Charlatan. Guru. Master of disguise. Ahead of his time, wise beyond his years, a simple opportunist or the great pretender; however you choose to see him, one fact is certain: Dr Ragab is a mysterious man. Talked about by pretty much everyone in 1920s Cairo, only a few get the chance to make his acquaintance, and fewer still - one person, in fact - get to study his life lessons.

Hertwig is that lucky soul. As unconventional as the eponymous Ragab, Robert Twigger's novel takes the reader on a surreal journey, exploring such diverse topics as far right ideologies, middle east mysticism and the art of communicating via food preparation and presentation.

Clever, funny and thought-provoking, 'Dr Ragab's Universal Language' is, in every sense, beyond belief: part tall tale and part self-help manual, it is, like Dr R himself, impossible to pin down - or, indeed, to put down.