Reviews: Aussie horror hit Talk To Me out in collector's edition

TALK TO ME: LIMITED EDITION

Second Sight; cert 15

4K & Blu-ray, 120-page book, art cards £39.99

The games people play can lead them into dark and dangerous places. Even if they think they are being careful.

Social media tragedies have shown how easily evil manipulators can lure naive followers to their unfortunate deaths. Perhaps the teens participating here in Talk To Me should have watched this terrifying Aussie horror hit (now in a superb collector’s edition) first…then chickened out!

This eerily creepy chiller is being tipped to be the next big fright franchise in the manner of Saw, The Purge and Final Destination. Freaky company to be keeping, but you get the idea.

There’s a social media frenzy surrounding the latest sick party game that makes dicing with an Ouija board look like playing Happy Families. So, nothing’s going to stop teens Mia (Sophie Wilde - pictured) and Jade (Alexandra Jensen) having a go at something that promises experiencing spiritual possession. Mia is seeking reassurances about death and hopes of a life after, because her mother died recently of an accidental overdose. Mia is virtually living with Jade, her young brother Riley and her mum Sue (Miranda Otto) and is in the hurtful throws of grief and loss.

All participants in Talk To Me have to do is hold a ceramic-encased severed hand and say ‘Talk to me’ and they become possessed by a ghost for some pretty awful seconds. But, if the hand’s held for too long, the ghost stays with the player forever. It’s when young Riley insists on taking part that everything goes horribly wrong when he’s possessed - by the ghost of Mia’s mother! Yee-ikes!

8/10

THE PROSECUTOR

Signature, cert 15

Blu-ray £14.99 & on Digital

Martial arts star Donnie Yen shines in a film that gives him a chance to widen his acting scope. He plays Hong Kong detective Fok Chi Ho who’s brassed off that the crooks he nicks keep getting found not guilty in court. Fok’s answer to this is to train as a prosecuting lawyer, but this proves to be far from simple when he successfully puts a young man in prison for trafficking drugs - only to discover he may be innocent. When Fok investigates he discovers a link between the boss at the Department of Justice and the drug gang. Now he’s fighting to free the first man he jailed, and is putting his life on the line.

8/10

GOD’S SOLDIER

Miracle Media, cert 15

On Digital

Carolina Carlsson stars as a kick-ass nun in this action-film about a rogue CIA group trying to get their hands on a girl said to have been born with miraculous healing powers.

The child’s in danger from ruthless drug companies and some governments who will stop at nothing to control the kid’s ability, or kill her. But, she’s in the care of Mother Superior Gina (Carson) who has unexpected talents of her own. As rogue agent Steiner (William Baldwin) and his men are about to find out when they grab the girl and burn down Gina’s chapel. Gina turns into an avenging angel on a mission to save the youngster in this punchy thriller.

7/10

BOOKS

Reviews: Janet McKechnie & Alex Gordon

WHAT HAPPENS IN THE DARK

Kia Abdullah; HQ £16.99

She’s becoming a force in British crime writing. one of a growing number of talented Asian writers. This should follow hits like Take It Back and Those People Next Door into the bestsellers lists.

Lily Astor is a darling of morning TV, but fans are gossiping about bruises make-up can’t totally hide. And now Lily’s been accused of murder, and as a tense court case follows, she’s lucky her long-time friend Sara is determined to get to the truth, and shed light on dark secrets of domestic abuse.

9/10

JULIE TUDOR IS NOT A PSYCHOPATH

Jennifer Holdich; Hodder £20

Got a wicked sense of humour? Then you’ll love this. In Julie’s world she’s the heroine, it’s everyone else who doesn’t understand their place in her make-believe.

Julie’s a 49-year-old work-devoted office stalwart. Loved by all (so she thinks). She’s also in love with younger co-worker Sean. However, he’s in love with someone else. Our unhinged heroine can’t let that get in the way of her dreams, so the competition will have to go. Fatally!

8/10

CARNIVAL OF LIES

D.V. Bishop; Macmillan £18.99

The award-winning historical thriller writer will keep you gripped with this tale of treachery, murder and deceit, as his investigator in 1539’s Florence, Cesare Aldo’s assigned to foil a murder plot against the ruler Cosimo de’ Medici. When the plotters seize Cosimo’s secret journal, the fate of Florence is at risk. All clues lead to Venice, a city where danger awaits Aldo. It oozes atmosphere and period colour.

9/10

THE HEIRLOOM

Julie Brooks; Headline Review £10.99

When Mia Curtis receives a surprise package at her home in Brisbane, Australia, it brings news of a surprise inheritance of an old cottage in England. Little does she know that it will lead her to discover a hidden family history, and the story of a woman branded a witch back in 1821. It’s a fabulous family legacy tale.

8/10

THE NEIGHBOURS

Emma Babbington; HQ £9.99

A new Australian crime writer explodes onto the scene with a dynamite debut. When morning TV’s celebrity doctor Richard Wellington is found dead on a Sydney harbourside path it creates a media frenzy. It also disturbs Wellington’s neighbour Liv Elliot who fears daughter Gracie may be implicated. But, there are secrets in this suburb, and the surgeon’s past isn’t squeaky clean, and Liv will take risks to protect Gracie from the growing storm.

8/10