Never More Than 24 Hours

A house fire rages behind closed doors. A man lies beaten and semi-conscious in the subdued council estate street. Desperate for help, he calls out. His prayer is answered. New area social worker, Geoff Tallow, appears.

Vulnerable, homeless and at the mercy of a corrupt state system, down and out ex-addict, Fog, is tantalisingly close to ending an intense personal battle to get clean. He’s almost beaten the inner demons that have haunted and intoxicated him for decades when Geoff Tallow arrives, offering to support and protect his new client.

Jackie, a woman who’s as hard as the walls of the nearest prison, a club bouncer trying to protect and provide for her disabled child, starts to feel the balance of control within slipping again. Little time passes before Geoff Tallow arrives on her doorstep, ready to advise.

Three vulnerable people, each struggling to navigate the labyrinth of existence. Only their social worker, Geoff Tallow, understands the secret that links them to one another. And only Tallow has the authority and capacity to reignite their lost passion for life.

In this exhilarating short story, loosely based on personal experience, Carla H. Krueger exploits her distinctive voice to draw us into an expertly-realised world where manipulation, corruption and violence is rife and where first impressions are less than reliable. Set on a destitute British council estate, it offers a compelling and intimate insight into the lives of a fraction of society many of us know little about. Never More Than 24 Hours is no ordinary thriller; it has more than a gripping, twisting storyline and captivating characters. It acts as a mirror, held up to each and every one of us, revealing how assumption can warp our judgements and reinforce stereotypes we should be fighting against.