Set in a future society where multiple minds can inhabit one body, Morpuss’ breathtaking mix of science fiction and crime thriller is based upon a dazzling central conceit that renders the novel truly unputdownable.
The Earth's spiralling population has finally been controlled. Lifespans are limited to eighty years, except for those who make an extreme choice: to become a commune. Five minds sharing one body, each living for four hours at a time.
But with a combined lifespan of nearly 150 years. Alex, Kate, Mike, Sierra and Ben have already spent twenty-five years together in what was once Mike's body, their frequent personality clashes leading to endless bickering, countless arguments, and getting themselves stranded on a Russian Artic freighter.
Wanting to buy upgrades for their next host body, they decide to travel to a Death Park where time can be gambled like money. But things go very wrong when Kate accepts a dangerous offer, and one of them disappears. Someone is trying to kill off members of the commune. But why? Is one of them responsible? Or is an outsider playing a deadly game?
It's hard enough to catch a murderer. It's almost impossible when you might be sharing a body with them... This brilliant murder mystery blends classic crime with speculative fiction in a stunning debut.
Publisher: Profile Books Ltd
ISBN: 9781788165662
Number of pages: 320
Weight: 520 g
Dimensions: 236 x 158 x 34 mm
Edition: Main
This thriller is science fiction wrapped in a murder mystery that scrambles and blows your mind... It is an addictive read that will remain with you long after you emerge blinking from the rabbit hole - The Times
A marvellously twisty whodunnit [with] the brutal, clockwork ingenuity of an Agatha Christie mystery - Financial Times
A pacy, exciting and most unusual crime story - Guardian
My mind is officially blown! This clever, twisty debut really delivers. Gripping, well-written and intriguing on every level - Sarah Pearse, bestselling author of THE SANATORIUM
The ultimate whodunit conundrum, this amazing concept blew my mind from the start. A thrilling, intelligent read - Janice Hallett, author of THE APPEAL
Guy Morpuss is set to become a powerhouse in speculative crime. Tense, dark, gritty and high-concept, it's a feast of a book - Helen Fields, author of A PERFECT CRIME
Five Minds spearheads an exciting new trend in speculative fiction, with a mind-stretching and irresistible premise deftly spun into a twisty, page-turning action-thriller. Clever, cool and thoroughly entertaining - Philippa East, author of LITTLE WHITE LIES
Consider my single mind blown! An astonishing and original concept, deftly executed. This novel cries out for a screen adaptation - David Jackson, bestselling author of CRY BABY
A dazzling, thrilling rollercoaster ride: five strangers forced to share a body in a resource-depleted future find themselves caught up in a murder mystery. Full of ideas and excitement, it's a gripping fast-paced read - Alex Pavesi, author of EIGHT DETECTIVES
A whip-smart, searing debut with a story which grinds into the mind like cursed clockwork. I really loved it - Matt Wesolowski, author of SIX STORIES
A brilliantly inventive, pacy debut with a great premise. A Maze Runner type world of complex death games and riddles that keep you guessing to the very end. If you liked The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, you'll love this - Eve Smith, author of THE WAITING ROOMS
Fascinating and inventive. A brilliantly original concept, thrilling and surprising but also thoughtful and heartbreaking - Catherine Cooper, author of THE CHALET
Part Bladerunner part Agatha Christie, this mind-bending pacy debut gives a whole new meaning to the locked-room mystery. Five Minds deserves to be huge - Imran Mahmood, author of YOU DON'T KNOW ME
Thrilling dystopian sci-fi meets twisty murder mystery in this mind-bendingly original debut. Five Minds is nothing short of a cross-genre masterpiece - Adam Christopher, author of EMPIRE STATE
Amazingly addictive. A wicked, twisty blend of The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, Blade Runner and even a pinch of Rollerball - Kate Griffin, author of KITTY PECK AND THE MUSIC HALL MURDERS
I loved Five Minds - the worldbuilding of Gibson with the pace of The Running Man. A fantastic ride and a brilliant debut! - Tim Glister, author of RED CORONA
Five Minds literally blew my mind, with a stunning concept that takes you on a terrifying trip with five souls crammed into one body, every one of them a suspect. Devoured in 24 hours, and will take some dislodging from the top of my 'best reads of 2021' pile - Robert Scragg, author of WHAT FALLS BETWEEN THE CRACKS
Extraordinary. Mindblowing, original and fiendishly clever. I'll be thinking about this book for a very long time - Victoria Selman, author of SNAKES AND LADDERS
Gripping, fast-paced and incredibly original. Five Minds is out of this world in the best possible way - Allie Reynolds, author of SHIVER
A gripping, clever and innovative story: this book sucked me into its dark, futuristic world where nothing is as it seems and no one can be trusted. The ending left me reeling! A fantastic debut - Louise Mumford, author of SLEEPLESS
After a few pages I was hooked into a new world, manned by workers, andis, hedonists and communes. Imagine an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, The Hunger Games, Sophie's Choice and a whodunit under one cover. I loved it and wouldn't be surprised if it gets optioned for a movie - Jenny O'Brien, author of FALLEN ANGEL
I loved the brilliant, brain-grabbing Five Minds. An extraordinary concept with a spanking crime mystery at its heart - Chris Lloyd, author of THE UNWANTED DEAD
Think The Seven Deaths Of Evelyn Hardcastle meets Running Man. So intelligent and yet so easy to read. Totally recommend - S.E. Moorhead, author of WITNESS X
Inventive, innovative and imaginative. Five Minds was a trip that had me thrilled and terrified in equal measure. Utterly mind-bending - J.M. Hewitt, author of THE NIGHT CALLER
Smart world-building, fantastic near-future ideas, and an ingenious structure that kept the tension at a peak for chapter after chapter - Dan Malakin, author of THE REGRET
High stakes and the dark corners of the human psyche: Five Minds is a fascinating extrapolation of society and a claustrophobic, deft whodunit - Patrick Edwards, author of RUIN'S WAKE
A real feat of the imagination: wildly original and a thrilling read - Louisa Scarr, author of LAST PLACE YOU LOOK
Fiendishly clever and dashed with humour. You're pulled into a world that is fully immersive. One of the most original books I've ever read - Chris McDonald, author of A WASH OF BLACK
The perfect blend of speculative fiction and crime. I couldn't stop turning the pages - Lia Middleton, author of WHEN THEY FIND HER
Clever, twisty, insightful. It reminded me of a cross between Michael Marshall Smith and Iain M. Banks, and that at its best sci-fi raises themes that shine a light back on contemporary world through a great story. Brilliant - James Mylet, author of LEX
Imaginative, twisty and brilliantly fun. I loved each of the expertly-drawn characters and their journey through a world where time is everything. Guy Morpuss has crafted a deliciously devourable tale that will have you on the edge of your seat - Lynsey James, author of JUST THE WAY YOU ARE
Like no other book you have ever read. Very clever combination of sci if, thriller and crime. Very well written and characterised. The five separate voices are unique and there is a humour running through their... More
Guy Morpuss delivers a powerful story that is a strange blend of crime thriller and scfi fantasy and which had me on the edge of my seat till the very end. A tantalizing glimpse into a future world where time itself... More
(3.5 stars from me)
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