It’s a growing trend to  place the care of children at the heart of a thriller as it seems a good way to get  the reader to care quickly about the characters. Here is one which considers the relationship between mother and child.

The NIght Olivia Fell by Christina McDonald

It’s every parent’s worst nightmare – to be woken in the middle of the night to hear your child has been in a terrible accident and is now on life support. But then Abi finds that her sensible, hardworking daughter is three months pregnant and she didn’t really know what was going on in Olivia’s life at all. How did Olivia get those unexplained bruises on her wrists, and did she really fall?

The story alternates between Abi in the present, trying desperately to find out what had happened in her daughter’s life and to convince the police to investigate her death, and Olivia in the recent past leading up to the accident. The author brilliantly balances the revelations in each half of the plot, which moves swiftly and it is written with great confidence for a debut novel. The relationship between Abi and her daughter, in particular the difficulty of being a single parent with a single child, is beautifully drawn and I felt all the characters were well-rounded and believable.

A really good story that gets you thoroughly involved.

HarperCollins pb £7.99

Blackberrying is one of those beloved childhood memories involving innocent sunlit days, sometimes real and sometimes acquired from The Famous Five or Milly Molly Mandy. It harks back, as they say, to simpler times.

But whilst most of us would still feel confident about taking our children out to harvest a free crop of bramble fruit, there are a lot more great foods to be foraged out there that could turn a family walk into a treasure hunt.

This lovely book lists thirty edible plants in seasonal order, most of which are commonly found in parks, hedgerows and woodlands. Each one has a really clear description of the different parts of the plant, illustrated with both photographs and drawings, making identification easy. Plus a recipe or two so you know what to do with your finds. Fancy homemade hazelnut chocolate spread or wild garlic bread? Elderflower shortbread or a wild cherry ice lolly?

David Hamilton, a gardening journalist and expert forager manages to get just the correct tone; the right language for a child to read it but without any hint of being patronising or annoying for the adult reader. All in all the perfect book to get a family of the sofa, out of the house, and exploring the great outdoors.

White Lion Publishing £16.99

Call Me Vicky  at The Pleasance Theatre, London  “I want to know more about this world and these people”

 ‘Based entirely on a true story’ makes for an interesting tale, but does it transform into an entrancing theatrical event? Ever so nearly!

Call Me Vicky is a part of the You Will Know Their Names New Writing Season at The Pleasance. The one-act play is about a young man in the 1980s, Martin, who has always known that he is a woman and is soon to undergo the full NHS treatment to become his true self: Vicky. In the meantime, we see his loving working class mother, Sylvie, so accepting and understanding, coping stoically with her child’s transitioning. Wendi Peters plays the part to perfection, handling the comedy and the pathos so gently that one feels her part is woefully underwritten. Maybe the whole tale is too obviously through Vicky’s eyes, whereas a different challenge would be to see Martin’s situation through the mother.

[Wendi Peters as Sylvie]

Martin/Vicky is played by Matt Greenwood, full of nuances and quirks, and, one would assume, having the shoulders upon which the play rests. Not quite. Luckily for him, not only does he have Wendi Peters, but Ben Welch – a gruff, loveable bear of a transvestite, singing, flirting with the audience and ad-libbing his way through the few sticky patches in the cabaret.

[Ben Welch as Fat Pearl]

Writers Nicola Bland and Stacey Victoria Bland both play fellow strugglers in this put-upon world, Debbie and Gabby respectively. Both have their own problems, both acting as useful devices in showing the huge heart and love for others that Vicky possesses.

[Matt Greenwood as Vicky]

A romantic twist occurs with the arrival of Sid, played by Adam Young. A gay punk who, not only plays against type, but genuinely stands by Vicky – there is so much that is tantalising about Sid’s story, too, that I feel director and dramaturg Victoria Gimby’s focus on telling Vicky’s truth, means the others have been left behind – they are all fascinating characters in a harsh world and somehow I felt short-changed. The actors are ultimately let down by a story, even if it is true, that is a little bit monochrome.

[Adam Young as Sid]

Wonderfully designed by Martha Hegarty, in what is a difficult space – far wider than it is deep – the play fair zips along, but I want to know more about this world and these people.

Photographer           Fabio Santos

Producer                  Post-It Productions

Playwrights              Stacey Victoria Bland and Nicola Bland

Director                    Victoria Gimby

Set Designer            Martha Hegarty

Venue                      Pleasance Theatre, North Road, London N7 9EF

Tube                         Caledonian Road (Piccadilly Line)

Performances          until Saturday 9th March 2019

Times                       8pm Tuesday to Saturday, 6pm Sundays

(3.30pm Saturday 9th March)

Tickets                     from £12

Box Office                www.pleasance.co.uk and 020 7609 1800

Running Time          75 minutes (no interval)

Twitter                                 @callmevickyplay, @ThePleasance, #CallMeVicky

Age                          14+

To cheer us all up as we end winter 2019 Frost Magazine is thrilled to publish Jan’s account of her wonderful holiday taken at about this time last year – to cheer us all up as we end the 2019 winter.  Over to Jan.

On a cold and icy day in March I leave Heathrow bound for Dubai, the first leg of my journey to Australia.  I meet up with my friend, Georgina, who had flown in from Newcastle.   Together we fly on to our stop over in Singapore.

As we leave Singapore’s Changi Airport, we notice that it has warmed up, it’s about 33 degrees. Never mind it’s a wonderful change from the freezing weather we left behind.

Singapore is a lovely clean, orderly city sitting very near the equator so hot and humid. After a good night’s sleep we are off on a tour of the city starting at the Botanical Gardens and it’s amazing displays of orchids, past Raffles (which is closed for refurbishment) so no ’Singapore Sling’ for me and on to the Gardens by the Bay with its iconic hotel with a swimming pool built across of the hotel pillars.

Singapore River

 Our hotel is situated near the river and we are able to wander along taking in the local sights, restaurants and China Town which is decorated to celebrate the Chinese New Year.  Next stop is Melbourne.

At Melbourne airport we are met by James, our tour guide for the next 21 days. Following a tour of the city to orientate us we book into our hotel.   During the next 2 days we discover the Victoria Market, the Botanical Gardens, Federation Square, the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the Rod Laver Arena, St Kilda and Port Melbourne and the wonderful free trams to ride on round the city and save our legs. We treat ourselves to a lovely dinner on the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant which winds its way around Melbourne and St Kilda while we eat a delicious dinner. We also visit the penguins on Phillip Island; they look so small and cuddly as they make their way up the beach to their night burrows. Melbourne is a friendly and interesting city.

Our next flight is only one and half hours to Adelaide and a half hour time change. Once again we have a tour of the city to orientate us but due to the ‘Festival of Light’ the city is very busy. Today is a leisure day so we decide to take the tram to the beach. Glenelg beach is about a 40 minute tram ride from Adelaide centre through the outskirts of the city. We discover a beautiful sandy beach with lots going on. The local youngsters are engaged in surf board racing in the bay. Bravely we don our swimming gear and take to the waters for a welcome swim.  A quick coffee and cake and we make our way back to the city centre to explore the Festival of Light. Lots of the parks and buildings around Adelaide are lit by coloured laser lights and loud music filters out from various venues around the city.

Glenelg Beach

 The following morning we head for the Ghan train for our overnight journey to Alice Springs.  The Ghan is one of the world’s most iconic train journeys. A journey to the heart of Australia’s outback. We settled into our comfortable twin cabin with en-suite shower and air conditioning. There is a large seating

Area to relax in and enjoy a drink before meals in the excellent restaurant. The next morning at 5.45am we climb down from the train to witness the sunrise and early breakfast before continuing our journey to Alice Springs.

The Ghan and lounge area

While we are in Alice Springs we visit The School of the Air, teaching school children in outlying homesteads, The Royal Flying Doctor service and the old Telegraph Station who care for the Outback’s medical needs and emergencies. We also visit The Western MacDonnell Ranges: Ormiston Gorge, Standley Chasm and Ellery Creek all spiritual and ‘dreaming places’ of the Aborigines.

The following day we have a 6 hour coach journey to Uluru. An air conditioned coach and a ‘comfort stop’ with a collection of camels and emus to look at all makes the long journey reasonable.

As we travel round Uluru (Ayres Rock) resort we see the amazing rock formations in their deep earth red colour. The main formations are Ayres Rock, Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) all sacred to the Aboriginal culture. In the evening we go the watch the sun set over Ayres Rock, a beautiful sight.  It is a short stay in Uluru – Cairns is our next stop.

After a 2 hour 30 minute flight from Uluru we arrive in Cairns. We book into our hotel on the sea front overlooking the picturesque Esplanade with a lagoon for a quick swim.  We spend the rest of the day exploring the resort and are fascinated by the large fruit bats hanging in the trees waiting for their evening flight. The following morning we embark on the high speed catamaran to the Marine World platform at the outer reef of the Great Barrier Reef. From the platform Georgina and I take a short helicopter ride and see the amazing colours of the reef below us. Once safely back on the platform there is scuba diving and snorkelling to enjoy plus a glass bottom boat and a Helmet dive to watch the wonders under the sea.

On our second day in Cairns we take a trip to Kuranda a town above the rainforest. Before joining the Sky Gondola we visit the Aboriginal Tjapukai Centre and learn more about Aboriginal customs and learn how to throw a boomerang (well try anyway). On the Sky Gondola we ride over the rainforest to Kuranda and explore the town and even get to hold a Koala bear.  Mid afternoon we make our way to the Kuranda Scenic Railway to make our way back to Cairns on this classic locomotive. This amazing engineering feat was opened in 1891 to help improve transport for the growing workforce involved in gold mining in the hills.

Now it is time to move on to Sydney with its famous Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House. Our hotel Room has a fantastic view of the harbour and our window sill is visited by colourful Lorikeets hoping for biscuits crumbs. The following day we have a sightseeing tour of Sydney visiting Bondi Beach for a quick paddle, Hyde Park, Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, The Royal Botanic Gardens then on to a lunchtime cruise round the harbour. In the evening we have booked seats to see La Traviata by Verdi at the Opera House – a wonderful experience. Great, it is a freedom day, unfortunately the weather has changed and it’s raining! We walk across the bridge from our hotel and climb one of the pylons giving us a wonderful view over the whole city and harbour. Circular Quay is our next stop and we take the ferry to Manly Beach and find time to do some souvenir shopping. With the change in the weather the ferry across the harbour is rough and exciting.  This is our last evening with our group so we gather for a farewell drink before our fellow travellers depart to make their way home by various routes – Hong Kong, Bangkok or Singapore.  We have chosen Hong Kong for our stop off before our holiday/TOUR finishes.

On our arrival in Hong Kong we are amazed at the high rise blocks of offices and apartments all squeeze in to small spaces on Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. A sightseeing tour is on the agenda for the next day. We ride on a sampan round part of the harbour seeing the boat people, visit a jewellery factory, Stanley Market, Repulse Bay and Victoria Peak where we travel down on the Funicular Railway.  There is so much to see in such small space.  On our final day we take ferries to Discovery Bay, a complete change from bustling Kowloon and Hong Kong Island; quiet and peaceful and home to ex pats enjoying life in Hong Kong.

This tour of Australia has been an amazing experience thanks to the enthusiasm and knowledge of our tour leader who enjoys showing off his country. We flew many miles and enjoyed 8 hotels and an amazing train journey.  The jet lag has now faded but the memories and photos remain.

Just remember this was a TOUR holiday – tiring but great fun.

More information at Distant journeys

I seem to be morphing into my mother … I’ve started using bone china, because she said everything tastes better if one does. So out went the heavy mugs, in come LARGE bone china cups china and saucers, and now I have white bowls and am steadily building up my collection. What’s more, my mother was right, as I now realise she was about so many things.

My youngest daughter came to stay, and started to ridicule my cups and saucers until she realised that I was right, just this once. Bone china does make all the difference.

My mum, and daughter would be interested to see that Wedgwood have introduced a tableware collection – Vera Wang Perfect White – a timeless collection of translucent fine white bone china that is ideal for both casual and formal entertaining. Vera Wang believes in using good china every day, like me, and her Perfect White design, with its chic simplicity and adaptability, represents a modern interpretation of the classics.

Vera Wang Perfect White continues Wedgwood’s partnership with international designer Vera Wang, who has designed tableware, crystal, stemware, barware, flatware and giftware for Wedgwood since 2002.

The Vera Wang Perfect White Dinnerware Collection comprises Vera’s signature coupe shapes in fine white bone china that has an incredible translucency and superior strength. Four new tableware configurations are introduced – bowls, plates, small plates and dipping bowls – that reflect the modern trend for sharing food, served with style. To brides, home-owners or passionate foodies, this stylish collection is the perfect canvas for expressing personal style through mixing and matching with the full Vera Wang tableware collection. Sets are presented in a signature Vera Wang Wedgwood gift box making it an ideal bridal gift.

Wedgwood, the iconic premium lifestyle brand, was founded in 1759 by Josiah Wedgwood, not only an astonishing craftsman and potter but also an exceptional pioneer, philanthropist and marketer. With its rich heritage of over 250 years it has become a true British cultural icon and is a testament to British entrepreneurial spirit and craftsmanship. With product and design development continuing in the UK the brand guarantees English authenticity and values.

Founded on the principles of design, quality and innovation Wedgwood makes the highest quality fine bone china dinnerware, tea ware, and iconic Jasper ware as well as beautifully crafted ornamental pieces. Wedgwood’s influence extends into fashion with long standing collaborations with world renowned designers Vera Wang and Jasper Conran.

Today the legacy of Josiah remains as Wedgwood continues to make a lasting impact. Wedgwood was acquired by Fiskars Corporation in 2015 and is now part of Fiskars’ English & Crystal Living Business.

www.wedgwood.co.uk

www.fiskarsgroup.com

Annie Clarke’s novel Girls on the Home Front pub Arrow is out in May.

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Oh yay, the Mini, the most popular British car ever built and a true British icon, celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2019.

I had a Mini called Mabel. It was an estate version. By then I was a mum with four kids at various schools. In we’d pile every morning, and off we’d go, zipping along the dual carriageway into Chester where we lived then. If felt like zipping, because  – well why? Was it just close to the ground, or did it really zip? ‘Him Indoors’ came one day, because his BMW was in for a service. In we all squashed, school bags, school kids, a business man and me. It was like Toad’s family roaring along, being  hooligans, or so said ‘Him Indoors’ gripping the door handle and shrieking to slow down. But I was only doing the speed of the others, and that was under the speed limit. It was just such a joyous zip zip car. I adored it, we all did, and it’s the only car we ever named.

The original Mini ranked fourth in a poll of British design icons organised by the BBC and the Design Museum; it has had starring roles in films like The Italian Job and at the London 2012 Olympic Games; it has gone racing; it has been a troop transporter; and has won the hearts of many millions across the globe for six decades.

Now, the Birmingham-built classic is the inspiration for a new series of arresting pop art-style art works launched by world-leading art agency, Thomas Crown Art (TCA).

International art dealer at TCA, Stephen Howes, comments: “The Mini, the greatest success story that the British motor industry has ever known, was never meant to be an icon. 

“It was meant to be practical and efficient.”

He continues: “But with its unconventional looks, its daring-to-be-different charm, its personality, and its design, the Mini was cool from the very beginning. 

“From the moment it was launched in 1959, there was a coolness about it that has endured and undoubtedly grown over the last six decades.

“It’s place as a true, mould-breaking British icon was cemented in the epicentre of the Swinging Sixties and has been galvanised in the 21st century’s Cool Britannia movement.”

Oh, Mr Howes, if only I’d known all this, I could have refuted the Toad hooligan label with aplomb, and I never realised I was, ,for once in my life, ‘COOL’.

Mr Howes goes on to add: “How could we not celebrate this timeless, fun-loving legend as it prepares to celebrate its diamond anniversary? And who better than Birmingham-born artist Gary O’Neil?

“These bright, arresting, highly original and collectable mixed-media pieces encapsulate the spirit of the Mini. They have an electrifying sense of freshness about them and have their origins in the 1960s pop art scene.”

For his part, artist Gary O’Neil, explains: “Like a lot of people, I’m quite nostalgic about the Mini. My parents owned several, and I had one for my first car. More recently, I bought myself a “Cooper S” which I love to drive.

“We thought it would be great to recognise the Mini’s 60th birthday by producing some artwork. I decided to enhance the paintings using old tax discs, and to emulate the dominant style of art from the period. I think the result of painting the iconic Mini in the pop art style works really well.” 

Stephen Howes concludes: “Against the backdrop of Britain quitting the EU, the Mini, which embodies all that is cool about Britain, celebrates its 60th birthday.  With these collectors’ pieces of art we’re looking to continue to ride the wave of Cool Britannia into the future.”

The Mini series by Gary O’Neil is available globally and can be viewed here.

A Gift From the Gods by Martin Gunn

A science fiction thriller which isn’t usually my ‘bag’ but I couldn’t put this down. A brisk pace, and an imagination that proves the theory that everything is impossible until it is done – or so Gunn proves in this intriguing novel. It has everything – aliens, gods, Dinosaurs, Nazis, the CIA and let’s not forget the Mafia. This must have had the authors brain whizzing at a rate of knots, but somehow he puts it all into this rock ‘n’ roll of a page turner. Set in 1985 a Nazi cell busies itself attempting to create a Fourth Reich (horrible thought) using – wait for it – technology from a crashed UFO . The hero? One of the rolling eyes brigade – a teenage boy. Give it a try. It’ll make you breathless and it’ll be worth it.

A Gift From the Gods by Martin Gunn. pb pub Matador. Price £10.99

The Doll House  by Phoebe Morgan

I find creepy books disconcerting. It’s all right while it’s daylight but then one lies in bed wondering quite what is creaking its way up the stairs. This is rather like that feeling as Corinne’s dream of children seems to be imploding after a series of failed IVF attempts.

Then – oh crikey – she starts to find pieces of a dolls house turning up. Not only that, but as they accumulate and furniture is included she realises that it is a replica of her house. is she being stalked? How long has this been going on? What do ‘they’ want…

It’s the stuff of nightmares. Stalking, waiting, not knowing is haunting. Not to be read in bed.

The Doll House by Phoebe Morgan. pb pub HQ  £7.99

Mission Critical by Mark Greaney comes with a quote from Lee Child… ‘Hard, fast and unflinching – exactly what a thriller should be.’

I concur, and thought it would make a fabulous film. Would there be room for little old me?

Court Gentry’s flight on a CIA transport plane is interrupted when a security team brings a hooded man aboard. They want  to kick Gentry off the flight but are overruled by CIA headquarters. Thank heavens thank heavens… The mystery man is being transported to England where a joint CIA/M16 team will interrogate him about a mole in Langley.

When they land in an isolated airbase in the UK, they are attacked by a hostile force and the prisoner is kidnapped. Only Gentry escapes. His handlers send him after the attackers but what can one operarative do against a trained team of assassins?

Oh the bliss of it. Can’t you just see it. Bruce Willis to the rescue, but – perhaps someone younger? No, no, Bruce…

Fabulous book, love every minute, and somehow not dark, no awful shadows to infiltrate one’s dreams. Just great thrills, suspense, turn the page, quick quick. Loved it – please, please – deserves to be a film.

Mission Critical by Mark Greaney pub Sphere Large pb £14.99 and ebook.

This unpretentious book landed on my desk, and I flipped through it, intrigued by the blurb: Edinburgh is a city full of historical attractions and world famous festivals, a magnet for visitors from around the world. But away from the city, hidden amongst a 17th century landscape, lies Cammo Estate. Its history far stranger than fiction. The ruined mansion was once home to the infamous last residents, the Maitland-Tennent family.

Torn apart by divorce, feuds and financial scandal.

A mansion filled with antiques, left to rot, open to the elements and thieves. This is Cammo, once home to the reclusive Black Widow.

The author, Simon Baillie first became fascinated by Cammo when on a walk with his neighbour and decided to find out more about this neglected estate, so off to Edinburgh Central Library he went. Like Topsy, the book ‘growed’.

It is divided up into sections. There is a brief history of Cammo House, the building of the house, the Maitland-Tennent Family, Financial dealings and so on. It could have been proofed rather better but this doesn’t detract from this intriguing book.

Fascinating. And the Black Widow? Ah, read it and see.

The Private World of Cammo by Simon Baillie – £13.45 from Amazon.co.uk