Description
When strangers take part in a series of group suicides, everything suggests that a cult is to blame. But how do you stop a cult when no one knows they are members?
A shocking, mesmerisingly original and pitch-black thriller from the critically acclaimed Will Carver.
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: a decapitation in Germany, a public shooting at a university in Bordeaux; in Illinois, a sports team stands around the centre circle of the football pitch and pulls the trigger of the gun pressed to the temple of the person on their right. It becomes a movement.
Tracey Harriman (verified owner) –
One night, nine people all arrive on Chelsea Bridge each with a rope. One end is tied to the bridge, the other end around their necks. Each jumps to their death. These people are all unknown to each other. These people all leave the same suicide note. These people all, without their knowledge, belong to People of Choice.
There are thirty two witnesses to this shocking mass suicide. Two of those witnesses are unaware that soon they too will take their own lives, as they are also, unknowingly, members of the same cult.
Carver’s writing style is quick and punchy. No unnecessary page filling, he says what he needs to say and moves on. We learn enough about the lives of the cult members to know that they are not suicidal and yet each of them takes a leap to their death without question. They each receive a letter with instructions that they all obey without hesitation. Why would they do that? Why would a parent leave their child behind? Why would child leave their parent behind? They did not want to die, yet each took their own life.
DS Pace, who we first meet in Good Samaritans, is on a mission to find the answers. Carver is clever to not make Pace the focus of the book. It’s not his story. Each book can easily be read as a ‘stand alone’.
I was a Will Carver virgin until earlier this year when I read Good Samaritans. I was blown away by that book. It was thrilling, compelling and oh so dark. I loved every depraved page of it and questioned what it must have said about myself to have enjoyed such a book.
Nothing Important Happened Today was even more twisted, deliciously dark and addictive reading. And I loved it!
I have Carver’s latest book, Hinton Hollow Death Trip, waiting in the wings and I’m excited to read it!
Carver is now top of my ‘must read’ authors list, with a caveat to have snacks handy as once I start I know I won’t be able to stop.
Paula Fullerton (verified owner) –
Dark, twisted and disturbing. At times I wanted to stop reading but I couldn’t put it down.