Book Reviews: Now on sale..

THE BROKEN HEARTS CLUB by Ethan Black (Headline, pounds 17.99)

A problem shared is a problem halved but not if you're a member of the Broken Hearts Club, a group of New York professional males who get together to talk about how much they've been hurt by a broken relationship. Ethan Black's novel begins with this refreshingly original premise - then a string of gruesome murders suggests the BHC are taking their therapy a bit too far. If the Club were populated by women you'd say this was a clever feminist satire, but Black has gone beyond that with a very black, witty thriller with more than a few brave insights into the modern male's psyche. HHHH

CENTURY MAKERS by David Hillman & David Gibbs (Weidenfeld pounds 16.99)

As the 1900s draw to a close, it's worth reflecting that it has been a pretty amazing century for inventions and innovations. Hillman and Gibbs' book is a celebration of those brilliant little gadgets which transformed our lives. From the paperclip (1900) to the ring-pull (1962), from soft toilet paper (1942) to the tea bag (1919), these inventions are the best things since sliced bread (1912). Best of all is the story behind the Post-it Note, accidentally created by a hapless scientist trying to make the world's strongest glue. He created the world's weakest, and the rest is history. HHH 

WHEN THINGS START TO THINK by Neil Gershenfeld (Hodder & Stoughton, pounds 9.99)

Gershenfeld knows a thing or two about gadgets, being head of the Things That Think Consortium at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He also has some fascinating theories about the sort of gadgets we'll all be taking for granted in the next 20 years, from wearable computers with hardware that fits into the heel of a shoe, to electronic ink which lets the contents of a newspaper be constantly updated rather than turn into tomorrow's fish and chip paper. Gershenfeld tends to get carried away with technobabble, but he's certainly a real visionary. HHH

THE SLEEP TECHNIQUE by Anthea Courteney (Thorsons, pounds 4.99)

Ask anyone whether they are getting enough sleep and they'll almost certainly say no. As our lifestyles get more hectic and our diets more unhealthy, so our sleep patterns get increasingly out of synch. Luckily, Anthea Courteney's book has more ingredients for a restful night's shuteye than a soothing cup of Ovaltine. With advice such as how to switch off an overactive mind, or how to design a sleep-friendly bedroom, this is an insomniac's bible. Margaret Thatcher got by on just three hours' kip a night, which confirms that sleep deprivation really does send you crazy. HHH