COMIC FICTION

NATURAL DESIRE IN HEALTHY WOMEN

by Gary Dexter

(Old Street £12)

THIS deft and very funny novel is set in 1925 — an alarmingly recent date because Dexter’s humour is inspired by the prevailing repression and ignorance of anything to do with sex.

Undeterred by her own unconsummated marriage, free-thinking radical Amber Haldane is on a mission to convert the country to healthy sex and effective contraception.

Having found great success with books on the subject, Ms Haldane is trying to spread the word with a new magazine, Birth Control Monthly. Her efforts will see her end up in the courts and will feature, among other real-life figures, a manically laughing Gandhi, a preposterous H. G. Wells and, most unexpectedly, some very amusing appearances by T. S. Eliot. Bravo!

BODHISATTVA BLUES

by Edward Canfor-Dumas

(Rider £8.99)

I’M ASSUMING there’s a partly autobiographical basis for this book, which stars a chap called Ed who, like the author, is a Buddhist who has written a sort of memoir of his faith.

Let’s hope that’s where the autobiography ends, for the novel starts with Ed strolling down a leafy country lane one fragrant summer’s day — and suddenly being mugged.

He is rescued by the coincidental arrival of Martin, his old boss and frenemy. It’s an accidental reunion that will change Ed’s life and challenge his doubtful, lapsing Buddhism.

An odd book — there’s potentially interesting and amusing material here, trying to get out — imprisoned by lazy, first-draft prose.

THIS ONE IS MINE

by Maria Semple

(Phoenix £7.99)

ONCE upon a time, Violet Parry had her own career, as a sitcom writer — a role sacrificed for life as a good wife to her very rich rock star manager husband and good mother to her daughter.

But then Violet falls badly in lust with a broke, ex-junkie musician.

His prospects may not be good, but Violet throws up everything for him.

As her life spirals out of control, so does this book’s believability — would our heroine really favour an infatuation over the needs of her young daughter?

The likeability factor suffers, too, with an unsympathetically horrible cast drawn from Hollywood’s super-rich and struggling stragglers.

This is actually the first novel by an author who found success with the far more appealing and warmer hearted Where’d You Go, Bernadette?