"Hooked" - by Clare Gee

I remember first ploughing through this book last summer en route back from London and being massively impressed at Clare's eloquence and unflinching honesty. The book tells the story of a London call girl who goes through a series of catastrophic events as a result of her Bacchanalian lifestyle. It's shocking. For anyone who has ever held the belief that prostitution may be a glamorous occupation (admittedly, including myself), Clare's book is a stark, heavy slice of reality. This is no Belle de Jour-esque rubbish. Cocaine is snorted (leaving a crusty residue around the mouth come morning), cash is made (by having sex with a repugnant, sweaty client) and all the while, the call girl lives in a plush Putney flat (paid for by a married man needing the ego boost of "keeping" a woman). The author does not spin endless "tart with a heart" tales; this is a story about a woman who, despite the odds stacked against her, has found the strength to confront her addictions and begin a completely new life. From re-reading the book recently, the message that stood out to me was the fact that in spite of the help and encouragement of others, a person can only ever change when they truly find the strength in themselves to do so.
I am still hugely impressed with the book and would encourage anyone to read it.