The author's background in experimental psychology and clinical psychiatry is evident throughout this book, as are his aims of giving historical perspective and detailing key published work. It begins comprehensively, but begs the question at whom this is book aimed. Its detail would appear beyond that necessary to pass the MRCPsych examinations, though the opening chapters and one on neurochemistry pitch at this level. I cannot agree with some of McKenna's statements: ‘somatic hallucinations in schizophrenia continue to be regarded as quite common’ (p. 10), or ‘FTD [formal thought disorder, P.B.] is relatively uncommon in acute schizophrenia’ (p. 12). That said, his exposition of formal thought disorder, with clear examples, is the best one available to date. Diehard phenomenologists will need to look elsewhere for detailed accounts of other psychotic symptoms and signs. With over 50 pages of references that include recent research, there seem to be few omissions from the past decade. For clinicians, many sections are lively and interesting, but they fall short on treatment innovations or novel perspectives on established methods. The book's strengths lie in the diagnostic field, with solid sections on schizoaffective disorder and autism.

The book will disappoint young early intervention teams as it will not really help to inform their decisions about how to deliver the most effective treatments. Other texts set out a clearer cognitive basis for psychotic symptoms and their treatment. For this reviewer, sections on the management of psychosis were unfocused and lacked depth with regard to psychosocial treatments. For both clinicians and researchers, the book has too little information on cannabis (I cannot agree with the statement that ‘the risk [the use of cannabis poses, P.B.] is small’ (p. 155)) and far too much on, for example, ‘neurodevelopmental theory’. Again a personal reflection, but we need a break from ‘schizophrenic patients’ and ‘schizophrenics’ used throughout the text. At its worst, there are statements that will inflame rather than illuminate: ‘mothers of schizophrenics show more concern and protectiveness than mothers of normals’ (p. 115). Even if this be true, it can be stated more subtly with ‘people first’ language: ‘people with schizophrenia’. In short, Schizophrenia and Related Syndromes does have some interesting points to make but it does not live up to its promise. To cover aetiologies, clinical features, treatment and outcomes for psychotic disorders has proved too ambitious a project for one author.