Today Alex Craigie shares an extract from her dystopian novel Acts of Convenience.
About the book
Imagine, if you will, a near future where governments adopt policies that suit them rather than the people they were elected to represent.
Imagine a near future where old age and chronic problems are swept away with expedient legislation.
I know; it’s an unlikely scenario.
However, it’s a scenario in which Cassie Lincoln finds herself.
It’s a scenario that compels her to take action.
It’s a scenario that leads to despair and danger.
An extract from Acts of Convenience – Chapter 8 – 2025
The Health Secretary pauses outside the Prime Minister’s office. In her hand she carries a slim notebook and a file of neat, colour-coded papers. She smooths down her skirt, checks her hair with a light patting of her palm and then knocks on the door with the knuckle of her middle finger. The curt ‘Come in’ is barely uttered before she enters and approaches the massive desk on shoes that manage to combine no-nonsense business sense with high fashion.
She delivers her patter.
‘Prime Minister, I have here some research carried out by my office regarding the consequences of the Voluntary Euthanasia Bill. As you know, the results have been overwhelmingly positive with very few examples of people abusing the power it confers.’ She pauses. The Prime Minister was only elected three months ago but has had a wealth of cabinet experience under his belt to draw from. He understands the system and motions her to continue.
‘Another statistic has been drawn to my attention. I have just sent you an email with all the details, but I also have the hard copies here.’
She spreads out the colour-coded sheets across the gleaming surface of the desk. A perfectly manicured, crimson nail taps at the page that holds centre position.
‘You see here, and here and here. The Health Service has made considerable savings through no longer having to care for unresponsive patients who are only being kept alive by expensive technology and dedicated staff. If I can draw your attention here,’ the nail hovers over one of the other sheets before resting at the bottom of a column of figures, ‘you can see how much has been saved during the last three years in London alone.’
The Prime Minister leans forward, interest piqued.
The Minister for Health continues her slick campaign. ‘We spend a huge proportion of the budget on prolonging the lives of dementia sufferers. Care homes across the country are struggling to keep pace with the increasing demand for places. Many of these people with dementia, are unaware of their surroundings, unable to express themselves and in a living hell from which there is no escape.’
A faint grunt encourages her on.
‘The latest documentary on Our World Today showed these wretches squealing and crying out, desperately unhappy and hopelessly confused.’ She tries to muffle her excitement at what’s to come.
‘We’ve all seen the letters in the press, and the posts on social media, from relatives of people with advanced dementia. They speak of their distress at seeing those they love suffering dreadfully and with no hope of improvement.’
She stops and hopes that her pitch hasn’t been overdramatic and that she hasn’t overplayed the ‘poor wretches’ card.
The Prime Minister looks up, an inkling of what’s to come in the glittering of his eyes. The Health Secretary picks up on the favourable mood and drives home her scheme.
‘In collaboration with the major hospitals in the country, we’ve come up with a proposal that will end the plight of those who are incurably ill and insensible to their surroundings, while at the same time freeing much-needed beds and finance for younger people who are on lengthy waiting lists for urgent surgery.’
She takes a deep breath. ‘And so, we propose another euthanasia Bill that will allow medical staff–– and I do stress only medical staff –– to determine when a dementia sufferer has lost all contact with reality and is experiencing nothing but discomfort and unhappiness. If the medical staff conclude that the quality of life is no longer tenable, and we will insist on no less than three being in agreement on any one patient to rule out errors or abuse, then they will be permitted to painlessly bring the life to an end.’ She adds, ‘After family have been informed and allowed to pay their last respects, of course.’
The Prime Minister sits back, fingers tenting while his mind races through the ramifications of the proposal. ‘And you say that the hospitals are for this?’
‘Yes, Prime Minister.’
‘What proportion of the letters arising from the Our World Today item is in favour of bringing an end to suffering in this way, would you say?’
‘An overwhelming majority, sir. In the region of seventy-eight percent, I believe. Viewers say that they find it upsetting when they visit someone who no longer recognises them and who is clearly and irrationally upset.’ She bends across the table and her voice drops a little, conspiratorial. ‘Some are also, of course, quite reasonably concerned at the costs involved in keeping relatives in these homes and the eroding away of their inheritance as a consequence. This column here,’ the nail stabs at the figures, ‘shows the average cost of a place in a middle-rated home.’ The Prime Minister tips forward again. The patter continues.
‘That is the cost per week.’ The sudden in-drawing of breath is a satisfying response. She has him, and the rest of the country will follow suit in due course.
One of the reviews for the book on Goodreads
This is a slow burner; the first third of the story sets the scene, the world that Cassie Lincoln and her family live and work in. This is a Britain that is inexorably controlled by a corrupt Government through its machinations within the National Health Service. There is an almost dystopian sense to the plot, without there having been an initial catastrophe, where the self-serving wealthy and influential people thrive and the populace suffer year by year.
I always say that I do not give spoilers in my reviews; I point out the strengths of a novel as I see them and explain why I like them. But I will also explain what doesn’t work for me. So, for the latter, I’ll say it took a second read to fully appreciate why there is a long lead -up to the action… and then there is that ‘light bulb moment’, when all the groundwork makes sense and ties in as the story progresses. And, once the action starts (at around a third into the book) there are many twists and turns to the plot.
The opening chapter is heartbreaking ( I’ll say no more but it’s our introduction to Cassie and her husband Adam in 2017). In the following chapters we follow her and her family, quite rapidly, through to 2055. And, at the same time we are privy to the conspiracies and manoeuvrings of subsequent Prime Ministers and their Governments, desperate to hold on to their power and wealth through corrupt Acts of Parliament. These are presented to the nation as strategies for the ‘greater good ‘. And any dissent is portrayed as anarchy and violent crime – and dealt with viciously.
It is to the author’s credit that, even though this is a plot- driven novel, there has been no neglect of the characters; all are well-rounded, multi-layered and grow as the story continues: some I thoroughly liked, others I disliked, some even irritated me – yet all leapt from the page as true personalities. The dialogue , both spoken and internal, excellently convey the emotions of the characters and it is obvious at all times who is speaking, even without dialogue tags.
The descriptions of the settings are well written and give a strong sense of place, a must for me as a reader; I need to see the world the characters inhabit.
Interestingly the story is written throughout in the present tense, with the third person narrator revealing the viewpoint of each of the main characters. This adds to the tension for the reader, I think.
As I said above, this is a slow-burner. But the detailed lead-up is necessary and interesting and ultimately it is well worth the wait. I have no hesitation in recommending Acts of Convenience.
Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon UK
And: Amazon US
Also by Alex Craigie
Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon UK
And: Amazon US
Read more reviews and follow Alex: Goodreads
About Alex Craigie
Alex Craigie is the pen name of Trish Power.
Trish was ten when her first play was performed at school. It was in rhyming couplets and written in pencil in a book with imperial weights and measures printed on the back.
Since her birth in Sunderland, she has moved house fourteen times. The last move was to Pembrokeshire in 1986 with her husband and their three children under the age of four. They knew within that first week that they wouldn’t be going anywhere else.
When her children were young, she wrote short stories for magazines before returning to the teaching job that she loved.
Trish has had two books published under the pen name of Alex Craigie. Both books cross genre boundaries and feature elements of romance, thriller and suspense against a backdrop of social issues. Someone Close to Home highlights the problems affecting care homes while Acts of Convenience has issues concerning the NHS at its heart.
Someone Close to Home has won a Chill with a Book award and a Chill with the Book of the Month award. In 2019 it was one of the top ten bestsellers in its category on Amazon.
Book lovers are welcome to contact her on alexcraigie@aol.com
Connect to Alex Craigie via: Facebook
Thank you for dropping in today and if you are an author in the Cafe and Bookstore and would like to share an extract from your most recent book.. then check out your entry: The Cafe and Bookstore – Free book promotion – and then the post about how to submit your extract: Share an Extract
Lovely to see Trish featured here today, Sally! Because my mother passed away in a nursing home just a bit over 3 years ago, I have not yet been ready to read Someone Close to Home, which is already on my Kindle. I suspect this one will be a bit difficult, too, though somewhat less so, since it’s set in a not-too-distant future. But I know what a skilled writer Trish is, and I definitely plan to read both before too much longer.
I do want to add that my mother was in no way neglected during her three years in the home, and only in the last few months did her Parkinson’s disease advance to dementia. She had friends among the staff who kept a special eye on her, and at least one who ate her lunch with Mother every day. She was always happy to see me, though near the end, I was the only visitor she really knew, but it was still a very emotional experience for me, as you can imagine, hence my long delay in getting to Trish’s work. However, based on everything I’ve read, and on working with Trish (who beta reads for me, as a personal favor), I know how skilled she is, and I’m absolutely certain that she’s written two excellent books, which I fully intend to read before too much longer.
Thanks so much for sharing this excerpt and review today. Still rockin’ over there, Sally! 😀 And now I’m off to share! 🙂
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It is very difficult to read books when they are that close to home. So pleased that your mother’s experience was a positive one.. not just for your mother but for you as her family too. I am sure, as you say, that Alex has dealt with the subject extremely well.. thanks for sharing..hugs ♥
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Thanks for this lovely response, Marcia. I do understand about how raw the care experience still is for you and I don’t want you going anywhere near my books until you’re sure you won’t find them upsetting. Sincerely. Some things are more important than book sales! x
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I know you understand, Trish, but one of these days, I’ll be ready! And I’m looking forward to that time! 🙂 ❤
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Thanks for putting this up, Sally. Today is the 72nd anniversary of the founding of our National Health Service and my father was in the first cohort of doctors to qualify for it. Apt timing! My book was prompted by fears of an erosion of the service by governments who seek to save costs by increasingly unpalatable amendments. xx
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An amazing time in medicine and incredible to be a part of history in the making.. I have had some interesting encounters with various factions of the NHS and I am sure that your father and other doctors at the start of this incredible initiative for socialised medicine would not necessarily be impressed.xx
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Hi Trish, I am glad I now know your real name. I think this is a very clever premise for a book and not totally impossible either.
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Sadly very true Robbie..hugs
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Thanks so much for the comment, Robbie. This network of support is like belonging to one extended and caring family!
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Yes, I think so too and it is wonderful.
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Reblogged this on The Write Stuff and commented:
My good friend, Trish Power, a/k/a Alex Craigie, is the featured guest on Sally Cronin’s “Share an Extract” post today. Please stop by and check out the excerpt shared this morning from Trish’s newest book, Acts of Convenience. It will give you a chill or two, I suspect, and bring home the fact that Trish is a very skilled writer. Then, please consider passing the post along on all your favorite social media sites, so others can read about Trish’s work, too. Thanks so much, and thanks to the always-rockin’ Sally for this really cool series! 🙂 ❤
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Thank you Marcia for passing the post along.. I am sure Alex will be delighted.. Hope the week goes well.. hugs ♥♥
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Thanks, Sally, and the same to you. 🙂 ❤
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Bless you for that, Marcia! xx
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Great review from Judith. It sounds like a novel, which is scarily close to being non-fiction!
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I am afraid so.. as has been highlighted in the last few months… xx
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Thanks, Mary. I started this one at the end of 2016 but then my mother’s dementia took hold and I had to leave it. She died in 2018 by which time some of the incidents in the opening chapters had already happened and some changes had been implemented and others suggested by various committees… I haven’t publicised this one at all and have no way of knowing yet if it works and so I’m grateful to Sally for the opportunity to raise it’s head above the parapet.
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Sounds like great dystopian fiction!
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Thanks, Jacqui – much appreciated!
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Thanks for sharing this great extract, Sally.
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Glad you enjoyed Robbie..hugs
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As many have said, it sounds too close to reality at the moment and quite a scary read. Great excerpt. Good luck to Trish/Alex with her books and her writing. ♥
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Thanks Olga.. xx♥
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Thanks for the good wishes, Olga.
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Seems to be a wonderful read together with Iain Kelly’s States Trilogy. Reading about worse things maybe could prevent you tapping into a honeypot. 😉
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Certainly well worth taking on board… We need to be aware..xx
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Oh yes, we have to do so. Horrible how much prior writtenn things had become true.
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Thanks for that. It reminds me of that saying: The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
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After reading the blurb, i couldn’t help thinking – not hard to imagine at all! Congrats to Trish for the wonderful review from Judith ❤
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Thanks, Debby!
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🙂 x
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Thanks Debby ♥
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Having lived through my mother’s dementia, and with my mother-in-law at the same stage in her life now, I am interested in Alex’s book. As people continue to live longer, this is a real societal issue. I love the title of her book as there are so many things done in life for convenience. My former life as an educator is rampant with so many examples of that.
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It is certainly not an issue that is going away anytime soon, with all of us living longer. Research is promising but undoing a lifetime of various contributing factors is going to be a challenge. x
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Thanks for that, Pete. I worry that governments can take an idea with a germ of sense in it and then push it to unpalatable extremes. My first book was written because of my troubling experiences visiting elderly friends and relatives in care homes that were run on shoe-string budgets with too few staff to cope humanely. It’s struck a chord with many people, unfortunately. I’m sorry to hear that you’re going through the dementia trauma again. All the best, Alex.
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Reblogged this on Judith Barrow.
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Thanks very much Judith…hugsx
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Thanks for the support and that lovely review, Judith – and for putting this on your blog! ❤
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Reblogged this on Author Don Massenzio and commented:
Check out this extract featured at the Smorgasbord Cafe and Bookstore from the book Acts of Convenience by Alex Craigie
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Thanks, Don. This means a huge amount to me!
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You’re welcome.
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The beginning of this post gave me pause, as it says in the “not so distant future,” then went on to describe today’s political world. I know this book would be gripping and maybe a little “too” real. Thank you for sharing, Sally and best wishes to Alex!
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It is frightening how real life catches up with fiction across a number of issues.. I remember people laughing at the early sci-fi books… a man on the moon.. never….xxx
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Hi, Jan. Thanks for the comment. I actually started this book at the end of 2016 but had to shelve it for nearly three years to cope with my mother’s increasing dementia. It felt as if I’d missed the boat with some of my projections and so I put it to one side. A friend told me last year I should just finish it and publish. So I have…
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