Grantchester Grind by Tom Sharpe is the riotous sequel to Porterhouse Blue, delivering another darkly comic tale set within the walls of the fictional Porterhouse College, Cambridge. This satirical novel continues the misadventures of Skullion, the cunning and curmudgeonly former head porter, who, after suffering a stroke, finds himself elevated to the role of Master—albeit with declining health. As the college teeters on the brink of financial ruin, internal politics and external threats stir chaos in equal measure.
When an American media tycoon arrives with plans to film a documentary, risking damage to the historic chapel, tensions escalate. At the same time, the widow of the late Master suspects foul play in her husband’s death and dispatches a spy to uncover secrets the college would rather bury. Amid these pressures, the dons of Porterhouse revert to their usual coping mechanisms: alcohol, manipulation, and an occasional bout of blackmail or abduction.
Grantchester Grind is a must-read for fans of British satire and black comedy, offering a sharp and irreverent take on academia, tradition, and institutional absurdity.
