* BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK *

* LONGLISTED FOR THE CWA'S ALCS GOLD DAGGER FOR NON-FICTION AWARD *

Meet Dr. Ben Cave. For over thirty years, he has worked in prisons and psychiatric clinics, diagnosing and treating some of society's most troubled men and women. A life of care leads us from delusional disorders to schizophrenia, from steroid abuse to drug addiction, from personality disorders to pedophilia, and to misery so deep that a mother could kill her baby.

These are the human stories behind the headlines. The reality of a life spent working with patients with the most severe mental disorders. The tragic and often terrifying truth about what happens behind closed doors.

Dr. Ben Cave takes us on a journey to the heart of this incredibly emotional environment, putting himself under the microscope as well as his patients. In the process, he allows us to share what they have taught each other and how it has changed them.

To share the psychological "battles" that accompany a career on the front lines of the healthcare system. To learn about the extraordinary mental health nurses, for whom physical injuries and verbal abuse are a daily hazard. To learn about ourselves and what we fear most.

Thought-provoking, revealing, often haunting, and always illuminating, if you enjoyed "Unnatural Causes" by Dr. Richard Shepherd, "Do No Harm" by Henry Marsh, and "This is Going to Hurt" by Adam Kay, this book is for you.

Pages: 368, Year of Publication: 1107, Dimensions: 12.8x12.8cm