My Review (5 stars out of 5) When an army of invading Martians lands in England, the population are thrown into panic. As huge three-legged machines trample across the countryside destroying everything in their path with a deadly heat ray, the people of Earth must come to terms with the possibility that humanity is to…
‘London Tales’ by Tim Walker
My Review (4 stars out of 5) This is another collection of stories from Tim Walker, with eleven tales taken from various points along London’s timeline. Subjects range from legendary Iceni queen, Boudica (seen from the point of view of the Romans), to more modern stories set in the twentieth century, such as a tale…
‘Dead Wrong’ by Cath Staincliffe
My Review (4 stars out of 5) In the summer of Euro ’96, Manchester is targeted by an IRA Bomb. In the midst of the ensuing confusion, private investigator Sal Kilkenny takes on two new clients – both very frightened. One is the victim of a stalker, while the other, a teenager, is terrified of…
‘Bluebird and the Dead Lake’ by John Pearson
My Review (5 stars out of 5) Following Donald Campbell’s 1964 attempt on the world land speed record, John Pearson spent several weeks with Campbell and his team in Australia’s remote outback, waiting for conditions on the saltpan of Lake Eyre to meet the standards required for a successful record attempt. Aiming to hit speeds…
‘Where There’s Doubt’ by Terry Tyler
My Review (4 stars out of 5) Café owner Kate doesn’t want much out of life. Aside from a tiring but successful business, a little dating site flirtation would be nice. Making an online connection with the apparently charming Nico, she agrees to meet, and despite warnings from friends, soon finds herself falling for him.…
‘Slow Horses’ by Mick Herron
My Review (5 stars out of 5) Jackson Lamb rules the roost at Slough House – a dumping ground for spies who messed up. Nicknamed the slow horses, his team deal with the mundane and the boring instead of being out in the field like proper spies. But with the kidnapping of a young Asian…
‘Berserker’ by Adrian Edmondson
My Review (5 stars out of 5) Writer, comedian, and actor Adrian Edmondson tells his own story from his schooldays, through The Comedy Store, anarchic sit-coms The Young Ones and Bottom, to more serious work. Charting his long comedy partnership with Rik Mayall, Ade also investigates his (possibly Scandinavian) heritage, discusses the Jacobite Rebellion of…
‘The Austrian Bride’ by Helen Parusel
The Austrian Bride My Review (4 stars out of 5) Austria, 1938. Longing for a better future for her fellow Austrians, Ella is caught up in the excitement when Hitler marches into Linz. But her enthusiasm fades as she witnesses the Nazis methods. Encouraged to join the Reich Bride School by her boyfriend Max and…
‘Under the Dome’ by Stephen King
My Review (5 stars out of 5) A small New England town is suddenly wrenched from the rest of the world when an invisible forcefield drops over it. Cars, planes, and people smash into the dome causing horror and panic. Iraq War veteran Dale Barbara is on his way out of the town when the…
‘Out of Africa’ by Karen Blixen
My Review (3 stars out of 5) This is Karen Blixen’s account of her time in Africa from 1914 up until 1931 when she left to return to Denmark. Arriving in Kenya to run a coffee farm, she describes her love for the land and the people, her affection for the landscape and animals, and…
Colin Garrow 