Howard''s getting it in the neck at home. Dotty isn''t getting any at all. And Norman''s getting it at work - from the girl under his desk.

What they need is a holiday to let off a bit of steam. And steam is just what they get. As couples of varied ages, class and income set up their deckchairs on the beach, the scene is set for a few crossed wires, a wave of embarrassment and a lot of sand between the sheets.

Sun, sea, sex, squabbling: Joseph Connolly''s bestselling novel goes straight to the secret heart of that sticky farce of lust and snobbery: the British seaside.