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Hello from The Bookbag<metadesc>Expert, a full book review site, featuring books reviews from all the many most walks of literary life ; fiction, non- [[:Category:Fiction|fiction]], [[:Category:Biography|biography]], [[:Category:Crime|crime]], [[:Category:Cookery|cookery]] and anything else that takes our fancy. At Bookbag Towers the bookbag sits at the side of the desk. Itchildren's the bag we take to the library and the bookshop. Sometimes it holds the latest releases, but at other times there'll be old favourites, books for the children, books for the home. They're sometimes our own books or books from the local library. They're often & self-published books sent to us by publishers and we promise to tell you exactly what we think about them. You might not want to read through a full review, so we'll give you a quick review which summarises what we felt about the book and tells you whether or not we think you should buy or borrow it. There are also lots of plus author [[:Category:Interviews|interviews]], and all sorts of [[:Category:Lists|& top tens]] - all of which you can find on our [[Features]] page.</metadesc>

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{{newreview|author=Deborah Gregory|title=Dancing With The Dead|ratingBest New Books=3|genre=Literary Fiction|summary=I wanted to read ''Dancing with the Dead'', because I'm interested in family history. The blurb on the back of the book also mentioned Gill – our heroine of the piece – was moving from Bristol (my current home) to Lincolnshire (where I was born and brought up). I felt with all these links, the novel could not fail to interest me – but this was not the case.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1904529305</amazonuk>}}

{{newreview|author=Miss '''Read[[:Category:New Reviews|title=Christmas at Thrush Green|rating=4|genre=Womennew reviews by category]]. ''s Fiction|summary=Set in the rural village of Thrush Green, this book is the latest in a series surrounding familiar characters. There is the feisty Ella Bembridge, who is finally having to admit that old age is creeping up as her eyesight fails. Friends such as Dimity and Charles Henstock are concerned about her, but she refuses to accept any help. Albert Piggott has decided it's time to retire now that his wife, Nelly, is a successful cafe owner and can afford to take care of him! And relative newcomer Phil Hurst and her husband are arranging the local nativity play, despite a number of set-backs. Will everything be in place for Christmas? And will independent Ella make a decision about her future?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1409101592</amazonukbr>}}

{{newreview|author=Matt and Dave|title=Yuck's Robotic Bottom|rating=4|genre=Confident Readers|summary=It's concerned me for a while that it's relatively easy to pick up early readers for girls – princesses, magic soft toys, mermaids and pets abound – but there's a much smaller choice for boysRead [[:Category:Features|the latest features]]. It's important too with early readers that the content is ''interesting'' and reading becomes more than just something which you ''have'' to do at school and moves into being fun. Matt and Dave have found the answer in Yuck.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847382991</amazonuk>}}

{{newreview|author=John E Smelcer|title=The Great Death|rating=4|genre=General Fiction|summary='As Western Europeans settled Alaska, they brought with them diseases against which the indigenous people had no natural immunity. At the beginning of the twentieth century, fully two thirds of all Alaska natives perished from a pandemic of measles, smallpox, and influenza. No community was spared. In most cases, half of a village's population died within a week. In some cases, there were no survivors. It was the end 'Read [[Forthcoming Publications|reviews of an ancient way of life. Natives still refer books about to the dreadful period as the Great Deathbe published]].'|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1842709194</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Maxine BarrySylvie Cathrall|title=River A Letter to the Luminous Deep|rating=3.5|genre=Women's Science Fiction|summary=Two young women both have There are few greater joys than a love of the Thames. Melisande Ray's beloved hotel, the Ray of Sunshine is on the river bank. It's here that guests come who want book which lives up to be pampered and looked after in the way that only the best hotels can do well, but when Wendell James checks in to the hotel it's not pampering he's looking for. He's buying a piece of land not far from the Ray of Sunshine and he's sussing out the competitioncompelling premise. There's something personal in there too – if his new hotel means that the Ray And this is one of Sunshine goes under then that would be an added bonus. There's just a slight doubt in his mind when a red-haired maid catches his eyethem.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0709088930</amazonuk>0356522776

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Joe Gores0008517061|title=Spade and ArcherDeath in a Lonely Place|author=Stig Abell

|summary=Sam Spade decidesFormer Metropolitan Police detective, bravelyJake Johnson, to set up has settled into his one-man detective agencyrustic life at Little Sky. It's the 1920s in San Francisco so we have There’s perhaps a little uncertainty about the prohibition era and all that that entails. Many locals, future of coursehis life with his vet girlfriend, choose to disobey the law, stick two fingers upLivia and her daughter Diana, so to speak and as moving in together would mean a result there's lots lot of bootleg liquor. Straight away, it's evident that Sam compromise: does Jake give up his off-grid and relaxing life to move in with Livia or does Livia move to Little Sky despite her reservations about whether or not this is a man of few words. the future she wants for herself and her daughter? He has For the moment they’re enjoying life in the present and putting the mannerisms of a cat - stealthy, quick future on his feet. He's also a compulsive chain-smoker, but then again, most people were. In that era, holding a cigarette was an elegant, almost essential accessory. How times have changedthe back burner.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>140911323X</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Michael Morpurgo and Emma Chichester Clark1786482126|title=The Best of TimesJanus Stone (Dr Ruth Galloway)|author=Elly Griffiths

|genre=Confident ReadersCrime|summary=Most children enjoy a good traditional tale and this lovely book by Michael Morpurgo seems Builders were demolishing an old house in Norwich - the site was going to have all hold seventy-five 'luxury' apartments - when they discovered the right ingredients – bones of a handsome prince and child beneath a beautiful princess who fall in love, get married and live happily ever afterdoorway. There was no skull. Or do they Was this a ritual killing or murder? Sadly Inevitably, not long after Prince Frederico marries the lovely Princess Serafina, she becomes very sadDr Ruth Galloway finds herself working with DCI Harry Nelson. Nobody It's difficult as Ruth knows what has caused such great sadness, but poor Prince Frederico Nelson doesn't, that she is desperate to find a cure for his wife's misery. He tries everything in his power and eventually decides to offer pregnant with his kingdom to anyone who can make her happy again before she dies of child as a broken heart. Lots result of people come to the palace to try and help but in the end the solution is a simple one provided by night they spent together some very kind travellersthree months ago. Her condition will be obvious before long, not least because Ruth is prone to sudden bouts of sickness.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1405232552</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Shirley Jackson0008551324|title=We Have Always Lived In The CastleDevil You Know (D S Max Craigie)|author=Neil Lancaster

|genre=Literary FictionCrime|summary=Mary Katherine Blackwood, also known as Merricat, It's unusual for anyone from the Hardie family to approach the police. Neither side likes or has any respect for the other. But Davie Hardie is eighteen, struggling in prison and lives with her older sister Constance in he's prepared to tell the family home police where 'Blackwoods had always lived'. Merricat quickly draws the reader into her world by body of a series of matter of fact but bizarre statements – her likes include missing person is buried and who was responsible for her sister and death cap mushrooms. This person, he promises, is someone big and everyone else in her family it will be worth the police doing what he wants. And what he wants is deadto be transferred to an open prison to serve the remainder of his sentence and to get an early parole date. Not much to ask, is it? The wealthy Blackwood family has always kept the house new Deputy Police Constable doesn't think so and she'steady against s even prepared to do the world', shutting out other people, thing that Hardie demanded - make certain that DS Max Craigie and they live near a village. Merricat believes that 'The people of the village have always hated usanyone who works with him is kept well away from what', and tells us that she hates them toos happening.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0141191457</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Simon Weston0008405026|title=Nelson to the Rescue|rating=4|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Nelson used to pull Mike the Milk's milk float, but he has now retired. He lives A Stranger in the stable at the back of the dairy along with a couple of tricky rats, Rhodri and Rhys, a pigeon who has no sense of direction, a frog who thinks he's a secret agent spy and an old racehorse who spends most of his time sleeping. Rhodri and Rhys find a mysterious message on Mike's fridge and the animals believe that Mike has been invited to Buckingham Palace to receive an MBE. Somehow our hero, Nelson, finds himself travelling down to London, pulling a ceremonial coach for Prince Charles as well as giving a TV interview about his experience.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1848510454</amazonuk>}}{{newreviewFamily (Maeve Kerrigan 11)|author=Elizabeth Baines|title=Too Many MagpiesJane Casey|rating=45|genre=Literary FictionCrime|summary=Becoming a mother brings a whole new world of fear into your life. Suddenly you see the danger in every situation, and fear and trepidation can be become your constant companions. In this novella, we meet a young mother who is married to a logical scientist. They attempt to control their childrenIt's futures on a scientific basis, growing their own fruit and vegetables, giving their children nothing sugary, eating no eggs for a whole sixteen years since nine-year until any adverse affects -old Rosalie Marshall disappeared from them were disproved. But after meeting with an enigmatic stranger our young mother begins to struggle as he introduces ideas of freedom into her worldbed one summer night. She begins an affair with him, begins to let things slip at home was never found and with the children, yet finds she is still continuously haunted by the sense of an ever-present dangerinvestigation ground to a halt.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1844717216</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Katherine May|title=Burning Out|rating=4|genre=Literary Fiction|summary=Violet has it all – a well-paid job Now, and a luxurious apartment all to herself. Everything is catered for; her mealsmother, her clothesHelena, and her health father are all how she would dead in their bed. Initially, it looks like them to be. But a straightforward murder/suicide but there's something about the life she is leading is beginning to take its toll. On positioning of the verge of snapping, a drained bodies that makes DS Maeve Kerrigan and somewhat out-of-sorts Violet, withdraws back to her home townboss DI Josh Derwent suspicious. There, she meets someone familiar, a ghost reminding her of how she used What looked as though it was going to be ten years earlier – an open-and-shut case is now a young carefree girl, full of lifecomplex double murder. Only this isn't a ghost, but a girl living the life Violet once lived – exactly the same. Haunted by the past Violet realizes history is repeating itself and Kerrigan is convinced events will happen again. Events that will the explanation lies in turn haunt the girlRosalie's disappearance: others (such as Derwent's boss, Una Burt) are less convinced.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1906727392</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Amanda Downum0571379877|title=The Drowning CityKellerby Code|author=Jonny Sweet

|genre=FantasyCrime|summary=In Edward Jevons is a nutshellworking-class young man, obsessed with his upper-class friends, youRobert and Stanza. Robert're reading this because yous a theatre director. He're wondering whether The Drowning City is goods also self-obsessed, demanding, bad or mediocrehandsome and entitled and uses Edward to run errands for him. You Edward has been in love with Stanza since their university days - and he've probably glanced at the rating and guessed the latters drunkenly confided how he feels to Robert. IMost men in Robert'm afraid its position would stay away from Stanza or tell Edward that a relationship had begun between them but he's not quite that simple. This like most men: Edward is a debut that provokes decidedly mixed feelings. I started off convinced that I was going left to love this book. The cover art is effortlessly cool, stumble upon the premise intriguing, the characters laden with potential for greatness and the backdrop is certainly evocativetwo of them kissing in a dark passageway.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1841498149</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Tove JanssonJo Callaghan|title=The True DeceiverLeave No Trace|rating=54|genre=Literary FictionCrime|summary=Most people When a man is found crucified on the top of my age will have come across Jansson's work unwittinglya hill in Nuneaton, via DCS Kat Frank finds herself assigned to the televised renditions of case alongside her sidekick, the Moomin talesAI detective Lock. The readers amongst us would then have It's their first live case together, having previously been entranced very successful with several cold cases. But when there is a second body found crucified a few years ago days later, Kat is suddenly struggling with a potential serial killer and a very high profile case that draws a lot of unwanted attention to discover that at last Thomas Teal had set about their AI Future Policing project. Will they be able to solve the translation into Englishcase in time, first of The Summer Book or will Kat find herself taken off the case and then , potentially, out of a collection of short stories which were published as 'A Winter Book'. career?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0954899571</amazonuk>139851120X

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Daniel Kehlmann 1399613073|title=Me and KaminskiMoral Injuries|author=Christie Watson

|genre=Literary FictionThrillers|summary=After reviewing several long booksOlivia, it's been refreshing to read such Laura and Anjali met on the first day of medical school and their friendship would keep them inseparable for a quarter of a fluent yet pared down story as 'Kaminski and Me'century. In it Olivia is ruthlessly ambitious, Sebastian Zollner, the obnoxious main character, shoves himself forward in which is a desperate attempt bonus when you aim to research be a best seller which will re-ignite his career as an art criticcardiothoracic surgeon. Laura is a perfectionist and a trauma doctor. Kaminski, Anjali is the free spirit of the proposed subject, was group and she becomes a GP. When we first meet them they're at a fashionable painter long ago, but now, ancient drug and alcohol-fuelled party and chronically ill, has virtually slid into oblivionit's going to end in tragedy. So We don't know who suffered the tragedy or the secondconsequences. Twenty-rate writer is on a loser unless he can dig up some juicy details to hook five years later there will be an eerily similar event that will impact the art world and general publicthree friends. This time, it's their teenage children who are involved.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847249892</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Louis Barfe0241636604|title=Turned Out Nice AgainThe Trading Game: The Story of British Light EntertainmentA Confession|author=Gary Stevenson|rating=4.5|genre=EntertainmentAutobiography|summary=Light entertainment is often looked down upon, as if it's If you were to bring up an image of a bit naffcity banker in your mind, tepid and ignorable. What's often forgotten is that ityou's hugely popular, enjoyable and much re unlikely to think of it is of the highest qualitysomeone like Gary Stevenson. Louis Barfe's Turned Out Nice Again tells A hoodie and jeans replaces the complete story of British light entertainment.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1843543818</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Jim Helmore pin-stripe suit and Karen Wall|title=Oh No, Monster Tomato!|rating=4|genre=For Sharing|summary=Marvin his background is entering the Great Grislygust Grow-OffEast End, but just like himwhere he was familiar with violence, poverty and injustice. There was no posh public school on his tomatoes aren't growing very big. He takes CV - but he had been to the only sensible course London School of action: Economics. Stevenson is bright - extremely bright - and he sings his tomatoes has a songfacility with numbers which most of us can only envy. The results are spectacular He also realised that most rich people expect poor people to be stupid. Victory is surely within It was his graspability at what was, essentially, a card game which got him an internship with Citibank. Eventually, this turned into permanent employment as a trader.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>140524741X</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Joseph Delaney 1035021803|title=The Spook's Stories: Witches|rating=4|genre=Teens|summary='Warning: Not to be read after dark,' are the only words on the back of ''The Spook's Stories'', and on the inside flap, 'The Times' warns us that this book is 'seriously scary'...  The whole thing kicks-off relatively tamely, though, with a story about a young Spook (a sort of monster-hunter) who falls in love with a witch and is forced to bear the consequences when the witchAntique Hunter's sister comes Guide to stay and exhibits a taste for the neighbor-children.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0370329961</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewMurder|author=Lisa Unger|title=Die For YouC L Miller

|summary=Best-selling novelist Isabel Connelly is married It's twenty years since Freya Lockwood has been back to successful video game designer Marcus Raine. Or so the English country village where she thinksgrew up. But when She's back now because of a request for help from her husband fails to return from workbeloved aunt, Carole. Freya's former mentor and Carole's close friend, Arthur Crockleford, she realises something is wrongdead and the circumstances seem suspicious, to say the least. Going Arthur was the reason why Freya had not been back to his office to try to find out what happens to himthe village: Arthur, she gets attacked and ends up in hospitalfeels, while his co-workers are killedlet her down badly. Things get worse for her Even though they were in business together as antique hunters, however, when investigating detective Grady Crowe reveals that Marcus Raine she has been dead for several years, and not felt able to be near the man or pursue the profession she married was using a false identityloved. Infuriated by After the betrayalsplit, and the realisation that she's been living worked in a lie for the past five yearscafe, Izzy takes matters into her own hands met and sets out to find her husband and work out why he lied to married James (on the rebound from the love of her for so long. Ignoring police warningslife, she delves deeper who was murdered) and deeper into a nasty underworld, Freya and finds a tale which has its roots in Prague and rivals anything she could James have plotted in one of her novelsnow divorced.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0099522179</amazonuk>

{{newreview|author=Lisa McMann|title=Wake|rating=4|genre=Teens|summary=Janie I've heard it said that 'technology' is seventeen and studying hard for collegewhat happens after you're eighteen. Well, I must confess that there have been more than a few decades of technology in my lifetime. She I've kept up reasonably well with what's also working lots of hours at a local nursing home advantageous to earn money for college as me but I'm left with the feeling that it's unlikely her alcoholic mother all getting away from me. Some of it is going to provide much in - frankly - quite frightening. Of course, I could research the way of resources. College is Janie's only chance at a life better than possibilities and the one sheprobabilities and end up down rabbit holes without really understanding whether I's lived so far and so you canm reading someone who knows what they't blame her for being so single-minded in re talking about or the pursuit of her goallatest conspiracy theorist. Only one thing stands I needed people I knew I could trust and who could deliver information in her a wayI could understand...|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847385036</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jaclyn Moriarty Sunny Singh|title=The Spell Book of Listen TaylorHotel Arcadia

|genre=TeensThrillers |summary=Listen Taylor's father The Hotel Arcadia is a luxury hotel in an unnamed city that has just moved in with his girlfriend and they suddenly been violently taken over by a terrorist group. Hiding from the terrorists who are adopted into the Zing familyrampaging through, killing everyone on site, there is Sam, with all of its delightful eccentricities a wartime photographer and unusual behaviour – Abhi, the Zings meet every Friday night hotel manager. As Abhi continues to try to care remotely for dinner and then disappear into the garden shed to work on residents who are still alive in the 'Zing Family Secret'. Marbie Zing is terrified of doing something wrong and losing Nathaniel and Listen. Her sister Fancy is becoming increasingly disillusioned hotel, he forms a bond with her home lifeSam who refuses to be cowed by events, and keeps on venturing out of her daughterroom to try to capture what's year two teacher is coming to terms with a break uphappened through her photography. The stories of these people come together Although they only ever talk over the phone, their friendship grows as Abhi tries to create a tale of life, love, help her keep safe and ultimately, what being part of a family meansthey both wait to see if they will be rescued before they are discovered by the terrorists.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0330446363</amazonuk>086154742X

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=F G Cottam1529153298|title=The Magdalena CurseList of Suspicious Things|author=Jennie Godfrey|rating=2.5|genre=HorrorGeneral Fiction|summary=Mark Hunter It's 1979 and Margaret Thatcher is the sort of father who would do anything for his sonPrime Minister. After losing his wife and daughter in a tragic accident (A woman? I mean, his surviving son Adam has become his whole worldhonestly... And Adam is an exceptional child – beautiful, incredibly smart and mature beyond his ten years – only recently he) She's not what's worrying Miv's family, though. Women have been channelling the voices of the deaddisappearing. Plagued by horrific dreams Well, able to speak Russian in the hours after he wakes, drawing occult symbols when he doodlesthey've been murdered, Hunter believes Adam but to be possessedhave 'disappeared' doesn't sound quite so frightening. Doctor Elizabeth Bancroft is sceptical, until Miv's upset because she meets Adam, and witnesses 's overheard that her father wants to move the horrors the poor boy endures for herself.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0340980982</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Jon Berkeley|title=The Lightning Key (Circus Trilogy)|rating=4.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=I shall start with a word of advicefamily 'Down South'. When you're being hounded by a circus masterfrom Yorkshire, and Down South is a magicianfrightening, for the soul of a tiger that's contained in a tiger's egg that's contained in the brain of your teddy bearforeign place, and your best friend - a fallen angel - is trying avoided. For Miv, the move would mean leaving her best friend, Sharon, and she'll do anything to make sure the other angels do not turn on you in a big way - then you're probably living the third book in a fantasy trilogyprevent that. Still - never mind, She's not worried about the angeldangers or that her Mum's efforts will involve you entering a dream world of flight and cloud cities, the chase after your enemies will take you across the world to desert oases and back, and friends new and old will be on board stopped talking - to helpanyone.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847384447</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Sue Townsend1398524085|title=Adrian Mole: The Prostrate YearsHas Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter?|author=Nicci French

|genre=General FictionCrime|summary=Adrian Mole is now 39¼ and living, quite literally, in a pigsty, sharing an all too thin party wall with his parents and working in a bookshop. ItCharlotte Salter was expected at her husband's not quite how life was supposed to turn outfiftieth birthday party but never turned up. As he spends his days wrestling his strong willed 5 year old Gracie into her school uniform Her children, trying to reassure glamorous wife Daisy that life in the provinces is not as bad as she would like to believesons Niall, Paul and Ollie and desperately attempting to talk his mother out of her quest to appear on the vile ''Jeremy Kyle'' showdaughter, worrying over his increasingly frequent visits to the toilet is really the last thing he needsEtty. And yetare all worried but - strangely - her husband, Alec, the worst is still to comenot. Think a crumbling economy Shortly afterwards, redundancyEtty and Greg, affairsfind the body of Greg's father, deathDuncan Ackerley, a family member challenging him in the novel writing stakes river. It was an easy assumption for the police to make that Duncan had murdered Charlie and a query over the big C – itthen committed suicide when he couldn's going to be a tough year for t stand the Moles, and guilt. The Salter children are not convinced but there's little that ol' Adrian else they can do except sit back but get on with their lives and watch his life spin out of control around himwonder about what really happened.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0718153707</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Lauren Kate1035906708|title=FallenDiva|author=Daisy Goodwin

|genre=TeensGeneral Fiction|summary=A 17 year old girl at a new school meets a mysterious and impossibly good-looking boyWe tend to think of Maria Callas as Greek, who but she's immediately drawn was born to Greek parents in Manhattan, New York, in December 1923 and only moved toAthens when she was thirteen. He seems determined Her original surname was Kalogeropoulos but her father changed it to either ignore her or be outright rude 'Callas' to make it more manageable in the States. When she was back in Athens - supposedly so that she could get appropriate training for her, until he saves voice - she was raised under the Nazi occupation by a mother who mercilessly exploited her life, and the two made no secret of them end up drawn together. This isn't Stephenie Meyer's ''Twilight''her preference for her elder sister, but it certainly has striking similaritiesJackie.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0385738935</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Gareth HindsChristopher Edge|title=King LearBlack Hole Cinema Club|rating=34|genre=Graphic NovelsConfident Readers|summary=Hound me out of town Lucas and his friends are all booked in for a most appropriate mannermovie marathon at their local cinema, but I do not like King Leara place that has the nickname of 'The Black Hole'. For meAll big movie fans, they're looking forward to lots of exciting films, and many, many snacks! However, even as a trained actorthe movie starts, the language they very quickly realise that something about this new film format is too dense very different, and rich, the set-they are swept up too archly unfeasible to create the great tragedy itinto an adventure they couldn's thought to bet even imagine. To my mind But as they lurch from one film genre to the acclaim and esteem in which it's held next, can they figure out what on earth is only mirrored by its own over-longgoing on? Will they ever get back to the cinema, over-blown blustering.and to their real lives?|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0763643440</amazonuk>1839942738

{{newreview|author=Paul Theroux|title=A Dead Hand: A Crime in Calcutta|rating=3Rosevear, a remote and partially forgotten island, survives on luring ships into the rocks and plundering the wrecks.5|genre=General Fiction|summary=Set in IndiaMira, familiar territory for Therouxlike her mother before her, ''A Dead Hand'' tells is one of the seven who swim out to survey the ruins – rescuing any survivors and any treasure that lies within. But when the story of Council Watch lays a travel writer suffering from writertrap to end the wrecking, they capture the island's block (also known as leader and Mira'dead hand') until a chance letter s father. Desperate to save him from an American ex-pat, the mysterious Mrs Ungerdeath, relating Mira makes a story of bargain with a mystery wreck survivor who is as charming as he is secretive and with only coordinates to guide her, she sets off in search of a dead body family secret that lies buried deep in a hotel leads him the sea. With only nine days to unearth what might save her father, as her journey takes her from the watched streets of foreign islands to release his creativity in very unexpected ways. The story is more about obsession and infatuation than it is about the mystery itself as heart of the narrator falls under Mrs Ungersmuggler's Tantric charms. But does she have more territory, Mira must be determined to stop at nothing to hide than save the future of her home and the ones she's letting on?holds most dear.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0241144639</amazonuk>0008664730

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Toby LesterJames Sherwood Metts|title=The Fourth Part of the World: The Epic Story of History's Greatest MapPlanet Storyland

|genre=HistoryConfident Readers|summary=In 2003 Things have been a map was bought for $10 million, the highest price ever paid publicly bit sticky for a historical document, by the Library of Congress, where it is now on permanent public displayEarthlings. No ordinary mapAI and automation have been proceeding apace, this is sometimes described as Americaoften replacing jobs they's birth certificatere paid to do and other tasks that took time to accomplish. It is the sole survivor Just as they were beginning to get used to all this technological change and starting to think of a thousand copies printed early in the 16th centuryother, new ways to spend time, and along came an awful pandemic. Life was discovered by accident in some archives in a German castle in 1901. The sale pretty much shut down and story behind , along with it intrigued Toby Lester so much that he was inspired to discover more, and this book is all the resultmany daily social interactions on which they depend so heavily.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1861978030</amazonuk>1736128426

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Steven Lowe and Alan McArthur Matthew Tree|title=Is it Just Me or Has the Shit Hit the Fan?: Your Hilarious New Guide to Unremitting Global MiseryWe'll Never Know|rating=34.5|genre=HumourLiterary Fiction|summary=''The banks fell over like fat Labradors running over Timothy Wyndham wants nothing more than to be different from his father, a wet kitchen floor.'' Surely that is the wackiest, most inappropriate simile for the credit crunch drunk and all it has done for the world. You won't get chronic underachiever whose dreams of being exceptional at any such namby-pamby animal likenesses from these authors, instead with quite a potty mouth on them they will lambast the modern world, the entire banking system, of his artistic passions all those failed miserably and who failed had endless crises of self confidence. So Tim applied himself to see it cominghis studies, cultivated his abilities rather than his daydreams and those millions just seemingly waiting for us all to revert to set himself high-interest, high-risk, high-lending capitalism, so they can get back on the expenses train, and back up the rich listsbut achievable ambitions.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1847443656</amazonuk>B0CVFXPGP8

{{newreview|author=Andy Stanton|title=WhatWithin a remote mountain pass, far away from the world, lies Silverton; a town under the protection of the Briar's For Dinner, Mr Gum?|rating=4a family of witches who protect the town and the wider world from the Darklands.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=As soon as heroine Polly turns her backThough she has always wished for magic, and leaves Ellie Briar is the town of Lamonic Bibber first non-witch to be born into her family for generations and as such since she was young, her training as a day at steward revolved around letters and administration rather than spells and potions. When her grandmother suddenly dies, Ellie's cousin Audra becomes the seasideBriar Witch, Mr Gum falls out with his best friendthe town's leader, causing carnivorous carnage all over the and Ellie takes her placebeside her. Meat is getting thrown around like it's going out of fashionAs challenges come her way left, right and we have centre, Ellie uncovers the rare ability to doubt whether Polly and communicate with the dead, putting her companions can ever utilise at the power heart of a maelstrom of love chaos. Reeling from one family secret to another, Ellie must decide who to trust and put things determine what to rights. Especially do as this book does not contain a magic unicorn called Elizabeththe Briar witches' legacy, everything they have sacrificed to survive, is under threat.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1405248246</amazonuk>1803364548

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Loose Women1529900360|title=Here Come the GirlsThe Ghost Orchid|author=Jonathan Kellerman

|genre=Home and FamilyCrime|summary=This is the second volume by the panelists from It hadn't been Lt Milo Sturgis's fault that nice ITV seriesAlex Delaware had been badly injured but he felt responsible and even after Alex recovered, ''Loose Women''. Just as promised Sturgis was reluctant to ask for his help on the cover, this book is an entertaining night with the girlsdifficult cases. It turns out His assertions that they're just like us. The faces are already familiar there were only open-and even if you don-shut cases which didn't know them yetneed the help of a psychologist only worked for a while. Finally, with nine contributorsit was Robin, youDelaware'll soon find a like-minded woman behind one of s partner, who nudged Milo into asking for help again. She knew that the involvement was something that the celebrity facesman she loved needed. The women are universally warm-hearted and supportive: there will be many next case did look simple, though. Two lovers were murdered in the swimming pool of a lonely woman who reads this book remote property in Bel Air. He was the heir to an Italian shoe empire and feels as if she sat down with a group is married to an extremely rich man and it's not the Italian. But which of friends for them was the evening.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444700154</amazonuk>primary target?

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jean Ure1529395224|title=Fortune CookieLetting the Cat Out of the Bag: The Secret Life of a Vet|author=Sion Rowlands|rating=43.5|genre=Confident ReadersAnimals and Wildlife|summary=Fudge Cassidy and the Cupcake kid are best friendsSiôn Rowlands fell into veterinary science accidentally. If the names remind you of His father was a certain film then youGP and Rowlands didn'd be spot t want to follow in his footsteps, particularly when he considered the strain that being on-call put on as thathis father's where Fudge's father got life. When he was seventeen he took the idea from. They're actually chalk opportunity of doing work experience with a family friend who was a vet and cheese – Fudge is loud mouthed and opinionated and Cupcake is quiet and thoughtful – but was convinced this was the combination worksjob for him. They've just started Before long, he was at secondary school and Cupcake has rather a lot on her plateLiverpool University. Her brother Joey has muscular dystrophy and his problems are becoming more obvious. Add to this that her father couldnIt hadn't cope - as with the problems and so many students - been his dream since he now has another familywas a child. ItIf anything, he's just Cupcake, Joey and her mother – and not d wanted to be a lot of moneyprofessional footballer.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0007224621</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jenifer Roberts0861541774|title=The Madness A Nye of Queen Maria: The Remarkable Life of Maria I of PortugalPheasants|author=Steve Burrows|rating=4.5|genre=BiographyCrime|summary=Born in 1734 in LisbonDCI Domenic Jejeune's close friend and former colleague, Danny Maik, at that time the richest and most opulent city has taken a short holiday in EuropeSingapore to meet up with an old ally, Maria Guy Trueman. Maik was destined to become the first female monarch involved in Portuguese historya street brawl - he would later maintain that he was facing a man armed with a knife - and he killed a Ghurka. Married to her uncle Infante PedroInitially, seventeen years her senior, she had six children (outliving all he faced a charge of manslaughter but one of them), and became Queen in 1777evidence came to light that suggested that he might have planned to murder the man. A conscientious woman, she had the misfortune to Now he could be born in during facing the 'age of reason', when church and state were vying for supremacydeath penalty. Instinctively a supporter of the old religion, with Domenic Jejeune can do nothing to help as any interference from another police force could provoke a humanitarian approach to state affairs, she was no Queen Elizabeth, no Catherine the Great, diplomatic incident and wore her crown rather reluctantlywouldn't help Danny at all.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>095455891X</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=David HughesAlexander McCall Smith|title=Thomas Wogan is DeadThe Perfect Passion Company

|summary=Meet MaxThe Perfect Passion Company is a dating agency in Edinburgh, run by Ness and operating as an alternative to all the online apps in providing a more personal, tailored service. When I say he sometimes gets the wrong end of Ness has asked her younger cousin Katie if she could come and look after the stick about adultsbusiness, or dislikes his mother's new boyfriend, or gets as Ness is planning to take a bit feisty when he feels the need trip to Canada to get away for revenge, I am certainly understating the factsa while. He Katie is coming out of a bit of break up with a rascal bad boyfriend, and so jumps at the 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 say 44 Scotland Street and the leastIsabel Dalhousie novels, but with some new characters who quickly begin to charm. But all that might change when he finds himself travelling to Katie has no experience in running a strange land of roisterous animalsbusiness, or in match-making, but Ness has full confidence in her abilities, and ends up installed as their king.there's always her very helpful (and rather handsome) neighbour, William, to lend a hand…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0241144221</amazonuk>1846976596

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Jeremy Strong0811771741|title=Christmas Chaos InstaKnits for the Hundred-Mile-An-Hour Dog Baby|author=Melissa Leapman

|genre=Confident ReadersCrafts|summary=TrevorMelissa Leapman's troublesome dog, Streaker, has had three puppies. They were fathered, according to local bully Charlie Smugg, by one ''InstaKnits for Baby'' gives us a collection of his Alsatians. Trevor would ideally like knits from toys to keep them, at least until Christmas, but his parents have other ideas and put them up for saleblankets. Charlie Smugg declares that he's entitled to half Some will be quick knits - others are of the money from the sale of the puppies'long, but before they can be sold the three puppies go missing cosy afternoons in front of the park and itfire's up to Trevor and his best friend Tina to try and track them down before Charlie demands his cash!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0141327243</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Sarah Beth Durst|title=Ice|rating=3variety.5|genre=Teens|summary=Cassie lives on an Arctic research station in Alaska. She loves The projects are divided by the ice and the wilderness of her remote home and shetime they'd definitely prefer ll take to spend her time on tracking polar bears complete - less than five hours, five to ten hours, ten to twenty hours and fending off frostbite rather more than on mixing with her peers twenty hours. All the projects are attractive, modern and enjoying college and home comforts back in Fairbanksuseable. However, things aren I perhaps show my age when I wonder about 'social-media-worthy projects't all rosy. Cassiebut that's mother died when she was just a baby and she can't help feeling a huge hole in her heartme being picky. Her scientist father is remote and unloving and her grandmother left the station after an argument with him when Cassie was still very young. |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847386571</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Iain Smyth and Michael TerryDean Koontz|title=The Wide-Mouthed FrogBad Weather Friend

|genre=For SharingParanormal|summary=Do you know the joke about the wide-mouthed frog? You must have heard it. It's Benny is having a classicterrifically bad day. It's one that you really need to tell in person He loses his job, with your fingers pulling your mouth wide openhe loses his fiancee, but to hopefully spark your memoryand his house gets trashed. Oh, and someone has delivered a really weird, the widedisturbing coffin-mouthed frog introduces himself sized object to a number of animals until he finally comes across a crocodile who eats wide-mouthed frogshis home, and it's possible that whoever or whatever was inside is the frog does thing that has trashed his best to disguise who he house! The thing is whilst saying ''Ooh, you don't see many of those round here, do you?'' I'm hardly doing it justice, but it's Benny is the very cheesy and funnylast person to deserve all this bad luck. Anyway, this He is a book of that jokenice person.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1408804964</amazonuk>}} {{newreview|author=Dr Aaron Carroll and Dr Rachel Vreeman|title=Don't Swallow Your Gum|rating=5|genre=Lifestyle|summary='''BANG''' A really nice person. That's So fortunately for Benny it turns out that the sound of copious urban myths delivery 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 shot downa good person. '''BANG'''. ThatSpike is going to take care of Benny, and will certainly take care of Benny's the sound of the old wives slamming the doorenemies, if he, Benny, as their tales get revealed as baseless. '''CLICK'''. Thatand Harper (a waitress slash Private Investigator who finds herself roped into Benny's the noise lots of ill-informed websites make as wild adventure) can figure out who exactly they get closed down. All noises come due to this brilliant bookare.|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>0141043369</amazonuk>1662500491

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Annie TaylorAdam Stower|title=VioletMurray and Bun

|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Violet Murray is supposed to be a very special hippo. She humble, tidy and friendly cat, one who is extremely small but that does not make her adoptive parents Albert able to sleep and eat and eat and sleep and Mavis love her any , well, whatever takes his fancy next of the lesstwo. However But he's a bad magician's cat, so his favourite bun has been turned into a hyperactive sticky rabbit called Bun, and the catflap they are slightly worried that Violet has both use can chuck them out, not into the regular back garden, but into a very unusual habit world of turning pink without warning frightening adventure and for no explicable reasonwhiffs. This time round it drops them into a Viking land, where a troll hunter is expected – well, one much bigger than Murray was, to be honest, but he's turned up and he'll have to do…|amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>1906847371</amazonuk>0008561249

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Hilary DixonB0C47LV1PC|title=When Rooks Speak of LoveFragility|author=Mosby Woods

|summary=Arthur Transcombe is Can you make a middle-aged''Yo birthing person'' joke? And if you could, grey-hairedis the question should you make it? Or is the question if you did, self-effacing poetwould it land? The catch is that the answer for both could well be.. Unremarkable really - on the outside. He has, however, managed to achieve some success with his poems. (Being a guest speaker at the Cheltenham Literary Festival is no mean feat). He is also a babe magnet!|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1904529429</amazonuk>}}

{{newreview|author=A J Healy|title=Tommy Storm and the Galactic Knights|rating=3.5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Meet Tommy Storm. He's one of five teenagers snapped up from around 'Fragility'' is set as the universe to be a gang city of heroic detectives charged with rescuing EVERYTHING from destruction. Not just the planetPortland, or the solar systemOregon, or even the galaxy, but EVERYTHING. Nobody seems cautiously begins to know what's going to cause this destruction, or when, but he and his friends and their ship seem to be emerge from the only people proactively going about saving restrictions imposed during the day. So it's a pity that they start this book strung up by a nasty loony who's about to kill them.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1847247555</amazonuk>covid pandemic

 {{newreviewFrontpage|authorisbn=Graham McCann1529431735|title=Bounder!: The Biography of Terry-Thomas|rating=4.5|genre=Biography|summary=When I was in my early teens, it sometimes seemed as if Terry-Thomas was one of the stars of almost every other five-star British comedy film around. He was certainly one of the most recognizable characters of all with his gap-toothed grin, cigarette holder and inimitable 'Hel-lo!', 'Hard cheese!', and best of all, the angry, 'You're an absolute shower!'|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1845134419</amazonuk>}} {{newreviewWinter Visitor|author=Richard Jay Parker|title=Stop MeJames Henry|rating=3.54

|summary=Spam E-Mails can be incredibly annoyingIt's February 1991 and Essex is bitingly cold, but most of us will have had to deal with themwhich made Bruce Hopkins' return all the more surprising. Fortunately, we can hit He'd been exiled on the delete button and forget about them Costa del Sol as quickly as they camea wanted drug smuggler for a decade. I certainly prefer not to torture my friends by sending such rubbish onThe return has come about because he's had a letter from his ex-wife, no matter how bad my luck is supposed to become if I donsaying that she's ill and hasn'tlong to live. But I wonder how many It's hard to feel any sympathy when Hopkins is abducted, stripped to his underwear and sent to a watery grave in the boot of us would react if a spam E-Mail actually was stolen Ford Sierra. Is it a warning from a Spanish gang or a matter of life and death, rather than just claiming problem closer to behome?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0749007079</amazonuk>

 {{newreviewFrontpage|author=Jeanette WintersonAlex Bell and Tim McDonagh|title=The Battle Glorious Race of the SunMagical Beasts|rating=54

|summary=London 1601. Elizabeth I is getting on in years. Her capital city Eli is a busylad – by day an apprentice in the wondrous library we start by visiting with him, bustling place. Boats fill and in the river and people fill evening a helper at the streets. Jack is happy because it's dessert cafe his birthday gran owns and runs. Eli lives with his present lovely gran, too – for there is his hearta generation missing in the family. A few short years ago, Eli's desire: an excitable black puppy named Maxparents were both lost to the titular race, who's a ''licking and globe-trotting adventure where all entrants have to navigate the world in the company of a running and magical beast. This has made the race anathema to the pair – but when a leaping and a jumping and a tummy in bad incident at the air and a tail wagging and eatery leads to a barkingconfession from gran, racingEli knows his only hope is to dare to enter what he most hates, braking, spinning energy dog with the sole aim the prize of delight''magic at the end – the only thing to possibly save his gran. |amazonukisbn=<amazonuk>140880042X</amazonuk>0571382231