Carol Naylor's REVIEW it...

  They stood close, smiling into each other's eyes, drowning in the pleasure of seeing each other again. For a few brief minutes they were oblivious to where they were and their reasons for being in these anonymous surroundings that could have been anywhere in the world. Victoria Hislop became an instant success with her debut novel The Island. You may have also read The Thread or The Return? If you are looking for the same quality but in smaller doses I can recommend this short story collection inspired by her love of Greece, giving us some insight into typical Greek customs and traditions, the reality not the fantasy. The Last Dance is full of life's ironies and sad. The setting is Athens for the lavish wedding of Theodoris and Nefeli. Ironically, businesses had closed because of the recession although weddings were as extravagant as ever. No expense spared. Everyone seemed to be getting married and Hislop writes about nuptial gridlock which destroys the whole romant

Flailing arms disappeared as the flames from the burning gasoline shot even higher  and engulfed the few heads that bobbed on the surface. He could hear the screams of men as their flesh melted in the heat. We start with a prologue, set in Germany towards the end of the second world war with an insignificant man, Gerhard Schneider, witnessing cargo being unloaded from a U-boat, overseen by Doenitz. The military convoy left with Doenitz before the submarine exploded. No survivors. About the same time a raid on Selsey, south England went horribly wrong. The German fast boat went down. Again, no survivors. The story then begins in Kent, England and moves to the present day. What a dramatic opening with the planned assassination of Jack Hudson, Secretary of State-a high profile figure. The Assassin is utterly wicked, a typically Machiavellian character who was addicted to killing and found it pleasurable. To him, it was much better than any snort of cocaine or a puff of weed. The

No way was optimism ever going to be allowed to shape the future. Even to suggest there was a glimmer of hope was met with a sharp rebuff. This is an interesting collection of 6 short stories recounting actual events on various visits to either European countries or within the U.K. The commonality is a touch of philosophical resonance mixed with an element of humour, notably sarcasm and wit. Even a search for wisdom, insight and enlightenment can produce, along its path, moments of hilarity. This is Walker's first collection and hopefully, not his last. Why Are Pessimists So Vocal? touches upon these infuriatingly annoying but spontaneous and unavoidable encounters with one of those oddballs suffering from verbal diarrhoea which I am sure we can all relate to and detest?! It doesn't really matter whether it was Portugal, Spain or the moon. It can happen anywhere. The writer was at peace with the world, walking through a pine forest remarking on the beauty of nature'