New novel set in Cardiff tackles twin themes of assisted dying and sexual harassment

Martin Shipton

A new crime novel examines the issue of assisted dying in the case of a fictional Wales international rugby player who is left paralysed following rough play during a Six Nations match.

Written in lockdown, The Laws of Dying is the third novel by Cardiff writer Louise Walsh. Its publication accidentally coincides with the progress of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill through the UK Parliament.

At the start of the novel, despite his catastrophic injury Kennedy Jones has a strong will to carry on living. He has retreated to a secretive London clinic where experimental treatments offer a glimmer of hope.

Meanwhile after a solicitor in the practice representing Jones is kidnapped, it emerges that he has been sexually harassing his secretary.

Walsh, a graduate of Cardiff University who herself works as a legal secretary, uses her knowledge of the legal world to weave two complex themes into a fast-paced thriller.

Assisted dying

Asked her views on euthanasia, she told Nation.Cymru: “I support assisted dying as a means of preventing unnecessary suffering. With proper safeguards, I’d welcome its introduction in the UK. Several countries demonstrate that it can work effectively. However, given a longstanding interest in bullying and harassment, I recognise the potential complications. I’m encouraged that this debate is being conducted with appropriate maturity in the UK.

“Such a law could be exploited by the unscrupulous, which is precisely why I found it compelling as a literary theme. The potential impact on marginalised groups is concerning, particularly those with disabilities. These communities already face higher suicide risks. Social isolation and lack of support systems are another factor too.”

In terms of the novel’s other theme, it was put to Walsh that while the #MeToo campaign raised the profile of sexual harassment and misogyny, publicity often focussed on what had gone on in glamorous professions like the film industry. Asked whether her novel showed that you don’t have to be in a celebrity world to be a victim of it, she said: “Absolutely, though I must acknowledge the groundbreaking work of the New York Times journalists Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, alongside the actresses who courageously came forward about Harvey Weinstein. Their reporting redefined speaking up as an act of bravery rather than one of nuisance or gratuitous whingeing.

“Following their 2017 exposé, the New York Times had to expand their Sexual Harassment Team to handle countless reports from restaurants, hotels, factories, prisons, ballet companies, and workplaces across every sector imaginable. Their reporting fundamentally changed how non-disclosure agreements are used in harassment cases in the US and UK. We’ve seen this impact locally too, with excellent workplace investigations and reporting exposing harassment in Wales, such as the leadership changes that took place at the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, following an independent culture review.

“What The Laws of Dying explores are the nuances of these situations. Harassment might not be constant. It might flare up, resolve and then flare again. You might work for your dream company and be reluctant to leave because of one toxic colleague. Debt and finances might be a factor in staying. Your harasser might have cultivated relationships with management, making it impossible to speak up. The manipulation can be subtle—coercive behaviour and gaslighting that leaves you agreeing to things without fully understanding why.”

‘Banter’

Asked how prevalent she thought the problem is, she said: “It’s a massive issue. In workplaces, it’s often dismissed as ‘banter’ or harmless jokes or chalked up to a misunderstanding. We saw this in the responses to the Gregg Wallace and Wynne Evans cases, where commenters on social media threads – both men and women – defended the behaviour as basic humour that people should simply accept.

“But there’s a crucial distinction in the type of humour involved. I’m a great admirer of Trevor Griffiths’ play Comedians, which I even wrote to him about years ago regarding my interest in workplace harassment. In the play, retired comedian Eddie Waters tries to steer his budding comedy students away from racist, sexist, and homophobic tropes. As he tells them: ‘It’s not the jokes. It’s what lies behind them.’

“Griffiths showed how certain comedy actually reinforces underlying prejudices rather than addressing them.”

‘Sceptical’

But hasn’t the introduction of HR policies in many workplaces combated such bad behaviour? Walsh said: “I’ll be frank—nobody is more sceptical than I am about policies. I don’t believe people refrain from bullying and harassment because of a two-page document in the office manual. Company culture makes far more difference than paperwork.

“The reality is that this type of human behaviour can’t be completely eradicated and recognising that is crucial. I’d feel safer working for an organisation that says, ‘If it happens here—which it always could—we’ll immediately take action,’ rather than one claiming, ‘It could never happen here.’ The latter is corporate egocentric bias, and ironically such attitudes make harassment more likely because organisation heads are likely to prioritise protecting the company’s squeaky clean, ‘zero-cases’ image over addressing and ‘fessing up’ to problems.

“Key to recognising bullying and harassment is knowing it’s often situational. Someone might be an excellent boss or manager, doing good things or contributing to charity. Then a personal crisis occurs, and they begin taking their frustrations out on others or trying to make themselves feel a sense of power by sexually harassing staff. In these scenarios, HR can make the mistake of exclusively extending support to the established person in crisis, inadvertently enabling their behaviour.

“The critical lesson is that unchecked harmful behaviour only escalates. Moral disengagement sets in, and damaging conduct becomes normalised. I always say: if it’s bad in three months, it’ll be twice as bad in six months. Companies must nip issues in the bud immediately, awkward though they might be to tackle.

“Since October 2024, UK employers have had a legal duty to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment and create safe working environments. This legislation shouldn’t be treated as a tick-box exercise – simply updating policies and considering the job done. There are employment law firms, including the one I work at as a secretary, which can deliver quality training to managers and staff.”

Asked what gave her the idea of bringing the two themes together in the same novel, she said: “Through my interest in workplace bullying, I’ve come to view sustained, intense harassment as a form of ‘microdosed assisted dying’. Prolonged over time, it can leave victims feeling so trapped that life becomes unbearable. I wanted to explore this parallel. In the novel, the rugby player suffers physical injury, but retains mental clarity and a strong will to live. At least, he does at first…”

The Laws of Dying is published by Carreg Gwalch at £9.99. It will be launched at Cardiff Arms Park (Pack Bar), Westgate Street, Cardiff on Thursday July 3 at 6.30pm.