High Society

In this fast-paced tale, Elton successfully interweaves the stories of his characters with an examination of British drug culture from a variety of perspectives. The novel focuses on three key characters: Tommy Hanson, the winner of the national Pop Idol contest and a drink- and drug-addict, Jessie the abused teenage runaway from Scotland who arrives in London only to be dragged into drug-taking and prostitution, and Peter Paget, a Labour MP determined to make all drugs legal. In the background are Sonia, a young English girl who ends up in a Thai jail for drug smuggling, and Commander Leman of the Metropolitan Police, who is fighting corruption in the force and supporting Peter Paget's crusade. This is a persuasive story which through its clever mix of drama and humour makes a series of important political points. In the best traditions of story telling the light comedy allows for relief from the dark moments of horror and despair which many of the characters encounter. The narrative is told by the different characters in turn, involving the reader in each of their predicaments and showing how the chain of events set off affects all those around them. Elton manages to make a convincing argument for the incoherence of British drug policy without sacrificing the integrity of his characters, and the result is an engaging and thought-provoking novel. (Kirkus UK)