Dallas 1963: The Road to the Kennedy Assassination

The Christmas Song by Celia and Orison Carlile (Amazon; €4.80) This is a charming offering from a Fermoy-based writing team which sees young Emily so overcome by Christmas anticipation that she just cannot settle down and go to sleep.

The battle for retailing giant Alliance Boots looked over today after private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts floored its rival with an £11bn (€16.2bn) bid.

One of the private equity firms circling retailer Alliance Boots today improved its takeover offer price to just over £11bn (€16.2bn).