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Lifting the Lid #1
Lifting the Lid
There are some things people see in toilets that they wish they hadn’t. What Trevor Hawkins sees might even cost him his life.
When Trevor takes voluntary redundancy, he hits the open road in his beat-up old camper van in search of adventure with his disciplinarily challenged dog, Milly. But the simple act of flushing a hotel toilet transforms his life from redundant sales assistant to fugitive from a gang of psychopathic villains, a private investigator, the police and MI5.
With more twists and turns than an Escher-designed bobsleigh run, Trevor manages to give his various pursuers the slip long enough to take a peek inside the package he retrieves from a locker at the Leeds Festival. Not surprisingly, the contents leave him baffled as to why so many people are after him and, in particular, why some of them seem intent on doing him serious harm.
It certainly wasn’t turning out to be the kind of adventure he’d had in mind when he’d first headed out on the highway with Born to be Wild blaring from the speakers. Steppenwolf had a lot to answer for.
Lifting the Lid is the first book in the 'Lifting the Lid' series, featuring Sandra Gray, Trevor Hawkins and his incorrigible dog, Milly.
When Trevor takes voluntary redundancy, he hits the open road in his beat-up old camper van in search of adventure with his disciplinarily challenged dog, Milly. But the simple act of flushing a hotel toilet transforms his life from redundant sales assistant to fugitive from a gang of psychopathic villains, a private investigator, the police and MI5.
With more twists and turns than an Escher-designed bobsleigh run, Trevor manages to give his various pursuers the slip long enough to take a peek inside the package he retrieves from a locker at the Leeds Festival. Not surprisingly, the contents leave him baffled as to why so many people are after him and, in particular, why some of them seem intent on doing him serious harm.
It certainly wasn’t turning out to be the kind of adventure he’d had in mind when he’d first headed out on the highway with Born to be Wild blaring from the speakers. Steppenwolf had a lot to answer for.
Lifting the Lid is the first book in the 'Lifting the Lid' series, featuring Sandra Gray, Trevor Hawkins and his incorrigible dog, Milly.
319 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 30, 2013
843 people are currently reading
547 people want to read
About the author
Rob Johnson
13 books47 followers‘You’ll have to write an author biography of course.’
‘Oh? Why?’
‘Because people will want to know something about you before they lash out on buying one of your books.’
‘You think so, do you?’
‘Just do it, okay?’
‘So what do I tell them?’
‘For a start, you should mention that you’ve written four plays that were professionally produced and toured throughout the UK.’
‘Should I say anything about all the temp jobs I had, like working in the towels and linens stockroom at a big department store or as a fitter’s mate in a perfume factory?’
‘No, definitely not.’
‘Motorcycle dispatch rider?’
‘You were sacked, weren’t you?’
‘Boss said he could get a truck there quicker.’
‘Leave it out then, but make sure they know that you've published eight books so far. And don’t forget to put in something that shows you’re vaguely human.’
‘You mean this kind of thing: “I’m currently in Greece with my wife, Penny, seven cats and two rescue dogs and working on a new novel and a couple of screenplays”.’
‘It’ll have to do, I suppose, and then finish off with your website and social media stuff.’
‘Oh, okay then.’
* My website
* My Facebook author page
* Twitter @RobJohnson999
‘Oh? Why?’
‘Because people will want to know something about you before they lash out on buying one of your books.’
‘You think so, do you?’
‘Just do it, okay?’
‘So what do I tell them?’
‘For a start, you should mention that you’ve written four plays that were professionally produced and toured throughout the UK.’
‘Should I say anything about all the temp jobs I had, like working in the towels and linens stockroom at a big department store or as a fitter’s mate in a perfume factory?’
‘No, definitely not.’
‘Motorcycle dispatch rider?’
‘You were sacked, weren’t you?’
‘Boss said he could get a truck there quicker.’
‘Leave it out then, but make sure they know that you've published eight books so far. And don’t forget to put in something that shows you’re vaguely human.’
‘You mean this kind of thing: “I’m currently in Greece with my wife, Penny, seven cats and two rescue dogs and working on a new novel and a couple of screenplays”.’
‘It’ll have to do, I suppose, and then finish off with your website and social media stuff.’
‘Oh, okay then.’
* My website
* My Facebook author page
* Twitter @RobJohnson999
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
June 10, 2018
Meet Trevor Hawkins and his high-spirited mongrel dog Millie. Trevor lives with his cantankerous, uncaring mother, drives a scooter and is a less-than-stellar fifteen-year employee of Dreamhome Megastores. His only excitement is checking the lottery results on television Saturday nights and finding frozen peas fifty percent off at the supermarket. At the beginning of a bad performance review at work, Trevor makes an atypical snap decision, resigns and takes a voluntary redundancy payout which he uses to buy a used Volkswagen Transporter van. He sticks Steppenwolf’s “Born to Be Wild” in the cassette player, leaving his mother and life behind, and goes off in search of adventure…
Lifting the Lid is a humorous, fast-paced, crime caper that kept me interested and laughing throughout. When Trevor’s van breaks down and he has to choose a hotel for the night, the fun begins. The toilet in his room doesn’t work and when he lifts the lid to try and fix it, the lid breaks into pieces sending a panicked Trevor into another hotel room to find a replacement. What he finds under the second toilet lid changes his life.
Enter private detective Sandra (the occupant of the second hotel room), some psychotic yet dim mobsters, the police and MI5 and the story never slows as it bounces from one quirky character to the next.
Lifting the Lid was a truly satisfying book. I have read Rob Johnson’s hilarious Quest for the Holey Snail (which also featured a Volkswagen Transporter van—can’t help but wonder if the author zooms around town in one of his own) and while humor abounds in both stories, Lifting the Lid is delightfully different, showing the versatility of the author. I look forward to reading the sequel, Heads You Lose. Long live Trevor, Millie and Sandra!
Lifting the Lid is a humorous, fast-paced, crime caper that kept me interested and laughing throughout. When Trevor’s van breaks down and he has to choose a hotel for the night, the fun begins. The toilet in his room doesn’t work and when he lifts the lid to try and fix it, the lid breaks into pieces sending a panicked Trevor into another hotel room to find a replacement. What he finds under the second toilet lid changes his life.
Enter private detective Sandra (the occupant of the second hotel room), some psychotic yet dim mobsters, the police and MI5 and the story never slows as it bounces from one quirky character to the next.
Lifting the Lid was a truly satisfying book. I have read Rob Johnson’s hilarious Quest for the Holey Snail (which also featured a Volkswagen Transporter van—can’t help but wonder if the author zooms around town in one of his own) and while humor abounds in both stories, Lifting the Lid is delightfully different, showing the versatility of the author. I look forward to reading the sequel, Heads You Lose. Long live Trevor, Millie and Sandra!
May 30, 2020
Delightful little tale, wonderfully written and told. I’ll be reading the sequel.
It’s not often you come across something so easy to read!
It’s not often you come across something so easy to read!
September 4, 2019
A very funny, exciting book.
A story that takes you along with it. You can almost hear the sound of the characters speech, so prescicely does the dialogue flow from their mouths; Some hideous, some you would happily befriend. You can hear and see them, demonstrating that the pictures are always better in books! In my humble opinion it is a wonderfully written book and I have just started the sequel. You will not be disappointed.
A story that takes you along with it. You can almost hear the sound of the characters speech, so prescicely does the dialogue flow from their mouths; Some hideous, some you would happily befriend. You can hear and see them, demonstrating that the pictures are always better in books! In my humble opinion it is a wonderfully written book and I have just started the sequel. You will not be disappointed.
May 21, 2020
I enjoyed the adventures of Trevor, it was fun, lighthearted, with a dark edge. The story was captivating and moved along at a good pace. Just the sort of book I like to relax with.
January 18, 2015
A comedy thriller about overbearing mothers, toilet mishaps and dogs that refuse to do as they’re told.
It’s taken me ages to read this book. That’s not code for “it’s not very good”, honestly, just bear with me. It took me ages because I wanted to read every word properly - no skimming allowed - and because there have been so many other things on the go recently that I haven’t been able to concentrate on it. And I wanted to.
Now that I’m done, I’ve been wholly rewarded. The story is just so much FUN! Trevor is a boring (yes) man with a boring job and an AWFUL mother who decides to chuck it all in one day and buy a camper. So he and his dog Milly head off into the sunset and look for adventure. He doesn’t get very far as the camper needs repairs, so he books into a hotel for the night.
And so begins Trevor’s adventures. His dear mother sets the police onto him simply because she doesn’t like him much, and before he knows it, a private detective, MI5 and group of crooks are after him as well. Quiet, boring Trevor can’t understand what he’s done to bring the wrath of the good, bad and ugly down on himself. All he did was break a cistern lid, that’s not a crime is it?
I loved the story. It is entertaining, well-written, cleverly planned and expertly timed. The separate threads of Johnson’s story are carefully prepared and then expertly woven together to culminate at the finale. The characters are larger-than-life, without quite slumping into the “caricature” pit. Johnson gives his reader variety in mood, pace, setting and dialogue, never giving them a chance to become bored or to be able to predict where the story is heading.
It’s taken me ages to read this book. That’s not code for “it’s not very good”, honestly, just bear with me. It took me ages because I wanted to read every word properly - no skimming allowed - and because there have been so many other things on the go recently that I haven’t been able to concentrate on it. And I wanted to.
Now that I’m done, I’ve been wholly rewarded. The story is just so much FUN! Trevor is a boring (yes) man with a boring job and an AWFUL mother who decides to chuck it all in one day and buy a camper. So he and his dog Milly head off into the sunset and look for adventure. He doesn’t get very far as the camper needs repairs, so he books into a hotel for the night.
And so begins Trevor’s adventures. His dear mother sets the police onto him simply because she doesn’t like him much, and before he knows it, a private detective, MI5 and group of crooks are after him as well. Quiet, boring Trevor can’t understand what he’s done to bring the wrath of the good, bad and ugly down on himself. All he did was break a cistern lid, that’s not a crime is it?
I loved the story. It is entertaining, well-written, cleverly planned and expertly timed. The separate threads of Johnson’s story are carefully prepared and then expertly woven together to culminate at the finale. The characters are larger-than-life, without quite slumping into the “caricature” pit. Johnson gives his reader variety in mood, pace, setting and dialogue, never giving them a chance to become bored or to be able to predict where the story is heading.
April 16, 2019
what a funny book this is , a comedy thriller with the main stars being the hapless Trevor and his dog.
he decides to take a journey to find him self and falls into the middle of a crime
the book has three or four stories running in tandem and the end is hilarious
i feel this is a character based book and the author brings them to life so well
the plot is funny and keeps you wanting to turn the page
its got cop robbers and a little love interest
as the books draws to an end you want it to be 15 book series
he decides to take a journey to find him self and falls into the middle of a crime
the book has three or four stories running in tandem and the end is hilarious
i feel this is a character based book and the author brings them to life so well
the plot is funny and keeps you wanting to turn the page
its got cop robbers and a little love interest
as the books draws to an end you want it to be 15 book series
March 25, 2022
Being a fan of thrillers and comedy it was not a difficult choice to read a comic thriller. I was not let down and I am very much looking forward to the follow-up. The main character and his accidental journey into murder and mystery was definitely an interesting read. There is an underlying love interest and it will be interesting to see if she turns up in book number 2.
The main characters' dog definitely brings humour to a lot of the scenes and was a highlight of the book. Although, I am not convinced the ex-wife is anything but an afterthought as the brief mention to explain how the main character gets off a murder charge is not really necessary.
I did enjoy reading about his travels around the UK and there are definitely some interesting additional characters that pop up during the story. I will be reading book 2 so well worth pick up
The main characters' dog definitely brings humour to a lot of the scenes and was a highlight of the book. Although, I am not convinced the ex-wife is anything but an afterthought as the brief mention to explain how the main character gets off a murder charge is not really necessary.
I did enjoy reading about his travels around the UK and there are definitely some interesting additional characters that pop up during the story. I will be reading book 2 so well worth pick up
April 3, 2022
Humorous excitement
A very interesting tale told with wit and humour. The main character is an ordinary man who on one hand wants to get away from it all but longs for some excitement as well. He got his wishes and a bit more. Great read.
A very interesting tale told with wit and humour. The main character is an ordinary man who on one hand wants to get away from it all but longs for some excitement as well. He got his wishes and a bit more. Great read.
February 18, 2024
Hit and miss
There was parts and characters I enjoyed and several I didn't cars for. Not really my type of book but have been trying to branch out.
There was parts and characters I enjoyed and several I didn't cars for. Not really my type of book but have been trying to branch out.
July 13, 2019
Most amusing......
I loved this book. It was a great story with a large cast of larger than life characters. There were laugh out loud moments, and reading all the "britisms" was a real treat for this ex-pat Brit. Can't wait to read the next book in the series. Thanks Mr Johnson, for a very entertaining book.
I loved this book. It was a great story with a large cast of larger than life characters. There were laugh out loud moments, and reading all the "britisms" was a real treat for this ex-pat Brit. Can't wait to read the next book in the series. Thanks Mr Johnson, for a very entertaining book.
August 1, 2020
Tom Clancy is safe on his perch of dominion for mystery, thriller, cloak-and-dagger, and perilous tasks. This book bored the pants off of me. It's billed as being funny, thrilling, shocking, etc. What it turned out to be, for me, was mind-numbingly dull.
The best character was the dog, Milly. Described as a mischievous canine who is mostly out of control and impish, at best she was the one figure in this story who seemed to have any sort of personality, even if she was a dog.
The story begins with a man called Trevor Hawkins. A dull man with the lack of potential to do anything at all with his life aside from talking to himself and over-thinking every single scene in this mumbled tale, Trevor quite possibly believes he isn't too dull and mundane to indulge in a bit of an adventure. The trouble is, for Trevor breathing might be considered to be an adventure. He is immature, childish, intensely shy, and even a bit disabled by his inability to do anything at all, Trevor is just boring.
I couldn't get a feeling for this book, it just seemed to go on and on, into plodding absurdity. Perhaps the writing is what was so inane. There isn't any humor, it wasn't laugh-on-laugh hilarious, and every single scene just buggered on and on with Trevor's internal monologue making me want to fall asleep with every page.
There are at least 3 departments or agencies of law enforcement trying to each make their case to be on Trevor's tail. There are a few supposedly MI-5 or other super-sleuth types who spend almost the entire book being clueless, inept, and incompetent. There's one particularly unattractive team of below rank detectives who simply cannot agree to disagree on anything; that one is male and the other female is typically fashioned on the sexist issue that to be female is to be less capable of doing their job very well, or perhaps only marginally well. I found that to be more than a bit questionable given the politics of today. Finally, there is a vulgar thug-type with his own problems with staff management and retention.
Trevor cannot stop being a nerdy woos, a bit of a pansy-waist and a weak, ineffectual wimp. I thoroughly disliked him.
I found the UK propensity of over-apologizing, minimizing, hand-wringing type of social behavior puzzling and more than a bit off-putting.
One of the many descriptors sprinkled throughout the book are the same tired references to pounding pulse, blushing appearances, breathlessness, and rabid hunger pangs. Every other chapter or so has someone going through at least one of these physical discomforts. These quickly became dragging points on the action, what little there was of it. Perhaps using a thesaurus isn't necessarily a bad idea when trying to write interesting stories.
Given the few reviews posted I found myself wondering if perhaps everyone else had read a different book. This one story is noted as being about a 6-hour read. For me, that was about 4 hours too long. There simply isn't enough here to take that long to read.
This will be the last I read of this author. Reaching the end of the story it appears there are to be additional tales about Trevor, Milly, maybe Sandra; any other characters of name may or may not appear, but I don't care enough to find out. Sorry, this one is a no-fly for me.
The best character was the dog, Milly. Described as a mischievous canine who is mostly out of control and impish, at best she was the one figure in this story who seemed to have any sort of personality, even if she was a dog.
The story begins with a man called Trevor Hawkins. A dull man with the lack of potential to do anything at all with his life aside from talking to himself and over-thinking every single scene in this mumbled tale, Trevor quite possibly believes he isn't too dull and mundane to indulge in a bit of an adventure. The trouble is, for Trevor breathing might be considered to be an adventure. He is immature, childish, intensely shy, and even a bit disabled by his inability to do anything at all, Trevor is just boring.
I couldn't get a feeling for this book, it just seemed to go on and on, into plodding absurdity. Perhaps the writing is what was so inane. There isn't any humor, it wasn't laugh-on-laugh hilarious, and every single scene just buggered on and on with Trevor's internal monologue making me want to fall asleep with every page.
There are at least 3 departments or agencies of law enforcement trying to each make their case to be on Trevor's tail. There are a few supposedly MI-5 or other super-sleuth types who spend almost the entire book being clueless, inept, and incompetent. There's one particularly unattractive team of below rank detectives who simply cannot agree to disagree on anything; that one is male and the other female is typically fashioned on the sexist issue that to be female is to be less capable of doing their job very well, or perhaps only marginally well. I found that to be more than a bit questionable given the politics of today. Finally, there is a vulgar thug-type with his own problems with staff management and retention.
Trevor cannot stop being a nerdy woos, a bit of a pansy-waist and a weak, ineffectual wimp. I thoroughly disliked him.
I found the UK propensity of over-apologizing, minimizing, hand-wringing type of social behavior puzzling and more than a bit off-putting.
One of the many descriptors sprinkled throughout the book are the same tired references to pounding pulse, blushing appearances, breathlessness, and rabid hunger pangs. Every other chapter or so has someone going through at least one of these physical discomforts. These quickly became dragging points on the action, what little there was of it. Perhaps using a thesaurus isn't necessarily a bad idea when trying to write interesting stories.
Given the few reviews posted I found myself wondering if perhaps everyone else had read a different book. This one story is noted as being about a 6-hour read. For me, that was about 4 hours too long. There simply isn't enough here to take that long to read.
This will be the last I read of this author. Reaching the end of the story it appears there are to be additional tales about Trevor, Milly, maybe Sandra; any other characters of name may or may not appear, but I don't care enough to find out. Sorry, this one is a no-fly for me.
May 13, 2014
Trevor and his dog begin a journey that will take him from bad to worse. Leaving his bitter mother, he goes on a road trip to find himself, except one false has many on his tail.
A small humorous scene is chucked in the beginning, with two men trying to move a drugged up man from the elevator.
Unbeknown to him, his bitter mother starts making murder allegations to the police. He ends up at a hotel where he accidently breaks a toilet lid. This small act sends him off to steal another one from another room, only to discover that something of value is hidden within the cistern.
A private investigator, Sandra, is hot on his tail when she discovers he took it. This small item takes Trevor on a trip to a festival only to be followed by more men, some may be good, and others may be bad. Trevor’s road trip only gets worse.
Each moment it gets crazier as more characters gather to track him down. The plot thickens as it would seem corrupt cops are hiding things about a past disappearance involving Trevor and his missing wife.
Trevor cannot catch a break. As the time goes, so does the things that keep adding up against him. An unusual package that seems innocent makes things the more bewildering.
Although the story is quite humorous in places, it does dwindle out a bit. The characters are numerous and multi-dimensional, but a little to much talking happens. I was itching for something more. So because there is quite a bit of dialogue it could have been shorter.
But then… the story develops in all sorts of ways. Characters begin to connect together. The action heats up as Trevor and Sandra get closer to unearthing a whole range of things. The author successfully puts a range of characters into the mix, yet still giving the characters their own voice.
If you persevere through some of the trivial stuff, you won’t regret it. The mix of people creates a laughable and enjoyable novel.
The ending is very fitting and puts a smile on your face.
3 ½ stars
A small humorous scene is chucked in the beginning, with two men trying to move a drugged up man from the elevator.
Unbeknown to him, his bitter mother starts making murder allegations to the police. He ends up at a hotel where he accidently breaks a toilet lid. This small act sends him off to steal another one from another room, only to discover that something of value is hidden within the cistern.
A private investigator, Sandra, is hot on his tail when she discovers he took it. This small item takes Trevor on a trip to a festival only to be followed by more men, some may be good, and others may be bad. Trevor’s road trip only gets worse.
Each moment it gets crazier as more characters gather to track him down. The plot thickens as it would seem corrupt cops are hiding things about a past disappearance involving Trevor and his missing wife.
Trevor cannot catch a break. As the time goes, so does the things that keep adding up against him. An unusual package that seems innocent makes things the more bewildering.
Although the story is quite humorous in places, it does dwindle out a bit. The characters are numerous and multi-dimensional, but a little to much talking happens. I was itching for something more. So because there is quite a bit of dialogue it could have been shorter.
But then… the story develops in all sorts of ways. Characters begin to connect together. The action heats up as Trevor and Sandra get closer to unearthing a whole range of things. The author successfully puts a range of characters into the mix, yet still giving the characters their own voice.
If you persevere through some of the trivial stuff, you won’t regret it. The mix of people creates a laughable and enjoyable novel.
The ending is very fitting and puts a smile on your face.
3 ½ stars
October 18, 2013
Trevor is a dull man, the one unusual fact about him - his wife disappeared one day and never returned, presumed dead. Sandra is a PI, on a nice little earner to carry out a simple job. But a broken toilet lid throws the whole process into utter chaos. Soon Trevor and Sandra are embroiled in an escalating case of mistaken identity and farce, chased by the police, the secret service and criminals.
This is a story that doesn't take itself too seriously. It's an enjoyable romp, full of largely incompetent characters who lurch from one mishap to another, that steadily improves from beginning to end.
What starts out as a simple mistake, Trevor breaking a toilet in the hotel he's staying in, spirals out of control. He attempts to avoid paying the bill for the toilet by taking someone else's, but discovers some hidden paperwork, and decides to follow it up. Almost immediately Trevor is in over his head.
The author quite neatly escalates the story as it proceeds, adding several layers of complexity and characters, widening the conspiracy, making the end result much more interesting than it initially seems.
The characters are well drawn. Sandra is tough and resilient, Trevor is a bit useless, but surprisingly stays the course. The various police officers and secret service agents are arrogant and incompetent, the criminals sleazy and blunt. There's a strong sense of humour throughout.
I guess my only complaint would be regarding Trevor's missing, presumed dead wife, Imelda. The way this is resolved at the end seemed a little... pointless. However, that's minor and my own personal opinion. A nicely told story.
**Originally reviewed for Books & Pals blog. May have received free review copy.**
This is a story that doesn't take itself too seriously. It's an enjoyable romp, full of largely incompetent characters who lurch from one mishap to another, that steadily improves from beginning to end.
What starts out as a simple mistake, Trevor breaking a toilet in the hotel he's staying in, spirals out of control. He attempts to avoid paying the bill for the toilet by taking someone else's, but discovers some hidden paperwork, and decides to follow it up. Almost immediately Trevor is in over his head.
The author quite neatly escalates the story as it proceeds, adding several layers of complexity and characters, widening the conspiracy, making the end result much more interesting than it initially seems.
The characters are well drawn. Sandra is tough and resilient, Trevor is a bit useless, but surprisingly stays the course. The various police officers and secret service agents are arrogant and incompetent, the criminals sleazy and blunt. There's a strong sense of humour throughout.
I guess my only complaint would be regarding Trevor's missing, presumed dead wife, Imelda. The way this is resolved at the end seemed a little... pointless. However, that's minor and my own personal opinion. A nicely told story.
**Originally reviewed for Books & Pals blog. May have received free review copy.**
November 26, 2013
Reviewed by Jennifer Reinoehl for Readers' Favorite.
Some people can spend their entire dull lives living inside the box, unfortunately, Trevor isn’t smart enough to do that. When faced with another poor job review, he decides to take the company up on their offer to let him go with severance pay before they can fire him. So what does an idiot with a rather nice bundle of cash and no job do? Buy a broken down camper and head into the wilds of Scotland for a little adventure with plenty of midge spray and an incorrigible dog named Milly.
Unfortunately, his tame adventure goes wrong at the drop of a toilet lid and spirals out-of-control from that point forward. His life becomes so crazy that even his own mother wants to put him behind bars. After developing a love-hate relationship with a private investigator working for questionable employers and being chased around Britain by bad guys, good guys, and guys no one knows about, will Trevor finally be able to escape prison time for all crimes he has not committed?
Rob Johnson’s Lifting the Lid will grab you and pull you along for a fun and wild ride. Although written for the British, anyone will find this book entertaining. The story was fast-paced, and the lighthearted style keeps you smiling. The characters are lively and intriguing. They leave you wanting to read more about them and their zany lives. Whenever they think they have it figured out, something new jumps into the road for them to deal with.
March 8, 2014
Unremarkable Trevor Hawkins is about to be downsized from a job he’s held for fifteen years. He buys a used camper and starts off with his dog, intent on having the adventure of his life. He gets much more adventure than he ever wanted as each mishap leads to the next and his sheer incompetence lands him in one hilariously confusing predicament after another.
The main characters were consistent and well drawn, although I had trouble tracking some of the minor characters. The story got more and more interesting as I progressed through the book. The author kept up the suspense with some surprising twists. I would recommend the book to anyone who enjoys broad humor and unlikely but likeable heroes.
The main characters were consistent and well drawn, although I had trouble tracking some of the minor characters. The story got more and more interesting as I progressed through the book. The author kept up the suspense with some surprising twists. I would recommend the book to anyone who enjoys broad humor and unlikely but likeable heroes.
August 6, 2013
I loved this book. Made me laugh out loud which doesn't happen very often when reading. Thoroughly enjoy Rob's writing style where you never quite know where it's taking you but it's fun just getting there. A book to lift your spirits.
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September 18, 2014Lifting the Lid by Rob Johnson was as fun to read as it was funny. It had some situational slapstick as well as sarcasm but it remembered to keep the story line light. This made it a pleasure to read. I can hardley wait for the sequel.
April 23, 2014
A nice surprise. Didn't remember downloading this but glad I did. Fun read
October 10, 2014
This would make a great movie. Fast paced, very funny and highly entertaining. Couldn't put it down and didn't want it to end. Hurry up with the sequel!
September 14, 2014
Much better than the title would suggest.
August 21, 2019
Good But Missing The Funny
Trevor Hawkins looking for an escape. He's fallen into a rut so he's packed up his belongings, along with his terminally misbehaved mutt, Mllie, into a VW campervan and has left his life behind looking for adventure. He didn't expect this much. During a comically insane switcharoo involving a broken toilet tank lid and traditional British embarassment, Trevor ends up with an envelope containing a set of instructions. A set of instructions that was supposed to go to Sandra, a private detective that was offered a large sum of money to make sure a package was picked up and delivered. Add to that a couple of inept MI5 agents, a whole gang of bickering gangsters and a police force increasingly hot on the trail, Trevor finds himself careening from one dangerous situation to another. And worse yet, his own past seems to be catching up with him.
The set up to this caper was great. It was laughably absurd and yet I could totally see how one, through a series of poor decisions, could end up in this situation. Especially a character like Trevor who is every bumbling simp made manifest. After that the story meanders toward the inevitable conclusion where all the parties involved find themselves staring at each other down a barrel of the gun and not one of them entirely sure how or why. The great reveal mostly makes sense although is needlessly complicated.
The characters mostly felt flat to me. Trevor is meant to be terribly uninteresting and that comes through loud and clear. The detective, Sandra, is annoyingly concerned with her weight, and the gang leader, Harry is a bellicose idiot. The only character I rather liked was MacFarland, the scottish bruiser/ whipping boy of Harry. He was the only one I felt had a bit of depth and the only one who the joke about their character came through. They other players in this comedy of errors seemed to blend together.
Which brings me to the 'comedy' aspect of this 'comedy thriller'. It just never really clicked for me. Again, the set-up was nicely absurd and laughable and I chuckled as I could see where the situation was going even though the characters were too caught up in themselves to see it. After that, it's hard to describe other than it fell flat. The comedy either wasn't enough of an exaggeration, or randomly too much one.
Overall a decent, light-hearted caper/ spy thriller. I think there are a lot of readers who will appreciate the almost Guy Richie storyline with a softer, lighter touch. But those going in expecting the sharp wit and keen sense of dramatic irony will be mostly disappointed.
Trevor Hawkins looking for an escape. He's fallen into a rut so he's packed up his belongings, along with his terminally misbehaved mutt, Mllie, into a VW campervan and has left his life behind looking for adventure. He didn't expect this much. During a comically insane switcharoo involving a broken toilet tank lid and traditional British embarassment, Trevor ends up with an envelope containing a set of instructions. A set of instructions that was supposed to go to Sandra, a private detective that was offered a large sum of money to make sure a package was picked up and delivered. Add to that a couple of inept MI5 agents, a whole gang of bickering gangsters and a police force increasingly hot on the trail, Trevor finds himself careening from one dangerous situation to another. And worse yet, his own past seems to be catching up with him.
The set up to this caper was great. It was laughably absurd and yet I could totally see how one, through a series of poor decisions, could end up in this situation. Especially a character like Trevor who is every bumbling simp made manifest. After that the story meanders toward the inevitable conclusion where all the parties involved find themselves staring at each other down a barrel of the gun and not one of them entirely sure how or why. The great reveal mostly makes sense although is needlessly complicated.
The characters mostly felt flat to me. Trevor is meant to be terribly uninteresting and that comes through loud and clear. The detective, Sandra, is annoyingly concerned with her weight, and the gang leader, Harry is a bellicose idiot. The only character I rather liked was MacFarland, the scottish bruiser/ whipping boy of Harry. He was the only one I felt had a bit of depth and the only one who the joke about their character came through. They other players in this comedy of errors seemed to blend together.
Which brings me to the 'comedy' aspect of this 'comedy thriller'. It just never really clicked for me. Again, the set-up was nicely absurd and laughable and I chuckled as I could see where the situation was going even though the characters were too caught up in themselves to see it. After that, it's hard to describe other than it fell flat. The comedy either wasn't enough of an exaggeration, or randomly too much one.
Overall a decent, light-hearted caper/ spy thriller. I think there are a lot of readers who will appreciate the almost Guy Richie storyline with a softer, lighter touch. But those going in expecting the sharp wit and keen sense of dramatic irony will be mostly disappointed.
July 22, 2023
Prepare to be thoroughly entertained and delighted! This book is an absolute joy to read, brimming with amusement and an engaging plot. The cast of characters is expertly crafted, each one adding depth to the story. The dialogue is top-notch, filled with witty banter that will keep you smiling throughout.
Following Trevor and his loyal canine companion, Mlliy, is a wild ride of non-stop adventures and mishaps. They dash from one catastrophe to another, without a moment to catch their breath or even enjoy a proper meal. But that's what makes this journey all the more enthralling.
The author's skilful storytelling keeps the pages turning, and you'll find yourself fully immersed in their escapades. It's a truly enjoyable experience from start to finish, and you won't want it to end.
In summary, this book is a must-read for anyone seeking an entertaining and captivating tale with well-rounded characters, witty dialogue, and a plot that never lets you catch your breath.
Following Trevor and his loyal canine companion, Mlliy, is a wild ride of non-stop adventures and mishaps. They dash from one catastrophe to another, without a moment to catch their breath or even enjoy a proper meal. But that's what makes this journey all the more enthralling.
The author's skilful storytelling keeps the pages turning, and you'll find yourself fully immersed in their escapades. It's a truly enjoyable experience from start to finish, and you won't want it to end.
In summary, this book is a must-read for anyone seeking an entertaining and captivating tale with well-rounded characters, witty dialogue, and a plot that never lets you catch your breath.
October 27, 2019
Lifting the Lid is a comic thriller of the first rank. Who knew that repairing a non-flushing toilet could lead to dangerous situations? Trevor's wife has been missing for some time and his mother is accusing him of killing her. After being declared redundant, he and his dog Milly hit the road in a beat-up VW camper. The van breaks down so Trevor must take residence in a hotel for the night and his real adventure begins as he finds a broken toilet and attempts to repair it. At the same time, female detective Sandra is trying to recover a package and deliver it to an address. The two become entwined and the adventure begins. The tale has numerous twists and turns as a number of organizations - MI5, the police, gangsters, the government - try to recover the package. This is a satisfying read that is hard to put down.
October 13, 2019
Calling this novel a "comic thriller" is a stretch on both accounts: As a thriller, it barely registers on any scale of raised adrenalin, and it strains so hard for grins that it nearly snaps. Having said that, it was not a wasted read; the plot chugged along somewhat predictably, but quickly enough to keep one's attention, and the characters were well-drawn and likable in their own right. Trevor, as the bumbling no-hoper and complete anti-hero, is perhaps a little over the top, but his female PI foil is spot-on efficient and gutsy. The assorted coppers and MI5 agents who are drawn into the plot are the stereotypical boffins we love to laugh at, as are the criminals in their way. The whole is one of those fluffy British "romps" that have become so popular and predictable.
October 29, 2018
Outstanding and hilarious! You will not regret reading this book...unless youre allergic to laughter I suppose.
Trevor and his dog Millie (well, Trevor anyway) want to leave their ho-hum lives behind to pursue adventure and excitement. Apparently this involves buying a VW camper van, so Trevor buys one.
What follows is an oddly believable tale of the frankly unbelievable. With Mi5 and local police and gangsters and a beautiful girl or two, Rob takes us on a trip that is more fun than taking an actual trip. And cheaper.
No worries, everything turns out fine in the end. Except for the folks who die.
Get it.
Read it.
Laugh out loud. A lot.
Trevor and his dog Millie (well, Trevor anyway) want to leave their ho-hum lives behind to pursue adventure and excitement. Apparently this involves buying a VW camper van, so Trevor buys one.
What follows is an oddly believable tale of the frankly unbelievable. With Mi5 and local police and gangsters and a beautiful girl or two, Rob takes us on a trip that is more fun than taking an actual trip. And cheaper.
No worries, everything turns out fine in the end. Except for the folks who die.
Get it.
Read it.
Laugh out loud. A lot.
December 14, 2024
This one just really didn't do it for me. I struggled to finish it but I plodded along because I didn't want to add it to my DNF pile. My main issue is that there were far, far too many characters, and as none of them were interesting in the slightest, it became difficult to keep track of who was who and what motivations there were. The humour felt really forced too. Toilet humour isn't really my thing, maybe this is one book I should have judged by the cover.
I bought this alongside the following two books in the series, but I think I'll pass on the further adventures of Trevor Somethingorother.
I bought this alongside the following two books in the series, but I think I'll pass on the further adventures of Trevor Somethingorother.
January 3, 2021
Intelligent comedy
Enjoyed this book a lot and I'm happy I choose it as my first read of 2021, characters were engaging enough and I did care what happened to them which in my opinion is the sign of a great book.
This wasn't a laugh out loud comedy, it was more subtle than that - the kind of humour I enjoy the most - the book was more about the storyline than the comedy, an approach I wish more comedy writers would take.
I'm not a fan of thrillers and wouldn't personally put this in the thriller category.
Would recommend to readers that enjoy a bit of a mystery.
Enjoyed this book a lot and I'm happy I choose it as my first read of 2021, characters were engaging enough and I did care what happened to them which in my opinion is the sign of a great book.
This wasn't a laugh out loud comedy, it was more subtle than that - the kind of humour I enjoy the most - the book was more about the storyline than the comedy, an approach I wish more comedy writers would take.
I'm not a fan of thrillers and wouldn't personally put this in the thriller category.
Would recommend to readers that enjoy a bit of a mystery.
March 4, 2018
Rob Johnson’s sharp writing, snappy dialog, and quick wit drive this quirky tale. His characters are well drawn and relatable. The antagonist, Trevor Hawkins, is as far removed from a superhero as one can imagine. Nevertheless, the reader cannot help but root for this hapless fellow who is not quite the milquetoast as he seems.
February 13, 2022
Sorry but this is the worst book I have read this year , indeed for a long time. It is neither mysterious, thrilling, clever or funny. It falls between so many stools. The characters, except the dog, are poorly developed and unbelievably shallow, the plot unbelievable as is the outcome. You can probably tell i didn't like it
March 7, 2022
did not finish
I couldn’t finish the book because the main character was such a moron that his removal from society would actually raise the average intelligence of the rest of the world. Reading about idiocy doesn’t make me laugh. It just reminds me of how accurately it reflects the average person.
I couldn’t finish the book because the main character was such a moron that his removal from society would actually raise the average intelligence of the rest of the world. Reading about idiocy doesn’t make me laugh. It just reminds me of how accurately it reflects the average person.
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