BOOK OF THE WEEK

The Extraordinary Journey Of The Fakir Who Got Trapped In An Ikea Wardrobe by Romain Puertolas is published in hardback by Harvill Secker, priced £12.99 (ebook £5.03). Available July 31

When it was published in France, his home country, last year, this debut novel from Romain Puertolas became a bestseller. He wrote it on his mobile phone while working as a border guard.

It tells the story of Ajatashatru, a fakir (a magical man), who lives in a remote village in India and needs a new bed of nails.

He persuades his friends and followers to pay for a flight to his nearest Ikea, in Paris, to buy a one.

After falling for a beautiful woman called Marie, he spends the night living it up in the store and hides from the night guards in a wardrobe, which is then loaded onto a lorry and shipped to England.

He ends up travelling around Europe and north Africa by plane, ship, trunk and hot-air balloon, making friends - and enemies - along the way.

On one level, this is a standard picaresque tale of a con man living by his wits, but beneath the humour and farce is a more profound examination of poverty and immigration, of traffickers and the lengths desperate people will go to for a better life. Moved by the characters he meets, Ajatashatru vows to change his ways and make amends, but will he?

8/10 (Review by Catherine Small)

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FICTION

What Milo Saw by Virginia MacGregor is published in hardback by Sphere, priced £14.99 (ebook £7.49). Available July 31

Billed as a book for fans of The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time, Virginia McGregor's debut novel is a carefully constructed comment on how appearances can be deceiving.

It's told, in turns, from the perspective of nine-year-old Milo, who has Retinitis Pigmentosa - he's going blind and can only see through a pinhole - his 92-year-old beloved but mute gran Lou, and Tripi, a Syrian refugee.

Milo may not be able to see much of the world, but he seems to pick up on things which others miss, including the mistreatment of the elderly folk in his gran's new nursing home.

While Tripi may live rough, he has a heart of gold and will do anything to help Milo and his single mother Sandy.

And then there's biker Al, who moves into Milo's home so Sandy can pay the bills and whose tough exterior is a cover for his real purpose in life.

Milo ropes in Tripi and Al to help him save Lou and expose the wrongdoing at Forget Me Not nursing home.

It's sometimes predictable and a little cliched in its presentation of Tripi, the token illegal immigrant, and the multiple perspectives can slow the pace.

It was a tall order to live up to the Mark Haddon book it seeks to ape, but What Milo Saw is still a heart-warming read showing children sometimes know better than grown-ups.

7/10 (Review by Kate Whiting)

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What Would Mary Berry Do? by Claire Sandy is published in paperback by Pan, priced £7.99 (ebook £4.74). Available July 31

What Would Mary Berry Do? is Claire Sandy's first foray into the world of the novelist.

In a world where you are judged at the school gates on your prowess in the kitchen, dentist Marie begins to buckle under her own desire to be a domestic goddess.

Neighbour Lucy is a veritable Delia Smith who induces in Marie pangs of jealousy for her perfect foe.

But Marie has had enough, and has set herself a year to conquer her kitchen demons.

Business looks shaky for Marie too when a rival dental practice sets up in the town, and then her twin daughters decide that they want to match-make their brother Angus with Lucy's step-daughter.

Thin cracks begin to appear in Lucy's picture perfect life, is everything as it seems?

And will Marie crack a show-stopper in time for the school fete? This offering is similar to many baking-themed novels on the shelves, just not as pacy.

There's no real hook or drive to get you to turn the page - not bad, just average.

5/10 (Review by Rachel Howdle)

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NON-FICTION

Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Story Of Huguette Clark And The Loss Of One Of The World's Greatest Fortunes by Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell Jr is published in hardback by Atlantic Books, priced £16.99 (ebook £8.99). Available now

In 2009, journalist Bill Dedman was looking to move house.

Frustrated with the market, he decided to browse the internet for places he 'really couldn't' afford', stumbling upon Le Beau Chateau (on at 24 million dollars), a castle of 22 rooms and 52 acres: unoccupied since its purchase in 1951, and not the owner's only vacant property.

The owner is the subject of Empty Mansions, Huguette Clark. Born in 1906, she was one of five children of copper-mining millionaire William A Clark, receiving on his death a fifth of his (in today's money) 3.5 billion dollars.

She was mysterious: a recluse, spending her last 20 years in hospital despite there being nothing wrong, she often took dolls with her when she did venture out, and her nine-month marriage broke down on honeymoon.

This story would be fascinating and compelling were the book half the length; as it is, it's a solid tale for those with time on their hands.

6/10 (Review by Emma Herdman)

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Written in Blood: A Cultural History Of The British Vampire by Paul Adams is published in paperback by The History Press, priced £14.99 (ebook £8.99). Available now

The vampire legend has seen a renaissance of late, with the likes of Twilight, The Vampire Diaries and True Blood pulling in the masses, both on screen and in print.

A subject of fascination for many, this book aims to uncover Britain's association with the undead.

The author, Paul Adams, is an established writer of paranormal books.

Covering both real-life cases, and works of fiction through books, films and television, Adams aims to bring together a wealth of information concerning the history of vampirism in Britain.

Though the book is extensive in its research and information, it does tend to digress somewhat, which at times can make it difficult to read.

Many of the entries can simply be described as supernatural, rather than vampiric in nature, but maybe this is, in part, due to the reader's perception of vampirism.

It also feels a little unfinished, at times presenting as a descriptive list of different works of fiction, and is probably only recommended for those with a real interest in the subject.

5/10 (Review by Rachael Dunn)

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CHILDREN'S BOOK OF THE WEEK

The Queen Of The Tearling by Erika Johansen is published in hardback by Bantam Press, priced £12.99 (ebook £4.35). Available now

This is the first instalment in a fantasy young adult trilogy from American newcomer Erika Johansen.

Like most teenagers, Kelsea is irascible and insecure. But, on her 19th birthday, she is forced to muster up the courage and intelligence to take her rightful place as Queen of the Tearling, a land crippled by malevolent and corrupt leaders.

Kelsea's only protection from her enemies are the dedicated knights who make up her Queen's Guard and a sapphire with mysterious powers.

Will Kelsea be able to survive her new perilous existence, and save her kingdom from destruction?

This is an exciting adventure peppered with magic, romance and a fascinating dystopian setting.

What lets it down is the writing, which often consists of very basic and repetitive descriptions.

Characters are also rather two-dimensional, and "plain" Kelsea herself seems far too obsessed with her lack of beauty and attraction to the opposite sex to be a good role model for teenagers.

However, with a film adaptation starring Emma Watson already in the works, Johansen's debut novel is bound to be a hit.

6/10 (Review by Zahra Saeed)

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BESTSELLERS FOR WEEK ENDING JULY 27

HARDBACKS

1. The Scarecrows' Wedding, Julia Donaldson

2. The Miniaturist, Jessie Burton

3. Minecraft: The Official Construction Handbook (4)

4. Four: A Divergent Collection, Veronica Roth

5. How To Build A Girl, Caitlin Mora

6. Minecraft: The Official Combat Handbook

7. The Silkworm: Cormoran Strike, Book 2, Robert Galbraith

8. Minecraft: The Official Redstone Handbook (2)

9. Minecraft: The Official Beginner's Handbook

10. The Book of Life, Deborah E Harkness

(Compiled by Waterstones)

PAPERBACKS

1. The Fault In Our Stars, John Green

2. The Goldfinch, Donna Tarrt

3. Looking for Alaska, John Green

4. The Gods Of Guilt, Michael Connelly

5. The Girl with All the Gifts (v. 6), M R Carey

6. Paper Towns, John Green

7. Will Grayson, Will Grayson, John Green

8. Empress Dowager Cixi:The Concubine Who Launched Modern China, Jung Chang

9. The Gods of Guilt, Michael Connelly

10. And the Mountains Echoed, Khaled Hosseini

(Compiled by Waterstones)

EBOOKS

1. Bite: The Most Gripping Thriller You Will Ever Read, Nick Louth

2. We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, Karen Joy Fowler

3. The Fault in Our Stars, John Green

4. Sycamore, John Grisham

5. Abducted (The Lizzy Gardner Series #1), T.R. Ragan

6. Summers Child, Diane Chamberlain

7. Fractured, Dani Atkins

8. The Cuckoo's Calling, Robert Galbraith

9. A Breach of Security, Susan Hill

10. The Ladies Room, Carolyn Brown ends