Ghost Sitter

A strange little cameo, this, and not without charm. Imperator Claudius Hobbs (otherwise known as Imp), intrigued by his school's F.A. Smith Memorial Chair, determines to unravel the mystery surrounding it. In the course of his research he becomes acquainted with the ghost of the ex-headmaster (to whom the Chair was dedicated), his vindictive wife, an eccentric parrot and a great number of government issue toilet rolls. The eccentricities of the storyline are often engaging and there's plenty of warmth and humour in Imp's relationship with the ghost and his fellow-conspirator. Brett, There are irritations, too: the writing sometimes jars - almost with the rawness of a text in translation; the humour has an occasional vulgarity about it which is at odds with the gentle charm of much of the book. Nevertheless, keen second-year readers with a taste for the unusual can be profitably guided towards this book.