An Hour in the Darkness

When Franklin bangs his head, his grasp on reality is compromised. He lurches frantically through Leicester in his search for love, forgiveness and understanding, finding comfort in conversations with his young sister Jenny – but as Franklin reveals himself to be a highly unreliable narrator, we must ask if Jenny exists or is merely a figment of his troubled mind? Franklin is increasingly losing touch with reality when, against the backdrop of Leicester landmark ‘Old John’, he meets a man he believes to be God. This stranger tells of his own son who had similar problems and in his increasing confusion Franklin believes the man is likening him to Jesus. As Franklin’s life spirals further out of control his behaviour becomes ever more erratic, culminating in his touching, frightening and often comical attempts to win the affections of market-girl Ronnie, who is fascinated and frightened in turn by this strange, funny, ill young man. Dealing with such universal themes as loss, love, guilt, forgiveness, relationships and mental health, this is an unsettling, but powerful, novel which will appeal to readers of books such as The Shock of the Fall.