Strictly Liable

Set in England during 1998-2000, "Strictly Liable" tells of Mandy, who deprived and abused childhood leads her inevitably into underage prostitution, and David, a pillar of the local community, who professional and personal worlds collapse after the suicide of his son and break-up of his marriage, resulting in his loneliness and the need for female company. Mandy is dazzled by her glimpse of a lifestyle she thinks David represents, and he, for all his worldliness, is ill-prepared for the pimps, robbers and corrupt policemen he encounters after meeting Mandy. The judicial and penal consequences of their meeting are followed in minute detail, leaving the reader to question whether justice has been done.The story also asks if David and Mandy fit the popular, but simplistic, victim/abuser model and considers events in relation to other countries and times in history. Ultimately, it is the story of two people involved in a brief relationship at a time when society forbids it, and there is a price to be paid.