BOOK: Kings For A Day - Mainstream Publishing, £15.99

It's just two weeks to Aintree's biggest day of the year with another great story waiting to be told.

There is something about the Grand National that captures the public imagination and more often than not throws up a gripping tale behind the scenes.

Just think of Bob Champion and Aldaniti, 100-1 chance Foinavon and hat-trick hero Red Rum. But while the names of the horses may trip from the memory quite easily for most, the names of the jockeys may not come so readily to mind.

Reg Green, who as official historian and researcher for the Aintree racecourse has done more to publicise these great memories than anyone, has turned his attentions to these heroes of the National.

He details the stories of every winning jockey since the Second World War, from Capt Robert Petre, who served as an officer in the 9th Lancers before resuming riding to win on Lovely Cottage in 1946, to Red Marauder's rider Richard Guest last year.

CLIVE PRATT

book: The Mermaids Feast by Janet Lawrence - Pan Books £5.99

This is the tenth novel in the culinary mystery series featuring the Darwa Lisle cookery writer, who is married to Detective Chief Inspector William Pigram.

Darwa is offered a free cruise of the Norwegian Fjords on a luxury liner in return for doing some cookery demonstrations.

Unfortunately, on the first day at sea assistant purser Phil Burrell disappears after a fracas with another staff member in the bar. Initially it seems he may have jumped overboard, but as time goes on it begins to look suspiciously like murder and two policemen are flown out to investigate. Of course William gets involved, but, eventually, after another murder, it is Darwa who finds the final clue to the guilty party.

The first few chapters were a bit confusing but after that I found it very enjoyable. Good characters, good descriptions of life on board and the Norwegian scenery. All in all a very pleasant read.

Pam Spencer

ALBUM: La Chambre Du Fils (The Son's Room): OST

Fresh from a string of Bafta's for the fluffy sentimental love comedy Amelie, the French film industry is striking while the iron is hot with a release that has already caused a stir at the Cannes film festival, winning the Palme d'Or last year.

Nanni Moretti's The Son's Room chronicles a family's grief after certain tragic events and if it goes any way to matching its astonishingly moving soundtrack it could well be film of the year.

Nicola Piovani has produced a truly exceptional score that is both beautiful and atmospheric, combining emotive melancholic melody with a choice instrument selection of piano, harpsichord and strings that provide the foundation to a score that gently hovers somewhere between Ennio Morricone and John Barry.

Nicola Piovani has produced a work of pure magic, proving that the power of movie music is still a critical element to the process of a great film.

James Heward