The novel is a satirical, campus novel set in the recent past. It concerns the ivory towers of academe, what it is to be Non-PC in the Eighties, and a great deal of alcohol.
It is December, 1985. The year is winding gently towards its close until Dr Fergus Girvan, a Classicist at Ariel University, finds his research has been stolen by the man who is also seeking to steal his daughter. But which man is, actually, the more unscrupulous of the two? And is there hope for either of them?
"You have such a lovely use of language I found myself drawn into your story on that alone. Merry murder from piles and fabulous descriptions of the knee cartilage make this a joy to read." (Kelly Van Nelson, author of The Pinstripe Prisoner, long-listed for the Yeovil Literary Prize 2017)
"It's really interesting how you create a sense of modern day angst that we can all relate to but set that within an academic setting relating to historical and archaic study. It's a lovely juxtaposition between two worlds and works really well." (Karl Warburton, forthcoming novel: The Taxi-Dermist)
"It is good to read such fluent and entertaining writing. ... The tone is just right for the world-weary Fergus: it is always gratifying when a new character so quickly becomes familiar. ... Comedic writing often runs the risk of being anything but; however, the dry wit deployed here is sharp (indeed, Tom Sharpean) and well directed." (Jago Piran, author of YA thriller The Devil's Own Time)