A very British sci-fi novel. This is a very British science fiction novel. It begins in whimsical fashion with something very odd happening to Sir Edgar Laurence, a renowned concert pianist. The action then moves to the English seaside town of Littlehampton where Sir Edgar lives with his privileged and eccentric extended family. It soon appears that Sir Edgar is not the only person to have experienced something odd. Other members of his family also have strange visitations that cause them to act in bizarre ways.