Books published by Patrician Press

A collection of reflections from Dr Robert's regular local Essex newspaper column. He steps through the frustrations and idiosyncrasies of everyday life with a comic eye and a candid approach to family life. Mixed in with these irreverent musings are caustic attacks on homophobia and moving words on the commonality of young male suicide.

Commissario Soneri, a detective from Parma, investigates an unsolved case of a dead body found in the Po River three years ago. This leads him to river life, where he tries to break the wall of silence, typical of small communities harbouring poachers, petty criminals and big time profiteers.

Human existence is all about the grey areas ‿ and it is those that this anthology of short stories explores ‿ providing a space for stories to be told and voices to be heard. Some stories are based on true experiences, or speculative fiction and political parables to reflect on our present day problems.

Nancy wishes Marcus could be close to her again.Marcus wishes he could be in two places at once.Marcus, an Irish-born consultant anaesthetist in London, makes a disastrous error. In a moment of panic he tries to cover his tracks. During the subsequent inquiry, his half-truths are exposed by Asabi, his assistant, who is smarting from his withdrawn attention.Nancy, his wife, is taking long-term leave of absence from her role in the bank. Alone and neglected, she becomes obsessed with an old boyfriend, Tom. News arrives of her sister's pregnancy. Jealous of her sister, she beds her ex-boyfriend and brother-in-law, Shiv. A move she immediately regrets.This fragile marriage is one haunted by ghosts from the past, and a trip to Florence will change everything. 

This diverse and varied anthology of short fiction, essays and poems confronts our present political `tempestuous' times. Some of the contributions have a science-fiction flavour to include dystopian, authoritarian and imagined worlds.