The Minders by John Marrs

I Loved this book!!!
I have read many John Marrs books and they have all being unputdownable.
The Minders was a very enjoyable read. From the beginning I just knew it was going to be good and it did not disappoint. I could not put the book down as the story kept me on the edge of my seat. The story is fast paced and exciting.
The drama and suspense are excellent. I was feeling dizzy and light headed from all the twists. I loved the Characters and the futuristic story line.
I would like to thank Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Note: You should read The One AND The Passengers before this book as it gives away some major spoilers in here.

Another cracking book by John Marrs! Great thriller with such a unique storyline. It’s scarily close to the realities of modern technology and I wouldn’t be surprised to see these kind of technological developments in the world soon.

A great thriller, I found myself bonding with most of the characters and being stunned by some of the twists and turns in the book. I love the creativity of John Marrs books and find them so exciting to read, with short chapters and plenty to keep you guessing.

I have read The One and The Passengers before reading this and I loved the inclusion of those aspects into this book, tying it all together and adding a new element and storyline.

“Click here to start your life again.”

The most important thing I need to tell you about The Minders is that it is set in the same world as The One and The Passengers.

While you could technically read this book as a standalone, ginormous spoilers are included in this book about characters and events from the other books. Make sure you read them in publication order if you’re ever going to read more than one or you risk ruining your reading experience.

Now that we’ve seen firsthand the complications that can come from meeting your one true love and been chauffeured around by driverless cars, it’s time to turn out attention to classified information. Conspiracy theorists could only dream of gaining unrestricted access to everything their government has been hiding from them.

Due to very credible threats to national security, technology has been developed to hide these cover ups, secrets and misdirections in a brand new way - implanted into the heads of a select group of people.

“We need to protect ourselves and make sure we are future proof. Our freedom depends upon it.”

We follow the stories of five Minders:

Flick is really struggling as a result of the events that unfolded in The One and her connection with two of its characters.

Charlie has anxiety and is into conspiracy theories. This should be right up his alley.

Sinéad’s husband is a domestic abuser. If you happen to imagine a piano falling on his head while you’re reading, I won’t judge you.

Emilia only knows her name.

Like Flick, Bruno is also one of John Marrs’ secondary victims. He was personally impacted by the big action scene in The Passengers.

This was my fifth John Marrs read and the first one I could actually put down. I’m not entirely sure what the problem was but I didn’t connect with any of this book’s Marrs victims and wasn’t invested in the calamities they faced.

Maybe I wasn’t in the right headspace this week? Maybe it was because I didn’t get to spend a great deal of time seeing the characters living their lives before they became Minders? I don’t know, but because I’ve loved all of the others I’m going to classify this book as an anomaly and look forward to my next John Marrs read.

Content warnings include mention of death by suicide, domestic abuse, mental health and self harm. There’s also a derogatory term used by an Echo that raised my hackles (this may not bother other readers but I felt like they could have gotten their point across without saying that specific word).

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Del Rey, an imprint of Random House UK, Cornerstone, for the opportunity to read this book. I’m rounding up from 3.5 stars.

Another fantasticly mind bending thriller from John Marrs. This man can do no wrong. Its a brilliantly crafted book and I've no idea how he comes up with these ideas.

John Marrs remains one of my favourite authors, another "go to" author whose books I buy without even reading the blurb. I know I will love them.

The Minders is set in the near future. Five ordinary people who are chosen for their ability to solve a puzzle very few people can, tare o be given a new life. In exchange, they are retrained by the government and a chip implanted in their brain containing some of the top state secrets as a unique way of counteracting cyber terrorism.

Told through the POV's of the five Minders, the character development is, as always, excellent. The story is connected to previous books, The One and The Passengers. I have only read The Passengers but it is not necessary to have read either book to enjoy The Minders. We follow the Minders, their thoughts and foibles as they try to deal with the responsibility they have been given.

I got completely lost in this near future world where, some day, fiction could so easily become a reality and it is interesting to think about where technology might take us 20, 30, 40 years into the future. Definitely not one to miss.

Once again John Marrs does not disappoint! I couldn't put this down and have been recommending it to everyone I work with. Fabulous as always and I cannot wait to see what's next

When I started this I wasn't too sure what was going on, what the relationship between the two main characters, the chills creep in pretty much from the get go. The chapters alternate between the two, Nina and Maggie. Nina sorts the meals, keeps house and Maggie is living vicariously through everything/everyone she sees through the window, of her bedroom where she is kept. What is the deal with these two, they dine together, they house together yet they seem to hate each other.

As we flip characters we learn a bit more about each lady, what their relationship is and pulled into their weird situation. As we delve deeper we start to get a bit of understanding of how they come to their current situation, flipping back to the past and some genuinely breath taking moments. You dislike or even hate one character and feel sorry for the other then BAM the author pulls the rug and you feel yourself switching and starting to understand a bit where the other is coming from.

It is a hell of a mind trip, emotive and some seriously shocking themes and choices/behaviours of the characters. More so once you start to seep into the heart of the story, I was pulled in pretty much from the get go & have found this with the previous books I have read by this author, 4.5/5 for me this time. I have more of his works on my tbrm, I need to bump them up the list. Prepare to lose your day and be rocked by some utterly shocking characters!

This isn’t my usual kind of genre, but I wanted to be taken out of my comfort zone, so it took me a little longer to get into.

As a sucker for quirky narratives, I really liked how the story introduced each of the minders, so that the reader could engage with and understand each of them better, knowing what made them tick and tock and it added to the anticipation of what was going to happen next.

It’s a futuristic, fast-paced story which will cause some gasps and have you on the edge of your seat trying to gallop through the pages, desperate to know what’s going to happen.

It is one of those stories, that you could see being brought to screen, either through a series or a film.

I’d recommend this exciting read, especially if this is your kind of genre.

The Minders is an exciting futuristic thriller that is a rollercoaster of a ride with jaw dropping, heart pounding moments that had me on the edge of my seat.
Five people living pretty normal lives are selected to become Minders of state secrets, with increased hacking by cyber terrorists the security of the whole country’s defence etc is at risk.
Each Minder has these secrets transplanted into their brains, where they will remain for 5 years whilst the country’s scientist develop a foolproof defence to all these attacks. They are all given a new identity with unlimited spending as they start new lives and keep out of harms way.
As always with this author he never leads you on the expected path so we’re treated to action like you wouldn’t believe and events that just leave you cursing, my husband thought I had a breathing problem I was taking so many deep breaths as I was reading!
An absolute corker of a thriller, entertaining and fascinating, pretty scary and mind boggling at the same time. Well done Mr Marrs👏👏
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

Once more, Marrs doesn't disappoint. He's an expert in writing fast-paced, twisty turny thrillers that has original and interesting ideas in them.
I loved this one and went through it very quickly.
Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

In his latest thriller, John Marrs has given the reader a highly original story, taking us into a futuristic world. Having previously read The Passengers and The One I was therefore wildly excited to pick up this novel, The Minders.

In The Minders a group of five people have been selected to help in attempting to thwart cyber terrorism. A revolutionary medical procedure has enabled them to be ultimate secret keepers - the country's most secretive information has been taken offline and turned into genetic code implanted inside their heads. The novel follows the group of minders who have cut all links with friends, family and social media and started afresh in a different location... but someone knows who they are.

This is the third in the futuristic thriller genre from the author and I was not disappointed. Although I don't claim to be a big Sci-Fi fan, I still enjoyed this novel and I think it's because of the diverse and interesting characters as I was completely invested in and gripped by each of their viewpoints. As the minders were being hunted the tension really ramped up and I couldn’t whip through the pages fast enough. The story was not as far-fetched as it first seemed and there were many fast, jaw-dropping moments and ultra-smart twists in the book.

The Minders was everything I hoped it would be in that it was shocking, gripping and very unpredictable, with everything leading to a very satisfying conclusion. I can’t wait to see what John Marrs writes next and I will be waiting in the queue!

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Random House UK, Cornerstone/ Del Rey via NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for the arc of The Minders by John Mars.

4 star read- this was a great fast read, within 24 hours and was a really enjoyable read, it was well written and page turning. If you liked any other books by John Mars then you shall also enjoy this it is worth the read I couldnt put it down. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I was sooooo looking forward to this book. This author is normally a sure thing with me as his books consistently deliver imaginative fast paced escapism.

This book also contains elements of The One and The Passengers (both which I loved) so it ticked all the boxes.

But the story felt unnecessarily convoluted and although all his books ask you to suspend belief a little the core concept of this one was just flawed from the get-go.

The UK government is so desperate to protect their most sensitive information from hackers that they devise a plan to implant this data into a select few people with a unique brain structure. These selected “minders” effectively become biological vaults for all government secrets.

!!!!Spoilers ahead!!!

The story hinges on the fact that there is no alternative other than implanting the data into the brain but halfway through the book you learn that their handler also has a data implant, but in his calf. So, if there was another, safer option why would the government risk messing with someone’s brain structure in a highly invasive way when there is a much easier alternative?

Well if you do that then there is no story I suppose.

I had no connection with any of the characters so felt no sympathy when things went to hell in a hand basket.

I am not writing off this author yet but hope the next book will be a bulls eye.

‘The Minders’ is the latest book by John Marrs and just like his previous novels, ‘The One’ and ‘Passengers’ it’s another fast paced, futuristic thriller.

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.

The story is seen through the perspective of the 5 minders, all who feel that they have given a second go at life. Bruno is a single father to a disabled son who’s mother was tragically killed when the autonomous cars were hacked, Flick has lost her drive for life after discovering that her love match was a serial killer who was murdered, Sinead is stuck in an unhappy marriage with a controlling and manipulative husband, whilst Charlie had registered on Match Your DNA app but his counterpart had not done the same. So while Charlie’s friends were all settling down and after finding the one, he was alone and waiting whilst life passed him by. Finally, there’s Emilia who’s woke up in hospital with no memory but with a man claiming to be husband. All 5 of them find themselves guarding the government most contraversional and shocking secrets and setting up a new life for themselves, but 1 by 1 they are being killed off and are having to run for their lives.

I love John Marrs and every time that he announces a new book, I always look forward to reading it. I really enjoyed ‘The Minders’ which is another great spin and insightful look into how technology is changing the way of the world. One thing that I liked about this book was the references back to his previous novels ‘The One’ and ‘The Passengers’ and this latest book almost felt like the latest instalment in the series, even though each book is a standalone novel. Excitedly, my favourite book by John called ‘The One’ is now being adapted for a Netflix series.

The characters are a great mix of personalities with their own flaws and secrets that make for fascinating reading as they all eagerly accept this second chance at life and escape the ones that they left behind. Another thing that is quite interesting is even though the book is set in the present time, it has almost dystopian feel to the story.

An uniquely plotted story that makes for scarily realistic reading, this cyber crime thriller is perfect for fans of conspiracy theories and science fiction. Pulling you right in from the first page, ‘The Minders’ is another fast paced and meticulously crafted story with gore, suspense and tension riddled throughout.

If you’d like to know more about John Marrs and where he gets his ideas from, check out my interview with the author.

You can buy ‘The Minders’ from Amazon and is available to buy from good bookshops.

The Minders was another John Marrs book that I couldn't wait to read.  This is the third book from Marrs set in the not so distant future and I would say it's best to read The One and The Passengers before you embark on this book so the scene is set.
.
5 people who have been diagnosed with a condition known as synaethesia are selected to be part of a programme used by the UK government to keep safe the nations secrets in the face of a world wide hacking organisation looking to expose the secrets and bring nations to their knees.  But only 4 of these Minders can be trusted.  Someone knows they are guarding the secrets and will stop at nothing to expose them.
.
This is another cracking read, but I will admit it took me longer to get into than The One and The Passengers which grabbed me instantly.  All 3 of these books are ones where you to have to suspend belief a little when reading, but I felt I had to do that a little more with The Minders, with a few plot holes that just didn't convince me.
.
Marrs expertly writes another past faced read with shocks, twists and turns, and its definitely another book I would recommend.

One thing you can definitely count one when picking up a John Marrs book is that is going to be unique.
This new one is no different.

Set in the near future and in the same world as the very successful The One and The Passengers, it was really good to see how ideas from those books were used in this one to great effect.
Now, the government are trying to keep the country's secrets safe from hackers. When the method they were using gets compromised in the gripping, cinematic-style opening scene, they have to come up with a new idea.
Enter 'The Minders'.
Five individuals specially chosen for the task have to try and keep the highly classified data safe in their brains while the government comes up with a better plan. What could go wrong? People are so trustworthy and never have ulterior motives, underlying secrets or nefarious tendencies, do they?!

This is another excellent thriller from Mr Marrs. Different and exciting with several WTF moments, I highly recommend it!

THE MINDERS is the eight novel from John Marrs, but the third in the futuristic thriller genre...and it does not disappoint!

In the very near future, there is a Match Your DNA dating site and cars that run by themselves (Fans of the author will understand the references). A group known as the Hacking Collective recently got into the data of the driverless cars, and caused a massive act of terrorism that was “the single biggest loss of life on British soil since the Coronavirus of 2020.”

Now, the British government is understandably weary about how they store data. They come up with a plan: Take 5 people and impregnate their brains with top secret information. The information will not be online or on paper, and hackers will not be able to infiltrate their way in.

These five individuals, The Minders, have every bit of information about the government and their coverups, their deceptions, the truth and lies. Now, all they have to do is keep a low radar, keep the information locked, and abandon their former lives for 5 years...or until the government finds a better solution for safely storing data.

The only problem is...someone doesn’t want The Minders to have this information. Someone is hunting them down. Someone will do whatever it takes to satisfy their own agenda.

I’m not a big Sci-Fi fan, but these futuristic novels have Sci-Fi elements thrown in to the mix (which I somehow always end up loving). What impresses me about John Marrs is that he makes it all sound so believable (and maybe it will be in a few years). At heart, it’s a thriller with a futuristic vibe. It offers realistic characters you will care about, rising tension that builds to unputdownable suspense, and twists you won’t see coming.

I was invested and gripped by each POV, and I needed to step away more than once to process what I had just read. The Minders is bloody at times, and bloody brilliant at all times. It all leads to a very satisfying conclusion!

I can’t wait to see what Marrs comes up with next. I found it interesting that he has two publishers...one for his psychological thrillers and one for his futuristic thrillers. All of his work is phenomenal.

NOTE: Even though this is technically a standalone, I highly suggest you read THE ONE and THE PASSENGERS first...given all of the references.

Sincere thank you to Penguin Random House UK/Cornerstone for an ARC to review.

Well well well, Just when I think John Marrs could not surpass himself, he hits us with The Minders.

The Minders is a (slightly) futuristic novel about a group of people, hand picked by the government to hold the DNA for secret government files in their brains for 5 years while the Gov figure out how to project the sensitive data from The Hacking Collective, a group of individuals who are hell bent on bringing countries down by leaking their secretive data.

The book does refer to previous Marrs books - The One and Passengers. I would advise reading these books first as parts of The Minders will make more sense than if you haven't read them.

All in all, another 5 Stars book from John Marrs, utterly BRILLIANT!!!

Another stunning thriller by John Marrs!

In the Minders, we are introduced to four people who are seeking for a fresh start. These four are highly intelligent and posses the skills that the government require for a programme being developed where top secrets are stored in the minds of a selected few. The Minders are required to be in the programme for at least 5 years. They have access to good money and a new life with new identities. Sounds like a good deal, right? Wrong!

The story is narrated through multiple POVs. Each of the Minders is trying to maintain a low profile, keep the secrets and ensure that they do not get overwhelmed by the weight of the task. They are constantly faced with the challenge of spilling secrets. I found it interesting how they struggled not to reveal the truth especially in cases where everyone else had been convinced by a lie.

This was a fast-paced, nail-biting read that had me turning pages from the first to the last page. I love how the author brought in his previous books, ‘The One’ and ‘The Passengers’, it made it feel like a familiar world. I could visualize a world with driver-less cars, human computers and soul mates being matched through DNA.

As you can probably tell by now, I loved this book. I highly recommend The Minders by John Marrs to fans of fast –paced thrillers with a science fiction twist.

A creative sci-fi thriller packed with twists but lacking believability and likeable characters

In the not too distant future, cyber terrorism is becoming more prevalent, and hackers are swiftly bringing down countries at an alarming rate. To prevent valuable information from being hacked, the UK government decides that its secrets will no longer be stored in computers, but instead turned into genetic code and implanted in the brains of ‘minders’. Five specially selected individuals whose unique brain wiring means they can store massive amounts of data. The five selected minders must give up their past lives and commit to a series of rules to guard the government’s secrets. However, one minder is not who they seem, and as the danger ramps up, they all find themselves being hunted by people who will do anything to possess the secrets they hold.

The concept behind The Minders is definitely very original, and features plenty of the ingredients for a good, trusty dystopian sci-fi thriller: corrupt governments who no one can trust, mad scientist-type doctors with dodgy medical ethics, and popular science concepts and ideas that, thanks to the rapid progress science has made in the past few decades, often feel like they are just around the corner. The plot is a little slow at first, but the pace picks up rapidly during the second half, with plenty of twists and surprises throughout. I didn’t see many of the twists coming, and the ending was quite unexpected. The author clearly has an incredibly creative mind, and his writing flowed smoothly and was very easy to read.

Unfortunately, despite its action-packed and engaging plot, I found myself not enjoying this book as much as I wanted to. The science behind the whole concept of the minders was too unrealistic and didn’t fit in at all with what is already known about neuroscience. It seemed to me as if when coming up with the idea (along with some of the other science aspects in the story, such as the DNA matches) the author had taken some interesting concepts and then mashed them up in a pseudo-scientific way which looks and sounds very glossy and high-tech, but actually doesn’t make sense at all in real life. This really bothered me, but potentially will not be an issue to readers who don’t have a science background.

I also found virtually all of the characters very unrelatable and many of them weren’t fleshed out enough for me to empathise with what was happening to them – in particular, the romantic subplot felt very lazy and unbelievable. I also didn’t buy into some of the characters’ reasons for choosing to become minders. Most of their situations didn’t seem desperate or terrible enough for them to abandon everything and everyone in their former lives completely, particularly not with the rigid rules imposed upon them (including no alcohol and no pets). As a final point, I absolutely despise conspiracy theories, so the fact that a few of them were sprinkled into the story really annoyed me, but again that was an entirely personal thing.

In conclusion, I was disappointed that I didn’t enjoy this novel more, as I had high expectations and the idea behind it was extremely interesting. Although this particular story wasn’t for me, I would definitely not be put off trying more from this clearly talented and original author.


Daenerys


Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of this book to review.