A Spot of Bother

A Novel

By: Mark Haddon

Narrated by: Simon Vance

George Hall is an unobtrusive man. A little distant, perhaps, a little cautious, not quite at ease with the emotional demands of fatherhood or of manly bonhomie. “The secret of contentment, George felt, lay in ignoring many things completely.” Some things in life can’t be ignored, however: his tempestuous daughter Katie’s deeply inappropriate boyfriend Ray, for instance, or the sudden appearance of a red circular rash on his hip.

At 57, George is settling down to a comfortable retirement, building a shed in his garden and enjoying the freedom to be alone when he wants. But then he runs into a spot of bother. That red circular rash on his hip: George convinces himself it’s skin cancer. And the deeply inappropriate Ray? Katie announces he will become her second husband. The planning for these frowned-upon nuptials proves a great inconvenience to George’s wife, Jean, who is carrying on a late-life affair with her husband’s ex-colleague. The Halls do not approve of Ray, for vague reasons summed up by their son Jamie’s observation that Ray has “strangler’s hands.”

Jamie himself has his own problems—his tidy and pleasant life comes apart when he fails to invite his lover, Tony, to Katie’s wedding. And Katie, a woman whose ferocious temper once led to the maiming of a carjacker, can’t decide if she loves Ray, or loves the wonderful way he has with her son Jacob. Unnoticed in the uproar, George quietly begins to go mad. The way these damaged people fall apart—and come together—as a family is the true subject of Haddon’s hilarious and disturbing portrait of a dignified man trying to go insane politely.

A Spot of Bother is Mark Haddon’s unforgettable follow-up to the internationally beloved best seller The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. Once again, Haddon proves a master of a story at once hilarious, poignant, dark, and profoundly human. Here the madness—literally—of family life proves rich comic fodder for Haddon’s crackling prose and bittersweet insights into misdirected love.

©2006 Mark Haddon (P)2006 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"No bother at all, this comic follow-up to Haddon's blockbuster (and nicely selling book of poems) is great fun." (Publishers Weekly)

absolutely hysterical!

great imagery and the narrator is spot on. i never laugh out loud at books....this is the exception.

Bother with this one

Bother with it. This very nicely written and excellently narrated novel details the events of yet another dysfunctional British family as the days peel away toward the matriarchal daughter's second wedding. The father, George, is rapidly deteriorating into a pleasantly numb malaise, while his wife sleeps with an ex-colleague, his gay son's relationship falls apart and his daughter veers away from then back to marriage.

A good read with wonderful descriptions and details of this family's life. Oddly, the story occasionally drifts into nearly graphic sex, focusing mostly on Jamie's gay relationship. On the whole, however, full of laughs and pathos and insights. Read it, especially for the narrator's brilliant voice characterizations.

Very dry very funny

Enjoyed this thoroughly. Notwithstanding the main character's life is falling apart and he is experiencing some life-wrenching events, many of the descriptions are laugh out loud funny. Very different from Curious Dog but equally well done.

One of my top 10 favorite books! Of all time.

I listened to this book when it came out and have listened to it probably every year since then. I LOVE this book - story, narrator, the whole enchilada! Each time I listen, I hear it in a new way. Some years it is sad watching George go through his anxiety, some years I cannot stop laughing at the absurdity of the whole situation! Last year I hosted our daughters wedding at our home... funny! Different characters speak to me when I’m going through different things and I have found all of them to be so real and flawed and wonderful. Anyone who has had anxiety throw them for a loop will recognize the circular thinking and ridiculous logic. And the book/narrator just puts it out there... it’s not judging, solving or explaining, it’s just telling it as it rolls through the characters heads. Hilarious, sad and comforting. “A wonderful, wonderful” book.

Wonderful

Lots of fun and Mr Vance does a fabulous narration. I have listened many times and continue to enjoy it.

Fun and poignant

I wasn't sure what to expect after listening to The Curious Incident, which I *loved*, but Harmon delivered on this one, too. Narrated from several characters' viewpoints, the listener gets inside a British family's joys and flaws, laughing and sympathizing the whole way through. When my iPod runs out of whatever's new in the car, I've returned to this story with pleasure. Enjoyable.

Wonderful Characters, Sweet Story

Although "A Spot of Bother" can't compare to Hadden's fabulous "Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" it is still an entertaining and endearing story. This book reminds me a lot of the work of Nick Hornby with it's quirky British characters and laugh-out-loud details.

Hilarious and Poignant

I couldn't stop listening to this book because I had to know how it all worked itself out.

morose characters lacking development

for being a book centered on drama, it was surprisingly mundane.
Highlights: The author kneads the tension and discomfort of the characters methodically.
Low points: no character development.

Excellent!

This is a great story from beginning to end. Highly recommended.