The Fan Who Knew Too Much - by Nev Fountain (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Launching a new series, a podcaster and cult science fiction superfan stages a documentary to solve her friend's murder, and a 40-year-old disappearance, in this riotous and fiendishly twisty mystery.

Perfect for fans of classic TV such as Doctor Who and Star Trek, wobbly cardboard sets and spandex costumes, and sharp-witted amateur detective crime such as Richard Osman, J. M. Hall and Andrew Cartmel.

Kit Pelham is a professional fan, interviewer, host of the podcast The First Cult is the Deepest, and occasional obituary writer. Except this time the obituary is for her friend, maverick podcaster Wolf Tyler, who has been murdered in his shed during a live broadcast, moments before revealing a huge secret about the cult TV show Vixens from the Void.

Kit and her group of friends and fellow superfans soon realise Wolf had discovered something about the disappearance of Lily Sparkes, an extra on Vixens from the Void, back in 1986. And it was a secret worth killing for...

To find justice for their friend, and much more importantly, new trivia about their favourite TV show, the gang decide to put together a "Then and Now" Blu-Ray documentary that will reunite the original cast and crew. Armed with only a shoestring budget, an occasionally soggy drone, action figures (in the original packaging) and encyclopaedic knowledge of 1980s sci-fi TV, they have just four days to discover Wolf's secret, and solve his murder.

Review Quotes

"Laugh-out-loud-on-the-bus funny." - Ben Aaronovitch, author of the Rivers of London series

"One of the funniest writers in Britain." - John Lawton, author of the Inspector Troy and Joe Wilderness series

"A dark, funny look at fandom from someone who really knows." - Jenny Colgan, bestselling author of Meet Me at the Cupcake Café and Do You Remember the First Time?, and writer of six Doctor Who novels

"This is a delight. Nev Fountain's genre savviness, his sardonic humour and his skill at storytelling come together in a perfect storm of crime-fiction fun." - Andrew Cartmel, author of the Vinyl Detective and Paperback Sleuth series

"Funny, acerbic, ingenious. Nev Fountain's The Fan Who Knew Too Much is a witty, twisty murder mystery set amid the egos and eccentrics of sci-fi fandom. Podcasting, conventions, professional fans and unprofessional stars... it's all here. Shrewdly observed, it's at once very familiar and yet constantly surprising." - Simon Guerrier, author of David Whitaker in an Exciting Adventure with Television

"Nev Fountain... revels in sci-fi nerdism, spoofing it and extolling it simultaneously, outrageously... Out of these 21st century oddballs and freaks comes a murder classic." - John Lawton, author of the Inspector Troy and Joe Wilderness series

"I'm really annoyed with Nev Fountain for writing this book before I had the chance to think of it. People like him, who happen to be hugely talented and funny writers, think they can come up with original and clever ideas just because no-one else has thought of them before. Yes, I admit it's a brilliant, genre-spanning novel that's hard to put down, but is that enough?" - Peter Davison, Doctor Who 1981-1984

"I loved this funny, intriguing, moving, bonkers story. It's a world I recognise and a must read for any fan of science fiction and beyond." - Sophie Aldred, Ace in Doctor Who, 1987-1989

"Nev Fountain is a very funny writer. The Fan Who Knew Too Much is a very funny book." - Simon Brett, author of the Mrs Pargeter, Fethering Village and The Decluttering mysteries

About the Author

Nev Fountain, born Steven John Fountain, is an English writer, best known for his work as a staff writer on Private Eye magazine, and his comedy work with writing partner Tom Jamieson on the radio and television programme Dead Ringers. Fountain and Jamieson have contributed to many radio and television comedy programmes, including Have I Got News for You, 2DTV, The News Quiz, Huddlines Loose Ends, Big Impression, Newzoids, Strictly Come Dancing and Rory Bremner - Who Else? Their most notable work, however, has been for Dead Ringers in which Fountain occasionally made cameo appearances. The pair are also responsible for the historical comedy Elephants to Catch Eels and wrote "Txt Mssg Rcvd", a 2005 episode of the BBC Three anthology series Twisted Tales. Fountain has written several audio dramas including several stories for Dr Who.