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A Pleasure and a Calling: A Novel Kindle Edition
A DELICIOUSLY UNSETTLING TALE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL SUSPENSE THAT DELVES INTO THE MIND OF A MAN WITH A CHILLING DOUBLE LIFE.
Mr. Heming loves the leafy English village where he lives. As a local real estate agent, he knows every square inch of the town and sees himself as its protector, diligent in enforcing its quaint charm. Most people don't pay much attention to Mr. Heming; he is someone who fades easily into the background. But Mr. Heming pays attention to them. You see, he has the keys to their homes. In fact, he has the keys to every home he's ever sold in town. Over the years, he has kept them all so that he can observe his neighbors, not just on the street, but behind locked doors.
Mr. Heming considers himself a connoisseur of the private lives of others. He is witness to the minutiae of their daily lives, the objects they care about, the secrets they keep. As details emerge about a troubled childhood, Mr. Heming's disturbing hobby begins to form a clear pattern, and the reasons behind it come into focus. But when the quiet routine of the village is disrupted by strange occurrences, including a dead body found in the backyard of a client's home, Mr. Heming realizes it may only be a matter of time before his secrets are found out.
A brilliant portrait of one man's obsession, A Pleasure and a Calling by Phil Hogan is a darkly funny and utterly transfixing tale that will hold you under its spell.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“I loved A Pleasure and a Calling--gripping, sinister, original and brilliant!” ―Sophie Hannah, bestselling author of The Monogram Murders and The Orphan Choir
“The word 'creepy' (attached to descriptive adverbs like 'insanely' and 'diabolically' or even 'deliciously') immediately comes to mind after a quick dip into A Pleasure and a Calling.” ―Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review
“A Pleasure and a Calling starts out slowly, meticulously building the first-person portrait of a sociopath. But, 70 pages in, the novel takes a sharp turn into Patricia Highsmith country, and the deliberately bland, purposely forgettable Heming stands revealed as Tom Ripley with a real estate license....This is [Phil Hogan's] first book to be published in the United States. Here's hoping for more to come.” ―Dallas Morning News
“Hogan avoids clichés as he delivers one surprise after another. Heming at first seems harmless, but Hogan shows bit by bit how Heming has been scheming and diabolical, making this complex character both a villain and a hero. A Pleasure and a Calling brims with wry wit and taut tension, and will make readers think about changing the locks on their doors, just to be cautious.” ―Associated Press
“How mesmerizing is this book? I started it at lunch one day and finished it after dinner the same night….Reminiscent of Patricia Highsmith's Ripley books.” ―The Charlotte Observer
“Beware, readers. Heming descends from a long line of dangerously seductive, alienated narcissists that includes Patricia Highsmith's Tom Ripley and Charles Anthony-Strangers on a Train-Bruno....Hogan is an especially agile storyteller, and he has assembled an admirably intricate back-story that explains (if not excuses) how Heming has come to be who he is. It's an exhilarating performance. Plan on having your locks changed soon after you finish reading the book.” ―Richmond Times-Dispatch
“Engagingly written and compulsively readable...Readers will find themselves wondering just how secure their own homes are, and, at the same time, uncomfortably beguiled by the often charming Mr. Heming, whose heart is in the right place--except when it is decidedly not.” ―The Columbus Dispatch
“Need some morbidly funny and unsettling psychological suspense? Look no further than Phil Hogan's A Pleasure and a Calling.” ―The Seattle Times
“Along with the stylistic echoes of Highsmith, Hogan also moves into the creepy-campy territory that Roman Polanski staked out, especially in The Tenant and Rosemary's Baby....Hogan deftly creates situational suspense throughout the novel.” ―Los Angeles Review of Books
“A gripping psychological thriller that pegs out the creep-o-meter with its chilling, original plot...Hogan's Mr. Heming is a monumentally diabolical character--the fact that he narrates the story further ups both the stakes and the tension. Readers won't soon forget this first-rate, white-knuckle suspense novel.” ―Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“This is murder most droll...Phil Hogan has written a wickedly funny book.” ―The Washington Times
“Delicious and addicting. William Heming joins the ranks of unforgettable, unreliable narrators in this gloriously creepy novel of psychological suspense.” ―Booklist (starred review)
“A memorably creepy sociopath...Hogan skillfully builds a character that combines Mr. Goodbar, Hannibal Lector and Moriarty.” ―Kirkus Reviews
“Channeling the socially detached and unnerving personality of Nabokov's Humbert Humbert, Phil Hogan creates a character that will inspire intrigue as well as ire….This perfectly paced psychological suspense story is a roller-coaster ride through paranoia and manipulation.” ―BookPage
“A creepy but compelling story.” ―Kirkus Reviews (Eight Top-Shelf Crime Yarns to Help You Ring in 2015)
“A wonderfully creepy novel, macabre and blackly comic with a deeply unsettling and original hero.” ―Rosamund Lupton, New York Times-bestselling author of Sister
“Hugely engrossing . . . Hogan captures perfectly [Heming's] mix of rationality and madness--the sense of logical means applied to deranged ends. The result is that we sympathize with Heming, embrace his plight--which only heightens our discomfort.” ―The Guardian (UK)
“Brilliantly creepy.” ―The Observer (UK)
“William Heming is cut from the same cloth as Barbara Covett in Zoë Heller's Notes On A Scandal, another unreliable narrator with whom we really should not be siding, but who proves so engaging that we can't help but go along for the ride . . . [A] gripping, thrilling novel.” ―The Independent on Sunday (UK)
“The first-person portrayal of a truly cold-blooded protagonist is a hard thing to pull off, especially one whose outward appearance is so benign, but Phil Hogan has created an antihero horrifically ruthless and disquieting.” ―The Guardian (UK)
“There is a delicious feeling of complicity in his misdemeanors. Heming gets inside your head as easily as he gets into his neighbors' houses. Indeed you cannot help asking as you finish this superbly plotted and genuinely creepy novel: wouldn't we all pry into our neighbors' lives like this if we could get away with it?” ―Sunday Express (UK)
“You'll definitely want to change your locks after reading this original and darkly funny novel… [It] will send shivers down your spine.” ―The Stylist (UK)
About the Author
Product details
- ASIN : B00JI0W6SM
- Publisher : Picador (January 6, 2015)
- Publication date : January 6, 2015
- Language : English
- File size : 756 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 288 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #327,047 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #98 in Contemporary British Fiction
- #443 in British & Irish Literary Fiction
- #634 in Psychological Literary Fiction
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book entertaining and well-written, with one review highlighting its wonderful black humor. Moreover, the character development receives mixed reactions, with some finding the main character compelling while others describe it as strange. Additionally, the book's readability and writing quality receive positive feedback. However, customers disagree on the book's interest and find it difficult to follow.
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Customers find the book highly readable and entertaining, describing it as a great summer read.
"...Not a barn burner, but certainly worth a look." Read more
"I am in the middle of this book and loving it so far!..." Read more
"Fun and interesting story. What an imagination" Read more
"Fun book which is sort of a guilty pleasure. It is an interesting story and you find yourself involved in the main character and his wickedness...." Read more
Customers praise the writing quality of the book.
"...the comparison to Patricia Highsmith in the blurb, but she is a far superior writer. For novels of this kind go to her Ripley series." Read more
"while quite well written , I felt the a little disappointed and let down ...." Read more
"...Fast-paced, well-written, and full of surprises, this is a book that will make you think twice about giving your housekey to anyone." Read more
"Very well written but a tad creepy! After you read this book, you will never let another real estate agent in your home alone. Great fun read...." Read more
Customers find the book humorous, with one mentioning its wonderful black humor and another noting its interesting point of view.
"...there was anything amusing about this story, but the black humor is absolutely wonderful, I had to laugh at the most inappropriate times...." Read more
"...Some very seriously interesting twists and turns and some very, very funny scenes." Read more
"...He has a quick wit and makes you smile even though he is so totally creepy...." Read more
"Humorous & well written. Highly recommend." Read more
Customers have mixed reactions to the book's interest, with some being riveted by the plot while others find it strange.
"This is a real thriller chiller. I ordered it because reviews said after reading it I'd want to change all the locks on my doors...." Read more
"...Narrated by Mr. Hemming himself, the story is told in a calm and rather low key manner...." Read more
"No doubt an interesting story that simply took a bit too long to get going. Seemed a bit disjointed and difficult to follow...." Read more
"...as it seems like the climax is building and as of now I hate that it's ending. Each day I can't wait to get back to it!..." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the character development in the book, with some finding the main character compelling while others describe him as twisted and creepy.
"...It is an interesting story and you find yourself involved in the main character and his wickedness...." Read more
"...Kind of a creepy main character who seems to slowly come unglued along the way...." Read more
"...stories, and this novel is about a very interesting, albeit off-center personality...." Read more
"...I loved it very dark but with subtle humour. The main character is very twisted but likeable in a stuffy sort of way." Read more
Customers find the book difficult to follow, with one mentioning it takes a while to get started and another noting it's hard to stay interested.
"...Seemed a bit disjointed and difficult to follow...." Read more
"The book is well written. I had a hard time staying interested in the story line." Read more
"Disappointed with ending. Took a while to get started and was not a fast read due to this." Read more
"I found this a struggle to get through. There is no action, no twists and it didn't make me feel like I wanted to change my keys." Read more
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2015This is a real thriller chiller. I ordered it because reviews said after reading it I'd want to change all the locks on my doors. That's pretty true---but I didn't. The main character is really dark and creepy. The things he does make you want to check your house each time you come home. He's a realtor who has kept the keys to every house he has listed over the years and goes back in to them for his own reasons when no one is home. And the story gets darker as it goes. It's quite dramatic and chilling and you never see where it is going until it gets there. The ending is astonishing.
- Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2015A Pleasure and a Calling by Phil Hogan 4/5
Mr. Heming is a successful real estate agent running his own business, and for all intents and purposes leads an exemplary life.
Is Mr. Heming a psychopath, or a sociopath? I lean more toward sociopath, but what do I know? In a real sense he exhibits some qualities of both. Lets just call him "disturbed". Narrated by Mr. Hemming himself, the story is told in a calm and rather low key manner. The fact he is speaking of his stalking of families, or individuals and entering their homes and investigating their lives whilst they are away is made more so by said low key manner.
One wouldn't think there was anything amusing about this story, but the black humor is absolutely wonderful, I had to laugh at the most inappropriate times. I suspect if you are a fan of books like Gone Girl, you could easily find this book a gem.
Recommended for those with a bit of a warped sense of humor
- Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2015No doubt an interesting story that simply took a bit too long to get going. Seemed a bit disjointed and difficult to follow. On the plus side Hogan develops an interesting character living on the edge while concealing a lot more evil than meets the eye initially. Not a barn burner, but certainly worth a look.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2015Read this because of the comparison to Patricia Highsmith in the blurb, but she is a far superior writer. For novels of this kind go to her Ripley series.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2015I am in the middle of this book and loving it so far! It's a little Patricia Highsmith-y in all the best ways including murder, stalking and obsession with a little dark humor,plotting and revenge thrown in. Kind of a creepy main character who seems to slowly come unglued along the way. Unfortunately, it feels like I am coming close to the end of the book as it seems like the climax is building and as of now I hate that it's ending. Each day I can't wait to get back to it! So , I'm loving it so far and would recommend it to folks who enjoyed the Ripley books or some of her others...
- Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2015This book points out that the anonymous man in the crowd is often the very one to watch. Mr. Heming is an amiable real estate agent who has his hands of most peoples' keys in the small town where he works. At one time or another, he has shown or helped to sell or helped to buy the homes of that line the streets. He just never gives the keys back, or he has a copy made.
This then is the story of that guy you see out of the corner of your eye. Without spoilers, I can probably only say pay attention. The man without a face often lacks other parts of humanity. His story in his terms is a fascinating study.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2015This was an interesting (but creepy) story. I just found it a bit implausible because the basic premise is a real estate agent who keeps a copy of the key to each house he shows or sells. He ends up having keys to most of the houses in his town.
Implausible because I don't know anyone who doesn't change the locks as soon as they buy a house! Maybe it is different in England...
Another implausibility is that he is never seen entering or leaving (sometimes very often) all of these houses.
And when he goes through the homeowner's papers and sees they will be gone on vacation or for a business trip for days or weeks, he takes advantage of that and visits often, having meals and even spending the night. I couldn't help but wonder if these people never had house-sitters or even someone to check in now and then.
I did find parts very interesting - like when he uses his access to homes to orchestrate justice. When he sees a former client graze another car and knock the side mirror off then drive away, he goes for some "rough justice" and leaves a note for the owner of the damaged car, naming the driver. But he goes further and makes the driver's life miserable in many, many small ways.
There's a lot of information about William's childhood and how he became the way he is.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2015UGH. Good Lord, I can't continue this monotonous continuation of ruminations and self admiration by a milquetoast, passive-aggressive sociopath. No redemption, just one sick creepy experience after another. What's the reader supposed to do? Just keep plugging away and see what else this psychopath is going to do to get his jollies? I guess I don't have too much patience for immersing myself in someones hideously sick brain where killing children and various adults is not only validated, but enjoyed by some sad excuse for a human being! BTW, it reminded me of "Girl on the Train" where readers had to put up with the sick brain of a repetitive raging alcoholic, who was equally as creepy and self congratulating... well at least there was some redemption in that story... but not enough to encourage anyone to read it.
Top reviews from other countries
- TaliaReviewed in Australia on June 3, 2015
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!
Definitely going to read more Phil Hogan. I've been struggling to finish books for a while but this one kept me hooked. Loved it!!
- Janet BReviewed in Canada on June 11, 2015
5.0 out of 5 stars A SUSPENSE STORY THAT DELVES INTO THE MIND OF A MAN WITH A DOUBLE LIFE!
Mr. Heming is a character you will never meet in a lifetime. In fact, you will never notice him if you passed him on the street, but he will be watching you. He watches everyone.
The author takes us back to his childhood throughout the book. William Heming was a curious and mischievous young boy. Many sad events and tragedies occurred in his youth. His mother was pregnant and died soon after. His father married Aunt Lillian, who had a daughter named Isobel. Isobel never got along with William. She called him a trouble maker. It was his Aunt Lillian who told William that he looked just like his late mother and that was the reason his father was so cold towards him. Soon after, his father died. He suffered from mental exhaustion. It was his father who sent him to a school away from home. Aunt Lillian raised him and after he caused trouble in school, she found a private sixth-form college for William, which would begin in September. In the meantime, she did not want him creeping around the house, so she fixed him up with a summer job at a firm of real estate agents, Mower and Mower. They were two relatives who had links to the family. It was Mr. Mower who taught William the ropes.
Mr. Heming learned the real estate business very well, so well that he runs a firm of real estate agents. His mother had left him a sum of money, which he was given when he turned twenty-one and he had invested it wisely.
Mr. Heming, a real estate agent, loves the English town where he lives and sees himself as its protector. He knows every square inch of this town. He has made a duplicate of the keys to the homes he has sold throughout the years and has arranged them as a collage on his wall in his flat. He knows everything about the people who live in these houses. He enters the houses with his keys, exploring rooms and the contents of every room, reading every document that he finds, and snooping into the refrigerator to see what the owners eat and if something appeals to him, eats some of their food. He knows all their secrets. When he decides to leave, he picks up an object belonging to them and leaves. He watches the owners' schedules. He usually enters before they return and sometimes he is still in the home. He says, "think of me as an invisible brother or uncle or boyfriend." Calling him nosy or a nosy parker is putting it mildly.
Mr. Heming is obsessed with Abigail, a young librarian. She is involved with Douglas Sharp, a philanderer. Mr. Heming detests this man since the day he had a run in with him. He will do whatever it takes to denigrate Sharp in her eyes. Mr. Heming's plan goes awry and many twists and turns ensue.
Phil Hogan has created a character in Mr. Heming that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It is a well-paced story about the mind of a man living a double life. The story is original and gripping.
A Pleasure and a Calling is a Winner to be sure. It merits Five Stars.
To all the readers, this is a book not to be missed. Just go along for the ride and be entertained. Enjoy.
- glossylocksReviewed in the United Kingdom on May 10, 2014
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant - what a page turner...
I absolutely loved this book. At first I was wary of the first person narrative but needn't have been as it was written marvellously and with a depth so dark and detailed, you see how it had to be done this way and it was a genius move in this instance. Is the main character a complete nutter - or a champion of those undermined and a bit lost in this world? However our gentleman baddie is regarded, it was a compelling, and cleverly written piece.
- Arah-Lynda HayReviewed in Canada on November 20, 2016
4.0 out of 5 stars This one puts the EEE in creepy!
This one puts the EEE in creepy.
Did you ever come home and have that feeling that something wasn’t quite right? Perhaps you thought you had more eggs than that or you could have swore that there were at least three butter tarts left. Are you losing your mind or has someone moved the blanket on the couch? Is that coffee you smell? A cold shiver runs up your spine. You are uneasy in your own home and you just don’t know why.
Meet Mr. Heming, your local real estate agent. Don’t be surprised if you don’t remember him. That after all is his plan. He excels at not standing out, at blending into the background, at being as unmemorable as possible. But don’t worry he is good at his job. He will find you the perfect home and take care of all the details. Oh and one last thing, he will also keep, for himself, a copy of the keys to your home. That way he can check in from time to time, see what kind of life you are living. This is best done when you are not home, but that is not a hard and fast rule. Sometimes he just tucks himself away into a dark corner or an attic Anywhere that he can observe you a little closer and still remain invisible.
Not to worry, you are not alone, over time he has amassed hundreds of keys. And he takes his job as overseer of everyone's lives very seriously. Trust me you do not want to be the one observed not cleaning up after your pooch in the park or God forbid sideswiping a parked car and then fleeing the scene. Mr Heming has his own way of restoring the rightful balance of things.
As this story opens a dead body has been discovered by the pool at one of Mr Heming’s clients. While the investigation proceeds we learn more about Mr Heming as he recalls the events preceding this gruesome find. His recollections will also take us back to his childhood, which is where we really begin to doubt the reliability of our narrator. His is a chilling and disturbing psychological profile.
"In my lair beside the Common, among my stacks of files and pictures and observations, I have a stupendous sticker chart showing where everyone has been, where they have settled and moved on to.
I will sit for hours pouring over it, cross referencing among my keys and maps and family profiles and holiday snapshots, a god at play.
I dissolve into the surroundings and breathe your air. I come in peace. I bring my love."
- Eileen ShawReviewed in the United Kingdom on May 25, 2015
4.0 out of 5 stars Abigail's hairband
A seriously creepy and unnerving novel with a devastatingly unreliable narrator, you may find yourself eyeing your local estate agent with some distrust. For Mr William Heming is a man whose life revolves around his clients in a very special way. Take for example, his collection of keys. He always has an extra key made for a new house, and one of them is always placed in his collection.
We slowly learn the unextraordinary details of his past. He lived with his Aunt, who had replaced his mother, who had died soon afterwards. There was a particular incident in his childhood that might have explained a good deal about him, had anyone wished to delve deeper into a road accident which killed a small girl. An accident that no one could connect with the ten year-old boy who lived in the same street. But his liking for tight places, the inside of wardrobes for instance, might have been fruitfully explored. As might another accident which robbed a young man of an eye.
His life assumed a charmed aspect when he joined the firm of Mower and Mower and his predilictions took the route to an extraordinary obsession. He often visited the houses he sold, but most often when the owners were absent. Don’t presume, however, that he stole items, or if he did, they were things that would not be missed. A slice of cake, a ball of rubber bands, a fabric hairband…
Then he was drawn into the life of a young woman, and Mr Heming found himself capable of much stronger feelings and stronger actions, when his reputation, ultimately, comes under police suspicion. This is a distinctly creepy novel, wonderfully ingenious and totally compulsive.