If Nick Drake Came To My House is about meeting your heroes

Mackenzie Crook has written – and illustrated – his first book for adults.

If Nick Drake Came To My House explores the idea ‘what if you had the chance to tell your hero just how much they meant to you?’ and is described as ‘a quietly powerful expression of love, gratitude and appreciation.

The Detectorists creator has previously called Drake – who died of an overdose at 26 – one of his favourite musicians.

In a 2012 interview about playing the troubled  Konstantin in a London production of The Seagull, he said: ‘I've always been a bit in love with the idea of the suffering artist. My favourite musicians are Nick Drake and Kurt Cobain, who both killed themselves. I've never been suicidal, though I've had dark moments, as everyone has.’ 

The summary of his new illustrated novel – to be published in November – reads: ‘If Nick Drake came to my house and knocked upon my door I’m sure I’d be more happy than I’ve ever been before…’

It is described as ‘a tender homage’ to the children’s book If Jesus Came to My House, by Joan Gale Thomas, first published exactly 100 years ago, which starts with that same sentence, but about Christ. The cover illustration also mimics the current edition of the 

Publishers Ebury add that the book, which runs to just 32 pages, ‘explores the power of art to impact our lives, expressed through an imaginary visit from the late, great singer-songwriter…  infused with [Crook’s] characteristic warm humour, both in the story and his beautiful illustrations’.

Crook – who was also behind the TV revival of Worzel Gummidge – has previously written two books for children, The Windvale Sprites and The Lost Journals of Benjamin Tooth, which he also illustrated.

If Nick Drake Came to My House can be ordered from Amazon, priced £15.63, or from bookshop.org, which supports independent retailers, below: 

Published: 17 May 2024