Silent Menace

When 16-year old Lisa gives crucial evidence in the manslaughter case that puts her stepfather in prison, the trauma that follows causes her to make some dramatic, life-changing decisions. Besieged by guilt and tormented by her mother's grief, Lisa makes a conscious decision to no longer speak. She packs her bags and heads for Sheffield, where she soon realises the ease and simplicity of a silent existence. When she arrives at the station, she meets busker Gary. Compelled by curiosity, he offers her a safe place to stay and introduces her to his friends, who are members of a punk rock band. She changes her name and embarks on a new and exciting life, where she is given the opportunity to explore her own identity, as well as those of the people around her.As the story unfolds, the reader is taken on a journey through her extraordinary life and is given an insight into her unique ability to form relationships with other equally troubled souls, using the rich and effective language of silence. Silent Menace is an original and stimulating novel that evokes the turbulence of adolescence, embraces the value of human relationships and raises the question as to whether or not silence can be damaging in a relationship, even within one's own conscience.