A Review By Keith Smith

Facing the disarray and disorientation around his father’s death, a man contends with the strange and haunting power of the house his parents once lived in. He sets about the mundane yet exhausting process of sorting through the remnants of his father’s life – clearing away years of accumulated objects, unearthing forgotten memories and the haunted realms of everyday life. At the same time, he embarks on an eccentric side-project. And as he grows increasingly obsessed with this new project, his grip on reality seems to slip.

The very bare bones of the book, not particularly enticing? It is however a wonderful, strange, dream-like novel…Laurence Sterne-like in its stream -of-consciousness use of language which does more than anything to convey the mental breakdown and anguish of the main character. The ‘project’ itself is fascinating…it would give away too much to tell of it. But you become involved, drawn in, and not wanting to put the book down. It is slight in size, but demanding. A very, very unusual read and all the better for it. I would encourage you to read it. Nicholas Royle is a name we will hear a lot more of…..