The glorious M.C. Beaton has done it again with Beating About the Bush  – a blisteringly funny teasing mystery, with the redoubtable Agatha Raisin blundering around, offending willy nilly and not caring. I adore this woman, and as always, as I read, I know I have met my disgruntled soul mate, or has Beaton has been peeping through my curtains?

Listen a moment: you know you buy those Christmas presents that you wish you’d bought for yourself? Well, buy this and a second for that sensible person who – Snakes and b…….s – adores our Aggie too.

Agatha is known for her repetitions, as am I. One of Agatha’s is to shout every time she passes woodland in a car. ‘That’s a good place to dump a body.’ It drives everyone mad, as it drives my family mad when I say, ‘Should we have taken that turning? Just asking.’

Agatha is not alone in her predilection, for the police find elderly Mrs Dunwiddy in the woodland next to the road leading out of Mircester.

Of course our Cotswold resident, Agatha, runs her own investigation, digging deep, heeldless of bosses, Russians, and the sensitivities of those around her.  And let us not forget her complicated love life.. And what is going to happen between her and Sir Charles Frith?

Oh lord, what a treat, what a fabulous read, what laughs, what larks, what charm, what naughtiness. I love this woman. Read it, give it, let others share in this crazy Agatha Raisin world.

Beating About the Bush by M.C. Beaton hb £18.99  pub Constable.

Annie Clarke’s latest novel Heroes on the Home Front is out now.

Snap Dragon by Drumond Park is my sort of game, eh, I mean my grandson’s sort of game. Well he needs someone to play with doesn’t he? And this is such fun.

It centres around a big purple dragon. Each player takes it in turn to throw a die, and then pull on the dragon’s tongue to see if he snaps at them. If he doesn’t, you gain a gold coin, but if he does, you lose one.

Simple, no complicated rules and lots of excitement. I find my adrenaline levels shoot up more than my grandson’s as I pull on that scary tongue, wondering whether those big teeth will snap shut or not.  Recommended ages: fours years old to very big kids.

RSP £22.99  Stockists include; Smyths, Argos, Amazon, Entertainer, John Lewis and Independents

And for slightly bigger ‘children’ (recommended from five plus years old), Pile Up Pirates has a similar element of raucousness and laughter to Snap Dragons. With all the TV series and films, pirates are as popular today as they were in my childhood and this game is simple and visual – maximum fun with minimum effort – I love it.

It consists of a small pirate boat and a jolly pirate standing on a wobbly deck, holding a plank above his head. The players need to balance more little pirates on more planks one on top of the other, all above the first one. Eventually the inevitable will happen, and they will all come tumbling down. The trick is not to let the boat deck wobble. But who will place the last pirate before disaster strikes?

RSP £12.99  Stockists include; Amazon, Argos, Shop Direct and John Lewis

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

Having two grandsons, I’m always looking for novel toys and Build A Johnny Tractor is a delight.  It makes a lovely free-rolling push-along for the seven-month old, in cheery colours and big friendly eyes on the windscreen. However, for my older, pre-school grandson, who loves to copy Daddy and Grandad when they have their toolboxes out, it is a dream. The tractor comes with, guess what, an electric drill (albeit a safe plastic version of the real thing). However it really works, and has two bits, which your child can use to take the whole tractor apart. The wheels come off and the body takes apart. Then he can use the power drill once more to build it back together again. How do they think of such great toys? The drill is powered by two AA batteries and the individual pieces are chunky, to make it easy for little hands to assemble.

At just RSP £24.99 I think this is a brilliant toy for youngsters.  Stockists include; The Entertainer, Smyths, Argos, Amazon, John Lewis, Debenhams and Dunelm

Aquadoodle mats are great fun for all ages – such a simple but effective idea. A mat, printed in various designs and a special pen – that’s it – easy storage and easy to take in the car or on holiday.

You just fill the pen with water and your child draws on the mat.  That’s it. The marks show up in bright colours when your child draws, but fade away completely as the mat dries – so they can start again. No mess, no so-difficult-to-remove- felt tip crayon marks. A parent’s dream.  There are various different mats available – Aqua Splash N Print is a large mat with stampers, to introduce even your youngest to making marks and creating shapes; there are various themed mats (some which are incorporated into a bag for easy transport), such as Peppa Pig, Disney cars and My Little Pony; and then specialist Aquadoodles such as  the Dress Designer. However the one I road-tested was the My ABC Doodle. Fabulous for four to five year-olds, the mat has pre-printed alphabet letters and numbers for your child to trace over, plus separate plain areas for free drawing (see the illustration). What a fun way to learn. And if you need more special pens, these can be bought separately too.

RSP £19.99 Stockists include; Argos, Smyths, Amazon, Entertainer and Shop Direct

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

All too rarely I find a novel I cannot put down, take everywhere with me, want to turn the pages but don’t want it to finish. This is just such a one, and from a debut author too, whose actual past is that of a detective in the Criminal Investigation Branch of the New Zealand Police.

The body of a woman has been found on a pristine New Zealand beach – over a decade after she was murdered.

Detective Matt Buchanan of the Auckland Police is certain it carries all the hallmarks of an unsolved crime he investigated 12 years ago: when Samantha Coates walked out one day and never came home.

Re-opening the case, Buchanan begins to piece the terrible crimes together, setting into motion a chain of events that will force him to the darkest corners of society – and back into his deepest obsession…

Shortlisted for the Ngaio Marsh Best Crime Novel of the Year award, The Sound of Her Voice is a brilliantly gripping crime thriller, and is  elevated above the herd by Blackwell’s empathetic portrayal of Matt, the protagonist, a detective who succumbs to the stress of all that he has to see, and FEEL as he works the crimes. The good people get killed, not the bad it seems to him. The perpetrators are not caught, or get off. It’s too much. He leaves the force, flies a plane, until he feels moved to return.

Why? Because he has unfinished business.

This is that rare beast,  a quality crime novel, which in many pays put me in mind of the great Peter Temple.

The author has lived this procedural police world. Is this that allows him to portray so empathetically and to such great effect the psychological stresses that go with the job? t Will solving this latest crime lead him not only to the killer of both women, but release him from the grip of the past?

At times bleak, disturbing, it is always involving, always impressive, and as full of twists as any good crime novel should be. What’s more the characters develop, live and breathe, which sounds simple to achieve, but it darned well isn’t. Go well written into the bargain.

Well done Orion, for publishing Nathan Blackwell. Just let me know when the next one is published.

And most of all: bravo Nathan Blackwell. More please.

Everyone – buy this book. Fabulous, Fantastic.

The Sound of her Voice by Nathan Blackwell. pb £14.99 Audio and Kindle.

Margaret Graham, writing as Annie Clarke: Heroes on the Home Front (Arrow)

The perfect cup of coffee or tea in the morning can set the mood for the rest of your day.  Capsulier’s well designed capsules are mess-free, and preserve the aroma and flavour of your favourite coffee. They are easy to use and can be used time and time again. Remember tjhat – time and time again.

Importantly in this day and age, Capsulier is the World’s first single-push, reusable, mess-free capsule maker. It allows you to craft a coffee capsule that’s easy on the environment and your pocket. Simply load roasted and ground beans into the Capsulier, close the lid, and push the lever – you’ll have a capsule ready for use in seconds.

The Capsulier LITE is a stainless-steel capsule that’s reusable, which means you can create your own custom blends in pods that are eco-friendly, easy to clean and economical.

Here at Frost Magazine we are martyrs  to a fresh cup of coffee but it’s full on, and there’s not time for nipping out and topping ourselves us, so these pod-based coffees do seem a great alternative to expensive high-street coffee without any of the of the chalky bitterness of instant. With Capsulier, you can create your own custom blend  with beans and spices of your choosing. Capsulier streamlines capsule creation and features a removable drip tray to keep this stainless-steel design in pristine condition throughout its use.

Reusable pods mean that once you’ve invested in a Capsulier, you can reduce waste by reusing pods. The stainless steel pods are reusable and washable, each pod should last the lifetime of your machine. So there we have it: no waste and good coffee. What’s not to like?

The Capsulier Lite costs £99 from Amazon

Halloween seems to have come of age. No longer the preserve of the US, we in the UK have adopted it with a passion.

Children’s fancy dress has long been in the shops and clubs and bars are advertising themed nights, but what if you want a not such a quiet night in with friends?

For those who would like to throw a Halloween Celebration at home Laithwaites have come up trumps with two wines that will not chill your blood or your wallet.

The aptly named Waxed Bat 2019 is a blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz from Argentina and is a full- bodied young wine with a depth of colour.

On the nose the spice comes through, along with Blackberries and liquorice and on the palate the rounded tannins offset the peppery blackberry flavours. Waxed Bat would be perfect with a rich meat dish or some mature cheese.

The finely drawn label on Red Head’s 2018 Night of the Living Red is bound to be a conversation topic, even before the bottle has been opened. A male torso with open Thorax and heart replaced by a bunch of red grapes. It is as beautiful as it is macabre.

Night of the Living Red comes from Australia and is a full bodied (all puns intended) blend of Durif Petite Sirah), Shiraz and Touriga (said to be one of Portugal’s finest grapes) and definitely a wine that grabs you by the throat (I mean this in a good way).

Night of the Living Red is aptly named as the wine is almost inky black with spice, big autumn fruits, raspberry and vanilla oak on the nose.

A mouthful of this velvety wine delivers firm tannins and generous ripe fruit that has a long finish.

There is sufficient age in the bottle to keep until 2029 providing that is, you can resist the temptation.

Laithwaite’s RedHeads Night Of The Living Red 2018, £19.99

Women Who Write

Women Who Write was formed in July to reach out to people to try to help combat isolation.  Helen realised that there was an opportunity to make a difference with residents in Burnham on Sea and Wells care homes, some who unfortunately do not always have regular contact with people from outside the home and often the only mail they receive is brown envelopes or medical appointments. Helen and other volunteers thought that it would be nice for them to receive a good old-fashioned hand-written letter or card in the post.

Women who Write currently correspond with 4 homes in Burnham on Sea and are in discussion with Burnham on Sea Hospital. They hope to have the opportunity to engage with some mental health units in the near future.

The volunteer writers choose the type of correspondence they feel most comfortable with for example postcards, cards or short letters. One has begun writing poetry and includes a scented napkin in with it.  There is even a ghost writer who captures the adventures of Mati the dog, the residents eagerly await the latest story. But most of the fantastic ladies just write about what they have been up to that day. The sort of letter, card that one would write to a friend. In fact, one of the homes has joined in writing correspondence too, one resident is enjoying writing out some of her husband’s poetry.

As well as local writers, the women also have correspondence being mailed from Lincolnshire and Cumbria. Some very lovely letters have been well received as has exquisite pieces of origami. A local art group Create You, has been donating some artwork and handmade cards for the ladies to use.

The latest inquiry has been from Tony Fisher from Derbyshire who is, with Art Council funding, working on a Loneliness and Isolation project. He was coming to Burnham on sea to have a look at the chat bench and came across the WWW. The Ladies were more than happy to meet with him and talk about what they are doing. Tony took the opportunity to grab a photograph of our volunteers Tony will be returning to meet some of the recipients to find out exactly what it means to them to receive their correspondence.

Helen expressed how fantastic it is seeing this project grow. The youngest writer is 7 years old and is sure to brighten up everyone’s day when they read about her day. The oldest writer is 99 years young. The project benefits volunteers as much as recipients. Julie B who hesitantly started writing poetry only a few months ago has since performed her poetry live at a local arts and music festival. Several contributors say how much they enjoy just taking some time out of their day to sit and write, especially as they know the difference their letters and cards make.

Helen explained that if anyone would like to get involved and that can include gentlemen too, the women would love to have them on board. There is no need for regular commitment, just write as and when you can.  Just start your correspondence with an ‘Hello’ or ‘Dear Reader’ and leave a couple of inches space at the bottom of the correspondence after your name / initials so we can add our return address stickers. If you are using an envelope, please do not seal it.

Correspondence can be left at the St Andrew’s church (box on the left just inside the door) or sent to the vicarage – Women Who Write, The Vicarage, 38 Rectory Road, Burnham-on-Sea TA8 1AZ and distribution will be taken care of. Women who write are running a few  letter writing sessions. combining letters for ‘from me to you’ which is a cancer charity and letters for WWW too. it will give the volunteers a chance to meet each other and give some of those who are not sure what to write some advice. the first session will be at St Andrew’s Church next Wednesday 23rd 12.30 – 2.30

Here is some of the feedback that has been received;

“We have had residents sitting down for hours talking to each other about their postcards and many of them are already excited to receive their next postcard.”

“One of our residents, who has dementia, had such a lovely smile after receiving one of the cards. She was so contented and pleased while I read out the message to her and we looked and chatted about the picture on the postcard.”

Correspondence can be left at the St Andrew’s church (box on the left just inside the door) or sent to the vicarage – Women Who Write, The Vicarage, 38 Rectory Road, Burnham-on-Sea TA8 1AZ

Articulate! Phrases by Drumond Park is a fun game for a gathering of friends or family. Perfect for any holiday season. The beauty is, it’s played as two teams, and between four and twenty or more players can all play at once, so great for a crowd. And it can get pretty raucous.  With elements of charades and Catch-Phrase the aim is simply for each team to get around the board first. However, to progress, they must guess the well-known phrases which members of their team describe to them – and they must beat the clock.

The game has 500 phrase cards covering 3,000 topics, and real enthusiasts can even buy an extra card set, so it will keep giving for years. Recommended age is 12 years and up. So if you love using phrases such as ‘Shaken but not stirred’ or ‘Don’t rock the boat’ this game could be for you. I can see it becoming very addictive.

RSP £32.99  Stockists include; Amazon, Argos, WHSmith, Entertainer and Independents

And if younger members want to join in the fun, how about Puff Ball? Recommended age is 6+ years, but I think there’ll be plenty of ‘big kids’ elbowing the youngsters out of the way for this game.  Fortunately, two or more participants can play at once.

The game consists of cups which are linked by special connecters to create unique tracks. A ball is placed in the first cup and then the player needs to blow the ball into the next cup, and so on. The first player to get the ball into the last cup of the track is the winner.

There are four different Puff Ball sets – from Level 1 (starter) to Level 4 (extreme). Level 1 includes four cups, plus a bridge and a hoop for special stunt shots.  At the other extreme, Level 4 contains twenty-two cups plus lots of stunts, such as the seesaw, the staircase and the ski jump. Each player can design their own track but their tracks must each contain the same number of cups and stunts to make the race fair.

RSP £9.99 Level 1;  £14.99 Level 2;  £19.99 Level 3;  £24.99 Level 4.

Stockists include; Amazon, Smyths, Entertainer, Argos, Tesco, Shop Direct, John Lewis and Independents

By Dr K Thompson, author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q

http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.