Mark is tattooed all over, so he looks blue. He is married to Samantha and they live with their little girl, Sally (named after Sally Bowles). But Mark is haunted by a spectre in the shape of Tony, his ex-lover, who menaces Mark and finally kidnaps Sally. The story of the rescue - which involves Sam's mother, Peggy, and her lover Iris - is hilarious, touching and (occasionally) surreal. MARKED FOR LIFE is a very fresh and original first novel. It is instantly engaging, and curiously compelling. Like a mixture of Alan Bennett and Angela Carter, MARKED FOR LIFE brings together suburban comedy with a heady, lyrical prose and concocts something new and very, very appealing.