squelcher

"There's a squelcher in the bread-basket that'll stop your dancing, my kivey," exclaims their pugilistic hero during a Town and Gown punch-up.

Their names were Rebutter, Scather, Replier, Retorter, Squelcher, and Back-Talker.

And the names of these nine are Answerer, Back-talker, Concluder, Lastquip, Rebutter, Replier, Retorter, Scather and Squelcher.

In a number of books-Watchers, Lightning, The Bad Place, Hideaway, Mr. Murder, to name a few-I had even blended large measures of humour into the mix, though according to the common wisdom of modern publishing, this is a sure sales squelcher.