Colour Sergeant Chesney V.C.

Colour Sergeant Chesney V.C. is a novel by Steven Baker.

With many accounts of the First World War, both fictional and factual, being published to mark the 100th anniversary of that terrible conflict, author Steven Baker has taken us back to an earlier and perhaps simpler time.

Like many of his contemporaries in Victorian Britain, Harry Chesney had a hard and tough childhood.

His mother died from tuberculosis and his father underwent what could be described as the living death of the alcoholic, unable to cope with the loss of his wife, he took his escape via the well known route of the bottle. Eventually he was overcome by the physical death that such an escape all too often brings.

As a result, Harry ends of in the place of last resort for many of the lower orders, the workhouse.

But Harry is made of tougher stuff than most and he decides to leave the workhouse in search of a better life through joining the British Army.

He rises through the ranks form a common private to the illustrious position of being the Regimental Colour Sergeant and the holder of the Victoria Cross.

His army career takers a sudden and catastrophic hit when, after there is an uprising on the North-West Frontier, Harry is the sole survivor from his platoon.

After a time he makes his way back to England and obtains in the position of being the guardian of Ravi, the illegitimate son of Captain Shervington, a now deceased hero of the regiment.

But then the Boer War comes and Ravi decides that he, too, must join up and fight for Queen and Country.

The novel is redolent of the Boy's own Story books, yet is sympathetically written and draws characters that are full and very believable.

It is published by The Book Guild at £8.99 and can be bought at the That's Books bookshop at https://goo.gl/Ltov34.

The Dream Factory

The Dream Factory is a rare debut novel in that it is obvious that, from the very introduction of the book, that the author has already got an established and very powerful voice.

It's a comedy thriller of a book and it is aimed at young people, though adults will also find much to recommend this book to them.

Written educationalist John Simes, The Dream Factory tells the captivating, yet enchantingly bizarre, story of three youngsters, Hendrix, Page and Clapton.

There was Peter, dubbed Pi, by a less than kindly teacher, Peter who could lose himself in The Dream Factory at will.

There story is multi-layered. There are betrayals that are grievous yet so utterly thoughtless that it actually makes them far worse than they might otherwise have been.

The story is set within the small and apparently peaceful English village of Dingwall.

But the village is only apparently peaceful.For there are violent kidnappings, escapes, love, between Peter and Navinda,  a spinster who is either an ordinary spinster or a gun-carrying spy, a Frenchman who could well be a criminal mastermind, the vicar who has a somewhat shady and secretive
history, a police force that fails to see the urgency of a call reporting a shooting incident: "I know a bullet when I hear one, Sergeant!" and there were dogs, and cats (but especially cats) and Om and the calming presence of Savaric, the ghost.

This is a curious book, the author has imbued each page with a dreamlike quality that helps to move the narrative onward.

It's published by Matador at £7.99.

John Simes is a name to watch out for in the future. It's to be hoped that this is the first of many novels.

You can buy the book at the that's Books Bookshop, here:- https://goo.gl/Ltov34.

Dorris Morris and the invasion of the neighbours

Doris Morris and the invasion of the neighbours is a truly wonderful book for children (and the adults in their life, too!) from author Janet Kelly.

It playfully and enchantingly tells the story of Doris who is an elderly cat who lives with the Morris family.

The Morris family includes Amy and Ted, aged just over four and eight, respectively.

Sadly for Doris whenever her family goes out her peaceful existence is shattered by the visits of Gangsta Cat and Lizzie.

These two scurrilous villains bully poor Doris and make her life a misery by stealing her food, bullying her and making a terrible mess.

Unfortunately poor doris gets the blame for their wicked ways.

However, Amy and Ted are not as gullible as their parents and they soon cotton on to what is happening, they realise who is really causing the problems so they decide to set a trap for the two miscreant moggies!

Their determination saves the day as their mother realises that it was not Doris who was being a naughty cat, after all!

This is a large format hardback book and it is sumptuously illustrated and is ideal for children from 4 to 6, though older children and adults will find something to love in this lively and thought-provoking book.

It will be published on 28 May and should be available for preorder at the That's Books and Entertainment bookshop, here https://goo.gl/tn8Kiq.

It will cost £12.99.

Gay in the 80s

Gay in the 80s is a debut non-fiction book for author Colin Clews.

It is an historical and non-fiction account of what it was like to be gay in the 1980s in the UK, Australia and the USA.

It covers contentious issues such as Section 28 in the UK, the resurgence and growth of the New Right in the USA and the fact, astonishing though it might appear from the year 2012, that throughout a number of the States in the Commonwealth of Australia, Homosexuality was still illegal.

The 1980s was truly a dramatic decade for members of the gay community and what has now become known as the LGBT community.

There was the fight for the recognition of the rights of gay people and also the looming problem of AIDS which was, unfairly, stigmatised as a "gay plague."

As well as touching on these and similar issues, the book looks at the politicisation of the LGBT community and their involvement in a number of quite disparate issues such as the miner's strike, issues of policing, freedom of speech and so on.

The book will be a worthy addition to the bookshelves of people who are interested in gay history, the history of a decade that was a contentious and troubled time for a variety of reasons.

It is published by Matador at a very reasonable £14.99 and it will be available from the That's Books and Entertainment bookshop which you can find here https://goo.gl/tn8Kiq.

Colin Clews is to be congratulated on a book that is both academically sound but also eminently readable.

Poppy's Seed

Poppy's Seed is a new novel from author Bethany Askew.

It explores a marriage between Peter and Emily Stanchester and is set in the English coastal town of Lyme Regis.

They are both finding the idea of grasping the fact that they were now into their retirement year a little challenging.

Peter went from being an important person who had work-related order and routine in his life to a person who was, unfortunately, no longer important and who no longer had work-related order and routine in his life.

And as for Emily? She misses the friendship of her former work colleagues and she misses her freedom,  too.

Onto the scene steps Poppy James. Poppy is an artist who is quite typical of a certain type of artist, she eschews convention, has a slightly spotty reputation and lives her life to its bohemian full.

She is unlike anyone that either Peter or Emily have ever met before.

They are both fascinated by this otherworldly creature and Peter is, not unnaturally, flattered when Poppy seeks him  out to ask him for advice.

But for what purpose has Poppy come into their lives?

Is there more, or perhaps, less to Poppy than appears at first sight?

And what, exactly, is Poppy after? What does she really want from the retired couple?

Apparently this novel was based on a dream that the author had and it does have a certain dreamlike vibe throughout it, it has to be said.

It's an interesting read which explores what happens when life intervenes.

It is published by Matador at £7.99 and it is available for purchase at the That's Books and Entertainment bookshop which you can find at this link here https://goo.gl/WRfFc7.

Sherlock Holmes To a Country House Darkly and other new adventures

Sherlock Holmes To a Country House Darkly and other new adventures is a newly published addition to the canon of Sherlock Holmes stories.

It is written by N. M. Scott and published by The Book Guild Publishing.

Within seconds of starting to read the first story I was utterly captivated as I was taken back to the Victorian era of swirling fogs, when Homes and Watson used their knowledge of science, medicine and the detective arts to right wrongs and bring justice where before there was none.

The stories are tightly plotted and the writing is of such a high standard that it might have been written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, himself.

There are stories of murder and revenge and ages-old retribution, of  devious land owners, violent robbery, of terrible secrets that became public knowledge under some rather unusual circumstances.

I am not going to reveal the plots of any of the twelve most excellent adventures, but what I will say is that if you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes and his companion Dr Watson or of Victorian era detective fiction in general, you must buy this hardbound book at the snip of £9.99.

You can buy it from the That's Books and Entertainment bookshop at this link https://goo.gl/WRfFc7.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have another story in this book to finish reading!

That's Christmas: A Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all...

That's Christmas: A Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all...: Everyone at That's Chirstmas would like to wish our readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and prosperous New Year. We would ...