The Minders

By: John Marrs

Narrated by: Katherine Press, Oliver Hembrough

In this electrifying near-future thriller, five strangers guard government secrets, but only four can be trusted.

In the 21st century, information is king. But computers can be hacked and files can be broken into - so a unique government initiative has been born. Five ordinary people have been selected to become Minders - the latest weapon in thwarting cyberterrorism. Transformed by a revolutionary medical procedure, the country's most classified information has been taken offline and turned into genetic code implanted inside their heads.

Together, the five know every secret - the truth behind every government lie, conspiracy theory and cover-up. In return, they're given the chance to leave their problems behind and a blank slate to start their lives anew.

But not everyone should be trusted, especially when they each have secrets of their own they'll do anything to protect....

©2021 John Marrs (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Marrs excels at thrilling readers by creating a real sense of tension and delivering a believeable, harsh criticism of modern society." (LA Times)

“This page-turner never sacrifices the characters’ humanity for the sake of plot. Marrs has definitely upped his game.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

Amazing through the end

I absolutely enjoyed this title. I can’t wait to continue exploring this author’s collection. The first four books of his collection that I have read I have thoroughly enjoyed and I am so mad that it took me this long to find him. This story in each of the characters were well developed and kept you engaged throughout the entire book. This is exactly what I need for my long commute and downtime. I look forward to other books.

Great story

Loved the ending! Caught me by surprise! Wished story was longer, it was so good!

Loved it!!

I read my first John Marrs book early last year and have avidly read all but one he’s written since. I liked the plot of this book, the characters, the action. The book made me think about if the world’s future could be anything like what was portrayed. I’d highly recommend it.

Thought Provoking Thriller!

The Minders are five ordinary people who have all of the British government secrets implanted into their brains. Each one must leave their current lives behind. With the help of new identities, they will hide in plain sight while protecting these secrets. They are the government’s quick way to keep the top-secret information offline and prevent it from being retrieved by a cyberterrorist group. Can the British government stay ahead of the hackers? What’s the impact on the minders?

John Marrs fans will immediately notice that The Minders takes place in the world of The One and The Passengers. For those new to Marrs’ books, you don’t have to read either book first, but reading them will enhance your enjoyment of this one.

All five minders had interesting and unique stories. None of the five reacted to their shared situation in the same way. I liked how some weren’t likable while I felt drawn to others. Of the five, Flick was my favorite. I was captivated by her story. It is linked to the storyline from The One, which I really enjoyed. The aftermath of the DNA matching dating site scandal has left Flick despondent and estranged from everyone in her life. I felt for her. I was invested in her quest for a new life.

The narrators are excellent! They effectively conveyed the range of emotions that the minders felt as they live through this British government experiment. Both narrators give distinct voices to the large group of characters in this book.

The Minders is a creative, thought-provoking thriller with gasp-inducing twists and interesting characters. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

John Marrs

John Marrs continues to impress me with each novel he releases. I love the way he references subjects, plots and events from previous books he has written. Even if this is your first John Marrs book, there is no problem following the previous books events. It’s just like a special bonus for someone like me who has listened to all of his books. Enjoy!

Slow starter but worth hanging in

I was having trouble getting into the book in the beginning but I love John Mars so I stuck with it, so glad I did because it is a really good book!

Schadenfreude

If you enjoy tons of murder and relish the feeling of schadenfreude, you will enjoy this book.

A wild ride

I found myself surprised at all the twists and turns (despite my familiarity with John Marrs writing). Definitely worth the read!

Another great John Marrs book!

I love this terrifying, thought-provoking series! The Minders is another excellent entry! The narrators made this an easy, enjoyable listen. I recommend all the books in this series.

Just….cool

Loved the premise, and loved how each main character goes on their own journey, with subtle ways to intertwine with the others. Narration was excellent as well.