A Very Important Teapot

by Steve Sheppard

Praised by comedienne Helen Lederer, founder of Comedy Women in Print Prize, who called it “A curiously magical thriller with suburban subterfuge and sparkle.”

A Very Important Teapot is a comedy thriller revolving around the hunt for a lost cache of Nazi diamonds in Australia.

Dawson’s life is going nowhere. Out of work and nearly out of money, he is forlornly pursuing the love of Rachel Whyte. But Rachel is engaged to Pat Bootle, an apparently successful local solicitor who has appeared from nowhere.

Then, out of the blue, Dawson receives a job offer from his best friend, Alan Flannery, which involves him jumping on a plane to Australia to "await further instructions". But instructions about what?

This is the start of a frantic chase around south eastern Australia with half the local underworld, the police and the intelligence agencies of three countries trying to catch up with Dawson.

What is Flannery’s game?

Why has Pat Bootle turned up in Australia?

Who is the beautiful but mysterious Lucy Smith?

What is the teapot’s secret?

What has folk music got to do with anything?

And how do guns actually work?

Dawson’s life will never be the same again.

Genres: Fiction

268 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 18, 2019

About the author

Steve had his first book, A Very Important Teapot, published (by Claret Press) in 2019. He was 66 at the time. One of his many regrets is that it didn't happen when he was 26 but he spent 40 years not realising that the two keys to writing a successful novel are (a) "making it up as you go along" and (b) becoming a celebrity first, as that makes it a doddle selling it once written.

He has now "made up" two more books, Bored to Death in the Baltics and (published April 2024) Poor Table Manners. Together they make up the Dawson & Lucy Series.

Now if you're thinking that these titles (and the covers) suggest that the books are not entirely serious, you'd be correct. With A Very Important Teapot, Steve discovered that he'd inadvertently invented a completely new genre: the Comedy Thriller. So if you like thrillers, these may be for you. And if you like comedy, then equally these may be up your street.

Give them a go. Like many other people, you may find they're exactly what you're looking for. If it is, then please let Steve know by posting a review or by contacting him on
https://www.stevesheppardauthor.com/

Thrills and laughs: a winning combination.

Thank you

Reviews

[Joyce Ammerlaan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very important teapot by Steve Sheppard reminded me why I got into reading in the first place. Steve Sheppard is such a fun and talented author. A very important teapot is that kind of book that makes you forget that you are reading, you just feel like you are in the world of the story experiencing everything the main character is as well. The story is so different than any other thriller I have read.

Most of the books that I have read lately, had parts in them where nothing really happened causing me to get bored and not pick op the book for a few days. I did not even had this once while reading A very important teapot. The plot kept surprising me and I kept turning the pages. Moreover, I really liked that Steve Sheppard used a hapless hero in this story. There was so much going on all te time but because of Dawson, our hapless hero, it never got to a confusion that was annoying.

I highly recommend this book if you need a story to let you escape from daily life, and are in need of a laugh.

[Lauren Johnstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know those French farces, the ones in which as someone exits the door and someone enters a different door and they just miss each other by a hair's breadth, and much hilarity ensues as a result. That is what A Very Important Teapot reminded me of. An extraordinarily well-crafted, absolutely hilarious French farce.
The lead character, Dawson, ends up somehow in Australia in the middle of a folk-rock concert in the Australian outback, having been hired by the British secret service to chase - oh! This is too complex to try and write down without giving away too much plot. Just take my word for it: it makes sense when you're reading it and you'll enjoy every minute you spend reading this book.

[Gemma Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘A Very Important Teapot’ is a great read. It is very intriguing and when reading I was constantly wondering where everything was going to lead, which kept me engaged in the story. The story is unlike any other story I have read and is a thriller with a layer of subtle comedy, which really works. Steve Sheppard is a really talented author!

[Sarah Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Very Important Teapot is a spy spoof of the highest order. A jolly good romp with a whole host of baddies, secret agents and a bewildered chap at the heart of it trying to make sense of it all. If you want to forget your every day chores and enjoy a good laugh, this book is for you.

[Giulia Alayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very important teapot is definitely a rare book that can combine a spy-spoof and a genuine thriller, a love triangle so accidental that it is a surprise to the protagonist as it is to the reader. It's really comedy writing at its best. And you can see it in the cover alone, with James Bond-type figures with muffins for heads in short trousers chasing a teapot. It's one of those situation where you can partly judge the book by its cover, as it actually tells you what's inside. Very fun and also intriguing!

[Loree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Out of work Saul Dawson accepts a job without knowing what the job entails, and is sent to Australia to await further instructions. Soon, he is racing to Yackandandah, hoping to complete his mission – whatever that may be – before the start of its dreaded annual folk festival. Thus begins Steve Sheppard’s comic crime caper, the first in a series of books featuring our unlikely hero Dawson and his sidekick Lucy.

A Very Important Teapot is a fast-paced spy thriller, with a cast of international characters. It’s great fun. I loved it!

[Isobelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quirky and lovable. Steve Sheppard has created a brilliant cast of characters and a surprising and intricate plot to match. Truly an excellent read.

[Deborah Watt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely entertaining with laugh out loud moments and some unexpected plot twists. I couldn’t put it down.

[Vic Lauterbach · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first 10% of this novel is a struggle due to Mr. Sheppard's semi-coherent, faux Vonnegut style and slow development, but once our everyman-hero Dawson sets off on his mysterious trip to Sydney, it picks up steam and gets more readable. By the middle, it's actually an interesting adventure although the deliberately choppy construction is pretentious. The last quarter is a bit less interesting but resolves the conventional spy/thriller plot nicely. It misses being a romp because too many sections drag out the revelation of plot points that an alert reader has already guessed, but it's got quirky charm. Addressing its weak points would require spoilers, so I'll let you discover them for yourself. As befitting a novel with characters called Mr. Big, Rambo and- nudge, nudge, wink, wink- MacGuffin, this is a very light adventure, sort of Eric Ambler meets Douglas Adams. It aspires to be Buchan meets Hitchcock, but never gets there. It's not as cool as the tongue-in-cheek chapter descriptions imply, but it's not bad. If you're in the right mood, you'll enjoy it. It made me want to play through NOLF again. Mildly recommended to fans of cold war-style adventures.

[Sue Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

My goodness! What a hilarious, energetic and entertaining roller-coaster of a read this is. The pace never lets up. Dawson (for he is our hapless hero – and never was a man more lacking in hap) starts off in the UK, hops over to Australia and there is chased by a colourful collection of Germans and Russians, Brits and Aussies. Some are goodies, some baddies, and some lurk in the grey area in between. All are intent on solving the mystery of the eponymous teapot, or preventing others from doing so. It’s as clever and witty as its title. And fiendishly complicated. Not sure I followed all the intricacies but I certainly enjoyed the ride!

[Derek Nudd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's one for those who, like me, find it easier to believe in cock-up than conspiracy. Or at least that one invariably leads to the other. Multiple players doing their best for their own or their superiors' perceived interests and getting it wrong most of the time. Tension, high drama, flashes of humour and ... a teapot?

[Tod Mottram · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Very Important Teapot by Steve Sheppard is a very funny comedy spy thriller! I wouldn’t class it a spoof, as such, as it is a perfectly formed spy thriller, with an intriguing cast, and perfectly formed plot. It just happens to be very, very funny. Enjoy the tension and, at the same time, prepare to laugh out loud at the many funny bits.

[Lindsay Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witty, funny and different. It’s written in quite a unique style and it’s very fun to read. So many twists and turns. Relatable characters who you find charming and want to be friends with, while perhaps not wanting to get entangled in their mess. But certainly would want to enjoy a pint with afterwards to hear all the details.

[tburbr · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story line was good. The character work was great. The story had a smooth flow to it. I was entertained from beginning to end. I laughed out loud several times. This was the first book that I've read from this author, but it won't be the last.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Elena K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny spy thriller!!! I was enjoying reading the book 📕

[Rosie Sheppard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the twists and turns of the plot and all the detailed character development, very cleverly written. Such a gripping book!

[Graham Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enjoyable caper which ticks along at a nice even pace before accelerating into an all action climax. A well thought out plot with plenty of plausible farce, humour, sarcasm, wit and a canny introduction of a variety of characters as you go along – but who can you trust? Not all is what it seems.
A ray of sunshine in these dark Covid-19 lockdown days. Highly recommended.

[Julie Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

To Australia and back again, with a large cast of unusual characters descending, eventually, on the folk festival at Yackandandah, Steve Sheppard draws the reader into a merry dance of international spies, assassins, shady underworld hoodlums and beer. Our hero, the unassuming and unknowing Dawson, would rather be down The Cricketers in sleepy Home Counties Stallford, or pursuing the fragrant Rachel at the Grayfold am-dram's Christmas panto, but instead encounters every known espionage thriller trope (and some not yet invented) as he weaves his way across the outback, trailing cops, robbers and agents behind him. And then there's the teapot lid and the lovely Lucy. There is never a dull moment in this rollicking and hugely enjoyable tale.

[Getvoldsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dawson, just Dawson he doesn't my like his first name, is a hapless, unemployed am-dram fan sent on a global goose chase by his mate from down the pub. Luckily for Dawson and the other like minds he meets help is at hand. If James Bond had been young, female, blond and good looking then here she is to keep things under control. An intriguing thriller, with more than a pinch of wit that will keep you guessing up to its dramatic conclusion.

Prime for a number of sequels as the lead characters are followed into what happens next.

As an added bonus it is printed in an easy to read and eye shoothing font for the night time reader.

[Claret Press · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know those crazy comedies where bad guys keep popping up and then getting popped off, and there is a terrible confusion about mistaken identities and our hero is extraordinarily hapless but achieves nonetheless? They're hilarious fun that put a smile on your face.

If you've got a stressful job or a stressful holiday with the in-laws, then you are inordinately grateful for this kind of read. Even if you don't, you're inordinately grateful. Because who doesn't love to laugh.

So bless this man, Steve Sheppard, for making me laugh aloud.

[Justine Gilbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a romp and a half. Zany, funny and compulsively readable. Steve Sheppard's novel reminds me of Nick Spalding's funny stories. Everything goes wrong for his hapless hero, but of course, somehow he comes out on top, more by accident than design. This is the perfect antidote to modern stresses. Put away your worries and sink in to a spoof spy tale that takes you from London to Australia and back again, going to places with crazy names, and characters that are larger than life. Loved it and I look forward to reading the sequel.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deee-lightful

This fast-paced, lively, and well written caper is full of twists and turns, intriguing characters, mayhem, close calls and, not one, but two MacGuffins!

The cast of characters is extra large which at times made it difficult to keep up with them all but the author did a masterful job of bringing it all together. In the end this did not dampen or detract from the reading experience in the least.

At every chapter, I could not wait to find out what happened next. It was exciting to be along for this wild ride.

[Rob Sheppard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was privileged to be pretty much the first to read the first draft of this book and I sat on my sofa chortling throughout. Now I've read the shorter, published version and it's still as amusing, entertaining and gripping as it was the first time. Great characters, great settings and some topical references that chimed with me brilliantly. Perfect for deckchairs, hammocks, train journeys, flights... and, of course, sofas! Go buy! Go read!

[Onia Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Very Important Teapot by Steve Sheppard is a great read! We follow our, initially, hapless hero as he romps across Australia to locate a hidden cache of nazi loot.
There are good guys, bad guys, bad good guys, good bad guys, guys, and Balaclava Lemons. All become inextricably entwined as the bodies pile up.
This is a dead funny comedy spy thriller of huge fun proportions. I’m already looking forward to reading another Steve Sheppard novel.

[Sylvia Vetta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have leant my copy to my daughter inlaw who is heading off to Cambodia. Its the perfect holiday read .. a spy thriller with a difference - a comedic spoof. When times are heavy we all need a laugh . What I like about this Tom Sharpish /Ben Eltonish novel is that the female characters are the equal of the men .

[Mrs V S Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful comedic caper of a book which makes you giggle from start to finish.
Not your ordinary crime thriller and it has an intricate plot with sharp dialogue and plenty of wit. The fast pace of the book definitely keeps you turning the pages. A great debut from Mr Sheppard. Looking forward to the sequel.

[Derek Nudd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here's one for those who, like me, find it easier to believe in cock-up than conspiracy. Or at least that one invariably leads to the other. Multiple players doing their best for their own or their superiors' perceived interests and getting it wrong most of the time. Tension, high drama, flashes of humour and ... a teapot?

[Tony Treasure · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enjoyable comedy thriller. At the time I bought this book I was reading 3 other books, but they had to take a back seat, as I didn’t want to lose the thread of ‘Teapot’ and couldn’t wait to see how each chapter would pan out.

[Joe’s Mum · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

I absolutely loved this book. A real laugh out loud or snigger out loud read. Great characters, great plot and an ending that made sense. Hopefully we will get another book about Dawson’s exploits soon.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun bit of fluff to while away some time with. It won't win any Edgars, but there is enough going on, both plot-wise and character-wise, not to mention humor-wise, that it kept me reading long after I should have been asleep, so bravo.