Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

Preview

£0.00 for first 30 days

Thousands of incredible audiobooks and podcasts to take wherever you go.
Immerse yourself in a world of storytelling with the Plus Catalogue - unlimited listening to thousands of select audiobooks, podcasts and Audible Originals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

The Perpetual Astonishment of Jonathon Fairfax

By: Christopher Shevlin
Narrated by: Finlay Robertson
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically.

Buy Now for £13.99

Buy Now for £13.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Summary

When Jonathon Fairfax accidentally helps a murderer bump off Sarah Morecambe, the secretary of a senior politician, he sets off a chain of events that astonishes him. Jonathon is wrong-footed by even the most everyday things, so he's particularly startled to find himself caught up in a conspiracy that goes right to the heart of government. Teaming up with a suave private investigator, a glamorous granny and the probable love of his life, Jonathon must confront his greatest fears - including talking to girls and balaclava-clad killers - and answer some very difficult questions. Who murdered Sarah Morecambe? What is the strange secret that unites the entire British government? And what exactly does it feel like to kiss a real-life woman?

With its naïve, reluctant hero and wry look at life, The Perpetual Astonishment of Jonathon Fairfax has been compared to books by Douglas Adams, Carl Hiaasen and PG Wodehouse.

©2019 Christopher Shevlin (P)2019 W. F. Howes Ltd
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

How to Survive the Afterlife: Books 1-3 cover art
The Final Game cover art
Welcome to Nowhere cover art
I Predict a Riot cover art
A Man with One of Those Faces cover art
Disaster Inc cover art
The End of the World Is Nigh cover art
Mystery Man cover art
Sealfinger cover art
The Memorabilia Man: When They Tell You They’re Not Gangsters..... cover art
Who Sent Clement? cover art
The Stranger Times cover art
The Idiots' Club cover art
Clovenhoof cover art
Divorcing Jack cover art
Memory Clouds cover art

Critic reviews

"You can't help being tickled." (The Guardian)

"Not many books make me laugh out loud, but The Perpetual Astonishment of Jonathon Fairfax is one of them...A comic gem." (Stylist magazine)

"Shevlin was rightly picked up by the literary agency that represents the likes of David Nicholls." (Metro)

What listeners say about The Perpetual Astonishment of Jonathon Fairfax

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    48
  • 4 Stars
    28
  • 3 Stars
    8
  • 2 Stars
    5
  • 1 Stars
    4
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    55
  • 4 Stars
    17
  • 3 Stars
    7
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    42
  • 4 Stars
    23
  • 3 Stars
    8
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    6

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A great story

I found it a bit difficult to get into the first book, almost as if I was joining a group conversation halfway through. But once I got with the flow, I quickly became a fan of Christopher Shevlin's writing and the excellent narration. I've listened to all three books in the series and I'm looking forward to number four.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Laugh out loud funny

Quirky story not entirely sure if it’s 4 stars but the author has a fab turn of phrase and I was literally laughing out loud!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A fun book

I enjoyed this, and also the sequel. Will look out for another by this author.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Entertaining

This was an easy listen. Light and entertaining. There is some unintentionally hilarious, and surprising, mispronunciation on occasions by the narrator.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

off the wall

Maybe somewhere in the vicinity of Caimh McDonnell, though not as accomplished... at least, not yet. The characters are interesting but not as colourful and there are few laugh outloud lines. Lighthearted, enjoyable and engaging, I will probably get the second book in the series

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant, mostly

I really enjoyed it although the storyline was kind of silky the characters were brilliant.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Charming and Funny

Exceptional narration brought this story vividly to life. So much richer than reading it on paper. I totally loved it and am delighted to see there is a follow up book to be issued shortly.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable nonsense

Overall this book was very enjoyable and is a decent length. The narration is very good and the character and scene description pretty much perfect. I laughed out loud in quite a few places and rooted for the hero all the way through. There was a slight discrepancy with regard to plot (it seemed to jump from beginning to end without much middle) but I expect that is due to this being the author's first novel. I recommend this book to anyone wanting an entertaining listen without too much depth.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Funny throughout!

Great little story. Characters well developed and narration excellent. Some proper laugh out loud moments!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

brilliantly funny with great twists and turns

I stumbled across those series by accident and have not laughed so hard in quite a while.
I listen to audio books while performing my duties as a domestic cleaner, a mundane and repeatative job but Jf an Co. have kept me company for a few days. his incompetent sleuthing which foils a dastardly plot at the center of government has made me laugh outrageously in public repeatedly.

With humour reminiscent of my all Time favourite author Douglas Adams, Christopher Shevlin has created a crew of world saving characters so diverse you have to love each of them.
can't wait to experience their next adventures in the following 2 books.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful