Irvine Welsh His first novel, "Trainspotting", was published in 1993. Set in the mid-1980s, it uses a series of loosely connected short stories to tell the story of a group of characters tied together by decaying friendships, heroin addiction and stabs at escape from the oppressive boredom and brutality of their lives in the housing schemes. It was released to shock and outrage in some circles and great acclaim in others; "Time Out" called it "funny, unflinchingly abrasive, authentic and inventive", and "The Sunday Times" called Welsh "the best thing that has happened to British writing for decades". It was adapted as
Candy: A Novel of Love and Addiction Candy: A Novel of Love and Addiction Candy: A Novel of Love and Addiction (1998) is a novel by Luke Davies. Davies has admitted the novel is based on his experiences as a heroin addict in the 1980s, the "worst years" being 1984 to 1990. Sydney and Melbourne were the epicentres of a "severe" heroin problem during this period. Davies has also emphasised that the novel is "fiction rather than memoir". Following the release of the film based on the book, also called "Candy" (2006), Melbourne painter Megan Bannister was identified as the woman who is portrayed as Candy in