"One of the best books I've ever read"
Natalia Richards

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Sometimes everything isn’t enough

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For Frank Armstrong, the dawn of the 1960’s opened the doors to the Promised Land.  He had smart clothes, a flash car, and the girl, who happened to be the Boss’s daughter.  With his foot firmly on the corporate ladder, rapid promotion seemed certain.

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Respectable, principled and charming – everyone liked Frank.  But beneath the surface lurked a flawed character with a fondness for booze and an eye for women – a lethal combination.  He regrets every indiscretion – each would be his last – at least that was what he promised himself.

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But an apparently well-intentioned act of bravado sets him on a course for disaster, one that will see him losing everything: his wife, his son, his job – his self-respect.
Ever the optimist, he plans his way back. But is it too late?

With several interconnecting sub plots, the reader will follow Frank’s journey against the backdrop of the emerging recreational drug culture and the attitudes of the time – a time when phone calls were made from call boxes, and social networking meant going to the pub.

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“Spiral” is a tale of love and betrayal, obsession and addiction, good and evil. Ultimately, it is a story about human fallibilities, self-awakening, and the realities of life at a time very different from the one we live in today.

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CLICK HERE TO CONTACT US FOR YOUR REVIEW COPY OF SPIRAL

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“Absolutely superb, one of the most eloquent novels I have read in a very long time… Laden with early 60’s nostalgia this author has captured the era in a quintessential way that I’ve never seen before, I enjoyed the read hugely.” – Karla

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Author Bio

Leslie Jones is an avid reader but new to the writing game – Spiral is his first novel.  His job, which involves teaching leadership & management and HR qualification programmes in the Middle East, means that he is abroad for a week or two most months.  Using down-time productively opened the door to writing.

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Leslie is a baby boomer – and aimed Spiral at that generation, writing in such a way as to appeal to those who can remember the joy of reading library books – perhaps a slightly old-fashioned style – or perhaps retro!

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After a lengthy career as a naval officer, Leslie’s career followed an erratic path through event management, management consultancy, operational management, and finally learning and development.

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Leslie is married and lives in beautiful West Sussex with his wife, Jean, and their younger (adult) daughter Chloe, who has learning difficulties, as well as their Golder Retriever, Darcie.  He enjoys staying fit, sailing his veteran dinghy on the local reservoir, and coarse fishing.

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“Leslie Jones is a very competent plotter and word smith. The story's individual characters are woven together well and their internal monologues are very believable and considered. The 60s details enhance the atmosphere and add charm. Rapid twists and turns in the latter half of the novel keep you gripped particularly in the scenes of drug-taking which had me squirming in my seat.” – Nicole Dixon

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Excerpt

Prologue

The fence wire digs into the back of his legs. As he leans back, it gives a little, before becoming taut again. An innate fear of heights causes his heart to pound painfully and his breathing becomes rapid.

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The drop is hidden, masked by a narrow stretch of curved ground extending in front of him - first grass and then smooth rock, glistening with damp from melted frost. Perhaps one step forward, or two at most and he will be able to see what lies below waiting to engulf him. Only a few feet of hard granite between this life and oblivion.

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He is sure that, as soon as he steps onto the slippery surface, his legs will shoot from under him and he will land on his back. From there, he will slide unable to stop the momentum. How long would the terror last? Four or maybe five seconds, perhaps? What will follow? Nothing, he hopes. This life ended - no more guilt.

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‘Don’t think about it - all your thinking is done now.’

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He bends forward - enough for gravity to take hold, but then jerks back, needing safety again. ‘Soon,’ he murmurs, ‘just a few more minutes.’ With a trembling hand, he fumbles for the packet of cigarettes in the pocket of his jacket. He lights one and draws in deeply, focusing on the horizon, a momentary distraction.

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His focus turns inwards. Scenes depicting aspects of his life cascade through his mind. While some are happy, most emphasise his failure.

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The corners of his mouth twitch into a sardonic smile. Is this my life flashing in front of me before I die?

The voices start - not for the first time - he’s heard them all before. But this time, there is a sense of finality. They appear to deliver the same fundamental message but in different ways:

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‘Understand this for sure - you are no longer welcome in this life.’

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The owner of each voice takes turns to convey meaning, reminders of his wasted existence. Words are accompanied by visions - some hazy, half-remembered, others lucid.

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‘How could you?’ a voice implores. ‘Why? What have I done to deserve this? What sort of man are you to be so cruel and heartless?’

Her words were etched into his memory. She had been very angry, her words resonating with hurt and disbelief. Now, the anger seems to have subsided and her eyes reflect a different emotion: profound disappointment. Her face hovers a few feet in front of him. He reaches out wanting to touch. She takes his hand and brings it up to her face, regarding him with a sad smile.

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‘I’m so sorry,’ he whispers.

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No sound comes from her moving lips - but he can sense she is saying, ‘I know you are.’ The remembered features start to fade. ‘If I could turn the clock back, I would...’

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‘Too late now,’ a voice whispers as her face vanishes.

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A different voice. Her face is close to his. She is looking at him, her eyes wide as if in sudden realisation. ‘I can’t do this anymore. I wish we’d never started.’ He feels again the tug deep in his chest - one of unexpected loss. But a flurry of images causes him to react exactly as he did then - sadness is replaced immediately with gut-wrenching panic.

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Another voice, this one an older man: ‘You betrayed them, and now they don’t want you. If it were possible, I’d pity you. For Christ’s sake, you had everything, and you threw it all away.’

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The face of the man who once respected, even admired him and, most importantly, welcomed him into his family, now scowls at him as he might at a cockroach found in his kitchen.

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Another man’s voice, this one stirring loathing and an urge to lash out: ‘You’re not wanted here. Nobody wants you - now go on, get lost!’

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He takes a drag of his cigarette, which is almost finished. As he inhales, he reminds himself this is the last time he will enjoy the calming effect of tobacco. He s

tudies the butt, beginning to radiate heat into his fingers. Then, with a deliberate, aimed flick, he propels it forward. He watches as it arcs and disappears over the cliff top.

There is one last scenario to endure - this one more significant than the others, and the reason he is here on the precipice, preparing for his final moments. The scene is as sharp as though playing out in front of him.

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‘Granddad! Oh, my God, what have you done to him?’

The young woman is crouched down cradling the old man’s head. Blood is trickling from a ragged gash in his forehead. Her eyes turn to him.

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‘You’ve killed him!’

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He gazes ahead of him towards the sea. Once again, he gently eases forward in readiness to leave the security of the wire.

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‘Come on,’ urges a voice somewhere unseen in front of him. ‘You can let go now. It’s time.’

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CONTACT US FOR YOUR REVIEW COPY OF SPIRAL HERE

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“The whole circle of events intrinsically linking the different characters to each others pasts was brilliantly weaved into the storyline.” – Steve Parkhouse