THIS WAS MR BLEANEY'S BIKE

A novel by playwright and poet, David Pattison. Shortly after University lecturer Dr William S Ludgeworth, known to everyone as Billy Sludge, decided to kill his colleague, the odious Peter Pelham, he was arrested for alleged importuning and suspended from his post at the University. Then he found the lock of pubic hair in the dead poet's house. After that, things became complicated.

Waters that are already deep are muddied by the presence of the deadly Mr Barbour, and the attentions of the ruthless and powerful Signer Paolo Brindisi. Both are, for very different reasons, keen to possess the pubic hair. With the help of the mysterious Doc Holliday and assisted throughout by the phantom cold-eyed man, Billy Sludge battles to keep his job and his sanity as pressure on him builds and his grasp on reality begins to slip.

The blackest of black comedies, situated partly in the unreal world of university life and partly in the shadowy world of realpolitik, this story charts a few incredible days in the life of Billy Sludge, one time academic high flyer and now lost soul.

Published by Wotlarx Enterprises in November 2006 copies of This Was Mr Bleaney's Bike can be obtained by sending a cheque made payable to D Pattison for £7.99 (inc p & p) to David Pattison 1007 Anlaby High Road Hull HU4 7PN. Or can be ordered from bookshops anywhere (ISBN 0-9554130-0-1). Enquiries to: dpattison@hotmail.co.uk