Alice's life is complicated. She is recently separated from her husband, and her dad is living in her shed. Well, her annexe. Her one constant in the madness is her son Henry, a straight-talking, no-nonsense 12-year-old, with a passion for the Hitchhikers' Guide To The Galaxy and a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

Henry's best friend is Erin, who has a heart of gold, though she has previously tried to burn down a school. Alice's best friend is Erin's mum Carla, because if there's one thing that can bring two people together it's having the rest of the school mums tut at your children.