A PIECE OF THE SKY IS MISSING: A Classic Humorous Novel Set in a Small Town Rural Community

Why should up-and-coming, thirty-two-year-old executive Robert Bellamy get himself the sack? What made him draw a caricature of the Exports Manager on the wall of the non-executive gents? Why is he his own worst enemy?

Is it because he nearly ran away from boarding school on his third day or because, when he was fourteen, his mother developed a fatal friendship for a man who looked like Hitler? Does his sense of inadequacy stem from his once being mistaken for a draft of 350 men? Or from his failure long ago to do justice to the facilities at Mme Antoinette's Maison d'Amitié (Paris branch)? Has he been too slow with Sonia, too fast with Frances?

Whatever the reason, one act of brinkmanship seems to lead to another. Robert finds himself involved in a series of embarrassing farewells and confusing interviews and open and shut court case as he drifts towards the prospect of a stiflingly happy Christmas and an intolerably cheerful New Year.

David Nobbs was a well-known English comedian. His first break came on the iconic satire show That Was The Week, That Was. Later he wrote for The Frost Report and The Two Ronnies and provided material for top comedians including Ken Dodd, Tommy Cooper and Dick Emery. Apart from his nineteen novels, David is best known for two hit TV series A Bit of a Do and The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin. His radio series With Nobbs On aired on Radio 4 in 2012.