The Vacation: A Novel

by John Marrs

Overview

Longlisted for the 2022 Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize, The Vacation is a compulsive, holiday-set thriller from John Marrs, bestselling author of The One, now a Netflix Original Series.

“John Marrs’s creative, high-concept thrillers never fail to keep me furiously turning the pages."—Sarah Pearse

"John Marrs can do no wrong." —Jack Jordan

"John Marrs is a master of suspense." —Jeneva Rose

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…

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

• The One
• The Marriage Act
• The Family Experiment (coming soon!)

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781335006042
Publisher:	Hanover Square Press
Publication date:	12/19/2023
Edition description:	Original
Pages:	480
Sales rank:	48,032
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 8.00(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

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.

Editorial Reviews

10/16/2023

This captivating ensemble thriller from journalist Marrs (The Marriage Act) peeks into the secret lives of several tenants at an international hostel in Venice Beach, Calif. Among the cast are Nicole, an English nurse who’s traveling all of Route 66 in honor of a recently deceased patient; Savannah, a pole dancer being hunted by ruthless henchmen sent by her evangelical father; Matty and Declan, two Irish lads intent on making American memories before an undisclosed deadline makes it impossible; Eric, an Englishman desperate to reinvent himself; and Ruth, an Australian woman who has come to Los Angeles to meet her favorite screen idol. Flashbacks disclose how each protagonist ended up at the hostel and why they’ll do almost anything to keep their pasts hidden. Marrs keeps readers off-balance, shedding new light on each character’s actions and motivations with every new bit of information, and he gradually reveals links between the cast that feel surprising and well-earned instead of Crash-level contrived. Intricate and captivating, this fractured crime saga will hook readers from start to finish. Agent: Jon Mitchell, Pan Macmillan UK. (Dec.)

Publishers Weekly

Intricate and captivating, this fractured crime saga will hook readers from start to finish.”—Publishers Weekly

"[T]he writing is superb, the characters beautifully drawn, and the story subtle and constantly surprising.”—Booklist

From the Publisher