Karma requires a little help on occasion: Hungerford writer's comedic debut novel

A NEW, wry but darkly comedic novel Just Deserts has been written by the observant Jerry Crowther of Hungerford.

Jerry’s debut novel, published at the end of this month, is an original dark comedy full of colourful characters whose exploits will cause the reader to “laugh, rage and cringe in equal measure”.

It follows the rapidly escalating actions of two local busybodies who believe that if ‘what goes around comes around’, it’s not happening fast enough. They are, however, perfectly happy to provide a little of their own divine intervention where needed…

Derek and Sandra Tile believe karma requires a little help on occasion; that sometimes comeuppances need expediting for the greater good.

Opening in their hometown of Reading, where Derek and Sandra issue notices to poorly parked motorists, before moving to a holiday complex in Wales, where they take an unconventional approach to dealing with their neighbour’s noisy dog, Just Deserts follows the Tiles over the course of seven days as their actions in the name of order and balance become increasingly extreme.

While working as an EFL teacher in London Jerry wrote a number of pilot scripts for the BBC comedy department; none of these were produced, nor was any money.

After spending the next few years renovating listed buildings and constructing eco houses in Devon, he returned to writing fiction relatively recently.

Jerry says: “The idea came from my own reaction to the behaviour of certain individuals at a supermarket one afternoon. I started to wonder about the kind of characters who might actually implement the thoughts we all have in daily life, and realised it would be much more interesting if they believed their actions were morally justified.”

Published by The Book Guild on January 28, ISBN: 9781915352347 Price: £8.99