Cuckoo

by Keren David

ISBN: 9780349002354

Published: 2016

Jake is an actor - a teenager who had a regular role in one of the UK's best-loved soaps until his character, Little Riley, went upstairs to his bedroom and never came down again ... Jake clings to the hope that the writers will bring his character back (they didn't kill him off after all); but as time passes, and finances dwindle, reality starts to dawn. His family situation is hard. His dad has anger issues that have led to his recent redundancy, his mum cares full-time for his severely autistic older brother, and now they're struggling to pay the rent. Suddenly, Jake feels his acting career is crucial for their financial security and well-being. The pressure mounts for him to succeed - and home doesn't feel like home any more: it feels like a powder-keg waiting to explode. When things reach breaking point, he asks his friend if he can stay with him for a while. It starts innocently enough, but soon Jake finds he's moving from couch to couch, burning through friends and...