Contacts

Poignant yet full of humour, this is another typically engaging Mark Watson book. When Jane's feels like there is nothing left to live for and sends a message yo all his contacts he doesnt know the effect this will have on them all.

I really enjoyed the way the book focused on the inner thoughts and feelings of several people close to James. It felt very reminiscent of Matt Hague, not just because of the main storyline but also the way it looked at humanity and the consequences of out actions in a really gentle way. The cast of characters aren't all likeable, but that makes the book all the more real.

It's a great book for people who want something poignant but uplifting with good humour along the way.

One of the most heartwarming books you’ll read this year!
James has had enough - his dad died, his girlfriend left him, his best friend fired him and his sister isn’t speaking to him. So he sends a message to all of his contacts to let them know he will be ending his life, turns his phone to flight mode and gets on a train to his final destination. But his family, friends and even strangers have other ideas...
Watson has created someone very special with James - a man who is so kind, thoughtful and there for everyone else, that no one has the chance to realise he might be lonely or depressed himself. The supporting cast of friends and family were also perfectly nuanced - as a comedian, Watson clearly has character observations nailed! I loved the structure of the book with the time, location and character name each chapter so I never lost track and it always felt fresh. Watson has managed to take a very dark subject matter and bring warmth and humour to it in a way few people could - even at his lowest James is still helpful, kind and retains a sense of humour that keeps you rooting for him right until the end. Absolutely loved listening to this, and will probably do so again as it was such a pleasure! Actual rating 4,5.

First audio book I’ve listened too & wasn’t sure what to expect but I thoroughly enjoyed this & would recommend it to anything. Unique & well written.

There are not enough superlatives to sum up how much I enjoyed this audiobook.
The premise is simple, James sends a text to all his phone contacts. He is going to end his life. He takes the night train to Edinburgh and turns his phone to flight mode so nobody can contact him.
He relives his life’s highs and lows during the journey, and the whole story of James’ troubles are gradually revealed to the reader, whilst his contacts scramble around trying to stop his impending death. The characters are so well depicted, their motives, actions and thoughts are so well written, it adds to the depth and drama of James’ situation and his unhappiness.
The reality of his past events, how he got to where he is, and why he feels so lost ring so true. I really enjoyed this on my commute, spending extra time in my car at the end of my journeys in order to hear just. a little more. I was totally immersed in James and his life.
The audiobook is brilliantly narrated. The pace and expression convey depth of feeling.
I give this book ten stars out of five!
Thanks to #NetGalley for the chance to review this book and audiobook ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review

I was very intrigued by the concept of this audiobook - the story of a man planning to take his life written by a comedian. James writes a text message to all his contacts saying goodbye. He presses send then takes a night sleeper to Edinburgh where he will do the deed. The message generates something of a media storm as friends and family reflect on their relationships with James and how they can stop him from reaching his destination. There’s something so intimate about being read to and the voice is key in establishing that intimacy. Mark Watson has the perfect voice for this story - although the book switches between different characters, I felt he embodied the voice of James and how I imagined him - dry, a little literal, with a streak of sharp humour. Mark’s character voices are beautifully subtle, not overdone, conveying a sense of James’ different friends and relatives. The subject matter was treated with a lightness of touch which was at times funny, sad, poignant. I thought that the discussion of depression was beautifully and insightfully conveyed and understood as was the subject of male body image and diet. I loved the way, as the train gathered momentum and the final destination was being approached the tension built. This is a wonderful story with so much to say about life, love and mental health. It made me laugh and cry. With thanks to Netgalley and Harper Collins Audio U.K. for a copy of this audiobook.

Touching and wryly amusing.

James has reached the zenith of what crap he can take. He's lost his girlfriend, sister, best friend, his job and self respect. So he's decided it's the end and sends a message to all his contacts to tell them. As he switches off his phone he realises he's dropped a bomb but he doesn't realise it's a nuclear one thats shockwaves will be felt across continents.

Suicide as the main subject of a novel doesn't sound like a barrel of laughs and let's face it needs to be handled with extreme care. Luckily it's in safe hands with Mark Watson. The story is of a man who has no one and how he got there. James is possibly one of the loveliest characters I've ever read. From start to finish I rooted for him, and got through the last chapters peeping from behind my hands as I really wanted him to change his mind! I may have got too invested but I couldn't help it. The way the story evolved and revealed itself was excellent.

But there was one problem with this audiobook. The narrator. I'm often of the opinion authors should NOT narrate their own books. Even those writers with years of experience just aren't engaging. And Mark Watson is just a bit too terse for this book. He reads how he does stand up. It's great for a comic monologue but for storytelling no. It just needs a softer reader.

In summary a great story that will stay in my mind for a long time.

Love an original idea and this book was certainly that. I also thought all the characters were so brilliantly fallible you just had to like them and I did. That makes the interest easy to sustain. Now for a criticism and it’s one I hate to give but... I didn’t like the reader and I’m so sorry because it was the author and so if anyone should know how it should be read it would be the author but perhaps it’s just each to their own. It was for me.