"I loved A Pleasure and a Calling—gripping, sinister, original, and brilliant!”—Sophie Hannah, bestselling author of The Monogram Murders and The Orphan Choir

Mr. Heming loves the leafy English village where he lives. As a local real estate agent, he knows every square inch of the town and sees himself as its protector, diligent in enforcing its quaint charm. Most people don’t pay much attention to Mr. Heming—but Mr. Heming pays attention to them. You see, he has the keys to their homes. In fact, he has the keys to every home he’s ever sold. Over the years, Mr. Heming has kept them all so that he can observe his neighbors, not just on the street, but behind locked doors.

As details of a troubled childhood emerge, Mr. Heming’s disturbing hobby begins to form a clear pattern, and the reasons behind it come into focus—and when the quiet routine of his village is disrupted by strange occurrences, including a dead body found in the backyard of a client’s home, he realizes it may only be a matter of time before his own secrets are found out. A brilliant portrait of one man’s obsession, A Pleasure and a Calling is a darkly funny and utterly transfixing tale that will hold you under its spell.

PHIL HOGAN was born in a small town in northern England, and now lives in a small town in southern England. A journalist for twenty-five years, he has written for The Observer and The Guardian. He is married with four children.