Charlie Lovett - The Bookman's Tale

This excellent book has recently been published and I highly recommend it.
It is an intelligent and fast paced thriller but also a timeslip novel in which we alternate between the modern day, our heroes youth and back in time as he chases the provenance of a book that might prove that Shakespeare was indeed the author of his plays.
There is even an element of the supernatural when he finds an Victorian portrait that looks just like his dead wife. The book also travels from the US to the UK and this also added interest.
I like the way the book progressed and we flipped between time periods, it kept up the suspense. I particularly found the Antiquarian side fascinating, but then I would as a librarian. I found the dip into Shakespearean history believable and interesting. All in all an excellent debut and I suspect we will see more of our intrepid antiquarian bookseller Peter Byerly - at least I hope so!

I think this would make an excellent reading group book as there is plenty to discuss. The whole Shakespeare, did he did he not write his plays issue could take up the whole of a meeting on it's own.

Lucy Clarke - The Sea Sisters

No wonder this book was picked for the Richard and Judy Summer read, it is really great. Having learnt that the author lives in Bournemouth, I took the book away with me on holiday and it was first on my list.
As the title suggests it looks at the relationship between two sisters. Katie is shocked to learn that her wild and impulsive younger sister has died in Bali, whilst on an impulsive backpacking world travel journey. The police state it was suicide and they even have witnesses that back this idea up. Unable to accept this and grieve stricken Katie comes into possession of her sisters travel journal. In a bid to understand her sister better and try and unravel what happened to her, the normally sensible Katie, decides to follow her sister. She gives up her job, abandons her fiancee and begins to backpack across the world with her sisters diary for company.
I cannot say too much about the rest of the plot without spoilers. What did impress me was the quality of the writing, the careful plotting that kept me reading on the edge of the seat and her tremendous insight into the relationship of sisters. It was spot on. 
This will make a great reading group read and there are copies available for reading groups in Bournemouth Libraries. A stunning debut and an author to watch.

Graeme Simpson

To say I hated this book is an overstatement, but I am absolutely sure that I did not like it. Perhaps I lack the requisite sense of humour.

This book left me feeling very uncomfortable as it stayed into the realms of disabilism, perhaps it is OK to mock someone with autism in  Australia but I don’t think that is OK here. This is not a gentle exploration of the condition as in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night time, because our hero has no idea of his condition we are forced from the outside to look on. This then is the rub, one could see that this book was set up as a future film to appeal to the ‘jackass’ fans who don’t mind watching someone with a disability thrust into situations where they are bound to fail. It left me wondering what sort of educational system they have in Australia if our hero is meant to have reached being a professor at a university without being properly diagnosed.

 

Our hero himself is a likable character but he is certainly no Mr Darcy as I have seen touted elsewhere.

Given that I disliked the book I am sure it will be successful and will be a hit at reading group, where blows may even be exchanged. Is it ever right to laugh at someone disabled?

Alma Books Competition

Hi, I have just heard about this competition. Good luck!

Manisha Jolie Amin - Dancing to the Flute

I have recently returned from 3 weeks in southern India and what a book to take with me to accompany me on my journey. This book is superb, lyrical, evocative, magical and spiritual. Manisha beautifully captures rural India, at it's best and worst. She does not balk at describing the poverty and inequality but has the rare quality of not sinking to the maudlin. She effortlessly creates pace in the background to send us on wishing to genuinely know what will happen. Her characters are full and well drawn, by the end of the book I felt I knew them well and was invested in their futures and lives.
Then throughout the book is the music, the flute, the Ragas, the hint of Krishna himself. It is this that makes the book soar. That and the feeling of hope, friendship and love.

This will make a superb reading group selection I have already ordered our copies for Bournemouth Libraries.

Justin Cronin - The Twelve

This was worth the two year wait! Once again we are totally immersed in this post viral dystopian world. It does not disappoint and leaves us wanting more. The only fault I could find is that due to the long wait I had forgotten some of the characters and it would have been helpful to re-read The Passage but as it is such a big book I was a little put off, but a quick skim sufficed. This is an author that has really thought about his world and environment in depth and it shows. We also see the story arc of the characters growing and deepening. I am really looking forward to the next one!

There is an excellent interview with Justin Cronin on Amazon here

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Twelve-Justin-Cronin/dp/0752897861/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355744146&sr=8-1

 

Christopher Fowler - Bryant and May and The Invisible Code

This series just gets better and better, if you haven't read them yet I thoroughly recommend that you do. They are best read in order as they have a fabulous story arc but the joy especially for Reading Groups is that they can effectively stand alone.
These books are well written, clever and intelligent. They also have some genuinely laugh our loud moments among the death and mayhem. The characters of Bryant and May are a delight.
In this latest book the ancient duo ( I am fast approaching them though!) take a case from their arch enemy. Will he be their nemesis or is it something far more dangerous and archane? This case involves witchcraft and not the nice white sort, Bryant is forced to make a pact that will have serious repurcussions for the whole unit and himself potentially in the future. I await with trepidation and enthusiam for the next offering.
There are some marvellous scenes, Christopher is spot on with the the braying Civil Service wives, Meera on her moterbike, Janice Longbright in a power suit, oh and I learnt something, I downloaded flashlight to my phone, brilliant I must be aging, as I discovered everyone else has it!