A Sceptic's Guide to Alien Encounters

Are we alone in the universe? It's a question everyone asks, sooner or later. It's also a question that's fascinated astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson since childhood, and which led to his latest book, 'Take Me to Your Leader: Perspectives on Your First Alien Encounter'.

Wicked Lady?

 So much has been written and broadcast about the Tudors that Henry VIII’s courtiers seem stars in their own right.  We know their acts and allegiances, their loves and lies, their foibles and (often terrible) fates. Yet one lesser-known figure often lurks near the centre of court machinations while remaining beyond the spotlight.  She is Jane Rochford, the focus of Philippa Gregory’s latest novel ‘The Boleyn Traitor’.

True Crimes

Hallie Rubenhold is an unfortunate historian.  Every book she starts researching seems to take her in unexpected directions, and her latest study of the story of a murder is no exception.

In Two Minds...

In a first for me, I'm going to attempt to tell you about two recent reads in one blog post; 'You Don't Have to Be Mad to Work Here' by Dr Benji Waterhouse and 'And How Does that Make You Feel?' by Joshua Fletcher.  Wish me luck...

Comets and Cosy Crime

I was waiting for Father Christmas to bring me some new books, when Penguin Random House jumped the gun and sent me an advanced proof of cosy crime novel 'The Murder at World's End', a grown up book by children's author Ross Montgomery.

Review of the Year 2025

Happy New Year, fellow readers!

As 2025 becomes 2026, I decided it was time for a quick reflect on the books I've read this year, including those that I haven't had time to post about. Don't worry, there are never that many of them, despite my best intentions!