BEST NEW EROTICA (T. 3)

Definitely not for the faint-hearted, this chunky book of erotic short stories describes itself as the best value anthology on the market, and for sheer volume, it''s not a lie. With over 30 stories and a cover price of GBP7.99, the Mammoth Book of...series appeals to those with a small budget but a big appetite for fiction. As with any anthology the writing is varied and readers are sure to find a few stories that resonate - however with erotica, the writing quite often takes a back seat to the plot and lurid detail, leaving a ''so-what'' aftertaste. However, no reader would pick up this book with any expectations of high literary craft. This is the eighth ''mammoth book'' in the series, so its clear editor Maxim Jakubowski has hit upon a bestseller - dozens of very different, sexy stories cheaply packaged and sure to hit buttons of every reader eventually. (Kirkus UK)