Trade Secrets -- Christmas by Annie Ashworth and Meg Sanders

'Tis not quite the season to be jolly but here we have a little book to ensure it be so when it finally arrives.

And to an extent it's an invaluable, pocket-sized peach offering pearls of wisdom on budgeting before the season, choosing a tree, preparing the food and even shedding those extra pounds gained after holiday indulgence.

The thing is I love every bit of Christmas. I even love queuing at counters during the Christmas shopping frenzy and falling flat on my backside in the slippery snow. It's all part of the Christmas charm isn't it?

Someone telling me how long to dance at the office party or what to talk about at the dinner table or when to switch from the booze to water kind of takes the fun out of it a little bit.

Here's a tip for you: fall over, burn the mince pies, eat lots of rich foods and rip open all your presents at once. Let loose and be merry, it's Christmas for God's sake. Well, soon.

Gemma Berry

Indelible -- Karin Slaughter

Those who have read Karin Slaughter's previous novels and were looking forward to another unputdownable book will not be disappointed.

Karin takes us back to the beginning of the complicated relationship of smalltown coroner Sara and police chief Jeffrey in a story with strong and individual characters.

During a weekend away with a detour to Jeffrey's hometown, he finds his childhood friends and companions knee deep in murders and lies.

Concurrently the ongoing saga of Jeffrey and Sara's lives continues in the present, Sara trying to win Jeffrey back and ending up in the middle of a siege at the local police station,

How does this relate to the past and what will be the outcome?

Adele King

London Bridges -- James Patterson

Alex Cross is back in his best adventure for some time, a direct sequel to Big Bad Wolf that again sends the FBI troubleshooter up against a ruthless Russian gangster.

This time The Wolf is demanding billions of dollars ransom to stop him bringing devastation to major cities in both Europe and the USA. Bomb attacks, assassinations and serial killings abound as his intricate planning keeps him several steps in front of the security services.

Alex is in the forefront of the hunt, darting from country to country while protecting his family and investigating the Wolf's true identity. If you want finally-drawn characters, evocative writing and believable plotting then stay away. For breakneck action that grabs from beginning to end, Patterson's your man.

David Knights

Alistair Cooke: The Biography -- Updated and Revised

Just like the Proclaimers, Alistair Cooke will be best remembered for his Letter From America.

But there was much more to the man than his gentle ruminations on how things were going on the other side of The Pond. He was born in the back streets of Salford, yet within 25 years was a friend of Chaplin, a Cambridge graduate and had not a trace of a Northern accent.

Nick Clarke has written a fascinating account of a man who had a career with the BBC that lasted more than 65 years and who married into one of America's most famous families.

An extremely well-written and absorbing book.

Anthony Silson