In the ancient University town of Noxford (which is definitely not Oxford), Donald McQueen is Professor Emeritus of Bibliography and a Fellow of both Timor Mortis College and Unrewley House. McQueen's adventures begin one morning when he finds the ear-trumpet of Death in the anteroom of the Fellows’ Library at his College, and discovers its miraculous power to eavesdrop upon any time or place, any reality, and to hear even the thoughts of the people and animals around him. All the while, he continues his greatest adventure, his quest to uncover the truth about the mysterious Codex Assinorum, which has caused bibliographers so many sleepless hours, and broken teeth.This is a comical adventure for bibliographers, who will complain that there is too little bibliography in it, while non-bibliographers (the benighted majority) will complain that there is too much. Rest assured that the next chapter will contain more, or less, bibliographical humour ...