Peter Ford

Living in a cozy, small town, tucked away in the south of England, unremarkable average guy Alfie Bowman has been heard to describe himself as a refugee from a failed life. In his own words hes ordinary looking, starting to lose his hair, a little bit shorter than average, a little bit heavier than he should be, and a lot less fit than he really ought to be. Most definitely an unlikely hero!At the ripe old age of 50, hes escaped an unhappy marriage and just wants to re-start his life, relax and have some fun, and maybe do some writing – if only he could find something to write about! So when he stops in the pub for a couple of pints on the way home one night, the last thing he expects to have to do is save a stunning young woman half his age from a fracas with an enormous thug with huge fists! But that’s exactly what he does do, because, as far as Alfies concerned, there are some things you cant just stand by and ignore.Waking up in hospital later that night he wonders if maybe getting involved hadn’t been the best decision he’d ever made after all! But he soon learns that the beating he’d been given had nothing to do with events in the pub… So who beat him up, and why? Who is the stunning young woman and whats she doing in town? Join this ordinary guy as he turns amateur sleuth to answer these two questions. Meet his friends Positive Pete and Dry Biro. Find out how he outwits abrasive ex-wife Gloria, and deals with a close encounter with local gangster Nugent the Nutter. And how does this ‘refugee from a failed life’ manage to deal with the beautiful young woman who sweeps into his life?And if that’s not enough, there’s his attraction to gorgeous and mysterious neighbour Sophia. After a disastrous marriage he believes women are a mystery he’ll never quite understand – and anyway, he just knows that if he ever does get the girl she’s going to end up being disappointed! So, much as he would like to get to know the seemingly aloof and mysterious Sophia, he’s also having to deal with his own fear of getting involved. It’s a seesaw of confidence, but will it ever develop into a serious romance? This isn’t a typical British detective story. As a novella is neither the longest, nor the greatest, book you’ll ever read, but it was never meant to be. It’s the first in a series about unlikely hero (turned amateur sleuth) Alfie Bowman. Its sole aim is to be an entertaining, fun read, with a bit of mystery, a dash of pathos, a touch of romance and a good dollop of humour. You never know, you just might enjoy it!