Hospital stay inspires Cork chemistry professor's debut novel

The detective novel is a far cry from the UCC emeritus professor's usual work as a campaigner on air-pollution and climate-change issues

Prof John Sodeau with his novel 'Field Lane' at home in Crosshaven. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

A chemistry professor has revealed how a dose of hospital morphine led to the creation of his debut novel, with a twist combining real life and fictional characters.

University College Cork (UCC) Emeritus Professor John Sodeau blended his passions for fiction and history, resulting in the unique juxtaposition in his novel, called Field Lane. 

The novel is a far cry from Prof Sodeau's usual work as an air-pollution and climate-change campaigner.

The story reflects a 19th-century world filled with social injustice, slavery, drug abuse, and royal privilege, and intertwines real-life historical figures such as the scientist Michael Faraday with fictional characters including Charley Bates who featured as a pickpocket in the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist.

After I stepped back from frontline science research a few years back, I decided that I’d like to write a fiction novel in my retirement years, probably a thriller or maybe a whodunit. 

"However, I was certain I would wait until I had a good original idea which I could turn into words," he said.

"Finally, one came to me through the ether [or morphine] at the South Infirmary in Cork. I was laid up there for a week without TV or Wi-fi or visitors, due to covid restrictions at the time."

The book is set against a number of unusual backdrops, including the banks of the Mississippi River.

Prof John Sodeau said his novel owes its existence to the skills of Charles Dickens and Mark Twain. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

“It took about three months to get from random words and ideas in my head to the first draft of the written novel. Rewrites took a further six months," said Prof Sodeau.

"I also had to take into account feedback from a variety of people, including one excellent editor.” 

He described what sets his novel apart from other publications.

“I really think the idea and structure that I adopted make Field Lane a unique read. I certainly have never read anything like it before. Of course, it owes its existence to the brilliance and writing skills of Charles Dickens and Mark Twain.

“Writing a novel was definitely one of two items on my bucket list for retirement. The other one was to attend cooking classes around the world. But the coronavirus put paid to that. 

"I had been told by many people that holding a final published book was a thrill and it did not disappoint when I finally took one into my hands in my kitchen. It was a particularly sweet moment as it had been detained in Dublin for a couple of weeks due to the black-hole known as Brexit," he said.

Prof Sodeau is best-known for his campaigning on air quality in Ireland, calling for the eradication of all fossil-fuel transport, including buses, trucks, and taxis, and replacing them with electrified public transport, and a ban on the burning of all types of solid fuel in city and suburbs.

Estimates that poor air quality causes 1,300 premature deaths annually in Ireland are likely out of date, with figures closer to over 3,300, according to Prof Sodeau.