Tag: Book Reviews
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The Serpent Under continues Bonnie MacBird’s glorious Sherlock Holmes series
“The sixth instalment from Baker Street continues to invoke the Holmes of Conan Doyle” There is always a challenge when an author picks up the baton and continues the legacy of a character that is entrenched in English literature. Both reader and, to some extent, the author must feel the weight of history and the…
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Mona Susan Power spotlights harsh realities of indigenous people in National Book Award listed A Council of Dolls
“There is every chance this will be viewed as a modern masterpiece” The harsh realities of the lives of indigenous Indian people have been put in the spotlight with Mona Susan Power’s National Book Award long-listed epic, A Council of Dolls. The PEN Award-winning Native American author brings a story which spans three generations of…
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GD Harper unravels the mystery of Arden and William Shakespeare
“Thoughtful and entertaining with a fantastic mix of fact and fiction” Arden might not be the first name you would think of when speaking about William Shakespeare, but after reading this part fact, part fiction by GD Harper, you will not forget their story. Thomas Arden was the former mayor of Faversham in Kent but…
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Rupert Stanbury gives Pimlico to the People with homeless charity pledge
“His characters went away with food for thought” Author Rupert Stanbury has pledged to give all the royalties from his latest title to charities helping homeless people. Cambridge graduate Rupert hit the bookshelves again in October with his latest from the Gods Galore series, which sees him fuse Ancient Gods with modern day humour. In…
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From small acorns grows Jules Acton’s mighty Oaklore
“Adventures that help you see the wood from these extraordinary trees” Jules Acton is finely placed to write about the mighty oak tree as she works for the Woodland Trust and has immersed herself in the myth and history of one of the most beloved trees in the UK. The Oak is an important cog…
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A Bonsai Tree Called Geoff brings more arresting insights into the Police from ex-cop
“There is something endearing about reading tall tales from a life’s work” John Donoghue has admitted that he may not have been the best copper on the police force, but it is hard to argue that he has the best stories from his time as a boy in blue. A Bonsai Tree Called Geoff is…
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Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book proves again to be a fine vintage
“Just love pulling the cork out of Hugh’s guide and drinking in the information within” Back in the day, the day being the late nineties and over the millennium, I was quite the Francophile and enjoyed many a trip to La Belle France to take in its cafe culture and enjoy a relaxed lengthy lunch…
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Julian Doyle delivers the ‘After-life of Brian’ and a whole host of questions
“You might think that this is a massive can of worms to open” It is fair to say that The After-Life of Brian by Julian Doyle was not exactly what I was expecting. I have been an avid fan of Monty Python since childhood and jumped at the opportunity to read an account from someone…
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Join Peter Taylor-Gooby’s celebration of Aspasia, The Immigrant Queen
“It is fair to say that Aspasia had quite a life” Mining the wealth of material that Greek history provides is a path that many authors have trodden in recent years but when the stories are as compelling as Peter Taylor-Gooby’s The Immigrant Queen, it is easy to see why Ancient Greece is a destination…
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Antonio Ramos Revillas delivers a Mexican masterpiece with ‘The Wild Ones’
“Opens the eyes of the reader and keep them wide-eyed until the final breath” Living in rural Somerset could not be further away from the gang-controlled streets of Mexico but thanks to the award-winning Antonio Ramos Revillas, the sights, sounds and smells of Monterrey feel like they are on my doorstep after reading The Wild…
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