{"product_id":"2026100006200-secondhand-the-mcguffin","title":"The Mcguffin","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition remarks:\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003eCondition: Good. Jacket: Chipped and worn with some minor damage; price clipped. Page Condition: Good. Markings: No markings visible. Binding: Intact. Stickers\/Labels: None visible. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA droll and suspenseful work of modern British fiction, The McGuffin by John Bowen takes its name from the Hitchcockian device — a plot object whose true importance lies not in itself, but in what it sets in motion. The novel chronicles the misadventures of Berko, a middle-aged screenwriter whose mundane life is upended when he becomes fixated on a briefcase carried by a stranger, convincing himself it contains something of sinister significance. Bowen masterfully blends dark comedy with psychological tension, presenting a sharp satire on paranoia, obsession, and the storytelling mind that cannot stop inventing narratives. The result is a wickedly intelligent page-turner that illustrates how the line between imagination and reality can dissolve under the weight of an idle fixation.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Secondhand Stock","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48956440903899,"sku":"2026100006200-SECONDHAND","price":15.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0523\/7646\/9701\/files\/3068a594-0921-438f-873a-e872864e68b3.png?v=1783501104","url":"https:\/\/bookgrocer.com\/products\/2026100006200-secondhand-the-mcguffin","provider":"Book Grocer","version":"1.0","type":"link"}