Ben and Ollie are friends like water. They are ordinary boys living in an ordinary London suburb. But one day their peaceful and boring life literally explodes - the mysterious Karl settles on their street. He has strange games, a strange language and strange desires. And he is very, very dangerous. Karl is fun, scary and dangerous. But here’s the problem - Ben is not ready to fade into the background, and his faithful squire Ollie and Karl are much more interesting. And the whole trio embarks on adventures, which soon develop into trouble, and then into a life-or-death struggle. How far will Carl go before he stops? And how creepy do his plans have to get to give up? The new book by William Sutcliffe, a consummate storyteller, is both witty and scary. Sutcliffe talks about how everyday situations in which every person finds himself can turn into tragic and exciting adventures. This book is about the primal struggle for power that underlies all human relationships, both children and adults. "Bad Influence" is the most profound of all William Sutcliffe's novels.