The Minders by John Marrs

Hello everyone.  I hope all is well with you. 

Would you like to know all your government's secrets? Not me, I'm chicken, yep blissful ignorance for me. My dad, however, held top secret clearance. He would go on a business trip and not be able to tell anyone where he was going.  He worked for a major computer company that put systems in various types of vehicles for the federal government.  Funny thing is, my dad was the least tech savvy person I've ever seen, if you asked him: windows were to look out of, apples were to eat and a c prompt was the latest laxative in tv commercials. Yet my mild mannered dad helped negotiate to price for selling and installing these systems.  He went to "areas" that, until recently, the government said didn't exist. He only told me about it after it was declassified, probably good thing... my ignorance is comforting and had my mother known she would have had to have been sedated!

I recently read The Minders by John Marrs. I'm not a fan of fantasy or science fiction but Marrs has just a hint of them in his books but in general they are intense thrillers, which I love. The Minders is about the stealing of government secrets and how to prevent it from happening. The United Kingdom has tried many things which haven't worked so now they are implanting all their secrets into the brain of five people, these are the Minders.  This book is about what happens to these people while trying to protect these secrets and what happens when those people have secrets of their own.  This story is exactly the kind of pace I like, where the author doesn't let you catch your breath with twist after shocking twist.  The book references two of his earlier books The Passengers and The One but they are absolutely not necessary to completely understand and enjoy this book but fans of Marrs will find it amusing. If you love fast paced thrillers, this is for you!

My husband always jokes about my dad going to buy a new car, a normal, everyday customer and the poor salesman who had no idea what Dad did for a living. 

The One by John Marrs

Hello everyone. Hope it's been a good day so far.

Do you have some great story about how you met your spouse? Was it super romantic, like something out of a movie?  I met my husband in college. We met in.....ready....ready...in cost accounting class.  Ooooo, sexy. Nothing will make you swoon like debits and credits. Nothing says love like "cost of goods sold". I tease, but am grateful that for whatever reason we were brought together and have been together for decades. What if something had changed?  What if we weren't both in that class, or were in a different school? Would there have been someone else?  Are we destined to have a soulmate or are you compatible with many people?

I recently read, The One by John Marrs. This thriller addresses the issue of a soulmate. A piece of dna has been discovered that can be matched to the person you were meant to be with. It discusses the trouble that match would cause if you were already married to someone else, someone you loved but they weren't The One. Or what if the one was the same sex, but you were heterosexual? What if your match is a horrible person or just lives on the other side of the planet?  This story follows several people and asks some of these questions and more. With each new and old couple we see how this match can ruin their past or possibly make a delightful future. It is well written, fast paced and will sending you thinking of things you've never considered. What would you do? 

For me, I'd kick hubby to the curb in a second. Just kidding, I guess. (Gotta keep him in line in case he reads this.)

The Passengers by John Marrs

Hello everyone.

Are you a driver or a passenger? Often people have a preference, they would rather drive or not. My husband loves to drive, I hate it.  One of the reasons I don't like driving is that I have a terrible sense of direction. I get so confused what direction is correct, I get turned backwards so easily. I once got lost in our old neighborhood while out walking. WALKING! Seems difficult when the streets were not tricky and laid out on a simple grid, but I did. Hubby jokes that I could head to the grocery store, a mile from our house, and end up two states away. I confess, it is a problem. Another thing I don't like about driving is the possibility of being out of control. Now, I can hear you saying, "But April, you'd have more control if you were driving rather than just riding along." True, but I distract myself with two things, one...scenery, two.... backseat driving.  You are all running to kiss your significant other right now, grateful that they aren't me!

Several years ago, while I was driving home on the interstate during a rainstorm that made me question if the end of the earth had begun, two cars, at different times along my trip, hydroplaned in front of me. They spun around several times, crossing five lanes of traffic, each coming to rest on the guard rail on the opposite side from where they started. By some miracle, all other cars were able to either slow down enough to avoid these out-of-control vehicles or slalom around them. Ever since then, when it rains and hubby is driving, I annoy him with my begging him to slow down. I don't care, he didn't see those cars auditioning for the Ice Capades sans ice.

I just finished reading The Passengers by John Marrs. This story is set in England in the future where they are using driverless cars. Sounds good to me! The passenger is now able to do whatever they want while they ride to their destination; email, watch a movie, read a book (an obvious choice). Several people get into cars one day and the door locks and won't open, their destination is changed to a place several hours away, and a voice comes over their operating system telling them they are going to die. There is no way out of the car, and they have no ability to regain control. In addition, the passengers' complete terror is now being broadcast everywhere, all over the internet, television, etc. These fantastic characters all pull at the reader's heart as they are made to tell their story to the world, who votes on the one person who will be allowed to live. However, the mastermind of this experience knows that they are each flawed with secrets that he is about to make public.

This book takes off from the beginning and flies ...well drives... to the end. The characters are so well developed, especially when you consider that this is a breakneck speed thriller. The plot is unique and thought provoking, the pacing, perfection. This is a classic example of everything a thriller should be, what baby thrillers aspire to when they grow up.  Do not miss it.

If you go buy this book, don't start reading it in one of those coffee shops often in bookstores. Don't start it until you've safely driven home. You'll see why!