be impossible to trace the theft back to him.

A tenant, Iulia Niolescu, comes to Barry. She is desperate for assistance and he realises that he has been presented with an ideal opportunity to use some of this money to do somebody some good.

But he finds that the situation begins to spiral dangerously out of control nd he is forced to take desperate measures to stop his deceptions and the theft of the money from being revealed.

But then things really began to fall to pieces. And at the end of the novel there's a very disturbing twist.

This is an amazingly well-written novel and although a work of fiction the author has used to very good advantage their intimate knowledge of the world of Housing Associations.

The book is published by Matador and costs £8.99.

(Incidentally it was with interest that I realised that I have previously seen an example of the work of Alan Kane Fraser as I saw his award-winning play, Random Acts of Malice being performed at the Belfrey (sic) Theatre in Wellington, Shropshire, as it was the winning play in the inaugural Derek Lomas Award for Best News Play at the Wellington Drama Festival.)

(Note: The image used is the cover illustration of the book and is E R Hughes' Night with her train of stars and her great gift of sleep (c) Birmingham Museums Trust.)

Designs of a Gentleman

Designs of a Gentleman is a prequel to Judith Thomson's Phillip Devalle series.

It's 1662, Charles II as been King for two years. Restoration England was an exciting place to be. But it was also a pl;ace of opportunity for ambitious young men such as Philip Devale.

Philip Devale was the young son of an earl who had decided to travel to London in a determined effort to make something of himself.

There had been the plague, the great fire of London, a war against the Dutch and there were politicians who were plotting and scheming top make sure they would come out on top. There was also the spectre of religious hatred and intolerance.

Throughout the years filled with adventure that were before him liker an open, yet unwritten book, Philip learns that not all people in Court are honest, that there's a dark side to it and that he must keep his wits about him as he fights in the army of the Sun King and is a courtier in England.

It's a novel that is well researched and well written and will be a welcome novel on the bookshelves of lovers of historical fiction.

It's published by Matador at £9.99.

Sorak's Legacy

In Sorak's Legacy Sorak has become elected to the Chair of the city Senate. He had remained in the city after returning with Nasa and her son from their home which was in the hidden valley.

A new society, based on equality between the genders is slowly and painstakingly being established.

The harsh and rigid control mechanisms of the old ways are gone and everything is more free, although free, the new society that is emerging is not perfect.

However, there are people who are still not happy that the old ways have gone. In fact, there is a body of females who are resentful of the efforts that Sorak is putting into to creating a new, more equitable and fairer society.

It become clear that there are people who are living in the forest on the far side of the plain that surrounds the city.

Some believe that the original founders of the city had arrived in a space going vessel and had made landfall in that area of the forest.

Nasa decides to seek out the forest dwellers. And it seems that evidence confirms that the ancient stories about the beginnings of the people of the city are, in fact, true.

Contact is, eventually, made with the forest dwelling people. But what, exactly, is the truth of the situation?

Would the city be able to survive the turmoil and the violence that would ensue?

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

Two Become One

Two Become One is a book by Richard Lodge and Brian Swinyard as they explore the meaning of life as they come face to face with their own diagnoses in an interesting and unique book of poetry and photography.

The book raises some very interesting and emotive questions about life, death, living, love and a whole host of other topics.

The book is a masterful blend of poetry and photographs, designed to help explore the meaning of life.

Both of the authors have been diagnosed with illnesses and they have teamed up with The Motor Neurone Association and Sarcoma UK to share half the proceed and to also bring comfort and ease for those people who are looking for answers to some of the puzzles and conundrums of everyday and not-so-everyday, life.

The poetry is beautiful as are all the images. The poems and the photographs all contain wisdom that has been crystallised and refined until they are like boats of burnished gold floating on the Sea of Infinity. 

You really must buy multiple copies of this book as there will be several people in your life, perhaps including yourself, who will without a shadow of a doubt, richly benefit from this book.

It is published in hardback by Matador and costs £10.99.

Plague

Plague is an hilarious look at medieval history, written by Jonathan Forth.

Apparently there needs to be a war between England and France. Who says so? The Pope. Why? He believes that peace has prevailed for far too long.

People have become lax, which is, the Pope believes, a result of living a life that is far too peaceful. If there were a war between England and France, goes his Papal reasoning, people who become so scared that they'd return to church services and, as a consequence of this, money would be put on the collection plates. After all, when the plate is passed round the church, who wants to be the odd one out by not making a 'voluntary' donation?

He has a very daring and gorgeous assassin who is primed to kill Edward, King of England. Who must die a painful and horrible death just at the time when King Philipe of France is visiting England.

However, much to the Pope's chagrin, the plague has already reached Europe and it's now a bit of a race to see who kills King Edward: The plague or the assassin.

Sir Walter, vassal to the King, is charged with sorting the situation out. But what, exactly, is causing the plague? Strongly scented French cheeses? Is it fornication as the Church pontificates? The fireball that appeared in the sky? Or something else?

But as an interesting aside, what would happen if Death and the Plague were to get together and work in harmony?

And what exactly would be the reward of the Pope?

This book is a very amusing romp through some of the lesser known avenues of Medieval history.

It's published by Matador at ££9.99.

Ayeme's Circus of Redemption

In Ayeme's Circus of Redemption, a new novel from novelist Keith Blackburn, we meet Arthur. Arthur used to be a teacher at a very good grammar school. But that was  long time ago, before alcohol had taken its toll on him.

After an unfortunate meeting with a white delivery van he awakes in a hospital bed. However, it's no ordinary hospital, this one has fireplaces in the rooms and Arthur (registered for some reason as Ayeme) manages to escape from the hospital ward by the simple means of going through the fireplace.

He emerges into a completely different place, wearing completely different clothing, weighed down by a very heavy rucksack.

He is in a moonlit garden, which is imbued with peace. On the other side of the garden he espies a woman who is dressed in black who is conversing with a man who is wearing  top hat and tails.

He realised that they are planning a funeral. In some way that he cannot define, Ayeme feels a connection of some sort with the woman, so he attaches himself to the procession which finally reaches a church which is in the middle of a wood.

And then things begin to get really interesting as he sets off on an odyssey of a journey, he meets and interacts with a variety of rather interesting and intriguing characters, as he attempts with varying degrees of success, to try to work out what is happening and what is going on.

And what, exactly, is the circus of redemption? Who is it attempting to redeem?

It's a stunningly original book, sadly it is the last book written by Keith Blackburn who passed away in October 2018.

The book is published by The Book Guild at £9.99.

Force of Nature

Force of Nature is the next in the 'Mathew Hawk' series of thriller novel, from the pen of David Collenette.

A series of murders have been committed. They would all be dismissed as being totally disconnected from each other. Except for the fact that at the scene of each murder someone has left a mysterious symbol.

Roche and his team are at a loss at how to proceed. They are stuck and the only possible way out that he can think of is to put a call in to Matthew Hawk, who must travel to Israel in the possible hope of being able help him find out what has been going on.

It appears that the murders are not as random as they had first appeared. There is, after all, a link between the apparently senseless slayings. They are all linked to a specific area of scientific research.

And the truth is that the situation far worse than anyone could have possibly imagined.

But suddenly it seems that the tables are now turned and Matthew is the hunted rather than the hunter. A hired killer known as The Machine is seeking to kill Matthew. Roche does his best to help Matthew escape, but can he succeed in helping him?

In a mad, worldwide dash, Matthew manages, just, to keep one step beyond the grasp of the pitiless killer. Whilst still trying to help solve the mystery of why the murders were arranged and who arranged them, bringing the guilty parties to justice.

But can he and Roche find a sollution to what, exactly, has been going on? Will they prevail against all the odds? And who, exactly, are they really facing up against?

It's a fast paced thriller and will be a welcome holiday novel this summer.

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

Ampheus

Ampheus is book one of the Four Realms series from Jonathan Forth. The series is a fantasy realm aimed at readers of 12 years and older.

Gorath is a Dark Lord. His ambition is to bring the Four Realms under his control. He has a frightening Horde army, the callous Janshei horsemen. These are supplemented by beasts taken from the caverns of Dern from the very depth of Gamura.

He is also seeking the totems from the other realms as this would give him power to conquer the Ancient World.
However, all will not be plain sailing for Gorath as the King of Terramis is a prod and noble man. He and his castle Ampheus will stand inj his path.

Gorath lays siege to the castle. His plans to capture the castle have inside help from a spy who dwells within the castle.

Ambassadors have been dispatched from Ampheus to seek assistance from the capital cities of the other realms. But before they can reach their destinations, they must evade the agents of Gorath who are plotting to stop them.

Lord Gorath has not counted on the fact that brave people are prepared to face up to him and strive to defeat him and his minions.

Will they be able to stop him?

It's an exciting and well-crafted story that bodes well for the rest of this series.

It's published by Matador at £9.99

The Seventh Train

The Seventh Train is the second novel from author Jackie Carreira.

It's a novelisation of her successful and award-winning play of the same name.

Elizabeth has decided to organise a railway trip . The fact that a passenger had decided to hurl themselves in front of a train, thus delaying Elizabeth's journey and of all other travellers that February Day, was perhaps a sign of things to come.

She was travelling alone. But unknown to her she was not travelling alone, or rather not as alone as she thought she was.

There was the woman selling coffee in the buffet who just loved to pigeonhole her customers, the found book that Elizabeth was trying to read, the train driver who had driven the train that a rather polite young man had stepped in front of, the young man had died, instantly. His problems were over, but the problems of the train driver were only just beginning.

On her journey she meets a wide variety of people, some who seem to be harmless, some who appear to be utterly barking mad. But as any seasoned rail traveller can tell you, it's not always easy to tell them apart and some of the apparently harmless ones are really troublesome.

And there are some people who seem intent on committing the ultimate rail travelling sin, trying to make other passengers think.

And what, exactly, is a seventh trainer? Is Elizabeth one of these? Does she want to be? Or not?

It's a quirky novel that contains humour, yet also some genuine pathos, too.

But who, exactly, was ms Mabel Heep?

It's published by Matador at £8.99. Maybe you should take it on your next train journey?

Me? I Kill People

Me? I Kill People is a debut crime novel from author Alan Jacobs.

Giles Penshurt is a wealthy man. However, Giles has obtained his wealth in a somewhat unconventional way. He obtained his wealth by killing people for money.

An apparently harmless computer nerd Giles had become a contract killer almost by accident. He found that he had an aptitude for murder but tried to ensure that he only ever killed people who deserved to die.

Although Giles is very careful the police realise that there is a contract killer on the lose and they are making every effort to find out who the killer is and to trap him and arrest him. Something that Giles just does want to happen to him for obvious reasons.

There's one particular police officer, Hazel Frazer, who is hot on his trail.

Matters become complicated when Hazel discovers his identity, but falls in love with him.

Giles manages to elude the police and flees to Brazil to hopefully avoid extradition.

Will Hazel's love for Giles prove her undoing? Will she be able to perform her duty in bringing Giles to justice or will she falter due to the call of her heart?

Or will Giles' life as a computer nerd and contract killer all come crashing down around his unprotected head?

This is a complex yet highly enjoyable thriller.

It's priced at a very reasonable £7.99 and is published by Matador. It'll be packed in many suitcases this summer, I think.

Flames of Obscurity

Flames of Obscurity is a fantasy thriller written by Elliot Spencer. It's set somewhere that is very like modern day Britain, but not quite.

Edward Sherborne has recently been elected as the Prime Minister of Anglony. 

His chief armed forces officer reveals to the new Prime Minister that all is not well in Anglony, that there is a mysterious and secretive sect that goes by the name of The Chancery. And he points out that he, not the Prime Minister, is the person who wields the power.

And, perhaps, worse, there are three traitors within the establishment who are known as the Rose, The Bird and The Dragon.

The Chancery have taken a risky decision, they have arranged the kidnapping of his young daughter as a way to attempt to force him to abide by their agenda. Which calls upon him to murder three people that The Chancery have decreed as traitors.

Prime Minister Sherborne has to come up with a solution. Can he destroy these enemies of the state and thus make sure his daughter is released safe and unharmed?

But then in a shocking turn of events he quickly learns of the true identity of the traitor known as The Rose which makes his question all of his beliefs.

The Prime Minister is desperate to save the life of his daughter. But who can he trust? His wife? His friend, Andrew MacPherson? Jane Banks, his Secretary of State? 

The Prime Minister also wants revenge against those responsible for kidnapping his daughter. But can he pull it off? And if so, how?

 

Bopping in Ballymalloy

Bopping in Ballymalloy is the third novel from Irish author, Dermod Judge.

The story is set the Ireland of the 1950s. And two people accidentally met up. Curly, who was fleeing hid failed career as a dancer in New York and Mary who is attempting to escape from the crushing boredom of Ballymalloy in the far West of Ireland.

Curly has a flashy car, an amazing collection of fantastic swing music and his moves on the dance floor really made an impact on Mary. In short, she is seduced by him.

In 1950s Ireland this situation cannot go unnoticed and Mary suffers considerable shame. In an attempt to ameliorate this situation he has to arrange for her to get the only thing that she really wants, entry into the harsh and unforgiving world of the professional dancer. A world he thought he'd fled from.

Curly works hard to train her as a jazz dancer and he makes sure she is entered into a dance competition that offers her an escape route from Ballymalloy, a ticket out of there!

But how does it work out for these two people? Because there are some people who are not very pleased with the idea of jazz making inroads into the island of Ireland.

But there are some people who think otherwise.

This book is a very well written story, set during a time when things were far simpler when American culture, including music, really did rule the world. And when as Buick in the tight lanes of Ireland was a sight to behold.

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

The Boy From Rod Alley

The Boy From Rod Alley is a account of a childhood of the 1930s.

Author John Loveday was born in 1926. And this is his story.

It's not long since the Great War (which had yet to be renamed as World War 1) and former soldiers are seen riding about on their ex-army bikes, there are many women widowed by the terrible conflict and there are men who, although they returned physically from the Trenches had left something of their psyche behind them. Shell-shocked, they were called.

We learn that a blue bag in a bath of water was the best treatment for a boy who had been stung all over by a swarm of furious wasps, read about a female classmate called Edith who had St Vitus' Dance, plus she who would insist on chewing on her little blackboard until it had all but disappeared and was eventually replaced by the teacher.

There was Mrs Hart who had problems with odoriferous pupils, but Mrs Hart was good for telling her pupils history stories with a local, Norfolk, connection. John remembers her specially as she didn't read these stories from books but recounted them from memory.

He tells us of his family, how angry his father was when the Post Office decided to change the name of their lane from Rod Alley to the "posher" Post Office Terrace. But of course, the residents knew that it was still really called Rod Alley.

The family ere quite well off, as they owned and operated and agricultural engineering workshop and a foundry.

He tells of the local pool, both loved and feared, of the characters of the village, of the houses great and small where the people that he knew lived out their lives.

It's a charming and very well written book. There are no illustrations apart from a charming painting executed by the author on the cover.

The book is published by Matador at £9.99.

A Piddle of Puppies

A Piddle of Puppies You'll be entering an absolutely amazing world of animal rhymes with this second illustrated children's book from Andrea Prior. (You'll find the link to the review of Andrea's previous book, A Parcel of Pigs, here https://thatsbooks.blogspot.com/2017/05/a-parcel-of-pigs.html)

Children aged 5 to 9 (and their adults too, so, please don't be shy!) will absolutely adore this book.

There are odd, interesting and unusual names.

What, exactly would be a mischief of mice? Could you ever see a crossing of zebras? (Well, you can if you read this book!)

What would a shiver of sharks do, let alone look like?

And how could you cope with a piddle of puppies?

The rhymes are equally as good in this book as they were in the previous book and it will be a great book for shared reading.

However, there's a serious side to these books, too. They are designed to help children develop their reasoning skills, their spelling, pronunciation and memory recall, too.

At £8.99 you really cannot afford to miss buying this book.

It's published by Matador.

Princess Areeena and the Crystal Fairies

Princess Areeena and the Crystal Fairies is a book for children and their families that is probably one of the most important books of its kind in recent years. It's aimed at readers aged between 5 to 7.

It's Princess Arebeena's birthday and she is given the task of completing a treasure hunt.

Isabella, her best friend, is accompanying her as they set out on an exciting and thrilling adventure to locate hie missing tiara.

But will she find other things along the journey, too? And if she does, what will they be?

The book is superbly written and is very well illustrated and tells a thrilling tale that all children (and their adults!) will like.

However, there's a serious point to this book, as it is designed to help children have a positive attitude to life and also toward other people and creatures, too.

And shows them that sometimes you just have to be as brave as you can and face up to dangers and difficult situations.Including a lady dragon with purple eye shadow and lipstick!

The book is the first in a new series of books about the Crystal Fairies and it is published by Matador at £6.99. It's ideal for shared reading by parents, grandparents and other assorted adult relatives.

Him or You

Him or You is the third book from N L Collier and it follows on from his novel Home Before the Leaves Fall.

Franz Becker has managed to survive his first months as a fighter pilot and he is joined by his best friend Karl von Leussow. It's now the autumn of 1916.

Karl is soon able to transfer his marksmanship skills to his newer weapon and he is reunited with his older brother. A rivalry soon grows, caused by the increasing scores of Karl.

It is the aim of every German pilot to shoot down enough enemy aircraft tp earn the highly desirable Blue Max, though there's more of a chance of dying with a score of zero enemy kills, to be perfectly honest.

The German pilots are aware that their Albatros fighter planes are far superior to the fighter planes that the enemy possess. But even so the Albatros planes are still fairly fragile and also flammable.

Many pilots are doomed to a fiery death, others are consumed with a fear of facing the enemy in combat.

But how long can Franz and Karl continue to fight through the war, as their experiences begin to tell on their minds? And when will the war finally come to an end?

It's unusual to see the German side of the First World War covered in a fictionalised account and, once again, N L Collier has provided his readers with a extremely readable novel.

It's published by Matador at £9.99.

My Dream Mile

My Dream Mile is a very important memoir. It is written by Charlotte Hagen. She had recently graduated from a teaching college, was enjoying dinner with a friend when she hears a loud bang.

She is rushed to hospital in an ambulance and is in a coma after she has suffered from a devastating brain haemorrhage. The "bang" she heard.

When she awakes from her coma she must undergo months of serious rehabilitation work. He needs to relearn all that she knew. She has to learn how to eat, talk an walk all over again.

It's not an easy process and Charlotte goes through times when she feels deep despair, but also there are times when she feels great hope, too.

The memoir is subtitled My Fight Back to Life and that is exactly what it is, her spirited efforts to regain her life.

Charlotte finds herself helping other people with disabilities such as Kirsten who was 15 and had a broken back, the result of a car accident.

She also falls in love with and marries Stig, the neuro-psychologist doctor involved with testing her in the early days of her recovery.

With the help of her family members, the dedicated medical staff, hospital staff, friends and care workers Charlotte is able to work toward her recovery.

It's a truly inspirational book and it deserves to be owned by everyone who has suffered from a serious life changing incident such as a stroke, plus those who work with such people.

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

Temporoparietal

Temporoparietal is a new novel from Kris Ellis.

It takes a look at the life and times of the protagonist, a young man called Matt Pearce.

Matt has OCD, is something of an educational low achiever, a move buff and a fan of the works of Jack Kerouac.

He finds himself in a bit of a bind. A relationship with an abused teen goes south, north, east and west and in a bit of a panicked existential crisis Matt leave not only his home but also his entire country.

He flees to the USA and decides to take a Greyhound bus trip across the USA.

Why does he do this? To escape from his abused teen called S? In part. But he also feels a desire to make a sort of a pilgrimage to the last resting place of his hero, Jack Kerouac.

Kris is a former Youth Counsellor and bases his novel on "real young people of today."

It's a heady mixture of old school head trips and modern cyber chic.

It's due out on 28th July and is published bu Matador at £7.99/

Adventures of Pepper the Ginger Dog

Adventures of Pepper the Ginger Dog is a wonderful new illustrated children's book written by Jessica Knowles and illustrated by Sophie Cope.

It tells the story of Pepper who is a very adventurous ginger coloured dog.

Ginger has one desire in life. He wants to have a den all of her own. Her owner, Maggie-May who is six and a bit of a tomboy loves the countryside and she advises Pepper to go to Brambeberry Wood. 

Ginger and her animal companions set off across the golf course and some farmland in order to reach the woods.

But they meet with Mrs McClair who is a fiercely territorial farmer who hates the idea of any animals being on her farm! In fact, she chases animals off her farm using her blue tractor who seems as menacing as she does!

Can Ginger and her companions make it to the woods, somehow circumventing the furious Mrs McClair?

This is a charming book for children and every parent or grandparent needs to have a copy.

It's published on 28th July at £7.99, by The Book Guild.

Please Miss, We're Boys

Please Miss, We're Boys is a memoir that outlines what it was like to be a "Miss" (a female teacher) back in the 1960s.

This is the story of Susan Elkin who, in 1968 at age 21, is thrust straight out of a somewhat sheltered teacher training college into the midst of a difficult inner London boy's secondary school.

She has pretty much zero experience, is a somewhat naive young lady with a propensity to wear short skirts and she is facing boys from Deptford, London.

The boys she deals with are typical of inner city boys, they are brash, outspoken, rude, coarse of tongue but also touched with a charming vulnerability.

She concludes that what they would benefit from is some good teaching. And she sets out to make sure that this happens.

With the backing of a group of disparate helpers, colleagues who are honest, open, forthright and a little bit off the wall, she manages to pull it off, finding ways to get the lads to take it easy, to sit down and to get down to some learning and some working.

The book is filled with stuff that has a resonance for me. The children read Erich Kastner's Emil and the Detectives, as did I at about the same time in my secondary school, although we never had a teacher who like Mr O'Riordan who "just blew up."

It's an amazing well-written memoir which tells the reader a good deal about the school but also a good deal about the Deptford of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

It's published by The Book Guild at £9.99 on 28th July.

The Buttercup Field

The Buttercup Field is the debut novel from author D J O'Leary.

Warren "Tolstoy" Pearce inherits the manor house of his godfather, he also inherits the cricket field. But along with his inheritance there is also a major problem that comes attached to it.

For the land he now owns borders the Buttercup Field, which is a small strip of land that separates his cricket field from the road.

Jack Bentley, a local farmer, has laid claim to this piece of land on the behalf of the parish council, who fully intend to use the land for residential development.

The villagers are up in arms over the proposals, but despite their spirited opposition, it looks as if the plans to develop the land will go ahead, any way.

But a small candle of hope flickers when a public enquiry is called to look into the matter.

Both sides prepare their arguments, but then documents come to light that cast a shadow of doubt over the whole proceedings. The documents purport to dispute the real ownership of the land.

Who, then, is the real owner of the Buttercup Field? Who, ultimately, will be the victor? Jack Bentley, the parish council and the developers? Or someone else entirely?

And why were two furtive figures spotted, at the dead of night, digging in the field, by Ned, a retired farm worker?

It's a warm and humorous book which is also of a very human scale.

This book has been in the writing for 29 years and I, for one, am glad that it has finally ripened to full maturity!I do hope we don't have to wait 29 years for the next book by D J O'Leary!

It's published by Matador at £8.99 and deserves to be on the best seller's lists.

Master of Starlight

In Master of Starlight we meet the protagonist Leon Dabrowski. He is not merely a physicist, he is an exceptionally gifted physicist, a genius, in fact.

He realises that he has made an utterly astounding discover at the nuclear research centre where he works. He knows that, if his work is applied, that the world is on the very point of obtaining unlimited energy for everyone for the foreseeable future.

He and his colleagues are expecting awards, accolades and praise for the work that they have achieved.

But none of this happens and they find themselves thrust into a dark and alien world of industrial espionage. In fact they are treated almost as if they were a class of criminal rather than as highly respected scientists.

Then his fiancee, a gifted mathematician, Magda Tomala is kidnapped and finds herself held a captive in a sexual fantasy complex that is hidden deep underground.

Leon abandons his work to help a special unit of the Polish police to smash an international sex trafficking gang. 

He goes undercover and finds himself working covertly to spy on an emerging cult society in London, researching the truth aouit a highly organised world in which prostitutes are supplied for the wealthy.

By now the tables are turned on Leon. No longer the hunter he is now the hunted and everyone wants to know where Leon is. An oligarch who he is in the employ of, his work colleagues and the madam of a brothel with links to the Russian Mafiya. Some of the people who are seeking him are very dangerous people in deed. But there's more to the situation than meets they eye. For one of the hunters holds a secret about Leon's early life. A secret that is potentially shocking.

But can Leon prevail against them all and perhaps even learn to use what he learns to his own advantage?

A retired nuclear engineer, this is Keith Short's first novel and it's published by Matador at a very reasonable £7.99.

It's probably destined to be in the holiday luggage and read on beaches all over the world this summer.

Duty and Delusion

In her debut novel Duty and Delusion, author Shawna Lewis explores real-life community issues.It's set in the recent past.

The recession has just begun to be felt and money is becoming short.The treasurer to the village hall is in hospital, urgent repairs are required and there are also some bills that require settling.

The chair of the committee, Belinda, can best be described as long-suffering. She's careful and dutiful but she is also beginning to seethe with resentment toward those in the village who don't recognise all the hard work she does. Who believe that she is of no importance.

She is very determined to make some fairly big changes in her life and she begins to work against her antagonists to bring her enemies down.

Her husband needs to travel away from home to find owrk and her part time job at the library might be under threat due to budget cuts.

She finds  handsome young illegal immigrant living in the loft f the village hall and she takes an interest in him. Maternal, of course, as her own son is about to leave hal land her daughter has sert her heart on being a centre of attention and the school. But not in a way likely to make any normal mother proud of her.

She has a chance meeting with a woman by the name of Marnie. Marnie has lived a life that is full and varied, if not a little tough at times. This meeting brings about changes in their lives as they travel upon different, but similar pathways.

Each finds something to be jealous about the other woman's life, but curiously enough, as Marnie's life begin to improve, the life of Belinda seems to be getting worse, rather than better.

It's a novel that is quirky and moving and is a good first novel from an author who will hopefully have more novels published in the near future.

It's published by Matador at £10.99.

An Extra Shot

An Extra Shot is a continuation of the romance of Freddie and Jo-Jo.

What o you think you might do if you had a second chance, a second shot, if you will, at the teenage love that you thought had passed you by all those years ago?

You may have met them in their previous book, Another Shot in which they nearly reconciled but didn't quite make it.

Freddie was thinking of taking his life under a train, but he is saved by his best friend, Jack Sparrow, whilst Jo-Jo is alone in a hotel room, all but consumed by a dark secret that she has harboured fo most of her life.

Amy, Jo-Jo's daughter, convinces her mum to meet up with Freddie, again. He persuades Jp-Jo to go away with him for a long weekend in Devon in the West Country. It works, because they return home with their love reignited.

But will the secret that Jo-Jo harbours be enough to kill their romantic story once and for all, if she reveals it to Freddie?

Is the love of these two people enough to pull them through and to keep them together?

This story from Stephen Anthony Brotherton is semi-autobiographical and based on a first love relationship that he had at the ages that Freddie and Jo-Jo had when they were teenagers. (REVIEWERS NOTE Like Stephen I am an alumni of Wolverhampton University, interestingly enough.)

The book is published by The Bookguild on 28th July and costs £7.99.

It's aimed at readers of romantic fiction and should fit nicely in the holiday suitcases this summer.

Dreamcats II

In Dreamcats II (the sequel to Dreamcats) we learn of a world where humans and animals have exchanged places.

Felinestow is now under the control of a benign cat, Mayor Tina. But the former mayor, Claptrap, still years for power.

Cousins Elsa and David find themselves residing in the home of ex-police cat George. But soon George's brother Harry arrives.

He is visiting the town of Felinestow to take the chairship of a religious conference. But even before the conference can start, a dreadful disaster strikes!

With things in Felinestow in a state of flux with struggles to keep the peace, Mayoer Tina must send George and Claptrap on a high profile diplomatic mission to seek assistance for the town and its populace.

Can they get the help that is required? Will peace once again reign in the town?

This is a charming fantasy novel for children of ages, written by Christopher Best, a retired editor and financial journalist and writer.

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

Appetite for Risk

In Appetite for Risk we read Jack Leaver's story that is inspired by real events that took place in the aftermath of the war in Iraq.

John Pierce is a former Royal Marine who has a new but struggling business in the UK. It's proving difficult for him to generate enough income to support his wife and young family so he decides to use his connections in the capital of Iraq to see if he can use the situation in Iraq, a country desperate for rebuilding work to be undertaken after years of bitter conflict.

In 2004 he finds himself in Baghdad to get into the reconstruction gold rush. But when the whole country is falling rapidly into a full insurgency, he has to rely on his own Royal Marine training, his natural talents and the skills of his own local contacts to avoid becoming just another victim of the fighting.

Soon Pierce finds that he is treading on toes and he is in trouble with the government at home and he is soon in the midst of allied covert operations against Al-Qaeda operatives in Iraq.

Can this former bootneck make it through the ver-mounting chaos in Iraq to return home to his wife and family with his life intact and with some funds to show for his efforts?

Jack Leavers is a former Royal Marine Commando with over three decades of experience in the Royal Marines and latterly in private security, corporate investigations and anti-maritime piracy operations. and these experiences shine through in his powerful and hard hitting thriller.

The book is published by The Book Guild at £9.99 and will make an ideal summertime read.

Twenty Tiny Tales

Twenty Tiny Tales and a few tails is an amazing collection of 22 short stories that are truthful, witty, humorous and also heart-warming.

You'll be taken on 22 different journeys to places you have dreamt of, places you might have heard of, places you might know well. Or places that you might think you know well, for debut author Elaine J. Bradley's imagination and skill as a writer will make you see the familiar in a completely new light.

You'll visit the museum of childhood, which might produce an effect that you were not anticipating. Pretty much like what happened to poor Sadie. (That story sent a shiver down my spine.)

You'll visit the idyllic flower power era, a time of free love, flowers and pacifism, now epitomised by a flower shop called Flower Power, owned and operated by Clara, a child of the sixties, described by locals as an ageing hippy.

She owned and ran a 1967 VW camper van, for use as a delivery van, painted in suitable colours and images.

But what exactly was happening at the shop? And why was there such an interest in the goings on there?

There are stories of befriendings, of friends in desperate needs of assistance, hauntings that might be more than they seem at first sight (or should that be site? No matter!) Another story, Dicing With Death, that sent a shiver up and down by spine.

It's published by Matador at £9.99 on 28th July and you really need to buy this book for your holiday reading. But it's probably best not to read it last thing at night! Unless,of course, you like to be scared?

Never Again -Moving on From Narcissistic Abuse and Other Toxic Relationships

Never Again -Moving on From Narcissistic Abuse and Other Toxic Relationships is a new and very important book from Dr Sarah Davies who is a Chartered Counselling Psychologist.

It draws from her experiences as a practitioner working with patients at her Harley Street, London, practice. However, she also brings to bear her own personal experiences coping with a narcissistic abuser.

It's designed not as a text book but as an easy to use self-help guide to understand and move on from toxic, abusive relationship.

It will show readers how to identify if they are the subject of an narcissistic abuser, plus the complicated ramifications of being in such a relationship.

Dr Davies also shares tools that will be required to help the victim of such an abusive partner to move on, and to hopefully end destructive relationship patterns for good.

The book also tells you exactly what is entailed here, Narcissistic Personality Disorder or NPD.

The person who has NPD might show the following traits: An overwhelming sense of grandiosity, with expectations of preferential treatment or service from other people, or institutions. 

They'll generally require a lot of positive regard and positive feedback, plus admiration and worship from others.

They are arrogant, selfish, but are often anxious, too. They lack genuine empathy for others, lacking in any fellowfeel toward other people, they cannot accept blame when anything goes wrong, they like to use blame transfer when they need to blame others when they have done wrong or made a mistake.

They often have problems with addictive behaviour and are unable to form or maintain any meaningful long term relationships.

They can be aggressive, and subjected to unreasonable rages and cannot control their anger. They also have problems accepting responsibility for problems and can be very manipulative.

Dr Davies points out that because NPD is often linked to exceptionally early emotional and psychological damage it is a very difficult condition to treat.

The book also helps the victim of the NPD abuser to work on their self-esteem problems, learn what healthy boundaries are and learn how to enforce them, how to address unhelpful thinking, how to employ tools and coping strategies such as emotional regulation,  the use of mindfulness and the technique of grounding.

It's an important book and is a must have if you are a victim of an abusive NPD partner, spouse, family member or spouse, if you are a therapist dealing with NPD issues or, indeed, if you think you might have NPD.

It's published by Matador at £14.99. It just might be the best £14.99 that you will ever spend.

Pass the Pickled Porcupine & Other Wild Food Stories

Pass the Pickled Porcupine & Other Wild Food Stories is a new book from Graham Chalmers who is an expert hunter, fisherman and food forager.

Born in Zimbabwe in 1957 he was privileged with access to wilderness areas in Africa.

He eventually moved to South Africa and whilst earning degrees in business and law, he continued to develop his skills as a food expert and game cook.

In 2000 he moved to Britain and continued his interest in wild-sourced food i not only the UK but also Europe and America.

This book is a series of essays about a staggering 50 different types of wild foods, which also contains information about Graham's abilities as a forager,a hunter, a fisherman and a cook.

You'll learn about collecting hedgerow blackberries in Britain, and hunting Cape buffalo in South Africa.

Learn how to make Mopane Worm Stew, using dried mopane worms), how to make a delicious traditional biltong, learn that aardvarks are not, generally, eaten in Africa (despite what some books might try to claim), learn how to prepare an abalone, how to make impala chops teriyaki, how to cook bass, freshwater or Texan black.

You'll learn how to cook medallions of wild boar with banana, (ripe bananas are specified) how to fry crocodile steaks, and even more interesting meals besides.

The book contains some cautionary tales, including how mussels can kill you, even should you not eat one. Scary stuff, mussels!

The book makes a fascinating read for the amateur or the professional cook who will now know how to cope if the owners of an eating establishment comes into the kitchen with a mysterious delivery shouting: "I've just got a load of Ostrich meat. Do something with it, OK?" The recipe for Ostrich Stroganoff is on page 181.)

I feel that the book would have greatly benefited from illustrations (either line drawings or photographs) but there are none. A pity, but it's still a very interesting book that you should add to your collection of culinary books.

It's published by The Book Guild at £9.99.

Victoria to Vikings

Victoria to Vikings The Circle of Blood is a new historical novel from published author Trisha Hughes.

Although a work of fiction the book is filled with historical detail and it covers in great detail the Georgian and Victorian eras, up to the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.

It also examines in part two the Kings of England and of Denmark.

Queen Victoria is looked at in great detail. Under the reign of Queen Victoria, England, argues Trisha Hughes, achieved a rank on the international stage that it had never aspired to previously.

She also touches on another Queen of equal greatness, Queen Elizabeth II. She also indicates that the Prince Phillip her "Stalwart and loyal" husband also has a strong Viking heritage.

Although written as a work of fiction I would heartily recommend this book to any students of history as you will find that Trisha Hughes as already done all the work for you. But if you quote from her work, do remember to properly cite it!

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

Arthursdale Boy Nidderdale Girl

Arthursdale Boy Nidderdale Girl is a memoir bu Frank Pedley. Frank is 85, a former soldier and a Wensleydale sheep enthusiast.

He was subjected to the kind of unofficial familial adoption that was once fairly common in Britain, but not so today. He was "adopted" by his Victorian grandparents, an action which rescued him from a probably fairly grim existence in the slums of industrial Leeds.

He was able to enjoy the benefits of a decent education at Tadcaster Grammar School. He also met with and became utterly enchanted with an attractive girl with brunette hair (in short pigtails) who wielded a large hockey stick. They were in the same form at school, which is how they met.

A family bereavement meant they were separated, but several years later they met again. But the circumstances were a little bit awkward. Frank was commissioned after passing out at Sandhurst, and was about to embark on an overseas tour of duty with his first regiment. Also, Ruth was engaged to be married.

Through the pages of this fascinating book we read of their long courtship and their long marriage and their life together, sometimes turbulent, sometimes not. Their marriage was brought to a conclusion only by her death in 2007.

The memoir is both poignant and utterly candid, more so than many autobiographies, it has to be conceded.

As well as his marriage and his family life Frank writers about hid experiences in Malaya, of his working life during the Cold War era. He was involved with the Cabinet level contingency planning for the recovery of the United Kingdom should the British Isles have suffered from a Russian nuclear attack.

He also describes the problems of restoring 17th century properties, sheep rearing and exhibiting at the highest national levels. He also writes very movingly on the dreadful horrors of the 2001 foot and mouth epidemic.

He also incorporate some of the evidence that he has gathered based on years of research into his family tree, going as far back as the 17th century and revealing several major surprises.

The book is well illustrated with many photographs.

It's a book that belongs in the rich history of biographies because it tells it like it is and is well-written. I feel that this book will become a standard reference work for many years to come.

It's published by The Book Guild at £17.99 in hardback.

The Artemis File

In The Artemis File author Adam Loxley the action starts at once. But what action?

George Wiggins meets an excitable woman in his local, but all was not quite what it seemed.

A national newspaper publish a crossword, which totally blows a covert intelligence operation known only to the secret services. Or so they had thought.

A CIA officer who had defected and was thought to be dead proves himself to be very much alive by passing an envelope to an utter stranger, only recently recruited as a mule. In a nearby pub. Though, curiously, the envelope appears to be empty of any content.

What, exactly, the hell is going on? Secret service operatives in Langley, Virginia, Tel Aviv and London burst into frantic action as they decide that they need to put into practice an operation to make certain that the details of a secret conspiracy that they had though buried some two decades ago.

If the secret comes out, governments will fall, the balance of power in the world will change. Probably for ever.

The established order of things is severe threat. Who are they? What do they hope to archive? And who, or what, is Artemis?

It's a spy novel thriller in the best sense of the term and it's published by Matador at £9.99.

Another great book to take on your holidays.

Aya and Papaya Meet the Big Little Creatures

Aya and Papaya Meet the Big Little Creatures is the second book about the adventures of Aya and Papaya written by MQ.

it's morning time, the sun is glimpsing through Ayua's window and she slowly opens her eyes and gives Papaya a big hug.

She leaps out of her bed and draws open the curtains. As she does this, she is smiling. why? Because she has remembered that her best friend, Samy, is coming to visit to play.

So it is tht Aya, Samy, Papaya and Bamboo decide to have a bit of an adventure by visiting the big castle which is at the end of the garden.

But how can they get there, safely? For they must be very courageous and walk past the big little creatures who live in the garden.

Whilst they make their journey through the garden the friends learn valuable lessons about treating others with kindness and respect and also they learn about bravery, too.

This fantastic children's book is created by MQ, written by And Abey and stunningly illustrated by Leo Antolini.

It's published by Matador at £8.99 and this charming book should be owned by all parents and grandparents.

Norman Snodgrass Saves the Green Planet

Norman Snodgrass Saves the Green Planet is a book from Sue Bough. It tells the story of Norman. Norman is an ordinary sort of a chap. He is somewhat overweight and a bit clumsy, he usually spends his time avoiding being teased by his Poggle classmates. For they are all Poggles.

He is somehow given the great honour of looking after Spong, the class pet. Who Norman manages to lose. He has to enter the weird Green Planet to attempt to track Spong down and return him to the school.

During his searching he meets up with a strange and mysterious scientist, a professor, and Norman learns that all is not well and that a series of deadly hazards are putting their planet at risk.

So, what's a Poggle to do? This Poggle, Norman Snodgrass, decides that not only is he going to find and save Song, he is going to embark on a dangerous, perilous and highly risk mission to Save The Planet!

Can Norman find Spong? Can he save the entire planet? Will he become a hero to his fellow classmates?

Read this book and find out!

It's an environmentally aware book for children and costs £7.99 and is published by Matador.

Sue has also illustrated the book throughout.

'Cinderella', I Wish!

'Cinderella', I Wish! is a powerful and very compelling true life story from Dominique Deveraux's ife.

As a young black child she was living a very enjoyable life with her white foster parents who loved and adored her.

But then disaster strikes, as Nanny dies and she has to be removed from the home where she knew only love and she enters a new world of heartache and troubles.

She is placed into a new home, but rather than love and compassion she is subjected to abuse and misery.

Her life dissolves into one of trauma and fear. She is subjected to abuse, suffers domestic violence and even witnesses murder.

Can Dominique learn to be her own true self, again? Can she find love in her own heart for not only others but also for her own self, too?

Can she deal with people who lie to get what they want, use violence and threats to control those they pretend to love?

There's a lot for her to contend with, an unexpected but welcome pregnancy, the problems of living with ME and the career changes this creeping, vile disease can bring about (REVIEWER'S NOTE: I have personal experience of this little understood but potentially devastating health complaint)  and a variety of other issues that seem to prove the old adage that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

It's an amazing memoir and from an almost little orphan girl without a glass slipper or a prince to an agony aunt and a key manager for 30 years in Children's Social Care Management, I think that Dominique did very well indeed with her life. Just proves that nobody needs a glass slipper, after all!

The book is published by Matador at £9.99.

How to Become a Football Agent: The Guide

This is the second edition of How to Become a Football Agent: The Guide, is written bu Dr Erkut Sogut LL.M, Jack Pentol-Levy and Charlie Pentol-Levy.

The three experts behind behind Football Agent Education have brought all of their experience and their network to put together a guide of critical information that every football agent must know in order to ave any measure of success for his or her clients and themselves.

There are unique insights, detailed information and hints and tips on how to be a successful football agent that you just will not find anywhere else.

It's built on their highly successful first book and now contains expanded chapters, more practical guidance and examples.

There's a highly informative forward by footballing ace legend Robert Pires, plus insightful comments and advice from top working agents who represent the top flights of elite footballers, too.

It now includes the valued opinions of four members on FIFA's select football agent commission. There are also real examples of contracts and a number of relevant case studies for readers to learn from.

The authors are very clear about the role of the modern agent. Long gone are the days when the agent just turned up, got the contract signed aand went away again to repeat the same performance next season. Now a successful and motivated agent must take active steps to work with their clients all year round, building their client into a top international brand and encouraging them to make the most of their potential as an international athlete.

If you are a footballer, the parent of a young footballer, an agent or a manager of a football team, this is a book that you must have a copy of.

It's published by Matador on 28th July at £13.99.

Mama's Got a Brand New Bag

Mama's Got a Brand New Bag is the debut novel of Hope Lovejoy.

It tells the story of Mama and her brand new bag. It's a stoma bag. She required a stoma bag because a surgeon, who was tasked with the simple job of removing a polyp from her intestines made a catastrophic blunder that caused the rupture of her colon.

So now, after a different and perhaps more competent, surgeon has cleaned her insides up and repaired the damage and inserted a coma, Aki is facing life with a stoma.

It gurgles, it grumbles and causes Aki no end of concerns common to most stoma patients. What if it bursts when I am out? What of the dreadful fuggy smell it gives off? What if I roll over in the night and squash it, causing it to burst? And if this happens at 3am, the clean up crew (husband and wife) have to spring into action.

Although the novel is written in a way that is intended to amuse, it does so in a way that does not take away the dignity of the protagonist, Aki who is Japanese, or her husband, Peter, who is English.

The novel takes  jaundiced look at surgeons who do not make mistakes and who try to blame everyone else  when things go wrong.

If you have a brand new bag, you might find comfort in this highly original and thought provoking book.

It's published by Matador at £9.99