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1984: A Year in the Life of Nobby Clarke: A 1980s Time Travel Adventure
London, 1984: For a gambler, it’s a dream come true – a bracelet that enables travel back in time, but one that comes with a catch.
Robin “Nobby” Clarke is a lifelong punter who has frittered away his life gambling on cards and horses. With the next race or turn of the card taking priority over all else, he never found time for a career, a wife, or children. Now, it seems too late, until the chance comes to rewind the clock to when he was just twenty years old.
Excited at the thought of making millions, Nobby is disappointed when he learns the no using the bracelet for personal financial gain. But back in 1984, there are plenty of other things to worry about. His family business is struggling, his father is in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, and his girlfriend has just dumped him.
Vowing to put things right, he throws himself back into 1980s London life, but what will he do when he comes up against local villain Frankie “The Fillet” Fowler?
Join Nobby on his action-packed adventure in the year when Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Wham! ruled the charts, and the movement that was Band Aid came together to feed the world.
1984 is part of the anthology series A Year in the Life. Each book revisits a different aspect of life in the 1980s, and each story can be enjoyed standalone.
Robin “Nobby” Clarke is a lifelong punter who has frittered away his life gambling on cards and horses. With the next race or turn of the card taking priority over all else, he never found time for a career, a wife, or children. Now, it seems too late, until the chance comes to rewind the clock to when he was just twenty years old.
Excited at the thought of making millions, Nobby is disappointed when he learns the no using the bracelet for personal financial gain. But back in 1984, there are plenty of other things to worry about. His family business is struggling, his father is in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, and his girlfriend has just dumped him.
Vowing to put things right, he throws himself back into 1980s London life, but what will he do when he comes up against local villain Frankie “The Fillet” Fowler?
Join Nobby on his action-packed adventure in the year when Frankie Goes to Hollywood and Wham! ruled the charts, and the movement that was Band Aid came together to feed the world.
1984 is part of the anthology series A Year in the Life. Each book revisits a different aspect of life in the 1980s, and each story can be enjoyed standalone.
- GenresFiction
285 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 31, 2025
92 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
About the author
Jason Ayres
39 books112 followersJason Ayres fulfilled his lifelong dream of becoming a full-time author when he left the corporate world behind and published his first novel in 2014. Since then, he has written twenty more books, delighting readers with his signature mix of humour, engaging characters, and imaginative storytelling.
His character-driven tales focus on ordinary people who find themselves in extraordinary situations—whether travelling to an uncertain future, revisiting their past, or exploring alternate timelines. Blending elements of sci-fi, romance, and everyday life, his stories offer something for everyone, with relatable characters at their heart.
Jason’s latest series, set in the 1980s, follows present-day protagonists who, down on their luck, get a chance to relive a pivotal year from their past. 1980, 1981, and 1982 are available now, with more to come.
Want to know more about Jason? - You can find him at:
https://www.jasonayres.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/TheTimeBubble/
https://twitter.com/TheTimeBubble/
His character-driven tales focus on ordinary people who find themselves in extraordinary situations—whether travelling to an uncertain future, revisiting their past, or exploring alternate timelines. Blending elements of sci-fi, romance, and everyday life, his stories offer something for everyone, with relatable characters at their heart.
Jason’s latest series, set in the 1980s, follows present-day protagonists who, down on their luck, get a chance to relive a pivotal year from their past. 1980, 1981, and 1982 are available now, with more to come.
Want to know more about Jason? - You can find him at:
https://www.jasonayres.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/TheTimeBubble/
https://twitter.com/TheTimeBubble/
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 19, 2025
how I wish I could go back to the 80s knowing what I know now and to see my dad again
September 9, 2025
An entertaining story
I have been reading this series and looking forward to each new book. A very enjoyable spin to the idea of time travel.
I have been reading this series and looking forward to each new book. A very enjoyable spin to the idea of time travel.
September 2, 2025
another cracking book in this series! l loved all the "dodgy " characters in this book such a great tale of how Nobby turned his life around.
September 26, 2025
About average for the series. I think I didn't enjoy this one as much as I COULD have because of the emphasis on the betting details, especially horse racing. I feel like you if you aren't familiar with how it works, there's just a lot of detail that will go over your head.
That said, there were two things I liked a lot. First was the mention of Torvill and Dean winning the 1984 Winter Olympic ice dance event in Sarajevo. I'm a big figure skating fan and a huge fan of T&D in particular. I know what a massive deal it was in the UK at the time. The second was the end of the year and Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas". This ending in the book was just great, it really, really brought back memories of 1984.
Looking forward to 1985!
That said, there were two things I liked a lot. First was the mention of Torvill and Dean winning the 1984 Winter Olympic ice dance event in Sarajevo. I'm a big figure skating fan and a huge fan of T&D in particular. I know what a massive deal it was in the UK at the time. The second was the end of the year and Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas". This ending in the book was just great, it really, really brought back memories of 1984.
Looking forward to 1985!
September 8, 2025
Another imaginative narrative from my favourite Sci-Fi author
I enjoyed all the books in this series and this one was different with a character familiar from the time bubble, exploring how a year lived with hindsight changed a whole life. It was also different as Nobby kept the bracelet and his time travel secret previous characters in the series had confided in at least one person
I enjoyed all the books in this series and this one was different with a character familiar from the time bubble, exploring how a year lived with hindsight changed a whole life. It was also different as Nobby kept the bracelet and his time travel secret previous characters in the series had confided in at least one person
September 28, 2025
Another great year in the 1980's series
All of these books have been great so far and this one doesn't disappoint.
Nobby has so many wrongs to right that I'm surprised he didn't need two years for all this. If I am harsh, and I am, the only slight surprise was with the biggest test. I was expecting another twist or two in that one, but it didn't diminish from the story as a whole.
Too on 1985.
All of these books have been great so far and this one doesn't disappoint.
Nobby has so many wrongs to right that I'm surprised he didn't need two years for all this. If I am harsh, and I am, the only slight surprise was with the biggest test. I was expecting another twist or two in that one, but it didn't diminish from the story as a whole.
Too on 1985.
October 10, 2025
A trip down memory lane
A great book for those of us who were teenagers or adult in 1984! Very nostalgic and funny at times,especially when Eddie was dealing in stolen goods with Derek from Peckham,whose brother was going to collect them in his van! It was great to live vicariously through Nobby for a few hours! I also learned how the betting system works now!
A great book for those of us who were teenagers or adult in 1984! Very nostalgic and funny at times,especially when Eddie was dealing in stolen goods with Derek from Peckham,whose brother was going to collect them in his van! It was great to live vicariously through Nobby for a few hours! I also learned how the betting system works now!
September 22, 2025
2.5 stars. meh. Not sure why I bought this book. This one, like the others before it, is just a dry recitation of events during a year in which the MC travels back in time to correct his life errors using a super magic speshul Mary-Sue bracelet that tells him everything to do.
October 6, 2025
This belongs on the Hallmark channel
The guy couldn’t lose as long as he listened and avoided the greed of betting. And he did just that, helping folks as he went along. So glad not to have lived in his crooked neighborhood. Everyone had an angle. So sad.
The guy couldn’t lose as long as he listened and avoided the greed of betting. And he did just that, helping folks as he went along. So glad not to have lived in his crooked neighborhood. Everyone had an angle. So sad.
October 9, 2025
Susan Fraser Aberdeen
Another page turner
Love these books
Can’t wait for the next book in the series
Jason you have a fantastic gift
Keep writing these and I’ll keep reading them 👍
Another page turner
Love these books
Can’t wait for the next book in the series
Jason you have a fantastic gift
Keep writing these and I’ll keep reading them 👍
September 12, 2025
Another great read in the series. The story has lots of twists and keeps you enthralled
October 3, 2025
love this series of books, perfect easy reading palate cleansers in between my usual psychological thrillers!
October 22, 2025
Interesting concept
I definitely enjoy this series but the gambling aspects of this story didn't appeal to me as much as some of the other book.
I definitely enjoy this series but the gambling aspects of this story didn't appeal to me as much as some of the other book.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews