Baylis - Clock This - 05/05/07 - 11/05/07

Trevor Baylis, inventor of the clockwork radio (amongst a host of other things), is a very likeable bloke. His autobiography is an interesting read although there is too little detail about the work which went into the clockwork radio for my money. Possibly the most interesting parts of this book come right at the end when he outlines his thoughts about the way in which British inventors could (should?) be helped through an academy. Not many people like Baylis come along in each generation and his story is more evidence that success at school is not always a pre-requisite for being successful later in life. He has achieved success through hard work, some luck, some talent but most of all through being taught (by his father and through experimentation) a number of practical skills.

Goldberg - Bee Season - 30/04/07 - 05/05/07

It's hard to say that this book is an enjoyable read, even though it is undeniably well written. As we follow the journey of a young girl in the curiously American world of spelling bees we also experience the breaking up of her family. She replaces her brother in her father's affections, driving him away. The story of her mother is even more extraordinary - troubling and touching at the same time. If you like an emotional read then this book is for you.

Reynolds - Blood, Sweat and Tea - 29/04/07 - 30/04/07

This book is a collection of blog postings by Tom Reynolds a London Emergency Medical Technician (Ambulance driver). It's a fascinating account of his work and anyone reading it will be left in no doubt about the highs and lows of the work that he does. There are several recurring themes (which tend to be things which get on his nerves and/or make his job difficult) and for the non-healthcare professional many of these are surprising and worrying in almost equal quantities. Just as John Hoskinson's book Inside should be required reading for those involved in crime and punishment, this book should be required reading for those in charge of the Health Service.

Harrison - A Fistful of Charms - 13/04/07 - 29/04/07

This book is the fourth in the series of books that follow the adventures of a which, pixy and vampire team of private detectives (or 'runners'). The other books in this series have been fast-paced and full of action. In comparison, this one was somewhat slow, laboured and the plot was complicated without having much of interest. Sorry to say, this was not that great a read. The real question now is whether to buy the fifth book in the series or not...I think possibly I will, they're quite a fun read.

Gerritsen - Life Support - 09/04/07 - 13/04/07

Although this is a crime book it is different from many others in the genre. For a start, we sort of know who the criminals are from very early on in the story. The interest here comes from waiting for the main characters to work out exactly who and why.

It's clear that Gerritsen is an expert writing in a field that she understand extremely well. For the non-expert reader in particular the medical detail is deep and very satisfying. This book will appeal to all those who love ER and in particular House, but for anyone who is shy of blood it is best avoided, the descriptions can be very intense and hyper-realistic.

Gerritsen also writes more traditional police focused books, but this is a welcome change to the genre standards. Well worth reading.

Coben - Promise Me - 07/04/07 - 09/04/07

This is the latest in the Myron Bolitar series of books by Harlen Coben. Whilst the books are well written with exciting and well-paced stories, the 'heroes' are a strange bunch indeed. Bolitar is an ex-basketball player and his sidekick a super-rich martial arts expert. His sports agency company (which has expanded in this book) is staffed by two ex-wrestling women, one of which weighs in at 300+ lbs. You must get over this though becuase the books are worth it.

In this one, the story is based on Bolitar's own idiocy and focuses on the search for the daughter of a couple with whom he has been friends for some time. As with all these non-cop crime books, the success of the non-expert in the world of the expert is somewhat hard to swallow, but at least it is well explained in this book. The action is non-stop, and the book hard to put down, expecially as it nears its climax. Read this, and the others in this series.

Hoskinson - Inside - 04/04/07 - 07/04/07

This is a first person account of John Hoskinson's experience of going to prison. It would be very hard to describe it as an enjoyable read, but it is nevertheless a fantastic book. The prison that he describes is a million miles away from the one that he (and that we) have read about in the papers - he refers many times to the fact that the papers make it sound like a 'holiday camp'. In truth, the prison he describes seems to be failing prisoners and society - training criminals and creating drug addicts rather than treating or rehabilitating. It's extremely powerful stuff - hard to read at times, but nevertheless strangely entertaining.

Harvey - Cold Light - 24/03/07 - 04/04/07

I bought and read this book on the basis of the recommendation on the front cover (which you may or may not be able to read). When one of your favourite authors is quoted on the front then it should bode well. In this case I was not disappointed. This is one (the latest?) in a series following a detective from Nottingham called Resnick. The plot centres around a kidnapping, and although the plot builds slowly (maybe a bit too slowly) it is a satisfying and engrossing read. Once you get halfway it is almost 'unputdownable'. I'm certainly going to read more in this series - I hope I get to like them as much as Michael Connelly's work.

Vargas - Have Mercy on us All - 16/03/07 - 24/03/07

I must confess to having read this book only in translation, but it probably lost very little. It's a tense thriller set in Paris following the investigation of a strange series of killings which appear to be linked to the Black Death. Ultimately, I found this book to be a little unsatisfying - good as the story was the end was rushed and left too many questions unanswered. However, there are other books in this series and to my mind they are definitely worth seeking out.

Jenoff - Kommandant's Girl - 13/03/07 - 16/03/07

Despite what might at first seem a plot bound for either sentimentality or bleakness, this book manages to capture something of the harsh realities of being a Polish Jew during the Second World War and yet still retain hope, humour and most importantly a cracking storyline. Like the main character, the reader finds their views of the Kommandant challenged - we know he is a Nazi and yet at the same time we find ourselves starting to like him - Emma struggles with this and so do we. The balance between grimness and cloying sweetness is maintained at all times and never better than during the final denouement which sees a believable and classy finish to the book.

A second book picking up on one aspect of this storyline follows and I for one can't wait.

Nadel - Arabesk - 01/03/07 - 12/03/07

This is the second book by Barbara Nadel that I have read. They are very enjoyable, if not terrifically imaginative, detective fiction books set in Istanbul. It is the setting as much as the writing which makes these books fun to read. Nadel is able to communicate the sounds, smells and atmosphere of the city effectively without being too heavy-handed. Whilst the unfamiliarity of the names (both people and places) makes the book harder to read than books set in either the UK or US, it also distracts from the familiar nature of the storylines.

This book focuses on the death of a famous singer's wife and the relationships between the singer, his mistress and her family. Whilst this is familiar enough territory, it is the Turkish cultural references (which appear to be accurate enough, although I have no way of confirming this) and the exotic setting which makes this a good read.

Robinson - Gallows View - 24/02/07 - 01/03/07

Gallows View is the first book in the Inspector Banks series by Peter Robinson. The book's plot is not original - a murder, some thefts and a peeping tom - but the story is very well written, the characters believable and well-rounded. A recommendation by Michael Connelly on the back cover tells you all you need to know - Connelly's own books are some of the best around and Robinson's Banks series is set to be not far behind. I am only sorry I have come to it late. The good news is that there are plenty more for me to read.