March 8, 2009 6:25 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Shadow by Karin Alvtegen

Karin Alvtegen is a Swedish crime writer with a string of one-word titles (Shame, Betrayal, Missing) to her name.  Shadow was actually my first foray into crime fiction (particularly Swedish crime fiction!) so I wasn’t sure what to expect. 

Would it all be down to the Muppet Chef in the kitchen with the meat cleaver?

Well, no. 

The story starts in 1975, with a small boy abandoned on the steps of an amusement park with just one note to explain his presence: “Take care of this child.  Forgive me.”

The action then skips forward to the present.  A solitary old woman has died, leaving a social worker of sorts to piece together the old woman’s life story.  It turns out that she was the family housekeeper of a Nobel prize-winning author. 

As the social worker seeks to uncover the old woman’s history, she unwittingly unlocks a series of devastating family secrets.

Shadow has no main character but several major players whose histories interweave to tell the story.  In less skilful hands this would just be a dry series of character biographies, but Alvtegen deftly weaves all the strands together to create a compelling study of human motivation. 

Although this novel suffers a little of what I always find with translated fiction – the prose seems a little stilted, and I can never tell if that’s a deliberate storytelling device or an effect of the translation process – it did flow very well, and at times I forgot that it wasn’t originally written in English. 

Alvtegen bravely delays the plot twists and conclusion to great effect – this is no cut-and-dried crime novel, and the journey through the characters’ motivations is as rewarding as the results of their decisions.

A great read.

Rating: 4/5

Posted by Robyn Wilder on March 8, 2009 in Books, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, Rating: 4/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 12, 2008 11:03 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Martina Cole

Now I know Martina Cole is not a chick lit author but she has come to my attention as I've been sent her new book, The Business, to review. Whilst I don't think I could read it at the moment, being pregnant my dreams are extremely vivid enough without reading about gangland crime, I will have a go once the baby pops out. I am, however, fascinated by Martina's own story on how she became a full time bestselling writer. So this week, the spotlight is on her.

The more I find out about Martina, the more inspired I get. She was born and raised in Essex in 1959. She has had what many people would call a hard life, her first boyfriend was a bank robber, her parents died when she was young and she became a single mother living in a carpet-less council flat at the age of nineteen. But she doesn't regret any of it.

She began writing her first novel, Dangerous Lady, at the age of twenty but put it in a drawer for a decade. The turning point came when the old lady she was nursing (Martina was an agency nurse by then) told her it wasn't the things she did but the things she didn't do that she'd regret. She immediately bought an electronic typewriter and, over the next six months, redrafted her story. She sent it to an agent and bam, received a phone call from him wanting to sign her up. This was 1992. Since then she has written a book almost every year.

Her books have been described as violent, but she reckons this wouldn't be such an issue if she was a man. She has also been accused of romanticising violence, but she begs to differ. My books show the causes of violence and its after-effects. You've got to talk to male authors about romanticising violence.

So besides not wanting to regret the things she didn't do, what else drives her? Simply that, like many other successful writers, I just write something that I'd want to read.

To read more I got much of my information from this interview in The Times and from Martina's website.

Martina Cole's books.

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 12, 2008 in Crime / Mystery, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (2)

August 19, 2008 11:05 AM

HELEN'S HEROINES: Maura Isles

Actually she is Dr. Maura Isles, medical examiner in the successful Maura Isles and Jane Rizzoli series of books by Tess Gerritsen. Following on from the recent news that there is to be a new book in the series (September release in the US and January 2009 in the UK) I just had to use her as this week's heroine.

She is so different from Detective Rizzoli. Where Jane is feisty, hot tempered, impetuous, Maura is cool, calm and, to use a cliche, collected. However, the two are similar in the fact they are both extremely brave.

Maura started off a lot like the author, Tess. Not physically (I always picture Maura, rightly or wrongly, a bit like Catherine Zeta Jones) but in her perspective on the world. She values logic and reason like Tess and also, obviously as she is a doctor, went to medical school.

In The Mephisto Club, however, she made an unwise and uncalculated decision. So she isn't always so self controlled and reasonable, which stops her from being too goody goody and almost, dare I say it, robotic.

On Tess's blog she has said a fan thought Maura was a bit boring. I have to disagree. Despite The Mephisto Club I feel she is quietly getting on with being a heroine, not getting into hysterics or shouting, but self controlled, determined and refusing to let the baddies affect her day to day life. If the latter isn't a sign of a good heroine, then I don't know what is.

More Helen's Heroines

Posted by Helen Redfern on August 19, 2008 in Crime / Mystery, Helen's Heroines | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 18, 2008 2:35 PM

BOOK NEWS: A new Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles

I have just been reading Tess Gerritsen's blog and discovered the exciting news that there will be a new Maura Isles and Jane Rizzoli book out very early next year in the UK, although US readers only have to wait until September this year.

It will be called Keeping The Dead in the UK and The Keepsake in the US. Carry on over the cut for the US cover.

Related posts: Bloodstream review | TV Series | The Bone Garden review

Posted by Helen Redfern on August 18, 2008 in American Authors, Book News, Crime / Mystery | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 12, 2008 8:33 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Ace of Hearts by Jean Holloway

Reviewed by Angela Richardson

Ace of Hearts is Jean Holloway’s debut novel. What really interested me about this book was that it was written by Holloway over twenty-five years ago and has only just caught the attention of conventions and books clubs now. I was extremely intrigued to find out what it was about this book that had suddenly captured people’s imagination so long after its creation.

Obviously as it was written so long ago, it was also set in that time. The eighties is conveniently an age before mobile phones, DNA analysis and complicated forensic computer technology were invented. So we are back to good old-fashioned guessing… I mean detecting!

Shevaughn Robinson is the main character and is the first black female to be so successful in the police force. She has just been promoted and transferred into homicide and her first case turns out to be the first of a series of gruesome murders. There’s a vicious sex attacker out there and he’s getting more and more confident with each killing. Unfortunately for Shevaughn the killer knows who she is and is getting more and more obsessed about her as he finds out she is leading the investigation.

I have to be honest to all the weak stomached people out there – this is a grim and gritty read. There are a lot of details included that might put you off your lunch, but I also have to admit that it’s an addictive read. I can understand why this book has suddenly attracted a lot of attention. The tension in the book is kept up on every page and the fact that you know who the killer is right from the start makes it even more of a page turner. The reader knows how near all the characters are becoming and it made me want to shout out a warning to them, but of course I’m not mad so I didn’t (honest!) For the softhearted there was a subplot running throughout of a romance that diluted the main serial killer theme and there was a twist right at the end after you thought it was all over.

Overall I think crime lovers will adore this book as its racy and dark themes will tantalise and excite most readers. For those who like flowers and romance there’s also something in there for you too, but I’m not sure it’ll make up for all the murders you’ll have to live through. However, if you think you’re strong enough it’s a great read that will surprise you.

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen

Posted by Aigua Media on August 12, 2008 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Debut Novels, Rating: 4/5 | Permalink | Comments (2)

July 21, 2008 2:08 PM

BOOK NEWS: The Tenderness of Wolves

The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney has been in my to be read pile for such a long time now that I've (almost) forgotten about it. The debut novel has, however, just won the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award (for some reason I didn't expect it to be a crime novel), beating off competition from Alexander McCall Smith, Peter Robinson and Mark Billingham.

Related posts: Orange Prize Longlist | Yay or Nay

Posted by Helen Redfern on July 21, 2008 in Book News, Crime / Mystery, Prize Winners | Permalink | Comments (1)

June 17, 2008 2:02 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Don't Make Me Choose Between You and My Shoes by Dixie Cash

Now this is an odd one. Dixie Cash is a pseudonym for two Southern sisters (one of whom is named, interestingly, Jeffery). Don't Make Me Choose ... is the fourth in a series featuring the "Domestic Equalizers" - two friends who are hairdressers with a sideline in private investigation.

So. The Domestic Equalizers are Debbie Sue Overstreet and Edwina Perkins-Martin and, in this book, they've been invited to New York to speak at the National Association of Private Investigators convention. Also attending the convention is Celina, a librarian from another small Texas town, who's always harboured ambitions to be a PI herself.

And then. Stuff happens. Okay, er, Debbie Sue and Edwina befriend Celina and they attend some of the conference. Plus Celina meets a hot policeman who the other two aren't sure can be trusted. And somewhere in New York there is a serial killer targeting prostitutes.

To use footballing terminology (sort of), this is a book of two halves. For the 150 pages, practically nothing happens in painstaking detail. Usually I would have stopped reading, but the writing is pretty engaging and I really liked the character of Celina and wanted to find out what happened to her.

The rest of the book loads happens, but I found it utterly unconvincing. Debbie Sue and Edwina are caricatures and I just didn't believe in them. Yes, it's far-fetched and kind of a farce, but it should still be convincing. I mean, Lula in the Evanovich books is over-the-top, but I totally believe in her.  I didn't believe in Debbie Sue and Edwina for a minute (I also struggled to keep straight which was which). That's probably why I liked Celina, because she seemed like a person, rather than a character. I ended up scanning the rest of the book and getting more and more irritated with the women's daffy behaviour.

And yet I'm giving it 3/5. I thought about giving it a 2, but when I think about this book, I think about it with fondness, rather than irritation, presumably due to the first half or the character of Celina. I don't know, it's not an exact science (that's for sure). So to sum up? It could have been really good. It wasn't. But it also could have been a lot worse. Hmmm. Maybe give Celina her own series..?

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot

Posted by Aigua Media on June 17, 2008 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release, Series | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 16, 2008 10:17 AM

MORE ON MONDAY: The Bone Garden by Tess Gerritsen

It was with great excitement that I went to a book signing of Tess Gerritsen for The Bone Garden some months ago. She didn't disappoint either. Instead of reading an extract from her book she gave us some background information into what gave her the idea for the book and being a writer myself I found it fascinating. I also found the subject matter fascinating, even if I felt a little squeamish at times.

Julia Hamill has been digging in the garden in her new house, when she managed to uncover bones. With the help of the elderly Henry Page, a relative of the women who used to live in Julia's house, they uncover the history of what happened in 1830's Boston including who the bones belong to and the story of the West End Reaper.

In the 1830's Rose Connolly's sister has just died from Child Bed Fever or Puerperal Fever (which is what Tess talked to us about, along with resurectionsists to demonstrate how she got the idea for the novel). It is an epidemic not just in Boston, but in hospitals the world over. Women would go into the hospital, give birth and whilst the baby would be fine, they would not. Incidentally if you are thinking this is not the best book to be reading whilst pregnant, like I am, you are probably right. But I carried on anyway. I couldn't help it, I was gripped.

Child Bed Fever is not the main part of the story, it is the back drop. Whilst her sister was dying, Rose came across a medical student called Norris Marshall and when the West End Reaper pays a visit, their lives become entwined. I am not going to say anymore as this is a murder mystery and I wouldn't like to give anything away.

It wasn't just the subject matter, which added layers and dimension to the story and bizarrely made this novel so much more enjoyable, it was the actual plot itself. There have been times - even with some of Tess's other books, where I have guessed the outcome but for this one I had absolutely no idea. There were twists and turns aplenty and because I was enjoying the book so much I didn't have time to work out who the killer was.

I thought this book was brilliant, her best yet and I have no hesitation at all in giving it five out of five.

A word of warning about Tess Gerritsen books though. Tess is a doctor. She knows human bodies. There are killers in her books and she has a very good knack at description. If you are of a sensitive disposition you may not want to read her books. If you aren't. Give them a try.

Rating: 5/5

Like this? Try The Reincarnationist by MJ Rose

Posted by Helen Redfern on June 16, 2008 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, More On Monday, Rating: 5/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 9, 2008 12:09 PM

BOOK REVIEW: The Chocolate Mouse Trap by Joanna Carl

Reviewed by Angela Richardson

The Chocolate Mouse Trap is the fifth book in The Chocoholic Mysteries series by JoAnna Carl. This is the first one I have read and I was very curious how Carl was going to mix chocolate and murder mysteries. The combination sounded as though it could be delicious or nauseating (personally I suspected the latter).

This book (and I am guessing the others, due to her frequent reminiscences of past murders) revolves around Lee Mckinney who works in her aunt's chocolate shop. After meeting a party planner, Julie, that has passed some business her way, she is now being inundated by her "inspirational"€™ emails. That is until Julie'€™s killed.

When all the people on her emailing list are plagued with computer problems and then more attacks start to happen, Lee feels she has to investigate. Why would a harmless food industry emailing list be the target of an attacker? She'€™s determined to find out, even if it means risking her own life.

I have to say, this book is quite bizarre. It's basically a cosy murder mystery, but Carl inserts these chocolate quotes between chapters and I wouldn't like to be caught with her main character Lee, when she'€™s on a chocolate lecture. All she has to do is name a chocolate and you get a detailed description of it after. It is all an extremely strange idea and definitely not very good to read while you are trying to diet. I bought 2 bars of chocolate in a day because of this book! Or perhaps that'€™s the idea and she gets commission from a chocolate company!

Overall, the basic book is a good one, it kept me interested, and although the pace did tend to lag occasionally, I thought it was a good read. I just found all the chocolate facts and details to be a bit strange, but then there must be a chocoholic market out there as this is the fifth in the series.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try The Forever Summer by Suzanne Macpherson

Posted by Aigua Media on June 9, 2008 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Rating: 3/5, Series | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 16, 2008 12:28 PM

FRIDAY FLICK: The Shawshank Redemption

The Shawshank Redemption is taken from the Stephen King collection of novellas, Different Seasons. This isn't a scary Stephen King book or film. Instead it is a story of, well, wrongful imprisonment for a start, but also hope, integrity and, funnily enough, redemption. The first time I watched it,as a student, I turned my nose up, but from the beginning I was hooked. When I watched it again a few weeks ago, once more I was sucked into the story.

It is 1947 and Andy Dufresne (played brilliantly by Tim Robbins), a young banker, is wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife and her lover. He is sent to the notorious Shawshank State Prison where he meets Red (Morgan Freeman) who is actually the narrator of the story. Red is a man who can get things, and after about a month Andy asks him for a rock hammer as he is into rock carving.

Andy is not your typical prisoner. He is a caring man, not hardened and claims, to the disbelief of his fellow inmates, that he is innocent. He is calm, patient and mild-mannered, initially seen as weak, but proves himself to be anything other than.  He is targeted by a gang called "The Sisters" and is attacked by them for a few years.  Andy never loses hope though and gradually life for Andy in the prison improves as he becomes useful to the warden.

The acting of  Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman along with all the other actors is excellent. The portrayal of the brutal conditions inside the prison is often uncomfortable viewing but stick with it. It has an excellent ending. One of the best, if not the best, I have ever seen in a film.

Realted posts: Friday Flick archives

Posted by Helen Redfern on May 16, 2008 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Friday Flick | Permalink | Comments (2)

May 14, 2008 10:00 AM

BOOK & TV NEWS: Crime Thriller Awards

Cactus TV, the company behind the Richard and Judy Book Club, have announced the Crime Thriller Awards to be shown on ITV3 this autumn. The awards will not just go to the best of British and International crime thriller novels, but also to the greatest crime and thriller films and TV dramas of the year.

What I am looking forward to though is in the six weeks leading up to the awards there will be documentaries on six of the best crime writers working today. Colin Dexter, Ian Rankin, PD James, Lynda La Plante, Val McDermid and Ruth Rendall will all be describing their writing methods, how they create the mysteries, what makes them tick and the lifestyles their writing has brought them.

[Via booktrade.info]

Related posts: Richard and Judy

Posted by Helen Redfern on May 14, 2008 in Book News, Crime / Mystery, Television | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 22, 2008 1:05 PM

MOVIE NEWS: The Oxford Murders

Ooh, I like the look of The Oxford Murders. It's out this week and is adapted from an award-winning novel of the same name by the Argentine mathematician and writer Guillermo Martínez.

It's a thriller, but with addded mathematics and philosophy. Set at Oxford University, Professor Arthur Seldom  (the wonderful John Hurt) and his student Martin (Elijah Wood), work together to solve a series of puzzling murders...

Related posts: Movie News archives

Posted by Sarah Painter on April 22, 2008 in Book related, Crime / Mystery, Movie News | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 18, 2008 12:05 PM

New Patricia Cornwell book to be serialised

I used to love Patricia Cornwell's books, but as I got older I got scaredier (it's a word!) and I had to stop reading them if I wanted to continue sleeping...

Anyway, The Times newspaper is going to be serialising Cornwell's latest novel, The Front, in its entirety prior to UK publication.

The book will be published in 10 daily instalments, starting this Monday (21 April). [via Booktrade.info]

Related posts: Television news - Tess Gerritsen | Mills & Boon turns to crime

Posted by Aigua Media on April 18, 2008 in Crime / Mystery | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 14, 2008 7:49 PM

BOOK COVER: Fearless Fourteen

While I may be moderately excited at the prospect of a new Stephanie Plum adventure (tempered by the hope that it is a return to form after the only-okay Lean Mean Thirteen), I am distinctly underwhelmed by this cover.

I sincerely hope this is a placeholder cover, not the one that will actually go to print and be released this summer. If not, I hope Janet Evanovich's publisher didn't pay very much for it...

Related posts: Did Janet Evanovich invent chick lit? | Perfectly Plum

Posted by Sarah Painter on April 14, 2008 in American Authors, Book News, Book covers, Crime / Mystery | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 11, 2008 11:40 AM

BOOK REVIEW: How I Write by Janet Evanovich and Ina Yalof

Since I love Janet Evanovich's books so much, it was only natural that I would want to read the guide she has written to how she actually *writes* them.

How I Write is basically a glorified collection of the writing FAQs gathered from Evanovich's website, with occasional interjections from co-writer Ina Yalof and Evanovich's daughter - and webmaster - Alex, but that's not to say it's not entertaining and valuable, just a bit, well, basic. There is little writing advice that you wouldn't already be aware of had you read any sort of introduction to writing.

What makes it different is Evanovich's experience and her openness and honesty. Also, writing tutorials are illuminated with examples from the Plum books, which is really helpful.

I'm fascinated by how Evanovich came to write the Plum books (after being a relatively successful author of category romance) along with how she treats the business side of being an author and there's a lot of enlightening information on those subjects in this book. It also features details of Evanovich's writing life, which, if you're as nosy about authors' lives as I am, you'll find fascinating.

If you're looking for a general writing guide there are other books I'd recommend ahead of this one, but if you're an Evanovich fan or as interested in writers as writing, then I have no doubt you'll enjoy this book.

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try Wannabe a Writer by Jane Wenham-Jones

Posted by Aigua Media on April 11, 2008 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Non Fiction, Rating: 4/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 28, 2008 9:20 AM

FRIDAY FLICK: Catch Me If You Can

Based on the true-life story of Frank W Abagnale, master-con-man, Catch Me If You Can is adapted from Frank's autobiography of the same name.

Frank's story as a charming fraudster is an amazing one. Before his nineteenth birthday he had spent millions of dollars passing fake cheques and had impersonated a Pan Am pilot, a doctor and a prosecuting lawyer.

The film features Leonardo DiCaprio as Frank Abagnale and Tom Hanks as the FBI agent hot on his trail and is directed by Steven Speilberg.

It would be hard to make a dull movie out of material this good, but I particularly like the way Frank's character and relationships are exlored.

From his adored father (played by Christopher Walken) to Carl Hanratty, the FBI agent who pursues and eventually catches him, Frank shows himself to be strangely upstanding in his relationships and is a sympathetic anti-hero.

A thoroughly entertaining tale, if a little over-long. I now want to read the book!

Related posts: Friday Flick archives

Posted by Sarah Painter on March 28, 2008 in American Authors, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Friday Flick | Permalink | Comments (1)

March 27, 2008 10:02 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Fast Women by Jennifer Crusie

Fast Women is the first Jennifer Crusie I ever read and as such it retains a very special place in my heart.

It's also a fantastic, fast-paced read with some of my Crusie favourite characters. In fact, I've read this book so many times, I have difficulty remembering that they're not real...

Recently divorced, Nell Dysart seeks work at a down-at-heel private investigation firm. Gabe McKenna, the owner, is in need of a secretary to organise his office and Nell is in need of a paycheck.

Nell is feeling decidedly grey after her divorce. She has been so focused on being controlled and grown-up about the break-down of her marriage, she has forgotten her own needs and desires.

Gabe works with his cousin, Riley, but is used to being the boss. He inherited the agency from his father and wants everything to stay exactly the same. Utterly in control, he also feels utterly miserable.

As Nell organises the hell out of the office sparks fly, and Nell, slowly, returns back to life.

Much as I love the romance between Nell and Gabe (and I do), I love the supporting cast and subplots in Fast Women even more. Nell's two best friends are also her ex-sisters-in-law. There's sweet Margie, who obsesses over her china collection, and Suze - a gorgeous blonde with an older-man husband who is continually searching for meaning in her life.

There is also a lovely subplot between Nell's son, Jase, and Gabe's daughter (from his previous marriage) Lu. They have fallen in love and the way they mirror and reinforce the mistakes their parents are making/have made in relationships is brilliantly poignant and funny.

It's a book full of spectacular arguments, dog-napping, mystery, Clarice Cliff pottery, astrology and strong, smart, funny women. What more do you need?

Rating: 5/5

Like this? Try: Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie

Posted by Sarah Painter on March 27, 2008 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Rating: 5/5, Romance | Permalink | Comments (9)

March 17, 2008 1:45 PM

More Heather Wells

Meg Cabot has revealed that there will be a further two Heather Wells mysteries in her series about the New York dormitory-manager and amateur sleuth.

There are no titles, as yet, but the books should be out next year, bringing the series total to five. The fourth will take place soon after the events in Big Boned, during the summer break. Meg says it will be about "Tania Trace Rock Camp", while the fifth will be "about Heather and Cooper's you know what."

Related posts: Heather Wells optioned for TV | Review: Size 12 Is Not Fat

Posted by Sarah Painter on March 17, 2008 in American Authors, Book News, Crime / Mystery | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 11, 2008 1:00 PM

TELEVISION NEWS: Tess Gerritsen

A couple of weeks ago, Helen raved about Tess Gerritsen's character Jane Rizzoli and now she's tipped me off that TNT Entertainment have just announced that they are planning to make a TV series out of the Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles series of books. [via Tess Gerritsen's blog]

Any casting suggestions? Helen? Anyone?

Television news archives

Posted by Keris on March 11, 2008 in Crime / Mystery, Television | Permalink | Comments (1)

March 10, 2008 2:02 PM

MORE ON MONDAY: The Strawberry Picker by Monica Feth

Reviewed by Colin Mulhern

A killer seeking the perfect partner. All he wants is beauty and innocence. But when he gets close he notices imperfections, the image is shattered and the papers report another murder.

Caro is his latest victim, and at her funeral, Jemma - Caro's flatmate - swears revenge and decides to track down the killer, but in making her very public oath, she attracts the attention of a hansom, mysterious strawberry picker.

It all sounds pretty good - certainly the makings of a good thriller, but the point of thrillers is, by definition, to thrill - to involve the reader by invoking emotions, to convince them that the characters are so real that they believe and care. You can only really do that if you allow the reader to see what is happening as it is happening. The Strawberry Picker is way too passive in its delivery, telling the reader what people have said or done or doing rather than showing these things in real time. The only thing the characters do actively is make espresso - in so many scenes that you wonder if this is something the author has only just discovered.

The result of this passive, wishy-washy hold-my-hand style is that by the half way mark the characters are as lifeless as they were on page one, the scenes are painfully dull and any aspect of a mystery has withered and died before we even reach the moment where Jenna swears revenge. This, incidentally, is well past the halfway point, and to be honest, by the time I'd got there, I really couldn't care whether she fell in love with the killer, helped her mother edit another successful crime thriller (writers writing about writing - yawn) or make another bloody espresso.

There are too many other things you can spend £5.99 on. Don't buy this.

Rating: 1/5

Like this? Try Be Mine by Laura Kasischke (an adult book)

Posted by Keris on March 10, 2008 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, More On Monday, Rating: 1/5, Recent Release, Young Adult | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 5, 2008 10:17 AM

Stephanie Plum news and stuff!

Although the cover isn't available yet, the name for the next Stephanie Plum novel has been released on Janet Evanovich's website... It's Fearless Fourteen and release day is 17 June.

If you need a little something to cheer you up during the wait, why not treat yourself to a Rangeman t-shirt or baseball cap (only available in black, naturally)? I quite fancy the 'cupcake' t-shirt, myself. It's got a v-neck and some neat little embroidery... No sign of a free Morelli to go with it, though.

Related posts: Jenny Crusie merchandise | Spotlight: Janet Evanovich

Posted by Sarah Painter on March 5, 2008 in American Authors, Book News, Bookish products, Crime / Mystery | Permalink | Comments (0)

February 25, 2008 5:11 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Dangerous Admissions by Jane O'Connor

Jane O'Connor has written a raft of books for children, but Dangerous Admissions is her first adult book. It's classic chick lit mystery with a gutsy heroine - single mother Rannie Bookman - a fantastic Manhattan setting and lots of romance and thrills.

Rannie is a freelance copy editor and part-time tour guide for the exclusive Upper West Side private school her  son Nate attends (courtesy of her rich WASP ex-mother-in-law).

When the Director of College Admissions is found dead at his desk - and Nate is a suspect, Rannie turns amateur sleuth.

Unlike most chick lit suspense I've read, Dangerous Admissions is written in third person. As well as Rannie's point of view, we get insight into Nate's life and thoughts.

I also really liked the character of Olivia, Nate's friend and fellow Chapel School student. She has an older brother who is a recovering drug addict and another suspect for the murder.

Jane O'Connor's characterisation is truly excellent; the teenagers had distinctive, believable voices, and I really bonded with Rannie.

The plot is suspenseful, with lots of twists and turns, and there is  a dash of romance, too.

A fabulous new sleuth on the chick lit mystery scene.

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try: Size Doesn't Matter by Meg Cabot

Posted by Sarah Painter on February 25, 2008 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Rating: 4/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

February 21, 2008 1:14 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Smart Vs Pretty by Valerie Frankel

Two sisters - one labelled the smart one (Frank) and the other pretty (Amanda) - are left running a Brooklyn coffee bar after the sad demise of their parents.

Unfortunately, a chain coffee house has opened next door and the cafe's finances are in dire straits. Enter Clarissa, a business studies student who offers to take on the coffee house (for free) as a project.

Not even the smart sister is suspicious, and Frank and Amanda start vying for Clarissa's friendship, while giving her free reign over their business.

Then, about a third of the way in, what had seemed to be a book about sibling rivalry and a 'Mr Coffee' of the week competition, abruptly transforms into a murder mystery.

Although sharply written, with plenty of great descriptions of the characters and the setting, this novel is just too uneven. Now, I love chick lit mystery, but this is one of those books that reminds you just how damn hard it is to get the balance right.

Characters and plot twists come thick and fast, but, unfortunately, these are so convenient as to appear farcical. Plus, the sisters are frequently TDTL (Too Dumb To Live). 

Ultimately, Smart Vs Pretty is a missed opportunity. With a scaled-down plot and more attention given, instead, to the character development of the sisters, this would have been a far more enjoyable read.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try: One For The Money by Janet Evanovich

Posted by Sarah Painter on February 21, 2008 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

February 19, 2008 4:31 PM

HELEN'S HEROINES: Jane Rizzoli

Helen Redfern's weekly column on her female fictional faves...

Jane Rizzoli. 'Who’s she?' I hear you ask. This heroine is not as well known as some of my others. So let me introduce you to this character I only came across myself a year ago.

Jane Rizzoli is a Boston homicide detective in the Jane Rizzoli/Maura Isles series of books by Tess Gerritsen. These are hard hitting, graphic and a little gory, something I never thought I’d be interested in. I am officially a squeamish scaredy cat and could never, for example, read Stephen King. But after reading my first Tess Gerritsen book I was hooked. This partly because of the interesting and inspiring character that is Jane Rizzoli.

Jane is intelligent, insightful and as hard as nails. She’s a good cop and will not rest until she has caught the perp (that’s the perpetrator to you and me). She can be volatile and impulsive and indeed, particularly in the first book she appears in, she is initially brittle and not very likeable.

She has to work extremely hard as the only female in a male dominated homicide unit. Not only is she an outsider at work, she is also the only girl in a family of brothers. She is often the object of scorn and derision by her fellow detectives and her brothers don’t treat her much better either.

Dr. Maura Isles, a Boston Medical examiner, is a friend of Jane’s. They met on the job. Maura is the cool, calm and distant character based, in part, on the author. Jane is almost the opposite being, according to Gerritsen “hot tempered, passionate and painfully blunt.” She goes on to say, “Sometimes she infuriates me. (And infuriates my readers as well.) But one thing she never does is bore me.”

As the series of books progress we see Jane’s chip on her shoulder shrink substantially. She becomes softer and happier as her life changes. In the first book she appears in, The Surgeon, she played a secondary character that Gerritsen planned to kill off at the end. But “something stopped me … She’d grown on me. She had so much heart, she’d faced so many struggles, that to end her life there struck me as appallingly unfair. So I let her live. (And I’m damn glad I did.)”

So am I, Tess, because with Jane you have introduced me to a completely different genre of reading, one I never thought I would contemplate but has given me huge enjoyment (and has also spooked me on many occasions). For that I am incredibly grateful. Discovering Jane Rizzoli was a great reward for trying a different type of book.

Related posts: Bloodstream by Tess Gerritsen review | Roberta from The Railway Children | George Kirrin

Posted by Keris on February 19, 2008 in Crime / Mystery, Helen's Heroines, Series | Permalink | Comments (4)

February 11, 2008 11:16 AM

MORE ON MONDAY: Dirty Martini by JA Konrath

I've heard great things about JA Konrath, but fewer than 50 pages in I had to stop reading. There were poisoned nails set as booby traps ... fear, carnage ... *shudder* ... I had to stop reading. So I gave it to my husband to review...

Reviewed by David Stainton

Forgive me, but when I inevitably discovered that 'J A' stood for Joseph Andrew, meaning the sexy, kick-ass Lieutenant Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels was created by a nerdy-looking forty something bloke, it put me off the book before I'd even given it a chance. Irrational I know, but I can't put it out of my head. It's probably what Victorian readers of Middlemarch felt when they discovered George Elliot wasn't a forty-Woodbine-and-ten-pints-of-ale-a-day fella.

That apart, I was left feeling unsatisfied as a whole at the end of the book. Putting aside my wavering suspension of disbelief about the whole plot, which revolves around a mad sociopath poisoning half of Chicago, and Daniels apparently having to solve the whole case by herself, it just wasn't thrilling enough for a thriller, suspenseful enough for a mystery, or funny enough for a comedy.

The writing is sharp enough, and if Konrath had concentrated on the investigation, without throwing in cliched hokum around ex-partners, both professional and personal then I could have cared more about the outcome. Unfortunately I didn't care enough to overlook the fact that once more than a dozen people had died horribly then the city would have been shut down till the murderer was caught.

As it is, Daniels lurches from one near-fatal encounter with her nemesis to the next, leaving a trail of dead cops and civilians in her wake. And the fact that she didn't see the blindingly obvious link to the killer which is revealed in order to lead her to the final showdown offends me as a fellow member of the law enforcement community. Sorry, but Jack Daniels left a funny taste in my mouth...

Rating: 2/5

Like this? Try One For the Money by Janet Evanovich

Posted by Keris on February 11, 2008 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Rating: 2/5, Series | Permalink | Comments (1)

Mills & Boon turns to crime

Mills & Boon is launching a crime and thriller series. Called Black Star Crime, the series will span everything from cosy crime to chilling thrillers, and five titles will be published every two months.

Mills & Boon is going to apply the principle of consistency that has served them so well in the romance market. Oliver Rhodes, marketing manager, explains: "The idea is that if people find something they like they can go back and find something similar. It is a brand promise.”

[Via Bookseller]

Related posts: Mills & Boon on your mobile | Fancy writing a Mills & Boon?

Posted by Sarah Painter on February 11, 2008 in Book News, Crime / Mystery | Permalink | Comments (1)

February 6, 2008 9:06 AM

Heather Wells series optioned for TV

It's official, Meg Cabot really is taking over the world... And hurrah for that! Her Heather Wells series (Size 12 Is Not Fat,  Size  14  Is Not Fat Either and Size Doesn't Matter*) has been optioned by ABC Family for a TV series.

Heather Wells is an ex-teen-pop-star and amateur sleuth and, like most of Meg's fabby ideas, I think it will translate well to the screen...

* Titled Big Boned in the US

Related posts: Little Women interpreted by Meg Cabot | Meg Cabot's new Scholastic series

Posted by Sarah Painter on February 6, 2008 in American Authors, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Television | Permalink | Comments (4)

February 1, 2008 10:27 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Death of a Six-Foot Teddy Bear by Sharon Dunn

Reviewed by Jill Hart

Quirky and hilarious – those are the words I’d use to describe Sharon Dunn’s newest release, Death of a Six-Foot Teddy Bear. The title alone made me chuckle and the book doesn’t disappoint. 

The Bargain Hunter’s Network (BHN) is a group of women that shop together and, naturally, seek out sales and bargain prices. BHN consists of four women: cat loving Ginger, Kindra the college student, Suzanne the mother of four, and Arleta, the senior citizen of the group. 

In Death of a Six-Foot Teddy Bear, the second book in the Bargain Hunters Mystery series, the group travels to Calamity, Nevada, the site of an invention convention in which Ginger’s husband wants to take part. 

The group arrives in Calamity and from there things go steadily downhill. A mystery ensues and the HBN ends up right in the middle of the action. The result is a hilarious novel that, while at times silly, entertains and gives a nice break from reality which is something I can always use. J

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Simmer Down by Jessica Conant-Park and Susan Conant

Posted by Keris on February 1, 2008 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Inspirational, Rating: 3/5, Series | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 31, 2008 2:59 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Tell No Lies by Julie Compton

Julie Compton was a trial attorney for the US Department of Justice. Now she's a writer and stay-at-home mother. Tell No Lies is her first novel and it employs her legal background to great effect. 

Jack Hilliard is a 35-year-old assistant DA who loves his wife, Claire, and enjoys his job. He gets on well with his boss and is never asked to trial cases which compromise his moral integrity.

Jack comes across as a stand-up guy, and it takes a skillful author to make the reader believe in his fall from grace. Luckily, Julie Compton is just such a writer.

Earl (Jack's boss) decides to leave and he asks Jack to run for office (to take his place as the DA). On the same day, a flirtation with his lawyer friend, Jenny, gets rather more serious.

Compton takes us through Jack's dilemma - he wants the promotion, but will never get it if he is publically honest about his views on the death penalty. He is against it - under any circumstances.

Jenny, with whom he is increasingly obsessed, convinces him to misprepresent his position to secure the top job. Then, just over half-way through the book, when I was beginning to think 'okay, how is this going to get spun out for another 200 pages?', Jenny is accused of murder.

This is an excellent psychological thriller and an extremely polished debut. I will watch Julie Compton's new career with interest...

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try: Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

Posted by Sarah Painter on January 31, 2008 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Debut Novels, New Releases, Rating: 4/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 24, 2008 9:17 PM

Chick Lit Heroine Grudge Match: Lula v Charity

In the last stand-off, Cranky Agnes (and her frying pan) beat Heartburn's Rachel Samstat.

I thought I'd mix it up a little for this week's match. It's true that the heroine's best mate/partner in crime/sister is often as kick-ass as the heroine herself, so I thought I'd put a couple in the ring.

Please put your hands together for Lula (Stephanie Plum's side kick) and Charity (the wise-cracking best friend in Anyone But You).

Lula

The books: The wildly successful Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich

The woman: Ex-ho, 'traditionally-built' woman with a penchant for lime-green spandex and tasers.

Loves: Tank. Works at RangerMan services and is built like one.

Kick ass?: In fairness, Lula does a great deal more falling on her ass than kicking some, but she gets a lot of the best lines. She could probably incapacitate her opponent by making them weak with laughter...

Charity

The book: Anyone But You by Jennifer Crusie

The woman: Leather-mini-skirt wearing, boutique-owning, dating book-writing, best friend of the heroine, Nina.

Loves: Amaretto milk shakes, high heels, Nina, and getting revenge on rat-fink men.

Kick ass?: I love Charity. She has great lines, great clothes and great attitude. She doesn't do anything action-hero-like in the book (it's a romance) but I get the distinct impression that she would do anything to protect or avenge Nina.

Conclusion: Although Lula is pretty handy with the wrestling moves (in other words, she sits on people), Charity is smart and feisty. What do you think?

Posted by Sarah Painter on January 24, 2008 in American Authors, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Romance | Permalink | Comments (2)

January 22, 2008 2:13 PM

TELEVISION NEWS: Murder Most Famous UPDATED!

A new BBC Two reality show will see six celebrities learning about murder (from police and pathologists) before writing a crime novel with the help of author, Minette Walters. The winner's novel will then be published.

I must admit I read this yesterday and today thought I'd dreamed it since it seems so random, but it's apparently true and will be broadcast in March.

Only one celeb has been named so far and that's my guilty crush, Strictly Come Dancing's Brendan Cole, so I'll be watching...

UPDATE! Lovely Jill Mansell has advised that the other contestants have been named as Sherrie Hewson, Angela Griffin, Kelvin MacKenzie, Matt Allwright and Diarmuid Gavin. So that's nice, isn't it?

 

Related posts: Crime archives | Television archives

Posted by Keris on January 22, 2008 in Crime / Mystery, Television | Permalink | Comments (3)

January 17, 2008 4:16 PM

THURSDAY TRAILBLAZER: Agatha Christie

Agatha Christie (1890-1976) is known as the Queen of Crime. She was an extremely prolific writer with an impressive publishing record (although Meg Cabot is catching her up!)

Christie wrote 80 detective novels, six romance novels (under the name Mary Westmacott), successful stage plays, and an autobiography.

She has been called best-selling writer of all time with sales into the billions and her play, The Mouse Trap, holds the record for the longest inital run in the world.

Christie  created two of the most enduringly popular detectives ever - Miss Marple and Poirot - and many of her books have been adapted for film and television.

Her popularity continues unabated in the twenty-first century, with many new interpretations of her work. There are even comic book versions of some of her classics like Murder on the Orient Express.

Agatha didn't go to school. Her mother taught her at home until she was 16. Then she studied music in Paris.

Aged 24, Agatha married Archie Christie, a World War 1 fighter pilot. They had one daughter - Rosalind.

During the war, Agatha worked as a nurse and in a pharmacy. Her training in poisons came in very handy later for her books.

Archie asked for a divorce (because he had fallen in love with another woman), but Agatha found happiness in her second marriage. She met and fell in love with Max Mallowan, a young archaeologist she met during her many travels. They married in 1930.

Want to know more? Try her (rather swish) official website or autobiography.

Related posts: Thursday Trailblazer archives

Posted by Sarah Painter on January 17, 2008 in Book related, British Authors, Crime / Mystery, Romance | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 14, 2008 3:17 PM

BOOK NEWS: Alibi in High Heels

Alibi in High Heels is the fourth book in Gemma Halliday's 'high heels' series of romantic mysteries and it's out in March.

I have to admit I hadn't heard of the books (or of Halliday). Just in case you're in the same boat, here are the first three titles: Spying in High Heels, Killer in High Heels and Undercover in High Heels.

The series stars Maddie Springer: shoe designer, fashionista, and occasional sleuth. The mad-cap characters and plots remind me of Janet Evanovich, but we'll have to do a review to find out if they live up to that comparison.

My eagle-eyes have also noted that on the cover of Alibi, it says 'soon to be a TV series'. Interesting, no?

Related posts: Book news archive

Posted by Sarah Painter on January 14, 2008 in American Authors, Book News, Crime / Mystery, Romance | Permalink | Comments (2)

January 8, 2008 11:09 AM

BOOK REVIEW: The Reincarnationist by MJ Rose

Reviewed by Angela Richardson

The Reincarnationist is about the tenth book by M. J. Rose and is a thriller set in the present and the past thanks to numerous past life flash backs.

After nearly dying in a terrorist bomb, Josh Ryder is haunted by memories of a past life in Rome. The medical profession cannot explain or solve his new memories and flashbacks and so he turns to the Phoenix Foundation who specialise in past life regression.

A trail of present-day murders seem to link up to his past life memories of being a pagan priest whose dangerous congress with Sabina, one of the Vestal Virgins, poses a transgression so serious that the lovers would face certain death if exposed. Scents of jasmine and sandalwood and images of furtive liaisons and violence descend on Josh at will and become more frequent when the Phoenix Foundation leads him to an archaeological dig at an ancient yet strangely familiar Roman burial site.

The discovery of the existence of a collection of ancient gems called memory stones whose origins trace back to ancient Egypt and India put everyone in danger. The stones’ promise to ‘assist the wearer in reaching his next incarnation’ set the ancient and modern worlds on a collision course and tempts someone so badly that they would murder to get their hands on them.

Although this book is long, it’s very well written and kept me interested throughout. It’s a thriller that’s been thoroughly researched and I felt as though as I was learning about the ancient Roman religion while enjoying the story. She even includes an author’s note at the back to tell you what parts of the story she invented and what parts were from her research.

The whole idea of the existence of memory stones was very original and the mixture of tension of the present day murders and ancient memories of a love long lost kept me turning the pages. I know I shouldn’t mention the end, but it was one of those books that have an arty finish that may satisfy the author, but leaves all us poor readers wondering what the hell happened to everyone. For all I know they all died a second after the book finished as they were still in the middle of the drama.

Overall this was an original thriller mixing modern day with historical plot threads that kept you reading and there was just a dash of the supernatural to add a twist. Just don’t expect a satisfying ending.

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

Posted by Keris on January 8, 2008 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Rating: 4/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 3, 2008 5:48 PM

THURSDAY TRAILBLAZER: Mary Stewart

I thoroughly enjoyed Mary Stewart's Nine Coaches Waiting (romantic suspense in an beautiful setting) so I thought I'd find out a bit more about the author.

Author of twenty novels, a volume of poetry and three books for children, Mary Stewart has been named as one of the founders of the romantic suspense genre.

And it's a good thing I said a 'bit more' as I wasn't very successful on hunting down many biographical details.

Mary Stewart was born in 1916 in County Durham, England, but she has lived in Scotland for many years.

She was a lecturer in English Language and Literature at Durham University until her marriage to Sir Frederick Stewart.

In addition to her romantic suspense novels (which were set in stunning locations in Scotland, the Greek islands, Spain, France and Austria), Mary wrote a series of novels based on Authurian legend. The books were a mix of historical and fantasy fiction and focused on Merlin.

Select bibliography:

The Merlin Series:

The Crystal Cave (1970)
The Hollow Hills (1973)
The Last Enchantment (1979)
The Wicked Day (1983)
The Prince and the Pilgrim (1995)

Other novels:

Madam, Will You Talk?
Nine Coaches Waiting
My Brother Michael
The Ivy Tree
The Moon-Spinners
This Rough Magic

Related posts: Thursday Trailblazer archive
   

Posted by Sarah Painter on January 3, 2008 in British Authors, Crime / Mystery, Thursday Trailblazer | Permalink | Comments (1)

December 21, 2007 9:09 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Size Doesn't Matter by Meg Cabot

After reading on Meg Cabot's blog that her third Heather Wells mystery, Size Doesn't Matter (or Big Boned if you hail from the States!) was finally out in the UK, I could hardly contain my excitement.

Former pop star Heather Wells has returned - well, kind of. She still works as a residence hall officer in Fischer Hall (nicknamed 'Death Dorm' for its recent spate of grisly murders), dealing with fussy students and her mismatched bunch of colleagues.

But if there's one thing Heather's totally sure of, it's that she loves her job...even if she IS unsure about her relationship with her math professor Tad, her feelings for landlord Cooper, and of course, her latest diet.

Yep, her job is great...even if her boss has just been shot in the head in his office.

Cue another mystery for past teen queen Heather to try and solve. As the media gets involved due to a union strike in the renowned residence hall, Heather quickly gets on the case to try and figure out just who might be behind this one.

Add to that Tad's recent announcement of "I need to ask you something when the timing's right", her ex-boyfriend Jordan Cartwright's (remember the former boyband member?) latest announcement, and a new job proposal from her dad, and Heather's life just might be getting a little bit busy...

Will Heather Wells, former singing sensation and new girl detective, be able to find out just who shot her boss?

And will we get to see Heather walk down the aisle? (Altogether now: "Eeeee!")

This is the third novel in the Heather Wells series, following Size 12 is Not Fat and Size 14 is Not Fat Either. Personally, I think this might just be the best in the series, albeit a seemingly quicker read than the others. But truly? They're all brilliant. Heather, despite being a former pop princess, is a down-to-earth, funny character who's instantly lovable and easy to relate to. I'd advise you to read the other two books in the series first, although it's pretty easy to follow up and Meg's witty writing style is as fabulous as always.

But I have to say, there is one heck of a downside to this book.

It's so addictive, I read it in a day.

Thankfully, all is not lost - Queen of Babble in the Big City, another follow-up offering from the wonderful Meg, will be out in paperback in March.

Rating: 5/5

Like this? Try The Ex Factor by Andrea Semple

Posted by Danielle Symonds-Yemm on December 21, 2007 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Rating: 5/5, Recent Release, Series | Permalink | Comments (2)

December 10, 2007 7:09 PM

BOOK NEWS: Elmore Leonard's 10 Rules of Writing

Okay, I'm going to help you out with your Christmas shopping, now.*

For the Elmore Leonard fan who has everything...

HarperCollins is publishing a limited edition, leather-spined, cloth-bound hardcover of Elmore Leonard's 10 Rules of Writing. It has a signed, numbered first page, making it a collector's piece and is released on 18th December.

Related posts: Out of Sight | Jackie Brown | Get Shorty

*For the sake of my sanity, please don't tell me that you have finished and wrapped all of yours...

Posted by Sarah Painter on December 10, 2007 in American Authors, Book News, Crime / Mystery | Permalink | Comments (1)

MORE ON MONDAY: Exit Music by Ian Rankin

Lovers of fascinating, intelligent crime fiction mourned the news that Exit Music was to be the final Rebus novel in the series. But, oh, what a send off.

The plot is complex with a mystery that leaves you guessing right to the end. A Russian poet has been murdered in Kings Stable Road, and, true to form, DI Rebus is soon annoying his superiors and making enemies by rattling the cages of Edinburgh's high and mighty.

It looks as if the murder may have connections with politicians, big business and even Rebus's nemesis - Edinburgh gangster Big Ger Cafferty.

Exit Music can't have been an easy book to write; tying up enough loose ends to be satisfying, while avoiding maudlin sentimentality or simple answers, but Rankin makes it look effortless.

This is one of the best Rebus books I have read (and I've read 'em all) and one I think will bear re-visiting. The relationship between Cafferty and Rebus is brilliantly drawn; both men older, maybe a little wiser, certainly more cautious. The parallels between the characters are handled with subtlety, adding depth and understanding.

Sioban Clarke, Rebus's partner, is as convincing and engaging as ever. Rankin has left the door wide open for Sioban to take centre stage, but we don't know as yet whether she will.

I salute Ian Rankin for this crowning achievement, and I raise a glass of malt to DI John Rebus. Thanks for the memories...

Rating: 5/5

Like this: Try: Any and all of the previous Rebus novels.

Posted by Sarah Painter on December 10, 2007 in Book related, British Authors, Crime / Mystery, More On Monday, Rating: 5/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

December 7, 2007 4:43 PM

BOOK NEWS: Tell No Lies by Julie Compton

Tell No Lies is a psychological thriller and lawyer Julie Compton's debut. It's being compared to Jodi Picoult for its mix of intrigue, realtionships and ethical debate.

Jack Hilliard is a 35-year-old assistant DA who appears to have it all, including a great job and a solid marriage with his wife, Claire.

However, a flirtation with his lawyer friend, Jenny, gets rather more serious and Jack realises how easy he finds deception.

Despite his wife's advice that he should stand by his beliefs, Jack misrepresents his position on the death penalty to secure the top spot at the DA's office. Then, Jenny is accused of murder. Only Jack can prove her innocence, but he stands to lose his marriage and promotion by doing so...

Now, publishers have been (understandably) keen to find the 'new Jodi Picoult' and quick to label something as such, but Tell No Lies certainly sounds promising...

Related posts: Jodi Picoult interview | More crime and mystery

Posted by Sarah Painter on December 7, 2007 in American Authors, Book News, Crime / Mystery | Permalink | Comments (0)

December 5, 2007 1:11 PM

BOOK NEWS: Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich

The roaringly successful (and Trashionista-favourite) series of Stephanie Plum novels are numbered for easy ordering.

However, Janet Evanovich also treats her fans to the occasional 'between the numbers' novella to keep us going between the main events...  We've had Visions of Sugar Plums and Plum Lovin' and now - Plum Lucky.

In Plum Lucky, Grandma Mazur has high-tailed it to Atlantic City with a winnebago and a bag of stolen money and Stephanie needs to get her back. It's out on 8 January 2008 and looks like a good way to chase away the post-New-Year-blues.

Related posts: One for the Money | Two for the Dough | Twelve Sharp

Posted by Sarah Painter on December 5, 2007 in American Authors, Book News, Crime / Mystery, New Releases | Permalink | Comments (0)

December 4, 2007 3:16 PM

BOOK REVIEW: The Forever Summer by Suzanne Macpherson

I know it seems weird me reviewing a book called The Forever Summer in the depths of winter (well, I'm trying to pretend this is the depths and it's not going to get much worse...), but this book isn't really "summery". In fact, it's rather cosy.

When beautiful but bitchy Emily Ruth Griffin drops dead in the produce aisle of the supermarket where Lila works, Lila's immediate worry is that she's poisoned her with the Cheese Whiz and crackers Emily had just sampled.

But when Emily Ruth starts haunting both the produce aisle and Lila herself, Lila's got more to worry about. Like the kid in the Sixth Sense, Lila sees dead people. But not All The Time, just when they've got a beef. But what's Emily Ruth's beef? Lila doesn't know. It's got something to do with lemons and babies, but she's not making herself clear.

Could it be that Lila has started dating Emily Ruth's sexy ex-husband, Lucas? Probably not since Emily Ruth cheated on him with his own brother... And what about the man Emily Ruth was preparing to have dinner with on the day he died? And what's with all the dead wives in this town, anyway?

So many questions... And, actually, not so many answers. I really enjoyed this book, but that's mainly because the characters are so good rather than the plot. I didn't guess what Emily Ruth was after, but I worked out whodunnit very early on. It didn't matter though, because Lila and Lucas (along with the minor characters) are very entertaining and I was happy to join them for the ride.

The other thing I loved about this book was the setting. It's a small town in either Ontario or Washington State (apologies if this is clear in the book; if so, I missed it) and it reminded me a bit of Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls and you know how much I love Gilmore Girls.

This is the first of Suzanne Macpherson's books I've read, but I'll definitely look out for more.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try The Fortune Quilt by Lani Diane Rich

Posted by Keris on December 4, 2007 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Rating: 3/5, Romance, Supernatural | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 30, 2007 6:40 PM

FRIDAY FLICK: Get Shorty

We love Elmore Leonard here at Trashionista and the films are often as good (gasp) as the books.

In Get Shorty, John Travolta plays Chili Palmer, a Miami loan shark who's been sent to L.A. to collect on a bad debt from movie producer Harry Zimm (Gene Hackman).

Chili is also a film buff with a script idea, and he decides to become a producer. However, he's not the only mobster who wants a piece of the film action, and double-crossing fun begins.

Stuffed to the gills with Hollywood jokes, celebrity cameos, snappy dialogue and laughs, this is a great film and a very funny satire. I love Rene Russo's turn as a B-movie actress and Chili's love interest, too.

Like this? Try: Jackie Brown

Posted by Sarah Painter on November 30, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Friday Flick | Permalink | Comments (0)

BOOK REVIEW: Agnes & The Hitman by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer

A new Jennifer Crusie novel is always a treat, but lately, you don't just get Jennifer Crusie - her last three novels have been collaborations. First Don't Look Down, the first "romantic adventure" written with Bob Mayer, then The Unfortunate Miss Fortunes, written with Eileen Dreyer and Anne Stuart and now another Bob Mayer partnership: Agnes & The Hitman. I've read so much about Agnes & The Hitman on Crusie's blog that I've been desperate to read it almost from the time they started writing it ... I finally got the chance and I wasn't disappointed.

"Cranky" Agnes Crandall is a food writer, who has just had moderate success with a book called Mob Food. She's also recently bought her dream house, in partnership with her fiance, Taylor, but part of the property agreement was that she host a wedding for the previous owner's granddaughter. Unfortunately, Brenda (the previous owner), will get the house back if the wedding doesn't happen and, since that's what she wants, she's going all out to sabotage the wedding.

When a man with a gun turns up in Agnes's kitchen (ostensibly to kidnap her dog), her friend Joey calls a hitman named Shane to come and protect Agnes. But Shane's got problem's of his own. His boss is retiring and wants Shane to take over ... and it appears before long that someone's trying to kill him too.

My head hurts from trying to explain any aspect of this story without giving something away, but it's not so complicated when you read it, honest (okay, it's a little bit complicated, but, like Janet Evanovich's books, if you don't struggle to place everyone and just let it all wash over you instead, it all becomes clear in the end). Plus - and you'll know this if you read Crusie's blog - there are flamingoes.

I liked Agnes & the Hitman even better than Don't Look Down (and I liked Don't Look Down a lot). Agnes now joins the (long) list of my favourite Crusie characters and Shane is sex on legs. The minor characters are charming, hilarious and completely barmy and it's so skillfully done that you can't see the join between Crusie and Mayer's writing (even though you know that if there's any "YEC - Yucky Emotional Crap", it's unlikely to be Bob). Still, the YEC (which is neither yucky nor crap), the guns, bombs, boats, dogs and flamingoes all come together perfectly to create a gripping, romantic and fun read.

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try Don't Look Down by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer or any of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books, starting with One for the Money

Posted by Keris on November 30, 2007 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Rating: 4/5, Romance | Permalink | Comments (2)

November 19, 2007 11:39 AM

MORE ON MONDAY: Justice for Jill by Scott Lomax

This is a difficult book to review since I feel so strongly about the case in question.

For those too young to remember 1999 or for anyone outside the UK who might not know of the case, Jill Dando was a popular British TV presenter who was shot dead on her front doorstep in broad daylight one morning in 1999. The public were shocked and horrified and a huge manhunt took place to find the murderer.

The hunt was hindered by the fact that Jill was incredibly popular and beloved and the police had no witnesses, murder weapon or motive. In 2001, a local man named Barry George was arrested and charged with Dando's murder. It was announced last week that Barry George is to face a retrial after his conviction was quashed by the Court of Appeal.

The reason it's difficult for me to review this book is that, having been horrified and fascinated by the case at the time, I never believed for a minute that George was guilty. The evidence was flimsy at best and it seemed to me to be a case of the police, under immense public and media pressure to solve the case, finding a local oddball and thinking he would do.

Justice for Jill isn't simply a history of the case, its author, Scott Lomax, also firmly believes that George is innocent and sets out the evidence fairly and in minute detail. It's a fascinating, compelling and deeply upsetting book.

It's not a sensationalist "true crime" style book and, as such, can get a bit dense, but it's not a book that you'd read for entertainment, obviously. If you're interested in the case, in law, in miscarriages of justice, it's a must-read. But expect to have your faith in the crimiinal justice system shaken.

Rating: 4/5

Posted by Keris on November 19, 2007 in British Authors, Crime / Mystery, More On Monday, Non Fiction, Rating: 4/5 | Permalink | Comments (6)

November 12, 2007 2:20 PM

MORE ON MONDAY: Sick Puppy by Carl Hiaasen

When I'm in the mood for something smart and satirical and insanely funny, I know just the man to turn to... Florida journalist Carl Hiaasen.

In honour of his latest novel - Nature Girl - being released in paperback, I thought I would revisit one of my old favourites, Sick Puppy.

Eco-warrior Twilly Spree spots someone in a Range Rover dropping litter and decides to teach him a lesson. His target turns out to be none other than Palmer Stoat - one of Florida's most powerful political fixers, and a man who's crimes against nature are far worse than litter-bugging...

Twilly steals Palmer Stoat's dog and hooks up with Skink, an infamous ex-governer who lives in the wild and eats roadkill.

Plotted with crazy ingenuity, Sick Puppy defies summarisation. Safe to say, however, it keeps you laughing while you turn the pages.

It's quintessential Hiaasen; the situation is exagerated and the humour a little twisted, but justice prevails. Highly recommended.

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try: Lucky You by Carl Hiaasen (it's my second favourite).

Related posts: More on Monday

Posted by Sarah Painter on November 12, 2007 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, More On Monday, Rating: 4/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 9, 2007 9:38 AM

Friday Flick: Out of Sight

Mmm... Delectable. I'm afraid that is the only way to describe Clooney in this film. And, frankly, the scene in the boot of the car is one of the hottest things I have ever seen. Keris agrees with me, too. Look.

Anyway. Hotness-aside, this adaptation of the fabulous Elmore Leonard book just plain works. Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney have fantastic on-screen chemistry (oops, I'm back to the hotness again, aren't I?) and the direction is classic Steven Soderberbergh - clever and slick.

Do yourself a favour this Friday night and snuggle up with George.

Like this? Try: Jackie Brown

Posted by Sarah Painter on November 9, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Friday Flick | Permalink | Comments (2)

November 8, 2007 1:16 PM

Chick Lit Heroine Grudge Match: Heather Wells v Kate Klein

In the last grudge match, Elizabeth Bennett effortlessly batted away young contender, Bridget Jones.

This week, it's the turn of amateur sleuths Heather Wells and Kate Klein.

Heather Wells

The books: Size 12 is Not Fat and Size 14 is Not Fat Either by Meg Cabot. Heather is an ex-teen-pop-star and current assistant director at a New York college residence hall. When deaths occur in the dorm and the police seem to be dragging their heels, Heather steps in...

Loves: Snacks.

Men: Mmm... Cooper. Housemate, brother of her ex-fiance and PI.

Kate Klein

The book: Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner. Kate Klein has her heart broken and then, while on the rebound, manages to get married and have three children very, very quickly. Before she's caught her breath, Kate finds herself in stultifying Upchurch, Connecticut, wondering what the heck happened to her life. Frankly, a death in the neighbourhood is almost a welcome diversion...

Loves: Comfortable clothes, New York, her best friend Janie Segal and her super-lovely Dad. And her three children, of course, but that goes without saying, right?

Men: Evan McKenna. PI. And the man who broke her heart. Ben. Husband. The man she's not entirely sure she should've married, let alone had three children with. Oops.

Conclusion: Two fabulous heroines from two of my favourite writers. It's a tricky one. Heather is carrying a series (the third book, Size Doesn't Matter, is out in December), but I admire Kate's guts and determination. Plus, she has to be a super-sleuth while being a mummy - that earns points, right?

Posted by Sarah Painter on November 8, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Crime / Mystery | Permalink | Comments (2)

November 5, 2007 1:35 PM

Book Review: Lean Mean Thirteen by Janet Evanovich

I'm a huge fan of Janet Evanovich, so it pains me to say this... The Stephanie Plum series may be running out of steam.

Your enjoyment of Lean Mean Thirteen will be enhanced by having read a couple of the earlier books, so that you know the full background to Stephanie's ex-husband Dickie Orr. However, if, like me, you have devoured all twelve of the previous novels, you may find Evanovich's latest a little... Samey.

The plot is enticing enough - Dickie Orr has gone missing and Stephanie is the Trenton police's prime suspect - and there is the usual assortment of hilarious rogues. This time, Stephanie is trying to apprehend a taxidermist with a penchant for exploding animals and a grave-robber. Plus, she has Morelli trying to keep her safe (fat chance, Joe) and her nemesis Joyce Bernhardt following her every move.

I think the main problem for me was one of character development. There wasn't any. Stephanie still loses her skips by going to their front door while they escape out the back, Lula still adds (more) slapstick, and absolutely nothing changes in the Ranger/Morelli situation.

As the characters felt more like parodies of themselves, I found I wasn't as emotionally-involved as usual.  I struggled to believe that Stephanie was a true suspect in Dickie's disappearance and hardly batted an eyelid at the nut job with a flame thrower. Which doesn't seem right.

However, Evanovich is still a very funny writer and Lean Mean Thirteen had me laughing out loud more than once.  I'm giving it a four out of five, as I would hate to put anyone off trying this series, but long-time readers consider yourselves warned...

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try: One for the Money by Janet Evanovich

Posted by Sarah Painter on November 5, 2007 in Crime / Mystery, Rating: 4/5 | Permalink | Comments (2)

November 2, 2007 6:32 AM

BOOK REVIEW: The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz

I loved the premise of Lisa Lutz's debut novel, The Spellman files: a family of private investigators who just can't resist investigating each other.

Isabel Spellman has been working for the family business since the age of 14, but lately she's started to realise that having your parents tailing you and undertaking surveillance in order to find out who you're dating is, well, not normal.

Isabel's older brother, David, got out while the going was good, but her younger sister, Rae, is not only obsessed with the business, she's got even less sense of personal privacy than their parents.

When Isabel meets Daniel and decides she's going to leave the business, her parents give her one last job - a ancient missing person case that was closed years ago. Her parents see it as a wild goose chase to keep Isabel busy long enough that she decides not to leave after all. But Isabel finds plenty of clues that had been overlooked in the original investigation and the case begins to take over her life. Until, that is, her sister goes missing...

I was hooked by this book from the first page. Isabel's voice is distinctive, dry and very funny. The idea is original and inventive and so are the secondary characters - Rae is great: infuriating and impressive; Isabel's parents are calmly demented and her uncle Ray is believably tragic. The only character that didn't work for me was Daniel, who I never felt I really got to know.

Before writing this novel, Lisa Lutz wrote a screenplay and The Spellman Files is very filmic. I was mentally casting it all the way through and I would love it to be turned into a movie. I do know there's going to be a sequel and, frankly, I can't wait.

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try One for the Money by Janet Evanovich

Posted by Keris on November 2, 2007 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Debut Novels, Rating: 4/5, Series | Permalink | Comments (1)

October 22, 2007 12:22 PM

MORE ON MONDAY: The Affair of the Bloodstained Egg Cosy by James Anderson

Using the time honoured tradition of judging a book by its cover, I picked up The Affair of the Bloodstained Egg Cosy by James Anderson last week and couldn’t put it down. I’m not usually a fan of mysteries but this has got English aristocracy, an American millionaire, spies and foreign dignitaries galore and is a rip-roaring read.

Set in the 1930s, in a world where people go down to the country for weekend house parties, this is the story of a stolen diamond necklace and secret talks between Britain and an un-named foreign country before the Second World War. Throw in a couple of murders, a rare pair of guns and a local detective and you’ve got a fast paced plot that surprises with every twist and turn.

This is the kind of book to take on a long journey – you’ll find the time just flies by.

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try The Good Husband of Zebra Drive by Alexander McCall Smith

Posted by Nicola pedley on October 22, 2007 in British Authors, Crime / Mystery, More On Monday, Rating: 4/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 18, 2007 11:43 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Hazardous Duty by Christy Barritt

Reviewed by Jill Hart

Hazardous Duty will take you places you’ve never been – and you may never want to be. Christy Barritt’s inspirational novel enters the life of a chick with a unique career. Gabby St. Claire is a crime scene cleaner. Her days are filled with grime and blood, but the job takes her one step closer to her goal of becoming a crime scene investigator.

A typical day turns into a nightmare when Gabby uncovers a murder weapon while cleaning. When her best, an only, employee is arrested, Gabby knows she has to help prove him innocent. 

How will Gabby convince the surly detective to take her seriously? And what’s with her new neighbor – is he friend or foe? Gabby must solve this mystery or her life will never be the same.

Christy Barritt is the author of eight books and contributor to a number of magazines and websites. Barritt brings a new twist to chick-lit with her unusual crime scene cleaning heroine. The writing is smart, funny and captivating with a dose of emotion to round it off nicely.

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try Neat Vodka by Anna Blundy

Posted by Keris on October 18, 2007 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Inspirational, Rating: 4/5, Series | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 16, 2007 2:35 PM

BOOK REVIEW: The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold

"When all is said and done, killing my mother came easily."

Nothing like an eye-popping opening line to draw a reader into a story, and man did that one draw me in! The Almost Moon is a very different book from Alice Sebold's last novel, The Lovely Bones, but I predict it will make as much of a stir. While Lovely Bones traded on our fears about child murder, abduction and paedophilia, The Almost Moon tackles the difficulties of aging, divorce, and parents with dementia. It's a more mature book, with a less sympathetic narrator, but it's no less compelling. When this was offered to me for review back in July, I didn't care that it wouldn't be out until October, I grabbed it and dug straight in.

The opening chapters were pacy, tense and very dramatic, with an almost palpable tension. But then... things tailed off a little as Helen, our narrator (and mother-killer) reflected on her past. The story slowed down and I was in danger of becoming bored. Thankfully, the pace picked up again, and I was drawn into this dark (yet somehow not depressing) story.

It's all set in a twenty-four hour period, but with flashbacks to Helen's childhood which explain her relationship with her mother, her father's death, and the strange life her mother has been leading for many years. We also start to realise that Helen's moment of madness when she kills her mother is not isolated: she's been slowly unravelling for some time. Although this isn't a murder mystery, there is a sense of mystery and uncertainty: what will happen to Helen, will she cope, will she maybe even get away with what she's done? She somehow becomes a sympathetic character and Sebold's writing about people's private motivations and strange thought processes is brilliantly evocative - a real class act. I am now convinced that Alice Sebold will be writing hit books for a long time to come.

However... the ending of the book still disappointed me a touch, as I felt the author pulled her punches. But maybe she's just more forgiving and humane than I am! Either way, this book is hard to forget.

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try We Need to Talk about Kevin by Lionel Shriver.

**PS: I've just seen what looks to be the final, UK cover - here.  Hmm. What do you think?**

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on October 16, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, New Releases, Rating: 4/5 | Permalink | Comments (1)

October 15, 2007 8:46 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Chocolate Chip Cookie Murders by Joanna Fluke

Chocolate Chip Cookie Murders is Joanna Fluke’s first book in the Hannah Swensen mystery series, and it’s a nice introduction to the queen of the Cookie Jar, Lake Eden’s most popular bakery.

When Ron LaSalle, delivery man for the Cozy Cow Dairy, is found murdered behind her bakery with her famous chocolate chip cookies scattered around him, Hannah is determined to help find his killer. After all, she doesn’t want her cookies getting a bad reputation, and Ron was a great guy and good friend.

She soon starts finding clues and helping her policeman brother-in-law with his investigation, and when a love interest comes onto the scene that only shakes things for Hannah, making her even more determined to find LaSalle’s killer.

Although this was an enjoyable book I did find the characters a little clichéd – the annoying mother, the selfish sister and bumbling policeman were all a little two-dimensional, and Hannah was a bit annoying – she could cure the baby with colic, even though it’s own mother couldn’t, and she could, of course, solve the murder that the police were unable to crack. A few more flaws in her character would have been nice.

On the plus side there are lots of lovely recipes in there to get your taste buds going and for that reason alone I might have to read book number two.

Rating: 3/5

Like This? Try Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye by Victoria Laurie

Posted by Nicola pedley on October 15, 2007 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Rating: 3/5, Series | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 11, 2007 2:53 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Snitch by Rene Gutteridge

Reviewed by Jill Hart

Rene Gutteridge is one of the most amusing writers in the inspiration chick lit genre. Not only are her plot lines comical, her characters are hilarious as well. Her novel, Snitch, is no exception. Ponder this question: What do you get when you put together an “almost-retired” cop, a former clown, and a know-it-all? 

Answer: A police task force, of course.

Ron Yeager has been working a desk job since being injured a few years prior. When he’s asked to train and lead a special task force, he’s not sure he still has what it takes.

Mackenzie “Mack” Hazard is a clown turned cop who is out to prove herself. Will her outspoken faith deter her from making her way through the ranks? No one, including Mack herself, is sure that she’s ready for this task force. Will she learn the ropes in time or will this be more than she can handle?

And then there’s Jesse Lunden, the cop who’s already seen plenty of task force action. Can he swallow his pride and learn from sergeant Yeager or will his hot head get in the way? 

Snitch is the second book in the Occupational Hazard series. The hilarious cast sets the scene for a novel that has it all – mystery, comedy and even a little romance.  Gutteridge is the author of the Boo series and the Storm series of books as well as a number of other inspirational chick-lit mystery novels and has a light-hearted way of writing that endears the characters to the reader.

Rating: 5/5

Like this? Try One for the Money by Janet Evanovich

Posted by Keris on October 11, 2007 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Inspirational, Rating: 5/5, Series | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 26, 2007 9:51 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Perfectly Plum: unauthorized essays on the life, loves, and other disasters of Stephanie Plum, Trenton bounty hunter edited by Leah Wilson

Reviewed by Sarah Painter

Personally, I can’t get enough of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum bounty hunter novels, so I was most excited to get my hands on Perfectly Plum. It’s an (unauthorised) essay collection all about Stephanie Plum and her adventures in Trenton, New Jersey. Okay, so I probably would have been more excited about a new Plum novel, but this is a close second. Plus, it includes offerings from novelists such as Shanna Swendson and JA Konrath and - eep - Trashionista’s very own Keris Stainton.

The essays range from pure fun to the more thoughtful, and cover topics like The Stephanie Plum Diet, Exploding the Myth of the Jersey Girl and Noir in the Plum novels.

I particularly enjoyed the investigation into Stephanie’s car insurance options and Karen Kendall’s description of Ranger as Hairy Godmother.

Naturally, there is a whole section devoted to the sticky question of Stephanie’s love life: should she choose Joe Morelli or Ranger? Or stick with her pet hamster, Rex? He’s a cheap date, after all…

If you’re a fan (and you’d really have to be to ‘get’ this collection), this is a great book to dip in and out of – preferably with a supply of Tastykakes Butterscotch Krimpets on the side.

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich

Posted by Keris on September 26, 2007 in Crime / Mystery, Non Fiction, Rating: 4/5, Series | Permalink | Comments (1)

August 22, 2007 12:21 PM

BOOK REVIEW: There's a (Slight) Chance I Might be Going to Hell by Laurie Notaro

Ever since Keris highlighted news of Laurie Notaro's debut novel, I'd been longing to read it. So much so, I even paid to get my hands on a copy (yes!)

Subtitled: 'a novel of sewer pipes, pageant queen, and big trouble' and of course, called There's a (Slight) Chance I Might be Going to Hell, it sounded nothing if not intriguing (also: I love the cover!)

The book tells the story of Maye, who moves from a scummy-sounding suburb of Arizona to the leafy, gorgeous small town of Spaulding, Washington State. At first, things seem idyllic: Maye and her husband Charlie have found the perfect house, Charlie has a fantastic job, and the area couldn't be prettier. But Maye has a little trouble fitting in: she embarrasses herself hugely at one of her husband's work functions, joins a book club that turns out to be a coven, and has no luck meeting nice, normal people to be friends with.

Then she hears about the annual Sewer Pipe Pageant, a talent show that anyone in Spaulding can enter. Winning the crown at the pageant is a ticket to respect and popularity and so Maye decides she must sign up. She's going to need a little tutoring though: and that's where she decides to track down a legendary former Pipe Queen who was driven out of town decades before - Maye must solve the mystery of why, find the pipe queen and prepare to win the pageant. That's not too much to ask, is it?

Luckily her freelance writing career has hit the skids, so Maye has plenty of time!

I've always enjoyed Laurie Notaro's essay collections, but on the basis of this book, I think she's even better at fiction. There's a (Slight) Chance... is intelligent, witty, fun, hopeful and a bit poignant, too.  There's a credible mystery woven in to a story about trying to fit in, and it all works really well. I loved reading this and didn't want it to end.

And as Notaro herself moved from Arizona to a small town in Washington with her husband, I can't help wondering if any of the incidents in the book really happened...

But what I really want to find out is when is Notaro's next novel coming out, and can I sign up for my copy now?

Rating: 5/5

Like this? Try Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on August 22, 2007 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, Rating: 5/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 17, 2007 7:18 PM

FRIDAY FLICK: The Talented Mr Ripley

As Matt Damon is the man of the hour, starring in the just-released Bourne something-or-other (I've lost track, I'll be honest) I thought it might be apt to highlight one of his earlier films, The Talented Mr Ripley. Also starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law and (briefly) Cate Blanchett, it's based on Patricia Highsmith's psychological thriller of the same name.

Matt Damon is Tom Ripley, a conman who weasels his way into the lives of the rich English folk who holiday on the Riviera. Instead of just tracking down Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law) as he was paid to do, Tom takes things a step further: he assumes Dickie's entire identity.

Will he be caught?

And if not, how not?

It's hard for me to gauge how good this film is as I was a big fan of the novel and nothing could really live up to that - but I think this is a respectable adaptation, certainly worth watching (but perhaps more enjoyable if you haven't read the book first!)

The one big issue I had is that Matt Damon doesn't look like Jude Law, and whereas in the book Tom's escapades posing as Dickie could be explained by their looking alike, in the film they can't.

Have you seen it - what did you think?

Friday Flick archives.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on August 17, 2007 in American Authors, Classic Novels, Crime / Mystery, Friday Flick | Permalink | Comments (3)

August 16, 2007 1:51 PM

BOOK NEWS: Julian Clary's Murder Most Fab

Following the success of his double entendre-stuffed memoir, A Young Man's Passage, Julian Clary is the latest celeb to bring out a novel - Murder Most Fab has a Janet Evanovich-esque cover and according to Janet Street Porter in Marie Claire is, "A very funny novel that charts the progress of a gorgeous boy from drama school, through to working as a rent boy and telly stardom. En route there are several murders, loads of drugs and masses of sex..."

It's out today.

[Via Woman magazine and Amazon.co.uk]

Related: BOOK REVIEW - How I Paid For College: A Novel of Sex, Theft, Friendship and Musical Theatre by Marc Acito.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on August 16, 2007 in Bonkbusters, Book News, Book related, British Authors, Celebrity Authors, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, New Releases, Television | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 15, 2007 4:46 PM

More Shiny employees catch the book bug

We Trashionistas are not the only book-obsessed Shiny Media employees, you know - oh no.

John of Shiny TV site TV Scoop was even on BBC Four book programme The Book Quiz last night, talking intelligently about literary thriller Perfume as part of one of the programme's featured book groups. Unfortunately, watching it back didn't make for a fun experience, as he reports...

In happier news, Alex of Shiny Shiny is writing a new column for our sister site Dollymix about Women in Fiction, and it's fascinating reading.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on August 15, 2007 in Book related, British Authors, Classic Novels, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, Television | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 13, 2007 5:18 PM

MORE ON MONDAY: The Good Husband of Zebra Drive by Alexander McCall Smith

I love Alexandra McCall Smith's Botswana-set No.1 Ladies Detective series. I always think each book is going to be the last and then, before I know it, there's another.

Good Husband - the eighth in the series - continues in the same vein as the other books, i.e. not much happens. Mma Ramotswe actually doesn't do much (if any) investigating in this book, instead her assistant, Mma Makutsi, and the good husband himself, Mr JLB Matekoni decide they'd quite like to do some investigating of their own, with varied results.

Mma Makutsi's case involves stationery stealing and Mr JLB Matekoni is instructed by "the rudest woman in Botswana" to find out who her husband is having an affair with. No, it's not exactly Law & Order, is it?

But there is a little bit of drama - although drama is too strong a word really - a couple of the regulars are looking to move on. Charlie, one of Mr JLB Matekoni's apprentices (he's the owner of Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors) has decided to set up on his own and Mma Makutsi realises that now she's getting married she doesn't need to work at all and hands in her notice.

It's the mellowness of this series that I love, but this latest book is so mellow it's almost unconscious. I enjoyed it - what's not to enjoy? - but it's probably the weakest of the series, which is a shame. In putting Mma Makutsi and Mr JLB Matekoni to the fore, it's almost as if Smith has forgotten the heart of the book. This series belongs to Precious Ramotswe and the stories should always be hers. Fingers crossed she's back in the driving seat (of her little white van) in the next book.

Rating: 3/5

Like this? Try Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexandra McCall Smith

Posted by Keris on August 13, 2007 in British Authors, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, More On Monday, Rating: 3/5, Recent Release, Series | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 31, 2007 4:27 PM

EXCLUSIVE 'Be Mine' giveaway!

Be Mine by Laura Kasischke might be a good option for your summer hols if you like a touch of mystery and don't mind being a bit scared on your sun-lounger.

Keris called it "thrilling, thought-provoking, exciting and erotic" (oo-er!) and we have 2 copies to give away to 2 lucky Trashionista readers.

Carry on over the cut to find out how to be in with a chance of winning...

Simply email us your name and address (so we can send you the book if you win), putting "Laura" in the title. We'll pick 2 names at random after the giveaway closes on August 1st.

Posted by Aigua Media on July 31, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Competition, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, Recent Release, Romance | Permalink | Comments (1)

July 26, 2007 9:25 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye by Victoria Laurie

Reviewed by Bag Lady extraordinaire Nicola Pedley...

Victoria Laurie is a professional psychic who uses her gift to help police investigations. Her character, Abby Cooper, is a professional psychic who finds herself using her gift to help police investigations. Victoria Laurie lives in Massachusetts with her dachshunds, Lilly and Toby. Abby Cooper lives in Detroit with her dachshund, Eggy… Frustrated by clichéd representations of psychics as kooks and crooks, Ms. Laurie has (clearly!) drawn on her own experiences to create the character of Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye.

Abby Cooper is looking for some excitement because she feels so vanilla – she needs a bit of hot fudge topping. Most people would think that being a P.I., Psychic Intuitive, would be exciting enough but it’s not until a client winds up dead that Abby realises that hot fudge isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Despite helping solve white collar crimes Abby has never offered information to the police, and with good reason. When she inadvertently relates her visions of her clients murder to Detective Dutch Rivers she soon becomes the prime suspect. After all, there are no such things as psychics so how else could she possibly know all the details of the crime???

In most cosy mysteries the heroine solves the crime because she has an amazing run of luck and is privy to all the local gossip and by putting the two together she solves the mystery and saves the day.

Ms Laurie’s neat little twist – giving Abby visions – is, in my opinion, a nicer solution. Of course, her ability isn’t infallible and Abby often ignores her intuitions - she’d go crazy if she listened to them all the time, and the mystery would be solved about half way through the book. But with a nice supporting cast: the potential cop boyfriend, rich businesswoman older sister, and Dave the handyman, not to mention Eggy the dachshund, this is a really enjoyable read and Ms Laurie gives us an insight into being a professional psychic.

And if you really enjoy the book you can contact Ms Laurie via her website to book a reading of your own!

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris or One For the Money by Janet Evanovich.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on July 26, 2007 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, Rating: 4/5, Series, Supernatural | Permalink | Comments (1)

July 25, 2007 8:45 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Marked by PC Cast and Kristin Cast

Reviewed by Trashionista reader Angela Richardson...

This book is the first in the House of Night series, where P.C & Kristin Cast have created a world where vampires have always existed. For all Buffy addicts like me who have been suffering from the void of losing their favourite series… we may have been sent a form of methadone from our American friends.

Sixteen-year-old Zoey Redbird has been Marked, to the disgust of her friends, who watch her become sicker and sicker in daylight hours. She is rushed to the House of Night, a school where she will train to become an adult vampire. That is if she survives the Change. Not all of those chosen do. It’s tough being away from all that she knows and on top of that Zoey finds that she’s no average fledging. The vampire goddess Nyx has marked her as special. When she discovers the leader of the Dark Daughters, the school’s most elite club, is misusing her Goddess-given gifts, Zoey must find the courage within herself to set things back to the way they should be.

Okay this is probably teen lit but I tell all you parents now, keep it for yourself and only when you finish it wrap it up as the present you intended. Parents will also be pleasantly surprised at Zoey’s moralistic side to her character that, to cut a long story short, tells teens it’s not cool to be a slut or a drunk.

The only annoying thing about this book is the similarities to Harry Potter. Zoey hates her family and gets whisked away from her horrible life to a magical school, okay it’s for vampires and not witches and wizards, but you get the point. Plus she is separated out from the other pupils as special by a different mark on her forehead… now we’re getting a bit too close to Harry’s scar. This is a shame because the plot is much better than Rowling’s over hyped books. [Ooh! - Diane]

Of course this was always going to be compared to Buffy as it is a teen novel that contains vampires, but I see this as a good thing as there are no other similarities in the plot. It’s like Buffy’s arch-enemy vampire has written a book to show the world that they aren’t all nasty blood sucking fiends, but have a gentler side too: awww!

Overall this was fast paced, funny and exciting. It held my attention all the way through and Zoey grows into a feisty heroine who’d I’d definitely want on my side. (That is if I ever got into a fight between vampires… yes I know I’ve been watching way too much sci-fi.)

Go give your self a well-needed mental holiday from all the everyday stresses and strains and read this book. I guarantee you’ll come away refreshed and ready to fight another day.

Rating: 5/5.

Like this? Try Carpe Demon by Julie Kenner.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on July 25, 2007 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Debut Novels, Modern Fiction, Rating: 5/5, Recent Release, Series, Supernatural, Young Adult | Permalink | Comments (12)

July 24, 2007 1:50 PM

BOOK NEWS: Fitness Kills by Helen Barer

Here's another good reason not to go to the gym: you might get murdered...

The first in a new series by Helen Barer, Fitness Kills is a mystery in the same tradition as books like Steamed.

There’s been a murder at an elite spa in Baja, California and no one is safe, especially Nora Franke, a New York food writer who came to the spa to make over its menu. But she didn’t count on murder as the main course.

Carry on over the cut to find out more...

Nora’s life is in desperate need of a change and when the opportunity arises to become a menu consultant at a ritzy fitness spa she jumps at the chance to get out of town. Nursing a broken heart and hoping to drop 30 pounds in the process, Nora heads off full of hope. When a spa guest is found dead, she realizes she got more than she bargained for.

Unless she can solve the mystery of who’s behind the death of two of the guests, Nora might just be the next victim. As Nora digs into the spa, its history, and its curious guests, she finds more than she expected on her plate, including a second guest who dies right in front of her eyes. Then, when her ex-lover comes to her rescue, she knows she needs to solve this mystery – or die trying.

Read an excerpt here.

Related: Book news archives.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on July 24, 2007 in American Authors, Book News, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, New Releases, Series | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 18, 2007 5:09 PM

YAY OR NAY WEDNESDAY

The big lit news of last week (it happened after last week's Yay or Nay Wednesday, okay?!) was that Sebastian Faulks has taken over Ian Fleming's gig as writer of the James Bond novels. The new Bond book, which was kept a closely-guarded secret until it was finished, will be released in May 2008 and is called Devil May Care. Its release will mark 100 years since Fleming's birth. [Via The Guardian].

But what do you think to the concept of taking over a popular series after the writer's death - is it a heart-warming tribute or close to sacrilegious? Are there any great series that should be revived, or should they always die with the author? And if you're a writer, do you care what happens after you die or do you want your work left alone?

SO: passing the literary baton: is it a Yay or a Nay, and why?

Yay or Nay archives.

[Don't forget it's Yay or Nay day at Hippyshopper, Bridalwave, Dollymix, Corrie Blog, Catwalk Queen, Kiss and Makeup, The Bag Lady, Shoewawa and Shiny Shiny, too!]

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on July 18, 2007 in Book News, Book related, British Authors, Classic Novels, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, Series, Yay or Nay? | Permalink | Comments (3)

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Jessica Gregson

Jessica Gregson's debut novel The Angel Makers sounds like a fascinating read. It's about the women in a small Hungarian village at the time of the First World War who spontaneously start murdering their menfolk. Incredibly, it's based on a well-documented true story. (Of course, we'll be reviewing it). Here, she answers all our questions...

Please describe your latest book in 15 words or fewer:

Based on a true story about some very strange events in a small Hungarian village…

Where do you like to write your books (in bed, a coffee shop, an office)?

Mostly in bed, to be honest, last thing at night, though I’m not above sneaking in a couple of thousand words while I’m at my day job!

Your favourite chick-lit book?

I don’t read a lot of chick-lit, but I absolutely love Marian Keyes, and was really impressed by her latest book, Anybody Out There? My all-time favourite book by a woman would probably have to be The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter.

Your favourite female heroine (if different from above!), and why?

This is a difficult one, and a fairly obscure choice, but I’m going to go with Lucia Barclay, from Janette Turner Hospital’s book, “The Last Magician”. I read the book when I was sixteen, and it had an enormous affect on me – it was the first time I can remember finding a character that was so easy to relate to.

Carry on over the cut for more!

What tips would you give to any of our readers who want to become writers?

It’s a bit of a cliché, but: just write. I was talking to a friend about this the other day, and I think it’s very easy for new writers to get hung up on things like form and structure, the idea that there’s a Right or Proper way to write a novel – but really, there’s not. Tell a story from beginning to end, and don’t worry if you think it’s awful as you’re going along: the most important thing for a first draft is to finish it – anything else can be fixed later. I spent years trying to write that perfect first chapter, or even first paragraph, but that sort of approach is a waste of time.

What are you reading at the moment?

I’m in the middle of about five or six books, actually! The one I’m carrying with me to read on trains is “The Buddha of Suburbia” by Hanif Kureishi, which I’m thoroughly enjoying.

What are you working on now? (If you can give us a hint!)

My second novel is also based on a true story about the experiences of some Turkish immigrants in Australia during the First World War. In some ways it deals with similar themes to The Angel Makers, particularly the experience of being an outsider, but it’s proving to be a very different book to write. I’m also working on a completely unrelated PhD in international development!

What question have you never been asked in an interview, but think you should have been? (Tell us the question and answer it too, if you like!)

Why do you write? It’s a fairly fundamental question but one I’ve never been asked. And I think I write for the same reason as I do almost everything – because I’m absolutely fascinated by people, their motivations and the strange and wonderful things that they do.

Thanks Jessica!

Interview archives.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on July 18, 2007 in Book News, Book related, British Authors, Crime / Mystery, Debut Novels, Modern Fiction, New Releases | Permalink | Comments (1)

BOOK REVIEW: Two for the Dough by Janet Evanovich

I've read all of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books as they've each come out, but I'm now re-reading them as part of my big book clear-out. Yes, I'm attempting to get rid of most of my books and, since the Evanovich books are widely available in libraries if I ever got the urge to re-read any of them again (re-re-read?) they're going to be among the first to go.

Two for the Dough, like all of Evanovich's books, has a rather convoluted plot which, if I'm honest, I didn't really bother to follow. I tend to just go along for the ride, enjoy the flirting and the banter and not worry about the crime until it all works out in the end. Is that wrong?

Basically, Stephanie is on the trail of Kenny Mancuso has gone missing following the murder of one of his friends. At the same time, another friend, Spiro Stiva, who is looking after Stiva's Funeral Parlour while his stepfather Constantine is in hospital recovering from a herniated disk, asks Stephanie to try and find 24 coffins that he bought on the cheap and then ... misplaced.

Mancuso is a cousin of Joe Morelli's, so Joe has personal and professional reasons (Joe's a cop) to want to find Mancuso and when he learns that Mancuso has been harassing Stephanie, he starts hanging around. Both to protect her and because Stephanie tends to attract trouble and is likely to lead the police to Mancuso.

The early Plum books are a bit more serious and less slapstick than later books, I think. (Then again, Stephanie does fall off a fire escape and land in dog mess, so I might be wrong about that.) But apart from that everything is in place. The sexual tension with gorgeous Joe Morelli (those of you who'd choose Ranger over Joe are just plain weird - actually, there's barely any Ranger in this book), Grandma Mazur at her crazy best and, of course, Stephanie is funny and charming.

If you've never read any Stephanie Plum books, I envy you. You've got a treat in store.

Rating: 4/5

Like this? Try One for the Money by Janet Evanovich

Posted by Keris on July 18, 2007 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Rating: 4/5, Series | Permalink | Comments (2)

July 16, 2007 4:40 PM

Hmm... looks like Janet Evanovich collaborative novel is off, for now. Boo!

After telling a rather complicated tale of rumours and suspicions, Galleycat revealed today that the Jenny Crusie/Bob Mayer-esque collaboration between Janet Evanovich and Stephen Cannell has fallen into trouble.

Said Janet to the 'cats, "Steve [Cannell] and I ran into scheduling problems. We still have an active partnership but the project is on hold right now. As of right now we haven't a publishing date."

But not to worry, as a self-proclaimed workaholic, I'm sure she'll bounce back with another book before long!

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on July 16, 2007 in American Authors, Book News, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, Series | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 4, 2007 11:19 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Be Mine by Laura Kasischke

Be Mine, the debut novel by poet Laura Kasischke, is a tricky one to review. For the first 150 or so pages I didn't think I'd be able to finish it - not only did it drag, but it was also chock-full of pretentious and rather amateurish symbolism. I lost count of the blood, the rose petals, and the numerous dead animals (seriously, there were rabbits, squirrels, deer, birds and more). But once I got further on in the book, I found that I couldn't put it down and finished it in a day.

"Be Mine" is what's written on a note left in teacher Sherry Seymour's locker on Valentine's Day. She has no idea who it's from, but when the first note is followed by other, more verbose, messages, she starts asking around. She knows it's not her husband of 20 years and he seems as intrigued by the notes as she is. When she bumps into a former friend of her son (who has recently left home to attend college on the other side of the country), she invites him for dinner and he suggests the notes' author may be Bram Smith, the school's sexy auto teacher.

Both Sherry and her husband are excited by this idea and, with her husband's encouragement, Sherry embarks on an affair with Smith. And then, inevitably, things go horribly wrong.

As I said, I was absolutely gripped by Be Mine. I found it well-written (mostly), thrilling, thought-provoking, exciting and erotic, but at the same time there were a number of plot twists that I totally didn't buy at all (the kind of thing that would have had me throwing other books across the room).

Think of it as a film that doesn't really hold together, but is diverting and entertaining all the same.

Rating: 3/5 (2 for the symbolism and plotting + 4 for the excitement and writing = 3!)

Like this? Try Goodnight Nobody by Jennifer Weiner

Posted by Keris on July 4, 2007 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Debut Novels, New Releases, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (1)

June 28, 2007 10:15 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Size 14 is Not Fat Either by Meg Cabot

Heather Wells is back! Finally! I would jump for joy - in public - but that'd just look silly. For those of you who don't already know (or those who are not fans of the fabulous Meg Cabot - if so, HOW COULD YOU NOT BE? Gawd!) Heather Wells is the heroine of Meg's Size 12 Is Not Fat and this brilliant sequel: Size 14 Is Not Fat Either.

Heather, former teen pop princess turned investigator, is back where she left off in Size 12..., at New York College, where she works as a dorm - sorry, residence hall - advisor for Fischer Hall. Dealing with irate freshmen with constant room-related problems is irritating at the best of times, but Heather still loves her job. Plus, working at the famed 'Death Dorm' owing to last year's murders (which, of course, Heather solved) will give her the chance to get the college degree she's always wanted.

Still secretly in love with private investigator housemate Cooper - older brother of her ex-finance, boyband star Jordan Cartwright - Heather is trying to the best of her ability to get him to notice her. Because surely it's about time he realised they'd be perfect together?

However, when the head of New York College's most well-loved cheerleader is found in a simmering pot in the school cafeteria, it's obvious that Death Dorm is back and Heather's personal life has to come second in her list of priorities. Nobody's safe in Fischer Hall until the killer is found - and with police not too bothered about working quickly to catch the culprit, there's only one thing that Heather can do.

She has to solve the case.

After all, there's no-one better for the job than someone who's dealt with students' constant whining on a personal level, right?

Unsurprisingly, Meg has blessed us with another must-read. Whereas I enjoyed the first in the Heather Wells series, this one is better. 29-year-old Heather's immature ways and unfortunate trait of talking like a tween (the only thing that annoyed me about the last one) seem to have died down a bit in this. It's fast-paced, funny, and never one to disappoint, Meg gets straight into the action within the first chapter.

For all of those who love a cute murder-mystery with a unique, fatty-food-loving heroine (I do!) then this one should be right at the top of your reading list. Of course, you should really read Size 12 first, but even if you don't, the story so far should be easy to catch up on.

The only downside to this book?

You won't want to put it down until the mystery's solved.

Please, Meg - we want some more!

Rating: 5 out of 5

Like this? Try After Eight by Meg Cabot.

Posted by Danielle Symonds-Yemm on June 28, 2007 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Rating: 5/5 | Permalink | Comments (3)

June 26, 2007 7:46 PM

Karin Slaughter's knitting contest

We've talked about Knit Lit on Trashionista before, but crime author Karin Slaughter's taken it to a whole new (and creepy) level.

Having commissioned patterns for a Ted Bundy Knit Hat and a Jeffrey Dahmer Boiled Wool Book Bag, she's running a competition on her website for the best versions of each. Great prizes, but I think it's in pretty poor taste.

What do you think?

Related post: Karin Slaughter latest writer to get graphic with her next novel

Posted by Keris on June 26, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Competition, Crime / Mystery | Permalink | Comments (4)

June 22, 2007 12:15 PM

FRIDAY FLICK: Jackie Brown

How I loooove Jackie Brown. Based on Elmore Leonard's book Rum Punch (which is now often re-labeled Jackie Brown), it's the story of... would you believe, Jackie Brown?

She's a stewardess who gets mixed up with a dangerous crowd when she becomes a drug runner for extra cash. Samuel L Jackson plays Ordell, the bad guy out to shut her up while Robert Forster's career got a revival when he was cast as Max Cherry, bail bondsmen and all-round good guy who's fallen hard for our eponymous heroine. But what are Jackie's plans? Is she taking the infatuated Max for a ride and can she outwit Ordell?

Director Quentin Tarantino made this an iconic film of the late '90s, popularising Kangol hats in the process! I may have seen it two or five times, and it's still a great watch - Pam Grier is perfect as Jackie. *DID YOU KNOW?* Jackie Brown is Tarantino's homage to the '70s cinema movement known as Blaxploitation (Shaft etc.) and he changed Jackie's surname from Burke to Brown in honour of Pam Grier's portrayal of Blaxploitation heroine Foxy Brown.

Like this, but with George Clooney: Out of Sight.

Friday Flick archives.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on June 22, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Friday Flick | Permalink | Comments (5)

June 13, 2007 11:28 AM

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Jessica Conant-Park and Susan Conant

We've had a mother-son interview before, but this is the first mother-daughter writing combo to talk exclusively to us at Trashionista! And I'm excited they did, as I loved their books - Steamed and Simmer Down - and can't wait for the next in the series (Turn up the Heat, out March '08). In the meantime, we have this great interview...

Please describe your latest book in 15 words or fewer:

Jessica: Humorous and romantic culinary chick lit mystery set in the Boston restaurant scene. Recipes included!

Where do you like to write your books (in bed, a coffee shop, an office)?

Jessica: I write in my office surrounded sticky notes with book ideas scrawled across the yellows squares. I have visions of becoming totally organized and working in a neurotically neat space, but I suspect that will never happen. For reasons I don’t understand, there is no overhead light in my office, but I do have a grow light for my plants which casts a bizarre pink glow throughout the room, so that makes for an interesting atmosphere. (The neighbors must wonder if aliens have landed their ship in our house.)

Susan:  Outdoors, often on the back steps.

Your favourite chick-lit book?

J:  simply adore The Hazards of Sleeping Alone by Elise Juska. (By the way, this is one of those books where the cover doesn’t match the story.)

S:  Pride and Prejudice. Or maybe Emma. Yes, is Jane Austen the true mother of chick-lit?

Your favourite female heroine (if different from above!), and why?

J: Charlotte from Elise’s book is such an interesting and endearing character and her faults make her progress all the more meaningful. I love flawed characters; I mean, who wants to read about somebody completely perfect?

S: Elizabeth Bennet, who married the eternally irresistible Mr. Darcy.

What tips would you give to any of our readers who want to become writers?

J: Start writing! It sounds obvious enough, but I know many “writers” who have yet to put anything down on paper. Don’t hem and haw over everything you write because you can always go back later and edit, delete, or expand on whatever you’ve written. I hate writing the first few paragraphs of a book so I often just skip ahead and write the opening lines later, otherwise I might sit poised over the keyboard for days waiting for some brilliant line to come to me... Do not try to copy another author’s style or your writing will be disastrous. I love Elinor Lipman’s books [me too! - Diane], but never in a million years could I write the way she does - I can only imagine how hideous my attempts would be. Show your work to someone. Anyone. As terrifying as this is to new writers, you must have someone else read what you’ve written. Be open to feedback and constructive criticism because that is how you improve!

S: If writing does not come naturally to you, quit trying. Read instead!

What are you reading at the moment?

J: Pick Your Poison by Leann Sweeney.

S: Anne Tyler’s Digging to America.

What are you working on now? (If you can give us a hint!)

J: I’ve been busy gathering materials for our website and am itching to get writing again. My mother and I are getting ready to sign a contract for two more books in the Gourmet Girl series so we will start plotting the fourth mystery very soon.

S: I was outlining my second cat lover’s mystery, but Holly Winter’s malamutes leapt in and shoved the cats aside, so I am writing my nineteenth dog lover’s mystery.

What question have you never been asked in an interview, but think you should have been? (Tell us the question and answer it too, if you like!)

Jessica: Your husband is a chef so you must eat like a queen all the time, right? A: Yes, it’s foie gras and fancy chocolate cakes for dinner every night. Okay, not exactly, be we do eat well. My husband, Bill, works most nights so I’m often left to fend for myself. When he is home and cooking, his food is always spectacular.

Susan: What is a Harvard-Radicliffe summa doing writing dog mysteries, cat mysteries, and chick-lit? Answer: Having fun.

Thanks so much, Jessica and Susan!

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on June 13, 2007 in American Authors, Book Websites, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Interviews, Modern Fiction, Recent Release, Romance, Series | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 12, 2007 7:31 PM

Karin Slaughter latest writer to get graphic with her next novel

Crime writer Karin Slaughter is the latest female author to sign up to produce a graphic novel. The number one bestselling author will produce The Recidivists for Arrow.  [Via Book2Book]

Should be interesting (and perhaps gory...?)

Related posts: Jodi Picoult, Wonder Woman? | Wuthering Heights gets graphic!

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on June 12, 2007 in American Authors, Book News, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rachel Kramer Bussel interviews Lynn Harris

Huffington Post has an excellent interview with Death By Chick Lit author Lynn Harris along with an extract of the novel.

Of particular interest (to me, at least, since it's my hobby horse!) are Harris's thoughts on chick lit itself..

It's entertainment. Women understand that. And much of it is really good. Well-written, witty, warm-hearted. To me, Bridget Jones -- patient zero of this wave of chick lit -- isn't dippy and empty, she's a skillfully-drawn screwball heroine. That's old-school in a new package, not some new scourge. In my opinion, the real feminist issue is not the existence of chick lit -- in its many iterations and levels of distinction─it's the way it's come to be regarded.

A review of Death By Chick Lit is on the way.

Related posts: Chick lit is a feminist issue | Old timey chick lit bashing | Marian Keyes on The Weekender

Posted by Keris on June 12, 2007 in American Authors, Book News, Crime / Mystery, New Releases | Permalink | Comments (2)

May 31, 2007 1:04 PM

BOOK NEWS: 'Abduction' (book tour cancelled)

After the sad case of missing four-year old Madeline McCann hit the news, the UK book tour for Barbara Gowdy's novel Helpless, which is about the abduction of a nine-year old girl, has been cancelled.

The book has been out in hardback since March in the US and is released on 7th June in the UK, where it might hit a bit too close to home for some readers. [Via Galleycat].

Book news | Book related.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on May 31, 2007 in American Authors, Book News, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, New Releases | Permalink | Comments (10)

May 28, 2007 3:17 PM

GUEST BLOG: Laura Kasischke

Laura Kasischke is the author of  Be Mine, an erotic thriller that has been compared to American Beauty (we'll have a review coming soon). Here, she guest blogs excluisvely for Trashionista on:

What lies beneath...

It seems too much of a cliche to be true - that beneath the glossiest facades, you'll nearly always find grit. Surely there are women who present to the world a picture perfect surface, and, beneath it, there's precisely the kind of competence and content you would have imagined. Why, then, does it seem so often that it's the happy-seeming couples who shock us with their bitter divorces? The shining pillars of the community whose private lives, revealed by some scandal, turn out to have been full of sordid secrets all along? Is this just in fiction and film, or is that in itself art imitating reality?

There was a sign at the edge of the town I grew up proudly proclaiming us to be "America's Home Town." I assume this was supposed to be a good thing. Our streets were kept dazzlingly clean. Our stores were closed on Sundays so that we'd have nothing to tempt us away from our churches. I was always a bit ashamed of my family. There had been some years without a lot of money, and let's just say the house was not always kept clean, and my father could be found in the back yard, shirtless, with a beer rather often in a neighborhood where neither of those things was condoned.

But we were, basically, pretty happy, I think. If you drove by our house, pretty much what you thought was going on behind the curtains was what was going on. We threw dishes on occasion. We threw our arms around each other, too. I thought everyone was as dull as we were, but that some people kept things looking nice at the same time.

Across town, I had a friend with a much nicer house, and a mother who wore high heels and pearls and stockings to do yard work. She seemed so happy, that mother. There were freshly-baked cookies set out on the kitchen counter every day at 3pm, just when my own mother was settling down with a cigarette to watch a soap opera, saying, wearily, "Can't you go find something to do?" One day, after a few of those cookies, my friend took me to the immaculate upstairs bathroom and showed me, in the back of the toilet tank, where her mother kept two floating bottles of vodka. "My dad said he'd kill her if she didn't quit drinking." She took me into the bedroom then, and showed me where her father kept his gun.

It might have been around then that I started to wonder if maybe one of the things that was happening in the dichotomy between the outward perfection and the secret shame was that the reason for so much emphasis on appearances in the first place was that there was something to hide. Was that why that couple-friend of ours used to spend so much time kissing passionately on our couch when we'd invite them over for a simple dinner? I always looked at my own husband with a bit of deflated confusion after those two left, until the wife moved out of their house one day while the husband was at work, taking everything down to the last spoon in the drawer.

Rumour was that he tried, after that, to burn the house down, "to get her back," but the neighbors smelled smoke and called the fire department. You could have knocked me over with a straw when I heard that news. Despite what I feel I've learned, I walk around just like everybody else, with my jaw hanging open half the time, saying, "Who would ever have expected that?"

What do you think - is truth stranger than fiction? Does art imitate life, or vice versa? (Thanks for a very thought-provoking blog that gave me a shiver, Laura!)

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on May 28, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Guest blogs, New Releases | Permalink | Comments (3)

May 25, 2007 1:17 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Steamed by Jessica Conant-Park and Susan Conant

Yes, I did read these the wrong way around! I enjoyed Simmer Down so much I wanted to go back and read the first in the culinary-mystery series by by Jessica Conant-Park and Susan Conant, Steamed.

Steamed takes place a little earlier in the same year as Simmer Down. Chloe Carter has just started at Social Work Graduate school and is having trouble getting to grips with the right social worker mentality especially as Naomi Campbell (not that one!), her boss at her work placement, is a bit too touchy-feely.

Chloe wouldn't mind finding a man to do a bit of touchy feely (snarf) with, but she's having no luck in the boyfriend department: first her fling with her downstairs neighbour ends badly, then she goes on a blind date with a pompous bore called Eric who takes her to a restaurant he's thinking of investing in... until he gets murdered halfway through their date, that is.

Having found the body, Chloe is both terribly shaken and desperate to know who the murderer was. Especially as the prime suspect is a rather tasty chef she wouldn't mind getting to know better... providing he's innocent, that is. However, for some reason Eric's parents have her down as his serious girlfriend, so there's that little mess to sort out too...

I thoroughly enjoyed Steamed, and just wish there were more in this series for me to read - they're addictive, fantastically escapist and well-written with a witty main character. And delicious recipes, too! What more could you want? (An interview with the authors, perhaps? Watch this space... we'll have one with you soon).

Rating: 4 out of 5

Like this? Try Simmer Down by the same authors, or The Food of Love by Anthony Capella.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on May 25, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Debut Novels, Modern Fiction, Rating: 4/5, Series | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 2, 2007 11:03 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Simmer Down by Jessica Conant-Park and Susan Conant

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, never having read a culinary-themed mystery before. Would it be a delicious blend of genres, or a recipe for disaster? And would I stop thinking in culinary metaphors? Time would tell...

Simmer Down is the story of social work grad student Chloe Carter, who's happily loved up with chef boyfriend Josh and looking forward to the opening night of Simmer, the new restaurant where Josh is about to start work.

But on New Year's Eve, at a local gallery's benefit to support the anti-harassment group Chloe works for, at which Josh is cooking, things spiral out of control. Not only does Chloe's ex, Sean turn up out of the blue, but so does Josh's less than pleasant previous girlfriend Hannah, who'd working for a rival restaurant chain. And when Oliver, one of the bosses of that rival group is later found murdered (bludgeoned to death by Josh's supersized food processor), the suspects start piling up...

Could it be the bitchy Hannah? Oliver's wife Dora? Or even his business partner Barry? Or maybe even an unknown business rival? No-one knows, but Chloe thinks that for the sake of Josh's future career, she should be the one to find out...

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. I'm not generally a fan of genre fiction, and worried that this book's kitschy cover (like a modern-day Nancy Drew) could be an attempt to hide less-than-quality writing. But I read the first page, and loved it, and then the second... and before I knew it I'd devoured the whole book. This would be the perfect summer read, and was interesting, witty and unpredictable (with mouthwatering descriptions of food and even recipes for said food at the back of the book). I'll definitely look out for the next delicious novel by this mother-daughter writing team.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Like this?  Try Faking It by Jennifer Crusie.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on May 2, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, New Releases, Rating: 4/5, Romance | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 27, 2007 6:32 PM

MOVIE NEWS: Heart-Shaped Box

It might not surprise you to hear that Stephen King's son, Joe Hill, is apparently a super-talented thriller writer, just like daddy. And he's following in his dad's footsteps by having his first novel, Heart Shaped Box, turned into a film, reports Variety.

Veteran Irish filmmaker Neil 'The Crying Game' Jordan will direct.

Movie news archives | Friday Flick archives

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on April 27, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Debut Novels, Modern Fiction, Movie News, New Releases | Permalink | Comments (1)

April 26, 2007 8:49 PM

THURSDAY TRAILBLAZER: Janet Evanovich

Yes, the great lady said it herself: she probably did, to a large extent, inspire the invention of chick lit: in the US, at least. So Janet Evanovich is the first living author to be featured in our Thursday Trailblazer series!

She started out writing romance novels, which  were moderately successful. But she really found her voice (and a million-selling career) when she invented Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter extraordinaire. Her first foray into smart, snarky, first-person narration, Stephanie is strong, kicks ass and is never afraid to speak her mind. She also looks fabulous (I'm sure). In short, she's an inspiration: and Janet is too, turning her career into a family business (her daughter, son and husband all work for/with her!) - although she has admitted she barely gets time to breathe...

Her novels are obviously inspired by great authors like Elmore Leonard, but Evanovich's own influence is clear in writers like Jenny Crusie and Lani Diane Rich.

Read this: One For The Money.

What do you think?

And who's your favourite trailblazer? Let us know!

Thursday Trailblazer archives.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on April 26, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, Thursday Trailblazer | Permalink | Comments (1)

April 25, 2007 10:23 AM

Melanie Lynne Hauser news: Supermom sequel and new e-book

According to the ever-informing-me Galleycat, Melanie Lynne Hauser, author of Confessions of Supermom not only only has a sequel to that book out now: Supermom Saves the World...

But she is going to release an older novel, Jumble Pie, as an e-book.

Find out more here.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on April 25, 2007 in American Authors, Book News, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, New Releases | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 19, 2007 7:10 AM

MOVIE NEWS: Nancy Drew movie trailer

I don't know how it passed me by, but I didn't even know about this film until yesterday.

What do you think? Do you agree with the You Tube commenters that Nancy's too young, Ned's too gormless (and not hot enough) or does the movie get it right? (I haven't read any Nancy Drew books - yet - and the film looks quite cute to me.)

Related posts: Inspired by Nancy Drew | Nancy Drew stationery | Book-inspired outfits!

Posted by Keris on April 19, 2007 in Crime / Mystery, Movie News | Permalink | Comments (2)

March 30, 2007 3:43 PM

FRIDAY FLICK: White Oleander

Based on the wonderful novel by Janet Fitch (which I LOVED - and I'll be reviewing her latest, Paint it Black, soon) White Oleander is the story of Ingrid (Michelle Pfeiffer) a beautiful but manipulative single mother who is sent to jail for murdering her ex-lover, leaving her teenage daughter Astrid (Alison Lohman) to shuttle from foster home to foster home with often disastrous consequences.

Astrid finally finds a happy home with Renee Zellweger, who she really clicks with - but soon her jealous mother has found a way to destroy that, too...

The story of a mother too selfish to let her daughter (or anyone else) be happy is moving and convincingly acted (nice to see Pfeiffer being coolly evil for a change, she does it well!) But there's no way this could match up to the brilliance and subtlety of the book, and it's not a particularly great film, although it's not a bad one, either. The choice of Billy Connolly to play Ingrid's ex struck me as odd - not what I was expecting from that character, and hard for British viewers not to see him as a comedy figure! Alison Lohman is very talented though, and hopefully destined for bigger things.

Like this, but with Angelina Jolie (and no murder): Girl, Interrupted

Friday Flick archives

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on March 30, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Debut Novels, Friday Flick, Modern Fiction | Permalink | Comments (3)

March 27, 2007 4:18 PM

Love in the book signing queue

Maybe it's just the crowd I run with, but whenever I've been to book signings or author readings, it's usually been women of all ages and the odd (sometimes very odd) older man - not exactly the ideal breeding ground for romance. The lucky couple in this picture met in the queue at a signing of bestselling American crime author Lisa Scottoline's book Dirty Blonde, and by the time they'd reached the signing table, had arranged to meet for coffee. A year later, they're still together!

So next time you're at a book event, you might want to take a good look around for any viable prospects, ladies...

[Via Galleycat].

Related posts: Posh is a signing sensation | In defence of romantic novels

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on March 27, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, Romance | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 15, 2007 4:17 PM

THURSDAY TRAILBLAZER: Patricia Highsmith

The Talented Mr Ripley. Ripley's Game. Strangers on a Train. All came from the talented and slightly disturbed mind of Ms Patricia Highsmith, award-winning author of a ream of bestselling crime books which transcended 'genre fiction' (Not that genre fiction is a bad thing!)

I had a Patricia Highsmith-filled summer a few years ago (I like a touch of darkness in my summer reading - too much sun is bad for you) and read all her Ripley books, some short stories and a couple of her other novels. It was a wonderful time! Highsmith was such a great writer with a brilliant talent for creating suspense from thin air, and making the reader care about eminently detestable characters (I found myself hoping Tom Ripley would get away with his crimes!)  Her books are much more that whodunits and don't go in for any autopsy description or gore, she's much more interested in psychology and has surely influenced every female (and male) crime writer who followed her.

Highsmith's own life was sometimes the inspiration for her fiction: she wrote a lesbian stalker story, Carol in 1953 (very controversial at the time, so she used a pseudonym) based to some extent on her own experience. It's thought to be the first openly gay novel with a happy ending!

Macabre and dark, Highsmith certainly wasn't a girly girl, but her books aren't heavy or a struggle to read: they capture you and don't let you go.

Read this: The Talented Mr Ripley.

Thursday Trailblazer archives | Crime/mystery archives.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on March 15, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Classic Novels, Crime / Mystery, Opinion, Thursday Trailblazer | Permalink | Comments (2)

January 12, 2007 3:34 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Meri Sugarman, Psycho Queen by M. Apostilina

M. Apostilina's Meri Sugarman, Psycho Queen is another book that changed its name as it flew over the Atlantic: in America, it was called Hazing Meri Sugarman. But the story is the same: when Cindy Bixby moves away to university, she thinks that joining her mum's old sorority will be the perfect way for her to make new friends and to bond with her mother.

But although she knows getting into the sorority will be tough, she has no idea HOW tough, as the clearly psychotic sorority president Meri puts the wannabe sisters through their paces in a series of humiliating, outrageous and at times illegal dares, challenges and stunts. Cindy's torn between wanting to impress Meri, and wanting to challenge her supremacy, until Meri takes her humiliation a step too far, and Cindy vows to bring her down...

This is a really fun and very fast, well-written, snappily-paced novel which even manages to fit in a nice romantic sub-plot but it's only fair to warn you that the storyline is pretty farcical. Although the heroine is a university student, it reads much more like YA than grown-up chick lit. Which isn't to say it's not enjoyable all the same...

I wasn't that keen on the way Cindy kept putting herself down, but she grew in confidence by the end of the novel. What I did really like was the way everything was pretty nicely tied up in the last chapters - and yet there are sequels already on release in the US. I hate it when authors wimp out on a proper ending to make for the  sequel (Louise Rennison!) so I'm glad this is a good read in its own right.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Like this? Try Secret Society Girl by Diana Peterfreund.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on January 12, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Debut Novels, Modern Fiction, Rating: 4/5, Recent Release, Romance, Series, Young Adult | Permalink | Comments (4)

January 5, 2007 6:21 PM

Richard & Judy bookclub 2007

Yes, they've been announced! The titles of the books that are going to be flying off the shelves for the rest of this year:

The Interpretation of Murder by Jed Rubenfeld
The Testament of Gideon Mack by James Robertson
Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
This Book Will Save Your Life by A M Homes
Restless by William Boyd
Love in the Present Tense by Catherine Ryan Hyde
The Girls by Lori Lansens
Semi-Detached by Griff Rhys Jones

They'll be officially announced on Richard & Judy's UK TV show on 31 January and you'll be able to buy them from the website. [via Galleycat]

I've only heard of two of the books and three of the authors, so I have to disagree with Mark Lawson's assertion that the couple choose books that would have done well without their help.

So what do you think? Is it a good list? Have you read any of them? Do you want to read any of them?

[Richard and Judy archives]

Posted by Keris on January 5, 2007 in American Authors, British Authors, Celebrity Authors, Crime / Mystery, Debut Novels, Memoirs, Modern Fiction, New Releases, Non Fiction, Recent Release, Richard and Judy, Television | Permalink | Comments (0)

December 26, 2006 11:00 AM

BOOK REVIEW: The Godmother by Carrie Adams

Carrie Adams has apparently created a new genre, ‘chick noir’, with her latest book, having concentrated on writing crime novels up to now.

The Godmother focuses on  Tessa King who is single and godmother to all her friends’ children. Everyone is jealous of Tessa and her life full of fun, but she’s beginning to feel that she’s missing out on marriage and motherhood.

However, when she starts to spend more time with her friends she realises married life can be far from bliss....

Adams has flashes of genius with this novel: her hilarious one-liners are so funny that you’ll be quoting them to all your friends. Unfortunately they aren’t enough to carry a whole book. Even though The Godmother focuses on Tessa it’s really about all her friends as Tessa’s life is pretty boring with the occasional one night stand thrown in to spice it up.

There are so many story threads that the book becomes disjointed and difficult to read. The lack of continuity of the plot combined with characters that jump between nasty and nice in just a few pages meant that I didn’t relate to any of them. One thing I will give Adams is that her characters did evoke strong emotion in me … hate.

As I read on every chapter revealed more and more gloomy stories, which are never really resolved satisfactorily. Personally if I wanted to be that depressed I could go and check my bank balance. If you enjoy wallowing in others misery … I mean moving stories then watch Eastenders and save your money! [Angela Richardson].

Rating: 2 out of 5

Like this? Try The Rise and Fall of a Yummy Mummy by Polly Williams.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on December 26, 2006 in Book related, British Authors, Crime / Mystery, Rating: 2/5 | Permalink | Comments (2)

December 19, 2006 2:20 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Santa, Baby by Jennifer Crusie, Lori Foster and Carly Phillips

Sometimes there's a book I just can't wait to read, and I never learn not to over-hype it to myself, in case I get disappointed... this was the case with Santa, Baby. It's Jennifer Crusie! It's Christmas themed! I'll love it, right?!

Well... maybe. Despite the cover, which gives huge prominence to the big draw that is Jennifer Crusie, this book is actually three novellas with a Christmas theme in one handy holiday volume.

And as I was reading, I couldn't help wishing that the book was another great Crusie novel, instead...

The collection opens with Hot Toy, Crusie's novella, which is light but very entertaining, well-written with an unpredictable storyline. As always, she has great ideas and tight plotting and it's very definitely Christmas-themed. It's not as good as her novels, but as a light seasonal treat, very enjoyable. Then we have Christmas Bonus by Lori Foster and Naughty Under the Mistletoe by Carly Philips and... meh. Firstly, they could have been set at any time of the year with just a few Christmas details thrown in later, unlike Crusie's story which is seeped in a seasonal theme (with a sexy spy thrown in for good measure).

I found the two non-Crusie stories (sorry, novellas- and that's part of the problem- they were more like stories streeeetched out to become mini-novels, without the plot to back it up) very cliched and hard to believe or relate to: this is a world where you know someone intimately and make plans to be with them forever after just one night, and where a man repeatedly calling you "sweetheart" is endearing rather than deeply patronising. Of the two, I slightly preferred Naughty Under the Mistletoe, partly because it didn't have  fifty pages of sex (I'm not exaggerating- call me Prudey McPruderson but I like something left to the imagination, especially as this occasionally missed the mark- "donned a rubber"? Sounds safe, but not sexy... and flickering tongues just remind me of lizards I'm afraid!) but didn't think either of these stories were anything special or managed to capture any real emotion. And there was too much telling and not enough showing ("how could any man get inside her when she'd feared emotional closeness would result in unhealthy dependence?"- who thinks like that?!)

If you like a predictable romance story that you don't need to think about, you might enjoy them, but they weren't my cup of tea, and I'd recommend just reading Hot Toy to get you in the holiday mood- then, as with a box of champagne truffles on Christmas morning (she hinted), exercising some restraint and leaving the rest- for your own good.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Like this? Try Don't look Down by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Meyer.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on December 19, 2006 in American Authors, Book News, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, New Releases, Rating: 3/5, Romance, Short Story Collections | Permalink | Comments (1)

December 18, 2006 5:35 PM

Losing Gemma on TV tonight

UK-based Trashionistas may well be interested in a two-part drama starting on ITV1 tonight (9pm). Losing Gemma is based on the best-selling novel by Katy Gardner - about two friends who go backpacking in India and what happens when one goes missing. It concludes tomorrow night, also at 9.

Posted by Aigua Media on December 18, 2006 in Book related, British Authors, Crime / Mystery, Debut Novels, Modern Fiction, Television | Permalink | Comments (0)

December 14, 2006 5:03 PM

Top 10 chick lit precursors

Can you remember a time before chick lit?

We’ve sort of established that chick lit began in 1995 (with Marian Keyes's Watermelon), but there have always been books about strong women trying to come to terms with their place in the world, haven’t there? They just weren’t called chick lit before. We’re calling them chick lit precursors and here’s our Top 10 (along with a recommendation of their more recent chick lit "cousins").

(The following list is, of course, entirely subjective; my only rule was that the books had to have been originally published before 1995.)

10 Postcards From the Edge by Carrie Fisher (1987)

Suzanne Vale is an actress trying to recover from drug addiction, resume her career and get on with her life, while dealing with her difficult relationship with her mother. Like a lot of good chick lit, Postcards From the Edge is written in the first person, it’s also stuffed with Carrie Fisher’s trademark humour.

Chick lit cousin: Why Moms Are Weird by Pamela Ribon

9 Heartburn by Nora Ephron (1983)

The story of Rachel Samstat, a food writer whose husband has an affair with the wife of a prominent politician ... during month seven of Rachel's second pregnancy, it’s as hilarious and insightful as you’d expect from the writer of When Harry Met Sally.

Chick lit cousin: Watermelon by Marian Keyes

8 Sheila Levine is dead and living in New York by Gail Parent (1975)

As Diane reported, Jennifer Weiner reckons this was the first chick lit book, so who am I to argue? Sadly out of print, it’s the story of Sheila Levine, a Jewish girl living in Manhattan, her search for Mr. Right, and her struggles with her weight. Certainly sounds like chick lit!

Chick lit cousin: Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner

7 Jilly Cooper

Yes, an author rather than a book, but I’m specifically thinking of her "girls' name" books: Emily (1975), Bella (1976), Harriet (1976), Octavia (1977), Imogen (1978), Prudence (1978), Lisa and Co. (1981). More romances than the bonkbusters Cooper has become known for, these books are funny and romantic and have been reissued more than once with more chick lit style covers (most recently last year).

Chick lit cousin: Jill Mansell or Katie Fforde

6 Fear of Flying by Erica Jong (1973)

Fear of Flying created a sensation in the seventies with is frank descriptions of women's sexual appetites. The author Henry Miller said of it, "This book will make literary history ... because of it women are going to find their own voice and give us great sagas of sex, life, joy, and adventure." [via Erica Jong’s website]

Yep, that’s a chick lit precursor alright!

Chick lit cousin: Freya North (for the sex)

Carry on over the cut for the Top 5 (once again, number one might not be what you think!)

5 Forever by Judy Blume (1970)

The author Sarah Mlynowski says, “People always call Helen Fielding the mother of chick lit, but I think it’s Judy Blume. She’s who we all (chick lit writers) grew up reading, and she’s the one who helped shaped our consciousness.” [via Deanna Carlyle]

As if to prove Sarah's point, next June sees the publication of Everything I Needed to Know About Being a Girl I Learned from Judy Blume , a collection of essays from authors including Trashionista faves Meg Cabot, Megan Crane, Diana Peterfreund and Alison Pace and Sarah herself.

I’ve picked Forever because it’s the Judy Blume book that had the most impact on me (stop sniggering) and it’s still causing a stir today, being one of the most challenged books in schools and libraries (it wasn’t shelved in my library growing up; you had to ask for it “under the counter”).

Chick lit cousin: The Boyfriend List by E Lockhart

4 Nancy Drew (from 1930)

We’ve mentioned the influence of the Nancy Drew books a few times, and the “girl detective” remains as popular today as ever. Nancy has gone through a few incarnations over the years, but has always been intelligent, brave, talented and independent. An excellent chick lit heroine!

Chick lit cousin: Stephanie Plum

3 Dorothy Parker (from 1926)

A commonly quoted important chick lit characteristic is “snark” and they don’t come much snarkier than Dorothy Parker.

In her review of the Parker biography What Fresh Hell is This, Diane wrote, “One of the founder members of the Algonquin round table - an influential group of writers in 1920s and 30s New York - Dorothy Parker was a gossipy journalist, well-known short story writer, clinical depressive with a tendency to suicide attempts - and a famous wit.”

Chick lit cousin: Wendy Holden

2 Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (1813)

Ha! Bet you thought this would be number 1, didn’t you? As I'm sure you know, Pride and Prejudice is the story of the Bennet family, particularly Lizzie - who would make a perfect chick lit heroine even today - and Mr Darcy (on whom the best chick lit heroes are inevitably based).

In my review of Flirting with Pride and Prejudice, I wrote, "It is a truth universally acknowledged that if Jane Austen were writing today, she would be considered a chick lit author" and Austen’s influence on chick lit (not least Bridget Jones’s Diary) is well-known. She wasn’t first though. Oh no.

Chick lit cousin: Bridget Jones’s Diary, of course!

1 Evelina by Frances Burney (1778)

Beating Pride and Prejudice by 35 years is Frances Burney’s Evelina.

Written as a series of letters, this is the story of innocent Evelina's entrance into London society. “Evelina, comic and shrewd, is at once a guide to fashionable London, a satirical attack on the new consumerism, an investigation of women's position in the late eighteenth century, and a love story.” [via Amazon]

That’ll be the earliest chick lit book then!

Chick lit cousin: Boy Meets Girl by Meg Cabot

So what do you think? Do you agree? Have I missed any? We’d love to hear from you.

Top 100 Extravaganza archives

Posted by Keris on December 14, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, British Authors, Celebrity Authors, Classic Novels, Crime / Mystery, Debut Novels, Modern Fiction, Opinion, Romance, Series, Top 100 Extravaganza!, Young Adult | Permalink | Comments (7)

BOOK REVIEW: Copycat by Erica Spindler

Erica Spindler is well known for her thrillers. She has won the Kiss of Death Award in the past and I think that gives you a clue as to the type of books she writes.
 
Copycat is about a killer who suffocated three little girls in their beds leaving them posed as if they were sleeping. This earned them the name the Sleeping Angel Killer. They left no clues or witnesses. The crime remained unsolved until the killing started again five years on.

Kitt Lundgren, the lead detective from the original investigation, is overlooked for the case. After all, the last time it had pushed her over the edge and she had hit the bottle. It had taken her years to become sober again and now she’s only trusted with the lowliest of cases. That is until she spots a difference. A tiny variation in the killings that opens terrifying new possibilities.

The first thing that hit me about this book was the title. It immediately made me think of its namesake, the 1995 movie Copycat starring Sigourney Weaver. Considering the name, it’s ironic that there are so many similarities between the two. They both contain serial killers that may be copying the handiwork of others and washed up alcoholic investigators who are traumatised by the original murders. The whole book came across as very formulaic. But then I’m sure Spindler thought ‘If it ain’t broke don’t fix it’!

Apart from the lack of originality, this book works. It’s exciting and keeps you reading. The main characters are likeable strong women, although their home lives are too full of woe at times. There are a few plot twists that keep you guessing who the killer is until the end. It’s a great read.

I’m sure this will deliver to the crime buffs out there, but don’t expect anything new. [Angela Richardson]
 
Rating: 4 out of 5
 
Like this? Try Bloodstream by Tess Gerritsen 

Posted by Aigua Media on December 14, 2006 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, Rating: 4/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (0)

December 13, 2006 5:30 PM

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Janet Evanovich

Janet Evanovich, firm Trashionista favourite and author of the famous and fabulous Stephanie Plum series of novels that began with One For The Money, is a busy, busy woman. So we're very grateful she made time for a brief Trashionista interview, although as you'll see, brief might be the operative word... (good things come in small packages!)

Please describe your latest book in 15 words or fewer: Some adventure, some cussing, some pizza, some sex and a bunch of good people in Trenton, New Jersey.

Where do you like to write your books (in bed, a coffee shop, an office)?

Office.

Your favourite female heroine and why?

Bridget Jones. She's very human.

More from Janet over the cut...

What tips would you give to any of our readers who want to become writers?

Go for it.

What are you reading at the moment?

I seldom get a chance to read. I find it too distracting to read while I'm writing ...and I'm always writing!

What are you working on now? (If you can give us a hint!)    Plum number 13.

Thanks Janet!

Related: Review of Twelve Sharp / Yay or Nay: One For the Money / Review of Love Overboard

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on December 13, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Interviews, Modern Fiction, New Releases | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 29, 2006 8:09 PM

YAY OR NAY WEDNESDAY

Hi, Yay or Nayers! Last week you were pretty much agreed that it's OK if your partner doesn't read your writing... better than him/her reading it and making lukewarm/disparaging comments, at any rate! (But I think I'd want my boyfriend to read and love my masterpieces - if I had a boyfriend. Or any masterpieces.)

This week, the question is simple, if controversial. (And in several parts...) You may have heard all the outcry about the proposed OJ Simpson book (worst taste idea of the year), which has now thankfully been dropped by the publisher. Found not guilty in criminal court of the murders of his ex-wife and her boyfriend, OJ was nevertheless found guilty in a civil trial. And although he's not in the same league, disgraced ex-politician Jeffrey Archer has a new book deal (oh joy) and indeed released a book from prison. Great! On the other hand, this prison diary is one of the best books I've ever read.

So what I want to know is this: should books by convicted criminals ever be published, and should they receive money for them? Does it depend on whether the book draws on a crime they've been found guilty of? Is it only okay once they've served their time? Should it be taken on a case by case basis (eg. Jeffrey Archer - bad writer but not in bad taste, OJ - bad to the bone *allegedly*?) What do you think?

To answer all or any of that(!), tell us: is it a Yay or a Nay... and Why?

Yay or Nay archives.

[Don't forget it's Yay or Nay day at Hippyshopper, Bridalwave, Corrie Blog, Catwalk Queen, Kiss and Makeup, The Bag Lady, Shoewawa and Shiny Shiny, too!]

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on November 29, 2006 in American Authors, Book News, Book related, British Authors, Crime / Mystery, Memoirs, Modern Fiction, New Releases, Opinion, Yay or Nay? | Permalink | Comments (8)

November 21, 2006 11:12 AM

Novels that take a long time!

To write, rather than read, that is- although in some cases it might be both! It seems that while the frenzied atmosphere of Nanovember is great inspiration for some authors, others need a lot more time to hone their craft...

Mary Sharratt told us last week that researching and writing her tour de force novel (review coming soon!) The Vanishing Point took ten years, a real labour of love. Bestselling author Donna Tartt also took ten years between smash hit The Secret History and its follow-up, The Little Friend (meaning the so-so reviews for the latter must have been especially galling- that's the sophomore slump for you!)

Meanwhile, in the latest issue of Mslexia, Jane Harris explains why her debut novel The Observations took a massive thirteen years to come to fruition. So if you're a budding novelist, I  guess it doesn't really matter how long it takes... as long as you get there in the end.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on November 21, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, British Authors, Crime / Mystery, Debut Novels, Modern Fiction, NaNovember, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 17, 2006 11:02 AM

BOOK NEWS: Perfectly Plum

Who doesn't love curling up with a good Plum? A Stephanie Plum book, that is... Janet Evanovich's series of books about Stephanie Plum, Bounty Hunter (the latest of which, Twelve Sharp, came out this year) have been one of the most popular series ever. Their kick-ass, take-no-prisoners heroine has become a female icon and the books are simultaneously fun, inspiring and edge-of-your-seat dramatic. So it's not surprising that BenBella books, publishers of This is Chick Lit, Welcome to Wisteria Lane and Totally Charmed have an upcoming anthology devoted to all things Plum. Called Perfectly Plum (subtitle: Unauthorized Essays on the Life, Loves and Other Disasters of Stephanie Plum, Trenton Bounty Hunter) it will be released in June.

And the best part? Trashionista's very own Keris Stainton is one of the contributors, with an essay on Stephanie's relationship with her sister- you won't want to miss this!

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on November 17, 2006 in American Authors, Book News, Book related, British Authors, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, New Releases, Non Fiction, Opinion | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 14, 2006 12:11 PM

The play's the thing (apparently)

We often feature book-to-movie adaptations, but what about books-to-plays? The London theatres seem to be full of them at the moment.

From the end of this month, Nina Bawden's classic, Carrie's War - about a former evacuee returning to her wartime home and telling her story to her children - is on at Sadler's Wells. The book has been adapted by Emma Reeves and the show is directed by Andrew Loudon (creators of Little Women and Anne Of Green Gables at Sadler’s Wells).

Coram Boy, Jamila Gavin's Whitbread award-winning children's book about growing-up, struggle, tradition and corruption, returns to the National Theatre from 29 November. Its previous run was a sell-out.

The smash-hit musical, Wicked, is based on Gregory Maguire’s novel - about the witches from The Wizard of Oz and how the wicked witch perhaps wasn't so wicked after all - is currently showing at the Apollo (not to mention New York, Chicago, LA and more!).

Susan Hill's ghost story The Woman in Black is in its 15th year in the West End at the Fortune Theatre. (A friend of mine went to see this and was so terrified she literally wouldn't go to bed afterwards - she was about 35 at the time!)

My personal favourite - Lauren Child's That Pesky Rat - opens at the Soho Theatre at the beginning of December. (The pesky rat even has a rat blog!)

Posted by Keris on November 14, 2006 in American Authors, Book News, Book related, British Authors, Classic Novels, Crime / Mystery, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, Opinion, Prize Winners, Young Adult | Permalink | Comments (1)

November 10, 2006 6:17 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Sleep With Me by Joanna Briscoe

The characters in Sleep With Me by Joanna Briscoe are selfish, self-indulgent, snobby whining thirty-somethings who are hard to relate to and even harder to care about. But it's okay; they're supposed to be. This is a haunting, creepy, slow-moving novel that builds to a dramatic crescendo. It's subtly sinister- an uncomfortable read for no reason you can put your finger on.

Told from the alternating viewpoints of Lelia and Richard, a London couple who are perfectly happy together, the action begins at a Christmas party after they've just conceived their first child. Happy and glowing, they barely notice the presence of a new member of the group, Sylvie, who appears mousy and uninteresting. And yet slowly over the next few months she starts to make her presence felt...

Seducing Richard and leaving Lelia alone with thoughts of a past that haunts her, Sylvie becomes an addictive presence in the couple's life, but one that is never acknowledged between them. I can't say too much about the plot without revealing the story that a reader must allow to unfold for themselves, but this is a very compelling read.

The alternating viewpoints narrative works well, and as we reach the end of the book, allows certain plot points to be put together without our discovering them earlier. It also gives us a real insight into these people's heads- I think one of the reason the characters seem so unlikeable is that as narrators they're so emotionally honest, and tell us more than we need to know about themselves- often things we wouldn't wish to know about another person! Joanna Briscoe is a very talented and sharp author to be able to achieve this, and it shows a great understanding of human nature- its weaknesses and foibles (with an emphasis on human sexuality and how we deal with grief), which is really what this book is all about.

If that sounds like a super-serious read, it isn't- Sleep Wit Me isn't full of humour but it's not a hard book to work through; you'll want to race through it. A quote on the front describes it as "a great summer page turner..." Great it may be, but set in winter, with some very dark themes, there's nothing summery about it. I'd say it's a great winter read, if you don't mind feeling a little discomfited while you're reading- and for a few days afterwards...

I'm just not sure Briscoe intended for me to dislike her characters as much as I did- they're rather stuffy, cold and formal, although I had sympathy for them, especially Lelia, towards the end of the book.

The book feels a bit like a more modern Patricia Highsmith, where an undercurrent of menace is created out of very little, so it could be a creepy classic of the future!

Rating: 4 out of 5

Like this? Try The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on November 10, 2006 in Book related, British Authors, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, Rating: 4/5, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (2)

November 8, 2006 5:50 PM

YAY OR NAY WEDNESDAY

Eve Pollard, the mother of Claudia Winkleman and an ex-newspaper and magazine editor has now written a new book called Jack's Widow, in which JFK's widow Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis is depicted in fictional form as a spy for the CIA.  According to Galleycat, the Kennedy family is upset about the novel and Patrick Anderson of the Washington Post denounced it as a "ghoulish piece of trash."  (Ooh).

So what do you think- is it okay to use famous dead people in a novel? Is the key factor whether they have any surviving relatives? Do we need to be more respectful of the deceased, or is this a way of keeping their memory alive? Is it only all right when they've been dead for hundreds of years (like Shakespeare)?

So many questions, but it only really boils down to one: is it a Yay or a Nay- and why?

Yay or Nay archives.

[Don't forget it's Yay or Nay day at Hippyshopper, Bridalwave, Corrie Blog, Catwalk Queen, Kiss and Makeup, The Bag Lady, Shoewawa and Shiny Shiny, too!]

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on November 8, 2006 in Book News, Book related, British Authors, Crime / Mystery, Debut Novels, Modern Fiction, New Releases, Yay or Nay? | Permalink | Comments (9)

November 3, 2006 5:57 PM

Another Janet Evanovich collaboration

Not content with the enormously successful Stephanie Plum series, the fledgling Metro Girl series, the re-released romances the Full series written with Charlotte Hughes, and a how to write manual, Janet Evanovich has now signed a deal to co-write a series of adventure novels with thriller writer Stephen J. Cannell. (Although I read somewhere - sorry can't remember where - that she motivates herself by spending her money before she's earned it, so that could be a contributory factor!)

Perhaps inspired by the success of Bob Mayer and Jennifer Crusie's (we're Crusie crazy today!) Don't Look Down, the books will be set in Orange County and follow the adventures of a former Special Forces operative, Benjamin Cannon. (Hang on a minute. Now I'm thinking less "inspired by" and more "rip-off of". It's not just me, is it?) The first book, No Chance, will be out at the end of next year.

Related posts: One for the Money review / Twelve Sharp review

Posted by Keris on November 3, 2006 in American Authors, Book News, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, Romance, Series | Permalink | Comments (0)

FRIDAY FLICK: American Dreamer

I'm cheating again with this week's Friday Flick (gimme a break - it's a while since I last cheated). American Dreamer isn't based on a novel, but it is about a romance novelist. Released in 1984 (as you can probably tell from the hairdo on the cover) I'd never heard of this movie until I saw it on Jenny Crusie's list of the greatest romantic comedies. Jenny says, "Every romance writer I know loves this movie" and it's not hard to see why.

Housewife Cathy Palmer (JoBeth Williams) wins a competition to write a "Rebecca Ryan" story and the prize is a trip to Paris to meet the author of the real Rebecca Ryan books (which are sort of a female James Bond). Cathy's appalling husband (who really is so awful I couldn't imagine she ever would have married him) won't go with her so she goes alone and has only been there a day when she's hit by a car and wakes up believing herself to be ... Rebecca Ryan.

I got this far into the film and thought about emailing Jenny Crusie to ask her if she was having me on. Dated, far-fetched, ridiculous, I couldn't believe it was on her list! But I persevered (the things I do for Trashionista) and things soon start to look up when Cathy/Rebecca meets Alan McMann, the son and assistant of the author of the Rebecca Ryan novels. He's played by Tom Conti whose bewilderment and amusement at Cathy/Rebecca's behavior is perfectly pitched. Soon they're involved in a Rebecca Ryan style adventure, involving international espionage, drug-smuggling and attempts on their lives.

It is dated, far-fetched and ridiculous, but it's also great fun and that's thanks entirely to the comic brilliance both of Tom Conti and JoBeth Williams (who actually had me convinced she really was Rebecca Ryan). It reminded me in parts of Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination - by which I mean it's not quite right - but if you suspend disbelief I don't think you can help but enjoy it.

Posted by Keris on November 3, 2006 in Book related, Crime / Mystery, Friday Flick, Girly Stuff, Romance | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 2, 2006 8:00 AM

Reading Veronica Mars

Veronica Mars is another show I've never seen, but fully plan to catch up with on DVD (one day, when I've finished Buffy, Alias, Charmed and all the others I've been instructed to watch!). Diane mentioned a novel by a Veronica Mars writer, but what else is there for the discerning VM fan?

Well the first one I found isn't just about Veronica Mars, but it sounds great. Teen Dreams: Reading Teen Film and Television from Heathers to Veronica Mars is by Roz Kaveney. Along with VM ("Watching the Teen Detective"), she also looks at how Jane Austen's Emma became Clueless and, of course, Buffy.

And that's pretty much it, I'm afraid. There are two novelisations due out in June next year - The Case Files of Veronica Mars Book One and Book Two, but apart from that you'll just have to comfort yourself with a calendar (except it appears to cost almost £50 on Amazon UK; that can't be right ..).

Related posts: Chick Lit Authors' Favourite TV Shows / Reading Desperate Housewives / Reading Alias / Reading Friends / Reading Sex and the City / Reading Angel / Reading Dawson's Creek / Reading The O.C. / Reading Gilmore Girls / Reading Beverly Hills 90210

Posted by Keris on November 2, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Girly Stuff, Non Fiction, Series, Television, Young Adult | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 30, 2006 11:55 AM

MORE ON MONDAY: The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

I know I mentioned last week that the word "unputdownable" is overused in book reviews, but it got me thinking about the books I didn't want to put down and The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins was definitely one of those.

It's a melodramatic mystery thriller (in fact Collins is often credited with being the originator of the modern mystery). Told by a selection of different narrators, along with diary extracts and other documents, the book begins with Walter Hartright accepting a position as a drawing master to two "young ladies" - Marian Halcombe and Laura Fairlie. But before taking up the position he meets a mysterious woman all dressed in white and helps her escape from her pursuers. He is horrified when he hears that she has escaped from an asylum.

On arriving at his new home, Walter falls immediately in love with Laura (who looks a lot like the woman in white), but Laura has promised her father that she will marry evil Sir Percival Glyde. And then - and I don't say this lightly - all hell breaks loose.

Don't be put off by the fact that The Woman in White is a "classic", it's amazingly readable and seems much more modern than anything by Collins's friend and contemporary, Charles Dickens. With wonderful, original, infuriating and dreadful characters, a tragic love story, twists and turns, shocks and reversals, you'll want to stay up all night to finish this book.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Like this? Try Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

Did you know? The Woman in White has been turned into a musical.

Posted by Keris on October 30, 2006 in British Authors, Classic Novels, Crime / Mystery, More On Monday, Rating: 5/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Writers talk about writing- all day long!

Writers FM is a twenty-four hour radio show broadcast over the internet. You can listen to it via the website (all day long, should you wish!) or download it in podcast form. It features author interviews, writing chat and even music, too. When I tuned in, there was an interesting discussion on writer's block.

Another great writing-related radio show now available in podcast form is Writers on Writing. Upcoming guests include the wonderful Kate Atkinson and Oprah fave Janet Fitch and past guests include... well, pretty much everyone (check out the list on the site, and the teeny writing they had to use to cram in everyone's name!)

Related posts: Meet the Authors at Barnes and Noble / Expanded Books / Meet The Author videos / Free Audio Books.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on October 30, 2006 in American Authors, Book Websites, Book related, British Authors, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, New Releases, Technology | Permalink | Comments (3)

October 25, 2006 1:58 PM

Are you the Next Great Crime Writer?

Enough of this namby-pamby girlie nonsense (I'm joking, of course), Court TV is running a contest to find the Next Great Crime Writer.

The judges include crime authors Faye Kellerman, Jonathan Kellerman and Lisa Scottoline (watch her welcome message on the site - frightened me out of my wits), and the prize is a book deal with Regan (an imprint of HarperCollins).

Sadly (for us Brits) it's only open to US residents over the age of 18 and the closing date is November 27th. [via MediaBistro]

Related posts: HarperTeen FanLit / Avon FanLit

Posted by Keris on October 25, 2006 in American Authors, Book News, Book Websites, Book related, Crime / Mystery | Permalink | Comments (0)

Authors love Shiny's sites!

We know that authors like Hester Browne, Laura Dave, Mary Sharratt, Shanna Swendson and Lauren Baratz-Logsted (to name just a few!) are big fans of Trashionista, but now it seems that published authors can't get enough of Shiny's other sites, either... Today, Corrie Blog reports on their own best-selling female fiction writer fan. (Though they might have phrased it more succinctly!) Perhaps she'll pop by Trashionista soon...

Authors and non-authors among you- which of our sister sites do you also enjoy? (I love Shiny Shiny and Corrie Blog despite knowing very little about gadgets or Coronation Street!)

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on October 25, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, British Authors, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction | Permalink | Comments (1)

October 19, 2006 4:30 PM

THURSDAY THREE: Vanishing Points

When I was looking for Mary Sharratt's book The Vanishing Point on Amazon last week (so I could link to it) I found something strange: there are a heck of a lot (86 in fact) of books with the words Vanishing Point in the title! So I decided to explore, and find out a bit more about what's on offer...

Unsurprisingly, most books called (The) Vanishing Point have a mystery theme. Judith Van Gieson's Vanishing Point is one of a series featuring a rare books expert/amateur detective called Claire Reynier. VP is about the disappearance of Jonathan Vail, a talented young writer who goes missing. Thirty years later, his journal is recovered... what happened to him?

Don't you vanish! Carry on over the cut for more...

Vanishing Point by Patricia Wentworth is also a mystery story (I know because it says 'a Miss Silver mystery' on the front) whose cover reminds me strongly of Nancy Drew. It seems Patricia's real name was Dora Amy Dillon Turnbull, and she died in 1961. Her V.P tells the story of a girl who disappears from a quiet village in mysterious circumstances... I'm guessing Miss Silver gets on the case...

The Vanishing Point by Louise Hawes is a bit different. It's a work of historical fiction for children and teenagers about the Italian Renaissance painter Lavinia Fontana. New York Libraries picked it as one of the best "books for the teen age". Which is nice.

Other Vanishing Point books include those by Carol Smith, Marcia Muller and Pat Flower.

Related: Thursday Three archives; Crime/Mystery archives; Mary Sharrat interview.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on October 19, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, British Authors, Crime / Mystery, Debut Novels, Modern Fiction, Recent Release, Series, Tuesday Three | Permalink | Comments (1)

October 18, 2006 5:35 PM

The titles that got away

An article in New York Metro reveals the working titles of a bunch of bestselling books.

Would Marisa Acocella Marchetto's Cancer Vixen (review coming soon) about her battle with breast cancer be creating such a buzz if she'd stuck with the title Breast Case Scenario?

I actually rather like the original title of Kate Atkinson's One Good Turn - Jolly Murder Mystery. Very Enid Blyton. [via Bookninja]

Posted by Keris on October 18, 2006 in American Authors, British Authors, Crime / Mystery, Memoirs, Non Fiction | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 17, 2006 2:35 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Secret Society Girl by Diana Peterfreund

Anyone who read Diana Peterfreund's brilliant defence of chick lit would surely want to read her novel and I was no exception.

Secret Society Girl is the first in a series (the second book, Under the Rose, is out next year) featuring Amy Haskel who is unexpectedly 'tapped' into her university's most prestigious (and, of course, secret) society, Rose & Grave. The members of Rose & Grave allegedly control all aspects of the media (including the winners of American Idol), the police, even the government. Getting tapped by them is a pretty big deal, in other words. The only trouble is, Amy doesn't seem to fit the profile and can't understand what they want with her.

Amy's best friend and roommate Lydia has also been tapped, but we don't find out who by (not in this book at least). Her 'friend with benefits' Brandon isn't interested in all the secret society business, but he is interested in becoming more serious with Amy. The trouble is, once Amy's initiated into the society she forgets about everything else, including her studies (though that doesn't matter because Rose & Grave has an archive of past papers). And when Amy finds out why she was chosen, things get even more out of control.

I really loved this book. Diana Peterfreund has a chatty, witty, intelligent writing style and a brilliant way with cliffhanger chapter endings. I don't think I finished a single chapter without at least reading a couple of pages of the following one. There are a couple of problems: Amy's decision on whether or not to keep schtum about the society seems to shift depending on the requirements of the plot and Brandon's not exactly consistent either, but they're small issues. Secret Society Girl is a fast, funny, original read and I'm looking forward to the next book.

Rating: 4 out of 5

If you like this, try Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot

Related stories: Ivy League chick lit

Posted by Keris on October 17, 2006 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Debut Novels, Modern Fiction, Rating: 4/5, Series | Permalink | Comments (50)

The Good Girls Kill For Money Club

Here's a great website that I've just discovered: with a name like The Good Girls Kill For Money Club how can you not be intrigued?

It's the blog of five female crime authors and recent posts include thoughts on mothers-in-law, discussions of plot, and an interview with blogging literary agent Miss Snark. I love the design almost as much as the content: the author photos are all black and white Audrey Hepburn-style poses and the banner is very 1950s kitsch, with the tagline, "Coffee, Tea or Murder?" Perfect for fans of Crusie and Evanovich style fiction!

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on October 17, 2006 in American Authors, Book Websites, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 16, 2006 3:38 PM

MORE ON MONDAY: We Need to talk about Kevin by Lionel Shriver

This is one of the most controversial books I've ever reviewed for Trashionista, a real 'love it or hate it' novel (many of my friends fall into the latter category, but I know a lot of people who really enjoyed it too- if 'enjoy' is the right word for such a bleak story). It won the Orange Prize in 2005, and deservedly so. But what's all the fuss about?

We Need to talk about Kevin is narrated by Eva Katchadourian in the form of letters to her estranged husband, Franklin. Their son Kevin is in prison for mass murder and Eva is struggling to pick up the pieces of her life. Shunned by the community and feeling isolated from her family, she's also lost her business and can't see any kind of future for herself. So she looks to the past, going over the events of the last twenty years to try to make sense of why her life ended up this way. She wants to know why Kevin turned out the way he did: was it nature or nurture?

That's a question that the reader has to draw their own conclusions about and one of the things I loved about this novel was this moral ambiguity- although Eva wants a child for all the wrong reasons, can she really be blamed for the way Kevin turns out? She isn't a likeable character, and yet at times I identified with her and understood why she came to hate Kevin. At other times, it's clear she loves her son very much- and a terrible mother surely wouldn't, after all he's done. There's lots to think about and debate here: when does a parent stop being responsible for their child's behaviour? Is an overbearing parent better or worse than a slightly detached one? Who sees Kevin's true character, his mother or father? How reliable a narrator is Eva? I've got a feeling that multiple readings of the book would yield new interpretations and layers of meaning.

I also admired the way Shriver created a story in which none of the characters come across as at all likeable, and she skilfully controls the reader's reactions- at times I was sad for Eva, at other times I disliked her intensely, and I hated Kevin almost from the beginning but had to remind myself that I wasn't hearing about him from a necessarily reliable narrator. It's a complex book, very well-structured. By about half-way through you know how it will end, and yet the ending is still a shocking and compelling read.

I can see why some people wouldn't like it: it's not a pleasant story, and I'm sure it makes parents rather uncomfortable! It's also rather slow to get started, and takes concentration in the early chapters to pick up on what the narrator is talking about. But then it takes off, and you're gripped! It's a hugely affecting story that stays with you long after you've finished reading, and one of the best books I've ever read.

Rating: 5 out of 5

*DID YOU KNOW?* Lionel Shriver changed her name to sound like a man's, as men have greater literary success...

Like this? Try The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on October 16, 2006 in American Authors, Classic Novels, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, More On Monday, Prize Winners, Rating: 5/5 | Permalink | Comments (6)

October 11, 2006 5:09 PM

Nancy Drew Stationery

Considering she wasn't as popular here as the US, we've gone a bit Nancy Drew mad lately. Last week I told you about the Nancy Drew book bags, this week I've discovered Nancy Drew stationery.

Chronicle Books has a full range including the fold and mail stationery pictured (because when I was growing up I thought fold and mail stationery was the height of sophistication!) along with address books, journals, notecards and more. Perfect Christmas pressies for the Nancy Drew nut in your life.

Posted by Keris on October 11, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Girly Stuff, Series | Permalink | Comments (1)

September 27, 2006 7:13 AM

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Mary Sharratt

Mary Sharratt is an American writer currently living in England. A review of her third book, The Vanishing Point - for which she's undertaken a book tour in costume (hence the photo) - is coming soon.

Please describe your latest book in 15 words or fewer:
 
Summarizing a 369-page book in 15 words is very difficult, but I'll try!
 
"A 17th century woman searches for her sister who has vanished in the Maryland wilderness."

Where do you like to write your books (in bed, a coffee shop, an office)?
 
I write in my study, which looks out on a sheep pasture. In the background, there's Pendle Hill, famous for its legends of the Lancashire Witches and of George Fox, who climbed the hill to receive the vision that inspired him to found the Quakers. The surrounding area was also the cradle of the Industrial Revolution. There's so much history here, which is a real inspiration for my historical fiction. When I'm blocked, I can go down to the fence and commiserate with the sheep who come in hope of treats. If sheep could read, I would have a huge cult following.

Often my writing process is aided by mind-altering substances, such as strong coffee and chocolate. Especially chocolate. There is always a bar of Cote d'Or in my desk. I write my first drafts longhand with a Lamy fountain pen. I love the physicality of writing and the sound of pen on paper. And with all that physicality, you need chocolate.

Your favourite chick-lit book?
 
This may or may not count as chick-lit, but Mary McCarthy's novel, The Group, seems like the prototype of the "girls about town" narrative. Originally published in 1963, the novel concerns a clique of eight women who graduate from Vassar in 1933 and how their lives evolve. The book covers the ins and outs of dating, sex, birth control, career, marriage, and child-rearing. The tone is light and satirical, and the book addresses issues that feel fresh and contemporary. One of the characters, for example, appeases her "progressive" pediatrician husband by submitting to a tyrannical breastfeeding regime. It appears there's nothing new about the breast vs. bottle debate, or about young parents allowing child rearing manuals written by "experts" to silence their own natural instincts.   

Your favourite female heroine (if different from above!), and why?
 
There are so many heroines I love, so it's tough to pick just one. Lily Briscoe in Virginia Woolf's novel To the Lighthouse has a special place in my heart. She's an artist struggling to find herself and take herself seriously as a painter in a society that diminishes women with artistic ambitions.

What tips would you give to any of our readers who want to become writers?
 
Sit down in a chair and write. Try to write every day. Most people, if they cut out the time-wasters in their life, can commit to an hour or two a day, even if they have to write on the train to work or during their lunch break. Books and classes can help, but it all boils down to how much time and effort you are willing to commit to your own writing. Develop a schedule you can stick to. Enjoy the process as much as you can. It's so much more rewarding than watching bad television!

Writing groups can be wonderful, but try to find one with people in it who actually write and don't just talk about writing. And don't forget to read. Our greatest teachers are other authors who get it right. Buy books and give them to friends. You want to support the industry that you hope will one day support you. If every aspiring writer bought one new book a month, not just best-sellers but work by new  and less famous authors, the publishing industry would go through a sea change and be encouraged to publish more new writers.  

What are you reading at the moment?
 
Emma Darwin's lovely debut novel, The Mathematics of Love, which I'm reviewing for the Historical Novels Review. I'm enjoying it.  

What are you working on now? (If you can give us a hint!)

My current work-in-progress is a ghost story called The Art of Memory. Inspired by the 19th century English gothic novel and pre-Raphaelite paintings, the book is set in and around Manchester, England during the Industrial Revolution and the present day. The theme is that the past never dies—the souls lost in the tumult of historical progress and change keep haunting and exerting their influence on contemporary lives.   

The novel concerns a dysfunctional American family that experiences a devastating blast from the distant past when the father, Will, goes to Manchester on business. He encounters a mysterious young woman who calls herself Angel. She lures him into her flat, serves him drugged tea, and then steals not his money or his credit cards but snapshots of his wife and daughter. When circumstances force Will to relocate to Manchester, his 16-year-old daughter begins to receive mysterious communications from a stranger who speaks to her deepest dreams and desires. It is up to Will to try to disentangle his daughter from this web. In doing so, he must unravel Angel’s true identity and purpose.

Posted by Keris on September 27, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, Crime / Mystery, Interviews, Modern Fiction, Recent Release | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 25, 2006 11:46 AM

MORE ON MONDAY: Out of Sight by Elmore Leonard

If you've never heard of Elmore Leonard, you'll doubtless have heard of Out of Sight, made into a 1998 film starring J-Lo (before she was J-Lo) and the Cloonster. Or you might have heard of some of his other books: Get Shorty, Jackie Brown, Be Cool...? Leonard is a living legend. His books have inspired Tarantino and many other movie makers, and with their fast pace, snappy dialogue, pop cultural references and just general hipness, it's easy to see why.

Out of Sight is the story of Jack Foley, a career criminal who's become a celebrity in the bank-robbing business and who's hatched an elaborate plan to break out of jail and evade the law. He makes it out of jail, but deputy US Marshall Karen Sisco is smarter than the cops he usually has to give the slip to, and she's not about to let Jack go without a fight...

Like all Elmore's books, this one is so cool! It's very cinematic, with little description and lots of talk (he's one of the masters of dialogue) and lots of action (never a dull moment). There's violence and bad people in Out of Sight, but it's not dumb violence- it's always integral to the story and adds an air of authenticity. And Elmore always stops before it gets too much- which is perhaps why his books appeal to as many women as men. This is the kind of book where you're actually cheering on the 'bad guys', but you feel for the good guys too. I love this mix of moral complexity and escapism. The characters are morally complex, too- Karen Sisco's job is to bring in Jack Foley, but after being taken hostage by him for a few days, she feels herself falling for him, and is conflicted about putting him back behind bars...

I read this book after seeing the film years earlier, and I'm glad I did it that way round- I imagined Sisco and Foley as Lopez and Clooney (they allegedly hated each other, but it made for great sexual tension, which is a large part of the book too).

A quote from The Guardian on the back of the book says, "Out of sight contains all the best qualities of Leonard's writing: humour, black and good; timing; just the right amount of action, and major cool."  Too right. Leonard is one of the coolest writers of all time- effortlessly conveying the struggles of the criminal underworld. It almost spoils the illusion to discover he's an eighty-something white guy from a posh area of Georgia...

Rating: 5 out of 5

*Did you know?* Out of Sight was the inspiration for Karen Sisco, a short-lived TV series that was actually not half bad (ITV1 used to show it at around midnight) and which starred Robert Forster (Max Cherry in Jackie Brown).

Like this? Try One Shot by Lee Child.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on September 25, 2006 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, More On Monday, Rating: 5/5, Television | Permalink | Comments (1)

September 21, 2006 10:58 AM

THURSDAY THREE: Inspired by Nancy Drew

Nancy Drew never seemed to have as big an impact in the UK as she did in the U.S, where she's something of a cultural icon for women and young girls. I remember reading one or two of her mysteries as a "tweenie" and enjoying them, but it was all about Enid Blyton (and later Paula Danziger) for me. So what's with all the interest in Nancy Drew from U.S authors? She seems to have had a huge boom in popularity lately. Perhaps as the world seems more unstable, we get all nostalgic- if only global problems could be solved by Nancy journeying down to Mystery Creek or the haunted mansion and sorting things out...

How Nancy Drew saved my Life by Lauren Baratz-Logsted is the story of nanny Charlotte Bell, who moves to Iceland to nurse a broken heart and work for the mysterious Edgar Rawlings. Everything is not as innocent as it first seems, as Charlotte is inspired by both Jane Eyre and Nancy Drew as she tries to work out what's going on...

What will the next books be? We could send for Nancy Drew or you could continue over the cut to find out...

In Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the woman who created her, Melanie Rehak asks if truth is stranger than fiction, revealing the behind-the scenes fighting between Nancy's creator and syndicate writer Mildred Wirt Benson and tracing Nancy's development and how she reflected the feminist movement. You can read an extract here.

Finally, and taking the theme to its logical conclusion, we we have Nancy Drew's Guide to Life by Jennifer Worick, a pocket-sized summary of Nancy wisdom.

*And if you never got into the Nancy groove, it's not too late! You can buy a starter set of Nancy novels (and I see they've made efforts to update her, too).*

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on September 21, 2006 in American Authors, Classic Novels, Crime / Mystery, Girly Stuff, Tuesday Three | Permalink | Comments (9)

September 13, 2006 11:47 AM

BOOK REVIEW: Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich

Twelve Sharp is the latest in Janet Evanovich's enormously popular Stephanie Plum series. 

I usually like to save Evanovich's books for a long journey or holiday and then read them in one sitting and while I didn't manage that with this one, it was still great fun to find myself in the company of Stephanie, Morelli, Ranger and Grandma Mazur again.  (Do you know, I can't quite believe they don't really exist!) 

Remember Ranger has a daughter?  No?  Neither did I, but he has and in Twelve Sharp she's been kidnapped by a Ranger wannabe.  With the police after him for his daughter's abduction, the real Ranger has to go into hiding and so Stephanie finds herself both looking for Ranger's daughter and on the trail of fake-Ranger while avoiding fake-Ranger's wife (who isn't too keen on Stephanie's relationship with real-Ranger) and trying to convince Morelli that her relationship with (real-)Ranger is purely professional. 

It's not quite as confusing as it sounds and it's not quite as fabulous as some of Evanovich's earlier books, but a below-par Plum book is still considerably more entertaining than many other books out there. 

If you like this, try The Rocky Road to Romance by Janet Evanovich and Fashion Victim by Sam Baker

Posted by Keris on September 13, 2006 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, Rating: 4/5, Recent Release, Series | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 31, 2006 12:48 PM

Reading Alias

Alias is yet another popular series I've never managed to catch. It's about Sydney Bristow (played by Jennifer Garner) an international spy recruited out of college and trained for espionage and self-defense. [via link] There's more, but I didn't understand any of it!

The essays in Alias Assumed: Sex, Lies and SD-6 include one by Parenting guru Britta Coleman on why shooting your first born just may be the best parenting decision you’ll ever make, which definitely has me intrigued!

The official companion is Alias Declassified and includes the usual stuff: episode guide, storyboards, cast quotes, etc.

Of course, there're also a couple of unofficial guides: Uncovering Alias includes 'a map of Rambaldi artefacts uncovered by the operatives' and Authorized Personnel Only features 'a mission-by-mission analysis of the series and a catalogue of the agents' personal histories and psychological profiles'.

Like, Charmed, there's a series of Alias novelisations including Namesake which has just come out and Recruited, a prequel to the TV show.

Posted by Keris on August 31, 2006 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Non Fiction, Series, Television | Permalink | Comments (4)

August 28, 2006 9:31 AM

MORE ON MONDAY: Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith

Blue Shoes and Happiness is the seventh in Alexander McCall Smith's enormously popular No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency series. I have read and loved each of the previous books even though once I've read them I find I don't remember much about them, except an urge to smile every time I think about the world of Mma Ramotswe, Mma Makutsi and Mr JLB Matekoni. If you haven't yet discovered the series, well, you've got a treat in store. If you have then read on to see if this latest story meets expectations.

Mma Ramotswe is a "traditionally built" (i.e. large) woman who runs the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency (Botswana's only ladies' detective agency). Her assistant, Mma Makutsi graduated with 97% from Bostwana Secretarial College and her husband, Mr JLB Matekoni owns Tlokweng Road Speedy Motors and tries to control his two apprentices.

In Blue Shoes and Happiness there's a crisis for Mma Makutsi when she reveals to her fiance that she is in fact a feminist, a doctor tampers with his patients blood pressure measurements, a cook sneaks government food out to feed her husband, and Mma Ramotswe starts to think she might be too traditionally built and should, perhaps, go on a diet!

The cases brought to the detective agency are usually very mild and don't take much detecting (as Mma Makutsi points out in this book, most of them are solved by Mma Ramotswe asking someone a direct question), but you don't read these books for the intrigue, more for the descriptions of Botswana and the gentle humour and charm of the stories.

I enjoyed this book as I have enjoyed them all. They're perfect books for curling up with and just drifting away to another place.

Posted by Keris on August 28, 2006 in British Authors, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, More On Monday, Rating: 4/5, Recent Release, Series | Permalink | Comments (2)

August 23, 2006 9:44 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

This book is the first in the Sookie Stackhouse series. Charlaine Harris’s books are popular in the US, rating on the New York Times Best Sellers List and so they should do.

Dead until Dark introduces Sookie, a character I really identify with. She is beautiful and thin (okay I don’t identify with that bit), but she’s a freak who finds it impossible to relate to people (that’s the bit like me) because she’s psychic and can read every lecherous and nasty thought that people have about her. That is until she meets a vampire (they’ve just been made legal citizens in America you know).

Bill must be the most unglamorously named vampire in the kingdom, but to Sookie he is irresistible as his thoughts are completely blocked from her and so the romance and adventure begin.

I loved this book because the characters were so real (apart from all the blood drinking of course). They made me feel as though this world could really exist. It was quite a shock not to see bottles of O negative (or A positive for the adventurous) in my fridge. Or perhaps that was just me!

This is a great book and just the thing for a fantasy virgin.

Like this? Try Bitten by Kelley Armstrong.

[Angela Richardson]

Posted by Keris on August 23, 2006 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Rating: 5/5 | Permalink | Comments (1)

August 17, 2006 12:06 PM

SECOND CHANCE BOOK REVIEW: Fashion Victim by Sam Baker

It looks like Fashion Victim gets the double thumbs up! Camilla liked it,and just for confirmation here's what Danielle has to say...

With the pink cute-to-boot cover and title suggestive of the usual (and totally addictive, let's not forget that!) chick lit, Sam Baker's debut novel Fashion Victim appears to be a shout-out to all those who love their fashion stories. Well we do, right? We've all read The Devil Wears Prada, but this? This is ten times better....

It’s not every day I come across a book like this (though I may be biased seeing as the heroine is a journalist). With a gripping mystery and a down-to-earth yet sassy heroine, coupled with the realities of the fashion industry, Cosmopolitan editor Sam Baker is definitely one to watch in the world of women's fiction.

Fashion Victim chronicles the life of journalist Annie Anderson as she switches from hard-hitting correspondent of a newspaper to fashion editor at top magazine Handbag. Shoved mercilessly into the midst of New York’s fashion elite, Annie is just getting to grips with her new role when famous fashion designer Mark Mailer, who Annie just happens to be doing a piece on, is shot dead in a restaurant.

It appears to be the usual robbery, but somehow Annie is far from convinced. There's something amiss about the whole situation, and being a renowned investigative journalist, it's up to her to solve it. Especially as this isn't the first time a tragedy has happened in her presence...

As Annie tries to piece together the Mark Mailer puzzle whilst also having to deal with his equally-intriguing ex Patty, she is putting herself in danger of being the next fashion victim. Literally.

Straying slightly from the usual chick-lit style of office-bound girls and their humorous lives, Baker stands out with her murder mystery that's quite frankly guaranteed to keep you hooked. It's a whodunnit and sassy tale rolled into one, with suspense that'll make you not want to leave your chair. Trust me, I've been there.

So, for a more serious spin on career-girl chic; give this one a read. Bring on the next one, Sam!

If you liked this, try One For The Money by Janet Evanovich.

Posted by Danielle Symonds-Yemm on August 17, 2006 in Crime / Mystery, Fashion-Lit, Girly Stuff, Rating: 5/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

Reading Lost

Last month a novel called Bad Twin knocked The Da Vinci Code off the top of Amazon's bestseller list. Amazon's author information gives us a clue why that might be the case:

"Bad Twin is the highly-anticipated new novel by acclaimed mystery writer Gary Troup. Bad Twin was delivered to Hyperion just days before Troup boarded Oceanic Flight 815, which was lost in flight from Sydney, Australia to Los Angeles in September 2004. He remains missing and is presumed dead."

In Lost series two the manuscript was found in the wreckage by Hurley and then passed to Sawyer. Gary Troup is an anagram of purgatory and the book was ghostwritten by the novelist and essayist Laurence Shames.

There are more straightforward Lost novels though featuring new characters and original adventures that cross with the characters and events from the show. The first is Endangered Species by Cathy Hapka.

On the non-fiction front you could try The "Lost" Chronicles featuring the usual mix of cast interviews and behind the scenes info, but with the added bonus of an hour long outtakes DVD.

Unlocking the Meaning of Lost is an unauthorised guide focussing on the show's themes, including Second Chances, The Nature of Faith, Facing Fear and Loss, and Finding One's True Path.

Finally there's the snappily-titled Getting Lost: Survival, Baggage and Starting Over in J. J. Abrams' Lost, a collection of essays (edited by science fiction writer Orson Scott Card) and including an essay by Trashionista fave Lani Diane Rich.

Posted by Keris on August 17, 2006 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, New Releases, Non Fiction, Series | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 14, 2006 4:30 PM

BOOK REVIEW: Faking It by Jennifer Crusie

I've always considered "Welcome to Temptation" to be Jennifer Crusie's best book, so I was very interested in reading the sort-of sequel, Faking It.  Taking up with the life and career (if you can call theft a career option) of Davy Dempsey, the charming scoundrel from Welcome... Faking It is the story of struggling artist Tilda Goodnight and her family.  She's not struggling in the usual sense of starving in a garret- rather she's struggling to keep her artistic and personal integrity in the face of family pressures.  She desperately needs cash to pay the mortgage on the family art gallery so she's selling her soul copying famous paintings onto rich people's walls- but has a basement full of art that she can't sell for mysterious reasons...  When her niece accidentally sells one of the forbidden artworks, things seem to be getting worse and worse.  Tilda's bored, tired and put upon, so the last thing she needs is to bump into Davy Dempsey in a darkened cupboard when they're both trying to steal the same painting. 

Things get even more complicated as Tilda and Davy's paths keep crossing, and she becomes suspicious of his motives- is he trying to discover her dark secrets? Is he hiding something of his own? Are they really attracted to each other- or is one of them Faking It? 

You know I'm not going to tell you the answers!  But I will tell you what a GREAT book this is.  It's not up there with Temptation, but it's close- and fans of that book will love the way Crusie's fleshed out the character of Davy.  As you expect from this author, there's love, sex (oh yes! - and no-one writes it better than Crusie), excitement, scandal and lots of dastardly double-dealings along the way to a happy ending.   She excels at creating offbeat characters with hearts of gold, and there's plenty of them here: from a precocious teen with a Lucille Ball fixation to a cross-dressing brother in law.  But they're just part of the fun!  Crusie's wit and the heat between Davy and Tilda (short for Matilda, if you're wondering) make this a fabulous read for summer- or any other time.  If you're a Crusie fan, if you wanted to know more about Davy after Welcome to Temptation, or if you just like intelligent, fast-paced, funny and sexy women's fiction (and if you don't...?) you'll really like this book.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Like this? Try Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Crusie, Don't Look Down by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Meyer.

Posted by DIANE SHIPLEY on August 14, 2006 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, Rating: 4/5, Romance | Permalink | Comments (2)

August 9, 2006 6:08 PM

RICHARD AND JUDY SUMMER READS : The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

This week sees the final book of Richard and Judy's Summer Reads feature, 'The Historian' by Elizabeth Kostova.

The book is a new take on an old tale - the legend of Dracula. It is inspired heavily by Bram Stoker's work, particularly in considering that Dracula is still wandering freely among us, and that he holds an historical significance wider than many of us have realised. The book is a set of sroties within stories - almost like a literary russian doll. The story is begun by a teenage girl who finds a mysterious book in her father's library. This contains letters bequeathed to her father (Paul) by his dissertation supervisor (Rossi) many years ago. The structure is a mixture of the girl's first person account of events interspersed with a packet of letters left by her father, which also give the content of the letters written by Rossi. All three protaganists are in search of one being - Dracula, Rossi searches alone whilst Paul is accompanied by Helen (who happens to be Rossi's estranged duaghter), and the girl is accompanied by a student she met at Oxford.

Carry on across the cut to see what I thought of the book.

I am loathe to admit that on a number of occasions I became tempted to throw this book across the room - it really was that frustrating a read. The first 100 or so pages dragged horribly, but sure that it must get better I persevered. I haven't made my mind up yet whether I'm glad I did.

The plot was very intricatly planned, with the three stories lying comfortably on one another - though at times these did veer a little too far from the believable (yes even for a book about vampires). I also found myself diasppointed that Kostova spent so little time on the vampires themselves - having read more books on vampires than I probably should have I did expect a little more fangy business.

The characters were a mixed bunch really. I found the three protaganists a little dull if I'm perfectly honest - Paul particularly was far too whingy for my liking. The characters met by Paul and Helen on their travels were far more vibrant, and the combination of these and the descriptions of many Eastern Eurpoean countries were one of the saving features of this book.

I'm not going to give the ending away to you, but I will say this - I ended up feeling like I still didn't know half of what I expected to know at the end. There was an incident with about 40 pages to go that was dealt with far too quickly, and there were far too many unanswered questions.

All in all I was pretty disappointed with this book. It wasn't a bad book, I just wanted it to be better than it was.

Rating : 3 out of 5

Posted by Jenni on August 9, 2006 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Debut Novels, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5, Richard and Judy | Permalink | Comments (5)

July 24, 2006 3:34 PM

MORE ON MONDAY : One Shot by Lee Child

Lee Child is currently one of the most exciting names in crime thriller writing. His series of books about maverick Jack Reacher are now some of the most eagerly awaited. This, the most recent lived up to all my expectations - good plot, plenty of twists and turns, and Reacher at his best.

When a lone sniper assassinates five office workers at the end of the working day the town is shocked. Their fears are abated rapidly with the swift arrest of the shooter, though the police are less sure. The trail was a little too clean, and when they arrested him Barr had only one thing to say - 'Get Reacher'...

When Reacher is summoned he finds Barr a familiar face. Their paths crossed when Reacher was a military policeman and Barr a marine. After Barr commited an awful crime politics and orders from above stopped Reacher from being able to follow through on the punishment he felt was required. Reacher can't imagine what would have made Barr call for him - he was left in no doubt of what would happen if their paths crossed again.

Quickly Reacher realises there is more to this case than the police realise. He begins to investigate and manages to turn up a tangled web of conspiracy - the real question is who gave the order for Barr to shoot, and why? The police begin to suspect there is more to Reacher than they believed, so Reacher must evade them, as well as representatives of the mastermind behind the plot. Will Reacher be able to solve the case in time?

Child weaves a complex but believable plot with ease. I personally found the evidence and forensics fascinating - I never once found myself doubting what I was being told (this doesn't happen often when I'm reading crime novels). Reacher is a rich character who is well supported in this book by a well balanced supporting cast.

This is a fast paced, well written thriller. Make sure you have plenty of time to sit and read it - its very hard to put down!

Rating : 4 out of 5

Posted by Jenni on July 24, 2006 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, More On Monday, Rating: 4/5, Series | Permalink | Comments (1)

July 21, 2006 2:43 PM

BOOK REVIEW - The Truth About Ruby Valentine by Alsion Bond

When I read Alison Bond's debut effort 'How To Be Famous' I agreed with Gemma that whilst it was a great effort for a debut the ending was an area that needed some work. There was enough promise to make me think it would be worth my giving her second book a try, and when I saw it was full of the intrigue that surrounds a Hollywood legend. It sounded like there was a hint of mystery thrown in - I couldn't wait to dive in.

Kelly lives in Wales, and feels her life is pretty quiet and boring. She dreams of the glitz and glamour she reads about in the glossy magazines, but it seems like a whole different world. Her world is turned upside down when after the world learns of the suicide of Ruby Valentine, Hollywood's favourite screen legend, her dad reveals a secret. Kelly has never known who her mother was - yup you've guessed it, she's Ruby's daughter! Unsurprisingly this revelation leaves Kelly with a whole list of questions, though the most pressing one as far as she's concerned is whether her mother really did commit suicide or whether there's something more sinister behind her death.

There's only one way for Kelly to get the answers to the questions she wants, and so she jumps on the next plane to LA. When she arrive she finds herself launched into the midst of one of Hollywoods dynasties. Family members are twisted in love, scandal and bitter disputes seem to be ten a penny. Her mother's agent, Max Parker (yup he and CMG are back in this book) tries to help Kelly find her way into this new glamorous lifestyle - after all everyone wants a piece of Ruby's long lost daughter. None of this stops Kelly in her quest though - she's determined to know exactly what happened.

This book mixes two narratives (Kelly's story and Ruby's story) with ease. Whilst the story is a little slow to get going, once the book really starts its quick paced and full of interest. There are a number of twists - though the ending brings the biggest twist of them all (for once I hadn't worked it out).

The characters are well written, and whilst a few of them tend toward to the stereotypical there seems to be a definite improvement on the characters in 'How To Be Famous'. I found myself truly convinced by this tale of the big Hollywood family.

This book impressed me a lot. I finished 'How To Be Famous' thinking that Alison Bond showed a lot of promise. With this book I feel she has proved me right - she's not perfect yet, but she's a whole lot closer than she was! This would make a great read for the beach - find yourself transported into the glitz and glamour of Hollywood.

Rating : 4 out of 5

Like this? Try 'Saffron Skies' by Lesley Lokko

Posted by Jenni on July 21, 2006 in British Authors, Crime / Mystery, Girly Stuff, Rating: 4/5, Recent Release, Romance | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 17, 2006 8:53 PM

MORE ON MONDAY : Bloodstream by Tess Gerritsen

Tess Gerritsen is a former doctor who has now ventured into the world of writing. To date she has written a range of crime/thriller novels which have brought her millions of fans worldwide. This book, 'Bloodstream' was released in 1998 and happens to be one of my personal favourites. When Dr Claire Elliot chooses Tranquility as the ideal place for bringing her teenage son up she has no idea what the near future is going to bring...

Claire has taken over as local doctor in the town of Tranquility, Maine. She's being met with a lot of opposition; she's young, she's female, and well she's just not what they're used to. Slowly she begins to win the community over - but as the winter begins to approach something strange begins to happen. Violence breaks out in the local high school and there doesn't seem to be any logical cause. When it all starts to turn deadly Claire starts to wonder what could be at the root of it.

The community has seen this all before. None of them know what caused it before, and none of them know what is causing it now. It is down to Claire to try and work out why the town's teenagers are being driven to kill, and fast!

This is a fast paced thriller that will keep you turning the page. Whilst it has a medical theme it doesn't get bogged down in technical detail and doesn't require you to have a medical degree to understand what is going on. I promise you that the ending will not be what you expected, but its believable all the same. The plot and characters are well conceived and created making this the great book it is.

Rating : 4 out of 5

Posted by Jenni on July 17, 2006 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, More On Monday, Rating: 4/5 | Permalink | Comments (1)

July 12, 2006 6:05 PM

RICHARD AND JUDY SUMMER READS : The Righteous Men by Sam Bourne

This week's book featured in Richard and Judy's Summer Read campaign is Sam Bourne's debut novel "The Righteous Men". This is a book with a lot of expectation attached to it - some are heralding Bourne as the new challenger to Dan Brown's throne, whilst others are labelling it as 'the Jewish Da Vinci Code'. I have to admit this instantly made me worried, both for the book and for the author - these are big statements to have to live up to.

The book tells the story of Will Monroe, a journalist for the New York Times. When he is sent on his first murder report he's unaware of the fact that the investigating he is about to do will plunge him into the murky depths of a worldwide assassination plot. When his beloved wife Beth is kidnapped as part of the plot he starts to wonder how he has ended up in the middle of this, but he has no time to ponder about it as he begins to receive cryptic clues to solve.

Carry on across the cut to see what I thought of the book.

Let me begin by saying that everything I was worried about was unfounded. The claims being made about this book are spot on, this is an author who can better play Dan Brown at his own game. As a book this is definitely better than 'The Da Vinci Code' and comparable with 'Angels and Demons' which is arguably Brown's best effort.

The plot was full of twists and turns, and it was impossible to put down. The characters were richly written, and highly believable. You really cared about the characters, and when another twist happened you felt it almost as keenly as they did.

This is a brilliant book - go and buy it now!

Rating : 5 out of 5

Posted by Jenni on July 12, 2006 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Debut Novels, Modern Fiction, Rating: 5/5, Recent Release, Richard and Judy | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 19, 2006 2:35 PM

BOOK REVIEW - Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot

Being in my twenties and a fan of bestseller Meg Cabot's much-loved teen lit, I was delighted to come across this recent release in my local bookstore. Nestling amongst the other chick-lit offerings and displaying not only a cute cover, but an interesting title and the promise of a mystery to boot – well, who was I to say no? It would beat having to sneakily conceal The Princess Diaries behind a tabloid on my daily commute, anyway.

Basically, Size 12 Is Not Fat jumped out at me like a ten-foot slice of gateau covered with chocolate sprinkles.

Mmm... Inviting...

Heroine Heather Wells is a 28-year-old ex-pop star who, after having discovered her boy band fiancée doing the dirty with upcoming star Tania Trace and seeing her mother flee the country with her manager and life savings, is forced to take a job as a dormitory – sorry, residence hall –assistant, overseeing students at nearby New York College. Despite her troubled past, as well as a complimentary weight gain, life isn't all that bad – especially as Heather has lovely private-investigator housemate Cooper to lust after.

However, when two female students are suddenly found dead in what appear to be tragic dares-gone-wrong, Heather is certainly not convinced. Because, quite frankly, 'girls don't elevator surf.'

Cue a vital desire to solve the mystery of Fischer Hall, which appears to land Heather in a bit more trouble than she actually expects. But with her pop career having taken a nose-dive and no man in tow, surely it's time for the former Queen of Teen to stop reminiscing and start concentrating on the present? Which, it seems, could land her in some serious danger if she's not careful.

Size 12 is a light, fun read, and once started, it's rather hard to put down. The book concentrates on the whole mystery rather than the past celeb life of Heather, which was one aspect I feared. Chick-lit fame tales are hardly a rarity right now. But hey, Size 12 is far from it – Heather is down-to-earth and lovable.

Still, there is one problem I came across whilst reading this. Despite Heather being almost thirty, the book reads like a teenage novel. The language used and attempts at mature wit will cause a mental debate over whether or not our heroine is actually fifteen. This of course works well with Meg's teen novels (All American Girl, the Mediator series, to name but a few) yet this adds an unfortunately childish feel to what is marketed at us older fans. Trust me, this book was not in the teen section of WH Smith. Just a warning.

Even so, it's a definite page turner and for any fan of Cabot, it's a must-read. It's cute, it's addictive, and will make you feel compelled to scour Meg's blog on a daily basis waiting for news of more (okay, maybe it's just me, then…)

But yes, once again Ms Cabot has unleashed another pleasing and downright fabulous offering into our grasp. Can't fault that! [Danielle Symonds-Yemm]

Rating : 4 out of 5

Like this? Try Undead and Unwed by MaryJanice Davidson or Can You Keep a Secret? Sophie Kinsella

Posted by Aigua Media on June 19, 2006 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Girly Stuff, Rating: 4/5 | Permalink | Comments (7)

April 25, 2006 10:34 AM

Beating About The Bush

This Linda Taylor novel promised a somewhat frantic tale of a city girl moving to the country. I have to admit that as a country girl I quite enjoy these tales - it always amuses me how these 'city girls' find the most everyday things such a challenge. So was this tale of 'the simple life' going to cut it?

Ella Norton went into corporate banking to please her father, it was his job for all his life so the idea of doing something different never occured to her. However at 28, rich behind her wildest dreams, Ella decides that she's had enough. She's running herself into the ground and working so long and hard that she's not seeing any benefit of her wages. So she sells up and moves back to Oxfordshire, near where she grew up, buying a run-down cottage which she lives in with her two lodgers Faith and Miranda.

Faith, a veterinary nurse, is quiet, naive and unassuming wheras Miranda, a high class free-lance flight attendant, is brash, worldy and downright rude. Ella chose two housemates so different to reduce the possibility of clashes... but it doesn't seem to be working. On top of that the tutor on the horticultural course that she has signed onto is drop dead gorgeous and married. Oh and then they find a package of heroin in their bin and realise that one of their neighbours must be dealing drugs. When Jaz, abrasive detective in the local CID asks to set up an observation point in Ella's bedroom she starts to think that maybe the simple life isn't quite so simple.

This book moves along at a reasonable pace. The characters are in general believable, though at times Taylor verges toward the Jane Green school of thought in creating characters - it takes a long time to find anything endearing about either Faith or Miranda and as a result I found myself having to make myself continue reading in the hope they got better. The plot is in places sadly predictable, particularly when it comes to the love stories.

I enjoyed this book, but doubt I would find myself rushing to get hold of one of Taylor's other efforts. Whilst it filled a few hours, that is sadly all it did.

Like this? Try 'Restoring Grace' by Katie Fforde

Posted by Aigua Media on April 25, 2006 in British Authors, Crime / Mystery, Girly Stuff, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 24, 2006 1:17 PM

Chasing Lily

I was drawn to this book like a magpie is drawn to shiny things. The cover is nothing original, but its bright colours and slightly cartoonish drawings really appealed to me. From the cover and the blurb on the back of the book I was expecting a fast paced book, plenty of excitement and a thrilling romantic thread running throughout. Was I going to find the book I thought I was or was I to be sadly disappointed?

Lily Redmond is on a mission. Her grandmother Lillian, for who she is named, has decided that getting old is a bit boring. To liven it up she is going to revisit her days as a Hollywood film noir starlet and try and solve the murder that brought about the end of her promising career. Lily's parents, staid, quiet, respectable, are horrified by the prospect of the scandal rearing its ugly head once more and so send her to take her grandmother on a trip to try and talk her out of it. Unfortunately when Lily arrives at Lillian's house she finds that Lillian has left already, and instead she's left the handsome form of Sam Spade Hunter handcuffed to the bed!

Sam is a private detective. His father was the bodyguard of the murder victim all those years ago (he was off duty at the time) and knows that if Lillian is going to start digging into the past that her life will become endangered once more. Very quickly Sam realises that he won't be able to continue on his mission to find and protect Lillian without Lily tagging along. The only problem is that she's the spitting image of her grandmother when she was at the peak of her career - the stuff of Sam's boyhood dreams.

And so the chase begins across America. Lily and Sam are hot on the trail of Lillian, but quickly find that they are not the only ones - there are other groups on their trail, groups eager to find Lillian and shut her up. A fantastically chaotic tale ensues, at times it feels a little like 'Wacky Races' meets 'The Godfather'. The pace moves between fast and frenetic, and the tension between Sam and Lily builds at an almost equal speed.

I could not put this book down. The cartoon style cover was an indication of the content - many of the characters are slightly exagerated in the manner of many of the great cartoons. The pace was just right, and at times I found I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I would recommend this to anyone!

Like this? Try One For The Money by Janet Evanovich

Posted by Aigua Media on April 24, 2006 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Girly Stuff, Rating: 4/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 19, 2006 6:07 PM

Southern Comfort

I was drawn to the bright pink book in the romance section of my local library. The blurb on the back sounded pretty good and so I decided to give it a try. Well all I can say having now ploughed to the end of it (all in the Trashionista name) that it wasn't exactly what I was expecting. I do fear for the hearts of any little old ladies who decide to give it a go!

The storyline itself is pretty well thought out, one of the modern setpieces. Fallon Hargis is an undercover agent for the DEA. When the drug baron she is collecting intelligence about rumbles her cover he orders her killing. As she flees for her life, Fallon comes across Wade Tanner who instantly falls for this mysterious woman and decides to become her chief protector. Wade used to serve as a detetctive in the city, but decided enough was enough. He now presides as Sheriff of a sleepy little town, and has grown to love the quiet life.

The quiet life is the last thing on Wade's mind only seconds after meeting Fallon. He takes her back to Two Creeks - there's no way she can be found there. He quickly realises though that taking care of someone who doesn't want to be taken care of can be a thankless and dangerous task.

So the storyline has definite promise. What is somewhat unfortunate then is that for the first two-thirds of the book Fallon and Wade are either having explicit sex, or thinking about having explicit sex. And the last third of the book is generally made up of violence, which at times borders on the gratuitous. Now I'm for a little gratuity, but to me this book felt overdone. The author seemed to be relying on her ability to write soft-core porn instead of devoting the time to the plot and characters - both of which where actually pretty good, as far as they went.

So unfortunately this book gets the thumbs down from me. I'm sure some people will love it, but for me there was just not enough book.

Like this? Try 'The Movie' by Louise Bagshawe

Posted by Aigua Media on April 19, 2006 in American Authors, Bonkbusters, Crime / Mystery, Rating: 1/5, Rubbish Books | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 12, 2006 11:49 AM

Dead Famous

In light of the news that we have another reality TV couple preparing to tie the knot (Chantelle and Preston from this year's UK Celebrity Big Brother) I thought I would share this gem by Ben Elton with you. Now whilst many of us these days are loathe to admit it, Big Brother still has a pull over most of us - you know you flick over to it during the adbreaks! This is a book set within a Big Brother style show, the back cover reads "One house, ten contestants, thirty cameras, forty microphones, one murder... and no evidence" - I knew after reading this I was going to be hooked!

The story starts after the murder has taken place. Inspector Coleridge and his investigative team are beginning the lengthy process of reviewing all of the filmed footage from within the 'House Arrest' compound. The nation watched via the live internet stream as the murder happened, yet no one has the faintest idea whodunnit. Everyone has a theory, but there are no facts and no evidence.

Inspector Coleridge is a genuine throwback to the 1950s, the whole concept of reality TV goes against his very being. His negativity about the whole concept may be a little frustrating to some readers - I personally found it pretty interesting, it made me think again a few times. This coupled with Elton's accurate representation of figures familiar to many who have watched Big Brother make this book a fasciniating read.

Elton weaves the investigation and events in the house from before the murder together throughout the book. We get to find out about the ten contestants - who are scarily believeable at times, and about the members of the investiagion team, and the production team behind 'House Arrest'. I have to admit though that I found it took a while to get used to the way the story darted between the present and the past - at times it almost felt like the pace was a little too fast.

For me the saving grace of this book was the ending. It truly comes out of nowhere, I found myself phsyically shaking my head in disbelief. I would definitely say it is worth persevering with the book for this.

This is not a great book. The idea is brilliant, but unfortunately the book itself just doesn't live up to expectations. It is not Ben Elton's finest effort, but for those who can persevere with it the ending is pretty good.

Like this? Try Fashion Victim by Sam Baker

Posted by Aigua Media on April 12, 2006 in British Authors, Crime / Mystery, Modern Fiction, Rating: 3/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

April 10, 2006 11:00 AM

Goodnight Nobody

Goodnight Nobody is a bit of a change of direction for Jennifer Weiner, whose previous books include In Her Shoes (recently a Cameron Diaz film) and Good In Bed.  It's still chick lit, but it's also a murder mystery.  (Chick Lit Mystery is the Next Big Thing, doncha know?)

Thanks to a broken heart and a chance rebound meeting on a flight, Kate Klein has found herself living in a wealthy suburban Connecticut community where the women are perfect wives and mothers with no career aspirations or discernable personalities. Or so Kate thinks. But when she finds her neighbour with a knife stuck in her back and Kate's former flame's phone number written on her notepad, Kate sees an opportunity to get some excitement back in her life by investigating the murder herself and along the way learns there's more to her neighbours than she ever could have imagined.

I've loved all of Jennifer Weiner's books. She's a fabulous writer - insightful, funny and clever - and Goodnight Nobody doesn't disappoint. Kate's disillusionment and frustration with a life she never planned to have and isn't sure she wants are beautifully conveyed. Kate's former crush, Evan, is funny and sexy, and her husband Ben is unsympathetic without being wet. But, for me, it's Kate's best friend Janie who really makes this book something special. Fantastically ballsy and hilariously funny I really hope Weiner gives her her own book. Weiner also shows her skill at creating a wide range of characters - whilst in 'In Her Shoes' it was her portrayal of the elderly that was so enthralling, this time it is the children who try at every turn to steal the attention.

Don't be put off by the mystery aspect - if you've read and enjoyed Weiner's previous novels you can't fail to enjoy this. The combination of great characters and a plot that springs surprises at every turn make this a great read. In my opinion she goes from strength to strength. [Keris Stainton]

Like this? Try Welcome To Temptation by Jenny Crusie

Posted by Aigua Media on April 10, 2006 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Girly Stuff, Rating: 4/5 | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 10, 2006 3:20 PM

Fashion Victim

Picking up a copy of this book I expected a fun and frothy insiders view of the fashion world packed with polished fashionista type characters - the style of book befitting the editor of UK's Cosmopolitan. Boy, was I surprised to find instead a tense tale of murder, mystery and well-dressed intrigue.

Annie Anderson is investigative reporter at The Post until she swaps her newspaper job for one on a glossy magazine in a move that shocks her colleagues and friends. Little do they know that Annie is going undercover for a scoop on the fashion world. Her first foray into the fashion world is nothing short of disastrous, from evil New York cabbies to being held at gunpoint. Then her interviewee, top designer Mark Mailer, is murdered. Annie is convinced Mark's murder has more to it than meets the eye and sets off on a dangerous course to uncover the truth.

Of course, the book has a glamorous backdrop, flitting from New York to Milan and London as the characters rub shoulders with fashion journo's and supermodels, designers and actresses but what sets this book apart from the froth is that there is an element of despair and a glimpse of the seedy side of fame.

Whilst haunted by memories of her past, Annie is forced into a race against time to discover why Mark was murdered, what his girlfriend, struggling junkie and disgraced ex-supermodel Patty, knows and why she too is in danger. But who is the murderer and who wants to throw Annie off the scent - permanently? You'll have to read the book to find out! [Camilla Chafer]

Posted by Gemma on January 10, 2006 in British Authors, Crime / Mystery, Debut Novels, Rating: 4/5 | Permalink | Comments (1)

November 30, 2005 10:37 AM

The Rocky Road To Romance

I'm a huge Janet Evanovich fan. On my bookcase you'll find every Stephanie Plum novel and every 'Full...' novel (co-written with Charlotte Hughes). They're all, sadly, in less than prestine condition due to the number of times they've been re-read - but that just shows the love! With that in mind, I was obviously curious when I heard that her publisher had decided to re-release 9 of the 12 romance novels that had sparked the beginning of Evanovich's career as a novelist. I was going to love it...wasn't I?

The answer... a resounding yes! 'The Rocky Road To Romance' is the story of Steve Crow, a radio station owner. When his regular traffic reporter goes off sick with a broken leg, he starts to think he's never going to find a replacement. Even the offer of double the salary he was paying his regular guy doesn't seem enough to attract anyone to the position. Just as he's about to give up Daisy Adams appears - well loved on the airwaves for her doggy recipes - but he's not so sure. Working more jobs than she's got fingers on both hands, Daisy is desperate for money, and somehow manages to persuade Steve to take a chance on her.

It all goes well... for a split second, until it becomes clear someone is trying to kill Daisy. When Steve insists on round-the-clock protection for her, he wasn't imagining in his wildest dreams he would have to contend with Elsie Hawkins, an octogenarian, gun-toting, self taught security guard. This would be enough to put up with, if he wasn't starting to fall in love with Daisy as well.

This is a fast paced, laugh out loud, feel good book. The characters are all fantastic, and show the early signs of some of the larger than life characters we all love in the Stephanie Plum series - right down to the first appearance of a 'Bob' dog. Having read the Plum series, the storyline doesn't feel particularly original, instead it feels comfortable like a literary throw blanket.

Definitely worth trying to get hold of a copy!! [Jenni Nock]

The Rocky Road To Romance - Janet Evanovich (£4.31)

If you liked this, you might like One For The Money by Janet Evanovich.

Posted by Aigua Media on November 30, 2005 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Rating: 4/5, Romance | Permalink | Comments (3)

October 18, 2005 11:17 AM

Welcome To Temptation

Jennifer 'Jenny' Crusie has won awards for her romantic novels, but taking a leaf out of Janet Evanovich's book, 'Welcome To Temptation', alongside her other more recent offerings, is less of a romance and more of a murder mystery, mixing the popular chick-lit genre with something a little more sinister and dark, and throwing in some sex and seduction for good measure....

In the novel, we're intruduced to the Dempsey family for the first time. Sisters Sophie and Amy visit Temptation, Ohio in order to make a film. As you'd expect, they end up getting involved in town politics, romance, mystery and controversy through a series of unusual events.

The sisters are the kind of characters who're just the wrong side of believable, which is often what we want from escapist fiction. They act like sluts, but it doesn't stop you from cheering on their budding romances and hoping they all live happily ever after. The supporting characters, from sharp-witted town mayor Phin to insufferable starlet Clea, smart-ass kid Dillie and my personal favourite, the law-breaking big brother Davy, are well-crafted and interesting, and they allow the story to bound on with great pace, providing the perfect compliment to the two sisters, Sophie in particular (around whom the story revolves).

'Welcome To Temptation' is a very clever cross-genre book. It has all the elements of good female fiction, from the loveable characters, the gorgeous love interests and the cute kids to the steamy scenes and witty banter. But added into the mix is the murder mystery element (which doesn't really become the major plot until we're 2/3 of the way through) and a very clever observation of smalltown life; the idea that no matter how quiet you are people always have a way of knowing your business. Bringing together all these things makes this book interesting and more readable than yet another IT-boy-meets-PR-girl story set in a creative, urban environment!

Now for the bad points. As with many murder stories that aren't true murder mysteries, the plot is fairly predictable, and it didn't take a genius to work out what was going to happen. However the twists that were added in to throw the reader off the track did succeed to a point, and though it wasn't a completely shocking ending, there were bits I didn't pick up on. As for whether they all live happily ever after, I'll leave you to use your imagination. However, enough doors are left open to allow the spin-off story 'Faking It', and more Davy Dempsey. And that's never a bad thing, trust me!

If you liked this, you might enjoy One For The Money!

Posted by Gemma on October 18, 2005 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Rating: 4/5 | Permalink | Comments (2)

September 21, 2005 6:13 PM

One For The Money

One of Amazon's customer reviewers has it right when she says "If you looked up the word 'desperate' in the dictionary, you'd probably see a picture of Stephanie Plum." The heroine of Janet Evanovich's blockbuster 'Plum' series is a ballsy New Jersey native struggling to make ends meet in any way possible. In 'One For The Money' we're introduced to Stephanie, her wardrobe of spandex shorts, her pet hamster Rex and her highly dysfunctional family (a gun-toting grandma, a mother who won't shut up and cousin Vinnie with his fondness for ducks) for the first time...

Stuck for cash after being fired from her job as a lingerie buyer, she’s put on the books at Vinnie’s bail bond agency, and soon has her first assignment as a bounty hunter - tracking down Joe Morelli, a cop on the run who just happens to be the man who took her virginity.

This is a stellar debut in a new genre from ex-romance writer Evanovich. Stephanie is a wonderful character - warm, witty and charming - and her constant struggles with money, men, her job and the odd exploding car will soon have you hooked. The comedy / mystery plot makes this a real page-turner, and a great supporting cast of unforgettable characters, including a 200lb hooker and a mysterious stranger who knows all the right people, mean you’ll be hard pushed to put it one down. The Plum series is now onto number 11, but many agree the first is still the best. Definitely one to add to your collection!

One For The Money - Janet Evanovich

Posted by Gemma on September 21, 2005 in American Authors, Crime / Mystery, Rating: 5/5 | Permalink | Comments (1)