132,741
edits
Changes
From TheBookbag
Jump to navigationJump to searchno edit summary
'''Read [[Forthcoming Publications|reviews of books about to be published]].
{{Frontpage
|isbn=B09HTWX47X1009473085|title=Endless ObsessionThe Conservative Effect 2010 - 2024|author=Dai HenleyAnthony Seldon and Tom Egerton (Editors)|rating=45|genre=CrimePolitics and Society|summary=ItSometimes it's some years since we last caught up with Andy Flood, formerly simpler to explain a DCI in the Met but now a wellbook by describing what it ''isn't'' and that applies to ''The Conservative Effect: 2010-2024 -respected private investigator14 Wasted Years?''. HeIf you're looking for an easy read which will deliver the inside story about what ''s married to Laurareally'' happened on certain occasions, formerly his DS in then this isn't the Murder Squad but now working in a forensics laboratorybook for you. FloodIf that's daughterswhat you're looking for, Gemma and PippaI don't think Anthony Seldon's book, have flown the nest, Pippa to Australia, from where she has very little contact with the family{{amazonurl|isbn=B0BH7SKG2S|title=Johnson at 10}}, can be bettered for those tumultuous years. It's a compelling read and Gemma should be compulsory for anyone who thinks Johnson should return to married lifepolitics. She''The Conservative Effect'' is an entirely different beast. It's had mental problems since she was abducted many years ago but Andy the seventh book in a series which looks at the impact a government has made and Laura hope that married life will provide co-editor Sir Anthony Seldon regards this as the support she needsmost important. Flood's business is going This book follows the well -established format: a series of experts from various fields review the state of the nation when the coalition took over in 2010, the changes that occurred and that was why he felt able to turn down the case of Lisa Blacksituation in 2024.
}}
{{Frontpage
|author=Peter PapathanasiouMax Boucherat|title=The StoningLast Life of Lori Mills|rating=34.5|genre=ThrillersConfident Readers|summary=In a town sleazy enough We meet Lori on the first evening she's got the house to herself – no neighbour to make sh*tholes elsewhere look glamorous pop in comparison, a teacher has been transported across town babysitter poorly, mother at night work, just an avidly rule-breaking eleven year old, on her lonesome. What could possibly go wrong? Snuggled in a shopping trolleyblanket fort, she has one main intention, and she's been taped that is to log on to Voxminer, the world-building, critter-collecting game that is a tree and shehit in Lori's had rocks bowled at her as if she were the world's tallest cricket stumps. When she But first Lori has a tiny inkling that this stormy night doesn's discovered by the town gossip everyonet find herself entirely on her own, including and then she finds something even more spooky. For the local cops, are quite confident the culprit has come from the immigrant detention centre the place is reluctantly home server she and her bestie and nobody else should be able toenter shows signs of tampering. An arson attack When malevolent eyes spark up on that shows her phone screen, and her safe place in the feeling game has been doctored – and it's only fairwell, where is the general opinion, for the occupants are often setting their own fires in protest at their conditions. Cue the arrival of George Manolis, a higher rank from the city, to sort everything out. Because such an aggrieved, insular community is really going girl to welcome a Greek-heritaged city boy laying down the law...turn?|isbn=15294169730008666482
}}
{{Frontpage
|isbnauthor=B08Z8BMZ7HJenny Lecoat|title=The Mystery of Healing|author=A P McGrathBeyond Summerland
|rating=4
|genre=Crime (Historical)General Fiction|summary=We meet Solon in Pergamon in the second century of the common era and he's the physician Jean lives on duty at Jersey with her mother where they are celebrating the munus - the games put on for the amusement end of the populaceoccupation. The remuneration isnDuring the war, Jean't high but the work gives the doctor s father was arrested for listening to a feeling banned radio and soldiers took him away one night, leaving Jean and her mother waiting for years for news of virtue and hones his skills: Solon ''wants'' the warriors to livehim. It's quite a spectacle: As the British finally free the magistri are Channel islands from the charge hands Nazis, and when we first see themthe war is finally over, their hopes rise that they're sprinkling gold dust onto the lions' manes to make them look more impressivewill finally learn what became of him. The sagitarii are But will the archers and truth come as a relief, or will it raise further questions around what else happened during the beastiarii are war? Who was the condemned criminals informer who are going to fight for their lives with told the Nazis about the wild animals. radio? Today, it's And what other secrets have been kept throughout the crocodiles.occupation?|isbn=1846976537
}}
{{Frontpage
|authorisbn=Kate DiCamillo and Sophie Blackall1529428289|title=The Beatryce ProphecyA Grave in the Woods (A Bruno, Chief of Police Novel)|author=Martin Walker|rating=54|genre=Confident ReadersCrime|summary=''Stories have joy and surprises in them''Because of various property transactions, we are told here. And none more so than in this wondrous storypeople were searching for the grave but when they found it, which feels an instant classic it came with the freshness three sets of bones. They dated back to World War II and the agelessness it has in equal proportion. We start with a group of monksfell to Bruno, the Order Chief of Police for St Denis, to discover the Chronicles identities of Sorrowing, and the demonic goat that loves nothing more than upending, trampling on bodies and biting the poor Brothersestablish whether or not a crime had been committed. Things change drastically when the beast takes a totally maternal approach As if this isn't enough to a homeless girlworry about, one who has survived some trauma that has blocked her past from her memorythe Dordogne River - normally tranquil - is flowing at record levels. Elsewhere sits a King in his castle, desperate to find It's not just the girl, for it is prophesied local autumn rains that a young child can unseat have caused the throne problem: various dams upstream on another river have had to release water and cause great change. Who foretold that revolution but the Order of St Denis faces the Chronicles possibility of Sorrowing? But how can a simple, amnesiac lass ever prove a threat to anyone?|isbn=1529500893devastating flood.
}}
{{Frontpage
|isbn=B09FFJF8YS152919640X|title=You Can't Wear Panties! (No More Nappies!)The Suspect|author=Justine Avery and Kate ZhoidikRob Rinder|rating=34.5|genre=For SharingCrime|summary=The nation''For the bigs favourite daytime TV presenter, Jessica Holby, grownup girls out was murdered live on television and it seems that there, the potty masters in training, "You Can't Wear Panties!" is a cry (the big-girl kind!) of toilet triumph s only one suspect. He's celebrity chef Sebastian Brooks and persevering panty pridehis contract stated that he must not serve anything containing miso to Jessica Holby.'' And so it is! This latest book from Justine Avery celebrates a little girl She's final goodbye to nappies seriously allergic and pullcarries an EpiPen in case of emergencies. Everything seemed as normal - as normal as they can be in a busy, live television studio -ups and graduation Brooks served a ragout to "proper" pants by following her around as she proudly explains Holby. Her EpiPen was nowhere to her dog, her cat, her stuffed rabbit be found and her baby sibling that ''she'' can wear super-duper proper pants, while they cannotwas dead within minutes. Neither can the flowers, nor the fish, nor the birds. Boy's certainly can't It was soon clear that this was no accident. She's a big girl now and she wants everyone to know it!}}
{{Frontpage
|authorisbn=Nick Lake and Emily Gravett0008385068|title=Locked Out LilyThe Midnight Feast|author=Lucy Foley
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident ReadersThrillers|summary=Lily is, or It's midsummer on the Dorset coast and guests gather at The Manor. It's their opening weekend and splendid celebrations are promised. It's all headed up by Francesca Meadows. The Manor was, or has been, very ill, her ancestral home and to give her parents relief she's been told to stay with her grandma converted it into an impressive retreat for a few daysthe wealthy and famous. The parents need Her husband, Owen, was the relief as Lily's baby sibling architect and work is just about to be born – a child Lily swears she hates already and wants nothing to do with. But still ongoing on tracking back home for word parts of her parents (and her plush toy so she can sleep) she finds stony-eyed simulacra of her parents, the site. The heat is oppressive and amongst the babe-in-arms, already installedguests are enemies as well as friends. These devilish interlopers need Old scores are going to be ousted to get the family back intact, even if settled and itwon's not the family Lily wants – and all she has to help her in the task are some talking animals – Crow, Mole, Mouse and Snaket be long before a body is found.|isbn=1471194833
}}
{{Frontpage
|author=Greg James and Chris SmithAshley Hickson-Lovence|title=The Great Dream RobberyWild East|rating=4.5|genre=Confident ReadersTeens|summary=MayaWritten in verse, this is Ronny's father is story, a professor young black fourteen year old boy from Hackney who invented an amazing dream machinesuddenly has to move to Norwich and start at a mostly white school. But something went wrong The move is initiated by Ronny's mum who is worried for Ronny's safety after a tragic event, and so Ronny finds himself trying to settle in a new town, a new school, and now he can't wake upkeep himself out of trouble. Or at least He listens to music constantly, that's what Maya and has been toldalways dreamed of being a rapper. In a rather strange dream one night Maya makes a But now, in this new friendschool, and discovers that the only way his teacher encourages him to save her dad may be by being asleep. Cue one madcap action adventure story where dreams part of a poetry writing workshop group and reality collide...really...and there's everything from llamas and bananas, dream machines made from hairdresser cast-offsslowly, Ronny begins to a talking cat called Bin Bag!see the connections between rap and poetry, and the power of creativity and crafting your words.|isbn=024147051X0241645441
}}
{{Frontpage
|isbn=18004644951635866847|title= 100 Ways in 100 Days to Teach Your Baby Maths: Support All Areas of Your Baby’s Development by Nurturing a Love of MathsThe Lavender Companion|author=Emma SmithJessica Dunham and Terry Barlin Vesci
|rating=4.5
|genre=Children's Non-FictionLifestyle|summary=It's strange, the things that make you ''immediately''Babies seem to be born with an amazing number sensefeel that this is the book for you. Before I started reading ''The Lavender Companion'', I visited the author's [https: understanding shapes //www.pinelavenderfarm.com/ website] and there's a picture of a slice of chocolate cake on the homepage. I don't eat cakes and desserts - but I wanted that cake viscerally. (There's a recipe in the wombbook, being aware which I'm avoiding with some difficulty!!) Then I started reading the book and I was told to make a mess of it. Notes in the margins are sanctioned. You get to fold down the corners of pages. You suspect that smears of quantities at seven hours old, assessing probability at six months old, and comprehending addition and subtraction at nine months oldbutter would not be a problem. I ''loved''this book already.}}Did you know this? I didn't! How about{{Frontpage|author=Rob Keeley|title=Childish Spirits:10th anniversary special edition|rating=4|genre=Confident Readers|summary=Around here, we're big fans of children's author Rob Keeley. He'Maths ability on entry to school is s a strong predictor ball of later achievementhappy positivity, he understands children, double that of literacy skillsand he writes for their pleasure and enjoyment, not to lecture or hector.''
}}
{{Frontpage
|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
}}
{{Frontpage
|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
}}
{{Frontpage
|isbnauthor=183885410XSaima Mir|title=The Dark Remains|author=William McIlvanney and Ian RankinVengeance
|rating=3.5
|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
}}
{{Frontpage
|isbnauthor=1942410255Stuart Douglas|title=Tokyo Zangyo (Detective Hiroshi)|author=Michael PronkoLowe and Le Breton Mysteries - Death at the Dress Rehearsal|rating=43.5
|genre=Crime
|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
}}
{{Frontpage
|isbn=0241425425B0CYV674G2|title=The Man Who Died TwiceSwanton Morley (John Tanner)|author=Richard OsmanDavid Blake|rating=43.5
|genre=Crime
|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.
}}
{{Frontpage
|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
}}
{{Frontpage
|author=Alex FoulkesOnyi Nwabineli|title=Rules for VampiresAllow Me to Introduce Myself
|rating=4.5
|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
}}
{{Frontpage
|author=Tori BovalinoDavid Chadwick|title=The Devil Makes ThreeHeadload of Napalm
|rating=4.5
|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
}}
{{Frontpage
|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
}}
{{Frontpage
|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
}}
{{Frontpage
|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
}}
{{Frontpage
|authorisbn=Yancey Williams1786482126|title=Crosshairs of the DevilThe Janus Stone (Dr Ruth Galloway)|author=Elly Griffiths
|rating=4.5
|genre=Literary FictionCrime|summary=Award-winning crime writer Eddie Jablonski is getting on Builders were demolishing an old house in years and, despite his strenuous objections and thanks to his daughter, finds himself living Norwich - or imprisoned, from Eddie's point of view - in room 315 of the Garden of Eden nursing home, with only a trusty nursing aide, Jenkins, for palatable company. Nothing is site was going to keep Eddie from his stockhold seventy-infive 'luxury' apartments -trade of writing though, so here, for his readers, are his wanderings through his life's work.|isbn=0986031658}} {{Frontpage|author=Philip Reeve|title=Utterly Dark and when they discovered the Face bones of the Deep|rating=5|genre=Confident Readers|summary=In a word, rich. There is certainly an abundance of riches in this story set on child beneath a peculiar island called Wildsea, British but way west, beyond the Scilliesdoorway. There are troll people on it, and sea-witches, and legends of the Dark family that has to keep watch for magical islands and their monster approaching from even further west, where was no ship dare sailskull. The current Darks are the Watcher Was this a ritual killing or murder? Inevitably, Andrewe, who has to keep notes of activity from the Hidden Lands, his brother Will who lives in London Dr Ruth Galloway finds herself working with too much science in his head to worry about such local yokel superstitions, and AndreweDCI Harry Nelson. It's foundling daughterdifficult as Ruth knows, who washed up out of the sea one day eleven years ago. But when Andrewe Dark drowns himselfbut Nelson doesn't, both his sullen brother and his curious ward are thrust into the world of protecting their island, like it or not.|isbn=1788452372}}{{Frontpage|author=Erling Kagge|title=Walking: One Step At A Time|rating=5|genre= Lifestyle|summary= Those who have read my reviews before will know that how much I loved a book she is evidenced by the number of pages pregnant with corners turned, so let me start this one with an apology to the Norfolk Library Service: sorry! I forgot it was your book not mine. In my defence, I will say that his child as a reader result of this type of book there is 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)one night they spent together some three months ago. Erligg Kagge is a Norwegian explorer who has walked to the South Pole Her condition will be obvious before long, the North Pole and the summit of Everest. He knows a thing or two about walking. However, this isn't a travelogue about any of those epic journeys, it not least because Ruth is instead a thoughtful exploration of what it means prone to walk. It is a plenitude of unnumbered essays about walking. There is no 'contents' page and I haven't counted. In small format paperback, each essay is only a few pages long. Perhaps then, better thought sudden bouts of as a meditation rather than an essaysickness.|isbn=0241357705
}}
{{Frontpage
|authorisbn=Ian Mark and Louis Ghibault0008551324|title=Monster Hunting For BeginnersThe Devil You Know (D S Max Craigie)|author=Neil Lancaster
|rating=4.5
|genre=Confident ReadersCrime|summary=Meet JackIt's unusual for anyone from the Hardie family to approach the police. Now Jack knows very little about being fearless and nimble Neither side likes or has any respect for the other. But Davie Hardie is struggling in prison and quick, for he's prepared to tell the police where the body of a slight boymissing person is buried and who was responsible for her death. This person, he promises, is someone big and although it will be worth the police doing what he wants for danger and peril and interesting things his dad refuses . And what he wants is to be transferred to an open prison to let him out serve the remainder of his sightsentence and to get an early parole date. That's because Jack Not much to ask, is it? The new Deputy Police Constable doesn's mother knew all about monsters, t think so and look what happened to her – she died. 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 even prepared to do the ogre's death, a dwarfish wizardother thing that Hardie demanded -type will make him an apprentice monster hunter, certain that DS Max Craigie and he'll be given a book that tells anyone who works with him all he needs to know about the perils he always wanted closer contact with. The bookis kept well away from what's name? ''Monster Hunting for Beginners''..happening.|isbn=0755501942
}}
{{Frontpage
|authorisbn=Keith Gray0008405026|title=The ClimbersA Stranger in the Family (Maeve Kerrigan 11)|author=Jane Casey|rating=45|genre=Confident ReadersCrime|summary=Sully is It's sixteen years since nine-year-old Rosalie Marshall disappeared from her bed one summer night. She was never found and the best tree climber investigation ground to a halt. Now, her mother, Helena, and her father are dead in the villagetheir bed. He has what Initially, it looks like a straightforward murder/suicide but there's known amongst something about the kids as 'reach'. But what happens when a new kid shows up in town? A new kid, called Nottingham, who clambers up some positioning of the hardest trees with ease? Suddenly Sully bodies that makes DS Maeve Kerrigan and her boss DI Josh Derwent suspicious. What looked as though it was going to be an open-and-shut case is worried that his status now a complex double murder. Kerrigan is being threatened, and not only convinced that, that his chance to name the final, unnamed big tree explanation lies in the park by being the first to conquer itRosalie's disappearance: others (such as Derwent's boss, might be snatched from his handsUna Burt) are less convinced. How can Sully stop Nottingham? And will it cost him his best friend, or maybe even all of his friends, to do so?|isbn=1781129991
}}
{{Frontpage
|authorisbn=Emma Carroll0571379877|title=The Week at World's EndKellerby Code|author=Jonny Sweet|rating=43.5|genre=Confident ReadersCrime|summary=FirstEdward Jevons is a working-class young man, the titleobsessed with his upper-class friends, Robert and Stanza. We Robert're in Worlds a theatre director. He's End Closealso self-obsessed, a mediocre set of housesdemanding, where Stevie (Vie handsome and entitled and uses Edward to her friends) finds fun only run errands for him. Edward has been in love with the family dog Stanza since their university days - and with the boy over the roadhe's drunkenly confided how he feels to Robert. But we could also be at World Most men in Robert's End, because something taking a great chunk of the fun position would stay away is the fact from Stanza or tell Edward that 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 a relationship had begun between them but he's not much else like most men: Edward is able left to make stumble upon the news. That said, Vie has news two of her own – Anna, a secretive young woman hiding in their coal shed. Anna has, them kissing in no short time, taken a strong interest in the American airforce base behind the Close, said she'd locate something she wanted and leave, failed to leave, and implied her life was at riskdark passageway. But surely this bit of intrigue has got nothing to do with what the Cold War is doing miles away?|isbn=0571364438
}}
{{Frontpage
|author=Kiran Millwood Hargrave and Tom de FrestonJo Callaghan|title=Julia and the SharkLeave No Trace
|rating=4
|genre=Confident ReadersCrime|summary=Julia, our pre-teen heroine, has been packed off with her parents and their cat from When a man is found crucified on the family home top of a hill in SW England Nuneaton, DCS Kat Frank finds herself assigned to be lighthousekeepers for a summerthe case alongside her sidekick, in the far NE of the Scottish islandsAI detective Lock. It's their first live case together, having previously been very successful with several cold cases. Here be VikingsBut when there is a second body found crucified a few days later, Kat is suddenly struggling with a potential serial killer and a very high profile case that kind draws a lot of Scottish islandunwanted attention to their AI Future Policing project. Dad is going Will they be able to be automating solve the lantern, which is his specialist thingcase in time, while mum or will be leaving her career in algae behind to hunt Kat find herself taken off the elusive Greenland shark. And Juliacase and, wellpotentially, she will be homesick and alone – until she suddenly finds company one night.out of a career?|isbn=1510107789139851120X
}}
{{Frontpage
|authorisbn=Freya Sampson1399613073|title=The Last LibraryMoral Injuries|author=Christie Watson|rating=4.5|genre=General FictionThrillers|summary=I am always a little nervous to start a story about a libraryOlivia, since I am Laura and Anjali met on the first day of medical school and their friendship would keep them inseparable for a librarian. I always grit my teeth slightly at the thought quarter of the incoming cardigan-wearing, hair in a buncentury. Olivia is ruthlessly ambitious, cat-owning, glasses on which is a chain stereotypes! In this story, the main character, June, does put her hair in bonus when you aim to be a bun, and she does own cardiothoracic surgeon. Laura is a cat (called Alan Bennett), and she has barely any friends perfectionist and spends her evenings eating the same Chinese takeaway meal once a week whilst reading books alone! But I didn't immediately throw trauma doctor. Anjali is the book out free spirit of the window, because I found I was interested in June, group and why she lived as she didbecomes a GP. Her mum used to be When we first meet them they're at a librarian at the village library, but when she got sick, June gave up on drug and alcohol-fuelled party and it's going to University and stayed at home to take care of her mum, as well as taking on a job as library assistant at end in tragedy. We don't know who suffered the tragedy or the local libraryconsequences. And even though her mum sadly died some Twenty-five years ago, she is still working later therewill be an eerily similar event that will impact the three friends. This time, still eating her mumit's favourite takeaway meal, and still reading her mum's old bookstheir teenage children who are involved. June is stuck, but little does she know, everything in her life is about the change.|isbn=183877369X
}}
{{Frontpage
|isbn=00083709820241636604|title=Rock Paper ScissorsThe Trading Game: A Confession|author=Alice FeeneyGary Stevenson
|rating=4.5
|genre=ThrillersAutobiography|summary=Amelia Wright is forty-two and it was the staff raffle at Battersea Dogs Home that gave her If you were to bring up an image of a weekend away city banker in a converted chapel in Scotlandyour mind, you're unlikely to think of someone like Gary Stevenson. Her husbandA hoodie and jeans replaces the pin-stripe suit and his background is the East End, Adamwhere he was familiar with violence, isn't so keen poverty and injustice. There was no posh public school on his CV - but he had been to the ideaLondon School of Economics. Like Amelia, Stevenson is bright - extremely bright - and he knows that their marriage has been under strain: he's a screenwriter and he's never shy facility with numbers which most of making it clear to Amelia us can only envy. He also realised that he'd prefer to spend time with the novels he's hoping most rich people expect poor people to adapt than with herbe stupid. Amelia's annoyed that he never enquires about how her day has been - and working with the dogsIt was his ability at what was, many of whom have been abusedessentially, is never easya card game which got him an internship with Citibank. Still - she's won the weekend awayEventually, even if it does mean driving for eight hours in her 1978 Morris Minor Traveller with Adam beside her in the passenger seat - and then doing the same thing to come back this turned into permanent employment as a couple of days latertrader.
}}
{{Frontpage
|authorisbn=Doug Johnstone1035021803|title=The Great SilenceAntique Hunter's Guide to Murder|author=C L Miller|rating=43.5
|genre=Crime
|summary=For those who, like me, havenIt't come across s twenty years since Freya Lockwood has been back to the Skelfs before, IEnglish country village where she grew up. She'll risk s back now because of a quick synopsis of whorequest for help from her beloved aunt, Carole. Freya's who – although Johnstone does a good job of bringing the backstory in without being heavy handed about it. Skelf isnformer mentor and Carole't some fantastic creatures close friend, though it sounds as though it ought to beArthur Crockleford, it is merely the surname of a family of undertakers. Undertakers dead and private investigators. Dorothy is the matriarch – Californian by birth and instinctcircumstances seem suspicious, she married a scot and ended up helping to run say the least. Arthur was the Edinburgh undertaking firm that reason why Freya had not been in back to the family for generations. Recently widowed and now involved with a black Swedish police officer. Swedish by nationality. Scottish police. Daughter Jennyvillage: Arthur, 46she feels, is haunted by let her still-living husband – a violent escaped prisonerdown badly. And grand-daughter is about Even though they were in business together as antique hunters, she has not felt able to graduate with be near the man or pursue the profession she loved. After the split, she worked in a first-class physics degree cafe, met and join married James (on the academic staff next termrebound from the love of her life, who was murdered) and Freya and James have now divorced.|isbn=1913193837
}}
{{Frontpage
|isbn=1901514978AllTomorrowsFutureCover|title=ThereAll Tomorrow's a Problem With DadFutures: Fictions that Disrupt|author=Carlos AlbaBenjamin Greenaway and Stephen Oram (Editors)|rating=4.5|genre=General Science Fiction|summary=Life ''Opening up new ways of thinking about the shape of things to come.'' I've heard it said that 'technology' is different for George Lovelace and he canwhat happens after you't really understand whyre eighteen. He's always done everything he ought to: steady workerWell, husband and father - and I must confess that there have been more than a father who was always there for school plays and sports daysfew decades of technology in my lifetime. So why is he never quite in tune with those around him? Why does he upset people? Why is someone I've kept up reasonably well with such a what's advantageous to me but I'goodm left with the feeling that it'' mind unable to progress at work or to relate to his colleagues? Why does he make so many breaths all getting away from me. Some of it is - frankly -taking gaffes? quite frightening. ItOf course, I could research the possibilities and the probabilities and end up down rabbit holes without really understanding whether I's almost become a cliche these days to suggest that m reading someone who is a little different is knows what they'on re talking about or the spectrum', but George Lovelace has all the symptoms of Asperger's Syndrome: high-functioning autismlatest conspiracy theorist. I needed people I knew I could trust and who could deliver information in a way I could understand.
}}
{{Frontpage
|author=Louise CandlishSunny Singh|title=The HeightsHotel Arcadia|rating=43.5|genre=Thrillers|summary=Ellen doesn't expect to see Kieran The Hotel Arcadia is a luxury hotel in an unnamed city that dayhas suddenly been violently taken over by a terrorist group. She's Hiding from the terrorists who are rampaging through, killing everyone on site, visiting there is Sam, a client wartime photographer and Abhi, the hotel manager. As Abhi continues to try to care remotely for a lighting consultation when she spies him the residents who are still alive in a building across the way. There are lots of thingshotel, lots of peoplehe forms a bond with Sam who refuses to be cowed by events, you might see when you look and keeps on venturing out across London, but this isnof her room to try to capture what't one Ellen expected that day or in fact any other days happened through her photography. Why? Because Kieran has been dead for Although they only ever talk over two yearsthe phone, their friendship grows as Abhi tries to help her keep safe and Ellen knows this for a fact, because she had a hand in his murderthey both wait to see if they will be rescued before they are discovered by the terrorists.|isbn=1471183483086154742X
}}
