Sex and Death are the dominant themes of this provocative collection. With precise formal elegance and ironic flair Groves expertly dissects the angst of contemporary man. Groves’ territory is a no-man’s land between convention and perversion: a man is driven wild by a woman putting on her clothes; a woman tries to have a phone conversation whilst having sex; politically correct expectations are teased by the sinister behind the mundane. This is a challenge to certain, typically British, inhibitions and sentiments.

The plainness of Groves’ language, the cool accuracy of his conclusions and the exactitude of his observations allow him to deal with dangerous subject matter, while astute form and rhyme help tame volatile material. He is frequently funny, always entertaining: Groves’ stature is proved with this disarming book.