On a winter's night in 1974, a crime took place that would obsess the nation.

It was an extraordinary news story.

The story of an aristocrat, Lord Lucan, who's said to have killed the family Nanny,

mistaking her for his wife, then somehow just disappeared.

One of the great mysteries in English criminal history. We're still looking for Lucan. It's honestly one of the most powerful stories of my lifetime.

I'm Alex Fondanzlement. This is The Lucan Obsession. Listen on BBC Sounds.

BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts.

Hello. If you're listening to this, you're clearly on the path to enlightenment.

Because new research by the reading agency recently found that adults who put aside half an hour

each week for books are 20% more likely to report greater life satisfaction and 57% more likely

to have better awareness of other cultures.

Later on, we'll be talking about a new initiative that seeks to help people put aside more

time for reading in an era when we're busier and more distracted than ever before.

And of course, as ever, Open Book is here to help you decide what to read when you've found that time.

And we begin today with a hot debut, the five sorrowful mysteries of Andy Africa,

from the 29-year-old Nigerian-born Stephen Burrow,

who gives a distinct and distinguished voice to the book's teenage narrator.

Combining youthful humour and sexual awakening with social commentary, mathematical

equations and a dash of Kafka, this coming of age story is unique yet universal. And to tell us more,

I'm pleased to say that Stephen joins me now here in the studio. Welcome to Open Book, Stephen.

Thank you so much for having me. Your narrator Andy is young and ambitious, but quite conflicted.

And I wondered if you could tell us a little bit more about him, who he is and what stage of life we join him in.

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