Who Sent Clement?

Clement #1

by Keith A. Pearson

Beth Baxter, owner of a not-very-successful book shop, is planning her marriage to Karl — or, at least she was. Without warning, Beth suddenly finds herself embroiled in a sinister series of events that threaten to destroy everything she holds dear.

All seems lost for Beth until she receives an offer of help from an unlikely visitor — a former gangland fixer by the name of Clement. However, there’s one minor issue in that Clement claims he died in 1975 and been sent to help Beth to atone for his actions in a previous life.

With just seven days to avoid a fate she’d rather not contemplate, Beth reluctantly joins her deluded, politically-incorrect companion on a quest across London in search of a solution. Will this unlikely partnership succeed? Will Clement ever come to terms with paying five quid for a pint? And will Beth ever learn the truth about who sent Clement?

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Humor, Audiobook, Fantasy, Time Travel, Crime

503 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 4, 2017

About the author

I rarely visit Goodreads, on account it's a terrifying place for authors who aren't blessed with a thick skin.

If you'd like to know more about me, head over to my website, or you can follow me on Facebook or Twitter.

Reviews

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rather nice little tale with enough twists and turns to keep the pages turning. It does seem to take a while getting from A to B on occasion, but on the whole, Mr Pearson can certainly write!

Give it a go, I’m starting to really appreciate this writer!

[Mark Draper · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've just finished this book after blasting through it. It normally takes me weeks to finish a book but this was one I've found myself coming back to whenever possible to see what happens next.

I really enjoyed The '86 Fix and it's follow up so I was interested to see where the author would go next. Not strictly a time travel story, yet it sort of is by way of it being a reverse Life on Mars in that the person out of time claims to be from the 70s.

I don't want to spoil the plot. so let me just say that this is a really enjoyable book, if it were a film it'd be an unlikely buddy movie, the sort where two strangers, who are very different, are thrown together in an unusual situation.

I see from the quotes listed on the Amazon page someone has already said this deserves to be a TV show and I couldn't agree more, I think it'd make for a fantastic slice of British TV.

With many authors often leaving lots of questions unanswered so they can get you to read a second book (this author included with the 86 Fix) I really liked that this had a proper ending. It was both satisfying in closing the story while also giving the author room for a follow up should he want to explore this idea further.

So that's 3 books out of 3 I've enjoyed, keep up the good work Mr Pearson and I look forward to reading whatever you come up with next.

[Alex Sheldon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having thoroughly enjoyed The '86 Fix and its follow-up, I assumed I'd be no less than pleasantly satisfied when reading Who Sent Clement.
I wasn't far off.
Minus the time travel element and 80's nostalgia of the author's previous work (both a great combination btw!), this too is built on a little inexplicable premise without going through the trouble of attempting to explain the nitty gritty details - which suits the story just fine!
Just who did send Clement to help out a lady in a spot of trouble? Just what is Clement exactly?
Who cares? Clement is a cracking character. A proper old-school Londoner and the kinda guy most who'd be fun to hang out with - so long as you stay on his good side.

In short, the author's done it again. He's created authentic three-dimensional characters in his two main protagonists, who also happen to be complete opposites and written with bittersweet authenticity. And good believable characters are always more important than the unfolding story.
Yet the story itself doesn't disappoint either, as it's a nice little adventure based around London and the suburbs; with the benefit of Londoners enjoying it that little bit more due to the familiarity of it all.

Clement is definitely a character I wouldn't mind coming back to for more mischievous assignments.

[Marjolein · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, this was disappointing on so many levels.

I picked Who Sent Clement initially because of Cassie Layton, who gave a stellar performance with A Face Like Glass. But I am sad to say she did a poor job this time. Her male voices are grating and inconsistent - Charles Sterling sounds different almost every time he appears.

Also, the story itself doesn't help either. It is slow and overly detailed, petering out to a weak plot. The villains are preposterous and Beth herself is an obnoxious character, to say the least.

And honestly, Mr Pearson: what author rehashes the plot of his own novel in the final chapter??

[David Peat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story

I loved the story and the characters. The suspension of disbelief was easy to grasp, as the tone created by the writer was skilled and well judged. However, the book needed a good edit. The first quarter, until Clement arrived could’ve been cut by 60% and the whole book could’ve been cut by30%. Despite this, the book is worth preserving with and the waffle is still pleasing. A big fan of the Broadhall novels, this did not reach those heights. But I will continue to support this indie author, and read his books.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good I genuinely couldn't put it down and read it in one day. Having been amused by the 86 Fix duology I was hoping this would be in the same mould. It sort of is, although it is (as stated in other reviews) Life on Mars in reverse where Clement appears in 2017, having apparently died in 1975. Funniest guardian angel ever struggling to get to grips with 21st century technology and what is and most definitely socially acceptable nowadays. All this and Beth's life seemingly falling apart at the seams. I haven't laughed so much in ages.

Ray Smillie

[Marina Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great book; Keith Pearson has a way of writing that makes the unbelievable seem completely normal and perfectly acceptable. Clement is hilarious; non pc, to the point and in a way, innocent. I loved the 'Frozen' part -such clever writing to show the different facets of Clement's character. A great story and a very satisfying ending too - thrilled to see that there are more books in the series which I'll be reading very soon.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook. I'm of two minds about this; I felt no empathy or even interest (I would not have been friends with the main character if I'd met her) in the characters, although I guess Clement was entertaining. Well researched any way. I lived in London in 1980, so not far off of the 1975 he talked about and it was very much the way it was described.

It was a very long audiobook (good for lockdown), but I also found it irritating. The main character - I can'tr even remember her name and I just finished it an hour ago) just grated. Is it because a man wrote a female character? She was so self-centred, bordering on narcissistic, had little sense of humour and whilst I guess we were meant to feel sympathy for her having lost her father at a young age, she just didn't bring anything to the party that was interesting. Not at all, for me.

I see it's a short series, however and with another....3? 4? 6? weeks of lockdown, maybe I'll try another in a week or two.

[izzy · Rating 1 out of 5]

booooorrrrinnnggg - a 13 hour audiobook in which barely anything interesting happens. the narrator was insufferable, she does the voices for all the characters and i found her soooooo annoying, especially when she did different accents. surprised i finished it but i did want to know how it ended cos i had no idea where the seemingly directionless plot would go, and yet the ending was just as lackluster :/ on to the next.

[Gareth Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reasonably entertaining

Not a bad book: entertaining and made me want to find out what happened. However, the dialogue was stilted, some of the plot points predictable and some of the descriptions were a little trite. An enjoyable, if not tremendously surprising or clever, read.

[Phil Altimas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beth is living a nightmare, her boyfriend has left her with an issue she cant cope with
and then a big strange man appears out of no where
is he there to help or to hinder
its a great story and great read, well written and good pace
loved it

[Jennifer Dege · Rating 5 out of 5]

May I keep Clement?

Beth's in trouble, her life falling to pieces, bit by bit. Help arrives in an unusual form. Pearson subtly weaves together Beth's personal awakening (swift kick in the...) and Clement's unique adventurous problem solving... er... methods.

I waited impatiently for Clement to make his appearance, and my pertinacity was well rewarded. Without even a heralding thunderclap, Clement arrived on the scene fully fleshed out, complete with mannerisms and a certain way of speaking. I cringed (for personal reasons) his first use of "doll" but after a few scenes it became so "Clement" that I quickly forgave him. So complete was his character, it was not long before I found myself wondering where on earth did Pearson find him?

This is a delightful, humourous and very human read, written in such a way you are swept along for the ride. I've already added Wrong'un (Clement Book 2) to my library.

[Steve Black · Rating 3 out of 5]

I seem to be in a minority, but I think 3* is quite generous. I did finish the book, mainly to see if the ending was as predictable as I thought and in the hope that something new might happen. In terms of what does happen, the book is overly long. I don't have a problem with the unreality of the basic premise, but to me the style was tedious and with a plethora of unnecessary detail.
All reviews are personal and many will disagree. The book will probably appeal to those who prefer a cosy mystery rather than a proper crime novel.

[Tras · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read this book in late 2021 and absolutely loved it. For some reason, I didn't continue with the series, but now I intend to rectify that and decided to re-read this to refresh my memory.

Pleased to report that it was as good as I remembered. Clement is such a fantastic character and this is a truly heart warming story. Pretty sure a lot of us could use a 'Clement' in our lives, to take care of the jerks and assholes. Curious to see where the rest of the series takes us.

I've greatly enjoyed everything I've read by Keith so far and long may it continue :)

[John Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life on Mars in reverse?

Wow! How do you summarise a book like this? It had time travel, but wasn't sci fi, it had a "ghost" but wasn't a supernatural story, it had violent gangsters but wasn't a thriller. It was an extremely warm and light hearted humorous tale. Very different from my normal reads but hugely entertaining.

[Nicole Klungle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book features an unusual twist on a familiar trope, and I found it refreshingly entertaining and well-written.

I do wish there had been more of a basis for an emotional connection with the two main characters.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

recommended. neat and entertaining take of a genie in a bottle. wonderfully strong supporting character who we are left wondering if he is truly what he claims. I want to find out more. heartfelt and worth checking out.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartwarming tale about a woman who doesn't believe in miracles, despite the evidence. Evidence in the form of Clement, who is working to redeem himself in order to get to heaven.

Well written with a clever storyline, believable characters and bit of humor.

[Natalie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I cannot express how strongly I disliked this book. Never have I ever detested a protagonist as I did Beth. Horribly confused story lines. Maybe like Beth, Pearson had started 19 novels and just chucked all the failed plots into this book. Truly horrible. If I could award zero stars, I would.

[Emz · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Hey doll, does Noddy know you've borrowed his car?" Classic.

Let me just say right from the start I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The five hundred or so pages just whizzed by.

But I'm not sure how to describe this book though, on the one hand charming, sweet, heart-warming, mesmerizing, almost hypnotic in parts. But on the other hand, looking in on someone's mundane, ordinary almost monotonous life is... well, quite frankly boring. But you are inexorably drawn in, captivated, to this utterly compelling adventure, like a moth to a light. It is like watching a car crash, knowing full well you shouldn’t, but you just can’t look away.

Join Beth on her journey of discovery, caught up in a nightmare of circumstance not of her doing, yet forced to deal with it on her own. With no support or help from anyone, Beth is extremely despondent and dejected, enter Clement, her knight in shining armour, or is she a female version of Blofeld to his James Bond; or is it more of she is his doll, and he is her gangster enforcer.

This is where the mystery adventure begins. Observe as the urban treasure hunt unfolds, and watch as their capricious, conflicting relationship metamorphoses into something beautiful and meaningful for them both. Witty and amusing dialogue adds to the book's charm, as two people separated by a generation, both bringing a unique perspective and some hilarity to the relationship.

[Joe Stamber · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve read several of Keith A. Pearson’s novels on my Kindle and generally enjoyed them for what they are. This is the first one that I’ve listened to on Audible, which I think I came across in the Audible Plus library so was essentially a “risk-free” way to try a new series from an author I’ve liked. “Who Sent Clement?” had an element of fantasy to it, but even books in this genre need to have some credibility for them to work for me. Unfortunately, the story of how Beth’s fiancée Karl got into trouble and how she is somehow responsible for it is too far-fetched; and as this is a major plot point it didn’t set well with me. Between Pearson and narrator Cassie Layton, they managed to make main character Beth such a pathetic, impatient, negative, defeatist, whining and stupid woman that every time she opened her mouth, I wanted to tell her to pull herself together. If this was done deliberately to provide a contrast to Clement, then it was horrendously overdone and badly misjudged. On a more positive note, it was an easy read like Pearson’s other books and despite it waffling on far too much, too often, it moved along at a reasonable pace, saving it from the dreaded single star rating. The last couple of hours of the audiobook were an eye-rolling trial to get through, especially the Hollywood family-movie-style ending, but Pearson's credit in the bank just about saw him through.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first in another great series from Pearson. It’s not as good as the “86 Fix” series, but it will do. It will definitely do.

NOTE: Pearson could certainly do with an editor. The hyper-correction of “and I” rather than “and me” after prepositions is more than a little irritating, and he does it Every Single Time. There’s also a scattering of bear/bare errors. It is also annoying that no one drinks/downs/gulps/anything—they “neck” it. They always “neck” it. Always. But by far, the most obvious (and annoying) is using the strange—to my ears anyway—sat/stood construct. Instead of “He was standing (or sitting) at the bar”, Pearson writes “He was stood (sat) at the bar.” He does this consistently no matter the education level or background of the character, no matter who is talking, no matter what. Arrrrrrrgh!

[Jdy Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pearson Keeps Writing Good Fun

I save five stars for stories that take the top of my head off. That said, I rate this 4 out of five. It's entertaining, and I was rooting for the characters. They didn't make choices that left me saying, "Don't do it, stupid!"
Without spoilers, Clement (dead since 75) has been sent to work out penance by helping a woman whose dad died in a car accident when she was still just a child. He's a solid, physical presence, so she doesn't exactlt believe him. But she does need his help, so she tries to cope with accepting his help with her doubts about his real situation.

I loved it. This is the fourth book by Pearson that I have read. It's different to the other three, and I have enjoyed them all. I'll be getting the next book in this series to see what happens to Clement next!

[A · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read the 86 fix last year and loved it. Had high hopes for this and sadly it did disappoint. Clement was a really good character, and he was the only reason I read to the end. Beth on the other hand was one of the most poorly written female characters I’ve read in a long while. I don’t feel like she would have the mental capacity to find her way out of a paper bag, let alone be able to run a business, neither would she have the emotional maturity or selflessness to be in a relationship with someone that would want to marry her. I think it was the mix of her snobby, I know better than everyone, woe is me attitude that i couldn’t stand the most. Awful character.

I liked the sort of reverse life on Mars theme, had a lot going for it. I know this author can write a great plot, and I see there are other books in the series, so I might give them a go, assuming Beth is left in book one.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, what can I say? The book ticked so many boxes for me. The writer has a clear precise style which I found easy to read. It is a light read but at the same time has a few life lessons and some wonderful dry humour. What stood out for me was the language of the leading lady which was so spot on that I thought the writer was a woman until I checked at the end! Her reflections gave her a depth which made the plot work much better. It was so refreshing to have flawed characters who came across as authentic.

A dozen typo's or so should be fixed, but didn't spoil my reading. Excellent value for money.

[David Grieve · Rating 3 out of 5]

A woman down on her luck in a big way is visited by a mysterious stranger who claims to have been killed in the early 70s and has been brought back to help her. Together they have seven days to find £20,000, or she will face disaster.

So far so good. The story bounds along at a good rate and the writing is clear and concise. The storyline is ok without being very memorable. The conceit that runs through it, as to whether he is or isn't who he says he is, gets a bit repetitive. All in all it is hard to say it was anything more than average.

As a one-off story it is fine but I struggle to see how a planned sequel will hold the interest.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having been mean elsewhere about one of the author's other main characters (Craig from The '86 Fix, if you care) I thought I'd balance my karma a bit and come and review Clement.

Clement is a flawed '70's fairy godmother and he's awesome. Without getting too much into spoilers he pops in (and then out) of people's lives, helping out where needed to atone for his past crimes. So far (I've read 3) each book is dedicated to one person that needs help and once Clement's mission is complete he moves on.

There's a 4th book out so I'm off to read it right now. That's how much I love Clement. (Sorry I was mean about Craig).

[Judith Rhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

From listening to Keith Pearson, modestly describing himself as an author on BBC Radio 2’s Popmaster quiz, he has now become my new favourite author.
Sheer escapism, ( just what we all need right now) is how I would describe “Meeting Mungo Thunk” and “Who Sent Clement”.
I have already bought my third read and can’t wait to follow Clement’s escapades.
The books are both touching and funny, with a lovely light moral message. I couldn’t wait to metaphorically turn the Kindle page to find out how the books would pan out. The characters in both books are what we all would wish for, a guardian angel, to iron out our bumps in life.
Keep the books coming Keith - so so enjoyable thank you.

[Karen Strattan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Surprisingly Unlikely Angel and A “Doll” Who Needs Him

From an early tragedy to a present day betrayal. Beths ability to trust has been shattered.

And now, having been threatened and unfairly held responsible for another persons debt, Beth finds an old Bible and says a prayer to a God she no longer believes in.

An unlikely Angel appears and stands ready to protect and defend her. But will it be enough?

Their journey together will challenge and change them both.

I enjoyed this book so much that I read it in one sitting.

Thanks, Keith A. Pearson for allowing this reader to vicariously live Beth and Clements adventure. Is there a sequel? I’m on my way to find out.

[Remy Sharp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed it, and after reading Pearson's '86 fix and the sequel, I'm pretty certain I'll continue to read his books.

The book was a solid page turner, nothing too taxing and a great pairing of characters: Beth (our protagonist) and Clement the deuteragonist. They go on an adventure to find some gold to pay off a local gangster for a debt that Beth doesn't owe.

I just enjoyed the journey of following these two as trapiese through London, test their awkward boundaries and continue to question exactly where did Clement come from.

Hoping to read the sequel - Wrong'un - right away!