The Ha-Ha: A Letter from Tom Shakespeare

Upon the publication of The Ha-Ha, we asked Tom Shakespeare to pen a letter to you, the reader, about the inspirations behind this brilliant modern country house farce.

Tom Shakespeare

28 March 2024

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Dear reader,

I have been writing all my life, and like many people, I have unfinished novels under my bed. But this is the first novel I ever finished, and you can blame jet lag.

I was on study leave at National Institutes of Health in Washington, D.C. but I was waking up at 4.30am – just the time to complete that novel that I have been thinking about!

I would write for several hours before going to work. After 4 weeks, I had written so much, I just had to continue, not least because I wanted to know what would happen. Thankfully, I had two more months of study leave and by the time that ended, I had the first draft of this novel.


Tom Shakespeare with a proof copy of The Ha-Ha in December 2023

Finished hardback copies
of The Ha-Ha

I set out to write an homage to P.G. Wodehouse, and you will recognise lots of tributes to his comic genius. I tried to write similes as good as his, but it’s very, very difficult. My manuscripts have not been stolen yet, but it’s only a matter of time.

Fred is, like me, a wheelchair user, but he’s a real person. Disability does not define him, and this is not a book “about” disability, so please do not expect anything worthy.

I feel passionately that human beings come in all different shapes and sizes, and it does not really matter what you look like. Luckily, as you will see, Fred’s many friends do not see the paraplegia any more, and make no allowances for him.

I want you to like the characters, I want you to think differently about disability, and I would love it if you laughed as well. Is that too much to ask?

Most of all, thank you for reading my book.

Tom.

A hilarious homage to the books of P. G. Wodehouse with a modern twist, touching on themes such as disability, race and LGBTQ+

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‘A blissful social comedy’ – Lissa Evans

Fred Twistleton is about to turn forty. Gathering with his friends to celebrate at a rented stately home, he finally hopes to get together with his college crush, the woman of his dreams, Heather. But Fred is also keen to publish his memoirs, and Heather realises the revelations they contain could threaten her career as a high-flying foreign correspondent.

When the treasured manuscript goes missing under mysterious circumstances, Fred’s at a loss. Could someone have stolen it? Where has the resident pig gone? And will all the group remain friends by the end of the weekend? With burst pipes, sunken kayaks, and suspicious puddings, thank goodness Fred is only going to have one fortieth birthday.