Richard Skelton reviews "Dancing with the Captain"

Just £9.99! "This is a terrific holiday book. Read it on the aeroplane, on the beach and, most of all, of course, on the cruise ship."

This book is a delightful romantic whodunit complete with great characters, red herrings, glamorous locations and a strong plot.  

According to the cover blurb Jack Dunnill was a Fleet Street journalist and his debut novel is certainly written in an assured and smooth style befitting a former sub editor on a national daily. However, fiction is completely different discipline (arguably!) and the dialogue is also nicely handled, as are shifts in time and geographical location.

The writing style is completely invisible and not at all showy or self conscious and the tale is told with a deft lightness of touch. There's plenty going on but the story never confusing and it's a book that can be put down and picked up again after several days without the need for backtracking.

Part Mills and Boone, part James Bond with a dash of Agatha Christie, the book has a slightly old fashioned quality, but that is part of its charm. It is also no matter that the hero, newspaper reporter Alan Hale, is clearly Dunnill's alter ego. The writer draws on his journalistic background to keep Hale's activities within bounds and technologically contemporary.

There is civility, decency and grace about Dancing With The Captain and I feel I can recommend it readers of all ages including my 93-year-old mother-in-law. But while there is nothing vulgar or offensive in this novel, it is not at all twee or pious either. A neat trick.

To sum up, this is a terrific holiday book. Read it on the aeroplane, on the beach and most of all, of course, on a cruise ship!

“Dancing with the Captain” by Jack Dunnill is available NOW, price £9.99, from:

 
amazon.co.uk

amazon.com

Waterstones

WH Smith's

Bertrams and Gardners

And to order from leading bookstores

And independently from:

Austin and Macauley Publishers Ltd CGC-33-01, 25 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5LB

Tel: +44 (0) 207 038 8212 Fax: +44 (0) 207 038 8312

Web: www.austinmacauley.com. Email: mail@austinmacauley.com

Publishing details: ISBN: 9781849630108

CATEGORY: Fiction (Romance/Mystery), Humour

PRICE: £9.99

EXTENT: 323PP

FORMAT: Paperback

RIGHTS: Austin & Macauley

TERRITORY: World