How does Jeremiah Mount, the dealer in pornography, come to be the lover of the Duchess of Albemarle and the colleague of the great Pepys? In Pepys’ Diary, Jem Mount plays a shadowy role, but in Jem’s own memories Sam Pepys looms large. Friends and drinking partners at first, they become vicious rivals for fame and women. This ‘newly discovered autobiography’ - with its disconcerting echoes of our own time - brings a splendidly dubious hero to life.