Vacuum-Packed

by Robin Newbold

Fuelled by easy drugs and even easier sex, Vacuum-Packed chronicles the high-octane lives of two teenagers, Craig and Jamie, as they each search for their own redemption through the danger, glamour and grime of the British and Thai sex industries.


Craig, seeking a reason to live, travels to Thailand, where he becomes entrapped in a brutal but compelling game to which he doesn't know the rules. Handsome and vain Jamie gorges himself on all gay London has to offer but instead of fulfilment finds only emptiness in the endless blur of partying and casual encounters.


Part darkly humorous rites of passage drama and part travelogue, Vacuum-Packed is written by Robin Newbold, a London-based journalist, travel writer and novelist, whose work has appeared in Time Out, the South China Morning Post, Bangkok Metro and Gay Times.


REVIEWS
"Follows in the tradition of Bret Easton Ellis and Michel Houellebecq. You'll be dazed, appalled, intrigued." - Bangkok Metro
"Describes the emptiness of pop culture and the wreckage of lost young lives with a world-weary cynicism that can sting with its bite." - The Nation

ebook

First published May 1, 2014

About the author

Robin Newbold is an author and journalist. Fourth novel, the Amazon Top 30 best-selling thriller When the Darkness Swallowed the Sun, is out now. His work has appeared in Time Out, the South China Morning Post, Bangkok Metro and Gay Times. He is a Crystal Palace fan and lives in sunny Hove.

Reviews

[Glen Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely the better novel by the author
Two complex lead characters, both deeply flawed, but relatable. Some uncomfortable stories but well written

[Noémie Media · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vacuum-Packed by Robin Newbold is raw, unsettling, and painfully honest. It captures the emptiness behind reckless youth, showing how searching for meaning can lead people into dangerous emotional and physical spaces. Craig and Jamie feel real, flawed, and human, which made their journeys difficult to look away from. The writing has a cold, immersive tone that lingers after finishing. It’s not always comfortable, but it’s powerful and thought-provoking. This is a bold story about identity, escape, and consequences today now.