The weight of the city - Will Rhode

New York, 2010; one tenement building on one street in one district of the teeming city.

In the basement lives Joe McMurphy - the superintendent. He hears and bears witness to all the tenants do, say and think.

Mandy and Ben have a new baby. Dope-smoking Diva is permanently horizontal. Frank's having panic attacks. Garry's looking for a revolution. Mrs Xhiu talks to God through the TV. Helmut makes porn. Mike and Juan love each other. Henry aspires to write and make things work with Anna-lise.

Residing in the penthouse apartment and reigning supreme is Morgan Honeysuckle: President of the Board. Her lust for control of the building overwhelms its colourful occupants - until Joe decides its time for them to take matters into their own hands.

Exciting, ambitious, funny and fantastically page-turning, The Weight of the City refashions the Ken Kesey classic, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, to explore whether it is the system which is insane or the individuals who refuse to be co-opted by it.

Born in London, William Rhode has worked for Reuters in India, made films in Thailand, and worked in Hong Kong as a financial journalist. After working for a while as the editor for the financial magazine RISK in New York, he finally plucked up the courage to quit his job in pursuit of his dream to write a novel. He lives in New York with his wife and son.