After a serious accident involving a gorse bush, Eddie Dickens finds himself being cared for by monks of the Bertian order, founded by Ethelbert the Funny, and with absolutely no memory of who he is.

Back at Awful End, he leaves behind a baby discovered in the bulrushes, his father flattened by a chimney in what was probably a deliberate act, and the fairly well-known engineer Fandango Jones playing detective.

With more surprises than a bag full of them, Horrendous Habits embraces a whole host of new characters along with firm favourites such as Malcolm the stuffed stoat.