Twelve-year-old Splodge Hodge lives with his family (Mum, Dad, Non-Existent Sister, and Phart the Dog) on an ordinary, peaceful housing estate somewhere in England. Peaceful, that is, until a new family moves in across the road. Well, what would you do if your neighbours from hell really were ... neighbours from hell?

Mat Coward is a British writer of crime fiction, SF, humour and children's fiction. He is also gardening columnist on the Morning Star newspaper. His short stories have been nominated for the Edgar and shortlisted for the Dagger, published on four continents, translated into several languages, and broadcast on BBC Radio. Over the years he has also published novels, books about radio comedy, and collections of funny press cuttings, and written columns for dozens of magazines and newspapers.