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[[Category:New Reviews|Humour]] __NOTOC__ <!-- Remove -->{{newreview|class-"wikitable" cellpadding="15" <!-- INSERT NEW REVIEWS BELOW HERE--><!-- van LENTE -->|author=Rod Green-|titlestyle=Only Fools and Horses"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: The Peckham Archivescenter;"|rating=4[[image:1683690346.jpg|genrelink=Entertainment http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1683690346/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  |summarystyle=We are in the world of one of the country's most famous and well"vertical-loved sitcoms – even if it was sortalign: top; text-of killed off for Christmas 2003align: left;"|===[[The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente]]=== [[image:4star. Yesjpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|Crime]], there have been specials since[[:Category:Humour|Humour]] Comic-Cons are a place of wonder and sanctuary for many people, and when Comic book artist Mike Mason arrives at San Diego Comic-Con, he's looking for both that and sanctuary with other fans and more repeats to clog up creators, plus the BBC schedules than is really pukkachance of maybe, but very few people failed just maybe reuniting with his ex. However, when his rival is found dead, Mike is forced to succumb navigate every dark corner of the con in order to its charms at one time or another. I'm sure there have been books before now celebrating the stony-faced reception of ''that'' drop through the open bar hatch, clear his name – from cosplay flash mobs and ''that'' chandelier scene, but this is much more meaty. Purporting intrusive fans to be the family archiveszombie obstacle courses – Mike must prove his innocence and, found dumped in Nelson Mandela Housedoing so, the documents here were passed from pillar to post, from one council worker in a department with may just unravel a dark secret behind a clumsy acronym to another, from them to the police – and now here they are being published for their social history worthlegendary industry creator. Will enough readers find them of worth, as the series quietly celebrates its 35th birthday?[[The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente|Full Review]]  <!-- Coulton -->|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1849909245</amazonuk>}}{{newreview-|authorstyle= Mara Wilson"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:1473669588.jpg|titlelink= Where Am I Nowhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1473669588/ref=nosim?: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fametag=thebookbag-21]]  |ratingstyle= 5"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"||genre= Autobiography==[[Falling Short by Lex Coulton]]=== [[image:4star.jpg|summarylink= Mara Wilson has always felt a little young and a little out of placeCategory:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category: as the only child on a film set full of adultsGeneral Fiction|General Fiction]], the first daughter in a house full of boys[[:Category:Humour|Humour]], the sole clinically depressed member of [[:Category:Women's Fiction|Women's Fiction]] Lex Coulton's debut novel is a cheerleading squadstory about mistakes, a valley girl in New York and a neurotic in Californiafailures, and an adult the world still remembers as a little girlrelationships. Tackling everything from how she first learned about sex on The main protagonist, Frances Pilgrim, is a sixth form English teacher who has recently fallen out with her best friend Jackson, a work colleague, and is grappling with the set increasingly eccentric behaviour of ''Melrose Place,'' to losing her mother . This relationship is complicated by the fact that Frances's father disappeared at a young age, to getting her first kiss (or sea when she was it kisses?) on a celebrity canoe trip, to not being cute enough to make it in Hollywood, these essays tell the story of one young woman's journey from accidental fame to relative obscurity, but also illuminate a universal struggle: learning to accept yourself, and figuring out who you are and where you belong. five years old. [[Falling Short by Lex Coulton|Full Review]] <!-- van LENTE -->|-|amazonukstyle=<amazonuk>0143128221</amazonuk>}}{{newreview"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:1683690346.jpg|authorlink=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1683690346/ref= Tony Stewart|titlenosim?tag= Writing Linesthebookbag-21]]|rating= 4.5|genre=Humour|summarystyle= George Gordon Wentworth (1946"vertical-2011) lived a humdrum lifealign: top; text-align: left;"|===[[The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente]]=== [[image:4star. He was a barely adequate teacher in a fairly world renowned independent school in Kent and kept jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|Crime]], [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] Comic-Cons are a copious diary place of his quotidian existence. Most of what he recorded was dross. Howeverwonder and sanctuary for many people, amongst all the utterly uninteresting tailings of his life there were some nuggets and grains to catch the attention. Author Tony Stuart has created these amusing anecdoteswhen Comic book artist Mike Mason arrives at San Diego Comic-Con, he's looking for both that and sanctuary with other fans and creators, panning them out over twenty six episodes which give us plus the best chance of Wentworth – comedy goldmaybe, just maybe reuniting with his ex. From losing all the pupils in However, when his charge on a school trip rival is found dead, Mike is forced to being arrested on suspicion navigate every dark corner of terrorism; from waking up the con in bed between the married couple the morning after their wedding, order to destroying a ski run; clear his name – from appearing full-frontal naked in a sheep-farmers' gazette cosplay flash mobs and intrusive fans to triggering an air-sea rescue; Wentworth was, blinkered zombie obstacle courses – Mike must prove his innocence and befuddled, the subject – of these and in doing so many more unlikely but highly amusing events, may just unravel a dark secret behind a legendary industry creator.[[The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente|Full Review]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1524634441</amazonuk!-- Curran -->}}{{newreview|author=Graham Fulbright-|titlestyle=Driving Mad"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: Maniacs, Morons and the Advanced Motorist's Clubcenter;"|[[image:1683690133.jpg|ratinglink=3http://www.amazon.co.5|genreuk/dp/1683690133/ref=nosim?tag=Humourthebookbag-21]]  |summarystyle="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===I passed my driving test when John F Kennedy was in the White House and I[[My Lady've recently had to reapply for my driving licence having achieved a venerable age. When I started driving the roads were kinder, more forgiving places - or put another way, the idiots were fewer s Choosing by Kitty Curran and further betweenLarissa Zageris]]=== [[image:4star. I don't know how long Graham Fulbright has been driving, but he certainly knows his motoring morons and in ''Driving Mad'' he brings us jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]], [[:Category:Historical Fiction|Historical Fiction]] You are a fictional sample lass of their eccentricitiestwenty eight. WellPlucky, I'm pretty certain that theypenniless and in Regency era London the race is on to find a suitable suitor - or else doom yourself to life as an eternal spinster. Along your journey you're fictional ll be accompanied by Lady Evangeline Youngblood - but these days a fiesty noble eager to save you never know...|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1783062584</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Mario Giordano|title=Auntie Poldi and from a life alone, and fired by a rogueish sense for adventure. When it comes to suitors though, you'll have to make the Sicilian Lions|rating=4|genre=Crime|summary=Poldi had not long been widowed when she decided to move from Bavaria to Sicily with the intention of drinking herself to death. She couldultimate decision between witty, of coursepretty and wealthy Sir Benedict Granville, have done this in Germanywholesome, but she felt that a sea view was essential. Once thererugged and caring Captain Angus MacTaggart, new friendsor the mad, family already resident on the island bad and the corpse of a young manterrifyingly sexy Lord Garraway Craven. With orphans, his face blown off by a shotgunwerewolves, whom she found on long lost lovers and ancient Egyptian artifcats along the local beachway, intervened to give her life some meaningit's clear this isn't going to be an easy decision... For a while she was a suspect, but that ([[My Lady's Choosing by Kitty Curran and her wig) were no obstacle to her falling for Commissario Vito Montana who was assigned to investigate the case. Assisting him (or having him assist her) came naturally to Poldi and before long there was an investigative and personal partnership. At least so far as Poldi was concerned.Larissa Zageris|Full Review]] <!-- Jester -->|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1908524693</amazonuk>}}{{newreview-|authorstyle= Grady Hendrix"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|title= My Best Friend's Exorcism|rating= 5[[image:Jester_Forever.jpg|genre= Horrorleft|summarylink=1988, Charleston, South Carolinahttps://www.amazon. High school sophomores Abby and Gretchen have been best friends since fourth gradeco. But after an evening of skinnyuk/gp/product/1510704361?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1510704361]]  | style="vertical-dipping goes disatrously wrong, Gretchen begins to act...different. She's moody. She's irritable. And bizarre incidents keep happening whenever she's nearby. Abby's investigation leads her to some startling discoveries align: top; text- and by the time their story reaches its terrifying conclusion, the fate of Abby and Gretchen will be determined by a single questionalign: Is their friendship enough to beat the devil?left;"||amazonuk=<amazonuk>1594748624</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author= Kevin MacNeil|title=The Brilliant and [[Forever|ratingAfter: a dark comedy by David Jester]]=== 3.5|genre= Humour[[image:4star.jpg|summarylink= You know sometimes when someone tells a jokeCategory:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Paranormal|Paranormal]], everyone else laughs[[:Category:Horror|Horror]], and you're sat there wondering what was so funny?[[:Category:Fantasy|Fasntasy]]|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1846973376</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author= Christopher Fowler|title= Bryant Michael Holland is a cocky and brash young man who dies and May: Strange Tide|rating= 3gets made the offer of his lifetime; immortality.5|genre= Crime|summary= The thirteenth outing for Bryant We follow Michael, a grim reaper and his friends Chip (a stoner tooth fairy) and Naff (a stoner in the records department) as they grapple with their long lives and May is looking very much like it will be finding a clean surface to sit on in their lastflat. Arthur Bryant is on compassionate leave whilst tests are continuing, which are likely to confirm that he is suffering from Alzheimer's. His condition is worsening almost [[Forever After: a dark comedy by the day, memory lapses are morphing into fullDavid Jester|Full Review]] <!-- Stibbe -->|-scale hallucinations.|amazonukstyle=<amazonuk>0857523422</amazonuk>}}{{newreview"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|author=Kevin Smith|title=The Voyage of the Dolphin|rating=5[[image:Stibbe_Xmas.jpg|genre=Historical Fictionleft|summarylink=Dublin 1916https: Among the unrest and anti//www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0241309824?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0241309824]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-British feeling worsened align: left;"|===[[An Almost Perfect Christmas by the threat of conscription into a war seen as nothing to do with the Irish, Trinity College faculty has other distractionsNina Stibbe]]=== [[image:4. They'd like a trophy; the skeleton of an Irish 'giant' to be precise5star. The only glitch is that the main trophy contenderjpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]], Bernard MacNeill's skeleton, is somewhere difficult to access and all seasoned explorers are otherwise engaged[[:Category:Short Stories|Short Stories]] Christmas – the time of traditional trauma. There may be hope though. They turn You only have to Fitzmaurice, think about the turkey for that – once upon a student not good enough for anything else. Fitzmaurice agreestime it was leaving it sat on the downstairs loo to defrost overnight, picking his friends Crozier and Rafferty to go with himif that failed the hair-dryer shoved inside it treatment was your next best bet. So… Nowadays it''Gentlemen, lace up your strongest boots and pack your warmest underwear – we're s all off having to the bloody Arctic!make sure it'' Whether battle cry or epitaphs suitably free-range and organic – but not too organic that you can go and visit it, three men and a dog… and an iguana… are going anywayget too friendly with it to want to eat it. Christmas, though, is of course also a time of great boons.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1910124826</amazonuk>|amazonus=<amazonus>1910124826</amazonus>}}{{newreview|author=Tony Hawks|title=Once Upon It's cash in hand for a lot of plump people who can hire red suits and beards, it was always a Time in godsend for postmen with all the West… Country|rating=3|genre=Travel|summary=I have often complained thank-you letters to aunties you saw twice a decade that your parents made you write out in long-hand as a jokey voice to my partner about life in child, and as for the sticksmakers of Meltis Newberry Fruits – well, did they even try and sell them any other time of the way she moved me from an inneryear? [[An Almost Perfect Christmas by Nina Stibbe|Full Review]] <!-city flat to slumming it in the suburbs with fewer busses, no takeaways within walking-andDoescher -keeping-food>|-hot distance, and no 'Polish' shops for a can of beer whenever you fancy one| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Doescher_Will.jpg|left|link=https://www.amazon.co. Things are different with Tony Hawks, as here he has purposefully decided to up sticks from London to Somewhere, Devon – a tiny village where the people who built their own homes decades ago still live in them, where slugs are a lot more of a problem for the wannabe lettuceuk/gp/product/159474985X?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-grower than they are for the metropolitan commuter, and where village halls have the power to turn you into both a Pol Pot dictator if you get on their committee and into a quivering, bruise21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=159474985X]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-inducing wreck if you're the wrong gender at a Zumba class…align: left;"||amazonuk=<amazonuk>1444794809</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Marian Keyes=[[William Shakespeare's the Force Doth Awaken: Star Wars Part the Seventh by Ian Doescher]]===|title=Making It Up As I Go Along|rating=[[image:4.55star.jpg|genrelink=EntertainmentCategory:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Science Fiction|summary=OhScience Fiction]], how the book reviewing gods like to give[[:Category:Humour|Humour]] A long time ago, and equally like to take in a galaxy far away. Here before me is , there was a brandman called William Shakespeare, spanking new collection who was able to create a series of dramatic histories full of journalism by the wonderful Marian Keyes – but it's a proof copymachinations most foul, so there's no photo of the authorrulers most evil and rebellious heroes and heroines most sturdy. Even if over You may or may not have noticed the years I have stopped reading her novelscinematic version of his original stage play for ''The Force Doth Awaken'', I have always turned to but here at last we get the author picture to remind myself such sights exist actual script, complete with annoying-in-different-ways-to-before droids anew, returning heroes from elsewhere in his oeuvre, and people keeping it in this worldthe family til it hurts. Himself is a lucky manAnd if you need further encouragement, for sure. But beyond sounding like a letch, what can I say about this don't forget his audience only demanded three parts of Henry VI – here the beautyseries is so popular we're on to part seven – surely making this over twice as good… [[William Shakespeare's third large dose of essays, web columns and other journalism? I can start with agreeing that I am not the target audience, but it's easy enough to see from these pages exactly what the target isForce Doth Awaken: Star Wars Part the Seventh by Ian Doescher|Full Review]] <!-- Goss -->|-| style="width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Goss_600.jpg|left|link=https://www.amazon.co. So much like that test you do – you know the one, that formulates decisions about the age and commonality of all things in space to come up with how many billions of planets are likely to have alien life on – you can narrow things down quite readily here, and still come up with a huge number.|amazonukuk/gp/product/1785942719?ie=UTF8&tag=<amazonuk>0718182529</amazonuk>thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1785942719]]}}{{newreview|authorstyle= Jean"vertical-align: top; text-Yves Ferrialign: left;"|title= Asterix and the Missing Scroll (Album 36)|rating= 5|genre= For Sharing|summary=Asterix is those rarest [[Doctor Who: Now We Are Six Hundred: A Collection of book series; one designed for kids which is actually even funnier when you are an adultTime Lord Verse (Dr Who) by James Goss and Russell T Davies]]=== [[image:4.5star. I used to love Asterix as a child, but now that I reread them I canjpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Children't help but wonder why, because they are so full of hilarious jokes that I definitely wouldns Rhymes and Verse|Children't have understood when I was younger. I laughed loud s Rhymes and hard to myself twice within the first two pages of Asterix and the Missing ScrollVerse]], [[:Category:Science Fiction|Science Fiction]], so I'd definitely say that this was a hit.[[:Category:Humour|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1510100458</amazonuk>Humour]]}}{{newreview|author=Spadge Whittaker|title=Braver Than Britain, Occasionally|rating=4|genre=Humour|summary=In which Spadge researches Britain's top ten fears and faces them all over Consider the course of a yearDoctor. We're quite Just how many birthday and Christmas gifts must he have to hand out each year, were he to keep in touch with even half of his companions? He would certainly need a fearful societyfew novelty gifts for some of them, you know. And the things we fear most aresay, in order: heights (acrophobia)for example, snakes (ophidiophobia)whimsical books of verse that pithily encapsulate the life of a Time Lord and that of some of his friends and enemies. As luck would have it, public speaking (glossophobia)he has the space in his TARDIS to stock up in advance, spiders (arachnophobia)so my advice to him – sorry, small spaces (claustrophobia)her – would be to pop along to his local Earth-based book emporium and get himself ready. And if you're working on a shorter timescale, mice (musophobia)with a shorter lifespan, needles (trypanophobia), flying (pteromerhanophobia)and thinking perhaps just one gift season ahead, crowds well my advice is pretty much the same. [[Doctor Who: Now We Are Six Hundred: A Collection of Time Lord Verse (agoraphobiaDr Who) by James Goss and clowns (coulrophobia).Russell T Davies|Full Review]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk>0993429904</amazonuk!-- Ingram -->}}{{newreview|-|authorstyle= Mike Bullen"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|title= Trust|rating= 4[[image:Ingram_Kammie.jpg|genre= General Fictionleft|summarylink= Greg and Amanda are happyhttps://www.amazon.co. Unmarried, but together thirteen years and uk/gp/product/1785451995?ie=UTF8&tag=thebookbag-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1785451995]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[Conversations with two young daughters, they are very much in loveKammie by Annie Ingram]]=== [[image:4star. Dan jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Pets|Pets]], [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] It was something of a relief when I encountered Annie Ingram and Sarah aren't so fortunateher cocker spaniel Kammie. Their marriage is going through the motionsYou see, and they're staying together Annie knows something which has been self-evident to me for the sake a long time: dogs are perfectly capable of their troubled teenage son. Following communicating with humans and not just on a business conference away from homelevel of food!, one bad decision sends a happy couple into turmoilwalk! or play!. You do require extensive training to become fluent, but most dogs will be perfectly willing to give their time to teach you and turns an unhappy couple into love's young dreamall you have to do is listen. As secrets Annie has studied hard: Kammie has trained her well and betrayals threaten the pair have allowed us to send both relationships out share some of control, there's only one thing that can keep everything from falling apart: Trusttheir conversations. [[Conversations with Kammie by Annie Ingram|Full Review]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk>0751559253</amazonuk!-- Harris -->}}|-{{newreview|author| style=Dan Rhodes"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|title=When the Professor Got Stuck in the Snow[[image:Harris_Glass.jpg|ratinglink=4http://www.amazon.co.5uk/dp/1908943823/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  |genrestyle=General Fiction"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[The Breaking of Liam Glass by Charles Harris]]=== [[image:3star.jpg|summarylink= Two people are on a train on their way to, of all things, a WI meeting where the ladies of All Bottoms will be lectured on the non-existence of GodCategory:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|Crime]], [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] Teenager Liam Glass is mugged and stabbed yards from his Camden flat. One of As the two people is Professor Richard Dawkinsboy lies comatose, rampant atheistdesperate journalist Jason Worthington scrabbles for the inside scoop, hectoring scientist chappietired police officer Andy Rockham searches for a missing tape, and allharried politician Jamila Hasan fights for re-round devotee of ''Deal or No Deal''. The other is Smeeelection, distraught mother Katrina Glass waits by her son, his monoand gym-named assistant, amanuensis or 'male secretary'. Smee will come to owner Royland simply finds himself in the fore when wrong place at the weather sets wrong time. We follow this host of ensemble characters in and the train journey has to be abandoned some way short a bleak, kaleidoscopic satire of its ultimate destination, Upper Bottommodern media. Instead the pair fetch up at the isolated yet friendly community [[The Breaking of Market Horton, and the only option for accommodation is taken – yes, the diedLiam Glass by Charles Harris|Full Review]] <!-- LENTE --in>|-the| style="width: 10%; vertical-wool nonalign: top; text-believer has to be housed by a retired vicar and his wifealign: center;"|[[image:Lente_10. This clash of titanic opinions, peppered with social faux pas aplenty will provide for a particularly English kind of farcical comedy, but one with the legs to go as far as any other Good Books have reached in the past…jpg|link=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1683690222/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  |amazonukstyle=<amazonuk>1910709018</amazonuk>"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|}}{{newreview|author=Rob Temple|title=Very British Problems Abroad|rating=4[[Ten Dead Comedians: A Murder Mystery by Fred Van Lente]]===|genre=Humour[[image:4star.jpg|summarylink=MeetCategory:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] Nine comedians are invited to a remote Caribbean island under the guise of working with Dustin Walker, if you haven't already, the phenomenon a comedic legend. Each fits neatly into one of the Very British Problem. In this format they're in pithy little comments (ofarchetypal comic stereotypes: Steve, the washed-up has-been who has fallen far from his early days; Zoe, oohthe rising female star with a new stand-up special coming soon; Dante, about 140 characters in length, for some reason…) and detail who went from being a kid on the minor things streets to the hardest working road comic in life that we the business; Oliver, the child-like nothing more than to inflate to a major factor of life. They prop comic who can involve manners, staring at things until they mend themselves, hitting things ditto't get any respect from his peers; Janet, or the fact that nobody apart from you and I know how to queue properly. insult comic who is past her prime; And if TJ, the idea hits nightly variety show host with a reputation for harassing his female colleagues and guest acts; Ruby, the world outside our shores, then – well, you certainly have ultra-feminist YouTuber and Blogger with a book full of content regarding our attitude chip on her shoulder; and ineptitude abroadWilliam, whose redneck character ''Billy the Contractor'' is a far cry from his real personality as a posh millionaire.Of course, all nine agree because ''when God almighty walks down on a beam of light and asks for your help, what the hell else are you going to say?'' [[Ten Dead Comedians: A Murder Mystery by Fred Van Lente|Full Review]]|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0751558494</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Fraser McAlpine|title=Stuff Brits Like<!-- Scott -->|rating=4-|genrestyle=Humour"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Scott_Eliz.jpg|summarylink= With over 100 chapters on different aspects of Britain and Britishness, this book is both fascinating and hilarioushttp://www.amazon.co. Just looking at the list of subjects is enough to produce a sardonic twist of that stiff upper lipuk/dp/1788037006/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: the chapters cover topics that range from offal to curryleft;"|===[[Elizabeth, from pedantry to banter, from conkers to rugbyWilliam... There may be many chapters but this is no academic tome - each chapter is just two to three pages long, each is written with endearing affection, each is easy and satisfying - and quirkily funny - to readMe by S Lynn Scott]]=== [[image:4.5star.jpg|amazonuklink=<amazonuk>1857886348</amazonuk>}}Category:{{{newreview|author= John Samuel|title= What I Tell You in the Dark|rating= 3.5}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|genre= Humour]] |summary=A man called Will is fighting fiercely against corruption – desperate to expose his company's dodgy dealings to the press. Overcome Ally is an ordinary woman with doubt teenage children, a husband and fear, he goes to kill himselfa job. But, at Then comes the exact moment he attaches his noose to the back day when ordinariness flies out of the door, he is saved. By window. It's not a curious housemate or a concerned girlfriend? No, by an Angel. Not coincidence that it's the same day she finds Queen Elizabeth I in the white-feathered guardian Angel you may expect, but one who wishes to help Will achieve his ends, pantry and so possess the body Bard of the hapless Avon in her bath. What's she going to do? Well, Elizabeth and Will in order to finish what he startedhave their own ideas about that! [[Elizabeth, William... It goes without saying that the Angel is hoping things go better than they did with the last guy he possessed – a hapless young man from Galilee called Jesus…and Me by S Lynn Scott|Full Review]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk>0715650505</amazonuk!-- Rodford -->}}{{newreview|author= John Niven-|titlestyle= The Sunshine Cruise Company|rating"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Rodford_Surgeon.jpg|link= 4http://www.amazon.co.5uk/dp/178565005X/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  |genrestyle= Humour"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"||summary= Susan Frobisher and Julie Wickham live in a small Dorset town==[[The Surgeon's Case: George Kocharyan Mystery 2 by E G Rodford]]=== [[image:4star. Friends since schooljpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Crime|Crime]], they live fairly uneventful lives – Susan has [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] In the second instalment of this series, Private Investigator George Kocharyan has been hired by a lovely house and a lengthy marriage well-known local man to accountant Barrytrack down some missing valuables. Bill Galbraith, whereas Julie is doing slightly less well – living in a council flat and working in an old peopleworld-famous surgeon at Cambridge's home. When Barry is found dead trussed up in Addenbrooke's Hospital who hosts a sex dungeonpopular medical television programme, it transpires that he has been leading a hidden life for yearshad his briefcase stolen by his live-in domestic servant, Aurora. According to Galbraith, and this briefcase contains confidential notes concerning an important patient of his expensive fetishes lead to at the bank moving hospital. George agrees to take Susanlook into the theft, assuming it will be a relatively easy and straightforward case – little does he know, he's home. Struck by both desperation and a sense of injustice, Sue and Julie conspire about to rob enter a bank, taking along their friend Jill – a devout Christian conflicted due to lack world of money deceit and a terminally ill grandson, and Ethel – a foul mouthed resident of the nursing home longing for adventure.dysfunction. [[The Surgeon's Case: George Kocharyan Mystery 2 by E G Rodford|Full Review]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk>0434023183</amazonuk!-- Jordan -->}}{{newreview|author=Marie Phillips-|titlestyle=The Table Of Less Valued Knights"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Jordan_Tiny.jpg|ratinglink=4http://www.amazon.co.5uk/dp/1760293814/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  |genrestyle=Fantasy"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"||summary=Sir Humphrey has been demoted from King Arthur==[[Our Tiny, Useless Hearts by Toni Jordan]]=== [[image:5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Women's Fiction|Women's Round Table to the Table of Lesser Valued Knights. The only way to get his comfier seat back Fiction]], [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] As predicted by Caroline and Janice's mother on Caroline and Henry's wedding day, their marriage is to redeem himself via a quest. Therefore when damsel Elaine seeks help to find her kidnapped fiancéover, Humphrey albeit 15 years and his ward, the teenage giant Conradtwo daughters further along than predicted. Indeed, eagerly set forththis is definitely not a good weekend for Janice to be babysitting at Caroline's house. Meanwhile in There's the split and the kingdom awkwardness of Tuft, new Queen Martha has run away after the girls' schoolteacher being the other woman for a disastrous wedding to… a… well… disastrous Prince Edwinstart. Then there's that mistaken identity moment involving the neighbours. At least Janice is well adjusted and over her ex-husband Alec. She may not realise it yetstill dreams of him, yes, but she too will have a job for Humphreyit's so over!Just as well really… guess who's at the door? [[Our Tiny, Useless Hearts by Toni Jordan|amazonuk=Full Review]] <amazonuk>0099555875</amazonuk!-- Taylor -->}}{{newreview|author=Tim Flannery-|titlestyle=The Mystery of the Venus Island Fetish"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|[[image:Taylor_Scilly.jpg|ratinglink=http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/178475515X/ref=nosim?tag=3thebookbag-21]]  |genrestyle=Historical Fiction"vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"||summary=Meet Archie Meek. He's about to leave the Venus Islands==[[The Life of a Scilly Sergeant by Colin Taylor]]=== [[image:4.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Travel|Travel]], where he's lived for [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] Meet the Isles of Scilly. (I know they should be called that – the author provides a handy guide to the last five yearsetiquette of their name, their nature and return to Sydneylocation, etc.) For our more distant readers, where hethey'll take his office re several chunks of granite rock out in the museum and fill it Atlantic, where Cornwall is pointing, with all the cultural artefacts hejust 2,200 permanent residents. They's found re big on tourism, and wildlife he's plucked or pickled. That's not to ignore big on growing flowers in the tropical climate the fact heGulf Stream bequeaths them – although the weather is bad enough to turn any car to a rust bucket within years. They'll count as something quite alien himselfre so wee, with his filledand so idyllic-out frameseeming, nearly all-over suntan and totemic tattooespecially at night, in amongst other changes to his bodyyou can be mistaken for thinking there would be no need for a police presence. But what's this? When he gets back, he finds there is – at least two working at any one time. And one of the main Venus Islands artefacts that caused him to go there in the first placethem in recent years has been Colin Taylor, who has done his official duty – alongside maintaining a hugewell-known online existence, macabre ceremonial fetish mask, purloined as corporate artwork. And some which has brought to life all the whimsical comedy of the curators he wishes to his work alongside have vanished. Is the weird society [[The Life of the museum he's returning to, perchance, even weirder, stranger and more violent than the cannibalistic society he's waving farewell to?a Scilly Sergeant by Colin Taylor|Full Review]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk>1922079308</amazonuk!-- Lloyd -->}}{{newreview|-|authorstyle=Roman Dirge"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|title=The Cat with a Really Big Head[[image:Lloyd_Twas.jpg|ratinglink=3http://www.amazon.co.5uk/dp/1472125118/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]] |genre=Graphic Novels|summarystyle= How many picture books are there about cats? And how many do you know that you would really NOT prefer your children to see? If "vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[['Twas the answer to the second question is 'none – yet', scratch that last wordFight Before Christmas: A Parody by Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees]]=== [[image:3.5star. The title piece in this collection is, by the author's own admission, his imagining of the Joseph Merrick (the jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] It'Elephant Man') of the feline world – who struggles s Christmas Eve and Mum has arranged everything. All she now has to sneak up behind a mouse when do is await the shadow arrival of his head is a total giveaway, the relatives and who can hardly even eat with dignity as bending down to his bowl would break his neckthe food shopping delivery. If Little does Mum know thatthose two elements alone have the potential to ruin everything. [['s too dark or oddball for you, try Twas the second major piece, which has a most revealing foreword – ''Dedicated to a certain girl… I hope your life is filled with wonderful accomplishments, love Fight Before Christmas: A Parody by Josie Lloyd and all the magic you desire… - But I hope your death is slow and horrible.''Emlyn Rees|Full Review]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk!-- Phinn -->1782762876</amazonuk>}}{{newreview |author=Val Hennessy-|titlestyle=Not Far From Dreamland"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|rating=4[[image:Phinn_Virgin.5jpg|genre=General Fictionleft|summarylink=Ronald Tonks has reached that stage in life which I call upper middle agehttp: you've qualified for your pension but not yet got to the free television licence barrier//www.amazon.co. What Ronald uk/dp/1444779400/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]] | style="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|===[[The Virgin Mary''has'' got is a roof that leaks (there's good reason why his home is called 'the shack')s Got Nits by Gervase Phinn]]=== [[image:4.5star.jpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]], [[:Category:Anthologies|Anthologies]] Christmas in our house is the time we tend to get on a dog who is going bald (in patches) plane and money head to either sun or snow, anywhere that's in very short supply. On is far, far away from the plus side he has friendsmadness at home, mostly platonic and usually in much last minute dashes to the same boat as Ronald. But are they downhearted? Wellshops on Christmas Eve, they and food cupboard stockpiles that would imply supermarkets are occasionallyshutting for a month, but mostly they're generously optimistic and out to make nor a mere 36 hours. But I do remember the most feeling of Christmas when I was younger, back when it was magical, and back when you knew exactly what they've got, usually bought from charity shops the season would bring with carol concerts and school nativities and jumble salesChristmas parties. ''Not Far From Dreamland'' This book is an anthology of those moments, and it took me right back to the story wonder of Christmas as a year (2012) in the life of Ronald Tonks, his friends and relativeschild.[[The Virgin Mary's Got Nits by Gervase Phinn|Full Review]] |amazonuk=<amazonuk>0704373874</amazonuk!-- North -->}}{{newreview|-|authorstyle=Harry Harrison"width: 10%; vertical-align: top; text-align: center;"|title=Bill, the Galactic Hero|rating=3[[image:North_Romeo.5jpg|genrelink=Science Fictionhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0356508536/ref=nosim?tag=thebookbag-21]]  |summarystyle="vertical-align: top; text-align: left;"|=Meet Bill. He's a simple farmer – well, he ''is'' taking a correspondence course in being a Technical Fertiliser Operator – but fate has something else in store==[[Romeo and/or Juliet by Ryan North]]=== [[image:3.5star. And so does the mechanised, technologicaljpg|link=Category:{{{rating}}} Star Reviews]] [[:Category:Humour|Humour]] For all those who think tragedy plots are too restricted and prescribed, industrial military, which needs several billion grunts read on. In these pages you too will see that Romeo had lots of options en route to fight hitting the Chingers, in mankind's first inter-galactic war. Stillbottle. Likewise, she could have turned away from her predestined path at least he gets medals just for signing upno end of junctures. After that it's all downhillAnd to what result? Well, happy marriage and a kid called Ben, because the likes of Petty Chief Officer Deathwish Drang can only make that leads have just banged people's heads together and stopped the quarrelling, or Death by Tybalt (him) or a long life running an establishment curing murderous women, such as a straight line downLady M (her). Really, what hope is there?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>147320531X<[[Romeo and/amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Ian Doescheror Juliet by Ryan North|title=William Shakespeare's The Phantom of MenaceFull Review]]|rating=4.5|genre=Humour|summary= Join us, good gentles, for a merry reimagining of `Star Wars Episode 1' as only Shakespeare could have written it. 'Tis a true Shakespearean drama, filled with sword fights, soliloquies and doomed romance…all in glorious iambic pentameter and coupled with gorgeous illustrations. Hold on to your midichlorians: The plays the thing, wherein you'll catch the rise of Anakin!|amazonuk=<amazonuk<!-- DO NOT REMOVE ANYTHING BELOW THIS LINE -->1594748063</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Attaboy|title=The Book of Hugs|rating=4|genre=Humour|summary=A hug's a hug, OK? You either do, or you don't. Some people might be a little more enthusiastic about the process whilst others are more elegant in the execution of the hug, but basically you just get on and do it and then forget about it, right?|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0867197978</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author= Christopher Fowler|title= Bryant and May – The Burning Man|rating=4|genre=Crime|summary= The Peculiar Crimes Unit (PCU) has a new set of overlords. For reasons that were explored in the previous couple of outings they have been transferred to the City Of London Police. The Met are still the big players in the area. City of London Police only police the old city, the square mile, the financial district in other words, that has very little in the way of street crime, because no-one lives there anymore and the people who work there are, by and large, either too rich to need to steal, or too smart to have to do so on the streets.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0857522043</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg|title=The Little Old Lady Who Struck Lucky Again! |rating=3.5|genre=Humour|summary=Following the success of ''The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules'', the League of Pensioners are back – and this time, they’re in Vegas! I haven’t read the first book but it was on my list when the opportunity arose to review this one. The idea of the League of Pensioners marching towards a fairer world through fun and frolics was hugely appealing to me and this is a stand alone novel so I thought I would dive straight in with this one.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>1447274903</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=Winshluss|title=In God We Trust|rating=4.5|genre=Graphic Novels|summary=To start with, a rhetorical test. How about God and Adam playing badminton day in and day out, until one gets bored and decides to create Eve? Or the defeater of Goliath and the saviour of the Israelites being one Conan the Barbarian? Or this as a test – Jesus Himself failing to have a successful session of tequila slammers with Gabriel due to the holes through His hands? I barely need mention that in these pages God does battle with Superman, for you to have answered the test and put yourself firmly in one of two camps for this book – one very much opposed to buying it, and one very much in favour.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0861662350</amazonuk>}}{{newreview|author=David Walliams and Tony Ross|title=The Queen's Orang-Utan|rating=5|genre=For Sharing|summary=The Queen felt trapped in the palace with all those stuffed animals which she has been given on foreign tours. There are mountains of them and every night she would dream of escaping. When her birthday drew near the family dutifully asked her what she would like as a present. The Prince was thinking of a gold, diamond encrusted stairlift whilst the Duke was considering a great big bottle of brandy. The Royal Baby had some decorated thimbles in mind, but the Queen became just a little snappish as she explained that what she really wanted was 'One's own orang-utan'. And she didn't mean a stuffed one, either.|amazonuk=<amazonuk>0008135134</amazonuk>}}