The Ladder

Can there ever be a clear-cut, unambiguous moment when life is so unbearable that helping someone to die is not only right, but an act of loving kindness?

‘The Ladder’ begins on a remote Scottish island where Gary, a recent widower, is living under an assumed name. Wracked with doubts and fears, and a grief that often overwhelms him, he decides to design a lasting tribute to his lost wife, a celebration of her life and her love of colour. But will the memorial he creates arouse suspicions amongst the islanders and make them ask questions Gary would rather not answer?

Michael Waterhouse’s first novel, ‘Prodigal’, was recommended in ‘The Times’ by Joan Bakewell as ‘a first novel of enormous power. Inspirational.’

Author Biography

Michael Waterhouse was born in North Wales. He read English Literature at Cambridge University and went on to complete a D.Phil at Oxford. He has for many years been a documentary film-maker, producing and directing a wide variety of films on historical, religious and arts subjects, including the Emmy-nominated drama-documentary series ‘The Bible’. He lives in Kent.