Man Alive

Derek Hawker had it all - an impressive career, a luxurious house in the country, a happy family and a complete set of Blondie CDs. Then everything changed. His brainy son Matthew grew up to become a management psychology geek and his clever daughter Charlotte thought Derek was about as interesting as Dire Straits on valium. And then his vivacious wife Denise takes off the wilds of China for a year saying their marriage has become dull: "I'll have more fun with the pandas."

So Derek decides to throw in his job and live his dreams. But he doesn't foresee spending so much time with his neighbours with their inquisitive children and sex-crazed pets. There's the business with the stripper, the theme pub and the police. There's his son's emails driving him mad. Most of all there's his daughter's shock revelation that Derek's empty nest may not be so empty after all.

'Man Alive' is an hilarious, humane and insightful novel about impossible kids and parents who refuse to grow old gracefully.