A Cat, a Hat and a Piece of String, By Joanne Harris: Book review

Post Chocolat, Harris became known as the novelist who deftly wove food into fiction, but many in this generic medley of short stories are food free.

Strongly plotted and written in registers that are variously comical, sad and surreal, they offer a quick hit for readers. Many are about hauntings, from a virtual profile that takes on a life of its own in "Would You Like to Reconnect?" ("no-one really dies online") to the house that controls its resident in "Dee Eye Why".

Best of all is "Cookie", where delicious gluttony – Harris's forte – gathers a sharp note of menace.