Ladies of the Kasbah, by Dave Mull ins (Warner Books, £5.99 in UK)

Dave Mullins's peep behind the curtains of Dublin's notorious brothel, closed down in 1991, is torn between hilarity at the business conducted there on a routine basis, and pious incredulity that deviant sex should take place at all - God help us - on Irish soil. When the working women speak for themselves, you can't help but be impressed by their gritty pragamatism and their inventiveness, as exemplified in the nicknames bestowed on the more outlandish of their regular clients.