The Squirrel that Dreamt of Madness

The Squirrel that Dreamt of Madness a debut novel by Craig Stone is a partly factual and partly fictional story.

It tells Craig's story. How he dreamt of writing a book whilst he worked at his job in the financial hub of the City.

So he decided to throw in his job and began writing his novel. But without a steady income he was unable to afford the rent on his flat, thus rendering himself as homeless.

What could he do then? Go and live in a park and write the story of how he had to live in the park.

He reasoned that if he was destined to be a writer than this book, if he finished it, could be the key to bigger and better things. And a return to society from Park Life.

The park he chose to live in was Gladstone Park which is in North London.

He sat under a tree and began to write about what it was like to live beneath a tree in a park in North London.

He decided that the book he would write would be so unusual, so very unique that it would catapult him out of the park once it was published and that it would put his life back on course again.

However, the narrative of the book might be a little bit uncertain and not completely truthful as Craig admits that the reader might be hard pressed to differentiate between the factual segments of the book and the fictional segments, which he created, whilst in the park, to entertain himself.

The book is published by Matador at £9.99 and is available through the That's Books and Entertainment bookshop, which is to be found to the right of this review.

You can catch up with Craig Stone at www.thoughtscratchings.com.

Kill or be Killed

Kill or be Killed is a new novel by Barry Johnson.

Jake Robinson is a former Captain in the Royal Military Police, he is Sandhurst-trained, and has a degree in Psychology.

He is described as a leader yet is also, perhaps paradoxically, something of a loner, too.

He was working with a special unit within MI5, yet he has taken the decision to resign from the unit.

In search of a job he finds a position looking after the interests of Jan Lotus, who is a skilled actress at home on both the stage and the big screen, she can also dance and sing.

She needs a bodyguard and Robinson is the man selected for that role.

However after he begins working for her, there is an assassination attempt on Jan Lotus that, unfortunately, succeeds.

With his charge dead, he realises that he must turn the tables on the killers and take them out, before they kill him and take on other targets.

What is the connection between battling drug suppliers?

Is he correct in his gut feeling that the murder contract on Jan Lotus was actually the work of a woman?

But if that was so, who was it? What was their motive?

Can he find this mysterious woman and deal with her?

Can he escape the machinations of the drug dealers and escape with his life?

This exciting novel is published by The Book Guild at £9.99 and will make a good book to take on your holidays.

It is the fifth Jake Robinson novel.

You can buy it from the That's Books and Entertainment bookshop, to the right hand side of this review.

Dream Catcher

Dream Catcher is a psychological thriller written by Matthew J. Hancock.

It tells the story of Michael Clocksworth, a man who has all the answers. He, literally, knows everything.

His professional life is well sorted. If he comes face-to-face with a mathematical problem or a question of a scientific nature, it seems that the answers come to him in a flash.

But his personal life is something entirely different, it leaves him totally stumped.

But then there is poor Nicholas Reverie. He is troubled by some particularly horrifying nightmares.

But then his nightmares begin to come true.

Nicholas is desperately seeking help to explain what is happening to him and to bring it to an end, if possible.

He realises that Michael could have the sollution to his problems.

 But will Nicholas be able to find Michael before it is too late?

And should he find him, would Michael actually be able to do anything for him?

This is a genuinely psychological thriller of a novel.

What would it be like to know everything? Would that knowledge do you any good?

Could it change things? Or not?

It's a relativity short book at well under 100 pages and is published by The Book Guild at £7.99.

It's on sale at the That's Books and Entertainment online bookshop (you'll find it to the right of this review.) and if you buy one book this year, please do know that Dream Catcher should be it.

Love in Lindfield

Love in Lindfield is a romantic novel by David Smith.

It centres on Lindfield, which was the home of Charles Kempe.

It relates the tale of Harry. Harry is working for the BBC, researching for locations for a BBC drama that will be set and filmed in rural Sussex.

Whilst in Sussex Harry falls for a savvy and independent local artist called Ellie.

Ellie is undertaking the task of cataloguing what had been the home of the famed Victorian stained glass artist, Charles Eamer Kempe.

This cataloguing was being undertaken under the orders of the current owner of the house, Serena Ross, who is described as being: "unscrupulous and domineering."

Ellie and Harry become involved, unwittingly, in a love triangle that has the potential for a tragic outcome. This love triangle seems to mirror the troubled romantic life of Kempe, himself.

They are unaware that the events that develop are the result of a passion that is both ghoulish and violent, growing from a terrible and insatiable greed.

During his research Harry keeps discovering hitherto unknown facts about the various loves of Kempe.

But Harry's interactions with the Ross family are troublesome, as they are somewhat dysfunctional, to say the least.

This well-written novel contains not only romance, but also mystery, heartbreak and homicide, so there is something for everyone.

It is published by Matador and is available in paperback at £8.99 and hardback at £15.99.

It is available via the That's Books and Entertainment online bookshop, which you will find to the right hand side of this review.

Jake Owen / American Country Love Song / 360 Video

The Trial of Maria Montrecourt

The Trial of Maria Montrecourt is a debut novel by Kay Patrick a thespian (RADA-trained) who has acted on Doctor Who (alongside William Hartnell) and was then an equally influential television director, including 20 years with Coronation Street.

It is 1899, and a young French girl, 18-year-old Maria Montrecourt, arrives in the Northern English town of Harrogate.

She is orphaned, yet is supported by a shadowy and mysterious benefactor.

Whilst Maria is struggling to find her footing in a strange and somewhat alien environment, she finds herself drawn into the early dawning of the battle for the rights of women.

But eventually the son of her benefactor hunts Maria out. And, gradually, over time a hideous and terrible secret begins to emerge.

Events that occurred many years before suddenly re-emerge from the past and these events have the power to alter the life that Maria thought she was living forever.

Soon Maria finds herself accused of monstrous sins and crimes and she finds herself alone, in a dark and dank cell, a guttering candle her only source of light, as she is on trial for her life, accused of a notorious and heinous murder.

Who is the mysterious benefactor? Why are they her benefactor? Why must they remain in the shadows?

Did Maria commit murder? Or was the whole case a ghastly mistake? Or was it something else?

This novel is not merely set in the latter part of the 19th century, it actually takes the reader back to that time, so evocative is the writing.

An ideal summertime read and extremely well priced at only £8.99.

It's published by Matador and is published in support of Alzheimer's Research UK, so every copy you buy (either from the That's Books and Entertainment bookshop or elsewhere) you are helping to support Alzheimer's Research UK.)

Diet of Doubt

Diet of Doubt is a love story set amongst the rarified atmosphere of French high cuisine, written by debut author Margaret Christopher.

Lisa Saunders is a freshly qualified catering student. She has a somewhat stormy and unpredictable interview with an internationally renowned master chef, Marcel Peronnaud.

She is shocked but thrilled when he decides to appoint her as the newest trainee at his own restaurant in Paris.

She has to be careful, however, as she is fully aware of his reputation of being a lady's man, with his latest "affaire de cœur" often making the headlines in the tabloid press.

Could she, should she, be the first attractive young woman who enters his life who spurns his amorous advances?

However, all is not quite what it seems. Is Marcel really the Lothario of the haute cuisine demimonde? Or could there a great deal more to this man than his public image?

Whilst travelling through France with Lisa as he records his new cookery programme, she sees a different, much more sensitive side to Marcel.

During the ensuing months Lisa's resolve crumbles and she begins to fall in love with Marcel.

But then evidence comes to light that he may, after all, be nothing more than a player.

Is their romance doomed? Or can a miracle save this culinary "affaire de cœur"?

This is an ideal romantic novel for the holiday reading list so pack it with your sunglasses and your sunscreen!

It's published by Matador in paperback at a very reasonable £8.99 and is, as ever, available from the That's Books and Entertainment bookshop, which you'll find, over there >>>>>> to the right of this review.