Book Reviews : Cumbria County Council

This is the story of Thomas Cromwell’s rise to fame during Henry VIII’s struggle to divorce Catherine of Aragon. From humble beginnings, Cromwell rose to dizzy heights in Henry’s service, though not without paying the ultimate price. This novel finishes well before Cromwell loses favour with his king, and is all the more tantalising for leaving the reader feeling there is so much left unsaid.

This turbulent time is full of fascinating and ambiguous characters, many of whom do what they need to do in order to survive. Just when you think that there can be nothing new to discover, a book like this comes along, giving new insight into the familiar story. By making Cromwell the central character, we discover that the bare facts of history can be interpreted in many different ways.

Winner of the 2009 Man Booker Prize.

Mad Max’s latest investigation leads him up against his bete noir – technology. To help his 6th form girls with threatening texts and emails, Max must learn to use a computer and a mobile phone. Then, much to the despair of his police officer wife, he stumbles across a dead body while paintballing. Is it time for Max to retire?

A quirky and amusing crime story.

One of the Arcane series which will span the past, present and future.

A romantic mystery which will enthral Krentz fans.

Duncan has a bit of an obsession with Tucker Crowe, a reclusive former rock star. He and his girlfriend Annie argue over a recently released Crowe album about which they have very different views.

Nick Hornby on his favourite subject – male obsession taken into geek territory. Gently humorous.

New evidence is found relating to a 25 year old kidnapping, and cold case expert DI Karen Pirie is instructed by senior management to give it high priority, as it is linked to the disappearance of Sir Broderick Grant’s grandson.

Around the same time, a woman reports her father missing after 25 years – not strictly a cold case as he hadn’t been reported missing at the time. However he is needed as a potential bone marrow donor for his seriously ill grandson, so Karen disobeys her superiors and starts investigating this case too.

Well written, with lots of fascinating background information on the1980s miners’ strike and its effect on Fife mining communities.

Liam downshifts to a smaller apartment after being forced into early retirement. However he wakes up in hospital after being attacked by an intruder on the first night in his new place. As his ex wife and various daughters rally round with food, support and advice, Liam struggles to understand what is happening.

Tyler’s novels are difficult to describe – they often feature fairly insignificant events happening to insignificant people, and usually do not have neat and tidy endings, but somehow always manage to capture the imagination of the reader and leave them wanting more of the same.

Gently humorous and compelling.

Colin Grainger’s ex wife, a serving police officer, is found murdered. Colin feels responsible since he thinks she was following a lead from information he had given here. He forms an unlikely alliance with her current boyfriend to bring the killer to justice. Meanwhile, Colin finds himself on the run when the murderer decides to eliminate evidence and witnesses.

Enjoyable, with sympathetic characters.

Ida, a 10 year old girl, goes off on her bike and doesn’t come back. The whole town turns out to search for her, but as time passes everyone gives up hope. Although initially there is nothing for the police to work on, gradually clues start to appear – and all the clues lead to one person.

A really gripping thriller, with am unexpected twist.

Writing about his recent stand-up tour of England, Dara ponders about the character of the English – do they have any particular traits like the Irish and the Scots?

If you like Dara you’ll love this. Thought-provoking and will make you laugh-out loud.

Anaximander is sitting an exam to try to gain entry to The Academy – the elite ruling body of the society she lives in. The style of the book is refreshing, with most of it directly reporting the interview between Anaximander and her Examiners.

Gradually the reader is given clues to make up how the world has reached its present state – but most readers will probably miss the clues that give away the dark and terrifying twist at the end of the book.

A refreshing approach to the debate on what it is to be human, and whether machines can ever really be taught to think and feel for themselves.

Private eye Tess Monaghan takes on the task of bodyguarding the star of a TV series being filmed locally in Baltimore. Despite initially dismissing many of the TV people as being vain and shallow, she soon finds herself being out manoeuvred by some of them.

Another in a long series of thrillers featuring Tess Monaghan.

When aspiring novelist Christopher Flinders drops out of university to write his masterpiece, his family is sceptical. But when he is taken up by the London editor Owen Goddard and his charming wife Diana, it seems success is only just around the corner. Things get more complicated when you factor in an ex wife and unreliable brother.

Well worth the read.

Georgie Sinclair’s life is falling apart – her husband has walked out on her, daughter Stella is away at university and 16 year old Ben spends all his time surfing born-again websites. And then she meets Mrs Shapiro, an eccentric old Jewish lady with a fondness for cats and an eye for a good bargain. A firm friendship is established over the reduced-price shelf at the supermarket which, to Georgie’s surprise, leads her on a journey of discovery. This is a wonderful read, full of humour and great warmth and peopled by an amazing cast of characters. It is a touching story of families and friendships written by an author with a gift for observation and an understanding of what makes us tick.
A great read which I can thoroughly recommend.

A very unusual book, with emotional issues, set in the 1950s. An enjoyable story with brilliant characters who you feel as though you know personally by the time you finish the book.

This is a story of friendship with a difference, both from an adult's and a child's point of view. Charlie makes friends with the local doctor, Jean Markham, and becomes a regular visitor to her home where she keeps bees. Charlie tells all his secrets to no one but the bees. When his parent's marriage breaks up his mother, Lydia, turns to the doctor for friendship, and rumours start to fly. This is one secret that Charlie is unable to keep to himself and the bees and his world is turned upside down when the locals begin to make life difficult.