City of Thieves

City of Thieves by David Benioff is set in besieged Lennigrad during WWII. The Germans have cut off all food supplies and the city is starving. A young boy is caught looting a dead German soldier and a Red Army guard is accused of desertion and thrown together in prison. These two unlikely companons are set the task of finding a dozen eggs in a city where people are eating wood to survive. I didn't know anything about the German occupation of Russia during the war, but this book gave me a real insight into the struggle people had to endure. It is a moving, uplifting book with sprinkles of humour throughout, despite the grim setting. A lovely book - one I was sorry to finish.

Mystery Man: Murder, Mayhem & Damn Sexy Trousers

This fantastic, funny book by Colin Bateman caught my eye in Asda and I bought it purely because of the title. I hadn't read any of his other books, but I will now! I laughed out loud so often sitting reading beside the pool that people were starting to look at me as if I'd 'escaped' from some institution. It is set in Ireland and tells the story of a crime bookshop owner who ends up becoming a private detective when the real detective mysteriously doesn't open his office next door. It is wacky, weird and full of gut wrenching guffaws! Enjoy!