An Olive Oil Tour of France by Alice Alech

In An Olive Oil Tour of France, the author takes curious olive oil novices and olive oil lovers behind the scenes of olive oil production giving an insight into:

Growing, picking and olive oil production.

Meeting the people involved in blending both traditional and modern methods.

Studying how the industry has evolved over the years.

The three main types of extra virgin olive oil and how to recognize them.

Olive oil facts and figures.

Health and beauty tips of the green nectar.

Traditional olive oil recipes.

An Olive Oil Tour of France is an appreciation of Provence and Corsica’s contribution to the world of olive oil.

I grew up in the 70s when the benefits of a Mediterranean diet where unheard of, when chips were cooked in lard and the nearest we got to olive oil was when it was warmed up and dropped into our ears to ease ear ache!

Despite all of that, I survived and am now a huge fan of using olive oil in the kitchen.  This is mainly due to my love of Greece, and all things Greek - especially food.   We spend two weeks every year on Corfu which is covered in olive groves and produces some delicious olive oil.  I usually come home with a couple of bottles in my case.  Whilst I've been visiting Greece, I've learned a lot about the history of the olive tree on Corfu, the collection of the olives and the final production, and I do like to buy oil from the very small, local suppliers.

When I heard about Alice Alech's book An Olive Oil Tour of France, I was really interested.  France is not a place that I would normally associate with olive oil, and indeed, in terms of quantities produced, it is way down the league.  What is clear though, from reading this excellent book, is that the olive oil producers in France are passionate about their craft.

This really is a fascinating read.  Not only does the reader learn about the current olive oil trade in France, but there are historical facts too.   It was really interesting to read about the different types of extra virgin olive oil in France, and how the consumer can recognise them from the labelling of the bottles.

It was great to read about actual producers, and the day-to-day workings of the modern (and not so modern) olive groves.   The author has also added in some health and beauty tips and some delicious sounding recipes, all featuring olive oil.

A short book at just under 70 pages, but jam packed full of facts and interesting snippets.

My thanks go to the author, Alice Alech who sent my copy for review.   For more information about the author, visit her website and follow her on Twitter

Is This Love? by Sue Moorcroft

How many ways can one woman love?

When Tamara Rix's sister Lyddie is involved in a hit-and-run accident that leaves her in need of constant care, Tamara resolves to remain in the village she grew up in. Tamara would do anything for her sister, even sacrifice a long-term relationship.

But when Lyddie's teenage sweetheart Jed Cassius returns to Middledip, he brings news that shakes the Rix family to their core. Jed's life is shrouded in mystery, particularly his job, but despite his strange background, Tamara can't help being intrigued by him.

Can Tamara find a balance between her love for Lyddie and growing feelings for Jed, or will she discover that some kinds of love just don't mix?

Is This Love? is Sue Moorcroft's ninth novel and was published by Choc Lit on 7 November 2013.

I have to hold up my hand and with shame admit that this is the first Sue Moorcroft novel that I have read. My friend Anne, who blogs at Being Anne .. has recommended Sue's books to me many times and now I realise why and I'm determined that I will catch up with her back catalogue very soon.

Is This Love? is set in a fictional large village; Middledip and although the cover is a mass of pink hearts, this is not just a story of love and romance, it is a story of the sort of love that keeps a family afloat through the toughest of times.  Yes, there's a good dose of romance and a perfectly adorable leading man, but the overarching theme of this story is that of sibling love.

Tamara loves her sister Lyddie, she adores her and will do anything to make Lyddie's life easier - styling her hair in the fashion of Stars Wars characters, eating popcorn, making sure that there are enough pink wafer biscuits to satisfy her and generally watching out for her.   It's something of a shock to find that Lyddie is not Tamara's younger sister, in fact she is a good few years older than her - in body anyway.  Lyddie was hurt in a hit and run accident many years ago, she suffered brain damage, and will always live life with the mind of a small child.  The accident and it's after effects have shaped the entire family ever since.  

Tamara and her boyfriend Max are splitting up.  Max has a great new job, but it means moving away and Tamara just can't do that.  When Lyddie's childhood sweetheart Jed arrives on the scene and delivers some devastating news to the family, Tamara is just not sure where to turn.  Jed is gorgeous, she is attracted to him, but starting a relationship with him could rupture their whole family.

Sue Moorcroft is an incredibly accomplished author, she has created a wonderful cast of characters, playing out a marvellous story in a just fabulous setting.  Lyddie is adorable and Jed is gorgeous.  Tamara has her daft moments, but on the whole she's a pretty realistic character.  Jed's employers are dark and mysterious, his brother Manny is significantly silent and the alpacas are just damn cute!

I enjoyed every page of this novel, it's the perfect anecdote to the cold, grey and damp weather outside. It's cheering, well plotted and a thoroughly great read.

My thanks to Choc Lit who sent my copy for review - another success from a great publisher!

Sue Moorcoft is a working writer.  Is This Love? is her ninth novel and sixth novel with Choc Lit - Starting Over, All That Mullarkey, Want To Know a Secret, Love & Freedom and Dream A Little Dream.
Love & Freedom won the 2011 Best Romantic Novel of the Year Award from the Festival of Romance and Dream A Little Dream was shortlisted for a 2013 Romantic Novel Award.
Sue has published over a hundred short stories, articles and several serials in magazines.  She was a runner-up in the Ford Fiesta Short Story Competition and a winner of the Katie Fforde Bursary Award.  She's a creative writing tutor for distance learning and residential courses in the UK and abroad.  She has written course for the London School for Journalism and, with her tutor's hat on: LOVE WRITING - How to Make Money Writing Romantic or Erotic Fiction.  She is Vice Chairman of the Romantic Novelist's Association.

For more information visit www.suemoorcroft.com, follow her on Twitter, and find her on Facebook. 

Presents For Men - Christmas Countdown Campaign - Discounts & Offers

Back in the summer I reviewed How To Make Your Man Behave in 21 Days or Less by Karen Salmonsohn.  The book is a great idea for a stocking-filler gift and came from Presents For Men - their website store is full of interesting and quirky gifts.

Presents for Men are running a 6 week countdown to Christmas campaign offering Facebook fans 30% off best sellers each week – products change every Monday and are a collection of some of the funniest, quirkiest and best gifts Presents for Men sell. 


All you need to do to grab the promotional code is Like their Facebook page and choose which product you would like to get before the week is over. 

Click here: https://www.facebook.com/PresentsForMen/app_1375999482615703

Confessions Of An Undercover Cop by Ash Cameron

What is life like for a female Undercover Cop?

Ash Cameron gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at life in the Police. Funny, moving and irreverent, you’ll never look at a bobby the same way again…!

Ash Cameron joined the police in the 70s – think Life on Mars with added ladders in her tights.

From arresting East End gangsters, dealing out justice to football hooligans and coping with sexism on the job, Ash did it all. So when she was asked to go undercover, well, it was just another job, wasn’t it? 

Told with warmth and humour, these ‘confessions’ will make you laugh, make you cry, and make you roll your eyes as you learn exactly what goes on behind-the-scenes in the police…

Confessions of an Undercover Cop by Ash Cameron is the sixth book in best-selling Confessions series, and was published by The Friday Project; an imprint of Harper Collins on 12 September 2013.

The police have had a lot of criticism recently, I think it's fair to say that a great deal of trust has been lost due to the actions taken by senior police officers that have been highlighted in the media over the past year or so.   We have to remember that the majority of serving police officers are there because they want to protect the public, because they want to see justice done.  They are everyday people, just like the rest of us - doing a job that is often very unpleasant, often criticised and often played down.

I really enjoyed this book.  Ash Cameron tells of her time in the police force with humour and affection.  We join her as a new recruit in the 70s and follow her as she goes undercover, and later when she works with the People Protection Unit.

The book is made of up short chapters, each describing an incident that Ash had to deal with.  Some of these are laugh-out-loud funny, some of them are desperately sad and a few of them are shocking.  Ash Cameron writes really well.  The reader feels as though they have travelled alongside her, but without the scrapes and bruises!

Ash Cameron saw and did a lot during her career with the police.  She was physically attacked and spat at, she saw and heard things most of us could never imagine having to deal with once, let alone on a daily basis. Despite this, her passion for the job, and her belief in the system shines though.

One of the beauties of this book is that it is told in short, snappy bursts. Each chapter is a story in itself, and the book can be either read straight through, or dipped into every now and again.

Confessions of an Undercover Cop is a book that will appeal to many, and one that I'd recommend - a proper behind-the-scenes look at life in the force.

My thanks to Sabah at LightBrigade PR and The Friday Project for sending my copy for review.

Ash Cameron served in the Police Force from the late 70s before taking medical retirement. During her career, Ash worked as uniformed constable, an undercover cop, a detective, and a sergeant. More information can be found on the book's own Facebook page.   

The Woman Before Me by Ruth Dugdall *New Edition from Legend Press*

"They came for me, just like I knew they would. Luke had been dead for just three days."

Rose Wilks life is shattered when her newborn baby Joel is admitted to intensive care. Emma Hatcher has all that Rose lacks. Beauty. A loving husband. A healthy son. Until tragedy strikes and Rose is the only suspect. 

Now, having spent nearly five years behind bars, Rose is just weeks away from freedom. Her probation officer Cate must decide whether Rose is remorseful for Luke s death, or whether she remains a threat to society. As Cate is drawn in, she begins to doubt her own judgement. 

Where is the line between love and obsession, can justice be served and, if so... by what means?

On 31 October 2013, Legend Press published a new edition of the brilliant The Woman Before Me by Ruth Dugdall. The book was originally published in August 2010 and the novel has gone on to sell over 45000 copies in the UK, with fans of the book right across the globe. 

The book was the winner of the 2nd ever Luke Bitmead Bursary and was also the winner of the much coveted and admired CWA Debut Dagger prize. This new edition celebrates the success of the book through word of mouth and includes exclusive added content including a brand new chapter, an author interview and author mini-essay.

The Woman Before Me is a psychological thriller that is hauntingly dark and bleak, there is absolutely nothing pleasant contained within this story, yet it is a compelling and at times, very addictive.  It kept me reading until the late hours.

Rose Wilks is serving a prison sentence for the manslaughter of a young baby.  The victim, Luke, is the child of a woman that Rose befriended whilst she was in hospital herself, when she gave birth to her own son Joel. Rose had a difficult labour and Joel was very sick when he was born.  He didn't survive.

Cate Austen is the mother of a young daughter.  She's also Rose's probation officer, and it is her job to determine whether Rose should be released from prison.  

As Cate and Rose edge around each other, trying to work each other out, the reader is privy to Rose's 'black book'; her secret diary that explains everything about both the crime, and about how Rose became the woman that she is today.

Manipulation and unreliability could be Rose's middle names, her story appears credible, but always, in the background, there is that nag of doubt about Rose and her story.  Whilst I admit that I'd just about worked out the truth behind the story, the double-whammy shock of the truth exposed at the end of the novel was both unexpected and very cleverly done.  The belief that the reader has developed over the course of the story is shattered completely.

Ruth Dugdall has drawn on her personal experiences as a probation officer when writing this novel, and this shows.  The culture of prison life is starkly told, the institutional sexism, the bullying, the difficulties of being a staff member who cares; all depicted very well, and all adding to the overall tension of the novel.

This is a chilling story, of betrayal, of lies and of obsession.  At times uncomfortable due to the nature of the crime, but it's compulsive.   I will certainly be looking out for Ruth Dugdall's other novels.

My thanks to Lucy from Legend Press who sent my copy for review.

Ruth Dugdall is the author of The Woman Before Me, The Sacrificial Man and The James Version.  She studied a BA (Hons) degree in English and Theatre Studies at Warwick University, and then an MA in Social Work at UEA.  She worked as a Probation Officer for almost a decade, working in prisons with numerous high-risk criminals.  Her writing is heavily influenced by her professional background, providing authenticity and credibility to the crime genre.

Visit Ruth Dugdall at www.ruthdugdall.com and follow her on Twitter @RuthDugdall.    Follow Legend Press on Twitter @Legend_Press or find out more at www.legendpress.co.uk

The Dead Wife's Handbook by Hannah Beckerman

When Rachel dies suddenly at the age of 36, leaving behind her wonderful husband, Max, and beautiful daughter, Ellie, the last thing she expected was to have to watch helplessly as they mourn her death.

It’s meant to be the bereaved who go through the seven stages of grief from denial to acceptance, but as Max and Ellie work through their grief, Rachel too struggles to come to terms with her death and all that means — especially when her husband starts to date again, and she realises that one day he will find love, and that Ellie will have a new mother figure in her life.

The Dead Wife's Handbook by Hannah Beckerman will be published by Penguin on 13 February 2014 and is the author's debut novel.   I reviewed this book as part of the Real Readers programme.

First, I have to pay tribute to the beautiful cover.  Sadly, my proof copy has a plain grey cover but I absolutely love the illustration of the cover of the finished book, it's really eye-catching and quite mysterious, it doesn't tell the reader anything about the story - I like that!

The Dead Wife's Handbook is an unusual concept in that the lead character is dead.   Rachel died suddenly, aged 36 and left behind her husband Max and their seven-year-old daughter Ellie.   This is Rachel's story, told from the after-life.    I'll admit that I found this book fairly difficult to engage with at the beginning, but after just a few chapters I really began to fall in love with the writing, and the story.  It's sometimes difficult to suspend disbelief and to throw oneself into a story that for me, is beyond the realms of probability, but Hannah Beckerman writes very well with a sensitivity and understanding of the grieving process.

Whatever you beliefs, whether scientific or religious, this story will make you think about how the sudden death, or indeed any death, of a loved one affects those left behind.   What Hannah Beckerman has done here is to create another dimension to that grief, and added the thoughts and feelings of the person who has departed.  None of us actually knows what happens when we die, some of us believe that we know, but we don't.  Allow yourself to consider that your loved one is actually watching over you when they've gone, that they are hurting and grieving too.  Allow yourself that belief, then immerse yourself in this story.

The Dead Wife's Handbook is a very good debut novel.  It is original and challenges beliefs, it is also warm and often funny.

Hannah Beckerman is a former TV executive and Commissioning Editor. She has worked in the UK, Bangladesh and the US, where she worked for the Discovery Channel. Her work has been shown at the Sundance film festival, played in cinemas worldwide, and won numerous international awards. The Dead Wife’s Handbook is her first novel.  Follow her on Twitter @hannahbeckerman

Hurt by Brian Mc Gilloway ~~~~ Review & Author Inteview

Late December.  A sixteen-year-old girl is found dead on a train line.  Detective Sergeant Lucy Black from the Public Protection Unit is called to identify the body. The murdered girl, Karen Hughes, having a father in prison and an alcoholic mother had no choice but to live in residential care and DS Black soon discovers the only clue to the girl's movements are her mobile phone and social media - where her 'friends' may not be all they seem.

Meanwhile, Black is still haunted by a young girl's death in a house fire over a year ago.  Her pain is then intensified when she finds her grave vandalised - Black is deeply upset and spurred on in her pledge to find the man she knows is responsible for the fire.  But Lucy has to tread carefully: with a new DI to contend with, and her fractious mother, the Assistant Chief Constable, looking over her shoulder, she can't afford to make a mistake ..... 

Published on 21 November 2013 by C& R Crime, an imprint of Constable & Robinson, Hurt is the second in the Lucy Black series from Brian McGilloway, the sequel to the number one bestseller Little Girl Lost (2011).  McGilloway is also the author of the successful Inspector Benedict Devlin series.

Despite not having read Little Girl Lost it really didn't take me long to become very involved in this story. The author has cleverly included snippets from Lucy Black's past which will help anyone who is discovering this series for the first time.

Hurt is a very tense and often dark story, covering some disturbing issues that expose the vulnerabilities of those young people who have been badly let down - by their families and by society.  Lucy Black is a complex character, fighting her own personal demons and battles, whilst caring passionately for those that she wants to help.

This is a hard-hitting thriller that does not avoid the seedier side of life nor the effects of both the current financial troubles in Northern Ireland and the sectarian battle that has raged in Derry for many years. Although officially now a city of peace, memories are long and the troubles will never be forgotten. McGilloway has cleverly created realistic characters who still bear the scars of battle.  His use of local phrases and dialect gives the story even more realism, but is not off-putting for non-local readers.

Although the crime and the hunt for the perpetrators is at the heart of this story, it is also the story of Lucy Black and her colleagues and the internal office politics play as big as part as the country's politics.

I'm eager to learn more about Lucy and her relationship with her mother; the Assistant Chief Constable, and to see how this progresses throughout the series.   I enjoyed the quite darker aspects, exploring the underworld, the Derry setting and the plot line, despite some disturbing issues.

This a very well-paced story, which ratchets up a gear towards the end.  Crime fiction and police procedural fans will enjoy this.  Lucy Black is a welcome addition to the ranks of fictional detectives.

Brian McGilloway was born in Derry, Northern Ireland, in 1974, and teaches English at St Columb's College, Derry.  He lives near the Irish borderlands with his wife and their four children.  He is the author of six previous novels.    
For more information visit www.brianmcgilloway.com, or follow on Twitter @BrianMcGilloway

My thanks to Lucy from Constable & Robinson who sent my copy for review.  Lucy was also good enough to arrange for Brian McGilloway to visit Random Things and answer a few questions.  I'm delighted to welcome Brian and thank him for his answers which you can read below:

What are you reading at the moment?
I’m reading a proof copy of The First Rule of Survival, a debut crime novel by Paul Mendelson, set in South Africa, which I’m really enjoying so far; it’s very atmospheric.

Do you read reviews of your novels? Do you take them seriously?I do read reviews, in spite of myself, if only because I tend to get very nervous before a book comes out and want to either be reassured or have my worst fears confirmed. If several reviews comment on the same weakness in a book, I think it is something to consider, but ultimately, I think I’m possibly my own worst critic.

How long does it take to write a novel?I write about 1000 words per day, so the physical writing of the novel takes about 3 months. The plotting, planning and crafting of it takes the other 9 months of each year.

Do you have any writing rituals?A friend of mine, my old Latin teacher, Bob McKimm is always the first person to read any new book. He’s become a lucky charm. I also don’t print out any of the book until I’ve completed the first draft, then I work through it with a red pen. (Old teaching habits die hard).

What was your favourite childhood book?When I was very young – Paddington Bear. When I was a little older, John Diamond by Leon Garfield. When I was in my teens – anything by S E Hinton, though The Outsiders and That was Then, This is Now still stick in my head as being particularly powerful.

Name one book that made you laugh?Bill Bryson’s Notes from a Small Island.

Name one book that made you cry?That’s a hard one. I found Cormac McCarthy’s The Road and Raymond Carver’s A New Path to the Waterfall both very moving in different ways. Recently, the scene in NoViolet Bulawayo’s We Need New Names, where the kids decide to perform an abortion using a clothes hanger was hugely powerful. The ending of Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men the first time I read it, maybe?

Which fictional character would you like to meet?Jay Gatsby. It would, of course, also require my going to 1920s America to meet him. 

Which book would you give to your best friend as a present?
Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose, David Guterson’s Snow Falling on Cedars, Tom Wright’s What Dies in Summer are all books I’ve recently gifted to friends, so any of those would apply.

Are you inspired by any particular author or book?When I was struggling to get published, James Lee Burke’s record of the trials of getting The Lost Get Back Boogie into print offered frequent consolation. Burke continues to be inspiration as an artist. Ian Rankin’s Black and Blue was the book that made me want to write crime fiction.

What is your guilty pleasure read?I never feel guilty about what I read. For pleasure, I’ll happily go back to James Bond, though. Recently I took part in a panel discussion on the Booker Prize and had to read the six shortlisted novels in just over a month. As a reward, I’ve just bought myself William Boyd’s Bond novel, Solo, which I’m looking forward to getting stuck into very soon.

Who are your favourite authors?They are too numerous to list. James Lee Burke, Colin Dexter, Ian Rankin and John Connolly were among the first crime novelists that I read, and by extension then, inspired me to write crime fiction so I have a particular fondness for all of their work.

What book have you re-read?One of the benefits (and drawbacks) of being a teacher was getting to read the same book year after year. Some don’t stand too much re-reading. There are ones which I still look forward to revisiting include Dracula, The Moonstone, Hamlet and Lear and my personal favourite, The Great Gatsby. I re-read Eco’s The Names of The Rose recently and, as with Gatsby, I keep finding more things I’d not seen before with each re-reading.

What book have you given up on?Again, too numerous to mention. For a book to really work requires a connection between reader and writer to be made through the text. Some books I just haven’t connected with. That doesn’t make them bad books or me a bad reader – we just didn’t hit it off.