Aristotle’s Cuttlefish

by Matthew Dooley

You can tell a lot about someone from what they misplace.

Oddball Mr Daniels has spent his life sorting chaos into order.

In the basement of a shabby Town Council building, he has meticulously labelled, guarded and sometimes claimed the lost property of Dobbiston’s residents for thirty years; a life’s work carried out mostly unnoticed.

But when a bored teenager on work experience interrupts his routine, Mr Daniel’s underground world is revealed to be both a lonely prison of his own making and a refuge for his peculiar, uncurbed creativity. A place where hit-and-miss experiments to make the elixir of life, or record the music of the spheres, help him to grieve and search for existential truths.

Told through Lost Property Office vignettes - a snooker cue love story, a granny’s tea cosy and a kid’s toy on an intergalactic adventure – local histories are elevated to the momentous and profound, drawn with playful nostalgia and Dooley’s deadpan wit.

Aristotle’s Cuttlefish is an irresistible and witty portrait of a close-knit northern town and the lives those lost and found characters within it.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fiction, Comics

176 pages, Hardcover

Published September 9, 2025

Reviews

[Kirsten Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dooley has done it again. After absolutely adoring his award winning graphic novel Flake back in 2020, I knew I needed a piece of his work in my life again. The subtle and gentle expressions Dooley captures in each character is beautiful. The humanity he manages to portray is stunning. Watching these two characters help one another in ways they weren’t expecting is some of the best storytelling I’ve seen. This gentle and heart rendering story is one I will treasure. I think I’ll go re-read Flake now.

[Hayley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly charming

[Katrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Completely charming, like Flake. A story of grief, moving on and unlikely friendship

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet tale set in Dobbiston, a small Lancashire town, concerning a Mr (Arthur) Daniels in charge of the council's lost property department. One day, a young man on a work placement from school gets sent to Mr Daniels' office to 'learn the ropes' and what follows is an opening up of both their worlds. Matthew Dooley is a whizz at pacing and the nod to Raiders of the Lost Ark is brilliant and masterfully underplayed.
Moving & delightful, highly recommended.

[GigiReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was something so beautiful about this, similar to Flake in many ways where it’s so focused on individual ‘small everyday lives’ and yet there’s something really meaningful running through it all.

I really really enjoy the art style and there is enough zaniness and great humour to elevate it into something you will read again and again.

[Allan McDougall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smashing book. Lovely illustrations and engaging story. Quite charming and reasonable.

[Samuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story, heartwarming and charming. Lovely bit of northern humour. Amazing book and has left me wanting more. Amazing.

[Sam Furniss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't think he'd be able to top Flake but this is fantastic. A lovely thread and style with some big emotional moments.

Looking forward to my.next visit to Dobbiston

[Greg S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just the loveliest, warmest, sweetest graphic novel about an unlikely friendship between a teenage boy and a lonely older man. Gorgeous story. Gorgeous illustrations.

[Emily Whewell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gentle story of loss and rebuilding a life slowly with help from the most unexpected friendship. Heartwarming and kind, this book feels like a warm cup of tea on a cold early morning.

[Ryan Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet story of intergenerational awkwardness coming together in ways that evidence growth.

[SELENE DOGANLAR · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main story has been told in different fashions many times but it was still very nice to read about. The stories of the missing items were much fun and interesting.

[Nik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clever and sweet and charming and kind.

[Alice Finbow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved flake!
This a great second book.
Sensitively written.