Publishers Weekly
03/27/2023
Marrs (Keep It in the Family) delivers a smart Orwellian thriller set in a near-future U.K. where the financial impact of several pandemics has led to drastic measures. Multiple economic reboots failed, leading the government to conclude that it could only turn things around by “making people understand that they’re better off emotionally and financially when they’re in a committed relationship,” which would make “them want to work smarter and harder.” Now incentives, including tax breaks and increased access to medical care, reward those who sign up for a “Smart Marriage,” an arrangement which includes consenting to AI devices being placed in married couples’ homes to randomly record conversations and send alerts when they detect potential problems between spouses. The impact of living in a world where privacy is minimal and those not “smart married” face discrimination is cleverly explored through several vividly portrayed characters, including vlogger Roxi, who wants government surveillance to be expanded, and Corrine, a member of the resistance to the oppressive regime. Marrs builds on techno-dystopian ideas explored in prior books (there are Easter eggs connecting this outing to both The One and The Passengers) to craft a scarily plausible world. Readers will be riveted. (May)
From the Publisher
The king of near-future what-ifs is back with a smart and chilling page-turner. Twisty, unsettling, scarily believable and thought provoking, this is his best yet.” —Ellery Lloyd, author of The Club“A scarily plausible alternative future with a truly twisted narrative. Tensely plotted and terrifyingly imagined.” —Harriet Tyce, bestselling author of Blood Orange“Clever, compelling and terrifyingly plausible. A near future nightmare that grips from the first page and never lets go. THE MARRIAGE ACT is a brilliant examination of relationships and the power we let others have over us. And talk about a page-turner. This one will leave you with paper cuts!” —C. J. Tudor, author of The Chalk Man“An absolute blinder of a book… Another gripping page-turner.” —Claire Allan, author of The Liar’s Daughter“John Marrs’s creative, high-concept thrillers never fail to keep me furiously turning the pages and The Marriage Act is no exception. Pacy and packed full of tension, the book kept me constantly guessing as the thought-provoking plot about marriage and everything that comes with it unfolded in the most sinister of ways…dark, immersive speculative fiction at it’s very best!”—Sarah Pearse, author of The Retreat and The Sanatorium“A smart, gripping and scarily believable story from the master of the speculative thriller.”—TM Logan, author of The Curfew and The Holiday “John Marrs can do no wrong. Like Huxley and Orwell before him, Marrs manages to take real life sanctities and twist them into something terrifyingly plausible. All hail the master of the speculative thriller!”—Jack Jordan, author of Sunday Times bestseller Do No Harm "Clever, original, and impossible to put down. The Marriage Act had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. John Marrs is a master of suspense." —Jeneva Rose, international bestselling author of The Perfect Marriage
"[A] smart Orwellian thriller set in a near-future U.K. where the financial impact of several pandemics has led to drastic measures... Marrs builds on techno-dystopian ideas explored in prior books to craft a scarily plausible world. Readers will be riveted."—Publishers Weekly
"The characters (both central and supporting) are vividly drawn, and their stories uniquely captivating. Marrs transforms a slightly out-there premise into a gripping, completely believable story full of surprises that prompt reflection. Absolutely compelling.”—Booklist
