Jane Martin and Graham Seed (Nigel Pargeter in the Archers) discuss the latest storylines

Local author, Celia Brayfield, launched her new book 'Mister Fabulous and Friends' last night at Waterstone's in Chiswick.

The normally sedate upstairs at Waterstone's was filled with local luminaries congratulating Celia on her latest book and catching up with local gossip.

'Mister Fabulous and Friends' examines how 5 men who play in a band meet their mid-life crises.

The novel is based in the fictional suburb of Westwick, a place that bears a startling resemblance to Chiswick.

Chloe Brayfield and Anne Ashworth

Both funny and moving, the book is a good read with the added piquancy of trying to match of the characters and locations with people and places in Chiswick.

The florist Pot Pourri features quite prominently in the novel with no disguise whatsoever as does the line of beautiful turn-of-the-century houses along Heathfield Terrace.

Two characters also own a decorating business specialising in French antiques which sounded slightly similar to the shop that used to sell Provencal fabrics near the Chiswick restaurant.

Celia reads an extract

Celia achieved the near impossible when reading an extract from 'Mister Fabulous ...' of making the M4 slip-road to Heathrow with its scary view of jet underbellies overhead appear almost poetic. The M4 in fact proves pivotal in two of the characters lives.

It would be impossible to identify the main characters as any particular Chiswick residents but they are recognisable as Chiswick 'types' in both their employments and their houses.

Celia Brayfield is a single parent with one daughter. She attended St. Paul's Girl's school before breaking into journalism. 'Mister Fabulous and Friends' is her eighth novel.