402. The Real Silent Witness by Wensley Clarkson

BOOK REVIEW: The Real Silent Witness by Wensley Clarkson

As a teenager, I always had a keen interest in Science and no prizes for guessing which subject I got an A in SPM for. I received a scholarship to do nursing but I always dreamt of becoming either a food scientist or forensic scientist. Alas, life had other occupations in mind for me. However, very recently, my interest in forensics and the human body have been rekindled by the many authoritative books I have been reading on these subjects.

Silent Witness is a British crime drama television series produced by the BBC that focuses on a team of forensic pathology experts and their investigations into various crimes. This intriguing series ran from 1996 to 2025. The new season is to-be-announced for 2026.

When the first season of Silent Witness aired in 1996, forensic science had already become an increasingly significant part of investigating violent crimes. Amid a surge of gruesome cases in the 1980s, police started turning to DNA evidence to identify perpetrators, and since then, forensic science has evolved into a powerful tool in the fight against crime.

Bestselling true crime writer Wensley Clarkson goes beyond the headlines to explore real-life cases in which forensic science has been pivotal. He consults experts who have investigated some of the most gruesome, chilling, and shocking cases from around the world.

Besides that, the author was working in the underworld for more than 30 years alongside police officers and has himself taken part in post mortems and grisly murder investigations. Rest assured that the information is definitely derived from an authoritative source. It's a non-fiction book that will leave you enlightened with the advancement of forensics.

401. Ghosts and Poltergeists - True Stories from Beyond the Grave

BOOK REVIEW: Ghosts and Poltergeists - True Stories from Beyond the Grave

Things that go bump in the night have always piqued our interest to no end. It is the stuff of nightmares, inspiration for numerous horror movies and a subject of debate among scientists and researchers alike. Ghosts and spirits inhabit the world around us. We can hear and see them if we are only sensitive - or psychic - enough to be aware of them. 

Revisiting an intriguing collection of reported sightings dating back to Roman times, Paul Roland uses the first half of the book to explore ghosts not as clichéd, chain-rattling spectres or drifting cold vapours, but as genuine entities that may exist within a broader reality shared with us. 👻📖

Poltergeists are known for creating chaos. They hurl objects around homes and tamper with lights or household appliances. Their presence may be signaled by unexplained voices, persistent knocking, or eerie shrieks—sometimes even by strange odors that seem to come from nowhere. 👻🔊

In the second half of the book, Rupert Matthews examines the phenomenon of poltergeists from the earliest recorded cases to the present day. He highlights their reported activities, the attempts by researchers to document them, and the possible explanations behind their strange behavior. 👻📚

This book to me read more like an informative encyclopedia on ghosts, spirits and poltergeists compared to the oft seen ones which are only meant to scare you. Perfect reading material for those who are interested in researching more on the paranormal.

400. Fracture by Megan Miranda

BOOK REVIEW: Fracture by Megan Miranda

Since my age has caught up with me (yes keep guessing my age), my reading of fiction books has considerably gone down. Due to this reason, I decided to delve into my fiction TBR and I was pleasantly surprised that my choice didn't dissapoint me.

Science has forever been trying to delve into the workings of the human brain and its many complexities. Many medical miracles have popped up pertaining to this uninteresting-looking grey mass. This wonderfully written book is based on this very situation and will have you gripped!

By the time Delaney Maxwell was pulled from a Maine lake's icy waters by her best friend, Decker Phillips, her heart had stopped beating. Her brain had stopped working. She was dead. But somehow Delaney survived - despite the brain scans that show irreparable damage.

Everyone wants Delaney to be fine, but she knows she's far from normal. Pulled by strange sensations she can't control or explain, Delaney now finds herself drawn to the dying, and when she meets Troy Varga, a boy who recently emerged from a coma with the same abilities, she is relieved to share this strange new existence.

Unsure if her altered brain is predicting death or causing it, Delaney must figure out if their gift is a miracle, a freak of nature - or something else much more frightening...

I was riveted by this book that I made sure I read it in two sittings! Although it comes under the YA category, I thoroughly enjoyed it as a full-blown adult so I'm pretty sure it will get the younger readers hooked to it too!

 

399. A Fork in the Road edited by James Oseland

BOOK REVIEW: A Fork in the Road edited by James Oseland

There's nothing better than traveling and eating. I've always loved blogging about both of these topics. Aptly titled, this book encompasses tales of food, pleasure and discovery on the road. It has 34 original stories from food-obsessed writers and chefs sharing their life-changing food experiences.

The dubious joy of a Twinkie, the hunger-sauced rhapsody of fish heads, the grand celebration of an Indian wedding feast; the things we eat and the people we eat with remain powerful signposts in our memories, long after the plates have been cleared. 

I especially loved the entries by famous food writer Michael Pollan and Martin Yan. Besides these two, the other writings were tastefully written and you can almost taste the meals that they ate, food from Brazilian favelas to sushi in Japan. Definitely one to look out for and read!

398. The World Atlas of Street Food by Carol Wilson & Sue Quinn

BOOK REVIEW: The World Atlas of Street Food by Carol Wilson & Sue Quinn

Whenever I travel, culinary tourism is topmost on my list. However, I don't believe in overpriced food tours so what I commonly do is hit a local market or wander the streets, eating whatever is sold out of a cart, stall, food truck or any other mobile ways in which food is sold. To better understand the culture of a place and its eating habits, there's no better way than to eat the street (albeit with a few food poisoning mishaps).

When I came across this book, I knew I just had to add it into my collection of must-read food-related books. An avid traveler and foodie myself, this book covers many countries and its most famous food haunts where food is prepared with heart and soul by the locals.

Street food is one of the most amazing culinary success stories of the 21st century, defying globalization and the spread of multinational fast food franchises. Fresh, cheap, plentiful and varied, street food offers urban residents a cornucopia of choices. Food that was once obtainable only on roadsides are now available in major cities.

This book is organized geographically and is sumptuously illustrated. For several major cities in each region, the authors describe what the locals eat in the best and most established food markets. They suggest which trademark delicacies to try and selected recipes are featured to enable readers to re-create the dishes at home.

Personally, I believe that this book belongs on the shelf of everyone who craves an imaginative, original alternative to homogeneous fare. Bon appetit!

 

397. Nightmare at Eat Street by David Liew

BOOK REVIEW: Nightmare at Eat Street by David Liew

If you're looking for a brainrot read (as if 6 7 wasn't enough, haha) that includes supernatural characters in a graphic novel, this is a definite pick-me-up. Illustrated and written by our very own Asian author, I found it to be quite creative in many ways.

Now, let's dive into the book. It is rumoured among foodies that there is a unique eatery offering cuisine that is truly out of this world. It's so exclusive that everyone knows of it but nobody has actually been there before - apparently it's that exclusive.

They say that it's a discreet hole-in-the-wall somewhere in the Lesser Yiwill Road area, but all you find there is the unspeakable Leopard Eating House and its generally inedible menu. Whispers suggest that the secret eatery is in the nearby abandoned Great Street.

But they're not rumours. The Eat Street Dining Club does exist - and it does offer fare that defies the human palate. It has to - since its patrons are either undead, reanimated or generally supernatural. When a new resident joins the group, it seems like business as usual. But her presence isn't welcomed by everybody in the Club. The newcomer has a dark secret and it's going to be revealed in an explosive confrontation.

I laughed quite a bit throughout the book with its host of whimsical characters with even more whimsical names. My personal favorite was Gracie, the child skeleton, who's headstrong and has better instinct than even a human would. Great read and even greater laughs!

 

396. Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan

 

BOOK REVIEW: Christmas at Little Beach Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan

Christmas is all about festive cheer, family gatherings, laughter and plenty of food. But what happens when this harmonious situation is thrown off balance by unforeseen situations and the reluctance to accept life as it is?

It's Christmas in the Cornish coastal village of Mount Polbearne - a time for family, friends and feasting. Polly Waterford loves running the Little Beach Street bakery. She's at her happiest when she's creating delicious treats, and the festive season always inspires her to bake something extra special for the village residents. 

In fact, the only thing she loves more than her bakery is curling up with her gorgeous boyfriend, Huckle. She's determined that this Christmas is going to be their best one yet, but sometimes life doesn't always work out as planned...

When Polly's best friend Kerensa turns up with a secret that threatens the life Polly and Huckle have built together, the future begins to look uncertain. Then a face from Polly's past reappears and things become even more complicated. 

Polly can usually find solace in baking but she has a feeling that's not going to enough this time. Can she get things back on track so that everyone has a merry Christmas? 

Well-written, this novel has Sophie Kinsella like vibes that will have girly readers relating to the humour in it. It teaches the value of unbreakable love and the essence of hope even when things are bleak. This light-hearted read is a definite pick-me up for anyone who is into a heartfelt story.