Ilona Bannister

‘Ridiculously good. Razor-sharp, wickedly funny, and darkly thrilling … Unforgettable’ Chris Whitaker, Sunday Times bestselling author of All the Colours of the DarkFive passengers. Five minutes until the next train … five minutes until someone dies.It’s 7:01. Someone will die here this morning, at this suburban train station. It will happen in the next five minutes when the 7:06 to London Victoria arrives. On a train platform, five strangers unknowingly face a chilling countdown: one of them will die in five minutes.In this gripping tale narrated with a sharp tongue, the five main characters – a child, a mother, a businessman, an old woman, and a gambler – will draw you in with their stories as the clock ticks down. As the train gets closer and closer, we fall in love with the beautiful Sonny who is on the verge of gambling his life away. We pity the furious old Mrs Worth who grew up in a macabre household and so failed at being a mother. We look away from the demonic child Gideon. We judge his mother Emma who must surely be to blame? And we are curiously compelled by the successful and damaged businessman Liam.Five stories. Five minutes until a life ends. In this tense, intriguing drama that explores fate, sacrifice, and the real meaning of life, you will frantically turn the page to see who will survive, and who will be lost …* * *Praise for Ilona Bannister:‘A furious and tender exploration of family and motherhood’Pandora Sykes‘Richly textured, populated by wonderfully observed, deftly drawn characters … Smart, brave and often very funny’Sarah Haywood, bestselling author of The Cactus

Five passengers. Five minutes until the next train … five minutes until someone dies. ‘Ridiculously good … darkly thrilling and unforgettable’ Chris Whitaker ‘Brilliantly propulsive … A seriously impressive novel’ Hannah Beckerman ‘Original. Urgent. Disturbing. Brilliant’ Shari Lapena ‘Insightful, emotionally punchy, wryly observed … I read it in one sitting’ Sarah Pinborough * * * * Someone will die here this morning, at this suburban train station. It will happen in the next five minutes when the 7:06 to London Victoria arrives. Take note of their positions. The child, the mother, the businessman, the old woman and the gambler. One of them will die despite your attachment to them. There is probably one you want to get rid of. You don’t have to admit who. But perhaps you should ask yourself why. The train has stopped. Someone is dead. Was it who you chose? It wasn’t your fault … So why, dear reader, do you feel so guilty? Five stories. Five minutes until a life ends. Unfolding in real time, FIVE doesn't just tell a story; it provokes, unsettles, and lingers. By weaving together the stories of those complex, flawed lives, Bannister creates a tapestry of human struggle, resilience, and hope. FIVE offers no easy answers, but rather a nuanced exploration of the human condition in all its messy complexity. * * * * Readers are hooked on FIVE: 'This is a sharply drawn, darkly funny, and quietly devastating character study wrapped inside a ticking-clock thriller' Reader review ***** 'What a fantastic style of writing. Unique in it's telling that had me gripped from the start … I couldn't put it down' Reader review ***** 'Five stars for Five! … This is a sharp, unsettling and original novel that explores morality, judgement, addiction, motherhood and privilege with confidence and control. It stayed with me long after I finished' Reader review *****