Crucified

Lynda La Plante

STILL haunted by a harrowing case involving a sadistic serial killer who butchered and decapitated young girls, London Met Detective Sergeant Jack Warr is fast reaching breaking point.

With his home life at high pressure point after the birth of a new baby, his doctor wife Maggie on maternity leave, and the family finances struggling to cope with house renovations, the last thing Jack needs is another grisly murder.

Liverpool-born screenwriter and author Lynda La Plante (pictured below), one of the nation’s favourite police procedural writers, is back to dazzle and delight readers with the fifth book in her latest coruscating crime-cracking series which has its seeds planted in Widows, the runaway hit story starring a group of robbers’ widows who attempt a daring heist after the demise of their crooked husbands.

Harnessing the same gripping cocktail of crooks, cops and cunning plot twists, the DS Jack Warr novels have fast forwarded over 25 years to discover not just what happened to those nefarious gangsters’ molls but to meet intriguing new star Jack, a thirty-something detective finding his feet in the Met after a move from rural Devon, and discovering links to the past that, even in his wildest dreams, he could never have imagined. In Crucified, we find Jack struggling to cope with life at a time when he should be resting on his laurels. He’s just put brutal, unrepentant murderer Rodney Middleton behind bars and he’s ready to enjoy some time at home with his GP wife Maggie, young daughter Hannah, their new (as yet unnamed) baby boy and Jack’s adoptive mum Penny who lives with them.

Instead, Middleton’s gruesome legacy has left Jack with violent nightmares in which he punches, shouts and kicks out, terrifying Maggie. The torment he feels over the killer’s refusal to reveal the whereabouts of his other victims, plus a series of other events and dark secrets, make him feel like there is ‘a hurricane raging inside his head.’

Refusing the Met-offered counselling service, Jack instead finds solace in renewing a dangerous friendship with charismatic art forger Adam Border. But when a man is found horrifically murdered and nailed to a giant cross in a framer’s shop, Jack cannot help becoming fascinated by the elaborately staged killing and senses a connection to the case even though it is not in his jurisdiction.

Could Adam be the victim, or even the murderer, and is Jack’s involvement that of a detective or witness? Finding the truth will unveil a shocking portrait of a corrupt art world... but it could also expose the secrets Jack is so desperately trying to keep hidden.

Jack, who still struggles to walk a straight line between the right and wrong sides of the law, has now firmly embedded himself in readers’ hearts. With a new baby in the house, and domestic duties competing with hidden allegiances, our maverick detective is increasingly being forced to re-evaluate just where his priorities lie. Still emotionally drained from his dealings with the sadistic Middleton, and the resultant night terrors, Jack seems to have problems and secrets in all corners of his life... not least the crisis in their finances which he has so far refused to reveal to his wife and his long-suffering mother.

Packed with suspense, authentic police and forensic detail, La Plante’s dark, satirical humour and a brilliantly imagined cast of characters, including the restless, unpredictable Jack Warr, Crucified is another masterclass in crime writing.
(Zaffre, paperback, £9.99)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Modern-day Bard, a fearsome fairy tale and scintillating sci-fi

Share fun and adventures with William Shakespeare’s last living relative, travel into the deep, dark woods in a terrific new take on Hansel and Gretel, have your spine well and truly tingled by some seriously scary science, and roll up for your ticket to race around the world with a colourful selection of new autumn titles

Age 9 plus
The Last Bard
Maz Evans

ALL'S well that ends well as superstar children’s writer Maz Evans – bestselling author of the Who Let the Gods Out and Oh Maya Gods! series – is back to stage one of her most entertaining stories yet with Shakespeare’s last living relative taking the lead role. The Last Bard is a brilliant standalone novel inspired by the works of England’s greatest ever playwright and poet, and introducing children to some of his most famous heroes in a veritable feast of adventure, comedy, memorable Shakespearean quotes, and Evans’ signature heartfelt storytelling. Meet Will Davenant, a boy who has known more tragedy than laughter. But in an unexpected twist, he inherits his grandfather’s copy of The Complete Works of Shakespeare – and makes a surprising discovery. As the last living relative of William Shakespeare himself, Will can summon the Bard’s heroes from the pages… and that includes the murderous Lady Macbeth, Juliet (without her Romeo), Yorick the mournful skull, and a mischievous Puck. And now, with his late grandfather’s home under threat, Will, the new friends who have turned his life around, and Ani from next door must fight for their future in a comedy of errors. Can love’s labours win, or will it all be much ado about nothing? Youngsters will love spending time and sharing adventures, comedy and drama with the Bard’s immortal characters and a plucky boy fighting for his family’s future as Evans works her own special storytelling genius on a brilliantly imagined and heartwarming celebration of Shakespeare’s iconic plays. An unmissable gift book that puts the Bard where he belongs… at centre stage!
(Chicken House, hardback, £12.99)

Age 8 plus
Hansel and Gretel
Stephen King and Maurice Sendak

TAKE the dark and inventive imagination of legendary ‘King of Horror’ author Stephen King, the stunning artwork of award-winning author and illustrator Maurice Sendak, and the perennially popular story of Hansel and Gretel, and what do you have? A thrilling rendition of what Sendak called ‘the most profound of all Grimm fairy tales’ and a surefire classic for all discerning collectors. Pairing the two titans of literature together for the first time, this glorious picture book features King’s reimagining of the late illustrator Sendak’s beautiful opera set and costume designs for the Humperdinck opera based on Hansel and Gretel. The result is a thrilling book brimming with the menace and haunting atmospherics of Sendak’s artwork and a story which King sees as having ‘a sunny exterior’ but ‘a dark and terrible centre’ with two brave and resourceful children taking centre stage. So open the pages, follow the children who are lost in an eerie and dangerous forest then see if you can find your way out again. This daring picture book package comes in a stunning, high-quality hardback with jacket, includes a personal introduction from King, and has been created in close collaboration with the Maurice Sendak Foundation. The perfect gift for fans of two literary giants… and all lovers of nightmarish fairy tales!
(Hodder Children’s Books, hardback, £20)

Age 11 plus
The Night House Files: The Wintermoor Lights
Dan Smith and Luke Brookes

GET ready to have your spine well and truly tingled as award-winning author and master of creepy sci-fi, Dan Smith, returns with the second book of his super-charged Night House Files series which began with The Deadsoul Project and is full of thrills, chills and some seriously scary science. At the heart of this gripping and gruesome opener is a secret organisation called The Night House which exposes some horrifying ‘truths’ and this time the focus is on the spooky Wintermoor Lights. The story opens in 1984, the year of the tragedy… when everything came to a head. Tara Fisher’s best friend Zoe is the first to see the lights over Wintermoor – and she’s never the same again. Soon more and more teenagers are affected and start behaving strangely, often appearing to be trapped in some kind of trance, while talking about being ‘chosen.’ The adults dismiss what is happening as some kind of hoax or mass hysteria. But will they finally listen when the kids start to disappear? Packed with multi-visual elements like diary entries, interview transcripts and newspaper clippings, and Brookes’ wonderfully graphic and atmospheric black and white illustrations, and published in Barrington Stoke’s trademark dyslexia-friendly format, this fast-paced, bone-chilling adventure will hook in readers from the first page… and is best read in daylight hours!
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
The Girl Who Raced the World
Nat Harrison

ROLL up, roll up, roll up… and collect a ticket to race around the world by steamship, locomotive, and even an ice sled, on a non-stop, heart-thumping adventure! The Girl Who Raced the World – a page-turning retelling of Jules Verne’s classic Around the World in Eighty Days – is the dazzling debut novel of the much-travelled Nat Harrison whose life began on the tiny island of Ascension in the South Atlantic Ocean. Packed with high-stakes action, peril, intrigue and a big helping of fun, Harrison’s thriller takes us back to 1872 where we meet eleven-year-old Maggie Appleton whose beloved mother has died leaving her with nothing but a letter for a mysterious stranger called Passepartout. With nowhere else to turn, Maggie seeks out Passepartout and, in doing so, is drawn into an adventure beyond her wildest dreams. Together with Passepartout’s employer, the enigmatic Mr Phileas Fogg, Maggie journeys to Italy, India, Hong Kong, Japan and America in a daring race against time to win the wager Mr Fogg has accepted. But with a bank robber on the loose, an angry Inspector on their tail, and unread secrets in her mother’s letter, Maggie soon discovers that there is much more at stake than keeping on schedule to win the bet. Who can she really trust… and will she ever find out where she truly belongs? With a cast of larger-than-life characters, some familiar from the original and others giving the famous Mr Fogg a run for his money, this timeless tale of travel, treachery and trust is a must-read for readers young… and not-so-young!
(Piccadilly Press, hardback, £12.99)

Age 9 plus
The Big Bad Wolf Murder
P.G. Bell and George Ermos

YOU'RE never too young to enjoy cosy crime so join master storyteller P.G. Bell – the Welsh author who conjured up the award-winning The Train to Impossible Places series – as he blends fairytale magic with murder mystery in a wonderfully wild and wolfish adventure. The Big Bad Wolf Murder is Bell’s second standalone fairytale-inspired whodunit murder mystery starring a wonderfully quirky cast of characters and an all-action plot full of epic chases, gangsters, brawls… and sporting rivalry turned deadly. The Big Bad Wolf is dead… and what's worse is he was murdered! Alarick was a sporting superstar, top wolf in the Tooth & Claw games and when he drops dead in the middle of the championship game against the Reds, it’s a huge scandal. When his rival, Ruby of the Reds, realises she has been framed for the crime, she goes on the run, determined to clear her name. But with a dogged detective, a wolf assassin and a gangster granny on her tail, she’s going to need more than a little help from her new wolf-cub friend Fillan. Only her Tooth & Claw skills will help her evade capture and nail the real murderer. Bell lets his imagination take flight as he plunges us into a thrilling, atmospheric and world-building crime romp, illustrated by George Ermos and with all those favourite mystery ingredients… lashings of danger, oodles of intrigue, lots of laugh-out-loud fun, and unexpected twists and turns to keep YOU guessing and the pages turning!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age 7 plus
The Incredible Pop-up Frog
Ben Hoare and Jasmine Floyd

DISCOVER a dazzling treasure trove of frogs and wetland creatures in this spectacular, deluxe pop-up book written by award-winning wildlife journalist and self-confessed nature nerd Ben Hoare and illustrated in striking colour and texture by rising star Jasmine Floyd. Home to pond skaters and platypuses, and kingfishers and crocodiles, wetlands are among the richest habitats on our planet and a crucial home to some of the world's most endangered species. Bursting with frogs and other amphibians, as well as a whole host of other wildlife, wetlands are dazzling havens of activity and just waiting to be explored. Packed with multi-layered pop-ups and flaps to lift, The Incredible Pop-up Frog takes a close-up look at these fascinating creatures. The incredible feat of paper-engineering allows young readers to look inside three wetland habitats, revealing wonder after wonder, page after page. From the surface of the water, where bugs skate, spiders hunt and flowers spread their petals, to the murky depths, where myriad creatures fight for survival, this book takes readers on a tour of some of the richest habitats on our planet and reveals the true beauty of frogs, amphibians and the wildlife they live alongside. Readers aged from seven to one hundred will love taking the plunge!
(Templar Books, hardback, £25)

Age 7 plus
Raising the Roof!
Jack Pepper and Michele Bruttomesso

MUSIC maestro, please! Twenty-six-year-old Jack Pepper, one of the UK’s youngest commissioned composers and youngest-ever national radio presenters, hits all the right notes in this cool, clever and captivating introduction to classical music. Youngsters will love tuning in to the spectacular world of classical music and its colourful characters when they turn the pages of this brilliant interactive book which comes packed with learning, discovery and marvellous music-making, and is brought to life by Italian artist Michele Bruttomesso’s joyful and energetic illustrations. Take a tour of musical history, and learn your timbre from your tempo, your tuba from your cello and your symphony from your concerto. Rub shoulders with twenty great composers – including Bach, Beethoven and child prodigy Mozart – meet American pioneer Florence Price, trailblazers like Barbara Strozzi and Joseph Bologne, film score composer Hans Zimmer and video game composer Nobuo Uematsu and find out what it really takes to write a timeless classical hit. And you can listen as you read by using the playlist inside which covers over 40 classical pieces spanning one thousand years of music. And explore how the story doesn’t stop here as classical continues to influence music today and future sounds. Informal, amusing and written with Pepper’s infectious enthusiasm, this book is sure to inspire the budding composer in every reader and open up the dazzling world of music to new fans.
(Templar Books, paperback, £10.99)

Age 7 plus
The Mubbles: When Berry Met Terry
Liz Pichon

BE warned… this book is seriously funny! Put some added colour, fun and sheer unadulterated joy into your autumn with The Mubbles: When Berry Met Terry, the second book in an outrageously entertaining graphic novel series from the multi-talented Liz Pichon, bestselling creator of the global phenomenon Tom Gates books. Youngsters – and their parents – will be laughing all the way on a welcome return trip to the Isle of Smile, a beautiful island that runs on sun, wind and flower power, and is home to the colourful, fun-loving Mubbles… Berry, Dash, Cheery and the gang. The Mubbles love their island, especially the mysterious Uncertain Curtain which always delivers an unexpected surprise. What will it be today? Today the Uncertain Curtain delivers Terry, a very cute but very naughty dog! Berry is delighted to finally have a friend to play with but Terry soon causes a lot of chaos on the Isle of Smile. Will Terry have to leave early or can Berry’s furry plan save the day? Packed full of colourful characters, boundless fun and lots of adventures, this is the ideal series for youngsters who like their stories to come with bags of eye-catching artwork. Add on a QR code that takes you to a website packed with extra content, including arts and crafts and many fun songs from The Mubbles world, and the result is a fabulous, all-singing, all-dancing book of laughter!
(Macmillan Children’s Books, hardback, £9.99)

Age 7 plus
Jack-Jack, A Dog with a Job
Ben Garrod and Charli Vince

ENJOY a dog’s-eye-view of his amazing world in the fourth and final book of delightfully cute and funny fiction series written by Ben Garrod, Professor of Evolutionary Biology and Science Engagement at the University of East Anglia. Garrod was inspired to pen The Adventures of a Dog Called Jack-Jack books after filming the hit BBC2 series, Baby Chimp Rescue in Africa, falling in love with Jack, and bringing him back to the UK where the two are now inseparable. So meet Jack-Jack who is not just any old dog... he’s the world’s coolest dog and used to look after orphaned chimpanzees in Africa until his owner Ben flew him thousands of miles away to live in the ‘Yookay.’ Now every day is full of adventure although Jack-Jack is never just along for the ride. And after his pretty special job in Africa, super-clever Jack-Jack is now heading off for some varied work experience to try out the different jobs a dog can do. But is he barking up the wrong tree as he sets out to find the perfect job for him? He tries his paw at police dog training, herding runaway sheep, at search and rescue… until he finally finds a job that fits and it’s much closer to home than he had expected! With short chapters narrated by Jack-Jack himself, the richly detailed and fun-filled black and white illustrations of Charli Vince on every page, this very special dog’s adventures and misadventures cannot help but win the hearts of all young (and old!) animal lovers!
(Zephyr, paperback, £7.99)

Age 5 plus
A Wild Child’s Guide to Nature at Night
Dara McAnulty and Barry Falls

HAVE you ever wondered which creatures wake up when you go to sleep? Let the brilliant young Northern Irish author, activist and conservationist Dara McAnulty, winner of the Wainwright Prize for Diary of a Young Naturalist, show you the magic of nature at night with this visually stunning and informative gift book which is lavishly illustrated in full colour by Barry Falls. A Wild Child’s Guide to Nature at Night is the perfect guide for aspiring young naturalists and is the follow-on to this dynamic duo’s brilliant books, Wild Child and A Wild Child’s Book of Birds. So prepare to embark on a night-time adventure, learning how to use all your senses to experience the wonders that unfold at night. Journey through five different habitats in Britain and Ireland and meet hedgehogs and moths in the garden, bats, owls, foxes and badgers in the woodland, corncrakes and dormice in the countryside, pine martens, glow-worms and mountain hares in the heathlands, and the animals that live as constellations in our sky. Learn about circadian rhythms, hibernation, echolocation, biofluorescence, murmurations, the dawn chorus and how to use the stars for orientation. Youngsters will love exploring nature at night with this visually atmospheric and lyrically written book full of fantastic facts about nocturnal animals, activities on how to spot them, tips on attracting wildlife and creating havens, and ways that we can all protect the amazing but fragile natural world around us. The perfect gift book to inspire young nature lovers and to let children experience for themselves
(Macmillan Children’s Books, hardback, £14.99)

Age 4 plus
Fold-Out + Play: Doll’s House
Ingela P Arrhenius

SOME books offer so much ingenious fun that you want to take them with you wherever you go! Creative artist Ingela P Arrhenius, who lives in Stockholm, has collaborated with several toy producers around the world and now she has turned her talents to a fantastic fold-out book which effortlessly transforms into a stylish 3D doll’s house that children can explore and play with time and time again. Inside the enticing, child-friendly package are stand-up animal characters to bring to life, pieces of press-out furniture to build, and colourful stickers which youngsters can use to decorate the house. Children will love making the kitchen, bathroom, living room and bedroom and then enjoying hours of play with their own customised doll’s house. Designed with Arrhenius’ signature retro style, typography and colour, this delightful Fold-out + Play Doll's House is perfect for on-the-go playtime or for those with limited space as all the press-out pieces can be stored away in the sturdy drawer attached so they are always ready for play wherever travels take you. With its self-contained format, an instruction sheet and QR code with assembly videos to help build the house, this is the perfect gift book to inspire independent, imaginative play and provide hours of entertainment.
(Nosy Crow, board book, £20)

Age 3 plus
Over the Rainbow Bridge
Noel Fitzpatrick and Alison Brown

LOVE is forever… Noel Fitzpatrick, best known to one and all as the nation’s favourite TV Supervet, pulls on heartstrings with his debut picture book, Over the Rainbow Bridge, a moving and beautiful exploration of a friendship that last a lifetime. Fitzpatrick is a world leading orthopaedic-neuro veterinary surgeon, admired for his compassionate and innovative work treating companion animals and, in this heartfelt story about family loss and the power of love, his words are paired with the emotionally powerful illustrations of the talented Alison Brown. Sam loved Dog and Dog loved Sam. They spoke without words and dreamed big dreams side by side in the sunbeams. Sam thinks they will go on adventures together forever. Then the time comes for Dog to go over the Rainbow Bridge. By remembering their happy times together, Sam faces sadness but finds joy again… and understands that Dog’s love and friendship are gifts that last forever. A simply stunning celebration of the eternal dog and human bonds.
(Gallery Kids, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
The Wild Robot On The Island
Peter Brown

WHAT happens when the natural world collides with technology? Bestselling author and illustrator Peter Brown’s heartfelt novel, The Wild Robot, has become a modern classic since it was first published in 2016. Described by one critic as a ‘fable for our age,’ the story has been adapted as a major DreamWorks animation film starring Lupita Nyong’o, Pedro Pascal and Kit Connor. And now little ones can venture into robot Roz’s wild world in this gorgeously illustrated picture book that brings to colourful life all the adventures in Brown’s much-loved book. Roz is not where she's supposed to be, she wasn’t designed to live in the wilderness. But when she washes up on a remote island, Roz must learn from the animal inhabitants and adapt to her new, natural surroundings. And before long, the seasons change and the island begins to feel like home. Filled with Brown's stunning artwork, this moving picture book – which gently explores important themes like caring for the environment, motherhood and technology – is the perfect gift for readers new to the modern classic or for long-time fans of the series that sparked a global phenomenon. An unmissable tale of our times!
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age one plus
Glow
Nicola Edwards and Sophie Ledesma

LIGHT up the darkness with a little firefly who has lost his glow in a brilliant sound and light novelty board book from the clever creators at Little Tiger Press.‘Moon’s glow is so bold, she lights up the night! I'm supposed to shine too, but I don’t know how...’ Firefly wants to glow like the moon, shine bright like the lighthouse and shimmer like the jellyfish, but he just doesn't know how. Little ones will love joining him on his adventures across land, sky and sea as he travels the world… only to discover his shine was hiding in plain sight all along! With a heartwarming text by Nicola Edwards and illustrated with the bold and adorably atmospheric artwork of Sophie Ledesma, this quirky, light-up sound book delivers an empowering message about believing in yourself and is perfect reading to soothe and calm little ones at naptime or bedtime.
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £12.99)

Age one plus
Disney Stitch: Five Little Aliens 
Sian Bowman

‘Five little aliens flew off one night, Across the galaxy of stars so bright. Cousin Stitch said, ‘Get back to base!’ How many aliens are left to chase?’ 

JOIN Stitch and his cousins as they blast through the galaxy on a hide-and-seek mission in this colourful this lift-the-flap book from Disney. There's so much to see and do, with planets to visit and spaceships to fly, as well as familiar faces to spot. But wait… the aliens are disappearing one by one until they reach a planet called Ee-arth. Based on the nursery rhyme Five Little Ducks, this interactive book is perfect for sharing with Stitch’s youngest fans. Simply lift the flaps to find the aliens and discover a delicious surprise at the end.
(Studio Press, paperback, £7.99)

Walking the King Charles III England Coast Path: North West

NATIONAL TRAIL – Cumbria, Lancashire and Merseyside Coast

Ange Harker

TO mark the King’s coronation in May of 2023, it was announced that the England Coast Path would be renamed the King Charles III England Coast Path and will include exciting new stretches of the route.

At around 2,700 miles long when complete, the National Trail will go all the way around the coast of England and is set to be the longest managed coastal path in the world. And it doesn’t end there because, in many areas, walkers will also have the right to explore the beaches and coastal margin alongside the path as they pass by the many coastal towns, cities and ports which have shaped our island nation.

The North West coast offers up a spectacular 367 miles between Gretna and Chester, taking in many lengths of newly created public access around the spectacular eastern shores of the Irish Sea, and to mark a new era for the trail, Kendal-based Cicerone Press – an enthusiastic publisher specialising in outdoor activities guidebooks – have an impressive new full-colour trail guide to the Cumbria, Lancashire and Merseyside stretch of coast.

Written by one of the path’s creators, qualified walking guide Ange Harker (pictured left) who has a special interest in accessibility, this book is not just a guide to the route and how to plan your journey, but a definitive insight into the new National Trail and an exploration of how the newly created Coastal Access rights work in practice on this unique and under-represented stretch of coastline.

The guide covers the walk in 28 stages, taking in stunning beaches, Lake District mountain views and estuaries, the Solway Firth, Morecambe Bay, Blackpool and Wirral, and includes a link route to the Wales Coast Path, as well as facilities, accommodation and public transport details to help plan your trek, which is suitable for all year round walking.

The trail along the Cumbria, Lancashire and Merseyside coast – best walked in spring and summer for the longest days – takes around one month to hike, is described from north to south in stages between eight and 18 miles in length, contains a step-by-step description of the route alongside 1:50,000 OS maps, and provides refreshment information for each route stage. Public transport by stage is also listed for those wanting to break the trail into shorter sections.

Highlights include the Solway Firth, Hadrian’s Wall, Lake District mountain views, Morecambe Bay and Lancaster, the longest dune system in England at Sefton, Merseyside’s arts and musical culture, Wirral’s heritage and Cheshire’s coastal reed beds.

Also available from Cicerone Press are two accompanying route mapping booklets… Walking the King Charles III England Coast Path: North West – Lancashire & Merseyside Map Booklet and Walking the King Charles III England Coast Path: North West – Cumbria Map Booklet.

The map booklet to the Lancashire and Merseyside section of the coast path contains detailed mapping for walking the route in either direction. With easy access at many points along the way, the section can be enjoyed as a trek of around 12 days or in shorter sections. The full route shown is on 1:25,000 OS maps and covers the coast path from Arnside to Chester.

The Cumbrian map booklet contains detailed mapping for walking the route in either direction. With easy access at many points along the way, this section can be enjoyed as a trek of around 15 days or in shorter sections. Again, the full route is shown on 1:25,000 OS maps, and this time covers the coast path from Gretna on the Scottish border to Grange-over-Sands. Conveniently sized for slipping into a jacket pocket or top of a rucksack, both booklets are priced at £12.95.

With links to both the iconic places and heritage on the coast and the less well-known corners of interest, this complete set of three beautifully produced guides – packed with Cicerone’s trademark expertise and stunning photography – provides all the information walkers need to unlock some areas for the very first time… and makes our glorious coastlines available to so many more people.
(Cicerone Press, paperback, £17.95)

Appointment in Paris

Jane Thynne

IN April of 1940, Britain is on a knife edge… Neville Chamberlain’s government is teetering, Paris is in increasing danger of falling to Hitler’s forces, and the danger from hidden fifth columnists is ringing alarm bells at MI5 headquarters in London.

The ending of what many have called the ‘Phoney War’ means a Nazi invasion of Britain is becoming a very real threat, and fears of ‘the enemy within’ would seem to be justified when the body of a captured German officer is found in the grounds of a stately home which has become not just a prisoner holding camp but the site of the biggest bugging operation ever mounted against a British enemy.

After the huge success of last year’s historical gem, Midnight in Vienna, a classy murder mystery steeped in the febrile atmosphere and dark suspicion of the pre-war months, author, journalist and broadcaster Jane Thynne (pictured below) returns with her unlikely – and utterly charming – partnership of MI5 agents Harry Fox and Stella Fry. Best known for her much-loved Clara Vine wartime espionage thrillers, Thynne has also written two acclaimed dystopian novels, Widowland and Queen High, under the pen name of C.J. Carey, and now she brings us the perfect blend of mystery, menace, thrills, chills and escapism with these entertaining, edge-of-the-seat spy adventures.

In the spring of 1940, Britain is in political turmoil, a German invasion may now be only weeks away, and the worst possible time for the body of a man wearing the uniform of a Luftwaffe captain to be found in the grounds of Trent Park, the stately home at Cockfosters which is now being used as a prison to house high level German PoWs.

Trent Park’s true purpose, however, is intelligence, gathered covertly from prisoners by secret listeners who record ‘every conversation, every chance remark, every quiet confidence’ and the inmates have no idea.

To make matters worse, the morning after the discovery of the officer, one of the listeners, German-born Robert Handel, goes missing, along with a gun from the firing range. Horrified that this could blow the highly confidential operation wide open, the authorities know the missing man must be tracked down.

Cue Harry Fox – the former MI5 Watcher is currently suspended and working as a private investigator. A ‘patriot who couldn’t fight,’ Harry is desperate to assist the war effort but at 41, he is over the conscription age. Then his former boss gets in touch with a job for him… he must locate the missing man who may well be hiding amongst London’s émigré community.

But his boss stipulates that the job must also be shared with Harry’s former associate, Stella Fry, who is currently working at the GPO Film Unit in London, editing scripts for documentaries and information films. A fluent German speaker, Stella was a fellow student with Handel at Oxford University and this new mission will take her across the Channel, from far from events in London, and into more danger than she had ever imagined

Appointment in Paris delivers the same winning formula that captured the hearts and minds of readers in Harry and Stella’s debut outing… a gritty, suspense-packed story filled with Thynne’s trademark richly detailed world-building and intelligent plotting, and featuring a seductive cast of real and fictional characters including secret British agent and author Noël Coward, crime writer Agatha Christie, controversial American Ambassador Joe Kennedy, and a maverick Winston Churchill.

Against a gloriously vibrant and authentic backdrop of Britain in its ‘darkest hour,’ and with fascinating insights into the real-life work of the ‘secret listeners’ at Trent Park in North London whose work led to major intelligence breakthroughs, our dynamic duo run the gauntlet of death, danger, false identities and diplomatic complexities in a hostile world.

It’s a time of uncertainty and fear, when the relationship between Britain and the United States was strained by the reluctance of some high-ranking Americans to help the war effort in Europe… and when the dark arts of espionage and subterfuge were flourishing in the shadows of the international stage. And aiding the hunt for hidden traitors are the likeable, dyslexic detective Harry and his ‘partner in crime’ Stella, a strong, highly intelligent and brave woman whose hunt for the truth takes her from London to Paris in the frantic, fear-filled days before the Nazis arrived.

With Thynne’s meticulous research underpinning every inch of the twisting, turning plot, bristling with menace and malice, and with romance only ever a heartbeat away, Appointment in Paris is an autumnal reading treat that historical fiction fans will relish!
(Quercus, hardback, £20)

All Wrapped Up

Heidi Swain

AFTER the tragic death of her husband, popular Instagram influencer Clemmie Bennett wanted nothing more than to escape from her grief and move to a place and a home where she could live quietly and anonymously.

But after eighteen months of a very private life in which she has poured her heart and soul into renovating an idyllic cottage in Norfolk, Clemmie has finally decided it’s time for a change, even though that might scupper the fresh start she has longed for.

If you’re eager to make your own escape this autumn, then recharge your flat summer batteries with a season-of-mists-and-mellow-fruitfulness reading feast from Heidi Swain, a much-loved author who has won thousands of hearts with her enchanting books set in Wynbridge, the fictional Fenland town where love blossoms whatever the season. Swain (pictured below), who lives with her family in stunning south Norfolk, has a well-earned reputation for warm, witty and wonderful stories which showcase her talent for blending escapist romance, small town delights, and a perfectly imagined cast of characters with some real-life challenges in the modern world.

And All Wrapped Up – the piquant story of a reclusive young widow trying to make sense of her future alongside a tasty side-serving of familiar faces from books gone by – explores the emotional fallout from loss and grief, all set against the colourful and comforting backdrop of autumn’s bountiful glories. 

For the past three years, Clemmie Bennett has been trying to come to terms with becoming a widow before the age of thirty. Her husband Callum died in tragic circumstances and she was left coping with the resulting very public heartbreak back in her childhood home town. Known to her many online followers as the woman behind a successful home improvements Instagram account, Clemmie felt the need to escape so closed down her Insta site, sold her home eighteen months ago, and has since poured all her emotional angst into buying and renovating beautiful Rowan Cottage on the outskirts of the small town of Wynbridge.

Cosied up on the Fens, reclusive Clemmie was eager to chronicle her transformation of the neglected cottage, a ‘perfect solo sanctuary,’ but called her new Insta account AutumnEverything and remained strictly anonymous. Now she feels the time has come for change but knows it will take courage to fill the ‘vacancy’ that has been left in her life.

That change comes in the most unexpected way through a chance encounter with the co-owner of The Cherry Tree Café in Wynbridge. Bubbly Lizzie Dixon is gearing up to organise Wynbridge’s first-ever Autumn Festival and after discovering that Clemmie is the woman behind AutumnEverything, she knows Clemmie is the ideal person to take the reins.

At first reluctant to get involved in a community project, Clemmie is gradually drawn into the festival preparations and her once quiet life is soon a distant memory. With the whole town rallying behind the event, she discovers a new sense of purpose. And when local vet Ash, the new man in town, persuades Clemmie to re-home a grieving dog called Pixie and then falls hard for the reclusive young widow, she begins to wonder if she’s ready to move even further on from her past and fall in love again…

Swain’s books always have a strong sense of community, friendship and family, showcasing the redemptive power of love and shared endeavour, and this sparkling and hope-filled autumnal tale – her remarkable twenty-second novel – sweeps us into the life of cautious Clemmie who is on the painful journey from past sorrows to new beginnings.

Armed with a well-earned reputation for delivering heartwarming and entertaining stories, this is an author at the top of her game as she blends new faces and new dilemmas with some of the lovable and lively characters from earlier Wynbridge outings, including Swain’s fabulous debut novel, The Cherry Tree Café, published in 2017.

Set against the seductive charms of the Norfolk town we have come to know so well, and with a simmering romance, a charismatic cast, and the evocative sights and scents of a fruitful autumn, this imaginative and insightful story has all the captivating charm, human warmth and sensory delights that we expect from a seasoned, and seasonal, writer.

So whether you are in need of a cosy book hug, a story full of fun, drama and a simply adorable canine star called Pixie, look no further than this inspirational and uplifting tale... the perfect celebration of all things autumn!
(Simon & Schuster, paperback, £9.99)

Call the Witness

Edna Sherry

By guest reviewer Nicholas Litchfield, editor of the Lowestoft Chronicle

A NEWLY minted partner at a prestigious law firm must fight for his reputation and freedom when he stands trial for his wife’s murder in Call the Witness, a taut 1960s crime novel steeped in small-town suspicion, legal intrigue, and simmering class tensions.

First published by Dodd, Mead and Company in January 1961, Edna Sherry’s evocative standalone legal drama returns to print this month as part of Stark House’s Black Gat mass market series, emerging from more than sixty years of obscurity.

The Cincinnati-born writer, renowned for her gift for suspense, is best remembered for the 1948 thriller Sudden Fear, adapted into a film noir starring Joan Crawford and now regarded as a genre classic. In Call the Witness, she displays her sharpest instincts, drawing inspiration from a notorious real-life case that unfolded across the Atlantic in Liverpool thirty years earlier. Whereas her post-war contemporaries often featured stock characters and familiar plots, Sherry’s work pulses with psychological edge, subtle social critique, and a relentless sense of tension.

Ashley Lawson, an Edgar Award-nominated author, notes in the book’s introduction that Sherry ‘writes about people rather than situations, and most of her characters are fully-fleshed, complex, and believable,’ singling out the novel as ‘key evidence in our case that this author deserves greater recognition.’

Set in the insular city of Ambria, the novel introduces us to Bartley ‘Bart’ French, a hardworking and ambitious lawyer from Montana. Newly appointed as partner at Newton and Newton, a firm where ‘status and lineage’ count for more than merit, Bart yearns to belong. His wife, Kay Whitlaw, is described as ‘lively and loving’ but their marriage is overshadowed by her patrician family’s disapproval and the compromises they have both made.

Bart’s mentor, Sam Ballard, with his ‘mobile, humorous actor’s face,’ faces risky brain surgery, leaving Bart anxious but determined as he inherits Sam’s workload and coveted black notebook of contacts, shouldering the firm’s most sensitive cases… and the secrets that come with them. Around him orbit Arthur Newton, ‘affable, sociable in a surface manner,’ Andrew Clayton, ‘reserved and competent,’ and Bill Peck, ‘a brash, well-connected charmer.’ In Ambria, the gates never truly open for outsiders.

The story takes a dark turn when Bart, sent on a wild goose chase to a fake client’s house, returns home with his neighbour Jerry Slater… and finds Kay brutally murdered. The town, hungry for scandal, turns on Bart with swift malice.

Police Captain Miles Eliot sizes up Bart as the likely suspect, while the local newspaper fans suspicion with a jab at Bart’s alibi, calling it ‘so suspiciously perfect that any modern author of whodunits might hesitate to use it.’ Supporters, like his colleague Lil Slater and employer Arthur Newton, defend him while Martha Whitlaw, Kay’s mother, furiously asserts that ‘He did it and he’s going to pay for it!’ The murder weapon – a poker found in the backyard – tightens the noose and whispers seem to speak loudly. ‘Ambria’s a beautiful town… but… a man could come here, live here the rest of his life and still be an oddball.’

Bart’s trial is pure theatre, a spectacle where old grudges and whispered judgements take centre stage. District Attorney Fuller paints Bart as a cold-blooded killer while the defence, led by sharp New Yorker Arnold Cass and steady Andrew Clayton, hunts for cracks in the prosecution’s story. Jerry Slater, whose testimony undermines the prosecution, and Agatha Willett, a secretary who injects personal bias, reveal a community as divided as its courtroom, while Cass’s cross-examinations turn the state’s case inside out.

Meanwhile, Bart sits frozen at the defence table, stripped of the buoyant energy that once set him apart. He’s a man watching his fate draw in, minute by minute…

Full of taut exchanges, dry wit, and an overwhelming sense of dread, Call the Witness is a hard-hitting tale of justice and belonging… where the real verdict is delivered not only in court, but in the hearts of a town that never quite lets a stranger in.
(Stark House Press, paperback, £10.95)

⬛Nicholas Litchfield is an English-born author and journalist who lives in Western New York. He established the Lowestoft Chronicle, a quarterly online magazine, in 2009. It  publishes short stories, flash fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, interviews and artwork.(lowestoftchronicle.com)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: A unique city, a chiller-thriller and a rabbit’s farewell

Dig deep into the past to discover the fascinating and tumultuous history of the unique city of Jerusalem, enjoy the final book in a spectacular rabbit world fantasy series, and join two plucky siblings as they battle to defeat forever a sinister dictatorship in a sparkling September selection

Age 11 plus
Jerusalem: The City That Changed the World
Simon Sebag Montefiore,
Rui Ricardo and Catherine Rowe

DISCOVER the fascinating and tumultuous history of the unique city of Jerusalem in this magnificent children’s book adaptation of international bestselling author Simon Sebag Montefiore’s seminal classic Jerusalem: A Biography. Brought to vibrant life by illustrators Rui Ricardo and Catherine Rowe, historian Montefiore’s account tells the story of an extraordinary city which is the capital of two peoples and the shrine of three faiths. A cast of extraordinary characters have played a part in the city’s history, including King David, Cyrus the Great, Cleopatra, the Maccabees, Julius Caesar, Herod the Great, Queen Melisende, Saladin, Suleiman the Magnificent, Catherine the Great, Napoleon, Winston Churchill, Ben-Gurion and Arafat. Some people have claimed that Jerusalem belongs only to them, but its stories show that it belongs to many. Montefiore tells thirty of the most remarkable stories in the city’s 3,000-year history and by explaining the Middle East’s political, religious and ethnic divisions, from 1000BC to 2000AD, the book acts an essential and timely guide to understanding today’s world.
(Hodder Children’s Books, hardback, £25)

Age 9 plus
The Fate of Podkin One-Ear
Kieran Larwood and David Wyatt

LITTLE rabbits can do great things… particularly when they band together! The final book in Kieran Larwood and David Wyatt’s spectacular rabbit world fantasy series, The World of Podkin One-Ear, sees our heroes launch one last epic battle to defeat the dreaded Gorm. And it’s pleasing to report that the nine-book series – which has had readers longing for each new book as it appears – once more delivers all those ingredients that children love... adventure, magic, danger, thrills and friendship. Podkin and his crew have brought together all the gifts which have helped on the mission to save rabbitkind. The gifts then melt and morph before their eyes, transforming into a suit of armour… one that will only fit a rabbit with one ear! And when Podkin puts it on, he is able to thwart any enemy. With every god and goddess from the spirit world rallying behind them, Podkin can now call together all the armies of the Five Realms… across every tribe and species, the forest wardens, packs of wolves, the warring rabbit tribes and the bone dancers are united in an attempt to vanquish the Gorm once and for all. Written with Larwood’s unique storytelling magic, exquisitely illustrated with full page artwork by leading fantasy illustrator Wyatt, and encompassing a breathtakingly imagined world full of memorable rabbit characters, this is a spectacular finale for a first class series.
(Faber Children’s Books, hardback, £14.99)

Age 9 plus
The Book of Stolen Dreams: The Final Battle
David Farr and Kristina Kister

INSPIRED by his own family history, which saw his Jewish great aunt and uncle courageously travel as unaccompanied children to escape Germany for London in the 1930s, David Farr, one of the UK’s leading screenwriters and a film and theatre director, plays a blinder with the stunning conclusion to his breathtaking trilogy set in Krasnia, a sinister dictatorship where children are banned from playing in public and only allowed outdoors for exercise and education. In this last dazzling adventure, we are whisked back into the lives of sister and brother Rachel and Robert Klein who have become the heroes of Krasnia. And after saving the world more times than she can count, things are finally starting to feel normal for Rachel. But life is never normal for a Keeper of the Key. When a famous movie-star returns alive and well to Krasnia after weeks lost in the desert, everyone is thrilled! Everyone, except Rachel. Something about the actor doesn’t feel quite right. Then Rachel realises the horrifying truth. With both their own lives and the fate of Krasnia at stake, Rachel and her brother Robert must return to the Hinterland, expose the truth and put an end to tyrant Charles Malstain’s evil plans once and for all. Once again, Farr brings us a fantastically imagined cast of characters, all set against a rich, gripping and timeless backdrop. With the beautiful illustrations of Kristina Kister, darkness, danger and mystery at every turn, and an exhilarating final chapter for our plucky siblings, this is a guaranteed thrill ride from first page to last.
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
A Day in the Life of Fossils, Fire and Other Fantastic Finds
Mike Barfield and Jess Bradley

WHEN were the first dinosaur fossils found, how were life-saving medicines discovered, and what happened on the first expeditions to the North and South Poles? Asking questions is all part of growing up and finding the answers can be fun… particularly when you dive into the fascinating facts inside this brilliant, illustrated, laugh-out-loud guide to amazing discoveries that changed the world. A Day in the Life of Fossils, Fire and Other Fantastic Finds is the fourth title in the A Day in the Life series, created by award-winning duo Mike Barfield and Jess Bradley and full of facts, laughs and amazing illustrations on every page. You can choose a subject and then dive in at your leisure.  And this time, they delve into some amazing and historic discoveries using a mix of graphic-style factual comics, as well as Secret Diaries, Bigger Picture pages, and Even Bigger Picture double-page spreads. From the treasures found in Tutankhamun’s tomb and Roald Amundsen’s ground-breaking expedition to the South Pole, to the uncovering of the first dinosaur, the accidental discovery of penicillin and the launch of the James Webb telescope, there are fascinating facts for every child to enjoy. Brought to life by the fun, friendly and informative style of award-winning cartoonist Barfield and Bradley’s awesome colour illustrations, this is the ideal gift for any child who likes to mix their learning with a big dollop of laughter!
(Buster Books, paperback, £10.99)

Age 7 plus
Werewolf Wood
Lan Cook and Jared MacPherson

IF your youngsters love spine-tingling stories and gamebooks where they are the hero and can choose how the story unfolds, then this spooky puzzle adventure is the perfect answer! Werewolf Wood – part of Usborne Publishing’s Mystery Gamebooks series – is the work of author Lan Cook and illustrator Jared MacPherson, and delivers heart-pounding chases beneath the full moon, mysterious figures lurking in the woods and fun picture puzzles to solve. All you need is two dice to get the game rolling… Everything seems normal when you arrive at your Grandma’s house deep in the woods... until night falls. The shadows start creeping closer, and eerie howls echo through the trees. Who – or what – is lurking in the woods? And why does Grandma’s dog keep barking? With exciting picture puzzles to solve, a story packed with spine-chilling scares and choices that lead to new twists and turns, this interactive adventure will keep you turning pages... if you dare!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £9.99)

Age 6 plus
Puzzle Slug and the Intergalactic Poop Robbery
Candice Whatmore

MEET Puzzle Slug… he needs your brain power to help him solve puzzles and save his planet! This clever and laugh-out-loud comic-style puzzle adventure is written and illustrated by Candice Whatmore who once stepped barefoot on a slug and has never quite recovered. The result is Puzzle Slug and the Intergalactic Poop Robbery, first of a new series full of riotous comedy, lovable characters and the occasional bottom-blast! Puzzle Slug’s Planet of Plopalot is under threat from the evil alien Dr Nox! Could the least likely hero in the galaxy save the day… and the planet? Only by solving every last one can Puzzle Slug avoid his planet being invaded... so he’s going to need plenty of help and brain power from readers. With interactive puzzles and intergalactic fun all the way, youngsters will be more than happy to return to Plopalot!
(Usborne Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age 7 plus
Toby and the Pixies: Pixie Pandemonium!
James Turner and Andreas Schuster

BUCKLE up and get ready to laugh out loud as illustrator, cartoonist and comic writer James Turner teams up with German-born cartoonist Andreas Schuster for another unstoppable ride into side-splitting silliness! Pixie Pandemonium! is third of their hilarious Toby and the Pixies graphic comic book series which is brimming with chaotic energy and pixie mayhem and was originally published in the hugely popular The Phoenix comic. So head off to an ordinary town and meet shy and anxious Toby Cauldwell who thought he was an ordinary schoolboy until a magical kingdom full of pixies in his garden named him their king! Now, whether it’s a trip to the dentist, going on holiday or wooing a school crush, the pixies are always on hand to assist their leader but end up causing complete and utter chaos in the process. In fact it’s total pandemonium with the pixies around! Brimming with all the zany slapstick fun that young readers expect from their comic book anti-heroes, this anarchic series delivers unlikely friendships, madcap antics and pixie-themed magic. And for readers who love to draw and want to create awesome characters just like Toby and the Pixies, the back of the book has a whole section of how-to-draw tutorials from illustrator Schuster plus links to The Phoenix comic club website where you can find draw-along videos, free printable material and top tips from tons of creators. Everything you could wish for when two superstar comedy creators let their imaginations run wild!
(David Fickling Books, paperback, £9.99)

Age 3 plus
Little Monsters Rule!
David Walliams and Adam Stower

‘One day I’m gonna SCARE the world!’ 

LITTLE ones will be chomping at the bit to get their claws into this fiendishly funny new picture book from the top team of bestselling author David Walliams and multi-talented illustrator Adam Stower. Little Monsters Rule! is the sequel to their number one hit picture book Little Monsters! and the new kid on the block is Furball, a lovable little yeti on his first day at Monster School. He can’t wait to learn how to be scary but it’s hard when you look like a cuddly toy. When the big monsters at the school make fun of Furball, Howler the little werewolf comes to the rescue. Together, can they prove that little monsters RULE? Packed with Walliams’ feel-good, funny vibes, and monsters big and small, this delightful adventure is ideal for encouraging imaginative play and emotional learning, and the perfect gift for your own lovable little monsters!
(HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
How It Works: Tree
Isabel Otter and David Semple

BRANCH out with this super, chunky board book which has been specially designed for little hands and features interactive, peep-through pages to grasp and explore. Curious little readers will love learning all about our planet’s  TREE-mendous trees… how they grow from seed to seedling, then sapling, and change with the seasons. Written by Isabel Otter and beautifully illustrated by David Semple, this ingeniously simple but fascinating and entertaining first introduction to trees comes with layered board book pages and hours of fun!
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £7.99)

Age 2 plus
Clive Penguin
Huw Lewis Jones and Ben Sanders

THE brilliantly funny and quirky picture book tale of a penguin who doesn’t like the cold has now been adapted into a board book that is guaranteed to win the hearts of babies and toddlers. Surrounded by the same old snow day in, day out and always bloomin’ freezing, Clive Penguin wishes he was somewhere else. SOMEONE else. But, with an epic discovery just around the corner, the solution might be easier than he thinks… Real life polar-exploring adventurer Huw Lewis Jones and award-winning illustrator Ben Sanders work their special frost-filled magic on this story about getting what you need, rather than what you want. Readers will hoot with laughter at Clive Penguin’s unique voice that is perfectly matched with Sanders’ edgy illustrations complete with neon ink… and penguins!
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £7.99)

Age one plus
Lion's Cleaning Day
Nicola Kent

CAN YOU help Lion do the cleaning? Follow Lion around the house as he tidies up, does the hoovering and washes the dishes in this enchanting and interactive board book. Full of novelties for little hands, including flaps, sliders and wheels, this hands-on introduction to the grown-up tasks that fascinate toddlers is the latest title in an engaging and educational series from award-winning author and illustrator Nicola Kent. So roll up your sleeves, turn on the fun, and let your little ones get involved with what the grown-ups are doing!
(Little Tiger Press, board book, £7.99)