FIVE-TIMES novelist Christopher J. Holcroft used a simple theory when he wrote his latest work.
The theory was along the lines of how it was that so often a person enters a room, feels a shiver down their spine — only to find out that someone has died in the room.
It was this sort of experience and a theme of exploring what happens to the "spirits" of those who have died that has fascinated Mr Holcroft for some time.
After writing a trilogy of books in the genre of adventure for youth he wrote a book for adults about the "afterlife" with Finding Thomas, about a near-death experience.
The former Fairfax journalist said that following that book, "the next logical theme was to look at what happens if you die suddenly or out of your time".
The result is One Last Concert that takes his interest in the spiritual to a different level.
The backdrop centres on 45 teenage boys from an English village who are on their way to Australia when they meet their end.
All the villagers had a son in the choir and the book looks at the effect of the tragedy on the village.
"What I have done is to look at an entire community and how they can be helped to move on and to satisfy the grieving, how one must help bring about the moving on of spirits," Mr Holcroft said.
He took almost a year to write the book, which included consulting several mediums.
One Last Concert will be launched tomorrow, 7pm-10pm, at St Joseph's Catholic Church hall, Parker Street, Rockdale.
The book is published by Infinity Publishing (US), and costs $20 from buybooksontheweb.com.
