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Reviews by readers from all the many walks of literary life. With author interviews, features and top tens. You'll be sure to find something you'll want to read here. Dig in!
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{{Frontpage
|authorisbn= Katharine Orton0241636604|title= GlassheartThe Trading Game: A Confession|author=Gary Stevenson|rating= 4.5|genre= Confident ReadersAutobiography|summary= Nona and her Uncle Antoni have lived together ever since the Blitz claimed the lives If you were to bring up an image of a city banker in your mind, you're unlikely to think of her familysomeone like Gary Stevenson. Now, in A hoodie and jeans replaces the aftermath of pin-stripe suit and his background is the warEast End, they travel all over the countrywhere he was familiar with violence, replacing stainedpoverty and injustice. There was no posh public school on his CV -glass windows in buildings destroyed by bombs. Their latest job takes them out but he had been to the wilds London School of Dartmoor, where Nona discovers that her world Economics. Stevenson is full bright - extremely bright - and he has a facility with numbers which most of ancient and powerful magicus can only envy. She He also discovers realised that most rich people expect poor people to be stupid. It was his ability at what was, essentially, a mysterious entitycard game which got him an internship with Citibank. Eventually, known only this turned into permanent employment as The Soldier, is hell-bent on using Nona's innate magic for his own ends, and will not stop until he has her…|isbn=1406385239a trader.
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{{Frontpage
|isbn=B08KKQ85FN1035021803|title=But Never For LunchThe Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder|author=Sandra AragonaC L Miller|rating=43.5|genre=Short StoriesCrime|summary=It''If a woman approaching the menopause can be likened s twenty years since Freya Lockwood has been back to a Rottweiler in lipstick, an Ambassador nearing retirement resembles a pampered peacock about to be released into the company English country village where she grew up. She's back now because of carrion crows or, more to the pointa request for help from her beloved aunt, about to discover the real world of bus timetables and paying his own gas billsCarole. Freya'' You don't get many better opening sentences than that, do you? We first met His Excellency s former mentor and The AmbassadorCarole's Wife in [[Sorting the Priorities: Ambassadress close friend, Arthur Crockleford, is dead and Beagle Survive Diplomacy by Sandra Aragona|Sorting the Priorities]] and we learned what it was like circumstances seem suspicious, to be moved around countries like accompanying baggage by say the Italian Government but least. Arthur was the time has come for HE reason why Freya had not been back to retires and for Sandra Aragona to become The Wife of Former Ambassador..the village: Arthur, she feels, let her down badly. They have left The Career and settled Even though they were in Romebusiness together as antique hunters, she has not felt able to be near the man or pursue the profession she loved. Well 'settled' rather overstates After the situation and their dogsplit, Beagleshe worked in a cafe, has no intention met and married James (on the rebound from the love of slowing down any time soonher life, despite being sixteen who was murdered) and deafFreya and James have now divorced.
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{{Frontpage
|authorisbn= Susi Holliday AllTomorrowsFutureCover|title= The Last Resort All Tomorrow's Futures: Fictions that Disrupt|author=Benjamin Greenaway and Stephen Oram (Editors)|rating= 3.5 |genre= ThrillersScience Fiction|summary=A group ''Opening up new ways of thinking about the shape of strangers gather on a private islandthings to come.'' I've heard it said that 'technology' is what happens after you're eighteen. They Well, I must confess that there have been invited to an all-expenses paid retreat to test more than a brand-new product from the mysterious Timeo Technology companyfew decades of technology in my lifetime. The group includes a games designer, social media influencer, gossip columnist and hedge fund manager. Everyone seems I've kept up reasonably well with what's advantageous to have an area of expertise me but I'm left with the feeling that makes their attendance necessary. All except Amelia whose presence is a mystery. We follow the group as they explore the island, and each otherit's histories and it becomes clear that they all have a dark secret they would rather keep hiddengetting away from me. As the clock ticks down, these well-kept secrets are revealed, and Some of it soon becomes clear that this luxury retreat is really a gilded cage- frankly - quite frightening. In a race against time Of course, Amelia must struggle to uncover I could research the reason for her attendance possibilities and protect the rest of probabilities and end up down rabbit holes without really understanding whether I'm reading someone who knows what they're talking about or the guests from the increasingly sinister accidents that befall themlatest conspiracy theorist. I needed people I knew I could trust and who could deliver information in a way I could understand. |isbn=1542020018
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|isbnauthor=B08GFSK2WZSunny Singh|title=The Karma Trap|author=Lisette BoydHotel Arcadia|rating=43.5|genre=Women's FictionThrillers |summary=George Jackson The Hotel Arcadia is thirty-three years old, absolutely gorgeous to look at - and single. She's not had sex for eight months and she's stuck a luxury hotel in the karma trap: an awful lot of bad luck is being visited on her and she unnamed city that has suddenly been violently taken over by a real talent for attracting dramaterrorist group. Her life's chaotic: she dealt with the leak Hiding from the shower by putting something down at the bottom of the stairs to absorb the water - then the shower fell terrorists who are rampaging through the roof whilst she was in it , killing everyone on site, there is Sam, a wartime photographer and left her, stark nakedAbhi, staring at the pervy postmanhotel manager. She only has As Abhi continues to try to care remotely for the residents who are still alive in the hotel, he forms a bond with Sam who refuses to take be cowed by events, and keeps on venturing out of her motherroom to try to capture what's dog out for a walk for happened through her photography. Although they only ever talk over the phone, their friendship grows as Abhi tries to end up with dog poo spattered across help her face - keep safe and a photo being taken they both wait to see if they will be rescued before they are discovered by someone who shares it around the officeterrorists.|isbn=086154742X
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{{Frontpage
|isbn=00083331731529153298|title=Hungry: A Memoir The List of Wanting MoreSuspicious Things|author=Grace DentJennie Godfrey
|rating=5
|genre=AutobiographyGeneral Fiction|summary=It's 1979 and Margaret Thatcher is Prime Minister. (A woman? Imean, honestly...) She's not what's worrying Miv'm always relieved when Grace Dent is one of the judges on s family, though. Women have been disappearing. Well, they've been murdered, but to have 'Masterchefdisappeared'doesn't sound quite so frightening. You know Miv's upset because she's overheard that her father wants to move the family 'Down South'. When you're going to get an honest opinion from someone whom you sense does real food rather than fine dining most of the timeYorkshire, Down South is a frightening, foreign place, best avoided. You also ponder on how For Miv, the move would mean leaving her best friend, Sharon, and she can look so elegant with all 'll do anything to prevent that good food in front of her. IShe've often wondered s not worried about the woman behind the media image and dangers or that her Mum''Hungry: A Memoir of Wanting More'' is a stunning read which will make you laugh and break your heart in equal measuress stopped talking - to anyone.
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{{Frontpage
|isbn=18387731691398524085|title=Her Majesty the Queen Investigates: The Windsor KnotHas Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter?|author=S J BennettNicci French
|rating=5
|genre=Crime
|summary=ItCharlotte Salter was expected at her husband's early 2016 fiftieth birthday party but never turned up. Her children, sons Niall, Paul and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Ollie and her daughter, Etty. are all worried but - strangely - her husband, Alec, is at Windsor for the Easter Courtnot. She's having a dine Shortly afterwards, Etty and sleep at Greg, find the request body of Prince Charles, whoGreg's attempting to raise money from some rich Russians for one of his pet projects. There'd been a distinctly Russian flavour to the evening and one of the performers brought father, Duncan Ackerley, in to play the piano has been found dead in what can only be called embarrassing circumstancesriver. The immediate reaction is that one of It was an easy assumption for the guests is responsible. The Queen mentally rules out her racing manager, an ex-ambassador police to Moscow, the Archbishop of Canterbury make that Duncan had murdered Charlie and Sir David Attenborough. One then committed suicide when he couldn't bear to go down any of stand the guilt. The Salter children are not convinced but there''those'' roadss little else they can do but get on with their lives and wonder about what really happened.
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{{Frontpage
|authorisbn=Matt Haig1035906708|title=The Midnight LibraryDiva|author=Daisy Goodwin|rating=4.5
|genre=General Fiction
|summary= Between life and death there is a library. And so, 38 minutes after Nora decided We tend to diethink of Maria Callas as Greek, but she finds herself was born to Greek parents in the Midnight Library. Everything that could've gone wrong Manhattan, New York, in Nora's life hasDecember 1923 and only moved to Athens when she was thirteen. Her cat died, she lost original surname was Kalogeropoulos but her job, her brother wonfather changed it to 'Callas't speak to her, her parents are dead, make it more manageable in the boy States. When she teaches piano to no longer cares about piano, was back in Athens - supposedly so that she could get appropriate training for her voice - she called off was raised under the Nazi occupation by a mother who mercilessly exploited her wedding, and old Mr Banerjee next door made no longer needs secret of her helppreference for her elder sister, Jackie. She gave up on }}{{Frontpage|author=Christopher Edge|title=Black Hole Cinema Club|rating=4|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Lucas and his friends are all the things booked in for a movie marathon at their local cinema, a place that would've let her escape has the wet, cold town nickname of Bedford and given her life some purposeful direction'The Black Hole'. So at 23:22 All big movie fans, she realises that she isnthey't made for life and decides re looking forward to die. But instead lots of deathexciting films, and many, she finds many snacks! However, as the library. Each infinite shelf movie starts, they very quickly realise that something about this new film format is filled with booksvery different, each book providing a chance and they are swept up into an adventure they couldn't even imagine. But as they lurch from one film genre to try another life she could have livedthe next, in a parallel time. And so, just after midnight can they figure out what on earth is going on Tuesday ? Will they ever get back to the 18th of Aprilcinema, Nora Seed begins and to live every life she could've.their real lives?|isbn=17868927311839942738
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{{Frontpage
|isbnauthor=0349423083Rachel Greenlaw|title=Death Compass and the Brewery Queen (Kate Shackleton Mysteries)|author=Frances BrodyBlade|rating=43.5|genre=Crime (Historical)Teens|summary=Kate Shackleton runs her investigation agency from Batswing Cottage, ably assisted by Jim Sykes, who lives in Woodhouse and her housekeeper, Mrs Sugden''I can hear the song of the sea. She's been approached by William Lofthouse The call of the Barleycorn Brewery deep, the answering beat in Mashammy heart. Something is going wrong with his business and he'd like Kate to look into it discreetly: he's hoping that his nephew  Rosevear, a remote and right-hand manpartially forgotten island, James Lofthousesurvives on luring ships into the rocks and plundering the wrecks. Mira, will be back from a trip to Germany like her mother before long. James went her, is one of the seven who swim out to see what survey the continental brewers were doing ruins – rescuing any survivors and what changes Barleycorn might need to makeany treasure that lies within. William is worried that James is perhaps enjoying himself But when the Council Watch lays a little bit trap to end the wrecking, they capture the island's leader and Mira'too'' much or s father. Desperate to save him from death, Mira makes a bargain with a wreck survivor who is as charming as he is going secretive and with only coordinates to bring back guide her, she sets off in search of a German bride but he'd like family secret that lies buried deep in the sea. With only nine days to unearth what might save her father, as her journey takes her from the business watched streets of foreign islands to the heart of the smuggler's territory, Mira must be ship-shape before his nephew returnsdetermined to stop at nothing to save the future of her home and the ones she holds most dear.|isbn=0008664730
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{{Frontpage
|author=Caroline ScottJames Sherwood Metts|title=When I Come Home AgainPlanet Storyland
|rating=4.5
|genre=Historical FictionConfident Readers|summary=1918 and Things have been a young man is arrested in Durham Cathedralbit sticky for the Earthlings. He refuses to give a nameAI and automation have been proceeding apace, no matter how hard often replacing jobs they push he will not say who he is're paid to do and other tasks that took time to accomplish. Eventually, Just as they determine were beginning to get used to all this isn't willful obstinancetechnological change and starting to think of other, he doesn't answer because he doesn't know. He remembers being on the road for a long new ways to spend time and being frightened, and some of the faces from the road, but other than that – everything that along came before has gonean awful pandemic. They need a name for the forms and so they call him Adam Life was pretty much shut down and, because he was found in the Galilee Chapel, along with it becomes Adam Galilee. A fanciful name for a tired young man in a dishevelled uniform who doesn't know who he is, where he is or how he got thereall the many daily social interactions on which they depend so heavily.|isbn=14711921721736128426
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{{Frontpage
|isbnauthor=1529410347Matthew Tree|title=Death Awaits in Durham (Kitt Hartley Yorkshire Mysteries)|author=Helen CoxWe'll Never Know|rating=4.5|genre=CrimeLiterary Fiction|summary=Kitt Hartley's assistantTimothy Wyndham wants nothing more than to be different from his father, Grace Edwards, has left her library job a drunk and taken a place on the Venerable Bede Academy's vocational library studies course in Durham. It's an unusual place to study as students with government grants are not accepted, so most chronic underachiever whose dreams of the people attending are scions being exceptional at any of the seriously rich, scholarship students - or they've managed, somehow, to scrape together the money. Grace, his artistic passions all failed miserably and who's 22, comes into the last categoryhad endless crises of self confidence. Her parents agreed So Tim applied himself to fund the course but told her that if that was what she chose to do then they were finished with her. Not long after she started the coursehis studies, Kitt Hartley came for a visit - cultivated his abilities rather than his daydreams and immediately discovered an unsolved disappearance of a student from a year agoset himself high but achievable ambitions.|isbn= B0CVFXPGP8
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{{Frontpage
|author=Vincent PanettiereA G Slatter|title=These Thy GiftsThe Briar Book of the Dead|rating=45|genre=General FictionFantasy|summary=''2006 is There's a tumultuous year part of me that wants to keep this just to myself for the Catholic Churchhowever long I can. Reports This secret magic of horrific sexual abuse are becoming widespreadmy own, all mine, at last. Monsignor Steven Trimboli is troubled. He worries I just want to enjoy it for the future of the church—and rightly so. A new crime will soon reverberate throughout his church and hit closer to home than he ever imagineda while.''
As ageing priest Steve Trimboli begins to try to make sense of Within a remote mountain pass, far away from the child sexual abuse scandal that is rocking his beloved Catholic churchworld, he discovers that one child in his own parish has been abused by lies Silverton; a priest sent by his bishop. And this isn't just any boy: this is Steve's grandson whose mother is town under the offspring protection of a long past relationship between Steve and a gangsterthe Briar's widow. Steve is determined to seek justice for this boy and all children victimised by priests who have been protected by his church. But he must also face up to his own failings, going right back to his breaking a family of witches who protect the celibacy vows.|isbn=1503199886}} {{Frontpage|isbn=1800321104|title=The Body on town and the wider world from the Island|author=Nick Louth|rating=4Darklands.5|genre=Crime|summary=A prison transport left HMP WakefieldThough she has always wished for magic, heading Ellie Briar is the first non-witch to be born into her family for HMP Spring Hill. Steve generations and Aaron were accompanying Neil Wright who as such since she was 67 years old young, her training as a steward revolved around letters and had served six years for the manslaughter of his wifeadministration rather than spells and potions. Only that wasnWhen her grandmother suddenly dies, Ellie't who he was. Sixty-three-years-old Neville Rollaston had served thirty years for s cousin Audra becomes the murder of five boys between Briar Witch, the ages of ten town's leader, and seventeenEllie takes her place beside her. He was being ghosted out of Wakefield As challenges come her way left, right and into a new identity set up in a deal whereby he divulged centre, Ellie uncovers the rare ability to communicate with the whereabouts of dead, putting her at the body heart of one a maelstrom of his victimschaos. The Bogeyman was going Reeling from one family secret to another, Ellie must decide who to be set free on 2 July 2019. He appeared trust and determine what to be a reformed character but he had a list of people upon whom he wished do as the Briar witches' legacy, everything they have sacrificed to exact revengesurvive, is under threat.|isbn=1803364548
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{{Frontpage
|isbn=14736924071529900360|title=The Book of Two WaysGhost Orchid|author=Jodi PicoultJonathan Kellerman
|rating=4
|genre=General FictionCrime|summary=Dawn Edelstein is a death doula: thatIt hadn't been Lt Milo Sturgis's someone who is there for the person who is dyingfault that Alex Delaware had been badly injured but he felt responsible and even after Alex recovered, Sturgis was reluctant to make their passage to whatever they believe in as easy as possible ask for his help on difficult cases. His assertions that there were only open-and to support their carers-shut cases which didn't need the help of a psychologist only worked for a while. ItFinally, it was Robin, Delaware's a rewardingpartner, caring occupation and Dawn puts her heart and soul who nudged Milo into it but this wasn't always her lifeasking for help again. Some fifteen years ago she She knew that the involvement was a graduate student at Yale working towards her doctorate: as an Egyptologist, something that the man she was working with her supervisorloved needed. The next case did look simple, Professor Ian Dumphries, on though. Two lovers were murdered in the Djehutyakht tombs at Deir el-Bersha on the Nile swimming pool of a remote property in Middle EgyptBel Air. Then she He was Dawn McDowell: that was her maiden name, the name heir to an Italian shoe empire and she published underis married to an extremely rich man and it's not the Italian. But which of them was the primary target?
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{{Frontpage
|authorisbn=Delia Owens1529395224|title=Where Letting the Cat Out of the Bag: The Crawdads SingSecret Life of a Vet|author=Sion Rowlands|rating=3.5|genre=General FictionAnimals and Wildlife|summary= In 1952, KyaSiôn Rowlands fell into veterinary science accidentally. His father was a GP and Rowlands didn's mother disappeared up the dirt track t want to townfollow in his footsteps, wearing her alligator heels, and never came home. Then one by one her siblings left, ran from particularly when he considered the shack strain that being on the North Carolina marsh that served as home and the life that would lead to nothing but suffering, leaving 7-year-old Kya with her drunken call put on his father's life. Years pass and Kya - now nicknamed 'Marsh-Girl' – still yearns for When he was seventeen he took the opportunity of doing work experience with a family friend who was a mother that would never return vet and grew up far too fast was convinced this was the job for a girl who can neither read nor writehim. Finally Before long, one night her father never came home leaving Kya completely alone to survive on the marshhe was at Liverpool University. Eventually, It hadn't - as the years drift painfully bywith so many students - been his dream since he was a child. If anything, the time comes when Kya, now an emotional and vastly intelligent young woman, yearns for company besides the gulls and the land, yearning to be loved and he'd wanted to be held. So, when 2 boys from the town of Barkley Cove find their way to her, she finds a new way of lifeprofessional footballer. But in 1969, the body of former star quarterback and new husband Chase Andrews is found lying in the mud of the marsh, and everyone in town immediately suspects the mysterious, run-down Marsh-Girl. Who is Kya now, after years of isolation and a broken, hardened heart? Is she really capable of murder?|isbn=1472154665
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{{Frontpage
|authorisbn=David C Mason0861541774|title=Pandora's GardenerA Nye of Pheasants|author=Steve Burrows|rating=34
|genre=Crime
|summary= John Cranston is DCI Domenic Jejeune's close friend and former colleague, Danny Maik, has taken a gardenershort holiday in Singapore to meet up with an old ally, although what Guy Trueman. Maik was involved in a street brawl - he did before would later maintain that he became was facing a gardenerman armed with a knife - and he killed a Ghurka. Initially, he claims, is classifiedfaced a charge of manslaughter but evidence came to light that suggested that he might have planned to murder the man. That is just as well because Now he is about could be facing the death penalty. Domenic Jejeune can do nothing to be caught up in help as any interference from another police force could provoke a criminal / spy / terrorist plot, where only he can save the daydiplomatic incident and wouldn't help Danny at all. |isbn=0956180523
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{{Frontpage
|isbn=0356512479|author= Alix E HarrowAlexander McCall Smith|title= The Once and Future WitchesPerfect Passion Company|rating= 4.5|genre= FantasyGeneral Fiction|summary=''There's no such thing The Perfect Passion Company is a dating agency in Edinburgh, run by Ness and operating as witchesan alternative to all the online apps in providing a more personal, but there used tailored service. Ness has asked her younger cousin Katie if she could come and look after the business, as Ness is planning to take a trip to Canada to beget away for a while.'' In 1893 Katie is coming out of a break up with a bad boyfriend, after and so jumps at the purges chance to come home to Edinburgh. And so begins this new story from Alexander McCall Smith, bringing us to an Edinburgh we already love, thanks to 44 Scotland Street and the burningsIsabel Dalhousie novels, witching has been reduced but with some new characters who quickly begin to little more than weak charms and simple spellscharm. If women want to hold power Katie has no experience in running a business, or in their handsmatch-making, to have their voices heardbut Ness has full confidence in her abilities, it is now through womenand there's suffrage.always her very helpful (and rather handsome) neighbour, William, to lend a hand…|isbn=1846976596
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|authorisbn=Onjali Q Rauf0811771741|title=The Night Bus HeroInstaKnits for Baby|author=Melissa Leapman|rating=4.5|genre=Confident ReadersCrafts|summary=Hector is Melissa Leapman's ''InstaKnits for Baby'' gives us a bullycollection of knits from toys to blankets. Egged on by his two 'friendsSome will be quick knits - others are of the 'long, he takes other childrencosy afternoons in front of the fire's sweets, harasses and threatens, plays pranks at school, and gets into trouble at every turnvariety. Yet he finds himself frustrated when something actually isnThe projects are divided by the time they't his faultll take to complete - less than five hours, but then he isn't believed as everyone expects him five to be telling lies. Nothing seems fair. His parents are barely hometen hours, and seem ten to only care about his perfect sister twenty hours and his annoying little brother when they more than twenty hours. All the projects areattractive, modern and his teachers have abandoned him as a lost causeuseable. So what happens I perhaps show my age when, in trying to tell the truth & fight to be believed, Hector finds himself embroiled with the police; first trying to accuse, and then trying to save a homeless man from his local park?|isbn=1510106774I wonder about 'social-media-worthy projects' but that's me being picky.
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{{Frontpage
|isbnauthor=1849767343Dean Koontz|title=Count on Me|author=Miguel TancoThe Bad Weather Friend
|rating=4.5
|genre=Children's Non-FictionParanormal|summary=The title Benny is having a terrifically bad day. He loses his job, he loses his fiancee, and his house gets trashed. Oh, and format of this book might lead you someone has delivered a really weird, disturbing coffin-sized object to think that his home, and it's either about responsibility - possible that whoever or it's whatever was inside is the thing that has trashed his house! The thing is, Benny is the very last person to deserve all this bad luck. He is a basic 1-2-3 book nice person. A really nice person. So fortunately for those just starting Benny it turns out on that the numbers journeydelivery to his house is a new friend, a bad weather friend called Spike, who has been sent to help him since Benny is clearly under attack from nefarious forces for being a good person. It isn't: itSpike is going to take care of Benny, and will certainly take care of Benny's enemies, if he, Benny, and Harper (a hymn of praise to maths. Itwaitress slash Private Investigator who finds herself roped into Benny's about why maths is so wonderful and how you meet it in everyday lifewild adventure) can figure out who exactly they are.|isbn=1662500491
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|isbnauthor=1849766920Adam Stower|title=Everything is MINE|author=Andrea D'AquinoMurray and Bun
|rating=4.5
|genre=For SharingConfident Readers |summary=Marcello Von Cauliflower Bonaparte Jackson Murray is a schnauzer: what else could you supposed to be with a name like that? He knows that you'll realise that he's kindhumble, clever tidy and loyal. You'll also need friendly cat, one who is able to know that everything is '''MINE'''sleep and eat and eat and sleep and, well, whatever takes his fancy next of the two. And But he means 's a bad magician'everything''. It begins with the slipper: mum still s cat, so his favourite bun has one. Why would she need more? You sense that Marcello feels that he's being generous in allowing that. Then it was been turned into a hyperactive sticky rabbit called Bun, and the pork chop. Wellcatflap they both use can chuck them out, did you see anyone's name on it? ''And'' he left not into the carrots for Leo. That's another example regular back garden, but into a world of Marcello's generosityfrightening adventure and whiffs. There This time round it drops them into a Viking land, where a troll hunter is expected – well, one much bigger than Murray was the acorn which squirrel was gnawing at: there was no documentation , to prove ownership. And talking of ownership the tree would provide all the sticks be honest, but he could ever want to chew. There's nothing unreasonable in any of that, is there?turned up and he'll have to do…|isbn=0008561249
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|isbn=1849767009B0C47LV1PC|title=It Isn't Rude to be NudeFragility|author=Rosie HaineMosby Woods|rating=54|genre=For SharingLiterary Fiction|summary=This could have been one of those books which Can you make a ''Yo birthing person'preaches to the choir': joke? And if you could, is the only people who'll buy question should you make it are ? Or is the people who know that nudity question if you did, would it land? The catch is OK and the ones who ''know'' that it's shameful will avoid it like they avoid the hot-and-bothered person in the supermarket who is coughing fit to bustanswer for both could well be. But... Rosie Haines makes it into something so much more than a book about not wearing clothesno. It 's a celebration 'Fragility'' is set as the city of bodies: bodies large and small and of every possible hue. Bodies with disabilities and markings. They're fine. In factPortland, Oregon, they're wonderful.cautiously begins to emerge from the restrictions imposed during the covid pandemic
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|isbn=02412959551529431735|title=TrioThe Winter Visitor|author=William BoydJames Henry|rating=54|genre=General FictionCrime|summary=It was 1968: 's February 1991 and Essex is bitingly cold, which made Bruce Hopkins' return all the year when Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King were assassinatedmore surprising. ItHe's also d been exiled on the year when YSK Films are making Costa del Sol as a wanted drug smuggler for a movie in Brightondecade. ItThe return has come about because he's called had a letter from his ex-wife, saying that she's ill and hasn'Emily Bracegirdlet long to live. It's Extremely Useful Ladder hard to the Moon''feel any sympathy when Hopkins is abducted, or ''Ladder stripped to his underwear and sent to a watery grave in the Moon'' as it's known on set. Anny Viklund is the female star in a production which is proving to be just boot of a little bit racketystolen Ford Sierra. There are odd pressures on the producer, Talbot Kydd, to employ this old actor friend for Is it a couple of days because he needs the money, allow warning from a fading star to use his catchphrase, Spanish gang or include a song from the leading man, whose musical star is fading.problem closer to home?
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|isbnauthor=B08B39QNRHAlex Bell and Tim McDonagh|title=The Curious History Glorious Race of Writer's Cramp: Solving an age-old problem|author=Michael PritchardMagical Beasts
|rating=4
|genre=Popular ScienceConfident Readers|summary=''Society Eli is based on speech but civilisation requires a busy lad – by day an apprentice in the written word''. I came to Michael Pritchard's ''The Curious History of Writer's Cramp'' wondrous library we start by visiting with him, and in the evening a rather strange routehelper at the dessert cafe his gran owns and runs. I have problems Eli lives with my hands which orthopaedic surgeons refer his lovely gran, too – for there is a generation missing in the family. A few short years ago, Eli's parents were both lost to as 'interesting': I prefer the word 'painful' but I titular race, a globe-trotting adventure where all entrants have an interest to navigate the world in the way that hands workcompany of a magical beast. An exploration of This has made the race anathema to the history of pair – but when a problem which has defeated some of bad incident at the best medical minds for some three-hundred-years seemed liked excellent background reading and so it provedeatery leads to a confession from gran, Eli knows his only hope is to dare to enter what he most hates, with the book being as much about sole aim the doctors treating the sufferers and prize of magic at the changing medical attitudes as end – the problem itselfonly thing to possibly save his gran.|isbn=0571382231
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|authorisbn=Blake Nuto and Charlotte Ager178763681X|title=Child of GalaxiesKnife Skills for Beginners|author=Orlando Murrin|rating=54|genre=For SharingCrime|summary=What does it mean Chef Paul Delamare took a teaching job at a residential cookery school in Belgravia. He didn't really want to be alive? What are we made but celebrity chef Christian Wagner had a way of, getting both men and where are we going? women to do what he wanted. Paul ''somehow'Child of Galaxies'got the impression that he' is d be at the school to assist Paul, who had a lovely childrenbroken arm, but it didn's picture book t turn out that deals with way. The teaching - and the problems - are all the big questionshis own. Written as a poem, the lyrical words donThe one thing he hadn't shy away from darknessexpected was for someone to turn up dead. Unfortunately, nor talk down to he was the person who discovered the body and everyone knows that the children you are reading police consider that person to, but rather than work beautifully together with be the illustrations to create a powerful, uplifting reading experienceprime suspect.|isbn=1912497425
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{{Frontpage
|author=Lilja Sigurdardottir and Quentin Bates (translator)Sarah Marsh|title=BetrayalA Sign of Her Own|rating=3.5|genre=CrimeGeneral Fiction|summary=Meet Ursula, the stand-in minister, drafted in from outside the leading party to cover the post for After a bout of scarlet fever as a year. You might get to meet her hunky husband she can't believe she deserveschild, and the children who are ignorant of just how she spent all Ellen Lark loses her empathy for them on previous jobs in the foreign aid charity sectorhearing. You'll meet her ministry's cleaner, who bizarrely has fallen Suddenly plunged into the task a world of helping a famous newsreader with silence, everything about her Tinder profilelife changes. You'll certainly meet Living in a homeless tramptime when the use of sign language was seen as something only savages do, who has taken one look at Ellen is sent to a newspaper image of Ursulaschool where she is taught to lip read, and, knowing her of old, decided she needs saving but physically restrained from the devil posing beside hersigning. You'll meet From here, she ends up in another school studying under Alexander Graham Bell who has been teaching the ministerial bodyguard deaf and driver the tramp almost immediately forces Ursula to acceptusing a system called Visible Speech. But as for At the first ministerial casesame time, of a woman demanding her daughter's rape get looked at Bell is working on other inventions and prontoideas, nobody can say, for all records and Ellen finds herself unwittingly caught up in a complicated tangle of Ursula's meeting with the woman have been wiped…espionage.|isbn=19131934031035401614
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{{Frontpage
|authorisbn=Tania Unsworth1803816759|title=The Time Traveller and the TigerUnravelling|author=Will Gibson|rating=4.5|genre=Confident ReadersScience Fiction|summary=Elsie It's 2038 and Joe is an ordinary sort of girla bored cop policing the wealthy and peaceful New York City. The sort Joe longs for a bit of small girl who often gets overlooked, adventure and forgottento get stuck into some really gritty crime detection. She is quiet, and compliant, and makes But then something goes horribly wrong with the best of whatever happens to her. So when her parents forget AI system that her school holidays have started before they are free to take care of hernow runs everything, they have to arrange making life easier for her many, and riots start to go and stay with her Great Uncle for a weekspread. Poor ElsieFinally, forgotten again, just decides Joe gets to make the best of thingsdo some real policing. On investigating In the house she finds that her Great Uncle had lived in India as a boy, and he has an enormous tiger rug on the floor of one aftermath of the rooms. When Elsie asks him about the rug he seems unhappy, rioting global pop star Suki is kidnapped and he says he has Joe is assigned to keep it because he was bring her home. Joe isn't the only one who shot the tiger when he was 12 years oldtrying to save Suki - Dylan, a British superfan and he says it was tech nerd, is also on the worst thing he ever didcase. So when Elsie suddenly finds herself magically transported back many, many years, to What went wrong? Did the time in India when her Great Uncle system fail or was 12 years old, she believes that she must try to stop him from killing the tiger, in order to put something right that happened a long time ago.|isbn=1788541707it hacked? And how is Suki's kidnapping connected?
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{{Frontpage
|isbn=14721270131529421284|title=Agatha Raisin: Hot to TrotLaying Out the Bones|author=M C Beaton and R W GreenKate Webb
|rating=4.5
|genre=Crime
|summary=Raisin Investigations had quite It was one of those flash downpours that the British weather often delivers in a bit of work on handheatwave. The chairman of Philpott Electronics was concerned about his managing directorIn a gully, Harold Cheesemana human skeleton came to the surface and forensic testing proved the body to be Lee Geary, who had apparently returned from Australia because his wife did not like it theredisappeared nine years earlier. This was unusualHe'd been a known drug user and had learning disabilities, as his wife had died before Cheeseman went to Australiaso it could have been a simple case of misadventure but DI Matt Lockyer wasn't convinced. Then there Geary was the Chadwick divorce: Chadwick was convinced that his wife, Sheratona townie, so what was seeing another man. he doing out on Salisbury Plain alone? Mr Gutteridge wanted Raisin Investigations There are connections to instal listening devices in the staff canteen: he wanted suicide of Holly Gilbert and to know what two other deaths which were not considered suspicious at the staff were saying about him and his secretary, who was from Genevatime. Apparently, Lockyer and DC Gemma Broad of the staff called her The Swiss Roll. Then there was the murderMajor Crimes Review Unit (that's cold cases to you and me) investigate
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{{Frontpage
|isbn=00084203860571379559|title=Failosophy: A handbook for when things go wrongThe House of Broken Bricks|author=Elizabeth DayFiona Williams|rating=45|genre=LifestyleLiterary Fiction|summary=What do Malcolm Gladwell''The House of Broken Bricks'' is the story of four people. Tess Hembry's roots are in Jamaica: temperamentally she might be happier there, but instead, Alain de Bottonshe lives in the house on the riverbank, Phoebe Waller-Bridgebuilt of broken bricks. Insubstantial as it might look, Lemn Sissayit's stood the passage of time, Nigel Slaterstorms and floods. Her husband, Emeli SandéRichard, Meera Syalstruggles to grow his vegetables, Dame Kelly Holmes to complete the delivery rounds - and Andrew Scott have to bring in common? sufficient money. They've all failed have twin boys - Sonny and - more importantly - theyMax, the rainbow twins. Sonny've been willing to appear on Elizabeth Days colouring reflects his mother's podcast to discuss their failures and how life worked out for them afterwardsJamaican heritage. Max takes after his father. YouPeople don'll find the results of these discussions in t believe that they're related, much less twins and there'Failosophy's an assumption when Max is out with his mother that she's his nanny.
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{{Frontpage
|isbn=05713626721529425867|title=SnowLost and Never Found (A D I Wilkins Mystery)|author=John BanvilleSimon Mason|rating=4.5|genre=Crime (Historical)|summary=In Oxford, there are two D I Wilkins. Raymond Wilkins is of Nigerian descent, Balliol educated and always exquisitely dressed. D I Ryan Wilkins, son of Ryan and father of Ryan, is not. He's not any of those things. He'Wells white, originated from a trailer park, at least youbarely educated (reading're a Wexford man.s not '' So said Colonel Osborne when he welcomed DI St John (pronounced really'Sinjun'his thing) Strafford to Ballyglass House just before Christmas 1957and his wardrobe consists mainly of shell suits and trackies. Osborne was master of the Keelmore Hounds and had done something memorable with the Inniskilling Dragoons at DunkirkThey're usually in lime green or acid yellow. The niceties had You might wonder if you're being introduced to be established even when there was a Catholic priest dead on the library floor with some precious bits of his anatomy missingpolice procedural written for laughs. Strafford was from Roslea at Bunclody and thisWell, along with his good-but-shabby suit, marked him out as of Osborneyou's class and obviously Protestantre not. The dead priest was Father Tom Lawless from Scallanstown, who - despite two men are just different sides of the different religions - was in same policing coin. Sometimes the habit of spending time at Ballyglass Housecombination works brilliantly well. His horse was stabled thereSometimes it's problematic.
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{{Frontpage
|isbnauthor=1787477630Mosby Woods|title=The Postscript Murders|author=Elly GriffithsA Whirly Man Loses His Turn
|rating=4
|genre=CrimeLiterary Fiction|summary=When a 90-year-old-woman with a heart condition dies peacefully in her armchair, it really shouldnThe West isn't be suspicious and that the dominant force it once was . Nobody in the view taken by DS Harbinder Kaur until she spoke West is quite sure how to Peggy Smith's carermend this or even if mending it is the best course of action. Governments are flailing. Natalka Kolisnyk was adamant that A war here, a push for climate action there was more to Peggy's death than met the eye - particularly as she knew . A feeling that nobody is in actual charge. Imagine then, there was no heart condition and that Peggy had worried that she was being followeda man with precognition. Then there was Imagine the fact that Peggy was strategic advantage in this asset; a 'murder consultant' man who helped authors with knotty plot lines can tell you what will happen given any set of circumstances. That man would be valuable, right? Perhaps the most valuable asset in their books: she knew more about murder than any elderly woman should need history. Imagine then, that this man loses this ability. What would governments do to know.get it back?|isbn=B0C9SNG8R1
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