The Last Word

Elly Griffiths

WHEN suspicions arise over the death of a local romance author, a team of amateur sleuths from Sussex find a trail that leads to a sinister woodland writers’ retreat.

Posing as aspiring authors, two of the would-be detectives decide to sign up for a ‘writing retreat’ and go undercover to try to dig out the truth... but have they stumbled on a crime far bigger and stranger than they could ever have imagined?

For those cosy crime fans who remember the dazzling cast of characters made famous in acclaimed author Elly Griffiths’ The Postscript Murders – which was shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger Award – here’s your chance to catch up with them all again. Griffiths (pictured below) – best known for her critically acclaimed Ruth Galloway Mysteries – put the sleepy West Sussex town of Shoreham-by-Sea on the map with another crime series starring gay Sikh police officer Harbinder Kaur and it was the quirky crew she met in The Postscript Murders that won the hearts of her army of readers.

So meet Ukrainian carer-cum-detective Natalka Kolisnyk, canny octogenarian Edwin Fitzgerald and former monk Benedict Cole for another of Griffiths’ clever, cosy – but still comically caustic – murder mysteries which delivers all the mood music of the Golden Age classics but with a delightfully original contemporary twist. 

Natalka, aka the blonde assassin, is now happily living with dreamer Benedict and together they run The Shack café on Shoreham seafront. But recently her Ukrainian mother Valentyna has joined them from her war-torn country and three is proving a crowd in their tiny flat.

What with Valentyna cooking borscht and cleaning things that are already clean, Natalka’s irritation is made worse by Benedict and her mother sharing a ‘mutual admiration society’ which occasionally makes her want to throw things at them. Born-entrepreneur Natalka also manages her own care agency and she and Edwin – a gay

A Death in Diamonds

S.J. Bennett 

WHEN a high-ranking cleric and an escort girl are horribly murdered in a mews house just a mile from Buckingham Palace, a young Queen Elizabeth II is soon drawn into the investigation. 

Already troubled by the fear that someone in her close circle of flunkeys is trying to sabotage her, and still very much finding her feet as monarch, the Queen is in need of an ally she can trust implicitly.

In a delightful series that has caught the imagination – and won the hearts – of an army of readers, Yorkshire-born author S.J. Bennett (pictured below) sweeps us away to first the opulence of a French state visit... and then deep into the inner workings of the Palace for another right royal mystery.

The aim of this cosy, quirky The Queen Investigates series was to celebrate our late monarch’s lifetime of dedication to public service, her role in all our lives, and her impact on the world at large, and her death in 2022 has added an extra layer of poignancy to the stories. And so in this fourth book, Bennett winds back the clock to 1957 and the earlier days of the Queen’s long reign, taking us behind the walls of palaces and royal homes to meet up again with an unexpected super-sleuthing superstar sovereign who is beginning a royal lifetime of solving murder mysteries in between her more regular and recognised duties.

Only four years after her Coronation, and the mother of two young children, 31-year-old Queen Elizabeth is finding her way in a challenging world, and in a country which looks very different to the one her father, King George VI, inherited in 1936.

As she travels the world in her role as British sovereign, the Queen is advised by what her husband Prince Philip calls the ‘men in moustaches’... her father’s old courtiers, not all of whom have her best interests at heart, as she discovers at a state banquet at the Louvre in Paris.

When her speech mysteriously goes missing on the night, the situation is only rescued by typist Joan McGraw back at Buckingham Palace who had, very fortunately, remembered the speech verbatim thanks to her photographic memory. Convinced that one of the old guard is trying to sabotage her, the

The Unfinished Business of Eadie Browne

Freya North

‘I grew up amongst the living and the dead and there was companionship to be found with both.’

LIVING next door to a cemetery in a very ordinary street in an equally unremarkable English garden city doesn’t bother only child Eadie Browne in the least... in fact, she rather likes her ‘quiet neighbours’ and considers many of them to be her friends.

But a very different world awaits the very unwordly Eadie outside the order and calm of her ‘spick-and-span’ bedroom and her strange graveyard playground. Will the heady freedoms of life beyond 41 Yew Lane make or break this strange and highly imaginative little girl?

Freya North (pictured below), one of the UK’s best-loved authors of contemporary domestic dramas like the much-acclaimed Little Wing, homes in on her own experiences in this memorable coming-of-age story about growing up and finding yourself, even when the past won’t let you go. Billed as a powerful love letter to youth, The Unfinished Business of Eadie Browne was born out of the departure of North’s eldest child to university, an event that prompted her to reflect on her own ‘seismic’ days at Manchester University.

The result was a ‘nostalgic and cathartic’ experience that inspired this exquisitely poignant, tender, life-affirming, and yet darkly funny rites-of-passage tale, and convinced North that the past is truly a foreign country where, without doubt, she did things differently.

It’s 1976 and six-year-old Eadie Browne is an odd child living with her eccentric parents in Parkwin Garden City. Her mum and dad like ‘staying in’ while young Eadie loves being outside, preferably in the next door graveyard, a place where she feels at home with the dead, and conversely calls it her ‘Living Room.’

Eadie’s schooldays are marred by the unwanted attention of the class bully but she muddles through and has found both protection and loyalty from her two best friends, quiet and kind Josh Albert, and tall, ultra-organised, beautiful and popular Celeste Walker. Arriving in Manchester as a student in the late 1980s, Eadie confronts a busy, gritty, noisy metropolis, a far

Munich Wolf

Rory Clements

LIBRARIES and bookshelves are littered with novels set amidst the drama of life in pre-war Berlin, but in the febrile atmosphere of the mid-1930s, it was Munich – Adolf Hitler’s spiritual home – where the real Nazi power-play was fast spreading its evil roots. Munich, capital of the southern German state of Bavaria, was the city where the Führer first fomented revolution in the beer halls, where the National Socialist party had their headquarters, and where he met his future wife, Eva Braun.

But it was also a playground for hundreds of upper-class young Britons who treated the city as ‘a rather nice finishing school’ where they could dance, ski, swim, learn to speak German, and enjoy – even if only fleetingly – adventures in love.

Chief among these wealthy hedonists was Unity Mitford – one of the famous English Mitford sisters – who became obsessed with Hitler, meeting him frequently over the space of four years, and leading to rumours that the Führer might marry her. And it is against this gaudy, fevered and menacing backdrop that master storyteller Rory Clements (pictured below) – twice winner of the Crime Writers’ Association Historical Dagger for his John Shakespeare books and Tom Wilde wartime spy thriller series – brings us his first utterly gripping standalone novel.

At the heart of the story is Detective Inspector Sebastian (Seb) Wolff, a tough but principled murder squad police officer who hates the Nazis and whose life and work is dangerously constrained by the dark shadow of Munich’s ‘political police’ – better known as the Gestapo – and the Nazi in Seb’s own home.

In Munich in 1935, the young, aristocratic Britons swimming in the lakes and drinking beer in the cellars don’t see – or choose to ignore – the brutal underbelly of the Nazi movement which considers the city to be its spiritual home and runs almost every aspect of its daily life with an iron fist.

But not every German is a Nazi and 35-year-old Seb Wolff, who saw brutal, frontline action in the First World War, is one of those walking a fine line between doing his job and falling foul of the party that he hates.

In the third year of the Third Reich, peace reigns and everyone would appear to be happy in ‘the utopia of Adolf’s golden dawn’ but there is disquiet in some quarters and not least for Wolff who, after a brush with one of Hitler’s henchmen, was whisked away and briefly held in

Laying Out the Bones

Kate Webb

AFTER a long hot summer in Wiltshire, flash floods from a sudden downpour unearth a skeleton in a remote corner of vast Salisbury Plain and set cold case police officer, DI Matt Lockyer, on the trail of a brutal crime.

Laying Out the Bones is the second gripping and wonderfully atmospheric mystery in a brilliant new contemporary crime series from Kate Webb (pictured below), perhaps better known as Katherine Webb, acclaimed author of historical novels, and noted for her richly detailed, sophisticated and descriptive storytelling.

This DI Lockyer series – packed with deft plotting and some terrific twists and turns – began with Stay Buried and features complex, multi-faceted stories set against the lush backdrop of the Wiltshire countryside. At the helm is Detective Inspector Matt Lockyer, a farmer’s son and a conscientious cop who was sidelined to working cold cases after becoming too personally involved in an investigation involving a friend. Far from being disappointed, Lockyer regarded the move as a chance to review some of the cases that keep him up at night, not least his own brother Christopher’s senseless killing.

When Lockyer and DC Gemma Broad, the two-person team who work in the Major Crime Review section, visit the scene where a male skeleton was found after recent flooding, they know that forensic testing has matched the bones to a man named Lee Geary who was aged 27 when he was reported missing nine years ago.

Geary – a giant of a man at six feet nine inches – was a known drug user so his death could be a simple case of misadventure. But Lockyer isn’t so sure. Geary was a townie, a vulnerable man who was easily led and had learning disabilities, so what was he doing out on Salisbury Plain all alone?

But what has really caused a stir within the force is that, before he disappeared, Geary was questioned in relation to the notorious murder of a young woman named Holly Gilbert. It was a

The Queen of Poisons

Robert Thorogood

DOWN-TO-EARTH Suzie Harris is only attending a meeting of Marlow Town Council’s planning committee because she needs allies for her rather wicked plot to make a financial killing.

What she doesn’t expect is to witness the popular Mayor of Marlow, Geoffrey Lushington, dropping dead on the floor just as the meeting moves into full flow. It looks like he was poisoned, but who on earth would want to murder such an amiable fellow?  

Think classic crime with a lively, contemporary vibe and you have Robert Thorogood’s (pictured below) The Marlow Murder Club, a team of enchanting amateur sleuths comprising the adorably eccentric crossword buff Judith Potts, prim – and only occasionally improper – vicar’s wife Becks Starling, and the ever-practical and doggedly determined dog walker Suzie. In this new entertaining and enjoyable outing, featuring all the perfect whodunit ingredients plus a larger-than-life cast of characters, the daring detective trio find themselves hot on the trail of an elusive and devious killer.

It’s when traces of aconite – also known as the queen of poisons – are found in the Mayor’s coffee cup that the police realise he was murdered. But who did it and why would anyone want to kill Geoffrey Lushington who was noted for his impish sense of humour?

The police bring in Judith, Suzie and Becks – the three bad pennies who always turn up when there’s a murder – to investigate as Civilian Advisors right from the start, so they have free rein to interview suspects and follow the evidence to their heart’s content, which is perfect because Judith has no time for rules and standard procedure.

But this case has the Marlow Murder Club stumped. What would be the motive to murder the Mayor and how did the killer even get the poison into his coffee? With fears that someone else could now be in danger, the murder club face their most difficult case yet.

Thorogood’s latest cosy, clever murder mystery is a true winter warmer as the intrepid crime-crackers prove once again that they are a top-class team, facing clues, suspects, red herrings and fascinating twists and turns on their journey to nailing the culprit. And there is a fourth female player in this addictive slice of escapism in the shape of the sorely tested and long-suffering DS Tanika Malik who must negotiate not just the task of finding a killer but operating in the shadow of the indomitable murder club.

Add on Thorogood’s heartwarming and celebratory exploration of the often maligned older woman, plenty of laugh-out-loud humour, superb plotting, and a final dramatic reveal, and you have the perfect read to fill the long winter evenings.
(HQ, hardback, £16.99)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: A wild world, time-travel penguins and chaotic magic

Enter (if you dare!) a magical world full of mighty beasts, meet two hilarious, polar opposite penguin pals, enjoy a swashbuckling adventure full of danger and intrigue, and discover horrors galore with a delicious dollop of black comedy in a super selection of January books

Age 9 plus
Beastlands: Race to Frostfall Mountain
Jess French

LET your imagination run wild because the Beastlands are calling! A magical world awaits young adventurers as zoologist, vet, author and BBC Children’s TV presenter Jess French brings us the first instalment of an epic new fantasy series featuring weird and wonderful creatures inspired by her experiences with animals. Tingling with magic, danger and mystery, and with a timely environmental twist, Beastlands is both a thrilling journey into a forbidding other-world and a celebration of conservationism and the idea that adventure and exploration together provide a form of subtle education.

Before there were people, there were beasts... The island of Ramoa was once luscious and populated with mighty beasts. Now it is home to barren cities, where nature is locked out and the realms have never been more divided. Kayla is a Sky Cadet with an attitude and no friends so when her beloved and rare winged pangron is stolen, all she wants is to get him back. But to do so, she will have to leave her city and journey into the wild and forbidden Beastlands. There she meets Rustus, the son of an elite warrior, burdened with the responsibility of protecting his city... until he fails his initiation and is exiled to the Beastlands by his family.

Meanwhile, Alethea is a young healer determined to put an end to the mysterious disease sweeping across the realms but the search for a cure to the Scourge isn’t straightforward. As their quests unite them, they will adventure across the forbidden Beastlands that they know so little about, leading them to discoveries both great and terrifying... not least that the beasts they have always been taught to fear might not be so terrifying after all. But will they make it out alive? Alethea, Rustus and Kayla are the perfect young heroes for a fantastical stage set that cannot help but remind readers of our threatened planet. Their courage and their heart-poundings adventures amongst the most amazing creatures display the depth and vision of French’s knowledge and imagination. With intrigue at every turn, compulsive storytelling, and lots of twists and turns along the way, this is a truly magical storytelling journey and one that will have youngsters counting down to the next Beastlands adventure which will launch next year.
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 6 plus
Pablo and Splash
Sheena Dempsey

MEET two hilarious, time-travelling penguins who are the very best of friends... but most definitely polar opposites! Sheena Dempsey, Irish illustrator of the much-loved Dave Pigeon books, works both her artistic and authorial skills on a brand new children’s graphic novel series that will have youngsters giggling, gasping and guffawing from first page to last. Pablo and Splash – who unexpectedly travel back to the time of the dinosaurs in their first brilliantly funny full-colour adventure – grew out of a web-comic Dempsey created during the pandemic lockdowns featuring herself and her husband as penguins. The result is a charming and seductive package with an easy-to-read story, a sparkling cast of characters, and brimming with mischief, mishaps, and Dempsey’s impish sense of humour. Antarctic penguins Pablo and Splash are polar opposites but besties for life. Pablo is a home-bird and a careful planner while Splash is easily bored and hungry for adventure. Sick to her flippers of the harsh, freezing weather, Splash persuades Pablo to go on a holiday with her. But far from the luxury beach destination that Splash has in mind, the pair end up in a time-travel machine that takes them back to the age of the dinosaurs. Suddenly their icy homeland doesn’t seem so dull! Ideal for reluctant readers and budding graphic novelists, this daffy comic duo are guaranteed to  win the hearts of all young readers whilst teaching subtle lessons about teamwork and working together... whatever your differences.
(Bloomsbury Children’s Books, paperback, £8.99)

Age 8 plus
The Troublemakers
Tamzin Merchant and Paola Escobar

IF magic, maps and marvellous adventures are your route to reading heaven then climb aboard and return to the spellbinding world of Cordelia Hatmaker, the inspirational star of actress, and now exceptional new storyteller, Tamzin Merchant’s dazzling new novel The Troublemakers. This swashbuckling third book in the series follows on from The Hatmakers and The Mapmakers, and once again sweeps us away on a wild and imaginative wave of danger, discovery and soaraway fantasy. In charge of the action is Cordelia who comes from a long line of magical milliners and has finally united the Maker families and restored the kingdom’s trust in Maker magic. But mysterious outbreaks of chaotic magic are beginning to happen across London. And then the unthinkable happens... Cordelia is accused of treason. As the guards close in, she must flee London at once. With her father, Prospero, and friends, Sam and Goose, Cordelia sets sail on her family's ship, Little Bear, for the adventure of a lifetime. They are determined to solve the mystery of a missing girl, and to clear Cordelia’s name once and for all. But soon they are in the dangerous territory of a band of legendary pirates... the Troublemakers. Is Cordelia a match for the fierce and unstoppable pirate queen? With illustrations by Paola Escobar adding extra vibrancy and life to Merchant’s story, and plenty of intriguing twists and turns along the way, The Troublemakers explores the bonds of friendship and family with warmth, insight and an irresistible sense of fun. Magic, charm, heart and humour... perfect middle grade reading for all young adventurers!
(Puffin, hardback, £12.99)

Age 9 plus
Dread Wood: Fright Bite
Jennifer Killick

IMAGINE a book that serves up those super-spooky vibes that kids love... horrors galore, a delicious dollop of black comedy and a bunch of spiky classmates with a murky, rat-infested mystery to solve. If that menu tickles your taste buds, then you’ll be dining out on queen of chills-and-thrills Jennifer Killick’s fifth brilliant adventure in a series which delivers horror and humour in perfect harmony. Perfectly pitched for middle grade readers, Dread Wood: Fright Bite stars Hallie, Angelo, Gus, Colette and Naira, and here we find it’s Colette’s eleventh birthday and the friends known as Club Loser are spending an evening at Neon Perch, an epic entertainment spot where they can eat pizza, enjoy go-karting, play mini golf and – best of all – take part in Project Z, an epic new escape room experience. It’s going to be the best night ever! Or is it? Somehow, the escape room somehow seems to know each player’s greatest fears. And worst of all, there are zombie creatures on the loose and locked up with them. Vicious creatures straight from their darkest nightmares... giant, poisonous rats! Killick is a slick and sassy storyteller… she knows just how far to take her heart-stopping tales of cool comedy and scary horror as she pumps up the action and lets loose her rich imagination. Just be prepared to read this gorgeous, gigglesome chiller-thriller in one sitting!
(Farshore, paperback, £7.99)

Age 7 plus
The War of the Heavenly Horses
Roland Chambers

TRAVEL back through time with a shape-shifting boy as he sets out on a mission to (slightly!) change the course of history. The War of the Heavenly Horses is the second thrilling book in author and illustrator Roland Chambers’ Adventures of Billy Shaman series. With their feel-good, exciting and accessible adventures, these stories revolve around pivotal moments of exploration and discovery through the ages, bringing the past to life with a generous helping of fantasy, humour, history and delightful black and white illustrations. This new mission for Billy – a Shaman by name and shaman by nature – was inspired by the real-life Han-Dayuan War, a military conflict fought in China in 104 BC and 102 BC, and sees Billy still searching for his magic but learning fast with the help of a 200-year-old talking tortoise, called Charles Darwin, who guides him on journeys through the ages to return artefacts to their original home. No one is more surprised than Billy when he wakes up on a Chinese battlefield having been scooped from the jaws of death by a boy called Han. But Billy is far from rescued and after taking refuge in the royal stables, the boys are soon held hostage by the Emperor Wudi. He’s at war with the Horse King whose powerful and magical herd of horses, the heavenly horses of Ferghana, he wants for his own. It takes all Billy’s skills, and a very special spirit horse, to get Han to safety and Billy back to his friend Charles Darwin. With beautiful, atmospheric illustrations on every page, and a perfect blend of history and full-on exciting adventures to enjoy, the Billy Shaman Adventures offer time-travel with an entertaining twist!
(Zephyr, paperback, £7.99)

Age 7 plus
The Dog Squad: The Race
Clara Vulliamy

THE Dog Squad are back and they’ve got a nose for trouble! You’d be barking mad to miss the second adventure in a charming illustrated series from Clara Vulliamy, author of the much-loved Marshmallow Pie and Dotty Detective books. Three best friends – all budding journalists at the Newshound newspaper – are the stars of these delightful stories featuring family, friends... and dogs. Eva, who has always wanted to be a journalist, is eager to help her new dog, Wafer, make friends so, along with her best friends at the Newshound, Simone and Ash, she takes him to the local whippet races. But they soon suspect some underhand competitive cheating. Eva and the Dog Squad might just have found their next story. Can Eva get to the bottom of it... with a little help from a furry friend? Vulliamy is the daughter of the late and much-loved author and illustrator Shirley Hughes and her work contains the same warmth and vitality. With new mysteries to solve in each adventure, and the cutest canines at every turn of the page, this is perfect reading for all dog lovers.
(HarperCollinsChildren’s Books, paperback, £6.99)

Age 7 plus
Orangutan Can’t Draw Comics, But You Can!
Sarah Walden, Luke Newell and Mr Griff

CRASH, boing, voomsh! If you love comic books, then you’ll be putting your own talents firmly in the picture with the latest in in Noodle Juice’s Practically Awesome Animals activity books series. Join Orangutan and his friends, Rhinoceros, Tiger and Crocodile, for simple and fun lessons on the different stages of comic-making and follow them as they teach you how to tell your story, plan your layout, draw characters and props, add the words and finalise your artwork so you can make your own comic. Take eight big ideas, six top tips and three warm-up exercises, and soon you’ll be able to create your own comic masterpiece.  Bright and colourful step-by-step instructions for 18 different fill-in activities, as well as wisdom and jokes from Tiger, Crocodile and Rhino, will help you – and maybe even Orangutan – to gain the skills to unleash your inner comic genius. Your book... your canvas!
(Noodle Juice, paperback, £9.99)

Age 5 plus
The O.D.D. Squad: Rise of Invisidog
Stuart Heritage and Vincent Batignole

DO you want to laugh your pants off? Of course you do, so come on into the world of the O.D.D. Squad... a team of (sort of) heroic and unforgettable animal crime-fighters! Graphic novels are ideal for reluctant readers who like their stories to come with bundles of fun, easy reading, and lots of verbal and visual action, and this brilliant pairing of feature writer, columnist and author Stuart Heritage, and French illustrator and comic artist Vincent Batignole hits the spot perfectly. Welcome to Justice City... rain soaks its streets and crime soaks it more. The fate of the entire city has been left in the hands (well, paws) of one brave superhero. That’s right – dun dun dunnnnnn –Invisidog! Invisidog hunts for danger wherever he finds it. There is no job too big, and no criminal too tough, for the mighty Invisidog. He is the shadows!! And actually, that’s kind of the problem because Invisidog’s amazing superpowers are kind of rubbish. Turns out that being invisible isn’t all that helpful when you’re trying to rid a city of terrible criminals. They tend to have a habit of ignoring you for one thing so Invisidog’s going to have to think BIG. Can he convince the most amazing superheroes of all time – adorable-but-mighty Quack Attack, and the world’s greatest thinker, Detective Octopus – to join forces? And more importantly, what does O.D.D. Squad stand for? The only solution is to read the book and find out! With Heritage’s lively, comedy-soaked story and Batignole’s gallery of eye-catching, bold and colourful gallery of pictures, this new high-octane graphic series will tickle every young reader’s funny bone.
(Puffin, paperback, £8.99)

Age 5 plus
What is Science?
Sarah Walden and Katie Rewse

IF you want to encourage your little ones to start engaging with big ideas, this perfectly pitched Little Book, Big Idea series has some resonant questions and answers. Helping to build foundations for life-long learning by explaining big ideas to little people, the carefully created, illustrated series uses simple language to explain complicated ideas, with each book taking the core questions that relate to each subject and providing answers that make sense to young children. The latest book in the series, What is Science? – written by Sarah Walden and illustrated by Katie Rewse – asks questions such as how can science help us, why is science important and what can you do with science, and provides the answers in a simple and clear way. Each double-page spread in these creative books explores one question and various answers, and each page is filled with Rewse’s imaginative illustrations which inspire positive thinking and make each exploration fresh, engaging and different. And with a glossary of important words at the back of each book, they are perfectly created for sharing with any inquisitive child.
(Noodle Juice, hardback, £9.99)

Age 3 plus
Runaway Cone
Morag Hood

WHEN a traffic cone goes missing, the only way is up.... or maybe even down? The highs and lows of a digger machine called Digger (what else would a digger be called?) and her road friends are explored with the trademark wit and creative genius of award-winning author and illustrator Morag Hood in her brilliantly funny picture book sequel to Dig, Dig, Digger. Digger, Traffic Light and the cones are all ready to start the roadworks one morning when they notice that something’s wrong... Gary the traffic cone is missing. And it’s a disaster! They search left and right, high and low, but it’s no use. Can they find Gary all by themselves, or do they need to ask for help? And what’s going to happen when they find him? The antics of our resourceful little digger and the comical cones as they set out to find Gary in this brilliantly funny picture book will leave all the family laughing as the ever-inventive Hood leaves no stone unturned when it comes to humour and creative thinking. Packed with eye-catching artwork, the clever playfulness and endearing mischievousness that we have come to expect from Hood, and with a seductive twist at the end, this is story that celebrates the fun, joy and shared ingenuity of friendship... and is destined to be a favourite with all the family!
This book is published on January 25.
(Two Hoots, hardback, £12.99)

Age one plus
Gigantosaurus – I Love Giganto
Cyber Group Studios

WHAT are the best ways to show someone kindness? All is revealed in a heartwarming and roaringly good fun lift-the-flap adventure packed with dinosaur love! Gigantosaurus – I Love Giganto is a new story based on the Gigantosaurus TV series which is developed by Paris-based Cyber Group Studios from characters created by Scottish-born author and illustrator Jonny Duddle. Early one morning in Cretacia, four dino friends, Bill, Rocky, Tiny and Mazu, are waiting excitedly for the dino babies to arrive. Mazu has got a VERY busy day planned for them. From painting pictures to giving BIG hugs, the dino babies learn the most important lesson of all... how to be the kindest dinos! But uh oh, who’s that stomping grumpily towards them? Will the dino babies remember all the ways they can show their love to help Giganto before it’s too late? It’s no surprise that Duddle’s award-winning picture book Gigantosaurus has been a global hit with the TV series launching in America on Disney Junior in 2019 and in the UK in 2020 on Tiny POP. Join Bill, Rocky, Tiny, Mazu and the dino babies in this adorable and joyful adventure. With large, sturdy flaps for little fingers to lift, this is the perfect hands-on gift for all Gigantosaurus fans.
(Templar Publishing, board book, £6.99)

The Excitements

C J Wray

IF your New Year is starting to fall flat and you need an uplift to banish those January blues, tuck into the cosy charm and irreverent humour of a deliciously feelgood mystery starring two sprightly nonagenarians on an all-out hunt for revenge.

Fast-paced, wonderfully witty, and full of intrigue, surprises and drama, The Excitements is the work of
C J Wray (pictured below)  – pseudonym of a bestselling author with more than forty books to her name – and delivers a joyful exuberance that is guaranteed to warm every reader’s heart.

At the centre of the action are Josephine and Penny Williamson, Britain’s most treasured Second World War veterans, two remarkably clever and brave women who helped save the world and survived the unthinkable, without ever losing their killer instinct... or their sense of fun. And it’s their chequered journey to Paris (with the help of their ever-faithful and troubleshooting great-nephew Archie) to covertly right the wrongs of their secret past that takes centre stage in this very British, and very funny, adventure.

Both now in their late nineties, Josephine and Penny are in huge demand, beloved of journalists and the Great British Public, popping up on red carpets and at fundraisers, festivals and commemorative events all over the country.

Josephine was a Wren with the Royal Navy while Penny worked in the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry and despite their age, they are both still in good nick. Sprightly and sparky, the sisters are ready to seize every opportunity for fun, and always in search of the next ‘excitement,’ with their gay and much-loved great-nephew Archie acting as de facto organiser.

Their current ‘excitement’ is a trip to Paris to receive the Légion d’Honneur for their part in liberating France but what has always remained a secret is that Josephine was actually an intelligence operative who drew maps used for the D-Day invasion, while Penny was an SOE agent and a specialist at hand-to-hand combat, risking her teenage life in France. Both sisters have fond memories of the City of Light but this trip to Paris is not entirely what it seems either. Scandal and crime (not least some notable jewellery thefts) have always quietly trailed the

Paradise

Patricia Wolf

FROM the vast stretches of drought plains, sand dunes and red dust that mark out the famous Outback, to the topaz seas and white-sand beaches of the Gold Coast’s surfing paradise, exciting new Australian author Patricia Wolf has captured the very essence of her homeland in a thrilling crime series.

Paradise – set amidst the dark underbelly of Australia’s breathtaking Surfers Paradise – is the second outing for Aussie copper DS Lucas Walker after his dramatic arrival in last year’s cracking, tension-packed debut novel, Outback, which won much critical acclaim, and an army of readers hooked on both the charismatic detective and his authentically created world.

Wolf (pictured below) grew up in a mining town in outback Australia and although she now lives in Berlin, it was during a four-week road trip through far north-west Queensland in pre-Covid 2019, surrounded by the rugged beauty and harshness of the landscape, that principled and complex DS Lucas Walker and his stories took shape. Here we find Walker still recovering from a gunshot injury which he received during a recent case involving two missing young German backpackers in his Outback hometown of Caloodie, near Brisbane, where he had returned to care for his much-loved and terminally ill grandmother.

Assigned to light duties, he is temporarily relocated to the beachside city of Surfers Paradise as a guest lecturer for a drugs and serious crime training programme for Queensland police officers. It’s a place where gleaming high rises fringe sparkling surf beaches, sunny days lead to wild nights, and criminals and bike gangs mingle with tourists and dignitaries at five-star hotels, clubs and casinos.

But he is soon pulled into the dark twists and turns of an unspeakable crime at the luxury home of wealthy gym owner Craig Ford. Ford’s wife Siobhan was murdered in the house raid and his eight-year-old daughter Gabby was left critically injured and is now in a coma and fighting for her life in hospital. Determined to find the men responsible and keep the young girl safe, Walker digs into the hidden corners of this shimmering city by the ocean but a case from his own past resurfaces,

The Lost Girl

Rosie Goodwin

ADD a welcome ray of light to the dark days of winter as Rosie Goodwin, one of Britain’s best-loved saga queens, conjures up her storytelling magic for a drama-packed tale of hardship, mystery and restless spirits.

A former social worker and foster mother, four-million-copy bestselling author Goodwin (pictured below) has penned over forty beautiful, heartwarming novels, exploring life and love in days gone by. She was also awarded the rights to follow three of the late, great Tyneside writer Catherine Cookson’s trilogies with her own sequels.

And now she’s back to win our hearts again with a gritty tale which features the battles and hardships of two siblings forced to live with their cold and uncaring grandfather, and delivers Goodwin’s winning blend of romance, intrigue, an engaging cast of characters, and richly detailed, authentic and atmospheric settings. When their gypsy father Django goes missing and their mother Constance, a vicar’s daughter, dies suddenly, 13-year-old Esme and 15-year-old Gabriel are forced to leave their gypsy caravan in Nottingham and track down their estranged clergyman grandfather, Septimus Silver, in Lincolnshire.

Strict and unwelcoming, he is reluctant to take them in at the rectory but, aware of his standing as the village’s vicar, he knows must protect his reputation and is persuaded by his housekeeper Mrs Sparrow to allow the children to stay with him.

Esme’s relief at finding refuge soon turns to despair when Gabriel is sent to boarding school in Skegness, leaving her alone in their grandfather's unhappy home. But the house isn’t as empty as it first appeared and Esme, who has the rare gift of being able to see spirits, begins to encounter the ghosts of young women in the abandoned rooms and dark corridors of the rectory.

The women are trapped between this world and the next, and seek help from Esme, leaving her with a mystery to solve if she is to stand a chance of ever finding a peaceful, happy life. Can she lay the ghosts to rest to save herself... and can she find the new life she so desperately needs?

Unsurprisingly, Goodwin is one of the most borrowed authors from UK libraries and here she packs in all those human events and emotions – births and deaths, loves and losses, good people and bad people – that have made her novels so beloved by readers over the decades.

Esme and Gabriel’s struggles after their father’s disappearance and their mother’s death proves to be a gripping emotional rollercoaster with plot twists aplenty and a story full of cruelty and sadness, but also friendship and determination. Full of Goodwin’s wisdom and warmth, and with the author’s delicious recipe for a classic apple pie to tickle the taste buds, this is a story to cuddle up with by the fireside and lose yourself in the heartaches, drama, and wonderful storytelling.
(Zaffre, paperback, £8.99)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: First love, Ice Age wonders and a feline mystery

Laugh, smile and cringe with a teen boy negotiating the painful path of first love, enjoy watching the Ice Age literally unfold, join a talking black cat for a feast of mayhem, magic and mystery, and travel back in time with a troubled youngster seeking happiness in a super line-up of new books

Age 11 plus
Northern Soul
Phil Earle

IF you can still remember the agonising awkwardness of your first teen romance then cringe (and laugh!) with this hilarious tale from award-winning children’s author Phil Earle, a writer who has his finger firmly on the pulse of his readers. Northern Soul – which follows 14-year-old Marv on his funny and painfully real journey through first love – is perfectly pitched for boys in the early teens range and fills an increasingly yawning gap in the market generally for young male readers. Earle, who lives in Yorkshire, is a hugely popular writer and this coming-of-age odyssey, with its down-to-earth northern humour and relatable characters, captures the agony and the ecstasy of what it is to be a teenage boy in love for the first time.

Marv is fourteen and his life is simple. There’s football and his best mate, Jimmy... perfect. Nothing else matters until a new girl at school called Carly crashes into his life. For Marv, it’s love at first sight, his emotions flipped upside down as he knows a girl like Carly will never notice him. He needs help – lots of it – but when it miraculously arrives in the shape of a musical idol from the past, the path to Carly’s heart proves anything but easy. First love is unforgettable, and poor Marv is about to learn this the hard way – him, and his northern soul. Readers will revel in Marv’s angst as we follow his disastrous attempts to win the heart of the cool new girl at school, helped (or rather hindered) by a fast-food addicted musical idol from the past, some of the most mortifying song lyrics ever, and last but not least, Marv’s (embarrassing) Croc-loving dad. Earle lets all the familiar anguish of unrequited love unfold with his trademark warmth, wit and wisdom as we join Marv on his rollicking, rollercoaster journey which packs in all the requisite toe-curling, cringeworthy dramas that accompany those formative experiences. Funny, honest and full of empathy, Northern Soul has all the hallmarks of a classic...
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £7.99)

Age 7 plus
Mega Meltdown
Jack Tite

ENJOY watching the Ice Age unfold (literally!) with this brilliant book packed full of fun, facts and fascinating artwork. Mega Meltdown – which comes complete with enormous fold-out pages – is the creation of illustrator and motion designer Jack Tite whose eye-catching artwork uses simplified shapes, gritty textures and a strict colour palette. And there could be no better introduction to the Ice Age which began nearly three million years ago when oceans froze, ice sheets covered the land, and weird, wonderful and huge prehistoric animals, along with humans, had to find ways to thrive. Every page of this informative book allows readers to explore the Earth continent by continent, as well as come face-to-face with Ice Age megafauna such as North America’s short-faced bear – which  was 3.7 metres tall – and mastodons which weighed twice as much as a T. rex! Tite’s amazing images of the Ice Age creatures are accompanied by a lively narrative excursion through pre-history which helps youngsters to imagine exactly what these mega animals were like. The Ice Age as you’ve never before seen it!
(Big Picture Press, paperback, £9.99)

Age 9 plus
The Floating Witch Mystery
Nicki Thornton

YOUNG readers who couldn’t get enough of Nicki Thornton’s fantastic Last Chance Hotel books have been enjoying more thrilling mysteries and magical moments with this talented author’s sparkling spin-off series. And after the amazing dramatic events in The Howling Hag Mystery and The Poisoned Pie Mystery, Thornton is back to thrill and chill with another spine-tingling page-turner featuring fan-favourite Nightshade, the irresistible talking black cat who, in this new story, takes centre stage for her very own mystery. Magic must never be missed! When a nosy stranger arrives in her riverside town, school reporter Veena Vale becomes suspicious. But only Nightshade, who has considerable investigative talents when it comes to magical crime, will listen to her. To find out the truth of what’s going on, the two of them must unravel an ancient curse, tell uncomfortable lies and bake an awful lots of flapjacks! Thornton excels at building a rich and exciting world full of bizarre and extraordinary characters, but with the authentic atmosphere of a classic Golden Age timeless tale, and a trail of intriguing clues that will keep young readers guessing right through to the last pages. Cosy, fun and threaded through with humour but still alluringly edgy, this fabulous blend of mayhem, magic and mystery is a winner all the way!
(Chicken House, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
Countdown to Yesterday
Shirley Marr

WHEN a young boy struggles to accept that his parents are getting divorced, he is offered the chance to travel back in time and rediscover his treasured memories of happy days with Mum and Dad. But are his best memories as perfect as he remembers? The repercussions of a marriage breakdown and the uncertainties of new beginnings take centre stage in a beautiful, heartwarming novel from Shirley Marr, a first-generation Chinese-Australian author who describes herself as having a Western mind and an Eastern heart, and often bases her stories on her own personal experiences of migration and growing up. Here we meet James who is stuck in the present even though that’s the last place he wants to be. His parents have suddenly separated, and he has to get used to living two completely different lives. Now, he has two homes to stay in, two bedrooms to divide his things between, and two different routes to take to school. Unfortunately, nothing is adding up to the one great life James used to have and he wishes he could go back to the past, to his Top Six good memories with Mum and Dad. Then during Science Week, James meets the enigmatic Yan, a girl who looks at the world with X-ray eyes, and he discovers that travelling back in time might not be impossible after all. But are his best memories as perfect as he remembers? Countdown to Yesterday is a beautifully imagined story of friendship, hope, and the enduring power and unbreakable bonds of family love even in the face of unexpected challenges and unwanted change. A magical, moving and reassuring story for any child facing upheaval and separation.
(Usborne, paperback, £7.99)

Age 9 plus
Marvin and the Book of Magic
Jenny Pearson and Aleksei Bitskoff

NEVER trust a squirrel! Fun-lovers will cheering and clapping when young magician Marvellous Marvin takes centre stage in another laughter-filled, big-hearted story from ‘super miraculous’ Jenny Pearson, the children’s author whose debut novel, The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates, was shortlisted for the Costa Children’s Book of the Year in 2020. Since that heady starter to her writing odyssey, bestselling Pearson has won the hearts and minds of an army of young readers and this hilarious new adventure brilliantly showcases the magic that can be found in true friendship. After being humiliated by a badly behaved squirrel on national television, Marvin has vowed NEVER to perform magic in public again. But when he acquires a mysterious book that promises to show those with the gift of magic how to use it properly, his best friend Asha persuades him to make a comeback in the school talent show. Will Marvin manage to demonstrate that friendships are truly magical? Using her own special brand of magic, and more than a little sleight of hand, Pearson’s imaginative and entertaining story – published in Barrington Stoke’s trademark dyslexia-friendly format and brought to life by Aleksei Bitskoff’s richly detailed and comical illustrations – will delight audiences of every age. A wise, witty and wonderful adventure!
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £7.99)

Age 6 plus
Love Is...
Lily Murray and Sarah Maycock

LOVE is the sweetest thing says the old song...  and that’s the message that shines out in this spectacular celebration of love in all its many different forms. Author Lily Murray and award-winning artist Sarah Maycock – who trained herself to draw animals from nature documentaries – combine their talents for this sensational picture book which has love written through the beating heart of every page. Starring a gallery of exquisitely drawn birds and animals, we learn that Love is LOUD, like a peacock proudly flashing its iridescent eyes for all to see, and powerful like the strength and passion of tigers in the wild, but sometimes love sings a quieter song... a song soft as the evening chorus, but no less strong. This beautiful collection of animal similes reflects the different kinds of love we all experience, from the strong bond between parents and their children to the importance of self-love. Maycock’s expressive and tender illustrations perfectly capture each emotion with just a few swoops of ink, adding extra power to Murray’s carefully crafted words. Verbal and visual perfection in one stunning book!
(Big Picture Press, paperback, £8.99)

Age 3 plus
The Best You
Nima Patel and Cally Johnson-Isaacs

BE inspired to reach for the stars (as well as other more Earth-based goals!) with this thought-provoking and inspirational picture book from parenting coach and author Nima Patel and talented illustrator Cally Johnson-Isaacs. Instead of asking, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?,’ Patel encourages us to start asking WHO children want to be. From a firefighter’s bravery and a teacher’s fairness to the caring of doctors and the creativity of an artist, The Best You explores and celebrates the different values which can make us the best versions of ourselves, whether that’s trying hard, or learning from our mistakes and from others. With its uplifting and empowering text, dazzling artwork and a diverse cast of joyful, colourful characters, The Best You enables young readers to discover the importance of being kind, strong, passionate and determined. So whether your child dreams of being an engineer, an activist, or even a child mental health advocate, this is the perfect book to remind them that they can use their skills to do anything... or everything!
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
Love is in the Little Things
Stella J Jones and Jane Massey

WHAT better way to celebrate the little ways we show our love than a picture book brimming with warmth, kindness, friendship... and that very special ‘aaah’ factor? Love is in the Little Things – a heart-melting fusion of Stella J Jones’ beautiful words and Jane Massey’s emotive illustrations – is the perfect gift book for parents welcoming home a new baby or to share with a loved one on a memorable occasion. ‘Love is in the little things. A kiss, a smile, a cup of tea. Just me and you sitting quietly. A song, a hug, a helping hand that lifts us up so we can stand.’ Join Big and Small ( a cuddly bear and an adorable young child) as they journey through the moments that make a relationship... from blowing bubbles in the bath and a goodnight kiss to saying a heartfelt ‘sorry’ after a fight. Perfectly created for adults to read and share with little ones, Jones’ gentle, rhythmic, reassuring narrative inspires expressions of love and emotion, all brought to life by Massey’s stunning artwork in enchanting pastel shades.
(Little Tiger Press, hardback, £12.99)

Age 3 plus
I Love You More
Clare Helen Welsh and
Kristen and Kevin Howdeshell

FEAST your eyes – and warm your heart – with a moving and mesmerising picture book celebrating both the love of a parent and the beauty of nature. Written by Clare Helen Welsh, who takes her inspiration from the countryside, and stunningly illustrated by husband and wife team, Kristen and Kevin Howdeshell, I Love You More is guaranteed to be a family favourite. How much does Mum love her little Rae? More than seal pups and penguins love their icy home, more than dolphins love the boundless sea, or lions love to race and roar, more even than all the stars, the moon and the sun combined. In fact, she loves her more than words can even say. With its stylish, retro artwork, and a rich and lyrical narrative, which reassures children that the love between a parent and child is unconditional and everlasting, this is the perfect story to encourage little ones to explore and discover, and to change and grow. And as a welcome added extra, every Nosy Crow paperback picture book comes with a free Stories Aloud audio recording... simply scan the QR code and listen along!
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £7.99)

Age 2 plus
Sleep Stories:
Little Dragon & Little Bear
Sarah Cordingley and Kamala Nair

JOIN a little dragon as she searches for a bedtime hug – and a little bear looking for the perfect place to sleep – in the first two books of an enchanting new bedtime series from Oxford University Press. Drawing on their vast experience of children’s books for all ages, the book boffins have created the perfect calming reads to prepare little ones (and their carers!) for a good night’s sleep. In Little Dragon, we join the lovable creature as she soars down from the misty mountains to Sunset Woods for a final hug. But the woodland animals are already asleep. Will Little Dragon ever find the hug she needs? 

And in Little Bear, we find the little animal tossing and turning. His bed doesn’t feel quite right tonight so he sets off through the Twilight Forest. Will Little Bear find a cosier place to sleep? These enchanting, reassuring and soothing sleepy stories – beautifully written by Sarah Cordingley in consultation with a qualified mindfulness teacher, and gorgeously illustrated by Kamala Nair – transport youngsters to atmospheric, dream-like, twilight worlds where they follow the bedtime journeys of adorable animal characters. And as an added bonus, scan the QR code inside the book to access more mindfulness exercises, an audio version of the story, an atmospheric soundscape for reading the book aloud, and a gentle lullaby. The ideal wind-down after a busy day!
(Oxford University Press, paperback, £7.99 each)