The Strange Appeal of Dougie Neil

Synopsis

By his own admission, Dougie Neil is a deeply unattractive man. With only one failed relationship to his name, Dougie is now middle-aged, single, and close to giving up on ever finding love.

Then, after the strangest of incidents at work, the unthinkable happens – Dougie is propositioned by a succession of attractive women. Miraculously, a man who hasn’t shared so much as a kiss in twenty-odd years is suddenly catnip to members of the opposite sex. After a lifetime of ridicule and rejection, pain and heartbreak, Dougie can scarcely believe his sudden change of fortune.

Armed with his newfound superpower, Dougie’s only remaining challenge is to decide which of his many admirers is Miss Right. Then, he can settle down, get married and live happily ever after.

As the most sought-after bachelor in town, what could possibly go wrong with Dougie’s plan?

Quite a lot, as it transpires.

About This Book

The Strange Appeal of Dougie Neil is a heartwarming British underdog story with a supernatural twist. Dougie is a middle-aged council worker in the waste department, a bird-watcher, a gentle soul — and by his own estimation, deeply unattractive. He’s spent twenty years alone and has all but given up on finding love. Then, after something inexplicable happens at work, women start finding him irresistible. What begins as a dream come true quickly turns complicated, then unsettling, then dangerous.

It’s a novel about loneliness, self-worth, and what really matters when the surface stuff is stripped away. Dougie is one of Keith’s most loveable protagonists — the kind of character you want to root for from the first page. He’s funny without knowing it, decent to his core, and completely unprepared for what happens to him.

The book builds towards an ending that readers consistently describe as a genuine surprise — a twist that reframes everything that came before. It’s the kind of reveal that makes you want to immediately go back and read it again.

Who Is This Book For?

The Strange Appeal of Dougie Neil appeals to readers who love an underdog. If you enjoy feel-good fiction with emotional depth, stories about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, and characters you genuinely care about, Dougie’s story will resonate.

It sits in similar territory to Fredrik Backman’s A Man Called Ove — a lonely, seemingly unremarkable man whose story turns out to be anything but. It also shares DNA with Keith’s other “mysterious forces” novels like Terms May Apply and Meeting Mungo Thunk, where something unexplained enters an ordinary life and changes everything.

It’s a standalone novel with no connection to any of Keith’s other books or series.

Frequently Asked Questions

What genre is this book?
It’s hard to pin to one shelf, which is part of its problem and its charm. It’s part feel-good fiction, part supernatural mystery, part love story, and part underdog tale. If you imagine a Farrelly Brothers comedy written by someone with a much bigger heart and a proper twist at the end, you’re in the right ballpark.

Is there a supernatural element?
Yes — Dougie’s sudden irresistibility is unexplained and there’s a thread of the supernatural running through the story. But the book isn’t fantasy. The focus is on Dougie, his relationships, and his journey from self-loathing to self-discovery. The mysterious element is the catalyst, not the destination.

Is this book connected to Keith’s other novels?
No. The Strange Appeal of Dougie Neil is a completely standalone novel.

Readers mention a twist — how surprising is it?
Very. Readers consistently say they didn’t see it coming, and that it reframes the entire story. It’s one of those endings that stays with you.

Who narrates the audiobook?
The audiobook is narrated by Alan Turton and is available on Audible and other audiobook platforms.