It's Never Easy, These Days

It's Never Easy, These Days, is a book about the NHS from the point of view of Gareth Hollbrooke, a retired NHS hospital manager.

He reveals some home truths about life within the NHS.

Like how a hospital manager has to deal with fights over car park spaces between consultants? How he must cope with senior surgeons who are out for metaphorical blood?

How he must cope with hippy travellers who decide that the hospital car park is an ideal place for them to live their alternative lifestyle, whilst putting two fingers up to the staff and patients?

How to cope with a bossy medical secretary, how to spend one's days firefighting one crisis or another, or perhaps several, all at the same time, dealing with doctors who aren't from round these parts, learning what the various staff member are supposed to do and learning what they actually do. often above and beyond, as they say.

He also points out how control of a hospital can so very easily be lost, if the manager loses one thing. (You'll find out what this is, if you take the time to read this absorbing and truth telling book)

He also reveals what actually happens during hospital board meetings with unwarranted accusations of murder, grandstanding, shroud waving, position taking, point scoring and so on.

The period covered is from the 1970s right up to the last decade of the 20th century. It contains stories of horror, pathos, bewilderment and confusion interspersed with moments of real humour.

At £9.99 this book by Matador, will tell you are you ever wanted to know about NHS hospitals and their management.

A healthcare worker who read the book said: "This is a fairly accurate book, though obviously biased toward the viewpoint of a hospital administrator!"

It's available for purchase from the That's Books and Entertainment bookshop, powered by Amazon. on the righthand side of the site.

Petra Minx and Dead Man's Legacy

Petra Minx and Dead Man's Legacy is another novel in the Petra Minx series.

Petra Minx is a highly dedicated. motivated Sergeant in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police force.

She is thrilled that she is assigned to deal with something of an International case, involving a visit to Nassau to work with Betty Graceby a now retired poupar Canadian Las Vegas dancer and singer of some repute.

Betty has spent considerable time filing complaint after complaint against Ken, her vile and obnoxious grandson.

All of a sudden, the authorities have decided to take notice of her complaints against Ken. But why now, after ignoring Betty's complaints for such a long time?

An investigative journalist who has an eye, ear and nose for a good story and he feels that there is some sort of mystery behind a new arts centre, said to be funded by a benefactor who is ticking the "no publicity box." Why is he so secretive? What are his motives?

And how come, since her husband's death in an "accident" when the car was driven by Betty's son, has Betty's fortune tripled in size? What does Betty know about this? Anything? Or is she an innocent dupe in this and many other matters?

Withe the action of the story flitting from the Bahamas to Las Vegas and the Great Lakes, Petra becomes deeply attached to her fellow Canadian, Betty and her policing role is sublimated into a more personal role as she uncovers greed, treachery, hatred and unadulterated lust.

She realise that the legacy of Betty's late husband is a ponderous one with far reaching consequences that are lasting well beyond his death.

This novel by Marion Leigh is a must for the bookshelf of any mystery fan. Petra Minx is a welcome addition to the fictional female police officer hall of fame.

Petra Minx and Dead Man's Legacy costs £9.99 and is published by Matador and is available from the That's Books and Entertainment book shop, to the right of the site.

The Hounds of Falsterbo

The Hounds of Falsterbo is an utterly charming book for adults and their children

It is a wonderful book that is well illustrated, telling the story written and illustrated by Jules Nilsson of the dogs that live in Falsterbo, in Nasset, Southern Sweden.

It is illustrated in a bold, yet simplistic style, telling the story of the dogs that inhabit the area in joyous, rhyming couplets.

The three canine friends have wonderful doggy adventures at the seaside, amongst the beach huts and sand dunes and into the inviting sea, where the frolic and gambol in the waves.

The names of the dogs are Nalle, Buster and Teddy and the book is probably the best attempt to capture the exciting nature of little doggies out on a spree that I have seen in a long time.

It is an ideal book for reading to children before they go to bed, filling their dreams with the magical story of our three canine heroes and their life in and around their home the Kust Cafe.

It costs £5.99 and is published by Vind and Vag. A delux hardback version costs £15.99. These (and a e-book version) are all available at the Amazon-powered bookshop at That's Books and Entertainment, which is at the righthand side of the site.

You can learn more about The Hounds of Falsterbo at www.falsterbohounds.com.

Incidentally, the book was "highly commended" in the Junior Design Awards of 2014.

The Crazy Psychologist

This novel by Miller H. Caldwell features a psychologist who is working on the beautiful island of Rousay.

Doctor Angie Lawrence is the director of a new, purpose-built centre for assessing and treating damaged teenagers.

She employs interesting an unorthodox treatments. These include nude swims for some patients, sessions with an African Grey Parrot call Harry (Don't worry about Harry, he is on the staff!) and Arthur, a Bassett Hound, amongst others treatments for the patients who vary from sufferers from abuse, eating disorders, elective mutes, the overly aggressive and so on.

As part of her treatment regimen she also offers her patients some varying degrees of responsibilities, as a way of overcoming the traumas that drove them to be treated by Doctor Lawrence in the first place,

She is married to Sam, who is an artist of some renown. He is particularly gifted as a painter of seascapes and he believes that Orkney will be the perfect location for him to explore his art.

But Sam is concerned about his wife's unorthodox methods. Are these, somehow, related to the traumas that afflicted the young Angie?

Sam is torn between trying to understand the methods in her madness, or the madness in her methods.

He is trying to protect his wife from her own self and from the demons that are welling up from her own past.

But what can her do? How can he protect her from the authorities?

How can he help her to overcome the demons of her childhood before they overcome her?

This is an interesting and utterly compelling novel from author Miller H. Caldwell.

It is published by Matador at £8.99 on August 28.

Death by Dangerous. A novel by Olly Jarvis

Death by Dangerous is a new legal thriller novel by published author and criminal defence barrister Olly Jarvis.

Jarvis used his many years of experience as a criminal defence barrister to weave a riveting novel set in and around Manchester and Bradford.

Death by Dangerous tells the story of John Anderson. He is the darling of the North West courts, a highly respected and very able prosecution barrister. His career is in the ascendency, going from strength to strength.

Until it all comes crashing down, when, following a terrible road traffic accident, in which he is severely injured, his whole world comes tumbling down about him.

Although he makes a slow and painful recovery from his physical injuries, he realises that he has no memory of the crash.

Was it his fault? What of his female passenger? Who was she? Why was she even in his car? Did some catastrophic error of judgement on his part cause a child to die?

For the first time in his life he faces the criminal justice system that he has spent his entire professional life working in, from the other side of the witness box. Accused of causing death by dangerous driving.

He is fully aware that, as one of the most senior prosecution barristers in the North West, being jailed would bring him face-to-face with many criminals who he helped bring to justice through his long career.

But how can he find out what really took place during the accident?

Was it an accident? What, exactly had taken place?

The truth takes him into the sordid underbelly of Manchester, taking him deep within the criminal underworld.

His former loyal colleagues and so-called friends in the prosecution service have already found him guilty, so he finds no help there.

But help in his quest for truth and justice does come his way, but from a rather unlikely source. Which leads Anderson to examine himself and he starts to re-evaluate his life so far.

But Anderson finds out that sometimes lambs are sacrificed to propitiate various Gods.

Anderson needs to work out who are the lambs, who are the evil shepherds and which Gods they are attempting to appease. And he needs to work out who the good shepherd is before it is too late.

It's an exciting novel, gripping with more than a few twists and turns before the shocking finale.

This book is published in paperback by Matador at £7.99 on 28th July. It will be available via the That's Books and Entertainment Book Shop, the link is on the right hand side of this page.

Lime 43 is a new cocktail is born with Licor 43 and Pure Lime Juice!

Whilst feeling pretty hot the other evening I accidentally hit on the recipe for a new cocktail which I have decided to name the Lime 43.

You take 50ml of Licor 43 and a couple of liberal splashes of Pure Lime Juice (it's made by the clever folks who brought us Pure Lemon Juice), in a large wine glass or a whiskey tumbler.

Then add ice cubes if desired and then top up to the brim with chilled Cream Soda, then stir.

And enjoy.


The website contains other cocktail recipes and some information on this awesome drink.

http://www.licor43.com/

"Ontreto" an ideal holiday read

The latest novel by crime thriller writer Peter Crawley is an ideal holiday read, for those of you who like to take the latest crime thriller with you to while away the hours as you sit, cocktail in hand, slathered in factor 50 as you laze, happily, by the poolside of your resort.

The setting of the novel is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. The name of the island is Lipari.

The island is real and what occurs throughout the book is fiction. Or is it? For it appears that the real history of  Lipari is just as dramatic (if not on occasion, more so!) than that set out in this gripping and compelling novel!

Former Marine and protagonist Ric Ross arrives on the island of Lipari. He carries with him a letter of introduction to Valeria Vaccariello, who is an ageing star of the Italian big screen, the world of the cinema.

She lives alone in a house called The House of Strangers.

Besides being a cinema star she has another reputation closer to home. She is known as la strega, or the witch.

In the midst of this Ric is befriended by il velaccino, a sailmaker. For a sailmaker seems to know a great deal about everyone on Lipari and what they get up to.

But then a politician dies and it is determined to be a homicide.

Ric's desire to trace the history of his family in Lipari is subsumed by the need to prove that he is innocent of the slaying.

But Ric's life is also in danger. Why would someone want him dead? Who are they? Who can he trust?

The book is due to be published in paperback by Matador on June 28th at £9.99, or as an e-book for £3.99.