Synopsis

Nothing tells the story of Mark Spencer, a pharmacist and former attorney living in a small town in Oregon, who stages an absurd experiment after closing his herbal shop: he sells brightly colored boxes containing absolutely nothing. The gesture, meant as satire, exposes an unexpected truth. People buy Nothing eagerly, convinced it eases their pain. Lines form. Faith replaces reason. A social frenzy is born.

As the phenomenon grows, media attention, public hysteria, and corporate hostility collide. When Mark attempts to correct his mistake by replacing Nothing with real supplements, chaos erupts. Authorities intervene. The pharmaceutical industry strikes back. Mark is arrested and brought to trial.

Faced with a choice between legal defense and moral responsibility, Mark pleads guilty. He accepts a prison sentence, believing accountability matters more than victory. Inside a federal prison, his integrity and medical knowledge unexpectedly restore dignity, healing inmates and even the warden’s wife. His conduct becomes exemplary.

Meanwhile, a biotechnology company recognizes the value of Mark’s lifelong research. Through lawful means, compassionate release is granted. Mark leaves prison not vindicated, but transformed.

He begins a new life at EverLeaf Therapeutics, where his plant-based formulas finally receive the respect, resources, and ethical framework they deserve. In his office, one empty box of Nothing remains on display: a reminder that belief can distort truth, but also reveal it.

Nothing is a satirical yet human novel about trust, illusion, responsibility, and the dangerous power of hope in a world desperate for miracles.