A Trust involvement member is set to become what is believed to be the world’s first person with dementia to write and publish a murder mystery book.
Michael Booth, 52, has drawn on his own experience of Alzheimer’s disease to pen a 264‑page debut novel, Forget Me Not: The Letter in the Headboard.
“I was once told that writing a book while living with dementia isn’t supposed to be possible, and now I understand why. Honestly, it was exhausting,” he said.
“To say it was a challenge would be an understatement. I had paper notes and reminders everywhere to help me remember the plot and characters.
“I nearly gave up a few times but was determined to show what people living with dementia can achieve. It took a toll on my health, but I made it. I finished it.”
Using lived experience to help others
Michael, from Hartlepool, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at 46 – just months after losing his mother Christine to the same disease.
He has since worked tirelessly to raise awareness around the condition – publishing a book and information leaflet about dementia.
“The diagnosis was a real blow, especially after watching my mum go through it. It felt like a kick in the stomach then, and still does,” he said.
“Alzheimer’s has no cure, and I had to come to terms with that. It’s so important to be open about dementia, because there’s still so much misinformation and stigma around it.”
New chapter in writing career
Writing a novel provided Michael with a unique challenge. As a former project manager, he was used to writing reports, but fiction was a “real change of direction”.
He spent two years plotting, planning and writing the crime book, setting it in Hartlepool and weaving a tangled web of murder and conspiracy stretching across Europe.
A character living with dementia plays a major role – and Michael hopes this will help readers understand more about what it is like to live with the disease.
“There were days I couldn’t spell, couldn’t concentrate or couldn’t hold the plot in my mind. My right-hand tremor often made typing almost impossible as well,” he said.
“But, with my notes and the constant support of my wife, I did it. I believe it’s the first time in the world that a person living with dementia has published a murder mystery book.
“I’ve had some good feedback about the book, and I just hope people enjoy the story. I really did put my all into it.”
Looking to the future
Michael is now counting down to the publication of Forget Me Not: The Letter in the Headboard next week – and already has an idea for a follow‑up.
He is also working on a new dementia‑awareness project and contributes to vital dementia pathway work within our Trust.
“I take the good days and try to hold them, then battle through the bad ones. I keep going because I still have so much to give,” he said.
“It is important to me that people living with dementia to know it’s not the end. It might feel like it is, but it’s not.”
Gemma Gray, an involvement and engagement facilitator who supports Michael with Trust projects, said:
“Michael is a true inspiration, and we wish him every success.
“He uses his lived experience to improve services and is a shining example of what can be achieved when services co‑create with the people who use them.”
- Forget Me Not: The Letter in the Headboard is published on 24 April and will be available from online booksellers at £11.99, or £2.99 as an eBook.
