Carol Naylor's REVIEW it...

                Case Histories by Kate Atkinson. Book Review. "Novels gave you a completely false idea about life, they told lies and they implied there were endings when in reality there were no endings, everything just went on and on and on." These apparently disparate case histories cover 1970, 1994 and 1979 involving girls who had either been murdered or had simply vanished into thin air. Private Investigator, Jackson Brodie, beautifully drawn but flawed through and through had spent 12 years in the Cambridgeshire Constabulary and before that the military police. Forty-five years of age and working on irksome or dull cases like Binky Rain and her missing cats when he becomes inundated with requests to solve three case histories of people who have been seriously damaged by crimes committed against their loved ones. "He was used to being a voyeur, the outsider looking in, and nothing, but nothing that anyone did surprised him an...

                 Learn With Alex and Anna by Peter Hayward. And now for a complete change…children's books for your child or grandchild. This was my area of expertise when I was in educational management and conducting some post-grad research into reading so it is an area I am more than happy to promote. "Each story is written around a basis of positive family, personal and social values," didactic in nature. Series 1 will consist of 20 books, 9 of which have already been published. Peter Hayward covers a wide range of themes: train journeys, rain molecules, road safety, acorns, seat belts and a plethora of other relevant subjects. All of them are well-illustrated with the added bonus of primary colours so the reds, blues and yellows are appealing for the young readers. "With the aid of significant people helping them on their life's journey, Alex and Anna are duly taught educational subjects whilst learning important life skill...

       P aris For One I love the idea of Quick Reads , currently 58 titles by well-known authors and more than suitable for beach reading, retailing at £1 is a bargain. If you enjoy a romantic comedy, then you'll like this one. This one's for the girls. "She pictured herself and Pete, tangled up in a French hotel bed, gazing out of the window at the Eiffel Tower, holding hands over croissants and coffee in some street café." Nell Simmons is 26, a sensible and quiet person unless she is with her girlfriends letting her hair down or having a romantic encounter in Paris and then anything can happen! Who knows? She was the type of person who would willingly water your plants if you went on holiday or look after your children if you fancied a night out. She wasn't the type to run off with anyone's husband! Completely trustworthy. On the other hand, her mother liked telling people that her daughter wasn't adventurous or pretty. She added that she w...