Blog Archives

Death of a Valentine by M.C. Beaton – Book Review

Posted on January 26, 2011
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Hamish Macbeth is as iconic as they come. The stereotypical local Scottish policeman afraid of change, happy with his lot and woe betide anyone who turns up spoiling his tranquillity and bachelorhood, will remain in Scottish folklore for generations to come – as far as I am concerned!

“Death of a Valentine”, published later this week is the latest in a long line of titles written by M.C. Beaton, the pseudonym of Marion Chesney who was incidentally born in Glasgow in 1936.

In 1995, BBC Scotland aired twenty episodes of the quirky, opinionated policeman – played by Robert Carlyle. It was via this television series that I received my first introduction to the life of Hamish Macbeth and his West Highland Terrier named Wee Jock. Naively some may say but I’d never even considered that the television series was loosely based on the brainchild of an author – a highly respected one at that.

With that in mind, when Constable & Robinson sent me a copy of “Death of a Valentine” last week I jumped at the chance to finally see what all the fuss was about and compare the television persona I remembered fondly to M.C Beaton’s version directly from print – I wasn’t disappointed!

Hamish Macbeth is standing at the altar in Lochdubh, a fictitious town on the North coast of Scotland. The policeman is waiting for the arrival of his bride to be – Constable Josie McSween. With Macbeth’s final words as a single man ringing out, just as the prologue ends, we are beamed back a year in the past to discover how a young female Constable snared the (almost nearly!) bachelor into saying “I Do”!

Hamish MacBeth raised his eyes to the old beams on the church roof and …

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First Frost by James Henry – Book Review

Posted on January 16, 2011
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When R.D. Wingfield was invited to write “Frost at Christmas” in 1972 by MacMillan – and then not have it published until the early 1980’s in Canada – little did we know then that Frost would become a television phenomenon spanning 18 wonderful years. Wingfield died of prostate cancer in 2007 and his final novel A Killing Frost published the following year.

With that in mind, James Henry (pseudonym for James Gurbutt and Henry Sutton) has authored a prequel to the Frost series and the first title (of two) is aptly called “First Frost”. Written on behalf of the R.D. Wingfield Estate it breathes new life into the colourful character and one of the great television detectives of the modern era.

Denton, 1981 – Shakin Stevens has already had two number one records with “This Ole House” and “Green Door”, Diana and Charles marry at St Paul’s Cathedral and the United States launch the first space shuttle – Detective Sergeant Frost meanwhile is struggling with his marriage and an Abba tune he can’t seem to escape!

Julie, a twelve year old girl, out shopping for a school uniform with her mother, disappears from the changing rooms while her mother (Mrs Hudson) browses the new lingerie section. In the background a stranger is watching, waiting for a chance to pounce – it takes her mother twenty minutes before she realises her daughter is missing.

Meanwhile back at Denton Division HQ (Eagle Lane)DI Allen is on a walking holiday and DI Bert Williams, just two weeks from retirement, is nowhere to be found. William Edward “Jack” Frost is the highest ranking officer at the station and Superintendent Mullet, just six months into his command, has no option but to begrudgingly hand the investigation to …

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Cheryl Cole happy and Gamu Jazz’s the X Factor

Posted on August 22, 2010
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It was good to see Cheryl Cole back on our screens last night following her serious fight against Malaria last month. I’ve always been indifferent to Cheryl’s multiple appearances on tv and in the papers but I have to admit, over the last year or so, I’ve warmed up to the Geordie girl and would probably miss her style on X Factor if she had been forced to quit.

The X Factor Final 12 – Spoiler Here

Louis Walsh on the other hand – I wouldn’t miss at all! I’d love to see him replaced, he’s nothing more than a Leprechaun – or is that disparaging to Leprechaun’s?!!

In today’s paper “The People” it runs an exclusive report on Cheryl’s new found happiness following her split from husband Ashley, the 27-year-old insists that she has never been happier.

Cheryl’s first Official book is launched next month titled “Through My Eyes“.

She told The People: “I’ve got so much to look forward to in the next few months. I’ve never felt happier.”

Cheryl has now fully recovered from the disease that left her hospitalised. Friends said that the singer now feels ready to move on from the pain of her marriage break-up.

A source said: “Cheryl’s saying I feel like I’ve turned my life around.

“She says she’s looking at doors opening for her in her life over the next few months. She is excited about starting this whole new chapter in her life.

“It’s great to see her looking and feeling good again after all that she’s been through.

“She is talking excitedly about starting work on The X Factor again and the release of a pop single.”

They added: “But she seems particularly relieved about the way her divorce is progressing. There is no time frame here. …

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Sherlock “The Great Game” episode 3 summary / review

Posted on August 8, 2010
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Slick as you like, Sherlock’s third and final episode (of this series) called “The Great Game” was a triumph of detection and intrigue. Sherlock has 12 hours to solve a riddle or an innocent woman dies. But who is behind the bomb threats?

If you’ve missed any or all these magnificent episodes then you can catch up by ordering the DVD or Bluray discs out on the 30th August – pre order now

Sherlock Holmes is bored! Sitting in his flat at 221b Baker Street Sherlock and Watson have a heated discussion about Watson’s blog and his report of the taxi case. Watson dubbed the case “A study in Pink” and Sherlock took a dislike to how he was portrayed in the blog,

“Sherlock sees through everything and everyone in seconds, what’s incredible though is how spectacularly ignorant he is about some things”

Watson leaves the flat and we are introduced to Mrs Hudson (Una Stubbs) a little earlier in this episode when she comments on Watson’s walk out

“You too had a little domestic?”! Two minutes later an explosion rocks Baker Street and a new case is born. The bomber sends Sherlock a pink iPhone and verbal contact is made through the woman strapped to a bomb in a car park.

Molly’s attempt to forget Sherlock fails dismally when her new “office romance” turns out to be gay who leaves his telephone number for Holmes in the vain hope of the great detective calling him.

It turns out that the case is related to a cold case from twenty years ago, a case Holmes tried to get the police involved but they weren’t interested. A champion swimmer named Karl Powers drowned in a school pool; everyone thought it was a tragic accident. Everyone bar Sherlock Holmes. …

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Sherlock (BBC) on DVD and Bluray

Posted on August 8, 2010
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With a release date of August 30th, the Sherlock DVD or Sherlock HD (Bluray) is a must purchase for any Sherlock fan. Did you miss an episode? If so this is your chance to catch up on the best drama to hit the BBC for a number of years.

Update: Both DVD and Bluray are now available to buy

A contemporary take on the classic Arthur Conan Doyle stories, Sherlock is a thrilling, funny, fast-paced adventure series set in present-day London. Co-created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, Sherlock stars Benedict Cumberbatch as the new Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as his loyal friend, Doctor John Watson. Rupert Graves plays Inspector Lestrade.

John Watson: doctor, soldier, war hero, lost soul. Fresh from fighting the war in Afghanistan, a chance encounter brings him into the world of Sherlock Holmes: loner, detective, genius. A woman in pink lies murdered in an abandoned house.

The fifth victim of a seemingly motiveless killer. Inspector Lestrade is the best Scotland Yard has got. But he knows he’s nothing compared to a young man called Sherlock. Sherlock can tell a software designer by his tie, an airline pilot by his thumb. He has a unique analytical brain unlike anyone else in the world, who earns his living and staves off boredom by solving crimes. The weirder and more baffling the better…Sherlock on Bluray

The two men couldn’t be more different, but Sherlock’s inspired leaps of intellect coupled with John’s pragmatism soon forge an unbreakable alliance. Across three, 90 minute, thrilling, scary, action-packed and highly entertaining television movies, Sherlock and John navigate a maze of cryptic clues and lethal killers to get at the truth.

The world’s favourite detective has come out of the fog. With sparkling scripts and unforgettable performances from the two leads, …

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Peter Robinson’s “Bad Boy” book Review

Posted on August 7, 2010
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I’ve been a fan of gritty TV police dramas for as long as I can remember; Frost, Morse and Rebus to name but three. I have to admit, ashamedly I may add, that until this book landed I had never heard of DCI Banks – after all this is the 20th book in the Banks series!. “Bad Boy” has put paid to all that with this the latest enthralling novel from renowned Yorkshire author Peter Robinson.

The latest news in is that ITV have commissioned a two part pilot series for Peter Robinson’s creation airing in September or October – dates to be confirmed. The ITV pilot will be based on his 2001 book called Aftermath.

Peter Robinson has come a long way since Banks’s inception in 1987 with his debut novel “Gallows View”. From the strength of his latest offering, “Bad Boy”, it’s easy to see why. I have no doubt the DCI Banks franchise will transfer to television effortlessly and with Stephen Tompkinson in the lead role, Left Bank Pictures will be assured of an extended run.

Back to “Bad Boy” – the book begins with DCI Alan Banks on holiday in America retracing the steps of the fictional Sam Spade in San Francisco. Meanwhile on the other side of the pond the team react to an illegal and armed hand gun. Juliet Doyle is a mother in crisis. A long-time friend and an old neighbour of Banks, she has the unenviable dilemma of reporting her daughter to the police. Disappointed to learn that Banks is on holiday, she places her trust in the unknown.

Banks’s daughter Tracy has fallen for the wrong boy. Her flatmate’s boyfriend is good-looking, ambitious, and surrounded by an intoxicating air of mystery. He’s …

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Sherlock – The Great Game Episode 3

Posted on August 3, 2010
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Sunday sees the third (The Great Game) and final episode in the current Sherlock series, brought to you by the BBC. The Sherlock DVD which features all three episodes is out later this month.

Episode 3 Summary Here

Very little information regarding the final episode is currently available but I’ll be bringing you another episodic review following its transmission on Sunday night (BBC One and BBC HD) at 21:00. The one and only repeat planned this week is on the HD channel at 0035 in the early hours of Monday morning so don’t forget to set SKY+!

A strange clue in an empty room, a blood-soaked car, a priceless Old Master, a deranged bomber. With the clock ticking, the curtain rises on a battle of wits between Sherlock, John and the shadowy stranger who seems to know all the answers…

Will Sherlock prevail? You’ll have to tune in to find out!

Episode Reviews Available:-

A Study in Pink          Review

The Blind Banker        Review

Full Cast Listing for “The Great Game”

Benedict Cumberbatch … Sherlock Holmes

Martin Freeman…       Doctor John Watson

Rupert Graves …         DI Lestrade

Una Stubbs     …         Mrs Hudson

Loo Brealey    …         Molly Hooper (as Louise Brealey)

Zoe Telford     …         Sarah

Vinette Robinson…     Sgt Sally Donovan

Jeany Spark     …         Homeless Girl

Doug Allen     …         Joe

Haydn Gwynne…       Miss Wenceslas

John Sessions  …         Kenny Prince

David Ryall     …         Lord Huxley

Deborah Moore…        Crying Woman

Lynn Farleigh  …         Professor Cairns

Lauren Crace   …         Lucy

Rita Davies     …         Blind Lady

San Shella       …         Alan West

Caroline Trowbridge…Mrs Monkford

Di Botcher      …         Connie Prince

Matthew Needham… Bezza

Alison Lintott …         Julie

Kemal Sylvester…       Tube Guard

Stefano Braschi…        Raoul

John Lebar      …         Golem…

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Sherlock’s “The Blind Banker” Episode 2 review

Posted on August 2, 2010
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It’s all about the Orient! From the very beginning, you could tell “The Blind Banker” was going to be another slick episode of Sherlock Holmes from the Oriental tea making to Watson’s troubles with the self-shopping aisle hurling abuse at the machine when faced with an annoying automated voice. The Sherlock DVD is going to be unmissable.

“Item not scanned, item not scanned, please scan item again”, Watson slightly embarrassed at his lack of shopping experience replies “can you please keep your voice down?” and to top it off when he finally manages to scan his last item of shopping  the machine has another go….

”Card not authorised please use an alternative payment method, card not authorised please use an alternative payment method” to which he quips “alright I get it” and storms out without his shopping! All the while Sherlock is back at Baker Street fending off a masked swordsman hell bent on killing the detective!

Ratings for episode 2 follow this review.

If you missed tonight’s episode then catch it while you can on the BBC iPlayer in HD.

On his return to the flat he informs Sherlock he failed to get the shopping telling him he had a row with a chip and pin machine! Haven’t we all Watson, haven’t we all!

The real story begins when Sherlock and Watson visit a high end bank in the heart of London. One of their offices has been broken into overnight and the intruder has left a calling card of yellow graffiti. Nothing appears to have been stolen. Sherlock investigates in a way only he can. Following on from “A study in Pink” Benedict Cumberbatch gives a stellar performance with his amazingly quick dialogue. How this …

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Ennis wins Gold but Mo Farah steals the show

Posted on July 31, 2010
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Jessica Ennis has just put the cream on a wonderful large cake by claiming Gold in the Heptathalon beating her closest rival Dobrynska in the 800 Metres but for me Mo Farah stole the show today by becoming double European champion at 5,000 and 1000 metres. It left me with a lump in my throat and pride in what he has given up to become the champion he is. Simply sensational.

How exciting have this year’s European Athletics in Barcelona been for UK Athletics and its followers?

It all began on day one with the 10,000 metres success with Mo “knows how to run” Farrah (28:24.99) and Chris Thompson (28:27.33) claimed Gold and Silver. It seemed to buoy the Great Britain squad pushing them to perform to their best, and often beyond, to bring home a huge collection of medals.

The only negative outcome from today was the performance from the Men and Women in the 4 by 100 metre relays, the guys putting in an absolutely shocking performance. Sitting comfortably in first place rounding the final bend, a mix up of monumental proportions between Mark Lewis-Francis, (who won silver in the 100m) and Marlon Devonish. Team GB could only finish fifth in their heat and failed to qualify for the final. An emotional Lewis-Franics told the BBC

“This is my fault, I’ve let the guys down,”. “Wow, it’s such a big blow. I apologise sincerely to all the guys, I just cannot believe that happened.”

Ennis ran 2 minutes, 10 seconds and 18 seconds, 2.12sec ahead of second-placed Ukrainian Dobrynska, to rack up a championship record 6,823 points total falling just eight points short of Denise Lewis’s British record.

“It’s been nerve-wracking having all the athletes on my heels,” admitted a jubilant Ennis.

“It feels so good …

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BBC’s Sherlock, episode 2 “The Blind Banker”

Posted on July 28, 2010
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Following a highly successful opening with “A Study in Pink” Sherlock Holmes returns to the BBC this Sunday with the second of three episodes, this one called “The Blind Banker”.

FULL EPISODE REVIEW HERE

The second episode is written by Stephen Thompson and produced by Sue Vertue; Steven Moffat’s wife. Once again Benedict Cumberbatch stars as the enigmatic Sherlock Holmes with The Office star Martin Freeman. If you missed the first episode you can still catch it on the BBC iPlayer but hurry,  it won’t be there forever!

A mysterious cipher is being scrawled on the walls around London. The first person to see the cipher is dead within hours of reading it. Sherlock plunges into a world of codes and symbols, consulting with London’s best graffiti artists. He soon learns that the city is in the grip a gang of international smugglers, a secret society called the Black Lotus.

So what are we expecting this time around? More slick dialogue, great acting and a decent storyline? If the first episode is anything to go by then the answer to all of the above is a “hell yeah”! Sherlock has received wide acclaim and is fast becoming one of the biggest hits the BBC has had on its hands for quite some time.

As estimated 7.5 million viewers watched A study in pink which closely followed Conan Doyle’s A study in scarlet and to be frank I’m expecting an increase in viewers this time round now that word is out.…

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Sherlock’s back and means business “A Study in Pink” review

Posted on July 25, 2010
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Wonderful, absolutely wonderful.

Sherlock Holmes is back on tv, slicker, quicker and better than ever – well he doesn’t match Basil Rathbone but Benedict Cumberbatch certainly held up the Holmes tradition in brilliance.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the series but what a brilliant 90 minutes of BBC drama. Slick, full of one liners and amazing delivery the cast fronted by Cumberbatch didn’t disappoint. The BBC have a hit on their hands and I can definitely see another series emanating from this tri factor.

As I mentioned yesterday, the first episode is loosely based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “A study in Scarlet” (if by the way you get chance to read the book, I would advise it, only one of four full length novels it is, like Holmes a masterpiece!

Watson has returned from Afghanistan and is looking for new digs. A friend of Holmes introduces the pair and the detective immediately figures out Watson’s past from a 30 second introduction – the rest as they say is history. The pair meet the following day at 221B Baker Street and we, the viewers, are introduced to “Housekeeper” Mrs Hudson played by Una Stubbs.

Tonight’s episode, A study in Pink, sees Holmes and Watson chasing a serial killer hell bent on playing a dangerous game of kamikaze suicide which has DI Lestrade (Rupert Graves) in a quandary, unsure of which direction the suicides are taking him.

Holmes has a problem with Anderson (the on-site forensic guy) – in fact I’d go as far to say that Anderson annoys the hell out of Holmes and as we see on more than one occasion the “amateur” detective has no time for the policeman! While raiding 221B Baker Street on a trumped up drugs raid …

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A study in Pink – Sherlock on the BBC

Posted on July 24, 2010
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The waiting is nearly over, the long awaited Sherlock mini-series will  hit our screens tomorrow on BBC One and BBC HD at 21:00. (Repeated 0030 on Monday on BBC HD) – A study in Pink Review – Did you like it ? Let me know

With the pilot scrapped and turned into a mini-series, fans of the illustrious detective are in for a treat on Sunday when Sherlock and Watson meet and strike up a partnership. Check out the trailer.

A war hero (Watson), invalided home from Afghanistan, meets a strange but charismatic genius who is looking for a flatmate; it is London, 2010, and Dr Watson and Sherlock Holmes are meeting for the first time. A string of impossible suicides has Scotland Yard baffled – and only one man can help.

The first episode in the series is based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s A Study in Scarlet, first published in 1887. Holmes and Watson meet when When Dr John Watson takes rooms in Baker Street with the amateur detective, he has no idea that he is about to enter a shadowy world of criminality and violence.

‘A Study in Scarlet‘ is a book in two halves. The first works out who the murderer is (and told by Watson in the first person), the second takes us to foreign shores and looks at how the case ended up where it did and the aftermath. Both halves have a different feel and it will be interesting to see how Moffat has managed to re-tell this story.

Did you know that Conan Doyle wrote the novel at the age of 27 in less than three weeks?

Cast and Crew for Sherlock 2010

Sherlock Holmes ……… Benedict Cumberbatch
Dr John Watson ………..Martin Freeman
DI Lestrade ………………Rupert Graves

…

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The Glades, Pilot Episode Review

Posted on July 20, 2010
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Sitting back with a nice glass of white, I watched with anticipation the pilot episode of “The Glades”, a gritty yet whimsical new cop drama that had more bite than the alligators found in the Everglades. It was raining outside and the wind lashing against the shutters downstairs gave it that winter feel despite being a balmy summer’s evening.

What a wonderful surprise. The show was truly watchable, akin to a good book you just can’t put down; The Glades has a lot going for it. Matt Passmore (Underbelly and McLeod’s Daughters) plays Jim Longworth in the lead role. Forced out of Chicago, he moved to Florida with one thing in mind; golf and breaking 80! Ok I left out the bit about him chasing women and being an intelligent wise cracking cop who has the ability to solve cases to the same degree of brilliance as Gregory House in House M.D.!

The Glades, previously titled “Sugarloaf”, is brought to us courtesy of the Arts & Entertainment network (Criminal Minds and Paranormal State) and has an initial run of just eight episodes until the end of August.

“The Glades” opens with Longworth playing golf with Carlos Sanchez, the city’s medical examiner and is a few holes away from breaking 80 for the first time when he receives a call from his partner Mike Ogletree. He tells Langworth that a couple of teenagers have discovered a dissected body in the water and asks him to investigate. Forced to leave his ball on the course, he tells the Hispanic green keepers that the ball is part of a crime scene and police tape surrounds the ball!

Passmore’s portrayal is so good that most males would want to be him, not only for his intelligence, his wise cracks but because he …

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Stars to be paid per dance in Strictly

Posted on July 19, 2010
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Interesting news coming from The Mirror newspaper today: Strictly Come Dancing stars will be paid per dance and not for the entire series. Kind of like an insentive to do well I guess?

If this turns out to be true then I like it, about time some of these Z list celebrities actually put some effort into the competition. I’m fed up of seeing celebrities like Andrew Castle and Fiona Phillips turn up for a few dances and take home huge appearance fees for very little work. This is a positive move BBC, positive.

The Mirror states that the stars competing could pocket as much as £100,000 if they reach the final and as little (I’d accept £10k any day!) as £10,000 if they bow out early.

Martina Hingis apparently received £50,000 for her one dance appearance last year, great things were expected from her but her lack of popularity with the British public culled any chances of a long run.

A show source said:

“This is a way of rewarding those who do well rather than paying one big lump sum. It makes sense and will act as a healthy ­incentive.”

Ali Bastian has backed the decision to reduce the number of celebrities on Strictly Come Dancing.

“Everyone was on their knees by the end last time. It’s a lot of stress to take if your body isn’t used to it,” she told The Sun

“Knocking a couple of weeks off will be good for everyone’s sanity.”

BBC chiefs are keen to recreate the success of last year’s series, which attracted up to 13 million viewers. They will raise the weekly budget from last year’s £400,000 to attract more stars.

Contestants signed up so far include Felicity Kendal (63), the Good Life actress, and former Tory minister Ann Widdecombe. …

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