Reviewed by Ian Lipke In the Romance writer’s lexicon, a story of delicious intrigue is code for a story that strains the bounds of credibility. But that’s all right. It’s meant to be that the good guys and the worthy girls sort themselves out and everybody lives happily after that. I get it. Well, I

Reviewed by Ian Lipke Many of us look back with affection to the days when Smiley and his group of undercover operatives guaranteed we could sleep soundly in unconscious acceptance that the Cold War villains were no longer a threat. The KGB and the Stasi were the epitome of evil, answerable to their governments, but

Reviewed by Mike Clarke It is an interesting concept to bring back a character that you have previously retired, but as many of us know, retirement often opens a new perspective on life.  Even dogs in the wild is the latest in Ian Rankin’s Inspector Rebus series.  Rankin is a Scot from Edinburgh with a

Reviewed by Jill ‘What follows here is a rambling autobiography …’ (xxiii).  And indeed it is, but what a ramble! If you only know Gardner from his Mathematical Games column in Scientific American, then Undiluted Hocus-Pocus  will surprise indeed.  Gardner portrays both the mathematical side of magic, and the magical side of Mathematics.  It is

Reviewed by Donald Lawie The term “sniper” is usually misapplied in the popular press by using it to describe any person who fires at his victim from concealment. Modern Snipers by Leigh Neville sets the record straight with his detailed account of snipers in today’s world. Neville describes a modern sniper’s training, weapons and methods,

Reviewed by Jill Neil Perry has a firm commitment to fresh, local food, and innovative methods.  His philosophy is seasonal eating, a balanced diet, eyes wide open to international influences and the opportunities for creative food.  His approach is direct, and this latest book  Neil Perry’s Good Cooking reflects his style. It offers a good

Reviewed by Ian Lipke This is nine out of ten material for me. It is a book written by Kimberley Welman and Victoria Reihana, two women who know exactly what they are doing and how to do it. The book records the struggles of the two women, the necessity for such a book, and the

Reviewed by Brian Morgan One could simply describe Last of the Giants  as the story of a group of young musicians, who, on a tidal wave of alcohol and drugs, reached the top of the recording scene in the world of the late 1980’s only to break up when the world was at their feet.