'I'm an accessory in The Great Transworld Crime Caper!'

It would be a crime not to take part in The Great Transworld Crime Caper wouldn't it?!
After the success of last year's Summer Reading Challenge (which I took part in but didn't quite finish the books in time) they've decided to repeat their crimes again.

This time you can pick 3 books from a list of 12 which are --

1. Full Dark House by Christopher Fowler
2. Sacrifice by S. J. Bolton
3. Blacklands by Belinda Bauer
4. Birdman by Mo Hayder
5. The Chemistry of Death by Simon Beckett
6. Past Caring by Robert Goddard
7. Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin
8. Echoes from the Dead by Johan Theorin
9. The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen
10. If I Never See You Again by Niamh O’Connor
11. The Accident Man by Tom Cain
12. The Business of Dying Simon Kernick

You have until the 14th February to choose your 3 books, they'll be sent one at a time, after each review is up, and  the challenge finishes on the 31st March.  Click here for the full details.

The books I've chosen are --

1. Blacklands by Belinda Bauer
2. Full Dark House by Christopher Fowler
3. Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin

Many of the books seem to be the first ones in a series so this is a good chance to read something new.

Body Care Product Review: ALVA DAILY CARE VANILLA/ORANGE ROLL-ON DEODORANT

Mypure state that all their natural deodorants are certified organic and free from nasty chemicals.  NO parbens, NO aluminium, NO Propylene Glycol, NO artificial fragrance.  So you can be sure that everything that you put on your skin, like this Alva Daily Care Roll-On Deodorant, will be kind and gentle.

The smell of Vanilla and Orange is so delicious and sweet without being too strong, it didn't overpower the fragrance that I was wearing.

The Alva Deodorant was quite sticky at first and it did take a minute or two until I was completely sure that it wouldn't wet my clothes. It didn't stain them at all.

Overall, it did what it claimed on the mypure website: "helps prevent body odour and wetness for up to 24 hours." I didn't have any problems and I felt quite dry throughout the day.

Available in a 50ml roll-on for £7.00.

Check out some of my other Body Care Product Reviews:

Lovea Argan Brilliance Shine Shampoo

Kosmea Eighth Natural Wonder Revitalising Facial Serum

Alva Sanddorn Anti-Ageing Hand Cream

A'kin Pure Rose Hydrating Mist

Beauty Care Product Review: A'KIN YLANG YLANG COLOUR CARE SHAMPOO

This month's product review is from the A'kin range of hair care and is a shampoo for colour treated and permed hair.

The smell is divine!  It's not overpowering at all.  The liquid is thick, not too runny and it felt very gentle to use, I put on quite a large amount to get a good lather but you probably don't need that much.  My hair felt very soft when I was rinsing it, almost as if I'd used a conditioner.
I was very pleased with the results, my hair felt soft and looked shiny and my colour was retained.
I would definitely recommend this shampoo.

Available from mypure for £10.49 for a 225ml bottle.
All A'kin products use certified organic ingredients where possible.

BOOK NEWS: Ebook revolution accelerates in sales and status

Amazon is reporting Kindle edition sales outstripping paperbacks in the US, and the Booker prize jury is now reading on ebooks

A New York commuter uses a Kindle e-reader. Photograph: Lucas Jackson / Reuters

The ebook revolution has swept past two more milestones in its ferocious advance upon the bastions of literary culture. As the Man Booker prize embraces the digital era, the online retail giant Amazon has announced that sales of Kindle editions have overtaken paperbacks in the US.
Publishers entering books for the £50,000 Man Booker prize are now being asked to make all submissions available both as physical books and in digital form. This year's judging panel – which includes writers Susan Hill, Matthew d'Ancona, and politician Chris Mullin as well as the Daily Telegraph's head of books Gaby Wood, and is chaired by former M15 chief Stella Rimington – have been issued with e-readers. The move will help them prepare for the 2011 prize longlist, to be announced in July, without hauling around back-breaking numbers of submissions.
Man Booker administrator Ion Trewin said: "Traditionally we rely on proofs and hard copies, but it seemed to me if publishers were in a position to supply us with electronic downloads any earlier, it would help because time is of the essence. And it gives the judges an alternative. This is what the Kindle will do – it's not going to take over from print, but will offer another way of reading as well." The judges who'd responded to him thus far thought the development was "wonderful", Trewin added.
Meanwhile Amazon, posting its latest financial results, said that so far in 2011 its US wing had sold 120 Kindle ebooks for every 100 paperbacks. "Additionally, during this same time period the company has sold three times as many Kindle books as hardcover books," the company said in a statement.

Taken from guardian.co.uk -- click here to read the full article

BOOK REVIEW: THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE BY ALAN BRADLEY

Genre: Mystery

Published by: Orion (Feb 2010)

Pages: 358 (Paperback)

My Rating: 9.5/10

THE SWEETNESS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIE BY ALAN BRADLEY

About the Book:

For very-nearly-eleven-year-old Flavia de Luce, the discovery of a dead snipe on the doorstep of Buckshaw, the crumbling de Luce country seat, was a marvellous mystery - especially since this particular snipe had a rather rare stamp neatly impaled on its beak. Soon Flavia discovers something even more shocking in the cucumber patch and it's clear that the snipe was a bird of very ill omen indeed. As the police descend on Buckshaw, Flavia decides it is up to her to piece together the clues and solve the puzzle. Who was the man she heard her father arguing with? What was the snipe doing in England at all? Who or what is the Ulster Avenger? And, most peculiar of all, who took a slice of Mrs Mullet's unspeakable custard pie that had been cooling by the window...?

My Thoughts:

I absolutely loved this book, it has all the ingredients of a typical English cozy mystery: set in the 1950's, an old crumbling country house in a small village, quirky characters, a mysterious dead body, strange happenings and an amateur sleuth who stumbles upon the clues right under the noses of the local police. Wonderful stuff!

Flavia is a most unusual little girl in some ways; obsessed with chemistry (she has her own lab on the top floor of the old house), she has acute hearing, is old beyond her years, has 2 horrible older sisters who treat her with disdain, and upon whom she likes to conduct experiments without their knowledge!

Her curiosity is first aroused when a dead bird is found on the doorstep and she wonders why her father is so horrified by it, and then a stranger's dead body is found in the cucumber patch, gasping his last words to her, all of which 'sets her mind into a tailspin' and which leads her into danger and excitement by unravelling the clues little by little.

I loved her vivid imagination --

'Fingers of friendship,' he said, whatever that meant.

Fingers of friendship? Had I just been given the secret handshake of some rustic brotherhood that met in moonlit churchyards and hidden copses? Was I now inducted, and would I be expected to take part in unspeakably bloody midnight rituals in the hedgerows? It seemed like an interesting possibility.

Alan Bradley's novel brings perfectly to life an era just after the War when life seemed simpler and slower with his acute observations of people. I laughed, I smiled, I sympathised, I was horrified, I cared about the characters. I was immersed in the story and didn't want it to end.

This is the first in the Flavia de Luce Mysteries and the website with lots more information is here

The 2nd book is called 'The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag' which I shall be reading and reviewing shortly.

The 3rd book in the series is called 'A Red Herring Without Mustard' and is published later this year.

Source: Borrowed from the local library

BOOK REVIEW: MORE THAN JUST COINCIDENCE BY JULIE WASSMER

Genre: True Story

Published by: Harper Collins (Sept 2010)

Pages: 271 (Paperback)

My Rating: 9/10

MORE THAN JUST COINCIDENCE BY JULIE WASSMER

About the Book:

The true story of a mother who was reunited with her daughter, 20 years after she gave her up for adoption, in the most incredible of circumstances.

One hot summer day in 1970, teenagee Julie dressed her 10 day old baby daughter for the last time. Then she placed her newborn into a nurse's arms and walked away.

Over the next 20 years the memory of her lost child continued to run, like thread, through the fabric of her life.......until the 5th November 1990.......when their two worlds would collide.

My Thoughts:

What a heart-warming and incredible story this is. There can't be many people who read Julie's story and not have a tear in their eye at the end of it.

Julie Wassmer is a born storyteller and she relays her life story in such an engrossing way that it is very difficult to put down. From her humble beginnings as an only child growing up in the East End of London; she didn't have her own bedroom until the family moved house (she slept on the sofa in the living room); when she was 16 and, unknown to her parents, pregnant with her daughter.

She always knew that one day she would meet her daughter but until then she led a varied and exciting life, travelling the world on a boat, falling in and out of love, never having a place to call her own.

It was an amazing chain of events that would lead to her daughter just walking into her life and I couldn't put this wonderful book down. If you're looking for a true story that's well-written and heart-warming then look no further.

Source: I borrowed this from my local library.

BOOK REVIEW: LONG REACH BY PETER COCKS

Genre: YA Thriller

Published by: Walker Books (Jan 2011)

Pages: 416 (Paperback)

My Rating: 8.5/10

LONG REACH BY PETER COCKS

About the Book: (Taken from the blurb at the back of the book)

Eddie Savage makes two shocking discoveries in quick succession.

One: his brother, Steve, has been working undercover for the police.

Two: Steve is dead.

Eddie refuses to believe that his hero elder brother killed himself, and there's only one way to find out the truth: follow in his footsteps.

My Thoughts:

First Line:

"We found him face down in the mud at Long Reach"

When 17 year old Eddie learns about his brother's untimely death and is offered the chance to work undercover for an organisation who "operate somewhere in the gap between the police and the more covert government agencies" he doesn't hesitate. Especially when he has to 'get to know' the pretty teenage daughter of the local ruthless killer and psychotic crime lord and try to infiltrate their notorious gang!

This is a real Boys Own adventure story with a likeable hero in Eddie Savage, beautiful but possibly dangerous women with a thrilling storyline and murderous gangsters.

There was a good pace to the story, a nice steady build up in suspense, with good characterisations.

A compelling and exciting read, recommended for readers aged 14+

Beauty Care Product Review: A'KIN PURE MAN CALMING AFTERSHAVE BALM

This review is by my husband as he has been using the A'kin After Shave Balm for the past few weeks.

Negative comments: The smell! I really didn't like it when I first applied it but it got slightly better as time went on.

Positive comments: Very easy to rub in and it absorbs very quickly. Not at all greasy. It didn't irritate my skin at all and my face felt soft afterwards. Overall, I was very happy with it.

This is available from mypure in a 75ml bottle for £10.99. A free sample is available on their website here

Mypure is Britain's most reviewed organic beauty store ........ check it out for lots of special offers. Everything they sell is sulfate free, paraben free and phthalate free.

Beauty Care Product Review: LOVEA BIO ARGAN DETANGLING LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER SPRAY

My hair is straight and shoulder length and, after washing, it is sometimes very difficult to comb through as it's full of tangles. I've been using this Lovea detangler and leave-in conditioner from mypure recently and I really love it! Though it doesn't get rid of ALL the tangles it does enough to make it easier to comb out.

I sprayed it all over my wet hair, though it can also be used on dry hair. I then combed it through very easily. I didn't need to use a huge amount to make my hair look shinier and feel softer.

The bottle is small enough to put in your luggage when you go away.

As the description on mypure says "it's a real tonic for dull and fly away hair!" I certainly wouldn't disagree with that.

It is available in a 125ml bottle for £5.49.

Everything sold by mypure is sulfate free, paraben free & phthalate free.

BOOK REVIEW: A SEASON TO REMEMBER BY SHEILA O'FLANAGAN

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Published by: Headline (Oct 2010)

Pages: 311 (Hardback)

My Rating: 8.5/10

A SEASON TO REMEMBER BY SHEILA O'FLANAGAN

My Thoughts:

This is a lovely collection of short stories all based around the people staying at the Sugar Loaf Lodge in Ireland over Christmas.

They all have their own personal reasons for staying there and we learn from their back stories just what that reason is. We meet an assortment of people, including the husband and wife owners who have money worries, a young girl who is on her own having made an unwise choice in her life, stressed out couples, long time friends, unhappy families, and many more who have all chosen this beautiful hotel nestled in the picturesque Irish mountains.

Some of the people interact with each other during their time away but most of them are stand alone stories.

I've only read one other book by Sheila O'Flanagan which was Anyone But Him and I thought a nice touch was that several characters from that book are featured in this one!

This is a lovely feel good book, you don't have to read it at Christmas time as their back stories are not based on the holiday season but I started reading it on Christmas Eve sat in front of a warm fire and it all added to the lovely wintry seasonal feel.

Sheila O'Flanagan's website can be found here

I won this book on Twitter from Headline Publishers just before Christmas, so a huge thanks to them for picking me! Their Twitter ID is @headlinepg

Tweet

SOME NEW BOOKS COMING OUT SOON

Just a small selection of the new books to look forward to in 2011

The Leopard by Jo Nesbo (Harry Hole, book 6)





The Lake of Dreams by Kim Edwards





The Templar Salvation by Raymond Khoury (2nd book in the Last Templar series)





The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown





The Cypress House by Michael Koryta

Fab review by Suzi at Whimpulsive.net






Scales of Retribution by Cora Harrison






Gladiator: Fight for Freedom by Simon Scarrow






Empire of Gold (Nina Wilde and Eddie Chase series) by Andy McDermott





The Woman He Loved Before by Dorothy Koomson






Cloaked by Alex Flinn

If you've read any of these books please let me know and I'll add a link to your review

I love the cover of Kim Edwards new novel The Lake of Dreams.

MYSTERY & SUSPENSE READING CHALLENGE 2011

I'm taking part in the Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge for 2011 in which the goal is to read 12 books in 12 months starting from 1st January -- thanks to Book Chick City for hosting this -- just click here for details and to sign up.

BOOK REVIEW: CALIFORNIA SCHEMIN' BY GAVIN BAIN

Genre: Fiction, True Story

Published by: Simon & Schuster (April 2010)

Pages: 274 (Paperback)

My Rating: 8/10

CALIFORNIA SCHEMIN' BY GAVIN BAIN

About the Book:

California Schemin' is the remarkable real life story of how two rappers from Dundee pretended to be two rappers from California and duped the record industry out of hundreds of thousands of pounds. Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd - or Silibil N' Brains, as they became known - were two ordinary Scottish boys who shared an extraordinary dream: to become rap superstars. Creating new identities for themselves, they persuaded the music industry that they were the latest hot young talent from California. Silibil N' Brains then lived out that lie for more than two years, securing an enormous record deal with Sony and being catapulted into the industry high-life, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Madonna, Eminem and D12. But, ironically, they could never actually deliver and promote the album that they were paid so much money to put together. As soon as they became famous they would be recognised by anyone who had known them in their former lives in Scotland and the dream would evaporate. As the pressure mounted, there would be disastrous consequences......

My Thoughts:

My first thoughts on finishing this book is that it's a wonder how Gavin Bain managed to write a coherent book at all after the huge amounts of alcohol he had consumed after his wild partying lifestyle! In fact, the book starts with him being rushed to hospital (not for the first time!) having drunk so much alcohol and popped so many pills that it was presumed it was a suicide bid.

First Lines:

Afterwards they would call it a suicide attempt - and that's if they would call it anything at all. Mostly they chose never to speak about it, at least not in my company

.

This story is mostly about the build up to that night and how Scot Gavin -- a neurotic, obsessive, insomniac -- and his friend Billy Boyd -- handsome, confident, self-satisfied -- fooled everyone in this fascinating account of a crazy two years in the life of the rappers known as Silibil N' Brains. Their whole appeal was built on a lie, a scam.

Gavin's life in those days was full of highs (signed by Sony and given a huge advance) and lows (too many to mention) and we follow him through all these, knowing that he's heading for a fall. I did feel quite sorry for him several times, but he was his own worst enemy, he doesn't want our pity, he knows he was an idiot.

I enjoyed his writing style, it was simple, never dull or boring, he didn't try to sensationalise things - he just told it how it was - and I'm glad he did and I'm glad I read it.

Gavin Bain interviewed in the Scotsman.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster for sending me this book to review.

Beauty Care Product Review: ALVA SANDDORN SHOWER GEL

Another product from mypure that I am reviewing today is this Shower and Cleansing Gel.

Alva Sanddorn say that this Gel is suitable for sensitive skins and the nourishing comfrey delivers moisture, aids in the replenishment of skin oils, refines and calms irritated skin. Also, natural wheat protein helps to increase the skin's moisture level.

I have been using this every day and it has a lovely fruity smell, which is not too overpowering. It is a clear rich gel which I really loved the feel of on my skin, but I did need quite a fair amount to make a good lather.

My skin felt nice and soft afterwards, it didn't dry out my skin at all, it just felt moisturised all day. A nice gentle product.

This is available from mypure for £10 for a 150ml tube.

Check out mypure for some great special offers on organic beauty products, everything sold by them is sulfate, paraben free and phthalate free.

BOOK REVIEW: HAND ME DOWN WORLD BY LLOYD JONES

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Published by: John Murray (Nov 2010)

Pages: 320 (Hardcover)

My Rating: 6/10

HAND ME DOWN WORLD BY LLOYD JONES

About the Book:

This is a story about a woman. And the truck driver who mistook her for a prostitute. The old man she robbed and the hunters who smuggled her across the border. The woman whose name she stole, the wife who turned a blind eye.This is the story of a mother searching for her child.

My Thoughts:

The first part of the story is narrated by various people who encountered a woman and helped her in her quest to travel to Berlin to find her young son. I thought this was intriguing and I really liked how they all helped her in different ways, some good, some not so good, from a truck driver, snail shell collector to a chess player and other interesting characters.

As the story goes on we gradually learn a little more about this woman from Africa, until she herself narrates the last part and we see that she sees most of the people and the situations in a different way.

For me, the story started well but slowly I got bored, it just didn't hold my attention enough, I didn't really care too much about Ines, the woman, or the characters she meets about half way through. I did like the easy writing style which contained mainly short sentences and paragraphs.

I read and enjoyed Mister Pip which was Lloyd Jones last book so this was quite a disappointment to me.

Beauty Care Product Review: ALVA SANDDORN HAND CREAM

About Alva Sanddorn (Anti-Ageing):

Sanddorn is Alva's premium anti-ageing skin care range based on the cold-pressed oil of the organic sea buckthorn berry - one of the most valuable

anti-oxidants in the natural skin care world. Sea buckthorn is renowned as an effective protection against the sun's UV rays, as well as being prized for its anti-ageing and moisturising qualities.

About Alva Sanddorn Hand Cream:

Alva Sanddorn Hand Cream is a deeply penetrating, nourishing and moisturising hand cream that provides extensive care for stressed hands, preventing them from drying out and boosting

the skin's elasticity. As we age, along with our face, the hands are the most exposed part of the body and are therefore subjected to a multitude of environmental stressors and UV damage, leading to premature age spots and dry leathery hands. Organic shea butter and cocoa butter, along with organic sea buckthorn oil help to stimulate regeneration, providing supple hands and shiny fingernails.

I have been using Alva's hand cream for several weeks, it is ideal for normal and dry skin as well as mature skin over the age of 30 (which I am!).

It is very rich and thick and creamy and is dark yellow in colour. I loved the smell which is quite light, and while it did take some time to rub it all into my hands I really felt as if it was working deep down to protect them from drying out in the cold weather. It can be used both night and

morning.

I really love using this hand cream, it is certainly more rich than any cream that I've used before and I would definitely recommend it if you're looking for something extra or if your hands are particularly dry.

The packaging is also a pretty white, gold and orange colour.

It has not been tested on animals, is parabin and paraffin free and contains no alcohol.

It is available from the mypure website in a 75ml tube for £12.00.

BOOK REVIEW: THE REVERSAL BY MICHAEL CONNELLY

Genre: Crime and Mystery

Published by: Orion Books (October 2010)

Pages: 400 (Hardback)

My Rating: 8.5/10

THE REVERSAL BY MICHAEL CONNELLY

About the Book:

When Mickey Haller is invited by the Los Angeles County District Attorney to prosecute a case for him, he knows something strange is going on. Mickey's a defense lawyer, one of the best in the business, and to switch sides like this would be akin to asking a fox to guard the hen-house.

But the high-profile case of Jason Jessup, a convicted child-killer who spent almost 25 years on death row before DNA evidence freed him, is an intriguing one - particularly since the DA's determination to re-charge and re-try him for the same crime seems doomed to failure.

Eager for the publicity and drawn to the challenge, Mickey takes the case, with Detective Harry Bosch on board as his lead investigator. But as a new trial date is set, it starts to look like he's been set up, with the renewed prosecution merely a tactic to prevent Jessup from successfully suing the state and county for millions of dollars.

To avoid humiliation, Mickey and Harry are going to have to dig deep into the past and find the truth about Melissa Landy and what really happened to her all those years ago.

My Thoughts:

The characters of Mickey Haller (criminal defence attorney) and Harry Bosch (Detective) are both well known to readers of Michael Connelly's other books.

But I was a little worried as I hadn't ready any of his books before and wondered if I wouldn't really know the characters by not reading them before. But I needn't have been concerned as Connelly managed to give just the right amount of back story for each so that, by the end of the book, I felt I knew them both pretty well.

The first part of the novel deals with the build up to the trial, the story of Jessup's conviction and the reasons for the re-trial, the talking to the witnesses, choosing the jurors, all of which made an interesting and steady build up to the trial.

The last part then deals with the trial itself which I thought was the most compelling and fascinating, I love court room dramas and this did not disappoint.

I also really enjoyed the way the story alternated chapters between the lst person of Mickey Haller and the 3rd person of Harry Bosch. I really got a feel of how each character was thinking and of how the characters thought of each other. It really brought a new dimension to the story.

This is a wonderful description of a judge presiding over another trial:-

Presiding over this anthill was Judge Malcolm Firestone, who sat with his head down and his sharp shoulders jutting up and closer to his ears with each passing year. His black robe gave them the appearance of folded wings and give him the overall image of a vulture waiting impatiently to dine on the bloody detritus of the justice system

This was a storyline that kept me intrigued throughout with intelligent characterisations, simply told explanations of the justice system, a couple of twists and turns scattered about, and is one of the best court room dramas I have read for a long time. Thoroughly enjoyable!

For more on Michael Connelly his website is here

Also, many thanks to Waterstones.com for sending me this book to review.

I must just add that the book I received was an uncorrected bound manuscript proof and the quoted text above may not appear exactly as quoted in the actual book.

BOOK NEWS: V&A museum pleads for cash to save Charles Dickens's manuscripts

Handwritten drafts of David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities and The Mystery of Edwin Drood are suffering from acid paper rot

Charles Dickens at work in 1860. Photograph: Hulton Archive/Getty Images

When Charles Dickens picked up his quill in 1859 to write the words, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times," at the top of a clean sheet of paper, he was setting down some of the most enduring opening lines in world literature. The novelist's striking phrase helped to set the scene for his celebrated story of love amid the turmoil of the French Revolution, but the famous passage with which he began A Tale of Two Cities might not endure for much longer without urgent intervention.

This weekend the Victoria and Albert Museum is launching a campaign to raise funds to conserve the original manuscripts of three of Dickens's best-loved works, including A Tale of Two Cities. Rescued from the novelist's home by his close friend John Forster, the manuscripts came to the V&A in 1876 when Forster, a literary agent, bequeathed his library to the fledgling museum.

The V&A now hopes to restore the priceless originals – which are still legible although blotched and underscored – in time for international celebrations of the bicentenary of Dickens's birth in 2012. "At the moment we can't display these manuscripts safely because they are so damaged and so fragile," said John Meriton, deputy keeper of word and image at the V&A. "They were last conserved in the 1960s, when they were rebound and placed in what are called 'guard books'. But the backing paper used, unfortunately, was very acidic, causing a lot of stress to the original manuscript leaves."

Some parts of the manuscripts are also impossible to read because the leaves were pasted down, making the left hand or verso pages inaccessible.

If the museum – which, like other national heritage institutions, is now facing severe budget cuts – can raise £25,000, curators say it will be able to protect the full manuscript of A Tale of Two Cities, the story of the love between Lucie Manette and the aristocrat Charles Darnay, as well as the original manuscript of the equally loved David Copperfield, published in 1850.

The third manuscript is Dickens's perplexing, unfinished last novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. If this manuscript is restored and conserved, museum visitors and Dickens scholars will be able to study the author's own notes and textual alterations and even perhaps deduce their own solution to one of the most intriguing unsolved cases in literary history.

"You can see the corrections Dickens has made to each section of the stories," said Meriton. "And these are the pages that he would have handed into the printers for typesetting, before receiving the galley proofs for correction in return. We have some of those proofs too, and so it will be possible for visitors to trace the editing process that went on."

Written in "iron gall" ink on low-grade blue writing paper, purchased by the author from WH Smith, the manuscripts were never "wonderful quality", according to Meriton. But they remain a crucial part of Britain's cultural heritage.

To read the full article in theguardian.co.uk click here