Starting to Shrink

John Eagles, £9.99, published by Austin Macauley

Following retirement, psychiatrist John Eagles joined the MLitt in creative writing course at Dundee University and has just released his debut novel, Starting to Shrink, set in Scotland in the 1980s.

Dr Douglas Barker’s first year as a psychiatrist is peppered with fascinating characters, challenging patients and strife from his dysfunctional family.

Just when he thinks he might be able to keep his balance, Barker’s work and personal lives collide when a former patient accuses him of sexual harassment, throwing his whole future into jeopardy.

Starting to Shrink casts a stark light on the realities of mental illnesses and the doctors who put their own heads on the line to treat the most difficult patients. The novel taps into the growing interest in psychological medicine, from the perspective of a doctor with more than 30 years in the profession.

The story rings a truly authentic note while intriguing the reader with its unfolding drama and the haze that sometimes exists between wrong and right.

A hard-hitting psychological intrigue from John Eagles about the passions and perils in the life of a psychiatrist, and replete with authentic biographical detail.

While the subject matter might not appeal to everyone, this is an impressive and fast-moving debut.

8/10