In the heart of the Cotswolds, where honey-coloured stone cottages line picturesque lanes and afternoon tea is a sacred ritual, the future has arrived-and it's struggling with the concept of queuing. Edmund Finch has spent fifty-three comfortable years in Little Mosswick, managing the village library with quiet competence and a healthy suspicion of anything invented after 1995. Technology, in Edmund's view, is best kept at arm's length, preferably behind a counter and operated by someone younger. Then the androids arrive. Designed to make everyday life easier, these helpful new assistants can cook, clean, organise schedules, and even run libraries. Unfortunately, nobody has explained British people to them. When Edmund is reluctantly paired with Arthur-an unusually curious android who cannot grasp sarcasm, passive aggression, or why tourists photograph the same cottage repeatedly-chaos quietly ensues. - Arthur begins recording British expressions and developing opinions about tea-making rituals- Village meetings become unexpectedly complicated when Arthur starts asking inappropriate questions>As Arthur becomes increasingly fascinated by the wonderfully illogical behaviour of humans, Edmund begins to suspect that friendship might bloom in the most unlikely places-even between a traditional librarian and a robot who's just learned what sarcasm is (and immediately started using it incorrectly). Perfect for fans of Richard Osman and readers who love cosy British humour, eccentric village life, and the gentle comedy of humans and technology learning to understand each other. Pour yourself a cup of tea, settle into your favourite chair, and discover why Little Mosswick is about to become your new favourite Cotswold village. The future is here. It just needs someone to explain the cream-and-jam debate.
