Verdict on coroner
THE CORONER
M R HALL
***
FIRST impressions of Jenny Cooper, the heroine of M R Hall's debut novel, are far from favourable.
Come to think of it, second and third impressions aren't all that brilliant, either.
True, she's just taken on a highly-responsible new position as the Severn Vale District Coroner. But as she starts to get to grips with the job, it's not really possible to warm to her. She's prickly, sometimes to the point of rudeness. The sort of person who couldn't "abide" being called by her first name at work.
So, Mrs Cooper it is, then.
To be fair, though, she does have a troubled past. She's been through a messy divorce, has failed to win custody of her 15-year-old son and is undergoing psychiatric therapy. Worst of all, her therapist has uncovered a traumatic event in her childhood which, although still a mystery, is obviously continuing to affect her deeply.
It's enough to make anyone a bit on edge. No wonder she gets through the day by popping temazepam (she hides them inside Polo mints at inquests) and hitting the bottle when she gets home.
However, any thoughts Mrs Cooper harbours of her new job turning out to be a bit of a breeze are quickly dispelled. Her recently-deceased predecessor has bequeathed her a dark mystery to solve – one that will involve unearthing deeply-buried evidence.
Now, I've a rough idea of a coroner's job; investigating the cause of deaths and the odd spot of treasure trove evaluation would seem to cover it. However, Jenny (now we've got to know one another a bit better, I think we can be on first-name terms) has other ideas. She's definitely the hands-on type, and as soon as she starts probing the death of a youngster in a nearby young offenders' institution, she begins ruffling feathers.
In fact, she's so determined to unearth the truth that at one point we find her taking part in a spot of breaking-and-entering at the local pathology lab, hacking into the computer records before climbing out through a window and legging it to a getaway car.
Somehow, I don't think that's part of the job description.
Full marks to Hall, though; he's come up with a highly-original central character who allows him to take a refreshingly-new slant on the crime fiction genre. I reckon she's going to be around for quite some time.
PAN MACMILLAN, 10
CHEF'S TALES
MICHAEL SAXON
***
HE'S come a long way from Harrogate, has chef Michael Saxon.
Now the general manager of the prestigious Eastern & Oriental Hotel at Penang in Malaysia, he arrived there via, well, just about everywhere in the world.
As learning curves go, Saxon's was, to say the least, eventful.
He's experienced volcanically-tempered chefs who make Gordon Ramsay look like a Sunday school teacher.
He's seen things in hotel bedrooms that have come straight out of an X-rated movie.
He's been to the wildest of parties, and has spent a happy afternoon playing pool with Dustin Hoffman.
And once, he accidentally sat on his chef's prize pate.
You won't believe what happened next.
Saxon's memoirs, related in an engagingly self-deprecating fashion ("the full-time lettuce washer was smarter than me"), prove as mischievously informative as they are entertaining. RC
MELROSE BOOKS, 12.99
The Unicorn Road
Martin Davies
Benedict is a small child when he is sent to work for the great scholar, Antioch. But while his father thinks he is giving his son the chance of a better life, filled with knowledge and discovery, the young boy soon becomes part of a dangerous adventure.
Antioch is sent on a new expedition by the ruler of his land, Lord Manfred. His task is to find rare species of beast, including unicorns and mermaids, which Lord Manfred can use as political bargaining tools.
Benedict is soon sailing to strange lands with Antioch, a renowned interpreter, and the formidable warrior, General Decius.
Each member of the team has their own agenda, and it's not long before the group is in grave danger. Meanwhile, Benedict's father is sitting at home wondering what has become of his son.
This is an outstanding book in which each character is perceptively described.
With plenty of adventure, danger and love, it is a pleasure to read from start to finish.
Hodder & Stoughton, 12.99
Review by the Press Association
Published EP 31 January 2009Alight here for Jim Morrison
PAPERBACKS
Metrostop Paris
Gregor Dallas
Paris got its underground system relatively late, the first line opening in 1900.
London's Tube dates from 1863 and New York's elevated rapid service system arrived in 1870.
One could argue the Paris underground has the prettiest names. They have Opera and Palais-Royal, London has Goodge Street and Gants Hill.
Obviously, the story of Paris did not begin in 1900. The city has a rich history and Gregor Dallas has bought his carnet of tickets to take us on a tour through the ages, stopping at 12 stations that have their own story to tell.
Pere Lachaise is perhaps the station British readers will be most familiar with. It's the one you head to for the cemetery of the same name where lie the graves of Oscar Wilde, Jim Morrison, et al.
But there is also Saint-Paul in the Marais. Just outside the present-day station, the Duc de Montgomery killed the king of France in a friendly joust that "went wrong". And the Gare du Nord, built on the site of an old leper colony and home to Saint Vincent de Paul.
Mind the gap, step on board and go on a history tour of birth, death, race, hate, politics and art.
John Lynott
John Murray, 7.99
Too Close to Home
Linwood Barclay
One night, the life of the Cutter family is turned upside down, when their neighbours are gunned down in their home.
But little do the Cutters realise that their own son, Derek, was at the scene of the crime.
When Derek's earring is found at the Langley property, the truth begins to unravel.
This imaginative and believable whodunit is thoroughly gripping.
While Jim Cutter attempts to to clear his son's name, he has to contend with lies, confusion and half-truths – as well as the nagging suspicion that the murderer may have gone to the wrong house.
Although predictable in parts, the twists and turns of this new thriller make it very enjoyable.
Available from February 5.
Orion Fiction, 12.99
Review by the Press Association
Hater
David Moody
Society is rocked by a sudden increase in the number of violent assaults on individuals. Christened "Haters" by the media, the attackers strike without warning. The assaults are brutal, remorseless and extreme: within seconds, normally rational, self-controlled people are becoming maddened, vicious killers. There are no apparent links as a hundred random attacks become thousands. By the end of today you could be a killer. Attack first, ask questions later – but the answer might not be what you expect ...
Gollancz, 7.99
Review by Waterstone's
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