59 Minutes: The most unmissable and heart-wrenching ‘what would you do?’ thriller of 2026

PICKED BY THE GUARDIAN AS ONE OF THE BEST RECENT CRIME AND THRILLER NOVELS

'Unreal and unforgettable' Lisa Jewell
'Genuinely blew me away' Clare Mackintosh
'Bold as hell' Gillian McAllister
'A gut punch of a novel' Jennie Godfrey

If you knew you had fifty-nine minutes until everything and everyone you love would be lost forever, what would you do with that time?

It's an ordinary evening. People are coming home from work, cooking dinner for their children, cuddling on sofas with their lovers. And then the message arrives, shattering everyone's worlds:

Missiles are set to destroy England in fifty-nine minutes. Everyone should seek immediate shelter.

59 minutes follows the journey of three women trying to make it home to and protect their families. The journeys should be simple, but with a lost schoolchild seeking help, a teenage daughter suddenly going missing, and dangerous criminals on the prowl, there is peril at every corner.

59 Minutes is a gripping, thought-provoking and gut-wrenching thriller perfect for fans of WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME, THE CHAIN and Lisa Jewell.

Everyone is raving about 59 Minutes:
'Mind-blowing... A tense, scary and heart-wrenching read with a twist I never saw coming... One of the most thought-provoking novels I've ever read. Don't read the reviews, read the book. This one is going to be huge.' Reader Review, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️'Wow. Just wow... Beautifully written, fast-paced, tight knit with barely a moment to breathe. I devoured it in one sitting... This is, without doubt, one of the best thrillers I've ever read.' Reader Review, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

'Oh my... What an absolute gem of a book. Highly original, definitely thought-provokingand absolutely gripping from start to finish. The twist in this is mind-blowing... genius... This book should be on everyone's TBR list. A massive 5⭐️' Reader Review, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

'Grabs you by the throat and pulls you along through the narrative... A brilliant book about humanity and what truly matters at the most crucial of times. This deserves to be an absolute hit.' Reader Review, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

'I grew up in the 80s with constant nuclear war fear... I inhaled this book within 24 hours and absolutely loved it... Seddon's writing is so brilliant... 59 Minutes is smart and scary, gripping and heartbreaking. I hope it's going to be huge.'
Reader Review, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️