Dating and Mating

The book is set in 1990s London and tells the story of a chance encounter between George, a geekish twenty-something bank-clerk and Maureen, a student. Their somewhat unpromising initial encounter at Clapham railway station leads to them investigating a mystery concerning a seemingly unremarkable society dedicated to animal breeding. Initial enquiries into the society's activities lead to the involvement of a national tabloid newspaper, and in particular its Australian-born reporter who is, to say the least, unconventional in his methods. The aims of the society are found to be less than wholesome, and detective-style work is required in order to expose its activities in the newspaper. Whilst pursuing the investigation George and Maureen find time to investigate their own urges to breed, and a lesbian friend of Maureen who becomes involved in the case encounters the love of her life.