Richard Ayoade

This novel about a playwright, is presented as an investigation by the author. As you’d expect from Richard Ayoade, it is deadpan and awkward, bringing wit, humour and a slice of surrealism to the mundane, or in this case, the very unremarkable life and works of the titular character.

The book itself is structured like a script, and with the audio version voiced by sometime collaborators of Ayoade (including Noel Fielding and David Mitchell with musical interludes by Arctic Monkey’s Alex Turner) it is no surprise that this feels like a radio play rather than a novel.

Ayoade investigates the unanswered questions of the life of Harauld Hughes, and the plot rolls along nicely, and I enjoyed the light, gentle humour. If you are a fan of Ayoade then you’ll enjoy this.