Pick up a retrospective novel about the 1960s and you could get a strong character-driven piece of fiction in the Jake Arnott mould or the other extreme – the literary equivalent of Heartbeat. Thankfully for us, Move On Up by Nick Coventon is very much the former.
Indeed, the Arnott comparison is appropriate, Move On Up also mixing London gangland with the youth cult of the day. But where this departs from the Long Firm is that ‘mod’ isn’t incidental, it’s central.
The book is essentially two converging tales. The first focuses on Johnny, an archetypal 60s mod who is big on self-belief and style, but low on income thanks to a dead-end job as a messenger in a non-descript import/export company. The second features Frank Saunders, able to live the good life thanks to a lucrative business as an armed robber. Johnny wants the life Frank has, but to get it, he needs to leave the ‘9 to 5’ and take a chance with something illegal. Drugs to be precise.
I can’t say I’m a great believer in pets as accessories. Indeed, if our dog was placed in a bag, he would probably eat his way out. But if you like the idea of parading around with your pampered pooch, this Rocket Bowl retro pet carrier will certainly look the part.
No Bombing. No Ducking. No Petting. These warnings should all be familiar to anyone who went to a public swimming pool in the UK in the 1970s/1980s where the ‘Will Patrons Kindly Refrain…’ poster represented the ultimate guide to pool etiquette. 
There has been quite some fuss recently about the new UK version of the Monopoly board featuring where the prestigious places on the board went to St Albans and Exeter! But to my mind, the classic London version really can’t be beat, so I was delighted to find these Monopoly Mugs. 
Offices are dull places – and any opportunity to have some fun during the ‘9 to 5’ shift has to be taken. And that certainly includes this Mario Golf game for your desk.
It seems that gadget makers everywhere are eschewing the digital clock in favour of its more handsome older brother, the analog clock face.
