You’ve probably read or seen a film based on an epistolary novel (a story presented through letters sent between characters): "Persuasion", "Dracula", and "The Perks of Being a... Læs mere
"You don’t have to put on the red light", as Sting sings – except this female main character, Mercy Merrick, comes to that conclusion herself. Originally written as a play, "The New... Læs mere
Cagney and Lacey may be the most iconic female detective duo, but who was the fictional female sleuth who started it all? Nancy Drew? Maybe Miss Marple? Nope – one of the first... Læs mere
A giant diamond stolen from India; a rakish rogue; a naive teenager and a drug-fueled scandal.These are the leading parts that combine to make one of the greatest detective novels of all... Læs mere
Madonna, the Queen of Pop, was not the first to be named in honour of the graceful Madonna in art. The focal point of this novel, Mary, is affectionately known as "Madonna" on account of... Læs mere
You’ve gotta love those travel documentaries with celebrities awkwardly trying to make their interactions with locals seem impromptu and organic. Perhaps it’s best to let the... Læs mere
If you’ve seen "The Sixth Sense" with Bruce Willis, you’ll be familiar with Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome: deliberately making a person feel unwell in order to care for them. In... Læs mere
Ok, nobody wants to lose pound500 – but is it big enough of a deal to deserve a short story? To put it into context: a Victorian pound500 was about pound60,000 in today’s money. So,... Læs mere
"Little Novels" isn’t quite a "Little Women" spin-off, as the title might suggest. While you won’t be treated to Timothée Chalamet, you will be treated to fourteen short stories – or... Læs mere
Dr Phil didn’t invent family drama. This Victorian novel might as well be given the Dr Phil caption of "I found out my parents weren’t married, and my cousin won’t give me my inheritance". A... Læs mere
Joaquin Phoenix won an Oscar for playing the Joker, capturing the psychologically dark personality of a villain. Critics were stunned – just as how the villainous character of Lydia Gwilt in... Læs mere
What is "poor" about Miss Finch? Well, with a novel with names like "Mr Sebright" (he’s an eye specialist – "see bright", geddit?), it’s all about sight. You see, Lucilla Finch has been... Læs mere