Rumpole and the Reign of Terror
John Mortimer

Viking, £18.99

Neil Rose



The seemingly indefatigable Horace Rumpole is back for his 15th literary outing as, with characteristic topicality, he gets his teeth into the 'war on terror'.



It is hard to say whether, in Rumpole's world, the refusal to allow a terror suspect to know what he is accused of is worse than losing the regular custom of the Timson family of petty criminals. But both of these are probably trumped by the prospect of wife Hilda being wooed by none other than the 'Mad Bull' - Judge Leonard Bullingham (given a forename for the first time) - Rumpole's judicial nemesis.



All these things happen to the old warhorse during the course of his defence of Dr Mahmood Khan, allowing regular Rumpole readers to sit back and enjoy a fine return to action. Most of the usual cast of amusing supporting characters pass through the pages, while we are privy to the thoughts of Hilda for once as she writes her memoirs.



Yes, those same regular Rumpole readers will be able to spot the twist a mile off, and it is unfortunate that much turns on the coincidence of the barrister bumping into one of his old clients (a device that Sir John Mortimer has used before). But this is still an enjoyable romp.



On the downside, you wonder if the publishers are taking advantage of Rumpole fans' goodwill. The Rumpole novels usually have the feel of elongated short stories, and at £18.99 for 184 generously printed pages, easily read in a handful of sittings, this book is significantly overpriced. That, however, is the only cause for dissatisfaction.





The Collectors

David Baldacci

Macmillan, £17.99
Rachel Rothwell



The Collectors is a highly entertaining sequel to The Camel Club, featuring the same group of conspiracy theorists led by 'Oliver Stone', an ex-killer in the US secret service now hiding from his previous identity by working as a cemetery gardener.



Stone's friend Caleb works at the Congress library, and when his shy boss suddenly dies, Caleb is asked to dispose of his rare book collection. But there is more to the book collection - and the library - than meets the eye.



The dead librarian's ex-wife is a beautiful casino swindler who was about to flee the country after completing a huge job - and setting a dangerous casino boss after her. But on hearing about the death of her ex, she decides to join Stone and the rest of the Camel Club to uncover the secrets behind his mysterious death. However, the casino boss is not one to take prisoners and is hot on her trail.



Brilliantly plotted, The Collectors lives up to the high standards expected of David Baldacci, US lawyer and novelist, who already has ten bestsellers under his belt. Cleverly written with intriguing characters, the only question is whether readers will be able to put it down for long enough to eat their Christmas dinner.





Skin and Blister

Victoria Blake

Orion, £18.99
Jason M Hadden



Skin and Blister is the third instalment in solicitor Victoria Blake's detective thrillers based on private investigator Sam Falconer.



When a student is found dead in his rooms at St Barnabas College, Oxford, it looks like nothing more than suicide. A week later, when Sam's brother disappears, she finally begins to put two and two together, and recognises the disturbing connection between the events.



Then her mother receives a Catholic Mass card, announcing that a funeral Mass is to be said for her son. Sam embarks on a race against time from Oxford to Iraq and back to the troubles in Ireland, in an attempt to save her brother. Her course is not aided by the revelation that her father - a former SAS officer - had killed 40 Republicans in the province and someone is out for retribution.



While the story is entertaining and enjoyable, it is unfortunately somewhat predictable. The plot will not strain the reader's intellect too much over festive period. The characters are rather one-dimensional and predictable, and as such the reader fails to find that much affinity with the leading character. That said, it is an easygoing and quite engaging read.



Jason M Hadden is a solicitor-advocate





How to Read an English Garden

Andrew Eburne and Richard Taylor

Ebury Press, £25
Philip Hoult



Following on from the success of his 2003 book How to Read a Church, solicitor Richard Taylor - a partner at DLA Piper in Sheffield and the Gazette's IP/IT columnist - has teamed up with a friend from his Oxford University days, garden historian Andrew Eburne.



The aim of How to Read an English Garden is to bridge the gap between more academic works on garden history and the leaflets sold by the gardens themselves.



By explaining the various elements behind historic and modern gardens - chapter headings include 'Trees & Hedges', 'Flowers & Grasses', 'Food' and 'Water' - it gives visitors a greater understanding of what they see and how it got there. Although there is a necessary historical element, it is not off-putting.



This is achieved partly through the layout of the book, making it perfect for dipping into. The photographs are both beautiful and well chosen to supplement the text.



How to Read an English Garden would make an excellent present for garden lovers, whether they are keen to get a bit more out of their next visit to a historic garden or simply to have something stylish on the coffee table.