The Penguin Podcast is back! Listen Now
Tick Tock

Tick Tock

A Times Thriller of the Year

Summary

'A slice of scary, escapist fun' Observer
'The twists and turns are never-ending' Daily Mail
'An unnervingly plausible and scintillatingly paced thriller' Radio Times
'A phenomenal thriller, meticulously plotted and brilliantly realised' Clare Mackintosh, Books of the Year
_____

If you can hear it, your time is running out.

Teacher Kit Chaplin can't understand why some students at his north London school are experiencing an extreme ticking noise in their ears. Perhaps it's just a severe form of tinnitus? But only days later, it spreads to more students - and starts leaving bodies in its wake.

Eminent vaccinologist Lilly Slater has never seen anything like this before. She must race against the clock to work out what is happening - and to find a cure.

But their investigation throws up more questions than answers until they realise the mystery behind the illness is even bigger than they could have imagined...

Will the truth behind this catastrophe become clear before it's too late?
_____

Readers are loving Tick Tock

'Well, BBC Radio presenter Simon Mayo sure can write a darned good thriller!'
'An excellent conspiracy theory thriller, it's exciting, full of danger... it's riveting and hard to put down'
'I was utterly gripped and read this in one sitting! I could feel the tension and fear in every page - loved it!'
'Never has there been a more timely thriller! I was gripped from the first page. I was so immersed, I read it in one night.'

Reviews

  • Tick Tock is an unnervingly plausible and scintillatingly paced thriller
    Radio Times

About the author

Simon Mayo

Simon Mayo MBE is a writer and broadcaster. His previous books include the Sunday Times bestseller Knife Edge, Mad Blood Stirring, Blame and the Itch trilogy, filmed for TV by the ABC. He hosts Drivetime on Greatest Hits Radio and hosts the 'The Take' film-review podcast with Professor Mark Kermode.
Learn More

Sign up to the Penguin Newsletter

For the latest books, recommendations, author interviews and more