In this season of Village Fetes and celebrations I have a mixed bag to offer. All enjoyable in their own way.

Meet the Adults by Caroline Hulse is one to dry the mouth, and stifle a laugh at the mere thought. What were they thinking? To have Christmas ALL together… All? Ah A divorced couple, and their new ‘important person’, and their daughter and her imaginary friend, a rabbit called Posey.

The mind boggles, and it does well to do that. Do they all behave as adults, (except Scarlett, their daughter, and the rabbit of course)? Of course they d… No, I’ll stop right there.

Ah, but read this enjoyable romp, with shadows flickering with enough resonance to make the humour work. It a satisfying read. Incidentally, when does one become an adult? I’m still waiting but not with any urgency.

Meet The Adults by Caroline Hulse Pub Orion HB £14.99

Gallows Court by Martin Edwards

Set in 1930, London: an enigmatic heiress, a family secret and the thirst for justice.

Lots of twists and turned in this well imagined and inventive novel which includes a headless corpse, perhaps a suicide (but is it really?) and a man burned alive during an illusionist’s show witnessed by thousands. These and other murders are racing across the city, and at the heart of it all a mysterious heiress Rachel Savernake (now that’s a name to conjure with). What are Scotland Yard to make of it?

Then there’s Jacob the nosey journalist…

A fabulously ripping yarn, with no time to draw breath as Edward’s zips us through his evocative world. This is a novel plotted to perfection. Clever, clever. Loved it.

Gallows Court by Martin Edwards pub Head of Zeus. £18.99

The Governess Game by Tessa Dare

Anyone like Georgette Heyer? I read her when growing up and here is Tessa Dare picking up her mantle with a snappy snippy novel of a governess who takes charge of two out of control orphans who need discipline, or do they? Perhaps it’s love and attention they crave and need? But how is our heroine, Alexandra Mountbatten to reach out to their guardian who transpires to be far too dishy, without her heart being damaged. But by heavens, she’s going to try because this monument to ‘without commitment’ Chase Reynaud needs much the same as his wards. Love.

Good fun, a romp, you’ll laugh.

The Governess Game by Tessa Dare Mills and Boon pb £7.99

The Narrowboat Girls by Rosie Archer

Seems that canals are the thing at the moment. First Milly Adams with her successful Waterway Girls series which Frost Magazine loved, and now Rosie Archer with The Narrowboat Girls has jumped on deck, or counter as the boaters call it and landed well, which is no surprise.

Three girls, Elsie, Dorothy and Tolly  pitch in as the war is hopefully drawing to a close and carry war supplies to where they need to be – doing their bit. They toil relentlessly along the canals with their narrowboat and butty and wonder if this new world, and tough job will kick their personal problems into the bank and allow them to start afresh.

Ah read and see. The various ‘Girls’ and their ilk ‘series’ seem to be running and running at the moment, and why not. At a literary festival panel I was chairing I asked the audience which they preferred, one-off sagas, or a series. The majority went with a series. So there your go. Read and enjoy.

The Narrowboat Girls by Rosie Archer. Quercus pb £6.99

The Orchid: The History of this Extraordinary Flower in 40 Orchids

Into every life a little rain must fall… But no, on this occasion not rain but a book of such beauty that just looking at it moved me more than many in the past have done.

I know I’m waxing lyrical but The Orchid (Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew) is more than a book. It comes boxed. The book  is exemplary and  authors Phillip Cribb and Lauren Gardiner explain the history of this sublime flower in 40 orchids, succinctly and thoroughly and with love.

As a family we first came to love orchids when we bought a house in Burton Bradstock, Dorset, on a  hill, with an garden of an acre. The first year the whole of the half acre rear garden was awash with bee orchids, and the front contained another much smaller orchid whose name I have forgotten, but whose presence brought orchid admirers from miles around. I think news travelled on the wind, much as it does for twitchers when a certain bird appears.

Then, before we moved to North Yorkshire recently we would walk our dogs along the paths in the wild flower area behind St James in Downley, High Wycombe, where in high summer, orchids grew.

It is any wonder that  orchids hold a place in our hearts.

The artwork is extraordinarily good, and the bonus is that the box – such a triumph of surprises – includes 40 frameable art prints.

Him Indoors is one of those strange beings who orchids kneel in front of and worship. He can work miracles with them, and will spend hours just looking at them, their stillness, their perfection, their everything and he has taken The Orchid and placed it on the coffee table before him, and just stares at it, then reads a page, absorbs, then stares at the illustrations again.

If you have an artist in the family, an orchid enthusiast or someone who wants to learn about this diverse and frequently elusive plant then buy it for them, or yourself: admire it, love it, keep it forever. Then you will find you are growing them, just as we are.

The Orchid. pub Carlton Publishing Group. £35.00. (Approx 200 colour artworks, 224 + 40 pages)

Milly Adams is the author of The Waterway Girls series (Arrow)

Hold tight,  here we go again. But don’t worry, you may be among murder and prejudice and confused relationships but you’re in the hands of Lynda La Plante and she won’t let you go. In fact you’ll be reading this much later into the night than you’d planned.

Murder Mile is the fourth novel in the story of young Jane Tennison’s career before we first met her in Prime Suspect. This is a great series because the mature Jane is so multi-faceted that we really want to know how she became that woman . Add to that the fact that each step in the story takes you through a crime thriller high in tension and twists and it’s irresistible.

Lynda La Plante always gives you at least three elements of a compulsive read.  There is a crime, at least one, to resolve. There is Jane’s struggle against contemporary values and prejudices. And there is a setting which is both accurate in its detail and absolutely believable. We live it with the characters. In this book we find ourselves back in the unenlightened 1970s – February 1979, the Winter of Discontent, to be precise. It was a bleak period in British life. Those who remember it will recall the strikes, the three day week, rubbish and rats in the streets, and to have it recalled so vividly  makes me wonder how we coped.

The initial murder seems almost ‘ordinary’: a woman strangled and left in an alley. Competent, promoted to Detective Sergeant, WDS (and that W should alert you to the fact that promotion doesn’t affect sexism) Jane Tennison gets on with the job. But already the male line-up is taking sides and it’s far from clear just who she can rely on. Whatever they say. And then there’s the next body. Much nastier. But in the same area, and just possibly linked. This plot is slow-burn at first but it will grab you until its twists are untangled. And then a casual remark leaves you wondering just how far her colleagues are going to let her dangle.

Jane Tennison isn’t always likeable and she makes mistakes. She also has some hard lessons to learn about who she can trust and when to keep quiet.

This is a worthy sequel and, even better, book five  – The Dirty Dozen – is not too far over  the horizon.

Murder Mile by Lynda La Plante is published by Bonnier Zaffre. Paperback priced 12.99

Penny Deacon is the author of A Kind of Puritan and A Thankless Child

I strongly suggest you try the amazing artisan chocolates from Eat Your Hat. These (organic) chocolates are all sourced from smallholder farmers in various South American countries. Their products only contain natural ingredients (no nasty emulsifiers) and they have some fabulous unusual flavours. My favourite was turmeric and black pepper  (sadly you would need to eat an awful lot to benefit from the anti-cancer properties of turmeric – but it would be fun trying, as the bars taste delicious). Other novel flavours include cardamom, and Brazilian mandarin – yum.

… And they sell organic coffee too …

Whilst we are on the chocolate – I have to recommend Thomas Fudge’s salted caramel Florentines – they are truly delicious (and lots of thick caramel-chocolate) – a classic with a modern twist from this hundred year old Dorset bakery.  A really special treat if you are inviting friends around (although I recommend you don’t let your friends eat them all – they are just too good). Available from Waitrose, Ocado, Booths, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and ASDA.

And another naughty treat – Bonne Maman strawberry conserve, prepared with 50% fruit – what’s not to like?

Finally, Joe&Seph’s handmade gourmet popcorn is truly to die for – caramel, chocolate and … chilli. First the sweet deliciousness, then a kick at the end. As they say on the packet, ‘If you don’t love this popcorn … I’ll eat my hats’ – oh? That’s how I started this article … Time to continue my chocolate ‘research’ I think.

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

Amazon.co.uk   Amazon.com

Faito Books

How about pickled walnuts? Len Goodman’s favourite. I am converted to this Victorian delicacy produced by Opie’s, a fine food producer from Kent. They are absolutely delicious, particularly with cheese.  And recent research shows that pickled foods are very good for us, providing ‘good’ gut bacteria, which have important benefits for our health. Bennett Opie’s high quality products also include stem ginger plus a range of fruits in alcohol, such as blackberries with gin – great for any special occasion.

And what to go with your pickled walnuts and cheese? Well how about Petersyard sourdough crispbreads? Based on traditional Swedish recipes, and using organic  flour and milk these are a really special treat.

No time to stop and eat properly? If you are looking for a healthy snack on the go, why not try a Magic Roll? Instead of indigestible sandwiches, Kaleidoscoperolls. have designed the most amazing rice paper wraps – stuffed with yummy and healthy fillings, such as smoked salmon, zucchini, cream cheese and dill, or red peppers, guacamole, green apple and fresh herbs – feeling hungry? These are so much lighter than traditional wraps– and you can order sharing platters to replace those boring business lunches.

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

amazon.co.uk   amazon.com

faito books

A writer’s life is one of the best jobs in the world. What could run it close? Everything in your life is grist to your mill. You absorb something from the world – outside your window, on the TV, in the press, on social media, that you’ve read, on the beach – chew on it awhile and find that all those bits and pieces reform into Something Else. Writers are alchemists.

My life has been entwined with writing for over 20 years. And I shall continue writing until they prise my cold, dead fingers from the keyboard. I love the quietude of the work, the world-building, the control. And no two days in a writer’s life are ever the same.

To be a writer it helps if you can live on a very small income, or have some other means of support. Fortunately I a) can and b) do. So I can write what I like.

I write long fiction, short fiction, flash fiction, and poetry. Currently I’m writing a lot of poetry. I think that’s because I’m still exploring the scenery, the ambience and the herring gulls after moving to South Dorset a couple of years ago. Herring gulls as a source of poetry? Absolutely! I love reading living poets and value Oxford Brookes’ Poetry Centre weekly poem, delivered to my inbox. I buy a lot of poetry books (because libraries just don’t stock them) to keep up with modern poetry.

I also write book reviews: for Big Al & Pals in the States, the premier reviewer of indie publications; on my blog and my Facebook page I put reviews of novels and non-fiction books to share something good I’ve found; occasionally I review on request.

I read widely for my own pleasure and to inform what I write. I’m most at home with novels in the thriller, SF, magical, crossover-YA genres. I get my current affairs from ‘The Week’, which provides a balanced view not usually found in British newspapers; I read ‘The Literary Review’ (it’s pretty much essential for a writer who also reviews); non-fiction that piques my interest, anything from Mary Magdalene to Wilfred Thesiger but usually with an historical bent; local history.

History was what got me into writing, and I am increasingly drawn towards writing about the past. Although sometimes I write science fiction. To write about the future you need a good grounding in the past.

When I was doing my history degree I realised how very much history leaves out. Much of history is a series of conflicts written up by the victors and by those who can, actually, write. Thus whole groups of people – women, children, illiterates, minorities to mention but a few – never get an historical voice. How interesting would it be to give them one? Very.

The most basic question a writer asks herself is ‘what if?’.

Jottings image courtesy of Marc Yeats

The world is full of questions to which the answer is that QI favourite ‘nobody knows’.

What a marvellous combination.

Little Mouse available here

This will be interesting… Wonder how involved the audience will get? Will they sit in ‘our side’ ‘your side’ groups created by themselves. Go along and see:

People Like us, written by acclaimed writers and journalists Julie Burchill and Jane Robins will be premiered at the Union Theatre this October.

Set in a North London book club, People Like Us follows five friends as they find themselves discussing the unavoidable topic of Brexit.  In the two years since the vote to leave, endless discussion has all but eradicated any middle ground. What remains is opposing views and the arguments which have strained relationships – can we only ever really be friends with people like us?

 Although written in support of the Leave campaign, People Like Us will uniquely provide an argument for both sides of the debate.  With theatre and the arts predominantly representing a single view of Brexit, this nuanced look presents the politics and views of both sides.

People Like Us looks at how politics and Brexit have invaded conversations, Burchill and Robins ask the question – can we only ever really be friends with people like us? And how far would you go to save your closest friendships from being pulled apart by political beliefs?  This is the question these friends must answer as the fight for the future of Europe.

People Like Us: Union Theatre, 204 Union Street, London SE1 0LX

Tuesday 2nd October – Saturday 20th October 2018, 7.30pm Press Night: Thursday 4th October 2018, 7.30pm

Performance Dates Tuesday 2nd – Saturday 20th October 2018, 7.30pm    Saturday matinees, 2.30pm

Running time  2 hours including interval tbc

Age recommendation  Ages 14+

Location  Union Theatre, Old Union Yard Arches, 229 Union Street, London SE1 0LX www.uniontheatre.biz    How to get there The nearest underground stations are Southwark (on the Jubilee line) or London Bridge (on the Jubilee line and Northern line). The nearest rail station is Waterloo or London Bridge.  Parking is available on Union Street after 6.30pm on weekdays and all day on weekends.

Twitter @TheUnionTheatre

Box Office Tickets are available from the Union Theatre Box Office and www.uniontheatre.biz or 020 7261 9876 from £22.50.

at Gray’s Inn Hall, London

“This production has managed to create a hilarious Dogberry!”

Last year I praised Antic Disposition’s production of Richard III at The Temple Church in London. This year’s tour is the comedy Much Ado About Nothing – on paper an easier affair, perhaps, yet this play has always had three factors that can make or break the show: the chemistry between Beatrice and Benedick; the gulling scene; and Dogberry and his troop.

Co-directors Ben Horslen and John Risebero have set the piece in the village square of Messina, in rural France. WW2 has just finished and there is a joyous atmosphere. British troops are passing through and all seems well in the world. This however creates the potential for accents: the locals are French, after all. Much of Dogberry’s speeches are French gibberish and set the tone perfectly.

Beatrice (played by Chiraz Aïch) and Benedick (Nicholas Osmond) are a striking pair and as the action proceeds they warm into their roles. Aïch, for me, sadly preferring angry passion to diction near the climax, but they make a fine and believable couple.

The gulling scenes are inventive, using the cafe scenario for their staging, but did not fulfill their promise. They could, I am sure, have pushed the comic potential a little further. Still funny, though.

This production has managed to create a hilarious Dogberry! So many versions don’t quite know how to portray the clowns. To make Dogberry (brilliantly played by Louis Bernard) as the cafe owner who is basically there throughout, actually manages to give Dogberry a genuine and truthful setting which he so often lacks. His assistants, who are just as stupid as he, are a joy to behold. Accordion-playing Verges (Scott Brooks) has great fun being the deadpan accomplice. Bernard’s inspiration is Jacques Tati and it works a treat.

The whole company are a tightly-knit ensemble are take us through a cleverly edited version of the play. Antic Disposition are in their comfort zone here: Shakespeare in an unusual historic venue. The audience delight in their antics and the whole performance has a light touch. Praiseworthy indeed.

Photographer  Scott Rylander

Producer         Antic Disposition

Directors         Ben Hoslen and John Risebero

Designer         John Risebero

Composer       Nick Barstow

Venue             Gray’s Inn Hall, London WC1R 5ET

Performances Until September 1st

Times              7.30pm Tuesday to Saturday – Saturday Matinees at 3pm

Tickets            £30-£45 (under 26s £10 off)

Box Office       www.much-ado.co.uk and 0333 666 3366

Running Time 2hrs 10, including an interval

Twitter             @anticdispo

Instagram       @anticdispo

Facebook        /anticdisposition