Free From the World

In Free From the World author John Johnson takes his readers back into the 1960s, a time of great social change, including within the massive psychiatric hospitals that dominated mental health treatment at that time.

A new psychiatrist has come to Black Roding hospital, her name is Ruth and she is determined that she will bring progressive mental health attitudes to the hospital.

However, the staff at this large London area asylum are not keen on allowing her ideas to be progressed with.

They attempt to block her and thwart her efforts at every turn. She is forced to turn to some of the patients within the hospital for their assistance.

One of these patients is a man of middle age, Richard Simms. He is difficult to put into any one category. His treatment hasn't been helped by the fact that there seems to be no records of his life before he entered the hospital.

Rather than welcome Ruth's attention Simms seems, instead, to shun, her, echoing the hostile attitude toward her of the rest of the staff at the hospital.

Ruth decides to investigate his story and as she digs deeper, she discovers a series of dark events that can't be covered again, once they are uncovered.

Who can she trust? Who should she fear?

What if a patient does want to be released? What if they have good reasons for wanting to stay, to seek asylum there?

What if Ruth is walking into a dangerous situation without realising the perils she is unleashing?

This is a powerful and very impressive thriller and John Johnson is a name to watch out for in the future.

The book is published by Matador at £9.99 and will make an excellent Christmas present.