A Year of Trials for E.G. Rawlings

It is 2018, and Rawlings is ready to make a fresh start - but his life rarely goes to plan.Lying in hospital after what he hopes will be his last leg operation, Rawlings reflects that he is now free and without any responsibilities. His brief affair with Marnie is over and his grandson Felix is in Australia with his aunt's family. As soon as he is out of hospital, he will move into his new London abode, the garden flat of his friend Max's Putney house, and make plans for his future. The year begins well. Always wary of family life, Rawlings meets Max's sisters Hetty and Bel, and to his surprise enjoys their company. He also makes a rewarding trip to see his long-neglected sister Stella in Scotland. But on his return, things start to go awry. From his Skype calls to Felix, it is obvious the boy is unsettled and unhappy. A visit to the family in Australia confirms his worst fears and he discusses with Isobel (his great friend and also Felix's guardian) how they can get the boy returned to them and save him further distress. At the same time, he finds himself under pressure to write another book about the Sarajevo Siege. This means making a visit to the City, which reawakens traumatic memories and the ghost of his lost love Mia. He then makes the decision to visit Mia's family in Vermont and use her notebooks and photographs. This visit is a revelation and produces many surprises, some of them disturbing and shocking. As the year of trials unfolds, many questions arise. Will Rawlings manage to get Felix returned to England before real damage is done? Will he get the Sarajevo book written? Will he be able to withstand the advances of two unstable and neurotic women? Will Isobel, the only person he relies on, finally lose patience with him? Throughout it all Rawlings, still suffering from PTSD, remains the same taciturn, difficult but charming character. However, as the year progresses, he changes, becoming far more reflective and soul-searching. He knows there is something missing from his life...