Short Shrift

Jonny Hainsworth is an autistic, penniless orphan who lives in a caravan on his auntie's farm. He never seems to get it right. William Mortensen is an erudite, successful lawyer who lives behind electric gates and has a gardener. He never seems to get it wrong.

But not everything is as it seems.

William Mortensen is dead, slumped over a dank public bench in a rank public park.

In and around this park hover shady characters - warm and humorous yet deviant and debauched. All of these characters have an interest in William Mortensen's life. All of these characters have an interest in William Mortensen's death.

And now there is someone else interested in William Mortensen's life. And he is also interested in William Mortensen's death. No one seems to know who he is. No one seems to know what he is doing. He can't tell them. The man with no name is mute.

This book is not about class. This book is not about money. This book is not about success. This book is not about failure.

This book is about guilt.

We all carry it. But how do we carry it? And what does it lead us to do?

Jonny keeps asking. But Jonny keeps getting Short Shrift.