"Trunk Music" was Michael Connelly's sixth book, his fifth to feature Harry Bosch and was first published in 1997. Although Harry remains a cigarette-smoking, beer-swilling, coffee-drinking jazz-fan, his life has seen a few changes since "The Last Coyote". It's been about eight months since Harry returned to the Hollywood Division from involuntary stress leave, but roughly eighteen since he 'officially' investigated a homicide case. Bosch has spent the previous eight months working the burglary table - officially, this was to ease him back into detective work. In reality, however, it was a slap on the wrist for his 'unofficial' investigation outlined in "The Last Coyote" - while he was his involuntary stress leave. He's also spending much of his free time redecorating his house - condemned after an earthquake, it's been demolished and now rebuilt.

The Hollywood Division is now under the command of a new Lieutenant, Grace Billets. In turn, she has decided that all homicides should be investigated by three detectives. Harry is the team leader of Squad One : his partners are Jerry Edgar, who he'd worked with previously, and Kizmin Rider. Rider transferred in around the same time as Billets, both from the LAPD's Pacific Division. "Trunk Music" covers Harry's first case back at the homicide table under these new arrangements. A body has been found in the trunk of a Rolls Royce along Hollywood Drive, overlooking the Hollywood Bowl. Certain factors seem to indicate the victim - Tony Aliso - was killed by the Mob. As such, the case should be turned over to the Organized Crime Intelligence Unit. However, when notified, OCID take a pass - although Harry's happy he hasn't lost his case, he still finds that decision a little strange. To complicate matters, it later appears the officer Harry contacted - a man called Carbone - is taking a 'casual' interest in the case. Harry believes there's more to this than meets the eye, but knows he'll have to be careful. While OCID are supposed to concentrate on organized crime, it is widely believed they hold thick files on many - including the Police Chief and the Mayor. In other words, they're not afraid to play dirty to get what they want.

Aliso, although a small-time player in the movie business, still made a healthy living from it. Married to one of his former actresses, he took regular trips to Vegas. The length of these trips would vary, depending on his luck at the poker tables - however, his wife suspected he did more in Vegas than just gamble. He was returning from one of these trips when he was apparently intercepted and killed. Realising the killer may have followed Aliso from Vegas, Harry takes a trip there to try and retrace his steps. The trip, however, throws up one or two surprises - and it wouldn't be a Harry Bosch novel if he didn't find himself in serious trouble.

Connelly has written another excellent book, and has also introduced two very likeable characters - Billets and Rider. Billets, unlike Harry's previous boss, seems to care about clearing cases - rather than fiddling statistics to make the department look good. Rider, meanwhile, is considered an excellent detective and is tipped to go right to the top. It would probably be a slight advantage to have read at least a couple of the previous Bosch novels- for example, there are certain slight references to some of the events from "The Black Echo" and "The Last Coyote". While it's not entirely necessary, I would recommend reading them first - they are both excellent books, and knowing the "full story" will add to the enjoyment of this instalment.

The second part of The Bartimaeus Trilogy, "The Golem's Eye" continues the story began in "The Amulet of Samarkand". Like the first instalment, the majority of the action is set in a mostly recognisable London - admittedly, with a few noticeable changes. The Empire (which still exists), having already defeated the Czech Republic, is now considering war with the North American colonies. All the same, some Czech spies are still operating in England, and the Czech immigrant community is viewed with suspicion. Magicians have been the ruling class since Gladstone's time, holding all positions of power. Rather than wands and potions, these magicians derive their power from their ability to summon and control a variety of demons - for example, afrits, djinn and imps. Meanwhile the non-magical human masses are referred to as commoners - some of whom have formed a very troublesome resistance.

Nearly three years have passed since the events of "The Amulet of Samarkand". Nathaniel (more widely known as John Mandrake) is now apprenticed to Jessica Whitwell, the Security Minister, and works at the Department of Internal Affairs. His boss, Julius Tallow, is a typical magician : cruel, arrogant and self-serving, he would happily throw another (such as Nathaniel) to the wolves if it meant saving his own hide. (These same qualities, with extra ambition, have also become more pronounced in Nathaniel). However, since Tallow has more problems than he's aware of, Nathaniel's main rivals are the Chief of Police (Henry Duvall) and his assistant (Jane Farrar).

Nathaniel has been put in charge of pursuing the Resistance, a group of commoners who oppose the Magicians' Rule. Generally, their attacks have been limited to small-scale thefts, nothing that would've left Nathaniel under any great pressure. However, the night before Founder's Day (Gladstone's Birthday), a number of shops are attacked and practically destroyed. Policemen were killed, while a number of demons and search spheres used in investigate are missing. However, there are no indications the attack involved the use of magic - although Nathaniel is far from convinced, the Resistance are the most obvious culprits. Under no illusion that results are required, he realises he has to summon Bartimaeus again.

Bartimaeus (the fourth-level djinn summoned by Nathaniel) is caustic, irreverent and hopelessly vain - he boasts about the walls he built at Uruk and Karnak, but never mentions his work at Jericho. While he wasn't too fond of Nathaniel when they first met, he is even less impressed with his master in this book : in fact, he is determined to let Nathaniel down whenever and wherever possible. The last time the duo worked together, they briefly stumbled across three of the Resistance's members - a small group, led by a girl called Kitty. In this instalment, they share the spotlight with Kitty - a commoner with a limited natural resistance to magic.

While Kitty's introduction reduces the amount of time Bartimaeus features, it gives some indication of how the commoners are treated and why there is a Resistance. It means fewer wisecracks (Bartimaeus is the book's funniest character), but it adds to the story and action significantly. The focus from one chapter to another switches between the characters, though the story never stalls. Stroud writes Nathaniel's and Kitty's stories ("Kitty and her parents watched him in silence"), while the djinni tells his own ("I could tell it was Prague as soon as I materialised"). "The Golem's Eye" is very easily read and very enjoyable - but I would recommend starting with "The Amulet of Samarkand".

"The Voyage Home" was the fourth of the Star Trek films and hit the movie screens in 1986. It focuses on the crew of the original series, commanded by James Kirk, and ties up a few loose ends from the previous two films.

The film opens in 2286, three months having passed since the end of "The Search of Spock", with the approach of a strange probe - apparently on a course to Earth. The first Starfleet vessel to encounter it is the USS Saratoga - unfortunately, the energy signal being transmitted by the probe leaves the Saratoga powerless and drifting in space. Affecting every starship and starbase it meets in the same way, it finally reaches Earth. Settling into orbit, it directs its signals towards the planet's oceans - which are promptly ionised, leading to raging storms around the planet.

Having stolen - and subsequently destroyed - the Enterprise, visited an off-limits planet and commandeered a Klingon Bird of Prey, Kirk and his crew are on Vulcan preparing to return to Earth. In preparation for the trip, they have carried out a few minor alterations to their captured ship. Fully expecting to be court-martialed when they arrive at Earth, McCoy has also renamed it the HMS Bounty. They only hear about the probe's approach and its effects en-route, however. Spock - whose rehabilitation is not yet complete - analyses the probe's signals and believes the language to be that of humpback whales. Unfortunately, given that the species is extinct in the 23rd Century, there can be no response. This leaves the crew with only one option : they must travel back in time to a period to when humpback whales weren't extinct, capture at least one of them and return with it (or then) to the 23rd Century. Using the 'slingshot' method they discovered during their famous 5-year mission, Kirk and his crew travel to the late 20th century. There, they decide to target two whales living in captivity in San Francisco. Naturally, there are complications...

Directed by Leonard Nimoy, "The Voyage Home" also saw Nicholas Meyer (director of "The Wrath of Khan" and "The Undiscovered Country") contribute to the screenplay. Meyer - whose involvement in a Star Trek movie is practically a guarantee - initially wanted the bulk of the action to take place in Paris, rather then San Francisco. Nevertheless, despite the odd 'serious' point - most obviously, the damage caused by humans hunting the humpback to extinction - this is still a very funny movie. The comments on, and the attempts to use, the period's vernacular are sure to raise a smile, while the interplay between Kirk, Spock and McCoy has rarely been bettered.

In 2002, soccer's World Cup Finals were played in Japan and South Korea. Following a two-year qualifying campaign, thirty-two countries were involved. While countries such as Brazil and France were among the pre-tournament favorites, the Republic of Ireland had qualified for only the third time in their history.

Ireland's team captain leading up to the finals was Roy Keane, considered by many to be the country's greatest ever player. While soccer is a team sport, Ireland simply wouldn't have been capable of qualifying for the Finals without him. Keane, like all the other members of Ireland's squad, has spent the bulk of his playing career in England - where he has won the Premiership and the F.A. Cup (English soccer's top competitions) several times. He also has a winners medal from the Champions League (Europe's top competition) in his collection. A very focused and determined player, he believes it is necessary to train, eat and rest properly to perform at the highest level.

The events that led up to the World Cup Finals that year, however, must have left him feeling disillusioned with the international set-up. The FAI (the organisation in charge of Irish soccer) had decided that Saipan would be used as the pre-tournament base. After all, it had a very nice hotel. Unfortunately, the team arrived to discover the FAI had brought no soccer balls or training gear - which made training a little difficult. Furthermore, Keane, as captain, wasn't too impressed with the attitude of some of his team-mates; there have been suggestions of late nights and heavy drinking (and I don't mean isotonic fluids). Furthermore, when the training equipment finally arrived, he was unhappy that some were allowed to skip the scheduled training sessions. Keane's anger at what was happening around him led to a huge argument with the squad's coach, Mick McCarthy. It seems that McCarthy found Keane's attitude unacceptable and reservations without foundation; as a result, he dismissed Keane from the squad and sent him home.

The story was huge, and Ireland was divided. A large part of the Irish population bizarrely agreed with McCarthy. Vilified by many in the media, Keane was labelled a traitor. Some made claims about what he'd said to McCarthy. He denied making the most controversial remark, a denial supported by Niall Quinn - another player who'd actually backed McCarthy's position. Keane, however, did have his supporters - among them, the population of Cork City and Conor O'Callaghan. In this book, O'Callaghan looks back to the events of Saipan, the reaction of the Irish people and its effect on him. He was involved in any number of arguments defending Keane - his barber was one of his favorite sparring partners - while the situation left his seven-year-old son thoroughly confused. Like Steve Staunton - who was appointed Ireland's captain after Keane was dismissed - O'Callaghan was brought up in Dundalk. Staunton was another player who'd backed McCarthy at a press conference. One of the funniest incidents takes place at a street party after his neighbour returned home - O'Callaghan made sure his neighbour knew not everyone was happy with his role.

I enjoyed this book quite a bit, but I'd imagine it has a limited appeal. There'd need to be some interest in soccer, and it will mean more if the reader followed the 2002 World Cup. (Having said that, it probably won't be enjoyed so much by those who supported Mick McCarthy). If you're interested, other books that cover the events of Saipan include "Laptop Dancing and the Nanny Goat Mambo: A Sports Writer's Year" by Tom Humphries and the autobiographies of Niall Quinn and Roy Keane.

"Out" was first published in 1997 and won Japan's top mystery award. It is Natsuo Kirino's first novel to be translated into English. Set in Tokyo, it's centred around four women who work the nightshift in a boxed-lunch factory. The pay is good for a part-time job, but the work is far from rewarding, the hours aren't sociable and the chances for progression are limited. Unfortunately, their home lives aren't much better.

Yoshie is the most likeable of the four friends. She is nicknamed the Skipper since she is so hard-working and effectively runs the line the women work on. Yoshie's husband died from cirrhosis, leaving her to look after her family and mother-in-law - who'd suffered a stroke more than six years previously. She's finding it difficult to make ends meet : the insurance from her husband's death, and her own savings, have been spent - largely on looking after her mother-in-law. She is desperate for her daughter to receive a good education. Meanwhile, her landlord is talking about tearing down her dilapidated house, hoping to build a modern apartment block. Yoshie knows this will involve higher rents.

Kuniko is a different matter entirely. Vain and self-absorbed, she is a thoroughly dislikeable character. She lies about her age, drives an expensive, imported car and spends beyond her means on clothes. She had claimed to be married to her live-in boyfriend : sensibly, he blows town early in the book and carefully covers his tracks. Due to the money she spends on her image, she owes a fortune to a loan-shark.

At 34, Yayoi is the youngest and prettiest of the four friends. Kenji, her husband, had once pursued her relentlessly. However, once married, things changed dramatically. Kenji started spending more time away from home, drinking and gambling. Recently, he had been visiting two clubs in Kabuki-cho. In one, he had been spending a great deal of time (and money) in the company of a beautiful hostess. In the other, he'd lost a fortune at the baccarat tables - including the couple's savings. Eventually, after an argument, Yayoi's patience snaps and she strangles him. She then phones Masako : unsure what to do, she knows her colleague will help her.

Although the focus of the book switches from one character to another, Masako is essentially the book's central character. In her early forties, she is married and has one son. Down-to-earth, and more experienced than her colleagues, her three friends seem to rely on her in particular. The book opens and closes with her and, after Yayoi's confession, it is Masako who makes many of the key decisions.

Although Yayoi knew Kenji had blown a fortune, and suspected he'd been in a fight the night she killed him, she didn't know the full story. The clubs he'd been visiting were owned by Mitsuyoshi Satake who, in recent weeks, had come to view Kenji as a nuisance. Kenji was stalking his top hostess and was behind in his bill at 'Playground' (his illegal, after-hours, baccarat club). Eventually, Satake 'deals' with him, using a method that involved Kenji bouncing down a flight of stairs. Unfortunately for Satake, Yayoi's subsequent actions see him under investigation. With a past he'd rather hide, and in illegal club to protect, this is something he is far form pleased about.

A little grim in places, a bit depressing in others - although I found it a touch implausible at times. In particular, I couldn't understand Masako. I found it hard to believe, for example, she could be so detached with what was not only happening around her, but also to her. Nevertheless, "Out" is a very-well-written book and is easily read. Definitely recommended.

"Angels Flight" is Michael Connelly's eighth book, his sixth to feature Harry Bosch and was first published in 1999. Much of Bosch's background has been covered in the earlier instalments. Orphaned at twelve, he later served in Viet-Nam before returning to Los Angeles and joining the police force. He currently works the Hollywood Division's homicide table, though he was once a member of the LAPD's elite Robbery-Homicide Division (RHD). He's seen by some as a maverick, though he's not quite the 'loner' he once was. Following a Vegas wedding he's been married to Eleanor Wish for about two years, while he's settled into his role as Squad One's Team Leader and works well with his partners. In fact, he seems determined to become a new Harry Bosch : he's even trying to quit smoking.

The book opens with Bosch and his team being summoned by Deputy Chief Irving to investigate a double homicide Angel's Flight. Bosch is confused, as the crime scene is beyond Hollywood Division's boundaries, and inside Central Division's. Irving, however, has his reasons - firstly, Central Division's homicide detectives are all on training. Secondly, the case itself is somewhat sensitive. Although two people have been murdered - Catalina Perez and Howard Elias - the department is specifically worried about the implications of Elias' murder. Elias was a lawyer who specialized in police and civil-rights cases, and his murder has come two days before what might have been his biggest case against the LAPD. Michael Harris, his client, is suing fifteen RHD detectives for ten million dollars. Questioned regarding the kidnapping of a twelve-year old girl, he claimed the detectives had tortured him over a three day period. The girl, a member of a well-known and rich family, was later found dead near his apartment, while his fingerprints were found on a book in her bedroom. Nevertheless, he was found not guilty in the criminal trial.

By rights, RHD should've been investigating Elias' murder - but given Elias was planning to sue RHD, their involvement would've been viewed as a possible conflict of interest. Irving has therefore selected Bosch's team to deal with the investigation. The case itself also worries Harry : he knows that, given the nature of Elias' cases, many of the most obvious suspects will be cops. These may include his former colleagues at RHD - including his former partner, Frankie Sheehan.

Part of the help Irving has assigned to Bosch's team is a group of IAD detectives - a group that includes John 'Sustain' Chastain, IAD (Internal Affairs) is the section that investigates other police officers - that department, and all its employees, are detested by every other cop in the city. Harry, himself, has been investigated by IAD a number of times - twice by Chastain, who seems determined to drive Harry out of the force. Harry suspects that the IAD grouping has been assigned to hinder, rather than help, the investigation. However, this isn't Harry's only problem. Given the high-profile victim, the newly-appointed Inspector-General, Carla Entrenkin, has been notified of the murder. This position allows her to oversee any investigation she chooses - and Harry suspects she has a 'personal' interest in this case. Furthermore, Harry believes that Elias had a source feeding him information from the Parker Center.

As with Connelly's previous books, I found this to be an excellent novel. It's a difficult case for Harry, though - despite some 'political' interfering from Irving, he's determined to solve it to the very best of his abilities. Those who have read the previous instalments will know Harry's past, and several old favorites return. Although having read the previous book in the series ("Trunk Music") may be helpful, the 'newcomer' won't feel left out. "Angel's Flight" covers enough of Bosch's past to tell the story without any gaps. Highly recommended.

Born in LA in 1964, and having released two albums with Lone Justice, this is Maria McKee's first solo album. Released in 1989, and recorded in Hollywood, Dublin and London, nine of the eleven tracks were written solely by Maria. A tenth ("More Than a Heart Can Hold") was co-written with Robbie Robertson. Featuring, among other things, a Hammond organ and strings, the best description is country-rock with a slight bluesy twinge.

The album gets off to a great start with "I've Forgotten What It Was In You (That Put The Need In Me)". Despite the title, it's quite an up-tempo number that sees Maria fairly belting out the vocals. She puts in a similar performance on "This Property is Condemned", which also features a moody bassline and rock-n-roll-esque guitars. However, it's "Panic Beach" - another of the album's livelier songs - that I'd pick as the best track. It has a great tune, great lyrics and could easily have been subtitled "When Showbiz Goes Wrong". Sometimes, it does you good to hear a song like this !

There are a couple of more gentle songs on the album - "Has He Got a Friend For Me ?", the only song that doesn't see Maria with a writing credit, is a very good example. She also gives her backing band its only break for this track, and accompanies herself on the piano. Two of the songs that were released as singles also stand out : "To Miss Someone" shows just what a nice voice Maria has, while "Breathe" is one of the few songs where things actually seem to be working out !

There simply isn't a bad song on this album, and I can't understand why Maria McKee didn't become a huge success. She has a voice that can convey the mood of a song perfectly - hurt, need, calm or just generally fed up ! Highly recommended !

Christopher Brookmyre was born in Glasgow in 1968 and has worked in Edinburgh, London and LA as a journalist. "Quite Ugly One Morning", his debut novel, was first published in the UK in 1996 and won the inaugural "First Blood" award for the best first crime novel of the year.

Jack Parlabane, the book's hero, is a journalist whose career started in Glasgow. He was eventually headhunted by one of London's broadsheets, before realising his brand of investigative journalism was steering him towards serious trouble. He quickly fled to LA - where he made exactly the same mistake again (only, this time with the rather higher chance of getting killed). As the book opens, he's only been back in Edinburgh for around thirty-six hours. (While Brookmyre's travels have been very similar to Parlabane's, I have no idea how much trouble the author's career as a journalist brought him. However, I am assured that all characters in this book are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons is purely coincidental). Unfortunately, unknown to Parlabane, one of his new neighbours - later identified as Jeremy Ponsonby - has been murdered. Ponsonby was a doctor, and a member of a well-known Edinburgh medical family. The book opens with the arrival of Inspector McGregor at the exceptionally messy and slightly bizarre murder scene. Parlabane is later caught at he scene with his trousers down (quite literally) by DC Jenny Dalziel, one of McGregor's team. Gradually, after a few more chance meetings with Dalziel and Sarah - the corpse's ex-wife - Parlabane starts looking into the murder.

While there are some fairly disgusting scenes - particularly the opening - Brookmyre has written a fast-moving, funny and thoroughly enjoyable book. I was reminded, in parts, of Ian Banks and Kinky Friedman (although there aren't quite as many one-liners as your average Kinky book). There are a few Scottish words and phrases used here and there - "jobbie" and "keech", for example, are used in the first chapter. However, with the way Brookmyre has written, there shouldn't be any difficulty in working out exactly what he's referring to. Highly recommended !

"Trainspotting", a classic movie that spawned a classic soundtrack, hit the big screen in 1996 and is based on Irvine Welsh's debut novel. Starring, among others, a pre-Jedi Ewan McGregor, Johnny Lee Miller and Robert Carlyle, the film is mostly set in Edinburgh and London. The film is narrated by Mark Renton - known to some as Rent Boy and played by McGregor. It tells the story of our 'hero' and his friends : a group of junkies and / or criminals.

As the film opens, Renton is already a heroin addict - though, as it progresses, he tries several times to get off the drug. Most of his friends are also addicts - the most notable exception is Begbie, played by Carlyle. Franco (as he is occasionally known) is an ignorant, obnoxious, violent, hard-drinking bully, who likes nothing better than being at the center of a brawl. Sick Boy - played by Miller - is as much a rival to Renton as a friend. He is also something of an expert on Sean Connery, particularly in his 007 days. (Miller's grandfather, funnily enough, played "M" in the Bond movies until 1979). For some reason, I found Spud (played by Ewen Bremmer) to be the most likeable character - or, at least, the one I had the most sympathy for...I'm not entirely sure why, when it was Tommy who had the worst luck of all. (Bremmer was also in the running for the part of Renton - he'd played that part on stage in Edinburgh and London). The gang's dealer is known as Mother Superior - it's not that he's particularly religious, it's more to do with the length of his habit.

The soundtrack is superb - New Order feature, while Primal Scream begged to be allowed to write a song after seeing a rough cut of the movie. I now find it hard not to think of the film's opening scene when I hear Iggy Pop's "Lust for Life", while Lou Reed's "Perfect Day" inclusion is not entirely unexpected, but thoroughly welcome.

Anyone who tells you that "Trainspotting" glamorises drug-taking in general, and heroin use in particular, simply can't have watched it. While there is a great deal of humor, many of the scenes and situations do not present addiction as an appealing option. Renton and his friends see a great deal of action : constipation when hooked, impressive bouts of diarrhoea when coming off the drug, the risk of catching HIV / AIDS, the sickness brought on by going cold turkey and the potentially fatal effects of too big a hit. As a result, it's not for the easily offended or the squeamish - while it's one of my favorite movies, I wouldn't recommend watching it with your grandparents !

Fronted by Sharleen Spiteri, Texas were formed in Glasgow in 1986 by Johnny McElhone. McElhone was no stranger to the UK charts, having previously played bass with Hipsway and Altered Images.

Texas' Greatest Hits collection contains 18 tracks and looks back over the band's releases between 1989 and 2000. The album's first track, "I Don't Want A Lover", was the band's first hit. It features a distinctively catchy slide guitar riff and is still one of my favourite songs by the band. The second track, however, was one of the songs recorded especially for this album; "In Demand" is a mellow affair that charted well on its release in the UK and is one that I just can't help liking. However, it's another of the 'new' recordings - the lazily titled "Guitar Song" - that makes it as my favourite song on the album. Featuring a sample of Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin's hit "Je T'aime...Moi Non Plus", it's catchy, laid back and relaxing. (It also has me reaching for the repeat button quite a bit).

The hits from "White on Blonde" are obviously included - "Black Eyed Boy", "Insane", "Halo" and "Say What You Want" were the songs that saw the band return to the charts after a long absence. ("Black Eyed Boy" - which, I am reliably informed, had distinct Motown influences - was my favourite of the four). The CD also finishes off with a remixed version of "Say What You Want", which features Method Man from the Wu-Tang Clan. For me, it's the album's only real weakness - the original version is much better and the remix wouldn't be a reliable introduction to the band.

Three songs from "The Hush" - the album that followed "White on Blonde" - are also included. They also charted well, though I prefer the chime-tastic "Summer Son" and "When We Are Together" to "In Our Lifetime". Three songs from their third album, "Rick's Road", have also been included. However, for some reason, the excellent "So Called Friend", "So In Love With You" and the Al Green cover "Tired of Being Alone" have all been re-recorded for this release. I was a little disappointed that nothing at all from their second album, "Mother's Heaven", made the cut.

Still, if you've liked anything at all the band has released, this is an album you should pick up. Recommended.