A Long Way Down

Martin Sharp is a middle-aged man who, as the novel begins, has recently gotten out of prison. He slept with a 15-year-old girl who told him she was 18. This led to him losing his prime-time morning TV show, serving three months in prison, and having his life turned into a never-ending stream of public humiliation every time he goes outside and is recognized. He is divorced from his wife, Cindy, and rarely sees his two daughters. He is in a sexual relationship with his former costar, Penny, but this relationship ends during the book, leaving him with no one but the other three main characters.

On New Year’s Eve, Martin is on the roof of Toppers’ House, determined to kill himself, when he meets Maureen, Jess, and Martin. When he sees Jess trying to jump off the roof, he tackles her and sits on her, saying that she is too young to die and has enough time to fix her mistakes. After they agree to put off their suicides for six weeks, Martin tries to improve his life, his relationship with Cindy, and with his three new friends. By the end of the book, he is back on what he calls the long road to regaining self-respect and is tutoring an 8-year-old boy named Pacino in reading.