Touch

One of the cleverest, most compelling books I've read in a long time. The intoxicating voice, ingenious premise and intricate plot will have readers clamouring for a copy. Touch has bestseller written all over it and Claire North is one hell of a writer - C. L. Taylor, author of THE ACCIDENT

A work of sparkling originality that works both as mesmerising thriller and exploration of what it means, at the most profound level, to be human - Alex Marwood, author of THE WICKED GIRLS

Touch is fast, smart, cinematic and with a cracking central idea. This is absolutely destined to be one of the biggest thrillers of 2015 . . . A very, very impressive second outing - Rick O'Shea, radio presenter

A dark thriller that asks readers to imagine whom they would be if they could be anyone . . . The high stakes and breakneck pace of the plot will draw readers in, and the meditations on what it means to be human and to be loved will linger long after the last shot is fired - KIRKUS

“Problem with moving into a new body, you never quite know where it’s been.” Touch is the second novel by British author, Claire North. The entity known to his/her/its enemies as Kepler has been around for quite some time. And Kepler is not the only entity of this type: a ghost who can move from body to body by touch. Carefully done, this can happen with minimal disruption to lives; of course, long term hosts will find their lives much changed, although Kepler tries to leave them significantly better off. But just as Kepler is settling into a mutually beneficial arrangement with Josephine Cebula, she is shot and killed in a Turkish Metro station, by a gunman who is clearly watching for where Kepler will go next. Who is trying to kill Kepler, and why? This is a fast-paced thriller that spans over two centuries, and at least three continents. The plot is highly original, taking several turns before reaching a spectacular climax at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. North gives the reader characters who will charm or, in some cases repulse. Their flaws and foibles are realistic and may well have the reader wondering about their own reaction to this sort of immortality. Their dialogue is natural, and the banter between Coyle and Kepler is often snappy and amusing. North gives a whole new meaning to the concept of “estate agent”, and her description of the chase through the museum conjures the image of a Mexican wave. This latest offering by Claire North is clever and often funny, and readers who enjoyed The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August will not be disappointed. Quite brilliant! With thanks to Hachette and TheReadingRoom for my copy to read and review.

Marianne Vincent