I picked up this nice 1976 first edition at Hatchards. A lovely, witty, elegant, cleverly crafted tale of sin and sinners around the town of Nemi in Italy. Always a joy to read.

The shocking story of how Rupert Murdoch, his editors and his five newspapers deliberately corrupted the police and public officials, perverted the course of justice and only after years of deliberate lying in courts were they forced to “pay.” Not much at that. The foul News Of The World was shut down, but the Sun  popped up on Sunday. They blackmailed, bullied and corrupted public life, debasing debate in their own financial interests, using their papers to expose innocent people who in any way crossed or questioned them. The book makes you want to vomit. It is not quite so well written as Dial M for Murdoch which covered much of the same territory, as he is anxious to tell all of the tale. But still shocking.

Fabulous the way these Penguin Classic reissues pop up to jog your elbow and clear your palette when engrossed in other books. Classic who dun it as always with the unflappable Maigret and his disdain of all authority, so interesting in a policeman. His quick sketches of characters are excellent. And what is happening between them.

Well I really enjoyed most of it, which is fairly extraordinary since I don’t like “unreality” books. But he writes so well I tolerated people changing into other people as long as I could. Then with a great sigh I let slip the mighty tome. He won’t put me off though. I shall await more.

A very funny, and highly original autobiographical story of Jane Bussman, interviewer to the stars in Hollywood, leaving for Uganda in pursuit of a heart throb aid spokesman. She manages to become involved with Joseph Koni and his abducted captives, and in her savage anger she brilliantly exposes the Aid money racket which keeps the whole business of abducting young girls going, everyone needs the money, since they steal it from the beginning, and so they are not motivated to do what the money is supposed to be encouraging them to do:  stop him. Indeed one hand washes another, and they all profit from the trade. This has been going on for years and years and shows no end of ceasing. Her deceptively innocent pose reveals someone deeply disturbed by what she sees, and her apparent naivety takes her into scary territory where most journalists would not go.  A hilarious, laugh out loud book, on the most improbable subject.