Norman Smith's Hobbies

Who is Norman Smith and why on earth are we reading about his latest impulsive hobby? Why is he under investigation? Are the characters he interacts with real people or merely figments of the author's fevered imagination? Most importantly, how would he manage without his long suffering wife, Mrs G? Norman Smith's Hobbies explores the carnage that a maverick hobbyist can unwittingly unleash, creating disastrous side-effects on family, friends and foes alike.