Derek Bentley & Christopher Craig
Derek Bentley & Christopher Craig. True and tragic story. Derek Bentley was hanged in England on 28th. January, 1953. Derek, who had learning difficulties, was nineteen when he was hanged – and he was innocent of the crime. What’s just as bad is that everyone knew he was innocent – and that included the jury who had found him guilty and the judge who sentenced him to death also knew. This was due to the...
Nancy Mitford: A Biography
Nancy Mitford, A Biography: By Selina Hastings. All the six Mitford sisters were fascinating and that fascination hasn’t waned over the years. When the sisters were young, they were rarely out of the newspapers. Throughout their lives they attracted stories and scandal. One thing they all had in common was a sense of humour – and Nancy in particular. But hers was a mildly cruel wit and this made her much-loved books even...
Book Review: “Written Off,” by E J Copperman
The First in the “Mysterious Detective” Series A mystery author who writes about an author writing a mystery grabs a reader’s attention, don’t you think? As much as we enjoy books, the process is fascinating to us as well. When we get a chance to see both, what’s not to like? Which is only part of why I enjoyed Written Off from the first page, as author and featured character Rachel Goldman finishes writing the latest...
The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher or The Murder at Road Hill House: Review
The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher or The Murder at Road Hill House: Review. I finished reading The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher or The Murder at Road Hill House last night, and feel absolutely compelled to recommend it. I found a copy that was destined for the recycle bin and was captivated by the blurb on the back. Here’s an example: ‘A beautiful piece, written with great lucidity and respect for the reader, and with immaculate restraint. A...
Queen Victoria’s Daughters
Queen Victoria’s daughters Queen Victoria had nine children and understandably, the one who is the most well-known was Albert Edward, her eldest son who became King Edward VII when Victoria died in 1901. Little is generally known about her daughters however. In most cases,they married into European royalty. Queen Victoria wanted her daughters to marry for love – as she had done herself – but that didn’t mean...
George Orwell’s Animal Farm: A Political Fable
George Orwell’s Animal Farm means a great deal to me and this short tale will explain why. It is about when I was a teacher in London. First of all I highly recommend ‘Animal Farm’ and I rather envy you if you haven’t read it yet because you are in for a real treat. It is a brilliantly told, very clever, political fable. Orwell wrote it just after World War II (first published 1945), and it is a satirical story about totalitarianism....
Book Review: The Burglar who Counted the Spoons, by Lawrence Block
The Latest in the Bernie Rhodenbarr, Burglar Series. The “Burglar who…..” book series by Lawrence Block has been one of my favorites for years. The books are such fun! It’s been quite a while since I read the first one, but I still smile fondly thinking of the characters. Bernie Rodenbarr is a very likable character, in spite of–or because of– the fact that he is a burglar. I wouldn’t have...
Bangers & Mash: A la Rolling Stones
Keith Richards’ bangers & mash recipe Should you ever find that Rolling Stone, Keith Richards, is dropping in for a bite to eat, this is his favourite food made in the exact way he prepares the dish himself. As he says, he has been cooking sausages all his life but it’s only recently that he discovered the real secret to truly excellent bangers. He discovered the secret from a ‘lady on TV’. He says that it...
Style: Wallis Simpson
Style: The transformation of Wallis Simpson Many people would agree that ‘elegant’ is a word that is often used to describe the Duchess of Windsor, the former Mrs Wallis Simpson. But that wasn’t always the case. Wallis, or Bessie to call her by her real given name, loved clothes but had little idea about how to wear them effectively. This was true until she started her affair with the Prince of Wales (later King...
Prunella Scales & Timothy West: A marriage
Timothy West, Prunella Scales and dementia Renown British actor, Timothy West, recently revealed that his wife was suffering from ‘mild Alzheimer’s’. He was more than happy to discuss this in a television documentary. You probably know his wife, Prunella Scales, from the British television show Fawlty Towers. The couple, who celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 2013, are determined to continue their lives...
Under The Covers – Hey Mr. Tambourine Man
Andy Royston explores some his favourite cover versions and the stories behind them. There’s a new thing happening, and it probably started with Bob Dylan. He gave the audience a new vocabulary, a new set of symbols to fit the feelings exploding in and around them. The Byrds take his words and put them in the framework of the beat, and make imperative the meaning of those words. Billy James, Sleeve notes – Mr Tambourine...
Royal proposal: William and Catherine
How did Prince William propose to Kate Middleton? William and Catherine were secure in their relationship. It had survived a great deal and William was not sure that Catherine was the girl for him. But before he proposed, there were two important issues to sort out first. The first was, like all members of the royal family, he had to get permission to marry from his granny – or as we know her, Queen Elizabeth II. She queen had...
An Interview with Author John Lansing
Author of ‘Dead is Dead’. John Lansing, author, actor, screenwriter, is currently on a virtual book tour for his newest release, Dead is Dead. We have enjoyed being part of that tour, hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours. The tour runs from May 16th through June 30th, so you will lot many opportunities to learn more about the author and his books. We we invited to review book as well. You will find our review...
Muffin Omelets
Here’s an easy, versatile recipe for a brunch or a simple family breakfast. They also work great for something to grab on-the-go. Chop a little onion, some ham or bacon, any vegetables you would like to add. Try spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers… It doesn’t take very much. Sprinkle some cheese in with the egg, and bake them up. If you serve them immediately, they are nice and high. If they will be served...
A Review of “The Dubai Betrayal,” by Jeremy Burns
Available Now! Jeremy Burns Anticipated New Release It is always a delight to find a new author of suspense thrillers that I can follow. So I am quite happy to say that Jeremy Burns is now on that list. Especially if the book features Wayne Wilkins. The Dubai Betrayal is a fascinating story you won’t want to miss. The Story Wayne Wilkins, first a Ranger, then a CIA Assassin, has an urgent new assignment. After all the years...
The 2005 US Grand Prix
USA Grand Prix 2005 – Formula One chaos? Many journalists condemned this race as a shambles, a fiasco. They said that it would cause the end of the popularity of the sport in the United States. There are still fans today who, thanks to the media, don’t understand what happened that year at Indianapolis. I’ll refresh your memory. In those days, the sport had two tyre suppliers. After qualifying for the race, an...
The Murder of Kitty Genovese
Kitty Genovese and the apathetic bystanders. Catherine Genovese, an attractive twenty-eight year old, was murdered as she walked through the streets of Kew Gardens, NY, in March 1964. Her murder became well-known not just because of its brutality but because of allegations that almost forty bystanders saw her being attacked but did nothing to prevent her death. Her murderer did not know her. The attack wasn’t premeditated....
Quiz: The Beatles’ Children
Quiz: How much do you know about the Beatles’ children? Between them, the Beatles had eleven legal and legitimate children. There were many lawsuits and paternity claims over the years (naturally) but here were are talking about those who were all legal and above board. How much do you know about the Beatles’ offspring? Test your knowledge. Which is the oldest of the Beatles’ children? Note that this is...
How to Change a Duvet Cover
Changing a duvet cover isn’t difficult! But to read comments on various websites, it seems that so many people ‘hate’ changing the duvet cover. Either that or they say it’s so time consuming or that it takes two people – one of which ends up inside the cover ….. Now this is crazy. It takes about a minute and is simplicity itself. I’ve even heard of people who use a sheet below the duvet so...
Prince Philip’s letter: After Diana
Prince Philip’s letter: After Diana. In February, 2015, a letter was sold at auction. This was highly significant in the history of the British royal family.It was written by Prince Philip, five days after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. Eighteen years previously, Diana had been killed in a car crash in Paris. Prince Philip,pictured on the left with Queen Elizabeth II, wrote the letter to his niece expressing his feelings...
Who Was Ottoline Morrell?
The curious life of Ottoline Morrell. When Ottoline Morrell grew to womanhood, she was six feet tall. She had striking, flowing red hair and a strongly-featured face. Knowing that she would turn heads, she dressed flamboyantly. She also led a flamboyant and somewhat scandalous life. She was also the sort of woman that was often caricatured – even by her several lovers. She was born in 1873 into an aristocratic English family of...
Fordlandia: Henry Ford’s Forgotten Amazon City
Fordlandia: Henry Ford’s Forgotten Amazon City Henry Ford was without doubt a great industrialist. But he had several unusual passions and two of them converge, rather ironically, in the story of Fordlandia. Ford liked his automotive business to be as self-reliant as possible. He disliked being dependant on outside suppliers. He always feared that he was at their mercy. They could put up their prices or take advantage of him in...
Fort Lauderdale Vacation Rental and …. Ghosts!
Visit Fort Lauderdale – and go ghost hunting! When you’re thinking about visiting Fort Lauderdale, ghost hunting is probably one of the last activities you’d think about. But the local area is rich in history and yes, ghosts abound. Of course, you’ll also enjoy all the many and varied activities that Fort Lauderdale offers – the beach, the ocean, fine dining, shopping, watersports, museums, theatres and...
Book Review: Code of Conduct, by Brad Thor
Scot Harvath Returns in “Code of Conduct” “Fast paced” isn’t quite sufficient to describe the excitement in Brad Thor’s novel, Code of Conduct. Constant action throughout is more like it. Time is short for Scot and his team, even shorter than they realize. The scenario developed here by the author is as scary as it is possible. Since Mr. Thor is known to write fiction that sometimes becomes reality, it makes it...
Spotlight: Jessica Bunevacz, Author of “Date Like a Girl, Marry Like A Woman”
An Article By Author Jessica R Bunevacz Today we are pleased to spotlight a new book that might change your future. Written by Jessica R Bunevacz, Date Like A Girl, Marry Like a Woman, is an entertaining look about the do’s and don’t’s in relationships. The author is currently on a virtual book tour hosted by iRead Book Tours. The tour runs from June 13th through June 24th, 2016, and will feature reviews, interviews, and articles...
The Nightingale: Kristin Hannah. Book review.
The Nightingale: Kristin Hannah. Book review. Some books you can easily forget. You read them, enjoy them, but after while they slip from your mind. The characters and the events in The Nightingale however will stay with you. We’ve all read or heard stories about the Second World War. We’ve seen television documentaries and fictional movies. But mostly, these have been seen from an American or British perspective and...
Tess Gerritsen’s “The Mephisto Club,” A Book Review
Tess Gerritsen’s “The Mephisto Club,” A Book Review The Mephisto Club is another intriguing story from Tess Gerritsen. I just finished it yesterday, making me feel a little like I am reading her books in reverse. When I read Ice Cold, written by Ms. Gerritsen and first published in 2006, I was so impressed. A winter tale always draws my interest, but the mystery and suspense in Ice Cold was wonderful. It...
The Liberation of Auschwitz
The liberation of Auschwitz On 27th January 2015, hundreds of survivors of the Holocaust met at the Auschwitz concentration camp to commemorate the seventieth anniversary of its liberation. There were three hundred in total, mostly in their eighties and nineties. The very fact that there are still three hundred survivors of that terrible experience who are still fit and well enough to travel there shows just how huge the...
The Honesty Shop Burglary
Canna, Inner Hebrides: Honesty shop burgled. Have you ever lived in a community where there’s no need to look your doors? There are still communities like that on the remote Scottish Hebrides islands. One of them is the island of Canna which at time of writing has a population of twenty six. But their neighbourly way of life is now under threat. The island runs an honesty shop which was burgled in June 2015. It is the first...
34 Shambles Street, Barnsley
Yorkshire: 34 Shambles Street, Barnsley. Regular readers – all three of you 😉 – know that I was brought up in Barnsley in South Yorkshire. I’ve recently been looking into the history of a certain address, the reason being that in the 1950s my dad used that address as part of his business. Here’s a photograph from those days. That’s my old man’s business on the right of the picture – Service...
Antoni Gaudi i Cornet
June 10th, 2016 marked the 90th anniversary of the death of one of Spain’s most controversial architects! Even though he has been gone 90 years, his work and the mark he has made on Spanish buildings, makes it seem like he is still alive today. Gaudi was a sick child and because of his many ailments spent much of his childhood indoors. Though he didn’t get out much, he watched and learned many lessons by observing the world around...
Salmon and spinach lasagna
Salmon and spinach lasagna recipe This special recipe comes from Belgian chef, Dirk De Cuyper. Now a resident of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Dirk was formerly a sought-after chef creating delicious meals aboard luxury yachts. This recipe features homemade lasagna (you’ll find the recipe here) but of course,you can use a fresh, high quality, commercial brand if you wish. The chef recommends this as a main course for lunch,...
The Late Great Johnny Ace
“I will tell you exactly what happened! Johnny Ace had been drinking and he had this little pistol he was waving around the table and someone said ‘Be careful with that thing…’ and he said ‘It’s okay! Gun’s not loaded…see?’ and pointed it at himself with a smile on his face and ‘Bang!’—sad, sad thing. Big Mama ran out of the dressing room yelling ‘Johnny Ace just killed himself!” Curtis Tillman, bass player with Big Momma...
The Avignon Legacy: By Daniel C. Lorti
A fascinating tale – from the 14th century to present day. If you enjoy books that capture your attention from page one and keep you reading until well after your bedtime – and who doesn’t – then The Avignon Legacy will be right up your street. It combines history, suspense, modern day crime, mystery and more as the author takes us from fourteenth century France to present day America and Europe. This is a...
Rehabilitating Brian Jones
Review: Brian Jones: The Making of the Rolling Stones. One a summer’s night in 1969 in the wilds of East Sussex, Brian Jones was found motionless at the bottom of his swimming pool. No one knows for sure what happened to the Rolling Stones founder and guitarist. This was just 3 weeks after being fired from the band, and instantly he was at the center of outlandish conspiracy theories. Jones, just 27, drowned while under the...
Mick Hucknall and the Art of the Cover Version
Mick knew his stuff. I knew I was on a hiding to nothing when I walked in with a brown record bag. “Hey, what’ve you got there…” “Some obscure James Brown” I replied proudly. He took the bag and removed the second hand 45 within, Prisoner of Love, 1964 on London Records with a pushed-out centre. “Bollocks, he said laughing. That’s not rare. Should be on King for a start. And it’s...
The CleanSweep Conspiracy, by Chuck Waldron, A Review
Could it Happen Today? A simple text message received by Matt Tremain begins this fast paced novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat. An intriguing way to begin a frightening story. Frightening because it is so possible–because it could be happening already. Matt Tremain is a blogger. He writes about scams, always looking to expose the hidden. That includes CleanSweep since the rumors started. When an employee of...
Jerry Lewis saves Dean Martin from the Mob
When Jerry Lewis saved Dean Martin from an angry mobster. For ten years, ‘Italian-stallion’ Dean Martin and the rather less fortunate-looking Jerry Lewis worked as a double act. They worked together for ten years – from 1946 until 1956. They were popular on television but also toured the country performing in nightclubs. It was in one of these that Dean Martin was very nearly shot by a mobster – until Jerry...
Maida Vale Tube Station
Maida Vale: The tube station with an all-female staff. When the Maida Vale tube station opened in London on June 6th 1915, it was less than a year after the outbreak of the First World War. This meant that because of the lack of available men, who were all either fighting in the forces or working towards the war effort, it was staffed entirely by women. There were 17,000 workers from London Transport who were now overseas fighting in...
Vegetarian White Bean and Soy Chili
White Bean Chili. Our family loves a bowl of chili on a cold winter night. Our favorite used to be the traditional chili with the basic ground beef. Now that I’m trying to eat less meat and finding more vegetarian dishes, my goal was to see what I could create with my favorite white beans. I’ve tried it with ground turkey too. That’s very tasty, but this time I wanted to go totally vegetarian. That’s how this...
Murder at Lambswool Farm, by Sally Goldenbaum, A Review
A Seaside Knitters Cozy Mystery Take an enjoyable trip to Sea Harbor, Massachusetts, courtesy of Sally Goldenbaum. Many of you may have traveled there before, since Murder at Lambswool Farm is the eleventh book in the popular series. This was my first visit, but I do plan on returning. The Seaside Knitters series is a sweet and accurate description of the series. A small town where everyone knows one another, a group of women meeting...
Fancy a New Experience?
Fancy a New Experience? The other day while watching TV I saw a 95 year old woman skydiving. It was a birthday present from her family. She threw herself into the air and looked as though she was having the time of her life. She wasn’t even on holiday! Even though new experience holidays are all the rage you can have a new experience at any time of year. There is probably something very close to home that you could do this very...
Eric Hebborn
The murder of art forger, Eric Hebborn. On January 8th, 1996, English art forger Eric Hebborn was found in an alley in Rome. He was unconscious and had been beaten about the had by a blunt instrument. Hebborn had been living in the area since the nineteen sixties when he and his then lover, Graham Smith, had opened a gallery. He survived for days after the brutal attack but despite the efforts of the doctors, he succumbed on January...
Cheese recipes
Cheese recipes What could be more delicious than cheese? Whether you’re thinking about a delightful recipe or looking for a simple treat to serve after after a dinner party, there’s no doubt that cheese will almost always fit the bill. For a long time it bothered me that vegetarian cheeses were not adequate but today there is a wonderful range so delicious cheese recipes are suitable for everyone. Most cheeses are...
Mohammed Ali’s favourite knockout pie
Mohammed Ali’s favourite knockout pie recipe This recipe was printed in the Toledo Blade newspaper in September 1979. The recipe was created by Lana Shabazz. Whether it helped him to float like a butterfly and sting like a bee is mere conjecture. At the time of publication of the recipe,Lana had been Ali’s dietician for fifteen years. In 1971, Mohammed Ali lost a fight to Joe Frazier. The story does that was because he had...
Homemade Pasta
Making fresh pasta at home. If you’ve never made pasta at home you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes. Gourmet pastas can cost a fortune at speciality food stores and delis – so why not make your own? Using this recipe, from top chef Dirk Du Cuyper, you can make your own special pastas at home. Flavour your pasta, if you wish. Try basil, sun-dried tomatoes, olives or garlic for truly Mediterranean tastes. Add...
Marilyn Monroe, Joe DiMaggio … and the doorman
The story of Marilyn Monroe, Joe DiMaggio … and the doorman. Marilyn Monroe was known for so many aspects of her life (including her involvement with the Kennedys, of course) but a subject of speculation is how her husbands could have been such completely different characters. Her first husband, who she married when she was just sixteen, was a US Marine. The marriage ended quite quickly. Her second husband was almost as...