Magnificent Joe

Recently released from prison, Jim is welcomed back by his childhood mates to the northern working-class town where he grew up. With no alternative, Jim falls in step with their lives: working down the building site, pub, sleep. No time to regret the future that could have been had he not taken that punch and killed that boy.

The only glimmer of warmth amid the tough grind is his friendship with Joe, a man with severe learning difficulties who is regarded with suspicion by the rest of the community. But when Joe is falsely accused of a crime, Jim must break the claustrophobic confines of his life and take drastic action in order to protect him.

With his spare and powerful prose, James Wheatley has crafted a brilliantly compelling, often dark, and frequently funny novel about how an extraordinary friendship can offer redemption and help rebuild a life.