sˈɛt ɪnðə hˈaɪɡeɪtˈɑːɹtʃweɪ ˈɛɹiə ʌv nˈɔːɹθ lˈʌndən, ðə nˈɑːvəlz pɹˈoʊɾɐɡənˌɪst ɪz mˈɑːɹtɪn ˈɜːbən, ɐ jˈʌŋ ɐkˈaʊntənt lˈiːdɪŋ ɐ kˈʌmftəbəl, kəmplˈeɪsənt ænd ɹˈæðɚ dˈʌl bˈætʃəlɚ lˈaɪf, ɪn hɪz ˈoʊn flˈæt, ɐtˈɛndᵻd baɪ ɐ pˈɛpɚɹi, ˈoʊldɚ mˈeɪl klˈiːnɚ, ænd vˈɪzɪɾɪŋ hɪz dˈoʊɾɪŋ pˈɛɹənts ɹˈɛɡjʊlɚli.
Set in the Highgate-Archway area of North London, the novel's protagonist is Martin Urban, a young accountant leading a comfortable, complacent and rather dull bachelor life, in his own flat, attended by a peppery, older male cleaner, and visiting his doting parents regularly.