I wasn’t ever the biggest Star Trek fan (although I watched the TV show and enjoyed the original cast films) but picked this up after reading Shatner’I wasn’t ever the biggest Star Trek fan (although I watched the TV show and enjoyed the original cast films) but picked this up after reading Shatner’s making of book for the fifth film. I was aware of him from a great many things, but Nimoy was more of a mystery to me and I found that intriguing. My first hint he wasn’t just Spock was reading in Starburst magazine that he was in “Invasion Of The Body Snatchers” (and he’s very good in it) and if him being in a horror movie was a surprise, equally so was jumping forward a decade or more to the fact he directed the very entertaining (and very successful) “Three Men And A Baby”. So I took to the book not knowing quite what to expect but thoroughly enjoyed it. Although Shatner charts Nimoy’s life from his beginnings in Boston and right up to his death, he also charts his own life (the ups and the downs, with Nimoy being of particular help when Shatner’s alcoholic wife took her own life) but this doesn’t feel crammed in and makes the friendship between the two men that much more special. In fact, friendship is one of the driving factors of the story, with Shatner lamenting he doesn’t find it with many people and that he and Nimoy shared an extremely strong one, after a rocky start. Nimoy is painted as a hugely creative and driven man (and troubled too, with alcoholism and family issues, both of which he thankfully worked through), working hard to establish himself and being true to his vision, even if it got him into trouble. Shatner’s memories, aided by those of Adam Nimoy and other friends, paint a wonderful warts and all portrait of Nimoy in a brisk and breezy style that ensures this is a quick read. Honest with his own feelings and the issues between them throughout, in the final two chapters as Nimoy’s health worsens, Shatner reveals there was a falling out he never properly understood and it’s with this bitter-sweet realisation the book ends (he clearly laments the loss). Lovingly related and very moving at times, I thoroughly enjoyed this and would highly much recommend it even if you’re not that big a Trek fan. ...more
When struggling actress Charlies sees a man who’s the spitting image of her husband Oliver on a dating app, her heart stops. Despite telling herself sWhen struggling actress Charlies sees a man who’s the spitting image of her husband Oliver on a dating app, her heart stops. Despite telling herself she must be mistaken, she can’t let it go because she took that photo. On their honeymoon. When other signs of betrayal start to add up, Charlie does the only thing she can think of to defend her position and signs up to the app to catch Oliver in the act. However, she soon discovers that infidelity is the least of her problems, nothing is as it seems and nobody is who she thinks they are… An intriguing set-up, with plenty of scope for twists and turns, this does a fairly credible job of keeping everything together but suffers really badly with the lead character. Told in first person - and often breaking the fourth wall - Charlie whinges and moans, takes note of what everyone is wearing (even the man who swabs her in a police station is detailed!), alerts us so we don’t miss something (take note of this man, he’ll be important later) and alludes to a dark secret in her past that, once revealed, is never mentioned again. It also suffers because although she’s media-savvy and sets up a fake account to track Oliver, it never once occurs to Charlie that his profile she’s getting so anxious over might be faked too. On the plus side, this has decent use of London locations, plenty of red herrings and nice character work in her first friend Tess, but it’s let down by Charlie, a sense it’s longer than it should have been and the ending feels rushed. ...more
2016 review - This is the seventh Far Side collection (originally published in the UK in 1988 - I read the 1991 Futura edition), featuring cartoons fr2016 review - This is the seventh Far Side collection (originally published in the UK in 1988 - I read the 1991 Futura edition), featuring cartoons from 1980 through to 1987. It starts well, with the two pilots playing at turbulence and never puts a foot wrong. Of the panels themselves, my favourites include “cow joyrides”, the Moby Dick car crash, William Tell’s older son Warren (shouldn’t have laughed at that one!), “Clumsy ghosts”, “Well, that does it for my tomatoes”, Acme Slingshot Co., Overeaters Anonymous at the scenic view, “Fly whimsy” and the brilliant, laugh-out-loud funny “Bobby just got sheared today, Luanne”. A superb collection, brilliantly done and fantastic fun to read, this is highly recommended. 2021 update - completely agree....more
When a teenaged boy is found mutilated in a Glasgow flat, forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod is called to the scene, but her grim task is even more unseWhen a teenaged boy is found mutilated in a Glasgow flat, forensic scientist Rhona MacLeod is called to the scene, but her grim task is even more unsettling than normal by the boy's remarkable resemblance to her - could he be the son she gave up for adoption seventeen years before? The first in an ongoing series (which I fully intend to explore further), this is a dark book - it deals with paedophile rings, abuse and abandonment - but has some cleverly placed light touches and humorous moments. Rhona is a great lead character, smart and independent, a strong woman who gets the job done and she’s allied to a great cast of supporting characters. Clearly written by someone who loves the city, Glasgow is presented warts and all and the locations have a beauty and gritty truth to them. The plot works well, the writing is pacey and my only gripe about the whole thing would be that the ending feels a little rushed. Very much recommended. ...more
When Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong set up their very own secret detective society at Deepdean School for Girls, they struggle to find any truly exciting When Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong set up their very own secret detective society at Deepdean School for Girls, they struggle to find any truly exciting mysteries to investigate. Then Hazel discovers the Science Mistress, Miss Bell, lying dead in the Gym and assumes it was a terrible accident until the body goes missing. Determined to get to the bottom of the crime, Hazel and Daisy must outwit the killer as they hunt for evidence, spy on their suspects and use all the cunning and intuition they can muster. Not normally my kind of thing, I read this at the insistence of Lucy, my niece and god-daughter, who got the set of books for Christmas and thought I’d enjoy this murder-mystery set in a school. I’m glad I took her advice. Set in 1934, this is a cracking mystery that rattles along at a good pace with smart characters, a well-realised location and some wonderfully witty dialogue. Reading like a long-lost collaboration between Enid Blyton and Agatha Christie, this holds the attention as events pile upon one another and Daisy and Hazel use their intelligence to track down the culprit (with just a little help from an Inspector with a literary surname). The characters are nicely diverse (Hazel comes from Hong Kong) and their various flaws and frailties are tolerated and the book is accepting, if not explicit, of the Sapphic culture of an all-girls environment (between teachers and also the girls themselves, some of whom have ‘pashes’ on Daisy). Great fun and a decent mystery, I look forward to the other books in the series (Lucy reckons I’ll love them). Very much recommended. ...more
Uprooted from Bath by his father's failures, Gideon Belman finds himself stranded on Ormeshadow farm, an ancient place of chalk and ash and shadow. ThUprooted from Bath by his father's failures, Gideon Belman finds himself stranded on Ormeshadow farm, an ancient place of chalk and ash and shadow. The land crests the Orme, a buried, sleeping dragon that dreams resentment, jealousy, estrangement, death. Or so the folklore says (Orme is the Old English for worm or dragon). Growing up in a house that hates him, Gideon finds his only comforts in the land, where he will live or die in the shadow of the Orme, as all his family has. This is a beautifully observed, utterly absorbing tale that grabs hold of you from the off and doesn’t let go even after you’ve read the last word. Strong and bold, this is a dark coming-of-age tale, full of familial deceit, recriminations and abuse, but also has some lyrical touches of brightness to it. The characterisation is vivid and understated, the use of locations is masterful and the pacing is pitch-perfect, with just enough told. Even better is the elegant writing, a turn-of-phrase here, an small mention there, burying the complexity of the tale in apparently simple language that must be read to be believed. I would absolutely recommend this book, a masterpiece in the making - I loved it. ...more
Orphaned at an early age, Holly Craig ran away to London and joined the police. Fifteen years later, she’s back in the small Welsh coastal town of PonOrphaned at an early age, Holly Craig ran away to London and joined the police. Fifteen years later, she’s back in the small Welsh coastal town of Pontyrhudd as a DCI, investigating at first what appears to be a simple hit-and-run but quickly escalates into something far deadlier and unexpectedly personal. Told with a dry wit and great sense of the Welsh locations and populated by a lively cast of characters, this works well as a mystery and has a nice line of humour running through it as well. The procedural works, the gruesome murder scenes are memorable and my only gripe would be that the pay-off, while perfect, feels rushed through. A very good read, I would highly recommend this. ...more
The fourth book in a series (but the first I’ve read), I thoroughly enjoyed this. Told as a monologue by ‘Lady Han’, it recounts her story from povertThe fourth book in a series (but the first I’ve read), I thoroughly enjoyed this. Told as a monologue by ‘Lady Han’, it recounts her story from poverty to courtesan to trusted accomplice and lover of Hekate, the most powerful woman in the magical kingdom. With earthy language and some wonderful turns of phrase, this catches your attention from the off and never loses it, taking you through all manner of joy and pain but never becoming maudlin. An excellent piece of magical silkpunk (not a phrase I was aware of), I highly recommend this. ...more
Very much a tale of two halves, I liked the first part and the character of Yetu and I was interested in her history and how she’d got to where it wasVery much a tale of two halves, I liked the first part and the character of Yetu and I was interested in her history and how she’d got to where it was, but the second half really tried my patience and the whole thing felt far too long for what it was. It’s well written (and kind of knows it) and the ideas are smart but, too often, it became repetitive and that kept pulling me out. Reading the afterword, it’s clear the writers saw themselves as pursuing some literary masterpiece and maybe that’s where we diverged because I just didn’t get it. ...more
Josephine Palmer and her parents go to stay at Cold Christmas, the country pile Mrs Palmer’s friend Tessa has just moved into, so that Mrs Palmer can Josephine Palmer and her parents go to stay at Cold Christmas, the country pile Mrs Palmer’s friend Tessa has just moved into, so that Mrs Palmer can do some preliminary sketches for a painting she’s going to do. Mr Palmer has just lost his job - and is fifty, so it’ll be hard for him to find a new one - and Josephine is unhappy about that and having to go away for Christmas, meeting new people. It takes her a while to settle in with the kids her age there - all boys - but eventually she strikes up a friendship with Simon and Jason. Then, one evening, the three of them witness something supernatural and Josephine starts seeing a young girl in her bedroom. Published in 1974 (I have the 1978 Piccolo edition I got from the same Bookworm Club at school “The Adventures Of The Black Hand Gang” came from), this is well told and contains some creepy moments but suffers from having the 70s kids talk like characters from an Enid Blyton novel of the 50s. If the dialogue doesn’t ring true, the atmosphere Beachcroft evokes does and the house is a vivid recreation. I kind of wish now I’d read this when I got it (and not waited 42 years), but I’m glad I did. Recommended. ...more
Charting the making of “Star Trek V”, this has the great benefit of being written by the directors daughter, so she has almost unlimited access to theCharting the making of “Star Trek V”, this has the great benefit of being written by the directors daughter, so she has almost unlimited access to the production - the downside to that, of course, being that she’s never going to be critical of her Dad. Shatner, in general, comes over well and he’s clearly liked by his cast and crew, though some are not backward about telling him when he’s gone wrong (especially his producer and Leonard Nimoy). Clearly cataloguing the penny-pinching that severely hinders the final product, this nonetheless does a decent job of covering the nuts and bolts of production, even if the post-production aspect is very quickly glossed over. A big plus for the book is it’s layout - a slightly oversized paperback, this isn’t filled with big pictures and artwork and doesn’t have ANY pictures of people sitting around a computer monitor and pointing at the screen. Well worth a read, moreso if you’re a Trekkie, I enjoyed it and would recommend it....more
James Bond is up against a power-mad media mogul, in this story that ranges from the snowy Khyber Pass to a sea battle off the communist-controlled HoJames Bond is up against a power-mad media mogul, in this story that ranges from the snowy Khyber Pass to a sea battle off the communist-controlled Hong Kong. And once more the stakes are high: only Bond can prevent the outcome a third world war. Adapted from the screenplay by Bruce Feirstein, this was written by the then-current Bond novelist Raymond Benson. He does a good job of imitating Fleming’s style though, unfortunately, he also recreates some of the sexism too and it feels badly out of place for a 1997 book - Wai Lin, the major female character, is introduced with her breasts described as “like small apples” and it jars badly. That aside, after a slow opening, the book really picks up pace and Benson keeps things moving along well, with some nicely judged comedy and thumping action. Given the space, he provides backstories for Elliot Carver (which gives much more dimension to the book character than the film version got), Paris Carver and Lin herself, as well as painting a completely different picture of Stamper. While some sequences are identical to the film, there are plenty which aren’t - including the climax - and a lot of them work better than appeared on screen. An entertaining read, apart from a few odd bit as mentioned above, I really enjoyed this and if you like Bond (and the Brosnan era), I’d recommend it. ...more
The twelth in the Black Shuck Shadows series (smartly beautiful mini-collections), this gathers five short stories from the always dependable Gary McMThe twelth in the Black Shuck Shadows series (smartly beautiful mini-collections), this gathers five short stories from the always dependable Gary McMahon, and also serves as a perfect sampler for his fiction. All feature houses in one form or another (and our ties to them, bad as often as good) and the sense of family, mostly as bits of it wither or collapse completely. “Text Found On A Defunct Website” is good fun, an estate agents description that slips in depravity without warning while “The Chair” and “The Table” feature the same character at different stages in his life, coping with family breakdown and illness. “On The Walls”, my favourite of the collection, features Jill, going to clear her childhood home following the death of her mother and discovering a painting on the wall that has supernatural powers. Dark and oppressive, its focus on mundane details - a Travelodge, an affair, rain, peeling wallpaper - just gives the story more power. “Open House” rounds out the collection with a house apparently striking back. Cold and clinical, but a good eye for detail and the hurt a family can cause itself (however unintentionally), this is powerful horror fiction and I would highly recommend it....more
Part 2 of the Film Frontiers series (I read the others, about “Scarface” and “Raging Bull”, a few years ago), this looks at the making of “Taxi DriverPart 2 of the Film Frontiers series (I read the others, about “Scarface” and “Raging Bull”, a few years ago), this looks at the making of “Taxi Driver” during 1975 but puts in so much around it that focus on the film sometimes seems to drift. With no interviews undertaken by Macnab, the cut-and-paste nature of the quotes means some bits are repeated and others fade without much discussion. Fitting in the potential inspirations (in great detail), the films inspirations and legacy and reviews of it, the actual making of takes up 30 pages of the 195 page book and the appendixes, key figure filmographies, completely ignore Paul Schrader. Written in workman-like prose, there is some good information in here but it takes a while to root it out. A wasted opportunity....more
Another great collection, taken from “Kiss Her You Blockhead! Vol 2”, this was published in 1985 (I read the 1988 Coronet edition) and features comicsAnother great collection, taken from “Kiss Her You Blockhead! Vol 2”, this was published in 1985 (I read the 1988 Coronet edition) and features comics from 1982. As always, there’s plenty to like and my highlights include Snoopy the attorney, the little red-headed girl, “waking up just in time”, Snoopy’s song and dance when Charlie Brown tells him to heel, women in sports, Lucy and the football and Santa’s gifts. There are also a couple of melancholic moments involving parents (Peppermint Patty wants to buy her dad a card for Mothers Day and Snoopy laments he doesn’t know where father is) and some musing on growing up (from Sally, of all people). A lot of the strips are single runs and the only arc is the ending, which ends - unusually - on a cliffhanger (I went to the next book to find out the resolution!). Funny, touching, smart and affecting, this is wonderfully nostalgia and spiked with melancholy, an excellent read I highly recommend....more
From 1992, this covers three films - “Hook” by Cotta Vaz, “Naked Lunch” by Duncan and “Star Trek VI” by Martin. Cotta Vaz’s piece is thorough but quitFrom 1992, this covers three films - “Hook” by Cotta Vaz, “Naked Lunch” by Duncan and “Star Trek VI” by Martin. Cotta Vaz’s piece is thorough but quite narrow in its focus (unusually for the writer), while the always dependable Duncan takes in every aspect of “Naked Lunch” and gives as much weight to the make-up effects as she does the bug typewriters. Martin gets some good detail on ILM’s work in the Trek universe but, unfortunately, there are a few elements of CGI in it (this was just before the groundbreaking “Jurassic Park)” so we do have a few bits and pieces of computer babble but still plenty of physical effects. In the main though, this covers three very different films well and focuses on (and prints plenty of great pics of) practical effects, make-ups and miniatures. Informative and fun, this is a great read and very much recommended....more
I came very late to the US version of “The Office” and quickly fell in love with it, binge-watching my way through all the series and as is my wont, II came very late to the US version of “The Office” and quickly fell in love with it, binge-watching my way through all the series and as is my wont, I wanted to read up about it. I found this, liked the actress and her character and gave it a go. The blurb has it that we’ll “learn how she found her comedic calling in the world of improv, became a wife, mother and New Yorker, and landed the role of a bridesmaid (while simultaneously being a bridesmaid) in Bridesmaids”. It also promises to give us the chance to find out “what happens behind the scenes of your favourite shows”. That sold me. In reality, the book is a series of essays that chart Ellie from childhood through to the present and, as with anything like this, some work better than others. Most are amusing, a few are insightful, some seem pointless (giving up her bike in a spin class, anyone?) and none talk too much about behind the scenes stuff. It quite quickly became clear a little goes a long way and I’ll admit to skimming a couple of essays (especially spin class). I also found it hard to empathise with someone who seems to fall on their feet time and again and whose struggle to get their career going is completely funded by wealthy parents. Maybe the truth is a bit grittier but it certainly seems like a charmed life from these essays and while Ellie is self-deprecating and amusing, I felt like this could be have been much more than it was. ...more
When a drilling company accidentally strikes an alien creature buried deep within the earth it responds by spewing acidic gunk that kills drillers andWhen a drilling company accidentally strikes an alien creature buried deep within the earth it responds by spewing acidic gunk that kills drillers and site protestors alike. Nobody knows what the thing is and when it moves away, ever closer to London, it leaves a trail of destruction in its wake, reducing people and animals to brittle husks. The only person who understands the gravity of the situation is a professor who lost his wife to the creature and, teaming up with a young reporter, he tries to stop more death. Written by John Brosnan and Leroy Kettle (the SIC pseudonym is an in-joke, Brosnan also wrote as Harry Adam Knight - HAC), this slice of Brit horror from 1986 is an almost perfect example of paperback horror from that era. Told with wit and pace, this has a lot of echoes with 50s horror pulp (you can almost imagine Hammer having a field day with it), with plenty of sex and gore thrown in. Using London and the Home Counties as key locations really grounds it and the little vignettes of the victims amp up the suspense and terror but, really, it’s the mayhem that makes this. Gory, gruesome, funny and occasionally unpleasant (Robin the reporter has something very nasty happen), this races to a thunderous climax and then tops it off with a wonderfully downbeat ending. If you like 80s paperback horror, as I do, you’ll likely love it. If you don’t then, well, I feel sorry for you. ...more
Twenty-five years ago, troubled teenager Charlie Crabtree committed a shocking and unprovoked murder and Paul Adams will never forget. He’s never forgTwenty-five years ago, troubled teenager Charlie Crabtree committed a shocking and unprovoked murder and Paul Adams will never forget. He’s never forgiven himself for his part in what happened to his friend and classmate and he’s never gone back home. But when his elderly mother has a fall, it's finally time to stop running and, back in his hometown, it’s not long before things start to go wrong. Told with the same assurance as “The Whisper Man” last year, North produces a strong novel with vivid characterisation and an excellent sense of location (the Shadow referred to is a large wood bordering the town, where bad things have happened (and continue to). Starting out as an almost horror novel - the imagery and tension is excellent - this segues into a thriller and keeps up the pace, throwing in a handful of twists that shift everything around and kept me guessing. The ending, unfortunately, felt a bit soft (for reasons I can’t say without spoilers) though it still works and the sheer power of this makes me look forward to what Alex does next. Recommended....more
When Hannah Anna Goodbody is asked to leave by her nasty boyfriend, losing not only her home in Sweden but also the business she’s worked hard to builWhen Hannah Anna Goodbody is asked to leave by her nasty boyfriend, losing not only her home in Sweden but also the business she’s worked hard to build up, she returns to Middledip to look after her Nan who’s had a bad fall. At the same time, a friend from her teenage years, Nico, is having trouble with his ex-wife, whose addiction issues have landed him with looking after her two-year-old (in addition to the eight-year-old they share). As Nico and Hannah get closer, life gets in the way and the path to true love (and even friendship) is riddled with danger. Another winner from Sue, this just proves that as a writer she’s getting better and better with every novel. With a considerable amount of the book set in Sweden, her research is well presented without being over the top and the Middledip parts are, as ever, simply wonderful with lots of cameos from previous novels to make longtime readers of her books smile. Told with an excellent pace, great sense of location and a terrific feel for character, this doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of life (for either the heroine or hero), but still comes down on the side that human goodness will win in the end. I loved this, one of my favourites of hers (and I’ve read them all), I would highly recommend it. ...more
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the shower...For the last twenty years, Norman Bates has been in a state hospital for the criminally iJust when you thought it was safe to go back in the shower...For the last twenty years, Norman Bates has been in a state hospital for the criminally insane. With the help of his psychiatrist, Norman appears to have been cured of his mother fixation, and now decides he wants to get out, his opportunity arising when he’s visited by a nun. Using her habit as a disguise, he escapes and the psycho murders are about to start again... I love “Psycho” (the film) and thoroughly enjoyed the source novel and I like Bloch’s work, but this was an uphill struggle for me. According to interviews, Bloch heard the studios were planning a new film and didn’t ask him for input, so he wrote this novel anyway and, to be honest, his annoyance shows. The book gives vent to his feelings on Hollywood and the then-huge success of the slasher film genre (he clearly wasn’t a fan) and while that could have been effective, Bloch couples it with a bland story that doesn’t have any real suspense or thrills and delivers a twist that really strains credibility. Combine that with the fate of Norman (I won’t spoil it, but it’s quite ridiculous), (the writers) obsession with shaven genitals and a sequence in a gay club that has absolutely no bearing on anything other than being included for shock and you’re left with a real mess I had to force myself to get through. Thank goodness the film bears no resemblance to this - the studio definitely made the right decision. ...more
Ursula, Gareth and Alice have never met before. Ursula thinks she killed the love of her life, Gareth’s been receiving strange postcards and Alice is Ursula, Gareth and Alice have never met before. Ursula thinks she killed the love of her life, Gareth’s been receiving strange postcards and Alice is being stalked. None of them are used to relying on others – but when the three strangers’ lives unexpectedly collide, there’s only one thing for it: they have to stick together. Otherwise, one of them will die. I like Taylor’s book and this, overall, is another winner though it does take a while to get going. The characters are well realised - you instantly drop into their world, as their chapters cycle around - and have very independent stories (until the link is finally revealed) with my preference being Alice’s storyline. Bristol is utilised well and Taylor has a good eye for location, instantly placing you in a mundane setting where something intriguing is just about to happen. The ending, tying up the three characters lives, seems like a stretch at first but does work and the final twist had me closing the book with a smile on my face. Well written with a decent pace, I would recommend this. ...more
Face takes The A-Team to a swanky restaurant where he’s convinced the pastry chef is the cook, Lin Duk Koo, who helped save their lives in a POW camp Face takes The A-Team to a swanky restaurant where he’s convinced the pastry chef is the cook, Lin Duk Koo, who helped save their lives in a POW camp during the Vietnam war. Before they can speak to him, he’s kidnapped by thugs working for Tom Angel, another ex-POW now mobster, who is in league with General Chow (who ran the prison camp) distributing hard drugs into the USA. The A-Team manages to grab Koo and take down Angel and Chow before Face hires the team to travel to Ecuador, after he receives a mysterious message from an old flame (he’s never properly gotten over) - it turns out she’s now a nun and the orphanage she helps run has been taken over by a ruthless gang of criminals. Another cracking novelisation from Charles Heath, this takes episodes two and three from series two (“Recipe For Heavy Bread” written by Stephen J. Cannell and “The Only Church In Town” written by Babs Greyhosky) and blends them together well - Murdock’s Golfball Liberation Army filters through both (it’s only in the first episode) and the ex-girlfriend thread starts early in the first section, plus Range Rider gets several mentions (the previous Heath novelisation). Since the characters were so well defined in the TV series by then there’s not much work done here, but Heath puts a sharper edge on things, with more details on the Vietnam sequences, a few references to hard drugs and a bit more violence (Hannibal shoots a baddie in the arm at the orphanage) and fills out the backstories of the villains briskly. Perfectly capturing the tone of the series - and keeping up the humour levels - this works brilliantly, especially if (like me) you’re a fan of The A-Team. Very much recommended. ...more
Lex’s wife goes missing on the morning of the 2005 terror attack in London but no-one knows if she was among the victims or met a different fate. ExceLex’s wife goes missing on the morning of the 2005 terror attack in London but no-one knows if she was among the victims or met a different fate. Except Addie, who finds the missing woman’s purse in her Dad’s room after seeing him come home the night before covered in blood. Then Addie’s older sister Jessie gets a job, as a nanny for Lex’s daughter Chloe. Told from Addie’s point of view (as a ten year old in 2005 to 22 year old in 2017), this covers sibling love and loyalty, as she negotiates her way through Brixton life with a missing mother, volatile father and few chances for a good future. A mixture of murder mystery and coming of age tale, this works well (especially in the sibling relationship) though the mystery element lacks any real tension. Making good use of London locations (and real life incidents in the capital), this is well told and ties together nicely though the blurb is quite misleading (Lex, as a character, disappears for huge chunks of the book and most of it contains the serial killer known as Magpie, who abducts women every 7th July, which happens to be Addie’s birthday). With a couple of well timed twists (one fairly obvious, one not), this is a good read and I’d recommend it. ...more
In the sultry heat of Savannah, Marcie Maddox enjoys her life as the second (younger) wife of Jason, a marriage that catapulted her from the trailer pIn the sultry heat of Savannah, Marcie Maddox enjoys her life as the second (younger) wife of Jason, a marriage that catapulted her from the trailer park into the elite world of high society. But money and breeding matter and she knows she’ll always be an outsider, especially when Jason’s widowed boss brings a new bride home from a London trip, a young black woman called Keisha, beautiful and reckless, a force of nature no-one can take their eyes off. Perfectly evoking the steamy stickiness of the deep south, Pinborough fills her book with memorable characters - some of them sympathetic, some of them less so - and tells an effectively straight-forward mystery in such a way that the plot twists and turns in itself all the way through to the end. Utilising a couple of her trademark twists, this is a pacey, well-written and occasionally raunchy (fans of Shirley Conran might lap up parts of it!) tale of death, sex and deceit and I enjoyed it a lot. Very much recommended. ...more
Billed as “a memoir as dynamic as its subject”, this is Debbie Harry’s life from birth (she has a very young early memory) up to the present day, takiBilled as “a memoir as dynamic as its subject”, this is Debbie Harry’s life from birth (she has a very young early memory) up to the present day, taking in everything in between and leaving no stones unturned. Frank, witty, nervous and exuberant, this is the result of interviews with Sylvie Simmons and so we get a chatty style instantly recognisable to those of us who’ve heard her interviewed over the years and Ms Harry doesn’t hold back at all. From the early years of struggle in NY (including a horrifying sexual assault that is done and dusted within a paragraph that I had to stop and go back to, to see if I’d read it right first time) to the glory days of Blondie, from the decay of Blondie and the solo years and back to being on top, this covers it all. With a remarkable recall for names and places, Debbie tells the story of a woman who became an icon (and a huge crush of mine) and all the pitfalls she had to endure along the way. Read this if you like strong women or great music or New York or all of the above. I highly recommend it....more
Seventeen-year-old Claudette is home after a stay in hospital, after being unable to cope with depression. Everything’s different for her now and alsoSeventeen-year-old Claudette is home after a stay in hospital, after being unable to cope with depression. Everything’s different for her now and also for her seaside hometown, with the disappearance of local teenager (with a bad reputation) Sarah. Claudette and Sarah were sometime friends so when the police and press start to dig around for dirt, Claudette realises she can stabilise her world if she finds out what happened to Sarah. The blurb for this - and the reviews - made me keen to read it but, having done so, I have to say I don’t agree with them. Populated with stock characters (the kindly put-upon single Dad, his ‘girlfriend with a heart of gold’ who uncomplainingly puts up with all manner of aggro from Claudette, a best friend who trades in wisecracks but has very little to do, the local lost boys and girls) and taking unlikely plot lurches (is it about the disappearance, a scandal at a children’s home, the old man down the street or the local crimelord?), this also features a climax that revolves around a box of matches and Claudette doesn’t get hold of them until a minute before she needs them. Some of the writing is very smart but, unfortunately, most of that is put in as Claudette’s dialogue meaning she doesn’t even sound like a teenager and while the town is well used, none of it feels real. I couldn’t recommend it, sorry. ...more
'Criminal-In-The-Making ... Or Soccer Star Of Tomorrow?' Bullet comic was my favourite growing up and, in its wide and varied range of stories, Twisty 'Criminal-In-The-Making ... Or Soccer Star Of Tomorrow?' Bullet comic was my favourite growing up and, in its wide and varied range of stories, Twisty was never one of my favourites but it was always good fun. This series, which ran from issue 1 to 20 (14th Feb to 26th June 1976) became the first Red Dagger issue, published 1 in October 1979, though I’ve only just managed to get my hands on it. Set in a grubby Northern town (Sleethorpe) and featuring teenaged tyke Twisty Lunnon (who’s got a bad rep because, basically, his guardian - Uncle Charlie - is a crook) who is spotted by a football coach and apprenticed to the local team. As a result of a car crash, his leg is bent at an odd angle which not only makes him look funny (he’s taunted about it early in the story but the writer seems to forget it later) but means he can bend shots with the best of them. The story adds intrigue, bullying and a criminal ring to the proceedings but this is basically a tale of local underdog does good and you can’t beat that. The writing is sharp if a little brisk (the ending feels particularly rushed) and the artwork is consistently good all the way through and there were some wonderful little nudges of nostalgia amongst the various cliff-hangers. If you read boys comics during the 70s - as I did - then this is absolutely for you and Red Dagger is a great series in general - I’ve read several of the volumes previously and I will be seeking out more. Very much recommended. ...more
When a freak storm, centred over a small pocket of Leefields Park, Gloucestershire, drains a stream in a mini-tornado, the toad-spawn that gets suckedWhen a freak storm, centred over a small pocket of Leefields Park, Gloucestershire, drains a stream in a mini-tornado, the toad-spawn that gets sucked up is zapped with an electrical charge. Later deposited in some trees, the now mutated spawn lies in wait for a host. A Hamlyn Horror from 1981 (with a lyric quote from The Doors, no less), this is a proper old-school paperback original, brisk and gruesome and revelling in its silliness and gore. Featuring a wide range of characters - ruthless PR consultant Hamilton Saunders is having marital issues, Phil Lawson and his girlfriend Trish find themselves in the middle of the storm, Terry Gellner and his sister Alice are not looking forward to school and Richard Lawson - Phil’s brother - is bumping heads with his psychiatrist mentor. Sexual and dopey, gruesome and amusing, this has enough characterisation that it does exactly what it’s supposed to, puts people into grim situations and then turns the screws. Evans gives it a good pace, the gory set pieces are well handled (nasty bit of ocular trauma made me flinch) and if the ending rushes by, that’s a minor quibble. If you’re not a fan of this kind of sleazy early 80s horror, you might not like it but I did - downbeat and good fun, it doesn’t pretend to be anything it’s not and that’s my kind of book. ...more
I missed the first run of Monty Python and didn’t catch up with them until the early 80s, instantly falling in love with “The Life Of Brian”. A while I missed the first run of Monty Python and didn’t catch up with them until the early 80s, instantly falling in love with “The Life Of Brian”. A while later, the BBC repeated the TV series and, although I loved parts of it, I was getting into alternative comedy at the time so the Pythons didn’t really work for me. Years later, I saw “East Of Ipswich” and “A Fish Called Wanda”, loved both and realised Michael Palin might have been my favourite from the troupe so, after introducing my wife to “Wanda” recently, I decided to try his diaries. As a keen diarist myself (I’ve kept one since I was 12, in 1981), I was really pleased to see they’d literally transcribed it so we get the wonderful mundanity (woke up at 7.45) along with the realisation that he lives a very different life to most (going to the Albert Hall because Ray Cooper gave him spare tickets to see a Clapton gig). I picked this volume because I associated most with that era and his work in it and I’m glad I did. Palin has a lovely outlook on life, he writes about it - and the people he encounters - with warmth and wit and he’s clearly dedicated to his family (and presents a great snapshot of his children growing up). Intriguing (his various creative pursuits), warm and often quite moving, this was a lovely read and I hugely enjoyed it, though the suicide of his sister hit me hard, his writing in this period intense and emotional (the volume is dedicated to her). A wonderful evocation of a man who perhaps doesn’t realise how big a contribution he made to the lives of so many of us, this was a terrific (and very quick) read and I would highly recommend it....more
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