Well, I���m kind of sad this book���s over. I mostly read on my tube journeys to and from work, and Hospital Beat has been a good companion for the last week or so.

Well done to Jonathan Nicholas for penning his memoires from life as a police officer in a fairly large UK city ��� he never discloses which one ��� and a beat large enough that a full third of it was covered by the hospital. During his ten years on the Hospital Beat Nicholas has had cause to deal with thieving cleaners, maintenance men, patients and doctors, chavs with less brains than pigeons, spotty-arsed bikers, ghosts and phantoms, potential suicides, and a flashing doctor overcome with a passion for not only parading his phallus in front of female members of staff but also ���.. well, read the book.

His writing style is pure, unapologetic and candid. He admits to unprofessional thoughts from time to time, yet describes some of the pond life he encounters on a day-to-day basis with remarkable rectitude. I particularly enjoyed the description of Pamela, the mother of big fat Mick McGough, ���Pamela was almost the same size as her son but, sadly for her, with more hair on her chin and so even less attractive.���

Nicholas��� talent for bringing humour to serious situations permeates the book, but the story on domestic violence is very different indeed. I found myself so outraged at the level of savagery that I wanted to fight my way into the book and intervene violently myself.

A very good read and one I have no hesitancy in recommending.

#4 in the ever so cool Alex Cross series and it doesnt dissapoint. Picks right up a few months after the 'Jack And Jill' case and guess whose back? The evil serial killer Gary Soneji!!! He is back with a vengeance threatening to put an end to what he started way back in the first Patterson book devoted to Alex Cross 'Along Came A Spider' and to also put an end to the entire Cross family. Dual cases (which seems to be the way of most of the Cross books i have read so far) once again present themselves as not only does Cross with help from his huge partner/bff Det. John Sampson have to pursue Soneji they also have a new human threat known as Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith has been taking out victims in Europe with plans to branch out his services to the U.S. as well. Without delivering any spoilers, this book contains, in my opinion one of the biggest plot twists i have presently read in a Patterson novel. I normally read through my books and when a plot twist is delivered I kinda think "Oh wow!" when i read the one within 'Cat And Mouse' i actually shouted out "No freakin' way!!??" This book also has loads of great moments between the Cross family and thats a huge reason why i love Patterson to death, he really makes you love the charectors he chooses to use for any given project. The Cross's, The Bennett's, The Woman's Murder Club all containing such emotion that after the novel is done it leaves you feeling like you actually knew these people and will miss them till next time. All 'Cat And Mouse' did was make me crave more and more of the Alex Cross charector, a great read!!

Book #3 featuring Detective/Doctor Alex Cross and it was outstanding! I love all the main charectors Patterson comes up with, i don't quite know how he comes up with so many , however he does. In book 3 'Jack And Jill' Det. Cross is once again working double homicides as killer #1 is killing small children that attend the same public school Truth Adjourner Public to be exact, as Cross's own children Jannie and Damon. Killer #2 is a female and male team that go by the name of 'Jack And Jill' they are eliminating elite celebrity members such as politicians, actors etc. they have now set their eyes and determination on the Us President which in turn has Detective Cross working very closely with members of both the C.I.A and F.B.I. organizations. Explosive novel in this riveting and entertaining series of books. 'Jack And Jill' was my 20th Patterson read and my 3rd on the Alex Cross charector. Have yet to read a Patterson novel i disliked!!

All I can say is OMG!!! If you thought 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' was full-on, 'The Girl who Played with Fire' goes 5 steps further. Larsson has created one of the best heroines I've ever had the pleasure of reading about. Salander is kooky, crazy and one psychotic woman when she wants revenge. I love her. In this second novel, Salander is accused of murder and is on the run. Blomkovist sets out to prove her innocence. As Salander is pulled into a dangerous web of hardened criminals, Blomkovist realizes the truth could cost her her life. This book is violently shocking and brilliant! My one criticism is there are so many characters mentioned that it can sometimes become a little confusing, especially when Larsson refers to them sometimes by their first name and other times by their last. For that reason, I give it 4 and a half stars. I can't wait to read the 3rd book now! Talk about a cliff hanger!!!

The tagline on this Patterson book reads "Don't give away the ending...don't give away the beginning!" Well at first reading this, i was thinking "Ok I can understand not giving away the ending but the start?" Now after finishing this terrificly suspenseful novel i can understand why..and no i am going to stick to James Patterson's words cause quite frankly he speaks the truth here it would ruin it for you! This is a novel about a woman who is murdering her rich fiances/husbands and then emptying their bank accounts. All goes well until Life Insurance salesman Craig Ferguson crosses her path. Now Nora Sinclair has to either decide if she wants to get this nuisance out of her life or risk falling in love with him. Yet another spell binding book from whom i now refer to as the master of crime story mystery/suspense teller. Now finishing my 16th novel of Patterson's and about to start my 17th i have yet to find a flop in his list of reads...that my freinds equals up to an amazing and talented writer!