From the acclaimed author of The One and The Marriage Act, The Family Experiment is a dark and brilliant speculative thriller about families: real and virtual!
John Marrs Book order







- 2024
- 2024
"A proper twisty thriller."--Sarah Pinborough A stranger has infiltrated your family...and now he's taking over. Paul's just here to help, or so he claims--sent by a charity for vulnerable people to do odd jobs for elderly widow Gwen. But for Gwen's daughter Connie, there's just something about Paul that rings alarm bells from day one. He's a little too kind, a little too involved...Worse still, Gwen seems to have fallen under his spell. The last thing Connie wants is a stranger meddling in the safe routine she's built around Gwen. She loves being the one Gwen turns to for cooking, cleaning and company. But the more Paul visits, the more Gwen is relying on him. By the time he conveniently finds himself between homes and has no choice but to move in, Connie is certain he's trying to push her out completely. It's her word against his, though, and as her attempts to unmask him become ever more desperate she's not the only one left wondering if she's lost her grip on reality. But when events start spiralling rapidly out of her control, should Connie wage all-out war on Paul and risk losing Gwen forever--or has that been his plan all along?
- 2023
'Clever, compelling and terrifyingly plausible' - C. J. Tudor, author of A Sliver of Darkness What if marriage was the law? Dare you disobey? Set in the same world as The One, now a Netflix Original Series, The Marriage Act is a dark, high-concept thriller from bestselling author John Marrs. 'A page-turning and thought-provoking read' - Daily Mirror Britain. The near future. A right-wing government believes it has the answer to society's ills - the Sanctity of Marriage Act, which actively encourages marriage as the norm, punishing those who choose to remain single. But four couples are about to discover just how impossible relationships can be when the government is supervising every aspect of our personal lives, monitoring every word, every minor disagreement - and will use every tool in its arsenal to ensure everyone will love, honour and obey . . . Shortlisted for the Goodreads Awards 2023. Black Mirror meets thriller with a dash of Naomi Alderman's The Power. 'One of the most exciting original thriller writers' - Simon Kernick, author of Good Cop Bad Cop 'Brilliantly tricksy' - Liz Nugent, author of Strange Sally Diamond 'Dark, immersive speculative fiction at it's very best!' - Sarah Pearse, author of The Retreat and The Sanatorium
- 2022
In this chilling novel from bestselling author John Marrs, a young couple's house hides terrible secrets--and not all of them are confined to the past. Mia and Finn are busy turning a derelict house into their dream home when Mia unexpectedly falls pregnant. But just when they think the house is ready, Mia discovers a chilling message scored into a skirting board: I WILL SAVE THEM FROM THE ATTIC. Following the clue up into the eaves, the couple make a gruesome discovery: their dream home was once a house of horrors. In the wake of their traumatic discovery, the baby arrives and Mia can't shake her fixation with the monstrous crimes that happened right above them. Haunted by the terrible things she saw and desperate to find answers, her obsession pulls her ever further from her husband. Secrecy shrouds the mystery of the attic, but when shards of a dark truth start to emerge, Mia realises the danger is terrifyingly present. She is prepared to do anything to protect her family--but is it already too late?
- 2022
The Vacation is a compulsive, holiday-set thriller from John Marrs, the author of The One. How far would you run to escape your past? Venice Beach, Los Angeles. A paradise on earth. Tourists flock to the golden coast and the promise of Hollywood. But for eight strangers at a beach front hostel, there is far more on their mind than an extended vacation. All of them are running from something. And they all have secrets they'd kill to keep . . . Originally published as Welcome to Wherever You Are, this is a re-edited release perfect for fans of T. M. Logan. __________________________________________________________________ What real readers are saying about this addictive, page-turning thriller: 'There are so many twists and turns that I felt as if I were on the world's biggest roller-coaster. ' 'A terrific novel that should appeal to anyone who enjoys complex, character-driven, suspense novels.' 'brilliantly written' 'LOVED this book! Love John Marrs books' 'an incredible read, highly recommended to all!'
- 2020
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...
- 2020
What Lies Between Us
- 362 pages
- 13 hours of reading
ITW Thriller Award winner International Book Awards winner Nina can never forgive Maggie for what she did. And she can never let her leave. They say every house has its secrets, and the house that Maggie and Nina have shared for so long is no different. Except that these secrets are not buried in the past. Every other night, Maggie and Nina have dinner together. When they are finished, Nina helps Maggie back to her room in the attic, and into the heavy chain that keeps her there. Because Maggie has done things to Nina that can't ever be forgiven, and now she is paying the price. But there are many things about the past that Nina doesn't know, and Maggie is going to keep it that way--even if it kills her. Because in this house, the truth is more dangerous than lies.
- 2020
The Passengers
- 352 pages
- 13 hours of reading
You’re riding in your self-driving car when suddenly the doors lock, the route changes and you have lost all control. Then, a mysterious voice tells you, “You are going to die.” Just as self-driving cars become the trusted, safer norm, eight people find themselves in this terrifying situation, including a faded TV star, a pregnant young woman, an abused wife fleeing her husband, an undocumented immigrant, a husband and wife, and a suicidal man. From cameras hidden in their cars, their panic is broadcast to millions of people around the world. But the public will show their true colors when they are asked, "Which of these people should we save?...And who should we kill first?"
- 2018
The Good Samaritan
- 399 pages
- 14 hours of reading
She's a friendly voice on the phone. But can you trust her? The people who call End of the Line need hope. They need reassurance that life is worth living. But some are unlucky enough to get through to Laura. Laura doesn't want them to hope. She wants them to die. Laura hasn't had it easy: she's survived sickness and a difficult marriage only to find herself heading for forty, unsettled and angry. She doesn't love talking to people worse off than she is. She craves it. But now someone's on to her--Ryan, whose world falls apart when his pregnant wife ends her life, hand in hand with a stranger. Who was this man, and why did they choose to die together? The sinister truth is within Ryan's grasp, but he has no idea of the desperate lengths Laura will go to... Because the best thing about being a Good Samaritan is that you can get away with murder. Revised edition: This edition of The Good Samaritan includes editorial revisions.
- 2017
When You Disappeared
- 354 pages
- 13 hours of reading
"Previously self-published as The wronged sons in Great Britain in 2014"--Title page verso.