As a literary writer who investigates crime and mental illness, I look forward to attending Harrogate’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, 17-10 July 2025. This is especially the case since my latest novel, The Wonders of Doctor Bent, will bring a fresh darkness to the town.
The Wonders of Doctor Bent explores the impact of a criminal activity that has largely escaped media attention in a fast-moving story that traverses both the university campus and mental health facilities. It turns upside down what we think of human social care and throws new light on the matter of justice for those people who kill members of the public while subject to a distorted or compromised perception of reality.
The killing of members of the public is especially topical given the horrific events surrounding Valdo Calocane and his rampage in Nottingham whilst suffering from paranoid schizophrenia—a case that is driving a re-evaluation of how those who kill with diminished responsibility should be treated or punished and how such awful tragedies can best be avoided in future.
In the novel, the worlds of Jason Hemp, an English lecturer, and Dr Bent, the unlikely Medical Director of high-security psychiatric hospital Foston Hall, come together in a dark tale of murder, revenge and abandonment. Attempting to track down his twin brother’s killer, Hemp finds his life unravelling in unexpected and frightening ways, whilst visionary Dr Bent controversially attempts to reform Foston Hall into a more humane, comforting place, all while facing his own mental health challenges.
Working at the Institute of Mental Health at the University of Nottingham has been a big part of my life and I bring to the novel nearly forty years of experience about the workings of the human mind for good and ill. It has been important to me to learn whether the research into the criminal and mental health substance of the novel passes muster with fellow experts. Happily, advance reviews thus far provide a clean bill of health:
"Crawford is a master storyteller. The Wonders of Doctor Bent covers deep and dark themes in a compelling and highly engaging manner. Be prepared to be taken on a thrilling adventure that delves into the very essence of what makes us human...” - Professor Ahmed Hankir, Consultant Psychiatrist, and author of The Breakthrough
"Brooding, brilliant and beautiful." - Dave Chawner, standup and TV comedian, mental health campaigner and author of Weight Expectations
"A beautifully written and engaging psychological thriller that will keep you thinking long after the final page… With impeccable prose and a thought-provoking plot, this dark literary thriller not only captivates fans of the genre but also offers profound value to those with lived experience of or an interest in mental health, shedding light on the complexities of compassion and accountability." - Dr David Crepaz-Keay, Mental Health Foundation
“A moving tale of loss and love. Jason Hemp breaks down after his perfect brother is murdered and Dr Bent, an imperfect, thrill-seeking, motorcycle-riding healer, fights to transform the humiliating state of the public services. His revolutionary changes are undermined, and he is left wondering what it is all for, and resolves to repair his own dark wounds...” - Kam Bhui CBE, Professor of Psychiatry, University of Oxford
"A brilliantly written thriller which draws us into the dire consequences of adverse childhood experiences. It poignantly reveals the potential for recovery." - Gene Beresin MD, Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
"Moving storytelling and vivid characters take the reader on an emotional journey of grief, loss, and love. Though the themes are dark, this novel is a celebration of the resilience of the human spirit. Crawford at his very best." - Thomas Curran, Leading psychologist and author of The Perfection Trap
“I was absolutely gripped by this book; it feels like an ‘important’ book to read as well as being enjoyably riveting. It has the expected tensions of a dark thriller and totally unexpected outcomes, but it is also a mystery, as it opens a window on two tortured minds and the care available to both.” - Gaye Poole, author of Edges of Me
“If you like psychological thrillers that are well crafted and intriguing Paul Crawford’s book is a must read. The interplay between characters is superb. To borrow a Crawford line my ‘skin prickled’ with the twists and turns.” - Ronnie Brown, author of Restless Souls, Unquiet Minds and Fragmented Bodies
The Wonders of Doctor Bent is available at Amazon, WHSmith, Foyles, Waterstones, Cranthorpe Millner, and all good bookshops.