Paul Crawford's novel 'The Wonders of Doctor Bent' exposes dark parental abuse, challenging Philip Larkin's view

In The Wonders of Doctor Bent, the worlds of Jason Hemp, an English lecturer, and Dr Bent, the unlikely Medical Director of high-security psychiatric hospital Foston Hall, come together in a dark tale of murder, revenge and abandonment.

Attempting to track down his twin brother’s killer, he finds his life unravelling in unexpected and frightening ways, whilst visionary Dr Bent attempts to reform Foston Hall into a more humane, compassionate place through ‘his wonders’, all while facing his own mental health challenges.

As recollections of what happened in his early life emerge, Dr Bent learns his parents were not what they were supposed to be.

As well as writing fiction, over the years, I have been a passionate reader of poetry. Among poets I admire, Philip Larkin is up there with the likes of Seamus Heaney, Stevie Smith and John Betjeman. Yet there is one poem in particular where he misses the mark on just how evil parents can be. In his all-too-forgiving ‘This Be The Verse’, Larkin hugely underplays the awful damage parents can exact on their children.

He writes the lines:

They f**k you up, your mum and dad.

They may not mean to, but they do.

The Wonders of Doctor Bent reveals Larkin painfully wide of the mark here. Parents can be so damaging and traumatising of children that his words avoid the darker side of the parenting world. They lighten the damage. They let parents off the hook. On all too many occasions, parents mean to damage their offspring.

From murder to sexual abuse, parents, those idealised mums and dads, can bring horror to many homes. We only need reflect on what happened most recently to poor little Sara Sharif in Woking at the hands of her father and stepmother to take this on board.

In The Wonders of Doctor Bent, the abuse of parents is darkly clear. There is no sugar coating.

Unlike Philip Larkin, who gruffly and famously kept readers at arm’s length, I welcome them. That some of the world's leading figures in mental health have given such positive endorsements adds to my confidence that this novel is not simply successful as a switchback thriller but that it throws light where it is much needed.

"Crawford is a master storyteller. The Wonders of Doctor Bent covers deep and dark themes in a compelling and highly engaging manner. Be prepared to be taken on a thrilling adventure that delves into the very essence of what makes us human...” - Professor Ahmed Hankir, Consultant Psychiatrist, and author of The Breakthrough

"A brilliantly written thriller which draws us into the dire consequences of adverse childhood experiences. It poignantly reveals the potential for recovery." - Gene Beresin MD, Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

"Brooding, brilliant and beautiful." - Dave Chawner, standup and TV comedian, mental health campaigner and author of Weight Expectations

"A beautifully written and engaging psychological thriller that will keep you thinking long after the final page… With impeccable prose and a thought-provoking plot, this dark literary thriller not only captivates fans of the genre but also offers profound value to those with lived experience of or an interest in mental health, shedding light on the complexities of compassion and accountability." - Dr David Crepaz-Keay, Mental Health Foundation

“A moving tale of loss and love. Jason Hemp breaks down after his perfect brother is murdered and Dr Bent, an imperfect, thrill-seeking, motorcycle-riding healer, fights to transform the humiliating state of the public services. His revolutionary changes are undermined, and he is left wondering what it is all for, and resolves to repair his own dark wounds...” - Kam Bhui CBE, Professor of Psychiatry, University of Oxford

"Moving storytelling and vivid characters take the reader on an emotional journey of grief, loss, and love. Though the themes are dark, this novel is a celebration of the resilience of the human spirit. Crawford at his very best." - Thomas Curran, Leading psychologist and author of The Perfection Trap

The Wonders of Doctor Bent is available at Amazon, Waterstones, WHSmith, Foyles, Cranthorpe Millner, and all good bookshops.