Imagine if Dan Brown had the gumption to really whack us with a truly bizarre confection of a conspiracy about the Catholic Church, instead of that wimpy pile he served up. If you are going to show us an imaginary dark world hidden by a conspiracy of the ages, have a real red hot go at it, really show us something. And imagine if he had even a little of the writing style of an Anthony Burgess. Or if Richard Dawkins stopped mincing his words and got down to brass tacks about what it would be like if we really really really were gene and meme driven machines – no mucking about, I’m talking about the whole clock work driven thing, the brass gears turning while we lurch about humming old advertising jingles, show us Dickie. And if Sam Harris painted us a picture of what a lack of free will really was, us watching in horror from inside our shells while everything happens all around us, spectators with no role to play. Christopher Hitchens, if he – well he’s dead – OR IS HE? I mean guys, tell us what you really think. Be audacious, for goodness sake, audacity is everything, give it to us big and blown up. If you are going to go for it, then go for it. Go bizarre. Use your imagination. Don’t let us die wondering. Show us a world freezing at the big reveal. Have a set. And write decently.

I’m not clever enough to write book reviews, but this is what I have to say about The Maggot People by Henning Koch. Audacious, bizarre, scary, well written. Great title! I’m packing my bags to return home after a year working in Europe. 80% of my books are staying here, but this one is coming with me.