Competition to win three-book set of The Guernsey Girls saga by Mary Wood
Janet Gordon, who lives in Takeley, reviews best-sellers and debut fiction for the Indie
Are you panicking? Still have presents to buy? I’m feeling quite smug because I only have one more pressie to buy and that’s for Rollo the dog and, let’s be honest, I could wrap up anything for him to open and he wouldn’t complain. I won’t, of course – he definitely needs another squeaky to destroy.
As far as I’m concerned, new books are always the best present I could give – or receive – and if you’re not sure which genre is preferred then there is always a book token.
Here’s a selection just right for wrapping up.
The Secret Life of LegoBricks by Daniel Konstanski (£30)
Both my son and grandson are Lego mad – the top floor of their house has shelves lined with collectible figures - so this history of Lego, the first official Lego book, is a no-brainer.
Crammed with illustrations, it details the whole history of Lego from start until, well, now. This fact-filled book will guarantee that your Lego enthusiast will choose Lego as their Mastermind specialist subject (other quiz shows are available).
A Backstage Betrayal by Michael Ball (Zaffre £20)
I just love Michael Ball. I love his radio show, where he seems to be having so much fun. And he played Sweeney in Sweeney Todd in the West End – and, yes, of course, I saw it and sang along, as you know it’s my favourite musical, and he was excellent.
His first novel, The Empire, was a terrific read, with insight into the backstage workings in the 1920s.
In his new book, The Empire is back and putting on a pantomime. All together now – oh no they aren’t.
Jack and his wife Grace are desperately trying to keep things going whilst Jack’s mum, Lilian, has a boyfriend who is not all he seems.
I love the way in which the characters are set out like a theatre programme. Such a terrific present.
You All Die Tonight by Simon Kernick (Headline £17.99)
Imagine waking up in a strange bedroom in an isolated mansion, with absolutely no memory of how or why you got there.
This is what happens to Colton and, wandering out of the room, he discovers that there are six other people in the same boat. They can’t escape – everything is locked up tight.
They discover that the only thing they have in common is that they are all, somehow, connected to a horrific crime which happened four years earlier.
And then The Voice booms out, explaining that all of them have been injected with a slow-acting poison – and they have 24 hours to live.
The Voice tells them that only he has the antidote and he will only administer it if – and only if – the murderer confesses to the crime. Wow, just wow!
Murder in Tinsel Town by Max Nightingale (HarperNorth £16.99)
Sometimes – not often – I find myself disagreeing with the actions of the detective in books, thinking perhaps I wouldn’t have investigated a murder like that.
Well, Murder in Tinsel Town is a choose-your-own-story mystery set in 1950s LA.
The world’s glitzy, glam and over-the-top film stars have congregated at a famous hotel for an awards ceremony. But then the leading lady is found dead – murdered.
Here’s your chance to choose how the investigation proceeds. Great fun and perfect for those of us who love to know whodunnit.
Charlie and the Christmas Factory (Puffin £14.99)
As you would expect, I love encouraging little ones to read. My son and I used to spend hours at our local library choosing bedtime books.
Here we have a book full of short stories, each written by a successful and prolific children’s author.
It’s a lovely, chunky hold with great black and white line illustrations. Perfect for your youngster to choose a bedtime story. Suitable for ages eight to 12.
The Girl on the Ice by Amy McCulloch (Penguin £9.99)
I’ve always thought that I’d love to take a cruise ship to Antarctica. But having raced through The Girl on the Ice, I’ve very definitely changed my mind!
Olivia, an actuary, and her boyfriend Aaron, an art dealer, have put together an exhibition by the reclusive but dead artist Yannin, who was killed in a tragic motor accident.
As the ship slips its mooring, Olivia looks for Aaron, but he’s not on board. What a cracking but scary read.
An even better reason to purchase this – if one’s needed – is that it’s one of Asda’s Pink Ribbon reads, with 45p from every purchase going towards breast cancer charities.
The Guernsey Girls saga by Mary Wood (PanMacmillan)
Wartime sagas are so so popular and I love the fact that, whilst I love browsing in an indie book shop, novels of this genre are generally to be found on the supermarket shelves. It’s so much easier to pop a book in with the shopping.
Olivia is visiting her aunt at Wallington Manor, a mansion on the island of Guernsey, and Annie is the maid of all work there.
When Olivia is ready to return home, Annie is also going home to Bethnal Green and is quite happy to travel with Olivia – and even more excited to be travelling first class.
The two become friends. And then the train crashes.
With Olivia and Annie firm friends, the story moves on through the war years when, of course, Hitler invades the Channel Islands.
In the third book, it’s the winter of 1941 and Olivia, now back in Guernsey, is forced to flee for her life.
COMPETITION
And, courtesy of PanMacmillan, one lucky Indie reader can win all three of Mary Wood’s The Guernsey Girls books. To be in with a chance, simply answer this question. Guernsey is part of which group of islands? Is it a) Channel Islands, b) Balearic Islands or c) Galapagos Islands.
Send your entries to Book Competition, Bishop’s Stortford Independent, 7 Palmers Lane, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3XB or email letters@stortfordindie.co.uk with ‘Book Competition’ in the subject line.
Entries close at 5pm on Christmas Eve (Tuesday December 24, 2024). Please include your address in your competition entry.
The winner of the eight-book Christmas bundle competition was Wendy Hollingsworth of Sawbridgeworth and the winner of the Revenge of Rome competition was Susan Parker of Bishop’s Stortford.
