Felix Morsom, the 'Chekhov of Coldsands-on-Sea', hears the harrowing tale of a man whose life has been destroyed by PROD - the Parental Rights and Obligations Department. Then he meets Miriam, who assures Felix that he is the father of little Ian. Soon Felix finds himself in receipt of a huge bill for Ian's maintenance and the chief suspect in a murder case. To discover who really did it, Felix is forced to enter London's underworld. Shamelessly sentimental and very funny, John Mortimer's new comic novel is full of perception and tenderness.