The critical review paper was introduced into the MRCPsych examinations in 1998. The introduction of this paper - to develop the skills to accurately appraise both the scientific and clinical merit of published articles on topics relevant to psychiatry, rather than regurgitating facts from psychiatric textbooks - has revitalised journal clubs throughout the land. The 3rd edition of Critical Reviews in Psychiatry follows the first two editions in 1998 and 2000. The longer wait for this new edition may well be related to a change in form, which should make the publication more attractive to readers.

The authors have adopted an ingenious strategy to make the contributory papers in this volume more appealing to candidates taking the part II MRCPsych examination. All the papers selected have appeared in previous critical review paper examinations. The authors have persuaded the prizewinners that sat the actual papers at the time of the examination, most if not all Laughlin scholars, to answer the questions that were set in the examinations. This is an excellent idea. These superlative former candidates are well versed in the principles of evidence-based medicine, which are now required to do well in this part of the examination and, as their performance illustrates, they are in a position to give very appropriate answers to the questions posed. Having myself been involved in the development of more than one of the critical review papers illustrated in this volume, I can testify to the accuracy of the contributions and expertise of the contributors. A useful section by Stephen Lawrie at the beginning of the book explains the application of the new terminology of evidence-based medicine and introduces the relevant mathematical concepts in a simple way. A small criticism is the lack of information on the themes of the papers in the list of contents.

The book is likely to be bought by many candidates for the MRCPsych examination and is good value for money. The authors must be congratulated for their resourcefulness in producing a valuable piece of work that probably required more editing than appears on the surface. This book is thoroughly recommended for aspiring candidates taking the MRCPsych part II examination and is a must for educational supervisors who wish to keep abreast of examination developments.