"The Loved One" is a delightful and dark satire that swirls together the cultural nuances of America and Britain. The story follows Dennis Barlow, a British expatriate and aspiring poet, who finds himself in the peculiar world of Hollywood.
After a failed stint as a screenwriter, Dennis takes up a job at a pet cemetery, much to the surprise of his fellow British expats. However, the community is soon distracted by the suicide of one of their own, and Dennis is tasked with arranging the funeral.
As the plot unfolds, Dennis enters the artificial paradise of the Whispering Glades Memorial Park, where he meets the beautiful Aimée Thanatogenos, a junior cosmetician, and the master embalmer, Mr. Joyboy. Can Dennis navigate the bizarre world of American-style death rituals and maintain his reputation among his countrymen?
This novel is a savage critique of the Anglo-American cultural divide, depicting a world where love, reputation, and death come at a very high cost. Join Dennis on this hilarious journey through the surreal landscape of Hollywood's funeral industry.