Overtaken

London: Sceptre, 2003 0340767685. First hardback edition. Fine/Fine. First printing. Complete numberline. Dustwrapper not price-clipped. No inscriptions or annotations. 8vo 140 x 225mm. Red cloth black titling. 216 pp. After the success of BARCELONA PLATES and THE DOG CATCHER, Alexei Sayle proves himself to be a formidable literary talent in this wonderful first novel. Kelvin is a 33-year-old property developer living in a small Lancashire town. He has five close friends, all in well paid jobs. Having bought their lovely houses cheaply in the early 1990's, they are free to spend money on their own pleasures - particularly clothes, meals and cars. Most of all, their life revolves around going to see things. We first meet them on their way to a circus where Kelvin does something unforgivable to a clown, has a strange snack and meets the most beautiful girl he has evber seen. It's the beginning of the end of the good life.. The d/w front panel picture is of a clown. .