9 books for Black Mirror lovers photo: HBO

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Reading lists

9 books to read if you love Black Mirror

A near-future thriller with a killer twist

The Passengers

The high concept thriller from the bestselling author of THE ONE - now a major Netflix series.

'Provocative, terrifying and compulsive. Another savagely clever near future thriller' - Cara Hunter, bestselling author of Close to Home. 
 
From author of THE ONE - now a major Netflix series - and soon to be published THE FAMILY EXPERIMENT! 
 
------------------------- 
 
Eight self-drive cars set on a collision course. Who lives, who dies? You decide. 
 
When someone hacks into the systems of eight self-driving cars, their passengers are set on a fatal collision course. 
 
The passengers are: a TV star, a pregnant young woman, a disabled war hero, an abused wife fleeing her husband, an undocumented immigrant, a husband and wife - and parents of two - who are travelling in separate vehicles and a suicidal man. Now the public have to judge who should survive but are the passengers all that they first seem? 
 
____________________ 
 
'A 1970s disaster movie by way of Black Mirror, with a dash of Michael Crichton ... a sleek, exhilarating ride' - Financial Times 
 
'With some real jaw dropping moments, it was an edge of your seat read that even surpassed The One' - Claire Allan, bestselling author Her Name Was Rose 
 
'Full of twists, vividly drawn characters you'll love or love to loathe, and pacy action...it's a hell of a ride' - SFX 
 
'Marrs is brilliant at twists and for the addicts of adrenaline-fuelled twisty rides, this book really delivers the goods' - Peter James, UK No. 1 bestselling author

Another savagely clever near-future thriller. Provocative, terrifying and compulsive. If you loved The One, you'll love this!

Sunday Times bestselling author of Close to Home

Marrs is brilliant at twists and for the addicts of adrenaline-fuelled twisty rides, this book really delivers the goods

One of the most exciting, original thriller writers out there. I never miss one of his books

With some real jaw dropping moments, it was an edge of your seat read that even surpassed The One. This will be the must read book of summer 2019.

The Passengers is a 1970s disaster movie by way of Black Mirror. If you're looking for a sleek, exhilarating ride, look no further

Fast-paced, gripping and with twists and turns that catch you unawares – you’ll want to hang on to your seat belts until the very last page.

full of twists, vividly drawn characters you’ll love or love to loathe, and pacy action…it’s a hell of a ride

The One

Now a major Netflix series!

HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO TO FIND THE ONE? A unique and heart-stopping psychological thriller, perfect for fans of BEHIND HER EYES and BLACK MIRROR.

NOW A MAJOR NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES 
 
HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO TO FIND THE ONE? 
 
A No. 1 ebook bestseller and featured on Simon Mayo's Radio 2 book club. Perfect for fans of BEHIND HER EYES and BLACK MIRROR. From author of THE PASSENGERS and soon to be published THE FAMILY EXPERIMENT! 
 
One simple mouth swab is all it takes. A quick DNA test to find your perfect partner - the one you're genetically made for. 
 
A decade after scientists discover everyone has a gene they share with just one other person, millions have taken the test, desperate to find true love. Now, five more people meet their Match. But even soul mates have secrets. And some are more shocking - and deadlier - than others... 
 
_____________________________ 
 
With over 3000 5* reviews, this is what real readers are saying about this addictive, page-turning thriller: 
 
'I just couldn't stop reading' 
 
'Brilliant twists that I didn't see coming' 
 
'One of the most gripping stories I've read for a long while' 
 
'I was hooked and didn't want it to end' 
 
 
(Note: Previously published as A Thousand Small Explosions)

Really clever concept and some great characters and twists. It's a real joy to read something totally original, smart and thought provoking.

Gripping from the start and full of surprises, this kept us up long after lights out

wonderful concept, ridiculously entertaining ... an absolute pleasure, the malevolence and impishness of a young Roald Dahl

fantastic ... I can't remember the last time I was simultaneously this entertained and this disturbed. The One is a clever story with great pacing but it's the characters that make this a standout thriller.

Sunday Times bestselling author of Baby Doll

Brilliantly inventive thriller, The One is a must-read for anyone who’s ever braved the dating pool

Engaging concept, craftily executed

bestselling author of The End of the World Running Club

Exciting, addictive, and enticing, The One is superbly plotted ... thrilling and intoxicating

a compelling read ... intriguing ideas

This psychological thriller is a real page-turner

[An] exciting new psychological thriller with a dark twist

The One is a unique, unpredictable and fast-paced novel that’s in equal parts unsettling and exciting ... If you’re fed-up with the samey psychological thrillers that are churned out each month, The One will restore your faith in the genre.

A fascinating thriller … A furiously paced, compelling and hugely entertaining novel which comes recommended

Really clever concept and some great characters and twists. It's a real joy to read something totally original, smart and thought-provoking.

a high octane read that will satisfy a wide variety of crime fans ... a page turner – deliciously dark, thought-provoking and hugely enjoyable

Hugely entertaining and hugely enjoyable. This is one to watch in 2017.

This smart story (that has a serial killer thrown in) proves that even with science behind it, the course of true love never runs smooth

Unlike any other psychological thriller … Like a lengthy episode of the dark TV series Black Mirror … so expertly written it gets you thinking that it could happen in real life

The One is my kind of book, one that stimulates the mind while warming the heart ... Gorgeously written, and pulsing with heart

The One is one of a kind – and singularly good.

A fresh, compelling, psychological thriller that will keep you guessing!

pacy, thrilling and very original. The plot is fabulous

A page-turning psychological thriller with a difference, this is guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat.

John Marrs is a freelance journalist based in London, England, who has spent the last 20 years interviewing celebrities from the world of television, film and music for national newspapers and magazines. 
 
He has written for publications including The Guardian's Guide and Guardian Online; OK! Magazine; Total Film; Empire; Q; GT; The Independent; Star; Reveal; Company; Daily Star and News of the World's Sunday Magazine.

NOW A MAJOR NETFLIX ORIGINAL SERIES 
 
 
HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO TO FIND THE ONE? 
 
A No. 1 ebook bestseller and featured on Simon Mayo's Radio 2 book club. Perfect for fans of BEHIND HER EYES and BLACK MIRROR. From author of THE PASSENGERS and soon to be published THE FAMILY EXPERIMENT! 
 
 
One simple mouth swab is all it takes. A quick DNA test to find your perfect partner - the one you're genetically made for. 
 
A decade after scientists discover everyone has a gene they share with just one other person, millions have taken the test, desperate to find true love. Now, five more people meet their Match. But even soul mates have secrets. And some are more shocking - and deadlier - than others... 
 
_____________________________ 
 
With over 3000 5* reviews, this is what real readers are saying about this addictive, page-turning thriller: 
 
'I just couldn't stop reading' 
 
'Brilliant twists that I didn't see coming' 
 
'One of the most gripping stories I've read for a long while' 
 
'I was hooked and didn't want it to end' 
 
 
(Note: Previously published as A Thousand Small Explosions)

John Marrs

Marrs ensures you suspend your disbelief sufficiently to inveigle you within the lives of the Minders - and then you'll be hooked.

Gripping! It's so incredibly intense; a twisted roller coaster so fast-paced you literally cannot move or attempt to do anything else. John Marrs has a unique formula and it's magnificent. This storyline of shocks, thrills and intensity. It's not only fascinating but overwhelmingly frightening too.

A hit the road running story that turns into a marathon that never stops. The story-line is superb, the likelihood possible and the outcome so believable. I was like a rabbit in headlights, mesmerized by what was in front of me but totally thrown by what was behind it all.

This being a John Marrs story, there is a sting in the tale, a twisted complex and multi-layered back story which is woven throughout the book. You wonder where and how it ties in with everything else - an experiment gone wrong perhaps - and as the story plays out the tension, and the speed of the action, begins to increase. This was a book that had me from the start and kept my attention right to the last page. Tense, exciting, with brilliant characters and a very though provoking and intriguing plot, I loved this. Definitely recommended. This has Netflix special written all over it.

If you are a fan of conspiracy theories and love a bit of science-fiction then you will thoroughly enjoy The Minders. Full of twists, turns, oohs and aahs, this book kept me gripped from the opening chapter to the final paragraph and I also admit to getting a bit teary in places.

A totally believable futuristic element weaved throughout the book and given the current climate it seemed even more believable. I really enjoyed this book! I loved getting to know the five minders and how they worked/functioned, but I also liked how John brought to life certain conspiracy theories, how items that were made real life in the book. I urge you to go and pick up. You will not be disappointed!

Fast paced and exciting, The Minders is a story that grips you from page one and doesn't let go until the very final word. It was twisty, violent, dark and utterly unique, it's a story that surprised me and left me stunned. It's definitely a book I will be recommending and one I would love to see on screen one day too.

An addictive cyber crime thriller that is audacious and brilliant in its concept. Slick, fast paced the book is a rush from page one to the very unexpected ending. A compulsive read from an author whose previous work has also been daring and enjoyably well plotted. If you haven't read any by this author I recommend you do he never fails to deliver a mind blowing read.

John Marrs is one of the most interesting authors I have come across in a long time. Each of his novels is a standalone with a story that has kept me hooked.

For me this was a read that verged from speculative into dystopian and yet was firmly grounded in the here and now. I loved the entire concept. Marrs gives readers their pound of flesh and plenty of food for thought. I really enjoyed the way the author wanders into these futuristic ideas that are absolutely viable given the right conditions.

Well, The Minders has "ADAPT ME FOR NETFLIX" written all over it! This is a compelling thriller. I was intrigued by the plot outline but after reading it, I can't believe how cleverly he brought his future world to life. A dark, gripping and unpredictable storyline that sits on your chest, slowing crushing you with the weight of its oppressive moral tale and shocking outcomes. I couldn't put it down!

This author is adept at creating scary scenarios that have the edge of possibility of coming true in the not-so-distant future [...] Tense stuff!

Five strangers guard our secrets. Four can be trusted.

The new Black Mirror-esque thriller from the author of the word-of-mouth sensation THE ONE - now a Netflix original series! 
 
Five strangers guard our secrets. Only four can be trusted... 
 
In the 21st century, information is king. But computers can be hacked and files can be broken into - so a unique government initiative has been born. Five ordinary people have been selected to become Minders - the latest weapon in thwarting cyberterrorism. Transformed by a revolutionary medical procedure, the country's most classified information has been taken offline and turned into genetic code implanted inside their heads. 
 
Together, the five know every secret - the truth behind every government lie, conspiracy theory and cover up. In return, they're given the chance to leave their problems behind and a blank slate to start their lives anew. 
 
But not everyone should be trusted, especially when they each have secrets of their own they'll do anything to protect... 
 
From author of THE ONE and soon to be published THE FAMILY EXPERIMENT! 
_________________________ 
 
'Marrs is brilliant at twists and for the addicts of adrenaline-fuelled twisty rides' PETER JAMES 
 
'One of the most exciting, original thriller writers out there. I never miss one of his books' SIMON KERNICK 
 
_________________________ 
 
&quot;Gripping! It's so incredibly intense; a twisted roller coaster so fast-paced you literally cannot move or attempt to do anything else. John Marrs has a unique formula and it's magnificent.&quot;- Totally Booked 
 
&quot;A total delight. A hugely enthralling thriller, I will read more John Marrs, as he's one not to be missed from now on in my bookish world.&quot; - What Do I Read Now? 
 
&quot;The Minders is an absolute belter of a book. John Marrs is a genius writer who reeled me in again with an addictive, more-real than real, edge-of-your-seat and twisty tale of what might await us sooner than we think.&quot; - Chocolate'n' Waffles

John Marrs

Praise for The Minders

Marrs ensures you suspend your disbelief sufficiently to inveigle you within the lives of the Minders - and then you'll be hooked.

Gripping! It's so incredibly intense; a twisted roller coaster so fast-paced you literally cannot move or attempt to do anything else. John Marrs has a unique formula and it's magnificent. This storyline of shock ...

A hit the road running story that turns into a marathon that never stops. The story-line is superb, the likelihood possible and the outcome so believable. I was like a rabbit in headlights, mesmerized by w ...

Marrs ensures you suspend your disbelief sufficiently to inveigle you within the lives of the Minders - and then you'll be hooked.

Gripping! It's so incredibly intense; a twisted roller coaster so fast-paced you literally cannot move or attempt to do anything else. John Marrs has a unique formula and it's magnificent. This storyline of shock ...

A hit the road running story that turns into a marathon that never stops. The story-line is superb, the likelihood possible and the outcome so believable. I was like a rabbit in headlights, mesmerized by w ...

Marrs ensures you suspend your disbelief sufficiently to inveigle you within the lives of the Minders - and then you'll be hooked.

Gripping! It's so incredibly intense; a twisted roller coaster so fast-paced you literally cannot move or attempt to do anything else. John Marrs has a unique formula and it's magnificent. This storyline of shock ...

A hit the road running story that turns into a marathon that never stops. The story-line is superb, the likelihood possible and the outcome so believable. I was like a rabbit in headlights, mesmerized by w ...

Books by John Marrs

Articles featuring John Marrs

9 books to read if you love Black Mirror

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