Book Review: The Minders by John Marrs

“Everyone has secrets. They know yours…”

The 2020 book from John Marrs, The Minders is set in a near-future world information is king. But computers can be hacked, files can be broken into. So a unique government initiative has been borne. Five ordinary people have been selected to become the latest weapon in thwarting cyber terrorism. A revolutionary medical procedure has turned them into the ultimate secret keepers – the country’s most secretive 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. Only somebody has discovered who the secret keepers are. And one by one, they are being hunted down…

Rating:

Thank you to NetGalley for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another mind-blowingly intelligent thriller from John Marrs, The Minders is a brilliantly written and superbly complex story that is driven by tension-fuelled action.

With references to The One and The Passengers, I love this near-future world that Marrs has created. It’s so original and well-thought-out but it also feels completely believable. Some elements are so close to home that there’s always an added element of horror in how some of these technological advances may become reality (or maybe some are even happening already), especially with how our personal data is involved.

Marrs uses his trademark technique of short chapters told through a number of characters. Usually, this is what keeps me so gripped to his books as the frequent mini-cliffhangers keep the story rapidly progressing and you constantly on edge. But while I was eager to keep reading, I wasn’t quite so gripped this time around.

The problem for me was that I didn’t see how one story, in particular, was related to the others, which did stunt my enthusiasm at the start. But it all leads up to an exhilarating ending, and I love how the story comes together in the end. It completely took me by surprise and I’m forever blown away by Marrs’ storytelling genius.

Marrs is most definitely one of the best authors out there at the minute. While this wasn’t an instant favourite for me as the three other books I have read by him have been so far, there is no doubting his capabilities as a phenomenally talented writer.