A spirited and adventurous writer, Pietroni loves words and takes joy in story-telling... As well as dark secrets, concealed hatreds, ambiguous identities and tormented relationships, it is about a child in need of parents

A charismatic coming-of-age tale glimmering with dark magic, lost families and closely guarded secrets

One of the best first novels I have ever read

[A] grown up fairy tale... replete with folklore, revelling in character and dialect

This enthralling, suspenseful debut novel...has the feel of a grim fairy tale. Of the many riches it offers, is the winning lead character...who will capture readers' hearts

In turns modern and folkloric, this is an ambitious and unique debut

Pure delight to revel in ... rich and rare ... Anna Lawrence Petroni has a remarkable talent

A rich, tightly woven web... Ruby's Spoon is a book of dark near-realism, a study of complex family relationships and secrets in a world as pained and impoverished as it is fanciful

A heartbreakingly realistic account of social upheaval and family tragedy... A spellbinding first novel, distinguished by unforgettable storytelling

I'm going to stick my neck out and predict prize-winning nominations for this debut novelist's astonishing first book

Spirited

A wonderful coming-of-age tale...she twists gritty realism with folklore themes in a truly mesmerising prose

Jilly's descriptions of the glorious Cotswold countryside are some of the most lyrical ever written and her comedies of manners rival Nancy Mitford, if not Jane Austen

As plots go you can't get more charming than this

The narrative zips along, pierced with her characteristically brilliant ear for dialogue and empathy for human relationships of all kinds... You won't be able to put it down once you get going

A rollicking fantasy

I loved it

Sit back and enjoy the ride as the queen of the bonkbuster, Jilly Cooper, delivers another fabulously entertaining saga

Sharp, funny and touching

The Spoiler - set in the halcyon days before phone hacking - was one of the funniest and sharpest fleet street novels in years.

McAfee - herself a former journalist - evokes two distinct eras and styles of journalism, that of fearless frontline reportage and that of its successor: style-oriented, celebrity-obsessed features coverage... This is a pacy read that leaves little doubt in the reader's mind that one school of journalism deserves more mourning than the other

Marvellous satire...the novel is cunningly plotted and satisfyingly nuanced

If the peek into the world of newspaper journalism afforded by the Leveson inquiry has you gasping for more, then this timely paperback release is perfect...a fiendishly funny (and frighteningly plausible) world of fiddled expenses and suspect tactics

Thoroughly enjoyable behind-the-scenes expose of an ambitious celebrity journalist's attempt to nail the scoop of her life

This is the paperback edition. The hardback appeared before the News Corporation bosses were dragged into the Commons. McAfee was either very prescient or close to the action, holding her fictional hacks to account for printing false stories gleaned from disreputable sources