Blog Tour: Nothing Important Happened Today by Will Carver

Released: 14th November 2019

Publisher: Orenda Books

Genre: Thriller

Blurb:

When strangers take part in a series of group suicides, everything suggests that a cult is to blame. How do you stop a cult when nobody knows they are a member? A shocking, mesmerisingly original and pitch-black thriller from the critically acclaimed author of Good Samaritans. ‘Thrilling and completely original, Nothing Important Happened Today deserves to become an instant classic’ Kevin Wignall, author of The Names of the Dead Nine suicides One Cult No leader Nine people arrive one night on Chelsea Bridge. They’ve never met. But at the same time, they run, and leap to their deaths. Each of them received a letter in the post that morning, a pre-written suicide note, and a page containing only four words: Nothing important happened today. That is how they knew they had been chosen to become a part of the People Of Choice: A mysterious suicide cult whose members have no knowledge of one another. Thirty-two people on that train witness the event. Two of them will be next. By the morning, People Of Choice are appearing around the globe; it becomes a movement. A social media page that has lain dormant for four years suddenly has thousands of followers. The police are under pressure to find a link between the cult members, to locate a leader that does not seem to exist. How do you stop a cult when nobody knows they are a member? A shocking, mesmerisingly original and pitch-black thriller, Nothing Important Happened Today confirms Will Carver as one of the most extraordinary, exciting authors in crime fiction.

My Thoughts:

This book is bleak, compelling and incredibly clever. It's one of those stories that makes you ask yourself why you're enjoying it.

From the blurb, you know that there's some kind of suicide cult at the centre, but from there it's written in such a tone that it completely gets under your skin.

There are chapters of such bleak clarity, with such a blunt and scarily accurate social commentary that you almost feel ashamed for having a Facebook account. It digs into the mind of the modern day human and wiggles it's pages around like a worm until you're questioning yourself.

It's genius, but in a way that really shines a bright, harsh light on life as we know it.

There are parts of this novel that I found really hard to read - as you can imagine, I'm sure - whether they were graphic descriptions of the suicide scenes or the chapters told from the 'leader's' narrative where they are obviously looking at the world and deciding how and where to pull the strings.

It's one of the darkest novels I've ever read, and it made me think about the world in a way that not many authors dare to do.

I don't want to say anymore - no spoilers - but if you enjoy books that make you think about the state of the world, and if you enjoy true crime or series like the Following, then I urge you to give it a try.

Thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me to be part of this tour, and to Orenda Books for sending me a copy for an honest review. It may take a while for me to forget this one.