When assisted dying is legalised following the sell-off of the NHS, where does the killing stop?
In Paul Carroll’s latest novel, Shaking Hands with Elvis, an uncaring government has legalised assisted dying, but it’s not only the terminally ill it relaxes the rules for. Following the disintegration of the NHS, anybody considered to have nothing left to contribute, a drain on resources, or simply past it, is encouraged to do the decent thing and opt for an early check out.
Entrepreneur Callan Clay is quick to fill the market gap through Go Gently, his business offering inventive ways, including an Elvis Presley themed demise, for customers to lawfully shuffle off their mortal coils. Assisted dying is the latest must-have lifestyle choice.
But when Geraldine, Dawn, Jeffrey and Woody, each having a different reason for giving up the ghost, book appointments for their final journeys, they discover not everything at Go Gently’s state-of-the-art Charon House clinic lives up to the brochure. As the clock ticks down to their appointed hour, is it really the end of the line for the gang of four, or is there life in the old dogs yet?
Shaking Hands with Elvis handles a controversial and delicate subject with warmth and humanity, while savaging politicians and business owners who see assisted dying as a great opportunity to cut welfare budgets and make a buck.
Ultimately, Shaking Hands with Elvis places the reader in the unenviable position of weighing the pros and cons of assisted dying, and questioning what their choice might be in similar circumstances.
Could it happen here? The House of Commons’ Health and Social Care Committee is currently conducting an inquiry into assisted dying and arguments on both sides of the debate are intense.
Shaking Hands with Elvis is published by www.dreamengine.co.uk
PUBLICATION DATE: 1st March 2024
Available in paperback and as an E-book
AMAZON
DREAMENGINE