Book of the Month - A Pleasure and A Calling - December 2014

The Book 

This is billed as a darkly comic social satire which centres around the life of Mr Heming.

To all intents and purposes, Mr Heming is a mild mannered, polite, discreet estate agent. But underneath the surface he has a dark side and keeps the keys to all the properties he has ever dealt with.

Will the novel keep true to its premise and keep us on the edge of our seats in suspense as we delve deeper his world in small town England?

The Author

Phil Hogan was born in Yorkshire and now lives in Hertfordshire. He is married with four children and has been a journalist and columnist on The Observer for over 20 years. He is also the author of three previous novels and a book of collected columns about family life. 

More Information 

Phil Hogan tweets at: https://twitter.com/philhogan555. Read an interview with the author at: http://simonduringer.com/portfolio/phil-hogan/

Book of the Month - The Cuckoo's Calling - June 2014

The Book

Introducing a new private eye, Cormoran Strike and his sidekick Robin Ellacott this is a thriller about the mysterious death of a young model-actress, Lula Landry. It is a very modern tale set in the world of the paparazzi, the film and entertainment business and featuring London as a brilliant vibrant backdrop.

This book was initially published with little fanfare and only 1,500 copies of the printed book were sold since its release in April 2013 along with a further 7000 copies of the ebook, audiobook and library editions (according to Wikipedia). After the book was revealed on 14 July 2013 to have been written by J K Rowling the book surged from 4,709th to 1st in the bestseller lists on Amazon. What does this tell us about the reading public, publishers and the publishing industry? Will our subsequent knowledge about Rowling's authorship cloud our appreciation for the story regardless of the author? Can author and story always be separated or do they come as a joint package?

The Author
 
As most informed book readers should know, Robert Galbraith is a pseudonym for J K Rowling. She is famously the author of the best selling book series in history, the Harry Potter fantasy series which has sold more than 400 million copies worldwide and which spawned the film franchise that has become the highest grossing film series in history.

Rowling's authorship was revealed in July 2013 and she said that "Being Robert Galbraith has been such a liberating experience… It has been wonderful to publish without hype and expectation and pure pleasure to get feedback under a different name."

The second novel featuring Cormoran Strike, entitled "The Silkwoman" is due to be published in June 2014. Who knows whether after our June meeting we will all be ordering copies of this new book imminently? .

More Information

The author's official website is http://www.robert-galbraith.com/ which includes some questions and answers about the reason for the pseudonym.

Book of the Month - Casino Royale - April 2013

The Book

This is where it all began with the first story featuring James Bond who has gone on to become an icon of British cinema. Casino Royale was first published by Ian Fleming himself in 1952 and went on to spawn 11 books and a highly successful film franchise.

The question is how does this book translate to the screen? Is this a book of its time only or does it speak to the modern world?

The Author

Ian Lancaster Fleming (28 May 1908 – 12 August 1964) was born into a wealthy family connected to banking and politics. He was educated at Eton, Sandhurst and then at universities in Munich
and Geneva. During World War Two, Fleming worked in the British intelligence services, the experience of which subsequently formed the basis for his James Bond novels and the successful James Bond film franchise. Fleming was also the author of the children's story Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. He lived at Goldeneye, his house in the Carribbean and was married to Ann Charteris.  In 2008, "The Times" newspaper Fleming fourteenth on its list of "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945".

More Information

Find out more about Ian Fleming on his offical website - http://www.ianfleming.com

Book of the Month - Misery - January 2013

The Book

What happens when a famous author meets his number one fan? 'Misery' is a tense psychological thriller about the obsessive Annie Wilkes who 'rescues' author Paul Sheldon from a car crash.

From the very beginning, when Paul wakes up, disoriented and in excrutiating pain with broken legs in Annie's secluded house, the story spirals into an intensely plotted examination of a captivity Sherarazade scenario.

The Author

Stephen King is a prolific American author of horror, thrillers, suspense and fantasy novels. He has written more than 50 novels, selling more than 350 million copies making King one of the world's most successful authors.

Many of his books have been adapted into films, including "Carrie", "The Shawshank Redemption", "The Green Mile", "The Shining" (which will be followed by a new sequel, "Doctor Sleep", to be published in 2013). "Misery" itself was made into a successful film starring Kathy Bates and James Caan in 1990.

Bio.com describes King as "a quiet man with a grotesque imagination, considered the most talented master of the macabre since Edgar Allan Poe."

More Information

Stephen King's official website is: http://www.stephenking.com/index.html

Book of the Month - The Snowman - December 2012

The Book
'The Snowman' is number seven in a series of crime thrillers featuring Detective Harry Hole. From the sounds of this novel, you might not sleep easy in your bed given that Hole, a likeable, rugged but flawed detective, is on the hunt of a serial killer who always leaves a trademark behind - a snowman. The book has been described as "one of the most unnerving novels about a serial killer".

The Author
A Norwegian, Jo Nesbo was born and lives in Oslo. He is a graduate of the Norwegian School of Economics and was a journalist and stockbroker before turning to writing. Nesbo has been touted by the book industry as 'the next Stieg Larsson' - see what you think yourself....

More Information
Visit Jo Nesbo's UK website at: http://www.jonesbo.co.uk/

Book of the Month - Before I Go To Sleep - July 2012

The Book

What would happen if you didn't have any memories of who you are and what you've done the day before or in the days previously? What if each day you wake up not remembering how old you are or who your partner is?

S J Watson uses this scenario as the basis for his first novel, a thriller about a woman with amnesia which has quickly become a bestseller.

Is this book the compelling page turner that reviews suggest or does the plot fall short? Find out by joining us at our discussion about the book on Thursday 12 July!

The Author

Steven 'S. J.' Watson was born in Stourbridge, West Midlands. He graduated in Physics from Birmingham University and then worked in the NHS as an audiology specialist, while writing in his spare time. He then enrolled on the Faber Academy creative writing course where he was introduced to a top literary agent, Clare Conville who agreed to represent him. Buoyed by her advice, he sent out his manuscript which was quickly snapped up by publishers Transworld and is now being made into a Hollywood film directed by Roland Joffe and starring Nicole Kidman.

More Details

Find out more about the book and the author at http://www.sjwatson-books.com/ and find out how Richard and Judy Book Club members rated the book at: http://www.richardandjudy.co.uk/books/Before-I-Go-To-Sleep/172