Don’t Stand So Close by Luana Lewis, Transworld £6.99, paperback

Stella is a psychologist who seems to have suffered some dreadful trauma and has withdrawn from the world to a hill top house in Amersham. When she reluctantly opens her door to a distraught 16-year-old girl, Blue, Stella’s story unfolds and we find out why she feels threatened and how she has become so unable to function normally. It is always clear that someone or several people are lying but never clear who. It is a real page-turner with an ending you will not see coming!

Bring Me Home by Alan Titchmarsh, Hodder & Stoughton, £7.99, paperback

Alan’s ninth novel is set in Scotland at a family’s loch-side castle. As guests assemble for a summer party, owner Charlie Stuart knows that the past is about to catch up with him – all the sacrifices he has made to keep the estate together, as well as the losses and guilt, are about to be his undoing. The characters are believable, although not all are lovable. It is a gentle read perfect for an autumn evening.

A Song For Ella Grey by David Almond, Hachette Childrens’ Books, £12.99, hardback

A retelling of the Orpheus and Eurydice story set in modern-day Newcastle, this beautifully-written book for young adults concerns a young girl, Claire, and her best friend, Ella. On a camping trip with friends, the two girls meet a young man, Orpheus, who enchants them all with his lyre playing. Ella and Orpheus are ‘married’ the next time the young people visit but catastrophe strikes and Ella is killed by the ‘nest of vipers’ of the Greek myth. In the myth Orpheus tries to bring his wife, Eurydice, back from the underworld and almost succeeds but forgets at the last moment that he has been told to ‘never look back’. This is a most beautiful book, mysterious, romantic and entrancing.

Love Letters of the Great War edited by Mandy Kirkby, Pan Macmillan, £9.99, hardback

This is a collection of letters ranging from the private papers of Winston Churchill to notes from unknown soldiers in the trenches. The letters are arranged as if on a journey from home to the Front, through the war to the end, written from home to the forces and from the forces home. Each letter is preceded by a little history of the sender and recipient, making them so real. Many did not survive the war and the letters were found in their pockets along with photos and drawings. They were so important to the morale of the soldiers and those left behind as well as to present day historians. This is a lovely book.

The Sunrise by Victoria Hislop, Headline, £19.99, hardback

Every bit as exciting as The Island, which shot Victoria Hislop to fame, this new offering is set in Famagusta in Cyprus, a busy port and tourist resort. When the Turks invade Cyprus in 1974, an area of Famagusta is cordoned off. Stranded inside are two families, one Greek, one Turkish. This is the story of how they survive, co-operate and ultimately leave Cyprus. There is love, treachery, betrayal and greed, all the ingredients of a good plot. The Sunrise of the title is a luxury hotel, peopled with a range of characters from the permanent wealthy residents to the manager of the night club. This is a great read and, like all her books, brings to life a little known episode in history.

  • All of this month’s titles are available from Chorleywood Bookshop, New Parade, Chorleywood. Details: 01923 283566, chorleywoodbookshop.co.uk