Book picks similar to
Harbour Ways by Valerie Poore


non-fiction-writing
reviewed
we-love-memoirs
modern-fiction

Fight!: Thirty Years Not Quite at the Top


Harry Hill
    A must for anyone who's interested in the business of laughter.' JOE LYCETT'The funniest book I've read in years.' ADAM KAYFrom a childhood spent making smoke bombs, killing wasps and carving soap in 70s Kent, Harry Hill then found himself in charge of hundreds of sick people as a junior doctor. Out of his depth and terrified, he chucked it all in to pursue his dream of becoming a stand-up comedian. Battling his way through the 90s Comedy circuit he quickly rose to become a household name and one of the UK's most celebrated comics, almost making it to the top of the showbiz tree . . .From being chased around a car park by an angry heckler, getting fired from Capital Radio and watching every episode of Freaky Eaters, to a bizarre assassination attempt and cutting up Simon Cowell's trousers, Harry takes an honest and hilarious look at the ups and downs of his life and career through the lens of what didn't go right.He shares his secrets on how to be a great comedian, finding joy in failure and creativity in struggle, whilst never forgetting that life is short . . . What readers are saying about Fight! 'Hilarious... recommended unreservedly' *****'Lots of laughs and memories of days gone by' *****'A great book... I could not put it down' *****'Beautifully written and great fun' *****

The Reluctant Hotelkeeper


John Searancke - 2018
    After his parents’ marriage fell apart, he was dragooned in, at the age of 22, to pick up the pieces of their new venture, a barely-trading country house hotel that had, frankly, seen better days. Not only was it posting an annual loss, but the fabric of the building was crumbling and there was no money left to make improvements. There were to be battles royal with neighbours not wanting their status quo to be altered, and with the local fire authority who sought to impose draconian new safety measures.Over the years, and with the steepest of learning curves, the grand old building was renovated and transformed to meet the requirements of the modern discerning traveller. Accolades for the hotel and its restaurant were won; together they became a well-regarded destination for a number of celebrities – and those that deemed themselves to be celebrities but were not. Stories abound featuring idiosyncratic guests, overbearing public bodies, fractured family life and animals of all shapes and sizes. The local fire station next door was demolished one foggy night, people were frightened by flying dogs and snakes in the long grass, and there were, as befits a country house, strange goings on in the night. Many were the guests who checked in who really should not have been seen together.A rescue mission originally thought of as lasting for a year or two turned into a 35 year lifetime love affair with a beautiful old building. This is a tribute to all the people behind the scenes who helped to make the hard-won transformation into a great success.

The Impending Sausage Sandwich of Doom


Kirk St Moritz - 2017
    After being fired from his job as the clandestine stooge on hit TV show Ghostbusters UK, Elliott returns home to find his girlfriend missing. To make matters worse, Hapkido Valentine, the legendary 1980s wrestler, has returned from the dead and taken up residency in Elliott’s flat. Despite a voracious appetite for sausage sandwiches, Hapkido is convinced he has finally become the mystical Japanese warrior he once portrayed in the ring.Together they must undertake a dangerous journey to find out why the Universe created this most unlikely of partnerships. All that stands in their way is a medallion wearing TV psychic, a train-spotting assassin and the murderous intentions of the local over 75’s women’s group. If Elliott thought the day started badly, things are about to get a whole lot worse.

Lawyer X: A True Story


Jake Banks - 2015
     A bright, young Texas lawyer determined to make it on his own leaves the DA's Office to pursue a career as a criminal defense attorney. Just months later, he finds himself at the center of an international Ecstasy drug trafficking ring. As a charismatic negotiator, Lawyer X ignores danger and resurrects a deal gone bad. Caught red-handed in Paris, France, he lands in prison indefinitely. Isolated from his culture and marked as l'Américain, he is focused on staying alive at a time when Anglo – Franco relations are at an all time low. Facing years in French prison and multiple life terms in the United States, Lawyer X must protect his best friend’s innocence and salvage his own dignity. His mentor, a legendary Dallas attorney, fights to keep him from becoming a casualty in the War on Drugs. A TRUE STORY Hardcover available in 2016

Wings of the Hawk


Charles G. West - 2000
    But he was saved by a pair of grizzled old fur trappers, and he learned to fend for himself and live off the land.When Jim finally returns home to St. Louis, he finds that there was more to his father's murder than he'd thought. Though the Indians did the killing, someone else did the planning--someone too close for comfort. Now young Jim must untangle a thick web of lies, and when the dirty dealings come to light he will come face-to-face with a murderer. But if he tastes the vengeance owed him, it won't be as the boy everyone knew as Jim--it will be as a man named Trace McCall...

Knit 2 Purl 2 Kill 2


Erina Bridget Ring - 2014
    When her mother's health begins to fail, Erina Bridget Ring searches for something to do during the hours she spends at her mother's bedside. What she discovers is knitting--and a group of women knitters. But as she learns to knit and at the same time cares for her ailing mother, she finds that things at the knitting group are not what they seem to be.

Twenty-Seven Years in Alaska: True Stories of Adventure in the Alaskan Wilderness


Jennifer Hellings - 2015
    From canoe camping next to unnamed lakes, to kayaking in Alaska’s pristine waters, she describes her many encounters with the bears, moose and other animals that make this wilderness their home. With her partner David she helped to build a cabin on a remote piece of property, off the grid and accessible only by boat. Illustrated with the photos she took along the way, her story is sometimes comic, and sometimes tragic, but throughout its pages she speaks with the voice of one who loves nature and the wilderness.

Schrodinger's Cottage


David Luddington - 2013
    It also happens to sit on a weak point in the space time continuum. Which is somewhat unfortunate for Ian Faulkener, a graphic novelist from London, who was hoping for some peace and quiet in which to recuperate following a very messy breakdown. It was the cats that first alerted Ian to the fact that something was not quite right with Tinker's Cottage. Not only was he never sure just how many of them there actually were, but the mysterious way they seemed to disappear and reappear defied logic. The cats, and of course the Pope, disappearing literary agents, mislaid handymen and the insanity of Cherie Blair World. As Ian tries to untangle the mystery of the doors of Tinker's cottage he risks becoming lost forever in the myriad alternate universes predicted by Schrodinger. Not to mention his cats. Schrodinger's Cottage is a playful romp through a variety of alternate worlds peopled by an array of wonderful comic characters that are the trademark of David Luddington's novels. For fans of the sadly missed Douglas Adams, Schrodinger's Cottage will be a welcome addition to their library. A heart-warming comedy with touches of inspired lunacy that pays homage to The Hitchhiker's Guide whilst firmly treading its own path.

Fractured: A Kings Reapers MC Boxset


Nicola Jane - 2021
    Meet Riggs, the President, his VP, Cree, and the club’s Enforcer, Chains. While all these men are vastly different, the one thing they have in common is their love for their club. Brought together in a band of brotherhood to support each other after leaving the Forces, these men fight hard and play even harder.When Riggs meets Anna, dynamics in the club change. Not only is their President falling for the female who’s running from her ex, but his VP feels just as strongly about her best friend, Eva. As the brothers fight to keep the club going, themselves alive, and their ladies by their sides, Chains is next to fall for the charms of a woman, only this one is forbidden fruit. One he was never supposed to touch.Follow Riggs, Cree, and Chains' stories as they discover that there's more to life than the King's Reapers MC . . . and that sometimes, love is worth fighting for.

Wal-Mart Book of Ethics Abridged Edition


R.A. Wilson - 2012
    Why else would you be looking at this book? If you have ever wanted to see behind the front lines of retail, this is the book for you. If you want to validate your own experiences in retail, this is the book for you. If you just want to laugh at humorous things from funny people, this is the book for you. Packed full of true short stories from working in one of these super stores, only one conclusion can be reached in the end: Wal-Mart is the craziest place on Earth!

Patricia Fisher Cruise Mysteries #1 -4


Steve Higgs - 2019
    But her hilarious and inspired flight from that situation results in this 50 something unfulfilled housewife taking an around the world cruise she really cannot afford. The cost is soon a minor worry though, as one gin-fuelled pity party later, she is accused of murder and embroiled in the 30-year-old theft of a priceless jewel. In our greatest challenges, we find our true strength and Patricia is the best example of how true that is. Let her story make your heart soar as she shrugs off the ashes of her failed marriage and becomes the incredible woman she was always meant to be. This 4 book boxed set will give you hours of mirth-filled, often pulse-pounding, cozy mystery with no cussing or smuttiness and no graphic descriptions of sex of violence. Book 1 – The Missing Sapphire of Zangrabar. A thirty-year-old priceless jewel theft and a man that really has been stabbed in the back. Can a 52-year-old, slightly plump housewife unravel the mystery in time to save herself from jail? With only a Jamaican butler faking an English accent and a pretty gym instructor to help, she must piece together the clues and do it fast. Or when she gets off the ship in St Kitts, she’ll be in cuffs! Book 2 – The Kidnapped Bride. A cruise ship filled with gangsters, a missing woman, and a new head of security that can’t do his job. What’s a middle-aged sleuth to do? Patricia just wants to spend more time in the company of Alistair Huntley, the offensively handsome captain of the Aurelia who seems only too happy to host her. But as the Aurelia sets sail from Miami, it does so with a dangerous new addition: there is a mob boss among the passengers and he’s on the run – from more mobsters! Book 3 – The Director’s Cut. It’s well known that working in movies can be cutthroat, but no one expected that to be taken literally. It’s party time on board the Aurelia! On the LA to Hawaii leg, a Hollywood film crew are shooting scenes for a new action movie and Barbie has been given a bit-part role. It’s all great fun and Patricia isn’t surprised when her cute, blonde friend attracts the attention of the handsome A-lister male lead. Book 4 – The Couple in Cabin 2124. How do I always attract trouble and drama? When a crewmember takes his own life but hands Patricia a cryptic note and a request to save Anna just before he jumps, she feels she has no choice but to honour his dying wish. Who is Anna though? Praise for Patricia Fisher: She's over 50, feisty and oh so clever at solving murders. This first book has so many twists, turns and red herrings the reader has to pay close attention to catch all the clues. Love Steve Higgs’ books and this new series did not disappoint. Patricia started out as a betrayed wife and moved into a strong, smart woman role. I love her and her side kicks already and this is only the first book. Can’t get enough of Steve’s stories and wait anxiously for the next to publish in all of his series. Higgs continues the 'cozy mystery' genre in this unexpected and empowering new series with no loss of empathy for human variety.

More Ketchup than Salsa Boxset


Joe Cawley - 2015
    Completely un-put-downable. Probably the best book I have read this millenium!" "If you buy one book this year... get this!" When Joe and his girlfriend Joy decide to trade in their life on a cold Lancashire fish market to run a bar in the Tenerife sunshine, they anticipate a paradise of sea, sand and siestas. Little did they expect their foreign fantasy to turn out to be about as exotic as a wet Monday morning. Combining both the bestselling More Ketchup than Salsa & The Final Dollop, this box set brings you the whole story from start to finish, at a discounted price. An hilarious true story exposing the wild and wacky characters of an expat community in a familiar holiday destination, the More Ketchup Boxset is a must-read travel memoir for anybody who has ever dreamed about either moving abroad, finding a job overseas or just wondering if the grass really is greener on the other side. "A book full of laughter and tears."

The Matt Drake Series: Books 4-6 (The Matt Drake Series Boxset 2)


David Leadbeater - 2018
    Now going to start the rest of the series."***** "David Leadbeater is a writer to watch. . .a well deserved 5 stars from me."***** "Action filled yarn, with a great mix of history and suspense."***** "Can't wait for another Matt Drake adventure!!"Three quarters of a million copies sold. Boxset 1 is also available at a cost saving.

Nanny Shifter Service: Box Set 1


Sky Winters - 2018
    There Is a New Nanny Service In Town, And It Serves Very Sexy and Discreet Clients! Book 1: Daddy Dragon Will Anna’s new Dragon boss protect her when it counts? Book 2: Daddy Bear Careful, if you take a job for this Daddy Bear, you might get torn into pieces! Book 3: Daddy Wolf’s Nanny This wolf has a ferocious temper, and he wants to hire a nanny! Book 4: Dragon’s Virgin Nanny Dixie is no stranger to dangerous men… but can she handle a dangerous dragon shifter? 18+ Only.

A Certain Threat


Roger Burnage - 2012
    Grahame in this work. Merriman is plunged headlong into the world of espionage and when Grahame is seriously wounded it falls to Merriman to carry on the investigation.Young James Merriman must keep all his wits about him to foil these plans especially when his adversary is revealed to be an exceptional French agent Henri Moreau who hopes that by helping the Irish to throw off the English yoke, France will be able to use Irish ports from which to attack England.