Saturday 28 December 2013

Beate Maxian: Die Tote vom Naschmarkt

Von ihren Freunden wird die Journalistin Sarah Pauli gerne wegen ihres Aberglaubens gehänselt. Doch dann gehen in der Redaktionspost drei abgetrennte Finger ein, die zur Schwurhand einer Frauenleiche gehören, die am Wiener Naschmarkt gefunden wurde. Die Tote war Entlastungszeugin in einem Vergewaltigungsprozess, den der prominente Anwalt Harald Koban gewonnen hat. In der Nacht nach dem Prozess überfährt Koban eine Katze – tags darauf erhält Sarah wieder Post: das Bild einer schwarzen Katze und eine unheilverkündende Nachricht ...

Interessanter Krimi rund um Wien. Ich war etwas enttäuscht, dass Wien und der Wiener Schmäh zu kurz kommen, aber der Krimi und die Geschichten rund um die Anwälte, waren trotzdem lesenswert.

Thursday 12 December 2013

Jenny Colgan: Meet me at the Cupcake Café

Come and meet Issy Randall, proud owner of The Cupcake Café. Issy Randall can bake. No, more than that - Issy can create stunning, mouth-wateringly divine cakes. After a childhood spent in her beloved Grampa Joe's bakery, she has undoubtedly inherited his talent. When she's made redundant from her safe but dull City job, Issy decides to seize the moment. Armed with recipes from Grampa, and with her best friends and local bank manager fighting her corner, The Cupcake Café opens its doors. But Issy has absolutely no idea what she's let herself in for. It will take all her courage - and confectionery - to avert disaster . . .

A sweet and easy read. Again quite predictable, but the quirky characters were fun to be with.

Tuesday 3 December 2013

Gary Barlow: My take

Take That was the original and the best British boy band ever. Their records sold millions, and they sold out arenas in less time than it took to play one of their singles. Gary Barlow was the band's secret weapon: their gifted, down-to-earth front man who not only wrote most of their greatest hits - "Back for Good", "Never Forget", and "A Million Love Songs" - but sang them too. But the band decided to quit at the height of their fame. What followed for Gary is an inspiring journey of highs and lows: from the promising start of his solo career to his crisis in confidence. The public who had once worshipped him almost seemed to forget he existed. Much has been said about Gary but he himself has remained silent until now. For the first time, Gary tells his full story from his childhood in Cheshire to life after Take That: the early start at thirteen working in a social club; a career as a teenager working the northern clubs; and the life-changing moment when he met Nigel Martin-Smith, a Manchester modeling agent who wanted to put together a boy-band. Gary will reveal what life on the road with Take That was really like and the truth behind the rumours of their petty feuding. He will also finally settle the speculation around his painfully public fall-out with Robbie. Throughout his experiences Gary has remained as determined and as positive as he was when he was given his first keyboard at eleven. It is this determination and spirit that has helped him bounce back. He has established himself as a successful songwriter writing for the likes of Blue, Delta Goodrem, and Charlotte Church. And now he's made one of pop's great comebacks with the Take That reunion tour, ten years after the band split up. Gary Barlow and Take That are back centre stage once again - where they belong.

An interesting read about Take That, but also about Gary Barlow's personal life including his experience in the London bombings. A fascinating read! Life is always writing the best stories...