Norwich Murders - Maurice Morson 2006 - * * * *

I cannot help but be interested in murders that take place in places that I have visited before. Although I didn't know every part of this book of Norwich-based murders I certainly knew enough to be thoroughly amazed and disgusted by some of the cases.
The particular highlights for me were the last trilogy of murders from about 1860-1950 all based around passionate killers. Very eerie to see pictures where the bodies were found and areas the suspects were arrested etc.
Very well written.

Started 22nd March
Finished 27th March

Sickened - Julie Gregory 2003 *

This was quite frankly a really boring and badly written book. The author writes in a peculiar and barely readable way, mixing up real and fantasy in a way that really confused me. I didn't enjoy it at all and I'm very pleased it's over.

Started 20th March
Finished 26th March

The Edible Woman - Margaret Atwood 1969 * * * *

Margaret Atwood has an amazing knack of conjuring up a vivid and distinctive picture of a certain scene for me when I read and although this is shamefully my first Atwood it won't be my last. She writes in a perfectly normal way with a hint of bizarre obscurity. I was also surprised to learn that she was only 23 when she wrote this, her first novel and although there are hints of a naive writer there are also parts of the book that seem incredibly mature. I look forward to sampling more of her books.

Started 19th March
Finished 23rd March

Crimes of Passion: An unblinking look at murderous love - Howard Engel 2001 * * * *

Although this book took quite a while to get into I found it really fascinating to read about so many cases (some that I knew, and some that were unknown to me) where people have either got off a jail sentence (or the death penalty)when it was clear it was premeditated murder or have been executed when they really shouldn't have been because it was literally a crime of passion. The cases span back hundreds of years from the case of Grace Marks (who was written about as the subject of Margaret Atwood's novel 'Alias Grace') right until more recent ones including the case of Lorena Bobbitt who cut off her husbands' penis after a row. Very well written and documented.

Started 7th March
Finished 19th March (was also reading other things!)

Forgotten - Les Cummings 2008 * * *

Not a bad read, I got through it pretty fast, written in an easy style and this time we are confronted with the dreadful story of a boy who is abused in the children's home that he is sent to after being abandoned by his mother. This man really confronts his demons later on in his life though and it is a relief to read.

Started 17th March
Finished 19th March

Broken - Shy Keenan 2008* *

Although this story was dreadful and hearbreaking I didn't much care for the way it was written. References began to annoy me afterwards such as rape being called 'doing the horrible' which came up on nearly every page and for that I don't want to rate it higher than 2 stars. That is only for the writing style and technique however and nothing to do with the story - unlike fiction you cannot even think of rating a story such as this because it seems like an insult to mark it out of five. Still it has taken me a lot longer than some misery memoirs I have read in the past.

Started 5th March
Finished 17th March

Bel-Ami - Guy De Maupassant 1885* * * * *

A first book from this writer for me, but it definitely won't be my last. A wonderful portrayal of 19th century Paris and the ruthless, money-grabbing chauvinist that is Georges Duroy a.k.a Bel-Ami to his friends and many adoring mistresses. Maupassant has an amazing way of capturing Paris through his writing and when reading about his walks up and down various streets at night one could almost make believe that you were there too. His writing style is exquisite and the story is one of the best satires about a corrupt social-climbing manipulator that I have ever read.
Amazing.

Started 1st March
Finished 9th March

The Chocolate Run - Dorothy Koomson 2004* * * *

I'd never heard of this writer before until a good friend recommended her and I sped through this book. This was incredibly easy to read and I found that I really cared about the main character and what happened to her from beginning until end, however I did manage to guess the big 'secret' way before the finish but all the same a fun read.

Started 2nd March
Finished 5th March

Intimate Adventures of an Office Girl - Sienna Lewis 2009* * * * *

I thoroughly enjoyed this account of an office girls' exploration into one night stands, sex clubs and 'uncomplicated' flings. Written in a very real and very refreshing way, Sienna manages to pull the reader straight into her life and witness her failings at finding 'the one.'
Great Read.

Started 1st March
Finished 3rd March

Please don't make me go - John Fenton 2009- * * * *

This story really touched a nerve. I'm not sure if it was the way the boy had been brought up to believe that violence was a normal part of life, or the fact he was so religious despite all the trauma he went through including being sexually abused and beaten and caned by the sadistic Brothers at his school - St Vincent's.
Written in a very easy style to read I skimmed through this book in no time.

Started 23rd February
Finished 26th February

Evil Psychopaths - Gordan Kerr 2009* * * *

I have quite a few books based around this subject but am always on the look out for more and so I was pleased to find this in my library. It covers quite few killers that I've heard of already and know of quite well but also shows a few lesser known characters who have the ability to shock and disgust all the readers.
A good book but with some obvious mistakes such as spelling.

Started 22nd February
Finished 26th February

The Most Evil Women in History - Shelley Klein 2003 * * * *

This book had it's good and bad parts. The selection of women was interesting and there were a few that I hadn't heard of which is very rare for me. However a few of the women mentioned at the beginning of the book were simply double acts to their powerful husbands and were drunk on the power of what he could do instead of being ruthless killing machines themselves. There will always be a difference on opinion on books like this as certain people find certain female killers worse than others and so the definative list will never be 'correct.'
Each woman however was covered with a lot of information and each of their stories was interesting/gruesome to the extreme.

Started 19th February
Finished 23rd February

Don't Tell Mummy - Toni Maguire 2007* * * *

I devoured this book in just over a day. I simply could not stop reading it and finding myself moved beyond belief. When Toni is questioned about her father's actions by the police they actually ask her if she enjoyed what he did to her because she had not mentioned what was happening for so many years! How depraved is that in a society where the police are supposed to help and support instead of patronise and insult the victims.
Spell-binding read.

Started 17th Febraury
Finished 18th February

Mummy Knew - Lisa James 2009* * *

Another vile and depraved story about a girl who is sexually abused by her father with her mother's full knowledge. How a mother can literally sit back and let something like this happen is beyond belief. Her claims were that he would 'take it out on her if he didn't get what he wanted from Lisa' when in reality a normal and sane person would have run to the police taking her little girl with her to get away from this monster.

Started 12th February
Finished 15th February

Punished - Vanessa Steel 2009* * * *

An absolutely disgusting and heartbreaking story of a little girl who is abused systematically first by her mother and then by her grandfather while her mother does nothing. These books really do draw me in and I can't stop reading them for their dreadful stories.
Had me on the edge of my seat as I read.

Started 11th February
Finished 12th February

Remember Me? - Sophie Kinsella 2008* * * *

Totally hilarious as always, Sophie Kinsella is one of my favourite chick lit writers and everytime she brings out a new book I have to read it. This was particularly funny based around a woman who wakes up after a night out and finds that time has gone forward by years and years and that she is married! The only problem is she has no idea who her husband is or why all of her best friends from work suddenly hate her guts.
Quick to read and very very funny.

Started 10th February
Finished 11th February

Derailed - James Siegel 2003* * * *

I saw the film of 'Derailed' ages ago and thought it was pretty good. Seeing that this was the debut novel from James Siegel I thought I would check this out too and see how different the two were. I found myself gripped and mesmerised by the story. It is brilliantly written and very easy to get through, and I found myself staying up late and waking up early this weekend to read more and more. Compelling and exciting. Started 5th February Finished 7th February

Silenced - Vicky Jaggers 2009 * * * *

I finished this book today and so far I have read this and Escaping Daddy in two days. I am ashamed (is that the right word?) to say I'm addicted to these books. I really don't know why but as you read them you feel like everything is much better in your life even though that's a dreadful way to look at these stories. They are also terribly frustrating because you know how differently you would do things if you were in that situation which is quite upsetting as you are reading. However another well written account.

Started and finished 5th February

Escaping Daddy - Maria Landon 2008 * * *

This was yet again a pretty gastly story, although it was so easy to read that I finished it in one day. Maria's story was dreadful, being abused by her father and then finding out that she really had no alternative than to go back to him when she had no where else to go. The writing flowed well and I was totally engrossed.

Started and Finished 4th February

Lucky Jim - Kingsley Amis 1954* * * * *

What can I say about Lucky Jim? It really incapsulates the feeling of a 1960's college and Amis's writing is absolutely hilarious. Dixon is the most peculiar yet lovable character that I have read for a long time, you can't decide whether to find him a rude and arrogant chauvanist (he isn't interested in women who don't have a perfect figure or face) or feel incredibly sorry for him as he tries desperately to cling onto his job after mishap after mishap takes place. Having seen the hilarious film starring Ian Carmichael as Jim I could not help but place parts of what I was reading back into the movie, especially Dixon's encounters with Bertrand (who Terry Thomas played with jest and humour). This book will never be a chore to read and I ended up trying to slow myself down towards the end because I didn't want it all to be over.

Started 29th January
Finished 3rd February