The Baker

Rub-a-Dub-Dub #2

by Nathan Burrows

She thought it was organic bread. She was wrong.

Food Standards Agency’s most unfortunate inspector, Emily Underwood, is finally doing okay at work. Apart from finding the odd dead customer in a kebab shop that is. When she has an expected brush with a Bishop, things start to go downhill fast.

Rupert Graves is the leader of the smallest cult in East Anglia. Although his motley crew of militant vegetarians are primarily focused on sex and drugs, they’re also determined to highlight the suffering of animals — by fair means or fowl. They’re just not very good at it.

Amateur baker Hannah’s attempts to fund her boyfriend’s cult by selling her produce start off well, and her artisan bread rolls made from organic flour are soon in demand. The only problem is that Hannah’s kitchen in Hill Top Farm will need to pass a Food Standards Agency inspection or be closed down.

What will happen when Emily returns to Hill Top Farm? Will Hannah’s kitchen pass the food inspection? Or can Emily discover what’s really in the flour?

The sequel to The Butcher, and Book 2 in the British Rub-a-Dub-Dub trilogy, this dark comedy about flour power will make you think twice about having a bacon sandwich ever again.

This book was previously published under the name 'Nathan Burrows'.

332 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 12, 2018

About the author

Nathan Burrows is a writer based in Norfolk in the United Kingdom. His debut novel, Blind Justice, was published in March 2018.

Nathan's a keen reader as well as a writer. He occasionally runs marathons, has a Norwich City football club season ticket, and is the proud part-owner of a Daschund puppy called Bertie.

Reviews

[Pete · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have previously read the 'The Butcher' and I enjoyed that, but thought that it was a little slow, this book follows on and is much better paced, although for me it still took a bit too long to get in to its stride, there was quite a lot of scene-setting before the main plot emerged.
But, the strong points of this book were the characters and the rather surreal dark, humour, there were several places where I actually laughed out loud, especially one of the characters being bitten by a rabbit he was trying to 'liberate'.
I thought that the idea of a 'rebel' from a good family setting up a seventies-style free love, vegan, animal liberation 'commune' in the farm where the murders in 'The Butcher' took place was inspired, it was ironic, very funny and takes a swipe at the 'politically correct' but (rather ineffectively) rebellious millennial generation. I thought that I detected influences from 'The Lord of the Flies' and 'Animal Farm', especially in Rupert's behaviour.
It was good to see the return of Emily, her boss and her flatmate from the previous book, indeed I would like to have had a bit more focus on her.
I felt rather ambiguous towards the ending, it was a huge twist which I didn't see coming, and I thoroughly enjoyed that, but, for me, the ending of the book was a bit unsatisfactory and rather 'up in the air'.
So, overall a great read, and although it makes a good stand-alone, it was definitely improved by having read 'The Butcher' before. I am really looking forward to the third book in the trilogy 'The Candlestick Maker' (The mind boggles at what will happen in that one!)
I received an advance copy of the book, but have voluntarily written this review based on my own opinions.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the author and submit this review both voluntarily and honestly.

The blurb gives you a brief rundown on the story, but it doesn't give you any idea of how the characters and circumstances interact together within the storyline. And this is where the British dark humour takes place, and that's where the author has all his fun and the reader can sit back and have a good belly laugh. I loved it.

Now, this is a sequel to the first book 'The Butcher' which was just as funny and where we initially encounter Emily and Andy - and the farm. Alkthough The Baker could be read as a stand-alone, I'd suggest you read The Butcher first because it will fill you in on a bit of 'historical' detail of the farm.

Highly recommended.

[Drasko · Rating 5 out of 5]

After The Butcher king of British dark comedy gave us another reason to have a good laugh. The Baker starts a bit slow but characters are so well developed that one soon forgets pedestrian pace of action and adapts to it. Psychopathy, hypocrisy, abundance of political correctness and total lack of common sense, and much more then that is pinned on millennial's door. Author has a great ability to notice many nuances of modern British society and transfer them in great comedy. The end is a bit sudden and not really well developed but it is not detracting from enjoyment of reading this book. I am recommending this series as one of the best dark contemporary comedies.
I received e-book from the author for honest review.

[Samantha Henthorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliantly funny book written with the darkest of humour. A couple of mysterious deaths followed by a cult moving into the farm from book one. The leader, Rupert is on a mission to free all and any animals from captivity at the same time as controlling his followers. But his narcissistic powers are not strong enough to control Hannah she wants to bake bread to supply to the town's street food traders. The food standards agency get involved and rightly so because there is an ingredient in this bread that shouldn't be. The parallel plotlines knit together beautifully. Although part of a series, I think this book could be read as a standalone.

[Artist_carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! Another great one. Rupert and Hannah buy the farm that was previously owned by the psychotic brothers of the first book in the series for their little cult in this book Hannah is a Baker of bread and wants to start selling it however where does the free flour come from and what is in it. I really enjoyed this one. A review copy of this book was sent to me by the author. All of the above opinions are my own.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Baker

Just completed the second part of the trilogy ( Rub - a - Dub - Dub )
They based around Emily whom
Employed as a food inspector by food standards agency .
Andy is her on / off boyfriend they met in strange circumstance .... I’m rooting for them ???
Many characters very colourful come and go , Hill top farm brings lots of tales
I enjoyed the Baker not as much as the Butcher but worth a read now to the candlewick maker ... to be continued

[Evonne Hutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This unusual story gripped me from the start!
Hilariously tragic is perhaps the best description!
But at the end of the day it is really a scathing commentary on the millennial generation
Well written with excellent characterization

[Stan Robison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found the series by mistake, but all in all found it enjoyable.

Many editorial mistakes, added words where they need'nt be, misspelled as well! Butt, still yet crazy plot and great Brit characters.

[Gene Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Baker, 2nd of the author's Rub-a-Dub-Dub series

Was an enjoyable read, but not as direct and poignant, nor quite as entertaining, as the first book, The Butcher. It took the plot a while to get going, but I enjoyed the familiar characters, as well as the new.

[Jojo Anthonio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious, but not so ingenius as the Butcher… But saying that… Nathan is the master of a whole new kind of genre, for which there is no name... yet.
Keep them coming !!!

[Phil Altimas · Rating 5 out of 5]

love it, it was so funny.
the characters have a lot of boks ahead of them i think

[Dennis Cartwright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as funny as the first book (The Butcher).

[Mami Bear · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the first. Took too long to get to the heart of the story. Disappointing