I love a thriller and ‘Catch!’ was a real curve-ball for me – quite literally. That’s because it involves Dani, an Italian who is due to play the games of his life in the baseball World Series in the US. Meanwhile, his mother, Roberta, who runs a laundry in a popular tourist resort in South-East Sicily, has been kidnapped. The local police realise that Dani is being blackmailed to lose the games – with his kidnapped mother as collateral. To that end they install an undercover cop in Roberta’s place in the laundrette to try and get the lie of the land. The cop meets a series of people, who may or may not be able to shed some light on the case. ‘Catch!’ is a fast-moving caper, well written, and all proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to support the excellent work of the West End Refugee Service in Newcastle. GM

Self published