You've seen the Beiderbecke DVD, you've heard the Beiderbecke music, now read the Beiderbookes. One more bullet shot from a bell, the tale of two teachers in the moonstruck outer limits of Leeds who, despite being diametric opposites, form one of the truly great and lovable romantic couples of the ages. The offbeat adventures, sparkling dialogue and larger-than-life characters all translate to the printed page perfectly, with the added benefit of Plater's witty, spiky prose skewering architecture and institutions and generally adding an extra layer to the affairs, tapes and connections. A gentle, even tender, paean to the principles of humour and decency and being clever in the face of faceless institutions filled with grey guardians tearing society down to build a motorway and saving the planet one leaflet at a time and being cool and listening to the music and going with the tide.

Of the three Tapes is the one that suffers slightly from variations with the series, most notably the sudden arbitrary appearance of Big Al and Little Norm is considerably weaker than the re-enactment of Culloden with a happier ending on the streets of Edinburgh, even if it does give us the fracas in the Plaka. The lack of Mr Pitt and the appearance of Hobson are less egregious and Plater wisely just whistles past any inconsistencies in Connections as if they aren't there, and the wise reader will do the same.

If it weren't for the series this would be one of the most delightfully singular, funny, angry, touching set of comic crime capers you could hope to find. As it is they are slightly undeservedly in the shadow of the series, and unjustly neglected, but let me reassure you, they are as lovable on the page as they are on the screen. ( )