Gervase Phinn: All these lonely people

Even with a huge problem to worry about, Father McKenzie still manages to see the good in everyone. His job is made more difficult by his nosy housekeeper and the gossips from the shop down the road. Will they succeed in spoiling things, or will Father McKenzie’s advice win the day? This charming tale shows the ups and downs of everyday life in a truly heart-warming way.

Although the topic might seem that this could be a slow read, the story is fast-paced and fascinating. It was interesting to find out the people's stories and why they are all so lonely that they turn up in church. And in the afterword the author explains the inspiration for his story around Miss Eleanor Rigby, Father McKenzie and the lonely people.

Conn Iggulden: Blackwater

A dark, chilling psychological thriller from the number one bestselling author of the "Emperor" series. How do you know when you're in too deep? Davey has always lived in the shadow of his older brother, a smiling sociopath who will stop at nothing to protect himself and his family. But when the shadowy figure of Denis Tanter comes into Davey's life, how far will the bond of brotherhood reach?

Short and fast-paced chilling story about two brothers, who are both psychos and one woman who seems to try and escape but is never really able to. The ending is brilliant, although the blurb gave away that a twist must be expected...

Gareth Roberts: I am a Dalek

Equipped with space suits, golf clubs and a flag, the Doctor and Rose are planning to live it up, Apollo mission-style, on the Moon. But the TARDIS has other plans, landing them instead in a village on the south coast of England, where an archaeological dig has turned up a Roman mosaic, circa AD 70, depicting mythical scenes, grapes and a Dalek.

This is another entertaining quick read with witty repartees...

Book of Short Stories

To celebrate the launch of Quick Reads in 2006, "The Sun" ran a short story competition called 'Get Britain Reading' in order to find the hidden talent among its ten million readers. It was judged by "Sun" columnist and bestselling author Jane Moore. "The Sun Book of Short Stories" contains a selection of the winning entries. They may make you smile, laugh or cry - but all of them are sure to entertain you.

An interesting collection of short stories with more and less surprising endings. Some stories are very well developed and memorable:
Ball Games, A Living, Henry, The Lost Gene, There's a Queue for the Therapist's Chair, I Don't Know Why, Last Gasp, Murder in Catcher's Wood, Christmas Truce, Dad's Car, Super, She, One Wish, Need to Know, Daylight Robbery, In Terms Of: An Office Story

Terrance Dicks: Doctor Who - Revenge of the Judoon

The TARDIS brings the Doctor and Martha to Balmoral in 1902. Here they meet Captain harry Carruthers - friend of the new king, Edward VII. Together they head for the castle ground to see the king - only to find that Balmoral Castle is gone, leaving just a hole in the ground. The Doctor realises it is the work of the Judoon. While Martha and Carruthers seek answers in London, the Doctor finds himself in what should be the most deserte place on Earth - and he is not alone. With the help from Arthur Conan Doyole, the Doctor and his friends discover a plot to take over the world. With time running out, who will fall victim to the revenge of the Judoon?

Quick, easy and entertaining read! Having recently discovered Doctor Who, I found this book rather entertaining, as you could imagine David Tennant's sound of voice and spirit in the dialogues.

Alan Bennett: The Uncommon Reader

When her corgis stray into a mobile library parked near Buckingham Palace, the Queen feels duty-bound to borrow a book. Discovering the joy of reading widely (from J. R. Ackerley, Jean Genet, and Ivy Compton-Burnett to the classics) and intelligently, she finds that her view of the world changes dramatically. Abetted in her newfound obsession by Norman, a young man from the royal kitchens, the Queen comes to question the prescribed order of the world and loses patience with the routines of her role as monarch. Her new passion for reading initially alarms the palace staff and soon leads to surprising and very funny consequences for the country at large.

An uncommon story about uncommon readers written in an uncommonly sweet and funny way. This is not only the story about the Queen's passion for reading and the consequences of the same, it is also an author's perception regarding the processes of reading and writing as such! Very entertaining and surprising, too!

John Boyne: The Dare

At the start of his school holidays, Danny Delaney is looking forward to a trouble-free summer. But when his mother returns home one afternoon, flanked by two policemen, he knows that something terrible has happened. Mrs Delaney has accidentally hit a small boy with her car. The boy is in a coma at the local hospital and nobody knows if he will ever wake up. Consumed by guilt, Danny's mother closes herself off, while Danny and his father are left to pick up the pieces of their fractured family.

This is a brilliant short story or novella told from the perspective of a 12 year old boy, whose family struggles coming to terms with a tragic accident.

"Dragon's Den": Your road to success

Entertaining quick-read.


These are the Dragon's abridged stories to help business people learn from their experiences: Duncan Bannatyne, Deborah Meaden, James Caan, Peter Jones and Theo Paphitis are the stars of TV programme Dragons' Den, but they haven't always been millionaires and TV stars. Here, they reveal the secrets that have taken them from nothing to the very top. The Dragons tell their personal stories of success and failure. They also give advice on how to succeed in business and in life, including how to make money from scratch.