Like A Hole In The Head
Jen Bradbury (Gollancz £9.99) *‘k‘k *
A dwarf With his hair on fire, a sepulchralIy-voiced giant, Las Vegas casmos and LA film sets — when bookstore assistant Jill buys a rare Jack London novel, it sets in motion a bizarre and bloody adventure that DaVid Lynch might dream up on a sunny day. The stOry leS along like a movie on fast-forward and introduces to the crime genre the most appealineg pissed-off, sore-headed heroine in years. (AM)
Chicken Feed Alma Fritchley (Women’s Press £6.99) am
’A Letty Campbell Mystery' says the cover, but the level of detection needed here would be on a par wrth the Famous Five, had Enid Blyton ever written lesbian stories for teenage romance mags. That said, chicken farmer Letty and her friends make for a breezy alternative to the genre’s macho gunplay, and this novel is much funnier and more exciting than
its predecessor, Chicken Run. Not so much noir as a wrshy-washy pink. (AM)
The Sunday Macaroni Club
Steve Lopez (No Exit £5.99) at: as air Who are the real criminals — the old- fashioned politicians who bend the rules to help the man on the street, or the business executives who pollute the enVironment in search of more profit? Lopez casts a warm and affectionate eye over outmoded ex- senator Augie Sangiamino as he GHJOYS his political swansong. ln comparison, the lawmen and industrial types in the book are stereotypes. (AM)
REVIEWERS THIS ISSUE:
Toni DaVidson, Brian Donaldson, Clark Dunn, Rodger Evans, Damien Love, Alan Morrison, Claire Prentice, Peter Ross.
STAR RATINGS it w * it it Outstanding k * it s Recommended 1r 1: 11* Worth a try it it 50-50 is. Poor
books events
THURSDAY 9
Glasgow
Gordon Leg e Waterstone's. 153—157 Sauchiehall . treet. 332 9105. 7pm. Scottish author Gordon Legge reads from his latest book Near Neighbours (Cape £9.99).
SATURDAY 11
Glasgow
Denise Brown and Susan Kerr John Smith. 57 St Vincent Street. 221 7472. Noon—3pm. An afternoon of pure pampering with the authors of Aromai/ierps' and Massage (Hodder & Stoughton £6.99).
Edinburgh
Joyce Holms James Thin. George Street. 225 4495. 6.30pm. Scottish crime writer Joyce Holms reads from her latest book Bad Vibes (Headline £17.99). Christopher Brookm re Waterstone‘s. 13—14 Princes Street. . 56 3034. 7pm. Brookmyre reads from his eagerly awaited third novel Not The End Of The World (Little. Brown £12.99).
TUESDAY 14 Glasgow
Christo her Brookm re Waterstonc‘s. 153—15 Sauchiehall . treet. 332 9105. 7pm. See Mon 13.
Edinburgh
Chris R an Waterstone’s. I28 Princes Street. -26 2666. 7pm. Ryan chats about his new book The Kremlin Device (Century £15.99). an explosive thriller set in Russia.
WEDNESDAY 15 Glasgow
Jeanette Winterson Cilas ow Film Theatre. 12 Rose Street. 33.. 8128. 6.30pm. £4 (£3). Tickets from venue and Waterstone‘s. 153—157 Sauchiehall Street. 332 9105. The author reads and sign copies of her new collection of stories The World And Other Places (Cape £14.99).
Schmuel Boteach Waterstone's. 153—157 Sauchiehall Street. 332 9105. 7pm. £2 (£1). The author of the Jewish Guide 7}) Adultery chats about his latest book Kosher Sex: A Recipe For Passion And Intimacy (Duckworth £9.95).
Des Dillon John Smith. 57 St Vincent Street. 221 7472. 6.30pm. Dillon reads from and signs copies of his book Due/t: A Novel (Argyle Press £7.99).
Edinburgh
Alan Spence James Thin. 53 South Bridge. 5566743. 7pm. The Scottish Writer OfThe Year signs copies of and discusses his new novel Way '1?) (Jo (Phoenix House £12.99). See review.
THURSDAY 16
Glasgow
Alan S ence John Smith. 57 St Vincent Street. -21 7472. 7pm. See Edinburgh. Wed 15 and review.
Edinburgh
Alan Hollinghurst Waterstone‘s. 13— 14 Princess Street. 556 3034. 7pm. The author of The .S'wirnlning I’ool Library reads from his acclaimed new novel The Spell (Chatto £15.99).
FRIDAY 17
Glasgow
After The Watergaw Waterstone's. 153—157 Sauchiehall Street. 332 9105. 6pm. Free. An evening of Scottish poetry with special guests.
SATURDAY 18
Glasgow
Moira Stephen John Smith. 57 St Vincent Street. 221 7472. Noon—3pm. Moira Stephen helps you get to grips with PC applications with her new series of self-help guides Word 97. Access 7, Excel 97 and Cyber World (Hodder & Stoughton £7.99).
TUESDAY 21
Glasgow
Sauchiehall Street Reading Group Waterstone's. 153—157 Sauchiehall Street. 332 9105. 7.30pm. For more details contact Tessa Bowler on 332 9105. This week. the group discuss Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks.
THURSDAY 23
Michael Marshall Smith Waterstone's. 13—14 Princes Street. 556 3034. 7pm. US sci-ii author chats about his latest book One Of Us (HarperCoIIins £14.99).
BOOKS
V*EXCLUSIVE*
lMan
Scence
will be discussing and signing copies of Our Guaranteed Good Read for July
“WAY TO GO”
(Phoenix House - £12. 99)
JOHN SMITH PRICE £10.00
on
Thursday 16th July 1998 at 7.00 pm
in
JOHN SMITH 8t SOl‘i s H o P s
BOOK
57 St Vincent Street Glasgow G2 5TB Tel: 0141 221 7472 Fax: 0141 248 4412 e-mail: 57@johnsmith.co.uk http://www.johnsmith.co.uk
An Independent Scottish Company
founded in 1751
9—23 Jul 1998 THE LIST 85