John Marrs has made a name for himself with his twisty books like The One, The Passengers, The Minders, and The Marriage Act (all loosely in the same near-future world). This latest release is an updated version of an older title, however it still contains his trademark surprises.
The Vacation is a December 2023 release from Hanover Square Press
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links, see disclosures for more detail.
About the Book:
How far would you run to escape your past?
Venice Beach, Los Angeles. A paradise on earth. Tourists flock to the golden coast and the promise of Hollywood. But for eight strangers at a beach-front hostel, there is far more on their minds than an extended vacation. All of them are running from something. And they all have secrets they’d kill to keep…
My Thoughts:
3.5 stars rounded up. Kept me interested once I got the characters straight. Twisty.
Eight characters are staying at a hostel in Venice Beach, California. Each has their own reason for being there, and the interplay and connections between them is surprising and occasionally shocking. They all have things in their pasts that they are running from. Some are hiding their true identities, some are hiding parts of themselves, some are hiding things they have done. When it all comes to light, who will come out unscathed in the end?
There are lots and lots of twists and turns in this plot. Some things I figured out and some I didn’t. I was really shocked by some of the turns of event in the story. Other things, while occasionally a bit implausible, were at least entertaining if I just went with it rather than trying to overanalyze whether they were realistic or not.
This is a reworking/re-release of an older novel of this author’s, and while it wasn’t the favorite of his that I’ve read, I did enjoy my time with these characters once I worked out who was who and could keep their various stories straight. It’s a fast paced read that kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next.
About the Author:
John Marrs is an author and former journalist based in London and Northamptonshire. After spending his career interviewing celebrities from the worlds of television, film and music for numerous national newspapers and magazines, he is now a full-time author. His books include No1 bestseller and Netflix series The One, The Passengers, award winning What Lies Between Us and The Good Samaritan.
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