Writer Ivan Conner is desperate. His publisher has turned down his wonderful new novel, his agent is out of ideas, and the only person to turn up at his latest reading is his mum. He's deeply jealous of the marketable Francesca Brady, a hugely successful author of fat romantic books for fat romantic people, whose expansive hair and bright red lipstick mock him from posters everywhere he goes. He's also living at home since his marriage broke up, and he's just collected the wrong child from school. But one night Connor stumbles on a route back to the top, via a beautiful model, two deranged psychopaths, a multi-million pound publishing fraud, true love and utter heartbreak!

'He's funny, has a nose for the popular, writes with wit and ease' Mirror 5/4/03 -- Mirror 20030405 'Chapter and Verse is a joy to read. An effective satire on publishing, it is bursting with page after page of raw and racy wit, delivered with a dark and often wry humour reminiscent of Irvine Welsh. Bateman's skill is one of enchanting storytelling: he clearly enjoys fleshing out his characters with personality and idiosyncrasies, and this ensures plausibility and reader empathy. It's one of those books you will find difficult to put down, and when you finally do you'll crave more of the same' Leeds Guide 22 April -- 7 May 2003 -- Leeds Guide 20030422 'Once again, Bateman's dry wit combined with an impressively wild imagination has created a captivating read... CHAPTER AND VERSE is another brilliant, fast-paced novel by Bateman. While you're laughing, you'll be feeling slightly guilty that you're not crying, as his acerbic wit shines off the page. Without a doubt, CHAPTER AND VERSE will be another hit for Colin Bateman' Irish World 11/4/03 -- Irish World 20030411 '[Colin Bateman] has matured into a prolific author with a fine line in comedy' Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Journal 22/4/03 -- Newcastle-Upon-Tyne Journal 20030422 'Chapter & Verse is a diverting comedy, which gives further plausibility to the hopes of Bateman's publishers to sell him as an Irish Carl Hiaasen...He shows a high talent for farce and a way with comic detail' Guardian 17/5/03 -- Guardian 20030517 'A joy from start to finish' People magazine, South Africa, 4 June 2004 -- People magazine, South Africa 20040604 'Chapter & Verse is a diverting comedy, which gives further plausibility to the hopes of Bateman's publishers to sell him as an Irish Carl Hiaasen...He shows a high talent for farce and a way with comic detail' Guardian 17/5/03 -- Guardian 20030517 'He's funny, has a nose for the popular, writes with wit and ease' Mirror 5/4/03 -- Mirror 20030405

Colin Bateman was a journalist in Northern Ireland before becoming a full-time writer. His first novel, DIVORCING JACK, won the Betty Trask Prize, and all his novels have been critically acclaimed. He wrote the screenplays for the feature films of DIVORCING JACK, CROSSMAHEART and WILD ABOUT HARRY. He lives in Ireland with his family.