The Veteran by Frederick Forsyth (Bantam Press, £16.99)

This is Frederick Forsyth at his best. Granted these are short stories, relatively speaking, but make no mistake these little gems will have you sitting on the edge of your seat.

As usual the fine crafting of the plot and the morality of the message are clear. However, no one can better the sheer twisted brilliance of the turns and counter turns in this collection.

The Veteran is a story of revenge. The veteran of the story is mugged and, brutally injured, is taken to hospital in a coma. The hunt for his identity is convoluted and difficult the perpetrators wily and vicious. To tell any more would spoil the anticipation, but don't forget that revenge is a dish best eaten cold.

There are four more tales of intrigue and mystery featuring drugs runs, art, the Second World War and the Wild West. A feast of Forsyth. Annie Dendy