Roadside Night

Erwin S. Nistler
and Gerry P. Broderick

By guest reviewer Nicholas Litchfield,
editor of the Lowestoft Chronicle

IN this moody, hard-edged noir – teeming with deception and sexual tension – a battle-weary ex-Marine is drawn by a beguiling stranger into a spiral of robbery and murder along the California coast where each shadow harbours treachery and every promise comes at a price.

Roadside Night is the work of Erwin S. Nestler and Gerry P. Broderick, two virtually unknown writers. Broderick, a Canadian, earned renown as the controller for Mike Todd Productions, a company instrumental in the evolution of widescreen cinema, before taking his own life aged just forty-three in 1955 midway through the making of the Oscar-winning Around the World in 80 Days. First published in 1951 by Pyramid Books and reissued this month, the novel carries the same air of mystery and tragedy that enveloped its authors. Set on the Southern California coast, this lean and gritty tale is narrated by Buck Randall, a 28-year-old former Marine who is trying to eke out a living on the edge of the Pacific where he runs a dilapidated motel and bar, aided only by Dominic, ‘an old drifter who came by one day and stayed on.’

Buck is rugged and world-weary, carrying the invisible scars of war and personal loss. His business barely scrapes by but it’s enough to keep him afloat, and the regulars who frequent his

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Family troubles, a mermaid guide and a chumpy chimp

Enjoy all the spooky vibes of a thrilling debut novel that chills your blood but warms your heart, meet a girl who retreats into her imagination when life starts going off-kilter, take a trip around the world in a hunt for mermaid sightings, and spin youngsters into space with a chumpy chimp who picks his nose with his little toe in a super selection of late summer titles

Age 10 plus
Gloam
Jack Mackay and Ben Joel Price

IF you like your spooks to be seriously scary, you might want to roam in the Gloam! Brace yourself for writer, theatre-maker and horror enthusiast Jack Mackay’s debut middle-grade novel which delivers a seriously creepy thriller that sends shivers up your spine as fast as it warms your heart. Convinced – by his own experiences of being the child of divorced parents – that understanding the value of fear is a source of strength, and inspired by living at his grandparents’ creaky old house, Mackay lavishes imagination, empathy and his own powerful storytelling magic on this terrific tale of malice and monsters. Nothing on small, damp Gloam Island is quite what it seems... Gwen doesn’t want to admit that everything feels wrong for her since her mum died, and doesn’t need anyone to help her look after her younger siblings. 

Also, she isn’t fooled by the beautiful babysitter with the hungry eyes and sharp teeth. But everyone else is. So if Gwen wants Esme Laverne gone, she’ll have to handle it herself. Gwen is determined to protect her family and that means fighting off terrible creatures and nightmares comes to life. But as Esme’s power grows, Gwen must embrace her deepest fears before she can defeat the monster in her home for good. Because as everyone knows, it’s impossible to be brave unless you’re already afraid. There is so much more to this terrifying but enlightening story than a decaying house and a babysitter with a monstrous secret. There is also a grieving family, and a young and confused girl caught up in the threads of her own nightmares, and feeling that she has been left alone to fight off evil and protect her precious siblings. With Ben Joel Price’s atmospheric illustrations adding heft to the pulsating plot and its gothic vibes, Gloam is a true terror treat and best read in daylight hours!
(Rock the Boat, paperback, £7.99)

Age 8 plus
Adventures in Lylaland
Louise Pentland

WHEN parents get divorced, it is often a confusing and troubling time for their offspring so introduce them to lovely Lyla, a ten-year-old who retreats into her imagination when her world starts going off-kilter. Adventures in Lylaland is the debut middle-grade children’s book from Louise Pentland, a lifestyle and beauty blogger, vlogger, author and fashion designer, and what a wonderfully whimsical and magical tale it is, combining spellbinding storytelling with an exploration of the ups and downs of life as a child of divorced parents, including self-esteem issues and accepting change. Lyla Wilde is ready for a fresh start. After a summer of moving between her mum and dad’s houses, she’s fed up with the tension between them. Her parents had promised that the divorce would make things better but it’s only made them more complicated! So instead, she escapes to Lylaland, her very own dream world where anything is possible. Then students at her school are invited to participate in the National Inspiration Invention Competition and finalists are offered the chance to bring their family on a weekend away. This is it! Lyla sees the competition as the perfect chance to get Mum and Dad back together and put an end to the arguing. But trying to think up an invention that helps others is harder than she expects, and stepping into Lylaland doesn’t offer her the escape that it used to and definitely not when sinister storm clouds roll in and push her out! Just what will Lyla do when her daydreams start to feel like nightmares? Can she rediscover the magic of Lylaland and fix things in the real world too? Harnessing her own experience of single parenthood, and featuring insights and inspiration from her own daughters, Pentland’s heartfelt story is full of charm and empathy, celebrating the power of the imagination and the wonder of young, creative minds.  
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 8 plus
The Magical Mermaid Society:
Official Handbook
Cat Montgomery, Nat Luurtsema, Khoa Le,
Selwyn E. Phipps and Alessandra Fusi 

CALLING all mermaid fans… don’t miss out on this beautifully illustrated guide to the marvellous and magical world of mermaids! For years, the Magical Mermaid Society has been studying mermaids and gathering stories from all over the world. In fact, the Head of the Society, Cat Montgomery, has dedicated her life to travelling the world searching for mermaids and documenting other people’s sightings. The result is this sparkling official handbook which includes everything you need to know about these mysterious creatures. Take a trip around the world to discover accounts of mermaid sightings in Iceland, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Thailand and the Mediterranean. Read about the Mami Wata mermaids of Africa, a narwhal mermaid encounter at an Arctic research base, and a submarine captain’s magical experience in the depths of the Pacific Ocean. Learn about the Sea Sprite mermaids of the Caribbean, and the enchanting selkie mermaids of Ireland and Scotland. This lavish guide – with a foreword by Selwyn E. Phipps, President of the Magical Unicorn Society, revealing his own incredible mermaid encounter – features species fact files, the dos and don’ts of mermaid encounters and tips on creating your own mermaid-seeking kit. You can also read about the history of the society and find out how you too can become a member. With its detailed information, captivating stories and exquisite hand-drawn illustrations by Khoa Le and Alessandra Fusi, this is the perfect gift for all of those who truly believe!
(Michael O'Mara Books, hardback, £14.99)

Age 8 plus
Astrochimp
David Walliams and Adam Stower

TUCK into the wit and wacky adventures that spill from the pen of multi-million bestselling author David Walliams and the creative genius of illustrator Adam Stower as they spin youngsters into space alongside a chumpy chimp who picks his nose… with his little toe! Astrochimp – with its wild, out-of-this-world backdrop – stars a wonderfully blunder-prone chimp called Chump whose space mission becomes a laugh-out-loud cinematic romp full of action, laughs, silliness and surprises. Chump the chimpanzee was always being silly. As well as picking his nose in the strangest way, he would make rude noises from BOTH ENDS, and eat the skins of bananas, hurling out the tasty part inside. NASA’s scientists – champions of the Sixties Space Race – thought he would be the PERFECT chimp to send into space. Little did Chump – who calls himself the first ape in space – know that he had been selected for a deadly-dangerous mission. If a chimp could orbit Earth, then chances were that a human could too. With Chump the chimp at the controls of a spacecraft, what could possibly go wrong? As it turns out, EVERYTHING can go wrong as we blast off with Chump and encounter dog space pirates led by a rogue called Dmitri and evil giant fruit flies that won’t stop buzzing and swarming! Walliams is on his best storytelling form with Chump, the silliest chimpanzee who ever lived, in this wildly comical space adventure all brought to life by Stower’s gallery of anarchic illustrations. Fun all the way to infinity!
(HarperCollinsChildren’sBooks, hardback, £14.99)

Age 7 plus
You and Me and the Peanut-Butter Beast
Andy Griffiths and Bill Hope

DIVE down deep into a pit of endless laughter in the second book of a funny, fabulous and action-packed illustrated adventure series which puts YOU firmly at the centre of the story! You and Me and the Peanut-Butter Beast comes from Andy Griffiths, the Australian author behind the multi-million bestselling Treehouse series, and illustrator Bill Hope who lives in the Blue Mountains just outside Sydney. Using a clever concept that invites children into the adventure itself with characters entitled ‘Me’ and ‘You,’ alongside Hope’s comic-style illustrations, this is a fresh and unique series for both fans of the Treehouse books and new readers. So what are you waiting for? Come on in! Hey, you – yes, you! Remember when we found that really deep hole and you jumped in and I had to jump in to rescue you and at the bottom of the hole we found the cave of the legendary Peanut-Butter Beast? That was one of our deepest, funniest – and most dangerous – adventures ever! What? You don’t remember? Well, have I got a hilarious story for you! Let me remind you how it all went down…and down...and down…and down… Griffiths certainly knows how to turn up the fun factor in this hilarious escapade full of madcap characters and crazy antics, all brought to life by Hope’s gallery of super-funny illustrations. And one thing’s for sure... young readers will be racing to the end as they journey through the cave of the legendary Peanut-Butter Beast and meet a beast you really wouldn’t want to eat!
(Macmillan Children’s Books, hardback, £12.99)

Age 6 plus
The Remembering Candle
Alison Goldberg and Selina Alko

DISCOVER an age-old and comforting Jewish memorial tradition in the pages of this beautifully emotive picture book from American author Alison Goldberg and Canadian-born illustrator Selina Alko. Offering a positive way for children to cope with the loss of a loved one, we follow a Jewish family lighting a yahrzeit candle as a way of commemorating the anniversary of their grandfather’s death and joining together for a peaceful celebration of the memories loved ones leave behind when they die. The little boy was sad when his Grandpa died. He thinks about how sad his Mom was too. She says she misses Grandpa but that all her memories are like shining lights. Grandpa died last November and now one year later on the anniversary of his death, the boy’s family light a special candle. It’s not a birthday, Hanukkah, or Shabbat candle. It’s a yahrzeit candle in remembrance of him, and it will burn all night and all day tomorrow until sunset. But why does it burn for so long? The boy and his family spend the next night and day remembering Grandpa and sharing stories with each other. From his stylish hats, to piano duets, and apple squares for dessert, warm memories of Grandpa shine like stars with them while the yahrzeit candle burns – and continue to shine when it goes out. Goldberg’s sensitive and inspirational story – beautifully brought to life by Alko’s collage-style artwork – explores how stories can connect people across generations and how happy memories of our loved ones help us deal with grief. And for inquisitive readers, there is more to learn about the Jewish calendar and memorial traditions in the book’s endnotes.
(Barefoot Books, hardback, £12.99)

Age 6 plus
Thank You, Old Oak
Britt Crow-Miller and
Amy Schimler-Safford

‘Just like that, Old Oak’s rooted life came to an end.
Even with her tap root severed, Old Oak would bring new life to the forest.’ 

AMERICAN duo, author Britt Crow-Miller and illustrator Amy Schimler-Safford, blend their creative skills on this enchanting picture book story about the lifecycle of a mother tree and the many creatures who rely on her. After 400 years in the forest, it’s time for Old Oak to fall. With a pop, frenzy of snaps, and a flurry of movement, she leans to one side and falls heavily to rest on the forest floor. When news of beloved Old Oak spreads throughout the forest, creatures big and small gather to show their gratitude for all she gave in her rooted life. The squirrels thank her for the acorns, leaf buds, and catkins. The rabbits remember the cosy burrows her roots provided. Even the weevils scuttle above ground to acknowledge all she gave them as tiny grubs. But the creatures soon discover Old Oak’s life is actually just beginning, and her legacy will serve the forest for hundreds of years to come. Thank You, Old Oak teaches youngsters about all the unique ways trees provide resources for the forest ecosystem. This beautifully produced, written and illustrated book features a wide range of forest creatures and the endnotes include fascinating facts about oak trees, how to read tree rings, and the forest ecosystem. A root and branch lesson for young green warriors…
(Barefoot Books, hardback, £12.99)

Age 6 plus
PawPrint Productions: Stop! Gangster Koala!
Jenny Moore and Berta Maluenda

LIGHTS, camera, action! PawPrint Productions – studios that are home to all sorts of exciting animal shows – are the setting for a hilarious new series from award-winning Devon author Jenny Moore and Spanish illustrator Berta Maluenda. And with the stories behind the shows proving to be even more exciting and off-beat than the works in progress, it’s best to expect giggles all the way… Squeaky Minders actor Archie is the nicest, cuddliest koala in town. But he wakes up after a filming accident, convinced he’s Hoodlum Pie-Claw, his lemon-meringue-pie-throwing gangster character from the show. And there’s nothing cuddly about Hoodlum, as the other animals at the PawPrint Productions studios are about to discover. Wheeeeeee!! Whoomp! SPLAT!!! Meek and Squeak are hot on Hoodlum’s tail but can they stop the gangster koala’s reign of terror before calamity strikes? With crazy animals and wild adventures, all set against a film studio backdrop, fun and laughter are guaranteed from first act to last!
(New Frontier Publishing, paperback, £8.97)

Age 5 plus
The Forest of Dreams
Merve Atilgan

‘WE are such stuff as dreams are made on.’ Readers will be reminded of Shakespeare’s immortal line from The Tempest in this beautiful, whimsical picture book from Merve Atilgan, an Istanbul-based illustrator and artist specialising in children's book illustration, concept art and character design. The Forest of Dreams is a magical picture book that follows a young girl's imaginative journey through an enchanted forest. With just a pinch of will and creativity, her mind begins to soar, her thoughts and feelings float to the sky and transform into the strangest and most amazing moments. As the forest grows from the very fabric of her dreams, it acts as a powerful reminder of the limitless magic within our minds. Brought to vibrant life by evocative, colourful and eye-catching illustrations and, with a soothing, lyrical text, Atilgan’s spellbinding folk tale is a calming adventure ideal for bedtime reading, and perfectly created to spark multi-coloured dreams and a lingering sense of wonder.
(Big Picture Press, hardback, £12.99)

Age 5 plus
Luna Grace: Girl from Outer Space
Julie Sykes and Emily Jones

ARRIVING from a planet in outer space was a BIG step for a girl called Luna Grace and she’s going to have to take SMALL steps to find her feet on planet Earth. Luna Grace: Girl from Outer Space is the first of a delightful new series for young readers from Julie Sykes, bestselling author of more than 100 books for children, and Cardiff-based illustrator Emily Jones. Luna Grace and her family arrive on Earth at midnight. Luna is from Starbright, a colourful planet in another galaxy, and they have come to Earth to study its wonderful wildlife. The mission is simple… Luna and her family need to fit in with their new neighbours down on Earth. But fitting in is hard to do when your hair changes colour depending how you feel, you can move things with your mind and you have a mischievous moon cat called Twizzle! Luna is determined to try her best but as she embarks on her first day at school, things get cosmically out of control! What can Luna do to make herself like her new classmates? Or will she find the courage to be different?  This astronomical and warm-hearted new series explores dealing with very human and down-to-earth emotions, and learning to celebrate your differences.  Filled with Jones’ colourful illustrations, this is ideal early reading for fun-loving youngsters!
(Piccadilly Press, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
Colin’s Grandma
Holly Swain

IF you still recall chuckling and chortling at Holly Swain’s award-winning picture book Colin’s Castle – starring a vegetarian vampire called Colin who buys a castle only to find that it comes with a duck – then you’ll be laughing and loving again when you meet his unforgettable Grandma! Yes, Colin and Duck are back in this highly anticipated sequel and they are now good friends, happily sharing their castle and hobbies like gardening, watching movies and trampolining. But now they’re expecting a visitor… Grandma! Colin hasn’t seen his Grandma for over 100 years and she hasn’t changed a bit. But she does come with baggage, well, luggage to be precise… lots of luggage, and then there’s her pet crocodile. Eek! Will she like Colin’s unconventional castle, will she like his vegetarian cooking and will she like… DUCK?! With an early Halloween vibe but a sense of fun that will create a wave of giggles at any time of the year, Colin’s Grandma certainly sets the feathers flying and with hilarious new characters, a story perfectly created to read aloud, and a brilliantly funny final twist, no youngster will won’t want to duck out of this rollicking romp!
(Farshore, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
One Silly Sausage Dog
Alastair Chisholm and Alex Willmore

WHAT happens when a very silly sausage dog overstretches herself? Find out in author Alastair Chisholm and illustrator Alex Willmore’s feast-of-fun picture book which is the perfect countdown to early learning. Little ones will love going walkies with very naughty, very silly and very stretchy sausage dog Cordelia. While Cordelia is out for a walk, she can’t help getting distracted by EVERYTHING in the park! Her body stretches and stretches until she’s in all sorts of sticky situations. Oh no! Can she learn how to get everything back to the way it was? Award-winning Chisholm’s quirky counting tale – transformed into a colourful feast of fun by Willmore’s sparkling illustrations – stars a lovable sausage dog and is simply bursting with bouncing bunnies, whizzing bicycles and sizzling sausages!
(Hodder Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
Teeny Tiny Science:
I See a Star
Saskia Gwinn and Daniela Sosa

‘I see a star that sparkles with light, high up in Space,
 so very far away…’ 

YOUNGSTERS will love learning about the fascinating life-cycle of a star in the latest title in a fun, friendly and lyrical Teeny Tiny Science picture book series about cycles and systems for the very young. From clouds of dust drifting in the freezing depths of space to the explosive power of a supernova, join two children and their cat on a fantastic journey through the life-cycle of a star. As they ride on a meteor, zoom in a rocket and stargaze from their garden, young readers will discover how the stars up above us begin, grow and die in an incredible, ever-changing cycle. I See a Star is produced in a storybook format, written in a beautiful, lyrical text by Saskia Gwinn and created in consultation with Dr Matthew Bothwell from the Institute of Astronomy at University of Cambridge. Add on the breathtaking and colourful collage-style artwork of Daniela Sosa, and this book is guaranteed to entertain, inspire and gently educate your little ones. The perfect introduction to stars and space!
(Nosy Crow, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
Shmoof
Heidi McKinnon

ENJOY furballs, fun and two delightful pets called Floof and Shmoof in a mischief-filled picture book from Heidi McKinnon, a children’s book author and illustrator who lives in sunny Melbourne, Australia. Following on from her bestselling Floof and I Just Ate My Friend, this new chapter for a lovable pet stars Floof’s new best friend and he’s just the shmoofiest! Today is Floof's birthday! Floof is excited because Floof loves parties. And cake. Most of all Floof loves presents and Floof has saved the biggest present for last. What could it be, Floof? This is Shmoof. Shmoof is Shmoofy, Shmoof is VERY Shmoofy. In fact, Shmoof is the SHMOOFIEST! Uh oh, Floof might not be entirely happy... Packed with McKinnon’s bold, colourful illustrations and animal comedy, plus themes of playfulness, contradiction and pets, this is the perfect picture book for lovers of all cheeky cats, dogs, floofs… and anyone who loves getting up to mischief!
(Allen & Unwin Children's Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
Our World: England
Sumana Seeboruth and Ella Hobbis

HELLO! Let’s spend a day in England, eat a full English breakfast, watch the horses grazing from the train, enjoy a picnic and playing cricket on the heath, and relax with the birds, bees, and butterflies. Author Sumana Seeboruth and illustrator Ella Hobbis have drawn on their personal experiences of growing up in England to create this charming board book which features educational endnotes and is part of Barefoot Books’ Our World series for young readers. 

Also in the series is Our World: Italy written by Italian author Francesca Di Marzo and illustrated by Italian artist Naida Mazzenga in which readers play a game of football, enjoy paninis and gelato, and have fun until it’s time for buonanotte. Little ones can also learn a few words in Italian with pronunciation guides throughout the story. These One World books avoid stereotypes and concentrate on daily life rather than landmarks. Bold artwork and an engaging text make global learning accessible to young children while back-of the-book notes offer simple explanations of the objects and actions found in the book. A whole world of knowledge!
(Barefoot Books, board books, £7.99 each)

Age 2 plus
Ten Minutes to Bed:
Where’s Little Dragon?
Rhiannon Fielding and Chris Chatterton

SNUGGLE up with Flicker the Dragon in this lift-the-flap adventure which is the latest fun title in Ladybird’s much-loved and calming Ten Minutes to Bed series which has sold over three million copies. It’s time to snooze in the Land of Nod but not everyone is in bed yet... can you find where Flicker the Dragon is hiding before bedtime? This magical new adventure features sturdy, hard-wearing flaps on every spread as young children search for Flicker, meeting all their favourite characters from the Ten Minutes to Bed series along the way, from Twinkle the Unicorn to Rumble the Dinosaur! Weaving a journey from lively beginning to a gentle, sleep-inducing end, this gorgeous novelty board book is perfect for little ones winding down for bedtime. Miles of smiles for sleepy toddlers!
(Ladybird, board book, ££7.99)

Murder Takes a Vacation

Laura Lippman

WHEN an unexpected lottery win makes American widow Muriel Blossom a multi-millionaire, she books her first ever flight out of the States and invites a lifelong friend to join her on one of the famous river cruises through Paris.

But just twenty-four hours into Mrs Blossom’s transatlantic trip, a man she befriended at Heathrow airport is dead, a precious artefact is missing, and a mysterious stranger is claiming that her life is in danger. The relaxing vacation is fast turning into a deadly international mystery that it seems only she can solve.

Fans of multi-award-winning US author Laura Lippman (pictured below) – recognised as one of today’s most impressive crime novelists – turns her prodigious talents to a brilliant debut cosy crime romp starring a character who loomed large (in more ways than one!) in the author’s bestselling Private Investigator Tess Monaghan series. Remembered by fans as the famously plump and grandmotherly surveillance assistant to the unorthodox detective Monaghan, Mrs Blossom gets a new and more vigorous lease of life in this playful, charming and thoroughly entertaining mystery adventure which sees the feisty widow throw off her mumsy flowery dresses for caftans, plunging necklines and bright fuchsia wedges as she tracks down not just some elusive villains but her future happiness.

‘I’m good at watching people because I’m invisible. Like most women my age.’ 

Sixty-eight-year-old Muriel Blossom from Baltimore has a knack for blending into the background, which was an asset during her days assisting private investigator Monaghan. 

But when she finds a lottery ticket ‘dancing’ in the breeze in a parking lot, everything changes. She has won a staggering $8.75m and is determined to see the world that she sometimes feels is passing her by.

So Mrs Blossom has booked a Seine river cruise on the MS Solitaire and has landed at Heathrow waiting for an onward flight to Paris where her friend Elinor will join her a week later. What she doesn’t expect when her flight is delayed is to meet silver-haired and handsome Allan Turner, a lawyer from Columbia who is on the way to work appointments in London.

He is the first man who has sparked something inside Mrs Blossom since her beloved husband died ten years ago and they spend the evening together. It’s a short-lived friendship however because Allan is found dead just twenty-four hours later after falling from a hotel balcony in Paris, a city he wasn’t even supposed to be in.

It’s unsettling to say the least and Mrs Blossom doesn’t know who to trust on board the cruise ship, especially when a mysterious man called Danny Johnson, who claims to be a stylist and personal shopper, keeps popping up around every corner and is always present when things start going awry. Danny is convinced that Allan was transporting a stolen piece of art and that Mrs Blossom knows more than she is letting on.

Surrounded by luxury food, quaint towns and people with a staggeringly high net worth, and possessed of the feeling that she is being followed, Mrs Blossom must take things into her own hands. And maybe blending into the background has its perks… because whoever is responsible will never see this most unlikely of detectives coming.

Murder Takes a Vacation is as much about Mrs Blossom’s rollercoaster and often emotionally charged journey into a new way of looking at life as an intriguing and perilous crime mystery set against the alluring backdrop of the many wondrous streets and sights of Paris.

Employing her trademark elegant writing, breathtakingly clever plotting skills and mischievous humour, Lippman weaves her way through the complexities of a slowly unfolding international crime conspiracy whilst exploring tough and very human topics like grief, ageing, body image and the ‘invisibility’ of older women. At the centre of all the all the drama, fun and skulduggery lies the unforgettable blossoming of Mrs Blossom, a woman who married at twenty, was widowed before she was aged sixty, and is now learning that the pursuit of happiness doesn’t have to end when you lose your long-time life partner.

For Lippman, reviving and re-imaginaing Mrs Blossom was a labour of love and a chance to pay penance for the ‘sin’ of over-egging her weight issue in earlier appearances. Thus the new-look Mrs Blossom is still delightfully rotund but has no desire now to change her body and is ‘strong, sexy, smart, and vital.’ As Lippman tells us in her author’s note, ‘As someone who often writes about terrible people, I loved every minute I spent with Muriel Blossom.’ It’s almost certain that readers, too, are going to love every minute they spend with the utterly marvellous, conspicuously courageous and super-sleuthing Muriel…
(Faber & Faber, paperback, £9.99)

Crossfire

Wilbur Smith
(with David Churchill)

STILL haunted by the ghosts from deadly events in occupied Belgium, Special Operations Executive’s Saffron Courtney is now sailing to America on a mission that could save – or scupper – the Allies’ plans for military success.

On board the Queen Mary with Saffron in late spring of 1943 is British Prime Minister Winston Churchill who is heading for crucial talks with President Franklin D. Roosevelt, but before the two leaders meet, she must embark on a race against time to track down the mole who is on treacherous manoeuvres in the British Embassy in Washington DC .

From the dawn of the 17th century right through to the 20th century, we have witnessed the fortunes and misfortunes of the sprawling and ambitious Courtney family as they negotiate war, social upheaval and the dark side of history. Their creator is the phenomenally successful South African author Wilbur Smith (below, left), a legendary figure in historical adventure fiction who died in 2021 and left behind a vast literary legacy of over 40 novels, including the Courtney, Ballantyne, and Egyptian series. Since 2015, critically acclaimed writer David Churchill (below, right) has co-authored several of the later Courtney books, helping to successfully usher Smith’s treasure trove of family sagas into a thrilling new era which fuses real history, action, drama and espionage.

Crossfire is the staggering 25th book in the Courtney series and, after following her daring deeds in Courtney’s War and Legacy of War, we meet up once again the feisty, fearless Saffron Courtney who grew up on a sprawling Kenyan estate under the watchful eye of her distinguished war veteran father Leon Courtney but was lured to England by her thirst for knowledge and adventure.

Now it’s 1943 and the tide of the Second World War is turning. The Russian victory at Stalingrad – one of the bloodiest battles in history – has opened the door into Europe for the Allies who must now move in and strike decisively at the heart of Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich. Twenty-three-year-old Saffron Courtney is sailing from the west coast of Scotland to New York on the Queen Mary. Her mission is two-fold… to gather support for the Special Operations Executive and also, more importantly, to uncover a Nazi spy ring and a mole hidden deep within the British Embassy in Washington DC.

Churchill and Roosevelt – two of the world’s most powerful men  who are seen as the ‘living symbols of the Allied cause’ – are about to begin talks that will determine British and American military strategy for the next two years and it is vital that the enemy don’t discover their top secret plans.

Meanwhile, what Saffron doesn’t yet realise is that while she is on the tail of a ruthless spy, there are equally dangerous agents pursuing her, desperate for justice following the death of Hauptsturmführer Karsten Schröder, a powerful Nazi officer whom she killed in self-defence while on operations the previous year.

With the safety of not only the nation but also Saffron herself, under threat, can she uncover the truth and expose the dangerous plots before it’s too late for both herself and the pivotal Allied push into Europe?

Crossfire, a suspense-packed, fast-moving tale of perilous cat-and-mouse espionage, daring, and duty to king, country and family, is a thrilling journey alongside the latest, memorable member of the incredible Courtney family as the tough, clever and resilient Saffron risks life and limb in the battle to stop the derailing of an Allied advance through Europe.

As time starts to run out for undercover agent Saffron to foil a traitorous and potentially disastrous conspiracy plot, the tension ratchets up to breaking point and traumatic events from Saffron’s tumultuous time in Belgium threaten to overwhelm her. Setting the latest Courtney saga amidst of one of the most brutal wars in history was always going to be an electrifying chapter… and this new white-knuckle ride for long-suffering Saffron certainly delivers!
(Zaffre, paperback, £9.99)

CHILDREN'S BOOKS: Generational giggles, incredible bugs and great escapes

Share giggles and gasps with a gloomy teen who is stunned to discover that her mum was once a teenager too, creep, crawl, slither and buzz your way through a host of incredible bugs, discover some of the most astonishing and breathtaking great escapes of all time, and find out what it was like to live and work in the long-ago world of Ancient Greece in a sparkling August selection of children’s books

Age 12 plus
Lila Mackay is Very Misunderstood
Gill Sims

HOT on the heels of the runaway success of Katie Kirby’s Lottie Brooks books – which perfectly capture the cringe-inducing essence of the often awkward pre-teen years – comes a wickedly funny novel cleverly aimed at slightly older tween and early teen readers. Lila Mackay is Very Misunderstood is a hilarious diary-style, clean teen romantic comedy and the first YA novel from Gill Sims, bestselling author of the hugely successful Why Mummy series which has sold over a million copies. Star player is fourteen-year-old Emily who is gloomily spending the summer with her mum’s best friend Uncle Tom, helping him renovate his house, instead of being at home hoping the gorgeous Toby will ask her out. Worse, she’s broken her phone and left her iPad at her dad’s house. How is she supposed to survive without her tech, her BFF and her social life? No one understands her despair, least of all the boomers. Then she finds her mum’s old diary. Massive cringe. But as Emily starts to read, she’s stunned to discover that her mum was once a teenager too. A Nineties teenager called Lila Mackay, who was very misunderstood. It’s a long-forgotten era of weird fashions, TV shows and music Emily’s never heard of. There are boys too, notably cute Park Boy Tom and her mum’s dorky neighbour Weird Nicky. And as she becomes more and more invested in Lila’s teenage life, Emily begins to wonder if perhaps she and her mother are not so different after all… You don’t have to be a teenager now, or even someone who was a teenager in the Nineties, to enjoy this brilliantly relatable, cross-generational, laugh-out-loud story which hopefully will be just the start of a series, and which features a dual diary narrative, moments of revelation and genuine emotional intensity, and oodles of the wonderful wit which has become the hallmark of Sims’ writing.
(Electric Monkey, paperback, £9.99)

Age 9 plus
Great Escapes
David Long and Jamie Coe

MEET a slave who posted himself to freedom, a thief who managed to break out of jail four times, and a daring wartime military nurse who risked her life to help British soldiers escape the hell of Dunkirk, in a thrilling new book from award-winning author David Long. Illustrated in full colour throughout by comic-book illustrator and storyboard artist Jamie Coe, Great Escapes captures the most astonishing and breathtaking great escapes of all time. From slaves fleeing captivity to wartime heroes and heroines being smuggled across occupied Europe, and from Second World War prisoners escaping the Nazis in the infamous 1945 ‘Dead March’ to people simply caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, this enthralling book brings to life over thirty tales of adventure, inspiration and derring-do. As well as famous stories like the PoW camp Great Escape and Harriet Tubman’s epic 500-mile trek from slavery to freedom in 19^th century America, this fascinating book also includes lesser-known escapes like Yoshie Shiratori, the Japanese fisherman who escaped jail four times, Henry ‘Box’ Brown, the slave who posted himself to freedom in a wooden crate and Winston Churchill’s daredevil escape from a Transvaal prison during the Boer War. Packed with mind-boggling adventures and escapes, this moving and exhilarating tribute to the bravery of some extraordinary people is the perfect gift, and a book of heroics to keep and treasure.
(Faber Children’s Books, hardback, £18.99)

Age 8 plus
What it was like to be an Ancient Greek
David Long and Stefano Tambellini

AROUND 3,000 years ago, the ancient Greeks created one of the world’s most advanced and impactful civilisations… so what was it like to live and work in their long-ago world? Award-winning non-fiction writer David Long takes readers on a captivating exploration of the culture and legacy of ancient Greek civilisation in the fifth book of his enthralling What It Was Like to Be... series. An expert in distilling complex stories from the past into an informative and entertaining format for young readers, Long skilfully explains everything about the seven million people who lived in the land they named Hellas in this fact-packed and accessible introduction to a famous ancient civilisation. While most worked as farmers and fishermen to feed their families, others studied hard to become brilliant astronomers, navigators, philosophers, artists and athletes. Then, under the rule of Alexander the Great, their language, art and ideas spread through an enormous empire that stretched from Egypt to India. From the myths and legends of the gods atop Mount Olympus to the origin of marathon races, youngsters will love finding out what life was really like in Ancient Greece. With all the intriguing facts about the people and their gods brought to vivid life by Stefano Tambellini’s rich artwork, and published in Barrington Stoke’s trademark dyslexia-friendly format, this is a top class series from a dynamic writing and illustration duo.
(Barrington Stoke, paperback, £7.99)

Age 7 plus
There are Amphibians Everywhere
Camilla de la Bedoyere and Britta Teckentrup

PULL on your wellies and get ready to track down some of the world’s most amazing amphibians. There are Amphibians Everywhere is the sixth title in a series of non-fiction books illustrated by bestselling artist Britta Teckentrup and teaches where in the world different amphibians can be found, and what makes each species unique. Written by Camilla de la Bedoyere, who has an academic background in zoology, and sumptuously illustrated by Teckentrup, this big, beautiful book explores the amazing world of amphibians, showcasing their unique habitats, behaviours, and movements in a fun and accessible way. Some amphibians live by the river, some of them in the savannah, and some might live in your garden. And they come in lots of different colours, shapes, sizes and habitats, from frogs to toads, newts to salamanders, and rare caecilians. Amphibians live in water and on land and move in a variety of ways, from swimming to hopping and even flying. Come face to face with the deadliest frog in the world, peek underground into the burrow of a slimy caecilian, and find out why a certain species of salamander never grows up. The combination of science and art provides an enchanting reading experience for curious minds while the exciting search-and-find feature invites youngsters to actively engage with the content, making learning about amphibians an adventure. Drama, surprises and fascinating facts on every page!
(Big Picture Press, hardback, £12.99) 

Age 7 plus
Star Cat: Unicorns in Space
James Turner and Yasmin Sheikh

FASTEN your seatbelts and travel through the universe with the craziest spaceship crew this side of the moon! Illustrator, cartoonist and comic writer James Turner, and Yasmin Sheikh, an artist from the Netherlands, return with the latest book in their wild, wacky and wonderful graphic novel series. The Star Cat comic strip adventures – packed full of full of high jinks and hilarity – were originally published in The Phoenix comic and as a graphic novel in 2014, but have now been completely redrawn in a new chunky, easy-to-read format. In the deepest depths of space, there is only one crew brave enough to take on the universe’s most dangerous villains... unfortunately, they aren’t available for this book so you’ll have to make do with the crew of the Star Cat! Join Captain Spaceington and his team as they blunder across the universe getting into all sorts of madcap escapades. After destroying a highly advanced civilisation by littering, Robot One is taken to meet his match… space unicorns, bursting with unbearable loveliness! What will Robot One’s selfishness do to the galaxy’s sweetest creatures? Will he see the error of his ways, will either unscathed and will you ever stop laughing at what happens?! Packed with non-stop action and a host of out-of-this-world characters, life on board the SS Star Cat is never dull! Expect light years of laughter, a galaxy of giggles and a cabin full of cosmic comedy as you enjoy a space adventure like no other!
(David Fickling Books, paperback, £9.99)

Age 7 plus
Bravepaw and the Clawstone of Rotwood Mire
L.M. Wilkinson and Lavanya Naidu

CAN a gallant mouse find the Gems of Harmony and save her homeland from destruction? Award-winning Australian author of more than twenty books for young people, L.M. Wilkinson teams up with artist Lavanya Naidu for the second book in a fully illustrated and super-readable adventure series packed full of magic, prophecies, quests, heroics and loyal friendships. It’s a story that’s the stuff of legend and hero Titch and her friend Huckleberry are on an epic quest. They have followed their hearts... right into the path of a terrifying swamp monster, and a village full of brainwashed squirrels! Maybe their hearts aren’t to be trusted? Maybe Titch is just an ordinary little mouse and not Bravepaw after all...? But Bravepaw or not, Titch is not about to give up. Can she defeat the greedy turtle controlling the squirrels, and discover what his glowing green gem has to do with the legend of Bravepaw and her quest to save Alluria? With an against-all-odds mission full of powerful crystals to complete, a battle between good and evil to win, and friendships to foster and treasure, this all-action new mouse ‘tail’ is the perfect fit for every child who loves heroes and whisker-raising adventures!
(Allen & Unwin, paperback, £7.99)

Age 7 plus
The Notwitches: Prison Break!
Gary Panton and Dotty Sutton

GET ready to be bewitched and beguiled by the second book in a sparkling illustrated adventure series from the spellbinding team of author, editor and doodler Gary Panton and talented new illustrator Dotty Sutton. Brimming with magical moments, loathsome villains, unexpected heroes, and an almost-talking cat called Rolo, The Notwitches has a big heart and all the spirit and effervescence of Roald Dahl. Witchy sisters Melanda and Mitch Notwitch are planning to break their parents out of the Dark and Horrible and Disgusting Prison for Witches. But first, she and Mitch will have to find a way in. All they need is a spell that will get them arrested. What could possibly go wrong? Brought to life by Sutton’s gorgeously offbeat illustrations and exploring the bonds of family and friendship, action, fun, adventure and larger-than-life characters are guaranteed at every turn of the page!
(Chicken House, paperback, £7.99)

Age 3 plus
A First Book of Bugs
Simon Mole and Adam Ming

CREEP, crawl, slither and buzz your way through a host of incredible bugs in this big, bold and riotous large-format poetry book from Simon Mole, an acclaimed children’s writer, performer and National Poetry Day ambassador who has over ten years of experience using poetry with children and families. Perfectly partnered with Malaysian artist Adam Ming’s high-energy and colourful illustrations, Mole’s thirty entertaining poems about insects and minibeasts turn fascinating facts into verse full of humour, rich detail and heart. Some have wings that shimmer bright, some live deep in the earth, hidden from sight, some have a venomous, deadly bite... it's time to meet the BUGS! Discover a secret world thriving right underneath your feet. From exploding beetles to butterflies, and spiders to dancing scorpions, meet the most bizarre and awe-inspiring bugs ever to walk on our planet! Find out which bug fires scalding, toxic juice at its predator, which bug is barely the size of a full stop, and which has fangs as big as a cheetah’s claws. And discover why these little creatures are so important to life on Earth. With exciting illustrations that make the insects jump off the page, packed with information that has been checked by zoologist and author Nick Crumpton, and brought brilliantly to life by Mole’s gift for spinning facts into fun and accessible poems, this is the insect kingdom in all its incredible glory.
(Walker Books, hardback, £16.99)

Age 3 plus
A First Book of Dinosaurs
Simon Mole and Matt Hunt

AND what child can resist a dinosaur? Little ones will be smiling and stomping along with this celebration of all things dinosaur as Simon Mole brings us another large-format book crammed full of his exuberant poems… all lavishly illustrated by Matt Hunt’s dynamic and colourful artwork. Welcome to a world where it’s eat or be eaten, depending on how ferocious you are! Dinosaurs are jaw-dropping creatures… some had lines of terrible teeth, some had claws as long as swords, some had feathery peacock tails. From T-Rex to Triceratops, Stegosaurus to Velociraptor, meet the most awe-inspiring creatures ever to walk the Earth! Mole turns fascinating facts into over thirty free verse poems and fragments, all full of humour and heart while Hunt’s magnificent illustrations bring these prehistoric beasts thundering off the page. With dinosaurs of every shape, and featured in all their larger-than-life glory, this book of simply roarsome prehistoric beasts is guaranteed to be a winner!
(Walker Books, paperback, £12.99)

Age 2 plus
The Coming of the Iron Man
Ted Hughes and Mini Grey

THE Iron Man isn’t scary… he’s just very, very hungry! Fifty-seven years after former Poet Laureate Ted Hughes’ classic children’s book was first published, his unforgettable and heartwarming tale of an unlikely friendship is back to delight a new generation of young readers… in a landmark picture book format. This gorgeous abridged edition – packed with the gorgeous illustrations of Kate Greenaway Medal-winning artist Mini Grey – brings to atmospheric and colourful life the visionary tale of a little boy who unexpectedly befriends and helps a metal-eating giant. When the Iron Man appears at the top of a cliff in England, nobody knows how far he has walked, where he had come from or how he was made, and it’s not until he starts chomping on fence posts and tractors that he comes to the attention of angry farmers who trap him in a hole with the help of a little boy called Hogarth. But Hogarth soon feels guilty that it was him who had lured the Iron Man into a pit.  And when the Iron Man eventually burrows his way out of the ground, Hogarth comes up with a new plan to stop him eating up the farms. It turns out that the scrap yard, with its metal bedsteads, broken down cars and old cookers, is the perfect home for a hungry Iron Man. Hughes, who died in 1998 after fourteen years as Poet Laureate, was widely recognised as the most magnetic and brilliant writer of his generation, penning many volumes of poetry and prose for both adults and children, and The Iron Man remains one of his best-loved and most widely read stories for young people.
(Faber Children’s Books, paperback, £7.99)

Age 2 plus
One Cat, Two Cats
Jonathan Emmett and Rob Hodgson

ONE cat, two cats, three cats, four. Five cats, six cats… how many more? Lifting flaps, enjoying pop-ups and learning to count… the twenty colourful and cavorting cats in this big, beautiful board book will keep little hands busy, eyes on the move, and provide fun on every page! With a romping, rhyming text from children’s author and novelty book designer Jonathan Emmett and Rob Hodgson’s gallery of cute and characterful cat illustrations, this joyful, laugh-out-loud counting picture book has plenty of child-appeal and cat-itude! Sturdy flaps, bold artwork and surprising pop-ups reveal the funny felines in lots of silly scenarios! Cat lovers young and old will love getting their paws on this purrfect gift book!
(Nosy Crow, board book, £12.99)

Age 2 plus
Hangry
Kathryn Wanless and Fred Blunt

DO you know that feeling… when you’re SO hungry that it makes you angry and, yes, turns you into a little bit of a monster?! Little ones with rumbling tummies will laugh out loud at this hilarious and hectic rhyming romp from debut author Kathryn Wanless and Aberystwyth-based illustrator Fred Blunt. When Evangeline’s alarm clock shrieks, her tummy is empty and the day is NOT off to a good start because Evangeline has turned into an angry monster and she’s HANGRY! After breakfast, Evangeline is back to feeling right and skips happily down the street. But, at school, as lunchtime looms near… yes, you guessed it, she’s HANGRY! The afternoons are always lots of fun until, as she leaves the playground and spots her Mum waiting, uh oh, she’s HANGRY… AGAIN! When at last they make it home, things go from bad to worse. It turns out that it’s not only Evangeline who is HANGRY! Can Evangeline and Mum work together to banish the monsters and find the perfect snack before it’s too late? This brilliantly bouncy story – packed with Blunt’s trademark bold, characterful and comical illustrations – explores a very real experience for both children AND grown-ups… being hungry brings out some big, sometimes confusing, and sometimes angry feelings. So make yourselves comfy, grab a snack, and share and read together… but be warned, there may be a HANGRY monster lurking inside of you too!
(Templar Publishing, paperback, £7.99)

Age 2 plus
Feed your Monster!
Anna Milbourne and Anna Süßbauer

PLEASE look after this monster… it’s very hungry so make sure you feed it well! What could be better than a playful, giggle-inducing board book perfectly designed to rival dreaded screen-time and encourage a love of books? Feed your Monster is the first title in Usborne Publishing’s exciting and inventive Turn the Wheel series which features an embedded, easy-to-turn wheel which appears on every double page spread for lots of interactive fun. Turn the wheel to feed your monster… as you rotate the wheel, different silly food options will appear on the page and the monster’s reaction changes. Tiny tots will love feeding the funny monster to see its reaction to the different (and very strange!) foods on offer. Laughter guaranteed and no screens required!
(Usborne Publishing, board book, £7.99)

Age one plus
I Find My First Words
Yayo Kawamura

EVERY day is a day of learning for babies and toddlers setting out on the journey of life so what better than a clever, colourful and playful book that turns everyday moments into fun-filled learning adventures! I Find My First Words is the work of author, illustrator and designer Yayo Kawamura who grew up in Tokyo but has lived in Berlin since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Perfectly created for curious little explorers, this chunky board book is ideal for little ones discovering  the world around them and learning first words. What should I wear today, what animals do I know at the zoo, who will I meet at the playground, and what is for dinner? Every day is an adventure, whether at home, kindergarten, or out and about. The book invites children to explore their world, discover familiar objects from daily life, and learn their names through playful interaction. Vibrant scenes from a range of locations including the supermarket, doctor’s surgery, park, playground, bathroom and bedroom spark children’s imaginations, encouraging them to create their own stories. Fun and learning on every page!
(Little Gestalten, board book, £9.95)

Body Count

Julie Mae Cohen

SERIAL killer Saffy Huntley-Oliver’s life is going great. She’s got a fabulous new boyfriend, Jonathan, she’s got away with murder (lots of murders, in fact) and now she’s no longer single, she can get back to her favourite hobby… killing bad men.

But when someone discovers Saffy’s secret hobby and starts sending Jonathan coded messages about her crimes, she has to work out if that someone is trying to break them up, or trying to hunt her down.

Yes Saffy is back with a vengeance – literally – and if you’re still giggling, gagging and gasping from the gruesome chills and blood spills dished up by Julie Mae Cohen (pictured below) in her wickedly funny feminist rage thriller Bad Men, then this razor-sharp and equally deadly sequel – easily read as a standalone – is destined to become your new favourite dark comedy of 2025. Wealthy but wise Saffy’s sensational arrival into the murky world of psychotic but irresistibly charismatic serial killers took readers by storm two years ago when Julie Mae Cohen, the darker side of award-winning author Julie Cohen, turned her hand to crime writing and brought us a fast, furious and fiendish tale that became a prestigious BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick.

And once again Cohen makes us cringe, smile, laugh and cheer as her thoroughly, and unapologetically, ruthless leading lady continues her murderous mission to make the world a better place by killing, one by one, the bad men… violent men, abusers, paedophiles, men who hurt women and girls.

Saffy Huntley-Oliver is a serial killer par excellence… she’s beautiful, wealthy on account of being a treble-heiress, a former model and a fashion muse. She started killing when she was twelve and she’s definitely not one of those ‘inadequate, pathetic, fragile-masculinity murderers’ that you binge-watch on Netflix documentaries.

And she kills people – specifically bad men – for what she regards as a good reason and has discovered that there are so many bad men out there that even when she’s stalking one, it’s difficult not to get distracted by another.

One particularly bad man she has her sights is Sir Thomas West, a children's TV star (and paedophile) who truly deserves to die, but, unfortunately, there are a few little snags, the main one being Sir Thomas’s very large and muscular, six feet five inches bodyguard who accompanies him everywhere.

The other annoyance in Saffy’s life is that her beloved, sweet and innocent sister Susie is still dating the insufferable and utterly boring Finlay. Susie sees the best in everyone and has no idea how many times Saffy has murdered Finlay in her head.

And then there is her own new, perfectly gorgeous boyfriend Jonathan Desrosiers who writes true crime books and podcasts but has recently declared that he is giving up his crime investigating to find ‘something more positive’ despite all the tempting corpses that Saffy keeps putting in his way. All of this would be easy to ignore in the flush of new love except Saffy has never been in love before, and is finding it weird, so much so that she’s having difficulty separating romance from homicide.

With her finely-honed brain, wicked wit and deep well of resourcefulness, cunning and charm, Saffy is a truly memorable femme fatale but Cohen – whose literary brain must hold a conveyor belt of ‘ingenious ways to murder’ – digs further into Saffy’s complex psyche in this new chapter of her serial killer’s flawed, fascinating and multi-faceted life.

And it turns out that star player and bad ass Saffy has a vulnerable side, a veritable store house of hitherto buried emotions that are exposed by memories from her troubled childhood and by falling so madly in love with Jonathan, all adding fuel to her growing inner conflicts.

And if Saffy is a character in continual development, so too are those that surround her… Jonathan, the unsuspecting and self-deprecating boyfriend, fresh from a divorce and suddenly thrust into a new and wildly exciting relationship, Saffy’s innocent, chalk-and-cheese sister Susie, her boring boyfriend Finlay, and Jonathan’s now jailed man-killer ‘acquaintance’ Cyril Walker who makes some cameo appearances.

With the brutal nature of Saffy’s crimes perfectly leavened by a rich vein of devilish humour, twists and turns at every juncture of her killing spree, the guilty delight to be found in seeing some truly ‘bad men’ getting their just deserts, and a nail-biting cliffhanger ending, it’s pleasing to report that  Saffy’s murderous reign is not over yet!
(Zaffre, hardback, £16.99)