Changes

|author=Peter PapathanasiouJenny Lecoat|title=The StoningBeyond Summerland|rating=3.54|genre=ThrillersGeneral Fiction|summary=In a town sleazy enough to make sh*tholes elsewhere look glamorous in comparison, a teacher has been transported across town at night in a shopping trolleyJean lives on Jersey with her mother where they are celebrating the end of the occupation. During the war, and sheJean's been taped father was arrested for listening to a tree banned radio and soldiers took him away one night, leaving Jean and she's had rocks bowled at her as if she were the world's tallest cricket stumpsmother waiting for years for news of him. When she's discovered by As the town gossip everyone, including British finally free the local cops, are quite confident the culprit has come Channel islands from the immigrant detention centre Nazis, and the place war is reluctantly home tofinally over, their hopes rise that they will finally learn what became of him. An arson attack on that shows But will the feeling – and truth come as a relief, or will it's only fair, is raise further questions around what else happened during the general opinion, for war? Who was the occupants are often setting their own fires in protest at their conditions. Cue informer who told the arrival of George Manolis, a higher rank from Nazis about the city, to sort everything out. Because such an aggrieved, insular community is really going to welcome a Greek-heritaged city boy laying down radio? And what other secrets have been kept throughout the law...occupation?|isbn=15294169731846976537

|isbn=B08Z8BMZ7H1529428289|title=The Mystery A Grave in the Woods (A Bruno, Chief of HealingPolice Novel)|author=A P McGrathMartin Walker

|genre=Crime (Historical)|summary=We meet Solon in Pergamon in Because of various property transactions, people were searching for the second century grave but when they found it, it came with three sets of the common era bones. They dated back to World War II and he's it fell to Bruno, the physician on duty at the munus - the games put on Chief of Police for St Denis, to discover the amusement identities of the populacebodies and establish whether or not a crime had been committed. The remuneration As if this isn't high but enough to worry about, the work gives the doctor a feeling of virtue and hones his skills: Solon ''wants'' the warriors to liveDordogne River - normally tranquil - is flowing at record levels. It's quite a spectacle: not just the magistri are local autumn rains that have caused the charge hands and when we first see them, they're sprinkling gold dust onto the lions' manes problem: various dams upstream on another river have had to make them look more impressive. The sagitarii are the archers release water and St Denis faces the beastiarii are the condemned criminals who are going to fight for their lives with the wild animals. Today, it's the crocodilespossibility of a devastating flood.

|authorisbn=Kate DiCamillo and Sophie Blackall152919640X|title=The Beatryce ProphecySuspect|author=Rob Rinder|rating=4.5|genre=Confident ReadersCrime|summary=The nation''Stories have joy s favourite daytime TV presenter, Jessica Holby, was murdered live on television and surprises in themit seems that there's only one suspect. He', we are told heres celebrity chef Sebastian Brooks and his contract stated that he must not serve anything containing miso to Jessica Holby. And none more so than in this wondrous story, which feels She's seriously allergic and carries an instant classic with the freshness and the agelessness it has EpiPen in equal proportioncase of emergencies. We start with Everything seemed as normal - as normal as they can be in a group of monks, the Order of the Chronicles of Sorrowing, and the demonic goat that loves nothing more than upendingbusy, trampling on live television studio - and biting the poor Brothers. Things change drastically when the beast takes Brooks served a totally maternal approach ragout to a homeless girl, one who has survived some trauma that has blocked her past from her memoryHolby. Elsewhere sits a King in his castle, desperate Her EpiPen was nowhere to find the girl, for it is prophesied that a young child can unseat the throne be found and cause great changeshe was dead within minutes. Who foretold It was soon clear that revolution but the Order of the Chronicles of Sorrowing? But how can a simple, amnesiac lass ever prove a threat to anyone?|isbn=1529500893this was no accident.

|isbn=B09FFJF8YS0008385068|title=You Can't Wear Panties! (No More Nappies!)The Midnight Feast|author=Justine Avery and Kate ZhoidikLucy Foley|rating=34.5|genre=For SharingThrillers|summary=It''For s midsummer on the big, grownup girls out there, the potty masters in training, "You CanDorset coast and guests gather at The Manor. It't Wear Panties!" is a cry (the big-girl kind!) of toilet triumph s their opening weekend and persevering panty pridesplendid celebrations are promised.''  And so it is! This latest book from Justine Avery celebrates a little girl It's final goodbye to nappies and pull-ups and graduation to "proper" pants all headed up by following Francesca Meadows. The Manor was her around as she proudly explains to her dog, her cat, her stuffed rabbit ancestral home and her baby sibling that ''she'' can wear super-duper proper pantss converted it into an impressive retreat for the wealthy and famous. Her husband, Owen, while they cannot. Neither can was the flowers, nor architect and work is still ongoing on parts of the fish, nor site. The heat is oppressive and amongst the birdsguests are enemies as well as friends. Boy's certainly can Old scores are going to be settled and it won'tbe long before a body is found. She's a big girl now and she wants everyone to know it!}}

|author=Nick Lake and Emily GravettAshley Hickson-Lovence|title=Locked Out LilyWild East

|genre=Confident ReadersTeens|summary=Lily Written in verse, this isRonny's story, or was, or a young black fourteen year old boy from Hackney who suddenly has been, very ill, and to give her parents relief she's been told move to stay with her grandma for Norwich and start at a few daysmostly white school. The parents need the relief as Lilymove is initiated by Ronny's baby sibling mum who is just about worried for Ronny's safety after a tragic event, and so Ronny finds himself trying to be born – settle in a new town, a child Lily swears she hates already new school, and wants nothing keep himself out of trouble. He listens to do withmusic constantly, and has always dreamed of being a rapper. But on tracking back home for word of her parents (and her plush toy so she can sleep) she finds stony-eyed simulacra of her parentsnow, and the babe-in-armsthis new school, already installed. These devilish interlopers need his teacher encourages him to be ousted part of a poetry writing workshop group and, slowly, Ronny begins to get see the family back intactconnections between rap and poetry, even if it's not the family Lily wants – and all she has to help her in the task are some talking animals – Crow, Mole, Mouse power of creativity and Snakecrafting your words.|isbn=14711948330241645441

|authorisbn=Greg James and Chris Smith1635866847|title=The Great Dream RobberyLavender Companion|author=Jessica Dunham and Terry Barlin Vesci|rating=4.5|genre=Confident ReadersLifestyle|summary=MayaIt's father strange, the things that make you ''immediately'' feel that this is a professor who invented an amazing dream machinethe book for you. But something went wrong Before I started reading ''The Lavender Companion'', I visited the author's [https://www.pinelavenderfarm.com/ website] and now he canthere's a picture of a slice of chocolate cake on the homepage. I don't wake upeat cakes and desserts - but I wanted that cake viscerally. Or at least, that (There's what Maya has been told. In a rather strange dream one night Maya makes a new friendrecipe in the book, which I'm avoiding with some difficulty!!) Then I started reading the book and discovers that the only way I was told to save her dad may be by being asleepmake a mess of it. Cue one madcap action adventure story where dreams and reality collide Notes in the margins are sanctioned. You get to fold down the corners of pages. You suspect that smears of butter would not be a problem.really. I ''loved'' this book already..and there's everything from llamas and bananas, dream machines made from hairdresser cast-offs, to a talking cat called Bin Bag!|isbn=024147051X

|isbnauthor=1800464495Rob Keeley|title= 100 Ways in 100 Days to Teach Your Baby MathsChildish Spirits: Support All Areas of Your Baby’s Development by Nurturing a Love of Maths|author=Emma Smith10th anniversary special edition|rating=4.5|genre=Children's Non-FictionConfident Readers|summary=Around here, we're big fans of children's author Rob Keeley. He'Babies seem to be born with an amazing number sense: understanding shapes in the womb, being aware s a ball of quantities at seven hours oldhappy positivity, assessing probability at six months oldhe understands children, and comprehending addition he writes for their pleasure and subtraction at nine months old.'' Did you know this? I didn't! How about: ''Maths ability on entry enjoyment, not to school is a strong predictor of later achievement, double that of literacy skillslecture or hector.''

I didnThe 't know this either! I think most parents are aware that giving your children 'Childish Spirits'' series is one of his greatest achievements. It's a good start in literacy - reading sequence of ghost storiescentring on Ellie, teaching pen grips, singing rhymes - gives children a solid foundation when they start school. But do we think stalwart young girl who can cope with anything the same way about mathsspirit world throws at her, beyond counting? I don't think we doand Edward, in part because so many of us are afraid of maths. But why are we? Most of us use maths in daily life without realising a spoiled lordling and it follows that giving our children a similar pre-school grounding will be just as beneficial.the first spirit Ellie encounters|isbn= 1783064617

|isbnauthor=1529379385Jenny Valentine|title=The Madness of Crowds (Chief Inspector Gamache)|author=Louise PennyUs in the Before and After|rating=4.5|genre=CrimeTeens|summary=In the Canadian village of Three PinesElk and Mab are best friends, or more than that even, we're post-pandemic: the scars are still there but life their friendship is starting to get back to normal. The villagers are beginning to return to the Bistro and the Aubergea once in a lifetime connection. Theymeet as children one day on a trip out but unfortunately they don're visiting t get each other's homes contact details at the time. But then chance brings them back together, and having friends and relatives to staythey are inseparable. A young Sudanese woman who Something has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize is one such visitor happened though, something terrible and tragic, and now they must work through their grief, and she soon proves that not all saints are necessarily pleasant people to be around - a bit like Vincent Gilberttheir friendship, known in the village as the Asshole Sainttogether.|isbn=1471196585

|isbnauthor= B09F4CTKJRKieran Larwood and Joe Todd-Stanton|title= Flights for Freedom|author= Steven BurgauerDungeon Runners: Hero Trial|rating=4.5|genre=Historical FictionConfident Readers|summary=It's Meet Kit. Like most of the people in his world, it seems, he is an avid fan of Dungeon Running – the later stages sport where a team of World War I warrior, mage and healer enter specially prepared, century-old, magical mazes, and race to the United States has just entered exit, perhaps bothering with the treasure or the big bad and the points they grant you along the conflictway. Petrol Petronus Unfortunately for Kit, the only thing he's seen of the latest race on the inn TV equivalent is a young American who that one team has signed up been retired, eaten, and joined the 17 Aero Squadrona new trio of questors is needed. This company was the first US Aero Squadron Possibly very unfortunately indeed for Kit, he has taken to be trained in Canada, the first to be attached to goading from the RAF token bully of his world and the first to be sent stumbled into the skies to fight the Germans declaring he'll enter as a team. What chance does this friendless, muscle-free-zone have in active combat. But before actually managing that can happen, Petrol has and how could he possibly hope to master flying the notoriously difficult but majestic Sopwith Camel.succeed?|isbn=1839945184

|isbnauthor=183885410XSaima Mir|title=The Dark Remains|author=William McIlvanney and Ian RankinVengeance

|genre=CrimeThrillers|summary=Bobby Carter I was a lawyer and consigliere to one instantly intrigued by the premise of the major this novel – an organised crime families syndicate in nineteen seventies Glasgowthe north of England run by a Muslim woman. DC Jack Laidlaw is on The fact that it was the CID team charged with the investigation. second in a series I say hadn't read didn't stop me – I've jumped midway into a few series before (on the teampage and screen) and it needn'' but Laidlaw never really seems to t be a part of hindrance if it's good enough. He does his own thingAnd that wasn't a problem here. Vengeance swiftly brings you up to speed, goes his own way and ''The Dark Remains'' uncovers the truth of why Bobby Carter's body was found behind one of Glasgow's seedier pubsI never felt lost.|isbn=0861541561

|isbnauthor=1942410255Stuart Douglas|title=Tokyo Zangyo (Detective Hiroshi)|author=Michael PronkoLowe and Le Breton Mysteries - Death at the Dress Rehearsal|rating=43.5

|summary=During location filming for his 1970's sitcom 'Floggit and Leggit'Zangyo: overtime work, often unpaid'' It's leading man Edward Lowe stumbles across the dead body of a woman on the culture, isn't it? edge of a reservoir. The hours for which you're paid are really just a statement of the minimum you'll be required police seem happy to do: you'll work more hours to get assign it as an accidental death, but something about the job done whole thing bothers Lowe, and done to he enlists the satisfaction help of bullies like Shigeru Onizukaa fellow actor, John Le Breton to help him investigate matters further. When he was found dead in front of Senden Central's headquarters in Tokyo there was nothing in They travel across the way of regret or griefcountry during their days off filming, uncovering more possible murders and, even from his familyseemingly, but there was a mild curiosity as link to whether he'd jumped from death during the roof of the building or been assisted in his descentSecond World War. Gossip revolves around But is there really a link between the fact that he left the roof at the exact same spot that an employee, Mayu Yamase, had committed suicide some three years earlier. deaths? She'd accused Onizuka of bullying her and forcing her And will they manage to work an unreasonable amount of overtime.uncover who is responsible before more people lose their lives?|isbn=1803368209

|isbn=0241425425B0CYV674G2|title=The Man Who Died TwiceSwanton Morley (John Tanner)|author=Richard OsmanDavid Blake|rating=43.5

|summary=Elizabeth Best was It seemed like an open-and-shut case. A man, covered in mud and blood - and carrying a little surprised when she received knife, comes into the letterpolice station shouting that he hasn't killed the man. It came from A body at the bottom of a man whose body she had helped freshly dug grave at Swanton Morley church - he's been stabbed to pull death. DCI John Tanner is just back from the Thames and who had never existed but then this is the sort of conundrum his honeymoon, which retired spies have to deal coincided with on a regular basis. When she visits the sender birth of the letter (his daughter Samantha. You would think he's moved into d be grateful for an easy answer but the Cooperwords 's Chase Retirement Village) it comes as no surprise that itperverse's someone with whom she has a long professional history - and who used to be her husband'John Tanner' were made for each other. He's made a bad mistake sleep- something deprived to do with a mask being removed within the range point of a CCTV camera on a raid, a missing twenty-million pounds in diamonds and a few death threats. Hefalling asleep at work but he's now in hiding with a young woman called Polly, whodetermined to keep going - probably because he can's his MI5 handler as well as being an incompetent waitresst get any sleep at home.

|authorisbn=Andrew Sharp1787333175|title=The Chef, the Bird and the BlessingYou Don't Have to be Mad to Work Here|author=Benji Waterhouse|rating=45|genre=General FictionPopular Science|summary= Chef Mlantushi - Mozzy I was tempted to read ''You Don't Have to his employer - be Mad to Work Here'' after enjoying Adam Kay's first book {{amazonurl|isbn=1509858636|title=This isGoing to Hurt}}, in his mind, a glorious mixture of insight into the head chef workings of a safari business catering the NHS, humour and autobiography. ''You Don't Have to VIP guests in an unnamed African countrybe Mad... Mozzy is earnest and dedicated to his task and he puts all of himself into creating fine cuisine dishes for '' promised the guests at BOD-W safaris same elements but his dream is moved from physical problems to become mental illness and the head chef work of a restaurant in London or a big American citypsychiatrist. Even I did wonder whether it was acceptable to win a Michelin star. He is thwarted be looking for humour in this ambition by his boss, Mr Bin (Ben to you setting but the laughter is directed at a situation rather than a person and me) who incurs Mozzy's disapproval for his scruffy ways, his uninterest in his guests it is always delivered with empathy and - shock, horror - his allowing of bush animals into the houseunderstanding.|isbn=B09926MK8H

|author=Alex FoulkesOnyi Nwabineli|title=Rules for VampiresAllow Me to Introduce Myself

|genre=Confident ReadersGeneral Fiction|summary= Eleonore Von Motteberg (or Anuri spent her childhood on display to the world, thanks to her step-mother Ophelia'Leos increasingly popular presence on social media, where she posted every step of Anuri' s childhood for short) is a Vampire. She drinks bloodsponsorships and influencer deals and, she sleeps during the daybasically, monetary gain. Now Anuri is in her twenties and she can Grimwalk (turning into a flock of bats is slowly trying to travel around, although not all of them remember regain her confidence and to come get her life back). Pretty cool stuff. Now, on suing her step-mother to take down the night of content about her hundredth birthnight. Anuri is battling alcoholism, she has failing to go out and hunt start her first human. HoweverPhD, instead she ends up killing two humans by accident undergoing therapy and secretly abusing people online and burning down an orphanagereceiving money from them for doing so. Oops! And to make things worse Most importantly, the ghosts of one of the orphans and the evil master of the orphanage come back to haunt she is desperately worried about her. Solittle sister, not only does Leo have to team up with the friendly ghost Minna to stop who is the ghost new focus of the Orphanmaster before he becomes unstoppably powerful, Ophelia's online empire. Can she has to do it all while hiding it from save her family. Did I mention vampires sister, and perhaps herself and ghosts hate each otherher relationship with her father at the same time? Yeah, there's a reason why there are rules for vampires…|isbn=147119955X0861546873

|author=Tori BovalinoDavid Chadwick|title=The Devil Makes ThreeHeadload of Napalm

|genre=TeensThrillers|summary= Working all summer in her boarding schoolIt's library September 1973 in Hicks, California. Hicks is the last thing Tess Matheson wants to do — especially when she gets a request for over Mojave desert town of a hundred books that she has to deliver herself. What makes it worse is the man who requested the books: Mr Birch. The boarding school's headmaster, few thousand people with its nearest neighbours of LA and Las Vegas both a man Tess hatessignificant drive away. Not much happens in Hicks. As a petty act of revenge for making her find A silver mine and deliver such a large request, Tess sticks post-it notes on each of defence contractor are the booksmain local employers but otherwise, scribbled with the ugliest insults she can think of. Theythere're never meant to reach him, s not much of coursenote other than dive bars and Joshua trees. Her plan Life is to get her anger out like thisquiet, and then take them all off before delivering themuntil... No harm done… Or it would be, if someone hadn't delivered them for her.|isbn=1789098130B0D321VJ76

|isbnauthor= B09BG8V3Q6Tom Percival|title= Who Needs Nappies? Not Me! (Everybody Potties!)|author= Justine Avery and Seema AmjadThe Wrong Shoes|rating=4.5|genre=For SharingConfident Readers|summary= Will''Who Needs Nappies? Not Me!'' s life is the latest release difficult, in a multitude of ways. He is bullied because he has 'the wrong shoes', he has the wrong shoes because his dad can'Everybody Potties!t work and doesn't have enough money for even the most basic of things like food, and his dad can' series from Justine Averyt work because he lost his job at the college, was working a cash-in-hand job on a building site and had an accident. This series of fun picture books aims to take Throw into that mix the pain out of potty training children fact that his mum and dad are separated, and replace it with some fun. ItWill's life seems bleak in every direction. And yet, he still has a worthy aim, as any frustrated parent will tell youtiny amount of hope. He is good at art, and clings to the moments of joy when he is drawing, that feel like a light at the end of a long, dark tunnel.|isbn=1398527122

|isbnauthor=B098FFFBH9Sylvie Cathrall|title=Snowcub|author=Graham FulbrightA Letter to the Luminous Deep|rating=4.5|genre=Literary Science Fiction|summary=Fourteen-year-old Rachel is her school's animal rights project leader and she and her friend There are producing few greater joys than a competition entry book which lives up to highlight the way in which human beings exploit the animal world. She gets a great deal of support from her family: father Pip Harrison, a lecturer at Imperial College, London, mother Kate and her twin, Nickcompelling premise. Kate runs the family business, a toy shop called Cornucopia in Putney, which And this is where we'll meet Rachel's main (if unsuspected) source one of information: five soft toysthem.|isbn= 0356522776

|authorisbn= Angharad Walker0008517061|title= The Ash HouseDeath in a Lonely Place|author=Stig Abell|rating= 54|genre= Confident ReadersCrime|summary= A new boy arrives at The Ash House. He doesn't know his nameFormer Metropolitan Police detective, or why he is there but he is used to the systemJake Johnson, used to different places and different faceshas settled into his rustic life at Little Sky. He meets Dom who names him Sol and sets out to teach him There’s perhaps a little uncertainty about the rules future of The Ash House. These rules centre on a variety of Nicenesses set out by the absent Headmaster. All children must remember their Niceness his life with his vet girlfriend, Livia and complete their choresher daughter Diana, working as moving in together would mean a hive lot of compromise: does Jake give up his off-grid and relaxing life to move in the smouldering shadows of The Ash House. But soon their easy peace with Livia or does Livia move to Little Sky despite her reservations about whether or not this is shattered by the arrival of future she wants for herself and her daughter? For the Doctor. By moment they’re enjoying life in the end of present and putting the story, lives will be changed forever and The Ash House will never be future on the same againback burner.|isbn=1912626977

|authorisbn=Yancey Williams1786482126|title=Crosshairs of the DevilThe Janus Stone (Dr Ruth Galloway)|author=Elly Griffiths

|genre=Literary FictionCrime|summary=AwardBuilders were demolishing an old house in Norwich -winning crime writer Eddie Jablonski is getting on in years and, despite his strenuous objections and thanks the site was going to his daughter, finds himself living hold seventy- or imprisoned, from Eddiefive 'luxury's point of view apartments - in room 315 of when they discovered the Garden bones of Eden nursing homea child beneath a doorway. There was no skull. Was this a ritual killing or murder? Inevitably, Dr Ruth Galloway finds herself working with only a trusty nursing aideDCI Harry Nelson. It's difficult as Ruth knows, Jenkinsbut Nelson doesn't, for palatable companythat she is pregnant with his child as a result of the one night they spent together some three months ago. Nothing Her condition will be obvious before long, not least because Ruth is going prone to keep Eddie from his stock-in-trade sudden bouts of writing though, so here, for his readers, are his wanderings through his life's worksickness.|isbn=0986031658}}

|authorisbn=Philip Reeve0008551324|title=Utterly Dark and the Face of the DeepThe Devil You Know (D S Max Craigie)|author=Neil Lancaster|rating=4.5|genre=Confident ReadersCrime|summary=In a word, richIt's unusual for anyone from the Hardie family to approach the police. Neither side likes or has any respect for the other. There But Davie Hardie is certainly an abundance struggling in prison and he's prepared to tell the police where the body of riches in this story set on a peculiar island called Wildsea, British but way west, beyond the Scilliesmissing person is buried and who was responsible for her death. There are troll people on it This person, and sea-witcheshe promises, is someone big and legends of it will be worth the Dark family that has police doing what he wants. And what he wants is to be transferred to an open prison to keep watch for magical islands and their monster approaching from even further west, where no ship dare sail. The current Darks are serve the Watcher, Andrewe, who has to keep notes remainder of activity from the Hidden Lands, his brother Will who lives in London with too sentence and to get an early parole date. Not much science in his head to worry about such local yokel superstitionsask, is it? The new Deputy Police Constable doesn't think so and Andreweshe's foundling daughter, who washed up out of even prepared to do the sea one day eleven years ago. But when Andrewe Dark drowns himself, both his sullen brother other thing that Hardie demanded - make certain that DS Max Craigie and his curious ward are thrust into the world of protecting their island, like it or notanyone who works with him is kept well away from what's happening.|isbn=1788452372

|authorisbn=Erling Kagge0008405026|title=Walking: One Step At A TimeStranger in the Family (Maeve Kerrigan 11)|author=Jane Casey

|genre= LifestyleCrime|summary= Those who have read my reviews before will know that how much I loved It's sixteen years since nine-year-old Rosalie Marshall disappeared from her bed one summer night. She was never found and the investigation ground to a book is evidenced by the number of pages with corners turnedhalt. Now, her mother, Helena, so let me start this one with an apology to the Norfolk Library Service: sorry! I forgot it was your book not mineand her father are dead in their bed. In my defence Initially, I will say that as it looks like a reader of this type of book straightforward murder/suicide but there is 's something connective about noting where prior readers were inspired (provided it is subtle – I'll allow creased corners, but not scribbles – for the latter we must buy our own copy – which I am about to do as soon as I have finished telling you why). Erligg Kagge is a Norwegian explorer who has walked to positioning of the South Pole, the North Pole bodies that makes DS Maeve Kerrigan and the summit of Everesther boss DI Josh Derwent suspicious. He knows a thing or two about walking. However, this isn't a travelogue about any of those epic journeys, What looked as though it is instead a thoughtful exploration of what it means was going to walk. It be an open-and-shut case is now a plenitude of unnumbered essays about walkingcomplex double murder. There Kerrigan is no convinced that the explanation lies in Rosalie'contents' page and I havens disappearance: others (such as Derwent't counted. In small format paperbacks boss, each essay is only a few pages longUna Burt) are less convinced. Perhaps then, better thought of as a meditation rather than an essay.|isbn=0241357705

|authorisbn=Ian Mark and Louis Ghibault0571379877|title=Monster Hunting For BeginnersThe Kellerby Code|author=Jonny Sweet|rating=43.5|genre=Confident ReadersCrime|summary=Meet Jack. Now Jack knows very little about being fearless and nimble and quickEdward Jevons is a working-class young man, for he's a slight boyobsessed with his upper-class friends, Robert and although he wants for danger and peril and interesting things his dad refuses to let him out of his sightStanza. That Robert's because Jacka theatre director. He's mother knew all about monstersalso self-obsessed, demanding, handsome and look what happened entitled and uses Edward to her – she diedrun errands for him. Luckily or unluckily then, depending on your point of view, a giant ogre will threaten his aunt when Jack's father also goes AWOL, Jack will fluke the ogre's death, a dwarfish wizard Edward has been in love with Stanza since their university days -type will make him an apprentice monster hunter, and he'll be given a book that tells him all s drunkenly confided how he needs feels to know about the perils he always wanted closer contact withRobert. The book Most men in Robert's name? position would stay away from Stanza or tell Edward that a relationship had begun between them but he''Monster Hunting for Beginners''..s not like most men: Edward is left to stumble upon the two of them kissing in a dark passageway.|isbn=0755501942

|author=Keith GrayJo Callaghan|title=The ClimbersLeave No Trace

|genre=Confident ReadersCrime|summary=Sully When a man is found crucified on the best tree climber top of a hill in Nuneaton, DCS Kat Frank finds herself assigned to the villagecase alongside her sidekick, the AI detective Lock. He has what It's known amongst the kids as 'reach'their first live case together, having previously been very successful with several cold cases. But what happens when there is a second body found crucified a new kid shows up in town? A new kidfew days later, called Nottingham, who clambers up some of the hardest trees Kat is suddenly struggling with ease? Suddenly Sully is worried that his status is being threatened, a potential serial killer and not only a very high profile case that, that his chance draws a lot of unwanted attention to their AI Future Policing project. Will they be able to name solve the finalcase in time, unnamed big tree in or will Kat find herself taken off the park by being the first to conquer itcase and, might be snatched from his hands. How can Sully stop Nottingham? And will it cost him his best friendpotentially, or maybe even all out of his friends, to do soa career?|isbn=1781129991139851120X

|authorisbn=Emma Carroll1399613073|title=The Week at World's EndMoral Injuries|author=Christie Watson|rating=4.5|genre=Confident ReadersThrillers|summary=FirstOlivia, Laura and Anjali met on the titlefirst day of medical school and their friendship would keep them inseparable for a quarter of a century. We're in World's End Close Olivia is ruthlessly ambitious, which is a mediocre set of houses, where Stevie (Vie bonus when you aim to her friends) finds fun only with the family dog be a cardiothoracic surgeon. Laura is a perfectionist and with a trauma doctor. Anjali is the boy over free spirit of the roadgroup and she becomes a GP. But When we could also be first meet them they're at Worlda drug and alcohol-fuelled party and it's End, because something taking a great chunk of going to end in tragedy. We don't know who suffered the fun away is tragedy or the fact consequences. Twenty-five years later there will be an eerily similar event that will impact the Cuban Missile Crisis is kicking off. The Soviet boats are getting blockaded as America tries to reduce the risk of nuclear missiles offshore, and not much else is able to make the news. That said, Vie has news of her own – Anna, a secretive young woman hiding in their coal shedthree friends. Anna has, in no short This time, taken a strong interest in the American airforce base behind the Close, said sheit'd locate something she wanted and leave, failed to leave, and implied her life was at risks their teenage children who are involved. But surely this bit of intrigue has got nothing to do with what the Cold War is doing miles away?|isbn=0571364438

|authorisbn=Kiran Millwood Hargrave and Tom de Freston0241636604|title=Julia and the SharkThe Trading Game: A Confession|author=Gary Stevenson|rating=4.5|genre=Confident ReadersAutobiography|summary=JuliaIf you were to bring up an image of a city banker in your mind, our preyou're unlikely to think of someone like Gary Stevenson. A hoodie and jeans replaces the pin-teen heroinestripe suit and his background is the East End, has been packed off where he was familiar with her parents violence, poverty and their cat from the family home in SW England injustice. There was no posh public school on his CV - but he had been to be lighthousekeepers for a summer, in the far NE London School of the Scottish islandsEconomics. Here be Vikings, that kind Stevenson is bright - extremely bright - and he has a facility with numbers which most of Scottish islandus can only envy. Dad is going He also realised that most rich people expect poor people to be automating the lanternstupid. It was his ability at what was, essentially, a card game which is his specialist thing, while mum will be leaving her career in algae behind to hunt the elusive Greenland sharkgot him an internship with Citibank. And JuliaEventually, well, she will be homesick and alone – until she suddenly finds company one nightthis turned into permanent employment as a trader.|isbn=1510107789

|authorisbn=Freya Sampson1035021803|title=The Last LibraryAntique Hunter's Guide to Murder|author=C L Miller|rating=43.5|genre=General FictionCrime|summary=I am always a little nervous It's twenty years since Freya Lockwood has been back to start a story about a library, since I am a librarianthe English country village where she grew up. I always grit my teeth slightly at the thought She's back now because of the incoming cardigan-wearing, hair in a bun, cat-owning, glasses on a chain stereotypes! In this story, the main character, June, does put request for help from her hair in a bunbeloved aunt, Carole. Freya's former mentor and she does own a cat (called Alan Bennett)Carole's close friend, Arthur Crockleford, is dead and she has barely any friends and spends her evenings eating the same Chinese takeaway meal once a week whilst reading books alone! But I didn't immediately throw circumstances seem suspicious, to say the book out of least. Arthur was the window, because I found I was interested in June, and reason why she lived as she did. Her mum used Freya had not been back to be a librarian at the village library: Arthur, but when she got sickfeels, June gave up on going to University and stayed at home to take care of let her mum, as well as taking on a job as library assistant at the local librarydown badly. And even Even though her mum sadly died some years agothey were in business together as antique hunters, she is still working there, still eating her mum's favourite takeaway meal, and still reading her mum's old bookshas not felt able to be near the man or pursue the profession she loved. June is stuck After the split, but little does she knowworked in a cafe, everything in met and married James (on the rebound from the love of her life is about the change, who was murdered) and Freya and James have now divorced.|isbn=183877369X

|isbn=0008370982AllTomorrowsFutureCover|title=Rock Paper ScissorsAll Tomorrow's Futures: Fictions that Disrupt|author=Alice FeeneyBenjamin Greenaway and Stephen Oram (Editors)|rating=4.5|genre=ThrillersScience Fiction|summary=Amelia Wright is forty-two and ''Opening up new ways of thinking about the shape of things to come.'' I've heard it was the staff raffle at Battersea Dogs Home said that gave her a weekend away in a converted chapel in Scotland. Her husband, Adam, isn't so keen on the ideatechnology' is what happens after you're eighteen. Like AmeliaWell, he knows I must confess that their marriage has there have been under strain: hemore than a few decades of technology in my lifetime. I's a screenwriter and heve kept up reasonably well with what's never shy of making it clear advantageous to Amelia that heme but I'd prefer to spend time m left with the novels hefeeling that it's hoping to adapt than with herall getting away from me. Amelia's annoyed that he never enquires about how her day has been - and working with the dogs, many Some of whom have been abused, it is never easy- frankly - quite frightening. Still - she's won Of course, I could research the weekend away, even if it does mean driving for eight hours in her 1978 Morris Minor Traveller with Adam beside her in possibilities and the passenger seat - probabilities and then doing end up down rabbit holes without really understanding whether I'm reading someone who knows what they're talking about or the same thing to come back latest conspiracy theorist. I needed people I knew I could trust and who could deliver information in a couple of days laterway I could understand.

|author=Doug JohnstoneSunny Singh|title=The Great SilenceHotel Arcadia|rating=43.5|genre=CrimeThrillers |summary=For those who, like me, haven't come across the Skelfs before, I'll risk The Hotel Arcadia is a quick synopsis of who's who – although Johnstone does luxury hotel in an unnamed city that has suddenly been violently taken over by a good job of bringing terrorist group. Hiding from the backstory in without being heavy handed about it. Skelf isn't some fantastic creatureterrorists who are rampaging through, though it sounds as though it ought to bekilling everyone on site, it there is merely the surname of Sam, a family of undertakers. Undertakers wartime photographer and private investigatorsAbhi, the hotel manager. Dorothy is the matriarch – Californian by birth and instinct, she married a scot and ended up helping As Abhi continues to try to run care remotely for the Edinburgh undertaking firm that had been residents who are still alive in the family for generations. Recently widowed and now involved hotel, he forms a bond with a black Swedish police officer. Swedish Sam who refuses to be cowed by nationality. Scottish police. Daughter Jennyevents, 46, is haunted by and keeps on venturing out of her room to try to capture what's happened through her still-living husband – a violent escaped prisonerphotography. And grand-daughter is about Although they only ever talk over the phone, their friendship grows as Abhi tries to graduate with a first-class physics degree help her keep safe and join they both wait to see if they will be rescued before they are discovered by the academic staff next termterrorists.|isbn=1913193837086154742X

|isbn=19015149781529153298|title=There's a Problem With DadThe List of Suspicious Things|author=Carlos AlbaJennie Godfrey|rating=4.5

|summary=Life It's 1979 and Margaret Thatcher is different for George Lovelace and he can't really understand whyPrime Minister. (A woman? I mean, honestly... ) HeShe's not what's always done everything he ought to: steady workerworrying Miv's family, husband and father - and a father who was always there for school plays and sports daysthough. So why is he never quite in tune with those around him? Women have been disappearing. Why does he upset people? Why is someone with such a Well, they've been murdered, but to have 'gooddisappeared'doesn' mind unable to progress at work or to relate to his colleagues? Why does he make t sound quite so many breath-taking gaffes? frightening. ItMiv's upset because she's almost become a cliche these days overheard that her father wants to suggest that someone who move the family 'Down South'. When you're from Yorkshire, Down South is a little different is frightening, foreign place, best avoided. For Miv, the move would mean leaving her best friend, Sharon, and she'on the spectrumll do anything to prevent that. She', but George Lovelace has all s not worried about the symptoms of Aspergerdangers or that her Mum's Syndrome: highstopped talking -functioning autismto anyone.

|authorisbn=Louise Candlish1398524085|title=The HeightsHas Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter?|author=Nicci French|rating=4.5|genre=ThrillersCrime|summary=Ellen doesnCharlotte Salter was expected at her husband't expect to see Kieran that days fiftieth birthday party but never turned up. She's on site Her children, sons Niall, Paul and Ollie and her daughter, visiting a client for a lighting consultation when she spies him in a building across the wayEtty. There are lots of thingsall worried but - strangely - her husband, lots of peopleAlec, you might see when you look out across London, but this isn't one Ellen expected that day or in fact any other dayis not. Why? Because Kieran has been dead for over two years Shortly afterwards, Etty and Ellen knows this for a factGreg, because she had a hand in his murder.|isbn=1471183483}}{{Frontpage|isbn=0008421714|title=Mrs March|author=Virginia Feito|rating=4.5|genre=Literary Fiction|summary=The problem began just after find the publication body of George MarchGreg's most successful novel to date. Everyone but Mrs March (we know her first name only on father, Duncan Ackerley, in the last page) seemed to either be reading it or had already done soriver. Every day Mrs March went to It was an easy assumption for the local patisserie police to buy olive bread but on make that particular morning, Patricia asked, as she was wrapping the bread, ''but isnDuncan had murdered Charlie and then committed suicide when he couldn't this the first time he's based a character on you?'' She mentioned that Johanna, stand the principal character had 'her mannerisms''guilt. Perhaps this would The Salter children are not have mattered, except for the fact that Johanna is the whore of Nantes - convinced but there''a weak, plain, detestable, pathetic, unloved, unloveable wretchs little else they can do but get on with their lives and wonder about what really happened.''