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Book Cover for: The Marriage ACT, John Marrs

The Marriage ACT

John Marrs

What if marriage was the law? Dare you disobey? Black Mirror meets thriller with a dash of Naomi Alderman's The Power in this dark, high-concept novel by the bestselling author of The One.

Britain. The near-future. A right-wing government believes it has the answer to society's ills--the Sanctity of Marriage Act, which actively encourages marriage as the norm, punishing those who choose to remain single.

But four couples are about to discover just how impossible relationships can be when the government is monitoring every aspect of our personal lives--monitoring every word, every minor disagreement...and will use every tool in its arsenal to ensure everyone will love, honor and obey.

"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

"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

Don't miss other suspenseful reads from John Marrs (you'll never see the twists coming!):

  • The Marriage Act
  • The Vacation
  • The Family Experiment
  • The One

Book Details

  • Publisher: Hanover Square Press
  • Publish Date: May 2nd, 2023
  • Pages: 432
  • Language: English
  • Edition: Original - undefined
  • Dimensions: 9.10in - 6.30in - 1.60in - 1.20lb
  • EAN: 9781335005939
  • Categories: LiteraryDystopianRomance - Science Fiction

About the Author

Marrs, John: - John Marrs is the author of The Good Samaritan, When You Disappeared, and Welcome to Wherever You Are. A freelance journalist based in London, England, he has spent the past 20 years interviewing celebrities from the world of television, film and music for national newspapers and magazines. He has written for publications including the Guardian's Guide and Guardian Online, Total Film, Huffington Post, Empire, Q, GT, the Independent, S Magazine and Company.

More books by John Marrs

Book Cover for: Keep It in the Family, John Marrs
Book Cover for: You Killed Me First, John Marrs
Book Cover for: The One: A Suspenseful Sci-Fi Thriller about the Pitfalls in Finding Your Perfect Match Through Genetics, John Marrs
Book Cover for: What Lies Between Us, John Marrs
Book Cover for: The Family Experiment, John Marrs
Book Cover for: The Stranger in Her House, John Marrs
Book Cover for: The Good Samaritan, John Marrs
Book Cover for: The Minders, John Marrs
Book Cover for: When You Disappeared, John Marrs
Book Cover for: The Marriage ACT, John Marrs
Book Cover for: The Vacation, John Marrs
Book Cover for: The Passengers, John Marrs
Book Cover for: Her Last Move, John Marrs
Book Cover for: Cuando Desapareciste, John Marrs
Book Cover for: Dead in the Water, John Marrs
Book Cover for: Entre Nosotras, John Marrs

Praise for this book

"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