Patrick Melrose

London, 1982. Patrick Melrose, 23 years old and in the grip of an all-consuming heroin addiction, flies to New York to collect his fathers ashes.

England, 1990. Patrick Melrose, now 31, is finally clean and practicing law. Despite avoiding social situations and their inevitable temptations, Patrick is persuaded to attend a high society event in the Cotswolds by best friend Johnny.

London, 2005. Having always dreamed of being an orphan, Patrick now has his wish at the age of 46. No longer with Mary, Patrick is clean and living alone in a grim bedsit.