Set in the fictitious town of Crosley in Northumberland, Somebody’s Nobody by Helen Aitchison is a story of how a calculating killer targets the vulnerable. It highlights both addiction and its effects on others throughout, making it more than just a crime thriller.
A race against the clock
The book begins by introducing us to the anonymous perpetrator referred to only as ‘they,’ whose backstory is a complex mix of parental neglect, stemming from their father’s alcoholism which was exacerbated by the death of their mother. The story is based around a local day centre, Homeless Helping Hands, set up and managed by Stuart, someone who has overcome his own demons to give back to the most vulnerable in society. The centre also employs Mo, a man who himself is in recovery and is working at the centre to help support and prevent others from succumbing to addiction. Other characters include Dot, whose son fell victim to substance abuse, and Lorna, who wants a career change and ends up working at Homeless Helping Hands. The action gets underway when detectives Ronnie Ericson and Polly McCardle receive a call to investigate a series of murders of homeless people connected to the day centre. What ensues is a pacy story in which Ericson and McCardle must race against the clock to find out who is killing vulnerable service users before more people fall victim to the same fate.
Real-life themes and characters
The book succeeds in showing us how impacting the issue of addiction is, and it gives us a good insight into the day-to-day workings of assisting adults in the social care sector. The main characters are well rounded, each having their own virtues but also fighting their own battles, and the author’s experience of having worked in social care is clear to see throughout the story.
It should be noted that the book does not shy away from broaching some difficult themes, however, some of which include childhood trauma and substance misuse, as well as self-harm and the murder of vulnerable adults. Whilst some of these themes are on the periphery of the main action, others are not, so it is worth pointing them out as potential triggers.
Never just a statistic
In summary, Somebody’s Nobody reveals how as a society we often see addiction as something abstract, rather than encountering the people who experience it themselves. Through its characters in the centre, Aitchison skilfully shows us that addiction is a multifaceted and long-term issue for both the sufferer and their loved ones, and those who have succeeded in finding a way out still need ongoing support. There is therefore an underlying message that none of us are immune to the perils of addiction as the victims of it may well be someone’s nearest and dearest. As a result, those who sadly succumb to it are never just a statistic – they are always somebody’s nobody, and therefore they deserve our compassion just as much as the next person.
