When I hear that John Marrs has a new book coming out I don’t even bother reading the blurb I just have to read it. So it was with great excitement that I started reading The Minders. This book is set in the future and in it there are small references to two of Johns previous books ; The One and The Passengers. If you haven’t read these books it actually won’t take away from the enjoyment of The Minders but they are great reads too. The Minders for me was a brilliant read that had me hooked from the first page. It is a gripping futuristic thriller that I highly recommend..

The Minders was my first book by John Marrs but now I am beyond excited to read all of his other works!

I had no idea that this was set in the same universe as The One and The Passengers, but it didn't impact on my enjoyment of the story- only made me more excited to read those! We follow four people tasked with becoming 'minders' of the UK's most highly classified information. Because of their neurological capabilities stemming from their synthesia, their brains are essentially unhackable.

➽ Flick Kennedy
After being 'matched' with a serial killer she became emotionally fragile and a recluse. What sort of person could she be if a murderer is her true love?

➽ Charlie Manchester
After all his friends have matches and not him, he slowly becomes more and more depressed. But after becoming a minder he doesn't feel any pain, emotional or otherwise. He finds himself craving the simple act of feeling something, anything.

➽ Sinead Kelly
In an emotionally abusive relationship, Sinead has been transformed from a confident, self assured woman into a dependent, shy wife. When she is given the opportunity to become a minder, she takes it with open arms but her 'new life' turns out to be more complicated than her old one.

➽ Bruno York
A single parent looking after his autistic son. When one day his son solves the puzzle on Bruno's phone, entering him into the world of the minders- Bruno begins to fall prey to the hallucinations and voices in his head that slowly corrupt him

➽ Emilia
After waking up with no memories except her own name, Emilia escapes her prison only to be taken home by a man claiming to be her husband. The key to discovering truth lies with the minders, who she becomes determined to track down.

Where to even begin...
The Minders was brilliant in concept and execution. The premise was original and engaging, elevated by the cast of characters and occasional mixed media element. The characters all had such interesting and unexpected arcs. I loved the exploration of choices, and how everything compounds together. I don't want to spoil a single thing about this book- so I won't talk about the ending, only that it was no where near where I expected it to end up when I began. I didn't see any of the plot twists coming, let alone guess at the truth.

My only complaint is that I wanted more. My inner conspiracy theory lover was hanging on to every mention of coverups and lies but because the minders weren't allowed to talk about what they knew, we were only teased about the truth behind some events.

I read this at a really busy time, and so didn't get the chance to become completely immersed in the story. This book was so intricate that I think I need to reread it in order to fully grasp everything that occurred.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this, particularly if you have read and loved John Marrs' books in the past. You might enjoy this one a little more with some background knowledge of the world, but it is definitely not required reading. Prepare yourself, this is a wild ride!

Thank you to Random House UK for this ARC

Ebook Release Date: 23 July 2020

Wow John Marrs has done it again! Absolutely fantastic book, I love how it has interweaved his previous future based novels into this one and forms part of the story. I could not put this down and cannot wait for his next book!

I'm a huge fan of John Marrs books and I was eager to pick this one up as soon as it was released.

Boy I was in for a real treat, this is a similar style as the passengers and set in the future, with some government secrets thrown in. It had a cast of strong characters and a brilliant storyline.

Real life got in the way whilst reading this one as I did not want to put the book down. As expected it had twists throughout and the five main characters had me chasing through the pages wanting to know what was in store for these people.

I stayed up late to finish this book and I loved it. Well done John Marrs another fantastic read!!

If you've yet to read his books, John Marrs has created a future where the cars are automatic, cash is obsolete, everything is online, and love is found through DNA matching. It's a scary place but one that you can't help but think will happen one day – it isn't that far-fetched.

In The Minders, we meet five different but equally important people. People who are at a place in their lives where they're lost. They have loved and lost, they've been let down by those around them, and they're vulnerable.

Each of them see the same advert online:

Click here to start your life again. Less than one percent of the British population can solve this puzzle. Can you?

And they can.

Within days, they are each offered the opportunity to start over. To leave their shitty lives in the past and start again, and each of jumps at the chance.

Marrs tells us their individual stories in alternating chapters from the point of view of each character and I loved this set up. It made connecting with each of the Minders so easy. It made me understand why they chose to leave everything they knew behind and take up their role with the British government to protect the nation from the Hackers. When our lives are so reliant on online security, the threat the Hackers poses is beyond terrifying. Especially when they're holding other countries to ransom.

The government have developed a medical procedure which means they can hide the most important and sensitive information inside the brains of the Minders.

Bloody hell! What a thought! Scary and incredible all at once.

As we follow each character through their experience of being a Minder, we are taken on a journey of pure terror...The depth of emotion I felt for each of the Minders is testament to Marrs' skill as an author. And the plot is wicked and stunning and I adored reading it...I loved being on the journey with them. It's a complete thrill-fest! Lots and lots of shocking moments where I couldn't help but gasp out loud! Brilliant!

Marrs is a complete genius...As I said earlier, nothing he writes about is so far out there you can't imagine it happening. I am starting to wonder if he knows something the rest of us don't!

All in all, this is another stonkingly brilliant read from Marrs and one which you absolutely need to read!

What if you had the chance to start your life afresh, receive expert training and unlimited funds, protect your country and get the inside scoop on government secrets? It’s a no brainer, right? Well talking of brains....

This is the opportunity presented to the minders - five years of hiding government secrets in your brain, keeping them safe from hacker attacks and then you are set for life. Winner winner!

Except this is a book written by John Marrs so buckle up for a twisted and creepy rollercoaster ride.

It’s a really interesting concept for a novel and it’s written brilliantly. Tension from the word go? Tick. Chapters from each character’s perspective? Tick. Catching up on the world after “The One” and “The Passengers”? Tick! Red herrings and jaw dropping plot twists? Tick. Moments that are so creepy you get actual goosebumps? Tick, and I am looking at you Bruno! The perfect ending? Tick tick tickety tIck.

Move it to the top of your TBR pile this very moment. You can thank me later.

Oh this book was just absolutely brilliant from the very beginning and right to the very last sentence!

It is set years into the future with some very flashy and futuristic gadgets that are very believable and I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s what everyone will be using in the not so near future. I loved the references to the past, such as retro music including Justin Bieber and even the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic! Despite the new gadgets and advancements it still feels authentic and nothing felt out of place or too far fetched.

Each of the minders have their own complex stories and difficulties in life which are broken down in each chapter. The lives they led before becoming a minder definitely contribute to how they act to situations once they become a minder. Bruno was a heartbreaking character who has an autistic child and I could feel how guilty he felt having to leave him.

Each chapter left me wanting more and with so many secrets you are constantly asking yourself, who can I trust?

It’s hard to go into too much detail without ruining the plot, I feel like you need to read it without too much knowledge and just enjoy the rollercoaster ride. I wanted characters to succeed, I was frustrated with some, I questioned their motives but that’s what made it so good.

Overall it was a gripping and scary read, a concept that isn’t that outrageous and could be a possibility in years! I loved every moment and as always it has some great twists and shocking moments that I didn’t see coming.

Wow. Just wow. John Marrs has done it again. I have read all his books and they never disappoint. Every one is always my new favourite! The genius in this one is that it links in two of my other favourites The One and The Passengers (don't worry if you haven't read them as it's a perfectly good standalone).

It's the 21st Century and the countries classified information is at risk. The only way to defeat cyberterrorism and the threat of hacking is to take everything off line and put in the care of the Minders. Five exceptional people have been chosen, through a series of tests and training, to have all sensitive, classified information placed inside their heads. To do this they must give up everything they know and start a new life. As memories old and new start to collide and secrets begin to surface just who can be trusted? Who is telling the truth?

A fabulous, fast paced, unputdownable read. A massive 5 star recommendation.

I really enjoy reading John Marrs books and I was delighted to receive an advanced copy of his new book The Minders.
I enjoyed this book and all it’s twists and turns about a government programme to install the nation’s secrets into the brains of members of the public to keep it safe from cyber attacks.
Some really good characters and the tension grew from Chaper to Chaper.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK - Cornerstone for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 enjoyable stars

As one of John Marrs biggest fans / stalkers, I delved in with the usual high hopes.

But something didn’t quite click for me with this book and I’m not entirely sure what it was.

Maybe it was the fact you never really got to know or like any of the characters, and the chapters were all over the place at times.

Maybe it was as simple as the general premise not being one of my usual genres (it’s set it the future)

Overall it was enjoyable, I think I just have very high expectations these days!

The Minders By John Marrs
Anyone who knows me, will know I love books written by John. I have read all apart from one of his books and loved them all, and this new book is no exception.
I loved how it linked in with The One, with DNA matches and The Passengers with driverless cars and is set in the not too distant future. This book had me from the beginning, giving people the opportunity to start their lives over if they could complete a specifically designed puzzle. I liked each character, and loved trying to work out what their secrets were.
This book would be a good read for conspiracy theorists!
I raced through this book, dying to see how it would turn out!
5/5 for me.

John Marrs does it again…how does it even do it? Every book smashed out of the park! Despite other commitments, this book got bumped right to the top of my top be read pile and was consumed within a day or so.

I wouldn’t usually think to read this book from the description, secrets around every government lie, conspiracy theory and cover up wouldn’t be top of my list. With the first few pages I also began to wonder when I realised that its set in the future and has drones and automated cars etc. however, I am so glad that, due to the author I decided to read it anyway.

This was an amazing story. Really outside my normal reading, Marrs has transported us into the future where five strangers have been selected to become ‘Minders” and hold all of the classified information from the government. Together they know every secret, government lie, conspiracy theory and cover up. This is a very scary thought in itself but, understandably, computers and files can be hacked hence the unusual initiative. Some really scary thoughts in here as well around automated cars going wrong and causing crashes etc, definitely an eye watering look at what could become. Unsurprisingly, people find out about the ‘Minders’ and they find themselves being hunted.

I think this man may be a genius, this was a brilliant book. The plot is amazing, even to someone who wouldn’t usually be particularly interested from the synopsis. As always, this is a fast paced, action filled story. Its believable and captures you right until the very lovely ending.

An intricate and complex story but the characters are well written, they are strong, believable and you feel that you know them well, they are also quite varied with different experiences and back stories. The twists and turns hold your interest well.

I would highly recommend you slipping this book to the top of your to be read pile, just like I did!

John Marrs just doesn't let you down!!

This is so fast paced, it has you trying to turn the page as quickly as you possibly can with so many 'OMG' moments!! I have literally been unable to put this book down since I picked it up!!

I will recommend that you read two previous novels, The One and Passengers, as the plots of these stories will add depth to this book!! I am a huge fan of these previous books so I was so excited when The Minders takes place in the aftermath of these. You can definitely read this as a stand alone but to be honest, they are amazing too and you simply need to read them!! Do it!!

Thank you so much to Delrey and Netgalley for the advanced copy! Loved it!!

**Spoiler-free Review**

‘Click here to start your life again.’
‘Less than one percent of the British population can solve this puzzle. Can you?’

The Minders by John Marrs is gripping! It’s so incredibly intense; a twisted roller coaster so fast-paced you literally cannot move or attempt to do anything else. Once again John Marrs teases with a chapter from each main character, which in its very own way ends in an ‘OMG what?!’ before moving on to the next character’s chapter. You feel like you’re racing a gauntlet of cliff-hangers, waiting to make a thrilling discovery for each character, but really you’re racing to know their ultimate fate in the race against cyber-terrorism.

“DNA is a single molecule that stores all the data that makes us who we are as individuals. But we can now turn anything into code, even voices and images. A limitless amount can be stored onto a single strand of DNA, the equivalent of seventy billion floppy disks…The DNA will be stored inside a plastic bead and injected into lesser used sections of their brains where the contents will disperse and can only be retrieved in a laboratory procedure…”

John Marrs has a unique formula and it’s magnificent in its perfection. We have loved every single book this Author has written and whilst The Minders is a complete standalone, we highly recommend reading The One and The Passengers, not only are they both brilliant five-star reads, but they’re also very much linked to The Minders. So who are the characters that had us so utterly compelled in The Minders?

‘She had not been a bitter person…Her glass had mostly been half-full and positively overflowing…’

Flick is pretty much living the life of a recluse after a horrifying discovery. Emotionally disturbed at her DNA match with a dead serial killer finds her living in darkness and dependant on addictive stimulus to avoid the outside. Flick is an interesting character and perhaps the one we connected with the most. She questions herself constantly and harbours feelings of self-loathing at consequences out of her control, leading to her obsessive behaviour.

‘He wondered how many other Minders there were and if, like him, they’d taken advantage… He felt like a completely new man because that’s exactly what he was.’

Charlie is anxiety-ridden, a tragic and harrowing experience has left him friendless, lonely and incapable of feeling heightened emotions, other than those of deep despair. Charlie wants to feel something other than regret and guilt. We really felt for him as he came across as a nice bloke who tried too hard to be liked and feel part of something, but Charlie lost his way to his own insecurities and self-professed flaws.

‘And he began to calmly wonder, if he couldn’t feel physical or emotional pain, just how much of his old self remained? Who was he now?’

Emily is desperate to find out who she is after suffering a complete memory loss. She knows she’s being followed and that people are after her, but why? Emily was a conundrum to us as we just couldn’t figure out where she fitted in, and in a way, we felt almost protective of her character throughout the chapters.

‘She speculated as to how many other Minders there were. Had they started off as broken as her? Had they required as much rebuilding as she had?’

Sinead lives in a state of numbness from increasing emotional abuse at the hands of her husband. He controls her every move and she’s desperate to break free. She lives in permanent guilt and feels defeated but has an inner spark yet to be extinguished. We rooted for Sinead to find peace.

‘Think positive thoughts…That will keep them quiet.’

Bruno lost his wife when the Hacking Collective orchestrated a sensational hack on driverless cars. He’s been betrayed, and now all he has is his son who needs permanent care. Bruno harbours deep resentment spiralling into uncontrolled hatred. He blames everyone for where his life has ended up.

‘They call these four people the Minders and they’re protecting something that doesn’t belong to them.’

So, what do these ‘random’ people have in common other than the anomaly in their brain resulting in synaesthesia? A bleak existence, a general perception of being misunderstood, loneliness, controlled by their thoughts and by other people. Each one reacting and behaving in their very own unique response to a common enemy and state of mind. Performing a task of great national security whilst finding themselves. A blank slate; a new life. Becoming pawns in a government initiative to combat the worldwide incapacitation by the Hacking Collective.

“I know who you are! You’re terrorists! You’re the Hacking Collective!”

John Marrs ensures that as readers we bond with every single character, so thoroughly are they fleshed out in this storyline of shocks, thrills and intensity. They may not be perfect, behave with morals or even be particularly admirable people. However, each and every single one of them has a ‘uniquely theirs’ story to tell which we just cannot help connect to and feel the enormity of. Each being turned into a weapon. Perfection in imperfection, their aim is to survive whilst knowing the hidden truth about every single secret the government has kept from the public. The truths the Hacking Collective is desperate to know in order to hold the world hostage.

“…their consciousness will be stripped and rebuilt according to the criteria required for a successful deployment. They will be taught to assess all risks and react accordingly to trust no one, and to die or to kill for their country if necessary.”

We’ve admired the way in which John Marrs writes for years now. But it’s not only his flawless and outstanding writing, it’s his unique and clever take on scientific as well as social issues which are, yes, taken to the next level and may seem somewhat incredible, however, there is no doubt that in each one of his books, the grain of possible truths sparkle like diamonds amongst the dull rocks. It’s not only fascinating but overwhelmingly frightening too. The concept of The Minders should be so incredibly far-fetched in its thrilling and scientifically coded perspective. But is it really? Maybe only John Marrs knows the answer to this as he continuously freaks us out in his sage manner of storytelling!

“It’s a brand new world we are living in and these are difficult times. Would it really do us that much damage if the worst parts of our history were erased?”

John Marrs has an enormous fan following and the reason for this is very simple.. he never disappoints his readers! I would recommend anyone picking up The Minders to read The One ( my personal favourite of all times) and Passengers, before starting with The Minders. While it is a stand alone book, reading the previous books adds more depth and understanding to his latest offering. It’s a great book and I don’t want to write anything else except, just read it!

I really enjoy reading books by John Marrs so was really excited to start this.

Read over two days, it had me hooked from the first page! It is fast paced and has a good storyline. In the story we follow the lives of five people who are extraordinary. They are given the opportunity to leave their pasts and mistakes behind and start again elsewhere. Soon though, they find themselves being hunted.
The book has moments of the Authors previous books The One and The Passengers in it too, which makes it extra special. They three stories tie in together nicely. The story also had lots of wow jaw dropping moments for me too, which I loved. The whole book kept me on the edge of my seat. A fantastic read!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Random House Uk for an ARC of this amazing book in exchange for my honest review.

Having read all bar one of John's books, I can honestly say I am yet to be disappointed. The man is pure genius. I have said it before and I'll say it again - pure genius!

The Minders is about a unique government initiative which was created to help keep top secret files and secrets safe. Five ordinary people have been selected to become the latest weapon to help combat cyber terrorism. Using a unique and complex medical procedure, they have become the ultimate secret keepers, as the country's most secretive information is taken offline and planted into their heads. When the Minders start being killed, we see what happens to the nation's security and what the other Minders do to ensure they are not next.

This book took me right back to 'The One' (one of my favourite books of all time) and it also references 'The Passengers' too. Which excited me whilst reading it.

It has the futuristic element, I might add, a totally believable futuristic element weaved throughout the book and given the current climate it seemed even more believable. I might also add that I liked that it referenced Covid-19, even if it was like wow were living that now and it was referenced as a past action. It takes a clever mind to think forward rather than live in the now and it's one of the reasons I love John's work. The One kicked it all of but then the passengers and now this, all points seem possible and really it's quite scary!

I really enjoyed this book! I loved getting to know the 5 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.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy of the book - all views and opinions are my own.

4.5 Stars

So, it's a weird place to start but I loved the ending. After the super sonic roller coaster of a story, the ending felt beyond perfect. I'd love more of that part of the story.

It's an amazingly intricate and complex story. whilst there are references to some of his previous work in passing it's totally stand alone. I loved a few of the characters but they weren't all loveable or easy to work out. I love the kick in the teeth when you get it wrong! ooops

I didn't go with 5 unreserved stars because I found some of it quite difficult to understand. I know that's a reflection of me and my level of intelligence but I guess it's my review!

I love John Marrs and his strange Black Mirror-sequel books have not disappointed me so far. This one was interesting, with varied characters and multiple perspectives. I got a little lost trying to remember who was Flick and who was Sinead but pretty quickly they started to stand out as characters in their own right. Loved this book.

From the writer of ‘The One’ comes ‘The Minders’, a rollercoaster of a book set at an unspecified time in the future. There is so much going on, lots of different characters, twists and turns, lies, secrets, murder...you name it, it’s probably in there!
The premise of the story is that the Government are trying to protect our secret data from being hacked by implanting it into human hosts for 5 years. These hosts have access to all the conspiracy theories, Government secrets etc, but in exchange they have to give up their lives and start fresh.
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This novel was thrilling, addictive and fast paced. There is a lot going on so I felt I needed to read big chunks at a time to really keep on track with the plot. There were definitely a few surprises all the way through and just when I thought I’d figured it out....there was another twist and turn. One of the aspects I liked was that Marrs makes reference to his previous novels ‘The One’ and ‘Passengers’ but I wouldn’t say you needed to read them first as it’s all explained throughout.
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Thank you to @NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.