Richard feels trapped in his hectic life of commitment and responsibility. From the daily mayhem of having young children, an exhausted wife, and pushy in-laws who frequently overstay their welcome, Richard’s existence fills him with panic and resentment. The only place he can escape the dark cloud descending upon him is the bathroom, where he hides for hours on end, door locked, wondering how on earth he can escape.

Often staring out his window, Richard enviously observes the tranquil life of Bill, his neighbor living in the bungalow across the road. From the outside, Bill's world appears filled with comfort and peace. Yet underneath the apparent domestic bliss of both lives are lies, secrets, imperfections, sadness, and suffering far greater than either could have imagined. Beneath the surface, a family tragedy has left Bill frozen in time and unable to move on. As he waits for a daughter who may never return, Bill watches Richard's bustling family life and yearns for the joy it brings. As the two men watch each other from afar, it soon becomes apparent that other people’s lives are not always what they seem. 

Jonathan’s writing has always been inspired by a number of novels, including Alex Garland's The Beach, and his writing is comparable to Mark Haddon, Nick Hornby, and Joseph Connolly. Jonathan’s novels are published with the northern publishing house, Hideaway Fall. Jonathan is active in the author community, and has spoken on multiple occasions in schools, colleges, prisons, and universities about creative writing and storytelling. He is also a tireless campaigner for mental health awareness, which has led him to write regularly for the Huffington Post, The Big Issue, and spoken on numerous occasions about his own personal struggle on the BBC and Radio Talk Europe.