Two Book Reviews

I haven't managed to write anything myself for a while, but here are some books written by others that I have thoroughly enjoyed reading.

I have recently read two books which I found were real “page turners”. Quite by coincidence, they follow a similar theme in both being about a person raising the ghosts of the past at the behest of someone else. That, though, is where the similarity ends.

Past Imperfect by Julian Fellowes - perhaps better known as the actor who played Lord Kilwillie in “Monarch of the Glen”, and wrote the screenplay of “Gosford Park” - tells the poignant stories of six women who were part of the glamorous London Season of 1968. Julian effortlessly evokes the customs and snobberies of this upper-class world in which he himself grew up, and in which anyone who was not of the right social calibre would remain for ever an outsider.
(ISBN 978 0 7538 2541 9)

If I Never, a first novel by Gary William Murning, tells a tender, romantic tale amid crime, drugs and violence in an un-named northern town. It is not the sort of book one would normally expect a Vicar to recommend, and is not for those who are squeamish about bad language and graphic images. However, it is a riveting read. Gary, whom I know personally, is not from Julian’s privileged background but is very much a gentleman; yet he still brings vividly to life the sort of world that, mercifully, neither he nor most of his readers have experienced at first hand. (ISBN 978 7 9065581 4 7)

"If I Never"

This is the "blurb" for novel written by a friend of mine, Gary Murning.

"Price is used to living within the shadow of threatening friend George - forever in the fear that not to follow his lead will end with a beating. However, new developments mean his life finally seems to be moving from the dormant and gaining some positive development. Before long, though, George is back and Price finds himself following his friend once more. But this time it is different - secrets are discovered, decisions are to be made and life and perspective will never be the same again. "If I Never" is a novel about asking questions but being unsure if you want to know the answers."

It is to be published at the end of August by Legend Press Ltd and can be pre-ordered on http://tinyurl.com/mklp6e from www.amazon.co.uk

ISBN-10: 1906558140
ISBN-13: 978-1906558147

Gary is a very talented new author, with a lively mind and fantastic perception of the human condition. From extracts that I have read of his writing, I can't wait for this book to come out - I'm sure that it will be wonderful read!