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A Matter of Great Importance

by Ivan A. Peartree

261 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #07-2599; ISBN 1-4251-5772-6; US$19.35, C$19.35, EUR13.22, £9.99

A MATTER OF GREAT IMPORTANCE set in the English countryside in the early 1950's commences with Jonathon's bizarre conception and birth and deals with the unravelling of a murder mystery - with psychological and spiritual ramifications.

About the Book

A MATTER OF GREAT IMPORTANCE by IVAN A PEARTREE commences in the early 1950's through to the early 1970's and deals with the bizarrely humorous and unusual conception and birth of the young Adonis, Jonathon Fisher. While taking his usual early morning swim in his beloved Stour, Jonathon, discovers the body of a local drunk. After pulling the man from the river, he telephones for the police and upon his return to the scene, the body is discovered to be once again at the bottom of the river. In order to escape the attention of the press, his mothers and he visit Devon where they come across the smuggling of an unusual commodity, namely paintings. They return to Hampshire, where they had stopped off on their way to Devon, only to find that a quantity of the pictures actually originated from Akworth House, the home of a latent friend where they are now staying. It is from this location that the main tale is related and from where the family manage to solve the mystery of the stolen works of art and discover that one of the perpetrators was also involved in some unsavoury activities in their home village in Suffolk.

Upon their return home to 'The Mansion' in Suffolk, the mothers realise that the young Adonis is suffering from a type of post traumatic stress due to the finding of the drowned man and all that ensued. Much against his mothers' advice and in his fertile imaginings, he attempts to find the dead man's soul in order to bring about a reconciliation.

About the Author

IVAN A PEARTREE was born in the English Suffolk village of East Bergholt a long time ago, (or so he says), certainly before the second world war anyhow: I know that much, for he attended the Ipswich School of Art in the early 1950's where he showed his ability with pencil and brush, which was somewhat lacking to the casual observer (I know that much as well).

After a relatively short service in the R.A.F. where he trained as a nurse and became a member of the Mid East Parachute Medical Rescue Team, he took up a position as graphic designer and later became Managing Director of the same company for twenty odd years. Afterwards, he managed a screen print department where he produced membrane and graphics for a membrane switch keyboard manufacturer, from which he retired a short time ago.

Upon retirement and feeling somewhat overwhelmed – even devastated at the prospect of having almost nothing to fill a long and dreary day, his lovely partner, Barbara (I know that's true) suggested he might contemplate writing his family history; (she, mistakenly considering it to be worth the while). Instead, he commenced writing (in long hand at first, until I convinced him that a lap top might surely be worth a small investment) a novel entitled A MATTER OF GREAT IMPORTANCE. He has since completed a second novel and is midway through his third. (Some people are really slow with the old keyboard).